Microbubble-Protected Oncolytic Virotherapy Targeted by Sonoporation Induces Tumor Necrosis and T-Lymphocyte Infiltration in Humanized Mice Bearing Triple-Negative Breast Cancer.

Oncolytic virotherapy has shown great promise in mediating targeted tumor destruction through tumor-selective replication and induction of anti-tumor immunity; however, obstacles remain for virus candidates to reach the clinic. These include avoiding neutralizing antibodies, preventing stimulation of the adaptive immune response during intravenous administration, and inducing sufficient apoptosis and immune activation so that the body's defense can work to eradicate systemic disease. We have developed a co-formulation of oncolytic viruses (OVs) with Imagent lipid-encapsulated, perfluorocarbon microbubbles (MBs) to protect the OVs from the innate and adaptive immune system.

Computed Tomography and Dual-Energy X-Ray Asorptiometry body composition parameter harmonisation to universalise adipose tissue measurements in a population-based cross-sectional study.

To harmonise computed tomography (CT) and dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry (DXA) body composition measurements allowing easy conversion in longitudinal assessments and across cohorts to assess cardiometabolic risk and disease. Retrospective cross-sectional observational study from 1996 to 2008 included participants in the Pennington Center Longitudinal Study (PCLS) (N = 1967; 571 African American/1396 White). Anthropometrics, whole-body DXA and abdominal CT images were obtained.

A New and Effective Procedure for Advanced Oral Cancer Therapy: The Potential of a Cancer Stem Cell Assay in Guiding Chemotherapy.

Introduction: Ineffective anticancer therapy can result in unnecessary toxicity and the development of resistant clones. Many types of solid tumors, including head and neck squamous cell carcinoma, have been found to contain a small population of cancer stem cells (CSCs) that contribute to tumor propagation, maintenance, and treatment resistance.

Materials And Methods: Selectively enriched CSCs from primary cancer cell cultures can be used in a chemosensitivity assay for a functional test (ChemoID) that uses patients' live tumor cells to indicate which chemotherapy agent (or "combinations") will kill not only the bulk of tumor cells but also the CSCs that are known to cause cancer to recur.

Defining Demographic-specific Coronary Artery Calcium Percentiles in the Population Aged ≥75: The ARIC Study and MESA.

Background: Current clinical guidelines recommend a coronary artery calcium (CAC) score of 100 Agatston Units or demographic-specific 75th percentile as high-risk thresholds for guiding atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease preventive therapy. Meanwhile, low CAC can help derisk individuals who may safely defer statin therapy. However, limited data from the early 2000s, including just 208 older Black individuals, inform CAC percentiles for adults aged 75 to 85 years, and none have been established in adults aged ≥85 years.

Adiposity and Coagulation: Predicting Postinjury Coagulation With Advanced Imaging Analysis.

Introduction: Anatomic distribution of adipose tissue has demonstrated variable associations with hypercoagulability. Utilizing a retrospective analysis of a previously enrolled prospective cohort, we assessed computed tomography (CT) scan-based anthropometric and volumetric measures of adiposity as predictors of postinjury hypercoagulability.

Methods: Segmentation analysis of arrival CT scans in significantly injured patients at a single level-I trauma center enrolled from December 2017 to August 2021 were analyzed for anthropometric indices of waist circumference (WC) and sagittal abdominal diameter (SAD), and volumetric parameters of visceral adipose tissue, superficial/deep subcutaneous adipose tissue, psoas/paravertebral muscle volume, and abdominal wall muscle volume.

Treatment of unmethylated MGMT-promoter recurrent glioblastoma with cancer stem cell assay-guided chemotherapy and the impact on patients' healthcare costs.

Background: Glioblastoma (GBM) is a lethal disease. At least in part, the recurrence of GBM is caused by cancer stem cells (CSCs), which are resistant to chemotherapy. Personalized anticancer therapy against CSCs can improve treatment outcomes.

Cancer stem cell assay-guided chemotherapy improves survival of patients with recurrent glioblastoma in a randomized trial.

