Patient perspectives on BCMA-targeted therapies for multiple myeloma: a survey conducted in a patient advocacy group.

Background: Advances in multiple myeloma (MM) treatment have shifted the therapeutic landscape. Understanding patients' perspectives can assist physicians in helping patients make informed decisions. This study aimed to understand the patient decision-making process and gain insights into patient perspectives on B-cell maturation antigen (BCMA)-targeted therapies for MM. Methods: An 18-question survey was completed by patients with MM enrolled in HealthTree® Cure Hub, an online portal helping patients with plasma cell dyscrasias navigate their disease. Results: From October 28, 2022, to January 12, 2023, 325 patients with MM participated in the survey. The mean age (standard deviation) of the respondents was 66 (8) years; 54% were female and 90% were White. Among 218 patients with complete clinical records in the database, the median (min, max) lines of therapy (LOT) was 2 (1,16). Among 61 (28%) patients who had received ≥4 LOTs, 55 (90%) were triple-class exposed. Of the 290 patients who responded to the question about openness to new therapies, 76 (26%) were open to trying a new therapy immediately and 125 (43%) wanted more information on safety and efficacy. Most respondents reported likely or very likely to try a BCMA CAR T-cell therapy (60%) or a bispecific antibody (74%) and some needed more information to decide (16% for CAR T-cell therapy and 13% for bispecific antibody). The most requested information included efficacy, side effects (SEs), eligibility, and administration process for both CAR T-cell and bispecific therapies. When 2 therapies with the same efficacy and duration of response were offered, 69% of respondents would prefer the therapy with a lower risk of severe SEs but requires continuous dosing with no treatment-free interval, and 31% preferred a therapy given once followed by a treatment-free interval but with a potentially higher risk of severe SEs. To receive an effective therapy, the top acceptable trade-offs included frequent monitoring of SEs and initiating a new therapy in a hospital setting, and the least acceptable compromise was caregiver burden. Conclusions: This study found a high level of openness in patients with MM to try BCMA-targeted therapies. Information on efficacy, safety, availability, and eligibility may assist patients on decision-making.

Construcción y validación de un cuestionario para evaluar burnout académico en estudiantes de ciencias de la salud / Construction and validation of a questionnaire to assess academic burnout in health science students / Construção e validação de um questionário para avaliar o burnout acadêmico em estudantes da área da saúde

Objetivo: el burnout (BA) académico puede presentarse en el contexto universitario, se caracteriza por un estado de agotamiento vital que afecta la salud física y mental de los estudiantes, lo que genera una disminución en el rendimiento académico. Este problema aparece con mayor frecuencia en programas universitarios con altas exigencias académicas. El objetivo de este trabajo fue construir y evaluar la estructura factorial de un cuestionario de BA académico en estudiantes que cursaban los programas de medicina, enfermería y psicología. Metodología: los participantes fueron 710 estudiantes de ciencias de la salud (hombres 40.8 % y mujeres 59.2 %), de 16 a 33 años (M = 20.42 años, DT = 3 años). Se evaluó la validez de constructo mediante análisis factorial exploratorio (AFE) y análisis factorial confirmatorio (AFC); además, se calculó la consistencia interna por medio del estadístico alfa de Cronbach. Resultados: el cuestionario burnout académico (CBA-24) quedó conformado por 24 reactivos y una estructura factorial de cuatro dimensiones (agotamiento emocional, cinismo hacia el estudio, cinismo hacia las personas y realización personal). Con la prueba se evaluó el nivel de malestar emocional ante las demandas del entorno académico. Los índices de ajuste alcanzaron valores altos en el modelo propuesto, por lo tanto, el modelo de cuatro factores alcanzó los criterios para considerar que el ajuste es adecuado en todos los índices y mostró una estructura multidimensional. Dichos índices se agruparon de acuerdo con la taxonomía propuesta. Conclusiones: el cuestionario permitió identificar de manera ecológica el constructo de BA ajustado a las demandas de los contextos universitarios.

