A capsular polysaccharide from a healthy human microbiota member activates a Lag-3-NK cell axis to restrain colon cancer and augment immunotherapy.

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is increasing globally, making identification of preventative measures necessary. Transplantation of the microbiota from CRC and non-CRC patients into mice demonstrates that non-diseased individuals possess organisms that reduce tumor formation and highlights Bacteriodes uniformis as protective. B.

Esoteric Diagnostic Considerations for Small Round Cell Tumors in Biopsy Specimens With Extensive Negative Immunohistochemical Profiles: Utilizing Subtle Histopathological Features Prior to Molecular Testing.

Small round cell tumors (SRCTs) are characterized by primitive round cells and a broad differential diagnosis due to their undifferentiated nature, making their diagnosis particularly challenging. Molecular testing is often essential for definitive classification; however, subtle histomorphological features can significantly narrow the differential diagnosis. Here, we present the case of a 44-year-old male who presented with a painless mass (up to 15.

microRNA-21 promotes dysregulated lipid metabolism and hepatocellular carcinoma.

Backgrounds And Aims: The prevalence of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is rising in parallel with increasing obesity and metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis (MASH). MicroRNAs are key post-transcriptional regulators of gene expression and are attractive targets for HCC therapy. Here we sought to identify and characterize dysregulated microRNAs in MASH-driven HCC (MASH-HCC).

Selumetinib in Adult Neurofibromatosis 1 with Plexiform Neurofibroma.

Neurofibromatosis Type 1 (NF1) plexiform neurofibroma (PN) can cause morbidity, including disfigurement that can negatively impact social functioning. Historically, the mainstay treatment is surgical resection. However, complete resection is often prohibitive due to multiple nerve involvement.

Implementation factors for sexual orientation and gender identity patient data collection in a comprehensive cancer center: findings from a center-wide readiness assessment survey for the ASK Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity study.

Between September 2022 and August 2024, a mixed-method study was conducted at the University of New Mexico Comprehensive Cancer Center to enhance sexual orientation and gender identity data collection to facilitate meaningful use of sexual orientation and gender identity data in clinical care for sexual and gender minority patients. This report presents findings from a center-wide readiness assessment survey to identify and analyze the complex challenges affecting sexual orientation and gender identity data collection implementation. Over a 1.

TCGEx: a powerful visual interface for exploring and analyzing cancer gene expression data.

Analyzing gene expression data from the Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) and similar repositories often requires advanced coding skills, creating a barrier for many researchers. To address this challenge, we developed The Cancer Genome Explorer (TCGEx), a user-friendly, web-based platform for conducting sophisticated analyses such as survival modeling, gene set enrichment analysis, unsupervised clustering, and linear regression-based machine learning. TCGEx provides access to preprocessed TCGA data and immune checkpoint inhibition studies while allowing integration of user-uploaded data sets.

A microRNA-regulated transcriptional state defines intratumoral CD8 T cells that respond to immunotherapy.

The rising incidence of advanced-stage colorectal cancer (CRC) and poor survival outcomes necessitate new and effective therapies. Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs), specifically anti-PD-1 therapy, show promise, yet clinical determinants of a positive response are suboptimal. Here, we identify microRNA-155 (miR-155) as necessary for CD8 T cell-infiltrated tumors through an unbiased in vivo CRISPR-Cas9 screen identifying functional tumor antigen-specific CD8 T cell-expressed microRNAs.

Discrepancies in Aggregate Patient Data between Two Sources with Data Originating from the Same Electronic Health Record: A Case Study.

Background:  Data exploration in modern electronic health records (EHRs) is often aided by user-friendly graphical interfaces providing "self-service" tools for end users to extract data for quality improvement, patient safety, and research without prerequisite training in database querying. Other resources within the same institution, such as Honest Brokers, may extract data sourced from the same EHR but obtain different results leading to questions of data completeness and correctness.

Objectives:  Our objectives were to (1) examine the differences in aggregate output generated by a "self-service" graphical interface data extraction tool and our institution's clinical data warehouse (CDW), sourced from the same database, and (2) examine the causative factors that may have contributed to these differences.

Radiologic findings of polypoid pyeloureteritis: a case report.

Polypoid pyeloureteritis is a rare benign exophytic mucosal lesion of the renal pelvis and ureter caused by recurrent inflammation. Risk factors include a history of radiation therapy, colovesical fistulas, or calculi. To our knowledge, we present the first documented case of polypoid pyeloureteritis with radiologic, pathologic, and clinical correlation.

Role of imaging in the diagnosis and management of mixed epithelial and stromal tumors of the kidney: Case series and comprehensive review.

Mixed epithelial and stromal tumor (MEST) of the kidney is a rare benign neoplasm composed of both stromal and epithelial components. MEST is mainly seen in adults with a strong predilection for perimenopausal women with history of hormone replacement therapy. While MEST is generally benign, there are reported cases of malignant transformation and adverse clinical outcomes.

Clec12a controls colitis by tempering inflammation and restricting expansion of specific commensals.

Microbiota composition regulates colitis severity, yet the innate immune mechanisms that control commensal communities and prevent disease remain unclear. We show that the innate immune receptor, Clec12a, impacts colitis severity by regulating microbiota composition. Transplantation of microbiota from a Clec12a animal is sufficient to worsen colitis in wild-type mice.

Macrophage immunometabolism: emerging targets for regrowth in aging muscle.

The recovery from muscle atrophy is impaired with aging as characterized by improper muscle remodeling and sustained functional deficits. Age-related deficits in muscle regrowth are tightly linked with the loss of early pro-inflammatory macrophage responses and subsequent cellular dysregulation within the skeletal muscle niche. Macrophage inflammatory phenotype is regulated at the metabolic level, highlighting immunometabolism as an emerging strategy to enhance macrophage responses and restore functional muscle regrowth.

