tbuckley/cabot-search huggingface dataset:
Hepatic arterial chemotherapy infusion combined with tyrosine kinase inhibitors and PD-1 inhibitors for advanced hepatocellular carcinoma with high-risk: A propensity score matching study
Authors: Mengxuan Zuo, Guanglei Zheng, Yuzhe Cao, Hailei Lu, Da Li, Chao An, Weijun Fan
Journal: International Journal of Surgery (2024)

Objective: To ascertain the therapeutic efficacy and safety of FOLFOX (oxaliplatin, fluorouracil, and leucovorin)-based hepatic arterial infusion chemotherapy (HAIC) combined with tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKI) and programmed cell death protein-1 inhibitors (PD-1 inhibitors) (triple therapy), as a first-line treatment in high-risk advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (aHCC with Vp4 portal vein invasion or/and tumor diameter ≥ 10 cm). Methods: This retrospective multicenter study included 466 high-risk aHCC patients treated with either triple therapy (n = 245) or dual therapy (TKI and PD-1 inhibitors, n = 221). The overall survival (OS), progression-free survival (PFS), objective response rate (ORR), and safety were compared between the two groups. Propensity score matching (PSM) was performed to reduce bias between the two groups. Results: After PSM (1:1), 194 patients in each group were analyzed. The triple-therapy group showed a longer median OS (24.6 months vs. 11.9 months; HR = 0.43, P &lt; 0.001) and a longer median PFS (10.0 months vs. 7.7 months; HR = 0.68, P = 0.002) than the dual-therapy group. The survival rates at 6, 12, and 24 months were 94.2%, 71.0%, and 50.8% for triple therapy and 75.9%, 49.9%, and 26.8% for dual therapy. The ORR in the triple-therapy group was significantly higher (57.7% vs. 28.9%, P &lt; 0.001). In the triple-therapy group, more patients converted to non-high-risk (68.0% vs. 36.6%, P &lt; 0.001) and received salvage liver resection or ablation after downstaging conversion (16.5% vs. 9.2%, P = 0.033). The grade 3/4 adverse events were 59.2% and 47.4% in the triple-therapy group and dual-therapy group, respectively ( P = 0.022). Conclusion: FOLFOX-based HAIC plus TKI and PD-1 inhibitors significantly improve survival prognosis compared with TKI plus PD-1 inhibitors. This is a potential first-line treatment for high-risk aHCC, with a relatively controlled safety profile.
Antibiotic use attenuates response to immune checkpoint blockade in urothelial carcinoma via inhibiting CD74-MIF/COPA: revealing cross-talk between anti-bacterial immunity and anti-tumor immunity through a tumor marker prognostic study
Authors: Yuxuan Song, Yun Peng, Caipeng Qin, Shan Jiang, Jiaxing Lin, Shicong Lai, Jilin Wu, Mengting Ding, Yiqing Du, Luping Yu, Tao Xu
Journal: International Journal of Surgery (2024)

