tbuckley/cabot-search huggingface dataset:
High-resolution Ultrasound During Photodynamic Therapy of Basal Cell Skin Cancer of the Head and Neck
Authors: S. S. Khoruzhaya, A. Yu. Vasil′yev, V. E. Semin, V. A. Nechaev
Journal: Radiology - Practice (2025)

Aim . To determine the possibilities of high-resolution ultrasound examination of the skin at planning of photodynamic therapy and in the early post-therapeutic period. Materials and Methods . 128 patients referred for photodynamic therapy (PDT) of basal cell skin cancer of the head and neck region were examined. The PDT was preceded by two diagnostic techniques: fluorescence diagnostics (FD) and high-resolution ultrasonography. The latter was performed before and within 24–72 h after PDT on an expert class device Philips Epic 7 (USA), high-frequency linear transducer eL18-4 using MicroFlow Imaging (MFI) technology. Results . Horizontal and vertical dimensions and tumor microvascularization were assessed by ultrasound. Depending on thickness and vascularization, all tumors were divided into three groups: with peripheral vascular pattern (Me 1.6 mm), with peripheral and central vascular pattern (Me 2.4 mm), and with no vascular pattern (Me 1.3 mm). Significant statistical differences (p &lt; 0.001) were found that were dependent on tumor thickness. When comparing the horizontal dimensions obtained by ultrasound and fluorescence diagnostic methods, a moderately close direct relationship was found, which was attributed to the difference in techniques. When the primary horizontal dimensions at ultrasonography (extent) increased by 1 mm, an increase in dimensions at FD of 0.413 mm was to be expected. The resulting model explained 15.9 % of the observed size variance in FD. Based on the results of tumor thickness data in ultrasonography and horizontal margins in FD, the parameters of PDT were determined. Evaluation of microvascularization of the pathological focus in the period 24–72 h after PDT predicted the outcome of PDT. The vascular pattern in the tumor was absent in 90.5 % of cases (excluding masses with uninformative vascular pattern at the primary examination), in 7.6 % of cases peripheral vascular pattern was visualized, most likely it was connected with the signs of active inflammation of the surrounding tissues. In 1.9 % of cases intratumoral vascularization remained, which required a repeated PDT session. Conclusions . Ultrasound skin examination in combination with FD allows to optimize PDT and to estimate the therapeutic effect of the procedure in the early post-therapeutic period.
Host-Derived Delta-Like Canonical Notch Ligand-1 in Sepsis and Septic shock: Infection site, pathogens and disease severity matter – Secondary Analysis of Data from a Randomized Controlled Trial
Authors: Vivienne Theobald, Frank Bloos, Michael Bauer, Thorsten Brenner, Maik von der Forst, Patrick Meybohm, Judith Schenz, Felix C.F. Schmitt, Benedikt Siegler, Markus A. Weigand, Maximilian Dietrich
Journal: Journal of Infection (2025)

Sepsis is a life-threatening condition and many biomarkers for diagnosing and treatment guidance have been investigated in recent years. However, new ones are emerging almost daily, only few markers with diagnostic value have passed to entered clinical routine application. Delta-like canonical Notch ligand-1 (DLL-1) seems to be a potential contributor in the differentiation between sepsis and non-septic infection. Its role for clinical application and potential septic outcome prediction is yet unclear. This study is a secondary analysis of data and DLL-1 measurements from plasma samples obtained in the SISPCT trial. Primary objective of this explorative study was to investigate the difference of DLL-1 values between patients with sepsis and septic shock. Secondary objectives were the differences in DLL-1 levels in patients with different blood culture results, with infections caused by different pathogens, by origin of infection and disease severity. Furthermore, the study investigated the use of DLL-1 for in-hospital and intensive care unit (ICU) mortality prediction. Therefore, data from 1.027 patients were analyzed. DLL-1 values were significantly higher in patients with septic shock than in septic patients (13,003 ± 7,695pg/mL and 9,257 ± 4,188pg/mL, p<0.001). Patients with abdominal infections, primary bacteremia or surgical wound infections exhibited the highest DLL-1 values. In addition, patients with gram-negative pathogens had significantly higher DLL-1 levels than those with specific gram-positive pathogens or negative blood cultures (p<0.001). Infections caused by Escherichia coli, Enterobacterales, and Staphylococcus aureus were associated with the highest DLL-1 levels (18341pg/mL, (12968; 23250), 21556pg/mL (14386; 30939) and 16,352pg/mL (11,905; 25853), respectively). DLL-1 levels correlated with increasing SOFA scores and demonstrated predictive value for in-hospital and ICU mortality, with an AUC of 0.7, outperforming lactate and procalcitonin. Delta-like canonical Notch ligand-1 (DLL-1) is increased in septic shock compared to sepsis. Its elevation appears to be dependent on the infection focus, the triggering pathogen and the disease severity. Furthermore, it has a predictive value for mortality.
An artificial intelligence tool that may assist with interpretation of rapid plasma reagin test for syphilis: development and on-site evaluation
Authors: Jiaxuan Jin, Yan Han, Yueping Yin, Bangyong Zhu, Guanqun Wang, Wenjie Lu, Hongchun Wang, Kai Chen, Xiaoyu Zhu, Wenqi Xu, Hedan Yang, Xiangsheng Chen, Yin Yang, Tong Lin
Journal: Journal of Infection (2025)

