Current practices of pain assessment and analgesic use in laboratory mice: A 2022 FELASA Working Group survey.

Assessing and alleviating pain in animals involved in research is critically important. However, the effective implementation of pain management depends on the knowledge and attitudes of the personnel involved. Following a Federation of European Laboratory Animal Science Associations 'Pain in Mice' working group initiative, a questionnaire to survey current practices concerning analgesic use in laboratory mice was distributed to several professional groups in the field of laboratory animal science.

Association between enteral carboxymethyllysine intake and daily glycemic variability in critically ill adults: A retrospective cohort study.

Background: Advanced glycation end-products (AGEs) can enter patients' circulation through exogenous sources, such as enteral nutrition formulae. Circulating AGEs, specifically carboxymethyllysine, can promote insulin resistance and activation of pro-inflammatory pathways leading to oxidative stress, cell death, and organ failure. Suboptimal kidney function increases the risk of elevated circulating AGEs because levels are controlled through urinary excretion.

Parsimonious versus extensive bleeding score: can we simplify risk stratification after percutaneous coronary intervention and reduce bleeding events by de-escalation of the antiplatelet strategy?

Background And Aims: Due to the multitude of risk factors outlined in the guidelines, personalised dual antiplatelet therapy (DAPT) guidance after percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) is complex. A simplified method was created to facilitate the use of risk stratification. We aimed to compare the predictive and prognostic value of the 'Zuidoost Nederland Hart Registratie' (ZON-HR) classification for bleeding risk with the PREdicting bleeding Complications In patients undergoing Stent implantation and subsEquent DAPT (PRECISE-DAPT) score and to determine the effect of ticagrelor monotherapy versus DAPT in patients with or without high bleeding risk (HBR).

Left Atrial Remodeling and Function in Various Left Ventricular Hypertrophic Phenotypes.

Aims: How the underlying etiology and pathophysiology of left ventricular (LV) hypertrophy affects LA remodeling and function remains unexplored. The present study aims to investigate the influence of various hypertrophic phenotypes on LA remodeling and function.

Methods And Results: Patients with LV hypertrophy who underwent cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) were compared to a control group.

Cardiovascular preventive service access challenges among African immigrants: a discussion paper.

This paper highlights cardiovascular disease (CVD) preventive access challenges and potential intervention strategies that address cardiovascular preventive service access gaps among African immigrants living in developed countries. Migration, coupled with changes in dietary habits, socio-economic factors, and cultural adjustments, contributes to a heightened risk of CVD among African immigrants. This risk is compounded by a lack of targeted preventive interventions and culturally tailored programmes, as well as challenges related to language barriers, health literacy, and digital literacy.

From Atrial Small-conductance Calcium-activated Potassium Channels to New Antiarrhythmics.

Despite significant advances in its management, AF remains a major healthcare burden affecting millions of individuals. Rhythm control with antiarrhythmic drugs or catheter ablation has been shown to improve symptoms and outcomes in AF patients, but current treatment options have limited efficacy and/or significant side-effects. Novel mechanism-based approaches could potentially be more effective, enabling improved therapeutic strategies for managing AF.

Continuous risk monitoring and management of heart failure: Rationale and design of the ALLEVIATE-HF trial.

Aims: Early identification and management of worsening heart failure (HF) is necessary to prevent disease progression and hospitalizations. The ALLEVIATE-HF (Algorithm Using LINQ Sensors for Evaluation and Treatment of Heart Failure) trial is a prospective, randomized, controlled, double-blind, multicentre trial that aims to assess the safety and efficacy of using the Reveal LINQ™ insertable cardiac monitor (ICM) in patients with HF to continuously monitor and evaluate HF risk status and guide timely interventions.

Methods: The ICM algorithm uses parameters derived from electrocardiogram (atrial fibrillation [AF], ventricular rate during AF, heart rate variability, and night heart rate), three-axis accelerometer (patient activity duration), and subcutaneous bioimpedance (fluid volume, respiration rate).

Protein glycation compromises the bioavailability of milk protein-derived lysine in vivo in healthy adult males: a double-blind randomized cross-over trial.

