FLAIR extending beyond a quadrant (FEQ) of the cerebrum as a qualitative imaging biomarker: a conceptual proposition and proof-of-principle.

Significant variability exists in the use of corticosteroids for treating adverse radiation effects (ARE) after stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS) of brain metastasis (BM). Here, we determine the diagnostic utility of a quadrant-based, visual assessment of magnetic resonance (MR) FLAIR as an imaging biomarker for steroid-dependent ARE. FLAIR was assessed at four axial levels along the rostral-caudal axis of the cerebrum, defined by standard landmarks of superior temporal line, third ventricle, temporal horn, and fourth ventricle.

Qdenga-induced dengue caused by minor DENV-2 subvariant(s) in the vaccine, with two amino acid substitutions in the E protein.

We describe a Qdenga-induced DENV-2-infection in a Swedish traveler. Comparative sequencing suggests that the vaccine contained a small fraction of identical virus as detected in the patient, suggesting a selection of a DENV-2-substrain with unusual amino acid substitutions. Further research on selection of, and possible effects of, Qdenga-substrain-infections is warranted.

Evaluating distant recurrence-free survival and location of metastasis in HER2+ breast cancer by ER status.

Prognostic factors, such as the Human Epidermal growth factor Receptor 2 (HER2) and Estrogen Receptor (ER) influence distant recurrence-free survival (RFS) in breast cancer. This study aims to evaluate the interaction between HER2 and ER status with RFS, and if that interaction influences where the metastasis is located. To do this, we used a study population of all women diagnosed with non-metastatic, invasive breast cancer in Stockholm from 2007 to 2020.

Subclinical hypomania, psychiatric and neurodevelopmental diagnoses: phenotypic and aetiological overlap.

Background: Subclinical hypomanic symptoms are fairly common in the general population but are linked to psychiatric and neurodevelopmental conditions. However, the genetic and environmental origins of these associations are unclear. This twin study examined the phenotypic and aetiological associations between subclinical hypomania and psychiatric and neurodevelopmental diagnoses.

Metabolic Profiling Reveals a Glycolytic Shift and an IRG1/Itaconate/NF2L2 Axis Regulating Neurotoxic Oxidative Stress in Inflammatory Microglia.

Polar metabolic profiling, as well as bioenergetic assays, were used to characterize microglial responses to lipopolysaccharide, which induces a pro-inflammatory state, and interleukin-4, which is associated with an anti-inflammatory phenotype. BV2 microglial cells and primary microglia were used for these investigations. Results revealed that lipopolysaccharide-treated microglia exhibited an increased aerobic glycolytic activity measured by extracellular flux analysis, accompanied by increased levels of endogenous itaconate, a metabolite produced by the IRG1 enzyme.

Polypill in heart failure: a pathway to simplified treatment and improved adherence and outcomes.

Heart failure (HF) remains a global health challenge that imposes significant clinical and economic burden. Treatment adherence to guideline-directed medical therapy (GDMT) remains a major challenge in the management of HF, despite the availability of guideline-directed medical therapy (GDMT). Polypharmacy and regimen complexity contribute to poor adherence, particularly among older adults and in resource-limited settings.

Differences in emotion regulation components underlie the sexual orientation disparity in depressive symptoms: a prospective, Population-based study of young adults.

Purpose: Hatzenbuehler's psychological mediation framework proposes that difficulties in emotion regulation (ER), which are driven in part by excess exposure to stigma-related experiences, contribute to sexual orientation-related mental health disparities. However, existing research on the framework has largely focused on a small number of ER variables in non-probability samples.

Methods: To address these limitations, we examined whether a large complement of ER components mediates the prospective association between sexual minority status and depressive symptoms, using longitudinal data from a population-based sample of 1,208 Swedish young adults (aged 18-35).

Gut microbial production of imidazole propionate drives Parkinson's pathologies.

