Tumour Mutational Burden and Immune Checkpoint Inhibitor Response in Non-small Cell Lung Cancer: A Continuous Modelling Approach.

Background: Tumour mutational burden (TMB) is an established biomarker for patients treated with immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs). The optimal TMB cut-off is uncertain. It is also uncertain whether there is a sharp TMB threshold or a more graduated change in clinical outcomes as TMB increases.

The Spectrum of Ocular Diseases in the Onchocerciasis-Endemic Focus of Raga in South Sudan.

Introduction: Raga County is an onchocerciasis-endemic area in the Western Bahr El Ghazal state of South Sudan, known to have a high prevalence of blindness. The objective of this study was to determine the causes of eye disease and blindness in Raga County as well as to assess the relationship of eye diseases with other prevalent conditions like onchocerciasis and epilepsy.

Methods: We reviewed unpublished pre-community directed treatment with ivermectin (CDTI) data about eye disease and onchocerciasis in Western Bahr El Ghazal including Raga.

2024 taxonomic update for the families Naryaviridae, Nenyaviridae, and Vilyaviridae.

The families Naryaviridae (order Rivendellvirales), Nenyaviridae (order Rohanvirales), and Vilyaviridae (order Cirlivirales), all within the class Arfiviricetes of the phylum Cressdnaviricota, include single-stranded DNA viruses associated with protozoan parasites of the genera Entamoeba and Giardia as well as viruses found in various environmental samples, also likely infecting protozoans. Here, we provide a taxonomic update for these three families, which were recently expanded with multiple new members. In particular, we established seven new genera and nine new species in the family Naryaviridae, one new genus with one new species in the family Nenyaviridae, and three new genera and nine new species in the family Vilyaviridae.

Care of the Transgender Surgical Client: A Video Simulation for Baccalaureate Nursing Students.

Background: Nursing curriculum lacks content addressing care of transgender (trans) individuals. Gender diversity in health care education must be enhanced to prevent discrimination and systemic biases.

Method: A shared session between pediatric and medical-surgical courses using an interactive video simulation facilitated student preparation to provide inclusive care for trans surgical clients.

Evaluation of unfractionated heparin therapy for venous thromboembolism using adjusted body weight in elderly or higher weight patients.

The use of weight-based unfractionated heparin (UFH) infusions is the standard of care in hospital management of venous thromboembolism (VTE). Initial dosing strategies for UFH in older adults and higher body weight patients remain uncertain given differences in pharmacokinetics and concerns for over-anticoagulation. Methods: This was a single-center, retrospective, pre-post study involving older adults aged ≥ 65 years and patients weighing ≥ 100 kg with suspected or confirmed VTE to determine if the use of adjusted body weight (AdjBW)-based UFH regimens improves time to therapeutic anti-Xa levels compared to total body weight (TBW)-based regimens Patients received weight-based UFH infusions, dosed according to either TBW or AdjBW, to target a therapeutic anti-Xa level.

Chromosome 1 Alterations in Multiple Myeloma: Considerations for Precision Therapy.

Multiple myeloma (MM) is an incurable blood malignancy characterized by the clonal expansion of plasma cells and the secretion of monoclonal immunoglobulins. High-risk MM, defined by specific cytogenetic abnormalities, poses significant therapeutic challenges and is associated with inferior survival outcomes compared to standard-risk disease. Although molecularly targeted therapies have shown efficacy in other hematologic malignancies, currently venetoclax is the only targeted therapy approved for MM (t(11;14)).

Ritonavir may prolong sedation but is unlikely to increase the risk of respiratory arrest in patients requiring intravenous midazolam for procedural sedation.

Intravenous midazolam is frequently used for procedural sedation. Use of ritonavir containing antivirals in patients requiring procedural sedation with intravenous midazolam is postulated to increase the risk or prolong the consequences of exposure related adverse events. The primary objective of this study was to characterize interaction of ritonavir with IV midazolam.

Diverse microviruses circulating in invertebrates within a lake ecosystem.

Microviruses are single-stranded DNA bacteriophages and members of the highly diverse viral family . Microviruses have a seemingly ubiquitous presence across animal gut microbiomes and other global environmental ecosystems. Most of the studies on microvirus diversity so far have been associated with vertebrate gut viromes.

Acarbose impairs gut growth by targeting intracellular glucosidases.

Unlabelled: Acarbose is a type 2 diabetes medicine that prevents dietary starch breakdown into glucose by inhibiting host amylase and glucosidase enzymes. Numerous gut species in the genus enzymatically break down starch and change in relative abundance within the gut microbiome in acarbose-treated individuals. To mechanistically explain this observation, we used two model starch-degrading , (Bo), and (Bt).

Multiphase field model of cells on a substrate: From three dimensional to two dimensional.

Multiphase field models have emerged as an important computational tool for understanding biological tissue while resolving single-cell properties. While they have successfully reproduced many experimentally observed behaviors of living tissue, the theoretical underpinnings have not been fully explored. We show that a two-dimensional version of the model, which is commonly employed to study tissue monolayers, can be derived from a three-dimensional version in the presence of a substrate.

