Reversal of the motivational effects of tetrabenazine by NMDA receptor blockade.

Background: Apathy is a syndrome of decreased goal-directed activity, one of the main features of different brain disorders. Despite its high prevalence and life-threatening potential, there are currently very few options for its pharmacological treatment, which may be related to the lack of valid animal models.

Aims: The vesicular monoamine transporter 2 inhibitor tetrabenazine (TBZ) was used in this study to model apathy-related behavior in pathologies linked to a depletion of dopamine.

First results from a multimodal psychosomatic post-COVID treatment approach - a prospective longitudinal study.

Background: Clinical experiences using a psychosomatic-oriented multimodal treatment approach in patients with post-COVID are promising. We established a half-day multimodal treatment program for post-COVID patients at the Department of Psychosomatic Medicine at General Hospital Nuremberg, Paracelsus Medical University, Germany.

Methods: This observational study between January 2022 and March 2023 comprised baseline documentation of Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQD), ICD-10 Symptom Rating (ISR), Fatigue Scale (FS) and Health Status Questionnaire (SF-12) at admission and discharge of 65 patients suffering from post-COVID.

Smartphone application-based pulmonary rehabilitation in COPD: a multicentre randomised controlled trial.

Background: Pulmonary rehabilitation (PR) is an essential element of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) management. However, access to conventional face-to-face PR programmes is limited.

Methods: This multicentre, randomised controlled trial recruited patients with COPD from 18 sites in Germany and Switzerland, aiming to evaluate the impact of 12 weeks of a mobile app (intervention group; IVG) on quality of life, measured by COPD Assessment Test (CAT), and exercise capacity, assessed by 1-minute-sit-to-stand-test (1MSTST), compared with a control group (CTG) receiving 'enhanced standard-of-care'.

Natural history of dolichoectatic vertebrobasilar aneurysms: a multinational study.

Objective: Dolichoectatic vertebrobasilar aneurysms (DVBAs) are expansions of arterial tissue leading to aneurysmal formations without an obvious neck. Their natural history is poorly understood; usually patients are admitted with thromboembolic complications and/or neurological symptoms from the mass effect. There have not been international collective data, and correct timing for highly risky treatments has been under discussion.

The multifaceted nature of Egyptian mummification: Paleoradiological insights into child mummies.

In accordance with ancient Egyptian beliefs, the preservation of the body after death was an important prerequisite for the continued existence of the deceased in the afterlife. This involved application of various physical interventions and magical rituals to the corpse. Computed tomography (CT), as the gold-standard technology in the field of paleoradiology, enables deeper insights into details of artificial body preservation.

Age-related lung changes linked to altered lysosomal protease profile, histology, and ultrastructure.

Introduction: The aging process is intricately linked to alterations in cellular and tissue structures, with the respiratory system being particularly susceptible to age-related changes. Therefore, this study aimed to profile the activity of proteases using activity-based probes in lung tissues of old and young rats, focusing on the expression levels of different, in particular cathepsins G and X and matrix Metalloproteinases (MMPs). Additionally, the impact on extracellular matrix (ECM) components, particularly fibronectin, in relation to age-related histological and ultrastructural changes in lung tissues was investigated.

Benefit from dose-dense adjuvant chemotherapy for breast cancer: subgroup analyses from the randomised phase 3 PANTHER trial.

Background: It is unclear whether some patients with high-risk breast cancer do not warrant adjuvant dose-dense chemotherapy due to small expected absolute benefit.

Methods: The phase 3 PANTHER trial (NCT00798070) compared adjuvant sequential epirubicin/cyclophosphamide (EC) and docetaxel (D) administered in either tailored dose-dense (tDD EC/D) or standard interval schedule (FEC/D) to patients with high-risk resected early breast cancer (n = 2003). We compared outcomes across key subgroups of interest, evaluated the performance of the online prognostication and treatment benefit estimation tool PREDICT and conducted a subpopulation treatment effect pattern plot (STEPP) analysis.

What about the donor site morbidity - how invasive is the free latissimus dorsi flap?

Aims: The free latissimus dorsi muscle (LDM) flap represents a workhorse procedure in the field of trauma and plastic surgery. However, only a small number of studies have examined this large group of patients with regard to the morbidity of flap harvest. The aim of this prospective study was therefore to objectively investigate the morbidity of a free LDM flap.

Effects of structured exercise training on miRNA expression in previously sedentary individuals.

Introduction: Micro ribonucleic acids (miRNA) respond to acute bouts of vigorous exercise, such as maximal cardiopulmonary exercise tests (CPET), by expressing an anti-atherogenic, anti-inflammatory and hence probably ergogenic profile. However, the impact of long-term engagement in physical exercise on CPET-induced miRNA response in sedentary individuals, with subsequent increased risk for cardiovascular diseases, remains unclear.

Methods: Thirty-four sedentary participants underwent CPET before and after a four-month app-assisted exercise intervention, during which the moderate to vigorous physical activity (MVPA) was increased to over 150 min/week.

Computational Psychotherapy System for Mental Health Prediction and Behavior Change with a Conversational Agent.

