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Introduction Lung cancer (LC) is the most common cause of cancer-related deaths worldwide. Its early detection can be achieved with a CT scan. Two large randomised trials proved the efficacy of low-dose CT (LDCT)-based lung cancer screening (LCS) in high-risk populations. The decrease in specific mortality is 20%–25%.Nonetheless, implementing LCS on a large scale faces obstacles due to the low number of thoracic radiologists and CT scans available for the eligible population and the high frequency of false-positive screening results and the long period of indeterminacy of nodules that can reach up to 24 months, which is a source of prolonged anxiety and multiple costly examinations with possible side effects.Deep learning, an artificial intelligence solution has shown promising results in retrospective trials detecting lung nodules and characterising them. However, until now no prospective studies have demonstrated their importance in a real-life setting.Methods and analysis This open-label randomised controlled study focuses on LCS for patients aged 50–80 years, who smoked more than 20 pack-years, whether active or quit smoking less than 15 years ago. Its objective is to determine whether assisting a multidisciplinary team (MDT) with a 3D convolutional network-based analysis of screening chest CT scans accelerates the definitive classification of nodules into malignant or benign. 2722 patients will be included with the aim to demonstrate a 3-month reduction in the delay between lung nodule detection and its definitive classification into benign or malignant.Ethics and dissemination The sponsor of this study is the University Hospital of Nice. The study was approved for France by the ethical committee CPP (Comités de Protection des Personnes) Sud-Ouest et outre-mer III (No. 2022-A01543-40) and the Agence Nationale du Medicament et des produits de Santé (Ministry of Health) in December 2023. The findings of the trial will be disseminated through peer-reviewed journals and national and international conference presentations.Trial registration number NCT05704920.

Background and Objectives: Hypertensive disorders, particularly pre-eclampsia, pose significant risks during pregnancy, affecting both maternal and neonatal health. The study aims to analyze short- and long-term health implications for mothers and their children, comparing those with pre-eclampsia to those without, to improve understanding of risk factors, diagnostic markers, and outcomes. Materials and Methods: This retrospective observational study involved 235 patients, 98 with pre-eclampsia and 137 without, monitored from 2015 to 2018 at the Obstetrics and Gynecology Department of the "Pius Brînzeu" Emergency County Clinical Hospital in Timișoara, Romania. Results: Women with pre-eclampsia were older, had higher BMIs, and more frequently had a family history of pre-eclampsia, hypertension, and diabetes. They also had lower educational and socioeconomic levels and fewer prenatal visits. Biochemical markers such as higher proteinuria, elevated sFlt-1, and lower PlGF were significant in diagnosing pre-eclampsia. Short-term maternal complications like eclampsia, HELLP syndrome, and acute kidney injury were more prevalent in the pre-eclampsia group. Neonatal outcomes included higher rates of preterm birth, low birth weight, and NICU admissions. Long-term mothers with a history of pre-eclampsia had higher incidences of chronic hypertension, cardiovascular disease, kidney problems, diabetes, and mental health disorders. Their children faced increased risks of neuropsychological delays, chronic respiratory issues, behavioral disorders, learning difficulties, and frequent infections. Conclusions: The study highlights the significant short- and long-term health impacts of pre-eclampsia on both mothers and their children. Early monitoring, intervention, and comprehensive management are crucial in mitigating these risks. These findings underscore the need for personalized care strategies to improve health outcomes for affected individuals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In March 2023, we identified a Salamandra salamandra individual in the Getic Piedmont, southwestern Romania. This finding confirms the presence of the species in the Getic Piedmont, where it was recorded only once, 13 years ago, and is only subsequently reconfirmed now. Even if the new distribution record is at only 350 m from a previous record, it is important because we have identified an adult in an atypical habitat, represented by a dry grassland at the top of a hill. However, there are forest and water courses in the vicinity, which are favorable habitats for the species. The new distribution record confirms the presence of S. salamandra in the Getic Piedmont, outside its Carpathian main range, and pleads for new studies in the region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It has been observed that injuries, which involve only a part of the joint cartilage thickness, show a partial healing ability, but some healing potential is present in the case of injuries that affect the subchondral osseous tissue. The methods of treatment for chondral defects are nonsurgical: pharmacological chondroprotection (nutraceuticals containing chondroitin sulphate and glucosamine sulphate), viscosupplementation, PRP and cytokine modulation. The surgical options include palliative approaches, marrow stimulation, and cell-based regeneration techniques. The microfracturing technique has started to be used in the ’80s using equine models. The basic principle of microfracturing is to stimulate cartilage repair, not regeneration. It represents the first line of therapy for cartilage defects that affect its full thickness. The advantages of microfracturing are: it is a minimally invasive procedure, technical simplicity, decreased surgical morbidity, and low costs, thus making it a common procedure. However, microfracturing is not a bulletproof technique. There is a high rate of treatment failure after 5 years. Constant decline of the outcome during the 5-year follow-up after surgery is also described. Lesion size represents a better predictor regarding outcome, compared to age. The best results are obtained in young patients, small lesions and low-demand patients. Microfractures can be augmented using BMAC (bone marrow aspirate concentrate) containing 0-0.1% progenitor cells. The matrix aids in the improvement of microfractures, and it also increases the stability of the blood clot, acting as a barrier that avoids the fibroblast invasion of the graft. There is still a place for microfractures in chondral defects. Better results can be achieved with an improved technique, an optimized rehabilitation, and adding several augmentation techniques.

Byline: Charlotte. Cohen, Daniel. Pop, Olivier. Aze, Nicolas. Venissac, Jérôme. Mouroux Background: The aim of this study was to report our experience with video-assisted mediastinoscopy (VAM) in patients taking antiplatelet [...]

Transportation networks have a high negative impact on the fauna, impact considered more pronounced on roads than on railways. However, this fact is difficult to verify because most studies have focused on roads and just a few on railways, and comparative studies are exceptionally rare. Thereby, we set out to compare the fauna mortality on 2 km of road and railway parallel to each other to assess which is more deadly for the fauna. The two transportation networks were studied at the same time (in every month of 2021), in the same place (western Romania), and with the same method (pedestrian surveys). The number of corpses was much higher on the railway, yet the number of taxa and their diversity was higher on the road. On the railway, half of the victims were killed before the year of the study, and, by percentage abundance, over 90% of them belonged to a single taxon (Gastropoda with shells). On the contrary, none of the taxa exceeded 20% on the road. Thus, the answer to our question is complex because at least our data show that neither of the two transportation networks is necessarily more friendly to the environment, but each of them affects the fauna in a different way. The railway can be considered a trap (usually an indirect one) for snails, which cannot escape from it, but it kills other animals too. Although most animals seem to be able to avoid railway mortality, they are nevertheless killed on the adjacent road. The two transportation networks affect the fauna in a complementary way, probably having a cumulative negative effect. Nevertheless, the railway preserves the animal corpses for much longer than the road, which shows that the negative impact of roads is probably underestimated compared to railways. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]