bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A rare tumour, a singular indication: sleeve gastrectomy in a morbidly obese septuagenarian with gastric schwannoma
Authors: Faustino Ana V M , Rama Tiago F , Andrade Margarida P C , Carneiro Vítor M D , Leite Maria I G P
Published: September 2020

Gastric schwannoma is an extremely rare mesenchymal tumour, representing only 0.2% of all gastric tumours. Obesity is an alarming worldwide disease whose only effective and sustained treatment seems to be surgical. We present a case of a 73-year-old female with epigastric pain and unspecific dyspeptic symptoms, whose diagnostic endoscopic procedures raised suspicion of a gastrointestinal stromal tumour. Given her good performance status, and since grade 2 obesity with high-risk comorbid conditions was present, she was considered a suitable candidate for laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy. Both surgery and immediate postoperative period were uneventful. Histological and immunocytochemical analysis classified the tumour as benign gastric schwannoma. After 24 months, besides being disease-free, she presented an excess weight loss of 90.2%, with improvements in metabolic profile allowing withdrawal from chronic medication. The patient is healthier, satisfied and living an active life, showing that age by itself should not be a deterrent to bariatric surgery.
Identifying galaxy groups at high redshift from incomplete spectroscopic data – I. The group finder and application to zCOSMOS
Authors: Wang Kai , Mo H J , Li Cheng , Meng Jiacheng , Chen Yangyao
Published: September 2020

Identifying galaxy groups from redshift surveys of galaxies plays an important role in connecting galaxies with the underlying dark matter distribution. Current and future high-z spectroscopic surveys, usually incomplete in redshift sampling, present both opportunities and challenges to identifying groups in the high-z Universe. We develop a group finder that is based on incomplete redshift samples combined with photometric data, using a machine learning method to assign halo masses to identified groups. Test using realistic mock catalogues shows that $\gtrsim \! 90{{\ \rm per\ cent}}$ of true groups with halo masses $\rm {\it M}_h \gtrsim 10^{12} M_{\odot }\,h^{-1}$ are successfully identified, and that the fraction of contaminants is smaller than $10{{\ \rm per\ cent}}$. The standard deviation in the halo mass estimation is smaller than 0.25 dex at all masses. We apply our group finder to zCOSMOS-bright and describe basic properties of the group catalogue obtained.
The completed SDSS-IV extended Baryon Oscillation Spectroscopic Survey: N-body mock challenge for the quasar sample
Authors: Smith Alex , Burtin Etienne , Hou Jiamin , Neveux Richard , Ross Ashley J , Alam Shadab , Brinkmann Jonathan , Dawson Kyle S , Habib Salman , Heitmann Katrin , Kneib Jean-Paul , Lyke Brad W , du Mas des Bourboux Hélion , Mueller Eva-Maria , Myers Adam D , Percival Will J , Rossi Graziano , Schneider Donald P , Zarrouk Pauline , Zhao Gong-Bo
Published: September 2020

The growth rate and expansion history of the Universe can be measured from large galaxy redshift surveys using the Alcock–Paczynski effect. We validate the Redshift Space Distortion models used in the final analysis of the Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS) extended Baryon Oscillation Spectroscopic Survey (eBOSS) Data Release 16 quasar clustering sample, in configuration and Fourier space, using a series of halo occupation distribution mock catalogues generated using the OuterRim N-body simulation. We test three models on a series of non-blind mocks, in the OuterRim cosmology, and blind mocks, which have been rescaled to new cosmologies, and investigate the effects of redshift smearing and catastrophic redshifts. We find that for the non-blind mocks, the models are able to recover fσ8 to within 3 per cent and α∥ and α⊥ to within 1 per cent. The scatter in the measurements is larger for the blind mocks, due to the assumption of an incorrect fiducial cosmology. From this mock challenge, we find that all three models perform well, with similar systematic errors on fσ8, α∥, and α⊥ at the level of $\sigma _{f\sigma _8}=0.013$, $\sigma _{\alpha _\parallel }=0.012$, and $\sigma _{\alpha _\bot }=0.008$. The systematic error on the combined consensus is $\sigma _{f\sigma _8}=0.011$, $\sigma _{\alpha _\parallel }=0.008$, and $\sigma _{\alpha _\bot }=0.005$, which is used in the final DR16 analysis. For baryon acoustic oscillation fits in configuration and Fourier space, we take conservative systematic errors of $\sigma _{\alpha _\parallel }=0.010$ and $\sigma _{\alpha _\bot }=0.007$.
Modelling of 35-d superorbital cycle of B and V light curves of IMXB HZ Her/Her X-1
Authors: Kolesnikov D A , Shakura N I , Postnov K A , Volkov I M , Bikmaev I F , Irsmambetova T R , Staubert R , Wilms J , Irtuganov E , Golysheva P Yu , Shugarov S Yu , Nikolenko I V , Trunkovsky E M , Schönherr G , Schwope A , Klochkov D
Published: September 2020

The X-ray binary Her X-1 consists of an accreting neutron star and the optical component HZ Her. The 35-d X-ray superorbital variability of this system is known, since its discovery in 1972 by the Uhuru satellite and is believed to be caused by forced precession of a warped accretion disc tilted to the orbital plane. We argue that the observed features of the 35-d optical variability of HZ Her can be explained by free precession of the neutron star with a period close to that of the forced disc. The model parameters include (a) the X-ray luminosity of the neutron star; (b) the optical flux from the accretion disc; and (c) the tilt of the inner and outer edges of the accretion disc. A possible synchronization mechanism based on the coupling between the neutron star free precession and the dynamical action of non-stationary gas streams is discussed.
Resolving shocks and filaments in galaxy formation simulations: effects on gas properties and star formation in the circumgalactic medium
Authors: Bennett Jake S , Sijacki Debora
Published: September 2020

