Are we closing the gender gap in academic oncology? An observational study of gender disparities in participant engagement at the ASCO 2024 annual meeting.

Objective: Despite global efforts, gender disparities in oncology may persist. Understanding these disparities within the context of major conferences can inform strategies to promote gender inclusiveness in the field. This study evaluates the participation of women and men at the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) 2024 congress, focusing on chairs, speakers and audience questioners.

Autophosphorylation of conserved yeast and human casein kinase 1 isozymes regulates Elongator-dependent tRNA modifications.

Casein kinase 1 (CK1) family members are crucial for ER-Golgi trafficking, calcium signalling, DNA repair, transfer RNA (tRNA) modifications, and circadian rhythmicity. Whether and how substrate interactions and kinase autophosphorylation contribute to CK1 plasticity remains largely unknown. Here, we undertake a comprehensive phylogenetic, cellular, and molecular characterization of budding yeast CK1 Hrr25 and identify human CK1 epsilon (CK1ϵ) as its ortholog.

Harnessing the potential of spatial statistics for spatial omics data with pasta.

Spatial omics allow for the molecular characterization of cells in their spatial context. Notably, the two main technological streams, imaging-based and high-throughput sequencing-based, give rise to very different data modalities. The characteristics of the two data types are well known in spatial statistics as point patterns and lattice data.

International Multicentre Study on the Treatment of Infrarenal Penetrating Aortic Ulcers.

Objective: This study aimed to evaluate treatment indications, compare therapeutic approaches, and assess outcomes in patients with infrarenal penetrating aortic ulcers (iPAUs).

Methods: This was a retrospective, multicentre, observational study of patients with iPAUs treated between January 2018 and December 2022 across 12 European centres. Treatment strategies included open surgical repair (OSR) and endovascular techniques, including balloon expandable stent grafts (BESGs), covered endovascular reconstruction of the aortic bifurcation (CERAB), and endovascular aortic repair (EVAR) using bifurcated or tube grafts.

Trends in Treatment Strategies and Perioperative Outcomes for Complex Abdominal Aortic Aneurysms: A VASCUNET Report.

Objective: To examine trends in treatment strategies and perioperative outcomes for intact and ruptured complex abdominal aortic aneurysms (cAAA) across seven countries.

Design: Multinational, registry-based observational study within the VASCUNET framework.

Methods: This study used aggregated data from vascular registries in Australia, Denmark, Finland, New Zealand, Portugal, Sweden, and Switzerland.

Frailty in Pulmonary Hypertension: Establishing the Frailty Index and Impact on Survival.

Background: Patients with pulmonary hypertension (PH) experience reduced physical capacity, which affects daily life functionality. Frailty signifies increased vulnerability due to diminished physiological reserves and is common in the elderly and those with chronic diseases, but has not been investigated in PH. This study aimed to create a frailty index for PH, to assess the prevalence of frailty, to determine frailty severity and progression over time and to establish a potential association between frailty and mortality in patients with PH.

How using different oximeters may affect clinical decision: a method comparison study in patients under CPAP or non-invasive ventilation.

Background: Nocturnal SpO monitoring is recommended for detecting residual sleep-disordered breathing (SDB), including nocturnal hypoventilation, in patients treated by non-invasive ventilation (NIV) or continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP). It is a general assumption that different pulse oximetry devices will provide similar results. This may, however, not be correct.

Real-world use of terlipressin in cirrhosis and acute kidney injury: frequent use beyond hepatorenal syndrome.

Background & Aims: Terlipressin is indicated to treat hepatorenal syndrome (HRS)-acute kidney injury (AKI), but is likely used outside this primary indication in clinical practice. We aimed to investigate real-world practice patterns on the use of terlipressin in AKI in cirrhosis.

Methods: International prospective study including patients hospitalized for decompensated cirrhosis.

Chronic early-life obesity linked to childhood impulsivity predicts long-term psychosis trajectory through dose-dependent cerebellar dysmaturation in 22q11.2 Deletion Syndrome.

