Σφακιανάκης Αλέξανδρος
ΩτοΡινοΛαρυγγολόγος
Αναπαύσεως 5 Άγιος Νικόλαος
Κρήτη 72100
00302841026182
00306932607174
alsfakia@gmail.com

Αρχειοθήκη ιστολογίου

! # Ola via Alexandros G.Sfakianakis on Inoreader

Η λίστα ιστολογίων μου

Τρίτη 2 Ιανουαρίου 2018

Wnt/β-catenin signal alteration and its diagnostic utility in basal cell adenoma and histologically similar tumors of the salivary gland

Publication date: Available online 3 January 2018
Source:Pathology - Research and Practice
Author(s): Masanobu Sato, Hidetaka Yamamoto, Yui Hatanaka, Toshimitsu Nishijima, Rina Jiromaru, Ryuji Yasumatsu, Kenichi Taguchi, Muneyuki Masuda, Takashi Nakagawa, Yoshinao Oda
Differential diagnosis among basal cell adenoma (BCA), basal cell adenocarcinoma (BCAC), adenoid cystic carcinoma (ACC) and pleomorphic adenoma (PA) of the salivary gland can be challenging due to their similar histological appearance. Although frequent nuclear β-catenin expression and CTNNB1 mutations have been reported in BCA, further details of the Wnt/β-catenin signal alterations are unclear. The aim of this study was to assess the diagnostic utility of Wnt/β-catenin signal alteration in BCA and morphological mimics. We performed immunohistochemical staining for β-catenin and mutation analysis for Wnt/β-catenin-related genes (CTNNB1, APC, AXIN1 and AXIN2) in BCA (n = 34), BCAC (n = 3), ACC (n = 67) and PA (n = 31). We also analyzed ACC-specific MYB and MYBL1 gene rearrangements by fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH). Nuclear β-catenin expression (≥3%) was present in 32/34 cases (94.1%) of BCA, and the nuclear β-catenin labeling index was significantly higher than in other tumor types (p = < 0.0001). In BCA, we found mutations in CTNNB1, APC and AXIN1 genes (41.1%, 2.9% and 8.8%, respectively). In BCAC, nuclear β-catenin expression with CTNNB1 mutation was present in 1/3 cases (33.3%). As for ACC, nuclear β-catenin expression was observed in 3/67 cases (4.4%), but all 3 cases harbored either MYB or MYBL1 gene rearrangement. The results suggest that nuclear β-catenin immunoreactivity with appropriate criteria may be helpful to distinguish BCA from histologically similar tumors. However, a minor subset of ACCs with nuclear β-catenin expression require careful diagnosis. In addition, Wnt/β-catenin signal alteration may play a role in the pathogenesis of BCA and BCAC.



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Genomic Analysis Reveals Distinct Subtypes in Two Rare Cases of Primary Ovarian Lymphoma

Publication date: Available online 3 January 2018
Source:Pathology - Research and Practice
Author(s): Pallavi Khattar, Puneet Bedi, Marion Gonzalez, Minghao Zhong, Changhong Yin, Weihua Huang, Humayun K. Islam, John T. Fallon
Primary (localized) non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) of the ovary is extremely rare; only few cases have been reported in the literature. We report two cases of primary ovarian lymphoma (POL), one involving bilateral ovaries in a 15-year-old girl and other involving one ovary in a 5-year-old girl. This report describes detailed clinical, histopathological, and imaging findings, along with the review of literature of primary diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) arising from an ovary. In addition we describe findings of targeted capture panel sequencing on both tumors and identify the major genetic mutations that are recurrently mutated in pan-cancers. Compared to the genomic mutation features of major subtypes of DLBCL, we distinguish that each POL belongs to distinctive subtypes, GCB (germinal center B-cell type) DLBCL and ABC (activated B-cell type) DLBCL, respectively. The findings from the genomic analysis may help to understand the pathogenesis of POL and to guide potential targeted therapy in the future.



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Hyalinizing Clear Cell Carcinoma of Salivary Glands: A Retrospective Study Focused on Uncommon Morphology, Immunohistochemistry, and Detection of Gene Fusion Using Fluorescence In Situ Hybridization

Publication date: Available online 3 January 2018
Source:Pathology - Research and Practice
Author(s): Yi-nuo Zhao, Xiao Wang, Fen-hua Liang, Wen-jie Zhang, Xiang-tao Song




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Clinical value of survivin and its underlying mechanism in ovarian cancer: A bioinformatics study based on GEO and TCGA data mining

Publication date: Available online 2 January 2018
Source:Pathology - Research and Practice
Author(s): Xiao-jiao Li, Jin-shu Pang, Yao-mei Li, Farah Abdirahman Ahmed, Rong-quan He, Jie Ma, Fu-chao Ma, Gang Chen
ObjectiveAn increasing number of studies have confirmed that survivin (BIRC5) plays essential roles in ovarian cancer. Nevertheless, inconsistent or controversial results exist in some studies. In the present study, we sought to determine the clinical significance of survivin and its potential molecular pathways.MethodsThe correlation between survivin (BIRC5) expression and diagnostic value, prognostic value and clinicopathological features was assessed by meta-analysis with more than 4000 patients from literature, GEO and TCGA. In addition, the potential molecular mechanism of survivin in ovarian cancer was also determined.ResultsThe pooled sensitivity and specificity were 0.71 (95%CI: 0.68–0.74) and 0.97 (95%CI: 0.94–0.98), respectively. The AUC of sROC was 0.8765. The results showed that there was also a significant relationship between survivin expression and poor overall survival (HR: 1.24, 95%CI: 1.14–1.35, p < 0.001), disease-free survival (HR: 1.53, 95%CI: 0.57–4.09, p < 0.001), as well as higher recurrence rate (HR: 1.11, 95%CI: 0.97–1.27). Moreover, survivin expression was also associated with tumor progression (cancerous vs. benign, OR: 11.29, 95%CI: 8.96–14.24, p < 0.001), TNM stage (III + IV vs. I + II, OR: 5.38, 95%CI: 4.16–6.97, p < 0.001), histological grades (G3 vs. G1 ∼ G2, OR: 4.36, 95%CI: 3.29–5.77, p < 0.001), and lymphatic metastasis (metastasis vs. non-metastasis, 3.35, 95%CI 2.36–4.75, p < 0.001). Bioinformatics analysis revealed the 50 most frequently altered neighboring genes of survivin in OC, and then Gene Oncology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) analysis were conducted. GO analysis showed that these genes were related to signal conduction, cell cycle, apoptosis, and metabolism. KEGG pathways analysis indicated that these genes were primarily enriched in mitotic prometaphase, PLK1 signaling events and the regulation of glucokinase by the glucokinase regulatory protein.ConclusionSurvivin (BIRC5) expression might become a specific but low-sensitivity biomarker in ovarian cancer patients, and its presence indicated poor prognosis and worse TNM stages. This protein might function as an oncoprotein by influencing specific pathways involving the 50 genes identified herein. Additional studies are needed to confirm these results.



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Analysis of the Proliferative Activity in Lung Adenocarcinomas with Specific Driver Mutations

Publication date: Available online 2 January 2018
Source:Pathology - Research and Practice
Author(s): Mark Kriegsmann, Alexander Harms, Daniel Kazdal, Sebastian Fischer, Albrecht Stenzinger, Jonas Leichsenring, Roland Penzel, Rémi Longuespée, Katharina Kriegsmann, Thomas Muley, Seyer Safi, Arne Warth
In the last decade it became evident that many lung adenocarcinomas (ADC) harbor key genetic alterations such as KRAS, EGFR or BRAF mutations as well as rearrangements of ROS1 or ALK that drive these tumors. In the present study we investigated whether different driver mutations of ADC result in different proliferation rates, which might have clinical impact, including resistance to therapy, recurrence and prognosis.



