Psychological differences and similarities between vegans, prospective vegans, and vegetarians. Motivation, knowledge, vegan literacy - and cheese.

Introduction: Although vegan and vegetarian diets and lifestyles differ significantly from each other, among other things, notably in their respective consequences regarding animal welfare and their ecological impact, vegans and vegetarians are often grouped together and usually compared to omnivores in psychological research. Considering that vegans and vegetarians often share similar motives for their lifestyle choices, namely animal and environmental issues, the question arises why similar motives lead to different conclusions and correspondingly different behaviors, most notably, of course, that vegetarians consume animal-derived foods such as cheese or milk while vegans do not consume animal-derived products (e.g., food, cosmetic products). This is why this study explored the psychological differences between vegans, vegetarians, and prospective vegans - the latter group being located in an intermediate, transitionary position. Focusing on the motivational, affective and cognitive components of dietary transition and participants' adherence to eating patterns, reasons for said patterns, possible hinderances to becoming vegan, the role of participants' social environments, and the impact of various misconceptions regarding the feasibility of a vegan diet in everyday life were all explored. Methods: An observational study was conducted via online questionnaire (1420 participants). Results: Significant differences were found between vegans, prospective vegans, and vegetarians, especially concerning their knowledge of issues pertaining to their respective lifestyles. Discussion: The critical role of knowledge is invoked as an explanation as to why vegans and vegetarians display different behaviors although they share a similar motivation. Thus, in this study the concept of vegan literacy is introduced. Additionally, the distinctive role of cheese is explored, discussing possible indications of its potentially addictive nature and, consequently, the importance of cheese as a hindering factor for pursuing a vegan diet.

Genetic and multi-omic risk assessment of Alzheimer's disease implicates core associated biological domains.

INTRODUCTION: Alzheimer's disease (AD) is the predominant dementia globally, with heterogeneous presentation and penetrance of clinical symptoms, variable presence of mixed pathologies, potential disease subtypes, and numerous associated endophenotypes. Beyond the difficulty of designing treatments that address the core pathological characteristics of the disease, therapeutic development is challenged by the uncertainty of which endophenotypic areas and specific targets implicated by those endophenotypes to prioritize for further translational research. However, publicly funded consortia driving large-scale open science efforts have produced multiple omic analyses that address both disease risk relevance and biological process involvement of genes across the genome. METHODS: Here we report the development of an informatic pipeline that draws from genetic association studies, predicted variant impact, and linkage with dementia associated phenotypes to create a genetic risk score. This is paired with a multi-omic risk score utilizing extensive sets of both transcriptomic and proteomic studies to identify system-level changes in expression associated with AD. These two elements combined constitute our target risk score that ranks AD risk genome-wide. The ranked genes are organized into endophenotypic space through the development of 19 biological domains associated with AD in the described genetics and genomics studies and accompanying literature. The biological domains are constructed from exhaustive Gene Ontology (GO) term compilations, allowing automated assignment of genes into objectively defined disease-associated biology. This rank-and-organize approach, performed genome-wide, allows the characterization of aggregations of AD risk across biological domains. RESULTS: The top AD-risk-associated biological domains are Synapse, Immune Response, Lipid Metabolism, Mitochondrial Metabolism, Structural Stabilization, and Proteostasis, with slightly lower levels of risk enrichment present within the other 13 biological domains. DISCUSSION: This provides an objective methodology to localize risk within specific biological endophenotypes and drill down into the most significantly associated sets of GO terms and annotated genes for potential therapeutic targets.

Postprandial effects following a semielemental critical-care diet lead to changes in uric acid, bile acids, and glucose in the central bearded dragon (Pogona vitticeps).

