Brownian Motion Governs the Plasmonic Enhancement of Colloidal Upconverting Nanoparticles.

Upconverting nanoparticles are essential in modern photonics due to their ability to convert infrared light to visible light. Despite their significance, they exhibit limited brightness, a key drawback that can be addressed by combining them with plasmonic nanoparticles. Plasmon-enhanced upconversion has been widely demonstrated in dry environments, where upconverting nanoparticles are immobilized, but constitutes a challenge in liquid media where Brownian motion competes against immobilization. This study employs optical tweezers for the three-dimensional manipulation of an individual upconverting nanoparticle, enabling the exploration of plasmon-enhanced upconversion luminescence in water. Contrary to expectation, experiments reveal a long-range (micrometer scale) and moderate (20%) enhancement in upconversion luminescence due to the plasmonic resonances of gold nanostructures. Comparison between experiments and numerical simulations evidences the key role of Brownian motion. It is demonstrated how the three-dimensional Brownian fluctuations of the upconverting nanoparticle lead to an "average effect" that explains the magnitude and spatial extension of luminescence enhancement.

Design of a Stem Cell-Based Therapy for Ependymal Repair in Hydrocephalus Associated With Germinal Matrix Hemorrhages.

BACKGROUND: In preterm birth germinal matrix hemorrhages (GMHs) and the consequent posthemorrhagic hydrocephalus (PHH), the neuroepithelium/ependyma development is disrupted. This work is aimed to explore the possibilities of ependymal repair in GMH/PHH using a combination of neural stem cells, ependymal progenitors (EpPs), and mesenchymal stem cells. METHODS: GMH/PHH was induced in 4-day-old mice using collagenase, blood, or blood serum injections. PHH severity was characterized 2 weeks later using magnetic resonance, immunofluorescence, and protein expression quantification with mass spectrometry. Ependymal restoration and wall regeneration after stem cell treatments were tested in vivo and in an ex vivo experimental approach using ventricular walls from mice developing moderate and severe GMH/PHH. The effect of the GMH environment on EpP differentiation was tested in vitro. Two-tailed Student t or Wilcoxon-Mann-Whitney U test was used to find differences between the treated and nontreated groups. ANOVA and Kruskal-Wallis tests were used to compare >2 groups with post hoc Tukey and Dunn multiple comparison tests, respectively. RESULTS: PHH severity was correlated with the extension of GMH and ependymal disruption (means, 88.22% severe versus 19.4% moderate). GMH/PHH hindered the survival rates of the transplanted neural stem cells/EpPs. New multiciliated ependymal cells could be generated from transplanted neural stem cells and more efficiently from EpPs (15% mean increase). Blood and TNFα (tumor necrosis factor alpha) negatively affected ciliogenesis in cells committed to ependyma differentiation (expressing Foxj1 [forkhead box J1] transcription factor). Pretreatment with mesenchymal stem cells improved the survival rates of EpPs and ependymal differentiation while reducing the edematous (means, 18% to 0.5% decrease in severe edema) and inflammatory conditions in the explants. The effectiveness of this therapeutical strategy was corroborated in vivo (means, 29% to 0% in severe edema). CONCLUSIONS: In GMH/PHH, the ependyma can be restored and edema decreased from either neural stem cell or EpP transplantation in vitro and in vivo. Mesenchymal stem cell pretreatment improved the success of the ependymal restoration.

Effect of the Photoexcitation Wavelength and Polarization on the Generated Heat by a Nd-Doped Microspinner at the Microscale.

Thermal control at small scales is critical for studying temperature-dependent biological systems and microfluidic processes. Concerning this, optical trapping provides a contactless method to remotely study microsized heating sources. This work introduces a birefringent luminescent microparticle of NaLuF4:Nd3+ as a local heater in a liquid system. When optically trapped with a circularly polarized laser beam, the microparticle rotates and heating is induced through multiphonon relaxation of the Nd3+ ions. The temperature increment in the surrounding medium is investigated, reaching a maximum heating of ≈5 °C within a 30 µm radius around the static particle under 51 mW laser excitation at 790 nm. Surprisingly, this study reveals that the particle's rotation minimally affects the temperature distribution, contrary to the intuitive expectation of liquid stirring. The influence of the microparticle rotation on the reduction of heating transfer is analyzed. Numerical simulations confirm that the thermal distribution remains consistent regardless of spinning. Instead, the orientation-dependence of the luminescence process emerges as a key factor responsible for the reduction in heating. The anisotropy in particle absorption and the lag between the orientation of the particle and the laser polarization angle contribute to this effect. Therefore, caution must be exercised when employing spinning polarization-dependent luminescent particles for microscale thermal analysis using rotation dynamics.