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Up-regulated Expression of SNHG6 Predicts Poor Prognosis in Colorectal Cancer

Publication date: Available online 3 January 2018
Source:Pathology - Research and Practice
Author(s): Min Li, Zehua Bian, Surui Yao, Jia Zhang, Guoying Jin, Xue Wang, Yuan Yin, Zhaohui Huang
Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) have been shown to play important roles in tumor formation and development. Small nucleolar RNA host gene 6 (SNHG6) is a recently identified cancer-related lncRNA, and its role in colorectal cancer (CRC) remains to be explored. The aim of this study was to evaluate the expression and function of SNHG6 in CRC. The expression of SNHG6 was detected by real time quantitative RT-PCR (qRT-PCR) in 74 CRC tissues and matched noncancerous tissues (NCTs). Relationships between the expression levels of SNHG6 and various clinicopathological features were analyzed by Chi-square test. The Kaplan-Meier method and log-rank test were applied to compare the survival distribution between different groups. CCK8 assay and colony formation assay were used to measure the effect of SNGH6 on cell proliferation. Flow cytometric analysis was performed to measure the effect of SNHG6 on cell cycle and apoptosis. Our results showed that SNHG6 was up-regulated more than 1.5-fold in 50.0% (37/74) of CRC tissues compared with paired NCTs (P < 0.0001). High level of SNHG6 expression was strongly associated with advanced tumor stage (P = 0.026) and predicted poor prognosis of CRC (P = 0.0215). The Cox proportional hazards model demonstrated that SNHG6 expression was an independent prognostic factor for CRC (HR, 2.568; 95% CI, 1.055–6.252; P = 0.038). Furthermore, SNHG6 knockdown by siRNA could inhibit cell proliferation, cell cycle progression, and induce apoptosis. Taken together, SNHG6 functions as an oncogene in CRC and appears as a novel prognositic factor for CRC patients.



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Tumor Budding and Poorly-differentiated Cluster in Prognostication in Stage II Colon Cancer

Publication date: Available online 2 January 2018
Source:Pathology - Research and Practice
Author(s): Victor Wai Kwan Lee, Kui Fat Chan
Comparison between tumor budding (TB) and poorly-differentiated clusters (PDC) for prognostication in Stage II colon cancer was not extensively studied in literature. In this retrospective study, we assessed TB (according to the consensus statement in 2016) and PDC in 135 Stage II colon adenocarcinoma resection specimens. Counting of TB and PDC was performed on H&E slides. High-grade TB (Bd3 (>=10 tumor buds in 0.785 mm2)) and high-grade PDC (Grade 3 (>=10)) were found in 20% and 17% of cases respectively. High-grade TB was associated with pT4 (p = 0.008) and presence of lymphovascular invasion (p = 0.001). There was correlation between TB and PDC grades (p < 0.001), in which both grades were the same or one grade apart in majority of the cases (97%). Both TB and PDC correlated with 5-year disease-specific survival (DSS) and overall survival (OS) (DSS for TB: 89% (Bd1); 73% (Bd2); 52% (Bd3), p = 0.001) (DSS for PDC: 88% (Grade 1); 72% (Grade 2); 61% (Grade 3), p = 0.021). Survival curves of Stage II colon cancer could be further stratified by TB and PDC (log-rank tests: TB p < 0.001; PDC p = 0.009). Combining TB and PDC grades into single grading system (high-grade: Bd3 + G2, Bd2 + G3, Bd3 + G3; low-grade: other combinations) was found to have strong correlation with both 5-year DSS (p < 0.001) and OS (p = 0.006). Our study has confirmed TB and PDC as independent prognostic factors in Stage II colon cancer, and might help selecting high-risk patients for adjuvant chemotherapy.



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Whole-exome sequencing of chondroid hamartoma of lung identified no driver mutations

Publication date: Available online 2 January 2018
Source:Pathology - Research and Practice
Author(s): Su Hye Choi, Hyeon-Chun Park, Min Sung Kim, Yeun-Jun Chung, Sug Hyung Lee




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Features and outcomes of drugs for combination therapy as multi-targets strategy to combat Alzheimer's disease

Publication date: 6 April 2018
Source:Journal of Ethnopharmacology, Volume 215
Author(s): Atish Kumar Sahoo, Jagnehswar Dandapat, Umesh Chandra Dash, Satish Kanhar
Ethnopharmacological relevanceAlzheimer's disease (AD), a deleterious neurodegenerative disorder that impairs memory, cognitive functions and may lead to dementia in late stage of life. The pathogenic cause of AD remains incompletely understood and FDA approved drugs are partial inhibitors rather than curative. Most of drugs are synthetic or natural products as galanthamine is an alkaloid obtained from Galanthus spp. Huperzine A, an alkaloid found in Huperzia spp., gingkolides a diterpenoids from Gingko biloba and many ethnobotanicals like Withania somnifera (L.) Dunal., Physostigma venenosum Balf., Bacopa monnieri (L.) Wettst., Centella asiatica (L.) Urb. have been used by traditional Indian, Chinese, and European system of medicines in AD. Clinical significance opioid alkaloid in Papaver somniferum has shown another dimension to this study. Over exploitation of medicinal plants with limited bioactive principles has provided templates to design synthetic drugs in AD e.g. rivastigmine, phenserine, eptastigmine based on chemical structure of physostigmine of Physostigma venenosum Balf. Even ZT-1 a prodrug of Hup A and memogain a prodrug of galantamine has achieved new direction in drug development in AD. All these first-line cholinesterase-inhibitors are used as symptomatic treatments in AD. Single modality of "One-molecule-one-target" strategy for treating AD has failed and so future therapies on "Combination-drugs-multi-targets" strategy (CDMT) will need to address multiple aspects to block the progression of pathogenesis of AD. Besides, cholinergic and amyloid drugs, in this article we summarize proteinopathy-based drugs as AD therapeutics from a variety of biological sources. In this review, an attempt has been made to elucidate the molecular mode of action of various plant products, and synthetic drugs investigated in various preclinical and clinical tests in AD. It also discusses current attempts to formulate a comprehensive CDMT strategy to counter complex pathogenesis in AD.Materials and methodsInformation were collected from classical books on medicinal plants, pharmacopoeias and scientific databases like PubMed, Scopus, GoogleScholar, Web of Science and electronic searches were performed using Cochrane Library, Medline and EMBASE. Also published scientific literatures from Elsevier, Taylor and Francis, Springer, ACS, Wiley publishers and reports by government bodies and documentations were assessed.Results60 no. of natural and synthetic drugs have been studied with their significant bioactivities. A decision matrix designed for evaluation of drugs for considering to the hypothetic "CDMT" strategy in AD. We have introduced the scoring pattern of individual drugs and based on scoring pattern, drugs that fall within the scoring range of 18–25 are considered in the proposed CDMT. It also highlights the importance of available natural products and in future those drugs may be considered in CDMT along with the qualified synthetic drugs.ConclusionA successful validation of the CDMT strategy may open up a debate on health care reform to explore other possibilities of combination therapy. In doing so, it should focus on clinical and molecular relationships between AD and CDMT. A better understanding of these relationships could inform and impact future development of AD-directed treatment strategies. This strategy also involves in reducing costs in treatment phases which will be affordable to a common man suffering from AD.

