Warfarin reduces circulating white blood cell count: Post-hoc analysis of two randomized trials.

Warfarin is a widely used vitamin K antagonist (VKA) with known pleiotropic effects beyond anticoagulation. Preclinical and case-control evidence suggests that warfarin may affect hematopoiesis, but longitudinal human evidence is lacking. To explore this potential effect, we conducted a post-hoc analysis of participants in the Hokusai-VTE and ENGAGE AF-TIMI 48 trials, which randomized patients to warfarin or the direct oral anticoagulant edoxaban with routine laboratory testing at predefined follow-up visits.

Early warning of harmful cyanobacteria blooms based on high frequency in situ monitoring and intelligible machine learning modelling: The case study of Lake Müggelsee (Germany).

Driven by eutrophication and global warming, the occurrence and frequency of harmful cyanobacteria blooms (CyanoHABs) are increasing worldwide, posing a serious threat to human health and biodiversity. Early warning enables precautional control measures of CyanoHABs within water bodies and in water works, and it becomes operational with high frequency in situ data (HFISD) of water quality and forecasting models by machine learning (ML). However, the acceptance of early warning systems by end-users relies significantly on the interpretability and generalizability of underlying models, and their operability.

Gene dysregulation impairs placental angiogenesis in allogeneic pig pregnancies.

Embryo transfer (ET) is a valuable reproductive technology in pigs, albeit its efficiency remains significantly lower than that of natural mating or artificial insemination (AI), owing to high embryonic death rates. Critical for embryo survival and pregnancy success is the placenta, which supports conceptus development through nutrient exchange, hormone production, and immune modulation. Alterations in placental development and function may therefore underlie the reduced efficiency of ET.

Metabolic Flexibility in Insects: Patterns, Mechanisms, and Implications.

The evolutionary success of insects may be partly attributed to their profound ability to adjust metabolism in response to environmental stress or resource variability at a range of timescales. Metabolic flexibility encompasses the ability of an organism to adapt or respond to conditional changes in metabolic demand and tune fuel oxidation to match fuel availability. Here, we evaluate the mechanisms of metabolic flexibility in insects that are considered short-term, medium-term, and long-term responses.

Progestogens and androgens influence root morphology of angiosperms in a brassinosteroid-independent manner.

Progestogens and androgens are steroids found in a wide range of plants, but little is known about their physiological functions. In this study, we sowed seeds of angiosperms on progestogen- and androgen-containing medium and analysed their morphological effects. We further investigated the effects of progesterone and testosterone on brassinosteroid profiles and gene expression in A.

Impact of sleep disturbances on health-related quality of life in postmenopausal women: a systematic review.

Importance: Sleep disturbances are common during and after the menopause transition, with potential effects on morbidity and quality of life; however, they may be underdiagnosed and undertreated.

Objective: We carried out a systematic literature review to investigate the prevalence and impact of sleep disturbances associated with menopause on women's health-related quality of life across the stages of menopause.

Evidence Review: Searches were conducted in PubMed and Excerpta Medica Database to identify articles published between 2013 and 2023 containing evidence for the impact of sleep quality on health-related quality of life and the epidemiology of sleep disturbances in women in menopause.

Fetal 4D Flow CMR for Advanced Diagnostics of Congenital Heart Disease: A Prospective Cohort Study.

Aims: Fetal circulation undergoes complex changes in congenital heart disease (CHD) that are challenging to assess with fetal echocardiography. This study aimed to assess clinical feasibility and diagnostic value of 4D flow cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) in fetal CHD.

Methods And Results: Pregnant women in advanced third trimester pregnancy with fetal CHD were prospectively recruited for fetal CMR between 08/2021 and 11/2024.

Hemolysis, myocardial and neural injury after monopolar pulsed field ablation using a novel lattice-tip catheter to treat atrial fibrillation.

Background And Aims: Aim of this study was to assess the risk of hemolysis, the extent of myocardial and neural injury after monopolar, monophasic pulsed field ablation (PFA) using a lattice-tip catheter in comparison to single-shot PF ablation platforms employing bipolar, biphasic waveforms.

Methods: This prospective study included consecutive patients undergoing PFA for atrial fibrillation (AF) using the Affera™ mapping and ablation system (n=40). Biomarkers for hemolysis (haptoglobin, LDH, bilirubin), myocardial injury (high-sensitive troponin T, CK, CK-MB), neurocardiac injury (S100), and renal function (creatinine) were assessed pre- and within 24 hours post-ablation.

Shrinking to bird size with dinosaur-level cancer defences: Evolution of cancer suppression over macroevolutionary time.

Ubiquity of cancer across the tree of life yields opportunities to understand variation in cancer defences across species. Peto's paradox, the finding that large-bodied species do not suffer from more cancer despite having more cells at risk of oncogenic mutations compared to small species, can be explained if large size selects for better cancer defences. Since birds live longer than non-flying mammals of equivalent size, and are descendants of moderate-sized dinosaurs, we ask whether ancestral cancer defences are retained if body size shrinks in a lineage.

The Influence of Single-Stranded or Double-Stranded DNA Tags on Ligand Binding Affinity in DNA-Encoded Libraries.

DNA-encoded libraries have become widely used in drug discovery, and several different setups to link chemical compounds to DNA have been employed in the field, including single-stranded and double-stranded DNA tags as well as a variety of linker chemistries. In our previous study, we observed distinct differences in binding affinities between ligands coupled either to single-stranded or double-stranded DNA; however, the molecular basis for these differences remained unclear. Here, we present a native ion mobility mass spectrometry approach that incorporates gas- and solution-phase activation techniques to systematically investigate these differences, specifically the impact of DNA tags on binding performance in protein-ligand interactions.

The small GTPase Rho5-Yet another player in yeast glucose signaling.