The rapid plasma reagin (RPR) test, a traditional method for diagnosing syphilis and evaluating treatment efficacy, relies on subjective interpretation and requires high technical proficiency. This study aimed to develop and validate a user-friendly RPR-artificial intelligence (AI) interpretative tool. A dataset comprising 600 images of photographed RPR cards from 276 negative and 223 positive RPR samples was used for model development. The reference result was based on consistent interpretations by at least two out of three experienced laboratory personnel. Then an interpretative model was developed using deep learning algorithms and loaded into smartphones for on-site interpretation at two clinical centers from October 2023 to April 2024. The model demonstrated an accuracy of 82·67% (95% CI 71·82%-90·09%) for reactive circles and 84·44% (95% CI 69·94%-93·01%) for non-reactive circles. In the field study, 669 specimens showed a sensitivity of 94·85% (95% CI 89·29%-97·73%), specificity of 91·56% (95% CI 88·78%-93·71%), and concordance of 92·23% (95% CI 89·87%-94·09%). The positive predictive value was 74·14% (95% CI 66·86%-80·33%) and negative predictive value was 98.59% (95% CI 96·98%-99·38%). The tool assists in RPR interpretation standardization, enabling data traceability, and quality control for remote and underdeveloped areas.
Gut microbiota and derived metabolites mediate obstructive sleep apnea induced atherosclerosis
Authors: Jin Xue, Celeste Allaband, Simone Zuffa, Orit Poulsen, Jason Meadows, Dan Zhou, Pieter C. Dorrestein, Rob Knight, Gabriel G. Haddad
Journal: Gut Microbes (2025)

Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is characterized by intermittent hypoxia/hypercapnia (IHC), affects predominantly obese individuals, and increases atherosclerosis risk. Since we and others have implicated gut microbiota and metabolites in atherogenesis, we dissected their contributions to OSA-induced atherosclerosis. Atherosclerotic lesions were compared between conventionally-reared specific pathogen free (SPF) and germ-free (GF) Apoe-/- mice following a high fat high cholesterol diet (HFHC), with and without IHC conditions. The fecal microbiota and metabolome were profiled using 16S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing and untargeted tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) respectively. Phenotypic data showed that HFHC significantly increased atherosclerosis as compared to regular chow (RC) in both aorta and pulmonary artery (PA) of SPF mice. IHC exacerbated lesions in addition to HFHC. Differential abundance analysis of gut microbiota identified an enrichment of Akkermansiaceae and a depletion of Muribaculaceae (formerly S24-7) family members in the HFHC-IHC group. LC-MS/MS showed a dysregulation of bile acid profiles with taurocholic acid, taurodeoxycholic acid, and 12-ketodeoxycholic acid enriched in the HFHC-IHC group, long-chain N-acyl amides, and phosphatidylcholines. Interestingly, GF Apoe-/- mice markedly reduced atherosclerotic formation relative to SPF Apoe-/- mice in the aorta under HFHC/IHC conditions. In contrast, microbial colonization did not show a significant impact on the atherosclerotic progression in PA. In summary, this research demonstrated that (1) IHC acts cooperatively with HFHC to induce atherosclerosis; (2) gut microbiota modulate atherogenesis, induced by HFHC/IHC, in the aorta not in PA; (3) different analytical methods suggest that a specific imbalance between Akkermansiaceae and Muribaculaceae bacterial families mediate OSA-induced atherosclerosis; and (4) derived bile acids, such as deoxycholic acid and lithocholic acid, regulate atherosclerosis in OSA. The knowledge obtained provides novel insights into the potential therapeutic approaches to prevent and treat OSA-induced atherosclerosis.
Somatostatin Receptor-Directed Theranostics in Esthesioneuroblastoma
Authors: Yingjun Zhi, Sebastian E. Serfling, Daniel Groener, Philipp E. Hartrampf, Takahiro Higuchi, Matthias Scheich, Stephan Hackenberg, Andreas K. Buck, Joachim P. Steinbach, Rudolf A. Werner, Konrad Klimek, Marinela Augustin
Journal: Clinical Nuclear Medicine (2025)

