Personality

This study examined the improvement of dysmenorrhoea and menorrhagia after uterine artery embolisation (UAE) in women with symptomatic adenomyosis and identified factors that could predict the improvement of dysmenorrhoea and menorrhagia.

Medical students face the challenge of learning vast amounts of complex information. Existing research suggests improved learning outcomes using multimedia resources but reports on their impact on podiatric education are scarce. To explore the potential of multimedia-based learning tools in enriching medical education, this study examined the impact of Osmosis, a platform featuring interactive videos, flashcards, and self-assessment quizzes on podiatric medical student outcomes.

The use of clear aligners is becoming more common for aesthetic orthodontic treatment, but there are still concerns about how they affect mastication biomechanics in the short and long term. The clear aligners treatment (CAT) mechanism changes the position of the mandible and maxilla, especially impacting the masseter muscle. Surface electromyography (sEMG) proves to be a useful method to evaluate masticatory muscle activity (MMA).

Providing personal demographic information is routine practice in the United States, and yet, little is known about the impacts of this process. This study aims to examine the experiences and perspectives of Multiracial/ethnic adults in the United States when disclosing racial/ethnic identity.

Biobanks of human biosamples and cell lines are indispensable for biomedical research on human health and disease and for drug development projects. Many human cell line biobanks worldwide hold collections of lymphoblastoid cell lines (LCLs), representing thousands of affected and control donors from diverse ethnic/ancestry groups. In recent years, induced human pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) and differentiated human cells derived from these iPSCs have become indispensable for applied biomedical research. Establishing iPSCs remains a laborious and costly step towards generating differentiated human cells. To address this research need, several non-profit and commercial biobanks have established iPSC collections for distribution to researchers, thereby serving as a resource for generating differentiated human cells. The most common starting materials for generation of iPSCs are a skin biopsy for harvesting fibroblasts, or a blood sample for collection of peripheral blood mononuclear cells. However untapped resources include the large established collections of biobanked human LCLs which can be reprogrammed to iPSCs using a variety of published protocols including the use of non-integrating episomal vectors. Many biobanks curate LCLs from diverse ethnic/ancestry populations, an aspect largely absent in most established iPSC biobanks which tend to primarily reflect populations from developed countries. Here, we call upon researchers across the breadth of iPSC research to tap the unique resource of existing and diverse human LCL collections for establishing biobanked iPSC panels that better represent the varied human ethnic (and hence genomic) diversity, thereby benefiting precision medicine and drug development research on a global scale.

Epidermolysis bullosa (EB) comprises a group of rare types of genodermatoses characterized by extreme mucocutaneous fragility, leading to blistering and/or erosions, even with minimal trauma. Continuous care through wound management is an integral part of daily life for the families and individuals affected. The aim of this study was to assess the social reality and impacts on families of having minor members diagnosed with EB in Spain.

This study aims to explore the impact of emergency department internships on the attitudes towards death among undergraduate nursing students and their preferences for end-of-life care settings. Additionally, the study analyzes the reasons behind nursing students' choices of end-of-life care settings and provides insights for improving undergraduate education on attitudes towards death and end-of-life care, and provide reference for the development of emergency hospice care.

Hospitalized patients with cancer often experience acute and/or chronic pain. Although virtual reality (VR) has been extensively studied across a wide range of clinical settings, no studies have yet evaluated potential impact on pain management in this patient population.

Radical cystectomy after low anterior resection is rare, and no cases of robotic surgery have been reported. Cystectomy in patients who have undergone a previous pelvic surgery, whether open or endoscopic, requires caution to avoid damaging other organs due to anatomical changes caused by adhesions in a limited space. Additionally, the curative nature of the treatment must be maintained. We describe a 69-year-old man with a history of open low anterior resection for rectal cancer who underwent robot-assisted radical cystectomy with extracorporeal ileal conduit construction. Although this procedure is challenging, it was performed safely with the collaboration of colorectal surgeons. The patient was discharged without perioperative complications and remained recurrence-free for 5 years.

Situs inversus complicates diagnosis and treatment due to the mirrored organ placement in relation to normal anatomy. This report describes a 78-year-old female patient with situs inversus totalis who underwent laparoscopic cholecystectomy and laparoscopic common bile duct exploration for cholecystolithiasis and choledocholithiasis. Utilizing the "French mirror technique" for port placement, the surgeon adeptly mirrored standard maneuvers with a 2-mm needle forceps in the left hand and a 5-mm forceps in the right in a reversed anatomical setting. This technique maintained familiar hand movements, despite the patient's unique anatomy. The surgeon applied transcystic ductal bile duct exploration, using choledochoscopy for duct exploration and a basket catheter for stone removal. Laparoscopic cholecystectomy and common bile duct exploration through the transcystic ductal route are viable and effective for patients with situs inversus.

Data suggest malfunctioning mitochondria reduce oxidation and adenosine triphosphate (ATP) production, disrupting insulin signalling. Cytochrome c (CC), acylcarnitine (AC) and citrate synthase (CS) are essential components of the mitochondria machinery and can be used as reliable biomarkers of mitochondrial dysfunction. This study aimed to determine whether mitochondrial biomarkers (AC, CS and CC) are altered in individuals with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and to examine the association between these biomarkers and insulin resistance.

Lesser omental hernias are rare; however, they should be considered in symptomatic bowel obstruction subsequent to a subtotal or total colectomy. This report describes two cases of recurrent bowel obstruction secondary to lesser omental hernias after laparoscopic total colectomies for ulcerative colitis. Initially, these patients had been treated conservatively; however, due to symptom recurrence, surgical intervention was decided on. In both cases, laparoscopic surgery revealed lesser omental hernias. The small bowel, which had entered from the dorsal aspect of the stomach, was returned to the original position, and the lesser omentum was closed. The patients were discharged uneventfully, with no recurrent bowel obstruction during the follow-up period. These cases highlight the importance of including internal hernias in the differential diagnosis relative to recurrent bowel obstruction, in patient subpopulations with a prior history of a subtotal or total colectomy. Confirmation by computed tomography is preferable.

In this article, we develop an analytical approach for estimating brain connectivity networks that accounts for subject heterogeneity. More specifically, we consider a novel extension of a multi-subject Bayesian vector autoregressive model that estimates group-specific directed brain connectivity networks and accounts for the effects of covariates on the network edges. We adopt a flexible approach, allowing for (possibly) nonlinear effects of the covariates on edge strength via a novel Bayesian nonparametric prior that employs a weighted mixture of Gaussian processes. For posterior inference, we achieve computational scalability by implementing a variational Bayes scheme. Our approach enables simultaneous estimation of group-specific networks and selection of relevant covariate effects. We show improved performance over competing two-stage approaches on simulated data. We apply our method on resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging data from children with a history of traumatic brain injury (TBI) and healthy controls to estimate the effects of age and sex on the group-level connectivities. Our results highlight differences in the distribution of parent nodes. They also suggest alteration in the relation of age, with peak edge strength in children with TBI, and differences in effective connectivity strength between males and females.

Uhl's anomaly is characterized by complete or partial absence of right ventricular myocardium. We describe a case of prenatally diagnosed Uhl's anomaly with biventricular dysfunction which was quantified with speckle tracking echocardiography using a novel fetal heart quantification (fetal HQ) technique.

