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Background: While ambulatory blood pressure monitoring (ABPM) biomarkers can predict cardiovascular and cerebrovascular outcomes, little work to date has examined their link with falls. The objective of this study was to examine associations between ABPM biomarkers and further falls in a cohort of older people with recent falls., Methods: A consecutive series (n = 118) of patients≥70 years undergoing falls assessment including 24-hour ABPM were recruited and followed to their next clinical appointment, where incident falls were recorded (minimum follow-up 1 month). ABPM biomarkers included standard deviation for overall systolic blood pressure (sBP), minimum sBP value, sBP values <100 mmHg, sBP dipping (normal dipping>10%, non-dipper 0-10%, reverse dipper <0%) and sBP morning surge (average 2-hour post-awakening sBP minus the lowest night-time sBP). Logistic regression models assessed the relationship between ABPM biomarkers and further falls., Results: One quarter of participants reported a further fall at mean 7 months' follow-up. Hypotensive episodes were independently associated with further falls, odds ratio 4.52 (95% CI 1.56, 13.11); P = .006). Minimum sBP values were also independently associated with further falls, with a 3% reduction in falls for every 1 mmHg increase in sBP (adjusted odds ratio 0.97 (95% CI 0.94, 0.99); P = .027)). For every increase in morning surge by 1 mmHg, there was a 6% increase in falls (adjusted odds ratio 1.06 (95% CI 1.02, 1.10); P = .005). There was no association between dipping status and further falls., Discussion: ABPM biomarkers may represent important modifiable risk factors for future falls, and ABPM should be integrated into a comprehensive falls assessment in older patients., (© The Author(s) 2025. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the British Geriatrics Society. All rights reserved. For permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.)

Background: Current literature suggests that immersive virtual reality (IVR) could be an efficacious therapeutic approach for patients with cardiovascular diseases (CVD) undergoing cardiac rehabilitation program (CRP). However, this has only been affirmed in individual studies and is yet to be confirmed by a systematic review., Objectives: To determine the efficacy of IVR interventions on depression, anxiety, and stress symptoms in patients with CVD., Methods: A meta-analysis was performed in line with PRISMA guidelines following a literature search between inception and June 2024 in PubMed, SCOPUS, WOS, CINAHL and PEDro for retrieving randomized controlled trials (RCTs) that compared the efficacy of IVR versus conventional CRPs on depression, anxiety and stress in patients with CVD. The PEDro scale was used to evaluate the methodological quality of the studies. Pooled effects were calculated using the Cohen's standardized mean difference (SMD) and its 95% confidence interval (95% CI), or mean difference (MD) if studies used the same measure., Results: Eight RCTs, providing data from 510 patients with CVD (63.8±5.4 years, 60% men), were included. The methodological quality was moderate (M=5.1±1 points). A large rehabilitative effect of IVR was found for reducing depression (SMD=-0.54; 95% CI -0.77 to -0.31; p<0.001), anxiety (SMD=-0.43; 95% CI -0.74 to -0.12; p=0.006) and stress (MD=-14.96; 95% CI -20.1 to -9.8; p<0.001). The findings suggest that combine IVR and CRP is the most appropriate approach for reducing depression, anxiety and stress., Conclusion: IVR, especially when combined with a traditional CRP, reduces depression, anxiety and stress in patients with CVD., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background: Physical function deficits and frailty are commonly reported in people experiencing homelessness and addiction. Typically, geriatric, or general physical performance measures are employed to evaluate these constructs., Objectives and Setting: We aimed to investigate the feasibility of a broad test battery to evaluate physical functioning and frailty in a non-geriatric community-based population of people experiencing homelessness and addiction., Design and Methods: Physical function and the presence of frailty was evaluated using combined data from two linked low-threshold exercise pre-post intervention studies (LEAP-I and II)., Participants: Seventy-four participants attending an open-access day-service centre (18 to 65 years) were evaluated. Participants with acute confusion or behavioural issues, or major medical conditions precluding safe participation were excluded., Intervention: A broad test battery was performed which evaluated physical functioning and frailty., Main Outcome Measures: Outcome measures included were the Short Physical Performance Battery, Single Leg Stance, Chair Stand Test, 10mWT and 2 Minute Walk Tests, limb circumference, dynamometry, Clinical Frailty Scale, SHARE-Frailty Instrument, Numerical Pain Rating Scale and Short Form-12., Results: Test completion was 100% for all outcomes except pain rating (81% and 79% for LEAP-I and II, respectively), and balance and walking tests (95% and 93% in LEAP-II). A ceiling effect was detected for the Short Physical Performance Battery., Conclusion: High feasibility of the test batteries was demonstrated. An optimised test battery was proposed based on findings. This has important implications for clinicians working in inclusion health settings., Clinical Trial Registration Number: Clinical Trials.gov: NCT05700305. CONTRIBUTION OF THE PAPER., Competing Interests: Conflict of Interest The authors have no conflicting interests to declare., (Copyright © 2024. Published by Elsevier Ltd.)

Objectives: To identify risk factors for conversion, develop a predictive Conversion Risk Score (CRS), and assess the association between conversion and severe postoperative complications., Background: Conversion occurs in 15-30% of minimally invasive left pancreatectomies (MILP). Risk factors and potential negative impacts on postoperative outcomes are poorly described., Methods: Retrospective, nationwide, multicenter study including all MILP (laparoscopy and robot) performed between 2010 and 2021. Risk factors for conversion were identified by multivariate mixed model, and a CRS was developed on a "training-set" and validated (calibration diagrams and ROC curves) on a "validation-set." The association between severe complications and conversion was assessed using a propensity score based on the main risk factors for severe complications: age, sex, BMI, ASA score, tumor malignancy, multi-organ resection, operative duration, blood loss, splenectomy., Results: 2104 patients included from 55 centers. Conversion occurred in 15.6% of MILP. Its risk factors were male sex (OR=1.67;P=0.048), BMI≥25 kg/m2 (OR=2.15;P=0.004), history of laparotomy (OR=2.9;P<0.001), initial pancreatitis (OR=3.58;P=0.007), tumor size≥40 mm (OR=2.12;P=0.003), planned splenectomy (OR=2.63;P<0.001), unplanned splenectomy (OR=4.05;P=0.028), portal vein resection (OR=36.3;P=0.002), multi-organ resection (OR=12.97;P<0.001). A predictive CRS was created based only on preoperatively available variables (the first six), with scores ranging from 0 to 7, corresponding to a conversion risk of 2% to 100%. No association was observed with tumor malignancy, robotic approach, or pancreatectomy volume. Conversion was significantly associated with severe complications [OR=1.80(1.16-2.54)], independent of other risk factors for complications., Conclusions: Conversion during MILP can be predicted by CRS, aiding surgeons in decision-making, given its significant association with severe complications., Competing Interests: CONFLICT OF INTEREST DISCLOSURES: No disclosures reported., (Copyright © 2025 The Author(s). Published by Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc.)

Neurogenesis and gliogenesis continue in the ventricular-subventricular zone (V-SVZ) of the adult rodent brain. V-SVZ astroglial cells with apical contact with the ventricle (B1 cells) function as neural stem cells (NSCs). B1 cells sharply decline during early postnatal life; in contrast, neurogenesis decreases at a slower rate. Here, we show that a second population of astroglia (B2 cells) that do not contact the ventricle also function as NSCs in the adult mouse brain. B2 cell numbers increase postnatally, are sustained in adults, and decrease with aging. We reveal the transcriptomic profile of B1 and B2 cells and show that, like B1 cells, B2 cells can be quiescent or activated. Transplantation and lineage tracing of B2 cells demonstrate their function as primary progenitors for adult neurogenesis. This study reveals that NSC function is progressively relayed from B1 to B2 progenitors helping explain how neurogenesis is maintained into adult life., Competing Interests: Declaration of interests A.A.-B. is the Heather and Melanie Muss Endowed Chair and Professor of Neurological Surgery at UCSF. He is co-founder and on the Scientific Advisory Board of Neurona Therapeutics., (Copyright © 2025 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Genetic variants linked to autism are thought to change cognition and behaviour by altering the structure and function of the brain. Although a substantial body of literature has identified structural brain differences in autism, it is unknown whether autism-associated common genetic variants are linked to changes in cortical macro- and micro-structure. We investigated this using neuroimaging and genetic data from adults (UK Biobank, N = 31,748) and children (ABCD, N = 4928). Using polygenic scores and genetic correlations we observe a robust negative association between common variants for autism and a magnetic resonance imaging derived phenotype for neurite density (intracellular volume fraction) in the general population. This result is consistent across both children and adults, in both the cortex and in white matter tracts, and confirmed using polygenic scores and genetic correlations. There were no sex differences in this association. Mendelian randomisation analyses provide no evidence for a causal relationship between autism and intracellular volume fraction, although this should be revisited using better powered instruments. Overall, this study provides evidence for shared common variant genetics between autism and cortical neurite density., Competing Interests: Ethics approval and consent: All methods were performed in accordance with the relevant guidelines and regulations. Ethical approval to access deidentified data from the UK Biobank and ABCD was obtained from the Human Biology Research Ethics Committee, University of Cambridge (Cambridge, UK) (HBREC.2020.07). Informed consent was provided by all participants. Competing interests: The authors declare no competing interests., (© 2025. The Author(s).)

