Prognostic Value of Myocardial CT-ECV in Severe Aortic Stenosis Requiring Aortic Valve Replacement: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis.

Aim: Computed tomography (CT)-derived extracellular volume fraction (ECV) is a non-invasive method to quantify myocardial fibrosis. Evaluating CT-ECV during aortic valve replacement (AVR) planning CT in severe aortic stenosis (AS) may aid prognostic stratification. This meta-analysis evaluated the prognostic significance of CT-ECV in severe AS necessitating AVR.

Status of Sepsis Care in European Hospitals: Results from an International Cross-Sectional Survey.

Rationale: Early detection, standardized therapy, adequate infrastructure and strategies for quality improvement should constitute essential components of every hospital's sepsis plan.

Objectives: To investigate the extent to which recommendations from the sepsis guidelines are implemented and the availability of infrastructure for the care of patients with sepsis in acute hospitals.

Methods: A multidisciplinary cross-sectional questionnaire was used to investigate sepsis care in hospitals.

Short-term exposure to PM pollution in Iran and related burden diseases.

The objective of this study was to estimate the health effects attributed to PM exposure in southwest of Iran. In order to estimate HA-CVD, HA-RD, LC-M, I-As in children, RAD, and WDL, the exposure-response function method was used. The annual mean of PM regularly exceeded 5.

Public Health.

Background: According to the World Health Organization, dementia is one of the leading causes of death and at least 55 million people worldwide currently have dementia. Therefore, identifying the factors that increase the risk of developing dementia, but also those that protect against it, as well as the mechanisms underlying these effects, are essential for prevention and the development of interventions.

Method: Literature findings underline the detrimental effects of early adverse experiences on a variety of later-life biopsychosocial outcomes, including brain and cognition.

Public Health.

Background: Early adversity has been reported as a risk factor for dementia. Adverse maternal control (MC) during childhood is believed to impact neural developmental pathways. Here we studied the associations between adverse MC and the volume of the dorsal striatum in older adults given evidence from the childhood adversity literature of structural reductions and altered reward processing.

Biomarkers.

Background: Obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA) is the sleep disorder most frequently found in patients with Alzheimer's disease (AD). The intermittent hypoxia (IH) caused by OSA may participate in AD pathogenesis through increase in oxidative damage and inflammation. We aimed to identify inflammatory and redox genes differentially expressed in the blood from AD patients with severe OSA compared with those with nonsevere OSA.

Developing Topics.

Background: Brain rhythms provide the timing for recruitment of brain activity required for linking together neuronal ensembles engaged in specific tasks. The γ-oscillations (30-120 Hz) orchestrate neuronal circuits underlying cognitive processes and working memory. High temporal resolution recording methods, such as magnetoencephalography, have made it clear that Alzheimer's disease (AD) patients, starting as early as the mild cognitive impairment (MCI) stage, have diminished γ-oscillations even before the Aβ load takes full effect.

Drug Development.

Background: Clinical trial sponsors rely on research sites to identify and enroll appropriate study participants and to correctly and reliably assess symptom severity and function over the course of the trial. Low-recruiting sites represent a large financial and operational burden and may negatively impact trial success either by selecting inappropriate participants and/or high prevalence of data quality issues. We previously reported that >60% of sites in schizophrenia clinical trials recruited ≤5 participants.

Drug Development.

Background: The Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) is a common screening tool in Alzheimer's disease (AD) clinical trials. MMSE score inflation at inclusionary visits poses challenges by potentially amplifying placebo responses and complicating the detection of treatment effects. Despite these concerns, prior research (e.

Implications of Biomaterials for Chronic Wounds.

The use of biomaterials in treating and managing chronic wounds represents a significant challenge in global healthcare due to the complex nature of these wounds, which are slow to heal and can lead to complications such as frequent infections and diminished quality of life for patients. Chronic wounds, which can arise from conditions like diabetes, poor circulation, and pressure sores, pose distinct challenges in wound care, necessitating the development of specialized dressings. The pathophysiology of chronic wounds is thoroughly examined in this article, with particular attention paid to the cellular and molecular defects at work and the therapeutic guidelines.

