Enhancing immunotherapy efficacy with synergistic low-dose radiation in metastatic melanoma: current insights and prospects.

Recent advances in oncology research have highlighted the promising synergy between low-dose radiation therapy (LDRT) and immunotherapies, with growing evidence highlighting the unique benefits of the combination. LDRT has emerged as a potent tool for stimulating the immune system, triggering systemic antitumor effects by remodeling the tumor microenvironment. Notably, LDRT demonstrates remarkable efficacy even in challenging metastatic sites such as the liver (uveal) and brain (cutaneous), particularly in advanced melanoma stages.

Increased serum GM-CSF at diagnosis of biliary atresia is associated with improved biliary drainage.

Background: The immune heterogeneity of biliary atresia (BA) presents a challenge for development of prognostic biomarkers. This study aimed to identify early immune signatures associated with biliary drainage after Kasai Portoenterostomy (KPE).

Methods: Serum samples, liver slides, and clinical data were obtained from patients enrolled in the NIDDK-supported Childhood Liver Disease Research Network.

Comparison of Pharmacokinetics of Long-Acting Local Analgesics: CPL-01, a Novel Extended-Release Ropivacaine, Demonstrates Consistent and Predictable Exposure Compared with Liposomal Bupivacaine.

Background And Objective: There is a significant medical need for improved long-acting local anesthetics to decrease postsurgical pain and reduce postoperative opioid use. While ropivacaine is considered a safer local anesthetic than bupivacaine, no long-acting ropivacaine formulation is currently marketed. Available formulations of bupivacaine show inconsistent pharmacokinetics (PK) among different surgical models, and inconsistency in PK may lead to a reluctance to use the medication owing to fear of local anesthetic systemic toxicity (LAST) or unreliable efficacy.

Bridging Gaps: Enhancing Sleep and Health Disparities in Latino Families with Young Adults with Autism Using a Culturally Adapted Intervention.

The present study examined the effects of a culturally adapted intervention, ¡Iniciando! la Adultez, on sleep and health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in Latino young adults with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and their Spanish-speaking parents. The intervention targeted the transition to adulthood, a period associated with increased challenges in sleep and HRQoL, particularly for underserved Latino populations. Participants included 26 young adults and 38 parents who completed assessments at baseline and post-treatment.

An evaporite sequence from ancient brine recorded in Bennu samples.

Evaporation or freezing of water-rich fluids with dilute concentrations of dissolved salts can produce brines, as observed in closed basins on Earth and detected by remote sensing on icy bodies in the outer Solar System. The mineralogical evolution of these brines is well understood in regard to terrestrial environments, but poorly constrained for extraterrestrial systems owing to a lack of direct sampling. Here we report the occurrence of salt minerals in samples of the asteroid (101955) Bennu returned by the OSIRIS-REx mission.

Confinement-induced Ni-based MOF formed on TiCT MXene support for enhanced capacitive deionization of chromium(VI).

MXenes, as a novel two-dimensional lamellar material, has attracted much attention. However, MXenes lamellar are prone to collapse and stacking under hydrogen bonding and interlayer van der Waals forces, which affects their electrochemical and capacitive deionization performance. A three-dimensional Ni-1,3,5-benzenetricarboxylate/TiCT (Ni-BTC/TiCT) composite electrode material was developed to enhance the electrochemical and capacitive deionization performance.

Structure and mechanism of vitamin-K-dependent γ-glutamyl carboxylase.

γ-Glutamyl carboxylase (GGCX) is the sole identified enzyme that uses vitamin K (VK) as a cofactor in humans. This protein catalyses the oxidation of VK hydroquinone to convert specific glutamate residues to γ-carboxyglutamate residues in VK-dependent proteins (VDPs), which are involved in various essential biological processes and diseases. However, the working mechanism of GGCX remains unclear.

Bat genomes illuminate adaptations to viral tolerance and disease resistance.

Zoonoses are infectious diseases transmitted from animals to humans. Bats have been suggested to harbour more zoonotic viruses than any other mammalian order. Infections in bats are largely asymptomatic, indicating limited tissue-damaging inflammation and immunopathology.

Engineering synthetic signaling receptors to enable erythropoietin-free erythropoiesis.

Blood transfusion plays a vital role in modern medicine, but frequent shortages occur. Ex vivo manufacturing of red blood cells (RBCs) from universal donor cells offers a potential solution, yet the high cost of recombinant cytokines remains a barrier. Erythropoietin (EPO) signaling is crucial for RBC development, and EPO is among the most expensive media components.

A reagent to access methyl sulfones.

A chemical reagent to access methyl sulfones has been developed. Its reaction with various bis-nucleophiles leads to the rapid formation of previously unknown heteroaromatic methyl sulfones. Analogous strategy can also be used to construct alkyl-, CHF-, CF- and even bicyclo[1.

Large exciton binding energy in a bulk van der Waals magnet from quasi-1D electronic localization.

Excitons, bound electron-hole pairs, influence the optical properties in strongly interacting solid-state systems and are typically most stable and pronounced in monolayer materials. Bulk systems with large exciton binding energies, on the other hand, are rare and the mechanisms driving their stability are still relatively unexplored. Here, we report an exceptionally large exciton binding energy in single crystals of the bulk van der Waals antiferromagnet CrSBr.

Adaptation of the Florida Cognitive Activities Scale for Latinx adults with chronic diseases.

