Deep Learning for Melanoma Detection: A Deep Learning Approach to Differentiating Malignant Melanoma from Benign Melanocytic Nevi.

: Melanoma, an aggressive form of skin cancer, accounts for a significant proportion of skin-cancer-related deaths worldwide. Early and accurate differentiation between melanoma and benign melanocytic nevi is critical for improving survival rates but remains challenging because of diagnostic variability. Convolutional neural networks (CNNs) have shown promise in automating melanoma detection with accuracy comparable to expert dermatologists.

Beyond Calories: Individual Metabolic and Hormonal Adaptations Driving Variability in Weight Management-A State-of-the-Art Narrative Review.

The global rise in obesity underscores the need for effective weight management strategies that address individual metabolic and hormonal variability, moving beyond the simplistic "calories in, calories out" model. Body types-ectomorph, mesomorph, and endomorph-provide a framework for understanding the differences in fat storage, muscle development, and energy expenditure, as each type responds uniquely to caloric intake and exercise. Variability in weight outcomes is influenced by factors such as genetic polymorphisms and epigenetic changes in hormonal signaling pathways and metabolic processes, as well as lifestyle factors, including nutrition, exercise, sleep, and stress.

Growth Hormone and Heart Failure: Implications for Patient Stratification, Prognosis, and Precision Medicine.

Heart failure (HF) remains a major cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide. While standard treatments primarily target neurohormonal pathways, emerging evidence highlights the significant role of hormonal deficiencies, such as impaired growth hormone (GH) signaling, in HF progression and outcomes. GH is crucial for cardiovascular and skeletal muscle function, and its deficiency has been associated with worse prognosis.

Ghrelin: An Emerging Therapy for Heart Failure.

Objective: Ghrelin is emerging as a promising therapeutic option for heart failure (HF) due to its potent inotropic, anabolic, and cardioprotective properties. This review aims to critically examine the available clinical evidence on ghrelin therapy in HF, while also incorporating key findings from preclinical studies that support its therapeutic potential.

Methods: A comprehensive search was conducted in PubMed and the Cochrane Library up to September 15, 2024, using the keywords "heart failure" and "ghrelin.

Adipokines and Cardiometabolic Heart Failure with Preserved Ejection Fraction: A State-of-the-Art Review.

Background: Cardiometabolic heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF) is largely driven by obesity-related factors, including adipokines and bioactive peptides primarily secreted by the adipose tissue, such as leptin, adiponectin, and resistin. These molecules link metabolic dysregulation to cardiovascular dysfunction, influencing HFpEF progression and patient outcomes Methods: A comprehensive literature search was conducted in PubMed up to 20 November 2024, using keywords and MeSH terms, such as "HFpEF", "adipokines", "leptin", "adiponectin", and "resistin", yielding 723 results. Boolean operators refined the search, and reference lists of key studies were reviewed.

Data-Driven Approaches in Antimicrobial Resistance: Machine Learning Solutions.

The emergence of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) due to the misuse and overuse of antibiotics has become a critical threat to global public health. There is a dire need to forecast AMR to understand the underlying mechanisms of resistance for the development of effective interventions. This paper explores the capability of machine learning (ML) methods, particularly unsupervised learning methods, to enhance the understanding and prediction of AMR.

Immunosenescence: How Aging Increases Susceptibility to Bacterial Infections and Virulence Factors.

The process of aging leads to a progressive decline in the immune system function, known as immunosenescence, which compromises both innate and adaptive responses. This includes impairments in phagocytosis and decreased production, activation, and function of T- and B-lymphocytes, among other effects. Bacteria exploit immunosenescence by using various virulence factors to evade the host's defenses, leading to severe and often life-threatening infections.

Antibiotic Resistance in the Elderly: Mechanisms, Risk Factors, and Solutions.

Antibiotic resistance presents a critical challenge in healthcare, particularly among the elderly, where multidrug-resistant organisms (MDROs) contribute to increased morbidity, mortality, and healthcare costs. This review focuses on the mechanisms underlying resistance in key bacterial pathogens and highlights how aging-related factors like immunosenescence, frailty, and multimorbidity increase the burden of infections from MDROs in this population. Novel strategies to mitigate resistance include the development of next-generation antibiotics like teixobactin and cefiderocol, innovative therapies such as bacteriophage therapy and antivirulence treatments, and the implementation of antimicrobial stewardship programs to optimize antibiotic use.

Advancing Cardiovascular Mortality Trend Analysis: A Machine Learning Approach to Predict Future Health Policy Needs.

This study investigates the forecasting of cardiovascular mortality trends in Greece's elderly population. Utilizing mortality data from 2001 to 2020, we employ two forecasting models: the Autoregressive Integrated Moving Average (ARIMA) and Facebook's Prophet model. Our study evaluates the efficacy of these models in predicting cardiovascular mortality trends over 2020-2030.

Testosterone therapy for functional hypogonadism in middle-aged and elderly males: current evidence and future perspectives.

Population aging is a global phenomenon driving research focus toward preventing and managing age-related disorders. Functional hypogonadism (FH) has been defined as the combination of low testosterone levels, typically serum total testosterone below 300-350 ng/dL, together with manifestations of hypogonadism, in the absence of an intrinsic pathology of the hypothalamic-pituitary-testicular (HPT) axis. It is usually seen in middle-aged or elderly males as a product of aging and multimorbidity.

Optimal Volume Assessment for Serous Fluid Cytology.

