bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Tumor Response Prediction in 90Y Radioembolization with PET-based Radiomics Features and Absorbed Dose Metrics
Authors: Wei Lise , Cui Can , Xu Jiarui , Kaza Ravi , Naqa Issam El , Dewaraja Yuni K
Published: July 2020

Purpose Evaluate whether lesion radiomics features and absorbed dose metrics extracted from post-therapy 90Y PET can be integrated to better predict outcome in microsphere radioembolization of liver malignancies. Methods Given the noisy nature of 90Y PET, first, a liver phantom study with repeated acquisitions and varying reconstruction parameters was used to identify a subset of robust radiomics features for the patient analysis. In 36 radioembolization procedures, 90Y PET/CT was performed within a couple of hours to extract 46 radiomics features and estimate absorbed dose in 105 primary and metastatic liver lesions. Robust radiomics modeling was based on bootstrapped multivariate logistic regression with shrinkage regularization (LASSO) and Cox regression with LASSO. Nested cross-validation and bootstrap resampling were used for optimal parameter/feature selection and for guarding against overfitting risks. Spearman rank correlation was used to analyze feature associations. Area under the receiver-operating characteristics curve (AUC) was used for lesion response (at first follow-up) analysis while Kaplan-Meier plots and c-index were used to assess progression model performance. Models with absorbed dose only, radiomics only and combined models were developed to predict lesion outcome.Results The phantom study identified 15/46 reproducible and robust radiomics features that were subsequently used in the patient models. A lesion response model with zone percentage (ZP) and mean absorbed dose achieved an AUC of 0.729 (95%CI: 0.702-0.758) and a progression model with zone size nonuniformity (ZSN) and absorbed dose achieved a c-index of 0.803 (95% CI: 0.790-0.815) on nested cross validation (CV). The combined models outperformed the radiomics only and absorbed dose only models, but statistical significance was not achieved with this limited data set.Conclusion We have developed new lesion-level response and progression models using textural radiomics features, derived from 90Y PET combined with mean absorbed dose for predicting outcome in radioembolization. These encouraging results will need further validation in independent datasets prior to clinical adoption.
Live birth rates in different subgroups of poor ovarian responders according to Bologna and POSEIDON group classification criteria
Authors: Mashayekhy Mehri , Arabipoor Arezoo , Barabi Forouzan , Zolfaghari Zahra
Published: July 2020

Background: Live birth rates (LBRs) have been separately evaluated in two poor ovarian responder (POR) classification methods. We designed the present study to compare the LBRs according to Bologna criteria or Patient-Oriented Strategies Encompassing IndividualizeD Oocyte Number (POSEIDON) group classifications to determine the important predictive factors for LBR in patients with POR. Methods: In this cross-sectional study, we evaluated a database that contained clinical and laboratory information on infertility treatment cycles of all patients with at least one POR after standard controlled ovarian stimulation (COH) during in vitro fertilization/intracytoplasmic sperm injection (IVF/ICSI) cycles from December 2015 to December 2017. The eligible data were collected and the subjects divided into five groups according to Bologna criteria and four groups according to POSEIDON group classification. Results: We assessed 812 patients diagnosed with POR; overall, 517 underwent embryo transfer (ET) during the last treatment cycle (63.6%). The results indicated a total clinical pregnancy rate of 19.3% (100 cases) and LBR of 16.1% (86 cases). According to Bologna criteria, 41 patients were not included in any group. Analysis of treatment cycle outcome showed that patients classified as Bologna group II had a higher LBR than the other groups. In terms of POSEIDON classification, all of the patients could be classified into groups. Patients in POSEIDON group 3 had the highest LBR. According to multivariable regression analysis, the significant independent variables that remained in the model as important predictive factors for live births were the number and quality (good and excellent) of the embryos transferred, and POSEIDON group 3 classification. Conclusion: The results indicated that the POSEIDON group classification could be more comprehensive and practical than Bologna criteria for diagnosing and categorizing POR patients. In addition, we noted that the number and quality of transferred embryos were the most important prognostic factors for live births in POR patients. Therefore, we suggest that clinicians consider COH protocols that have a freezing embryo strategy and the collection of more good quality embryos to improve the probability of a live birth.
Validation of the Arabic version of the Perinatal Anxiety Screening Scale (PASS) among antenatal and postnatal women
Authors: Jr Hoda , Alfarhan Thikrayat , Alsuraimi Anas
Published: July 2020

Background Anxiety among women in the perinatal period is common. Assessing the severity of perinatal anxiety will help monitor the progress of the patient through the stages of anxiety and facilitated the treatment. This study assesses the validity and reliability of the “Perinatal Anxiety Screening Scale” (PASS) in the Arabic language. Methods The PASS was translated into Arabic. 217 women in the antenatal and postnatal phase participated (92 antenatal and 125 postnatal) answered to PASS, GHQ12, EPDS-10, and DASS-21. Content validity, factor analysis, internal consistency, and test retest reliability were assessed. Results Content Validity Index (CVI) and Content Validity Ratio (CVR) were .88 and 0.79; respectively. The scale loaded on four components: acute anxiety, social anxiety, and dissociation; specific fears and trauma; general anxiety and adjustment; and perfectionism and control. Cronbach’s Alpha value for the scale was 0.78 and test retest correlation coefficient was 0.94. PASS significantly correlated with EPDS-10 (rho=0.46), GHQ-12(rho=0.58), the three components of DASS-21 (0.47, 0.50, and 0.43; respectively), and experiencing adverse life events Conclusion The Arabic translated version of the PASS showed reasonably adequate validity and reliability and can be used to screen for anxiety disorder among women in the perinatal phase.
From Dyad To Triad: A Survey On Fathers’ Knowledge And Attitudes Toward Breastfeeding
Authors: Crippa Beatrice Letizia , Consales Alessandra , Morniroli Daniela , Lunetto Flavia , Bettinelli Maria Enrica , Sannino Patrizio , Rampini Serena , Zanotta Lidia , Marchisio Paola , Mosca Fabio , Plevani Laura , Giannì Maria Lorella , Colombo Lorenzo
Published: July 2020