Evaluation of adherence to antipsychotics: A real-world data study using four different dosing assumptions.

AIMS: This study aimed to assess the frequency of dosing inconsistencies in prescription data and the effect of four dosing assumption strategies on adherence estimates for antipsychotic treatment. METHODS: A retrospective cohort, which linked prescription and dispensing data of adult patients with ≥1 antipsychotic prescription between 2015-2016 and followed up until 2019, in Catalonia (Spain). Four strategies were proposed for selecting the recommended dosing in overlapping prescription periods for the same patient and antipsychotic drug: (i) the minimum dosing prescribed; (ii) the dose corresponding to the latest prescription issued; (iii) the highest dosing prescribed; and (iv) all doses included in the overlapped period. For each strategy, one treatment episode per patient was selected, and the Continuous Medication Availability measure was used to assess adherence. Descriptive statistics were used to describe results by strategy. RESULTS: Of the 277 324 prescriptions included, 76% overlapped with other prescriptions (40% with different recommended dosing instructions). The number and characteristics of patients and treatment episodes (18 292, 18 303, 18 339 and 18 536, respectively per strategy) were similar across strategies. Mean adherence was similar between strategies, ranging from 57 to 60%. However, the proportion of patients with adherence ≥90% was lower when selecting all doses (28%) compared with the other strategies (35%). CONCLUSION: Despite the high prevalence of overlapping prescriptions, the strategies proposed did not show a major effect on the adherence estimates for antipsychotic treatment. Taking into consideration the particularities of antipsychotic prescription practices, selecting the highest dose in the overlapped period seemed to provide a more accurate adherence estimate.

Bioelectrical impedance-derived phase angle (PhA) in people living with obesity: Role in sarcopenia and comorbidities.

BACKGROUND AND AIM: Obesity is characterized by alterations in fat and muscle mass. Phase angle (PhA) is considered an index of muscle mass, and is related to comorbidities in SO. This work aimed to assess the relationship between PhA, muscle mass, inflammation, and comorbidities in obesity. METHODS AND RESULTS: We included 198 outpatients with obesity (BMI≥30) divided into tertiles according to PhA distribution (<5°, 5°-6°, >7°). Body composition was analyzed using bioimpedance (Tanita MC-780P Multi-Frequency Segmental Body Composition Analyzer). Quantitative variables were compared using the Kruskal-Wallis test and qualitative variables using the chi-square test. A correspondence analysis was built to show the influence of qualitative variables on subjects in each tertile. Patients in the lowest tertile had the lowest skeletal muscle mass and appendicular skeletal muscle mass index (ASMI); the highest inflammatory index (albumin and derived neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio, Alb-dNLR); and the highest percentage of individuals with a history of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), chronic kidney disease (CKD), and heart failure (HF). The correspondence analysis showed an association between the lowest tertile and presence of HF with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF) and CKD. On the logistic regression model, ASMI (OR 0.9, 95%CI 0.85-0.95, p = 0.0004), Alb-dNLR (OR 1.04, 95%CI 1.04-16.4, p = 0.04) and HFpEF and T2DM were significantly associated with the lowest PhA. CONCLUSIONS: Identifying high-risk individuals living with obesity is a priority. These results show that lower PhA is related to inflammation, poorer skeletal muscle mass and consequently, their impact on obesity-related comorbidities and clinical outcomes.

Barriers to home food preparation and healthy eating among university students in Catalonia.

Despite college being a critical life stage for developing enduring healthy dietary behaviours, Spanish university students show poor adherence to a healthy diet. Since research has shown an association between home cooking and healthy eating, the aim of this study was to analyse the main barriers that influence home food preparation and healthy eating among students at three Catalan universities. Focus groups, the photovoice technique and a validated questionnaire were used. Six focus groups (10 female; 14 male; aged 18-22) were conducted. NVivo9, was used to analyse the transcripts using an inductive thematic analysis. In two focus groups, the photovoice technique was used to further explore their perceptions about a healthy diet and their barriers for home cooking and healthy eating. The validated questionnaire was sent out to obtain data on students' diet quality, food environment and cooking self-efficacy for the focus group's design. We found that lack of motivation was the main barrier to healthy eating and home cooking, which was further influenced by the lack of cooking self-efficacy. Young adults lacked the knowledge and skills to prepare quick, affordable, and nutritious meals. Hence, even lack of time was cited as a primary barrier, time constraints seemed to be related to personal priorities. Students did not feel motivated to eat healthy and adopt time-deepening behaviours that influence food-choices. Thus, further research is required to develop context-specific culinary interventions that enhance students' cooking self-efficacy and identify strategies for encouraging students to adopt healthier eating habits.

