Comparative mortality in pituitary adenomas subtypes: a tertiary referral center study.

Purpose: Mortality in pituitary adenomas (PAs) has been extensively compared to general population. However, direct comparisons between PA subtypes are scarce. We aimed to compare mortality in various subtypes of PA (acromegaly, Cushing's disease (CD), macroprolactinomas and non-functioning pituitary macroadenomas (MacroNFPA)), within a single referral center.

Comprehensive genomic profiling by liquid biopsy captures tumor heterogeneity and identifies cancer vulnerabilities in patients with RAS/BRAF wild-type metastatic colorectal cancer in the CAPRI 2-GOIM trial.

Background: Emerging evidence supports tumor tissue-based comprehensive genomic profiling (CGP) in metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC). Data on liquid biopsy-based circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) CGP are scarce and mainly retrospective. Prospective comparison between the two tests is not currently available.

RNAseq of INOCA patients identifies innate, invariant, and acquired immune changes: potential autoimmune microvascular dysfunction.

Background: Ischemia with non-obstructive coronary arteries (INOCA) is a major clinical entity that involves potentially 20%-30% of patients with chest pain. INOCA is typically attributed either to coronary microvascular disease and/or vasospasm, but is likely distinct from classical coronary artery disease (CAD).

Objectives: To gain insights into the etiology of INOCA and CAD, RNA sequencing of whole blood from patients undergoing both stress testing and elective invasive coronary angiography (ICA) was conducted.

Durvalumab Plus Gemcitabine and Cisplatin Versus Gemcitabine and Cisplatin in Biliary Tract Cancer: a Real-World Retrospective, Multicenter Study.

Background: The TOPAZ-1 phase III trial reported a survival benefit with the anti-programmed cell death ligand 1 (anti-PD-L1) durvalumab in combination with gemcitabine and cisplatin in patients with advanced biliary tract cancer (BTC).

Objective: The present study investigated for the first time the impact on survival of adding durvalumab to cisplatin/gemcitabine compared with cisplatin/gemcitabine in a real-world setting.

Patients And Methods: The analyzed population included patients with unresectable, locally advanced, or metastatic BTC treated with durvalumab in combination with cisplatin/gemcitabine or with cisplatin/gemcitabine alone.

Patterned Sensory Enhancement, a Music Rehabilitation Therapy for Elderly Patients with Neuromotor Deficit during the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Pilot Study.

(1) Background: The Patterned Sensory Enhancement (PSE) technique refers to a music-based rehabilitation therapy strategy used in neurological pathologies. (2) Methods: This study aims at developing a music-drill protocol for recovery in elderly patients with neuromuscular degenerative pathologies. Each music drill is based on a number of specific music-composition parameters.

Exploring the link between hedonic overeating and prefrontal cortex dysfunction in the Ts65Dn trisomic mouse model.

Individuals with Down syndrome (DS) have a higher prevalence of obesity compared to the general population. Conventionally, this has been attributed to endocrine issues and lack of exercise. However, deficits in neural reward responses and dopaminergic disturbances in DS may be contributing factors.

RNAseq profiling of blood from patients with coronary artery disease: Signature of a T cell imbalance.

Background: Cardiovascular disease had a global prevalence of 523 million cases and 18.6 million deaths in 2019. The current standard for diagnosing coronary artery disease (CAD) is coronary angiography either by invasive catheterization (ICA) or computed tomography (CTA).

Intensive assessment of executive functions derived from performance in cognitive training games.

Traditional neuropsychological tests accurately describe the current cognitive state but fall short to characterize cognitive change over multiple short time periods. We present an innovative approach to remote monitoring of executive functions on a monthly basis, which leverages the performance indicators from self-administered computerized cognitive training games (NUP-EXE). We evaluated the measurement properties of NUP-EXE in N = 56 individuals (59% women, 60-80 years) at increased risk of Alzheimer's disease (-ϵ4 carriers with subjective cognitive decline) who completed a 12-month multimodal intervention for preventing cognitive decline.

A transcriptomic signature of X chromosome overdosage in Saudi Klinefelter syndrome induced pluripotent stem cells.

Objective: The transcriptional landscape of Klinefelter syndromeduring early embryogenesis remains elusive. This study aimed to evaluate the impact of X chromosome overdosage in 47,XXY males induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) obtained from patients with different genomic backgrounds and ethnicities.

Design And Method: We derived and characterized 15 iPSC lines from four Saudi 47,XXY KS patients and one Saudi 46,XY male.

Diagnostic accuracy of novel mRNA blood biomarkers of infection to predict outcomes in emergency department patients with undifferentiated abdominal pain.

Abdominal pain represents greater than 20% of US Emergency Department (ED) visits due to a wide range of illnesses. There are currently no reliable blood biomarkers to predict serious outcomes in patients with abdominal pain. Our previous studies have identified three mRNA transcripts related to innate immune activation: alkaline phosphatase (ALPL), interleukin-8 receptor-β (IL8RB), and defensin-1 (DEFA1) as promising candidates to detect an intra-abdominal infection.

Proteomic profiling reveals mitochondrial dysfunction in the cerebellum of transgenic mice overexpressing DYRK1A, a Down syndrome candidate gene.

Introduction: DYRK1A is a dual-specificity kinase that is overexpressed in Down syndrome (DS) and plays a key role in neurogenesis, neuronal differentiation and function, cognitive phenotypes, and aging. Dyrk1A has also been implicated in cerebellar abnormalities observed in association with DS, and normalization of Dyrk1A dosage rescues granular and Purkinje cell densities in a trisomic DS mouse model. However, the underlying molecular mechanisms governing these processes are unknown.

