Immune checkpoint inhibitors and risk of immune-mediated adverse events: a cohort study comparing extended versus standard interval administration.

The COVID-19 pandemic precipitated the implementation of extended interval immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) in an effort to limit hospital visits, but few studies have examined their safety. This study aimed to compare in oncology outpatients, immune-mediated adverse events (IMAEs) in terms of total number, incidence, severity, and time to occurrence, based on exposure to standard or extended interval ICIs. A retrospective cohort study was conducted in patients who received at least one dose of an ICI between 2015 and 2021.

Angiostatic freeze or angiogenic move? Acute cold stress prevents angiokine secretion from murine myotubes but primes primary endothelial cells for greater migratory capacity.

The skeletal muscle tissue can adapt to exercise and environmental stressors with a remarkable plasticity. Prolonged cold stress exposure has been associated to increased skeletal muscle capillarization. Angioadaptation refers to the coordinated molecular and cellular processes that influence the remodeling of skeletal muscle microvasculature.

Effectiveness of a Novel ω-3 Krill Oil Agent in Patients With Severe Hypertriglyceridemia: A Randomized Clinical Trial.

Importance: Intense interest exists in novel ω-3 formulations with high bioavailability to reduce blood triglyceride (TG) levels.

Objective: To determine the phase 3 efficacy and safety of a naturally derived krill oil with eicosapentaenoic acid and docosahexaenoic acid as both phospholipid esters (PLs) and free fatty acids (FFAs) (ω-3-PL/FFA [CaPre]), measured by fasting TG levels and other lipid parameters in severe hypertriglyceridemia.

Design, Setting, And Participants: This study pooled the results of 2 identical randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trials.

Impact of Split Dosing the First Rituximab Infusion in Patients with High Lymphocyte Count.

The most common adverse reactions to rituximab are infusion-related reactions (IRR). We evaluated the efficacy of split dosing the first rituximab infusion over two days to reduce IRR incidence in patients with hematological cancer and a high lymphocyte count. This is a retrospective observational study conducted in two healthcare centers in Quebec, Canada.

Altitude, Exercise, and Skeletal Muscle Angio-Adaptive Responses to Hypoxia: A Complex Story.

Hypoxia, defined as a reduced oxygen availability, can be observed in many tissues in response to various physiological and pathological conditions. As a hallmark of the altitude environment, ambient hypoxia results from a drop in the oxygen pressure in the atmosphere with elevation. A hypoxic stress can also occur at the cellular level when the oxygen supply through the local microcirculation cannot match the cells' metabolic needs.

Evaluation of OM3-PL/FFA Pharmacokinetics After Single and Multiple Oral Doses in Healthy Volunteers.

Purpose: The US Food and Drug Administration has approved several omega-3 (OM3)-containing prescription drugs for the treatment of severe hypertriglyceridemia (HTG). However, there is still a need to develop formulations with high bioavailability irrespective of the fat content and time of the meal. OM3-phospholipid (PL)/free fatty acid (FFA) is an investigational drug for the treatment of severe HTG containing naturally derived krill oil mixture of OM3, mainly eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) as PL esters and as FFA.

A Single-dose, Comparative Bioavailability Study of a Formulation containing OM3 as Phospholipid and Free Fatty Acid to an Ethyl Ester Formulation in the Fasting and Fed States.

Purpose: Formulations of ω (OM)-3 with adequate bioavailability in the low-fat fed state are advantageous in patients with severe hypertriglyceridemia (HTG), as these patients are advised to adhere to a low-fat diet. The OM3-containing prescription drugs approved by the US Food and Drug administration (FDA) provide OM3 in either ethyl ester (EE) or free fatty acid (FFA) forms. The OM3 FFA form and formulations with micelle-forming ability have shown improved bioavailability versus the EE form.

Risk of pulmonary toxicity of bleomycin and filgrastim.

Objectives: To estimate the relative risk of pulmonary toxicity in patients exposed to a bleomycin-based chemotherapy including filgrastim compared to a similar chemotherapy without filgrastim.

Methods: We conducted a nested case-control study of patients treated with BEP (bleomycin, etoposide and cisplatin) for germ cell cancer or with ABVD (doxorubicin, bleomycin, vinblastine and dacarbazine) for Hodgkin's lymphoma at the Hôtel-Dieu de Lévis Hospital between 31 October 2000 and 30 June 2016. The relative risk was estimated by an adjusted odds ratio (aOR) using a propensity score-adjusted regression analysis.

Higher risk of neutropenia associated with piperacillin-tazobactam compared with ticarcillin-clavulanate in children.

