Convergent procedure for long-standing persistent atrial fibrillation in heart failure with reduced ejection fraction.

Background: Catheter ablation for atrial fibrillation in patients with heart failure with reduced ejection fraction is associated with a significant reduction in morbimortality. The convergent procedure is a valid ablation option for the treatment of long-standing persistent atrial fibrillation.

Aim: To describe the outcomes of patients with heart failure with reduced ejection fraction and long-standing persistent atrial fibrillation who underwent the convergent procedure.

Behind the scenes of EQA - characteristics, capabilities, benefits and assets of external quality assessment (EQA).

This is the first in a series of five papers that detail the role and substantial impact that external quality assessment (EQA) and their providers' services play in ensuring diagnostic (IVD) performance quality. The aim is to give readers and users of EQA services an insight into the processes in EQA, explain to them what happens before EQA samples are delivered and after examination results are submitted to the provider, how they are assessed, what benefits participants can expect, but also who are stakeholders other than participants and what significance do EQA data and assessment results have for them. This first paper presents the history of EQA, insights into legal, financing and ethical matters, information technology used in EQA, structure and lifecycle of EQA programs, frequency and intensity of challenges, and unique requirements of extra-examination and educational EQA programs.

Characterization of Poly(methyl methacrylate)- and Polystyrene-Based Block Copolymers by Liquid Chromatography under Limiting Conditions of Desorption Gradient.

Size exclusion chromatography-gradient (SEC-Gradient) is a powerful technique to separate polymers by their chemical composition. The stationary phase is first conditioned with a gradient from adsorli to desorli, and polymer samples are injected after the gradient in SEC conditions. Since its first description in 2011 by Schollenberger and Radke, it has never been applied to block copolymers.

Transvenous embolization of brain arteriovenous malformations featuring multiple draining veins with 4D-DSA: a case series and technical insights.

Background: Hemorrhage is a major complication of brain arteriovenous malformations (AVMs) embolization, which can be related to persistent arteriovenous shunts that were not completely occluded during the embolization. In transvenous embolization (TVE) this risk is deemed higher for AVMs larger than 3 cm featuring multiple veins of drainage. Herein, we will discuss a few selected cases where brain AVMs with more than one draining vein were deemed safe for curative embolization with advanced endovascular techniques after a careful anatomical study through the four dimensional-digital subtraction angiography (4D-DSA) imaging.

Body composition is associated with changes in health-related quality of life in patients with knee and/or hip osteoarthritis.

Objective: The objective of this study was to analyse the association between body composition and changes in health-related quality of life (HRQoL) of patients followed for hip and knee osteoarthritis (OA).

Methods: Longitudinal data from the Knee and Hip OsteoArthritis Long-term Assessments (KHOALA) cohort, a multicentre cohort of 878 patients with symptomatic knee and/or hip OA, were used. The main outcome criteria were changes in patient-reported outcomes measures, the Study Short Form-36 (physical functioning, pain, mental health and vitality) and the OsteoArthritis Knee and Hip Quality Of Life (OAKHQOL)(physical activity, pain and mental health).

Reliability of the OMERACT Giant cell arteritis Ultrasonography Score (OGUS): results of a patient-based exercise involving experts and non-experts in vascular ultrasonography.

Objective: To test the reliability of the Outcome Measures in Rheumatology Giant cell arteritis (GCA) Ultrasonography Score (OGUS) and other composite scores in a patient-based exercise involving experts and non-experts in vascular ultrasonography.

Methods: Six GCA patients were scanned twice (two rounds separated ≥3 hours) by 12 experts and 12 non-experts. Non-experts received 90 min of theoretical and 240 min of practical training between rounds 1 and 2.

Behind the scenes of EQA - characteristics, capabilities, benefits and assets of external quality assessment (EQA).

External quality assessment (EQA) cycles are the smallest complete units within EQA programs that laboratories can use to obtain external assessments of their performance. In each cycle, several samples are distributed to the laboratories registered for participation, and ideally, EQA programs not only cover the examination procedures but also the pre- and post-examination procedures. The properties and concentration range of measurands in individual samples are selected with regard to the intended challenge for the participants so that each sample fulfils its purpose.

Behind the scenes of EQA - characteristics, capabilities, benefits and assets of external quality assessment (EQA).

