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Background: Sinonasal undifferentiated carcinoma (SNUC) is an extremely rare, high-grade, and aggressive tumor of the sinonasal tract. Due to the rarity of this malignancy, current treatment guidelines are based on small and often/mainly single-center retrospective datasets. In the absence of a universally accepted standard of care for SNUC, treatment approaches vary across countries and institutions, reflecting real-world clinical practice. The primary aim of this study was to describe real-world treatment and outcomes for patients with confirmed SNUC. Methods: This was an international, multi-center, retrospective, observational cohort study that pooled patients into the largest SNUC dataset to date. Fifteen centers were enrolled to contribute data, including seven from Europe, four from the United States, three from the United Kingdom, and one from Canada. In the absence of a universally accepted standard of care for SNUC, treatment approaches varied across countries and institutions, reflecting real-world clinical practice. Patients included were those with histologically confirmed SNUC who were treated between 1997 and 2021. Results: This study yielded 485 patients treated for SNUC. The median age at diagnosis was 55.6 years (IQR: 44.5–67.6), and 63.7% were male. Most cases presented at advanced stages, with 70.8% as T4a or T4b. Overall survival (OS) outcomes were available for 412 patients, with a median follow-up of 26.0 months. The 5- and 10-year OS were 47.2% (95% CI: 40.8–53.3%) and 39.6% (95% CI: 32.5–46.6%), respectively. Advanced age, dichotomized T-stage (T4a/b vs. T1–3), M-stage, and orbital involvement were significant poor prognostic factors on univariable analysis (p’s < 0.01). On multivariable analysis, orbital involvement (HR: 2.73, 95% CI: 1.42–5.27, p = 0.003) and distance metastasis stage (HR: 3.00, 95% CI: 1.25–7.21, p = 0.014) were both independently associated with worse OS. Conclusions: This observational study presents the largest multi-center cohort analysis of SNUC to date, providing new insights into prognostic factors for a rare cancer treated at global centers of excellence. Orbital involvement and the presence of metastases are candidate independent risk factors associated with poorer OS.

Abstract Studies on the association between pineal gland calcification (PGC) and non-breathing sleep-related symptoms are inconclusive. The present study aims to evaluate this association in middle-aged and older adults living in rural villages located in coastal Ecuador. Community-dwellers aged ≥ 40 years enrolled in the Three Villages Study cohort were interviewed with the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) to assess sleep quality and received head computed tomography for automated measurement of PGC volumes. Generalized linear and logistic regression models were used to assess the association between PGC volumes (exposure) and the PSQI score and sleep quality (as separate dependent variables), after adjusting for age and sex. The study included 1,009 participants (mean age: 56.5 ± 12.6 years; 57% women). The mean volume of PGC was 51 ± 53.5 µL. The mean score of the PSQI was 5.3 ± 2.8 points, with 399 (40%) participants having poor sleep quality. Locally-Weighted Scatterplot Smoothing showed a linear relationship between continuous PGC volumes and PSQI scores. An unadjusted generalized linear regression model showed a significant association between PGC volumes stratified in tertiles and the continuous PSQI score. However, this association lost statistical significance after adjustment for age and sex. The association between tertiles of PGC and poor sleep quality was non-significant in both unadjusted and multivariate logistic regression models. Study results did not find an association between increased PGC and sleep quality after adjusting for demographics, suggesting that PGC may not necessarily indicate pineal dysfunction but could reflect adaptive physiological mechanisms.

