Summary Background Platelet transfusions are given to preterm infants with severe thrombocytopenia aiming to prevent haemorrhage. The PlaNeT2/MATISSE trial revealed higher rates of mortality and/or major bleeding in preterm infants receiving prophylactic platelet transfusions at a platelet count threshold of 50 × 109/L compared to 25 × 109/L. The extent to which this evidence has been incorporated into clinical practice is unknown, thus we aimed to describe current neonatal platelet transfusion practices in Europe. Methods We performed a prospective observational study in 64 neonatal intensive care units across 22 European countries between September 2022 and August 2023. Outcome measures included observed transfusion prevalence rates (per country and overall, pooled using a random effects Poisson model), expected rates based on patient-mix (per country, estimated using logistic regression), cumulative incidence of receiving a transfusion by day 28 (with death and discharge considered as competing events), transfusion indications, volumes and infusion rates, platelet count triggers and increment, and adverse effects. Findings We included 1143 preterm infants, of whom 71 (6.2%, [71/1143]) collectively received 217 transfusions. Overall observed prevalence rate was 0.3 platelet transfusion days per 100 admission days. By day 28, 8.3% (95% CI: 5.5–11.1) of infants received a transfusion. Most transfusions were indicated for threshold (74.2%, [161/217]). Pre-transfusion platelet counts were above 25 × 109/L in 33.1% [53/160] of these transfusions. There was significant variability in volume and duration. Interpretation The restrictive threshold of 25 × 109/L is being integrated into clinical practice. Research is needed to explore existing variation and generate evidence for various aspects including optimal volumes and infusion rates. Funding Sanquin, EBA, and 10.13039/501100008873ESPR.

A study was conducted on a sample of 305 participants, students of the Faculty of Security Sciences of the University of Banja Luka, representing the population of 19- to 20-year-old police trainees, to determine differences in motor skills based on body mass index (BMI). The diagnosis of body mass index (BMI) status as a basic measure for the assessment of physical and nutritional status was subjected to a cluster analysis to define six categories of participants hypothetically characteristic for the specificity of the population studied. In accordance with the health epidemiological standards of the World Health Federation, a universal categorization of BMI values was made: underweight individuals, normal weight individuals, overweight individuals or individuals with excessive body weight, preobese individuals (mild obesity), obese individuals (moderate obesity), and morbidly obese individuals (severe obesity). The central values of the isolated BMI clusters in the sample studied were as follows: BMI cluster 1 = 18.70 kg/m2, cluster 2 = 20.61 kg/m2, cluster 3 = 22.16 kg/m2, cluster 4 = 23.83 kg/m2, cluster 5 = 25.81 kg/m2, and cluster 6 = 27.38 kg/m2. In the first cluster, 8 participants were identified, representing 2.6 % of the population studied, in the second cluster 57 participants or 18.7 %, in the third cluster 68 participants or 22.3 %, in the fourth cluster 138 participants or 45.2 %, in the fifth cluster 22 participants or 7.2 % and in the sixth cluster 12 participants or 3.9 % of the population studied. The results of this study indicate that there are differences in motor skills variables between certain categories of participants: Standing Long Jump (MSDM) - assessing lower extremity explosive strength - and Cooper 12-Minute Run Test (MKUP) - assessing aerobic endurance, while the Maximum Number of Sit-ups (MPTR) variable - assessing dynamic core strength - is at the borderline of statistical significance.

This paper explores the integration of computer vision technologies to enhance traffic safety through the effective detection of car-pedestrian interactions. As urban environments become more congested, pedestrian safety remains a critical concern. The system’s performance was evaluated using real-life footage from vehicle-mounted cameras, as well as images and videos sourced from online platforms. These real-world scenarios enabled a detailed assessment of the system’s accuracy and efficiency in practical conditions. The study highlights the potential for significant improvements in traffic safety, particularly in Bosnia and Herzegovina, where over 38% of registered vehicles are older than 23 years, and nearly 62% exceed 14 years. The aging vehicle fleet heightens the risk of accidents, underscoring the need for advanced detection methods. The proposed system automates the identification of hazardous situations on roads, allowing timely responses from relevant authorities.

The dynamics in the global automotive industry are constantly evolving, opening pathways to new markets and technological paradigms. Advancements such as H2 and e-vehicles present clear opportunities but also entail challenges of uncontrolled development, particularly with the growing influence of China in the EU. Traffic accidents involving vehicles with electric propulsion pose specific challenges for investigators and analysts. Analyses reveal increased complexity and harmfulness of these accidents, emphasizing the need for new methods of investigation and damage assessment, as well as for tightening regulations. The production of e-vehicles faces financial challenges and technological demands. Production efficiency, including the use of one-piece chassis panels, is crucial for competitiveness in the market. The future of the automotive industry in the EU requires complex strategies focused on the development of e-vehicles for urban needs, H2 technology for freight trucks, and alternative fuels to ensure energy independence. Traffic safety is gaining importance, recognizing energy as a key factor in global security. Attitudes of countries like the Netherlands towards e-vehicles vary, with the issue of electric energy availability highlighted as significant. In this complex landscape of the automotive industry, contemplating the future requires a balance between technological innovation, safety, and sustainability.

