The Clinical Neuroscience of Lucid Dreaming.

During most dreams, the dreamer does not realize that they are in a dream. In contrast, lucid dreaming allows to become aware of the current state of mind, often accompanied by considerable control over the ongoing dream episode. Lucid dreams can happen spontaneously or be induced through diverse behavioural, cognitive or technological strategies.

Development and validation of a sport-specific shoulder score questionnaire for functional fitness and weightlifting athletes.

Background: So-called scores are a frequently used evaluation system in clinical examinations to assess the function or limitations of a joint such as the shoulder. However, research indicates that these general scores often have limited validity for specific patient groups, such as athletes. Known as a demanding patient population, athletes have unique needs.

Identification of dissipation pathways for pharmaceuticals in soils - a modelling approach.

Concentrations of pollutants like pharmaceuticals in soils typically decrease over time, though it often remains unclear whether this dissipation is caused by the transformation of the pollutant or a decreasing extractability. We developed a mathematical model that (1) explores the plausibility of different dissipation pathways, and (2) allows the quantification of concentration differences between aqueous soil extracts and soil solution. The model considers soil particles as uniform spheres, kinetic sorption towards an equilibrium (Freundlich model), and two dissipation pathways, irreversible transformation and mineralization (following 1 order kinetics) as well as the formation of non-extractable residues intraparticle diffusion.

Prognostic Implications of Sex in Patients With Heart Failure With Mildly Reduced Ejection Fraction: Results From a Large-Scaled Registry.

Background: The study investigates the prognostic impact of sex and sex-related differences in patients hospitalized with heart failure with mildly reduced ejection fraction (HFmrEF). More data regarding the characterization of patients and their outcomes in the presence of HFmrEF are needed.

Methods And Results: Consecutive patients hospitalized with HFmrEF (ie, left ventricular ejection fraction 41%-49% and signs or symptoms of HF) were retrospectively included at one institution from 2016 to 2022.

A Combined Approach to Extract Rotational Dynamics of Globular Proteins Undergoing Liquid-Liquid Phase Separation.

The formation of protein condensates (droplets) via liquid-liquid phase separation (LLPS) is a commonly observed phenomenon in vitro. Changing the environmental properties with cosolutes, molecular crowders, protein partners, temperature, pressure, etc. has been shown to favor or disfavor the formation of protein droplets by fine-tuning the water-water, water-protein, and protein-protein interactions.

Initial Multicenter Experience With a Novel Self-Expanding TAVR System in Patients With Aortic Valve Stenosis.

Background: As transcatheter aortic valve replacement is performed increasingly in younger, low-risk patients, the need for commissural alignment and coronary access has increased. Design elements of the JenaValve Trilogy (JVT) transcatheter heart valve (THV) ensure both.

Objectives: This study sought to evaluate the outcome of patients with aortic stenosis (AS) treated with this novel transfemoral, self-expanding THV.

Association between patient perception of disease status and different components of the Minimal Disease Activity (MDA) criteria in psoriatic arthritis.

Objective: The aim of this analysis was to evaluate the relationship between the criteria met of the Minimal Disease Activity (MDA) score for psoriatic arthritis (PsA) and patient-perceived disease status.

Methods: We analysed data from the ReFlaP study (NCT03119805), a cross-sectional international study of adult patients with PsA. Patients self-reported if they felt their PsA was in remission (REM), low disease activity (LDA) or neither.

The impact of neoadjuvant therapy in patients with left-sided resectable pancreatic cancer: an international multicenter study.

Purpose: To assess the association between neoadjuvant therapy and overall survival (OS) in patients with left-sided resectable pancreatic cancer (RPC) compared to upfront surgery.

Background: Left-sided pancreatic cancer is associated with worse OS compared to right-sided pancreatic cancer. Although neoadjuvant therapy is currently seen as not effective in patients with RPC, current randomized trials included mostly patients with right-sided RPC.

Middle-throughput LC-MS-based platelet proteomics with minute sample amounts using semi-automated positive pressure FASP in 384-well format (PF384).

Comprehensive characterization of platelets requires various functional assays and analysis techniques, including omics-disciplines, each requiring an individual aliquot of a given sample. Consequently, the sample material per assay is often highly limited rendering downscaling a prerequisite for effective sample exploitation. Here we present a transfer of our recently introduced 96-well-based proteomics workflow (PF96) into the 384-well format (PF384) allowing for a significant increase in sensitivity when processing minute platelet protein amounts.

Reduced antioxidant high-density lipoprotein function in heart failure with preserved ejection fraction.

Background: Heart failure (HF) is a heterogeneous clinical syndrome affecting a growing global population. Due to the high incidence of cardiovascular risk factors, a large proportion of the Western population is at risk for heart failure. Oxidative stress and inflammation play a crucial role in the pathophysiology of heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF).

[Cognitive behavioral therapy for complex regional pain syndrome].

Complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS) is often associated with severe mental impairments. Initial pain-related fears in particular appear to be negative predictors for long-term therapy results. Procedures for cognitive behavioral therapy are an important component of treatment.

RECQL4 affects MHC class II-mediated signalling and favours an immune-evasive signature that limits response to immune checkpoint inhibitor therapy in patients with malignant melanoma.

Background: Cancer immunotherapy has transformed metastatic cancer treatment, yet challenges persist regarding therapeutic efficacy. RECQL4, a RecQ-like helicase, plays a central role in DNA replication and repair as part of the DNA damage response, a pathway implicated in enhancing efficacy of immune checkpoint inhibitor (ICI) therapies. However, its role in patient response to ICI remains unclear.

Conventional versus Unconventional Oxygen Reduction Reaction Intermediates on Single Atom Catalysts.

The oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) stands as a pivotal process in electrochemistry, finding applications in various energy conversion technologies such as fuel cells, metal-air batteries, and chlor-alkali electrolyzers. Hereby, a comprehensive density functional theory (DFT) investigation is presented into the proposed conventional and unconventional ORR mechanisms using single-atom catalysts (SACs) supported on nitrogen-doped graphene (NG) as model systems. Several reaction intermediates have been identified that appear to be more stable than the ones postulated in the conventional mechanism, which follows the *OOH, *O, and *OH intermediates.

Impact of disease-modifying therapies on pregnancy outcomes in multiple sclerosis: a prospective cohort study from the German multiple sclerosis and pregnancy registry.

Background: In recent decades, relapsing remitting multiple sclerosis (MS) became more treatable through new disease-modifying therapies (DMTs). Identifying safe treatments with minimal fetal risks for family planning is needed.

Methods: In this prospective cohort from the German MS and Pregnancy Registry (DMSKW), we analyzed pregnancy and neonatal outcomes in MS-patients using descriptive statistics and logistic/linear regression models to compare DMT-exposed pregnancies to DMT-unexposed pregnancies.

Acceptance, Safety, and Effect Sizes in Online Dialectical Behavior Therapy for Borderline Personality Disorder: Interventional Pilot Study.

Background: The potential of telehealth psychotherapy (ie, the online delivery of treatment via a video web-based platform) is gaining increased attention. However, there is skepticism about its acceptance, safety, and efficacy for patients with high emotional and behavioral dysregulation.

Objective: This study aims to provide initial effect size estimates of symptom change from pre- to post treatment, and the acceptance and safety of telehealth dialectical behavior therapy (DBT) for individuals diagnosed with borderline personality disorder (BPD).

Random Sampling Versus Active Learning Algorithms for Machine Learning Potentials of Quantum Liquid Water.

Training accurate machine learning potentials requires electronic structure data comprehensively covering the configurational space of the system of interest. As the construction of this data is computationally demanding, many schemes for identifying the most important structures have been proposed. Here, we compare the performance of high-dimensional neural network potentials (HDNNPs) for quantum liquid water at ambient conditions trained to data sets constructed using random sampling as well as various flavors of active learning based on query by committee.

[Do basic welfare payments in Germany cover the food costs of a healthy diet for children and adolescents?].

Introduction: Families in Germany who live in poverty receive citizens' benefits (Bürgergeld) within the context of welfare legislation. Basic rates for children and adolescents are included in these benefits and staggered into three groups according to age. The need for nutrition is the largest category of the basic rate.

The role of CNBP in brain atrophy and its targeting in myotonic dystrophy type 2.

Myotonic Dystrophy type 2 (DM2) is a multisystem disease affecting many tissues, including skeletal muscle, heart, and brain. DM2 is caused by unstable expansion of CCTG repeats in an intron 1 of a gene coding for cellular nuclear binding protein (CNBP). The expanded CCTG repeats cause DM2 pathology due to the accumulation of RNA CCUG repeats, which affect RNA processing in patients' cells.

Determining the feasibility of linked claims and vaccination data for a COVID-19 vaccine pharmacoepidemiological study in Germany-RiCO feasibility study protocol.

Introduction: In Germany, there has been no population-level pharmacoepidemiological study on the safety of the COVID-19 vaccines. One factor preventing such a study so far relates to challenges combining the different relevant data bodies on vaccination with suitable outcome data, specifically statutory health insurance claims data. Individual identifiers used across these data bodies are of unknown quality and reliability for data linkage.

The Value of Multidisciplinary Neuro-oncological Tumor Boards to Increase the Accuracy of FET PET for Identifying Brain Tumor Relapse.

Purpose: Especially in Europe, amino acid PET is increasingly integrated into multidisciplinary neuro-oncological tumor boards (MNTBs) to overcome diagnostic uncertainties such as treatment-related changes. We evaluated the accuracy of MNTB decisions that included the O-(2-[18F]-fluoroethyl)-L-tyrosine (FET) PET information compared with FET PET results alone to differentiate tumor relapse from treatment-related changes.

Patients And Methods: In a single academic center, we retrospectively evaluated 180 MNTB decisions of 151 patients with CNS WHO grade 3 or 4 gliomas (n = 122) or brain metastases (n = 29) presenting equivocal MRI findings following anticancer treatment.

Structural determinants of oxygen resistance and Zn-mediated stability of the [FeFe]-hydrogenase from .

[FeFe]-hydrogenases catalyze the reversible two-electron reduction of two protons to molecular hydrogen. Although these enzymes are among the most efficient H-converting biocatalysts in nature, their catalytic cofactor (termed H-cluster) is irreversibly destroyed upon contact with dioxygen. The [FeFe]-hydrogenase CbA5H from has a unique mechanism to protect the H-cluster from oxygen-induced degradation.

Identification of Use Cases, Target Groups, and Motivations Around Adopting Smart Speakers for Health Care and Social Care Settings: Scoping Review.

Background: Conversational agents (CAs) are finding increasing application in health and social care, not least due to their growing use in the home. Recent developments in artificial intelligence, machine learning, and natural language processing have enabled a variety of new uses for CAs. One type of CA that has received increasing attention recently is smart speakers.

Linear or Cyclic? Theoretical Investigation of Astrophysically Relevant Magnesium-Bearing MgCH Carbon Chains and Related Isomers.

Magnesium-containing molecules, including MgCH, MgCH, and MgCH, have been detected in the interstellar medium, largely facilitated by their high dipole moments. However, despite great efforts, MgCH species remain elusive. Given the challenges in obtaining experimental data for these molecules, theoretical studies play a crucial role in guiding their detection.