Background: A series of cases of piperacillin-tazobactam (P/T)-associated neutropenia has been observed recently in children in our center. Because neutropenia was seldom observed in children treated with ticarcillin-clavulanic acid (T/C), we conducted a study to determine if there is an increased risk of neutropenia in children exposed to P/T in comparison with T/C.

Methods: Medical records of subjects aged <18 years who received at least 1 dose of P/T or T/C between 1 January 2008 and 30 June 2011 were reviewed.

The whey fermentation product malleable protein matrix decreases TAG concentrations in patients with the metabolic syndrome: a randomised placebo-controlled trial.

Animal and human studies suggest that a malleable protein matrix (MPM) from whey decreases plasma lipid concentrations and may positively influence other components of the metabolic syndrome such as glucose metabolism and blood pressure (BP). The primary objective of this double-blind, multi-centre trial was to investigate the effects of a low-fat yoghurt supplemented with whey MPM on fasting TAG concentrations in patients with the metabolic syndrome. A total of 197 patients were randomised to receive MPM or a matching placebo yoghurt identical in protein content (15 g/d).

Supervisors' perception of the factors influencing the return to work of workers with common mental disorders.

Introduction: Over the last decade, common mental disorders have become an area of major concern in the field of work disability prevention due to the rising number of claims, costs, and impacts on quality of life. It has been shown that supervisory behavior influences return-to-work outcomes. This study aimed to investigate the perception held by supervisors involved in work disability management, of the factors facilitating or hindering the return to work of workers with common mental disorders.

Protective effects of angiotensin AT1 receptor blockade in malignant hypertension in the rat.

We investigated the role of angiotensin II and endothelin-1 using the angiotensin AT1 receptor antagonist losartan and the endothelin ETA receptor antagonist atrasentan, in malignant hypertension and renal failure and damage induced by nitric oxide (NO) synthase inhibition in Harlan Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats. We also evaluated whether the protective effects of losartan go beyond the blood pressure reduction. Within only 3 weeks of treatment with the NO synthase inhibitor N(omega)-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester (L-NAME), Harlan SD rats developed malignant hypertension with renal failure and injuries.

Public health insurance under a nonbenevolent state.

This paper explores the consequences of the oft ignored fact that public health insurance must actually be supplied by the state. Depending how the state is modeled, different health insurance outcomes are expected. The benevolent model of the state does not account for many actual features of public health insurance systems.

Immunomodulation by a malleable matrix composed of fermented whey proteins and lactic acid bacteria.

Functional foods and nutraceuticals have gained in popularity over the last 10 years. Among natural health products, whey proteins and fermented milk products are paramount. A malleable protein matrix (MPM), composed of whey fermented by a lactic acid bacterium, capsular exopolysaccharides, vitamins, minerals, and peptides generated during the fermentation process, has the potential to be unique by combining multiple health-promoting components.

Anti-inflammatory potential of a malleable matrix composed of fermented whey proteins and lactic acid bacteria in an atopic dermatitis model.

Background: Over the last 10 years, whey proteins have received considerable attention in the area of functional foods and nutraceuticals. In this paper, a novel fermented whey protein-based product described as a gel-like Malleable Protein Matrix (MPM) has been tested for its anti-inflammatory activity. Preliminary in vitro results have already indicated that MPM could exert such an anti-inflammatory activity.

Socioeconomic and health benefits of lactoceuticals.

The rapid increase of healthcare and medication costs is a growing problem for industrialized countries. Several factors contribute to this problem and solutions are imperative to help the situation. In this review, the concept of lactoceuticals is introduced and why this class of product could have an impact in reducing healthcare and medication costs is explained.

Technological advances to increase immunogenicity of DNA vaccines.

The latest clinical data obtained with DNA vaccines against HIV and malaria have shown promise, but it is clear that when DNA vaccines are compared with other vaccine vector delivery systems, there is still room for improvement. Further development is more than possible, based on the wealth of information accumulating on methods and approaches to increase immunogenicity of DNA vaccines. Thus, the goal of this review is to summarize some of the latest technological advances to increase immunogenicity of DNA vaccines administered by the im.

Design and formulation of polyplexes based on pluronic-polyethyleneimine conjugates for gene transfer.

Previously, we reported the evaluation of several polyplex-based gene delivery systems with respect to their effectiveness, toxicity, and cell type dependence in vitro. One system, P123-g-PEI(2K), a cationic graft block copolymer, is of particular interest as it has been demonstrated to successfully deliver genetic material to murine liver following systemic delivery [Nguyen, H. K.

Pluronic block copolymers: novel functional molecules for gene therapy.

Pluronic block copolymers are recognized pharmaceutical excipients listed in the US and British Pharmacopoeia. They have been used extensively in a variety of pharmaceutical formulations including delivery of low molecular mass drugs and polypeptides. This review describes novel applications of Pluronic block copolymers in gene therapy.