Cross-pathway integration of cAMP signals through cGMP and calcium-regulated phosphodiesterases in mouse striatal cholinergic interneurons.

Background And Purpose: Acetylcholine plays a key role in striatal function. Firing properties of striatal cholinergic interneurons depend on intracellular cAMP through the regulation of I currents. Yet, the dynamics of cyclic nucleotide signalling in these neurons have remained elusive.

Real-time monitoring of a 3D blood-brain barrier model maturation and integrity with a sensorized microfluidic device.

A significant challenge in the treatment of central nervous system (CNS) disorders is represented by the presence of the blood-brain barrier (BBB), a highly selective membrane that regulates molecular transport and restricts the passage of pathogens and therapeutic compounds. Traditional models are constrained by high costs, lengthy experimental timelines, ethical concerns, and interspecies variations. models, particularly microfluidic BBB-on-a-chip devices, have been developed to address these limitations.

Enteric glial cell diversification is influenced by spatiotemporal factors and source of neural progenitors in mice.

Previously focused primarily on enteric neurons, studies of the enteric nervous system (ENS) in both health and disease are now broadening to recognize the equally significant role played by enteric glial cells (EGCs). Commensurate to the vast array of gastrointestinal functions they influence, EGCs exhibit considerable diversity in terms of location, morphology, molecular profiles, and functional attributes. However, the mechanisms underlying this diversification of EGCs remain largely unexplored.

New comprehensive score for predicting difficulties in revision total hip arthroplasty.

Background: Revision total hip arthroplasty (THA) can be complex, and assessing possible difficulties is important to predict the operative time. No simple score for predicting difficulties has been assessed prospectively. We therefore developed an original score for the pre-operative evaluation of extraction and reconstruction difficulties.

Evaluation of Combined Chemotherapy and Genomic-Driven Targeted Therapy in Patient-Derived Xenografts Identifies New Therapeutic Approaches in Squamous Non-Small-Cell Lung Cancer Patients.

The combination of chemotherapy and targeted therapy has been validated in non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients with mutations. We therefore investigated whether this type of combined approach could be more widely used by targeting other genetic alterations present in NSCLC. PDXs were generated from patients with NSCLC adenocarcinomas (ADCs) and squamous-cell carcinomas (SCCs).

Polydopamine Nanoparticle-Based Combined Chemotherapy and Photothermal Therapy for the Treatment of Liver Cancer.

Polydopamine nanoparticles (PDA NPs) are proposed as an anti-cancer tool against hepatocellular carcinoma through the combination of near-infrared (NIR)-mediated hyperthermia and loading with a chemotherapeutic drug, sorafenib (SRF). Cell membranes isolated from a liver cancer cell line (HepG2) have been exploited for the coating of the nanoparticles (thus obtaining CM-SRF-PDA NPs), to promote homotypic targeting toward cancer cells. The selective targeting ability and the combined photothermal and chemotherapeutic activity of the CM-SRF-PDA NPs following NIR irradiation have been evaluated on cell cultures in static and dynamic conditions, besides three-dimensional culture models.

Desmoplastic Fibroblastoma of the Ankle: A Case Report of a Rare Localization and a Literature Review.

Introduction: Desmoplastic fibroblastoma is a rare, slow-growing benign soft tissue tumor. It has a wide anatomical distribution and mainly affects adult males. Fourteen percent of cases occur in the ankle or foot.

CD74 supports accumulation and function of regulatory T cells in tumors.

Regulatory T cells (Tregs) are plastic cells playing a pivotal role in the maintenance of immune homeostasis. Tregs actively adapt to the microenvironment where they reside; as a consequence, their molecular and functional profiles differ among tissues and pathologies. In tumors, the features acquired by Tregs remains poorly characterized.

Occupational exposure to organic solvents and the risk of developing testicular germ cell tumors (TESTIS study): Effect of combined exposure assessment on risk estimation.

Objectives: Etiological factors of testicular germ cell tumors (TGCT) remain largely unknown, but a causal role of occupational exposures to solvents has been suggested. Previous studies analyzing these exposures reported discordant results, potentially related to exposure assessment methods. The aim of this study was to investigate the role of occupational exposure to solvents on the risk of developing TGCT among young men.

Possible Effects of Volcanic Eruptions on the Modern Atmosphere of Venus.

This work reviews possible signatures and potential detectability of present-day volcanically emitted material in the atmosphere of Venus. We first discuss the expected composition of volcanic gases at present time, addressing how this is related to mantle composition and atmospheric pressure. Sulfur dioxide, often used as a marker of volcanic activity in Earth's atmosphere, has been observed since late 1970s to exhibit variability at the Venus' cloud tops at time scales from hours to decades; however, this variability may be associated with solely atmospheric processes.

Parental occupations at birth and risk of adult testicular germ cell tumors in offspring: a French nationwide case-control study.

Background: Testicular germ cell tumors (TGCT) are the most frequent cancer in young men in developed countries. Parental occupational exposures during early-life periods are suspected to increase TGCT risk. The objective was to estimate the association between parental occupations at birth and adult TGCT.

Sensorization of microfluidic brain-on-a-chip devices: Towards a new generation of integrated drug screening systems.