Therapy-resistant cancer stem cells (CSCs) contribute to the poor clinical outcomes of patients with recurrent glioblastoma (rGBM) who fail standard of care (SOC) therapy. ChemoID is a clinically validated assay for identifying CSC-targeted cytotoxic therapies in solid tumors. In a randomized clinical trial (NCT03632135), the ChemoID assay, a personalized approach for selecting the most effective treatment from FDA-approved chemotherapies, improves the survival of patients with rGBM (2016 WHO classification) over physician-chosen chemotherapy.

Enhancing Targeted Therapy in Breast Cancer by Ultrasound-Responsive Nanocarriers.

Currently, the response to cancer treatments is highly variable, and severe side effects and toxicity are experienced by patients receiving high doses of chemotherapy, such as those diagnosed with triple-negative breast cancer. The main goal of researchers and clinicians is to develop new effective treatments that will be able to specifically target and kill tumor cells by employing the minimum doses of drugs exerting a therapeutic effect. Despite the development of new formulations that overall can increase the drugs' pharmacokinetics, and that are specifically designed to bind overexpressed molecules on cancer cells and achieve active targeting of the tumor, the desired clinical outcome has not been reached yet.

Virus-Based Immuno-Oncology Models.

Immunotherapy has been extensively explored in recent years with encouraging results in selected types of cancer. Such success aroused interest in the expansion of such indications, requiring a deep understanding of the complex role of the immune system in carcinogenesis. The definition of hot vs.

Cancer Stem Cell Assay for the Treatment of Platinum-Resistant Recurrent Ovarian Cancer.

Background: Disease recurrence and progression of ovarian cancer is a common event, which is accompanied by the development of platinum-resistant or refractory disease. The presence of chemo-resistant Cancer Stem Cells (CSCs) contribute to tumor propagation, maintenance, and treatment resistance of this difficult to treat disease. We have developed ChemoID, a cytotoxic synergy assay against CSCs that identifies the most effective chemotherapy treatment from a panel of FDA-approved chemotherapies using fresh cancer biopsies.

Applications of Ultrasound-Mediated Drug Delivery and Gene Therapy.

Gene therapy has continuously evolved throughout the years since its first proposal to develop more specific and effective transfection, capable of treating a myriad of health conditions. Viral vectors are some of the most common and most efficient vehicles for gene transfer. However, the safe and effective delivery of gene therapy remains a major obstacle.

New Minimally Invasive Intraoral Procedure for Condylar Fractures: Clinical Presentation and Considerations on Current Techniques.

Mandibular fractures are the third most prevalent maxillofacial traumatic events. Surgical approaches to the condyle are a debated topic. This study describes a mini-invasive technique for condylar fracture reduction.

Multifocal IgG4-related aortitis and periaortitis simulating aortic dissection.

Immunoglobulin G4-related aortitis (IgG4-RA) is histologically characterized by the infiltration of IgG4 positive plasma cells and fibrosis in systemic organs and the elevation of serum IgG4 levels. The cardiovascular system is commonly involved with various possible presentations such as aortitis, arteritis, periaortitis, periarteritis, and inflammatory aneurysm. We present a case of a 48-year-old male without known previous medical history, admitted for further workup of long-standing chest pain and shortness of breath with suspected aortic dissection on initial assessment.

Epi-Mucosa Fixation and Autologous Platelet-Rich Fibrin Treatment in Medication-Related Osteonecrosis of the Jaw.

Medication-related osteonecrosis of the jaw (MRONJ) frequently affects patients after treatments with bisphosphonates or denosumab, especially with high doses in patients with bone osteoporosis, neoplastic metastases, or possibly anti-angiogenic treatment for cancer. The aim of this article was to show a new treatment planning for stage 2 and stage 3 MRONJ using platelet-rich fibrin (PRF) at the surgical field to enhance healing in association with a new epi-mucosal fixation technique to prevent or treat mandibular fracture. Two cases were treated by epi-mucosa fixation and autologous PRF use for prevention of mandibular fracture risks related to necrotic bone resection or a narrow fracture reduction.

Left ventricular pseudoaneurysm: An unexpected finding.

A left ventricle pseudoaneurysm (LV PSA) is defined as a free wall rupture of the left ventricle contained by the adjacent pericardial tissue. This rare complication is most commonly encountered following myocardial infarction, trauma, or infection. Surgery is typically warranted to avoid progression to spontaneous rupture, which may potentially lead to cardiac tamponade and death.