Objective: This study aimed to investigate the optimal volume of serous fluid needed for accurate diagnosis using The International System for Reporting Serous Fluid Cytopathology (TIS), as well as to provide information on the distribution of serous effusion cases in the TIS categories (ND: non-diagnostic, NFM: negative for malignancy, AUS: atypia of undetermined significance, SFM: suspicious for malignancy, MAL: malignant) and relevant epidemiological data.

Methods: A retrospective analysis of 2340 serous effusion cases (pleural, peritoneal, and pericardial) from two hospitals between 2018 and 2020 was conducted. TIS categories were assigned to each case, and for 1181 cases, these were correlated with the volume of the analyzed fluid.

Atrial fibrillation post CABG and the risk of arrhythmia recurrence: the AFRODITE study.

Background: New-onset postoperative atrial fibrillation (POAF) after coronary artery bypass surgery (CABG) occurs with an incidence of 20-40%. The clinical relevance of POAF remains a concern, and the need for further studies regarding the clinical management of POAF is necessary.

Aim: The AFRODITE study, a prospective multicenter cohort study, had as its primary endpoint the evaluation of AF recurrence in patients post CABG over a one-year period.

Patients with Hashimoto's thyroiditis present higher immune response to COVID-19 mRNA vaccine compared to normal individuals.

Aim: To evaluate the response (titers of anti-COVID-19 antibodies) to COVID-19 mRNA vaccine of patients with Hashimoto's thyroiditis and normal individuals.

Patients And Methods: Twenty-four patients with Hashimoto's thyroiditis and 51 normal individuals were studied after the third dose of the vaccine.

Results: Patients with Hashimoto's thyroiditis showed significantly higher immune response after the third dose of the COVID-19 mRNA vaccine compared with normal individuals (p = 0.

Post-polypectomy coagulation syndrome: a tricky to diagnose hot snare problem that can be eliminated thanks to cold snare revolution.

Post-polypectomy syndrome or post-polypectomy coagulation syndrome (PPCS) is a rare adverse event of thermal injury caused during hot snare aided, endoscopic mucosal resection of colon polyps. Its diagnosis is tricky as it is commonly misdiagnosed as perforation leading to unnecessary exploratory abdominal surgeries. The authors aim to present an early diagnosed and successfully treated, case of PPCS, and to highlight the difference in the safety profile of two techniques; hot snare versus cold snare polypectomy.

New considerations for colorectal cancer screening based on the demographic profile of colorectal cancer in a Greek population.

Colorectal cancer screening has long been recommended for middle age and older individuals. Recent evidence indicates increasing incidence and mortality among young adults. Therefore, the present study re-examined the current recommendations using an asymptomatic average-risk population screened by colonoscopy.

PSG-Audio, a scored polysomnography dataset with simultaneous audio recordings for sleep apnea studies.

The sleep apnea syndrome is a chronic condition that affects the quality of life and increases the risk of severe health conditions such as cardiovascular diseases. However, the prevalence of the syndrome in the general population is considered to be heavily underestimated due to the restricted number of people seeking diagnosis, with the leading cause for this being the inconvenience of the current reference standard for apnea diagnosis: Polysomnography. To enhance patients' awareness of the syndrome, a great endeavour is conducted in the literature.

Anthropometric indicators of insulin resistance.

During recent years, there have been numerous published reports associating increased circumferences of certain regions of the human body with insulin resistance or increased risk of cardiovascular disease. In the present review, we summarize the findings and conclusions of some of these publications.

Effects of Anti-Inflammatory Treatment and Surgical Intervention on Endothelial Glycocalyx, Peripheral and Coronary Microcirculatory Function and Myocardial Deformation in Inflammatory Bowel Disease Patients: A Two-Arms Two-Stage Clinical Trial.

Sixty inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) patients (45 Crohn disease and 15 ulcerative colitis, 40 ± 13 years, 53% male) were examined at baseline and 4 months after intervention (surgical (35 patients) or anti-TNFa treatment (25 patients)). IBD severity, using Mayo score, Harvey-Bradshaw Index (HBI) and biomarkers, was correlated with cardiovascular markers. At baseline, the disease severity, the white blood cells (WBC) values and the reducing power (RP) were significantly correlated with the aortic pulse wave velocity (PWV) ( = 0.

Safety and effectiveness of hemorrhoidal artery ligation using the HAL-RAR technique for hemorrhoidal disease.

Purpose: A wide variety of methods has been proposed for treating hemorrhoidal disease. The aim of the study is to assess the safety and effectiveness of hemorrhoidal artery ligation with rectoanal repair (HAL-RAR).

Methods: Retrospective study from January 2010 to November 2019 of patients who underwent HAL-RAR for grade II, resistant to conservative treatment, and grades III and IV hemorrhoidal disease.

Pomalidomide Plus Low-Dose Dexamethasone in Relapsed/Refractory Multiple Myeloma Patients: Results of the Real-World "POWERFUL" Study.

The "POWERFUL" multicenter, retrospective, and prospective study investigated the effectiveness of pomalidomide plus low-dose dexamethasone (POM/LoDex) therapy in relapsed/refractory multiple myeloma in routine care in Greece. Ninety-nine eligible adult patients treated with POM/LoDex according to the approved label after having received ≥2 prior therapies, including lenalidomide and bortezomib, were consecutively enrolled between 16 November 2017 and 21 February 2019 in 18 hematology departments. Fifty patients (50.