How effective and sustainable is proctoring in robotic surgery? A retrospective analysis based on interviews with surgeons.

Background: Robot-assisted surgery is one of several minimally invasive techniques which have become increasingly important in recent years. Education and training are key factors of sustainable success, and surgical tutoring by an experienced external surgeon (proctoring) has emerged as a very useful method of training surgeons. Proctoring enables surgeons to train their respective skills and eventually improve the overall quality of surgical care.

Comparison of laparoscopic performance using low-cost laparoscopy simulators versus state-of-the-art simulators: a multi-center prospective, randomized crossover trial.

Introduction: Simulator training is an efficient method for the development of basic laparoscopic skills. We aimed to investigate if low-cost simulators are comparable to more expensive box trainers regarding surgeons usability, likability, and performance.

Methods: This multi-center, randomized crossover study included 16 medical students, seven abdominal surgeons, and seven urological surgeons.

Validation of an online imitation-inhibition task.

People automatically imitate a wide range of different behaviors. One of the most commonly used measurement methods to assess imitative behavior is the imitation-inhibition task (Brass et al., 2000).

Current airway management practice among Swiss anesthesiologists : Results of a national survey.

Background: While limited data on the impact of implementing guidelines in airway management on outcomes exist, there is a consensus that the implementation and the adherence to guidelines enhance patient safety. Recently, the Swiss Society for Anesthesiology and Perioperative Medicine (SSAPM) endorsed the guidelines of The Fondation Latine des Voies Aériennes (FLAVA) as the official guidelines for airway management in Switzerland. This study aimed to determine current practice of airway management in Switzerland.

Predictors and Implications of Myocardial Injury in Intracerebral Hemorrhage.

Purpose: Myocardial injury, indicated by an elevation of high-sensitive cardiac Troponin (hs-cTnT), is a frequent stroke-related complication. Most studies investigated patients with ischemic stroke, but only little is known about its occurrence in patients with intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH). This study aimed to assess the frequency, predictors, and implications of myocardial injury in ICH patients.

Regulation of circadian gene activity in fibroblasts from ADHD patients through Rosiglitazone: a pilot study.

Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a frequently observed condition, with about 70% of individuals diagnosed with ADHD experiencing irregular sleep-wake patterns. Beyond the primary symptoms of ADHD, there is a significant overlap with sleep-related issues, indicating that disrupted sleep patterns may exacerbate ADHD symptoms. ADHD-related sleep problems can be traced to a delayed circadian rhythm and a later onset of melatonin production.

Treatment of mandibular condyle fractures with a rhombic 3D condylar fracture plate - Does the surgical approach matter?

Fractures involving the mandibular condyle are a significant subset of mandibular fractures, demanding specialized implant design considerations for effective surgical treatment. The core objective of this study was to assess the clinical and radiographic results in patients treated with a single rhombic-shaped implant according to the surgical approach used. This retrospective cohort investigation, spanning a ten-year recruitment window, included individuals with unilateral fractures who underwent surgical treatment with a rhombic-shaped implant.

Evaluation of navigation and robotic systems for percutaneous image-guided interventions: A novel metric for advanced imaging and artificial intelligence integration.

Purpose: Navigation and robotic systems aim to improve the accuracy and efficiency of percutaneous image-guided interventions, but the evaluation of their autonomy and integration of advanced imaging and artificial intelligence (AI) is lacking. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the level of automation and integration of advanced imaging and artificial intelligence in navigation and robotic systems for percutaneous image-guided interventions, using established and novel metrics to categorize and compare their capabilities.

Materials And Methods: Following PRISMA guidelines, a systematic review was conducted to identify studies on clinically validated navigation and robotic systems published between 2000 and May 2024.

The Impact of Loneliness on Late-Life Depression and Anxiety During the COVID-19 Pandemic.

Objective: This study investigates the association of loneliness during the COVID-19 pandemic and the course of depressive, anxiety and sleep symptoms after psychological treatment in older adults.

Methods: During the first wave of the pandemic in 2020, we assessed additional, original data of 132 participants aged ≥60 years who had completed psychological treatment for late-life depression (LLD) in the context of a multicenter, randomized controlled trial (CBT-late). We measured loneliness using the UCLA Loneliness Scale.

Comparative efficacy and safety of stent retrievers as a bailout strategy following failed contact aspiration technique in acute stroke thrombectomy.

Background: The contact aspiration (CA) technique is often used to perform endovascular thrombectomy (EVT) for acute ischemic stroke (AIS); however, rescue strategies are necessary if CA fails to achieve recanalization. This study investigates the outcomes of incorporating stent retriever (SR) thrombectomy in the rescue strategy following failed CA.

Methods: EVT patients with failed CA attempts were identified from a large multicenter registry and stratified by rescue technique: CA alone or incorporating SR in the rescue strategy.

Glucocorticoid receptor suppresses GATA6-mediated RNA polymerase II pause release to modulate classical subtype identity in pancreatic cancer.

Background: Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is a highly lethal cancer with a 5-year survival rate of 12%. It has two major molecular subtypes: classical and basal, regulated by the master transcription factors (MTFs) GATA6 and ΔNp63, respectively.

Objective: This study sought to uncover the transcriptional regulatory mechanisms controlling PDAC subtype identity.

Human genetic variants in SLC39A8 impact uptake and steady-state metal levels within the cell.

The human () gene encodes a plasma membrane protein SLC39A8 (ZIP8) that mediates the specific uptake of the metals Cd, Mn, Zn, Fe, Co, and Se Pathogenic variants within are associated with congenital disorder of glycosylation type 2 (CDG type II) or Leigh-like syndrome. However, numerous mutations of uncertain significance are also linked to different conditions or benign traits. Our study characterized 21 variants and measured their impact on protein localization and intracellular levels of Cd, Zn, and Mn We identified four variants that disrupt protein expression, five variants with high retention in the endoplasmic reticulum, and 12 variants with localization to the plasma membrane.

