Designer Organs: Ethical Genetic Modifications in the Era of Machine Perfusion.

Gene therapy is a rapidly developing field, finally yielding clinical benefits. Genetic engineering of organs for transplantation may soon be an option, thanks to convergence with another breakthrough technology, ex vivo machine perfusion (EVMP). EVMP allows access to the functioning organ for genetic manipulation prior to transplant.

Use of Augmented Reality for Training Assistance in Laparoscopic Surgery: Scoping Literature Review.

Background: Laparoscopic surgery training is a demanding process requiring technical and nontechnical skills. Surgical training has evolved from traditional approaches to the use of immersive digital technologies such as virtual, augmented, and mixed reality. These technologies are now integral to laparoscopic surgery training.

Thin Layer Chromatography Goes Ultrasmall to Assay Sphingosine Kinase Activation in Single Primary Leukemic Cells.

Cell-to-cell heterogeneity in lipid signaling underlies variations in response and recurrence for many cancers, including leukemias. A highly parallel, miniaturized thin-layer chromatographic platform capable of assaying single cells was developed. Ultrasmall volumes (50 pL) of standard fluorescent lipids were separated with excellent repeatability, reproducibility, and limits of detection.

Electroconvulsive shock and transcranial magnetic stimulation do not alter the survival or spine density of adult-born striatal neurons.

Adult neurogenesis has most often been studied in the hippocampus and subventricular zone-olfactory bulb, where newborn neurons contribute to a variety of behaviors. A handful of studies have also investigated adult neurogenesis in other brain regions, but relatively little is known about the properties of neurons added to non-canonical areas. One such region is the striatum.

3D ophthalmic ultrasonography at the slit lamp using existing ultrasound systems.

Purpose: This study aims to explore the feasibility and performance of three-dimensional ultrasound (3DUS) imaging in ophthalmology using commercially available ultrasound probes adapted to a slit lamp.

Significance: Despite ultrasound's long-standing application in eye care for visualizing ocular components, the evolution of 3DUS technology has remained inactive, with limited development and commercial availability. This study introduces a novel method that could potentially enhance ophthalmic diagnostics and treatment planning by providing comprehensive 3D views of ocular structures using existing ultrasound probes adapted to the conventional slit lamp.

Triethylamine-mediated protonation-deprotonation unlocks dual-drug self assembly to suppress breast cancer progression and metastasis.

Carrier-free nanomedicines exhibited significant potential in elevating drug efficacy and safety for tumor management, yet their self assembly typically relied on chemical modifications of drugs or the incorporation of surfactants, thereby compromising the drug's inherent pharmacological activity. To address this challenge, we proposed a triethylamine (TEA)-mediated protonation-deprotonation strategy that enabled the adjustable-proportion self assembly of dual drugs without chemical modification, achieving nearly 100% drug loading capacity. Molecular dynamic simulations, supported by experiment evidence, elucidated the underlying self-assembly mechanism.

Smart home technology to support engagement in everyday activities while ageing: A focus group study with current and future generations of older adults.

Despite the potential of smart home technologies (SHT) to support everyday activities, the implementation rate of such technology in the homes of older adults remains low. The overall aim of this study was to explore factors involved in the decision-making process in adopting SHT among current and future generations of older adults. We also aimed to identify and understand barriers and facilitators that can better support older adults' engagement in everyday activities.

Lupus and inflammatory bowel disease share a common set of microbiome features distinct from other autoimmune disorders.

Objectives: This study aims to elucidate the microbial signatures associated with autoimmune diseases, particularly systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), compared with colorectal cancer (CRC), to identify unique biomarkers and shared microbial mechanisms that could inform specific treatment protocols.

Methods: We analysed metagenomic datasets from patient cohorts with six autoimmune conditions-SLE, IBD, multiple sclerosis, myasthenia gravis, Graves' disease and ankylosing spondylitis-contrasting these with CRC metagenomes to delineate disease-specific microbial profiles. The study focused on identifying predictive biomarkers from species profiles and functional genes, integrating protein-protein interaction analyses to explore effector-like proteins and their targets in key signalling pathways.

A Comprehensive Evaluation of the Neuropharmacological Potential of Methanolic Leaf Extract of Acanthus ebracteatus (Vahl.) Using Experimental and In Silico Approaches.

