Evaluation of an assistive exosuit for alleviating neck and shoulder muscle fatigue during prolonged flexed neck posture.

Introduction: Neck pain affects 203 million people globally and is prevalent in various settings due to factors like poor posture, lack of exercise, and occupational hazards. Therefore, addressing ergonomic issues with solutions like a wearable robotic device is crucial. This research presents a novel assistive exosuit, characterized by its slim and lightweight structure and intuitive control without the use of hands, designed to mitigate muscle fatigue in the neck and shoulders during prolonged flexed neck posture.

Venous Endothelial Cell Transcriptomic Profiling Implicates METAP1 in Preeclampsia.

Background: Preeclampsia is a hypertensive disorder of pregnancy characterized by systemic endothelial dysfunction. The pathophysiology of preeclampsia remains incompletely understood. This study used human venous endothelial cell (EC) transcriptional profiling to investigate potential novel mechanisms underlying EC dysfunction in preeclampsia.

Child Neurology: Neurophysiologic and Anatomical Correlates in Startle Epilepsy: A Comprehensive SEEG Investigation for Successful Resective Surgery.

Startle epilepsy, characterized by startle-provoked epileptic seizures, was historically recognized as one of the reflex epilepsies but currently lacks classification as a specific epileptic syndrome because of insufficient characterization. This study presents an institutional experience and review of relevant literature focusing on the neurophysiologic and anatomical aspects of startle epilepsy. We describe a pediatric patient with an underlying structural etiology of left frontal encephalomalacia who continued to experience disabling seizures despite multiple antiseizure medications and previous palliative surgery.

Effect of Elderberry ( L.) Extract Intake on Normalizing Testosterone Concentration in Testosterone Deficiency Syndrome Rat Model Through Regulation of 17β-HSD, 5α-Reductase, and CYP19A1 Expression.

Men experience Leydig cell and mitochondrial dysfunction due to the accumulation of reactive oxygen species during aging, leading to hormonal imbalances in the body. This results in symptoms of testosterone deficiency syndrome (TDS) as testosterone levels decline. Consequently, there is a growing need for alternative therapies, such as phytotherapy, to regulate testosterone secretion.

CT-Defined Pectoralis Muscle Density Predicts 30-Day Mortality in Hospitalized Patients with COVID-19: A Nationwide Multicenter Study.

Rationale And Objectives: The prognostic role of computed tomography (CT)-defined skeletal muscle features in COVID-19 is still under investigation. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the prognostic role of CT-defined skeletal muscle area and density in patients with COVID-19 in a multicenter setting.

Materials And Methods: This retrospective study is a part of the German multicenter project RACOON (Radiological Cooperative Network of the COVID-19 pandemic).

Enhancing Oncological Surveillance Through Large Language Model-Assisted Analysis: A Comparative Study of GPT-4 and Gemini in Evaluating Oncological Issues From Serial Abdominal CT Scan Reports.

Rationale And Objectives: We aimed to compare the capabilities of two leading large language models (LLMs), GPT-4 and Gemini, in analyzing serial radiology reports, to highlight oncological issues that require further clinical attention.

Materials And Methods: This study included 205 patients, each with two consecutive radiological reports. We designed a prompt comprising a three-step task to analyze report findings using LLMs.

Anterior-to-Central Cartilage Defects of Arthritic Knee Showed Better Cartilage Regeneration Than Posterior Cartilage Defects Using Mesenchymal Stem Cell Implantation.

Purpose: To analyze cartilage regeneration and clinical outcomes after human umbilical cord blood-derived mesenchymal stem cell (hUCB-MSCs) implantation on the basis of the distribution and location of medial femoral condyle (MFC) cartilage defects.

Methods: Patients who underwent hUCB-MSC implantation for MFC cartilage defects involved in isolated medial compartment osteoarthritis were included. The patients were divided into 2 groups, those with MFC defects located within the anterior-central portion (group A) and those with MFC defects extending to the posterior portion (group P).

Serum metabolome profiling in patients with mild cognitive impairment reveals sex differences in lipid metabolism.

Alzheimer's disease (AD) affects more women than men. Although women live longer than men, it is not longevity alone, but other factors, including metabolic changes, that contribute to the higher risk of AD in women. Metabolic pathways have been implicated in AD progression, but studies to date examined targeted pathways, leaving many metabolites unmeasured.

