julilili42/papers huggingface dataset:
Understanding the pathology workforce: motivations, job satisfaction, and training perspectives in Germany
2025-10-16

Abstract The growing shortage of pathologists and the increasing workload present significant challenges for the field of pathology. To address these challenges, it is crucial to understand what motivates young doctors to enter pathology training and to evaluate the current training environment at German university hospitals. A nationwide online survey was conducted among pathology residents at German university hospitals. The survey collected data on demographics, career motivations, job satisfaction, academic ambitions, and work-life coherence. Statistical analysis was performed using SPSS (IBM SPSS Statistics, Version 29, IBM Corp., Armonk, NY, USA) with χ 2 -testing, Spearman's correlation analysis, multiple regression analysis, and exploratory factor and cluster analysis. The most important factors influencing the choice of a pathology residency were an interest in pathology, work-life coherence, and the absence of night shifts. Regression analysis revealed that a high frequency of overtime, teaching and other activities had a negative impact on job satisfaction, whereas having time for scientific work had a positive effect. Four distinct resident types were identified based on their motivation to become a pathologist: “the grounded pathologists”, “the committed all-rounders”, “the specialists”, and “the driven researchers”. The choice of pathology residency at German university hospitals is influenced by diverse motivations. In order to attract and retain residents and support their long-term success, institutions must reduce overtime hours, provide stronger support for academic career development and create more family-friendly working conditions.
Outcomes of Patent Foramen Ovale Closure in Patients Over 60 Years with Cryptogenic Stroke: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
2025-10-16

Background: In younger patients (&lt;60 years) with cryptogenic stroke (CS) presumed to be patent foramen ovale (PFO)-related, the standard approach involves transcatheter PFO closure combined with antithrombotic therapy. However, due to their exclusion from randomized clinical trials (RCTs), no formal recommendations exist for patients ≥60 years. This study had two objectives (1) to compare the efficacy and safety of PFO closure versus antithrombotic therapy alone (ATA) exclusively in older patients (≥60 years); and (2) to assess the outcomes of PFO closure in patients ≥60 years vs &lt;60 years. Methods: We searched PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, and ScienceDirect databases to obtain articles in all languages from January 2004 until July 2025. The primary outcome was risk of recurrent stroke during follow-up. Secondary outcomes were risk of new-onset atrial fibrillation (AF), all-cause mortality and in-hospital complications. PROSPERO registration ID: CRD420250652870. Results: Only one RCT (post hoc evaluation of the DEFENSE-PFO trial) and eleven observational studies were included. In patients aged ≥60 years, risk of recurrent stroke was lower when PFO was closed compared with ATA (5.48% vs 10.05%, respectively, HR: 0.56, 95% CI: 0.45–0.80, p&lt;.001, I2=45.6%). All-cause mortality was also lower for PFO closure vs ATA (1.73% vs 7.59%, respectively, HR: 0.41; 95% CI: 0.19–0.90, p=.02; I2 = 43.8%). There was no difference between PFO closure and ATA in risk of new-onset AF (HR:1.13, 95%CI: 0.53–2.44, p=.74). Compared with patients &lt;60 years, individuals ≥60 years who underwent PFO closure had a higher risk of recurrent stroke (2.94% vs 1.04%, respectively, HR: 3.47; 95% CI 1.61–7.48; p=.001), new-onset AF (4.86% vs 1.01%, respectively, HR: 4.12; 95% CI 1.90–8.95; p&lt;0.001) and all-cause mortality during follow-up (8.32% vs 0.39%, respectively, HR: 8.24; 95% CI 3.49–19.46; p&lt;.0001). In-hospital complications after PFO closure were comparable between two age groups. Due to insufficient data, we were not able to perform a subgroup analysis based on anatomic features of PFO, antithrombotic regimen, or occlude devices. Conclusion: Based on available data, which is predominantly derived from observational studies, PFO closure is associated with a reduced risk of recurrent stroke compared to ATA in patients over 60 years. However, these findings are subjected to limitations, including the potential for selection bias, unmeasured confounding, and insufficient long-term follow-up. Further, long-term randomized trials are essential to definitively confirm efficacy and establish clinical guidelines for PFO closure in this older population.
Macroscopic Suppression of Supersonic Quantum Transport
2025-10-16

