Olfactory training enhances semantic verbal fluency in healthy older adults, but only for individuals with low baseline performance.

Olfactory training (OT), a structured exposure to odors, is commonly used by otorhinolaryngologists to treat olfactory dysfunction. However, OT has been shown to improve cognition of people with cognitive or olfactory impairments and slow the age-related cognitive decline. This study investigated whether OT could enhance cognitive functions in older adults with an intact sense of smell, compared to younger adults.

An Innovative, Non-surgical, and Minimally Invasive Treatment for Peri-Implantitis: A Case Report.

Peri-implantitis (PI) is a progressive inflammatory condition characterized by the destruction of peri-implant tissues and alveolar bone loss around dental implants. Despite its rising prevalence, there are still no effective treatment protocols for the condition. This case report presents a relatively novel non-surgical approach for managing PI.

The Impact of War on Asthma, a Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis: An EAACI Task Force Report.

Wartime events have been followed by an increase in asthma prevalence, which is believed to result from a combination of environmental hazards and psychological trauma. This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to investigate this relationship by pooling available data on various wartime exposures, such as occupational, environmental, and psychological factors. MEDLINE, Scopus, and Cochrane databases were searched for articles that measure the effect of war-related exposures on asthma.

A Retrospective Observational Analysis of Factors Determining the Formation of Pressure Ulcers in ICU Patients Treated for COVID-19.

Background: Critically ill COVID-19 patients are at heightened risk for pressure ulcers (PUs), with the pandemic altering both the frequency and location of PU development and challenging hospital preparedness. The study aimed to investigate clinical and demographic factors associated with PUs in critically ill COVID-19 patients, compared outcomes between those who did and did not develop PUs, and assessed the impact of septic shock, prone positioning, and other interventions on PU formation, prolonged hospitalization, and mortality.

Materials And Methods: A retrospective analysis was conducted on 160 adults with lab-confirmed COVID-19 treated in the intensive care unit (ICU) of the 4 Military Clinical Hospital in Wroclaw (Poland) between September 2020 and September 2022.

Clinical characteristics and risk factors of metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease in lean patients: results of the Polish Gallstone Surgery Registry.

Aim Of The Study: Data concerning the clinical manifestation and outcomes of lean metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD) are scarce and inconsistent. The aim of the study was to evaluate the clinical characteristics of MASLD and predictors of its occurrence.

Material And Methods: The study included patients from the Polish Gallstone Surgery Registry diagnosed with MASLD according to the current criteria.

Correction: Neutrophil extracellular traps and cannabinoids: potential in cancer metastasis.

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2025.

Impact of Mild and Moderate Aortic Stenosis in Acute Heart Failure: Insights from RELAX-AHF-2.

Background: Aortic stenosis leads to increased afterload, which may be detrimental in a failing left ventricle and has been associated with increased risk of heart failure hospitalizations and mortality in chronic heart failure. The prevalence and impact of aortic stenosis in acute heart failure is less well described. This post hoc analysis aimed to evaluate the prevalence and prognostic impact of aortic stenosis in a large cohort of patients hospitalized with acute heart failure.

Neuropilin-1 expression in primary and metastatic prostate cancer: Expression patterns and clinicopathological correlations.

Despite significant advancements in prostate cancer (PCa) diagnostics, it remains a challenge for accurate diagnosis and effective treatment. The aging global population and the established correlation between PCa incidence and advancing age suggest an anticipated rise in cases. Traditional clinicopathological parameters, such as prostate-specific antigen (PSA) levels, Gleason Grade Group, and pT stage, highlight the need for novel biomarkers to improve prognostic accuracy and risk assessment.

Comorbidities in spinal muscular atrophy and their impact on the course of the underlying disease: a real-life observational study.

Background: The lack of the SMN protein in SMA affects different tissues and organs, not only alpha motoneurons; this creates a broad spectrum of potential concomitant diseases, making SMA a multidisciplinary problem. This study focuses on an analysis of comorbidities, and their frequence and severity in SMA.

Methods: The study group consisted of 55 patients, 25 women and 30 men, with genetically confirmed SMA types 2, 3a, and 3b.

Klotho protein alleviates heart ischemia/reperfusion injury and oxidative stress through regulation of the NOS/MMP pathway.

Heart ischemia/reperfusion injury (IRI) significantly contributes to cardiac damage through oxidative and nitrosative stress, where the dysregulation of nitric oxide synthases (NOS) and the subsequent activation of matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) are observed. Klotho is a multifunctional protein crucial in ageing, metabolism, and ion homeostasis. It has been confirmed that Klotho serves as a critical protective factor across multiple biological systems, with its roles in neuroprotection, cardiovascular health, and renal function being particularly noteworthy.

Vericiguat in patients with chronic heart failure and reduced ejection fraction (VICTOR): a double-blind, placebo-controlled, randomised, phase 3 trial.

Background: Vericiguat is indicated to reduce the risk of cardiovascular death and hospitalisation for heart failure in patients with heart failure and reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF) following a recent worsening event. The aim of the VICTOR trial was to assess the effect of vericiguat in patients with HFrEF without recent heart failure worsening.

