Nivolumab combination therapies in patients with advanced gastric and gastroesophageal junction cancer: the phase II FRACTION gastric cancer study.

Background: Nivolumab-based therapies are efficacious with acceptable safety in patients with gastric cancer (GC) and gastroesophageal junction cancer (GEJC). Novel nivolumab-based combination immunotherapies may offer enhanced efficacy in these indications. FRACTION-GC was a signal-seeking, randomized, open-label, phase II adaptive-design trial assessing efficacy and safety of nivolumab in combination with ipilimumab [cytotoxic T lymphocyte antigen-4 (CTLA-4) antibody], relatlimab (lymphocyte-activation gene 3 antibody), or IDO1i (BMS986205, an indoleamine-2,3-dioxygenase-1 inhibitor) in patients with unresectable, advanced/metastatic GC/GEJC.

Direct Scaffold-Coupled Electrical Stimulation of Chondrogenic Progenitor Cells through Graphene Foam Bioscaffolds to Control Mechanical Properties of Graphene Foam - Cell Composites.

Osteoarthritis, a major global cause of pain and disability, is driven by the irreversible degradation of hyaline cartilage in joints. Cartilage tissue engineering presents a promising therapeutic avenue, but success hinges on replicating the native physiological environment to guide cellular behavior and generate tissue constructs that mimic natural cartilage. Although electrical stimulation has been shown to enhance chondrogenesis and extracellular matrix production in 2D cultures, the mechanisms underlying these effects remain poorly understood, particularly in 3D models.

The Management of Non-Muscle-Invasive Bladder Cancer in a Veteran Patient Population: Issues and Recommendations.

The ability of the Veterans Health Administration System to care for veterans with bladder cancer is influenced by the increased complexity of both veterans and the system's capacity to do so, which is determined by personnel and equipment allocation. Herein, we review the guidelines for bladder cancer management in the context of this population and highlight unique veteran characteristics that impact the delivery of bladder cancer care within the Veterans Health Administration System. There are opportunities for standardization and implementation, which can improve the quality of this care, and we summarize the questions for which coordinated research efforts may provide answers.

MCF classifier: Estimating, standardizing, and stratifying medicine carbon footprints, at scale.

Aims: Healthcare accounts for 5% of global greenhouse gas emissions, with medicines making a sizeable contribution. Product-level medicine emission data is limited, hindering mitigation efforts. To address this, we created Medicine Carbon Footprint (MCF) Classifier, to estimate, standardize, stratify and visualize medicine carbon footprints.

Utility of Adrenal Vein Sampling With and Without Ultra-Low Dose ACTH Infusion in the Diagnostic Evaluation of Primary Aldosteronism.

Background: Adrenal vein sampling (AVS), integral to identifying surgically remediable unilateral primary aldosteronism (PA), is technically challenging and subject to fluctuations in cortisol and aldosterone secretion. Intra-procedural adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH), conventionally administered as a 250-μg bolus and/or 50 μg per hour infusion, increases cortisol and aldosterone secretion and can improve AVS success, but may cause discordant lateralisation compared to unstimulated AVS.

Aims: To assess if AVS performed with ultra-low dose ACTH infusion causes discordant lateralisation.

Protocol for an intervention for new parents experiencing moderate psychosocial adversity: pilot feasibility randomised trial.

Background: Parents exposed to psychosocial adversities often experience challenges which, combined with the needs of a new-born infant, can be difficult to manage and increase the risk of poor outcomes for both parents and infants. Psychosocial adversity can disrupt the development of parental-foetal attachment to the baby during pregnancy, which can have a negative effect on parental care and quality of interaction during the postnatal period. This intervention is based on the proposition that enhanced parental capacity to mentalise and emotionally connect to unborn children during pregnancy, and better understanding about how to manage distressing infant behaviour (i.

Dose optimization of pancreatic enzyme replacement therapy is essential to mitigate muscle loss in patients with advanced pancreatic cancer and exocrine pancreatic insufficiency.

Background & Aims: Exocrine pancreatic insufficiency (EPI) contributes to malnutrition, marked by muscle loss during chemotherapy for advanced pancreatic cancer (aPC). Pancreatic enzyme replacement therapy (PERT) is recommended for patients with EPI; however, it's efficacy for attenuating muscle loss has not been demonstrated. We aimed to delineate the impact of PERT dose on muscle loss using a 7-year population-based cohort with aPC who were provided PERT at the discretion of their oncologist or dietitian according to clinical indications of EPI.

Feasibility of two levels of protein intake in patients with colorectal cancer: findings from the Protein Recommendation to Increase Muscle (PRIMe) randomized controlled pilot trial.

Background: Low muscle mass (MM) predicts unfavorable outcomes in cancer. Protein intake supports muscle health, but oncologic recommendations are not well characterized. The objectives of this study were to evaluate the feasibility of dietary change to attain 1.

Advancing body composition assessment in patients with cancer: First comparisons of traditional versus multicompartment models.

Background And Aims: Measurement of body composition using computed tomography (CT) scans may be a viable clinical tool for low muscle mass assessment in oncology. However, longitudinal assessments are often infeasible with CT. Clinically accessible body composition technologies can be used to track changes in fat-free mass (FFM) or muscle, though their accuracy may be impacted by cancer-related physiological changes.

