Minimal encephalopathy in hereditary hemorrhagic telangiectasia patients with portosystemic vascular malformations.

Background: Hereditary hemorrhagic telangiectasia (HHT) is characterized by telangiectasia and larger vascular malformations. Liver malformations are the most frequent visceral involvement including the presence of portosystemic malformations (PSM) that can cause hepatic encephalopathy. Minimal hepatic encephalopathy (mHE) is characterized by alterations of brain function in neuropsychological or neurophysiological tests and decreases quality of life.

Single-cell RNA seq-derived signatures define response patterns to atezolizumab + bevacizumab in advanced hepatocellular carcinoma.

Background & Aims: The combination of atezolizumab and bevacizumab (atezo+bev) is the current standard of care for advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), providing a median overall survival (OS) of 19.2 months. Here, we aim to uncover the underlying cellular processes driving clinical benefit versus resistance to atezo+bev.

Perioperative transfusion management in craniotomies: a national survey, a starting point for the evaluation of improvements in health care.

Objective: To assess the perioperative management of haemostasis and transfusion practices in adult patients undergoing craniotomies.

Method: Online questionnaire addressed to Spanish anaesthesiologists and promoted by the Neurosciences and Haemostasis, Transfusion Medicine and Fluid Therapy Sections of SEDAR. The questionnaire was sent by email and social media, and was active between June and October 2022.

SARS-CoV-2 infection and COVID-19 outcomes across mental disorders and the role of sex: A register-based study from Catalonia.

Introduction: This study investigated the risk of SARS-CoV-2 infection and severe COVID-19 outcomes among different mental health diagnoses and the role of sex in these associations.

Methods: Using electronic records from Catalonia, we identified adults receiving mental health care from 2017-2019 with diagnoses of non-affective psychosis (NAP), bipolar disorder (BD), depressive disorder (DEP), stress-related disorders, neurotic/somatoform disorders (NSD), and substance misuse (SUB) (exposed). The outcomes assessed were SARS-CoV-2 infection, COVID-19 hospitalization, and COVID-19-related death, compared to matched individuals without these mental disorders (unexposed).

Echinocandins Pharmacokinetics: A Comprehensive Review of Micafungin, Caspofungin, Anidulafungin, and Rezafungin Population Pharmacokinetic Models and Dose Optimization in Special Populations.

In recent years, many population pharmacokinetic (popPK) models have been developed for echinocandins to better understand the pharmacokinetics (PK) of these antifungals. This comprehensive review aimed to summarize popPK models of echinocandins (micafungin, caspofungin, anidulafungin, and rezafungin), by focusing on dosage optimization to maximize the probability of attaining the PK/PD target proposed in special populations. A search in PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, and Scopus, supplemented by the bibliography of relevant articles, was conducted from inception to March 2024, including both observational and prospective trials.

Mental health during the 2022 Russo-Ukrainian War: A scoping review and unmet needs.

Introduction: The Russo-Ukrainian War (RUW) poses a significant mental health burden, warranting a scoping review of the evidence to shed light on the unmet needs.

Methods: MEDLINE/PubMed and EMBASE databases were inquired from inception until September 1st, 2023, to address the following a-priori-formulated questions: i) "Which psychiatric population has been assessed? How did the conflict affect the functioning of people with established mental health conditions (e.g.

Digital phenotyping from wearables using AI characterizes psychiatric disorders and identifies genetic associations.

Psychiatric disorders are influenced by genetic and environmental factors. However, their study is hindered by limitations on precisely characterizing human behavior. New technologies such as wearable sensors show promise in surmounting these limitations in that they measure heterogeneous behavior in a quantitative and unbiased fashion.

Design of an Ultra-Highly Stable Lithium-Sulfur Battery by Regulating the Redox Activity of Electrocatalyst and the Growth of Lithium Dendrite through Localized Electric Field.

Polysulfide shuttling and dendrite growth are two primary challenges that significantly limit the practical applications of lithium-sulfur batteries (LSBs). Herein, a three-in-one strategy for a separator based on a localized electrostatic field is demonstrated to simultaneously achieve shuttle inhibition of polysulfides, catalytic activation of the Li-S reaction, and dendrite-free plating of lithium ions. Specifically, an interlayer of polyacrylonitrile nanofiber (PNF) incorporating poled BaTiO (PBTO) particles and coating with a layer of MoS (PBTO@PNF-MoS) is developed on the PP separator.

In-depth mass-spectrometry reveals phospho-RAB12 as a blood biomarker of G2019S LRRK2-driven Parkinson's disease.

Leucine-rich repeat kinase 2 (LRRK2) inhibition is a promising disease-modifying therapy for LRRK2-associated Parkinson's disease (L2PD) and idiopathic PD (iPD). However, pharmaco-dynamic readouts and progression biomarkers for clinical trials aiming for disease modification are insufficient since no endogenous marker reflecting enhanced kinase activity of the most common LRRK2 G2019S mutation has been reported yet in L2PD patients. Employing phospho-/proteomic analyses we assessed the impact that LRRK2 activating mutations had in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) from a LRRK2 clinical cohort from Spain (n=174).

Endocervical Brush Cytology After Cervical Conization as a Predictor of Treatment Failure: A Prospective Cohort Study.

Objective: Endocervical curettage (ECC) is the gold standard for predicting the persistence of high-grade squamous intraepithelial lesions (HSIL) after cervical conization. However, ECC has a high rate of unsatisfactory samples and may be uncomfortable for women. Endocervical sampling with brush (ECB) has been proposed as an alternative to ECC, which, in addition to the cytological evaluation, allows performing HPV testing using the same sample.

From materials to applications: a review of research on artificial olfactory memory.

