Developing a novel immune infiltration-associated mitophagy prediction model for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis using bioinformatics strategies.

Background: Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a fatal neurodegenerative disease, which leads to muscle weakness and eventual paralysis. Numerous studies have indicated that mitophagy and immune inflammation have a significant impact on the onset and advancement of ALS. Nevertheless, the possible diagnostic and prognostic significance of mitophagy-related genes associated with immune infiltration in ALS is uncertain. The purpose of this study is to create a predictive model for ALS using genes linked with mitophagy-associated immune infiltration. Methods: ALS gene expression profiles were downloaded from the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database. Univariate Cox analysis and machine learning methods were applied to analyze mitophagy-associated genes and develop a prognostic risk score model. Subsequently, functional and immune infiltration analyses were conducted to study the biological attributes and immune cell enrichment in individuals with ALS. Additionally, validation of identified feature genes in the prediction model was performed using ALS mouse models and ALS patients. Results: In this study, a comprehensive analysis revealed the identification of 22 mitophagy-related differential expression genes and 40 prognostic genes. Additionally, an 18-gene prognostic signature was identified with machine learning, which was utilized to construct a prognostic risk score model. Functional enrichment analysis demonstrated the enrichment of various pathways, including oxidative phosphorylation, unfolded proteins, KRAS, and mTOR signaling pathways, as well as other immune-related pathways. The analysis of immune infiltration revealed notable distinctions in certain congenital immune cells and adaptive immune cells between the low-risk and high-risk groups, particularly concerning the T lymphocyte subgroup. ALS mouse models and ALS clinical samples demonstrated consistent expression levels of four mitophagy-related immune infiltration genes (BCKDHA, JTB, KYNU, and GTF2H5) with the results of bioinformatics analysis. Conclusion: This study has successfully devised and verified a pioneering prognostic predictive risk score for ALS, utilizing eighteen mitophagy-related genes. Furthermore, the findings indicate that four of these genes exhibit promising roles in the context of ALS prognostic.

Mortality and its predictors in abdominal injury across sub-Saharan Africa: systematic review and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: Abdominal injuries exert a significant impact on global morbidity and mortality. The aggregation of mortality data and its determinants across different regions holds immense importance for designing informed healthcare strategies. Hence, this study assessed the pooled mortality rate and its predictors across sub-Saharan Africa. METHOD: This meta-analysis employed a comprehensive search across multiple electronic databases including PubMed, Africa Index Medicus, Science Direct, and Hinari, complemented by a search of Google Scholar. Subsequently, data were extracted into an Excel format. The compiled dataset was then exported to STATA 17 statistical software for analysis. Utilizing the Dersimonian-Laird method, a random-effect model was employed to estimate the pooled mortality rate and its associated predictors. Heterogeneity was evaluated via the I2 test, while publication bias was assessed using a funnel plot along with Egger's, and Begg's tests. RESULT: This meta-analysis, which includes 33 full-text studies, revealed a pooled mortality rate of 9.67% (95% CI; 7.81, 11.52) in patients with abdominal injuries across sub-Saharan Africa with substantial heterogeneity (I2 = 87.21%). This review also identified significant predictors of mortality. As a result, the presence of shock upon presentation demonstrated 6.19 times (95% CI; 3.70-10.38) higher odds of mortality, followed by ICU admission (AOR: 5.20, 95% CI; 2.38-11.38), blunt abdominal injury (AOR: 8.18, 95% CI; 4.97-13.45), post-operative complications (AOR: 8.17, 95% CI; 4.97-13.44), and the performance of damage control surgery (AOR: 4.62, 95% CI; 1.85-11.52). CONCLUSION: Abdominal injury mortality is notably high in sub-Saharan Africa. Shock at presentation, ICU admission, blunt abdominal injury, postoperative complications, and use of damage control surgery predict mortality. Tailored strategies to address these predictors could significantly reduce deaths in the region.

