A digital tool for multidimensional assessment and prediction of treatment effectiveness in chronic pain management.

Given the multidimensional aspect of pain, the assessment of treatment efficacy is challenging. The prospective observational multicenter PREDIBACK study aimed to assess, compare, and predict the effectiveness of different treatments for persistent spinal pain syndrome type 2 (PSPS-T2) using a digital tool and the Multidimensional Clinical Response Index (MCRI) including pain intensity, functional disability, quality of life, anxiety and depression, and pain surface. Results indicated that neurostimulation was the most effective treatment at 3-, 6-, 9-, and 12-month follow-up compared to baseline, leading to significant improvements in pain, function, and quality of life, whereas optimized medical management (OMM) and spinal reoperation showed no significant benefits.

A Preliminary Study of Spherical Surface-Modified Carbon Materials for Potential Application in La (Ac) and Bi Separation.

Separation of high-activity Bi from Ac for targeted alpha therapy is challenging due to the instability of existing sorbents. Surface-modified carbon materials have shown promise for use in inverse Ac/Bi generators. However, previously reported materials with irregular shapes may limit their applications in column separations.

Mechanistic Studies on the Gold-Catalyzed Intramolecular Hydroalkylation of Ynamides to Indenes.

An in-depth experimental and computational study to rationalize the mechanism underlying the gold-catalyzed intramolecular hydroalkylation of ynamides to indenes is reported. Evaluating the reactivity of a set of deuterated ynamides and gold complexes allowed to get valuable insights into the mechanism of this reaction, while DFT calculations allowed to determine a plausible reaction pathway for this unprecedented transformation. This pathway involves the activation of the ynamide followed by a [1,5]-hydride shift from the highly reactive, in situ generated keteniminium ion, and a subsequent cyclization before deprotonation followed by a final protodeauration.

Uncontrolled asthma is Associated with Increased Visceral Adipose Tissue, Decreased Bone Mineral Content, and Reduced Exercise Capacity.

Introduction: Physical inactivity due to shortness of breath is common among patients with uncontrolled asthma. We evaluated the body mass composition and exercise capacity of patients with poorly controlled asthma, despite maximal inhalation therapy.

Methods:  We recruited 56 patients from the Asthma Clinic of the University Hospital of Liège between September 2020 and December 2023, and 14 healthy subjects.

The Associations Between Temperament and Self-Oriented, Other-Oriented, and Dual-Harmful Behaviors in Emerging Adults.

Self- and other-oriented harmful behaviors are common among emerging adults. Individuals who engage in both forms of behavior, termed dual-harm, experience more adverse outcomes in comparison to individuals who engage in either. This study examines temperamental traits, defined as reactive and regulative temperament, as transdiagnostic factors underlying engagement in self-oriented, other-oriented, and dual-harmful behaviors.

Epidemiology of invasive disease in adults in England, 2013-2017.

Extraintestinal pathogenic (ExPEC) causes invasive disease (IED), including bacteraemia and (uro)sepsis, resulting in a high disease burden, especially among older adults. This study describes the epidemiology of IED in England (2013-2017) by combining laboratory surveillance and clinical data. A total of 191 612 IED cases were identified.

Ischaemic stroke due to thrombus formation on the ventricular side of the mitral valve more than one year after MitraClip implantation: a case report.

Objectives: Edge-to-edge mitral valve repair with MitraClip leads to a differed flow pattern and a decreased flow velocity at the left ventricle apex. This combination may lead to initiation of thrombus formation, especially in patients with severely reduced ejection fraction. The prevalence and mechanism of left ventricular thrombus formation after MitraClip implantation is still unknown.

Toward Automated Preprocessing of Untargeted LC-MS-Based Metabolomics Feature Lists from Human Biofluids.

Maximizing the extraction of true, high-quality, nonredundant features from biofluids analyzed via LC-MS systems is challenging. Here, the R packages IPO and AutoTuner were used to optimize XCMS parameter settings for the retrieval of metabolite or lipid features in both ionization modes from either faecal or urine samples from two cohorts ( = 621). The feature lists obtained were compared with those where the parameter values were selected manually.

Influential Factors in the Treatment of Infections at a Tertiary Hospital in Vietnam.

As an opportunistic pathogen, is often associated with severe respiratory infections. A study conducted in an ICU of a tertiary hospital in Vietnam, where infection management is relatively good, yielded only 18 clinical isolates of over 6 months. Though the number is small, treating infections is highly complicated.

A comparison of immersion-based and spray-based crate washing systems on the impact of spp. reduction.

