A New Smartphone-Based Cognitive Screening Battery for Multiple Sclerosis (icognition): Validation Study.

Background: Cognitive deterioration is common in multiple sclerosis (MS) and requires regular follow-up. Currently, cognitive status is measured in clinical practice using paper-and-pencil tests, which are both time-consuming and costly. Remote monitoring of cognitive status could offer a solution because previous studies on telemedicine tools have proved its feasibility and acceptance among people with MS.

Distinct genetic risk loci between biopsy-proven renal and non-renal lupus: a 10-year longitudinal cohort.

Objective: Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is a heterogeneous disease which manifests as different subphenotypes. Distinct subphenotypes, such as lupus nephritis (LN), have been associated with increased genetic risk, but prior studies have been limited by cross-sectional and imprecisely subphenotyped cohorts. This study investigated the genetic basis for LN using a longitudinal cohort of distinctly subphenotyped patients.

The clinical assessment of lung involvement in patients with Still's disease, results from the multicentre international AIDA Network Still's Disease Registry.

Objectives: To assess the lung involvement in patients with Still's disease, an inflammatory disease assessing both children and adults. To exploit possible associated factors for parenchymal lung involvement in these patients.

Methods: A multicentre observational study was arranged assessing consecutive patients with Still's disease characterized by the lung involvement among those included in the AIDA (AutoInflammatory Disease Alliance) Network Still's Disease Registry.

Approaches to Incorporation of Preferences into Health Economic Models of Genomic Medicine: A Critical Interpretive Synthesis and Conceptual Framework.

Introduction: Genomic medicine has features that make it preference sensitive and amenable to model-based health economic evaluation. Preferences of patients, caregivers, and clinicians related to the uptake and delivery of genomic medicine technologies and services that are not captured in health state utility weights can affect the intervention's cost-effectiveness and budget impact. However, there is currently no established or agreed-on approach for integrating preference information into economic evaluations.

Relationship of maternal ophthalmic artery Doppler with uterine artery Doppler, hemodynamic indices and gestational age: prospective MATERA study.

Objectives: To examine the relationship of ophthalmic artery (OA) Doppler indices with uterine artery (UtA) Doppler indices, selected maternal hemodynamic parameters and gestational age, and to evaluate the intraobserver reproducibility of OA Doppler indices.

Methods: This was a prospective cohort study of women recruited between 11 + 0 and 23 + 6 weeks' gestation using a stratified and random sampling approach to ensure adequate distribution across the gestational-age range. OA pulsatility index (PI), first peak systolic velocity (PSV1), second peak systolic velocity (PSV2) and peak systolic velocity ratio (PSV ratio), calculated as PSV2/PSV1, were measured twice in each eye by the same observer.

Potential interaction between clorsulon and ivermectin for malaria vector control.

Mass ivermectin (IVM) treatment of livestock (MITL) is under consideration as a malaria control tool as IVM-treated livestock are lethal to blood-feeding Anopheles mosquitoes. MITL is routinely used as a prophylaxis in livestock to reduce the burden and transmission of helminth infections. Recently, there has been a shift in the veterinary IVM market in Southeast Asia wherein nearly all standard IVM formulations are now co-formulated with clorsulon (CLO).

Predictive Factors of a Dominant Superficial Venous Drainage System in DIEP Flap Surgery With Preoperative Computed Tomography Angiography.

Background: Venous congestion due to superficial venous system dominance (SVD) in deep inferior epigastric perforator (DIEP) flap surgery occurs in approximately 2% of cases, with attendant sequelae and increased cost to healthcare systems. This study aimed to describe the predictive factors for SVD in DIEP flap breast reconstruction based on preoperative computed tomography angiography (CTA) findings.

Methods: All women who required takebacks for additional venous anastomosis to the cephalic vein because of SVD after DIEP flap breast reconstruction between 2015 and 2022 were included.

Electronic structure of norbornadiene and quadricyclane.

