Long-term Health Issues Research Articles

The Long-Term Physical-Psychiatric Comorbidities Related to Childhood Exposure to 9/11 Trauma.

Extensive research has explored the enduring effects of childhood trauma on health, revealing its potential to produce chronic health problems. Despite findings that adults exposed to 9/11 suffer from enduring concurrent psychiatric and physical illnesses, investigations into the long-term physical-psychiatric comorbidities experienced by children and adolescents affected by the 9/11 trauma remain limited. In our study, we examined individuals directly exposed to 9/11 as children (N = 844 high exposure and N = 104 low exposed) and compared them to a matched unexposed, control group (N = 491). Fourteen years after their 9/11 exposure, we evaluated their physical and mental health conditions using parent- or youth self-reported health questionnaires, including psychiatric assessments. Those individuals with high 9/11 exposure were significantly more likely to have experienced a psychiatric disorder in the past year and a lifetime physical health condition compared to unexposed individuals. Moreover, the prevalence of physical-psychiatric comorbidities was higher among the 9/11-exposed group, with a 3.5-fold increased prevalence compared to the unexposed group. This underscores how exposure to traumatic events during childhood heightens the risk of long-term concurrent mental and physical health issues. Our findings also highlight the importance of early and ongoing interventions to prevent future comorbidities and promote better quality of life throughout the lifespan.

Design, construction, and validation of obstetric risk classification systems to predict intensive care unit admission.

To develop and validate a support tool for healthcare providers, enabling them to make precise and critical decisions regarding intensive care unit (ICU) admissions for high-risk pregnant women, thus enhancing maternal outcomes. This retrospective study involves secondary data analysis of information gathered from 9550 pregnant women, who had severe maternal morbidity (any unexpected complication during labor and delivery that leads to substantial short-term or long-term health issues for the mother), collected between 2009 and 2010 from the Brazilian Network for Surveillance of Severe Maternal Morbidity, encompassing 27 obstetric reference centers in Brazil. Machine-learning models, including decision trees, Random Forest, Gradient Boosting Machine (GBM), and Extreme Gradient Boosting (XGBoost), were employed to create a risk prediction tool for ICU admission. Subsequently, sensitivity analysis was conducted to compare the accuracy, predictive power, sensitivity, and specificity of these models, with differences analyzed using the Wilcoxon test. The XGBoost algorithm demonstrated superior efficiency, achieving an accuracy rate of 85%, sensitivity of 42%, specificity of 97%, and an area under the receiver operating characteristic curve of 86.7%. Notably, the estimated prevalence of ICU utilization by the model (11.6%) differed from the prevalence of ICU use from the study (21.52%). The developed risk engine yielded positive results, emphasizing the need to optimize intensive care bed utilization and objectively identify high-risk pregnant women requiring these services. This approach promises to enhance the effective and efficient management of pregnant women, particularly in resource-constrained regions worldwide. By streamlining ICU admissions for high-risk cases, healthcare providers can better allocate critical resources, ultimately contributing to improved maternal health outcomes.

Evaluating water-related health risks in East and Central Asian Islamic Nations using predictive models (2020–2030)

This paper presents a thorough evaluation of health outcomes linked to water-related challenges in Islamic nations across East Asia and Central Asia from 2020 to 2030. It has been examined carefully that the trajectory of deaths and disability-adjusted life years associated with unsafe water sources, lack of sanitation, and absence of handwashing facilities is showing a potential rise in negative health impacts due to water pollution. The direct health influences of water-related problems are thoughtful. The increase in deaths and DALYs due to poor water quality and sanitation leads to a higher occurrence of waterborne diseases such as cholera, diarrhea, and dysentery. These conditions not only cause instant health disasters but also subsidize to long-term health issues which include chronic gastrointestinal disorders and malnutrition that is particularly among susceptible populations like children and the elderly. Employing various predictive models including autoregressive integrated moving average, exponential smoothing, support vector machines, and neural networks. The study evaluates their predictive capabilities by using mean absolute percentage error. Support vector machines is found to be the most accurate in forecasting deaths and disability-adjusted life years which is outperforming autoregressive integrated moving average, exponential smoothing, and neural networks. This research aims to inform stakeholders by providing insights into effective strategies for improving water resource management and public health interventions in the targeted regions.

Childhood obesity from the genes to the epigenome.

