Evaluation of Antimicrobial Performance of Calcium Dihydroxide (Ca(OH)) Coating on Ti for Potential Metallic Orthopedic Implant Applications.

Orthopedic implant infections are rare but represent a significant problem for patients, surgeons, and the healthcare systems. This is because these infections cause severe and persistent pain and, in some cases, may require revision of the implant, among other things. Thus, there is strong interest in the use of antimicrobial coatings on orthopedic implants.

Assessment of Atmospheric and Surface Energy Budgets Using Observation-Based Data Products.

Accurate diagnosis of regional atmospheric and surface energy budgets is critical for understanding the spatial distribution of heat uptake associated with the Earth's energy imbalance (EEI). This contribution discusses frameworks and methods for consistent evaluation of key quantities of those budgets using observationally constrained data sets. It thereby touches upon assumptions made in data products which have implications for these evaluations.

The prognostic value of the Dandel's index in patients undergoing tricuspid transcatheter edge-to-edge repair.

Aims: Conventional parameters of right ventricular (RV) function are load-dependent and therefore do not accurately reflect contractility in patients with relevant tricuspid regurgitation (TR). RV adaptability to load has been characterized using the Dandel's index in patients with heart failure, but its prognostic value in patients undergoing tricuspid transcatheter edge-to-edge repair (T-TEER) has not been investigated so far.

Methods And Results: From the EuroTR registry (2019 to 2022), patients with complete datasets and a minimum of 2-years of follow-up were included.

Comparative Study on Postoperative Immobilization in Reverse Total Shoulder Arthroplasty: 4 Weeks vs. 6 Weeks of Immobilization Yields Similar Clinical and Functional Outcomes.

: To investigate clinical and functional outcomes of patients undergoing reverse total shoulder arthroplasty (RTSA) using a rehabilitation protocol of either 4 or 6 weeks of immobilization. : This comparative study analyzed a consecutive patient cohort that underwent RTSA in a single institute from January 2021-February 2023. Patients were assigned to groups according to the duration of postoperative immobilization and were followed up for a minimum of one year.

Gender differences in reported potentially morally injurious events among post-9/11 U.S. combat veterans, using two measures.

Objective: Military experiences that violate one's sense of right and wrong (i.e., potentially morally injurious events [PMIEs]) may result in moral injury, characterized by shame, guilt, demoralization, self-condemnation, and social withdrawal.

Transcatheter Valve Repair for Tricuspid Regurgitation: 1-Year Results From a Large European Real-World Registry.

Background: Tricuspid valve transcatheter edge-to-edge repair has emerged as a valuable treatment option for patients with severe tricuspid regurgitation (TR).

Objectives: This study aims to investigate the safety and effectiveness of the PASCAL transcatheter valve repair system in treating severe TR in a real-world patient population.

Methods: The PASTE (PASCAL for Tricuspid Regurgitation-a European registry) study is an investigator-initiated, multicenter, retrospective, and prospective observational cohort analysis conducted across 16 European heart valve centers including consecutive patients treated with the PASCAL transcatheter valve repair system from February 2019 to November 2023.

Health Mindset and One Year Outcomes in Adult Peritoneal Dialysis (PD) Patients.

Background: Many patients who start peritoneal dialysis (PD) transition to hemodialysis (HD) after a PD-related complication. Patient psychological factors may influence clinical outcomes. One possible factor is health mindset, or patient belief that their health knowledge and ability can change.

Cemented Calcar-Guided Short-Stem Prostheses in Geriatric Patients: Short-Term Results from a Prospective Observational Study.

Both cementless and cemented stems have exhibited favorable long-term outcomes in total hip arthroplasty. Nonetheless, in elderly patients, cemented hips offer an advantage due to their reduced risk of periprosthetic fractures. This study aimed to assess the initial outcomes of 28 patients who underwent unilateral cemented total hip arthroplasty utilizing a calcar-guided A2 stem (ARTIQO GmbH, Lüdinghausen, Germany).

Understanding the Cytomegalovirus Cyclin-Dependent Kinase Ortholog pUL97 as a Multifaceted Regulator and an Antiviral Drug Target.

Herpesviral protein kinases, such as the therapy-relevant pUL97 of human cytomegalovirus (HCMV), are important for viral replication efficiency as well as pathogenesis, and represent key antiviral drug targets. HCMV pUL97 is a viral cyclin-dependent kinase (CDK) ortholog, as it shares functional and structural properties with human CDKs. Recently, the formation of vCDK/pUL97-cyclin complexes and the phosphorylation of a variety of viral and cellular substrate proteins has been demonstrated.

Proteomic Analysis of Aqueous Humor in Central Retinal Artery Occlusion: Unveiling Novel Insights Into Disease Pathophysiology.

Purpose: Central retinal artery occlusion (CRAO) is an ocular emergency that results from acute blockage of the blood supply to the retina and leads to a sudden vision loss. Other forms of ischemic retinopathies include diabetic retinopathy (DR), which involves chronic retinal ischemia and remains the leading cause of blindness in working-age adults. This study is the first to conduct a proteomic analysis of aqueous humor (AH) from patients with CRAO with a comparative analysis using vitreous humor (VH) samples from patients with DR.

