3D Printing of Conducting Polymer Hydrogels for Electrostimulation-Assisted Tissue Engineering.

Electrostimulation (ES) is at the cutting edge of contemporary medicine, effectively promoting tissue regeneration and wound healing by applying small electrical cues to stimulate specific cellular responses. The 3D printing of electronically conducting hydrogels (CHs) offers a transformative strategy for developing ES platforms. These hydrogels integrate conformal, customizable geometries, mechanical compliance, adequate electrical conductivity, and biocompatibility, enabling seamless interaction with native tissues.

A Pipeline for the Automatic Identification of Randomized Controlled Oncology Trials and Assignment of Tumor Entities Using Natural Language Processing.

Introduction: Most tools trying to automatically extract information from medical publications are domain agnostic and process publications from any field. However, only retrieving trials from dedicated fields could have advantages for further processing of the data.

Methods: We trained a small transformer model to classify trials into randomized controlled trials (RCTs) versus non-RCTs and oncology publications versus non-oncology publications.

Dose-intensified SBRT for vertebral oligometastases: results from a prospective clinical trial.

Purpose: To prospectively evaluate safety and efficacy of dose-intensified multifraction SBRT using a simultaneous-integrated boost concept for vertebral oligometastases.

Material And Methods: Data from 128 patients with 143 vertebral oligometastases (≤5 distant metastases in total) treated with dose-intensified SBRT (48.5 Gy/10 [with epidural involvement] or 40 Gy/5 [without epidural involvement]) in the randomized and non-randomized arms of a phase 3 clinical trial conducted at 18 international centers between 2016 and 2023 were analyzed.

Advances in biosensors for diagnosis of Alzheimer's and Parkinson's diseases.

Early diagnosis by detecting ultralow concentrations of disease biomarkers is critical for timely treatment of the two most common neurodegenerative diseases, Alzheimer's and Parkinson's diseases. Innovative biosensors technologies can provide accurate, faster, and cheaper diagnostic pathways. In this review, the most recent electrochemical and optical sensing and biosensing platforms for diagnosing these diseases are critically selected and reviewed.

Glycogen-inspired trimannosylated serum albumin nanocarriers for targeted delivery of toll-like receptor 7/8 agonists to immune cells and liver.

Nanocarriers can improve the therapeutic efficiency of small molecule immunomodulators or inhibitors, which is important for immunotherapy of liver diseases or cancer. Macromolecular protein carriers, such as human serum albumin (HSA), could provide better penetration compared to large nanoparticles (>50 nm) but are hampered by systemic biodistribution. To overcome these limitations, inspired by the natural glycogen structure, we have designed the HSA nanocarrier (<40 nm) consisting of multiple trimannose (TM) ligands attached to the protein surface, to target mannose or dendritic cell-specific intercellular adhesion molecule-3-grabbing non-integrin (DC-SIGN) receptors in immune cells or immunological organs such as the liver.

Glucagon-like peptide-2 pharmacotherapy activates hepatic Farnesoid X receptor-signaling to attenuate resection-associated bile acid loss in mice.

Objective: Villus growth in the small bowel by Glucagon-like peptide-2 (GLP-2) pharmacotherapy improves intestinal absorption capacity and is now used clinically for the treatment of short bowel syndrome and intestinal failure occurring after extensive intestinal resection. Another recently acknowledged effect of GLP-2 treatment is the inhibition of gallbladder motility and increased gallbladder refilling. However, the impact of these two GLP-2-characteristic effects on bile acid metabolism in health and after intestinal resection is not understood.

Visible Light-Mediated Diastereoselective Synthesis of Novel Glycopeptide Mimetics.

Herein, we introduce a mild and operationally simple visible-light photochemistry protocol for the synthesis of novel glycopeptide mimetics. This method capitalizes on the reaction between 1,4-dihydropyridine (DHP) containing amino acids and peptides with glycosyl nitrones, showing exceptional stereoselectivity and robust performance across a diverse array of substrates, encompassing both modified glycosides and intricate peptide structures. Furthermore, we underscore the versatility of the resultant compounds through their seamless integration and utility in bioconjugation strategies.

The Impact of Temperature on Extracting Information From Clinical Trial Publications Using Large Language Models.

