The textures of sarcoidosis: quantifying lung disease through variograms.

. Sarcoidosis is a granulomatous disease affecting the lungs in over 90% of patients. Qualitative assessment of chest CT by radiologists is standard clinical practice and reliable quantification of disease from CT would support ongoing efforts to identify sarcoidosis phenotypes.

Structural variant allelic heterogeneity in MECP2 duplication syndrome provides insight into clinical severity and variability of disease expression.

Background: MECP2 Duplication Syndrome, also known as X-linked intellectual developmental disorder Lubs type (MRXSL; MIM: 300260), is a neurodevelopmental disorder caused by copy number gains spanning MECP2. Despite varying genomic rearrangement structures, including duplications and triplications, and a wide range of duplication sizes, no clear correlation exists between DNA rearrangement and clinical features. We had previously demonstrated that up to 38% of MRXSL families are characterized by complex genomic rearrangements (CGRs) of intermediate complexity (2 ≤ copy number variant breakpoints < 5), yet the impact of these genomic structures on regulation of gene expression and phenotypic manifestations have not been investigated.

Mechanical and chemical characterization of biochar-reinforced polystyrene composites.

This study investigates the chemical interactions and mechanical characteristics of composites made of polystyrene reinforced with biochar. Polystyrene-based resin (PBR) was combined with plantain peel-derived biochar in different weight ratios (10%, 20%, 30%, and 40%). The Brinell hardness test, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS) were used to evaluate the properties of the composites.

Difficulty in financing fracture care in south-western Nigeria: a prospective cohort study of predictors and recommendations for improvement.

Background: Bone fractures remain a significant global public health issue despite preventive measures, leading to substantial health and economic consequences. Effective treatment options are difficult to access in most sub-Saharan African countries, leading to reliance on unqualified practitioners and resulting in serious complications that worsen poverty. In Nigeria, the main challenge is the need for out-of-pocket payment for healthcare, which is the primary method of health financing.

Generative Adversarial Network Based Contrast Enhancement: Synthetic Contrast Brain Magnetic Resonance Imaging.

Rationale And Objectives: Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is a vital tool for diagnosing neurological disorders, frequently utilising gadolinium-based contrast agents (GBCAs) to enhance resolution and specificity. However, GBCAs present certain risks, including side effects, increased costs, and repeated exposure. This study proposes an innovative approach using generative adversarial networks (GANs) for virtual contrast enhancement in brain MRI, with the aim of reducing or eliminating GBCAs, minimising associated risks, and enhancing imaging efficiency while preserving diagnostic quality.

Effects of valsartan vs amlodipine and achieved lower blood pressure on the incidence of end-stage kidney disease: The VALUE Trial.

Background: There is a paucity of data investigating the impact of antihypertensive drug classes and blood pressure (BP) treatment targets on the incidence of end-stage kidney disease (ESKD). In patients with high-risk hypertension aged 50-80 years or above, we aimed to, 1) compare effects of valsartan, an angiotensin receptor blocker, with amlodipine, a calcium channel blocker and, 2) assess the effect of achieving systolic BP <135 vs ≥135 mmHg on the ESKD incidence.

Methods: The VALUE Trial was a multicenter prospective double-blinded randomized clinical trial in patients with essential hypertension and high cardiovascular risk including known coronary disease, left ventricular hypertrophy and previous stroke, in which ESKD was a secondary endpoint defined as progression to kidney transplant and/or dialysis.

Single-cell RNA sequencing of chronic idiopathic erythroderma defines disease-specific markers.

Background: Chronic erythroderma is a potentially life-threatening condition that can be caused by various diseases, but approximately 30% of cases remain idiopathic, often with insufficient treatment options.

Objective: We sought to establish a molecular disease map of chronic idiopathic erythroderma (CIE).

Methods: We performed single-cell RNA sequencing combined with T-cell receptor sequencing of blood and skin from 5 patients with CIE and compared results with 8 cases of erythrodermic cutaneous T-cell lymphoma (eCTCL), 15 cases of moderate to severe atopic dermatitis, 10 cases of psoriasis, and 20 healthy control individuals.

Unveiling adipose populations linked to metabolic health in obesity.

Precision medicine is still not considered as a standard of care in obesity treatment, despite a large heterogeneity in the metabolic phenotype of individuals with obesity. One of the strongest factors influencing the variability in metabolic disease risk is adipose tissue (AT) dysfunction; however, there is little understanding of the link between distinct cell populations, cell-type-specific transcriptional programs, and disease severity. Here, we generated a comprehensive cellular map of subcutaneous and visceral AT of individuals with metabolically healthy and unhealthy obesity.

Novel Dynamic Organ Storage System Enhances Liver Graft Function in a Porcine Donation After Circulatory Death Model.

Donation after circulatory death (DCD) livers face increased risks of critical complications when preserved with static cold storage (SCS). Although machine perfusion (MP) may mitigate these risks, its cost and logistical complexity limit widespread application. We developed the Dynamic Organ Storage System (DOSS), which delivers oxygenated perfusate at 10°C with minimal electrical power requirement and allows real-time effluent sampling in a portable cooler.

Perioperative Opioid Use in Urogynecologic Mesh Removal.

Importance: Forty percent of patients with urogynecologic mesh pain complications are taking narcotics.

Objectives: We aimed to compare comorbidities and pain scores between patients with and without narcotic use and assess postoperative narcotic use rates.

Study Design: This was a secondary analysis of a prospective cohort study of patients undergoing urogynecologic mesh removal.

