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Importance The ideal duration of androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) for treating localized prostate cancer is unknown due to variable adherence and treatment durations tested in clinical trials. Objective To determine the ideal duration of ADT for patients with prostate cancer treated with radiotherapy. Data Sources This individual patient data meta-analysis of 13 randomized phase 3 clinical trials evaluated the use of radiotherapy alone or with ADT. It included patients with a median follow-up of 11.3 (IQR, 9.5-14.5) years and ADT duration of 0 to 36 months. Most patients (7392 [72%]) included had National Comprehensive Cancer Network high-risk or very high-risk disease. Study Selection For this meta-analysis, a systematic literature search from 1980 to 2020 was performed in trial registries (Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials and ClinicalTrials.gov), MEDLINE (1966-2020), Embase (1982-2020), Web of Science, and Scopus to identify trials. Data Extraction and Synthesis Intention-to-treat and as-treated analyses were performed. The number needed to treat to prevent 1 distant metastasis at 10 years was calculated based on prognostic risk group. The analyses were conducted from January 5 to August 15, 2023. Main Outcomes and Measures The primary end point for this study was overall survival, defined as time to death or last follow-up from randomization. Secondary end points included biochemical recurrence, distant metastasis (DM), prostate cancer–specific mortality, and other-cause mortality. Results The median (IQR) age among the 10 266 male patients was 70 (65-74) years. Longer durations of ADT were associated with nonlinear improvement in relative benefits of DM, prostate cancer–specific mortality, and overall survival, with reduced estimated benefits beyond 9 to 12 months of ADT based on the end point. There was a near-linear increase in other-cause mortality associated with long-term ADT use (hazard ratio, 1.28; 95% CI, 1.09-1.50; P = .002 for 28 vs 0 months of ADT). The optimal ADT duration based on 10-year DM was 0, 6, 12 months, and undefined for patients with 1 intermediate-risk factor, 2 or more intermediate-risk factors, and National Comprehensive Cancer Network high-risk and very high-risk disease, respectively. Conclusions and Relevance The results of this meta-analysis suggest that, for men with localized prostate cancer treated with definitive radiotherapy and ADT, there are relative and absolute benefits from increasing durations of ADT that help provide individualized risk estimates.

Importance Treatment for cognitive dysfunction due to postacute sequelae of long COVID (ie, symptoms of fatigue, malaise, weakness, confusion that persist beyond 12 weeks after an initial COVID infection) remains a significant unmet need. Objective To test evidence-based rehabilitation strategies for improving cognitive symptoms in persons with long COVID. Design, Setting, and Participants This was a 5-arm, multicenter, randomized clinical trial of 3 remotely delivered interventions conducted between August 17, 2023, and June 10, 2024. The study took place at 22 trial sites and included the screening of individuals with cognitive long COVID. Interventions Participants were randomized to 1 of 5 arms: adaptive computerized cognitive training (BrainHQ [Posit Science]), cognitive-behavioral rehabilitation involving both group and individual counseling sessions (PASC-Cognitive Recovery [PASC-CoRE]) paired with BrainHQ, and transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) paired with BrainHQ. Two comparator arms were included as follows: unstructured computer puzzles and games (active comparator) and sham tDCS paired with BrainHQ. The interventions occurred 5 times per week over 10 weeks. Main Outcomes and Measures Cognitive and behavioral in-person assessments were performed at baseline, midintervention, at the end of intervention, and 3 months after the end of the intervention. The primary outcome measure was the modified Everyday Cognition Scale 2 (ECog2) completed at the end of the intervention compared to the baseline visit based on participant self-report looking back over the prior 7 days. Results A total of 378 individuals were screened, from which there were 328 participants (median [IQR] age, 48.0 [37.0-58.0] years; 241 female [73.5%]; race: 15 Asian [4.6%], 47 Black [14.3%], and 235 White [71.6%]; ethnicity: 52 Hispanic [15.9%]). None of the 3 active interventions demonstrated benefits on the modified ECog2 in the intention-to-treat population by the end of the intervention period. The adjusted differences in mean change were 0.0 (95% CI, −0.2 to 0.2) for BrainHQ vs active comparator, 0.1 (95% CI, −0.1 to 0.3) for PASC-CoRE + BrainHQ vs active comparator, 0.0 (95% CI, −0.2 to 0.2) for tDCS-active + BrainHQ vs tDCS-sham + BrainHQ, and 0.1 (95% CI, −0.1 to 0.3) for PASC-CoRE + BrainHQ vs BrainHQ alone. Secondary participant-reported outcomes and neuropsychological tests showed no differential benefits for any treatment arm. All 5 arms demonstrated some improvements over time on the modified ECog2 and on secondary outcomes. There were no serious adverse events attributable to the interventions. Conclusions and Relevance This phase 2 randomized clinical trial failed to demonstrate differential benefits for online cognitive training, a structured cognitive rehabilitation program, and tDCS for cognitive long COVID. Trial Registration ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT05965739 .

