Inter-Institutional Dynamics and Impact of Fluconazole-Resistant Candida parapsilosis.

Background: Infections with fluconazole-resistant Candida parapsilosis have been increasing in Israeli hospitals with unclear implications for patient outcomes.

Objectives: To determine the frequency, mechanisms, molecular epidemiology, and outcomes of azole-resistant C. parapsilosis bloodstream infections in four hospitals in Israel.

Measurable residual disease and posttransplantation gilteritinib maintenance for patients with FLT3-ITD-mutated AML.

BMT CTN 1506 ("MORPHO"; NCT02997202) was a randomized phase 3 study of gilteritinib compared to placebo as maintenance therapy after hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HCT) for patients with FLT3-ITD-mutated acute myeloid leukemia (AML). A key secondary endpoint was to determine the impact on survival of pre- and/or post-HCT measurable residual disease (MRD), as determined using a highly sensitive assay for FLT3-ITD mutations. Generally, gilteritinib maintenance therapy was associated with improved relapse-free survival (RFS) for participants with detectable peri-HCT MRD, whereas no benefit was evident for those lacking detectable MRD.

Neoadjuvant anti-PD-1 alone or in combination with anti-TIGIT or an oncolytic virus in resectable stage IIIB-D melanoma: a phase 1/2 trial.

Neoadjuvant immunotherapies have shown antitumor activity in melanoma. Substudy 02C of the global, rolling-arm, phase 1/2, adaptive-design KEYMAKER-U02 trial is evaluating neoadjuvant pembrolizumab (anti-PD-1) alone or in combination, followed by adjuvant pembrolizumab, for stage IIIB-D melanoma. Here we report results from the first three arms: pembrolizumab plus vibostolimab (anti-TIGIT), pembrolizumab plus gebasaxturev (coxsackievirus A21) and pembrolizumab monotherapy.

Pre-treatment Pulmonary Function Testing Has Limited Utility In B-cell Lymphoma Treated with CD19 CAR T-cells.

Pulmonary function tests (PFT) are recommended for hematopoietic cell transplantation (HCT) evaluation. However, their prognostic value in chimeric antigen receptor T-cell (CAR-T) therapy remains unclear. We assessed the predictive significance of PFTs and pulmonary comorbidity classifications, per the Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation-Comorbidity Index (HCT-CI), in B-cell lymphoma patients undergoing autologous CD19-CAR-T therapy.

The burden of X-linked retinitis pigmentosa (XLRP) on patient experience and patient-reported outcomes (PROs): findings from the EXPLORE XLRP-2 study.

Background/aims: X-linked retinitis pigmentosa (XLRP) is considered one of the most severe forms of retinitis pigmentosa (RP), accounting for 5-15% of all RP cases and primarily affecting males. However, the real-world humanistic impacts of this disease on patients are poorly investigated, especially with respect to burdens faced by patients with varying disease severities.

Methods: EXPLORE XLRP-2 was an exploratory, multicentre, non-interventional study.

Postoperative Nausea and Vomiting in Pediatrics: Incidence and Guideline Adherence-a Retrospective Cohort Study.

Background: Postoperative nausea and vomiting (PONV) in pediatric patients is a common and clinically significant postoperative complication. The incidence of PONV has not been extensively studied in large pediatric cohorts. Furthermore, in 2020, the Fourth Consensus Guidelines for the management of PONV were published.

Persistence of Long COVID Symptoms Two Years After SARS-CoV-2 Infection: A Prospective Longitudinal Cohort Study.

Background/objectives: Millions of individuals worldwide continue to experience symptoms following SARS-CoV-2 infection. This study aimed to assess the prevalence and phenotype of multi-system symptoms attributed to Long COVID-including fatigue, pain, cognitive-emotional disturbances, headache, cardiopulmonary issues, and alterations in taste and smell-that have persisted for at least two years after acute infection, which we define as "persistent Long COVID". Additionally, the study aimed to identify clinical features and blood biomarkers associated with persistent Long COVID symptoms.

Robot-Assisted Pyelolithotomy in Pelvic Kidney.

Pelvic kidney is a congenital anomaly characterized by the kidney's failure to ascend to its normal anatomical location during early embryonic development. This anomaly complicates traditional surgical approaches for renal calculi due to the kidney's atypical positioning and associated anatomical challenges. We sought to summarize our experience with robotic-assisted pyelolithotomy (RPPK) for pelvic kidney stones.

Put Down the ACE: Low Clinical Utility for Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme Levels in Sarcoidosis: A Single-Center Retrospective Cohort Study.

