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Semin Neurol 2018 Dec 6;38(6):640-643. Epub 2018 Dec 6.

Department of Neurology, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts.

Myofascial pain syndromes arise from acute and chronic musculoskeletal pain and often have a referred neuropathic component. It affects more than three quarters of the world's population and is one of the most important and overlooked causes of disability. The origins of pain are thought to reside anywhere between the motor end plate and the fibrous outer covering of the muscle, with involvement of microvasculature and neurotransmitters at the cellular level. Read More

Anaerobe 2018 Dec 3. Epub 2018 Dec 3.

ABIM Board Certified in Focused Practice in Hospital Medicine (FPHM), Mercy Clinic Hospitalist, Physician Building, 7301 Rogers Ave, Fort Smith, AR, 72903, United States. Electronic address:

Clostridium difficile is the most commonly reported pathogen to cause nosocomial infections in the United States with a high burden affecting morbidity, mortality and healthcare expenditure. The use of Fecal Microbiota Transplantation (FMT) is one of the current standard therapies for recurrent C. difficile infection (CDIr). Read More

PLoS One 2018 6;13(12):e0207200. Epub 2018 Dec 6.

GREPAQ (Groupe de recherche en pharmacologie animale du Québec), Department of biomedical sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Université de Montréal, Saint-Hyacinthe, Quebec, Canada.

This study aimed to characterize bone cancer pain (quantitative sensory testing (QST), stance asymmetry index, actimetry, scores of pain and quality of life (QoL)) in dogs with appendicular osteosarcoma (OSA), and to evaluate a stepwise palliative analgesic treatment. The pain profile of thirteen client-owned dogs with OSA was compared with seven healthy dogs. Dogs with OSA were then enrolled in a prospective, open-label, clinical trial. Read More

Rom J Intern Med 2018 Dec;56(4):227-232

"Carol Davila" University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Bucharest, Romania.

The prevalence of obesity is rising, becoming a medical problem worldwide. Also GERD incidence is higher in obese patients compared with normal weight, with an increased risk of 2.5 of developing symptoms and erosive esophagitis. Read More

Rev Med Inst Mex Seguro Soc 2018 11 30;56(4):429-433. Epub 2018 Nov 30.

Instituto Mexicano del Seguro Social, Hospital de Cardiología, Servicio de Anestesiología. Ciudad de México, México

Background: Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation is a technique indicated in cases of severe respiratory failure or in situations where pump failure or heart failure is refractory to conventional medical treatment. Our goal was to describe the results of a patient with chronic Chagas dilated cardiomyopathy treated with extracorporeal membrane oxygenation as bridging therapy for heart transplantation.

Case Report: A 62-year old male with a history of Chagas disease and severe ventricular failure who underwent veno-arterial extracorporeal membrane oxygenation as bridging therapy for heart transplantation, with good clinical evolution. Read More

J Crohns Colitis 2018 Dec 6. Epub 2018 Dec 6.

Department of Gastroenterology, IDIBAPS, Hospital Clínic, Barcelona, Spain.

Background And Aims: Recent studies show the efficacy of autologous hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) in severely refractory Crohn's disease (CD) patients. HSCT is thought to eliminate auto-reactive cells; however, no specific studies of immune reconstitution in CD patients are available.

Methods: We followed a group of CD patients (n=18) receiving autologous HSCT, with 50% of them achieving endoscopic drug-free remission. Read More

G Ital Cardiol (Rome) 2018 Dec;19(12):705-713

Divisione di Cardiologia Interventistica, Dipartimento Cardio-Toraco-Vascolare, Istituto Scientifico San Raffaele, Milano.

Refractory angina is a disabling condition that afflicts patients in whom we have no more strategy to improve their quality of life. This phenomenon has been increasing over the last years due to longer life expectancy, also resulting in a significant impact upon healthcare resources. The coronary sinus Reducer is a novel technology designed to improve the quality of life of these patients. Read More

Cardiol Rev 2019 Jan/Feb;27(1):8-13

Division of Cardiology, Montefiore Medical Center, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY 10467.