Background and aims To validate the applicability of the new histological criteria for autoimmune hepatitis (AIH) proposed by the International AIH Pathology Group (IAIH‐PG) among Chinese patients with AIH and drug‐induced liver injury (DILI). Methods The gold standard for diagnosis relied on clinical response: discontinuing treatment without relapse supported DILI, while relapse or ongoing immunosuppressive treatment confirmed AIH. This two‐centre retrospective cohort study included inpatients with DILI or AIH from January 2002 to March 2023. Cases that underwent liver biopsy were selected according to inclusion and exclusion criteria. The diagnostic performance of the criteria was assessed by an area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUROC). Results Out of 69 patients: AIH (41, 59%) and DILI (28, 41%). The accuracy, sensitivity and specificity of the new histological criteria for likely and possible AIH were 70%, 98% and 29%, respectively, with an AUROC of 0.8236 [95% confidence interval (CI): 0.7533–0.8938]. For likely AIH, the accuracy, sensitivity and specificity were 73%, 61% and 89%, respectively, with an AUROC of 0.9177 [95% CI: 0.8757–0.9596]. Moreover, for possible AIH, significant differences were found in serum alanine aminotransferase levels [178.4 (87.0, 435.0) versus 536.5 (206.9, 930.4) U/L] and antinuclear antibody (ANA) ≥1:160 [10 (67%) versus 1 (6%)], as well as in lobular lymphoplasmacytic infiltrate [15 (100%) versus 12 (71%)] and more than mild inflammation [13 (87%)versus 6 (35%)] between AIH and DILI (all P values were <0.05). Conclusion The new histological criteria exhibit good diagnostic efficacy in distinguishing AIH from DILI in China, with high AUROC. Key discriminators include low aminotransferase, ANA ≥1:160, lobular lymphoplasmacytic infiltrate and more than mild inflammation, which may further improve diagnostic accuracy for AIH.

Abstract Background The associations between different types of diabetes, characterized by distinct pathophysiology and genetic architecture, and pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) risk are not understood. Methods We investigated associations of genetic susceptibility to type 2 diabetes (T2D), 8 T2D mechanistic clusters, type 1 diabetes (T1D), and maturity-onset diabetes of the young (MODY) with PDAC risk. We used genome-wide association study (GWAS) summary-level statistics for T2D (242 283 cases, 1 569 734 controls), T1D (18 942 cases, 501 638 controls), and PDAC (10 244 cases and 360 535 controls) in individuals of European ancestry. Results Two-sample Mendelian randomization (MR) using the Robust Adjusted Profile Score (MR-RAPS) method indicated that genetically predicted T2D was associated with PDAC risk (OR = 1.10; 95% CI = 1.05 to 1.15), particularly the T2D obesity (OR = 1.28; 95% CI = 1.15 to 1.42) and lipodystrophy (OR = 1.25; 95% CI = 1.03 to 1.51) clusters. No association was observed for T1D with PDAC risk (OR = 1.01; 95% CI = 0.99 to 1.02). Pathway/gene-set analysis using the summary-based Adaptive Rank Truncated Product (sARTP) method revealed a significant association between the MODY gene-sets and PDAC risk (P = 1.5 × 10−8), which remained after excluding 20 known PDAC GWAS loci (P = 7.6 × 10−4). HNF1A, FOXA3, and HNF4A were the top contributing genes after excluding the previously identified GWAS loci regions. Conclusions Our results from this genetic association study support that T2D, particularly the obesity and lipodystrophy mechanistic clusters, and MODY genomic susceptibility regions play a role in the etiology of PDAC.

