CARDBiomedBench: A Benchmark for Evaluating Large Language Model Performance in Biomedical Research.

Backgrounds: Biomedical research requires sophisticated understanding and reasoning across multiple specializations. While large language models (LLMs) show promise in scientific applications, their capability to safely and accurately support complex biomedical research remains uncertain.

Methods: We present , a novel question-and-answer benchmark for evaluating LLMs in biomedical research.

MR-Guided Adaptive Radiotherapy in Localized Prostate Cancer.

MR-guided radiotherapy (MRgRT) is novel treatment modality in Radiation Oncology that could allow a higher precision and tolerability of Radiation Treatments. This modality is possible due to dedicated systems consisting of a MR scanner mounted on a conventional linac and software that permit daily online treatment plan adaptation. Prostate cancer (PC) is one of the most common malignancies in RO clinical practice and currently under investigation with this new technology.

Clinical relevance of macromolecular complexes involving integrins, potassium and sodium ion channels and the sodium/proton antiporter in human breast cancer.

Background: Mounting evidence underline the relevance of macromolecular complexes in cancer. Integrins frequently recruit ion channels and transporters within complexes which behave as signaling hubs. A complex composed by β1 integrin, hERG1 K channel, the neonatal form of the Na channel Na 1.

Pulsed Field Ablation in the Elderly via a Pentaspline Multielectrode Catheter: Safety, Efficacy, and Comparison with Cryoballoon and Radiofrequency Devices.

Background: Catheter ablation is an effective treatment for atrial fibrillation (AF). Pulsed field ablation (PFA) has emerged as a novel energy modality, which relies on high-voltage electric fields to achieve cardiac tissue ablation. Data on its efficacy in the elderly are scarce.

Neurotropic Tick-Borne Flavivirus in Alpine Chamois (), Austria, 2017, Italy, 2023.

The European subtype of tick-borne encephalitis virus (TBEV-Eur; species , family ) was the only tick-borne flavivirus present in central Europe known to cause neurologic disease in humans and several animal species. Here, we report a tick-borne flavivirus isolated from Alpine chamois () with encephalitis and attached ticks, present over a wide area in the Alps. Cases were detected in 2017 in Salzburg, Austria, and 2023 in Lombardy and Piedmont, Italy.

Unexpected Clinically Relevant Findings Detected via Computed Tomography in Patients with Severe Aortic Stenosis Who Are Candidates for Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement.

The detection of unexpected findings (UF) during CT scans of patients undergoing TAVR is frequent; however, it is unclear whether such findings have a clinical impact on the TAVR pathway. We conducted a retrospective, single-center observational study enrolling patients who were candidates for TAVR. All enrolled patients underwent a CT scan before valve implantation.

Biomarkers of Intrathecal Synthesis May Be Associated with Cognitive Impairment at MS Diagnosis.

The pathophysiology of cognitive impairment (CI) in multiple sclerosis (MS) remains unclear. Meningeal B cell aggregates may contribute to cortical grey matter pathology. Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), kappa free light chains (KFLC), and KFLCs-Index (kappa-Index) are reliable quantitative markers of intrathecal synthesis, but few data have been presented exploring the association with CI, and no data are present for lambda FLC (LFLC) in MS.

Serum Lipids Alterations in Patients Under Systemic JAK Inhibitors Treatments in Dermatology: Clinical Aspects and Management.

: Janus kinase inhibitors (JAKi) have significantly advanced the treatment of various dermatological conditions by modulating the JAK-STAT signalling pathway. While these inhibitors have proven effective, they also pose challenges due to associated increase in serum lipid levels and relative potential cardiovascular risks. This perspective work aims to discuss the implications of these lipid alterations proposing management strategies for patients with dermatological disorders under JAKi treatments.

Adolescents with Persistent Symptoms Following Acute SARS-CoV-2 Infection (Long-COVID): Symptom Profile, Clustering and Follow-Up Symptom Evaluation.

Background: Few studies have evaluated long-COVID in adolescents.

Methods: Cohort study. Demographics, clinical data, and the presence of 30 symptoms were collected with a modified WHO form.

Real-Life Experience with Tildrakizumab in Plaque Psoriasis with Palmoplantar Involvement: A Multi-Center Retrospective Italian Study.

Introduction: Palmoplantar psoriasis (PPp) has a profound negative impact on patients' quality of life, and it represents a therapeutic challenge, as palms and soles are difficult to treat area. Although the efficacy profile of tildrakizumab has been well evaluated in the literature, data on its use for PPp are still limited. The objective of the study was to evaluate the efficacy and safety of tildrakizumab on moderate-to-severe plaque psoriasis with involvement of the palmoplantar area.

Validation of a Monte Carlo-based dose calculation engine including the 1.5 T magnetic field for independent dose-check in MRgRT.

Purpose: Adaptive MRgRT by 1.5 T MR-linac requires independent verification of the plan-of-the-day by the primary TPS (Monaco) (M). Here we validated a Monte Carlo-based dose-check including the magnetostatic field, SciMoCa (S).

The paradoxical GH response at OGTT does not predict Pasireotide efficacy but matters for glucose metabolism.

Purpose: A paradoxical increase in GH after oral glucose load (GH-Par) characterizes about one-third of acromegaly patients and is associated with a better response to first-generation somatostatin receptor ligands (fg-SRLs). Pasireotide is typically considered as a second-/third-line treatment. Here, we investigated the predictive role of GH-Par in pasireotide response and adverse event development.

Is core decompression and bone marrow concentrate with demineralized bone matrix and platelet-rich fibrin suitable for treating femoral head osteonecrosis?

