A stretchable human lung-on-chip model of alveolar inflammation for evaluating anti-inflammatory drug response.

This study describes a complex human in vitro model for evaluating anti-inflammatory drug response in the alveoli that may contribute to the reduction of animal testing in the pre-clinical stage of drug development. The model is based on the human alveolar epithelial cell line Arlo co-cultured with macrophages differentiated from the THP-1 cell line, creating a physiological biological microenvironment. To mimic the three-dimensional architecture and dynamic expansion and relaxation of the air-blood-barrier, they are grown on a stretchable microphysiological lung-on-chip.

Loneliness and social anxiety in the general population over time - results of a cross-lagged panel analysis.

Background: Loneliness has become a major public health issue of the recent decades due to its severe impact on health and mortality. Little is known about the relation between loneliness and social anxiety. This study aimed (1) to explore levels of loneliness and social anxiety in the general population, and (2) to assess whether and how loneliness affects symptoms of social anxiety and vice versa over a period of five years.

Influence of implant strategy on the transition from temporary left ventricular assist device to durable mechanical circulatory support.

Objectives: Bridging from a temporary microaxial left ventricular assist device (tLVAD) to a durable left ventricular assist device (dLVAD) is playing an increasing role in the treatment of terminally ill patients with heart failure. Scant data exist about the best implant strategy. The goal of this study was to analyse differences in the dLVAD implant technique and effects on patient outcomes.

Monocyte derived large extracellular vesicles in polytrauma.

Despite significant progress in the medical field, there is still a pressing need for minimal-invasive tools to assist with decision-making, especially in cases of polytrauma. Our team explored the potential of serum-derived large extracellular vesicles, so called microparticles/microvesicles/ectosomes, to serve as a supportive tool in decision-making in polytrauma situations. We focused on whether monocyte derived large EVs may differentiate between polytrauma patients with internal organ injury (ISS > 15) and those without.

Bifidobacterium and Lactobacillus Probiotics and Gut Dysbiosis in Preterm Infants: The PRIMAL Randomized Clinical Trial.

Importance: The effects of probiotic interventions on colonization with resistant bacteria and early microbiome development in preterm infants remain to be clarified.

Objective: To examine the efficacy of Bifidobacterium longum subsp infantis, Bifidobacterium animalis subsp lactis (BB-12), and Lactobacillus acidophilus (La-5) probiotics to prevent colonization with multidrug-resistant organisms or highly epidemic bacteria (MDRO+) and to shape the microbiome of preterm infants toward the eubiotic state of healthy full-term infants.

Design, Setting, And Participants: The multicenter, double-blinded, placebo-controlled, group sequential, phase 3 Priming Immunity at the Beginning of Life (PRIMAL) randomized clinical trial, conducted from April 2018 to June 2020, included infants with gestational age of 28 to 32 weeks at 18 German neonatal units.

Contemporary Valvular Mechanisms of Aortic Regurgitation in Tricuspid Aortic Valves: Importance in Repair Versus Replacement Strategy.

Background: This study was performed to determine cusp causes of aortic regurgitation in patients with tricuspid aortic valves without significant aortic dilatation and define cusp pathologies amenable to surgical repair (aortic valve repair [AVr]) versus aortic valve replacement.

Methods And Results: We retrospectively reviewed surgical reports of consecutive adults with tricuspid aortic valves undergoing surgery for clinically significant aortic regurgitation within a prospective registry from January 2005 to September 2019. Valvular mechanisms were determined by systematic in vivo intraoperative quantification methods.

Analyzing the interactome of human CK2β in prostate carcinoma cells reveals HSP70-1 and Rho guanin nucleotide exchange factor 12 as novel interaction partners.

CK2β is the non-catalytic modulating part of the S/T-protein kinase CK2. However, the overall function of CK2β is poorly understood. Here, we report on the identification of 38 new interaction partners of the human CK2β from lysates of DU145 prostate cancer cells using photo-crosslinking and mass spectrometry, whereby HSP70-1 was identified with high abundance.

Ars2-containing bispecific, Fab- and IgG1-format BAR-bodies to target DLBCL cells.

Despite recent advances in the therapy of diffuse large B-cell lymphoma, not otherwise specified (DLBCL), around 30% of patients develop refractory disease or relapse after first-line treatment. Recently, Ars2 was reported as the auto-antigenic target of the B-cell receptor (BCR) in approximately 25% of activated B-cell DLBCL cases. Ars2 could be used to specifically target B cells expressing Ars2-reactive BCRs.

Impact of Empagliflozin in Heart Failure With Reduced Ejection Fraction in Patients With Ischemic Versus Nonischemic Cause.

