Dissecting the effectiveness of deep features as metric of perceptual image quality.

There is an open debate on the role of artificial networks to understand the visual brain. Internal representations of images in artificial networks develop human-like properties. In particular, evaluating distortions using differences between internal features is correlated to human perception of distortion.

Newly isolated bacterium and arbuscular mycorrhizal fungus effectively reduce the root cadmium concentration and increase the root biomass of Ophiopogon japonicus.

Soil cadmium (Cd) contamination is one of the major challenges in food production. This has led to above-maximum threshold accumulation of Cd in O. japonicus roots.

Usefulness of serum neurofilament light chain in chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyradiculoneuropathy.

Background: The development of new biomarkers is essential to improve diagnostic accuracy and guide treatment decisions in chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyradiculoneuropathy (CIDP). The aim of this study was to investigate the utility of the serum neurofilament light chain (sNfL) level as a marker for disability and response to immunomodulatory treatment in patients with CIDP.

Methods: This prospective, single-center, observational study included 38 patients with CIDP: 19 treatment-naive (CIDP-I) patients assessed before and after the initiation of immunomodulatory therapy and 19 stable patients on maintenance immunoglobulins (CIDP-M).

Experience of an advanced practice nurse in an intensive care unit.

The intensive care units structure, the technological improvement and the severity of the patients, require that there be harmony between all the actors involved in assisting the critically ill patient. Added to this context is that the current role of the supervisor involves assuming more and more management skills, without losing sight of the need to frame professional practice within the framework of a philosophy of care. Given this challenge for the supervisor, the appearance in our environment of the Advance Practice Nurse figure (APN) is an opportunity.

Conductance oscillations in helicene-based junctions.

We have carried out a theoretical study into electron transport through molecular junctions based on dithiolated helicenes of varying lengths. We found that, in certain specific structural conditions, in which the orientation and the pitch of the helical structures are kept constant, the transmission at the Fermi level as a function of the molecular length exhibits oscillations which approximately follow an odd-even pattern. However, dispersive interactions alter this trend, ensuing a rather different quasi-periodic oscillating pattern with a sawtooth profile.

Generation, establishment and characterization of three pluripotent stem cell lines (CVTTHi002-A, CVTTHi003-A and CVTTHi004-A) from primary testicular somatic cells isolated from two prepuberal and one peripuberal Klinefelter Syndrome (47 XXY) patients.

Klinefelter Syndrome (KS) is an aneuploid genetic condition in males characterized by at least one additional copy of the X chromosome. Due to fibrotic degeneration of the testis, these patients suffer infertility in the future. The pathogenic mechanism by which this occurs is still not well known.

Changes to social and healthcare providers support in the perinatal period: Impact on coping strategies, depression and anxiety.

Background: During the perinatal period, risk of depression and anxiety (D&A) increases. As in other crisis events, the COVID-19 pandemic, imposed social distancing measures, diminished social support and changes in perinatal healthcare provision which heightened this risk. This study aimed to examine how changes in social and healthcare provider support during the pandemic affected coping strategies and depression and anxiety symptoms (D&As) among perinatal women.

Differential effects of warming on carbon budget, photosynthetic yield and biochemical composition of cold-temperate and Arctic isolates of Laminaria digitata (Phaeophyceae).

Cold-temperate and Arctic hard bottom coastal ecosystems are dominated by kelp forests, which have a high biomass production and provide important ecosystem services, but are subject to change due to ocean warming. However, the photophysiological response to increasing temperature of ecologically relevant species, such as Laminaria digitata, might depend on the local thermal environment where the population has developed. Therefore, the effects of temperature on growth rate, biochemical composition, maximum quantum yield, photosynthetic quotient and carbon budget of young cultured sporophytes of Laminaria digitata from the Arctic at Spitsbergen (SPT; cultured at 4, 10 and 16 °C) and from the cold-temperate North Sea island of Helgoland (HLG; cultured at 10, 16 and 22 °C) were comparatively analyzed.

Emerging treatments for sarcoma: from 2024 onward.

Introduction: Sarcomas are a rare and diverse group of mesenchymal-origin solid tumors, constituting only 1% of adult malignancies and classified into soft tissue and bone sarcomas. For localized disease, surgery and radiotherapy remain the cornerstone treatments. However, systemic options for advanced stages are limited, with an overall survival of approximately 20 months.

Use of Augmented Reality for Training Assistance in Laparoscopic Surgery: Scoping Literature Review.