Background Maternal social support has a critical impact on breastfeeding outcomes. Fathers, in particular, are known to be especially influential. We aimed to explore paternal knowledge and attitude toward breastfeeding, and possible association with breastfeeding rates at discharge, in a cohort of fathers from an Italian tertiary referral center for neonatal care.Methods In this cross-sectional study, we enrolled fathers of healthy term neonates born at our hospital from March to May 2019. At discharge, a self-administered structured questionnaire was proposed to fathers. Fathers were required to rate their degree of agreement to 12 items on a 5-point Likert scale. A total score was obtained from their answers. A higher score was indicative of a greater knowledge/positive attitude toward breastfeeding. Subjects’ basic characteristics and mode of feeding at discharge were collected.Results Fathers showed a generally solid knowledge of maternal (87%) and neonatal (98%) benefits of breastfeeding, skin-to-skin (99.5%), rooming-in (79%), and responsive feeding (67.5%); conversely, only 51% knew about the recommended use of pacifiers. Fathers felt personally involved in their babies' feeding in 79% of cases, regardless of the type of feeding. A positive association was found between total score and exclusive breastfeeding rates at discharge (p = 0.04, OR 1.07; 95% C.I 1.002-1.152). Conclusions This study underlines the importance of including fathers in the promotion of breastfeeding, expanding the classic mother-baby dyad to a more modern mother-father-baby triad. This aspect may ultimately impact breastfeeding outcomes, although further studies are needed to confirm our results.
Concentration of survivin in children with oligo- and poly-articular juvenile idiopathic arthritis (jia): diagnostic and prognostic value – single center study.
Authors: Lipinska Joanna , Kaszkowiak Marcin , Malachowska Beata , Swidrowska-Jaros Joanna , Smolewska Elzbieta
Published: July 2020

BACKGROUND: The goal of the study was to assess the diagnostic and prognostic value of survivin in Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis (JIA).METHODS: Seventy children with JIA – 59 newly diagnosed and 11 biologically treated (46 girls and 17 boys) aged 1.5-18 years and 29 healthy children as a control group, appropriately matched in terms of sex and age, were included into the study. The disease activity was established on the basis of JADAS-27 criteria. Concentration of survivin was assessed by an ELISA test in serum and also 18 matched synovial fluid samples collected from patients with JIA.RESULTS: Children with JIA were divided according to the subtype of the JIA. In 65.7% of patients oligoarthritis was diagnosed. The largest group comprised children of low disease activity (62.9%) according to JADAS-27. The serum concentration of survivin was significantly higher in children with JIA compared to the controls (p<0.001). Concentration of survivin was higher among patients positive for anti-cyclic citrullinated peptide autoantibodies (ACPA) (p=0.001). In all synovial fluid samples the concentration of survivin was higher than in matched serum (p=0.003). Serum survivin concentration was not significantly associated with radiological damage status or active synovitis assessed by joint ultrasonography. Survivin level was not significantly associated with disease duration time or treatment with TNF-α inhibitors in DMARD’s non-responders. CONCLUSIONS: Survivin could be an independent biomarker helpful in the diagnosis of JIA. Survivin measurement should be considered as an aiding tool identifying DMARD’s non-responders.
Identification of circular RNA hsa_circ_0044556 and its effect on the progression of colorectal cancer
Authors: Jing Liang , Wu Junhui , Tang Xiaocheng , Ma Min , Long Fei , Tian Buning , Lin Changwei
Published: July 2020

Background: Circular RNAs (circRNAs) are a novel class of noncoding RNAs. Increasing evidence indicates that circRNAs play an important role in the occurrence and development of tumors. However, the role of circRNA hsa_circ_0044556 in the progression of colorectal cancer (CRC) remains unclear. Methods: First, we searched for differentially expressed circRNAs using a circRNA microarray in paired CRC and adjacent normal tissues. The circRNA hsa_circ_0044556 was screened out from the existing CRC circRNA microarray in the Gene Expression Omnibus database and our microarray. The clinical significance of hsa_circ_0044556 expression level in CRC patients was then investigated. Finally, the functions of the targets of this circRNA were determined in CRC cell lines.Results:Hsa_circ_0044556 was highly expressed in CRC patients and was positively correlated with tumor stage and lymph node metastasis. In CRC cell lines, the proliferation, migration, and invasion of cancer cells were inhibited by knocking down hsa_circ_0044556 expression.Conclusion: Hsa_circ_0044556 promoted the progression of CRC. It is possible that hsa_circ_0044556 will become a novel biomarker or therapeutic target for CRC.
A novel PET tracer 18F-deoxy-thiamine: synthesis, metabolic kinetics, and evaluation on cerebral thiamine metabolism status
Authors: Wang Changpeng , Zhang Siwei , Zou Yuefei , Ma Hongzhao , Jiang Donglang , Sheng Lei , Sang Shaoming , Jin Lirong , Guan Yihui , Gui Yuan , Xu Zhihong , Zhong Chunjiu
Published: July 2020

