Ion beam induced secondary electron tomography of acrylonitrile-styrene-acrylate/polycarbonate polymer blends for fused filament fabrication and injection moulding.

Polymer blending is an interesting strategy to broaden the combination of properties available for a variety of applications. To understand the behaviour of the new materials obtained as well as the influence of the fabrication parameters used, methods to analyse the distribution of polymers in the blend with resolution below the micrometer are required. In this work, we demonstrate the capability of focused ion beam (FIB) tomography to provide 3D information of the polymer distribution in objects obtained by blending acrylonitrile-styrene-acrylate (ASA) with polycarbonate (PC) (50 wt%), fabricated by Fused Filament Fabrication (FFF) and by Injection Moulding (IM).

Prognostic scores for predicting overall survival in patients with metastatic renal and urothelial cancer undergoing immunotherapy - which one to use?

Purpose: Evaluation of the prognostic significance of four different scoring systems in a real-world cohort of patients with metastatic urothelial carcinoma (mUC) or renal cell carcinoma (mRCC) undergoing immunotherapy (IO).

Methods: For 120 patients with mUC (n = 67) and mRCC (n = 53) who received IO between July 2016 and December 2020 at the tertiary Urological University Medical Centre Mannheim, the following scores were recorded at pre-treatment baseline: modified Glasgow prognostic score (mGPS), systemic immune-inflammation index (SII), neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR), neutrophil-to-eosinophil ratio (NER). Overall survival (time between the beginning of IO until the patients' death or last contact) was determined for every patient.

A high-fat meal significantly impacts the bioavailability and biphasic absorption of cannabidiol (CBD) from a CBD-rich extract in men and women.

Cannabidiol (CBD), a specialized metabolite (phytocannabinoid) abundant in Cannabis sativa, is attracting increasing attention for its alleged health-promoting properties. The present study aimed to investigate the pharmacokinetics of CBD and its primary metabolite, 7-hydroxy-cannabidiol (7-OH-CBD), following a single oral dose of a CBD-rich Cannabis sativa extract, equivalent to 70 mg CBD, in healthy male (n=5) and female (n=6) participants. Using a randomized crossover design, the study evaluated the impact of a standardized high-fat meal compared to fasting on the oral bioavailability of CBD.

Posterior urethral valves: Examining the relationship of socioeconomic factors in disease presentation and progression.

Introduction: A significant portion of posterior urethral valve patients continue to progress to end stage renal disease despite improvements in medical care. Socioeconomic status has been connected to various healthcare outcomes but has not been evaluated in relation to longitudinal outcomes of posterior urethral valves.

Objective: To evaluate the effect of socioeconomic status on the progression to renal failure among patients with posterior urethral valves.

Reliability of unicortical plate fixation for metacarpal shaft fractures: A preliminary clinical report with short-term follow-up.

Background: Unicortical plate fixation offers several theoretical advantages in the treatment of metacarpal shaft fractures compared to bicortical fixation. This approach avoids the potential hazard of excessive drilling into the volar cortex, thus minimizing damage to surrounding soft tissues and helping prevent complications related to improperly sized screws. These benefits prompted our team to conduct a preliminary clinical study to investigate the effectiveness and safety of this approach.

"Evaluation of Curcuma zedoaria Rosc. in the management of non-alcoholic fatty liver Disease: A Randomized, single blind, controlled trial".

Background And Study Aims: Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is the most prevalent chronic liver disorder, affecting 23% to 32% of the global population. This clinical study aimed to assess the efficacy of Curcuma zedoaria Rosc. compared to vitamin E in managing NAFLD.

Blood Lactate as a Metabolic Biomarker of Anaerobic Vocal Capacity: A Pilot Study.

Purpose: Blood lactate concentration is commonly used to assess metabolic demand and skeletal muscle training response. The objective of the pilot study was to investigate if a change in blood lactate was detectable in an anaerobically designed vocal demand task vocal capacity anaerobic task (VCAT) and determine if the developed vocal demand task may assess the anaerobic capacity of the voice musculature, like anaerobic power tests commonly used in applied exercise science.

Methods: A prospective repeated measures study quantified blood lactate concentration preVCAT and postVCAT in vocally healthy adults.

Effect of Dexmedetomidine on Blood Loss and Patient Outcomes in Orthognathic Surgery: A Randomised Clinical Trial.

Introduction And Aims: Blood loss is a common side-effect in orthognathic surgery. Deliberated hypotensive anaesthesia can reduce blood loss. The purpose was to evaluate the effect of add-on dexmedetomidine compared with the usual hypotensive drug bolus on blood loss and patient outcomes in orthognathic surgery.

Comparison of video laryngoscopy and direct laryngoscopy for urgent intubation in newborn infants: A meta-analysis.

Background: Securing a stable airway is a critical component in neonatal resuscitation. Compared to direct laryngoscopy, video laryngoscopy provides improved visualization of the glottis, potentially enhancing the success rate of intubation. This systematic review and meta-analysis were conducted to assess and compare the efficacy and safety of video laryngoscopy versus direct laryngoscopy in neonatal intubation.

PMP2+ Schwann cells maintain the survival of large-caliber motor axons.

Neurodegenerative diseases of both the central and peripheral nervous system are characterized by selective neuronal vulnerability, i.e., pathology that affects particular types of neurons.

The Pharmacology and Toxicology of Ginkgolic Acids: Secondary Metabolites from .

Ginkgolic acids (GAs) are distinctive secondary metabolites of () primarily found in its leaves and seeds, with the highest concentration located in the exotesta. GAs are classified as long-chain phenolic compounds, and exhibit structural similarities to lignoceric acid. Their structural diversity arises from variations in the length of side chains and their number of double bonds, resulting in six distinct forms within extracts (GBE).