Is more always better? Effectiveness of constraint-induced movement therapy in children with high-risk or unilateral cerebral palsy (0-6 years): Systematic review and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: While constraint-induced movement therapy is strongly recommended as an intervention for infants with unilateral cerebral palsy, the optimal dosage remains undefined. This systematic review aims to identify the most effective level of intensity of constraint-induced movement therapy to enhance manual function in infants at high risk of asymmetric brain lesions or unilateral cerebral palsy diagnosis. METHODS: This systematic review with meta-analysis encompassed a comprehensive search across four electronic databases to identify articles that met the following criteria: randomised controlled trials, children aged 0-6 with at high risk or with unilateral cerebral palsy, and treatment involving constraint-induced movement therapy for upper limb function. Studies with similar outcomes were pooled by calculating the standardised mean difference score for each subgroup, and subgroups were stratified every 30 h of total intervention dosage (30-60, 61-90, >90 h). Risk of bias was assessed with Cochrane Collaboration's tool. RESULTS: Seventeen studies were included. Meta-analyses revealed significant differences among subgroups. The 30-60 h subgroup showed a weak effect for spontaneous use of the affected upper limb during bimanual performance, grasp function, and parents' perception of how often children use their affected upper limb. Additionally, this subgroup demonstrated a moderate effect for the parents' perception of how effectively children use their affected upper limb. CONCLUSIONS: Using a dosage ranging from 30 to 60 h when applying a constraint-induced movement therapy protocol holds promise as the most age-appropriate and cost-effectiveness approach for improving upper limb functional outcomes and parent's perception.

Pediatric donor heart utilization variability among organ procurement organizations.

BACKGROUND: Organ procurement organizations (OPOs) are responsible for the medical management of organ donors. Given the variability in pediatric donor heart utilization among OPOs, we examined factors that may explain this variability, including differences in donor medical management, organ quality, and candidate factors. METHODS: The Organ Procurement and Transplant Network database was queried for pediatric (<18 years) heart donors and candidates receiving pediatric donor heart offers from 2010 to 2019. OPOs were stratified by pediatric donor heart utilization rate, and the top and bottom quintiles were compared based on donor management strategies and outcomes. A machine learning algorithm, combining 11 OPO, donor, candidate, and offer variables, was used to determine factors most predictive of whether a heart offer is accepted. RESULTS: There was no clinically significant difference between the top and bottom quintile OPOs in baseline donor characteristics, distance between donor and listing center, management strategies, or organ quality. Machine learning modeling suggested neither OPO donor management nor cardiac function is the primary driver of whether an organ is accepted. Instead, number of prior donor offer refusals and individual listing center receiving the offer were two of the most predictive variables of organ acceptance. CONCLUSIONS: OPO clinical practice variation does not seem to account for the discrepancy in pediatric donor heart utilization rates among OPOs. Listing center acceptance practice and prior number of donor refusals seem to be the important drivers of heart utilization and may at least partially account for the variation in OPO heart utilization rates given the regional association between OPOs and listing centers.

The role of histological subtype and chemotherapy on prognosis of ureteral cancer.

OBJECTIVE: To date, there have been few studies examining the prognostic implications of histological subtypes in ureteral cancer. And chemotherapy plays a crucial role in the treatment of ureteral cancer, while many factors influence the efficacy of chemotherapy. This study aimed to utilize the Surveillance, Epidemiology and End Results database to assess the impact of histological type on ureteral cancer prognostic outcomes and discovered how histological type and T-stage influence the efficacy of chemotherapy. METHODS: Based on Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results Program, we reviewed 8915 records of patients with primary ureteral cancer from 18 centers between 2000 and 2018. We focused on the overall survival and cancer-specific survival of the records and used Kaplan‒Meier method to calculate survival curves. RESULTS: In the comparison of prognostic outcomes, atypical subtypes exhibited a less favorable prognosis compared to typical ureteral carcinoma. Notably, patients diagnosed with papillary urothelial carcinoma demonstrated the most favorable overall survival (p = 0.005). Statistically significant benefits were observed in the prognosis of patients with non-papillary urothelial carcinoma who received chemotherapy (HR = 0.860, 95% CI 0.764-0.966, p = 0.011), while chemotherapy did not yield a statistically significant effect on the prognosis of patients with papillary urothelial carcinoma (HR = 1.055, 95% CI 0.906-1.228, p = 0.493). Chemotherapy had an adverse impact on the prognosis of patients with T1 ureteral cancer (HR = 1.235, 95% CI 1.016-1.502, p = 0.034), whereas it exhibited a positive prognostic effect for T3/T4 cases (HR = 0.739, 95% CI 0.654-0.835, p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Histological type affects the prognosis of ureteral cancer. And evaluation of cancer histological type and T stage in ureteral cancer patients prior to chemotherapy is mandatory.