Abstract Background Carbon ion radiotherapy (CIRT), characterized by its Bragg peak and a reduced lateral scattering compared to proton radiotherapy (PT), offers excellent dose conformity in radiation treatment. Meanwhile, compared to PT, CIRT causes more complex and severe DNA damage in tumor cells, which results in a higher relative biological effectiveness (RBE), making it particularly advantageous in treating radioresistant and hypoxia tissues than conventional radiotherapy. However, CIRT's high RBE and the nuclear fragmentation dose tail outside the target presents challenges in sparing organ at risk (OARs). Combining PT and CIRT offers a potential hybrid modality that leverages the biological effectiveness of carbon ions while minimizing normal tissue toxicity with high biological damage. Purpose Despite the potential of combining PT and CIRT, balancing their respective advantages while mitigating disadvantages remains a significant challenge. This study aims to develop an optimized treatment approach that automatically adjusts the relative contributions of protons and carbon ions, improving target dose conformity while minimizing biological impact on OARs. Methods We propose a biological optimization framework for multi‐modality combining PT and CIRT (CCIPRT). The biological dose is modeled as the product of the physical dose and RBE. Through iterative Jacobian‐based linearization, the biological dose of carbon ion is expressed in a linear model, enabling the formulation of a linear least‐square objective. The biological dose of proton is formulated as a linear model using the physical dose and dose‐averaged linear energy transfer (LET). The joint optimization problem is then solved using iterative convex relaxation and the alternating direction method of multipliers. For comparison, single‐modality PT and CIRT were also implemented. Results When the target dose of CCIPRT is prescribed in terms of the physical dose, compared to PT, CCIPRT increased the mean biological dose in the target by 37.7%, 29.6%, and 31.1% for brain, lung, and abdomen, respectively; compared to CIRT, CCIPRT reduced the biological dose in CTV1cm (ring surrounding CTV with 1 cm width) by 47.2%, 32.3%, and 40.4% for brain, lung, and abdomen, respectively. When the target dose of CCIPRT is prescribed in terms of the biological dose, compared to PT, CCIPRT achieved higher conformity index (CCIPRT: 0.96 and 0.97; PT: 0.93 and 0.96 for brain and liver cases, respectively) and reduced the dose in CTV1cm by 9.5% and 7.0% for brain and liver cases, respectively; compared to CIRT, CCIPRT enhanced healthy tissue sparing, reducing the dose to the body by 7.5% and 9.2% for brain and liver cases, respectively. Conclusions A novel multi‐modality CCIPRT treatment planning is developed with demonstrated superior performance over single‐modality PT or CIRT, with enhanced biological effectiveness and dose conformity compared to PT and reduced OAR dose compared to CIRT.