Deletion of myeloid HDAC3 promotes efferocytosis to ameliorate retinal ischemic injury.

Ischemia-induced retinopathy is a hallmark finding of common visual disorders including diabetic retinopathy (DR) and central retinal artery and vein occlusions. Treatments for ischemic retinopathies fail to improve clinical outcomes and the design of new therapies will depend on understanding the underlying disease mechanisms. Histone deacetylases (HDACs) are an enzyme class that removes acetyl groups from histone and non-histone proteins, thereby regulating gene expression and protein function.

Disparities Based on Demographic Features in the Intensity and Treatment of Chronic Pain in US Patients With Spinal Cord Injury.

Objective: Informed by Minority Stress Theory, to investigate disparities in pain intensity, interference, and care in patients with spinal cord injuries (SCI) based on demographic features.

Design: Cross-sectional survey.

Setting: Outpatient SCI clinics in 2 academic medical centers in the northwestern United States.

Residual tricuspid regurgitation after tricuspid transcatheter edge-to-edge repair: Insights into the EuroTR registry.

Aims: Data on the prognostic impact of residual tricuspid regurgitation (TR) after tricuspid transcatheter edge-to-edge repair (T-TEER) are scarce. The aim of this analysis was to evaluate 2-year survival and symptomatic outcomes of patients in relation to residual TR after T-TEER.

Methods And Results: Using the large European Registry of Transcatheter Repair for Tricuspid Regurgitation (EuroTR registry) we investigated the impact of residual TR on 2-year all-cause mortality and New York Heart Association (NYHA) functional class at follow-up.

Discovery of novel treponemes associated with pododermatitis in elk ().

Pododermatitis, also known as treponeme-associated hoof disease (TAHD), presents a significant challenge to elk () populations in the northwestern USA, with spp. consistently implicated in the lesion development. However, identifying species-specific strains from these lesions is hindered by its culture recalcitrance and limited genomic information.

Patient-specific implants made of 3D printed bioresorbable polymers at the point-of-care: material, technology, and scope of surgical application.

Background: Bioresorbable patient-specific additive-manufactured bone grafts, meshes, and plates are emerging as a promising alternative that can overcome the challenges associated with conventional off-the-shelf implants. The fabrication of patient-specific implants (PSIs) directly at the point-of-care (POC), such as hospitals, clinics, and surgical centers, allows for more flexible, faster, and more efficient processes, reducing the need for outsourcing to external manufacturers. We want to emphasize the potential advantages of producing bioresorbable polymer implants for cranio-maxillofacial surgery at the POC by highlighting its surgical applications, benefits, and limitations.

Endomucin selectively regulates vascular endothelial growth factor receptor-2 endocytosis through its interaction with AP2.

The endothelial glycocalyx, located at the luminal surface of the endothelium, plays an important role in the regulation of leukocyte adhesion, vascular permeability, and vascular homeostasis. Endomucin (EMCN), a component of the endothelial glycocalyx, is a mucin-like transmembrane glycoprotein selectively expressed by venous and capillary endothelium. We have previously shown that knockdown of EMCN impairs retinal vascular development in vivo and vascular endothelial growth factor 165 isoform (VEGF165)-induced cell migration, proliferation, and tube formation by human retinal endothelial cells in vitro and that EMCN is essential for VEGF165-stimulated clathrin-mediated endocytosis and signaling of VEGF receptor 2 (VEGFR2).

[Catheter-based and surgical treatment of mitral valve diseases].

There is a broad spectrum of mitral valve diseases ranging from young patients with rheumatic mitral valve stenosis up to older patients with secondary mitral valve regurgitation and numerous comorbidities. A profound understanding of the etiology, anatomical characteristics of mitral valve diseases and current treatment options is necessary to be able to prepare a patient-centered treatment approach. The interdisciplinary collaboration of referring physicians, interventional cardiologists, cardiac surgeons, heart failure and imaging specialists as well as anesthesiologists is a cornerstone of optimal patient treatment.

Role of myeloid cells in ischemic retinopathies: recent advances and unanswered questions.

Myeloid cells including microglia and macrophages play crucial roles in retinal homeostasis by clearing cellular debris and regulating inflammation. These cells are activated in several blinding ischemic retinal diseases including diabetic retinopathy, where they may exert both beneficial and detrimental effects on neurovascular function and angiogenesis. Myeloid cells impact the progression of retinal pathologies and recent studies suggest that targeting myeloid cells is a promising therapeutic strategy to mitigate diabetic retinopathy and other ischemic retinal diseases.

Even cooler insights: On the power of forests to (water the Earth and) cool the planet.

Scientific innovation is overturning conventional paradigms of forest, water, and energy cycle interactions. This has implications for our understanding of the principal causal pathways by which tree, forest, and vegetation cover (TFVC) influence local and global warming/cooling. Many identify surface albedo and carbon sequestration as the principal causal pathways by which TFVC affects global warming/cooling.