Sex-based differences in cardiovascular outcomes among patients with atrial fibrillation undergoing left atrial appendage occlusion device placement.

Background: There is a growing body of data to support the presence of sex disparities in outcomes of cardiovascular related hospitalizations. Despite this, there remains a paucity of data on relationships between sex and in-hospital outcomes in patients receiving a left atrial appendage occlusion device (LAAOD).

Methods: We examined the 2016-2020 Nationwide Readmission Database to identify patients with Atrial Fibrillation receiving a LAAOD.

Long-lasting antimicrobial effect of multipurpose ZnO nanoparticle-loaded dental resins enhanced by blue light photodynamic therapy.

Objectives: This study aimed to assess the potential of experimental dental resins containing ZnO nanoparticles (ZnO-NPs) for antimicrobial photodynamic therapy (aPDT) as a functional tool for the modulation of cariogenic biofilm in long-term.

Methods: Minimum inhibitory and bactericidal concentrations (MIC/MBC) of ZnO-NPs against Streptococcus mutans were initially determined under different energy densities of blue LED irradiation (0.00, 1.

Phylogenetic analysis and homology modelling of a new Cry8A crystal protein expressed in a sporulating soil bacterium.

Cry proteins, commonly found in gram-positive soil bacteria, are used worldwide as aerial sprays or in transgenic plants for controlling crop pest populations and as insect vectors. Via PCR analysis, a spore producing soil isolate (BV5) was speculated to encode a Cry gene. Partial nucleotide sequence of the amplified PCR fragment showed homology with the Cry8 genes present in GenBank.

Validation of lactate and glucose in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) on a Radiometer blood gas analyzer ABL90 Flex plus.

Purpose: Rapid determination of cerebrospinal fluid. (CSF) glucose and lactate is required by emergency rooms and intensive care units. Long turnaround time (TAT) on test results negatively impacts timely diagnosis and treatment of neurological infections like meningitis.

Dietary profiles of wild carnivores and Blastocystis occurrence: The case of the endangered Iberian lynx (Lynx pardinus) and systematic review.

Recent molecular and metagenomic studies have revealed that the obligate anaerobic protist Blastocystis is found more prevalently and with higher subtype diversities in herbivore species than in carnivore species. However, information on wild carnivore species is scarce. Here, we investigated the presence of Blastocystis by molecular methods in fecal DNA samples of free-ranging and captive Iberian lynxes from Spain (n = 243) and Portugal (n = 30).

A taxonomy of the factors contributing to the overtreatment of cancer patients at the end of life. What is the problem? Why does it happen? How can it be addressed?

Many patients with cancer approaching the end of life (EOL) continue to receive treatments that are unlikely to provide meaningful clinical benefit, potentially causing more harm than good. This is called overtreatment at the EOL. Overtreatment harms patients by causing side-effects, increasing health care costs, delaying important discussions about and preparation for EOL care, and occasionally accelerating death.

Microplastics in the benthic fish from the Canadian St. Lawrence River and Estuary: Occurrence, spatial distribution and ecological risk assessment.

Microplastic contamination in the St. Lawrence River and Estuary (SLRE), Canada, poses potential risks to aquatic species. However, limited understanding of microplastic contamination in benthic fish, potentially more vulnerable than pelagic species, impedes effective risk assessment in this crucial ecosystem.

A systematic review for non-targeted analysis of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS).

This review follows the PRISMA guidelines to provide a systematic review of 115 peer reviewed articles that used non-targeted analysis (NTA) methods to detect per- and polyfluoroalkylated substances (PFAS). This literature highlights the significant positive impact of NTA in understanding PFAS in the environment. Within the literature a geographical bias exists, with most NTA studies (∼60 %) conducted in the United States and China.

A matched case-control study of porcine group A and C rotaviruses in a swine farrowing production system.

Group A rotaviruses (RVA) and group C rotaviruses (RVC) are important enteric pathogens in swine. Comprehensive studies investigating porcine rotaviruses in Canada are necessary to enhance understanding of the frequency, impacts, and dynamics of these infections in swine herds. This study aims to estimate the prevalence of RVA and RVC, describe circulating strains, and assess the association of rotaviruses with diarrhea at the piglet, litter, and batch levels in Canadian farrowing swine productions.

Diagnosing progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy: Positive predictive value of CSF JC virus quantitative PCR and importance of recognizing suggestive neuroimaging findings.

Objective: To determine the positive predictive value (PPV) of CSF John Cunningham virus (JCV) quantitative PCR (qPCR) for progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy (PML), and highlight neuroimaging findings reported to be suggestive of this disease.

