Topoisomerase II inhibitors in oncology: an updated patent review (2016-present).

Introduction: Topoisomerase (topo) II inhibitors continue to represent a promising approach in anticancer therapy, although their clinical application is hampered by drug resistance and dose limiting toxicities.

Area Covered: We performed a critical analysis of patent literature from January 2016 to January 2025 on topo II inhibitors in oncology using the online databases Espacenet, Wipo, and Google patent.

Expert Opinion: Substantial progress in the development of novel topo II inhibitors through synthetic chemistry, natural product isolation, molecular modification, and in silico screening was recorded.

Reliable change indices for the cognitive section of Portuguese version of the Edinburgh Cognitive and Behavioural ALS screen (ECAS).

This study aimed to derive standardized regression-based (SRB) reliable change indices (RCIs) for the cognitive section of the Portuguese Edinburgh Cognitive and Behavioral ALS Screen (ECAS-C). Forty-nine MND patients undergoing the ECAS were followed-up (T1) at 7.2 ± 2 months (range = 5-12).

Comparing sexual outcomes and complications in Male-to-Female Gender-Affirming Surgery: penile inversion vs. robotic peritoneal vaginoplasty.

Gender dysphoria is a condition characterized by distress due to a mismatch between a person's gender identity and their assigned gender at birth. This study aimed to compare sexual satisfaction and complication rates in patients undergoing feminizing gender affirming surgery (fem-GAS) using two techniques: standard penile inversion vaginoplasty (PIV) and robotic peritoneal vaginoplasty (RPGAV). We conducted a retrospective analysis data from a prospective registry (2017-2022).

GABA receptor availability in clinical high-risk and first-episode psychosis: a [C]Ro15-4513 positron emission tomography study.

Disrupted gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) neurotransmission may contribute to the pathophysiology of schizophrenia. Reductions in hippocampal GABAergic neurons have been found in schizophrenia, and increased hippocampal perfusion has been described in schizophrenia and in people at clinical high-risk for psychosis (CHRp). We have also found decreases in hippocampal GABA receptors containing the α5 subunit (GABARα5) in a well-validated neurodevelopmental rat model of relevance for schizophrenia.

Comparison between anterolateral standard and percutaneous antero-acromial approach in humeral intramedullary nailing (IMN). A radiological, functional, and ultrasound rotator cuff evaluation prospective study.

Purpose: The aim of this study was to evaluate the radiological-functional outcomes and rotator cuff (RC) status following humeral intramedullary nailing (IMN), comparing the anterolateral standard approach (group 1) and the percutaneous antero-acromial approach (group 2).

Methods: This observational prospective monocentric study was conducted from August 2021 to March 2023. Inclusion criteria included: two-parts proximal (surgical neck) and diaphyseal Humeral fractures treated with IMN; 12-month follow-up; age between 18 and 85 years; good performance status (excluding neurologic deficits or mental disorders).

Inter-Assay Variability of TROP2 Immunohistochemistry in Triple-Negative Breast Cancer.

Background And Objective: Sacituzumab govitecan, an anti-trophoblast cell surface antigen 2 (TROP2) antibody-drug conjugate, has been approved by both the US Food and Drug Administration and European Medicines Agency for patients with metastatic triple-negative breast cancer who have received two or more prior systemic therapies, including at least one of them for advanced disease. Although TROP2 evaluation is not required for patient selection, survival data from the ASCENT trial show improved response rates in patients with high TROP2 expression by immunohistochemistry. However, there is no standardized testing assay for these patients.

Intergenerational interventions and their impact on active aging: A systematic review.

Background: The aging of the world's population has led to a growing need for innovative strategies to promote active aging and bridge generational divides. Intergenerational Programs (IGPs) that engage young adults (18-30 years) and older adults (65 + years) have demonstrated the potential to improve well-being and reduce ageism. However, the evidence for this pairing of ages is still fragmentary.

Transcatheter edge-to-edge repair for the management of secondary mitral regurgitation - CRT 2025 Beyond the Guidelines.

Secondary mitral regurgitation (SMR) remains a prevalent and challenging complication in patients with heart failure (HF), associated with poor prognosis despite optimal guideline-directed medical therapy (GDMT) and cardiac resynchronization therapy. Current American and European guidelines recommend GDMT as first-line therapy, with transcatheter edge-to-edge repair (TEER) reserved for severe symptomatic SMR patients who remain refractory. However, both guidelines preceded the reporting of pivotal randomized controlled trials (RESHAPE-HF2, MATTERHORN, and EFFORT) and emerging evidence in new clinical scenarios.

Decoding protein structures with residue interaction networks.

The rise of AlphaFold and similar structure predictors has made it possible to determine the 3D structure of almost any protein from its amino acid sequence. Residue interaction networks (RINs), graphs where residues are represented as nodes and interactions as edges, provide a powerful framework for analyzing and interpreting this surge in structural data. Here, we provide a comprehensive introduction to RINs, exploring different approaches to constructing and analyzing them, including their integration with molecular dynamics (MD) simulations and artificial intelligence (AI).

