Comprehensive three-dimensional microCT and signaling analysis reveal the teratogenic effect of 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin on craniofacial bone development in mice.

Exposure to 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD) in utero can result in osteogenic defect during palatogenesis, but the effects on other craniofacial bones and underlying mechanisms remain to be characterized. By treating pregnant mice with TCDD (40 μg/kg) at the vital craniofacial patterning stages (embryonic day 8.5, 10.

Exposure to high-temperature and high-humidity environments associated with cardiovascular mortality.

Aging populations are susceptible to climate change due to physiological factors and comorbidities. Most relevant studies reported the effect of temperature on cardiovascular disease (CVD)-related mortality in aging populations. However, the combined effects of temperature and humidity on CVD-related mortality remain unclear.

Effects of pesticide dichlorvos on liver injury in rats and related toxicity mechanisms.

Dichlorvos (DDVP) is an organophosphorus pesticide commonly utilized in agricultural production. Recent epidemiological studies suggest that exposure to DDVP correlates with an increased incidence of liver disease. However, data regarding the hepatotoxicity of DDVP remain limited.

Mitochondrial Mayhem: How cigarette smoke induces placental dysfunction through MMS19 degradation.

Cigarette smoke (CS) has detrimental effects on placental growth and embryo development, but the underlying mechanisms remain unclear. This study aims to investigate the impact of CS on trophoblast cell proliferation and regulated cell death (RCD) by examining its interference with iron-sulfur cluster (ISC) proteins and the CIA pathway. Exposure to CS disrupted the cytosolic ISC assembly (CIA) pathway, downregulated ISC proteins, and decreased ISC maturation in the placenta of rats exposed to passive smoking.

Deep Equilibrium Unfolding Learning for Noise Estimation and Removal in Optical Molecular Imaging.

In clinical optical molecular imaging, the need for real-time high frame rates and low excitation doses to ensure patient safety inherently increases susceptibility to detection noise. Faced with the challenge of image degradation caused by severe noise, image denoising is essential for mitigating the trade-off between acquisition cost and image quality. However, prevailing deep learning methods exhibit uncontrollable and suboptimal performance with limited interpretability, primarily due to neglecting underlying physical model and frequency information.

Feasibility of very low iodine dose aortoiliac CT angiography using dual-source photon-counting detector CT.

Purpose: To evaluate the feasibility of aortoiliac CT-Angiography (CTA) using dual-source photon-counting detector (PCD)-CT with minimal iodine dose.

Methods: This IRB-approved, single-center prospective study enrolled patients with indications for aortoiliac CTA from December 2022 to March 2023. All scans were performed using a first-generation dual-source PCD-CT.

[F]FDG PET/CT versus Dynamic Contrast-Enhanced CT for the diagnosis of solitary pulmonary Nodule: A Head-to-Head comparative Meta-Analysis.

Purpose: This head-to-head comparative meta-analysis aimed to evaluate the comparative diagnostic efficacy of [F]FDG PET/CT and dynamic contrast-enhanced CT(DCE-CT) for the differentiation between malignant and benign pulmonary nodules.

Methods: An extensive search was conducted in the PubMed, Embase, and Web of Science to identify available publications up to March 23, 2024. Studies were included if they evaluated the diagnostic efficacy of [F]FDG PET/CT and DCE-CT for the characterization of pulmonary nodules.

Prognostic relevance of lymph node metastasis in pancreaticoduodenectomy for distal cholangiocarcinoma: Rational extent and number-based nodal classification for regional lymphadenectomy.

Background: We investigated the rational extent of regional lymphadenectomy and evaluated the prognostic impact of number-based regional nodal classification in patients with distal cholangiocarcinoma.

Methods: This study included 191 patients with distal cholangiocarcinoma who underwent pancreaticoduodenectomy. The nos.

Feasibility of detecting non-small cell lung cancer using exhaled breath condensate metabolomics.

Lung cancer is one of the most common malignancy in the world, and early detection of lung cancer remains a challenge. The exhaled breath condensate (EBC) from lung and trachea can be collected totally noninvasively. In this study, our aim is to identify differential metabolites between non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and control EBC samples and discriminate NSCLC group from control group by orthogonal projections to latent structures-discriminant analysis (OPLS-DA) models.

Acute physical exercise and ambulatory blood pressure in resistant hypertension.

Objectives: The effects of acute physical exercise in patients with resistant hypertension remain largely unexplored compared with hypertensive patients in general. We assessed the short-term effects of acute moderate-intensity (MICE) and high-intensity interval exercise (HIIE) on the clinic (BP) and 24-h ambulatory blood pressure (ABP) of patients with resistant hypertension.

Methods: Using a crossover randomized controlled design, 10 participants (56 ± 7 years) with resistant hypertension performed three experimental sessions: MICE, HIIE, and control.

Association of oxidative balance score with blood pressure, all-cause and cardiovascular disease mortality among hypertensive patients: a prospective study.

Objective: The oxidative balance score (OBS) has emerged as a novel marker for assessing oxidative stress status. This study aimed to investigate the association of OBS with systolic blood pressure (SBP), diastolic blood pressure (DBP), all-cause, and cardiovascular disease mortality in hypertensive patients.

Methods: We conducted an analysis of data from 7602 hypertensive patients from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) 2005-2018.

Effectiveness of Nirsevimab Immunoprophylaxis Against Respiratory Syncytial Virus-related Outcomes in Hospital Care Settings: A Seasonal Cohort Study of Infants in Catalonia (Spain).

