A health economic evaluation of the multinational, randomized controlled CONVINCE trial - cost-utility of high-dose online hemodiafiltration compared to high-flux hemodialysis.

High-flux hemodialysis (HD) and high-dose hemodiafiltration (HDF) are established treatments for patients with kidney failure. Since HDF has been associated with improved survival rates compared to HD, we evaluated the cost-effectiveness of HDF compared to HD. Cost-utility analyses were performed from a societal perspective alongside the multinational randomized controlled CONVINCE trial.

In vitro culture of the parasitic stage larvae of hematophagous parasitic nematode Haemonchus contortus.

Current research on common parasitic nematodes is limited because their infective stages cannot be propagated in vitro. Here, we report a culture system for developing L4s of Haemonchus contortus, a blood-feeding nematode of ruminants. Our results demonstrated that a proportionate mixture of NCTC-109 to Luria-Bertini (1:2) media promoted the formation of early L4s and then into late L4s upon inclusion of 12.

Characterization of lipophilicity and blood partitioning of pyrrolizidine alkaloids and their N-oxides in vitro and in silico for toxicokinetic modeling.

Lipophilicity and blood partitioning are important determinants for predicting toxicokinetics using physiologically-based toxicokinetic (PBTK) modeling. In this study, the logarithm of the -octanol:water partition coefficient (log) and the blood-to-plasma concentration ratio ( ) were for the first time experimentally determined for the pyrrolizidine alkaloids (PAs) intermedine, lasiocarpine, monocrotaline, retrorsine and their -oxides (PANOs). Validated assays for log (miniaturized shake-flask method) and (LC-MS/MS-based depletion assay) determination were compared to an ensemble of models.

The ReAct project: Analysis of data from 23 different laboratories to characterise DNA recovery given two sets of activity level propositions.

The ReAct (Recovery, Activity) project is an ENFSI (European Network of Forensic Science Institutes) supported initiative comprising a large consortium of laboratories. Here, the results from more than 23 laboratories are presented. The primary purpose was to design experiments simulating typical casework circumstances; collect data and to implement Bayesian networks to assess the value (i.

Reduced monocytic IL10 expression in PD1 inhibitor-treated patients is a harbinger of severe immune-related adverse events.

Background: Despite remarkable clinical efficacy, little is known about the system-wide immunological alterations provoked by PD1 blockade. Dynamics of quantitative immune composition and functional repertoire during PD1 blockade could delineate cohort-specific patterns of treatment response and therapy-induced toxicity.

Methods: We longitudinally assessed therapy-induced effects on the immune system in fresh whole blood using flow cytometry-based cell quantifications, accompanied by analyses of effector properties of all major immune populations upon cell-type specific stimulations.

Effect of siponimod on retinal thickness, a marker of neurodegeneration, in participants with SPMS: Findings from the EXPAND OCT substudy.

Background: People with MS show abnormal thinning of the retinal layers, which is associated with clinical disability and brain atrophy, and is a potential surrogate marker of neurodegeneration and treatment effects.

Objective: To evaluate the utility of retinal thickness as a surrogate marker of neurodegeneration and treatment effect in participants with secondary progressive MS (SPMS) from the optical coherence tomography (OCT) substudy of the EXPAND Phase 3 clinical trial (siponimod versus placebo).

Methods: In the OCT substudy population (n = 159), treatment effects on change in the average thickness of the retinal layer, peripapillary retinal nerve fiber layer (pRNFL), and combined macular ganglion cell and inner plexiform layers (GCIPL) were analyzed by high-definition spectral domain OCT at months 3, 12, and 24.

The Effect of Ga-Ion Irradiation on Sub-Micron-Wavelength Spin Waves in Yttrium-Iron-Garnet Films.

We investigate the effect of focused-ion-beam (FIB) irradiation on spin waves with sub-micron wavelengths in Yttrium-Iron-Garnet (YIG) films. Time-resolved scanning transmission X-ray (TR-STXM) microscopy was used to image the spin waves in irradiated regions and deduce corresponding changes in the magnetic parameters of the film. We find that the changes of Gairradiation can be understood by assuming a few percent change in the effective magnetizationof the film due to a trade-off between changes in anisotropy and effective film thickness.

A single gene orchestrates androgen variation underlying male mating morphs in ruffs.

Androgens are pleiotropic and play pivotal roles in the formation and variation of sexual phenotypes. We show that differences in circulating androgens between the three male mating morphs in ruff sandpipers are linked to 17-beta hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase 2 (HSD17B2), encoded by a gene within the supergene that determines the morphs. Low-testosterone males had higher expression in blood than high-testosterone males, as well as in brain areas related to social behaviors and testosterone production.

Exhalation of Rn-219 by patients treated with Radium-223.

Background: Treatment with Ra-223 dichloride is approved for the therapy of castration resistant prostate cancer (CRPC) with symptomatic bone metastases and no known visceral metastases in Europe since 2013, and Ra-223 is under discussion for labelling other molecules and nanoparticles. The direct progeny of Ra-223 is Rn-219, also known as actinon, a radioactive noble gas with a half-life of 3.98 s.