There is an emerging consensus that large amounts of gas do not shock heat in the circumgalactic medium (CGM) of massive galaxies, but instead pierce deep into haloes from the cosmic web via filaments. To better resolve this process numerically, we have developed a novel ‘shock refinement’ scheme within the moving mesh code arepo that adaptively improves resolution around shocks on-the-fly in galaxy formation simulations. We apply this to a massive ∼1012 M⊙ halo at z = 6 using the successful FABLE model, increasing the mass resolution by a factor of 512. With better refinement there are significantly more dense, metal-poor and fast-moving filaments and clumps flowing into the halo, leading to a more multiphase CGM. We find a ∼50 per cent boost in cool-dense gas mass and a 25 per cent increase in inflowing mass flux. Better resolved accretion shocks cause turbulence to increase dramatically, leading to a doubling in the halo’s non-thermal pressure support. Despite much higher thermalization at shocks with higher resolution, increased cooling rates suppress the thermal energy of the halo. In contrast, the faster and denser filaments cause a significant jump in the bulk kinetic energy of cool-dense gas, while in the hot phase turbulent energy increases by up to ∼150 per cent. Moreover, H i covering fractions within the CGM increase by up to 60 per cent. Consequently, star formation is spread more widely and we predict a population of metal-poor stars forming within primordial filaments that deep JWST observations may be able to probe.
Formation of S0s in extreme environments II: The star-formation histories of bulges, discs, and lenses
Authors: Johnston Evelyn J , Aragón-Salamanca Alfonso , Fraser-McKelvie Amelia , Merrifield Michael , Häußler Boris , Coccato Lodovico , Jaffé Yara , Cortesi Ariana , Chies-Santos Ana , Rodríguez Del Pino Bruno , Sheen Yun-Kyeong
Published: September 2020

Different processes have been proposed to explain the formation of S0s, including mergers, disc instabilities, and quenched spirals. These processes are expected to dominate in different environments, and thus leave characteristic footprints in the kinematics and stellar populations of the individual components within the galaxies. New techniques enable us to cleanly disentangle the kinematics and stellar populations of these components in IFU observations. In this paper, we use buddi to spectroscopically extract the light from the bulge, disc, and lens components within a sample of eight S0 galaxies in extreme environments observed with MUSE. While the spectra of bulges and discs in S0 galaxies have been separated before, this work is the first to isolate the spectra of lenses. Stellar populations analysis revealed that the bulges and lenses have generally similar or higher metallicities than the discs, and the α-enhancement of the bulges and discs are correlated, while those of the lenses are completely unconnected to either component. We conclude that the majority of the mass in these galaxies was built up early in the lifetime of the galaxy, with the bulges and discs forming from the same material through dissipational processes at high redshift. The lenses, on the other hand, formed over independent time-scales at more random times within the lifetime of the galaxy, possibly from evolved bars. The younger stellar populations and asymmetric features seen in the field S0s may indicate that these galaxies have been affected more by minor mergers than the cluster galaxies.
Tobacco Price Increase and Successful Smoking Cessation for Two or More Years in Japan
Authors: Matsubayashi Keisuke , Tabuchi Takahiro , Iso Hiroyasu
Published: September 2020

Introduction

Assessing long-term smoking cessation after tobacco price increases is more valuable than short-term cessation as smokers often relapse after temporary cessation. We investigated whether tobacco price increases were associated with long-term smoking cessation and whether the association differed according to demographic, socioeconomic, and behavioral factors, using a national longitudinal survey of middle-aged individual-level data from 10 waves, every November from 2005 to 2014.

Methods

Temporary and long-term at least 1 year (1y+) or 2 years (2y+) quitters were defined by smoking in any one wave and quitting in the subsequent two or three waves in a discrete-time design. November 2006 (after July 11% increase) and November 2010 (after October 37% increase) were used as proxy variables for price increases. Generalized estimating equation models adjusted for demographic, socioeconomic, and behavioral covariates, and analyses stratified by these covariates were performed to estimate the association between price increases and smoking cessation.

Results

Of 43 630 smokers aged 50–65, 7.7%, 5.6%, and 5.2% of smokers quit temporarily, for at least 1 year and at least 2 years, respectively. 2y+ quitters significantly increased in November 2005–November 2008 (adjusted odds ratio = 1.23, 95% confidence interval: 1.06–1.43) and November 2009–November 2012 (adjusted odds ratio = 1.85, 95% confidence interval = 1.57–2.16). In stratified analyses, higher prices were associated with 2y+ quitters in all subgroups with some exceptions, including participants who smoked 21–30 cigarettes per day and those aged 60–65.

Conclusions

Increasing tobacco prices may be effective in promoting long-term smoking cessation in various subgroups among middle-aged Japanese adults.

