Global survey on point-of-care ultrasound (pocus) use in child surgery.

Purpose: To undertake a global assessment of existing ultrasound practices, barriers to access, point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS) training pathways, and the perceived clinical utility of POCUS in Child Surgery.

Methods: An electronic survey was disseminated via the GICS (Global Initiative of Children's Surgery) network. 247 anonymized responses from 48 countries were collated.

Morphological and molecular data warrant the description of a new species of the genus (Anura, Megophryidae) from the Central Himalaya.

Recent phylogenetic studies in Himalayan lazy toads of the genus Theobald, 1868 revealed the presence of genetically deeply divergent lineages. The taxonomy of sensu lato was re-assessed based on museum material considering molecular and morphological data. The results strongly support the recognition of a new species, distributed along the Nepalese Kanjiroba massif.

Unveiling ophiuroid biodiversity across North Atlantic habitats via an integrative perspective.

The depths of the North Atlantic Ocean host a species-rich fauna providing heterogeneous habitats from thermal vent fields to cold-water coral reefs. With the increasing threat of destruction of deep-sea habitats due to human impacts, such as demersal fishing and the beginning of deep-sea mining, an analysis of the diversity and distribution of species is crucial for conservation efforts. Brittle stars occur in high biomasses, contributing to the biodiversity of the seafloor.

Fracture toughness of mixed-mode anticracks in highly porous materials.

When porous materials are subjected to compressive loads, localized failure chains, commonly termed anticracks, can occur and cause large-scale structural failure. Similar to tensile and shear cracks, the resistance to anticrack growth is governed by fracture toughness. Yet, nothing is known about the mixed-mode fracture toughness for highly porous materials subjected to shear and compression.

Isostructural Series of a Cyclometalated Iron Complex in Three Oxidation States.

An isostructural series of Fe, Fe, and Fe complexes [Fe(ImP)] utilizing the ImP 1,1'-(1,3-phenylene)bis(3-methyl-1-imidazol-2-ylidene) ligand, combining -heterocyclic carbenes and cyclometalating functions, is presented. The strong donor motif stabilizes the high-valent Fe oxidation state yet keeps the Fe oxidation state accessible from the parent Fe compound. Chemical oxidation of [Fe(ImP)] yields stable [Fe(ImP)].

Excitonic signatures of ferroelectric order in parallel-stacked MoS.

Interfacial ferroelectricity, prevalent in various parallel-stacked layered materials, allows switching of out-of-plane ferroelectric order by in-plane sliding of adjacent layers. Its resilience against doping potentially enables next-generation storage and logic devices. However, studies have been limited to indirect sensing or visualization of ferroelectricity.

Black carbon and particle lung-deposited surface area in residential wood combustion emissions: Effects of an electrostatic precipitator and photochemical aging.

Residential wood combustion (RWC) remains a significant global source of particulate matter (PM) emissions with adverse impacts on regional air quality, climate, and human health. The lung-deposited surface area (LDSA) and equivalent black carbon (eBC) concentrations have emerged as important metrics to assess particulate pollution. In this study we estimated combustion phase-dependent emission factors of LDSA for alveolar, tracheobronchial, and head-airway regions of human lungs and explored the relationships between eBC and LDSA in fresh and photochemically aged RWC emissions.

Pleural and pericardial effusions as prognostic factors in patients with acute pulmonary embolism: a multicenter study.

Purpose: The prognostic role of pleural and pericardial effusion in patients with acute pulmonary embolism (PE) is still unclear with a trend for worse clinical outcome. The aim of the present study was to demonstrate the prognostic role of pleural and pericardial effusion in patients with acute PE in a large multicentre setting.

Methods: The investigated patient sampled was retrospectively comprised of 1082 patients (494 female, 45.

Pharmacotherapy of motor symptoms in early and mid-stage Parkinson's disease: guideline "Parkinson's disease" of the German Society of Neurology.

Background And Objective: There are multiple pharmacological treatment options for motor symptoms of Parkinson's disease (PD). These comprise multiple drug classes which are approved for the condition, including levodopa, dopamine agonists, COMT inhibitors, MAO-B inhibitors, NMDA-receptor antagonists, anticholinergics, and others. Some of the drugs are approved for monotherapy and combination therapy while others are only approved as adjunctive therapy to levodopa.

Clinical cases referring to the 2023 EACTS/STS Guidelines for diagnosing and treating acute and chronic syndromes of the aortic organ.

Clinical cases referring to the EACTS/STS Guidelines for diagnosing and treating acute and chronic syndromes of the aortic organ aim to assist physicians in selecting the best management strategies for individual patients with a given condition. These expert opinions consider the impact on patient outcomes as well as the risk-benefit ratio of different diagnostic or therapeutic methods. These cases serve as a vital tool to aid physicians in making decisions in their daily practice.