: ACE (angiotensin-converting enzyme) is considered a serological marker of sarcoidosis as elevated levels have been reported in 30-80% of patients. However, elevated ACE levels are also encountered in other medical conditions, and the clinical correlation between ACE levels and disease activity in sarcoidosis is disputable as well. To determine the significance of elevated ACE levels in the diagnosis and follow-up of sarcoidosis patients.

Genetic Risk of Ankylosing Spondylitis and Second-Line Therapy Need in Crohn's Disease: A Mendelian Randomization Study.

Crohn's disease (CD) and Ankylosing Spondylitis (AS) are chronic conditions with overlapping inflammatory pathways. This research investigates the genetic association between AS and the requirement for more aggressive therapeutic interventions in CD, suggesting a likelihood of increased severity in CD progression among individuals diagnosed with AS. This study utilized two-sample Mendelian randomization (TSMR) to analyze GWAS datasets for AS and CD requiring second-line treatment.

Actor-Partner Effects of Personality Traits and Psychological Flexibility on Psychological Distress Among Couples Coping with Cancer.

In this study, we applied the actor-partner interdependence model (APIM) to explore the associations between personality traits (Big Five) and psychological flexibility, on the one hand, and depression and anxiety, on the other hand, among patients with cancer and their spouses. Method: Forty-six patient-spouse dyads (N = 92) completed the anxiety and depression scales from the Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System (PROMIS), the ten-item personality inventory (TIPI), and the psychological flexibility scale (AAQ-2). Multilevel APIM models, adjusted for multiple testing, showed that neuroticism and psychological flexibility had actor effects on patients' depression and anxiety.

Should antinuclear antibodies (ANA) be used to screen for connective tissue disease in neurological patients?

Background: Patients with connective tissue diseases (CTD) can have a wide range of neurological manifestations. Neurological complaints may be the presenting symptom of CTD. Therefore, screening for CTD using anti-nuclear antibodies (ANA) is a common practice.

Bladder neck position differences on CT in patients with incidental asymptomatic urinary bladder gas: A comparative retrospective study.

Objective: To investigate the potential link between differences in bladder neck position and the occurrence of incidental asymptomatic urinary bladder gas on computed tomography (CT) scans in female patients.

Methods: CT scans reports from January 2012 to December 2023 were analyzed in this retrospective study to identify adults presenting with bladder gas. Exclusion was based on factors such as prior urological procedures, urinary tract infections (UTIs), and other potential contributors to bladder gas.

Once daily Bromelain-based enzymatic debridement of venous leg ulcers versus gel vehicle (placebo) and non-surgical standard of care: a three-arm multicenter, double blinded, randomized controlled study.

Background: Debridement is considered the first step in treatment of chronic wounds, however, current enzymatic and autolytic debridement agents are slow or ineffective. Previous studies have shown positive initial results with EscharEx® (EX-02 formulation), a Bromelain-based enzymatic debridement agent in development for chronic wounds. The main objective of this study was to assess its efficacy in debriding venous leg ulcers (VLU), compared to gel vehicle (GV) as a placebo control and to non-surgical standard of care (NSSOC).

The effects of war-related experiences on mental health symptoms of individuals living in conflict zones: a longitudinal study.

On October 7, 2023, a large-scale attack in southern Israel and the subsequent war resulted in extensive loss of life and injuries, with many individuals experiencing traumatic losses, such as family members or close friends being killed or kidnapped. This study aims to longitudinally examine its effects on mental health, specifically, clinical symptoms of anxiety, depression, and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). We anticipated greater symptom severity among individuals who experienced traumatic loss, were forcibly displaced, or suffered income loss, as well as among women and members of ethnic minorities.

The use of submaximal parameters in the assessment of exercise capacity in children with obesity.

Background: Peak oxygen uptake (VO) is considered the most important indicator of aerobic exercise capacity during cardiopulmonary exercise testing (CPET). However, its accuracy is compromised when maximal effort is not achieved. In such cases, submaximal parameters can serve as surrogates for assessing exercise performance.

Efficient evacuation - enhanced survival: Insights from Gaza conflict trauma care.

Background: Combat-related injuries have evolved in urban warfare because of close-contact engagements and high-energy blast injuries, with rapid medical evacuation improving survival rates. This study analyzes injury patterns and outcomes in the Gaza conflict, emphasizing the need to optimize trauma care protocols in modern combat environments, particularly because of the unique proximity of conflict zones to tertiary trauma centers.

Methods: A retrospective study was conducted at a single center involving 189 patients evacuated by helicopter to a Level I tertiary trauma center.

Achievements, priorities and strategies in pediatric nephrology in Europe: need for unifying approaches or acceptance of differences?

