A longitudinal circulating tumor DNA-based model associated with survival in metastatic non-small-cell lung cancer.

One of the great challenges in therapeutic oncology is determining who might achieve survival benefits from a particular therapy. Studies on longitudinal circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) dynamics for the prediction of survival have generally been small or nonrandomized. We assessed ctDNA across 5 time points in 466 non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients from the randomized phase 3 IMpower150 study comparing chemotherapy-immune checkpoint inhibitor (chemo-ICI) combinations and used machine learning to jointly model multiple ctDNA metrics to predict overall survival (OS).

Lifestyle Optimization Leads to Superior Liver Regeneration in Live Liver Donors and Decreases Early Allograft Dysfunction in Recipients: A Randomized Control Trial.

Introduction: The aim of the current randomized control trial was to assess the efficacy of donor lifestyle optimization on liver regeneration and outcome following live donor liver transplantation.

Methods: Live liver donors (LLDs) who were fit with no or minimal steatosis were randomized to receive either a customized low-calorie diet with calorie intake equalling their basal requirement along with exercise for 2 weeks before surgery versus to continue their normal routine lifestyle. Primary objectives were the difference in the day of normalization of serum bilirubin and PT-International normalized ratio and the percentage growth of the liver at postoperative day 7 and 14.

Thoracic Tumors in Children and their Long-Term Outcomes: A Single-Center Experience.

Aims: This study aims to review our experience in children with thoracic tumors managed by different surgical approaches, and to evaluate their long-term outcomes in relation to their functional status and quality of life.

Subjects And Methods: This is a retrospective study (2011-2021). Children <18 years with tumors of the thorax (lung, mediastinum, and thoracic cage) were included.

Incidence and predictors of alcohol relapse following living donor liver transplantation for alcohol related liver disease.

Background: Alcohol relapse after liver transplantation has a negative impact on outcomes. There is limited data on its burden, the predictors, and impact following live donor liver transplantation (LDLT).

Methods: A single-center observational study was carried out between July 2011 and March 2021 for patients undergoing LDLT for alcohol associated liver disease (ALD).

Gaussian Blurring Technique for Detecting and Classifying Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia Cancer Cells from Microscopic Biopsy Images.

Visual inspection of peripheral blood samples is a critical step in the leukemia diagnostic process. Automated solutions based on artificial vision approaches can accelerate this procedure, while also improving accuracy and uniformity of response in telemedicine applications. In this study, we propose a novel GBHSV-Leuk method to segment and classify Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia (ALL) cancer cells.

Neonatal Intensive Care Unit Mixed Lipid Emulsion Use Associated With Reduced Cholestasis at Discharge in Surgical Patients.

Introduction: Parenteral nutrition associated cholestasis (PNAC) is a common morbidity in neonates requiring total parenteral nutrition (TPN). Previous studies in infants with intestinal failure have shown a benefit of mixed lipid emulsion (MLE) in reducing PNAC. It is not known whether this benefit extends to a general neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) population, where MLE is used on a selective basis.

A Comprehensive 6-mo Prostate Cancer Patient Empowerment Program Decreases Psychological Distress Among Men Undergoing Curative Prostate Cancer Treatment: A Randomized Clinical Trial.

Background: Although survival rates for newly diagnosed prostate cancer patients are very high, most of them will likely suffer significant treatment-related side effects, depression, or anxiety, affecting their quality of life.

Objective: The aim of this study was to examine the effects of a 6-mo online home-based physical, mental, and social support intervention, the Prostate Cancer Patient Empowerment Program (PC-PEP), on preventing psychological distress among men undergoing curative prostate cancer treatment.

Design, Setting, And Participants: In a crossover randomized clinical trial of 128 men aged 50-82 yr scheduled for curative prostate cancer surgery or radiotherapy (± hormone treatment), 66 received the 6-mo PC-PEP intervention and 62 were randomized to a waitlist-control arm and received the standard of care for 6 mo, and then PC-PEP to the end of the year.

Comparison of vaginal gauze packing technique with or without balloon in high-dose-rate brachytherapy of uterine cervical cancer: A crossover randomized controlled trial.

Purpose: To compare the rectal and bladder doses using two different vaginal packing techniques among uterine cervical cancer patients receiving high-dose-rate (HDR) intracavitary brachytherapy (ICBT).

