Safety and Efficacy of Long-term Use of Infliximab in Severe Juvenile Dermatomyositis - 12 Years of Follow-up.

Juvenile dermatomyositis with emphasized vasculopathy is rare, but the most severe form of the disease, with a poor prognosis with relapsing and chronic course or, in some cases, lethal outcome. We present a case of a 19-year-old Caucasian female, who developed severe acute juvenile dermatomyositis with emphasized multisystem vasculopathy, including retinal vasculopathy and maculopathy (cotton-wool spots, retinal hemorrhages, macular edema) at the age of 8. Due to no response to standard treatment protocols and rapid worsening of clinical symptoms and laboratory findings, a TNF inhibitor (infliximab) was introduced after the third week of treatment resulting in complete normalisation of muscle enzyme levels and complete resolution of eye changes within the next 2 weeks with a gradual general recovery.

The Influence of Psychological Stress on the Levels of the Skin's Natural Moisturizing Factor in Croatian Medical Students.

Psychological stress may affect skin barrier homeostasis and slow down its recovery. Therefore, we aimed to examine the association between psychological stress levels and natural moisturizing factor (NMF) levels in the stratum corneum (SC). NMF levels were determined in the SC of 25 third-year and 25 sixth-year medical students in two periods (stressful and non-stressful) using the tape stripping method, high-performance liquid chromatography, and spectrophotometry.

Low Attainment of Treatment Targets for Cardiovascular Risk Factors in Indonesian Adults With Established Coronary Artery Disease.

Rationale: Established coronary artery disease (CAD) patients are at increased risk for recurrence of cardiovascular events and mortality due to non-attainment of recommended risk factor control targets.

Objective: We aimed to evaluate the attainment of treatment targets for risk factor control among CAD patients as recommended in the Indonesian CVD prevention guidelines.

Methods: Patients were consecutively recruited from the Makassar Cardiac Center at Wahidin Sudirohusodo Hospital, Indonesia.

Inferior sectoral chorioretinopathy in two patients with novel heterozygous mutations.

Background: Pathogenic variants in , a kinesin family gene, cause MCLMR and FEVR. In MCLMR, chorioretinal atrophy is present in the majority of cases and can be a helpful diagnostic sign.

Cases: We present the cases of two patients with chorioretinal atrophy and microcephaly who carry novel mutations.

Usability, efficacy, and safety of candidate tocilizumab biosimilar CT-P47 self-administration via auto-injector and pre-filled syringe in patients with rheumatoid arthritis: a single-arm, open-label, phase 3 study.

Background: CT-P47 is a candidate tocilizumab biosimilar that is currently in clinical development. We assessed the usability of CT-P47 self-administration via auto-injector (AI) in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA).

Research Design And Methods: This was a 12-week, single-arm, open-label, multiple-dose, Phase 3 study.

A Mobile App for Promoting Breastfeeding-Friendly Communities in Hong Kong: Design and Development Study.

Background: Breastfeeding is vital for the health and well-being of both mothers and infants, and it is crucial to create supportive environments that promote and maintain breastfeeding practices.

Objective: The objective of this paper was to describe the development of a breastfeeding-friendly app called "bfGPS" (HKU TALIC), which provides comprehensive territory-wide information on breastfeeding facilities in Hong Kong, with the goal of fostering a breastfeeding-friendly community.

Methods: The development of bfGPS can be categorized into three phases, which are (1) planning, prototype development, and preimplementation evaluation; (2) implementation and updates; and (3) usability evaluation.

Knowledge, Attitude and Practice of Medical Students Towards Insomnia and Traditional Chinese Medicine Treatment.

Background: To assess the Knowledge, Attitude, and Practice (KAP) of medical students at Hunan Medicine College towards insomnia and TCM treatment.

Methods: The study included 676 medical students. More than half were female (64.

Characterization of glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) agonist exposures reported to a single United States poison center.

Introduction: Glucagon-like peptide-1 agonists have gained attention in recent years due to their efficacy in managing type II diabetes mellitus and their emerging role in weight management. The purpose of this study was to characterize glucagon-like peptide-1 agonist exposures reported to a single United States regional poison center over nine years, including causes of exposure, associated clinical effects, and potential areas for improving patient education and safety.

Methods: This retrospective cohort study analyzed all poison center calls involving glucagon-like peptide-1 agonists submitted to a single United States regional poison center from 14 January 2014 to 1 May 2023.

Evaluating diagnostic performance: A comparative analysis of cell-free DNA and serological test in hepatic cystic Echinococcosis.

Cystic Echinococcosis (CE) is a zoonotic disease caused by sensu lato. Diagnosing CE primarily relies on imaging techniques, and there is a crucial need for an objective laboratory test to enhance the diagnostic process. Today, cell-free DNAs (cfDNAs) have gained importance regarding their biomarker potential.

