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The prevalence of polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) among trans men has been reported as higher than among the cisgender population, which varies between 14.4% and 58%. In this cross-sectional study...

Background: Studies of transgender/gender diverse (TGD) youth indicate a high prevalence of overweight/obesity and concern for unhealthy weight management behavior. This study describes the associa...

Thrombopoietin receptor agonists (TPO-RAs) are used to treat bone marrow failure in aplastic anemia (AA). Treatment with TPO-RAs, cyclosporine A (CsA) and anti-thymocyte globulin (ATG) induces remission and a sustained response. However, the efficacy of TPO-RAs without ATG remains unclear. We retrospectively assessed 45 patients with AA refractory to CsA and naïve for ATG treatment who received eltrombopag without ATG at our hospital during 2017-2021. Of these, 28 (62%) achieved a hematologic response in at least one lineage after six months of treatment, and 38 (84%) achieved best response at any point during the follow-up period. Four patients (25%) achieved trilineage responses during the follow-up period. Five patients switched from eltrombopag to romiplostim because of adverse events or lack of efficacy. Two developed hematologic malignancies. Eltrombopag was effective even in elderly ATG-ineligible patients with severe AA. The two-year overall survival rate was 84.3%, with a median follow-up of 26.3 months. Time from diagnosis to eltrombopag treatment initiation tended to affect the response (p = 0.0727), but no factors that significantly predicted hematologic response were identified. In conclusion, patients who are ineligible for ATG treatment because of age, complications, or even severe AA should nevertheless be considered for TPO-RA treatment.

Background We investigated the necessity of multiple core biopsies when performing transperineal template-guided mapping biopsy (TTMB) for patients with large prostates and no suspicious lesions on multiparametric magnetic resonance imaging (mpMRI). Materials and methods We retrospectively analyzed 304 patients on active surveillance (AS), 212 patients with previously negative transrectal ultrasound-guided biopsy (TRUS-Bx) and 67 biopsy naive patients who underwent TTMB between May 2017 and December 2020. The number of core biopsies and acute urinary retention (AUR) rates were analyzed in relation to the prostate volume (PV). Cancer detection rate according to the prostate volume and Prostate Imaging-Reporting and Data System (PI-RADS) scores were compared using the Pearson Chi-square test. Results AUR occurred more frequently in patients with PV over 39 cc (5.5% vs. 24.4%, P Conclusion Increasing the number of core biopsies of prostates measuring ≥39 cc with PI-RADS 1–2 on mpMRI does not significantly increase the detection rates of any prostate cancer or csPCA.

Background: Although hypertension is a well-known risk factor for chronic kidney disease (CKD), the blood pressure (BP) at which antihypertensive interventions should be initiated remains to be determined. Therefore, we investigated the association between BP and CKD in treatment-naïve individuals.Methods: This prospective cohort study considered 7,343 individuals in the Korean Genome and Epidemiology Study who were not taking antihypertensive medications. Subjects were categorized into six groups according to their systolic BP (SBP) and five groups according to their diastolic BP (DBP). The primary outcome was incident CKD, which was defined as an estimated glomerular filtration rate of

Information on microbiota dynamics in pulmonary tuberculosis (TB) in Africa is scarce. Here, we sequenced sputa from 120 treatment-naïve TB patients in Uganda, and investigated changes in microbiota of 30 patients with treatment-response follow-up samples. Overall, HIV-status and anti-TB treatment were associated with microbial structural and abundance changes. The predominant phyla were Bacteroidetes, Firmicutes, Proteobacteria, Fusobacteria and Actinobacteria, accounting for nearly 95% of the sputum microbiota composition; the predominant genera across time were Prevotella, Streptococcus, Veillonella, Haemophilus, Neisseria, Alloprevotella, Porphyromonas, Fusobacterium, Gemella, and Rothia. Treatment-response follow-up at month 2 was characterized by a reduction in abundance of Mycobacterium and Fretibacterium, and an increase in Ruminococcus and Peptococcus; month 5 was characterized by a reduction in Tannerella and Fusobacterium, and an increase in members of the family Neisseriaceae. The microbiota core comprised of 44 genera that were stable during treatment. Hierarchical clustering of this core’s abundance distinctly separated baseline (month 0) samples from treatment follow-up samples (months 2/5). We also observed a reduction in microbial diversity with 9.1% (CI 6–14%) of the structural variation attributed to HIV-status and anti-TB treatment. Our findings show discernible microbiota signals associated with treatment with potential to inform anti-TB treatment response monitoring.

We previously reported that t(14;18)-negative follicular lymphomas (FL) show a clear reduction of newly acquired N-glycosylation sites (NANGS) in immunoglobulin genes. We therefore aimed to investigate in-depth the occurrence of NANGS in a larger cohort of t(14;18)-positive and t(14;18)-negative FL, including early (I/II) and advanced (III/IV) stage treatment-naive and relapsed tumors. The clonotype was determined by using a next-generation sequencing approach in a series of 68 FL with fresh frozen material [36 t(14;18) positive and 32 t(14;18) negative]. The frequency of NANGS differed considerably between t(14;18)-positive and t(14;18)-negative FL stage III/IV, but no difference was observed among t(14;18)-positive and t(14;18)-negative FL stage I/II. The introduction of NANGS in all t(14;18)-negative clinical subgroups occurred significantly more often in the FR3 region. Moreover, t(14;18)-negative treatment-naive FL, specifically those with NANGS, showed a strong bias for IGHV4-34 usage compared with t(14;18)-positive treatment-naive cases with NANGS; IGHV4-34 usage was never recorded in relapsed FL. In conclusion, subgroups of t(14;18)-negative FL might use different mechanisms of B-cell receptor stimulation compared with the lectin-mediated binding described in t(14;18)-positive FL, including responsiveness to autoantigens as indicated by biased IGHV4-34 usage and strong NANGS enrichment in FR3.

BACKGROUND Insufficient and contradictory data are available about the relation between direct-acting antivirals (DAAs) and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) development in patients with hepatitis C virus (HCV). AIM To analyze differences in basic clinical, radiological, and laboratory characteristics in addition to tumor behavior upon HCC diagnosis between patients with and without a previous history of DAAs exposure. METHODS This multicenter case-control study included 497 patients with chronic HCV-related HCC, allocated into one of two groups according to their history of antiviral treatment for their HCV. RESULTS Group I included 151 HCC patients with a history of DAAs, while 346 patients who had never been treated with DAAs were assigned to group II. A significant difference was observed between both groups regarding basic assessment scores (Child, MELD, and BCLC), which tended to have more advanced liver disease and HCC stage upon diagnosis in group I. However, serum albumin was significantly affected, and serum α-fetoprotein was significantly higher in group II (P < 0.001). In addition, group I showed significant HCC multicentricity than group II, while the incidence of portal vein thrombosis was significantly higher in group I (P < 0.001). CONCLUSION The basic clinical scores and laboratory characteristics of HCC patients are advanced in patients who are naïve to DAAs treatment; however, HCC behavior is more aggressive in DAA-treated patients.

