Severity and organ distribution of graft-versus-host disease with post-transplant cyclophosphamide versus calcineurin inhibitor plus methotrexate/mycophenolate mofetil or sirolimus in allogenic HLA-matched or single-allele mismatched stem cell transplantation.

Objective: This retrospective single center study aims to describe changes in the severity and organ-specific distribution of GvHD, by comparing the outcomes of 3 distinct GvHD prophylaxis approaches.

Methods: Between January 2012 and June 2022, 226 patients underwent allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation from HLA-matched or 1-allele mismatched related or unrelated donors. Fifty-eight (26%) received prophylaxis with calcineurin inhibitor in combination with mycophenolate mofetil or a short course of methotrexate (Cohort-1), 87 (38%) tacrolimus plus sirolimus (Cohort-2), and 81 (36%) post-transplant cyclophosphamide (PTCy) plus tacrolimus (Cohort-3).

Modern views of nutritional support in patients undergoing allogeneic stem cell transplantation.

Patients undergoing allogeneic stem cell transplant (HSCT) have a higher risk of developing malnutrition. The aetiology is multifactorial and complex: the conditioning regimen causes damages to the gastrointestinal tract that can contribute to trigger graft-versus-host disease and/or infectious complications that adversely affect food intake and the gut absorption of nutrients in transplant recipients. Consequently, patients might develop weight loss and muscle wasting.

CAR T-cell therapy and the onco-nephrologist.

Cell therapy, specifically the revolutionary chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cell therapy, has transformed the landscape of oncology, making substantial strides in practical treatment approaches. Today, established guidelines for diseases such as lymphomas, myelomas, and leukemias actively advocate the utilization of these once-unconventional therapies. The practical impact of these therapies is underscored by their unparalleled efficacy, reshaping the way we approach and implement treatments in the realm of oncology.

Nipping cytomegalovirus in the bud for umbilical cord blood transplantation.

Real data confirm an excellent toxicity profile and effectiveness of letermovir prophylaxis with decreased cytomegalovirus reactivation and resistance in umbilical cord blood transplantation for both paediatric and adult patients. Commentary on: Yan et al. Letermovir prophylaxis reduced cytomegalovirus reactivation and resistance post umbilical cord blood transplantation.

Abdominal adipose tissue distribution assessed by computed tomography and mortality in hospitalised patients with COVID-19: a retrospective longitudinal cohort study.

Background: Visceral adiposity has been associated with an increased risk of critical illness in COVID-19 patients. However, if it also associates to a poor survival is still not well established. The aim of the study was to assess the relationship between abdominal fat distribution and COVID-19 mortality.

Upper and/or Lower Respiratory Tract Infection Caused by Human Metapneumovirus After Allogeneic Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation.

Background: Human metapneumovirus (hMPV) epidemiology, clinical characteristics and risk factors for poor outcome after allogeneic stem cell transplantation (allo-HCT) remain a poorly investigated area.

Methods: This retrospective multicenter cohort study examined the epidemiology, clinical characteristics, and risk factors for poor outcomes associated with human metapneumovirus (hMPV) infections in recipients of allo-HCT.

Results: We included 428 allo-HCT recipients who developed 438 hMPV infection episodes between January 2012 and January 2019.

Advances and Clinical Outcomes in Hodgkin Lymphoma in the Era of Novel Therapies.

Hodgkin lymphoma (HL) is traditionally considered one of the hematological malignancies with the highest rate of cure, ranging from 70 to 90% depending on the disease and patient features [...

Increasing Gram-Negative Catheter-Related Bloodstream Infection in Cancer Patients.

: We aimed to assess the incidence, etiology and outcomes of catheter-related bloodstream infection (CRBSI) in onco-hematological patients, to assess the differences between patients with hematological malignancies (HMs) and solid tumors (STs) and to identify the risk factors for Gram-negative (GN) CRBSI. : All consecutive episodes of BSI in adult cancer patients were prospectively collected (2006-2020). The etiology of CRBSI was analyzed in three different 5-year periods.

Changes in bone turnover markers in patients without bone metastases receiving immune checkpoint inhibitors: An exploratory analysis.

Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) has revolutionized the treatment of different advanced solid tumors, but most patients develop severe immune-related adverse events (irAEs). Although a bi-directional crosstalk between bone and immune systems is widely described, the effect of ICIs on the skeleton is poorly investigated. Here, we analyze the changes in plasma levels of type I collagen C-terminal telopeptide (CTX-I) and -terminal propeptide of type I procollagen (PINP), reference makers of bone turnover, in patients treated with ICIs and their association with clinical outcome.

Combining blinatumomab and donor lymphocyte infusion in B-ALL patients relapsing after allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation: a study of the SFGM-TC.

Relapsed B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (B-ALL) after allogeneic stem cell transplantation (allo-HCT) still represents a major concern with poor outcomes. The aim of this study is to compare the efficacy and safety of blinatumomab and donor lymphocyte infusion (DLI) versus blinatumomab alone in this setting. This is a multicenter retrospective study from centers of SFGM-TC.

