Compatibility of the Mini Nutritional Assessment and the Healthy Diet Indicator in the Evaluation of Nutritional Status in Older Adults: A Community-Based Study

Objective: This study aimed to evaluate the compatibility between the Mini Nutritional Assessment (MNA), a validated tool for screening for malnutrition among older adults, and the Healthy Diet Indicator-2015 (HDI-2015), a diet quality index, to investigate their relationship in assessing nutritional status. Method: This cross-sectional study included 6094 community-dwelling older adults aged 65 and older. The MNA was administered to assess the nutritional status, and the adherence to the World Health Organization's HDI-2015 was determined based on 24-hour dietary recalls. Results: According to the MNA, 70.4% of older adults had a normal nutritional status, 27.6% had a risk of malnutrition, and 2.0% were malnourished. Advanced age, female sex, poor appetite, difficulty chewing and swallowing, consistently skipping meals, and not exercising regularly were significantly associated with the rate of malnutrition in older adults (p < 0.001). Only 3.8% of older adults demonstrated high adherence to the HDI-2015, whereas 27.0% demonstrated moderate adherence and 69.2% demonstrated low adherence. The rate of malnutrition was higher in older adults who demonstrated low adherence to the HDI-2015 (p < 0.001). A weak positive correlation was found between the MNA and the HDI-2015 (r = 0.119; p < 0.01). Conclusions: Even if older adults living in the community have a normal nutritional status according to the MNA, periodically obtaining dietary recalls to assess diet quality, such as using HDI-2015, is important for developing personalized nutrition plans

A grounded theory study on psychological health of mothers with premature infants-becoming a marginalized mother

Mothers face considerable parenting challenges because of premature birth and its subsequent phases. This study aims to develop a grounded theory that encompasses the psychosocial experiences of mothers with premature infants in T & uuml;rkiye, spanning from the prenatal period to the child's school age. Charmaz's (2014) constructivist grounded theory methodology was employed. Initial analyses involved a document containing in-depth interview transcriptions from nine mothers. Subsequently, a Facebook group for mothers with premature infants was observed, becoming a crucial data source through theoretical sampling, involving 287 mothers and their cross-sectional or longitudinal data. The mean age of mothers was 34.5 +/- 4.6 years old. The grounded theory, 'Becoming a marginalized mother,' highlights individual and collective parenting experiences of mothers within two main categories. 'Navigating a challenging journey' involves beginning a traumatic motherhood journey, struggling as a mother, trying to cope, and embracing the role of mothering a premature infant. 'Journeying together' involves seeing the group as a valuable source, building a sense of unity, and finding comfort and support. Mothers' individual and collective experiences contained the feeling of marginalization as a mother. Mothers experienced psychological distress and positive psychological changes over an extended timeline. Results emphasize the contributions of improvements in children's health and development, personal coping strategies, and positive online group interactions as social support on embracing the role of mothering a premature infant and, herewith, mothers' psychological health. Therefore, it should be essential to support mothers' personal and social resources and their infant's health and development longitudinally with an interdisciplinary approach in practice. Results discussed within the Stress Theory and Post-Traumatic Growth Model

Polyneuropathy With Motor Conduction Block in POEMS

Introduction/AimsPolyneuropathy, organomegaly, endocrinopathy, monoclonal gammopathy, and skin changes (POEMS) syndrome is a paraneoplastic syndrome due to an underlying plasma cell dyscrasia. Polyneuropathy in POEMS syndrome may present as a subacute or chronic symmetric sensorimotor polyneuropathy, with electrophysiological features suggesting demyelination. Motor conduction block (CB), which is mostly seen in chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy (CIDP), is considered an atypical electrophysiological feature in POEMS syndrome. We examined the frequency of motor CB in POEMS syndrome.MethodsPatients with POEMS syndrome from the database of our department who had been examined between August 2017 and December 2022 were included in this study. All of the patients' clinical and electrophysiological data were retrospectively collected and analyzed.ResultsWe present the data of seven POEMS syndrome patients. Twenty-eight upper extremity motor nerve conduction studies were performed on these patients, and partial CB was detected in seven upper extremity motor nerves (25%) of six of the patients. One patient had motor CB in both the median and ulnar nerves.DiscussionThe distinction between POEMS syndrome and CIDP is important since these conditions require different treatments. Motor CB in POEMS may be more common than has been generally believed. Clinicians should consider this when evaluating patients with demyelinating polyneuropathies and be meticulous in identifying CB. Data from much larger numbers of patients are needed