The prevalence of obesity and its associated comorbidities has surged dramatically in recent decades. Especially concerning is the increased rate of childhood obesity, resulting in diseases traditionally associated only with adulthood. While obesity fundamentally arises from energy imbalance, emerging evidence over the past decade has revealed the involvement of additional factors. Epidemiological and murine studies have provided extensive evidence linking parental obesity to increased offspring weight and subsequent cardiometabolic complications in adulthood. Offspring exposed to an obese environment during conception, pregnancy, and/or lactation often exhibit increased body weight and long-term metabolic health issues, suggesting a transgenerational inheritance of disease susceptibility through epigenetic mechanisms rather than solely classic genetic mutations. In this review, we explore the current understanding of the mechanisms mediating transgenerational and intergenerational transmission of obesity. We delve into recent findings regarding both paternal and maternal obesity, shedding light on the underlying mechanisms and potential sex differences in offspring outcomes. A deeper understanding of the mechanisms behind obesity inheritance holds promise for enhancing clinical management strategies in offspring and breaking the cycle of increased metabolic risk across generations.

A comprehensive review on the association and prevention of long-term COVID-induced heart failure: A review.

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) disease caused by the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 has had a widespread global impact. In addition to the main respiratory symptoms, research has found significant effects of this virus on the cardiovascular system. This article comprehensively explores the phenomenon of "long-term COVID-19" or postacute sequelae of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 infection, wherein some recovered patients continue to experience long-term health issues after the resolution of acute illness. We delve into the potential reasons behind these symptoms, including increased risk of heart disease, myocardial injury, abnormal inflammatory responses, thrombosis formation, and immune system dysfunction, among others. Furthermore, this paper highlights the potential association between long-term COVID-19 and HF (heart failure), and proposes corresponding preventive strategies. To address this, we advocate for a collaborative approach involving interdisciplinary teams for treatment and management.

Association between meal skipping and the double burden of malnutrition among university students

Background: The study delves into the nuanced relationship between meal skipping and the double burden of malnutrition among university students. It addresses a critical gap in understanding how young adults' irregular dietary patterns contribute to undernutrition and overnutrition, phenomena typically studied in isolation. Aims: This research aimed to shed light on the broader implications of meal skipping within the context of student health and well-being. Subjects and Methods: The study surveyed a representative sample of undergraduate students from various academic disciplines at Lead City University in Ibadan, Nigeria, utilizing a descriptive cross-sectional approach. Detailed questionnaires were administered to assess the frequency of meal skipping, dietary habits, and associated lifestyle factors. Body mass index (BMI) and self-reported health data were also collected. Statistical analyses, including univariate and bivariate analysis, were employed to identify the nutritional status and meal patterns of the students, Principal component analysis was employed to identify the dietary patterns prevalent among the students from the food frequency questionnaire administered. Results: The findings reveal a significant correlation between meal skipping and the risk of undernutrition and overnutrition. Students who regularly skip meals are likely at an increased risk of undernutrition, characterized by lower BMI and potential micronutrient deficiencies, and overnutrition, indicated by higher BMI and associated health risks. This dual risk factor challenges existing perceptions of nutrition among young adults, suggesting that meal skipping can be a critical determinant of diverse and complex nutritional outcomes. Conclusion: The study highlights the urgent need for comprehensive nutritional strategies at university campuses, focusing on educating students about the risks associated with inconsistent eating patterns. It calls for implementing targeted interventions and policy changes to address the double burden of malnutrition, promoting healthier lifestyles, and preventing long-term health issues among university students. Keywords: Meal skipping, double burden of malnutrition, university students, nutritional status, dietary patterns, public health interventions, young adult health.

Antibody fragments targeting the extracellular domain of follicular stimulating hormone receptor for contraception in male dogs and cats

