Intersectionality as an Analytic Framework for Understanding the Experiences of Mental Health Stigma Among Racialized Men

International Journal of Mental Health and Addiction - The objective of this research was to use intersectionality to explore Asian men’s experiences of stigma and mental illness to tease out...     

The N-formyl peptide receptors: contemporary roles in neuronal function and dysfunction

N-formyl peptide receptors(FPRs)were first identified upon phagocytic leukocytes,but more than four decades of research has unearthed a plethora of non-myeloid roles for this receptor family.FPRs are expressed within neuronal tissues and markedly in the central nervous system,where FPR interactions with endogenous ligands have been implicated in the pathophysiology of several neurodegenerative diseases including Alzheimer's disease and Parkinson's disease,as well as neurological cancers such as neuroblastoma.Whilst the homeostatic function of FPRs in the nervous system is currently undefined,a variety of novel physiological roles for this receptor family in the neuronal context have been posited in both human and animal settings.Rapid developments in recent years have implicated FPRs in the process of neurogenesis and neuronal differentiation which,upon greater characterisation,could represent a novel pharmacological target for neuronal regeneration therapies that may be used in the treatment of brain/spinal cord injury,stroke and neurodegeneration.This review aims to summarize the recent progress made to determine the physiological role of FPRs in a neuronal setting,and to put forward a case for FPRs as a novel pharmacological target for conditions of the nervous system,and for their potential to open the door to novel neuronal regeneration therapies.     

Quality of life in the FOXFIRE,SIRFLOX and FOXFIRE-global randomised trials of selective internal radiotherapy for metastatic colorectal cancer

Selective internal radiotherapy (SIRT) is a liver-directed treatment involving the injection of yttrium-90 microspheres into the blood supply of liver tumours. There are very few studies assessing health-related quality of life (HRQOL) in patients treated with SIRT. Patients with liver metastases from colorectal cancer (CRC) were randomised in the FOXFIRE (FFr; ISRCTN83867919), SIRFLOX (SF; NCT00724503) and FOXFIRE-Global (FFrG; NCT01721954) trials of first-line oxaliplatin–fluorouracil (FOLFOX) chemotherapy combined with SIRT versus FOLFOX alone. HRQOL was assessed using the three-level EQ-5D, European Organisation for Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life (EORTC QLQ-C30) and EORTC Colorectal Liver Metastases cancer module (EORTC QLQ-LMC21) at baseline, ≤3 months, 6 months, 12 months and annually thereafter from randomisation, and at disease progression. Analyses were conducted on an intention-to-treat basis. In total, 554 patients were randomised to SIRT + FOLFOX and 549 patients to FOLFOX alone. HRQOL was statistically significant lower in SIRT + FOLFOX patients ≤3 months after SIRT administration in all three instruments, particularly global health, physical and role functioning and symptoms of fatigue, nausea/vomiting and appetite loss. By accepted thresholds, these differences were deemed not clinically important. Differences between SIRT + FOLFOX and FOLFOX alone over the 2-year follow up and at disease progression were also not clinically important. Although there is some decrease in HRQOL for up to 3 months following SIRT, the addition of SIRT to FOLFOX chemotherapy does not change HRQOL to a clinically important degree in metastatic CRC patients.     

The BiTE (bispecific T-cell engager) platform: Development and future potential of a targeted immuno-oncology therapy across tumor types

Immuno-oncology therapies engage the immune system to treat cancer. BiTE (bispecific T-cell engager) technology is a targeted immuno-oncology platform that connects patients' own T cells to malignant cells. The modular nature of BiTE technology facilitates the generation of molecules against tumor-specific antigens, allowing off-the-shelf immuno-oncotherapy. Blinatumomab was the first approved canonical BiTE molecule and targets CD19 surface antigens on B cells, making blinatumomab largely independent of genetic alterations or intracellular escape mechanisms. Additional BiTE molecules in development target other hematologic malignancies (eg, multiple myeloma, acute myeloid leukemia, and B-cell non-Hodgkin lymphoma) and solid tumors (eg, prostate cancer, glioblastoma, gastric cancer, and small-cell lung cancer). BiTE molecules with an extended half-life relative to the canonical BiTE molecules are also being developed. Advances in immuno-oncology made with BiTE technology could substantially improve the treatment of hematologic and solid tumors and offer enhanced activity in combination with other treatments.     

Stress test of the skin: The cutaneous permeability barrier treadmill

Studying skin barrier function is central to our understanding of many skin disorders. The past decade has seen a surge of skin barrier related investigative work. Genetic, biochemical and cell biology experiments have added much evidence to the importance of the barrier in disease pathogenesis of a variety of disorders including ichthyosis, atopic dermatitis and psoriasis. However, functional assays prove ever more important to demonstrate relevance of any of these findings. A paper published by Monash and Blank 60 years ago describes a stress test of the skin barrier, measuring skin barrier recovery, a functional test of tremendous implications. This seminal paper has not been cited for almost 15 years, time to acknowledge its critical importance and to review the relevance of this method today.