Cognitive impacts of unilateral MR-guided focused ultrasound thalamotomy: a meta-analysis and a call for systematic neuropsychological assessment.

Objective: Pharmacoresistant tremors, often seen in Parkinson disease and essential tremor, significantly impair patient quality of life. Although deep brain stimulation has been effective, its invasive nature limits its applicability. MR-guided focused ultrasound (MRgFUS) thalamotomy offers a noninvasive alternative, but its cognitive impacts are not fully understood.

Compliance with care standards and professional knowledge of operating theatre personnel before, during and after laparoscopic bariatric surgery: A study in public hospitals in Iran.

Introduction: By adhering to care standards, many adverse outcomes for patients, such as pressure injuries, tissue necrosis and patient falls, can be prevented. The aim of this study was to investigate the level of compliance with care standards before, during and after various types of bariatric surgeries.

Materials And Methods: This study was a cross-sectional descriptive study conducted in the operating theatres of selected teaching hospitals in Isfahan (Iran).

Sparse Spike Feature Learning to Recognize Traceable Interictal Epileptiform Spikes.

Interictal epileptiform spikes (spikes) and epileptogenic focus are strongly correlated. However, partial spikes are insensitive to epileptogenic focus, which restricts epilepsy neurosurgery. Therefore, identifying spike subtypes that are strongly associated with epileptogenic focus (traceable spikes) could facilitate their use as reliable signal sources for accurately tracing epileptogenic focus.

Gastrointestinal calciphylaxis: a rare and devastating complication in end-stage kidney disease.

Calciphylaxis, also known as calcific uremic arteriolopathy, is a rare and severe condition that predominantly affects individuals with end-stage kidney disease (ESKD). It manifests through vascular calcifications that precipitate tissue necrosis, with cutaneous manifestations being common. However, gastrointestinal involvement is an infrequent but gravely serious occurrence.

Enhanced ADHD classification through deep learning and dynamic resting state fMRI analysis.

Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is characterized by deficits in attention, hyperactivity, and/or impulsivity. Resting-state functional connectivity analysis has emerged as a promising approach for ADHD classification using resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (rs-fMRI), although with limited accuracy. Recent studies have highlighted dynamic changes in functional connectivity patterns among ADHD children.

LINC00365 as a potential biomarker for total nephrectomy in advanced-stage renal cell carcinoma patients.

Background: Renal cell carcinoma (RCC) is one of the most frequent urological cancers globally that has a good prognosis in the early tumor stages. However, there is a poor prognosis in metastatic RCC patients. Therefore, it is needed to evaluate the molecular biology of RCC progression to introduce the efficient diagnostic and therapeutic markers in these patients.

Association between IL-6 -174 G/C (rs1800795) and IL-1A -889 C/T (rs1800587) cytokine variants with polycystic ovary syndrome in Iranian women: A case-control study.

Background And Aim: Infertility in women has various causes, one of which is ovulation disorders. Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) affecting ovulation is a complex idiopathic disease in which genetic polymorphisms may be involved. This study aimed to investigate the relationship between IL-6 -174 G/C and IL-1A -889 G/A cytokine polymorphisms with polycystic ovary syndrome in a population of Iranian women.

Incidence of anxiety after traumatic brain injury: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Background: Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is defined as acquired cerebral damage caused by an external mechanical impact, which has the potential to lead to transient or enduring debilitation. TBI is associated with many forms of long-lasting psychiatric conditions, including anxiety disorders. As anxiety is highly debilitating by causing impaired social functioning and decreased quality of life for the afflicted, especially in the form of anxiety disorders such as generalized anxiety disorder, certain efforts have been made to explore the factors associated with it, and one such factor is TBI.

Subject-specific atlas for automatic brain tissue segmentation of neonatal magnetic resonance images.

Developing advanced systems for 3D brain tissue segmentation from neonatal magnetic resonance (MR) images is vital for newborn structural analysis. However, automatic segmentation of neonatal brain tissues is challenging due to smaller head size and inverted T1/T2 tissue contrast compared to adults. In this work, a subject-specific atlas based technique is presented for segmentation of gray matter (GM), white matter (WM), and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) from neonatal MR images.

Are we ready to cure post-stroke cognitive impairment? Many key prerequisites can be achieved quickly and easily.

Purpose: Post-stroke (PS) cognitive impairment (CI) is frequent and its devastating functional and vital consequences are well known. Despite recent guidelines, they are still largely neglected. A large number of recent studies have re-examined the epidemiology, diagnosis, imaging determinants and management of PSCI.

Architecture and anatomy of executive processes: evidence from verbal fluency and Trail Making Test in 2009 stroke patients.

Objectives: The few voxel-wise lesion-symptom mapping (VLSM) studies aimed at identifying the anatomy of executive function are limited by the absence of a model and by small populations. Using Trail Making Test (TMT) and verbal fluency and a model of their architectures, our objective was to identify the key structures underlying two major executive processes, set-shifting and strategic word search.

Methods: We applied a validated VLSM analysis to harmonized cognitive and imaging data from 2009 ischemic stroke patients as a part of the Meta VCI Map consortium.

Heat moisture treatment and ultrasound-induced hydrothermal wheat starch modification: Techno-functional, microstructural and quality 3D printed characteristics.