This study investigates the presence of non-phthalate plastic additives (NPPAs), emerging contaminants increasingly used as alternatives to hazardous phthalates, in various water sources. To address their potential environmental and health risks, two complementary extraction methods were developed: direct immersion solid-phase microextraction gas chromatography coupled to Q-Orbitrap (DI-SPME-GC-Q-Orbitrap) and salting-out assisted liquid-liquid extraction combined with ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography (SALLE-UHPLC-Q-Orbitrap). The complementary use of these two methods makes it possible to analyse a larger number of analytes, 27 in particular, enabling the detection of 19 and 23 NPPAs by GC and LC, respectively (15 compounds were simultaneously monitored by both techniques), with limits of quantification (LOQs) ranging from 0.05 to 4.0 μg/L. Both methods demonstrated satisfactory trueness and precision in accordance with analytical validation standards. The application of these methods to water samples revealed the widespread presence of NPPAs, particularly 1-hydroxycyclohexyl phenyl ketone (HCPK) and triacetin (TA), which were detected at concentrations up to 5.33 μg/L. Toxicity assessments based on LD 50 values indicated that these compounds pose significant environmental and health risks, surpassing some restricted phthalates in toxicity. These findings underscore the urgent need to monitor and regulate NPPAs as hazardous materials to safeguard water quality and public health. This work highlights the utility of green analytical methods for evaluating emerging pollutants in water systems, aligning with the principles of sustainable environmental management., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2025 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Progeria syndromes are very rare, incurable premature aging conditions recapitulating most aging features. Here, we report a whole genome, multiparametric CRISPR screen, identifying 43 genes that can rescue multiple cellular phenotypes associated with progeria. We implement the screen in fibroblasts from Néstor-Guillermo Progeria Syndrome male patients, carrying a homozygous A12T mutation in BAF. The hits are enriched for genes involved in protein synthesis, protein and RNA transport and osteoclast formation and are validated in a whole-organism Caenorhabditis elegans model. We further confirm that BAF A12T can disrupt protein synthesis rate and fidelity, which could contribute to premature aging in patients. This work highlights the power of multiparametric genome-wide suppressor screens to identify genes enhancing cellular resilience in premature aging and provide insights into the biology underlying progeria-associated cellular dysfunction., Competing Interests: Competing interests: D.L. is an employee of Altos Labs. J.R.B.P. is an employee/shareholder of Insmed. J.R.B.P. also receives research funding from GSK and consultancy fees from WW International. The other authors declare that they have no competing interests., (© 2025. The Author(s).)

Background: Intraamniotic infection (defined as intraamniotic inflammation with microorganisms) is an important cause of the preterm labor syndrome. Methods for the detection of microorganisms in amniotic fluid are culture and/or polymerase chain reaction. However, both methods take time, and results are rarely available for clinical decision-making. Nanopore sequencing technology offers real-time, long-read sequencing that can produce rapid results., Objectives: To determine 1) the diagnostic performance of the 16S rDNA nanopore sequencing method for the identification of microorganisms in patients with intraamniotic inflammation; and 2) the relationship between microbial burden and the intensity of the amniotic fluid inflammatory response., Study Design: We performed a prospective cohort study that included singleton pregnancies presenting with symptoms of preterm labor with intact membranes or of preterm prelabor rupture of the membranes. Amniotic fluid samples were obtained for the evaluation of bacteria in the amniotic cavity using cultivation and polymerase chain reaction-based 16S Sanger sequencing methods. Participants were classified into 4 groups according to the results of an amniotic fluid culture, 16S Sanger sequencing, and an amniotic fluid interleukin-6 concentration: 1) no intraamniotic infection and intraamniotic inflammation (interleukin-6 <2.6 ng/mL and no microorganisms in the amniotic cavity determined by culture or 16S Sanger sequencing); 2) microbial invasion of the amniotic cavity without intraamniotic inflammation, defined by the presence of bacteria detected by culture or 16S Sanger sequencing; 3) sterile intraamniotic inflammation (interleukin-6 ≥2.6 ng/mL without microbial invasion of the amniotic cavity); and 4) intraamniotic infection (interkeukin-6 ≥2.6 ng/mL with microbial invasion of the amniotic cavity). Patients who underwent a midtrimester amniocentesis, had no intraamniotic infection or intraamniotic inflammation, and delivered at term represented the control group. 16S rDNA nanopore sequencing was performed and the diagnostic indices for the identification of intraamniotic infection were determined. Bioinformatic analysis was carried out to identify microorganisms, and a read count of at least 100 or a read count exceeding that of the background species from the control group, along with a relative abundance of no less than 1%, was used., Results: 1) 16S nanopore sequencing had a sensitivity of 88.9% (8/9), specificity of 95.4% (41/43), positive predictive value of 80.0% (8/10), negative predictive value of 97.6% (41/42), positive likelihood ratio of 19.1 (95% CI, 4.8-75.4), negative likelihood ratio of 0.1 (95% CI, 0.02-0.7), and an accuracy of 94.2% (49/52) for the identification of intraamniotic infection [prevalence, 17% (9/52)]; 2) the microbial load determined by 16S nanopore sequencing had a strong positive correlation with the intensity of an intraamniotic inflammatory response (amniotic fluid interleukin-6 concentration; Spearman's correlation 0.9; p = 0.002); and 3) a subgroup of patients with intraamniotic inflammation did not have bacteria determined by culture, Sanger sequencing, or nanopore 16S, thus confirming the existence of sterile intraamniotic inflammation., Conclusion: 16S nanopore sequencing has high diagnostic indices, predictive values, likelihood ratios, and accuracy in the diagnosis of intraamniotic infection., (Copyright © 2025 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background: Frailty is a complex multi-dimensional state of increased vulnerability to adverse outcomes and is associated with older age but there is growing evidence of accelerated ageing and frailty in non-geriatric populations, including those experiencing socio-economic deprivation and extreme social exclusion, such as people experiencing homelessness. Addiction, as a coping mechanism for prior trauma, is common among people who are homeless and can have a gendered dimension. Women experiencing homelessness and addiction have unique needs which require a gendered approach. The aim of this study is to evaluate the feasibility and impact of an exercise intervention to target the known physical functioning deficits and frailty which this population experiences., Methods: This quantitatively driven, sequential single-arm mixed-methods feasibility study will evaluate the feasibility and impact of a low threshold trauma informed exercise intervention on physical functioning and frailty in women experiencing homelessness and addiction. Physical function (10m Walk Test, 2Min Walk Test, Single Leg Stance, Chair Stand Test, hand grip dynamometry), frailty (Clinical Frailty Scale and the SHARE-Frailty Instrument) and nutritional status (Mini-Nutritional Status), pain (Numerical Rating Scale) and quality of life (SF 12-V2) will be evaluated. The 10-week intervention will involve a 3-times weekly exercise programme with protein supplementation. Following this, qualitative interviews, which will be thematically analysed using Braun & Clarke methodology, will be conducted. This study will be conducted in Dublin from February to July 2024., Discussion: Little is known about frailty-focussed interventions in women experiencing homelessness and addiction. This proposed study will help to increase the knowledge base regarding the physical health burden and frailty experienced by this vulnerable population and will deliver a targeted intervention with a gendered dimension to mitigate its affects. The findings of this research will help narrow the research gap and will guide clinicians and policy makers to implement unique gender-based treatment strategies for this population. (300)., Clinical Trials.gov Number: NCT05700305., Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist., (Copyright: © 2025 Kennedy et al. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.)

Introduction: The prodromal phase preceding the onset of First Episode Psychosis (FEP) is associated with an increased risk of Suicidal Behaviors (SBs). The aim of this study was to identify specific structural brain abnormalities linked to SBs that occur prior to the onset of FEP., Methods: Voxel-based morphometry analyses were used to investigate differences in brain Grey Matter (GM) volume using the CAT12 toolbox within SPM12. Covariates, including gender, age, handedness, intracranial volume, depression severity, and global cognitive functioning, were controlled for as confounding factors., Results: Significant reductions in GM were observed in the left superior temporal gyrus, dorsal posterior cingulate cortex, precuneus, cuneus, anterior cerebellum (p-FWE corrected < 0.05, k  > 50) as well as in the right amygdala (0.96 ± 0.06 vs. 1.01 ± 0.05; F = 4.78; p  < 0.05) and left amygdala (0.97 ± 0.06 vs. 1.02 ± 0.05; F = 8.97; p  = 0.01)., Conclusions: History of SB prior to the onset of the psychotic disorder was related to wider and more widespread brain GM alterations. The regions identified are involved in cognitive and emotional processes such as emotional regulation, social cognition, perseverative thinking, and pain tolerance. These findings suggest that structural brain abnormalities related to SB occurring before FEP onset may serve as early biomarkers for identifying individuals at increased risk of suicide.

