Validation Study of the Parkinson's Disease Stigma Questionnaire (PDStigmaQuest).

Background: Stigma is a relevant aspect of Parkinson's disease (PD). Specific stigma tools are needed to address the complex construct of stigma in PD comprehensively.

Objective: To test the dimensionality and psychometric properties of the newly developed Parkinson's Disease Stigma Questionnaire (PDStigmaQuest).

Harnessing cellular therapeutics for type 1 diabetes mellitus: progress, challenges, and the road ahead.

Type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM) is a growing global health concern that affects approximately 8.5 million individuals worldwide. T1DM is characterized by an autoimmune destruction of pancreatic β cells, leading to a disruption in glucose homeostasis.

Cell dynamics revealed by microscopy advances.

Cell biology emerges from spatiotemporally coordinated molecular processes. Recent advances in live-cell microscopy, fueled by a surge in optical, molecular, and computational technologies, have enabled dynamic observations from single molecules to whole organisms. Despite technological leaps, there is still an untapped opportunity to fully leverage their capabilities toward biological insight.

Missing in action: A bibliometric analysis of military research in the medical literature since 1950.

Background: Top-tier general and specialty scientific journals serve as a bellwether for national research priorities. We hypothesize that military-relevant publications are underrepresented in the scientific literature and that such publications decrease significantly during peacetime.

Methods: We identified high impact journals in the fields of Medicine, Surgery and Critical Care and developed Boolean searches for military-focused topics using National Library of Medicine Subject Headings terms.

Computationally restoring the potency of a clinical antibody against Omicron.

The COVID-19 pandemic underscored the promise of monoclonal antibody-based prophylactic and therapeutic drugs and revealed how quickly viral escape can curtail effective options. When the SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variant emerged in 2021, many antibody drug products lost potency, including Evusheld and its constituent, cilgavimab. Cilgavimab, like its progenitor COV2-2130, is a class 3 antibody that is compatible with other antibodies in combination and is challenging to replace with existing approaches.

Randomized Controlled Trial of the Effect of an Exercise Rehabilitation Program on Symptom Burden in Maintenance Hemodialysis: A Clinical Research Protocol.

Background: People receiving hemodialysis experience high symptom burden that contributes to low functional status and poor health-related quality of life. Management of symptoms is a priority for individuals receiving hemodialysis but limited effective treatments exist. There is emerging evidence that exercise programming can improve several common dialysis-related symptoms.

Mapping dysfunctional circuits in the frontal cortex using deep brain stimulation.

Frontal circuits play a critical role in motor, cognitive and affective processing, and their dysfunction may result in a variety of brain disorders. However, exactly which frontal domains mediate which (dys)functions remains largely elusive. We studied 534 deep brain stimulation electrodes implanted to treat four different brain disorders.

General Algorithm Applicability in Determining DBS Lead Orientation: Adapting 2D and 3D X-Ray Techniques for SenSightTM Leads.

Introduction: With recent advancements in deep brain stimulation (DBS), directional leads featuring segmented contacts have been introduced, allowing for targeted stimulation of specific brain regions. Given that manufacturers employ diverse markers for lead orientation, our investigation focuses on the adaptability of the 2017 techniques proposed by the Cologne research group for lead orientation determination.

Methods: We tailored the two separate 2D and 3D X-ray-based techniques published in 2017 and originally developed for C-shaped markers, to the dual-marker of the Medtronic SenSight™ lead.

Functional Vision in Patients With Biallelic USH2A Variants.

Purpose: To describe functional vision (FV) and investigate the relationship between FV, visual acuity (VA), and hill of vision (V) at baseline in patients with biallelic USH2A variants.

Design: Multicenter, international, cross-sectional study.

Methods: In individuals with biallelic disease-causing variants in USH2A, clinical diagnosis of Usher syndrome type 2 (USH2) or autosomal recessive nonsyndromic retinitis pigmentosa (ARRP) was based on history of hearing loss and audiology examinations.

Injectable Devices for Delivery of Liquid or Solid Protein Formulations.

Sustained delivery of protein therapeutics remains a largely unsolved problem across anatomic locations. Miniaturized devices that can provide sustained delivery of protein formulations have the potential to address this challenge via minimally invasive administration. In particular, methodologies that can optimize protein formulation independent of device manufacture have the greatest potential to provide a platform suitable for wide applications.

