Symptom Reporting in Patients with Primary Biliary Cholangitis: Higher Burden of Symptoms detection using an interactive App.

Introduction: Primary Biliary Cholangitis (PBC) is a chronic autoimmune liver disease causing bile duct destruction and inflammation, impacting patient quality of life (QoL) due to variable symptoms. Digital symptom-tracker apps may improve patient care through enhanced monitoring. This feasibility study reassessed symptom burden in PBC patients using a tailored symptom-tracker app, focusing on its usability, effectiveness, and impact on management and QoL.

Complications and blood loss after invasive treatments for small renal masses: A systematic review.

Introduction: This systematic review and meta-analysis provides estimates of major complications and blood loss for open partial nephrectomy, conventional laparoscopic partial nephrectomy, and robot-assisted partial nephrectomy. Additionally, it outlines the incidence of major complications associated with percutaneous thermal ablation in patients with small renal masses.

Methods: We searched MEDLINE, EMBASE, and CINAHL from inception to the end of July 2023.

A Case of a Rheumatoid Arthritis Patient on Newly Initiated Tumor Necrosis Factor Inhibitor Treatment Developing Granulomatosis With Polyangiitis Vasculitis: A Conundrum About Disease Overlap or Drug-Induced Vasculitis.

Granulomatosis with polyangiitis (GPA) is a necrotizing vasculitides subset of antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibody (ANCA)-associated vasculitis (AAVs) that involves small-sized arteries affecting multisystemic organs. Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic autoimmune disease characterized by inflammatory polyarthritis involving the small joints. GPA and RA can have overlapping clinical presentations, including vasculitis, ocular inflammation, interstitial lung disease, and arthritis, but existing evidence indicates they are distinct conditions.

The specialized inner ear labyrinth of worm-lizards (Amphisbaenia: Squamata).

High-resolution computed tomography (HRCT) has become a widely used tool for studying the inner ear morphology of vertebrates. Amphisbaenians are one of the most specialized groups of fossorial reptiles but are poorly understood relative to other squamate reptile. In this paper we survey the anatomy of the inner and middle ear of these fossorial reptiles using HRCT models and we describe qualitatively and quantitatively (using 3D morphometrics) the anatomy of the inner ear.

Clinical Tools to Assess Functional Capacity During Risk Assessment Before Elective Noncardiac Surgery : A Scoping Review.

Background: Functional capacity is critical to preoperative risk assessment, yet guidance on its measurement in clinical practice remains lacking.

Purpose: To identify functional capacity assessment tools studied before surgery and characterize the extent of evidence regarding performance, including in populations where assessment is confounded by noncardiopulmonary reasons.

Data Sources: MEDLINE, EMBASE, and EBM Reviews (until July 2024).

Phylogeography of the Colombian water snake Amaral, 1938 (Reptilia, Squamata, Dipsadidae) with comments on the systematics and evolution of the genus Wagler, 1828.

The genus Wagler, 1828 comprises 20 species of semiaquatic snakes. It is mostly distributed in the cis-Andean region of South America, with only two trans-Andean species (, ). is endemic to Colombia and occurs through most of the trans-Andean region.

Nuclei Detection and Segmentation of Histopathological Images Using a Feature Pyramidal Network Variant of a Mask R-CNN.

Cell nuclei interpretation is crucial in pathological diagnostics, especially in tumor specimens. A critical step in computational pathology is to detect and analyze individual nuclear properties using segmentation algorithms. Conventionally, a semantic segmentation network is used, where individual nuclear properties are derived after post-processing a segmentation mask.

Length of hospital stay and procedure time after partial nephrectomy or percutaneous thermal ablation: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Introduction: This systematic review addressed the length of hospital stay (LOS) and procedure time in patients with small renal masses (SRM) undergoing open, conventional laparoscopic (OPN), and robot-assisted partial nephrectomy (RAPN), as well as percutaneous thermal ablation (PTA) in different geographic areas.

