Understanding the distribution of electrical potential within neurons is critical for advancing our comprehension of neuronal signaling and communication. Neurons, the fundamental units of the nervous system, rely on complex electrochemical processes to transmit information. The intricate structure of neurons, especially those with multiple dendrites, plays a crucial role in how these electrical signals are generated, propagated, and integrated. Despite significant progress in neuroscience, accurately modeling the electrical potential within neurons with elaborate dendritic architectures remains a challenge. This article introduces a novel approach to modeling the electrical potential in multi-dendritic neurons using Bessel functions, which offers a more precise and detailed representation of these processes. The proposed method involves solving the electric potential diffusion equation in cylindrical coordinates, a mathematical framework that naturally aligns with the geometry of dendrites. The radial and axial components of the solution are expressed using Bessel functions and sinusoidal functions, respectively. Bessel functions are particularly well suited for this purpose due to their ability to describe waveforms in cylindrical systems, making them ideal for capturing the spatial variations in electrical potential within the cylindrical shape of dendrites. By leveraging this mathematical approach, we obtain a complete representation of the potential distribution across the neuron, from the soma (cell body) through the dendrites to the synaptic terminals. This model accurately captures the spatial variations of electrical potential in different regions of the neuron, including areas with complex dendritic arborizations, which are branching structures that significantly influence the neuron's electrical characteristics. Simulation results underscore the effectiveness of this approach in reproducing realistic neuronal behavior. The model successfully mimics the way electrical signals propagate and interact within dendritic structures, providing crucial insights into the underlying mechanisms of signal integration and transmission in neurons.

Introduction: Atrial Fibrillation (AF) is one of the most common forms of persistent arrhythmia in adults worldwide. Given the increasing prevalence of AF worldwide, ageing populations, improved methods of diagnosis, and an increasing burden of comorbidities, AFposes a significant burden on healthcare systems.

Methods: This is a retrospective population-based study conducted using hospital discharge records. Data covered 1,225,424 cases of AF hospitalization reported in 2017-2021.

Results: The study group consisted of 51.36% men and 48.64% women. The mean and median ages were 73.6 and 74 years, respectively. Women were significantly older than men (77 vs 70 years, P<0.001). The mean and median lengths of hospitalization were 6.9 and 4 days. The mean annual hospitalization rate was 640.0 per 100,000 person-years. In the group of patients aged ≥65 years, the hospitalization rate was 2870.4 per 100,000 person-years. Men were hospitalized more frequently than women (P<0.001). The total in-hospital mortality rate was 37.7 per 100,000 person-years and it was higher in women than in men (P<0.001). There was a significant downward trend in first-time hospitalizations during the analyzed period and a significant downward trend in mortality rates with a marked increase in the years 2020-2021 (during the COVID-19 pandemic).

Conclusions: To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this study presents the aspects of AF based on the national hospital morbidity register and it presents the latest data on AF epidemiology in Poland. AF remains a significant public health problem in Poland. Although women are less frequently hospitalized for AF, they show a higher risk of fatal hospitalizations. The pandemic may have reduced new AF diagnoses and increased mortality in this group of patients. The results of this study may be helpful in making comparative analyses in the European and global context and taking actions aimed at improving the health of the Polish population.

Background: Understanding the neurophysiological mechanisms that contribute to better cognitive functioning is a research area that has been subject to growing interest. It is assumed that multitask interventions have better results in cognitive recovery. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of multitask cognitive training (MСT) on electroencephalographic (EEG) changes and markers of the neurovascular unit (NVU) in cardiac surgery patients.
Methods: A prospective cohort study was conducted on 62 cardiac surgery patients between 45 and 75 years old, with 30 of them going through a 5-7-day MCT course. The groups had similar clinical indicators at baseline. Before and after cardiac surgery, EEG studies were carried out. The NVU indicators (S100, NSE, and BDNF) were analyzed in three stages: before surgery, during the first 24 hours after surgery, and 11-12 days after CABG.
Results: After CABG, patients with MCT course and controls had higher theta1 power values as compared to preoperative data. The indicator of relative changes confirmed that the control group had more significant changes (p = 0.001). The increase in S100 concentrations was only observed in the control patients during the first 24 hours after CABG. At the end of the training course, the MCT group had an increase in BDNF levels compared to their preoperative values. The control group had a low serum BDNF concentration.
Conclusions: Theta activity changes and S100 and BDNF markers showed a slight decrease in the severity of brain damage in cardiac surgery patients after a short MCT course. Monitoring the process of cognitive rehabilitation in cardiac surgery patients can be made more informative using EEG and NVU markers.