Background Neuroimaging studies in posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) have identified various alterations in white matter (WM) microstructural organization. However, it remains unclear whether these are localized to specific regions of fiber tracts, and what diagnostic value they might have. This study set out to explore the spatial profile of WM abnormalities along defined fiber tracts in PTSD. Methods Diffusion tensor images were obtained from 77 treatment-naive noncomorbid patients with PTSD and 76 demographically matched trauma-exposed non-PTSD (TENP) controls. Using automated fiber quantification, tract profiles of fractional anisotropy, axial diffusivity, mean diffusivity, and radial diffusivity were calculated to evaluate WM microstructural organization. Results were analyzed by pointwise comparisons, by correlation with symptom severity, and for diagnosis-by-sex interactions. Support vector machine analyses assessed the ability of tract profiles to discriminate PTSD from TENP. Results Compared to TENP, PTSD showed lower fractional anisotropy accompanied by higher radial diffusivity and mean diffusivity in the left uncinate fasciculus, and lower fractional anisotropy accompanied by higher radial diffusivity in the right anterior thalamic radiation. Tract profile alterations were correlated with symptom severity, suggesting a pathophysiological relevance. There were no significant differences in diagnosis-by-sex interaction. Tract profiles allowed individual classification of PTSD versus TENP with significant accuracy, of potential diagnostic utility. Conclusions These findings add to the knowledge of the neuropathological basis of PTSD. WM alterations based on a tract-profile quantification approach are a potential biomarker for PTSD.

Nephropathic cystinosis is a rare autosomal recessive lysosomal storage disease that is characterized by accumulation of cysteine and formation of crystals within cells of different organs and tissues causing systemic manifestations in childhood that include poor linear growth, ocular involvement, hypothyroidism, and progressive kidney disease. This study was a long‐term, prospective open‐label evaluation of twice‐daily delayed release (DR) cysteamine capsules in cystinosis patients

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Arterial sclerosis resulting from hypertension slows CSF transportation in the perivascular spaces, showing the intrinsic relationship between the CSF and the blood vasculature. However, the exact effect of hypertension on human CSF flow dynamics remains unclear. The present study aimed to evaluate CSF flow dynamics in treatment-naive patients with essential hypertension using phase-contrast cine MR imaging. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The study included 60 never-treated patients with essential hypertension and 60 subjects without symptomatic atherosclerosis. CSF flow parameters, such as forward flow volume, forward peak velocity, reverse flow volume, reverse peak velocity, average flow, and net flow volume, were measured with phase-contrast cine MR imaging. Differences between the 2 groups were assessed to determine the independent determinants of these CSF flow parameters. RESULTS: Forward flow volume, forward peak velocity, reverse flow volume, reverse peak velocity, and average flow in the patients with hypertension significantly decreased (all, P

Optimal resection of breast tumors requires removing cancer with a rim of normal tissue while preserving uninvolved regions of the breast. Surgical and pathological techniques that permit rapid molecular characterization of tissue could facilitate such resections. Mass spectrometry (MS) is increasingly used in the research setting to detect and classify tumors and has the potential to detect cancer at surgical margins. Here, we describe the ex vivo intraoperative clinical application of MS using a liquid micro-junction surface sample probe (LMJ-SSP) to assess breast cancer margins. In a midpoint analysis of a registered clinical trial, surgical specimens from 21 women with treatment naïve invasive breast cancer were prospectively collected and analyzed at the time of surgery with subsequent histopathological determination. Normal and tumor breast specimens from the lumpectomy resected by the surgeon were smeared onto glass slides for rapid analysis. Lipidomic profiles were acquired from these specimens using LMJ-SSP MS in negative ionization mode within the operating suite and post-surgery analysis of the data revealed five candidate ions separating tumor from healthy tissue in this limited dataset. More data is required before considering the ions as candidate markers. Here, we present an application of ambient MS within the operating room to analyze breast cancer tissue and surgical margins. Lessons learned from these initial promising studies are being used to further evaluate the five candidate biomarkers and to further refine and optimize intraoperative MS as a tool for surgical guidance in breast cancer.

Background/Aim: Thyroid hormones play an essential role in retinal development and physiological functions. Although the effects of hyperthyroidism on ocular circulation are well-defined, no studies report the effects of clinical hypothyroidism on retinal and choroidal circulation. We aimed to compare the macular vessel density and flow indexes of patients with treatment-naive hypothyroidism and healthy controls using optical coherence tomography angiography (OCTA).Methods: This case-control study included 104 eyes of 52 participants. Group 1 (n=24) consisted of patients with treatment-naive overt hypothyroidism, while Group 2 (n=28) consisted of age and sex-matched healthy controls. Images were obtained using AngioVue software 2.0 of the OCTA device in a 6 × 6 mm area centered on the macula. Foveal avascular zone (FAZ) area, macular retinal thickness, FAZ perimeter (PERIM), choroidal flow index (CF), outer retinal flow index (ORF) and macular vessel density (VD) in the superficial (SCP) and deep retinal capillary plexus (DCP) were recorded for all patients.Results: The whole [Group 1: 49.9 (7.0)%; Group 2: 54.6 (5.9)%], parafoveal [Group 1: 54.7 (4.8)%; Group 2: 58.6 (3.9)%] and perifoveal [Group 1: 51.5 (7.2)%; Group 2: 55.9 (6.8)% ] VD in DCP were significantly lower in Group 1 compared to Group 2 (P=0.012; P=0.002 and P=0.028 respectively). However, parafoveal VD in SCP was significantly higher in Group 1 [52.4 (2.26)] than in Group 2 [49.9 (6.87)] (P=0.032). The mean VD in DCP was significantly positively correlated with the choroidal (P=0.021) and outer retinal flow indexes (P=0.033). The mean foveal VD in DCP was significantly positively correlated with the mean foveal (P

AimTo evaluate the effectiveness of dexamethasone intravitreal implant 0.7 mg (DEX; Ozurdex) monotherapy in the patient subgroup of the AUSSIEDEX study with treatment-naïve diabetic macular oedema (DME).MethodsThe open-label, prospective, phase 4, real-world study included pseudophakic eyes and phakic eyes scheduled for cataract surgery that were treatment-naïve or non-responsive to antivascular endothelial growth factors. No eyes were excluded based on baseline best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) or central subfield retinal thickness (CRT). After the initial DEX injection at the baseline visit, reinjection was permitted at ≥16-week intervals. Week-16 and week-52 visits were mandatory. Primary endpoints were changes in mean BCVA and CRT from baseline to 52 weeks.ResultsOf 200 eyes enrolled in the AUSSIEDEX study, 57 were treatment-naïve. Baseline mean BCVA was 58.8 letters and baseline mean CRT was 418.6 µm; changes in mean BCVA and CRT from baseline to 52 weeks in this subgroup were 3.4 letters (p=0.042) and –89.6 µm (pConclusionIn this largest prospective, real-world study of DEX monotherapy for DME to date, DEX significantly improved CRT and BCVA at 52 weeks in treatment-naïve eyes, without new safety concerns, supporting DEX use in treatment-naïve DME.Trial registration numberNCT02731911.