Background: Immune checkpoint blockade (ICB) has emerged as a promising therapy for both resectable urothelial carcinoma (UC) patients preparing for radical surgery and unresectable UC patients, whereas the objective response rate of ICB remains unsatisfactory due to various factors. Antibiotic (ATB) use can influence intra-tumoral bacteria, which may further reduce ICB efficacy. The study aims to evaluate the effects of ATB use on prognosis and response in UC patients undergoing ICB, and explore potential molecular mechanisms of ATBs and intra-tumoral bacteria impacting UC immune microenvironment. Materials and Methods: Pooled analyses, synthesizing evidence from 12 studies and 3496 UC patients with ICB treatment, was conducted via a meta-analysis. In addition, single-cell RNA and single-cell microbiome data were analyzed based on eight UC samples and 63185 single cells. Bulk RNA sequencing and clinical data from a single-arm, multi-center, atezolizumab-treated, phase 2 trial, IMvigor210, were used for validation. The study is registered at PROSPERO (XXX) and at Research Registry (XXX). Results: ATB use exhibited worse overall survival (HR=1.46, 95%CI=[1.20, 1.77], P &lt;0.001, heterogeneity I²=51%) and lower objective response (OR=0.43, 95%CI=[0.27, 0.68], P &lt;0.001, heterogeneity I²=0%) in UC patients receiving ICB. Single-cell transcriptome and single-cell microbiome analyses identified the presence of intra-tumoral bacteria was obviously related to elevated anti-bacterial immune functions; and anti-bacterial immunity was positively correlated to anti-tumor immunity in UC immune microenvironment. Intra-tumoral bacteria could up-regulate CD74-MIF/COPA signaling of immune cells and activation of CD74-MIF/COPA mediated the promotion of T cell anti-tumor function induced by anti-bacterial immune cells. UC patients with higher CD74-MIF/COPA signaling carried better overall survival (HR=1.60, 95%CI=[1.19, 2.15], P =0.002) in IMvigor210 immunotherapy cohort. Conclusion: ATB use reduces overall survival and objective response to ICB in UC patients. Anti-bacterial immune cell functions induced by intra-cellular bacteria in UC microenvironment might up-regulate the function of anti-tumor T immune cells via activating CD74-MIF/COPA , whereas ATB could inhibit the above process through killing intra-cellular bacteria and result in poorer clinical benefit of ICB. The use of ATB should be considered carefully during neoadjuvant immunotherapy period for resectable UC patients preparing for radical surgery and during immunotherapy period for unresectable UC patients.
Using Parametric g-Computation for Time-to-Event Data and Distributed Lag Models to Identify Critical Exposure Windows for Preterm Birth: An Illustrative Example Using PM2.5 in a Retrospective Birth Cohort Based in Eastern Massachusetts (2011–2016)
Authors: Michael Leung, Marc G. Weisskopf, Anna M. Modest, Michele R. Hacker, Hari S. Iyer, Jaime E. Hart, Yaguang Wei, Joel Schwartz, Brent A. Coull, Francine Laden, Stefania Papatheodorou
Journal: Environmental Health Perspectives (2024)

Parametric g-computation is an attractive analytic framework to study the health effects of air pollution. Yet, the ability to explore biologically relevant exposure windows within this framework is underdeveloped.
European Society of Cardiology quality indicators update for the care and outcomes of adults with heart failure. The Heart Failure Association of the <scp>ESC</scp>
Authors: Amr Abdin, Chris Wilkinson, Suleman Aktaa, Michael Böhm, Marija Polovina, Giuseppe Rosano, Mitja Lainscak, Lars H. Lund, Theresa McDonagh, Marco Metra, Marianna Adamo, Richard Mindham, Massimo Piepoli, Magdy Abdelhamid, Stefan Störk, Maria P. Tokmakova, Petar Seferović, Andrew J.S. Coats, Chris P. Gale
Journal: European Journal of Heart Failure (2024)

ABSTRACT Aims To update the European Society of Cardiology (ESC) quality indicators (QIs) for the evaluation of the care and outcomes of adults with heart failure. Methods and results The Working Group comprised experts in heart failure including members of the ESC Clinical Practice Guidelines Task Force for heart failure, members of the Heart Failure Association, and a patient representative. We followed the ESC methodology for QI development. The 2023 focused guideline update was reviewed to assess the suitability of the recommendations with strongest association with benefit and harm against the ESC criteria for QIs. All the new proposed QIs were individually graded by each panellist via online questionnaires for both validity and feasibility. The existing heart failure QIs also underwent voting to ‘keep’, ‘remove’ or ‘modify’. Five domains of care for the management of heart failure were identified: (1) structural QIs, (2) patient assessment, (3) initial treatment, (4) therapy optimization, and (5) patient health‐related quality of life. In total, 14 ‘main’ and 3 ‘secondary’ QIs were selected across the five domains. Conclusion This document provides an update of the previously published ESC QIs for heart failure to ensure that these measures are aligned with contemporary evidence. The QIs may be used to quantify adherence to clinical practice as recommended in guidelines to improve the care and outcomes of patients with heart failure.
Impact on Patient Communication and Information after the Incorporation of white Boards in the Rooms of the Cardiology Hospitalization Units of four Hospitals
Authors: Maria Dolores Gómez Barriga
Journal: Clinical Cardiology and Cardiovascular Interventions (2024)