This study aimed to explore the chain mediating effect of spiritual well-being and anticipatory grief between benefit finding and meaning in life of patients with advanced lung cancer.

Apixaban, a direct oral anticoagulant, is increasingly used worldwide for the treatment and prevention of venous thromboembolism and ischemic stroke in patients with nonvalvular atrial fibrillation (AF). Obviously, one of the ways to enhance effectiveness and safety of drug therapy is a personalized approach to therapy, which involves pharmacogenetic and pharmacokinetic tests. The study aims to investigate the effect of , and polymorphisms on the pharmacokinetics of apixaban and the risk of bleeding.

Racial and ethnic disparities in gynecologic cancer care have been documented. Treatment at academic facilities is associated with improved survival, yet no study has examined independent associations between race and ethnicity with facility type among gynecologic cancer patients.

To assess how the role of neighbors and friends in people's networks changes with age and how this is affected by cohort, marriage, employment, and socioeconomic status. The hypothesis is that for most aspects of the network, friends lose 'importance' as people become older, with neighbors gradually becoming more dominant in the non-kin network.

Health literacy is a significant element of education and is inextricably linked to children's and adolescents' growth and prosperity. It is critical to monitor students' health literacy on a nationwide scale and identify the factors that influence it in order to create policies that advance it. The purpose of this study was to determine the health literacy level of Greek secondary school students and to correlate it with possible determinants such as personal and family characteristics, social support and personal and/or family illness experiences. A representative sample of 2749 seventh-, ninth-, and tenth-grade students was involved. Results showed that a higher motivation to learn about health topics and having positive social interactions and support were strongly associated with a higher level of health literacy. Gender, high academic achievement, absence of learning disabilities, gender, preference for biology and informatics and primary source of health information were also found to influence the skills' level. In order to enhance health literacy, the Greek educational system should take measures to include health literacy skills development goals in their curricula.

Farming is a challenging, stressful and rewarding occupation involving many factors that are beyond farmers' control. The aim of this study was to investigate correlates associated with the anxiety, depression and stress of farmers in Western Australia. Farmers and farm residents (N = 124) completed an online survey assessing anxiety, depression, stress, farming stressors, social supports, coping strategies and sense of belonging. Higher financial/external trade and societal pressures, family/relationship tension, use of coping strategies such as self-blame, venting, disengagement and planning, lack of succession planning and considering selling the farm, and lower social support and sense of belonging, were associated with higher anxiety, depression and/or stress. The findings highlight the specific impacts of financial and family pressures on poorer mental health status among farmers. Clinical and community interventions that build on naturally occurring strengths, such as family support and community connectedness, are needed.

The variation of qualitative information among different types of mainstream hyphenated instruments of ultra-performance liquid chromatography coupled to high-resolution mass spectrometry (UPLC-HRMS) makes data sharing and standardization, and further comparison of results consistency in metabolite annotation not easy to attain. In this work, a quantitative study of correlation and difference was first achieved to systematically investigate the variation of retention time (t), precursor ion (MS), and product fragment ions (MS) generated by three typical UPLC-HRMS instruments commonly used in metabolomics area. In terms of the findings of systematic and correlated variation of t, MS, and MS between different instruments, a computational strategy for integrated metabolite annotation was proposed to reduce the influence of differential ions, which made full use of the characteristic (common) and non-common fragments for scoring assessment. The regular variations of MS among three instruments under four collision energy voltages of high, medium, low, and hybrid levels were respectively inspected with three technical replicates at each level. These discoveries could improve general metabolite annotation with a known database and similarity comparison. It should provide the potential for metabolite annotation to generalize qualitative information obtained under different experimental conditions or using instruments from various manufacturers, which is still a big headache in untargeted metabolomics. The mixture of standard compounds and serum samples with the addition of standards were applied to demonstrate the principle and performance of the proposed method. The results showed that it could be an optional strategy for general use in HRMS-based metabolomics to offset the difference in metabolite annotation. It has some potential in untargeted metabolomics.

Life events can be stressful and have a detrimental impact on health, but evidence is inconclusive regarding life events and dementia risk. The present study tests whether life events are associated with incident dementia, whether experiencing multiple events has cumulative effects, and whether the associations vary across age, sex, race/ethnicity, socioeconomic status, and genetic vulnerability.

Telehealth technologies offer efficient ways to deliver health-related social needs (HRSN) screening in cancer care, but these methods may not reach all populations. The authors examined patient characteristics associated with using an online patient portal (OPP) to complete HRSN screening as part of gynecologic cancer care.

Increasing evidence points out that Executive Functions (i.e., EFs) may be core mechanisms for the generation of resilient responses to adversity. A systematic review testing the relations between either affective (hot) and/or non-affective (cold) EFs (i.e., inhibition, flexibility and working memory updating) and resilience was conducted. A total of 449 articles were initially identified. After two steps of title-and-abstract (k = 449), and full-text reading filtering (k = 67), 11 studies were reviewed. Three studies included cold measures of working memory and supported significant positive relations between higher working memory functioning and higher trait resilience levels. One study included cold measures of inhibition and another one both hot and cold measures, with only the first one supporting a positive relation between more efficient inhibition and higher trait resilience levels. Finally, 7 studies measured flexibility in its cold and/or hot dimensions and overall supported significant relations between higher flexibility and higher levels of trait, process and outcome resilience measures. These results support the role of EFs performance to promote different forms of resilience. This review allows to identify different issues that need to be addressed in future research and highlight the need to integrate the analysis of all hot and cold EFs components to understand their role in the generation of resilience.

Regulated cell death (RCD) plays a crucial role in the initiation and progression of tumors, particularly in acute myeloid leukemia (AML). This study investigates the prognostic importance of RCD-related genes in AML and their correlation with immune infiltration.We combined TCGA and GTEx data, analyzing 1488 RCD-related genes, to develop a predictive model using LASSO regression and survival analysis. The model's accuracy was validated against multiple databases, examining immune cell infiltration, therapy responses, and drug sensitivity among risk groups. RT-qPCR confirmed MT1E expression in AML patients and healthy bone marrow. CCK8 and Transwell assays measured cell proliferation, adhesion, migration, and invasion, while flow cytometry and Western blotting assessed apoptosis and protein expression.We developed a prognostic model using 10 RCD methods, which demonstrated strong predictive ability, showing an inverse correlation between age and risk scores with survival in AML patients. Functional enrichment analysis of the model is linked to immune modulation pathways. RT-qPCR revealed significantly lower MT1E expression in AML versus healthy bone marrow (p<0.05). Consequently, experiments were designed to assess the function of MT1E overexpression.Findings indicated that MT1E overexpression showed it significantly reduced THP-1 cell proliferation and adhesion(p<0.001), decreased migration(p<0.001) and invasiveness(p<0.05), and increased apoptosis(p<0.05), with a notable rise in Caspase3 expression.A novel AML RCD risk model was developed, showing promise as a prognostic marker for evaluating outcomes and immune therapy effectiveness. Insights into MT1E's impact on AML cell proliferation and apoptosis open possibilities for improving patient outcomes and devising personalized treatment strategies.

The Exacerbation of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (ECOPD), especially if leading to hospitalization, increases the risk of death. Our scoping review aims to identify updated mortality risk factors in both short- and long-term periods.