We consider a broad class of strongly interacting quantum lattice gases, including the Fermi-Hubbard and Bose-Hubbard models. We focus on macroscopic particle clusters of size θN, with θ∈(0,1) and N the total particle number, and we study the quantum probability that such a cluster is transported across a distance r within time t. Conventional effective light cone arguments yield a bound of the form exp(vt-r). We report a substantially stronger bound exp[θN(vt-r)], which provides exponential suppression that scales with system size. Our result establishes a universal dynamical large deviation principle: macroscopic suppression of supersonic macroscopic transport (MASSMAT).
Multiple effects of the bacterial DNA-binding protein SarA on the life cycle of Staphylococcus aureus phages
2025-10-16

ABSTRACT Staphylococcus aureus is a major opportunistic pathogen in humans and animals. More than 90% of human nasal S. aureus isolates carry Sa3int-phages that integrate into the bacterial hlb gene coding for a sphingomyelinase. Sa3int-phages encode highly human-specific virulence factors that enable S. aureus to adapt to the human host. Thus, balancing mechanisms are necessary for the phage-bacteria coexistence. However, the factors that coordinate these interactions have yet to be discovered. Here, we elucidate the impact of the DNA-binding protein SarA on the life cycle of two prototypic S. aureus phages, Sa3int Φ13 and Sa5int Φ11. SarA promotes the propagation of both phages, albeit via different mechanisms. SarA promotes Φ11 propagation by repressing the glycosyltransferase TarM, which affects the glycosylation pattern of the phage receptor, wall teichoic acid, thereby improving phage adsorption. SarA also dampens the DNA damage response as indicated by the downregulation of the ci and mor phage promoters and the umuC SOS target gene, as well as inhibition of Φ11 inducibility. For Φ13, however, SarA promotes phage replication rather than inhibiting phage induction. The replication-deficient phage Φ13K- rep was SarA-insensitive, and phage gene expression was unaltered in the sarA mutant. These results highlight SarA as a regulator of temperate phage propagation and support its role as a DNA structural protein that promotes phage replication. IMPORTANCE The dynamic gain and loss of temperate phages is crucial for bacteria to adapt to specific niches. In Staphylococcus aureus Sa3int, phages are highly prevalent in human strains but are missing in most animal strains. The mechanisms that balance phage-bacteria coexistence are only partially understood. We demonstrate that the DNA-binding protein SarA is a key regulator of the phage life cycle. SarA protects bacteria from phage induction in response to DNA damage, yet it can also promote phage propagation by altering the phage receptor or interfering with phage replication. SarA likely functions not only as a transcriptional factor, but also as a bacterial chromosome structural component that controls the phage life cycle at different levels.
Global innovative perspectives and trends on digital health and patient safety: highlights from the #DHPSP2024 networking event
2025-10-16

Aim: This manuscript summarizes the key scientific and practical outcomes of the #DHPSP2024 digital networking event, focusing on emerging trends in digital health technologies, innovations in patient safety, and their implications for improving healthcare delivery. Methods: The #DHPSP2024 event was held from June 18 to 20, 2024, on X (formerly Twitter) and LinkedIn, connecting professionals and stakeholders in digital health and patient safety from different sectors. Data from posts on X and LinkedIn were analyzed for geographical distribution, engagement metrics (impressions, likes, shares), top hashtags, and frequently used terms. A qualitative analysis of the central themes and key online messaging discussions of the network event was also conducted. Results: On X, 2,329 posts by 179 participants from 38 countries generated over 231,000 impressions, with the most activity in Austria, China, and India. LinkedIn engagement included 3,475 likes, 217 comments, and 2,030 shares. Both platforms highlighted core themes such as digital health, patient safety, treatment quality, research on natural compounds, and interdisciplinary collaboration. Online messaging discussions emphasized technologies like telemedicine and artificial intelligence as critical tools for enhancing care delivery and patient safety. Participants also promoted special issues of scientific journals and explored collaborative research opportunities. Conclusions: The #DHPSP2024 event underscored the pivotal role of digital technologies in transforming healthcare, particularly in improving the quality and safety of interventions. The findings demonstrate how digital networking events, grounded in open innovation, foster global research communities, accelerate knowledge exchange, and support the integration of clinically relevant digital solutions. The strong engagement reflects growing interest in leveraging digital platforms to advance health outcomes and professional development. Overall, the event contributed to greater visibility of ongoing research, encouraged interdisciplinary cooperation, and may positively influence both the adoption of innovations in healthcare practice and the dissemination of scientific knowledge.
The interplay between social dominance and decision-making under expected and unexpected uncertainty: Evidence from event-related potentials
2025-10-17