Endoscopic submucosal dissection for superficial ultra-low rectal tumors: outcomes and predictive factors for procedure difficulty.

Background: Ultra-low rectal endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD) presents technical challenges due to anatomical features. The objective of this research was to determine the risk factors linked to unsuccessful curative resections and to create a nomogram predictive model to assess the likelihood of encountering technical challenges.

Methods: Patients with ultra-low rectal tumors received ESD form June 2017 to December 2022 were retrospectively enrolled.

Continuing anti-EGFR monoclonal antibody after secondary resection significantly prolongs overall survival for patients with metastatic colorectal cancer who were responsive to first-line anti-EGFR monoclonal antibody plus chemotherapy doublet.

The combination of anti-epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) monoclonal antibodies (mAb) and doublet chemotherapy is the standard first-line treatment for patients with wild-type metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC). Some patients may require secondary resection after first-line treatment. However, it remains unclear whether targeted therapy should be continued after liver resection.

Characterization of the immune cell profile in metastatic nasopharyngeal carcinoma treated with chemotherapy and immune checkpoint inhibitors.

Nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) is an Epstein-Barr virus (EBV)-associated cancer, and immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) have shown efficacy in its treatment. The combination of chemotherapy and ICIs represents a new trend in the standard care for metastatic NPC. In this study, we aim to clarify the immune cell profile and related prognostic factors in the ICI-based treatment of metastatic NPC.

Interaction of breast cancer-relevant DNA repair genes and air pollution in relation to breast cancer risk in UK biobank.

We investigated if selected polymorphisms in DNA repair genes modify the association between exposure to particulate matter ≤ 10 micron in diameter (PM) and breast cancer (BCa) risk. We included 150,929 postmenopausal women (5,969 with BCa) from UK Biobank, a population-based prospective cohort. Cancer diagnoses were ascertained through the linkage to the UK National Health Service Central Registers.

Prediction of axillary lymph node metastasis in breast cancer using an ultrasonic feature- and clinical data-based model.

The involvement of axillary lymph nodes (ALNs) is a critical prognostic factor affecting patient management and outcomes in breast cancer (BC). This study aims to comprehensively analyze the clinical data of BC patients, evaluate ultrasonic signs of ALNs, and explore the implications of a prediction model for ALN metastasis (ALNM) in early-stage BC patients based on ultrasonic features and clinical data. This study retrospectively analyzed ultrasonic features and clinical data from 216 patients diagnosed with unilateral invasive BC.

Outcomes of upfront primary tumor resection in patients with synchronous wild-type metastatic colorectal cancer.

This multicenter study explored the survival benefits of upfront primary tumor resection (PTR) followed by first-line cetuximab plus chemotherapy in real-world patients with wild-type metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC). Treatment options for mCRC include chemotherapy, targeted therapy, immunotherapy, and surgery. The efficacy of upfront PTR in managing mCRC remains unclear.

Predictive value of peripheral blood indicators plus procalcitonin clearance rate for mortality in cancer patients with sepsis.

This study investigated the predictive value of combining peripheral blood indicators with procalcitonin clearance rate (PCTc) to assess mortality risk in cancer patients with sepsis, aiming to develop a more sensitive and specific clinical tool. A retrospective analysis was conducted on 393 cancer patients with sepsis admitted to South China Hospital of Shenzhen University from January 2019 to January 2024. Collected data included clinical demographics, laboratory indicators such as white blood cell count, neutrophil count (NEUT), platelet count (PLT), lymphocyte count (LYC), C-reactive protein, procalcitonin (PCT), alanine aminotransferase, and the ratio of arterial oxygen partial pressure to inspired oxygen fraction, as well as functional scores like Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation II (APACHE II) and Sequential Organ Failure Assessment.

Blockade of neutral sphingomyelinase 2 exerts antitumor effect on metastatic castration resistant prostate cancer cells and promotes tumor regression when combined with Enzalutamide.

Prostate cancer (PCa) is the second leading cause of cancer-related deaths among American men. The development of metastatic castration resistant PCa (mCRPC) is the current clinical challenge. Antiandrogens such as Enzalutamide (ENZ) are commonly used for CRPC treatment.

A novel semi-quantitative scoring method for CD8+ tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes based on infiltration sites in gastric cancer.

No established method currently exists for evaluating tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) in gastric cancer (GC), and their clinical significance based on infiltration site in GC remains unclear. In this study, we developed a method to evaluate TILs according to their infiltration site as a prognostic marker for GC. We retrospectively analyzed 103 patients with advanced GC who underwent curative resection.