A convolutional neural network with self-attention for fully automated metabolic tumor volume delineation of head and neck cancer in [Formula: see text]F]FDG PET/CT.

Purpose: PET-derived metabolic tumor volume (MTV) and total lesion glycolysis of the primary tumor are known to be prognostic of clinical outcome in head and neck cancer (HNC). Including evaluation of lymph node metastases can further increase the prognostic value of PET but accurate manual delineation and classification of all lesions is time-consuming and prone to interobserver variability. Our goal, therefore, was development and evaluation of an automated tool for MTV delineation/classification of primary tumor and lymph node metastases in PET/CT investigations of HNC patients.

The many histories of the conflict thesis: the science vs. religion narrative in nineteenth-century Germany.

The idea of an inevitable conflict between science and religion leading to relentless hostility between the two emerged in the nineteenth century and has become a powerful narrative of modernity. Most historians of science trace the origins of the so-called 'conflict thesis' to the English-speaking world, more precisely to scientist-historian John William Draper and literary scholar Andrew Dickson White. Their books on the history of scientific-religious conflict turned into bestsellers.

Soluble adhesion molecules and functional outcome after ischemic stroke: A Mendelian randomization study.

Objectives: We employed Mendelian randomization to determine whether genetically predicted circulating levels of endothelial-derived adhesion molecules (soluble intercellular adhesion molecule-1 [sICAM-1]), soluble vascular-leukocyte adhesion molecule-1 [sVCAM-1], and soluble-endothelial-leukocyte adhesion molecule [sE-selectin]) were associated with functional outcome after ischemic stroke.

Methods: Independent genetic variants robustly associated with soluble adhesion molecules, located at or close to the coding gene (cis), were used as genetic instruments. The functional outcome was evaluated using the 3-month modified Rankin Scale (mRS) score after ischemic stroke.

Effects of Sex on the Susceptibility for Atrial Fibrillation in Pigs with Ischemic Heart Failure.

Atrial fibrillation (AF) is the most prevalent arrhythmia, often caused by myocardial ischemia/infarction (MI). Men have a 1.5× higher prevalence of AF, whereas women show a higher risk for new onset AF after MI.

Two-year target vessel-related outcomes following use of off-the-shelf branched endografts for the treatment of thoracoabdominal aortic aneurysms.

Objective: The aim of this study was to assess clinical outcomes and target vessel patency through 2 years following thoracoabdominal aortic aneurysms (TAAA) repair with the off-the-shelf Zenith t-Branch Thoracoabdominal Endovascular Graft (William Cook Europe).

Methods: This post-market observational study was conducted at three European sites with ambispective enrollment from 2012 to 2017. Patients underwent endovascular TAAA repair with the t-Branch graft and bridging stent grafts (BSGs) for the celiac (CA), superior mesenteric (SMA), left renal (LRA), and/or right renal (RRA) arteries.

WDR5 is required for DUX4 expression and its pathological effects in FSHD muscular dystrophy.

Facioscapulohumeral muscular dystrophy (FSHD) is one of the most prevalent neuromuscular disorders. The disease is linked to copy number reduction and/or epigenetic alterations of the D4Z4 macrosatellite on chromosome 4q35 and associated with aberrant gain of expression of the transcription factor DUX4, which triggers a pro-apoptotic transcriptional program leading to muscle wasting. As today, no cure or therapeutic option is available to FSHD patients.

Translocator protein (TSPO)-PET as diagnostic and monitoring tool in COVID-19 related MRI-negative brainstem encephalitis: a case report.

Background: Encephalitis and myelitis have been linked to both COVID-19 vaccination and infection, causing symptoms such as reduced consciousness, mental state alterations and seizures. Remarkably, most cases do not show significant structural alterations on MRI scans, which poses a diagnostic challenge.

Methods: We present the diagnostic workup and clinical course of a patient who developed a progressive brainstem syndrome two weeks after COVID-19 vaccination and subsequent infection.

Quantitative analysis of the morphometric analysis program MAP in patients with truly MRI-negative focal epilepsy.

Objective: In the presurgical evaluation of epilepsy, identifying the epileptogenic zone is challenging if magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is negative. Several studies have shown the benefit of using a morphometric analysis program (MAP) on T1-weighted MRI scans to detect subtle lesions. MAP can guide a focused re-evaluation of MRI to ultimately identify structural lesions that were previously overlooked.

Tracking and evaluating motion skills in laparoscopy with inertial sensors.

Background: Analysis of surgical instrument motion is applicable in surgical skill assessment and monitoring of the learning progress in laparoscopy. Current commercial instrument tracking technology (optical or electromagnetic) has specific limitations and is expensive. Therefore, in this study, we apply inexpensive, off-the-shelf inertial sensors to track laparoscopic instruments in a training scenario.

An exploratory approach to identify microRNAs as circulatory biomarker candidates for epilepsy-associated psychiatric comorbidities in an electrical post-status epilepticus model.

Patients with epilepsy have a high risk of developing psychiatric comorbidities, and there is a particular need for early detection of these comorbidities. Here, in an exploratory, hypothesis-generating approach, we aimed to identify microRNAs as potential circulatory biomarkers for epilepsy-associated psychiatric comorbidities across different rat models of epilepsy. The identification of distress-associated biomarkers can also contribute to animal welfare assessment.

Sorafenib increases cytochrome P450 lipid metabolites in patient with hepatocellular carcinoma.

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a leading cause of cancer death, and medical treatment options are limited. The multikinase inhibitor sorafenib was the first approved drug widely used for systemic therapy in advanced HCC. Sorafenib might affect polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA)-derived epoxygenated metabolite levels, as it is also a potent inhibitor of the soluble epoxide hydrolase (sEH), which catalyzes the conversion of cytochrome-P450 (CYP)-derived epoxide metabolites derived from PUFA, such as omega-6 arachidonic acid (AA) and omega-3 docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), into their corresponding dihydroxy metabolites.

