Role of Systemic Glucocorticoids in Reducing IgA and Galactose-Deficient IgA1 Levels in IgA Nephropathy.

Background: The Therapeutic Effects of Steroids in IgA Nephropathy Global (TESTING) trial demonstrated that glucocorticoid therapy reduced proteinuria and improved kidney outcomes in patients with Immunoglobulin A Nephropathy (IgAN). Galactose-deficient IgA1 (Gd-IgA1) plays a central role in IgAN pathogenesis by promoting immune complex formation. However, the effects of glucocorticoid on pathogenic IgA levels remain unclear.

Essentials of the System of Radiological Protection.

The System of Radiological Protection (the "System") developed by the International Commission on Radiological Protection (ICRP) is built on nearly a century of efforts of numerous scientists and practitioners working together internationally. It rests on three enduring pillars: science, ethics, and experience. These pillars support the three fundamental principles that shape radiological protection strategies: justification, optimisation, and application of dose limits.

Parent/caregiver perspectives of meaningful improvement in functional domains for people with CDKL5 deficiency disorder: a mixed-methods study.

Purpose: CDKL5 deficiency disorder (CDD) is a rare developmental and epileptic encephalopathy. Greater understanding of the smallest meaningful improvements for individuals with CDD in clinical trials and practice is needed for a person-centred approach to treatment efficacy. This study explored how parent/caregivers of people with CDD understood meaningful improvements and described change for priority functional domains including communication, gross motor, fine motor, feeding.

The nature of fatigue in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Objectives: Patients diagnosed with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) typically describe symptoms of fatigue. Despite this frequency, the underlying mechanisms of fatigue are poorly understood, and are likely multifactorial. To help clarify mechanisms, the present systematic review was undertaken to determine the risk factors related to fatigue in ALS.

Impact of substructure radiation dose on health-related quality of life in children with brain tumors: a Pediatric Proton/Photon Consortium Registry (PPCR) study.

Purpose: Cranial irradiation is associated with health-related quality of life (HRQoL) deficits in childhood cancer survivors. We investigated the relationship between radiation dose to brain substructures and HRQoL in children with brain tumors treated with proton beam therapy (PBT).

Methods: Data were obtained from children in the Pediatric Proton/Photon Consortium Registry who received PBT for primary brain tumors between 2015 and 2021.

Statins in Acute Ischemic Stroke: Mechanisms, Resistance, and Precision Strategies for Neurovascular and Cognitive Protection.

Acute ischemic stroke (AIS) remains a leading cause of mortality and long-term disability globally, with survivors at high risk of recurrent stroke, cardiovascular events, and post-stroke dementia. Statins, while widely used for their lipid-lowering effects, also possess pleiotropic properties, including anti-inflammatory, endothelial-stabilizing, and neuroprotective actions, which may offer added benefit in AIS management. This article synthesizes emerging evidence on statins' dual mechanisms of action and evaluates their role in reducing recurrence, improving survival, and mitigating cognitive decline.

The Applied Sport Science and Medicine of Powerlifting and Para Powerlifting: A Systematic Scoping Review with Recommendations for Future Research.

Background: Powerlifting is a strength sport featuring some of the world's strongest athletes. Recent decades have seen an exponential increase in research into the applied sport science and medicine of powerlifting and its Paralympic counterpart, para powerlifting. A scoping review of the area would provide athletes, coaches, policymakers, and researchers with an overview of the existing evidence to support performance, reduce injury, and foster further growth of these sports.

Consensus on clinical outcome measures for lumbar spinal stenosis: recommendations from the ISSLS lumbar spinal stenosis taskforce.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to determine through a Delphi process a list of outcomes measures for clinicians to use when assessing individuals with Lumbar Spinal Stenosis (LSS).

Methods: A three-phase Delphi process was conducted by the International Society for the Study of the Lumbar Spine (ISSLS) Lumbar Spinal Stenosis Taskforce, including two online surveys, two virtual meetings, and three in-person consensus meetings at the ISSLS annual conferences (2023-2025). Participants evaluated and ranked outcome measures for LSS, with final endorsement requiring > 66% agreement.

