Unravelling the modes of phototoxicity of NIR absorbing chlorophyll derivative in cancer cells under normoxic and hypoxic conditions.

The efficacy of photodynamic treatment (PDT) against deep-seated tumor is hindered by low penetration depth of light as well as hypoxic conditions which prevails in tumor. To overcome this limitation, Near-infrared (NIR) absorbing photosensitizers have been investigated actively. In the present study we evaluated the PDT efficacy of an NIR absorbing chlorophyll derivative 'Cycloimide Purpurin-18 (CIPp-18)' in Human Breast carcinoma (MCF-7) and cervical adenocarcinoma (Hela) cells under normoxic and hypoxic conditions.

Pharmacologic Management of Heart Failure with Preserved Ejection Fraction (HFpEF) in Older Adults.

There are several pharmacologic agents that have been touted as guideline-directed medical therapy for heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF). However, it is important to recognize that older adults with HFpEF also contend with an increased risk for adverse effects from medications due to age-related changes in pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of medications, as well as the concurrence of geriatric conditions such as polypharmacy and frailty. With this review, we discuss the underlying evidence for the benefits of various treatments in HFpEF and incorporate key considerations for older adults, a subpopulation that may be at higher risk for adverse drug events.

Substrate stiffness dictates unique doxorubicin-induced senescence-associated secretory phenotypes and transcriptomic signatures in human pulmonary fibroblasts.

Cells are subjected to dynamic mechanical environments which impart forces and induce cellular responses. In age-related conditions like pulmonary fibrosis, there is both an increase in tissue stiffness and an accumulation of senescent cells. While senescent cells produce a senescence-associated secretory phenotype (SASP), the impact of physical stimuli on both cellular senescence and the SASP is not well understood.

Dihydropyrimidine enzyme activity and its effect on chemotherapy toxicity: importance of genetic testing.

Purpose: Patients with partial or complete DPD deficiency have decreased capacity to degrade fluorouracil and are at risk of developing toxicity, which can be even life-threatening.

Case: A 43-year-old man with moderately differentiated rectal adenocarcinoma on capecitabine presented to the emergency department with complaints of nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, weakness, and lower abdominal pain for several days. Laboratory findings include grade 4 neutropenia (ANC 10) and thrombocytopenia (platelets 36,000).

Cerebrovascular risk in rheumatoid arthritis patients: insights from carotid artery atherosclerosis in the Paracelsus 10,000 study.

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic autoimmune disease marked by systemic inflammation. While RA primarily affects the joints, its systemic effects may lead to an increased cerebro- and cardiovascular risk. Atherosclerosis of the carotid arteries is a significant risk factor for cerebrovascular events and serves as a surrogate marker for cardiovascular risk.

Targeting ultra-processed foods for prevention of type 2 diabetes: state of the evidence and future directions.

The incidence of type 2 diabetes has risen globally, in parallel with the obesity epidemic and environments promoting a sedentary lifestyle and low-quality diet. There has been scrutiny of ultra-processed foods (UPFs) as a driver of type 2 diabetes, underscored by their increasing availability and intake worldwide, across countries of all incomes. This narrative review addresses the accumulated evidence from investigations of the trends in UPF consumption and the relationship with type 2 diabetes incidence.

Robust discrimination between closely related species of salmon based on DNA fragments.

Closely related species of Salmonidae, including Pacific and Atlantic salmon, can be distinguished from one another based on nucleotide sequences from the cytochrome c oxidase sub-unit 1 mitochondrial gene (COI), using ensembles of fragments aligned to genetic barcodes that serve as digital proxies for the relevant species. This is accomplished by exploiting both the nucleotide sequences and their quality scores recorded in a FASTQ file obtained via Next Generation (NextGen) Sequencing of mitochondrial DNA extracted from Coho salmon caught with hook and line in the Gulf of Alaska. The alignment is done using MUSCLE (Muscle 5.

Case management in Emergency Care: Impact Evaluation of the CARED Program.

Background: Hospitals face mounting pressure to reduce unplanned utilization amid rising healthcare demands from an aging population. The Case management for At-Risk patients in the Emergency Department (CARED) program is among the first ED transitional care strategies to focus on both frail older adults and Emergency Department (ED) re-attenders to reduce acute hospital utilization. This study aims to evaluate the effectiveness of the CARED program in reducing hospital (re)admissions and ED re-attendances within 30- and 60-days post-discharge.

