Development and Validation of a Prediction Model for Acute Ischemic Stroke Based on a Novel Ultrasound-Based Carotid Plaque Scoring System and Clinical Factors.

Background: Acute ischemic stroke (AIS) is characterized by high incidence, sudden onset, and often poor prognosis. Carotid atherosclerosis plays a crucial role in its pathogenesis, and ultrasound imaging offers a non-invasive method for evaluating carotid plaque characteristics. This study aimed to develop and validate a prediction model for AIS risk based on a novel ultrasound-based carotid plaque scoring system combined with clinical risk factors.

Stage-Dependent Effects of Moderate Treadmill Exercise on Cartilage Preservation and Subchondral Bone Remodeling in Mouse Osteoarthritis Progression.

Objective: Exercise is widely advocated for osteoarthritis (OA) treatment; however, its effectiveness across disease stages, particularly in advanced OA, remains inconclusive. This study assessed the impact of treadmill exercise at distinct OA stages to determine optimal intervention timing.

Methods: Following validation of a moderate treadmill protocol, 96 male C57BL/6J mice underwent destabilization of the medial meniscus (DMM) surgery on the right knee and sham surgery on the left.

Functional dysconnectivity in triple and reward networks among adolescents with borderline personality disorder.

Background: In adolescents, the role of functional dysconnectivity in the default mode network (DMN), salience network (SAN), frontoparietal network (FPN), and reward network as markers of borderline personality disorder (BPD) remains uncertain.

Methods: A total of 45 adolescents with BPD comorbid with a mood disorder (bipolar disorder or major depressive disorder), 31 adolescents without BPD but with a mood disorder, and 47 healthy adolescents were enrolled in the study. All participants underwent resting-state functional connectivity magnetic resonance imaging.

The professional experience of rural midwifery in China during the transition from traditional to modern birth practices (1950s-1970s): A qualitative study.

Background: Although home births have been largely discontinued in contemporary China, traditional birth attendants (TBAs) historically played a pivotal role in enhancing maternal and child health, particularly in rural areas.

Aim: This study explored the transformation of TBAs in China from the 1950s to the 1970s, focusing on their gradual shift from traditional to modern midwifery practices. By drawing on oral histories from TBAs, the research seeks to enrich the historical understanding of midwifery development in China.