Automatic Virtual Contrast-Enhanced CT Synthesis Using Dual-Energy CT and Residual U-Net with Attention Module for Detecting Pulmonary Hilar Lymphadenopathy.

Rationale And Objectives: To propose an automatic virtual contrast-enhanced chest computed tomography (CT) synthesis using dual-energy CT and a Residual U-Net with an attention module to detect clinically significant hilar lymphadenopathy.

Materials And Methods: We conducted a retrospective analysis of 2082 patients who underwent dual-energy chest CT scans. Our approach utilized a Residual U-Net combined with a Convolutional Block Attention Module (CBAM) to transform non-contrast CT images into virtual contrast-enhanced CT images.

Long-Term Outcome of Rescue Stenting for Acute Intracranial Atherosclerotic Stenosis Related Large Vessel Occlusion in Anterior Circulation.

Background And Purpose: Rescue stent (RS) is an accepted rescue option after failed mechanical thrombectomy (MT) for acute ischemic stroke due to intracranial atherosclerotic stenosis (ICAS)-related large vessel occlusion (LVO). However, the long-term outcomes (≥ 12 months) of RS have not yet been elucidated.

Materials And Methods: We retrospectively analyzed the data of 154 patients with RS for ICAS-related LVO, which were identified from prospectively maintained multicenter database of RS after MT failure, to assess good outcome (mRS 0-2), mortality, stroke recurrence, symptomatic intracranial hemorrhage (SICH) and stent patency.

Simultaneous Analysis of 504 Pesticide Multiresidues in Crops Using UHPLC-QTOF at MS and MS Levels.

A robust analytical method was developed for the simultaneous detection of 504 pesticide multiresidues in various crops using ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography coupled with quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry (UHPLC-QTOF). The method integrates both MS and MS levels through sequential window acquisition of all theoretical mass spectra (SWATH) analysis, allowing for accurate mass measurements and the construction of a spectral library to enhance pesticide residue identification. An evaluation of the method was carried out according to international standards, including the FAO guidelines and SANTE/11312/2021.

Assessment of Nonmass Lesions Detected with Screening Breast US Based on Mammographic Findings.

Background Breast nonmass lesions (NMLs) are observed at screening and diagnostic US. However, knowledge is limited on imaging features of NMLs at screening US. Purpose To identify features of NMLs at screening US that are suspicious for malignancy based on mammographic findings.

Protein Biomarkers of Adverse Clinical Features and Events in Sarcomeric Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy.

Background: Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) is a heterogeneous condition that can lead to atrial fibrillation, heart failure, and sudden cardiac death in many individuals but mild clinical impact in others. The mechanisms underlying this phenotypic heterogeneity are not well defined. The aim of this study was to use plasma proteomic profiling to help illuminate biomarkers that reflect or inform the heterogeneity observed in HCM.

Expanded Field OCT Angiography Biomarkers for Predicting Clinically Significant Outcomes in Non-Proliferative Diabetic Retinopathy.

Purpose: To evaluate the utility of extended field swept-source Optical Coherence Tomography Angiography (SS-OCTA) imaging biomarkers in predicting the occurrence of clinically significant outcomes in eyes with Non-Proliferative Diabetic Retinopathy (NPDR).

Design: Retrospective clinical case-control study.

Methods: Single-center clinical study.

5'-tRNA halves generated by IRE1α are linked to the ER stress response.

Transfer RNA halves (tRHs) have various biological functions. However, the biogenesis of specific 5'-tRHs under certain conditions remains unknown. Here, we report that inositol-requiring enzyme 1α (IRE1α) cleaves the anticodon stem-loop region of tRNA to produce 5'-tRHs (5'-tRH-Gly) with highly selective target discrimination upon endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress.

Transmission line model as a digital twin for abdominal aortic aneurysm patients.

We investigated the potential of the transmission line model as a digital twin of aneurysmal aorta by comparatively analyzing how a uniform lossless tube-load model were fitted to the carotid and femoral artery tonometry waveforms pertaining to (i) 79 abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) patients vs their matched controls (CON) and (ii) 35 AAA patients before vs after endovascular aneurysm repair (EVAR). The uniform lossless tube-load model fitted the tonometry waveforms pertaining to AAA as well as CON and EVAR. In addition, the parameters in the tube-load model exhibited physiologically explainable changes: when normalized, both pulse transit time and reflection coefficient increased with AAA and decreased after EVAR, which can be explained by the increase in arterial compliance and the decrease in arterial inertance due to the aortic expansion associated with AAA.