Composite microRNA-genetic risk score model links to migraine and implicates its pathogenesis.

The neurobiological mechanisms driving the ictal-interictal fluctuations and the chronification of migraine remain elusive. We aimed to construct a composite genetic-microRNA model that could reflect the dynamic perturbations of the disease course and inform the pathogenesis of migraine. We prospectively recruited four groups of participants, including interictal episodic migraine (i.

Effects of a home-based multicomponent exercise programme on frailty in postcardiac surgery patients: A randomized controlled trial.

Aims: A randomized controlled trial was conducted to examine the effects of a home-based multicomponent exercise programme on frailty in patients who underwent cardiac surgery.

Methods And Results: A convenience sample of 92 patients who underwent cardiac surgery at two medical centres in Taiwan were recruited and randomly allocated to the intervention (n = 46) and control (n = 46) groups. The intervention group underwent a 12-week home-based multicomponent exercise programme, including individual nursing consultation, home-based exercise intervention, nutritional assessment and guidance, and continuous support.

Inter-Rater Disagreements in Applying the Montreal Classification for Crohn's Disease: The Five-Nations Survey Study.

Background: The Montreal classification has been widely used in Crohn's disease since 2005 to categorize patients by the age of onset (A), disease location (L), behavior (B), and upper gastrointestinal tract and perianal involvement. With evolving management paradigms in Crohn's disease, we aimed to assess the performance of gastroenterologists in applying the Montreal classification.

Methods: An online survey was conducted among participants at an international educational conference on inflammatory bowel diseases.

Assessment and Reporting of Extraintestinal Manifestations and Fatigue in Phase 3 Inflammatory Bowel Disease Clinical Trials.

Background: Extraintestinal Manifestations (EIMs) of Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) are frequently experienced by patients and may lead to severe symptoms and fatigue. However, the reporting patterns of these outcomes in IBD randomized controlled trials (RCTs) is not clear.

Methods: We searched placebo controlled phase 3 RCTs of advanced therapies in IBD and assessed the frequency and means of reporting EIM and fatigue data in these studies.

Flower size evolution in the Southwest Pacific.

Background And Aims: Despite accelerating interest in island evolution, the general evolutionary trajectories of island flowers remain poorly understood. In particular the island rule, which posits that small organisms become larger and large organisms to become smaller after island colonization, while tested in various plant traits, has never been tested in flower size. Here, we provide the first test for the island rule in flower size for animal- and wind-pollinated flowers, and the first evidence for generalized in-situ evolution of flower size on islands.

New onset refractory status epilepticus: Long-term outcomes beyond seizures.

We propose and prioritize important outcome domains that should be considered for future research investigating long-term outcomes (LTO) after new onset refractory status epilepticus (NORSE). The study was led by the international NORSE Institute LTO Working Group. First, literature describing the LTO of NORSE survivors was identified using a PubMed search and summarized to identify knowledge gaps.

Bridging Therapies-Ex Vivo Liver Xenoperfusion and the Role of Machine Perfusion: An Update.

Advancements in xenotransplantation intersecting with modern machine perfusion technology offer promising solutions to patients with liver failure providing a valuable bridge to transplantation and extending graft viability beyond current limitations. Patients facing acute or acute chronic liver failure, post-hepatectomy liver failure, or fulminant hepatic failure often require urgent liver transplants which are severely limited by organ shortage, emphasizing the importance of effective bridging approaches. Machine perfusion is now increasingly used to test and use genetically engineered porcine livers in translational studies, addressing the limitations and costs of non-human primate models.

Management Measures and Trends of Biological Invasions in Europe: A Survey-Based Assessment of Local Managers.

Biological invasions are a major threat to biodiversity, ecosystem functioning and nature's contributions to people worldwide. However, the effectiveness of invasive alien species (IAS) management measures and the progress toward achieving biodiversity targets remain uncertain due to limited and nonuniform data availability. Management success is usually assessed at a local level and documented in technical reports, often written in languages other than English, which makes such data notoriously difficult to collect at large geographic scales.

Prevalence of and risk factors for osteoporosis and fragility fracture in adults with cerebral palsy: A systematic review.