Background: Some neuropsychological diseases are associated with abnormal thiamine metabolism, including Korsakoff-Wernicke syndrome and Alzheimer’s disease. However, in vivo detection of the status of brain thiamine metabolism is still unavailable and needs to be developed. Methods: A novel PET tracer of 18F-deoxy-thiamine was synthesized using an automated module via a two-step route. The main quality control parameters, such as specific activity, radiochemical purity, radiochemical concentration, were evaluated by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). Metabolic kinetics and brain level of 18F-deoxy-thiamine in mice and marmosets were studied by micro-positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PET/CT). In vivo stability, renal excretion rate, biodistribution of 18F-deoxy-thiamine in the mice were assayed using HPLC and γ-counter. Also, the correlation between the retention of cerebral 18F-deoxy-thiamine in 60 minutes after injection as represented by the area under the curve (AUC) and blood thiamine levels were investigated. Results: The 18F-deoxy-thiamine was stable both in vitro and in vivo. The uptake and clearance of 18F-deoxy-thiamine were quick in the mice. It reached the max standard uptake value (SUVmax) of 4.61±0.53 in the liver within 1 minute, 18.67±7.04 in the kidney within half a minute. The SUV dropped to 0.72±0.05 and 0.77±0.35 after 60 minutes of injection in the liver and kidney, respectively. After injection, kidney, liver, and pancreas exhibited high accumulation level of 18F-deoxy-thiamine, while brain, muscle, fat, and gonad showed low accumulation concentration, consistent with previous reports on thiamine distribution in mice. Within 90 minutes after injection, the level of 18F-deoxy-thiamine in the brain of C57BL/6 mice with thiamine deficiency by thiamine-deprived diet (TD) was 1.9 times higher than that in control mice, and was 3.1 times higher in ICR mice with TD than that in control mice. The AUC of the tracer in the brain of marmosets within 60 minutes was 29.33 ± 5.15 and negatively correlated with blood thiamine diphosphate levels (r = -0.985, p = 0.015).Conclusion: The 18F-deoxy-thiamine meets the requirements for ideal PET tracer for in vivo detecting the status of cerebral thiamine metabolism.
SILEX: A fast and inexpensive high-quality DNA extraction method suitable for multiple sequencing platforms and recalcitrant plant species
Authors: vilanova santiago , Alonso David , Gramazio Pietro , Plazas Mariola , Fortea Edgar Garcia , Ferrante Paola , Schmidt Maximilian , Diez-Niclós María J. , Usadel Björn , Giuliano Giovanni , Prohens Jaime
Published: July 2020

Background

The use of sequencing and genotyping platforms has undergone dramatic improvements, enabling the generation of a wealth of genomic information. Despite this progress, the availability of high-quality genomic DNA (gDNA) in sufficient concentrations is often a main limitation, especially for third-generation sequencing platforms. A variety of DNA extraction methods and commercial kits are available. However, many of these are costly and frequently give either low yield or low-quality DNA, inappropriate for next generation sequencing (NGS) platforms. Here, we describe a fast and inexpensive DNA extraction method (SILEX) applicable to a wide range of plant species and tissues.

Results

SILEX is a high-throughput DNA extraction protocol, based on the standard CTAB method with a DNA silica matrix recovery, which allows obtaining NGS-quality high molecular weight genomic plant DNA free of inhibitory compounds. SILEX was compared with a standard CTAB extraction protocol and a common commercial extraction kit in a variety of species, including recalcitrant ones, from different families. In comparison with the other methods, SILEX yielded DNA in higher concentrations and of higher quality. Manual extraction of 48 samples can be done in 96 min by one person at a cost of 0.12 €/sample of reagents and consumables. Hundreds of tomato gDNA samples obtained with either SILEX or the commercial kit were successfully genotyped with Single Primer Enrichment Technology (SPET) with the Illumina HiSeq 2500 platform. Furthermore, DNA extracted from Solanum elaeagnifolium using this protocol was assessed by Pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE), obtaining a suitable size ranges for most sequencing platforms that required high-molecular-weight DNA such as Nanopore or PacBio.

Conclusions

A high-throughput, fast and inexpensive DNA extraction protocol was developed and validated for a wide variety of plants and tissues. SILEX offers an easy, scalable, efficient and inexpensive way to extract DNA for various next-generation sequencing applications including SPET and Nanopore among others.
Uterine Evacuation before Operative Hysteroscopy in Patients with Active Uterine Bleeding: A randomized controlled trial
Authors: Sayyah-Melli Manizheh , Kazemi-Shishavan Maryam , Behravan Nooshin , Gharabaghi Parvin Mostafa , Rahmani Vahideh
Published: August 2020

