Differential MRI atrophy profiles and incident dementia: A cross-national comparison.

BackgroundAlzheimer's disease (AD) is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder with extensive neuropathological and clinical heterogeneity.ObjectiveWe assessed empirically derived brain atrophy profiles in relation to incident AD dementia.MethodsA secondary data analysis of two prospective cohort studies was conducted, including participants without dementia from the Alzheimer's Disease Neuroimaging Initiative (ADNI;  = 1703) and the Czech Brain Aging Study (CBAS;  = 385).

A case series of newly described rare mesenchymal tumors of the knee and the role of molecular testing in their histopathological diagnosis.

Aims: In recent years, molecular methods have emerged as valuable tools for identifying novel characteristics and recognizing extremely rare entities, thereby enhancing our understanding of their occurrence. In this case series, we present four exceptionally rare mesenchymal lesions affecting the knee region. Each case posed unique challenges, highlighting the pivotal role of molecular testing in achieving accurate diagnoses.

Anatomy of Inferior Temporal Arteries in Relation to Middle Cranial Fossa Structures: A Postmortem Computed Tomography Angiography Study.

Objective: The inferior temporal arteries (ITAs), branches of the posterior cerebral artery (PCA), are critical vascular structures encountered during subtemporal surgical approaches. Anatomical data based on multiphase postmortem computed tomography angiography (MPMCTA) are provided as a tool for preoperative surgical planning to lower the risk of ITA injury.

Methods: Adult (≥18 years) cases that underwent MPMCTA during 2015 to 2023 and whose cause of death did not involve the cerebral circulation were included in the study.

Differential cued recall memory impairment in mild cognitive impairment due to Alzheimer's disease versus Parkinson's disease.

Both Alzheimer's (AD) and Parkinson's disease (PD) are often associated with memory dysfunction, but their pathophysiological underpinnings differ. The current research aimed to differentiate specific profiles of memory impairment due to AD versus PD. We used controlled learning and cued recall paradigm based on the Memory Binding Test (MBT) in 'clinically cognitively normal' controls (CN; n = 161), in patients with amnestic mild cognitive impairment due to AD (AD-aMCI; n = 50) and due to PD (PD-MCI; n = 22), and in PD with normal cognition (n = 18) as based on performance in the neuropsychological battery to prevent circularity in diagnostic decision-making.

Short-interval intravenous indocyanine green administration in pediatric laparoscopic cholecystectomy: a prospective evaluation of visualization and safety.

Purpose: Indocyanine green (ICG) fluorescence imaging enhances biliary visualization during pediatric laparoscopic cholecystectomy (LC), helping to identify anatomical variants and prevent bile duct injury. Standard pediatric recommendations suggest ICG administration 16-24 h preoperatively; however, this may be impractical. This study aims to evaluate the safety and effectiveness of short-interval ICG administration.

Impact of Auditory Deprivation on Tennis Performance and Perceived Exertion.

Purpose: This study aimed to evaluate the impact of auditory deprivation on tennis-stroke accuracy and perceived exertion among tennis players, with a focus on understanding how auditory inputs affect sport performance.

Methods: A total of 77 active tennis players participated in this controlled trial, which involved playing tennis under standard auditory conditions and with auditory deprivation using noise-isolation devices. Data were collected using a Zepp Tennis Smart Sensor 2 to assess hit accuracy, and the Borg Rating-of-Perceived-Exertion (RPE) scale was used to measure exertion levels.

Spatial perspective taking is impaired in spinocerebellar ataxias and Friedreich ataxia.

Spinocerebellar ataxias (SCA) are rare neurodegenerative diseases affecting the cerebellum and its connections, leading to progressive motor disability and cognitive impairment as part of the cerebellar cognitive affective syndrome. Spatial navigation, cognitive function important for everyday movement, relies on spatial perspective taking-the ability to imagine the environment from different viewpoints. While animal and neuroimaging studies suggest a crucial role of the cerebellum in spatial navigation, research on patients with cerebellar disorders is lacking.

Short-term low-carbohydrate diet decreases body weight and fat mass but not muscle strength in children and young people with type 1 diabetes.

Aims: We investigated whether a short period of tightly controlled low-carbohydrate diet (LCD) leads to a change in body weight, body composition, and muscle strength in children and young people with diabetes (CYPwD).

