Donor derived cell free DNA in lung transplant recipients rises in setting of allograft instability.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the correlation between longitudinal monitoring of donor-derived cell free DNA (dd-cfDNA) in lung transplant recipients and a "gold standard" of existing tools (pulmonary function testing, radiographic imaging, laboratory and bronchoscopy data, clinical judgment) to assess allograft function.

Methods: 24 consecutive transplant recipients were prospectively enrolled in this study measuring dd-cfDNA levels monthly in the first year after bilateral lung transplant. Blinded clinical adjudications were performed at the same timepoints to categorize allograft function as stable (FEV1 within 10% of prior value or when compared to best two averaged post-transplant values) or unstable.

Immunoproteasome inhibition reduces donor specific antibody production and cardiac allograft vasculopathy in a mouse heart transplantation model.

Objective: Cardiac Allograft Vasculopathy (CAV), a process of vascular damage accelerated by antibody-mediated rejection (AMR), is one of the leading causes of cardiac transplant failure. Proteasome inhibitors (PIs) are utilized to treat AMR, however PI-associated toxicity limits their therapeutic utility. Novel immunoproteasome inhibitors (IPIs) have higher specificity for immune cells and have not been investigated for AMR in cardiac transplant patients.

A phase I study using bortezomib (Velcade), cladribine, and rituximab in treating patients over 50 years old with mantle cell lymphoma.

Unlabelled: Cladribine indirectly downregulates methylation of DNA, RNA, and histones by blocking the transfer of methyl groups from -adenosyl-methionine. The cladribine and rituximab combination showed a synergetic effect in treating B-cell lymphomas. Bortezomib (Velcade) is a Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-approved proteasome inhibitor for treating mantle cell lymphoma (MCL).

Evaluating the effect of VersaWrap tendon protector on functional outcomes in operative tendon repairs.

Background: Tendon repairs often result in adhesion formation which can cause persisting functional deficits. Close proximity of healing tissues increases friction during tendon excursion, often leading to tendon tethering postoperatively. Despite continued improvements in techniques for tendon repairs, there is currently no consensus on the most effective modality to reduce adhesion formation.

Algorithmic individual fairness and healthcare: a scoping review.

Objectives: Statistical and artificial intelligence algorithms are increasingly being developed for use in healthcare. These algorithms may reflect biases that magnify disparities in clinical care, and there is a growing need for understanding how algorithmic biases can be mitigated in pursuit of algorithmic fairness. We conducted a scoping review on algorithmic individual fairness (IF) to understand the current state of research in the metrics and methods developed to achieve IF and their applications in healthcare.

Leptospirosis Causing Severe Acute Kidney Injury, Hyperbilirubinemia, and Thrombocytopenia: A Case Report.

Leptospirosis, an infection caused by the spirochete Leptospira and commonly attributed to the underdeveloped world, is frequently under-diagnosed in the United States. This report discusses the case of a 79-year-old male with no significant medical history who presented to the ED with recurrent falls. Initial laboratory results demonstrated severe acute kidney injury, hyperbilirubinemia, and thrombocytopenia.

Completing a molecular timetree of primates.

Primates, consisting of apes, monkeys, tarsiers, and lemurs, are among the most charismatic and well-studied animals on Earth, yet there is no taxonomically complete molecular timetree for the group. Combining the latest large-scale genomic primate phylogeny of 205 recognized species with the 400-species literature consensus tree available from TimeTree.org yields a phylogeny of just 405 primates, with 50 species still missing despite having molecular sequence data in the NCBI GenBank.

Depression and emotion regulation strategy use moderate age-related attentional positivity bias.

Effective emotion regulation is critical for maintaining emotional health in the face of adverse events that accumulate over the lifespan. These abilities are thought to be generally maintained in older adults, accompanied by the emergence of attentional biases to positive information. Such age-related positivity biases, however, are not always reported and may be moderated by individual differences in affective vulnerabilities and competencies, such as those related to dispositional negative affect and emotion regulation styles.

The moderating effect of parental mediation in the longitudinal associations among cyberbullying, depression, and self-harm among Chinese and American adolescents.

Researchers have concentrated on identifying factors that might mitigate the negative consequences associated with cyber victimization. One key factor that has garnered significant attention is parental mediation in adolescents' digital technology usage and its role in reducing the risk of cyber victimization. Additionally, the buffering effects of parental mediation on the longitudinal associations among cyberbullying victimization, depression, and self-harm have been underexplored, especially cross-cultural investigations of such effects.

Homogenous catalysis of peroxynitrite conversion to nitrate by diaryl selenide: a theoretical investigation of the reaction mechanism.

Quenching peroxynitrite (a reactive oxidant species) is a vital process in biological systems and environmental chemistry as it maintains redox balance and mitigates damaging effects in living cells and the environment. In this study, we report a systematic analysis of the mechanism of transforming peroxynitrite into nitrate using diaryl selenide in water. Through quantum mechanical calculations, we investigate the dynamic isomerization of peroxynitrite in a homogeneous catalytic environment.

Engineered Electrically Heatable Face Masks for Direct Inactivation of Aerosolized Viruses on the Mask Surfaces.

The COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in significant changes in our daily lives, including the widespread use of face masks. Face masks have been reported to reduce the transmission of viral infections by droplets; however, improper use and/or treatment of these masks can cause them to be contaminated, thereby reducing their efficacy. Moreover, regular replacement of face masks is essential to maintaining their effectiveness, which can be challenging in resource-limited healthcare settings.

Technique for areolar reduction areolar-sparing mastectomy.

Achieving satisfactory nipple esthetics following skin-sparing or nipple-sparing mastectomy is an important element of ensuring positive patient outcomes. Several techniques used to reconstruct the nipple-areolar complex have been described in previous literature and have had success in securing good cosmetic outcomes. For patients with macrothelia, surgeons may employ a number of options in reducing nipple size.

Optimizing immunogenicity and product presentation of a SARS-CoV-2 subunit vaccine composition: effects of delivery route, heterologous regimens with self-amplifying RNA vaccines, and lyophilization.

Introduction: Dozens of vaccines have been approved or authorized internationally in response to the ongoing SARS-CoV-2 pandemic, covering a range of modalities and routes of delivery. For example, mucosal delivery of vaccines via the intranasal (i.n.

TREM-1 and TREM-2 as therapeutic targets: clinical challenges and perspectives.

TREM-1 and TREM-2 as Therapeutic Targets: Clinical Challenges and Perspectives.

Impact of steroid-sparing immunosuppressive agents on tumor outcome in the context of cancer immunotherapy with highlight on melanoma: a systematic literature review and meta-analysis.

Background: The impact of steroid-sparing immunosuppressive agents (SSIAs) for immune-related adverse events (irAEs) on tumor outcome is not well-known. This systematic review evaluates tumor outcomes for corticosteroid (CS) monotherapy versus CS with SSIA (CS-SSIA) for irAE treatment with a focus on melanoma.

Methods: Search was conducted through 1/5/23 using PubMed, Embase, Cochrane CENTRAL, and Web of Science.

Fatal outcome related to drug reaction with eosinophilia and systemic symptoms: a disproportionality analysis of FAERS database and a systematic review of cases.

Background: Drug rash with eosinophilia and systemic symptoms (DRESS) is a life-threatening severe cutaneous adverse reaction.

Objective: This study aims to study fatal DRESS cases using FAERS database and systematic review.

Methods: Data of the FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS) database were extracted and manipulated.

What are clinically significant anti-drug antibodies and why is it important to identify them.

The FDA has released new draft guidance to standardize how immunogenicity of protein therapeutics is described in product labels. A key aspect to this new guidance is that companies should describe anti-drug antibodies that have clinical significance in addition to reporting ADAs' incidence. Factors to consider when determining clinical significance include if those antibodies have a significant effect on the drug's pharmacokinetics, pharmacodynamics, efficacy, and/or safety.

Americans' support for future pandemic policies: insights from a national survey.

The arrival of bird flu (H5N1) is a poignant reminder of the need for public health leaders to understand Americans' evolving perspectives on pandemic mitigation policies. To guide response efforts, we conducted a nationally representative opinion survey among 1017 U.S.

elimination of antimicrobials during ADVanced Organ Support hemodialysis.

Background: Acute kidney injury (AKI) requiring continuous renal replacement therapy is common in critically ill patients. The ADVanced Organ Support (ADVOS) system is a novel hemodialysis machine that uses albumin enriched dialysate which allows the removal of protein-bound toxins and drugs. To date, data on antimicrobial removal under ADVOS has not yet been reported.

Fibroblasts modulate epithelial cell behavior within the proliferative niche and differentiated cell zone within a human colonic crypt model.

Colonic epithelium is situated above a layer of fibroblasts that provide supportive factors for stem cells at the crypt base and promote differentiation of cells in the upper crypt and luminal surface. To study the fibroblast-epithelial cell interactions, an crypt model was formed on a shaped collagen scaffold with primary epithelial cells growing above a layer of primary colonic fibroblasts. The crypts possessed a basal stem cell niche populated with proliferative cells and a differentiated, nondividing cell zone at the luminal crypt end.

Advancing microfluidic point-of-care platelet function tests: opportunities and challenges from bench to market.

Platelets are critical for blood clotting, with shear-induced platelet aggregation (SIPA) playing a key role in hemostasis and the prevention of excessive bleeding. SIPA function potentially leads to life-threatening diseases such as hemorrhage and myocardial infarction, which are leading causes of death globally. Point-of-care platelet function tests (POC PFTs) are developed to assess platelet dysfunction and distinguish between normal and abnormal platelet activity.

Recent progress in camel research.

Background: Camelids play an important role in the preservation of ecosystems, biodiversity, food security, economic growth, adaptation to climate change, and cultural and social aspects. Therefore, the United Nations has named 2024 the International Year of Camelids (IYC).

Aim: This study aimed to assess the recent progress in camel research and its citation effect as shown in the Scopus database in the IYC.

A comprehensive review of paratuberculosis in animals and its implications for public health.

Paratuberculosis is an infectious disease caused by subspecies (MAP). Typically, ruminant animals including cattle, buffalo, goats, and sheep are infected with MAP. Animals get infected with MAP in a number of ways, such as by eating or drinking contaminated food or water, or by nursing from an infected mother who may have contaminated teats or directly shed the organism in milk or colostrum.