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Objective: To investigate the impact of ageing on survival outcomes in Bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG) treated non-muscle invasive bladder cancer (NMIBC) patients and its synergy with adequate BCG treatment., Method: Patients with NMIBC who received BCG treatment from 2001 to 2020 were divided into group 1 (< = 70 years) and group 2 (> 70 years). Overall Survival (OS), Cancer-Specific Survival (CSS), Recurrence-Free Survival (RFS), and Progression-Free Survival (PFS) were analyzed using the Kaplan-Meier method. Multivariable Cox regression analysis was used to adjust potential confounding factors and to estimate Hazard Ratio (HR) and 95% Confidence Interval (CI). Subgroup analysis was performed according to adequate versus inadequate BCG treatment., Results: Overall, 2602 NMIBC patients were included: 1051 (40.4%) and 1551 (59.6%) in groups 1 and 2, respectively. At median follow-up of 11.0 years, group 1 (< = 70 years) was associated with better OS, CSS, and RFS, but not PFS as compared to group 2 (> 70 years). At subgroup analysis, patients in group 1 treated with adequate BCG showed better OS, CSS, RFS, and PFS as compared with inadequate BCG treatment in group 2, while patients in group 2 receiving adequate BCG treatment had 41% less progression than those treated with inadequate BCG from the same group., Conclusions: Being younger (< = 70 years) was associated with better OS, CSS, and RFS, but not PFS. Older patients (> 70 years) who received adequate BCG treatment had similar PFS as those younger with adequate BCG treatment., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

This case report describes a novel and unique combination of both electromagnetic and electrohydraulic focused extracorporeal shockwave therapy (ESWT) and extracorporeal magnetotransduction therapy (EMTT) for accelerated healing in a calcaneus epiphyseal fracture with delayed healing in an adolescent Parkour athlete. After a 2.5m jump, the 14-year-old experienced significant heel pain, however avoided telling his parents. After eight weeks, the initial imaging using ultra low dose weight-bearing cone beam CT (WBCT) revealed a calcaneus non-union situation adjacent to the open calcaneal physis. To improve and accelerate bony healing substantially, we chose to apply both combined focused electromagnetic (Storz Ultra, Storz Medical AG, Tägerwillen, CH) and focused electrohydraulic (MTS, Konstanz, Germany) ESWT in a fractioned fashion plus EMTT (Storz Magnetolith, Tägerwillen, CH) in five consecutive weekly sessions while allowing the patient to fully weight bear. The follow-up WBCT after six weeks revealed a near to total healing of the delayed union and being pain-free. Notably, combination therapy with focused ESWT and EMTT did not result in early closure of the calcaneal epiphysis. We conclude that combined focused electromagnetic and electrohydraulic ESWT and EMTT facilitate bony healing in adolescent calcaneal apophyseal fractures without any adverse effects on the open physis. Evidence level IV (case report)., Competing Interests: KK is a lecturer for Storz Medical and reports non-financial support from MTS for providing test machine. AS has nothing to disclose. WS is a consultant for MTS and reports personal fees from SoftWave TRT, outside the submitted work., (© 2024 Knobloch et al.)

