Slamming hepatocellular carcinoma: targeting immunosuppressive macrophages via SLAMF7 reprograms the tumor microenvironment.

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the most common form of primary liver cancer and one of the leading causes of cancer-related deaths worldwide due to limited treatment options. The tumor microenvironment (TME), which is usually immunosuppressive in HCC, appears to be a decisive factor for response to immunotherapy and strategies aimed at inducing a more inflamed TME hold promise to overcome resistance to immunotherapy. Within the TME, the interplay of various cell types determines whether immunotherapy is successful.

Single-cell microbiota phenotyping reveals distinct disease and therapy-associated signatures in Crohn's disease.

IgA-coated fractions of the intestinal microbiota of Crohn's disease (CD) patients have been shown to contain taxa that hallmark the compositional dysbiosis in CD microbiomes. However, the correlation between other cellular properties of intestinal bacteria and disease has not been explored further, especially for features that are not directly driven by the host immune-system, e.g.

Relationships of eating behaviors with psychopathology, brain maturation and genetic risk for obesity in an adolescent cohort study.

Unhealthy eating, a risk factor for eating disorders (EDs) and obesity, often coexists with emotional and behavioral problems; however, the underlying neurobiological mechanisms are poorly understood. Analyzing data from the longitudinal IMAGEN adolescent cohort, we investigated associations between eating behaviors, genetic predispositions for high body mass index (BMI) using polygenic scores (PGSs), and trajectories (ages 14-23 years) of ED-related psychopathology and brain maturation. Clustering analyses at age 23 years ( = 996) identified 3 eating groups: restrictive, emotional/uncontrolled and healthy eaters.

Aura phenomenon: a proposal for an etiology-based clinical classification.

Background: The term "aura" refers to a well-defined pattern of usually positive, progressive, and reversible neurological symptoms, with spreading depolarization as the underlying mechanism. While commonly associated with migraine, aura can also occur in other neurological disorders (i.e.

Flow Cytometric Assessment of FcγRIIIa-V158F Polymorphisms and NK Cell Mediated ADCC Revealed Reduced NK Cell Functionality in Colorectal Cancer Patients.

Antibody-dependent cell-mediated cytotoxicity (ADCC) by NK cells is a key mechanism in anti-cancer therapies with monoclonal antibodies, including cetuximab (EGFR-targeting) and avelumab (PDL1-targeting). Fc gamma receptor IIIa (FcγRIIIa) polymorphisms impact ADCC, yet their clinical relevance in NK cell functionality remains debated. We developed two complementary flow cytometry assays: one to predict the FcγRIIIa-V158F polymorphism using a machine learning model, and a 15-color flow cytometry panel to assess antibody-induced NK cell functionality and cancer-immune cell interactions.

Effectiveness of a comic book intervention on mental health literacy among adolescents and youth in Burkina Faso: a randomized controlled trial protocol.

Background: In Burkina Faso, nearly half of the population is under 15 years old, and one in four adolescents experience depression. This underscores the critical need to enhance mental health literacy among adolescents and youth, empowering them to manage their mental well-being effectively. Comic books offer an engaging approach to health education, yet their effectiveness in addressing mental health remains largely untested.

Implant-based reconstruction and adjuvant radiotherapy in breast cancer patients-current status and DEGRO recommendations.

Purpose: The aim of this review is to give an overview of the results of prospective and retrospective studies using allogenic reconstruction and postmastectomy radiotherapy (PMRT) in breast cancer and to make recommendations regarding this interdisciplinary approach.

Materials And Methods: A PubMed search was conducted to extract relevant articles from 2000 to 2024. The search was performed using the following terms: (breast cancer) AND (reconstruction OR implant OR expander) AND (radiotherapy OR radiation).

Redefining endoluminal biliary drainage: Challenges and innovations in endosonography-guided techniques.

Endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography is considered the gold standard for treating benign and malignant biliary obstructions. However, its use in complex biliary obstructions is limited. Over the past decades, therapeutic endosonography (EUS) and emerging technologies such as lumen-apposing metal stents have enabled endoscopic treatment of conditions previously requiring non-endoscopic or surgical approaches.

Cost analysis of laparoscopic total versus open total gastrectomy in gastric cancer.

