-
BMC Geriatrics Jun 2024Community-based exercise programmes (CBEPs) offer a practical and viable approach to providing people with Parkinson's disease (PwP) the opportunity to exercise as an...
Group-based exercise for Parkinson's: a qualitative study of participants and partners' perceptions of an exercise class delivered through a community-university collaboration.
BACKGROUND
Community-based exercise programmes (CBEPs) offer a practical and viable approach to providing people with Parkinson's disease (PwP) the opportunity to exercise as an ancillary therapeutic benefit to pharmacological management. This study explores the perceptions of exercising participants (PwP) and non-participating partners involved in an exercise class delivered through a community-university partnership.
METHODS
Two separate focus group discussions were conducted: one with class participants (PwP: n = 7, H&Y scale I to III), and the other with non-participating partners of PwP (n = 4).
RESULTS
Thematic analysis of the data identified that a range of physical, psychological and social factors were perceived to influence engagement: (1) actively taking control, (2) exercise is medicine for the mind and body, and (3) a community working together to promote exercise for parkinson's. Participants and partners felt that the support from the group, including the instructors and student volunteers, empowered and supported PwP to proactively self-manage their health, enjoy exercise in an inclusive group setting, and develop strong social connections with others in the local Parkinson's community. Support to exercise from healthcare professionals was identified as both an enabler and barrier to participation.
CONCLUSIONS
This study underscores the significance of a community-university partnership as a complementary therapeutic approach for PwP. It also provides critical reflections on its sustainability, including implications for how exercise is considered as medicine for PwP. Additionally, it offers practical recommendations to galvanise community participation and provide inclusive and viable exercise opportunities for PwP.
Topics: Humans; Parkinson Disease; Male; Female; Aged; Exercise Therapy; Qualitative Research; Middle Aged; Universities; Focus Groups; Aged, 80 and over; Exercise
PubMed: 38834963
DOI: 10.1186/s12877-024-05061-7 -
Ultrasound in Medicine & Biology Aug 2024Needle biopsy is a common technique used to obtain cell and tissue samples for diagnostics. Currently, two biopsy methods are widely used: (i) fine-needle aspiration...
OBJECTIVE
Needle biopsy is a common technique used to obtain cell and tissue samples for diagnostics. Currently, two biopsy methods are widely used: (i) fine-needle aspiration biopsy (FNAB) and (ii) core needle biopsy (CNB). However, these methods have limitations. Recently, we developed ultrasound-enhanced fine-needle aspiration biopsy (USeFNAB), which employs a needle that flexurally oscillates at an ultrasonic frequency of ∼32 kHz. The needle motion contributes to increased tissue collection while preserving cells and tissue constructs for pathological assessment. Previously, USeFNAB has been investigated only in ex vivo animal tissue. The present study was aimed at determining the feasibility of using USeFNAB in human epithelial and lymphoid tissue.
METHODS
Needle biopsy samples were acquired using FNAB, CNB and USeFNAB on ex vivo human tonsils (N = 10). The tissue yield and quality were quantified by weight measurement and blinded pathologists' assessments. The biopsy methods were then compared.
RESULTS
The results revealed sample mass increases of, on average, 2.3- and 5.4-fold with USeFNAB compared with the state-of-the-art FNAB and CNB, respectively. The quality of tissue fragments collected by USeFNAB was equivalent to that collected by the state-of-the-art methods in terms of morphology and immunohistochemical stainings made from cell blocks as judged by pathologists.
CONCLUSION
Our study indicates that USeFNAB is a promising method that could improve tissue yield to ensure sufficient material for ancillary histochemical and molecular studies for diagnostic pathology, thereby potentially increasing diagnostic accuracy.
Topics: Humans; Palatine Tonsil; Lymphoid Tissue; Biopsy, Fine-Needle; Feasibility Studies; Ultrasonography, Interventional; Image-Guided Biopsy; Epithelium
PubMed: 38834492
DOI: 10.1016/j.ultrasmedbio.2024.04.015 -
Sleep Jun 2024To investigate the relationships between longitudinal changes in sleep stages and the risk of cognitive decline in older men.
STUDY OBJECTIVES
To investigate the relationships between longitudinal changes in sleep stages and the risk of cognitive decline in older men.
METHODS
This study included 978 community-dwelling older men who participated in the first (2003-2005) and second (2009-2012) sleep ancillary study visits of the Osteoporotic Fractures in Men Study. We examined the longitudinal changes in sleep stages at the initial and follow-up visits, and the association with concurrent clinically relevant cognitive decline during the 6.5-year follow-up.