Background: The exaggerated morning blood pressure surge (MS) is associated with target organ damage and cardiovascular events. Systemic immune-inflammation index (SII) has been detected as a usefu...

Background: Dolutegravir (DTG) plus lamivudine (2-DR) is suggested as an initial and switch option in HIV-1 treatment. Objective: To analyze the effectiveness, durability, and safety of 2-DR compared with DTG plus abacavir/lamivudine (3-DR). Methods: This was an observational, ambispective study that included all treatment-naïve (TN) and treatment-experienced (TE) patients who started 2-DR or 3-DR between July 1, 2018, and November 30, 2020. The primary end point was noninferiority, at 24 and 48 weeks, of 2-DR versus 3-DR regarding the percentage of patients with viral load (VL)≥50 and 200 copies/mL in TN (4% margin) and VLResults: 242 patients were included (53 TN and 189 TE). Two TN patients on 2-DR had VL≥50 copies/mL and 1 had VL≥200 copies/mL at week 24. In TE patients on 2-DR, 90.2% achieved VLConclusion and Relevance: Our results did not show noninferiority in terms of virological effectiveness. Nevertheless, all effectiveness measures support the use of 2-DR in a real-life cohort of TN and TE. Additionally, durability and safety of 2-DR were confirmed to be similar to that of 3-DR.

Several studies have showed that combining peg-interferon alpha (Peg-IFNα) with nucleotide analogues has complementary effects in chronic hepatitis B (CHB), but the optimal regimen and potential mechanisms remain unclear. This was a prospective, longitudinal and multicentre clinical trial (NCT03013556). HBeAg-positive CHB naïve patients were randomly assigned to three groups: tenofovir disoproxil fumarate (TDF) monotherapy for 96 weeks, TDF alone for 48 weeks and sequentially Peg-IFNα added for 48 weeks, TDF de novo combination with Peg-IFNα for 48 weeks then TDF alone for 48 weeks. The primary endpoint was HBeAg seroconversion at week 96 and HBsAg loss as the secondary endpoint. Furthermore, the levels of 12 cytokines in serum were assessed at different time points. A total of 133 patients were included in the analysis. The rates of HBeAg seroconversion at 96 weeks were not significant different among the three groups (p = 0.157). Interestingly, patients in the Peg-IFNα add-on group showed markedly lower HBsAg level compared with the other two groups at week 96. In addition, only three patients in the Peg-IFNα add-on group achieved HBsAg loss. For the following 24 weeks from week 96, no HBsAg reappearance in the three patients and no new patients with HBsAg loss were observed in the three groups. Serum cytokine analysis showed that the baseline level of interferon-inducible protein-10 (IP-10) was strongly higher in HBeAg conversion patients and HBsAg loss patients. Compared with de novo combination and TDF alone, the addition of Peg-IFNα in TDF-treated group might be an effective strategy for HBsAg loss in HBeAg-positive CHB naïve patients.

Objectives DRAKO (NCT02850263) is a 24-month, prospective, non-interventional, multi-centre cohort study which enroled patients diagnosed with centre-involving diabetic macular oedema (DMO). The study aims to evaluate standard of care with intravitreal aflibercept (IVT-AFL) treatment in the UK. This analysis describes the anti-vascular endothelial growth factor (anti-VEGF) treatment-naive patient cohort after 12-month follow-up. Methods Study eyes were treated with IVT-AFL as per local standard of care. The mean change in best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) and central subfield thickness (CST) from baseline at 12 months were measured and stratified by baseline factors. The number of injections and safety data were also evaluated. Results A total of 507 patients were enroled from 35 centres. Mean (SD) baseline BCVA was 71.4 (12.0) letters and CST was 448.7 (88.7) µm, with 63.1% of patients presenting with baseline BCVA ≥ 70 letters (mean 78.1). Mean (SD) change in BCVA of 2.5 (12.2) letters and CST of −119.1 (116.4) µm was observed at month 12. A 7.3 letter gain was observed in patients with baseline BCVA Conclusion Year one results indicated that IVT-AFL was an effective treatment for DMO in standard of care UK clinical practice, maintaining or improving visual acuity in treatment-naive patients with good baseline visual acuity, despite some patients being undertreated versus the summary of product characteristics. These results also demonstrated the clinical importance and meaningful impact of diabetic retinopathy screening in the UK.

Background: Most patients with HER2-positive metastatic breast cancer (MBC) receive first-line treatment with anti-HER2 agents and have already received anti-HER2 therapy as adjuvant or neoadjuvant therapy in the local setting of their disease presentation. Despite that, they constitute only a minority among clinical trials, and their response to reintroduction to anti-HER2 treatments is inconclusive based upon conflicting studies. We aimed to examine if previous exposure influences the clinical outcome of patients treated with anti-HER2 treatments compared to patients who were naïve to anti-HER2 agents. Methods: We conducted a retrospective observational study of HER2-positive MBC patients who were treated with trastuzumab and pertuzumab from 2014 to 2018. We collected and analyzed data including patients’ demographic characteristic as well as extracted data of previous treatment regimens and the efficiency of the anti-HER2 therapy measured by response rate (RR), time to tumor progression (TTP), and overall survival (OS). Results: Eighty patients met the inclusion criteria, 26 (32.5%) of them were previously exposed to anti-HER2 treatments and 54 (67.5%) were not previously exposed to anti-HER2 therapy. No significant differences were detected in RR after 3 months of treatment (p = 0.684). TTP was significantly better among patients with no previous exposure in comparison with patients with previous exposure to anti-HER2 therapy (21 vs. 14 months, p = 0.044) and we noted a trend in better OS (p = 0.056). Conclusion: Our analysis suggests that previous exposure to anti-HER2 agents might influence the clinical outcome of first-line treatment in metastatic HER2 patients. These findings justify further exploration of the benefit of reintroduction of anti-HER2 treatment enabling the optimal treatment for patients with previous anti-HER2 therapy exposure.

A male infant born at 23 weeks gestation with a birthweight of 660 grams presented with retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) that began progressing at 44 weeks. He subsequently developed Zone III, Stage 3, pre-plus disease in both eyes (OU), as well as scattered exudates in the macula, dragged vessels temporally, and an exudative retinal detachment temporally in the left eye after a period of regressing and stable ROP. After bilateral laser photocoagulation, there was regression of the neovascularization, resolution of the exudative detachment, and eventual stabilization of disease OU by 12 months postmenstrual age. [ Ophthalmic Surg Lasers Imaging Retina . 2021;52:403–406.]

