Thermal ablation versus surgical resection of small-size colorectal liver metastases (COLLISION): an international, randomised, controlled, phase 3 non-inferiority trial.

Background: For patients with small-size colorectal liver metastases, growing evidence suggests thermal ablation to be associated with fewer adverse events and faster recovery than resection while also challenging resection in terms of local control and overall survival. This study assessed the potential non-inferiority of thermal ablation compared with surgical resection in patients with small-size resectable colorectal liver metastases.

Methods: Adult patients (aged ≥18 years) from 14 centres in the Netherlands, Belgium, and Italy with ten or fewer small-size (≤3 cm) colorectal liver metastases, no extrahepatic metastases, and an Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance status of 0-2, were stratified per centre, and according to their disease burden, into low, intermediate, and high disease burden subgroups and randomly assigned 1:1 to receive either thermal ablation (experimental group) or surgical resection (control group) of all target colorectal liver metastases using the web-based module Castor electronic data capture with variable block sizes of 4, 6, and 8.

Exposure to residential air pollution and the development of functional connectivity of brain networks throughout adolescence.

Background: A few studies linked air pollution to differences in functional connectivity of resting-state brain networks in children, but how air pollution exposure affects the development of brain networks remains poorly understood. Therefore, we studied the association of air pollution exposure from birth to 3 years and one year before the first imaging assessment with the development of functional connectivity across adolescence.

Methods: We utilized data from 3,626 children of the Generation R Study (The Netherlands).

Interhospital variation in surgical treatment of screen-detected breast cancer in the South of the Netherlands.

Background: The effectiveness of the Dutch breast cancer screening programme depends on the quality of the full trajectory, from the first screening to the final treatment of a screen-detected breast cancer. Interhospital variation in breast cancer treatment has been explored by several studies, however, not specifically in a screen-detected breast cancer population. The current study compares the treatment strategies of women with screen-detected breast cancer between hospitals in the South of the Netherlands.

Systematic identification of Y-chromosome gene functions in mouse spermatogenesis.

The mammalian Y chromosome is essential for male fertility, but which Y genes regulate spermatogenesis is unresolved. We addressed this by generating 13 Y-deletant mouse models. In , , and deletants, spermatogenesis was impaired.

Persistent symptoms and clinical findings in adults with post-acute sequelae of COVID-19/post-COVID-19 syndrome in the second year after acute infection: A population-based, nested case-control study.

Background: Self-reported health problems following severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection are common and often include relatively non-specific complaints such as fatigue, exertional dyspnoea, concentration or memory disturbance and sleep problems. The long-term prognosis of such post-acute sequelae of COVID-19/post-COVID-19 syndrome (PCS) is unknown, and data finding and correlating organ dysfunction and pathology with self-reported symptoms in patients with non-recovery from PCS is scarce. We wanted to describe clinical characteristics and diagnostic findings among patients with PCS persisting for >1 year and assessed risk factors for PCS persistence versus improvement.

The Impact of Advanced Medical Therapies on Time to Resection and Colorectal Cancer Outcomes in Ulcerative Colitis Patients Undergoing Colectomy.

Background: We aimed to evaluate the impact of advanced medical therapies (biologicals and small molecules) on time to colectomy and oncological outcomes in UC.

Methods: This cohort study included UC patients who underwent colectomy between 2003 and 2022 at two referral centres in Belgium and the Netherlands. Exposure was use of advanced medical therapies.

Painful diabetic neuropathy is associated with accelerated epigenetic aging.

About one out of two diabetic patients develop diabetic neuropathy (DN), of these 20% experience neuropathic pain (NP) leading to individual, social, and health-economic burden. Risk factors for NP are largely unknown; however, premature aging was recently associated with several chronic pain disorders. DNA methylation-based biological age (DNAm) is associated with disease risk, morbidity, and mortality in different clinical settings.

Challenges when Combining Expertise to Provide Integrated Care for Youth At-Risk and Their Family: A Qualitative Study.