The aim of this study is to provide guidance for refining medication protocols, developing alternative strategies, and enhancing protection against herpesvirus infections in personalized clinical settings.

Medical treatment of acromegaly is currently performed through a trial-error approach using first generation somatostatin receptor ligands (fgSRLs) as first-line drugs, with an effectiveness of about 50%, and subsequent drugs are indicated through clinical judgment. Some biomarkers can predict fgSRLs response. Here we report the results of the ACROFAST study, a clinical trial in which a protocol based on predictive biomarkers of fgSRLs was evaluated.

Limited data exist on the antifungal activity of daily liposomal amphotericin B with flucytosine induction regimens for cryptococcal meningitis, which are recommended in high-income countries. Liposomal amphotericin B monotherapy at 3 mg/kg previously failed to meet non-inferiority criteria compared to amphotericin B deoxycholate in its registrational clinical trial. We aimed to compare the quantitative antifungal activity and mortality between daily amphotericin B deoxycholate and daily liposomal amphotericin among persons with HIV-related cryptococcal meningitis receiving adjunctive flucytosine 100 mg/kg/day.

States resumed Medicaid eligibility redeterminations, which had been paused during the COVID-19 public health emergency, in 2023. This unwinding of the pandemic continuous coverage provision raised concerns about the extent to which beneficiaries would lose Medicaid coverage and how that would affect access to care.

The present paper focuses on therapist responsiveness during the initial therapy session with clients with borderline personality disorder (BPD), aiming to analyze therapist responsiveness at short intervals during the initial session and determine if it can predict therapeutic alliance from both therapist and client viewpoints.

Hyperlipidemia, inadequate diet, and excessive medication increase the risk of cardiovascular disease. Paeonl (Pae), a phenolic compound found in Peony and Angelica dahurica, can alleviate lipid metabolism disorders and lipotoxicity. However, the molecular mechanism of Pae alleviating hyperlipidemia remains unclear and needs to be further explored.

This article critically examines the proposed reforms to Irish mental health law the Mental Health Act 2001 (2001 Act). The article will provide background to the 2001 Act and the lengthy law reform process, which has resulted in the publication of the Heads of Bill that propose significant amendments. The article assesses the suggested reforms, considering Ireland's 2018 ratification of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD), which provides important context to the law reform process. The 2001 Act is the primary piece of legislation regulating mental health services and safeguarding the rights of persons subject to the legislation in Ireland. While passed in 2001, the legislation did not come into effect until 2006. The 2001 Act was seen as bringing Irish mental health law into compliance with international human rights law, in particular the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR). However, Ireland's ratification of the CRPD has necessitated closer scrutiny of the legislation. This review has culminated in the publication of a Heads of Bill in July 2021 and pre-legislative scrutiny by the responsible parliamentary committee in 2022. The long title of the Heads of Bill explicitly states its goal of safeguarding individual autonomy and underscores its commitment to upholding and advancing the rights of people subject to the legislation. The analysis of the Heads of Bill addresses several key areas. These areas include a background to the long process of review, new guiding principles, the category of persons under the mental health legislation, mental health tribunals, consent to treatment, advance healthcare directives, provisions relating to children and young people, and independent advocacy. Based on this analysis of the Heads of Bill, recommendations are suggested which would strengthen respect for the human rights of persons subject to the legislation.

The intrinsically disordered, lipid-modified membrane anchor of small GTPases is emerging as a critical modulator of function through its ability to sort lipids in a conformation-dependent manner. We reviewed recent computational and experimental studies that have begun to shed light on the sequence-ensemble-function relationship in this unique class of lipidated intrinsically disordered regions (LIDRs).

To identify factors associated with locomotive syndrome (LS) using medical questionnaire data and machine learning.

Marine bacteria influence Earth's environmental dynamics in fundamental ways by controlling the biogeochemistry and productivity of the oceans. However, little is known about the survival strategies of their abundant and rare taxa, especially in polar marine environments. Here, bacterial environmental adaptation, community assembly processes, and co-occurrence patterns between abundant and rare taxa were compared in the Arctic Ocean sediments. Results indicated that the diversity of rare taxa is significantly higher than that of abundant taxa, whereas the distance-decay rate of rare taxa community similarity is over 1.5 times higher than that of abundant taxa. Furthermore, abundant taxa exhibited broader environmental breadth and stronger phylogenetic signals compared to rare taxa. Additionally, the community assembly processes of the abundant taxa were predominantly governed by 81% dispersal limitation, while rare taxa were primarily influenced by 48% heterogeneous selection. The co-occurrence network further revealed the abundant taxa formed a more complex network to enhance their environmental adaptability. This study revealed the differences in environmental responses and community assembly processes between bacterial abundant and rare taxa in polar ocean sediments, providing some valuable insights for understanding their environmental adaptation strategies in marine ecosystems.

From 2011 to 2023, substance use increased by 23% worldwide. Given that substance use initiation is highest during adolescence, it is crucial to identify amenable correlates of substance use prevention [e.g. health literacy (HL)], which, if embedded in interventions, may improve uptake and outcomes. Hence, this study conducted a scoping review to answer the question: What is known from the existing literature about the relationship between HL and substance use correlates and behaviors in adolescents? Five electronic databases and the bibliography of review articles were searched and a total of 1770 records were identified. After removing duplicates and engaging in three levels of screening to identify studies that included adolescents ≤ 25 years old and assessed the relationship between general HL (vs. behavior/disease-specific health knowledge) and substance use behaviors and correlates, 16 studies were retained. Studies assessed alcohol-related (n = 11), tobacco-related (n = 12), electronic vapor product use-related (n = 4), cannabis-related (n = 1), and amphetamines/methamphetamines-related (n = 1) outcomes. Studies spanned Africa, Asia, Europe, and North and Central America. Most studies included substance use as an outcome and found an inverse relationship between HL and use. Few studies examined substance use correlates (e.g. risk perception). There were no longitudinal or intervention studies. This review highlighted that the topic of adolescent HL and its relationship with substance use remains inadequately researched. Notable gaps for future studies include intervention and longitudinal designs, expansion of outcomes (e.g. more studies on marijuana, prescription drug misuse, vaping, substance use-related correlates), and examining HL as a mediator or moderator of substance use and its correlates.

Elective genomic testing (EGT) is increasingly available clinically. Limited real world evidence exists about attitudes and knowledge of EGT recipients.

Organized cervical screening programmes are commonplace in high-income countries. To provide an equitable cervical screening service, it is important to understand who is and is not attending screening and why. Promotion of screening and service improvement is not possible without recognition and identification of the barriers and needs of communities that are less engaged with screening. This study explored stakeholder perceptions of cervical screening attendance and accessibility in Ireland. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 12 healthcare professionals, policymakers and academics. Interviews were conducted online in 2022. Reflexive thematic analysis was used inductively to generate themes, supported by NVivo. Three themes were developed: (i) getting the right information out the right way, (ii) acceptability and accessibility of screening and (iii) trying to identify and reach the non-attenders. Participants felt public knowledge of cervical screening and human papilloma virus was low and communication strategies were not adequate. Individual, cultural, structural and service-level factors influenced the accessibility and acceptability of screening. Identifying and reaching non-attenders was considered challenging and community outreach could support those less likely to attend screening. Stakeholder perspectives were valuable in understanding the complexities of screening accessibility and attendance from individual to service-level factors. Cultural competency training, inclusive language and visual cues in waiting rooms would support engagement with some populations who may be hesitant to attend screening. Collaboration with community organizations has opportunities to promote screening and understand the needs of those less likely to attend screening.

