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Background Due to the lack of high-quality evidence which has hindered the development of evidence-based guidelines, there is a need to provide general guidance on cranioplasty (CP) following traumatic brain injury (TBI), as well as identify areas of ongoing uncertainty via a consensus-based approach. Methods The international consensus meeting on post-traumatic CP was held during the International Conference on Recent Advances in Neurotraumatology (ICRAN), in Naples, Italy, in June 2018. This meeting was endorsed by the Neurotrauma Committee of the World Federation of Neurosurgical Societies (WFNS), the NIHR Global Health Research Group on Neurotrauma, and several other neurotrauma organizations. Discussions and voting were organized around 5 pre-specified themes: (1) indications and technique, (2) materials, (3) timing, (4) hydrocephalus, and (5) paediatric CP. Results The participants discussed published evidence on each topic and proposed consensus statements, which were subject to ratification using anonymous real-time voting. Statements required an agreement threshold of more than 70% for inclusion in the final recommendations. Conclusions This document is the first set of practical consensus-based clinical recommendations on post-traumatic CP, focusing on timing, materials, complications, and surgical procedures. Future research directions are also presented.

Let G be a locally compact group, an abelian subgroup and let Ψ be a continuous 2-cocycle on the dual group . Let B be a C*-algebra and a continuous right coaction. Using Rieffel deformation, we can construct a quantum group and the deformed C*-algebra B Ψ . The aim of this paper is to present a construction of the continuous coaction of the quantum group on B Ψ . The transition from the coaction Δ B to its deformed counterpart is nontrivial in the sense that contains complete information about Δ B . In order to illustrate our construction we apply it to the action of the Lorentz group on the Minkowski space obtaining a C*-algebraic quantum Minkowski space.

We propose a definition of a quantum homogeneous space of a locally compact quantum group. We show that classically it reduces to the notion of homogeneous spaces, giving rise to an operator algebraic characterization of the transitive group actions. On the quantum level our definition goes beyond the quotient case providing a framework which, besides the Vaes’ quotient of a locally compact quantum group by its closed quantum subgroup (our main motivation) is also compatible with, generically non-quotient, quantum homogeneous spaces of a compact quantum group studied by P. Podleś as well as the Rieffel deformation of G-homogeneous spaces. Finally, our definition rules out the paradoxical examples of the non-compact quantum homogeneous spaces of a compact quantum group.

The progression of an abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) is an important issue, especially as AAA is becoming more common, and potentially life-threatening. This study aimed to understand better the mechanisms underlying AAA progression. For this purpose, we have focused on assessing the selected biomarkers whose potentially common denominator is the NRF2 (nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2) transcription factor, that determines the selected antioxidant enzymes’ activation. The study group consisted of 44 AAA male patients (71.41 ± 7.80 years aged). They were divided into three groups based on the aneurism diameter: group I (below 55 mm), group II (between 55 and 70 mm), and group III (over 70 mm). The laboratory analyses of PON1 (paraoxonase-1), NRF2, and HO-1 (heme oxygenase 1) were performed based on commercial ELISA tests; Blb (bilirubin) and hsCRP (high sensitivity C-reactive protein) were assessed during routine morphology examinations after admission to the hospital. Multiple linear regression showed that both bilirubin and NRF2 determined the PON1 concentration in the entire study group. The correlations between the examined parameters within the three studied groups suggest the capitulation of NRF2-dependent antioxidant mechanisms to pro-inflammatory processes. We showed that HO-1 and hsCRP may play a crucial role in the development of inflammation aneurism progression. Moreover, in patients with medium-sized aneurysms, antioxidant mechanisms were depressed, and inflammatory processes began to dominate, which may lead to uncontrolled growth aneurysm rupture. Our study is one of the first to indicate that the chronically activated antioxidant pathway using NRF2 may be a source of reduction stress.

AbstractMultidimensional NMR experiments applied in e.g. protein NMR may take days or even weeks of expensive experimental time. Compressed sensing (CS) is a method to save this time: some measurements are skipped and then reconstructed with the help of special algorithms. The orthogonal matching pursuit (OMP) is one of the effective tools of compressed sensing field. In this paper we introduce a jackknife-type stopping criterion for OMP. Unlike the standard stopping criteria, it does not require an estimation of the noise level. We extend the concept to the lorentzian peaks matching pursuit (LPMP) algorithm.