Acute spinal cord injury serum biomarkers in human and rat: a scoping systematic review.

STUDY DESIGN: Scoping systematic review. OBJECTIVES: To summarize the available experimental clinical and animal studies for the identification of all CSF and serum-derived biochemical markers in human and rat SCI models. SETTING: Tehran, Iran. METHODS: In this scoping article, we systematically reviewed the electronic databases of PubMed, Scopus, WOS, and CENTRAL to retrieve current literature assessing the levels of different biomarkers in human and rat SCI models. RESULTS: A total of 19,589 articles were retrieved and 6897 duplicated titles were removed. The remaining 12,692 studies were screened by their title/abstract and 12,636 were removed. The remaining 56 were considered for full-text assessment, and 11 papers did not meet the criteria, and finally, 45 studies were included. 26 studies were human observational studies comprising 1630 patients, and 19 articles studied SCI models in rats, including 832 rats. Upon reviewing the literature, we encountered a remarkable heterogeneity in terms of selected biomarkers, timing, and method of measurement, studied models, extent, and mechanism of injury as well as outcome assessment measures. CONCLUSIONS: The specific expression and distribution patterns of biomarkers in relation to spinal cord injury (SCI) phases, and their varied concentrations over time, suggest that cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and blood biomarkers are effective measures for assessing the severity of SCI.

A reconstructed genome-scale metabolic model of Helicobacter pylori for predicting putative drug targets in clarithromycin and rifampicin resistance conditions.

BACKGROUND: Helicobacter pylori is considered a true human pathogen for which rising drug resistance constitutes a drastic concern globally. The present study aimed to reconstruct a genome-scale metabolic model (GSMM) to decipher the metabolic capability of H. pylori strains in response to clarithromycin and rifampicin along with identification of novel drug targets. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The iIT341 model of H. pylori was updated based on genome annotation data, and biochemical knowledge from literature and databases. Context-specific models were generated by integrating the transcriptomic data of clarithromycin and rifampicin resistance into the model. Flux balance analysis was employed for identifying essential genes in each strain, which were further prioritized upon being nonhomologs to humans, virulence factor analysis, druggability, and broad-spectrum analysis. Additionally, metabolic differences between sensitive and resistant strains were also investigated based on flux variability analysis and pathway enrichment analysis of transcriptomic data. RESULTS: The reconstructed GSMM was named as HpM485 model. Pathway enrichment and flux variability analyses demonstrated reduced activity in the ribosomal pathway in both clarithromycin- and rifampicin-resistant strains. Also, a significant decrease was detected in the activity of metabolic pathways of clarithromycin-resistant strain. Moreover, 23 and 16 essential genes were exclusively detected in clarithromycin- and rifampicin-resistant strains, respectively. Based on prioritization analysis, cyclopropane fatty acid synthase and phosphoenolpyruvate synthase were identified as putative drug targets in clarithromycin- and rifampicin-resistant strains, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: We present a robust and reliable metabolic model of H. pylori. This model can predict novel drug targets to combat drug resistance and explore the metabolic capability of H. pylori in various conditions.

Higher risk-less data: A systematic review and meta-analysis on the role of sex and gender in trauma research.

Women and men are at different risk for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). It is unclear, however, how studies on PTSD risk factors integrate this knowledge into their research. Moreover, the temporal development of women's higher PTSD risk is unknown. In this systematic review and meta-analysis, we examine how prospective studies on PTSD development (k = 47) consider sex and gender across four domains (samples, terminology, analyses, and reporting). Further, we differentially analyze sex/gender differences within five time intervals from 1 month to 5 years posttrauma. PTSD prevalence (OR = 1.72 [1.27-2.34]) and severity (g = 0.31 [0.09, 0.53]) were increased for women relative to men at 1 month posttrauma already, that is, at the first timepoint of a possible PTSD diagnosis. PTSD severity was elevated for women compared to men across all time intervals, but evidence for increased PTSD prevalence for women relative to men was less stable with longer follow-ups. Despite women's higher PTSD burdens, they were clearly underrepresented in samples (68.3% male, 31.7% female participants). Only 5.0% of studies explained or described their understanding of sex and gender, and only 2.6% used sex as discovery variable, that is, investigating sex-dependent risk mechanisms. Sex and gender aspects in design, data, and discussion were considered by only one-third of studies each. Trauma research falls short of its potential to adequately consider sex and gender. Sex- and gender-sensitive practices can advance rigor, innovation, and equity in psychopathology research. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved).