A missense mutation in the gene in a patient with autism spectrum disorder and epilepsy.

The gene (OMIM: 608271) encodes the Microtubule-Actin Cross-Linking Factor 1 protein. Existing medical research shows that genetic mutations in the gene have been associated with neurodevelopmental and neurodegenerative disorders, with variants of unknown significance also linked to autism spectrum disorder (ASD). However, the number of reported autism disorder or epilepsy cases associated with mutations remains limited.

Optical tweezers in biomedical research - progress and techniques.

Optical tweezers, which leverage the forces exerted by radiation pressure, have emerged as a pivotal technique for precisely manipulating and analyzing microscopic particles. Since Arthur Ashkin's ground-breaking work in the 1970s and the subsequent development of the single-beam optical trap in 1986, the capabilities of optical tweezers have expanded significantly, enabling the intricate manipulation of biological specimens at the micro- and nanoscale. This review elucidates the foundational principles of optical trapping and their extensive applications in the biomedical sciences.

Replicating the Expected and the Unexpected: Neuropsychological and Symptom Profiles in a Neurotypical Romanian-English Bilingual Sample.

Establishing the effect of limited English proficiency (LEP) on cognitive performance within linguistically diverse populations is central to cross-cultural neuropsychological assessments. The present study was designed to replicate previous research on cognitive profiles in Romanian-English bilinguals. Seventy-six participants (54 women, MAge = 23.

Health-related quality of life in chronic stroke: Translation and validation of the Romanian stroke and aphasia quality of life scale-39 g (RO-SAQOL-39 g) questionnaire.

In the clinical context of stroke, health-related quality of life (HRQOL) is a crucial patient-reported outcome measure that is frequently used to assess the effectiveness of neurorehabilitation programs. Despite its significance, the absence of a stroke-specific quality-of-life instrument translated into Romanian and validated for use in Romanian stroke patients, including those with aphasia, presents a notable gap in current research. This study briefly describes the translation and cross-cultural adaptation of the Stroke and Aphasia Quality of Life Scale-39 g (SAQOL-39 g) into Romanian (RO-SAQOL-39 g).

Copeptin as biomarker for acute ischemic stroke prognosis and revascularization treatment efficacy.

Introduction: Pro-arginine vasopressin consists of three peptides: . AVP is released by the neurohypophysis in response to increased plasma osmolality, decreased blood volume and stress. Copeptin has the advantage of being stable ex vivo and easy to measure.

Assessing local service providers' needs for scaling up MHPSS interventions for Ukrainian refugees: Insights from Poland, Slovakia, and Romania.

Providing Mental Health and Psychosocial Support interventions (MHPSS) for forcibly displaced Ukrainians in Central and Eastern Europe poses numerous challenges due to various socio-cultural and infrastructural factors. This qualitative study explored implementation barriers reported by service providers of in-person and digital MHPSS for Ukrainian refugees displaced to Poland, Romania and Slovakia due to the war. In addition, the study aimed to generate recommendations to overcome these barriers.

Vitamin D and COVID-19: comparative analysis with other respiratory infections and impact of comorbidities.

Introduction: The COVID-19 pandemic has promoted an intensive investigation into the pathophysiological mechanisms of SARS-CoV-2 infection, risk factors, and its impact on disease severity. Vitamin D has generated significant attention for its potential role in viral prevention and immune defense due to its pleiotropic functions, including immunomodulation and antimicrobial effects. This study aimed to assess serum 25(OH)D3 levels in patients with COVID-19 compared to those with other viral respiratory infections and to evaluate associations of vitamin D levels with symptomatology, clinical characteristics, presence of comorbidities and laboratory investigation.