Continuous-flow left ventricular assist devices (CF-LVADs) are increasingly used for the management of advanced heart failure refractory to optimal medical therapy. Despite the encouraging outcomes with CF-LVADs, gastrointestinal bleeding (GIB) continues to be a rather concerning complication resulting in increased rates of readmission and increased morbidity. The exact pathophysiology of CF-LVAD-associated GIB remains poorly understood, and this lack of knowledge limits our ability to control this morbid complication. Read More

J Clin Lab Anal 2018 Dec 5:e22724. Epub 2018 Dec 5.

Department of Neurosurgery, Hospital of Chengdu Office of People's Government of Tibetan Autonomous Region, Chengdu, China.

Background: This study aimed to evaluate the predictive value of presurgical factors for psychiatric disorders (PD) in refractory temporal lobe epilepsy and mesial temporal sclerosis (TLE-MTS) patients underwent cortico-amygdalohippocampectomy (CAH).

Methods: A total of 98 refractory TLE-MTS patients underwent CAH were consecutively enrolled in this cohort study. Several presurgical factors were recorded, such as married status, employment status, highest education, disease duration, family history of epilepsy, and disorganized VEEG background activity. Read More

Br J Haematol 2018 Dec 5. Epub 2018 Dec 5.

Division of Oncology & Hematology, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE, USA.

Relapsed or refractory non-Hodgkin lymphomas (NHLs) often carry poor prognosis and pose management challenges. We evaluated the safety and efficacy of dasatinib, a broad-spectrum multi-kinase inhibitor in relapsed/refractory NHL with correlative genomic analysis in a Phase I/II trial. The study included 33 patients with various sub-types of NHL who had received at least one prior therapy. Read More

Br J Haematol 2018 Dec 5. Epub 2018 Dec 5.

Amsterdam UMC, Location VUMC, Cancer Center Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.

Brain Imaging Behav 2018 Dec 5. Epub 2018 Dec 5.

Department of Psychiatry and Medical Psychology, Ghent University, C. Heymanslaan 10, 9000, Ghent, Belgium.

Although in treatment-resistant depression (TRD) subgenual anterior cingulate cortex (sgACC) functional connectivity (FC) is frequently used to examine deregulated brain networks, neurobiological data from other sources may be required to interpret these FC findings. In 16 melancholic TRD patients with a high level of treatment resistance and 16 closely matched healthy never-depressed individuals we verified whether sgACC FC patterns were related to regional metabolic activity (CMRglc) with FDG PET imaging. Notwithstanding that TRD patients displayed stronger sgACC FC with the right lateral frontotemporal cortex, metabolically they exhibited the opposite pattern. Read More

Hautarzt 2018 Dec 5. Epub 2018 Dec 5.

Klinik für Dermatologie, Allergologie und Venerologie, Universität zu Lübeck, Ratzeburger Allee 160, 23538, Lübeck, Deutschland.

Autoimmmune bullous diseases are mediated by pathogenetically relevant autoantibodies against components of the epidermis and/or superficial mucous membranes (in pemphigus) and structural proteins of the dermal-epidermal junction (in pemphigoid diseases). Using immunoadsorption (IA), an already well-established procedure in cardiac and rheumatic disorders, antibodies can be removed from the plasma. At present, most data on the adjuvant use of IA in dermatology are derived from patients with severe and/or refractory pemphigus vulgaris or pemphigus foliaceus and also from patients with pemphigoid diseases. Read More

J Cancer Res Clin Oncol 2018 Dec 5. Epub 2018 Dec 5.

Division of Hematology and Medical Oncology, Department of Internal Medicine II, University Hospital Würzburg, Oberdürrbacherstraße 6, 97080, Würzburg, Germany.