In this study, the effect of hydrothermal process, ultrasound and combined freezing-ultrasound process on the physical and structural characteristics of wheat starch (Triticum aestivum) was investigated. Two heat-moisture treatments for 2 h (HMT2) and 4 h (HMT4), high-intensity, high-frequency ultrasound under two treatment times (10 to 20 min) (UT10 and UT20) as pre-treatment and sonication after freezing as post-treatment (FUT) on wheat starch suspension was applied. The modifications of starch crystallinity, chemical bonds of starch treated, morphology, thermal, swelling, pasting, and physicochemical characteristics were evaluated.

Poststroke cognitive outcome is better accounted for by white matter abnormalities automated segmentation than visual analysis.

Background And Aims: The association between white matter abnormalities (WMA) and cognitive decline previously reported in poststroke patients has been mainly documented using visual scales. However, automated segmentation of WMA provides a precise determination of the volume of WMA. Nonetheless, it is rarely used in the stroke population and its potential advantage over visual scales is still unsettled.

Severe lupus pneumonitis: A case of life-saving multimodal therapy with rituximab and corticosteroids.

Severe lupus pneumonitis is a rare and life-threatening complication of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), characterized by its rapid progression and high mortality rate. This case report describes the clinical trajectory and therapeutic management of a young Aboriginal female with established lupus nephritis who developed severe lupus pneumonitis. Despite her stable renal condition under long-term immunosuppressive treatment, she experienced acute respiratory distress, leading to her admission to the intensive care unit and subsequent mechanical ventilation.

STAT protein family and cardiovascular diseases: overview of pathological mechanisms and therapeutic implications.

Globally, cardiovascular diseases (CVD) are one of the significant causes of death and are considered a major concern of human society. One of the most crucial objectives of scientists is to reveal the mechanisms associated with the pathogenesis of CVD, which has attracted the attention of many scientists. Accumulating evidence showed that the signal transducer and activator of transcription (STAT) signaling pathway is involved in various physiological and pathological processes.

Flexible-Center Hat Complete Electrode Model for EEG Forward Problem.

Objective: This study aims to develop a more realistic electrode model by incorporating the non-uniform distribution of electrode contact conductance (ECC) and the shunting effects, to accurately solve EEG forward problem (FP).

Methods: Firstly, a hat function is introduced to construct a more realistic hat-shaped distribution (HD) for ECC. Secondly, this hat function is modified by applying two parameters - offset ratio and offset direction - to account for the variability in ECC's center and to develop the flexible-center HD (FCHD).

A Comparison of the Effects of Chlorhexidine and Sodium Bicarbonate Mouthwashes on COVID-19-Related Symptoms.

Background: Some studies have reported that mouthwashes can decrease the viral load in the mouth, but there is not much information about the effectiveness of mouthwashes on coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). This study was conducted to compare the impact of using two types of mouthwash, chlorhexidine and sodium bicarbonate, on COVID-19 symptoms and infection.

Materials And Methods: The present three-group, double-blind clinical trial examined 116 operating room nurses and anesthesia personnel of certain hospitals of Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran.

Age-related differences in structural and resting-state functional brain network organization across the adult lifespan: A cross-sectional study.

We investigated age-related trends in the topology and hierarchical organization of brain structural and functional networks using diffusion-weighted imaging and resting-state fMRI data from a large cohort of healthy aging adults. At the cross-modal level, we explored age-related patterns in the RC involvement of different functional subsystems using a high-resolution functional parcellation. We further assessed age-related differences in the structure-function coupling as well as the network vulnerability to damage to rich club connectivity.

The Effect of Soundproof Headphones During Orthopedic Surgery Under Spinal Anesthesia on Patients' Physiological Indices and Duration of Recovery: A Randomized, Controlled, Clinical Trial.

Purpose: With spinal anesthesia, the patient remains awake and may hear different noises when undergoing orthopedic surgery, and these noises may lead to some discomfort. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of wearing soundproof headphones during orthopedic surgery under spinal anesthesia on the patients' physiological indices and duration of recovery.

Design: This was a randomized clinical trial with a control group.

Examining workload variations among different surgical team roles, specialties, and techniques: a multicenter cross-sectional descriptive study.

Background: A high workload may negatively impact the surgical team's performance and jeopardize patient safety. The aim of this study was to measure the workload of the surgical team across different surgical roles, specialties, and techniques in several hospitals.

Methods: This cross-sectional multicenter study was performed in the operating rooms of eight teaching hospitals affiliated with Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Iran.

Development and implementation of an intraoperative documentation protocol for enhancing patient safety in the operating room: A mixed methods protocol study.

Background: Documentation is an important part of the patient care process; however, there is no regular program for documenting intraoperative care in Iran. This study was conducted to design an intraoperative documentation for enhancing patient safety in the operating room (OR).

Materials And Methods: This exploratory, mixed-methods, qualitative-quantitative study (in 2021) consists of four phases.

Mixed cryoglobulinaemia vasculitis secondary to marginal zone lymphoma in a patient with end-stage renal failure on haemodialysis.

Cryoglobulinaemia vasculitis can present with a variety of symptoms and there is limited data on the incidence and presentation of cryoglobulinaemia vasculitis in haemodialysis patients. We report a case of a 63-year-old male who had a series of presentations with rash, visual changes, abdominal pain, weight loss, fevers and digital ischaemia. This is on a background of a congenital single kidney with end-stage renal failure secondary to diabetes and hypertension, receiving haemodialysis for nearly 5 years.