Integrase strand transfer inhibitor (INSTI) related changes in BMI and risk of diabetes: a prospective study from the RESPOND cohort consortium.

Background: With integrase strand transfer inhibitor (INSTI) use associated with increased body mass index (BMI) and BMI increases associated with higher diabetes mellitus (DM) risk, this study explored the relationship between INSTI/non-INSTI regimens, BMI changes, and DM risk.

Methods: RESPOND participants were included if they had CD4, HIV RNA, and ≥ 2 BMI measurements during follow up. Those with prior DM were excluded.

Simulating Space Conditions Evokes Different DNA Damage Responses in Immature and Mature Cells of the Human Hematopoietic System.

The impact of space radiation and microgravity on DNA damage responses has been discussed controversially, largely due to the variety of model systems engaged. Here, we performed side-by-side analyses of human hematopoietic stem/progenitor cells (HSPC) and peripheral blood lymphocytes (PBL) cultivated in a 2D clinostat to simulate microgravity before, during and after photon and particle irradiation. We demonstrate that simulated microgravity (SMG) accelerates the early phase of non-homologous end joining (NHEJ)-mediated repair of simple, X-ray-induced DNA double-strand breaks (DSBs) in PBL, while repair kinetics in HSPC remained unaltered.

Increased Body Mass Index Correlates with Less Favorable Postoperative Outcomes After Hypoglossal Nerve Stimulation for Obstructive Sleep Apnea: A Retrospective Cohort Study.

Objective: Obstructive sleep apnea is associated with high morbidity. Hypoglossal nerve stimulation (HNS) has become a novel (neuro-) surgical treatment strategy for obstructive sleep apnea, demonstrating good success rates. Beyond predefined inclusion and exclusion criteria, no precise data are available, enabling individual preoperative risk assessment.

Tissue expansion for challenging DBS hardware erosions in patients with Parkinson's disease.

•Consider tissue expanders for challenging DBS cases in PD patients with hardware erosion.•Placement of tissue expander is essential in planning the reconstruction.•MRI-compatibility of the tissue expander is paramount for shortening the total duration of anesthesia.

Partial upper sternotomy for aortic valve replacement provides similar mid-term outcomes as the full sternotomy.

Background: Minimally invasive aortic valve replacement via upper partial sternotomy (MiniAVR) provides very good short-term results and delivers certain advantages in the postoperative course. There is limited data regarding the mid-term mortality and morbidity following this minimally invasive surgery.

Methods: We provide a retrospective analysis of the patients, undergoing MiniAVR versus full sternotomy (FS) for aortic valve replacement with biological prosthesis.

Impact of a shorter replacement interval of plastic stents on premature stent exchange rate in benign and malignant biliary strictures.

Background And Aim: The main disadvantage of plastic stents is the high rate of stent occlusion. The usual replacement interval of biliary plastic stents is 3 months. This study aimed to investigate if a shorter interval of 6-8 weeks impacts the median premature exchange rate (mPER) in benign and malignant biliary strictures.

Contemporary antiretrovirals and body-mass index: a prospective study of the RESPOND cohort consortium.

Background: Weight gain effects of individual antiretroviral drugs are not fully understood. We investigated associations between a prespecified clinically significant increase (>7%) in body-mass index (BMI) and contemporary antiretroviral use.

Methods: The International Cohort Consortium of Infectious Diseases (RESPOND) is a prospective, multicohort collaboration, including data from 17 well established cohorts and over 29 000 people living with HIV.

European Federation of Societies for Ultrasound in Medicine and Biology (EFSUMB): An Update on the Pediatric CEUS Registry on Behalf of the "EFSUMB Pediatric CEUS Registry Working Group".

The European Federation of Ultrasound in Medicine and Biology (EFSUMB) created the "EFSUMB Pediatric Registry" (EFSUMB EPR) with the purpose of collecting data regarding the intravenous application of pediatric contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS). The primary aim was to document the current clinical practice and usefulness of the technique and secondarily to assess CEUS safety in children. We issue the preliminary results of this database and examine the overall practice of CEUS in children in Europe.

