Effects of injury size on local and systemic immune cell dynamics in volumetric muscle loss.

We took a systems approach to the analysis of macrophage phenotype in regenerative and fibrotic volumetric muscle loss outcomes in mice together with analysis of systemic inflammation and of other leukocytes in the muscle, spleen, and bone marrow. Differences in expression of macrophage phenotype markers occurred as early as day 1, persisted to at least day 28, and were associated with increased numbers of leukocytes in the muscle and bone marrow, increased pro-inflammatory marker expression in splenic macrophages, and changes in the levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines in the blood. The most prominent differences were in muscle neutrophils, which were much more abundant in fibrotic outcomes compared to regenerative outcomes at day 1 after injury.

Safety and efficacy of the Abre™ venous stent in treating thoracic venous stenosis/occlusion: a single-center experience.

Purpose: This study aimed to evaluate the clinical outcomes, technical success, and complications associated with the placement of Abre™ venous stents for central venous stenosis/occlusion (CVS/CVO).

Materials And Methods: A retrospective review was conducted, identifying 21 patients who underwent Abre™ venous stent placement for SVC syndrome at a single institution. Demographic and clinical data were collected, including stent configurations, procedural details, and follow-up outcomes.

Performance of Lung Cancer Prediction Models for Screening-detected, Incidental, and Biopsied Pulmonary Nodules.

Purpose To evaluate the performance of eight lung cancer prediction models on patient cohorts with screening-detected, incidentally detected, and bronchoscopically biopsied pulmonary nodules. Materials and Methods This study retrospectively evaluated promising predictive models for lung cancer prediction in three clinical settings: lung cancer screening with low-dose CT, incidentally detected pulmonary nodules, and nodules deemed suspicious enough to warrant a biopsy. The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve of eight validated models, including logistic regressions on clinical variables and radiologist nodule characterizations, artificial intelligence (AI) on chest CT scans, longitudinal imaging AI, and multimodal approaches for prediction of lung cancer risk was assessed in nine cohorts ( = 898, 896, 882, 219, 364, 117, 131, 115, 373) from multiple institutions.

Tendon Inversion Improves Tendon-to-Bone Healing in a Rat Bicep Tenodesis Model.

Purpose: Tendon-to-bone repair remains a surgical challenge. Although bone tunnel fixation is a common surgical technique whereby soft tissue is expected to heal against a bone tunnel interface, contemporary methods have yet to recapitulate biomechanical similarity to the native enthesis. In this study, we aimed to understand how inside-out longitudinal tendon inversion affects bone tunnel healing with the hypothesis that inversion removes the gliding epitenon surface to facilitate interface healing.

Developing a framework for tracking antimicrobial resistance gene movement in a persistent environmental reservoir.

Mobile genetic elements are key to the global emergence of antibiotic resistance. We successfully reconstructed the complete bacterial genome and plasmid assemblies of isolates sharing the same carbapenemase gene to understand evolution over time in six confined hospital drains over five years. From 82 isolates we identified 14 unique strains from 10 species with 113 carrying plasmids across 16 distinct replicon types.

Imaging in Diagnosis and Active Surveillance for Prostate Cancer: A Review.

Importance: Active surveillance (AS) has become an increasingly important option for managing low-risk and select intermediate-risk prostate cancer. Although imaging, particularly multiparametric magnetic resonance imaging (mpMRI), has emerged in the prebiopsy pathway for the diagnosis of prostate cancer, the role of mpMRI in patient selection for AS and the necessity of prostate biopsies during AS remain poorly defined. Despite well-founded biopsy schedules, there has been substantial investigation into whether imaging may supplant the need for prostate biopsies during AS.

Accuracy of MRI in detecting seminal vesicle invasion in prostate cancer: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Objective: To determine the diagnostic test accuracy of multiparametric magnetic resonance imaging (mpMRI) in detecting seminal vesicle invasion (SVI).

Methods: The Medical Literature Analysis and Retrieval System Online (MEDLINE), PubMed, the Excerpta Medica dataBASE (EMBASE) and Cochrane databases were search up to May 2023. We included studies that investigated the accuracy of mpMRI in detecting SVI when compared to radical prostatectomy specimens as the reference standard.