Background: Concurrent bleeding or existing clots usually obscure the vision field and decrease the success rate of hysteroscopy. Therefore, any efforts made in order to have a clear view during the hysteroscopy will improve the diagnostic or treatment outcomes. We examined the effect of preoperative clot evacuation on hysteroscopy and patient outcomes.
Methods: In this parallel-group trial, 114 patients with uterine bleeding were randomly assigned to receive either clot evacuation before standard operative hysteroscopy or standard hysteroscopy alone. The investigated endpoints were the clarity of vision, amount of bleeding, the volume of distension media, duration of the procedure, and postoperative complications.
Results: All 114 participants completed the study. There were statistically significant differences in the frequency of the clear vision (p<.001), the severity of bleeding (p=.0006), mean procedure time (p<.001), mean serum volume used (p<.001), and the postoperative hematocrit levels (p<.001) between groups, in favor of women with preprocedural intrauterine evacuation. There was no difference related to in-hospital stay (p=0.081) and anesthetic complications among the patients (p=0.182). The procedure was successfully performed on all patients of both groups with zero postoperative complications.
Conclusion: Removal of clots and other uterine contents before the insertion of the hysteroscope rendered better and faster access to the uterine wall to observe existing abnormalities. This additional surgical step could take a significant impact on surgical and clinical outcomes.

Trial registration:
Clinical trial registry name: Iranian Registry of Clinical Trials
Url: https://en.irct.ir/trial/33369
The registration number: IRCT20101130005283N13
Date of trial registration: 2018-11-16
Characteristics of predominantly right-sided colonic diverticulitis without need for colectomy
Authors: Chen Zhi , Zhang Bing , Wu Dan , Jin Ye
Published: July 2020

Background: In China, diverticulitis is more often located in the right colon, mainly in the cecum and ascending colon. Here we study the characteristics of acute colonic diverticulitis and compare various treatments for acute right-sided colonic diverticulitis.Methods: A retrospective analysis of 123 patients with acute colonic diverticulitis treated in our hospital from April 2013 to April 2020, including 114 cases of right-sided colonic diverticulitis, was performed. The characteristics of acute colonic diverticulitis were analyzed, and the therapeutic effects of different treatments for acute right-sided colonic diverticulitis were compared.Results: 111 cases of caecal and ascending colonic diverticulitis were identified (90.2% of cases, male to female ratio 2.26:1, average age 39.6 ± 14.4 years, surgery ratio 24.3%, mean hospital stay 7.4 ± 4.3 days, recurrence rate 3.6%). Three cases of transverse colonic diverticulitis and three cases of descending colonic diverticulitis were found. Six cases of Sigmoid diverticulitis (4.9% of cases, male to female ratio 1:1, average age 67.7 ± 4.5 years, surgery ratio 33.3%, mean hospital stay 11.7 ± 5.5 days, recurrence rate 0%) were found. 13 patients underwent right-sided colonic diverticulitis resection and repair, while zero patients underwent colectomy. Abdominal drainage was performed in 15 patients with right-sided colonic diverticulitis. There was no significant difference in the length of hospital stay among the three treatments for right-sided colonic diverticulitis (P = 0.05). There was no significant difference in the recurrence rate among the three treatments of right-sided colonic diverticulitis ( P = 0.358). While the recurrence rate of right-sided colonic diverticulitis was only 3.5%, relapse usually occurred within the first year following treatment.Conclusions: In our patients, right-sided colonic diverticulitis is more common in young and middle-aged patients than in elderly patients and we see a higher incidence in males. Acute right-sided complex diverticulitis is rare. While non-surgical treatment is preferred for acute right-sided uncomplicated diverticulitis, no significant difference in outcome was observed between the three different treatments we compared. Resection and repair of diverticulum or abdominal drainage can also be used to treat patients with acute uncomplicated diverticulitis.
A single-centre retrospective study of systemic reactions to subcutaneous immunotherapy
Authors: Robertson Kara , Montazeri Nazanin , Shelke Urvashi , Jeimy Samira , Kim Harold
Published: July 2020

Background Subcutaneous immunotherapy (SCIT) is the standard approach for treating patients with sensitizations to aeroallergens. However, immunotherapy can trigger severe systemic reactions if delivered inappropriately or to high risk patients. We sought to characterize and quantify SCIT systemic reactions requiring epinephrine administration during a 6-year period in a Canadian setting following the recommendations for components and dosages published in the 2010 Canadian Society of Allergy and Clinical Immunology (CSACI) Immunotherapy Manual. Methods A single centre retrospective chart review was performed for all patients with systemic reactions to subcutaneous immunotherapy requiring intramuscular epinephrine injection between January 2011 and October 2017. Each systemic reaction requiring epinephrine was reviewed for baseline patient characteristics, details of the reaction, and reaction severity. Research ethics approval was obtained through McMaster University. Results 28 of 380 patients experienced a systemic reaction requiring epinephrine administration, with an incidence rate of 1 per 1,047 injection visits (0.095%). 26 of the 28 reactions occurred within the mandatory 30-minute observation period post allergen immunotherapy. Of the 28 patients that experienced a systemic reaction to SCIT, 11 patients had asthma and 5 patients had a history of possible food allergy. All of the systemic reactions occurred during injections from vial number 4, and five patients reacted to their first shot of a re-ordered serum. 10 of the 28 patients required more than one intramuscular injection of epinephrine, and 20 of 28 patients were transferred to the hospital by ambulance. Conclusions This is the first Canadian study to review patients with systemic reactions to subcutaneous immunotherapy. Several best practice methods were employed throughout the study to optimize subcutaneous delivery of immunotherapy serum, and our recorded per injection incidence rate for systemic reactions was comparable or below the rate published in similar studies. The recommendations in the CSACI Immunotherapy Manual provide an approach to standardizing prescriptions for SCIT to maximize immunotherapy efficacy and reduce the risk of systemic reactions, though similar studies in larger multicenter settings are needed to confirm these observations. These observations provide important objective information to clinicians about the potential risks for systemic reactions in patients considering SCIT.
Separating the wheat from the chaff – COVID-19 in a German emergency department: A Case-control study
Authors: Fistera David , Pabst Dirk , Härtl Annalena , Schaarschmidt Benedikt Michael , Umutlu Lale , Dolff Sebastian , Holzner Carola , Kill Clemens , Risse Joachim
Published: July 2020