Material And Methods: Forty-five patients with cervical cancer were randomized to receive two sessions of ICBT using tandem and ring applicator (Varian), following completion of pelvic external beam radiotherapy treatment. The procedure was performed with vaginal balloon plus gauze packing or vaginal gauze packing alone, each of which was used in one of two sessions.

Tap and inject of intravitreal antibiotics versus pars plana vitrectomy for post-cataract surgery endophthalmitis: a meta-analysis.

Background: The efficacy and safety of initial tap and inject (T/I) compared with pars plana vitrectomy (PPV) for acute postoperative bacterial endophthalmitis following cataract surgery is unclear. Understanding the comparative safety and efficacy of initial T/I and initial PPV can provide context for treatment decision making in this setting.

Methods: A systematic literature search was performed on Ovid MEDLINE, EMBASE, and the Cochrane Library from January 1990 to January 2021.

Pinning and Depinning Dynamics of an Evaporating Sessile Droplet Containing Mono- and Bidispersed Colloidal Particles on a Nonheated/Heated Hydrophobic Substrate.

The present study is primarily focused on the coupled effects of substrate heating, colloidal dispersion, and particle size variation on the contact line (CL) pinning-depinning dynamics of evaporating droplets containing mono- (3/4.5 μm) and bidispersed (3 and 4.5 μm) polystyrene colloidal particles on poly(dimethylsiloxane) (PDMS) substrates.

Critical Role of Position 10 Residue in the Polymyxin Antimicrobial Activity.

Polymyxins (polymyxin B and colistin) are lipopeptide antibiotics used as a last-line treatment for life-threatening multidrug-resistant (MDR) Gram-negative bacterial infections. Unfortunately, their clinical use has been affected by dose-limiting toxicity and increasing resistance. Structure-activity (SAR) and structure-toxicity (STR) relationships are paramount for the development of safer polymyxins, albeit very little is known about the role of the conserved position 10 threonine (Thr) residue in the polymyxin core scaffold.

Acute Cholecystitis Leading to Elevated High-Sensitive Cardiac Troponin I in a Young Female Without Any Cardiac Ailment: A Rare Case Presentation.

Cardiac troponin I (cTnI) is regarded as a gold standard investigation for the diagnosis of acute myocardial infarction (AMI). However, cTnI may be elevated in certain non-AMI cardiac conditions and even in certain noncardiac conditions. We report a case of a young female presenting with symptoms suggestive of acute cholecystitis with elevated high-sensitive cardiac troponin I (hs-cTnI).

Identification of Quorum Quenching N-Acyl Homoserine Lactonases from Priestia aryabhattai J1D and Bacillus cereus G Isolated from the Rhizosphere.

Several pathogenic bacteria communicate using N-acyl homoserine lactone (AHL) as a quorum sensing (QS) molecule. The process of interfering with the QS system is known as quorum quenching (QQ), it is an effective tool to control QS-dependent virulence in pathogens. In the present study, rhizosphere bacterial isolates were screened for their ability to produce AHL lactonase enzyme as QQ molecules, which hydrolyses AHL signalling molecules and consequently blocks the QS system.

Diurnal variation in salivary progesterone in fertile Indian women.

Research Question: Is there a diurnal variation in salivary progesterone levels during menstrual cycle among Indian women?

Design: A longitudinal study was carried out to measure progesterone in saliva among small cross-sectional sample (n = 31) of fertile Indian women of reproductive age comprising young adults (18-25 years, n = 11), adults (26-38 years, n = 9) and middle aged (39-45 years, n = 11). Saliva samples were collected twice daily (morning and evening) across the entire menstrual cycle of 31 women.

Results: Mean ages at enrolment and menarche were 30.

Mechanistic Insights and Potential Therapeutic Approaches in PolyQ Diseases via Autophagy.

Polyglutamine diseases are a group of congenital neurodegenerative diseases categorized with genomic abnormalities in the expansion of CAG triplet repeats in coding regions of specific disease-related genes. Protein aggregates are the toxic hallmark for polyQ diseases and initiate neuronal death. Autophagy is a catabolic process that aids in the removal of damaged organelles or toxic protein aggregates, a process required to maintain cellular homeostasis that has the potential to fight against neurodegenerative diseases, but this pathway gets affected under diseased conditions, as there is a direct impact on autophagy-related gene expression.

