Comparison of health technology assessments for digital therapeutics in Germany, the United Kingdom and France.

Objective: Digital therapeutics (DTx) are promising technologies. However, current assessment and access frameworks, when they exist, are heterogeneous and fragmented. We analysed and compared health technology assessment (HTA) criteria for DTx across European countries that had assessed the same DTx products.

From basic scientific research to the development of new drugs for pulmonary arterial hypertension: insights from activin-targeting agents.

Pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) is a severe disorder of the pulmonary vasculature leading to right ventricular failure. This pulmonary vascular remodelling leads to increased pulmonary vascular resistance and high pulmonary arterial pressures. Despite the development of new therapies, many patients continue to experience significant morbidity and mortality.

How physical activity opportunities seized by adolescents differ between Europe and the Pacific Islands: the example of France and New Caledonia.

Background: France (FR) and New Caledonia (NC) are both French territories, one in Western Europe, the other as part of the Pacific Island Countries and Territories (PICTs). Despite schooling in similar educational systems, FR and NC adolescents develop distinct relationships with physical activity, which is influenced by the geographical-cultural and symbolic structures of their respective societies. This study explored the distribution of physical activity according to geographical culture and opportunity-temporal dimensions.

Engineering 0.8BiFeO-0.2BaTiO multiferroics with improved dielectric and magnetic properties samarium doping.

Samarium (Sm) modification is emerging as a powerful strategy to manipulate the electrical response of 0.8BiFeO-0.2BaTiO (BFBT) multiferroic ceramics.

Emerging contaminants in the Mediterranean Sea endangering Lebanon's Palm Islands Natural Reserve.

The Mediterranean Sea is an intercontinental marine environment renowned for its biodiversity and ecological significance. However, it is also one of the most polluted seas globally with significant levels of microplastics and heavy metals among other emerging contaminants. In Lebanon, inadequate waste management infrastructure and unregulated industrial discharges have exacerbated water quality deterioration by introducing these complex contaminants into surface and seawater.

Long-term effects of combining anaerobic digestate with other organic waste products on soil microbial communities.

Introduction: Agriculture is undergoing an agroecological transition characterized by adopting new practices to reduce chemical fertilizer inputs. In this context, digestates are emerging as sustainable substitutes for mineral fertilizers. However, large-scale application of digestates in agricultural fields requires rigorous studies to evaluate their long-term effects on soil microbial communities, which are crucial for ecosystem functioning and resilience.

Improved protocol for metabolite extraction and identification of respiratory quinones in extremophilic Archaea grown on mineral materials.

We investigated the metabolome of the iron- and sulfur-oxidizing, extremely thermoacidophilic archaeon grown on mineral pyrite (FeS). The extraction of organic materials from these microorganisms is a major challenge because of the tight contact and interaction between cells and mineral materials. Therefore, we applied an improved protocol to break the microbial cells and separate their organic constituents from the mineral surface, to extract lipophilic compounds through liquid-liquid extraction, and performed metabolomics analyses using MALDI-TOF MS and UHPLC-UHR-Q/TOF.

One Health Field Approach Applied to Leptospirosis: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis Across Humans, Animals and the Environment.

Background: Leptospirosis is a neglected zoonosis transmitted through urine of infected hosts or contaminated environments. The transmission of bacteria between humans, animals, and the environment underscores the necessity of a One Health approach.

Methods: We conducted a systematic review to identify significant findings and challenges in One Health research on leptospirosis, focusing on studies involving sampling in ≥2 of the 3 compartments: human, animal, and environment.

Engagement in Preexposure Prophylaxis Care at 1 Year Among Men Who Have Sex With Men Enrolled in the French ANRS PREVENIR Cohort Study.

Background: We evaluated 1-year engagement in pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) care and associated factors among gay, bisexual, and other men who have sex with men (GBMSM) in a large cohort of oral PrEP users in the Paris region, France.

Methods: We included in this analysis cisgender GBMSM enrolled in the ANRS PREVENIR cohort study from 3 May 2017 to 28 February 2019. We categorized 1-year PrEP engagement into 4 categories: high (consistent visits, attendance, and prescription refills at months 3, 6, 9, and 12), low (missed visits or no prescription refills), disengagement (PrEP discontinuation), and lost to follow-up.

Glypican-3 is a key tuner of the Hedgehog pathway in COPD.

Hedgehog (HH) pathway is involved in pulmonary development and lung homeostasis. It orchestrates airway epithelial cell (AEC) differentiation and contributes to respiratory pathogenesis. The core elements Gli2, Smo, and Shh were found altered in the bronchial epithelium of patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).

Endovascular Preparation With Innovative Custom-Made Stent-Graft Before Kidney Transplantation: The Solution for Patients With Hostile Iliac Calcification.

The increasing age of patients with end-stage renal disease raises the issue of hostile arterial access for transplantation, with technical difficulties associated with clamping and suturing the iliac artery. Some of these patients - who theoretically represent those who would benefit the most from transplantation in terms of mortality - are contraindicated because of anatomical and medical issues. In this context, a specific endovascular device called EndoPreKiT (Endovascular Preparation for Kidney Transplantation) has been designed, enabling arterial access for transplantation via a mini-invasive procedure.

Subregional pedoclimatic conditions with contrasted UV-radiation shape host-microbiome and metabolome phenotypes in the grape berry.

