Safety and efficacy of nipocalimab in adults with generalised myasthenia gravis (Vivacity-MG3): a phase 3, randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled study.

Background: Given burdensome side-effects and long latency for efficacy with conventional agents, there is a continued need for generalised myasthenia gravis treatments that are safe and provide consistently sustained, long-term disease control. Nipocalimab, a neonatal Fc receptor blocker, was associated with dose-dependent reductions in total IgG and anti-acetylcholine receptor (AChR) antibodies and clinically meaningful improvements in the Myasthenia Gravis Activities of Daily Living (MG-ADL) scale in patients with generalised myasthenia gravis in a phase 2 study. We aimed to assess the safety and efficacy of nipocalimab in a phase 3 study.

Real-time prediction of heparin concentration in blood extracorporeal circulation by relaxation time distribution (RTD).

Heparin concentration c in a blood extracorporeal circulation has been real-timely predicted based on the relaxation strength Δε at relaxation frequency f extracted by relaxation time distribution (RTD). The simulated extracorporeal circulation was conducted to optimize the number of Δε for the prediction of c using the porcine whole blood (WB) and low-leukocyte and -platelet blood (LLPB) under the condition of the gradual increment of c from 0 to 8 U/mL with constant flow rate and blood temperature. The experimental results show that among the three relaxation strengths Δε, Δε and Δε (in ascending order of frequency), Δε at f = 5.

Characterization of senescence-associated transcripts in the human placenta.

Introduction: Fusion of mononucleated cytotrophoblasts into syncytium leads to trophoblast senescence. Yet, premature senescence is associated with preeclampsia, fetal growth restriction (FGR), and related obstetrical syndromes. A set of 28 transcripts that comprise senescence-associated secretory phenotype (SASP) was recently described in placentas from women with preeclampsia.

Revisiting the electrophysiological correlates of valence and expectancy in reward processing - A multi-lab replication.

Two event-related brain potential (ERP) components, the frontocentral feedback-related negativity (FRN) and the posterior P300, are key in feedback processing. The FRN typically exhibits greater amplitude in response to negative and unexpected outcomes, whereas the P300 is generally more pronounced for positive outcomes. In an influential ERP study, Hajcak et al.

Association Between Early Childhood P300 Deficits and Risk for Preadolescence Depressive Disorder Mediated by Responsiveness to PCIT-ED Treatment.

Preschool-onset major depressive disorder (PO-MDD) is an impairing pediatric mental health disorder that impacts children as young as three years old. There is limited work dedicated to uncovering neural measures of this early childhood disorder which could be leveraged to further understand both treatment responsiveness and future depression risk. Event-related potentials (ERPs) such as the P300 have been employed extensively in adult populations to examine depression-related deficits in cognitive and motivational systems.

Early surgical intervention for Parsonage-Turner Syndrome after COVID-19 infection results in improved outcomes.

Parsonage-Turner Syndrome after COVID-19 infection or vaccination is rare. Motor, sensory deficits and neuropathic pain may result from inflammation and compression around the brachial plexus. Early surgical intervention in patients with significant motor deficits may result in improved outcomes.

The silent pandemic of stress: impact on menstrual cycle and ovulation.

In the current age of technological advancement, stress has emerged as a silent pandemic affecting individuals, especially young generations, globally. Factors such as increased competition, social pressures fueled by social media and smartphones, and a sense of diminished control in the face of modern challenges contribute to rising stress levels. In addition to the negative implications on mental well-being, stress affects physiological processes such as the menstrual cycle.

Adaptive promising zone design for sequential parallel comparison design with continuous outcomes.

Introduction: The sequential parallel comparison design has emerged as a valuable tool in clinical trials with high placebo response rates. To further enhance its efficiency and effectiveness, adaptive strategies, such as sample size adjustment and allocation ratio modification can be employed.

Methods: We compared the performance of Jennison and Turnbull's method and the Promising Zone approach for sample size adjustment in a two-phase sequential parallel comparison design study.

Contribution of Nuclear Fragmentation to Dose and RBE in Carbon-Ion Radiotherapy.

Variable relative biological effectiveness (RBE) of carbon radiotherapy may be calculated using several models, including the microdosimetric kinetic model (MKM), stochastic MKM (SMKM), repair-misrepair-fixation (RMF) model, and local effect model I (LEM), which have not been thoroughly compared. In this work, we compared how these four models handle carbon beam fragmentation, providing insight into where model differences arise. Monoenergetic and spread-out Bragg peak carbon beams incident on a water phantom were simulated using Monte Carlo.