The growing participation of older adults in travel is reshaping this industry and highlighting the need for inclusive travel experiences, particularly for people living with dementia (PLwD). While travel provides substantial physical, psychological, cognitive and social benefits that promote active and healthy ageing, it also presents significant challenges. Although physical disabilities are generally proactively addressed, more "hidden" cognitive difficulties often remain unrecognised and unaddressed. These include navigating complex environments, making timely decisions and relying on working memory-tasks that are further challenged by dynamic settings such as airports, train stations and bus terminals. Although efforts to create dementia-friendly travel experiences are underway, their implementation across travel infrastructure remains inconsistent. There is still much to be done to ensure this activity is accessible and inclusive for this population, and there is a need to advocate for a comprehensive, person-centred approach to dementia-friendly travel environments, emphasising the integration of tailored assessments, innovative technologies and coordinated global policies., (© The Author(s) 2025. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the British Geriatrics Society. All rights reserved. For permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.)

Objective: To describe the use of intraoperative transsplenic injection of agitated saline (TIAS) and confirm temporarily full attenuation of extrahepatic portosystemic shunt (EHPSS) in dogs., Study Design: Retrospective case series., Animals: A total of 40 dogs., Methods: Medical records of dogs that underwent surgical attenuation of EHPSS between January 2014 and May 2021 were reviewed. A ventral midline celiotomy was performed, the EHPSS identified and dissected, and temporal occlusion performed using Rummel tourniquets or silicone vascular loops. A wide range microconvex transducer was used to visualize the right atrium via a subxiphoid acoustic window. Agitated saline was injected into the splenic parenchyma while the right atrium was ultrasonographically monitored before and after temporary occlusion of the EHPSS. Case details, intra- and postoperative findings, and long-term outcome were recorded., Results: The agitated saline was immediately identified within the right atrium after injection into the splenic parenchyma before temporary occlusion of the EHPSS in all cases. After temporary occlusion, the agitated saline was not observed within the right heart, except in two dogs in which a second vessel bypassing the liver circulation was identified. No intra- or postoperative complications were recorded. Long-term clinical outcome was considered good to excellent in all cases., Conclusion: Intraoperative TIAS confirmed temporary full attenuation of EHPSS., Clinical Significance: Intraoperative TIAS is an easy, safe and reproducible technique to assess intraoperative full occlusion of EHPSS., (© 2024 American College of Veterinary Surgeons.)

Lignin valorization through heterogeneous photocatalysis is a promising pathway for obtaining value-added products, including chemical building blocks, biofuels, etc. However, several challenges still demand attention and resolution in this field. One of the key parameters in the heterogeneous photocatalytic process is the synthesis of efficient photocatalysts that can accomplish efficient and selective reactions. Selective conversion of lignin can be achieved by using heterojunction photocatalysts which can efficiently separate charge carriers' and promote selective reactions by band structure modulation. This work details a straightforward approach for synthesizing heterojunction photocatalysts based on Bi 4 Ti 3 O 12 and BiOI involving the hydrothermal and co-precipitation methods. Additionally, the synthesized composites were employed in the selective oxidation of veratryl alcohol, a lignin-derived model compound, to produce high-value-added veratraldehyde. The experimental results showed that the BiOI/Bi 4 Ti 3 O 12 heterojunction (12.5 mol % BiOI) showed superior activity with a veratraldehyde yield of 5.4 and 27.2 times higher than those of Bi 4 Ti 3 O 12 and BiOI, respectively. The mechanistic studies revealed that the improved activity and selectivity were due to the enhanced charge carriers' separation and the suppression of reactive oxygen species formation through modulation of band structure. This study allows a green approach to lignin-derived biomass valorization to obtain high-value chemicals., (© 2024 Wiley-VCH GmbH.)

Objective: This study compares field workers exposed to occupational conditions with non-field workers to determine the worsening of renal function (eGFR) in workers in the sugar industry., Methods: The baseline examination occurred from September to December 2021 in Centro Poblado San Jacinto, Peru, involving 372 men aged 18-60. We compared kidney function between 219 field workers (cane cutters, seed cutters, and seeders) exposed to high heat stress and 153 non-field workers (factory and administrative) with low/no heat stress exposure. Exclusions included participants with high blood pressure, diabetes, and chronic kidney disease. We collected data on CKD risk factors, sociodemographic information, work history, and lifestyle. Measurements included height, weight, blood pressure, serum creatinine, urine analysis, and ambient temperature. The outcome was eGFR <90 ml/min/1.73 m 2 and heat-related symptoms., Results: Field workers reported lower fluid intake (mean 2.7 L) during long shifts with few breaks, while non-field workers had higher rates of alcohol and tobacco use. Field workers had higher serum creatinine (mean 0.84 vs 0.70 mg/dL) and lower eGFR (mean 112 vs 105 ml/min/1.73 m 2 , p < 0.001), especially among burned cane cutters. Field workers were twice as likely to have reduced kidney function (PR: 1.82, 95% CI: 1.00-3.34), were more frequently dehydrated, and reported more symptoms like muscular weakness, cramps, and exhaustion., Conclusion: We found significantly lower kidney function among field workers, particularly seed and cane cutters. These findings emphasize the need for targeted interventions to protect the renal health., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare the following financial interests/personal relationships which may be considered as potential competing interests: Janina Bazalar-Palacios reports financial support was provided by National Council of Science Technology and Technology Innovation. If there are other authors, they declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2025. Published by Elsevier Inc.)

Discriminating the effects of different kinds of scattering in strongly interacting metals is crucial in their understanding. While momentum or current relaxation can be readily probed via dc resistivity or linear terahertz (THz) spectroscopy, discriminating other kinds of scattering can be more challenging. In this Letter, we argue that the nonlinear optical technique of THz 2D coherent spectroscopy measures the energy relaxation rate in strongly interacting metals. We apply the technique to the Fermi liquid Sr&#95;{2}RuO&#95;{4} and observe two energy relaxation channels: a fast process (∼0.1  THz) that we interpret as energy loss to the phonon system and a much slower relaxation (≲1  GHz) that we interpret as the relaxation of nonequilibrium phonons. Both rates are at least an order of magnitude slower than the momentum relaxation rate. We show how energy relaxation provides a unique diagnostic into certain kinds of scattering and among other aspects allows a measure of the dimensionless electron-phonon coupling constant. Our observations reveal the versatility of nonlinear THz spectroscopy to measure the energy relaxation dynamics in correlated metals and also highlights the need for improved theoretical understanding of such processes in interacting metals.

Background: Intraoperative ultrasound (ioUS) provides real-time imaging during neurosurgical procedures, with advantages such as portability and cost-effectiveness. Accurate tumor segmentation has the potential to substantially enhance the interpretability of ioUS images; however, its implementation is limited by persistent challenges, including noise, artifacts, and anatomical variability. This study aims to develop a convolutional neural network (CNN) model for glioma segmentation in ioUS images via a multicenter dataset. Methods: We retrospectively collected data from the BraTioUS and ReMIND datasets, including histologically confirmed gliomas with high-quality B-mode images. For each patient, the tumor was manually segmented on the 2D slice with its largest diameter. A CNN was trained using the nnU-Net framework. The dataset was stratified by center and divided into training (70%) and testing (30%) subsets, with external validation performed on two independent cohorts: the RESECT-SEG database and the Imperial College NHS Trust London cohort. Performance was evaluated using metrics such as the Dice similarity coefficient (DSC), average symmetric surface distance (ASSD), and 95th percentile Hausdorff distance (HD95). Results: The training cohort consisted of 197 subjects, 56 of whom were in the hold-out testing set and 53 in the external validation cohort. In the hold-out testing set, the model achieved a median DSC of 0.90, ASSD of 8.51, and HD95 of 29.08. On external validation, the model achieved a DSC of 0.65, ASSD of 14.14, and HD95 of 44.02 on the RESECT-SEG database and a DSC of 0.93, ASSD of 8.58, and HD95 of 28.81 on the Imperial-NHS cohort. Conclusions: This study supports the feasibility of CNN-based glioma segmentation in ioUS across multiple centers. Future work should enhance segmentation detail and explore real-time clinical implementation, potentially expanding ioUS's role in neurosurgical resection.

The U.S. mental health crisis requires new tools to address mental healthcare needs. Data dashboards are a means of sharing community health data on many topics, including mental health. Unfortunately, many "community" dashboards are designed without stakeholder input. This article outlines the creation of the State of Texas Mental Health Dashboard and how researchers incorporated stakeholder feedback throughout its development. Researchers conducted nine focus groups with community stakeholders from two Texas counties. This feedback illustrated some key differences between designers' priorities and what stakeholders considered most relevant. Designers prioritized access to state and local mental health data. While stakeholders found the data useful, they also advocated for tools to identify community mental health resources. Our findings illustrate how excluding stakeholder voices from the design process could have omitted a key element needed to address mental healthcare needs and provides a process for ensuring that local input drives the design process., Competing Interests: Declarations. Conflict of interest: The authors have no conflict of interest. Ethical Approval: This research was approved by Texas State University’s Institutional Review Board (IRB #8787)., (© 2025. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature.)

