CONSORT-DEFINE explanation and elaboration: recommendations for enhancing reporting quality and impact of early phase dose-finding clinical trials.

Unlabelled: Early phase dose-finding (EPDF) trials are key in the development of novel therapies, with their findings directly informing subsequent clinical development phases and providing valuable insights for reverse translation. Comprehensive and transparent reporting of these studies is critical for their accurate and critical interpretation, which may improve and expedite therapeutic development. However, quality of reporting of design characteristics and results from EPDF trials is often variable and incomplete.

The Economic Burden of Herpes Zoster in Individuals Aged 50 Years or Older and Those With Underlying Conditions in Italy.

Background: Risk of herpes zoster (HZ) infection increases with age and immunosuppression. We estimated the impact of HZ and post-herpetic neuralgia (PHN) on direct costs and health care resource utilization (HCRU) in patients ≥50 years, including those with comorbidities, as limited information exists in Italy.

Methods: This retrospective analysis used reimbursement data from local health authorities in Italy (January 2009-June 2022).

Measuring implicit associations with behaviours to improve resident mood: development of implicit association tasks for nursing home care providers.

Objective: To develop and evaluate instruments for measuring implicit associations of nursing home care providers with behaviours aimed at improving resident mood.

Method: Study 1 ( = 41) followed an iterative approach to develop two implicit association tasks measuring implicit attitude (positive versus negative valence) and motivation (wanting versus not wanting) regarding mood-improving behaviours, followed by an evaluation of the content validity for target stimuli representing these behaviours. In Study 2 ( = 230), the tasks were assessed for stimulus classification ease (accuracy and speed) and internal consistency.

Specific modulation of 28S_Um2402 rRNA 2'--ribose methylation as a novel epitranscriptomic marker of ZEB1-induced epithelial-mesenchymal transition in different mammary cell contexts.

The epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) is a dynamic transdifferentiation of epithelial cells into mesenchymal cells. EMT programs exhibit great diversity, based primarily on the distinct impact of molecular activities of the EMT transcription factors. Using a panel of cancer cell lines and a series of 71 triple-negative primary breast tumors, we report that the EMT transcription factor ZEB1 modulates site-specific chemical modifications of ribosomal RNA (rRNA).

Characterization of patients with clonal mast cells in the bone marrow with clinical significance not otherwise specified.

Background: Systemic mastocytosis (SM) diagnosis requires the presence of 3 minor criteria or 1 major and 1 minor criterion according to the WHO 2016 classification. The aim of this study was to characterize patients with 1 or 2 minor SM criteria including mutation and/or aberrant expression of CD2 and/or CD25 on bone marrow (BM) mast cells (MCs), but without MC activation syndrome (MCAS) criteria.

Methods: We included eligible patients from two countries diagnosed between 2011 and 2021.

Longitudinal impact of past-year reproductive coercion on contraceptive use dynamics in Sub-Saharan Africa: evidence from eight population-based cohorts.

Background: Reproductive coercion (RC) is a type of abuse where a partner intentionally attempts to interfere with fertility through deception or violence, often by manipulating one's contraceptive use or reproductive decision-making. Cross-sectional studies on the magnitude of RC across sub-Saharan Africa have noted associations with contraceptive use. No studies have longitudinally examined RC experiences as related to future contraceptive dynamics, including discontinuation or forgoing use altogether.

Weighted single-step genomic best linear unbiased predictor enhances the genomic prediction accuracy for milk citrate predicted by milk mid-infrared spectra of Holstein cows in early lactation.

Previous studies have shown that milk citrate predicted by milk mid-infrared (MIR) spectra is strongly affected by a few genomic regions. This study aimed to explore the effect of weighted single-step GBLUP on the accuracy of genomic prediction (GP) for MIR-predicted milk citrate in early-lactation Holstein cows. A total of 134,517 test-day predicted milk citrate collected within the first 50 DIM on 52,198 Holstein cows from the first 5 parities were used.

Ultrasound imaging: Enhancing the diagnosis of carpal tunnel syndrome.

Broader adoption of ultrasound (US) imaging in carpal tunnel syndrome management enhances patient care and outcome. This case underscores the importance in diagnosing carpal tunnel syndrome, highlighting its capability to uncover hidden anomalies and assist in surgical planning.

Geographic differences in the phenology of gonadal development and moult, but not of egg laying, are genetically based in a small songbird.

To forecast how fast populations can adapt to climate change, it is essential to determine the evolutionary potential of different life-cycle stages under selection. In birds, timing of gonadal development and moult are primarily regulated by photoperiod, while laying date is highly phenotypically plastic to temperature. We tested whether geographic variation in phenology of these life-cycle events between populations of great tits () has a genetic basis, indicating that contemporary genetic adaptation is possible.

The promise of community-driven preprints in ecology and evolution.

Publishing preprints is quickly becoming commonplace in ecology and evolutionary biology. Preprints can facilitate the rapid sharing of scientific knowledge establishing precedence and enabling feedback from the research community before peer review. Yet, significant barriers to preprint use exist, including language barriers, a lack of understanding about the benefits of preprints and a lack of diversity in the types of research outputs accepted (e.

Intervertebral disc regeneration - Is it possible?

Objective: The aim of this study was to evaluate disc metabolism after decreasing the axial load through surgery by assessing the glycosaminoglycan content through a non-invasive method-delayed gadolinium-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging of cartilage (dGEMRIC).

Methods: Sixteen patients with mono-segmental disc degeneration (L4-L5 or L5-S1) who underwent posterior lumbar spine fixation with intervertebral distraction of 2 consecutive vertebrae using monoaxial transpedicular screws and lyophilized allograft to achieve segmental fusion, and who had a follow-up period of at least 2 years, were included in this study. The first lumbar disc was used as the control group.

