Effects of dupilumab on mannitol airway hyperresponsiveness in uncontrolled severe asthma.

Background: Airway hyperresponsiveness (AHR) is a hallmark of persistent asthma. However, effects of IL-4/13 blockade with dupilumab (Dupi) on AHR are unknown.

Objectives: This study sought to investigate the effect of 12 weeks of Dupi on AHR, asthma control, and quality of life.

A Polyvinyl Alcohol (PVA)-Based Phantom for Prostate Cancer Detection Using Multiparametric Ultrasound: A Validation Study.

Unlabelled: Multiparametric ultrasound (mpUS) enhances prostate cancer (PCa) diagnosis by using multiple imaging modalities. Tissue-mimicking materials (TMM) phantoms, favoured over animal models for ethical and consistency reasons, were created using polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) with varying molecular weights (Mw).

Methods: Four PVA samples, varying in Mw with constant concertation, were mixed with glycerol, silicon carbide (SiC), and aluminium oxide (AlO).

Clinical application of capsule sponge testing in symptomatic reflux disease: a national prospective cohort study.

Background: Capsule sponge testing, using an oesophageal cell collection device with biomarkers, was implemented nationally across Scotland in 2020 for symptomatic reflux patients referred to secondary care for non-urgent endoscopy. The aim was to use capsule sponge testing as a triage tool to reduce pressures on the endoscopy service during COVID-19, focus endoscopy resources on those most likely to have pathology and streamline the patient pathway. This prospective cohort study presents the first real-world results and evaluates the clinical application of capsule sponge testing in symptomatic reflux disease based on endoscopic biopsy results.

Incidence of diabetes mellitus following hospitalisation for COVID-19 in the United Kingdom: A prospective observational study.

Background: People hospitalised for coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) have elevated incidence of diabetes. However, it is unclear whether this is due to shared risk factors, confounding or stress hyperglycaemia in response to acute illness.

Methods: We analysed a multicentre prospective cohort study (PHOSP-COVID) of people ≥18 years discharged from NHS hospitals across the United Kingdom following COVID-19.

Long-term outcomes following the resection of screen-detected right-sided colon cancer.

Background: The relative outcomes following the resection of screen-detected right-sided colon cancer compared to symptomatic cases are unknown. In this study, short and long-term outcomes after right-sided colectomy in screen-detected colon cancer are compared with symptomatic cases, both emergency and elective.

Methods: A prospective observational cohort study of patients, including both screen-detected and symptomatic patients (elective and emergency resections), undergoing right-sided colectomy for colon cancer (2010-2020) in a tertiary care unit was conducted.

Delphi definition of general practice/family medicine specialty for a post-COVID world: in-person and remote care delivery.

Introduction: The evolving landscape of general practice (GP)/family medicine (FM) in the post-COVID-19 era, focussing on integrating telemedicine and remote consultations requires a new definition for this specialty. Hence, a broader consensus-based definition of post-COVID-19 GP/FM is warranted.

Methods: This study involved a modified electronic Delphi technique involving 27 specialists working in primary care recruited via convenient and snowball sampling.

The abscopal effects of sonodynamic therapy in cancer.

The abscopal effect is a phenomenon wherein localised therapy on the primary tumour leads to regression of distal metastatic growths. Interestingly, various pre-clinical studies utilising sonodynamic therapy (SDT) have reported significant abscopal effects, however, the mechanism remains largely enigmatic. SDT is an emerging non-invasive cancer treatment that uses focussed ultrasound (FUS) and a sonosensitiser to induce tumour cell death.

AI Promoted Virtual Screening, Structure-Based Hit Optimization, and Synthesis of Novel COVID-19 S-RBD Domain Inhibitors.

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is caused by a new, highly pathogenic severe-acute-respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) that infects human cells through its transmembrane spike (S) glycoprotein. The receptor-binding domain (RBD) of the S protein interacts with the angiotensin-converting enzyme II (ACE2) receptor of the host cells. Therefore, pharmacological targeting of this interaction might prevent infection or spread of the virus.

A worldwide look into long COVID-19 management: an END-COVID survey.

Background: Long COVID is a heterogeneous clinical syndrome characterised by a variety of reported symptoms and signs. Its clinical management is expected to differ significantly worldwide.

Methods: A survey-based study investigating long COVID-related standard operating procedures (SOPs) has been conducted by the European Respiratory Society (ERS) END-COVID clinical research collaboration with the support of other international societies (ALAT, APSR, CHEST, ESCMID and PATS).

