Myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS) is a complex and debilitating condition with a large proportion of patients that experience orthostatic intolerance (OI). This systematic review aimed to assess whether cerebral blood flow (CBF) is reduced in ME/CFS and OI, and whether the presence of both conditions leads to an additional decline in CBF. PubMed (from 1943), MEDLINE (f...

This scoping review summarizes and evaluates evidence from Japan on prospective relationships of sedentary behavior (too much sitting as distinct from too little physical activity) with health outcomes, forming the basis for Japan's new sedentary behavior guidelines. It also identified evidence gaps and provided recommendations for future public health guidelines. A systematic search was conduc...

Heme oxygenase 1 (HO-1), encoded by the HMOX1 gene is a highly inducible enzyme with multiple cardiovascular protective properties. Polymorphisms of the HMOX1 gene, especially a guanine-thymine dinucleotide repeat polymorphism (GTn), affects its transcriptional activity and is associated with cardiovascular complications in the general population. We studied the association of HMOX1 polymorphis...

IntroductionBehavioural changes targeting diet and physical activity to achieve weight loss are considered the cornerstones of metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD) management. Digital health interventions effectively address barriers in accessing such lifestyle interventions particularly for persons in remote and regional communities that have high rates of MASLD and...

Chronic kidney disease (CKD) contributes to global morbidity and mortality. Early, targeted intervention can help mitigate its impact. CK273 is a urinary peptide classifier previously validated in a prospective clinical trial for the early detection of nephropathy. We hypothesized that drug-induced molecular changes in the urinary peptidome could be predicted in silico and guide selecting inter...

In adults with type 2 diabetes, we used thigh-worn accelerometers and electromyographic (EMG) shorts to investigate muscle activity in a free-living environment. Quadriceps, hamstring, and gluteal muscle EMG was normalized individually to that during isometric maximal voluntary contraction (%EMGMVC). Devices were worn concurrently by 18 participants (11 female) for an average of 3.2 days. Media...

Glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1RAs) are widely used for the treatment of type 2 diabetes and/or obesity. The physiological actions of endogenous GLP-1, and synthetic GLP-1RAs include inhibition of gastric emptying. This has peri-procedural implications due to the potential increased risk of retained gastric contents which may result in pulmonary aspiration. There is a need for ...

Heart failure (HF) remains a clinical challenge with cardiac dysfunction typically progressing even with treatment, and heart transplants only available to small numbers. We previously identified phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K, p110α) as a master regulator of exercise-induced cardioprotection, and showed that gene therapy, incorporating a constitutively active form of PI3K (caPI3K) improved fu...

Cancer survivors have an increased risk of heart failure, but this is balanced by the risk of death from other causes. The results of this balance impact on the optimal time for guideline-recommended surveillance for cardiac dysfunction. This study aimed to investigate the association between cancer history and cardiac function at various times during follow-up. This cross-sectional study inclu...

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is a leading cause of death in Malaysia. Knowing the current distribution of 10-year CVD risk among the general population is essential for health planning and targeted interventions. Hence, we aim to determine the prevalence of high 10-year CVD risk among the general adult population in Malaysia and the associated factors. We conducted a secondary data analysis of ...

The PIEZO1 and PIEZO2 membrane proteins form uniquely structured calcium permeable nonselective cation channels dedicated to mechanical force sensing in eukaryotic cells. In this review of the scientific literature, we address PIEZOs in the heart. PIEZOs enable the formation of the aortic valve, cardiac vasculature, and pericardial drainage. In the established heart, they enable baroreceptor pr...

Screen use has been associated with poor cognitive and mental health, yet few studies have examined its effects on brain activity. Our aims were to describe changes in brain activity and mood states following brief exposure to screen-based content; assess the feasibility of using functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) to measure these effects; and gather preliminary data to inform future...

Sarcopenia is highly prevalent in older inpatients. However, it is unclear if sarcopenia is documented routinely in geriatric rehabilitation. This study aimed to investigate the documentation of sarcopenia in medical records among geriatric rehabilitation patients. Geriatric rehabilitation inpatients in a statewide hospital in VIC, Australia, were included. Patient characteristics, muscle measu...

The emergence of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) variants poses an ongoing threat to the efficacy of vaccines and therapeutic antibodies. Mutations predominantly affect the receptor-binding domain (RBD) of the spike protein, which mediates viral entry. The RBD is also a major target of monoclonal antibodies that were authorised for use during the pandemic. In this s...

Earlier intervention may delay or prevent heart failure (HF), a widespread health problem. However, it is not currently possible to identify those who are most at risk, especially before the appearance of any clinical signs. This study presents the development and subsequent validation of a novel genetic test for predicting the risk of HF, utilizing data from three independent cohorts of Austra...

Childhood physical fitness is a predictor of cardiovascular (CV) health but is underutilised in health surveillance. This study determined the predictive utility of child physical fitness levels on obesity, hypertension, dyslipidaemia, and the metabolic syndrome (MetS) in adulthood over traditional CV risk factors in childhood. A longitudinal cohort study of Childhood Determinants of Adult Heal...

The association between parental smoking and adolescent mental health is not well understood. We aimed to examine the association between parental smoking and adolescent loneliness using global data collected from the Global School-based Student Health Survey (GSHS) between 2009 and 2019. A total of 187,552 adolescents aged 12-15 years in 71 low- and middle-income countries (LMIC) from the GSHS...

Missense mutations are known contributors to diverse genetic disorders, due to their subtle, single amino acid changes imparted on the resultant protein. Because of this, understanding the impact of these mutations on protein stability and function is crucial for unravelling disease mechanisms and developing targeted therapies. The Critical Assessment of Genome Interpretation (CAGI) provides a ...

Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is one of the commonest gyneco-endocrine disorders amongst women of reproductive age. Whether PCOS and cardiometabolic traits in PCOS patients are associated with shortened telomere length (TL) or relative leukocyte telomere length (rLTL) remains unclear. 214 women with PCOS and 214 age-matched women were recruited. rLTL was measured with an updated quantitative...

Inflammatory molecules originating from an inflamed gut can promote systemic inflammation. We studied how acute intestinal injury affects the kidneys and the kallikrein-kinin system in mice with dextran sodium sulfate (DSS)-induced colitis. Seven-week-old male BALB/c mice were treated with 5% DSS for 7 days and either sacrificed immediately (DSS7, n = 6) or given fresh water for 4 more days (DS...