Background: Recent epidemiological evidence links early-life obesity and metabolic dysregulation to adult psychosis vulnerability, though a causal relationship remains unclear. Establishing causality in highly heritable psychotic disorders requires: 1) demonstrating that early-life metabolic factors mediate between genetic vulnerability and psychosis trajectory, 2) dissecting mechanisms leading to early-life obesity in genetically vulnerable individuals, and 3) clarifying downstream neurodevelopmental pathways linking early-life obesity to psychosis symptoms.

Methods: Here we investigated bidirectional pathways linking behavioral, BMI, and neurodevelopment trajectories in a unique longitudinal cohort of 184 individuals at high genetic risk for psychosis, due to 22q11.

Incidence of Tick-Borne Encephalitis in Unvaccinated Populations Across Europe (2020-2023).

Background: Tick-borne encephalitis (TBE) is a vaccine-preventable disease. While many European countries conduct TBE surveillance, resulting incidence estimates do not distinguish between vaccinated and unvaccinated populations. To understand TBE risk to unvaccinated individuals, we assessed incidence among unvaccinated populations in Europe.

LightCPPgen: An Explainable Machine Learning Pipeline for Rational Design of Cell Penetrating Peptides.

Cell-penetrating peptides (CPPs) are powerful vectors for the intracellular delivery of a diverse array of therapeutic molecules. Despite their potential, the rational design of CPPs remains a challenging task that often requires extensive experimental efforts and iterations. In this study, we introduce an innovative approach for the de novo design of CPPs, leveraging the strengths of machine learning (ML) and optimization algorithms.

Real-time diagnosis of cholangiocarcinoma by combining digestive endoscopy and optic fiber biosensors based on bile clusterin.

Background: Early diagnosis of cholangiocarcinoma (CCA) remains challenging, but liquid biopsy is emerging as a promising detection strategy. Here, we identified a novel bile biomarker for CCA and developed an optic fiber biosensor integrated with digestive endoscopy for real-time diagnosis in vivo.

Methods: A total of 583 subjects and two proteomic analyses were used to screen and validate biomarkers for CCA, and then the corresponding antibodies were generated to construct a surface plasmon resonance (SPR)-based optic fiber biosensor.

Multi-modal image analysis for large-scale cancer tissue studies within IMMUcan.

In cancer research, multiplexed imaging allows detailed characterization of the tumor microenvironment (TME) and its link to patient prognosis. The integrated immunoprofiling of large adaptive cancer patient cohorts (IMMUcan) consortium collects multi-modal imaging data from thousands of patients with cancer to perform broad molecular and cellular spatial profiling. Here, we describe and compare two workflows for multiplexed immunofluorescence (mIF) and imaging mass cytometry (IMC) developed within IMMUcan to enable the generation of standardized data for cancer tissue analysis.

Advances in intravital imaging of adult neurogenesis in mice.

The lifelong addition of stem-cell-derived neurons into distinct areas of the mammalian brain, such as the olfactory bulb and hippocampal dentate gyrus, provides structural and functional plasticity to neural circuits. To understand the dynamic processes underlying adult neurogenesis, from dividing stem/progenitor cells to integrating neurons, and to probe how new neurons shape brain function, intravital imaging turned out to be a powerful tool. Here, we review recent advances in the field of adult neurogenesis achieved by using in vivo imaging approaches in mice and discuss future directions of imaging-based experiments that will further our understanding of adult neurogenesis.

Bronchiectasis in France: data on disease characteristics in 630 patients from the European Bronchiectasis registry (EMBARC).

Background: Little is known about the characteristics of adults with bronchiectasis in France.

Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted to describe the characteristics of adults (≥18 years) with clinically-significant bronchiectasis, diagnosed on a combination of respiratory symptoms and CT scan findings, and followed in 18 participating centers. Data on, etiology, lung function, symptoms, microbiology, treatments and quality of life were collected.

