The gap between surgeon goal and achieved sagittal alignment in adult cervical spine deformity surgery.

Objective: Malalignment following cervical spine deformity (CSD) surgery can negatively impact outcomes and increase complications. Despite the growing ability to plan alignment, it remains unclear whether preoperative goals are achieved with surgery. The objective of this study was to assess how good surgeons are at achieving their preoperative goal alignment following CSD surgery.

The pediatric Brain Injury Guidelines: a retrospective clinical validation study.

Objective: Pediatric traumatic brain injury (TBI) represents a significant public health concern and source of resource utilization. The aim of this study was to establish the ability of the previously published pediatric Brain Injury Guidelines (pBIG) to identify patients with traumatic intracranial hemorrhage (ICH) who might not require routine repeat neuroimaging, neurosurgical consultation, or hospital admission in a large level I and level II trauma cohort.

Methods: Pediatric patients who presented with traumatic ICH between 2018 and 2022 at the included institutions were retrospectively reviewed and sorted into pBIG categories using clinical and radiographic criteria.

Aberrant Complement Activation Is Associated With Structural Brain Damage in Multiple Sclerosis.

Background And Objectives: Levels of activated complement proteins in the CSF are increased in people with multiple sclerosis (MS) and are associated with clinical disease severity. In this study, we determined whether complement activation profiles track with quantitative MRI metrics and liquid biomarkers indicative of disease activity and progression.

Methods: Complement components and activation products (Factor H and I, C1q, C3, C4, C5, Ba, Bb, C3a, C4a, C5a, and sC5b-9) and liquid biomarkers (neurofilament light chain, glial fibrillary acidic protein [GFAP], CXCL-13, CXCL-9, and IL-12b) were quantified in the CSF of 112 patients with clinically isolated syndromes and 127 patients with MS; longitudinal MRIs according to a standardized protocol of the Swiss MS cohort were assessed.

Improved Patient-Reported Outcomes With Post-Transplant Cyclophosphamide: A Quality-of-Life Evaluation and 2-Year Outcomes of BMT CTN 1703.

The BMT CTN 1703 phase III trial confirmed that graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) prophylaxis with post-transplantation cyclophosphamide (PTCy), tacrolimus (Tac), and mycophenolate mofetil (MMF) results in superior GVHD-free, relapse-free survival (GRFS) compared with Tac/methotrexate (MTX) prophylaxis. This companion study assesses the effect of these regimens on patient-reported outcomes (PROs). Using the Lee Chronic GVHD Symptom Score and PROMIS subscales (physical function, GI symptoms, social role satisfaction) as primary end points and hemorrhagic cystitis symptoms and Lee subscales as secondary end points, responses from English and Spanish speakers were analyzed at baseline and days 100, 180, and 365 after transplant.

Endonuclease G promotes hepatic mitochondrial respiration by selectively increasing mitochondrial tRNA production.

Mitochondrial endonuclease G (EndoG) contributes to chromosomal degradation when it is released from mitochondria during apoptosis. It is presumed to also have a mitochondrial function because EndoG deficiency causes mitochondrial dysfunction. However, the mechanism by which EndoG regulates mitochondrial function is not known.

Should formalities be less formal? A comparative study of patient preferences on formalities and accommodation choices from 1999 to 2023.

Purpose: To explore if patients' preferences regarding formalities and inpatient accommodation during their inpatient hospital experience have changed since 1999.

Methods: A ten-item survey was administered to an inpatient sample in an urban teaching hospital and compared with results from a similar survey in 1999.

Results: The majority (98.

Diagnostic Value of Circulating microRNAs for Hepatocellular Carcinoma: Results of a Meta-analysis and Validation.

Mounting evidence suggests that circulating microRNAs (miRNAs) hold diagnostic value in various malignancies. To identify circulating miRNAs for the early diagnosis of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), we conducted a meta-analysis to evaluate the diagnostic utility of miRNAs in HCC and further validated the results of the meta-analysis. English articles published prior to December 2023 were retrieved from databases including PubMed, Embase, and Web of Science.

Impact of Multidrug-Resistant Bacterial Colonization on Clinical Characteristics, Antibiotic Treatment, and Clinical Outcomes of Hospital-Acquired Pneumonia.

Purpose: To determine effects of colonization with multidrug-resistant bacteria (MDRB) in general wards on characteristics, treatment, and prognosis of hospital-acquired pneumonia (HAP).