Background: COVID-19 pandemia is a major challenge to worldwide health care systems. Whereas the majority of disease presents with mild symptoms that can be treated as outpatients, severely ill COVID-19 patients and patients presenting with similar symptoms cross their ways in the Emergency Department. Especially the variety of symptoms is challenging with primary triage. Are there parameters to distinguish between proven COVID-19 and without before? How can a safe and efficient management of these inpatients be achieved?Methods: We conducted a retrospective analysis of 314 consecutive inpatient patients who presented with possible symptoms of COVID-19 in a German emergency department between March and April 2020 and were tested with a SARS-Cov-2 nasopharyngeal swab. Clinical parameters, Manchester Triage System categories and lab results were compared between patients with positive and negative test results for SARS-Cov-2. Furthermore, we present the existing COVID-19 workflow model of the university hospital in Essen which proved to be efficient during pandemia.Results: 43 of the 314 patients (13.7%) were tested positive for COVID-19 by SARS-Cov-2 nasopharyngeal swab. We did not find any laboratory parameter to distinguish safely between patients with COVID-19 and those with similar symptoms. Dysgeusia was the only clinical symptom that was significantly more frequent among COVID-19 patients. Conclusion: Dysgeusia seems to be a typical symptom for COVID-19, which occurred in 14% of our COVID-19 patients. However, no valid parameters could be found to distinguish clinically between COVID-19 and other diseases with similar symptoms. Therefore, early testing, a strict isolation policy and proper personal protection are crucial to maintain workflow and safety of patients and ED staff for the months to come.Trial registration: URL: https://www.drks.de/drks_web/navigate.do?navigationId=trial.HTML&TRIAL_ID=DRKS00021675
Laboratory measurement of the functional and numerical responses of the predaceous mite, Typhlodromus (T.) setubali to Panonychus ulmi (Phytoseiidae: Tetranychidae)
Authors: OUASSAT Said , Allam Latifa
Published: July 2020

Background The functional response of a predator is one of the fundamental methods in ecological studies. Typhlodromus (T.) setubali (Dosse) is an indigenous predaceous mite recently re-described in Morocco. It was reported on various crops around the Mediterranean basin. This study aims to assess the functional response of T. (T.) setubali to the densities of 2, 4, 8, 16, 32, 64, and 128 immature stages of Panonychus ulmi under the controlled conditions of 26 ± 1 °C, 65 ± 5 % RH and 16:8 h L: D photoperiod. The logistic regression was used to determine the functional response and the oviposition activity of predator females was followed to evaluate the numerical response. Thereafter, both parameters (the attack rate (α) and handling time (Th)) were estimated and the results were entirely discussed. Results Logistic regression analysis revealed a Holling type II functional response, indicating that the number of P. ulmi killed by T. (T.) setubali females increased as the prey density increased. The values of attack rate (α) and handling time (Th) were 0.029 prey/ day and 0.573 prey, respectively. The oviposition of females increased above the prey density of 6.54 mites/cm2 and the highest value (m) was 1.86 eggs/ day. Finally, the prey density needed to achieve half the maximum response (n) was estimated to be 2.15 prey.Conclusions The functional response analysis is one of the most rigorous methods for understanding the ecophysiology of a predator. The proportions of prey consumed by T. (T.) setubali were higher at lower densities for P. ulmi immatures, implying that T. (T.) setubali should be more effective at suppressing the red spider mite populations at lower densities. Further laboratory-based studies are needed to draw biological conclusions.
Breast papillary lesions diagnosed and treated using ultrasound-guided vacuum-assisted excision
Authors: Li Xiaohui , Gao Hua , Xu Minling , Wu Yang , Gao Dezong
Published: July 2020

Background

The management of papillary lesions of the breast remains controversial, and thus, we assessed the value of vacuum-assisted excision (VAE)-guided ultrasound in the diagnosis and treatment of breast papillary lesions.

Methods

We retrospectively reviewed the data of 108 patients with papillary lesions diagnosed using VAE between August 2014 and January 2019. Cases without postoperative breast imaging in the follow-up were excluded, and 85 cases were eligible for the study. The follow-up period ranged from 6 to 53 months, with 38 months on average. All the papillary lesions were located away from the skin or nipple with a size less than or equal to 30 mm, and the lesions categorized as C2-4b were completely excised using VAE. All VAEs were per­formed using an 8-gauge vacuum-assisted biopsy nee­dle under the guidance of ultrasound using a 10 MHz linear probe.

Results

Most patients with breast papillary lesions were asymptomatic (56.5%), and when the size of the breast papillary lesion was more than 20 mm on ultrasound imaging, atypical hyperplasia may have been concomitant. Breast lesions might have been pathologically diagnosed as papilloma after biopsy when they were categorized as BI-RADS 4a on ultrasound images. The rate of underestimation was 7.7% in papillary lesions diagnosed with VAE, and the recurrence rate of papilloma after VAE was low.

