Validation of the PANAMA-Score for Survival and Benefit of Adjuvant Therapy in Patients with Resected Pancreatic Cancer After Neoadjuvant FOLFIRINOX.

Aim: To validate the prognostic value of the PAncreatic NeoAdjuvant MAssachusetts (PANAMA)-score and to determine its predictive ability for survival benefit derived from adjuvant treatment in patients after resection of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) following neoadjuvant FOLFIRINOX.

Background: The PANAMA-score was developed to guide prognostication in patients after neoadjuvant therapy and resection for PDAC. As this score focuses on the risk for residual disease after resection, it might also be able to select patients who benefit from adjuvant after neoadjuvant therapy.

Long-Term Prognostic Implications of Non-Culprit Lesions in Patients Presenting With an Acute Myocardial Infarction: Is It the Angiographic Stenosis Severity or the Underlying High-Risk Morphology?

Background: Patients with acute myocardial infarction and angiographically obstructive non-culprit lesions are at high risk for recurrent major adverse cardiac events (MACEs). However, it remains largely unknown whether events are due to stenosis severity or due to the underlying high-risk lesion morphology.

Methods: Between January 2017 and December 2021, 1312 patients with acute myocardial infarction underwent optical coherence tomography of all the 3 main epicardial arteries after successful percutaneous coronary intervention.

SMARCB1/INI-1-Deficient sinonasal carcinoma demonstrates a poor prognosis but favorable clinical outcomes after PD-1/PD-L1 inhibitor therapy: A case series.

Despite advances in multimodal cancer therapy, such as combining radical surgery with high-intensity chemoradiotherapy, for SMARCB1/INI-1-deficient sinonasal carcinoma (SDSC), the prognosis of patients remains poor. Immunotherapy is gaining increasing popularity as a novel treatment strategy for patients with SMARCB1/INI-1-deficient tumors. Herein, we report on the management of three patients with SDSC who received PD-1/PD-L1 inhibitor therapy as a part of multimodal therapy based on surgery and chemoradiotherapy.

Prediction of inpatient mortality in hospitalised children in low- and middle-income countries: An external validation of paediatric mortality risk scores.

Background: Risk prediction tools for acutely ill children have been developed in high- and low-income settings, but few are validated or incorporated into clinical guidelines. We aimed to assess the performance of existing paediatric early warning scores for use in low- and middle-income countries using clinical data from a recent large multi-country study in Africa and South-Asia.

Methods: We used data (children across three nutritional strata) from the Childhood Acute Illness and Nutrition (CHAIN) Network cohort study (n = 3101).

Segmental Resection with Ureteral Reimplantation Radical Nephroureterectomy with Bladder Cuff Removal for Urothelial Carcinoma of Distal Ureter: A Propensity Score Matching Study in a Large Chinese Center.

We aim to compare the clinical outcomes of radical nephroureterectomy with bladder cuff removal (RNU) and segmental resection with ureteral reimplantation (RR) in Chinese patients with distal ureteral urothelial carcinoma. A retrospective analysis of medical records was performed for 922 patients found to have distal ureteral cancer, defined as below the level of the iliac vessels, with 747 patients who underwent RNU and 175 who underwent RR included in the final analysis. The primary endpoints included clinical outcomes and changes in the estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR).

Clinical Outcomes of Discharged Patients With High Blood Pressure in the Emergency Department.

Background: Elevated blood pressure (BP) prompts immediate emergency department (ED) visits instead of outpatient care, thus constituting a high-weight concern for the ED. This study investigated the short- and long-term outcomes of high BP patients in the ED.

Methods: A retrospective cohort study was conducted at King Abdulaziz University Hospital (KAUH), reviewing ED visits from January to December 2022.

Refractive Results With EyeCryl Phakic Toric Intraocular Lens Implantation in a Hospital in Medina, Saudi Arabia: A Retrospective Study.

Objectives: To evaluate the efficacy, safety, and stability of EyeCryl Phakic intraocular lens (IOL) implantation.

Methodology: This retrospective study was conducted in Maghrabi Hospital in Medina to review 31 patients who underwent posterior chamber phakic IOL (EyeCryl Phakic IOL) for surgical correction of myopia or astigmatism. The data were collected from patient medical records after obtaining their consents.

Malpositioning of a Central Venous Catheter in the Vertebral Vein Through the Cervical Transverse Foramen: A Case Report.

Central venous catheters (CVCs) are commonly used for multiple clinical purposes. The internal jugular vein (IJV) is preferred among the most frequently used insertion sites due to its higher success rates and lower complication risks. Although CVC placement is generally considered a safe procedure, several complications have been reported.