Based on ELOQUENT-2, combination therapy with the monoclonal antibody elotuzumab was approved for relapsed/refractory multiple myeloma in the US and Europe. However, outside clinical trials, the optimal integration of elotuzumab into the sequence of treatment lines remains to be determined. Therefore, we analyzed safety and efficacy of elotuzumab/immunomodulatory drug combinations in a real-life cohort of 33 patients from our institution. Read More

Phys Chem Chem Phys 2018 Dec 6. Epub 2018 Dec 6.

Center for Applied Physics and Technology, College of Engineering, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China. and Department of Materials Science and Engineering, College of Engineering, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China.

Two-dimensional (2D) metal dinitrides have attracted increasing attention because of their diverse geometry configurations and extraordinary properties. Using the particle swarm optimization (PSO)-based global structure search method combined with first principles calculations, we have identified 2D metal dinitride MN2 (M = Pd, Pt) sheets containing N2 dimers, penta-MN2, which are planar and composed entirely of pentagons. These pentagonal sheets are not only dynamically, thermally and mechanically stable, but also energetically more favorable over the experimentally synthesized pyrite MN2 monolayers. Read More

Front Oncol 2018 21;8:532. Epub 2018 Nov 21.

State Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases, West China Hospital of Stomatology, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China.

Head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) is the sixth most common malignancy worldwide with a poor prognosis and high mortality. More than two-thirds of HNSCC patients still have no effective control of clinical progression, and the five-year survival rate is < 50%. Moreover, patients with platinum-refractory HNSCC have a median survival of < 6 months. Read More

Case Rep Transplant 2018 4;2018:4539757. Epub 2018 Nov 4.

Blood and Marrow Transplant Program, Department of Medicine, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA.

Ruxolitinib is an oral selective Janus-associated kinase 1 (JAK1) and JAK2 inhibitor that was initially approved by the FDA in 2014 for treatment of myelofibrosis. In preclinical and retrospective clinical studies, use of ruxolitinib was shown to reduce graft-versus-host-disease (GVHD) in allograft recipients with moderate/severe corticosteroid-dependent or refractory chronic GVHD. While the exact mechanism for action in GVHD is not yet fully understood, prospective studies are ongoing and some patients are receiving ruxolitinib in the setting of steroid refractory GVHD. Read More

Case Rep Oncol 2018 Sep-Dec;11(3):735-741. Epub 2018 Nov 12.

Division of Medical Oncology/Hematology, Department of Medicine, Kobe University Graduate School of Medicine, Kobe, Japan.

Standard therapy for radioactive iodine (RAI)-refractory differentiated thyroid cancer (DTC) is multi-targeted kinase inhibitors (m-TKIs), represented by sorafenib and lenvatinib. One of the main target molecules of m-TKIs is vascular endothelial growth factor receptor (VEGF-R). m-TKIs are known to cause adverse reactions such as hypertension and proteinuria as a class effect. Read More

Front Cell Neurosci 2018 21;12:436. Epub 2018 Nov 21.

Department of Anesthesiology, First Affiliated Hospital, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China.

To find satisfactory treatment strategies for neuropathic pain syndromes, the cellular mechanisms should be illuminated. Central sensitization is a generator of pain hypersensitivity, and is mainly reflected in neuronal hyperexcitability in pain pathway. Neuronal excitability depends on two components, the synaptic inputs and the intrinsic excitability. Read More

Patient Prefer Adherence 2018 9;12:2387-2396. Epub 2018 Nov 9.

Asklepios Kliniken Hamburg GmbH, 22763 Hamburg, Germany.

Background And Objectives: This study describes preferences of German relapsed refractory multiple myeloma (RRMM) patients with novel proteasome inhibitor-based combination treatments.

Methods: Patients with a minimum age of 18 years and a diagnosis of RRMM were included. Their preferences were assessed using a discrete choice experiment design, which was developed based on a literature review and two patient focus group discussions. Read More

Drug Des Devel Ther 2018 12;12:3885-3898. Epub 2018 Nov 12.