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Inhaled Lavandula angustifolia essential oil inhibits consolidation of contextual- but not tone-fear conditioning in rats

Publication date: 6 April 2018
Source:Journal of Ethnopharmacology, Volume 215
Author(s): Laura Segismundo Coelho, Nelson Francisco Correa-Netto, Marcia Yuriko Masukawa, Ariadiny Caetano Lima, Samia Maluf, Alessandra Linardi, Jair Guilherme Santos-Junior
Although the current treatment for anxiety is effective, it promotes a number of adverse reactions and medical interactions. Inhaled essential oils have a prominent action on the central nervous system, with minimal systemic effects, primarily because of reduced systemic bioavailability. The effects of drugs on the consolidation of fear conditioning reflects its clinical efficacy in preventing a vicious cycle of anticipatory anxiety leading to fearful cognition and anxiety symptoms. In this study, we investigated the effects of inhaled Lavandula angustifolia essential oil on the consolidation of aversive memories and its influence on c-Fos expression. Adult male Wistar rats were subjected to a fear conditioning protocol. Immediately after the training session, the rats were exposed to vaporized water or essential oil (1%, 2.5% and 5% solutions) for 4h. The next day, the rats underwent contextual- or tone-fear tests and 90min after the test they were euthanized and their brains processed for c-Fos immunohistochemistry. In the contextual-fear test, essential oil at 2.5% and 5% (but not 1%) reduced the freezing response and its respective c-Fos expression in the ventral hippocampus and amygdala. In the tone-fear test, essential oil did not reduce the freezing response during tone presentation. However, rats that inhaled essential oil at 2.5% and 5% (but not 1%) showed decreased freezing in the three minutes after tone presentation, as well as reduced c-Fos expression in the prefrontal cortex and amygdala. These results show that the inhalation of L. angustifolia essential oil inhibited the consolidation of contextual- but not tone-fear conditioning and had an anxiolytic effect in a conditioned animal model of anxiety.

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Combination of Sonoelastography and TIRADS for the Diagnostic Assessment of Thyroid Nodules

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Publication date: Available online 2 January 2018
Source:Ultrasound in Medicine & Biology
Author(s): Simone Schenke, Michael Zimny
To evaluate the diagnostic performance of elastography alone and combined with Thyroid Imaging Reporting And Data System (TIRADS) for the assessment of non-autonomous thyroid nodules. We included 244 thyroid nodules and analyzed the visual elasticity scores, strain value (SV) and TIRADS classification. Histologic examination revealed 38 malignant (16%) and 206 benign nodules. The SV was lower in malignant nodules than in benign with an optimal cutoff ≤0.225. The visual elasticity scores showed a better diagnostic performance than the SV measurement. The risk for malignancy increased with higher TIRADS category. The sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value and negative predictive value of TIRADS were superior to sonoelastography. The combination of TIRADS ≥4C and SV ≤0.225 showed the highest odds ratio to predict malignancy. Kwak-TIRADS classification is superior to elastography for the differentiation of benign and malignant thyroid nodules. Our data demonstrate that a high TIRADS class alone is predictive for thyroid carcinoma and the clinical relevance of sonoelastography is negligible.



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Automated Visualization and Quantification of Spiral Artery Blood Flow Entering the First-Trimester Placenta, Using 3-D Power Doppler Ultrasound

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Publication date: Available online 2 January 2018
Source:Ultrasound in Medicine & Biology
Author(s): Gordon N. Stevenson, J. Alison Noble, Alec W. Welsh, Lawrence Impey, Sally L. Collins
The goal of our research was to quantify the placental vascularity in 3-D at 11–13 + 6 wk of pregnancy at precise distances from the utero-placental interface (UPI) using 3-D power Doppler ultrasound. With this automated image analysis technique, differences in vascularity between normal and pathologic pregnancies may be observed. The algorithm was validated using a computer-generated image phantom and applied retrospectively in 143 patients. The following features from the PD data were recorded: The number of spiral artery jets into the inter-villous space, total geometric and PD area. These were automatically measured at discrete millimeter distances from the UPI. Differences in features were compared with pregnancy outcomes: Pre-eclamptic versus normal, all small-for-gestational age (SGA) to appropriate-for-gestational age (AGA) patients and AGA versus SGA in normotensives (Mann-Whitney). The Benjamini-Hochberg procedure was used (false discovery rate 10%) for multiple comparison testing. Features decreased with increasing distance from the UPI (Kruskal-Wallis test; p < 0.001). At 2– 3 mm from the UPI, all features were smaller in pre-eclamptic compared with normal patients and for some in SGA compared with AGA patients (p < 0.05). For AGA versus SGA in normotensive patients, no significant differences were found. Number of jets measured at 2–5 mm from the UPI did not vary because of the position of the placenta in the uterus (ANOVA; p > 0.05). This method provides a new in-vivo imaging tool for examining spiral artery development through pregnancy. Size and number of entrances of blood flow into the UPI could potentially be used to identify high-risk pregnancies and may provide a new imaging biomarker for placental insufficiency.



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Solid polymer electrolyte based on crosslinked polyrotaxane

Publication date: 31 January 2018
Source:Polymer, Volume 136
Author(s): Ying-Cheng Lin, Kohzo Ito, Hideaki Yokoyama
In this work, we introduce a new "mobile crosslink" concept for the fabrication of solid polymer electrolytes (SPEs) through the crosslinking of α-cyclodextrins (α-CDs) in a poly(ethylene glycol)-based (PEG-based) polyrotaxane. The PEG axis facilitates the conduction of lithium ions, while the crosslinked CDs that are not chemically bound to the PEG form mobile crosslinks that suppress the crystallization of PEG, maintaining its segmental mobility even after crosslinking. To weaken the strong hydrogen bonds between the abundant hydroxyl groups on the CDs, which restrict the segmental motion of PEG resulting in lower ionic conductivity, an appropriate amount of propyl isocyanate is added to effectively enhance the ionic conductivity and robustness of the SPE.

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Stable gadolinium based nanoscale lyophilized injection for enhanced MR angiography with efficient renal clearance

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Publication date: March 2018
Source:Biomaterials, Volume 158
Author(s): Kun Liu, Liang Dong, Yunjun Xu, Xu Yan, Fei Li, Yang Lu, Wei Tao, Huangyong Peng, Yadong Wu, Yang Su, Daishun Ling, Tao He, Haisheng Qian, Shu-Hong Yu
There is a great demand to develop high-relaxivity nanoscale contrast agents for magnetic resonance (MR) angiography with high resolution. However, there should be more focus on stability, ion leakage and excretion pathway of the intravenously injected nanoparticles, which are closely related to their clinic potentials. Herein, uniform ultrasmall-sized NaGdF4 nanocrystal (sub-10 nm) was synthesized using a facile high temperature organic solution method, and the nanocrystals were modified by a ligand-exchange approach using PEG-PAA di-block copolymer. The PEG-PAA modified NaGdF4 nanocrystal (denoted as ppNaGdF4 nanocrystal) exhibited a high r1 relaxivity which was twice of commercially used gadopentetate dimeglumine (Gd-DTPA) injection. MR angiography on rabbit using ppNaGdF4 nanocrystal at a low dose showed enhanced vascular details and long circulation time. Lyophilized powder of ppNaGdF4 nanocrystals have been successfully prepared without aggregation or reduction of MR performance, indicating the stability and an effective way to store this nanoscale contrast agent. No haemolysis was induced by ppNaGdF4 nanocrystal, and an extremely low leakage of gadolinium ions was confirmed. Furthermore, efficient renal excretion was one of the clearance pathways of ppNaGdF4 nanocrystal according to both the time dependent distribution data in blood and tissues and MR images. The in vivo toxicity evaluation further validated the great potential as a clinical agent for blood pool imaging.