OBJECTIVE: To assess the prandial effects of a semielemental diet on plasma uric acid, bile acid, and glucose concentrations in the central bearded dragon (Pogona vitticeps). ANIMALS: 13 healthy adult male bearded dragons. METHODS: Following a 72-hour fasting period, blood was collected to measure preprandial uric acid, bile acid, and glucose concentrations. The animals were then gavage fed 1.2% body weight of an omnivore critical-care diet containing 20% protein, 9.5% fat, 2.5% fiber, and 2.39 kcal/mL. Blood was collected for repeat concentrations at 4 and 24 hours. RESULTS: Median (IQR) uric acid concentration (mg/dL) increased from 3.8 preprandial (2.8 to 4.3) to 4.7 4 hours postprandial (4 to 7; P = .0001). Median (IQR) bile acid concentration (mg/dL) increased from 1.8 preprandial (1 to 3.4) to 9.5 24 hours postprandial (5.6 to 10.4; P = .004). Median (IQR) glucose concentration (mg/dL) was 209 at time 0 (193 to 216), 287 at 4 hours (258 to 312), and 393 at 24 hours (361 to 464). Significant increases were seen between pre- and 4-hours-postprandial (P < .0001), pre- and 24-hours-postprandial (P < .0001), and 4-hours- and 24-hours-postprandial (P < .0001) glucose concentrations. CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Results suggest that postprandial status and diet composition should be considered during the interpretation of some biochemical analytes in the bearded dragon.

Calciphylaxis and Intractable Pain in a Veteran with Psychological Trauma History.

Guidelines are lacking for patients with calciphylaxis on renal replacement therapy, often leading to difficulty optimally treating these patients. A 60-year-old male veteran receiving hemodialysis presented with calciphylaxis of the left lower extremity and intractable pain. His condition was complicated by chronic back pain, long-term opioid therapy, and psychological trauma history. He was ultimately transferred to a calciphylaxis treatment center but was unable to tolerate further treatments due to sepsis and hemodynamic instability. He was transitioned to comfort measures and died in the hospital. Addressing complicated pain physiologies and complex trauma is challenging even in well-resourced tertiary medical centers. Despite the availability of calciphylaxis therapies and trauma-informed care, there remains a high rate of suffering and mortality in this patient population. There is much work to be done in this cohort, particularly when considering the implications of past traumatic experiences on health care engagement and pain management.

Predictors of stress resilience in Parkinson's disease and associations with symptom progression.

People with Parkinson's disease (PD) are sensitive to effects of long-term stress, but might differ in stress resilience, i.e. the ability to maintain mental health despite adversity. It is unclear whether stress resilience in PD is predominantly determined by dopamine deficiency, psychosocial factors, or both. In PD animal models, chronic stressors accelerate disease progression, but evidence in humans is lacking. Our objectives were to (1) distinguish stressor-reactive from resilient PD patients, (2) identify resilience factors, and (3) compare symptom progression between stressor-reactive and resilient patients. We conducted a longitudinal survey in Personalized Parkinson Project participants (N = 350 PD). We used the COVID-19 pandemic as a model of a stressor, aligned in time for the entire cohort. COVID-19-related stressors, perceived stress, and PD symptoms were assessed at 11 timepoints (April-October 2020). Both pre-COVID and in-COVID clinical assessments were available. We quantified stressor-reactivity as the residual between actual and predicted perceived stress relative to COVID-19-related stressors, and modeled trajectories of stressor-reactivity across timepoints. We explored pre-COVID predictors of 6-month average stressor-reactivity, and tested whether stressor-reactivity was prospectively associated with one-year clinical progression rates. Latent class trajectory models distinguished patients with high (N = 123) or low (N = 227) stressor-reactivity. Pre-existing anxiety, rumination and non-motor symptom severity predicted high stressor-reactivity (risk factors), whereas quality of life, social support, positive appraisal style and cognitive abilities predicted low stressor-reactivity (resilience factors). PD-specific factors, e.g. disease duration, motor severity, and levodopa use, did not predict stressor-reactivity. The COVID-19 pandemic did not accelerate disease progression, but worsened depressive symptoms in stressor-reactive PD patients.

Endobronchial Ultrasound Guided Transbronchial Needle Aspiration and PD-L1 Yields.