FAVOR-GPT: a generative natural language interface to whole genome variant functional annotations.

Motivation: Functional Annotation of genomic Variants Online Resources (FAVOR) offers multi-faceted, whole genome variant functional annotations, which is essential for Whole Genome and Exome Sequencing (WGS/WES) analysis and the functional prioritization of disease-associated variants. A versatile chatbot designed to facilitate informative interpretation and interactive, user-centric summary of the whole genome variant functional annotation data in the FAVOR database is needed.

Results: We have developed FAVOR-GPT, a generative natural language interface powered by integrating large language models (LLMs) and FAVOR.

Nucleus subtype classification using inter-modality learning.

Understanding the way cells communicate, co-locate, and interrelate is essential to understanding human physiology. Hematoxylin and eosin (H&E) staining is ubiquitously available both for clinical studies and research. The Colon Nucleus Identification and Classification (CoNIC) Challenge has recently innovated on robust artificial intelligence labeling of six cell types on H&E stains of the colon.

Robotic colorectal resections are associated with less postoperative pain, decreased opioid use, and earlier return to work as compared to the laparoscopic approach.

While robotic and laparoscopic surgeries are both minimally invasive in nature, they are intrinsically different approaches and it is critical to understand outcome differences between the two. Studies evaluating pain outcomes and opioid requirement differences between the robotic and laparoscopic colorectal resections are conflicting and often underpowered. In this retrospective, cohort study, we compare postoperative opioid requirements, reported as morphine milligram equivalents (MME), postoperative average and highest pain scores across postoperative days (POD) 0-5, and return to work in patients who underwent robotic versus laparoscopic colorectal resections.

Learning site-invariant features of connectomes to harmonize complex network measures.

Multi-site diffusion MRI data is often acquired on different scanners and with distinct protocols. Differences in hardware and acquisition result in data that contains site dependent information, which confounds connectome analyses aiming to combine such multi-site data. We propose a data-driven solution that isolates site-invariant information whilst maintaining relevant features of the connectome.

Uncovering patterns of inhaler technique and reliever use: the value of objective, personalized data from a digital inhaler.

Electronic inhalers provide information about patterns of routine inhaler use. During a 12-week study, 360 asthma patients using albuterol Digihaler generated 53,083 inhaler events that were retrospectively analyzed. A total of 41,528 (78%) of the recorded inhalation events were suitable for flow analysis (having a PIF ≥ 18 L/min and <120 L/min).

Early Endoscopic Retrograde Cholangiopancreatography in Gallstone Pancreatitis Is Safe: Results From a Large Single-Center Retrospective Study.

Objectives: There is concern that performing early endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) in the setting of gallstone pancreatitis (GSP) with choledocholithiasis can worsen underlying pancreatitis. This study was designed to assess outcomes of early versus delayed ERCP in patients with GSP with choledocholithiasis in the absence of cholangitis.

Materials And Methods: In this single-center retrospective study, we identified 124 patients who underwent ERCP for choledocholithiasis in the setting of GSP without cholangitis between 2012 and 2022.

Genetic Clustering of Cytoreductive Surgery and Hyperthermic Intraperitoneal Chemotherapy Patients of Colorectal Origin: KRAS and Not TP53 Cluster Alterations are Associated with Poor Outcomes.

Background: The prognostic impact of genetic mutations for patients who undergo cytoreductive surgery (CRS) with hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy (HIPEC) of colorectal origin (CRC) is not well defined.

Objective: We aimed to describe the genetic classifications in an unsupervised fashion, and the outcomes of this patient population.

Methods: A retrospective, bi-institutional study was performed on patients who underwent CRS-HIPEC with targeted mutation data with a median follow-up time of 61 months.

Structure-Mechanics Principles and Mechanobiology of Fibrocartilage Pericellular Matrix: A Pivotal Role of Type V Collagen.