Synthesis of Caged HMG-CoA Reductase Substrates for the Elucidation of Cellular Pathways.

The synthesis of photocaged substrates of the biologically important enzyme HMG-CoA reductase is reported. HMG-CoA bearing a -hydroxyphenacyl (pHP) photocage moiety was synthesized in an overall yield of 14% over seven steps in addition to caged forms of mevalonate and mevaldehyde. The absorption maximum and quantum yield for the decaging of the photocaged compounds are dependent on pH with a λ of 330 nm and a ϕ of 5%, respectively, at pH 9.

HAF prevents hepatocyte apoptosis and progression to MASH and HCC through transcriptional regulation of the NF-κB pathway.

Background And Aims: HCC incidence is increasing worldwide due to the obesity epidemic, which drives metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis (MASH) that can lead to HCC. However, the molecular pathways driving MASH-HCC are poorly understood. We have previously reported that male mice with haploinsufficiency of hypoxia-associated factor (HAF) ( SART1+/ - ) spontaneously develop MASH-HCC.

Osteolytic mystery: A rare case of pathologic fracture from a phosphaturic mesenchymal tumor in hip and femur.

Phosphaturic mesenchymal tumor (PMT) is a rare tumor causing bone complications and myopathy. Histologically, PMT displays a mix of spindled cells, osteoclast-like giant cells, basophilic matrix, and flocculent or "grungy" calcification. Here we describe a case of PMT in the right hip and proximal femur, initially suspected to be multiple myeloma, presenting with osteolytic lesions and elevated alkaline phosphatase.

Developing and Implementing a Clinical Informatics Curriculum.

Objectives:  We developed and implemented a customized internal clinical informatics (CI) curriculum for the UC Irvine CI Fellowship program. The goal was to transition from an externally sourced curriculum to a more focused, internally developed program, aligning with feedback from early fellows and the evolving practical needs of clinical informatics. By designing this curriculum in-house, we sought to provide a more efficient, cost-effective, and relevant educational experience for fellows.

Format-tuning of in vivo-launched bispecific T cell engager enhances efficacy against renal cell carcinoma.

Background: Advanced clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC) is a prevalent kidney cancer for which long-term survival rates are abysmal, though immunotherapies are showing potential. Not yet clinically vetted are bispecific T cell engagers (BTEs) that activate T cell-mediated cancer killing through intercellular synapsing. Multiple BTE formats exist, however, with limited cross-characterizations to help optimize new drug design.

Nonlinear life table response experiment analysis: Decomposing nonlinear and nonadditive population growth responses to changes in environmental drivers.

Life table response experiments (LTREs) decompose differences in population growth rate between environments into separate contributions from each underlying demographic rate. However, most LTRE analyses make the unrealistic assumption that the relationships between demographic rates and environmental drivers are linear and independent, which may result in diminished accuracy when these assumptions are violated. We extend regression LTREs to incorporate nonlinear (second-order) terms and compare the accuracy of both approaches for three previously published demographic datasets.

Incidental solitary fibrous tumor involving the seminal vesicle: A case report.

Solitary fibrous tumors are rare mesenchymal neoplasms that can range from slow-growing to aggressive tumors. This report presents a unique case of a young male patient with a solitary fibrous tumor involving the seminal vesicle, a rare location, and reinforces incidental discovery of these tumors on imaging and physical exams. Detection of these tumors is imperative to identify and treat malignancy.

Electron Spin Resonance Probe Incorporation into Bioinks Permits Longitudinal Oxygen Imaging of Bioprinted Constructs.

Purpose: Bioprinting is an additive manufacturing technology analogous to 3D printing. Instead of plastic or resin, cell-laden hydrogels are used to produce a construct of the intended biological structure. Over time, cells transform this construct into a functioning tissue or organ.

Undifferentiated carcinoma of the pancreas with osteoclast-like giant cells: a case report.

Background: Undifferentiated carcinomas of the pancreas with osteoclast-like giant cells (UCPOGC) are rare pancreatic neoplasms that account for less than 1% of all pancreatic malignancies. This case report of a 54-year-old male with metastatic UCPOGC adds to the existing literature and further ascertains the clinical and imaging features, treatment options, and prognosis of this rare entity.

Case Presentation: We present the detailed clinical course of a 54-year-old Asian male patient with UCPOGC, with focus on the relevant clinical features and imaging findings that are characteristic of this disease entity.

A Proline-Squaraine Ligand Framework (Pro-SqEB) for Stereoselective Rhodium(II)-Catalyzed Cyclopropanations.

A proline-squaraine ligand (Pro-SqEB) that demonstrates high levels of stereoselectivity in olefin cyclopropanations when anchored to a Rh scaffold is introduced. High yields and enantioselectivities were achieved in the cyclopropanation of alkenes with diazo compounds in the presence of Rh(Pro-SqEB). Notably, the unique electronic and steric design of this catalyst enabled the use of polar solvents that are otherwise incompatible with most Rh complexes.

Why Do Physicians Depart Their Practice? A Qualitative Study of Attrition in a Multispecialty Ambulatory Practice Network.

Background: Physician departure causes considerable disruption for patients, colleagues, and staff. The cost of finding a new physician to replace the loss coupled with lost productivity as they build their practice can cost as much as $1 million per departure. Therefore, we sought to characterize drivers of departure from practice with the goal of informing retention efforts (with a special emphasis on the connection between electronic health record (EHR)-related stress and physician departure).