Matching-adjusted indirect comparison of talazoparib plus enzalutamide versus abiraterone acetate and docetaxel in mCRPC.

Aims: The absence of direct comparisons between talazoparib plus enzalutamide (TALA+ENZA) and current standard of care hinders evaluating their relative efficacy for first-line (1 L) metastatic castration resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC). This study aimed to compare TALA+ENZA (TALAPRO-2) to abiraterone acetate plus prednisone (AAP) (COU-AA-302) and docetaxel (TAX 327) using a matching-adjusted indirect treatment comparison (MAIC).

Methods: A systematic literature review using the Ovid® interface was performed to identify relevant evidence.

Boosting triterpene production in cell suspension culrures of Betula pendula Roth: the role of endophytic and basidiomycete fungi isolated from birch trees.

This research aims to improve the synthesis of triterpenoids in cell suspension cultures of Betula pendula Roth stem cells using biological elicitors, including basidiomycete fungi (Arthrinium arundinis, Hyphodontia paradoxa, and Stereum hirsutum) and endophytes (Fusarium fuckelii, Alternaria alternata, and Penicillium citrinum). Five of the mentioned fungi were isolated from the bark, while A. arundinis was isolated from lichen of birch trees.

An Acquired Taste: Latent Class Analysis to Compare Adolescent and Adult Preferences for EQ-5D-Y-3L Health States.

Objectives: US stakeholders advised including adolescents in the valuation study for the EQ-5D-Y-3L, a step toward greater acknowledgment of children in informing societal values. This study aimed to assess the relative contribution of adolescent and adult preferences to a model when combined.

Methods: Discrete choice experiment data were collected from an online sample of 1529 adults and 714 adolescents (ages 11-17).

Prevalence and determinants of self-medication consumption of antibiotics in adults in Iran: a population based cross-sectional study, 2019-2020.

Introduction: The self-medication of antibiotics is a global crisis, posing a significant challenge to healthcare systems worldwide. This study aimed to investigate the frequency of self-medication in the adult population and the factors influencing it.

Methods: This population-based cross-sectional study was conducted in Arak, a city in central Iran, from January 2019 to January 2020.

Talazoparib plus enzalutamide versus olaparib plus abiraterone acetate and niraparib plus abiraterone acetate for metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer: a matching-adjusted indirect comparison.

Background: Without head-to-head trials between talazoparib+enzalutamide (TALA + ENZA), olaparib+abiraterone acetate (OLAP + AAP), and niraparib plus AAP (NIRA + AAP) the ability to evaluate their relative efficacy as first-line (1 L) treatment in metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC) is limited. The objective of this study was to assess the relative efficacy between TALA + ENZA (TALAPRO-2) versus OLAP + AAP (PROpel) and NIRA + AAP (MAGNITUDE) in 1 L mCRPC via a matching-adjusted indirect treatment comparison (MAIC).

Methods: Patient-level data from TALAPRO-2 and published data from PROpel and MAGNITUDE were used.

Systematic literature review and meta-analysis of health state utility values in metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer.

Despite being an important goal, the preservation of quality of life of patients with metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC) is poorly characterized across lines of therapy. In this review, a systematic literature review and meta-analysis were conducted to synthesize EuroQoL 5-Dimension (EQ-5D) data among adult men with asymptomatic or mildly symptomatic mCRPC in both first line (1L) and second line and later (2L+) therapy. MEDLINE, Embase, and Cochrane CENTRAL were searched from inception to October 2022 using Ovid.

Exogenous dopamine ameliorates chilling injury of banana fruits during cold storage.

This study investigated postharvest dopamine treatment efficiency in ameliorating chilling injury of banana fruits during storage at 7 ºC for 21 days. Our results showed that dopamine treatment at 150 µM promoted phenols and flavonoids biosynthesis acquired by higher phenylalanine ammonia-lyase (PAL) expression and activity concurrent with lower polyphenol oxidase (PPO) expression and activity leading to higher DPPH, FRAP, and ABTS radicals scavenging activity. In addition, dopamine treatment at 150 µM promoted endogenous proline biosynthesis by activating pyrroline-5-carboxylate synthetase (P5CS) and ornithine δ-aminotransferase (OAT) expression and activity concurrent with suppressing proline dehydrogenase (ProDH) expression and activity.