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Targeting death receptors for drug-resistant cancer therapy: Codelivery of pTRAIL and monensin using dual-targeting and stimuli-responsive self-assembling nanocomposites

Publication date: March 2018
Source:Biomaterials, Volume 158
Author(s): Fan Xu, Huihai Zhong, Ya Chang, Dongdong Li, Hongyue Jin, Meng Zhang, Huiyuan Wang, Chen Jiang, Youqing Shen, Yongzhuo Huang
Chemoresistance remains a formidable hurdle against cancer therapy. Seeking for novel therapy strategies is an urgent need for those who no longer benefit from chemotherapy. Chemoresistance is usually associated with the dysfunction of intrinsic apoptosis. Targeting extrinsic apoptosis via TRAIL signaling and the death receptors could be a potential solution to treat chemoresistant cancer. A highly biocompatible nano system for codelivery of the TRAIL DNA and the death receptor sensitizer monensin was developed, in which low-molecular-weight PEI (LMW-PEI) was crosslinked by the sulfhydryl cyclodextrin via disulfide bonds, and then bound with DNA, thus forming the bioreducible polyplex cores. In addition, the cyclodextrin also functioned as a carrier for the hydrophobic monensin via host-guest inclusion. Poly-γ-glutamic acid (γ-PGA) was used to modify the polyplex core via charge interaction. The γ-PGA corona can specifically bind with the tumor-associated gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase (GGT) overexpressed on the tumor cells, and achieve tumor-targeting delivery. Moreover, the tumor-homing peptide RGD-modified γ-PGA was also prepared as the surface coating materials for further improving gene delivery efficiency. This gene delivery system was characterized by the dual ligand-targeting, dual stimuli-responsive features. The ligands of RGD and γ-PGA can target the tumor-associated receptors (i.e., integrin and GGT). The conformation of γ-PGA is pH-sensitive, and the tumor acidic micro environments could trigger the detachment of surface-coating γ-PGA. The disulfide crosslinking LMW-PEI is redox-sensitive, and its fast disassembling in the tumor cells could favor the efficient gene delivery. The anti-tumor efficacy was demonstrated both in vitro and in vivo. Moreover, MYC-mediated synthetic lethality could be an important mechanism for overcoming the drug resistance. An important finding of our studies is the demonstration of the in vivo treatment efficacy of TRAIL/monensin, thus providing a potential novel therapeutic strategy for overcoming drug-resistant cancer.

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Targeting polysialic acid-abundant cancers using oncolytic adenoviruses with fibers fused to active bacteriophage borne endosialidase

Publication date: March 2018
Source:Biomaterials, Volume 158
Author(s): Nikolas T. Martin, Christoph Wrede, Julia Niemann, Jennifer Brooks, David Schwarzer, Florian Kühnel, Rita Gerardy-Schahn
Genetic replacement of adenoviral fiber knobs by ligands that enable tumor specific targeting of oncolytic adenoviruses is challenging because the fiber knob contributes to virus assembly. Here, we present a novel concept by describing stable recombinant adenoviruses with tumor specific infection mode. The fiber knob was replaced by endosialidaseNF (endoNF), the tailspike protein of bacteriophage K1F. EndoNF recognizes polysialic acid, an oncofetal antigen characteristic for high malignant tumors of neuroendocrine origin. An intramolecular chaperone contained in endoNF warrants folding and compensates for the knob function in virus assembly. Obtained recombinant viruses demonstrated polysialic acid dependent infection modes, strong oncolytic capacity with polysialic acid positive cells in culture and a high potential to inhibit tumor growth in a therapeutic mouse model of subcutaneous neuroblastoma. With a single genetic manipulation we achieved ablation of the fiber knob, introduction of a tumor specific ligand, and folding control over the chimeric fiber construct.



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CRISPR/Cas9 Editing of the Mouse Thra Gene Produces Models with Variable Resistance to Thyroid Hormone

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The Hobnail Variant of Papillary Thyroid Carcinoma: Clinical/Molecular Characteristics of a Large Monocentric Series and Comparison with Conventional Histotypes

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Stable Isotope Pharmacokinetic Studies Provide Insight into Effects of Age, Sex, and Weight on Levothyroxine Metabolism

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The Burden of Atopic Dermatitis in Adults

Y. Gilaberte
Actas Dermosifiliogr.2018;109:1

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Bibliometric Indicators of the Status of Clinical Research in Dermatology in Spain: Implications for the Future

I. Belinchón Romero
Actas Dermosifiliogr.2018;109:2

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Position Statement of the Spanish Academy of Dermatology and Venereology on Teledermatology

D. Moreno-Ramírez, G. Romero-Aguilera, P. Pasquali, S. Vaño, L. Ríos-Buceta, J. Malvehy, R. Taberner, L. Ferrándiz
Actas Dermosifiliogr.2018;109:4-5

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Treatment of Malignant Cutaneous Adnexal Neoplasms

C. Bernárdez, L. Requena
Actas Dermosifiliogr.2018;109:6-23

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Practical Management of Immunosuppressants in Dermatology

V.M. Leis-Dosil, I. Prats-Caelles
Actas Dermosifiliogr.2018;109:24-34

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Economic Impact of Atopic Dermatitis in Adults: A Population-Based Study (IDEA Study)

A. Sicras-Mainar, R. Navarro-Artieda, J.M. Carrascosa Carrillo
Actas Dermosifiliogr.2018;109:35-46

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Correlation Between Incisional Biopsy Histological Subtype and a Mohs Surgery Specimen for Nonmelanoma Skin Cancer

E.C. Cortés-Peralta, J. Ocampo-Candiani, O.T. Vázquez-Martínez, I.M. Gutiérrez-Villarreal, I. Miranda-Maldonado, V. Garza-Rodríguez
Actas Dermosifiliogr.2018;109:47-51

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Clinical Research in Dermatology and Venereology in Spanish Research Centers in 2005 Through 2014: Results of the MaIND Study

A. Molina-Leyva, M.A. Descalzo, I. García-Doval
Actas Dermosifiliogr.2018;109:52-7

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Prospective Single-Center Observational Study of the Allergenic Potential of Mercromina Film and Other Common Antiseptics in Patients With Contact Dermatitis

S. Baltà Cruz, N. Moreno Ribera, M.T. Estrach Panella
Actas Dermosifiliogr.2018;109:58-62

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Intralymphatic Histiocytosis: A Report of 2 Cases

M.E. Gómez-Sánchez, J.M. Azaña-Defez, M.L. Martínez-Martínez, M.T. López-Villaescusa
Actas Dermosifiliogr.2018;109:e1-5

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Large, Long-standing Tumor on the Scalp and Ipsilateral Lymphadenopathy

A. Hermosa-Gelbard, C. Moreno García del Real, S. Vañó-Galván
Actas Dermosifiliogr.2018;109:63-4

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Pseudoverrucous Lesions of Recent Appearance on the Vulva

L. Padilla-España, J. Bosco Repiso-Jiménez, C. Abitei
Actas Dermosifiliogr.2018;109:65-6

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The Good and Bad News About New Drugs for Treating Alopecia Areata

D. Morgado-Carrasco, E. Rodríguez-Lobato, J. Riera-Monroig, J. Ferrando
Actas Dermosifiliogr.2018;109:69-70

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Type I Keystone Island Flap

H.A. Cocunubo-Blanco, A. Pérez-Bustillo, E. Manrrique, M.Á. Rodríguez-Prieto
Actas Dermosifiliogr.2018;109:71-2

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A Pink Tumor: Angiolymphoid Hyperplasia With Eosinophilia

I. Pérez-López, A. Martínez-López, P. Aguayo-Carreras, M.J. Naranjo-Díaz
Actas Dermosifiliogr.2018;109:73

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Male breast cancer mimicking melanoma

T. Kueder Pajares, A.J. García Malinis, P. Manchado López
Actas Dermosifiliogr.2018;109:74

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Cutaneous Infiltration due to Waldenström Macroglobulinemia