This article profiles 6 notable female scientists who have had eponyms named after them, highlighting their significant contributions to various medical fields and whose scientific endeavors have influenced our practice and understanding of otolaryngology. We discuss Łucja Frey Gottesman and her description of Frey's syndrome; Margaret Dix and the Dix-Hallpike test; Lotte Strauss and her work defining Churg-Strauss disease; Dorothy Reed Mendenhall's discovery of Reed-Sternberg cells in Hodgkin's lymphoma; Edith Louise Potter defining Potter sequence in utero; Denise Louis-Bar originally characterizing the condition now known as ataxia-telangiectasia or Louis-Bar syndrome. Despite the challenges these women faced as pioneering female physicians as well as personal and political turmoil, their contributions greatly advanced the fields of otolaryngology, neurology, neuropathology, perinatology, and pediatric pathology. We aim to honor their stories and medical legacies.

In patients with epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC), the clinical efficacy of monotherapy with immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) against PD-1/PD-L1 is modest. To enhance response rates to these immunotherapeutic agents and broaden the indications for their use, new approaches involving combinational therapy are needed. The immune regulator CD73 is a potential target, as it promotes tumor escape by producing immunosuppressive extracellular adenosine in the tumor microenvironment. Here, we present the results from the NSGO-OV-UMB1/ENGOT-OV-30 trial evaluating the activity of combining the anti-CD73 antibody oleclumab with the anti-PD-L1 checkpoint inhibitor durvalumab in patients with recurrent EOC.

Computer-aided machine learning models are being actively developed with clinically available biomarkers to diagnose Alzheimer's disease (AD) in living persons. Despite considerable work with cross-sectional in vivo data, many models lack validation against postmortem AD neuropathological data.

Ultrasound is used for peripheral intravenous (PIV) cannulation in patients with difficult landmark-guided IV access in the Emergency Department. Distal-to-proximal application of an Esmarch bandage on the target limb has been suggested as a method for increasing vein size and ease of cannulation.

Isolated REM sleep behavior disorder (iRBD) is an early α-synucleinopathy often accompanied by incipient cognitive impairment. As executive dysfunctions predict earlier phenotypic conversion from iRBD to Parkinson's disease and Lewy body dementia, cognitive training focusing on executive functions could have disease-modifying effects for individuals with iRBD.

Unexplained infertility is defined as the absence of any pathology in the basic evaluation performed in couples who cannot achieve pregnancy after 1 year of unprotected sexual intercourse. The results of tests examining the causes of infertility show no identifiable cause in almost 15% of couples.

The spectral composition of some light-emitting diodes (LEDs) reportedly results in higher crop yield, prevents wilting, and reduces thermal damage to plants. The use of LEDs for postharvest storage and shelf-life extension has been limited, but the potential of this technology will allow for greater applications in horticulture and the food industry. In this experiment, 'Winterbor' kale (Brassica oleracea) and 'Melody' spinach (Spinacia oleracea) plants were measured for the light compensation point and stomatal response under 14 different wavelengths of light ranging from 405 to 661 nm. Data collected from these measurements were used to select two different wavelengths of LEDs and determine the proper irradiance levels for an LED irradiance storage test on spinach and kale. Treatments comprising blue, red, and amber lights were effective at increasing the stomatal opening, while the green light resulted in reduced stomatal opening. For spinach, the light response curve showed that light compensation points at 500 nm and 560 nm were 65.3 and 64.7 μmol m s, respectively. For kale, the light compensation points at 500 nm and 560 nm were 50.8 and 44.1 μmol m s, respectively. For the storage test experiment at room temperature, kale and spinach were stored under four different treatments: dark treatment (control), standard white fluorescent light, 500 nm, and 560 nm LED wavelengths. For spinach, the moisture content was 70.1% at 560 nm and 53.7% for dark, moisture losses of 41.5% under the 560-nm treatment and 52.0% for the dark treatment. The fresh basis moisture content was 74.6% at 560 nm and 59.3% in the dark. Moisture loss under the 560 nm treatment was 39.6% while the dark treatment had a 54.0% moisture loss. A visual assessment scale was monitored, 560 nm resulted in the top visual quality for kale compared to the other treatments with the lowest visual quality under the dark treatment at day 4. For spinach, the visual quality for 560 nm treatment was statistically the standard white fluorescent light and 500 nm, with poor-quality product occurring by day 4 and the lowest-quality product occurring at day 5. The LED treatments improved the shelf life of spinach and kale, likely as a result of stomatal aperture closure, photosynthetic rate near the light compensation point and stability of the atmospheric moisture content. This study provides valuable information on the extension of the shelf life of leafy greens during storage. Reducing fresh produce waste in grocery stores will increase revenue, thereby benefiting the Canadian economy while providing social and environmental benefits that entail increased food security and reduced food waste.

Photopharmacology is a young and rapidly developing field of research that offers significant potential for new insights into targeted therapy. While it primarily focuses on cancer treatment, it also holds promise for other diseases. The key feature of photopharmacological agents is the presence of a photosensitive and biologically active component in the same molecule. In our current study, we synthesized a spiropyran-based meta-stable state photoacid containing a fragment of β-estradiol. This compound exhibits negative photochromism and photocontrolled fluorescence under visible-light irradiation due to the initial stabilization of its self-protonated form in solution. We conducted comprehensive biological studies on the HeLa cells model to assess the short- and long-term cytotoxicity of the photoacid, its metabolic effects, its influence on signaling and epithelial-mesenchymal transition super-system pathways, and the proportion of the population enriched with cancer stem cells. Our findings reveal that this derivative demonstrates low cytotoxicity to HeLa cells, yet it is capable of dramatically reducing malignant cells side population enriched in cancer stem cells. Additionally, appropriate structural modification lead to an increase in some other biological effects compared to β-estradiol. In particular, our substance possesses rare properties of AP-1 suppression and demonstrates some pro-oxidant and metabolic effects, which can be regulated by visible light irradiation. As a result, the new estradiol-based photoacid may be considered a promising multi-acting photopharmacological agent for the next-generation anti-cancer research & development.

Nurses are among high-risk occupational groups during the outbreak of epidemics. Therefore, these people are required to use personal protective equipment (PPE). Previous studies have shown that the use of personal protective equipment can affect people's thermal strain and mental workload.

Amyloid-β (Aβ) and tau are brain hallmarks of Alzheimer's disease (AD), also present in blood as soluble biomarkers or encapsulated in extracellular vesicles (EVs). Our goal was to assess how soluble plasma biomarkers of AD pathology correlate with the number and content of EVs.

