Citations

Abstract Background Dose‐driven continuous scanning (DDCS) enhances the efficiency and precision of proton pencil beam delivery by reducing beam pauses inherent in discrete spot scanning (DSS). However, current DDCS optimization studies using traveling salesman problem (TSP) formulations often rely on fixed beam intensity and computationally expensive interpolation for move spot generation, limiting efficiency and methodological robustness. Purpose This study introduces a Break Spot‐Guided (BSG) method, combined with two acceleration strategies—dose rate skipping and bounding—to optimize beam intensity while minimizing beam delivery time (BDT). In addition, a ‐method is proposed for efficient move spot generation, aiming to balance computational efficiency and dose calculation accuracy. Methods The BSG framework simplifies the original mixed‐integer nonlinear programming (MINLP) problem by transforming it into a series of TSP evaluations using break‐spot dose rates. The two acceleration strategies are integrated to reduce computational complexity. The ‐method is introduced to efficiently generate move spots without compromising dose fidelity. The performance of the BSG method, with and without the acceleration strategies, and the ‐method, was evaluated across multiple clinical cases. Results By jointly optimizing the scan path and dose rate, the proposed BSG‐S‐B method offered the most efficient delivery, achieving a 64% reduction in BDT compared to DSS and a 57% reduction compared to Liu's method in the prostate case. These gains were consistently observed across all cases. Utilizing acceleration strategies, BSG‐S‐B significantly reduced computation time from hours to minutes (e.g., from 10 525.7 to 108.5 s in the prostate case, and from 6202.4 to 129.8 s in the head‐and‐neck case). When combined with the ‐method, it reduced the number of move spots by more than 50%, while still ensuring dosimetric quality. Conclusions The proposed framework significantly improves computational efficiency, making scan path optimization with dose rate selection feasible for clinical DDCS delivery. The ‐method effectively reduces computational complexity while maintaining dose calculation accuracy, demonstrating strong potential for clinical adoption in proton therapy treatment planning.

Summary Introduction Postoperative delirium is a common complication following cardiac surgery. Despite its known impact on patient outcomes, effective preventative strategies remain elusive. We aimed to perform a comprehensive Bayesian network meta‐analysis of randomised controlled trials assessing the effect of pharmacological interventions on the incidence of postoperative delirium. Methods Databases were searched from inception to September 2024. Our search was updated in January 2025. Eligible studies included randomised controlled trials reporting the incidence of postoperative delirium in patients having cardiac surgery treated with pharmacological interventions. Bayesian models were used to estimate risk ratios (RR) and mean differences with 95%CrI through Markov chain Monte Carlo. Interventions were ranked using the surface under the cumulative ranking curve. Sensitivity analyses and grading of recommendations, assessment, development and evaluation assessment were conducted to evaluate the robustness and certainty of evidence. Results Seventy‐nine randomised controlled trials comprising 24,827 patients were included, with 29 pharmacological interventions compared. Dexmedetomidine combined with melatonin was the most effective intervention, reducing the incidence of postoperative delirium compared with placebo (risk ratio 0.31, 95%CrI 0.13–0.69; low certainty). Dexmedetomidine with melatonin also significantly decreased intensive care unit stay (2.4 days, 95%CrI ‐3.50–1.10) and hospital stay (1.32 days, 95%CrI ‐2.09 to ‐0.57). Other interventions, including ketamine and risperidone, showed potential efficacy but with low or very low certainty of evidence. Discussion We identified dexmedetomidine with melatonin as the most effective pharmacological strategy for preventing postoperative delirium following cardiac surgery. Whilst these findings highlight potential benefits, the low certainty of evidence underscores the need for more high‐quality primary evidence.

