Mpox vaccine and infection-driven human immune signatures: an immunological analysis of an observational study.

Background: Monkeypox virus has recently infected more than 88 000 people, raising concerns about our preparedness against this emerging viral pathogen. Licensed and approved for mpox, the JYNNEOS vaccine has fewer side-effects than previous smallpox vaccines and has shown immunogenicity against monkeypox in animal models. This study aims to elucidate human immune responses to JYNNEOS vaccination compared with mpox-induced immunity.

Variations in the Design and Use of Attention Control Groups in Type 2 Diabetes Randomized Controlled Trials: a Systematic Review.

Purpose Of Review: In type 2 diabetes (T2D) research, the phrase "attention control group" (ACGs) has been used with varying descriptions. We aimed to systematically review the variations in the design and use of ACGs for T2D studies.

Recent Findings: Twenty studies utilizing ACGs were included in the final evaluation.

Endothelial function predicts 5-year adverse outcome in patients hospitalized in an emergency department chest pain unit.

Background: Although endothelial function is a marker for cardiovascular risk, endothelial dysfunction assessment is not routinely used in daily clinical practice. A growing challenge has emerged in identifying patients prone to cardiovascular events. We aim to investigate whether abnormal endothelial function may be associated with adverse 5-year outcomes in patients presenting to a chest pain unit (CPU).

Mpox vaccine and infection-driven human immune signatures.

Background: Mpox (formerly known as monkeypox) outbreaks outside endemic areas peaked in July 2022, infecting > 85,000 people and raising concerns about our preparedness against this emerging viral pathogen. Licensed and approved for mpox, the JYNNEOS vaccine has fewer side effects than previous smallpox vaccines and demonstrated efficacy against mpox infection in humans. Comparing JYNNEOS vaccine- and mpox-induced immunity is imperative to evaluate JYNNEOS' immunogenicity and inform vaccine administration and design.

Integrating Radiomics With Clinicoradiological Scoring Can Predict High-Risk Patients Who Need Surgery in Crohn's Disease: A Pilot Study.

Background: Early identification of Crohn's disease (CD) patients at risk for complications could enable targeted surgical referral, but routine magnetic resonance enterography (MRE) has not been definitively correlated with need for surgery. Our objective was to identify computer-extracted image (radiomic) features from MRE associated with risk of surgery in CD and combine them with clinical and radiological assessments to predict time to intervention.

Methods: This was a retrospective single-center pilot study of CD patients who had an MRE within 3 months prior to initiating medical therapy.

Morphological Control of Chromophore Spin State in Zinc Porphyrin-Peptide Assemblies.

Self-assembled peptide micelles and fibers demonstrate unique control over the photophysical properties of the bound, light-activated chromophore, zinc protoporphyrin IX, (PPIX)Zn. Micelles encapsulate either a mixture of uncoordinated and coordinated (PPIX)Zn or all coordinated depending on the ratio of peptide/porphyrin. As the ratio increases toward a 1:1 micelle/porphyrin ratio, providing the chromophore with a discrete coordination environment reminiscent of unstructured proteins, the micelles favor triplet formation.

Diverse Bilayer Morphologies Achieved via α-Helix-to-β-Sheet Transitions in a Short Amphiphilic Peptide.

Transmembrane proteins are functional macromolecules that direct the flow of small molecules and ions across a lipid bilayer. Here, we propose the development of helical peptide amphiphiles that will serve as both the bilayer and the functional unit of a self-assembled peptide bilayer membrane. The peptide, KL, was designed not only to possess dimensions similar to that of a lipid bilayer but also to yield a structurally robust, α-helical bilayer.

Understanding the Cautions and Contraindications of Immunomodulator and Biologic Therapies for Use in Inflammatory Bowel Disease.

Ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease are chronic inflammatory bowel diseases for which there are no cures. These diseases are immunopathogenic, and medical treatment is centered on the temperance of a dysregulated immune response to allow mucosal healing and prevent the sequelae of fistulation and stenosis. Accordingly, the armamentarium of medications, which has expanded immensely in recent history, is not without significant infectious and neoplastic risks.

Advancement in management of epidermolysis bullosa.

Purpose Of Review: Epidermolysis bullosa is a hereditary skin disorder characterized by skin fragility. However, the disease can manifest in many different organ systems, therefore children born with epidermolysis bullosa may have life long, complex medical needs. In this review, we will use a system-based approach to highlight important aspects of disease management and recent advancements in each of the areas.

Novel Somatic Mutation in LEMD3 Splice Site Results in Buschke-Ollendorff Syndrome with Polyostotic Melorheostosis and Osteopoikilosis.

