Tailored management of advanced thyroid cancer patients treated with lenvatinib or vandetanib: the role of a multimodal approach.

Background: In differentiated/poorly differentiated (DTC/PDTC) or medullary thyroid cancer (MTC) treated with kinase inhibitors (KIs), additional treatments (ATs) can be performed in selected cases.

Methods: We retrospectively analysed all the ATs performed in our center in KI-treated TC patients, evaluating the subsequent KI modulation, the local PD in case of loco-regional procedure (LRP) and the AT-related complications. DTC/PDTC patients with or without progressive disease before the first AT (PD and NO PD GROUP, respectively) were analysed separately.

Impact of Positive Cultures During the Second Stage of a Two-Stage Exchange: Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Background: Two-stage exchange is a frequently performed procedure in patients who have a periprosthetic joint infection. Positive cultures when performing the second stage are perceived as a risk factor for reinfection. This study aimed to determine the impact of positive cultures during the second stage on the outcome of patients undergoing a 2-stage septic exchange and the impact of stopping the antibiotic treatment before reimplantation.

Immune-related thyroid dysfunctions during anti PD-1/PD-L1 inhibitors: new evidence from a single centre experience.

The role of anti-thyroid peroxidase antibodies (anti-TPO Abs) in the development of abnormal thyroid function tests (DYSTHYR) during treatment with immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) is not fully understood; moreover, controversial data exist about the relationship between ICI-related thyroid dysfunction (TD) and survival. We retrospectively analyzed the onset or the worsening of DYSTHYR in patients treated with programmed cell death protein-1 (PD-1) or its ligand (PD-L1) inhibitors between 2017 and 2020. In patients without previous TD, we focused on the association between baseline anti-TPO Abs level and DYSTHYR.

Recommendations on diagnosis and antimicrobial treatment of infections after anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction (ACL-R) endorsed by ESSKA and EBJIS.

Infection after anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction (ACL-R) is a rare but devastating complication affecting predominantly young and sportive individuals. A timely and correct diagnosis as well as optimized management is paramount to circumvent serious sequelae and compromise in life quality. These recommendations are primarily intended for use by infectious disease specialists and microbiologists, but also orthopedic surgeons and other healthcare professionals who care for patients with infections after ACL-R.

Glycan masking of a non-neutralising epitope enhances neutralising antibodies targeting the RBD of SARS-CoV-2 and its variants.

The accelerated development of the first generation COVID-19 vaccines has saved millions of lives, and potentially more from the long-term sequelae of SARS-CoV-2 infection. The most successful vaccine candidates have used the full-length SARS-CoV-2 spike protein as an immunogen. As expected of RNA viruses, new variants have evolved and quickly replaced the original wild-type SARS-CoV-2, leading to escape from natural infection or vaccine induced immunity provided by the original SARS-CoV-2 spike sequence.

Apolipoprotein E induces pathogenic senescent-like myeloid cells in prostate cancer.

Tumor cells promote the recruitment of immunosuppressive neutrophils, a subset of myeloid cells driving immune suppression, tumor proliferation, and treatment resistance. Physiologically, neutrophils are known to have a short half-life. Here, we report the identification of a subset of neutrophils that have upregulated expression of cellular senescence markers and persist in the tumor microenvironment.

Guideline for management of septic arthritis in native joints (SANJO).

This clinical guideline is intended for use by orthopedic surgeons and physicians who care for patients with possible or documented septic arthritis of a native joint (SANJO). It includes evidence and opinion-based recommendations for the diagnosis and management of patients with SANJO.

Influenza A (N1-N9) and Influenza B (B/Victoria and B/Yamagata) Neuraminidase Pseudotypes as Tools for Pandemic Preparedness and Improved Influenza Vaccine Design.

To better understand how inhibition of the influenza neuraminidase (NA) protein contributes to protection against influenza, we produced lentiviral vectors pseudotyped with an avian H11 hemagglutinin (HA) and the NA of all influenza A (N1-N9) subtypes and influenza B (B/Victoria and B/Yamagata). These NA viral pseudotypes (PV) possess stable NA activity and can be utilized as target antigens in in vitro assays to assess vaccine immunogenicity. Employing these NA PV, we developed an enzyme-linked lectin assay (pELLA) for routine serology to measure neuraminidase inhibition (NI) titers of reference antisera, monoclonal antibodies and post-vaccination sera with various influenza antigens.

Compassionate use of Pulmonary Vasodilators in Acute Severe Hypoxic Respiratory Failure due to COVID-19.

Background: There have been over 200 million cases and 4.4 million deaths from COVID-19 worldwide. Despite the lack of robust evidence one potential treatment for COVID-19 associated severe hypoxaemia is inhaled pulmonary vasodilator (IPVD) therapy, using either nitric oxide (iNO) or prostaglandins.

Neutralisation Hierarchy of SARS-CoV-2 Variants of Concern Using Standardised, Quantitative Neutralisation Assays Reveals a Correlation With Disease Severity; Towards Deciphering Protective Antibody Thresholds.

The rise of SARS-CoV-2 variants has made the pursuit to define correlates of protection more troublesome, despite the availability of the World Health Organisation (WHO) International Standard for anti-SARS-CoV-2 Immunoglobulin sera, a key reagent used to standardise laboratory findings into an international unitage. Using pseudotyped virus, we examine the capacity of convalescent sera, from a well-defined cohort of healthcare workers (HCW) and Patients infected during the first wave from a national critical care centre in the UK to neutralise B.1.