Introduction The application of natural language processing (NLP) for extracting data from biomedical research has gained momentum with the advent of large language models (LLMs). However, the effect of different LLM parameters, such as temperature settings, on biomedical text mining remains underexplored and a consensus on what settings can be considered "safe" is missing. This study evaluates the impact of temperature settings on LLM performance for a named entity recognition and a classification task in clinical trial publications.

Electric Field Distribution in Bipolar Electrochemical Cells: Effects on the Wirefree Electrodeposition of Conducting Polymer Films.

Wirefree, or bipolar electrochemistry, is advancing key fields, including (nano)materials, human health, and energy. Central to these applications is an understanding of the potential distribution induced in the bipolar electrode, BPE. Here, the impact of the electric field distribution is reported for the wirefree deposition of the conducting polymer, poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene), PEDOT, in the absence of deliberately added electrolytes.

Metastatic Versus Localized Disease as Inclusion Criteria That Can Be Automatically Extracted From Randomized Controlled Trials Using Natural Language Processing.

Purpose: Extracting inclusion and exclusion criteria in a structured, automated fashion remains a challenge to developing better search functionalities or automating systematic reviews of randomized controlled trials in oncology. The question "Did this trial enroll patients with localized disease, metastatic disease, or both?" could be used to narrow down the number of potentially relevant trials when conducting a search.

Methods: Six hundred trials from high-impact medical journals were classified depending on whether they allowed for the inclusion of patients with localized and/or metastatic disease.

Predicting the sample size of randomized controlled trials using natural language processing.

Objectives: Extracting the sample size from randomized controlled trials (RCTs) remains a challenge to developing better search functionalities or automating systematic reviews. Most current approaches rely on the sample size being explicitly mentioned in the abstract. The objective of this study was, therefore, to develop and validate additional approaches.

Regio selective deposition of conducting polymers using wireless electropolymerisation.

The ability to induce different potentials in different regions of a (bipolar) electrode could transform applications such as on-demand drug delivery, the electrostimulation of biological cells, the development of advanced electroceuticals, and multi-analyte detection devices where different analytes could be wirelessly detected in different regions of a single sensing surface dramatically simplifying the device design. Here, we demonstrate the use of multiple feeder electrodes to control the electric field distribution in solution thus changing the potential induced in different regions of the bipolar electrode depending on the feeder voltage, polarity and feeder electrode position. The principle is demonstrated for the deposition of films of the conducting polymer, Poly(3,4-EthyleneDiOxyThiophene) (PEDOT), without the need for a physical template to control the regions in which polymer deposits.

Bioinks and biofabrication techniques for biosensors development: A review.

3D bioprinting technologies and bioink development are enabling significant advances in miniaturized and integrated biosensors. For example, bioreceptors can be immobilized within a porous 3D structure to significantly amplify the signal, while biocompatible and mechanically flexible systems uniquely enable wearable chem- and bio-sensors. This advancement is accelerating translation by enabling the production of high performance, reproducible, and flexible analytical devices.

Retrospective Analysis of Efficacy and Toxicity of Stereotactic Body Radiotherapy and Surgical Resection of Adrenal Metastases from Solid Tumors.

Background: This single-center retrospective study aimed to evaluate the efficacy and toxicity profiles of stereotactic body radiotherapy (SBRT) and surgical resection in patients with adrenal metastases originating from solid tumors.

Methods/materials: Patients with advanced tumor conditions or comorbidities typically received SBRT, whereas those considered physically fit underwent standard surgical treatment. Endpoints included local control (LC), progression free survival (PFS), overall survival (OS), and complication rates (CR).

Re-irradiation to the prostate using stereotactic body radiotherapy (SBRT) after initial definitive radiotherapy - A systematic review and -analysis of recent trials.

Background: There is increasing data on re-irradiation to the prostate using stereotactic body radiotherapy (SBRT) after definitive radiotherapy for prostate cancer, with increasing evidence on prostate re-irradiation using a C-arm LINAC or an MR LINAC in recent years. We therefore conducted this systematic review and -analysis on prostate re-irradiation including studies published from 2020 to 2023, to serve as an update on existing -analysis.

Methods: We searched the PubMed and Embase databases in October 2023 with queries including combinations of "repeat", "radiotherapy", "prostate", "re-irradiation", "reirradiation", "re treatment", "SBRT", "retreatment".