Impact of virtual reality-based therapy on post-stroke depression: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.

BACKGROUND: Post-stroke depression is the most common neuropsychiatric consequence and reduces rehabilitation effectiveness. However, the efficacy of virtual reality (VR) on mental health treatment for patients after a stroke is uncertain. AIMS: The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of VR as a co-adjuvant form of treatment to reduce depression in stroke patients admitted to neurorehabilitation units. METHODS: We systematically searched medical databases including PubMed, CINAHL, PsycINFO, Embase, Cochrane Library, Web of Science, and ClinicalTrials.gov from inception to November 16, 2023. Clinical trials comparing the use of VR as an adjuvant form of treatment in stroke patients' rehabilitation with the usual treatment were included. Pooled standardized mean differences were calculated using a random-effects model. Subgroup analyses were performed according to type of stroke, VR characteristics, and the scale used to measure depression. Meta-regression analysis was performed for intervention duration and to determine the mean age of the participants. RESULTS: Eight studies and 388 stroke patients were included. The VR interventions were associated with a lower risk of depression in patients (ES = -0.69; 95% CI [-1.05, -0.33]; I2 = 57.6%; p ≤ .02). The estimates were not affected by the type of stroke, the type of VR used, the blinding process, the type of scale used to detect depression, the duration of the intervention (weeks and minutes), and the total number of sessions. Meta-regression shows that younger samples (p = .00; 95% CI [0.01, 0.08) and longer interventions (p = < .05; 95% CI [-0.00, -0.00) lead to a greater reduction in depression. LINKING EVIDENCE TO ACTION: This review provides an important basis for treating depression in patients after a stroke. Professionals working in stroke neurorehabilitation units should consider VR as a form of co-adjuvant treatment for depression in patients. SYSTEMATIC REVIEW REGISTRATION: CRD42022303968.

Evaluation and monitoring of the water quality of an Argentinian urban river applying multivariate statistics.

In this work, we present the water quality assessment of an urban river, the San Luis River, located in San Luis Province, Argentina. The San Luis River flows through two developing cities; hence, urban anthropic activities affect its water quality. The river was sampled spatially and temporally, evaluating ten physicochemical variables on each water sample. These data were used to calculate a Simplified Index of Water Quality in order to estimate river water quality and infer possible contamination sources. Data were statistically analyzed with the opensource software R, 4.1.0 version. Principal component analysis, cluster analysis, correlation matrices, and heatmap analysis were performed. Results indicated that water quality decreases in areas where anthropogenic activities take place. Robust inferential statistical analysis was performed, employing an alternative of multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA), MANOVA.wide function. The most statistically relevant physicochemical variables associated with water quality decrease were used to develop a multiple linear regression model to estimate organic matter, reducing the variables necessary for continuous monitoring of the river and, hence, reducing costs. Given the limited information available in the region about the characteristics and recovery of this specific river category, the model developed is of vital importance since it can quickly detect anthropic alterations and contribute to the environmental management of the rivers. This model was also used to estimate organic matter at sites located in other similar rivers, obtaining satisfactory results.

Automatic Skeleton Segmentation in CT Images Based on U-Net.

Bone metastasis, emerging oncological therapies, and osteoporosis represent some of the distinct clinical contexts which can result in morphological alterations in bone structure. The visual assessment of these changes through anatomical images is considered suboptimal, emphasizing the importance of precise skeletal segmentation as a valuable aid for its evaluation. In the present study, a neural network model for automatic skeleton segmentation from bidimensional computerized tomography (CT) slices is proposed. A total of 77 CT images and their semimanual skeleton segmentation from two acquisition protocols (whole-body and femur-to-head) are used to form a training group and a testing group. Preprocessing of the images includes four main steps: stretcher removal, thresholding, image clipping, and normalization (with two different techniques: interpatient and intrapatient). Subsequently, five different sets are created and arranged in a randomized order for the training phase. A neural network model based on U-Net architecture is implemented with different values of the number of channels in each feature map and number of epochs. The model with the best performance obtains a Jaccard index (IoU) of 0.959 and a Dice index of 0.979. The resultant model demonstrates the potential of deep learning applied in medical images and proving its utility in bone segmentation.