In this potential - study, the non - thermal atmospheric pressure plasma is utilized for the neutral - eradication of water contaminants. In the air ambient region, plasma induced reactive species, like as OH • , O (O 2 - ), H 2 O 2 (OH • +OH • ) & NO x are performed for the oxidative and reductive transformation of As III (H 3 AsO 3 ) to As V (H 2 As O 4 - ) & Fe 3 O 4 (Fe 3+ ) (C-GIO) to Fe 2 O 3 (Fe 2+ ). Whereas, the H 2 O 2 & NO x are quantified maximum (max.) in water, which is 144.24 & 111.82 μM, respectively. In the absence of plasma and plasma with C-GIO, the As III was more eradicated, which is 64.01 and 100.00%. While, the C - GIO (catalyst) synergistic enhancement was performed and proved by the neutral - degradation of CR. Also, the As V adsorbed on C-GIO adsorption capacity q max and redox-adsorption yield were evaluated, which are 1.36 mg/g and 20.80 g/kWh, respectively. In this research, the waste material (GIO) was recycled, modified, and utilized for the neutral - eradication of water contaminates, which are organic (CR) and inorganic (As III ) toxicants by the controlling of H and OH • under the interaction of plasma with catalyst (C-GIO). However, in this research, plasma can't adopt the acidic, which is controlled by the C-GIO via RONS. Moreover, in this eradicative study, various water pH alignments were performed, from neutral to acidic & neutral & base for toxicants removal. Furthermore, according to WHO norms, the arsenic level was reduced to 0.01 mg/l for environmental safety. The kinetic and isotherm studies were followed by the mono and multi-layer adsorption was performed on the surface of C - GIO beads, which is estimated by the fitting of rate limiting constant R 2  ≈ 1. Furthermore, the C-GIO was examined several characterizations alignments, such as crystal, surface, functional, elemental composition, retention time, mass spectrum, and elemental oriented properties. Overall, the suggested hybrid system is an eco-friendly pathway for the natural - eradication of contaminants, such as organic and inorganic compounds via waste material (GIO) recycling, modification, oxidation, reduction, adsorption, degradation, and neutralization phenomenon., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2023 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Background: LIBRETTO-001 is an ongoing, global, open-label, phase I/II study of selpercatinib in patients with advanced or metastatic solid tumors. We report interim patient-reported outcomes in patients with RET fusion-positive non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC)., Patients and Methods: Patients completed the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life Questionnaire (QLQ-C30) version 3.0 at baseline (cycle 1, day 1), approximately every other 28-day cycle until cycle 13, and every 12 weeks thereafter. Data were evaluated through cycle 13 as few patients had reached later time points. A change of ≥10 points from baseline in domain scores was considered clinically meaningful., Results: Among 253 selpercatinib-treated patients, 239 were categorized into subgroups by prior therapy: treatment-naïve (n = 39), one prior line of therapy (n = 64), or two or more prior lines of therapy (n = 136). The QLQ-C30 was completed by >85% of patients at each time point. Most patients overall and in each subgroup maintained or improved in all health-related quality of life (HRQoL) domains during treatment. The percentage of patients who experienced clinically meaningful improvements ranged from 61.1% to 66.7% for global health status, 33.3% to 61.1% for dyspnea, and 46.2% to 63.0% for pain. The 61.1% of patients with improved dyspnea had two or more prior lines of therapy; median time to first improvement was 3.4 months. At the first postbaseline evaluation (cycle 3), 45.9% of all patients reported a ≥10-point reduction in pain., Conclusion: In this interim analysis, the majority of patients with RET fusion-positive NSCLC remained stable or improved on all QLQ-C30 subscales at each study visit, demonstrating favorable HRQoL as measured by the QLQ-C30 during treatment with selpercatinib., (© 2021 Loxo Oncology, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Eli Lilly and Company.)

Tumour M2-pyruvate kinase (TUM2-PK) is up-regulated in many human cancers. This study was to evaluate the clinical value of serum TUM2-PK in early-stage non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients. A total of 162 consecutive early-stage NSCLC patients were enrolled and followed up after tumour resection. Serum TUM2-PK level was detected by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) in NSCLC patients, 50 benign pulmonary disease patients and 102 healthy controls. The TUM2-PK level in NSCLC patients was higher than that of healthy controls (P < .001) and benign pulmonary disease patients (P < .001). A threshold of 30 U/mL could be used to diagnose early-stage NSCLC with 71.6% sensitivity and 98.0% specificity. The 5-year overall survival rate in patients with high TUM2-PK level was lower than that of patients with low TUM2-PK level (P = .009). Multivariable Cox regression showed that high TUM2-PK level was an independent risk factor for overall survival (HR = 2.595, 95% CI: 1.231-5.474, P = .012). High serum TUM2-PK level could be a potential biomarker for diagnosis and prognosis of early-stage NSCLC patients., (© 2021 The Authors. Journal of Cellular and Molecular Medicine published by Foundation for Cellular and Molecular Medicine and John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

The majority of non-small cell lung cancers are diagnosed as advanced disease. Subsets of adenocarcinomas and of squamous cell carcinomas in nonsmokers present a molecular aberration leading to tumour survival. Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor (EGFR), Anaplastic Lymphoma Kinase (ALK) and Repressor Of Silencing1 (ROS1) have been identified and targeted with good efficacy for fifteen years. Newer inhibitors brought even greater efficacy with a generally better tolerability. Other molecular aberrations (Kirsten Rat Sarcoma, Rearranged during Transfection, MET, NeuroTrophic Receptor yrosine kinase) are targets for newly developed, more selective drugs. As more and more patients will benefit from targeted therapies, the identification of molecular aberration is more than ever crucial for optimal lung cancer patient care.

Lung cancer is the third most common cancer in Belgium in 2017 and remains the leading cause of cancer death worldwide. There is no longer any doubt that the main cause of lung cancer is smoking. However, the prevalence of lung cancer in never-smokers has been increasing overtime. Moreover, it is now recognized that the lung cancer of non-smoker patients has very distinct characteristics. In this retrospective cohort study (N = 520), we describe the characteristics of non-smoker patients and their non-small cell lung carcinoma and compare them to those of smokers. The patients included in this study were whose with a new diagnostic of lung cancer made at the Liège University Hospital of Liège over 2 years round. Non small cell lung cancer occurring in never-smokers patients is more often seen in young and very old patients, more frequent in female, essentially adenocarcinoma and often associated with mutations. This work confirms that lung cancer in never-smokers shows different features than lung cancer seen in patients with a smoking history.

