Cephalomedullary Nailing for Subtrochanteric and Reverse-Oblique Femoral Fractures: Comparison of a Single Versus Dual Lag Screw Device.

Background: Subtrochanteric proximal femoral fractures are generally treated with cephalomedullary nail fixation. We aimed to compare outcomes of subtrochanteric fracture fixation using a single lag screw (Gamma3 nail, GN) or dual lag screw (INTERTAN nail, IN) device.

Methods: The primary outcome measure was mechanical failure, defined as lag screw cut-out or back-out, nail breakage, or peri-implant fracture.

Medical emergencies in hospital: The role of treatment escalation plans in out-of-hours decision-making.

Background: Out-of-hours medical emergencies are common in acute hospitals, and are often attended by staff who are unfamiliar with the patient's clinical background. Information in the hospital notes may or may not include guidance about how best to deal with clinical deterioration. The use of Treatment Escalation Plans (TEPs) attempts to address these deficiencies.

Correction: Microglia are essential for tissue contraction in wound closure after brain injury in zebrafish larvae.

Although in humans, the brain fails to heal after an injury, young zebrafish are able to restore tissue structural integrity in less than 24 h, thanks to the mechanical action of microglia.

Rett syndrome.

Rett syndrome (RTT) is a severe, progressive, neurodevelopmental disorder, which affects predominantly females. In most cases, RTT is associated with pathogenic variants in MECP2. MeCP2, the protein product of MECP2, is known to regulate gene expression and is highly expressed in the brain.

Chiari malformation type I and craniosynostosis in adults: Retrospective analysis over a 10 year period in a tertiary care Centre.

Background: Chiari malformation type 1 (CM1) pathophysiology remains uncertain. One theory involves small posterior fossa volumes leading to tonsillar herniation. Craniosynostosis causes suture fusion, which can limit skull growth, and has been investigated in paediatric CM1 cohorts.

Microglia are essential for tissue contraction in wound closure after brain injury in zebrafish larvae.

Wound closure after brain injury is crucial for tissue restoration but remains poorly understood at the tissue level. We investigated this process using in vivo observations of larval zebrafish brain injury. Our findings show that wound closure occurs within the first 24 h through global tissue contraction, as evidenced by live-imaging and drug inhibition studies.

Open thoracotomy versus VATS versus RATS for segmentectomy: a systematic review & Bayesian network meta-analysis.

Background: Recent trials suggest that more conservative resections such as segmentectomy are non-inferior to more radical approaches. Most segmentectomy can be safely performed using video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS). The clinical benefits of robotic-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (RATS) remain unclear.

Sensory Dysfunction, Microbial Infections, and Host Responses in Alzheimer's Disease.

Sensory functions of organs of the head and neck allow humans to interact with the environment and establish social bonds. With aging, smell, taste, vision, and hearing decline. Evidence suggests that accelerated impairment in sensory abilities can reflect a shift from healthy to pathological aging, including the development of Alzheimer's disease (AD) and other neurological disorders.

Evaluation of the integration of palliative care in a fragile setting amongst host and refugee communities: Using consecutive rapid participatory appraisals.

Background: Palliative care is seldom integrated in healthcare in fragile, conflict affected and vulnerable settings with significant refugee populations.

Aim: This study aimed to evaluate the integration of palliative care into a fragile, conflict affected and vulnerable community in Northern Uganda.

Design: Consecutive Rapid Participatory Appraisals were conducted to evaluate the integration of palliative care in Adjumani District.

Defining non-inferiority margins in randomised controlled surgical trials: a protocol for a systematic review.

Background: The reporting of randomised controlled non-inferiority (NI) drug trials is poor with less than 50% of published trials reporting a justification of the NI margin. This is despite the introduction of the Consolidated Standards of Reporting Trials (CONSORT) extension on reporting of NI and equivalence in randomised trials. It is critical to set the appropriate NI margin as this choice dictates the conclusions of the trial.

Radiation-induced cavernoma in pediatric CNS tumors: a systematic review and treatment paradigm.

Purpose: This retrospective systematic literature review aimed to summarize available data regarding epidemiology, etiology, presentation, investigations, differentials, treatment, prevention, monitoring, complications, and prognosis for radiation-induced cavernous malformations (RICMs) in pediatric patients.

Methodology: Review conducted per PRISMA guidelines. Google Scholar, PubMed, Trip Medical Database, and Cochrane Library searched utilizing a keyphrase, articles filtered per inclusion/exclusion criteria, duplicates excluded.

Molecular subtypes explain lupus epigenomic heterogeneity unveiling new regulatory genetic risk variants.

The heterogeneity of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) can be explained by epigenetic alterations that disrupt transcriptional programs mediating environmental and genetic risk. This study evaluated the epigenetic contribution to SLE heterogeneity considering molecular and serological subtypes, genetics and transcriptional status, followed by drug target discovery. We performed a stratified epigenome-wide association studies of whole blood DNA methylation from 213 SLE patients and 221 controls.