Interpregnancy weight change and neonatal and infant outcomes: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

PURPOSE: To synthesize evidence regarding the association between interpregnancy weight change (IPWC) in consecutive pregnancies and neonatal or infant outcomes in the subsequent pregnancy. METHODS: Search strategy was implemented in MEDLINE, EMBASE, Web of Science, Scopus and Cochrane Library from their inception to 13 November 2023. The most adjusted odds ratio (OR) or risk ratio estimates provided by original studies were used to calculate pooled risk ratios and their corresponding 95 % confidence intervals (CI) with the DerSimonian and Laird random effects method. Publication bias was assessed by funnel plots and Egger's method, and risk of bias was assessed with The NewcastleOttawa Quality Assessment Scale. RESULTS: Thirty-seven observational studies were included. Interpregnancy weight loss or gain were associated with large for gestational age (OR: 0.89; 95 % CI: 0.84-0.94; I2 = 83.6 % and OR: 1.33; 95 % CI:1.26-1.40; I2 = 98.9 %), and stillbirth risk (OR: 1.10; 95 % CI: 1.01-1.18; I2 = 0.0 % and OR: 1.21; 95 % CI: 1.09-1.33; I2 = 60.2 %,). CONCLUSIONS: Findings highlight the importance of managing weight between interpregnancy periods, although these findings should be interpreted cautiously because of the possible influence of social determinants of health and other factors.

A selective defect in the glial wedge as part of the neuroepithelium disruption in hydrocephalus development in the mouse hyh model is associated with complete corpus callosum dysgenesis.

Introduction: Dysgenesis of the corpus callosum is present in neurodevelopmental disorders and coexists with hydrocephalus in several human congenital syndromes. The mechanisms that underlie the etiology of congenital hydrocephalus and agenesis of the corpus callosum when they coappear during neurodevelopment persist unclear. In this work, the mechanistic relationship between both disorders is investigated in the hyh mouse model for congenital hydrocephalus, which also develops agenesis of the corpus callosum. In this model, hydrocephalus is generated by a defective program in the development of neuroepithelium during its differentiation into radial glial cells. Methods: In this work, the populations implicated in the development of the corpus callosum (callosal neurons, pioneering axons, glial wedge cells, subcallosal sling and indusium griseum glial cells) were studied in wild-type and hyh mutant mice. Immunohistochemistry, mRNA in situ hybridization, axonal tracing experiments, and organotypic cultures from normal and hyh mouse embryos were used. Results: Our results show that the defective program in the neuroepithelium/radial glial cell development in the hyh mutant mouse selectively affects the glial wedge cells. The glial wedge cells are necessary to guide the pioneering axons as they approach the corticoseptal boundary. Our results show that the pioneering callosal axons arising from neurons in the cingulate cortex can extend projections to the interhemispheric midline in normal and hyh mice. However, pioneering axons in the hyh mutant mouse, when approaching the area corresponding to the damaged glial wedge cell population, turned toward the ipsilateral lateral ventricle. This defect occurred before the appearance of ventriculomegaly. Discussion: In conclusion, the abnormal development of the ventricular zone, which appears to be inherent to the etiology of several forms of congenital hydrocephalus, can explain, in some cases, the common association between hydrocephalus and corpus callosum dysgenesis. These results imply that further studies may be needed to understand the corpus callosum dysgenesis etiology when it concurs with hydrocephalus.

Management of early-stage HER2-positive breast cancer and attitudes towards HER2DX test in Spain: insights from a nationwide survey.