Decision-making is a fundamental aspect of human behavior, especially in uncertain situations where social interactions play a significant role. Social dominance, which involves power dynamics within groups, holds the potential to shape decision-making. Individuals’ expectations and certainty about outcomes are crucial for monitoring their performance in social dominance situations. However, the impact of expected and unexpected uncertainty on decision-making in social dominance contexts remains unclear. This study aimed to unravel the neural and behavioral patterns associated with decision-making across varying social dominance levels under conditions of uncertainty. Researchers investigated this by analyzing brain activity in 51 students. Participants were presented with both positive and negative feedback under conditions of both expectation and uncertainty, while their brain activity was recorded using electroencephalography (EEG). Specifically, we investigated the properties of key neural correlates of feedback processing, including feedback-related negativity (FRN), and P3 components of event-related potential (ERP), and reward prediction error (RPE) signals. The results revealed that the low-dominance group exhibited a larger FRN amplitude than the high-dominance group. Also, unexpected-uncertain negative feedback elicits a stronger FRN amplitude than other conditions. P3 amplitude was larger for high-dominance compared to low-dominance individuals. Additionally, P3 amplitude varied by feedback valence and condition, with larger amplitudes for positive feedback and unexpected-uncertain conditions. In FRN wave difference, the high-dominance individuals exhibited more negative amplitude in unexpected-uncertain conditions. This reveals distinct neural responses to uncertainty and feedback between individuals with high and low dominance, suggesting that social hierarchy modulates brain mechanisms underlying decision-making and reward processing.
Impact of adjuvant endocrine therapy utilization in male patients with early breast cancer: results from a large German real-world claims data analysis
2025-10-17

A significant proportion of male patients with early BC does not use ET. However, the use of ET plays a key role in improving survival outcomes for male patients with early BC. Efforts to improve the use of ET, including patient education and management of side effects, are essential to optimize treatment outcomes.
Clinical Evaluation of A-LIKNet
2025-10-17

Objectives: To evaluate the diagnostic accuracy and quantitative agreement of A-LIKNet (attention-incorporated network for sharing low-rank, image, and k-space information) deep learning (DL)-accelerated 2D cardiac CINE MRI acquired in a single breath-hold, compared with standard multi-breath-hold CINE sequences, for assessing biventricular volumes and function. Materials and Methods: In this single-center study, A-LIKNet DL-reconstructed CINE images were acquired at 3 acceleration factors (8×, 16×, and 24×) in 42 subjects using a single breath-hold protocol. Quantitative parameters, including left and right ventricular end-diastolic volume (EDV), end-systolic volume (ESV), stroke volume (SV), ejection fraction (EF), and left ventricle myocardial mass (MM), were derived from standardized segmentation workflows. These were compared against standard multi-breath-hold CINE sequences and tested for agreement using Bland–Altman analysis and linear regression. Image quality was assessed using the coefficient of variation (CoV). Results: Excellent agreement was observed between A-LIKNet DL-accelerated and standard CINE imaging for EDV, ESV, SV, and EF, with 95% limits of agreement (LoA) falling within predefined equivalence margins for nearly all parameters. No significant proportional bias was detected. Myocardial mass showed wider variability and exceeded equivalence thresholds, likely due to less distinct epicardial borders in higher acceleration. CoV values increased with higher acceleration, reflecting mild degradation in image quality, although segmentation performance remained robust across all levels. Conclusion: A-LIKNet deep learning accelerated CINE sequences enable rapid and reliable assessment of cardiac function with excellent agreement to standard imaging. From a clinical perspective, image quality remains acceptable up to an acceleration factor of 16×, supporting routine application, while 24× acceleration may be reserved for selected use cases requiring maximal speed.
The Medication Patterns of Spinocerebellar Ataxia Type 3 Mutation Carriers Enrolled in the ESMI Cohort
2025-10-17