Design and early progress of the Comparison of Anticoagulation and anti-Platelet Therapies for Intracranial Vascular Atherostenosis (CAPTIVA) trial.

Background: The usual antithrombotic treatment for symptomatic intracranial atherosclerotic stenosis (ICAS) consists of dual treatment with clopidogrel and aspirin for 90 days followed by aspirin alone but the risk of recurrent stroke remains high up to 12 months. The Comparison of Anticoagulation and anti-Platelet Therapies for Intracranial Vascular Atherostenosis (CAPTIVA) trial was designed to determine whether other combinations of dual antithrombotic therapy are superior to clopidogrel and aspirin.

Methods: CAPTIVA is an ongoing, prospective, double-blinded, three-arm clinical trial at over 100 sites in the United States and Canada that will randomize 1683 high-risk subjects with a symptomatic infarct attributed to 70-99% stenosis of a major intracranial artery to 12 months of treatment with (1) ticagrelor (180 mg loading dose, then 90 mg twice daily), (2) low-dose rivaroxaban (2.

The Impact of Antiretroviral Therapy on Liver Function Among Pregnant Women Living with HIV in Co-Existence with and Without Pre-Eclampsia.

Pregnant women living with HIV (PWLWHIV) are at an increased risk of developing obstetrics complications such as pre-eclampsia (PE). Antiretroviral therapy (ART) remains the standard treatment for PWLWHIV and non-pregnant women. However, its use has been associated with adverse liver conditions, particularly hepatotoxicity, often marked by elevated liver enzymes (LEEs) as demonstrated by an increased aspartate transferase (AST), alanine transaminase (ALT), and alkaline phosphatase (ALP) in PWLWHIV on ART.

Activity of Various Cathepsin Proteases and Enrichment of Klotho Protein in the Urine and Urinary Extracellular Vesicles After SARS-CoV-2 Infection.

The severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) is responsible for causing the Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) outbreak. While mutations cause the emergence of new variants, the ancestral SARS-CoV-2 strain is unique among other strains. Various clinical parameters, the activity of cathepsin proteases, and the concentration of various proteins were measured in urine samples from COVID-19-negative participants and COVID-19-positive participants.

Self-Emulsifying Drug Delivery Systems (SEDDS): Transition from Liquid to Solid-A Comprehensive Review of Formulation, Characterization, Applications, and Future Trends.

Self-emulsifying drug delivery systems (SEDDS) represent an innovative approach to improving the solubility and bioavailability of poorly water-soluble drugs, addressing significant challenges associated with oral drug delivery. This review highlights the advancements and applications of SEDDS, including their transition from liquid to solid forms, while addressing the formulation strategies, characterization techniques, and future prospects in pharmaceutical sciences. The review systematically analyzes existing studies on SEDDS, focusing on their classification into liquid and solid forms and their preparation methods, including spray drying, hot-melt extrusion, and adsorption onto carriers.

Ethanolic Extract of Leaf Has an Anticancer Activity on Triple-Negative Breast Cancer Cells: An In Vitro Study.

: , or star fruit, is a shrub known for its medicinal properties, especially due to bioactive metabolites identified in its roots and fruit with anti-cancer activity. However, the biological effects of its leaves remain unexplored. This study aimed to assess the effects of ethanolic extract from leaves on triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC), an aggressive subtype lacking specific therapy.

Bioactive Molecules, Ethnomedicinal Uses, Toxicology, and Pharmacology of Sond (Fabaceae): Systematic Review.

Plants have long been used to treat serious illnesses in both humans and animals. A significant underappreciated medicinal tree, Sond is utilized by many different ethnic groups to cure a wide range of illnesses. A variety of electronic databases, including ScienceDirect, Scopus, Scielo, Scifinder, PubMed, Web of Science, Medline, and Google Scholar, were used to search the literature on , using key words such as uses, survey, pharmacology, antigonococcal, toxicity, phytochemistry and others.

Evolutionary Trajectories of Shoots vs. Roots: Plant Volatile Metabolomes Are Richer but Less Structurally Diverse Belowground in the Tropical Tree Genus .

The breadth and depth of plant leaf metabolomes have been implicated in key interactions with plant enemies aboveground. In particular, divergence in plant species chemical composition-amongst neighbors, relatives, or both-is often suggested as a means of escape from insect herbivore enemies. Plants also experience strong pressure from enemies such as belowground pathogens; however, little work has been carried out to examine the evolutionary trajectories of species' specialized chemistries in both roots and leaves.

Dietary Interventions, Supplements, and Plant-Derived Compounds for Adjunct Vitiligo Management: A Review of the Literature.