We aim to report on somatostatin receptor (SSTR)-targeted molecular imaging and therapy in patients with advanced esthesioneuroblastoma (ENB). Five patients with ENB [Kadish stage D in 5/5 (100%); Hyams grade 2 in 2/5 (40%), grade 3 in 2/5 (40%), undetermined in 1/5 (20%)] underwent SSTR-directed PET/CT. We quantified SSTR-avid tumor volume (TV), maximum SUV (SUVmax), and target-to-background ratios (TBR). Based on imaging, peptide receptor radionuclide therapy (PRRT) along with dosimetry was also conducted. We recorded nephrotoxicity and hematotoxicity, including estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR), hemoglobin, leukocytes, and thrombocytes at baseline and after the last treatment cycle. We determined adverse events following Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events (CTCAE) v5.0. Response and progression-free survival (PFS) was also evaluated. All 5 patients were rated positive on SSTR-PET/CT. On a lesion-based level, we identified 32 SSTR-avid tumor sites with a median TV of 11.7±10.8 and SUVmax of 24.3±12.8. TBR was 19.8±9.7, indicating excellent image contrast. After median 4 (range, 2-6) cycles with a median of 7.7 GBq per cycle per patient, we observed no CTCAE grade 3 or 4 toxicity for leukocytes and thrombocytes and no significant CTCAE events for renal function. One patient (20%), however, developed reversible grade 3 anemia. Up to 11.8 Gy in tumor lesions were achieved. Partial response was recorded in 3/5 (60%), stable disease in 1/5 (20%), and progressive disease in 1/5 (20%). The median PFS was 29 weeks. SSTR-directed PET provided high image contrast in ENB, suggesting good read-out capabilities in this tumor type. PRRT was also feasible, along with an acceptable safety profile, thereby rendering SSTR-targeted theranostics a potential treatment option in advanced disease.
68Ga PSMA PET/CT and 18F FDG PET/CT Findings in Osteonecrosis of the Jaw Induced by Denosumab
Authors: Zehranur Tosunoğlu, Göksel Alçin, Elife Akgün, İlkay Gültürk, Esra Arslan
Journal: Clinical Nuclear Medicine (2025)

Breast cancer, prostate cancer, kidney cancer, multiple myeloma, osteoporosis, and the use of antiresorptive and antiangiogenic drugs are risk factors for osteonecrosis of the jaw (ONJ). Denosumab is a Receptor activator of nuclear factor kappa-Β ligand antagonist monoclonal antibody that inhibits the differentiation and function of osteoclasts over osteoblasts. It is an antiresorptive drug used to reduce the development of skeletal events in solid cancers. Denosumab-induced ONJ is a rare condition, occurring in 0% to 4.6% of cases. In this case, the findings of 68Ga prostate specific membrane antigen (PSMA) positron emission tomography (PET)/Computed Tomography (CT) and 18F Fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) PET/CT are presented in a man with metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer who developed ONJ due to denosumab use.
Distinct Characteristics of Suspected Non-Alzheimer Pathophysiology in Relation to Cognitive Status and Cerebrovascular Burden
Authors: Min Young Chun, Yu Hyun Park, Hee Jin Kim, Duk L. Na, Jun Pyo Kim, Sang Won Seo, Hyemin Jang
Journal: Clinical Nuclear Medicine (2025)