PURPOSE: This study aimed to investigate the current therapeutic management of patients with early-stage HER2-positive (HER2+) breast cancer in Spain, while also exploring the perceptions surrounding HER2DX in terms of its credibility, clinical relevance, and impact on therapeutic decision-making. Understanding these aspects is crucial for optimizing treatment strategies and enhancing patient outcomes in the context of HER2+ breast cancer. METHODS: An online questionnaire was conducted by an independent third-party between April and May 2022 across 70 medical oncologists highly specialized in breast cancer management in Spain. The survey included 37 questions regarding treatment decision making in HER2+ early breast cancer. RESULTS: The management of patients with HER2+ early breast cancer exhibited a high degree of heterogeneity. Among the interviewed oncologists, 53% would recommend upfront surgery for node negative tumors measuring 1 cm or less. Interestingly, 69% and 56% of interviewers were open to deescalate the duration of adjuvant trastuzumab in pT1a and pT1b N0 tumors, respectively. Certain clinicopathological characteristics, such as high grade, high Ki-67, and young age, influenced the decision to prescribe neoadjuvant treatment for patients with clinical stage 1 disease. In cases where neoadjuvant treatment was prescribed for cT1-2 N0 tumors, there was a wide variation in the choice of chemotherapeutic and anti-HER2 regimens. Regarding the use of adjuvant trastuzumab emtansine (T-DM1) in patients with residual disease after neoadjuvant therapy, there was diversity in practice, and a common concern emerged that T-DM1 might be overtreating some patients. HER2DX, as a diagnostic tool, was deemed trustworthy, and the reported scores were considered clinically useful. However, 86% of interviewees believed that a prospective trial was necessary before fully integrating the test into routine clinical practice. CONCLUSION: In the context of early-stage HER2+ breast cancer in Spain, a notable diversity in therapeutic approaches was observed. The majority of interviewed medical oncologists acknowledged HER2DX as a clinically valuable test for specific patients, in line with the 2022 SEOM-GEICAM-SOLTI clinical guidelines for early-stage breast cancer. To facilitate the full integration of HER2DX into clinical guidelines, conducting prospective studies to further validate its efficacy and utility was recommended.

Study of musculoskeletal disorders risk factors and discomfort in sculptors in the north of Mexico.

BACKGROUND: The sculpting craft must adopt awkward postures that lead to musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs). OBJECTIVE: This study investigated the prevalence of musculoskeletal discomfort (MD) and its associations with postural risk factors, demographics, and work characteristics among sculptors. They were determined the differences between MDs during the weeks of the study. METHODS: A longitudinal study was conducted; MD was investigated using the Cornell Musculoskeletal Discomfort Questionnaire (CMDQ). Posture was assessed using the Rapid Upper Limb Assessment method (RULA). Multivariate logistic regression (MLR) models analyzed associations with different factors. ANOVA was used to test for differences in MD prevalence. RESULTS: The analysis included 585 responses by body region. The prevalence of MD was high in the lower and upper limbs among sculptors (67.6%), with the lower back, upper arm, neck, and knees being the four most affected regions. Gender (female) (OR = 2.15), marital status (married) (OR = 1.80), health risk (obesity), the dual of a secondary job (OR = 1.94), job stress (OR = 2.10), duration of work (OR = 2.01), and difficulty keeping up with work (OR = 2.00) were significant predictors contributing to the occurrence of MD in different body regions. Only shoulder MD prevalence showed significant differences between study weeks. CONCLUSIONS: Sculptors suffer from MD. Demographic and work characteristic factors influence MD prevalence. Postural training, improved adaptation of work organization, and intervention guidance on ergonomic risks may reduce the prevalence of MD and the risk of MSDs in this population.

Robustness of [18F]FDG PET/CT radiomic analysis in the setting of drug-induced cardiotoxicity.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Standardization of radiomic data acquisition protocols is still at a very early stage, revealing a strong need to work towards the definition of uniform image processing methodologies The aim of this study is to identify sources of variability in radiomic data derived from image discretization and resampling methodologies prior to image feature extraction. Furthermore, to identify robust potential image-based biomarkers for the early detection of cardiotoxicity. METHODS: Image post-acquisition processing, interpolation, and volume of interest (VOI) segmentation were performed. Four experiments were conducted to assess the reliability in terms of the intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) of the radiomic features and the effects of the variation of voxel size and gray level discretization. Statistical analysis was performed separating the patients according to cardiotoxicity diagnosis. Differences of texture features were studied with Mann-Whitney U test. P-values <0.05 after multiple testing correction were considered statistically significant. Additionally, a non-supervised k-Means clustering algorithm was evaluated. RESULTS: The effect of the variation in the voxel size demonstrated a non-dependency relationship with the values of the radiomic features, regardless of the chosen discretization method. The median ICC values were 0.306 and 0.872 for absolute agreement and consistency, respectively, when varying the discretization bin number. The median ICC values were 0.678 and 0.878 for absolute agreement and consistency, respectively, when varying the discretization bin size. A total of 16 first order, 6 Gray Level Co-occurrence Matrix (GLCM), 4 Gray Level Dependence Matrix (GLDM) and 4 Gray Level Run Length Matrix (GLRLM) features demonstrated statistically significant differences between the diagnosis groups for interim scans (P<0.05) for the fixed bin size (FBS) discretization methodology. However, no statistically significant differences between diagnostic groups were found for the fixed bin number (FBN) discretization methodology. Two clusters based on the radiomic features were identified. CONCLUSIONS: Gray level discretization has a major impact on the repeatability of the radiomic features. The selection of the optimal processing methodology has led to the identification of texture-based patterns for the differentiation of early cardiac damage profiles.

