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Sex differences in pre-surgical respiratory physiotherapy impact on hospital and ICU stay in cardiac surgery patients: An observational study
Introduction Cardiovascular diseases may be amenable to surgical intervention. To mitigate post-surgical complications, diverse strategies are employed, including pre-habilitation programs. This study examines the effect of an unsupervised pre-surgical respiratory physiotherapy program on both sexes in terms of hospital and intensive care unit (ICU) stay lengths, as well as the incidence of post-surgical complications, their severity, and mortality risk. Methodology Retrospective observational study of 418 adults who underwent open-heart surgery between 2018 and 2022. The subjects were divided into two sex-based groups based on attendance at individual pre-surgical physiotherapy sessions. A Mann-Whitney U test was employed to evaluate the impact of the pre-surgical respiratory physiotherapy program and a Kruskal-Wallis rank-sum test to assess its influence on both sexes. Additionally, a multiple linear regression analysis was conducted to evaluate the impact of various variables on overall length of stay. Results The mean age of women was higher (p = 0.002), and they exhibited longer mean lengths of ICU (p = 0.004) and hospital stays (p = 0.031). In both sexes, a statistically significant reduction in LOS was observed among those undergoing a respiratory physiotherapy program. The linear regression analysis indicated that male sex was associated with a reduction in hospital and ICU stay lengths (p < 0.001). Although women experienced a higher number of complications (p = 0.043), no differences in severity levels or mortality risk were observed between sexes. Conclusion An unsupervised home pre-surgical physiotherapy program based on ventilatory exercises can reduce hospital and ICU stay for both men and women. Notwithstanding the higher incidence of complications in women, no differences in severity or mortality risk were observed between sexes.
Interpretable machine learning models for predicting childhood myopia from school-based screening data
The MURANO study: final analysis and retreatment/crossover substudy results of VenR for patients with relapsed/refractory CLL
Abstract Fixed-duration venetoclax-rituximab (VenR) in patients with relapsed/refractory chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) in the phase 3 MURANO trial resulted in superior progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) vs bendamustine-rituximab (BR). We report the final analyses of MURANO (median follow-up, 7 years). Patients were randomized to VenR (venetoclax 400 mg daily for 2 years plus monthly rituximab for 6 months; n = 194) or BR (6 months; n = 195). In a substudy, patients with progressive disease (PD) received VenR as retreatment or crossover from BR. At the final data cut (3 August 2022), the median PFS with VenR was 54.7 months vs 17.0 months with BR. The 7-year PFS with VenR was 23.0%. The 7-year OS was 69.6% and 51.0%, respectively. Among VenR-treated patients with undetectable minimal residual disease (MRD; uMRD) and no PD at end of treatment (EOT; n = 83), the median PFS from EOT was 52.5 vs 18.0 months in patients with MRD at EOT (n = 35; P &lt; .0001). Fourteen patients had enduring uMRD. Three distinct mutations in BCL2 in 4 patients were identified. In the substudy, 25 patients were retreated with VenR, and 9 patients crossed over to VenR; the median PFS was 23 and 27 months, and the best overall response rate was 72% and 89%, respectively. At the end of combination treatment (EOCT), after retreatment or crossover, 8 and 6 patients achieved uMRD, respectively. No new safety findings were observed. Overall, these final MURANO analyses support consideration of fixed-duration VenR therapy for patients with relapsed/refractory CLL. This trial was registered at www.clinicaltrials.gov as #NCT02005471.