Introduction:

Non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI) in adolescents has increased in recent years and constitutes a public health problem. A worldwide NSSI prevalence of 17.7% has been found, and it is higher in females. The objective of this review is to analyze and summarize the evidence on the association of lifestyle habits and problem behavior with NSSI in adolescents.

Methods:

We searched cohort and case–control studies in Medline, Embase and APA PsycInfo with no date or language restrictions. The study protocol was registered in PROSPERO (CRD42024501154). People aged 10 to 19 years with established exposure factors (sleeping habits, physical activity, eating habits, toxic habits or problematic use of technology devices) were compared to those with no exposure factors. The main outcome was the proportion of patients with NSSI. Meta-analyses were carried out following the Cochrane methodology.

Results:

Out of 5295 identified records, a total of 13 cohort studies were included (43% of moderate quality, 36% of poor quality and 21% of high quality). The results showed a statistically significant increase in the risk of NSSI with regular smoking (OR 2.89; IC 95% 1.42-5.90; I2 58%; two studies), alcohol (two studies), early cannabis use (aOR 1.42; IC 95% 1.13-1.75; one study), and poor physical activity (OR 0.49; 0.41-0.58; one study). No significant association was found between NSSI and substance use in one study. Inconsistent results were found for the use of technology devices and sleep quality.

Conclusions:

The results of this review show that regular smoking, alcohol use, early cannabis use and poor physical activity could increase the risk of NSSI in adolescents. The role of other factors like sleeping habits or use of technology devices is still uncertain. More longitudinal studies with longer follow-up are needed to extract firm conclusions.

Introduction:
The liver remains the most frequent site of metastases from colorectal cancer (CRC). The purpose of this retrospective study was to compare the combination therapy of transarterial chemoembolization (TACE) and microwave ablation (MWA) with MWA as monotherapy in treating liver metastases from CRC (LMCRC).

Methods:
A total of 251 patients with unresectable LMCRC not responding to chemotherapy were enrolled. Group A consisted of 184 patients (104M and 80W; mean age: 64±11.4 years) with 442 metastases who received the combination therapy of TACE+MWA. Sixty-seven patients (49M and 18W; mean age: 63.2±11.8 years) with 173 metastases were included in group B, who were treated by MWA as monotherapy. The parameters evaluated were metastasis diameter, complications, diameter of ablation zone 24h post-MWA, local tumor progression (LTP), hepatic distant tumor progression (hDTP), hepatic progression-free survival (hPFS), and overall survival (OS).

Results:
The mean metastasis diameter was 2.3 cm in group A and 2.2 cm in group B (p-value: 0.24). There were no major complications reported. The mean diameter of the ablation zone was significantly larger in group A at 5.1 cm compared to 4.9 cm in group B (p-value: 0.039). The LTP rate was 4.9 % in group A and 4.5 % in group B (p-value: 0.062). The hDTP rate was 71.7% and 83.6% for groups A and B, respectively (p-value: 0.81). The mean hPFS was significantly longer in group A at 13.8 months compared to 8.1 months in group B (p-value: 0.03). The median OS time for group A was 30 months and 26 months for group B (p-value: 0.67). The 1- and 2-year OS rates were 84.2% and 61.1% for group A and 82.3% and 53.2% for group B, respectively.

Conclusions:
The combination therapy of TACE and MWA is superior to the MWA monotherapy for LMCRC, mainly according to the size of ablation zone, hDTP, hPFS and OS.