OBJECTIVE: To review currently available devices on pressure injury (PI) early detection, summarize challenges and opportunities to clinical implementation, and propose evaluation standards for device categories. DATA SOURCES: PubMed and US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) databases. STUDY SELECTION: Published in English from peer-reviewed journals with full text available. Excluded if opinion statements, lack of empirical data, or unrelated to project’s objective. DATA EXTRACTION: For both clinical device and research equipment: measurement mechanisms, measurement types, outcome/output, FDA classification, and indications for use. Addition data were extracted for clinical devices: instruction for use, end user, order requirement, and billable code. DATA SYNTHESIS: The 4 clinical devices are ultrasound, long-wave infrared thermography, subepidermal moisture assessment, and nearinfrared spectroscopy. The 3 research devices are laser Doppler flowmetry, laser speckle contrast imaging, and colorimetry. CONCLUSIONS: The measurement mechanisms of all devices are unique and different from each other. One commonality is that they could measure the nonvisual signs of PI (eg, inflammation, edema, ischemia, and hypoxia) except colorimeter. Some clinical devices are promising to assist with early identification of PIs, especially in individuals with dark skin tones. Currently, there is no reimbursement available for early detection of PI. Current evidence did not support replacing the standard skin assessment of visual inspection and palpation with the devices reviewed, rather using validated devices to augment the current practice standard. This is especially recommended for individuals identified as high risk for a PI on admission to a facility.

Key Points Genetic testing of individuals suspected of monogenic urinary stone disease resolved 34% of families with 22 different genes detected. Resolved individuals had a lower baseline and last visit eGFR and earlier age of stone presentation than the unresolved group. Specific phenotypes and younger diagnostic age were associated with a monogenic cause, allowing refinement of future screenings. Background Urinary stone disease with a clear genetic cause, monogenic stone disease (MSD), is increasingly recognized as a significant proportion of the total population. When MSD is suspected, genetic testing provides a firm diagnosis that can alter management and treatment. Here, we present testing results from a large cohort with suspected MSD. Methods Patients with features suggestive of MSD (early onset, family history, frequent stones, nephrocalcinosis [NC], and/or CKD) were recruited by the Rare Kidney Stone Consortium and genotyped for up to 160 known or candidate MSD genes via a targeted massively parallel sequencing panel. We compared clinical and biochemical features between genetically resolved MSD and unresolved individuals. Results Of 426 families (657 patients) enrolled, 145 (34%) were resolved with identified disease associated variants in 22 known MSD genes. Ninety-nine families were biallelic, 37 monoallelic, and two digenic. An additional 21 of the 231 screened family members were resolved. Genes identified in ten or more families include the following: AGXT , HOGA1 , SLC34A3 , CYP24A1 , SLC3A1 , and CLCN5 . Compared with the unresolved group, MSD probands had a lower baseline and last visit eGFR, earlier age of stone presentation, and more stone events and procedures/year of life. The resolve rate was higher in those <16 years, and NC was seen earlier in the MSD group. Overall, NC was a risk factor for lower eGFR. Among the specific disorders, patients with primary hyperoxaluria had the earliest age of stone and NC diagnosis, and as expected, the highest urinary oxalate level. Conclusions Our study emphasizes the value of selecting patients enriched for factors associated with MSD, and comprehensive genetic testing to achieve a high yield of genetic diagnoses. Significant clinical and biochemical characteristics of patients with MSD were defined. A definitive MSD diagnosis facilitates individualized management and strategies to delay disease progression in probands and affected family members.

Abstract Extracellular vesicles (EV) are phospholipid‐encapsulated nanoparticles secreted by cells into their surrounding environment. EVs can transfer a variety of biomolecules that mediate intercellular communication and play a key role in physiological and pathological processes. Therefore, EVs are emerging as new biomarkers for diseases, therapeutic targets, and drug delivery vehicles. The isolation and detection of EVs requires time‐consuming and labor‐intensive processes, first to extract EVs from biological and physiological fluids and then to detect EV‐associated molecules with high sensitivity. The methodologies and instruments commonly used for EV analysis are not widely accessible outside of dedicated research laboratories, creating practical barriers for the study of EV‐associated molecules in biology research and clinical applications. To bridge this gap, we developed a proof‐of‐concept digital microfluidic device that can automatedly extract EVs from 20 µL of culture and human plasma samples within 25 min and detect EV‐bound proteins (e.g PD‐L1) on‐chip using an electrochemical sensor. This work serves as a framework for the development of streamlined EV analysis in both research and diagnostics.