Background: Industrial processing and storage of milk products can strongly increase protein glycation level. Previously, we have reported that ingestion of highly glycated milk protein attenuates the post-prandial rise in plasma lysine concentrations when compared to the ingestion of an equivalent amount of milk protein with a low glycation level. Whether the attenuated increase in plasma lysine availability is attributed to compromised protein digestion and subsequent lysine absorption remains to be established.

Time-dependent fear memory generalization triggered by phosphodiesterase 5 inhibition during reconsolidation.

Fear generalization, a lack of discrimination between safe and unsafe cues, is a hallmark of posttraumatic stress disorder. The phosphodiesterase 5 (PDE5) regulates the cyclic guanosine monophosphate (cGMP) pathway, which has been proposed to be involved in fear memory generalization. However, whether PDE5 activity underlies fear memory generalization remains unexplored.

Optimal placement of high-channel visual prostheses in human retinotopic visual cortex.

Recent strides in neurotechnology show potential to restore vision in individuals afflicted with blindness due to early visual pathway damage. As neuroprostheses mature and become available to a larger population, manual placement and evaluation of electrode designs becomes costly and impractical. An automatic method to optimize the implantation process of electrode arrays at large-scale is currently lacking.

Neoadjuvant chemotherapy in locally advanced colon cancer: A systematic review with proportional meta-analysis.

Neoadjuvant chemotherapy is suggested in locally advanced colon cancer. Data on improved long-term oncological outcomes are lacking, which hampers the implementation in clinical practice. This systematic review provides an overview of the benefits and drawbacks of neoadjuvant chemotherapy in patients with locally advanced colon cancer.

Platelet activation and signaling in thrombus formation.

In thrombosis and hemostasis, the formation of a platelet-fibrin thrombus or clot is a highly controlled process that varies, depending on the pathological context. Major signaling pathways in platelets are well established. However, studies with genetically modified mice have identified the contribution of hundreds of additional platelet-expressed proteins in arterial thrombus formation and bleeding.

Psychosocial burden and sociodemographic characteristics of cancer survivors seeking support for work-related issues in outpatient cancer counseling centers.

Introduction: Outpatient cancer counseling centers (OCCs) are important social work facilities that provide support for cancer survivors who have psychosocial and sociolegal challenges. This paper explores clinical and sociodemographic characteristics, psychosocial burden as well as access routes of clients in OCCs seeking work-related counseling.

Methods: Between May 2022 and December 2023, data were collected in 19 OCCs, using questionnaires and documentation by counselors.

Opportunistic assessment of steatotic liver disease in lung cancer screening eligible individuals.

Background: Steatotic liver disease (SLD) is a potentially reversible condition but often goes unnoticed with the risk for end-stage liver disease.

Purpose: To opportunistically estimate SLD on lung screening chest computed tomography (CT) and investigate its prognostic value in heavy smokers participating in the National Lung Screening Trial (NLST).

Material And Methods: We used a deep learning model to segment the liver on non-contrast-enhanced chest CT scans of 19,774 NLST participants (age 61.

Linking higher amyloid beta 1-38 (Aβ(1-38)) levels to reduced Alzheimer's disease progression risk.

Introduction: The beneficial effects of amyloid beta 1-38, or Aβ(1-38), on Alzheimer's disease (AD) progression in humans in vivo remain controversial. We investigated AD patients' cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) Aβ(1-38) and AD progression.

Methods: Cognitive function and diagnostic change were assessed annually for 3 years in 177 Aβ-positive participants with subjective cognitive decline (SCD), mild cognitive impairment (MCI), and dementia from the German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE) longitudinal cognitive impairment and dementia study (DELCODE) cohort using the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE), Preclinical Alzheimer's Cognitive Composite (PACC), Clinical Dementia Rating (CDR), and National Institute of Neurological and Communicative Disorders and Stroke-Alzheimer's Disease and Related Disorders Association (NINCDS-ADRDA) criteria.

The impact of noise exposure, time pressure, and cognitive load on objective task performance and subjective sensory overload and fatigue.

