Rapid acclimatization to baseline stimulation with a multi-canal vestibulocochlear implant.

Purpose: It is hypothesized that a vestibular implant should re-establish baseline activity of the ampullary nerves. Use of a constant baseline stimulation potentially allows encoding of bi-directional head movements, through the addition of signal modulations. Effective stimulation of the vestibular nerves depends on the ability to acclimate to this baseline signal.

Opt-In versus opt-out for the secondary use of routinely recorded health data: A randomized controlled trial.

Importance: Optimal data availability for secondary use is crucial for continuous improvement in healthcare. At the same time, it is imperative to uphold patients' rights to be informed, to control the use of their health data and to protect their privacy. To balance these two needs, we investigated which consent procedure (opt-in or opt-out) would be most supportive of data availability.

Absolute membrane protein abundance of P-glycoprotein, breast cancer resistance protein, and multidrug resistance proteins in term human placenta tissue and commonly used cell systems: Application in physiologically based pharmacokinetic modeling of placental drug disposition.

The placenta acts as a barrier, excluding noxious substances while actively transferring nutrients to the fetus, mediated by various transporters. This study quantified the expression of key placental transporters in term human placenta (n = 5) and BeWo, BeWo b30, and JEG-3 placenta cell lines. Combining these results with pregnancy physiologically based pharmacokinetic (PBPK) modeling, we demonstrate the utility of proteomic analysis for predicting placental drug disposition and fetal exposure.

Sacubitril/valsartan is associated with improvements in quality of life in adult congenital heart disease patients with systemic right ventricular failure.

Background: Short-term improvements in quality of life (QOL) have been reported in adult congenital heart disease patients with systemic right ventricle (sRV) failure after treatment with sacubitril/valsartan. This study aimed to evaluate the medium-term QOL changes in sRV failure patients treated with sacubitril/valsartan.

Methods: In this single-centre, prospective cohort study, patients with symptomatic sRV failure completed the Netherlands Organisation for Applied Scientific Research/Academic Hospital Leiden Questionnaire for Adult's Health-Related Quality of Life (TAAQOL) at baseline and after starting treatment with sacubitril/valsartan.

Safety and efficacy of filgotinib in patients with rheumatoid arthritis: final results of the DARWIN 3 long-term extension study.

Objectives: DARWIN 3 (ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT02065700) assessed the safety and efficacy of filgotinib in a long-term extension (LTE) of two phase II randomised controlled rheumatoid arthritis (RA) trials.

Methods: Eligible patients completing the 24-week DARWIN 1 (filgotinib plus methotrexate) and DARWIN 2 (filgotinib monotherapy) trials could enrol.

Conflicts of interest in the International Agency for Research on Cancer process of identifying carcinogenic hazards to humans.

Managing conflicts of interest (COIs) in scientific decision-making is important for minimizing bias and fostering public trust in science. Proper management of COIs has added significance when scientists are making decisions that impact public policy, such as assessing substances for carcinogenicity. The International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) organizes expert working groups to identify putative carcinogens and determine whether or not the hazard is likely to present significant potential harm to humans.

Proteomic and peptidomic profiling of spirulina-fortified probiotic powder formulations during in vitro digestion.

This study reports on the influence of lactic acid fermentation on the proteomic and peptidomic profiles of spirulina protein isolate (SPI)-fortified, freeze-dried powders containing living Lacticaseibacillus rhamnosus GG (LGG) cells during in vitro digestion. For comparison, powders fortified with whey protein isolate (WPI) and pea protein isolate (PPI) were also evaluated. Prior to freeze-drying, the powder precursors were either non-treated or fermented.

Antimicrobial susceptibility testing of Clostridioides difficile: a dual-site study of three different media and three therapeutic antimicrobials.

Objectives: Increasing resistance to antimicrobials used for the treatment of Clostridioides difficile infections necessitates reproducible antimicrobial susceptibility testing. Current guidelines take a one-size-fits-all approach and/or offer limited guidance. We investigated how the choice of medium affects measured MIC values across two sites.

Normal tissue complication probability model predicting taste impairment in head and neck cancer patients: Evaluating the taste bud bearing tongue mucosa as a predictor.

Background/purpose: Taste impairment is a common yet complex toxicity of head and neck cancer (HNC) radiotherapy treatment that may affect quality of life of survivors. This study aimed to predict acute and late taste impairment using taste bud bearing tongue mucosa as a new taste-specific organ-at-risk compared to full oral cavity as identified in previous studies.

Materials/methods: Included HNC patients were treated with curative radiotherapy between 2007 and 2022.

A large hypothesis-free proteomics study investigating serum inflammatory markers as biomarkers of dry eye disease.

Purpose: To test the association between serum inflammatory markers and dry eye disease (DED) using a hypothesis-free proteomic approach in a population-based cohort.

Methods: A total of 2602 unselected community-based participants (mean age 61.5 (range 21-92 years), 94.

MR-guided Transrectal Focal Laser Ablation for Localized Low- and Intermediate Risk Prostate Cancer: Initial Outcomes Using an Integrated Laser Ablation System.

Purpose: To investigate the feasibility and safety of MRI-guided focal laser ablation (FLA) in localized, International Society of Urological Pathology (ISUP) grade 1-3, prostate cancer (PCa) using an integrated system.

Methods: Ten consecutive males (mean age: 66±7 years) with low-to-intermediate risk PCa were prospectively included (April 2022-May 2023) and treated with MRI-guided FLA using an integrated system for laser energy control and MR thermometry monitoring. Primary endpoints were technical success, procedure-related adverse events (AEs) following SIR (Society of Interventional Radiology) classification, and 12-months local tumor progression-free survival (LTPFS), defined as no evident residual/ recurrent disease on follow-up imaging or histopathology at the treatment site.

