Anatomy at the threshold: Teaching the human body in a hybrid age.

As emerging technologies reshape both the body and how we represent it, anatomical education stands at a threshold. Virtual dissection tools, AI-generated images, and immersive platforms are redefining how students learn anatomy, while real-world bodies are becoming hybridized through implants, neural interfaces, and bioengineered components. This Viewpoint explores what it means to teach human anatomy when the body is no longer entirely natural, and the image is no longer entirely real.

Comprehensive Cardiac Imaging Before and During Microaxial Flow Pump Support for Cardiogenic Shock.

The increasing use of microaxial flow pumps (mAFP) underpins the need for a comprehensive approach to manage critically ill patients in an effort to maximize the benefits of this temporary mechanical circulatory support (tMCS) while minimizing its potential complications. Multimodality cardiac imaging offers an irreplaceable array of tools to address device position, device-heart hemodynamic interaction, myocardial recovery assessment, and identification of complications. This review provides a comprehensive and pragmatic summary of the cardiovascular imaging modalities currently available throughout the pathway of care of mAFP-supported patients, from device insertion, to intensive cardiac care hemodynamic monitoring, weaning guidance, and myocardial recovery assessment.

Development of a preclinical X-rays minibeam Monte Carlo treatment planning system.

Minibeam Radiation Therapy (MBRT) delivers spatially fractionated beams, generating alternating high-dose peaks and low-dose valleys, with potential benefits in tumor control and normal tissue sparing. This study presents the development of a Monte Carlo (MC) Treatment Planning System (TPS) for preclinical MBRT, preceded by an investigation of various collimator configurations and a comparison of MC simulations with experimental data. Multiple simulations were conducted to evaluate different combinations of attenuator materials (lead, tungsten) and spacer materials (PMMA, air), as well as various slit widths (0.

Multidimensional Radiological Assessment of Delirium in the Emergency Department.

Delirium is a common, underdiagnosed neuropsychiatric syndrome in older adults, associated with high mortality and functional decline. Given its multifactorial nature and overlap with frailty, radiological markers may improve risk stratification in the emergency department (ED). We conducted a retrospective study on a small sample of 30 patients diagnosed with delirium in the emergency department who had recently undergone brain, thoracic, or abdominal CT scans for unrelated clinical indications.

Comparative Analysis of Islet Auto-Transplantation Outcome Classification Systems: Evaluating Concordance, Feasibility, and a Data-Driven Approach.

A standardized approach to assessing islet autotransplantation outcomes is crucial for evaluating graft function and guiding clinical decisions. This study compares the performance of existing classification systems-Milan, Minneapolis, Chicago, Leicester, Igls, and a novel Data-Driven approach-by evaluating their ability to differentiate transplant outcomes using metabolic and insulin secretion parameters. Our analysis shows strong concordance among Milan, Minneapolis, Chicago, and Igls, primarily due to minor variations in C-peptide thresholds.

Major arrhythmias in non-dilated left ventricular cardiomyopathy: a novel prediction score.

Background And Aims: The prediction of the first major arrhythmic event (MAE) is still an unmet need in the recently defined scenario of non-dilated left ventricular cardiomyopathy (NDLVC).

Methods: A cohort of 337 patients with NDLVC and no history of MAE was retrospectively identified at two large centres. Patient-tailored diagnostic workup included cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR), endomyocardial biopsy, and genetic testing.

A cross-talk established by tumor-targeted cytokines rescues CAR T cell activity and engages host T cells against glioblastoma in mice.

Chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T cells have shown limited efficacy against solid tumors because of poor tissue penetration, constrained activity, and early exhaustion due to the immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment (TME). Although stimulatory cytokines can counteract immune suppression, their systemic administration entails risk of toxicities and counter-regulatory responses. Here, we leveraged a population of tumor-associated TIE2-expressing macrophages (TEMs) to release interferon-α (IFN-α) and/or orthogonal interleukin-2 (oIL2) at the tumor site.

CD4 T cells license Kupffer cells to reverse CD8 T cell dysfunction induced by hepatocellular priming.

Chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection is marked by dysfunctional HBV-specific CD8 T cells, and restoring their effector activity is a major therapeutic goal. Here, we generated HBV-specific CD4 T cell receptor transgenic mice to show that CD4 effector T cells can prevent and reverse the CD8⁺ T cell dysfunction induced by hepatocellular priming. This rescue enhances antiviral CD8 T cell function and suppresses viral replication.

Radio-chemotherapy and metformin selectively modulate the heterogeneous landscape of glioma with ribosome biogenesis, long non coding RNA and immune-escape markers as major player.

Glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) is the most common primary brain tumor in adults with a short survival time after standard therapy administration including radiotherapy (RT) associated with temozolomide (TMZ). Here, we investigated the effects of radiochemotherapy in association with metformin (MET), a drug targeting cell metabolism on a syngeneic GBM mouse model using Positron Emission Tomography imaging with [F]FLT and [F]VC701 and single-cell RNA-sequencing analysis. The addition of drugs to RT significantly increased survival and [F]FLT showed an early predictive response of combined therapy.

Atezolizumab plus bevacizumab versus Lenvatinib for patients with Barcelona clinic liver cancer stage B (BCLC-B) hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC): A real-world population.

Background: The aim of the present study was to perform a real-world analysis on a large patient cohort with Barcelona Clinic Liver Cancer stage B (BCLC-B) hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) treated with atezolizumab plus bevacizumab (A + B) or with Lenvatinib.

