Publications by authors named "Albert C"

Diffuse intrinsic pontine glioma (DIPG) is a fatal central nervous system (CNS) tumor that confers a median survival of 11 months. As B7-H3 is expressed on pediatric CNS tumors, we conducted BrainChild-03, a single-center, dose-escalation phase 1 clinical trial of repetitive intracerebroventricular (ICV) dosing of B7-H3-targeting chimeric antigen receptor T cells (B7-H3 CAR T cells) for children with recurrent or refractory CNS tumors and DIPG. Here we report results from Arm C, restricted to patients with DIPG.

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Riboflavin analogs lacking one methyl group (7α or 8α) can still serve as a surrogate for riboflavin in riboflavin-deficient microorganisms or animals. The absence of both methyl groups at once completely abolishes this substitution capability. To elucidate the molecular mechanisms behind this phenomenon, we performed an adaptive laboratory evolution experiment (in triplicate) on an strain auxotrophic for riboflavin.

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Trends in diagnostic biopsy sample collection approaches for primary bone sarcomas have shifted in the past 2 decades. Although open/incisional biopsies used to be the predominant approach to obtain diagnostic material for Ewing sarcoma and osteosarcoma, image-guided core needle biopsies have increased in frequency and are safe for patients. These procedures are less invasive and reduce recovery times but have potential limitations.

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  • Adoptive immunotherapy, particularly through cell therapies like CAR T cells and TCR T cell therapy, shows promise for treating high-risk solid tumors in children and young adults, despite being in early development stages.* -
  • Current clinical trials indicate that these cell therapies are generally safe, but challenges remain due to the immunosuppressive environment of tumors, hindering their effectiveness.* -
  • Enhancing the understanding of immune cell interactions and tumor behavior, along with improving access to these therapies, are crucial for advancing treatment options and standard practice.*
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  • Cortisol rhythm disruptions are linked to early mortality in various cancers, and this study investigates their potential relationship with outcomes in head and neck cancer (HNC).
  • A pilot sample of 40 HNC patients was studied, measuring cortisol levels and inflammatory cytokines to see if they predict disease progression and survival.
  • Findings showed that higher evening cortisol and mean cortisol levels were associated with shorter progression-free survival, and elevated inflammatory marker IFN-γ correlated with increased cortisol levels and worse outcomes.
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We introduce an experimental setup to chemically image corrosion processes at metal-electrolyte interfaces under stagnant, confined conditions-relevant in a wide range of situations. The setup is based on a glass capillary, in which precipitation of corrosion products in the interfacial aqueous phase can be monitored over time with optical microscopy, and chemically and structurally characterized with microscopic synchrotron-based techniques (X-ray fluorescence, X-ray diffraction, and X-ray absorption spectroscopy). Moreover, quantification of precipitates through X-ray transmission measurements provides in-situ corrosion rates.

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Purpose: Sequencing-based genetic testing often identifies variants of uncertain significance (VUS) or fails to detect pathogenic variants altogether. We evaluated the utility of RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) to clarify VUS or identify missing variants in a clinical setting.

Methods: Over a 2-year period, genetics providers at a single institution referred 26 cases for clinical RNA-seq.

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Rapid urbanization in African metropolises like the Greater Asmara Area, Eritrea, poses numerous environmental challenges, including soil sealing, loss of vegetation cover, threats to protected natural areas, and climate change, among others. Mapping and assessing ecosystem services, particularly analyzing their spatial and temporal distribution is crucial for sustainable spatial planning. This study aims at mapping and analyzing ecosystem services hotspots and coldspots dynamics in the Greater Asmara Area to identify recent trends and opportunities for enhancing ecosystem services supply.

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  • The paper focuses on understanding the benefits of recreational ecosystem services (RES) in Germany, highlighting the increase in interest but limited insights at larger scales beyond local communities.
  • It employs a model to analyze the supply and demand of RES, revealing specific areas with strong or weak matches between user preferences and available services, especially around population centers.
  • The findings provide valuable information for planning and decision-making, suggesting better approaches for destination management, landscape development, and investments in RES across various levels of governance.*
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Immune checkpoint blockade, particularly targeting the programmed cell death 1 (PD-1) receptor, is a promising strategy in cancer immunotherapy. The interaction between PD-1 and its ligands, PD-L1 and PD-L2, is crucial in immune evasion by tumors. Blocking this interaction with monoclonal antibodies like Nivolumab can restore anti-tumor immunity.

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  • Geodesign enhances urban planning by managing collaboration among various knowledge holders, but there’s a lack of evidence about its effectiveness in facilitating this collaboration.
  • This paper evaluates how geodesign supports knowledge co-production and examines the legitimacy and credibility of its outcomes in urban planning through a case study in Stockholm’s Skarpnäck district.
  • Findings show that geodesign fosters communication and collective reasoning, but issues like data quality and model simplicity affect the perceived credibility of its outputs, suggesting that future work should focus on improving skills and integrated planning.
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Background: While there are several completed clinical trials that address treatment strategies in patients with symptomatic and recurrent atrial fibrillation (AF), there are no randomized clinical trials that address first-line rhythm control of new-onset AF. Recent data suggest that early initiation of rhythm control within 1 year can improve outcomes.

