Assessment of the interobserver and the intraobserver reproducibility for the detection of renal cortical defects in adults and children using [99mTc]Tc-MAG3.

Background: One can assess cortical defects on the early images of [99mTc]Tc-MAG3 renography. We aimed to assess interobserver and intraobserver reproducibility for detecting renal cortical defects using [99mTc]Tc-MAG3 for adults and children; identify causes for poor inter- and intraobserver reproducibility and to assess the effect of the kidney to background ratio (KTBR) on reproducibility.

Methods: One hundred adult and 200 pediatric renograms were included.

The underlying mechanisms of the association of bone health with depression - an experimental study.

Background: Depression constitutes a risk factor for osteoporosis, but underlying molecular and cellular mechanisms are not fully understood. MiRNAs influence gene expression and are carried by extracellular vesicles (EV), affecting cell-cell communication.

Aims: (1) Identify the difference in miRNA expression between depressed patients and healthy controls; (2) Analyze associations of these miRNAs with bone turnover markers; (3) Analyze target genes of differentially regulated miRNAs and predict associated pathways regarding depression and bone metabolism.

Varenicline Attenuates Memory Impairment in Amyloid-Beta-Induced Rat Model of Alzheimer's Disease.

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is the most prevalent neurodegenerative disorder characterized by cognitive decline. Despite extensive research, therapeutic options remain limited. Varenicline, an αβ nicotinic acetylcholine receptor agonist, shows promise in enhancing cognitive function.

Role of major cardiovascular surgery-induced metabolic reprogramming in acute kidney injury in critical care.

Purpose: Major cardiovascular surgery imposes high physiologic stress, often causing severe organ dysfunction and poor outcomes. The underlying mechanisms remain unclear. This study investigated metabolic changes induced by major cardiovascular surgery and the potential role of identified metabolic signatures in postoperative acute kidney injury (AKI).

Herbicide glyphosate efficiently inhibits growth of pathogenic algae species, suggesting the presence of novel pathways for the development of anti-algal drugs.

are ubiquitous algae and occasional pathogens of humans and animals. While rare, the infection is often fatal and treatment options are limited to antifungals with low efficiency. Here, using growth curve assays, we demonstrate that five pathogenic species of () were fully inhibited by 50-100 μg/mL of herbicide glyphosate, suggesting novel pathways that can be considered for anti-algal drug development.

Molecular epidemiology of β-lactamases in ceftriaxone-resistant Enterobacterales bloodstream infections in the mid-Atlantic United States.

Ceftriaxone-resistant Enterobacterales remain a public health threat; contemporary data investigating their molecular epidemiology are limited. Five hundred consecutive ceftriaxone-resistant (MIC ≥ 4 µg/mL) Enterobacterales bloodstream isolates were collected between 2018 and 2022 from three Maryland hospitals. Broth microdilution confirmed antibiotic susceptibilities.

Impact of Glaciers on Trophic Dynamics and Polyunsaturated Fat Accumulation in Southern Greenland Fjord Ecosystems.

The primary production of fjords across the Arctic and Subarctic is undergoing significant transformations due to the climatically driven retreat of glaciers and ice sheets. However, the implications of these changes for upper trophic levels remain largely unknown. In this study, we employ both bulk and compound-specific stable isotope analyses to investigate how shifts at the base of fjord food webs impact the carbon and energy sources of consumers.

Postprandial time in tight range with faster insulin aspart compared with standard insulin aspart in youth with type 1 diabetes using automated insulin delivery.

Aims: The aim of this study was to assess postprandial glycaemic outcomes using automated insulin delivery with faster acting insulin aspart (FIA) or standard insulin aspart (SIA) over 4 weeks in youth (aged 10-18 years) with type 1 diabetes.

Materials And Methods: We undertook a secondary analysis of postprandial glycaemic outcomes from a double-blind, randomised, crossover study comparing FIA to SIA using an investigational version of MiniMed™ 780G. Endpoints included postprandial time in tight range (70-140 mg/dL; TITR), postprandial glucose excursions and peak glucose, and incremental area under curve (iAUC).

The Presence of a Shelter in an Open Field Test Has Differential Effects on the Behavior and Stress Response of Two Mouse Species.

The open field test (OFT) is frequently used in research to assess anxiety-like behavior and locomotor activity. Its simple design can lead to the misconception that it is a standardized procedure comparable between laboratories. However, some modifications in the setup can cause changes in behavior.

Nanoparticle-protein corona enhances accuracy of Ca-19.9-based pancreatic cancer classification.

