A case of fatal cerebral air embolism in a patient with Osler-Weber-Rendu Disease.

Osler-Weber-Rendu syndrome, or hereditary hemorrhagic telangiectasia (HHT), is a rare vascular disorder characterized by arteriovenous malformations (AVMs) in various organs, including the lungs. Pulmonary AVMs (PAVMs) are especially worrisome due to their potential to form right-to-left shunts, resulting in life-threatening complications such as paradoxical embolism and stroke . We present a case of fatal air embolism in a young patient with a known history of HHT and recurring hemoptysis.

Tucatinib and trastuzumab in HER2-mutated metastatic breast cancer: a phase 2 basket trial.

Human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2, also known as ERBB2) signaling promotes cell growth and differentiation, and is overexpressed in several tumor types, including breast, gastric and colorectal cancer. HER2-targeted therapies have shown clinical activity against these tumor types, resulting in regulatory approvals. However, the efficacy of HER2 therapies in tumors with HER2 mutations has not been widely investigated.

Deciphering neutrophil heterogeneity in human blood and tumors: Methods for isolating neutrophils and assessing their effect on T-cell proliferation.

Neutrophils were historically considered a homogenous population of cells with functions limited to innate immunity against external threats. However, with the rise of immunotherapy, recent works have shown that neutrophils are also important actors in immuno-oncology. In this context, neutrophils appear as a more heterogenous population of cells.

Treatment of Venous Thromboembolism with Edoxaban over 18 Months: Results from ETNA-VTE Europe.

Background:  The benefits and risks of extending anticoagulant treatment beyond the first 3 to 6 months in patients with venous thromboembolism (VTE) in clinical practice are not well understood.

Methods:  ETNA-VTE Europe is a prospective, noninterventional, post-authorization study in unselected patients with VTE treated with edoxaban in eight European countries for up to 18 months. Recurrent VTE, major bleeding, and all-cause death were the primary study outcomes.

3D fluorescence staining and confocal imaging of low amount of intestinal organoids (enteroids): Protocol accessible to all.

The emerging field of 3D organ modeling encounters several imaging issues in particular related to antigen retrieval and sample loss during staining processes. Due to their compact shape, several antibodies fail to penetrate intact organoids or spheroids. Histology of organoids can be approached by paraffin inclusion and sectioning at 5 μm as performed for biopsies.

Decentralized worker-centred occupational management in health care: nationwide survey and alpha testing.

Background: Occupational stress among healthcare workers negatively impacts job satisfaction and patient care quality, jeopardizing healthcare system sustainability. Traditional employer-driven approaches often fail to address these challenges comprehensively, leading to persistent gaps in work condition transparency and well-being.

Aims: To elucidate the working conditions of health workers and introduce a worker-centred, technology-based strategy moving beyond traditional practices and entrenched medical culture.

Mutations disrupting the kinase domain of IKKα lead to immunodeficiency and immune dysregulation in humans.

IKKα, encoded by CHUK, is crucial in the non-canonical NF-κB pathway and part of the IKK complex activating the canonical pathway alongside IKKβ. The absence of IKKα causes fetal encasement syndrome in humans, fatal in utero, while an impaired IKKα-NIK interaction was reported in a single patient and causes combined immunodeficiency. Here, we describe compound heterozygous variants in the kinase domain of IKKα in a female patient with hypogammaglobulinemia, recurrent lung infections, and Hay-Wells syndrome-like features.

Evaluation of neutralizing antibody titers against SARS-CoV-2 JN.1 omicron subvariant during pregnancy - A case series study.

Background: SARS-CoV-2 infection during pregnancy poses health risks to both mother and fetus. This study investigates neutralizing antibodies (NAbs) against the SARS-CoV-2 JN.1 Omicron subvariant in pregnant women, focusing on responses to natural infection, vaccination, and passive immunity.

Extending health equity to people with moderate and mild hemophilia A: revisiting the HAVEN 6 trial.

Congenital hemophilia A (HA) disease severity has traditionally been categorized according to intrinsic factor (F)VIII levels, with <1% of normal indicating severe HA, 1% to 5% moderate HA, and 6% to 40% mild HA. However, mounting evidence illustrates considerable variability in bleeding phenotype regardless of FVIII level. Despite treatment advances, people with moderate or mild HA may be neglected, as treatment guidelines and established norms focus on FVIII levels, and many clinical trials do not include people with FVIII > 1%.

Adherence to Recommendations and Yield of Critical Care EEG Monitoring: A Prospective Multicentric Study.