Methods: We reviewed patients at London Health Sciences Centre with a positive CSF JCV qPCR result. Patients were classified as true-positive if they had a clinico-radiographic presentation compatible with PML and no more likely alternative diagnosis.

Not for everyone: Factors influencing who receives psychotherapy in people with multiple sclerosis.

Background: Although depression and anxiety are common in people with multiple sclerosis (pwMS), access to psychotherapy remains limited.

Objectives: This study aimed to identify clinical factors that predict use of psychotherapy among pwMS.

Methods: From a retrospective chart review of a tertiary neuropsychiatry clinic in Toronto, Canada, data were obtained for 267 pwMS who received neuropsychiatric treatment (either with antidepressants or psychotherapy).

Why do primates have view cells instead of place cells?

Hippocampal place cells that encode the spatial location of an individual during navigation are widely reported in rodents. However, studies in primates have instead reported hippocampal cells that encode views of the environment. Evolutionary adaptations for navigating during night and day may explain the divergence of hippocampal representations between species.

Differential effects of gestational Cannabis smoke and phytocannabinoid injections on male and female rat offspring behavior.

Our understanding of the implications of gestational Cannabis exposure (GCE) remains unclear as Cannabis use increases worldwide. Much of the existing knowledge of the effects of GCE has been gained from preclinical experiments using injections of isolated Δ-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) at relatively high doses. Few investigations of the effects of GCE to smoke from the whole Cannabis flower have been conducted, despite this being the most common mode of human consumption.

The multi-dimensional stigma of chronic pain: A narrative review.

Accumulating evidence suggests that stigma is a pervasive and pernicious psychosocial phenomenon that affects people living with chronic pain. In this narrative review, we describe the nature of stigma experienced by people with chronic pain and discuss its multifaceted determinants. These determinants include features of pain itself and intersectional factors, including comorbid conditions and social marginalization.

Cyanobacteria hot spot detection integrating remote sensing data with convolutional and Kolmogorov-Arnold networks.

Prompt and accurate monitoring of cyanobacterial blooms is essential for public health management and understanding aquatic ecosystem dynamics. Remote sensing, in particular satellite observations, presents a good alternative for continuous monitoring. This study employs multispectral images from the Sentinel-2 constellation alongside ERA5-Land to enable broad-scale data acquisition.

Enterolactone combined with m6A Reader IGF2BP3 inhibits malignant angiogenesis and disease progression in ovarian cancer.

Background: Among all gynecological cancers, ovarian cancer is the leading cause of death. Epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC) accounts for over 85 % of ovarian cancer cases and is characterized by insidious onset, early metastasis, and a high recurrence rate. Alterations in gut microbiota, often as a consequence of chemotherapy, can promote cancer development and exacerbate the disease.

Combined endonasal, endo-orbital and transcranial craniofacial resection of invasive anterior skullbase sinonasal carcinoma: 2D endoscopic video.

Background: Sinonasal malignancies, in which squamous cell carcinomas are the most common are rare and difficult to treat given the location and anatomical structures involved. Sinonasal malignancies often present late due to non-specific and benign symptoms. Partial resections are often associated with poorer outcomes [1].

UL24 herpesvirus determinants of pathogenesis: Roles in virus-host interactions.

Members of the UL24 herpesvirus gene family are determinants of pathogenesis. The gene is widely conserved across the Orthoherpesviridae family, also commonly referred to as Herpesviridae. In this review, the impact of UL24 homologs on pathogenesis as studied with different model systems is presented, as well as mechanistic aspects related to the different roles of UL24 proteins in virus-host cell interactions.

Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation and pregnancy.

Critical illness during pregnancy poses significant challenges driven by complex interactions between physiological changes, pre-existing conditions, and healthcare disparities. In high-income countries, increasing maternal age and comorbidities complicate obstetric care by triggering an unprecedented rise in cardiac disease during pregnancy, while infections like influenza and COVID-19 are important causes of maternal adult respiratory distress syndrome. Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) gained prominence as a vital intervention, providing respiratory and/or cardiac support, for varying indications between antenatal and postpartum periods.

Hepcidin modifies the relationship between anemia, erythrocyte indices, and neurocognitive performance in virally suppressed people with HIV.

Objective: Neurocognitive (NC) impairment in people with HIV (PWH) is associated with erythrocyte indices, which may serve as indicators of iron metabolism, inflammation, and related factors. Erythropoiesis requires iron, regulated by a multifaceted system of peptide hormones, including hepcidin. This study postulated that hepcidin might modify the relationship between erythrocyte indices and NC performance in PWH.