Buschke-Ollendorff syndrome is a rare autosomal dominant disorder caused by loss of function in LEMD3, resulting in connective tissue nevi and varying bone dysplasia. Although typically benign, we describe a novel LEMD3 splice site mutation (IVS12 + 1delG) in a 13-year-old boy with Buschke-Ollendorff syndrome presenting with severe skeletal deformities, polyostotic melorheostosis, and osteopoikilosis.

A phase II randomized vehicle-controlled trial of intradermal allogeneic fibroblasts for recessive dystrophic epidermolysis bullosa.

Background: Chronic wounds are a major source of morbidity and mortality in generalized severe recessive dystrophic epidermolysis bullosa (RDEB-GS).

Objective: This was a phase II double-blinded randomized controlled trial of intralesional allogeneic cultured fibroblasts in suspension solution versus suspension solution alone for wound healing in RDEB-GS.

Methods: Adult patients with RDEB-GS were screened for chronic ulcers and reduced collagen VII expression.

A ciliary body tumor preventing angle closure.

We present a case report of a 60-year-old white woman, found to have advanced angle closure glaucoma in the right eye and appositional closure for about half of the left eye and no glaucoma. The remaining angle of the left eye was open with localized heavy pigmentation of the ciliary body band and trabecular meshwork. Ultrasound biomicroscopy showed a ciliary body tumor displacing the iris root centripetally preventing angle closure.

John Y. Templeton III: Pioneer of modern cardiothoracic surgery.

John Young Templeton III was born in 1917 in Portsmouth, Virginia, and graduated from Jefferson Medical College in 1941. He completed his residency training under Dr. John H.

Chest pain in young patients in an office setting: cardiac diagnoses, outcomes, and test burden.

This study determined the incidence of cardiac diagnoses demonstrably related to chest pain in young patients and determined whether those with exertional chest pain were more likely to have a cardiac diagnosis. It evaluated the course of patients with chest pain after pediatric cardiology evaluation regarding interventions, outcomes, and additional test burden. This was a retrospective study of 203 patients with an office pediatric cardiology assessment of chest pain from January 2000 through December 2004.

Perioperative surgical care bundle reduces pancreaticoduodenectomy wound infections.

Background: Pancreaticoduodenectomy (PD) is a complex surgical procedure with a historically high morbidity rate. The goal of this study was to determine if the implementation of a 12-measure perioperative surgical care bundle (SCB) was successful in reducing infectious and other complications in patients undergoing PD compared with a routine preoperative preparation group (RPP).

Methods: In this retrospective cohort study utilizing the HPB surgery database at the Thomas Jefferson University, we analyzed clinical data from 233 consecutive PDs from October 2005 to May 2008 on patients who underwent RPP, and compared them with 233 consecutive PDs from May 2008 to May 2010 following the implementation of the SCB.

Responsiveness of nonHerlitz junctional epidermolysis bullosa to topical gentian violet.

Background: Gentian violet (GV), a mixture of crystal violet and methyl violet, a dye belonging to the di- and triaminophenylmethanes class and has been widely used for its bactericidal and fungicidal properties. To date, there have been no reports of long-term therapeutic use of GV in epidermolysis bullosa (EB).

Methods: Two brothers with nonHerlitz junctional epidermolysis bullosa (JEB) aged 12 and 14 tried topical GV to one lower leg with conventional silicone dressings and this was compared with leaving the other leg with silicone dressings alone, over 4 weeks.

Ground states and formal duality relations in the Gaussian core model.

We study dimensional trends in ground states for soft-matter systems. Specifically, using a high-dimensional version of Parrinello-Rahman dynamics, we investigate the behavior of the Gaussian core model in up to eight dimensions. The results include unexpected geometric structures, with surprising anisotropy as well as formal duality relations.

Laryngo-onycho-cutaneous syndrome.

Laryngo-onycho-cutaneous (LOC) syndrome was reclassified as a subtype of junctional epidermolysis bullosa (JEB) based on clinical features similar to JEB and its association, in the majority of patients from the Punjab, with a unique mutation affecting the N terminus of the alpha3 chain of LM332. Although LOC syndrome is now a subtype of JEB(JEB-LOC) JEB-LOC has a distinct clinicopathologic appearance and molecular fingerprint. The intricacies of the JEB-LOC subtype are discussed in this article with regard to disease presentation, pathogenesis, management, and prognosis.

Algorithmic design of self-assembling structures.

We study inverse statistical mechanics: how can one design a potential function so as to produce a specified ground state? In this article, we show that unexpectedly simple potential functions suffice for certain symmetrical configurations, and we apply techniques from coding and information theory to provide mathematical proof that the ground state has been achieved. These potential functions are required to be decreasing and convex, which rules out the use of potential wells. Furthermore, we give an algorithm for constructing a potential function with a desired ground state.