In a phase 3 trial (PANAMO, NCT04333420), vilobelimab, a complement 5a (C5a) inhibitor, reduced 28-day mortality in mechanically ventilated COVID-19 patients. This post hoc analysis of 368 patients aimed to explore treatment heterogeneity through unsupervised learning. All available clinical variables at baseline were used as input. Treatment heterogeneity was assessed using latent class analysis (LCA), Ward's hierarchical clustering (HC) and the adjudication to previously described clinical sepsis phenotypes. The primary outcome was 28-day mortality. For LCA, a 2-class latent model was deemed most suitable. In the LCA model, 82 (22%) patients were assigned to class 1 and 286 (78%) to class 2. Class 1 was defined by more severely ill patients with significantly higher mortality. In an adjusted logistic regression, no heterogeneity of treatment effect (HTE) between classes was observed (p = 0.998). For HC, no significant classes were found (p = 0.669). Using the previously described clinical sepsis subtypes, 41 patients (11%) were adjudicated subtype alpha (α), 17 (5%) beta (β), 112 (30%) delta (δ) and 198 (54%) gamma (γ). HTE was observed between clinical subtypes (p = 0.001) with improved 28-day mortality after treatment with vilobelimab for the δ subtype (OR = 0.17, 95% CI 0.07-0.40, p < 0.001). No signal for harm of treatment with vilobelimab was observed in any class or clinical subtype. Overall, treatment effect with vilobelimab was consistent across different classes and subtypes, except for the δ subtype, suggesting potential additional benefit for the most severely ill patients.

This study was based on MRI features and number of tumor-infiltrating CD8 + T cells in post-operative pathology, in predicting meningioma recurrence risk.

Numerous studies confirm the effectiveness of cognitive training in older adults. However, there is limited evidence of the transfer occurrence. The part of the study presented here tested the effect of 12 process-based working memory training sessions on the performance of the trained task (training effect) and other cognitive tasks (transfer effect). A pretest-posttest study design with one experimental group and two control (passive and active) groups. The sample comprised three groups of older adults: experimental (n = 25), passive control (n = 22), active control (n = 7), and young adults: experimental (n = 25), passive control (n = 25), and active control (n = 12). The study was registered after completion with a ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT06235840 on 31 January 2024.

Today, the detection rate of lung nodules is increasing. Some of these nodules may become malignant. Thus, timely resection of potentially malignant nodules is essential. However, Identifying the location of nonsurface or soft-textured nodules during surgery is challenging. Various localization techniques have been developed to accurately identify lung nodules. Common methods include preoperative CT-guided percutaneous placement of hook wires and microcoils. Nonetheless, these procedures may cause complications such as pneumothorax and haemothorax. Other methods regarding localization of pulmonary nodules have their own drawbacks. We conducted a clinical study which was retrospective to identify a safe, accurate and suitable method for determining lung nodule localization. To evaluate the clinical value of CT-assisted body surface localization combined with intraoperative stereotactic anatomical localization in thoracoscopic lung nodule resection.

Viral infections are one of the most common triggers of Systemic Lupus Nephritis (SLE) flare-ups. COVID-19 pneumonia can be severe in patients affected by SLE representing a risk factor for lupus nephritis flare. We report the case of a 28-year-old woman with a history of lupus nephritis (LN), who relapsed with severe nephritic-nephritic syndrome after the resolution of COVID-19 pneumonia. In addition, we conducted a literature review to analyze all described cases of LN, vaccinated and unvaccinated, in COVID-19 showing that the course of COVID-19 is more severe in SLE patients with renal involvement, especially in those who have not been vaccinated. Vaccination is the most important measure for preventing COVID-19 in people with rheumatic diseases such as SLE. The case and data we present suggests that LN relapses can occur even after the infection has resolved and illustrates the benefit of vaccination, the role of modulation of immunosuppression during COVID-19 and the specific risk of disease relapse during SARS-CoV-2 infection.

Cystic fibrosis is a multisystem disease with extremely variable onset, symptoms and course. One of the onset modality but also a complication of the disease is the pseudo-Bartter syndrome, characterized by hyponatremia, hypochloremic dehydration and metabolic alkalosis in absence of any renal disease. This syndrome occurs more frequently in the first year of life and has a peak in the summer. In this article, we describe two cases of cystic fibrosis associated with pseudo-Bartter syndrome in childhood. Excluding every possible cause of metabolic alkalosis associated with hyponatremia was crucial for our diagnostic pathway, and the experience gained with the first case helped a lot with the second one.

Patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) can be successfully treated with sodium-glucose cotransporter-2 inhibitors (SGLT2-Is), regardless of diabetes. Fondazione Ricerca e Salute's (ReSD) administrative and Health Search's (HSD) primary care databases were combined in the Database Consortium ReS-HS to quantify and describe patients with CKD potentially eligible for SGLT2-Is and assess costs charged to the Italian National Health Service (SSN). Patients aged ≥18 with CKD and estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) <60 ml/min in 2018, without dialysis and/or renal transplantation, were included. HSD was used to develop and validate algorithms for estimating eGFR, based on covariates, within the ReSD. Comorbidities, dispensed drugs, and direct healthcare costs were assessed. In 2018, 66,297 (5.0% of HSD population) and 211,494 (4.4% of ReSD population) patients with CKD potentially eligible for SGLT2-Is were identified (females ≥58%). Prevalence increased with age with a peak at 75-84 years. Within HSD and ReSD cohorts, respectively: 31.0% and 41.5% had diabetes; in the observation periods, >82% and >96% received ≥1 pharmacological treatment, of which ≥50% and ≥25% received cardiovascular/blood agents and antidiabetics, respectively. From ReSD, mean per capita direct SSN cost was € 3,825 (CI 95%, € 3,655-€ 4,000): 50.1% due to hospitalizations, and 40.2% to pharmaceuticals (31.6% to cardiovascular drugs and 10.1% to antidiabetics). The Database Consortium ReS-HS methodology found 5% of adult SSN beneficiaries with CKD potentially eligible for SGLT2-Is bringing with them a high cardio-metabolic burden which increases the risk of CKD progression.

IgA nephropathy (IgAN) is a fairly common association with alcoholic liver disease. However, IgA vasculitis (IgAV) is quite an uncommon association with alcoholic liver cirrhosis and only a handful of cases have been reported in literature. Secondary IgAN usually presents in a docile manner, progressing slowly in about 5-25 years. It is usually responsive to steroid therapy, very rarely progressing to End-Stage Renal Disease. Here, we present a man in his late 50s, a known hypertensive and alcohol related liver-cirrhotic, who presented to our hospital with rash and rapidly progressive renal failure (RPRF). He was diagnosed with IgA nephritis with IgA vasculitis (IgAVN). His diagnosis was confirmed with skin and renal biopsy. He was started on renal replacement therapy for his renal failure and began oral steroid therapy. After administration of steroid therapy for 6 months, the patient recovered and was dialysis independent with stable renal parameters.

Peritoneal dialysis stands as an established form of renal replacement therapy; yet peritonitis remains a major complication associated with it. This study, analyzing two decades of data from the Nephrology, Dialysis, and Hypertension Division of the University-Hospital IRCCS in Bologna, aimed to identify prognostic factors linked to peritonitis events. It also sought to evaluate the suitability of different peritoneal dialysis techniques, with a focus on Automated Peritoneal Dialysis (APD) and Continuous Ambulatory Peritoneal Dialysis (CAPD). Additionally, the study assessed the impact of an educational program introduced in 2005 on peritonitis frequency. Conducting an observational, retrospective, single-center study, 323 patients were included in the analysis, categorized based on their use of APD or CAPD. Despite widespread APD usage, no significant correlation was found between the dialysis technique (APD or CAPD) and peritonitis onset. The analysis of the educational program's impact revealed no significant differences in peritonitis occurrence. However, a clear relationship emerged between regular patient monitoring at the reference center and the duration of peritoneal dialysis. Despite the absence of a distinct association between peritonitis onset and dialysis technique, regular patient monitoring at the reference center significantly correlated with prolonged peritoneal dialysis duration.