Objective: Academic burnout (AB) can occur in the university context and is characterized by a state of vital exhaustion that affects the physical and mental health of students, leading to a decrease in academic performance. This problem is more commonly observed in college programs with high academic demands. The aim of this study was to construct and evaluate the factorial structure of a questionnaire for assessing AB in students enrolled in medicine, nursing, and psychology programs. Methodology: The participants consisted of 710 health science students (40.8% male and 59.2% female) aged between 16 and 33 years (M = 20.42 years, SD = 3 years). Construct validity was assessed using exploratory factor analysis (EFA) and confirmatory factor analysis (CFA). Additionally, internal consistency was calculated using Cronbach's alpha statistic. Results: The academic burnout questionnaire (ABQ-24) consisted of 24 items and a four-factor factorial structure (emotional exhaustion, cynicism towards studying, cynicism towards people, and personal accomplishment). The questionnaire assessed the level of emotional distress experienced in response to academic demands. The fit indices achieved high values in the proposed structure, indicating that the four-factor model met the criteria for adequate fit across all indices and exhibited a multidimensional structure. These indices were grouped according to the proposed taxonomy. Conclusions: The questionnaire provided an ecologically valid means of identifying the construct of AB, adapted to the demands of university contexts.

Objetivo: o burnoutacadêmico (BA) pode ocorrer no contexto universitário, é caracteri-zado por um estado de esgotamento vital que afeta a saúdefísica e mentaldos alunos, o que gera uma diminuição no desempenho acadêmico. Esse problema aparece com mais frequência em programas universitários com altas demandas acadêmicas. O objetivo deste trabalho foi construir e avaliar a estrutura fatorial de um questionário acadêmico de graduação em estudantes de medicina, enfermagem e psicologia. Metodologia: Os participantes foram 710 estudantes de ciências da saúde (40,8% ho-mens e 59,2 % mulheres), de 16 a 33 anos (M = 20,42 anos, DT = 3 anos). A validade de construto foi avaliada por meio de análise fatorial exploratória (EFA) e análise fatorial confirmatória (AFC); além disso, a consistência interna foi calculada usando a estatística alfa de Cronbach. Resultados: o questionário de burnoutacadêmico (CBA-24) foi composto por 24 itens e uma estrutura fatorial de quatro dimensões (exaustão emocional, cinismo em relação ao estudo, cinismo em relação às pessoas e realização pessoal). Com o teste, avaliou-se o nível de desconforto emocional diante das demandas do ambiente acadêmico. Os índices de ajuste atingiram valores altos no modelo proposto, portanto, o modelo de quatro fatores atendeu aos critérios para considerar que o ajuste é adequado em todos os índices e apresentou uma estrutura multidimensional. Esses índices foram agrupados de acordo com a taxonomia proposta.Conclusões:o questionário permitiu identificar de forma ecológica o construto BA ajustado às demandas dos contextos universitários

Knowledge and Practices of Toxoplasmosis among Clinical Laboratory Professionals: A Cross-Sectional Study in Durango, Mexico.

Background: The aim of this study was to determine the level of knowledge and practices about toxoplasmosis in a sample of clinical laboratory professionals in Mexico. Methods: 192 clinical laboratory professionals were surveyed. They were asked about (1) Toxoplasma gondii; (2) clinical manifestations, diagnosis, treatment, and epidemiology of toxoplasmosis; and (3) their practices with respect to toxoplasmosis. Results: The range of animals infected by T. gondii was known by 44.8% of participants. Clinical aspects of toxoplasmosis were known by up to 44.3% of subjects. Correct answers about the interpretation of serological markers of T. gondii infection were provided by up to 32.8% of participants. A minority (32.2%) of participants knew about a high number of false positive results of anti-T. gondii IgM antibody tests. Most participants (90.1%) did not know what the anti-T. gondii IgG avidity test was. Up to 55.7% of participants provided incorrect answers about the interpretation of serology tests for the treatment of pregnant women. Common routes of T. gondii infection were known by <15% of participants. Most (84.4%) participants had not performed tests for detection T. gondii infection. Conclusions: Results indicate incomplete knowledge of T. gondii infection and toxoplasmosis and a limited practice of laboratory tests among the professionals surveyed.