Objectives: The efficacy of new direct-acting antivirals (DAAs) in treating hepatitis C infection can depend on treatment adherence, which may be influenced by the patient's current lack of awareness of the disease. This study set out to understand the treatment naïve chronic hepatitis C patients' preferences for new DAAs (attributes) and to compile information about the diagnosis process. Material and method: Spanish quantitative market research study conducted between November 2018 and January 2019 to assess the posology preferences of treatment-naïve patients with chronic hepatitis C before starting treatment (seen by hepatologists and infectious diseases specialists). A telephone interview was carried out to collect demographic, diagnostic and treatment preference data, consisting of two dosing OPTIONS: 1) three tablets/day (single dose), at the same time, with food (8 weeks). 2) single tablet/day, at any time with/without food (12 weeks). A descriptive analysis of pooled results was performed. Results: 104 patients (mean age: 49 years) with hepatitis C diagnosed 7.3±9.7 years ago (average), mainly in primary care (PC) (42%). The most common reasons for not having started treatment were health problems/comorbidities (31%). Fifty-eight percent of patients were not informed about the available treatments. Seventy-two percent of patients preferred a simple tablet/day, at any time, with/without food (12 weeks), and considered compatibility with other treatments, side effects, ease of administration, treatment duration and the number of tablets to be very important. Discussion: Patient preferences are mainly driven by dosing flexibility and simplicity, including freedom to take the medication with/without food. The role of PC in the diagnosis should be taken into account. There are still patients who are untreated after diagnosis.

Introduction The MET pathway is a promising target in patients with non–small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Fluorescence in situ hybridization analysis has become a standard method to detect MET amplification. However, no consensus has been reached regarding the definition of MET amplification. We aimed to find clinically meaningful cutoffs for MET amplification that could be used as a prognostic marker and/or indication for MET inhibitor therapy. Patients and Methods We reviewed the fluorescence in situ hybridization results of MET/CEP7 (centromere of chromosome 7) for 2260 patients with treatment-naive NSCLC from 2014 to 2019. Clinical and pathologic data were collected from the medical records. Log-rank tests and Cox proportional hazard models were used to estimate the overall survival (OS) among patients with different MET/CEP7 ratios and/or MET copy numbers. Results Of the 2260 patients, 130 (5.8%) had had a MET/CEP7 ratio of ≥ 1.8 and 13 (0.6%) had had a ratio of ≥ 5.0. Of these 130 patients with a MET/CEP7 ratio of ≥ 1.8, 123 (95%) also had a MET copy number of ≥ 5. In general, a higher MET copy number and higher MET/CEP7 ratio were associated with advanced tumor stage. The OS was significantly shorter when the MET copy number was ≥ 10 and/or when the MET/CEP7 ratio was ≥ 1.8. A MET/CEP7 ratio of ≥ 1.8 remained a significant hazard to OS on multivariate analysis (hazard ratio, 1.63; P = .019). Conclusions Patients with a MET copy number of ≥ 10 and/or MET/CEP7 ratio of ≥ 1.8 showed significantly poorer survival, and a MET/CEP7 ratio of ≥ 1.8 was an independent poor prognostic factor.

Ryan B Rush,1– 4 Sloan W Rush2,3 1Instituto de la Visión– Hospital La Carlota, Montemorelos, Nuevo León, 67530, México; 2Panhandle Eye Group, Amarillo, TX, 79106, USA; 3Department of Surgery, Texas Tech University Health Science Center, Amarillo, TX, 79106, USA; 4Southwest Retina Specialists, Amarillo, TX, 79106, USACorrespondence: Ryan B RushSouthwest Retina Specialists, 7411 Wallace Blvd, Amarillo, TX, 79106, USATel +1 806 351-1870Email ryan.rush.md@gmail.comPurpose: To report the outcomes in subjects undergoing pars plana vitrectomy (PPV) with internal limiting membrane (ILM) peeling for the management of treatment-naïve diabetic macular edema (DME).Methods: Ten treatment-naïve subjects with non-proliferative diabetic retinopathy prospectively underwent PPV with ILM peeling for the treatment of DME at a single university-affiliated institution. The preoperative features, intraoperative details and postoperative outcomes were collected and analyzed.Results: All 10 subjects underwent PPV with ILM peeling without significant intraoperative or postoperative complications at 6 months follow-up. Visual acuity improved from a baseline of 0.74 (95% CI: 0.48– 1.0) logMAR (Snellen 20/110) to 0.46 (95% CI: 0.3– 0.62) logMAR (Snellen 20/58) at 6 months follow-up (p=0.045). Optical coherence tomography central macular thickness reduced from a baseline of 456 (95% CI: 394.7– 516.4) microns to 316.8 (95% CI: 275.9– 357.7) microns at 6 months follow-up (p < 0.001).Conclusion: This pilot study suggests that PPV with ILM peeling may be a viable treatment option for the management of treatment naïve DME in subjects with non-proliferative diabetic retinopathy. Development of a randomized controlled trial may be justified to validate the results of this study.Clinicaltrials.gov Identifier #: NCT03660345.Keywords: vitrectomy, internal limiting membrane peeling, diabetic macular edema

Background: Transsexuality is explained and defined as a gender-identity disorder, characterised by very strong conviction of belonging to the opposite sex and has been associated with a distinct neuroanatomical pattern. Materials and methods: We performed a structural analysis in search of possible differences in grey matter structures based on magnetic resonance imaging scans of the brains of 26 individuals between 19 and 38 years of age. The participants were divided into two groups of 15 controls and 11 transgender individuals. The segmentation of subcortical grey matter was performed using FIRST model a model-based segmentation/registration tool, from FSL software package. Results: The results showed that the volume of the brain region called nucleus accumbens on the left side was significantly smaller in the group of transgender individuals compared to the control. It was the most important parameter which was shown to make distinction between two examined groups. Conclusions: The results also showed decreased volumes of the left thalamus, right hippocampus and right caudate nucleus.