Implications

Few longitudinal studies have examined the effect of a tobacco price increase on long-term smoking cessation. In a national longitudinal survey of middle-aged Japanese from 10 waves, the 37% tobacco price increase was found to be a trigger for successful smoking cessation for two or more years. Price increases were significantly associated with 2y+ smoking cessation in most demographic, behavioral, and socioeconomic subgroups. Results indicate that higher tobacco prices may be effective for long-term smoking cessation in almost all subgroups. Raising tobacco taxes and prices may be one of the most effective strategies for promoting long-term smoking cessation.
Testing Snowden’s Hypothesis Does Mere Awareness Drive Opposition to Government Surveillance?
Authors: Valentino Nicholas A , Neuner Fabian G , Kamin Julia , Bailey Michael
Published: September 2020

This study explores the antecedents of public support for government surveillance of the private electronic communications and internet browsing of American citizens. The National Security Agency whistleblower, Edward Snowden, famously hoped that uncovering surveillance by the state would create awareness of those practices that would be sufficient to induce public opposition. Other theories suggest that support for these policies might be driven by perceptions of terrorist threat or personal risk of surveillance. We suspect, however, that most citizens do not imagine their own privacy rights to be at risk due to government surveillance, but instead believe members of other groups will be targeted. Therefore, we hypothesize that empathy toward vulnerable outgroups should strongly dampen enthusiasm for surveillance, above and beyond awareness and personal concerns and interests. A nationally representative survey finds knowledge about government surveillance to be higher than many presume, but variation in knowledge or personal interests are largely uncorrelated with support. As hypothesized, empathy for outgroups strongly predicts opposition to these policies, above and beyond a host of other factors. Two experiments further corroborate the result: Outgroup empathy, not exposure to information about actual surveillance practices, boosts public opposition.
Does Partisanship Shape Investor Beliefs? Evidence from the COVID-19 Pandemic
Authors: Cookson J Anthony , Engelberg Joseph E , Mullins William
Published: September 2020

We use party-identifying language—like “liberal media” and “MAGA”—to identify Republican users on the investor social platform StockTwits. Using a difference-in-difference design, we find that partisan Republicans remain relatively unfazed in their beliefs about equities during the COVID-19 pandemic, while other users become considerably more pessimistic. In cross-sectional tests, we find Republicans become relatively more optimistic about stocks that suffered the most during the COVID-19 crisis, but more pessimistic about Chinese stocks. Finally, stocks with the greatest partisan disagreement on StockTwits have significantly more trading in the broader market, explaining 28% of the increase in stock turnover during the pandemic.

Authors have furnished data and an Internet Appendix, which are available on the Oxford University Press Web site next to the link to the final published paper online.
Natural history of insomnia symptoms in the transition from childhood to adolescence: population rates, health disparities, and risk factors
Authors: Fernandez-Mendoza Julio , Bourchtein Elizaveta , Calhoun Susan , Puzino Kristina , Snyder Cynthia K , He Fan , Vgontzas Alexandros N , Liao Duanping , Bixler Edward
Published: September 2020

Study Objectives

To determine the sociodemographic, behavioral, and clinical risk factors associated with the persistence, remission, and incidence of insomnia symptoms in the transition from childhood to adolescence.

Methods

The Penn State Child Cohort is a random, population-based sample of 700 children (5–12 years at baseline), of whom 421 were followed-up as adolescents (12–23 years at follow-up). Subjects underwent polysomnography, clinical history, physical exam, and parent- and self-reported scales at baseline and follow-up. Insomnia symptoms were defined as a parent- or self-report of difficulty falling and/or staying asleep.

Results

The 421 subjects with baseline (Mage = 8.8 years) and follow-up (Mage = 17 years) data were 53.9% male and 21.9% racial/ethnic minorities. The persistence of childhood insomnia symptoms (CIS) was 56% (95% CI = 46.5–65.4), with only 30.3% (95% CI = 21.5–39.0) fully remitting. The incidence of adolescent insomnia symptoms was 31.1% (95% CI = 25.9–36.3). Female sex, racial/ethnic minority, and low socioeconomic status as well as psychiatric/behavioral or neurological disorders, obesity, smoking, and evening chronotype were associated with a higher persistence or incidence of insomnia symptoms.

Conclusions

CIS are highly persistent, with full remission occurring in only a third of children in the transition to adolescence. Sex-, racial/ethnic-, and socioeconomic-related disparities in insomnia occur as early as childhood, while different mental/physical health and lifestyle/circadian risk factors play a key role in the chronicity of CIS versus their incidence in adolescence. CIS should not be expected to developmentally remit and should become a focus of integrated pediatric/behavioral health strategies.
Combined Use of PGPRs and Reduced Rates of Azoxystrobin to Improve Management of Sheath Blight of Rice
Authors: Zhou Xin-Gen , Kumar K. Vijay Krishna , Zhou Linda W. , Reddy M. S. , Kloepper Joseph W.
Published: September 2020

Farmers rely heavily on the use of strobilurin fungicides to manage sheath blight (ShB) caused by Rhizoctonia solani AG1-IA, the most important disease in rice in the southern United States. Greenhouse and field studies were conducted to evaluate the potential use of plant growth–promoting rhizobacteria (PGPRs) in combination with a reduced rate of azoxystrobin application as a strategy to improve the current fungicide-reliant management. Of the nine antagonistic PGPR strains screened in the greenhouse, Bacillus subtilis strain MBI600 provided the most significant and consistent suppression of ShB. Efficacy of strain MBI600 was further evaluated at the concentrations of 0, 103, 106, 109, and 1011 CFU/ml alone or in combinations with 0, 17, 33, 50, 67, 83, and 100% of the recommended application rate (0.16 kg a.i./ha) of azoxystrobin. Strain MBI600 applied at 106,109, and 1011 CFU/ml alone was effective in reducing ShB severity. Combinations of this strain at these rates with ≥33% of the recommended application rate of azoxystrobin further reduced ShB severity. A dose–response model defining the relationships between strain MBI600, azoxystrobin, and ShB severity was established. Estimates of the effective concentrations (EC50 and EC90) of strain MBI600 when applied in combination with 50% of the recommended application rate of azoxystrobin were 104 and 109 CFU/ml, respectively. A field trial was conducted over 4 years to verify the efficacy of their combinations. Strain MBI600 alone, when applied at 109 CFU/ml at the boot stage, reduced ShB severity but did not significantly increase grain yields each year. Combination of strain MBI600 with azoxystrobin at half of the recommended application rate improved efficacy of strain MBI600, reducing ShB severity to a level comparable to that of azoxystrobin applied at the full rate in all 4 years. The combined treatment also increased grain yield by 14 to 19%, comparable to the fungicide applied at the full rate in 3 of 4 years. Combined use of PGPR strain MBI600 with a reduced rate of azoxystrobin application can be a viable management option for control of ShB while allowing producers to use less fungicide on rice.
Dega transiliac pelvic osteotomy for developmental hip dysplasia: a systematic review
Authors: Woźniak Łukasz , Idzior Maciej , Jóźwiak Marek
Published: September 2020

