The Proimmunomodulatory and Anti-immunomodulatory Effects of Radiotherapy in Oncologic Care.

The abscopal effect in radiotherapy (RT) refers to the phenomenon where localized radiation treatment causes regression of distant, nonirradiated tumors. Although rare, recent research shows that combining radiation with immunotherapies, such as immune checkpoint inhibitors, can enhance this effect. The interaction between radiation-induced cell death, immune responses, and the tumor microenvironment manifests in competing biologic mechanisms resulting in complex immunologic outcomes.

Impact of Multiple Kidney Retransplants on Post-Transplant Outcomes in the United States.

Background: Kidney retransplantation offers a valuable treatment option for patients who experience graft failure after their initial transplant. There is an increasing number of patients undergoing multiple retransplants. However, the impact of multiple kidney retransplants on post-transplant outcomes remains unclear.

International Expert-Based Consensus Definition, Classification Criteria, and Minimum Data Elements for Osteoradionecrosis of the Jaw: An Inter-Disciplinary Modified Delphi Study.

Purpose: Osteoradionecrosis of the jaw (ORNJ) is a severe iatrogenic disease characterized by bone death after radiation therapy (RT) to the head and neck. With over 9 published definitions and at least 16 classification systems, the true incidence and severity of ORNJ are obscured by lack of a standard for disease definition and severity assessment, leading to inaccurate estimation of incidence, reporting ambiguity, and likely under-diagnosis worldwide. This study aimed to achieve consensus on an explicit definition and phenotype of ORNJ and related precursor states through data standardization to facilitate effective diagnosis, monitoring, and multidisciplinary management of ORNJ.

The Ethical and Practical Issues of Guiding Uninsured Patients with Skin Cancer to Resources that Alleviate Financial Burden.

A skin cancer diagnosis imposes not only a psychosocial burden but also significant financial stress due to treatment costs. This stress can intensify dramatically for patients who suddenly lose health insurance coverage, especially considering that uninsured patients are more likely to experience late-stage melanoma diagnoses and face a higher overall incidence of skin cancer than the general population. Dermatology clinics and physicians serving uninsured and vulnerable populations should be equipped with resources and strategies to ensure these patients receive adequate and timely care.

Designing sustained release from nanofiber patch for paclitaxel as prospective localized nanotherapeutic delivery in breast cancer.

The second most prevalent cause of mortality among women is breast cancer, and paclitaxel (PTX) is an effective drug for its treatment. The present work aims to develop patch-based poly(ε-caprolactone) (PCL) nanofibers incorporating PTX as a localized and sustained drug delivery system. The co-deposition of poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) fibers during electrospinning was allowed to improve water absorption by the scaffold, which in turn facilitated the release of drug molecules.

Soybean oil supplement induces increased approaching behavior to humans and alters serotonin concentrations in horses.

Enhancement of human-horse interaction is crucial for safety in equine management, as poor relationships between humans and horses can lead to accidents. Serotonin is a neurotransmitter that is highly related to social affinity in animals and several studies have been documented that supplementation of tryptophan, which is a precursor of serotonin, can increase calmness of horses. This study aimed to assess the effect of tryptophan through soybean oil supplementation on serotonin concentrations and the behavior of horses.

A Dynamic Warm-Up Improves Titleist Performance Institute Screen Scores in Adult Golfers.

Context: Guidelines for various movement assessments often instruct clinicians to conduct testing without a warm-up. Warm-ups are commonly performed to increase heart rate, decrease stiffness, and prepare for sport-specific demands. Since athletes typically complete a warm-up prior to sport participation, evaluating biomechanics in this condition may provide a better indication of their bodies' physical capabilities.

Modeling time-varying spatial accessibility to healthcare: A system dynamic approach.

Spatial accessibility to healthcare is essential for policymakers to identify health disparities and develop targeted interventions. Current modeling approaches poorly capture temporal dynamics of contributing factors, and few have represented dynamic interactions among these factors. Further, validating current models is hindered by data limitations and methodological challenges.

Association between interhospital transfer status and outcomes following nontraumatic subdural hemorrhage.

Background: Patients with nontraumatic subdural hemorrhage often require immediate surgical intervention that may not be available at community hospitals and are therefore transferred to tertiary care centers. This study aims to evaluate the effects of interhospital transfer (IHT) on postoperative complications and outcomes following ntSDH.

Methods: The National Surgical Quality Improvement Program (NSQIP) database was queried for patients treated for ntSDH from January 2014 to January 2020.

Efficacy, safety, and patient-reported outcomes across young to older age groups of patients with HR+/HER2- advanced breast cancer treated with ribociclib plus endocrine therapy in the randomized MONALEESA-2, -3, and -7 trials.

Background: Ribociclib + endocrine therapy (ET) showed significant progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) benefits in the MONALEESA trials in patients with HR+ /HER2 - advanced breast cancer (ABC). We report efficacy, safety, and patient-reported outcomes (PROs) across age groups, including older patients, in these trials.

Methods: Data from the MONALEESA-2, -3, and -7 trials for pre- and postmenopausal patients receiving first-line treatment for ABC were pooled and analyzed by age (<65y, 65-74y, and ≥75y).

Situating the salience and parietal memory networks in the context of multiple parallel distributed networks using precision functional mapping.

Brain networks serving higher cognitive functions are widely distributed across frontal and posterior association zones. Two exceptions have been the parietal memory network (PMN) and salience network (SAL), which are typically restricted to posterior (e.g.