Aim: To systematically review the prevalence and incidence of osteoporosis, osteopenia, low bone mass, and fragility fracture in adults with cerebral palsy (CP), and identify the risk factors for osteoporosis and fracture.

Method: A systematic literature search was performed in the MEDLINE, PubMed, CINAHL, AMED, Cochrane Reviews, EMBASE, and EBM database reviews from inception until May 2024. Search terms covered a combination of keywords for CP, fracture, osteoporosis, incidence and prevalence, and risk factors.

Incidence of hospital-acquired infections due to carbapenem-resistant Enterobacterales and Pseudomonas aeruginosa in critically ill patients in Italy: a multicentre prospective cohort study.

Background: Carbapenem-Resistant Gram-Negative Bacteria, including Carbapenem-Resistant Enterobacterales (CRE) and Carbapenem-Resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa (CRPA), are common causes of infections in intensive care units (ICUs) in Italy.

Objective: This prospective observational study evaluated the epidemiology, management, microbiological characterization, and outcomes of hospital-acquired CRE or CRPA infections treated in selected ICUs in Italy.

Methods: The study included patients with hospital-acquired infections due to CRE and CRPA treated in 20 ICUs from June 2021 to February 2023.

Sperm-borne small non-coding RNAs: potential functions and mechanisms as epigenetic carriers.

Over the past two decades, the study of sperm-borne small non-coding RNAs (sncRNAs) has garnered substantial growth. Once considered mere byproducts during germ cell maturation, these sncRNAs have now been recognized as crucial carriers of epigenetic information, playing a significant role in transmitting acquired traits from paternal to offspring, particularly under environmental influences. A growing body of evidence highlights the pivotal role of these sncRNAs in facilitating epigenetic inheritance across generations.

Portable devices for periodic monitoring of bioelectrical impedance along meridian pathways in healthy individuals.

Objective: This study aims to investigate the monthly variation patterns of bioelectrical impedance (BEI) along 24 meridian pathways in healthy individuals.

Methods: A cohort of 684 healthy middle-aged participants from North China was enrolled between July 1, 2017, and September 5, 2020. BEI measurements were consistently recorded along the 24 meridian pathways over the study period.

Multinational retrospective analysis of bridging therapy prior to chimeric antigen receptor t cells for relapsed/refractory acute lymphoblastic leukemia in children and young adults.

Anti-CD19 chimeric antigen receptor T cells (CAR) are a well-established treatment option for children and young adults suffering from relapsed/refractory B-lineage acute lymphoblastic leukemia. Bridging therapy is used to control disease prior to start of lymphodepletion before CAR infusion and thereby improve efficacy of CAR therapy. However, the effect of different bridging strategies on outcome, side effects and response to CAR therapy is still poorly understood.

Intercellular TIMP-1-CD63 signaling directs the evolution of immune escape and metastasis in KRAS-mutated pancreatic cancer cells.

Background And Aims: Oncogenic KRAS mutations are present in approximately 90% of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC). However, Kras mutation alone is insufficient to transform precancerous cells into metastatic PDAC. This study investigates how KRAS-mutated epithelial cells acquire the capacity to escape senescence or even immune clearance, thereby progressing to advanced PDAC.

Comparative In vitro antibacterial activity of nemonoxacin and other fluoroquinolones in correlation with resistant mechanisms in contemporary methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus blood isolates in Taiwan.

Background: Nemonoxacin is a new quinolone with an antibacterial efficacy against methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA). Certain sequence types (STs) have been emerging in Taiwan, including fluoroquinolone-resistant ST8/USA300. It's an urgent need to determine nemonoxacin susceptibility against ST8/USA300 and other emerging lineages, if any.

Association of clinical knowledge with patient care ownership among resident physicians: a nationwide cross-sectional study in Japan.

Purpose: Both clinical knowledge and patient care ownership (PCO) are crucial to the provision of quality patient care and should be acquired during training. However, the association between these two concepts is under-examined. Here, we conducted a nationwide cross-sectional study to investigate the association between clinical knowledge and PCO among resident physicians in Japan.

Peri-centrosomal localization of small interfering RNAs in C. elegans.

The centrosome is the microtubule-organizing center and a crucial part of cell division. Centrosomal RNAs (cnRNAs) have been reported to enable precise spatiotemporal control of gene expression during cell division in many species. Whether and how cnRNAs exist in C.