Obesity poses a global health challenge, demanding a deeper understanding of adipose tissue (AT) and its mitochondria. This study describes the role of the mitochondrial protein Methylation-controlled J protein (MCJ/DnaJC15) in orchestrating brown adipose tissue (BAT) thermogenesis. Here we show how MCJ expression decreases during obesity, as evident in human and mouse adipose tissue samples. MCJ KO mice, even without UCP1, a fundamental thermogenic protein, exhibit elevated BAT thermogenesis. Electron microscopy unveils changes in mitochondrial morphology resembling BAT activation. Proteomic analysis confirms these findings and suggests involvement of the eIF2α mediated stress response. The pivotal role of eIF2α is scrutinized by in vivo CRISPR deletion of eIF2α in MCJ KO mice, abrogating thermogenesis. These findings uncover the importance of MCJ as a regulator of BAT thermogenesis, presenting it as a promising target for obesity therapy., Competing Interests: Competing interests: The authors declare no competing interests., (© 2025. The Author(s).)

Background: High dietary quality can protect against diet-related chronic diseases. In the United States, racial and ethnic minorities and those with lower incomes consistently exhibit lower dietary quality. Independently-owned restaurants are a common prepared food source in minority low-income communities, but there are significant knowledge gaps on how to work with these restaurants to offer healthy food, due to underlying and dynamic complexities associated with providing healthy food options., Methods: The Focus on Restaurant Engagement to Strengthen Health (FRESH) study addresses this complex problem by leveraging systems science approaches to work with independently-owned restaurants. FRESH has two interrelated objectives: (1) to test impact on regular customer dietary quality via a multisite cluster randomized controlled trial in two low-income urban areas (Baltimore and the Washington DC metropolitan area), and (2) to use systems science approaches to develop, parameterize, and calibrate a simulation model. The intervention is theory-and practice-based, comprising three phases: restaurant engagement, low-sugar beverages and healthy meals. The FRESH intervention will be implemented for 12 months in a total of 24 intervention and 24 comparison restaurants. The study is powered to detect a 5-point change in the Healthy Eating Index (HEI) score of regular customers, which would signify a meaningful shift toward healthier eating patterns., Discussion: The FRESH study will test a novel, multilevel, multisite intervention that aims to improve access to healthier prepared food options among small, independently-owned restaurants located in under-resourced settings. The design of the FRESH intervention and its evaluation are described, as well as plans for the development of a system dynamics simulation model for policymakers and other stakeholders to virtually test future restaurant-based interventions., Clinical Trial Registration: https://clinicaltrials.gov, identifier, NCT05869149., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2025 Colón-Ramos, Lewis, Tucker, Poirier, Pathiravasan, Estradé, Igusa, Wolfson, Mui, Vélez-Burgess, Thomas, Hua, Cheskin, Trujillo, Oladimeji, Williamson, Romero, Hernández and Gittelsohn.)

Purpose: As the global population of older adults rises, the United Nations Decade of Healthy Ageing (2021-2030) advocates for disease prevention, management, and enhancing overall wellbeing in older adults. We reviewed the MEDLINE literature under the MeSH term "music therapy" (MT), for its role in promoting healthy ageing., Methods: A systematic search of the MEDLINE biomedical database (Ovid) was conducted using "MT" and "Ageing" as keywords, retrieving relevant full-text studies in English. Preference was given to more recent studies with higher levels of evidence. The studies were categorised according to the biopsychosocial framework into physical, cognitive and social domains, and further subcategorised based on their relevance to disease prevention and management., Results: The initial search identified 1147 articles, of which 75 met inclusion criteria. Studies encompassed both MT and music interventions delivered by non-music therapists. Overall, studies showed benefits in the promotion of physical health, including enhancing exercise capacity and improving fitness among older adults. Results were promising in managing conditions such as Parkinson's disease and frailty. In the area of brain health, studies showed cognitive benefits, particularly in attention and processing speed among older adults. Socially, there was evidence of enhanced quality of life, reduced anxiety and depression, and improved social engagement, including in people living with dementia, underscoring the role of music in fostering emotional connections and mitigating caregiver stress., Conclusion: MT and interventions can enhance biopsychosocial health outcomes in older adults. Research should prioritise isolating MT's specific effects, standardising definitions and methodologies, and exploring therapeutic mechanisms., Competing Interests: Declarations. Competing interests: None. Ethical approval: This study is a review, so ethical approval is not applicable. Informed consent: For this type of study, formal consent is not required., (© 2025. The Author(s).)

During the transition from the Pleistocene to the Holocene and in the early Holocene period, hunter-gatherer communities across tropical South America deployed a range of technological strategies to adapt to diverse environmental conditions. This period witnessed a rich tapestry of technological practices, from enduring, widely disseminated tools to local and sporadically utilized technologies, shaping a multifaceted landscape of technological traditions. Lithic technology during this period was mainly marked by localized sourcing of raw materials, the use of multifunctional tools, a variety of projectile point designs, and the frequently utilization of unifacial shaping technology. In tropical Central Brazil, the Itaparica technocomplex, with unique unifacial lithic tools like limaces, is a pivotal innovation from the Late Pleistocene through the Holocene. However, the factors influencing their morphological and structural variability remain largely unexplored, obscuring our understanding of their ergonomics and their role as mediators between humans and tropical environments. This study hypothesizes that the variability observed within and among unifacial tools from the GO-Ni sites in Central Brazil is a result of a combination of factors, including raw material availability and functional and ergonomic requirements. To test this hypothesis, a study of 67 unifacial tools from this region was conducted, employing techno-structural analysis and 3D geometric morphometrics. This approach was designed to precisely quantify tool geometry and uncover their functional potentials. The analysis revealed significant variability within the techno-structural groups, often intersecting with typological classifications. These results indicate that despite their production attributes, unifacially shaped artifacts demonstrate considerable morpho-structural diversity. The study delineated nine distinct techno-structural groups, each suggesting potentially different functional organizations and deviating from conventional typologies. These results indicate that unifacially shaped artifacts, while embodying a novel technological paradigm of production, exhibit a broader spectrum of variation mainly due to different tool functions. The combined approach adopted in this research highlights on the cultural significance of unifacial tools within Paleoamerican technological systems. It suggests probable unique tool concepts specific to the study area, challenges existing classifications, and enriches our comprehension of early lithic technology in South America., Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist., (Copyright: © 2025 González-Varas et al. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.)

Bovine respiratory disease (BRD) poses significant challenges on beef and dairy farms, affecting mortality rates, animal welfare, and production efficiency. Although pulmonary ultrasonography is highly sensitive and specific for monitoring lung lesions and diagnosing BRD, its practical application could be optimized by focusing on the most commonly affected lung lobes. This study first evaluated the efficacy of focused lung ultrasonography for diagnosing BRD in calves, examining individual lung lobes and their associations versus the extensive lung scanning under various disease prevalence scenarios. Then, the relationship between individual and combined clinical respiratory signs versus lung consolidation was analyzed. In a combined analysis, 193 Holstein calves from a longitudinal study and 112 Angus calves from a cross-sectional study underwent a total of 1,265 complete bilateral thoracic ultrasonographic evaluations from 1 to 6 mo of age. Then, the agreement and sensitivity (Se) of specific lung lobe combinations compared with the findings from total lung ultrasonography was assessed. The classification and regression tree (CART) algorithm was used to suggest an optimal examination sequence, and logistic regression was applied to associate specific clinical signs with the presence of lung consolidation, adjusting for breed and calf age. Findings revealed that the most sensitive areas are the cranial (kappa value [κ] = 0.867; Se = 84.7%) and caudal portion of the right cranial lobe (κ = 0.433; Se = 40.3%), the caudal portion (κ = 0.235; Se = 20.6%) of the left cranial lobe, and the middle lobe (κ = 0.25; Se = 22%). The optimal lobe combinations for focused lung ultrasonography were identified as the right cranial lobe paired with either the left cranial lobe or the middle lobe. Focused techniques achieved Se greater than 94% and maintained good agreement. These focused techniques were relatively robust to various true lung consolidation scenarios. The CART analysis recommended initiating examinations with the right cranial lobe, proceeding to the left cranial lobe, and concluding with the middle lobe. Although spontaneous cough was linked to pneumonia presence, reliance on a single clinical sign is not advised due to low Se (26.8%) and high specificity (85.4%); it should merely prompt further ultrasound assessment. In conclusion, focused lung ultrasonography, especially utilizing the right cranial lobe in conjunction with the left cranial lobe or the middle lobe, emerged as an effective strategy for focused pulmonary ultrasonography, preserving the accuracy of the results., (The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. on behalf of the American Dairy Science Association®. This is an open access article under the CC BY license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/).)