Background/Aim: Effective communication between patients and healthcare professionals is crucial to ensuring optimal health outcomes. The study´s objective was to describe the impact on communication and information that patients have after the placement of white boards in the rooms of the Cardiology inpatient units of four hospitals. Material and Methods: Quasi-experimental multicenter before-after study with a non-equivalent control group to evaluate the improvement in the information and communication received by the patient after the placement of whiteboards in the rooms of the cardiology hospitalization units of 4 hospitals, during the year 2021. All patients were included with the condition that they were over 18 years old of age with a minimum stay of 3 days. The variables to be collected were knowledge of the professionals responsible for their care, care objectives, procedures and/or tests to be performed, with a collection in two phases, and gender/age. The analysis is based on the characteristics of the variables. Results: Total population =364, 176 prior phase and 188 after implantation, 39,8% women and 51,6% men. In the previous phase, the patients reported knowing the nurses 3,7% vs 96,3%, the nursing assistants 7,4% vs 92,6%, the doctors 31,4% vs 68,6%, the care goals 17% vs 83% and tests 13,8% compared to 86,2% later (p&lt;0,001- Pearson's chi-squared value). Discussion: The study confirms that whiteboards in patient rooms improve communication and healthcare staff knowledge. While the usefulness of whiteboards is acknowledged, the research couldn't directly compare their effects with other studies. Limitations such as incomplete patient satisfaction analysis and lack of sample randomization are noted. However, the multicenter design of the study strengthens its conclusions. Conclusions: After placing whiteboards in patient rooms, there is an improvement in communication and in the information that patients admitted to the hospitalization units studied have.
Uncontrolled diabetes mellitus; results of cytokines and endothelial function during coronary artery bypass surgery
Authors: A. Tulga Ulus
Journal: Clinical Cardiology and Cardiovascular Interventions (2024)

Objective: Unregulated type 2 diabetes mellitus is a major risk factor for coronary artery bypass surgery [CABG]. Perioperative values of cytokines and the endothelial function of diabetic patients who have controlled and uncontrolled glucose were compared according to HbA1c levels. The parameters were analyzed and compared following the hospital admission and started to the appropriate treatment. Methods: Forty patients undergoing CABG were included the study. Patients were divided into 3 groups according to preoperative HbA1c levels; the patients who had HbA1c level below 7 [group 2], HbA1c values in between 7-10 [group 3], above 10 [group 4] were marked as groups 1-3 and additional 10 non diabetic patients were included as the control group [group 1]. Results: The demographic data of the patients were not significantly changed among the groups except female gender. Postoperative inotropic support necessity was high especially in group 4. Preoperative endothelial dysfunction was also severely impaired in the high HbA1c groups but this difference was returned to nonsignificant level following treatment. Noninvasive endothelial function was calculated as 2.0 in control group but 0.69±0.32, 1.36±0.69, 0.99±0.15 in groups 2-4. Apelin, soluble intercellular adhesion molecule and Platelet Activating Factor levels were changed significantly among the groups [p&lt;0.002]. Conclusion: We indicate that HbA1c level is an important predictor of morbidity during the CABG surgery. In our study there is a significant difference between diabetic and non-diabetic patients in terms of both endothelial function and some of the inflammatory cytokines. These parameters improved by the time and following the appropriate treatment of diabetes mellitus but effect the CABG surgery.
Parents' perception of treatment‐related toxicity in children treated according to the NOPHO ALL2008 protocol for acute lymphoblastic leukemia
Authors: Nina Mogensen, Ulrika Kreicbergs, Birgitte K. Albertsen, Päivi M. Lähteenmäki, Mats Heyman, Arja Harila
Journal: HemaSphere (2024)

Abstract This study aimed to assess how parents perceived treatment‐related side effects during acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) treatment. Parents of children 1–17.9 years at diagnosis in Sweden, Finland, and Denmark who were alive and in first remission ≥6 months after end of ALL treatment were asked to respond on specific items regarding how their child was affected by side effects related to vincristine (VCR), corticosteroids, peg‐asparaginase (ASP), and maintenance therapy, as well as overall impact of these treatments, complications in general, and their perception of impact on their child in comparison with other children with ALL. Parents of 307 children responded. More than a third reported that their child had been affected to a high extent by VCR (39.7%) and corticosteroids (35.8%), with walking difficulties, muscular weakness, pain, changes in appetite, and mood swings as the most common and severe symptoms. Reporting of these toxicities was lacking from the NOPHO ALL2008 database, except for peripheral paralysis (12.1%). For distinct toxicities reported in the NOPHO ALL2008 database, for example, thrombosis and pancreatitis, parent reports were similar to the database. Although a high overall negative impact during treatment was reported, parents generally rated the impact on their child as less, or similar, to other children with ALL. Parents perceived VCR and corticosteroid therapy, in particular, to have a negative impact on their child during ALL treatment, which was not captured in the NOPHO ALL2008 toxicity reporting. Our results highlight the importance of including patient/parent‐reported outcomes in toxicity reporting.
Empowerment Analysis in Patients with Acute Coronary Syndrome and Heart Failure in Hospitalization Units: A Cross-Sectional Study
Authors: Gómez Barriga Maria Dolores
Journal: Clinical Cardiology and Cardiovascular Interventions (2024)