Multiple Retained Needles in the Chest and Abdomen Due to Self-Injury: A Case Report.

Retained needles are rarely observed in multiple locations. Furthermore, although case reports on retained needles have been published, there are no standardized guidelines for managing retained needles. A 42-year-old man with schizophrenia was referred to our hospital for intensive care because of a pericardial effusion and 12 needles from needle pricks being retained in both his chest and abdomen.

Successful Management of COVID-19-Associated Systemic Capillary Leak Syndrome Using Veno-Venous Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation: A Case Report.

Systemic capillary leak syndrome (SCLS) is a rare and life-threatening disorder characterized by acute hypotension, hypoalbuminemia, and hemoconcentration, which often results in severe respiratory complications, such as pulmonary edema. SCLS can be triggered by infections, including COVID-19, and is associated with a high mortality rate. Here, we report a case of COVID-19-associated SCLS in a 68-year-old man.

Rates and Predictors of Malignancy in Bethesda III and IV Thyroid Nodules: A Prospective Study.

Aim: Thyroid nodules, based on high-resolution ultrasonography (HRUS), are among the most common endocrine abnormalities that affect the general population because of their high estimated prevalence rates. Fine needle aspiration cytology (FNAC) is a safe, cost-effective modality to differentiate between benign and malignant thyroid nodules based on the Bethesda System for Reporting Thyroid Cytopathology (BSRTC), thus avoiding unnecessary surgery. However, categories III and IV of BSRTC remain a controversial issue in clinical practice, encompassing a wide range of risks of malignancy.

Complete Third Nerve Palsy With Pupil Involvement in Herpes Zoster Ophthalmicus: A Case Report.

Simultaneous complete oculomotor nerve palsy in herpes zoster ophthalmicus (HZO) is rare. We report a case of a 65-year-old lady who presented with a right drooping eyelid for 2 days associated with rashes over her right forehead. Examination showed crusted vesicular lesions on the right V1 dermatome with right complete ptosis, anisocoria, and limited right extraocular movement on all gazes except full movement on abduction.

Delayed Neurological Deficits Following Lumbar 1 Burst Fracture: A Diagnostic Challenge Without Radiological Correlates.

Spinal cord injuries, including rare cases without radiological abnormalities, pose diagnostic challenges, particularly in cases of delayed neurological deficit development. This case report describes a 55-year-old man with a stable L1 burst fracture who developed delayed neurological deficits two weeks after sustaining a fall despite no evidence of intrinsic or extrinsic spinal cord abnormalities on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). The patient initially presented with back pain, normal muscle strength across all myotomes, and imaging that showed no canal stenosis or retropulsion fragments.

A Rare Case of Steroid-Induced Hypothermia in a Patient With Systemic Lupus Erythematosus.

A 75-year-old woman with a history of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) presented with isolate ocular symptoms, including a left scleral hematoma, elevated erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), and C-reactive protein (CRP). Initial evaluation combined with isolated ocular symptoms raised concerns for giant cell arteritis rather than an SLE flare. Thus, prompt initiation of high-dose intravenous methylprednisolone (250 mg every six hours) was warranted.

Assessment of genetic conservation units of an endangered glacial relict insular species, , based on fine-scale genetic structures of multiple fragmented mountainous populations in Taiwan.

Insular species are usually endemic and prone to long-term population reduction, low genetic diversity, and inbreeding depression, which results in difficulties in species conservation. The situation is even more challenging for the glacial relict species whose habitats are usually fragmented in the mountainous regions. is an endangered and endemic relict tree species in Taiwan.

Expression and localization of two β-carbonic anhydrases in , a single-cell C plant.

Carbonic anhydrases (CAs) are ubiquitous enzymes that catalyze reversibly both the hydration and dehydration reactions of CO and HCO-, respectively. Higher plants contain many different isoforms of CAs that can be classified into α-, β- and γ-type subfamilies. β-type CAs play a key role in the CO-concentrating mechanism, thereby contributing to efficient photosynthesis in the C plants in addition to many other biochemical reactions in plant metabolism.

Long-term outcomes of LDR-brachytherapy for localized prostate cancer.

Introduction: This retrospective study aims to evaluate the long-term efficacy and urinary toxicity of LDR-brachytherapy for localized prostate cancer.

Materials And Methods: 235 primary prostate cancer patients treated with LDR-brachytherapy and subsequently followed up in our center were included in this study. Biochemical relapse free survival (bRFS), overall survival (OS), and cancer-specific survival (CSS) were evaluated.

Long-term disease control in dedifferentiated liposarcoma: a case report on trabectedin priming followed by PD-1 inhibition.