Data on the prevalence of cardiac failure with preserved ejection in the haemodialysis population, which impacts treatment strategy, mortality, and morbidity, are scarce. Estimate the prevalence of heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF) in haemodialysis patients Classify cardiac failure and ascertain the risk factors influencing HFpEF in haemodialysis patients. All consenting individuals on haemodialysis over 18 years of age were included. Lung ultrasound was performed as per the LUST study protocol, and the labs were documented. Echocardiographic parameters were measured using two-dimensional (2D ECHO). A total of 102 patients consented to participate in the study, which included 63 males (61.8%) and 39 females (38.2%). The mean patient age was 53 ± 13.1 years. The dialysis vintage of the participants was 38.92 ± 6.947 months. 47 (46.1%) patients had diabetes and 88 (80.4%) had hypertension. ECG findings included sinus rhythm (51/102, 50%), sinus tachycardia (22/102, 21.6%), ST-T wave abnormalities (18/102, 17.6%), and atrial fibrillation (11/102, 10.8%). Heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF) was present in 44/102 (43.14%), heart failure with mid-range EF in 14/102 (13.72%), and heart failure with reduced EF in 13/102 (12.7%) patients. The ejection fraction was positively associated with haemoglobin (r = 0.23; p = 0.044), and calcium levels (r = 0.25; p =0 .03). E/lateral e' ratio was positively correlated with NT pro-BNP (r = 0.63; p < 0.001), systolic blood pressure (r = 0.44; p = 0.003) and age (r = 0.353; p = 0.003) and negatively correlated with transferrin saturation (r = -0.353; p = 0.027) and diastolic blood pressure (r = -0.31; p = 0.040). Binary logistic regression analysis revealed that the odds of diastolic dysfunction increased by 2.3 times with each unit increase of creatinine, and diabetics have 7.66 times higher risk for diastolic dysfunction. Binary logistic regression involving ejection fraction (EF) and all laboratory and clinical parameters revealed odds of HFpEF increased by 1.93 times with each unit increase in age, odds of HFpEF increases by 1.53 times with each unit increase in phosphorous and odds of HFpEF increased by 1.1 times with a unit increase of systolic blood pressure. HFpEF is the predominant form of heart failure in haemodialysis patients. Haemoglobin and calcium were positively associated with ejection fraction. Advancing age, elevated creatinine and diabetes mellitus levels are independent predictors of diastolic dysfunction in haemodialysis patients.

Microscopic detection of malaria parasites is labour-intensive, time-consuming, and expertise-demanding. Moreover, the slide interpretation is highly dependent on the staining technique and the technician's expertise. Therefore, there is a growing interest in next-generation, fully- or semi-integrated microscopes that can improve slide preparation and examination. This study aimed to evaluate the clinical performance of miLab™ (Noul Inc., Republic of Korea), a fully-integrated automated microscopy device for the detection of malaria parasites in symptomatic patients at point-of-care in Sudan.

Colon volvulus is the twisting of a segment of colon on its mesenteric axis, which can lead to the obstruction of the lumen and the blood supply. Colon volvulus is common in "volvulus belt" countries and can involve the sigmoid (60-70%) and cecum (25-40%).

Antimicrobial stewardship is an important action plan for curbing the rising trend of antimicrobial resistance (AMR). Surveillance of antimicrobial use and consumption is needed as baseline data and for monitoring the impact of antimicrobial stewardship interventions. The survey was done to understand the burden of AMR, in view of establishing an antimicrobial stewardship program in our hospital.

Sex determination from the bones is of great importance for forensic medicine and anthropology. The mandible is highly valued because it is the strongest, largest and most dimorphic bone in the skull.

Some parameters of 18F-2-fluoro-2-deoxy-D-glucose positron emission tomography/computed tomography (18F-FDG PET/CT) can predict tumor chemosensitivity and survival in patients with head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC).

This study aims to assess the diagnostic accuracy of an artificial intelligence (AI) system employing deep learning for identifying dental plaque, utilizing a dataset comprising photographs of permanent teeth.

The creation of pneumoperitoneum using higher pressure is believed to be associated with increased postoperative abdominal pain.

Hemodialysis is one of the treatment methods for chronic kidney disease, which is a common disease around the world. The problems that occur during the hemodialysis process may cause discomfort in patients. Therefore, it is important to regularly evaluate the concept of comfort in hemodialysis patients.

Kidney transplantation is one of the life-saving therapies for patients with end-stage renal disease, which affects a person's psychological, social, and physical well-being. How transplanted patients perceive their illness and their body can affect their physical and psychological recovery.

The burden of perinatal asphyxia remains high in our environment and when asphyxia is severe, vital organs are affected, with resultant multiorgan hypoxic-iscahemic injury to the heart, the brain, adrenals and other organs.

Maintaining static balance is relevant and common in everyday life and it depends on a correct intersegmental coordination. A change or reduction in postural capacity has been linked to increased risk of falls. People with Parkinson's disease (pwPD) experience motor symptoms affecting the maintenance of a stable posture. The aim of the study is to understand the intersegmental changes in postural sway and to apply a trend change analysis to uncover different movement strategies between pwPD and healthy adults.

Gallstone disease is a common gastrointestinal disorder in industrialised societies. The prevalence of gallstones in the adult population is estimated to be approximately 10-15%, and around 80% remain asymptomatic. At present, cholecystectomy is the default option for people with symptomatic gallstone disease.

Reliance on praziquantel for the treatment and control of schistosomiasis is likely to facilitate the emergence of drug resistance. Combination therapy targeting adult and juvenile schistosome worms is urgently needed to improve praziquantel efficacy and delay the potential development of drug resistance. We assessed the efficacy and safety of single-dose praziquantel combined with single-dose artesunate plus sulfalene-pyrimethamine in the treatment of Kenyan children with schistosomiasis.

Demyelinating disorders of the central nervous system (CNS) are rare disorders characterized by inflammation and the selective destruction of CNS myelin. The incidence of this disorder is increasing in developed countries. Nigerian studies on the pediatric population on the subject are very scarce.

Urinothorax and urinoma are rare complications of obstructive uropathy. They might occur due to persistent high back pressure on the renal parenchyma. Urinothorax usually arises while the obstruction exists; in contrast to our case, the child presented after being operated on. He had falsely high creatinine before the operation, which was later explained by creatinine recirculation.

Left-handedness is a condition that reverses the typical left cerebral dominance of motor control to an atypical right dominance. The impact of this distinct control - and its associated neuroanatomical peculiarities - on other cognitive functions such as music processing or playing a musical instrument remains unexplored. Previous studies in right-handed population have linked musicianship to a larger volume in the (right) auditory cortex and a larger volume in the (right) arcuate fasciculus.