To overcome the toxic nature of organic solvents, scientific interest in the use of green solvents, particularly natural deep eutectic solvents (NADES), has increased over the past decade, leading to new applications in the food, nutraceutical, pharmaceutical, and cosmetic industries. Understanding the physicochemical properties and molecular interactions of NADES is essential for uncovering new potential applications in these fields. In this study, several lactic and citric acid-based NADES, as well as chloride choline- and urea-based NADES, were evaluated for their physicochemical properties, including density, pH, viscosity, conductivity, and refractive index. Additionally, nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), and in particular nuclear Overhauser enhancement spectroscopy (NOESY), was employed to investigate the intermolecular interactions between the NADES components to confirm the formation of the eutectic mixture. The extraction efficiency of the confirmed NADES was tested for extracting polyphenols as a proof of concept to highlight their relationship with the measured properties. Lactic and choline chloride-based NADES provided the highest extraction yields. These results were also compared with the predicted extraction capabilities of each NADES provided by the COSMO-RS software., Competing Interests: Declarations. Competing interests: The authors declare no competing interests., (© 2024. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH, DE part of Springer Nature.)

Emerging theories emphasize the crucial role of allostasis (anticipatory and adaptive regulation of the body's biological processes) and interoception (integration, anticipation, and regulation of internal bodily states) in adjusting physiological responses to environmental and bodily demands. In this review, we explore the disruptions in integrated allostatic interoceptive mechanisms in psychiatric and neurological disorders, including anxiety, depression, Alzheimer's disease, and frontotemporal dementia. We assess the biological mechanisms associated with allostatic interoception, including whole-body cascades, brain structure and function of the allostatic interoceptive network, heart-brain interactions, respiratory-brain interactions, the gut-brain-microbiota axis, peripheral biological processes (inflammatory, immune), and epigenetic pathways. These processes span psychiatric and neurological conditions and call for developing dimensional and transnosological frameworks. We synthesize new pathways to understand how allostatic interoceptive processes modulate interactions between environmental demands and biological functions in brain disorders. We discuss current limitations of the framework and future transdisciplinary developments. This review opens a new research agenda for understanding how allostatic interoception involves brain predictive coding in psychiatry and neurology, allowing for better clinical application and the development of new therapeutic interventions., (Copyright © 2024 Society of Biological Psychiatry. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Purpose: To report results and complications from a series of 17 proximal lacrimal pathway obstructions (PLPO) treated with conjunctivo-rhinostomy (CR) and Métaireau tube implantation., Methods: We conducted a retrospective descriptive study including 16 patients (17 PLPO) treated with CR from April 2010 through June 2017. Surgical procedures were performed under general anesthesia. Métaireau tube implantation draining into the middle meatus was performed through a trans-caruncular osteotomy using a 14G Abbocath catheter under endoscopic control., Results: A total of 12 women (75%) and 4 men (25%) were included. The median age was 57 years (range, 32-78). The indication for surgery was constant epiphora (Munk 4) due to obstruction < 8 mm from the punctum. The follow-up time was 28 months (range, 2-85). Epiphora improved 1 month after the intervention (Munk 0.35 ± 1) and at the end of follow-up (Munk 1.5 ± 1.10) vs baseline values (Munk 4). The most comon postoperative symptoms were hyperemia (35%), discharge (24%), and tearing (24%). The signs found were conjunctival folds and papillomas at the proximal end of the tube (35% and 24%, respectively) and tube malapposition (18%). One patient developed restrictive strabismus. A total of 41% of the cases required, at least, 1 surgery to reposition or remove the tube., Conclusions: CR with Métaireau tube implantation is a therapeutic alternative for PLPO. Despite the good anatomic results, patients should be warned about the potential complications, which are common and may require reinterventions., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare no conflicts of interest in relation to the present work., (Copyright © 2024 Sociedad Española de Oftalmología. Published by Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.)

Background: Severe hepatitis cases in children are increasingly recognized, but the exact etiology remains unknown in a significant proportion of patients. Cases of indeterminate severe hepatitis (iSH) may progress to indeterminate pediatric acute liver failure (iPALF), so understanding its immunobiology is critical to preventing disease progression. Hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis (HLH) is a systemic hyperinflammatory disorder associated with T-cell and macrophage activation with liver injury., Objectives: We hypothesized that a high proportion of patients with iSH demonstrate systemic T-cell activation similar to HLH before developing iPALF and that the degree of T-cell activation in iSH might correlate with outcomes., Methods: From 2019 to 2022, 14 patients with iSH and 7 patients with PALF of known, nonimmune etiology were prospectively enrolled. We compared immune signatures of iSH, HLH, known PALF, and healthy controls., Results: We found that patients with iSH have increased CD8 + T-cell activation and high IFN-γ activity similar to HLH. The amplitude of CD8 + T-cell activation was predictive of iSH progression to iPALF. We also found that in patients with iSH, ferritin had only modest elevation. However, the ratio of age-normalized plasma soluble IL-2 receptor to ferritin level can distinguish iSH from known PALF and HLH. As proof of concept, we report that in 3 patients with steroid-refractory iSH, emapalumab, an IFN-γ blocking antibody used in combination with steroids, improved liver function and may have prevented progression to PALF., Conclusions: Flow-based T-cell activation markers could help in early identification and risk stratification for targeted intervention in patients with iSH., Competing Interests: Disclosure statement Supported by National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (grant 1K08HL141635-01A1), the Atlanta Pediatric Scholars Program K12 Scholar (grant K12HD072245 to S.C.) and T32 (T32DK108735 to T.M.). Contributions were received from the Henagan Foundation (to S.C.), the Seckman family (to S.C.), and the Statham family (to S.C.) for ongoing research support. Disclosure of potential conflict of interest: S. Chandrakasan served on the ad hoc advisory boards of Pharming, X4, SOBI, and Electra Therapeutics. R. Marsh is an employee of Pharming. The rest of the authors declare that they have no relevant conflicts of interest., (Copyright © 2024 American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Competing Interests: Competing interests: The author declares no competing interests.

Preeclampsia is a pregnancy disorder with substantial perinatal and maternal morbidity and mortality. Pregnant women at risk of preeclampsia would benefit from early detection for follow-up, timely interventions and delivery. Several attempts have been made to identify protein biomarkers of preeclampsia, but findings vary with demographics, clinical characteristics, and time of sampling. In the current study, we combined three independent longitudinal pregnancy cohorts (Detroit, Stanford and Oslo) resulting in 124 late-onset preeclampsia (LOPE) cases and 178 gestational age matched controls, and analyzed > 1000 proteins in maternal plasma sampled between 12 and 34 weeks of gestation. Differential abundance analysis of combined protein data revealed increased deviation in protein abundance trajectories throughout gestation in women destined to develop LOPE compared to controls. There were no differentially abundant proteins at time interval T1 (12-19 weeks), yet 31 differentially abundant proteins were found at time interval T2 (19-27 weeks), and 48 proteins at time interval T3 (27- 34 weeks). Multi-protein random forest models assessed via cross-validation predicted LOPE with an area under the ROC curve of 0.72 (0.65-0.78), 0.76 (0.71-0.81) and 0.80 (0.75-0.85) at time interval T1, T2 and T3, respectively. The results at T3 were confirmed using a leave-one-cohort-out analysis suggesting cross-cohort consistency, and at T1 and T2 when the largest two cohorts were used as training sets., Competing Interests: Declarations. Competing interests: The authors declare no competing interests., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

We used otolith chemistry to test and complement current hypotheses regarding habitat use and connectivity between Dissostichus mawsoni sub-populations in Area 48 of the Commission for the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources (CCAMLR). Sagittal otoliths from 45 fish sampled near the South Orkney Islands were analysed. Their elemental (Li, Na, Mg, Cr, Mn, Sr, Sn, and Ba relative to Ca) and isotopic (δ 18 O and δ 13 C) signatures were examined in both the nuclear and marginal regions, representing juvenile and adult stages. Potential nursery habitats were geo-located by comparing observed and expected δ 18 O values. Chemical differences between the nuclear and marginal regions indicated ontogenetic migrations to deeper offshore habitats, suggesting a distinct habitat shift between 11 and 13 years of life. The data supported the existence of two nursery origins contributing to the study area's population. However, the exact locations of these origins remain unclear and did not provide direct support for the hypotheses currently under consideration by the CCAMLR. Therefore, further assessment of the connectivity between nursery and adult habitats, as well as spawning site fidelity, is necessary before ruling out alternative hypotheses.

Background: The number of women in the chemical industry has recently increased due to more women pursuing science careers. It is necessary, therefore, to analyze the emerging health risks for female workers in the chemical industry. This study examines the relationship between occupational health and sex/gender in the chemical industry, with a gender perspective., Methods: We present a scoping review ( n  = 97). After removing duplicates and applying eligibility criteria, we selected 27 articles published in the last decade that explored the industry's occupational risks., Findings: Most of the papers include predominantly male samples and describe adult populations, mainly from developed countries. The studies focus on various employment contexts of chemical industries. We identified health risks in oncology, dermatology, and the respiratory system, among others. We found that particular emphasis was given to the relationship between occupational exposure and cancer, especially breast cancer. Furthermore, we observed sex/gender differences in the prevalence of respiratory and dermatological disorders. These results highlight the need to consider specific sex/gender-based health risk factors in the chemical industry., Conclusions/application to Practice: The chemical industry is considered a crucial health determinant, however, the studies focused on sex/gender-based differences without considering gender-specific physiology and work circumstances. Although some studies do mention sex/gender disparities, such as occupational rhinitis, which is more frequent in women, studies are scarce. The absence of a segregated analysis with a gender perspective could lead to the ignorance of emerging health risks for female workers, highlighting the urgent need to include a gender perspective in future research., Competing Interests: Conflict of InterestThe author(s) declared no potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article.

Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) is a highly aggressive and clinically challenging subtype of breast cancer, lacking the expression of estrogen receptor (ER), progesterone receptor (PR), and HER2/neu. The absence of these receptors limits therapeutic options necessitating the exploration of novel treatment strategies. Epigenetic modifications, which include DNA methylation, histone modifications, and microRNA (miRNA) regulation, play a pivotal role in TNBC pathogenesis and represent promising therapeutic targets. This review delves into the therapeutic potential of epigenetic interventions in TNBC, with a focus on DNA methylation, histone modifications, and miRNA therapeutics. We examine the role of DNA methylation in gene silencing within TNBC and the development of DNA methylation inhibitors designed to reactivate silenced tumor suppressor genes. Histone modifications, through histone deacetylation and acetylation in particular, are critical in regulating gene expression. We explore the efficacy of histone deacetylase inhibitors (HDACi), which have shown promise in reversing aberrant histone deacetylation patterns, thereby restoring normal gene function, and suppressing tumor growth. Furthermore, the review highlights the dual role of miRNAs in TNBC as both oncogenes and tumor suppressors and discusses the therapeutic potential of miRNA mimics and inhibitors in modulating these regulatory molecules to inhibit cancer progression. By integrating these epigenetic therapies, we propose a multifaceted approach to target the underlying epigenetic mechanisms that drive TNBC progression. The synergistic use of DNA methylation inhibitors, HDACi, and the miRNA-based therapies offers a promising avenue for personalized treatment strategies, aiming to enhance the clinical outcome for patients with TNBC., Competing Interests: The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Mahendran, Shangaradas, Romero-Moreno, Wickramarachchige Dona, Sarasija, Perera and Silva.)

The birth of a new life, which should be a blessing to everyone, is regrettably not always the case. According to the latest data, the worldwide rate of stillbirths in 2022 stood at 13.9 stillbirths per 1,000 total births. This translates to one stillborn baby for every 72 total births, occurring at a frequency of one every 17 seconds. This article reviews antenatal fetal monitoring techniques that can help patients and healthcare providers recognize and intervene in a timely manner to prevent conditions that threaten fetal well-being. Various fetal well-being assessment methods have been explored. The most used techniques include the non-stress test, contraction stress test, and biophysical profile that encompass both fetal movement and fetal heart rate. This review delves into technologies used for antenatal diagnostic methods, ranging from traditional methods to contemporary advancements. The presented categories serve as a guide, recommending techniques tailored to specific pregnancy stages and observational purposes.

Background/objectives: Structured therapeutic patient education is the key to improving biopsychosocial outcomes in people with type 1 diabetes mellitus. This study aimed to determine the effects of structured therapeutic education on glycemic control and emotional well-being in people with type 1 diabetes mellitus., Methods: This is a systematic review with a meta-analysis (PROSPERO ID: CRD42023390079). Searches were performed in Scopus, MEDLINE, Web of Science, CINAHL, APA PsycInfo, APA PsycArticles, and the Psychology Database (June-August 2024). The eligibility criteria included randomized controlled trials published in English or Spanish within the past 10 years. Data extraction and risk of bias evaluations were independently conducted by two reviewers. The outcomes analyzed included glycated hemoglobin, time in range, emotional well-being, self-management behaviors, and adherence to treatment. Meta-analyses were performed using RevMan with random and fixed effects models., Results: Seventeen studies met the eligibility criteria. There was a significant improvement in glycemic control, stress, anxiety, and treatment satisfaction, although the results for the other emotional outcomes were mixed., Conclusions: Structured therapeutic patient education improves glycemic control and selected emotional outcomes in individuals with type 1 diabetes mellitus. Further trials are needed to refine the characteristics of the intervention and broaden the applicability of the findings to diverse populations.

Huntington's disease is a genetic disorder characterized by progressive neuronal cell damage in some areas of the brain; symptoms are commonly associated with chorea, rigidity and dystonia. The symptoms in Huntington's Disease are caused by a pathological increase in the number of Cytokine-Adenine-Guanine (CAG) repeats on the first exon of the Huntingtin gene, which causes a protein to have an excessive number of glutamine residues; this alteration leads to a change in the protein's conformation and function. Therefore, the purpose of this work was to design, synthesize and evaluate an antisense oligonucleotide (ASO; 95 nucleotides) HTT 90-5 directed to the Huntingtin CAG repeats in primary leukocyte culture cells from a patient with Huntington's Disease; approximately 500,000 leukocytes per well extracted from venous blood were used, to which 100 pMol of ASO were administered, and the expression of Huntingtin was subsequently evaluated at 72 h by RT-PCR. Our results showed that the administration of the HTT 90-5 antisense decreased the expression of Huntingtin mRNA in the primary culture leukocyte cells from our patient. These results suggest that the use of long antisense targeting the CAG Huntingtin cluster may be an option to decrease the expression of Huntingtin and probably could be adjusted depending on the number of CAG repeats in the cluster.

Aims: This study assessed the effect of immersive virtual reality (IVR) on anxiety and intraoperative pain in adult patients undergoing dental extractions with local anesthesia., Methods: In a single-blind, randomized clinical trial from September 2022 to December 2023 at a private dental clinic, 190 patients with dental anxiety were randomly assigned to either an IVR or a control group. Primary outcomes-dental anxiety and perioperative pain-were measured using the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI), Modified Dental Anxiety Scale (MDAS), and Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) before and after the procedure. Secondary outcomes included heart rate (HR), diastolic blood pressure (DBP), and systolic blood pressure (SBP), recorded at various stages., Results: The IVR group showed significant reductions in total anxiety, state anxiety, and MDAS scores compared to the control group ( p < 0.001). Pain intensity was also lower in the IVR group ( p = 0.03). Additionally, heart rate (HR), systolic blood pressure (SBP), and diastolic blood pressure (DBP) were consistently lower in the IVR group across different stages. Post anesthesia, the IVR group showed notably lower mean SBP and DBP values ( p < 0.001). After surgery, the IVR group also showed lower HR ( p = 0.01), SBP ( p < 0.001), and DBP ( p < 0.001) compared to the control group., Conclusions: IVR significantly reduced STAI, STAI-S, and MDAS scores and decreased intraoperative pain compared to the control group.

Preterm birth (PTB), often preceded by preterm labor, is a major cause of neonatal morbidity and mortality worldwide. Most PTB cases involve intra-amniotic inflammation without detectable microorganisms, termed in utero sterile inflammation, for which there is no established treatment. In this study, we propose homeostatic macrophages to prevent PTB and adverse neonatal outcomes caused by in utero sterile inflammation. Single-cell atlases of the maternal-fetal interface revealed that homeostatic maternal macrophages are reduced with human labor. M2 macrophage treatment prevented PTB and reduced adverse neonatal outcomes in mice with in utero sterile inflammation. Specifically, M2 macrophages halted premature labor by suppressing inflammatory responses in the amniotic cavity, including inflammasome activation, and mitigated placental and offspring lung inflammation. Moreover, M2 macrophages boosted gut inflammation in neonates and improved their ability to fight systemic bacterial infections. Our findings show that M2 macrophages are a promising strategy to mitigate PTB and improve neonatal outcomes resulting from in utero sterile inflammation., (Copyright © 2024 by The American Association of Immunologists, Inc.)

Purpose: Postoperative delirium (POD) is a common and serious neuropsychiatric syndrome that leads to higher morbidity and mortality. We investigated the association between serum C-reactive protein (CRP) and the occurrence of POD in older hip fracture patients, and whether CRP predicted POD better than a clinical model., Methods: Patients aged ≥ 75 years admitted for surgical repair of an acute hip fracture were recruited. We compared serum CRP levels between patients with and without POD., Results: Sixty patients were included, of whom 21 (35%) developed POD. Serum CRP levels were significantly higher in patients who developed delirium (p = 0.011). In a multiple regression model including clinical variables and CRP, cognitive impairment (p = 0.003) and infection (p = 0.001) were the best predictors of POD., Conclusions: Although higher levels of serum CRP were significantly associated with POD in older hip fracture patients, pre-existing cognitive impairment and infections were the most important risk factors for POD., Competing Interests: Declarations. Conflict of interest: The authors declare they have no conflict of interest. Ethical approval: Ethical approval was agreed by the Ethical Comittee of the Institution. Informed consent: Informed consent was obtained from all patients prior to all surgical procedures., (© 2024. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to European Geriatric Medicine Society.)

