Now Is the Time to Strengthen Government-Academic Data Infrastructures to Jump-Start Future Public Health Crisis Response.

During public health crises, the significance of rapid data sharing cannot be overstated. In attempts to accelerate COVID-19 pandemic responses, discussions within society and scholarly research have focused on data sharing among health care providers, across government departments at different levels, and on an international scale. A lesser-addressed yet equally important approach to sharing data during the COVID-19 pandemic and other crises involves cross-sector collaboration between government entities and academic researchers.

Plasma Exchange Reduces Aβ Levels in Plasma and Decreases Amyloid Plaques in the Brain in a Mouse Model of Alzheimer's Disease.

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is the most common type of dementia, characterized by the abnormal accumulation of protein aggregates in the brain, known as neurofibrillary tangles and amyloid-β (Aβ) plaques. It is believed that an imbalance between cerebral and peripheral pools of Aβ may play a relevant role in the deposition of Aβ aggregates. Therefore, in this study, we aimed to evaluate the effect of the removal of Aβ from blood plasma on the accumulation of amyloid plaques in the brain.

Lingual electrotactile discrimination ability is associated with the presence of specific connective tissue structures (papillae) on the tongue surface.

Electrical stimulation of nerve endings in the tongue can be used to communicate information to users and has been shown to be highly effective in sensory substitution applications. The anterior tip of the tongue has very small somatosensory receptive fields, comparable to those of the finger tips, allowing for precise two-point discrimination and high tactile sensitivity. However, perception of electrotactile stimuli varies significantly between users, and across the tongue surface.

Scurvy presenting with limp and weakness: a case report.

Background: Scurvy is one of the oldest diseases known to mankind. Although presently rare in the developed world, scurvy was a common potentially fatal disease. In recent times, the most common risk factors for scurvy include alcoholism, low socioeconomic status, and severely poor nutrition or dietary restriction secondary to psychiatric illness or developmental disorders.

Ketoconazole plus Lenalidomide in patients with Castration-Resistant Prostate Cancer (CRPC): results of an open-label phase II study.

Introduction Ketoconazole is CYP-17 inhibitor with demonstrated activity in men with castration-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC). Lenalidomide is an antiangiogenic and immunomodulatory agent with broad antitumor activity. We hypothesized that the modulation of the cellular immune response to apoptosis caused by ketoconazole may be increased with the addition of lenalidomide.

HSD3B1(1245A>C) variant regulates dueling abiraterone metabolite effects in prostate cancer.

Background: A common germline variant in HSD3B1(1245A>C) encodes for a hyperactive 3β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase 1 (3βHSD1) missense that increases metabolic flux from extragonadal precursor steroids to DHT synthesis in prostate cancer. Enabling of extragonadal DHT synthesis by HSD3B1(1245C) predicts for more rapid clinical resistance to castration and sensitivity to extragonadal androgen synthesis inhibition. HSD3B1(1245C) thus appears to define a subgroup of patients who benefit from blocking extragonadal androgens.

Treatment selection for men with metastatic prostate cancer who progress on upfront chemo-hormonal therapy.

Background: Androgen deprivation therapy plus docetaxel (D-ADT) increases overall survival (OS) in men with high-volume, metastatic hormone-sensitive prostate cancer (mHSPC). Although the vast majority of men initially respond to D-ADT, most will progress and develop castration-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC). Little is known about the optimal treatment sequence for men with progressive disease on D-ADT.

The efficacy of VEGFR TKI therapy after progression on immune combination therapy in metastatic renal cell carcinoma.

Background: The outcome of patients who progress on front-line immune-based combination regimens (IC) including immune checkpoint inhibitors (CPI) and receive subsequent systemic therapy is unknown.

Methods: Retrospective analysis of consecutive patients with clear-cell mRCC who progressed on one of seven clinical trials investigating an IC and received ≥1 line of subsequent VEGFR TKI therapy.

Results: Thirty-three patients [median age 57 (37-77), 85% male, 73% ECOG 0] were included.

Atezolizumab in Metastatic Urothelial Carcinoma Outside Clinical Trials: Focus on Efficacy, Safety, and Response to Subsequent Therapies.

Background: Little is known about the outcomes, safety, and response to subsequent therapies of patients with metastatic urothelial carcinoma (mUC) treated with atezolizumab outside clinical trials.

Objectives: The objectives of the study include to report the clinical efficacy and safety of atezolizumab, and the response to future therapies in clinical practice outside clinical trials.

Patient And Methods: This is a retrospective, single-center study including consecutive patients with confirmed mUC who received at least one dose of atezolizumab 1200 mg every 3 weeks between May 2016 and April 2017.

Effect of low-dose cyclophosphamide, ACTH, and IVIG combination immunotherapy on neuroinflammation in pediatric-onset OMS: A retrospective pilot study.

Introduction: Flow cytometric cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) lymphocyte subset analysis has improved the diagnosis of neuroinflammation and identified multiple markers of inflammation in opsoclonus-myoclonus syndrome (OMS). The aim of this exploratory, retrospective study was to analyze the effect of immunotherapy on these markers to determine which agents are disease modifying.

Methods: Cross-sectional immunological observations were made in an IRB-approved case-control study, and patients were treated empirically.

A phase 2 study of OSI-906 (linsitinib, an insulin-like growth factor receptor-1 inhibitor) in patients with asymptomatic or mildly symptomatic (non-opioid requiring) metastatic castrate resistant prostate cancer (CRPC).

Background The inhibition of insulin-like growth factor receptor-1 (IGF-1R) induces cell cycle arrest and enhancing the effect of castration by delay of progression of human prostate cancer models. Linsitinib is a small molecule and potent dual inhibitor of IGF-1R and insulin receptor tyrosine kinase activity. We report results of a single-arm, phase II study evaluating the safety and efficacy of linsitinib in men with chemotherapy-naïve asymptomatic or mildly symptomatic metastatic castration resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC).