Long-Term Effects of Breast Cancer Therapy and Care: Calm after the Storm?

Breast cancer is still a lethal disease and the leading cause of death in women, undermining patients' survival and quality of life. Modern techniques of surgery and radiotherapy allow for the obtaining of good results in terms of survival, however they cause long-term side effects that persist over time, such as lymphedema and neuropathy. Similarly, the advent of new therapies such as endocrine therapy revolutionized breast cancer outcomes, but side effects are still present even in years of follow-up after cure.

Co-delivery of gemcitabine and salinomycin in PEGylated liposomes for enhanced anticancer efficacy against colorectal cancer.

Colorectal cancer remains one of the major causes of morbidity and mortality in both developed and emerging countries. Cancer stem cells (CSCs) are a subpopulation of cells within the tumor mass harboring stem cell characteristics, considered responsible for tumor initiation, growth, relapse, and treatment failure. Lately, it has become clear that both CSCs and non-CSCs have to be eliminated for the successful eradication of cancer.

A Quality by Design Approach in Pharmaceutical Development of Non-Viral Vectors with a Focus on miRNA.

Cancer is the leading cause of death worldwide. Tumors consist of heterogeneous cell populations that have different biological properties. While conventional cancer therapy such as chemotherapy, radiotherapy, and surgery does not target cancer cells specifically, gene therapy is attracting increasing attention as an alternative capable of overcoming these limitations.

Baseline Plasma Tumor DNA (ctDNA) Correlates with PSA Kinetics in Metastatic Castration-Resistant Prostate Cancer (mCRPC) Treated with Abiraterone or Enzalutamide.

Background: Baseline high circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) fraction in plasma and androgen receptor (AR) copy number (CN) gain identify mCRPC patients with worse outcomes. This study aimed to assess if ctDNA associates with PSA kinetics. Methods: In this prospective biomarker study, we evaluate ctDNA fraction and AR CN from plasma samples.

Adjuvant chemotherapy after neoadjuvant chemo-radiotherapy and surgery in locally advanced rectal cancer. A systematic review of literature with a meta-analysis of randomized clinical trials.

Although no definitive data exist in literature, adjuvant chemotherapy is usually recommended in patients with radically resected stage III rectal cancer treated with neo-adjuvant chemo-radiotherapy. We performed a systematic review of literature with direct and indirect comparisons to assess the role of adjuvant mono- or poli-chemotherapy in radically resected rectal cancer treated with neoadjuvant chemo-radiotherapy. Neither chemotherapy (mono-or poli-chemotherapy) nor polichemotherapy with oxaliplatin-containing regimens seems to improve Overall Survival and Disease-Free Survival in patients with radically resected rectal cancer treated with neoadjuvant chemo-adiotherapy.

RNA Sequencing in COVID-19 patients identifies neutrophil activation biomarkers as a promising diagnostic platform for infections.

Infection with the SARS-CoV2 virus can vary from asymptomatic, or flu-like with moderate disease, up to critically severe. Severe disease, termed COVID-19, involves acute respiratory deterioration that is frequently fatal. To understand the highly variable presentation, and identify biomarkers for disease severity, blood RNA from COVID-19 patient in an intensive care unit was analyzed by whole transcriptome RNA sequencing.

Transcriptional biomarkers of response to pharmacological treatments in severe mental disorders: A systematic review.

Variation in the expression level and activity of genes involved in drug disposition and action in tissues of pharmacological importance have been increasingly investigated in patients treated with psychotropic drugs. Findings are promising, but reliable predictive biomarkers of response have yet to be identified. Here we conducted a PRISMA-compliant systematic search of PubMed, Scopus and PsycInfo up to 12 September 2020 for studies investigating RNA expression levels in cells or biofluids from patients with major depressive disorder, schizophrenia or bipolar disorder characterized for response to psychotropic drugs (antidepressants, antipsychotics or mood stabilizers) or adverse effects.

The role of TRPC6 calcium channels and P2 purinergic receptors in podocyte mechanical and metabolic sensing.

Podocyte calcium (Ca2+) signaling plays important roles in the (patho)physiology of the glomerular filtration barrier. Overactivation of podocyte transient receptor potential canonical (TRPC) channels including TRPC6 and purinergic signaling via P2 receptors that are known mechanosensors can increase podocyte intracellular Ca2+ levels ([Ca2+]i) and cause cell injury, proteinuria and glomerular disease including in diabetes. However, important mechanistic details of the trigger and activation of these pathways in vivo in the intact glomerular environment are lacking.

RNAseq analysis of treatment-dependent signaling changes during inflammation in a mouse cutaneous wound healing model.

Background: Despite proven therapeutic effects in inflammatory conditions, the specific mechanisms of phytochemical therapies are not well understood. The transcriptome effects of Traumeel (Tr14), a multicomponent natural product, and diclofenac, a non-selective cyclooxygenase (COX) inhibitor, were compared in a mouse cutaneous wound healing model to identify both known and novel pathways for the anti-inflammatory effect of plant-derived natural products.

Methods: Skin samples from abraded mice were analyzed by single-molecule, amplification-free RNAseq transcript profiling at 7 points between 12 and 192 h after injury.

Social Factors Influence Behavior in the Novel Object Recognition Task in a Mouse Model of Down Syndrome.

The use of mouse models has revolutionized the field of Down syndrome (DS), increasing our knowledge about neuropathology and helping to propose new therapies for cognitive impairment. However, concerns about the reproducibility of results in mice and their translatability to humans have become a major issue, and controlling for moderators of behavior is essential. Social and environmental factors, the experience of the researcher, and the sex and strain of the animals can all have effects on behavior, and their impact on DS mouse models has not been explored.