Overview: Research on the Genetic Architecture of the Developing Cerebral Cortex in Norms and Diseases.

The human brain is characterized by high cell numbers, diverse cell types with diverse functions, and intricate connectivity with an exceedingly broad surface of the cortex. Human-specific brain development was accomplished by a long timeline for maturation from the prenatal period to the third decade of life. The long timeline makes complicated architecture and circuits of human cerebral cortex possible, and it makes human brain vulnerable to intrinsic and extrinsic insults resulting in the development of variety of neuropsychiatric disorders. Unraveling the molecular and cellular processes underlying human brain development under the elaborate regulation of gene expression in a spatiotemporally specific manner, especially that of the cortex will provide a biological understanding of human cognition and behavior in health and diseases. Global research consortia and the advancing technologies in brain science including functional genomics equipped with emergent neuroinformatics such as single-cell multiomics, novel human models, and high-volume databases with high-throughput computation facilitate the biological understanding of the development of the human brain cortex. Knowing the process of interplay of the genome and the environment in cortex development will lead us to understand the human-specific cognitive function and its individual diversity. Thus, it is worthwhile to overview the recent progress in neurotechnology to foresee further understanding of the human brain and norms and diseases.

Digital Interventions for Recreational Cannabis Use Among Young Adults: Systematic Review, Meta-Analysis, and Behavior Change Technique Analysis of Randomized Controlled Studies.

BACKGROUND: The high prevalence of cannabis use among young adults poses substantial global health concerns due to the associated acute and long-term health and psychosocial risks. Digital modalities, including websites, digital platforms, and mobile apps, have emerged as promising tools to enhance the accessibility and availability of evidence-based interventions for young adults for cannabis use. However, existing reviews do not consider young adults specifically, combine cannabis-related outcomes with those of many other substances in their meta-analytical results, and do not solely target interventions for cannabis use. OBJECTIVE: We aimed to evaluate the effectiveness and active ingredients of digital interventions designed specifically for cannabis use among young adults living in the community. METHODS: We conducted a systematic search of 7 databases for empirical studies published between database inception and February 13, 2023, assessing the following outcomes: cannabis use (frequency, quantity, or both) and cannabis-related negative consequences. The reference lists of included studies were consulted, and forward citation searching was also conducted. We included randomized studies assessing web- or mobile-based interventions that included a comparator or control group. Studies were excluded if they targeted other substance use (eg, alcohol), did not report cannabis use separately as an outcome, did not include young adults (aged 16-35 y), had unpublished data, were delivered via teleconference through mobile phones and computers or in a hospital-based setting, or involved people with mental health disorders or substance use disorders or dependence. Data were independently extracted by 2 reviewers using a pilot-tested extraction form. Authors were contacted to clarify study details and obtain additional data. The characteristics of the included studies, study participants, digital interventions, and their comparators were summarized. Meta-analysis results were combined using a random-effects model and pooled as standardized mean differences. RESULTS: Of 6606 unique records, 19 (0.29%) were included (n=6710 participants). Half (9/19, 47%) of these articles reported an intervention effect on cannabis use frequency. The digital interventions included in the review were mostly web-based. A total of 184 behavior change techniques were identified across the interventions (range 5-19), and feedback on behavior was the most frequently used (17/19, 89%). Digital interventions for young adults reduced cannabis use frequency at the 3-month follow-up compared to control conditions (including passive and active controls) by -6.79 days of use in the previous month (95% CI -9.59 to -4.00; P<.001). CONCLUSIONS: Our results indicate the potential of digital interventions to reduce cannabis use in young adults but raise important questions about what optimal exposure dose could be more effective, both in terms of intervention duration and frequency. Further high-quality research is still needed to investigate the effects of digital interventions on cannabis use among young adults. TRIAL REGISTRATION: PROSPERO CRD42020196959; https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/prospero/display_record.php?RecordID=196959.