Objective: Preeclampsia, one of the most serious obstetric complications, is a heterogenous disorder resulting from different pathologic processes. However, placental oxidative stress and an anti-angiogenic state play a crucial role. Mitochondria are a major source of cellular reactive oxygen species. Abnormalities in mitochondrial structures, proteins, and functions have been observed in the placentae of patients with preeclampsia, thus mitochondrial dysfunction has been implicated in the mechanism of the disease. Mitochondrial nuclear retrograde regulator 1 (MNRR1) is a newly characterized bi-organellar protein with pleiotropic functions. In the mitochondria, this protein regulates cytochrome c oxidase activity and reactive oxygen species production, whereas in the nucleus, it regulates the transcription of a number of genes including response to tissue hypoxia and inflammatory signals. Since MNRR1 expression changes in response to hypoxia and to an inflammatory signal, MNRR1 could be a part of mitochondrial dysfunction and involved in the pathologic process of preeclampsia. This study aimed to determine whether the plasma MNRR1 concentration of women with preeclampsia differed from that of normal pregnant women., Methods: This retrospective case-control study included 97 women with preeclampsia, stratified by gestational age at delivery into early (<34 weeks, n  = 40) and late (≥34 weeks, n  = 57) preeclampsia and by the presence or absence of placental lesions consistent with maternal vascular malperfusion (MVM), the histologic counterpart of an anti-angiogenic state. Women with an uncomplicated pregnancy at various gestational ages who delivered at term served as controls ( n  = 80) and were further stratified into early ( n  = 25) and late ( n  = 55) controls according to gestational age at venipuncture. Maternal plasma MNRR1 concentrations were determined by an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay., Results: 1) Women with preeclampsia at the time of diagnosis (either early or late disease) had a significantly higher median (interquartile range, IQR) plasma MNRR1 concentration than the controls [early preeclampsia: 1632 (924-2926) pg/mL vs. 630 (448-4002) pg/mL, p  = .026, and late preeclampsia: 1833 (1441-5534) pg/mL vs. 910 (526-6178) pg/mL, p  = .021]. Among women with early preeclampsia, those with MVM lesions in the placenta had the highest median (IQR) plasma MNRR1 concentration among the three groups [with MVM: 2066 (1070-3188) pg/mL vs. without MVM: 888 (812-1781) pg/mL, p  = .03; and with MVM vs. control: 630 (448-4002) pg/mL, p  = .04]. There was no significant difference in the median plasma MNRR1 concentration between women with early preeclampsia without MVM lesions and those with an uncomplicated pregnancy ( p  = .3). By contrast, women with late preeclampsia, regardless of MVM lesions, had a significantly higher median (IQR) plasma MNRR1 concentration than women in the control group [with MVM: 1609 (1392-3135) pg/mL vs. control: 910 (526-6178), p  = .045; and without MVM: 2023 (1578-8936) pg/mL vs. control, p  = .01]., Conclusions: MNRR1, a mitochondrial regulator protein, is elevated in the maternal plasma of women with preeclampsia (both early and late) at the time of diagnosis. These findings may reflect some degree of mitochondrial dysfunction, intravascular inflammation, or other unknown pathologic processes that characterize this obstetrical syndrome.

Beach volleyball (BV) is an intermittent sport characterised by short-duration and highly demanding activities with low intensity periods. Establishing if players' jump ability is influenced by sand granulometry is a useful information for sport scientists, coaches and players. This study aimed to assess the possible differences in the kinetics parameters of the vertical jump on different types of sand performed by BV players. Twelve elite female players performed six countermovement jumps (CMJs) in three different surface conditions (fine sand, reference, coarse sand) in a random counterbalanced order (216 jumps). A generalised mixed model approach detected differences for CMJ model in total duration (p: 0.016), eccentric phase duration (p: 0.007), concentric phase duration (p: 0.011), time to peak power (p: < 0.001), time to peak force (p: 0.014), maximum rate force development concentric phase (p: 0.004), maximum velocity (p: 0.028) and peak power eccentric (p: 0.018). Coarse sand decreases the time spent jumping compared to fine sand, without a penalty to jump height. Coaches and athletes should take this information into account to enhance their understanding of practice strategies and game conditions. One might anticipate a faster pace in games played on coarse sand and a slower pace on fine sand.

Tomato sensory analysis typically involves assessing different fruits, and the inherent intra- and inter-fruit variability poses experimental challenges. To address this, blending emerges as a sampling protocol to minimize panelist experimental error. This study delves into intra-(locule/pericarp) and inter-fruit heterogeneity, examining the efficacy of blended samples in assessing sweetness and acidity. Results reveal a higher acidity (22.2%) and sweetness perception (10.3%) in locular tissue, influenced by elevated titratable acids (TA) and soluble solids (TSS). The observed locular-to-fruit weight ratios (6-31%) might impact overall taste intensity. Fruit-to-fruit variation was high among the 16 varieties studied for TA, TSS, and dry matter. The use of blending to construct an "average" sample, increased sweetness (23%) and acidity perception (17%) without affecting sample ordering. Our results underscore the need to integrate locular relative weight into tomato phenotyping protocols and highlight the potential of blended samples in sensory analysis of traits related to the non-volatile fraction., Competing Interests: DECLARATION OF CONFLICTING INTERESTSThe authors declared no potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article.

Background: The pursuit of automated methods to assess the extent of resection (EOR) in glioblastomas is challenging, requiring precise measurement of residual tumor volume. Many algorithms focus on preoperative scans, making them unsuitable for postoperative studies. Our objective was to develop a deep learning-based model for postoperative segmentation using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). We also compared our model's performance with other available algorithms., Methods: To develop the segmentation model, a training cohort from 3 research institutions and 3 public databases was used. Multiparametric MRI scans with ground truth labels for contrast-enhancing tumor (ET), edema, and surgical cavity, served as training data. The models were trained using MONAI and nnU-Net frameworks. Comparisons were made with currently available segmentation models using an external cohort from a research institution and a public database. Additionally, the model's ability to classify EOR was evaluated using the RANO-Resect classification system. To further validate our best-trained model, an additional independent cohort was used., Results: The study included 586 scans: 395 for model training, 52 for model comparison, and 139 scans for independent validation. The nnU-Net framework produced the best model with median Dice scores of 0.81 for contrast ET, 0.77 for edema, and 0.81 for surgical cavities. Our best-trained model classified patients into maximal and submaximal resection categories with 96% accuracy in the model comparison dataset and 84% in the independent validation cohort., Conclusions: Our nnU-Net-based model outperformed other algorithms in both segmentation and EOR classification tasks, providing a freely accessible tool with promising clinical applicability., Competing Interests: All the authors certify that they have no affiliations with or involvement in any organization or entity with any financial interest (such as honoraria; educational grants; participation in speakers’ bureaus; membership, employment, consultancies, stock ownership, or other equity interest; and expert testimony or patent-licensing arrangements), or nonfinancial interest (such as personal or professional relationships, affiliations, knowledge or beliefs) in the subject matter or materials discussed in this manuscript., (© The Author(s) 2024. Published by Oxford University Press, the Society for Neuro-Oncology and the European Association of Neuro-Oncology.)

Previous studies have suggested that alterations in white matter (WM) microstructure are implicated in suicidal thoughts and behaviours (STBs). However, findings of diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) studies have been inconsistent. In this large-scale mega-analysis conducted by the ENIGMA Suicidal Thoughts and Behaviours (ENIGMA-STB) consortium, we examined WM alterations associated with STBs. Data processing was standardised across sites, and resulting WM microstructure measures (fractional anisotropy, axial diffusivity, mean diffusivity and radial diffusivity) for 25 WM tracts were pooled across 40 cohorts. We compared these measures among individuals with a psychiatric diagnosis and lifetime history of suicide attempt ( n =652; mean age=35.4±14.7; female=71.8%), individuals with a psychiatric diagnosis but no STB (i.e., clinical controls; n =1871; mean age=34±14.8; female=59.8%), and individuals with no mental disorder diagnosis and no STB (i.e., healthy controls; n =642; mean age=29.6±13.1; female=62.9%). We also compared these measures among individuals with recent suicidal ideation ( n =714; mean age=36.3±15.3; female=66.1%), clinical controls ( n =1184; mean age=36.8±15.6; female=63.1%), and healthy controls ( n =1240; mean age= 31.6±15.5; female=61.0%). We found subtle but statistically significant effects, such as lower fractional anisotropy associated with a history of suicide attempt, over and above the effect of psychiatric diagnoses. These effects were strongest in the corona radiata, thalamic radiation, fornix/stria terminalis, corpus callosum and superior longitudinal fasciculus. Effect sizes were small (Cohen's d < 0.25). Recent suicidal ideation was not associated with alterations in WM microstructure. This large-scale coordinated mega-analysis revealed subtle regional and global alterations in WM microstructure in individuals with a history of suicide attempt. Longitudinal studies are needed to confirm whether these alterations are a risk factor for suicidal behaviour., Competing Interests: Conflicts of interest ALvH receives consultancy fees from the Augeo foundation. CAZ is a full-time US government employee. He is listed as a co-inventor on a patent for the use of ketamine and its metabolites in major depression and suicidal ideation. Dr. Zarate has assigned his patent rights to the U.S. government but will share a percentage of any royalties that may be received by the government. HPB has consulted to the Milken Institute. MW is a member of the following advisory boards and gave presentations to the following companies: Bayer AG, Germany; Boehringer Ingelheim, Germany; and Biologische Heilmittel Heel GmbH, Germany. MW has further conducted studies with institutional research support from HEEL and Janssen Pharmaceutical Research for a clinical trial (IIT) on ketamine in patients with MDD, unrelated to this investigation. MW did not receive any financial compensation from the companies mentioned above. IA received speakers honorarium from Lundbeck. IBH is the Co-Director, Health and Policy at the Brain and Mind Centre (BMC) University of Sydney. The BMC operates an early-intervention youth services at Camperdown under contract to headspace. He is the Chief Scientific Advisor to, and a 3.2% equity shareholder in, InnoWell Pty Ltd which aims to transform mental health services through the use of innovative technologies. AC reports being currently an employee of the Regeneron Genetics Center, and may own Regeneron stock or stock options. JCS acknowledge to be related with the next companies ALKERMES (Advisory Board), BOEHRINGER Ingelheim (Consultant), COMPASS Pathways (Research Grant), JOHNSON & JOHNSON (Consultant), LIVANOVA (Consultant), RELMADA (Research Grant), SUNOVION (Research Grant),Mind Med (Research Grant). PMP received payment or honoraria for lectures and presentations in educational events for Sandoz, Daiichi Sankyo, Eurofarma, Abbot, Libbs, Instituto Israelita de Pesquisa e Ensino Albert Einstein, Instituto D’Or de Pesquisa e Ensino. All other authors report no biomedical financial interests, disclosures or potential conflicts of interest.