Methods: Thirty-five CYPwD were recruited into this randomized controlled cross-over study (20 female; age 14.5 ± 2.

Real-World Experience with Upadacitinib for Pediatric Acute Severe Ulcerative Colitis: An International Multicenter Retrospective Study from the Pediatric IBD Porto Group of ESPGHAN.

Background: Data on upadacitinib therapy for pediatric acute severe ulcerative colitis (ASC) are scarce. We aimed to evaluate the effectiveness and safety of upadacitinib as a salvage therapy in pediatric ASC.

Methods: Children and adolescents with ASC who were treated with upadacitinib for the induction of remission were enrolled in this retrospective multicenter study.

Patient-Reported Tolerability of Selpercatinib Compared to Cabozantinib/Vandetanib: A Secondary Analysis of the LIBRETTO-531 Randomized-Controlled Trial in -Mutant Medullary Thyroid Cancer.

Progression-free survival (PFS) may not fully capture the impact of treatment on patients, especially in cancers with longer natural histories and thus, could be complemented by robust measures of patient-reported tolerability (PRT). We report the use of a novel, quantifiable PRT metric as a multiplicity-controlled endpoint to support regulatory and clinical decision-making for selpercatinib use. Comparative PRT was assessed in LIBRETTO-531 (NCT04211337), a randomized phase 3 trial of selpercatinib versus vandetanib/cabozantinib (control) in advanced -mutant medullary thyroid cancer (MTC).

A comparative analysis of imaging-based algorithms for detecting focal cortical dysplasia type II in children.

Focal cortical dysplasia (FCD) is the leading cause of drug-resistant epilepsy (DRE) in pediatric patients. Accurate detection of FCDs is crucial for successful surgical outcomes, yet remains challenging due to frequently subtle MRI findings, especially in children, whose brain morphology undergoes significant developmental changes. Automated detection algorithms have the potential to improve diagnostic precision, particularly in cases, where standard visual assessment fails.

Rethinking lumbar puncture safety: pathophysiology, diagnostic uncertainty, and research gaps in herniation risk.

Background: Lumbar puncture (LP) is a key diagnostic and therapeutic tool, yet concerns persist about its potential to induce brain herniation, especially in patients with elevated intracranial pressure (ICP). Despite ongoing debate, precise risk factors and pathophysiological mechanisms remain unclear.

Objective: This systematic review aims to examine the risk of cerebellar and paradoxical brain herniation following LP, evaluate the current evidence regarding its incidence, and discuss the implications for clinical practice as well as show the gaps in research.

Best Oculomotor Endpoints for Clinical Trials in Hereditary Ataxias: A Systematic Review and Consensus by the Ataxia Global Initiative Working Group on Digital‑Motor Biomarkers.

Oculomotor deficits are common in hereditary cerebellar ataxias (HCAs) and their quantitative assessment offers a sensitive and reliable manner to capture disease-severity and progression. As a group of experts of the Ataxia Global Initiative to support trial readiness, we previously established harmonized methodology for quantitative oculomotor assessments in HCAs. Here, we aimed to identify to most promising oculomotor/vestibular outcomes as endpoints for future trials.

Introducing the pictogram-based ocular motor and visual-perceptual symptom scale: a multinational, cross-cultural feasibility study.

Background: Patients with vestibular and ocular motor disorders often perceive oscillopsia, diplopia or visual hallucinations as their chief complaint. However, they often struggle with verbalizing these subjective ocular motor and visual-perceptual signs precisely, which complicates a correct diagnostic classification of the suspected pathogenic mechanism.

Methods: In this multinational and cross-cultural feasibility study, a novel pictogram-based scale of 10 common ocular motor and visual-perceptual symptoms (called Pictogram Ocular Motor and Visual-Perceptual Symptom Scale, POVSS) was developed and validated.

Functional validation of somatic variability in and for prediction of platinum sensitivity and prognosis in epithelial ovarian carcinoma patients.

Concerning the dismal prognosis of chemoresistant patients with epithelial ovarian carcinoma (EOC), we aimed to follow up the findings of a previous whole-exome sequencing study using an orthogonal Sanger sequencing on the same patients and a separate set of 127 EOC patients ( = 177, all fresh frozen tumor samples). We focused on TP53 as a frequently mutated gene relevant for chemosensitivity, included KRAS as an additional therapeutically relevant target, complemented the study with transcript levels of both genes, and compared results with clinical parameters. All variants in TP53 and KRAS detected by exome sequencing were confirmed.