The increased LH levels resulting from the absence of negative feedback after castration has been linked to long-term health issues. A need exists for an alternative contraceptive agent that functions without interfering the LH pathways. This study aimed to develop antibody fragments against the follicular-stimulating hormone receptor (anti-FSHr) using phage-display technology and evaluate its effects on Sertoli cell functions. Phage clones against the extracellular domain of dog and cat FSHr selected from an antibody fragment phagemid library were analyzed for binding kinetics by surface plasmon resonance. Sertoli cells were isolated from testes of adult animals (five dogs and five cats). Efficacy test was performed by treating Sertoli cell cultures (SCCs) with anti-FSHr antibody fragments compared with untreated in triplicates. Expressions of androgen binding protein (ABP), inhibin subunit beta B (IHBB) and vascular endothelial growth factor A (VEGFA) mRNA in SCCs were quantified by RT-qPCR. The results demonstrated that the molecular weight of the purified dog and cat anti-FSHr antibody fragment was 25 kDa and 15 kDa, respectively. Based on protein molecular weight, the antibody fragment of dogs and cats was therefore, so-called single-chain variable fragments (scFv) and nanobody (nb), respectively. The binding affinity with dissociation constant (KD) was 2.32 × 10−7 M and 2.83 × 10−9 M for dog and cat anti-FSHr antibody fragments, respectively. The cross-binding kinetic interactions between the dog anti-FSHr scFv and the cat ECD of FSHr could not be fitted to the curves to determine the binding kinetics. However, the cross-binding affinity KD between the cat anti-FSHr nb and the dog ECD FSHr was 1.75 × 10−4 M. The mRNA expression of ABP, IHBB and VEGFA in SCCs was less (P < 0.05) in both dogs (12.26, 4.07 and 5.11 folds, respectively) and cats (39.53, 14.07 and 20.29 folds, respectively) treated with anti-FSHr antibody fragments, indicating the Sertoli cell functions were suppressed. In conclusion, this study demonstrated the establishment of species-specific antibody fragments against FSHr in SCCs for dogs and cats. The fragment proteins illustrate potential to be developed as non-surgical contraceptive agent targeting FSHr in companion animals.

Morphological, Morphometric, and Histological Evaluation of the Placenta in Cases of Intrauterine Fetal Death.

Background The human placenta is a remarkable organ that develops during pregnancy and is crucial in supporting fetal growth and development. The placenta supplies oxygen and nutrients to the fetus and removes waste products from the fetal bloodstream. It also produces hormones that support pregnancy, such as human chorionic gonadotropin, progesterone, and estrogen. Placental insufficiency occurs when the placenta cannot deliver adequate nutrients and oxygen to the fetus. This can result in intrauterine fetal death (IUFD), stillbirth, intrauterine growth restriction, low birth weight, and premature birth. It can also be associated with developmental delays or long-term health issues for the baby. This study aimed to assess the morphologic, morphometric, and histologic changes in the placenta associated with IUFD and compare it with the placenta of live births. Methodology This study was conducted at the Department of Anatomy in collaboration with the Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Integral Institute of Medical Sciences and Research and King George's Medical University Lucknow, where 60 placentas were studied. Placentas were further categorized into the following two groups: Group A, the study group in which placentas from IUFD were taken (n = 30), and Group B, the control group where placentas from live births were taken (n = 30). Morphological and morphometric features of both groups were recorded and compared. Histological features of placentas from IUFD (Group A) were examined after hematoxylin and eosin staining. Results A total of 60 placentas were observed (Group A and Group B). In Group A (IUFD) and Group B (control group), most pregnancies were multigravidas. Round-shaped placentas were the most common type in both groups (Group A = 46.67%, Group B = 66.67%). The average thickness of placentas from Group A (IUFD) cases was significantly reduced (mean thickness = 1.17 ± 0.07 cm) compared to controls in Group B (mean thickness = 2.04 ± 0.93 cm). The p-value obtained was significant at 0.0001. There was a notable reduction in the average placental diameter in Group A (mean diameter = 241.73 ± 65.54 cm) compared to Group B (mean diameter = 263.72 ± 162.67 cm). The p-value obtained was not significant at 0.49. On histopathological examination of the placentas of Group A (IUFD), perivillous fibrin deposition and high-grade calcification were seen in a significantly high number of placentas (70% and 60%, respectively). Conclusions The knowledge of the placenta's morphologic, morphometric, and histologic changes can be utilized to establish the cause of fetal death. In instances of fetal growth limitation and fetal demise that are clinically inexplicable, they can also explain the causes.

