Results of ICE-Guided Isolation of the Superior Vena Cava With Pulsed Field Ablation.

Background: Earlier studies have documented the risk for sinoatrial node injury and phrenic nerve paralysis as complications following radiofrequency catheter ablation for electrical isolation of the superior vena cava (SVCI).

Objectives: The aim of this study was to assess the safety and feasibility of SVCI in patients with atrial fibrillation undergoing pulsed field ablation (PFA) METHODS: Six hundred sixteen consecutive patients undergoing PFA for pulmonary vein isolation plus SVCI were included in this multicenter analysis. Superior vena cava (SVC) ablation was performed under the continuous guidance of intracardiac echocardiography.

Allergic Rhinitis and its Impact on Asthma (ARIA) Classes in MASK-air Users.

Background And Objectives: The Allergic Rhinitis and its Impact on Asthma (ARIA) guidelines classify rhinitis as "intermittent" or "persistent" and "mild" or "moderate-severe". To assess ARIA classes in a real-world study in terms of phenotypic differences and their association with asthma.

Methods: We performed a cross-sectional real-world study based on users of the MASK-air® app who reported data for at least 3 different months.

Cardiotoxicity of Chemotherapy: A Multi-OMIC Perspective.

Chemotherapy-induced cardiotoxicity is a critical issue in cardio-oncology, as cancer treatments often lead to severe cardiovascular complications. Approximately 10% of cancer patients succumb to cardiovascular problems, with lung cancer patients frequently experiencing arrhythmias, cardiac failure, tamponade, and cardiac metastasis. The cardiotoxic effects of anti-cancer treatments manifest at both cellular and tissue levels, causing deformation of cardiomyocytes, leading to contractility issues and fibrosis.

Impact of Varying Sleep Pressure on Daytime Sleep Propensity in Healthy Young and Older Adults.

Fixed sleep schedules with an 8 h time in bed (TIB) are used to ensure participants are well-rested before laboratory studies. However, such schedules may lead to cumulative excess wakefulness in young individuals. Effects on older individuals are unknown.

Severe Liver-Related Outcomes in Patients With Hepatitis Delta: Results From a Multi-Ethnic Multicenter Long-Term Follow-Up Study.

Hepatitis B virus (HBV)-hepatitis delta virus (HDV) coinfection is the most severe form of chronic viral hepatitis, but the factors that determine disease progression and severity are incompletely characterised. This long-term follow-up study aims to identify risk factors for severe liver-related outcomes. In this multicentre national cohort study, data from admission until the last visit between 2001 and 2023 was retrospectively collected from 162 HBV-HDV coinfected patients.

A cross-sectional survey of psychiatrists' experiences of using telepsychiatry during the COVID-19 pandemic and the relationship with burnout in selected high, middle, and low-income countries.

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic necessitated substantial modifications in the delivery of patient care on a global scale. Telemedicine-based care services were implemented worldwide to maximize access to healthcare systems.

Aims: This study aimed to investigate the use of and satisfaction with telepsychiatry services implemented during the COVID-19 pandemic by psychiatrists across low, middle, and high income countries, and to assess levels of burnout among psychiatrists providing telepsychiatry services in different settings and countries.

7. Cervical facet pain: Degenerative alterations and whiplash-associated disorder.

Introduction: Pain from the cervical facet joints, either due to degenerative conditions or due to whiplash-related trauma, is very common in the general population. Here, we provide an overview of the literature on the diagnosis and treatment of cervical facet-related pain with special emphasis on interventional treatment techniques.

Methods: A literature search on the diagnosis and treatment of cervical facet joint pain and whiplash-associated disorders (WAD) was performed using PubMed, Cochrane, and Embase databases.

Immediate individual effects of intensive group speech intervention on speech and health-related quality of life in adolescents with cleft palate: a descriptive study in the Philippines.

Introduction: This descriptive study investigated the immediate individual effects of intensive group speech intervention on speech, health-related quality of life, and satisfaction in adolescents born with a cleft (lip and) palate (CP ± L) in the Philippines.

Methods: Four Filipino adolescents with a repaired CP ± L (age range = 17 to 23 years) were included. They presented with at least one cleft-related speech sound error.

The advisory body on animal ethics of a global pharmaceutical company: A global organization to address ethical and societal concerns about animal use.

How do you promote ethical principles on a global scale regarding the use of animals for scientific purposes within a global pharmaceutical company like Sanofi? In 2017, the Advisory Body on Animal Ethics (ABAE) was created to harmonize animal ethics across all Sanofi sites. As an advisory body to the Bioethics Committee, the ABAE addresses societal concerns related to the use of animals and develops corporate policies on critical topics. Its composition, objectives and operating processes are described, along with the results achieved.

Is the freezing index a valid outcome to assess freezing of gait during turning in Parkinson's disease?

Introduction: Freezing of gait (FOG) is a disabling symptom for people with Parkinson's disease (PwPD). Turning on the spot for one minute in alternating directions (360 turn) while performing a cognitive dual-task (DT) is a fast and sensitive way to provoke FOG. The FOG-index is a widely used wearable sensor-based algorithm to quantify FOG severity during turning.

