Multimodal integration of blood RNA and ctDNA reflects response to immunotherapy in metastatic urothelial cancer.

Background: Previously, we demonstrated that changes in circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) are promising biomarkers for early response prediction (ERP) to immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICI) in metastatic urothelial cancer (mUC). In this study, we investigated the value of whole blood immunotranscriptomics for ERP-ICI and integrated both biomarkers into a multimodal model to boost accuracy.

Methods: Blood samples of 93 patients were collected at baseline and after 2-6 weeks of ICI for ctDNA (N=88) and immunotranscriptome (N=79) analyses.

Interplay between Skeletal Muscle Catabolism and Remodeling of Arteriovenous Fistula via YAP1 Signaling.

Background: Arteriovenous (AV) fistulas are the preferred access for dialysis but have a high incidence of failure. This study aims to understand the crosstalk between skeletal muscle catabolism and AV fistula maturation failure.

Methods: Skeletal muscle metabolism and AV fistula maturation were evaluated in mice with chronic kidney disease (CKD).

Monocytes and interstitial macrophages contribute to hypoxic pulmonary hypertension.

Hypoxia is a major cause of pulmonary hypertension (PH) worldwide, and it is likely that interstitial pulmonary macrophages contribute to this vascular pathology. We observed in hypoxia-exposed mice an increase in resident interstitial macrophages, which expanded through proliferation and expressed the monocyte recruitment ligand CCL2. We also observed an increase in CCR2+ macrophages through recruitment, which express the protein thrombospondin-1 that functionally activates TGF-beta to cause vascular disease.

Novel genetic insight for psoriasis: integrative genome-wide analyses in 863 080 individuals and proteome-wide Mendelian randomization.

Psoriasis affects a significant proportion of the worldwide population and causes an extremely heavy psychological and physical burden. The existing therapeutic schemes have many deficiencies such as limited efficacies and various side effects. Therefore, novel ways of treating psoriasis are urgently needed.

Assessment of the underreporting of rhinitis in patients with asthma: A MASK-air® real-world study.

Rhinitis is a common comorbidity in patients with asthma. However, the frequency of underreported rhinitis in asthma is not known. In this study, we aimed to assess the characteristics of patients with self-reported asthma and no self-reported rhinitis, as well as the extent of the underreporting of rhinitis.

Increased plasma interleukin-1β is associated with accelerated lung function decline in non-smokers.

Interleukin-1β is one of the major cytokines involved in the initiation and persistence of airway inflammation in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). However, the association between plasma interleukin-1β and lung function decline remains unclear. We aimed to explore the association between plasma interleukin-1β and lung function decline.

The diagnostic performance and optimal strategy of cone beam CT-assisted bronchoscopy for peripheral pulmonary lesions: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) assisted bronchoscopy shows prospective advantages in diagnosing peripheral pulmonary lesions (PPLs), but its diagnostic value and potential influencing factors remain unclear. What is the clinical value and optimal strategy of CBCT-assisted bronchoscopy in diagnosing PPLs? The references were searched from PubMed, EmBase, and Web of Science. Studies reporting diagnostic yield and potential influencing factors of CBCT-assisted bronchoscopy were included.

Revised Process for ACNS Guidelines Development.

The development of clinical practice guidelines is an evolving field. In response to the need for consistent, evidence-based medical practice, the American Clinical Neurophysiology Society identified the need to update the Society's guideline development process. The American Clinical Neurophysiology Society Guidelines Committee created an action plan with the goal of improving transparency and rigor for future guidelines and bringing existing guidelines to current standards.

recovered from hospital patients, livestock and dogs in Nigeria share near-identical genome sequences.

Genomic data on from the African continent are currently lacking, resulting in the region being under-represented in global analyses of infection (CDI) epidemiology. For the first time in Nigeria, we utilized whole-genome sequencing and phylogenetic tools to compare isolates from diarrhoeic human patients (=142), livestock (=38), poultry manure (=5) and dogs (=9) in the same geographic area (Makurdi, north-central Nigeria) and relate them to the global population. In addition, selected isolates were tested for antimicrobial susceptibility (=33) and characterized by PCR ribotyping (=53).

Procedural Prescription Denials and Risk of Acute Care Utilization and Spending Among Medicaid Patients.