Background: Latinx adults experience disparately high rates of chronic diseases and cognitive dysfunction. Participating in cognitive-stimulating activities, such as reading, is thought to improve and preserve cognitive function. However, little is known about cognitively stimulating activities preferred by Latinx adults.

Social mixing patterns of United States healthcare personnel at a quaternary health center: a prospective observational study.

Background: Understanding healthcare personnel's (HCP) contact patterns are important to mitigate healthcare-associated infectious disease transmission. Little is known about how HCP contact patterns change over time or during outbreaks such as the COVID-19 pandemic.

Methods: This study in a large United States healthcare system examined the social contact patterns of HCP via standardized social contact diaries.

Systemic therapy for patients with metastatic pheochromocytoma and paraganglioma.

Pheochromocytomas and paragangliomas are rare neuroendocrine tumors derived from the paraganglia. These tumors frequently secrete excessive amounts of catecholamines leading to cardiovascular and gastrointestinal complications. While all pheochromocytomas and paragangliomas possess the potential for metastasis, actual metastatic occurrences are observed in approximately one third of cases.

A survey of prescribing philosophy in childhood hyperopia among optometrists in Ghana.

Clinical Relevance: Hyperopia is a common refractive error in young children and has the potential to affect their visual, educational and general development. Management of childhood hyperopia presents significant intra-and inter-professional differences partly because evidence-based guidelines to inform when and how to prescribe for hyperopia are insufficient.

Purpose: This study investigated the prescribing philosophy in childhood hyperopia among optometrists in Ghana and the challenges faced in managing childhood hyperopia.

Alzheimer's disease risk ABCA7 p.A696S variant disturbs the microglial response to amyloid pathology in mice.

The adenosine triphosphate-binding cassette transporter A7 (ABCA7) gene is ranked as one of the top susceptibility loci for Alzheimer's disease (AD). While ABCA7 mediates lipid transport across cellular membranes, ABCA7 loss of function has been shown to exacerbate amyloid-β (Aβ) pathology and compromise microglial function. Our family-based study uncovered an extremely rare ABCA7 p.

Anaphylaxis definition, overview, and clinical support tool: 2024 consensus report.

Background: The 2006 National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Disease/Food Allergy and Anaphylaxis Network (NIAID/FAAN) anaphylaxis criteria are widely used in clinical care and research. In 2020, the World Allergy Organization (WAO) published modified criteria that have not been uniformly adopted. Different criteria contribute to inconsistent care and research outcomes.

A benzoxazolyl urea inhibits VraS and enhances antimicrobials against vancomycin intermediate-resistant Staphylococcus aureus.

Vancomycin intermediate-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (VISA) is a pathogen of concern. VraS, a histidine kinase, facilitates the VISA phenotype. Here, we reveal a benzoxazolyl urea (chemical 1) that directly inhibits VraS and enhances vancomycin to below the clinical breakpoint against an archetypal VISA strain, Mu50.

Derivatization of ophiobolin A and cytotoxicity toward breast and glioblastoma cancer stem cells: Varying the ketone and unsaturated aldehyde moieties.

To gain further insights into the importance of the unsaturated 1,4-ketoaldehyde moiety of ophiobolin A (OpA) for the potency and selectivity observed toward cancer stem cells, several derivatives were synthesized through controlled reduction and oxidations of the unsaturated aldehyde and ketone moieties. Structure elucidation of these new OpA derivatives was achieved through detailed NMR studies and comparison to OpA and known isolated congeners possessing variations in these regions. The relative stereochemistry of the newly generated stereocenters was determined by coupling constants in conjunction with conformational analyses (DFT) of the synthetic derivatives.

Transforming Transplantation Access: A Federal Directive for Comprehensive Pre-Waitlisting Data Collection.

There is substantial variation in access to transplantation across the United States that is not entirely explained by the availability of donor organs. Barriers to transplantation and variation in care among patients with end-stage organ disease exist prior to patients' placement on a transplant waiting list as well as following waitlist placement. However, there are currently no national data available to examine rates and variations in key care processes related to pre-listing, including transplant referral, evaluation, or candidate selection.

Sequence variants in HECTD1 result in a variable neurodevelopmental disorder.

Dysregulation of genes encoding the homologous to E6AP C-terminus (HECT) E3 ubiquitin ligases has been linked to cancer and structural birth defects. One member of this family, the HECT-domain-containing protein 1 (HECTD1), mediates developmental pathways, including cell signaling, gene expression, and embryogenesis. Through GeneMatcher, we identified 14 unrelated individuals with 15 different variants in HECTD1 (10 missense, 3 frameshift, 1 nonsense, and 1 splicing variant) with neurodevelopmental disorders (NDDs), including autism, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, and epilepsy.

Pendulum model to compare center of pressure data between different force plates.

Background: Force plates are used to measure postural control. However, force plates differ with regard to the type of sensors and the position of the sensors. The purpose of the study was to introduce a method for testing the comparability of two force plates with different force transducers regarding their center of pressure (CoP) capturing.

Immigrant experiences of harm in sexual and reproductive healthcare in Spain.

The medical encounter represents a site where patients may be harmed, with intersecting vulnerabilities shaping the risk and nature of this harm. Sexual and reproductive healthcare is an important site for exploring this dynamic. Questions concerning how immigrant women experience sexual and reproductive healthcare abound, with researchers and practitioners calling for greater attention to a population whose experiences are underrepresented in existing literature.