Various non-invasive methods have been evaluated in chronic hepatitis B, but none of them have been fully validated for the assessment of liver fibrosis. The issued EASL-ALEH 2015 guidelines provide detailed algorithms based on LSM and ALT serum levels. The aim of our study was to validate the diagnostic accuracy of this algorithm and to better understand discrepancies. Four hundred and thirteen patients from 3 centres were retrospectively included. All included patients were classified for fibrosis stage according to results of a liver biopsy. The overall diagnostic value was expressed with AUROCs given with 95% confidence intervals for the diagnostic targets. For each diagnostic target, optimal cut-offs were determined according to the Youden method. For the population of patients with ALTN (n = 65), the AUROCs of TE were 0.75 (0.62-0.88) and 0.72 (0.56-0.88) for F ≥ 2 and F ≥ 3 diagnostic targets. Taking the EASL cut-offs, the prevalence of significant fibrosis was 8%, 38% and 67% when LSM was6kPa, between 6 and 9 kPa or9 kPa, respectively. For patients with ALTN but ≤5N (n = 306), AUROCs of transient elastography were 0.79 (0.73-0.84) and 0.84 (0.75-0.92) for F ≥ 2 and F ≥ 3 diagnostic targets. The prevalence of significant fibrosis was, respectively, 15%, 52% and 85% when LSM was6kPa, between 6 and 12 kPa or12 kPa. Our study independently validates the EASL-ALEH algorithm based on ALT levels and LSM assessed by transient elastography.

Background Multivariable baseline factor analysis across cabotegravir + rilpivirine clinical trials showed that HIV-1 subtypes A6/A1 and the presence of rilpivirine resistance-associated mutations (RAMs) were associated with an increased risk of virological failure of this dual therapy. The aim of this study was to describe the prevalence of genotypic baseline risk factors for cabotegravir + rilpivirine failure among ARV-naive patients. Patients and methods From 2010 to 2020, 4212 sequences from ARV-naive patients were collected from three large Parisian academic hospital genotypic databases. Cabotegravir and rilpivirine RAMs were defined according to the ANRS algorithm. Results Among 4212 ARV-naive patients, 38.6% were infected with subtype B, 32.4% with CRF02_AG (32.4%) and 5.1% with subtype A (85.5% being A6/A1 subtype). Overall, the presence of at least one cabotegravir or rilpivirine RAM was 16.2% and 14.3%, respectively. Considering genotypic resistance interpretation, using the ANRS algorithm, 0.74% (n = 31), 6.2% (n = 261) and 0.09% (n = 4) of sequences were resistant to cabotegravir, rilpivirine or both, respectively. The overall prevalence of L74I in integrase and E138A in RT was 13.0% and 3.2%, respectively, and stable over the decade. Thus, adding 183 subtype A6/A1 sequences to 244 sequences interpreted as resistant to rilpivirine led to 427 (10.1%) sequences combining both baseline virological risk factors for cabotegravir + rilpivirine dual-therapy failure. Conclusions Among large sequence databases, when adding prevalence of rilpivirine-resistant viruses and HIV-1 subtype A6/A1 sequences, 10.1% of patients would not be eligible for cabotegravir + rilpivirine dual therapy. These data re-emphasize the need for a pre-therapeutic genotypic resistance test to detect polymorphisms and transmitted drug resistance and to define HIV-1 subtype.

The efficacy of infliximab in treatment-naïve patients with stricturing small bowel Crohn's disease (CD) has not been well studied. We aimed to evaluate the efficacy of infliximab in these patients.This was a retrospective study of all consecutive treatment-naïve patients with newly diagnosed CD with small bowel stricture who started regular infliximab therapy in Nanfang Hospital between January 2015 and December 2019. An effective infliximab therapy was defined as infliximab continuation without the use of steroids, new biologics, endoscopic interventions or intestinal surgery.Seventy-nine patients were included. After a median 38 months follow-up, an effective infliximab therapy was achieved in 37 patients. Long diagnostic delay (hazard ratio [HR] 0.38, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.19-0.78;Infliximab is effective in nearly 50% of treatment-naïve patients with CD with small bowel stricture, and an effective therapy is more likely to be achieved in patients without long diagnostic delay, pre-stenotic dilatation, long segmental stricture or penetrating disease.

Resume Introduction L’objectif de l’etude a ete d’etudier la reproductibilite ou la variabilite des delais des recidives exsudatives chez des patients ayant recu un traitement par injections intra-vitreennes (IVT) d’anti-VEGF (ranibizumab, aflibercept) dans le cadre d’une degenerescence maculaire liee a l’âge (DMLA) de type exsudative. Les donnees etudiees ont ete le nombre de recidives annuelles, la duree ecoulee entre la recidive et la derniere IVT ainsi que la fluctuation dans le temps chez un meme patient, et les modifications de prise en charge therapeutique de ces recidives exsudatives concernant la realisation d’un nouveau traitement d’induction de trois IVT, d’un changement de protocole de suivi, et d’un changement de molecule anti-VEGF. Materiels et methodes Nous avons mene une etude retrospective de « vraie-vie », monocentrique au CHU de Nantes, concernant 33 patients (42 yeux) qui ont ete inclus entre mars 2012 et mars 2017. Il s’agissait de patients naifs d’IVT, chez lesquels un traitement par IVT d’anti-VEGF a ete initie dans le cadre de la prise en charge d’une DMLA exsudative, avec une duree de suivi d’au moins deux annees consecutives. Le critere de jugement principal etait la fluctuation des delais de recidives pour un meme patient. Resultats Sur les 33 patients inclus, 9 presentaient une atteinte bilaterale, soit un total de 42 yeux. Vingt etaient des femmes (60,6 %), l’âge median a l’inclusion etait de 78,5 ans pour une duree de suivi de 3,7 annees. Le delai de recidive moyen etait de 11,6 semaines apres la derniere IVT. La 1re recidive survenait dans un delai de 9,8 semaines apres la derniere IVT. 12,3 % des yeux presentaient des delais de recidives fixes avec fluctuations inferieures a 2 semaines entre les differentes recidives sur les deux annees de suivi. Un total de 7,1 % des yeux ne presentaient aucune recidive exsudative dans la suite du suivi. La premiere recidive exsudative avait lieu en moyenne a 38,2 semaines de suivi apres le diagnostic de la pathologie soit 37,2 semaines apres la premiere IVT. Un total de 14,3 % des recidives ont conduites a la realisation d’un nouveau traitement d’induction de trois IVT d’anti-VEGF, 8,6 % ont conduites a un changement de molecule anti-VEGF, et 7,1 % a une modification du schema de traitement. Discussion Cette etude avait pour but d’etudier la variabilite des delais de recidive exsudative chez les patients traites par IVT d’anti-VEGF dans le cadre d’une DMLA exsudative, car depuis l’avenement des IVT d’anti-VEGF en 2007, peu de donnees existent concernant le suivi a long terme et les fluctuations des delais de recidive, a propos de patients qui beneficieront d’un traitement durant plusieurs annees. Conclusion Les delais de recidives ne sont pas reproductibles au cours du temps, notamment chez les patients ayant realise leur premiere recidive exsudative au-dela de 8 semaines et chez les patients presentant de nombreuses recidives exsudatives.