The needs of youth at-risk and their families, facing multiple problems and serious mental health issues, exceed the expertise and possibilities of a single stakeholder (professional, organization, municipality). These youngsters require care in which the expertise of different professionals and organizations is integrated. However, combining various types of expertise to provide integrated care to youth at-risk is challenging.

Survey of legislative frameworks and national recommendations governing paediatric maintenance haemodialysis in Europe.

Background: The application of international recommendations for paediatric maintenance haemodialysis (HD) could be strengthened by national laws or written recommendations. Our aim was therefore to describe the national rules governing paediatric maintenance HD in European countries.

Methods: A national representative, approved by the president of each paediatric nephrology society, was contacted in all 42 European countries to complete two online questionnaires.

In Silico Prediction of Maize microRNA as a Xanthine Oxidase Inhibitor: A New Approach to Treating Hyperuricemia Patients.

Introduction: Hyperuricemia is characterized by increased uric acid (UA) in the body. The ability to block xanthine oxidase (XO) is a useful way to check how different bioactive molecules affect hyperuricemia. Previous reports showed the significant effect of corn against hyperuricemia disorder with its anti-XO activity.

Patellofemoral Pain Syndrome: Focused Vibrations Plus Kinesiotaping with Insights into Radiological Influences-An Observational Study.

Background: This observational study investigates the efficacy of combining local muscle vibration (LMV) therapy and kinesiotaping using the McConnell method (KMcCM) in patients with patellofemoral pain syndrome (PFPS). PFPS is a prevalent knee condition characterized by anterior or medial knee pain exacerbated by activities that overload the patellofemoral joint.

Objective: The primary aim of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of LMV combined with KMcCM in reducing pain and improving function in PFPS patients.

Cause of Death Analysis in a 9½-Year-Old with COVID-19 and Dravet Syndrome.

: Cause of death analysis is fundamental to forensic pathology. We present the case of a 9½-year-old girl with a genetically confirmed diagnosis of Dravet syndrome who died in her sleep with no evidence of motor seizure. She also had a lifelong history of recurrent pneumonias and, along with her family, had tested positive for COVID-19 10 days before death.

Zirconia Barriers in Bone Regeneration Procedures: A Scoping Review.

Purpose: To identify the current status and development of zirconia barriers in bone augmentation procedures in the maxillofacial area of adult human patients.

Materials And Methods: Two independent reviewers conducted an electronic literature search in PubMed/MEDLINE, Web of Science, Scopus, EBSCO, the Cochrane Library, and LILACS databases, as well as a manual search to identify eligible clinical studies up to April 15, 2024. The protocol was designed in accordance with the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses extension for Scoping Reviews guidelines.

Supravalvular aortic stenosis repair in a 3-year-old child with Williams syndrome using an interdigitating slide aortoplasty.

Several techniques for the surgical correction of congenital supravalvular aortic stenosis have been devised. We describe the step-by-step surgical approach of a slide aortoplasty to correct localized supravalvular aortic stenosis in a 3-year-old child with Williams syndrome.

Lateral Atrial Expression Patterns Provide Insights into Local Transcription Disequilibrium Contributing to Disease Susceptibility.

Background: Transcriptional dysregulation, possibly affected by genetic variation, contributes to disease development. Due to dissimilarities in development, function, and remodeling during disease progression, transcriptional differences between the left atrial (LA) and right atrial (RA) may provide insight into diseases such as atrial fibrillation.

Methods: Lateral differences in atrial transcription were evaluated in CATCH ME (Characterizing Atrial fibrillation by Translating its Causes into Health Modifiers in the Elderly) using a 2-stage discovery and replication design.

Enhancing West African family medicine curriculum through entrustable professional activities.

The training of Family Medicine residents in the West Africa College of Physicians (WACP) has steadily upscaled to a competency-based approach over the years. The latest review of the curriculum (2022) includes self-directed online modules on clinical postings, health management, patient safety, quality assurance research and medical education among others. The operationalisation of the revised curriculum involves the use of workplace-based tools for formative assessments.

An eHealth intervention for patients with a low socioeconomic position during their waiting period preceding cardiac rehabilitation: a randomized feasibility study.