This study used integrative omics to address the response of key elements of the grapevine holobiont to contrasted pedoclimatic conditions found in distinct subregions of Douro Valley (Portugal). A metabolic OPLS-DA model predicted with 100 % accuracy the geographic origin of berries; higher UV radiation, higher temperature and lower precipitation stimulated the accumulation of phenolic acids, flavonols and malvidin conjugates, in detriment of amino acids, organic acids, flavan-3-ols, proanthocyanidins and non-malvidin anthocyanins. Metabarcoding showed a trade-off between bacteria and fungal diversity among subregions, with , and acting as intraregional microbial markers.

Through restful waters and deep commotion: A study on burnout and health impairment of Italian seafarers from the JD-R model perspective.

Background: The work experience of seafarers differs significantly from other land-based occupations due to several factors, particularly remoteness and the restricted work environment. This study seeks to examine the impact of burnout and health impairment in the maritime industry, using the Job Demand-Resources theory as a framework.

Methods: To investigate these phenomena, an online questionnaire was sent to 239 Italian seafarers (94.

The 'Cosmic Bluff' Revisited: Extended Nuclear Deterrence in the US-Norway Alliance.

What is the point of a nuclear umbrella? Conventional wisdom suggests that explicit nuclear security guarantees provide junior allies with credible security, facilitating regional stability and nuclear non-proliferation. Yet this is not the only possible reason to maintain a nuclear umbrella. Reassessing the history and politics of nuclear alignment through a case study of the US-Norway alliance, I find that nuclear umbrellas have endured, and can do so, in cases where both the security patron and client believe the arrangement to lack military credibility.

Electrophysiological Abnormalities in Finger Extension Weakness and DOwnbeat Nystagmus Motor Neuron Disease: Three New Patients and Review of the Literature.

Introduction/aims: Finger Extension Weakness and DOwnbeat Nystagmus Motor Neuron Disease (FEWDON-MND) is characterized by motor weakness predominantly affecting finger extension, accompanied by downbeat nystagmus. To date, only 11 patients have been reported. The present study adds a further three and aims to provide a more detailed description of the electrodiagnostic features of these patients.

Optimizing Enantiomeric Resolution of Chiral Triazoles in Supercritical Fluid Chromatography.

Chirality plays a crucial role in the pharmacological activity of triazoles, a key scaffold in antifungal agents and various therapeutic applications. This study focuses on optimizing the enantiomeric resolution of chiral triazoles using supercritical fluid chromatography (SFC) and 10 different columns, either immobilized or coated, chlorinated or nonchlorinated, cellulose or amylose-based chiral stationary phases (CSPs). Four novel triazoles and two marketed ones (tebuconazole and hexaconazole) were separated to determine optimal resolution conditions.

Carbamate-Functionalized NLOphores via a Formal [2+2] Cycloaddition-Retroelectrocyclization Strategy.

This study introduces a new donor group capable of activating click-type [2+2] cycloaddition-retroelectrocyclizations, generally known for their limited scope. Target chromophores were synthesized using isocyanate-free urethane synthesis. The developed synthetic method allows for the tuning of the optical properties of the chromophores by modifying the donor groups, the acceptor units, and the side chains.

Lymph Node Staging and Treatment in Pediatric Patients With Soft Tissue Sarcomas: A Consensus Opinion from the Children's Oncology Group, European paediatric Soft tissue sarcoma Study Group, and the Cooperative Weichteilsarkom Studiengruppe.

Accurate staging of nodal involvement in pediatric sarcoma patients is important to determine correct systemic and local therapy, with the goal to reduce subsequent recurrences. However, differences in lymph node staging strategies, definitions, and treatment protocols between the Children's Oncology Group (COG), European paediatric Soft tissue sarcoma Study Group (EpSSG), and the Cooperative Weichteilsarkom Studiengruppe (CWS) complicate comparisons. In this article, we aim to establish internationally recognized recommendations for lymph node assessment and treatment of children and adolescents diagnosed with rhabdomyosarcoma (RMS) and non-rhabdomyosarcoma soft tissue sarcoma (NRSTS) according to the Consensus Conference Standard Operating Procedure methodology.

Improved outcomes of proximal hamstring avulsion surgery in patients both under and over 50 years, with greater gains in the younger group: A matched comparative study of the PHAS cohort.

Purpose: To evaluate the functional outcomes of surgical treatment for proximal hamstring avulsion injuries in patients aged over 50 years and to compare the results across another matched group of patients under 50.

Methods: This was a retrospective analysis of prospectively collected data in a matched case-control design targeting patients with proximal hamstring avulsion injuries who underwent surgical treatment at a sports surgery referral centre. Patients over 50 years with complete avulsion or partial injury (>2 cm retraction) were included.

Liver metastases of colorectal cancer contain different subsets of tissue-resident memory CD8 T cells correlated with a distinct risk of relapse following surgery.

Tissue-resident memory (T) T cells have emerged as key players in cancer immunosurveillance, and their presence has been linked to a favorable clinical outcome in solid cancer patients. Liver metastases exhibit a highly immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment, however, the role and clinical impact of T cell infiltration in colorectal cancer remain elusive. The expression of several tissue residency and activation biomarkers has been investigated on tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes isolated from 26 patients' colorectal cancer liver metastases (CRC liver metastases) and compared to 16 peripheral blood samples of patients with CRC liver metastases.

DECORIN, a triceps-derived myokine, protects sorted β-cells and human islets against chronic inflammation associated with type 2 diabetes.

Aim: Pancreatic β-cells are susceptible to inflammation, leading to decreased insulin production/secretion and cell death. Previously, we have identified a novel triceps-derived myokine, DECORIN, which plays a pivotal role in skeletal muscle-to-pancreas interorgan communication. However, whether DECORIN can directly impact β-cell function and susceptibility to inflammation remains unexplored.