Faculty Bibliography

BACKGROUND:Anticancer treatments are associated with cutaneous adverse events (cAEs) that can severely impact patients' quality of life (QoL) and interfere with treatment outcomes. LACOM aims to support clinicians in preventing and managing cAEs to optimize patient outcomes. METHODS:A panel of dermatologists, clinical oncologists, and radiation oncologists developed an evidence-based algorithm for the prevention and treatment of cancer treatment-related cAEs using a skincare regimen that includes hygiene, moisturization, sun protection, and camouflage products. RESULTS:The LACOM II algorithm discusses patient education before cancer treatment, appropriate skincare, triage, and the importance of treating emerging cAEs with a multidisciplinary team. CONCLUSIONS:Integrating proactive education, safe and effective skincare, triage, and reaction-specific management of cAEs is essential to optimize the care of patients living with cancer. The LACOM II algorithm provides evidence- and opinion-based best-practice recommendations to support clinicians working with oncology patients throughout the continuum of care, achieving optimal outcomes and improving patients' QoL. &nbsp.

Challenges in orthodontic management for patients with cleft lip and palate (CLP) center on facial growth deficiencies and oral health. Patients with complete CLP exhibit maxillary arch constriction from an early age, typically more severe in the canine region than in the molar region. Transverse management centers on the maxillary arch and types of expansion. The ability to provide targeted anterior expansion while simultaneously addressing posterior crossbites is crucial for correcting arch constriction in patients with cleft lip and palate. Maxillary constrictions are usually addressed immediately prior to the secondary alveolar bone graft procedure. The instability of maxillary expansion in CLP patients is one reason why expansion is often performed early. Anteroposterior (sagittal) orthopedic management of maxillary deficiencies in patients with CLP still remains a challenge, with decisions on treatment based on timing, indications, and severity. A protocol is presented with favorable results for complicated cases. Early correction of the hypoplastic maxilla in patients with CLP is notoriously followed by substantial skeletal relapse; consequently, protraction undertaken in the deciduous or early-mixed dentition should be reserved for cases in which marked functional impairment, such as hipoacusia, is present. Conversely, when the same orthopedic stimulus is applied in proximity to the pubertal growth spurt, the skeletal correction tends to be considerably more stable. Challenges in pediatric dentistry persist with poor oral hygiene and caries. Without a foundation for stable dentition, the best of orthodontic treatment planning can be compromised. Despite awareness on importance of oral health as it relates to systemic conditions and the additional factors faced with CLP patients, more follow-up is needed. Prevention and frequent follow-up with the pediatric dentist are key.

Understanding the genetic regulation of RNA abundance is essential for defining disease mechanisms. Conventional expression quantitative trait locus (eQTL) studies measure steady-state RNA and capture effects across the entire transcript lifecycle. While most eQTL likely affect transcription by altering promoter or enhancer function within the nucleus, others may act post-transcriptionally through RNA modification or stability in the cytosol. To distinguish these mechanisms, we compare eQTL from mature cellular RNA and recently transcribed nuclear RNA in brain and kidney. We identify distinct causal variants underlying cellular and nuclear eQTL at the same eGenes. Cellular eQTL are enriched in transcribed regions (P = 3.3×10⁻¹²⁶), suggesting post-transcriptional regulation, whereas nuclear eQTL are enriched in distal regulatory elements (P = 7.0×10⁻³²), consistent with transcriptional control. For example, stop-gain variants likely acting through nonsense-mediated decay appear only in cellular eQTL. Conversely, nuclear eQTL variants (e.g., TUBGCP4) within enhancers sometimes uniquely colocalize with disease loci (schizophrenia), revealing distinct regulatory mechanisms.

