Stable apelin-13 analogues promote cell proliferation, differentiation and protect inflammation induced cell death.

Emerging evidence indicates that apelin, an adipokine, plays a critical role in numerous biological functions and may hold potential for therapeutic applications; however, its efficacy is constrained by rapid plasma degradation. Thus, the search for novel apelin analogues with reduced susceptibility to plasma degradation is ongoing. We have previously shown novel modified apelin-13 analogues, providing exciting opportunities for potential therapeutic development against Alzheimer's disease.

The gut-liver axis in progressive steatotic liver disease: A focus on bile acid dysregulation.

Introduction: The gut-liver axis regulates metabolic homeostasis, with bile acids (BAs) serving as key signalling molecules. BA dysregulation is implicated in metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD) and metabolic dysfunction- and alcohol-associated liver disease (MetALD), yet consistent identification of BA markers and their mechanistic roles across different stages of these diseases remain elusive.

Methods: We integrated three complementary studies to examine BA dysregulation: a population-based cohort (1522 females from TwinsUK with serum BA and liver biomarker data), a clinical cohort (30 patients with steatotic liver disease, fibrosis stages F0-F4, and 4 controls), and rodent models (20 rats with MASLD/MetALD vs.

Cholangiocarcinoma in Denmark: time-trends in mortality following resection.

Background: Cholangiocarcinomas have a poor prognosis, and resection is the only curative-intent treatment. We examined time-trends in mortality risk after resection in a nationwide Danish cohort.

Methods: We identified all Danish citizens diagnosed with cholangiocarcinoma in 2004-2022 who subsequently underwent liver resection, biliary tract resection, or a combination of the two.

Pharyngeal electrical stimulation to treat dysphagia in acute stroke: learnings from cases in the PhEED clinical trial.

Objective: To assess the efficacy of pharyngeal electrical stimulation in improving dysphagia post-stroke.

Design: A randomized, sham-controlled, blinded multicentre clinical trial.

Subjects/patients: Seventeen patients with acute ischaemic or haemorrhagic stroke experiencing dysphagia, indicated by a penetration aspiration scale score of 4-8 on videofluoroscopy.

Sensorimotor contingencies in congenital hearing loss: The critical first nine months.

In the recent two decades it became possible to compensate severe-to-profound hearing loss using cochlear implants (CIs). The data from implanted children demonstrate that hearing and language acquisition is well-possible within an early critical period of 3 years, however, the earlier the access to sound is provided, the better outcomes can be expected. While the clinical priority is providing deaf and hard of hearing children with access to spoken language through hearing aids and CIs as early as possible, for most deaf children this access is currently in the second or third year of life.

Preferences and Listening Efficiency of Adults With Cochlear Implants During Online Communication.

Objectives: In recent years, there has been a profound increase in the use of remote online communication as a supplement to, and in many cases a replacement for, in-person interactions. While online communication tools hold potential to improve accessibility, previous studies have suggested that increased reliance on remote communication poses additional challenges for people with hearing loss, including those with a cochlear implant (CI). This study aimed to investigate the preferences and speech-reception performance of adults with a CI during online communication.

Familial Mediterranean fever (FMF) complicated by adhesive small bowel obstruction: a diagnostic challenge.

Familial Mediterranean fever (FMF) is an autosomal recessive auto-inflammatory disorder that primarily affects individuals of Mediterranean, Middle Eastern and South Asian origin . We report the case of a male patient in his late 20s who was diagnosed with FMF at the age of 17 years. Prior to the diagnosis, he underwent two unnecessary surgical interventions due to recurrent episodes of acute abdominal pain-an appendectomy, followed 3 years later by a negative exploratory laparotomy for suspected adhesive small bowel obstruction (SBO).

Carcinoid syndrome mimicking irritable bowel syndrome: don't fall into the trap.

Introduction: Carcinoid syndrome (CS) is a complex condition resulting from the systemic release of biologically active substances by neuroendocrine neoplasms (NENs), especially small bowel (sbNENs). Symptoms such as flushing, abdominal pain, and diarrhea often mimic those of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), leading to frequent misdiagnosis and delayed treatment.

Areas Covered: This review explores the pathophysiological mechanisms underlying CS, focusinCarcinoid syndrome (CS) is frequently misdiagnosed as irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) due to overlapping gastrointestinal symptoms.

Improving patient flow: ethnicity and socio-economic status associated with delayed discharge from hospital in patients with COVID-19 infection: An observational epidemiological study.

Background: Understanding the reasons for delays in leaving hospital once an in-patient is considered ready for discharge is important to inform the development of interventions to improve patient flow through resource-stressed healthcare systems.

Aims: To identify risk factors for delayed discharge from hospital during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Methods: The study population was all patients admitted with COVID-19 infection from February 2020 to September 2021 to a large UK teaching hospital.