RESULTS
Men with low to moderate (quartile 2, Q2) and moderate increase (Q3) in N1 sleep percentage had a reduced risk of cognitive decline on the Modified Mini-Mental State Examination compared to those with a substantial increase (Q4) in N1 sleep percentage. Additionally, men who experienced a low to moderate (Q2) increase in N1 sleep percentage had a lower risk of cognitive decline on the Trails B compared with men in the reference group (Q4). Furthermore, men with the most pronounced reduction (Q1) in N2 sleep percentage had a significantly higher risk of cognitive decline on the Trails B compared to those in the reference group (Q4). No significant association was found between changes in N3 and rapid eye movement sleep and the risk of cognitive decline.
CONCLUSIONS
Our results suggested that a relatively lower increase in N1 sleep showed a reduced risk of cognitive decline. However, a pronounced decrease in N2 sleep was associated with concurrent cognitive decline. These findings may help identify older men at risk of clinically relevant cognitive decline.
PubMed: 38829819
DOI: 10.1093/sleep/zsae125 -
BioRxiv : the Preprint Server For... May 2024The adult mammalian heart has limited regenerative capacity following injury, leading to progressive heart failure and mortality. Recent studies have identified the...
The adult mammalian heart has limited regenerative capacity following injury, leading to progressive heart failure and mortality. Recent studies have identified the spiny mouse ( ) as a unique model for mammalian cardiac isch3emic resilience, exhibiting enhanced recovery after myocardial infarction (MI) compared to commonly used laboratory mouse strains. However, the underlying cellular and molecular mechanisms behind this unique response remain poorly understood. In this study, we comprehensively characterized the metabolic characteristics of cardiomyocytes in compared to the non-regenerative . We utilized single-nucleus RNA sequencing (snRNA-seq) in sham-operated animals and 1, 3, and 7 days post-myocardial infarction to investigate cardiomyocytes' transcriptomic and metabolomic profiles in response to myocardial infarction. Complementary targeted metabolomics, stable isotope-resolved metabolomics, and functional mitochondrial assays were performed on heart tissues from both species to validate the transcriptomic findings and elucidate the metabolic adaptations in cardiomyocytes following ischemic injury. Transcriptomic analysis revealed that cardiomyocytes inherently upregulate genes associated with glycolysis, the pentose phosphate pathway, and glutathione metabolism while downregulating genes involved in oxidative phosphorylation (OXPHOS). These metabolic characteristics are linked to decreased reactive oxygen species (ROS) production and increased antioxidant capacity. Our targeted metabolomic studies in heart tissue corroborated these findings, showing a shift from fatty acid oxidation to glycolysis and ancillary biosynthetic pathways in at baseline with adaptive changes post-MI. Functional mitochondrial studies indicated a higher reliance on glycolysis in compared to , underscoring the unique metabolic phenotype of hearts. Stable isotope tracing experiments confirmed a shift in glucose utilization from oxidative phosphorylation in . In conclusion, our study identifies unique metabolic characteristics of cardiomyocytes that contribute to their enhanced ischemic resilience following myocardial infarction. These findings provide novel insights into the role of metabolism in regulating cardiac repair in adult mammals. Our work highlights the importance of inherent and adaptive metabolic flexibility in determining cardiomyocyte ischemic responses and establishes as a valuable model for studying cardiac ischemic resilience in adult mammals.
PubMed: 38826249
DOI: 10.1101/2024.05.22.595229 -
Journal of Water and Health May 2024Hand hygiene (HH) is the most effective way to curb the spread of healthcare-associated infections. Nonetheless, healthcare personnel encounter difficulties in adhering...
Hand hygiene (HH) is the most effective way to curb the spread of healthcare-associated infections. Nonetheless, healthcare personnel encounter difficulties in adhering to WHO HH recommendations. This study aimed to investigate HH compliance and adherence after the implementation of an action plan in a municipal hospital in Moscow. An initial evaluation of HH compliance among clinical health workers was carried out in June 2022 according to the WHO HH guidelines followed by a 3-month re-audit of HH practices. The results were compared to the baseline to evaluate compliance and adherence to HH among healthcare personnel. From June to September 2022, there were 2,732 moments of contact with patients or their immediate surroundings. The HH total compliance rate significantly ( < 0.05) increased from 52.3% in June 2022 to 83.3% in September 2022 with a 75% overall total compliance rate. The profession-specific total compliance rate was highest among nurses (79.6%) and lowest among ancillary staff (69.7%). Staff were also more adherent to the before-moments compared to the after-moments of the HH guidelines. Monthly re-audits and providing feedback resulted in a significant improvement in compliance and adherence with HH guidelines after implementation of the action plan.