Trends and Developments in Family Resilience Research: A Decade of Insights (2013-2023)

Objectives: In the last decade, family resilience has become a key focus of research. This study maps the core areas of family resilience research from 2013 to 2023 to guide future academic work. Methods: We conducted a comprehensive review of the literature on family resilience from the Web of Science Core Collection. Using Biblioshiny in R-Studio and VOSviewer, we performed a detailed bibliometric analysis. Results: We identified 870 documents, with a surge in research after 2016 that was largely influenced by Walsh's framework on family resilience. The journal Family Relations emerged as critical, with scholars such as Yuli Li, Abraham P. Greeff, and Catherine E. McKinley making critical contributions. The key themes identified included home life, child development, childhood trauma, and domestic violence. Key word analysis highlighted essential areas such as stress in cancer caregiving, childhood adversity, long-term health issues, COVID-19, military families, and studies on resilience within specific contexts. Areas that need more research include childhood trauma and domestic violence. Conclusions: This study reveals a lack of bibliometric assessments in the family resilience literature. It offers a summary of key themes, research trends, and potential research directions and provides a strategic outline for future research about family resilience.

Mind matters: navigating mental health in the workplace

PurposeWith mental health issues among the workforce becoming increasingly common, it is imperative that employers and their HR teams are alive to mental health issues and are well equipped to deal with them. This paper sets out to explain these points.Design/methodology/approachThis paper provides insight for employers into how to deal with mental health issues in the workplace by breaking the topic down into the following sections: mental health-related claims, reasonable adjustments and preventative measures.FindingsEmployees dealing with poor mental health are often less motivated and productive and in more serious cases are more inclined to take periods of long-term sick leave to recover. However, aside from the potentially costly long-term absences and decreased productivity, HR professionals should also take mental health issues seriously because to do otherwise puts the business at risk of discrimination claims from employees suffering with severe and long-term mental health issues. This is why it is important for businesses to treat the mental health of its staff with equal importance to their physical health.Originality/valueThis paper is valuable to HR professionals looking to understand better how they can support their staff in mental health-related issues. The article effectively cuts through the complex legislation to provide clear, practical advice from legal experts.

The public's considerations about implementing non-pharmaceutical interventions to manage a novel COVID-19 epidemic

In the future, new variants of the SARS-CoV-2 virus might emerge and cause outbreaks. If this occurs, the implementation of non-pharmaceutical interventions (NPIs) can be reconsidered. Consideration of the potential benefits and harms of implementing NPIs, and ultimately deciding about implementing NPIs, is currently mainly executed by experts and governments. However, general literature on public engagement suggests that integrating public perspectives into decision-making can enhance the quality of decisions and foster greater public understanding of them. In this study, a deliberative mini-public was conducted to integrate this public perspective. The aim was to elicit public considerations regarding non-pharmaceutical interventions by asking a diverse group of citizens to participate as decision-makers and convene, learn and deliberate about implementing non-pharmaceutical interventions during a hypothetical outbreak of a new SARS-CoV-2 variant. Participants emphasized the importance of early implementation during the outbreak, to prevent exceeding healthcare capacity, long-term mental health issues, educational deficits, and bankruptcies. Additionally, participants stressed taking public support into account, and shared ideas on maintaining support. Furthermore, participants wanted to give citizens personal responsibility and freedom in making their own assessment regarding adherence to interventions and how much risk of infection they would be willing to accept. Participants also expressed the need for the government to adopt a learning attitude towards improvements in pandemic response, and to generate more focus on long-term strategies. The deliberative mini-public, revealed public considerations that reflected public values and needs. These considerations might be helpful in better aligning epidemic management policies with public perspectives. Regarding the deliberative mini-public, uncertainties remain about the design and impact on a bigger scale.

Human Cord Blood Endothelial Progenitor Cells and Pregnancy Complications (Preeclampsia, Gestational Diabetes Mellitus, and Fetal Growth Restriction).

Hemangioblasts give rise to endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs), which also express the cell surface markers CD133 and c-kit. They may differentiate into the outgrowth endothelial cells (OECs) that control neovascularization in the developing embryo. According to numerous studies, reduced levels of EPCs in circulation have been linked to human cardiovascular disorders. Furthermore, preeclampsia and senescence have been linked to levels of EPCs produced from cord blood. Uncertainties surround how preeclampsia affects the way EPCs function. It is reasonable to speculate that preeclampsia may have an impact on the function of fetal EPCs during the in utero period; however, the present literature suggests that maternal vasculopathies, including preeclampsia, damage fetal circulation. Additionally, the differentiation potential and general activity of EPCs may serve as an indicator of the health of the fetal vascular system as they promote neovascularization and repair during pregnancy. Thus, the purpose of this review is to compare-through the assessment of their quantity, differentiation potency, angiogenic activity, and senescence-the angiogenic function of fetal EPCs obtained from cord blood for normal and pregnancy problems (preeclampsia, gestational diabetes mellitus, and fetal growth restriction). This will shed light on the relationship between the angiogenic function of fetal EPCs and pregnancy complications, which could have an effect on the management of long-term health issues like metabolic and cardiovascular disorders in offspring with abnormal vasculature development.