A systematic review of studies reporting outcomes after Dega transiliac pelvic osteotomy (DO) in developmental dysplasia of the hip (DDH) was carried out with a meta-analysis of the pre- and postoperative acetabular index (AI) values. The MEDLINE, ClinicalKey, PubMed, and Cochrane Library databases were searched for articles published up to April 2020 (keywords: Dega, Dega osteotomy, Dega acetabuloplasty, Dega transiliac, and Dega acetabular). The reference lists of reviewed articles were manually searched. Three hundred and seventy-two articles were identified; 23 met the inclusion criteria. The difference between pre- and postoperative AI values were reported in 19 studies (636 hips); the average postoperative AI value was ≤20° in 16/19. Ten studies were included in the meta-analysis. The overall difference between the mean pre- and postoperative AI was 22.5° (95% confidence interval 20.2–24.8°). The average postoperative center-edge angle was reported in 14/23 studies (480 hips) and was normative (≥20°). Hips were assessed using the Severin classification in 11/23 studies; 81.7% of 410 hips were Severin class I–II. The clinical outcome quantified following McKay/Berkeley or other criteria in nine studies (512 hips) was good or very good in 84.8% of hips at follow-up. The incidence of avascular necrosis (AVN) of the femoral head was 18.9% (19 studies, 856 hips). The cumulative rate of reoperation of 5.8% was reported in 14 studies. DO ensures adequate correction of radiological parameters in DDH, and facilitates a good clinical outcome with low incidences of AVN and reoperation risk. Level of evidence: IV.
GPR120 promotes radiation resistance in esophageal cancer via regulating AKT and apoptosis pathway
Authors: Cui Zhen , Liu Jia , Sun Qiaoyu , He Zelai , Wang Chaoge , Zhang Xianwen , Ma Qianqian , Li Duojie , Jiang Hao
Published: September 2020

The aim of the study is to investigate the role of GPR120 on the biological behavior of esophageal cancer cells in the setting of radiation and explore the mechanism. GPR120 knockdown was fulfilled by siRNA-mediated effects in two esophageal cancer cell lines Eca109 and EC9706. Colony formation, survival fraction calculation, viable cell evaluation by cell counting kit-8 assay and cell apoptosis analysis by phycoerythrin annexin V and 7-amino-actinomycin (7-AAD) staining and the flow cytometry examination was evaluated in Eca109 and EC9706 under the treatment of different radiation dosage. The mechanisms were explored by the evaluation of the Akt pathway and apoptosis protein level. Significantly decreased GPR120 mRNA and protein after GPR120 siRNA treatment compared to control siRNA treatment. Significantly decreased colony formation was found in GPR120 siRNA-treated Eca109 and EC9706 cells compared to control siRNA-treated cells at the radiation dosage of 2, 4, 6 and 8 Gy. Moreover, decreased survival fraction number with increased sensitive enhancing ratio was also found in GPR120 siRNA-treated Eca109 and EC9706 cells compared to control siRNA-treated cells. Decreased cell viability and increased cell apoptosis in GPR120 siRNA-treated esophageal cancer cells. GPR120 siRNA decreased the Akt phosphorylation and anti-apoptotic Bcl-2 expression level, but increased pro-apoptotic Bim expression level in esophageal cancer cell lines. GPR120 regulated the biological behavior of the esophageal cancer cells via affecting Akt pathway and apoptosis molecules. Moreover, GPR120 siRNA combined radiation treatment could be a therapeutic choice for esophageal cancer.
Upregulated long noncoding RNAs LINC02163 and FEZF1-AS1 exert oncogenic roles in colorectal cancer
Authors: Tian Ye , zhou Jing , Zou Yanfen , Luo Baoyang , Liu Qinghong , Cao Xiaofei
Published: September 2020

