Saliva-based point-of-care assay to measure the concentration of pyrazinamide using a mobile UV spectrophotometer.

Introduction: Pyrazinamide, one of the first-line antituberculosis drugs, displays variability in drug exposure that is associated with treatment response. A simple, low-cost assay may be helpful to optimize treatment. This study aimed to develop and validate a point-of-care assay to quantify the concentration of pyrazinamide in saliva.

Can we Predict Drug Excretion into Saliva? A Systematic Review and Analysis of Physicochemical Properties.

Background And Objectives: Saliva is a patient-friendly matrix for therapeutic drug monitoring (TDM) but is infrequently used in routine care. This is due to the uncertainty of saliva-based TDM results to inform dosing. This study aimed to retrieve data on saliva-plasma concentration and subsequently determine the physicochemical properties that influence the excretion of drugs into saliva to increase the foundational knowledge underpinning saliva-based TDM.

New Oxazolidinones for Tuberculosis: Are Novel Treatments on the Horizon?

Multidrug-resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB) is a global health concern. Standard treatment involves the use of linezolid, a repurposed oxazolidinone. It is associated with severe adverse effects, including myelosuppression and mitochondrial toxicity.

Reducing hand radiation during renal access for percutaneous nephrolithotomy: a comparison of radiation reduction techniques.

Percutaneous nephrolithotomy confers the highest radiation to the urologist's hands compared to other urologic procedures. This study compares radiation exposure to the surgeon's hand and patient's body when utilizing three different techniques for needle insertion during renal access. Simulated percutaneous renal access was performed using a cadaveric patient and separate cadaveric forearm representing the surgeon's hand.

Not All Flat-Panel C-Arms Are Created Equal: A Comparison of Three Major Manufacturers.

Flat-panel detector C-arms (FCs) are reported to reduce radiation exposure and improve image quality compared with conventional image intensifier C-arms (CCs). The purpose of this study was to compare radiation exposure and image quality between three commonly used FCs. A cadaver model was placed in the prone position to simulate percutaneous nephrolithotomy.

Time Efficiency and Performance of Single-Use Reusable Cystoscopes: A Randomized Benchtop and Simulated Clinical Assessment.

A flexible cystoscope is an indispensable tool for urologists, facilitating a variety of procedures in both the operating room and at bedside. Single-use cystoscopes offer benefits including accessibility and decreased burden for reprocessing. The aims of this study were to compare time efficiency and performance of single-use and reusable cystoscopes.

Does renal failure worsen radiation cystitis following radical prostatectomy?

Objective: To investigate the impact of renal function on the risk, severity, and management of radiation cystitis in patients who underwent postoperative radiation therapy for prostate cancer.

Methods: Retrospective data was assessed from patients treated with adjuvant/salvage radiation therapy at a single academic institution between 2006 and 2020. The incidence, severity, and management of radiation cystitis were compared between three groups: CKD 0-2, CKD 3-4, and CKD 5.

Is there a need to optimise pyrazinamide doses in patients with tuberculosis? A systematic review.

Pyrazinamide (PZA) is a first-line antituberculosis drug with potent sterilising activity. Variability in drug exposure may translate into suboptimal treatment responses. This systematic review, conducted according to PRISMA guidelines, aimed to evaluate the concentration-effect relationship.

Cancer stem cell assay-guided chemotherapy improves survival of patients with recurrent glioblastoma in a randomized trial.

Therapy-resistant cancer stem cells (CSCs) contribute to the poor clinical outcomes of patients with recurrent glioblastoma (rGBM) who fail standard of care (SOC) therapy. ChemoID is a clinically validated assay for identifying CSC-targeted cytotoxic therapies in solid tumors. In a randomized clinical trial (NCT03632135), the ChemoID assay, a personalized approach for selecting the most effective treatment from FDA-approved chemotherapies, improves the survival of patients with rGBM (2016 WHO classification) over physician-chosen chemotherapy.

Lipschitz continuity under toric equivalence for asynchronous Boolean networks.

Mathematical models rooted in network representations are becoming increasingly more common for capturing a broad range of phenomena. Boolean networks (BNs) represent a mathematical abstraction suited for establishing general theory applicable to such systems. A key thread in BN research is developing theory that connects the structure of the network and the local rules to phase space properties or so-called structure-to-function theory.