Background: In Catalonia, infants <6 months old were eligible to receive nirsevimab, a novel monoclonal antibody against respiratory syncytial virus (RSV). We aimed to analyze nirsevimab's effectiveness in hospital-related outcomes of the seasonal cohort (born during the RSV epidemic from October to January 2024) and compared them with the catch-up cohort (born from April to September 2023).

Methods: Retrospective cohort study of all infants born between October 1, 2023, and January 21, 2024, according to their immunization with nirsevimab (immunized and nonimmunized).

COVID-19 Symptoms Only Minutely Influenced by Genes Among Children in a Nationwide Twin Cohort.

Background: The World Health Organization classified coronavirus disease (COVID-19) as a pandemic by March 11, 2020. Children had a milder disease than adults, and many were asymptomatic. The pandemic could be seen as a natural experiment with several changes, including time spent at home.

Clinical and radiographic comparison of robot-assisted single-position versus traditional dual-position lateral lumbar interbody fusion.

Objective: The potential of robot-assisted (RA) single-position (SP) lateral lumbar interbody fusion (LLIF) warrants further investigation. This study aimed to assess the efficacy of RA-SP-LLIF in improving both clinical and radiographic outcomes in patients undergoing lumbar spinal fusion surgery.

Methods: A total of 59 patients underwent either RA-SP-LLIF (n = 31 cases) or traditional LLIF (n = 28 cases).

Impact of pedicle screw accuracy on clinical outcomes after 1- or 2-level minimally invasive transforaminal lumbar interbody fusion.

Objective: When creating minimally invasive spine fusion constructs, accurate pedicle screw fixation is essential for biomechanical strength and avoiding complications arising from delicate surrounding structures. As research continues to analyze how to improve accuracy, long-term patient outcomes based on screw accuracy remain understudied. The objective of this study was to analyze long-term patient outcomes based on screw accuracy.

A Mobile Health Intervention to Support Collaborative Decision-Making in Mental Health Care: Development and Usability.

Background: Shared decision-making between clinicians and service users is crucial in mental health care. One significant barrier to achieving this goal is the lack of user-centered services. Integrating digital tools into mental health services holds promise for addressing some of these challenges.

Dysuria: Evaluation and Differential Diagnosis in Adults.

Dysuria, a feeling of pain or discomfort during urination, is often caused by urinary tract infection but can also be due to sexually transmitted infection, bladder irritants, skin lesions, and some chronic pain conditions. History is most often useful for finding signs of sexually transmitted infection, complicated infections, lower urinary symptoms in males, and noninfectious causes. Most patients presenting with dysuria should have a urinalysis performed.

Case-Based Virtual Reality Simulation for Severe Pelvic Trauma Clinical Skill Training in Medical Students: Design and Pilot Study.

Background: Teaching severe pelvic trauma poses a significant challenge in orthopedic surgery education due to the necessity of both clinical reasoning and procedural operational skills for mastery. Traditional methods of instruction, including theoretical teaching and mannequin practice, face limitations due to the complexity, the unpredictability of treatment scenarios, the scarcity of typical cases, and the abstract nature of traditional teaching, all of which impede students' knowledge acquisition.

Objective: This study aims to introduce a novel experimental teaching methodology for severe pelvic trauma, integrating virtual reality (VR) technology as a potent adjunct to existing teaching practices.

Prevalence of Anti-HIV Antibodies at 12 Months of Age in Infants Exposed to HIV.

This study determined the prevalence of reactive HIV serology at 12 months of age in infants exposed to HIV in utero. Of the 80 patients analyzed, 50 (63.3%) were anti-HIV reactive.

A randomized trial comparing endovascular and surgical management of ruptured intracranial aneurysms excluded from previous trials.

Objective: Many patients with ruptured intracranial aneurysms (RIAs) underrepresented or excluded from previous randomized controlled trials (RCTs) comparing surgery with endovascular treatment (EVT) are still considered for surgical clipping, but the best management of these patients remains unknown.

Methods: The International Subarachnoid Aneurysm Trial-2 was a randomized trial comparing surgical versus EVT of RIAs considered for surgical clipping, despite the results of previous RCTs, and also eligible for EVT. The primary endpoint was death or dependency according to the modified Rankin Scale score (mRS score > 2) at 1 year.

Titanium clips and ligamentum flavum-epidural fat patch graft for midline lumbar durotomy closure in pediatric neurosurgery.

Objective: CSF leaks are a significant source of patient morbidity following intradural spine surgeries. Watertight dural closure is crucial during these procedures to minimize the risk of a CSF leak. This study reports postoperative outcomes and changes in patient management after switching to penetrating titanium clips for dural closure in a large cohort of pediatric patients receiving a tethered cord release (TCR) or a selective dorsal rhizotomy (SDR).

Evaluation of the Feasibility of Transfusing Leukocyte Depletion Filter-Processed Intraoperative Cell Salvage Blood in Metastatic Spine Tumor Surgery: Protocol for a Non-Randomized Study.

Background: Metastatic spine tumor surgery (MSTS) is often complex and extensive leading to significant blood loss. Allogeneic blood transfusion (ABT) is the mainstay of blood replenishment but with immune-mediated postoperative complications. Alternative blood management techniques (salvaged blood transfusion [SBT]) allow us to overcome such complications.