Synthesis and investigation of the cholinesterase inhibitory and antioxidant capacities of some novel N'-(quinolin-4-ylmethylene)propanehydrazides against Alzheimer's disease.

One of the worst long-term health issues of the past few decades is Alzheimer's disease (AD). Unfortunately, there are currently insufficient choices for treating and caring for AD, which makes it a popular subject for drug development research. Studies on the development of drugs for AD have primarily concentrated on the use of multitarget directed ligands.Following this strategy, we designed new ChE inhibitors with additional antioxidant and metal chelator effects. In this research, eight novel N'-(quinolin-4-ylmethylene)propanehydrazide derivatives were synthesized and characterized. We then evaluated the inhibition potency of all the final compounds for cholinesterase enzymes. Among them, 4e (IC50 acetylcholinesterase[AChE] = 0.69 µM and butyrylcholinesterase[BChE]= 26.00 µM) and 4h (IC50's AChE= 7.04 µM and BChE= 16.06 µM) were found to be the most potent AChEand BChEinhibitors, respectively.

The Knowledge and Practice of Family Planning Among Muslim Women in Rural Karnataka, India.

Introduction Women's health is significantly impacted by undesirable pregnancies and unsafe abortions, leading to the deaths of thousands of women and causing many others to suffer from infertility and long-term reproductive health issues. To address this problem, the use of modern contraception methods is increasing, regardless of economic status and dwelling, allowing women to exercise their rights and access reproductive health services. Objective The objective of this study is to examine the knowledge and practiceof family planning and the factors associated with it. Settingand design A cross-sectional study was conducted among Muslim women (n=461) using a two-stage stratified random sampling method with a semi-structured questionnaire in the five taluks of Dakshina Kannada district in Karnataka. Methods and materials The required study sample was drawn by adopting the two-stage stratified random sampling technique. The study population was divided into different strata consisting of panchayats and wards. The number of households was selected from these panchayats/wards. Statistical analysis The association between faith in family planningand the knowledge and practice of family planning is studied using a chi-squared test. The factors associated with the practice of family planningare identified using a univariable and multivariable logistic regression analysis. Statistical analysis was performed using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS)version 27 (IBM SPSS Statistics, Armonk, NY). Results There is a significant association between faith in family planning and its practice, with a p-value of less than 0.0001. Age was also found to be a significant factor associated with the practice of family planning. Specifically, women aged 31-40 were less likely to practice family planning compared to women aged 21-30, with a p-value of 0.012. The majority of individuals indicated the preferred child (23.9%) and going against the custom (16.5%) as their reasons for not using family planning. Conclusions Muslim women are reasonably well-informed about modern methods of contraception, but their usage remains relatively low. Outreach initiatives, health worker mobilization from within the community, and health education and information sharing are examples of program interventions that could help address this issue.

The Dynamics of the Concentration and Speciation of Arsenic in Private Drinking Water Wells in Eastern Wisconsin, USA

About 2.5 billion people rely on groundwater as their main drinking water source, and arsenic pollution within the groundwater system can cause serious short- and long-term health issues. Within the natural environment, arsenic generally exists as oxyanions which have two oxidation states, As(III) and As(V). Under ambient pH conditions, As(V) is primarily present as an anion (i.e., H2AsO4−) while As(III) tends to be uncharged (i.e., H3AsO3), making it much more difficult to remove As(III) through existing treatment techniques such as adsorption and reverse osmosis (RO). In Eastern Wisconsin, the dolomite and dolomite/sandstone aquifers represent a major drinking water source and high arsenic concentrations have been observed. Previous studies showed that arsenic can be released into private drinking water wells due to the oxidation of sulfide-bearing minerals with arsenic impurities that are usually dispersed within the dolomite and sandstone bedrock. However, there is a lack of information on the concentrations of each arsenic species as well as arsenic dynamics during water pumping/usage. The primary goals of this research were (1) to quantify the baseline concentrations of each arsenic species within selected Eastern Wisconsin private drinking water wells, and (2) to determine how the arsenic concentrations and species could be affected by continuous water usage. Our results showed that As(III) was the dominant species of arsenic, and during continuous water usage, there could be an upward trend in arsenic concentration (there was minimal change in arsenic speciation). Upon the completion of water pumping, arsenic concentrations decreased over time and returned to pre-pumping levels. Our findings highlighted the importance of quantifying the speciation and dynamics of arsenic during water use to the assessment of public health risks and the design of appropriate water treatment techniques.

