Risk factors for survival after lung transplantation in cystic fibrosis: impact of colonization with multidrug-resistant strains of Pseudomonas aeruginosa.

Background: Lung transplantation is the ultimate treatment option for patients with advanced cystic fibrosis. Chronic colonization of these recipients with multidrug-resistant (MDR) pathogens may constitute a risk factor for an adverse outcome. We sought to analyze whether colonization with MDR pathogens, as outlined in the German classification of multiresistant Gram-negative bacteria (MRGN), was associated with the success of lung transplantation.

Incidence and resistance rates of Pseudomonas aeruginosa bloodstream infections in Switzerland: a nationwide surveillance study (2010-2022).

Purpose: Bloodstream infections (BSIs) cause significant morbidity and mortality worldwide. Pseudomonas aeruginosa is an important microorganism in BSIs. The aim of this study was to analyze recent trends in the incidence and resistance rates of P.

Differential Neuronal Activation of Nociceptive Pathways in Neuropathic Pain After Spinal Cord Injury.

Neuropathic pain, a prevalent complication following spinal cord injury (SCI), severely impairs the life quality of patients. No ideal treatment exists due to incomplete knowledge on underlying neural processes. To explore the SCI-induced effect on nociceptive circuits, the protein expression of c-Fos was analyzed as an indicator of neuronal activation in a rat contusion model exhibiting below-level pain.

A review of state-of-the-art resolution improvement techniques in SPECT imaging.

Single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT), a technique capable of capturing functional and molecular information, has been widely adopted in theranostics applications across various fields, including cardiology, neurology, and oncology. The spatial resolution of SPECT imaging is relatively poor, which poses a significant limitation, especially the visualization of small lesions. The main factors affecting the limited spatial resolution of SPECT include projection sampling techniques, hardware and software.

Development of a Screening Intervention for Dysphagia in Hospitalised Geriatric Patients.

Prevalence of dysphagia is high in hospitalised geriatric patients, posing risks of complications including malnutrition, dehydration, aspiration, and pneumonia. These complications may lead to reduced daily functioning, frailty, prolonged hospital stays, readmissions, and mortality. Diagnosing dysphagia in geriatric patients is often challenging due to the complex health conditions of this patient group, and overall these patients are at risk of lack of continuity in patient pathways and unnecessary hospitalisations.

DSCI: a database of synthetic biology components for innate immunity and cell engineering decision-making processes.

Although significant progress of clinical strategy has been made in gene editing and cell engineering in immunotherapy, it is now apparent that design and modification in terms of complex signaling pathways and motifs on medical synthetic biology are still full of challenges. Innate immunity, the first line of host defense against pathogens, is critical for anti-pathogens immune response as well as regulating durable and protective T cell-mediated anti-tumor responses. Here, we introduce DSCI (Database of Synthetic Biology Components for Innate Immunity, https://dsci.

Vietnamese religiosity, premarital sexual permissiveness, and abortion attitudes: the mediating role of filial piety.

This study focuses on filial piety, a fundamental psychological factor in Vietnam and its relationship with religiosity and attitudes toward abortion. Drawing on data from 656 participants, the research employed the Partial Least Squares-Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM) method and identified significant differences in intrinsic religiosity (IR) based on various forms of cohabitation with parents. Furthermore, the findings revealed a positive association between age and religiosity.

A comprehensive review of factors affecting growth and secondary metabolites in hydroponically grown medicinal plants.

Optimizing environmental factors can significantly increase the growth and secondary metabolite synthesis of hydroponically grown medicinal plants. This approach can help increase the quality and quantity of pharmacologically important metabolites to enhance therapeutic needs. Medicinal plants are key therapeutic sources for treating various ailments.

FOXP3 as a prognostic marker and therapeutic target in immunogenic cell death modulation for clear cell renal cell carcinoma.

Background: Clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC) remains a challenging cancer type due to its resistance to standard treatments. Immunogenic cell death (ICD) has the potential to activate anti-tumor immunity, presenting a promising avenue for ccRCC therapies.

Methods: We analyzed data from GSE29609, TCGA-KIRC, and GSE159115 to identify ICD-related prognostic genes in ccRCC.

In vivo bone regeneration performance of hydroxypropyl methylcellulose hydrogel-based composite bone cements in ovariectomized and ovary-intact rats: a preliminary investigation.

The objective of this study is to fabricate and develop hydroxypropyl methylcellulose (HPMC) hydrogel (HG)-based composite bone cements with incorporation of hydroxyapatite (HA), beta-tricalcium phosphate (β-TCP), and with/without polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA) for vertebroplasty. For animal study, twenty female Wister rats (250-300 g, 12 weeks of age) were divided into four groups including a two non-ovariectomy (NOVX) groups and two ovariectomy (OVX)-induced osteoporosis groups. Two prepared biocomposites including HG/β-TCP/HA and HG/β-TCP/HA/PMMA were injected into the tibial defects of both OVX and NOVX rats for evaluating in vivo osteogenesis after 12 weeks.

Natural compounds as modulators of miRNAs: a new frontier in bladder cancer treatment.

Bladder cancer (BC) is a major global health issue with a high recurrence rate and limited effective treatments. Over the past few years, it has become evident that miRNAs play a role in the carcinogenesis process, particularly in regulating genes that promote cancer cell proliferation and invasion. This review focuses on the extent to which natural products can act as potential miRNA modulators for the management of bladder cancer.

Principles, challenges, and advances in ribosome profiling: from bulk to low-input and single-cell analysis.

Ribosome profiling has revolutionized our understanding of gene expression regulation by providing a snapshot of global translation in vivo. This powerful technique enables the investigation of the dynamics of translation initiation, elongation, and termination, and has provided insights into the regulation of protein synthesis under various conditions. Despite its widespread adoption, challenges persist in obtaining high-quality ribosome profiling data.