Division of Haematology and Oncology, Department of Pediatrics, CHU Sainte-Justine, Université de Montréal, Montréal, QC, Canada,

Over the past decades, survival of patients with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) has dramatically improved, but the subgroup of patients with relapsed/refractory ALL still continues to have dismal prognosis. As an emerging therapeutic approach, chimeric antigen receptor-modified T-cells (CAR-T) represent one of the few practice-changing therapies for this subgroup of patients. Originally conceived and built in Philadelphia (University of Pennsylvania), CTL019 or tisagenlecleucel, the first CAR-T approved by the US Food and Drug Administration, showed impressive results in refractory/relapsed ALL since the publication on two pediatric patients in 2013. Read More

Bone Marrow Transplant 2018 Dec 5. Epub 2018 Dec 5.

Bone Marrow Transplantation Center, The First Affiliated Hospital, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Zhejiang, China.

The source of CAR T cells can be autologous (autoCAR) or allogeneic (alloCAR). The latter is seen in patients with a history of allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation, and can be either donor-derived (DD-alloCAR) or recipient-derived (RD-alloCAR). While autoCAR is activated by CAR only, alloCAR receives activation signals from both T-cell receptor (TCR) and CAR. Read More

Sci Rep 2018 Dec 5;8(1):17751. Epub 2018 Dec 5.

Department of Rheumatology, Ren Ji Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, 200001, China.

A correction to this article has been published and is linked from the HTML and PDF versions of this paper. The error has been fixed in the paper. Read More

Br J Cancer 2018 Dec 6. Epub 2018 Dec 6.

Department of Hematology, Oncology and Rheumatology, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany.

Despite the arrival of novel therapies, multiple myeloma (MM) remains incurable and new treatment options are needed. Chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T cells are genetically modified T cells that express a CAR directed against specific tumour antigens. CAR T cells are able to kill target tumour cells and may result in long-lasting immune responses in vivo. Read More

Int Heart J 2018 Dec 5. Epub 2018 Dec 5.

Department of Cardiology, Atrial Fibrillation Center, Guangdong Cardiovascular Institute, Guangdong General Hospital, Guangdong Academy of Medical Sciences.

The incidence of atrial tachycardia (AT) after rheumatic mitral valvular (RMV) surgery has been well described. However, there have been few reports on the characteristics, mechanism, and long-term ablation outcome of ATs after RMV surgery and concomitant Cox-MAZE IV procedure.The present study reviewed consecutive patients who underwent AT ablation between May 2008 and July 2013. Read More

Mol Cancer Res 2018 Dec 5. Epub 2018 Dec 5.

Pediatrics, OHSU.

Soft tissue sarcomas such as leiomyosarcoma (LMS) pose a clinical challenge because systemic treatment options show only modest therapeutic benefit. Discovery and validation of targetable vulnerabilities is essential. To discover putative kinase fusions, we analyzed existing transcriptomic data from LMS clinical samples. Read More

Lancet Oncol 2018 Nov 30. Epub 2018 Nov 30.

University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USA.

Background: Axicabtagene ciloleucel is an autologous anti-CD19 chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cell therapy. In the previous analysis of the ZUMA-1 registrational study, with a median follow-up of 15·4 months (IQR 13·7-17·3), 89 (82%) of 108 assessable patients with refractory large B-cell lymphoma treated with axicabtagene ciloleucel achieved an objective response, and complete responses were noted in 63 (58%) patients. Here we report long-term activity and safety outcomes of the ZUMA-1 study. Read More

J Immunother Cancer 2018 Dec 5;6(1):142. Epub 2018 Dec 5.

Department of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, 1515 Holcombe Blvd, Houston, TX, 77030, USA.

Background: Immune-mediated diarrhea and colitis (IMDC) can limit immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) treatment, which is efficacious for advanced malignancies. Steroids and infliximab are commonly used to treat it. These agents induce systemic immunosuppression, with its associated morbidity. Read More

J Oncol Pharm Pract 2018 Dec 5:1078155218817816. Epub 2018 Dec 5.