Background: Dedifferentiated liposarcoma (DDLPS) is a rare mesenchymal cancer originating from the adipose tissue, with poor survival rates for most patients, highlighting the critical need for novel treatment options.

Case Description: This report examines the efficacy and safety of sequential pre-treatment with the marine-derived alkaloid trabectedin followed by checkpoint inhibition using the anti-PD-1 antibody nivolumab in a 63-year-old male patient with unresectable retroperitoneal DDLPS. Treatment was initiated at the time of the seventh relapse as part of the NitraSarc phase 2 multicenter trial for inoperable soft tissue sarcoma conducted by the German Interdisciplinary Sarcoma Group (GISG-15, ).

Analysis of physical activity levels and influencing factors in cancer survivors after pancreaticoduodenectomy.

Introduction: Physical activity is becoming more important in cancer patient care. However, there are limited studies investigating physical activity levels in cancer survivors after pancreaticoduodenectomy. This study aims to assess the present status of physical activity levels in cancer survivors after pancreaticoduodenectomy and whether perioperative metrics and length of follow-up have an impact on physical activity levels in survivorship.

Exosomal lncRNAs as diagnostic and therapeutic targets in multiple myeloma.

Multiple Myeloma (MM) is the second most common malignancy of the hematopoietic system, accounting for approximately 10% of all hematological malignancies, and currently, there is no complete cure. Existing research indicates that exosomal long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) play a crucial regulatory role in the initiation and progression of tumors, involving various interactions such as lncRNA-miRNA, lncRNA-mRNA, and lncRNA-RNA binding proteins (RBP). Despite the significant clinical application potential of exosomal lncRNAs, research in this area still faces challenges due to their low abundance and technical limitations.

Application value of F-FDG PET/CT in soft tissue metastasis of intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma: a case report and literature review.

Intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (ICC)originates from the epithelial cells of the intrahepatic bile ducts, with insidious onset and strong invasiveness, and most of the cases are found in the advanced stage, with extremely poor prognosis. In advanced stages, distant metastases to the lungs, bones, and brain are common, but distant soft tissue (subcutaneous and skeletal muscle) and breast metastases are rare, and simultaneous metastases to all three rare sites had not been reported. We report a 69-year-old woman with right upper abdominal pain who underwent a plain and enhanced CT scan of the upper abdomen, which revealed an intrahepatic space-occupying lesion, as well as subcutaneous and peritoneal nodules in the abdomen.

Pooled safety analysis of two phase 3 studies investigating trifluridine/tipiracil plus bevacizumab in patients with metastatic colorectal cancer.

Background: Trifluridine/tipiracil (FTD/TPI) is approved as monotherapy and in combination with bevacizumab for the treatment of patients with refractory metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC). FTD/TPI plus bevacizumab showed good tolerability in the phase 3 SOLSTICE (first-line) and SUNLIGHT (later-line) trials. This pooled analysis was performed to further characterize the safety of FTD/TPI plus bevacizumab and to compare safety in untreated and previously treated patients with mCRC.

Enhanced detection of circulating tumor cells using a MUC1 promoter-driven recombinant adenovirus.

Introduction: Circulating tumor cells (CTCs) have attracted significant interest as a biomarker for cancer diagnosis. In this study, we judiciously constructed a recombinant MUC1-dependent adenovirus (rAdF35-MUC1) that can selectively replicate and overexpress copepod super green fluorescent proteins (copGFP) in MUC1-positive tumor cells to investigate its role in the detection of CTCs.

Methods: We conducted a comparative study between rAdF35-MUC1 and the existing hTERT-dependent adenovirus (rAdF35-hTERT).

Clinical applications and research progress of totally implantable venous access ports: a literature review.

Totally implantable venous access port (TIVAP), a novel intravenous infusion system that is used for long-term intravenous treatment, has become increasingly popular among cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy and other patients requiring long-term intravenous infusions. This technology has been introduced into clinical practice in China, with successful results. Nevertheless, there are still certain problems; for instance, China has not set up a specialized regulatory agency to oversee research and set guidelines for the comprehensive life-cycle management of TIVAP.

Predicting recurrence of non-muscle invasive bladder urothelial carcinoma: predictive value of the optimal cut-off value of Ki67.

Objective: To investigate the optimal cut-off value of immunohistochemical marker Ki67 as a prognostic factor to predict the recurrence of non-muscle invasive bladder urothelial carcinoma (NMIBUC).

Methods: A total of 331 patients diagnosed with NMIBUC who underwent surgery in the Yongchuan Hospital and the Second Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University from January 2012 to January 2020 were finally included in this study. The optimal cut-off value of Ki67 for predicting recurrence of NMIBUC was calculated by ROC curve and Youden index.