Native botulinum toxin type A vs. redesigned botulinum toxins in pain: What did we learn so far?

Driven by the clinical success of botulinum toxin serotype A (BoNT/A) and the need for improved chronic pain management, researchers attempted to develop re-designed botulinum toxin (BoNT)-based molecules as novel analgesics. Various recombinant protein expression strategies including retargeted binding domains, and chimeric toxins combining different serotypes were tested to improve BoNT/A therapeutic safety margin and expand its efficacy. The aim of this review is to re-evaluate the current design strategies for recombinant BoNT-based molecules for pain treatment, compares their analgesic profile against the native BoNT/A, as well as to discuss the main strengths and potential weaknesses of reported approaches.

Prevention of Oral Injuries during Endotracheal Intubation: Patients' and Anesthesiologists' Perspective.

Objective: The aim was to design accessible, simple, inexpensive protection for teeth and soft tissues during ETI, compare damage occurrence with and without protection, and investigate post-ETI orofacial pain symptoms.

Materials And Methods: The selection procedure for adequate protection was carried out after which a reduced elastomer mouthguard was selected. Fifty patients were divided into 2 groups.

Current status and new avenues of stem cell-based preclinical and therapeutic approaches in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.

Introduction: Cell therapy development represents a critical challenge in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) research. Despite more than 20 years of basic and clinical research, no definitive safety and efficacy results of cell-based therapies for ALS have been published.

Areas Covered: This review summarizes advances using stem cells (SCs) in pre-clinical studies to promote clinical translation and in clinical trials to treat ALS.

Antithrombotic Strategies With Left Ventricular Assist Devices.

Long-term outcomes of patients with advanced heart failure treated with durable left ventricular assist devices (LVADs) have been augmented due to improved durability and hemocompatibility on the backbone of pump engineering enhancements. The incidence of hemocompatibility-related adverse events (pump thrombosis, stroke and nonsurgical bleeding events) are device specific and vary by type of engineered pump. A fully magnetically levitated rotor containing LVAD in concert with use of antithrombotic therapy has successfully overcome an increased risk of pump thrombosis and stroke-risk, albeit with only modest reduction in bleeding events.

Dynamics of HSD17B3 expression in human fetal testis: implications for the role of Sertoli cells in fetal testosterone biosynthesis.

Androgens play a pivotal role in shaping male sexual characteristics, with testosterone being an essential hormone in orchestrating various developmental processes. Testosterone biosynthesis involves a series of enzymatic reactions, among which the 17β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase type 3 (HSD17B3) holds significance. While its role in adult Leydig cells is well established, its localization and importance during the fetal period remain less known, especially in humans.

Successful Endovascular Treatment of Postbiopsy AVF in Transplanted Kidneys: Lessons Learned from Two Cases in Multiorgan Transplant Recipients.

Allograft biopsy is a cornerstone in the management of transplanted kidneys. It is a safe procedure, often performed in the outpatient setting. A rare complication is formation of a postbiopsy arteriovenous fistula (AVF).

Disseminated Infection Caused by Nocardia cyriacigeorgica in Immunocompromised Patient Confirmed by Whole Genome Sequencing.

Introduction: Nocardia spp. is an opportunistic pathogen capable of causing localized and disseminated infections in immunocompromised hosts. It is critical for serious infections to have an early and accurate identification of this pathogen in order to enable timely and focused combination antimicrobial treatment.

Serum Concentrations of Chemokines CCL20, CXCL8 and CXCL10 in Relapsing-Remitting Multiple Sclerosis and Their Association with Presence of Antibodies against Epstein-Barr Virus.

Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) infection and various chemokines, including CCL20, CXCL8 and CXCL10 are considered to participate in the pathogenesis of multiple sclerosis (MS), and several studies point to a direct regulatory effect of EBV on the expression of these chemokines. In our study we hypothesized that serum concentrations of CCL20, CXCL8 and CXCL0 are induced in patients with relapsing-remitting MS (RRMS) in comparison to healthy individuals, and that they are associated with EBV infection. Serum concentrations of CXCL8 and CXCL10 were lower in RRMS patients in relapse in comparison to healthy controls.

The use of Dose Management Systems in Europe: Results of an ESR EuroSafe Imaging Questionnaire.

Dose management systems (DMS) are an essential tool for quality assurance and optimising patient radiation exposure. For radiologists and medical physicists, they are important for managing many radiation protection tasks. In addition, they help fulfil the requirements of Directive 2013/59/EURATOM regarding the electronic transmission of dosimetric data and the detection of unintended patient exposures.

Association between peripheral blood immunological status and intrathecal inflammatory markers differentiate multiple sclerosis clinical phenotypes.

