Post-acute sequelae of COVID-19 (PASC) represent an emerging global crisis. However, quantifiable risk-factors for PASC and their biological associations are poorly resolved. We executed a deep multi-omic, longitudinal investigation of 309 COVID-19 patients from initial diagnosis to convalescence (2-3 months later), integrated with clinical data, and patient-reported symptoms. We resolved four PASC-anticipating risk factors at the time of initial COVID-19 diagnosis: type 2 diabetes, SARS-CoV-2 RNAemia, Epstein-Barr virus viremia, and specific autoantibodies. In patients with gastrointestinal PASC, SARS-CoV-2-specific and CMV-specific CD8 + T cells exhibited unique dynamics during recovery from COVID-19. Analysis of symptom-associated immunological signatures revealed coordinated immunity polarization into four endotypes exhibiting divergent acute severity and PASC. We find that immunological associations between PASC factors diminish over time leading to distinct convalescent immune states. Detectability of most PASC factors at COVID-19 diagnosis emphasizes the importance of early disease measurements for understanding emergent chronic conditions and suggests PASC treatment strategies.

We present an integrated analysis of the clinical measurements, immune cells and plasma multi-omics of 139 COVID-19 patients representing all levels of disease severity, from serial blood draws collected during the first week of infection following diagnosis. We identify a major shift between mild and moderate disease, at which point elevated inflammatory signaling is accompanied by the loss of specific classes of metabolites and metabolic processes. Within this stressed plasma environment at moderate disease, multiple unusual immune cell phenotypes emerge and amplify with increasing disease severity. We condensed over 120,000 immune features into a single axis to capture how different immune cell classes coordinate in response to SARS-CoV-2. This immune-response axis independently aligns with the major plasma composition changes, with clinical metrics of blood clotting, and with the sharp transition between mild and moderate disease. This study suggests that moderate disease may provide the most effective setting for therapeutic intervention.

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For many solid tumors, surgical resection remains the gold standard and tumor-involved margins are associated with poor clinical outcomes. Near-infrared (NIR) fluorescence imaging using molecular agents has shown promise for imaging during resection. However, for cancers with difficult imaging conditions, surgical value may lie in tumor mapping of surgical specimens. We thus evaluated a novel approach for real-time, intraoperative tumor margin assessment. Twenty-one adult patients with biopsy-confirmed squamous cell carcinoma arising from the head and neck (HNSCC) scheduled for standard-of-care surgery were enrolled. Cohort 1 ( = 3) received panitumumab-IRDye800CW at an intravenous microdose of 0.06 mg/kg, cohort 2A ( = 5) received 0.5 mg/kg, cohort 2B ( = 7) received 1 mg/kg, and cohort 3 ( = 6) received 50 mg. Patients were followed 30 days postinfusion and adverse events were recorded. Imaging was performed using several closed- and wide-field devices. Fluorescence was histologically correlated to determine sensitivity and specificity. imaging demonstrated tumor-to-background ratio (TBR) of 2 to 3, compared with specimen imaging TBR of 5 to 6. We obtained clear differentiation between tumor and normal tissue, with a 3-fold signal difference between positive and negative specimens ( < 0.05). We achieved high correlation of fluorescence intensity with tumor location with sensitivities and specificities >89%; fluorescence predicted distance of tumor tissue to the cut surface of the specimen. This novel method of detecting tumor-involved margins in surgical specimens using a cancer-specific agent provides highly sensitive and specific, real-time, intraoperative surgical navigation in resections with complex anatomy, which are otherwise less amenable to image guidance. This study demonstrates that fluorescence can be used as a sensitive and specific method of guiding surgeries for head and neck cancers and potentially other cancers with challenging imaging conditions, increasing the probability of complete resections and improving oncologic outcomes. .

Purpose: To demonstrate the safety and feasibility of leveraging therapeutic antibodies for surgical imaging.Procedures: We conducted two phase I trials for anti-epidermal growth factor receptor antibodies cetuximab-IRDye800CW (n=12) and panitumumab-IRDye800CW (n=15). Adults with biopsy-confirmed head and neck squamous cell carcinoma scheduled for standard-of-care surgery were eligible. For cetuximab-IRDye800CW, cohort 1 was intravenously infused with 2.5 mg/m2, cohort 2 received 25 mg/m2, and cohort 3 received 62.5 mg/m2. For panitumumab-IRDye800CW, cohorts received 0.06 mg/kg, 0.5 mg/kg, and 1 mg/kg, respectively. Electrocardiograms and blood samples were obtained, and patients were followed for 30 days post-study drug infusion.Results: Both fluorescently labeled antibodies had similar pharmacodynamic properties and minimal toxicities. Two infusion reactions occurred with cetuximab and none with panitumumab. There were no grade 2 or higher toxicities attributable to cetuximab-IRDye800CW or panitumumab-IRDye800CW; fifteen grade 1 adverse events occurred with cetuximab-IRDye800CW, and one grade 1 occurred with panitumumab-IRDye800CW. There were no significant differences in QTc prolongation between the two trials (p=0.8).Conclusions: Panitumumab-IRDye800CW and cetuximab-IRDye800CW have toxicity and pharmacodynamic profiles that match the parent compound, suggesting that other therapeutic antibodies may be repurposed as imaging agents with limited preclinical toxicology data.

Our study reveals that in the past decade, in significant malpractice litigations, overall outcomes favored otolaryngologists. The average awards was significantly higher when cases involved malignancy. Our analysis reveals the importance of meticulous surgical techniques and thorough preoperative evaluations. Last, when otolaryngologists are defendants in litigation, our review reiterates the value of the otolaryngologist as the defense's expert witnesses.

Small G-proteins regulate the recruitment and activation of WASP-family actin nucleation factors at the plasma membrane. The G-protein Rab1 interacts with the nucleation factor WHAMM to remodel internal membranes into tubules. Unlike other G-proteins that recruit nucleation factors, Rab1 inhibits actin assembly.

Our study reveals that the plaintiffs in litigations involving salivary gland surgery have a slight advantage in outcomes with a fairly substantial award. Our litigation review reiterates the importance of detailed anatomic knowledge of the lingual and facial nerve to avoid the pitfalls of surgical error and consequent litigation. In addition, thorough preoperative evaluation of salivary gland pathology, including radiographic studies and needle biopsy, may help avoid errors in diagnosis and subsequent litigations.