Safety of two-dose schedule of COVID-19 adsorbed inactivated vaccine (CoronaVac; Sinovac/Butantan) and heterologous additional doses of mRNA BNT162b2 (Pfizer/BioNTech) in immunocompromised and immunocompetent individuals.

Immunocompromised individuals were considered high-risk for severe disease due to SARS COV-2 infection. This study aimed to describe the safety of two doses of COVID-19 adsorbed inactivated vaccine (CoronaVac; Sinovac/Butantan), followed by additional doses of mRNA BNT162b2 (Pfizer/BioNTech) in immunocompromised (IC) adults, compared to immunocompetent/healthy (H) individuals. This phase 4, multicenter, open label study included solid organ transplant and hematopoietic stem cell transplant recipients, cancer patients and people with inborn errors of immunity with defects in antibody production, rheumatic, end-stage chronic kidney or liver disease, who were enrolled in the IC group.

Immunogenicity and safety of the fourth dose of quadrivalent human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine in immunosuppressed women who did not seroconvert after three doses.

Introduction: Immunocompromised persons have high risk of persistent human papillomavirus (HPV) infection and HPV-related diseases, and lower immune response to vaccines. This study evaluated the immunogenicity and safety of administering a fourth dose of quadrivalent (4v)HPV vaccine in immunosuppressed women who did not seroconvert after three doses.

Methods: An open-label, not-controlled trial included immunosuppressed women (solid organ transplant patients and women receiving treatment for SLE) who did not seroconvert to at least one of the four HPV vaccine types after three 4vHPV vaccine doses.

Clinical and genetic drivers of oligo-metastatic disease in colon cancer.

Background: Oligo-metastatic disease (OMD) in colon cancer patients exhibits distinct clinical behavior compared to poly-metastatic disease (PMD), with a more responsive and indolent course. This study aims to identify clinical and biological factors uniquely associated with oligo-metastatic behavior.

Methods: Metastatic colon cancer patients from an academic center underwent genetic characterization.

Quadrivalent HPV (4vHPV) vaccine immunogenicity and safety in women using immunosuppressive drugs due to solid organ transplant.

Introduction: Immunocompromised persons are at high risk of persistent Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) infection and associated diseases. Few studies evaluated HPV vaccines in immunocompromised persons. This study aimed to evaluate the quadrivalent HPV vaccine (4vHPV) immunogenicity and safety in solid organ transplant (SOT) recipients, in comparison to immunocompetent women (IC).

Potential hypothesis for the increased risk of Parkinson´s disease following COVID-19.

Patients with severe COVID-19 may be more likely to develop PD as a result of shared biological pathways including a great expansion of MDSCs and an imbalance in Th17/Tregs ratio. We think that these shared pathogenic features may mechanistically explain the COVID-19 - PD axis. Thus, we assume that patients who recovered from critical COVID-19 should be selected based upon a potential higher risk of developing PD.

Identifying priority populations for lung cancer screening intervention using neighborhood-level factors and cancer registry data.

To evaluate the association of neighborhood level economic, environmental, and social indicators with lung cancer (LC) incidence and mortality. Data for adult incident LC cases in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, diagnosed between 2015-2019 were obtained from Pennsylvania cancer registry. Cases were summarized at census-tract level.

Alzheimer's disease following COVID-19: a two player match?

Common pathways may underlie the association between COVID-19 and risk for Alzheimer's disease (AD). We conjecture that severe COVID-19 may contribute to AD onset in predisposed individuals through aberrant MDSCs expression and increased IL-6 expression levels leading to immunosuppression in inflamed brains. Research studies are needed to gain empirical evidence to strengthen the hypothesis of the involvement of MDSCs and IL-6 in the formation of AD following COVID-19 infection and possibly vaccination enabling a more in-depth understanding of the role of immunosuppression in the onset of neurodegenerative diseases at any age.

Impact of HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis (PREP) on health-related quality of life (QOL) of patients followed up at a reference center in São Paulo, Brazil.

Background: HIV Pre-Exposure Pophylaxis (PrEP) is provided free of charge by the Brazilian national health system. Though effective in preventing HIV infection, little is known about its impact on the health-related Quality of Life (QoL) of users.

Objective: The present study aimed at assessing the impact of PrEP on the QoL of its users.

Improving the quality of patient care in lung cancer: key factors for successful multidisciplinary team working.

International Guidelines as well as Cancer Associations recommend a multidisciplinary approach to lung cancer care. A multidisciplinary team (MDT) can significantly improve treatment decision-making and patient coordination by putting different physicians and other health professionals "in the same room", who collectively decide upon the best possible treatment. However, this is not a panacea for cancer treatment.

Predictive significance of FGFR4 p.G388R polymorphism in metastatic colorectal cancer patients receiving trifluridine/tipiracil (TAS-102) treatment.

Background: TAS-102 (Lonsurf) is an oral fluoropyrimidine consisting of a combination of trifluridine (a thymidine analog) and tipiracil (a thymidine phosphorylation inhibitor). The drug is effective in metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC) patients refractory to fluorouracil, irinotecan and oxaliplatin. This study is a real-world analysis, investigating the interplay of genotype/phenotype in relation to TAS-102 sensitivity.

The decline of measles antibody titers in previously vaccinated adults: a cross-sectional analysis.