Purpose of the Report: This study investigated the prevalence and clinical characteristics of suspected non-Alzheimer disease pathophysiology (SNAP) across varying cognitive statuses and cerebral small vessel disease (CSVD) burden. Patients and Methods: We included 1992 participants with cognitive status categorized as cognitively unimpaired, mild cognitive impairment, or dementia. β-amyloid (Aβ, A) positivity was assessed by Aβ PET, and neurodegeneration (N) positivity was determined through hippocampal volume. Participants were further divided by the presence or absence of severe CSVD. The clinical and imaging characteristics of A−N+ (SNAP) group were compared with those of the A−N− and A+N+ groups. Results: SNAP participants were older and had more vascular risk factors compared with A–N– and A+N+ in the CSVD(−) cohort. SNAP and A+N+ showed similar cortical thinning. At the dementia stage, SNAP had a cognitive trajectory similar to A+N+ in the CSVD(−) cohort. However, SNAP exhibited less cognitive decline than A+N+ in the CSVD(+) cohort. Conclusions: SNAP is characterized by distinct clinical and imaging characteristics; however, it does not necessarily indicate a benign prognosis, particularly at the dementia stage. These findings highlight the need to assess SNAP in relation to the cognitive stage and CSVD presence to better understand its progression and guide interventions.
18F-FDG PET/CT Positive and 68Ga-DOTA-Bombesin PET/CT Negative Focus of Benign Apocrine Metaplasia Mimicking Malignancy
Authors: Esra Arslan, Mehmet Can Baloğlu, İrem Aylin Özkan, Göksel Alçin, Elife Akgün, Tevfik Fikret Çermik
Journal: Clinical Nuclear Medicine (2025)

Gastrin-releasing peptide receptor (GRPR) is a promising agent for imaging and development of theranostic radioligands in estrogen receptor (ER)-positive luminal type breast cancer (BC) and may show expression not only in primary malignant lesions but also in lymph node metastases and distant organ metastases. We would like to present a lesion diagnosed as benign apocrine metaplasia in a 45-year-old woman diagnosed with BC, which was negative in 68 Ga-DOTA-Bombesin PET-CT and false positive in 18 F-FDG PET-CT imaging, within the scope of the ongoing study.
Expert consensus statement on the treatment of immune-mediated inflammatory diseases with Janus kinase inhibitors: 2024 update
Authors: Peter Nash, Andreas Kerschbaumer, Victoria Konzett, Daniel Aletaha, Thomas Dörner, Roy Fleischmann, Iain McInnes, Jette Primdahl, Naveed Sattar, Yoshiya Tanaka, Michael Trauner, Kevin Winthrop, Maarten de Wit, Johan Askling, Xenofon Baraliakos, Wolf-Henning Boehncke, Paul Emery, Laure Gossec, John D Isaacs, Maria Krauth, Eun Bong Lee, Walter Maksymowych, Janet Pope, Marieke Scholte-Voshaar, Karen Schreiber, Stefan Schreiber, Tanja Stamm, Peter C Taylor, Tsutomu Takeuchi, Lai-Shan Tam, Filip Van den Bosch, Rene Westhovens, Markus Zeitlinger, Josef S Smolen
Journal: Annals of the Rheumatic Diseases (2025)

In light of the introduction of new Janus kinase inhibitors (JAKi), new indications for JAKi and recent safety considerations that have arisen since the preceding consensus statement on JAKi therapy, a multidisciplinary taskforce was assembled, encompassing patients, health care professionals, and clinicians with expertise in JAKi therapy across specialties. This taskforce, informed by two comprehensive systematic literature reviews, undertook the objective to update the previous expert consensus for using JAKi developed in 2019. The taskforce deliberated on overarching principles, indications, dosage and comedication strategies, warnings and contraindications, screening protocols, monitoring recommendations, and adverse effect profiles. The methodology was based on the European Alliance of Associations for Rheumatology standard operating procedures, with voting on these important elements. Furthermore, an updated research agenda was proposed. The task force did not address when a JAKi should be prescribed but rather considerations once this decision has been made. This update aimed to equip clinicians with the necessary knowledge and guidance for the efficient and safe administration of this expanding and significant class of drugs.
Interactions between bacteria in the human nasopharynx: a scoping review
Authors: Kan Yu, Vanessa Tenaglia, Eng Guan Chua, Robbie Haines, Girish Bahal, Mark P Nicol, Ritika Kar Bahal
Journal: The Lancet Microbe (2025)