PURPOSE: Immunotherapy is a leading approach for treating advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) by targeting the PD-1/PD-L1 checkpoint signaling pathway, particularly in tumors expressing high levels of PD-L1 (Jug et al. in J Am Soc Cytopathol 9:485-493, 2020; Perrotta et al. in Chest 158: 1230-1239, 2020). Endobronchial ultrasound-guided transbronchial needle aspiration (EBUS-TBNA) is a minimally invasive method to obtain tissue for molecular studies, including PD-L1 analysis, in unresectable tumors (Genova et al. in Front Immunol 12: 799455, 2021; Wang et al. in Ann Oncol 29: 1417-1422, 2018). This study aimed to assess the adequacy of PD-L1 assessment in EBUS-TBNA cytology specimens. METHODS: Data was collected retrospectively from patients who underwent EBUS-TBNA between 2017 and 2021 for suspected lung cancer biopsy. Samples positive for NSCLC were examined for PD-L1 expression. EBUS was performed by experienced practitioners, following institutional guidelines of a minimum of five aspirations from positively identified lesions. Sample adequacy for molecular testing was determined by the pathology department. RESULTS: The analysis involved 387 NSCLC cases (149 squamous cell, 191 adenocarcinoma, 47 unspecified). Of the 263 EBUS-TBNA specimens tested for PD-L1, 237 (90.1%) were deemed adequate. While 84% adhered to the protocol, adherence did not yield better results. Significantly higher PD-L1 adequacy was observed in squamous cell carcinomas (93.2%) compared to adenocarcinoma (87.6%). The number of aspirations and sedation type did not correlate with PD-L1 adequacy in either cancer type, but lesion size and location had a significant impact in adenocarcinomas. Adenocarcinoma exhibited higher PD-L1 expression (68%) compared to squamous cell carcinoma (48%). CONCLUSION: EBUS-TBNA offers high yields for assessing immunotherapy markers like PD-L1, with satisfactory adequacy regardless of NSCLC subtype, lesion size, or location.

Long term follow-up in GAMT deficiency - Correlation of therapy regimen, biochemical and in vivo brain proton MR spectroscopy data.

GAMT deficiency is a rare autosomal recessive disease within the group of cerebral creatine deficiency syndromes. Cerebral creatine depletion and accumulation of guanidinoacetate (GAA) lead to clinical presentation with intellectual disability, seizures, speech disturbances and movement disorders. Treatment consists of daily creatine supplementation to increase cerebral creatine, reduction of arginine intake and supplementation of ornithine for reduction of toxic GAA levels. This study represents the first long-term follow-up over a period of 14 years, with detailed clinical data, biochemical and multimodal neuroimaging findings. Developmental milestones, brain MRI, quantitative single voxel 1H magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) and biochemical analyses were assessed. The results reveal insights into the dose dependent effects of creatine/ornithine supplementation and expand the phenotypic spectrum of GAMT deficiency. Of note, the creatine concentrations, which were regularly monitored over a long follow-up period, increased significantly over time, but did not reach age matched control ranges. Our patient is the second reported to show normal neurocognitive outcome after an initial delay, stressing the importance of early diagnosis and treatment initiation.

Depleting myeloid-biased haematopoietic stem cells rejuvenates aged immunity.

Ageing of the immune system is characterized by decreased lymphopoiesis and adaptive immunity, and increased inflammation and myeloid pathologies1,2. Age-related changes in populations of self-renewing haematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) are thought to underlie these phenomena3. During youth, HSCs with balanced output of lymphoid and myeloid cells (bal-HSCs) predominate over HSCs with myeloid-biased output (my-HSCs), thereby promoting the lymphopoiesis required for initiating adaptive immune responses, while limiting the production of myeloid cells, which can be pro-inflammatory4. Ageing is associated with increased proportions of my-HSCs, resulting in decreased lymphopoiesis and increased myelopoiesis3,5,6. Transfer of bal-HSCs results in abundant lymphoid and myeloid cells, a stable phenotype that is retained after secondary transfer; my-HSCs also retain their patterns of production after secondary transfer5. The origin and potential interconversion of these two subsets is still unclear. If they are separate subsets postnatally, it might be possible to reverse the ageing phenotype by eliminating my-HSCs in aged mice. Here we demonstrate that antibody-mediated depletion of my-HSCs in aged mice restores characteristic features of a more youthful immune system, including increasing common lymphocyte progenitors, naive T cells and B cells, while decreasing age-related markers of immune decline. Depletion of my-HSCs in aged mice improves primary and secondary adaptive immune responses to viral infection. These findings may have relevance to the understanding and intervention of diseases exacerbated or caused by dominance of the haematopoietic system by my-HSCs.