PurposeTo evaluate the incidence of acute renal failure and chronic kidney disease due to occlusion of accessory renal arteries during endovascular aneurysm repair of infrarenal abdominal aortic aneurysm.Material and MethodsWe retrospectively reviewed the course of 181 patients (mean age, 71, SD ± 9  years) who underwent EVAR of infrarenal abdominal aortic aneurysm. The renal vessel anatomy was analyzed in all pre- and postoperative CT scans. Diameter and origin of accessory renal arteries were evaluated. Renal function was determined by pre- and postoperative serum creatinine and eGFR levels. Long-term follow-up (>3 months) of patients was available in 121 cases (66.9%). Acute kidney injury and chronic kidney failure were defined according to guidelines of “Kidney Disease: Improving Global Outcomes” (KDIGO).ResultsIn 65 of 181 patients (33.9%), 82 accessory renal arteries were identified preoperatively. In 19 of 181 patients (10.5%), one or more accessory renal arteries were covered and subsequently occluded by the implanted stent-graft device. Neither acute kidney injury (10.3% vs 12.5%; p = .785) nor chronic kidney disease (10.7% vs 15.38%; p = .452) was detected significantly more often in patients with covered accessory renal artery. The only significant predictor of acute kidney injury was the preoperative serum creatinine level (1.12 mg/dl vs. 0.98 mg/dl; p = .03). Significant predictors for chronic kidney disease were preoperative serum creatinine, eGFR, and impaired renal function (p < .001).ConclusionCoverage of accessory renal artery due to stent-graft does not lead either to temporary acute kidney injury after endovascular aneurysm repair or to chronic kidney disease.Level of EvidenceLevel II b.

Introduction/BackgroundBreast cancer is the most common cancer in women. While mammography is the standard for early detection in women over 50, there is no standard for younger women. The aim of this prospective pilot study was to assess liquid crystal contact thermography, using the Braster device, as a means for the early detection of breast cancer.Methodology274 consecutive women presenting at Polish breast centers for routine breast examination were enrolled to receive thermography; 19 were excluded for errors in thermographic image acquisition. The women were divided according to age (n=135 <50 years; n=120 ≥50 years). The primary endpoint, stratified by age group, was the C-statistic for discrimination between breast cancer and non-cancer.ResultsIn women with abnormal breast ultrasound (n=95 <50 years; n=87 ≥50 years, respectively) the C-statistic was 0.85 and 0.75, respectively, (p=0.20) for discrimination between breast cancer and non-cancer. Sensitivity did not differ (p=0.79) between the younger (82%) and older women (78%), while specificity was lower in the older women (60% vs. 87%, p=0.025). The false positive rate was similar in women with normal and abnormal breast ultrasound. Breast size and structure did not affect thermography performance. No adverse events were observed.ConclusionThermography performed well in women <50 years while its specificity in women ≥50 years was inadequate. These promising findings suggest that the Braster device deserves further investigation as a means for the early detection of breast cancer in women under 50 years, particularly since the cost of the device is low.DisclosureDH, AK, PK, JS, AC, and PB received compensation from Braster S.A. for consultancy and services provided in relation to this study.

Our study aimed to identify the relationship between advanced glycation end products (AGEs), soluble receptor for advanced glycation end products (sRAGE), the AGEs/sRAGE, and uric acid (UA) levels in selected atherosclerosis diseases, i.e., abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAA), aortoiliac occlusive disease (AIOD), and chronic kidney disease (CKD), resulting from apparent differences in oxidative stress intensity. Furthermore, we suggest that increased AGEs levels may stimulate an antioxidant defense system reflected by the UA level. The studied group size consisted of 70 AAA patients, 20 AIOD patients, 50 patients in the pre-dialyzed group (PRE), and 35 patients in the hemodialyzed group (HD). The enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay was used to measure AGEs and sRAGE levels. We found a significantly higher concentration of AGEs in CKD patients as compared to AAA and AIOD patients. Furthermore, the sRAGE level was higher in the CKD patients in comparison to AIOD and AAA patients. UA level was significantly higher in the PRE group compared to AAA patients. In conclusion, the diseases included in this study differ in the anti- and prooxidant defense system, which is reflected in the relations between the AGEs, the sRAGE, the AGEs/sRAGE ratio, as well as the UA levels.

Objectives. The main question of this study was to evaluate the intensity of oxidative protein modification shown as advanced oxidation protein products (AOPP) and carbonylated proteins, expressed as protein carbonyl content (C=O) in abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAA), aortoiliac occlusive disease (AIOD), and chronic kidney disease (CKD). Design and Methods. The study was carried out in a group of 35 AAA patients and 13 AIOD patients. However, CKD patients were divided into two groups: predialysis (PRE) included 50 patients or hemodialysis (HD) consisted of 34 patients. AOPP and C=O were measured using colorimetric assay kit, while C-reactive protein concentration was measured by high-sensitivity assay (hsCRP). Results. The concentration of AOPP in both AAA and AIOD groups was higher than in PRE and HD groups according to descending order: AAA~AIOD > HD > PRE. The content of C=O was higher in the PRE group in comparison to AIOD and AAA according to the descending order: PRE~HD > AAA~AIOD. Conclusions. AAA, AIOD, and CKD-related atherosclerosis (PRE and HD) contribute to the changes in the formation of AOPP and C=O. They may promote modification of proteins in a different way, probably due to the various factors that influence oxidative stress here.