Background: The difference in the clinical course, response to therapy, and distribution of CNS inflammation in primary-progressive (PPMS) and relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS) suggests differences in the underlying immunological characteristics of the disease. We aimed to investigate differences in immunological profiles in relation to intrathecal inflammation in different MS forms.

Methods: The peripheral blood (PB) proportions of CD4 + and CD8 + T-cells and CD19 + B-cells were retrospectively compared with the markers of intrathecal immunoglobulin G (IgG) synthesis at diagnosis: IgG index, percentage of intrathecal IgG synthesis (IF IgG), the number of oligoclonal bands (OCB), depending on the blood-brain barrier (BBB) function, and antibody specific index to neurotrophic viruses (MRZH reaction).

Factors affecting mortality in COVID-19-associated pulmonary aspergillosis: An international ID-IRI study.

Background: This study aimed to identify factors that influence the mortality rate of patients with coronavirus disease (COVID-19)-associated pulmonary aspergillosis (CAPA).

Methods: In this cross-sectional study, data from 23 centers across 15 countries, spanning the period of March 2020 to December 2021, were retrospectively collected. The study population comprised patients who developed invasive pulmonary aspergillosis while being treated for COVID-19 in the intensive care unit.

Compliance with Guideline-Directed Medical Therapy and Early Implantable Cardioverter-Defibrillator Activation in Heart Failure: A Retrospective Study.

Background: This study was conducted to evaluate compliance with guideline-directed optimal medical therapy (OMT) and its association with early implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD) activation in patients with heart failure and reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF).

Methods: Retrospective data from 307 patients who underwent ICD implantation for primary prevention from 2011 to 2017 were collected and analyzed.

Results: Among the study participants, only 23.

Multimodality Imaging of Cardiac Myxomas.

Cardiac myxomas are the most common benign cardiac neoplasms. Echocardiography is the first-line imaging modality used to analyze cardiac masses, allowing the detection of tumor location, size, and mobility. However, additional imaging techniques are required to confirm the diagnosis, evaluate tissue characteristics of the mass, and assess potential invasion of surrounding structures.

EBV Positive Diffuse Large B Cell Lymphoma with Negative Pan-B Cell Markers, Case Report, and Literature Review.

Most B cell lymphomas are positive for one or more B cell markers including CD19, CD20, CD79a, or PAX5. However, rare cases of mature B cell lymphoma not expressing any B cell markers have been characterized and recognized as distinct diagnostic entities by current classification guidelines, including plasmablastic lymphoma, primary effusion lymphoma, and ALK-positive large B cell lymphoma. We present a case of pan-B cell marker negative, EBV positive diffuse large B cell lymphoma that is positive for OCT2, BOB1, and clonal immunoglobulin gene rearrangement that does not meet diagnostic criteria for any B cell lymphoma by current 4 and 5 Ed beta version WHO Hematolymphoid Tumors classification.

Oocyte donors' experience and expectations in a non-profit fertility care setting.

Purpose: In this survey, we aimed to provide the description of previous oocyte donors' profile in a Belgian tertiary fertility hospital clinic. The research question is as follows: could certain aspects be changed or improved, according to previous oocyte donors? The final purpose is to boost adherence to future oocyte donation (OD) programs, given the large gap between supply and demand.

Methods: We set up an observational cross-sectional study of oocyte donors who were recruited in a tertiary referral hospital.

Periodontal Disease in Patients with Ischemic Stroke - an Exploratory Study.

Objective: The aim of this study was to assess the periodontal disease parameters in patients with ischemic stroke.

Materials And Methods: The study included 21 patients with ischemic brain stroke and a control group that was matched in number, age, and gender. All participants underwent a standard periodontal examination.

Evaluation of a flow cytometry-based method for determination of T-lymphocyte subtypes for quality assessment of cell therapy products.

Chimeric antigen receptor-T (CAR-T) cell therapy is currently the best-known type of immune effector cells therapy. For CAR T-cell therapy, the determination of CD3+ T cells is necessary for the quality control of fresh leukapheresis product as starting material. The aim was to validate analytical method for quantification of percentage and absolute count of T lymphocyte subtypes (CD3+, CD4+ and CD8+ cells) in fresh apheresis products using single-platform method on flow cytometer BD FACS Canto II.

Releasing Dynamic of Serum ST2 and Calprotectin in Patients with Acute Ischemic Stroke.

This study investigated the releasing dynamics of serum ST2 and calprotectin in patients with acute IS. The study included acute IS patients (N = 20) with an NIH Stroke Scale score ≥8. Sampling was performed at seven time points: after admission (T0) and at the following 24 h consecutive intervals (T1-T6).