Development and Evaluation of Deep Learning Models for Automated Estimation of Myelin Maturation Using Pediatric Brain MRI Scans.

Purpose: To predict the corresponding age of myelin maturation from brain MRI scans in infants and young children by using a deep learning algorithm and to build upon previously published models.

Materials And Methods: Brain MRI scans acquired between January 1, 2011, and March 17, 2021, in our institution in patients aged 0-3 years were retrospectively retrieved from the archive. An ensemble of two-dimensional (2D) and three-dimensional (3D) convolutional neural network models was trained and internally validated in 710 patients to predict myelin maturation age on the basis of radiologist-generated labels.

The EU's Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS) Ban: A Case of Policy over Science.

The proposal by the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) to ban over 12,000 per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) has sparked a debate about potential consequences for the economy, industry, and the environment. Although some PFAS are known to be harmful, a blanket ban may lead to significant problems in attempting to replace PFAS-based materials for environmental transition, as well as in medical devices and everyday products. Alternative materials may potentially be less safe, as a rush to replace PFAS would reduce the time needed for toxicological analyses.

ADAMTS-7 Modulates Atherosclerotic Plaque Formation by Degradation of TIMP-1.

Background: The locus was genome-wide significantly associated with coronary artery disease. Lack of the ECM (extracellular matrix) protease ADAMTS-7 (A disintegrin and metalloproteinase-7) was shown to reduce atherosclerotic plaque formation. Here, we sought to identify molecular mechanisms and downstream targets of ADAMTS-7 mediating the risk of atherosclerosis.

The efficacy of a combination of naproxen and fexofenadine (SJP - 002) to inhibit the symptoms that are associated with viral upper respiratory tract infection: Four case reports of individuals with common cold.

Key Clinical Message: There is no effective treatment that reduces both the severity and duration of a common cold episode. SJP - 002 (naproxen and fexofenadine) reduced symptom severity by two-third, and the duration of the common cold episode approximately by half.

Abstract: The common cold is one of the most frequently experienced immune-related complaints.

Incidence of Alzheimer's Disease in Men with Late-Life Hypertension Is Ameliorated by FOXO3 Longevity Genotype.

Background: It is well established that mid-life hypertension increases risk of dementia, whereas the association of late-life hypertension with dementia is unclear.

Objective: To determine whether FOXO3 longevity-associated genotype influences the association between late-life hypertension and incident dementia.

Methods: Subjects were 2,688 American men of Japanese ancestry (baseline age: 77.

Myositis Ossificans of the Breast Mimicking Breast Cancer: A Case Report.

Myositis ossificans (MO) is an uncommon tumor characterized by a rapidly growing mass following a history of local trauma. Few cases of MO affecting the breast have been reported, and some were misdiagnosed as primary osteosarcoma of the breast or metaplastic breast carcinoma. The following case report presents a patient with a growing breast lump whose core biopsy result was suspicious for breast cancer.

Low beta-band suppression as a tool for DBS contact selection for akinetic-rigid symptoms in Parkinson's disease.

Background: Suppression of pathologically altered activity in the beta-band has previously been suggested as a biomarker for feedback-based neurostimulation in subthalamic deep brain stimulation (STN-DBS) for Parkinson's Disease (PD).

Objective: To assess the utility of beta-band suppression as a tool for contact selection in STN-DBS for PD.

Methods: A sample of seven PD patients (13 hemispheres) with newly implanted directional DBS leads of the STN were recorded during a standardized monopolar contact review (MPR).

Diffusion-tensor magnetic resonance imaging captures increased skeletal muscle fibre diameters in Becker muscular dystrophy.

Background: Becker muscular dystrophy (BMD) is an X-linked disorder characterized by slow, progressive muscle damage and muscle weakness. Hallmarks include fibre-size variation and replacement of skeletal muscle with fibrous and adipose tissues, after repeated cycles of regeneration. Muscle histology can detect these features, but the required biopsies are invasive, are difficult to repeat and capture only small muscle volumes.

Mapping Dysfunctional Circuits in the Frontal Cortex Using Deep Brain Stimulation.

Frontal circuits play a critical role in motor, cognitive, and affective processing - and their dysfunction may result in a variety of brain disorders. However, exactly which frontal domains mediate which (dys)function remains largely elusive. Here, we study 534 deep brain stimulation electrodes implanted to treat four different brain disorders.