Current Status and Prospects of Regional Collaborative Pathways for Management of Acute Coronary Syndrome in Japan - A Nationwide Survey.

Background: Comprehensive management of acute coronary syndrome (ACS) requires seamless treatment across institutions, including intensive care centers and local clinics. However, maintaining guideline-directed medical therapy remains challenging. One promising option to improve the situation may be the implementation of regional collaborative clinical pathways.

Suppressive Mechanism of Benzalkonium Chloride-Bactericidal Activity in the Presence of Oil.

Cleaning and sterilization are critical Prerequisite Programs in sanitation management based on HACCP. Most food factories clean and sanitize equipment daily after production using detergents containing benzalkonium chloride (BAC). However, in factories that produce oil and fat-rich foods, it has been discovered that microbes can persist on production equipment.

How (not) to define 'assisted dying'.

In the last 20 years 'assisted dying' (and/or its variants 'assisted death', 'assistance in dying', 'aid in dying') has become increasingly prevalent as a term to denote the intentional ending of the life of a patient by or with the assistance of a doctor. However, there is no agreed definition. This paper focuses on the debate over the definition of this term in the UK.

Outcomes of functional tics in adolescents: a single-centre tertiary study.

Objective: To investigate the prognosis and co-occurring disorders, including functional neurological symptoms, in adolescents diagnosed with functional tic-like behaviour (FTLB).

Design: This was a single-centre tertiary study in the UK. A structured clinical interview was administered to 43 parents or carers of adolescents assessed with FTLB at their previous outpatient clinic appointment.

Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation in pregnancy and the post-partum period: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Objective: There is an increase in the application data of Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation (ECMO) in perinatal women, particularly since the outbreak of coronavirus disease 2019. Therefore, we reviewed publications on the use of ECMO in pregnant and postpartum women and analyzed the maternal and fetal outcomes, updated the progress of ECMO in perinatal women.

Methods: We conducted a systematic literature search across PubMed, EMBASE, Cochrane Library, and the International Clinical Trials Registry (ICTRP), yielding 30 eligible clinical studies that investigated the application of ECMO during pregnancy.

Coronary Events After Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement: Insights From the France TAVI Registry.

Background: The prevalence of coronary artery disease in patients undergoing transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) is high. Treatment of a coronary events (CE) after TAVR can be technically challenging.

Objectives: The authors sought to assess the incidence and prognostic impact of CE after TAVR.

Preventable Maternal Mortality -Diagnosis and Management of Mental Health and Substance Use Disorders.

Maternal mortality has increased over past decades. The majority of deaths are secondary to mental health and substance use disorders, with over 80% being preventable. Screening for mental health should be offered to all pregnant women and should be administered through all trimesters and postpartum.

Depression and Other Mood Disorders Across the Lifespan: Roles of the Obstetrician-Gynecologist.

Mood disorders such as depressive or bipolar disorders are more common among women. This review provides the fundamentals of diagnosing and treating mood disorders throughout a woman's lifespan. The etiology of mood disorders is not well-understood, but genetic, social, environmental, and neurobiologic factors play roles.

Frozen versus fresh embryo transfer in women with low prognosis for in vitro fertilisation treatment: pragmatic, multicentre, randomised controlled trial.

Objective: To test the hypothesis that a freeze-all strategy would increase the chance of live birth compared with fresh embryo transfer in women with low prognosis for in vitro fertilisation (IVF) treatment.

Design: Pragmatic, multicentre, randomised controlled trial.

Setting: Nine academic fertility centres in China.

Remote symptom monitoring with patient-reported outcomes and nudges during lung cancer immunotherapy in China (PRO-NET): protocol for a randomised controlled trial.

Introduction: Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer-related mortality globally, with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) comprising the majority of cases. For advanced NSCLC, immunotherapy offers substantial survival benefits but is often accompanied by severe immune-related adverse events symptoms, significantly affecting health-related quality of life (HRQoL). Routinely collection of patient-reported outcomes (PROs) followed by automated alerts has been shown to improve overall survival and HRQoL for cancers.

How does the first index mode of birth in public or private hospitals predict subsequent births? A 16-year Australian population-based linked data study.

Objectives: In this descriptive study, we aimed to assess how the index mode of birth and subsequent birth modes vary over time for public and private hospital maternity care funding models. The second aim was to determine to what extent the index mode of birth predicts subsequent birth modes in general and whether this differs in public versus private hospital maternity care funding models. With our aim, we have an innovative approach, specifically the women's life course approach, which is hypothesis-generating and can be assessed in future studies.

Investigating the implementation of a Trial of Labour After Caesarean (TOLAC) delivery bundle with respect to decreasing caesarean delivery rates: a multisite quality improvement initiative.

Objectives: To study the effect of implementing a Trial of Labour After Caesarean (TOLAC) delivery bundle with respect to decreasing caesarean delivery rates across five hospitals.

Design: Prospective quality improvement study.

Setting: Five Canadian hospital sites participated, two academic centres and three community hospitals, with annual delivery rates ranging from 2500 to 7500 per site.

Multicentre adaptive randomised trial of GvHD prophylaxis following unrelated donor stem cell transplantation comparing Thymoglobulin versus calcineurin inhibitor-based or sirolimus-based post-transplant cyclophosphamide (Methods of T cell Depletion, MoTD trial).

Introduction: Graft-versus-host disease (GvHD) remains a major complication of allogeneic stem cell transplantation (allo-SCT), affecting 30-70% of patients (representing 800 new patients per year in the UK). The risk is higher in patients undergoing unrelated allo-SCT. About 1 in 10 patients die as a result of GvHD or through complications of its treatment.