A straightforward method for assessing the technical image quality of reconstructed and synthetic 2D images for Digital breast tomosynthesis systems.

Purpose: Digital Breast Tomosynthesis (DBT) is an advanced mammography technique for which there are currently no internationally agreed methods and reference values for image quality assessment. The aim of this multicentre study was to evaluate a simple method to assess the technical image quality of reconstructed and synthetic 2D (SM) images of different models of DBT systems using commercially available phantoms.

Methods: The signal difference to noise ratio (SDNR) was chosen as an index of technical image quality and was evaluated for three commercial phantoms, Tomophan, Tormam and CIRS model 015, on 55 DBT systems (six vendors, nine models).

The Melanocyte and Nerve Fiber Cross-Talk, Facilitated Also by Semaphorin-4A, Enhances UV-B-Induced Melanogenesis.

Epidermal melanocytes form synaptic-like contacts with cutaneous nerve fibers, but the functional outcome of these connections remains elusive. In this pilot study we used our fully humanized re-innervated skin organ culture model to investigate melanocyte-nerve fiber interactions in UV-B-induced melanogenesis. UV-B-irradiation significantly enhanced melanin content and tyrosinase activity in re-innervated skin compared to non-innervated controls, indicating that neuronal presence is essential for exacerbating pigmentation upon UV-B irradiation in long-term culture.

Are there atypical sites of IgG4 related disease in head and neck region? Personal experience and literature review.

Purpose: Immunoglobulin G4-related disease (IgG4-RD) is a complex systemic fibroinflammatory condition with different clinical manifestations affecting multiple organ systems. Despite its rarity, the disease presents diagnostic and therapeutic challenges due to its mimicry of malignancies and other immune-mediated disorders. The 2019 American College of Rheumatology/European League Against Rheumatism Classification Criteria for IgG4-Related Disease is the current state of art to confirm the diagnosis of IgG4-RD even in the absence of histological analysis.

The Interaction of Apical Periodontitis, Cigarette Smoke, and Alcohol Consumption on Liver Antioxidant Status in Rats.

This study aimed to investigate the impact of alcohol (A), secondhand cigarette smoking (ShS), and their combined effect on liver antioxidant activity and hepatic damage in rats with induced apical periodontitis (AP). Thirty-five female Wistar rats were randomly allocated into five groups (n = 7): (1) control (rats without ShS, alcoholic diet, or AP), (2) control-AP (induced AP only), (3) ShS-AP (ShS exposure and induced AP), (4) A-AP (alcoholic diet and induced AP), and (5) A+ShS-AP (alcoholic diet, ShS exposure, and induced AP). Alcohol was administered through semi-voluntary intake, while ShS exposure involved the daily inhalation of cigarette smoke.

CCL3 predicts exceptional response to TGFβ inhibition in basal-like pancreatic cancer enriched in LIF-producing macrophages.

The TGFβ receptor inhibitor galunisertib showed promising efficacy in patients with pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) in the phase 2 H9H-MC-JBAJ study. Identifying biomarkers for this treatment remains essential. Baseline plasma levels of chemokine CCL3 were integrated with clinical outcomes in PDAC patients treated with galunisertib plus gemcitabine (n = 104) or placebo plus gemcitabine (n = 52).

Long-term Implant Maintenance: A Systematic Review of Home and Professional Care Strategies in Supportive Implant Therapy.

Unlabelled: The aim of this study is review the efficacy of different techniques of home care and professional care for long-term implant maintenance, when compared with their respective standard procedures (regular brushing or mechanical debridement with curette), in changing clinical parameters, such as bleeding on probing, probing depth, plaque score and gingival index, as reported in randomized clinical trials.

Materials And Methods: A systematic literature search of randomized clinical trials was performed using the PubMed (MEDLINE), EMBASE and Cochrane library databases. A qualitative review was conducted to compare all the different techniques of home care and professional care for long-term implant maintenance.

Impact of Preprocessing Parameters in Medical Imaging-Based Radiomic Studies: A Systematic Review.

Background: Lately, radiomic studies featuring the development of a signature to use in prediction models in diagnosis or prognosis outcomes have been increasingly published. While the results are shown to be promising, these studies still have many pitfalls and limitations. One of the main issues of these studies is that radiomic features depend on how the images are preprocessed before their computation.

Effectiveness of a new 3D printed simulator for mitral transcatheter edge-to-edge repair in enhancing the confidence and procedural skills of the operator.

Background: . Mitral transcatheter edge-to-edge repair (m-TEER) is a minimally invasive procedure for treating mitral regurgitation (MR). m-TEER is a highly technical procedure, and a steep learning curve needs to be overcome for operators to ensure optimal patient outcomes and minimise procedural complications.

Analysis of physical traits, clinical parameters, and energy metabolism of in vivo- and in vitro-derived Flemish newborn calves during the first day of life.

Studies investigating physiological deviations from normality in newborn calves derived from in vitro fertilization procedures remain important for the understanding of factors that reduce calf survival after birth. The aim of this study was to investigate parameters affecting health and welfare of newborn Flemish calves derived from in vitro embryo production (IVP) in the first hours of life in comparison to in vivo-derived calves. Physical traits of newborn calves and fetal membranes (FM) were recorded soon after birth.

Combinatorial actions of IL-22 and IL-17 drive optimal immunity to oral candidiasis through SPRRs.