Methods: We conducted a comprehensive search in databases (MEDLINE, EMBASE, CINAHL) until July 2023, and we applied random-effect meta-analysis, with evidence certainty assessed by the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development, and Evaluation (GRADE) framework.

Results: We screened 3456 titles and abstracts, ultimately identifying 60 eligible studies.

Joint models inform the longitudinal assessment of patient-reported outcomes in clinical trials: a simulation study and secondary analysis of the restrictive Vs. liberal fluid therapy for major abdominal surgery (RELIEF) randomized controlled trial.

Objectives: Evaluate the utility of a joint model when analysing a patient-reported endpoint as part of a randomized controlled trial (RCT) in which censoring occurs when patients die during follow-up.

Study Design And Setting: The present study comprises two parts as follows: first we reanalyzed data from a previously published RCT comparing two fluid regimens in the first 24 hours of major abdomino-pelvic surgery ('Restrictive versus Liberal Fluid Therapy for Major Abdominal Surgery [RELIEF]' trial). In this trial, patient-reported disability was measured at multiple timepoints before and after surgery.

HLA-E and NKG2A Mediate Resistance to BCG Immunotherapy in Non-Muscle-Invasive Bladder Cancer.

Bacillus Calmette-Guerin (BCG) is the primary treatment for non-muscle-invasive bladder cancer (NMIBC), known to stimulate inflammatory cytokines, notably interferon (IFN)-γ. We observed that prolonged IFN-γ exposure fosters adaptive resistance in recurrent tumors, aiding immune evasion and tumor proliferation. We identify HLA-E and NKG2A, part of a novel NK and T cell checkpoint pathway, as key mediators of resistance in BCG-unresponsive NMIBC.

Incidence and relative risk of delirium after major surgery for patients with pre-operative depression: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Background: Delirium is a common and potentially serious complication after major surgery. A previous history of depression is a known risk factor for experiencing delirium in patients admitted to the hospital, but the generalised risk has not been estimated in surgical patients.

Methods: We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis of studies reporting the incidence or relative risk (or relative odds) of delirium in the immediate postoperative period for adults with pre-operative depression.

Evaluation of four chatbots in autoimmune liver disease: A comparative analysis.

Introduction And Objectives: Autoimmune liver diseases (AILDs) are rare and require precise evaluation, which is often challenging for medical providers. Chatbots are innovative solutions to assist healthcare professionals in clinical management. In our study, ten liver specialists systematically evaluated four chatbots to determine their utility as clinical decision support tools in the field of AILDs.

Compound osteoderms preserved in amber reveal the oldest known skink.

Scincidae is one of the most species-rich and cosmopolitan clades of squamate reptiles. Abundant disarticulated fossil material has also been attributed to this group, however, no complete pre-Cenozoic crown-scincid specimens have been found. A specimen in Burmite (99 MYA) is the first fossil that can be unambiguously referred to this clade.

The skull of the semi-aquatic neotropical lizard Echinosaura horrida (Gymnophthalmidae: Cercosaurinae) reveals new synapomorphies within Gymnophthalmoidea.

The rough teiid or water cork lizard (Echinosaura horrida) is a small reptile from Colombia and Ecuador placed in a genus that contains eight species and well-known phylogenetic relationships. Here we provide a detailed description and illustrations, bone by bone, of its skull, while we discussed its intraspecific variation by comparing high-resolution computed tomography data from two specimens and the variation within the genus by including previously published data from Echinosaura fischerorum. This allowed to propose putative diagnostic character states for Echinosaura horrida and synapomorphies for Echinosaura.

Mercury in aquatic ecosystems of two indigenous communities in the Piedmont Ecuadorian Amazon: evidence from fish, water, and sediments.

Mercury is a highly toxic element present in water, soil, air, and biota. Anthropogenic activities, such as burning fossil fuels, mining, and deforestation, contribute to the presence and mobilization of mercury between environmental compartments. Although current research on mercury pathways has advanced our understanding of the risks associated with human exposure, limited information exists for remote areas with high diversity of fauna, flora, and indigenous communities.