Background: Laparoscopic surgery training is a demanding process requiring technical and nontechnical skills. Surgical training has evolved from traditional approaches to the use of immersive digital technologies such as virtual, augmented, and mixed reality. These technologies are now integral to laparoscopic surgery training.

Quality of Information in Carpal Tunnel Syndrome: Social Media Platforms Versus Large Language Models.

Introduction: Carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) is the most common peripheral nerve entrapment disease, and it is a subject of great interest and concern to medical professionals and the general public. Our study aims to analyze and compare the quality and accuracy of the information related to CTS provided by social media platforms (SMPs) and the new large language models (LLM).

Methods: On YouTube, the first 20 videos in English and the first 20 videos in Spanish when searching for "carpal tunnel syndrome" and "síndrome túnel carpo" were selected.

Interplay of Tetrel, Hydrogen, and Halogen Bonds in FGeOCl and HCN Complexes: A Comprehensive Theoretical Study of Dimers, Trimers, and Tetramers.

This study investigates the nature and interplay of noncovalent interactions (NCIs)─tetrel bonds (TB), hydrogen bonds (HB), and halogen bonds (XB)─in molecular assemblies formed between trifluorogermyl hypochlorite (FGeOCl) and hydrogen cyanide (HCN). Using a combination of high-level computational methods, we explored the geometric, energetic, and electronic properties of dimers, trimers, and tetramers formed in different molar ratios of interacting reagents. Various analyses reveal a significant cooperativity between TB and HB, which mutually reinforce each other, while XB interactions are diminished in the presence of TB and HB.

Dysmenorrhea, Premenstrual Syndrome, and Lifestyle Habits in Young University Students in Spain: A Cross-Sectional Study.

Background: Menstruation is a physiological process that may be accompanied by pain, headache, edema, emotional changes, and other symptoms, all of which affect quality of life. Although the results of some studies indicate lifestyle habits can affect the menstrual cycle and associated symptoms, few have investigated this issue, and even fewer have explored the impact of these symptoms on quality of life, in Spanish women.

Purpose: The objectives of this study were to determine the prevalence of dysmenorrhea and premenstrual syndrome (PMS) among students at a Spanish university, assess the impact of these conditions on quality of life, and analyze the relationship among lifestyle habits, dysmenorrhea, and PMS.

Corticosteroids in severe alcohol-associated hepatitis? Not so fast: A systematic review of randomized controlled trials.

Background: Severe alcohol-associated hepatitis (AH) is rising in incidence with a high mortality burden. While corticosteroids are recommended for eligible patients with severe AH, no guidance exists for the timing of steroid initiation, tapering regimens, and surveillance of adverse events.

Objective: We aim to systematically review these variables and provide evidence-based recommendations for the inpatient and outpatient management of severe AH.

Evaluation of the association between thyroid-stimulating hormone with handgrip strength and dynapenia in euthyroid postmenopausal women.

Objective: To examine the association between serum thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) levels with handgrip strength (HGS) and dynapenia in euthyroid postmenopausal women.

Methods: This was an exploratory cross-sectional study among 385 participants from the Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology, and Reproduction of the Dexeus Women's University Hospital, Barcelona, Spain. Age, age at menopause, adiposity, alcohol consumption, body mass index (BMI), and smoking status were recorded.

The European Registry for Patients with Mechanical Circulatory Support (EUROMACS) of the European Association for Cardio-Thoracic Surgery Fourth report: Focus on standardized outcome ratios.

Objectives: This fourth report aimed to provide insights into patient characteristics, outcomes, and standardized outcome ratios of patients implanted with durable Mechanical Circulatory Support across participating centers in the European Registry for Patients with Mechanical Circulatory Support (EUROMACS) registry.

Methods: All registered patients receiving durable mechanical circulatory support up to August 2024 were included. Expected number of events were predicted using penalized logistic regression.

Electroconvulsive shock and transcranial magnetic stimulation do not alter the survival or spine density of adult-born striatal neurons.

Adult neurogenesis has most often been studied in the hippocampus and subventricular zone-olfactory bulb, where newborn neurons contribute to a variety of behaviors. A handful of studies have also investigated adult neurogenesis in other brain regions, but relatively little is known about the properties of neurons added to non-canonical areas. One such region is the striatum.

Antigen receptor ITAMs provide tonic signaling by acting as guanine nucleotide exchange factors to directly activate R-RAS2.