Importance: Rising prescription medication costs under Medicaid have led to increased procedural prescription denials by health plans. The effect of unresolved denials on chronic condition exacerbation and subsequent acute care utilization remains unclear.

Objective: To examine whether procedural prescription denials are associated with increased net spending through downstream acute care utilization among Medicaid patients not obtaining prescribed medication following a denial.

Community Racial and Ethnic Representation Among Physicians in US Internal Medicine Residency Programs.

Importance: Increasing underrepresented in medicine (URIM) physicians among historically underserved communities helps reduce health disparities. The concordance of URIM physicians with their communities improves access to care, particularly for American Indian and Alaska Native, Black, and Hispanic or Latinx individuals.

Objectives: To explore county-level racial and ethnic representation of US internal medicine (IM) residents, examine racial and ethnic concordance between residents and their communities, and assess whether representation varies by presence of academic institutions or underserved settings.

Origin and In-Office Treatment of Retrograde Cricopharyngeus Dysfunction.

Importance: Retrograde cricopharyngeus dysfunction (R-CPD) is an emerging disorder associated with disabling symptoms. The origin of R-CPD remains unknown.

Objective: To investigate the development of symptoms, diagnosis approach, and therapeutic outcomes of R-CPD in patients treated with in-office botulinum toxin injection (BTI) into the cricopharyngeus.

Adjuvant Atezolizumab for Early Triple-Negative Breast Cancer: The ALEXANDRA/IMpassion030 Randomized Clinical Trial.

Importance: Triple-negative breast cancer is an aggressive subtype with a high incidence in young patients, a high incidence in non-Hispanic Black women, and a high risk of progression to metastatic cancer, a devastating sequela with a 12- to 18-month life expectancy. Until recently, one strategy for treating early-stage triple-negative breast cancer was chemotherapy after surgery. However, it was not known whether the addition of immune therapy to postsurgery chemotherapy would be beneficial.

Advancing High-Throughput Cellular Atomic Force Microscopy with Automation and Artificial Intelligence.

Atomic force microscopy (AFM) has reached a significant level of maturity in biology, demonstrated by the diversity of modes for obtaining not only topographical images but also insightful mechanical and adhesion data by performing force measurements on delicate samples with a controlled environment (e.g., liquid, temperature, pH).

A Phase 3B, Open-Label Study to Evaluate the Immunogenicity and Safety of the Quadrivalent Meningococcal Nimenrix Vaccine When Given to Healthy Infants at 3 and 12 Months of Age.

Introduction: Infants and young children typically have the highest age-related risk of invasive meningococcal disease. The immunogenicity and safety of a single primary dose and a booster of a meningococcal A/C/W/Y tetanus toxoid conjugate vaccine (MenACWY-TT; Nimenrix) in infants were evaluated.

Methods: In this phase 3b, open-label, single-arm study, healthy 3-month-old infants received a single Nimenrix dose followed by a booster at age 12 months (1 + 1 series).

Identifying At-Risk Populations for Reoperations, Readmissions, and Interventions in MBSAQIP Using a Novel Inpatient Postoperative Care Metric.

Introduction: Metabolic and bariatric surgery (MBS) is increasingly used for obesity and metabolic disease, with safety profiles showing it is among the safest major operations. The last 20 + years have noted significantly improved safety that has been accompanied by decreasing length of stay and select populations electing for outpatient surgery, leading to continued decreases in cost. Regardless, readmissions and complications still occur, requiring inpatient postoperative care (IP-POC).

Ring Augmentation of the Roux-en-Y Gastric Bypass: A Propensity Score Matched Analysis of 5-Year Follow-Up Results.

Background: The ring-augmented Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (raRYGB) has been reported to result in higher long-term weight loss compared to regular Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RYGB). However, the type of ring used varied within studies, leading to heterogeneity in reported results. Therefore, this study compares the 5-year results of RYGB with and without ring augmentation using a specific prefabricated gastric ring.

Willingness to Use Long-Acting Injectable Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis among Adolescent Girls and Young Women in Kampala, Uganda.

Pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) has proven to be a powerful tool in preventing HIV infection. There is limited information about the factors associated with willingness to use different PrEP modalities among adolescent girls and young women (AGYW) in Africa. We assessed willingness to use long-acting injectable PrEP (LAI-PrEP) among 14-24-year-old AGYW at high risk of HIV in Uganda, and associated factors determined using multivariable complementary log-log regression.