Brain-on-a-chip (BoC) devices show typical characteristics of brain complexity, including the presence of different cell types, separation in different compartments, tissue-like three-dimensionality, and inclusion of the extracellular matrix components. Moreover, the incorporation of a vascular system mimicking the blood-brain barrier (BBB) makes BoC particularly attractive, since they can be exploited to test the brain delivery of different drugs and nanoformulations. In this review, we introduce the main innovations in BoC and BBB-on-a-chip models, especially focusing sensorization: electrical, electrochemical, and optical biosensors permit the real-time monitoring of different biological phenomena and markers, such as the release of growth factors, the expression of specific receptors/biomarkers, the activation of immune cells, cell viability, cell-cell interactions, and BBB crossing of drugs and nanoparticles.

Managing uncertainty in forecasting health workforce demand using the Robust Workforce Planning Framework: the example of midwives in Belgium.

Background: In Belgium, the Planning Commission for Medical Supply is responsible for monitoring human resources for health (HRH) and ultimately proposing workforce quotas. It is supported by the Planning Unit for the Supply of the Health Professions. This Unit quantifies and forecasts the workforce in the healthcare professions on the basis of a stock and flow model, based on trends observed in the past.

Harnessing the Power of Enteric Glial Cells' Plasticity and Multipotency for Advancing Regenerative Medicine.

The enteric nervous system (ENS), known as the intrinsic nervous system of the gastrointestinal tract, is composed of a diverse array of neuronal and glial cell subtypes. Fascinating questions surrounding the generation of cellular diversity in the ENS have captivated ENS biologists for a considerable time, particularly with recent advancements in cell type-specific transcriptomics at both population and single-cell levels. However, the current focus of research in this field is predominantly restricted to the study of enteric neuron subtypes, while the investigation of enteric glia subtypes significantly lags behind.

Safety and efficacy of preoperative chemotherapy for muscle-invasive bladder cancer in elderly patients.

Purpose: This study aimed at describing the feasibility and oncological outcomes of standard cisplatin-based neoadjuvant chemotherapy (C-NAC) for muscle-invasive bladder cancer (MIBC) in patients aged ≥ 75 and assess the impact of baseline geriatric parameters.

Methods: This retrospective study included patients with stage cT2-4NanyM0 MIBC aged 75 and older treated with ≥ 1 cycle of C-NAC from 2011 to 2021 at a high-volume academic center. Primary outcome was overall survival (OS).

Self-assembly of a barnacle cement protein into intertwined amyloid fibres and determination of their adhesive and viscoelastic properties.

The stalked barnacle uses a multi-protein cement to adhere to highly varied substrates in marine environments. We investigated the morphology and adhesiveness of a component 19 kDa protein in barnacle cement gland- and seawater-like conditions, using transmission electron microscopy and state-of-the art scanning probe techniques. The protein formed amyloid fibres after 5 days in gland-like but not seawater conditions.

Topical corticosteroids inhibit allergic skin inflammation but are ineffective in impeding the formation and expansion of resident memory T cells.

Background: Tissue-resident memory T (T ) cells are detrimental in allergic contact dermatitis (ACD), in which they contribute to the chronicity and severity of the disease.

Methods: We assessed the impact of a standard topical corticosteroid (TCS) treatment, triamcinolone acetonide (TA), on the formation, maintenance and reactivation of epidermal T cells in a preclinical model of ACD to 2,4-dinitrofluorobenzene. TA 0.

Reducing saturated fat intake lowers LDL-C but increases Lp(a) levels in African Americans: the GET-READI feeding trial.

Reducing dietary saturated fatty acids (SFA) intake results in a clinically significant lowering of low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) across ethnicities. In contrast, dietary SFA's role in modulating emerging cardiovascular risk factors in different ethnicities remains poorly understood. Elevated levels of lipoprotein(a) [Lp(a)], an independent cardiovascular risk factor, disproportionally affect individuals of African descent.

RSV Burden and Its Impact on Pediatric Inpatient Bed Occupancy in Belgium: An Analysis of National Hospital Claims Data.

Background: Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) infections represent a substantial burden on pediatric services during winter. While the morbidity and financial burden of RSV are well studied, less is known about the organizational impact on hospital services (ie, impact on bed capacity and overcrowding and variation across hospitals).

Methods: Retrospective analysis of the population-wide Belgian Hospital Discharge Data Set for the years 2017 and 2018 (including all hospital sites with pediatric inpatient services), covering all RSV-associated (RSV-related International Classification of Diseases, 10th Version, Clinical Modification diagnoses) inpatient hospitalization by children under 5 years old as well as all-cause acute hospitalizations in pediatric wards.

Predicting Valproate-Induced Liver Injury Using Metabolomic Analysis of Ex Ovo Chick Embryo Allantoic Fluid.

The use of sensitive animals in toxicological studies tends to be limited. Even though cell culture is an attractive alternative, it has some limitations. Therefore, we investigated the potential of the metabolomic profiling of the allantoic fluid (AF) from ex ovo chick embryos to predict the hepatotoxicity of valproate (VPA).

Hyperactivation of the JAK2/STAT5 Signaling Pathway and Evaluation of Baricitinib Treatment Among Patients With Eosinophilic Cellulitis.

Importance: The pathogenesis of eosinophilic cellulitis (EC) is poorly understood, limiting available treatment options. The current treatment paradigm focuses on delayed type 2 hypersensitivity reaction to various triggers.

Objective: To gain further insight into the nature of EC inflammation and into the cellular signal transduction pathways that are activated in the context of EC.