Deformable Mapping of Rectal Cancer Whole-Mount Histology with Restaging MRI at Voxel Scale: A Feasibility Study.

Purpose To develop a radiology-pathology coregistration method for 1:1 automated spatial mapping between preoperative rectal MRI and ex vivo rectal whole-mount histology (WMH). Materials and Methods This retrospective study included consecutive patients with rectal adenocarcinoma who underwent total neoadjuvant therapy followed by total mesorectal excision with preoperative rectal MRI and WMH from January 2019 to January 2022. A gastrointestinal pathologist and a radiologist established three corresponding levels for each patient at rectal MRI and WMH, subsequently delineating external and internal rectal wall contours and the tumor bed at each level and defining eight point-based landmarks.

Association of biofilm and microbial metrics with healing rate in older adults with chronic venous leg ulcers.

The presence of microbial biofilms in many human chronic wounds led to the hypothesis that biofilms delay healing of these wounds. We tested this hypothesis in a population of 117 older individuals with venous leg ulcers who were receiving standardised therapy, including frequent debridement. Debridement specimens were analysed for the amount of bacterial biomass by two independent methods: a microscopic approach that scored the relative size and number of bacterial aggregates, interpreted as a biofilm metric, and conventional enumeration by agar plating for viable bacteria.

Durable Muscle Extracellular Matrix Engineered with Adhesive Phenolic Moieties for Effective Skeletal Muscle Regeneration in Muscle Atrophy.

Muscle atrophy detrimentally impacts health and exacerbates physical disability, leading to increased mortality. In particular, sarcopenia, aging-related degenerative muscle loss, necessitates urgent remedies. Current approaches for treating muscle atrophy include exercise and nutrition, while drug exploration remains in its early stages.

Production of α-Glycerylphosphorylcholine in Fermented Roots, Tubers, and Fruits.

Vegetables and fruits, high in starch and sugars, are promising substrates for bioethanol production, but can also yield valuable nootropic compounds, such as α-glycerylphosphorylcholine (α-GPC). This compound is a known cognitive enhancer that works by increasing the release of acetylcholine, a neurotransmitter essential for learning and memory. In this study, select root and tuber crops, as well as fruits, were subjected to fermentation to observe the co-production of ethanol and α-GPC.

Prognostic Value of Pulmonary Artery Systolic Pressure in Severe Rheumatic Mitral Stenosis.

Background: Current guidelines recommend intervention for asymptomatic rheumatic mitral stenosis (MS) with mitral valve area ≤1.5 cm based on indicators including pulmonary arterial systolic pressure (PASP) >50 mm Hg and new-onset atrial fibrillation; however, evidence supporting this is lacking.

Methods: This single-center retrospective study included patients with rheumatic MS between 2006 and 2022.

Airways Abnormalities in a Prospective Cohort of Patients With Rheumatoid Arthritis.

Background: Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) affects roughly 1% of the population and commonly involves the lungs. Of lung involvement in RA, interstitial lung disease (ILD) is well known; however, airways disease in RA is relatively understudied.

Research Question: What are the baseline airways abnormalities in a prospective cohort of patients with RA based on pulmonary function testing (PFT) results, high-resolution CT (HRCT) scans, and computational imaging analysis and are there associations between these abnormalities and respiratory symptoms?

Study Design And Methods: In this single-center study, 188 patients with RA without a clinical diagnosis of ILD underwent HRCT imaging and PFT.

Sacubitril/Valsartan in Pediatric Heart Failure (PANORAMA-HF): A Randomized, Multicenter, Double-Blind Trial.

Background: Sacubitril/valsartan, an angiotensin receptor-neprilysin inhibitor (ARNI), is an established treatment for heart failure (HF) with reduced left ventricular ejection fraction. It has not been rigorously compared with angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors in children. PANORAMA-HF (Prospective Trial to Assess the Angiotensin Receptor Blocker Neprilysin Inhibitor LCZ696 Versus Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme Inhibitor for the Medical Treatment of Pediatric HF) is a randomized, double-blind trial that evaluated the pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics (PK/PD), safety, and efficacy of sacubitril/valsartan versus enalapril in children 1 month to <18 years of age with HF attributable to systemic left ventricular systolic dysfunction (LVSD).