Diagnostic and prognostic potential of left atrial strain in cardiovascular disease: a narrative review.

Left atrial strain (LAS) was recently introduced as a parameter that reflects on left atrial function. Consequently, changes in LAS can inform the development of cardiovascular diseases, hence providing a window for non-invasive and cost-effective testing of these diseases and their complications at early stages of development, potentially offering a segway towards preventive interventions. LAS has yet to be implemented into standard practice.

[Retracted] Sequential use of protein kinase inhibitors potentiates their toxicity to melanoma cells: A rationale to combine targeted drugs based on protein expression inhibition profiles.

Following the publication of this article, a concerned reader drew to the Editor's attention that there appeared to be the duplication of a pair of western blots in each of Figs. 4 and 6, with the possibility of the bands in question having been resized in one of these cases. After having conducted an internal investigation, the Editorial Office also determined that there was a further instance of duplication of western bands comparing between Figs.

Clopidogrel-Mediated P2Y Inhibition According to Renal Function in Patients With Diabetes Mellitus and CAD.

This prospective ex vivo and in vitro pharmacodynamic (PD)/pharmacokinetic investigation was conducted in patients with diabetes mellitus with (n = 31) and without chronic kidney disease (n = 30). PD assessments included platelet reactivity index, maximum platelet aggregation, and P2Y reaction units. Ex vivo pharmacokinetic assessments included plasma levels of clopidogrel and its active metabolite.

Correction: Krayem et al. Kinome Profiling to Predict Sensitivity to MAPK Inhibition in Melanoma and to Provide New Insights into Intrinsic and Acquired Mechanism of Resistance. 2020, , 512.

In the original article [...

Outpatient hospitalist-run procedure service bridges the gap in oncology care.

Hospitalist-run procedure teams enable expedited care in the inpatient setting. However, wait times for outpatient interventional radiology (IR) are long at our institution. Our study thus aims to compare the safety and wait times between procedural teams and IR placement of outpatient temporary hemodialysis catheters (THDC) for patients undergoing Chimeric antigen receptor T-cell (CAR-T) therapy apheresis.

P2Y Inhibition in Patients Requiring Oral Anticoagulation After Percutaneous Coronary Intervention: The SWAP-AC-2 Study.

Background: Among patients treated with a novel oral anticoagulant (NOAC) undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI), combination therapy with clopidogrel (ie, known as dual antithrombotic therapy [DAT]) is the treatment of choice. However, there are concerns for individuals with impaired response to clopidogrel.

Objectives: The authors sought to assess the pharmacodynamic (PD) effects of clopidogrel vs low-dose ticagrelor in patients with impaired clopidogrel response assessed by the ABCD-GENE score.

MicroRNA-409-3p/BTG2 signaling axis improves impaired angiogenesis and wound healing in obese mice.

Wound healing is facilitated by neoangiogenesis, a complex process that is essential to tissue repair in response to injury. MicroRNAs are small, noncoding RNAs that can regulate the wound healing process including stimulation of impaired angiogenesis that is associated with type-2 diabetes (T2D). Expression of miR-409-3p was significantly increased in the nonhealing skin wounds of patients with T2D compared to the non-wounded normal skin, and in the skin of a murine model with T2D.

ATP1A1 is a promising new target for melanoma treatment and can be inhibited by its physiological ligand bufalin to restore targeted therapy efficacy.

Despite advancements in treating metastatic melanoma, many patients exhibit resistance to targeted therapies. Our study focuses on ATP1A1, a sodium pump subunit associated with cancer development. We aimed to assess ATP1A1 prognostic value in melanoma patients and examine the impact of its ligand, bufalin, on melanoma cell lines in vitro and in vivo.

Correction: Krayem et al. The Benefit of Reactivating p53 under MAPK Inhibition on the Efficacy of Radiotherapy in Melanoma. 2019, , 1093.

In the original article [...

Utility of ultrasound in managing acute medical conditions in space: a scoping review.

Background: In long-distance spaceflight, the challenges of communication delays and the impracticality of rapid evacuation necessitate the management of medical emergencies by onboard physicians. Consequently, these physicians must be proficient in tools, such as ultrasound, which has proven itself a strong diagnostic imaging tool in space. Yet, there remains a notable gap in the discourse surrounding its efficacy in handling acute medical scenarios.

Switching From Cangrelor to Prasugrel in Patients Undergoing Percutaneous Coronary Intervention: The Switching Antiplatelet-6 (SWAP-6) Study.

Background: A drug-drug interaction (DDI) may occur when transitioning from intravenous P2Y inhibition with cangrelor to oral P2Y inhibition with prasugrel. However, this has never been tested in patients undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI).

