Predictors of anxiety in endometriosis patients.

Purpose: To evaluate the main factors influencing anxiety in endometriosis patients presenting to an endometriosis centre in Germany.

Methods: One hundred and eighty-two patients were asked to complete the German version of the STAI (state anxiety and trait anxiety) questionnaire prior to examination for diagnosis and treatment of pelvic pain or suspected endometriosis. Typical endometriosis symptoms, main complaints, operations, type of endometriosis and planned treatment were analyzed as influencing factors of anxiety in endometriosis patients.

Multimodal Intravascular Imaging of the Vulnerable Coronary Plaque.

Vulnerable coronary plaques are atherosclerotic lesions which, due to their specific phenotype, are prone to plaque rupture and to cause acute coronary syndromes, with subsequent relevant morbidity and mortality. Strategies to break the chain link between plaque vulnerability and adverse clinical events include optimized pharmacologic prevention and potentially also preemptive percutaneous coronary interventions (previously defined as "plaque sealing" or "plaque passivation"). Various morphologic features of the vulnerable plaques have been described, including aspects regarding the large necrotic lipid content, the thin fibrous cap, the presence and extent of the presence of calcifications with small size and calcification angle, and as well as the large macrophage infiltration within the plaque.

The humanistic burden of immunoglobulin A nephropathy on patients and care-partners in the United States.

Purpose: This cross-sectional survey study quantified the humanistic burden of immunoglobulin A nephropathy (IgAN), in terms of physical and mental health-related quality of life (HRQoL) and work productivity, among adults with primary IgAN and their care-partners.

Methods: HRQoL was assessed (01/31/22 - 05/31/23) with validated tools including the KDQoL-36 (with SF-12), GAD-7 (anxiety), PHQ-9 (depression), and WPAI: SHP (work productivity). Participant characteristics and total/domain scores were summarized; selected outcomes were compared to an external, kidney disease-free cohort.

Patient satisfaction and sexual issues in vulvar lichen sclerosus treatment: a monocentric certified dysplasia unit survey analysis.

Objective: Vulvar lichen sclerosus (VLS) is an underestimated chronic disease. It can cause significant symptom burden and sexual dysfunction. This study aimed to evaluate patient satisfaction and current challenges in the management of VLS in a certified dysplasia unit, particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Grainyhead-like 2 Deficiency and Kidney Cyst Growth in a Mouse Model.

Key Points: Our study reveals segment-specific mechanisms in cystic kidney disease and suggests as a modifier of collecting duct–derived cyst progression. Our data demonstrate that genetic deletion of accelerates disease progression in a cystic mouse model.

Background: The transcription factor grainyhead-like 2 (GRHL2) plays a crucial role in maintaining the epithelial barrier properties of the kidney collecting duct and is important to osmoregulation.

Predictors of significant distress in cervical cancer patients: a cross sectional study.

Purpose: This cross-sectional study aims to investigate parameters that predict relevant levels of distress in women in a perioperative setting undergoing treatment for cervical cancer.

Materials And Methods: Data from 495 patients with cervical cancer that were treated at the university hospital Aachen between 2010 and 2022 were analysed based on their respective National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) Distress Thermometer score (DT) and Problem List (PL) and their clinical history. 105 patients were enrolled in the study.

Unexpected identification of obesity-associated mutations in LEP and MC4R genes in patients with anorexia nervosa.

Mutations leading to a reduced or loss of function in genes of the leptin-melanocortin system confer a risk for monogenic forms of obesity. Yet, gain of function variants in the melanocortin-4-receptor (MC4R) gene predispose to a lower BMI. In individuals with reduced body weight, we thus expected mutations leading to an enhanced function in the respective genes, like leptin (LEP) and MC4R.

A Glimmer of Hope for Patients with a T3 Transformation Zone: miRNAs Are Potential Biomarkers for Cervical Dysplasia.

Background: This pilot study assesses the potential use of miRNAs in the triage of colposcopy patients with type 3 (nonvisible) cervical transformation zone (TZ). Type 3 TZ is a constitutional finding associated with many problems and controversies in colposcopy patient management. Here, we present miRNAs as a potential biomarker for the detection of CIN3 in these cases.

Chronic kidney disease is related to impaired left ventricular strain as assessed by cardiac magnetic resonance imaging in patients with ischemic cardiomyopathy.

Introduction: Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is an important cardiovascular risk factor. However, the relationship between CKD and myocardial strain as a parameter of myocardial function is still incompletely understood, particularly in patients with ischemic cardiomyopathy (ICM). Cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (CMR) feature tracking allows to analyze myocardial strain with high reproducibility.

Mapping cardiac remodeling in chronic kidney disease.

