Publications by authors named "Merz A"

Background: Blepharitis is a chronic inflammatory condition of the eyelids that affects a large proportion of patients in eye care settings. First-line treatments provide only partial relief for many patients. The BlephEx™ device provides automated eyelid debridement and aims to remove pathogenic biofilms from the eyelid margin to treat blepharitis long-term.

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Myelodysplastic neoplasms (MDS) involve clonal hematopoiesis and cellular dysplasia, driven by genetic and epigenetic alterations. Spliceosome mutations and epigenetic dysregulation underscore the intricate pathogenesis of MDS. The bone marrow microenvironment, stromal dysfunction, chronic inflammation, and immune dysregulation contribute to disease progression.

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Background: Research on concurrent parent and patient-reported outcomes has primarily focused on reaching agreement. However, little is known about how to interpret and address discrepancies, which are not uncommon, between both viewpoints.

Objectives: To explore parents' perspectives on reporting about child symptoms and quality of life (QoL) concurrently with their child in the context of pediatric advanced cancer.

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Vesicles bud from maturing Golgi cisternae in a programmed sequence. Budding is mediated by adaptors that recruit cargoes and facilitate vesicle biogenesis. In Saccharomyces cerevisiae, the AP-3 adaptor complex directs cargoes from the Golgi to the lysosomal vacuole.

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Background: Children utilizing invasive home mechanical ventilation (administered via tracheostomy tube) receive intensive care at home without the support of trained staff typically present in an intensive care unit; within the context of worsening home nursing shortages, much of the 24/7 care burden falls to families which are likely under supported. Prior reviews have explored the quality of life of children receiving various forms of mechanical ventilation, without addressing the impact on the family. Additionally, the literature inconsistently differentiates the unique experience of families with children using invasive home mechanical ventilation from non-invasive, which has lower morbidity and mortality and requires less nursing care in the home.

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Lake Victoria is well known for its high diversity of endemic fish species and provides livelihoods for millions of people. The lake garnered widespread attention during the twentieth century as major environmental and ecological changes modified the fish community with the extinction of approximately 40% of endemic cichlid species by the 1980s. Suggested causal factors include anthropogenic eutrophication, fishing, and introduced non-native species but their relative importance remains unresolved, partly because monitoring data started in the 1970s when changes were already underway.

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The essential Golgi protein Sly1 is a member of the Sec1/mammalian Unc-18 (SM) family of SNARE chaperones. Sly1 was originally identified through remarkable gain-of-function alleles that bypass requirements for diverse vesicle tethering factors. Employing genetic analyses and chemically defined reconstitutions of ER-Golgi fusion, we discovered that a loop conserved among Sly1 family members is not only autoinhibitory but also acts as a positive effector.

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Article Synopsis
  • Sly1 and SNARE proteins, such as Sed5, play crucial roles in membrane fusion by acting as cofactors, and the study investigates how Sly1 enhances this process through various mechanisms.
  • Three mechanisms were identified: Sly1 helps to open Sed5's closed conformation, tethers vesicles close to target organelles, and supports the formation of trans-SNARE complexes, all working in parallel to facilitate membrane fusion.
  • The N-terminal Habc domain of Sed5 has two key functions: it ensures proper localization of Sed5 and promotes fusion, while a version of Sed5 without the Habc domain can still support fusion activities in both lab and living cells, indicating that Habc
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Article Synopsis
  • - Recent advancements in the treatment of high-risk Myelodysplastic Neoplasms (HR MDS) face obstacles due to changing drug combinations with Hypomethylating Agents (HMAs) and a shift from the IPSS to IPSS-M scoring system.
  • - The introduction of MDS/AML overlap and the inclusion of chronic myelomonocytic leukemia (CMML) add further complexity to study classifications and trial designs.
  • - Emphasizing the need for precise trial methodologies, the text discusses the importance of accurately reporting adverse events and reviewing negative clinical trials to improve future research in HR MDS.
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Management of myelodysplastic neoplasms (MDS) requires a personalized approach, with a focus on improving quality of life and extending lifespan. The International Prognostic Scoring System-Revised and the molecular International Prognostic Scoring System are key tools for risk stratification and management of MDS. They provide a framework for predicting survival and the risk of transformation to acute myeloid leukemia.

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Context: Electronic patient-reported outcomes (e-PROs) in pediatric oncology may be useful to track patients' symptoms and quality of life (QoL). However, implementation in the clinical setting is limited and few studies have examined child and parent perspectives on e-PRO usage.

Objectives: This brief report aims to explore child and parent perspectives on the benefits of using e-PROs to routinely report on symptoms and QoL.

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Upon nutrient limitation, budding yeast of Saccharomyces cerevisiae shift from fast growth (the log stage) to quiescence (the stationary stage). This shift is accompanied by liquid-liquid phase separation in the membrane of the vacuole, an endosomal organelle. Recent work indicates that the resulting micrometer-scale domains in vacuole membranes enable yeast to survive periods of stress.

