Pediatric relapsed/refractory ALK+ anaplastic large cell lymphoma treatment and outcomes in the targeted drug era.

Treatment options for patients with relapsed or refractory (R/R) anaplastic large cell lymphoma (ALCL) have increased in the era of targeted therapies such as brentuximab vedotin (BV) and Anaplastic Lymphoma Kinase (ALK) inhibitors. However, there is no standard treatment and limited published data evaluating their use. The goal of this retrospective study is to describe current real-world treatment and outcomes of pediatric, adolescent, and young adult patients with R/R ALK-positive ALCL.

GATA2 links stemness to chemotherapy resistance in acute myeloid leukemia.

Stemness-associated cell states are linked to chemotherapy resistance in AML. We uncovered a direct mechanistic link between expression of the stem cell transcription factor GATA2 and drug resistance. The GATA-binding protein 2 (GATA2) plays a central role in blood stem cell generation and maintenance.

Evolution of long scalp hair in humans.

The ability to grow long scalp hair is a distinct human characteristic. It probably originally evolved to aid in cooling the sun-exposed head, although the genetic determinants of long hair are largely unknown. Despite ancestral variations in hair growth, long scalp hair is common to all extant human populations, which suggests its emergence before or concurrently with the emergence of anatomically modern humans (AMHs), approximately 300 000 years ago.

Healthy Aging and the Gut Microbiome in People With and Without HIV.

Background: Aging-related comorbidities are more common in people with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) compared to people without HIV. The gut microbiome may play a role in healthy aging; however, this relationship remains unexplored in the context of HIV.

Methods: 16S rRNA gene sequencing was conducted on stool from 1409 women (69% with HIV; 2304 samples) and 990 men (54% with HIV; 1008 samples) in the MACS/WIHS Combined Cohort Study.

Microfluidic organ-on-chip systems for periodontal research: advances and future directions.

Advances in tissue engineering and microfluidic technologies have enabled the development of sophisticated models known as organ-on-a-chip (OoC) or microphysiological systems. These systems enable to potential to simulate the dynamic interactions between host tissues and their microenvironment including microbes, biomaterials, mechanical forces, pharmaceutical, and consumer-care products. These fluidic technologies are increasingly being utilized to investigate host-microbe and host-material interactions in oral health and disease.

The topography of nullomer-emerging mutations and their relevance to human disease.

Nullomers are short DNA sequences (11-18 base pairs) that are absent from a genome; however, they can emerge due to mutations. Here, we characterize all possible putative human nullomer-emerging single base pair mutations, population variants and disease-causing mutations. We find that the primary determinants of nullomer emergence in the human genome are the presence of CpG dinucleotides and methylated cytosines.

Association of neighborhood-level socioeconomic disadvantage and Life's Essential 8 in early pregnancy.

We examined whether neighborhood-level socioeconomic disadvantage per the Area Deprivation Index (ADI) was associated with maternal cardiovascular health (CVH) in early pregnancy per the American Heart Association Life's Essential 8 (LE8). This is a cross-sectional analysis from the prospective Nulliparous Pregnancy Outcomes Study-Monitoring Mothers-to-Be Heart Health Study (nuMoM2b-HHS) cohort. The exposure was the ADI in tertiles (T) from least (T1) to most (T3) socioeconomic disadvantage.

Meeting report - Alpine desmosome disease meeting 2024: advances and emerging topics in desmosomes and related diseases.

Desmosomes are adhesive cell contacts abundant in tissues exposed to mechanical strain, such as the stratified and simple epithelia of the epidermis and mucous membranes, as well as the myocardium. Besides their role in mechanical cell cohesion, desmosomes also modulate pathways important for tissue differentiation, wound healing and immune responses. Dysfunctional desmosomes, resulting from pathogenic variants in genes encoding desmosomal components, autoantibodies targeting desmosomal adhesion molecules or inflammation, cause the life-threatening diseases arrhythmogenic cardiomyopathy and pemphigus and contribute to the pathogenesis of inflammatory bowel diseases.

ASRA Pain Medicine consensus practice infection control guidelines for regional anesthesia and pain medicine.

Background: To provide recommendations on risk mitigation, diagnosis and treatment of infectious complications associated with the practice of regional anesthesia, acute and chronic pain management.

Methods: Following board approval, in 2020 the American Society of Regional Anesthesia and Pain Medicine (ASRA Pain Medicine) commissioned evidence-based guidelines for best practices for infection control. More than 80 research questions were developed and literature searches undertaken by assigned working groups comprising four to five members.

