Cardiovascular magnetic resonance imaging: Principles and advanced techniques.

Cardiovascular magnetic resonance (CMR) imaging is an established non-invasive tool for the assessment of cardiovascular diseases, which are the leading cause of death globally. CMR provides dynamic and static multi-contrast and multi-parametric images, including cine for functional evaluation, contrast-enhanced imaging and parametric mapping for tissue characterization, and MR angiography for the assessment of the aortic, coronary and pulmonary circulation. However, clinical CMR imaging sequences still have some limitations such as the requirement for multiple breath-holds, incomplete spatial coverage, complex planning and acquisition, low scan efficiency and long scan times.

Sleep Dysfunction in Older Age Parkinson's Disease.

Sleep and circadian disturbances are prevalent in Parkinson's disease (PD) and become increasingly complex in older adults, where aging-related changes, comorbidities, and polypharmacy further disrupt sleep. This review explores the pathophysiology of sleep and circadian dysfunction in aging and PD, highlighting the impact of neurodegenerative changes and neurotransmitter dysregulation. Key sleep disorders in older adults with PD are discussed with a focus on their epidemiology, assessment, and tailored management.

Perturbation of the ovine placental transcriptome occurs at sub-therapeutic exposures to antenatal steroid therapy.

Introduction: Antenatal steroid (ANS) therapy accelerates preterm lung maturation. Clinical and experimental data show current regimens disrupt placental function and transport and impact fetal growth. We have previously shown that higher materno-fetal steroid exposures increase fetal glucocorticoid clearance.

The role of intrinsic capacity in predicting cancer mortality - Evidence from the UK Biobank.

Aim: To examine the association between intrinsic capacity and cancer mortality in middle-aged and older adults.

Methods: We analysed a prospective cohort of 443,130 participants from the UK Biobank, with seven biomarkers reflecting the level of functioning in five domains of intrinsic capacity to calculate an overall score (ranging from 0 [better] to +4 [poor]). Associations between intrinsic capacity scores and mortality from any type of cancer (censored as of December 31, 2022) were estimated using Cox proportional hazard models adjusted for multiple potential confounders.

To fuse or not to fuse: surgical strategies for recurrent lumbar disc herniation from a 16-nation study.

Objective: Variations exist among surgeons in the treatment of recurrent lumbar disc herniation (LDH), generating major issues in decision-making models. The authors aimed to identify international nuances in surgical treatment patterns, highlight the differences in responses in each country group and different treatment trends across countries, and identify factors that influence surgical decisions.

Methods: An online survey with preformulated answers was submitted to 292 orthopedic surgeons and 223 neurosurgeons from 16 countries regarding 3 clinical vignettes (recurrence without low back pain, recurrence with severe low back pain, and recurrence with 2-level disc disease).

The carotid body mediates peak oxygen uptake during maximal physical exertion in rats.

Cardiorespiratory responses to physical exercise are expected to meet the organism's metabolic demands. As carotid body (CB) glomus cells have been proposed as metabolic sensors, we sought to determine their contribution to peak oxygen uptake ( ) during exercise in rats. Adult male Wistar Kyoto rats underwent bilateral co-injection of two adeno-associated viruses (AAVs) at the CB bifurcation (AVV-TH-Cre-SV40 and AVV-hSyn-DREADD(Gi)-mCherry).

Acute Effects of Mechanical Insufflation-Exsufflation on Cough Peak Flow, Chest Wall Volumes, and Breathing Pattern of Patients With Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis.

Mechanical insufflation-exsufflation (MI-E) consists of increasing expiratory air flow, thereby promoting an increase in cough peak flow (CPF) and secretion clearance. Respiratory impairment, characterized by reduced lung volumes and ineffective cough, is the major cause of morbidity and mortality in patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). This study aimed to assess the acute effects of MI-E on CPF and chest wall compartmental and operational volumes in patients with ALS.

EEG Connectivity is an Objective Signature of Reduced Consciousness and Sleep Depth.

Different levels of reduced consciousness characterise human sleep stages at the behavioural level. On electroencephalography (EEG), the identification of sleep stages predominantly relies on localised oscillatory power within distinct frequency bands. Several theoretical frameworks converge on the central significance of long-range information sharing in maintaining consciousness, which experimentally manifests as high functional connectivity (FC) between distant brain regions.

Dissipative solitons onset through modulational instability of the cubic complex Ginzburg-Landau equation with nonlinear gradients.

Modulation instability (MI) of the continuous wave (cw) has been associated with the onset of stable solitons in conservative and dissipative systems. The cubic complex Ginzburg-Landau equation (CGLE) is a prototype of a damped, driven, nonlinear, and dispersive system. The inclusion of nonlinear gradients is essential to stabilize pulses whether stationary or oscillatory.

Acute myeloid leukemia: a comprehensive update.

Purpose Of Review: Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is a biologically diverse disease that has undergone significant transformation in recent years. The rapid pace of discovery in molecular genetics, disease classification, and therapeutic development has reshaped how we approach diagnosis and treatment. This review aims to provide a timely and relevant synthesis of these advances, offering clinicians and researchers an updated perspective on AML as of 2025.

The role of stem cell transplantation in the modern management of multiple myeloma.

Purpose Of Review: Autologous stem cell transplantation (ASCT) has long been a cornerstone in the treatment of eligible patients with newly diagnosed multiple myeloma (NDMM). In this review, we analyze the evolving role of ASCT in the contemporary period.

Recent Findings: With the growing integration of modern induction regimens and advanced immunotherapies such as chimeric antigen receptor T-cell (CAR-T) therapies and bispecific antibodies (BsAbs), the traditional paradigm of multiple myeloma treatment is being increasingly challenged.

