Publications by authors named "John McPherson"

Pancreatic cancer has one of the worst prognoses among all malignancies and few available treatment options. Patient-derived xenografts can be used to develop personalized therapy for pancreatic cancer. Endoscopic ultrasound fine-needle aspiration (EUS-FNA) may provide a powerful alternative to surgery for obtaining sufficient tissue for the establishment of patient-derived xenografts.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Melanoma clinical outcomes emerge from incompletely understood genetic mechanisms operating within the tumor and its microenvironment. Here, we used single-cell RNA-based spatial molecular imaging (RNA-SMI) in patient-derived archival tumors to reveal clinically relevant markers of malignancy progression and prognosis. We examined spatial gene expression of 203,472 cells inside benign and malignant melanocytic neoplasms, including melanocytic nevi and primary invasive and metastatic melanomas.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Aberrant expression of the E26 transformation-specific (ETS) transcription factors characterizes numerous human malignancies. Many of these proteins, including EWS:FLI1 and EWS:ERG fusions in Ewing sarcoma (EwS) and TMPRSS2:ERG in prostate cancer (PCa), drive oncogenic programs via binding to GGAA repeats. We report here that both EWS:FLI1 and ERG bind and transcriptionally activate GGAA-rich pericentromeric heterochromatin.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Whereas traditional histology and light microscopy require multiple steps of formalin fixation, paraffin embedding, and sectioning to generate images for pathologic diagnosis, Microscopy using Ultraviolet Surface Excitation (MUSE) operates through UV excitation on the cut surface of tissue, generating images of high resolution without the need to fix or section tissue and allowing for potential use for downstream molecular tests. Here, we present the first study of the use and suitability of MUSE microscopy for neuropathological samples. MUSE images were generated from surgical biopsy samples of primary and metastatic brain tumor biopsy samples (n = 27), and blinded assessments of diagnoses, tumor grades, and cellular features were compared to corresponding hematoxylin and eosin (H&E) images.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

In BCR-ABL1 lymphoblastic leukemia, treatment heterogeneity to tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs), especially in the absence of kinase domain mutations in BCR-ABL1, is poorly understood. Through deep molecular profiling, we uncovered three transcriptomic subtypes of BCR-ABL1 lymphoblastic leukemia, each representing a maturation arrest at a stage of B-cell progenitor differentiation. An earlier arrest was associated with lineage promiscuity, treatment refractoriness and poor patient outcomes.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

The discovery of cancer driver mutations is a fundamental goal in cancer research. While many cancer driver mutations have been discovered in the protein-coding genome, research into potential cancer drivers in the non-coding regions showed limited success so far. Here, we present a novel comprehensive framework Dr.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF
Article Synopsis
  • The text discusses a case of SCALP syndrome diagnosed in a male infant, featuring symptoms like sebaceous nevi and CNS malformations.
  • The study identified specific genetic mutations linked to the syndrome, including a DOCK6 mutation and a NRAS mutation in the nevus.
  • This report aims to enhance awareness among clinicians regarding SCALP syndrome and contribute to the understanding of its genetic characteristics.
View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Orthotopic liver transplantation (OLT) is a viable treatment option for end-stage liver disease. Significant perioperative stress is placed on the cardiovascular system because of hemodynamic changes and the length of the operation. Diagnosis and treatment of cardiovascular disease before OLT are imperative to ensure favorable outcomes.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

In leukemia, a distinct subpopulation of cancer-initiating cells called leukemia stem cells (LSCs) is believed to drive population expansion and tumor growth. Failing to eliminate LSCs may result in disease relapse regardless of the amount of non-LSCs destroyed. The first step in targeting and eliminating LSCs is to identify and characterize them.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF
Article Synopsis
  • Hypotension after cardiac arrest can worsen brain damage caused by lack of oxygen, and the effects of circulatory shock during hospital admission on recovery have not been thoroughly explored.
  • The study analyzed data from 4,004 adult patients who experienced out-of-hospital cardiac arrest between 2006 and 2017, focusing on the effects of low blood pressure upon admittance.
  • Findings revealed that 38% of patients were in circulatory shock upon admission, leading to a significantly lower chance of good neurological recovery, especially in those without preexisting heart conditions.
View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Background: There is evidence indicating that pesticide exposure is a risk factor for non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) development. However, the association between pesticide exposure and NHL survival is not well-established.