The aim of this article is to determine the safety and efficacy of core decompression (CD) combined with injection of autologous bone marrow concentrate (BMC), demineralized bone matrix (DBM), and platelet-rich fibrin (PRF) for treating femoral head osteonecrosis. Seventy-seven patients (53 males and 24 females) for a total of 87 hips were treated for hip osteonecrosis with CD combined with injection of autologous BMC, DBM, and PRF at Rizzoli Orthopedic Institute from September 2008 to December 2019. Patients were assessed at baseline, at 45 days, and at 3, 6, 12, 24, and 36 months postoperatively.

MaveDB 2024: a curated community database with over seven million variant effects from multiplexed functional assays.

Multiplexed assays of variant effect (MAVEs) are a critical tool for researchers and clinicians to understand genetic variants. Here we describe the 2024 update to MaveDB ( https://www.mavedb.

A generalizable normative deep autoencoder for brain morphological anomaly detection: application to the multi-site StratiBip dataset on bipolar disorder in an external validation framework.

The heterogeneity of psychiatric disorders makes researching disorder-specific neurobiological markers an ill-posed problem. Here, we face the need for disease stratification models by presenting a generalizable multivariate normative modelling framework for characterizing brain morphology, applied to bipolar disorder (BD). We used deep autoencoders in an anomaly detection framework, combined for the first time with a confounder removal step that integrates training and external validation.

A new model of experimental diabetic cardiomyopathy using combination of multiple doses of anomer-equilibrated streptozotocin and high fat diet: sex matters.

Diabetes mellitus (DM) leads to a more rapid development of DM cardiomyopathy (dbCM) and progression to heart failure in women than men. Combination of high-fat diet (HFD) and freshly-injected streptozotocin (STZ) has been widely used for DM induction, however emerging data shows that anomer-equilibrated STZ produces an early onset and robust DM model. We designed a novel protocol utilising a combination of multiple doses of anomer-equilibrated STZ injections and HFD to develop a stable murine DM model featuring dbCM analogous to humans.

The risk of failure of subcutaneous implantable cardioverter defibrillator therapy: from PRAETORIAN score to clinical practice.

Background: The subcutaneous implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (S-ICD) is an alternative to traditional ICDs. The PRAETORIAN score, based on chest radiographs, has been validated to predict the probability of successful S-ICD defibrillation testing by assessing factors like fat thickness between the coil and sternum and generator placement.

Objective: This study evaluated the correlation between the PRAETORIAN score and clinical characteristics, as well as implantation variables.

Which is easier for beginners: supine or prone position percutaneous nephrolithotomy? Assessment of the learning curve in novice urologists through a randomized clinical trial.

Background: Percutaneous nephrolithotomy (PCNL) could be performed in both prone and supine positions. Each position has its own advantages and disadvantages. "Learning curve" is a graph that represents progress of a skill against the time needed to master the technique.

Transforming sludge into energy: impact of blend percentage on energy recovery potential and environmental benefits of co-combustion of wastewater sludge and coal in Brazil.

Proper waste management and sustainable energy production are crucial for human development. For this purpose, this study evaluates the impact of blending percentage on energy recovery potential and environmental benefits of co-combustion of wastewater sludge and Brazilian low-rank coal. The sludge and coal were characterised in terms of their potential as fuel and co-combustion tests were carried out in a pilot-scale bubbling fluidised bed focused on the influence of the percentage of sludge mixture on the behaviour of co-combustion with coal in terms of flue gas composition and fluidised bed temperature stability.

Prognostic Value of Signal Abnormalities on Brain MRI in Post-Anoxic Super-Refractory Status Epilepticus: A Single-Center Retrospective Study.

Background: Epileptiform activity, including status epilepticus (SE), occurs in up to one-third of comatose survivors of cardiac arrest and may predict poor outcome. The relationship between SE and hypoxic-ischemic brain injury (HIBI) is not established.

Methods: This is a single-center retrospective study on consecutive patients with post-anoxic super-refractory SE.

Intra-articular injection of inorganic pyrophosphate improves IL-1β-induced cartilage damage in rat model of knee osteoarthritis in vivo.

Objective: Osteoarthritis (OA) is the most common form of chronic joint disease, affecting mainly the elderly population. This disorder is caused by cartilage degeneration with complex changes in the chondrocyte phenotype. Inorganic pyrophosphate (PPi) was shown to counteract the detrimental effect of interleukin (IL)-1β challenging in an in vitro OA model based on rat articular chondrocytes.

Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension Incidence in Scleroderma Patients Treated with Bosentan for Digital Ulcers: Evidence from the Italian SPRING Registry.

Objective: Bosentan (BOS) is approved for treating pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) and preventing digital ulcers (DU) in systemic sclerosis (SSc). Our study aimed to evaluate whether BOS prescribed for DU could reduce the incidence of PAH in a large SSc cohort from the SPRING registry.

Methods: Patients with SSc from the SPRING registry, meeting ACR/EULAR 2013 classification criteria with data on PAH onset, DU status, BOS exposure, and at least a one-year follow-up between 2015 and 2020, and no known PAH at baseline were included.

The border effect in diamond microdosimeters and its impact on hadron therapy applications.

The increasing interest in hadron therapy has heightened the need for accurate and reliable methods to assess radiation quality and the biological effectiveness of particles used in treatment. Microdosimetry has emerged as a key tool for this, demonstrating its potential, reliability, and suitability. In this context, solid-state microdosimeters offer technological advantages over traditional tissue-equivalent proportional counters, and recent advancements have further improved their performance and reliability.