PURPOSE There is growing scientific interest in incorporating patient-reported outcomes (PROs) in early phase dose-finding oncology trials (DFOTs) to assess tolerability, inform dose selection, and guide later stage trial design. However, research indicates that PRO objectives in DFOTs are often unclear. The Incorporating Patient-Reported Outcomes in Dose-Finding Trials-Research Objectives Recommendations (OPTIMISE-ROR) project was established to support trialists to effectively incorporate PROs into DFOTs. METHODS Using the Enhancing Quality and Transparency of Health Research (EQUATOR) Network's methodological framework, guideline development included the following: (1) a methodological review of published DFOTs incorporating PROs; (2) candidate item generation, refined through expert consultation; (3) a two-round international multistakeholder Delphi survey (N = 109 in Round 1 [October 2024]; N = 96 in Round 2 [December 2024]); and (4) an independently chaired virtual consensus meeting (N = 31; January 2025) where multidisciplinary, international experts reviewed and voted to finalize items for inclusion. RESULTS Consensus was reached on six recommendations emphasizing three core PRO tolerability concepts: overall side effect impact, symptomatic adverse events, and overall health-related quality of life. The integration of PROs to inform final dose recommendations in dose escalation and optimization trials should be considered, regardless of trial design. The recommendations highlight the importance of PRO data analysis over time and across dose levels, defining PRO research objectives as descriptive or statistically powered, and assessing PRO-related end points to guide end point selection for subsequent studies. CONCLUSION This foundational guidance outlines key PRO research objectives in DFOTs. By facilitating the systematic integration of PROs, this guidance supports the utilization of patient-centered evidence for the tolerability and efficacy assessment of therapies to inform dose escalation, optimization, and regulatory evaluation—ultimately contributing to the development of safer, more effective therapies.

ABSTRACT Background While immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) have shown significant efficacy, a common side effect is cutaneous immune‐related adverse events (irAEs). This study focuses on exploring the association between specific human leukocyte antigen (HLA) alleles and the development of cutaneous irAEs in melanoma patients undergoing ICI monotherapy and combination therapy. As certain HLA types are indicative of susceptibility to autoimmune diseases, it was hypothesized that HLA typing could serve as a potential screening tool for identifying patients at increased risk for developing irAEs. Methods A retrospective chart review was performed of 515 patients with melanoma who underwent ICI therapy, either as monotherapy or in combination, and had HLA typing available. This analysis spans from 2003 to 2023 with a focus on cutaneous irAEs. Statistical analyses were conducted to assess the association between HLA alleles and irAEs. Results Our analysis revealed that the HLA‐B*51:01 allele was associated with a higher risk of cutaneous irAEs after adjusting for ICI regimen (hazard ratio: 1.71 [95% CI, 1.12–2.61], p = .013.) Conclusion This is the largest study to link an HLA allele with ICI‐induced cutaneous irAEs. The findings may support the use of HLA typing as an initial screen for developing irAEs, providing a simple, straightforward metric that can be rapidly performed on patients prior to initiation of ICIs. However, further research is needed across different cancer and toxicity types.

Background: Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the second leading cause of cancer-related mortality worldwide, accounting for approximately 10% of all cancer cases. Despite the proven effectiveness of conventional screening modalities such as colonoscopy and fecal immunochemical testing (FIT), their invasive nature, high cost, and limited patient compliance hinder widespread adoption. Recent advancements in artificial intelligence (AI) and bowel sound-based signal processing have enabled non-invasive approaches for gastrointestinal diagnostics. Among these, bowel sound analysis—historically considered subjective—has reemerged as a promising biomarker using digital auscultation and machine learning. Objective: This review explores the potential of AI-powered bowel sound analytics for early detection, screening, and characterization of colorectal cancer. It aims to assess current methodologies, summarize reported performance metrics, and highlight translational opportunities and challenges in clinical implementation. Methods: A narrative review was conducted across PubMed, Scopus, Embase, and Cochrane databases using the terms colorectal cancer, bowel sounds, phonoenterography, artificial intelligence, and non-invasive diagnosis. Eligible studies involving human bowel sound-based recordings, AI-based sound analysis, or machine learning applications in gastrointestinal pathology were reviewed for study design, signal acquisition methods, AI model architecture, and diagnostic accuracy. Results: Across studies using convolutional neural networks (CNNs), gradient boosting, and transformer-based models, reported diagnostic accuracies ranged from 88% to 96%. Area under the curve (AUC) values were ≥0.83, with F1 scores between 0.71 and 0.85 for bowel sound classification. In CRC-specific frameworks such as BowelRCNN, AI models successfully differentiate abnormal bowel sound intervals and spectral patterns associated with tumor-related motility disturbances and partial obstruction. Distinct bowel sound-based signatures—such as prolonged sound-to-sound intervals and high-pitched “tinkling” proximal to lesions—demonstrate the physiological basis for CRC detection through bowel sound-based biomarkers. Conclusions: AI-driven bowel sound analysis represents an emerging, exploratory research direction rather than a validated colorectal cancer screening modality. While early studies demonstrate physiological plausibility and technical feasibility, no large-scale, CRC-specific validation studies currently establish sensitivity, specificity, PPV, or NPV for cancer detection. Accordingly, bowel sound analytics should be viewed as hypothesis-generating and potentially complementary to established screening tools, rather than a near-term alternative to validated modalities such as FIT, multitarget stool DNA testing, or colonoscopy.