S. Oscoz-Jaime, A.D. Agulló-Pérez, C. Llanos-Chavarri, J.I. Yanguas-Bayona
Actas Dermosifiliogr.2018;109:75-8

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Lupus Erythematosus Affecting the Genitalia: An Unusual Site

E. del Alcázar-Viladomiu, A. López-Pestaña, A. Tuneu-Valls
Actas Dermosifiliogr.2018;109:78-80

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Nrf2 mediates the expression of BAG3 and autophagy cargo adaptor proteins and tau clearance in an age-dependent manner

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Publication date: March 2018
Source:Neurobiology of Aging, Volume 63
Author(s): Maoping Tang, Changyi Ji, Susanne Pallo, Irfan Rahman, Gail V.W. Johnson
During aging, decreased efficiency of nuclear factor (erythroid-derived 2)-like 2 (Nrf2) activation and autophagic processes in the brain may be a contributing factor in the pathogenesis of neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's disease. Therefore, we analyzed the expression of Bcl-2–associated athanogene 3, a cochaperone that mediates autophagy, and the autophagy adaptors NBR1, NDP52, and sequestosome 1/p62 in the brains of 4-, 8-, and 12-month-old wild-type and Nrf2 knockout (−/−) mice. We also analyzed the levels of total tau and phospho-tau species. There were minimal differences in the expression of autophagy-related genes or tau species in 4-month-old animals; however, by 12 months, all of these autophagy-associated genes were expressed at significantly lower levels in the Nrf2 (−/−) mice. The decreases in the autophagy-associated genes were accompanied by significantly elevated levels of phospho-tau species in the 12-month-old Nrf2 (−/−) brains. These findings indicate that Nrf2 regulation of autophagy-related genes likely plays a greater role in mediating the clearance of tau as an organism ages.



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An APOE-independent cis-eSNP on chromosome 19q13.32 influences tau levels and late-onset Alzheimer’s disease risk

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Publication date: Available online 3 January 2018
Source:Neurobiology of Aging
Author(s): Shuquan Rao, Mahdi Ghani, Zhiyun Guo, Yuetiva Deming, Kesheng Wang, Rebecca Sims, Canquan Mao, Yao Yao, Carlos Cruchaga, Dietrich A. Stephan, Ekaterina Rogaeva
Although multiple susceptibility loci for late-onset Alzheimer's disease (LOAD) have been identified; a large portion of the genetic risk for this disease remains unexplained. LOAD risk may be associated with single nucleotide polymorphisms responsible for changes in gene expression (eSNPs). To detect eSNPs associated with LOAD, we integrated data from LOAD genome-wide association studies and expression quantitative trait loci using Sherlock (a Bayesian statistical method). We identified a cis-regulatory eSNP (rs2927438) located on chromosome 19q13.32, for which subsequent analyses confirmed the association with both LOAD risk and the expression level of several nearby genes. Importantly, rs2927438 may represent an APOE-independent LOAD eSNP according to the weak linkage disequilibrium of rs2927438 with the two polymorphisms (rs7412 and rs429358) defining the APOE-ε2, -ε3 and -ε4 alleles. Furthermore, rs2927438 does not influence chromatin interaction events at the APOE locus or cis-regulation of APOE expression. Further exploratory analysis revealed that rs2927438 is significantly associated with tau levels in cerebrospinal fluid. Our findings suggest that rs2927438 may confer APOE-independent risk for LOAD.



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Local changes in computational non-rapid eye movement sleep depth in infants

Publication date: February 2018
Source:Clinical Neurophysiology, Volume 129, Issue 2
Author(s): Anna-Liisa Satomaa, Outi Saarenpää-Heikkilä, Eero Huupponen, Turkka Kirjavainen, Juhani Heinonen, Sari-Leena Himanen
ObjectiveDeep NREM sleep and its hallmark EEG phenomenon slow wave activity (SWA) are under homeostatic control in adults. SWA is also locally regulated as it increases in the brain areas that have been used intensively. Moreover, in children, SWA is a marker of cortical maturation. In the present study the local properties of NREM sleep depth were evaluated using the quantitative mean frequency method. We aimed to study if age is related to NREM sleep depth in young infants. In addition, we studied if young infants have local differences in their NREM sleep.MethodsAmbulatory over-night polysomnographies were recorded in 59 healthy and full-term infants at the age of one month. The infants were divided into two age groups (<44 weeks and ≥44 weeks) to allow maturational evaluations.ResultsThe quantitative sleep depth analysis showed differences between the age groups. In addition, there were local sleep depth differences within the age groups.ConclusionsThe sleep depth change with age is most likely related to cortical maturation, whereas the local sleep depth gradients might also reflect the use-dependent properties of SWA.SignificanceThe results support the idea that young infants have frontal cortical processing.



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Predictors of deep brain stimulation outcome in tremor patients

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Publication date: Available online 2 January 2018
Source:Brain Stimulation
Author(s): Claire Sandoe, Vibhor Krishna, Diellor Basha, Francesco Sammartino, Joao Tatsch, Marina Picillo, Lazzaro di Biase, Yu-Yan Poon, Clement Hamani, Duemani Reddy, Renato P. Munhoz, Andres M. Lozano, William D. Hutchison, Alfonso Fasano
BackgroundDeep brain stimulation of the ventro-intermedius nucleus of the thalamus is an established treatment for tremor of differing etiologies but factors that may predict the short- and especially long-term outcome of surgery are still largely unknown.MethodsWe retrospectively investigated the clinical, pharmacological, electrophysiological and anatomical features that might predict the initial response and preservation of benefit in all patients who underwent deep brain stimulation for tremor. Data were collected at the following time points: baseline (preoperative), one-year post-surgery, and most recent visit. Tremor severity was recorded using the Fahn-Tolosa-Marin Tremor Rating Scale and/or the Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale.ResultsA total of 52 patients were included in the final analysis: 31 with essential tremor, 15 with cerebellar tremor of different etiologies, and 6 with Parkinson's disease. Long-term success (mean follow-up duration 34.7 months, range 1.7–121.1 months) was reported in 63.5%. Predictors of long-term benefit were: underlying tremor etiology (best outcome in Parkinson's disease, worst outcome in cerebellar tremor); age at surgery (the older the better); baseline tremor severity (the greater the better); lack of response to benzodiazepines; a more anterior electrode placement and single-unit beta power (the greater the better).ConclusionsSpecific patients' features (including single unit beta activity) and electrode locations may predict the short- and long-term benefit of thalamic stimulation for tremor. Future prospective studies enrolling a much larger sample of patients are needed to substantiate the associations detected by this retrospective study.



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Genetic manipulation of Fonsecaea pedrosoi using particles bombardment and Agrobacterium mediated transformation

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Publication date: Available online 2 January 2018
Source:Microbiological Research
Author(s): Camille Silva Florencio, Fabiana Alves Silva Brandão, Marcus de Mello Teixeira, Anamélia Lorenzetti Bocca, Maria Sueli S. Felipe, Vânia Aparecida Vicente, Larissa Fernandes
Fonsecaea pedrosoi, a melanized fungal pathogen that causes Chromoblastomycosis, a human disease with a worldwide distribution. Biolistic is a widely used technique for direct delivery of genetic material into intact cells by particles bombardment. Another well-established transformation method is Agrobacterium-mediated transformation (ATMT), which involves the transfer of a T-DNA from the bacterium to the target cells. In F. pedrosoi there are no reports of established protocols for genetic transformation, which require optimization of physical and biological parameters. In this work, intact conidia of F. pedrosoi were particle bombarded and subjected to ATMT. In addition, we proposed Hygromycin B, Nourseothricin and Neomycin as dominant selective markers for F. pedrosoi and vectors were constructed. We tested two parameters for biolistic: the distance of the particles to the target cells and time of cells recovery in nonselective medium. The biolistic efficiency was 37 transformants/μg of pFpHYG, and 45 transformants/μg of pAN7.1. Transformants expressing GFP were successfully obtained by biolistic. A co-culture ratio of 10: 1 (bacterium: conidia) and co-incubation time of 72 hours yielded the largest number of transformants after ATMT. Southern blot analysis showed the number of foreign DNA insertion into the genome is dependent upon the plasmid used to generate the mutants. This work describes for the first time two efficient methods for genetic modification of Fonsecaea and these results open new avenues to better understand the biology and pathogenicity of the main causal agent of this neglected disease.