Purpose: The American Clinical Neurophysiology Society has provided a set of recommendations on the use of critical care EEG monitoring (CEEG). However, these recommendations have not been prospectively validated. We aimed to assess the adherence to the American Clinical Neurophysiology Society recommendations for obtaining CEEG for different indications and the yield of obtained CEEG according to these different indications.

Large Language Models lack essential metacognition for reliable medical reasoning.

Large Language Models have demonstrated expert-level accuracy on medical board examinations, suggesting potential for clinical decision support systems. However, their metacognitive abilities, crucial for medical decision-making, remain largely unexplored. To address this gap, we developed MetaMedQA, a benchmark incorporating confidence scores and metacognitive tasks into multiple-choice medical questions.

Practical Considerations for the rapid titration of VNS.

For patients with drug-resistant epilepsy who are not candidates for epilepsy surgery, Vagus nerve stimulation (VNS) is the most widely available neuromodulation option and has been available in several countries for 30 years. Given its broad availability and extended history on the market, many healthcare providers (HCPs) have developed individualized practice habits regarding the titration and dosing of VNS. This study provides novel evidence to describe the extent to which VNS management differs among providers and discusses recent literature that indicates how unique programming approaches may impact patient outcomes.

Chemotherapy-induced diminished murine ovarian reserve model and impact of low-dose chemotherapy on fertility.

Objective: To establish a murine model of chemotherapy-induced diminished ovarian reserve (DOR) and investigate residual fertility after chemotherapy exposure.

Design: Two different chemotherapy protocols were tested to establish a valid DOR model by comparing follicle densities in mice given either protocol versus physiological solution. An ovarian stimulation protocol was then selected from among different gonadotropins by counting the number of day-2 embryos obtained from normal mice.

Mitochondrial HMG-CoA synthase deficiency.

Mitochondrial 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl-CoA synthase 2 (HMGCS2) deficiency is a rare, potentially life-threatening autosomal recessive disorder resulting from mutations in the HMGCS2 gene, leading to impaired ketogenesis. We systematically reviewed the clinical presentations, biochemical and genetic abnormalities in 93 reported cases and 2 new patients diagnosed based on biochemical findings. Reported onset ages ranged from 3 months to 6 years, mostly before the age of 3.

Hypnosis Sedation Used in Breast Oncologic Surgery Significantly Decreases Perioperative Inflammatory Reaction.

Background: Hypnosis sedation has recently been used for anesthesia in breast oncologic surgery.

Methods: Between January 2017 and October 2019, 284 patients from our Breast Clinic (Cliniques Universitaires Saint-Luc, Université Catholique de Louvain) and from the Jolimont Hospital were prospectively included in an interventional non-randomized study approved by our two local ethics committees and registered on clinicaltrials.gov (NCT03330117).

Evolution of Physical Self-Esteem During Pulmonary Rehabilitation in Patients with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease: An Observational Study.

: Patients with COPD have altered self-esteem, and good self-esteem promotes personal, health, and social success. Improving self-esteem could be a method for encouraging the maintenance of physical activity. Only one study has evaluated the effects of pulmonary rehabilitation (PR) on self-esteem in moderate COPD patients.

Alkaline phosphatase decline and pain response as predictors of overall survival benefit in patients treated with radium-223: a post hoc analysis of the REASSURE study.

Background: Alkaline phosphatase (ALP) declines and pain responses can occur during radium-223 (Ra) treatment, but their association with treatment outcomes is unclear.

Methods: For patients with metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer treated with Ra in the REASSURE study, we investigated whether ALP decline (Week 12) and/or pain response (during treatment) are associated with improved overall survival (OS). The Brief Pain Inventory-Short Form (BPI-SF) was used to assess pain at baseline and pain response (in patients with baseline BPI-SF score ≥2).

The microbiota-derived bile acid taurodeoxycholic acid improves hepatic cholesterol levels in mice with cancer cachexia.

Alterations in bile acid profile and pathways contribute to hepatic inflammation in cancer cachexia, a syndrome worsening the prognosis of cancer patients. As the gut microbiota impinges on host metabolism through bile acids, the current study aimed to explore the functional contribution of gut microbial dysbiosis to bile acid dysmetabolism and associated disorders in cancer cachexia. Using three mouse models of cancer cachexia (the C26, MC38 and HCT116 models), we evidenced a reduction in the hepatic levels of several secondary bile acids, mainly taurodeoxycholic (TDCA).