BACKGROUND SARS-CoV-2 infection can persist in immunocompromised patients with hematological malignancies, despite antiviral treatment. This report is of a 67-year-old man with chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL), secondary hypogammaglobulinemia, and thrombocytopenia on maintenance therapy with ibrutinib, with persistent SARS-CoV-2 infection unresponsive to antiviral treatment, including remdesivir, nirmatrelvir/ritonavir (Paxlovid), and tixagevimab/cilgavimab (Evusheld). CASE REPORT The patient was admitted to our hospital 3 times. During his first hospitalization, he was treated with 5-day course of remdesivir and intravenous steroids; however, antigen and molecular nasopharyngeal swabs were persistently positive, and he was discharged home. Due to respiratory worsening, he was rehospitalized, and despite being treated initially with tixagevimab/cilgavimab, and subsequently with a remdesivir course of 5 days, SARS-CoV-2 tests remained persistently positive. During his third hospital stay, our patient was subjected to combined therapy with remdesivir and nirmatrelvir/ritonavir for 5 days, obtaining a significant reduction of viral load at both antigen and molecular testing. As an ultimate attempt to achieve a negative status before discharge, a 10-day course of combined remdesivir and nirmatrelvir/ritonavir was administered, with a temporary reduction of viral load, followed by a sudden increase immediately after the discontinuation of Paxlovid. Due to worsening hematological disease and bacterial over-infections, the patient gradually worsened until death. CONCLUSIONS This is an emblematic case of correlation between persistent SARS-CoV-2 infection and immunosuppression status in hematological hosts. In these patients, the viral load remains high, favoring the evolution of the virus, and the immunodeficiency makes it difficult to identify the appropriate therapeutic approach.

The relationship between amyloidosis and vasculature in cognitive impairment and Alzheimer's disease (AD) pathogenesis is increasingly acknowledged. We conducted a quantitative and topographic assessment of retinal perivascular amyloid plaque (AP) distribution in individuals with both normal and impaired cognition. Using a retrospective dataset of scanning laser ophthalmoscopy fluorescence images from twenty-eight subjects with varying cognitive states, we developed a novel image processing method to examine retinal peri-arteriolar and peri-venular curcumin-positive AP burden. We further correlated retinal perivascular amyloidosis with neuroimaging measures and neurocognitive scores. Our study unveiled that peri-arteriolar AP counts surpassed peri-venular counts throughout the entire cohort (P < 0.0001), irrespective of the primary, secondary, or tertiary vascular branch location, with a notable increase among cognitively impaired individuals. Moreover, secondary branch peri-venular AP count was elevated in the cognitively impaired (P < 0.01). Significantly, peri-venular AP count, particularly in secondary and tertiary venules, exhibited a strong correlation with clinical dementia rating, Montreal cognitive assessment score, hippocampal volume, and white matter hyperintensity count. In conclusion, our exploratory analysis detected greater peri-arteriolar versus peri-venular amyloidosis and a marked elevation of amyloid deposition in secondary branch peri-venular regions among cognitively impaired subjects. These findings underscore the potential feasibility of retinal perivascular amyloid imaging in predicting cognitive decline and AD progression. Larger longitudinal studies encompassing diverse populations and AD-biomarker confirmation are warranted to delineate the temporal-spatial dynamics of retinal perivascular amyloid deposition in cognitive impairment and the AD continuum.

Previous studies have highlighted the pivotal role of emotional regulation impairment in the progression of depressive and insomnia disorders, individually. Nevertheless, to date, no study has undertaken a direct comparison of the emotional profiles in individuals experiencing insomnia with or without major depressive episode (MDE). In this study, our objective was to closely examine multiple aspects of emotional regulation among individuals experiencing insomnia, with or without concurrent depression. This descriptive observational study involved 57 participants, comprising 27 individuals with comorbid chronic insomnia and MDE, and 30 with chronic insomnia alone. All participants completed self-questionnaires assessing aspects of emotional regulation: the Affect Intensity Measure (intensity), Affective Lability Scale (lability), Temperament Evaluation of Memphis Pisa Paris and San Diego Autoquestionnaire (temperament), Cognitive Emotion Regulation Questionnaire (cognitive strategies), and Multidimensional Assessment of Thymic States (reactivity). There were statistically significant differences between the group with insomnia with MDE and insomnia without MDE in terms of anxiety/depression lability. Discrepancies also manifested in terms of activation or inhibition in motor activity and motivation. Additionally, a noteworthy variance in cognitive strategies for emotional regulation was observed, specifically in self-blame and catastrophising. From a cognitive perspective, patients with insomnia and a MDE exhibited a greater inclination towards self-blame and catastrophising, in contrast to those with insomnia only. Behaviourally, the former group demonstrated heightened inhibition of motivation and motor activity. These findings underscore the importance of larger-scale investigations to validate these insights and pave the way for clinical prospects centred around emotional regulation, ultimately fostering personalised treatments for insomnia.

BACKGROUND This study aimed to evaluate the morphological characteristics of the anterior maxillary nasopalatine canal and the width of the buccal bone using cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) in 150 adults in Northern Cyprus. MATERIAL AND METHODS The study included 150 participants, and their anterior maxillary morphometric measurements (eg, length of the nasopalatine canal and anteroposterior diameter of the nasal foramen) were taken using CBCT with the scanning parameters of 90 kvP, 24 s, 4 mA, voxel size 0.3 mm, and field of view 10×6 cm. The shapes of the nasopalatine canal (NPC) were categorized into 4 types: cylindrical, hourglass, funnel-shaped, and banana (54%, 20.6%, 18.6%, and 4%, respectively). RESULTS The findings showed a clear link between the shape of the NPC and the horizontal dimensions of the anterior maxilla's morphometric properties. In general, decreased horizontal bone dimensions were found in the premaxilla at the banana- and funnel-shaped type for the nasopalatine canal. Also, the anteroposterior diameter of a nasal foramen in the hourglass shape was significantly larger in diameter than all other shapes. Additionally, the morphology of the nasopalatine canal is influenced by its shape. The sagittal cross-section has shown significant correlations with the sizes of the incisive foramen, nasal foramen, and the length of the nasopalatine canal. CONCLUSIONS The study found a correlation between the shape of the NPC and the horizontal dimensions of the anterior maxilla's anatomy. The measurements of NPC in a North Cyprus population slightly differ from the established standards found in the existing literature. Conducting more extensive studies with a larger number of CBCT images will offer additional insights.

Mesenteric panniculitis is rare, usually idiopathic, caused by inflammation of the fatty tissue of the mesentery, especially in the small intestine. The relation between cancer and mesenteric panniculitis is unclear. In some studies, mesenteric pannicullitis precedes cancer diagnosis; on the other hand, some studies suggest no correlations. Immunotherapeutics have a wide range of side effects; virtually, every system and organ in the body can be affected. Herein, we presented a rare case of mesenteric panniculitis in a patient with larnyngeal cancer as a side effect of nivolumab treatment. The patient was presented with nausea and vomiting and diagnosed with intravenous contrast-enhanced computed tomography and fully recovered with corticosteroid treatment. The case report highlights the importance of noticing rarely seen side effects of immunotherapy which can be treated easily with immunosuppressive agents.

There is a lack of evidence about the experiences of radiographers providing care to people living with dementia (PLWD). This study explored the perceptions and experiences of radiography practitioners when delivering person-centred dementia care (PCDC) in both diagnostic imaging and radiotherapy departments.

