Human respiratory organoids sustained reproducible propagation of human rhinovirus C and elucidation of virus-host interaction.

The lack of a robust system to reproducibly propagate HRV-C, a family of viruses refractory to cultivation in standard cell lines, has substantially hindered our understanding of this common respiratory pathogen. We sought to develop an organoid-based system to reproducibly propagate HRV-C, and characterize virus-host interaction using respiratory organoids. We demonstrate that airway organoids sustain serial virus passage with the aid of CYT387-mediated immunosuppression, whereas nasal organoids that more closely simulate the upper airway achieve this without any intervention.

Accurate Intramyocardial Hemorrhage Assessment with Fast, Free-running, Cardiac Quantitative Susceptibility Mapping.

Purpose To evaluate the performance of a high-dynamic-range quantitative susceptibility mapping (HDR-QSM) cardiac MRI technique to detect intramyocardial hemorrhage (IMH) and quantify iron content using phantom and canine models. Materials and Methods A free-running whole-heart HDR-QSM technique for IMH assessment was developed and evaluated in calibrated iron phantoms and 14 IMH female canine models. IMH detection and iron content quantification performance of this technique was compared with the conventional iron imaging approaches, R2*(1/T2*) maps, using measurements from ex vivo imaging as the reference standard.

Variation in the metagenomic analysis of fecal microbiome composition calls for a standardized operating approach.

The reproducibility in microbiome studies is limited due to the lack of one gold-standard operating procedure. The aim of this study was to examine the impact of protocol variations on microbiome composition using metagenomic data sets from a single center. We assessed the variation in a data set consisted of 2,722 subjects, including 9 subcohorts harboring healthy subjects and patients with various disorders, such as inflammatory bowel disease, colorectal cancer, and type 2 diabetes.

Efficacy and Safety of Fixed-Dose Combinations for Pain in Older Adults.

Pain is common in older adults and managing pain in this population can be challenging owing to altered pharmacokinetics, multimorbidity, polypharmacy, cognitive impairment, and physical frailty. A fixed-dose combination (FDC) analgesic contains two or more pharmaceutical ingredients in a single pill and may offer more benefits when compared with loose-dose formulations. The benefits include reduced pill burden and better adherence, a broader analgesic spectrum well-suited to multimechanistic pain conditions and more predictable pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic properties.

Incidence and Outcomes of Cardiocerebral Infarction: A Cohort Study of 2 National Population-Based Registries.

Background: Cardiocerebral infarction (CCI), which is concomitant with acute myocardial infarction (AMI) and acute ischemic stroke (AIS), is a rare but severe presentation. However, there are few data on CCI, and the treatment options are uncertain. We investigated the characteristics and outcomes of CCI compared with AMI or AIS alone.

Antiarrhythmic Mechanisms of Epidural Blockade After Myocardial Infarction.

Background: Thoracic epidural anesthesia (TEA) has been shown to reduce the burden of ventricular tachycardia in small case series of patients with refractory ventricular tachyarrhythmias and cardiomyopathy. However, its electrophysiological and autonomic effects in diseased hearts remain unclear, and its use after myocardial infarction is limited by concerns for potential right ventricular dysfunction.

Methods: Myocardial infarction was created in Yorkshire pigs (N=22) by left anterior descending coronary artery occlusion.

Comprehensive proteogenomic characterization of rare kidney tumors.

Non-clear cell renal cell carcinomas (non-ccRCCs) encompass diverse malignant and benign tumors. Refinement of differential diagnosis biomarkers, markers for early prognosis of aggressive disease, and therapeutic targets to complement immunotherapy are current clinical needs. Multi-omics analyses of 48 non-ccRCCs compared with 103 ccRCCs reveal proteogenomic, phosphorylation, glycosylation, and metabolic aberrations in RCC subtypes.

Comparing Low- or Standard-Dose Alteplase in Endovascular Thrombectomy: Insights From a Nationwide Registry.

Background: Timely intravenous thrombolysis and endovascular thrombectomy are the standard reperfusion treatments for large vessel occlusion stroke. Currently, it is unknown whether a low-dose thrombolytic agent (0.6 mg/kg alteplase) can offer similar efficacy to the standard dose (0.

Management of Anemia in Renal Palliative Care Clinic: A Patient-Centered Approach.

Background: Despite the growing needs in nondialytic alternatives for conservative kidney management, few studies have examined the management of anemia in palliative care (PC) outpatient clinics, which represent the key point of entry for timely access to PC.

Objective: A retrospective study to review for a patient-centered approach in anemia management and symptom control.

Results: Over the study period from July 2020 to March 2023, a total of 158 patients were seen at our renal PC clinic, 47 were included in data analysis.

Direct Oral Anticoagulant Dosing in Patients With Atrial Fibrillation: An Asian Perspective.

