GABARAP, like other ATG8 proteins, is a ubiquitin-like modifier and its C-terminal lipid conjugation enables association with cellular membranes. To prevent interference with the lipidation process, N-terminal fluorescent protein (FP) tagging strategies have become the standard for studying ATG8 localization and function in living cells, significantly contributing to our understanding of this protein family's multifaceted roles. We employed live cell imaging with particular emphasis on a GABARAP split-tandem construct, GABARAP(G116A)-mTagBFP2-GABARAP (G-B-G), which retains both a free N-terminus and a lipidation-competent c-terminus, while bivalence creates a gain in affinity conferred by avidity. Notably, reminiscent of early in vitro studies demonstrating an interaction of GABARAP and tubulin, our results revealed a robust association of G-B-G with the microtubule network in living cells. We show that the presence of several basic residues in the amino-terminal helical subdomain of GABARAP and avidity emerged as essential for robust MT association, whereas lipidation ability was not decisive. Interestingly, while the position of the FP-tag had little influence on the result, the nature of the FP itself was crucial, with mTagBFP2 being required for tracking GABARAP tandems in the vicinity of MTs. Though artificial effects cannot be excluded, we assume that G-B-G, with its increased avidity, can give visibility to processes that are based on inherently weak interactions, and thus can help elucidate potential roles of GABARAP e.g. in microtubule-associated processes that are integral to autophagy-related and -unrelated cellular transport.

To assess the role of a nurse-assisted early warning intervention in improving prophylaxis against obstetric venous thromboembolism (VTE) and preventing VTE following cesarean delivery (CD).

To use fetal heart quantification (fetal HQ) technology to compare the coarctation of the aorta (CoA) and normal fetal heart structure and systolic function and to assess whether there are abnormalities in the fetal heart structure and systolic function associated with CoA.

To investigate the morphological and ultrastructural alterations in placentas from pregnancies with gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM)-induced macrosomia, term nondiabetic macrosomia, and normal pregnancies.

The Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9) is an effective tool for identifying depressive disorders in diverse populations, making it a valuable resource in both clinical practice and research. However, the factor structure and dimensionality of the instrument have been contested. Studies have raised questions about whether the PHQ-9 adequately captures a single underlying construct or reflects multiple distinct dimensions of depression. This study examines the factor structure of the PHQ-9 among South African first responders using exploratory factor analysis (EFA), confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) with ancillary bifactor indices, parallel analysis and Mokken analysis. A cross-sectional study design was used with data collected from police officers (n = 309) and paramedics (n =120). Although the EFA identified a two-factor structure, this was not supported by the other analyses. While the one-factor, correlated two-factor and bifactor models of the PHQ-9 had comparable fit indices, the one-factor model appeared to be marginally superior in the CFA. Ancillary bifactor and parallel analysis also did not support the interpretation of the PHQ-9 as multidimensional. Lastly, Mokken scale analysis confirmed that the PHQ-9 is a strong and reliable unidimensional scale of depression. These findings suggest that the PHQ-9 predominantly measures a single construct of depression, consistent with the unidimensional view of the disorder.

Health inequities are systematic, avoidable, and unfair differences in health between populations or population subgroups. There is increased recognition of the need for systematic reviews (SRs) to address health inequities, including drawing out findings relevant to low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). The aim of this study was to determine the extent to which SRs on risk factors for hearing loss reported findings associated with health inequities, and the extent to which this data was captured in the primary studies included within these SRs.

Noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) are a global health problem and many risk factors associated with the development of NCDs are related to nutrition.

There is a growing body of evidence that ultraviolet (UV) tanning, whether practiced in indoor tanning salons or outdoors in the sun, is not only linked to detrimental health outcomes but is also addictive through both psychological and physiological mechanisms. In clinical practice, it can be challenging to determine which patients will continue tanning despite being at high risk for developing skin cancer. Our study seeks to identify all available screening questionnaires for tanning addiction that could be used in clinical practice and report on published measures of validity for each screening questionnaire.

Epilepsy is the most common neurologic disorder globally. Women with epilepsy (WWE) have a special need for contraception and careful pregnancy planning. This study aimed to determine the utilization of modern contraceptive methods and associated factors among WWE at neurology clinics in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

Epidemiological and economic literature has revealed that low birth weight (LBW) is related to poor health conditions and a broader range of negative socio-economic outcomes, including academic achievement, income levels, and working status. However, Japanese evidence for labor outcomes is particularly lacking, as is the question of whether the impact of LBW on adulthood worsens when disasters occur. We aimed to reveal the impact on LBW on labor outcomes during the disaster recovery phase.

Most people recover from COVID-19 infection over a short period of time, but a minority of individuals experience symptoms over a longer duration (≥28 days), termed "long covid." The purpose of the current study was to examine differences between individuals with a long covid diagnosis (i.e., diagnosed long covid), who believe they do or might have long covid (i.e., self-reported long covid), and people without long covid.