This study was undertaken to assess the antioxidant and neuropharmacological potentials of the methanol leaf extract of Acanthus ebracteatus (MAEL) through experimental and in silico methods. The phytochemical screening (PS) and GC-MS (gas chromatography-mass spectrometry) identified 28 phytochemicals with different classes in nature in MAEL. The MAEL revealed better antioxidant activity through various in vitro antioxidant assays.

Combining Multifrequency Magnetic Resonance Elastography With Automatic Segmentation to Assess Renal Function in Patients With Chronic Kidney Disease.

Background: Multifrequency MR elastography (mMRE) enables noninvasive quantification of renal stiffness in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD). Manual segmentation of the kidneys on mMRE is time-consuming and prone to increased interobserver variability.

Purpose: To evaluate the performance of mMRE combined with automatic segmentation in assessing CKD severity.

Finite element modeling of clavicle fracture fixations: a systematic scoping review.

Finite element analysis has become indispensable for biomechanical research on clavicle fractures. This review summarized evidence regarding configurations and applications of finite element analysis in clavicle fracture fixation. Seventeen articles involving 22 clavicles were synthesized from CINAHL, Embase, IEEE Xplore, PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science databases.

Utility of a C-Spirulina Stable Isotope Gastric Emptying Breath Test in Diabetes Mellitus.

Background: The carbon-13 spirulina gastric emptying breath test (GEBT) is approved to identify delayed, but not accelerated, gastric emptying (GE). We compared the utility of the GEBT to scintigraphy for diagnosing abnormal GE in patients with diabetes mellitus.

Methods: Twenty-eight patients with diabetes ate a 230-kcal test meal labeled with technetium 99 m and C-spirulina, after which 10 scintigraphic images and breath samples (baseline, 15, 30, 45, 60, 90, 120, 150, 180, 210, and 240 min) were collected on 2 occasions 1 week apart.

Weight censorial score: estimation of the weight loss during concurrent chemo-radiotherapy in nasopharyngeal carcinoma patients by image features predicts prognosis.

Purpose: Bodyweight loss is commonly found in Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma patients during Concurrent Chemo-radiotherapy (CCRT) and has implications for treatment decisions. However, the prognostic value of this weight loss remains uncertain. We addressed it by proposing a novel index Weight Censorial Score (WCS) that characterizes the patient-specific CCRT response on actual to estimated weight loss.

HSP27/IL-6 axis promotes OSCC chemoresistance, invasion and migration by orchestrating macrophages via a positive feedback loop.

Novel strategies to disrupt tumor progression have emerged from studying the interactions between tumor cells and tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs). However, the molecular mechanisms of interactions between tumor cells and TAMs underlying oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) progression have not been fully elucidated. This study explored the molecular mechanism of the HSP27/IL-6 axis in OSCC chemoresistance, invasion, and migration.

The effect of combined low-level nd: YAG laser with mesenchymal stem cells in the healing of diabetic wounds: an experimental study.

Although the role of low-level laser therapy (LLLT) and human adipose-derived stem cells (hADSC) in accelerating diabetic wound healing has been proven, their synergistic effect is still debated. This study aimed to evaluate the individual and combined effects of LLLT and hADSC on wound healing and on biomechanical parameters in type 2 diabetic rabbits. In this experimental study, 40 rabbits with type 2 diabetes (induced by streptozotocin (STZ)) were included.

Unveiling pterion variability: a meta-analytic approach to enhance neurosurgical precision.

Purpose: This meta-analytical systematic review aims at investigating the variability of the pterion, focusing on its morphological types and precise distances from various bony landmarks. Additionally, the neurosurgical significance of this critical cranial landmark is examined in depth.

Methods: The systematic review was conducted following PRISMA 2020 and Evidence-based Anatomy Workgroup guidelines for anatomical studies.

Inoculum selection and hydraulic retention time impacts in a microbial fuel cell treating saline wastewater.

Microbial fuel cell (MFC) technology has received increased interest as a suitable approach for treating wastewater while producing electricity. However, there remains a lack of studies investigating the impact of inoculum type and hydraulic retention time (HRT) on the efficiency of MFCs in treating industrial saline wastewater. The effect of three different inocula (activated sludge from a fish-canning industry and two domestic wastewater treatment plants, WWTPs) on electrochemical and physicochemical parameters and the anodic microbiome of a two-chambered continuous-flow MFC was studied.

