Determinants of physical function, as measured using PROMIS PF-10a, in patients with rheumatoid arthritis: results from the international COVID-19 Vaccination in Autoimmune Diseases (COVAD) study.

Objectives: Physical function in RA is largely influenced by multiple clinical factors, however, there is a growing body of evidence that psychological state and other comorbidities also play an essential role. Using data obtained in the COVID-19 Vaccination in Autoimmune Diseases study, an international self-reported e-survey, we aimed to explore the predictive ability of sociodemographic and clinical variables on Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System Physical Function Short Form 10a (PROMIS PF-10a) in RA and to investigate variation in disease activity and functional outcomes based on country-level socio-economic parameters.

Methods: Patient demographics, disease characteristics including current symptom status, functional status and treatment variables, as well as income level of the country of residence, were extracted from survey responses.

Behavior change techniques in low-calorie and very low-calorie diet interventions for weight loss: A systematic review with meta-analysis.

Background: There is limited evidence and clinical guidelines on the behavior change support required for low-calorie diet programs. This systematic review aimed to establish the behavior change technique(s) (BCT) implemented in weight loss interventions (≤1200 kcal/d) and how these contribute to effectiveness.

Methods: Databases were searched from inception to April 2022.

Non-antibiotic pharmaceuticals are toxic against Escherichia coli with no evolution of cross-resistance to antibiotics.

Antimicrobial resistance can arise in the natural environment via prolonged exposure to the effluent released by manufacturing facilities. In addition to antibiotics, pharmaceutical plants also produce non-antibiotic pharmaceuticals, both the active ingredients and other components of the formulations. The effect of these on the surrounding microbial communities is less clear.

Narrative review of recent developments and the future of penicillin allergy de-labelling by non-allergists.

This article outlines recent developments in non-allergist delivered penicillin allergy de-labelling (PADL), discusses remaining controversies and uncertainties and explores the future for non-allergist delivered PADL. Recent developments include national guidelines for non-allergist delivered PADL and validation of penicillin allergy risk assessment tools. Controversies remain on which penicillin allergy features are low risk of genuine allergy.

Intra-patient comparison of microarchitecture of tumour negative lymph nodes from oesophageal cancer patients - Results from the MRC Oe02 trial.

Background: Regional lymph node (LN) status is a key prognostic factor in oesophageal cancer (OeC). Tumour-derived antigens can activate immune reactions in LNs, potentially reflecting the host's anti-tumour immune response. It remains unclear whether this response is homogeneous across all tumour negative LNs (LNneg) within individual OeC patients.

A rapid literature review of the impact of penicillin allergy on antibiotic resistance.

Background: Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is caused by the use and misuse of antibiotics. AMR is a global health concern, to which penicillin allergy (penA) labels appear to contribute. Patients who have penA labels are treated with non-penicillin antibiotics and receive more antibiotics when compared with patients without penA.

Observation on the therapeutic effect of rolling the target muscle groups of lower limbs with foam rollers of different shore hardness on DOMS.

Objective: This experiment aims to explore how foam rollers of different Shore hardness affect DOMS, providing insights for sports therapy.

Methods: Forty participants from Shanghai Sanda University who have no habit of strength training, no lower limb injury, and meet the health standards were selected to conduct three experiments under the conditions of no intervention, using a 50 Shore hardness foam roller, and using a 60 Shore hardness foam roller, respectively. Data were recorded before and after modeling, as well as 24, 48, and 72 hours later.

Disparities in anxiety and related factors among Chinese older adults across different aged-care models: a comparison of two cross-sectional studies.

Background: Anxiety disorders in older adults have become a prominent public health problem due to their concomitant chronic conditions, reduced quality of life and even death. However, fewer studies have been conducted on differences in anxiety among older individuals in different aged-care models, and the interactive relationship between the influencing factors on anxiety remains unclear. The study aimed to examine the disparities in the prevalence of anxiety between community-dwelling and institutionalized older adults and related influencing factors.

Best Practice for Patient-centred Radiotherapy in Clinical Trials and Beyond-A National Multidisciplinary Consensus.

Aims: Patient-centred radiotherapy refers to an approach where patients' needs and preferences are prioritised. Guidelines for this personalised approach are lacking. We present a multidisciplinary national consensus with the aim to provide recommendations for best practice in patient-centred radiotherapy for both clinical trials and routine practice.

An evidence-based update on the diagnosis and management of irritable bowel syndrome.

Introduction: Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a disorder of gut-brain interaction affecting 5% of the population. The cardinal symptoms are abdominal pain and altered stool form or frequency.

Areas Covered: Diagnosis and management of IBS.

Delirium prevention in hospices: Opportunities and limitations - A focused ethnography.

Background: Delirium is common and distressing for hospice in-patients. Hospital-based research shows delirium may be prevented by targeting its risk factors. Many preventative strategies address patients' fundamental care needs.

Quantifying the diverse contributions of hierarchical muscle interactions to motor function.

