Abstract While the implication of a dysfunctional dopaminergic system in Tourette syndrome (TS) is well established, the underlying pathophysiological mechanisms remain unclear. Apart from neurotransmitters, disturbed iron homeostasis and iron regulatory mechanisms are also suspected. Iron is a trace element of fundamental biological importance and is involved in the synthesis and metabolism of dopamine and its receptors and transporters. The goal of the current pre-registered, multi-modal, cross-sectional study was to investigate the relationship between potential iron homeostasis imbalances and dopaminergic system disturbances in patients with TS. Susceptibility-sensitive magnetic resonance imaging at 7T was used to obtain surrogate measures for local brain iron in 25 patients with TS (age 30±9 years, 6 female) and 40 matched control subjects. Additionally, dopamine D1 receptor availability was investigated with [11C]SCH23390 positron emission tomography in a subgroup of 20 patients and 20 controls. Significantly reduced subcortical magnetic susceptibility, indicating reduced iron levels, was observed in TS patients in the caudate, pallidum, subthalamic nucleus, thalamus, red nucleus, and substantia nigra. These reductions were accompanied by significant reductions of the [11C]SCH23390 binding potential indicating reduced availability of D1 receptors in the dorsal striatum. The D1 receptor abnormality correlated with tic severity. These results point to alterations of intrasynaptic dopamine release and reduced striatal D1 receptor binding, supporting the notion of disruption in multiple functional elements of the dopaminergic system. Such dopaminergic abnormalities appear to be associated with disturbances in iron homeostasis.

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• Pub. Date : 2025
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• Pub. Date : 2025
• Page : pp.104612-104612
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Abstract SARS-CoV-2 can encode circular RNAs (circRNAs); however, the potential effects of exogenous SARS-CoV-2 circRNAs on cardiovascular sequelae remain unknown. Three circRNAs derived from the nucleocapsid (N) gene of SARS-CoV-2, namely, circSARS-CV2-Ns, were identified for functional studies. In particular, circSARS-CV2-N1368 was shown to enhance platelet adhesiveness to endothelial cells (ECs) and inhibit EC-dependent vascular relaxation. Moreover, exogenous expression of circSARS-CV2-N1368 suppressed EC proliferation and migration and decreased angiogenesis and cardiac organoid beating. Mechanistically, we elucidated that circSARS-CV2-N1368 sponged the microRNA miR-103a-3p, which could reverse circSARS-CV2-N1368-induced EC damage. Additionally, activating transcription factor 7 (ATF7) was identified as a target gene of miR-103a-3p, and Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) was verified as a downstream gene of ATF7 that mediates circARS-CV2-N1368-induced activation of nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB) signaling and ROS production in ECs. Importantly, the reactive oxygen species (ROS) scavenger NAC mitigated the circSARS-CV2-N1368-promoted EC impairment. Our findings reveal that the TLR4/NF-κB/ROS signal pathway is critical for mediating circSARS-CV2-N1368-promoted oxidative damage in ECs, providing insights into the endothelial impairment caused by circSARS-CV2-Ns.

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• Pub. Date : 2025
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Lung ultrasound is increasingly used in neonatal intensive care units. We summarized the ultrasonographic patterns, features of most neonatal respiratory morbidities, and clinical application in neonates. Lung ultrasound is a non-invasive, radiation-free, and reproducible adjunct tool that can guide the clinical management of neonates presenting with respiratory distress.

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• Pub. Date : 2025
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ABSTRACTIntroductionRadiographer preliminary image evaluation (PIE) is a patient safety mechanism where radiographers provide a written comment describing potential pathology in radiographs they have acquired. This can assist emergency referrers in making a diagnosis when a radiologist's report is unavailable. The aim of this study was to evaluate the accuracy of radiographer PIE in interpreting paediatric trauma radiographs in an Australian emergency department.MethodsA randomised sample of paediatric radiographic examinations (aged 16 years and under) from January 2022 to June 2023 was retrospectively reviewed. The anatomical regions reviewed included the appendicular and axial skeleton, chest and abdomen. The PIE for each examination was compared to the radiologist report to indicate if the radiographer's evaluation was a true negative/positive or false negative/positive value. This was used to calculate mean sensitivity, specificity and diagnostic accuracy. Discrepant PIE interpretations were further investigated.ResultsA total of 498 PIEs were reviewed. The overall accuracy, sensitivity and specificity were 93.3%, 84.3% and 98.1%, respectively. Cases with no participation and those marked as unsure for pathology represented 0.4% and 2.6% of the sample, respectively. The extremities were identified as a region frequently misinterpreted.ConclusionRadiographers in this study maintained a high diagnostic accuracy in interpreting paediatric radiographs. PIE may complement the emergency referrer's diagnosis when a radiologist report is unavailable to promote appropriate and timely treatment for paediatric patients in the emergency department. Further research with a larger sample may support targeted training to improve PIE performance in regions frequently misinterpreted.