The global reemergence of measles in 2018-2019 reinforces the relevance of high-coverage immunization to maintain the disease elimination. During an outbreak in the Sao Paulo State in 2019, several measles cases were reported in individuals who were adequately vaccinated according to the current immunization schedule recommends. This study aimed to assess measles IgG antibody seropositivity and titers in previously vaccinated adults.

New approaches for modulation of alginate-chitosan delivery properties.

Alginate is a biopolymer widely used on delivery systems when bioactive protection at acidic pH is required, while chitosan can enhance mucoadhesion and controlled release at alkaline pHs. In this work, alginate ionotropic gelation and electrostatic complexation to chitosan were evaluated concomitantly or in a two-step approach to improve the delivery properties of systems in different pHs. The effect of pH on alginate gelation and chitosan interactions were also evaluated.

Interactions between pea protein and gellan gum for the development of plant-based structures.

Plant-based analogs have been developed to mimic foods from animal sources by using ingredients from vegetable sources. Among the strategies to produce plant-based structures is the gelation of mixtures between plant proteins and polysaccharides. In this study, our aim was to investigate gels of pea proteins and gellan gum with high protein concentration and the addition of salt (potassium and sodium chloride).

An overview on multimodal imaging for the diagnostic workup of pleural mesothelioma.

Pleural mesothelioma (PM) is an aggressive disease that has a strong causal relationship with asbestos exposure and represents a major challenge from both a diagnostic and therapeutic viewpoint. Despite recent improvements in patient care, PM typically carries a poor outcome, especially in advanced stages. Therefore, a timely and effective diagnosis taking advantage of currently available imaging techniques is essential to perform an accurate staging and dictate the most appropriate treatment strategy.

Oligo-Metastatic Cancers: Putative Biomarkers, Emerging Challenges and New Perspectives.

Some cancer patients display a less aggressive form of metastatic disease, characterized by a low tumor burden and involving a smaller number of sites, which is referred to as "oligometastatic disease" (OMD). This review discusses new biomarkers, as well as methodological challenges and perspectives characterizing OMD. Recent studies have revealed that specific microRNA profiles, chromosome patterns, driver gene mutations (, , , , , ), polymorphisms (), and levels of immune cell infiltration into metastases, depending on the tumor type, are associated with an oligometastatic behavior.

An analysis of the immunomodulatory properties of human spheroids from adipose-derived stem cells.

Aims: Current methods to induce tolerance following allotransplantation or in autoimmunity carry significant morbidity, and research is very active in investigating alternative methods which could minimize toxicity. Spheroids from adipose stem cells (SASCs) are increasingly gaining interest, they hold a great proliferative and differentiating potential. An immunomodulatory effect has not been investigated on SASCs yet.

Dose Reduction Strategies for Pregnant Women in Emergency Settings.

In modern clinical practice, there is an increasing dependence on imaging techniques in several settings, and especially during emergencies. Consequently, there has been an increase in the frequency of imaging examinations and thus also an increased risk of radiation exposure. In this context, a critical phase is a woman's pregnancy management that requires a proper diagnostic assessment to reduce radiation risk to the fetus and mother.

Radiation Recall Pneumonitis: The Open Challenge in Differential Diagnosis of Pneumonia Induced by Oncological Treatments.

The treatment of primary and secondary lung neoplasms now sees the fundamental role of radiotherapy, associated with surgery and systemic therapies. The improvement in survival outcomes has also increased attention to the quality of life, treatment compliance and the management of side effects. The role of imaging is not only limited to recognizing the efficacy of treatment but also to identifying, as soon as possible, the uncommon effects, especially when more treatments, such as chemotherapy, immunotherapy and radiotherapy, are associated.

Facilitating access to pneumococcal vaccine for people living with HIV: an experience report.

Objective: The article describes a strategy to facilitate access to pneumococcal conjugate vaccine 13 (PCV-13) for people living with HIV/AIDS (PLHIV) during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Method: report on the experience regarding the organization of a care service for PLHIV in the city of São Paulo to facilitate access to PCV-13 in the framework of the 2020 influenza vaccination campaign during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Results: through the integration between a PLHIV care service and an Immunization Center (CRIE in Portuguese), it was possible to offer PCV-13 to PLHIV at the point of care, reducing physical barriers to access to immunization.

Prevalence and Associated Factors of Cryptococcal Antigenemia in HIV-Infected Patients with CD4 < 200 Cells/µL in São Paulo, Brazil: A Bayesian Analysis.

Cryptococcosis is a severe life-threatening disease and a major cause of mortality in people with advanced AIDS and CD4 ≤ 100 cells/µL. Considering the knowledge gap regarding the benefits of routine application of antigenemia tests in HIV-infected patients with 100−200 CD4 cells/µL for the prevention of cryptococcal meningitis (CM), we aimed to evaluate the prevalence of positive antigenemia through lateral flow assay (LFA) and associated factors in HIV-infected patients with CD4 < 200 cells/µL. Our findings of 3.

Genetic landscape of colorectal cancer patients manifesting tumor shrinkage during SARS-Cov-2 infection.

We previously described three patients affected by metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC) who experienced spontaneous tumour shrinkage during severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection. Thereafter, the patients were closely monitored and no systemic treatments were applied. Here, we report follow-up clinical information about these patients as well as genetic characterization of their primary tumours through the TruSigt™Oncology 500 Next Generation Sequencing test targeting 523 cancer-relevant genes.