Comparative efficacy and safety of talazoparib plus enzalutamide and other first-line treatments for metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer.

Background: Talazoparib plus enzalutamide (TALA + ENZA) has demonstrated antitumor activity in the phase 3 clinical trial (TALAPRO-2; NCT03395197) as first-line (1L) therapy in men with asymptomatic or mildly symptomatic metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC). Although many active interventions are available, randomized controlled trials (RCTs) involving talazoparib have only been conducted to assess its efficacy and safety compared to enzalutamide. To estimate comparisons between all relevant interventions, indirect comparisons are needed.

Effects of Co-administration of Fentanyl and Nitroglycerin on Hemodynamic Responses During Intubation and Extubation: A Randomized Clinical Trial.

Purpose: This study was conducted with the aim of investigating the effects of simultaneous administration of fentanyl and nitroglycerine on hemodynamic responses.

Design: This randomized controlled trial was conducted with 50 patients undergoing elective inguinal hernia surgery.

Methods: Patients were randomly divided into two groups.

Predicting Treatment Effects from Surrogate Endpoints in Historical Trials in First-Line Metastatic Castration-Resistant Prostate Cancer.

Surrogate endpoints are becoming increasingly important in health technology assessment, where decisions are based on complex cost-effectiveness models (CEMs) that require numerous input parameters. Daniels and Hughes Surrogate Model was used to predict missing effect estimates in randomized controlled trials (RCTs) evaluating first-line treatments in metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC) patients. Network meta-analyses (NMAs) were conducted to assess the comparative efficacy of these treatments.

Determination of Continuity Index Values in Atrial Fibrillation Ablation with Proactive Esophageal Cooling.

Radiofrequency (RF) ablation to perform pulmonary vein isolation (PVI) for the treatment of atrial fibrillation involves some risk to collateral structures, including the esophagus. Proactive esophageal cooling using a dedicated device has been granted marketing authorization by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to reduce the risk of ablation-related esophageal injury due to RF cardiac ablation procedures, and more recent data also suggest that esophageal cooling may contribute to improved long-term efficacy of treatment. A mechanistic underpinning explaining these findings exists through the quantification of lesion placement contiguity defined as the Continuity Index (CI).

Implementation of virtual academic detailing in North America: A qualitative study.

Rationale: The shift toward virtual academic detailing (AD) was accelerated by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Aims And Objectives: We aimed to examine the role of external, contextual, and intrinsic programme-specific factors in virtual engagement of healthcare providers (HCPs) and delivery of AD.

Methods: AD groups throughout North America were contacted to participate in semistructured interviews.

Reduced Continuity Index with Proactive Esophageal Cooling Compared to Luminal Temperature Monitoring During Radiofrequency Ablation: Improved Lesion Continuity with Esophageal Cooling.

Background: Proactive esophageal cooling is FDA cleared to reduce the likelihood of esophageal injury during radiofrequency ablation for treatment of atrial fibrillation (AF). Long-term follow-up data have also shown improved freedom from arrhythmia with proactive esophageal cooling compared to luminal esophageal temperature (LET) monitoring during pulmonary vein isolation (PVI). One hypothesized mechanism is improved lesion contiguity (as measured by the Continuity Index) with the use of cooling.

OFF episode quality of life impact scale (OFFELIA): A new measure of quality of life for off episodes in Parkinson's disease.