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Efficacy and the toxicity of the interstitial high-dose-rate brachytherapy in the management of recurrent keloids: 5-year outcomes

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Publication date: Available online 2 January 2018
Source:Brachytherapy
Author(s): Ping Jiang, Matthias Geenen, Frank-André Siebert, Julia Bertolini, Bjoern Poppe, Ulf Luetzen, Juergen Dunst, Daniel Druecke
PurposeRecurring keloids are a clinical challenge. Interdisciplinary treatments are required in most cases. Owing to the wide variety of concepts, the optimal treatment regime remains unclear. Our clinic established a protocol of perioperative interstitial high-dose-rate brachytherapy with three fractions of 6 Gy and achieved an excellent 2-year local control rate of 94% (In search of the optimal treatment of keloids: Report of a series and a review of the literature). This report is an update on our long-term results of prospective study. Twenty-nine patients were included with a median followup of 5 years.Methods and MaterialsFrom 2009 to 2015, 29 patients with 37 recurrent keloids were treated with perioperative interstitial high-dose-rate brachytherapy; 3 patients had been previously treated with adjuvant external beam radiotherapy and presented with recurrences in the pretreated area. Brachytherapy was given in three fractions with a single dose of 6 Gy in 5-mm tissue depth and covered the scar in total length. Followup visits were scheduled at 6 weeks, 3 months, 6 months, 1 year, and annually thereafter. Therapeutic outcome was assessed in terms of recurrence, acute and late complications, and cosmetic results.ResultsNo procedure-related complications occurred. Improvement of keloid-related symptoms was noticed in all patients after treatment. After a median followup of 49.7 months (range: 7.9–91.9 months), three keloid recurrences and two hypertrophied scars were observed.ConclusionsOur results suggest that brachytherapy may be advantageous in the management of high-risk keloids, even after failure of external beam radiotherapy and other treatment procedures. Our three-fraction treatment schedule reduces the treatment period to 2 days and is therefore convenient for the patients.



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5 tips for securing a patient's airway

One of the first concerns an EMS provider should have about a patient with significant facial trauma is whether the patient has a patent airway and will be able to maintain that airway. Bleeding, soft tissue swelling, broken teeth and other fractures can all create partial or complete obstruction to the patient's airway. Care must be paid to how the airway is managed in these patients to strike ...

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Clinical scenario: Patient with facial trauma

Rescue 7, Engine 2, respond Code 3 to the intersection of Maple and Division. Multiple callers are reporting a cyclist struck by a vehicle at that location. You arrive on scene where law enforcement is already maintaining manual stabilization of the patient's head and neck. According to the first arriving officer, witnesses state that the patient was riding his bicycle through the intersection ...

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Why Thyroid Health Should Matter to All, Especially Women

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Hypothyroidism is the most common form of thyroid malfunctions, affecting up to 15 percent of Americans in cases ranging from mild to those requiring medication, according to the American Thyroid Association (ATA). The diagnoses have been climbing because technology has enabled lab tests to recognize milder conditions that weren't recognized previously, says Dr. Elizabeth Pearce, associate professor of medicine at the Boston University School of Medicine and the president-elect of the ATA. January has been designated thyroid awareness month by the ATA.

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The post Why Thyroid Health Should Matter to All, Especially Women appeared first on American Thyroid Association.



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Clinical Thyroidology High-Impact Articles

FREE ACCESS through January 12, 2018
Read Now:

Does Having Exophthalmic Graves' Disease Increase a Patient's Risk of Suicide? 
Stephen W. Spaulding

Higher Serum FT4 Level Within the Reference Range, but Not Serum TSH, Is Associated With the Development of Atrial Fibrillation
Angela M. Leung 

Shear-Wave Elastography in Thyroid Nodules Fails to Discriminate Between Benign and Malignant Tumors
Stephanie A. Fish 

FDG-Avid Thyroid Incidentalomas on PET-CT Ordered for Other Malignancies Have No Prognostic Significance in a Large Retrospective Cohort
Martin Biermann 

 

The post Clinical Thyroidology High-Impact Articles appeared first on American Thyroid Association.



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Effects of Acoustic Environment on Tinnitus Behavior in Sound-Exposed Rats

Abstract

Laboratory studies often rely on a damaging sound exposure to induce tinnitus in animal models. Because the time course and ultimate success of the induction process is not known in advance, it is not unusual to maintain sound-exposed animals for months while they are periodically assessed for behavioral indications of the disorder. To demonstrate the importance of acoustic environment during this period of behavioral screening, sound-exposed rats were tested for tinnitus while housed under quiet or constant noise conditions. More than half of the quiet-housed rats developed behavioral indications of the disorder. None of the noise-housed rats exhibited tinnitus behavior during 2 months of behavioral screening. It is widely assumed that the "phantom sound" of tinnitus reflects abnormal levels of spontaneous activity in the central auditory pathways that are triggered by cochlear injury. Our results suggest that sustained patterns of noise-driven activity may prevent the injury-induced changes in central auditory processing that lead to this hyperactive state. From the perspective of laboratory studies of tinnitus, housing sound-exposed animals in uncontrolled noise levels may significantly reduce the success of induction procedures. From a broader clinical perspective, an early intervention with sound therapy may reduce the risk of tinnitus in individuals who have experienced an acute cochlear injury.



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Psychological interventions for anxiety in adult primary care patients: A review and recommendations for future research

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Publication date: Available online 2 January 2018
Source:Journal of Anxiety Disorders
Author(s): Robyn L. Shepardson, Laura J. Buchholz, Risa B. Weisberg, Jennifer S. Funderburk
Anxiety symptoms are prevalent in primary care, yet treatment rates are low. The integration of behavioral health providers into primary care via the Primary Care Behavioral Health (PCBH) model offers a promising way to improve treatment options by adding a team member with the necessary skillset to deliver evidence-based psychological interventions for anxiety. We conducted a narrative review of psychological interventions for anxiety applied within adult primary care settings (k = 44) to update the literature and evaluate the fit of existing interventions with the PCBH model. The majority of studies were randomized controlled trials (RCTs; 70.5%). Most interventions utilized cognitive-behavioral therapy (68.2%) and were delivered individually, face-to-face (52.3%). Overall, 65.9% of interventions (58.6% of RCTs, 91.7% of pre-post) were effective in reducing anxiety symptoms, and 77.8% maintained the gains at follow-up. Although it is encouraging that most interventions significantly reduced anxiety, their longer formats (i.e., number and duration of sessions) and narrow symptom targets make translation into practice difficult. Methodological limitations of the research included homogenous samples, failure to report key procedural details, pre-post designs, and restrictive eligibility criteria. We offer recommendations to guide future research to improve the likelihood of successful translation of anxiety interventions into clinical practice.



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Erratum to “Experience with a simplified eucapnic voluntary hyperventilation (EVH) device for diagnosis of exercise-induced bronchospasm”

In the abstract P205, "Experience with a simplified eucapnic voluntary hyperventilation (EVH) device for diagnosis of exercise-induced bronchospasm" (Ann Allergy Asthma Immunol. 2017;119(Suppl 1):S50-S51), the first author was mistakenly left off the abstract. The author list should read: C. Randolph1, R. Rosenthal*2, 1. Waterbury, CT; 2. Great Falls, VA.