Among the various types of pancreatic cancers, pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is the most lethal and aggressive, due to its tendency to metastasize quickly and has a particularly low five-year survival rate. Carbohydrate antigen 19-9 (CA 19-9) is the only biomarker approved by the Food and Drug Administration for PDAC and has been a focal point in diagnostic strategies, but its sensitivity and specificity are not sufficient for early and accurate detection. To address this issue, we introduce a synergistic approach combining CA 19-9 levels with a graphene oxide (GO)-based blood test.

Personalized Photoprotection: Expert Consensus and Recommendations From a Delphi Study Among Dermatologists.

Background: Recommending comprehensive personalized photoprotection requires an accurate assessment of the patient's skin, including phototype, lifestyle, exposure conditions, environmental factors, and concomitant cutaneous conditions as well as deep knowledge of the available options: sunscreen ingredients (type of filters, spectrum coverage, sun protection factor, enhanced active ingredients), oral photoprotection, and other methods of sun protection and avoidance.

Objectives: To establish consensus-based recommendations endorsed by an international panel of experts for personalized medical photoprotection recommendations that are applicable globally.

Methods: A two-round Delphi study was designed to determine the degree of agreement and relevance of aspects related to personalized medical photoprotection.

Microplastics Settling in Turbid Water: Impacts of Sediments-Induced Flow Patterns on Particle Deposition Rates.

When microplastics (MPs) enter water bodies, they undergo various transport processes, including sedimentation, which can be influenced by factors such as particle size, density, and interactions with other particles. Surface waters contain suspended natural particles (e.g.

Learning, economies of scale, and knowledge gap effects on power generation technology cost improvements.

Cost reductions are essential for accelerating clean technology deployment. Because multiple factors influence costs, traditional one-factor learning models, solely relying on cumulative installed capacity as an explanatory variable, may oversimplify cost dynamics. In this study, we disentangle learning and economies of scale effects at unit and project levels and introduce a knowledge gap concept to quantify rapid technological change's impact on costs.

Transformative social innovation and rural collaborative workspaces: assembling community economies in Austria and Greece.

Background: Collaborative Workspaces are rapidly growing and evolving across the world. Traditionally understood as an urban phenomenon, most research understands them as either 'entrepreneurial-led', as profit-driven and commercial spaces such as business incubators and accelerators, or 'community-led' as being bottom-up, not-for-profit ventures aimed at catering for the needs of their community. Recent years however have seen their diffusion beyond large urban agglomerations to small towns and villages, with their functions assumed to be more community-orientated.

Roads to remission: evolving treatment concepts in type 2 inflammatory diseases.

Unlabelled: Non-communicable diseases (NCDs) characterised by type 2 inflammation, including asthma, allergic rhinitis, chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyps, atopic dermatitis, food allergies and eosinophilic esophagitis, are increasing in prevalence worldwide. Currently, there is a major paradigm shift in the management of these diseases, towards the concept of disease modification and the treatment goal remission, regardless of severity and age. Remission as a treatment goal in chronic inflammatory NCDs was first introduced in rheumatoid arthritis, and then adopted in other non-type 2 inflammatory diseases.

Desensitization With Imlifidase for HLA-Incompatible Deceased Donor Kidney Transplantation: A Delphi International Expert Consensus.

Highly sensitized (HS) patients in need of kidney transplantation (KTx) typically spend a longer time waiting for compatible kidneys, are unlikely to receive an organ offer, and are at increased risk of antibody-mediated rejection (AMR). Desensitization using imlifidase, which is more rapid and removes total body immunoglobulin G (IgG) to a greater extent than other methods, enables transplantation to occur between HLA-incompatible (HLAi) donor-recipient pairs and allows patients to have greater access to KTx. However, when the project was launched there was limited data and clinical experience with desensitization in general and with imlifidase specifically.

Knowledge and Awareness About the Basics of Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation in the Saudi Population.

Introduction According to the World Health Organization (WHO), cardiovascular diseases are the leading cause of death globally, accounting for approximately 17 million deaths annually, with sudden cardiac arrest (SCA) as a significant contributor to this alarming statistic. SCA, the abrupt loss of heart function, is a critical medical emergency that requires early recognition and immediate cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) for the effective resuscitation of victims. Various studies have shown a low level of knowledge regarding CPR in the community.

Ocular Telangiectasia and Cerebellar Atrophy in Ataxia-Telangiectasia (Louis-Bar Syndrome).

