Current practices in prevention, screening, and treatment of diabetes in kidney transplant recipients: European survey highlights from the ERA DESCARTES Working Group.

Background: Although post-transplant diabetes mellitus (PTDM) is a common complication after kidney transplantation, there are few data on prevention, optimal screening, and treatment strategies.

Methods: The European Renal Association's DESCARTES working group distributed a web-based survey to European transplant centres to gather information on risk assessment, screening procedures, and management practices for preventing and treating PTDM in kidney transplant recipients.

Results: Answers were obtained from 121/241 transplant centres (50%) across 15 European countries.

Positive end-expiratory pressure increases intracranial pressure but not pressure reactivity index in supine and prone positions: a porcine model study.

Introduction: Positive end-expiratory pressure (PEEP) and prone positioning can improve gas exchange by promoting uniform lung aeration. However, elevated ventilation pressures may increase intracranial pressure (ICP) and disrupt cerebral autoregulation. This study investigated the effects of PEEP on ICP and cerebral autoregulation in a porcine model with healthy lungs and normal ICP, comparing prone and supine positions.

An Instrument for Evaluating the Self: The Self-Discrepancies Scale in Non-Clinical Participants.

Objective: The Self-Discrepancies Scale (S-DS) is a multiple-subscore instrument designed to assess discrepancies between mental representations of the self: the actual self on one hand, and the ideal and socially prescribed selves on the other. Its idiographic subscores rely on the endorsement of self-descriptive traits, while its abstract subscores form an overall judgement of felt self-discrepancies. The objectives of the present study were to (i) evaluate the S-DS in a new non-clinical population, (ii) expand the body of data on the S-DS's convergent validity, (iii) study the idiographic data for the S-DS, and (iv) establish a nomothetic list of traits with a better choice of unwanted traits.

Relationship between muscle power, muscle volume and limb length in healthy male and female adolescents.

Objective: Muscle power is essential for the activities of daily living. Muscle power production depends on numerous factors such as muscle size and length, muscle architecture and fiber type and varies with age during growth. The association between muscle power output during a jump and lower limb muscle volume and length in adolescents is largely unknown.

Towards a sustainable set of European Core Health Indicators (ECHI).

Background: The European Core Health Indicators (ECHI) are a set of 88 indicators that provide a compact overview of the extensive field of European public health and healthcare. The ECHI set adds value to European Union health information systems (HIS) for both Member States and EU-associated countries and the European Commission by providing a solid, comparable information base on national public health and healthcare trends and developments. The indicators allow for learning by comparison and the list supports the organisation of national health information systems.

Comparing the effectiveness of narrative therapy and EMDR-GTEP protocols in the treatment of post-traumatic stress in children exposed to humanitarian crises.

Background: The mental health of children living in humanitarian crisis situations is a major issue. Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) causes great psychological suffering and has negative consequences on children's development. The aim of the study was to analyze retrospective data collected in a mental health and psychosocial support program for children in the Central African Republic, and to compare results of two trauma-focused treatment interventions: the narrative protocol Action contre la Faim (ACF)/KONO; and the EMDR-based Group Trauma Episode Protocol (G-TEP).

Comparative genomics of reveals genomic adaptations in bovine genital strains.

Bovine genital leptospirosis (BGL) is a silent and chronic reproductive syndrome associated with reproductive failures that result in animal suffering and substantial financial losses for farmers. Important aspects of the interactions between the host and the pathogen during chronic leptospirosis have been well described in the kidney, but little is known about the genital infection mechanisms. The present study sheds light on the pathophysiology of BGL based on comparative genomic analysis of renal versus genital isolates of genomes, an endemic species on Latin America.

Reappraisal of the fundamental mechanisms of the sHA14-1 molecule as a Bcl-2/Bcl-XL ligand in the context of anticancer therapy: A cell biological study.