Responsive cancer care in Asia: stigma and pain must be acknowledged and addressed.

Purpose: This study investigates whether cancer-related stigma and pain among patients with advanced cancer influences their perceptions of receiving responsive care.

Methods: We surveyed 2138 advanced cancer patients from 11 hospitals in eight Asian countries. Participants rated their most recent healthcare visit and a hypothetical patient's experience described in vignettes concerning dignity, clarity of information, and involvement in decision-making.

Incisional PSMA PET/CT-positive recurrences in prostate cancer- is there an implication on clinical care?

Oligorecurrent prostate cancer (PCa) can be treated with metastasis-directed therapy (MDT), which may be performed using radioguided surgery (RGS) as an experimental approach. These procedures have shown promising outcomes, largely due to the high lesion detection rate of positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PET/CT). We present a case series of patients who underwent RGS following robot-assisted radical prostatectomy (RARP).

Low-volume transanal irrigation (TAI) in the treatment of functional faecal incontinence in children: a cohort study.

Purpose: Functional faecal incontinence (FFI) is a stigmatising condition for a child and parents and can be a challenge to treat even in tertiary centres. Transanal irrigation (TAI) is an emerging treatment with great success in refractory cases. We performed TAI with a substantially decreased amount of water used (low-volume TAI), yet no previous evidence exists on this treatment in children.

Cloning and functional characterization of sesquiterpene synthase genes from Inonotus obliquus using a Saccharomyces cerevisiae expression system.

Inonotus obliquus (Chaga mushroom) is a large medicinal and edible fungus that contains a wealth of bioactive terpenoids. However, the detection of certain low-abundance sesquiterpenoids remains a challenge due to limitations in extraction and analytical techniques. Furthermore, the synthase genes responsible for the biosynthesis of the identified terpenoids have not yet been clearly elucidated.

Differences in radiographic and clinical outcomes of different oblique lumbar interbody fusions for lumbar degenerative diseases: a systematic review and Bayesian network meta-analysis.

To systematically evaluate the differences in the clinical efficacy of lumbar degenerative disorders (LDDs) treatment between oblique lumbar interbody fusion with percutaneous pedicle screw fixation (OLIF-PF), OLIF stand-alone (OLIF-SA), and OLIF with anterolateral screw fixation (OLIF-AF). A systematic search was conducted on both English and Chinese databases, wherein the literature was screened based on title, abstract, and full text. Literature that met the inclusion criteria was assessed for quality and relevant information was extracted.

First-line biologics as a treatment for ulcerative colitis: a multicenter randomized control study.

Background: Despite the availability of several biologics for ulcerative colitis (UC), there remains a critical need to identify first-line treatment biologics. The superiority of infliximab (IFX) over vedolizumab (VED) and ustekinumab (UST) was evaluated as initial UC treatments in patients with biologic-naïve UC.

Methods: This multicenter, randomized control trial was conducted across 20 Japanese medical institutions.

Gamma knife radiosurgery for cavernous malformations: a comprehensive study on symptom relief, hemorrhage rates, and histopathological changes.

This study aims to demonstrate the effect of gamma knife radiosurgery (GKRS) on symptoms, hemorrhage rates, and histopathological changes in patients with cavernous malformations (CMs), regardless of whether the symptomatic lesions are hemorrhagic. This single-center retrospective study evaluated symptomatic patients with single CMs treated with GKRS between 2016 and 2023. The patients' demographic data, presenting symptoms, GKRS radiation dose, complications developed during follow-up (hemorrhage, radiotoxicity), the rate of symptom improvement, and histopathological changes of surgically removed CMs were recorded.

Severity of skin disease strongly correlates with quality of life in people with psoriatic arthritis: a systematic review.

This systematic review aims to summarise the association between skin disease and quality of life (QoL) in people with psoriatic arthritis (PsA) and identify areas for future research and management. This review was registered on PROSPERO (CRD42024500994). Databases were searched for articles in English published until 7th January 2025.

Bridging the digital divide for outpatients treated with anticancer chemotherapy: a retrospective quantitative and qualitative analysis of an adapted electronic Patient Reported Outcome program.

Purpose: Using electronic patient-reported outcomes (ePRO) in clinical trial has shown benefits for patients. However, the digital divide can lead to unequal access to telehealth. We investigated whether a dedicated support program could bridge that divide.

Partially hydrolyzed guar gum alleviates neurological deficits and gastrointestinal dysfunction in mice with traumatic brain injury.

Traumatic brain injury (TBI)-associated neuroinflammation and neurotoxicity can induce gastrointestinal dysfunction through the brain-gut axis. Partially hydrolyzed guar gum (PHGG) was demonstrated to exert beneficial health effects by altering gut microbiota and short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) production. Our study aimed to explore the effects of PHGG on gastrointestinal dysfunction in TBI mouse models.

Distribution analysis of RAB11A and RAB11B, small GTP-binding proteins, in mice.

Background: RAB11 is a small GTP-binding protein that regulates intracellular trafficking of recycling endosomes and is thereby involved in several neural functions. Highly similar RAB11 isoforms are encoded by RAB11A and RAB11B genes, and their pathogenic variants are associated with similar neurodevelopmental disorders, suggesting that RAB11A and RAB11B play similar and important roles in brain development. However, the detailed distribution patterns of these isoforms in various organs, including the brain, remain undetermined.

An Update on Multi-System Inflammatory Syndrome in Children.

Purpose: To summarize the latest research on the epidemiology, pathogenesis, diagnosis, and treatment of multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children (MIS-C).

Recent Findings: The epidemiology of MIS-C has been dynamic since its initial description. The pathogenesis remains poorly understood.