Real-World Effectiveness of Long-Acting Injectable and Oral Antipsychotic Agents in US Medicare Patients with Schizophrenia.

Introduction: Daily oral antipsychotics (OAPs) are the mainstay of schizophrenia treatment; however, long-acting injectable antipsychotics (LAIs) are associated with better treatment adherence and improved outcomes.

Methods: This study assessed the real-world comparative effectiveness of LAIs and daily OAPs using claims data from a nationally representative sample of fee-for-service Medicare beneficiaries with schizophrenia. Antipsychotic discontinuation, psychiatric hospitalization, and treatment failure were compared relative to different reference groups using within-individual Cox regression models.

Ossifying fibromyxoid tumours: A case series.

Background: Ossifying fibromyxoid tumour is a rare mesenchymal soft tissue sarcoma with uncertain differentiation and variable metastatic potential.

Patients And Methods: This study offers a retrospective analysis of 23 patients diagnosed with OFMT between 1993 and 2024.

Results: The tumours most commonly arose in the extremities and trunk, with all patients undergoing surgical resection of the primary tumour.

Evolving knowledge of "red flag" clinical features associated with TTR p.(Val142Ile) in a diverse electronic health record-linked biobank.

Purpose: Previous studies have established "red flags" that raise clinical suspicion for the hereditary form of transthyretin amyloidosis (ATTRv). However, these have not been specifically evaluated for the most common associated variant, TTR p.(Val142Ile).

Material Recovery Facilities (MRFs) in the United States: Operations, revenue, and the impact of scale.

An analysis was conducted using nationwide survey data to evaluate how material recovery facilities (MRFs) operations vary regionally and with scale. The survey characterized materials, processes, and energy use involved with operations, and revenue for recyclables. This is the first nationwide analysis of MRFs in the US that accounts for mass processed, energy consumed, and revenue.

Transforming the Health Research Workforce in Mozambique: Achievements of the Mozambique Institute for Health Education and Research (MIHER) over a 13‑Year Journey.

African research capacity is challenged by insufficient infrastructure to solicit and manage grants from local and international funding agencies. The manuscript provides an overview and discusses lessons learned about the pioneering role of the Mozambique Institute for Health Education and Research (MIHER) as the first research support center (RSC) in supporting the management of research grants in Mozambique, emphasizing its impact on research capacity development. Using mixed methods, data were comprehensively collected to identify MIHER's primary achievements from 2010 to 2023.

Shaping the Future of Infectious Diseases: The Journey to Promote Value, Opportunity, and Positive Messaging.

The field of infectious diseases (ID) offers a rewarding career path and is widely viewed as an essential subspecialty in medicine. However, in recent years, these positive aspects have been overshadowed by concerns surrounding low fellowship match rates, undercompensation, and burnout. The Infectious Diseases Society of America Fellowship Training Program Directors Committee met in 2023, discussed the future of ID as a specialty, and sought to develop strategies to highlight the value and opportunities of ID for future generations, as well as underscore the importance of and provide tools for positive messaging to trainees about the subspecialty.

Electronic Health Records-based identification of newly diagnosed Crohn's Disease cases.

Background: Early diagnosis and treatment of Crohn's Disease are associated with decreased risk of surgery and complications. However, diagnostic delay is frequently seen in clinical practice. To better understand Crohn's Disease risk factors and disease indicators, we identified, described, and predicted incident Crohn's Disease patients based on the Electronic Health Record data of the Mount Sinai Health System.

The efficacy of combination immunotherapy with ipilimumab plus nivolumab in metastatic myxofibrosarcoma.

We present the case of a patient with Myxofibrosarcoma (MFS), a mesenchymal type of soft tissue sarcoma (STS) and the response to combination immunotherapy with anti PD-1 and anti-CTLA-4 therapy, following disease progression after Standard chemotherapy (SACT) and Radiotherapy (RT). We have shown a timeline of treatment and responses, as well as the overall safety profile and the management of immunotherapy related adverse events. This study demonstrates the potential of checkpoint inhibitors as therapeutic agents in the treatment of MFS.

Assessing the sensitivity and acceptability of the Royal Marsden Palliative Care Referral "Triggers" Tool for outpatients with cancer.

Purpose: To evaluate the use, acceptability, and experience of a seven-item palliative care referral screening tool in an outpatient oncology setting.

Methods: A two-phase convergent parallel mixed-methods study. Patient participants who met any of the "Royal Marsden Triggers Tool" criteria were compared with those who did not in terms of demographic data, palliative care needs (Integrated Palliative Outcome Scale, IPOS) and quality of life indicators (EORTC-QLQ-C30).

A Pooled Analysis of Eight Clinical Studies Suggests a Link Between Influenza-Like Symptoms and Pharmacodynamics of the Toll-Like Receptor-7 Agonist Vesatolimod.

Introduction: Vesatolimod is a Toll-like receptor-7 (TLR7) agonist in clinical development as part of a combination regimen for human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) cure. Influenza-like symptoms associated with TLR7-mediated immune activation have been reported in clinical trials of vesatolimod. Therefore, a broader understanding of the safety profile of vesatolimod and association with dose and mechanism of action will help inform future clinical studies.

Four Strategies for Whole-Genome Annotation of Transposable Elements and Repeats in Maize.