Early phosphate changes as potential indicator of unreadiness for artificial feeding: a secondary analysis of the EPaNIC RCT.

Background: As compared to withholding parenteral nutrition (PN) until one week after intensive care unit (ICU) admission, Early PN prolonged ICU dependency in the EPaNIC randomized controlled trial (RCT). The Refeeding RCT showed improved outcome by temporary macronutrient restriction in ICU patients developing refeeding hypophosphatemia, defined as a phosphate decrease of > 0.16 mmol/L to levels < 0.

Anti-IL-5 treatment, but not neutrophil interference, attenuates inflammation in a mixed granulocytic asthma mouse model, elicited by air pollution.

Introduction: Diesel exhaust particles (DEP) have been proven to aggravate asthma pathogenesis. We previously demonstrated that concurrent exposure to house dust mite (HDM) and DEP in mice increases both eosinophils and neutrophils in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) and also results in higher levels of neutrophil-recruiting chemokines and neutrophil extracellular trap (NET) formation compared to sole HDM, sole DEP or saline exposure. We aimed to evaluate whether treatment with anti-IL-5 can alleviate the asthmatic features in this mixed granulocytic asthma model.

Varicella-Zoster virus associated vasculopathy in a young male multiple sclerosis patient, treated with dimethyl fumarate.

With the increasing use of disease modifying therapies as treatment for multiple sclerosis, knowledge of the rare but possibly severe adverse events becomes increasingly important. We present a case of Varicella-Zoster virus associated vasculopathy in a young male multiple sclerosis patient, treated with dimethyl fumarate. We aim to address this rare but potentially deadly complication of varicella-Zoster virus infection and spread awareness about the increased risk in this patient population.

Crop rotation increases Tibetan barley yield and soil quality on the Tibetan Plateau.

Tibetan barley (Hordeum vulgare) accounts for over 70% of the total food production in the Tibetan Plateau. However, continuous cropping of Tibetan barley causes soil degradation, reduces soil quality and causes yield decline. Here we explore the benefits of crop rotation with wheat and rape to improve crop yield and soil quality.

Population-based, first-tier genomic newborn screening in the maternity ward.

The rapid development of therapies for severe and rare genetic conditions underlines the need to incorporate first-tier genetic testing into newborn screening (NBS) programs. A workflow was developed to screen newborns for 165 treatable pediatric disorders by deep sequencing of regions of interest in 405 genes. The prospective observational BabyDetect pilot project was launched in September 2022 in a maternity ward of a public hospital in the Liege area, Belgium.

Reference materials for food authentication.

The global food industry faces significant challenges in ensuring the safety and authenticity of food products. Economic adulteration and counterfeiting of food are estimated to cost the industry US$30-40 billion annually. Analytical testing plays a vital role in detecting food fraud.

Epidemiology of invasive Haemophilus influenzae infections in Belgium: 2018-2022.

Introduction: Haemophilus influenzae plays a major role in invasive bacterial infections. Resistant strains are emerging, prompting the WHO to include H. influenzae on its list of priority pathogens for research and development of new antibiotics.

fMRI data acquisition and analysis for task-free, anesthetized rats.

Templates for the acquisition of large datasets such as the Human Connectome Project guide the neuroimaging community to reproducible data acquisition and scientific rigor. By contrast, small animal neuroimaging often relies on laboratory-specific protocols, which limit cross-study comparisons. The establishment of broadly validated protocols may facilitate the acquisition of large datasets, which are essential for uncovering potentially small effects often seen in functional MRI (fMRI) studies.

Radiological safety atlas of minimally invasive midfoot fusion: A cadaver study.

Purpose: The popularity of minimally invasive (MIS) foot surgery continues to grow. However, it comes with certain limitations that present notable challenges. One significant hurdle is the absence of direct visualization of neurovascular structures and tendons.

The role of nutritional vitamin D in CKD-MBD in children and adults with CKD, on dialysis and after kidney transplantation - a European consensus statement.

Vitamin D deficiency is common in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) and associates with poor outcomes. Current clinical practice guidelines recommend supplementation with nutritional vitamin D as for the general population. However, recent large-scale, clinical trials in the general population failed to demonstrate a benefit of vitamin D supplementation on skeletal or non-skeletal outcomes, fueling a debate on the rationale for screening for and correcting vitamin D deficiency, both in non-CKD and CKD populations.

Parsimonious versus extensive bleeding score: can we simplify risk stratification after percutaneous coronary intervention and reduce bleeding events by de-escalation of the antiplatelet strategy?

Background And Aims: Due to the multitude of risk factors outlined in the guidelines, personalised dual antiplatelet therapy (DAPT) guidance after percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) is complex. A simplified method was created to facilitate the use of risk stratification. We aimed to compare the predictive and prognostic value of the 'Zuidoost Nederland Hart Registratie' (ZON-HR) classification for bleeding risk with the PREdicting bleeding Complications In patients undergoing Stent implantation and subsEquent DAPT (PRECISE-DAPT) score and to determine the effect of ticagrelor monotherapy versus DAPT in patients with or without high bleeding risk (HBR).

A simple model for the analysis of epidemics based on hospitalization data.

An epidemiological model with a minimal number of parameters is introduced and its structural and practical identifiabity is investigated both analytically and numerically. The model is useful when a high percentage of unreported cases is suspected, hence only hospitalization data are used to fit the model parameters and calculate the basic reproductive number R and the effective reproductive number R. As a case study, the model is used to study the initial surge and the Omicron wave of the COVID-19 epidemic in Belgium.