External quality assessment (EQA) enhances patient safety through the evaluation of the quality of laboratory-based and point of care testing. Regulatory agencies and accreditation organizations utilize the results and the laboratory's response to them as part of assessing the laboratory's fitness to practice. In addition, where EQA samples are commutable and the assigned value has been determined using reference measurement procedures (RMPs), EQA data contributes to the verification of metrological traceability of assays as part of the post-market surveillance of diagnostic (IVD) medical devices (IVD-MDs).

The Effectiveness of Video Animations as a Tool to Improve Health Information Recall for Patients: Systematic Review.

Background: Access to clear and comprehensible health information is crucial for patient empowerment, leading to improved self-care, adherence to treatment plans, and overall health outcomes. Traditional methods of information delivery, such as written documents and oral communication, often result in poor memorization and comprehension. Recent innovations, such as animation videos, have shown promise in enhancing patient understanding, but comprehensive investigations into their effectiveness across various health care settings are lacking.

Applying AI to Structured Real-World Data for Pharmacovigilance Purposes: Scoping Review.

Background: Artificial intelligence (AI) applied to real-world data (RWD; eg, electronic health care records) has been identified as a potentially promising technical paradigm for the pharmacovigilance field. There are several instances of AI approaches applied to RWD; however, most studies focus on unstructured RWD (conducting natural language processing on various data sources, eg, clinical notes, social media, and blogs). Hence, it is essential to investigate how AI is currently applied to structured RWD in pharmacovigilance and how new approaches could enrich the existing methodology.

Behind the scenes of EQA - characteristics, capabilities, benefits and assets of external quality assessment (EQA).

Providers of external quality assessment (EQA) programs evaluate data or information obtained and reported by participant laboratories using their routine procedures to examine properties or measurands in samples provided for this purpose. EQA samples must offer participants an equal chance to obtain accurate results, while being designed to provide results in clinically relevant ranges. It is the responsibility of the EQA provider to meet the necessary requirements for homogeneity, stability and some other properties of the EQA items in order to offer participants a fair, reliable and technically interesting EQA experience.

CIROZ is dispensable in ancestral vertebrates but essential for left-right patterning in humans.

Four genes-DAND5, PKD1L1, MMP21, and CIROP-form a genetic module that has specifically evolved in vertebrate species that harbor motile cilia in their left-right organizer (LRO). We find here that CIROZ (previously known as C1orf127) is also specifically expressed in the LRO of mice, frogs, and fish, where it encodes a protein with a signal peptide followed by 3 zona pellucida N domains, consistent with extracellular localization. We report 16 individuals from 10 families with bi-allelic CIROZ inactivation variants, which cause heterotaxy with congenital heart defects.

Validation and safety of AmbuLatory care for transient ischemic attack from emergency department (VALID study).

Background: Transient Ischemic Attacks (TIAs) are a common reason for Emergency Department (ED) visits and represent a significant public health issue. Patients experiencing TIAs often face significant delays in undergoing various tests due to ED overcrowding and limited availability of neurologists. Emergency physicians (EPs) and neurologists have identified several criteria for allowing outpatient management.

Case report: Rare case of laryngeal hypertrophic lichen planus.

Introduction And Importance: Lichen planus is an inflammatory and chronic disease with multifactorial causes. Hypertrophic subtype of lichen planus is an extremely rare lesion when found in the larynx. This article describes the case of a man with such a lesion.

Describing quality of life trajectories in young Hispanic women with breast cancer: 5-year results from a large prospective cohort.

Introduction: Cancer treatments have a detrimental impact on the quality of life (QoL) of young women with breast cancer (YWBC). Research exploring QoL trajectories has been mostly centered on postmenopausal women. Here we report longitudinal changes across all QoL domains and associated factors in YWBC.

Scabiosa artropurperea var.maritima aqueous extracts improve in vivo fertility parameters and in vitro granulosa cell steroidogenesis in Ewe.

Scabiosa artropurperea, a member of the Dipsacaceae family and Scabiosa genus, is renowned for its medicinal properties. In the present study, we investigated the impact of Scabiosa artropurperea aqueous extract (AES) on the in vivo reproductive functions in Queue Fine de l'Ouest ewes, and on in vitro ovine granulosa cells. Ewes were synchronized for 14 days with intra-vagina progesterone (P4) devices (FGA, 20 mg) and divided into four groups receiving daily oral doses of 0, 1, 2, and 4 mg of AES/kg Live Body Weight (LBW), respectively.