A reversible haploid mouse embryonic stem cell biobank resource for functional genomics.

The ability to directly uncover the contributions of genes to a given phenotype is fundamental for biology research. However, ostensibly homogeneous cell populations exhibit large clonal variance that can confound analyses and undermine reproducibility. Here we used genome-saturated mutagenesis to create a biobank of over 100,000 individual haploid mouse embryonic stem (mES) cell lines targeting 16,970 genes with genetically barcoded, conditional and reversible mutations. This Haplobank is, to our knowledge, the largest resource of hemi/homozygous mutant mES cells to date and is available to all researchers. Reversible mutagenesis overcomes clonal variance by permitting functional annotation of the genome directly in sister cells. We use the Haplobank in reverse genetic screens to investigate the temporal resolution of essential genes in mES cells, and to identify novel genes that control sprouting angiogenesis and lineage specification of blood vessels. Furthermore, a genome-wide forward screen with Haplobank identified PLA2G16 as a host factor that is required for cytotoxicity by rhinoviruses, which cause the common cold. Therefore, clones from the Haplobank combined with the use of reversible technologies enable high-throughput, reproducible, functional annotation of the genome.

Low seroprevalence of Toxocara infection in schizophrenic inpatients in durango, Mexico: a case control study.

Psychiatric patients have a higher seroprevalence of toxocariasis than general population. However, there is poor knowledge about any specific psychiatric diagnosis associated with toxocariasis. The aim of the study was to determine whether seropositivity to Toxocara was associated with schizophrenia. Through an age and gender-matched case-control seroprevalence study in Durango City, Mexico, 50 schizophrenic inpatients in a public psychiatric hospital and 100 control subjects of the general population were compared for the presence of anti-Toxocara IgG antibodies. One of the 50 (2%) schizophrenic inpatients, and 3 (3%) of the 100 controls were positive for anti-Toxocara IgG antibodies. No statistically significant difference in Toxocara seroprevalence among cases and controls was found (P=0.59). The Toxocara positive schizophrenic patient suffered from paranoid schizophrenia (F20.0) and had a number of putative risk factors for Toxocara exposure including contact with cats, dogs and other animals, worked in agriculture, and consumed undercooked meat, unwashed fruits and vegetables, and untreated water. Results suggest that seroprevalence of Toxocara infection was low and not associated with schizophrenia in psychiatric inpatients in Durango, Mexico. However, further studies to elucidate the association of toxocariasis with schizophrenia are needed.

Comparison of ultrasonographic cervical length and the Bishop score in predicting successful labor induction.

BACKGROUND: The aim of this study was to compare the performance of the Bishop score and transvaginal ultrasonography to predict successful labor induction, and to estimate the most useful cut-off points for the two methods. METHODS: The five components of the Bishop score were assessed by digital examination and cervical length was measured by transvaginal ultrasonography in 177 women with a single pregnancy, 36-42 weeks of gestation, and a live fetus in cephalic presentation before induction of labor. RESULTS: Multiple regression analysis showed that the Bishop score, cervical length, and parity provided independent contribution in the prediction of the likelihood of delivering vaginally within 60 h. The only component of the Bishop score that was independently predictive of the probability of vaginal delivery within 60 h was station. The best cut-off points for predicting successful induction using receiver operating characteristic curves were 24 mm for cervical length and 4 for the Bishop score. Cervical length was a better predictor than the Bishop score (sensitivity and specificity of 66 and 77% versus 77 and 56%, respectively). Kaplan-Meier survival curves showed that cervical length was the best discriminator of successful induction. CONCLUSION: Measurement of cervical length by transvaginal ultrasonography is a better predictor of success in labor induction with both topical prostaglandin and oxytocin.

