Citations

ABSTRACT Lytic phages are a promising consideration to combat recalcitrant bacterial infections. To advance the possibility of using phage therapy in the clinical routine, standardized phage susceptibility testing methods are needed. Here, staphylococcal phage K was tested against 154 periprosthetic joint infection-associated Staphylococcus aureus isolates using a double overlay spot assay in technical and biological triplicates. Individual plaques were assessed using a morphology scoring system ranging from 0 (no plaques) to 4 (large, clear plaques), with scores ≥2 considered indicative of infectivity. Overall, 107 isolates exhibited scores ≥2. The intra-day and inter-day coefficients of variation were 0.9 and 2.5, respectively. Plaque-forming unit per milliliter (PFU/mL) titers correlated with morphology scores (Spearman’s ρ = 0.8, P < 0.0001). The results suggest high precision of the described spot assay assessing S. aureus susceptibility to phage K. IMPORTANCE Standardized laboratory assays for assessing phage susceptibility are a prerequisite for clinical implementation of phage therapy. No assay has been denoted a reference standard. Criteria that can be used to assess assay precision and suitability for routine testing are intermediate precision and repeatability. Here, staphylococcal phage K was tested using the double overlay spot assay against 154 periprosthetic joint infection-associated Staphylococcus aureus isolates in technical and biological triplicates. In addition to measuring phage titers, plaque-forming units were assessed with a scoring system. Results indicate high intermediate precision and repeatability of the method described.

Background Antitumor immune responses induced by oncolytic immunotherapy (OI) are often followed by upregulation of programmed death-ligand 1 (PD-L1). As such, the combination of OI with blockade of the programmed cell death protein-1 (PD-1)/PD-L1 axis has demonstrated therapeutic activity in preclinical and clinical trials. The purpose of this study is to understand further the immune-mediated mechanism of interaction between oncolytic viruses and anti-PD-1 therapy. Methods Tumor cells and immune cells (splenocytes) were cultured separately, or in co-culture with vusolimogene oderparepvec, an oncolytic herpes simplex virus expressing the fusogenic gibbon-ape leukemia virus-fusogenic membrane glycoprotein protein (GALV) and granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF), also known as RP1. Viral replication, interferon (IFN) responses and PD-L1 expression were analyzed using wild-type, IFNAR1, TNFAR1 and STING knockout splenocytes. In vivo studies evaluated immune cell infiltrates into the tumor following RP1 administration with anti-PD-1 therapy. Results RP1 replication was evident in tumor cells but not splenocytes. This was also accompanied by upregulated IFN expression in cultured splenocytes that was absent in cultured tumor cells. However, when these cell types were co-cultured, splenocytes mediated an interferon response to RP1 via STING that was transmitted to tumor cells in a non-touch-dependent manner. Tumor cells responded to these input signals via upregulation of cell surface major histocompatibility complex-I and PD-L1 through tumor intrinsic JAK-STAT signaling. In vivo, an IFN signature was observed following intratumoral injection of RP1, both in injected and non-injected tumors, which was further increased when combined with anti-PD-1 therapy. Marked upregulation of PD-L1 was observed in tumors injected with RP1 accompanied by the recruitment of CD11b+Ly6G+neutrophils into the tumor microenvironment, which stained positive for PD-L1. Conclusion Overall, the data demonstrate that RP1 remodels the tumor microenvironment through a combination of direct and indirect effects on both tumor and immune cells, resulting in an overall more inflamed phenotype.

Abstract Hypertensive disorders of pregnancy (HDP) are a leading cause of maternal and perinatal morbidity, yet modifiable environmental risk factors remain poorly characterized. Prior studies typically have only examined a limited number of exposures and have rarely distinguished HDP subtypes (ie, gestational hypertension, preeclampsia, eclampsia, and chronic hypertension with or without superimposed preeclampsia) or accounted for residential mobility during pregnancy. To address these gaps, we conducted a spatial and contextual exposome study of HDP using linked electronic health records (EHR) and vital statistics data in Florida. We analyzed 686 412 singleton pregnancies conceived between 2013 and 2018, using computable phenotyping to distinguish HDP subtypes. A total of 245 spatial and contextual exposome measures spanning natural, built, and social environments were linked to residential histories from conception through gestational week 19. Using a two-phase double machine learning (DML) framework with exposure-specific, directed acyclic graph-guided confounder adjustment, we conducted discovery and replication analyses, followed by multi-treatment DML to estimate effect sizes. In Phase 1, 26 exposome measures replicated for gestational hypertension and 34 for overall HDP. In Phase 2, 12 measures remained associated with gestational hypertension and 11 with overall HDP, including air toxicants, meteorological factors, ultraviolet radiation, neighborhood crime indicators, environmental noise, and proximity to coastline. No exposures passed multiple-comparison thresholds for preeclampsia or eclampsia. These findings demonstrate that the spatial and contextual exposome contributes to HDP in a subtype-specific manner. Integrating EHR-linked phenotyping, residential mobility, and causal machine-learning methods offers a scalable framework for identifying environmental factors relevant to HDP prevention.