Conclusions

Breast papilloma was a common lesion on ultrasonographic screening, and VAE was applicable for completely excising small papillomas, even papillomas with atypical hyperplasia, to obtain an accurate diagnosis with a low rate of underestimation and recurrence. We believe that papilloma diagnosed by VAE might not require immediate excision, and imaging follow-up may be safe for at least 3 years.
PELP1 expressed in non-small cell lung cancer and promotes tumor cell proliferation, metastasis, and drug resistance through MAPK signaling pathway.
Authors: Wang Xingen , Ying Weihua , Liang Li
Published: July 2020

Background

Lung cancer is one of the tumors with high morbidity and mortality among males and females worldwide. Proline-, glutamic acid-, and leucine-rich protein 1(PELP1) is an estrogen receptor coactivator and functions as a scaffolding protein. Its oncogenic signaling was involved in the progression of several cancers. However, there is little known about the role of PELP1 in the lung cancer. The aim of this study is to explore the role of PELP1 in non-small cell lung cancer.

Methods

The expression of PELP1 in microarrays of lung cancer tissue and correlation with clinicopathological parameters were performed. RNA interference technology was used to downregulate PELP1 expression in A549 lung cancer cells and the tumor cell’s ability of proliferation, migration, invasion was detected by Cell Count Kit-8 and trans-well essay. In addition, whole genome exon was analyzed by poly-A RNA-sequencing.

Results

Results showed that PELP1 is overexpressed in the lung cancer specimens and its expression correlate with histological type, smoking status, and EGFR status but no significant prognostic value. Knockdown of PELP1 inhibited cell proliferation, migration, invasion of lung cancer cells. Furthermore, silencing PELP1 in lung tumor cells promotes the sensitivity of tumor cells to the tyrosine kinase inhibitor Gefitinib. RNA-sequencing and Western-blotting found that 140 genes were up-regulated and 143 genes were down-regulated in PELP1 silenced lung adenocarcinoma cells, which mainly affected the mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) signal pathway, EGFR tyrosine kinase inhibitor resistance, PPAR signaling pathway, Cytosolic DNA-sensing pathway, cytokine-cytokine receptor interaction, drug metabolism, cAMP signaling pathway, RIG-1-like receptor signaling pathway.

Conclusions

PELP1 plays a key role in non-small cell lung cancer proliferation, progression, and drug resistance. These results suggest that PELP1 could be a potential target for therapeutic intervention for lung cancer.
From an invariant sensory code to a perceptual categorical code in secondary somatosensory cortex
Authors: Pool Román Rossi , Zainos Antonio , Alvarez Manuel , Leon Gabriel Diaz-de , Romo Ranulfo
Published: July 2020

A crucial role of cortical networks is the conversion of sensory inputs into perception. In the cortical somatosensory network, neurons of the primary somatosensory cortex (S1) show invariant sensory responses, while frontal lobe neuronal activity correlates with the animal’s perceptual behavior. Here, we report that in the secondary somatosensory cortex (S2), neurons with invariant sensory responses coexist with neurons whose responses correlate with perceptual behavior. Importantly, the vast majority of the neurons fall along a continuum of combined sensory and categorical dynamics. These distinct neural responses exhibit analogous timescales of intrinsic fluctuations, suggesting that they belong to the same hierarchical processing stage. Furthermore, during a non-demanding control task, the sensory responses remained unaltered while perceptual responses vanished. Sensory information increased and categorical information diminished during this control task, suggesting that processing depended on the task context. Conclusively, S2 neurons exhibit intriguing dynamics that are intermediate between S1 and frontal lobe.
Psychosocial Factor Identification in Cancer Patient Community
Authors: Moamen Ibrahim , Oussalah Mourad , Ackers Dan , Gilman Ekaterina , Miettunen Jouko
Published: August 2020

BackgroundThe open Suomi24 discussion forum, Finland’s largest topic-centric social media, provides excellent opportunities to study users’ interactions with various contemporary discussion topics. Its easy access and anonymity enable patient and users to seek valuable advices or share their experiences. This paper focuses primarily on cancer health users’ discussion forum and attempts to lie down foundations for content-analysis based approach for identifying psychosocial factors of patient cancer community in Suomi24.MethodThe methodology utilizes to a large extent innovative natural language processing based approach that calls for ontology based construction for identifying the relevant discussion threads in Suomi24 corpus. Next, a co-occurrence analysis with various distance level was employed to quantify the strength of the co-occurring words. Inspired by psychosocial factors analysis in related medical studies, a categorization for psychosocial factors has been put forward and investigated.ResultsThe results overlap to a large extent with some previous findings in clinical studies where the dominance of the social factors is highly reported. An open platform has been put forward to help both researchers and clinicians to study the Suomi24 collected dataset, with the potential correlation analysis with patient records through dedicated electronic medical record databases.ConclusionThis work paves the way for further investigation of medical textual data in order to correlate the finding with patient records as registered in electronic medical records. Besides, the analysis also highlights the challenge of accommodating standard NLP tools to Finnish language where more work is needed in order to match the performance of the available tools in English textual analysis.
A Preliminary Multicenter Evaluation of Endoscopic Sublay Repair for Ventral Hernia From China
Authors: Tang Rui , Jiang Huiyong , WU Weidong , Wang Tao , Meng Mengxiang , Liu Guozhong , Cai Xiaoyan , Liu Jianwen , Cui Xijun , Si Xianke , Liu Nan , Wei Nina
Published: July 2020

