Cerebral Microbleeds and Amyloid Pathology Estimates From the Amyloid Biomarker Study.

Importance: Baseline cerebral microbleeds (CMBs) and APOE ε4 allele copy number are important risk factors for amyloid-related imaging abnormalities in patients with Alzheimer disease (AD) receiving therapies to lower amyloid-β plaque levels.

Objective: To provide prevalence estimates of any, no more than 4, or fewer than 2 CMBs in association with amyloid status, APOE ε4 copy number, and age.

Design, Setting, And Participants: This cross-sectional study used data included in the Amyloid Biomarker Study data pooling initiative (January 1, 2012, to the present [data collection is ongoing]).

Depressive Symptoms and Amyloid Pathology.

Importance: Depressive symptoms are associated with cognitive decline in older individuals. Uncertainty about underlying mechanisms hampers diagnostic and therapeutic efforts. This large-scale study aimed to elucidate the association between depressive symptoms and amyloid pathology.

Microgap Formation in Conical Implant-Abutment Connections Under Oblique Loading: Influence of Cone Angle Mismatch Through Finite Element Analysis.

Objectives: This study evaluated different designs of the conical implant-abutment connection (IAC) and their resistance to microgap formation under oblique loads as specified by the ISO standard for testing dental implants. Also evaluated was the effect of deviations from the ISO specifications on the outcomes.

Methods: Finite element analysis was conducted to compare the microgap formation and stress distribution among three conical IAC designs (A, B, and C) in two loading configurations: one compliant with ISO 14801 and one with a modified load adaptor (non-ISO).

What is needed to successfully implement the EU HTA Regulation enabling broad patient access in Europe.

There has been a lot of discussion on the technical aspects of the soon to be implemented European Union's Health Technology Assessment (EU HTA) regulation. However, there has been limited discussion on the implementation aspects and the potential limitations from a policy perspective. In May 2024, a group of HTA experts with previous policy responsibilities met in Rome to propose some policy aspects to be considered.

Guidance on the assessment of the functionality of biomaterials for periodontal tissue regeneration: Methodologies and testing procedures.

Innovative biomaterials and tissue engineering strategies show great promise in regenerating periodontal tissues. This guidance provides an overview and detailed recommendations for evaluating the biological functionality of these new biomaterials in vitro, focusing on mineralization, immunomodulatory effects, cellular differentiation, and angiogenesis. Additionally, it discusses the use of in vivo experimental models that mimic periodontitis and scrutinizes methods such as osteogenic differentiation, immunomodulation, and anti-inflammatory responses to assess the effectiveness of these biomaterials in promoting periodontal tissue reconstruction.

Impact of orthognathic surgery on the cheek area using the Barcelona line.

A facial appearance of premature aging due to poor bone support of the soft tissues is frequently found in patients with midface hypoplasia. This study was performed to evaluate the changes in the soft tissues of the cheek area in patients subjected to bimaxillary orthognathic surgery. The cheek line angle and length of 27 consecutive patients who underwent bimaxillary surgery, were measured on cone beam computed tomography scans obtained before surgery and at 1 and 12 months after surgery using 3D software.

Audiovisual analysis of the diagnostic video polysomnography in patients with isolated REM sleep behavior disorder.

Background: The diagnosis of isolated REM sleep behavior disorder (IRBD) requires video polysomnography (V-PSG) showing increased muscle activity and abnormal behaviors in REM sleep.

Objective: To describe in IRBD the behavioral manifestations occurring during REM sleep in the diagnostic V-PSG.

Methods: This is a systematic audiovisual V-PSG analysis of consecutive IRBD patients.

Barriers to and enablers of physical activity and its association with daily steps after hospitalisation for a COPD exacerbation: what patients say matters.

Introduction: Exacerbations of COPD decrease physical activity. Physical activity interventions after these events are desirable but have had mixed results. Understanding the barriers to and enablers of physical activity may help to improve the results of these interventions.