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Identifying mechanisms of stance control: A single stimulus multiple output model-fit approach

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Publication date: 15 February 2018
Source:Journal of Neuroscience Methods, Volume 296
Author(s): Adam D. Goodworth, Robert J. Peterka
BackgroundPosture control models are instrumental to interpret experimental data and test hypotheses. However, as models have increased in complexity to include multi-segmental dynamics, discrepancy has arisen amongst researchers regarding the accuracy and limitations of identifying neural control parameters using a single stimulus.New methodThe current study examines this topic using simulations with a parameterized model-fit approach. We first determine if the model-fit approach can identify parameters in the theoretical situation with no noise. Then, we measure variability and bias of parameter estimates when realistic noise is included. We also address how the accuracy is influenced by the frequency bandwidth of the stimulus, signal-to-noise of the data, and fitting procedures.ResultsWe found perfect identification of parameters in the theoretical model without noise. With realistic noise, bias errors were 4.4% and 7.6% for fits that included frequencies 0.02–1.2 Hz and 0.02–0.4 Hz, respectively. Fits between 0.02–1.2 Hz also had the lowest variability in parameter estimates compared to other bandwidths. Parameters with the lowest variability tended to have the largest influence on body sways. Results also demonstrated the importance of closely examining model fits because of limitations in fitting algorithms.Comparison with existing methodThe single-input model-fit approach may be a simpler and more practical method for identifying neural control mechanisms compared to a multi-stimulus alternative.ConclusionsThis study provides timely theoretical and practical considerations applicable to the design and analysis of experiments contributing to the identification of mechanisms underlying stance control of a multi-segment body.



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Evaluation of an artifact reduction strategy for electrically evoked auditory steady-state responses: Simulations and measurements

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Publication date: 15 February 2018
Source:Journal of Neuroscience Methods, Volume 296
Author(s): Andreas Bahmer, Sabrina Pieper, Uwe Baumann
BackgroundElectrically evoked steady-state response (EASSR) recording is a measure of neuronal response strength after continuous electrical stimulation of the auditory system. In order to suppress the large electrical artifact generated by intracochlear electrical stimulation, a sophisticated artifact reduction processing strategy ("Hofmann procedure") has been proposed (Hofmann and Wouters, 2010). So far, EASSR recordings with artifact reduction procedures were reported only in cochlear implant (CI) users implanted with Cochlear devices (Macquarie, Australia).New methodHere, we demonstrate the application of the Hofmann procedure in CI users implanted with MED-EL (Innsbruck, Austria) devices. To demonstrate potential limitations of the procedure, we calculated discrete time Fourier transformations (DTFT) of various pulse patterns which may be used for EASSR.ResultsEASSR recordings were obtained in three subjects and processed with the Hofmann procedure. Neural response amplitude growth functions and phase for modulated and unmodulated pulse trains at various stimulation rates could be assessed. Simulations of three different interpolation methods aimed to suppress the electrical artifact show that the interpolation of a sinusoidal signal in a temporal window between 0 and 1 ms has demonstrated negligible impact on the spectral amplitude of the signal with a superior performance of a spline interpolation.Comparison with existing methodThe Hofmann procedure, initially developed for recording EASSRs with CIs from the manufacturer Cochlear, was validated for MED-EL devices.ConclusionIt is feasible to record EASSRs with the described measurement setup and CIs from the manufacturer MED-EL.



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Isolation of Satellite Glial Cells for High-Quality RNA purification

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Publication date: Available online 2 January 2018
Source:Journal of Neuroscience Methods
Author(s): Sara Buskbjerg Jager, Lone Tjener Pallesen, Christian Bjerggaard Vaegter
BackgroundSatellite glial cells (SGCs) envelope the neuronal somas in the dorsal root ganglia (DRG) and are believed to provide important neuronal support. Animal models of peripheral nerve injury, diabetes or chemotherapy all demonstrate activation of SGCs, suggesting important physiological roles for SGCs in various states of peripheral neuropathy. However, the biology of these glial cells is only poorly characterized under normal as well as pathological conditions due to suboptimal isolation methods.New MethodThe method presented here allows complete dissociation and isolation of highly pure SGCs from rat DRGs by fluorescence-activated cell sorting (FACS) using SGC-specific antibodies. The method further allows purification of high-quality RNA from the fixed and permeabilized cells.ResultsThe purified RNA shows very little degradation, demonstrated by RNA integrity number (RIN) analysis with an average value of 8. The purified RNA, therefore, lends itself very well to downstream applications such as qPCR and transcriptome analysis.Comparison with existing methodsPrimary SGC cultures have previously been established for in vitro studies. Unfortunately, SGCs quickly change morphology and gene expression in vitro, complicating biologically meaningful interpretation of the obtained results. In contrast, this method allows the investigation of SGC gene regulation in vivo by isolation of high-quality RNA.ConclusionsThis method enables investigation of SGC transcriptional response in vivo by isolation and analysis of mRNA expression, allowing a more detailed investigation of SGC biology under normal as well as pathological conditions.



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Machine-Learning neuroimaging challenge for automated diagnosis of mild cognitive impairment: Lessons learnt

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Publication date: Available online 2 January 2018
Source:Journal of Neuroscience Methods
Author(s): Isabella Castiglioni, Christian Salvatore, Javier Ramirez, Juan Manuel Górriz Sáez




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Bleaching and enamel surface interactions resulting from the use of highly-concentrated bleaching gels

Publication date: March 2018
Source:Archives of Oral Biology, Volume 87
Author(s): Guillermo Grazioli, Lisia Lorea Valente, Cristina Pereira Isolan, Helena Alves Pinheiro, Camila Gonçalves Duarte, Eliseu Aldrighi Münchow
Tooth bleaching is considered a non-invasive treatment, although the use of highly-concentrated products may provoke increased surface roughness and enamel demineralization, as well as postoperative sensitivity. Thus, the aim of this study was to investigate whether hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) concentration would affect tooth bleaching effectiveness and the enamel surface properties. Enamel/dentin bovine specimens (6 × 4 mm) were immersed in coffee solution for 7 days and evaluated with a spectrophotometer (Easyshade; baseline), using the CIEL*a*b* color parameters. Hardness was measured using a hardness tester. The specimens were randomly assigned into four groups: one negative control, in which the specimens were not bleached, but they were irradiated with a laser-light source (Whitening Lase II, DMC Equipments); and three groups using distinct H2O2 concentration, namely LP15% (15% Lase Peroxide Lite), LP25% (25% Lase Peroxide Sensy), and LP35% (35% Lase Peroxide Sensy), all products from DMC. The bleached specimens were also irradiated with the laser-light source. After bleaching, all specimens were evaluated using scanning electron microscopy (SEM). pH kinetics and rate was monitored during bleaching. The data were analyzed using ANOVA and Tukey's test (p < 0.05). All bleaching gels produced similar color change (p > 0.05). Concerning hardness, only the LP25% and LP35% significantly reduced hardness after bleaching; also, there was a progressive tendency for a greater percentage reduction in hardness with increased H2O2 concentration of the gel (R2 = 0.9973, p < 0.001). SEM showed that LP25% and LP35% produced an etching pattern on enamel with prism rods exposure. In conclusion, H2O2 concentration above the 15% level does not increase bleaching effectiveness, and may increase the possibility for alteration of enamel hardness, surface morphology, and acidity of the medium. When using H2O2-based bleaching agents, dental practitioners should choose for less concentrated gels, e.g., around the 15% level.