A growing number of evidence has revealed that aberrantly expressed long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) are involved in the development of a variety of malignancies, including colorectal cancer (CRC). However, the clinical relevance of most lncRNAs and their potential biological functions in CRC remains poorly understood. The aim of this study was to identify the key lncRNAs related to patient prognosis as well as their biological function and underlying mechanism in CRC. Therefore, five independent datasets containing CRC and normal tissue RNA sequencing, microarray data and the corresponding clinical data from The Cancer Genome Atlas and Gene Expression Omnibus were screened. Hundreds of significantly differentially expressed lncRNAs in CRC were determined, and Kaplan–Meier analyses revealed that some of these lncRNAs were related to the overall survival and progression-free survival of patients with CRC, such as RP11-108K3.2, FOXD3-AS1, H19 and AP001469.9. Among these dysregulated lncRNAs, LINC02163 and FEZF1-AS1 were significantly upregulated in CRC tissues, suggesting that they may have oncogenic roles in CRC. Furthermore, loss of function assays revealed that downregulation of LINC02163 and FEZF1-AS1 impaired CRC cell proliferation. In addition, RNA Immunoprecipitation and Chromatin Immunoprecipitation assays determined that FEZF1-AS1 regulates CRC cell growth via interacting with LSD1 and repressing KLF2 expression. Collectively, hundreds of dysregulated lncRNAs and their associated biological roles identified in this study may provide potentially useful biomarkers and therapeutic targets for CRC.
LifePearl microspheres loaded with irinotecan in the treatment of Liver-dominant metastatic colorectal carcinoma: feasibility, safety and pharmacokinetic study
Authors: Maleux Geert , Prenen Hans , Helmberger Thomas , Spriet Isabelle , Isailovic Tatjana(V) , Pereira Philippe
Published: September 2020

To evaluate pharmacokinetic and safety profile of LifePearl microspheres loaded with irinotecan (LifePearl-IRI) in the treatment of liver-dominant, metastatic colorectal carcinoma (LM-CRC) by transarterial chemoembolization. In a prospective, multicentre pharmacokinetic study, 14 patients with LM-CRC progressing on at least one line of chemotherapy were treated with LifePearl-IRI. Six patients received unilobar treatment, treating one lobe per session with 100 mg of irinotecan every 2 weeks. Eight patients received bilobar treatment, treating two lobes per session with 100 mg of irinotecan each (200 mg in total), every 4 weeks. At 24 h, near complete plasma clearance occurred for both irinotecan and SN-38, regardless of the dose. Mean plasma Cmax(100 mg) was 254.50 ± 104.17 ng/mL for irinotecan and 46.72 ± 13.75 ng/mL for SN-38. Mean Cmax(200 mg) was 970.09 ± 353.75 ng/mL for irinotecan and 118.45 ± 25.11 ng/mL for SN-38. Significantly higher Cmax-iri(200 mg) than Cmax-iri (100 mg) supported rate-limiting irinotecan-to-SN-38 conversion. Adverse events during the first 30 days upon initial treatment were hypertension in 21.4%, abdominal pain in 14.3%, and increased transaminases and fever in 7.1% of patients. Four serious adverse events were noted: respiratory failure, constipation, necrotizing pancreatitis, and ischaemic cholecystitis. Chemoembolization with LifePearl-IRI is technically feasible and relatively well tolerated, with a good pharmacokinetic profile and minimal systemic exposure of both irinotecan and SN-38, after both unilobar and bilobar treatment with 100 or 200 mg, respectively.
Abiraterone acetate and acute leukemia: a casual association?
Authors: Bolzacchini Elena , Patriarca Carlo , Giordano Monica
Published: September 2020

We present the case of a 70-year-old patient affected by metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer. He underwent radical prostatectomy in 2007 and subsequent adjuvant radiotherapy and hormonal therapy for 2 years. In 2011, he developed bilateral lung metastases, and therefore he received chemotherapy (eight cycles of docetaxel 75 mg/sqm every 3 weeks) with partial remission; rechallenge with the same drug was performed 7 months later due to recurrence of lung metastases. In August 2013, abiraterone acetate was started for progression of lung metastases. The patient received abiraterone for almost 5 years with stability of disease. During the 60th cycle of abiraterone, a diagnosis of acute myeloid leukemia was made.
Effectiveness of the cervical cancer prevention programme: a case-control mortality audit in Lithuania
Authors: Everatt Rūta , Kuzmickienė Irena , Intaitė Birutė , Anttila Ahti
Published: September 2020

The cervical cancer burden in Lithuania has remained high, and there are no previous effectiveness studies of cervical cancer prevention programme in the country. We investigated the effect of a prevention programme on the risk of mortality from cervical cancer in Lithuania by conducting a mortality audit study. The register-based case-control study included 715 cervical cancer deaths that occurred during 2010–2015 in Lithuania and their 2145 matched controls. Screening histories for cases and controls were obtained from the National Health Insurance Fund database. Odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were estimated using conditional logistic regression and corrected for self-selection bias. Index screening was associated with a 56% reduction in the cervical cancer death risk, OR: 0.44; 95% CI 0.26–0.74. The ORs for stage I and stage II+ cancers were 0.80; 95% CI 0.32–2.00 and 0.36; 95% CI 0.21–0.62, respectively. The preventive effect was statistically significant for women aged ≥40 years, while nonsignificant for younger. In women who died of cervical cancer, 71% were not invited and 88% were not screened within the recommended 36 months prior to index date. Among cases with index invitation, 32% had index screening compared to 70% in controls. In conclusion, participation in screening has been effective in reducing cervical cancer mortality in Lithuania. The study shows poor screening attendance, emphasizing the importance of greater efforts at the national level to improve the effectiveness of the screening.
Validity of the Global Physical Activity Questionnaire in Older Adults With Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease: Results From the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey
Authors: Gore Shweta , Goldberg Allon , Huang Min H. , Shoemaker Michael , Blackwood Jennifer
Published: September 2020

Purpose:

The Global Physical Activity Questionnaire (GPAQv2) is widely used and one of the only national surveillance measures recommended by the World Health Organization for physical activity (PA) assessment globally. No studies to date have examined the validity of GPAQv2 in older adults with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). This observational study examined its construct validity using population-based data.

