Massachusetts General Hospital

Needle-Related Procedural Pain: An Integrated Nervous-System Framework from Tissue Mechanics to Central Processing—A Systematic Review

Background/Objectives: Needle procedures cause acute pain through mechanical, chemical, sensory, and affective processes. We synthesized human and animal evidence and developed a framework spanning peripheral nociception, spinal/trigeminal modulation, central processing, and clin...

The structural context of mutations in proteins predicts their effect on antibiotic resistance

Abstract In Mycobacterium tuberculosis, a prevalent and deadly pathogen, resistance to antibiotics evolves primarily through non-synonymous mutations in proteins. Sequence-based analyses are currently used to understand the genetic basis of antibiotic resistance, either via genot...

Coupling target and radioactive emitter matters: a sub-tissue dosimetric study to identify optimal strategies

Abstract Background Radiopharmaceutical-therapy dosimetry depends on both radionuclide emission physics and the spatial distribution of activity. We evaluated how radionuclide identity and protein-defined subcellular localization influenced cancer-cell nuclear absorbed-dose distr...

Hypoxia and right ventricular dysfunction in patients with acute pulmonary embolism

In patients with acute pulmonary embolism (PE), hypoxia may increase pulmonary vascular resistance and worsen right ventricular dysfunction (RVD), which is a key prognostic factor. However, associations between hypoxia, RVD and clinical outcomes have not been well described. To d...

Test–Retest Reliability of Core Lexicon Analysis

Purpose: We examined the test-retest reliability of core lexicon analysis for healthy control participants (HCP) and individuals with aphasia (IWA) to facilitate research and clinical implementation of discourse analysis.Methods: Transcripts from 50 HCP and 61 IWA [from the Aphas...

Lymph node contraction links sex-biased naive CD8+ T cell decline to compromised antigen recognition during middle age

Abstract The abundance of diverse naive CD8 + T cell clones is essential for broad protection against infection and cancer, but how sex and aging jointly shape this compartment remains poorly understood. Here, using mouse models with supporting human data, we uncover a sex-biased...

The risk of not imaging: a three-scenario framework for justification

Abstract A recurring argument in radiological protection holds that the radiation risk of an imaging examination must be weighed against the clinical risk of not performing it. The argument is applied inconsistently, and evidence on that clinical risk remains sparse compared with...

Validation of the International Working Group 2023 response criteria for higher risk myelodysplastic syndromes/neoplasms using the International Consortium for Myelodysplastic Syndromes VALIDATE database and a randomized phase III trial

Response assessment criteria in patients with higher-risk myelodysplastic syndromes/neoplasms (HR-MDS) have been updated in the 2023 International Working Group (IWG) criteria. However, validation of these criteria has been limited to date. We analyzed overall survival (OS) by be...

Outcomes for American Indian and Alaska Native Populations With Cancer in Traditional Medicare

Importance American Indian and Alaska Native patients represent a uniquely vulnerable population in the US. Epidemiological studies have shown significant health disparities within this group. Contemporary outcomes and utilization studies of cancer in this population could aid in...

A systematic review of hydrocephalus and psychiatric comorbidities in children and adults with spina bifida

Spina bifida in children and adults is accompanied by substantial psychiatric comorbidity. Hydrocephalus is a common complication of spina bifida and is associated with functional and cognitive deficits, but the role of hydrocephalus in psychiatric comorbidities of spina bifida i...

A multiomic atlas reveals distinct immune landscapes in preterm and term chronic placental inflammation

Chronic placental inflammation (CPI), an umbrella term encompassing chronic chorioamnionitis, chronic villitis, and chronic deciduitis, is associated with preterm birth (PTB), yet its cellular and molecular determinants across gestation remain poorly defined. Here, we constructed...

From Sprain to End-Stage Osteoarthritis: Why Earlier Intervention in Ankle Cartilage Damage Deserves More Attention

➢ Ankle cartilage damage ranges from osteochondral lesions of the talus to end-stage osteoarthritis. End-stage ankle osteoarthritis has been associated with a health burden comparable with that of major chronic diseases such as congestive heart failure and kidney disease, while p...

Sensitivity to ATR–CHK1 pathway inhibition in MDS/AML is enhanced by SRSF2 mutations and reduced by RUNX1 loss

Abstract SRSF2 mutations occur in 5–15% of acute myeloid leukemia (AML) and ~15% of myelodysplastic neoplasms (MDS), are enriched in elderly/secondary AML, and lack mutation-directed therapy. We aimed to identify vulnerabilities in MDS/AML with SRSF2 mutations. Ex vivo drug-sensi...

The Left Atrial Appendage: Anatomy, Electrophysiology, and Clinical Implications for Atrial Fibrillation and Stroke

Abstract Purpose of Review The left atrial appendage (LAA) is nowadays recognized as both an arrhythmogenic substrate and the dominant source of thromboembolism in atrial fibrillation (AF). In this review we tried to summarize recent data on the anatomy, physiology, and imaging o...

Barriers to Reducing Subthreshold Phototherapy for Neonatal Jaundice

OBJECTIVE: In a national, multicenter quality improvement (QI) collaborative to reduce subthreshold inpatient phototherapy, the proportion of subthreshold encounters was high at baseline and remained high after the intervention period. This study aimed to assess why clinicians st...

MAIA frailty subgroup analysis: long-term follow-up with daratumumab plus lenalidomide/dexamethasone in transplant-ineligible newly diagnosed myeloma

Abstract In MAIA (Daratumumab, lenalidomide, and dexamethasone versus lenalidomide and dexamethasone alone in newly diagnosed multiple myeloma), daratumumab plus lenalidomide/dexamethasone (D-Rd) improved progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) versus Rd in tran...

The Gap Between Perceived and Objective Diet Quality in Patients with Lynch Syndrome

Background and Aims: Lynch syndrome (LS) confers a substantially elevated lifetime risk of colorectal cancer (CRC). While enhanced endoscopic surveillance and aspirin chemoprevention are the cornerstones of management, evidence suggests modifiable lifestyle factors like diet may...

Neuropsychiatry genetics in Africa

Across Africa, rising mental health needs coincide with rapid advances in genomics, digital health and continental policy reform. Yet research into the genetic, environmental and social determinants of neuropsychiatric illness remains sparse and underfunded. This review argues th...

Subtype-specific differences in susceptibility to monoclonal antibodies and vaccines among contemporary RSV-A and RSV-B isolates

ABSTRACT Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) continues to circulate at high levels despite the introduction of new monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) and vaccines targeting the pre-fusion F (pre-F) protein. We analyzed the viral genome sequences of 133 RSV clinical samples collected duri...

Pancreatic Reirradiation: A Multi-Institutional Retrospective Analysis of Feasibility, Tolerability, and Clinical Outcomes

Objectives: With improvements in systemic therapy for pancreatic cancer (PC), the role of radiation therapy (RT) to optimize local control has increased. While the tolerability and outcomes for RT for PC are well described, limited data exist on the feasibility and clinical impac...