Predictors of Arrhythmia Recurrence After Cryoballoon Ablation for Persistent Atrial Fibrillation: A Sub-Analysis of the Cryo Global Registry.

Introduction: Freedom from recurrences of atrial tachyarrhythmia (ATA) is suboptimal after pulmonary vein isolation (PVI) in patients with persistent atrial fibrillation (PsAF). This sub-analysis from the Cryo Global Registry sought to investigate predictors of ablation success after PVI using cryoballoon ablation (CBA) for PsAF.

Methods And Results: ATA recurrence was defined as ≥ 30 s recurrence of atrial fibrillation, atrial flutter or atrial tachycardia after a 90-day blanking period and through 12-months.

Opportunistic assessment of steatotic liver disease in lung cancer screening eligible individuals.

Background: Steatotic liver disease (SLD) is a potentially reversible condition but often goes unnoticed with the risk for end-stage liver disease.

Purpose: To opportunistically estimate SLD on lung screening chest computed tomography (CT) and investigate its prognostic value in heavy smokers participating in the National Lung Screening Trial (NLST).

Material And Methods: We used a deep learning model to segment the liver on non-contrast-enhanced chest CT scans of 19,774 NLST participants (age 61.

How FocA facilitates fermentation and respiration of formate by .

Formic acid is an important source of reductant and energy for many microorganisms. Formate is also produced as a fermentation product, e.g.

Multicenter validation of secondary hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis diagnostic criteria.

Background: Five fulfilled hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis (HLH)-2004 criteria, and the HScore are widely used and recommended by international expert consensus to diagnose secondary HLH. Both diagnostic scores have never been validated in heterogeneous patient cohorts of secondary HLH patients. We aimed to systematically optimize and validate diagnostic criteria of secondary HLH using a multicenter approach.

Recovery and Degradation Drive Changes in the Dispersal Capacity of Stream Macroinvertebrate Communities.

Freshwater ecosystems face significant threats, including pollution, habitat loss, invasive species, and climate change. To address these challenges, management strategies and restoration efforts have been broadly implemented. Across Europe, such efforts have resulted in overall improvements in freshwater biodiversity, but recovery has stalled or failed to occur in many localities, which may be partly caused by the limited dispersal capacity of many species.

Navigating Dementia and Delirium: Balancing Identity and Interests in Advance Directives.

The moral authority of advance directives (ADs) in the context of persons living with dementia (PLWD) has sparked a multifaceted debate, encompassing concerns such as authenticity and the appropriate involvement of caregivers. Dresser critiques ADs based on Parfit's account of numeric personal identity, using the often-discussed case of a PLWD called Margo. She claims that dementia leads to a new manifestation of Margo emerging, which then contracts pneumonia.

Five-Year Results of One-Piece Zirconia Oral Implants Supporting Three-Unit Fixed Dental Prostheses.

Objectives: The purpose of the present prospective case series was to investigate the clinical and radiological outcome of one-piece zirconia implants fabricated from 3Y-TZP with a moderately roughened endosseous surface (Sa = 1.24 μm) to support three-unit fixed dental prostheses (FDP) after five years in function.

Materials And Methods: Twenty-seven patients received a total of 54 implants in a one-stage surgery with immediate provisionalization.

Linking higher amyloid beta 1-38 (Aβ(1-38)) levels to reduced Alzheimer's disease progression risk.

Introduction: The beneficial effects of amyloid beta 1-38, or Aβ(1-38), on Alzheimer's disease (AD) progression in humans in vivo remain controversial. We investigated AD patients' cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) Aβ(1-38) and AD progression.

Methods: Cognitive function and diagnostic change were assessed annually for 3 years in 177 Aβ-positive participants with subjective cognitive decline (SCD), mild cognitive impairment (MCI), and dementia from the German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE) longitudinal cognitive impairment and dementia study (DELCODE) cohort using the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE), Preclinical Alzheimer's Cognitive Composite (PACC), Clinical Dementia Rating (CDR), and National Institute of Neurological and Communicative Disorders and Stroke-Alzheimer's Disease and Related Disorders Association (NINCDS-ADRDA) criteria.

Enhanced Homogeneous Photocatalytic Hydrogen Evolution in a Binuclear Bio-inspired Ni-Ni Complex Bearing Phenanthroline and Sulfidophenolate Ligands.

The prominence of binuclear catalysts underlines the need for the design and development of diverse bifunctional ligand frameworks that exhibit tunable electronic and structural properties. Such strategies enable metal-metal and ligand-metal cooperation towards catalytic applications, improve catalytic activity, and are essential for advancing multi-electron transfers for catalytic application. Hereby, we present the synthesis, crystal structure, and photocatalytic properties of a binuclear Ni(II) complex, [Ni2(1,10-phenanthroline)2(2-sulfidophenolate)2] (1), which crystallizes in the centrosymmetric triclinic system (P-1) showing extensive intra- and inter- non-coordinated interactions.

Safety and immunogenicity of Ad26.COV2.S in adolescents: Phase 2 randomized clinical trial.

We conducted a randomized, Phase 2 trial to assess the safety and humoral immunogenicity of reduced doses/dose volume of the standard dose of Ad26.COV2.S COVID-19 vaccine (5 × 10 viral particles [vp]) in healthy adolescents aged 12-17 years.