Purpose: This article explores the efficacy, toxicity, place in therapy, and considerations for use of recently approved immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) in the treatment of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC)., Summary: Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer mortality in the United States and is responsible for more cancer-related deaths than breast, prostate, and colorectal cancer combined. The landscape for lung cancer treatment is evolving with the approval of new and exciting novel therapies. Within the last decade numerous ICIs have been approved for use in the management of the most common subtype of lung cancer, NSCLC. The ICI agents currently approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for use in NSCLC include ipilimumab, pembrolizumab, nivolumab, durvalumab, and atezolizumab. These agents are approved for specific indications; therefore, they are not interchangeable. This review focuses on the landmark trials that led to each FDA-approved indication, as well as common toxicities seen with use of these agents. It also discusses the use of ICIs in special populations and unique considerations prior to initiation of treatment with these novel therapies in a patient with NSCLC., Conclusion: ICIs can provide a breakthrough treatment option for the management of NSCLC and are rapidly being adopted into clinical practice. It is important to be familiar with appropriate selection of an ICI therapy option for each patient based on approved indication, unique considerations, and anticipated toxicities., (© American Society of Health-System Pharmacists 2021. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.)

Study Objectives: The circadian system must perform daily adjustments to align sleep-wake and other physiologic rhythms with the environmental light-dark cycle: This is mediated primarily through melanopsin containing intrinsically photosensitive retinal ganglion cells. Individuals with delayed sleep-wake phase disorder (DSWPD) exhibit a delay in sleep-wake timing relative to the average population, while those with sighted non-24-hour sleep-wake rhythm disorder (N24SWD) exhibit progressive delays. An inability to maintain appropriate entrainment is a characteristic of both disorders. In this study, we test the hypothesis that individuals with DSWPD exhibit alteration in melanopsin-dependent retinal photo-transduction as measured with the postillumination pupil response (PIPR)., Methods: Twenty-one control and 29 participants with DSWPD were recruited from the community and clinic. Of the 29 DSWPD participants, 17 reported a history of N24SWD. A pupillometer was used to measure the PIPR in response to a bright 30-second blue or red-light stimulus. The PIPR was calculated as the difference in average pupil diameter at baseline and 10-40 seconds after light stimulus offset., Results: The PIPR was significantly reduced in the DSWPD group when compared with the control group (1.26 ± 1.11 mm vs 2.05 ± 1.04 mm, p < 0.05, t-test). The PIPR was significantly reduced in the sighted N24SWD subgroup when compared with individuals with the history of only DSWPD (0.88 ± 0.58 mm vs 1.82 ± 1.44 mm, p < 0.05, analysis of variance [ANOVA]) or controls (0.88 ± 0.58 mm vs 2.05 ± 1.04 mm, p < 0.01, ANOVA)., Conclusions: These results indicate that reduced melanopsin-dependent retinal photo-transduction may be a novel mechanism involved in the development of DSWPD and sighted N24SWD., (© Sleep Research Society 2020. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Sleep Research Society. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail journals.permissions@oup.com.)

Background: Zoledronic acid (ZA) and strontium-89 have been widely used to treat lung cancer with bone metastases. The authors perform this meta-analysis to better evaluate the clinical outcome of ZA and strontium-89 for non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients., Methods: We carried out standard meta-analysis and network meta-analysis based on a comprehensive data retrieval of EMBASE, PubMed, and Cochrane Library databases (up to March 2019). Random and fixed effects models were used where indicated and between-study heterogeneity was assessed. The primary endpoints were overall survival (OS) and skeletal-related events (SREs). The second endpoints were progression-free survival (PFS) and overall response rate (ORR)., Results: Seven randomized clinical trials, including 1426 NSCLC patients with seven studies of zoledronic acid and two studies of strontium-89, met the inclusion criteria. Compared with the control group, ZA is associated with a OS benefit (1-year survival rate: RR = 1.76, 95% CI 1.36-2.27; and 24-month survival rate: RR = 2.38, 95% CI 1.35-4.19) and a reduction of SREs (RR = 0.57, 95% CI 0.40-0.84) for the patients with bone metastases. No statistical differences were found in PFS and ORR. Network meta-analysis for the patients with bone metastases showed that ZA + strontium-89 and ZA harbored significantly clinical benefits than strontium-89 and placebo in terms of 1-year survival rate and SREs. Both head-to-head study and network meta-analysis showed that strontium-89 had no statistical impact on OS and SREs compared with placebo., Conclusion: Our analysis demonstrates that ZA +strontium-89 can be considered a priority for NSCLC patients with bone metastases, followed by ZA.

