Incorporating Circulating Tumor DNA Testing Into Clinical Trials: A Position Paper by the National Cancer Institute GI Oncology Circulating Tumor DNA Working Group.

Purpose: Circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) is an emerging tool in the evaluation of GI cancers. Challenges remain in defining its utility and role as a primary end point in therapeutic trials. The National Cancer Institute (NCI) ctDNA GI working group was created to evaluate current data and provide guidance on the inclusion of ctDNA in GI cancer trials.

Insights into interactions between taxanes and P-glycoprotein using biophysical and in silico methods.

Multidrug resistance mediated by P-glycoprotein (Pgp) is a significant obstacle to cancer chemotherapy. Taxane drugs, including paclitaxel, docetaxel, and cabazitaxel, are used to treat multiple types of cancer. All taxane drugs are Pgp substrates, but cabazitaxel is also a Pgp inhibitor, indicating potential differential interactions between Pgp and different taxanes.

Profiling of the macrophage response to polypropylene mesh burden in vivo.

Pelvic organ prolapse (POP) surgical repair with polypropylene mesh (PPM) offers improved anatomical outcomes compared to reconstruction using native tissue. However, PPM repair is hampered by complications, most commonly pain or mesh exposure, occurring in over 10 % of cases. This maladaptive response is, in part, attributed to the host response to a foreign material.

Differential Effects of Retinol-Binding Protein 3 and Anti-VEGF Antibodies on Retinal Dysfunctions in Diabetic Retinopathy.

Anti-vascular endothelial growth factor (anti-VEGF) therapies are effective treatment of severe diabetic retinopathy (DR) and macular edema, but a significant subset of people showed inadequate response to anti-VEGF intervention. Since elevation or overexpressing retinol binding protein 3 (RBP3) decreased risks for retinal pathologies and progression to severe DR, we compared the therapeutic profile of RBP3 and anti-VEGF to normalize retinal dysfunctions induced by diabetes. Intravitreous injection of recombinant human RBP3 (rhRBP3) and anti-VEGF antibodies (bevacizumab) inhibited retinal vascular permeability in Lewis rats induced by VEGF-A or after 2 months of diabetes induced by streptozotocin, in parallel with reductions of retinal VEGF and VEGFR2 expressions and tyrosine phosphorylation of VEGFR.

Long-term health outcomes of Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli O157 (STEC O157) infection and STEC-associated haemolytic uraemic syndrome (STEC-HUS), Wales, 1990-2020.

Background: Information on sequelae of Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC) O157 infection is limited to follow-up of paediatric haemolytic uraemic syndrome (HUS) cases. We investigate recorded long-term health outcomes experienced by individuals exposed to STEC O157 and STEC-HUS up to three decades on.

Methods: We compared acute or new onset of chronic outcomes in individuals ≥ 1 year after STEC O157 or STEC-HUS to unexposed general population comparators between 01/01/1990-01/01/2019.