Vitiligo is a chronic autoimmune pigmentation disorder shaped by a complex interplay of genetic predispositions and environmental triggers. While conventional therapies-phototherapy, corticosteroids, and immunosuppressants-can be effective, their benefits are often partial and temporary, with recurrence common once treatment stops. As such, there is increasing interest in exploring complementary approaches that may offer a more sustainable impact.

The Effects of Time-Restricted Eating on Inflammation and Oxidative Stress in Overweight Older Adults: A Pilot Study.

Background/objectives: Time-restricted eating (TRE) has been associated with beneficial effects for inflammation and oxidative stress; however, the effects of TRE on inflammation and oxidative stress in the aging population have not been explored.

Methods: This secondary analysis tested the effects of TRE on pro-inflammatory (hs-CRP [high-sensitivity C-reactive protein], IL-1β [interleukin 1 beta], IL-6 [interleukin 6], TNF-α [tumor necrosis factor alpha]) and oxidative stress (8-isoprostane) biomarkers in ten overweight older adults (mean age = 77.1 ± 6.

Urinary Fluoride Levels Among Youth in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) 2015-2016: Potential Differences According to Race.

Background/objectives: Urinary fluoride (UF) is the most well-established biomarker for fluoride exposure, and understanding its distribution can inform risk assessment for potential adverse systemic health effects. To our knowledge, this study is the first to report distributions of UF among youth according to sociodemographic factors in a nationally representative United States (US) sample.

Methods: The study included 1191 children aged 6-11 years and 1217 adolescents aged 12-19 years from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) 2015-2016.

Nrf2 Activation as a Therapeutic Target for Flavonoids in Aging-Related Osteoporosis.

Biological aging is a substantial change that leads to different diseases, including osteoporosis (OP), a condition involved in loss of bone density, deterioration of bone structure, and increased fracture risk. In old people, there is a natural decline in bone mineral density (BMD), exacerbated by hormonal changes, particularly during menopause, and it continues in the early postmenopausal years. During this transition time, hormonal alterations are linked to elevated oxidative stress (OS) and decreased antioxidant defenses, leading to a significant increase in OP.

Sleep Quality, Nutritional Habits, and Physical Activity in Pediatric Cancer Survivors: A Dyadic Analysis Approach.

Background/objectives: Sleep disturbances are prevalent among pediatric cancer survivors (PCSs) and their caregivers, often leading to poorer dietary choices and reduced physical activity. Additionally, the sleep quality and health behaviors of parents and children can affect each other. This study examined bi-directional associations between PCSs and their parents' sleep quality and health-related behaviors.

Cell Morphology, Material Property and Ni(II) Adsorption of Microcellular Injection-Molded Polystyrene Reinforced with Graphene Nanoparticles.

Graphene's incorporation into polymers has enabled the development of advanced polymer/graphene nanocomposites with superior properties. This study focuses on the use of a microcellular foamed polystyrene (PS)/graphene (GP) nanocomposite (3 wt%) for nickel (II) ion removal from aqueous solutions. Adsorption behavior was evaluated through FTIR, TEM, SEM, TGA, and XRD analyses.

Antibiotic Susceptibility Patterns and Virulence Profiles of Classical and Hypervirulent Strains Isolated from Clinical Samples in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan.

The emergence of hypervirulent and carbapenem-resistant hypermucoviscous strains presents a significant public health challenge due to their increased virulence and resistance to multiple antibiotics. This study evaluates the antibiotic susceptibility patterns and virulence profiles of classical and hypervirulent strains isolated from various clinical samples. A total of 500 clinical samples were collected from patients at the Mardan Medical Complex and Ayub Medical Complex in KPK between July 2022 and June 2024.

Simultaneous Classification of Objects with Unknown Rejection (SCOUR) Using Infra-Red Sensor Imagery.

Recognizing targets in infra-red images is an important problem for defense and security applications. A deployed network must not only recognize the known classes, but it must also reject any new or objects without confusing them to be one of the known classes. Our goal is to enhance the ability of existing (or pretrained) classifiers to detect and reject unknown classes.

High-Performance Optical Fiber Displacement Sensor with Extended Linear Range and Sensitivity.

Optical Fiber Displacement Sensors (OFDSs) provide several advantages over conventional sensors, including their compact size, flexibility, and immunity to electromagnetic interference. These features make OFDSs ideal for use in confined spaces, such as turbines, where direct laser access is impossible. A critical aspect of OFDS performance is the geometry of the fiber bundle, which influences key parameters such as sensitivity, range, and dead zones.