Protective factors, risk factors, and intervention strategies in the prevention and reduction of crime among adolescents and young adults aged 12-24 years: A scoping review protocol.

Background: Evidence indicates that criminal behaviour in youth is linked with a range of negative physical, mental, and social health consequences. Despite a global decrease over the last 30 years, youth crime remains prevalent. Identifying and mapping the most robust risk and protective factors, and intervention strategies for youth crime could offer important keys for predicting future offense outcomes and assist in developing effective preventive and early intervention strategies.

Evidence for phospholipid self-organisation in concentrated ammonia-water environments.

Titan, the largest moon of Saturn is thought to have the potential to support primordial life. The surface of Titan contains bodies of liquid hydrocarbons, and modelling suggests that an ammonia-water ocean resides deep beneath the surface, both of which have been speculated to support primordial chemistry. Here we present the first evidence that both preformed and self-organised phospholipid vesicles remain stable and can maintain concentration gradients in ammonia-water environments; a fundamental requirement for primordial chemistry and biology to originate.

Gender Representation of Health Care Professionals in Large Language Model-Generated Stories.

Importance: With the growing use of large language models (LLMs) in education and health care settings, it is important to ensure that the information they generate is diverse and equitable, to avoid reinforcing or creating stereotypes that may influence the aspirations of upcoming generations.

Objective: To evaluate the gender representation of LLM-generated stories involving medical doctors, surgeons, and nurses and to investigate the association of varying personality and professional seniority descriptors with the gender proportions for these professions.

Design, Setting, And Participants: This is a cross-sectional simulation study of publicly accessible LLMs, accessed from December 2023 to January 2024.

The future is bright: artificial intelligence for trainee medical officers in Australia and New Zealand.

Given their frontline role in Australia and Aotearoa New Zealand (ANZ) healthcare, trainee medical officers (TMOs) will play a crucial role in the development and use of artificial intelligence (AI) for clinical care, ongoing medical education and research. As 'digital natives', particularly those with technical expertise in AI, TMOs should also be leaders in informing the safe uptake and governance of AI within ANZ healthcare as they have a practical understanding of its associated risks and benefits. However, this is only possible if a culture of broad collaboration is instilled while the use of AI in ANZ is still in its initial phase.

Intercellular friction and motility drive orientational order in cell monolayers.

Spatiotemporal patterns in multicellular systems are important to understanding tissue dynamics, for instance, during embryonic development and disease. Here, we use a multiphase field model to study numerically the behavior of a near-confluent monolayer of deformable cells with intercellular friction. Varying friction and cell motility drives a solid-liquid transition, and near the transition boundary, we find the emergence of local nematic order of cell deformation driven by shear-aligning cellular flows.

Antithrombotic utilization, adverse events, and associations with treatment outcomes in multiple myeloma: pooled analysis of three clinical trials.

Background: Patients with multiple myeloma (MM) are at risk of venous thromboembolism (VTE), worsened by immunomodulatory drugs. Although antithrombotics are recommended for prophylaxis, existing guidelines are suboptimal and treatment outcomes remain unclear.

Objectives: This study aimed to investigate adverse events, antithrombotic utilization, and their associations with survival outcomes in patients with MM initiating multi-drug immunomodulatory combinations.

Push or pull? Digital notification platform implementation reduces dysglycaemia.

Pushing selected information to clinicians, as opposed to the traditional method of clinicians pulling information from an electronic medical record, has the potential to improve care. A digital notification platform was designed by clinicians and implemented in a tertiary hospital to flag dysglycaemia. There were 112 patients included in the study, and the post-implementation group demonstrated lower rates of dysglycaemia (2.

Metallosis Associated with Pyrocarbon Proximal Interphalangeal Joint Implant - A Case Report.

Arthroplasty of the small joints of the hand and fingers is a complex problem facing the hand surgeon. Pyrocarbon implants have been available for several decades. They were originally thought to provide better functional outcomes than silicone implants in patients, mostly due to recreation of the joint anatomy.

Entanglement Kinetics in Polymer Melts Are Chemically Specific.

We investigate the universality of entanglement kinetics in polymer melts. We compare predictions of a recently developed constitutive equation for disentanglement to molecular dynamics simulations of both united-atom polyethylene and Kremer-Grest models for polymers in shear and extensional flow. We confirm that entanglements recover on the retraction time scale, rather than the reptation time scale.

Clinical Study Report and Individual Participant Data Transparency for US Food and Drug Administration-Approved Anticancer Drugs: A Call for Systematic Data Availability.

Unlocking the full potential of clinical trials through comprehensive CSR and IPD sharing can revolutionize cancer care, enhance safety evaluations, and reduce bias in systematic reviews. It is time for all stakeholders to embrace transparency and advance patient-centered outcomes.

Translational artificial intelligence-led optimization and realization of estimated discharge with a supportive weekend interprofessional flow team (TAILORED-SWIFT).

Weekend discharges occur less frequently than discharges on weekdays, contributing to hospital congestion. Artificial intelligence algorithms have previously been derived to predict which patients are nearing discharge based upon ward round notes. In this implementation study, such an artificial intelligence algorithm was coupled with a multidisciplinary discharge facilitation team on weekend shifts.