Methods: This was a multicenter retrospective cohort study of patients with HAP admitted to 16 tertiary or university hospitals in Korea from July 2019 to December 2019. From the entire cohort, patients who developed pneumonia in general wards with known colonization status before the onset of pneumonia were included in this study.

Clinical Manifestations.

Background: Prodromal dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB) research criteria were recently published and further work is needed to characterize the neuropsychological profile and refine clinical criteria. We performed a meta-analysis to compare the cognitive performance of mild cognitive impairment with Lewy bodies (MCI-LB) groups to controls, MCI due to Alzheimer's disease (MCI-AD), and DLB.

Method: Following PRISMA guidelines, we searched the literature for 1) English-language studies on MCI-LB; 2) published January 1990-March 2023, 3) with ≥1 standardized cognitive measure; and 4) comparison data from controls, MCI-AD, and/or DLB.

Clinical Manifestations.

Background: Cognitive abilities, notably memory, typically decline with age, but a subset of individuals known as superagers defy this trend by exhibiting memory functions akin to those 20-30 years younger in late life. Recognizing the interconnection between physical performance, health outcomes, and cognitive function in older adults, our aim was to explore whether superagers demonstrate superior physical performance compared to typical agers.

Methods: Forty-nine cognitively unimpaired older adults underwent comprehensive assessments, including cognitive function tests using the Seoul Neuropsychological Screening Battery, Brain MRI, and the Short Physical Performance Battery (SPPB), a prominent tool for evaluating physical function.

Clinical Manifestations.

Background: Subjective cognitive concerns (SCC) are possibly one of the earliest clinical symptoms of dementia. There is growing interest in applying mobile app-based assessment to remotely screen for cognitive status in preclinical dementia, but the relationship between SCC and relevant mobile assessment metrics remains unclear. To address this gap, we characterize the relationship between SCC and adherence, satisfaction, and performance on digital cognitive assessment in cognitively unimpaired older adults.

Automated abdominal aortic calcification and major adverse cardiovascular events in people undergoing osteoporosis screening: the Manitoba Bone Mineral Density Registry.

Vertebral fracture assessment (VFA) images from bone density machines enable the automated machine learning assessment of abdominal aortic calcification (ML-AAC), a marker of cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk. The objective of this study was to describe the risk of a major adverse cardiovascular event (MACE, from linked health records) in patients attending routine bone mineral density (BMD) testing and meeting specific criteria based on age, BMD, height loss, or glucocorticoid use have a VFA in the Manitoba Bone Mineral Density Registry. The cohort included 10 250 individuals (mean 75.

Early Left Ventricular Unloading after Venoarterial Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation: One-Year Outcomes of the EARLY-UNLOAD Randomized Clinical Trial.

Background: The long-term effects of early left ventricular unloading after venoarterial extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (VA-ECMO) remain unclear.

Methods: The EARLY-UNLOAD trial was a single-center, investigator-initiated, open-label, randomized clinical trial involving 116 patients with cardiogenic shock (CS) undergoing VA-ECMO. The patients were randomly assigned to undergo either early routine left ventricular unloading by transseptal left atrial cannulation within 12 hours after randomization or the conventional approach, which permitted rescue transseptal cannulation in case of an increased left ventricular afterload.

Repeated Supera stent fracture following stenting for popliteal artery occlusion: a case report.

The popliteal artery segment is particularly challenging for endovascular treatment. Stents used for treating popliteal artery lesions are usually associated with an increased risk of stent fracture and re-occlusion. The Supera stent is designed to withstand mechanical stress, with a low risk of fracture.

Association between Atopic Dermatitis and Dementia: Evidence from Systematic Review, Meta-analysis, and Mendelian Randomization.

Recent cohort studies suggest a potential association between atopic dermatitis and dementia, though the evidence remains conflicting. This study aims to elucidate the association between atopic dermatitis and dementia employing systematic review, meta-analysis, and Mendelian randomization (MR). A comprehensive search was performed to select eligible cohort studies using Medline, Embase, Scopus, ScienceDirect, and the Web of Science database.

Perspective of 3D culture in medicine: transforming disease research and therapeutic applications.

Unlabelled: 3D cell culture is gaining momentum in medicine due to its ability to mimic real tissues () and provide more accurate biological data compared to traditional methods. This review explores the current state of 3D cell culture in medicine and discusses future directions, including the need for standardization and simpler protocols to facilitate wider use in research.

Purpose: 3D cell culture develops life sciences by mimicking the natural cellular environment.