Microplastic Particles and Fibers in Seasonal Ice of the Northern Baltic Sea.

Microplastic pollution is a pervasive issue, with remarkably high concentrations observed even in the most remote locations such as Arctic sea ice and snow. The reason for such large microplastic abundances in sea ice is still speculative and applies mainly to saline or freshwater conditions. In this study, we investigated seasonal ice core samples collected in March 2021 from the northern Baltic Sea (Gulf of Bothnia) for their microplastic distributions.

Will blood-informed design signal the fourth generation of cardiac assist devices?

Mechanical circulatory support devices have profoundly transformed the management of severe cardiothoracic disorders. While heart transplantation is the gold standard therapy for end-stage heart disease, long-term mechanical support devices are a viable alternative for those ineligible and/or those awaiting organ availability. Major technological advancements were made over first 5 decades of development, resulting in improved durability and survival with reduced adverse events.

The application of haplotypes instead of species-level ranks modifies the interpretation of ecological preferences in lichen symbiont interactions in Parmelia.

The analysis of the interaction between main bionts (mycobiont and photobiont) in the lichen symbiosis delivers substantial information about their preferences in the selection of symbiotic partners, and their ecological preferences. The selectivity in the Parmelia genus has been defined as strong so far. However, data on this lichen genus, which includes several widely distributed species, are biogeographically limited.

Generation, characterization, and toxicological assessment of reference ultrafine soot particles with different organic content for inhalation toxicological studies.

Ultrafine particles (UFP) are the smallest atmospheric particulate matter linked to air pollution-related diseases. The extent to which UFP's physical and chemical properties contribute to its toxicity remains unclear. It is hypothesized that UFP act as carriers for chemicals that drive biological responses.

Modeling of the native knee with kinematic data derived from experiments using the VIVO™ joint simulator: a feasibility study.

Background: Despite advances in total knee arthroplasty, many patients are still unsatisfied with the functional outcome. Multibody simulations enable a more efficient exploration of independent variables compared to experimental studies. However, to what extent numerical models can fully reproduce knee joint kinematics is still unclear.

Protein - carbohydrate interaction studies using domestic animals as role models support the search of new glycomimetic molecules.

The structural dynamics of the interactions between defensins or lysozymes and various saccharide chains that are covalently linked to lipids or proteins were analyzed in relation to the sub-molecular architecture of the carbohydrate binding sites of lectins. Using tissue materials from rare and endangered domestic animals as well as from dogs it was possible to compare these results with data obtained from a human glioblastoma tissue. The binding mechanisms were analyzed on a cellular and a sub-molecular size level using biophysical techniques (e.

Provenance Information for Biomedical Data and Workflows: Scoping Review.

Background: The record of the origin and the history of data, known as provenance, holds importance. Provenance information leads to higher interpretability of scientific results and enables reliable collaboration and data sharing. However, the lack of comprehensive evidence on provenance approaches hinders the uptake of good scientific practice in clinical research.

Corrosion of Polyester-Coated Magnesium Alloy under pH-Static Conditions.

The resorption rate of bioresorbable implants requires tuning to match the desired field of application. The use of Mg as implant material is highly advantageous, as it provides sufficient mechanical strength combined with its biodegradability. Consequently, the implant vanishes after it has served its intended purpose, allowing the complete restoration of natural tissue and organ function.

Radical Prostatectomy in Kidney Transplant Recipients-A Multicenter Experience.

Background And Objective: Kidney transplant recipients (KTRs) have an increased risk of developing genitourinary cancers, including prostate cancer (PCa), which is expected to become more prevalent due to an aging KTR population. Thus, knowledge of surgical outcomes, including treatment of PCa, within this unique cohort is required.

Methods: Data of 62 KTRs undergoing radical prostatectomy (RP) between 2006 and 2023 at nine urologic transplant centers were analyzed.

Data-driven and equation-free methods for neurological disorders: analysis and control of the striatum network.

The striatum as part of the basal ganglia is central to both motor, and cognitive functions. Here, we propose a large-scale biophysical network for this part of the brain, using modified Hodgkin-Huxley dynamics to model neurons, and a connectivity informed by a detailed human atlas. The model shows different spatio-temporal activity patterns corresponding to lower (presumably normal) and increased cortico-striatal activation (as found in, e.

Development of a drug delivering round window niche implant for cochlear pharmacotherapy.

Background: There exists an unfulfilled requirement for effective cochlear pharmacotherapy. Controlled local drug delivery could lead to effective bioavailability. The round window niche (RWN), a cavity in the middle ear, is connected to the cochlea via a membrane through which drug can diffuse.