Introduction: Sensory hypersensitivity (SHS) refers to an increased sensitivity to sensory stimuli, often leading to sensory overload and adversely affecting daily functioning and well-being. This study examined the effects of three situational triggers - noise, time pressure, and cognitive load - on task performance, sensory overload, and fatigue. Additionally, we sought to explore the associations between these effects and SHS, while accounting for other influencing factors such as personality, coping mechanisms, and anxiety.

Efficacy of vagus nerve stimulation in gastrointestinal disorders: a systematic review.

Dysfunction of the vagus nerve has been suggested as a contributing factor in various gastrointestinal disorders, prompting interest in vagus nerve stimulation (VNS) as a non-pharmacological therapy. We performed a systematic review to determine the efficacy of invasive and non-invasive VNS in gastrointestinal disorders, including inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), functional dyspepsia (FD), functional constipation, gastroesophageal reflux disease, and gastroparesis. We applied a systematic search of the literature in the PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, and Cochrane Library databases in order to identify studies comparing VNS with an adequate control condition (sham stimulation) in patients with gastrointestinal disorders.

The "Triangle" Sign: A Novel Ultrasound Marker for Diagnosing Total Choroidal Detachment and Total Suprachoroidal Hemorrhage.

Purpose: This study aims to explore the diagnostic utility of ultrasound B-scan while introducing the "Triangle" sign as a novel indicator. It also validates the sign's efficacy in distinguishing between choroidal detachment (CD) and suprachoroidal hemorrhage (SCH) from retinal detachment (RD) and vitreous hemorrhage (VH).

Patients And Methods: Retrospective analysis of consecutive cases of total CD and SCH undergoing B-scan at a single tertiary imaging center.

Serum metabolomic signatures of patients with rare neurogenetic diseases: an insight into potential biomarkers and treatment targets.

Introduction: To further advance our understanding of Muscular Dystrophies (MDs) and Spinocerebellar Ataxias (SCAs), it is necessary to identify the biological patterns associated with disease pathology. Although progress has been made in the fields of genetics and transcriptomics, there is a need for proteomics and metabolomics studies. The present study aimed to be the first to document serum metabolic signatures of MDs (DMD, BMD, and LGMD 2A) SCAs (SCA 1-3), from a South Asian perspective.

RADAR-AD: assessment of multiple remote monitoring technologies for early detection of Alzheimer's disease.

Background: Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder affecting millions worldwide, leading to cognitive and functional decline. Early detection and intervention are crucial for enhancing the quality of life of patients and their families. Remote Monitoring Technologies (RMTs) offer a promising solution for early detection by tracking changes in behavioral and cognitive functions, such as memory, language, and problem-solving skills.

The moderating and mediating role of the placenta in the association between prenatal exposure to air pollutants and birth weight: A twin study.

Prenatal exposure to air pollution has been linked to lower birth weight, yet the role of the placenta in this association is often overlooked. This study investigates whether placental characteristics act as moderators or mediators in the association between prenatal exposure to particulate matter (PM) and nitrogen dioxide (NO) and birth weight in twins. The study included 3340 twins (born 2002-2013) from the East Flanders Prospective Twin Survey.

Cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia across the spectrum of alcohol use disorder: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Insomnia is prevalent among patients with alcohol use disorder (AUD), potentially undermining treatment and increasing the risk of relapse. Cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia (CBT-I) is the recommended first-line treatment for insomnia, but its efficacy is not well-characterized in patients across the spectrum of AUD. The aim of this meta-analysis was to quantify the effectiveness of CBT-I in improving insomnia severity and alcohol-related outcomes in adults with heavy alcohol use and/or varying levels of AUD severity and comorbid insomnia.

Beyond hearing: the impact of Cochlear implantation on the quality of life of users and their communication partners after 1 year.

Objective: To assess the impact of cochlear implantation (CI) and speech perception outcomes on the quality of life (QoL) of adult CI users and their communication partners (CP) one-year post-implantation.

Design: This research is part of a prospective multicenter study in The Netherlands, called SMILE (Societal Merit of Intervention for hearing Loss Evaluation).

Study Sample: Eighty adult CI users completed speech perception testing and the Nijmegen Cochear Implant Questionnaire (NCIQ).