Predictors of proteinuria, amyloidosis and kidney failure in familial Mediterranean fever: data from the International AIDA Network Registry

Objectives Proteinuria, amyloidosis and kidney failure are the main long-term renal complications of FMF. This study assesses their risk factors, independent of ethnicity or residence.Methods Patients' data were drawn from the International AIDA Network registry for monogenic autoinflammatory diseases.Results A total of 598 FMF patients were enrolled, with 80 having proteinuria, 61 amyloidosis and 25 kidney failure. At multivariate regression analysis, proteinuria was associated with out-of-flares thrombocytosis (odds ratio [OR]: 4.78, 95% CI: 1.54-14.8, P = 0.007), increased out-of-flares ESR (OR: 2.7, 95% CI: 1.3-5.6, P = 0.008), homozygous M694V mutation (OR: 2.27, 95% CI: 1.1-4.66, P = 0.025) and heterozygous M694V mutation (OR: 0.29, 95% CI: 0.09-0.86, P = 0.026); amyloidosis was associated with the disease duration (OR: 1.034, 95% CI: 1.004-1.065, P = 0.027), during-flares anaemia (OR: 2.9, 95% CI: 1.18-7.19, P = 0.021), out-of-flares leucocytosis (OR: 7.47, 95% CI: 1.6-34.7, P = 0.01), increased out-of-flares ESR (OR: 3.6, 95% CI: 1.48-8.81, P = 0.005) and heterozygous M694V mutation (OR: 0.18, 95% CI: 0.035-0.9, P = 0.04); kidney failure was associated with the age at diagnosis (OR: 1.04, 95% CI: 1.0003-1.19, P = 0.048), the disease duration in years (OR: 1.07, 95% CI: 1.02-1.12, P = 0.005), attack frequency per year (OR: 1.04, 95% CI: 1.007-1.076, P = 0.019), anaemia out-of-flares (OR: 4.7, 95% CI: 1.004-22.1, P = 0.049) and out-of-flares leucocytosis (OR: 25.8, 95% CI: 2.75-242, P = 0.004). The intraclass correlation coefficient related to ethnicity and country of residence was 6.7% and 6.8% for amyloidosis, respectively, and 0% for proteinuria and kidney failure.Conclusion FMF patients with older age at diagnosis, longer disease duration, anaemia, leucocytosis, thrombocytosis, elevated ESR and homozygous M694V mutation are at higher risk of kidney complications

Unveiling the strain uniformity challenge: design and evaluation of a PDMS membrane for precise mechanobiology studies

Mechanotransduction and mechanosensing enable cells to respond to mechanical stimuli, essential in various physiological functions. Specialized cell stretching devices use stretchable, transparent, and biocompatible elastomeric membranes to study these responses. However, achieving strain uniformity is a key challenge, affecting data accuracy and reliability. This study designed a polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) membrane with optimized uniformity for electromechanical cell stretching. Finite element analysis optimized membrane size and shape, achieving a 90% strain uniformity index-a 233% improvement over commercial membranes. By tailoring material properties like cross-linker ratio and curing time, membrane failure issues were resolved, enhancing applications in tissue engineering and mechanobiology research

Immediate and Short-Term Effect of Scapula Retraction Exercises on Subacromial Space: Do We Have Enough Evidence in Patients With Subacromial Pain?