F-PSMA-1007 PET in Biochemical Recurrent Prostate Cancer: An Updated Meta-Analysis.

Background: Prostate-specific membrane antigen- (PSMA-) targeted agents labeled with fluorine-18 (F) have recently become available to evaluate patients with biochemical recurrent prostate cancer (BRPCa) by using positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PET/CT) or positron emission tomography/magnetic resonance imaging (PET/MRI). We performed a systematic review and meta-analysis about the detection rate (DR) of F-PSMA-1007 PET/CT or PET/MRI in BRPCa patients.

Methods: A comprehensive computer literature search of PubMed/MEDLINE, EMBASE, and Cochrane Library databases for studies published through 17 May 2021 was carried out using the following search algorithm: "PSMA" AND "1007".

Analysis of Serological Biomarkers of SARS-CoV-2 Infection in Convalescent Samples From Severe, Moderate and Mild COVID-19 Cases.

Precision monitoring of antibody responses during the COVID-19 pandemic is increasingly important during large scale vaccine rollout and rise in prevalence of (SARS-CoV-2) variants of concern (VOC). Equally important is defining Correlates of Protection (CoP) for SARS-CoV-2 infection and COVID-19 disease. Data from epidemiological studies and vaccine trials identified virus neutralising antibodies (Nab) and SARS-CoV-2 antigen-specific (notably RBD and S) binding antibodies as candidate CoP.

Dynamic prostate cancer transcriptome analysis delineates the trajectory to disease progression.

Comprehensive genomic studies have delineated key driver mutations linked to disease progression for most cancers. However, corresponding transcriptional changes remain largely elusive because of the bias associated with cross-study analysis. Here, we overcome these hurdles and generate a comprehensive prostate cancer transcriptome atlas that describes the roadmap to tumor progression in a qualitative and quantitative manner.

Percutaneous biopsy of small renal mass: can diagnostic accuracy be affected by hospital volume?

Introduction: High diagnostic performance and low morbidity for renal tumor biopsy (RTB) have been described in highly experienced centers. Here we present the five-year experience of our institute in performing RTB. The protocol used, the safety profile and the diagnostic accuracy obtained were analyzed.

Commensal bacteria promote endocrine resistance in prostate cancer through androgen biosynthesis.

The microbiota comprises the microorganisms that live in close contact with the host, with mutual benefit for both counterparts. The contribution of the gut microbiota to the emergence of castration-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC) has not yet been addressed. We found that androgen deprivation in mice and humans promotes the expansion of defined commensal microbiota that contributes to the onset of castration resistance in mice.

Management of patients with cervical spine trauma in the emergency department: a systematic critical appraisal of guidelines with a view to developing standardized strategies for clinical practice.

Several guidelines on the evaluation of patients with suspected cervical spine trauma in the Emergency Department (ED) exist. High heterogeneity between different guidelines has been reported. Aim of this study was to find areas of agreement and disagreement between guidelines, to identify topics in which further research is needed and to provide an evidence-based cervical spine trauma algorithm for ED physicians.

Detailed dosimetry calculation for in-vitro experiments and its impact on clinical BNCT.

Purpose: Boron Neutron Capture Therapy (BNCT) is a form of hadrontherapy based on the selective damage caused by the products of neutron capture in B to tumour cells. BNCT dosimetry strongly depends on the parameters of the dose calculation models derived from radiobiological experiments. This works aims at determining an adequate dosimetry for in-vitro experiments involving irradiation of monolayer-cultured cells with photons and BNCT and assessing its impact on clinical settings.

Coronavirus Pseudotypes for All Circulating Human Coronaviruses for Quantification of Cross-Neutralizing Antibody Responses.

The novel coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 is the seventh identified human coronavirus. Understanding the extent of pre-existing immunity induced by seropositivity to endemic seasonal coronaviruses and the impact of cross-reactivity on COVID-19 disease progression remains a key research question in immunity to SARS-CoV-2 and the immunopathology of COVID-2019 disease. This paper describes a panel of lentiviral pseudotypes bearing the spike (S) proteins for each of the seven human coronaviruses (HCoVs), generated under similar conditions optimized for high titre production allowing a high-throughput investigation of antibody neutralization breadth.

Exploiting Pan Influenza A and Pan Influenza B Pseudotype Libraries for Efficient Vaccine Antigen Selection.

We developed an influenza hemagglutinin (HA) pseudotype library encompassing Influenza A subtypes HA1-18 and Influenza B subtypes (both lineages) to be employed in influenza pseudotype microneutralization (pMN) assays. The pMN is highly sensitive and specific for detecting virus-specific neutralizing antibodies against influenza viruses and can be used to assess antibody functionality in vitro. Here we show the production of these viral HA pseudotypes and their employment as substitutes for wildtype viruses in influenza neutralization assays.

Lectin Pathway Mediates Complement Activation by SARS-CoV-2 Proteins.

Early and persistent activation of complement is considered to play a key role in the pathogenesis of COVID-19. Complement activation products orchestrate a proinflammatory environment that might be critical for the induction and maintenance of a severe inflammatory response to SARS-CoV-2 by recruiting cells of the cellular immune system to the sites of infection and shifting their state of activation towards an inflammatory phenotype. It precedes pathophysiological milestone events like the cytokine storm, progressive endothelial injury triggering microangiopathy, and further complement activation, and causes an acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS).