Safety and immunogenicity of an optimized self-replicating RNA platform for low dose or single dose vaccine applications: a randomized, open label Phase I study in healthy volunteers.

Self-replicating RNA (srRNA) technology, in comparison to mRNA vaccines, has shown dose-sparing by approximately 10-fold and more durable immune responses. However, no improvements are observed in the adverse events profile. Here, we develop an srRNA vaccine platform with optimized non-coding regions and demonstrate immunogenicity and safety in preclinical and clinical development.

Medial posterior tibial slope measurements are overestimated on long radiographs and 3D CT compared to measurements on short lateral radiographs.

Purpose: This study assessed the measurements of the medial posterior tibial slope (MPTS) using long radiographs and three-dimensional (3D) computed tomography (CT) scans and compared them to measurements taken on short lateral knee radiographs. The study aimed to identify whether the at-risk slope measurements previously defined on the short radiographs would be similar to long radiographs and 3D CT scans.

Methods: A retrospective radiological review of 52 cases, who underwent planning for a slope-changing high tibial osteotomy and had short and long lateral radiographs and 3D CT scans of the tibia.

Second Generation I-Body AD-214 Attenuates Unilateral Ureteral Obstruction (UUO)-Induced Kidney Fibrosis Through Inhibiting Leukocyte Infiltration and Macrophage Migration.

Kidney fibrosis is the common pathological pathway in progressive chronic kidney disease (CKD), and current treatments are largely ineffective. The C-X-C chemokine receptor 4 (CXCR4) is crucial to fibrosis development. By using neural cell adhesion molecules as scaffolds with binding loops that mimic the shape of shark antibodies, fully humanized single-domain i-bodies have been developed.

Effect of empiric antibiotics against Pseudomonas aeruginosa on mortality in hospitalized patients: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Background: Empiric antibiotics active against Pseudomonas aeruginosa are recommended by professional societies for certain infections and are commonly prescribed for hospitalized patients. The effect of this practice on mortality is uncertain.

Methods: A systematic literature search was conducted using Embase, Medline, PubMed, Web of Science, Cochrane, Scopus and Google Scholar from earliest entry through 9 October 2023.

Endometrial Atypical Hyperplasia and Risk of Endometrial Cancer.

Endometrial atypical hyperplasia (EAH) is a premalignant condition with a substantial risk of progression to endometrial cancer (EC), with the endometrioid subtype being the most common. EAH is characterized by abnormal endometrial gland proliferation and cellular atypia, often resulting from prolonged unopposed estrogen exposure. This review aims to explore the clinical significance of EAH, its risk of progression to EC, and the current approaches to management.

Association of maternal immigration status with emotional eating in Taiwanese children: The mediating roles of health literacy and feeding practices.

Background: Emotional eating has been linked to childhood obesity. A variety of emotions often trigger this form of eating, which has been associated with stress-induced overeating, loss of control eating, and binge eating in children. However, research on how maternal immigration status and feeding practices influence emotional eating in children within Asian contexts is sparse.

Pregnancy, aortic events, and neonatal and maternal outcomes.

Background And Aims: This study aimed to evaluate the association between pregnancy and aortic complications and determine related maternal and neonatal outcomes.

Methods: Records of pregnancies and neonatal deliveries from the Taiwan National Health Insurance Research Database from 2000 to 2020 were retrieved. The incidence rate ratio (IRR) was calculated to evaluate the risk factors for aortic events.

Promising biomarker panel to monitor therapeutic efficacy of neoadjuvant chemotherapy in pancreatic cancer patients.

Background: Neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC) can provide improved survival outcomes in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) patients who respond to treatment, but currently available biomarkers cannot reliably predict NAC response. This study aimed to determine the potential of a previously identified diagnostic and prognostic biomarker panel (i.e.

Improving rigor and reproducibility in western blot experiments with the blotRig analysis.

Western blot is a popular biomolecular analysis method for measuring the relative quantities of independent proteins in complex biological samples. However, variability in quantitative western blot data analysis poses a challenge in designing reproducible experiments. The lack of rigorous quantitative approaches in current western blot statistical methodology may result in irreproducible inferences.

Cannabis Use and Subsequent CIGARETTE Discontinuation among U.S. Adults in the Population Assessment of Tobacco and Health (PATH) Study, Waves 1-5.

Introduction: This study examined the association between current co-use of cannabis and cigarettes in the past 30 days, and subsequent cigarette discontinuation (past 30-day point prevalence abstinence) among U.S. adults with established cigarette use in the Population Assessment of Tobacco and Health (PATH) Study.

Impact of Quitline Services on Tobacco Cessation: An Application of Modern Epidemiological Methods.

