Metabolic profiling of patient-derived organoids reveals nucleotide synthesis as a metabolic vulnerability in malignant rhabdoid tumors.

Malignant rhabdoid tumor (MRT) is one of the most aggressive childhood cancers for which no effective treatment options are available. Reprogramming of cellular metabolism is an important hallmark of cancer, with various metabolism-based drugs being approved as a cancer treatment. In this study, we use patient-derived tumor organoids (tumoroids) to map the metabolic landscape of several pediatric cancers.

A bioprinted and scalable model of human tubulo-interstitial kidney fibrosis.

Chronic kidney disease (CKD) affects more than 10% of the global population. As kidney function negatively correlates with the presence of interstitial fibrosis, the development of new anti-fibrotic therapies holds promise to stabilize functional decline in CKD patients. The goal of the study was to generate a scalable bioprinted 3-dimensional kidney tubulo-interstitial disease model of kidney fibrosis.

Low-Intensity Resistance Exercise in Cardiac Rehabilitation: A Narrative Review of Mechanistic Evidence and Clinical Implications.

Cardiac rehabilitation, a multi-component intervention designed to mitigate the impact of cardiovascular disease, often underutilises low-intensity resistance exercise despite its potential benefits. This narrative review critically examines the mechanistic and clinical evidence supporting the incorporation of low-intensity resistance exercise into cardiac rehabilitation programmes. Research indicates that low-intensity resistance exercise induces hypertrophic adaptations by maximising muscle fibre activation through the size principle, effectively recruiting larger motor units as it approaches maximal effort.

Virtual Reality to Improve Sleep Quality in Patients Suffering from Painful Diabetic Polyneuropathy: A Proof of Concept Study.

: Sleep disturbance is often observed in the context of chronic pain. We hypothesize that, by providing an immersive Virtual Reality (VR) experience with a serious game to chronic pain patients an hour before bedtime, attention can be diverted from the pain condition, consequently leading to improved sleep quality. The aim is to evaluate the efficacy of VR compared to usual care in reducing the number of awakenings during the night and increasing sleep efficiency in patients suffering from painful diabetic polyneuropathy (PDPN).

Postoperative Radiotherapy for pT1- and pT2-Classified Squamous Cell Carcinoma of the External Auditory Canal.

Background: There is no consensus regarding the indication for postoperative radiotherapy (PORT) for T1- and T2-classified squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) of the external auditory canal (EAC) even with negative surgical margins. This study aimed to evaluate whether PORT provides additional benefits for these cases.

Methods: We collected retrospective data from fourteen international hospitals, including resected pT1- and pT2-classified EAC SCC with negative surgical margins.