1 Princess Noorah Oncology Center, King Abdulaziz Medical City, King Saud Bin Abdulaziz University for Health Sciences, Ministry of National Guard Health Affairs, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.

Background: Outcomes of relapsed/refractory childhood acute leukemia remain poor. We analyzed the safety/efficacy of fludarabine, cytarabine, and granulocyte colony stimulating factor, with/without idarubicin (FLAG ± IDA) as salvage therapy compared with recent published results of novel therapies.

Methods: This retrospective study included children aged 1 to 15 years with relapsed/refractory acute leukemia who received FLAG ± IDA salvage therapy from January 2000 to December 2014. Read More

Iran J Allergy Asthma Immunol 2018 Oct 14;17(5):477-484. Epub 2018 Oct 14.

Department of Biology, Marvdasht Branch, Islamic Azad University, Marvdasht, Iran AND Department of Biology, Fars Science and Research Branch, Islamic Azad University, Shiraz, Iran.

MicroRNAs (miRNAs), have been documented to perform a key role in the pathogenesis of multiple sclerosis (MS), a chronic inflammatory and autoimmune disease. Recent studies have shown that single nucleotide polymorphism in the sequence of the miRNA may change their production and expression which can lead to miRNA dysfunction and pathogenicity. Some studies have reported the relationship between miRNA polymorphism and the increased risk of autoimmune disease. Read More

Cancer 2018 Dec 3. Epub 2018 Dec 3.

Department of Medical Oncology, National Cancer Center/National Clinical Research Center for Cancer/Cancer Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China.

Background: The clinical response to anti-programmed cell death 1 (PD-1) antibodies in patients with advanced gastric and gastroesophageal junction (GEJ) cancer in China has not been reported.

Methods: This study evaluated the efficacy and safety of SHR-1210, an anti-PD-1 antibody, in patients with advanced gastric/GEJ cancer in a phase 1 trial. The associations between candidate biomarkers (programmed death ligand 1 [PD-L1] expression, mismatch repair status, tumor mutation load, and lactate dehydrogenase [LDH] levels) and the efficacy of SHR-1210 were also explored. Read More

Br J Dermatol 2018 Dec;179(6):1246

Department of Dermatology, Hokkaido University Graduate School of Medicine, Sapporo, Japan.

J Insect Sci 2018 Nov 1;18(6). Epub 2018 Nov 1.

C2D2 Research Group, Department of Biological Sciences, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, BC, Canada.

The composition, abundance, and diversity of midgut bacteria in mosquitoes can influence pathogen transmission. We used 16S rRNA microbiome profiling to survey midgut microbial diversity in pooled samples of laboratory colonized dengue-refractory, Cali-MIB, and dengue-susceptible, Cali-S Aedes aegypti (Linnaeus). The 16S rRNA sequences from the sugar-fed midguts of adult females clustered to 63 amplicon sequence variants (ASVs), primarily from Proteobacteria, Firmicutes, Flavobacteria, and Actinobacteria. Read More

JAMA Neurol 2018 Dec 3. Epub 2018 Dec 3.

Department of Neurosurgery, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut.

Importance: Seizures recur in as many as half of patients who undergo surgery for drug-resistant temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE). Understanding why TLE is resistant to surgery in some patients may reveal insights into epileptogenic networks and direct new therapies to improve outcomes.

Objective: To characterize features of surgically refractory TLE. Read More

J Vis Exp 2018 Nov 14(141). Epub 2018 Nov 14.

Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University; Department of Pathology & Cell Biology, Columbia University Medical Center;

The goal of this protocol is to isolate oxytocin-receptor rich brain nuclei in the neonatal brain before and after first colostrum feeding. The expression of proteins known to respond to metabolic stress was measured in brain-nuclei isolates using Western blotting. This was done to assess whether metabolic stress-induced nutrient insufficiency in the body triggered neuronal stress. Read More

Curr Opin Allergy Clin Immunol 2018 Nov 29. Epub 2018 Nov 29.

Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Shiga University of Medical Science, Otsu, Japan.

Purpose Of Review: Chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS) is a heterogeneous disease and is recently classified into two phenotypes, eosinophilic CRS (ECRS) and non-ECRS. ECRS is characterized by Th2-biased eosinophilic inflammation, and non-ECRS is characterized by Th1-biased neutrophilic inflammation. Group 2 innate lymphoid cells (ILC2s) rapidly produce large amounts of Th2 cytokines and exert critical roles in Th2-type immune responses. Read More

Curr Opin Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg 2018 Nov 30. Epub 2018 Nov 30.

Department of Otorhinolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery, Rush University Medical Center, Chicago, Illinois, USA.

Purpose Of Review: New research in the pathogenesis of chronic rhinosinusitis has shed light on an emerging classification system based on endotypes, which help to explain the individualized mechanism of disease in patients suffering from chronic rhinosinusitis with and without nasal polyps. The purpose of this review is to advocate the use of structured histopathologic analysis in the diagnosis and management of patients affected by chronic rhinosinusitis with and without polyps.

Recent Findings: Numerous studies have demonstrated the role of inflammation in chronic rhinosinusitis and the ensuing histopatholgic changes. Read More

Curr Opin Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg 2018 Nov 30. Epub 2018 Nov 30.

Rhinology & Endoscopic Skull Base Surgery, UCLA Department of Head & Neck Surgery, Los Angeles, California, USA.

Purpose Of Review: The purpose of the review is to evaluate the current indications and contraindications for balloon sinuplasty and review the clinical trials performed in this area.

Recent Findings: The indications for balloon sinus dilatation are somewhat similar to those for endoscopic sinus surgery. Balloon sinus ostial dilation (BSD) has been found to be most effective in the treatment of recurrent acute sinusitis (RARS) and chronic rhinosinusitis without nasal polyposis (CRSsNP) that has been refractory to medical therapy. Read More

Top Stroke Rehabil 2018 Dec 3:1-7. Epub 2018 Dec 3.

c Internal Medicine , Jining No.2 People's Hospital , Jining , Shandong Province , China.

Objectives: Stroke is a common refractory disease that may cause dysfunctions in the motor system. The study aimed to evaluate the effects of mental practice (MP) compared with other methods on upper limb motor restoration after stroke.

Methods: Eligible studies were identified from Pubmed, Embase, and The Cochrane Library. Read More

Leuk Lymphoma 2018 Dec 3:1-7. Epub 2018 Dec 3.

a Department of Internal Medicine , Seoul National University Hospital , Seoul , Korea.

Allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (allo-HSCT) has been the only treatment option for acute myeloid leukemia (AML) refractory to induction chemotherapy, with only 10-20% of patients achieving long-term survival. Certain donor genotypes may confer leukemia-clearing effects after allo-HSCT. We performed whole-exome sequencing of five pairs of the germ lines in AML patients who achieved long-term remission after allo-HSCT and in their donors, and found two significant variants: EGFR c. Read More

Acta Psychiatr Scand 2018 Dec 3. Epub 2018 Dec 3.

Queen's University, Department of Psychiatry, Providence Care Hospital, 752 King Street West, Postal Bag 603, Kingston, ON.

Objective: In this systematic review and meta-analysis, the response, remission, and speed of response in adults with major depressive disorder (MDD) and bipolar disorder in depressive episode (BDD) receiving an acute course of electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) were quantitatively analyzed.

Methods: Using the PRISMA guidelines, 1660 citations were identified through five electronic databases. 19 articles met final inclusion criteria for meta-analysis. Read More

J Cell Biochem 2018 Dec 3. Epub 2018 Dec 3.

Department of Reproductive Medicine, The Affiliated Yantai Yuhuangding Hospital of Qingdao University, Yantai, Shandong, China.

