Real-world treatment and retreatment patterns and outcomes in patients with advanced or metastatic non-small cell lung cancer following nivolumab monotherapy in second line or later in France: an I-O Optimise analysis.

Introduction: This study describes treatment and retreatment patterns and outcomes in patients in France following nivolumab as a second-line or later (2L+) treatment in locally advanced or metastatic non-small cell lung cancer (LAM NSCLC).

Materials And Methods: This analysis included adults with tumor, node, metastasis stage IIIB-IV NSCLC (as defined in the 7th or 8th edition American Joint Committee on Cancer/Union for International Cancer Control) treated with nivolumab monotherapy in 2L+ using data from the retrospective Epidemiological-Strategy and Medical Economics Lung Cancer database. The inclusion period was from January 1, 2015, to September 30, 2020, with a follow-up until September 30, 2021.

Physiological Ventricular Pacing from the Right Side of the Septum by Engaging the Subendocardial Purkinje Network.

Right ventricular (RV) pacing, particularly from the RV apex, causes bilateral ventricular dyssynchrony, reducing systolic and diastolic function, by delayed activation of the lateral left ventricle, resulting in a wide QRS with a left bundle branch block (LBBB) morphology. Alternative pacing strategies, such as His-bundle pacing and LBB area pacing, tend to be more physiological, avoiding this problem. The feasibility of attaining a narrow paced QRS from the RV septum has not been methodically examined.

Trends and Financial Burden of Gastrointestinal Stromal Tumors in the United States: A Comprehensive Analysis of United States Hospitalizations.

Background: Gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GISTs) are associated with a substantial economic burden to the healthcare system despite their relatively low incidence and prevalence compared to other more common malignancies. This study aimed to evaluate trends in GIST-related hospitalizations, inpatient mortality, and the financial burden of GISTs in the United States.

Methods: The National Inpatient Sample (NIS) database from 2016 to 2020 was used to identify adult hospitalizations (age > 18 years) with a primary diagnosis of GIST.

Programmed cell death markers in COVID-19 survivors with and without sepsis.

Introduction: Sepsis remains a leading cause of mortality, especially in COVID-19 patients, due to delayed diagnosis and limited therapeutic options. While the mechanisms of programmed cell death (PCD) in COVID-19 and sepsis are complex, understanding the molecular markers involved in these processes may aid in assessing disease severity. This study aimed to investigate the roles of PCD markers, inflammatory cytokines, and MHC molecules in distinguishing disease severity in COVID-19 patients with and without sepsis.

Effect of fusion and arthroplasty for cervical degenerative disc disease in patients with physically demanding occupations.

Background: Cervical degenerative disc disease (DDD) significantly affects the quality of life in labor-intensive careers. When conservative measures fail, either anterior cervical discectomy and fusion (ACDF) or cervical disc arthroplasty (CDA) may be indicated. Although ACDF is the gold standard, it can limit motion, whereas CDA preserves motion and may reduce adjacent segment disease (ASD).

Human-AI Collaboration for Remote Sighted Assistance: Perspectives from the LLM Era.

Remote sighted assistance (RSA) has emerged as a conversational technology aiding people with visual impairments (VI) through real-time video chat communication with sighted agents. We conducted a literature review and interviewed 12 RSA users to understand the technical and navigational challenges faced by both agents and users. The technical challenges were categorized into four groups: agents' difficulties in orienting and localizing users, acquiring and interpreting users' surroundings and obstacles, delivering information specific to user situations, and coping with poor network connections.

Reconfigurable AlO-Based Memristor for All-in-One Artificial Synapse and Nociceptor Neurons.

Multifunctional bionic devices have widespread applications in neuromorphic computing, intelligent sensors, and robotics. The inherent properties of memristors make them suitable for these emerging applications, but different applications require either volatile or nonvolatile operations in a unique device. In this work, we have developed a novel reconfigurable Ag/AlO/ITO memristor, which achieves adjustable switching behavior between volatile switching and nonvolatile switching by modulating the compliance current.

Submovements in manual tracking: people with Parkinson's disease produce more submovements than age-matched controls.

Background: In general, people are unable to produce slow, smooth movements - as movements become slower (i.e., with longer durations), they become jerkier.

Endogenous opioid receptors and the feast or famine of maladaptive feeding.

Maladaptive feeding comprises unhealthy eating patterns that jeopardize survival, including over- and underconsumption. These behaviors are often coordinated by endogenous opioid receptors (EORs). Here, we explore the involvement of EORs in obesity and anorexia nervosa (AN), two disorders associated with dysregulated feeding behavior and relevant animal models.

A Brief Report on a Systematic Review of Real-World Effectiveness Studies of ICS/LAMA/LABA for Treatment of Adults with Asthma in the US.

Introduction: Long-acting muscarinic antagonist (LAMA) addition to inhaled corticosteroid/long-acting β-agonist (ICS/LABA) dual therapy is recommended for severe asthma, but its real-world effectiveness is not well established.

Methods: A systematic literature review was conducted in accordance with Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) to investigate clinical outcomes in US adults with asthma receiving ICS + LABA + LAMA as multiple-/single-inhaler triple therapy (MITT/SITT). Real-world/observational studies published in English in Embase/MEDLINE databases (2014-2024) and conference abstracts presented 2022-2024 were eligible for inclusion.

Treatment of non-small cell lung cancer: advances following the introduction of PET-CT and IMRT/VMAT.