Aim: To evaluate the empowerment of patients diagnosed with Acute Coronary Syndrome (ACS) and Heart Failure (HF) admitted to a Level III hospital. Material and Methods: An observational cross-sectional study conducted over a sufficient period to collect the sample. The study population includes patients admitted to a Level III hospital in cardiology units, diagnosed with Heart Failure or Acute Coronary Syndrome. Inclusion criteria consist of diagnosis of Heart Failure or Acute Coronary Syndrome and consent to participate in the study. The main variable used is the CEPEC questionnaire (Chronic Patient Empowerment Questionnaire), in its shortened version with cross-cultural validation, developed by Dr. Garcimartín. Results: The Chronic Patient Empowerment Scale (CEPEC) was used. The data indicated a total of 81 men and 39 women, with 37 patients having HF and 84 with ACS. The age range was 50 to 55 years, with more patients below 65 years. The CEPEC scale had a Cronbach's alpha of 0.764. There was a significant age difference (p &lt;0.05) between the two units under study. For each diagnosis, scale items were compared, revealing statistical differences in items P-5, P-15, and P-24. Conclusions: The scale has proven to be valid and reliable, providing indicators of poor or inadequate patient progress. These circumstances enable the development of precise actions to enhance the situation and quality of life for hospitalized patients.
Preliminary Results of Conservative Mitral Valve Surgery at The Andre Festoc Center of The Mother -Child
Authors: Baba Ibrahima Diarra
Journal: Clinical Cardiology and Cardiovascular Interventions (2024)

In developed countries rheumatic disease has become a virtual disease. On the other hand it remains the most frequent cause of cardiovascular morbidity and mortality in people under 40 years of age in our developing countries. The aim of this work is to present the preliminary results of mitral valve repair in a developing country. This is a 52-month mono-centric retro-prospective descriptive study from September 10, 2018 to December 31, 2022.The study was carried out at the André Festoc center of the mother-child university hospital center ‘ Le Luxembourg’ in Bamako. During the period of our study 490 patients underwent heart surgery, 174 patients or 35.51% had mitral surgery and mitral plasty on rheumatic valvulopathy was performed in 35 patients or 20.11% of mitral surgeries and 7.14% of all cardiac operations. We collected 33 cases, 2 patients were lost to follow-up. 72% of patients were female, with a sex ratio of 0.4. Mean age was 12.9 ±3.9 years, with extremes of 5 and 25 years. Valvular retraction was the most common lesion, accounting for 81.8% of cases. All patients underwent surgery under CEC ranging from 81 to 245 min, with an average of 131.40 ± 40 min. The mean aortic clamping time was 87.72 ± 31.60 min, with extremes of 26 and 169 min. Attendance time ranged from 7 to 105 min, with a mean of 31.33 ± 20.94 min. Mitral plasty is a preferred alternative to valve replacement in children. The complexity of the lesions involved makes this procedure difficult, and good results can only be achieved through rigorous patient selection and precise lesion analysis.
Cardiac regeneration and stem cell therapy through the view of design-driven clinical applications cardiology-related practice: current knowledge and future prospects
Authors: Sergey Suchkov
Journal: Clinical Cardiology and Cardiovascular Interventions (2024)

Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death, with 80% of cases occurring in developing countries. Innovative therapies are required to reduce mortality and limit or abolish the necessity for cardiac transplantation. Over the last decade, stem cells have been a promise for the cure of several diseases not only due to their plasticity but also to their capacity to act in a paracrine manner and influence the affected tissue. Human SC-based therapy derivatives are extremely attractive for therapeutic development because they have direct pharmacologic utility in clinical applications, unlike any other adult cells. Moreover, stem cell-derived paracrine factors have been shown to suppress inflammation and apoptosis, stimulate angiogenesis, and amplify the proliferation and differentiation of resident cardiac stem cells (CSCs). And SC therapies are thus viable alternatives to conventional treatments with substantial therapeutic potential; market opportunities are huge, as multiple product candidates are expected to be approved over the coming decade
The interplay of inflammation and remyelination: rethinking MS treatment with a focus on oligodendrocyte progenitor cells
Authors: Omri Zveik, Ariel Rechtman, Tal Ganz, Adi Vaknin-Dembinsky
Journal: Molecular Neurodegeneration (2024)