Background: HA14-1 is a small-molecule, stable B-cell lymphoma 2 (Bcl-2) antagonist that promotes apoptosis in malignant cells through an incompletely-defined mechanism of action. Bcl-2 and related anti-apoptotic proteins, such as B-cell lymphoma-extra-large [Bcl-XL]), are predominantly localized to the outer mitochondrial membrane, where they regulate cell death pathways. However, the notably short half-life of HA14-1 limits its potential therapeutic application.

Dual-layer detector spectral computed tomography quantitative parameters for predicting pathological complete remission after neoadjuvant treatment of breast cancer.

Background: Breast cancer (BC) is a common cancer among women worldwide, and although the use of neoadjuvant therapy (NAT) for BC has become more widespread, there is no standardized prediction of the efficacy of NAT for BC. This study aimed to evaluate the value of quantitative parameters of dual-layer detector spectral computed tomography (DLCT) in predicting whether BC patients can achieve pathological complete response (pCR) after NAT.

Methods: Patients who were first diagnosed with BC in Shandong Cancer Hospital and Institute and received only NAT before surgery were selected for participation in this study.

Synthesis and Chiroptical Activity of π-Expanded Electron-rich Heterohelicenes Based on the 1,4-Dihydropyrrolo[3,2-b]pyrrole core.

Herein, we report the synthesis and chiroptical characteristics of the first (double) helicenes possesing the 1,4-dihydropyrrolo[3,2-b]pyrrole (DHPP) moiety as their central core. We have developed a three-step synthesis with 6π-electrocyclization accompanied with HBr elimination as its key step. We found that, whereas for smaller periphereal arms double 6π-electrocyclization occurs smoothly forming a double helicene, in the case of longer policyclic aromatic hydrocarbons the reaction becomes less efficient and mono-helicenes are the only products.

Long-term Recurrence Rates After Isolated Arthroscopic Bankart Repair in Selected Patients Without Preoperative Bone Loss Versus Open Latarjet Procedure: A Matched-Pair Analysis.

Background: Clinical studies have shown that the open Latarjet procedure (OLP) has lower recurrence rates than the isolated arthroscopic Bankart (IAB) procedure for recurrent anterior shoulder instability, but no long-term comparative studies exist for IAB in patients without bone loss.

Purpose/hypothesis: This study aimed to compare the outcomes of IAB in selected patients without bone loss versus OLP. The hypothesis was that OLP would be more successful in preventing recurrence, even in carefully selected patients for IAB.

Monitoring Polypropylene Chain-Scission for Dissolution-Based Recycling by In Situ Near Infrared and Raman Spectroscopy.

Within the context of polypropylene recycling by dissolution, the potential degradation of polypropylene in solution has been investigated using in situ NIR and Raman spectroscopy. Pure polypropylene, completely free of additives, and commercial polypropylene, low in additives, are degraded on purpose under different conditions. Genetic algorithm combined with partial least squares (GA-PLS) models have been built based on near-infrared (NIR) spectra, and partial least squares (PLS) models based on Raman spectra, to predict the mass average molar mass and the chain-scission rate, respectively, during the degradation process.

Discovery of a locus associated with susceptibility to esca in grapevine.

Esca is the most destructive and predominant of grapevine trunk disease. The chronic infections and vine mortality caused by esca syndrome leads to huge economic losses and threatens the sustainability of vineyards worldwide. Esca is caused by numerous wood-decay and wood-decay associated fungi, but its full etiology remains unclear due to the grapevine trunk disease complex, making effective control methods challenging.

Drought-Induced Weakening of Temperature Control on Ecosystem Carbon Uptake Across Northern Lands.

Rapid warming in northern lands has led to increased ecosystem carbon uptake. It remains unclear, however, whether and how the beneficial effects of warming on carbon uptake will continue with climate change. Moreover, the role played by water stress in temperature control on ecosystem carbon uptake remains highly uncertain.

Revealing trends in measles immunity during periods of varying measles circulation in Madagascar.

Estimating the durability of immunity from vaccination is complicated by unreported re-vaccination, and unobserved natural infection or reexposure, which could result in overestimation of protection longevity. We tested serial cross-sectional serum samples from 2005 to 2015 (N=2,530) for IgG to examine measles seroprevalence, spatiotemporal patterns of titers across regions and antibody dynamics among children aged 1-9 years who grew up during varying measles circulation in Madagascar under a one-dose vaccination schedule. We found that measles seroprevalence has generally decreased over this time period.

