Publications by authors named "Arunachalam A"

Background: Cytomegalovirus (CMV) is associated with detrimental outcomes after lung transplantation (LTX); primary prophylaxis (PPX) with valganciclovir (VGC) is guideline-recommended. VGC is associated with myelosuppression, spurring interest in letermovir (LTV).

Methods: Adults undergoing LTX between January 1, 2021, and July 30, 2022 at our institution who were converted from VGC to LTV for PPX were evaluated.

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  • - In 2018, durvalumab, an immune checkpoint inhibitor, was introduced as a treatment for patients with unresectable stage III non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) after chemoradiotherapy; however, many still experienced cancer progression.
  • - This study analyzed data from 426 patients who underwent concurrent chemoradiotherapy (cCRT) between 2017 and 2019, focusing on their survival and progression outcomes through a follow-up ending in 2022.
  • - Results showed that patients who received cCRT plus durvalumab had a median overall survival of 50.2 months compared to 11.6 months for those who only had cCRT, indicating a significant benefit from adding durvalumab
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  • Right heart remodeling is commonly observed in patients suffering from severe COVID-19-related acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS), but there is limited information on the recovery of the right heart following lung transplantation for these patients.
  • A study at Northwestern University analyzed data from 36 patients who underwent lung transplantation for COVID-19-related ARDS between June 2020 and June 2022, finding that none of the patients died within 90 days, and the 1-year survival rate was 88.8%.
  • Postoperative evaluations revealed significant improvements in right ventricle (RV) size and function, as well as reduced pulmonary artery pressure, indicating that right heart recovery can occur relatively quickly after lung transplantation in this specific patient population.
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Background: Treatment for first-line (1L) metastatic non-small cell cancer (mNSCLC) changed with the introduction of immunotherapy. We describe treatment utilization and clinical outcomes in a real-world mNSCLC cohort in a 2.7-million-member state-mandated health provider.

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Introduction: We map the patient journey from symptom onset to intervention and describe primary treatment in a retrospective population-based cohort study of patients in a large healthcare-provider.

Methods: Newly diagnosed adult patients diagnosed with stages I-III non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) between 2016 and 2019 were identified from the Israel National Cancer Registry and chart review was performed to extract de-identified data. The following timelines were constructed: from symptom onset to imaging, imaging to biopsy, and biopsy to primary treatment initiation.

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  • Cholangiocarcinoma (CCA) is a rare but aggressive cancer from the bile ducts, with traditional treatments showing limited success.
  • New immunotherapy advancements, especially T cell-based approaches like CAR T cells and TILs, could improve outcomes for CCA patients.
  • The review evaluates current T cell therapies, discusses challenges such as tumor microenvironment and immune evasion, and highlights ongoing clinical trials targeting CCA-specific antigens.
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Chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cell therapy has achieved significant success in achieving durable and potentially curative responses in patients with hematological malignancies. CARs are tailored fusion proteins that direct T cells to a specific antigen on tumor cells thereby eliciting a targeted immune response. The approval of several CD19-targeted CAR T-cell therapies has resulted in a notable surge in clinical trials involving CAR T cell therapies for hematological malignancies.

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  • The KEYNOTE-671 trial showed that adding pembrolizumab to neoadjuvant chemotherapy significantly enhanced event-free survival in patients with early-stage non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC).
  • The trial involved randomizing nearly 800 participants across 189 medical centers, comparing treatment with pembrolizumab plus chemotherapy against a placebo plus chemotherapy.
  • Results indicated that after 36 months, overall survival was higher in the pembrolizumab group (71%) compared to the placebo group (64%), suggesting a positive impact of the immunotherapy.
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Background: Although swallowing impairment is prevalent following lung transplantation, baseline respiratory and swallowing characteristics are often overlooked. Respiratory disease processes may predispose lung transplant candidates to altered respiratory-swallow patterning and swallowing impairment.

Methods: This cross-sectional study included patients referred for a Modified Barium Swallow Study during lung transplant evaluation.

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  • Familial hypercholesterolemia (FH) is a genetic condition that causes high LDL cholesterol levels and is often not diagnosed; genetic tests can identify variants in key genes in about 80% of patients.
  • A new sequencing method was developed using multiplex primers to analyze the LDLR, APOB, and PCSK9 genes, as well as specific variants related to statin effects, aiming to make the process faster, cheaper, and scalable.
  • The method showed high accuracy with no variant dropouts, successfully detected known pathogenic variants, and suggested that some patients might need lower doses of statins; the entire testing process can now be done in about 3 hours for under $50.
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High-molecular-weight (HMW) hyaluronic acid (HA) is a highly abundant natural polysaccharide and a fundamental component of the extracellular matrix (ECM). Its size and concentration regulate tissues' macro- and microenvironments, and its upregulation is a hallmark feature of certain tumors. Yet, the conformational dynamics of HMW-HA and how it engages with the components of the ECM microenvironment remain poorly understood at the molecular level.

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Efforts in researching the efficient anti-tumor properties of three novel arene ruthenium(II) complexes incorporating thiophene-based aroylhydrazone ligands have been undertaken. The complexes' elemental composition was [(--cymene)Ru(L)Cl]. They were comprehensively characterized through elemental and spectroscopic analyses (FT-IR, UV-vis, NMR, and HR-MS).

