A European Delphi Consensus on the Management of Abdominal Aortic Aneurysms in Patients with Heritable Aortic Diseases.

Objective: Abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) in a patient with an underlying heritable aortic disease (HAD) is rare, and evidence based recommendations for its management are lacking. This study aimed to generate a consensus from multidisciplinary specialists on the diagnosis, treatment, and surveillance of AAA associated with HAD and to define topics of interest for future research.

Methods: A Delphi consensus was designed involving European multidisciplinary specialists and reported using the ACcurate COnsensus Reporting Document (ACCORD) reporting guideline.

Pulsed Field Ablation in the Elderly via a Pentaspline Multielectrode Catheter: Safety, Efficacy, and Comparison with Cryoballoon and Radiofrequency Devices.

Background: Catheter ablation is an effective treatment for atrial fibrillation (AF). Pulsed field ablation (PFA) has emerged as a novel energy modality, which relies on high-voltage electric fields to achieve cardiac tissue ablation. Data on its efficacy in the elderly are scarce.

Survival outcomes for patients with invasive lobular cancer by MammaPrint: Results from the MINDACT phase III trial.

Background: Evaluation of the prognostic performance and clinical utility of the MammaPrint 70-gene signature in early-stage invasive lobular carcinoma (ILC) for whom such analyses in a randomized trial is awaited.

Patients And Methods: Exploratory subgroup analysis of MINDACT trial patients with centrally assessed histology (n = 5929) with invasive breast cancer of no-special-type (NST), or pure ILC. In the trial patients were categorized based on the 70-gene signature for genomic risk and modified Adjuvant!Online for clinical risk.

Comparison of cadmium pathways in a high Cd accumulating cultivar versus a low Cd accumulating cultivar of Theobroma cacao L.

Understanding cadmium (Cd) pathways in cacao trees is critical for developing Cd mitigation strategies. This study investigates whether Cd uptake and translocation mechanisms differ between a low and a high Cd-accumulating cacao cultivar. We sampled three replicate trees of each cultivar, and a grafted cultivar that shared the same scion as the low Cd accumulator but had a different rootstock.

Environmental exposure to single and combined ZnO and TiO nanoparticles: Implications for rainbow trout gill immune functions and microbiota.

ZnO and TiO nanoparticles (NPs) are widely employed for their antibacterial properties, but their potential environmental impact is raising concerns. This study aimed to assess their single and combined effects at environmentally relevant concentrations (210 μg L) on rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) gills microbiota and immune functions. 16S rRNA gene sequencing performed after 5 and 28 days of exposure suggests that TiO NPs had a more immediate impact on bacterial diversity, while prolonged exposure to the mixture altered community composition.

Stress and telomere length in leukocytes: Investigating the role of GABRA6 gene polymorphism and cortisol.

Telomere length (TL) is considered a biomarker of aging, and short TL in leukocytes is related to age and stress-related health problems. Cumulative lifetime stress exposure has also been associated with shorter TL and age-related health problems, but the mechanisms are not well understood. We tested in 108 individuals whether shorter TL in leukocytes is observed in individuals with the GABRA6 TT genotype, which has been associated with dysregulation of hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis activity (the main biological stress system) compared to the CC genotype.

How likely is it that a virus or bacteria is causing a patient's symptoms? A new approach to interpret the outcome from multi-pathogen PCR.

Background: Whether a detected virus or bacteria is a pathogen that may require treatment, or is merely a commensal 'passenger', remains confusing for many infections. This confusion is likely to increase with the wider use of multi-pathogen PCR.

Objectives: To propose a new statistical procedure to analyse and present data from case-control studies clarifying the probability of causality.

Chronic kidney disease-mineral and bone disorder: conclusions from a Kidney Disease: Improving Global Outcomes (KDIGO) Controversies Conference.

In 2017, Kidney Disease: Improving Global Outcomes (KDIGO) published a Clinical Practice Guideline Update for the Diagnosis, Evaluation, Prevention, and Treatment of Chronic Kidney Disease-Mineral and Bone Disorder (CKD-MBD). Since then, new lines of evidence have been published related to evaluating disordered mineral metabolism and bone quality and turnover, identifying and inhibiting vascular calcification, targeting vitamin D levels, and regulating parathyroid hormone. For an in-depth consideration of the new insights, in October 2023, KDIGO held a Controversies Conference on CKD-MBD: Progress and Knowledge Gaps Toward Personalizing Care.

Beyond hearing: the impact of Cochlear implantation on the quality of life of users and their communication partners after 1 year.

Objective: To assess the impact of cochlear implantation (CI) and speech perception outcomes on the quality of life (QoL) of adult CI users and their communication partners (CP) one-year post-implantation.

