Knowledge maps as a complementary tool to learn and teach surgical anatomy in virtual reality: A case study in dental implantology.

A thorough understanding of surgical anatomy is essential for preparing and training medical students to become competent and skilled surgeons. While Virtual Reality (VR) has shown to be a suitable interaction paradigm for surgical training, traditional anatomical VR models often rely on simple labels and arrows pointing to relevant landmarks. Yet, studies have indicated that such visual settings could benefit from knowledge maps as such representations explicitly illustrate the conceptual connections between anatomical landmarks.

Gracilis flap and partial colpocleisis of Kahr for pelvic organ prolapse after anterior exenteration: A case report.

Anterior exenteration is a radical surgical option for treating locally advanced pelvic malignancies when alternative treatments are deemed ineffective or inappropriate. Due to its nature as an ablative treatment, interference with supportive structures of the pelvic floor can result in pelvic organ prolapse. A 70-year-old woman presented with prolapse after radical cystectomy and following two unsuccessful attempts at Le Fort colpocleisis, the second of which was further complicated by rupture of the vaginal cuff.

Multifunctionality and Processability of a Thermoplastic Based Gel Electrolyte Cell for the Realization of Structural Batteries.

In this work, a battery layup consisting of a poorly flammable ionic liquid electrolyte and a poly(vinylidene fluoride--hexafluoropropylene) (PVdF-HFP) thermoplastic has been developed along with composite anode and cathode electrodes. The developed gel electrolyte exhibits feasible ionic conductivity of about 1 mS/cm at 30 °C. State-of-the-art active electrode materials, i.

Indirect effects of the COVID-19 pandemic: A cause-of-death analysis of life expectancy changes in 24 countries, 2015 to 2022.

Worldwide, mortality was strongly affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, both directly through COVID-19 deaths and indirectly through changes in other causes of death. Here, we examine the impact of the pandemic on COVID-19 and non-COVID-19 mortality in 24 countries: Australia, Austria, Brazil, Bulgaria, Canada, Chile, Croatia, Czechia, Denmark, England and Wales, Hungary, Japan, Latvia, Lithuania, The Netherlands, Northern Ireland, Poland, Russia, Scotland, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, and the United States. Using demographic decomposition methods, we compare age- and cause-specific contributions to changes in female and male life expectancy at birth in 2019-2020, 2020-2021, and 2021-2022 with those before the COVID-19 pandemic (2015-2019).

Four new genome sequences of the Pallas's cat (): an insight into the patterns of within-species variability.

Manul () is the only representative of the genus which makes up the Leopard Cat lineage along with the genus . Their habitat is characterized by harsh environmental conditions. Although their populations are probably more stable than previously thought, it is still the case that their population size is declining.

The modulating role of uniaxial straining in the IL-1β and TGF-β mediated inflammatory response of human primary ligamentocytes.

Biomechanical (over-)stimulation, in addition to inflammatory and fibrotic stimuli, severely impacts the biology, contributing to the overall chronic nature of desmopathy. A major challenge has been the lack of representative two-dimensional (2D) models mimicking inflammatory processes in the presence of dynamic mechanical strain, both being crucial for ligament homeostasis. Physiological levels of strain exert anti-inflammatory effects, while excessive strain can facilitate inflammatory mechanisms.

It's Not Just Trump: Americans of Both Parties Support Liberal Democratic Norm Violations More Under Their Own President.

There is a growing worry about the health of American democracy, and political scientists and pundits alike are looking for possible explanations. Surveys conducted during the Trump presidency showed considerable citizen support for liberal democratic norm erosions, especially among Republicans. However, recent experimental research also shows that voters of both parties are more tolerant of norm erosion committed by politicians of the party they prefer.

Modulation of oxidative stress/NMDA/nitric oxide pathway by topiramate attenuates morphine dependence in mice.

Morphine belongs to the class of opioids and is known for its potential to cause dependence and addiction, particularly with prolonged use. Due to the associated risks, caution must be taken when prescribing and limiting its clinical use. Overexpression of N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptors, nitric oxide and cGMP pathway has been implicated in exacerbate the development of morphine dependence and withdrawal.

Differences in severity of reticulo-rumen pH drop in primiparous Holstein cows fed the same diet during transition and early lactation: effects on performance, energy balance, blood metabolites, and reproduction.

We recently reported factors leading to different severity of ruminal pH drop in primiparous cows fed the same diet during transition and early lactation. The present study evaluates the effects of those severities on performance and several blood and balance parameters in the same 24 primiparous cows from 3 wk before calving until wk 10 in lactation. Dietary concentrate was increased for all cows from 32 before calving to 60% (DM basis) over the first wk in lactation, resulting in a diet with 40% non-fiber carbohydrates (NFC), and 14.

Allelopathic influence of usnic acid on Physcomitrium patens: A proteomics approach.

Allelopathy, the chemical interaction of plants by their secondary metabolites with surrounding organisms, profoundly influences their functional features. Lichens, symbiotic associations of fungi and algae and/or cyanobacteria, produce diverse secondary metabolites, among other usnic acid, which express to have potent biological activities. Mosses, i.

European clinical practice guideline: managing and treating laryngopharyngeal reflux disease.

Objective: To propose a European consensus for managing and treating laryngopharyngeal reflux disease (LPRD) to guide primary care and specialist physicians.

Methods: Twenty-three European experts (otolaryngologists, gastroenterologists, surgeons) participated in a modified Delphi process to revise 38 statements about the definition, clinical management, and treatment of LPRD. Three voting rounds were conducted on a 5-point scale and a consensus was defined a priori as agreement by 80% of the experts.

Thrombosis, Translational Medicine, and Biomarker Research: Moving the Needle.

