THE ECONOMIC VALUE OF A TRANSPLANT NEPHROLOGIST: THE CASE FOR IMPROVING COMPENSATION MODELS.

This article examines the economic value of transplant nephrologists and the need for adequate compensation. Kidney transplantation is a health and lifespan-extending procedure that relies on the expertise of transplant nephrologists. However, current compensation models, primarily based on relative value units (RVUs), often fail to capture the full scope of their work, particularly non-billable activities essential to patient care.

Explainable Artificial Intelligence to Quantify Adenoid Hypertrophy-related Upper Airway Obstruction using 3D Shape Analysis.

Objectives: To develop and validate an explainable Artificial Intelligence (AI) model for classifying and quantifying upper airway obstruction related to adenoid hypertrophy using three-dimensional (3D) shape analysis of cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) scans.

Methods: 400 CBCT scans of patients aged 5-18 years were analyzed. Nasopharyngeal airway obstruction (NAO) ratio was calculated to label scans into four grades of obstruction severity, used as the ground truth.

Interrogating mediators of single-cell transcriptional changes in the acute damaged cerebral cortex: Insights into endothelial-astrocyte interactions.

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) induces complex cellular and molecular changes, challenging recovery and therapeutic development. Although molecular pathways have been implicated in TBI pathology, the cellular specificity of these mechanisms remains underexplored. Here, we investigate the role of endothelial cell (EC) EphA4, a receptor tyrosine kinase receptor involved in axonal guidance, in modulating cell-specific transcriptomic changes within the damaged cerebral cortex.

BCL2 inhibition for multiple myeloma and AL amyloidosis.

Despite the development of novel treatments, multiple myeloma (MM) and light-chain (AL) amyloidosis remain incurable diseases. BCL2 inhibitors are a class of drugs under development for plasma cell disorders, with strong data supporting their use, particularly in patients with MM and AL amyloidosis harbouring the t(11;14). Venetoclax, the most extensively studied BCL2-specific inhibitor, was initially designed and evaluated for other malignant blood disorders.

Talicabtagene autoleucel for relapsed or refractory B-cell malignancies: results from an open-label, multicentre, phase 1/2 study.

Background: In low-income and middle-income counties (LMICs), the outcome of relapsed or refractory B-cell malignancies is poor due to the absence of effective therapies. We report the results of a phase 1/2 study of a novel humanised anti-CD19 4-1BB chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cell therapy, talicabtagene autoleucel, for patients with relapsed or refractory B-cell malignancies.

Methods: This open-label, multicentre, phase 1/2 study was done at six tertiary cancer centres in India.

Safety and activity of talquetamab in patients with relapsed or refractory multiple myeloma (MonumenTAL-1): a multicentre, open-label, phase 1-2 study.

Background: Talquetamab is the first GPRC5D × CD3 bispecific antibody approved for relapsed or refractory multiple myeloma. In phase 1 of the MonumenTAL-1 study, initial results of subcutaneous talquetamab 0·4 mg/kg once a week and 0·8 mg/kg every 2 weeks showed preliminary clinical activity. We describe safety and activity results in patients treated with talquetamab, including patients who had received previous T-cell redirection therapy (TCR).

Software-based versus visual assessment of the minimal ablative margin in patients with liver tumours undergoing percutaneous thermal ablation (COVER-ALL): a randomised phase 2 trial.

Background: Tumour coverage with an optimal minimal ablative margin is crucial for improving local control of liver tumours following thermal ablation. The minimal ablative margin has traditionally been assessed through visual inspection of co-registered CT images. However, rates of local tumour control after thermal ablation are highly variable with visual assessment.

Hepatitis B core-related antigen rapid diagnostic test for point-of-care identification of women at high risk of hepatitis B vertical transmission: a multicountry diagnostic accuracy study.

Background: Timely administration of the hepatitis B virus (HBV) birth dose vaccine, along with identifying high-risk pregnant individuals for antiviral prophylaxis, is essential for the global elimination of vertical transmission of HBV. However, in resource-limited settings, access to HBV DNA testing is scarce, and accurate rapid tests for HBeAg are lacking. We aimed to assess the diagnostic performance of a newly developed hepatitis B core-related antigen (HBcrAg) rapid diagnostic test (RDT) to identify women who are HBsAg-positive and eligible for antiviral prophylaxis.

Occurrence of microplastics and distinct plastisphere in aquatic environments of metal mining areas in South China.

Microplastic pollution is a growing global environmental concern, significantly impacting aquatic ecosystems. In metal mining regions, acid mine drainage (AMD) can exacerbate the issue as microplastics may carry heavy metals, heightening the risks to both human health and ecosystems. AMD can also form a distinct plastisphere further influencing the behavior and distribution of heavy metals.

An efficient strategy for bdd electrode drive electro-catalysis triggering active species on lincomycin and antibiotic resistance genes removal: Electron transfer based on calculation modeling.