The Tianhe Procedure is a functional sphincter-preserving surgical approach developed for patients with rectal cancer following radiotherapy. This technique involves proximal extended resection of the colon beyond the pelvic cavity, followed by anastomosis of the non-irradiated proximal colon to the distal rectum or anal canal. This strategy aims to reduce the incidence of anastomotic complications and postoperative bowel dysfunction. However, there is currently a lack of standardized practice guidelines for implementing the Tianhe Procedure in China. Therefore, the Chinese Radiation Intestinal Injury Research Group, the Colorectal Surgery Group of Surgery Branch of the Chinese Medical Association, the Anorectal Branch of Chinese Medical Doctor Association, the Colorectal Cancer Committee of the Chinese Medical Doctor Association, the Colorectal Cancer Committee of China Anti-cancer Association, and the Gastrointestinal Surgical Branch of Guangdong Medical Doctor Association have jointly convened a panel of national experts to discuss and establish this standardized surgical procedure. This standard, based on the latest evidence from literature, research advancements, and expert experience, focuses on key aspects of the Tianhe Procedure, including its precise definition, indications, critical procedural steps, postoperative complications, and functional rehabilitation strategies. It aims to promote standardized implementation and broader clinical adoption of this innovative surgical technique.

IMPORTANCE/UNASSIGNED:Patients with obstructive hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (oHCM) endure life-altering exercise limitations. Current treatment guidelines recommend β-blockers as first-line therapy primarily based on expert opinion. The Metoprolol vs Aficamten in Patients with Left Ventricular Outflow Tract Obstruction on Exercise Capacity in HCM (MAPLE-HCM) trial characterizes comprehensive exercise response to aficamten monotherapy vs β-blockade (metoprolol). OBJECTIVE/UNASSIGNED:To determine the effect of aficamten compared with metoprolol across all stages of exercise using 16 quantitative measures in individuals with oHCM. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS/UNASSIGNED:This was a prespecified secondary analysis of the MAPLE-HCM study, a phase 3, randomized, active-control trial conducted from June 2023 to March 2025 with data analyzed between May and July 2025 at 71 sites in North America, South America, Europe, Israel, and China. Patients with symptomatic oHCM with objective evidence of exercise intolerance (peak oxygen uptake [pVO2] <100% of predicted) were included. Those with a history of atrial fibrillation (paroxysmal or persistent), medical indication for β-blockers or calcium channel blockers prohibiting drug discontinuation, or intolerance or medical contraindication to β-blockers were excluded. INTERVENTION/UNASSIGNED:Randomized 1:1 to titrated aficamten (5-20 mg daily) or matching titrated metoprolol (50-200 mg daily) for 24 weeks. MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES/UNASSIGNED:The main outcomes were submaximal exercise minute ventilation (VE)/carbon dioxide output (VCO2) slope and anaerobic threshold; peak exercise duration, workload, heart rate and heart rate reserve; and postexercise oxygen recovery rates; and composite variables, such as circulatory power. RESULTS/UNASSIGNED:Of 175 randomized participants (mean [SD] age, 57.7 [13.2] years; 102 [58.3%] male), 165 (94%) had core laboratory-validated exercise tests at baseline and week 24. Compared with metoprolol, aficamten treatment improved multiple stages of exercise; including submaximal exercise VE/VCO2 slope (-2.8; 95% CI, -4.0 to -1.5; P < .001) and anaerobic threshold (76 mL/min; 95% CI, 41 to 111; P < .001); peak workload (8 watts; 95% CI, 3 to 13; P = .003); the time required for VO2 to recover by 12.5% postexercise (-11 seconds; 95% CI, -16 to -5; P < .001); and circulatory power (819 mm Hg × mL/min per kg; 95% CI, 569 to 1070; P < .001). Large improvements (≥3.0 mL/kg/min) in peak VO2 were more common with aficamten compared with metoprolol (17 [20.5%] vs 3 [3.7%], respectively; odds ratio, 6.8; 95% CI, 2.0 to 22.5; P < .001). In contrast, large reductions in peak VO2 (≥3.0 mL/kg/min) were significantly more common with metoprolol than aficamten (17 [20.7%] vs 2 [2.4%], respectively; odds ratio, 10.6; 95% CI, 2.6 to ∞; P < .001). CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE/UNASSIGNED:This prespecified analysis of MAPLE-HCM demonstrated monotherapy with aficamten was superior to metoprolol in promoting adaptation to multiple phases of exercise in patients with symptomatic oHCM and supports aficamten as first-line therapy for oHCM. TRIAL REGISTRATION/UNASSIGNED:ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT05767346.