Purpose: Despite ongoing discussions concerning clinical equivalence of laparoscopic total gastrectomy (LTG) compared to open total gastrectomy (OTG) in gastric cancer (GC) surgery, complementary evidence regarding financial implications is sparse. The aim of this study was to compare hospital associated expenses and perioperative outcomes between both approaches.

Methods: Clinicopathological and financial data from 80 consecutive GC patients undergoing LTG or OTG between 2015 and 2022 were investigated.

False Alarms in Wearable Cardioverter Defibrillators-A Relevant Issue or an Insignificant Observation.

The wearable cardioverter defibrillator (WCD) has emerged as a valuable tool used for temporary protection from sudden cardiac death. However, since the WCD uses surface electrodes to detect arrhythmias, it is susceptible to inappropriate detection. Although shock conversion rates for the WCD are reported to be high for detected events, its efficacy in clinical practice tends to be degraded by patient noncompliance.

Impact of thrombocytopenia on failure of endoscopic variceal treatment in cirrhotic patients with acute variceal bleeding.

Background: Acute variceal bleeding (AVB), a life-threatening complication of liver cirrhosis, can be effectively treated by endoscopy, but there is a risk of early rebleeding after endoscopic variceal treatment (EVT). Thrombocytopenia is the most common hemostatic abnormality in liver cirrhosis. However, it is still unclear about whether thrombocytopenia increases the failure of EVT in cirrhotic patients with AVB.

Atrial fibrillation ablation timing: where is the sweet spot?

Convincing evidence for the efficacy of ablation as first-line therapy in paroxysmal AF (PAF) and its clear superiority to medical therapy for rhythm control in both PAF and persistent AF (PsAF) has generated considerable interest in the optimal timing of ablation. Based on this data, there is a widespread view that the principle of 'the earlier the better' should be generally applied. However, the natural history of AF is highly variable and non-linear, and for this reason, it is difficult to be emphatic that all patients are best served by ablation early after their initial AF episodes.

Impact of climate change, biodiversity loss, and pollution on the incidence and manifestation of depressive and anxiety disorders.

Purpose Of Review: Climate change, biodiversity loss, and pollution present a major threat to health. Although emphasis has been put on physical health impacts, evidence on the mental health consequences is now also accumulating quickly. Given the rapid developments in the field, this article provides an expert opinion on the emerging research.

Neuropsychological profiles of patients suffering from hallucinogen persisting perception disorder (HPPD): A comparative analysis with psychedelic-using and non-using controls.

Classic psychedelics like LSD and psilocybin are showing promising effects in treating certain psychiatric disorders. Despite their low toxicity and lack of an addictive potential, in some individuals, psychedelics can be associated with persisting psychological harms. Hallucinogen Persisting Perception Disorder (HPPD) is one of those complications, a rare disorder characterized by enduring perceptual symptoms without impaired reality control.

Scoliosis development in 5q-spinal muscular atrophy under disease modifying therapies.

Purpose: 5q-spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) is a treatable neuromuscular disorder associated with scoliosis in up to 90% of patients. New SMA therapies could mark a paradigm shift in scoliosis management, but their effects on scoliosis development remain unclear. This study aims to observe scoliosis progression in the current treatment landscape to inform management strategies.

A stratified treatment algorithm in psychiatry: a program on stratified pharmacogenomics in severe mental illness (Psych-STRATA): concept, objectives and methodologies of a multidisciplinary project funded by Horizon Europe.

Schizophrenia (SCZ), bipolar (BD) and major depression disorder (MDD) are severe psychiatric disorders that are challenging to treat, often leading to treatment resistance (TR). It is crucial to develop effective methods to identify and treat patients at risk of TR at an early stage in a personalized manner, considering their biological basis, their clinical and psychosocial characteristics. Effective translation of theoretical knowledge into clinical practice is essential for achieving this goal.

Single-cell RNA seq-derived signatures define response patterns to atezolizumab + bevacizumab in advanced hepatocellular carcinoma.

Background & Aims: The combination of atezolizumab and bevacizumab (atezo+bev) is the current standard of care for advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), providing a median overall survival (OS) of 19.2 months. Here, we aim to uncover the underlying cellular processes driving clinical benefit versus resistance to atezo+bev.