This is the first study to explore medication usage patterns in SCA3 mutation carriers. Our study provides a comprehensive overview of the medications administered in SCA3 and underscores the importance of collaborative efforts toward achieving standardized clinical practices in the management of this disease.
Measuring Rod- and Cone-Photoreceptor–Specific Vision in Inherited Retinal Diseases Using a Commercial Perimeter
2025-10-17

Photoreceptor-specific function can be measured over a large dynamic range using a turnkey commercial perimeter and a relatively short, practical protocol that may be introduced into the clinic, translational work, and clinical trials.
Safety and efficacy of monoclonal antibody therapy in patients with chronic herpes simplex virus-2 genital infections: MATCH-2, a randomized double-blinded, parallel-group phase 2 multi-center trial
2025-10-17

Frequent anogenital recurrences in Herpes-Simplex-Virus type 2 (HSV-2) infected individuals remain a global health challenge. Nucleoside analogues, with limited clinical efficacy, have been the standard treatment for decades. The humanized antibody HDIT101 is a first-in-class biologic under clinical development for HSV-related diseases. In this randomized, double-blinded, phase 2 multi-center parallel-group trial, HSV-2 seropositive patients with ≥ 4 annual anogential recurrences were enrolled. Following an initial pre-treatment observation phase in which anogenital swabs were taken for a maximum of 28 days patients were randomly assigned (2:1) at the occurrence of an outbreak to either receive a single 2 g intravenous dose of HDIT101 or infusional HDIT101 buffer placebo solution. At each recurrence during the 180-day trial period patients in the HDIT101 arm received episodic oral valacyclovir placebo (twice daily for 3 days) or valacyclovir (500 mg twice daily for 3 days) in the control arm. Post-treatment viral shedding was monitored by daily anogenital swabbing for 28 consecutive days starting immediately after infusional treatment and at day 150. Ordered statistical testing was applied to control for multiplicity. From 122 patients (full-analysis-set, FAS), 36/41 in the VAL arm and 67/81 in the HDIT101 arm completed the trial per-protocol (per-protocol-set, PPS). Adverse events were mild/moderate and similar between treatment arms. The primary endpoint, percentage of days with lesions after treatment, did not differ between the two treatment arms (PPS mean: HDIT101 14.6 vs VAL 14.9). However, independent of peak drug exposure, a longer "time to first recurrence", defined as key secondary endpoint of the trial, (PPS median: HDIT101 47.0 days vs VAL 39.0 days, p = .11), and a lower "recurrence rate" (PPS mean: HDIT101 2.7 vs VAL 3.8, p = .01) in favour of the HDIT101 group were observed. The results demonstrate that HDIT101 is well tolerated as an infusion therapy. Although no superiority was observed in the primary endpoint, HDIT101 may provide improved prevention of recurrences in chronic HSV-2 disease. Meanwhile, complementary studies confirming immunomodulatory effects mediated by the HDIT101 antibody as its key mode of action support the rationale for further clinical investigation. (CinicalTrials.gov NCT04165122).
Neuronal responses to frontal binocular and lateral monocular visual stimuli in the crow nidopallium caudolaterale
2025-10-17

