Elusive Gains of Cognitive Training: Limited Effects on Neural Activity Across Sessions.

Background/objectives: Cognitive training paradigms rely on the idea that consistent practice can drive neural plasticity, improving not only connectivity within critical brain networks, but also ultimately result in overall enhancement of trained cognitive functions, irrespective of the specific task. Here we opted to investigate the temporal dynamics of neural activity and cognitive performance during a structured cognitive training program.

Methods: A group of 20 middle-aged participants completed 20 training sessions over 10 weeks.

Outbreak of hantavirus disease caused by Puumala virus, Croatia, 2021.

In 2021, a large outbreak of hantavirus disease (HAVID) in Croatia with 334 notified cases coincided with a COVID-19 wave and included patients from areas previously not considered endemic, challenging HAVID recognition and patient management. We analysed clinical and epidemiological data on all 254 patients with HAVID treated in the Clinical Hospital Center Rijeka (CHC Rijeka) between February and November 2021. Most patients (n = 246; 96.

Students' attitudes toward euthanasia and abortion: a cross-cultural study in three Mediterranean countries.

Introduction: Abortion and euthanasia are still one of the greatest bioethical challenges. Previous studies have shown that there are differences in attitudes towards these issues depending on socio-demographic characteristics and socio-cultural environment (country of residence). As part of the scientific research project EuroBioMed, we compared the attitudes of students from three Mediterranean countries towards abortion and euthanasia and examined them from the perspective of Mediterranean bioethics.

Exploration of transfer learning techniques for the prediction of PM.

Modelling of pollutants provides valuable insights into air quality dynamics, aiding exposure assessment where direct measurements are not viable. Machine learning (ML) models can be employed to explore such dynamics, including the prediction of air pollution concentrations, yet demanding extensive training data. To address this, techniques like transfer learning (TL) leverage knowledge from a model trained on a rich dataset to enhance one trained on a sparse dataset, provided there are similarities in data distribution.

Late-onset distant metastasis in parotid gland myoepithelial carcinoma.

Myoepithelial carcinoma (MC) is a rare salivary gland malignancy that usually affects people over the age of 50. The incidence is similar in both men and women. MC might develop de novo or within a pre-existing benign myoepithelioma or pleomorphic adenoma.

Sex-Specific Anatomic Differences in Patients Undergoing Transcatheter Aortic Valve Implantation: Insights from the ST-TAVI Registry.

Background: Anatomic considerations of transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) have an important role for the procedure planning, but sex-specific data are lacking.

Methods: All eligible cases undergoing evaluation for TAVI procedure in the period from November 2019 to July 2023 at the University Hospital of Split were included. Cardiac computed tomography was analysed to derive the measures of left ventricular outflow tract (LVOT), aortic root, ascending aorta, and ilio-femoral arteries.

The ReAct project: Analysis of data from 23 different laboratories to characterise DNA recovery given two sets of activity level propositions.

The ReAct (Recovery, Activity) project is an ENFSI (European Network of Forensic Science Institutes) supported initiative comprising a large consortium of laboratories. Here, the results from more than 23 laboratories are presented. The primary purpose was to design experiments simulating typical casework circumstances; collect data and to implement Bayesian networks to assess the value (i.

Loneliness is positively associated with populist radical right support.

Objectives: The mental and physical health consequences of loneliness are well documented. However, loneliness's socio-political ramifications have been largely unexplored. We theorize that loneliness, due to its physiologically dysregulating impact on the nervous system, facilitates greater susceptibility towards populist radical right parties.

Survey of legislative frameworks and national recommendations governing paediatric maintenance haemodialysis in Europe.

Background: The application of international recommendations for paediatric maintenance haemodialysis (HD) could be strengthened by national laws or written recommendations. Our aim was therefore to describe the national rules governing paediatric maintenance HD in European countries.

Methods: A national representative, approved by the president of each paediatric nephrology society, was contacted in all 42 European countries to complete two online questionnaires.

Addressing Vaccine Hesitancy: Validating the PACV Survey for Croatian Parents.

Vaccine hesitancy, recognized by the WHO as a significant global health threat, undermines vaccination efforts. This study aimed to adapt and validate the Parent Attitudes about Childhood Vaccines (PACV) Survey for Croatian parents to understand vaccine hesitancy better. A cross-sectional study with 1814 Croatian parents was conducted using the PACV survey, translated using a double-back translation method.

Acute Effects of Foam Rolling and Stretching on Physical Performance and Self-Perceived Fatigue in Young Football Players.

: The aim of this study was to examine the acute effects of foam rolling and traditional stretch treatments on physical performance and self-perceived fatigue in youth football players. : The sample of participants consisted of 20 youth football players from the Serbia Under-17 league. Participants were randomly assigned to one of two groups, the Foam group (age: 16.

Pharmacy Customers' Attitudes Towards Expanded Pharmacy Services in Croatia.

Pharmacists have been recognized as the most accessible healthcare professionals, and research has been carried out on expanded pharmacy services they could provide. Additional pharmacy services are a cost-effective way to prevent medication errors, reduce the number of drug-related problems, and prevent chronic disease progression. Therefore, this study aims to evaluate pharmacy service users' views of expanded pharmacy services in Croatia.

Empowering Patient Safety: Assessment of Adverse Drug Reaction Knowledge and Practice Among Pharmacy Professionals.

Despite technological advancements, healthcare professionals must actively prioritize patient safety. Reporting adverse drug reactions is a critical aspect of this responsibility, and the most accessible healthcare providers, community pharmacists, and pharmacy technicians play a key role. Therefore, this study assessed their knowledge and practices regarding adverse drug reaction reporting in Croatia.

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.

