Talquetamab plus Teclistamab in Relapsed or Refractory Multiple Myeloma.

Background: Talquetamab (anti-G protein-coupled receptor family C group 5 member D) and teclistamab (anti-B-cell maturation antigen) are bispecific antibodies that activate T cells by targeting CD3 and that have been approved for the treatment of triple-class-exposed relapsed or refractory multiple myeloma.

Methods: We conducted a phase 1b-2 study of talquetamab plus teclistamab in patients with relapsed or refractory multiple myeloma. In phase 1, we investigated five dose levels in a dose-escalation study.

Inter-Institutional Dynamics and Impact of Fluconazole-Resistant Candida parapsilosis.

Background: Infections with fluconazole-resistant Candida parapsilosis have been increasing in Israeli hospitals with unclear implications for patient outcomes.

Objectives: To determine the frequency, mechanisms, molecular epidemiology, and outcomes of azole-resistant C. parapsilosis bloodstream infections in four hospitals in Israel.

Anti-Inflammatory Effects of Clarstatin, a Shared-Epitope-Antagonistic Cyclic Peptide, on Experimental Autoimmune Uveitis in Mice.

Purpose: Polymorphism and mutations of human leukocyte antigens (HLAs) and calreticulin are risk factors for uveitis. Here, we sought to determine the therapeutic effects of Clarstatin, a cyclic peptide antagonist of the HLA shared-epitope-calreticulin interaction, in experimental autoimmune uveitis (EAU) models.

Methods: Mice were injected with Clarstatin intraperitoneally and its effect was compared to that of corticosteroid.

Investigating the impact of age and sex on cataract surgery complications and outcomes.

Cataract surgery, a common procedure for vision restoration, exhibits variable outcomes based on patient demographics. This study aimed to elucidate the effects of age and sex on risk factors, intraoperative complications, and postoperative outcomes of cataract surgery. A single-center retrospective cohort study analyzed 691 eyes from 589 individuals who underwent surgery at a tertiary referral center, using electronic medical records to assess preoperative risk factors, intraoperative complications, and best corrected visual acuity (BCVA) pre- and post-operatively, alongside demographic data.

Neoadjuvant anti-PD-1 alone or in combination with anti-TIGIT or an oncolytic virus in resectable stage IIIB-D melanoma: a phase 1/2 trial.

Neoadjuvant immunotherapies have shown antitumor activity in melanoma. Substudy 02C of the global, rolling-arm, phase 1/2, adaptive-design KEYMAKER-U02 trial is evaluating neoadjuvant pembrolizumab (anti-PD-1) alone or in combination, followed by adjuvant pembrolizumab, for stage IIIB-D melanoma. Here we report results from the first three arms: pembrolizumab plus vibostolimab (anti-TIGIT), pembrolizumab plus gebasaxturev (coxsackievirus A21) and pembrolizumab monotherapy.

Brain MRI Screening for Bilateral Retinoblastoma Patients.

Purpose: Trilateral retinoblastoma (TRB), intracranial neoplasm in heritable retinoblastoma patients, is a very rare fatal disease. Many ocular oncology centers conduct routine screening of retinoblastoma patients by brain imaging. Nevertheless, there is a debate regarding its ability to prolong TRB patients' survival and the number-needed-to-treat.

The association of deployment stressors and PTSD and depression symptoms in military mothers.

Previously deployed mothers report higher levels of posttraumatic stress and depression symptoms than non-deployed mothers. However, the specific stressors encountered during deployment that account for elevated clinical symptoms are not well understood including the impact of Military Sexual Trauma (MST) in the context of other deployment-related stressors. This study examined whether MST during deployment, degree of combat exposure, and length of deployment will each be associated with posttraumatic stress and depression symptoms among previously deployed mothers.

The cGAS-STING, p38 MAPK, and p53 pathways link genome instability to accelerated cellular senescence in ATM-deficient murine lung fibroblasts.

