Lower urinary tract sub-structures as predictors of late urinary toxicity in concurrent chemo-radiotherapy for anal cancer.

Background And Purpose: Late toxicity is substantial after chemotherapy for anal cancer. This study aimed to investigate the relationship between radiation dose to lower urinary tract sub-structures and the risk of late urinary toxicities, in patients with anal cancer treated with chemoradiotherapy or radiotherapy.

Materials And Methods: From 2015 to 2021, 314 patients with localized anal cancer were included in a national prospective registration study.

Caffeine Therapy for Apnea of Prematurity: Single-Center Study on Dosing Practices and Perceived Effectiveness.

Introduction: Caffeine is the registered pharmacologic treatment for apnea of prematurity and is extensively used in the neonatal intensive care units (NICUs) based on evidence from randomized controlled trials. This study aimed to describe the clinical use of caffeine based on real-world data, hypothesizing a divergence from the registered dosing regimen.

Methods: A retrospective analysis included infants born before 30 weeks of gestation, admitted to the NICU of the Erasmus MC Rotterdam from 2018 to 2021.

Can machine learning assist in systemic sclerosis diagnosis and management? A scoping review.

This scoping review aims to summarize the existing literature on how machine learning can be used to impact systemic sclerosis diagnosis, management, and treatment. Following Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-Analyses extension for Scoping Reviews (PRISMA-ScR) reporting guidelines, Embase, Web of Science, Medline (PubMed), IEEE Xplore, and ACM Digital Library were searched from inception to 3 March 2024, for primary literature reporting on machine learning models in any capacity regarding scleroderma. Following robust triaging, 11 retrospective studies were included in this scoping review.

Diagnosing contact dermatitis using machine learning: A review.

Background: Machine learning (ML) offers an opportunity in contact dermatitis (CD) research, where with full clinical picture, may support diagnosis and patch test accuracy.

Objective: This review aims to summarise the existing literature on how ML can be applied to CD in its entirety.

Methods: Embase, Medline, IEEE Xplore, and ACM Digital Library were searched from inception to February 7, 2024, for primary literature reporting on ML models in CD.

Proactive vaccination using multiviral Quartet Nanocages to elicit broad anti-coronavirus responses.

Defending against future pandemics requires vaccine platforms that protect across a range of related pathogens. Nanoscale patterning can be used to address this issue. Here, we produce quartets of linked receptor-binding domains (RBDs) from a panel of SARS-like betacoronaviruses, coupled to a computationally designed nanocage through SpyTag/SpyCatcher links.

ROAR-A: re-optimization based Online Adaptive Radiotherapy of anal cancer, a prospective phase II trial protocol.

Background: Chemo-radiotherapy with curative intent for anal cancer has high complete remission rates, but acute treatment-related gastrointestinal (GI) toxicity is significant. Toxicity occurs due to irradiation of surrounding normal tissue. Current radiotherapy requires the addition of large planning margins to the radiation field to ensure target coverage regardless of the considerable organ motion in the pelvic region.

Overcoming barriers and stigma: new frontiers in solid organ transplantation for people with HIV.

There is a growing need for solid organ transplantation (SOT) for people living with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). With the advent of antiretroviral therapy, people living with HIV are experiencing increased life expectancies and are, therefore, developing more comorbidities, including end-stage organ disease. In cases of advanced organ failure, SOT is often the best therapeutic option to improve quality of life and overall survival.

Doxapram versus placebo in preterm newborns: a study protocol for an international double blinded multicentre randomized controlled trial (DOXA-trial).

Background: Apnoea of prematurity (AOP) is one of the most common diagnoses among preterm infants. AOP often leads to hypoxemia and bradycardia which are associated with an increased risk of death or disability. In addition to caffeine therapy and non-invasive respiratory support, doxapram might be used to reduce hypoxemic episodes and the need for invasive mechanical ventilation in preterm infants, thereby possibly improving their long-term outcome.

Severe neonatal enterovirus infection in twins with different outcomes: A case report.

Enteroviruses are among the most common causes of acute viral illness worldwide, and in neonates, the clinical course of these infections is heterogeneous. Severe complications, such as myocarditis, are associated with high mortality rates. In this case report, we present the clinical course of premature twins born at 35 weeks of gestational age, suffering from a severe neonatal enterovirus infection with cardiac involvement, which proved fatal in one of the twins.

Interim analysis of patient-reported outcome compliance and dosimetry in a phase 3 randomized clinical trial of oesophagus-sparing spinal radiotherapy.

Background: The randomized clinical trial ESO-SPARE investigates if oesophagus-sparing radiotherapy (RT) can reduce dysphagia in patients with metastatic spinal cord compression (MSCC). Patient-reported outcome (PRO) is the only follow-up measure. Due to the fragile patient population, low respondent compliance was anticipated.

Bioengineered particles expand myelin-specific regulatory T cells and reverse autoreactivity in a mouse model of multiple sclerosis.