Synthesizing and assessing influenza vaccine evidence: Strengths and limitations of the recent ECDC report on the effectiveness of new and enhanced influenza vaccines. Communication on: the "European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control. Systematic review update on the efficacy, effectiveness and safety of newer and enhanced seasonal influenza vaccines for the prevention of laboratory confirmed influenza in individuals aged 18 years and over. Stockholm: ECDC; 2024".

High quality research is critical for evidence-based decision making in public health and fundamental to maintain progress and trust in immunization programs in Europe. In 2024 the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) conducted an update of the 2020 systematic review to capture more recent evidence on of the efficacy, effectiveness of influenza vaccines in individuals aged 18 years and older in the prevention of laboratory-confirmed influenza. While this report was highly anticipated due to the strength of the protocol and processes put in place, during our assessment, we expressed two chief concerns.

In vivo systemic vancomycin determination from polymethyl methacrylate and morselized bone allograft used in two stage septic knee revision arthroplasty.

Introduction: This paper examines the use of local antibiotic therapy in one-stage septic revision surgery for late periprosthetic joint infections (PJIs). This case study suggests that morselized bone allografts impregnated with antibiotics in powder form are a preferable alternative to polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) because they can generate higher local antibiotic concentrations. Current research also recommends using vancomycin and aminoglycosides as the preferred choice of antibiotics, as they may have low diffusion in tissues when administered intravenously, but are effective when administered locally.

Crystal structure and Hirshfeld surface analysis of the layered hybrid metal halide poly[bis-(2-iodoethyl-ammonium) [di-μ-iodido-di-iodido-germanate(II)]].

The title compound is a germanium-based hybrid metal halide that represents a less-toxic alternative to more popular lead-based analogues in optoelectronic applications. {(2-ICHNH)[GeI]} is composed of infinite inorganic layers that are formed by [GeI] octa-hedra connected in a corner-sharing manner with four equatorial I atoms. The organic (2-ICHNH) cations inter-leave the inorganic layers.

Crystal structure of -poly[bis-(,-di-methyl-hydroxyl-ammonium) [di-μ-bromido-di-bromido-stannate(II)]].

The title compound, {(CHNO)[SnBr]} , is a layered hybrid perovskite crystallizing in the monoclinic space group 2/. The asymmetric unit consists of one HC-O-NH -CH cation (MeHA), one Sn atom located on a twofold rotation axis, and two Br atoms. The Sn atom has a distorted octa-hedral coordination environment formed by the bromido ligands.

The effectiveness of balneotherapy on pain, walking, and function in patients with diabetic neuropathy: a prospective observational study.

The treatment of type 2 diabetes patients with diabetic neuropathy using pharmacological and non-pharmacological measures remains a current topic. The aim of this study is to evaluate the effect of comprehensive medical rehabilitation programs that include natural therapeutic factors (carbonated natural mineral water) on pain, gait, and functional status in these patients. Fifty patients diagnosed with type 2 diabetes and diabetic neuropathy in the lower limbs participated in the study.

Advancements in diagnosing Post-concussion Syndrome: insights into epidemiology, pathophysiology, neuropathology, neuroimaging, and salivary biomarkers.

Post-Concussion Syndrome (PCS) represents a complex constellation of symptoms that persist following a concussion or mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI), with significant implications for patient care and outcomes. Despite its prevalence, diagnosing PCS presents considerable challenges due to the subjective nature of symptoms, the absence of specific diagnostic tests, and the overlap with other neurological and psychiatric conditions. This review explores the multifaceted diagnostic challenges associated with PCS, including the heterogeneity of symptom presentation, the limitations of current neuroimaging techniques, and the overlap of PCS symptoms with other disorders.

Platinum(II/IV) complexes with -substituted carboxylate ethylenediamine/propylenediamine ligands: preparation, characterization and activity.

The synthesis and characterization of novel platinum(II) and platinum(IV) complexes derived from unsymmetrical ethylene or propylenediamine derivatives are presented. IR spectroscopy and ESI mass spectrometry techniques were employed to characterize the complexes, revealing distinctive absorption bands and isotope patterns. Furthermore, the complexes were characterized by H and C NMR spectroscopy.