Comparative analysis of the physiological and transport functions of various sources of renal proximal tubule cells under static and fluidic conditions in PhysioMimix T12 platform.

In vitro models that can faithfully replicate critical aspects of kidney tubule function such as directional drug transport are in high demand in pharmacology and toxicology. Accordingly, development and validation of new models is underway. The objective of this study was to characterize physiologic and transport functions of various sources of human renal proximal tubule epithelial cells (RPTECs).

Blocking the CD39/CD73 pathway synergizes with anti-CD20 bispecific antibody in nodal B-cell lymphoma.

Bispecific antibodies (BsAb) have emerged as a leading treatment modality in patients suffering from B-cell non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (B-NHL). However, treatment failure is common and may potentially be attributed to pre-existing or emerging T-cell exhaustion. CD39 catalyzes-together with CD73-the hydrolysis of immunogenic ATP into immunosuppressive adenosine and thus actively promotes an immunosuppressive micromilieu.

DNA-Dependent Protein Kinase Inhibitor Peposertib Enhances Efficacy of Lu-Based Radioimmunotherapy in Preclinical Models of Prostate and Renal Cell Carcinoma.

Novel radiation sensitizers, including inhibitors targeting DNA damage response, have been developed to enhance the efficacy of anticancer treatments that induce DNA damage in cancer cells. Peposertib, a potent, selective, and orally administered inhibitor of DNA-dependent protein kinase, impedes the nonhomologous end-joining mechanism for DNA double-strand break (DSB) repair. We investigated radioimmunotherapy alone or with peposertib in preclinical models of renal cell carcinoma (RCC) or prostate cancer.

Dopaminergic Mechanisms of Cognitive Flexibility: An [F]Fallypride PET Study.

Cognitive flexibility is the ability to appropriately adapt one's thinking and behavior to changing environmental demands and is conceptualized as an aspect of executive function. The dopamine system has been implicated in cognitive flexibility; however, a direct, that is, neurochemical, link to cognitive flexibility has not been shown yet. The aim of this study was, therefore, to investigate how cognitive flexibility is mediated by dopaminergic signaling in the ventromedial prefrontal cortex (vmPFC).

Efficacy and safety of the activin signalling inhibitor, sotatercept, in a pooled analysis of PULSAR and STELLAR studies.

Introduction: Pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) is a progressive disease associated with significant morbidity and mortality. Sotatercept is a first-in-class activin signalling inhibitor that acts to restore the balance between the growth-promoting and growth-inhibiting signalling pathways.

Methods: This post-hoc, exploratory, pooled analysis combines data from the double-blind placebo periods of the phase 2 PULSAR (NCT03496207) and phase 3 STELLAR (NCT04576988) studies.

A proof-of-mechanism trial in asthma with lunsekimig, a bispecific nanobody® molecule.

Background: Monovalent biologics blocking thymic stromal lymphopoietin or interleukin-13 have been shown to elicit pharmacodynamic responses in asthma following a single dose. Therefore, dual blockade of these cytokines may result in an enhanced response compared to single targeting and has the potential to break efficacy ceilings in asthma. This study assessed the safety and tolerability of lunsekimig, a bispecific NANOBODY molecule that blocks thymic stromal lymphopoietin and interleukin-13, and its effect on Type 2 inflammatory biomarkers and lung function in asthma.

Impact of porcelain aorta on outcomes in transfemoral aortic valve implantation (TAVI) with balloon-expandable valves.

Background: Current guidelines recommend transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) for patients with aortic stenosis and porcelain aorta (PA). Neurological outcomes of patients with PA undergoing TAVI with modern valves require clarification as most trials examined balloon-expandable valves (BEV) and self-expandable valves in intermediate or high-risk patients, but not specifically in patients with PA. Our aim was to compare outcomes, including stroke and mortality, in well-matched patients with and without PA who received BEV during transfemoral TAVI procedures.

Safety and efficacy of filgotinib in patients with rheumatoid arthritis: final results of the DARWIN 3 long-term extension study.

Objectives: DARWIN 3 (ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT02065700) assessed the safety and efficacy of filgotinib in a long-term extension (LTE) of two phase II randomised controlled rheumatoid arthritis (RA) trials.

Methods: Eligible patients completing the 24-week DARWIN 1 (filgotinib plus methotrexate) and DARWIN 2 (filgotinib monotherapy) trials could enrol.

Conflicts of interest in the International Agency for Research on Cancer process of identifying carcinogenic hazards to humans.

Managing conflicts of interest (COIs) in scientific decision-making is important for minimizing bias and fostering public trust in science. Proper management of COIs has added significance when scientists are making decisions that impact public policy, such as assessing substances for carcinogenicity. The International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) organizes expert working groups to identify putative carcinogens and determine whether or not the hazard is likely to present significant potential harm to humans.

Prenatal Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances in Relation to Antibody Titers and Infections in Childhood.

Background: Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are persistent and ubiquitous chemicals posing environmental and health risks. Impact on the human immune system is of particular concern, especially during fetal immune development. Alterations to fetal immune development can impact immunity later in life, e.

The big, the small and the weird: A phylogenomic analysis of extant Priapulida.

Priapulida is a small phylum of 22 described species that are divided into two size classes (microscopic and macroscopic), distinguished by adult and larval morphology. Most priapulidans are rare or live in inaccessible habitats, and freshly collected material for molecular studies is difficult to obtain. With this study, we for the first time aim to resolve the phylogeny of extant Priapulida using transcriptomic, genomic, and morphological data.