Oropharyngeal candidiasis (OPC) is the most common human fungal infection, arising typically from T cell immune impairments. IL-17 and IL-22 contribute individually to OPC responses, but here we demonstrate that the combined actions of both cytokines are essential for resistance to OPC. Mice lacking IL-17RA and IL-22RA1 exhibited high fungal loads in esophagus- and intestinal tract, severe weight loss, and symptoms of colitis.

Inter-software reliability and agreement for follicular and luteal morphometric and echotextural ultrasonographic parameters in beef cattle.

This study aimed to compare the inter-software and inter-observer reliability and agreement for the assessment of follicular and luteal morphometry and echotexture parameters in beef crossbreed females (3/8 Bos taurus indicus and 5/8 Bos taurus taurus). B-mode and color Doppler ultrasonographic ovarian images were obtained at specific time points of estradiol-progesterone-based protocols for timed artificial insemination (TAI). Sonograms were analyzed by two observers using a licensed (IASP1) and an open access (IASP2) software package.

Nonperturbative Fluorogenic Labeling of Immunophilins Enables the Wash-free Detection of Immunosuppressants.

Immunosuppressants are clinically approved drugs to treat the potential rejection of transplanted organs and require frequent monitoring due to their narrow therapeutic window. Immunophilins are small proteins that bind immunosuppressants with high affinity, yet there are no examples of fluorogenic immunophilins and their potential application as optical biosensors for immunosuppressive drugs in clinical biosamples. In the present work, we designed novel diazonium BODIPY salts for the site-specific labeling of tyrosine residues in peptides via solid-phase synthesis as well as for late-stage functionalization of whole recombinant proteins.

Physical and dosimetric characterisation of different Contrast-Enhanced digital mammographic systems: A multicentric study.

Purpose: Contrast-enhanced digital mammography (CEDM) is a relatively new imaging technique recombining low- and high-energy mammograms to emphasise iodine contrast. This work aims to perform a multicentric physical and dosimetric characterisation of four state-of-the-art CEDM systems.

Methods: We evaluated tube output, half-value-layer (HVL) for low- and high-energy and average glandular dose (AGD) in a wide range of equivalent breast thicknesses.

Primary third eyelid lymphoma with aggressive local behavior in a dog.

Lymphoma is the most common hematopoietic neoplasm in dogs. However, cases primarily involving the third eyelid are rarely reported in the species. The subtype most frequently described in this location is marginal zone lymphoma of the mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue, which has an indolent behavior.

Pathological findings and patterns of feline infectious peritonitis in the respiratory tract of cats.

Feline infectious peritonitis (FIP) is an important cause of death in cats. Thoracic manifestations are less common than abdominal manifestations, and FIP-associated respiratory disease is poorly documented. This study aimed to investigate pathological findings in the respiratory tract of cats with FIP and the occurrence and distribution of feline coronavirus antigen in the respiratory tract using immunohistochemistry.

A Bispecific, Tetravalent Antibody Targeting Inflammatory and Pruritogenic Pathways in Atopic Dermatitis.

Inhibition of IL-4/IL-13 signaling has dramatically improved the treatment of atopic dermatitis (AD). However, in many patients, clinical responses are slow to develop and remain modest. Indeed, some symptoms of AD are dependent on IL-31, which is only partially reduced by IL-4/IL-13 inhibition.

Typical values of z-resolution for different Digital Breast Tomosynthesis systems evaluated in a multicenter study.

Purpose: The aim of the present study, conducted by a working group of the Italian Association of Medical Physics (AIFM), was to define typical z-resolution values for different digital breast tomosynthesis (DBT) models to be used as a reference for quality control (QC). Currently, there are no typical values published in internationally agreed QC protocols.

Methods: To characterize the z-resolution of the DBT models, the full width at half maximum (FWHM) of the artifact spread function (ASF), a technical parameter that quantifies the signal intensity of a detail along reconstructed planes, was analyzed.

CCL18, CHI3L1, ANG2, IL-6 systemic levels are associated with the extent of lung damage and radiomic features in SARS-CoV-2 infection.

Objective And Design: We aimed to identify cytokines whose concentrations are related to lung damage, radiomic features, and clinical outcomes in COVID-19 patients.

Material Or Subjects: Two hundred twenty-six patients with SARS-CoV-2 infection and chest computed tomography (CT) images were enrolled.

Methods: CCL18, CHI3L1/YKL-40, GAL3, ANG2, IP-10, IL-10, TNFα, IL-6, soluble gp130, soluble IL-6R were quantified in plasma samples using Luminex assays.

Comparing accuracy of tomosynthesis plus digital mammography or synthetic 2D mammography in breast cancer screening: baseline results of the MAITA RCT consortium.

Aim: The analyses here reported aim to compare the screening performance of digital tomosynthesis (DBT) versus mammography (DM).

Methods: MAITA is a consortium of four Italian trials, REtomo, Proteus, Impeto, and MAITA trial. The trials adopted a two-arm randomised design comparing DBT plus DM (REtomo and Proteus) or synthetic-2D (Impeto and MAITA trial) versus DM; multiple vendors were included.

Efficacy of a novel three-step decontamination protocol for titanium-based dental implants: An in vitro and in vivo study.

Aim: The aim of the study was to evaluate several mechanical and chemical decontamination methods associated with a newly introduced biofilm matrix disruption strategy for biofilm cleaning and preservation of implant surface features.

Materials And Methods: Titanium (Ti) discs were obtained by additive manufacturing. Polymicrobial biofilm-covered Ti disc surfaces were decontaminated with mechanical [Ti curette, Teflon curette, Ti brush, water-air jet device, and Er:YAG laser] or chemical [iodopovidone (PVPI) 0.