Background
For ventral hernia, endoscopic sublay repair (ESR) may overcome the disadvantages of open sublay and laparoscopic intraperitoneal onlay mesh repair. This retrospective study presents the preliminary multicenter results of ESR from China. The feasibility, safety, and effectiveness of ESR were evaluated; its surgical points and indications were summarized.
Methods
The study reviewed 156 ventral hernia patients planned to perform with ESR in ten hospitals between March 2016 and July 2019. Patient demographics, hernia characteristics, operative variables, and surgical results were recorded and analyzed.
Results
ESR was performed successfully in 153 patients, 135 with totally extraperitoneal sublay (TES) and 18 with transabdominal sublay (TAS). In 19 patients, TES was performed with the total visceral sac separation (TVS) technique, in which the space separation is carried out along the peritoneum, avoiding damage to the aponeurotic structure. Endoscopic transversus abdominis release (eTAR) was required in 17.0% of patients, and only 18.3% of patients required permanent mesh fixation. The median operative time was 135 min. Most patients had mild pain and resume eating soon after operation. No severe intraoperative complications occurred. Bleeding in the extraperitoneal space occurred in two patients and was stopped by nonsurgical treatment. Seroma and chronic pain were observed in 5.23% and 3.07% of patients. One recurrence occurred after TAS repair for an umbilical hernia.
Conclusion
ESR is feasible, safe, and effective for treating ventral hernias when surgeons get the relevant surgical skills, such as the technique of “partition breaking,” TVS, and eTAR. Small-to-medium ventral hernias are the major indications.
Maternal Vaccinations Coverage And Reasons For Non-Compliance - A Cross-Sectional Observational Study
Authors: Drezner David , Youngster Michal , Klainer Hodaya , Youngster Ilan
Published: July 2020

Background: Maternal influenza and pertussis vaccination has been proven a safe and effective strategy to reduce maternal and infant morbidity and mortality. Though recommended, not all pregnant women receive these important vaccinations. We aimed to evaluate the vaccine coverage of maternal immunization in pregnancy for seasonal influenza and acellular pertussis and elucidate the reasons for non-vaccination among pregnant women. The secondary objective was to describe factors that affect vaccine uptake.Methods: A cross sectional observational study using anonymous questionnaires distributed to women in the maternity ward or pregnant women (>37 weeks) hospitalized in the high-risk ward, thru Nov 2017-June 2018.Results: Of 321 women approached, 313 were eligible and 290 questionnaires were retrieved (92.6%). We found a 75.9% (95% CI 0.71, 0.81) and 34.5% (95% CI 0.29, 0.40) vaccination rate for pertussis and influenza vaccines respectively. The most prominent reason for not receiving the pertussis vaccination was being under-informed (24%). Influenza vaccine was not received mainly due to concerns about vaccine efficacy (28%). Other factors influencing vaccination uptake included education, prior childbirth and vaccine recommendations made by the provider.Conclusion: Although maternal vaccination of pertussis and influenza is officially recommended, vaccine uptake is suboptimal. Our study suggests a central role for medical providers in diminishing the concerns about safety and efficacy, and presents novel factors influencing compliance rates, like seasonality and number of prior births.
Primary Total hip Arthroplasty Using A Short Bone-Conserving Stem in Young Adult Osteoporotic Patients with Dorr type C Femoral Bone
Authors: Zhen Ping , Chang Yanfeng , Yue Heng , Chen Hui , Zhou Shenghu , Liu Jun , He Xiaole
Published: July 2020

Background: Dorr Type C femoral bone exhibits a wide, stovepipe-shaped femoral canal and thin cortices in the proximal femur. Dorr C bone combined with severe osteoporosis is an important challenge in primary hip arthroplasty. In this study, we assessed the effects of short metaphyseal fitting cementless stems on preformatted primary total hip arthroplasties in young adult osteoporotic patients with this femoral presentation.Methods: A total of 42 hip arthroplasties were performed in 35 young patients (range, 20 to 36 years) using a short Tri-lock bone preservation metaphyseal-fitting cementless femoral component between 2012 and 2017. The mean age at surgery of the 27 male (33 hips) and 8 female (9 hips) patients was 27.5 ± 3.7 years (range 20.3 to 35.8 years). The mean body mass index (BMI) was 20.2 kg/m2 (range, 16.8–23.2 kg/m2). According to Dorr’s criteria, all 42 femora were classified as type C bone and all femurs suffered from severe osteoporosis (Singh index≤3). Results: The mean follow-up period was 5.5 ± 1.1 years (range, 3.0–8.0 years). The clinical and functional results improved for the Harris hip score, WOMAC, and UCLA activity scores. The Harris Hip score improved from 48.0 ± 8.0 (range 38.0 to 61.0) preoperatively to 87.0 ± 9.0 (range 77.0 to 92.0) at 12 months after surgery and 91.0 ± 8.0 (range 85.0 to 98.0) at final follow-up. The preoperative UCLA activity score was 3.0±0.5 points (range, 1.0–4.0 points), which significantly improved to 7.5±0.7 points (range, 6.0–8.0 points) at the final follow-up. No patient exhibited thigh pain at the final follow-up. The mean stem-to-canal fill percentages were 97% ± 2.1% (anteroposterior view at midstem). For stem alignment, 40 hips (95.2%) of the femoral stem were positioned neutral to 3° of varus with reference to the femoral shaft axis. The remaining two were positioned at 4° varus to 4° valgus. Radiographic evaluation showed good osteointegration of the implants in follow-up.Conclusions: Based on the tapered-wedge design and proximal porous coating, the shortened tapered conventional stem can achieve reliable stability through neck filling and metaphyseal fixation, which does not depend on the isthmus hoop stress. This stem was suitable in severe osteoporotic patients with Type C bones in young adults who presented with a correspondingly straightened femoral canal with a wide isthmus and thin cortex.
Are Clinical Practice Guidelines of Low Back Pain interventions of high quality and updated? A systematic review using the AGREE II instrument
Authors: Castellini Greta , Iannicelli Valerio , Briguglio Matteo , Corbetta Davide , Sconfienza Luca Maria , Banfi Giuseppe , Gianola Silvia
Published: July 2020