Abstract Background Automated phlebotomy has the potential to improve patient outcomes and address phlebotomist workforce challenges. The Autonomous Blood Drawing Optimization and Performance Testing trial (ADOPT, ClinicalTrials.gov NCT05878483) assesses performance, safety, and patient experience of an autonomous robotic phlebotomy device (ARPD) that utilizes multimodal imaging. Methods Patients were recruited from outpatient phlebotomy departments in the Netherlands. In cohort 1, analytical equivalence was assessed by comparing within-subject test results from ARPD-collected and manually collected samples using Passing–Bablok regression analysis. In cohort 2, the ARPD was assessed in routine use. The primary performance endpoint was first-stick success rate; the primary safety endpoint was the rate of adverse events. Exploratory endpoints assessed pain and patient preference. Results One hundred fifty-three patients were enrolled in cohort 1. No statistically significant differences were observed in activated partial thromboplastin time, prothrombin time, lactate dehydrogenase, aspartate transaminase, or platelet count, indicating analytical equivalence. A total of 1633 patients were enrolled in cohort 2. The overall first-stick success rate, in patients where the ARPD could identify a suitable vein, was 94.5% (95% CI, 93.3–95.5) and remained high in patients with difficult venous access (92.7%), obesity (97.4%), and age ≥65 years (93.4%). Adverse events, all mild, occurred at a rate of 0.6%. Ninety percent of patients reported far less (19%), less (32%), or similar pain (39%) compared with manual phlebotomy. Eighty-two percent indicated they would strongly prefer (16%) or prefer (31%) use of the ARPD in the future or had no preference (35%). Conclusions Automated phlebotomy using the ARPD shows a favorable performance and safety profile and may improve patient experience. ClinicalTrials.gov Registration Number: NCT05878483

Abstract Context Osteoanabolic therapy for osteoporosis should be followed by antiresorptive treatment (“consolidation”) to preserve bone mass. Although osteoanabolic therapy is increasingly endorsed for primary fracture prevention, real-world implementation of consolidation remains unknown. Objective To assess patterns and predictors of timely consolidation after osteoanabolic therapy for primary fracture prevention. Methods We conducted a retrospective cohort study using US commercial, Medicare Advantage, and traditional Medicare claims data. Adults aged ≥50 years who initiated romosozumab, teriparatide, or abaloparatide between 2011 and 2022 were included. The primary outcome was timely consolidation, defined as initiation of an antiresorptive medication within 3 months after osteoanabolic therapy. Secondary outcomes included delayed consolidation (initiation &gt;3 months after completion), osteoanabolic restart following a treatment gap, and no consolidation therapy. We further distinguished participants who completed the full osteoanabolic course, defined as ≥12 months for romosozumab and ≥18 months for teriparatide or abaloparatide. Multivariable logistic regression models were used to identify predictors of consolidation patterns. Results Among 15 389 patients (mean age 70.6 years; 89% women; 85% White), 30% completed osteoanabolic therapy (median, 12.9 months for romosozumab; 23.4 months for teriparatide/abaloparatide). Overall, 25% had timely consolidation, 24% delayed consolidation, 12% restarted osteoanabolics, and 40% had no consolidation; only 12% completed therapy with timely consolidation. Timely consolidation was more likely with endocrinology (OR 1.31; 95% CI, 1.17-1.48) or rheumatology (OR 1.45; 1.30-1.62) vs primary care, and less likely among patients aged 50-64 years (OR 0.67; 0.58-0.77) vs 65-74, those enrolled in Medicare Advantage (OR 0.85; 0.74-0.98) vs traditional Medicare, or those recently hospitalized (OR 0.88; 0.80-0.97). Odds increased over time (OR 4.27; 3.63-5.05 for 2021 vs 2011 starts). Conclusion Only 1 in 4 patients received timely consolidation therapy after osteoanabolic treatment, and 1 in 8 completed the full sequence. Strategies to improve consolidation in primary fracture prevention are needed.