Purpose: In definitive radiotherapy/radiochemotherapy (RT/RCT) for localized non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), the introduction of positron-emission tomography (PET)-CT-based staging/RT planning and dynamic RT techniques (intensity-modulated radiotherapy, IMRT/volumetric modulated arc therapy, VMAT) were important innovations.

Methods: We performed a retrospective study and compared clinical outcomes (1) in patients with PET-CT-based staging (n = 170) vs. conventional staging (n = 103) and (2) in patients with dynamic RT techniques (IMRT/VMAT; n = 99) vs.

Differences in serum concentrations of per-and polyfluoroalkyl substances by occupation among firefighters, other first responders, healthcare workers, and other essential workers in Arizona, 2020-2023.

Background: Certain occupations have greater risk for per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) exposure because of PFAS use in occupation-associated materials.

Objective: We sought to assess whether PFAS concentrations differed by occupation among certain Arizona workers and whether concentrations differed over time by occupation.

Methods: Serum concentrations for 14 PFAS were measured among 1960 Arizona Healthcare, Emergency Responder, and Other Essential Worker Study participants.

Moderate To Severe Preoperative Anemia Is Associated With Increased Postoperative Myocardial Infarction And Mortality In Patients Undergoing Transcarotid Artery Revascularization.

Objective: While preoperative anemia is prevalent among surgical patients, its impact on patients undergoing transcarotid artery revascularization (TCAR) remains poorly understood. This study aims to assess the relationship between the severity of preoperative anemia and outcomes following TCAR.

Methods: A retrospective analysis of the Vascular Quality Initiative database (2016-2021) was performed to identify patients who underwent TCAR for carotid stenosis.

A randomised controlled trial to evaluate the efficacy of a multi-step oral hygiene product intervention to improve oral health in partial denture wearers.

Objectives: This study was designed to evaluate the effectiveness of a multi-step oral hygiene intervention among removal partial denture (RPD) wearers.

Methods: A 12-week, single-blind, randomised, 2-armed, parallel-group, controlled trial was conducted with 49 RPD-wearing participants with mild-moderate gingivitis. The intervention group received stannous fluoride toothpaste, sodium fluoride mouth rinse, and an antibacterial denture cleanser foam.

Formation of Drosophila germ cells requires spatial patterning of phospholipids.

Germline-soma segregation is crucial for fertility. Primordial germ cells (PGCs) arise early in development and are the very first cells to form in the Drosophila embryo. At the time of PGC formation, the embryo is a syncytium where nuclei divide within a common cytoplasm.

Biologically active filtration (BAF) for metabolic 1,4-dioxane removal from contaminated groundwater.

1,4-Dioxane is a persistent contaminant that is not effectively removed by conventional water treatment processes. In this study, bench-scale granular activated carbon (GAC)-based biologically active filtration (BAF) systems were developed to metabolically degrade 1,4-dioxane at environmentally relevant levels (<1000 μg L). BAF was established using predeveloped biologically activated carbon particles by mixing a 1,4-dioxane-degrading microbial community with granular activated carbon.

Phase II Trial of Pembrolizumab in Combination With Bevacizumab for Untreated Melanoma Brain Metastases.

Purpose: Anti-vascular endothelial growth factor therapy enhances PD-1 inhibitor activity in preclinical models and has been used to treat perilesional cerebral edema and radiation necrosis.

Methods: We conducted a two-institution phase II trial of bevacizumab and pembrolizumab in patients with untreated melanoma brain metastasis (MBM) (ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT02681549).

Incorporating Circulating Tumor DNA Testing Into Clinical Trials: A Position Paper by the National Cancer Institute GI Oncology Circulating Tumor DNA Working Group.

Purpose: Circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) is an emerging tool in the evaluation of GI cancers. Challenges remain in defining its utility and role as a primary end point in therapeutic trials. The National Cancer Institute (NCI) ctDNA GI working group was created to evaluate current data and provide guidance on the inclusion of ctDNA in GI cancer trials.

Perceived impact on patient routines/responsibilities for surgery and a non-surgical primary treatment option in recurrent LG-IR-NMIBC: findings from the ENVISION phase 3 trial.

Purpose: Adults with low-grade intermediate risk non-muscle-invasive bladder cancer (LG-IR-NMIBC) commonly ask urologists how their routine/responsibilities will be affected by treatments, including the standard of care, transurethral resection of bladder tumor (TURBT). We asked patients in the ENVISION trial (NCT05243550) to compare TURBT to a non-surgical primary treatment (UGN-102 containing mitomycin) for acceptability and impact on their routine/responsibilities.

Materials And Methods: ENVISION (NCT05243550) is a phase 3, single arm trial where UGN-102 was administered as six weekly intravesical instillations.

Rapid butterfly declines across the United States during the 21st century.

Numerous declines have been documented across insect groups, and the potential consequences of insect losses are dire. Butterflies are the most surveyed insect taxa, yet analyses have been limited in geographic scale or rely on data from a single monitoring program. Using records of 12.

Macroevolutionary divergence of gene expression driven by selection on protein abundance.

The regulation of messenger RNA (mRNA) and protein abundances is well-studied, but less is known about the evolutionary processes shaping their relationship. To address this, we derived a new phylogenetic model and applied it to multispecies mammalian data. Our analyses reveal (i) strong stabilizing selection on protein abundances over macroevolutionary time, (ii) mutations affecting mRNA abundances minimally impact protein abundances, (iii) mRNA abundances evolve under selection to align with protein abundances, and (iv) mRNA abundances adapt faster than protein abundances owing to greater mutational opportunity.