SAHD-10: Development and initial validation of a short version of the Schedule of Attitudes Toward Hastened Death based on a large multinational sample.

Objectives: Wishes to hasten death (WTHDs) are common in patients with serious illness. The Schedule of Attitudes Toward Hastened Death (SAHD) is a validated 20-item instrument for measuring WTHD. Two short versions have also been developed based on statistical item selection.

Educational interventions improve disparities in patient access to kidney transplantation: a network meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.

Background: Transplantation significantly improves the quality of life for patients with chronic kidney disease. Despite various educational strategies being assessed, the optimal approach to overcome barriers to kidney transplantation remains unclear.

Materials And Methods: The authors conducted a systematic review and network meta-analysis (NMA) of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) comparing educational interventions to improve kidney transplantation access.

How does the measurement of anesthetic depth using the patient state index influence the course of electroconvulsive therapy in patients with major depressive disorder?

Background: Determining anesthetic depth has been used to assess the optimal timing of electrical stimulus application in electroconvulsive therapy (ECT). This has improved the quality and effectiveness of seizures, as some anesthetics used can decrease efficacy. This study evaluated the influence of the Patient State Index (PSi) on the course of ECT in patients with major depressive disorder (MDD).

Head-to-Head Comparison of Aptamer- and Antibody-Based Proteomic Platforms in Human Cerebrospinal Fluid Samples from a Real-World Memory Clinic Cohort.

High-throughput proteomic platforms are crucial to identify novel Alzheimer's disease (AD) biomarkers and pathways. In this study, we evaluated the reproducibility and reliability of aptamer-based (SomaScan 7k) and antibody-based (Olink Explore 3k) proteomic platforms in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) samples from the Ace Alzheimer Center Barcelona real-world cohort. Intra- and inter-platform reproducibility were evaluated through correlations between two independent SomaScan assays analyzing the same samples, and between SomaScan and Olink results.

Guidance on biomaterials for periodontal tissue regeneration: Fabrication methods, materials and biological considerations.

Regeneration of the multiple tissues and interfaces in the periodontal complex necessitates multidisciplinary evaluation to establish structure/function relationships. This article, an initiative of the Academy of Dental Materials, provides guidance for performing chemical, structural, and mechanical characterization of materials for periodontal tissue regeneration, and outlines important recommendations on methods of testing bioactivity, biocompatibility, and antimicrobial properties of biomaterials/scaffolds for periodontal tissue engineering. First, we briefly summarize periodontal tissue engineering fabrication methods.

Angiogenic factors versus fetomaternal Doppler for fetal growth restriction at term: an open-label, randomized controlled trial.

Small fetuses, with estimated fetal weight (EFW) below the tenth percentile, are classified as fetal growth restriction (FGR) or small for gestational age (SGA) based on prenatal ultrasound. FGR fetuses have a greater risk of stillbirth and perinatal complications and may benefit from serial ultrasound scans to guide early delivery. Abnormal serum angiogenic factors, such as the soluble fms-like tyrosine kinase-1 (sFlt-1):placental growth factor (PlGF) ratio, have shown potential to more accurately distinguish FGR from SGA, with fewer false positives.

Optimized biochemical method for human Polyphosphate quantification.

Polyphosphate (polyP), a biopolymer composed of phosphates, impacts a wide range of biological functions and pathological conditions in all organisms. However, polyP's intricate physiology and structure in human cells have remained elusive, largely due to the lack of a reliable quantification method including its extraction. In this study, we assess critical points in the whole process: extraction, purification, and quantification polyP from human cell lines.

Evaluation of ChatGPT-4 for the detection of surgical site infections from electronic health records after colorectal surgery: A pilot diagnostic accuracy study.

Background: Surveillance of surgical site infection (SSI) relies on manual methods that are time-consuming and prone to subjectivity. This study evaluates the diagnostic accuracy of ChatGPT for detecting SSI from electronic health records after colorectal surgery via comparison with the results of a nationwide surveillance programme.