How to RESPOND to Modern Challenges for People Living with HIV: A Profile for a New Cohort Consortium.

Background: the International Cohort Consortium of Infectious Disease (RESPOND) is a collaboration dedicated to research on HIV and other infectious diseases.

Methods: RESPOND is a flexible organization, with several independent substudies operating under one shared governance. HIV-related variables, including full antiretroviral therapy (ART) history, are collected annually for all participants and merged with substudy specific data into a shared data pool.

Interventions for mycosis fungoides.

Background: Mycosis fungoides (MF) is the most common type of cutaneous T-cell lymphoma, a malignant, chronic disease initially affecting the skin. Several therapies are available, which may induce clinical remission for a time. This is an update of a Cochrane Review first published in 2012: we wanted to assess new trials, some of which investigated new interventions.

Treatment outcomes of integrase inhibitors, boosted protease inhibitors and nonnucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors in antiretroviral-naïve persons starting treatment.

Objectives: Although outcomes of antiretroviral therapy (ART) have been evaluated in randomized controlled trials, experiences from subpopulations defined by age, CD4 count or viral load (VL) in heterogeneous real-world settings are limited.

Methods: The study design was an international multicohort collaboration. Logistic regression was used to compare virological and immunological outcomes at 12 ± 3 months after starting ART with an integrase strand transfer inhibitor (INSTI), contemporary nonnucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor (NNRTI) or boosted protease inhibitor (PI/b) with two nucleos(t)ides after 1 January 2012.

Utilization and effectiveness of elbasvir/grazoprevir and adoption of resistance-associated substitutions testing in real-world treatment of hepatitis C virus genotype 1A infection: results from the German Hepatitis C-Registry.

Background: For treatment of genotype 1a (GT1a) infection with elbasvir/grazoprevir, the German guidelines recommend a differentiated approach depending on baseline viral load (BVL). For low BVL ≤800 000 IU/mL, treatment with 12 weeks elbasvir/grazoprevir should be considered, whereas for high BVL >800 000 IU/mL, this regimen is only recommended in nonstructural protein 5A (NS5A) resistance-associated substitutions (RAS) absence. With present NS5A RAS or when RAS-testing is not available, 16 weeks elbasvir/grazoprevir + ribavirin is preferred.

Uptake and Discontinuation of Integrase Inhibitors (INSTIs) in a Large Cohort Setting.

Background: Despite increased integrase strand transfer inhibitor (INSTI) use, limited large-scale, real-life data exists on INSTI uptake and discontinuation.

Setting: International multicohort collaboration.

Methods: RESPOND participants starting dolutegravir (DTG), elvitegravir (EVG), or raltegravir (RAL) after January 1, 2012 were included.

Non-Surgical and Non-Radioiodine Techniques for Ablation of Benign Thyroid Nodules: Consensus Statement and Recommendation.

Thyroid nodules and cysts are frequently diagnosed in Germany with a prevalence of about 20% in young adults reaching up to 70% in older adults. Surgery is the standard treatment of symptomatic nodules, nodules with suspicion of malignancy and thyroid cancer. Radioiodine treatment is applied for autonomously functioning nodules.

Meeting challenges in delivery of patient care: a reflection on the involvement of ERS in CPD of respiratory physicians.

http://bit.ly/2XHmr3J.

Efficacy of Temozolomide Therapy in Patients With Aggressive Pituitary Adenomas and Carcinomas-A German Survey.

Context: Despite growing evidence that temozolomide (TMZ) therapy is effective for the treatment of aggressive pituitary tumors (APTs) or carcinomas (PCs), individual therapy decisions remain challenging.

Objective: We therefore aimed to report on clinical characteristics leading to initiation of TMZ therapy and to add evidence on TMZ long-term effectiveness.

Design And Subjects: Retrospective survey on TMZ treatment in patients with APTs or PCs.

Total Versus Near-total Thyroidectomy in Graves Disease: Results of the Randomized Controlled Multicenter TONIG-trial.