Central nervous system dysfunction, associated with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection, remains a significant clinical concern, affecting at least 50% of infected people. Imbalances in cytokine expression levels have been linked to HIV-associated neurocognitive disorders. The aim of this study was to evaluate plasma cytokine levels as predictor neurocognitive impairment in HIV infection using a multiplex profiling kit. Stepwise regression model was used to identify cytokine biomarkers of overall and domain-specific cognitive performance. Higher interleukin (IL)-2 (

Purpose of review Present highlights from recent research examining the treatment of advanced prostate cancer. Recent findings Although debate remains about the optimal sequencing of docetaxel and novel androgen directed therapies in addition to androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) in the treatment of men with new metastatic prostate cancer, the novel LHRH antagonist relugolix seems poised to become an appealing option in a choice of initial ADT. Novel radioisotopes, genomically selected therapies, and immune therapy combinations show progress in opening up new treatment options for men with castration-resistant prostate cancer. Summary Although no clear consensus has emerged, evolving data continue to refine the selection of systemic therapies in treatment naive metastatic prostate cancer. With potentially less cardiotoxic androgen deprivation therapies, novel radioisotopes, targeted pharmaceuticals, and immune therapy combinations, progress appears to be on the horizon in improving outcomes for men with advanced prostate cancer.

PRCIS Reduction of intraocular pressure (IOP) by latanoprost in treatment-naive eyes is significantly correlated to an increase in vessel density (VD) at the optic nerve head (ONH). PURPOSE To evaluate the effect of topical latanoprost on ocular microvasculature using optical coherence tomography angiography (OCTA). PATIENTS AND METHODS In this prospective case-control study, 26 eyes from 18 treatment-naive subjects in whom prostaglandin analogue (PGA) latanoprost 0.005% was initiated were included as cases. In 10 out of the 18 subjects, medication was initiated in only 1 eye; their contralateral untreated eyes were used as controls. OCTA (AngioVue, Optovue Inc., Fremont, CA) was performed at baseline and ≥3 weeks after commencing treatment. Main outcome measures were change in flow area and VD at the ONH, radial peripapillary capillaries (RPC), and macula. Comparison between the 2 visits was performed using a linear mixed model adjusted for intereye correlation and mean ocular perfusion pressure. RESULTS IOP decreased by 26.1%±11.3% (P

To determine the characteristics of eyes with treatment-naive quiescent choroidal neovascularization (CNV) detected by optical coherence tomography angiography (OCTA). Thirty-eight eyes of 37 treatment-naive consecutive patients (30 men, 7 women, average 69.8 years) were studied. Quiescent CNVs were detected by OCTA (RTVue XR Avanti, Optovue, Fremont, CA) in all eyes. Swept-source OCT (SS-OCT; DRI-OCT, Topcon, Japan) confirmed the absence of exudation. The symptoms, visual acuity, CNV size, and status of the fellow eye were evaluated. Patients were followed longitudinally and the length of follow-up period and development of exudation were recorded for each patient. We also investigated patients’ medical records from their referral hospitals in search of prior exudation. All eyes with quiescent CNV were diagnosed at the initial visit with sub-retinal pigment epithelium CNVs, i.e., type 1 CNV, from the OCT and OCTA images. Prior exudation was confirmed in 15 eyes (39.5%) from their medical records of the referral hospitals. Symptoms were present in 18 eyes (47.3%). An exudative CNV was present in 12 of the fellow eyes. Exudation developed in 12 eyes (31.6%) during an average follow-up period of 25.1 months. One-half of the eyes had a prior exudation. The CNV at the baseline in eyes that developed exudation during the follow-up period was larger than eyes without exudation; however, the difference was not significant (0.59±0.47 vs 0.48±0.32 mm2, P = 0.50). Quiescent CNVs will develop exudation in approximately 30% of the eyes during a mean 2-year follow-up period. These findings must be remembered when investigating quiescent CNVs that could not be distinguished from eyes with former active CNV and naturally deactivate CNV.

Kuo-Hsuan Hsu,1,2,* Jing-Wen Huang,2,3,* Jeng-Sen Tseng,2,4,5 Kuan-Wen Chen,6 Yih-Chyang Weng,7 Sung-Liang Yu,8– 12 Tsung-Ying Yang,4,5 Yen-Hsiang Huang,2,4 Jeremy JW Chen,2 Kun-Chieh Chen,4,13– 15 Gee-Chen Chang2,4,5,13– 15 1Division of Critical Care and Respiratory Therapy, Department of Internal Medicine, Taichung Veterans General Hospital, Taichung, Taiwan; 2Institute of Biomedical Sciences, College of Life Sciences, National Chung Hsing University, Taichung, Taiwan; 3Department of Radiation Oncology, Taichung Veterans General Hospital, Taichung, Taiwan; 4Division of Chest Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, Taichung Veterans General Hospital, Taichung, Taiwan; 5Faculty of Medicine, School of Medicine, National Yang-Ming University, Taipei, Taiwan; 6Department of Radiation Oncology, Taichung Tzu-Chi Hospital, Buddhist Tzu-Chi Medical Foundation, Taichung, Taiwan; 7Radiation Oncology, Nantou Hospital of Ministry of Health and Welfare, Nantou City, Taiwan; 8Department of Clinical Laboratory Sciences and Medical Biotechnology, College of Medicine, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan; 9Department of Laboratory Medicine, National Taiwan University Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan; 10Center of Genomic Medicine, National Taiwan University College of Medicine, Taipei, Taiwan; 11Department of Pathology and Graduate Institute of Pathology, College of Medicine, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan; 12Center for Optoelectronic Biomedicine, College of Medicine, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan; 13Division of Pulmonary Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, Chung Shan Medical University Hospital, Taichung, Taiwan; 14Institute of Medicine, Chung Shan Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan; 15School of Medicine, Chung Shan Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan*These authors contributed equally to this workCorrespondence: Gee-Chen Chang; Kun-Chieh ChenDivision of Pulmonary Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, Chung Shan Medical University Hospital, No. 110, Sec. 1, Jianguo N. Road, Taichung, 402, Taiwan, Republic of ChinaTel +886-4-24739595 ext. 34412Fax +886-4-24739595 #34710Email cshy1888@csh.org.tw; ckjohn@mail2000.com.twBackground: Whether radiotherapy only for primary lung tumor (RTPLT) after epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR)-tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI) therapy improves survival of treatment naïve advanced EGFR-mutant lung adenocarcinoma (LAD) patients with/without polymetastasis.Materials and Methods: This was a retrospective, single-center, observational study. Patients with stage IIIB-IV EGFR-mutant LAD with disease control by EGFR-TKI therapy were divided into curative RTPLT, and control, without radiotherapy (WRTPLT) groups.Results: A total of 138 patients were enrolled; 46 in the RTPLT group and 92 in the WRTPLT group. Amongst them, 37% had oligometastasis, and 26.1% brain metastasis. The RTPLT group had both significantly longer progression-free survival (PFS) (27.5 months [95% CI 18.1– 36.9] vs 10.9 months [95% CI 6.3– 15.5], P< 0.001) and overall survivor (OS) (NR [95% CI NR-NR] vs 38.0 months [95% CI 31.2– 44.8], P< 0.001), respectively, when compared to the WRTPLT group. In multivariate analysis, the adjusted HR of radiotherapy on PFS was 0.30 (0.19– 0.47) and on OS, 0.11 (0.04– 0.30). Patients with oligometastasis had significantly longer PFS than those with polymetastasis with an HR of 0.35 (0.14– 0.85), P=0.02. Patients with either oligometastasis or polymetastasis had significant longer PFS when undergoing radiotherapy than those without (both P< 0.05). An EGFR-TKI to radiotherapy interval < 24 weeks seemed more beneficial (P=0.097). Radiation pneumonitis comprised 32 (69.6%), 12 (26.1%), and two (4.3%) cases of common terminology criteria grade I, II, and III, respectively.Conclusion: Curative RTPLT can prolong survival in patients with LAD following EGFR-TKI disease control, both involving oligometastasis and polymetastasis. RTPLT within 24 weeks after EGFR-TKI initiation appeared to be more beneficial with tolerable radiation pneumonitis.Keywords: radiotherapy to primary lung tumor, RTPLT, EGFR-TKI, lung adenocarcinoma, oligometastasis, polymetastasis