The muscle synergy concept suggests that the human motor system is organized into functional modules composed of muscles "" toward common task goals. This study offers a nuanced computational perspective to muscle synergies, where muscles interacting across multiple scales have functionally similar, complementary, and independent roles. Making this viewpoint implicit to a methodological approach applying Partial Information Decomposition to large-scale muscle activations, we unveiled nested networks of functionally diverse inter- and intramuscular interactions with distinct functional consequences on task performance.

Qualitative and quantitative analysis of reduced bed position acquisition time on FDG PET image quality.

The study aim was to evaluate whether reducing bed position acquisition time would result in significant detriment to image quality. Secondary aims were to compare effect of time of flight (TOF) and Q.Clear reconstructions and patient BMI on image quality.

Combination therapy versus monotherapy: retrospective analysis of antibiotic treatment of enterococcal endocarditis.

Background: Guidelines suggest treating fully penicillin-susceptible Enterococcus faecalis strains causing infective endocarditis with amoxicillin combined with gentamicin or ceftriaxone, but clinical evidence to support this practice is limited and monotherapy cohorts were excluded from studies. We describe antibiotic treatment, complications, and outcomes in patients with Enterococcus faecalis infective endocarditis, specifically comparing monotherapy versus combination therapy.

Methods: Retrospective analysis of prospectively collected cohort of patients with definite or possible infective endocarditis from 2 English centres between 2006 and 2021.

Methane oxidation to ethanol by a molecular junction photocatalyst.

Methane, the major component of natural and shale gas, is a significant carbon source for chemical synthesis. The direct partial oxidation of methane to liquid oxygenates under mild conditions is an attractive pathway, but the molecule's inertness makes it challenging to achieve simultaneously high conversion and high selectivity towards a single target product. This difficulty is amplified when aiming for more valuable products that require C-C coupling.

Dissociation of hydrogen and formation of water at the (010) and (111) surfaces of orthorhombic FeNbO4.

The orthorhombic structure of FeNbO4, where the Fe and Nb cations are distributed randomly over the octahedral 4c sites, has shown excellent promise as an anode material in solid oxide fuel cells. We have used DFT+U-D2 calculations to explore the adsorption and dissociation of H2 molecules and the formation reaction of water at the (010) and (111) surfaces. Simulations of the surface properties confirmed that the bandgaps are significantly reduced compared to the bulk material.

Highly Efficient and Stable CsPbI Perovskite Quantum Dots Light-Emitting Diodes Through Synergistic Effect of Halide-Rich Modulation and Lattice Repair.

Currently, CsPbI quantum dots (QDs) based light-emitting diodes (LEDs) are not well suited for achieving high efficiency and operational stability due to the binary-precursor method and purification process, which often results in the nonstoichiometric ratio of Cs/Pb/I. This imbalance leads to amounts of iodine vacancies, inducing severe non-radiative recombination processes and phase transitions of QDs. Herein, red-emitting CsPbI QDs are reported with excellent optoelectronic properties and stability based on the synergistic effects of halide-rich modulation passivation and lattice repair.

Humanizing processes after harm part 1: patient safety incident investigations, litigation and the experiences of those affected.

Background: There is a growing international policy focus on involving those affected by healthcare safety incidents, in subsequent investigations. Nonetheless, there remains little UK-based evidence exploring how this relates to the experiences of those affected over time, including the factors influencing decisions to litigate.

Aims: We aimed to explore the experiences of patients, families, staff and legal representatives affected by safety incidents over time, and the factors influencing decisions to litigate.

A new method for concomitant evaluation of drug combinations for their antimicrobial properties.

Microbial pathogens have developed resistance mechanisms to almost every antibiotic available. There is a need to synthesize or screen new natural compounds to combat the development of drug-resistant pathogens. One of the commonly used methods to evaluate the antimicrobial activity of two or more antibiotics involves a checkerboard assay, which is cumbersome, time-consuming, and expensive.

Biological sensing of fluid flow-lessons from PIEZO1.

The flow sensing endothelial cell lining of blood and lymphatic vessels is essential in vertebrates. While the mechanisms are still mysterious in many regards, several critical components became apparent through molecular biology studies. In this article, we focus on PIEZO1, which forms unusual force-sensing ion channels capable of rapid transduction of force into biological effect.

Effects of Mixed Metal Oxide Catalysts on the Synthesis of Cyclic Carbonates from Epoxides under Atmospheric CO Pressure.

One use of CO as a starting material in organic transformations is in the synthesis of cyclic carbonates and polycarbonates. Due to the low reactivity of CO, this transformation must be carried out in the presence of an efficient catalyst. Although several catalytic systems have been developed in the past decade, reducing the CO pressure at which the reaction is carried out remains one of the main challenges of the process.

Variation in the commissioning of specialist weight management services and bariatric surgery across England: Results of a freedom of information-based mapping exercise across the 42 integrated Care Systems of England.

Specialist weight management services including bariatric surgery are commissioned within regions of England called Integrated Care Systems (ICSs) with eligibility and treatment guidelines determined as part of the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) guidance. Reported variation in commissioning and bariatric surgery eligibility criteria has not been previously mapped. Freedom of Information (FOI) requests provide a tool, supported by legislation, to ask questions of public authorities including ICSs such that they must respond accurately.