Improving postsurgical paresis in brain tumor patients by transcranial magnetic stimulation.

Background And Objectives: Recently, reduction of transcallosal inhibition by contralateral navigated repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (nrTMS) improved neurorehabilitation of glioma patients with new postoperative paresis. This multicentric study examines the effect of postoperative nrTMS in brain tumor patients to treat surgery-related upper extremity paresis.

Methods: This is a secondary analysis of two randomized and three one-arm studies in brain tumor patients with new/progressive postoperative paresis.

Metanephric stromal tumor as a rare differential diagnosis of a renal mass in children - a case report.

This report presents the case of a benign metanephric stromal tumor that occurred in the kidney of a 5-year-old boy and in which differentiation from a nephroblastoma was successful. Radiological assessment played the decisive role in this case, as the low initial volume, a high apparent diffusion coefficient, and lack of rapid tumor growth were considered atypical for a nephroblastoma. The boy underwent successful kidney-preserving resection without neoadjuvant chemotherapy, and intraoperative contrast-enhanced ultrasound examination helped to accurately define the tumor margins.

Structured hernia surgery training program for general practitioners in Rwanda - feasibility and evaluation.

Background: Hernias are among the most common surgical conditions worldwide, with significant prevalence in Africa. However, according to recent WHO statistics, Africa faces a critical shortage of trained surgeons. Structured surgical training programs are also scarce.

Elevated Neutrophil-to-Lymphocyte Ratio Predicts Prognosis in Acute Myocarditis.

Background: Neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) is an easy-to-use inflammatory biomarker. Baseline NLR is independently associated with incident cardiovascular events and all-cause mortality. However, whether this applies to acute myocarditis (AM) has not been evaluated.

An In Vivo Biostability Evaluation of ALD and Parylene-ALD Multilayers as Micro-Packaging Solutions for Small Single-Chip Implants.

Miniaturization of next-generation active neural implants requires novel micro-packaging solutions that can maintain their long-term coating performance in the body. This work presents two thin-film coatings and evaluates their biostability and in vivo performance over a 7-month animal study. To evaluate the coatings on representative surfaces, two silicon microchips with different surface microtopography are used.

Allergic Rhinitis and its Impact on Asthma (ARIA) Classes in MASK-air Users.

Background And Objectives: The Allergic Rhinitis and its Impact on Asthma (ARIA) guidelines classify rhinitis as "intermittent" or "persistent" and "mild" or "moderate-severe". To assess ARIA classes in a real-world study in terms of phenotypic differences and their association with asthma.

Methods: We performed a cross-sectional real-world study based on users of the MASK-air® app who reported data for at least 3 different months.

A glovebox-integrated confocal microscope for quantum sensing in inert atmosphere.

Confocal microscopy is an invaluable tool for studying fluorescent materials and finds a wide application in biology and in quantum sensing. Usually, these experiments are performed under ambient conditions, but many materials are air sensitive (for example, black phosphorus) and degrade quickly under the strong laser irradiance. Here, we present a glovebox-integrated confocal microscope designed for nitrogen-vacancy (NV) center-based nano-scale sensing and NMR spectroscopy in an inert gas atmosphere.

Learning Transversus Abdominis Activation in Older Adults with Chronic Low Back Pain Using an Ultrasound-Based Wearable: A Randomized Controlled Pilot Study.

: Chronic low back pain (CLBP) is prevalent among older adults and leads to significant functional limitations and reduced quality of life. Segmental stabilization exercises (SSEs) are commonly used to treat CLBP, but the selective activation of deep abdominal muscles during these exercises can be challenging for patients. To support muscle activation, physiotherapists use biofeedback methods such as palpation and ultrasound imaging.

Challenges and Insights in Absolute Quantification of Recombinant Therapeutic Antibodies by Mass Spectrometry: An Introductory Review.

This review describes mass spectrometry (MS)-based approaches for the absolute quantification of therapeutic monoclonal antibodies (mAbs), focusing on technical challenges in sample treatment and calibration. Therapeutic mAbs are crucial for treating cancer and inflammatory, infectious, and autoimmune diseases. We trace their development from hybridoma technology and the first murine mAbs in 1975 to today's chimeric and fully human mAbs.

Impact of Short-Chain Perfluoropropylene Oxide Acids on Biochemical and Behavioural Parameters in (Savigny, 1826).

Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are a class of persistent organic pollutants that pose a growing threat to environmental and human health. Soil acts as a long-term reservoir for PFAS, potentially impacting soil biodiversity and ecosystem function. Earthworms, as keystone species in soil ecosystems, are particularly vulnerable to PFAS exposure.

Changes in the Spatial Structure of Synchronization Connections in EEG During Nocturnal Sleep Apnea.

This study involved 72 volunteers divided into two groups according to the apnea-hypopnea index (AHI): AHI>15 episodes per hour (ep/h) (main group, n=39, including 28 men, median AHI 44.15, median age 47), 0≤AHI≤15ep/h (control group, n=33, including 12 men, median AHI 2, median age 28). Each participant underwent polysomnography with a recording of 19 EEG channels.