Background: Platelet-rich plasma (PRP) contains abundant growth factors and is gradually used in the field of reproduction. A thin endometrium is recognized as a critical factor in embryo implantation failure. Endometrial mesenchymal stem cells (EnMSCs), which were isolated from human menstrual blood, are highly proliferative and show multiple differentiation capacity. Read More

J Dermatol 2018 Dec 3. Epub 2018 Dec 3.

Department of Dermatology, Kansai Medical University, Hirakata, Japan.

We report herein a case of a 72-year-old man with pityriasis rubra pilaris (PRP) that was refractory to conventional therapies. His skin lesions progressed to generalized erythroderma despite anti-interleukin (IL)-17A antibody therapy. Topical corticosteroids, emollients, systemic retinoid, methotrexate, cyclosporin and phototherapy yielded no therapeutic response. Read More

Gastric Cancer 2018 Dec 1. Epub 2018 Dec 1.

Division of Gastrointestinal Medical Oncology, National Cancer Center Hospital, 5-1-1, Tsukiji, Chuo-ku, Tokyo, 104-0045, Japan.

Background: Nivolumab, an anti-programmed death-1 agent, showed survival benefits in Asian patients, including Japanese, with gastric/gastro-esophageal junction (G/GEJ) cancer. We report the analysis of the Japanese subpopulation from ATTRACTION-2 that evaluated nivolumab versus placebo in unresectable advanced or recurrent G/GEJ cancer after ≥ 2 chemotherapy regimens.

Methods: Data from the Japanese subpopulation in the randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, phase 3 trial were analyzed (data cutoff, February 25, 2017). Read More

Infect Dis Ther 2018 Nov 30. Epub 2018 Nov 30.

Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, Canada.

Introduction: Lyme disease-also known as Lyme borreliosis (LB)-is the most common vector-borne disease in North America and Europe. It may result in substantial morbidity, primarily from persistent Lyme arthritis (LA) that-although treatable-can develop into antibiotic-refractory LA (A-RLA). The aim of this study is to systematically review and evaluate a range of biomarkers for their potential predictive value in the development of A-RLA. Read More

Endosc Int Open 2018 Dec 29;6(12):E1410-E1412. Epub 2018 Nov 29.

Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra/Northwell, Northwell Health System, Division of Gastroenterology, Long Island Jewish Medical Center, New Hyde Park, New York, United States.

 This is a case report on use of the CryoBalloon as a salvage technique for ablation of residual neoplasia at an endoscopic mucosal resection site. The site contained an embedded clip that could not be removed at two different sessions by three experienced endoscopists. On follow-up endoscopy, the clips and residual polyp no longer remained. Read More

Data Brief 2018 Dec 26;21:1622-1641. Epub 2018 Oct 26.

Université Paris 13, LSPM (UPR 3407) CNRS, 99 avenue J.B. Clément, 93430 Villetaneuse, France.

This data article presents the compilation of mechanical properties for 122 refractory high entropy alloys (RHEAs) and refractory complex concentrated alloys (RCCAs) reported in the period from 2010 to the end of January 2018. The data sheet gives alloy composition, type of microstructures and the metallurgical states in which the properties are measured. Data such as the computed alloy mass density, the type of mechanical loadings to which they are subjected and the corresponding macroscopic mechanical properties, such as the yield stress, are made available as a function of the testing temperature. Read More

Prostate Int 2018 Dec 1;6(4):157-161. Epub 2018 Jun 1.

Department of Urology, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.

Background: We investigated the usefulness of inflammatory markers including the delta neutrophil index (DNI), erythrocyte sedimentation rate, C-reactive protein, and procalcitonin as early predictors of sepsis in patients with acute prostatitis (AP). In addition, we evaluated the efficacy of intermittent catheterization for the initial management of acute urinary retention (AUR) in patients with AP.

Materials And Methods: All patients who presented to the emergency department and were admitted to the urology department from January 2011 to December 2013 were retrospectively reviewed. Read More

Urol Case Rep 2019 Mar 17;23:13-14. Epub 2018 Nov 17.

Department of Urology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg - Medical Centre, Freiburg, Germany.