A weakly-supervised deep learning model for fast localisation and delineation of the skeleton, internal organs, and spinal canal on whole-body diffusion-weighted MRI (WB-DWI).

Background And Objective: Apparent Diffusion Coefficient (ADC) values and Total Diffusion Volume (TDV) from Whole-body diffusion-weighted MRI (WB-DWI) are recognised cancer imaging biomarkers. However, manual disease delineation for ADC and TDV measurements is unfeasible in clinical practice, demanding automation. As a first step, we propose an algorithm to generate fast and reproducible probability maps of the skeleton, adjacent internal organs (liver, spleen, urinary bladder, and kidneys), and spinal canal.

Exploring interactions in microbial communities.

Most microbial ecosystems cannot be understood without quantifying ecological interactions between their member species. Given the challenges of comprehensively resolving interactions experimentally, a range of prediction methods was developed. Here, we review genome-based prediction methods in particular and discuss their strengths and weaknesses.

Autism and the Oral Microbiome: A Systematic Review of Host-microbial Interactions and Diversity.

Background: Emerging evidence suggests a link between the oral microbiome and autism spectrum disorder (ASD), a neurodevelopmental condition characterised by social and behavioural impairments. The vast microbial reservoirs in the gut complement those of the oral cavity, suggesting a potential oral-gut-brain axis that may influence ASD and perhaps other neurological diseases, such as Parkinson's syndrome and Alzheimer's disease. For the first time, this systematic review synthesises the current knowledge of oral microbiome composition, diversity, and functionality in ASD and its potential diagnostic and therapeutic implications.

Economic viability of different surveillance strategies for the control of paratuberculosis in Swiss dairy cattle.

Paratuberculosis (PTB), or Johne's disease, is a globally prevalent disease caused by Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis, leading to significant economic losses in the dairy industry. This study assessed the economic viability of potential PTB surveillance strategies in Switzerland using stochastic simulation models.

Developing Type II F508del-CFTR correctors with a protective effect against respiratory viruses.

Cystic fibrosis (CF) is a multifaceted disease caused by mutations in the cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR) gene. The resulting thick mucus accumulation increases the risk of microbial infections, leading to chronic lung inflammation, progressive tissue damage, and pulmonary exacerbations (PEs). Respiratory viruses may facilitate bacterial colonization, significantly contributing to PEs.

Distribution and Risk Factors of Scrub Typhus in South Korea, From 2013 to 2019: Bayesian Spatiotemporal Analysis.

Background: Scrub typhus (ST), also known as tsutsugamushi disease, is a common febrile vector-borne illness in South Korea, transmitted by trombiculid mites infected with Orientia tsutsugamushi, with rodents serving as the main hosts. Although vector-borne diseases like ST require both a One Health approach and a spatiotemporal perspective to fully understand their complex dynamics, previous studies have often lacked integrated analyses that simultaneously address disease dynamics, vectors, and environmental shifts.

Objective: We aimed to explore spatiotemporal trends, high-risk areas, and risk factors of ST by simultaneously incorporating host and environmental information.

The Plant of Many Scents: Unraveling the Odorant Composition of Selected CBD Hemp Cultivars.

This study presents the first comprehensive sensory-guided investigation into the odor-active compounds of dried hemp ( L.) flowers. Using gas chromatography-olfactometry (GC-O) in combination with aroma extract dilution analysis (AEDA), 52 odor-active compounds were identified across six cannabidiol-rich cultivars.

Proanthocyanidin associated to vitamin E or palm oil on initial enamel erosion: in situ and in vitro study.

This in vitro study evaluated the effect of proanthocyanidin, palm oil, and vitamin E against initial erosion. Bovine enamel blocks (n = 140) were divided into 14 groups: C+_SnCl2/NaF/Am-F-containing solution (positive control); C-_deionized water (negative control); O_palm oil; P6.5_6.