Promoting the circular economy: Valorization of a residue from industrial char to activated carbon with potential environmental applications as adsorbents.

Pyrolysis of residues enriched with carbon, such as in agroforestry or industrial activities, has been postulated as an emerging technology to promote the production of biofuels, contributing to the circular economy and minimizing waste. However, during the pyrolysis processes a solid fraction residue is generated. This work aims to study the viability of these chars to develop porous carbonaceous materials that can be used for environmental applications. Diverse chars discharged by an industrial pyrolysis factory have been activated with KOH. Concretely, the char residues came from the pyrolysis of olive stone, pine, and acacia splinters, spent residues fuel, and cellulose artificial casings. The changes in the textural, structural, and composition characteristics after the activation process were studied by N2 adsorption-desorption isotherms, scanning electron microscopy, FTIR, elemental analysis, and XPS. A great porosity was developed, SBET within 776-1186 m2 g-1 and pore volume of 0.37-0.59 cm3 g-1 with 70-90% of micropores contribution. The activated chars were used for the adsorption of CO2, leading to CO2 maximum uptakes of 90-130 mg g-1. There was a good correlation between the CO2 uptake with microporosity and oxygenated surface groups of the activated chars. Moreover, their ability to adsorption of contaminants in aqueous solution was also evaluated. Concretely, there was studied the adsorption of aqueous heavy metals, i.e., Cd, Cu, Ni, Pb, and Zn, and organic pollutants of emerging concern such as caffeine, diclofenac, and acetaminophen.

Ancient Genomes From Bronze Age Remains Reveal Deep Diversity and Recent Adaptive Episodes for Human Oral Pathobionts.

Ancient microbial genomes can illuminate pathobiont evolution across millenia, with teeth providing a rich substrate. However, the characterization of prehistoric oral pathobiont diversity is limited. In Europe, only preagricultural genomes have been subject to phylogenetic analysis, with none compared to more recent archaeological periods. Here, we report well-preserved microbiomes from two 4,000-year-old teeth from an Irish limestone cave. These contained bacteria implicated in periodontitis, as well as Streptococcus mutans, the major cause of caries and rare in the ancient genomic record. Despite deriving from the same individual, these teeth produced divergent Tannerella forsythia genomes, indicating higher levels of strain diversity in prehistoric populations. We find evidence of microbiome dysbiosis, with a disproportionate quantity of S. mutans sequences relative to other oral streptococci. This high abundance allowed for metagenomic assembly, resulting in its first reported ancient genome. Phylogenetic analysis indicates major postmedieval population expansions for both species, highlighting the inordinate impact of recent dietary changes. In T. forsythia, this expansion is associated with the replacement of older lineages, possibly reflecting a genome-wide selective sweep. Accordingly, we see dramatic changes in T. forsythia's virulence repertoire across this period. S. mutans shows a contrasting pattern, with deeply divergent lineages persisting in modern populations. This may be due to its highly recombining nature, allowing for maintenance of diversity through selective episodes. Nonetheless, an explosion in recent coalescences and significantly shorter branch lengths separating bacteriocin-carrying strains indicate major changes in S. mutans demography and function coinciding with sugar popularization during the industrial period.

Relationship between Androgens and Vascular and Placental Function during Pre-eclampsia.

Hypertensive disorders of pregnancy (HDP) represent a substantial risk to maternal and fetal health. Emerging evidence suggests an association between testosterone and pre-eclampsia (PE), potentially mediated through androgen receptors (AR). Nevertheless, the mechanism driving this association is yet to be elucidated. On the other hand, reports of transgender men's pregnancies offer a limited and insightful opportunity to understand the role of high androgen levels in the development of HDP. In this sense, a literature review was performed from a little over 2 decades (1998-2022) to address the association of testosterone levels with the development of HDP. Furthermore, this review addresses the case of transgender men for the first time. The main in vitro outcomes reveal placenta samples with greater AR mRNA expression. Moreover, ex vivo studies show that testosterone-induced vasorelaxation impairment promotes hypertension. Epidemiological data point to greater testosterone levels in blood samples during PE. Studies with transgender men allow us to infer that exogenous testosterone administration can be considered a risk factor for PE and that the administration of testosterone does not affect fetal development. Overall, all studies analyzed suggested that high testosterone levels are associated with PE.