Parkinson's disease (PD) is characterized by the selective degeneration of midbrain dopaminergic neurons and aggregation of α-synuclein. Emerging evidence implicates the gut microbiome in PD, with microbial metabolites proposed as potential pathological mediators. However, the specific microbes and metabolites involved, and whether gut-derived metabolites can reach the brain to directly induce neurodegeneration, remain unclear.

Covariant spatio-temporal receptive fields for spiking neural networks.

Biological nervous systems constitute important sources of inspiration towards computers that are faster, cheaper, and more energy efficient. Neuromorphic disciplines view the brain as a coevolved system, simultaneously optimizing the hardware and the algorithms running on it. There are clear efficiency gains when bringing the computations into a physical substrate, but we presently lack theories to guide efficient implementations.

Hemispheric asymmetry of tau pathology is related to asymmetric amyloid deposition in Alzheimer's Disease.

The distribution of tau pathology in Alzheimer's disease (AD) shows remarkable inter-individual heterogeneity, including hemispheric asymmetry. However, the factors driving this asymmetry remain poorly understood. Here we explore whether tau asymmetry is linked to i) reduced inter-hemispheric brain connectivity (potentially restricting tau spread), or ii) asymmetry in amyloid-beta (Aβ) distribution (indicating greater hemisphere-specific vulnerability to AD pathology).

Vertebral microstructure marks the emergence of pelagic ichthyosaurs soon after the End Permian Mass Extinction.

Ichthyosaurs were the first fully marine tetrapods, and evolved a streamlined body, flippers, live birth, and endothermy-like physiology. However, the transition to these adaptations and how it relates to divergence into ocean environments is ambiguous. Here, we use vertebral bone microstructure to document the first ontogenetic series of two Early Triassic taxa that include the oldest ichthyosaur foetal fossils.

Evaluation of Visual Feedback for f and SPL in Subglottal Pressure Measurements-A Methodological Study.

Objective: Subglottal pressure is a clinically relevant parameter for assessment of voice disorders and correlates to f and sound pressure level (SPL). The aim of the current study was to evaluate the use of a visual target for feedback of f and SPL in subglottal pressure measurements in habitual voice and at phonation threshold level with a syllable string and a phrase for the purpose of improving the reliability of subglottal pressure measurements.

Methods: Data from 12 vocally healthy women (29-61 years) was analyzed.

Peritoneal recurrence following nephrectomy for localized renal cancer: A multicenter European real-world analysis of incidence, pattern and treatment (PEMET study-UroCCR 124).

Background: Peritoneal recurrence (PREC) following nephrectomy for localized renal cancer (RCC) is rare. Our objective was to report a multicenter analysis of PREC to analyze incidence, treatment, survival and risk factors.

Methods: Between 1987 and 2023, patients with PREC following radical or partial nephrectomy (PN) for localized RCC across ten European institutions (UroCCR, NKI, IRCCS, Foch and Gustave Roussy centers) were included.

ERS/EULAR clinical practice guidelines for connective tissue diseases associated interstitial lung disease.

Background: Interstitial lung disease (ILD) is a frequent manifestation of connective tissue diseases (CTDs) and is associated with high morbidity and mortality. Clinical practice guidelines to standardise screening, diagnosis, treatment and follow-up for CTD-ILD are of high importance for optimised patient care.

Methods: A European Respiratory Society and European Alliance of Associations for Rheumatology task force committee, composed of pulmonologists, rheumatologists, pathologists, radiologists, methodologists and patient representatives, developed recommendations based on PICO (Patients, Intervention, Comparison, Outcomes) questions with grading of the evidence according to the GRADE (Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development and Evaluations) methodology and complementary narrative questions agreed on by both societies.

Beyond supergenes: the diverse roles of inversions in trait evolution.

Chromosomal inversions are ubiquitous across the Tree of Life, with genome-wide studies revealing a bias toward smaller inversions, yet research has disproportionately focused on large, supergene-like inversions linked to discrete phenotypes. This limits our understanding of inversions' roles in trait evolution, as their size affects their potential functional impact. Investigation of smaller inversions and multi-inversion genotypes is crucial to elucidate their role in shaping continuous traits and evolutionary adaptation.