Ataxia-telangiectasia (A-T) is a pleiotropic genome instability syndrome resulting from the loss of the homeostatic protein kinase ATM. The complex phenotype of A-T includes progressive cerebellar degeneration, immunodeficiency, gonadal atrophy, interstitial lung disease, cancer predisposition, endocrine abnormalities, chromosomal instability, radiosensitivity, and segmental premature aging. Cultured skin fibroblasts from A-T patients exhibit premature senescence, highlighting the association between genome instability, cellular senescence, and aging.

Origins of the Superiority of Oscillating Electric Fields for Disrupting Senile Plaques: Insights from the 7-Residue Fragment and the Full-length Aβ-42 Peptide.

Our recent molecular dynamics simulations of decomposing Alzheimer's disease plaques, under oscillating- and static external electric fields (Os-EEFs and St-EEFs), revealed the superiority of Os-EEF for decomposing plaques consisting of the 7-residue peptide segment. This conclusion is now reinforced by studying the dimers of the short peptides and trimers of the full-length Aβ-42 peptide. Thus, the dispersed peptides obtained following St-EEF applications reformed the plaques once the St-EEF subsided.

A Global Collaborative Comparison of SARS-CoV-2 Antigenicity Across 15 Laboratories.

Setting up a global SARS-CoV-2 surveillance system requires an understanding of how virus isolation and propagation practices, use of animal or human sera, and different neutralisation assay platforms influence assessment of SARS-CoV-2 antigenicity. In this study, with the contribution of 15 independent laboratories across all WHO regions, we carried out a controlled analysis of neutralisation assay platforms using the first WHO International Standard for antibodies to SARS-CoV-2 variants of concern (source: NIBSC). Live virus isolates (source: WHO BioHub or individual labs) or spike plasmids (individual labs) for pseudovirus production were used to perform neutralisation assays using the same serum panels.

COVID-19 Vaccinations, Infections, and Outcomes Among 784 People Living with HIV.

Introduction: Variants of COVID-19 are responsible for 700 million infections and 7 million deaths worldwide. Vaccinations have high efficiency in preventing infection and secondary benefits of reducing COVID-19 hospital admissions, attenuating disease severity and duration of illness. Conflicting reports were published regarding COVID-19 among PLWH.

The Effect of Milk-Derived Extracellular Vesicles on Intestinal Epithelial Cell Proliferation.

Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is a chronic, relapsing inflammation disorder of the gastrointestinal tract characterized by disrupted intestinal epithelial barrier function. Despite advances in treatment, including biological agents, achieving sustained remission remains challenging for many patients with IBD. This highlights the urgent need for novel therapeutic strategies.

Correction of Femoral Torsional Deformities by Rotational Guided Growth.

: Femoral torsional malalignment is a common cause of in-toeing and out-toeing in children, often leading to gait disturbances, functional limitations, and increased risk of falls. Traditionally, osteotomy was the only surgical option for correction. A minimally invasive technique known as rotational guided growth (RGG) has recently been introduced to address these malalignments.

Defensive Medicine in an Emergency Department: The Overuse of High-Sensitivity Cardiac Troponin I Testing.

Introduction: Cardiac troponin I is routinely measured in patients with suspected acute coronary syndrome. However, when a high-sensitivity cardiac troponin I (hs-cTnI) test is ordered without a clear clinical indication, unexpectedly elevated levels can lead to unnecessary diagnostic workups and inappropriate management. This study aimed to investigate physicians' rationale for performing hs-cTnI tests in an emergency department (ED).

Comparing Images from Near-Infrared Light Reflection and Bitewing Radiography to Detect Proximal Caries in Primary Teeth.

Objectives: The present prospective study aimed to compare near-infrared light reflection (NIRI) and bitewing radiographs (BWR) images to detect proximal caries in primary teeth.

Methods: 71 children underwent routine BWR, and scans were performed using an intra-oral scanner (iTero Element 5D, Align Technology, Tempe, AZ, USA), including a near-infrared light source (850 nm) and sensor. Five specialist pediatric dentists examined the NIRI and BWR images.

