Improved Clinical Outcomes with Appropriate Meropenem De-escalation in Patients with Febrile Neutropenia.

Introduction: Antibiotic stewardship is a critical aspect of managing cancer patients with febrile neutropenia (FN) to limit the development of drug-resistant organisms and minimize adverse drug effects. Thus, it has been recommended that patients with FN receiving empiric antibiotics should be re-evaluated for safe antibiotic de-escalation.

Methods: Subjects treated with meropenem for febrile neutropenia who met Loyola University Medical Center's (LUMC) criteria for de-escalation were stratified based on whether meropenem was de-escalated, and 30-day all-cause mortality for both groups was assessed.

Monitoring neoadjuvant treatment-induced surgical benefit in GIST patients using CT-based radiological criteria.

Objective: This single-centre retrospective study aims to determine the incidence of therapy-induced surgical benefit in patients with non-metastatic gastrointestinal stromal tumour (GIST) treated with neoadjuvant tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKI) and evaluate whether this can be predicted by radiological response criteria.

Methods: Thirty-nine non-metastatic GIST patients were treated with neoadjuvant TKI treatment, followed by curative-intended surgery, and monitored using contrast-enhanced computed tomography (CE-CT). Surgical benefit was independently assessed by two surgical oncologists and was defined by de-escalation of surgical strategy or reduced surgical complexity.

Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease: A case report initially manifested by bilateral vocal cord paralysis.

Charcot-Marie-Tooth is an inherited disorder involving multiple genes, causing progressive nerve damage affecting sensation and movement. The complexity of the condition often leads to various possible diagnoses along with neuropathic diseases, sometimes resulting in significant delays in diagnosis and treatment. Thorough clinical examinations, suspicion based on symptoms, electromyography, nerve conduction tests, and specific genomic testing can expedite diagnosis.

Comparative analysis of left bundle branch area pacing in patients with and without a history of open-heart surgery.

Background: Left bundle branch area pacing (LBBAP) is widely performed in routine clinical practice. Achieving LBBAP requires deep insertion of the lead into the interventricular septum. LBBAP may be challenging in patients with a history of open-heart surgery (OHS) because of myocardial fibrosis associated with surgical trauma.

Surgical outcomes in patients with Achilles tendon rupture-a retrospective study.

Background: There are two main methods used to treat Achilles tendon rupture (ATR): conservative treatment and surgical intervention. Surgical techniques are divided into three main categories: open surgical repair, mini-open surgical repair, and percutaneous repair (PR). We aimed to compare clinical outcomes in individuals with ATR who were treated with PR, primary repair, and flexor hallucis longus augmentation (FHL-A) with those treated with V-Y plasty and FHL-A.

A Severe Case of Disseminated Herpes Zoster in a Patient With Crohn's Disease on Upadacitinib Who Completed the Recombinant Zoster Vaccine Series.

Herpes zoster (HZ) is caused by the reactivation of the varicella zoster virus and presents with painful vesicular lesions in a dermatomal distribution. Disseminated HZ occurs when skin lesions erupt in numerous dermatomes. Upadacitinib is the first oral medication approved to treat moderate-severe Crohn's disease and has been associated with nonsevere cases of HZ.

Liquid biopsy for Renal Cell Carcinoma: A comprehensive review of techniques, applications, and future prospects.

Liquid biopsy techniques have developed rapidly in recent years and demonstrated success in cancer detection, disease characterization, and ongoing disease monitoring. These components, including circulating tumor cells (CTCs), circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA), and cell-free DNA (cfDNA), offer minimally invasive diagnostic tools that provide valuable insights into the genomic landscape of tumors. Its applications have expanded to include various malignancies, including renal cell carcinoma (RCC).

Tranexamic acid as an adjunct to resuscitative endovascular balloon occlusion of the aorta does not worsen outcomes in a porcine model of hemorrhage.

Background: Non-compressible torso hemorrhage (NCTH) represents a leading cause of preventable mortality in trauma. Resuscitative endovascular balloon occlusion of the aorta (REBOA) stabilizes NCTH but may predispose patients to thrombus generation. REBOA must therefore be prospectively evaluated for coagulation risks with concomitant usage of anti-fibrinolytic tranexamic acid (TXA).

Thirty years from FDA approval of pegylated liposomal doxorubicin (Doxil/Caelyx): an updated analysis and future perspective.

In 2025, it will be 30 years since the initial clinical approval of pegylated liposomal doxorubicin (PLD) by the Food and Drug Administration. PLD predated the field of nanomedicine and became a model nanomedicine setting key pharmacological principles (prolonged circulation, slow drug release and the enhanced permeability and retention (EPR) effect) for clinical application of other nano-drugs in cancer therapy. The impressive reduction of cardiotoxicity conferred by PLD is the most valuable clinical asset.

Insufficiency fractures in patients with sacral chordoma treated with high-dose radiation therapy with and without resection.

Objectives: Determine the incidence, location, and features of insufficiency fractures (IFs) in sacral chordoma patients treated with high-dose radiation therapy (HDR) with(out) resection, relative to radiation therapy type and irradiation plans.