Gene Expression Patterns Associated with Survival in Glioblastoma.

The aim of this study was to investigate gene expression alterations associated with overall survival (OS) in glioblastoma (GBM). Using the Nanostring nCounter platform, we identified four genes (COL1A2, IGFBP3, NGFR, and WIF1) that achieved statistical significance when comparing GBM with non-neoplastic brain tissue. The four genes were included in a multivariate Cox Proportional Hazard model, along with age, extent of resection, and O6-methylguanine-DNA methyltransferase (MGMT) promotor methylation, to create a unique glioblastoma prognostic index (GPI). The GPI score inversely correlated with survival: patient with a high GPI had a median OS of 7.5 months (18-month OS = 9.7%) whereas patients with a low GPI had a median OS of 20.1 months (18-month OS = 54.5%; log rank p-value = 0.004). The GPI score was then validated in 188 GBM patients from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) from a national data base; similarly, patients with a high GPI had a median OS of 10.5 months (18-month OS = 12.4%) versus 16.9 months (18-month OS = 41.5%) for low GPI (log rank p-value = 0.0003). We conclude that this novel mRNA-based prognostic index could be useful in classifying GBM patients into risk groups and refine prognosis estimates to better inform treatment decisions or stratification into clinical trials.

GLP-1 Receptor Agonists: A New Treatment in Parkinson's Disease.

Parkinson's disease (PD) is one of the most common neurodegenerative diseases. Recent data highlight similarities between neurodegenerative diseases, including PD and type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), suggesting a crucial interplay between the gut-brain axis. Glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor (GLP-1R) agonists, known for their use in T2DM treatment, are currently extensively studied as novel PD modifying agents. For this narrative review article, we searched PubMed and Scopus databases for peer-reviewed research, review articles and clinical trials regarding GLP-1R agonists and PD published in the English language with no time restrictions. We also screened the references of the selected articles for possible additional articles in order to include most of the key recent evidence. Many data on animal models and preclinical studies show that GLP1-R agonists can restore dopamine levels, inhibit dopaminergic loss, attenuate neuronal degeneration and alleviate motor and non-motor features of PD. Evidence from clinical studies is also very promising, enhancing the possibility of adding GLP1-R agonists to the current armamentarium of drugs available for PD treatment.

A Clinical, Pharmacological, and Formulation Evaluation of Melatonin in the Treatment of Ocular Disorders-A Systematic Review.

Melatonin's cytoprotective properties may have therapeutic implications in treating ocular diseases like glaucoma and age-related macular degeneration. Literature data suggest that melatonin could potentially protect ocular tissues by decreasing the production of free radicals and pro-inflammatory mediators. This study aims to summarize the screened articles on melatonin's clinical, pharmacological, and formulation evaluation in treating ocular disorders. The identification of relevant studies on the topic in focus was performed according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA 2020) guidelines. The studies were searched in the following databases and web search engines: Pubmed, Scopus, Science Direct, Web of Science, Reaxys, Google Scholar, Google Patents, Espacenet, and Patentscope. The search time interval was 2013-2023, with the following keywords: melatonin AND ocular OR ophthalmic AND formulation OR insert AND disease. Our key conclusion was that using melatonin-loaded nano-delivery systems enabled the improved permeation of the molecule into intraocular tissues and assured controlled release profiles. Although preclinical studies have demonstrated the efficacy of developed formulations, a considerable gap has been observed in the clinical translation of the results. To overcome this failure, revising the preclinical experimental phase might be useful by selecting endpoints close to clinical ones.

DKK3 Expression in Glioblastoma: Correlations with Biomolecular Markers.

Glioblastoma is the most common malignant primary tumor of the CNS. The prognosis is dismal, with a median survival of 15 months. Surgical treatment followed by adjuvant therapies such as radiotherapy and chemotherapy characterize the classical strategy. The WNT pathway plays a key role in cellular proliferation, differentiation, and invasion. The DKK3 protein, capable of acting as a tumor suppressor, also appears to be able to modulate the WNT pathway. We performed, in a series of 40 patients, immunohistochemical and Western blot evaluations of DKK3 to better understand how the expression of this protein can influence clinical behavior. We used a statistical analysis, with correlations between the expression of DKK3 and overall survival, age, sex, Ki-67, p53, and MGMT and IDH status. We also correlated our data with information included in the cBioPortal database. In our analyses, DKK3 expression, in both immunohistochemistry and Western blot analyses, was reduced or absent in many cases, showing downregulation. To date, no clinical study exists in the literature that reports a potential correlation between IDH and MGMT status and the WNT pathway through the expression of DKK3. Modulation of this pathway through the expression of DKK3 could represent a new tailored therapeutic strategy in the treatment of glioblastoma.