Abstract Background We aimed to describe the real-world durability of clinical and endoscopic outcomes of upadacitinib (UPA) in ulcerative colitis (UC). Methods We retrospectively analyzed an ongoing multi-center cohort of UC patients(pts) in the United States who were started on UPA for active disease. Primary outcome was clinical remission at 1yr assessed by partial Mayo score(pMS)(resolution of all UC related symptoms and physician global assessment). Secondary outcomes assessed at various timepoints, including after re-escalation, included clinical response(&gt;50%reduction in symptoms utilizing the pMS), endoscopic response (Mayo endoscopic score≤1or absence of erosions/ulcerations) and histological remission(defined as normal or chronic inactive). Durable secondary outcomes achieved at both 6months and at 1yr and beyond were also assessed. Descriptive statistics were performed. Adverse events(AEs) investigated included cardiovascular events and herpes zoster (HZ). Results 416pts were included(Table 1) with median values for age at initiation of36.00yrs(range27-48), disease duration7.00yrs(range3-14)and follow-up 993days(IQR,672-1103), with206(49.52%)with follow-up at 1yr or beyond. Of these, 66.1%had extensive colitis. Induction duration was8wks in 86.5%and16wks in 4.8 %(20/416). Most received an induction dose of45mg(97.1%)and maintenance dose of30mg(85.8%). Among the evaluable population at1yr and beyond, 62.5%(45/80)were in clinical remission, 75.9%(22/29)in endoscopic response with58.6%(17/29) in remission and66.6%(20/30)in histological remission. At 6months, clinical remission was51.6%(42/93), endoscopic response was 75%(24/32) of which43.75%(14/32)were in remission and histologic remission was seen in 40.8%(20/49).Durable secondary outcomes of clinical remission were seen in 71.4%(30/42), endoscopic improvement in 45.8%(11/24), and histologic remission in35%(7/20). Re-escalation to 45mg occurred in 35pts, of which48.6%(17/35)were re-escalated due to incomplete induction clinical response with all achieving response(11 in remission). The rest(18/35)were re-escalated for clinical relapse after initial remission where72.2%(13/18)were able to recapture remission. After re-escalation,54.3%(19/35)continued on 45mg daily. AEs were reported in12.7%with HZ in 7pts(2.1%). One pt aged53yrs had an episode of TIA after 1yr on UPA at 15mg, without pre-existing cardiovascular risk factors and UPA use is ongoing at the same dose. There were no reported episodes of worsening of pre-existing cardiovascular disease or DVT/PE. Conclusion UPA is durably effective and safe in a real-world clinical setting with re-escalation to 45mg capturing response in a majority of the pts. Ongoing recruitment will provide further evidence on long term effectiveness and safety. Conflict of interest: Ms. Huang, Katherine: No conflict of interest Chandnani, Arun: No conflict of interest Samaan, Sami: None Tan, Tingyi: I have no conflict of interests to declare. Ramesh, Prajith Raj: None Conlon, Caroline: No conflict of interest Klein, Jeremy: None Reddy, Nikhil: No conflict of interest Ayoub, Malek: None Cervantes Limon, Gabriela: none Myers, Melissa: None Bucaram, Martha: No conflict of interest Lieto, Stephen: No conflict of interest Scalzo, Nicholas: No conflict of interest Cohen, Benjamin: Abbvie - consulting and speaking ALPCO - consulting J & J Innovative Medicine - consulting Takeda - consulting