Introduction: Among the measures used to contain the COVID-19 pandemic in our country, in addition to the mandatory restriction on movement and business activity, there was an obligation to use face masks and keep social distance, and the vaccination program was implemented. On the other hand, the scourge of smoking continues to burden cardiovascular health for over a century in the form of a pandemic. However, even for smoking, the mandatory rule of the general avoidance of cigarette use in public places and workplaces has been applied. The study aims to detect the perception of peoples' obligation to followmeasures to limit the pandemic spread compared with the already valid mandatory ban on smoking in closed public places.

Methods: During the last semester, we used an anonymous questionnaire addressing 120 patients with recent acute coronary syndrome (38 inpatients and 82 outpatients) in the Cardiology Department of the General Hospital of Veroia in Greece. The epidemiological and clinical characteristics, as well as the personal beliefs of the respondents, were analyzed.

Results: Of the 120 studied patients (88 males), 42 were current smokers and 94 were fully vaccinated against COVID-19. Regarding the mandatory use of face masks, 79 patients (65.8%) answered that it was beneficial, whereas 44.2% and 45% were in favor of keeping social distances and quarantine implementation, respectively. Remarkably, 55 patients (45.8%) responded in favor of compulsory vaccination for the general population. Regarding the smoking ban, only 74 patients (61.7%) were in favor.

Conclusions: Although smoking is directly associated with cardiovascular risk, a notable percentage of patients presented with acute coronary syndrome opposed the ban on smoking in public places. On the other hand, the most acceptable measure to restrict COVID-19 was the mandatory use of face masks.

Introduction: Hospital-Acquired Infections (HAIs) are estimated to cause around 6400 deaths per year in Spain. Hand hygiene remains a challenge in most healthcare facilities, although it has been proven that there is an essential tool to prevent related harm. The implementation of technological auditing tools in healthcare settings aims to enhance the accuracy and frequency of hand hygiene observations. This study evaluates the impact of a new auditing tool (MEG) on hand hygiene adherence rates among healthcare workers by comparing data collected before and after its implementation.

Methods: We analysed hand hygiene adherence data from 2019 to 2023, focusing on observations made at a Spanish private hospital. Hand hygiene adherence rates were calculated as the percentage of hand hygiene opportunities that were correctly followed. Descriptive statistics and Chi-square tests were used to assess the significance of changes in adherence rates before (2019-2021) and after (2022-2023) the tool's implementation.

Results: Prior to the implementation of the auditing tool (2019-2021), the mean hand hygiene adherence rate was 56.4% (95% CI 46.30% - 65.96%). Following its implementation (2022-2023), the adherence rate decreased to 42.5% (95% CI 40.18% - 44.88%). Statistical analysis using a Chi-square test indicated that this decrease was statistically significant (Pearson Chi-Square=6.982, df=1 P=0.010), suggesting a notable change in recorded adherence rates.

Conclusions: The implementation of the auditing tool resulted in a statistically significant decrease in hand hygiene adherence rates. This may indicate improved accuracy in capturing non-compliance, thus providing a more realistic assessment of hand hygiene practices. These findings highlight the importance of utilizing advanced auditing tools to obtain precise data, ultimately enhancing infection control measures.

In our recent research study, we systematically evaluated a range of neural network architectures to address the intricate challenge of integrating and interpreting multi-omics data within oncological research. This effort was motivated by the need to better understand the complex biological interactions underlying cancer, which cannot be fully captured by traditional analytical approaches. Cancer research often grapples with the challenge of integrating diverse types of omics data—genomic, transcriptomic, proteomic, and metabolomic—to form a cohesive understanding of tumor biology.

Traditionally, multi-omics data interpretation involves collecting and preprocessing data across these layers—such as sequencing genomic DNA, profiling mRNA transcripts, analyzing protein expressions, and quantifying metabolites. However, conventional methods often struggle with the complexity and volume of these data types, particularly when dealing with the high-dimensional and interconnected nature of cancerous systems.

Our methodology aimed to overcome these limitations by leveraging advanced neural network architectures. We conducted a detailed comparative analysis of Convolutional Neural Networks (CNNs), Recurrent Neural Networks (RNNs), Transformer Networks, and Graph Neural Networks (GNNs) through several experimental phases.