Soy Product Consumption and the Risk of Cancer: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Observational Studies.

BACKGROUND: The association between soy product consumption and cancer risk varies among studies. Therefore, this comprehensive meta-analysis of observational studies examines the association between soy product consumption and total cancer risk. METHODS: This study was conducted following the PRISMA guidelines. Up to October 2023, all eligible published studies were searched through PubMed and Web of Science databases. RESULTS: A total of 52 studies on soy product consumption were included in this meta-analysis (17 cohort studies and 35 case-control studies). High consumption of total soy products (RR: 0.69; 95% CI: 0.60, 0.80), tofu (RR: 0.78; 95% CI: 0.70, 0.86), and soymilk (RR: 0.75; 95% CI: 0.60, 0.93) were associated with reduced total cancer risk. No association was found between high consumption of fermented soy products (RR: 1.18; 95% CI: 0.95, 1.47), non-fermented soy products (RR: 0.95; 95% CI: 0.77, 1.18), soy paste (RR: 1.00; 95% CI: 0.88, 1.14), miso soup (RR: 0.99; 95% CI: 0.87, 1.12), or natto (RR: 0.96; 95% CI: 0.82, 1.11) and cancer risk. A 54 g per day increment of total soy products reduced cancer risk by 11%, a 61 g per day increment of tofu reduced cancer risk by 12%, and a 23 g per day increment of soymilk reduced cancer risk by 28%, while none of the other soy products were associated with cancer risk. CONCLUSION: Our findings suggest that high total soy product consumption, especially soymilk and tofu, is associated with lower cancer risk. More prospective cohort studies are still needed to confirm the causal relationship between soy product consumption and cancer risk.

Is There Evidence of Crohn's Disease Exclusion Diet (CDED) in Remission of Active Disease in Children and Adults? A Systematic Review.

Crohn's disease (CD) is an inflammatory bowel disease. Previous research has explored the impact of diet on CD, as specific dietary components can influence gut microbiota and immune responses, contributing to damage in the gastrointestinal tract. The Crohn's Disease Exclusion Diet (CDED) is based on an exclusion diet; it is a recent dietary approach that is often used alongside partial enteral nutrition (PEN) and aims to induce disease remission by excluding certain dietary components. This study assesses the current evidence for the effectiveness of the CDED + PEN in achieving remission in both children and adults with active CD. Our systematic review followed PRISMA recommendations and was registered in PROSPERO with CRD number 42022335076. The searched databases were PubMed/MEDLINE, Cochrane Library, Scopus, and Web of Science. The included studies were analyzed using Rayyan software, and the risk of bias was assessed with Cochrane RevMan 5.0 software. The primary assessed outcome was clinical remission, evaluated with validated questionnaire scores such as PCDAI, CDAI, or HBI. All analyzed papers yielded promising results. Notably, the CDED + PEN demonstrated better tolerance than exclusive enteral nutrition (EEN), resulting in higher adherence rates. Therefore, the CDED + PEN appears to be a viable alternative for induction remission in active disease for both children and adults with CD.

Daily Duration of Eating for Children and Adolescents: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Time-limited eating is a dietary intervention whereby eating is limited to a specific window of time during the day. The usual eating windows of adults, and how these can be manipulated for dietary interventions, is well documented. However, there is a paucity of data on eating windows of young people, the manipulation of which may be a useful intervention for reducing obesity. This paper reviewed the existing literature on the eating windows of children and adolescents, aged 5-18 years, plus clock times of first and last intakes and variations by subgroup. Two databases (Medline and Embase) were searched for eligible papers published between February 2013 and February 2023, with forward searching of the citation network of included studies on Web of Science. Articles were screened, and data extracted, in duplicate by two independent reviewers. Ten studies were included, with both observational and experimental designs. Narrative synthesis showed large variations in eating windows with average values ranging from 9.7 h to 16.4 h. Meta-analysis, of five studies, showed a pooled mean daily eating window of 11.3 h (95% CI 11.0, 11.7). Large variations in eating windows exist across different study populations; however, the pooled data suggest that it may be possible to design time-limited eating interventions in paediatric populations aimed at reducing eating windows. Further high-quality research, investigating eating windows and subsequent associations with health outcomes, is needed.