Abstract Background Neuroendocrine tumors (NETs) are rare, heterogeneous neoplasms associated with prolonged survival and substantial symptom burden. However, patient-reported outcomes across NET subtypes remain poorly characterized, particularly in real-world settings. This study describes baseline health-related quality of life (HRQoL) and care experiences among patients with gastroenteropancreatic and lung NETs, examining differences by tumor site and time since diagnosis. Methods The Neuroendocrine Tumors–Patient Reported Outcomes study is a prospective, multi-institutional US cohort of adults (aged 18 years and older) with incident small intestinal, pancreatic, gastroenteropancreatic, or lung NETs diagnosed from January 2018 through September 2024, identified via a validated electronic medical record–based computable phenotype. Baseline surveys assessed HRQoL, symptoms, care experiences, and clinical characteristics using validated instruments. Descriptive statistics and standardized mean differences compared responses by NET site and time since diagnosis. Results Among 2367 participants (mean age = 57.8 years; 57.3% female), 1974 had gastroenteropancreatic NETs (659 small intestinal NET, 555 pancreatic NET) and 393 had lung NETs. Fatigue (mean = 33.0), insomnia (mean = 32.5), and diarrhea (mean = 25.7) were the most burdensome symptoms. Lung NET patients reported worse dyspnea (standardized mean difference = 0.58, P &lt; .001) and lower physical, role, and global QoL scores than those with gastroenteropancreatic NETs, while pancreatic NET patients reported better functioning. Diarrhea worsened over time, especially in small intestinal NETs. Most rated care highly (75.3%) but cited concerns about treatment side effects (80.4%), costs (60.7%), and travel burden (58.8%). Conclusions This large US cohort reveals persistent symptom burden and HRQoL variation by tumor site and disease duration, underscoring the need for longitudinal HRQoL assessment in NET care.

Abstract Background Cardiomegaly is a clinically significant incidental finding on chest computed tomography (CT) associated with heart failure, arrhythmias, and sudden cardiac death. Qualitative radiologist assessment is variable, and automated AI tools may enable objective opportunistic cardiac volumetry. Purpose To evaluate whether AI-enabled total cardiac volume (TCVAI) derived from non-ECG-gated, non-contrast chest CT can identify cardiomegaly as defined by echocardiography. Materials and Methods This retrospective study included 307 consecutive patients (median age, 67 years; 56% male) who underwent non-contrast chest CT at a single center on 7 scanner types (4 vendors) and clinically indicated echocardiography within 31 days. A commercially available AI tool (AI-Rad Companion, Siemens Healthineers) automatically quantified TCVAI, indexed to body surface area (TCVAI/BSA). Echocardiography reports were reviewed for chamber dilation and left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH), collectively defined as cardiomegaly. Associations between TCVAI/BSA and echocardiographic findings were assessed using correlation, ordinal regression, and receiver operating characteristic (ROC). Interscan repeatability was evaluated in 248 patients with 544 repeat CT examinations. Prespecified sex-specific thresholds were tested in a temporally independent validation cohort of 50 patients. Results Median TCVAI was higher in patients with cardiomegaly than those without (1061.9 vs 798.4 mL; P &lt; .001). TCVAI/BSA was associated with chamber dilation and LVH severity on univariate analysis and remained associated in multivariable ordinal models, except for right ventricular dilation. Discriminatory performance was fair to good, with area under the curve (AUC) 0.81 (95% CI, 0.75-0.87) in men and 0.77 (95% CI, 0.69-0.85) in women. Interscan repeatability was excellent (intraclass correlation coefficient [ICC]: 0.93). In independent validation, performance ranged from sensitivity 89.3%/specificity 27.3% at a high-sensitivity threshold to sensitivity 28.6%/specificity 100% at a high-specificity threshold. Conclusion AI-derived cardiac volume from routine chest CT shows fair to good performance for identifying echocardiography-defined cardiomegaly with high measurement repeatability, supporting a potential role for automated cardiac volumetry as an objective, opportunistic biomarker.

Abstract The practice patterns of fluorine 18–labeled fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography/computed tomography ([18F] FDG PET/CT) use in cardiac implantable electronic device infection remain undefined. Among 258 Emerging Infections Network respondents, 69% reported never or rarely using [18F] FDG PET/CT. Limited access and insurance barriers were the most common obstacles.