Arterial and venous thromboembolism are leading causes of morbidity and death worldwide. Despite significant advances in the diagnosis, prognostication, and treatment of thrombotic diseases over the past 3 decades, the adoption of findings stemming from translational biomarker research in clinical practice remains limited. Biomarkers provide an opportunity to enhance our understanding of pathophysiological processes and optimize treatment strategies.

Management of dyslipidaemia in patients with comorbidities - facing the challenge Value and limitations of lipid lowering drugs in liver disease Effects/Interactions of lipid-lowering agents on/with the liver.

Objectives: This review aims to examine the evidence on the benefits and risks of lipid lowering drugs in patients with liver disease. Elevated liver enzyme levels often lead to cautious discontinuation of these drugs, potentially withholding from patients their benefit in reducing cardiovascular disease morbidity and mortality.

Methods And Results: Using a literature search of PubMed, we examine the efficacy and safety profiles of various lipid lowering agents, including statins, ezetimibe, bempedoic acid, PCSK9 inhibitors, fibrates, and icosapent ethyl, focusing particularly on their potential side effects related to liver health.

Rationale for phosphodiesterase-4 inhibition as a treatment strategy for interstitial lung diseases associated with rheumatic diseases.

Interstitial lung disease (ILD) associated with rheumatoid arthritis or with connective tissue diseases such as systemic sclerosis can be collectively named systemic autoimmune rheumatic disease-associated ILDs (SARD-ILDs) or rheumatic musculoskeletal disorder-associated ILDs. SARD-ILDs result in substantial morbidity and mortality, and there is a high medical need for effective therapies that target both fibrotic and inflammatory pathways in SARD-ILD. Phosphodiesterase 4 (PDE4) hydrolyses cyclic AMP, which regulates multiple pathways involved in inflammatory processes.

CRISPR/Cas9 screens identify LIG1 as a sensitizer of PARP inhibitors in castration-resistant prostate cancer.

PARP inhibitors (PARPi) have received regulatory approval for the treatment of several tumors, including prostate cancer (PCa), and demonstrate remarkable results in the treatment of castration-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC) patients characterized by defects in homologous recombination repair (HRR) genes. Preclinical studies showed that DNA repair genes (DRG) other than HRR genes may have therapeutic value in the context of PARPi. To this end, we performed multiple CRISPR/Cas9 screens in PCa cell lines using a custom sgRNA library targeting DRG combined with PARPi treatment.

Rnalib: a Python library for custom transcriptomics analyses.

Motivation: The efficient and reproducible analysis of high-throughput sequencing datasets necessitates the development of methodical and robust computational pipelines that integrate established and bespoke bioinformatics analysis tools, often written in high-level programming languages such as Python. Despite the increasing availability of programming libraries for genomics, there is a noticeable lack of tools specifically focused on transcriptomics. Key tasks in this area include the association of gene features (e.

The impact of restricted chests on long-term lung function parameters following lung transplantation in patients with interstitial lung disease.

Objectives: In patients with interstitial lung disease (ILD), the diaphragm typically rises as the lungs chronically shrink. However, the grade of restriction differs in each patient. It is currently unknown, how disparities between actual and predicted recipient total lung capacity (TLC), impact changes in lung function parameters and long-term outcomes following lung transplantation (LTx).

Nano-encapsulated Yucca extract as feed additives: Ruminal greenhouse gas emissions of three forages.

Reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from livestock is a crucial step towards mitigating the impact of climate change and improving environmental sustainability in agriculture. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of Yucca schidigera extract, chitosan, and chitosan nanoparticles as feed additives on in vitro GHG emissions and fermentation profiles in ruminal fluid from bulls. Total gas, CH, CO, and HS emissions (up to 48 h), rumen fermentation profiles, and CH conversion efficiency were measured using standard protocols.

Description of Cohnella rhizoplanae sp. nov., isolated from the root surface of soybean (Glycine max).

A Gram-staining-positive, aerobic bacterium, designated strain JJ-181, was isolated from the root surface of soybean. Based on the 16S rRNA gene sequence similarities, strain JJ-181 was grouped into the genus Cohnella, most closely related to Cohnella hashimotonis F6_2S_P_1 (98.85%) and C.

Antiplatelet therapy is not associated with increased risk of complications after lumbar puncture.

Background: Lumbar puncture (LP) is a critical diagnostic procedure in the evaluation of neurological diseases. Although considered safe, complications such as post-dural puncture headache (PDPH), back pain, subdural hematoma or venous sinus thrombosis may still occur. Whether the use of antiplatelet therapy (APT) increases the risk of complications after LP, remains unclear.

Geochemical evolution, geostatistical mapping and machine learning predictive modeling of groundwater fluoride: a case study of western Balochistan, Quetta.

Around 2.6 billion people are at risk of tooth carries and fluorosis worldwide. Quetta is the worst affected district in Balochistan plateau.

A simple, subjective, knee self-evaluation using a single question can be used for a quick assessment of patients undergoing knee surgery.

Purpose: The use of patient-reported outcome measures (PROMS) is the cornerstone of clinical research for surgical disciplines, but the use in daily routine can be challenging. One of the most widespread PROMS in knee surgery is the International Knee Documentation Committee (IKDC) questionnaire. The purpose of the present study was to investigate the potential correlation of the IKDC score with a patient's subjective assessment of the knee using a single question.

A new scoring system to predict febrile urinary tract infection after retrograde intrarenal surgery.

The current study aimed to determine the risk factors and define a new scoring system for predicting febrile urinary tract infection (F-UTI) following retrograde intrarenal surgery (RIRS) by using machine learning methods. We retrospectively analyzed the medical records of patients who underwent RIRS and 511 patients were included in the study. The patients were divided into two groups: Group 1 consisted of 34 patients who developed postoperative F-UTI, and Group 2 consisted of 477 patients who did not.