The Practice of Weight Loss in Combat Sports Athletes: A Systematic Review.

The aim of this systematic review is to comprehensively assess the weight loss (WL) practices in different combat sports (CS). The review protocol was preregistered with PROSPERO [CRD42023487196]. Three databases were searched (Web of Science, EBSCOhost, and PubMed) until 8 December 2023. Eligible studies had to meet five criteria: they must have been (a) written in English, (b) published in a peer-reviewed journal, (c) used a survey design to investigate the WL practices of CS athletes, and (d) reported the WL methods used by athletes using a five-point scale. Twenty-six studies (3994 participants from 14 CS) were included. This review found that (1) WL is highly prevalent in CS athletes; (2) many CS athletes started losing weight for competition as teenagers two to three times a year; (3) CS athletes usually lose <5% body weight in 7-14 days before competition; (4) increasing exercise and gradually dieting are the most commonly used WL methods; and (5) the influence of scientific practitioners on athletes is negligible. The habitual practices of CS athletes may be relatively harmless, but in some special cases, CS athletes also perform extreme WL practices. Scientific practitioners have little influence on their WL practices, which may form a vicious cycle of non-qualified influence.

Vitamin D Supplementation for Patients with Dysmenorrhoea: A Meta-Analysis with Trial Sequential Analysis of Randomised Controlled Trials.

Vitamin D reduces prostaglandin levels and inflammation, making it a promising treatment option for dysmenorrhoea. However, its effects on pain intensity in different types of dysmenorrhoea remain unclear. We examined whether vitamin D supplementation decreases pain intensity in patients with dysmenorrhoea. The Cochrane Library, Embase, Google Scholar, Medline, and Scopus databases were searched from inception to 30 December 2023. Randomised controlled trials (RCTs) evaluating vitamin D supplementation effects on such patients were included. The primary and secondary outcomes were measured by the changes in pain intensity and rescue analgesic use, respectively. Pooled mean differences and rate ratios were calculated using a random-effect model; trial sequential analysis (TSA) was also performed. Overall, 11 studies involving 687 participants were included. Vitamin D supplementation significantly decreased pain intensity in patients with dysmenorrhoea compared with controls (pooled mean difference, -1.64; 95% confidence interval, -2.27 to -1.00; p < 0.001; CoE, moderate; I2 statistic, 79.43%) and indicated substantial heterogeneity among the included studies. TSA revealed that the current RCTs provide sufficient information. In subgroup analyses, vitamin D supplement reduced primary dysmenorrhoea pain but not secondary dysmenorrhoea pain. In conclusion, although substantial heterogeneity persists, vitamin D supplementation decreased pain intensity in patients with dysmenorrhea, especially in those with primary dysmenorrhoea.

Expanding capacity for publication in nursing: Experiences from a writing for publication group.

Nurses have valuable knowledge and expertise to share. Yet, for a variety of reasons, many nurses do not write for publication. Members in one Sigma Theta Tau International chapter requested information about publishing so a writing for publication program (WPP) was convened. Ten nurses from diverse clinical and academic backgrounds participated. The goal of the WPP was to support a small group of nurses to advance knowledge and develop practical skills through the development of a manuscript with mentorship from doctorally-prepared nurses with publishing experience. The anticipated effect was that participants would share what they learned with colleagues or mentor others to publish in the future. Beginning with informational sessions to lay the foundation for writing and publishing, the WPP included biweekly, two-hour online sessions over a seven-month period whereby individual and group writing with embedded peer and WPP leader feedback occurred. WPP participants gained proficiency in searching online databases, synthesizing published literature, and working as a member of a writing team. The group successfully published a manuscript based on a topic of interest. This current article describes the structured support and mentorship provided during the WPP with recommendations for overcoming publication barriers commonly described in the literature.