Background: There is a lack of information on the current healthcare systems for children with kidney diseases across Europe. The aim of this study was to explore the different national approaches to the organization and delivery of pediatric nephrology services within Europe.

Methods: In 2020, the European society for Paediatric Nephrology (ESPN) conducted a cross-sectional survey to identify the existing pediatric nephrology healthcare systems in 48 European countries covering a population of more than 200 million children.

Retinoblastoma with and without Extraocular Tumor Extension: A Global Comparative Study of 3435 Patients.

Purpose: To study the treatment and outcomes of children with retinoblastoma (RB) with extraocular tumor extension (RB-EOE) and compare them with RB without extraocular tumor extension (RB-w/o-EOE).

Design: Multicenter intercontinental collaborative prospective study from 2017 to 2020. RB-EOE cases included those with overt orbital tumor extension in treatment-naive patients.

Patient-reported outcomes following ciltacabtagene autoleucel or standard of care in patients with lenalidomide-refractory multiple myeloma (CARTITUDE-4): results from a randomised, open-label, phase 3 trial.

Background: In CARTITUDE-4, ciltacabtagene autoleucel (cilta-cel) significantly improved progression-free survival (primary endpoint; previously reported) versus standard of care in patients with relapsed, lenalidomide-refractory multiple myeloma. We report here patient-reported outcomes.

Methods: In the ongoing, phase 3, open-label CARTITUDE-4 study, patients were recruited from 81 sites in the USA, Europe, Asia, and Australia, and were randomly assigned 1:1 to cilta-cel (target, 0·75 × 10 CAR-T cells/kg) or standard of care (daratumumab, pomalidomide, and dexamethasone; pomalidomide, bortezomib, and dexamethasone).

The Potential Of Autologous Patient-Derived Circulating Extracellular Vesicles To Improve Drug Delivery In Rheumatoid Arthritis.

Recognizing the need for innovative therapeutic approaches in the management of autoimmune diseases , our current investigation explores the potential of autologous extracellular vesicles (EVs), derived from blood of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients, to serve as therapeutic vectors to improve drug delivery. We found that circulating EVs derived from arthritic mice (Collagen-induced arthritis model) express the joint/synovia homing receptor, αVβ3 integrin. Importantly, both autologous labelled EVs, derived from blood of arthritic mice (Collagen antibody-induced arthritis model) and healthy mice-derived EVs, exhibit targeted migration toward inflamed synovia without infiltrating healthy joints, as demonstrated by an in-vivo imaging system.

The impact of body mass index on surgical complications in minimally invasive hysterectomy for uterine fibroids.

Research Question: We aimed to assess the impact of Body Mass Index (BMI) on 30-day postoperative complications in patients undergoing minimally invasive hysterectomy (MIH) for fibroids.

Design: Using data from the American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program (NSQIP) database (2012-2020), we analyzed major and minor 30-day postoperative complications, stratified by BMI, in patients with uterine fibroids who underwent MIH. Complications were stratified according to the Clavien-Dindo classification.

Length of hospital stay not affected by empirical treatment with ceftriaxone versus cefuroxime for bacteraemia.

Aim: The preferred antibiotic treatment for bacteraemia in infants continues to be debated. We examined the duration of hospital stays as a surrogate for the effectiveness of initial treatment with ceftriaxone versus cefuroxime.

Methods: This was a retrospective review of the medical records of all infants aged 3-36 months, admitted with suspected occult bacteraemia to the paediatric department at Laniado Hospital, Israel, between 2016 and 2022.

The Influence of Negative Affect on Working Memory Updating of Food Stimuli Among Adolescents With Anorexia Nervosa.

Objective: Difficulty updating information in working memory has been proposed to underlie ruminative thinking in individuals with anorexia nervosa (AN). However, evidence regarding updating difficulties in AN remains inconclusive, particularly among adolescents. It has been proposed that exposure to negative emotion and disorder-salient stimuli may uniquely influence updating in AN.

Mitochondrial DNA lineages determine tumor progression through T cell reactive oxygen signaling.

Mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) is highly polymorphic, and host mtDNA variation has been associated with altered cancer severity. To determine the basis of this mtDNA-cancer association, we analyzed conplastic mice with the C57BL/6J (B6) nucleus but two naturally occurring mtDNA lineages, and , where mitochondria generate more oxidative phosphorylation (OXPHOS)-derived reactive oxygen species (mROS). In a cardiac transplant model, Foxp3+ T regulatory (Treg) cells supported long-term allograft survival, whereas Treg cells failed to suppress host T effector (Teff) cells, leading to acute rejection.