In birds, visual information from the binocular-frontal and monocular-lateral fields is processed through multiple lateralized pathways that converge in associative telencephalic areas, where sensory inputs are integrated to guide behavior. How these initially separated inputs are represented in such higher areas remains unclear. We recorded single-unit activity in the left nidopallium caudolaterale (NCL), a higher-order associative area, in two passively viewing carrion crows ( Corvus corone). The crows were presented with static and moving sine-wave gratings of varying parameters, as well as colored natural images, in the frontal binocular and lateral monocular visual fields. About 40% of units were strongly modulated by stimulus position (frontal, left, right), with subpopulations distinguishing frontal versus lateral inputs or left-eye versus contralateral right-eye inputs. Nearly 30% of neurons responded selectively to colored images, whereas only ~10% discriminated between grating parameters, favoring higher spatial frequencies. Stimulus content interacted with position, showing stronger selectivity for frontal and right-eye inputs, consistent with contralateral processing. These results demonstrate that left NCL integrates inputs from both eyes to represent visual information across the visual fields.
Impact of Handling Perception and Language Barriers on Virologic Response to Daily Subcutaneous Bulevirtide in Hepatitis D
2025-10-18

ABSTRACT Background Bulevirtide (BLV) is the only approved therapy for chronic hepatitis D (CHD) and compensated liver disease. Daily subcutaneous injection and the need for refrigeration may pose challenges, especially in patients with limited language proficiency. Aims Assessment of patient‐reported BLV handling and satisfaction and association with virologic response. Methods Patients receiving BLV were assessed using a structured questionnaire on injection preparation, administration, refrigeration, adverse effects, and language proficiency. Virologic response was defined as complete (≥ 2 log10 reduction from baseline or HDV RNA undetectable), intermediate (≥ 1 log10 but &lt; 2 log10 reduction), non‐response (&lt; 1 log10 reduction or increase), or breakthrough (&gt; 1 log10 increase after ≥ 2 log10 reduction). Results A total of 115 patients from 30 countries were recruited at 12 German centres. German language skills were rated as good, sufficient, poor or absent in 58%, 25% and 17% of cases. Reported difficulties included injection preparation (17%), administration (25%) and refrigeration (27%). Patients without virologic response or with viral breakthrough reported difficulties with injection administration in 56% compared to 17% with intermediate or complete response ( p = 0.0002), while no differences were observed regarding preparation or refrigeration. Injection site reactions occurred in 57% of patients. Overall, 82% were satisfied with the practical handling and 94% with the tolerability of BLV. Good language proficiency was associated with greater satisfaction with the practical handling ( p = 0.0067), which in turn correlated with virologic response ( p = 0.0001). Conclusions BLV administration is generally well manageable. Limited language proficiency and injection difficulties may negatively affect patient satisfaction and potentially influence treatment outcomes. Trial Registration German Clinical Trials Registry (DRKS 00033153)
Multi‐Frame Image Registration for Automated Ventricular Function Assessment in Single Breath‐Hold Cine MRI Using Limited Labels
2025-10-18

ABSTRACT Purpose This study aims to develop an automated framework for operator‐independent assessment of cardiac ventricular function from highly accelerated images. Methods We introduce a deep learning framework that generates reliable ventricular volumetric parameters and strain measures from fully sampled and retrospectively accelerated MR images. This method integrates image registration, motion‐compensated reconstruction, and segmentation in a synergetic loop for mutual refinement. The evaluation was performed on an in‐house dataset of healthy and cardiovascular‐diseased subjects. We examined the performance of the underlying tasks, including registration and segmentation, and their impact on derived parameters related to ventricular function. Results The proposed approach demonstrates robustness to undersampling artifacts and requires limited annotation, while still reducing variability and errors for segmentation and registration. This translates to a to increase in Dice similarity compared to existing deep learning methods for left endocardium, left epicardium, and right ventricular delineation. Analysis of the predicted left and right ventricular ejection fraction reveals a strong correlation () with manual measurements. Moreover, the estimated motion and segmentation masks enable consistent radial and circumferential strain measurements across accelerations up to . Conclusion A comprehensive ventricular function analysis can be performed using highly accelerated cine MR data with minimal annotation effort. This multitasking strategy has the potential to enable more accessible cardiac function analysis within a single breath‐hold.