Transient increased risk of shingles post Shingrix vaccination: Self-controlled case series analysis.

Background: Following the introduction of a funded recombinant shingles (RZV, Shingrix®) vaccination program in ≥65 years in Australia, clinician reports of shingles presentations shortly after vaccination emerged. We investigated whether there was an increase in shingles risk immediately post RZV vaccination in South-eastern Australia.

Methods: Two independent datasets- a general practice dataset and a statewide linked dataset- were analysed separately using self-controlled case series analyses (SCCS) with 21-days post-vaccination as the risk window.

Global, regional and national burdens of mental disorders, substance use disorders and self-harm among adolescents and young adults, 1990-2021: a systematic analysis for the Global Burden of Diseases Study 2021.

Concerns over the mental health among young people have been increasing recently. We aimed to estimate the burdens of mental disorders, substance use disorders (SUDs), and self-harm at global, regional and national levels among adolescents and young adults aged 10-24 years from 1990 to 2021. Incidence, prevalence, and disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) of mental disorders, SUDs, and self-harm among young people were examined by age, sex, region, and country/territory.

Identifying rehabilitation needs as part of secondary prevention in individuals with Atrial Fibrillation - a Delphi consensus study.

Aim: This study aimed to establish general consensus on a systematic needs assessment model to determine eligibility for cardiac rehabilitation (CR) as part of secondary prevention in individuals with atrial fibrillation (AF). Specific objectives included identifying relevant needs assessment criteria and establishing consensus on referral criteria.

Methods: A Delphi study was conducted following the ACCORD guidelines (ACcurate COnsensus Reporting Document) with participation of an international, multi-disciplinary expert panel including physicians, nurses and other healthcare professionals, across primary and secondary care as well as academic research.

Our Challenges, Our Solutions: The Impact of Autism on Families.

This study investigated how autism impacts the relationships between family members and the family unit. It aimed to provide a deeper qualitative understanding by incorporating the perspectives of autistic adolescents and their family members, adding depth to existing quantitative findings. This qualitative study involved audio-recorded semi-structured in-depth interviews with 40 participants, including mothers, fathers, siblings, and autistic adolescents, recruited through autism and disability agencies in Canberra, Australia.

Combined Fusarium Crown Rot and Drought Stress Leads to Overlapping and Unique Proteomic Responses in Wheat.

Fusarium crown rot (FCR) is a soilborne disease that occurs in many cereal-growing regions in the world. An association between FCR development and drought stress has long been known. The FCR symptoms are pronounced under drought stress in both fields and controlled environments.

Optimizing Lutein Formulations for Targeted Ocular Drug Delivery: In Vitro and In Vivo Insights.

Lutein is a plant pigment beneficial for eye health and for preventing retinal-related diseases. However, lutein is unstable, with low oral bioavailability. In this study, lutein fromwas loaded into cubosome lipid nanocarriers, both neutral (lutein-MO) and cationic (lutein-MO-DOTAP); the release, stability, and retinal penetration of the drug were improved.

Challenging the golden mean: Testing the inverted U-shaped relationship between trait self-control and subjective well-being among Chinese adolescents.

Self-control (SC) is a robust predictor of subjective well-being (SWB), and a positive linear relationship between them is often taken as the default assumption. However, some perspectives suggest that excessive SC may diminish SWB, implying an inverted U-shaped relationship. This study examined this inverted U-shaped hypothesis among Chinese adolescents, who are raised in a culture emphasizing moderation.

Comparison of 30-2 Visual Field Using Melbourne Rapid Fields Online Perimetry and Humphrey Field Analyzer.

Prcis: Protocol 30-2 of Melbourne Rapid Fields, online computer perimetry, provides a portable, reliable, and patient-friendly alternative to Humphrey Field Analyzer 30-2 SITA fast protocol for Japanese all severity stages of glaucoma patients.

Purpose: Melbourne Rapid Fields (MRF) online computer perimetry is a web-browser-based software that offers white-on-white threshold perimetry using any computer. This study evaluates the perimetric results of 30-2 protocol from MRF performed using a laptop computer in comparison to Humphrey Field Analyzer (HFA).