Optimal dosing of direct oral anticoagulants (DOACs) for stroke prevention in "gray area" patients with atrial fibrillation (AF) remains a challenge for clinicians. In Asia, this is concerning in patients who are very elderly, have low body weight, and are at a high risk of bleeding. This review aims to summarize the dose reduction criteria for DOACs, discuss the evidence on dosing of DOACs across Asian regions, and collate opinions from authors across Asia.

Antibodies targeting a quaternary site on SARS-CoV-2 spike glycoprotein prevent viral receptor engagement by conformational locking.

SARS-CoV-2 continues to evolve, with many variants evading clinically authorized antibodies. To isolate monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) with broadly neutralizing capacities against the virus, we screened serum samples from convalescing COVID-19 patients. We isolated two mAbs, 12-16 and 12-19, which neutralized all SARS-CoV-2 variants tested, including the XBB subvariants, and prevented infection in hamsters challenged with Omicron BA.

COVID-19 exposure and psychosis: A comparison of clinical, functional, and cognitive profiles in remitted patients with psychosis.

The impact of Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) on psychiatric care in remitted patients with first-episode psychosis (FEP) remains unknown. This study compared the demographic, clinical, functional, and cognitive profiles of patients recruited before and during the pandemic. The results showed that COVID patients were significantly older, smokers, alcohol users, experienced more stressors, with better functioning than pre-COVID patients.

Excessive fear of clusters of holes, its interaction with stressful life events and the association with anxiety and depressive symptoms: large epidemiological study of young people in Hong Kong.

Background: Excessive and persistent fear of clusters of holes, also known as trypophobia, has been suggested to reflect cortical hyperexcitability and may be associated with mental health risks. No study, however, has yet examined these associations in representative epidemiological samples.

Aims: To examine the prevalence of trypophobia in a population-representative youth sample, its association with mental health and functioning, and its interaction with external stress.

A CRISPR-enhanced metagenomic NGS test to improve pandemic preparedness.

The lack of preparedness for detecting and responding to the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) pathogen (i.e., COVID-19) has caused enormous harm to public health and the economy.

Location-Specific Hematoma Volume Cutoff and Clinical Outcomes in Intracerebral Hemorrhage.

Background: Major intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) trials have largely been unable to demonstrate therapeutic benefit in improving functional outcomes. This may be partly due to the heterogeneity of ICH outcomes based on their location, where a small strategic ICH could be debilitating, thus confounding therapeutic effects. We aimed to determine the ideal hematoma volume cutoff for different ICH locations in predicting ICH outcomes.

Epicardial Adipose Tissue Assessed by Computed Tomography and Echocardiography Are Associated With Adverse Cardiovascular Outcomes: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Background: Epicardial adipose tissue (EAT) has garnered attention as a prognostic and risk stratification factor for cardiovascular disease. This study, via meta-analyses, evaluates the associations between EAT and cardiovascular outcomes stratified across imaging modalities, ethnic groups, and study protocols.

Methods: Medline and Embase databases were searched without date restriction on May 2022 for articles that examined EAT and cardiovascular outcomes.

A Combination of Distinct Vascular Stem/Progenitor Cells for Neovascularization and Ischemic Rescue.

Background: Peripheral vascular disease remains a leading cause of vascular morbidity and mortality worldwide despite advances in medical and surgical therapy. Besides traditional approaches, which can only restore blood flow to native arteries, an alternative approach is to enhance the growth of new vessels, thereby facilitating the physiological response to ischemia.

Methods: The Actin/R26 Rainbow reporter mouse was used for unbiased in vivo survey of injury-responsive vasculogenic clonal formation.

Application of Immersive Virtual Reality for Assessment and Intervention in Psychosis: A Systematic Review.

Virtual reality (VR) has emerged as a safe and non-invasive technology for the assessment of psychotic symptoms, social and cognitive impairments, and psychosocial intervention in improving outcomes in psychosis. This study systematically reviewed the current state of evidence in applying semi- and fully immersive VR for assessing and treating patients with psychosis. A systematic review was conducted adhering to the PRISMA statement and was conducted in Embase, PsycINFO, and PubMed databases for articles published between January 2013 and April 2022, which identified 28 eligible studies, including 12 for assessment and 16 for intervention.

Long-Term Prognosis of Patients With Coexisting Obesity and Malnutrition After Acute Myocardial Infarction: A Cohort Study.

Background: The double burden of malnutrition, described as the coexistence of malnutrition and obesity, is a growing global health issue. This study examines the combined effects of obesity and malnutrition on patients with acute myocardial infarction (AMI).

Methods: Patients presenting with AMI to a percutaneous coronary intervention-capable hospital in Singapore between January 2014 and March 2021 were retrospectively studied.