Exposure to Ambient Temperature and Functional Connectivity of Brain Resting-State Networks in Preadolescents.

Objective: Exposure to extreme temperatures has been linked to acute mental-health events in young populations, but the underlying neural mechanisms are not well understood. Resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging allows for the assessment of connectivity patterns in brain functional networks, which have been associated with mental-health disorders. We investigated the short-term effects of ambient temperature on functional connectivity of brain resting-state networks in preadolescents.

The impact of operational trial approaches on representativeness: Comparison of decentralized clinical trial participants, conventional trial participants, and patients in daily practice.

Decentralized clinical trial (DCT) approaches - in which trial activities are conducted at participants' homes - have the potential to improve representativeness. We present a study that compared the demographics and cardiovascular risk factors of participants from a DCT (ASCEND) and a conventional trial with a similar trial objective (POPADAD) to those of patients in daily practice. We adjudicate that there are relevant differences when comparing the participants of the conventional trial and the DCT, with the latter providing better representativeness in terms of age, insulin use, smoking status, and body mass index, whereas conventional trial participants were more representative in terms of biological sex.

The Cerebellar Connectome.

The cerebellum, once primarily associated with motor functions, has emerged as a critical component in higher cognitive processes and emotional regulation. This paradigm shift frames the cerebellum as an essential focal point for elucidating sophisticated functional brain circuitry. Network neuroscience often maintains a cortical-centric viewpoint, potentially overlooking the significant contributions of the cerebellum in connectome organization.

Standard enhancement settings used on endoscopy systems significantly impair performance of artificial intelligence systems in endoscopy.

Background AI-systems in endoscopy are predominantly developed and tested using high-quality imagery from expert centers. Their performance may be different when applied on heterogeneous imagery in clinical practice. This is partially caused by the diversity in post-processing enhancement settings used in endoscopy units.

Adopting a complex systems approach to functional ageing: bridging the gap between gerontological theory and empirical research.

Functional ageing, related to but distinct from biological and environmental systems, is defined as the changes in physical, psychological, cognitive, and social functioning, as well as behavioural factors of individuals as they age. In this Personal View, we propose that a complex systems perspective to functional ageing can show how outcomes such as quality of life and longevity, and success in prevention and treatment, emerge from dynamic interactions among these domains, rather than from single causes. We support this view in three ways.

Unveiling the Distinctions: Computer Versus Sport-Specific Neurocognitive Tests.

Context: Traditional assessments of high-order neurocognitive functions are conducted using pen and paper or computer-based tests; this neglects the complex motor actions athletes have to make in team ball sports. Previous research has not explored the combination of neurocognitive functions and motor demands through complex tasks for team ball sport athletes. The primary aim of the present study was to determine the construct validity of agility-based neurocognitive tests of working memory (WM) and inhibition.

From river to groundwater: Antibiotics pollution, resistance prevalence, and source tracking.

The extensive use of antibiotics has led to their frequent detection as residues in the environment. However, monitoring of their levels in groundwater and the associated ecological and health risks remains limited, and the impact of river pollution on groundwater is still unclear. This study focused on the highly urbanized Maozhou River and its groundwater.

Demonstrating performance in scaled-up production and quality control of polyhydroxyalkanoates using municipal waste activated sludge.

Significant progress has been made over the past decade with pilot scale polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA) production by direct accumulation using municipal waste activated sludge (WAS). However, industrial upscaling experiences are still lacking in the research literature. In this study, a demonstration scale (4 m) PHA production process was operated using industrially relevant equipment and compared favourably to those from parallel pilot scale (200 L) production runs.

Muscle imaging in facioscapulohumeral muscular dystrophy research: A scoping review and expert recommendations.

Clinical trial readiness is an important topic in the field of facioscapulohumeral muscular dystrophy (FSHD). As FSHD is a slowly progressive and clinically heterogeneous disease, imaging biomarkers have been proposed to complement clinical outcome measures. Muscle magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), ultrasound and dual energy X-ray absorptiometry (DEXA) have been used to measure disease severity, activity and progression.

Probabilistic learning of the Purkinje network from the electrocardiogram.

The identification of the Purkinje conduction system in the heart is a challenging task, yet essential for a correct definition of cardiac digital twins for precision cardiology. Here, we propose a probabilistic approach for identifying the Purkinje network from non-invasive clinical data such as the standard electrocardiogram (ECG). We use cardiac imaging to build an anatomically accurate model of the ventricles; we algorithmically generate a rule-based Purkinje network tailored to the anatomy; we simulate physiological electrocardiograms with a fast model; we identify the geometrical and electrical parameters of the Purkinje-ECG model with Bayesian optimization and approximate Bayesian computation.

Accumulation of metals in resident blue mussels (Mytilus edulis) and exposed Asian clams (Corbicula fluminea) along the Scheldt estuary: A spatial and temporal investigation.

Metals are micropollutants of significant concern in the aquatic environment, requiring continuous monitoring to assess their distribution and environmental risk. This study investigated metals in water, sediment, and bivalves at different locations along the Scheldt estuary (the Netherlands-Belgium). The distribution of metals generally decreased from upstream to downstream in each matrix, with exceptions.

Designing Health Recommender Systems to Promote Health Equity: A Socioecological Perspective.

Health recommender systems (HRS) have the capability to improve human-centered care and prevention by personalizing content, such as health interventions or health information. HRS, an emerging and developing field, can play a unique role in the digital health field as they can offer relevant recommendations, not only based on what users themselves prefer and may be receptive to, but also using data about wider spheres of influence over human behavior, including peers, families, communities, and societies. We identify and discuss how HRS could play a unique role in decreasing health inequities.