Long COVID and its risk factors in migrants: a nationwide register study from Sweden.

Background: Many studies have found more severe COVID-19 outcomes in migrants and ethnic minorities throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, while recent evidence also suggests higher risk of longer-term consequences. We studied the risk of a long COVID diagnosis among adult residents in Sweden, dependent on country of birth and accounting for known risk factors for long COVID.

Methods: We used linked Swedish administrative registers between March 1, 2020 and April 1, 2023, to estimate the risk of a long COVID diagnosis in the adult population that had a confirmed COVID-19 infection.

Heterogeneity of treatment effect: the case for individualising oxygen therapy in critically ill patients.

Oxygen therapy is ubiquitous in critical illness but oxygenation targets to guide therapy remain controversial despite several large randomised controlled trials (RCTs). Findings from RCTs evaluating different approaches to oxygen therapy in critical illness present a confused picture for several reasons. Differences in both oxygen target measures (e.

Identification of strengths and weaknesses of the healthcare system for persons living with rare diseases in Catalonia (Spain), and recommendations to improve its comprehensive attention: the "acERca las enfermedades raras" project.

Background: Rare diseases (RDs) are a heterogeneous group of complex and low-prevalence conditions in which the time to establish a definitive diagnosis is often too long. In addition, for most RDs, few to no treatments are available and it is often difficult to find a specialized care team.

Objectives: The project "acERca las enfermedades raras" (in English: "bringing RDs closer") is an initiative primary designed to generate a consensus by a multidisciplinary group of experts to detect the strengths and weaknesses in the public healthcare system concerning the comprehensive care of persons living with a RD (PLWRD) in the region of Catalonia, Spain, where a Network of Clinical Expert Units (Xarxa d'Unitats de Expertesa Clínica or XUEC) was created and is being implemented since 2015.

Lobar lung transplantation, followed by partial sternal resection and bronchial stenosis, in a patient with scoliosis.

Scoliotic deformity represents a serious spinal disorder that influences the locomotive and cardiopulmonary systems. Some patients with severe scoliosis and end-stage lung disease are therefore denied lung transplantation. In patients with scoliosis considering lung transplantation, size match, straight back syndrome, delayed chest closure and bronchial stenosis are key issues clinicians should evaluate.

Fibrosis in PCLS: comparing TGF-β and fibrotic cocktail.

Introduction: Fibrotic cocktail (FC) is a combination of pro-fibrotic and pro-inflammatory mediators that induces early fibrotic changes in organotypic lung models. We hypothesised that transforming growth factor beta 1 (TGF-β1) alone induces a pro-fibrotic effect similar to FC. Our aim was to compare the pro-fibrotic effects of TGF-β1 with FC in human precision-cut lung slices (PCLS).

Posterior instrumented correction and fusion of Scheuermann´s results in physiological reconstruction of sagittal alignment and excellent overall clinical outcome- clinical trail of 73 patients.

Purpose: The aim was to assess the clinical outcomes after posterior spinal fusion (PSF) in patients with Scheuermann's disease (SD).

Methods: SD undergoing PSF were retrospectively analyzed. Clinical outcome was determined using SRS-22- and Eq.

Factors influencing role preferences in decision-making of healthy women with BRCA1/2 pathogenic variants: subanalysis from a randomised controlled decision coaching trial.

Background: Patients who actively engage in their medical decision-making processes can experience better health outcomes. This exploratory study aimed to identify predictors of preferred and actual roles in decision-making in healthy women with BRCA1/2 pathogenic variants (PVs).

Methods: Women with BRCA1/2 PVs without a history of breast and/or ovarian cancer were recruited in six centres across Germany.

Anti-IL-5 treatment, but not neutrophil interference, attenuates inflammation in a mixed granulocytic asthma mouse model, elicited by air pollution.

Introduction: Diesel exhaust particles (DEP) have been proven to aggravate asthma pathogenesis. We previously demonstrated that concurrent exposure to house dust mite (HDM) and DEP in mice increases both eosinophils and neutrophils in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) and also results in higher levels of neutrophil-recruiting chemokines and neutrophil extracellular trap (NET) formation compared to sole HDM, sole DEP or saline exposure. We aimed to evaluate whether treatment with anti-IL-5 can alleviate the asthmatic features in this mixed granulocytic asthma model.

Dental and oral health assessments in the German National Cohort (NAKO).