The ground and excited state electronic structure of the molecular photoswitches quadricyclane and norbornadiene is examined qualitatively and quantitatively. A new custom basis set is introduced, optimised for efficient yet accurate calculations. A number of advanced multi-configurational and multi-reference electronic structure methods are evaluated, identifying those sufficiently accurate and efficient to be used in on-the-fly simulations of photoexcited dynamics.

The SARS-CoV-2 nucleocapsid protein interferes with the full enzymatic activation of UPF1 and its interaction with UPF2.

The nonsense-mediated mRNA decay (NMD) pathway triggers the degradation of defective mRNAs and governs the expression of mRNAs with specific characteristics. Current understanding indicates that NMD is often significantly suppressed during viral infections to protect the viral genome. In numerous viruses, this inhibition is achieved through direct or indirect interference with the RNA helicase UPF1, thereby promoting viral replication and enhancing pathogenesis.

Temperature Effects in Conventional and RAFT Photopolymerization.

Photochemical processes are often thought to be temperature-independent. However, photochemical polymerization involves photochemical processes such as light-driven radical generation coupled with thermal-driven reactions such as monomer propagation. The apparent activation energy of propagation, ( ), of a series of three monomers, methyl acrylate (MA), methyl methacrylate (MMA), and styrene (STY), are deduced from Arrhenius analysis of conventional and RAFT photopolymerization of these monomers across a range of corresponding temperatures.

Purification of mesenchymal stromal cell-derived small extracellular vesicles using ultrafiltration.

Mesenchymal stromal cell-derived small extracellular vesicles (MSC-sEVs) are pivotal for the curative effects of mesenchymal stromal cells, but their translation into clinical products is hindered by the technical challenges of scaled production and purification. Ultrafiltration, a pressure-driven membrane separation method, is well known as an efficient, scalable, and cost-effective approach for bioseparation. However, there has been little study so far that comprehensively evaluates the potential application of ultrafiltration for scaled sEV isolation and purification.

A retrospective view of hospital pharmacy in the UK over the last 20 years.

In this article, we describe how the landscape of hospital pharmacy has changed over the last 20 years. As well as commenting on the impact of COVID-19 on services, we describe five major advancements namely: clinical pharmacy services, the development of multi-professional teams, policy changes, attitudes to using and producing evidence, advances in technology and workforce development. Finally, there is brief comment around the future challenges for hospital pharmacy in the UK.

Apalutamide: A Cause of Neutropenic Sepsis.

Prostate cancer is one of the most frequently diagnosed cancers and poses a significant health burden. New androgen-targeted therapies are now standard treatments for various stages of prostate cancer, including hormone-sensitive, metastatic, and non-metastatic castration-resistant types. These therapies are generally well tolerated and often have fewer side effects compared to traditional chemotherapy.

Comparing the tissue Doppler-derived left ventricular myocardial performance index before and after recovery from respiratory distress in neonates: A prospective observational study.

Background And Objective: Respiratory distress is the most common cause requiring neonatal intensive care unit admission. As respiratory and cardiac functions are closely interrelated, some cardiac dysfunction is expected in respiratory distress. The myocardial performance index (MPI) is an index to assess global myocardial function, easily measurable by bedside echocardiography and reliable.

Relationships Between Recent Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) and Somatic Symptoms in Adolescence.

Early identification and interventions are imperative for mitigating the harmful effects of adverse childhood experiences (ACEs). Nonetheless, a substantial barrier persists in identifying adolescents experiencing ACEs. One understudied avenue for early identification of ACEs is through the examination of somatic symptoms endorsed by adolescents.

Global glucose metabolism rate as diagnostic marker for disorder of consciousness of patients: quantitative FDG-PET study.

Objective: This study was to employ 18F-flurodeoxyglucose (FDG-PET) to evaluate the resting-state brain glucose metabolism in a sample of 46 patients diagnosed with disorders of consciousness (DoC). The aim was to identify objective quantitative metabolic indicators and predictors that could potentially indicate the level of awareness in these patients.