Nursing as a Functional System of Society. A Systems Theoretical Perspective on Nursing and the Research Object of Nursing Science.

The transformation of societies' age structures has intensified the need for nursing care, especially in economically developed regions of the world. This will necessitate societal decisions that determine how care needs are met in the long term. This article offers a sociological perspective on nursing care using Luhmann's systems theory.

Probing the Influence of the Protein Scaffold on H-Cluster Reactivity via Gain-of-Function Studies─Improved H Evolution and O Tolerance through Rational Design of [FeFe] Hydrogenase.

[FeFe] hydrogenases make up a structurally diverse family of metalloenzymes that catalyze proton/dihydrogen interconversion. They can be classified into phylogenetically distinct groups denoted A-G, which differ in structure and reactivity. Prototypical Group A hydrogenases have high turnover rates and remarkable energy efficiency.

Association between orthodontic treatment and psychosocial factors in adolescents: a cross-sectional study.

Background: Orthodontic treatment is one of the longest and most common medical interventions in adolescence. There are certain inequalities in care leading to risk factors associated with higher rates of untreated tooth malocclusion, resulting in a significant burden on oral health. Little is known about that certain psychosocial and personal risk factors influence the uptake of orthodontic treatment.

Early-life adversity as a predictor of fibromyalgia syndrome: the central role of perceived stress over endocrine stress indicators.

This study investigates the associations between early childhood adversities, stress perception, and fibromyalgia syndrome (FMS). Although the interconnection between dysregulated stress systems and FMS is well documented, the interconnection between early adversities and FMS remains less understood. This study explores the relationship of early-life stress and FMS by examining its mediation through perceived stress, and acute and chronic endocrine stress indicators.

Photoactivatable Plant Hormone-Based Chemical Inducers of Proximity for Applications.

Protein interactions play a crucial role in regulating cellular mechanisms, highlighting the need for effective methods to control these processes. In this regard, chemical inducers of proximity (CIPs) offer a promising approach to precisely manipulate protein-protein interactions in live cells and . In this study, we introduce pMandi, a photocaged version of the plant hormone-based CIP mandipropamid (Mandi), which allows the use of light as an external trigger to induce protein proximity in live mammalian cells.

Impact of Cannulation Strategy and Extracorporeal Blood Flow on Recirculation During Veno-Venous Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation.

Introduction: Veno-venous extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (V-V ECMO) is increasingly used in the treatment of severe respiratory failure. Despite a significant increase in the worldwide use of extracorporeal lung assist devices recirculation remains a common complication and is associated with a reduced effectiveness of ECMO support and increased hemolysis. In this observational study we aimed to investigate the impact of cannula configuration and extracorporeal flow on recirculation.

Ring A Cleaving Beta-Diketone Hydrolase Is a Key Enzyme of Steroid Degradation in Anaerobic Bacteria.

Bacterial degradation of ubiquitous and persistent steroids such as steroid hormones is important for their removal from the environment. Initial studies of steroid degradation in anaerobic bacteria suggested that ring-cleaving hydrolases are involved in oxygen-independent sterane skeleton degradation. However, the enzymes involved in ring A cleavage of the common intermediate androsta-1,4-diene-3,17-dione have remained unknown.

Predicting the impact of targeted fence removal on connectivity in a migratory ecosystem.

Fencing is one of the most widely utilized tools for reducing human-wildlife conflict in agricultural landscapes. However, the increasing global footprint of fencing exceeds millions of kilometers and has unintended consequences for wildlife, including habitat fragmentation, movement restriction, entanglement, and mortality. Here, we present a novel and quantitative approach to prioritize fence removal within historic migratory pathways of white-bearded wildebeest (Connochaetes taurinus) across Kenya's Greater Masai Mara Ecosystem.

Shear wave elastography reveals passive and active mechanics of triceps surae muscles in vivo: From shear modulus-ankle angle to stress-strain characteristics.

Characterizing individual muscle behavior is crucial for understanding joint function and adaptations to exercise, diseases, or aging. Shear wave elastography (SWE) is a promising tool for measuring the intrinsic material properties of muscle. This study assessed the passive and active shear modulus of the triceps surae muscle group in 14 volunteers (7 females, 25.

Effectiveness of Root Canal Irrigation and Dressing for the Treatment of Asymptomatic Apical Periodontitis: A Systematic Review Assessing Complementary Timeframes.

Sodium hypochlorite (NaOCl), ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA), and calcium hydroxide (Ca(OH)) are used in root canal treatment. However, further research is needed to assess their effectiveness at time points not considered in previous guidelines. This review complements the systematic review by Rossi-Fedele and Rödig (2023) by considering time points excluded by the latter.

Tubomanometry-Score as Predictor of Outcome for Balloon Eustachian Tuboplasty in Patients With Eustachian Tube Dysfunction.

Objective: To investigate the predictive value of tubomanometry (TMM) in predicting subjective outcome of Balloon Eustachian Tuboplasty (BET) in patients with long-lasting Eustachian tube dysfunction (ETD).

Study Design: Retrospective case series.

Setting: Single tertiary referral center.

Pilot study on the development of digitally supported health promotion for seafarers on sea.

Background: Seafarers are exposed to a variety of job-specific physical and psychosocial stressors. Health promotion on board is of great importance for the salutogenesis of this occupational group. Due to the difficult accessibility of seafarers, electronically supported health management can be highly valuable.