Methods: In this double-blind, placebo-controlled, phase 3 trial, conducted at 482 sites across 36 countries, patients aged 18 years or older with HFrEF (left ventricular ejection fraction of ≤40%) without heart failure hospitalisation within 6 months or outpatient intravenous diuretic use within 3 months before randomisation were randomly assigned (1:1) using an intervention randomisation system with interactive response technology to oral vericiguat (target 10 mg dose) or matching placebo.

Vericiguat for patients with heart failure and reduced ejection fraction across the risk spectrum: an individual participant data analysis of the VICTORIA and VICTOR trials.

Background: Following completion of the VICTORIA trial, vericiguat was approved for the treatment of worsening heart failure with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF) and received a class IIb recommendation in European and North American guidelines. The subsequent VICTOR trial evaluated the use of vericiguat in patients with HFrEF and no recent worsening. We aimed to assess the effect of vericiguat on clinical endpoints through pooled analyses of patient-level data from the VICTORIA and VICTOR trials.

Quantitative proteomic data of flotillin-2 interactome within detergent resistant membranes of HeLa cells.

Flotillin-binding protein networks serve as scaffolds, organizing lipid rafts and facilitating the recruitment of other raft-associated proteins such as receptors and downstream signaling molecules to regulate various intracellular pathways, including those involved in cell proliferation, migration, and endocytosis. Flotillins belong to the SPFH (stomatin/prohibitin/flotillin/HflK/C) domain-containing protein family, also known as the prohibitin homology (PHB) domain, which enables membrane association via acylation and hydrophobic hairpin motifs that anchor them to the inner leaflet of the plasma membrane. The functional diversity of flotillin proteins within membrane microdomains primarily stems from their interactions with other proteins.

Performance of the ChatGPT-4o Language Model in Solving the Ophthalmology Specialization Exam.

Background Artificial intelligence (AI), particularly language models such as ChatGPT, is gaining importance in medical education and knowledge assessment. Previous studies have demonstrated the growing effectiveness of AI in solving medical exams, including the Final Medical Examination (LEK) and Polish State Specialization Exam (PES) in various specialties, raising questions about its usefulness as a tool to support specialist training processes. Objective The aim of this study was to assess the effectiveness of the latest ChatGPT-4o model in solving the PES in ophthalmology.

WHF Roadmap on Single Pill Combination Therapies.

Cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) are the leading global cause of mortality, with treatment adherence posing a major barrier to effective prevention and control. Single pill combinations (SPCs), also known as fixed-dose combinations, simplify treatment by combining multiple agents into one pill, improving adherence and reducing cardiovascular risk. This World Heart Federation Roadmap synthesizes the latest clinical evidence and identifies key barriers to SPC implementation, including limited manufacturing, affordability, regulatory complexity, and inconsistent guideline inclusion.

Comparison of Cytotoxicity and Photocatalytic Properties of Iron Vanadate Nanoparticles with Commercial Catalysts: For the Degradation of Microplastics and Bacterial Inactivation Application.

Microplastics (MPs) and the development of associated antibiotic-resistant bacteria are of serious concern. Conventional water treatment methodologies do not sufficiently address the issue of MPs and MPs-attached bacteria. The photocatalytic process is a promising technique that utilizes solar light to generate HO radicals for the degradation of MPs and inactivation of microorganisms.

Effect of Vericiguat on Worsening Heart Failure in Compensated Outpatients with HFrEF: Insights from VICTOR.

Background: In the VICTOR trial, in a contemporary ambulatory cohort with heart failure and reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF) and no recent hospitalization, the primary outcome of hospitalization for heart failure (HHF) and cardiovascular death was not statistically significantly reduced with vericiguat. Vericiguat reduced risk of mortality but not HHF. In this ambulatory compensated cohort, time to first HHF may underestimate the overall worsening HF burden by failing to consider the high proportion of outpatient worsening HF events.

Hypertensive acute heart failure: a critical perspective on definition, epidemiology, pathophysiology, and prognosis-a narrative review: a joint session with the Romanian Society of Cardiology (part II).

Hypertensive acute heart failure (HT-AHF) has historically been recognized as a distinct clinical phenotype of AHF, characterized by acute pulmonary congestion in the context of elevated systolic blood pressure (SBP), typically > 140 mmHg. However, emerging evidence has begun to challenge the diagnostic accuracy, clinical utility, and relevance of this category. A main criticism of HT-AHF is its considerable overlap with other AHF clinical profiles, including acute decompensated heart failure (ADHF) and acute pulmonary oedema (APO).

Usefulness of the CHEST score in predicting the clinical outcomes of COVID-19 in obese and non-obese cohorts - subanalysis of the COLOS Study.

Purpose: Cardiovascular risk factors, particularly obesity, are strong predictors of poor COVID-19 outcomes, though prognosis remains uncertain for overweight individuals. Identifying new tools to assess obesity's impact on COVID-19 severity is vital for early risk stratification. We evaluated the CHEST-score system's ability to predict unfavorable outcomes in hospitalized COVID-19 patients.