Case-control, exploratory study of cerebrospinal fluid chemokines/cytokines and lymphocyte subsets in childhood Tourette syndrome with positive streptococcal markers.

A longstanding question is whether neuroinflammation is present in children symptomatic for Tourette syndrome (TS) with positive streptococcal serology and throat cultures. The objective was to directly test for it using modern hypothesis-driven approaches. Profiling studies for 14 immune cell types (flow cytometry), 7 chemokines/cytokines (ELISA), oligoclonal bands, and other immunoglobulins were performed in this IRB-approved study of 5 children with TS and streptococcal markers compared to data from 26 non-inflammatory pediatric neurological controls.

Brown-Vialetto-Van Laere Syndrome as a Mimic of Neuroimmune Disorders: 3 Cases From the Clinic and Review of the Literature.

We present 3 patients identified at 2 different institutions with Brown-Vialetto-Van Laere syndrome. Each patient was initially diagnosed with a neuroimmune disorder for a period of a few weeks to a few months. In each case, genetic analysis revealed mutations in one of the riboflavin transporters, confirming Brown-Vialetto-Van Laere syndrome.

Sargramostim (GM-CSF) and lenalidomide in castration-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC): results from a phase I-II clinical trial.

Background: Granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF) is a pleiotropic cytokine that stimulates dendritic cells (DCs) and promotes uptake of tumor antigens by DCs leading to T-cell cross-priming. Lenalidomide (Revlimid) is an immunomodulatory analog of thalidomide with significant T-cell stimulatory and antiangiogenic properties. GM-CSF in combination with thalidomide induces prostate-specific antigen (PSA) responses in 20% to 25% of patients with castration-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC).

Assessment of owner willingness to treat or manage diseases of dogs and cats as a guide to shelter animal adoptability.

Objective: To determine community approaches to medical and behavioral diseases in dogs and cats.

Design: Cross-sectional descriptive study.

Sample: 97 companion animal veterinarians and 424 animal owners.

Urothelial cancers: ureter, renal pelvis, and bladder.

Objectives: To review the diagnosis, treatment, and nursing management of patients with urothelial cancers.

Data Sources: PubMed, Ovid MEDLINE, Text books, and clinical experience.

Conclusion: Progress is being made in the surgical and systemic management of urothelial cancers, and the oncology nurse is in a position to make an impact on patient education and overall quality of life.

Phase 1 dose-escalation trial of tremelimumab plus sunitinib in patients with metastatic renal cell carcinoma.

Background: On the basis of potential additive or synergistic immunostimulatory antitumor effects, in this phase 1 study, the authors evaluated the combination of sunitinib and tremelimumab (CP-675206; an antibody against cytotoxic T-lymphocyte-associated antigen 4 [CTLA4]) in patients with metastatic renal cell carcinoma (mRCC) was evaluated.

Methods: Adult patients with mRCC who had received ≤ 1 previous systemic treatment received tremelimumab (6 mg/kg, 10 mg/kg, or 15 mg/kg) intravenously once every 12 weeks and oral sunitinib (50 mg daily for 4 weeks then 2 weeks off or 37.5 mg daily as a continuous dose).

A phase I study of sunitinib plus bevacizumab in advanced solid tumors.

Purpose: Bevacizumab is an antibody against vascular endothelial growth factor; sunitinib is an inhibitor of vascular endothelial growth factor and related receptors. The safety and maximum tolerated dose of sunitinib plus bevacizumab was assessed in this phase I trial.

Experimental Design: Patients with advanced solid tumors were treated on a 3+3 trial design.

Cerebrospinal fluid ACTH and cortisol in opsoclonus-myoclonus: effect of therapy.

Opsoclonus-myoclonus syndrome is one of a few corticotropin (ACTH)-responsive central nervous system disorders of childhood. We measured cerebrospinal fluid ACTH and cortisol in 69 children with opsoclonus-myoclonus and 25 age- and sex-matched control subjects to determine endogenous levels and look for hypothesized differential hormonal effects of ACTH and corticosteroid treatment. Cerebrospinal fluid cortisol was 10-fold higher with ACTH treatment (n = 26), but was unchanged with oral steroid treatment (n = 18) or no treatment (n = 25).

Evidence of cellular immune activation in children with opsoclonus-myoclonus: cerebrospinal fluid neopterin.

To evaluate cellular immune activation in opsoclonus-myoclonus syndrome, we measured the inflammatory marker neopterin in the cerebrospinal fluid of 16 children with opsoclonus-myoclonus and neuroblastoma, 24 children with opsoclonus-myoclonus but no tumor, and 19 age-matched controls. The mean concentration in opsoclonus-myoclonus was 2.3-fold higher than in controls (P = .

Neuroepidemiologic trends in 105 US cases of pediatric opsoclonus-myoclonus syndrome.

Opsoclonus-myoclonus syndrome (OMS) is a rare, autoimmune neurological disorder that is poorly recognized and undertreated. Neuroblastoma is found in one half of the cases. Because of the high incidence of spontaneous regression of neuroblastoma, it is unknown whether not finding a tumor means there was none.

Immunophenotype of blood lymphocytes in neuroblastoma-associated opsoclonus-myoclonus.

Objective: To determine whether the distribution of peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) is altered in paraneoplastic opsoclonus-myoclonus (POM).

Methods: PBMCs from 17 children with POM, 17 children with OM but no tumor, and 17 controls were immunophenotyped using a comprehensive panel of surface markers by dual-laser flow cytometry. All groups were matched for age and gender; POM and OM patients were matched for treatment.