Design: This research is part of a prospective multicenter study in The Netherlands, called SMILE (Societal Merit of Intervention for hearing Loss Evaluation).

Study Sample: Eighty adult CI users completed speech perception testing and the Nijmegen Cochear Implant Questionnaire (NCIQ).

Immunonutrition to improve the quality of life of upper gastrointestinal cancer patients undergoing neoadjuvant treatment prior to surgery (NEOIMMUNE): double-blind randomized controlled multicenter clinical trial.

Background: Malnutrition is common with esophagogastric cancers and is associated with negative outcomes. We aimed to evaluate if immunonutrition during neoadjuvant treatment improves patient's health-related quality of life (HRQOL) and reduces postoperative morbidity and toxicities during neoadjuvant treatment.

Methods: A multicenter double-blind randomized controlled trial (RCT) was undertaken.

A participatory needs assessment to map the system dynamics of overweight related behaviours of 10-14-year-old adolescents living in an underserved neighbourhood in Amsterdam, the Netherlands.

Background: Developing interventions along with the population of interest using systems thinking is a promising method to address the underlying system dynamics of overweight. The purpose of this study is twofold: to gain insight into the perspectives of adolescents regarding: (1) the system dynamics of energy balance-related behaviours (EBRBs) (physical activity, screen use, sleep behaviour and dietary behaviour); and (2) underlying mechanisms and overarching drivers of unhealthy EBRBs.

Methods: We conducted Participatory Action Research (PAR) to map the system dynamics of EBRBs together with adolescents aged 10-14 years old living in a lower socioeconomic, ethnically diverse neighbourhood in Amsterdam East, the Netherlands.

Encorafenib, cetuximab and chemotherapy in BRAF-mutant colorectal cancer: a randomized phase 3 trial.

Encorafenib + cetuximab (EC) is approved for previously treated BRAF V600E-mutant metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC) based on the BEACON phase 3 study. Historically, first-line treatment of BRAF V600E-mutant mCRC with chemotherapy regimens has had limited efficacy. The phase 3 BREAKWATER study investigated EC+mFOLFOX6 versus standard of care (SOC) in patients with previously untreated BRAF V600E mCRC.

Prospective association between breakfast consumption frequency and BMI z-score among European school-aged children. The Feel4Diabetes Study.

Background: The long-term effects of breakfast on childhood z-BMI remain inconclusive.

Objective: To prospectively assess the impact of stable and altered breakfast consumption habits on z-BMI change over two years, in school-aged children across six European countries.

Methods: Data of 6,528 children (8.

Osilodrostat improves blood pressure and glycemic control in patients with Cushing's disease: a pooled analysis of LINC 3 and LINC 4 studies.

Purpose: To evaluate the effect of osilodrostat and hypercortisolism control on blood pressure (BP) and glycemic control in patients with Cushing's disease.

Methods: Pooled analysis of two Phase III osilodrostat studies (LINC 3 and LINC 4), both comprising a 48-week core phase and an optional open-label extension. Changes from baseline in systolic and diastolic BP (SBP and DBP), fasting plasma glucose (FPG), and glycated hemoglobin (HbA) were evaluated during osilodrostat treatment in patients with/without hypertension or diabetes at baseline.

Temperature dependence of liverwort diversification reveals a cool origin and hot hotspots.

The evolutionary history underlying gradients in species richness is still subject to discussions and understanding the past niche evolution might be crucial in estimating the potential of taxa to adapt to changing environmental conditions. In this study we intend to contribute to elucidation of the evolutionary history of liverwort species richness distributions along elevational gradients at a global scale. For this purpose, we linked a comprehensive data set of genus occurrences on mountains worldwide with a time-calibrated phylogeny of liverworts and estimated mean diversification rates (DivElev) and mean ages (AgeElev) of the respective genera per elevational band.

Development of an in vivo ovarian cancer peritoneal carcinomatosis model for radioimmunotherapy testing.

Currently, Ovarian Cancer (OC) is the most lethal gynecological malignancy. In most patients, it progresses without clinical signs or symptoms, leading to a late diagnosis when it has already spread in the peritoneal cavity as peritoneal carcinomatosis (PC). To date, OC PC management is based on cytoreductive surgery to remove the macroscopic disease, followed by chemotherapy.

Classification of Fibro-osseous Tumors in the Craniofacial Bones using DNA Methylation and Copy Number Alterations.