Toe pad morphology and adhesion in the miniaturized gecko, Chatogekko amazonicus (Gekkota: Sphaerodactylidae).

Chatogekko amazonicus is a miniaturized gecko from northern South America and is among the smallest of toe pad bearing lizards. The toe pads of C. amazonicus are miniscule, between 18% and 27% of the plantar surface area.

Natural Killer Cell Dysfunction In Human Bladder Cancer Is Caused By Tissue-Specific Suppression of SLAMF6 Signaling.

NK cells are innate lymphocytes critical for surveillance of viruses and tumors, however the mechanisms underlying NK cell dysfunction in cancer are incompletely understood. We assessed the effector function of NK cells from bladder cancer patients and found severe dysfunction in NK cells derived from tumors versus peripheral blood. While both peripheral and tumor-infiltrating NK cells exhibited conserved patterns of inhibitory receptor over-expression, this did not explain the observed defects in NK surveillance in bladder tumors.

Comparative anatomy and evolution of the atlantoaxial complex in the fossorial lineage Amphisbaenia (Squamata: Lacertoidea).

The atlas and axis are the first two vertebrae from the cervical series; these two vertebrae are responsible for neck flexion, extension, and rotation movements, while providing insertion points for muscles and tendons. Amphisbaenia is a group of fossorial squamates known for having four distinctive head shapes, which are related to different excavation methods. However, little is known about the relationship between these different digging patterns and the anatomy and evolution of the atlantoaxial complex.

Current Trends and Advancements in the Management of Hepatocellular Carcinoma.

Background: Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) remains a significant global health burden with a high mortality rate. Over the past 40 years, significant progress has been achieved in the prevention and management of HCC.

Summary: Hepatitis B vaccination programs, the development of direct acting antiviral drugs for Hepatitis C, and effective surveillance strategies provide a profound basis for the prevention of HCC.

Stratification of Patients with Renal Cell Carcinoma by the Abundance of Sarcomatoid Features Reveals Differences in Survival and the Underlying Pathobiology.

Sarcomatoid renal cell carcinoma (sRCC) is histologically heterogeneous, with variable sarcomatoid amounts intermixed within epithelial carcinoma. However, the current classification for this aggressive disease is homogeneous and agnostic to the sarcomatoid proportion. We investigated whether sRCC subclassification has prognostic value and can reveal the biology underlying dedifferentiation and its clinical aggressiveness.

Characterization of renal masses with MRI-based radiomics: assessment of inter-package and inter-observer reproducibility in a prospective pilot study.

Objectives: To evaluate radiomics features' reproducibility using inter-package/inter-observer measurement analysis in renal masses (RMs) based on MRI and to employ machine learning (ML) models for RM characterization.

Methods: 32 Patients (23M/9F; age 61.8 ± 10.

Prevention in Hepatology.

The prevention of liver disease has improved significantly in the last few decades, to the point that it can now be considered a true success story. The wide variety of interventions, including comprehensive vaccination strategies, novel medications, lifestyle changes, and even preventive surgeries, have reduced the morbidity and mortality of chronic liver diseases. However, the prevalence of chronic liver diseases is increasing worldwide.

Strategies and Application of Compression Sutures With a Modified Technique for Rapid Resolution of Large (Grade III) Hydrops: A Prospective Interventional Study.

Purpose: The aim of this study was to describe the strategies and outcomes, with a modified technique, of compression sutures in large acute hydrops.

Methods: This was a prospective interventional study in 29 eyes of 28 patients who underwent compression sutures using a modified technique. The degree of resolution after surgical intervention was quantified by 3 masked observers, using the slit-lamp photographic documentation and optical coherence tomography.

Landiolol for the prevention of postoperative atrial fibrillation after cardiac surgery: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Purpose: Postoperative atrial fibrillation (POAF) is a common complication following cardiac surgery. Although the evidence suggests that beta blockers prevent POAF, they often cause hypotension. Landiolol, an ultra-short-acting β blocker, may prevent POAF, without adverse hemodynamic consequences.