Differences in smoking cessation behaviors and vaping status among adult daily smokers with and without depression, anxiety, and alcohol use: Findings from the 2018 and 2020 International Tobacco Control Four Country Smoking and Vaping (ITC 4CV) Surveys.

This study examined differences in quit attempts, 1-month quit success, and vaping status at follow-up among a cohort of 3709 daily smokers with and without depression, anxiety, and regular alcohol use who participated in both the 2018 and 2020 International Tobacco Control Four Country Smoking and Vaping (ITC 4CV) Surveys. At baseline, a survey with validated screening tools was used to classify respondents as having no, or one or more of the following: 1) depression, 2) anxiety, and 3) regular alcohol use. Multivariable adjusted regression analyses were used to examine whether baseline (2018) self-report conditions were associated with quit attempts; quit success; and vaping status by follow-up (2020).

Aging-induced changes in lymphatic muscle cell transcriptomes are associated with reduced pumping of peripheral collecting lymphatic vessels in mice.

Lymphatic muscle cells (LMCs) within the wall of collecting lymphatic vessels exhibit tonic and autonomous phasic contractions, which drive active lymph transport to maintain tissue-fluid homeostasis and support immune surveillance. Damage to LMCs disrupts lymphatic function and is related to various diseases. Despite their importance, knowledge of the gene transcriptional signatures in LMCs and how they relate to lymphatic function in normal and disease contexts is largely missing.

Coffee and tea consumption and the risk of head and neck cancer: An updated pooled analysis in the International Head and Neck Cancer Epidemiology Consortium.

Introduction: The relations between coffee and tea consumption and head and neck cancer (HNC) incidence are unclear. With increasing global HNC burden, this study aims to examine the association between coffee, tea, and HNC.

Methods: A pooled analysis of 9548 HNC cases and 15,783 controls from 14 individual-level case-control studies was conducted from the International Head and Neck Cancer Epidemiology consortium.

Biomarker analyses from the phase 3 randomized CLEAR trial: Lenvatinib plus pembrolizumab versus sunitinib in advanced renal cell carcinoma.

Background: In CLEAR, lenvatinib + pembrolizumab (L+P) significantly improved efficacy versus sunitinib in first-line treatment of patients with advanced renal cell carcinoma (RCC). We report results from CLEAR biomarker analyses.

Methods: PD-L1 immunohistochemistry (IHC) and next-generation sequencing assays (whole exome sequencing/RNA-sequencing) were performed on archival tumor specimens.

Biomarkers of exposure to nicotine and selected toxicants in individuals who use alternative tobacco products sold in Japan and Canada in 2018-2019.

Background: Comparisons of nicotine and toxicant exposure between people who use different alternative tobacco products remains underexplored.

Methods: This cross-sectional, multi-country study analyzed urinary metabolites of nicotine, NNK, and volatile organic compounds (acrolein, acrylamide, acrylonitrile) among established users (n=550) in Japan and Canada. Participants exclusively or concurrently used nicotine vaping products (NVPs; Canada only), heated tobacco products (HTPs; Japan only), and combustible cigarettes (CCs; Japan and Canada), or abstained (Japan and Canada).

Continuation versus Interruption of Buprenorphine/Naloxone in Adult Veterans Undergoing Surgery: Examination of Postoperative Pain and Opioid Utilization in a National Retrospective Cohort Study.

Background: Prescription rates for buprenorphine in opioid use disorder are increasing, and recent guidelines recommend its continuation during and after surgery; however, evidence from clinical outcome studies is limited. We tested the hypotheses that 1) perioperative continuation of buprenorphine does not result in higher pain scores and 2) that this approach does not result in higher supplemental postoperative opioid requirements.

Methods: The Veterans Affairs Corporate Data Warehouse was queried for patients who underwent surgery while being prescribed buprenorphine/naloxone for opioid use disorder between 2010 and 2020.

Pathogenic variants in cancer susceptibility genes predispose to Ductal Carcinoma In situ of the breast.

Purpose: To determine the relationship between germline pathogenic variants (PVs) in cancer predisposition genes and the risk of ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS).

Methods: Germline PV frequencies in breast cancer predisposition genes (ATM, BARD1, BRCA1, BRCA2, CDH1, CHEK2, PALB2, RAD51C, and RAD51D) were compared between DCIS cases and unaffected controls, and between DCIS and infiltrating ductal carcinoma (IDC) cases from a clinical-testing cohort (n=9,887), a population-based cohort (n=3,876) and the UK Biobank (n=2421). The risk of contralateral breast cancer for DCIS cases with PVs was estimated in the population-based cohort.

Novel Scoring System for Ranking Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation.

Background: When human leukocyte antigen (HLA)-matched donors are not available for hematopoietic stem cell transplants (HSCT), there are no well-accepted guidelines for ranking 7/8 HLA-matched unrelated donors to achieve optimal transplant outcomes. A novel scoring system for ranking HLA mismatches for these donors was investigated.

Methods: High-resolution HLA types were used to determine amino acid mismatches located in the HLA antigen-recognition domain.

Evaluation of Ki-67 expression and large cell content as prognostic markers in MZL: a multicenter cohort study.

Marginal zone lymphoma (MZL) can have varied presentations and pathologic features, including high Ki-67 expression ( > 20%) as well as increased numbers of large B cells (LC). However, there are limited data available demonstrating the prognostic significance of these variables in patients with MZL. In this multi-institutional retrospective cohort study of patients with MZL treated at 10 centers, we evaluated the association between the presence of Ki-67 expression and increased LCs on survival and risk of histologic transformation (HT).