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is an autoimmune disease characterized by autoreactive immune cells damaging myelinated nerves, impairing brain function. Treatments aim for tolerance induction to reeducate the immune system to recognize myelin as "self" rather than "foreign." As peripheral immune tolerance is primarily mediated by regulatory T cells (T), we developed a therapy to support T expansion and activity in vivo.

Organ Donors with Human Immunodeficiency Virus and Hepatitis C Virus: Expanding the Donor Pool.

Using organs from donors with treatable infections is a strategy to increase the quality and number of organs for transplantation. For HIV, pilot studies of kidney and liver transplantation from donors with HIV to recipients with HIV demonstrate excellent early outcomes. However, the number of donors and transplants per year remains lower than projected due to several barriers.

ESCRT recruitment to SARS-CoV-2 spike induces virus-like particles that improve mRNA vaccines.

Prime-boost regimens for COVID-19 vaccines elicit poor antibody responses against Omicron-based variants and employ frequent boosters to maintain antibody levels. We present a natural infection-mimicking technology that combines features of mRNA- and protein nanoparticle-based vaccines through encoding self-assembling enveloped virus-like particles (eVLPs). eVLP assembly is achieved by inserting an ESCRT- and ALIX-binding region (EABR) into the SARS-CoV-2 spike cytoplasmic tail, which recruits ESCRT proteins to induce eVLP budding from cells.

Multiviral Quartet Nanocages Elicit Broad Anti-Coronavirus Responses for Proactive Vaccinology.

Defending against future pandemics may require vaccine platforms that protect across a range of related pathogens. The presentation of multiple receptor-binding domains (RBDs) from evolutionarily-related viruses on a nanoparticle scaffold elicits a strong antibody response to conserved regions. Here we produce quartets of tandemly-linked RBDs from SARS-like betacoronaviruses coupled to the mi3 nanocage through a SpyTag/SpyCatcher spontaneous reaction.

Sex-Specific Pain Outcomes Following Microvascular Decompression for Trigeminal Neuralgia.

Background: Trigeminal neuralgia (TN) is more prevalent among women. However, while microvascular decompression (MVD) is the most effective long-term surgical treatment for TN, it is unclear whether it is equally efficacious for men and women. We sought to characterize the relationship between sex and pain outcomes following MVD for TN.

A racial analysis of pain outcomes following microvascular decompression for trigeminal neuralgia.

Objective: Pain outcomes by race in trigeminal neuralgia (TN) are not well investigated. The authors aimed to compare microvascular decompression (MVD) outcomes in TN patients on the basis of self-identified race.

Methods: The authors retrospectively reviewed all patients with TN who underwent MVD at their institution from 2007 to 2020.

ESCRT recruitment to mRNA-encoded SARS-CoV-2 spike induces virus-like particles and enhanced antibody responses.

Prime-boost regimens for COVID-19 vaccines elicit poor antibody responses against Omicron-based variants and employ frequent boosters to maintain antibody levels. We present a natural infection-mimicking technology that combines features of mRNA- and protein nanoparticle-based vaccines through encoding self-assembling enveloped virus-like particles (eVLPs). eVLP assembly is achieved by inserting an ESCRT- and ALIX-binding region (EABR) into the SARS-CoV-2 spike cytoplasmic tail, which recruits ESCRT proteins to induce eVLP budding from cells.

Published Support for Wellness, Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Among Internal Medicine Residency Program Websites.

Introduction: The objective of this study was to review internal medicine residency program websites in the United States based on their published support for wellness, diversity, equity, and inclusion concepts. Inclusion of wellness, diversity, equity, and inclusion on program websites can serve as critical student benchmarks, and it may be paramount to optimize residency program websites accordingly.

Methods: This is a cross-sectional study of the websites of 597 internal medicine residency programs accredited by the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education between March 25 and April 25, 2022.

One-Year Treatment-Related Side Effects and Quality of Life After Chemoradiotherapy in Squamous Cell Carcinoma of the Anus.

Purpose: Patient-reported outcome (PRO) and National Cancer Institute-Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events (NCI-CTCAE) data for patients with squamous cell carcinoma of the anus (SCCA) treated with modern radiation therapy (RT) are lacking. The primary aim of this study was to report bowel and bladder PRO and NCI-CTCAE for patients with SCCA 1 year after RT.

Methods And Materials: From 2015 to 2020, we included patients in a prospective Danish national study.

Online adaptive radiotherapy of anal cancer: Normal tissue sparing, target propagation methods, and first clinical experience.

Background And Purpose: Online adaptive radiotherapy (oART) potentially spares OARs as PTV margins are reduced. This study evaluates dosimetric benefits, compared to standard non-adaptive radiotherapy (non-ART), target propagation methods, and first clinical treatments of CBCT-guided oART of anal cancer.

Materials And Methods: Treatment plans with standard non-ART and reduced oART PTV margins were retrospectively generated for 23 consecutive patients with anal cancer.