The Intersection of Heart Failure and Iron Deficiency Anemia: Diagnostic and Therapeutic Approaches.

Iron deficiency anemia (IDA) is highly prevalent among individuals with heart failure (HF), impacting 40-70% of patients and serving as a significant prognostic indicator. Linked with oxidative metabolism and myocardial cell damage, IDA exacerbates HF symptoms, including reduced exercise capacity, diminished quality of life, and heightened cardiovascular morbidity. This review explores the diagnosis, treatment, clinical outcomes, prognostic indicators, and forthcoming challenges associated with IDA in HF patients.

A Dual Filter Based on Radial Basis Function Neural Networks and Kalman Filters with Application to Numerical Wave Prediction Models.

The aim of this study is to introduce and evaluate a dual filter that combines Radial Basis Function neural networks and Kalman filters to enhance the accuracy of numerical wave prediction models. Unlike the existing methods, which focus solely on systematic errors, the proposed framework concurrently targets both systematic and non-systematic parts of forecast errors, significantly reducing the bias and variability in significant wave height predictions. The produced filter is self-adaptive, identifying optimal Radial Basis Function network configurations through an automated process involving various network parameters tuning.

The Nutrient-Skin Connection: Diagnosing Eating Disorders Through Dermatologic Signs.

The interplay between nutrition and skin health provides a crucial lens for understanding, diagnosing, and managing eating disorders (EDs) such as anorexia nervosa (AN), bulimia nervosa (BN), and binge-eating disorder (BED). This review explores the dermatological manifestations resulting from the nutritional deficiencies commonly associated with EDs, including conditions like hair loss, xerosis, and brittle nails. These changes in the skin and its appendages often reflect deeper systemic dysfunctions, such as deficiencies in essential micronutrients (zinc, iron, and vitamins A and C), hormonal imbalances, and electrolyte disturbances.

Evaluation of Recycled and Reused Metal Powders for DMLS 3D Printing.

Metal powders for additive manufacturing are expensive, and producing new ones from mined metals has a negative ecological impact. In this work, recycled and reused metal powders from MS1 steel for direct metal laser sintering (DMLS) 3D printing were evaluated in the laboratory. The powders were recycled by melting followed by gas atomizing.

Skin and Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells as Biomarkers for Neurodegenerative Diseases.

As the global population ages, the rising prevalence of neurodegenerative diseases, characterized by abnormal protein aggregates, presents significant challenges for early diagnosis and disease monitoring. Identifying accessible tissue biomarkers is crucial for advancing our ability to detect and track the progression of these diseases. Among the most promising biomarkers is the skin, which shares a common embryological origin with the brain and central nervous system (CNS).

State-of-the-Art Trends in Data Compression: COMPROMISE Case Study.

After a boom that coincided with the advent of the internet, digital cameras, digital video and audio storage and playback devices, the research on data compression has rested on its laurels for a quarter of a century. Domain-dependent lossy algorithms of the time, such as JPEG, AVC, MP3 and others, achieved remarkable compression ratios and encoding and decoding speeds with acceptable data quality, which has kept them in common use to this day. However, recent computing paradigms such as cloud computing, edge computing, the Internet of Things (IoT), and digital preservation have gradually posed new challenges, and, as a consequence, development trends in data compression are focusing on concepts that were not previously in the spotlight.

Advancing Continuous Distribution Generation: An Exponentiated Odds Ratio Generator Approach.

This paper presents a new methodology for generating continuous statistical distributions, integrating the exponentiated odds ratio within the framework of survival analysis. This new method enhances the flexibility and adaptability of distribution models to effectively address the complexities inherent in contemporary datasets. The core of this advancement is illustrated by introducing a particular subfamily, the "Type 2 Gumbel Weibull-G family of distributions".

Effects of Mental Imagery on Quality of Life, Cognitive, and Emotional Status in Older Adults with Early-Stage Alzheimer's Disease Dementia: A Randomized Controlled Trial.

Background/objectives: Dementia is a syndrome which involves cognitive and motor problems such as memory and motor control that impacts the individuals' quality of life. In mental imagery (MI) technique, motor acts are mentally rehearsed without any overt body movements. The aim of this study was to investigate the effectiveness of MI on the quality of life, cognitive, and emotional status of older adults with an early stage of dementia.

Reliability and Validity of the KFORCE Sens Inertial Sensor for Measuring Cervical Spine Proprioception in Patients with Non-Specific Chronic Neck Pain.

Background/objectives: Patients with non-specific chronic neck pain (NSCNP) exhibit sensorimotor disturbances, with proprioception impairment considered an important aspect. The aim of this study was to assess the reliability and validity of a novel inertial sensor-based electrogoniometer (KFORCE Sens) for cervical spine (CS) proprioception measurement in patients with NSCNP.

Methods: The within-day intra-rater reliability of CS proprioception and its association with patient demographics and clinical status were examined in fifty-nine patients with NSCNP, aged between 25-65 years, recruited from primary care.

Perceptions and Experiences of Primary Care Providers on Their Role in Tobacco Treatment Delivery Based on Their Smoking Status: A Qualitative Study.

Introduction: Despite the well-documented benefits of smoking cessation interventions, the implementation and success of these programs in primary care settings often encounter significant barriers. A primary care provider's personal smoking status has been identified as a potential barrier to tobacco treatment delivery. The aim of this qualitative study is to explore the experiences and perspectives of primary care providers regarding their role in delivering smoking cessation interventions to patients based on their personal smoking status.

The fastest nonprofessional age group IRONMAN triathletes in the world originate from Europe.