Prognostic value of tumor volume doubling time in lung-metastatic adenoid cystic carcinoma.

Objectives: Lung metastases in adenoid cystic carcinoma (ACC) usually have indolent growth and the optimal timing to start systemic therapy is not established. We assessed ACC lung metastasis tumor growth dynamics and compared the prognostic value of time to progression (TTP) and tumor volume doubling time (TVDT).

Methods: The study included ACC patients with ≥1 pulmonary metastasis (≥5 mm) and at least 2 chest computed tomography scans.

Formulation and Aerosol Jet Printing of Nickel Nanoparticle Ink for High-Temperature Microelectronic Applications and Patterned Graphene Growth.

Aerosol jet printing (AJP) is an advanced manufacturing technique for directly writing nanoparticle inks onto target substrates. It is an emerging reliable, efficient, and environmentally friendly fabrication route for thin film electronics and advanced semiconductor packaging. This fabrication technique is highly regarded for its rapid prototyping, the flexibility of design, and fine feature resolution.

Novel Prostate Biopsy Technique Using Imaging Fusion in a Patient With Absent Rectum.

Introduction: A 70-year-old male with prior total colectomy for ulcerative colitis was referred for elevated prostate specific antigen (PSA) (8.01) with PIRADS 4 lesion on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Described is a novel technique using pre-operative multi-parametric prostate MRI and intraoperative computed tomography (CT) 3D/3D fusion for systematic and targeted prostate biopsy in a patient lacking a rectum.

The macroeconomics of near zero growth of GDP in a world of geopolitical risks and conflicts.

This paper offers an analysis of the macroeconomic conditions for near zero economic growth based on a demand-led growth model, and their implications in terms of paid employment, government finances, and the rate of profit. The main finding of the paper is that a level of net investment compatible with near zero growth would lead to a lower level of paid employment in terms of total hours worked. The effects on the distribution of work and the unemployment level would depend on changes to working time, whether in terms of average hours worked per annum, ages of entry into, and exit from, the work force.

A comparison of the carbon footprint of alternative sampling approaches for cervical screening in the UK: A descriptive study.

Objective: To understand whether self-sampling can reduce carbon emissions (CO e) from the NHS cervical screening programme (NHSCSP) by comparing the carbon footprint of three sampling strategies: routine cervical sampling, vaginal self-sampling and first-void (FV) urine collection.

Design: Descriptive study.

Setting: National Health Service (NHS), United Kingdom (UK).

Gel Rolls Increase Percutaneous Nephrolithotomy Radiation Exposure.

Despite increasing interest in reducing radiation doses during endoscopic stone surgery, there is conflicting evidence as to whether percutaneous nephrolithotomy (PCNL) positioning (prone or supine) impacts radiation. We observed clinically that a patient placed prone on gel rolls had higher than expected radiation with intraoperative CT imaging and that gel rolls were visible on the coaxial imaging. We hypothesized that gel rolls directly increase radiation doses.

Muscle and Adipose Wasting despite Disease Control: Unaddressed Side Effects of Palliative Chemotherapy for Pancreatic Cancer.

Muscle and adipose wasting during chemotherapy for advanced pancreatic cancer (aPC) are associated with poor outcomes. We aimed to quantify the contributions of chemotherapy regimen and tumour progression to muscle and adipose wasting and evaluate the prognostic value of each tissue loss. Of all patients treated for aPC from 2013-2019 in Alberta, Canada ( = 504), computed-tomography (CT)-defined muscle and adipose tissue index changes (∆SMI, ∆ATI, cm/m) were measured for patients with CT images available both prior to and 12 ± 4 weeks after chemotherapy initiation ( = 210).

Correlative Imaging of Three-Dimensional Cell Culture on Opaque Bioscaffolds for Tissue Engineering Applications.

Three-dimensional (3D) tissue engineering (TE) is a prospective treatment that can be used to restore or replace damaged musculoskeletal tissues, such as articular cartilage. However, current challenges in TE include identifying materials that are biocompatible and have properties that closely match the mechanical properties and cellular microenvironment of the target tissue. Visualization and analysis of potential 3D porous scaffolds as well as the associated cell growth and proliferation characteristics present additional problems.

Total energy expenditure assessed by 24-h whole-room indirect calorimeter in patients with colorectal cancer: baseline findings from the PRIMe study.

Background: Total energy expenditure (TEE) determines energy requirements, but objective data in patients with cancer are limited.

Objectives: We aimed to characterize TEE, investigate its predictors, and compare TEE with cancer-specific predicted energy requirements.

Methods: This cross-sectional analysis included patients with stages II-IV colorectal cancer from the Protein Recommendation to Increase Muscle (PRIMe) trial.

Correlative Imaging of 3D Cell Culture on Opaque Bioscaffolds for Tissue Engineering Applications.

Three-dimensional (3D) tissue engineering (TE) is a prospective treatment that can be used to restore or replace damaged musculoskeletal tissues such as articular cartilage. However, current challenges in TE include identifying materials that are biocompatible and have properties that closely match the mechanical properties and cellular environment of the target tissue, while allowing for 3D tomography of porous scaffolds as well as their cell growth and proliferation characterization. This is particularly challenging for opaque scaffolds.