Emerging evidence indicates that interactions between bacteria shape the nasopharyngeal microbiome and influence respiratory health. This Review uses the systematic scoping methodology to summarise 88 studies including observational and experimental studies, identifying key interactions between bacteria that colonise the human nasopharynx. A range of bacterial interactions were reported in the observational studies, including a variable association between Streptococcus pneumoniae and Haemophilus influenzae, a consistent positive association between S pneumoniae and Moraxella catarrhalis, and a consistent negative association between S pneumoniae and Staphylococcus aureus. Experimental studies largely validated the associations reported in the observational studies and provided insights into the mechanism and direction of interactions. In the context of respiratory health, non-pneumococcal alpha-haemolytic streptococci and the Gram-positive commensals Dolosigranulum and Corynebacterium inhibited respiratory pathogens such as H influenzae, S pneumoniae, M catarrhalis, and S aureus. These findings underscore how bacterial competition and coexistence shape the microbiome composition in this niche. This study has relevance for respiratory health and can be helpful for informing the design of potential microbiota-targeted therapies.
Blood TCTP as a potential biomarker associated with immunosuppressive features and poor clinical outcomes in metastatic gastric cancer
Authors: Hyung-Don Kim, Seyoung Jung, Yeong Hak Bang, Jiae Kim, Hee Jeong Kim, Hyung Eun Lee, Jaewon Hyung, Changhoon Yoo, Won-Tae Kim, Myeong-Jin Yoon, Hayoung Lee, Jeong-Hyun Ryou, Hyungsu Jeon, Hideyuki Yanai, Jeong Seok Lee, Gwanghee Lee, Min-Hee Ryu
Journal: Journal for ImmunoTherapy of Cancer (2025)

Background No established biomarker exists for specific myeloid cell populations or in gastric cancer. This study aimed to explore the prognostic and immunological relevance of plasma translationally controlled tumor protein (TCTP) in patients with advanced gastric cancer treated with an immune checkpoint inhibitor and/or cytotoxic chemotherapy. Methods Plasma samples were prospectively collected from the cohorts of patients with gastric cancer treated with first-line fluoropyrimidine plus platinum chemotherapy (n=143, cohort 1) and third-line nivolumab (n=165, cohort 2). Plasma TCTP levels were quantified using ELISA, and multiplex proteomic analysis (Olink) was conducted to assess expression levels of immune-related proteins. External single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) and spatial transcriptomics datasets were employed to validate the findings. Results Patients with high plasma TCTP levels (TCTP-high group) exhibited poor progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) with first-line chemotherapy compared with those with low levels (TCTP-low group) in cohort 1 (HR: 1.73 for PFS; 1.77 for OS). In the TCTP-high group, proteins associated with immunosuppressive myeloid cells, angiogenesis, and immune exclusion of T/natural killer (NK) cell function were upregulated, whereas proteins involved in T-cell activation/exhaustion were significantly upregulated in the TCTP-low group. scRNA-seq analyses identified a myeloid subset with high TPT1 (encoding TCTP) expression and TCTP-related molecules, enriched with inhibitory myeloid inflammation gene signatures and providing inhibitory signals to T/NK cells (Macrophage-chemokine). Spatial transcriptomics analyses revealed a tumor-cell-enriched cluster co-localized with the Macrophage-chemokine subset, which exhibited the highest TPT1 expression and a positive correlation between its abundance and average TPT1 levels. In nivolumab-treated patients (cohort 2), the high TCTP group was associated with poor survival outcomes (HR: 1.39 for PFS; 1.47 for OS). Conclusions Plasma TCTP is a prognostic biomarker, reflecting clinically relevant immunosuppressive myeloid signals in patients with gastric cancer.
Chrono-immunotherapy as a low-hanging fruit for cancer treatment? A call for pragmatic randomized clinical trials
Authors: Berna C Özdemir, Ruben Bill, Alper Okyar, Christoph Scheiermann, Stefanie Hayoz, Timothée Olivier
Journal: Journal for ImmunoTherapy of Cancer (2025)

The share of immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) used in cancer treatment has rapidly increased in recent years. Although ICIs have the potential to provide a durable survival benefit in a subset of patients, many patients do not respond to these costly and often toxic therapies.Recent retrospective clinical data indicate that the time of day of ICI infusion may be a powerful modulator of their efficacy. These observational studies suggest an enhanced efficacy of morning over evening infusion. However, randomized trials have not confirmed in other fields findings obtained by observational studies, possibly because of selection bias and residual confounding factors. Thus, while the data are intriguing, the time dependence of the efficacy of immunotherapy needs to be confirmed in pragmatic randomized clinical trials. Here, we provide an overview of the modulation of ICI efficacy by the timing of immunotherapy infusion and critically discuss the biological rationale for chrono-immunotherapy, the circadian regulation of the immune system, and the need for pragmatic randomized clinical trials to confirm an effect of the timing of immunotherapy infusions on patient outcomes.