Fibro-osseous tumors of the craniofacial bones are a heterogeneous group of lesions comprising cemento-osseous dysplasia (COD), cemento-ossifying fibroma (COF), juvenile trabecular ossifying fibroma (JTOF), psammomatoid ossifying fibroma (PsOF), fibrous dysplasia (FD), and low-grade osteosarcoma (LGOS) with overlapping clinicopathological features. However, their clinical behavior and treatment differ significantly, underlining the need for accurate diagnosis. Molecular diagnostic markers exist for subsets of these tumors, including GNAS mutations in FD, SATB2 fusions in PsOF, mutations involving the RAS-MAPK signaling pathway in COD, and MDM2 amplification in LGOS.

Specific symptomatology profile associated with treatment resistant depression: A multicentric study from the Group for the Study of Resistant Depression with a focus on sex.

Background: Clinical predictors of treatment-resistant depression could improve treatment strategies. Depressive symptom profiles at baseline are potential outcome predictors, but little evidence is available, and sex-specific profiles have been scarcely investigated.

Methods: Baseline symptom scores of 1294 patients with major depressive disorder were assessed by the Montgomery-Åsberg depression rating scale (MADRS) as part of a multicenter study by the "Group for the Studies of Resistant Depression".

Breast cancer outcomes after skin- and nipple-sparing mastectomy in BRCA pathogenic mutation carriers versus non-BRCA carriers.

Unlabelled: Our previous study on breast cancer BRCA carriers disclosed a high local recurrence (LR) rate in patients who underwent skin sparing (SSM) or nipple sparing mastectomy (NSM) without postoperative radiation therapy (RT), compared to breast conservation surgery or mastectomy with RT. The current study compares the LR rates in BRCA versus non BRCA carriers after SSM/NSM in relation the receipt of RT.

Methods: The study was approved by the institutional ethics committee.

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis caused by FUS mutations: advances with broad implications.

Autosomal dominant mutations in the gene encoding the DNA and RNA binding protein FUS are a cause of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), and about 0·3-0·9% of patients with ALS are FUS mutation carriers. FUS-mutation-associated ALS (FUS-ALS) is characterised by early onset and rapid progression, compared with other forms of ALS. However, different pathogenic mutations in FUS can result in markedly different age at symptom onset and rate of disease progression.

Unique considerations in the assessment and management of traumatic brain injury in older adults.

The age-specific incidence of traumatic brain injury in older adults is rising in high-income countries, mainly due to an increase in the incidence of falls. The severity of traumatic brain injury in older adults can be underestimated because of a delay in the development of mass effect and symptoms of intracranial haemorrhage. Management and rehabilitation in older adults must consider comorbidities and frailty, the treatment of pre-existing disorders, the reduced potential for recovery, the likelihood of cognitive decline, and the avoidance of future falls.

Safety and efficacy of satralizumab in patients with generalised myasthenia gravis (LUMINESCE): a randomised, double-blind, multicentre, placebo-controlled phase 3 trial.

Background: Evidence from preclinical studies suggests that IL-6 signalling has the potential to modulate immunopathogenic mechanisms upstream of autoantibody effector mechanisms in patients with generalised myasthenia gravis. We aimed to assess the safety and efficacy of satralizumab, a humanised monoclonal antibody targeting the IL-6 receptor, in patients with generalised myasthenia gravis.

Methods: LUMINESCE was a randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled, multicentre, phase 3 study at 105 sites, including hospitals and clinics, globally.

Safety and efficacy of nipocalimab in adults with generalised myasthenia gravis (Vivacity-MG3): a phase 3, randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled study.

Background: Given burdensome side-effects and long latency for efficacy with conventional agents, there is a continued need for generalised myasthenia gravis treatments that are safe and provide consistently sustained, long-term disease control. Nipocalimab, a neonatal Fc receptor blocker, was associated with dose-dependent reductions in total IgG and anti-acetylcholine receptor (AChR) antibodies and clinically meaningful improvements in the Myasthenia Gravis Activities of Daily Living (MG-ADL) scale in patients with generalised myasthenia gravis in a phase 2 study. We aimed to assess the safety and efficacy of nipocalimab in a phase 3 study.

Spatially restricted and ontogenically distinct hepatic macrophages are required for tissue repair.

Our understanding of the functional heterogeneity of resident versus recruited macrophages in the diseased liver is limited. A population of recruited lipid-associated macrophages (LAMs) has been reported to populate the diseased liver alongside resident Kupffer cells (KCs). However, the precise roles of these distinct macrophage subsets remain elusive.

Oxidative hydrothermal treatment of bovine bones: A lower CO emission process to obtain high specific surface area hydroxyapatite.

Hydroxyapatite (HA) is known to be the main component of the mineral part of bones. Due to its properties HA is studied for various applications such as bone graft, drug carrier, heterogeneous catalyst or sorbent for waste water treatment. HA can be synthesized or valorized from bone wastes, as the food industry produce billions of kilograms of animal bones.