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  • Osteopetrosis is a group of inherited bone disorders caused by issues with osteoclasts, affecting bone density and treatment options based on disease severity.
  • A study on 31 Indian patients identified 30 genetic variants, mostly involving specific genes, with 17 being novel findings, highlighting the genetic complexity of the condition.
  • Accurate genetic diagnosis is crucial for treatment decisions, such as stem cell transplantation, and can facilitate prenatal screening for affected families.
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Background: Cytomegalovirus (CMV) is a driver of negative outcomes after lung transplant (LTX) and primary prophylaxis (PPX) with valganciclovir (VGC) is standard-of-care. VGC is associated with myelosuppression, prompting interest in letermovir (LTV).

Methods: Adults receiving LTX between April 1, 2015, and July 30, 2022, at our institution were evaluated.

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Introduction: Cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection is associated with a poor prognosis after lung transplantation, and donor and recipient CMV serostatus is a risk factor for reactivation. CMV prophylaxis is commonly administered in the first year following transplantation to reduce CMV infection; however, the risk factors for long-term reactivation remain unclear. We investigated the timing and risk factors of CMV infection after prophylactic administration.

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The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) Standards for Levels of Neonatal Care, published in 2023, highlights key components of a Neonatal Patient Safety and Quality Improvement Program (NPSQIP). A comprehensive Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) quality and safety infrastructure (QSI) is based on four foundational domains: quality improvement, quality assurance, safety culture, and clinical guidelines. This paper serves as an operational guide for NICU clinical leaders and quality champions to navigate these domains and develop their local QSI to include the AAP NPSQIP standards.

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The optimal immune response eliminates invading pathogens, restoring immune equilibrium without inflicting undue harm to the host. However, when a cascade of immunological reactions is triggered, the immune response can sometimes go into overdrive, potentially leading to harmful long-term effects or even death. The immune system is triggered mostly by infections, allergens, or medical interventions such as vaccination.

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  • A study investigated real-world outcomes of neoadjuvant chemoimmunotherapy in patients with stage II-III non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) in the U.S., focusing on treatment patterns and survival rates.
  • It included 221 patients treated with neoadjuvant therapies, primarily platinum-based chemotherapy, with median event-free survival (EFS) at 17.6 months and overall survival (OS) at 48.5 months.
  • Results showed that a significant 71% of patients experienced disease recurrence during follow-up, emphasizing the need for more effective treatment options to improve long-term survival.
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The genus Melia is known for its secondary metabolites and recently, this genus is being explored for its timber. There are vast differences among its species. For instance, Melia azedarach is reported to be invasive and while another species, M.

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Cymodocea serrulata mediated titanium dioxide nanoparticles (TiO NPs) were successfully synthesized. The XRD pattern and FTIR spectra demonstrated the crystalline structure of TiO NPs and the presence of phenols, flavonoids and alkaloids in the extract. Further SEM revealed that TiO NPs has uniform structure and spherical in shape with their size ranged from 58 to 117 nm.

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Unlabelled: Although improved survival in children with Philadelphia chromosome-positive acute lymphoblastic leukemia (Ph-ALL) has been demonstrated in trials, the outcome appears to be inferior in low- and middle-income countries (LMIC). Methods A file review of children aged ≤ 15 years diagnosed with Ph-ALL from 2010 to 2019 was performed. Minimal residual disease (MRD) was assessed by flow-cytometry.

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A sustainable, affordable, and eco-friendly solution has been proposed to address water heating, electricity generation, space cooling, and photovoltaic (PV) cooling requirements in scorching climates. The photovoltaic thermal system (PV/T) and the direct expansion PV/T heat pump (PV/T DXHP) were numerically studied using MATLAB. A butterfly serpentine flow collector (BSFC) and phase change material (PCM) were assimilated in the PV system and MATLAB model was developed to evaluate the economic and enviroeconomic performance of the PV/T water system (PV/T-W), PV/T PCM water system (PV/T PCM-W), the PV/T DXHP system, and the PV/T PCM heat pump system (PV/T-PCM-DXHP).

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, an opportunistic fungal pathogen, causes a highly fatal disease, mucormycosis. Spore germination is a crucial mechanism for disease pathogenesis. Thus, exploring the molecular mechanisms of fungal germination would underpin our knowledge of such transformation and, in turn, help control mucormycosis.

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The therapeutic landscape for patients with advanced or metastatic non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is rapidly evolving due to advances in molecular testing and the development of new targeted therapies and immunotherapies. However, the efficacy of programmed death 1 (PD-1)/programmed death ligand 1 (PD-L1) inhibitors in advanced or metastatic patients with NSCLC whose tumors harbor BRAF V600E mutation, HER2/ERBB2 alteration, MET exon 14 skipping mutation, or RET rearrangement is not completely understood. A systematic literature review was performed to summarize evidence from clinical trials and observational studies on objective response rate, progression-free survival, and overall survival in patients whose tumors express these biomarkers and who were treated with PD-1/PD-L1 inhibitors.

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