Objectives: This study sought to rule out a DDI when cangrelor and prasugrel are concomitantly administered in PCI patients.

Targeting Prohibitins to Inhibit Melanoma Growth and Overcome Resistance to Targeted Therapies.

Despite important advances in the treatment of metastatic melanoma with the development of MAPK-targeted agents and immune checkpoint inhibitors, the majority of patients either do not respond to therapies or develop acquired resistance. Furthermore, there is no effective targeted therapy currently available for BRAF wild-type melanomas (approximately 50% of cutaneous melanoma). Thus, there is a compelling need for new efficient targeted therapies.

Deficiency of miR-409-3p improves myocardial neovascularization and function through modulation of DNAJB9/p38 MAPK signaling.

Angiogenesis is critical for tissue repair following myocardial infarction (MI), which is exacerbated under insulin resistance or diabetes. MicroRNAs are regulators of angiogenesis. We examined the metabolic regulation of miR-409-3p in post-infarct angiogenesis.

Using tele-ultrasound to teach medical students: A randomised control equivalence study.

Objectives: Undergraduate ultrasound education is becoming increasingly important, but its expansion is limited by time, space and the availability of trained faculty. In order to validate an alternative and more accessible teaching model, our aim was to assess whether combining teleguidance and peer-assisted learning to teach ultrasound is as effective as traditional in-person methods.

Methods: Peer instructors taught 47 second-year medical students ocular ultrasound either teleguidance or traditional in-person methods.

Switching from Dual Antiplatelet Therapy with Aspirin Plus a P2Y12 Inhibitor to Dual Pathway Inhibition with Aspirin Plus Vascular-Dose Rivaroxaban: The Switching Anti-Platelet and Anti-Coagulant Therapy (SWAP-AC) Study.

Background:  To date, there are no data on switching to dual pathway inhibition (DPI) patients who have completed a guideline-recommended dual antiplatelet therapy (DAPT) regimen.

Objectives:  To assess the feasibility of switching from DAPT to DPI and to compare the pharmacodynamic (PD) profiles of these treatments.

Methods:  This was a prospective, randomized, PD study conducted in 90 patients with chronic coronary syndrome (CCS) on DAPT with aspirin (81 mg/qd) plus a P2Y inhibitor (clopidogrel [75 mg/qd;  = 30], ticagrelor [90 mg/bid;  = 30], or prasugrel [10 mg/qd;  = 30]).

The benefit of co-targeting PARP-1 and c-Met on the efficacy of radiotherapy in wild type BRAF melanoma.

Melanoma is known to be a radioresistant cancer. Melanoma radioresistance can be due to several factors such as pigmentation, antioxidant defenses and high Deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) repair efficacy. However, irradiation induces intracellular translocation of RTKs, including cMet, which regulates response to DNA damage activating proteins and promotes DNA repair.

Disturbing the Redox Balance Using Buthionine Sulfoximine Radiosensitized Somatostatin Receptor-2 Expressing Pre-Clinical Models to Peptide Receptor Radionuclide Therapy with Lu-DOTATATE.

Peptide receptor radionuclide therapy with Lu-DOTATATE improves the outcome of patients with somatostatin receptor (SSTR)-expressing neuroendocrine tumours. Nevertheless, stable disease has been the main response pattern observed, with some rare complete responses. Lu-177 exerts about two-thirds of its biological effects via the indirect effects of ionizing radiation that generate reactive oxygen species, eventually leading to oxidative damage and cell death.

Regorafenib Induces Senescence and Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition in Colorectal Cancer to Promote Drug Resistance.

Potential intrinsic resistance mechanisms to regorafenib were explored after short exposure (3 days) on five CRC cell lines (HCT-116, SW1116, LS-1034, SW480, Caco-2). The observation of senescence-like features led to the investigation of a drug-initiated phenotype switch. Following long-term exposure (12 months) of HCT-116 and SW480 cell lines to regorafenib, we developed resistant models to explore acquired resistance.

Cangrelor in Patients With Coronary Artery Disease Pretreated With Ticagrelor: The Switching Antiplatelet (SWAP)-5 Study.

Background: There are no studies specifically designed to rule out a drug-drug interaction (DDI) when cangrelor is used among patients who have been pretreated with ticagrelor.

Objectives: This study sought to rule out a DDI among cangrelor-treated patients who have been pretreated with ticagrelor.

Methods: In this prospective, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, crossover, pharmacokinetic (PK) and pharmacodynamic (PD) study, patients with coronary artery disease (N = 20) were pretreated with a 180-mg ticagrelor loading dose and after 1 hour randomized to placebo or cangrelor (bolus and infusion for 2 hours).