Finerenone according to insulin resistance in heart failure: Insights from the FINEARTS-HF trial.

Aims: The estimated glucose disposal rate (eGDR) is a simple, non-invasive measure of insulin resistance. In this exploratory analysis of FINEARTS-HF, we evaluated whether lower eGDR, reflecting greater insulin resistance, is associated with adverse outcomes in heart failure (HF).

Methods And Results: The eGDR was calculated at baseline using waist circumference, glycated haemoglobin, and hypertension status.

Preoperative embolization improves local control and modulates gene expression in atypical WHO grade 2 meningioma.

Background: Preoperative embolization is hypothesized to reduce blood loss and operative time for meningioma resection, but the impact of preoperative embolization on long-term oncological outcomes and molecular features of meningiomas is incompletely understood. Here we investigate how preoperative embolization influences perioperative and long-term outcomes and molecular features of atypical WHO grade 2 meningiomas.

Methods: Patients who underwent resection of WHO grade 2 meningiomas from 1997 to 2021 were retrospectively identified from an institutional database.

Association Between Race and Detection of Clinically Significant Prostate Cancer in Transperineal and Transrectal Biopsies.

Background And Objective: The apex-to-base transperineal (TP) prostate biopsy needle trajectory may better sample the anterior prostate than the transrectal approach. There is evidence that African American men are more likely to harbor anterior tumors, suggesting that TP biopsy would result in better detection in these men. We performed a secondary retrospective analysis of prospective randomized trial data to determine whether African American race is associated with anterior tumor location and better detection with TP biopsy.

Practice Pattern Variability in the Use of Pulmonary Arterial Catheters in Cardiac Surgery.

Objectives: To quantify intraoperative pulmonary arterial catheter (PAC) use during cardiac surgery and identify hospital-, anesthesiologist-, and patient-level factors associated with PAC utilization.

Design: A cross-sectional, observational study using generalized logistic mixed models to examine variations in PAC use.

Setting: Fifty-three US academic hospitals participating in the Multicenter Perioperative Outcomes Group (MPOG) national registry PARTICIPANTS: 145,343 adult patients undergoing cardiac surgery between January 1, 2016, and December 31, 2022.

Altered Dynamic Network Stability in Remitted Late Life Depression Associated with Depression Recurrence.

Background: Late-life depression (LLD) is associated with negative outcomes including high rates of recurrence and cognitive decline. However, the neurobiological changes influencing such outcomes in LLD are not well understood. Disequilibrium in large-scale brain networks may contribute to LLD-related cognitive decline.

"That's what sets you at ease:" A qualitative analysis of patient preferences during anorectal exams.

Introduction: Increased attention is being paid to sensitive but necessary medical examinations, but the literature on guidelines for the anorectal exam remains limited. We performed a qualitative investigation of the patient experience to identify best practice recommendations from the patient's perspective for practitioners conducting the anorectal exam.

Methods: We conducted semi-structured interviews with patients aged 18 and older who had received at least one anorectal examination at the University of Chicago Medicine, Colon & Rectal Surgery clinic.

Social cognition training improves recognition of individual emotions in schizophrenia disorder.

Impaired recognition of angry, fearful, and emotionless (i.e., neutral) faces is associated with poor social functioning among individuals with schizophrenia disorder (SZ).

Electron Pushing: Variants That Alter the Catalytic Distribution of Electrons in Dihydroorotate Dehydrogenase 1B from .

Dihydroorotate dehydrogenase 1B (DHOD1B) is one of several flavoproteins that utilize active half-sites. These enzymes have two flavin cofactors (FAD and FMN) that each interact with a specific reductant/oxidant substrate/product. Electrons gained at one-half-site must be transmitted to the other half-site and iron-sulfur centers between the flavin cofactors serve in this role.

Complex technology requires cultural innovations for distributing cognition.

Over the last decade, new research has shown how human collectives can develop technologies that no single individual could discover on their own. However, this research often overlooks how technology can become so complex that individuals cannot operate it on their own. At this level of technological complexity, distributing cognition is a necessary process for reducing cognitive load on individuals.

Prospective Evaluation of Patient Priorities in HPV-Driven Oropharyngeal Cancer Using the Chicago Priorities Scale: Considerations for Future Clinical Trial Design.

Purpose: This study examined head and neck cancer treatment outcome priorities in patients with human papillomavirus-associated oropharyngeal cancer (HPVOPC) before and 12 months (12m) after (chemo)radiotherapy ([C]RT).

Methods And Materials: Eligible patients were diagnosed with HPVOPC suitable for curative-intent primary [C]RT. Study data included responses to a modified version of the Chicago Priorities Scale (CPS-modified) and select items from the MDASI Head and Neck Cancer Module (MDASI-HN).

Methylation Signatures Identify Two Distinct Clusters of Uterine Leiomyosarcoma with Unique Histologic and Clinical Behaviors.