Objectives: To evaluate health-related quality of life perceived by patients with the most prevalent immune-mediated inflammatory diseases in Spain: inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), psoriasis (Ps), psoriatic arthritis (AP), rheumatoid arthritis (RA), and spondyloarthropathies (SpAs), and to determine the factors that influence patient quality of life., Methods: The SACVINFA study (SA=satisfaction, CV=quality of life, IN=immune-mediated, FA=pharmacy) consisted of an observational study conducted in 4 hospitals in the Community of Madrid. A cross-sectional analysis was made for adult patients diagnosed with an immune-mediated inflammatory disease who attended the Pharmacy Service. Quality of life was assessed using the EQ-5D-5L questionnaire (mobility, self-care, usual activities, pain/discomfort, and anxiety/depression) and specific questionnaires: SIBDQ-9, DLQI, PsAQoL, QoL-RA, and ASQoL., Results: A total of 578 patients were analysed (inflammatory bowel disease=25.3%; psoriasis=19.7%; spondyloarthropathies=18.7%; rheumatoid arthritis=18.5%; psoriatic arthritis=17.8%). The mean age (standard deviation) was 49.8 (12.3) years and 50.7% were male. The average score (standard deviation) for the global EQ-5D-5L was 0.771 (0.2) and the mean (standard deviation) visual analogue scale score was 71.5 (20.0). Type of immune-mediated inflammatory diseases was associated with differences in quality of life showing psoriasis and inflammatory bowel disease higher values of EQ5D-5L than psoriatic arthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, and spondyloarthropathies, p<.05 in all comparisons. Patients with RA, IBD, and Ps achieved 70% of the maximum score, while patients with PsA and SpAs did not reach 50% of the maximum possible score. Female gender, a state of moderate/severe disease severity, an older age, and a higher number of previous treatments were correlated with worse quality of life. Conversely, persistence to current treatment correlated with better quality of life., Conclusions: Patients with immune-mediated inflammatory diseases have markedly affected quality of life, mainly in the pain/discomfort dimension, especially in those immune-mediated inflammatory diseases with a rheumatological component., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors have no conflicts of interest., (Copyright © 2024 Sociedad Española de Farmacia Hospitalaria (S.E.F.H). Publicado por Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.)

Introduction: Intra-amniotic inflammation is causally linked to spontaneous preterm labor. The gold standard for the diagnosis of intra-amniotic inflammation is the determination of an amniotic fluid profile obtained from transabdominal amniocentesis, which is invasive. Cervicovaginal fluid fetal fibronectin (fFN) is a widely-used predictive biomarker for spontaneous preterm labor. The aims of this study are to determine (1) whether a quantitative cervicovaginal fluid fFN test can be used to identify the presence of intra-amniotic inflammation; and (2) an appropriate cut-off value of a cervicovaginal fluid fFN concentration for the identification of intra-amniotic inflammation., Material and Methods: This prospective cohort study included 78 patients with preterm labor and intact membranes who had a sample collected for quantitative cervicovaginal fluid fFN measurement and underwent transabdominal amniocentesis. Intra-amniotic inflammation was defined as an amniotic fluid interleukin-6 concentration ≥2.6 ng/mL. Clinicians were masked from the results of cervicovaginal fluid fFN and amniotic fluid interleukin-6 concentrations. Logistic regression analysis was used to determine which factors were significant predictors of intra-amniotic inflammation. The diagnostic indices of the cervicovaginal fluid fFN test for the identification of intra-amniotic inflammation were calculated., Results: (1) Frequency of intra-amniotic inflammation was 26.9% (21/78); (2) the higher the cervicovaginal fluid fFN concentration, the greater the risk of intra-amniotic inflammation (p < 0.001); (3) cervicovaginal fluid fFN concentration ≥125 ng/mL had an area under the curve of 0.91 (95% confidence interval: 0.83-0.96) for the identification of intra-amniotic inflammation with 100% sensitivity, 100% negative predictive value, 82.46% specificity and a positive likelihood ratio of 5.7; and (4) cervicovaginal fluid fFN cut-off of 125 ng/mL had a significant higher predictive performance than the traditional cut-off (50 ng/mL) for the identification of intra-amniotic inflammation., Conclusions: Quantitative cervicovaginal fluid fFN with a cut-off of 125 ng/mL had a high sensitivity and a negative predictive value as well as a positive likelihood ratio for the identification of intra-amniotic inflammation. Its high sensitivity and negative predictive value can be used to decrease an index of suspicion of intra-amniotic inflammation. This test may be useful as an initial assessment test to select appropriate patients for amniocentesis to determine intra-amniotic inflammation., (© 2024 The Author(s). Acta Obstetricia et Gynecologica Scandinavica published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Nordic Federation of Societies of Obstetrics and Gynecology (NFOG).)

Background and Aims: Few studies have evaluated frailty in older hypertensive individuals and the most appropriate tools to identify frailty in this population have yet to be identified. This study compared the performance of six frailty instruments in the prediction of 1-year functional decline in older hypertensive outpatients., Methods: The HYPERtension and FRAILty in Older Adults (HYPER-FRAIL) longitudinal pilot study involved hypertensive participants ≥75 years from two geriatric outpatient clinics at Careggi Hospital, Florence, Italy, undergoing identification of frailty with four frailty scales (Fried Frailty Phenotype, Frailty Index [FI], Clinical Frailty Scale [CFS], Frailty Postal Score) and two physical performance tests (Short Physical Performance Battery [SPPB] and gait speed). Prediction of 1-year functional decline (i.e. a ≥ 10-point Barthel Index decrease between baseline and follow-up) was examined based on ROC curve analysis and multivariable logistic regression., Results: Among 116 participants, 24 % reported functional decline. In the ROC curve analyses, FI (AUC=0.76), CFS (AUC=0.77), gait speed (AUC=0.73) and the SPPB (AUC=0.77) achieved the best predictive performance, with FI ≥0.21 and CFS ≥4 showing the highest sensitivity (82 %) and negative predictive value (91 %). Frailty identified with FI, CFS or physical performance tests was associated with an increased risk of 1-year functional decline, independently of baseline functional status and comorbidity burden., Conclusions: FI, CFS and physical performance tests showed similar predictive ability for functional decline in hypertensive outpatients. The CFS and gait speed might be more suitable for clinical use and may be useful to identify non-frail individuals at lower risk of functional decline., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare they have no conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2024 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Alterations in the nuclear envelope are linked to a variety of rare diseases termed laminopathies. A single amino acid substitution at position 12 (A12T) of the human nuclear envelope protein BAF (Barrier to Autointegration Factor) causes Néstor-Guillermo Progeria Syndrome (NGPS). This premature ageing condition leads to growth retardation and severe skeletal defects, but the underlying mechanisms are unknown. Here, we have generated a novel in vivo model for NGPS by modifying the baf-1 locus in C. elegans to mimic the human NGPS mutation. These baf-1(G12T) mutant worms displayed multiple phenotypes related to fertility, lifespan, and stress resistance. Importantly, nuclear morphology deteriorated faster during aging in baf-1(G12T) compared to wild-type animals, recapitulating an important hallmark of cells from progeria patients. Although localization of BAF-1(G12T) was similar to wild-type BAF-1, lamin accumulation at the nuclear envelope was reduced in mutant worms. Tissue-specific chromatin binding and transcriptome analyses showed reduced BAF-1 association in most genes deregulated by the baf-1(G12T) mutation, suggesting that altered BAF chromatin association induces NGPS phenotypes via altered gene expression., Competing Interests: Disclosure and competing interests statement The authors declare no competing interests., (© 2024. The Author(s).)