We investigate models that can induce significant modifications to the couplings of first- and second-generation quarks with Higgs bosons. Specifically, we identify all simplified models featuring two vector-like quark states which can lead to substantial enhancements in these couplings. In addition, these models generate operators in Standard Model Effective Field Theory, both at tree-level and one-loop, that are constrained by electroweak precision and Higgs data. We show how to evade constraints from flavour physics and consider direct searches for vector-like quarks. Ultimately, we demonstrate that viable ultraviolet models can be found with first-generation quark Yukawa couplings enhanced by several hundred times their Standard Model value, while the Higgs couplings to charm (strange) quarks can be increased by factors of a few (few tens). Given the importance of electroweak precision data in constraining these models, we also discuss projections for future measurements at the Tera-Z FCC-ee machine.

Abstract Glioma is a rare and debilitating brain cancer with one of the lowest cancer survival rates. Genome-wide association studies have identified 34 genetic susceptibility regions. We sought to discover novel susceptibility regions using approaches that test groups of contiguous genetic markers simultaneously. We analyzed data from three independent glioma studies of European ancestry, GliomaScan (1,316 cases/1,293 controls), Australian Genomics and Clinical Outcomes of Glioma Consortium (560 cases/2,237 controls), and Glioma International Case-Control Study (4,000 cases/2,411 controls), using the machine learning algorithm DEPendency of association on the number of Top Hits and a region-based regression method based on the generalized Berk–Jones (GBJ) statistic, to assess the association of glioma with genomic regions by glioma type and sex. Summary statistics from the UCSF/Mayo Clinic study were used for independent validation. We conducted a meta-analysis using GliomaScan, Australian Genomics and Clinical Outcomes of Glioma Consortium, Glioma International Case-Control Study, and UCSF/Mayo. We identified 11 novel candidate genomic regions for glioma risk common to multiple studies. Two of the 11 regions, 16p13.3 containing RBFOX1 and 1p36.21 containing PRDM2, were significantly associated with female and male glioma risk respectively, based on the results of the meta-analysis. Both regions have been previously linked to glioma tumor progression. Three of the 11 regions contain neurotransmitter receptor genes (7q31.33 GRM8, 5q35.2 DRD1, and 15q13.3 CHRNA7). Our region-based approach identified 11 genomic regions that suggest an association with glioma risk of which two regions, 16p13.3 and 1p36.21, warrant further investigation as genetic susceptibility regions for female and male risk, respectively. Our analyses suggest that genetic susceptibility to glioma may differ by sex and highlight the possibility that synapse-related genes play a role in glioma susceptibility. Significance: Further investigation of the potential susceptibility regions identified in our study may lead to a better understanding of glioma genetic risk and the underlying biological etiology of glioma. Our study suggests sex may play a role in genetic susceptibility and highlights the importance of sex-specific analysis in future glioma research.

Pathological studies suggest that multiple sclerosis (MS) lesions endure multiple waves of damage and repair; however, the dynamics and characteristics of these processes are poorly understood in patients living with MS.

The association between hypertension as a pre-existing comorbidity and the severe form of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) remains unclear due to the contradictory results of previously published studies. The present study evaluated the predictive significance of hypertension in the incidence of complications among critically ill patients with COVID-19. The present study included 372 critically ill adults with COVID-19 pneumonia, hospitalized between January 1 and December 31, 2021. The study cohort was divided into the hypertension group (HTA group), which included 245 patients with a history of hypertension, or a non-HTA group (control group), which included 127 patients without hypertension. The incidence of complications was retrospectively extracted from medical records and compared between groups. Multivariate regression analysis (adjusted for potential confounders) and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis determined the predictive significance of hypertension on the incidence of complications. The patients in the HTA group were more likely to receive invasive mechanical ventilation [odds ratio (OR), 1.696; P<0.02], develop sepsis (OR, 1.807; P<0.01) and develop complications (OR, 3.101; P<0.001). Hypertension was an independent positive predictor for invasive mechanical ventilation [area under the curve (AUC), 0.67; positive predictive value (PPV), 71.7%; P<0.05], sepsis (AUC, 0.69; PPV, 77.5%; P<0.026) and total complications per patient (AUC, 0.71; PPV, 81.4%; P<0.001). On the whole, the data of the present study indicate that a history of hypertension should be considered as an independent clinical predictor of a higher incidence of complications in critically ill patients with COVID-19. Patients with pre-existing hypertension and a diagnosis of COVID-19 require timely identification, additional attention and treatment to avoid a critical course and help improve outcomes.