Methods:

Individuals aged 65 years and older with COPD, interviewed in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) between years 2007 and 2012 were included. GPAQv2-derived PA was compared with constructs of lung function, shortness of breath, and the diagnosis of COPD.

Results:

The GPAQv2 was not found to be a significant predictor of COPD status (odds ratio = 1.00, 95% confidence interval: 0.99, 1.00) when controlling for relevant covariates. Age and smoking status emerged as the strongest predictors of COPD. Total PA was neither significantly associated with shortness of breath nor lung function.

Conclusions:

Older adults with chronic conditions such as COPD represent a unique subset of population discrete from the healthier counterparts. Given the importance of GPAQv2 as the only widely accepted population surveillance tool, future studies exploring its validity in this subset of individuals with COPD using different constructs and objective reference standards are needed.
Treatment of Refractory Melasma in Asians With the Picosecond Alexandrite Laser
Authors: Polnikorn Niwat , Tanghetti Emil
Published: September 2020

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES

The picosecond Alexandrite laser was studied in our practice with the diffractive lens array and the flat optic to treat melasma.

METHODS AND MATERIALS

Sixty patients with melasma were treated in a prospective investigation with the picosecond Alexandrite laser. Nineteen patients were treated with the flat optic and 41 patients were treated with the diffractive lens array. Treatments were performed with 1 pass at 2-week intervals for 6 treatments. The Melasma Severity Index (MSI) was used to evaluate the patients before treatment and 3 and 6 months after the final treatment session.

RESULTS

At 6 months after the last treatment, there was an 18.5% difference between the groups with a 75.7% improvement in the MSI in patients with the diffractive lens array and a 57.2% improvement in the MSI score in patients with the flat optic. At 6 months, there was recurrence of melasma in 5% of the cases with no hyperpigmentation with the diffractive optic in contrast to recurrence in 16% of the cases in the flat optic group and a transient macular hyperpigmentation in 21% of the cases.

CONCLUSION

This investigation highlights the utility of a picosecond Alexandrite laser with a flat and diffractive lens to successfully treat a large percentage of Asian patients in a sunny climate.
Transvascular Hydrolysis of Hyaluronic Acid Filler With Hyaluronidase: An Ex Vivo Study
Authors: Rauso Raffaele , Zerbinati Nicola , Fragola Romolo , Nicoletti Giovanni Francesco , Tartaro Gianpaolo
Published: September 2020

BACKGROUND

Despite the favorable safety profile of hyaluronic acid (HA) dermal fillers, side effects can occur. Skin necrosis is one of the most severe early-occurring complications resulting from accidental vascular impairment. Hyaluronidase (HYAL) is commonly used to degrade HA chains, allowing the degraded product to pass through vessels, and thus relieving the vascular obstruction.

OBJECTIVE

The purpose of this study is to evaluate, in an ex vivo setting, the capability of HYAL to degrade crosslinked HA that was injected into human vessels.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

During a neck dissection, a portion of the anterior jugular vein and facial artery was harvested. The vein and artery specimens were filled with 25 mg/mL of crosslinked HA filler. Each specimen was soaked in 0.5 mL of HYAL (300 IU/mL), in its own test tube, for 4 hours, after which the remaining HA was quantified.

RESULTS

The remaining HA volume was found to be 0.02 mL in the vein segment and 0.002 mL in the artery segment.

CONCLUSION

A single administration of HYAL may not be adequate to restore blood flow in the event of embolism, and relatively high doses of this enzyme must be injected hourly into the affected tissue until resolution is complete.
RETINAL DETACHMENT AFTER ACUTE RETINAL NECROSIS AND THE EFFICACIES OF DIFFERENT INTERVENTIONS
Authors: Zhao Xin-Yu , Meng Li-Hui , Zhang Wen-Fei , Wang Dong-Yue , Chen You-Xin
Published: September 2020

Purpose:

To estimate the rate of retinal detachment (RD) after acute retinal necrosis (ARN) and evaluate the efficacies of different interventions.

Methods:

The databases Medline and EMBASE from inception to March 2020 were searched to identify the relevant studies. R software version 3.6.3 was used to perform the statistical analyses. Results in proportion with 95% confidence interval were calculated using generalized linear mixed models.

Results:

Sixty-seven studies involving 1,811 patients were finally included. The pooling results suggested the general RD rate of ARN was 47%. The RD rate increased with the extent of retinitis and was slightly lower when involved Zone III. The RD rate was 37% for herpes simplex virus ARN and 46% for varicella–zoster virus ARN; 52% for immunocompetent patients and 39% for immunocompromised patients. Retinal detachment presented in 2% of eyes at the first visit. Systemic antiviral therapy could lower the RD rate significantly from 67% to 43%, and prophylactic vitrectomy could lower the RD rate significantly from 45% to 22%. Systemic antiviral therapy plus vitrectomy achieved the lowest RD rate to 18%. Although the efficacy of prophylactic laser or intravitreal antiviral therapy was still limited. Prophylactic vitrectomy might significantly increase the incidence of proliferative vitreoretinopathy from 7% to 32%.

Conclusion:

About half of the eyes might develop RD during the entire course of ARN. Systemic antiviral therapy and prophylactic vitrectomy are effective interventions to prevent RD, whereas the roles of prophylactic laser or adjunctive intravitreal antiviral therapy are still unclear. Varicella–zoster virus ARN and cases with extensive retinitis might need intensified interventions.
Predictability of intraocular lens power calculation after small-incision lenticule extraction for myopia
Authors: Lazaridis Apostolos , Schraml Florian , Preußner Paul-Rolf , Sekundo Walter
Published: September 2020

Purpose:

To evaluate and compare the predictability of intraocular lens (IOL) power calculation after small-incision lenticule extraction (SMILE) for myopia and myopic astigmatism.