Prevalence and importance of coronary microvascular dysfunction in patients with heart failure and reduced or mildly reduced ejection fraction.

Aims: We investigated the prevalence of coronary microvascular dysfunction (CMD) and its association with severity of heart failure in patients with reduced or mildly reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF and HFmrEF).

Method: Patients with stable, symptomatic heart failure with left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) <50% were enrolled. Data collection included physical examination, blood samples, Kansas City Cardiomyopathy Questionnaire (KCCQ), carotid to femoral pulse wave velocity, echocardiography and adenosine-based transthoracic Doppler echocardiography to assess coronary flow reserve (CFR).

Unravelling the mechanism of enzymatic resistance in different high amylose starch granules.

This study investigates the phenomenon that, in contrast to amylopectin-rich starch granules, high amylose starch (HAS) granules typically exhibit high hydrolytic resistance manifested as low density of enzyme attack sites on the starch granule surface. However, among the various types of examined HAS granules, we identified differences in enzymatic resistance. We associated this effect as a result of variations in specific rate of the enzymatic reaction, with intermediate affinity leading to the highest enzymatic efficacy characteristic for the Sabatier principle.

Clinical and Biofluid Biomarkers of Sleep Dysfunction in Parkinson's Disease.

Parkinson's disease is a neurodegenerative disorder with an increasing prevalence worldwide. The development of disease-modifying therapies remains a critical priority; however, early intervention is limited by the paucity of robust biomarkers for the prodromal stage. Sleep disturbances-particularly isolated rapid eye movement sleep behavior disorder (iRBD)-are emerging as key clinical markers of prodromal synucleinopathy, offering opportunities for early detection and risk stratification.

Feasibility of an online nutrition intervention to improve adherence to healthy and sustainable diets in young Australian adults: protocol for a pilot pre-post intervention study.

Introduction: Current diets which are commonly high in meat and ultra-processed foods are unhealthy and unsustainable and contribute significantly to climate change, environmental degradation and poor health outcomes. Transitioning to healthy and sustainable diets that are rich in plant-based foods and low in animal products could reduce environmental impacts and improve population health. Young Australian adults are a critical target group for dietary intervention as they are motivated towards climate action and have the lowest diet quality out of all adult age groups.

Patterns of immunity changes predict response to stereotactic ablative radiotherapy in early non-small-cell lung cancer.

Background: Stereotactic Ablative Radiotherapy (SABR) for early-stage non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) can stimulate an immune response against cancer. We evaluated changes in peripheral lymphocyte subpopulations and cytokines levels after SABR in patients with early-stage NSCLC. We examined how these changes relate to overall survival (OS) and disease-free survival (DFS).

State-of-the-Art and Future Directions in Structural Proteomics.

Structural proteomics has undergone a profound transformation, driven by the convergence of advanced experimental methodologies and computational innovations. Cutting-edge mass spectrometry (MS)-based approaches, including cross-linking MS (XL-MS), hydrogen-deuterium exchange MS (HDX-MS), and limited proteolysis MS (LiP-MS), now enable unprecedented insights into protein topology, conformational dynamics, and protein-protein interactions. These methods, complemented by affinity purification (AP), co-immunoprecipitation (co-IP), proximity labeling (PL), and spatial proteomics techniques, have expanded our ability to characterize the structural proteome at a systems-wide scale.

Elevated plasma brain-derived neurotrophic factor as a potential risk biomarker for major depressive disorder in middle-aged women: A nested case-control study.

Background: Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) plays a critical role in neuronal development and neural connectivity, and has been implicated in the pathophysiology of Major Depressive Disorder (MDD). However, its predictive value for MDD onset remains unclear. This study examined whether baseline BDNF levels are associated with incident MDD in middle-aged women.