Background Outcomes and treatment effects of therapy may vary according to the cause of heart failure (HF). Methods and Results In this post hoc analysis of the EMPEROR-Reduced (Empagliflozin Outcome Trial in Patients With Chronic Heart Failure With Reduced Ejection Fraction) trial, the effect of empagliflozin on cardiovascular and renal outcomes was assessed according to the cause of HF. The cause of HF was investigator reported and stratified as ischemic or nonischemic.

[The effect of intraocular pressure on refractive power of the cornea and the human eye, based on the Liou-Brennan model eye].

Introduction: It is a clinical experience that with significantly higher intraocular pressure, glass ordering may be inaccurate, therefore, it should be performed after adjustment of intraocular pressure.

Objective: To analyze the effect of intraocular pressure on the refractive power of the cornea and of the eye, using geometrical properties of the Liou-Brennan model eye and finite element modeling.

Methods: Using corneal parameters of the Liou-Brennan model eye, a parametric geometrical model and with these data finite element modelling, using the Ansys (Ansys, Canonsburg, PA, USA) program, has been performed.

Intraabdominal guidewire-related perforation of the esophagus: An uncommon complication of esophageal bougienage treated by intraprocedural clip closure.

Esophageal perforation is an uncommon, though typical complication of esophageal bougienage. However, guidewire-related transmural injury distant from the stricture has only rarely been reported. Post-procedural endoscopy is critical to appreciate perforation and proved instrumental in a unique clinical case with immediate clip closure.

B-cell receptors of EBV-negative Burkitt lymphoma bind modified isoforms of autoantigens.

Burkitt lymphoma (BL) represents the most aggressive B-cell-lymphoma. Beside the hallmark of -translocation, surface B-cell receptor (BCR) is expressed, and mutations in the BCR pathway are frequent. Coincidental infections in endemic BL, and specific extra-nodal sites suggest antigenic triggers.

Silence by the LAMS: Primary lumen-apposing metal stent for a colorectal anastomotic stricture .

Lumen-opposing metal stents (LAMS) are evolving as novel treatment options in postsurgical strictues. Data on lower GI tract applications, however, are still limited, and technical procedural details need to be refined. This singular clinical report adds to the emerging experience in colorectal stricture treatment by LAMS.

Cholangitis-related biliary pneumatosis cysts in the dawning era of routine direct endoscopic visualization of biliary diseases.

Biliary pneumatosis has recently been reported in intrahepatic amd extrahepatic bile ducts complicating bacterial cholangitis, as characterized by cholangioscopy. This clinical report adds another case of small-scale pneumatosis cysts in the common bile duct to the literature. Similary to previously reported cases, the recent patient likewise had a history of acute cholangitis.

Histamine H Receptor Antagonists and Heart Failure Risk in Postmenopausal Women: The Women's Health Initiative.

Background Prior studies suggested lower risk of heart failure (HF) in individuals taking H receptor antagonists (H2RA) compared with H2RA nonusers in relatively small studies. We evaluated the association of H2RA use and incident HF in postmenopausal women in the large-scale WHI (Women's Health Initiative) study. Methods and Results This study included postmenopausal women from the WHI without a history of HF at baseline.

Upfront endoscopic band ligation for symptomatic gastric angioectasias to reduce peri-endoscopic complexity with an automated implantable cardioverter defibrillator in situ.

Argon plasma coagulation (APC) remains the mainstay endoscopic treatment of gastrointestinal angioectasia. Vis-a-vis automated implanted cardioverter defibrillators (AICD) endoscopic band ligation (EBL) represents an alternative without need for heart-rhythm specialty support.

Predicting disease progression in behavioral variant frontotemporal dementia.

Introduction: The behavioral variant of frontotemporal dementia (bvFTD) is a rare neurodegenerative disease. Reliable predictors of disease progression have not been sufficiently identified. We investigated multivariate magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) biomarker profiles for their predictive value of individual decline.

C-reactive protein flare-response predicts long-term efficacy to first-line anti-PD-1-based combination therapy in metastatic renal cell carcinoma.

Objectives: Immune checkpoint blockade (IO) has revolutionised the treatment of metastatic renal cell carcinoma (mRCC). Early C-reactive protein (CRP) kinetics, especially the recently introduced CRP flare-response phenomenon, has shown promising results to predict IO efficacy in mRCC, but has only been studied in second line or later. Here, we aimed to validate the predictive value of early CRP kinetics for 1st-line treatment of mRCC with αPD-1 plus either αCTLA-4 (IO+IO) or tyrosine kinase inhibitor (IO+TKI).