Aggrecan governs intervertebral discs development by providing critical mechanical cues of the extracellular matrix.

Aggrecan (ACAN) is localized in the intervertebral disc (IVD) in unique compartment-specific patterns where it contributes to the tissue structure and mechanical function together with collagens. The extracellular matrix (ECM) of the IVD undergoes degenerative changes during aging, misuse or trauma, which inevitably alter the biochemical and biomechanical properties of the tissue. A deeper understanding of these processes can be achieved in genetically engineered mouse models, taking into account the multifaceted aspects of IVD development.

Burnout and job satisfaction among physicians working in urologic departments who immigrated to Germany, taking into account the income structure of their country of origin.

Background: Studies are available on physician burnout and job satisfaction (JS) in relation to the specific income structure of the country of residence. However, no studies exist that investigate burnout of immigrated physicians taking into account the income structure of their country of origin (IS-COO) as well as duration of immigration.

Objective: To determine the influence of IS-COO on JS, income satisfaction, and critical burnout thresholds in the domains of emotional exhaustion (EE), depersonalization (DP) and reduction in personal accomplishment (RPA) among urologists with a migrant background working at German hospitals.

Patients With Dupuytren Disease Use Excessive Grip Force When Lifting and Holding Small Objects, Independent of the Degree of Contracture.

Objective: To identify the extent and quality of fine motor skill alteration in patients with Dupuytren disease (DD) using an instrumented device measuring grip forces, beyond the commonly used measurement of contracture.

Design: Case-control study.

Setting: University outpatient clinic.

ER+, HER2- advanced breast cancer treated with taselisib and fulvestrant: genomic landscape and associated clinical outcomes.

Taselisib is a potent β-sparing phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K) inhibitor that, with endocrine therapy, improves outcomes in phosphatidylinositol-4,5-bisphosphate 3-kinase catalytic subunit alpha (PIK3CA)-mutated (PIK3CAmut) advanced breast cancer. To understand alterations associated with response to PI3K inhibition, we analysed circulating tumour DNA (ctDNA) from participants enrolled in the SANDPIPER trial. Participants were designated as either PIK3CAmut or PIK3CA no mutation was detected (NMD) per baseline ctDNA.

New directions to develop therapies for people with hemophilia.

Introduction: The past few decades have seen a tremendous advancement in the management of hemophilia. Whether it is improved methods to attenuate critical viruses, recombinant bioengineering with decreased immunogenicity, extended half-life replacement therapies to mitigate the burden of repeated infusion treatments, novel nonreplacement products to avoid the drawback of inhibitor development with its attractive subcutaneous administration and then the introduction of gene therapy, the management has trodden a long way.

Areas Covered: This expert review describes the progress in the treatment of hemophilia over the years.

Genetic variation supports a causal role for valproate in prevention of ischemic stroke.

Valproate is a candidate for ischemic stroke prevention due to its anti-atherosclerotic effects in vivo. Although valproate use is associated with decreased ischemic stroke risk in observational studies, confounding by indication precludes causal conclusions. To overcome this limitation, we applied Mendelian randomization to determine whether genetic variants that influence seizure response among valproate users associate with ischemic stroke.

Deep, rapid, and durable prostate-specific antigen decline with apalutamide plus androgen deprivation therapy is associated with longer survival and improved clinical outcomes in TITAN patients with metastatic castration-sensitive prostate cancer.

Background: The first interim analysis of the phase III, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, multinational TITAN study demonstrated improved overall survival (OS) and radiographic progression-free survival (rPFS) with apalutamide added to ongoing androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) in patients with metastatic castration-sensitive prostate cancer. The final analysis confirmed improvement in OS and other long-term outcomes. We evaluated prostate-specific antigen (PSA) kinetics and the association between PSA decline and outcomes in patients with metastatic castration-sensitive prostate cancer from TITAN.

Ventilatory ratio and mechanical power in prolonged mechanically ventilated COVID-19 patients respiratory failures of other etiologies.

Background: Evidence suggests differences in ventilation efficiency and respiratory mechanics between early COVID-19 pneumonia and classical acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS), as measured by established ventilatory indexes, such as the ventilatory ratio (VR; a surrogate of the pulmonary dead-space fraction) or mechanical power (MP; affected, e.g., by changes in lung-thorax compliance).

Low-Dose CT Fluoroscopy-Guided Drainage of Deep Pelvic Fluid Collections after Colorectal Cancer Surgery: Technical Success, Clinical Outcome and Safety in 40 Patients.

Purpose: To assess the technical (TS) and clinical success (CS) of CT fluoroscopy-guided drainage (CTD) in patients with symptomatic deep pelvic fluid collections following colorectal surgery.

Methods: A retrospective analysis (years 2005 to 2020) comprised 43 drain placements in 40 patients undergoing low-dose (10-20 mA tube current) quick-check CTD using a percutaneous transgluteal ( = 39) or transperineal ( = 1) access. TS was defined as sufficient drainage of the fluid collection by ≥50% and the absence of complications according to the Cardiovascular and Interventional Radiological Society of Europe (CIRSE).

Association of Polygenic Score and the involvement of Cholinergic and Glutamatergic Pathways with Lithium Treatment Response in Patients with Bipolar Disorder.

Lithium is regarded as the first-line treatment for bipolar disorder (BD), a severe and disabling mental disorder that affects about 1% of the population worldwide. Nevertheless, lithium is not consistently effective, with only 30% of patients showing a favorable response to treatment. To provide personalized treatment options for bipolar patients, it is essential to identify prediction biomarkers such as polygenic scores.