RNA Secondary Structures with Given Motif Specification: Combinatorics and Algorithms.

The study of native motifs of RNA secondary structures helps us better understand the formation and eventually the functions of these molecules. Commonly known structural motifs include helices, hairpin loops, bulges, interior loops, exterior loops and multiloops. However, enumerative results and generating algorithms taking into account the joint distribution of these motifs are sparse.

Does the Novel Thulium Fiber Laser Have a Higher Risk of Urothelial Thermal Injury than the Conventional Holmium Laser in an Study?

The novel thulium fiber laser (TFL) has been shown to break stones more rapidly than the holmium:YAG laser (HL). However, some evidence suggests that the TFL generates more heat. The purpose of this study is to compare ureteral temperatures generated by these lasers during ureteroscopic laser lithotripsy in a benchtop model.

Intravascular Lymphoma with Progressive CNS Hemorrhage and Multiple Dissections.

Introduction: Intravascular lymphoma (IVL) is an uncommon and often fatal disease characterized by intraluminal proliferation of lymphomatous cells within blood vessels. Because of a heterogeneous clinical presentation and lack of sensitive diagnostic protocols, diagnosis of IVL is most often made at autopsy. However, with early diagnosis and appropriate chemotherapy, the prognosis is greatly improved and complete remission is possible.

Kaposi's Sarcoma-Associated Herpesvirus Utilizes and Manipulates RNA N-Adenosine Methylation To Promote Lytic Replication.

N-adenosine methylation (mA) is the most common posttranscriptional RNA modification in mammalian cells. We found that most transcripts encoded by the Kaposi's sarcoma-associated herpesvirus (KSHV) genome undergo mA modification. The levels of mA-modified mRNAs increased substantially upon stimulation for lytic replication.

Glioma Subclassifications and Their Clinical Significance.

The impact of targeted therapies in glioma has been modest. All the therapies that have demonstrated a significant survival benefit for gliomas in Phase III trials, including radiation, chemotherapy (temozolomide and PCV [procarbazine, lomustine, vincristine]), and tumor-treating fields, are based on nonspecific targeting of proliferating cells. Recent advances in the molecular understanding of gliomas suggest some potential reasons for the failure of more targeted therapies in gliomas.

Transcranial magnetic stimulation for the treatment of epilepsy.

Background: Epilepsy is a highly prevalent neurological condition characterized by repeated unprovoked seizures with various etiologies. Although antiepileptic medications produce clinical improvement in most individuals, nearly a third of individuals have drug-resistant epilepsy that carries significant morbidity and mortality. There remains a need for non-invasive and more effective therapies for this population.

Targeted Therapeutics in Patients With High-Grade Gliomas: Past, Present, and Future.

High-grade gliomas remain incurable despite current therapies, which are plagued by high morbidity and mortality. Molecular categorization of glioma subtypes using mutations in isocitrate dehydrogenase 1/2 (IDH1/2), TP53, and ATRX; codeletion of chromosomes 1p and 19q; DNA methylation; and amplification of genes such as epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) and platelet-derived growth factor receptor, alpha polypeptide provides a more accurate prognostication and biologic classification than classical histopathological diagnoses, and a number of molecular markers are being incorporated in the new World Health Organization classification of gliomas. However, despite the improved understanding of the molecular subtypes of gliomas and the underlying alterations in specific signaling pathways, these observations have so far failed to result in the successful application of targeted therapies, as has occurred in other solid tumors.

Molecular features assisting in diagnosis, surgery, and treatment decision making in low-grade gliomas.

The preferred management of suspected low-grade gliomas (LGGs) has been disputed, and the implications of molecular changes for medical and surgical management of LGGs are important to consider. Current strategies that make use of molecular markers and imaging techniques and therapeutic considerations offer additional options for management of LGGs. Mutations in the isocitrate dehydrogenase 1 and 2 (IDH1 and IDH2) genes suggest a role for this abnormal metabolic pathway in the pathogenesis and progression of these primary brain tumors.

Preadmission beta-blockers are associated with decreased incidence of neurogenic stunned myocardium in aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage.

Background: Neurogenic stunned myocardium (NSM) is a frequent complication of aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage (aSAH), with a significant impact on disease course. The presumed cause is catecholamine surge at the time of aneurysm rupture. Beta-blockers, which reduce the impact of the catecholamine surge, may decrease the risk of developing NSM.