Analysis of explanted Essure® devices.

Objective: The objective of this study was to understand the behavior of explanted Essure® devices in humans, focusing on the atomic composition of the device in different areas.

Methods: We collected 50 explanted Essure® devices (Bayer, Switzerland), in 29 patients. The following systematic investigations were performed on each devices: eye-nacked and optical microscopy, X-ray Faxitron, spectral analysis, elemental analysis of the metallic structure to accurately define the metallic composition of the spire and correlate these findings with macroscopic and microscopic observations.

A prudent planetary limit for geologic carbon storage.

Geologically storing carbon is a key strategy for abating emissions from fossil fuels and durably removing carbon dioxide (CO) from the atmosphere. However, the storage potential is not unlimited. Here we establish a prudent planetary limit of around 1,460 (1,290-2,710) Gt of CO storage through a risk-based, spatially explicit analysis of carbon storage in sedimentary basins.

Synergistic Micro-Nano Architecture In Silica Fiber Scaffolds Accelerates Wound Healing.

Wound healing is an intricate physiological process, with acute and chronic wounds imposing significant burdens on the healthcare systems worldwide. This study reports the development fully biodegradable silica gel fiber (SGF) scaffolds for enhanced skin tissue regeneration. Three types of wound dressings, differing in their structure, are fabricated: pressure-spun silica gel µ-fibers (pSGF) allowing cell penetration, electrospun sub-µ silica gel fibers (eSGF) mimicking an extracellular matrix (ECM)-like sub-µ-structure with narrow mesh sizes allowing no cell ingrowth, and a hybrid scaffold combining both fiber types (peSGF) that combines the advantages of both structures.

Conserved LIR-specific interaction of Sigma-1 receptor and GABARAP.

Among its various functions, the sigma-1 receptor (σ1R) has been reported to modulate macroautophagy. It is currently unknown how this activity is mediated. We phylogenetically, structurally, and biochemically analyzed σ1R regarding its function in autophagy.

A Distinct miRNA Profile in Intimal Hyperplasia of Failed Arteriovenous Fistulas Reveals Key Pathogenic Pathways.

Intimal hyperplasia (IH) compromises the patency of arteriovenous fistula (AVF) vascular access in patients with end-stage kidney disease. Uncontrolled cell proliferation and migration, driven by inflammation, shear stress and surgery, are well-known triggers in IH. Recently, microRNAs (miRNAs) have emerged as regulators of core mechanisms in cardiovascular diseases and as potential markers of IH.

Multinational validation of distant metastasis velocity as a post-progression prognostic score in patients with oligometastatic cancer treated with metastasis-directed stereotactic body radiotherapy.

Background: Distant progression is the predominant failure pattern after metastasis-directed stereotactic body radiotherapy (SBRT) for oligometastatic disease, but prognostic tools to guide post-progression management are lacking. We aimed to validate the prognostic value of distant metastasis velocity (DMV) for overall survival (OS) and widespread failure-free survival (WFFS) after distant progression.

Methods: Two independent international cohorts of patients with extracranial oligometastatic disease (≤5 lesions) who developed distant progression after SBRT were analyzed.

Randomized controlled trial of semi-individualized 3D-printed tissue retraction devices vs. standard shielding splints in head and neck cancer treated with intensity-modulated and particle radiotherapy (GUARD).

Background And Purpose: This randomized controlled trial evaluated whether tissue-retraction devices (TRDs) lessen severe radiation-induced oral mucositis (RIOM) versus standard flexible intraoral shielding splints (IOS) in patients receiving intensity-modulated radiotherapy (IMRT), carbon-ion RT, or combined-modality RT for head-and-neck cancer (HNC). Although TRDs may spare normal tissue, randomized evidence with an active control under contemporary RT techniques remains scarce.

Materials And Methods: HNC patients requiring RT at University Hospital Heidelberg (2020-2023) were randomized 1:1 to receive a semi-individualized, 3D-printed TRD or standard IOS.

Non-dietary personal pesticide exposure using silicone wristbands across 10 European countries.