The pericellular matrix (PCM) is the immediate microniche surrounding resident cells in various tissue types, regulating matrix turnover, cell-matrix cross-talk and disease initiation. This study elucidated the structure-mechanical properties and mechanobiological functions of the PCM in fibrocartilage, a family of connective tissues that sustain complex tensile and compressive loads in vivo. Studying the murine meniscus as the model tissue, we showed that fibrocartilage PCM contains thinner, random collagen fibrillar networks that entrap proteoglycans, a structure distinct from the densely packed, highly aligned collagen fibers in the bulk extracellular matrix (ECM).

The interferon-rich skin environment regulates Langerhans cell ADAM17 to promote photosensitivity in lupus.

The autoimmune disease lupus erythematosus (lupus) is characterized by photosensitivity, where even ambient ultraviolet radiation (UVR) exposure can lead to development of inflammatory skin lesions. We have previously shown that Langerhans cells (LCs) limit keratinocyte apoptosis and photosensitivity via a disintegrin and metalloprotease 17 (ADAM17)-mediated release of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) ligands and that LC ADAM17 sheddase activity is reduced in lupus. Here, we sought to understand how the lupus skin environment contributes to LC ADAM17 dysfunction and, in the process, differentiate between effects on LC ADAM17 sheddase function, LC ADAM17 expression, and LC numbers.

Longitudinal Multimodal Transformer Integrating Imaging and Latent Clinical Signatures From Routine EHRs for Pulmonary Nodule Classification.

The accuracy of predictive models for solitary pulmonary nodule (SPN) diagnosis can be greatly increased by incorporating repeat imaging and medical context, such as electronic health records (EHRs). However, clinically routine modalities such as imaging and diagnostic codes can be asynchronous and irregularly sampled over different time scales which are obstacles to longitudinal multimodal learning. In this work, we propose a transformer-based multimodal strategy to integrate repeat imaging with longitudinal clinical signatures from routinely collected EHRs for SPN classification.

Lung CT harmonization of paired reconstruction kernel images using generative adversarial networks.

Background: The kernel used in CT image reconstruction is an important factor that determines the texture of the CT image. Consistency of reconstruction kernel choice is important for quantitative CT-based assessment as kernel differences can lead to substantial shifts in measurements unrelated to underlying anatomical structures.

Purpose: In this study, we investigate kernel harmonization in a multi-vendor low-dose CT lung cancer screening cohort and evaluate our approach's validity in quantitative CT-based assessments.

Curating retrospective multimodal and longitudinal data for community cohorts at risk for lung cancer.

Background: Large community cohorts are useful for lung cancer research, allowing for the analysis of risk factors and development of predictive models.

Objective: A robust methodology for (1) identifying lung cancer and pulmonary nodules diagnoses as well as (2) associating multimodal longitudinal data with these events from electronic health record (EHRs) is needed to optimally curate cohorts at scale.

Methods: In this study, we leveraged (1) SNOMED concepts to develop ICD-based decision rules for building a cohort that captured lung cancer and pulmonary nodules and (2) clinical knowledge to define time windows for collecting longitudinal imaging and clinical concepts.

Safety and efficacy of laquinimod for Huntington's disease (LEGATO-HD): a multicentre, randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled, phase 2 study.

Background: Laquinimod modulates CNS inflammatory pathways thought to be involved in the pathology of Huntington's disease. Studies with laquinimod in transgenic rodent models of Huntington's disease suggested improvements in motor function, reduction of brain volume loss, and prolonged survival. We aimed to evaluate the safety and efficacy of laquinimod in improving motor function and reducing caudate volume loss in patients with Huntington's disease.

Kirigami electronics for long-term electrophysiological recording of human neural organoids and assembloids.

Realizing the full potential of organoids and assembloids to model neural development and disease will require improved methods for long-term, minimally invasive recording of electrical activity. Current technologies, such as patch clamp, penetrating microelectrodes, planar electrode arrays and substrate-attached flexible electrodes, do not allow chronic recording of organoids in suspension, which is necessary to preserve architecture. Inspired by kirigami art, we developed flexible electronics that transition from a two-dimensional to a three-dimensional basket-like configuration with either spiral or honeycomb patterns to accommodate the long-term culture of organoids in suspension.