Liquid-liquid phase separation-boosted transmembrane delivery in interactive protocell communities
Retraction: Evidence for a Pro-proliferative Feedback Loop in Prostate Cancer: The role of Epac1 and COX-2-dependent Pathways
Development of a prognostic model for chemotherapy response and identification of TNFAIP2 as a target in colorectal cancer
Getting to the root of high-risk leukemias
The origin of vertebrate teeth and evolution of sensory exoskeletons
Chiral substrate-induced chiral covalent organic framework membranes for enantioselective separation of macromolecular drug
Toxic behaviour facilitates echo chammber formation: An agent-based modelling simulation of science attitudes based on Spiral of Silence Theory
The Internet and social media have facilitated the spread of misinformation and the formation of echo chambers online. These echo chambers may facilitate the adoption of false beliefs and associated costs, but the mechanism of their formation remains a matter of debate. Based on Spiral of Silence Theory, sanctions against opposing views in the form of toxic online behaviour may enable not only the suppression of minority views but also the formation of echo chambers as those with suppressed minority views may attempt to find like-minded individuals who they can safely share their opinions with while avoiding toxic reprisals from those with an opposing view. In the current paper, we introduce the Pro- and Anti-Science Opinions Model (PASOM)—an agent-based model where agents decide between a pro- or anti-science view on a single science-based topic. PASOM uniquely allows agents to choose whether to interact toxically or persuasively. Initial simulations showed that toxic behaviour in the model could push agents into echo chambers and drive agents to adopt strong pro- or anti-science views with most agents in all simulations finishing in an echo chamber. Subsequent simulations demonstrated the importance of toxic behaviour in the outcomes by reducing propensity to behave toxically and sensitivity to toxic behaviour, which resulted in concurrent reductions in echo chamber formation. Finally, simulation outcomes were compared to previously reported social media data and were able to successful reproduce outcomes observed in the empirical data. The various results suggest that toxic behaviour and people’s responses to it may be important factors in the formation of echo chambers and differences between social media platforms and topics.
Cryoelectrospun elastin-alginate scaffolds as potential cell delivery vehicles for mesenchymal stromal cell therapy
Abstract Salivary gland fibrosis results in salivary hypofunction whose current treatments are palliative. Mesenchymal stem/stromal cells (MSCs) are anti-fibrotic and anti-inflammatory and provide a promising alternative to treat fibrosis, but face translational challenges due to poor tissue targeting and retention. Scaffolds could facilitate targeted MSC delivery and improve MSC retention. Here, we demonstrated the feasibility of using stromal extracellular matrix (ECM)-mimicking elastin-alginate cryoelectrospun scaffolds (CES) for MSC delivery. Using MSC-like primary embryonic salivary mesenchyme cells (SMSCs), we demonstrated that CES supported viable, healthy and non-fibrotic long-term stromal cell maintenance while suppressing the fibrotic phenotype in myofibroblasts. We established an in vitro fibrosis model by coculturing SMSCs and myofibroblasts on CES and validated that SMSCs on CES imparted anti-fibrotic effects on myofibroblasts; however, these effects were suppressed by TGF-β1. In vivo orthotopic implantation of CES and SMSC-CES constructs showed that CES were biocompatible, non-inflammatory, and non-fibrotic, however, they did not remediate fibrosis. Further, supplementation of anti-fibrotic FGF2 to the in vitro fibrosis model demonstrated partial rescue of the anti-fibrotic effects of SMSC-CES constructs on myofibroblasts stimulated by TGF-β1 signaling. These studies set the premise for multi-pronged therapeutic approaches and validate CES as a potential stromal cell delivery vehicle in regenerative medicine applications.
Exploiting tumor-derived IL-10 activity in lymphoma therapy
Author Correction: Expansion of human megakaryocyte-biased hematopoietic stem cells by biomimetic Microniche
A link between smoking behaviors and the risk of hidradenitis suppurativa in diabetic patients
Introduction Hidradenitis suppurativa (HS) is a chronic, inflammatory skin condition characterized by painful, recurrent abscesses and tunnels under the skin. It is influenced by a complex interplay of genetic, environmental, and metabolic factors. Smoking, diabetes mellitus, obesity, and other metabolic disorders have been identified as risk factors for HS, potentially exacerbating the severity and progression of the condition. Given the higher prevalence of HS in individuals with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), understanding modifiable risk factors such as smoking is crucial for improving patient outcomes. Objectives To investigate the association between changes in smoking intensity and the risk of HS in patients with T2DM, with the goal of elucidating how smoking contributes to the development or worsening of HS in this high-risk population. Methods This retrospective cohort study analyzed data from the Korean National Health Insurance Service, comprising 1,705,427 participants. The study examined smoking status, changes in smoking intensity, and the incidence of HS in individuals with T2DM, adjusting for potential confounders such as age, gender, and comorbid conditions. Results The study found a 23.6% increased risk of HS in individuals who continued smoking compared to nonsmokers (adjusted hazard ratio (aHR), 1.236; 95% confidence interval (CI), 1.075–1.421). Additionally, participants with increased cigarette consumption had a 28.5% higher risk of HS compared to nonsmokers (aHR, 1.285; 95% CI, 1.048–1.577). However, no significant differences were observed in the association between changes in smoking intensity and the risk of HS when stratified by BMI. Conclusions This study highlights the association between smoking and the increased risk of HS in individuals with T2DM, underscoring the importance of smoking cessation as a potential strategy for mitigating HS risk in at-risk DM populations. Additional research is needed to further explore the mechanisms by which smoking exacerbates HS in T2DM and to identify effective interventions for this group.