Individuals are exposed to pesticides via dietary and non-dietary exposure routes. There is a growing need for aggregated exposure estimates across occupationally and non-occupationally exposed populations. Exposure to current-use and legacy pesticides was studied using silicone wristbands worn by farmers, residents living close to treated fields (neighbors), and the general population (consumers), in total, 641 participants across 10 European countries.

Differences in postural strategies between children with and without ADHD in tasks of static and dynamic balance.

Background: Many children with ADHD experience challenges with balance and postural control, unlike their unaffected peers. While postural sway has been extensively studied in this patient group, less is known about the postural strategies employed to maintain equilibrium. This study extends the examination of hip and ankle postural strategies by including an upper body strategy involving movements of the head, arms, and trunk to regain balance.

Traceable Assessment of the Absorbed Power Density of Body Mounted Devices at Frequencies Above 10 GHz.

In this study, a comprehensive approach for the experimental assessment of the absorbed power density (APD) is developed. The method includes several novel components: (i) a specialized probe, (ii) a composite phantom, (iii) a reconstruction technique, (iv) a calibration method, and (v) a validation process. The described solution has been developed for the frequency range from 24 to 30 GHz, but can be extended to all frequency bands between 10 and 45 GHz.

Clade Distillation for Genome-wide Association Studies.

Testing inferred haplotype genealogies for association with phenotypes has been a longstanding goal in human genetics given their potential to detect association signals driven by allelic heterogeneity - when multiple causal variants modulate a phenotype - in both coding and noncoding regions. Recent scalable methods for inferring locus-specific genealogical trees along the genome, or representations thereof, have made substantial progress towards this goal; however, the problem of testing these trees for association with phenotypes has remained unsolved due to the growth in the number of clades with increasing sample size. To address this issue, we introduce several practical improvements to the kalis ancestry inference engine, including a general optimal checkpointing algorithm for decoding hidden Markov models, thereby enabling efficient genome-wide analyses.

Controversies in NEN: An ENETS position statement on the treatment of patients with Grade 3 well-differentiated neuroendocrine tumours of the gastro-enteropancreatic tract.

Grade 3 neuroendocrine tumours (NET G3) represent approximately 20% of high-grade neuroendocrine neoplasms, and the recent identification of this entity has given rise to many unanswered questions relating to clinical management. The prognosis for these patients is worse than for those with Grade 1-2 well-differentiated NET, but better than for those with Grade 3 poorly differentiated neuroendocrine carcinoma. This consensus statement aims to address some uncertainties and explore unmet needs in the management of patients with NET G3.

Serological differentiation between naturally acquired mpox and MVA-BN-vaccine induced antibody responses using ratios of MPXV and VACV antigen pairs in the MSD immunoassay.

Unlabelled: This study's aim was to evaluate and benchmark the gold-standard methods neutralization test (NT) and immunofluorescence (IF), against a model linked to a multiplex immunoassay method for analysis of the highly cross-reactive serological responses against the monkeypox (MPXV)- and vaccinia (VACV) viruses. Serum samples from men who have sex with men were analyzed (22 with previous PCR-confirmed mpox episode, 53 MVA-BN-vaccinated, 61 unexposed to infection/vaccination). In-house NTs and IF established titers of mpox- and vaccinia-specific neutralizing and binding IgG antibodies, respectively.

Characterizing Socioeconomic Factors That Influence Treatment Selection in Myxoid Liposarcoma: A Population-Based Study From the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results Database.

Introduction: Myxoid liposarcoma (MLS) is the second most common liposarcoma, representing 6% of adult soft-tissue sarcomas. This study examines differences in treatment types and survival outcomes by income and rurality in MLS patients.

Methods: A retrospective cohort study was conducted using the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results database for MLS patients from 2000 to 2021.

Exenatide for diagnosing endogenous hyperinsulinemic hypoglycemia: a randomized placebo-controlled, double-blind, cross-over proof-of-principle study.

Objective: The 72 h fasting test, gold standard for diagnosing endogenous hyperinsulinemic hypoglycemia (EHH), is cumbersome and costly. We evaluated exenatide, a GLP-1 receptor agonist, as a faster, less burdensome alternative diagnostic tool.