Uterine leiomyosarcoma (uLMS) is a rare and deadly gynecologic malignancy. uLMS is histologically heterogeneous and presents with a wide spectrum of tumor differentiation, with a broad range of genomic DNA instability, which can make the diagnosis and prognosis of uLMS challenging. Methylation has emerged as a useful molecular tool in tumor classification and diagnosis in certain neoplasms.

Effects of aperiodic neural activity on sleep-based emotional memory consolidation across the lifespan.

Sleep neurophysiology undergoes significant changes across the lifespan, which coincide with age-related differences in memory, particularly for emotional information. However, the mechanisms that underlie these effects remain poorly understood. One potential mechanism is the aperiodic component, which reflects "neural noise", differs across age, and is predictive of perceptual and cognitive processes.

Predicting Treatment Response in Retinal Vein Occlusions Using Baseline Optical Coherence Tomography Biomarkers: A Systematic Review.

This systematic review examines the prognostic value of baseline optical coherence tomography (OCT) biomarkers in predicting visual acuity (VA) outcomes for eyes with macular edema secondary to retinal vein occlusions (RVO) treated with anti-VEGF therapies, steroids, laser photocoagulation, or combination treatments. VA predictions at 6, 12, and 24 months post-treatment were assessed using a narrative synthesis approach and vote counting based on effect direction relative to a minimal clinically important difference. Certainty of evidence was evaluated using GRADE guidelines.

How much Improvement in Patient Reported Outcomes after Isolated Medial Patellofemoral Ligament Reconstruction is associated with Surgeon-defined Satisfactory Outcomes? A JUPITER study.

Introduction: The extent of change in Patient Reported Outcome Measures (PROs) required to meet surgeon-defined satisfactory outcomes after isolated Medial Patellofemoral Ligament Reconstruction (MPFL-R) has not been reported. The primary aim of the study was to define the threshold value of maximal outcome improvement (MOI) in PROs associated with surgeon-defined satisfactory postoperative outcomes. The secondary aim was to identify the most effective PRO in predicting these outcomes and to evaluate the factors associated with it.

Myocardial Blood Flow Quantification in Patients with an Implanted Cardiodefibrillator during Stress and at Rest using a Wideband Perfusion Pulse Sequence: An Initial Feasibility Study.

Background: Although a recently developed wideband perfusion sequence has shown diagnostically acceptable image quality and accurate myocardial blood flow (MBF) quantification at rest in patients with cardiac implanted electronic devices (CIEDs), its performance during vasodilator stress remains unproven. This study aims to determine whether the sequence produces diagnostically acceptable image quality during stress and is capable of quantitatively detecting abnormal stress MBF and myocardial perfusion reserve (MPR) in patients with implanted cardiodefibrillators (ICDs).

Methods: We enrolled 29 patients with an ICD (mean age = 63 ± 15 years, 17 males, 12 females) and 11 control patients (mean age = 50 ± 17 years, 6 males, 5 females; negative coronary artery disease; negative stress perfusion CMR; and no cardiac event one year post CMR) with an ICD taped below the left clavicle to mimic image artifacts.

A concise review on MDM2 inhibitors and recent progress in radiopharmaceutical development for imaging MDM2 expression in tumors with PET or SPECT.

Murine double minute 2 (MDM2, also known as human double minute 2 or HDM2) is a negative regulator of the tumor suppressor protein p53 and is overexpressed in many cancers. Over the past two decades, substantial progress has been made in developing inhibitors of the MDM2-p53 interaction, thereby allowing the p53 protein to exert antitumor effects through cell apoptosis and cycle arrest. While there are currently no FDA-approved MDM2 inhibitors available, several small molecule MDM2 inhibitors and a stapled peptide inhibitor of the MDM2-p53 interaction are in clinical development.

Developing aneurysm clipping capacity in Ghana through global neurosurgical collaboration: a case series from two global brainsurgery initiative mission trips.

Introduction: The management of cerebral aneurysms in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) faces significant barriers, including limited access to specialized neurosurgical care and equipment and dissipating human resources. Ghana's inaugural experience with cerebral aneurysm clipping, facilitated by the Global Brainsurgery Initiative (GBI), represent an attempt to address these challenges through international collaboration.

Methods: This case series details the outcomes of six patients who underwent cerebral aneurysm clipping procedures at two neurosurgical centers.

Textbook Outcomes and Minimally Invasive Techniques in Resectable Gallbladder Cancer: A Global Cohort Study.

Introduction: Surgery for resectable gallbladder cancer (GbC) encompasses complex operative management, and evaluating surgical quality through textbook outcome (TO) is crucial. This study aimed to assess TO incidence and impact in a global cohort, identify independent predictors, and evaluate TO rates of minimally invasive (MI) techniques, including robotic (ROB) and laparoscopic (LPS).

Materials And Methods: This cohort study included patients undergoing curative-intent hepatectomy and lymphadenectomy for GbC (T1b-T3) from 2012 to 2023 in 41 hospitals.