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• Pub. Date : 2025
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• Pub. Date : 2025
• Page : pp.1-19
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Over 64 million people worldwide are affected by heart failure (HF), a condition that significantly raises mortality and medical expenses. In this study, we explore the potential of retinal optical coherence tomography (OCT) features as non-invasive biomarkers for the classification of heart failure subtypes: left ventricular heart failure (LVHF), congestive heart failure (CHF), and unspecified heart failure (UHF). By analyzing retinal measurements from the left eye, right eye, and both eyes, we aim to investigate the relationship between ocular indicators and heart failure using machine learning (ML) techniques. We conducted nine classification experiments to compare normal individuals against LVHF, CHF, and UHF patients, using retinal OCT features from each eye separately and in combination. Our analysis revealed that retinal thickness metrics, particularly ISOS-RPE and macular thickness in various regions, were significantly reduced in heart failure patients. Logistic regression, CatBoost, and XGBoost models demonstrated robust performance, with notable accuracy and area under the curve (AUC) scores, especially in classifying CHF and UHF. Feature importance analysis highlighted key retinal parameters, such as inner segment-outer segment to retinal pigment epithelium (ISOS-RPE) and inner nuclear layer to the external limiting membrane (INL-ELM) thickness, as crucial indicators for heart failure detection. The integration of explainable artificial intelligence further enhanced model interpretability, shedding light on the biological mechanisms linking retinal changes to heart failure pathology. Our findings suggest that retinal OCT features, particularly when derived from both eyes, have significant potential as non-invasive tools for early detection and classification of heart failure. These insights may aid in developing wearable, portable diagnostic systems, providing scalable solutions for personalized healthcare, and improving clinical outcomes for heart failure patients.

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• Pub. Date : 2025
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IntroductionSpectral detector Computed Tomography (SDCT) enables generation of virtual non-contrast (VNC) images derived from a post-contrast scan, as previously investigated in healthy dogs. This technique is especially promising for awake scanned rabbits where motion between the pre- and the post-contrast scans makes comparison challenging. This study aimed to determine the reliability of VNC images for assessing abdominal organs in 20 rabbits by evaluating their qualitative and quantitative parameters compared to true unenhanced (TUE) images. Our hypothesis were that the VNC series would be comparable to TUE series and that the quality of the VNC images would be equal to or even superior to the native images.MethodsAttenuation values of VNC and TUE series were assessed using a two one-sided t-test (TOST) and the signal-to-noise ratio was calculated for each ROI in the different series. Additionally, a qualitative assessment of the VNC images relative to TUE images was performed in consensus by a board-certified radiologist and a second year diagnostic imaging resident by evaluating the iodine subtraction, image quality and noise of VNC images based on a 5-point Likert scale.ResultsA total of 219 regions of interest (ROIs) where drawn in abdominal organs. 72.1% of the ROIs displayed differences of less than 15 Hounsfield Units (HU) between TUE and VNC images. The differences in attenuation values of TUE and VNC were statistically significant (p < 0.05) for ≤ 5 HU in the spleen, for ≤ 10 HU and ≤ 15 HU additionally in the liver, musculature and renal cortices. These findings support the equivalence between VNC and TUE images. An average score of 4.4 was achieved for iodine subtraction across all patients, which encompasses all organ values, with no individual patient scoring below 4.0.DiscussionVNC images present a promising alternative to TUE images for abdominal organs without pathology in rabbits with the benefit of eliminating motion between the compared series and reducing examination time and radiation exposure by replacing pre-contrast scans. Further research is necessary to demonstrate the applicability of the technique to morphologically diseased organs.

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Special AT-rich sequence-binding protein 2 (SATB2), as a nuclear matrix-associated protein and transcription factor engaged in chromatin remodeling and the regulation of gene expression, plays an important role in growth and development processes. SATB2 has been shown to have tissue-specific expression, also related to some cancers, including colorectal cancer (CRC). The aim of this study was to compare SATB2 gene expression in tumor and matched non-involved colorectal tissues obtained from CRC patients, and to investigate its association with clinicopathological and demographic parameters, as well as patients’ overall survival. SATB2 mRNA levels in the tested tissues were assessed by quantitative polymerase chain reaction, while SATB2 protein expression was determined by immunohistochemistry. We found that the average levels of both SATB2 mRNA and protein were significantly lower in tumor specimens than in matched non-involved colon tissues. Moreover, SATB2 immunoreactivity was associated with patients’ sex, tumor localization, and grade of differentiation. Lower immunoreactivity of SATB2 protein was noted in high-grade tumors, in women, and in tumors located in the cecum, ascending, and transverse colon. However, the results of the present study did not show an association between SATB2 expression levels and patients’ overall survival. Our findings indicate the involvement of impaired SATB2 expression, significantly reduced in high-grading tumors, in the pathogenesis of CRC, while its sex- and localization-specificity should be further elucidated.

• Book : 26(5)
• Pub. Date : 2025
• Page : pp.2374-2374
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