Multiscale Three-Dimensional Evaluation and Analysis of Murine Lung Vasculature From Macro- to Micro-Structural Level.

The pulmonary vasculature plays a pivotal role in the development and progress of chronic lung diseases. Due to limitations of conventional two-dimensional histological methods, the complexity and the detailed anatomy of the lung blood circulation might be overlooked. In this study, we demonstrate the practical use of optical serial block face imaging (SBFI), ex vivo microcomputed tomography (micro-CT), and nondestructive optical tomography for visualization and quantification of the pulmonary circulation's 3D architecture from macro- to micro-structural levels in murine lung samples.

Urethra-sparing prostate cancer radiotherapy: Current practices and future insights from an international survey.

Purpose: In prostate cancer patients, high radiation doses to the urethra have been associated with an increased risk of severe genitourinary toxicity following dose-escalated radiotherapy. Urethra-sparing techniques have emerged as a promising approach to reduce urinary toxicity. This international survey aims to evaluate current global practices in urethra-sparing and explore future directions for the implementation of this technique in external beam radiotherapy (EBRT) for prostate cancer.

Awareness, knowledge, and attitudes of the Belgian general population towards paternal perinatal depression: a descriptive cross-sectional study.

Background: Paternal perinatal depression affects 10% of fathers, implying a significant burden on families and public health. A better insight into the population's health literacy could guide professionals and policymakers in addressing these men and making better use of existing healthcare options. It is also crucial for caregivers, as they play a vital role in identifying symptoms, encouraging help-seeking, and reducing stigma.

The economic burden of smoking in Belgium: incremental healthcare costs and lost productivity.

Tobacco use is among the leading behavioural risk factors for morbidity and mortality. These high rates result in a high cost to society. Therefore, the aim of the current study was to provide a contemporary overview of the direct medical and indirect costs attributable to smoking tobacco in Belgium.

Understanding excess mortality during COVID in Belgium: the influence of pre-existing health status and social factors.

Background: This study aims to investigate how pre-existing health status and social background contribute to excess mortality during the COVID-19 crisis in Belgium.

Methods: The study population consists of almost 1.4 million adult members of Solidaris, the second largest health insurance fund in Belgium.

Temporal and spatial pattern of DNA damage in neurons following spinal cord Injury in mice.

Background: Deficient DNA repair and excessive DNA damage contribute to neurodegenerative disease. However, the role of DNA damage and repair in spinal cord injury (SCI) is unclear. SCI, a debilitating disruption of the structural and biological network of the spinal cord, is characterized by oxidative stress.

Diagnostic impact of DNA methylation classification in adult and pediatric CNS tumors.

Over the past decade, neuropathological diagnosis has undergone significant changes, integrating morphological features with molecular biomarkers. The molecular era has successfully refined neuropathological diagnostic accuracy; however, a substantial number of CNS tumor diagnoses remain challenging, particularly in children. DNA methylation classification has emerged as a powerful machine learning approach for clinical decision-making in CNS tumors.

Unlocking the potential of experimental evolution to study drug resistance in pathogenic fungi.

Exploring the dynamics and molecular mechanisms of antimicrobial drug resistance provides critical insights for developing effective strategies to combat it. This review highlights the potential of experimental evolution methods to study resistance in pathogenic fungi, drawing on insights from bacteriology and innovative approaches in mycology. We emphasize the versatility of experimental evolution in replicating clinical and environmental scenarios and propose that incorporating evolutionary modelling can enhance our understanding of antifungal resistance evolution.

Deoxygenative photochemical alkylation of secondary amides enables a streamlined synthesis of substituted amines.

Secondary amines are vital functional groups in pharmaceuticals, agrochemicals, and natural products, necessitating efficient synthetic methods. Traditional approaches, including N-monoalkylation and reductive amination, suffer from limitations such as poor chemoselectivity and complexity. Herein, we present a streamlined deoxygenative photochemical alkylation of secondary amides, enabling the efficient synthesis of α-branched secondary amines.

Validation of the Children's International Cognitive Ability Resource (Ch-ICAR).

The International Cognitive Ability Resource, abbreviated ICAR, counters some of the practical problems researchers face when using good, but proprietary, licensed intelligence tests like the Wechsler tests, which include unfeasible administration times and financial costs. So far, ICAR has been validated for adolescents and adults in many countries, offering a viable test alternative for these populations. For use among children, however, the appropriateness of this resource was yet unknown.

Gastrointestinal Bile Salt Concentrations in Healthy Adults Under Fasted and Fed Conditions: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis for Mechanistic Physiologically-Based Pharmacokinetic (PBPK) Modelling.

Bile salts are biosurfactants released into the intestinal lumen which play an important role in the solubilisation of fats and certain drugs. Their concentrations vary along the gastrointestinal tract (GIT). This is significant for implementation in physiologically based pharmacokinetic (PBPK) modelling to mechanistically capture drug absorption.