In nonequilibrium quantum systems, the quantum Mpemba effect (QME) emerges as a counterintuitive phenomenon: Systems exhibiting greater initial symmetry breaking restore symmetry faster. It has been attracting broad interest in studying QME dynamics and potential applications in quantum information science. While theoretical exploration of QME has surged, experimental studies, specifically on its flexible modulation, remain limited. Here, we report the observation and modulation of QME using a superconducting processor featuring an all-to-all connected, tunable-coupling architecture that enables precise control from short- to long-range interactions. This platform allows independent manipulation of coupling regimes, on-site potentials, and initial states, enabling us to elucidate their roles in QME. To quantify symmetry restoration, we employ entanglement asymmetry (EA), derived from the reconstructed density matrix via quantum state tomography, as a sensitive probe. In strong short-range coupling regimes, EA crossovers during quenches from tilted Néel states confirm the presence of QME. In contrast, in intermediate-coupling regimes, synchronized EA and entanglement entropy dynamics reveal the suppression of QME. Remarkably, QME reemerges with the introduction of on-site linear potentials or quenches from tilted ferromagnetic states, the latter proving robust against on-site disorder. Our study demonstrates flexible QME modulation on a superconducting platform with multiple controllable parameters, shedding light on quantum many-body nonequilibrium dynamics and opening avenues for quantum information applications.

BACKGROUND:Odontogenic infections can spread beyond the oral cavity into potential spaces of the head, neck, and thorax. Identifying predictors for these severe complications can improve early risk stratification and guide timely intervention. PURPOSE/OBJECTIVE:This study aimed to estimate the frequency and identify risk factors for severe extraoral complications among patients with odontogenic infections. STUDY DESIGN, SETTING, AND SAMPLE/UNASSIGNED:This retrospective cohort study utilized the 2022 Nationwide Emergency Department Sample. Subjects diagnosed with odontogenic infections (ICD-10-CM K12.2, K04) were included. PREDICTOR VARIABLES/METHODS:Predictor variables included demographics, medical comorbidities, and social history. MAIN OUTCOME VARIABLES/METHODS:The primary outcome was the presence or absence of a severe complication. Secondary outcomes included the type of severe complication (intracranial abscess, cavernous sinus thrombosis, orbital cellulitis, Lemierre's syndrome, descending mediastinitis, and necrotizing fasciitis), inpatient admission, and mortality. COVARIATES/UNASSIGNED:Not applicable. ANALYSES/METHODS:test. A logistic regression model was used to identify independent predictors of a severe complication. A P value of <.05 was considered statistically significant. RESULTS:The final sample included 2,530 subjects with a mean age of 43 years (SD = 20), and 1,386 (55%) were male. The frequency of severe complications was 248 (9.8%), which included 31 (1.2%) intracranial abscess, 16 (0.6%) cavernous sinus thrombosis, 78 (3.1%) orbital cellulitis, 42 (1.7%) Lemierre's syndrome, 30 (1.2%) mediastinitis, and 70 (2.8%) necrotizing fasciitis. Overall, 1,756 (69%) subjects required inpatient admission and mortality was 15 (0.6%). Independent predictors of severe complications were male sex (odds ratio [OR]: 1.51; 95% CI: 1.15 to 2.01; P < .01), immunodeficiency (OR: 2.91; 95% CI: 1.32 to 6.41; P < .01), obesity (OR: 1.88; 95% CI: 1.11 to 3.19; P = .02), and alcohol use (OR: 1.88; 95% CI: 1.11 to 3.19; P = .02). Severe complications were associated with inpatient admission (relative risk: 1.35; 95% CI: 1.28 to 1.41; P < .01) and mortality (relative risk: 10.52; 95% CI: 3.85 to 28.75; P < .01). CONCLUSION AND RELEVANCE/CONCLUSIONS:Patients with immune dysfunction, metabolic disorders, or substance use disorders may benefit from early recognition and aggressive management to prevent severe complications of odontogenic infections.