Understanding monogenic Parkinson's disease at a global scale.

Until recently, about three-quarters of all monogenic Parkinson's disease (PD) studies were performed in European/White ancestry, thereby severely limiting our insights into genotype-phenotype relationships at global scale. The first systematic approach to embrace monogenic PD worldwide, The Michael J. Fox Foundation Global Monogenic PD (MJFF GMPD) Project, contacted authors of publications reporting individuals carrying pathogenic variants in known PD-causing genes. In contrast, the Global Parkinson's Genetics Program's (GP2) Monogenic Network took a different approach by targeting PD centers not yet represented in the medical literature. Here, we describe combining both efforts in a "merger project" resulting in a global monogenic PD cohort with build-up of a sustainable infrastructure to identify the multi-ancestry spectrum of monogenic PD and enable studies of factors modifying penetrance and expression of monogenic PD. This effort demonstrates the value of future research based on team science approaches to generate comprehensive and globally relevant results.

Herlyn–Werner–Wünderlich syndrome: A case series / Síndrome de Herlyn-Werner-Wünderlich: una serie de casos

Introduction: Herlyn–Werner–Wünderlich syndrome is a uterine malformation characterized by uterus didelphys, obstructed hemivagina and ipsilateral renal agenesis. Clinical findings: The manifestation of the disease is widely diverse; it is usually diagnosed after menarche, with dysmenorrhea and abnormal uterine bleeding; it is also associated with infertility. Main diagnosis: Four clinical cases, their diagnosis are reported here. Therapeutic interventions and results: The treatment and results of these four patients are described here. Conclusion: When studying uterine malformation it is important to consider this rare disease to avoid possible complications and giving the patient a correct diagnose and treatment. The hysteroscopy resection of the longitudinal vaginal septum in those symptomatic patients with hematocolpos should be considered as a good option for treatment.(AU)

Introducción: El síndrome de Herlyn-Werner-Wünderlich es una malformación uterina que asocia útero didelfo, hemivagina obstruida total o parcialmente y agenesia renal ipsilateral. Hallazgos clínicos: La clínica que presenta este síndrome es muy diversa; se suele diagnosticar después de la menarquia cursando con dismenorrea y sangrado uterino anómalo; así mismo se asocia a infertilidad. Diagnósticos principales: Se presentan a continuación 4 casos clínicos, su diagnóstico y tratamiento mediante diversas técnicas. Intervenciones terapéuticas y resultados: Se describen en este manuscrito los tratamientos aplicados a estas pacientes y sus resultados. Conclusión: Ante el hallazgo de una malformación uterina es importante tener en cuenta esta entidad infrecuente, para evitar posibles complicaciones y proporcionar a la paciente un diagnóstico y tratamiento correctos. La resección histeroscópica del tabique vaginal longitudinal en aquellas pacientes sintomáticas con hematocolpos debe ser considerada como una buena opción de tratamiento.(AU)

Models of practice and training in psychotherapy: cross-national perspectives from Italy and Canada.

Internationally, there is ongoing concern about accessibility to mental health care and training. The goal of this study was to explore commonalities and differences within models of clinical psychology and psychotherapy in Ontario, Canada, and Lombardia, Italy, respectively, to inform improvements to the accessibility of mental health care and training. Using key informant sampling, we recruited ten students and professionals in Italy and Canada who study or work in psychology for semi-structured interviews. We analyzed the interview content using an inductive approach for thematic analysis within countries and meta-theme analysis across countries. The findings indicated three cross-national meta-themes: the need to integrate evidence with practice, the limited accessibility of training for students and treatment for patients, and the importance of the quality of training programs. Despite some differences regarding the amount of scientific training, personal therapy for trainees, and the prominence of cultural diversity training, Canadian and Italian psychology professionals and students shared experiences of psychotherapy practice and clinical psychology training. The three cross-national meta-themes indicate which issues in training and practice may be relevant worldwide and where to focus resources. The findings can inform international collaborations regarding training model structures that may increase access to psychology training and may increase consensus on professional recognition standards to improve mobility for professionals. These changes could reduce barriers to mental healthcare services for patients.

