CA-125 as a Biomarker in Renal Medullary Carcinoma: Integrated Molecular Profiling, Functional Characterization, and Prospective Clinical Validation.

Purpose: Renal medullary carcinoma (RMC) is a highly aggressive malignancy defined by the loss of the SMARCB1 tumor suppressor. It mainly affects young individuals of African descent with sickle cell trait, and it is resistant to conventional therapies used for other renal cell carcinomas. This study aimed to identify potential biomarkers for early detection and disease monitoring of RMC.

Structural characterization of the ACDC domain from ApiAP2 proteins, a potential molecular target against apicomplexan parasites.

The apicomplexan AP2 (ApiAP2) proteins are the best characterized family of DNA-binding proteins in Plasmodium spp. malaria parasites. Apart from the AP2 DNA-binding domain, there is little sequence similarity between ApiAP2 proteins.

Resolving tissue complexity by multimodal spatial omics modeling with MISO.

Spatial molecular profiling has provided biomedical researchers valuable opportunities to better understand the relationship between cellular localization and tissue function. Effectively modeling multimodal spatial omics data is crucial for understanding tissue complexity and underlying biology. Furthermore, improvements in spatial resolution have led to the advent of technologies that can generate spatial molecular data with subcellular resolution, requiring the development of computationally efficient methods that can handle the resulting large-scale datasets.

Surviving COVID-19 and Battling Fibrosis: A Retrospective Cohort Study Across Three Pandemic Waves.

Background/objectives: We aimed to characterize the fibrosis following COVID-19 pneumonia, using quantitative analysis, after three months and subsequently, after two years of patients' release from the hospital, and to identify the risk factors for pulmonary fibrosis.

Methods: We performed a retrospective, observational cohort study on 420 patients with severe forms of COVID-19. For all patients, we registered demographic, inflammatory and biochemical parameters, complete blood count and D-dimers; all patients underwent three computed tomography scans (at admittance, at 3 months and at 2 years).

Classification of non-TCGA cancer samples to TCGA molecular subtypes using compact feature sets.

Molecular subtypes, such as defined by The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA), delineate a cancer's underlying biology, bringing hope to inform a patient's prognosis and treatment plan. However, most approaches used in the discovery of subtypes are not suitable for assigning subtype labels to new cancer specimens from other studies or clinical trials. Here, we address this barrier by applying five different machine learning approaches to multi-omic data from 8,791 TCGA tumor samples comprising 106 subtypes from 26 different cancer cohorts to build models based upon small numbers of features that can classify new samples into previously defined TCGA molecular subtypes-a step toward molecular subtype application in the clinic.

Phytochemical, Antioxidant, Antimicrobial and Safety Profile of L. Extract Obtained from Romania.

L., also known as licorice, belongs to the family and is one of the most commercially valuable plants worldwide, being used in the pharmaceutical, cosmetic, and food industries, both for its therapeutic benefits as well as for the sweetening properties of the extract. This study evaluates the phytochemical composition, the biological activities, and the safety profile of a methanolic extract of licorice root (LRE) obtained from Romania.

Impact of syndemic heavy drinking, smoking, and depression on mortality among MSM with and without HIV: A longitudinal study.

Background: Heavy drinking, smoking, and depression are common among men who have sex with men (MSM). The association of co-occurring longitudinal patterns of these conditions and mortality among MSM were tested, applying a syndemic framework - the interaction of two or more conditions that contribute to poor health outcomes.

Methods: Longitudinal data from 1999 to 2018 from the Multicenter AIDS Cohort Study of 3046 MSM were analyzed.

A Phase 1 Study of FHD-609, a Heterobifunctional Degrader of Bromodomain-Containing Protein 9, in Patients With Advanced Synovial Sarcoma or SMARCB1-Deficient Tumors.

Purpose: FHD-609, a potent, selective, heterobifunctional degrader of bromodomain-containing protein 9 (BRD9), was evaluated for treatment of patients with advanced synovial sarcoma (SS) or SMARCB1-deficient tumors.

Patients And Methods: In this multinational, open-label, phase 1 study (NCT04965753), patients received FHD609 intravenously at escalating doses either twice weekly (BIW) (5 to 80 mg; n=40) or once weekly (QW) (40 to 120 mg; n=15).

Results: Fifty-five patients received FHD-609 for a median of 43 days.

HoloLens platform for healthcare professionals simulation training, teaching, and its urological applications: an up-to-date review.

The advancements of technological devices and software are putting mixed reality in the frontline of teaching medical personnel. The Microsoft HoloLens 2 offers a unique 3D visualization of a hologram in a physical, real environment and allows the urologists to interact with it. This review provides a state-of-the-art analysis of the applications of the HoloLens in a medical and healthcare context of teaching through simulation designed for medical students, nurses, residents especially in urology.

