Latest Developments in Targeted Biological Therapies in the Management of Chordoma and Chondrosarcoma.

Study Design: Systematic review.

Objectives: The objective of this review paper was to summarize targeted molecular therapy options for spinal chordoma and chondrosarcoma, and to provide an update on the relevant clinical trials open for recruitment.

Methods: A systematic review of the current literature was performed, according to PRISMA guidelines, to summarize the latest developments in non-surgical molecular treatment options for low grade malignant primary spinal tumours.

Liquid Biopsy for Spinal Tumors: On the Frontiers of Clinical Application.

Study Design: Narrative review.

Objectives: This article aims to provide a narrative review of the current state of research for liquid biopsy in spinal tumors and to discuss the potential application of liquid biopsy in the clinical management of patients with spinal tumors.

Methods: A comprehensive review of the literature was performed using PubMed, Google Scholar, Medline, Embase and Cochrane databases, and the review was limited to articles of English language.

Proton radiotherapy significantly reduces pneumonia in oesophageal cancer patients.

Background: Neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy (nCRT) followed by surgical resection is the current standard of care for oesophageal cancer (EC) patients. This treatment is associated with a variety of complications, with pneumonia being the most common. We hypothesize that proton radiotherapy (PRT) can significantly reduce the incidence of pneumonia compared to photon radiotherapy (PhRT).

The Effect of Aneurysm Diameter on Perioperative Outcomes Following Complex Endovascular Repair.

Objectives: Endovascular aneurysm repair (EVAR) for large infrarenal abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAA) has been associated with worse outcomes compared to EVAR for smaller AAAs. Whether these findings apply to complex AAAs (cAAA) remains uncertain.

Methods: We identified all intact complex EVAR (cEVAR) from 2012-2024 in the Vascular Quality Initiative.

Symptoms at population Eliciting Doses ≤ED05 for 11 priority allergenic foods are mild to moderate.

Insight into symptoms at low doses of protein from priority allergenic foods may support decision making and acceptance of harmonized reference doses for Precautionary Allergen Labeling (PAL). Symptoms were extracted from double-blind placebo-controlled food challenges underlying the full range Eliciting Dose (ED) distributions (Houben et al., 2020).

Burden of RSV infections among young children in primary care: a prospective cohort study in five European countries (2021-23).

Background: The majority of respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) infections in young children are managed in primary care, however, the disease burden in this setting remains poorly defined.

Methods: We did a prospective cohort study in primary care settings in Belgium, Italy, Spain, the Netherlands, and the UK during the RSV seasons of 2020-21 (UK only; from Jan 1, 2021), 2021-22, and 2022-23. Children aged younger than 5 years presenting to their general practitioner or primary care paediatrician with symptoms of an acute respiratory tract infection were eligible for RSV testing.

Accurate evaluation of factor VIII activity of efanesoctocog alfa in the presence of emicizumab.

Background: Efanesoctocog is a B-domain-deleted, Fc-fusion FVIII linked to the D'D3 domain of VWF and two XTEN polypeptides, designed for an ultra-extended half-life for prophylaxis in hemophilia A, but also aiding in managing acute bleeding or surgery in patients on long-term emicizumab. However, no current laboratory method accurately measures FVIII levels in the presence of emicizumab. We hypothesized that the chromogenic (CSA) FVIII assay, specifically calibrated for efanesoctocog using bovine coagulation factors, could provide an accurate assessment of efanesoctocog activity.

Students' perspective on the Dutch National Pharmacotherapy Assessment, a national survey study among final-year medical students.

Introduction: The Dutch National Pharmacotherapy Assessment (DNPA) was introduced in 2013 to improve clinical pharmacology and therapeutics (CPT) education. This study investigated final-year medical students' perceived motivation and level of preparation for the DNPA in different scenarios: mandatory vs. non-mandatory, and traditional high-stakes assessment programme vs.

The impact of summative, formative or programmatic assessment on the Dutch National Pharmacotherapy assessment: A retrospective multicentre study.

Background: The Dutch National Pharmacotherapy Assessment (DNPA), which focuses on assessing medication safety and essential drug knowledge, was introduced to improve clinical pharmacology and therapeutics education in the Netherlands. This study investigated how the performance of final-year medical students on the DPNA was affected by the assessment programme (traditional with summative or formative assessment, and programmatic assessment).

Methods: This multicentre retrospective longitudinal observation study (2019-2023) involved final-year medical students from four medical schools in the Netherlands.

The 24-hour physical activities in adults with cerebral palsy and their adherence to the 24-hour movement guideline.

Objective: To describe 24-hour physical activities (sleep and physical activity) in adults with cerebral palsy (CP), explore potential influencing factors and compare 24-hour physical activities with controls.

Design: Cross-sectional, observational internet study involving adults with CP and a convenience sample of adults without CP.

Setting: Individuals residing in the Netherlands Participants: 110 adults with CP (median age 42, range 28-77 years; 64 (58%) ambulant; 40% male) and 89 adult controls (median age 43, range 18-78 years; 29% male).

DNA-binding affinity and specificity determine the phenotypic diversity in BCL11B-related disorders.

BCL11B is a Cys2-His2 zinc-finger (C2H2-ZnF) domain-containing, DNA-binding, transcription factor with established roles in the development of various organs and tissues, primarily the immune and nervous systems. BCL11B germline variants have been associated with a variety of developmental syndromes. However, genotype-phenotype correlations along with pathophysiologic mechanisms of selected variants mostly remain elusive.