This study explores the intricate web of symptoms experienced by academically gifted high school students, focusing on procrastination, rumination, perfectionism, and cognitive flexibility. The well-being of these gifted adolescents remains a pivotal concern, and understanding the dynamics of these symptoms is vital.

Surgical procedures cause a certain level of anxiety in the relatives of the patients, it has been observed that heart surgeries cause more anxiety.

Studies have been conducted to evaluate changes in hemodynamics, postoperative bleeding, and pain in pediatric dental patients receiving general anesthesia (GA). However, a limited number of studies have evaluated the effects of local anesthetics (LA) on tooth extraction procedures during GA. There is no consensus in the literature regarding LA application in the perioperative period for dental treatments performed within the scope of GA.

This study assessed the therapeutic benefits and modeled the cost-effectiveness of oral nutritional supplements (ONS) in China.

Extensive research on Lupeol's potential in cancer prevention highlights its ability to target various cancer-related factors. It regulates proliferative markers, modulates signaling pathways, including PI3K/AKT/mTOR, and influences inflammatory and apoptotic mechanisms. Additionally, Lupeol demonstrates selectivity in killing cancer cells while sparing normal cells, thus minimizing the risk of toxic effects on healthy tissues.

Breast cancer is the most common type of cancer among women. The study of the mechanisms of metastasis, the main cause of death from breast cancer, as well as the search for new markers for early diagnosis and prognosis of breast cancer, is an extremely topical issue. New perspectives in the diagnosis and treatment of breast cancer are opened by the mechanisms of gene regulation involving non-coding RNAs, in particular, long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs). In this work, we analyzed the methylation levels of seven lncRNA genes (MEG3, SEMA3B-AS1, HAND2-AS1, KCNK15-AS1, ZNF667-AS1, MAGI2-AS3, and PLUT) by quantitative methyl-specific PCR on a set of 79 paired (tumor/normal) samples of breast cancer. Hypermethylation of all seven lncRNA genes was revealed, and hypermethylation of HAND2-AS1, KCNK15-AS1, MAGI2-AS3, and PLUT was detected in breast cancer for the first time. It was found that the level of meth ylation of the studied lncRNA genes correlated statistically significantly with the stage of the tumor process, the size of the tumor, and the presence of metastases in the lymph nodes. Thus, methylation of the seven studied lncRNA genes is associated with the development and progression of breast cancer, and these genes can be useful as potential markers in the diagnosis and prognosis of breast cancer.

This study aimed to assess the perceived need among surgical residents to revisit their anatomical knowledge and evaluate their attitude towards integrating clinical anatomists into surgical residency program curriculum.

Increased serum lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) activity is considered as a marker of cellular necrosis and serves as a metabolomic diagnostic marker in several types of cancer including head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC). LDH, an enzyme involved in the glycolytic cycle, is correlated not only with the activation of oncogenes such as HIF-α and Myc, but also with effects such as tumor proliferation and metastasis. Serum alkaline phosphatase (ALP) is a marker of cell differentiation and tumor induction. Albumin-to-alkaline phosphatase ratio (AAPR) could be an advantageous biomarker due to its easily accessible dynamics and cost-effectiveness. Elevated values of AAPR could be associated with longer overall survival (OS) in cases with solid tumors. Diabetes mellitus (DM) could influence the outcome of patients with HNSCC by contributing to insulin resistance and chronic inflammation, and by being involved in various aspects of carcinogenesis, disease progression and metastasis. However, the use of antihyperglycemic medications (metformin) can have beneficial effects by inhibiting tumor metabolic pathways. The biomarker role of LDH and AAPR in HNSCC patients with DM has been less evaluated. The purpose of the study was to assess the prognostic value of pretreatment serum lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) and albumin-to-alkaline phosphatase ratio (AAPR) in predicting the duration of non-surgical oncological treatment and glycemic control in cases of head and neck cancers patients with DM, including cases selected from the database of the oncology clinic and oncology outpatient clinic of the Craiova County Hospital. Both LDH and AAPR can be used as pre-treatment biomarkers predictive of treatment response, or prognostic tools included in complex multi-parametric models in HNC associated with DM. However, given the impact of short-term glycemic control on the LDH level, it is necessary to evaluate these biomarkers after assessing and controlling for DM, and with the recommended cut-off value set around 0.5. Due to the limited number of cases, it is necessary to validate the results in multicentric trials with a larger number of patients (Tab. 5, Ref. 50). Keywords: diabetes mellitus, HNC, LDH, AAPR, biomarkers, predictive, head and neck cancers, lactate dehydrogenase, albumin-to-alkaline phosphatase ratio.

The "hygiene hypothesis" states that reduced exposure to microbial antigens due to an excessively hygienic environment can increase the risk of developing autoimmune diseases, including atopic disorders and asthma. In recent decades, there has been a progressive decline in the prevalence of numerous microorganisms following improved hygienic-sanitary conditions. More specifically, several studies reported an inverse association between the reduction in Helicobacter pylori infection and the rise of asthma and allergic disorders.

A retrospective analysis of invasive and metastatic hydatidiform moles (HM) in the Slovak Republic (SR)‒epidemiology, patient characteristics and treatment outcomes.

This study aimed to assess the mortality and prognosis of acute myocardial infarction (AMI) patients with out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) initially admitted to Department of Anesthesiology and Intensive Care in comparison with patients initially admitted to Cardiac Centre (CC).

Astrocytes undergo morphological and molecular changes in response to numerous pathological conditions.

True aneurysm of the radial artery is very rare. Aneurysmal expansion of arteries due to degenerative changes, possibly infections, primarily affects the abdominal and thoracic aorta, intra and extracranial sections of cerebral arteries, popliteal artery, and visceral arteries. Published literature does not address the aneurysm on the distal sections of the arteries of upper or lower limb. Unlike the classic symptoms of aneurysmally altered arteries such as rupture, thrombosis and embolization, we encounter more often vascular compression syndrome in distal peripheral aneurysms. We demonstrate the case management of a patient with over 20 years increasing wrist resistance. A fusiform aneurysm of the distal section of the radial artery was identified by sonography. Under general anesthesia, we performed aneurysm resection and artery reconstruction using an interpositum from the ipsilateral cephalic vein. The histological examination of the resected tissue confirmed the presence of all three layers of the vascular wall, confirming the true aneurysm of the radial artery. No complications developed in the patient in the postoperative period and all problems related to the aneurysm subsided (Fig. 4, Ref. 23). Keywords: aneurysm, arteria radialis, surgical reconstruction.

Little is known about how the timing of antidepressant use influences stroke outcomes. Previous research shows conflicting results on the impact of a new antidepressant prescription on stroke recovery.

The PI3K protein is involved in the PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathway. Deregulation of this pathway through PIK3CA mutation is common in various tumors. The aim of this work is to identify hotspot mutation at exons 9 and 20 in Tunisian patients with sporadic or hereditary breast cancer.

Malnutrition is a global health problem that is not limited to developing countries. So far, it is one of the underdiagnosed and curative medical problems. THE AIM of our observation was to evaluate the nutritional status of patients at risk of malnutrition.

Although clinical machine learning (ML) algorithms offer promising potential in forecasting optimal stroke rehabilitation outcomes, their specific capacity to ascertain favorable outcomes and identify responders to robotic-assisted gait training (RAGT) in individuals with hemiparetic stroke undergoing such intervention remains unexplored.