Complete Blood Count-Derived Inflammation Indexes Are Useful in Predicting Metabolic Syndrome in Children and Adolescents with Severe Obesity.

Background: Childhood obesity is a globally increasing pathological condition leading to long-term health issues such as cardiovascular diseases and metabolic syndrome (MetS). This study aimed to determine the clinical value of the Complete Blood Count-derived inflammation indexes Monocyte/HDL-C ratio (MHR), Lymphocyte/HDL-C ratio (LHR), Neutrophil/HDL-C ratio (NHR), and System Inflammation Response Index (SIRI) to predict the presence of metabolic syndrome and its association with cardiovascular risk markers (HOMA-IR, TG/HDL-C, and non-HDL-C) in children and adolescents with obesity. Methods: The study included a total of 552 children/adolescents with severe obesity (BMI: 36.4 [32.7-40.7] kg/m2; 219 males, 333 females; age: 14.8 [12.9-16.3] years), who were further subdivided based on the presence or absence of metabolic syndrome (MetS+ and MetS respectively). Results: The MHR, LHR, and NHR indexes (p < 0.0001), but not SIRI (p = 0.524), were significantly higher in the MetS+ compared to the MetS- subgroup, showing a positive correlation with the degree of MetS severity (p < 0.0001). Furthermore, MHR, LHR, and NHR were positively associated with cardiometabolic risk biomarkers (HOMA-IR: MHR p = 0.000, LHR p = 0.001, NHR p < 0.0001; TG/HDL-C: MHR, LHR, NHR p < 0.000; non-HDL-C: MHR, LHR p < 0.0001, NHR p = 0.000). Finally, the ROC curve analysis demonstrated that among the analyzed indexes, only MHR, LHR, and NHR had diagnostic value in distinguishing MetS patients among children and adolescents with obesity (MHR: AUC = 0.7045; LHR: AUC = 0.7205; NHR: AUC = 0.6934; p < 0.0001). Conclusions: In conclusion, the MHR, LHR, and NHR indexes, but not the SIRI index, can be considered useful tools for pediatricians to assess the risk of MetS and cardiometabolic diseases in children and adolescents with obesity and to develop multidisciplinary intervention strategies to counteract the widespread disease.

Understanding Vatavyadhi as a Sequelaeae of Metabolic Syndrome And Its Management - A Review

The increasing occurrence of metabolic syndrome in children and teenagers is alarming due to the potential for significant long-term health issues. Recognizing and addressing this condition early are essential to avoid permanent harm. Traditional Ayurvedic perspectives offer valuable insights into this issue. Conditions such as Sthaulya (Obesity), Prameha (Diabetes), Shonita Dusti (Blood Impurity), and Dhamani Pratichaya (Vascular Diseases) share similarities with metabolic syndrome. These arise from excessive intake and accumulation (Santarpana nidana), leading to a build-up of Kapha (one of three senses of humor having unctuous property) and Medha (fat), eventually affecting other Doshas (humor) and multiple tissues. Ayurvedic treatments aim to manage these conditions, as they tend to be chronic and prone to complications, potentially progressing to Vatavyadhi (neurological disorders) over time. The interplay of kapha and medha in blocking channels (Margavarana) is a crucial consequence of these conditions, contributing to the development of vatavyadhi. This review article highlights the importance of early intervention and traditional Ayurvedic approaches in managing metabolic syndrome-like conditions in children and adolescents to prevent long-term complications.