Background: Despite considerable improvements in oral health in recent decades, caries and periodontitis are still widespread, ranking among the most prevalent diseases worldwide and requiring future research. The German National Cohort (NAKO Gesundheitsstudie, NAKO) is a large-scaled, multidisciplinary, nationwide, multi-centre, population-based, prospective cohort study with oral examinations that aims to provide a resource to study risk factors for major diseases. The aim of the present article is to provide the methodological background, to report on the data quality, and to present initial results of the oral examinations.

NPT100-18A rescues mitochondrial oxidative stress and neuronal degeneration in human iPSC-based Parkinson's model.

Background: Parkinson's disease (PD) is a neurodegenerative disorder characterized by protein aggregates mostly consisting of misfolded alpha-synuclein (αSyn). Progressive degeneration of midbrain dopaminergic neurons (mDANs) and nigrostriatal projections results in severe motor symptoms. While the preferential loss of mDANs has not been fully understood yet, the cell type-specific vulnerability has been linked to a unique intracellular milieu, influenced by dopamine metabolism, high demand for mitochondrial activity, and increased level of oxidative stress (OS).

CT features with histopathological correlation in inflammatory versus benign & malignant neoplastic appendiceal mucoceles: a retrospective cross-sectional study.

Background & Objectives: Differentiation of histologic subtypes of appendiceal mucoceles may prove to be difficult on computed tomography (CT). The main objective of this study was to identify the CT features of mucocele of the appendix and correlate the imaging findings with histopathology in inflammatory, benign, and malignant neoplastic lesions, and whether these entities can be accurately differentiated on CT imaging.

Materials And Methods: CT scans of 31 patients with diagnosis of appendiceal mucocele were retrospectively reviewed and compared with histopathology.

Cost-effectiveness analysis of extended endoscopic lumbar foraminotomy (EELF) and transforaminal lumbar interbody fusion (TLIF): a prospective observational study.

Lumbar foraminal stenosis can be surgically treated by foraminal decompression or facet joint resection and fusion (transforaminal lumbar interbody fusion, TLIF). While conventional foraminal decompression poses a risk of segmental instability, the endoscopic approach (extended endoscopic lumbar foraminotomy, EELF) resects only the ventral part of the facet joint with a horizontal surgical trajectory. A prospective observational study was performed to analyze the cost-effectiveness of EELF versus TLIF.

Neonatal outcomes in twin pregnancies in Finland from 2008 to 2023.

Unlabelled: Twin pregnancies are associated with higher risks of adverse maternal and neonatal outcomes compared to singleton pregnancies. This retrospective nationwide cohort study analyzed trends in twin pregnancy outcomes in Finland from 2008 to 2023 using data from the Finnish Medical Birth Register. Outcomes assessed included perinatal mortality, stillbirths, neonatal mortality, neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) admissions, and hospitalization rates at one week of age.

Targeting MYC for the treatment of breast cancer: use of the novel MYC-GSPT1 degrader, GT19630.

Background: Since MYC is one of the most frequently altered driver genes involved in cancer formation, it is a potential target for new anti-cancer therapies. Historically, however, MYC has proved difficult to target due to the absence of a suitable crevice for binding potential low molecular weight drugs.

Objective: The aim of this study was to evaluate a novel molecular glue, dubbed GT19630, which degrades both MYC and GSPT1, for the treatment of breast cancer.

Lipid-Lowering Efficiency and Safety of Alirocumab 300 mg Using a 2-mL Autoinjector Device in Real-World Practice: The MARS Study.

Background: Alirocumab is a fully human monoclonal antibody to proprotein convertase subtilisin kexin type 9 used for the reduction of low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) in high-risk patients not reaching their LDL-C target. Recently, a 2-mL prefilled autoinjector has been developed to support the monthly 300-mg dosing regimen with a single-injection administration.

Methods And Objectives: Monthly application of 300 mg AlirRocumab (Praluent) using the 2-mL SYDNEY Device (MARS) is a non-interventional, open, prospective, multi-center cohort study conducted in Germany between 2021 and 2023 with an observational period of 12 weeks.

Oxygenation improvement and duration of prone positioning are associated with ICU mortality in mechanically ventilated COVID-19 patients.

Background: Prone position has been diffusely applied in mechanically ventilated COVID-19 patients. Our aim is ascertaining the association between the physiologic response and the length of the first cycle of prone position and intensive care unit (ICU) mortality.