Olfactory memory forms the basis for biological perception and environmental adaptation. Advancing artificial intelligence to replicate this biological perception as artificial olfactory memory is essential. The widespread use of various robotic systems, intelligent wearable devices, and artificial olfactory memories modeled after biological olfactory memory is anticipated.

Knowledge and quality of life in cancer patients receiving immunotherapy for the first time. A cross-sectional study about being informed.

Purpose: Patients receiving immunotherapy need to have a good understanding of how immunology works and which toxicities they can expect. This study aimed to assess patients' knowledge on their immunotherapies and their quality of life before and after receiving immunotherapy for the first time in a cancer centre.

Methods: From July 2018 to September 2020, all patients treated at the cancer centre receiving first-time immunotherapy were invited to participate in a cross-sectional descriptive study.

Therapeutic effect of cyclosporine A-loading TPGS micelles on a mouse model of LPS-induced neuroinflammation.

Neuroinflammation is an undoubted hallmark of neurodegenerative processes characterized by memory impairment, loss of coordination and muscle strength in diseases such as Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease and multiple sclerosis as well as depressive disorders. Cyclosporine A (CSA) has already been identified as a promising neuroprotective peptide, due to its well-known anti-inflammatory properties. Herein, CSA was encapsulated into α-tocopherol polyethylene glycol 1000 succinate (TPGS) micelles and intranasally administered to a lipopolysaccharide (LPS) induced mouse model of neuroinflammation.

Refining management strategies for Lennox-Gastaut syndrome: Updated algorithms and practical approaches.

Lennox-Gastaut syndrome (LGS) is a severe developmental and epileptic encephalopathy (DEE) characterized by multiple types of drug-resistant seizures (which must include tonic seizures) with classical onset before 8 years (although some cases with later onset have also been described), abnormal electroencephalographic features, and cognitive and behavioral impairments. Management and treatment of LGS are challenging, due to associated comorbidities and the treatment resistance of seizures. A panel of five epileptologists reconvened to provide updated guidance and treatment algorithms for LGS, incorporating recent advancements in antiseizure medications (ASMs) and understanding of DEEs.

ESR Essentials: Image evaluation of patients with seizures and epilepsy-practice recommendations by the European Society of Neuroradiology.

Epilepsy, a neurological disorder characterised by recurrent seizures, poses significant challenges in diagnosis, treatment, and management. Understanding the underlying causes and identifying precise anatomical locations of epileptogenic foci are critical for effective management strategies, particularly in drug-resistant patients. Neuroimaging techniques, particularly magnetic resonance (MR), play a pivotal role in the evaluation of epilepsy patients, offering insights into structural abnormalities, epileptogenic lesions, and functional alterations within the brain.

Hollow fiber bioreactor allows sustained production of immortalized mesenchymal stromal cell-derived extracellular vesicles.

Mesenchymal stromal cell-derived extracellular vesicles (MSC-EVs) have been reported to hold great potential as cell-free therapies due to their low immunogenicity and minimal toxicity. However, the large doses of MSC-EVs that are required for their clinical application highlight the urgency of finding a large-scale system for MSC-EV manufacture. In this study, we aimed to set up a hollow fiber bioreactor system for the continuous homogenous production of functional and high-quality MSC-EVs.

Single-Molecule Electrical Conductance in Z-form DNA:RNA.

Nucleic acids have emerged as new materials with promising applications in nanotechnology, molecular electronics, and biosensing, but their electronic properties, especially at the single-molecule level, are largely underexplored. The Z-form is an exotic left-handed helical oligonucleotide conformation that may be involved in critical biological processes such as the regulation of gene expression and epigenetic processes. In this work, the electrical conductance of individual Guanine Cytosine (GC)-rich DNA:RNA molecules is measured in physiological buffer and 2,2,2-Trifluoroethanol (TFE) solvent, corresponding to the natural (right-handed helix) A-form typical in DNA:RNA hybrids and the (left-handed) Z-form conformations, respectively.

EGHRIN conclusions on pandemic preparedness: no whole-of-society approach without society.

Pandemic preparedness necessitates a multifaceted approach that emphasizes societal factors, such as building trust and acknowledges cultural and societal differences, with a focus on protecting vulnerable groups. To support these goals, the European Global Health Research Institutes Network has outlined a comprehensive transdisciplinary approach through a set of multilevel recommendations.

Core outcome set of daily monitoring of gastrointestinal function in adult critically ill patients: a modified Delphi consensus process (COSMOGI).

Purpose: Gastrointestinal (GI) dysfunction is common in critically ill patients and associated with poor outcomes. There is a lack of standardised methods for daily monitoring of GI function. COSMOGI aimed to develop a Core Outcome Set (COS) for daily monitoring of GI function to improve consistency and comparability in future studies in critically ill patients.

Alterations of the IKZF1-IKZF2 tandem in immune cells of schizophrenia patients regulate associated phenotypes.

Schizophrenia is a complex multifactorial disorder and increasing evidence suggests the involvement of immune dysregulations in its pathogenesis. We observed that IKZF1 and IKZF2, classic immune-related transcription factors (TFs), were both downregulated in patients' peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) but not in their brain. We generated a new mutant mouse model with a reduction in Ikzf1 and Ikzf2 to study the impact of those changes.

cfDNA fragmentation patterns correlate with tumor burden measured via PSMA PET/CT volumetric parameters in patients with biochemical recurrence of prostate cancer.

Background: Prostate cancer recurrence following primary treatment poses a significant clinical challenge, particularly when detected through biochemical recurrence at low PSA levels. Conventional imaging modalities often fail to localize the disease at this early stage. PSMA PET has demonstrated superior sensitivity in detecting recurrent lesions, even in patients with low PSA.