Pemphigus vulgaris Treated With Rituximab: A Case Report.

This case report highlights the efficacy of rituximab (RTX), a monoclonal antibody that targets B-lymphocytes, in the treatment of severe pemphigus vulgaris (PV) that was unresponsive to multiple conventional therapies. A 44-year-old female presented with mucocutaneous lesions that had been progressing for 12 months, with a Pemphigus Disease and Area Index (PDAI) total activity score of 66, indicating severe disease. The patient received two infusions of RTX two weeks apart, without complications.

Stenotrophomonas maltophilia Associated Factors and Outcomes in a Neonatal Intensive Care Unit: A Retrospective Matched Case-control Study.

Background: Stenotrophomonas maltophilia is a multi-drug-resistant, hospital-acquired Gram-negative bacillus associated with significant morbidity and mortality. The objective of this study is to identify risk factors and outcomes associated with S. maltophilia isolation in a high-risk neonatal population.

Fractionation of Kraft Lignin for Production of Alkyd Resins for Biobased Coatings with Oxidized Lignin Dispersants as a Co-Product.

A new valorization pathway based on solvent fractionation was applied to kraft lignin, a major by-stream of the pulping industry, to extract a soluble lignin intermediate featuring an improved structural homogeneity, a low molecular weight, and a high content of phenolic hydroxyl and carboxylic acid groups to serve as a substitute of the nonrenewable polyacids in the formulation of alkyd resins, a dominant material used in the production of anticorrosion surface coatings. Herein, softwood kraft lignin was mixed in a low-cost green solvent, aqueous ethanol, prepared at different ratios, at room temperature to generate a soluble fraction of a low of ≤2200 g mol and an insoluble fraction of a high of ≥3950 g mol of lignin. The best combination of yields and molecular weights of soluble lignin (16-36% yield, 1740-1890 g mol) was attained using 50-80 vol % ethanol in fractionation.

Training of Veterinary Students in Trans Rectal Palpation of Equids: A Comparison of Live Versus Cadaver Models.

Transrectal palpation (TP) is a basic skill in equine practice. Traditional TP learning methods include instructor-assisted TP in live animals, but this approach presents animal welfare concerns, especially when it needs to be used with large numbers of students. The main objective of this study is to compare two learning methods of TP: traditional methodology with live horses (LH) and alternative methodology using a cadaver with its flanks dissected (CDV).

Efficacy and safety of pembrolizumab in patients with advanced urothelial carcinoma deemed potentially ineligible for platinum-containing chemotherapy: Post hoc analysis of KEYNOTE-052 and LEAP-011.

Background: First-line pembrolizumab monotherapy is a standard of care for platinum-ineligible patients with advanced urothelial carcinoma (UC). No global standardized definition of platinum ineligibility exists. This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of pembrolizumab monotherapy in patients with UC who met various criteria for platinum ineligibility.

Heart Rate Variability, Blood Pressure and Peripheral Oxygen Saturation during Yoga and Breathing Techniques without Retention in Adult Practitioners.

Heart rate variability (HRV) is the change in time intervals between heart beats, reflecting the autonomic nervous system's ability to adapt to psychological and physiological demands. Slow breathing enhances parasympathetic activity, increasing HRV. , a yoga breathing technique, affords the conscious regulation of respiration frequency.

Preventability of ischemic stroke/transient ischemic attack in a tertiary care center in Argentina.

Introduction: Cardiovascular disease remains a leading cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide, with many individuals presenting with acute ischemic stroke or transient ischemic attack (AIS/TIA) due to underlying vascular risk factors (VRF). While these patients typically undergo routine evaluations for acute treatment, the prevention of these conditions is often underestimated. This study reports the prevalence of non-optimized VRF and estimates their degree of avoidability in a cohort of patients treated in a tertiary care center following AIS/TIA.

Seizure Induced by Single-Pulse TMS Delivered to Lesioned Hemisphere in Stroke.

Transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) is used for therapeutic and research purposes, but it is still important to establish safety guidelines and recommendations mainly related to serious adverse effect (SAE). As part of this, safety reports need to be published. Our report highlights a case of a male patient who was a 30-year-old with a history of hemorrhagic stroke following an accidental seizure episode during a single-pulse TMS.

Lipid droplets and small extracellular vesicles: More than two independent entities.

Despite increasing knowledge about small extracellular vesicle (sEV) composition and functions in cell-cell communication, the mechanism behind their biogenesis remains unclear. Here, we reveal for the first time that sEV biogenesis and release into the microenvironment are tightly connected with another important organelle, Lipid Droplets (LDs). The correlation was observed in several human cancer cell lines as well as patient-derived colorectal cancer stem cells (CR-CSCs).

Alternative drugs for the treatment of gonococcal infections: old and new.

Introduction: The rise in antibiotic resistance to poses a substantial threat to effective gonorrhea treatment. Historical progression of resistance from sulfonamides to the more recent declines in efficacy of fluoroquinolones and susceptibilities of ceftriaxone highlight the urgent need for novel therapeutic approaches, necessitating the examination of alternative and new antibiotics.

Areas Covered: This review examines the potential of repurposing older antibiotics for gonorrhea treatment with a focus on their efficacy and limitations.

Gaining a new angle on pancreas cancer: A pre-operative thrombelastographic parameter predicts recurrence and survival among patients with resected periampullary and pancreatic adenocarcinoma.

Background: It has previously been demonstrated that Thrombelastography(TEG) angle may be associated with recurrence and survival in pancreas cancer in a cohort of patients operated on at the University of Colorado in 2016-2017. Now approaching 10 years of follow-up, we revisit these associations and strengthen these claims with multivariate analysis.

Methods: Retrospective chart review was performed.

Angioleiomyoma of the Foot: Clinical and Functional Outcomes of Surgical Treatment in a Case Series.

Background: Angioleiomyoma is a benign soft-tissue tumor that arises from the smooth muscle cells in the tunica media of the blood vessels. Although the most common location for these neoplasms is the uterine wall, they can also originate from lower limbs. Altogether, these neoplasms account for 0.

Influence of a Solid Surface on PNIPAM Microgel Films.

Stimuli-responsive microgels have attracted great interest in recent years as building blocks for fabricating smart surfaces with many technological applications. In particular, PNIPAM microgels are promising candidates for creating thermo-responsive scaffolds to control cell growth and detachment via temperature stimuli. In this framework, understanding the influence of the solid substrate is critical for tailoring microgel coatings to specific applications.

MOREOVER: multiomics MR-guided radiotherapy optimization in locally advanced rectal cancer.

Background: Complete response prediction in locally advanced rectal cancer (LARC) patients is generally focused on the radiomics analysis of staging MRI. Until now, omics information extracted from gut microbiota and circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) have not been integrated in composite biomarkers-based models, thereby omitting valuable information from the decision-making process. In this study, we aim to integrate radiomics with gut microbiota and ctDNA-based genomics tracking during neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy (nCRT).

Computed tomography-derived normative values and z-scores of the pulmonary valve annulus and sino-tubular junction in the pediatric population.

Background: Accurate assessment of the pulmonary valve can dictate clinical management of patients with right ventricular outflow tract (RVOT) anomalies. Comparisons with available normal reference values are essential for accurate evaluation. The aim of the study was to generate normative data for the pulmonary valve annulus and sino-tubular (ST) junction using CT measurements derived from a heterogeneous pediatric population and create z-scores useful for clinical practice.

Selecting postoperative adjuvant systemic therapy for early-stage breast cancer: An updated assessment and systematic review of leading commercially available gene expression assays.

Gene expression assays (GEAs) can guide treatment for early-stage breast cancer. Several large prospective randomized clinical trials, and numerous additional studies, now provide new information for selecting an appropriate GEA. This systematic review builds upon prior reviews, with a focus on five widely commercialized GEAs (Breast Cancer Index®, EndoPredict®, MammaPrint®, Oncotype DX®, and Prosigna®).