Deep Equilibrium Unfolding Learning for Noise Estimation and Removal in Optical Molecular Imaging.

In clinical optical molecular imaging, the need for real-time high frame rates and low excitation doses to ensure patient safety inherently increases susceptibility to detection noise. Faced with the challenge of image degradation caused by severe noise, image denoising is essential for mitigating the trade-off between acquisition cost and image quality. However, prevailing deep learning methods exhibit uncontrollable and suboptimal performance with limited interpretability, primarily due to neglecting underlying physical model and frequency information.

Designing and clinical application of a 3D-printed personalized model of a radiofrequency needle guide with a maxillary fixator for puncture of the gasserian ganglion for trigeminal neuralgia treatment.

Objective: The purpose of this study was to present a newly designed 3D-printed personalized model (3D PPM) of a radiofrequency needle guide with a maxillary fixation for gasserian ganglion (GG) puncture.

Methods: Implementation of 3D CT-guided radiofrequency therapy of the GG with and without use of 3D PPM was analyzed. The following parameters were assessed: radiation time, dose area product, air kerma reference point, pain severity during the puncture needle insertion, prosopalgia regression degree (according to visual analog scale) and the severity of facial numbness (according to the Barrow Neurological Institute scale) in the early postoperative period, and postpuncture complications.

Computational Insights into Membrane Disruption by Cell-Penetrating Peptides.

Cell-penetrating peptides (CPPs) can translocate into cells without inducing cytotoxicity. The internalization process implies several steps at different time scales ranging from microseconds to minutes. We combine adaptive Steered Molecular Dynamics (aSMD) with conventional Molecular Dynamics (cMD) to observe nonequilibrium and equilibrium states to study the early mechanisms of peptide-bilayer interaction leading to CPPs internalization.

Synthesis of Unprotected Racemic Tryptophan Derivatives Using Gramine via Nickel(II) Complex.

A chemical method for the preparation of nonprotected tryptophan via nickel(II) complexes under simple operating conditions was established. The carefully designed nickel(II) glycinates are inexpensive and can be quantitatively recovered releasing the target tryptophans in high yield. The method has a wide range of synthesis generality, allowing the preparation of various substituted tryptophans.

The Coexistence of Carotico-Clinoid Foramen and Interclinoidal Osseous Bridge: An Anatomo-Radiological Study With Surgical Implications.

Background And Objectives: The coexistence of complete carotico-clinoid bridge (CCB), an ossification between the anterior (ACP) and the middle clinoid (MCP), and an interclinoidal osseous bridge (ICB), between the ACP and the posterior clinoid (PCP), represents an uncommonly reported anatomic variant. If not adequately recognized, osseous bridges may complicate open or endoscopic surgery, along with the pneumatization of the ACP, especially when performing anterior or middle clinoidectomies.

Methods: According to Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses for Scoping Reviews guidelines, a systematic scoping review was conducted up to June 5, 2023.

Incidence and predictors of weaning failure from veno-arterial extracorporeal membrane oxygenation therapy in patients with cardiogenic shock.

Aims: This study aimed to investigate incidence and predictors of weaning failure and in-hospital death after successful weaning from veno-arterial extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (VA-ECMO) in patients with cardiogenic shock (CS).

Methods And Results: Overall, 685 patients with CS treated with VA-ECMO from 23 tertiary care centres in 7 countries were analysed (median age 57 [interquartile range 49-66] years, 542 [79.1%] male, median lactate 7.

A Hybrid BN-doped nanographene with narrow emission bandwidths for OLEDs.

We describe synthesis of BN-doped nanographene containing five phenylene units, boron and nitrogen atoms with both alternating ortho-disposition as well as direct B-N connection. Resulting BN doped nanographene exhibits blue fluorescence at 441 nm with extraordinary narrow fluorescence peak with full width at half maximum (FWHM) = 10-11 nm. Crystallography reveals supramolecular organization of this compound in the crystal phase.

Lack of context modulation in human single neuron responses in the medial temporal lobe.

In subjects implanted with intracranial electrodes, we use two different stories involving the same person (or place) to evaluate whether and to what extent context modulates human single-neuron responses. Nearly all neurons (97% during encoding and 100% during recall) initially responding to a person/place do not modulate their response with context. Likewise, nearly none (<1%) of the initially non-responsive neurons show conjunctive coding, responding to particular persons/places in a particular context during the tasks.

Post-hoc analysis of the tofogliflozin post-marketing surveillance study (J-STEP/LT): Tofogliflozin improves liver function in type 2 diabetes patients regardless of BMI.

Aims/introduction: Patients with type 2 diabetes are at high risk of developing steatotic liver disease (SLD). Weight loss has proven effective in treating metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD) in obese patients with type 2 diabetes, with sodium-glucose cotransporter 2 (SGLT2) inhibitors showing promising results. However, lean MASLD is more prevalent in Japan, necessitating alternative approaches to body weight reduction.

Intracranial neurenteric cyst in the cerebellopontine angle: a case report.

Neurenteric cysts, rare benign tumors, are most often found in the cervical or thoracic spinal cord, with intracranial occurrences being extremely uncommon. This case report describes a 52-year-old female with a neurenteric cyst in the cerebellopontine angle, presenting with headaches and balance disturbances. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) revealed a cystic lesion causing hydrocephalus, and surgical removal was performed using a retrosigmoid approach.

A case of simultaneous bilateral pulmonary resection for arteriovenous pulmonary malformation.

Pulmonary arteriovenous malformation (PAVM) is a congenital vascular pathology, which is caused by the presence of a direct connection between the branches of the artery and the veins of the lungs, and the discharge of unoxygenated blood into the arterial bed. Arteriovenous malformations are characterized by a wide variety of clinical manifestations and, in some cases, may be accompanied with severe circulatory disorders.

