A Survey of Preoperative, Perioperative, and Postoperative Management Practices for Testicular Torsion in Pediatric Patients among European Surgeons.

Introduction:  Management of testicular torsion varies between specialties resulting in lack of standardization. The aim of this survey was to assess pre-, peri-, and postoperative differences.

Methods:  An online questionnaire was distributed in 2023 to general and pediatric surgeons, pediatric urologists, and urologists by the Trainees of European Pediatric Surgery.

Distinguishing glioblastoma progression from treatment-related changes using DTI directionality growth analysis.

Background: It is difficult to distinguish between tumor progression (TP) and treatment-related abnormalities (TRA) in treated glioblastoma patients via conventional MRI, but this distinction is crucial for treatment decision making. Glioblastoma is known to exhibit an invasive growth pattern along white matter architecture and vasculature. This study quantified lesion development patterns in treated glioblastoma lesions and their relation to white matter microstructure to distinguish TP from TRA.

Influence of Anatomy-Based Fitting in Cochlear Implant Users on Music Perception Using the Montreal Battery of Evaluation of Amusia.

Objectives: The aim is to investigate the influence of the anatomy-based fitting (ABF) in cochlear implants (CI) on the perception of specific musical features.

Design: The Montreal Battery of Evaluation of Amusia (MBEA) test battery was performed with a collective of 16 CI users with and without an anatomy-based fitting and 9 normal hearing subjects. The insertion angles of the intracochlear electrode arrays were calculated using Otoplan® (MED-EL, Innsbruck, Austria) software.

How to evaluate perfusion imaging in post-treatment glioma: a comparison of three different analysis methods.

Introduction: Dynamic susceptibility contrast (DSC) perfusion weighted (PW)-MRI can aid in differentiating treatment related abnormalities (TRA) from tumor progression (TP) in post-treatment glioma patients. Common methods, like the 'hot spot', or visual approach suffer from oversimplification and subjectivity. Using perfusion of the complete lesion potentially offers an objective and accurate alternative.

Which Comprehensive Geriatric Assessment (CGA) instruments are currently used in Germany: a survey.

Background: The Comprehensive Geriatric Assessment (CGA) records geriatric syndromes in a standardized manner, allowing individualized treatment tailored to the patient's needs and resources. Its use has shown a beneficial effect on the functional outcome and survival of geriatric patients. A recently published German S1 guideline for level 2 CGA provides recommendations for the use of a broad variety of different assessment instruments for each geriatric syndrome.

Initial Characterization of a Transgenic Mouse with Overexpression of the Human H-Histamine Receptor on the Heart.

There is a debate on whether H-histamine receptors can alter contractility in the mammalian heart. We studied here a new transgenic mouse model where we increased genetically the cardiac level of the H-histamine receptor. We wanted to know if histamine could augment or decrease contractile parameters in mice with cardiac-specific overexpression of human H-histamine receptors (H-TG) and compared these findings with those in littermate wild-type mice (WT).

Cardiomyocyte maturation alters molecular stress response capacities and determines cell survival upon mitochondrial dysfunction.

Cardiomyocyte maturation during pre- and postnatal development requires multiple intertwined processes, including a switch in energy generation from glucose utilization in the embryonic heart towards fatty acid oxidation after birth. This is accompanied by a boost in mitochondrial mass to increase capacities for oxidative phosphorylation and ATP generation required for efficient contraction. Whether cardiomyocyte differentiation is paralleled by augmented capacities to deal with reactive oxygen species (ROS), physiological byproducts of the mitochondrial electron transport chain (ETC), is less clear.

Perception of Specific Musical Attributes in Dependence of the Insertion Depth of Cochlear Implant Electrodes Using the Montreal Battery of Evaluation of Amusia.

Hypothesis: The insertion angle of the electrode array has an influence on the perception of different musical features.

Background: A deeper insertion of the electrodes is associated with a greater coverage of the cochlea with possible stimulus locations. This could lead to an improved or extended perception of pitches and pitch changes as well as to a better perception of contours in musical pieces.

The effects of induced type I diabetes on developmental regulation of GDNF, NRTN, and NCAM proteins in the dentate gyrus of male rat offspring.

Background: Maternal diabetes during pregnancy can affect the neurological development of offspring. Glial cell-derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF), neurturin (NRTN), and neural cell adhesion molecules (NCAM) are three important proteins for brain development. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the impacts of the mentioned neurotrophic factors in the hippocampal dentate gyrus (DG) of rat offspring born to diabetic mothers.

Central intra-lesional iron deposits as a possible novel imaging marker at 7 Tesla MRI in Susac Syndrome - an exploratory study.