BACKGROUND: Clinical practice guidelines (CPGs) provide specific recommendations for practice but, due to the increasing number of CPGs developed by multiple organisations over the last years, there are concerns about their quality. The aim is to systematically appraise the CPGs quality for low back pain (LBP) interventions and explore the inter-rater reliability (IRR) among quality appraisers. Time span intended as time from systematic reviews searches to CPGs publication was also assessed.METHODS: We undertook comprehensive searches in Pubmed, Embase, PEDro, TRIP, guideline organisation databases, websites and grey literature from January 2016 to March 2019 to identify all GPCs focus on rehabilitative, pharmacological or surgical interventions for LBP management. Four reviewers independently apprised the selected GPCs by using the Appraisal of Guidelines for Research and Evaluation II-AGREE II tool. Year of CPGs publication and year of search strategies were collected. RESULTS: 21 CPGs met the inclusion criteria and were appraised. Seven (33%) had a broad scope involving surgery, rehabilitative or pharmacological interventions. The guidelines achieved the following scores for each AGREE II item: Editorial Independence (median 67%, interquartile range [IQR] 31 – 84%), Scope and Purpose (median 64%, IQR 22 – 83%), Rigour of Development (median 50%, IQR 21 – 72%), Clarity and Presentation (median 50%, IQR 28 – 79%), Stakeholder Involvement (median 36%, IQR 10 – 74%) and Applicability (median 11%, IQR 0 – 46%). The IRR among assessors was nearly perfect (ICC 0.90; 95% CI 0.88 – 0.91). We observed a median time span of 2 years (range 1-4) however, 38% of CPGs did not report the coverage dates for systematic searches.CONCLUSIONS: We found methodological limitations affecting the CPGs quality. We call for a universal database where all guidelines can be registered and recommendations can be dynamically developed through a living systematic reviews approach ensuring the most updated evidence. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: 1REGISTRATION PROSPERO DETAILS: CRD42019127619.
A formative quality improvement implementation study to improve care transitions through information capture upon admission to an acute mental health ward
Authors: Tyler Natasha , Wright Nicola , Gregoriou Kyriakos , Waring Justin
Published: July 2020

Background:

Many interventions have been developed that aim to improve the transition from ward to community at the time of discharge, with varying success. Guidelines suggest that discharge planning should begin at admission, but in reality this is ideal rather than standard practice. This quality improvement aims to develop a novel intervention that improves mental health care transitions by providing a framework for capturing relevant information at admission that facilitates and accelerates discharge.
Methods:

A formative implementation study to co-design, implement and evaluate a novel tool that improves information capture upon admission to acute mental health wards within a single English National Health Service (NHS) trust. Two cycles of PDSA were completed which included two workshops based on the principles of co-design. During implementation the tool was piloted on three wards. Ethnographic observations (145 hours) and interviews (45) were used to evaluate the implementation of the tool across the three wards. The consolidated framework for implementation research was used to analyse and categorise the qualitative data generated.
Results:

The tool developed considerably as the process evolved. The finished product is a list of 10 information categories that should be captured from external agencies upon admission to facilitate discharge planning. The most reported advantages of the tool were: 1) facilitating confidence in junior staff to legitimately question the suitability of a patient for an acute ward 2) collecting and storing essential information in a single accessible place that can be used throughout the care pathway and 3) collecting information from the services/agencies that patients will eventually be discharged to. The consolidated framework analysis highlighted multiple barriers to implementation from both an outer and inner setting perspective.
Conclusions:

The results suggest that improving the quality of information captured upon admission has the potential to facilitate and accelerate discharge. The novel tool provides a framework for capturing this information that can be incorporated into existing information systems.
Cross-Cultural Adaptation, Translation, and Moroccan Validation of CareGiver Oncology Quality of Life (CarGoQoL) questionnaire
Authors: AITOUMA AHLAM , Hind Mrabti , Bouchra Haddou Rahou , Rachid Razine , Hassan Errihani
Published: August 2020

Objective

The aim of this study is to validate the Moroccan version of The Caregivers Oncology Quality of Life (CarGoQol) questionnaire to measure the caregiver’s quality of life of palliative cancer patients in Morocco.
Results

The psychometric properties of CarGoQoL were generally good. A Cronbachα coefficient of 0.82 was obtained indicating a good internal consistency except for the private life dimension (α = 0.14). A good reliability of the test re-test was also observed, with an item internal consistency of 0.9. Missing data and ceiling effect were low; some ceiling effects were observed for Relationship with healthcare (38.9%); correlations were confirmed between the different dimensions that corresponding to the same domain; significant association was identified for caregiver and patient characteristics.