Hepatic artery-related complications after live donor liver transplantation.

Background: Hepatic artery-related complications (HARC) after live donor liver transplantation (LDLT) is associated with high morbidity and mortality rate.

Methods: Prospectively maintained data from July 2011 to September 2020 was analyzed for etiology, detection, management, and outcome of HARC.

Results: Six hundred fifty-seven LDLT (adult 572/pediatrics 85) were performed during the study period.

Identification and Antifungal Drug Susceptibility Pattern of in India.

Introduction: has turned up as a multidrug-resistant nosocomial agent with outbreaks reported worldwide. The present study was conducted to evaluate the antifungal drug susceptibility pattern of .

Methods: Isolates of were obtained from clinically suspected cases of candidemia from January 2019 to June 2021.

The Impact of Residual Retinal Fluid Following Intravitreal Anti-Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor Therapy for Diabetic Macular Edema and Macular Edema Secondary to Retinal Vein Occlusion: A Systematic Review.

The association between residual retinal fluid and visual acuity for diabetic macular edema (DME) and macular edema (ME) secondary to retinal vein occlusion (RVO) is not well established. We conducted a systematic literature search for peer-reviewed articles reporting on visual acuity stratified by subretinal fluid (SRF), intraretinal fluid (IRF), or any retinal fluid at final follow-up after intravitreal anti-vascular endothelial growth factor therapy injection for treatment of DME or ME secondary to RVO. Two observational studies on ME secondary to RVO and one study for DME found no significant differences between eyes with and without residual retinal fluid for final BCVA.

Outcomes of continent and incontinent external urinary diversion in management of patients with refractory non-malignant lower urinary tract dysfunction.

Objective: To evaluate the early and late outcomes of continent and incontinent external urinary diversion in management of patients with refractory non-malignant lower urinary tract dysfunction (LUTD).

Materials And Methods: The charts of patients with refractory non-malignant LUTD who underwent continent or incontinent external urinary diversion at University of Cincinnati hospitals in the period between March 2012 and December 2019 were retrospectively reviewed. The demographic and baseline characteristics, surgery indications, operative data, early and late outcomes were collected, analyzed, and compared.

Potential of camel rumen derived Bacillus subtilis and Bacillus velezensis strains for application in plant biomass hydrolysis.

Rumen inhabiting Bacillus species possesses a high genetic potential for plant biomass hydrolysis and conversion to value-added products. In view of the same, five camel rumen-derived Bacillus strains, namely B. subtilis CRN 1, B.

A Colorimetric Distinct Color Change Cu(II) 4-{[1-(2,5-dihydroxyphenyl)ethylidene]amino}-1,5-dimethyl-2-phenyl-1,2-dihydro-3H-pyrazol-3-one Chemosensor and its Application as a Paper Test Kit.

In the current research work "4-{[1-(2,5-dihydroxyphenyl)ethylidene]amino}-1,5-dimethyl-2-phenyl-1,2-dihydro-3H-pyrazol-3-one" chemosensor (C1) synthesized by condensation reaction using "4-amino-1,2-dihydro-1,5-dimethyl-2-phenylpyrazol-3-one" and "2,5-dihydroxy actophenone" was used as the effective sensor of metal ion. The C1 shows absorption peak at 326 nm due to the C = C bond (π-π* transition), while the absorption peak at 364 nm is caused by the C = O bond (n-π* transition). In the presence of copper, C1 only demonstrated a redshift in absorption peak from 364 to 425 nm.

Interactions of Surfactants with the Bacterial Cell Wall and Inner Membrane: Revealing the Link between Aggregation and Antimicrobial Activity.

Surfactants with their intrinsic ability to solubilize lipid membranes are widely used as antibacterial agents, and their interactions with the bacterial cell envelope are complicated by their differential aggregation tendencies. We present a combined experimental and molecular dynamics investigation to unravel the molecular basis for the superior antimicrobial activity and faster kill kinetics of shorter-chain fatty acid surfactant, laurate, when compared with the longer-chain surfactants studied in contact time assays with live (). From all-atom molecular dynamics simulations, translocation events across peptidoglycan were the highest for laurate followed by sodium dodecyl sulfate, myristate, palmitate, oleate, and stearate.