Introduction: OFF Episodes occur in people with Parkinson's disease when their medication wears off, and motor and/or non-motor symptoms emerge. Existing measures used to assess OFF Episodes focus on the time spent in OFF Episodes through diaries or by identifying symptoms, but they are limited in their ability to capture the severity and functional impact of OFF episodes. The aim of this study was to develop and validate a new instrument, called "OFFELIA," that measures the impact of OFF episodes on the quality of life of individuals with Parkinson's disease.

Immune endotyping and gene expression profile of patients with chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyps in the aspirin-exacerbated respiratory disease (AERD) and the non-AERD subgroups.

Background: Chronic Rhinosinusitis (CRS) is a paranasal sinus inflammatory disease and is divided into two subgroups defined as CRS with nasal polyps (CRSwNP) and CRS without nasal polyps (CRSsNP). CRSwNP displays a T helper (Th)2 biased phenotype, and based on sensitivity or tolerance to aspirin or non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAID), is further subdivided into Aspirin-exacerbated respiratory disease (AERD) and non-AERD groups. Considering the challenge of diagnosis and treatment in patients with CRSwNP, particularly the AERD subtype, and the significance of endotyping in these patients, we examined the immune profile and endotyping based on gene expression analysis in the AERD and the non-AERD groups of patients with CRSwNP.

Concomitant treatment of sustained ventricular tachycardia and hypertrophic cardiomyopathy with transcoronary ethanol ablation: a case report.

Background: The recommended treatment for recurrent ventricular tachycardia in patients with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy that is not amenable to defibrillator implantation due to shock burden is radiofrequency ablation. In patients with deeply intramural foci of ventricular tachycardia, traditional unipolar ablation has a lower probability of success.

Case Summary: A 66-year-old Caucasian man was admitted with ventricular tachycardia, which recurred despite antiarrhythmic drugs.

Atrioesophageal Fistula Rates Before and After Adoption of Active Esophageal Cooling During Atrial Fibrillation Ablation.

Background: Active esophageal cooling reduces the incidence of endoscopically identified severe esophageal lesions during radiofrequency (RF) catheter ablation of the left atrium for the treatment of atrial fibrillation. A formal analysis of the atrioesophageal fistula (AEF) rate with active esophageal cooling has not previously been performed.

Objectives: The authors aimed to compare AEF rates before and after the adoption of active esophageal cooling.

The impact of race on survival in metastatic prostate cancer: a systematic literature review.

Background: Prostate cancer (PC) is the second most diagnosed cancer in men worldwide. While racial and ethnic differences exist in incidence and mortality, increasing data suggest outcomes by race among men with newly diagnosed PC are similar. However, outcomes among races beyond Black/White have been poorly studied.

High-Frequency Low-Tidal Volume Ventilation Improves Long-Term Outcomes in AF Ablation: A Multicenter Prospective Study.

Background: High-frequency, low-tidal-volume (HFLTV) ventilation is a safe and simple strategy to improve catheter stability and first-pass isolation during pulmonary vein (PV) isolation. However, the impact of this technique on long-term clinical outcomes has not been determined.

Objectives: This study sought to assess acute and long-term outcomes of HFLTV ventilation compared with standard ventilation (SV) during radiofrequency (RF) ablation of paroxysmal atrial fibrillation (PAF).

Perceptions of prescription opioids among marginalized patients with hematologic malignancies in the context of the opioid epidemic: a qualitative study.

Purpose: Opioids are essential for treating pain in hematologic malignancies (HM), yet are heavily stigmatized in the era of the opioid epidemic. Stigma and negative attitudes towards opioids may contribute to poorly managed cancer pain. We aimed to understand patient attitudes towards opioids for HM pain management, particularly among historically marginalized populations.

Doxycycline Improves Quality of Life and Anosmia in Chronic Rhinosinusitis With Nasal Polyposis: A Randomized Controlled Trial.

Background: Chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyps (CRSwNP) is a complex disorder and effective treatment remains a major challenge. Some antibiotics with anti-inflammatory properties are reported to have potential to be used as an adjunct therapy in the management of chronic airway inflammation.

Objective: The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of doxycycline in CRSwNP.