Multiple sclerosis (MS) therapeutic goals have traditionally been dichotomized into two distinct avenues: immune-modulatory-centric interventions and pro-regenerative strategies. Oligodendrocyte progenitor cells (OPCs) were regarded for many years solely in concern to their potential to generate oligodendrocytes and myelin in the central nervous system (CNS). However, accumulating data elucidate the multifaceted roles of OPCs, including their immunomodulatory functions, positioning them as cardinal constituents of the CNS's immune landscape.
Pioneering noninvasive colorectal cancer detection with an AI-enhanced breath volatilomics platform
Authors: Yongqian Liu, Yongyan Ji, Jian Chen, Yixuan Zhang, Xiaowen Li, Xiang Li
Journal: Theranostics (2024)

Background:The sensitivity and specificity of current breath biomarkers are often inadequate for effective cancer screening, particularly in colorectal cancer (CRC).While a few exhaled biomarkers in CRC exhibit high specificity, they lack the requisite sensitivity for early-stage detection, thereby limiting improvements in patient survival rates.Methods: In this study, we developed an advanced Mass Spectrometry-based volatilomics platform, complemented by an enhanced breath sampler.The platform integrates artificial intelligence (AI)-assisted algorithms to detect multiple volatile organic compounds (VOCs) biomarkers in human breath.Subsequently, we applied this platform to analyze 364 clinical CRC and normal exhaled samples.Results: The diagnostic signatures, including 2-methyl, octane, and butyric acid, generated by the platform effectively discriminated CRC patients from normal controls with high sensitivity (89.7%), specificity (86.8%), and accuracy (AUC = 0.91).Furthermore, the metastatic signature correctly identified over 50% of metastatic patients who tested negative for carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA).Fecal validation indicated that elevated breath biomarkers correlated with an inflammatory response guided by Bacteroides fragilis in CRC. Conclusion:This study introduces a sophisticated AI-aided Mass Spectrometry-based platform capable of identifying novel and feasible breath biomarkers for early-stage CRC detection.The promising results position the platform as an efficient noninvasive screening test for clinical applications, offering potential advancements in early detection and improved survival rates for CRC patients.
Stimulation by exosomes from hypoxia-preconditioned hair follicle mesenchymal stem cells facilitates mitophagy by inhibiting the PI3K/AKT/mTOR signaling pathway to alleviate ulcerative colitis
Authors: Ning Li, Lei Zhao, Xinyu Geng, Jingyang Liu, Xu Zhang, Ying Hu, Jihan Qi, Hongliang Chen, Jiawei Qiu, Xiaoyu Zhang, Shizhu Jin
Journal: Theranostics (2024)

Background: Ulcerative colitis (UC) is an intestinal inflammatory disease that is strongly associated with mitochondrial damage and dysfunction as well as mitophagy and lacks of satisfactory treatments.Hair follicle mesenchymal stem cell (HF-MSC)-derived exosomes owe benefit effectiveness on inflammatory therapies.Hypoxia-preconditioned HF-MSCs exhibit enhanced proliferation and migration abilities, and their exosomes exert stronger effects than normal exosomes.However, the therapeutic function of Hy-Exos in UC is unknown.Methods: The inflammation model was established with LPS-treated MODE-K cells, and the mouse UC model was established by dextran sulfate sodium (DSS) administration.The therapeutic effects of HF-MSC-derived exosomes (Exos) and hypoxia-preconditioned HF-MSC-derived exosomes (Hy-Exos) were compared in vitro and in vivo.Immunofluorescence staining and western blotting were used to explore the effects of Hy-Exos on mitochondrial function, mitochondrial fission and fusion and mitophagy.MiRNA sequencing analysis was applied to investigate the differences in components between Exos and Hy-Exos.Results: Hy-Exos had a better therapeutic effect on LPS-treated MODE-K cells and DSS-induced UC mice.Hy-Exos promoted colonic tight junction proteins expression, suppressed the oxidative stress response, and reduced UC-related inflammatory injury.Hy-Exos may exert these effects via miR-214-3p-mediated inhibition of the PI3K/AKT/mTOR signaling pathway, maintenance of mitochondrial dynamic stability, alleviation of mitochondrial dysfunction and enhancement of mitophagy. Conclusion:This study revealed a vital role for Hy-Exos in suppressing inflammatory progression in UC and suggested that miR-214-3p is a potential critical target for Hy-Exos in alleviating UC.