The effects of 6 months dietary counseling on diet quality and cardiovascular risk profile in patients with cardiovascular disease: A randomized controlled trial.

Background & Aims: A healthy diet improves cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk factors. However, dietary counseling is not yet widely implemented in health care for patients with CVD. We assessed how dietary counseling by a dietitian, focused on improving diet quality, influenced the cardiovascular risk profile of patients with CVD.

Prognostic Value of Molecular Aberrations in Low- or Intermediate-Risk Neuroblastomas: A Systematic Review.

Background: The 5-year prognosis of non-high-risk neuroblastomas is generally good (>90%). However, a proportion of patients show progression and succumb to their disease. We aimed to identify molecular aberrations (not incorporated in the current risk stratification) associated with overall survival (OS) and/or event-free survival (EFS) in patients diagnosed with non-high-risk neuroblastoma.

Food Environments and Diet Quality Among Vendors and Consumers in Five Traditional Urban Markets in Kenya.

Background/objectives: Traditional food markets are essential in urban food environments in Kenya and other low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). They provide affordable fresh food, particularly for low-income urban communities, and are vital places of livelihoods and local economic activities. Despite their importance, associations between market-related factors and diet quality for vendors and consumers are underexplored.

Typing of feces-derived Candida albicans strains using a novel seven-locus microsatellite panel reveals associations with yeast phenotype in individuals with inflammatory bowel disease.

Inflammatory diseases of the human gastrointestinal tract are affected by the microbes that reside in the mucosal surfaces. Patients with inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD) have altered bacterial and fungal intestinal compositions, including higher levels of fecal Candida yeasts. Ongoing research indicates that genetic and phenotypic diversity of Candida albicans may be linked with disease severity.

GERMLINE PATHOGENIC VARIANTS IN PATIENTS WITH PANCREATIC DUCTAL ADENOCARCINOMA AND EXTRA-PANCREATIC MALIGNANCIES: A NATIONWIDE DATABASE ANALYSIS.

Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is a lethal disease. About 10% of affected individuals have an inherited component. Deleterious germline variants increase the lifetime risk for PDAC and are often associated with an elevated risk for extra-pancreatic malignancies.

From responsibility to responsibilization in stem cell research: An ethical framework.

Adopting a responsibilization approach can further improve the ethical conduct of stem cell (SC) research and applications. This approach helps align new and existing solutions for ethical implications by focusing on equipping SC researchers with the knowledge, skills, and organizational arrangements to take (co-)responsibility for the socio-ethical implications of their research.

Gut microbiome and immune checkpoint inhibitor toxicity.

Background: Multiple studies have suggested that gut microbiome may influence immune checkpoint inhibitor (ICI) efficacy, but its association with immune-related adverse events (irAEs) is less well studied. In this prospective cohort study, we assessed whether gut microbiome composition at start, or changes during ICI, are associated with severe irAEs.

Methods: Stool samples of cancer patients treated with anti-PD-1 ± anti-CTLA-4 were analyzed using 16S rRNA gene sequencing and metagenomic shotgun sequencing.

Predicting the risk of intensive care unit admission in patients with COVID-19 presenting in the emergency room: Development and evaluation of the CROSS score.

Background: Existing risk evaluation tools underperform in predicting intensive care unit (ICU) admission for patients with the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19). This study aimed to develop and evaluate an accurate and calculator-free clinical tool for predicting ICU admission at emergency room (ER) presentation.

Methods: Data from patients with COVID-19 in a nationwide German cohort (March 2020-January 2023) were analyzed.

Positive associations between mean ambient temperature and involuntary admissions to psychiatric facilities.

Background: Temperature increases in the context of climate change affect numerous mental health outcomes. One such relevant outcome is involuntary admissions as these often relate to severe (life)threatening psychiatric conditions. Due to a shortage of studies into this topic, relationships between mean ambient temperature and involuntary admissions have remained largely elusive.

Post-intrathecal chemotherapy-related paraplegia syndrome in hematological cancer patients: A systematic review.

Background: Intrathecal (IT) chemotherapy is essential in treating hematological malignancies, but it can lead to ascending paraplegia, a condition that currently lacks clear management guidelines.

Methods: We conducted a systematic review, analyzing 1219 studies and 116 patients, adhering to PRISMA guidelines for individual patient data. The study, registered under PROSPERO (CRD42022362121), focused on the onset, diagnostic approaches, and therapeutic interventions associated with this complication, and management strategies to tackle the ascending paraplegia.

Intervention strategies to prevent mental health problems and improve resilience in employed parents from conception until the child is 5 years of age: a scoping review.

Aim: To understand the extent and type of evidence in relation to the effectiveness of intervention strategies targeting working pregnant women, and their partners, for the prevention of mental health problems (depression, anxiety) and improving resilience, from conception until the child is 5 years of age.

Methods: A scoping review was conducted searching Pubmed (including Medline), Embase, Web of Science Core Collection and Scopus. Inclusion criteria were based on population (employed parents), context (from -9 months to 5 years postpartum) and concept (mental health problems, resilience and prevention/ preventative interventions).

The BAMBOO method for correcting batch effects in high throughput proximity extension assays for proteomic studies.

The proximity extension assay (PEA) enables large-scale proteomic investigations across numerous proteins and samples. However, discrepancies between measurements, known as batch-effects, potentially skew downstream statistical analyses and increase the risks of false discoveries. While implementing bridging controls (BCs) on each plate has been proposed to mitigate these effects, a clear method for utilizing this strategy remains elusive.