Determinants of COVID-19 vaccination coverage in European and Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) countries.

Introduction: In relatively wealthy countries, substantial between-country variability in COVID-19 vaccination coverage occurred. We aimed to identify influential national-level determinants of COVID-19 vaccine uptake at different COVID-19 pandemic stages in such countries.

Methods: We considered over 50 macro-level demographic, healthcare resource, disease burden, political, socio-economic, labor, cultural, life-style indicators as explanatory factors and coverage with at least one dose by June 2021, completed initial vaccination protocols by December 2021, and booster doses by June 2022 as outcomes.

Fabrication of high-density vertical CNT arrays using thin porous alumina template for biosensing applications.

This paper explores the process of forming arrays of vertically oriented carbon nanotubes (CNTs) localized on metal electrodes using thin porous anodic alumina (PAA) on a solid substrate. On a silicon substrate, a titanium film served as the electrode layer, and an aluminium film served as the base layer in the initial film structure. A PAA template was formed from the Al film using two-step electrochemical anodizing.

Cultural Effects on the Performance of Older Haitian Immigrants on Timed Cognitive Tests.

Background: Ignoring the cultural factors that can affect performance on cognitive tests may result in use of tests that have not been validated for that group. One example is testing of Haitian Creole speaking adults who are increasingly affected by Alzheimer's disease and related dementias, for whom few tests have been validated.

Aims: Our purpose is to describe differences in timed test performance between Haitian Creole and English-speaking participants and explore factors that may account for any differences in results found.

German evidence- and consensus-based guideline on the management of penile urethritis.

Urethritis is a common condition predominantly caused by sexually transmitted pathogens such as Chlamydia trachomatis, Neisseria gonorrhoeae, and Mycoplasma genitalium. It is not possible to differentiate with certainty between pathogens on the basis of clinical characteristics alone. However, empirical antibiotic therapy is often initiated in clinical practice.

Indication of air pollution based on the comparison of mercury and other elements in the faeces of marmots from the Western Carpathians and the Dzungarian Alatau.

The Dzungarian Alatau in Central Asia and the Western Carpathians in Central Europe are exposed to anthropogenic sources of pollution that are impacting high-altitude mountain systems through long-range transport of emissions. Based on analyses of the autumn faeces of two species of marmots (Marmota baibacina from the alpine habitats of Zhongar Alatau National Park, Marmota marmota latirostris from the alpine habitats of the Western Tatras), we determined the environmental load of mercury and other chemical elements. Our results show significantly higher levels of total mercury amounts (p < 0.

Renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system activation in plasma as marker for prognosis in critically ill patients with COVID-19: a prospective exploratory study.

Background: Acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) associated with coronavirus infectious disease (COVID)-19 has been a challenge in intensive care medicine for the past three years. Dysregulation of the renin-angiotensin system (RAS) is linked to COVID-19, but also to non-COVID-19 ARDS. It is still unclear whether changes in the RAS are associated with prognosis of severe COVID-19.

Red Blood Cell Distribution Width May Predict Drug-Induced Anemia and Prognosis in Patients Affected by Primary/Secondary Myelofibrosis Treated with Ruxolitinib.

Introduction: Myelofibrosis (MF) is often characterized by a multifactorial anemia determined, in part, by bone marrow (BM) fibrosis, extramedullary erythropoiesis and splenomegaly. Ruxolitinib (RUX) is the first-in-class janus kinase 2 (JAK2) inhibitor approved for treatment of MF, proved to reduce spleen volume and decrease symptom burden. The red cell distribution width (RDW) is the measure of erythrocyte volume variability (anisocytosis).

Treatment of Venous Thromboembolism with Edoxaban over 18 Months: Results from ETNA-VTE Europe.

Background:  The benefits and risks of extending anticoagulant treatment beyond the first 3 to 6 months in patients with venous thromboembolism (VTE) in clinical practice are not well understood.

Methods:  ETNA-VTE Europe is a prospective, noninterventional, post-authorization study in unselected patients with VTE treated with edoxaban in eight European countries for up to 18 months. Recurrent VTE, major bleeding, and all-cause death were the primary study outcomes.

Concurrent RB1 and P53 pathway disruption predisposes to the development of a primitive neuronal component in high-grade gliomas depending on MYC-driven EBF3 transcription.

The foremost feature of glioblastoma (GBM), the most frequent malignant brain tumours in adults, is a remarkable degree of intra- and inter-tumour heterogeneity reflecting the coexistence within the tumour bulk of different cell populations displaying distinctive genetic and transcriptomic profiles. GBM with primitive neuronal component (PNC), recently identified by DNA methylation-based classification as a peculiar GBM subtype (GBM-PNC), is a poorly recognized and aggressive GBM variant characterised by nodules containing cells with primitive neuronal differentiation along with conventional GBM areas. In addition, the presence of a PNC component has been also reported in IDH-mutant high-grade gliomas (HGGs), and to a lesser extent to other HGGs, suggesting that regardless from being IDH-mutant or IDH-wildtype, peculiar genetic and/or epigenetic events may contribute to the phenotypic skewing with the emergence of the PNC phenotype.

A Long-Term Retrospective Observational Clinical Study Evaluating the Efficacy of Plasma Rich in Growth Factors (PRGF) in the Treatment of Back Pain.

Introduction: Chronic back pain is a long-lasting disorder that is significantly associated with a reduction in the quality of life. Previously, the efficacy of intradiscal and epidural injections of plasma rich in growth factors (PRGF) was demonstrated at 6 months. The objective of this study was to retrospectively examine the medical records of these patients in order to determine whether the observed improvement at the 6-month follow-up was sustained over time.