Carl Erb,1 Ingeborg Stalmans,2 Milko Iliev,3 Francisco José Muñoz-Negrete4 1Eye Clinic Wittenbergplatz, Berlin, Germany; 2Department of Ophthalmology, University Hospitals Leuven, Leuven, Belgium; 3Ophthalmology Department, University of Bern, Inselspital, Bern, Switzerland; 4Servicio de Oftalmología, Hospital Universitario Ramón y Cajal, Universidad de Alcalá, IRYCIS, Madrid, EspañaCorrespondence: Francisco José Muñoz-NegreteServicio de Oftalmología, Hospital Universitario Ramón y Cajal, Universidad de Alcalá, IRYCIS, Madrid, EspañaTel +34 913 36 80 00Email franciscojmunoz@telefonica.netPurpose: Patient satisfaction is important in the treatment of glaucoma. Suboptimal compliance and impaired long-term outcome are a likely result of poor tolerability. The present multicentre, international, transverse, epidemiological survey was conducted to assess the satisfaction of patients who had received preservative-free latanoprost (PFL) for at least 3 months.Patients and Methods: A total of 1872 patients from 6 European countries, treated with PFL for at least 3 months, were included in this survey. Prior to PFL treatment, patients were to be treatment naïve or currently treated for their glaucoma. During a single routine consultation, patients completed a questionnaire concerning global satisfaction and satisfaction based on tolerability.Results: In total, 76.2% had been previously treated; 69.4% had received preserved and 6.8% preservative-free (PF) topical treatment. After 3 months of PFL treatment, a large majority of patients (95.3%) were satisfied or very satisfied with their PFL treatment and were, overall, significantly (p< 0.0001) more satisfied with PFL than with their previous treatment; 4.2% were either unsatisfied or very unsatisfied. Overall, 97.3% of originally treatment-naïve patients were satisfied (50.1%) or very satisfied (47.2%) with their PFL. Ocular surface disease was diagnosed in 9.2% of patients (n=173) and was mainly mild (76.9%). Patient satisfaction with PFL was very high.Conclusion: PFL may be considered a valuable first-choice treatment in glaucoma patients.Keywords: glaucoma, prostaglandin, preservative-free latanoprost, patient satisfaction, tolerability, tear substitutes, intra-ocular pressure, ocular surface disease, conjunctival hyperaemia

PURPOSE This study aimed to assess the efficacy of the combination of nivolumab (nivo) plus ipilimumab (ipi) as a first-line therapy with respect to the 12-month overall survival (OS) in patients with metastatic uveal melanoma (MUM) who are not eligible for liver resection. METHODS This was a single-arm, phase II trial led by the Spanish Multidisciplinary Melanoma Group (GEM) on nivo plus ipi for systemic treatment-naïve patients of age > 18 years, with histologically confirmed MUM, Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group-PS 0/1, and confirmed progressive metastatic disease (M1). Nivo (1 mg/kg once every 3 weeks) and ipi (3 mg/kg once every 3 weeks) were administered during four inductions, followed by nivo (3 mg/kg once every 2 weeks) until progressive disease, toxicity, or withdrawal. The primary end point was 12-month OS. OS, progression-free survival (PFS), and overall response rate were evaluated every 6 weeks using RECIST (v1.1). Safety was also evaluated. Logistic regression and Cox proportional hazard models comprising relevant clinical factors were used to evaluate the potential association with response to treatment and survival. Cytokines were quantified in serum samples for their putative role in immune modulation/angiogenesis and/or earlier evidence of involvement in immunotherapy. RESULTS A total of 52 patients with a median age of 59 years (range, 26-84 years) were enrolled. Overall, 78.8%, 56%, and 32% of patients had liver M1, extra-liver M1, and elevated lactate dehydrogenase. Stable disease was the most common outcome (51.9%). The primary end point was 12-month OS, which was 51.9% (95% CI, 38.3 to 65.5). The median OS and PFS were 12.7 months and 3.0 months, respectively. PFS was influenced by higher LDH values. CONCLUSIONS Nivo plus ipi in the first-line setting for MUM showed a modest improvement in OS over historical benchmarks of chemotherapy, with a manageable toxicity profile.

Objective: to conduct a cost-effectiveness study of major biologic disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (bDMARDs) used for the treatment of ankylosing spondylitis (AS) in Russian health care system with the focus on the new effective drug netakimab (NTK).Patients and methods. Based on the available meta-analysis, a Markov model for therapy was constructed using reference drugs. Then, based on the simulation results, a Cost-Effectiveness Analysis (CEA) and a Budget Impact Analysis (BIA) were carried out. The robustness of the result has been confirmed by several sensitivity analyzes.Results and discussion. NTK showed an advantage in CEA, including the cases when the direct costs of therapy were lower for the reference drug (which shows the greater efficacy of NTK). According to the BIA, the extension of NTK administration in naive patients was consistently associated with a decrease in the budgetary burden. Sensitivity analyzes confirmed the robustness of the result.Conclusion. NTK has clinical and economic advantage in the treatment of AS, it is attractive in terms of both patient's and health care benefit in general. More extensive use of NTK can save more than 5 billion RUB.