ASSIGN score and cancer risk in the Scottish Heart Health Extended Cohort (SHHEC) study.

Background: The aim of this work was to determine whether the ASSIGN cardiovascular disease (CVD) score, a 10-year CVD risk score used in primary care in Scotland, could additionally detect cancer risk.

Methods: 18,107 participants were recruited to the Scottish Heart Health Extended Cohort (SHHEC) study between 1982 and 1995. Information on health and lifestyle were collected, along with blood and urine, and participants were followed up via record linkage to 2017.

Identification and Categorization of Technical Errors and Hazard-zones of Robotic versus Laparoscopic total Gastrectomy for Gastric Cancer: A Single Center Prospective Randomized Controlled Study.

Importance: The current research aimed to conduct a detailed analysis of intraoperative surgical performance, short-term outcomes, identify and categorize technical errors, and hazard-zones enacted during total gastrectomy performed robotically and laparoscopically by surgeons. Prospective research is needed to determine whether the technical advantages of robotic surgery translate to patient outcomes.

Objective: Identify and process risk areas in robot-assisted total gastrectomy (RTG) and laparoscopic total gastrectomy (LTG) to get the best patient results.

Visual cues of soft-tissue behaviour in minimal-invasive and robotic surgery.

Minimal-invasive surgery (MIS) and robotic surgery (RS) offer multiple advantages over open surgery (Vajsbaher et al. in Cogn Syst Res 64:08, 2020). However, the lack of haptic feedback is still a limitation.

The mutation induces myeloid immune cell exhaustion in an age- and sex-dependent manner in mice.

Age is the greatest risk factor for many neurodegenerative diseases, yet immune system aging, a contributor to neurodegeneration, is understudied. Genetic variation in the gene affects risk for both familial and sporadic Parkinson's disease (PD). The leucine-rich repeat kinase 2 (LRRK2) protein is implicated in peripheral immune cell signaling, but the effects of an aging immune system on LRRK2 function remain unclear.

Distinct Genetic Risk Profile in Aortic Stenosis Compared With Coronary Artery Disease.

Importance: Aortic stenosis (AS) and coronary artery disease (CAD) frequently coexist. However, it is unknown which genetic and cardiovascular risk factors might be AS-specific and which could be shared between AS and CAD.

Objective: To identify genetic risk loci and cardiovascular risk factors with AS-specific associations.

Forensic investigation into head trauma in combat sports, blunt force homicides, and traditional martial arts.

Background: The analysis of circumstantial elements in post-mortem examinations is crucial for identifying perpetrators in unarmed close-range homicides. This study explores the forensic analysis of head trauma fatalities related to combat sports, blunt force trauma homicides, and traditional martial arts (TMA), aiming to bridge the gap between historical martial arts documentation and modern forensic pathology.

Materials And Methods: Following PRISMA guidelines, we conducted a systematic literature review and interdisciplinary analysis combining traditional forensic methods with the study of TMA manuscripts and consultations with martial arts experts.

Childhood maltreatment and chronic "all over" body pain in adulthood: a counterfactual analysis using UK Biobank.

Evidence linking adverse childhood experiences and chronic pain in adulthood is largely cross-sectional, potentially subject to recall bias and does not allow exploration of mediating pathways. We analysed a large population-based cohort (UK Biobank) using a causal framework, to determine if childhood maltreatment is related to chronic "all over" body pain in adulthood. We used doubly robust estimation with inverse probability weights to estimate the difference in risk of chronic pain "all over" between those exposed/not exposed to childhood maltreatment (abuse or neglect).

Sex-specific Associations between Left Ventricular Remodeling at MRI and Long-term Cardiovascular Risk.

Background Left ventricular mass (LVM) is an established marker of cardiovascular risk; however, long-term follow-up studies in individuals with low to intermediate risk are lacking. Purpose To assess the sex-specific association of LVM measured with cardiac MRI with cardiovascular outcomes in those with a less than 20% 10-year risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD). Materials and Methods A total of 1528 volunteers older than 40 years of age with no history of CVD, a 10-year risk of CVD of less than 20%, and a B-type natriuretic peptide level greater than their sex-specific median underwent cardiac MRI between June 2008 and February 2013 as part of the Tayside Screening for Cardiac Events, or TASCFORCE, prospective study.