Size-Dependent Separation of Extracellular Vesicle Subtypes with Exodisc Enabling Proteomic Analysis in Prostate Cancer.

Extracellular vesicles (EVs) are emerging as crucial biomarkers in cancer diagnostics and therapeutics with their heterogeneity presenting both challenges and opportunities in prostate cancer research. However, existing methods for isolating and characterizing EV subtypes have been limited by inefficient separation and inadequate proteomic analysis. Here we show an optimized centrifugal microfluidic device, Exodisc, that efficiently isolates large quantities of EV subtypes from particle-enriched medium, enabling comprehensive proteomic analysis of small (EV-S, 20-200 nm) and large (EV-L, >200 nm) EVs.

[F]PSMA-1007 PET/CT-based radiomics may help enhance the interpretation of bone focal uptakes in hormone-sensitive prostate cancer patients.

Purpose: We hypothesised that applying radiomics to [F]PSMA-1007 PET/CT images could help distinguish Unspecific Bone Uptakes (UBUs) from bone metastases in prostate cancer (PCa) patients. We compared the performance of radiomic features to human visual interpretation.

Materials And Methods: We retrospectively analysed 102 hormone-sensitive PCa patients who underwent [F]PSMA-1007 PET/CT and exhibited at least one focal bone uptake with known clinical follow-up (reference standard).

Fabrication of Hypoxia-Mimicking Supramolecular Hydrogels for Cartilage Repair.

Despite advancements in chronic arthritis treatment, there remains a significant demand for advanced nanotechnologies capable of efficiently delivering a wide range of therapeutic agents to provide symptomatic relief and facilitate the healing of inflamed cartilage tissue. Considering the significant impact of hypoxia on the development and maintenance of chondral tissue, replicating its effects on stem cells could be a potential approach for the treatment of osteoarthritis (OA). Cobalt is a prominent hypoxia-inducing agent, owing to its ability to activate the hypoxia-inducible factor (HIF) pathway regardless of cellular oxygen levels.

Sexual Dimorphism in the Downregulation of Extracellular Matrix Genes Contribute to Aortic Structural Stiffness in Female Mice.

The contribution of sex hormones to cardiovascular disease, including arterial stiffness, is established; however, the role of sex chromosome interaction with sex hormones, particularly in women, is lagging. Arterial structural stiffness depends on the intrinsic properties and transmural wall geometry that comprise a network of cells and extracellular matrix (ECM) proteins expressed in a sex-dependent manner. In this study, we used four-core genotype (FCG) mice to determine the relative contribution of sex hormones versus sex chromosomes or their interaction with arterial structural stiffness.

Use of AI in Cardiac CT and MRI: A Scientific Statement from the ESCR, EuSoMII, NASCI, SCCT, SCMR, SIIM, and RSNA.

Artificial intelligence (AI) offers promising solutions for many steps of the cardiac imaging workflow, from patient and test selection through image acquisition, reconstruction, and interpretation, extending to prognostication and reporting. Despite the development of many cardiac imaging AI algorithms, AI tools are at various stages of development and face challenges for clinical implementation. This scientific statement, endorsed by several societies in the field, provides an overview of the current landscape and challenges of AI applications in cardiac CT and MRI.

Open-Source Large Language Models in Radiology: A Review and Tutorial for Practical Research and Clinical Deployment.

Integrating large language models (LLMs) into health care holds substantial potential to enhance clinical workflows and care delivery. However, LLMs also pose serious risks if integration is not thoughtfully executed, with complex challenges spanning accuracy, accessibility, privacy, and regulation. Proprietary commercial LLMs (eg, GPT-4 [OpenAI], Claude 3 Sonnet and Claude 3 Opus [Anthropic], Gemini [Google]) have received much attention from researchers in the medical domain, including radiology.

Photoregulation of the biosynthetic activity of fungus using colloidal solutions of biogenic metal nanoparticles and low-intensity laser radiation.

This article presents new data on the integrated use of colloidal solutions of nanoparticles and low-intensity laser radiation on the biosynthetic activity of the medicinal mushroom . Traditional mycological methods, colloidal solutions of biogenic metals, and unique photobiological methods have also been used. It was found that colloidal solutions of nanoparticles of all metals used increased the growth characteristics of (55-60%), while irradiation of the fungal inoculum with laser light in a medium with nanoparticles reduced the growth activity of mycelia by 12.