We investigated the change of the prevalence of noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) in Bangladesh from 2011 to 2018 across different socioeconomic groups as well as the factors associated with the changes in prevalence. We used the two waves of the Bangladesh Demographic and Health Surveys conducted in 2011 and 2017-2018. Modified Poisson regression model was used to estimate the prevalence rate and ratio of NCDs and to test the association with different demographic and socioeconomic variables. The study found an upward trend of NCDs from 2011 to 2017 in which overweight and obesity, hypertension, and diabetes increased by 1.8, 1.5, and 1.1 times, respectively. In 2011, people from the richest households had 5.6 higher odds of being overweight compared to the poorest, which was reduced to 3.0 in 2017. However, the increment for overweight and hypertension was the highest among the poor and manual workers from 2011 to 2017. The age-adjusted prevalence ratio of overweight increased 4.4 times for the poorest, compared to 1.7 times for the richest. For manual workers, overweight increased 3.8 times, whereas hypertension increased by 2.4 times. The pooled analysis revealed that participants from the richest households have the highest risk of NCDs, with 3.3 times for overweight, 2.3 times for diabetes, and 1.3 times for hypertension, compared to the poorest. However, the prevalence of NCDs is rising quickly among the low socioeconomic groups in Bangladesh, narrowing the gap with higher socioeconomic groups. Our findings call for immediate policy interventions and targeted programs to curb NCD escalation in Bangladesh.

Mechanical force often has clear effects on tissue niche remodeling. However, the changes in stem cells and their roles in clinical treatment remain unclear. Orthodontic tooth movement (OTM), the primary approach to treating dental-maxillofacial malformations, involves reconstruction of periodontal tissue. Herein, lineage tracing revealed that Col1+ cells are distributed in the periodontal ligament and are sensitive to mechanical forces during OTM. Immunofluorescence analysis confirms that Col1+ cells can differentiate into osteoblasts and fibroblasts under orthodontic force. Moreover, Col1+ cells may be involved in angiogenesis. These findings suggest that Col1+ cells play a crucial role in the mechanical remodeling of periodontal tissue during OTM and may serve as a valuable tool for studying the mechanism of OTM.

This tutorial provides guidance on creating clear and informative summary of findings tables for systematic reviews of interventions.

Realist reviews may involve groups or panels external to the research team who provide external and independent perspectives informing the review based on their experience of the topic area. These panels or groups are termed in this study as an "advisory group." This study aims to map current practice of advisory groups in realist reviews and provide guidance for planning and reporting.

Osteoporosis, a chronic skeletal disorder leading to decreased bone density and increased fracture risk, predominantly affects postmenopausal women and the elderly. Current treatments have limitations due to long-term side effects, highlighting the need for new therapeutic approaches. Recent research suggests oxytocin (OT) may play a role in bone formation and density, providing a potential novel treatment avenue.

Menu labeling and portion size control interventions may be effective strategies to mitigate the health risks posed by the out-of-home food environment. We conducted this scoping review to map the body of evidence (BoE) addressing the effects of menu labeling and portion size control interventions in the out-of-home food environment and to summarize the research gaps in this evidence base.

The preferred reporting items for systematic reviews and meta-analyses (PRISMA) statement was developed to improve the reporting of systematic reviews (SRs) and meta-analyses. Due to the suboptimal reporting of the 2009 version, an update was performed and published in 2021. Despite having been evaluated in studies published before its publication, its adherence in SRs of interventions published after 2021 remains unclear.

The discovery of an ideal and effective therapy is urgently required for the treatment of Alzheimer's disease (AD). The main pathological hallmarks of Alzheimer's disease that appear before the clinical symptoms are neurofibrillary tangles, amyloid plaques, brain inflammation, and neuronal atrophy throughout the cerebral cortex and hippocampus. GSK-3β (Glycogen Synthase Kinase-3β) is regarded as the most important and promising target for therapeutic use because GSK-3β expression levels increase with age and are the most abundant and hyperactive in the brains of patients with AD. GSK-3β activation or upregulation can contribute to neurodegeneration by promoting amyloid beta (Aβ) production and tau hyperphosphorylation. Whereas the underlying mechanism for abnormal production of GSK-3β in AD brains remains unclear.

Major depressive disorder (MDD) and schizophrenia are linked to accelerated aging leading to reduced lifespan, health span and cognitive decline. Cellular senescence, in which cells lose proliferative capacity and develop a senescence-associated secretory phenotype (SASP), plays a role in this process. Emerging research suggests that the senolytic regimen of dasatinib+quercetin (D+Q) reduces senescent cells, potentially mitigating age-related health and cognitive decline. This pilot study aims to assess the feasibility and safety of D+Q in older adults with schizophrenia, schizoaffective disorder, and treatment-resistant depression (TRD).