Methods: Using the California Cancer Registry, we identified patients with a first primary diagnosis of NHL from 2010 to 2016 and linked these patients with CalEnviroScreen 3.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Background: Prolonged field care is required when casualty evacuation to a surgical facility is delayed by distance, weather or tactical constraints. This situation can occur in both civilian and military environments. In these circumstances, there are no established treatment options for extremity compartment syndrome.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Wastewater-based epidemiology has been used to measure SARS-CoV-2 prevalence in cities worldwide as an indicator of community health, however, few longitudinal studies have followed SARS-CoV-2 in wastewater in small communities from the start of the pandemic or evaluated the influence of tourism on viral loads. Therefore the objective of this study was to use measurements of SARS-CoV-2 in wastewater to monitor viral trends and variants in a small island community over a twelve-month period beginning May 1, 2020, before the community re-opened to tourists. Wastewater samples were collected weekly and analyzed to detect and quantify SARS-CoV-2 genome copies.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Early diagnosis of melanoma is critical for improved survival. However, the biomarkers of early melanoma evolution and their origin within the tumor and its microenvironment, including the keratinocytes, are poorly defined. To address this, we used spatial transcript profiling that maintains the morphological tumor context to measure the expression of >1,000 RNAs in situ in patient-derived formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded tissue sections in primary melanoma and melanocytic nevi.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF
Article Synopsis
  • The study investigates the outcomes of out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) survivors with different rhythms, focusing on the effectiveness of coronary angiography (CAG) and percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) in patients with nonshockable rhythms and no ST elevation (STE).
  • Data were drawn from the International Cardiac Arrest Registry (INTCAR 2.0), which includes 2113 OHCA survivors; among them, only a minority underwent CAG, yet it was found that those who did had better survival and neurological recovery rates.
  • The findings suggest that CAG should be considered even for those with nonshockable rhythms and without STE, as one in four of these patients had
View Article and Find Full Text PDF
Article Synopsis
  • The study investigated the impact of sex on outcomes and post-resuscitation care in patients who survived out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA), using data from an international registry.
  • Out of 2407 patients, women were found to have lower survival rates and worse neurological outcomes compared to men, even after adjustments were made for various factors.
  • Interestingly, women were also more likely to withdraw life-sustaining treatment, despite having similar rates of neurodiagnostic testing as men.
View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Gut-associated lymphoid tissue (GALT) carcinoma is a colorectal neoplasm characterized by cystically dilated neoplastic glands that extend into prominent, well-circumscribed submucosal lymphoid tissue. Although often subtle, lamina propria between and around the neoplastic glands (identified by plasma cells, scattered eosinophils, etc.) is frequent in cases with classic morphology, arguing (at least in such cases) in favor of adenoma extending into lymphoglandular complexes rather than true invasive carcinoma.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Background And Aims: The number of procedures performed by internal medicine residents in the United States (US) is declining. An increasing proportion of residents do not feel confident performing essential invasive bedside procedures and, upon graduation, desire additional training. Several residency programs have utilized the medical procedure service (MPS) to address this issue.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF
Article Synopsis
  • A study by the American College of Cardiology Interventional Council aimed to identify the number and type of unfavorable clinical features that decrease survival chances in cardiac arrest patients who have been resuscitated.
  • The analysis used data from the International Cardiac Arrest Registry on over 2,500 patients and highlighted seven significant unfavorable features that negatively impacted survival rates, with only 39% managing to survive to hospital discharge.
  • Findings indicated that having three or more unfavorable features significantly reduces survival chances to below 40%, and the combination of the three most impactful factors results in a survival rate of 10% or less.
View Article and Find Full Text PDF