Effectiveness of the 2023-2024 Omicron XBB.1.5-containing mRNA COVID-19 Vaccine (mRNA-1273.815) in Preventing COVID-19-related Hospitalizations and Medical Encounters Among Adults in the United States.

Background: This study aimed to evaluate the vaccine effectiveness (VE) of mRNA-1273.815, a 2023-2024 Omicron XBB.1.

Running on Fumes: An Analysis of Fine Particulate Matter's Impact on Finish Times in Nine Major US Marathons, 2003-2019.

Background: Under controlled conditions and in some observational studies of runners, airborne fine particulate matter smaller than 2.5 microns in diameter (PM) is associated with exercise performance decrements.

Objective: To assess the association between event-day fine particulate matter air pollution (PM) and marathon finish times.

The association between metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease diagnosis and vasomotor symptoms in midlife women.

Objective: Metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD) and vasomotor symptoms (VMS) are associated with increased cardiovascular disease risk. Although visceral adiposity has been linked to MASLD and VMS independently, this study aimed to evaluate associations between the two in midlife women.

Methods: A cross-sectional study of women aged 45-60 years receiving primary care at one of four sites was conducted from March 1 through June 30, 2021.

Multicenter Analysis of the Relationship Between Operative Team Familiarity and Safety and Efficiency Outcomes in Cardiac Surgery.

Background: Safety in cardiac surgical procedures is predicated on effective team dynamics. This study associated operative team familiarity (ie, the extent of clinical collaboration among surgical team members) with procedural efficiency and Society of Thoracic Surgeons (STS) adjudicated patient outcomes.

Methods: Institutional STS adult cardiac surgery registry and electronic health record data from 2014 to 2021 were evaluated across 3 quaternary hospitals.

Objective Visual Acuity Estimates in Amblyopia Are More Accurate With Optotype-Based P300 Than With VEP Measurements.

Purpose: Traditional visual acuity (VA) measurements depend on subjective responses, which can be unreliable, especially with uncooperative participants. Objective measurements with visual evoked potentials (VEP) address this issue but can overestimate VA in amblyopia. This study aims to establish the P300 component of the event-related potential as an objective VA test for amblyopia and compare its performance to subjective (psychophysical) and VEP-based VA estimates.

Diagnostic Accuracy of Dynamic Stress Myocardial CT Perfusion Compared with Invasive Physiology in Patients with Stents: The Advantage 2 Study.

Background The detection of in-stent restenosis (ISR) with coronary CT angiography (CCTA) is challenging, but CT perfusion (CTP) has demonstrated improved diagnostic accuracy over CCTA in patients with stents. However, there are limited data on the performance of dynamic CTP, which allows noninvasive adjudication of regional myocardial blood flow. Purpose To compare the diagnostic performance of regadenoson-stress dynamic CTP with that of CCTA, using fractional flow reserve (FFR) and the index of microvascular resistance (IMR) as reference standards for epicardial coronary circulation and coronary microcirculation, respectively.

Clinical utility of the Fibrosis-4 index for predicting mortality in patients with heart failure with or without metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease: a prospective cohort study.

Background: The liver-heart axis potentially influences the risk of mortality in patients with heart failure. We aimed to identify the clinical utility of the fibrosis-4 (FIB-4) index in patients with heart failure for predicting mortality in the context of metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD).

Methods: Patients with heart failure and a subsample of healthy participants were enrolled in the MyoVasc study (NCT04064450) and followed for nine years.

Low-Dose Creatine Supplementation May Be Effective in Early-Stage Statin Myopathy: A Preliminary Study.

Statins are the main cholesterol-lowering treatments, but often they are stopped because of statin myopathy. Expensive second-line treatments are then prescribed, causing a burden on the health system. Previous research showed that creatine supplementation may be a relatively inexpensive, safe, and effective way to mitigate statin toxicity to the muscle.

Surgical Management of Adult Spinal Deformity Patients with Osteoporosis.

Adult spinal deformity (ASD) commonly affects older adults, with up to 68% prevalence in those over 60, and is often complicated by osteoporosis, which reduces bone mineral density (BMD) and increases surgical risks. Osteoporotic patients undergoing ASD surgery face higher risks of complications like hardware failure, pseudoarthrosis, and proximal junctional kyphosis (PJK). Medical management with antiresorptive medications (e.

Degenerative Cervical Myelopathy: History, Physical Examination, and Diagnosis.

: Degenerative cervical myelopathy is a progressive neurological disorder that is commonly encountered in clinical practice and its incidence is expected to increase alongside the aging population. Given the importance of early and accurate diagnosis in this patient population, this narrative review aims to provide a repository of up-to-date information regarding pertinent patient history, physical exam findings, and potential alternate diagnoses. : The PubMed database was queried for publications from 1 January 2019 to 19 March 2024.

Agathisflavone Modulates Reactive Gliosis After Trauma and Increases the Neuroblast Population at the Subventricular Zone.

Background: Reactive astrogliosis and microgliosis are coordinated responses to CNS insults and are pathological hallmarks of traumatic brain injury (TBI). In these conditions, persistent reactive gliosis can impede tissue repopulation and limit neurogenesis. Thus, modulating this phenomenon has been increasingly recognized as potential therapeutic approach.

Modeling the Distribution of the Rare and Red-Listed Halophytic Moss Species Under Various Climate Change Scenarios in Serbia.

is a rare moss species of the salty grasslands in Serbia. It is threatened with extinction due to habitat destruction and loss, although it reproduces sexually. In this study, we tested different models predicting its distribution under several climate scenarios over the next 8 decades.