Methods: International registry including COVID-19 adult patients who underwent prone positioning.

F-FDG PET/CT radiomic analysis and artificial intelligence to predict pathological complete response after neoadjuvant chemotherapy in breast cancer patients.

Purpose: Build machine learning (ML) models able to predict pathological complete response (pCR) after neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC) in breast cancer (BC) patients based on conventional and radiomic signatures extracted from baseline [F]FDG PET/CT.

Material And Methods: Primary tumor and the most significant lymph node metastasis were manually segmented in baseline [F]FDG PET/CT of 52 newly diagnosed BC patients. Clinical parameters, NAC and conventional semiquantitative PET parameters were collected.

Endoscopic sleeve gastroplasty (ESG): indications and results-a systematic review.

Obesity is a major global health problem and at the same time a financial burden for social security systems. For a long time, conventional lifestyle interventions have tried unsuccessfully to find a solution. It has been proven that only interventions that ultimately address the central control centers of hunger, appetite and satiety will lead to sustained weight loss.

Nedosiran in pediatric patients with PH1 and relatively preserved kidney function, a phase 2 study (PHYOX8).

Background: Primary hyperoxaluria type 1 (PH1) is an autosomal recessive disorder with dysregulated glyoxylate metabolism in the liver. Oxalate over-production leads to renal stones, progressive kidney damage and renal failure, with potentially life-threatening systemic oxalosis. Nedosiran is a synthetic RNA interference therapy, designed to reduce hepatic lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) to decrease oxalate burden in PH.

Interleukin-23 versus Interleukin-17 Inhibitors in Preventing Incidental Psoriatic Arthritis in Patients with Psoriasis: A Real-World Comparison From the TriNetX US Collaborative Network.

Background: Psoriatic arthritis (PsA) is a common comorbidity in patients with psoriasis (PsO) that leads to significant disease burden. Biologic therapies targeting the interleukin (IL)-23/IL-17 axis have been widely used for PsO, but their comparative effectiveness in preventing PsA remains unclear.

Objective: The study objective was to compare the occurrence of developing incidental PsA among PsO patients treated with interleukin-23 inhibitors (IL23is) or interleukin-17 inhibitors (IL17is).

Enhancing quantitative coronary angiography (QCA) with advanced artificial intelligence: comparison with manual QCA and visual estimation.

Artificial intelligence-based quantitative coronary angiography (AI-QCA) was introduced to address manual QCA's limitations in reproducibility and correction process. The present study aimed to assess the performance of an updated AI-QCA solution (MPXA-2000) in lesion detection and quantification using manual QCA as the reference standard, and to demonstrate its superiority over visual estimation. This multi-center retrospective study analyzed 1,076 coronary angiography images obtained from 420 patients, comparing AI-QCA and visual estimation against manual QCA as the reference standard.

Biochemical markers in hand osteoarthritis: a path to precision medicine.

Hand osteoarthritis (HOA) is a heterogeneous joint disease with high radiographic and symptomatic prevalence. The diagnosis of HOA is based on clinical and radiographic features. The identification of potential biomarkers for diagnosis, prognosis, disease severity assessment, and therapeutic efficacy evaluation of НОА remains an active area of research.

Addressing healthcare disparities and improving osteoporosis management in rural communities: a cluster randomized control trial.

Unlabelled: Rural communities face healthcare challenges. This study assessed a multicomponent intervention to improve hospital visits and anti-osteoporosis medication (AOM) treatment rates. A total of 567 patients were randomized into three groups.

Validation of mortality risk scores after esophagectomy.

Purpose: Oncological esophagectomy is the mainstay in esophageal cancer treatment, but perioperative mortality remains a significant concern. Various scoring systems exist to identify patients at high risk for postoperative complications and death. In the following, we aim to evaluate and compare these different scoring systems.

Intraperitoneal chemotherapy is now back for ovarian cancer.

The Intraperitoneal Carboplatin for Ovarian Cancer (iPocc) trial demonstrated that intraperitoneal (IP) administration of carboplatin is more effective than intravenous (IV) administration for advanced ovarian cancer, especially in cases with large residual tumors, challenging previous assumptions that IP chemotherapy is only beneficial for small residual tumors. Additionally, the iPocc trial showed that IP chemotherapy has a comparable safety profile to IV chemotherapy, with the exception of port-related toxicities. This review summarizes the principles, development, and significance of IP chemotherapy and discusses its future potential in light of recent studies.