K1K2NN: A novel multi-label classification approach based on neighbors for predicting COVID-19 drug side effects

COVID-19, a novel ailment, has received comparatively fewer drugs for its treatment. Side Effects (SE) of a COVID-19 drug could cause long-term health issues. Hence, SE prediction is essential in COVID-19 drug development. Efficient models are also needed to predict COVID-19 drug SE since most existing research has proposed many classifiers to predict SE for diseases other than COVID-19. This work proposes a novel classifier based on neighbors named K1 K2 Nearest Neighbors (K1K2NN) to predict the SE of the COVID-19 drug from 17 molecules' descriptors and the chemical 1D structure of the drugs. The model is implemented based on the proposition that chemically similar drugs may be assigned similar drug SE, and co-occurring SE may be assigned to chemically similar drugs. The K1K2NN model chooses the first K1 neighbors to the test drug sample by calculating its similarity with the train drug samples. It then assigns the test sample with the SE label having the majority count on the SE labels of these K1 neighbor drugs obtained through a voting mechanism. The model then calculates the SE-SE similarity using the Jaccard similarity measure from the SE co-occurrence values. Finally, the model chooses the most similar K2 SE neighbors for those SE determined by the K1 neighbor drugs and assigns these SE to that test drug sample. The proposed K1K2NN model has showcased promising performance with the highest accuracy of 97.53% on chemical 1D drug structure and outperforms the state-of-the-art multi-label classifiers. In addition, we demonstrate the successful application of the proposed model on gene expression signature datasets, which aided in evaluating its performance and confirming its accuracy and robustness.

The Influence of Gestational Diabetes Mellitus on Maternal and Neonatal Outcomes: A Retrospective Study in Rzeszów, Poland.

BACKGROUND Gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) affects 5.8-12.9% of pregnant women, while pre-gestational diabetes mellitus (PGDM) affects 0.4-1.1%. GDM increases the risk of perinatal complications and long-term health issues. This retrospective study from a single centre in Rzeszów, Poland aimed to evaluate maternal and neonatal outcomes of pregnancy of 65 women with gestational diabetes mellitus. MATERIAL AND METHODS The study group consisted 65 women with GDM. The control group consisted 60 women without. GDM were diagnosed with carbohydrate metabolism disorders during pregnancy based on the results of the oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT). Methods of evaluation of the mothers: age, body mass before pregnancy, body height, body mass index (BMI), gravidity, parity, the number of miscarriages, length of stay (LOS) of mother, gestational weight gain (GWG), duration of pregnancy, type of delivery, treatment of diabetes. Methods of evaluation of the child: LOS, birth weight, Apgar points. RESULTS Women with diabetes stayed in hospital longer than women without, similarly applies the length of stay (LOS) of the child (p<0.001). It turned out that the women with GDM were significantly more likely to deliver by caesarean section (CS) (p=0.024) and these women most often had gestational weight gain (GWG) within the recommended range (p<0.001). Body mass index (BMI) before pregnancy was significantly higher in the women with GDM (p=0.023). CONCLUSIONS The above study confirms that the occurrence of GDM has an undoubted impact on prolonged LOS of the mother and child, more frequent CS delivery and normal GWG.

Effect of "Tiaoshen" acupuncture technique on mild depression and its underlying mechanism: A randomized controlled trial study protocol

BackgroundMild depression is not just a mental disease, but also a serious and long-term public health issue. It affects the quality of life of patients and can quickly develop into major depression. There are currently no effective drug treatments with high efficacy and few adverse reactions. Acupuncture may be an alternative treatment option. Preliminary experiments and practices have demonstrated that "Tiaoshen" acupuncture improves symptoms in patients who have depression, however the underlying data and method remain unclear at present. MethodsThis is a prospective, single-center, single-blind, randomized controlled trial. We plan to recruit 70 participants and randomly assign them to receive "Tiaoshen" acupuncture or traditional acupuncture at a ratio of 1:1. Then, all the participants will receive the appropriate acupuncture treatment for four weeks. The results of the Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HDSR-24) will serve as the primary outcome, while the results of the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9) and the World Health Organization Quality of Life Brief Version (WHOQOL-BREF) will serve as secondary outcomes. Evaluations will be conducted at baseline, 1, 2, and 4 weeks after treatment initiation, and 1 and 3 months after treatment completion. The safety of the intervention will be evaluated every week using the Columbia-Suicide Severity Rating Scale (C-SSRS) and the Treatment Emergent Symptoms Scale (TESS). Serum levels of oxidative stress markers 8-iso-prostaglandin F2α (8-iso-PGF2α), superoxide dismutase (SOD), uric acid (UA), and total bilirubin (TBIL) will be measured at baseline and the end of the treatment. We will conduct a statistical analysis of intention to treat (ITT) and conformance to protocol set (PPS) data. DiscussionThis research aims to provide high-quality evidence for the efficacy and safety of "Tiaoshen" acupuncture as a treatment for mild depression. In addition, the mechanism through which acupuncture heals mild depression will be investigated.