Methods: Clinical data, including details of all surgical procedures and radiotherapies of patients histologically diagnosed with sacral chordoma between 2008 and 2023 available at our database, were retrospectively reviewed. Inclusion criteria were as follows: availability of diagnostic, treatment planning and follow-up magnetic resonance and/or computed tomography scans, and completed treatment.

Long non‑coding RNA signatures in breast cancer: Properties as biomarkers?

Breast cancer represents the most common type of cancer in females worldwide. The survival rates for breast cancer patients have been increasing since 1990. However, in 2023 breast cancer is still the second most common cause of malignancy-associated death in women.

Linear approximation of variable relative biological effectiveness models for proton therapy.

The McNamara (MCN) and Wedenberg (WED) RBE weighted dose (D), dose and dose-weighted average LET (LET) were calculated in twenty brain cancer patients. A linear approximation was made for each RBE model to give best agreement to clinically relevant dosimetric parameters. Additional evaluations were done on twenty head and neck and twenty breast cancer patients.

Feasibility and safety of single-fraction sub-ablative radiotherapy with systemic therapy in colorectal cancer patients with ≤ 10 metastases: A multicenter pilot study (NCT05375708).

Colorectal cancer patients with ≤10 unresectable metastases were treated with single-fraction sub-ablative radiotherapy in addition to standard of care systemic therapy in a single-arm, open-label, multicenter, pilot study (SIRIUS) to assess feasibility and safety. Results indicate that radiotherapy combined with systemic therapy is feasible and safe in this population.

Bone marrow metastasis of ovarian cancer: A two‑center retrospective study and literature review.

Bone marrow metastasis (BMM) causes pancytopenia and disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC), resulting in rapid mortality. The incidence of this disease is likely underestimated, with confirmed BMM occurring at approximately twice the rates expected clinically. The present study describes two detailed cases and includes a literature review of BMM caused by ovarian cancer.

Behavioral characterization of the mdx5cv, mdx52 and DMD-null mouse models of Duchenne muscular dystrophy.

Duchenne muscular dystrophy is a severe neuromuscular disorder, caused by mutations in the DMD gene. Normally, the DMD gene gives rise to multiple dystrophin isoforms, of which multiple are expressed in the brain. The location of the mutation determines the number of dystrophin isoforms affected, and the absence thereof leads to behavioral and cognitive impairments.

Cost-effectiveness of continuous real-time intracardiac recurrent event detection and alerting in high-risk acute coronary syndrome patients.

Background: ALERTS was a pivotal randomized clinical trial (RCT) evaluating an intracardiac monitor with real-time alerting in high-risk acute coronary syndrome patients. The cost-effectiveness however is unknown.

Method: A decision model estimated health effects and costs of implanting a Guardian device in a target patient population, compared to current standard-of-care (SOC).

Effects of Methylphenidate and Atomoxetine Treatment on Improvement of Motor Coordination in Children With Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder.

Objective: To investigate the effects of methylphenidate and atomoxetine treatment on motor coordination in children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).

Methods: In this single-site, open-label, naturalistic follow-up study, 157 children (7.6±1.

Healing Through Loss: Exploring Nurses' Post-Traumatic Growth After Patient Death.

Objective: This study aimed to identify the factors contributing to post-traumatic growth (PTG) among nurses who experienced patient death during the coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) pandemic and to evaluate the necessity of grief support is required.

Methods: An online survey was conducted to assess the experiences of nurses at Ulsan University Hospital who lost patients during the past year of the pandemic. In total, 211 nurses were recruited.

A New Agenda for Optimizing Roles and Infrastructure in a Mental Health Service Model for South Korea.

Objective: As the demand for community mental health services continues to grow, the need for well-equipped and organized services has become apparent. This study aimed to optimize the roles and infrastructure of mental health services, by establishing, among other initiatives, standardized operating models.

Methods: The study was conducted in multiple phases from May 12, 2021, to December 29, 2021.

Multiple needle insertion attempts: insights from a US survey of patients and nurses.

Needle insertion, for example for venepuncture or intravenous (IV) cannulation, is a common intervention experienced by patients. However, up to half of venepuncture and IV cannulation procedures fail on the first attempt, resulting in further attempts. Multiple needle insertion attempts can lead to pain and other complications for patients and can take up staff time and increase equipment costs for hospitals, so it is important to ensure that needle insertion practices and outcomes are optimised.

The Need for IRB Leadership to Address the New Ethical Challenges of Research with Highly Portable Neuroimaging Technologies.

The emergence of innovative neuroimaging technologies, particularly highly portable magnetic resonance imaging (pMRI), has the potential to spawn a transformative era in neuroscience research. Resourced academic institutional review boards (IRBs) with experience overseeing traditional MRI have a special role to play in ethical governance of pMRI research and should facilitate the collaborative development of nuanced and culturally sensitive guidelines and educational resources for pMRI protocols. This paper explores the ethical challenges of pMRI in neuroscience research and the dynamic leadership role that IRBs should play to promote ethical oversight of emerging pMRI research.