Immediate "sipping" vs. delayed oral fluid intake after extubation: A randomized controlled trial.

Purpose: Despite advances in perioperative care, delayed oral fluid intake after extubation remains common and is often based on tradition rather than evidence. This study aimed to evaluate whether immediate oral fluid intake "sipping" after extubation reduces thirst and discomfort and is safe in an intensive care setting.

Methods: In this single-center, prospective, randomized controlled trial, 160 ICU patients who met extubation criteria were randomized 1:1 to either delayed fluid intake (2 h post-extubation) or immediate sipping (up to 3 ml/kg over 2 h).

Pediatric thalamic incidentalomas: a retrospective analysis of their characteristics, evolution, management, and prognostic factors for progression.

Purpose: The increasing availability of advanced neuroimaging has led to a rise in incidental findings among pediatric patients. Management strategies include immediate surgical intervention, observation or surgery upon progression. These are influenced by imaging characteristics, lesion behavior over time, patient/family preferences, and the lesion's surgical risks.

What determines the timing of epilepsy surgery in children with cortical malformations and low-grade epilepsy-associated tumors?

Objectives: Timely referral and efficient presurgical evaluation are important to optimize postoperative seizure and developmental outcomes in epilepsy surgery patients. We aimed to identify determinants of time intervals from epilepsy diagnosis to referral to specialized centers and epilepsy surgery in children with malformations of cortical development (MCDs) and low-grade epilepsy-associated tumors (LEATs).

Methods: We performed a retrospective cohort study in 3 European centers, including children with MCD or LEAT who underwent epilepsy surgery between 2010 and 2020.

Impact of concomitant use of proton pump inhibitors or cardiovascular medication on survival outcomes of patients with metastatic renal cell carcinoma treated with nivolumab.

Renal cell cancer (RCC) is typically a disease of older adults, who often have comorbidities requiring the use of multiple concomitant medications. Even though the patients with metastatic RCC (mRCC) are often exposed to concomitant medications in parallel with anticancer agents, the impact of such co-medications remains insufficiently explored. The aim of this study was to investigate the impact of the use of proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) and/or cardiovascular medication on the outcomes of patients with mRCC receiving nivolumab.

From infancy to toddlerhood: A 3D analysis of facial asymmetry in children with and without orofacial clefts.

Objectives: This study investigates facial directional asymmetry (DA) in early childhood. Using 3D imaging, it aims to assess the DA progression in healthy controls and children with unilateral cleft lip (CL) and unilateral cleft lip and palate (UCLP) following early neonatal cheiloplasty and palatoplasty.

Materials & Methods: The sample consisted of 105 children (groups: cleft 42, control 63) aged 0.

Long-term prognosis and treatment outcomes in infantile and neonatal brain tumors.

Purpose: The specifics of biological behavior, anatomical localization, treatment, decision-making, and long-term prognosis in neonatal and infantile intracranial tumors have not been well studied.

Methods: A retrospective monocentric study of patients aged ≤ 12 months treated for an intracranial tumor over a 23-year period was performed. Data regarding the survival rate according to the tumor histology were evaluated in further detail.

The application of EPSiT in pilonidal sinus disease: an international Delphi consensus study endorsed by the Association of Laparoscopic Surgeons of Great Britain and Ireland (ALSGBI).

Background: Endoscopic pilonidal sinus treatment (EPSiT) is a novel, minimally invasive surgical technique that has shown promise in the treatment of pilonidal sinus disease. Despite the apparent benefits and call for increased use, widespread uptake has been slow. This study aims to gather and understand expert international opinions on EPSiT and develop recommendations for its application in the surgical community.

Abnormalities of thalamus and thalamocortical pathways in patients with refractory epilepsy caused by focal cortical dysplasia - MRI study.

Objective: Drug-resistant epilepsy, a severe and diagnostically challenging neurological condition often linked to focal cortical dysplasia (FCD), represents a significant social and healthcare burden. While the thalamus is notably altered in this disorder, it remains unclear whether these changes result from epilepsy manifestation or participate in its pathophysiology. This study aimed to characterize volumetric and microstructural changes in the thalamus and thalamocortical pathways in epilepsy patients with FCD.