BACKGROUND: Whereas antiphospholipid syndrome (APS) is best known for increasing the risk of macrovascular thrombosis, APS vasculopathy is characterized by the abnormal proliferation of endothelial and smooth muscle cells, leading to occlusion of small blood vessels in the skin, kidneys, and heart, among other organs. The underlying mechanisms remain unclear, and targeted treatment options for patients with APS are lacking. METHODS: To identify and analyze APS microvascular endothelial cells (MVECs), skin biopsies of patients with APS complicated by livedo racemosa were characterized using single-cell RNA sequencing. CCN1 (cellular communication network factor 1) and CCN2 were identified in skin and kidney biopsies by immunofluorescence microscopy and in plasma by ELISA. Healthy dermal MVECs were cultured with APS patient–derived serum or immunoglobulin G (IgG), and relevant signaling pathways were characterized using quantitative PCR, immunoblotting, and immunofluorescence microscopy. The proliferation and migration of vascular smooth muscle cells were determined after exposure to conditioned medium from APS IgG–stimulated MVECs. A mouse model of APS IgG–accelerated neointima formation was developed. Anti-CCN2 monoclonal antibodies were tested in vascular smooth muscle cell functional assays and the mouse model. RESULTS: Increased endothelial cell expression of CCN1 and CCN2 was identified by single-cell RNA sequencing and further confirmed in APS skin by microscopy as well as in APS plasma by ELISA. Exposure of healthy MVECs to patient IgG triggered the upregulation of CCN1 and CCN2 via Toll-like receptor 4– and YAP1 (yes-associated protein 1)–mediated signaling. CCN2, originating from APS IgG–stimulated MVECs led to the proliferation and migration of vascular smooth muscle cells, phenotypes that were inhibited by an anti-CCN2 antibody or depletion of EGFR (epidermal growth factor receptor). We further observed increased expression of CCN2, along with evidence of YAP1 nuclear translocation, in kidney vessels of APS nephropathy biopsies. Finally, CCN2 inhibition with an anti-CCN2 monoclonal antibody significantly reduced neointima thickening and cell proliferation in a mouse model of APS IgG–accelerated neointima formation. CONCLUSIONS: This study revealed activation of YAP1-mediated signaling in APS dermal microvessels and demonstrated that the YAP1 target CCN2 plays a role in facilitating pro-proliferative communication between MVECs and vascular smooth muscle cells. These findings offer insights into the cellular and molecular mechanisms underlying APS vasculopathy, providing potential therapeutic targets for patients.

ABSTRACTIn Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (fMRI), the primary contrast is Blood Oxygen Level Dependent (BOLD) signal. Systemic Low Frequency Oscillations (sLFO) are BOLD signals between 0.01 and 0.1 Hz originating from systemic physiological processes. While sLFO signals in the brain have been shown to travel with blood in numerous studies, their behavior in the spinal cord (SC) remains unexplored. This study characterizes the coupling between brain‐sLFO and SC‐sLFO signals. Understanding brain‐SC‐coupling is pivotal for unraveling the vascular continuity of the central nervous system, which plays a crucial role in SC‐injury pathophysiology. BOLD signal extraction involved registering structural masks to fMRI space to obtain average time series from the brain, SC, and superior sagittal sinus. The sLFOs of the time series were cross‐correlated to determine vascular delays and analyzed for band power. It is found that the SC‐sLFO signal comprises two components relative to the brain, showing opposite correlation polarity and varying delays. These findings suggest that highly oxygenated blood arrives at the spinal cord before arriving at the brain, and some component of the brain's venous output circulates to or near to the spinal cord later, likely due to unique arterial and venous pathways connecting the central nervous system. This insight offers a valuable imaging marker for future studies on the effects of SC injury on brain‐SC interconnectivity.

Abstract Atrial fibrillation (AF) is increasingly diagnosed early, close to its first occurrence due to: (i) increased public awareness with self-screening; (ii) health care initiatives including population screening and opportunistic case finding; and (iii) increased use and surveillance of implantable cardiac devices. At its onset, AF is often low burden, and cardiovascular co-morbidities may be absent or at an early stage. Thus, the management of recent-onset AF has become an issue of growing importance. Professional guidelines have traditionally focused on anticoagulant thromboprophylaxis, generally recommending a cautious approach to rhythm control, and priority has been given to rate control to alleviate symptoms. In recent guidelines, the importance of managing lifestyle and co-morbidities has increased. The AF-SCREEN collaboration proposes that a vigorous approach to active management of recent-onset AF may be warranted. This includes addressing co-morbidities and promoting healthy lifestyles to prevent the emergence or progression of AF and associated cardiovascular disease, as well as the initiation of active rhythm control ± anticoagulation to prevent AF-related morbidity and mortality, including stroke and heart failure (HF). Intuitively, intervention early after AF onset would be beneficial since lifestyle and co-morbidity management, plus rhythm control and anticoagulation, are important contributors to improved outcomes in patients with established AF, but robust evidence is lacking for recent-onset AF. There is a delicate balance between achieving favourable outcomes such as preventing strokes, HF and AF progression vs the complications and potential adverse effects of interventions. Given the serious long-term consequences, innovative approaches are necessary to determine the value and risks of initiating active therapy very early in the course of AF. More data are needed to guide the best management of recent-onset AF, bearing AF burden in mind. Long-term studies using large national databases linked to electronic medical records and rhythm monitoring devices offer excellent opportunities. Shorter-term studies focusing on reducing AF burden to slow AF progression and studies focusing on outcomes such as HF could be used in both randomized clinical trials and observational cohort studies.