Background: The importance of computational psychotherapy is increasing due to the record high prevalence of mental health issues worldwide. Despite advancements, current computational psychotherapy systems lack advanced prediction and behavior change mechanisms using conversational agents.

Purpose: This work presents a computational psychotherapy system for mental health prediction and behavior change using a conversational agent.

Mortality of chronic disorders of consciousness in adults and adolescents - a retrospective community based study from Salzburg, Austria.

Introduction: Epidemiological data on disorders of consciousness (DoC) is rare and very heterogeneous due to difficulties in case ascertainment and differences in health care pathways between countries. This study reports data on mortality and survival time for DoC patients in Salzburg, Austria.

Methods: All patients with DoC were registered in the health care region of Salzburg North, Austria between 2007 and 2022 and their death data retrieved from the Statistik Austria.

Switching from natalizumab to antiCD20 monoclonal antibodies: Short transition interval is associated with improved outcome.

Objective: To investigate the impact of transition interval length when switching from natalizumab (NTZ) to anti-CD20 monoclonal antibodies (antiCD20) on recurrent disease activity and safety in relapsing multiple sclerosis (RMS).

Methods: Aggregating data from 8 MS centres in Austria, Switzerland, and Germany, we included RMS patients who (i) continuously received NTZ for ≥3 months, (ii) were switched to antiCD20, and (iii) had ≥12 months follow-up after switch. The primary endpoint was occurrence of relapse after switch, secondary endpoints included severe infections (CTCAE grade ≥3).

Cerebrospinal Fluid Cytology in Lyme Neuroborreliosis Revisited-Role of Neutrophilic Granulocytes: A Retrospective Single-Center Study.

: diagnosis of Lyme neuroborreliosis (LNB) relies on medical history, clinical findings, and detection of pathogen-specific antibodies in the blood and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF). The chemoattractant CXCL13 serves as an additional marker for LNB acuity. During the diagnostic workup, cytomorphological examination of immune cells in CSF provides early insights.

Prognostic Value of PD-L1, BAP-1 and ILK in Pleural Mesothelioma.

: Pleural mesothelioma (PM) is a rare type of cancer with poor prognosis. Prognostic and predictive biomarkers could improve treatment strategies in these patients. Programmed death ligand 1 (PD-L1), integrin-linked kinase (ILK) and breast cancer gene 1-associated protein (BAP-1) have been proposed to predict outcomes in PM, but existing data are limited and controversial.

Surgical or Transcatheter Mitral Valve Replacement After Prior Bioprosthesis or Ring Implantation: A Landmark Analysis of Early and Long-Term Outcomes.

In recent years, the use of transcatheter valve-in-valve implantation in the mitral position (TMVI) for the treatment of mitral valve pathology following ring or bioprosthetic implantation has emerged as a less invasive option in comparison to repeated mitral valve surgery (RMVS). We aimed to compare the early and mid-term results of these two strategies. We retrospectively analyzed all patients who underwent a mitral intervention in our institution between 2005 and 2022.

Heparin Differentially Regulates the Expression of Specific miRNAs in Mesenchymal Stromal Cells.

In regenerative medicine, stromal cells are supposed to play an important role by modulating immune responses and differentiating into various tissue types. The aim of this study was to investigate the influence of heparin, frequently used as an anticoagulant in human platelet lysate (HPL)-supplemented cell cultures, on the expression of non-coding RNA species, particularly microRNAs (miRNA), which are pivotal regulators of gene expression. Through genomic analysis and quantitative RT-PCR, we assessed the differential impact of heparin on miRNA expression in various stromal cell types, derived from human bone marrow, umbilical cord and white adipose tissue.

Infratuberositary slope-decreasing anterior closed wedge proximal tibial osteotomy is safe and shows rapid bone healing.

Purpose: Different techniques of slope-decreasing anterior closed-wedge proximal tibial osteotomy (ACW-PTO) have been described. To determine the peri- and post-operative complication rate and obtain data on bone healing in ACW-PTO with an infratuberositary approach.

Methods: A total of 170 consecutive ACW-PTO of two sports-orthopaedic centres were retrospectively evaluated (97 and 73, respectively).

Oral health care pathways for patients with epidermolysis bullosa: A position statement from the European reference network for rare skin diseases.

Background: Inherited epidermolysis bullosa (EB) comprises a group of genetic disorders characterized by skin fragility and unique oral features. It requires interdisciplinary care from several health professionals, including oral health teams. Modern dentistry encompasses a wide range of therapeutic options performed by specialists from different fields.

Percutaneous repair of the Achilles tendon with one knot offers equivalent results as the same procedure with two knots. A comparative prospective study.

Purpose: The present prospective comparative study included patients with acute Achilles tendon rupture (ATR) who underwent percutaneous repair with one knot compared to percutaneous repair with two knots.

Methods: All patients underwent the procedure under local anesthesia. A total of 29 patients underwent percutaneous repair with two knots (Group A), and 33 patients underwent percutaneous repair with one knot (Group B).