Clinical relevance of cancer stem cell chemotherapeutic assay for recurrent ovarian cancer.

Introduction: Disease recurrence and progression of ovarian cancer is common with the development of platinum-resistant or refractory disease. This is due in large part to the presence of chemo-resistant cancer stem cells (CSCs) that contribute to tumor propagation, maintenance, and treatment resistance. We developed a CSCs drug cytotoxicity assay (ChemoID) to identify the most effective chemotherapy treatment from a panel of FDA approved chemotherapies.

Cancer Stem Cell Chemotherapeutics Assay for Prospective Treatment of Recurrent Glioblastoma and Progressive Anaplastic Glioma: A Single-Institution Case Series.

Background: Chemotherapy-resistant cancer stem cells (CSC) may lead to tumor recurrence in glioblastoma (GBM). The poor prognosis of this disease emphasizes the critical need for developing a treatment stratification system to improve outcomes through personalized medicine.

Methods: We present a case series of 12 GBM and 2 progressive anaplastic glioma cases from a single Institution prospectively treated utilizing a CSC chemotherapeutics assay (ChemoID) guided report.

Microbubble-mediated delivery of human adenoviruses does not elicit innate and adaptive immunity response in an immunocompetent mouse model of prostate cancer.

Background: Gene transfer to malignant sites using human adenoviruses (hAds) has been limited because of their immunogenic nature and host specificity. Murine cells often lack some of the receptors needed for hAds attachment, thus murine cells are generally non-permissive for human adenoviral infection and replication, which limits translational studies.

Methods: We have developed a gene transfer method that uses a combination of lipid-encapsulated perfluorocarbon microbubbles and ultrasound to protect and deliver hAds to a target tissue, bypassing the requirement of specific receptors.

Multiparametric Magnetic Resonance Imaging in the Assessment of Primary Brain Tumors Through Radiomic Features: A Metric for Guided Radiation Treatment Planning.

Purpose The definition of radiotherapy target volume is a critical step in treatment planning for all tumor sites. Conventional magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) pulse sequences are used for the definition of the gross target volume (GTV) and the contouring of glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) and meningioma. We propose the use of multiparametric MRI combined with radiomic features to improve the texture-based differentiation of tumor from edema for GTV definition and to differentiate vasogenic from tumor cell infiltration edema.

Assessment of Treatment Response Following Yttrium-90 Transarterial Radioembolization of Liver Malignancies.

Transarterial radioembolization using yttrium-90 microspheres is an established and effective treatment for liver malignancies. Determining response to this treatment is difficult due to the radical changes that occur in tissue as a response to radiation. Though accurate assessment of treatment response is paramount for proper patient disposition, there is currently no standardized assessment protocol.

Eating Green: Shining Light on the Use of Dietary Phytochemicals as a Modern Approach in the Prevention and Treatment of Head and Neck Cancers.

Enthusiasm for the use of dietary bioactive compounds as chemopreventive agents and adjuvants for current therapies has increased laboratory research conducted on several types of cancers including Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma (HNSCC). The green chemoprevention movement is a modern approach to highlight healthy lifestyle changes that aim to decrease the incidence of HNSCC. A healthy diet can be an effective way to prevent the development of oral cancers.

Emergence of Radiomics: Novel Methodology Identifying Imaging Biomarkers of Disease in Diagnosis, Response, and Progression.

Radiomics is an emerging area within clinical radiology research. It seeks to take full advantage of all the information contained in multiple medical imaging modalities. With a radiomics approach, medical images are not limited to providing only a qualitative assessment but can also provide quantitative data by parameterizing image features.

Platelet-Rich Fibrin (PRF) in Implants Dentistry in Combination with New Bone Regenerative Flapless Technique: Evolution of the Technique and Final Results.

Unlabelled: Most common techniques for alveolar bone augmentation are guided bone regeneration (GBR) and autologous bone grafting. GBR studies demonstrated long-term reabsorption using heterologous bone graft. A general consensus has been achieved in implant surgery for a minimal amount of 2 mm of healthy bone around the implant.