Using metabolic parameters to inform emergency care referral in a patient with a hyperglycemic induced acute kidney injury: a case report.

Objective: To describe the clinical reasoning and use of the American Diabetes Association (ADA) blood glucose and exercise guidelines in the face of an emerging acute glycemic crisis for a patient with type 2 diabetes mellitus receiving physical therapy for chronic ankle instability and fibromyalgia.

Case Description: Assessment of the patient's baseline blood glucose and ketone urinalysis revealed hyperglycemia and ketonuria, respectively. Shortly after testing, the patient became nauseous and vomited.

Utility of Parent and Teacher Behavior Ratings for Self-Regulatory Outcomes of Preschool Children: A Multi-Study Examination.

Despite frequent reliance on teacher and parent ratings of children's behavior for multi-informant assessment, agreement between teachers' and parents' ratings is low. This study examined the predictive utility of teacher and parent ratings for children's self-regulatory outcomes (i.e.

Light buckets and laser beams: mechanisms and applications of photobiomodulation (PBM) therapy.

Photobiomodulation (PBM) therapy, a non-thermal light therapy using nonionizing light sources, has shown therapeutic potential across diverse biological processes, including aging and age-associated diseases. In 2023, scientists from the National Institute on Aging (NIA) Intramural and Extramural programs convened a workshop on the topic of PBM to discuss various proposed mechanisms of PBM action, including the stimulation of mitochondrial cytochrome C oxidase, modulation of cell membrane transporters and receptors, and the activation of transforming growth factor-β1. They also reviewed potential therapeutic applications of PBM across a range of conditions, including cardiovascular disease, retinal disease, Parkinson's disease, and cognitive impairment.

PRMT5 Inhibition Reduces Hyperinflammation in a Murine Model of Secondary Hemophagocytic Lymphohistiocytosis (HLH).

Hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis (HLH) is a rare but aggressive and potentially lethal hyperinflammatory syndrome characterized by pathologic immune activation and excessive production of proinflammatory cytokines leading to tissue damage and multisystem organ failure. There is an urgent need for the discovery of novel targets and development of therapeutic strategies to treat this rare but deadly syndrome. Protein Arginine Methyltransferase 5 (PRMT5) mediates T cell-based inflammatory responses, making it a potential actionable target for the treatment of HLH.

Immunotherapy-Resistant Neuropathic Pain and Fatigue Predict Quality-of-Life in Contactin-Associated Protein-Like 2 Antibody Disease.

The long-term clinical outcomes and associated prognostic factors in contactin-associated protein-like 2 (CASPR2)-antibody diseases are unknown. A total of 75 participants with CASPR2 antibodies were longitudinally assessed for disability, quality-of-life, and chronic pain. Although most symptoms improved within 6 months of treatment, neuropathic pain and fatigue were the most immunotherapy refractory, and persisted for up to 6 years.

Daily associations between sleep and alcohol use among veterans: Acute and cumulative effects.

Background And Aims: Military veterans demonstrate high rates of heavy drinking and insomnia, but few if any studies have tested real-world, daily associations between sleep and alcohol use within this population. Moreover, although daily diary and experimental studies among civilians have found negative associations between alcohol use and sleep, these patterns change with consecutive days of drinking and may differ for those with insomnia. This study measured (a) acute and cumulative day-level associations between sleep and alcohol use among heavy-drinking US veterans and (b) the extent to which insomnia moderates these associations.

Response to neoadjuvant chemotherapy leads to better survival outcomes in upper tract urothelial carcinoma.

Objectives: To evaluate the benefit of neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC) for patients with high-risk upper tract urothelial carcinoma (UTUC) using a large, well-curated multi-institutional database.

Patients And Methods: This study was a multi-institutional retrospective analysis conducted by the UTUC Collaborative Network (UCAN), combining data from 2276 patients with UTUC who underwent radical nephroureterectomy at seven high-volume tertiary care centres in the United States. The UCAN data were analysed to evaluate the impact of response to NAC on survival outcomes in patients with UTUC.

Towards an HCV vaccine: an overview of the immunization strategies for eliciting an effective B-cell response.

Introduction: 58 million people worldwide are chronically infected with hepatitis C virus (HCV) and are at risk of developing cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Direct-acting antivirals are highly effective; however, they are burdened by high costs and the unchanged risk of HCC and reinfection, making prophylactic countermeasures an urgent medical need. HCV high genetic diversity is one of the main obstacles to vaccine development.

The Functional and Structural Succession of Mesic-Grassland Soil Microbiomes Beneath Decomposing Large Herbivore Carcasses.

Plant detritus is abundant in grasslands but decomposes slowly and is relatively nutrient-poor, whereas animal carcasses are labile and nutrient-rich. Recent studies have demonstrated that labile nutrients from carcasses can significantly alter the long-term soil microbial function at an ecosystem scale. However, there is a paucity of knowledge on the functional and structural response and temporal scale of soil microbiomes beneath large herbivore carcasses.

Early Postoperative Outcomes of Surgical Fixation of Proximal Phalanx Fractures With Intramedullary Nails Versus Kirschner Wires.

Background: Kirschner wire (K-wire) and intramedullary (IM) screw fixation are accepted techniques for treatment of unstable proximal phalanx fractures, but comparative reports are lacking. This study aimed to evaluate early clinical outcomes following treatment with K-wire or IM fixation.

Methods: A retrospective review of all proximal phalanx fractures treated surgically at a single center by multiple surgeons was performed from May 1, 2019 to March 1, 2024.