GNNs demonstrated superior performance. We implemented advanced GNN architectures, including Graph Convolutional Networks (GCNs), Graph Attention Networks (GATs), and Graph Isomorphism Networks (GINs). GATs enhanced model sensitivity to crucial interactions through self-attention mechanisms. This provided a nuanced understanding of oncogenic interactions, improving the model's ability to identify significant relationships within the cancer data. GINs were used to capture complex subgraph patterns through isomorphism tests: this approach enabled precise characterization of tumor subtypes and biomarker discovery, which are essential for personalized oncology.

Our comparative analysis revealed that GNNs, with their advanced graph-based features and relational modeling capabilities, outperformed other neural network architectures in integrating multi-omics data. The superior performance of GNNs in capturing the complex, high-dimensional interactions within oncological datasets underscores their transformative potential for personalized cancer treatment strategies.

Telemedicine is an important healthcare technique in India that uses telecommunications technology to provide remote diagnosis and treatment, particularly in disadvantaged areas. It began with ECG transmission over telephone lines in the early twentieth century and has progressed tremendously thanks to NASA and ISRO. The National Telemedicine Taskforce, founded in 2005 by India's Health Ministry, has spearheaded efforts such as ICMR-AROGYASREE, NeHA, and Virtual Rural Clinics (VRCs) to improve healthcare access and delivery via digital platforms. eSanjeevani, which was launched in November 2019 as part of the Digital India initiative and the Ayushman Bharat Scheme, is at the heart of India's telemedicine environment. As of May 2024, eSanjeevani had enabled over 241 million consultations across 122,699 Health and Wellness Centres through a network of 15,460+ hubs and 372 online OPDs, with cooperation from 212,290 healthcare practitioners. It operates in two modes: eSanjeevaniAB-HWC for provider-to-provider consultations and eSanjeevaniOPD for patient-initiated telemedicine, addressing healthcare inequities across the country, even in remote and resource-limited settings. During the COVID-19 pandemic, eSanjeevani adapted swiftly to provide essential healthcare services, underscoring its role in crisis response and healthcare continuity. It has significantly enhanced healthcare accessibility, particularly benefiting vulnerable populations, with over 57% of beneficiaries being females and 12% being senior citizens. Additionally, the National Health Portal (NHP) is crucial for disseminating health information and promoting government health programs across India. Available in six languages and accessible via a toll-free number and mobile app, NHP aims to create awareness and educate citizens about healthcare services and initiatives. The e-Hospital system, another initiative, streamlines hospital management through an ICT solution tailored for government hospitals, enhancing efficiency in patient care, resource management, and administrative tasks. In summary, these integrated digital health initiatives demonstrate India's commitment to harnessing technology for equitable healthcare delivery, bridging access and quality disparities across the country.

Objectives

Schizophrenia (SZ) is a chronic mental illness characterized by a combination of positive, negative, and cognitive symptoms. Dual disorders, like the concurrence of SZ and substance-use disorder (SUD), often lead to poorer outcomes compared to SZ alone. This study aims to characterize and compare basic memory processes (encoding, storage, and retrieval) in three groups: patients with SZ without SUD (SZ-), patients with SZ and SUD (SZ+), and patients with only SUD.

Material and methods

A total of 175 male patients undergoing treatment were included in the study: 50 with SZ-, 50 with SZ+, and 75 with SUD. Patients with SUD were abstinent for 3 to 12 months, while those with SZ were clinically stabilized. Memory was assessed using the Rey Auditory Verbal Learning Test (RAVLT), and the Vocabulary subtest of the WAIS-IV was used as a covariate to control for educational level in the statistical analyses (MANCOVA). Additionally, clinical variables were collected to assess their potential interactions with memory performance.

Results and conclusions

The preliminary findings indicate that all three groups scored significantly below normative population data on the RAVLT, suggesting cognitive impairment across the sample. The SZ+ group showed the most impaired memory performance, followed by the SZ- group and then the SUD group. Significant differences between the groups were also observed in all three memory processes: encoding, storage, and retrieval.

These results underscore the negative impact of dual diagnosis on neurocognitive functioning, particularly memory processes, in patients with SZ. This study highlights the need for targeted interventions to address cognitive deficits in individuals with SZ, especially those with comorbid SUD. The findings have important implications for the clinical management and treatment of individuals with SZ+.