Background: Previous data suggest that the incidence of hypoparathyroidism after surgery for Graves disease (GD) is lower after subtotal thyroidectomy compared to total thyroidectomy (TT). The present study evaluated the incidence of postoperative hypoparathyroidism after near-total (NTT) versus TT in GD.

Methods/design: In a multicenter prospective randomized controlled clinical trial, patients with GD were randomized intraoperatively to NTT or TT.

The role of adipokines in the improvement of diabetic and cardiovascular risk factors within a 52-week weight-loss programme for obesity.

Background: Obesity is an independent risk factor for cardiovascular disease and diabetes weight reduction not only reduces the risk for these diseases but leads to an alteration of the circulating adipokine levels. The aim of our study was to evaluate the effect of weight loss and lifestyle changes implemented in the form of the interdisciplinary weight management programme Optifast52® on cardiovascular and diabetic risk factors and on key adipokines.

Methods: 72 morbidly obese patients were included in the programme, which consisted of a very low-calorie diet followed by incremental food introduction and dietary stabilisation, accompanied by medical surveillance, physical activity, dietary counselling and psychological support.

Combination of CCl with alcoholic and metabolic injuries mimics human liver fibrosis.

Metabolic and alcoholic liver injuries result in nonalcoholic (NAFLD) or alcoholic (ALD) fatty liver disease, respectively. In particular, presence of fibrosis in NAFLD and ALD requires treatment, but development of drugs is hampered by the lack of suitable models with significant fibrosis. The carbon tetrachloride (CCl) liver fibrosis model does not reflect human NAFLD or ALD, but CCl may serve as a fibrosis accelerator in addition to another injury.

Neurodevelopmental outcome in hypoplastic left heart syndrome after hybrid procedure.

Background: Little is known about the mid-term outcome and brain development in patients following the hybrid approach for hypoplastic left heart syndrome (HLHS). This study investigates neurodevelopmental outcome, quality of life (QoL) and brain MRI findings in HLHS preschoolers treated with the hybrid approach.

Methods: Twenty HLHS patients (60% males) have been examined after neonatal hybrid Stage I and comprehensive stage II operation at the Pediatric Heart Center Giessen, Germany, between 2012 and 2016.

Identification of 19 Novel Hepatitis C Virus Subtypes-Further Expanding HCV Classification.

Background: Hepatitis C virus (HCV) is currently classified into 8 genotypes and 86 subtypes. The objective of this study was to characterize novel HCV subtypes and to investigate the impact of subtypes on treatment outcome.

Methods: Full-genome sequencing was performed on HCV plasma samples with <85% sequence homology of NS3, NS5A, and/or NS5B to HCV genotype (GT) 1-8 reference strains.

Risk factors for antiretroviral therapy (ART) discontinuation in a large multinational trial of early ART initiators.

Objective: We aimed to investigate potential causes of higher risk of treatment interruptions within the multicountry Strategic Timing of AntiRetroviral Treatment (START) trial in 2015.

Methods: We defined baseline as the date of starting antiretroviral therapy (ART) and a treatment interruption as discontinuing ART for at least 2 weeks. Participants were stratified by randomization arm and followed from baseline to earliest end date of the initial phase of START, death, date of consent withdrawn or date of first treatment interruption.

Ex vivo validation of microwave thermal ablation simulation using different flow coefficients in the porcine liver.

The purpose of the study was to validate the simulation model for a microwave thermal ablation in ex vivo liver tissue. The study aims to show that heat transfer due to the flow of tissue water during ablation in ex vivo tissue is not negligible. Ablation experiments were performed in ex vivo porcine liver with microwave powers of 60 W to 100 W.

Hematopoietic Deficiency of the Long Noncoding RNA MALAT1 Promotes Atherosclerosis and Plaque Inflammation.

Background: The majority of the human genome comprises noncoding sequences, which are in part transcribed as long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs). lncRNAs exhibit multiple functions, including the epigenetic control of gene expression. In this study, the effect of the lncRNA MALAT1 (metastasis-associated lung adenocarcinoma transcript 1) on atherosclerosis was examined.