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The Day100 Talk (Day100) bridges communication gaps between parents and clinicians early in pediatric cancer care through an interprofessional family conference facilitated by structured tools. We aimed to understand communication challenges and facilitators and to adapt Day100 for Spanish-speaking parents. We interviewed Spanish-speaking parents with limited English proficiency, Spanish-English medical interpreters, and clinicians to gather communication experiences and adapt Day100.

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Introduction: Reproductive injustices such as forced sterilization, preventable maternal morbidity and mortality, restricted access to family planning services, and policy-driven environmental violence undermine reproductive autonomy and health outcomes, with disproportionate impact on historically marginalized communities. However, curricula focused on reproductive justice (RJ) are lacking in medical education.

Methods: We designed a novel, interactive, case-based RJ curriculum for postclerkship medical students.

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Schistosomiasis is a prevalent yet neglected tropical parasitic disease caused by the Schistosoma genus of blood flukes. Praziquantel is the only currently available treatment, hence drug resistance poses a major threat. Recently, histone deacetylase 8 (HDAC8) selective inhibitors have been proposed as a viable treatment for schistosomiasis.

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Spatial heterogeneity is a common phenomenon in metastatic solid tumors and an evolving concept in multiple myeloma (MM). The interplay between malignant plasma cells (PCs) and the microenvironment has not yet been analyzed in MM. For this purpose, we performed bone marrow aspirates and imaging-guided biopsies of corresponding lesions in newly diagnosed MM (NDMM) and relapsed/refractory MM (RRMM) patients.

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Purpose: Mobile health interventions can improve patient care. We developed the Digital Supportive Care Awareness and Navigation (D-SCAN) application (app) to facilitate symptom monitoring and use/awareness of cancer supportive care resources. This study tested feasibility, usability/satisfaction, and preliminary efficacy of D-SCAN.

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Introduction/objectives: The effects of hypnosis on acute pain have been discussed recently, resulting in increased attention in the dental/maxillofacial field offering new perspectives, especially in emergency situations, trauma, or acute inflammatory situations where conventional pharmaceuticals are contraindicated due to allergies or intolerance reactions.

Data: To systematically evaluate and assess the effects of hypnosis on acute dental/facial pain relief. Randomized controlled trials, cohort studies, controlled clinical trials, cross-sectional studies, evaluation, and validation studies, following the PRISMA guidelines, of human subjects of all ages were included.

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Histone deacetylases (HDACs) are important epigenetic regulators involved in many diseases, especially cancer. Five HDAC inhibitors have been approved for anticancer therapy and many are in clinical trials. Among the 11 zinc-dependent HDACs, HDAC10 has received relatively little attention by drug discovery campaigns, despite its involvement, e.

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Sirtuin2 (Sirt2) with its NAD-dependent deacetylase and defatty-acylase activities plays a central role in the regulation of specific cellular functions. Dysregulation of Sirt2 activity has been associated with the pathogenesis of many diseases, thus making Sirt2 a promising target for pharmaceutical intervention. Herein, we present new high affinity Sirt2 selective Sirtuin-Rearranging Ligands (SirReals) that inhibit both Sirt2-dependent deacetylation and defatty-acylation and in cells.

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Article Synopsis
  • Osteolytic lesions (OL) in multiple myeloma are influenced by malignant plasma cells (PC), but the reasons for varying bone destruction in different regions remain unclear.
  • A study using single-cell RNA sequencing analyzed 148,630 PC from various sites in 10 patients, revealing significant inter- and intra-patient variability.
  • Findings indicate that PC from OL express different genes compared to those from bone marrow, highlighting specific gene changes related to bone disease and showing transcriptional shifts post-induction therapy.
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Membranes of vacuoles, the lysosomal organelles of (budding yeast), undergo extraordinary changes during the cell's normal growth cycle. The cycle begins with a stage of rapid cell growth. Then, as glucose becomes scarce, growth slows, and vacuole membranes phase separate into micrometer-scale domains of two liquid phases.

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Writing and erasing of posttranslational modifications are crucial to phenotypic plasticity and antigenic variation of eukaryotic pathogens. Targeting pathogens' modification machineries, thus, represents a valid approach to fighting parasitic diseases. However, identification of parasitic targets and the development of selective anti-parasitic drugs still represent major bottlenecks.

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Revaccination after autologous hematopoietic cell transplantation (AHCT) is recommended in post-HCT survivorship guidelines to restore humoral immunity. Data on seroconversion after AHCT and vaccination in multiple myeloma (MM) patients are limited. We investigated the feasibility and effectiveness of vaccination post-AHCT and analyzed the restoration of humoral immunity and patient prognosis.

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Objectives: Medical educators may assess learners' professionalism through clinical scenarios eliciting value conflicts - situations in which an individual's values differ from others' perceived values. We examined the extent to which United States (US) medical students' discussion of abortion highlights their professionalism according to the 6 American Association of Medical Colleges (AAMC) professionalism competencies.

Study Design: We conducted anonymous, semistructured qualitative interviews with 74 US medical students applying to OB/GYN residency.

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