Background: Ataxia-telangiectasia (Louis-Bar syndrome) is a rare genetic disorder characterized by progressive ataxia, ocular telangiectasias, immunodeficiency and increased cancer risk due to impaired DNA repair.

Phenomenology Shown: Thorough clinical and subsequently radiological examination in a 19-year-old woman with a history of previously undiagnosed, progressive gait ataxia since early childhood, diffuse large B-cell lymphoma and severe combined immunodeficiency revealed the eponymous features of the disease, ocular telangiectasias and cerebellar atrophy, enabling targeted genetic testing.

Educational Value: Ocular telangiectasias represent an important clue for a diagnosis of ataxia-telangiectasia in young patients with progressive ataxia, implicating awareness of increased malignancy risk and treatment of immunodeficiency.

 (Rubiaceae, Bertiereae), a new combination based on the overlooked .

was described in 1830 by de Candolle in his Prodromus, and was based on a single collection by Thaddäus Haenke from near Guayaquil, Ecuador. Although the identity of the name has never been studied since its original publication, it is currently treated as a species endemic to Ecuador. It is shown here that the type of the name belongs to , which was described much later.

Advancements in drug discovery: integrating CADD tools and drug repurposing for PD-1/PD-L1 axis inhibition.

Despite significant strides in improving cancer survival rates, the global cancer burden remains substantial, with an anticipated rise in new cases. Immune checkpoints, key regulators of immune responses, play a crucial role in cancer evasion mechanisms. The discovery of immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) targeting PD-1/PD-L1 has revolutionized cancer treatment, with monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) becoming widely prescribed.

Effects of intramuscular fat on the flavor of fresh sheep and goat meat: Recent insights into pre-mortem and post-mortem factors.

Sheep and goat meat products are becoming increasingly popular among consumers due to their unique flavor derived from intramuscular fat (IMF), which contributes to formation of the distinctive odor. However, there is currently a dearth of reviews on the impact of IMF on the flavor of sheep and goat meat. The present review aims to discuss the relationships between IMF and flavor through lipid composition and fatty acid (FA) distribution, provide an overview of characteristic flavor compounds affecting the flavor of sheep and goat meat, and shed light on the impacts of pre-mortem and post-mortem factors on meat flavor attributed to changes in FAs and flavor compounds.

Protective activity of adipose-derived stem cell extracellular vesicles in ischemia and/or reperfusion.

Increasing evidence of the significant clinical value of protection against ischemia/reperfusion injury has contributed to the realization of the independent importance of this approach in improving prognosis and reducing cardiovascular mortality. Extracellular vesicles (EVs) derived by adipose mesenchymal stem cells may mediate the paracrine effects of stem cells and provide regenerative and anti-inflammatory properties, which are enhanced by γ-aminobutyric acid. The protective effects on cardiac myocytes may result from the EV embarked by miR-21-5p, which is a target for thioredoxin-interacting protein, regulating the formation of thioredoxin-interacting protein-thioredoxin complexes and subsequently enhancing the antioxidant activity of thioredoxin.

Investigation of cyclic water infiltration and dry-out in coated spruce using finite-element simulations.

Unlabelled: Accurate prediction of moisture distributions in wood is among the most critical challenges in timber engineering. Achieving this requires a well-coordinated comparison of experimental methods and simulation tools. While significant progress has been made in developing simulation tools in recent years, a lack of experience with and trust in these tools continues to hinder broader implementation, especially when it comes to free water and its absorption.

ECM-mimicking hydrogel models of human adipose tissue identify deregulated lipid metabolism in the prostate cancer-adipocyte crosstalk under antiandrogen therapy.

Antiandrogen therapies are effectively used to treat advanced prostate cancer, but eventually cancer adaptation drives unresolved metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC). Adipose tissue influences metabolic reprogramming in cancer and was proposed as a contributor to therapy resistance. Using extracellular matrix (ECM)-mimicking hydrogel coculture models of human adipocytes and prostate cancer cells, we show that adipocytes from subcutaneous or bone marrow fat have dissimilar responses under the antiandrogen Enzalutamide.

On Tractable Convex Relaxations of Standard Quadratic Optimization Problems under Sparsity Constraints.

Standard quadratic optimization problems (StQPs) provide a versatile modelling tool in various applications. In this paper, we consider StQPs with a hard sparsity constraint, referred to as sparse StQPs. We focus on various tractable convex relaxations of sparse StQPs arising from a mixed-binary quadratic formulation, namely, the linear optimization relaxation given by the reformulation-linearization technique, the Shor relaxation, and the relaxation resulting from their combination.