Cancer-specific mortality in secondary bladder cancer after nephroureterectomy for upper tract urothelial carcinoma.

Objective: To examine differences in cancer-specific mortality (CSM) in nonmetastatic upper tract urothelial carcinoma (UTUC) patients with vs. without secondary bladder cancer (BCa) after radical nephroureterectomy (RNU).

Methods: Within the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results database (SEER 2000-2021), T1-T4N0M0 UTUC patients treated with RNU and diagnosed with secondary BCa were identified.

Osteoarthritis year in review 2025: Epidemiology and Therapy.

Aim: To summarise key epidemiological and therapeutic research on osteoarthritis (OA) published between April 2024 and March 2025.

Methods: A narrative review was conducted using the MEDLINE database, focusing on English-language studies involving human participants published between April 1, 2024 and March 31, 2025. Eligible studies included observational longitudinal studies, systematic reviews, meta-analyses, and phase II-IV randomised controlled trials (RCTs) examining OA treatment and epidemiology.

Clinical presentation and echocardiographic characteristics of women with peripartum cardiomyopathy: Insights from the Italian Multicentre Registry.

Background: Peripartum cardiomyopathy (PPCM) is a rare, life-threatening form of heart failure occurring in late pregnancy or postpartum, with variable clinical course and outcomes. We report preliminary clinical and echocardiographic findings from a national Italian registry of PPCM patients METHODS: The study was approved by the institutional Ethics Committee and registered at ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT05878041).

Myocardial work index as a marker for physiologic cardiac remodeling in elite endurance athletes.

Introduction: Endurance athletes are expected to present a cardiac remodeling characterized by eccentric hypertrophy. Differentiation from underlying cardiomyopathy mimicking a similar cardiac remodeling may be challenging. Myocardial work indexes (MWI) have been shown to be useful in distinguishing between physiological adaption and pathological changes in the athletes' heart.

The interplay between sleep and neural respiratory drive in COPD: contribution of semi-automated analysis of long duration recordings.

Background: Neural respiratory drive (NRD) is a clinically relevant biomarker in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). However, its analysis is challenging due to several technical considerations, including the need to obtain a stable recording over a short time period. However, a short recording duration may be inadequate to comprehensively record clinically relevant information, particularly during sleep, because NRD varies across sleep stages and over time.

Predicting Treatment Response in Retinal Vein Occlusions Using Baseline Optical Coherence Tomography Biomarkers: A Systematic Review.

This systematic review examines the prognostic value of baseline optical coherence tomography (OCT) biomarkers in predicting visual acuity (VA) outcomes for eyes with macular edema secondary to retinal vein occlusions (RVO) treated with anti-VEGF therapies, steroids, laser photocoagulation, or combination treatments. VA predictions at 6, 12, and 24 months post-treatment were assessed using a narrative synthesis approach and vote counting based on effect direction relative to a minimal clinically important difference. Certainty of evidence was evaluated using GRADE guidelines.

High Efficiency Labeling of nerve Fibers in cleared tissue for light-sheet microscopy.

Background: Tissue clearing techniques combined with light-sheet fluorescence microscopy (LSFM) enable high-resolution 3D imaging of biological structures without physical sectioning. While widely used in neuroscience to determine brain architecture and connectomics, their application for spinal cord mapping remains more limited, posing challenges for studying demyelinating diseases like multiple sclerosis. Myelin visualization in cleared tissues is particularly difficult due to the lipid-removal nature of most clearing protocols, and alternative immunolabeling approaches failed to reach satisfying results.

Can Machine Learning predict therapeutic outcomes in affective and not affective psychosis? A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Machine learning (ML) could be useful in identifying reliable predictors of treatment response in affective and not affective psychoses, potentially helping to propose personalized interventions. In this systematic review and meta-analysis, we evaluated studies exploiting ML algorithms to predict the improvement of psychotic symptoms, cognition and quality of life in psychoses related to different treatments. We searched MEDLINE (PubMed), Web of Science, and PsycINFO databases updated until February 2024, identifying 64 articles published in English in peer-reviewed journals.

Biomass-derived lignin nanoparticles for the sustained delivery of vascular endothelial growth factor-C.

Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor C (VEGFC) is a promising biological drug, with preclinical studies indicating its potential for treating myocardial infarction, neurodegenerative diseases, and lymphedema, a condition that currently lacks curative treatment. While adenoviral VEGFC gene therapy has progressed to phase II studies, its clinical efficacy is limited by rapid immune inactivation. This study explores lignin nanoparticles (LNPs) as an alternative VEGFC delivery system.

Best practices to reduce microbial contamination during media-fill testing process in hospital pharmacies: a scoping review of literature.

Unlabelled: The Media-Fill Test is a crucial procedure in the pharmaceutical industry, especially for the production of sterile drugs that do not undergo terminal sterilization (meaning they are prepared directly under aseptic conditions).The primary goal of the Media-Fill Test is to evaluate the overall effectiveness of the aseptic process in preventing microbial contamination. It doesn't serve to test the sterility of an individual production batch, but rather to: Validate the aseptic process, Qualify personnel, Identify critical points and Verify the environment.