and speaking Emmes Biopharma Services LLC - DSMB Pfizer - consulting Mohamed, Islam: nothing to declare Ciorba, Matthew: Advisory Board: Janssen, AbbVie, Pfizer, Geneoscopy Consulting: Janssen, AbbVie, Pfizer, Geneoscopy Grant contracts: Janssen, Pfizer, Incyte Shukla, Richa: Speakers bureau - Abbvie and Lilly Wright, Michael: None Xu, An Tao: No conflict of interest Chowla, Navreet: No conflict of interest Ogholikhan, Sina: Abbvie Medical Director Kujawski, Michelle: Abbvie Scientific Director Dulaney, David: Speaker bureau - Regeneron Speaker bureau - Sanofi Speaker bureau - Takeda Speaker bureau - Eli Lilly Fenster, Marc: none Benson, Caroline: No conflict of interest Alhobayb, Tamara: No conflict of interest Berinstein, Jeffrey: No conflict of interest Shivashankar, Raina: Abbvie and BMS - speaker bureau Janssen and Celltrion - grant for IBD fellowship funding Pfizer - consultant Bishu, Shrinivas: None Patel, Anish: speaker: abbvie, J & J, Lilly, BMS, Pfizer, Phathom, Takeda consultant: abbvie Ungaro, Ryan: Personal Fees: AbbVie, Bristol Myers Squibb, Genentech, Lilly, Pfizer, Janssen, Takeda Johnson, Amanda: Research grant: Abbvie, Spyre Therapeutics Pekow, Joel R.: CVS Health - Consulting Abbvie, Eli Lilly, Pfizer, Johnson and Johnson - Stocks Yarur, Andres: Personal Fees: Consultant for Takeda, Pfizer, Roche, Merck, Abbvie, Eli Lilly. Bristol Myers Squibb, Celltrion, Johnson and Johnson. Deepak, Parakkal: Parakkal Deepak has received research support under a sponsored research agreement unrelated to the data in the abstract from AbbVie, Johnson and Johnson, Sanofi, Merck, Teva, Direct Biologics, Tr1x, Boehringer Ingelheim, Bristol Myers Squibb, Pfizer, Prometheus Biosciences, Takeda Pharmaceuticals, Roche Genentech, Eli Lilly, AstraZeneca, Spyre and Agomab, has received consulting fees from Johnson and Johnson, Abbvie, Merck, Sobi, Celltrion, Fresenius Kabi, Asahi Kasei Pharma, Sandoz and CorEvitas, LLC and has served on the board of the Srategic Alliance for Intercultural Advocacy in GI.

Abstract Background A subset of risankizumab (RZB)-treated patients experience suboptimal or secondary loss of response to standard dosing. We explored factors associated with future RZB dose-optimization, and outcomes of optimization in a multicenter consortium of adults with Crohn’s Disease (CD). Methods Baseline characteristics at time of RZB initiation and subsequent clinical, endoscopic, and biochemical outcomes were collected in a multi-center cohort. Outcomes for dose-optimized RZB were reported as clinical response and remission (based on HBI or PGA when HBI unavailable), endoscopic remission (based on SEMA-CD or absence of ulcers when SEMA-CD not available), and biochemical response. Characteristics were compared between standard and dose-optimized groups using chi-square and two-sample t-tests. Additional models adjusting for age and sex assessed predictors of dose optimization. Results We identified 309 patients treated with standard dose and 58 for whom dose-optimized RZB was recommended. Of the 58, 29 were excluded from outcomes analysis due to lack of follow-up (n = 19) or insurance denial of dose optimization (n = 10). Demographic information is outlined in Table 1. Baseline characteristics associated with future dose optimization included number of prior advanced therapies (ATs) (OR, 1.29, p &lt; 0.001), prior anti-TNF (OR,4.06; p = 0.022), and prior ustekinumab (UST) use (OR,1.82; p = 0.053) (Table 2). The 29 patients included in the outcome analysis received dose-optimized RZB for primary non-response (n = 2), partial response (n = 23), or secondary loss of response (n = 4) after a median of 321 days (IQR, 234-440) from index RZB start. Median follow-up after dose optimization was 217 days (IQR, 147-331). All patients were AT-exposed (Table 1). Baseline clinical symptoms were present in 27 patients (93.1%), with median HBI of 6.5 (IQR, 6.0-8.0). Active endoscopic disease was observed in 11/12 patients (91.7%) who had baseline endoscopy. Dosing was every 4 weeks in 19 (65.5%), every 6 weeks in 9 (31.0%), and combined IV re-induction plus every 4-weeks in 1 (3.4%) patient. Clinical response and remission was seen in 16 (55.2%) and 12 (41.4%) patients, respectively. A ≥ 50% CRP reduction was seen in 5/12 (41.7%) patients with baseline elevated CRP. Among 7 patients with baseline active endoscopic disease with available follow-up, 3 (42.9%) achieved endoscopic remission. No adverse events were reported. Conclusion In this multi-center retrospective cohort, prior AT-exposure (especially anti-TNF) was associated with need for RZB dose-optimization. Dose optimization successfully captured clinical response in a significant proportion of patients who experienced partial response or loss of response to RZB. Conflict of interest: Johnson, Amanda: Research grant: Abbvie, Spyre Therapeutics Ramesh, Prajith Raj: None Said, Hyder: No conflict of interest Huang, Katherine: No conflict of interest Devi, Jalpa: none Pekow, Joel R.: CVS Health - Consulting Abbvie, Eli Lilly, Pfizer, Johnson and Johnson - Stocks Alhobayb, Tamara: No conflict of interest Bassmeyer, Blake: No conflict of interest Mohamed, Mouhand: No conflict of interest Shivashankar, Raina: Abbvie and BMS - speaker bureau Janssen and Celltrion - grant for IBD fellowship funding Pfizer - consultant Rathi, Jaya: No conflict of interest Luu, Bryan: No conflict of interest Khan, Abdul: No conflict of interest Loftus, Jr, Edward: Grant: AbbVie, Amgen, Bristol-Myers Squibb, Celgene, Genentech, Gilead, Janssen, Pfizer, Receptos, Robarts Clinical Trials, Takeda, Theravance, UCB. Personal Fees: AbbVie, Allergan, Amgen, Arena, Boehringer Ingelheim, Bristol-Myers Squibb, Calibr, Celgene, Celltrion, Eli Lilly, Genentech, Gilead, Iterative Scopes, Janssen, Ono Pharma, Pfizer, Sun Pharma, Takeda, UCB. Bishu, Shrinivas: None Patel, Anish: speaker: abbvie, J & J, Lilly, BMS, Pfizer, Phathom, Takeda consultant: abbvie Shukla, Richa: Speakers bureau - Abbvie and Lilly Yarur, Andres: Personal Fees: Consultant for Takeda, Pfizer, Roche, Merck, Abbvie, Eli Lilly. Bristol Myers Squibb, Celltrion, Johnson and Johnson. Ungaro, Ryan: Personal Fees: AbbVie, Bristol Myers Squibb, Genentech, Lilly, Pfizer, Janssen, Takeda Deepak, Parakkal: Parakkal Deepak has received research support under a sponsored research agreement unrelated to the data in the abstract from AbbVie, Johnson and Johnson, Sanofi, Merck, Teva, Direct Biologics, Tr1x, Boehringer Ingelheim, Bristol Myers Squibb, Pfizer, Prometheus Biosciences, Takeda Pharmaceuticals, Roche Genentech, Eli Lilly, AstraZeneca, Spyre and Agomab, has received consulting fees from Johnson and Johnson, Abbvie, Merck, Sobi, Celltrion, Fresenius Kabi, Asahi Kasei Pharma, Sandoz and CorEvitas, LLC and has served on the board of the Srategic Alliance for Intercultural Advocacy in GI.