Conversion of char from pyrolysis of plastic wastes into alternative activated carbons for heavy metal removal.

The valorization of post-consumer mixed plastics in pyrolysis processes represents an abundant reservoir of carbon that can be effectively converted into useful chars. This process not only holds appeal in terms of improving plastic waste concerns but also contributes to the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions, thus aligning with the principles of a circular economy paradigm. In this study, the char produced from the pyrolysis of post-consumer mixed plastic waste has been activated with Na2CO3, KOH, NaOH, and K2CO3 to improve the textural, structural, and composition characteristics, leading to improved adsorption capability. These characteristics were studied by N2 adsorption-desorption isotherms, scanning electron microscopy, elemental and immediate analysis, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. The developed surface area (SBET) was 573, 939, 704 and 592 m2 g-1 for Na2CO3, KOH, NaOH and K2CO3 activated carbons, respectively. These activated chars (ACs) were tested for the adsorption of heavy metals in both synthetic waters containing Pb, Cd, and Cu and industrial wastewater collected at an agrochemical production plant. Na2CO3-AC was the best performing material. The metal uptake in synthetic waters using a batch set-up was 40, 13 and 12 mg g-1 for Pb, Cd and Cu. Experiments in a column set-up using Na2CO3-AC resulted in a saturation time of 290, 16, and 80 min for Pb, Cd, and Cu synthetic waters, respectively, and metal uptakes of 26.8, 4.1, and 7.9 mg g-1, respectively. The agrochemical effluents, containing mainly Cr, Cu, Mn, and Zn were tested in a plug-flow column. The metal uptake notably decreased compared to synthetic water due to a competition effect for active sites.

Normative modelling of brain morphometry across the lifespan with CentileBrain: algorithm benchmarking and model optimisation.

The value of normative models in research and clinical practice relies on their robustness and a systematic comparison of different modelling algorithms and parameters; however, this has not been done to date. We aimed to identify the optimal approach for normative modelling of brain morphometric data through systematic empirical benchmarking, by quantifying the accuracy of different algorithms and identifying parameters that optimised model performance. We developed this framework with regional morphometric data from 37 407 healthy individuals (53% female and 47% male; aged 3-90 years) from 87 datasets from Europe, Australia, the USA, South Africa, and east Asia following a comparative evaluation of eight algorithms and multiple covariate combinations pertaining to image acquisition and quality, parcellation software versions, global neuroimaging measures, and longitudinal stability. The multivariate fractional polynomial regression (MFPR) emerged as the preferred algorithm, optimised with non-linear polynomials for age and linear effects of global measures as covariates. The MFPR models showed excellent accuracy across the lifespan and within distinct age-bins and longitudinal stability over a 2-year period. The performance of all MFPR models plateaued at sample sizes exceeding 3000 study participants. This model can inform about the biological and behavioural implications of deviations from typical age-related neuroanatomical changes and support future study designs. The model and scripts described here are freely available through CentileBrain.

Characterization of real-time cine MR imaging distortion on 0.35 T MRgRT with concentric cine imaging QA phantom.