Topics: Hand Hygiene; Guideline Adherence; Humans; Infection Control; Cross Infection; Health Personnel
PubMed: 38822468
DOI: 10.2166/wh.2024.384 -
Veterinary Medicine International 2024The application of the erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) in feline medicine is currently unavailable, while in canine medicine it has been rediscovered due to the...
The application of the erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) in feline medicine is currently unavailable, while in canine medicine it has been rediscovered due to the introduction of an automated ESR device. Our aims were to (1) define the reference interval (RI) of the ESR in healthy cats, (2) evaluate the ESR values between healthy and ill cats, (3) evaluate relationships between the ESR and some inflammatory markers, and (4) assess ESR changes in different durations of illness (acute, chronic, or acute-on-chronic). A prospective multicentric cohort study on 200 client-owned cats: 57 healthy cats and 143 ill cats for the other aims. Healthy cats were blood donors, or young cats underwent desexing procedures. Ill cats with full clinical medical records, hematobiochemical profiles, and diagnostic procedures to reach a final diagnosis were included. The ESR was performed with MINI-PET using the same K3-EDTA tubes used for CBC, with no additional sample required. The total leukocyte count (WBC), neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR), fibrinogen, serum amyloid A, and albumin/globulin ratio (A/G) were concurrently measured. Based on the clinical presentation and the final diagnosis, cats were classified as having the following: acute, chronic, and acute-on-chronic conditions. The RI of the ESR ranged between 1 and 23 mm/h. Ill cats showed a significantly higher ESR (median 29 mm/h; range 12-46 mm/h) than healthy cats (median 10 mm/h; range 1-12 mm/h; < 0.0001). The ESR was positively correlated only with fibrinogen ( < 0.001; = 0.43). Cats with acute-on-chronic diseases had the highest ESR (median 47 mm/h; range 35-56 mm/h) compared with acute (median 16 mm/h; range 14-42 mm/h; =0.003) and chronic cats (median 14 mm/h; range 10-31 mm/h; < 0.0001). Although further studies are needed, the ESR could be a useful ancillary inflammatory marker in cats, specifically in cats with acute diseases, with or without an underlying chronic condition.
PubMed: 38818029
DOI: 10.1155/2024/2313447 -
Journal of Cheminformatics May 2024This study describes the development and evaluation of six new models for predicting physical-chemical (PC) properties that are highly relevant for chemical hazard,...
This study describes the development and evaluation of six new models for predicting physical-chemical (PC) properties that are highly relevant for chemical hazard, exposure, and risk estimation: solubility (in water S and octanol S), vapor pressure (VP), and the octanol-water (K), octanol-air (K), and air-water (K) partition ratios. The models are implemented in the Iterative Fragment Selection Quantitative Structure-Activity Relationship (IFSQSAR) python package, Version 1.1.0. These models are implemented as Poly-Parameter Linear Free Energy Relationship (PPLFER) equations which combine experimentally calibrated system parameters and solute descriptors predicted with QSPRs. Two other ancillary models have been developed and implemented, a QSPR for Molar Volume (MV) and a classifier for the physical state of chemicals at room temperature. The IFSQSAR methods for characterizing applicability domain (AD) and calculating uncertainty estimates expressed as 95% prediction intervals (PI) for predicted properties are described and tested on 9,000 measured partition ratios and 4,000 VP and S values. The measured data are external to IFSQSAR training and validation datasets and are used to assess the predictivity of the models for "novel chemicals" in an unbiased manner. The 95% PI intervals calculated from validation datasets for partition ratios needed to be scaled by a factor of 1.25 to capture 95% of the external data. Predictions for VP and S are more uncertain, primarily due to the challenges in differentiating their physical state (i.e., liquids or solids) at room temperature. The prediction accuracy of the models for log K, log K and log K of novel, data-poor chemicals is estimated to be in the range of 0.7 to 1.4 root mean squared error of prediction (RMSEP), with RMSEP in the range 1.7-1.8 for log VP and log S. Scientific contributionNew partitioning models integrate empirical PPLFER equations and QSARs, allowing for seamless integration of experimental data and model predictions. This work tests the real predictivity of the models for novel chemicals which are not in the model training or external validation datasets.
PubMed: 38816859
DOI: 10.1186/s13321-024-00853-w -
Cytopathology : Official Journal of the... May 2024Comprehensive molecular analysis for patients with non-small-cell lung carcinoma (NSCLC) is essential for managing modern targeted therapies. This study sought to...
Rapid molecular profiling utilising minimal quantities of endobronchial ultrasound-guided aspirates for the detection of Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor, KRAS, ALK, ROS1, RET, NTRK and MET gene alterations from patients with non-small-cell lung carcinomas on the Biocartis Idylla™ platform.