A Conditional Generative Adversarial Network and Transfer Learning-Oriented Anomaly Classification System for Electrospun Nanofibers.

This paper proposes a generative model and transfer learning powered system for classification of Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) images of defective nanofibers (D-NF) and nondefective nanofibers (ND-NF) produced by electrospinning (ES) process. Specifically, a conditional-Generative Adversarial Network (-GAN) is developed to generate synthetic D-NF/ND-NF SEM images. A strategy is also proposed.

Development and Validation of an Algorithm for the Digitization of ECG Paper Images.

The electrocardiogram (ECG) signal describes the heart's electrical activity, allowing it to detect several health conditions, including cardiac system abnormalities and dysfunctions. Nowadays, most patient medical records are still paper-based, especially those made in past decades. The importance of collecting digitized ECGs is twofold: firstly, all medical applications can be easily implemented with an engineering approach if the ECGs are treated as signals; secondly, paper ECGs can deteriorate over time, therefore a correct evaluation of the patient's clinical evolution is not always guaranteed.

Multicenter, Prospective, Randomized, Single Blind, Cross-Over Study on the Effect of a Fixed Combination of Citicoline 500 mg Plus Homotaurine 50 mg on Pattern Electroretinogram (PERG) in Patients With Open Angle Glaucoma on Well Controlled Intraocular Pressure.

Purpose: To evaluate the potential beneficial and synergistic effects of oral intake of a fixed combination of citicoline 500 mg plus homotaurine 50 mg (CIT/HOMO) on retinal ganglion cell (RGC) function in subjects with glaucoma using pattern electroretinogram (PERG) and to investigate the effects on visual field and quality of life.

Methods: Consecutive patients with primary open-angle glaucoma with controlled IOP (<18 mmHg) receiving beta-blockers and prostaglandin analogs alone or as combination therapy (fixed or un-fixed); with stable disease (progression no more than -1 dB/year at the visual field MD); and an early to moderate visual field defect (MD < -12 dB) were randomized to: arm A. topical therapy + CIT/HOMO for 4 months, 2 months of wash out, 4 months of topical therapy alone; arm B.

External validation of a deep-learning model to predict severe acute kidney injury based on urine output changes in critically ill patients.

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to externally validate algorithms (previously developed and trained in two United States populations) aimed at early detection of severe oliguric AKI (stage 2/3 KDIGO) in intensive care units patients.

Methods: The independent cohort was composed of 10'596 patients from the university hospital ICU of Amsterdam (the "AmsterdamUMC database") admitted to their intensive care units. In this cohort, we analysed the accuracy of algorithms based on logistic regression and deep learning methods.

Letermovir Prophylaxis for Cytomegalovirus Infection in Allogeneic Stem Cell Transplantation: A Real-World Experience.

Despite effective treatments, cytomegalovirus (CMV) continues to have a significant impact on morbidity and mortality in allogeneic stem cell transplant (allo-SCT) recipients. This multicenter, retrospective, cohort study aimed to evaluate the reproducibility of the safety and efficacy of commercially available letermovir for CMV prophylaxis in a real-world setting. Endpoints were rates of clinically significant CMV infection (CSCI), defined as CMV disease or CMV viremia reactivation within day +100-+168.

Stable pulmonary function after haploidentical stem cell transplantation with post-transplant cyclophosphamide: a single center experience.

Prior studies have reported pulmonary function tests (PFT) before and after related and unrelated allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT). However, limited data exist on the evaluation of lung function after haploidentical stem cell transplantation (HAPLO) with post-transplant cyclophosphamide (PTCY). We retrospectively reported the evaluation of PFTs at screening before HAPLO in 80 patients at 100 days and 1 year of follow-up.

A Comparison of Deep Learning Techniques for Arterial Blood Pressure Prediction.

Continuous vital signal monitoring is becoming more relevant in preventing diseases that afflict a large part of the world's population; for this reason, healthcare equipment should be easy to wear and simple to use. Non-intrusive and non-invasive detection methods are a basic requirement for wearable medical devices, especially when these are used in sports applications or by the elderly for self-monitoring. Arterial blood pressure (ABP) is an essential physiological parameter for health monitoring.

Is Post-Transplant Cyclophosphamide the New Methotrexate?

Introducing post-transplant, cyclophosphamide (PT-Cy) graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) prophylaxis in the setting of haploidentical donor transplantation has marked the most important advance in allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation (alloHCT) within the past 15 years. The efficacy of this procedure and its simple features have allowed for the significantly widespread application of alloHCT worldwide. Indeed, the procedure's effectiveness in reducing immunological complications in the haploidentical setting has even challenged the status quo use of calcineurin-inhibitor, methotrexate-based GVHD prophylaxis in the setting of HLA-identical donors.

Early Cardiac Toxicity Associated With Post-Transplant Cyclophosphamide in Allogeneic Stem Cell Transplantation.

Background: Post-transplant cyclophosphamide (PT-Cy) has become a standard of care in haploidentical hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) to reduce the risk of graft-versus-host disease. However, data on cardiac events associated with PT-Cy are scarce.

Objectives: This study sought to assess the incidence and clinical features of cardiac events associated with PT-Cy.