The small GTPase Rho5 has been shown to be involved in regulating the Baker's yeast response to stress on the cell wall, high medium osmolarity, and reactive oxygen species. These stress conditions trigger a rapid translocation of Rho5 and its dimeric GDP/GTP exchange factor (GEF) to the mitochondrial surface, which was also observed upon glucose starvation. We here show that rho5 deletions affect carbohydrate metabolism both at the transcriptomic and the proteomic level, in addition to cell wall and mitochondrial composition.

CLASV: Rapid Lassa virus lineage assignment with random forest.

Lassa fever, caused by the Lassa virus (LASV), is a deadly disease characterized by hemorrhages. Annually, it affects approximately 300,000 people in West Africa and causes about 5,000 deaths. It currently has no approved vaccine and is categorized as a top-priority disease.

Protocol for a core outcome set for pharmacological treatments in hospitalised patients with acute viral respiratory infections (COSAVRI).

Background: Acute viral respiratory infections (AVRIs) rank among the most common causes of hospitalisation worldwide, imposing significant healthcare burdens and driving the development of pharmacological treatments. However, inconsistent outcome reporting across clinical trials limits evidence synthesis and its translation into clinical practice. A core outcome set (COS) for pharmacological treatments in hospitalised adults with AVRIs is essential to standardise trial outcomes and improve research comparability.

Influence of cold atmospheric pressure plasma treatment on germination and plant biomass of Trifolium pratense L.

Treatment of seeds with cold atmospheric pressure plasma (CAPP) is in its proof-of-concept phase with regard to its effect on germination and plant growth. To increase the germination of hardseeded red clover (Trifolium pratense L.), seeds are usually scarified, which is time-consuming and labour-intensive.

Validation of the German Emotional Contagion Scale and development of a mimicry brief version.

The susceptibility to emotional contagion has been psychometrically addressed by the self-reported Emotional Contagion Scale. With the present research, we validated a German adaptation of this scale and developed a mimicry brief version by selecting only the four items explicitly addressing the overt subprocess of mimicry. Across three studies (N1 = 195, N2 = 442, N3 = 180), involving various external measures of empathy, general personality domains, emotion recognition, and other constructs, the total German Emotional Contagion Scale demonstrated sound convergent and discriminant validity.

Predictors of sexual satisfaction among Social Security and National Insurance Trust pensioners in the Greater Accra Region of Ghana.

The population of pensioners remains on the rise in Ghana coupled with an intrinsic need for sexual activity and satisfaction. However, data on factors associated with sexual satisfaction among pensioners are limited in Ghana. The aim of this study was to examine the predictors of sexual satisfaction among Social Security and National Insurance Trust pensioners in the Greater Accra Region of Ghana.

Distinct Roles of Alpha and Theta Oscillations in Information-Seeking in Cognitive Control.

Cognitive control - the ability to regulate information processing in line with current goals - is essential for cognitive functioning. We examined whether uncertainty in cognitive control demands leads to higher processing of cues that reduce uncertainty. Participants completed a Go/NoGo task with two NoGo:Go ratios (4:5 and 1:6).

Do chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes) attribute preferences to virtual competitors?

Many animal species live in multi-level societies regulated by complex patterns of dominance. Avoiding competition with dominant group-mates for resources such as food and mates is an important skill for subordinate individuals in these societies, if they wish to evade harassment and aggression. Chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes) are an example of such a species.

Characteristics of a tattooed population and a possible role of tattoos as a risk factor for chronic diseases: Results from the LIFE-Adult-Study.

Tattoos and permanent make-up (PMU) gain increasing popularity among the general population. There are indications that pigments or their fragments may translocate within the body, however knowledge about possible systemic adverse effects related to tattoos is very limited. We investigated the prevalence of systemic chronic health effects including cardiovascular diseases, cancer and liver toxicity and their relationship with the presence and characteristics of tattoos and PMU as part of the LIFE-Adult-study, a population-based cohort study.

The SURVIVE study (NCT05658172): Bringing breast cancer aftercare to the 21stcentury: Study protocol of a Phase III clinical trial comparing liquid biopsy guided vs. Standard of care surveillance for intermediate to high-risk breast cancer survivors.

Background: Current aftercare in breast cancer survivors aims to detect local recurrences or contralateral disease, while the detection of distant metastases has not been a central focus due to a lack of evidence supporting an effect on overall survival. However, the data underpinning these guidelines are mainly from trials of the 1980s/1990s and have not been updated to reflect the significant advancements in diagnostic and therapeutic options that have emerged over the past 40 years. In this trial, the aim is to test whether a liquid biopsy-based detection of (oligo-) metastatic disease at an early pre-symptomatic stage followed by timely treatment can impact overall survival compared to current standard aftercare.

Promoting patients' empowerment in rheumatic diseases: the perspective of the International Society of Behçet's Disease Working Group on Patient Empowerment, Adherence to Therapy and Patients' Education.

Behçet's disease (BD) is a rare multisystemic vasculitis that significantly impacts patients' quality of life. Effective management of BD requires a patient-centred approach that empowers individuals to actively participate in their care. This work explores the importance of patient empowerment, adherence to treatment, and patient education in BD.

Microbial Physiological Adaptation to Biodegradable Microplastics Drives the Transformation and Reactivity of Dissolved Organic Matter in Soil.

The turnover of dissolved organic matter (DOM) in soil regulated by biodegradable microplastics (MPs) has garnered much attention due to its profound impact on the storage and stability of soil organic matter. However, the transformation and reactivity of plant-derived and microbially derived DOM by microorganisms adapted to biodegradable MPs, and the involved microbial physiological processes, remain nearly unknown. Here, we added virgin and aged polylactic acid (PLA) and polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA) to agricultural soils and incubated for 56 days.