Context: Limited information exists regarding the immediate and short-term effects of scapula retraction exercises (SREs) on acromiohumeral distance (AHD) in subacromial pain syndrome (SPS). This study's 2 main objectives were to investigate (1) the immediate effect of the SRE on AHD at varying shoulder abduction angles in patients with SPS and healthy controls and (2) the effect of the 8-week SRE program on AHD in patients with SPS. Design: Cross-sectional and pre-post intervention designs were utilized on this study. Methods: Twenty-one patients with SPS and age-matched healthy controls were included. First, AHD at 0 degrees, 30 degrees, 45 degrees, 60 degrees, and 90 degrees of active shoulder abductions were recorded during (1) resting upper quadrant posture and (2) while participants were performing SREs. Patients then underwent an 8-week progressive SRE program. AHD measures, pain intensity (visual analog scale), and disability (Shoulder Pain and Disability Index) were recorded at baseline and 8 weeks. AHD were analyzed using mixed-model analyses of variance. Pain and disability were analyzed using paired samples t test. Results: The immediate effect of the SREs revealed a significant angle-by-exercise-by-group interaction for the AHD values (F-3,F-155 = 3.956, P = .009, eta(2)(p)=.175). Pairwise comparisons yielded that the SRE increased AHD values in patients with SPS (P .05). Besides, the SRE program revealed a significant angle-by-time interaction for the AHD values (F-3,F-054 = 9.476, P Conclusion: SREs immediately affect AHD in patients with SPS but not in healthy populations. Moreover, SREs applied in progressive abduction angles improve pain, functionality, and AHD values in patients with SPS

Integrative Multi-Omics Approach in Human Colon Adenocarcinoma Cell Line: Identification of Phenotypic Changes Observed in Cisplatin and 5-Fluorouracil Resistance

Aims: Today's omics technologies enable complex analyses to better understand phenotypes. Characterization of metabolic phenotypes requires the identification of large numbers of proteins, metabolites and simultaneous as well as comprehensive analysis of their turnover rates. In this study, alterations in the phenotype of human colon adenocarcinoma cell lines (Caco-2) resulting from resistance to chemotherapeutics were investigated by multiomics analysis. Main methods: Drug resistance to cisplatin (CIS) and 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) was induced by long-term exposure of Caco-2 cells to minimum lethal dose. Integrated omics analysis was performed using proteomics, metabolomics, lipidomics and O-18-based fluxomics analyses. Key findings: As a result of aforementioned analyses, 650 proteins, more than 300 metabolites/lipids were determined and the turnover rates of a total of 38 metabolites, including intermediates in the Krebs Cycle, amino acids, fatty acids and phosphonucleotides, were calculated. Multivariate analyses revealed significant differences in phenotype between the cell group induced with either chemotherapeutic agent and the control cells. The joint pathway analysis performed by profiling metabolites, lipids and proteins with significant (p < 0.05) differences between groups showed that malate-aspartate shuttle, amino acid, ammonia metabolism, glucose-alanine and urea cycle pathways were altered due to resistance to the chemotherapeutic agent. Significance: Data from comprehensive omics (proteomics, metabolomics, lipidomics and fluxomics) studies of Caco-2 cells induced either with CIS or 5-FU, showed that resistance to chemotherapeutics is due to differences in cell dynamics. Furthermore, the phenotype behind drug resistance depends on the chemotherapeutic agent

Seed morphology and its systematic implication in Noccaea s. l. (Brassicaceae)

The current research work was aimed to determine the macro-and micromorphological characters of seeds in Noccaea s.l. members and evaluate the potential phylogenetic utility of the seed coat character. Forty-two of the ca. 136 Noccaea s.l. species and one species of Thlaspi from 57 different accessions were investigated using light microscopy (LM) and scanning electron microscopy. Phylogenetic analysis was conducted by using internal transcribed spacer (ITS) DNA sequences obtained from NCBI. SEM studies revealed eight types (areolate, colliculate, ocellate, papillate, reticulate, ruminate, tuberculate and verrucate) of sculpture on the surface of the seeds and these types were found in species across different clades of the phylogenetic tree, indicating that the seed coat patterns of the examined specimens exhibit significant convergence. Our results revealed that the only synapomorphic characteristic for members of Noccaea s. l. is their non-ribbed seed surface, in contrast to the ribbed seed surface found in T. arvense. This research suggests that macro-and micromorphological characteristics of seeds are typically specific to individual species rather than to entire genera. Therefore, generic classifications based solely on seed characters may lead to inaccurate phylogenetic conclusions