Distinct intestinal microbial signatures linked to accelerated systemic and intestinal biological aging.

BACKGROUND: People living with HIV (PLWH), even when viral replication is controlled through antiretroviral therapy (ART), experience persistent inflammation. This inflammation is partly attributed to intestinal microbial dysbiosis and translocation, which may lead to non-AIDS-related aging-associated comorbidities. The extent to which living with HIV - influenced by the infection itself, ART usage, sexual orientation, or other associated factors - affects the biological age of the intestines is unclear. Furthermore, the role of microbial dysbiosis and translocation in the biological aging of PLWH remains to be elucidated. To investigate these uncertainties, we used a systems biology approach, analyzing colon and ileal biopsies, blood samples, and stool specimens from PLWH on ART and people living without HIV (PLWoH) as controls. RESULTS: PLWH exhibit accelerated biological aging in the colon, ileum, and blood, as measured by various epigenetic aging clocks, compared to PLWoH. Investigating the relationship between microbial translocation and biological aging, PLWH had decreased levels of tight junction proteins in the intestines, along with increased microbial translocation. This intestinal permeability correlated with faster biological aging and increased inflammation. When investigating the relationship between microbial dysbiosis and biological aging, the intestines of PLWH had higher abundance of specific pro-inflammatory bacteria, such as Catenibacterium and Prevotella. These bacteria correlated with accelerated biological aging. Conversely, the intestines of PLWH had lower abundance of bacteria known for producing the anti-inflammatory short-chain fatty acids, such as Subdoligranulum and Erysipelotrichaceae, and these bacteria were associated with slower biological aging. Correlation networks revealed significant links between specific microbial genera in the colon and ileum (but not in feces), increased aging, a rise in pro-inflammatory microbe-related metabolites (e.g., those in the tryptophan metabolism pathway), and a decrease in anti-inflammatory metabolites like hippuric acid. CONCLUSIONS: We identified specific microbial compositions and microbiota-related metabolic pathways that are intertwined with intestinal and systemic biological aging. This microbial signature of biological aging is likely reflecting various factors including the HIV infection itself, ART usage, sexual orientation, and other aspects associated with living with HIV. A deeper understanding of the mechanisms underlying these connections could offer potential strategies to mitigate accelerated aging and its associated health complications. Video Abstract.

Comparison of Clinical and Genetic Characteristics Between Younger and Older Lung Cancer Patients.

INTRODUCTION: The aim of this study was to analyze the clinical and genetic characteristics of young lung cancer cases, and to compare them with those of older cases. METHODS: We used the Thoracic Tumors Registry (TTR) as a data source representative of lung cancer cases diagnosed in Spain, and included all cases registered until 9/01/2023 which had information on age at diagnosis or the data needed to calculate it. We performed a descriptive statistical analysis and fitted logistic regressions to analyze how different characteristics influenced being a younger lung cancer patient. RESULTS: A total of 26,336 subjects were included. Lung cancer cases <50 years old had a higher probability of being women (OR: 1.38; 95% CI: 1.21-1.57), being in stage III or IV (OR: 1.32; 95% CI: 1.08-1.62), not having comorbidities (OR: 5.21; 95% CI: 4.59-5.91), presenting with symptoms at diagnosis (OR: 1.53; 95% CI: 1.29-1.81), and having ALK translocation (OR: 7.61; 95% CI: 1.25-46.32) and HER2 mutation (OR: 5.71; 95% CI: 1.34-24.33), compared with subjects ≥50 years. Among subjects <35 years old (n=61), our study observed a higher proportion of women (59.0% vs. 26.6%; p<0.001), never smokers (45.8% vs. 10.3%; p<0.001), no comorbidities (21.3% vs. 74.0%; p<0.001); ALK translocation (33.3% vs. 4.4%; p<0.001) and ROS1 mutation (14.3% vs. 2.3%; p=0.01), compared with subjects ≥35 years. CONCLUSIONS: Lung cancer displays differences by age at diagnosis which may have important implications for its clinical management.