A Latent Cardiomyocyte Regeneration Potential in Human Heart Disease.

Background: Cardiomyocytes in the adult human heart show a regenerative capacity, with an annual renewal rate of ≈0.5%. Whether this regenerative capacity of human cardiomyocytes is employed in heart failure has been controversial.

Delta-like ligand 3 (DLL3) landscape in pulmonary and extra-pulmonary neuroendocrine neoplasms.

Delta-like Ligand 3 (DLL3) targeting therapies are promising in small cell lung cancer (SCLC) treatment. However, DLL3 expression in SCLC and other neuroendocrine neoplasms (NEN) is heterogeneous and not well characterized. We describe the landscape of DLL3 at the mRNA and protein levels across SCLC, large cell neuroendocrine carcinoma (LCNEC), and non-small cell lung cancer.

Effectiveness of XBB.1.5 Vaccines Against Symptomatic SARS-CoV-2 Infection in Older Adults During the JN.1 Lineage-Predominant Period, European VEBIS Primary Care Multicentre Study, 20 November 2023-1 March 2024.

We estimated XBB.1.5 vaccine effectiveness (VE) against symptomatic SARS-CoV-2 infection among adults aged ≥ 65 years during the 2023/2024 JN.

Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on participants in pragmatic clinical trials for chronic pain: implications for trial outcomes and beyond.

Objective: The COVID-19 pandemic had profound effects on society, including those living with chronic pain. This study sought to examine pandemic impacts on individuals enrolled in pragmatic clinical trials focused on nonpharmacological treatments for chronic pain.

Methods: We evaluated responses to a questionnaire on COVID-19 impacts that had been administered to participants (n=2024) during study enrollment in 3 pragmatic clinical trials for chronic pain treatment.

Evaluation of the Effectiveness and Safety of Mesenchymal Stem Cell Treatment in Fistulising Crohn's Disease: An International Real-Life Retrospective Multicentre Cohort Study.

Background: Perianal fistulas of Crohn's disease (CD) create a significant burden on patients' lives. However, the efficacy and safety of adipose-derived mesenchymal stem cell treatment are contradicting, and real-world evidence is lacking.

Aims: To examine the usability of darvadstrocel therapy in managing perianal CD.

International Multicenter Retrospective Study From the Ultra-rare Sarcoma Working Group on Low-grade Fibromyxoid Sarcoma, Sclerosing Epithelioid Fibrosarcoma, and Hybrid Forms: Outcome of Primary Localized Disease.

The aim of the study was to report the outcome of primary localized low-grade fibromyxoid sarcoma (LGFMS), sclerosing epithelioid fibrosarcoma (SEF), and hybrid LGFMS/SEF (H-LGFMS/SEF). Patients with primary localized LGFMS, SEF, or H-LGFMS/SEF, surgically treated with curative intent from January 2000 to September 2022, were enrolled from 14 countries and 27 institutions. Pathologic inclusion criteria were predefined by expert pathologists.

Identification of a central network hub of key prognostic genes based on correlation between transcriptomics and survival in patients with metastatic solid tumors.

Background: Dysregulated pathways in cancer may be hub addicted. Identifying these dysregulated networks for targeting might lead to novel therapeutic options.

Objective: Considering the hypothesis that central hubs are associated with increased lethality, identifying key hub targets within central networks could lead to the development of novel drugs with improved efficacy in advanced metastatic solid tumors.

How to Peer Review a Neurology Education Manuscript.

Peer review is an essential process in scientific research, ensuring the comprehensiveness, accuracy, and suitability of manuscripts for publication. Neurology education research differs from biomedical clinical research in several ways. These differences encompass specific paradigms, the use of theoretical frameworks, and different methodological approaches.

Replacement Therapy with Blood Products in People Living with HIV.

Cytopenias or coagulation deficiencies can occur in people living with HIV (PLWH). The severity of these disorders is influenced by the low levels of CD4+ lymphocytes, viral load, and the stage of viral infection. The aim of our retrospective observational study was to determine the frequency of cytopenias and coagulation deficiencies in PLWH as well as the need for replacement therapy with blood products.

Deep Cleaning of Crystal Violet and Methylene Blue Dyes from Aqueous Solution by Dextran-Based Cryogel Adsorbents.

Polysaccharides have recently attracted growing attention as adsorbents for various pollutants, since they can be extracted from a variety of renewable sources at low cost. An interesting hydrophilic and biodegradable polysaccharide is dextran (Dx), which is well-known for its applications in the food industry and in medicine. To extend the application range of this biopolymer, in this study, we investigated the removal of crystal violet (CV) and methylene blue (MB) dyes from an aqueous solution by Dx-based cryogels using the batch technique.