Meditation-Induced Self-Boundary Flexibility and Prosociality: A MEG and Behavioral Measures Study.

Background: In the last decade, empirical studies on the beneficial effects of meditation on prosocial capacities have accumulated, but the underlying mechanisms remain unclear. Buddhist sources state that liberating oneself from a fixed view of the self by gaining access to its transitory and malleable nature leads to increased compassion and other prosocial traits. These, however, have not yet been empirically tested.

Thiol-Based Redox Molecules: Potential Antidotes for Acrylamide Toxicity.

is a low-molecular weight, non-aromatic reagent, widely used in industry, such as in the manufacture of paper, textiles, plastics, cosmetics, and dyes. ACR is formed during the cooking of starchy food and its toxicity results mainly by conferring oxidative stress by elevating reactive oxygen species (ROS). To identify potential antidotes for ACR toxicity, we evaluated the efficacy of several thiol-based molecules known for ROS-scavenging, disulfide-reducing properties, and inhibition of oxidative stress-induced activation of the mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs): the extracellular-signal-regulated-kinases (ERK1/2), p38-mitogen-activated-protein-kinases (p38), and c-Jun-N-terminal-kinases (JNKs).

Challenges in intraoperative differentiation of craniopharyngioma and Rathke cleft cyst on endoscopic visualization.

Background: Craniopharyngiomas are epithelial tumors derived from the remnants of the Rathke pouch, while Rathke cleft cysts (RCC) are benign cystic lesions originating from the Rathke pouch itself [1]. Rathke cleft cysts comprise 10-15% of the hypophyseal tumors, while craniopharyngiomas are relatively rare, comprising only 2-5% of intracranial tumors [2]. Both located in the sellar and parasellar regions and share clinical symptoms including headache, visual disturbances, and endocrine dysfunction [3].

Should antinuclear antibodies (ANA) be used to screen for connective tissue disease in neurological patients?

Background: Patients with connective tissue diseases (CTD) can have a wide range of neurological manifestations. Neurological complaints may be the presenting symptom of CTD. Therefore, screening for CTD using anti-nuclear antibodies (ANA) is a common practice.

Lyrics do matter: how "coping songs" relate to well-being goals. The COVID pandemic case.

Introduction: In stressful times, people often listen to "coping songs" that help them reach emotional well-being goals. This paper is a first attempt to map the connection between an individual's well-being goals and their chosen coping song.

Methods: We assembled a large-scale dataset of 2,804 coping songs chosen by individuals from 11 countries during COVID-19 lockdown.

Predicting RNA Structure and Dynamics with Deep Learning and Solution Scattering.

Advanced deep learning and statistical methods can predict structural models for RNA molecules. However, RNAs are flexible, and it remains difficult to describe their macromolecular conformations in solutions where varying conditions can induce conformational changes. Small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) in solution is an efficient technique to validate structural predictions by comparing the experimental SAXS profile with those calculated from predicted structures.

Of mice and men: Dendritic architecture differentiates human from mice neuronal networks.

The organizational principles that distinguish the human brain from other species have been a long-standing enigma in neuroscience. Focusing on the uniquely evolved human cortical layers 2 and 3, we computationally reconstruct the cortical architecture for mice and humans. We show that human pyramidal cells form highly complex networks, demonstrated by the increased number and simplex dimension compared to mice.

What makes human cortical pyramidal neurons functionally complex.

Humans exhibit unique cognitive abilities within the animal kingdom, but the neural mechanisms driving these advanced capabilities remain poorly understood. Human cortical neurons differ from those of other species, such as rodents, in both their morphological and physiological characteristics. Could the distinct properties of human cortical neurons help explain the superior cognitive capabilities of humans? Understanding this relationship requires a metric to quantify how neuronal properties contribute to the functional complexity of single neurons, yet no such standardized measure currently exists.