Applications of machine learning for computer-aided diagnosis of Parkinson's disease: progress and benchmark case study.

Machine learning (ML) has emerged as a vital tool for the diagnosis of Parkinson's Disease (PD). This study presents a comprehensive review on the applications of ML for computer-aided diagnosis (CAD) of PD. We conducted a comprehensive review by searching articles published from 2010 till 2024.

Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on diagnosis and management of new brain tumours in children and young people (aged < 16 years old) in the UK.

Objective: This study aims to understand the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the diagnosis, management, and clinical outcomes of children and young people (CYP) with brain tumours in England.

Design: UK-based retrospective observational study with two components. Nationwide brain tumour incidence data from the National Disease Registration Service was obtained (2015-2020) to study trends in newly diagnosed cases.

Personalized MRI-based characterization of subcortical anomalies in Ataxia-Telangiectasia using deep-learning.

Background: Cerebellar atrophy is a known feature of ataxia-telangiectasia (A-T). However, basal ganglia dysfunction contributing to extrapyramidal movement disorders in A-T remains understudied.

Objectives: To characterize basal ganglia abnormalities in A-T using a normative self-supervised deep autoencoder trained on MRI-based diffusion and perfusion features from healthy children.

Chronic Diseases Related to Diet and/or Nutrition in Patients With an Ileostomy - A Scoping Review.

Aim: Ileostomy formation alters bowel function and is associated with changes that could lead to the development of chronic diseases. The literature on these diseases has not previously been summarised and specific guidelines on their management are absent. This scoping review aimed to explore the extent and type of literature examining such diseases.

Proinflammatory Effect of Mesenchymal Stem Cells From Patients With Multiple Sclerosis: Potential Modulation Targets.

Background And Objectives: Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) represent a potential cellular therapy for multiple sclerosis (MS). It has been suggested that MSCs from patients with MS have lower immunomodulatory properties than those from healthy controls (HCs). The aims of this study were to compare the immunomodulatory abilities of MSCs from patients with MS and HCs against autologous immune cells and to identify potential targets affecting this ability.

Variability in the Causes and Delay Factors Contributing to Maternal Mortality: Evidence From Maternal Death Surveillance Reports of 22 African Countries.

Objective: To examine the variability in causes of maternal deaths in African countries using the World Health Organization (WHO) International Classification of Diseases Maternal Mortality (ICD-MM) framework and the contributing factors using the three delays framework.

Design: Secondary data analysis.

Setting: African countries.

Atlas-based templates vs. subject-specific tractography: resolving the debate.

The first annual International Society of Tractography (IST) debate in Corsica in 2024 explored key challenges and controversies in tractography. This article examines the debate sparked by the provocative statement, "Tractography cannot give us anything we can't get from an atlas template." This debate contrasted two approaches: (1) white matter atlas templates, which provide standardized, population-based brain representations useful for studying brain structure and performing group comparisons, and (2) subject-specific tractography, which reconstructs individual brain connections using diffusion MRI, enabling in vivo "virtual dissection" of white matter pathways.

Long term follow-up outcomes in congenital thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura.

Congenital thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura (cTTP) is an ultra-rare thrombotic microangiopathy mediated through inherited deficiency in ADAMTS13 (a disintegrin and metalloprotease with a thrombospondin type 1 motif, member 13). To date more than 200 ADAMTS13 genetic variants have been associated with cTTP. We report longitudinal follow up from the UK TTP registry in 104 confirmed cTTP cases (91 consented for follow-up) in a large multi-ethnic national cTTP patient cohort, including a large Black African cTTP cohort.

Outcomes of endoscopic submucosal dissection for treatment of superficial anal squamous cell carcinoma: Multicenter international experience.

Background And Study Aims: Data on feasibility of endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD) for treatment of superficial anal squamous cell carcinoma are limited. This study aimed to evaluate outcomes of ESD in this anatomical location.

Patients And Methods: This was a multicenter retrospective study including patients who underwent ESD for treatment of superficial ASCC.

Curriculum for optical diagnosis of esophageal neoplasia and precursor lesions: European Society of Gastrointestinal Endoscopy (ESGE) Position Statement.

Pre-adoption: Endoscopists performing upper gastrointestinal (UGI) endoscopy should train to recognize the appearance of early esophageal cancer and its precursor lesions, for Barrett neoplasia and for squamous neoplasia, to improve detection rates.Every endoscopist should have achieved competency in UGI endoscopy before commencing training in optical diagnosis in the UGI tract, and this requires personal experience of 300 UGI endoscopies and meeting the ESGE quality measures for UGI endoscopy.

Training: Endoscopists should undertake interactive training courses to improve diagnostic accuracy for esophageal preneoplastic and neoplastic lesions.