Endovascular versus Best Medical Treatment for Acute Carotid Occlusion BelOw Circle of Willis (ACOBOW): The ACOBOW Study.

Background Symptomatic acute occlusions of the internal carotid artery (ICA) below the circle of Willis can cause a variety of stroke symptoms, even if the major intracranial cerebral arteries remain patent; however, outcome and safety data are limited. Purpose To compare treatment effects and procedural safety of endovascular treatment (EVT) and best medical treatment (BMT) in patients with symptomatic acute occlusions of the ICA below the circle of Willis. Materials and Methods This retrospective, multicenter cohort study from 22 comprehensive stroke centers in Europe and Asia includes patients treated between January 1, 2008, and December 31, 2022.

Sociodemographic and regional differences in neonatal and infant mortality in Switzerland in 2011-2018: the Swiss National Cohort.

Background And Aims: Despite a well-funded healthcare system with universal insurance coverage, Switzerland has one of the highest neonatal and infant mortality rates among high-income countries. Identifying avoidable risk factors targeted by evidence-based policies is a public health priority. We describe neonatal and infant mortality in Switzerland from 2011 to 2018 and explore associations with neonatal- and pregnancy-related variables, parental sociodemographic information, regional factors and socioeconomic position (SEP) using data from a long-term nationwide cohort study.

Enhancing interprofessional ward rounds by identifying factors associated with low satisfaction and efficiency: a quantitative and qualitative national survey of Swiss healthcare professionals.

Aims Of The Study: Interprofessional ward rounds are a cornerstone of patient-centred care for medical inpatients and offer opportunities to discuss and coordinate patient treatment and further management. We aimed to identify factors associated with lower satisfaction and efficiency of interprofessional ward rounds, as reported by physicians and nurses.

Methods: An anonymous Swiss nationwide online survey of physicians and nurses was conducted in 28 Swiss internal medicine inpatient departments between 9 August and 19 October 2023.

A cost-effectiveness analysis of sotorasib as second-line treatment for patients with KRAS-G12C-mutated metastatic non-small cell lung cancer (mNSCLC) in Switzerland.

Background And Objective: Because of the lack of effective targeted treatment options, docetaxel has long been the standard second-line therapy for patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer, including the Kirsten rat sarcoma virus (KRAS) G12C mutation. The CodeBreak 200 trial demonstrated that sotorasib, a new drug targeting the G12C-mutated KRAS protein, modestly improved progression-free survival compared with docetaxel in patients whose cancer had progressed after receiving platinum chemotherapy and programmed cell death protein 1 (PD-1) / programmed death ligand 1 (PD-L1) inhibitors as first-line treatment. Consequently, sotorasib received temporary approval in Switzerland.

Pharmacokinetic characterization and exposure-response relationship of crovalimab in the COMMODORE 1, 2 and 3 and COMPOSER trials of patients with paroxysmal nocturnal haemoglobinuria.

Aims: Crovalimab is a novel C5 inhibitor administered first intravenously and then subcutaneously in patients with paroxysmal nocturnal haemoglobinuria (PNH) naive to complement inhibition or switching from eculizumab or ravulizumab. Crovalimab showed efficacy and safety comparable to eculizumab in the pivotal COMMODORE 2 and supporting studies.

Methods: We characterized crovalimab pharmacokinetics and the relationship between exposure pharmacokinetic parameters and pharmacodynamic biomarkers, efficacy and safety endpoints using pooled data (healthy volunteers [n = 9], naive [n = 210] and switched [n = 211] patients).

Epidemiology of Eosinophilic Esophagitis: Really a Novel and Evolving Disease?

Background: Eosinophilic esophagitis (EoE) has been described as a chronic allergen/immune-mediated disease characterized by symptoms of esophageal dysfunction and eosinophilic infiltration of the mucosa.

Summary: Over the past decades, EoE has been increasingly recognized in various geographical areas with a high socioeconomic development (mostly industrialized countries) and has evolved from an unknown to a clinically distinct disease with increasing prevalence and incidence. An average age at diagnosis between 30 and 50 years and a male predominance have been consistently observed.

High prevalence of fecal carriage of extended-spectrum beta-lactamase producing among patients with urinary tract infections in rural Tanzania.

Introduction: The global rise of extended-spectrum beta-lactamase-producing (ESBL-PE) challenges resource-limited countries with insufficient laboratory infrastructure. This study investigates fecal carriage and risk factors for ESBL-PE and carbapenemase-producing organisms among patients with urinary tract infection (UTI) in rural Tanzania.

Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted at St.

Contrasting vector competence of three main East African Anopheles malaria vector mosquitoes for Plasmodium falciparum.

There are three Anopheles mosquito species in East Africa that are responsible for the majority of malaria transmission, posing a significant public health concern. Understanding the vector competence of different mosquito species is crucial for targeted and cost-effective malaria control strategies. This study investigated the vector competence of laboratory reared strains of East African An.

DepRescribing inapprOpriate Proton Pump InhibiTors (DROPIT): study protocol of a cluster-randomised controlled trial in Swiss primary care.

Objectives: Proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) are widely prescribed medications and commonly used for the treatment of gastric acid-related disorders. Nevertheless, PPIs are often overused leading to potential adverse effects and unnecessary healthcare costs. Deprescribing strategies have emerged to safely reduce or substitute inappropriate PPIs and optimise patient care in an evidence-based manner.

Pan-tumor analysis to investigate the obesity paradox in immune checkpoint blockade.

Background: Obesity is a risk factor for developing cancer but is also associated with improved outcomes after treatment with immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs), a phenomenon called the obesity paradox. To interrogate mechanisms of divergent immune responses in obese and non-obese patients, we examined the relationship among obesity status, clinical responses, and immune profiles from a diverse, pan-tumor cohort of patients treated with ICI-based therapy.

Methods: From June 2021 to March 2023, we prospectively collected serial peripheral blood samples from patients with advanced or metastatic solid tumors who received ICI as standard of care at Johns Hopkins.

High resolving power electrospray drift tube ion mobility spectrometer with heated desolvation tube.

Background: The separation performance of drift tube ion mobility spectrometers is usually relatively weak with resolving powers well below 100. Improving this aspect requires, besides the optimization of other parameters, the challenging increase of the drift voltage as deduced from fundamental equations describing the broadening of a drifting ion swarm. We recently succeeded in constructing an improved high voltage instrument equipped with an electrospray source capable of analysing liquid samples with resolving powers above 200.

Pharmacological Enhancement of Adult Hippocampal Neurogenesis Improves Behavioral Pattern Separation in Young and Aged Male Mice.

Background: Impairments in behavioral pattern separation (BPS)-the ability to distinguish between similar contexts or experiences-contribute to memory interference and overgeneralization seen in many neuropsychiatric conditions, including depression, anxiety, posttraumatic stress disorder, dementia, and age-related cognitive decline. Although BPS relies on the dentate gyrus and is sensitive to changes in adult hippocampal neurogenesis, its significance as a pharmacological target has not been tested.

Methods: In this study, we applied a human neural stem cell high-throughput screening cascade to identify compounds that increase human neurogenesis.

Associations Between Delayed Sleep Phase Syndrome and Daytime Napping with the Metabolic Syndrome Among Adults: Results from the Ravansar Non-Communicable Disease (RaNCD) Cohort Study.

Objective: Adverse sleep and wake patterns are associated with physical health complaints, including metabolic disorders. The aim of this study was to evaluate the relationship between delayed sleep phase syndrome (DSPS) and napping during the day with metabolic syndrome (MetS).

Methods: This study was conducted on 10 065 participants aged 35-65 years using baseline data from the Ravansar Non-Communicable Disease (RaNCD) cohort study.

Socio-Economic Factors Influencing Intimate Partner Violence Among Adolescents and Young Women in Sub-Saharan Africa: A Scoping Review.

Objective: To summarize the evidence on how socio-economic status and intimate partner violence (IPV) are interrelated among adolescents and young women (AYW) in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA).

Methods: Online databases such as MEDLINE, Embase, PsycIFO, CINAHL, Cochrane Central, Sociological Abstracts, Web of Science, and the African Index Medicus were used to identify studies published between 2015 and 2022. The reporting procedure was the Preferred Reporting Item for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis (PRISMA) as a checklist extension for the scoping review.

Incorporating ethics into infectious disease clinical practice guidelines.

Background: Incorporating ethics into clinical practice guidelines (CPGs) can be challenging. This is particularly evident for infectious diseases (ID) CPGs due to the complexity of ID ethics (IDE) and the multiplicity of populations at-risk for infections.