Early experience with an artificial intelligence-based module for brain metastasis detection and segmentation.

Introduction: - Accurate detection, segmentation, and volumetric analysis of brain lesions are essential in neuro-oncology. Artificial intelligence (AI)-based models have improved the efficiency of these processes. This study evaluated an AI-based module for detecting and segmenting brain metastases, comparing it with manual detection and segmentation.

Safety of Co-Crystal of Tramadol-Celecoxib (CTC) in Patients with Acute Moderate-to-Severe Pain: Pooled Analysis of Three Phase 3 Randomized Trials.

Introduction: Multi-modal analgesia is desirable for the management of acute pain since it can provide effective pain relief at lower doses, thereby aiding tolerability. Co-crystal of tramadol-celecoxib (CTC) provides effective analgesia in models of acute pain. Co-crystallization can alter the pharmacokinetics of individual components, potentially improving tolerability.

Surface-engineered vertically-aligned ZnO nanorod for sensitive non-enzymatic electrochemical monitoring of cholesterol.

Developing highly sensitive and selective non-enzymatic electrochemical biosensors for disease biomarker detection has become challenging in healthcare applications. However, advances in material science are opening new avenues for creating more dependable biosensing technologies. In this context, the present work introduces a novel approach by engineering a hybrid structure of zinc oxide nanorod (ZnO NR) modified with iron oxide nanoparticle (FeO NP) on an FTO electrode.

A grain-like cerium oxide nanostructure: synthesis and uric acid sensing application.

Utilizing nanomaterials on the working electrode of sensors enables the fabrication of highly sensitive devices for the detection of various analytes. Herein, a facile synthesis method is used to formulate a grain-like cerium oxide (CeO) nanostructure. The structural features and surface properties of the synthesized CeO nanostructure were studied, which showed that the CeO nanostructure exhibited grain-like morphology, good crystalline structure, and excellent vibrational properties.

Randomized phase II dose comparison LITESPARK-013 study of belzutifan in patients with advanced clear cell renal cell carcinoma.

Background: Belzutifan is a first-in-class hypoxia-inducible factor subunit 2α (HIF-2α) inhibitor approved at a dose of 120 mg once daily for certain adults with VHL disease and adults with advanced renal cell carcinoma (RCC) following therapy with a programmed cell death protein 1 (PD-1) [or programmed death ligand 1 (PD-L1)] inhibitor and a vascular endothelial growth factor tyrosine kinase inhibitor. However, whether the belzutifan dose could be optimized is unclear.

Patients And Methods: The phase II LITESPARK-013 study (NCT04489771) enrolled patients with advanced clear cell RCC whose disease progressed after one to three prior systemic therapies, including an anti-PD-(L)1 regimen.

The impact of tobacco tax increases on cost-minimising behaviours and subsequent smoking cessation in Australia: an analysis of the International Tobacco Control Policy Evaluation Project.

Objective: We examined the relationship in Australia from 2007 to 2020 between tobacco tax increases and use of cost-minimising behaviours (CMBs) when purchasing tobacco and: (1) tobacco expenditure and (2) smoking cessation attempts and quit success.

Methods: We used data collected from adults who smoked factory-made and/or roll-your-own (RYO) cigarettes in nine waves (2007-2020) of the International Tobacco Control Policy Evaluation Project Australia Survey (N=4975, N=10 474). CMBs included buying RYO tobacco, cartons, large-sized packs, economy packs, or tax avoidance/evasion, smoking reduction and e-cigarette use.

Avoidable admissions after minimally invasive hysterectomy.

Objective: To determine the rate of avoidable admissions following anticipated same-day discharge for patients undergoing minimally invasive hysterectomy and to identify risk factors associated with such admissions.

Methods: A retrospective review was performed of patients who underwent a minimally invasive hysterectomy between March 2019 and July 2021 for a suspected gynecologic malignancy at a single tertiary care center. Pre-operatively, patients were assessed for same-day discharge versus planned admission.

Nivolumab plus ipilimumab versus sunitinib for first-line treatment of advanced renal cell carcinoma: extended 8-year follow-up results of efficacy and safety from the phase III CheckMate 214 trial.

Background: Nivolumab plus ipilimumab (NIVO+IPI) has demonstrated superior overall survival (OS) and durable response benefits versus sunitinib (SUN) with long-term follow-up in patients with advanced renal cell carcinoma (aRCC). We report updated analyses with 8 years of median follow-up from CheckMate 214.

Patients And Methods: Patients with aRCC (N = 1096) were randomized to NIVO 3 mg/kg plus IPI 1 mg/kg Q3W × four doses, followed by NIVO (3 mg/kg or 240 mg Q2W or 480 mg Q4W); or SUN (50 mg) once daily for 4 weeks on, 2 weeks off.

A systematic strategy for identifying causal single nucleotide polymorphisms and their target genes on Juvenile arthritis risk haplotypes.

Background: Although genome-wide association studies (GWAS) have identified multiple regions conferring genetic risk for juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA), we are still faced with the task of identifying the single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) on the disease haplotypes that exert the biological effects that confer risk. Until we identify the risk-driving variants, identifying the genes influenced by these variants, and therefore translating genetic information to improved clinical care, will remain an insurmountable task. We used a function-based approach for identifying causal variant candidates and the target genes on JIA risk haplotypes.