Discontinuation of Palliative Brain Radiotherapy in Patients with Brain Metastases: A Case-Control Study.

: Discontinuation of radiotherapy is rarely discussed in the scientific literature. The goal of this study was, therefore, to estimate the frequency of and reasons for treatment discontinuations in patients receiving radiotherapy for brain metastases from solid tumors and to identify factors predicting said discontinuations. : All patients treated for brain metastases from solid tumors between 2010 and 2020 at our institution were retrospectively reviewed.

Dose-intensified stereotactic body radiotherapy for painful vertebral metastases: A randomized phase 3 trial.

Background: The purpose of this randomised study was to determine whether dose-intensified stereotactic body radiotherapy (SBRT) for painful vertebral metastases results in increased rates of pain improvement compared with conventional external beam radiotherapy (cEBRT) (control) 6 months after treatment.

Methods: This randomized, controlled phase 3 trial was conducted between November 2016 and January 2023, when it was stopped early. Patients were eligible if they were aged 18 years or older; had one or two painful, stable, or potentially unstable vertebral metastases; and had a life expectancy of 1 year or longer according to the investigator's estimates.

HER2 Low Expression in Primary Male Breast Cancer.

Purpose: The introduction of HER2-targeting antibody drug conjugates (ADCs) offers new treatment options for female breast cancer patients (FBC) expressing low levels of HER2 (HER2 low). No evidence was found that HER2 low describes a new FBC subtype. There is a lack of studies determining the impact of HER2 low in male breast cancer (MBC).

Converting between the International Prostate Symptom Score (IPSS) and the Expanded Prostate Cancer Index Composite (EPIC) urinary subscales: modeling and external validation.

Background: Prostate-related quality of life can be assessed with a variety of different questionnaires. The 50-item Expanded Prostate Cancer Index Composite (EPIC) and the International Prostate Symptom Score (IPSS) are two widely used options. The goal of this study was, therefore, to develop and validate a model that is able to convert between the EPIC and the IPSS to enable comparisons across different studies.

Mechanisms of SARS-CoV-2 Inactivation Using UVC Laser Radiation.

Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-Cov-2) has had a tremendous impact on humanity. Prevention of transmission by disinfection of surfaces and aerosols through a chemical-free method is highly desirable. Ultraviolet C (UVC) light is uniquely positioned to achieve inactivation of pathogens.

Five Fractions versus Seven Fractions SBRT for Intermediate- and High-Risk Prostate Cancer: A Propensity Score Matched Pair Analysis.

Purpose: To compare two stereotactic body radiotherapy (SBRT) regimens in patients with intermediate- or high-risk prostate cancer with regards toxicity and efficacy.

Methods/material: We retrospectively collected data from 198 patients treated with SBRT for prostate cancer at two different institutions. Patients received either 35-36.

Re-irradiation for head and neck cancer: outcome and toxicity analysis using a prospective single institution database.

Purpose: Re-irradiation (re-RT) in head and neck cancer is challenging. This study prospectively explored the feasibility of re-RT in patients with loco-regionally recurrent or second primary head and neck cancer (LRR/SP HNC).

Methods: From 2004 to 2021, 61 LRR/SP HNC patients were treated with re-RT, defined as having a second course of RT with curative intent resulting in a cumulative dose of ≥100 Gy in an overlapping volume.

Dose-Volume Histogram Parameters and Quality of Life in Patients with Prostate Cancer Treated with Surgery and High-Dose Volumetric-Intensity-Modulated Arc Therapy to the Prostate Bed.

Introduction: Prostate bed radiotherapy (RT) is a major affecter of patients' long-term quality of life (QoL). To ensure the best possible outcome of these patients, dose constraints are key for optimal RT planning and delivery. However, establishing refined dose constraints requires access to patient-level data.

Orally compensated short bowel patients are thin, potentially malnourished but rarely sarcopenic.

Background And Aim: In short bowel syndrome, insufficient absorptive capacity of the remnant bowel may lead to metabolic and nutritional consequences including electrolyte disturbances, severe diarrhea and malnutrition. While intestinal failure requires parenteral nutrition, short bowel patients with intestinal insufficiency (SB/II) have achieved oral autonomy. The aim of this exploratory study was to assess the nutritional, muscular and functional status of orally compensated SB/II patients.