A preliminary study using luminol-enhanced intraoperative bile duct imaging technique in rabbits
Outcomes among adult recipients of CAR T-cell therapy for Burkitt lymphoma
Abstract Burkitt lymphoma (BL) is an aggressive B-cell lymphoma that is associated with poor outcomes in patients with relapsed/refractory disease. This multicenter, retrospective study evaluated real-world CD19 chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cell therapy outcomes in patients with relapsed/refractory BL using data abstracted from the medical records. In total, 31 patients received CAR T cells after a median of 3 previous therapies (range, 1-6). Patients received axicabtagene ciloleucel (n = 19), lisocabtagene maraleucel (n = 4), tisagenlecleucel (n = 4), or other agents (n = 4). Grade 1 to 2 cytokine release syndrome occurred in 83.9% of patients (grade ≥3, 65%), and grade 1 to 2 immune effector cell-associated neurotoxicity syndrome (ICANS) occurred in 29% of patients (grade ≥3, 19.4%). The 28-day mortality rate was 16.1%, including 1 patient who died from grade 5 ICANS. The overall response rate at 1 month was 58.0% with a complete response (CR) rate of 41.9%; however, the 6-month CR rate was only 19.4%. The median progression-free survival was 2.3 months (95% confidence interval, 1.0-9.0), and the median overall survival was 6.0 months (95% confidence interval, 1.9-11.5). Three patients (9.7%) received consolidative allogeneic stem cell transplants, but all subsequently relapsed. In conclusion, CD19 CAR T-cell therapy infrequently delivers long-term disease control in BL. Further investigation is needed to determine the most effective alternative management strategy for these patients.
Viscoelastic N‑cadherin-like interactions maintain neural progenitor cell stemness within 3D matrices
TNFAIP9 protects against the development of the early stage of chronic kidney disease: Focus on inflammation and fibrosis
Tumor necrosis factor alpha-induced protein 9 (TNFAIP9) is a crucial effector molecule that protects cells from inflammatory and metabolic damage. This study focuses on investigating the role and regulatory mechanisms of TNFAIP9 in the progression of chronic kidney disease (CKD). By analyzing CKD-related datasets from the GEO database, we discovered that TNFAIP9 was upregulated in CKD patients and CKD mice compared to their normal controls. To elucidate the functional role of TNFAIP9, we established a mouse model of CKD through a two-step 5/6 nephrectomy (Nx). The experimental mice were transduced with an adenoviral vector to express TNFAIP9. The results showed that mice undergoing 5/6-Nx developed evident renal impairment, inflammation, and fibrosis. Overexpression of TNFAIP9 resulted in the remission of renal impairment, a decreased inflammatory response, and a reduced expression of fibrotic markers. In vitro, human renal tubular epithelial human kidney-2 (HK-2) cells were exposed to tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) or transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-β) to simulate inflammatory and fibrotic conditions, respectively. Then, the overexpression plasmid or small interfering RNA (siRNA) targeting TNFAIP9 was transfected into HK-2 cells to either overexpress or knock down the target protein. Overexpression of TNFAIP9 reduced the TNF-α-induced inflammatory response, while its knockdown amplified it. Likewise, overexpression of TNFAIP9 decreased the TGF-β-induced fibrosis, whereas its knockdown heightened it. In summary, it is suggested that TNFAIP9 plays a protective role against the early stage of CKD by suppressing renal inflammation and fibrosis. Therefore, targeting TNFAIP9 could be a promising therapeutic approach for CKD.