Purpose. To evaluate the capability of swept source-optical coherence tomography angiography (SS-OCTA) in the detection and localization of treatment-naive macular neovascularization (MNV) secondary to exudative neovascular age-related macular degeneration (nAMD). Methods. In this prospective, observational case series, 158 eyes of 142 patients were diagnosed with exudative nAMD using fluorescein (FA) and indocyanine green angiography (ICGA) and evaluated by SS-OCTA in a tertiary retina center (Rudolf Foundation Hospital Vienna, Austria). The main outcome measure was the sensitivity of SS-OCTA compared to the standard multimodal imaging approach. Secondary outcome measure was the anatomic analysis of MNV in relation to the retinal pigment epithelium. Results. En-face SS-OCTA confirmed a MNV in 126 eyes (sensitivity: 79.8%), leaving 32 eyes (20.2%) undetected. In 23 of these 32 eyes (71.9%), abnormal flow in cross-sectional SS-OCTA B-scans was identified, giving an overall SS-OCTA sensitivity of 94.3%. Eyes with a pigment epithelium detachment (PED) ≥ 300 μm had a smaller probability for correct MNV detection ( p = 0.015 ). Type 1 MNV showed a trend ( p = 0.051 ) towards smaller probability for the correct detection compared to all other subtypes. Other relevant factors for the nondetection of MNV in SS-OCTA were image artifacts present in 3 of 32 eyes (9.4%). SS-OCTA confirmed the anatomic localization of 93 in 126 MNVs as compared to FA (sensitivity: 73.8%). There was no influence of age, gender, pseudophakia, visual acuity, central foveal thickness, or subfoveal choroidal thickness on the detection rate of MNV. Conclusions. SS-OCTA remains inferior to dye-based angiography in the detection rate of exudative nAMD consistent with type 1 MNV and a PED ≥300 µm. The capability to combine imaging modalities and distinguish the respective MNV subtype improves its diagnostic value.

Triple negative breast cancer (TNBC) is an aggressive and difficult-to-treat subtype of breast cancer that typically exhibits rapid growth rates, high rates of metastasis, and resistance to commonly used oncological drugs. Historically, cell lines have been utilized in order to study TNBC; recently, however, patient derived xenografts (PDX) models have evolved as the new standard that offers a translational approach to the research and subsequent treatment of breast cancer. Here, we characterize two novel PDX models for TNBC: TU-BcX-4QA and TU-BcX-4QAN. The former derived from a biopsy specimen prior to any therapies, and the latter derived from a mastectomy of the same patient after three rounds of AC-T therapy (doxorubicin and cyclophosphamide followed by paclitaxel). In establishing a treatment naïve and post-neoadjuvant therapy PDX model pair, we created a prime model that examines the effects of chemotherapy on tumor heterogeneity, clonal selection, and the overall characteristics of a tumor. Furthermore, we examined the evolution of the characteristics of the post-neoadjuvant therapy PDX model after continual passaging within the SCID/Beige murine models. Through serial implantation in SCID/Beige murine models for tissue propagation, we observed that TU-BcX-4QAN consistently had a higher tumor growth rate and a smaller number of metastatic lesions that developed on the lungs and liver in comparison to the TU-BcX-4QA model. In treating the tumor derived cell lines with NCI-approved oncological drugs, we distinguished the variations in their responses to various, commonly used therapies, and determined that TU-BcX-4QAN had a more resistant profile. Using qRT-PCR, we further discovered the differences between the two models in their contrasting gene expression; preliminary data indicates an increase in certain mesenchymal genes (CDH2, VIM, and ZEB2), a decrease in cell cycle genes (p21, p53), and an increase in proliferation genes (MK167) in TU-BcX-4QAN compared to TU-BcX-4QA. Additionally, serial passages are correlated with a decrease trend in human gene expression within TU-BcX-4QAN. This suggest that treatment can select for certain cancer cells within the primary tumor that allows for the growth of a different tumor altogether and illustrates both the advantages and limitations of the TU-BcX-4QA andTU-BcX-4QAN model pair in translational research. Citation Format: Gabrielle Olivia Windsor, Margarite Matossian, Maryl Wright, Steven Elliott, Khoa Nguyen, Bridgette Collins-Burow, Matthew Burow. Treatment naïve patient-derived xenograft model compared to the post-neoadjuvant model from the same patient diagnosed with triple negative breast cancer [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 2020 San Antonio Breast Cancer Virtual Symposium; 2020 Dec 8-11; San Antonio, TX. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2021;81(4 Suppl):Abstract nr PS17-47.

Objective: In this study, we compared the serum zonulin levels in patients diagnosed for the first time with active ulcerative colitis with those in healthy cases and attempted to determine whether serum zonulin levels were different in the active ulcerative colitis. Material and Methods: A total of 53 naive patients admitted to our hospital between 2019 and 2020 and diagnosed with active ulcerative colitis by colonoscopy were included as a group of cases and 37 patients with no acute or chronic diseases whose colonoscopy was normal as the control group. Results: The study was conducted on 90 cases, 65.5% male and 34.5% female. The patients with ulcerative colitis were compared with the control group in terms of serum zonulin levels. Average serum zonulin levels of the patients with ulcerative colitis (16.73 ± 5.49 ng/ml) were not significantly different than those in the control group 17.48 ± 8.31 ng/ml). Serum zonulin levels of the patients were also compared according to location and severity of disease and did not differ statistically significantly between the groups in terms of the Montreal Classification. When serum zonulin levels were grouped according to the Truelove and Witts criteria, there was no statistically significant difference between the patient groups themselves and the control group. Conclusion: Serum zonulin levels were not greater in the patients with naive active ulcerative colitis compared to the healthy controls. Several previous studies have shown that serum zonulin levels are elevated in patients with ulcerative colitis, but more studies are needed on this subject.

Purpose: To analyze different clinical and anatomical features in treatment-naïve non-exudative macular neovascularizations (MNVs) secondary to age-related macular disease (AMD). Methods: In this retrospective longitudinal study with a minimum follow-up of 1 year, 31 eyes of 28 consecutive AMD patients (mean age 75 ± 9 years) with treatment-naïve non-exudative MNV were enrolled. Patients were divided in: short-term activated MNV group (exudation before 6-month) and quiescent MNV group (per definition no exudation during a minimum 6-month follow-up) showing no or late activation during follow-up (persistently quiescent and long-term activated MNV group, respectively). Results: During the follow-up (mean duration: 22 ± 9 months) four eyes (13%) showed exudation before 6-month follow-up (short-term activated MNV group), whereas 21 eyes (68%) did not develop signs of exudation (persistently quiescent group), and six eyes (19%) developed exudation after the minimum 6-month follow-up (long-term activated MNV group). Monthly MNV growth rate was significantly higher in the short-term activated MNV group (growth rate of 13.30%/month), vs persistently quiescent MNV group (0.64%/month, p Conclusion: We reported two different patterns for subclinical MNVs: subclinical MNVs characterized by short-term activation which could represent simply a pre-exudative stage in the development of an ordinary type 1 MNV, and quiescent MNVs characterized by low rate of growth and possible long-term activation. Analysis of OCT-A features may predict short-term activation for subclinical MNV but no features could predict the long-term activation.