8618 Background: Telisotuzumab vedotin (Teliso-V) is a c-Met–directed antibody-drug conjugate comprising the mAb telisotuzumab and the microtubule polymerization inhibitor monomethyl auristatin E. In the phase 2 LUMINOSITY trial (NCT03539536), Teliso-V monotherapy 1.9 mg/kg showed durable responses and a generally manageable safety profile in patients (pts) with c-Met protein–overexpressing (OE) non-squamous (NSQ) EGFR -wildtype (WT) non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Herein we present an analysis of efficacy outcomes according to prior platinum or prior platinum and immune checkpoint inhibitor (ICI)-based therapies. Methods: Pts (≥18 years) with locally advanced/metastatic c-Met protein–OE NSQ EGFR -WT NSCLC who had ≤2 prior lines of therapy, including ≤1 line of chemotherapy, were treated with 1.9 mg/kg Teliso-V Q2W. c-Met protein overexpression (by immunohistochemistry clinical trial assay for MET [SP44] [Roche]) was defined as ≥25% tumor cells with 3+ staining intensity (high: ≥50% 3+; intermediate [int]: 25 to <50% 3+). The primary endpoint was overall response rate (ORR) by independent central review per RECIST v1.1. Results: As of 21 Feb 2024, 172 pts received ≥1 dose of Teliso-V and 168 pts were included in efficacy analyses (c-Met high, n=84; c-Met int, n=84). In the c-Met OE total population, 97.6% of pts received prior platinum and 78.6% received prior platinum + ICI. Efficacy data for pts with prior platinum and platinum + ICI therapies are shown in the Table. Among the 172 dosed pts, the most common any-grade treatment-related adverse events (TRAEs) were peripheral sensory neuropathy (31%), peripheral edema (16%), and fatigue (14%). The most common grade ≥3 TRAE was peripheral sensory neuropathy (7%). Conclusions: This analysis demonstrated that Teliso-V elicited durable responses in pts with c-Met protein–OE NSQ EGFR -WT NSCLC regardless of whether they had received prior platinum or platinum + ICI therapies; the efficacy outcomes in these subgroups were consistent with those in the overall pt population. Clinical trial information: NCT03539536 . Platinum Platinum + ICI Overall ORR, a n/N (%) [95% CI] c-Met OE total c-Met high c-Met int 48/164 (29.3) [22.4, 36.9]28/81 (34.6) [24.3, 46.0]20/83 (24.1) [15.4, 34.7] 38/132 (28.8) [21.2, 37.3]22/67 (32.8) [21.8, 45.4]16/65 (24.6) [14.8, 36.9] 49/168 (29.2) [22.4, 36.7]29/84 (34.5) [24.5, 45.7]20/84 (23.8) [15.2, 34.3] Median DOR, a mo [95% CI] c-Met OE total c-Met high c-Met int 7.2 [5.5, 11.3]9.0 [3.8, 12.0]7.2 [4.7, 11.5] 7.2 [5.5, 11.0]9.0 [3.8, 11.3]7.2 [5.3, 11.5] 7.2 [5.5, 11.0]7.2 [4.2, 12.0]7.2 [4.7, 11.5] a Per independent central review. DOR, duration of response.

e13656 Background: Evidence-based medicine is crucial for clinical decision-making, yet studies suggest that a significant proportion of treatment decisions do not fully incorporate the latest evidence. Large Language Models (LLMs) show promise in bridging this gap, but their reliability for medical recommendations remains uncertain. Methods: We conducted an evaluation study comparing five LLMs’ recommendations across 50 clinical scenarios related to multiple myeloma diagnosis, staging, treatment, and management. The evaluation included three general-purpose LLMs (OpenAI o1-preview, Claude 3.5 Sonnet, Gemini 1.5 Pro), one retrieval-augmented generation (RAG) system (Myelo), and one agentic workflow-based system (HopeAI). General-purpose LLMs generated responses based solely on their internal knowledge, while the RAG system enhanced these capabilities by incorporating external knowledge retrieval. The agentic workflow system extended the RAG approach by implementing multi-step reasoning and coordinating with multiple tools and external systems for complex task execution. Three independent hematologist-oncologists evaluated the LLM-generated responses using standardized scoring criteria developed specifically for this study. Performance assessment encompassed five dimensions: accuracy, relevance, comprehensiveness, hallucination rate, and clinical use readiness. Results: HopeAI demonstrated superior performance across accuracy (82.0%), relevance (85.3%), and comprehensiveness (74.0%), compared to OpenAI o1-preview (64.7%, 57.3%, 36.0%), Claude 3.5 Sonnet (50.0%, 51.3%, 29.3%), Gemini 1.5 Pro (48.0%, 46.0%, 30.0%), and Myelo (58.7%, 56%, 32.7%). Hallucination rates were consistently low across all systems: HopeAI (5.3%), OpenAI o1-preview (3.3%), Claude 3.5 Sonnet (10.0%), Gemini 1.5 Pro (8.0%), and Myelo (5.3%). Clinical use readiness scores were relatively low for all systems: HopeAI (25.3%), OpenAI o1-preview (6.0%), Claude 3.5 Sonnet (2.7%), Gemini 1.5 Pro (4.0%), and Myelo (4.0%). Conclusions: This study demonstrates that while current LLMs show promise in medical decision support, their recommendations require careful clinical supervision to ensure patient safety and optimal care. Further research is needed to improve their clinical use readiness before integration into oncology workflows. These findings provide valuable insights into the capabilities and limitations of LLMs in oncology, guiding future research and development efforts toward integrating AI into clinical workflows.