Transposable elements (TEs) and tandem repeat arrays are ubiquitous components of genomes across all domains of life. Many types of repetitive DNA do not appear to encode for functional proteins, and those that do, typically only code for enzymes involved in their own replication. Nevertheless, repetitive DNA sequences can significantly alter genome structure, and can have a profound impact on an organism's biology at both the molecular and organismal levels.

Navigating the Maze of Maize Genomics: the Impact of Transposable Elements and Tandem Repeats.

Transposable elements (TEs) are abundant and ubiquitous components of eukaryotic genomes. Since TEs were first discovered in maize () by Barbara McClintock in the late 1940s, these elements have been shown to be important agents in shaping genome structure and evolution. Today, maize continues to be an important model organism for molecular and quantitative genetics, and represents a particularly useful system for the study of the interplay between TEs and host genomes.

PAK1 inhibition with Romidepsin attenuates H-reflex hyperexcitability after spinal cord injury.

Hyperreflexia associated with spasticity is a prevalent neurological condition characterized by excessive and exaggerated reflex responses to stimuli. Hyperreflexia can be caused by several diseases including multiple sclerosis, stroke and spinal cord injury (SCI). Although we have previously identified the contribution of the RAC1-PAK1 pathway underlying spinal hyperreflexia with SCI-induced spasticity, a feasible druggable target has not been validated.

Prospective evaluation of quantitative response parameter in patients with Gastrointestinal Stroma Tumor undergoing tyrosine kinase inhibitor therapy-Impact on clinical outcome.

The purpose of this study was to determine if dual-energy CT (DECT) vital iodine tumor burden (ViTB), a direct assessment of tumor vascularity, allows reliable response assessment in patients with GIST compared to established CT criteria such as RECIST1.1 and modified Choi (mChoi). From 03/2014 to 12/2019, 138 patients (64 years [32-94 years]) with biopsy proven GIST were entered in this prospective, multi-center trial.

Technical Success and Serious Adverse Events for Fetal Aortic Valvuloplasty in a Large 20-Year Cohort.

Background: FAV is offered to fetuses with severe aortic valve stenosis and evolving hypoplastic left heart syndrome. An inferential analysis of TS and SAE in a large series has not been reported.

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to determine factors associated with fetal aortic valvuloplasty (FAV) technical success (TS) and serious adverse events (SAEs).

Comparing Outcomes of Post-Cardiotomy Cardiogenic Shock Patients: On-Site Cannulation vs. Retrieval for V-A ECMO Support.

Post-cardiotomy cardiogenic shock (PCCS) remains a life-threatening complication after cardiac surgery. Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) represents the mainstay of mechanical circulatory support for PCCS; however, its availability is limited to larger experienced centers, leading to a mismatch between centers performing cardiac surgery and hospitals offering ECMO management beyond cannulation. We sought to evaluate the outcomes and complications of PCCS patients requiring veno-arterial (V-A) ECMO cannulated at our hospital compared to those cannulated at referral hospitals.

Treatment patterns and hospitalizations following rejection, reversal, or payment of the initial once-monthly paliperidone palmitate long-acting injectable antipsychotic claim among patients with schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder.

Background: Once-monthly paliperidone palmitate (PP1M) is a long-acting injectable antipsychotic approved for the treatment of schizophrenia and schizoaffective disorder (SCA) in adults.

Objective: To assess treatment patterns and schizophrenia/SCA-related hospitalization following payer rejection, patient reversal, or payment of an initial PP1M claim.

Methods: This was a retrospective cohort study using the IQVIA Formulary Impact Analyzer database linked to the Medical Claims, Hospital Charge Detail Master, and Experian consumer databases.

Adherence, health care utilization, and costs between long-acting injectable and oral antipsychotic medications in South Carolina Medicaid beneficiaries with schizophrenia.

Background: Schizophrenia and schizoaffective disorder require long-term antipsychotic treatment with antipsychotic medications, but poor medication adherence can lead to increased health care utilization and costs. Long-acting injectable antipsychotics (LAIs) offer potential therapeutic advantages in that they require less frequent dosing and improved medication adherence. South Carolina has the highest adoption of LAIs among US states, making it an ideal population for comparing the effectiveness of LAIs vs oral antipsychotics (OAPs) in treating schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder.

The influence of sex on activity in voluntary wheel running, forced treadmill running, and open field testing.

Introduction: Physical activity is commonly used for both measuring and treating dysfunction. While preclinical work has been historically biased towards males, the use of both male and female animals is gaining popularity after multiple NIH initiatives. With increasing inclusion of both sexes, it has become imperative to determine sex differences in common behavioral assays.

An observational study protocol to capture, validate and characterise lucid episodes in people living with advanced dementia receiving hospice care.

Introduction: Lucid episodes (LEs) in advanced neurodegenerative disease, characterised by a transient recovery of abilities, have been reported across neurological conditions, including Alzheimer's disease and related dementias. Evidence on LEs in dementia is extremely limited and draws predominantly from retrospective case reports. Lucidity in dementia has received growing attention given the clinical, caregiving and potential epidemiological implications of even a temporary return of abilities in advanced disease.

UK guidelines for the management of soft tissue sarcomas.

Soft tissue sarcomas (STS) are rare tumours arising in mesenchymal tissues and can occur almost anywhere in the body. Their rarity, and the heterogeneity of subtype and location, means that developing evidence-based guidelines is complicated by the limitations of the data available. This makes it more important that STS are managed by expert multidisciplinary teams, to ensure consistent and optimal treatment, recruitment to clinical trials, and the ongoing accumulation of further data and knowledge.