Objectives: The OPENING project (IncOrPorating Ethics iN ClINical Guidelines: Practical Indications) was initiated by the European Society of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases (ESCMID) Ethics Advisory Committee (EEAC) in collaboration with the ESCMID Guidelines Subcommittee to generate guidelines for the systematic inclusion of ethics principles into ID CPGs.

Heart rate and salivary cortisol as indicators of arousal and synchrony in clients, therapy horses and therapist in equine-assisted therapy.

Background: This exploratory study aimed to analyse physiological interaction processes in equine-assisted-therapy (EAT) between client, therapy horse and therapist.

Methods: We measured heart rate (HR), heart rate variability (HRV) and cortisol levels before, during and after a standardized therapy session and a control condition in one therapist, four therapy horses and ten female clients in emerging adulthood (Mn = 21.8 years, SD = 3.

A lyophilised formulation of chimpanzee adenovirus vector for long-term stability outside the deep-freeze cold chain.

Background: The adenovirus-vaccine platform has come to prominence with the COVID-19 vaccination campaigns. The objective of this study was to validate a formulation that was suitable for lyophilisation and long-term storage at 5 (2-8) °C.

Methods: Vaccine stability was assessed up to five years at 5 °C using a lyophilised formulation of the chimpanzee-adenovirus vector ChAd155 encoding a respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) antigen.

Incidence of optic nerve kinking in a cohort of patients with Normal tension glaucoma.

Objectives: To report on the incidence of optic nerve kinking in a series of patients diagnosed with normal-tension glaucoma (NTG) compared to an age- and gender matched control group without known optic nerve diseases.

Subjects And Methods: All patients with NTG who underwent imaging (computed tomography cysternography (CTC) or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)) of the orbits and cranium between 2012 and 2022 were included, totalling 57 patients (27 females and 30 males; 57 eyes; mean age 69 ± 10 years). 57 age- and gender matched subjects without known optic nerve diseases who underwent MRI of the orbits and cranium served as controls.

Motor skills in children with ADHD: overlap with developmental coordination disorder.

Individuals with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) often have overlooked motor difficulties which can be at least partially attributed to co-occurring conditions such as Developmental Coordination Disorder (DCD). Understanding the influence of DCD and motor difficulties is important to detect in children for early support. Accordingly, the present study examined the prevalence of DCD diagnoses, cases of probable DCD, and related impairments among German-speaking parents of children with ADHD.

Mapping out strategies to further develop human-relevant, new approach methodology (NAM)-based developmental neurotoxicity (DNT) testing.

On occasion of the DNT5 meeting in Konstanz, Germany (April-2024), participants brainstormed on future challenges concerning a regulatory implementation of the developmental neurotoxicity (DNT) in vitro test battery (DNT-IVB). The five discussion topics below outline some of the key issues, opportunities and research directions for the next several years: (1) How to contextualize DNT hazard with information on potential maternal toxicity or other toxicity domains (non-DNT)? Several approaches on how to use cytotoxicity data from NAMs were discussed. (2) What opportunities exist for an immediate or near-future application of the DNT-IVB, e.

Oxytocin levels in response to CRH administration in hypopituitarism and hypothalamic damage: a randomized, crossover, placebo-controlled trial.

Increasing evidence supports the presence of oxytocin deficiency (OXT-D) in patients with hypopituitarism and hypothalamic damage (HHD), that might be associated with neuropsychological deficits and sexual dysfunction, leading to worse quality of life (QoL). Therefore, identifying a provocative test to diagnose an OXT-D will be important. Corticotropin-releasing hormone (CRH) is a candidate for such a test as it increases oxytocin secretion in animal models.

Dual RNA sequencing of a co-culture model of Pseudomonas aeruginosa and human 2D upper airway organoids.

Pseudomonas aeruginosa is a Gram-negative bacterium that is notorious for airway infections in cystic fibrosis (CF) subjects. Bacterial quorum sensing (QS) coordinates virulence factor expression and biofilm formation at population level. Better understanding of QS in the bacterium-host interaction is required.

Antimicrobial susceptibility and epidemiological types of Legionella pneumophila human isolates from Italy (1987-2020).

Background: Although antimicrobial resistance has not yet emerged as an overarching problem for Legionella pneumophila (Lp) infection, the description of clinical and environmental strains resistant to fluoroquinolones and macrolides is a cause of concern. This study aimed to investigate the antimicrobial susceptibility of Lp human isolates in Italy.

Methods: A total of 204 Lp clinical isolates were tested for sensitivity to nine antibiotics using the broth microdilution assay (BMD).