Setting:

Department of Ophthalmology, Philipps University of Marburg, Marburg, Germany.

Design:

Retrospective comparative case series.

Methods:

Preoperative evaluation included optical biometry using IOLMaster 500 and corneal tomography using Pentacam HR. The corneal tomography measurements were repeated at 3 months postoperatively. The change of spherical equivalent due to SMILE was calculated by the manifest refraction at corneal plane (SMILE-Dif). A theoretical model, involving the virtual implantation of the same IOL before and after SMILE, was used, and the IOL power calculations were performed using ray tracing (OKULIX, version 9.06) and third- (Hoffer Q, Holladay 1, and SRK/T) and fourth-generation (Haigis-L and Haigis) formulas. The difference between the IOL-induced refractive error at corneal plane before and after SMILE (IOL-Dif) was compared with SMILE-Dif. The prediction error (PE) was calculated as the difference between SMILE-Dif–IOL-Dif.

Results:

The study included 204 eyes that underwent SMILE. The PE with ray tracing was −0.06 ± 0.40 diopter (D); Haigis-L, −0.39 ± 0.62 D; Haigis, 0.70 ± 0.48 D; Hoffer Q, 0.84 ± 0.47 D; Holladay 1, 1.21 ± 0.51 D; and SRK/T, 1.46 ± 0.54 D. The PE with ray tracing was significantly smaller compared with that of all formulas (P ≤ .001). The PE variance with ray tracing was σ2 = 0.159, being significantly more homogenous compared with that of all formulas (P ≤ .011, F ≥ 6.549). Ray tracing resulted in an absolute PE of 0.5 D or lesser in 81.9% of the cases, followed by Haigis-L (53.4%), Haigis (35.3%), Hoffer Q (25.5%), Holladay 1 (6.4%), and SRK/T (2.9%) formulas.

Conclusions:

Ray tracing was the most accurate approach for IOL power calculation after myopic SMILE.
IOP and Optic Nerve Head Morphology during Scleral Lens Wear
Authors: Walker Maria K. , Pardon Laura P. , Redfern Rachel , Patel Nimesh
Published: September 2020

SIGNIFICANCE

Scleral lenses (SLs) are increasing in scope, and understanding their ocular health impact is imperative. The unique fit of an SL raises concern that the landing zone causes compression of conjunctival tissue that can lead to resistance of aqueous humor outflow and increased intraocular pressure (IOP).

PURPOSE

This study aimed to assess changes in optic nerve head morphology as an indirect assessment of IOP and evaluate other IOP assessment methods during SL wear.

METHODS

Twenty-six healthy adults wore SL on one randomly selected eye for 6 hours, whereas the fellow eye served as a control. Global minimum rim width (optical coherence tomography) and IOP (Icare, Diaton) were measured at baseline, 2 and 6 hours after SL application, and again after SL removal. Central corneal thickness, anterior chamber depth, and fluid reservoir depth were monitored.

RESULTS

Minimum rim width thinning was observed in the test (−8 μm; 95% confidence interval [CI], −11 to −6 μm) and control (−6 μm; 95% CI, −9 to −3 μm) eyes after 6 hours of SL wear (P < .01), although the magnitude of thinning was not significantly greater in the lens-wearing eyes (P = .09). Mean IOP (Icare) significantly increased +2 mmHg (95% CI, +1 to +3 mmHg) in the test eyes (P = .002), with no change in the control eyes. Mean IOP changes with Diaton were +0.3 mmHg (95% CI, −0.9 to +3.2 mmHg) in the test eyes and +0.4 mmHg (95% CI, −0.8 to +1.7 mmHg) in the control eyes. However, Diaton tonometry showed poor within-subject variation and poor correlation with Icare. No clinically significant changes were observed in central corneal thickness or anterior chamber depth.

CONCLUSIONS

This study suggests that SLs have a minimal effect on IOP homeostasis in the normal eye during SL wear and an insignificant impact on the optic nerve head morphology in healthy adult eyes.
Association Between FokI Polymorphism of Vitamin D Receptor Gene and Lumbar Spine Disc Degeneration
Authors: Castillo-Avila Rosa Giannina , González-Castro Thelma Beatriz , Tovilla-Zárate Carlos Alfonso , Juárez-Rojop Isela Esther , López-Narváez María Lilia , Rodríguez-Pérez José Manuel , Suárez-Méndez Samuel
Published: September 2020

Objective

The aim of the present meta-analysis was to explore the association between FokI polymorphism of the vitamin D receptor gene and lumbar spine disc degeneration.

Design

The search was performed in PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science databases up to January 2020. The authors selected nine studies comprising a total of 1549 cases and 1672 controls. The association analysis included the allelic, dominant, recessive, homozygous, and heterozygous genetic models. Odds ratios with 95% confidence intervals were used to evaluate the association. The Newcastle-Ottawa Scale was used to measure the quality of the studies included in the analyses; a cut-off of 6 stars was applied.

Results

This meta-analysis indicated that FokI polymorphism is significantly associated with lumbar degenerative disc disorder and disc herniation in the homozygous (odds ratio, 1.77; 95% confidence interval, 1.23–2.54; Z test P = 0.002, Q test P = 0.416) and recessive (odds ratio, 1.53; 95% confidence interval, 1.23–1.90; Z test P < 0.000, Q test P = 0.224) models.