Background: Susac syndrome (SuS) is a rare autoimmune disease that leads to hearing impairment, visual field deficits, and encephalopathy due to an occlusion of precapillary arterioles in the brain, retina, and inner ear. Given the potentially disastrous outcome and difficulties in distinguishing SuS from its differential diagnoses, such as multiple sclerosis (MS), our exploratory study aimed at identifying potential new SuS-specific neuroimaging markers.

Methods: Seven patients with a definite diagnosis of SuS underwent magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) at 7 Tesla (7T), including T2* weighted and quantitative susceptibility mapping (QSM) sequences.

Bi-allelic genetic variants in the translational GTPases GTPBP1 and GTPBP2 cause a distinct identical neurodevelopmental syndrome.

The homologous genes GTPBP1 and GTPBP2 encode GTP-binding proteins 1 and 2, which are involved in ribosomal homeostasis. Pathogenic variants in GTPBP2 were recently shown to be an ultra-rare cause of neurodegenerative or neurodevelopmental disorders (NDDs). Until now, no human phenotype has been linked to GTPBP1.

In situ lipid-loading activates peripheral dendritic cell subsets characterized by cellular ROS accumulation but compromises their capacity to prime naïve T cells.

Background And Aims: Dendritic cells (DCs), professional antigen-presenting cells, play an important role in pathologies by controlling adaptive immune responses. However, their adaptation to and functionality in hypercholesterolemia, a driving factor in disease onset and progression of atherosclerosis remains to be established.

Methods: In this study, we addressed the immediate impact of high fat diet-induced hypercholesterolemia in low-density lipoprotein receptor deficient (Ldlr) mice on separate DC subsets, their compartmentalization and functionality.

Patient Satisfaction and Radiologic Assessability After Treatment of Complex Skull Defects With a Custom-Made Cranioplasty From a Thin Titanium Sheet.

Objective: The cosmetically good coverage of skull defects is a challenge in neurosurgical clinics. In addition, the skull treated with implants and the underlying structures must remain radiologically assessable. In this examination, the postoperative courses of patients after implantation of CranioTop is described.

Webcam-based eye-tracking to measure visual expertise of medical students during online histology training.

Objectives: Visual expertise is essential for image-based tasks that rely on visual cues, such as in radiology or histology. Studies suggest that eye movements are related to visual expertise and can be measured by near-infrared eye-tracking. With the popularity of device-embedded webcam eye-tracking technology, cost-effective use in educational contexts has recently become amenable.

Dopaminergic systems create reward seeking despite adverse consequences.

Resource-seeking behaviours are ordinarily constrained by physiological needs and threats of danger, and the loss of these controls is associated with pathological reward seeking. Although dysfunction of the dopaminergic valuation system of the brain is known to contribute towards unconstrained reward seeking, the underlying reasons for this behaviour are unclear. Here we describe dopaminergic neural mechanisms that produce reward seeking despite adverse consequences in Drosophila melanogaster.

Large language models: Are artificial intelligence-based chatbots a reliable source of patient information for spinal surgery?

Purpose: Large language models (LLM) have recently attracted attention because of their enormous performance. Based on artificial intelligence, LLM enable dialogic communication using quasi-natural language that approximates the quality of human communication. Thus, LLM could play an important role for patients to become informed.

Targeting ACC1 in T cells ameliorates psoriatic skin inflammation.

Psoriasis is a chronic inflammatory skin disease driven by the IL-23/IL-17 axis. It results from excessive activation of effector T cells, including T helper (Th) and cytotoxic T (Tc) cells, and is associated with dysfunctional regulatory T cells (Tregs). Acetyl-CoA carboxylase 1 (ACC1), a rate-limiting enzyme of fatty acid synthesis (FAS), directs cell fate decisions between Th17 and Tregs and thus could be a promising therapeutic target for psoriasis treatment.

Controversial Aspects of Diagnostics and Therapy of Idiopathic Condylar Resorption: An Analysis of Evidence- and Consensus-Based Recommendations Based on an Interdisciplinary Guideline Project.

Idiopathic condylar resorption (ICR), though a rare event, is associated with severe detrimental sequelae for the patient. To date, the etiology remains unknown, and treatment strategies are highly controversial. Therefore, the aim of this study is to present an analysis of the consensus- and evidence-based approach to ICR by a German interdisciplinary guideline project of the AWMF (Association of the Scientific Medical Societies in Germany).

Determinants of quality of life in adults with epilepsy: a multicenter, cross-sectional study from Germany.

Background: Assessment of quality of life (QoL) has become an important indicator for chronic neurological diseases. While these conditions often limit personal independence and autonomy, they are also associated with treatment-related problems and reduced life expectancy. Epilepsy has a tremendous impact on the QoL of patients and their families, which is often underestimated by practitioners.