Taxonomic revision of the SK 15 mandible based on bone and tooth structural organization.

The hominin mandible SK 15 was discovered in April 1949 in Swartkrans Member 2, dated to ∼1.4 Ma. Albeit distorted on the right side, the left and right corpus of SK 15 are relatively low and thick, even compared to most Early to Middle Pleistocene Homo specimens.

Soil quality under rotational and conventional grazing in Mediterranean areas at desertification risk.

Rotational grazing (RG) could be a valid alternative to continuous grazing (CG) in Mediterranean extensive pastures to fight land degradation. This study aimed to compare soil quality under RG and CG management, in paired RG-CG Portuguese pasture areas under strong aridity stress, with RG sites converted from CG management in 2018. Soils were sampled in 2022, at 10 cm depth, over 71 ha of RG and 37 ha of CG pastures, subdivided in 16 and 10 sampling plots, respectively.

Feline coronavirus-associated uveitis: The eye as a gateway to systemic spread and feline infectious peritonitis?

Feline coronavirus (FCoV) is a virus endemic in cat populations. Specific genomic mutations give it a strong tropism for macrophages, allowing systemic infection and the development of a disease known as feline infectious peritonitis. This disease takes various clinical presentations, and can manifest as uveitis.

Topology optimization design of the "Beam Shaping Assembly" of an AB-BNCT facility - application to the case of glioblastoma treatment.

This study aims to determine the optimal structure of the Beam Shaping Assembly (BSA) for an AB-BNCT (Accelerator-Based Boron Neutron Capture Therapy) facility. The aim is to maximize the possible depth of treatment for glioblastoma while ensuring that a treatment time constraint is not exceeded. Approach.

The need for pediatric sleep education to enhance healthcare for children and adolescents: A global perspective from a survey of members of the international pediatric sleep association.

Introduction: Sleep concerns have become increasingly common over the past few decades. This study outlines the perceived needs and gaps in pediatric sleep education, drawing insights from a diverse international cohort of pediatric sleep health professionals.

Methods: International Pediatric Sleep Association (IPSA) members were invited to complete an online survey examining a variety of topics related to pediatric sleep education developed by the education committee.

Tramadol-related fatalities: Metabolic ratios & SNPs/INDELs belonging to UGT1A8, UGT2B7, ABCC2, and SLC22A1.

Genetic polymorphism can cause variation in tramadol (TR) pharmacokinetic characteristics and the expected clinical response. In forensic toxicology, the data about parent and metabolite concentrations (MRs; metabolic ratios) could facilitate to determine the cause of death and to assess time between drug intake and death. In this study, the aim was to investigate if UGT1A8, UGT2B7, ABCC2, and SLC22A1 genotyping can facilitate interpretation by investigating the frequency of UGT1A8, UGT2B7, ABCC2, and SLC22A1 genotypes in forensic autopsy cases positive for TR and to assess whether there is a correlation between these genetic variants and MRs.

LRP1 involvement in FHIT-regulated HER2 signaling in non-small cell lung cancer.

The tumor suppressor fragile histidine triad (FHIT) is frequently lost in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). We previously showed that a down-regulation of FHIT causes an up-regulation of the activity of HER2 associated to an epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) and that lung tumor cells harboring a FHIT/pHER2 phenotype are sensitive to anti-HER2 drugs. Here, we sought to decipher the FHIT-regulated HER2 signaling pathway in NSCLC.

EN ISO 15189 revision: EFLM Committee Accreditation and ISO/CEN standards (C: A/ISO) analysis and general remarks on the changes.

The EN ISO 15189:2022 standard, titled "Medical laboratories - Requirements for quality and competence," is a significant update to the regulations for medical laboratories. The revised standard was published on December 6, 2022, replacing both EN ISO 15189:2012 and EN ISO 22870:2016. Key objectives of the revision include: 1.

Quantifying Memory in Spin Glasses.

Rejuvenation and memory, long considered the distinguishing features of spin glasses, have recently been proven to result from the growth of multiple length scales. This insight, enabled by simulations on the Janus II supercomputer, has opened the door to a quantitative analysis. We combine numerical simulations with comparable experiments to introduce two coefficients that quantify memory.