Rituximab (RTX) is a humanized chimeric anti-CD20 monoclonal antibody that leads to immunosuppression through rapid depletion of B lymphocytes. It has been demonstrated to be useful in treating both thyroid eye disease (TED) and myasthenia gravis (MG), respectively. However, the effectiveness of RTX in concurrent TED and MG cases is unclear and not previously reported in the literature. In this study, we describe a 13-year-old girl who presented with a 10-year history of general MG and a 1-year history of Graves’ disease, bilateral proptosis, eye motility restriction, and lagophthalmos. A comprehensive evaluation confirmed the diagnosis of concurrent TED and MG. Satisfactory effectiveness was observed after RTX treatment without side effects. Based on the described observations, we suggest that RTX should be further explored as a treatment option for patients with concurrent TED and MG.

ImportanceIntraocular pressure (IOP) reduction with phacogoniotomy (phacoemulsification plus goniosynechialysis plus goniotomy) was not less than that of phacotrabeculectomy for advanced primary angle-closure glaucoma (PACG) with cataract at 1-year follow-up, but longer-term outcomes are needed.ObjectiveTo investigate if phacogoniotomy is noninferior to phacotrabeculectomy for advanced PACG with cataract at 2 years.Design, Setting, and ParticipantsThis multicenter, noninferiority, randomized clinical trial took place in 7 ophthalmology centers in China. The trial started May 31, 2021, and 2-year follow-up ended May 31, 2024. Included in this analysis were patients with advanced PACG and cataract. Study data were analyzed from September 2024 to January 2025.InterventionsRandom assignment (1:1) to phacogoniotomy or phacotrabeculectomy.Main Outcomes and MeasuresThe primary outcome measure was reduction in IOP from baseline to the 2-year visit with a noninferiority margin of 4 mm Hg.ResultsA total of 124 participants (124 eyes) were randomized (mean [SD] age, 66.4 [8.6] years; 67 female [54.0%]), 65 (52.4%) to the phacogoniotomy group and 59 (47.6%) to the phacotrabeculectomy group. A total of 59 patients (90.7%) in the phacogoniotomy group and 52 patients (88.1%) in the phacotrabeculectomy group completed 2-year visits. All participants were Chinese. Mean (SD) IOP reduction was −25.6 (10.2) mm Hg and −24.7 (9.4) mm Hg in the phacogoniotomy and phacotrabeculectomy groups, respectively, and the upper boundary of the CI for difference in change between groups was lower than the 4-mm Hg noninferiority margin (mean difference, −0.5 mm Hg; 97.5% CI, −1.7 mm Hg to 0.8 mm Hg; P = .42). The mean difference for complete success for phacogoniotomy vs phacotrabeculectomy was −6.7% (95% CI, −21.4% to 8.8%; P = .47) and for qualified success was 1.4% (95% CI, −11.0% to 14.3%, P = .30). Median (IQR) number of antiglaucomatous medication was 0 (0) vs 0 (0; Hodges-Lehmann estimate of location shift, 0; 95% CI, 0; P =.12) with phacogoniotomy vs phacotrabeculectomy, respectively (mean difference, 0.13; 95% CI, −0.36 to 0.63; P = .60).Conclusions and RelevanceMean IOP reduction with phacogoniotomy was noninferior to phacotrabeculectomy for advanced PACG and cataract at 2-year follow-up with no differences detected in complete or qualified success or mean number of antiglaucomatous medications. These findings support phacogoniotomy as an alternative to phacotrabeculectomy for patients with advanced PACG and cataract.Trial registrationClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT04878458