Methods: In this open-label pragmatic clinical trial nested within the Get with The Guidelines Atrial Fibrillation registry, approximately 3,000 patients with first-detected AF will be enrolled at approximately 200 sites.

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Blunt abdominopelvic trauma frequently results in injuries to the urinary organs, especially in polytrauma. The urotrauma is rarely an acute life-threatening event; however, it may lead to severe complications. This review addresses the under-representation of urological trauma management in interdisciplinary medical training and its impact on patient outcomes.

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  • Novel transcatheter therapies for tricuspid regurgitation (TR) show promise, but their suitability for the general TR patient population is still uncertain.
  • In a study involving 178 patients with moderate symptomatic TR, only 10.7% qualified for investigative therapies, while many received off-label clipping, surgery, or medical treatment due to factors like unsuitable anatomy or existing health issues.
  • Although the investigative group experienced significant improvement in TR severity after one year compared to the medical treatment group, their outcomes were similar to off-label clipping but not as favorable as surgery, highlighting the need for broader access to effective therapies for TR patients.
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  • The study aims to evaluate how effectively the thickness of different macular retinal layers can differentiate glaucomatous eyes and glaucoma suspects from healthy eyes using optical coherence tomography (OCT).
  • The findings reveal that the nerve fiber layer (NFL) and ganglion cell layer (GCL) have the best diagnostic accuracy, with the ganglion cell complex (GCC) performing similarly, while the inner plexiform layer (IPL) is less effective. The combination of NFL or GCL yields the highest sensitivity and overall diagnostic performance.
  • The results underscore the necessity of assessing individual retinal layers rather than relying solely on combined metrics, as the best-performing layers can vary based on the specific area of the retina
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  • This study looks at how well doctors can predict sudden cardiac death after someone has a heart attack using a measurement called left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF).
  • They combined information from over 140,000 heart attack patients to see if LVEF alone is good enough for deciding who should get a heart device called a defibrillator.
  • The results showed that LVEF didn't do a great job at predicting sudden cardiac death, which means doctors need better ways to tell who is at risk.
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  • The study investigates how rare non-coding genetic variations affect complex traits, specifically focusing on human height by analyzing data from over 333,100 individuals across three large datasets.
  • Researchers found 29 significant rare variants linked to height, with impacts ranging from a decrease of 7 cm to an increase of 4.7 cm, after considering previously known variants.
  • The team also identified specific non-coding variants near key genes associated with height, demonstrating a new method for understanding the effects of rare variants in regulatory regions using whole-genome sequencing.
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Lavender oil (LEO) is one of the most well-known essential oils worldwide which, besides its extensive application in aromatherapy, serves as raw material for various fields, including the food, cosmetic, and pharmaceutical industries. Accordingly, several global requirements were established to warrant its quality. Microencapsulation represents an emerging technology widely applied for the preservation of essential oils, simultaneously providing new ways of application.

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Access to vaccination has emerged as a growing global public health concern; however, there has been limited research on characteristics of local governments that are associated with vaccination coverage. The objective of this study was to evaluate predictors of vaccination coverage in Brazil for the first year of life between 2013 and 2022. We focused on variables pertaining to the available resources of local governments and their investments in infrastructure and human resources in the health sector.

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Atrial fibrillation (AF) is the most prevalent sustained cardiac arrhythmia. Comprehensive modification of established AF risk factors combined with dietary interventions and breaking deleterious habits has been shown to reduce AF burden and recurrence. Numerous AF risk factors, such as diabetes, obesity or hypertension can be partially related to dietary and lifestyle choices.

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Here, we present a complete genome of KR-87, a biofilm-producing mesophile from the Arizonan Sonoran Desert. The sequence, assembled using Oxford Nanopore Technologies' long-read sequencing platform, predicts a genome size of 4.78 Mbp, with 6 replicons, 4,361 protein-coding genes, and a G+C content of 69.

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  • B7-H3 is a promising target for immunotherapy in pediatric solid tumors due to its limited presence in critical organs, leading to a phase I trial testing B7-H3 CAR T cells in young patients with tough-to-treat tumors.
  • Sixteen patients participated in the trial, with no serious dose-limiting toxicities from the first CAR T cell infusion, and one patient showed a partial response after a second infusion.
  • The study concluded that while B7-H3 CAR T cells were generally tolerable and had limited anti-tumor effects, a strong CAR T cell response may be needed for better outcomes, emphasizing the importance of the patient's immune environment.
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Ewing sarcoma (ES) is a malignant tumor of bone and soft tissue that most often occurs in children, adolescents, and young adults. Debate and controversy remain in the management of relapsed/refractory ES (RR-ES). The authors leveraged the expertise assembled by the National Ewing Sarcoma Tumor Board, a multidisciplinary virtual tumor board that meets monthly to discuss challenging cases of ES.

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