Methods: The study population included patients affected with Barcelona Clinic Liver Cancer stage B (BCLC-B) hepatocellular carcinoma not suitable for locoregional therapies (LRTs) from eastern and western populations, who received atezolizumab plus bevacizumab (A + B) or Lenvatinib as first-line treatment. Univariate and multivariate analyses were used to evaluate predictive factors for overall survival (OS) and time to progression (TTP) while prognostic factors were analyzed by univariate and multivariate analysis using Cox regression model.

The complex diagnosis of primary heart involvement in systemic sclerosis: red flags to drive the choice of cardiac magnetic resonance.

Objectives: To analyse clinical features and biomarkers associated with primary heart involvement (pHI) confirmed at cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) in a monocentric cohort of SSc patients.

Methods: A retrospective study. SSc patients who underwent CMR for clinically suspected pHI were identified.

Semiquantitative metrics of coronary artery disease burden: Intra-individual comparison between ultrahigh-resolution photon-counting detector CT and energy-integrating detector CT.

Background: Quantitative coronary stenosis and plaque volumes have demonstrated intra-individual differences between ultrahigh-resolution (UHR) photon-counting detector (PCD)-CT and energy-integrating detector (EID)-CT. This study aimed to assess the impact of UHR PCD-CT on semiquantitative scores of coronary artery disease (CAD) burden compared with EID-CT.

Methods: Patients undergoing coronary CT angiography (CCTA) on an EID-CT system for stable chest pain or pre-transcatheter aortic valve replacement evaluation were prospectively enrolled for UHR PCD-CT scan within 30 days.

Unravelling Plasma Extracellular Vesicle Diversity With Optimised Spectral Flow Cytometry.

Extracellular vesicles (EVs) are crucial for intercellular communication and are found in various biological fluids. The identification and immunophenotyping of such small particles continue to pose significant challenges. Here, we have developed a workflow for the optimisation of a next-generation panel for in-depth immunophenotyping of circulating plasma EVs using spectral flow cytometry.

Islet autotransplantation in focal intraductal papillary mucinous neoplasms: Evaluating feasibility, safety, and metabolic outcomes in pancreatic resection.

Islet auto transplantation (IAT) is a potential therapeutic option for patients undergoing pancreatectomy to preserve endocrine function, but its role in patients with intraductal papillary mucinous neoplasms (IPMNs) remains controversial due to oncological concerns. This study evaluated the feasibility, safety, and metabolic outcomes of IAT in 7 patients with focal IPMNs who underwent pancreatectomy between 2008 and 2023, following the Milan protocol. Primary outcomes included the technical success of islet isolation and the absence of tumor dissemination.

Intercalated Disc Abnormalities Are Linked to Arrhythmias in Inflammatory Cardiomyopathy.

Background: The relationship between intercalated disc abnormalities (IDAs) and arrhythmias in inflammatory cardiomyopathy (ICM) remains incompletely understood.

Objectives: This study presents a pilot research that aimed to: 1) investigate the link between IDAs and arrhythmias in humans with ICM; and 2) compare findings in humans and mice with experimental autoimmune myocarditis (EAM).

Methods: Humans with ICM (N = 316) investigated for either genetic or autoimmune IDAs were identified at a referral center.

Corrigendum to "Going for a stroll on lurasidone: Considerations on an atypical case of acute compartment syndrome of both legs" [Heliyon Volume 9, Issue 4, April 2023, Article e15047].

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.

Accuracy of a deep neural network for automated pulmonary embolism detection on dedicated CT pulmonary angiograms.

Purpose: To assess the performance of a Deep Neural Network (DNN)-based prototype algorithm for automated PE detection on CTPA scans.

Methods: Patients who had previously undergone CTPA with three different systems (SOMATOM Force, go.Top, and Definition AS; Siemens Healthineers, Forchheim, Germany) because of suspected PE from September 2022 to January 2023 were retrospectively enrolled in this study (n = 1,000, 58.

Blockade of αvβ6 and αvβ8 integrins with a chromogranin A-derived peptide inhibits TGFβ activation in tumors and suppresses tumor growth.

Background: The αvβ6- and αvβ8-integrins, two cell-adhesion receptors upregulated in many solid tumors, can promote the activation of transforming growth factor-β (TGFβ), a potent immunosuppressive cytokine, by interacting with the RGD sequence of the latency-associated peptide (LAP)/TGFβ complex. We have previously described a chromogranin A-derived peptide, called "peptide 5a", which recognizes the RGD-binding site of both αvβ6 and αvβ8 with high affinity and selectivity, and efficiently accumulates in αvβ6- or αvβ8-positive tumors. This study aims to demonstrate that peptide 5a can inhibit TGFβ activation in tumors and suppress tumor growth.

Coronary Plaque Quantification with Ultrahigh-Spatial-Resolution Photon-counting Detector CT: Intraindividual Comparison with Energy-integrating Detector CT.

Background Other than enhancing the accuracy of stenosis measurements, the improved spatial resolution of photon-counting detector (PCD) CT may have an impact on quantitative plaque assessment at coronary CT angiography (CCTA). Purpose To evaluate the effect of PCD CT on coronary plaque quantification and characterization compared with that of energy-integrating detector (EID) CT. Materials and Methods Consecutive participants undergoing clinically indicated CCTA at EID CT (192 × 0.

miR-210 overexpression increases pressure overload-induced cardiac fibrosis.

Aortic stenosis, a common valvular heart disease, can lead to left ventricular pressure overload, triggering pro-fibrotic responses in the heart. miR-210 is a microRNA that responds to hypoxia and ischemia and plays a role in immune regulation and in cardiac remodeling upon myocardial infarction. This study investigated the effects of miR-210 on cardiac fibrosis caused by pressure overload.