Comparison of global and regional myocardial blood flow quantification using dynamic solid-state detector SPECT and Tc-99 m-sestamibi or Tc-99 m-tetrofosmin in a routine clinical setting.

Solid-state detector single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) enables the acquisition of dynamic data for calculation of myocardial blood flow (MBF) and myocardial flow reserve (MFR). Here, we report about our experiences on routine clinical use and robustness using Tc-99 m-sestamibi and Tc-99 m-tetrofosmin. 307 patients underwent dynamic list-mode myocardial perfusion imaging (MPI) and standard static MPI for clinical workup of coronary artery disease on a dedicated cardiac SPECT camera.

Comparison of postoperative oxygenation in children receiving sugammadex versus neostigmine for reversal of neuromuscular blockade: a retrospective cohort study.

Purpose: Residual neuromuscular blockade can impair postoperative respiratory mechanics, promoting hypoxemia and pulmonary complications. Sugammadex, with its unique mechanism of action, may offer a more effective reversal of neuromuscular blockade and respiratory function than neostigmine. We sought to test the primary hypothesis that children undergoing noncardiac surgery exhibit better initial recovery oxygenation when administered sugammadex than those administered neostigmine.

Anhedonia relates to reduced striatal reward anticipation in depression but not in schizophrenia or bipolar disorder: A transdiagnostic study.

Anhedonia, i.e., the loss of pleasure or lack of reactivity to reward, is a core symptom of major psychiatric conditions.

Flexible and wireless metasurface coils for knee and elbow MRI.

Background: Metasurface coils (MCs) are a promising magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) technology. Aiming to evaluate the image quality of MCs for knee and elbow imaging, we compared signal-to-noise ratio (SNRs) obtained in standard clinical setups.

Methods: Knee and elbow MRI routine sequences were applied at 1.

Extraction of Essential Oils and Terpene Volatiles from Plants and Identification by GC-MS-Based Techniques.

The extraction of plant essential oils (EOs) and analysis by gas chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry (GC-MS) are standard methods when studying aromatic plants and the chemical composition of EOs. Here, two simple methods for the extraction of EO compounds from leaves of Thymus vulgaris are described. Organic solvent extraction and solid-phase microextraction (SPME), respectively, are used and the results of the GC-MS analyses are compared.

Branched-chain and Aromatic Amino Acids in Blood and Seminal Plasma are Associated with Sperm Parameters; A Practice within a Fertility Clinic Considering the Metabolic Syndrome.

The metabolomic approach has recently been used in the assessment of semen quality and male fertility. Additionally, the crucial roles of branched-chain amino acids (BCAAs) and aromatic amino acids (AAAs) in metabolic syndrome (MetS) were reported. However, little information exists about the association between BCAAs and AAAs with semen parameters, particularly in men with and without MetS.

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.