Electronic dynamics created at conical intersections and its dephasing in aqueous solution.

A dynamical rearrangement in the electronic structure of a molecule can be driven by different phenomena, including nuclear motion, electronic coherence or electron correlation. Recording such electronic dynamics and identifying its fate in an aqueous solution has remained a challenge. Here, we reveal the electronic dynamics induced by electronic relaxation through conical intersections in both isolated and solvated pyrazine molecules using X-ray spectroscopy.

Total cell N-glycosylation is altered during differentiation of induced pluripotent stem cells to neural stem cells and is disturbed by trisomy 21.

Down syndrome (DS), a genetic condition caused by trisomy 21 (T21), manifests various neurological symptoms, including intellectual disability, early neurodegeneration, and early-onset dementia. N-glycosylation is a protein modification that plays a critical role in numerous neurobiological processes and whose dysregulation is associated with a range of neurological disorders. However, whether N-glycosylation of neural glycoproteins is affected in DS has not been studied.

Surgical Management of Giant Basal Cell Carcinoma in the Maxillofacial Region: Ablative and Reconstructive Strategies.

Introduction: Giant basal cell carcinoma (GBCC) is a rare and aggressive subtype of basal cell carcinoma (BCC), characterized by a diameter of ≥5 cm and a potential for deep tissue invasion. This study aimed to present our experience with the surgical management of GBCC in the maxillofacial region, focusing on resection and immediate reconstruction strategies.

Methods: We conducted a retrospective analysis of 5926 patients with BCC in the maxillofacial region from 2010 to 2020, with a specific emphasis on 32 patients diagnosed with GBCC.

Regional and institutional trends in assessment for academic promotion.

The assessment of research performance is widely seen as a vital tool in upholding the highest standards of quality, with selection and competition believed to drive progress. Academic institutions need to take critical decisions on hiring and promotion, while facing external pressure by also being subject to research assessment. Here we present an outlook on research assessment for career progression with specific focus on promotion to full professorship, based on 314 policies from 190 academic institutions and 218 policies from 58 government agencies, covering 32 countries in the Global North and 89 countries in the Global South.

Quantum-computing-enhanced algorithm unveils potential KRAS inhibitors.

We introduce a quantum-classical generative model for small-molecule design, specifically targeting KRAS inhibitors for cancer therapy. We apply the method to design, select and synthesize 15 proposed molecules that could notably engage with KRAS for cancer therapy, with two holding promise for future development as inhibitors. This work showcases the potential of quantum computing to generate experimentally validated hits that compare favorably against classical models.

Thy1-YFP: an effective tool for single cell tracing from neuronal progenitors to mature functionally active neurons.

The differentiation of mouse neurons is a complex process involving cell maturation and branching, occurring during both, embryonic development and differentiation in vitro. To study mouse neuronal morphology, we used the Thy1 YFP-16 mouse strain. Although this mouse strain was described over twenty years ago, detailed studies on projections outgrowth and morphology of neurons are still lacking.

Safety and efficacy of early initiation of sodium-glucose co-transporter inhibitors 2 in patients hospitalized for acute heart failure: A meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.

Aims: Data on the early use of sodium-glucose co-transporter 2 inhibitors (SGLT2i) in patients with acute heart failure (HF) are conflicting, and mostly evaluating soft endpoints (i.e., indices of congestion, renal function, ejection fraction, and diuresis).

Genetic Testing for Monogenic Forms of Male Infertility Contributes to the Clinical Diagnosis of Men with Severe Idiopathic Male Infertility.

Purpose: In recent years, many genes have been associated with male infertility; however, testing of monogenic forms has not yet been clinically implemented in the diagnosis of severe forms of idiopathic male infertility, as the diagnostic utility has not been established yet. The aim of this study was therefore to answer if the implementation of genetic testing for monogenic forms of male infertility could contribute to the clinical diagnosis of men with severe forms of idiopathic male infertility.

Materials And Methods: Based on the ClinGene curation protocol, we defined a panel of genes with sufficient evidence for the involvement with severe male infertility.

Total proteome and calcium-binding proteins from human breast milk: Exploring the impact of tobacco smoke exposure and environmental factors.

This study integrates proteome analysis of human breast milk (HBM) from a homogeneous group of mothers who are of similar age and live in the same geographical area, along with an analysis of essential and potentially toxic elements in HBM in relation to lifestyle and environmental factors. This preliminary proteomic study, which examined 11 samples of HBM from lactating women, identified a total of 1619 proteins across all samples, revealing significant differences in proteomes influenced by lactation stages, parity, and exposure to tobacco smoke. The pilot study aimed to explore the feasibility of correlating certain proteins with several elements, considered as indicators of tobacco smoke and environmental influences on HBM.

Short communication: The importance of random effects in detecting purging of inbreeding depression: A model comparison in Pannon White rabbits.

Inbreeding depression (ID) is a well-documented phenomenon associated with reduced fitness and possible extinction. However, ID can be mitigated or even eliminated through the interplay of inbreeding and selection, a process known as purging. The aim of this study was to compare the predictive power of two commonly used approaches in models with and without random dam effects to detect purging (full and reduced models).

Life satisfaction around the world: Measurement invariance of the Satisfaction With Life Scale (SWLS) across 65 nations, 40 languages, gender identities, and age groups.

The Satisfaction With Life Scale (SWLS) is a widely used self-report measure of subjective well-being, but studies of its measurement invariance across a large number of nations remain limited. Here, we utilised the Body Image in Nature (BINS) dataset-with data collected between 2020 and 2022 -to assess measurement invariance of the SWLS across 65 nations, 40 languages, gender identities, and age groups (N = 56,968). All participants completed the SWLS under largely uniform conditions.