OBJECTIVES
Comprehensive molecular analysis for patients with non-small-cell lung carcinoma (NSCLC) is essential for managing modern targeted therapies. This study sought to establish the feasibility of utilising real-time PCR to perform rapid and comprehensive profiling on minimal amounts of endobronchial ultrasound-guided (EBUS) aspirates as a fast, tissue-sparing route of predictive profiling.
METHODS
A volume of 500 μL of EBUS aspirate and fixative from patients with NSCLC was decanted, and 80 μL (<1% of total specimen received) was utilised for analysis. Biocartis Idylla™ cartridges for epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) mutations, KRAS mutations and a GeneFusion cartridge (ALK, ROS1, RET, NTRK1/2/3 rearrangements & MET 14 exon skipping) were analysed for each case to provide molecular data on the main clinically relevant targets as per UK guidelines.
RESULTS
A total of 62 cases were included; all of which had successful DNA analysis (EGFR and KRAS cartridges). RNA analysis (GeneFusion cartridge) was successful for 42 of 51 (82%) with initial approach, with 11 of 11 (100%) achieving a successful result with modified protocol. In all, 23 KRAS mutations (37%), 5 EGFR mutations (8%) and 1 ROS fusion (2%) were identified. Average time from specimen receipt to molecular read-out was 5 h.
CONCLUSION
Real-time PCR utilising the Idylla™ platform is rapid, utilises minimal amounts of tissue and provides accurate results. We propose this is a useful ancillary method to utilise alongside next-generation sequencing (NGS) in cases of urgent clinical requirement or EBUS aspirates with inadequate quantities of tissue for NGS.
PubMed: 38814131
DOI: 10.1111/cyt.13406 -
Biochemical Society Transactions Jun 2024Advancements in synthetic biology have facilitated the incorporation of heterologous metabolic pathways into various bacterial chassis, leading to the synthesis of... (Review)
Review
Advancements in synthetic biology have facilitated the incorporation of heterologous metabolic pathways into various bacterial chassis, leading to the synthesis of targeted bioproducts. However, total output from heterologous production pathways can suffer from low flux, enzyme promiscuity, formation of toxic intermediates, or intermediate loss to competing reactions, which ultimately hinder their full potential. The self-assembling, easy-to-modify, protein-based bacterial microcompartments (BMCs) offer a sophisticated way to overcome these obstacles by acting as an autonomous catalytic module decoupled from the cell's regulatory and metabolic networks. More than a decade of fundamental research on various types of BMCs, particularly structural studies of shells and their self-assembly, the recruitment of enzymes to BMC shell scaffolds, and the involvement of ancillary proteins such as transporters, regulators, and activating enzymes in the integration of BMCs into the cell's metabolism, has significantly moved the field forward. These advances have enabled bioengineers to design synthetic multi-enzyme BMCs to promote ethanol or hydrogen production, increase cellular polyphosphate levels, and convert glycerol to propanediol or formate to pyruvate. These pioneering efforts demonstrate the enormous potential of synthetic BMCs to encapsulate non-native multi-enzyme biochemical pathways for the synthesis of high-value products.
Topics: Metabolic Engineering; Metabolic Networks and Pathways; Bacteria; Synthetic Biology; Bacterial Proteins; Propylene Glycols; Ethanol
PubMed: 38813858
DOI: 10.1042/BST20230229 -
Current Opinion in Ophthalmology Jul 2024The aim of this study was to highlight recent developments in the medical and surgical management of corneal neovascularization (NV). (Review)
Review
PURPOSE OF REVIEW
The aim of this study was to highlight recent developments in the medical and surgical management of corneal neovascularization (NV).
RECENT FINDINGS
Improved understanding and diagnostic criteria among clinicians have led to advancements in the characterization of corneal NV and objective assessment of treatment response through ancillary imaging devices. Developments in corneal NV treatments, such as antivascular endothelial growth factor, fine needle diathermy, and photodynamic therapy, have improved treatment success rates and visual outcomes. More recent surgical treatment advancements include corneal cross-linking, endothelial keratoplasty, and mitomycin intravascular chemoembolization. Finally, a greater appreciation of the molecular pathogenesis and angiogenic factors involved in corneal NV has identified numerous potential targeted therapies in the future.
SUMMARY
The management of corneal NV has evolved to include several standalone and combination medical and surgical options. Additionally, improvements in quantifying corneal NV and understanding its molecular basis have contributed to new management strategies with improved outcomes.
Topics: Humans; Corneal Neovascularization; Angiogenesis Inhibitors; Photochemotherapy; Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A
PubMed: 38813739
DOI: 10.1097/ICU.0000000000001049