Design And Methods: In this prospective, placebo-controlled, double-blind, randomized cross-over, proof-of-principle study, 10 μg intravenous exenatide was compared to placebo in 14 patients with confirmed EHH in a fasting test.

Intraoperative Navigation, 3D Printed Prostheses, and Conventional Techniques in Femoral and Tibial Tumor Resections: A Systematic Review.

Technological advancements in orthopaedic oncology continue to augment our approach to surgical interventions. However, the impact on patient outcomes following lower extremity bone tumor resections remains under-characterized. This systematic review identifies the impact of various technological advancements on post-operative outcomes.

High Voltage and Train-Surfing Injuries: A 30-Year Retrospective Analysis of High-Voltage Trauma and Its Impact on Cardiac Biomarkers.

: High-voltage electrical injuries (HVEIs) represent a complex and life-threatening entity, frequently involving multi-organ damage. While traditionally linked to occupational hazards, train surfing-riding on moving trains-and train climbing-scaling stationary carriages-have emerged as increasingly common causes among adolescents. Popularized via social media, these behaviors expose individuals to the invisible danger of electric arcs from 15,000-volt railway lines, often resulting in extensive burns, cardiac complications, and severe trauma.

Diagnostic and prognostic utility of endocan in suspected myocardial infarction: an international cohort study.

Background: The possible clinical utility of endocan, a novel inflammatory biomarker involved in the initiation and progression of atherosclerosis, is largely unknown. We aimed to evaluate its diagnostic and prognostic performance in chest pain patients presenting to the emergency department (ED).

Methods: We prospectively enrolled patients presenting with suspected myocardial infarction (MI) to the ED in an international multicenter study.

Congenital hyperinsulinemic hypoglycemia with a new HADH mutation and pancreatic overexpression of GLP-1 receptors.

Background: The most common cause of endogenous hyperinsulinemic hypoglycemia in neonates (congenital hyperinsulinemic hypoglycemia; CHH) are different monogenic form of gene mutations. About 50% of the mutations are known. We present a new mutation within the short-chain L-3-hydroxyacyl-CoA dehydrogenase (HADH) gene causing CHH in two related patients.

Neonatology Providers Need Education About Cystic Fibrosis Newborn Screening Algorithms.

An essential link in the cystic fibrosis (CF) newborn screening (NBS) process is communication of results. While this is described between NBS programs and primary care providers, data of this occurrence is limited with neonatologists. Neonatology providers represent a group caring for critically ill infants with conditions that can impact their ability to complete diagnostic testing after an abnormal NBS.

Enhancing diagnostic innovation by leveraging the co-creation approach.

Digital innovation in precision diagnostics requires addressing complex challenges, such as implementation, adoption, equity, and sustainability. This study introduces a co-creation framework that leverages the pre-competitive space to drive collaborative innovation in personalized diagnostics. Over 5 years, a multidisciplinary community of stakeholders from computational pathology, oncology, genetics, digital medicine, and industry engaged in design-thinking workshops to identify unmet medical needs and co-develop solutions.

Income and Rurality Impact Overall Survival but not Cause-Specific Survival in Patients With Chondrosarcoma: A Population-Based Study From the SEER Database.

Background And Objectives: Previous studies evaluating socioeconomic status (SES) in bone malignancies such as chondrosarcoma used the Cox Proportional Hazards model, which might overestimate risk compared to cause-specific models like the Fine-Gray model. This study aims to evaluate the prognostic significance of income status in chondrosarcoma using both models.

Methods: We performed a retrospective cohort study using the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) database for patients diagnosed with chondrosarcoma.

Improving risk assessment of local failure in brain metastases patients using vision transformers - A multicentric development and validation study.

Background And Purpose: This study investigates the use of Vision Transformers (ViTs) to predict Freedom from Local Failure (FFLF) in patients with brain metastases using pre-operative MRI scans. The goal is to develop a model that enhances risk stratification and informs personalized treatment strategies.

Materials And Methods: Within the AURORA retrospective trial, patients (n = 352) who received surgical resection followed by post-operative stereotactic radiotherapy (SRT) were collected from seven hospitals.