Patients with advanced chronic kidney disease (CKD) mostly die from sudden cardiac death and recurrent heart failure. The mechanisms of cardiac remodeling are largely unclear. To dissect molecular and cellular mechanisms of cardiac remodeling in CKD in an unbiased fashion, we performed left ventricular single-nuclear RNA sequencing in two mouse models of CKD.

Spontaneous activity in peripheral sensory nerves: a systematic review.

In the peripheral nervous system, spontaneous activity in sensory neurons is considered to be one of the 2 main drivers of chronic pain states, alongside neuronal sensitization. Despite this, the precise nature and timing of this spontaneous activity in neuropathic pain is not well-established. Here, we have performed a systematic search and data extraction of existing electrophysiological literature to shed light on which fibre types have been shown to maintain spontaneous activity and over what time frame.

Lipocalin 2 - mutation screen and serum levels in patients with anorexia nervosa or obesity and in lean individuals.

Context: The bone-derived adipokine lipocalin-2 is relevant for body weight regulation by stimulating the leptin-melanocortin pathway.

Objective: We aimed to (i) detect variants in the lipocalin-2 gene () which are relevant for body weight regulation and/or anorexia nervosa (AN); (ii) describe and characterize the impact of and variants on circulating lipocalin-2 level.

Methods: Sanger sequencing of the coding region of in 284 children and adolescents with severe obesity or 287 patients with anorexia nervosa.

Predictors of CIN2+ in Patients with PAP III-P (ASC-H): A Cross-Sectional Study.

Background: This study aims to investigate whether specific characteristics of the patient group with ASC-H (PAP III-p) findings increase the likelihood of clinically significant disease (CIN2+), offering implications for risk-adapted clinical management.

Methods: 225 patients with an ASC-H smear presenting to our colposcopy unit between 2014 and 2021 were identified and examined retrospectively. A total of 203 patients were included in the cross-sectional study using multivariate logistic regression.

Health-related quality of life outcomes following Roux-en-Y gastric bypass versus one anastomosis gastric bypass.

Purpose: Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RYGB) and one anastomosis gastric bypass (OAGB) are effective standard bariatric surgeries with comparable weight loss and remission of obesity-related comorbidities. As procedure-specific health-related quality of life (HrQoL) outcomes have not been directly compared thus far, we conducted this questionnaire-based study.

Methods: Two hundred forty patients after undergoing either RYGB or OAGB between 2011 and 2016 were contacted and asked to fill out SF36 and BAROS questionnaires.

Influence of polypropylene mesh degradation on tissue inflammatory reaction.

Polypropylene degradation in vivo appears as mesh surface cracking and peeling. This aging process of the mesh, resulting in the lack of bio-stability, contradicts the requirement of biocompatibility. However, to date, it is still not clearly established how much this mesh degradation influences the local tissue response with subsequent clinical consequences.

Adverse Drug Reactions in Children: Comparison of Reports Collected in a Pharmacovigilance Project Versus Spontaneously Collected ADR Reports.

Background: Adverse drug reactions (ADRs) and medication errors in children may result from a lack of appropriate drugs, dosages, and pharmaceutical forms. In addition, children may respond differently to drugs than adults. Reporting of ADRs in the pediatric population is therefore of importance in order to increase the amount of safety data.

Quantitative Flow Ratio Is Related to Anatomic Left Main Stem Lesion Parameters as Assessed by Intravascular Imaging.

Introduction: Previously, an association between anatomic left main stem (LMS) lesion parameters, as described by intravascular ultrasound (IVUS) and fractional flow reserve (FFR), was shown. Quantitative flow ratio (QFR) is a novel, promising technique which can assess functional stenosis relevance based only on angiography. However, as little is known about the relationship between anatomic LMS parameters and QFR, it was thus investigated in this study.

An English list of trait words including valence, social desirability, and observability ratings.

To enable flexible and controlled research on personality, information processing, and interactions in socio-emotional contexts, the availability of highly controlled stimulus material, especially trait words and related attributes, is indispensable. Existing word databases contain mainly nouns and rating dimensions, and their role in studies within socio-emotional contexts are limited. This study aimed to create an English list of traits (ELoT), a database containing 500 trait adjectives rated by a large sample (n = 822, 57.

PTBP2 - a gene with relevance for both Anorexia nervosa and body weight regulation.

Genetic factors are relevant for both eating disorders and body weight regulation. A recent genome-wide association study (GWAS) for anorexia nervosa (AN) detected eight genome-wide significant chromosomal loci. One of these loci, rs10747478, was also genome-wide and significantly associated with body mass index (BMI).

A Microanalysis of Mood and Self-Reported Functionality in Stroke Patients Using Ecological Momentary Assessment.

Post-stroke depression has been repeatedly associated with the degree of functional and cognitive impairment. The present study aimed to conduct a microanalysis on this association and examined the association between mood and self-reported functionality in 20 stroke patients (6 females, age: = 59.9, = 5.