Identifying the degradation pathway and the final by-products is essential, as their ecological risks are pertinent to the advancement of this technology and its potential application in practical environmental pollution treatment. Elucidating the reaction mechanisms of the degradation system represents the most effective strategy for controlling this process. This study thoroughly revealed that indirect oxidation predominates throughout the electrochemical system, while direct oxidation serves a significant auxiliary role under the synergistic influence.

Adenotonsillectomy success for treating obstructive sleep apnea in children with Prader-Willi syndrome.

Background: Prader-Willi syndrome (PWS) is a rare genetic disorder that can increase risk of pediatric obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), caused by the combination of increased viscosity of secretions, craniofacial abnormalities, hypotonia, and obesity. While first-line treatment of pediatric OSA is typically adenotonsillectomy, the complex pathophysiology of OSA in PWS patients may lead to less success with this therapy.

Methods: The TriNetX database was queried for patients 18 years old or younger based on the diagnoses of PWS and OSA and the surgical interventions of adenotonsillectomy, tonsillectomy, and adenoidectomy.

Female rats exposed to early life scarcity-adversity are resilient to later life changes in maternal behavior.

In both humans and rodents, maternal care is disturbed by exposure to environmental adversity, including low resource conditions (i.e., poverty, scarcity).

The dilemma of demyelination: A case of Schilder's disease with insights from literature.

We present a case of a young female with Schilder's disease, emphasizing the clinical presentation, diagnostic workup, and management strategies employed.

Precision projections of the delay of resistance mutations in non-small cell lung cancer via suppression of APOBEC.

Genomic instability driven by stress-response-dependent mutagenesis is a key factor in cancer progression. Tyrosine kinase inhibitor therapy, a common treatment for non-small cell lung cancer, induces mutations that can facilitate the evolution of drug resistance and therapeutic failure. Here we quantified the contribution of APOBEC to mutational signatures in non-small cell lung cancer patients undergoing TKI therapy.

Ultra-rapid, quantitative, label-free antibiotic susceptibility testing via optically detected purine metabolites.

In order to facilitate the best antimicrobial prescribing practices and to help reduce the increasing global threat of antibiotic resistance, there is an urgent need for the development of novel and truly rapid (≤1 h) antibiotic susceptibility testing (AST) platforms. A 785 nm surface enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) based phenotypic methodology is described that results in accurate minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) determinations for all tested strain/antibiotic pairs. The SERS-AST procedure results in accurate MICs in ∼1 h, including a 30-min incubation period, and is effective for both Gram positive and negative species, and for antibiotics with different initial primary targets of antibiotic activity, and for both bactericidal and bacteriostatic antibiotics.

5-Aminolevulinate acid improves boar semen quality by enhancing the sperm mitochondrial function.

5-Aminolevulinic acid (5-ALA) is a crucial metabolic intermediate that affect mitochondrial function in somatic cells. However, the mechanisms by which 5-ALA regulates boar reproductive performance remain unclear. The effect of dietary supplementation of 5-ALA on boar semen quality and reproductive performance were investigated in this study.

Communication challenges and response strategies of late-deafened older adults.

Background: A growing number of adults are aging with hearing impairments. Late-deafened individuals, who experience severe to profound hearing loss after acquiring spoken language, often face unique communication challenges in everyday activities. Despite these difficulties, little is known about the specific activities and contexts where they occur.

AI integrations with lung cancer screening: Considerations in developing AI in a public health setting.

Lung cancer screening implementation has led to expanded imaging of the chest in older, tobacco-exposed populations. Growing numbers of screening cases are also found to have CT-detectable emphysema or elevated levels of coronary calcium, indicating the presence of coronary artery disease. Early interventions based on these additional findings, especially with coronary calcium, are emerging and follow established protocols.

Parent-child mental health in Ukraine in relation to war trauma and drone attacks.

Background: We aimed to address the knowledge gap regarding mental health in Ukrainian children and parents one year after Russia's 2022 full-scale invasion including associations with exposure to drone attacks.

Methods: A cross-sectional, quota-sampled survey was conducted among parents of children aged 3-17 in Ukraine one year after the invasion (n = 858). Participants completed self-reported screening measures of the Pediatric Symptom Checklist-17, Child and Adolescent Trauma Screen-Caregiver, Patient Health Questionnaire-9, Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7, the International Trauma Questionnaire, and the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) 3-Item Loneliness Scale.

"But who takes care of the mom?": The daily experiences of immigrant mothers navigating health in family life.

This study qualitatively explores US immigrant mothers' daily experiences navigating health in the context of the family budget and wider sociopolitical climate. We conducted semi-structured interviews from 9/2020-1/2021 in English and Spanish with 30 immigrant mothers of young children. Interviews were analyzed using both inductive and deductive analytic strategies.