Annals of medicine
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Skeletal muscle dysfunction is a significant factor contributing to exercise limitation in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Although exercise training is often recommended to enhance patient outcomes, there continues to be ongoing debate regarding its exact effects. ⋯ Exercise interventions have a positive effect on the treatment of patients with COPD, significantly improving functional capacity, aerobic capacity, and exercise tolerance, but they should be individualized and developed according to the patient's condition to achieve the best therapeutic effect.
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Pulmonary hypertension (PH) is a life-threatening disease, especially in paediatric population. Symptoms of paediatric PH are non-specific. Accurate detection of paediatric PH is helpful for early treatment and mortality reduction. Therefore, we assessed the overall performance of brain natriuretic peptide (BNP) and N-terminal brain natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) for diagnosing PH in paediatric population. ⋯ Both BNP and NT-proBNP are good markers for differentiating paediatric PH patients from non-PH individuals.
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Ulcerative colitis (UC) is a disease characterized by chronic relapsing-remitting inflammatory disorders and is associated with environmental changes. ⋯ For early diagnosis patients, dietary guidance should be actively carried out. With the prolongation of the disease course, attention should be given to the sleep quality of patients.
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Background: Human circadian clocks are synchronized daily with the external light-dark cycle and entrained to the 24-hour day. There is increasing evidence that a lack of synchronization and circadian entrainment can lead to adverse health effects. Beyond vision, light plays a critical role in modulating many so-called non-visual functions, including sleep-wake cycles, alertness, mood and endocrine functions. ⋯ We will summarize the most compelling evidence from the literature and outline a future plan for developing such a lighting score using internationally accepted metrics, stakeholder and user feedback. Conclusion: We propose a weighting system that combines light qualities with physiological and behavioral effects, and the use of mathematical modelling for an output score. Such a scoring system will facilitate a holistic assessment of a lighting environment, integrating all available light sources.
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Tuberculosis (TB) continues to pose a significant health challenge worldwide, emphasizing the importance of prompt diagnosis and efficient monitoring of treatment outcomes for effective disease control. Biomarkers have become increasingly important in the realm of TB diagnoses and treatment. ⋯ Furthermore, we examine the potential of biomarkers in the context of therapeutic monitoring, assessment of treatment effectiveness, and anticipation of drug resistance. Additionally, this paper presents future prospects regarding the utilization of biomarkers in the therapy of tuberculosis.