Association between obstructive sleep apnea and albuminuria in Korean adults: a nationwide populationbased study.

Background: Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is a sleep disorder associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular and metabolic complications. Albuminuria, an early marker of kidney damage, is a proposed risk factor for OSA and its adverse outcomes. The study explored the association between OSA and albuminuria in Korean adults.

Reinforcing treatment and evaluation workflow of stereotactic ablative body radiotherapy for refractory ventricular tachycardia.

Purpose: Cardiac radioablation is a novel, non-invasive treatment for ventricular tachycardia (VT), involving a single fractional stereotactic ablative body radiotherapy (SABR) session with a prescribed dose of 25 Gy. This complex procedure requires a detailed workflow and stringent dose constraints compared to conventional radiation therapy. This study aims to establish a consistent institutional workflow for single-fraction cardiac VT-SABR, emphasizing robust plan evaluation and quality assurance.

Multi-omic biomarker panel in pancreatic cyst fluid and serum predicts patients at a high risk of pancreatic cancer development.

Integration of multi-omic data for the purposes of biomarker discovery can provide novel and robust panels across multiple biological compartments. Appropriate analytical methods are key to ensuring accurate and meaningful outputs in the multi-omic setting. Here, we extensively profile the proteome and transcriptome of patient pancreatic cyst fluid (PCF) (n = 32) and serum (n = 68), before integrating matched omic and biofluid data, to identify biomarkers of pancreatic cancer risk.

The spatially informed mFISHseq assay resolves biomarker discordance and predicts treatment response in breast cancer.

Current assays fail to address breast cancer's complex biology and accurately predict treatment response. On a retrospective cohort of 1082 female breast tissues, we develop and validate mFISHseq, which integrates multiplexed RNA fluorescent in situ hybridization with RNA-sequencing, guided by laser capture microdissection. This technique ensures tumor purity, unbiased whole transcriptome profiling, and explicitly quantifies intratumoral heterogeneity.

Combined endurance and resistance exercise training in heart failure with preserved ejection fraction: a randomized controlled trial.

Endurance exercise training (ET) is an effective treatment in heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF), but the efficacy of resistance training in this patient population has been only scarcely evaluated. In this multicenter, randomized trial, we evaluated the effects of combined endurance and resistance training over 12 months in patients with HFpEF. The primary endpoint was a modified Packer score, including all-cause mortality, hospitalizations classified as potentially related to heart failure or exercise and changes in peak oxygen consumption ( ), diastolic function (E/e'), New York Heart Association (NYHA) class and global self-assessment (GSA).

Comparison of the prognosis and lymph node metastasis between no tumor budding and low-grade tumor budding in T1 and T2 colorectal cancer.

Tumor budding is a significant prognostic factor in colorectal cancer (CRC) management and is graded as follows: 0-4 buds as low, 5-9 buds as intermediate, and > 10 buds as high. However, the specific prognostic difference between cases with 0 buds (BD0) and those with 1-4 buds (BD1) is not well established owing to a lack of comparative studies. This study aimed to examine and compare the rate of lymph node (LN) metastasis and prognosis by distinguishing between BD0 and BD1 within the low-grade category (0-4 buds) of tumor budding in submucosa (T1) and muscularis propria (T2) CRC.

AI-based visualization of loose connective tissue as a dissectable layer in gastrointestinal surgery.

We aimed to develop an AI model that recognizes and displays loose connective tissue as a dissectable layer in real-time during gastrointestinal surgery and to evaluate its performance, including feasibility for clinical application. Training data were created under the supervision of gastrointestinal surgeons. Test images and videos were randomly sampled and model performance was evaluated visually by 10 external gastrointestinal surgeons.

Association between genetically predicted leisure and social activities and cardiovascular disease and other health outcomes.

Participation in leisure and social activities (LSA) is associated with better health outcomes and lower mortality. Previous observational studies demonstrated a relationship between engagement in LSA and both mental and physical health. Although several studies examined the association between LSA and health outcomes, including cardiovascular disease, their possible causal relationship has not been studied.

Ironing out differences in attenuation and blooming artifact in acute stroke thrombi.

This study aims to improve our understanding of acute ischemic stroke clot imaging by integrating CT attenuation information with MRI susceptibility signal of thrombi. For this proof-of-principle experimental study, fifty-seven clot analogs were produced using ovine venous blood with a broad histological spectrum. Each clot analog was analyzed to determine its RBC content and chemical composition, including water, Fe III, sodium, pH, and pO2.