Background. Acute cellular rejection (ACR) remains a major cause of morbidity after heart transplantation despite advances in immunosuppression. Whole genome transcriptomic profiling offers a systems-based, unbiased approach to elucidate the molecular mechanisms underlying ACR. However, noninvasive, longitudinal biomarker assessments capable of capturing the temporal dynamics of rejection biology remain scarce. Methods. RNA sequencing of peripheral blood from heart transplant recipients before, during, and after ACR was compared with nonrejection controls. Pathway analysis was conducted using differentially expressed genes (DEGs), and a machine learning approach was applied to assess gene-based prediction of ACR. Results. A total of 235 rejection-specific significant DEGs and 863 postrejection DEGs (false discovery rate < 0.05) were identified. During ACR, DEGs were enriched for T-cell activation/differentiation, apoptosis, and B-cell receptor signaling pathways. By combining the 2 sets of DEGs, a panel of 71 common genes was identified that reflected the significant, longitudinal transcriptomic dynamics of ACR. In an elastic net machine learning–based classifier, DYNLL1 and SERF2 were identified as ACR predictive genes, and achieved a cross-validated area under the receiver operating characteristic curve of 0.63. Conclusions. Peripheral blood transcriptomics identify dynamic temporal responses in ACR including T- and B-cell pathways with potential ACR predictive genes that warrant further investigation.

OBJECTIVE: Volatile anesthetics (VAs) are gaining renewed interest as a sedation strategy in the intensive care, offering an alternative to traditional IV agents. VAs provide several pharmacologic advantages, including rapid onset and offset, minimal systemic metabolism, and favorable recovery profiles. Advances in delivery systems enabled the safe and practical administration of volatile agents in the ICU. Thus, we aimed to describe the pharmacology and safety aspects of inhaled agents as well as the systems designed to deliver VAs in the ICU. DATA SOURCES: Relevant literature was identified through PubMed and MEDLINE databases. STUDY SELECTION: Original research, review articles, commentaries, and guidelines addressing safety, efficacy, and use of VAs in adult ICU patients were included. DATA EXTRACTION: Studies were reviewed by the authors, with key findings summarized and organized by pharmacologic properties, delivery systems, and safety domains. DATA SYNTHESIS: VAs are halogenated hydrocarbons whose mechanism of action is not fully understood. Although the CNS is the primary site of action, the end-tidal concentration of exhaled anesthetic is used to monitor clinical effects such as immobility to a noxious stimulus. Inhaled agents have unique pharmacokinetics, minimal metabolisms, and distinct recovery. The side effect profile is also unique, with malignant hyperthermia being the most feared, yet rare complication. Two systems for inhalational sedation delivery are available internationally, with one currently under evaluation in the United States. The systems are composed of a miniature vaporizer, delivery controller, and a monitor. The systems have distinct safety considerations, such as tidal volume limits. CONCLUSIONS: VAs can be used as sedative agents in the ICU. This article comprehensively reviews the pharmacology of VAs along with their safety profile and describes the structure and function of miniature vaporizers currently available on the world market.

ABSTRACT Background Systemic infections are a leading cause of hospitalization and death among patients with cirrhosis. Timely and accurate infection identification is essential for both clinical care and the development of predictive models. However, existing methods such as ICD-10 coding are unreliable, and manual chart review is resource-intensive and difficult to scale. This study aimed to develop and validate an automated large language model (LLM)-based approach for infection classification and subtyping in patients with cirrhosis presenting to the emergency department (ED). Method We developed INFEHR (INfection identification and subtyping using Free-text EHR analysis), an LLM-powered pipeline utilizing Claude 3.5 Sonnet to analyze clinical notes from the first 72 hours of admission. Model outputs were compared against a physician-adjudicated gold standard in a cohort of 1,000 encounters from patients with cirrhosis who presented to the ED. Performance was benchmarked against ICD-10 code–based labeling and CDC Adult Sepsis Event criteria. Results INFEHR achieved 94.7% overall accuracy, with 99.5% sensitivity and 92.8% positive predictive value for identifying infection presence, outperforming ICD-10–based classification across all metrics ( p < 0.0001). The model also demonstrated strong performance in classifying pathogen type and infection site. This pipeline processed notes within seconds, offering improvements in efficiency and scalability over manual review. Conclusion INFEHR offers a scalable, reproducible, and accurate method for infection phenotyping in cirrhosis. By overcoming limitations of traditional coding and manual review, it supports high-throughput infection surveillance, improves cohort construction for clinical research, and enables future integration into real-time decision-support tools in hepatology.