1.During transport of broilers from farms to slaughterhouses, the interior of crates may become contaminated with faeces. When these crates are not cleaned and disinfected adequately, they pose a potential risk for the dissemination of pathogens, including spp.

"It was a foregone conclusion": a qualitative study of women's experiences and meaning-making of later-in-life abortion in Belgium.

Abortion is an indispensable healthcare service for women of all reproductive ages. Research on abortion is often focused on younger women, neglecting those who are closer to the end of their reproductive lifespan. This study presents findings from qualitative interviews with Belgian women who had an abortion at the age of 40 or older, conducted between May 2022 and April 2023.

Parenteral nutrition and bioelectrical impedance analysis estimated fat-free mass in adult patients with chronic intestinal failure: A descriptive cohort study.

Background: In patients with chronic intestinal failure, the content and type of parenteral nutrition are individually determined based on various factors, including body composition. In clinical practice, bioelectrical impedance analysis is used to assess body composition using standardized protocols. However, these protocols lack specific recommendations for patients receiving parenteral nutrition.

"I'm trying to figure out who the hell I am": Examining the psychosocial and mental health experience of individuals learning "Not Parent Expected" news from a direct-to-consumer DNA ancestry test.

Background: According to recent estimates, around 30 million people have taken Direct-to-Consumer DNA ancestry tests, typically marketed as a fun, harmless and exciting process of discovery. These tests estimate a user's ethnic ancestry, also matching users with biological relations on their database. This matching can produce a surprising 'not parent expected' discovery, where a user learns that an assumed parent (typically the father) is not a biological parent.

Oxidative Neutralisation of Sulfur-based Chemical Warfare Agents Mediated by a Lipase: from Batch to Flow Reactor.

The sulfur-containing chemical warfare agents sulfur mustard HD and nerve agent VX are highly toxic and persistent in the environment. Therefore, their neutralisation requires harsh oxidation conditions, but also precise selectivity. Here we report the safe and effective detoxification of surrogates CEES and PhX by selective oxidation of the sulfur atom by generating peracetic acid from AcOEt and aq.

Patient-reported outcomes following ciltacabtagene autoleucel or standard of care in patients with lenalidomide-refractory multiple myeloma (CARTITUDE-4): results from a randomised, open-label, phase 3 trial.

Background: In CARTITUDE-4, ciltacabtagene autoleucel (cilta-cel) significantly improved progression-free survival (primary endpoint; previously reported) versus standard of care in patients with relapsed, lenalidomide-refractory multiple myeloma. We report here patient-reported outcomes.

Methods: In the ongoing, phase 3, open-label CARTITUDE-4 study, patients were recruited from 81 sites in the USA, Europe, Asia, and Australia, and were randomly assigned 1:1 to cilta-cel (target, 0·75 × 10 CAR-T cells/kg) or standard of care (daratumumab, pomalidomide, and dexamethasone; pomalidomide, bortezomib, and dexamethasone).

Revising EU pharmaceutical legislation: will it foster drug repurposing?

Repurposing off-patent drugs can be a potential source of low-cost treatments for patients with unmet medical needs. Here, we review the proposed new European Union (EU) pharmaceutical legislation in which two articles address drug repurposing. We find certain barriers hindering the adoption of these new incentives by academic and not-for-profit stakeholders, including lack of knowledge on regulatory aspects, pharmacovigilance, and restrictions in data protection.

Vagus nerve stimulation lead durability: Insights from an extensive monocentric single-operator adult series.

Background: Vagus nerve stimulation (VNS) is an established surgical option for neuromodulation. Lead failure is a significant complication mainly reported in children.

Methods: We conducted a retrospective review of all VNS-related surgeries for refractory epilepsy in adults performed by a single experienced surgeon at a French national referral center from November 2011 to March 2023.

A deep learning approach to perform defect classification of freeze-dried product.

Cosmetic inspection of freeze-dried products is an important part of the post-manufacturing quality control process. Traditionally done by human visual inspection, this method poses typical challenges and shortcomings that can be addressed with innovative techniques. While many cosmetic defects can occur, some are considered more critical than others as they can be harmful to the patient or affect the drug's efficacy.

Impact of virtual reality with or without hypnosis before oocyte retrieval: A randomised study.

Objective Of The Study: Anxiety can affect pregnancy rate following an in-vitro-fertilisation procedure. Hypnosis reduces emotional distress associated with medical procedures. Virtual reality (VR) is an immersive 3D experience, created using a visual headset and headphones.