Methods: This pilot, retrospective, multicentre analysis included 122 patients who underwent colorectal surgery.

Deep brain stimulation of the medial forebrain bundle promotes the extinction of active avoidance and is associated with mossy fibber sprouting in the hippocampus.

Background: Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) causes intrusive symptoms and avoidance behaviours due to dysregulation in various brain regions, including the hippocampus. Deep brain stimulation (DBS) shows promise for refractory PTSD cases. In rodents, DBS improves fear extinction and reduces anxiety-like behaviours, but its effects on active-avoidance extinction remain unexplored.

Immediate lymphatic reconstruction with targeted lymphatic axillary repair.

Current surgical treatment for established lymphedema can be challenging and not always successful. To reduce the incidence of post-operative lymphedema, we began trialing targeted lymphatic axillary repair (TLAR) as a technique for immediate lymphatic reconstruction with the aim of reducing post-operative lymphedema incidence. In this observational prospective study, conducted between March 2017 and May 2022, we assessed the effectiveness of TLAR in reducing lymphedema occurrence in consecutive breast cancer patients who underwent surgery involving axillary lymph node dissection (ALND).

The Catalan Institute of Oncology (ICO) Presents the ICO Toolkit-2: An Updated, Spanish National Assessment Kit for Patients with Malignant Neoplasm in Palliative Care.

The needs of patients living with malignant neoplasm, and those of their families and care partners, require a multidimensional and interdisciplinary approach. By systematically assessing these needs with validated tools, healthcare professionals can identify and monitor therapeutic objectives, interventions, and results. At the Catalan Institute of Oncology (ICO), we set out to update the ICO Toolkit-a set of instruments for assessing the physical, emotional, and social needs of palliative care patients.

Relative effectiveness of the second booster COVID-19 vaccines against laboratory confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection in healthcare workers: VEBIS HCW VE cohort study (1 October 2022-2 May 2023).

Introduction: Repeated COVID-19 booster vaccination was recommended in healthcare workers (HCWs) to maintain protection. We measured the relative vaccine effectiveness (rVE) of the second booster dose of COVID-19 vaccine compared to the first booster, against laboratory-confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection in HCWs.

Methods: In a prospective cohort study among HCWs from 12 European hospitals, we collected nasopharyngeal or saliva samples at enrolment and during weekly/fortnightly follow-up between October 2022 and May 2023.

TELEPROM Psoriasis: Enhancing patient-centered care and health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in moderate-to-severe plaque psoriasis.

Background And Purpose: Psoriasis is a chronic, immune-mediated inflammatory skin disease that significantly impacts patients' quality of life. The integration of telepharmacy has the potential to enhance patient care by providing flexible and personalized pharmaceutical follow-up. This study (TELEPROM Psoriasis) evaluates a telepharmacy model for evaluating electronic Patient-Reported outcomes (ePROMs) for individuals with moderate to severe plaque psoriasis in Spain with biological treatment.

Toward the development of an ML-driven decision support system for wastewater treatment: A bacterial inactivation prediction approach in solar photochemical processes.

The design of efficient bacterial inactivation treatment in wastewater is challenging due to its numerous parameters and the complex composition of wastewater. Although solar photochemical processes (PCPs) provide energy-saving benefits, a balance must be maintained between bacterial inactivation efficiency and experimental costs. Predictive decision tools for bacterial inactivation under various conditions would significantly contribute to optimizing PCP design resources.

Does the modified shuttle test exhibit a ceiling effect in healthy and cystic fibrosis children and adolescents?

Introduction: The modified shuttle test-15 (MST-15) is a valid alternative for assessing exercise capacity when a cardiopulmonary exercise testing is not feasible. This study aims to describe the percentage of healthy and cystic fibrosis (CF) children and adolescents reaching the MST-15 ceiling. Additionally, it examines associations between MST-15 distance and demographic, anthropometric, and lung function data.