The small GTPase R-RAS2 regulates homeostatic proliferation and survival of T and B lymphocytes and, when present in high amounts, drives the development of B cell chronic lymphocytic leukemia. In normal and leukemic lymphocytes, R-RAS2 constitutively binds to antigen receptors through their immunoreceptor tyrosine-based activation motifs (ITAMs) and promotes tonic activation of the phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K) signaling pathway. Here, we examined the molecular mechanisms underlying this direct interaction and its consequences for R-RAS2 activity.

European Society of Cardiology quality indicators for the management of acute coronary syndrome.

Background: Closing the evidence-practice gap for the treatment of acute coronary syndrome (ACS) is central to improving quality of care. Under the European Society of Cardiology (ESC) framework, we aimed to develop updated quality indicators (QIs) for the evaluation of quality of care and outcomes for patients with ACS.

Methods: A Working Group of experts including members of the ESC Clinical Practice Guidelines Task Force for ACS, Acute CardioVascular Care Association and European Association of Percutaneous Cardiovascular Interventions followed the ESC methodology for QI development.

Left Atrial Remodeling and Function in Various Left Ventricular Hypertrophic Phenotypes.

Aims: How the underlying etiology and pathophysiology of left ventricular (LV) hypertrophy affects LA remodeling and function remains unexplored. The present study aims to investigate the influence of various hypertrophic phenotypes on LA remodeling and function.

Methods And Results: Patients with LV hypertrophy who underwent cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) were compared to a control group.

Diagnostic Capacity and Correlation of Optic Nerve Colorimetry with Structural Parameters in Primary Open-Angle Glaucoma.

Prcis: The discriminant function of glaucoma, obtained by the Laguna ONhE colorimetric program, significantly correlates with the BMO-MRW. Furthermore, the diagnostic capacity was inferior to other structural tests in POAG patients.

Purpose: To evaluate the diagnostic capability for glaucoma and the correlation between peripapillary and macular parameters using spectral domain optical coherence tomography (SD-OCT) and optic nerve head hemoglobin (OHN Hb) levels assessed by the Laguna ONhE® software using colorimetric analysis.

Climate change heterogeneity: A new quantitative approach.

Climate change is a spatial and temporarily non-uniform phenomenon that requires understanding its evolution to better evaluate its potential societal and economic impact. The value added of this paper lies in introducing a quantitative methodology grounded in the trend analysis of temperature distribution quantiles to analyze climate change heterogeneity (CCH). By converting these quantiles into time series objects, the methodology empowers the definition and measurement of various relevant concepts in climate change analysis (warming, warming typology, warming amplification and warming acceleration) in a straightforward and robust testable linear regression format.

The Role of Multimodality Imaging in Multiple Valvular Heart Diseases. A Clinical Consensus Statement of the European Association of Cardiovascular Imaging (EACVI) of the ESC.

With this document, the European Association of Cardiovascular Imaging (EACVI) provides an Expert Consensus on the role of multi-modality imaging (MMI) in the management of patients with multiple valvular heart disease (MVD). Emphasis is given to the use of MMI to unravel the diagnostic challenges that characterize these patients and to improve risk stratification. Complementing the last European Society of Cardiology and European Association of Cardio-Thoracic Surgery guidelines on valvular heart disease, this Expert Consensus document also outlines how MMI assessment should form an integral part of the multi-disciplinary heart team discussion for patients with MVD to help with complex decision-making regarding the choice and timing of treatment.

Performance analysis of a deep-learning algorithm to detect the presence of inflammation in MRI of sacroiliac joints in patients with axial spondyloarthritis.

Objectives: To assess the ability of a previously trained deep-learning algorithm to identify the presence of inflammation on MRI of sacroiliac joints (SIJ) in a large external validation set of patients with axial spondyloarthritis (axSpA).

Methods: Baseline SIJ MRI scans were collected from two prospective randomised controlled trials in patients with non-radiographic (nr-) and radiographic (r-) axSpA (RAPID-axSpA: NCT01087762 and C-OPTIMISE: NCT02505542) and were centrally evaluated by two expert readers (and adjudicator in case of disagreement) for the presence of inflammation by the 2009 Assessment of SpondyloArthritis International Society (ASAS) definition. Scans were processed by the deep-learning algorithm, blinded to clinical information and central expert readings.

EULAR recommendations for the treatment of systemic sclerosis: 2023 update.

Objectives: To update the 2017 European Alliance of Associations for Rheumatology (EULAR) recommendations for treatment of systemic sclerosis (SSc), incorporating new evidence and therapies.

Methods: An international task force was convened in line with EULAR standard operating procedures. A nominal group technique exercise was performed in two rounds to define questions underpinning a subsequent systematic literature review.