Efficacy of the use of video games on mood, anxiety and depression in stroke patients: preliminary findings of a randomised controlled trial.

BACKGROUND: In the different published studies, there is no consensus on the efficacy of virtual reality as an adjuvant treatment of mood states. AIM: The aim of this study is to evaluate the impact of no immersive virtual reality with the Nintendo Switch device in rehabilitation treatment on mood, anxiety and depression in stroke patients admitted to neurorehabilitation units. METHODS: Fifty-eight patients admitted to neurorehabilitation units underwent a 1:3 multicentre randomised clinical trial. The intervention group consisted of 17 patients and the control group of 41 patients. The intervention group performed 6 virtual reality sessions together with the conventional treatment, and the control group performed only the conventional rehabilitation sessions. Primary and secondary clinical outcomes were measured before and six weeks after the intervention. RESULTS: Comparing the intervention group and control group, the anxiety levels of the intervention group decreased compared to the results observed in the control group (p = 0.01), as did the dependence of the intervention group (0.015). On the other hand, the results obtained after the intervention by the control group for anxiety (0.479) and depression (0.292) were not statistically significant. CONCLUSION: Rehabilitation VR used as an adjuvant treatment to conventional treatment has a beneficial impact on the neurological status and state of anxiety of stroke patients admitted to neurorehabilitation units. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Registered in the https://clinicaltrials.gov/ repository (NTC NCT05143385). Protocol registration date 7 October 2021, retrospectively registered.

Pretreatment with oleuropein protects the neonatal brain from hypoxia-ischemia by inhibiting apoptosis and neuroinflammation.

Hypoxic-ischemic (HI) encephalopathy is a cerebrovascular injury caused by oxygen deprivation to the brain and remains a major cause of neonatal mortality and morbidity worldwide. Therapeutic hypothermia is the current standard of care but it does not provide complete neuroprotection. Our aim was to investigate the neuroprotective effect of oleuropein (Ole) in a neonatal (seven-day-old) mouse model of HI. Ole, a secoiridoid found in olive leaves, has previously shown to reduce damage against cerebral and other ischemia/reperfusion injuries. Here, we administered Ole as a pretreatment prior to HI induction at 20 or 100 mg/kg. A week after HI, Ole significantly reduced the infarct area and the histological damage as well as white matter injury, by preserving myelination, microglial activation and the astroglial reactive response. Twenty-four hours after HI, Ole reduced the overexpression of caspase-3 and the proinflammatory cytokines IL-6 and TNF-α. Moreover, using UPLC-MS/MS we found that maternal supplementation with Ole during pregnancy and/or lactation led to the accumulation of its metabolite hydroxytyrosol in the brains of the offspring. Overall, our results indicate that pretreatment with Ole confers neuroprotection and can prevent HI-induced brain damage by modulating apoptosis and neuroinflammation.

Offshore wind and wave energy can reduce total installed capacity required in zero-emissions grids.

As the world races to decarbonize power systems to mitigate climate change, the body of research analyzing paths to zero emissions electricity grids has substantially grown. Although studies typically include commercially available technologies, few of them consider offshore wind and wave energy as contenders in future zero-emissions grids. Here, we model with high geographic resolution both offshore wind and wave energy as independent technologies with the possibility of collocation in a power system capacity expansion model of the Western Interconnection with zero emissions by 2050. In this work, we identify cost targets for offshore wind and wave energy to become cost effective, calculate a 17% reduction in total installed capacity by 2050 when offshore wind and wave energy are fully deployed, and show how curtailment, generation, and transmission change as offshore wind and wave energy deployment increase.

Genome sequence of Xenia2 a DV cluster phage that infects Gordonia rubripertincta.

Xenia2 is a DV cluster actinobacteriophage that infects Gordonia rubripertincta NRRL B-16540. The genome is 68,135bp, has a GC content of 57.9% and 98 predicted protein-coding genes, 33 of which have a predicted function. Xenia2 has a lysis cassette with an endolysin (lysin A) and four different holin-like transmembrane proteins.