MRS Imaging as Complement to MRI in the Post-treatment Follow-up of Glial Brain Tumors.

Background/aim: Central nervous system tumors have a very low incidence worldwide. However, they represent a significant cause of mortality and morbidity. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) and magnetic resonance spectroscopy imaging (MRSI) techniques provide metabolic information complementary to anatomical alterations.

A roadmap to implementing outpatient administration of bispecific antibodies in multiple myeloma.

Introduction: Bispecific antibodies (BsAbs) are novel immunotherapy agents for the treatment of relapsed/refractory multiple myeloma (RRMM). Currently, 3 BsAbs (teclistamab, talquetamab, and elranatamab) are approved for the treatment of RRMM. Administering BsAbs in different practice settings is crucial to improving treatment access and patient outcomes.

Clonal hematopoiesis and inflammation predict hematologic toxicity and secondary myeloid malignancies after BCMA-directed chimeric antigen receptor T cell therapy.

Purpose: Chimeric antigen receptor T cells (CAR-T) have demonstrated remarkable efficacy in multiple myeloma, but prolonged hematologic toxicity remains a common adverse event, and secondary myeloid malignancies are a significant safety concern.

Experimental Design: We evaluated 213 myeloma patients treated with B-cell maturation antigen (BCMA)-directed CAR-T at our center to characterize clinical, inflammatory, and myeloid clonal features associated with hematologic toxicity.

Results: Patients with persistent grade ≥3 neutropenia or thrombocytopenia at day 100 (19%) had shorter progression-free survival (p=.

Cognitive Performance in Patients With Multiple Myeloma Treated With an Autologous Stem Cell Transplant: Results of the Brilliant Study.

Background: Patients with newly diagnosed multiple myeloma undergo induction chemotherapy, followed by high-dose chemotherapy and autologous hematopoietic cell transplant (auto-HCT). The impact of auto-HCT on cognitive function is not well understood. We evaluated longitudinal changes in cognitive function after auto-HCT in patients with multiple myeloma.

BCMA-targeting BiTE molecule AMG 420 in relapsed or refractory multiple myeloma: a phase 1b open-label expansion study.

AMG 420 is a first-in-class bispecific T-cell engager (BiTE) molecule directing a cytotoxic T-cell response toward multiple myeloma cells. This phase 1b, open-label, dose-expansion study (NCT03836053) evaluated the safety, tolerability, and efficacy of AMG 420 monotherapy in patients with relapsed/refractory multiple myeloma. Twenty-three patients received continuous intravenous infusion of AMG 420 (200-600 µg/day) in a 6-week cycle.

Transcriptomic Predictors of Survival for Palbociclib + Endocrine Therapy Versus Capecitabine in Aromatase Inhibitor-Resistant Breast Cancer From the GEICAM/2013-02 PEARL Trial.

Purpose: For hormone receptor-positive/human epidermal growth factor receptor 2-negative (HR+/HER2-) metastatic breast cancer (MBC), first-line cyclin-dependent kinase 4/6 inhibitors (CDK4/6i) + endocrine therapy (ET) is the standard of care. They are also used after progression on first-line aromatase inhibitors (AIs), but some patients may respond better to chemotherapy-based options. We examined tumor features associated with survival from GEICAM/2013-02 PEARL, a phase III trial of palbociclib + ET versus capecitabine in AI-resistant HR+/HER2- MBC.

Phenotypic analysis of various ribotypes reveals consistency among core processes.

infections (CDI) cause almost 300,000 hospitalizations per year, of which ~15%-30% are the result of recurring infections. The prevalence and persistence of CDI in hospital settings have resulted in an extensive collection of clinical isolates and their classification, typically by ribotype. While much of the current literature focuses on one or two prominent epidemic ribotypes (e.

Predictors of response to venetoclax and therapeutic potential of CDK7 inhibition in multiple myeloma.

Venetoclax, a selective B-cell lymphoma 2 (BCL2) inhibitor, has emerged as a promising therapeutic agent for multiple myeloma (MM), particularly in patients harboring the t(11;14) translocation. In this study, we set out to identify markers of sensitivity and resistance to venetoclax in a real-world patient population, aiming to facilitate the development of personalized therapeutic strategies. Through the analysis of RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) data from relapsed/refractory patients treated with venetoclax, either as a single agent or in combination with other drugs, we unveiled a novel 6-gene signature that significantly stratified patients into risk groups for relapse and further validated its clinical relevance in 2 independent clinical and ex vivo data sets.

Extramedullary disease but not paraskeletal disease portends inferior outcomes after CAR T cell therapy in multiple myeloma.

Chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T cell therapy is effective for multiple myeloma (MM), yet patients with plasmacytomas, either paraskeletal disease (PSD) or extramedullary disease (EMD), have poorer outcomes. To better distinguish the effects of EMD and PSD on outcomes, we conducted a single-center, retrospective study of 134 relapsed/refractory MM patients treated with CAR T cells. With a median follow-up of 30.

Predominance of FQR1 NAP1/RT027 Clostridioides difficile Among Mexican Children and Adult Patients, and its Resistance to Eleven Antibiotics.

Aims: Clostridioides difficile is a major cause of antibiotic-associated diarrhea. This study investigated the diversity, clonality, and antimicrobial resistance of C. difficile isolates from Mexican children and adults with diarrhea.

International myeloma working group immunotherapy committee recommendation on sequencing immunotherapy for treatment of multiple myeloma.

T-cell redirecting therapy (TCRT), specifically chimeric antigen receptor T-cell therapy (CAR T-cells) and bispecific T-cell engagers (TCEs) represent a remarkable advance in the treatment of multiple myeloma (MM). There are several products available around the world and several more in development targeting primarily B-cell maturation antigen (BCMA) and G protein-coupled receptor class C group 5 member D (GRPC5D). The relatively rapid availability of multiple immunotherapies brings the necessity to understand how a certain agent may affect the safety and efficacy of a subsequent immunotherapy so MM physicians and patients can aim at optimal sequential use of these therapies.

Phenotypic analysis of various ribotypes reveals consistency among core processes.

Unlabelled: infections (CDI) cause almost 300,000 hospitalizations per year of which ~15-30% are the result of recurring infections. The prevalence and persistence of CDI in hospital settings has resulted in an extensive collection of clinical isolates and their classification, typically by ribotype. While much of the current literature focuses on one or two prominent ribotypes (.

ST8-t008-SCC IV methicillin-resistant in retail fresh cheese.

This study reports the finding of 3 ST8-t008-SCC IVa (2B) methicillin-resistant (MRSA) strains in fresh cheese purchased within a single market in Costa Rica. In line with the finding of the resistance genes , , (C), and (A) in their genomes, these bacteria showed phenotypic resistance to multiple β-lactams and erythromycin. In addition, they carry genes for acquired resistance to aminoglycosides () and fosfomycin (), and genes for a myriad of virulence factors, including adhesins, hemolysins, and exotoxins.

Beyond the Buzz: Do Energy Drinks Offer More Than Caffeine for Mental and Physical Tasks?

Energy drinks are marketed for enhancing mental and physical performance, often containing ingredients beyond caffeine. This study investigated whether an energy drink (ED), Gorilla Mind, exerted greater effects on sustained attention, mood, handgrip strength, and push-up performance than a caffeine-matched control drink (CAF) in exercise-trained individuals (n = 21, age: 22 ± 5.9 years).

PIK3CA mutational status in tissue and plasma as a prognostic biomarker in HR+/HER2- breast cancer.

Introduction: Hotspots (HS) mutations in the PIK3CA gene may lead to poorer oncological outcomes and endocrine resistance in advanced breast cancer (BC), but their prognostic role in early-stage disease remains controversial. The overall agreement within plasma and tissue methods has not been well explored. Our aim was to correlate tissue and plasma approaches and to analyze the prognostic impact of PIK3CA mutations (PIK3CAm) in HR+/HER2- BC.

Clinical presentation and microbiological characteristics of community-acquired bacteraemia at a tertiary hospital in Costa Rica.

is a leading agent in community-acquired bacteraemia (CAB) and has been linked to elevated mortality rates and methicillin resistance in Costa Rica. To update and enhance previous data obtained in this country, we analysed the clinical manifestations of 54  CAB cases in a tertiary hospital and delineated the sequence types (STs), virulome, and resistome of the implicated isolates. Clinical information was retrieved from patient files.

An outbreak of severe or lethal infections by a multidrug-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii ST126 strain carrying a plasmid with bla and bla carbapenemases.

Acinetobacter baumannii poses a significant health threat because of its frequent implications in hospital outbreaks and multidrug resistance (MDR). Here, we studied four A. baumannii isolates recovered during a hospital outbreak of severe or fatal cases to elucidate their diversity and factors contributing to their increased virulence and antibiotic resistance.

Alliance A061202: ixazomib, pomalidomide, and dexamethasone for patients with lenalidomide-refractory MM in first relapse.

Optimal therapy for the growing number of patients with lenalidomide (LEN)-refractory multiple myeloma in their first relapse remains poorly defined. We therefore undertook a randomized phase 2 study to evaluate the efficacy and safety of combining the oral proteasome inhibitor ixazomib (IXA) with pomalidomide (POM) and dexamethasone (DEX) in this patient population. The overall response rate (ORR) for POM-DEX was 43.