Obesity increases DNA damage in the breast epithelium.

Obesity is a modifiable risk factor for breast cancer. Yet, how obesity contributes to cancer initiation is not fully understood. The goal of this study was to determine if the body mass index (BMI) and metabolic hallmarks of obesity are related to DNA damage in normal breast tissue.

Short-term variability of Alzheimer's disease plasma biomarkers in a mixed memory clinic cohort.

Background: For clinical implementation of Alzheimer's disease (AD) blood-based biomarkers (BBMs), knowledge of short-term variability, is crucial to ensure safe and correct biomarker interpretation, i.e., to capture changes or treatment effects that lie beyond that of expected short-term variability and considered clinically relevant.

A comparative analysis in monitoring 24-hour urinary copper in wilson disease: sampling on or off treatment?

Background & Aim: Twenty-four-hour urinary copper excretion (24 h-UCE) is the standard diagnostic tool for dose adjustments in maintenance therapy in Wilson disease (WD) patients. Guidelines lack data if both variants of 24 h-UCE measurement (with or without 48 h of treatment interruption) are equally interpretable.

Methods: Eighty-four patients with a confirmed diagnosis of WD treated with chelators (50% of patients with D-Penicillamine and 50% with trientine) and with pairwise 24-h-UCE values on-therapy and off-therapy were included in the analysis.

Genome sequences of four Ixodes species expands understanding of tick evolution.

Background: Ticks, hematophagous Acari, pose a significant threat by transmitting various pathogens to their vertebrate hosts during feeding. Despite advances in tick genomics, high-quality genomes were lacking until recently, particularly in the genus Ixodes, which includes the main vectors of Lyme disease.

Results: Here, we present the genome sequences of four tick species, derived from a single female individual, with a particular focus on the European species Ixodes ricinus, achieving a chromosome-level assembly.

The epidemiology and unmet need of migraine in five european countries: results from the national health and wellness survey.

Background: Despite the high global prevalence, burden, and direct and indicated costs, migraines are often under-diagnosed and undertreated. Understanding the prevalence of migraine and unmet needs is crucial for improving diagnosis and treatment across Europe (EU) countries; however, real-world studies are limited.

Methods: This retrospective cross-sectional survey utilized weighted patient-reported data from the 2020 National Health and Wellness Survey (NHWS) in five EU (5EU) countries (France, Germany, United Kingdom [UK], Italy, and Spain).

Transcatheter management of residual mitral regurgitation after transcatheter edge-to-edge repair: a systematic review.

Background: Treatment of residual mitral regurgitation (MR) with different percutaneous devices after transcatheter edge-to-edge repair (TEER) has been reported as an alternative option to reclipping or surgery. This review aims at describing the different transcatheter strategies available and their results when managing residual MR after TEER.

Methods: A literature search was undertaken across Pubmed, ScienceDirect, SciELO, DOAJ, and Cochrane library databases, to identify article reporting patients with post-TEER residual MR managed by a transcatheter approach that did not involve only the implantation of new clips.

Effects of nonionic surfactants on life history traits of Drosophila melanogaster.

Surfactants are used for a variety of applications such as emulsifiers, solubilizers, or foaming agents. Their intensive production and use in pharmaceutical, cosmetic and agricultural products have resulted in their continuous discharge in the environment, especially via wastewaters. Surfactants have become a threat to living organisms as they interact with, and disrupt, cell membranes and macromolecules.

Current applications and challenges in large language models for patient care: a systematic review.

Background: The introduction of large language models (LLMs) into clinical practice promises to improve patient education and empowerment, thereby personalizing medical care and broadening access to medical knowledge. Despite the popularity of LLMs, there is a significant gap in systematized information on their use in patient care. Therefore, this systematic review aims to synthesize current applications and limitations of LLMs in patient care.