Benchmark of screening markers for KEAP1/NFE2L2 mutations and joint analysis with the K1N2-score.

Our recently published K1N2-score robustly predicts KEAP1/NFE2L2-mutations and pathway activation status, while its accessibility might be limited. We tested if the RNA expression data of six pathway-related genes and NQO1-IHC might be a reliable alternative using 348 KEAP1/NFE2L2 mutation-enriched NSCLC. While TXNRD1 RNA testing was the best-performing single-gene test, the combination of single-gene screening and validation with the K1N2-score achieved the highest performance when predicting mutation status or pathway activation.

Fundus Autofluorescence in Posterior and Panuveitis-An Under-Estimated Imaging Technique: A Review and Case Series.

Fundus autofluorescence (FAF) is a prompt and non-invasive imaging modality helpful in detecting pathological abnormalities within the retina and the choroid. This narrative review and case series provides an overview on the current application of FAF in posterior and panuveitis. The literature was reviewed for articles on lesion characteristics on FAF of specific posterior and panuveitis entities as well as benefits and limitations of FAF for diagnosing and monitoring disease.

Design of OASIS 1 and 2: phase 3 clinical trials assessing the efficacy and safety of elinzanetant for the treatment of vasomotor symptoms associated with menopause.

Objective: Elinzanetant is a selective neurokinin-1,3 receptor antagonist in development for the treatment of vasomotor symptoms (VMS) associated with menopause. The pivotal, double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled phase 3 studies Overall Assessment of efficacy and Safety of elinzanetant In patients with vasomotor Symptoms (OASIS) 1 and 2 will assess the efficacy and safety of elinzanetant in women with VMS.

Methods: The OASIS 1 and 2 pivotal studies are designed in accordance with regulatory guidance.

Vessel density on optical coherence tomography angiography is prognostic for future disease course in intermediate uveitis.

As most rare diseases, intermediate uveitis lacks reliable endpoints necessary for randomized clinical trials. Therefore, we investigated longitudinal changes of retinal and choriocapillaris perfusion on optical coherence tomography angiography (OCT-A) in intermediate uveitis and their prognostic value for future best corrected visual acuity (BCVA) and central retinal thickness (CRT). In this retrospective, longitudinal cohort study eyes of patients with intermediate uveitis were imaged by swept-source OCT-A (macula-centered 3 × 3 mm; PLEX Elite 9000, Zeiss) and stratified into clinically stable, worsened and improved based on changes in clinical parameters.

Association of lipid-lowering drugs and antidiabetic drugs with age-related macular degeneration: a meta-analysis in Europeans.

Background/aims: To investigate the association of commonly used systemic medications with prevalent age-related macular degeneration (AMD) in the general population.

Methods: We included 38 694 adults from 14 population-based and hospital-based studies from the European Eye Epidemiology consortium. We examined associations between the use of systemic medications and any prevalent AMD as well as any late AMD using multivariable logistic regression modelling per study and pooled results using random effects meta-analysis.

Spectrally resolved autofluorescence imaging in posterior uveitis.

Clinical discrimination of posterior uveitis entities remains a challenge. This exploratory, cross-sectional study investigated the green (GEFC) and red emission fluorescent components (REFC) of retinal and choroidal lesions in posterior uveitis to facilitate discrimination of the different entities. Eyes were imaged by color fundus photography, spectrally resolved fundus autofluorescence (Color-FAF) and optical coherence tomography.

The Feasibility of Using Ultra-Widefield Retinal Imaging to Identify Ocular Pathologies amongst Those with Systemic Medical Disease Attending a Tertiary Healthcare Facility at a University Hospital.

Aims: The aim of the study was to evaluate the feasibility of ultra-widefield (UWF) imaging to identify ocular pathologies amongst in- and out-patients in a tertiary university hospital.

Methods: We followed a prospective double-blinded multicenter clinical study. In total, 634 patients from a university hospital with pulmonary, cardiovascular, and endocrine diseases were examined by two teams by conventional slit-lamp biomicroscopy (CBM).

Raised sputum extracellular DNA confers lung function impairment and poor symptom control in an exacerbation-susceptible phenotype of neutrophilic asthma.

Background: Extracellular DNA (e-DNA) and neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs) are linked to asthmatics airway inflammation. However, data demonstrating the characterization of airway inflammation associated with excessive e-DNA production and its impact on asthma outcomes are limited.

Objective: To characterize the airway inflammation associated with excessive e-DNA production and its association with asthma control, severe exacerbations and pulmonary function, particularly, air trapping and small airway dysfunction.

[Real-life Evidence on Treatment Outcomes of Neovascular Age-related Macular Degeneration in Germany].

Treatment of neovascular age-related macular degeneration (AMD) with anti-vascular endothelial growth factor agents has been improved since its introduction in Germany. Several observational studies have demonstrated an increased frequency of injections in parallel with improved visual outcomes during the first year of treatment over the last 7 years. These results are reflected in several case series.

Enhanced glutathione production by evolutionary engineering of Saccharomyces cerevisiae strains.

Glutathione is an important natural tripeptide mainly used because of its antioxidative properties. Commercial glutathione is microbially synthesized by yeasts and the growing demand requires the development of new production strains. An adaptive laboratory evolution strategy using acrolein as a selection agent was employed to obtain strains with an enhanced glutathione accumulation phenotype accompanied by an acrolein resistance phenotype.

[Paraparesis following stable L4 burst fracture Possible correlation with preexisting degenerative stenosis of the spinal canal].

A patient with degenerative stenosis of the lumbar spinal canal developed paraparesis of both legs following a stable L4 burst fracture. However, neither the stenosis nor the fracture have caused a significant narrowing of the spinal canal. Surgical decompression and dorsal stabilization has led to relief of the neurological deficit.

[Diagnostic vitrectomy in uveitis: possibilities of molecular biology].

Recent developments in molecular biology allow novel diagnostic approaches in intraocular inflammation. Genetic markers as well as species-specific sequences are used for the diagnostics of infection or masquerade syndromes. This article provides state-of-the art information about diagnostic vitrectomy.

[Therapeutic vitrectomy in uveitis: current status and recommendations].

With the advent of modern vitreoretinal surgical techniques, the spectrum for surgical intervention in various forms of uveitis has been notably expanded. Removal of optically relevant vitreous opacities, improvement of secondary macular edema, delamination of epiretinal membranes, and release of traction in the presence of abnormal vitreoretinal adhesions represent indications for vitreoretinal procedures in uveitis patients. Furthermore, retinal and choroidal biopsies may be obtained if the precise etiology is unknown.

Pathological changes in the islet milieu precede infiltration of islets and destruction of beta-cells by autoreactive lymphocytes in a transgenic model of virus-induced IDDM.

RIP-LCMV transgenic mice that express the viral glycoprotein (GP) or nucleoprotein (NP) from lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus (LCMV) under control of the rat insulin promoter (RIP) in pancreatic beta-cells develop autoimmune diabetes (IDDM) after infection with LCMV. Previous reports have described that the viral infection activates naive, potentially autoreactive CD8+ cytotoxic T-lymphocytes (CTL) that are present in the periphery of these mice, thus leading to the breaking of immunological unresponsiveness to the viral self-antigen expressed on beta-cells. However, we find that adoptive transfer of such CTL that were active in vitro and in vivo into uninfected RIP-LCMV recipients rarely resulted in hyperglycemia nor in insulitis, despite their ability to home to the islets and induce peri-insulitis.