The impact of neoadjuvant therapy in patients with left-sided resectable pancreatic cancer: an international multicenter study.

Purpose: To assess the association between neoadjuvant therapy and overall survival (OS) in patients with left-sided resectable pancreatic cancer (RPC) compared to upfront surgery.

Background: Left-sided pancreatic cancer is associated with worse OS compared to right-sided pancreatic cancer. Although neoadjuvant therapy is currently seen as not effective in patients with RPC, current randomized trials included mostly patients with right-sided RPC.

Nanoplastic-induced antibody liquid-liquid phase separation: Insights into potential immunotoxic implications.

The increasing environmental prevalence of micro/nano plastics (MNPs) has raised significant concerns regarding their potential impact on human health, particularly in terms of immunotoxicity. However, the direct effects of MNPs on immune molecules, especially how they may influence protein liquid-liquid phase separation (LLPS)-a critical process implicated in various aspects of immune function-remain largely unexplored. This study addresses this gap by investigating the effects of polystyrene nanoparticles (PS NPs) with different surface modifications and sizes on LLPS in immunoglobulin Y (IgY) antibodies, critical components of the avian immune system.

A novel and quick egg yolk immunoglobulin y antibody extraction method leveraging the protein liquid-liquid phase separation principle.

This study presents a novel and efficient method for extracting immunoglobulin Y (IgY) antibodies from egg yolk based on the principle of liquid-liquid phase separation (LLPS) induced by polyethylene glycol 8000 (PEG 8000). Initial delipidation of egg yolk samples with varying PEG 8000 concentrations demonstrated optimal delipidation efficiency and protein recovery at 2.5 % PEG 8000 concentration.

1,8-Cineole reduces pulmonary vascular remodelling in pulmonary arterial hypertension by restoring intercellular communication and inhibiting angiogenesis.

Background: Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension (PAH) is characterized by pulmonary vascular remodelling, often associated with disruption of BMPR2/Smad1/5 and BMPR2/PPAR-γ signalling pathways that ultimately lead to right ventricle failure. Disruption of intercellular junctions and communication and a pro-angiogenic environment are also characteristic features of PAH. Although, current therapies improve pulmonary vascular tone, they fail to tackle other key pathological features that could prevent disease progression.

Towards a green economy: Investigating the impact of sustainable finance, green technologies, and environmental policies on environmental degradation.

Environmental degradation is a problem, and the consequences, in terms of emission of pollutants into different ecosystems, human health, and sustainable development are disastrous. This study explains the complex interactions that exist among sustainable finance, green technology innovation, green energy adoption, the climate change financial policy, green growth index, government spending, and financial globalization across the globe. This research applies to an extensive dataset that ranges to 23 years in 50 countries by enforcing robust dynamic econometric methods such as unit root tests, cointegration analysis, and generalized method of moments (GMM) estimations for the analysis of these complicated issues.

Psychological distress and the COVID-19 pandemic: the role of personality and coping strategies.

Personality traits and coping strategies significantly predict predisposition to psychopathology. This study aimed to examine the predictive role of coping strategies in psychological distress during the COVID-19 pandemic in a sample of Portuguese individuals, considering personality and sociodemographic variables. Data were collected using Google Forms from 2402 individuals (86.

Perceptions and experiences of directly observed treatment in tuberculosis: insights from a mixed-methods cross-sectional study.

Objective: The demanding nature and psychosocial burdens of directly observed treatment (DOT) have opened a path to alternative strategies such as video-observed therapy (VOT), which offers comparable treatment outcomes and patient satisfaction while potentially saving time and reducing costs. The objective of this study was to evaluate the perceptions and experiences of patients and health care professionals regarding DOT and other treatment strategies implemented in Portugal.

Methods: Patients with a confirmed diagnosis of tuberculosis, treated at the Vila Nova de Gaia Outpatient Tuberculosis Centre in the last two years, were asked to complete a brief questionnaire, as were health care professionals working in the northern region of Portugal.

Expert perspectives on tuberculosis screening procedures for migrants.

Objective: To evaluate the perspectives of tuberculosis experts from different countries regarding national screening procedures.

Methods: This was a qualitative descriptive study. Data were collected by using electronic, anonymized surveys with experts in tuberculosis in seven different countries within two World Health Organization regions (Europe and Africa).

Antarctic nematodes survival in Martian and Lunar regolith simulants under terrestrial conditions.

The exploration of extraterrestrial environments has become a focal point of scientific inquiry, driven by advancements in technology and a growing interest in the potential for life beyond Earth. This study investigates the adaptability of Antarctic nematodes, known for thriving in extreme cold and isolation, to simulated Martian (MGS-1) and Lunar (LMS-1) soils. The experiment revealed differential responses in nematode survivability to the two simulants, with Lunar soil demonstrating better adaptability compared to Martian soil.

Video classes for adolescent nursing consultations: development and validation.

Objective: Create and validate the content of video lessons to support nurses when carrying out adolescent consultations in Primary Health Care.

Method: Methodological research carried out in four stages: 1) Exploration, with 83 nurses and two literature narrative reviews; 2) Construction of scripts and storyboards; 3) scripts and storyboards' content validation; 4) Video classes production. Data analysis was conducted using the Content Validity Index.

The rehabilitation of children with brain tumors using exergames: a scoping review protocol.

Objective: To map the literature on the use of exergames in the rehabilitation of school-age children with brain tumors, in any context.

Method: Scoping review protocol developed using the recommendations of the Joanna Briggs Institute. The search will include aggregators, databases, indexes, repositories, and research browsers, without limitation as to the year of publication.

Sustainability in Higher Education: Experience report on achieving Sustainable Development Goals.

Objective: Describe the activities aimed at achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), implemented by a polytechnic higher education institution, in the northern region of Portugal.

Methods: This is an experience report from a Higher Education Institution, which characterizes the contribution to the SDGs, within the scope of teaching, research, campus and leadership.

Results: In total, 1247 activities were mapped, with a preponderance in the "people" dimension (685 activities), with SDG 3 being the most prominent.

Brazil-Portugal Comparison: Education, Health and Social Development in light of the Sustainable Development Goals.

Objective: to comparatively analyze the health, education and social development systems of Brazil and Portugal, their relationship with the Sustainable Development Goals and the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development averages.

Method: exploratory and descriptive qualitative research, through documentary analysis. The indicators address health, education and social development, considering life expectancy, mortality, prevalence of chronic diseases, literacy, educational performance and poverty rates.

Insights on the evolution and adaptation toward high-altitude and cold environments in the snow leopard lineage.

How snow leopard gradually adapted to the extreme environments in Tibet remains unexplored due to the scanty fossil record in Tibet. Here, we recognize five valid outside-Tibet records of the snow leopard lineage. Our results suggest that the snow leopard dispersed out of the Tibetan Plateau multiple times during the Quaternary.

Multi-tissue characterization of the constitutive heterochromatin proteome in Drosophila identifies a link between satellite DNA organization and transposon repression.

Noncoding satellite DNA repeats are abundant at the pericentromeric heterochromatin of eukaryotic chromosomes. During interphase, sequence-specific DNA-binding proteins cluster these repeats from multiple chromosomes into nuclear foci known as chromocenters. Despite the pivotal role of chromocenters in cellular processes like genome encapsulation and gene repression, the associated proteins remain incompletely characterized.

Effects of using microalgae in poultry diets on the production and quality of meat and eggs: a review.

1. This review was conducted to examine the nutritional composition of microalgae and their effects as a feed ingredient in poultry diets, delving into their influence on the production and quality of meat and eggs. Data collection focused on peer-reviewed scientific articles, with no limitation on the temporal horizon.

Differences in technical and clinical perspectives on AI validation in cancer imaging: mind the gap!

Good practices in artificial intelligence (AI) model validation are key for achieving trustworthy AI. Within the cancer imaging domain, attracting the attention of clinical and technical AI enthusiasts, this work discusses current gaps in AI validation strategies, examining existing practices that are common or variable across technical groups (TGs) and clinical groups (CGs). The work is based on a set of structured questions encompassing several AI validation topics, addressed to professionals working in AI for medical imaging.

Environmental impact of disposable face masks: degradation, wear, and cement mortar incorporation.

Polypropylene (PP) disposable face masks (DFMs) are essential for limiting airborne infectious diseases. This study examines the behavior of DFMs under three scenarios: (i) exposure to the natural environment, (ii) simulated high-energy aquatic environments through an abrasion test, and (iii) incorporation into cement-based mortars. In the natural weathering experiment, after 117 days, the DFMs exhibited photodegradation, resulting in chemical alterations in carbonyl and hydroxyl groups.

Temporal lobe epilepsy with isolated amygdala enlargement: anatomo-electro-clinical features and long-term outcome.

Background: Temporal lobe epilepsy with isolated amygdala enlargement (TLE-AE) still lacks a definite characterization and controversies exist.

Methods: We conducted a retrospective study identifying brain MRI scans with isolated AE between 2015 and 2021. We collected clinical and paraclinical data of patients with TLE-AE and evaluated the outcome.

Impact of Nutrition on the Gut Microbiota: Implications for Parkinson's Disease.

Parkinson's disease (PD) is a multifactorial neurodegenerative disease that is characterized by the degeneration of dopaminergic neurons in the substantia nigra pars compacta and by the anomalous accumulation of α-synuclein aggregates into Lewy bodies and Lewy neurites. Research suggests 2 distinct subtypes of PD: the brain-first subtype if the pathology arises from the brain and then spreads to the peripheral nervous system (PNS) and the body-first subtype, where the pathological process begins in the PNS and then spreads to the central nervous system. This review primarily focuses on the body-first subtype.

Glia: The Cellular Glue that binds Circadian Rhythms and Sleep.

Glia are increasingly appreciated as serving an important function in the control of sleep and circadian rhythms. Glial cells in Drosophila and mammals regulate daily rhythms of locomotor activity and sleep as well as homeostatic rebound following sleep deprivation. In addition, they contribute to proposed functions of sleep, with different functions mapping to varied glial subtypes.

Outcomes of mechanical thrombectomy for medium vessel occlusion in acute ischemic stroke patients with ASPECTS 4-5 vs. 6-7: a retrospective, multicenter, and multinational study.

Introduction: Mechanical thrombectomy (MT) efficacy in medium vessel occlusion (MeVO) stroke, particularly in patients with low Alberta Stroke Program Early Computed Tomography Score (ASPECTS), remains less explored.

Methods: This retrospective study analyzed data from 443 AIS patients treated with MT for MeVO and low ASPECTS (4-7) at 37 centers across North America, Asia, and Europe, from September 2017 to July 2021. Patients were categorized into ASPECTS of 4-5 and 6-7.

Predictors of drooling severity in people with Parkinson's disease.

Background: Drooling, defined as the unintentional loss of saliva from the anterior oral cavity, remains poorly understood in terms of the underlying clinical factors in people with Parkinson's disease (PwP). This study aims to clarify these factors by analyzing predictors and secondarily the correlates with the severity of drooling in PwP.

Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional study involving 42 PwP with drooling and 59 without drooling.

Do Defense Mechanisms and Dissociation Symptoms Link the Association Between Adverse Childhood Experience and Somatization Symptoms in Faroese Adolescents.

Exposure to multiple adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) is a risk factor for the development and increase in somatization symptoms among adolescents. Defense mechanisms and dissociation may play a key role in the association between these variables. The aim of the study was to analyze the indirect association between direct and indirect exposure to ACEs with somatization symptoms through defense mechanisms and dissociation symptoms in Faroese adolescents.