Research trends in mobile payment adoption: Research trends and agenda.

This study explores the adoption of mobile payments as a research field to understand the technological, socioeconomic, and cultural factors that influence the understanding of the users' experience and satisfaction and attract more users. It is vital to examine the research trends in the adoption of mobile payments from a systematic literature review using PRISMA 2020 to select 63 documents from Scopus and WOS. Among the results, the most used models for this analysis are extended TAM and extended UTAUT.

Lipase production from VC-6 isolated from the volcanic region of Copahue: optimization and functional genomic insights.

Extremophilic microorganisms produce highly stable and industrial-grade enzymes with enhanced performance. Thermostable enzymes, such as lipases that catalyze the hydrolysis and esterification of lipids, are of great industrial interest due to their stability and efficacy under harsh conditions, making them ideal for applications in biotechnology, pharmaceuticals, and cosmetics. Lipase production from various microorganisms is well-studied.

Genetic and Cellular Architecture of Breast Cancer Risk in Multi-Ancestry Studies of 159,297 Cases and 212,102 Controls.

Breast cancer genome-wide association studies (GWAS) have identified over 200 independent genome-wide significant susceptibility markers. However, most studies have focused on one or two ancestral groups. We examined breast cancer genetic architecture using GWAS summary statistics from African (AFR), East Asian (EAS), European (EUR) and Hispanic/Latina (H/L) samples, totaling 159,297 cases and 212,102 controls, comprising the largest multi-ancestry study of breast cancer to date.

A multi-frequency whole-brain neural mass model with homeostatic feedback inhibition.

Whole-brain models are valuable tools for understanding brain dynamics in health and disease by enabling the testing of causal mechanisms and identification of therapeutic targets through dynamic simulations. Among these models, biophysically inspired neural mass models have been widely used to simulate electrophysiological recordings, such as MEG and EEG. However, traditional models face limitations, including susceptibility to hyperexcitation, which constrains their ability to capture the full richness of neural dynamics.

Multimodal neuroimaging of fatigability development.

Fatigability refers to the inability of the neuromuscular system to generate enough force to produce movements to meet task challenges. Fatigability has a central and a peripheral component linked via the neuromuscular system, but how these two components interact as fatigue develops lacks a complete understanding. The effects of fatigability are experienced in healthy humans but also accompany various disorders, often exacerbating their symptoms.

Global determinants of gynecologic cancer incidence and mortality: A cluster-based analysis with predictive insights.

Background: Gynecologic cancers, including cervical, ovarian, and endometrial cancers, remain a significant global health challenge. In 2022, 9 175 141 new cancer cases were reported among females, with 1 473 427 (16.1%) attributed to gynecologic cancers, reflecting an incidence rate of 30.

Organ-level gene regulatory networks inferred from transcriptomic data reveal context-specific regulation and highlight novel regulators of ripening and ABA-mediated responses in tomato.

Tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) is a globally important crop, yet the gene regulatory networks (GRNs) controlling gene expression remain poorly understood. In this study, we constructed GRNs for roots, leaves, flowers, fruits, and seeds by inferring transcription factor (TF)-target interactions from over 10,000 RNA-seq libraries using the GENIE3 algorithm. We refined these networks with gene co-expression data and computational predictions of TF binding sites.

Yield potential and stress adaptation are not mutually exclusive: wheat as a case study.

Wheat is a primary staple crop worldwide, grown in a wide range of environments, leading to significant yield variation. Improving wheat yield potential and resilience against abiotic and biotic stresses are critical to food security. A perennial debate is to breed for yield potential or for adaptation to specific conditions.

Identification of a novel transcriptome signature for predicting the response to anti-TNF-α treatment in patients with rheumatoid arthritis.

Objectives: This study aims to identify and validate a transcriptomic signature capable of predicting the response to tumour necrosis factor inhibitors (TNFi) therapy in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) before treatment initiation.

Methods: We performed a retrospective transcriptomic analysis using 2 public datasets, RNA-seq data from peripheral blood mononuclear cells (GSE138746) and microarray data from whole blood (GSE33377), to define a small-scale gene signature predictive of the response to TNFi treatment. Three external validations were then conducted, resulting in a total of 279 individuals, 169 responders, and 110 nonresponders.

Adolescents' Reflections on Mental Health: Key Findings From a 13-Country Qualitative Study.

Purpose: Adolescence is a sensitive developmental period for the emergence of mental health challenges, but few multicountry qualitative studies explore how adolescents themselves understand these challenges. Through focus group discussions (FGDs) with adolescents across 13 countries, this study aimed to understand adolescents' perspectives on significant mental health challenges in their age group, key risk and protective factors, and principle coping strategies.

Methods: A total of 71 FGDs were conducted between February and June of 2021.

Understanding How Adolescents Experience Violence and Its Perceived Impacts on Mental Health: A Qualitative Study Across 13 Countries.

Purpose: There are limited data on how adolescents globally perceive violence as impacting their mental health. The present paper explores similarities and differences in adolescents' experiences of violence and their perceived impacts on mental health by sex and context.

Methods: Adolescents aged 12-19 participated in 71 focus group discussions across 13 countries: Belgium, Chile, China, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Egypt, Indonesia, Jamaica, Jordan, Kenya, Malawi, Sweden, Switzerland, and the United States.

Adolescents' Perceptions of Gendered Influences on Mental Health: Results From a 13-Country Qualitative Study.

Purpose: A growing body of research supports the influence of gender norms on adolescent mental health globally. There is a lack of qualitative studies, however, that elicit adolescents' own perspectives on these issues across diverse cross-cultural environments. The current study seeks to address these gaps through a qualitative exploration of gendered influences on mental health among adolescents living in 13 countries.