Methods: A cohort of 46 patients underwent Coma Recovery Scale-Revised (CRS-R) assessments in order to distinguish between the minimally conscious state (MCS) and the unresponsive wakefulness syndrome (UWS).

Perceptions of Cardiovascular Healthcare Professionals Regarding Clinical Trials: A Survey-Based Study from the Middle East.

Background: Low-middle income countries harbor the highest burden of cardiovascular diseases globally, but there is an under-representation of these countries in cardiovascular clinical trials. This limits the generalizability of the trial results to these countries. There is a lack of data on insights of cardiologists in these countries regarding conducting and participating in clinical trials.

Cognitive testing and the hazards of cut-offs.

The article reviews some basic statistical concepts used in medicine, including the mean, standard deviation, sensitivity and specificity. Using this background the authors describe how these can be applied to cognitive tests, taking the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) as an example. Two different approaches to using the MoCA in diagnosing dementia are considered: one using a fixed cut-off score, the other taking account of normative data about the effects of age and educational level on MoCA scores.

A randomised double-blind, placebo-controlled trial of pramipexole in addition to mood stabilisers for patients with treatment-resistant bipolar depression (the PAX-BD study).

Background: Options for 'treatment-resistant bipolar depression' (TRBD) are limited. Two small, short-term, trials of pramipexole suggest it might be an option.

Aims: To evaluate the clinical effectiveness and safety of pramipexole in the management of TRBD.

Assessing Metabolic Ageing via DNA Methylation Surrogate Markers: A Multicohort Study in Britain, Ireland and the USA.

Metabolomics and epigenomics have been used to develop 'ageing clocks' that assess biological age and identify 'accelerated ageing'. While metabolites are subject to short-term variation, DNA methylation (DNAm) may capture longer-term metabolic changes. We aimed to develop a hybrid DNAm-metabolic clock using DNAm as metabolite surrogates ('DNAm-metabolites') for age prediction.

The Brief International Cognitive Assessment in Multiple Sclerosis (BICAMS): Regression-based norms for German-speaking countries.

Background And Purpose: Cognitive impairment in multiple sclerosis (MS) is common and is associated with problems in employment, driving ability, and quality of life. Since cognitive impairment at time of diagnosis is predictive of disability progression, early assessment and annual monitoring is recommended. The Brief International Cognitive Assessment in Multiple Sclerosis (BICAMS) was introduced as a time-efficient screening tool that can easily be applied in standard clinical care.

Pharmacological profiling of small molecule modulators of the TMEM16A channel and their implications for the control of artery and capillary function.

Background And Purpose: TMEM16A chloride channels constitute a depolarising mechanism in arterial smooth muscle cells (SMCs) and contractile cerebral pericytes. TMEM16A pharmacology is incompletely defined. We elucidated the mode of action and selectivity of a recently identified positive allosteric modulator of TMEM16A (PAM_16A) and of a range of TMEM16A inhibitors.

An Open-Shell Fe Nitrido.

We report the photogeneration and characterization of an open-shell, terminal iron nitrido (L)Fe(N) using a sterically encumbered dipyrrin ligand environment. The Fe-N distance in the solid-state, zero-field Fe Mössbauer spectrum, and computational analysis are consistent with a triplet electronic ground state of the iron nitrido. Notably, the attenuation of Fe-N multiple bond character through occupying π* enables (i) primary C(sp)-H amination, (ii) H cleavage, (iii) aromatic C-C cleavage, and (iv) photocatalytic -atom transfer reactivity.

Impact of Anatomical Research Projects for Medical Students: A Cross-Sectional Survey of Academic and Professional Skills, Clinical Aspirations and Appreciation of Anatomy.

In the third year of pre-clinical medicine (known as Part II of the Natural Sciences Tripos at the University of Cambridge), students have the opportunity to lead a primary research project on clinically relevant anatomy, often involving donor dissection. This descriptive study used a cross-sectional survey to explore the effects of undertaking an anatomical research project on students' attitudes, interests, and a variety of academic and professional skills. Of 45 students who were invited to participate in this study, 40 responded.