This study investigated the effectiveness of quitline service intensity (high vs. low) on past 30-day tobacco abstinence at 7-months follow-up, using observational data from the Oklahoma Tobacco Helpline (OTH) between April 2020 and December 2021. To assess the impact of loss to follow-up and non-random treatment assignment, we fit the parameters of a marginal structural model to estimate inverse probability weights for censoring (IPCW) and treatment (IPTW) and combined (IPCTW).

Anaplastic thyroid cancer: A review of recent evidence and summary of an Australian institutional protocol.

Anaplastic thyroid cancer (ATC), a rare and highly aggressive malignancy, is characterized by an exceptionally poor prognosis, where the majority of patients present with extensive local invasion and/or distant metastases. 20-30% of ATCs harbor the BRAF-V600E mutation. Neoadjuvant BRAF-targeted therapy may have the potential to downstage and facilitate surgical resection for patients with locally advanced and unresectable primary tumors with BRAF mutation and may convey a survival advantage in those with metastatic disease.

Controlled Transdermal Delivery of Dexamethasone for Pain Management via Photochemically 3D-Printed Bioresorbable Microneedle Arrays.

Microneedle array patches (MAPs) are extensively studied for transdermal drug delivery. Additive manufacturing enables precise control over MAP customization and rapid fabrication. However, the scope of 3D-printable, bioresorbable materials is limited.

Use of fluoroquinolones and the risk of aortic and mitral regurgitation: A nationwide case-crossover study.

Background: Recently, there have been conflicting results reporting an increased risk of AR or MR associated with oral fluoroquinolones (FQs).This study investigated whether the use of FQs increases the risk of mitral regurgitation (MR) or aortic regurgitation (AR).

Methods: A retrospective cohort study was conducted by using the Taiwan National Health Insurance research database.

Artificial Intelligence-based Segmentation of Residual Pancreatic Cancer in Resection Specimens Following Neoadjuvant Treatment (ISGPP-2): International Improvement and Validation Study.

Neoadjuvant therapy (NAT) has become routine in patients with borderline resectable pancreatic cancer. Pathologists examine pancreatic cancer resection specimens to evaluate the effect of NAT. However, an automated scoring system to objectively quantify residual pancreatic cancer (RPC) is currently lacking.

Antimony-Platinum Modulated Contact Enabling Majority Carrier Polarity Selection on a Monolayer Tungsten Diselenide Channel.

We develop a novel metal contact approach using an antimony (Sb)-platinum (Pt) bilayer to mitigate Fermi-level pinning in 2D transition metal dichalcogenide channels. This strategy allows for control over the transport polarity in monolayer WSe devices. By adjustment of the Sb interfacial layer thickness from 10 to 30 nm, the effective work function of the contact/WSe interface can be tuned from 4.

Pancreatic Body and Tail Adenocarcinoma: Upfront Resection Versus Neoadjuvant Therapy, A Contemporary Analysis.

Objectives: There is a paucity of data regarding the use of neoadjuvant therapy in pancreatic body or tail ductal adenocarcinomas. Given the differing tumor biology and aggressive nature of pancreatic body or tail adenocarcinomas, patients presenting with these tumors may benefit from upfront resection.

Methods: A retrospective cohort study was performed analyzing patients who underwent distal pancreatectomy for pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma between January 2013 and June 2022.

Opioid and other drug use and drug-related mortality as indicators of Hepatitis C and Human Immunodeficiency Virus in Oklahoma.

Objectives: Outbreaks of injection drug use (IDU)-associated infections have become major public health concerns in the era of the opioid epidemic. This study aimed to (1) identify county-level characteristics associated with acute HCV infection and newly diagnosed IDU-associated HIV in Oklahoma and (2) develop a vulnerability index using these metrics.

Methods: This study employs a county-level ecological design to examine those diagnosed with acute or chronic HCV or newly diagnosed IDU-associated HIV.

Antiviral activity of extract against feline coronavirus .

Feline infectious peritonitis (FIP) is a fatal illness caused by a mutated feline coronavirus (FCoV). This disease is characterized by its complexity, resulting from systemic infection, antibody-dependent enhancement (ADE), and challenges in accessing effective therapeutics. Extract derived from (L.

Machine learning in time-lapse imaging to differentiate embryos from young vs old mice†.

Time-lapse microscopy for embryos is a non-invasive technology used to characterize early embryo development. This study employs time-lapse microscopy and machine learning to elucidate changes in embryonic growth kinetics with maternal aging. We analyzed morphokinetic parameters of embryos from young and aged C57BL6/NJ mice via continuous imaging.