Aims: Cardiac rehabilitation (CR) shows lower effectiveness and higher dropouts among people with a low socioeconomic position (SEP) compared to those with a high SEP. This study evaluated an eHealth intervention aimed at supporting patients with a low SEP during their waiting period preceding CR.

Methods And Results: Participants with a low SEP in their waiting period before CR were randomized into an intervention group, receiving guidance videos, patient narratives, and practical tips, or into a control group.

Venous thromboembolic events following cytoreductive surgery for lower gastrointestinal neoplasia.

Introduction: Cytoreductive surgery (CRS) and intraperitoneal chemotherapy (IPC) represent a high-risk for venous thromboembolism (VTE) due to malignancy, prolonged surgery and immobility. We investigated the incidence of and risk factors for VTE following CRS/IPC.

Materials And Methods: Data was analysed on 130 CRS/IPC performed over a 6-year period at a single centre, the Western Australian Peritonectomy Service (WAPS), on lower gastrointestinal neoplasia: pseudomyxoma peritoneii (PMP), colorectal cancer (CRC) and appendix cancer (AC).

Delayed return of bowel function after general surgery in South Australia.

Introduction: Reference ranges for determining pathological versus normal postoperative return of bowel function are not well characterised for general surgery patients. This study aimed to characterise time to first postoperative passage of stool after general surgery; determine associations between clinical factors and delayed time to first postoperative stool; and evaluate the association between delay to first postoperative stool and prolonged length of hospital stay.

Methods: This study included consecutive admissions at two tertiary hospitals across a two-year period whom underwent a range of general surgery operations.

Arcuate fasciculus cortico-cortical evoked potentials and direct cortico-subcortical stimulation during awake craniotomy for debulking of left dominant temporal oligodendroglioma.

Electrophysiological mapping and monitoring techniques permit the objective measurement of eloquent cortical regions and accompanying white matter tracts to reduce the incidence of iatrogenic injury in glioma surgery. Recently, there has been increased interest in mapping and monitoring of the human arcuate fasciculus via cortico-cortical evoked potentials (CCEPs) during awake and asleep craniotomy. The authors present the case of a 27-year-old female who underwent a hypnosis-assisted awake craniotomy with cortico-subcortical language mapping and arcuate fasciculus CCEPs.

X-Linked Autism Type 9 Caused by a Hemizygote Pathogenic Variant in the Gene: Etiological Diagnosis in an Adult Male with Moderate Intellectual Disability.

Introduction: Levocarnitine is essential for brain functioning and fatty acid metabolism and stems largely from dietary sources. The Epsilon-Trimethyllysine Hydroxylase () gene encodes the enzyme N-Trimethyllysine hydroxylase (TMLH) which catalyses the first step in the biosynthesis of carnitine. Lack of TMLH enzyme activity is associated with developmental delay and autistic behaviours described as X-linked recessive autism, type 6 (OMIM#300872).

Investigation of 3D iris morphology early alteration after implantable collamer lens implantation by using SS-OCT.

Purpose: Using a fully automated multitask deep learning method, which enabled simultaneous segmentation and quantification of all major anterior segment structures with swept-source optical coherence tomography (SS-OCT), we aimed to investigate the three-dimensional (3D) alterations in iris morphology before and after implantable collamer lens (ICL) surgery.

Methods: All enrolled patients underwent anterior segment SS-OCT (ANTERION) within one week before and after ICL surgery. A multitask network automatically performed iris SS-OCT image segmentation and quantitative measurements of 3D iris morphology (iris thickness and volume of the inner 1-mm annular area and the outer 1-2-mm annular area, iris curvature [I-Curve], and iris smooth index [SI]).

State of precision medicine for heart failure with preserved ejection fraction in a new therapeutic age.

Heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF) is defined by heart failure (HF) with a left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) of at least 50%. HFpEF has a complex and heterogeneous pathophysiology with multiple co-morbidities contributing to its presentation. Establishing the diagnosis of HFpEF can be challenging.