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Epilepsy is a severe neurological disease manifested by spontaneous recurrent seizures due to abnormal hyper-synchronization of neuronal activity. Epilepsy affects about 1% of the population and up to 40% of patients experience seizures that are resistant to currently available drugs, thus highlighting an urgent need for novel treatments. In this regard, anti-inflammatory drugs emerged as potentia

AIMS: It has been suggested that in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), brain atrophy is most pronounced in the hippocampus, but this has not been investigated systematically. The present pooled analysis of three studies examined if hippocampal atrophy is more prominent than global brain atrophy in patients with T2DM relative to controls.METHODS: Data were derived from a cohort study of

The opening of habitats associated with the emergence of C4 grasslands during the Neogene had a massive influence on the evolution of plant and animal communities. Strikingly, the impacts of grassland expansion on species diversification in Africa, where the largest surface of grasslands and savannas in the world is located, are not well understood. To explore the impact of habitat opening, we inv

Image-based analysis of breast tumour growth rate may help optimize breast cancer screening and diagnosis. It may improve the identification of aggressive tumours and suggest optimal screening intervals. Virtual clinical trial (VCT) is a simulation-based method used to evaluate and optimize medical imaging systems and design clinical trials. Our work is motivated by desire to simulate multiple scr

Background: The complexity of pancreaticoduodenectomy and fear of morbidity, particularly postoperative pancreatic fistula, can be a barrier to surgical trainees gaining operative experience. This meta-analysis sought to compare the postoperative pancreatic fistula rate after pancreatoenteric anastomosis by trainees or established surgeons. Methods: A systematic review of the literature was perfor

Brain tissue segmentation plays a crucial role in feature extraction, volumetric quantification, and morphometric analysis of brain scans. For the assessment of brain structure and integrity, CT is a non-invasive, cheaper, faster, and more widely available modality than MRI. However, the clinical application of CT is mostly limited to the visual assessment of brain integrity and exclusion of copat

BackgroundFor implementation of new assessment strategies, an evidence-informed approach is desired. Thus, the assessment methodshould be supported by current evidence, and similarly the implementation process could be informed through research.Implementation research can be done using various approaches and research methods. However, it seems that interviewstudies are an important source of infor

Objective: To assess women's perceptions of the quality of maternal and newborn care (QMNC) received in hospitals in Romania during the COVID-19 pandemic by mode of birth. Methods: A validated anonymous online questionnaire based on WHO quality measures. Subgroup analysis of spontaneous vaginal birth (SVB), emergency cesarean, and elective cesarean and multivariate analyses were performed, and QMN

Background and purpose: High levels of 25-hydroxyvitamin D3 (25[OH]D3) are associated with a lower risk for multiple sclerosis (MS). The bioavailability of 25(OH)D3 is regulated by its main plasma carrier, vitamin D-binding protein (DBP). Free 25(OH)D3 can be estimated by also measuring DBP concentration. In addition, DBP has immunomodulatory functions that may independently affect MS pathogenesis

Background The shortage of surgeons, anaesthesiologists and obstetricians in low-income and middle-income countries (LMICs) is occasionally bridged by foreign surgical teams from high-income countries on short-term visits. To advise on ethical guidelines for such activities, the aim of this study was to present LMIC stakeholders' perceptions of visiting surgical teams from high-income countries. M

Background: Alzheimer's disease is characterized by the accumulation of amyloid-β (Aβ) into plaques, aggregation of tau into neurofibrillary tangles, and neurodegenerative processes including atrophy. However, there is a poorly understood spatial discordance between initial Aβ deposition and local neurodegeneration. Objective: Here, we test the hypothesis that the cingulum bundle links Aβ depositi

Soil organic matter (SOM) decomposition in response to global change represents a critical uncertainty in coupled carbon (C) cycle-climate models. Much of this uncertainty arises from our limited mechanistic knowledge of the effects of organic C input frequency on SOM decomposition. Based on a three-source-partitioning isotopic approach (14C glucose addition to soil continuously labeled by C4 plan

Background: Agroecology integrates ecological agricultural production with community self-reliance, deeply rooted in indigenous knowledge. This study investigates how and why women in Zimbabwe contribute to seed preservation in agroecology, and what challenges they face in sustaining traditional seed systems. Using a qualitative approach combining focus group discussions, semi-structured interview

Background and purpose —The use of a tourniquet in knee replacement surgery is debated. Given the conflicting evidence, we aimed to compare the risk of revision after total knee replacements (TKR) with or without the use of tourniquet. Methods — In this register based observational study, we included the 5 most common cemented primary TKR models due to osteoarthritis reported to the Swedish Arthro

Background: 25-hydroxyvitamin D3 (25(OH)D3) affects immune function, bone health, and reproduction. The precursor of 25(OH)D3, vitamin D3, is synthesized upon ultraviolet (UV) radiation exposure, the levels of which vary. Methods: In a one-year observational study, we used multiple statistical approaches to examine 25(OH)D3 metabolism and UV exposure in 217 healthy men (aged 30–50 years) not using

The functional decline of hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) with age is a well-documented phenomenon, associated with various health complications, including anemia, impaired immune responses, and chronic inflammation. This dysfunction can contribute to the onset of hematological disorders such as myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS), chronic myelomonocytic leukemia (CMML), and acute myeloid leukemia (AML

PurposeTürkiye ranks among the highest in antibiotic consumption within OECD countries and faces growing challenges from multidrug-resistant uropathogens. Nationwide, resistance-guided treatment data remain scarce. The main objective of this work is to provide a comprehensive nationwide data on antibiotic resistance patterns among uropathogens to guide treatment options in urinary tract infections

I ett litet skånskt vattendrag hittades förhöjda halter av så kallade ”evighetskemikalier” som kan innebära risker för livet under ytan. Trots att vattnet ser rent ut visar mätningar att påverkan från industri och avloppsvatten är större än vad man tidigare känt till. PFAS är en stor grupp industrikemikalier med mycket goda vatten-, fett- och smutsavvisande egenskaper samt hög kemisk- och värmestFreshwater ecosystems are increasingly threatened by persistent chemical pollutants, including per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), which pose long-term risks to both ecosystems and human health. Small streams downstream of urban and industrial areas are often underrepresented in monitoring programmes, despite their potential vulnerability to PFAS contamination. Furthermore, environmental r

Stora och gamla ekar – framtiden för eklandskapets arter Stora och gamla ekar spelar en viktig roll för den biologiska mångfalden. När en ek åldras utvecklar den olika stamstrukturer, till exempel grov bark, döda grenar, blottad ved och håligheter fyllda med mulm, det vill säga en ansamling av nedbrutet organiskt material. Dessa strukturer skapar livsmiljöer för en stor mängd arter, bland annat iLarge and old trees provide important habitat structures and support a high diversity of species. Habitat continuity and landscape connectivity is crucial for species associated with oaks. Fragmentation, agriculture intensification and changed forest management has caused a reduction of old and large oaks, which threatens the long-term persistence of oak associated species by reducing habitat cont

Background: Available evidence suggests a link between exposure to transportation noise and an increased risk of obesity. We aimed to assess exposure-response functions for long-term residential exposure to road traffic, railway and aircraft noise, and markers of obesity. Methods: Our cross-sectional study is based on pooled data from 11 Nordic cohorts, including up to 162,639 individuals with eit