Barriers to Adherence with Clinic Visits in Patients with Uveitis.

Purpose: To assess the patient barriers to adherence with appointment follow-up in patients with ocular inflammatory disorders across the United States.

Methods: This was a multicenter study of adult and pediatric patients at the Wilmer Eye Institute, University of Texas at Austin, University of Wisconsin-Madison, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis Veterans Administration Hospital, and Washington University of St. Louis.

Exploring the prevalence of gout among underrepresented low socioeconomic status type 2 diabetes populations.

Background: Underserved and underrepresented populations often lack access to affordable, quality healthcare, educational resources, and nutritious foods, all of which contribute to increased risk of Type 2 Diabetes and gout. Type 2 Diabetes is a condition characterized by the denaturation of the insulin receptors, due to chronically high blood glucose levels, leading to impaired regulation of blood sugar. Gout is a chronic inflammatory disease affecting joints in the lower limbs, marked by elevated serum urate levels and the accumulation of uric acid crystals in synovial fluid, causing painful flare-ups that significantly impact quality of life.

Trust in scientists and their role in society across 68 countries.

Science is crucial for evidence-based decision-making. Public trust in scientists can help decision makers act on the basis of the best available evidence, especially during crises. However, in recent years the epistemic authority of science has been challenged, causing concerns about low public trust in scientists.

Perceptions of science, science communication, and climate change attitudes in 68 countries - the TISP dataset.

Science is integral to society because it can inform individual, government, corporate, and civil society decision-making on issues such as public health, new technologies or climate change. Yet, public distrust and populist sentiment challenge the relationship between science and society. To help researchers analyse the science-society nexus across different geographical and cultural contexts, we undertook a cross-sectional population survey resulting in a dataset of 71,922 participants in 68 countries.

Surfactant protein levels and genetic variants as biomarkers for COVID-19 severity in children.

Since its outbreak, the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) has significantly impacted the pediatric population. Pulmonary surfactant dysfunction has been linked to other respiratory diseases in children and COVID-19 in adults, but its role in COVID-19 severity remains unclear. We hypothesized that elevated surfactant protein (SP) levels and single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) of SP genes are associated with severe COVID-19 in children.

Gigantic, Sixteen-Pound Carcinoma Ex Pleomorphic Adenoma of the Neck.

Carcinoma ex pleomorphic adenomas are rare malignant tumors of the salivary glands, primarily seen in older adults. They originate from benign pleomorphic adenomas, are aggressive, and have poorer prognosis. This case documents an unusual presentation of a massive carcinoma ex pleomorphic adenoma.

Age and Sex-Related Differences in Neuroprotective Effects of Cardiovascular Endurance on Cortical Thickness and Brain Volume in Adults Across Age.

Background: Higher cardiorespiratory fitness and cardiovascular endurance (CE) have been shown to be neuroprotective in older adulthood, but the mechanisms underlying this neuroprotection across the adult lifespan are poorly understood. The current study sought to examine the neuroprotective effects of CRF on gray matter (GM) and white matter (WM) volumes, and mean cortical thickness (MCT), using a large sample across the adult lifespan. We also examined sex differences in these relationships.

Development and validation of the Food Noise Questionnaire.

Objective: Food noise has received attention in the media, although no validated questionnaires exist to measure it. This study developed and tested the reliability and validity of the Food Noise Questionnaire (FNQ).

Methods: Participants (N = 400) successfully completed, the FNQ and a demographic questionnaire and self-reported weight and height.

Polymeric Anti-Antibiotic Microparticles to Prevent Antibiotic Resistance Evolution.

Vancomycin (VAN) and daptomycin (DAP) are among the last-resort antibiotics for treating multidrug-resistant Gram-positive bacterial infections. They are administered intravenously (IV); however, ≈5 - 10% of the total IV dose is released in the gastrointestinal (GI) tract via biliary excretion, driving resistance emergence in commensal Enterococcus faecium (E. faecium) populations.

Pediatric Attention-Deficit/Hypearativity Disorder and Disruptive Mood Dysregulation Disorder: Analyzing National Treatment Trends.

Objective: This study investigated how a disruptive mood dysregulation disorder (DMDD) diagnosis infleunces treatment selection and sequencing in children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).

Study Design: This multicenter, population-based, retrospective cohort study analyzed data from TriNetX Research Network (June 2013 through July 2024). Youth with ADHD (without DMDD) formed the control cohort (n=631,295).