Conclusions

This study indicates that the vitamin D receptor gene FokI polymorphism may be correlated with the risk of developing a lumbar degenerative disc disorder and disc herniation. However, the small sample population studied and the lack of an evaluation of environmental factors must be taken as limitations in the present meta-analysis.
A Magnetic Resonance Imaging Radiomics Signature to Distinguish Benign From Malignant Orbital Lesions
Authors: Duron Loïc , Heraud Alexandre , Charbonneau Frédérique , Zmuda Mathieu , Savatovsky Julien , Fournier Laure , Lecler Augustin
Published: September 2020

Objectives

Distinguishing benign from malignant orbital lesions remains challenging both clinically and with imaging, leading to risky biopsies. The objective was to differentiate benign from malignant orbital lesions using radiomics on 3 T magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) examinations.

Materials and Methods

This institutional review board–approved prospective single-center study enrolled consecutive patients presenting with an orbital lesion undergoing a 3 T MRI prior to surgery from December 2015 to July 2019. Radiomics features were extracted from 6 MRI sequences (T1-weighted images [WIs], DIXON-T2-WI, diffusion-WI, postcontrast DIXON-T1-WI) using the Pyradiomics software. Features were selected based on their intraobserver and interobserver reproducibility, nonredundancy, and with a sequential step forward feature selection method. Selected features were used to train and optimize a Random Forest algorithm on the training set (75%) with 5-fold cross-validation. Performance metrics were computed on a held-out test set (25%) with bootstrap 95% confidence intervals (95% CIs). Five residents, 4 general radiologists, and 3 expert neuroradiologists were evaluated on their ability to visually distinguish benign from malignant lesions on the test set. Performance comparisons between reader groups and the model were performed using McNemar test. The impact of clinical and categorizable imaging data on algorithm performance was also assessed.

Results

A total of 200 patients (116 [58%] women and 84 [42%] men; mean age, 53.0 ± 17.9 years) with 126 of 200 (63%) benign and 74 of 200 (37%) malignant orbital lesions were included in the study. A total of 606 radiomics features were extracted. The best performing model on the training set was composed of 8 features including apparent diffusion coefficient mean value, maximum diameter on T1-WIs, and texture features. Area under the receiver operating characteristic curve, accuracy, sensitivity, and specificity on the test set were respectively 0.869 (95% CI, 0.834–0.898), 0.840 (95% CI, 0.806–0.874), 0.684 (95% CI, 0.615–0.751), and 0.935 (95% CI, 0.905–0.961). The radiomics model outperformed all reader groups, including expert neuroradiologists (P < 0.01). Adding clinical and categorizable imaging data did not significantly impact the algorithm performance (P = 0.49).

Conclusions

An MRI radiomics signature is helpful in differentiating benign from malignant orbital lesions and may outperform expert radiologists.
Fusion of Preinterventional MR Imaging With Liver Perfusion CT After RFA of Hepatocellular Carcinoma
Authors: Kobe Adrian , Kindler Yanick , Klotz Ernst , Puippe Gilbert , Messmer Florian , Alkadhi Hatem , Pfammatter Thomas
Published: September 2020

Objectives

The aim of this study was to evaluate the ability of fusion of pretreatment magnetic resonance (MR) imaging with posttreatment perfusion–CT (P-CT) after radiofrequency ablation (RFA) of hepatocellular carcinomas (HCCs) and to determine treatment success in an objective, quantitative way.

Materials and Methods

In this institutional review board–approved study, 39 patients (78.4% male; mean age 68.2 ± 8.5 years) with a total of 43 HCCs, who underwent RFA at our institution and had diagnostic pre-RFA MR imaging and post-RFA P-CT, were included in the study. Post-RFA P-CT was performed within 24 hours after RFA. In a first step, the pre-RFA MR imaging, depicting the HCC, was registered onto the post-RFA P-CT using nonrigid image registration. After image registration, the MR data were reloaded jointly with the calculated perfusion parameter volumes into the perfusion application for quantitative analysis. A 3-dimensional volume of interest was drawn around the HCC and the ablation zone; both outlines were automatically projected onto all perfusion maps. Resulting perfusion values (normalized peak enhancement [NPE, %]; arterial liver perfusion [ALP, in mL/min/100 mL]; BF [blood flow, mL/100 mL/min]; and blood volume [BV, mL/100 mL]) and histogram data were recorded. Local tumor recurrence was defined in follow-up imaging according to the EASL guidelines.

Results

Image registration of MR imaging and CT data was successful in 37 patients (94.9%). Local tumor recurrence was observed in 5 HCCs (12%). In the local tumor recurrence group (LTR-group), HCC size was significantly larger (22.7 ± 3.9 cm vs 17.8 ± 5.3 cm, P = 0.035) and the ablation zone was significantly smaller (29.8 ± 6.9 cm vs 39.3 ± 6.8 cm, P = 0.014) compared with the no-local tumor recurrence group (no-LTR group). The differences (ablation zone − tumor) of the perfusion parameters NPE, ALP, BF, and BV significantly differed between the 2 groups (all P's < 0.005). Especially, the difference (ablation zone − tumor) of NPE and ALP, with a cutoff value of zero, accurately differentiated between LTR or no-LTR in all cases. A negative difference of these perfusion parameters identified local tumor recurrence in all cases.

Conclusions

Image registration of pre-RFA MR imaging onto post-RFA P-CT is feasible and allows to predict local tumor recurrence within 24 hours after RFA in an objective, quantitative manner and with excellent accuracy.