Learning points about myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome: Bridging the gap between research, clinical practice and awareness.

This essay examines the complex landscape of myalgic encephalomyelitis, commonly known as chronic fatigue syndrome, highlighting its chronic and multisystemic nature with elusive causative factors. It discusses clinical challenges in diagnosis and management, emphasising the importance of increased education and awareness among healthcare professionals. The role of empathic, person-centred care in improving patient outcomes is underscored, urging for a paradigm shift towards understanding and addressing the profound impact of myalgic encephalitis/chronic fatigue syndrome on patients' lives.

The future of hospital at home: a qualitative interview study of healthcare staff.

Purpose: Hospital at Home (HaH) services are expanding to provide acute multidisciplinary care in an individual's home. In this pilot study, we interviewed HaH staff to understand challenges and opportunities for service development.

Methods: We conducted 23 semi-structured interviews with multidisciplinary staff working across three HaH services in Scotland.

Barriers and motivators to undertaking physical activity in adults over 70-a systematic review of the quantitative literature.

Background: Physical activity (PA) has multiple benefits for older adults (≥70 years old). Despite this many older adults do not undertake the World Health Organisation guideline recommended amount of PA. This systematic review examines barriers and motivators to PA in adults aged ≥70 years.

The functional and psychological impact of delayed hip and knee arthroplasty: a systematic review and meta-analysis of 89,996 patients.

This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to determine the impact of presurgical waiting times on pre-/post-operative joint specific pain and function, health-related quality of life (HRQOL) and perspectives of patients awaiting primary elective total hip (THR) and knee (TKR) replacements. MEDLINE, EMBASE, PUBMED, and CENTRAL databases were searched from inception until 30th January 2023 (CRD42022288128). Secondary literature and unpublished datasets containing paediatric, non-elective, partial, or revision replacement populations were excluded.

Correction: Accelerated Care of Patients with Hip Fractures is Associated with Lower Risk of Delirium and Infection, and a Shorter Length of Hospital Stay: Systematic Review and Meta-analysis of Level One Evidence.

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.1007/s43465-023-01026-x.].

Prevalence of gestational diabetes in the United States and Canada: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Background: An understanding of the prevalence of gestational diabetes mellitus among pregnant women is essential at local, national and international level so that appropriate health care interventions can be planned, financed and delivered.

Methods: A systematic review and meta-analysis of primary research reporting the prevalence of gestational diabetes mellitus in Canada or the United States were carried out according to Meta-analysis of Observational Studies in Epidemiology guidelines. Four electronic databases were systematically searched in June 2023 to identify articles that reported gestational diabetes mellitus prevalence using universal screening in pregnant women from eligible general population samples.

Defense and anti-defense mechanisms of bacteria and bacteriophages.

In the post-antibiotic era, the overuse of antimicrobials has led to a massive increase in antimicrobial resistance, leaving medical doctors few or no treatment options to fight infections caused by superbugs. The use of bacteriophages is a promising alternative to treat infections, supplementing or possibly even replacing antibiotics. Using phages for therapy is possible, since these bacterial viruses can kill bacteria specifically, causing no harm to the normal flora.

Vaccines and Dementia: Part II. Efficacy of BCG and Other Vaccines Against Dementia.

 There is growing awareness that infections may contribute to the development of senile dementia including Alzheimer's disease (AD), and that immunopotentiation is therefore a legitimate target in the management of diseases of the elderly including AD. In Part I of this work, we provided a historical and molecular background to how vaccines, adjuvants, and their component molecules can elicit broad-spectrum protective effects against diverse agents, culminating in the development of the tuberculosis vaccine strain Bacille Calmette-Guérin (BCG) as a treatment for some types of cancer as well as a prophylactic against infections of the elderly such as pneumonia. In Part II, we critically review studies that BCG and other vaccines may offer a measure of protection against dementia development.

Vaccines and Dementia: Part I. Non-Specific Immune Boosting with BCG: History, Ligands, and Receptors.

Vaccines such as Bacille Calmette-Guérin (BCG) can apparently defer dementia onset with an efficacy better than all drugs known to date, as initially reported by Gofrit et al. (PLoS One14, e0224433), now confirmed by other studies. Understanding how and why is of immense importance because it could represent a sea-change in how we manage patients with mild cognitive impairment through to dementia.

The reverse stethoscope technique: a rapid intervention for old age hearing loss.

Objectives: Presbycusis is highly prevalent, affecting between a third and two-thirds of elderly populations. Effective communication between patient and physician has been shown to directly correlate with the quality of patient care. The Reverse Stethoscope Technique (RST) involves placing the earpieces into the patient's ears and speaking into the diaphragm.