It is well known that elite athletes of specific ethnicities and/or nationalities dominate certain sports disciplines (e.g., East Africans in marathon running).

Impact and cost-effectiveness of scaling up HCV testing and treatment strategies for achieving HCV elimination among people who inject drugs in England: a mathematical modelling study.

Background: England aims to reach the World Health Organization (WHO) elimination target of decreasing HCV incidence among people who inject drugs (PWID) to <2 per 100 person-years (/100pyrs) by 2030. We assessed what testing and treatment strategies will achieve this target and whether they are cost-effective.

Methods: A dynamic deterministic HCV transmission model among PWID was developed for four England regions, utilising data on the scale-up of HCV treatment among PWID in prisons, drug treatment centres (DTC, where opioid agonist therapy is provided), and any other setting (e.

Strict vegetarian diet and pregnancy outcomes: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Introduction: The increasing adoption of strict vegetarian diets during pregnancy has raised concerns about their effects on maternal and neonatal outcomes. This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to assess the impact of strict vegetarian diets on key pregnancy outcomes, including neonatal birth weight, small-for-gestational-age (SGA) infants, gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM), hypertensive disorders, and gestational weight gain (GWG).

Methods: A comprehensive literature search across multiple databases yielded eight studies from various countries, involving a total of 72,284 participants.

KDM6A facilitates Xist upregulation at the onset of X inactivation.

Background: X chromosome inactivation (XCI) is a female-specific process in which one X chromosome is silenced to balance X-linked gene expression between the sexes. XCI is initiated in early development by upregulation of the lncRNA Xist on the future inactive X (Xi). A subset of X-linked genes escape silencing and thus have higher expression in females, suggesting female-specific functions.

Economic preferences and cognitive abilities among teenagers in Spain.

This dataset originates from TeensLab, a consortium of Spanish Universities dedicated to behavioral research involving Spanish teenagers. The dataset contains data from 33 distinct educational institutions across Spain, accounting for a total of 5,890 students aged 10 to 23 (M = 14.10, SD = 1.

Privileges, and Permissions: Theorising Intersectionality and Cultures of Control in the Care of People Living With Dementia in Acute Hospital Settings.

A longstanding body of public enquiries and research identifies people living with dementia experience systemic inequalities within hospital settings, concluding a focus on improving care cultures is required. Drawing on a 3-year multi-sited hospital ethnography, this paper examines everyday cultures of care in NHS acute hospital wards to interrogate how ethnicity, gender and social class intersects to shape the care of people living with dementia. Drawing on Collins' concept of intersectionality and the relational nature of power, the analysis reveals that while cared for by diverse teams of healthcare professionals, a patients' age, ethnicity, gender and social class, as interconnected categories, influences the tightening of ward rules for some people living with dementia and the granting of significant privileges for others.

The Impact of Maternal Graves' Disease on Neonatal Thyroid Function: A Systematic Review.

Maternal Graves' disease (GD) poses a significant risk to neonatal thyroid function due to the transplacental transfer of thyrotropin receptor antibodies (TRAbs). This systematic review aims to assess the impact of maternal GD on neonatal thyroid outcomes and identify key maternal factors influencing these outcomes. A comprehensive literature search was conducted across PubMed, Scopus, and Cochrane, resulting in the inclusion of 18 studies published from 2014 to 2024.

Using the Conserved Hexapeptide in HOX Proteins as an Antagonist of HOX/PBX Interactions.

The HOX and PBX genes encode transcription factors that have key roles in development and cancer, both independently and as a heterodimer within a complex of proteins that recognizes specific sequences in DNA and can both activate and repress transcription of target genes. Due to functional redundancy amongst HOX proteins, knock down or knock out studies of individual genes often do not result in an altered phenotype. An alternative approach is to target the interaction between HOX and PBX proteins, which is dependent on a conserved hexapeptide region within HOX.

Spectral Emissivity and Thermal Conductivity Properties of Black Aluminum Films.

Black aluminum is a material characterized by high surface porosity due to columnar growth and exhibits unique optical properties that make it attractive for applications such as light trapping, infrared detection, and passive thermal radiation cooling. In this study, we correlate the structural and optical properties of black aluminum by comparing it with conventional reflective aluminum layers. These layers of varying thicknesses were deposited on fused silica substrates, and their optical properties were analyzed.

Child with epilepsy in school environment - The development of a conceptual model.

Objective: The aim of this qualitative study is to develop a conceptual model for the school life of the children with epilepsy based on grounded theory methodological framework.

Methodology: A total of 20 children with epilepsy participated in the semi-structured interviews. Inclusion criteria were age of 8-15 years, IQ higher than 70, duration of epilepsy of at least of two years and attendance of mainstream schools.

Sex Differences in Participation and Performance Trends in Time-Limited Ultramarathon Events.

We aimed to analyze sex differences in time-limited ultramarathon participation, while also identifying trends in participation, age, and performance across different formats of events, from 1990 to 2020. This is an exploratory study, using data obtained from the official event web pages. We downloaded information regarding the year of the event, athletes' year of birth, sex, race event, ranking, and mean running speed (km/h).

Affective and Clinical Outcomes Related to Pain After Graded Motor Imagery in Patients With Chronic Shoulder Pain: A Pre-Post-Single-Group Study.

The aim of this study was to assess at 6-month and 1-year follow-up the effect of graded motor imagery (GMI) in addition to usual care on the affective and clinical outcomes in patients with chronic shoulder pain. A pre-post-intervention single-group study was conducted. One hundred forty-eight patients with chronic shoulder pain were included.