Factores asociados con el consumo diario de cigarrillo en adolescentes estudiantes de básica secundaria de Bucaramanga, Colombia / Social factors associated with the daily cigarette smoking among middle-school student adolescents in Bucaramanga, Colombia

Introducción. El consumo diario de cigarrillo se asocia con una alta morbimortalidad en la adultez. Este patrón de consumo se inicia habitualmente en la adolescencia temprana. En adolescentes, el consumo diario de cigarrillo es factor de predicción importante del uso de sustancias ilegales que pueden producir dependencia. Se desconoce la frecuencia de consumo diario de cigarrillo en estudiantes colombianos. Objetivo. Determinar la prevalencia y los factores asociados con el consumo diario de cigarrillo en adolescentes estudiantes de sexto a noveno grado del área metropolitana de Bucaramanga, Colombia. Materiales y métodos. Se realizó un estudio transversal. Una muestra probabilística de 2.586 estudiantes diligenció en forma anónima una encuesta que indagaba el consumo de sustancias legales e ilegales. Resultados. La edad promedio fue 13,0 años; 54,9 por ciento era varones; 32,0 por ciento cursaba sexto grado; 31,7 por ciento, séptimo; 25,2 por ciento, octavo, y 11,1 por ciento, noveno; 67,1 por ciento estudiaba en colegios oficiales. El consumo diario de cigarrillo durante el mes anterior fue de 3,8 por ciento(IC95 por ciento 2,7 a 4,9). La regresión logística mostró que tener un mejor amigo fumador o consumidor de alcohol (OR=3,71; IC95 por ciento 1,71 a 8,04), referir mal rendimiento académico (OR=3,83; IC95 por ciento 1,03 a 14,18) y tener más años de edad (OR=1,44; IC95 por ciento 1,19 a 1,75) se asociaba con el consumo diario de cigarrillo. Conclusión. Uno de cada 26 estudiantes de básica secundaria del área metropolitana de Bucaramanga consume diariamente cigarrillo. Tener un mejor amigo fumador es el factor más fuertemente asociado

[Social factors associated with the daily cigarette smoking among middle-school student adolescents in Bucaramanga, Colombia]. / Factores asociados con el consumo diario de cigarrillo en adolescentes estudiantes de básica secundaria de Bucaramanga, Colombia.

INTRODUCTION: Daily cigarette smoking is associated with high morbidity and mortality in adults. This pattern of tobacco use is established during the early adolescence. Among adolescents, daily cigarette smoking is a strong predictor of illegal, addictive substance use. The prevalence of daily cigarette smoking is not known in Colombian adolescent middle-school students. OBJECTIVE: To assess smoking prevalence, daily cigarette smoking and associated factors among middle school-students in Bucaramanga, northeast Colombia. MATERIALS AND METHODS: An anonymous questionnaire concerning illegal and legal substance use was administered to a random sample of 2,586 students. RESULTS: The group mean age was 13.0 years; 54.9% was male; 32.0% was in sixth grade, 31.7% in seventh, 25.2% in eighth and 11.1% in ninth grade, with 67.1% enrolled in public schools. The prevalence of daily cigarette smoking lasting the month prior to the questionnaire was 3.8% (95% CI 2.7-4.9). Logistic regression showed a significant association between being the best friend of a smoker or a drinker of alcohol (OR=3.71; 95% CI 1.71-8.04), having low academic performance perception (OR=3.83; 95% CI 1.0-14.2), and being older age (OR=1.4; 95% CI 1.2-1.8). CONCLUSIONS: These data demonstrated that one in 26 middle-school student adolescents from Bucaramanga is an everyday smoker. The most important associated factor was being the best friend of a smoker or a drinker of alcohol.