Objective. Real-time MRgRT uses 2D-cine imaging for target tracking and motion evaluation. Rotation of gantry inducedB0off-resonance, resulting in image artifacts and imaging isocenter-shift precluding MR-guided arc therapy. Standard MRI phantoms designed for higher resolution images face challenges when low-resolution cine imaging is needed to achieve high frame rates. This work aimed to examine the spatial accuracy including geometric distortion and isocenter shift in real-time during gantry rotation on a 0.35 T MR-Linac using the concentric Cine imaging quality assurance (QA) phantom and its associated image analysis software.Approach. The Cine imaging QA phantom consists of two concentric shells of low-T1mineral oil and a central alignment structure. The phantom was scanned on three different MRI systems; 0.55 T Siemens Free.Max, 1.5 T Philips Ingenia, and 0.35 T ViewRay MRIdian MR-Linac using 2D balanced steady-state free precession (bSSFP) imaging sequence. In addition, bSSFP cine MRI with the banding artifact correction was tested on 0.35 T ViewRay MR-Linac. Images from the MR-Linac were acquired with the Linac gantry stationary and rotating from gantry 300°â†’ 0° and vice versa. Three orthogonal image planes were scanned excluding the 1.5 T Philips Ingenia, where only the axial plane was scanned. The image analysis software calculated the distortion values as well as the isocenter position for each cine frame.Main results. The geometric distortion of cine imaging on MRIs and MR-Linac at gantry stationary are within 1 mm while the substantial geometric distortion of 2 and 2.2 mm were observed on 0.35 T MR-Linac while rotating the gantry clockwise (300°â†’ 0°) and counterclockwise 0°â†’ 300° respectively. The average imaging isocenter shift was 0.1 mm for both MRIs and the static gantry and imaging isocenter shift of ≤1.5 mm was observed during the gantry rotation. The imaging isocenter shift decreased by 1 ± 0.2 mm clockwise and counterclockwise withB0compensation.Significance. The concentric Cine imaging QA phantom and its associated software effectively demonstrate the image distortion on real-time cine imaging on regular MRIs and 0.35 T MR-Linac. The results of significant geometric distortion with a rotating gantry in the MR-Linac system require further investigation to alleviate the extent of the image distortion.

Tuned geometries of hippocampal representations meet the computational demands of social memory.

Social memory consists of two processes: the detection of familiar compared with novel conspecifics and the detailed recollection of past social episodes. We investigated the neural bases for these processes using calcium imaging of dorsal CA2 hippocampal pyramidal neurons, known to be important for social memory, during social/spatial encounters with novel conspecifics and familiar littermates. Whereas novel individuals were represented in a low-dimensional geometry that allows for generalization of social identity across different spatial locations and of location across different identities, littermates were represented in a higher-dimensional geometry that supports high-capacity memory storage. Moreover, familiarity was represented in an abstract format, independent of individual identity. The degree to which familiarity increased the dimensionality of CA2 representations for individual mice predicted their performance in a social novelty recognition memory test. Thus, by tuning the geometry of structured neural activity, CA2 is able to meet the demands of distinct social memory processes.

Symptomatic gallstone disease: Recurrence patterns and risk factors for relapse after first admission, the RELAPSTONE study.

BACKGROUND: Delayed cholecystectomy in patients with symptomatic gallstone disease is associated with recurrence. Limited data on the recurrence patterns and the factors that determine them are available. OBJECTIVE: We aimed to determine the pattern of relapse in each symptomatic gallstone disease (acute pancreatitis, cholecystitis, cholangitis, symptomatic choledocholithiasis, and biliary colic) and determine the associated factors. METHODS: RELAPSTONE was an international multicenter retrospective cohort study. Patients (n = 3016) from 18 tertiary centers who suffered a first episode of symptomatic gallstone disease from 2018 to 2020 and had not undergone cholecystectomy during admission were included. The main outcome was relapse-free survival. Kaplan-Meier curves were used in the bivariate analysis. Multivariable Cox regression models were used to identify prognostic factors associated with relapses. RESULTS: Mean age was 76.6 [IQR: 59.7-84.1], and 51% were male. The median follow-up was 5.3 months [IQR 2.1-12.4]. Relapse-free survival was 0.79 (95% CI: 0.77-0.80) at 3 months, 0.71 (95% CI: 0.69-0.73) at 6 months, and 0.63 (95% CI: 0.61-0.65) at 12 months. In multivariable analysis, older age (HR = 0.57; 95% CI: 0.49-0.66), sphincterotomy (HR = 0.58, 95% CI: 0.49-0.68) and higher leukocyte count (HR = 0.79; 95% CI: 0.70-0.90) were independently associated with lower risk of relapse, whereas higher levels of alanine aminotransferase (HR = 1.22; 95% CI: 1.02-1.46) and multiple cholelithiasis (HR = 1.19, 95% CI: 1.05-1.34) were associated with higher relapse rates. CONCLUSION: The relapse rate is high and different in each symptomatic gallstone disease. Our independent predictors could be useful for prioritizing patients on the waiting list for cholecystectomies.