Non-specific Interstitial Pneumonia (NSIP) is an anatomo-clinical entity within the group of Diffuse Infiltrative Pulmonary Diseases (DPID). It is very rarely found in pediatrics. Main symptoms are dry cough and dyspnea. Bronchoalveolar lavage and biology are non specific. The thoracic CT scan suspects the diagnosis, but histological examination of a lung biopsy remains the reference examination and makes the diagnosis highly probable according to the ATS / ERS criteria. An autoimmune assessment should be performed because NSIPs are often associated with connective tissue disease or may even be the first sign of connectivitive tissues diseases. The treatment of the acute phase is mainly based on the administration of corticosteroids and the prognosis is generally good. In this article, we describe the management of NSIP, based on a pediatric clinical case.

Background/aims: Although there are many reports of regional variations in skin response to various stimuli, only a few studies have been performed on the face. The forearm is the most often used test site while the face is a frequent and specific target of many topical agents (drugs and cosmetics) and cosmetic procedures. The aim of this study was to compare regional variations of cutaneous sensation and skin barrier function in the cheek, neck and forearm before and after application of different stimuli (physical and/or chemical)., Methods: Physiological changes of the skin were measured by non-invasive methods: TEWL (transepidermal water loss) and skin capacitance. Furthermore, clinical scoring and subjective sensations were reported. The anatomical sites evaluated were cheek, neck and volar forearm., Results: Great differences in clinical reactions, subjective sensations and skin barrier function in response to various stimuli have been observed between tested areas (cheek, neck and forearm). We observed a greater "sensitivity", i.e., more severe clinical reactions and subjective sensations of the cheek and neck areas, in relation to chemical stimuli as compared to the forearm. After a mechanical stimulus, the forearm was the most sensitive site, but just for subjective sensations. Concerning skin barrier function, the cheeks exhibited the highest values of TEWL and the forearms the lowest., Conclusion: In view of the high "sensitivity" of the cheek as compared to the forearm, it will be more cautious to assess the safety of facial cosmetics on the sites of intended use.

Background/aims: In previous studies we have shown that variations in the properties of the stratum corneum are reflected by alterations in electrical impedance. The aim of this study was to explore the ability of the electrical impedance technique to detect changes in the lipid content of the stratum corneum, and to compare It with the other non-invasive methods, measurement of transepidermal water loss and of skin moisture., Methods: Twenty-two healthy test subjects were recruited. Transepidermal water loss was measured at standard sites on the forearms and wrists, followed by skin moisture estimation by electrical capacitance, and finally by the recording of electrical impedance spectra in the frequency range 1 kHz to 1 MHz. Readings by all three methods were taken before the start of each series of test procedures, as well as after cyclohexane swabbing, a skin stripping procedure and lipid extraction, and also during the recovery process. A mixture of hexane:isopro-panol was used for lipid extraction of the skin, and the extracts were evaluated using HPLC/LSD and GC/MS/FID analysis. Biopsy samples for light and electron microscopy were obtained after lipid extraction., Results: Electrical impedance results showed greater changes after lipid extraction than either transepidermal water loss or skin moisture content. Baseline values varied from the cubital fossa to the wrist, both for the non-invasive methods and for lipid composition., Conclusions: The electrial impedance is dependent on the lipid content of the stratum corneum, as studied by lipid extraction experiments.

Background/aims: Measurement of cutaneous surface topography can be made by three-dimensional (3-D) profilometry. Different equipment is used for this measurement. The magnitude of the vertical scale required, which can vary from several tens of micrometers (microrelief) to several millimeters (skin pathologies), depends also on the precision required and the duration of acquisition time. Over the last few years, different apparatuses have been produced, with a vertical range that is most frequently used for classical industrial applications, i.e., 0-1000 μm., Methods: The system developed here has a wide range of about 7 mm and is accurate enough to analyse each of the different skin surfaces that fall in this range without changing magnification. An optical principle, operating without any contact with a skin replica, allows a precise measurement with a high scanning speed., Results: The profilometer has a vertical sensitivity of 4 μm within a vertical range of 7 mm. This sensitivity is lower than that of a mechanical or focusing profilometer, but the vertical range is wider., Conclusions: The system has several advantages: because of its verticale range, it can measure large surfaces with great roughness variations; the initial position of the replica beneath the profilometer must be within the 7 mm vertical range; and skin topography can be quantified, without contact, in a short time.