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For Five Cancers, Screening Skews Risk Factors

Cancer risk factors are typically based on characteristics at the time of diagnosis. In a new essay, a pair of major figures on the US cancer scene explain why that is a problem when cancers are detected by testing.
Medscape Medical News

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FDA OKs Device for Diabetic Foot Ulcer Treatment

Sanuwave's dermaPACE system uses extracorporeal shock waves to mechanically stimulate and heal wounds.
FDA Approvals

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Antimicrobial photodynamic activity of Rose Bengal, alone or in combination with Gentamicin, against planktonic and biofilm Staphylococcus aureus

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Publication date: March 2018
Source:Photodiagnosis and Photodynamic Therapy, Volume 21
Author(s): Vanesa Pérez-Laguna, Isabel García-Luque, Sofía Ballesta, Luna Pérez-Artiaga, Verónica Lampaya-Pérez, Sofía Samper, Pilar Soria-Lozano, Antonio Rezusta, Yolanda Gilaberte
Antimicrobial photodynamic therapy (aPDT) could constitute an alternative therapy to antibiotics especially against superficial infections caused by bacteria involved in multidrug resistance processes.The aim of this study is to compare the efficacy of aPDT using the photosensitizer rose bengal (RB), combined or uncombined with gentamicin (GN), against Staphylococcus aureus.Different concentrations of RB (ranging from 0.03 to 64 μg/ml) were added to S. aureus in water suspensions or forming biofilms in the absence or presence of GN (1–40 μg/ml) and the samples were irradiated (18 or 37 J/cm2). The number of viable bacteria was quantified by counting colony-forming units.RB-aPDT shows significant photoactivity. The combination of GN and RB-aPDT exerts a synergistic bactericidal effect against planktonic S. aureus. On the other hand, a synergistic effect is observed only when the maximum concentration tested of RB and GN was used in biofilm.According to these result the use of RB-aPDT alone or in combination with GN could be implemented against S. aureus.



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Trends in early hospital readmission after kidney transplantation, 2002 to 2014: a population-based multi-center cohort study

ABSTRACTBackgroundEarly hospital readmission (EHR) is associated with morbidity, mortality, and significant health care costs. However, trends over time in EHR events in kidney transplant recipients have not been examined. We conducted a population-based cohort study using linked health care databases from Ontario, Canada to determine whether the EHR incidence has changed from 2002 to 2014 in kidney transplant recipients.MethodsWe defined EHR as an unplanned admission for any reason to an acute care hospital within 30 days of being discharged from the hospital for transplantation; admissions for elective procedures were excluded.ResultsWe included 5437 kidney transplant recipients. More recently transplanted recipients (2011 to 2014 vs. 2002 to 2004) were older and more likely to have coronary artery disease. A total of 1128 (20.7%) kidney transplant recipients experienced an EHR. There was no trend in EHR across eras with a 30-day cumulative incidence of 23.0%, 21.4%, 18.4%, and 21.0% (P for trend =0.197) for the years 2002 to 2004, 2005 to 2007, 2008 to 2010, and 2011 to 2014, respectively. In the multivariable Cox proportional hazards model, we found no association between era of transplant and EHR. When examining variation in EHR across the 6 adult transplant centers we found the 30-day cumulative incidence varied significantly from 15.5% to 27.1% (P

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Would glucagon peptide-1 receptor agonists have efficacy in binge eating disorder and bulimia nervosa? A review of the current literature

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Publication date: Available online 2 January 2018
Source:Medical Hypotheses
Author(s): Susan L. McElroy, Nicole Mori, Anna I. Guerdjikova, Paul E. Keck
Binge eating, eating an abnormally large amount of food in a discrete period of time with a sense of loss of control over eating, is a defining feature of the eating disorders binge eating disorder (BED) and bulimia nervosa (BN). Both BED and BN are important public health problems for which there are few medical treatments. However, almost all drugs with central nervous system-mediated weight loss properties studied thus far in randomized, placebo-controlled trials in persons with BED or BN have been efficacious for reducing binge eating behavior. Glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptor agonists, marketed for type 2 diabetes and chronic weight management, produce weight loss in a dose dependent manner and have favorable psychiatric adverse event profiles. We hypothesize that GLP-1 receptor agonists will safely reduce binge eating behavior in individuals with BED or BN, including those with co-occurring psychiatric disorders, and propose that randomized, placebo-controlled clinical trials of GLP-1 receptor agonists be conducted in persons with BED and those with BN. To support this hypothesis, we review studies of GLP-1 and GLP-1 receptor agonists in preclinical models of binge eating, studies of GLP-1 levels in individuals with BED or BN, and preliminary data of GLP-1 receptor agonists in humans with abnormal eating behavior.



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Comparison of DNA Damage and Oxidative Stress in Patients Anesthetized With Desflurane Associated or Not With Nitrous Oxide: A Prospective Randomized Clinical Trial

BACKGROUND: Little is known about the effects of desflurane associated or not with nitrous oxide (N2O) on oxidative stress and patient genetic material. The aim of this study was to compare the effects of anesthesia maintained with desflurane associated or not with N2O on DNA damage (as a primary outcome) and oxidative stress (as a secondary outcome) in patients who underwent an elective minimally invasive surgery. METHODS: This prospective randomized clinical trial analyzed 40 patients of both sexes with an American Society of Anesthesiologists physical status I who were 18–50 years of age and scheduled for septoplasty. The patients were randomly allocated into 2 groups according to anesthesia maintenance as follows: desflurane (n = 20) or desflurane/N2O (n = 20). Blood samples were collected before anesthesia (T1 = baseline), 1.5 hours after anesthesia induction (T2), and on the morning of the postoperative first day (T3). Basal and oxidative DNA damage (determined using formamidopyrimidine DNA glycosylase to detect oxidized purines and endonuclease III to detect oxidized pyrimidines) were evaluated using the comet assay. Oxidative stress markers were evaluated based on lipid peroxidation (by assessing 4-hydroxynonenal and 8-iso-prostaglandin F2α [8-isoprostane] using enzyme linked immunosorbent immunoassay), protein carbonyls (assessed by enzyme linked immunosorbent immunoassay), and antioxidant defense (ferric-reducing antioxidant power by spectrophotometry). The effect size was expressed as the mean differences between groups and the corresponding 95% confidence interval (CI). RESULTS: There was no significant mean difference between groups in relation to DNA damage (−1.7 [95% CI, −7.0 to 3.5]), oxidized DNA pyrimidines (−1.8 [95% CI, −12.5 to 8.9]) and purines (−1.9 [95% CI, −13.9 to 10.1]), 4-hydroxynonenal (−0.2 [95% CI, −2.8 to 2.4]), 8-isoprostane (549 [95% CI, −2378 to 3476]), protein carbonyls (0.2 [95% CI, −2.1 to 2.3]), or ferric-reducing antioxidant power (24 [95% CI, −52.0 to 117.2]). CONCLUSIONS: The coadministration of 60% N2O with desflurane did not seem to impair the effects on DNA or the redox status compared with desflurane anesthesia, suggesting that both studied anesthetic techniques can be suitable options for healthy individuals who undergo minimally invasive surgery lasting at least 1.5 hours. However, due to the low power of the study, more research is necessary to confirm our findings. Accepted for publication November 2, 2017. Funding: Supported by grant 2013/16842-0 from the São Paulo Research Foundation (FAPESP). F.R.N. was granted a scholarship from the National Council for Scientific and Technological Development-CNPq (2014–2015) and from the Coordination of Improvement for Higher Education Personnel-CAPES (2016), and J.R.C.B. received a fellowship from CNPq (303673/2015-0). The authors declare no conflicts of interest. Supplemental digital content is available for this article. Direct URL citations appear in the printed text and are provided in the HTML and PDF versions of this article on the journal's website (http://ift.tt/KegmMq). This report was previously presented in part at Euroanaesthesia 2016, London, United Kingdom, May 28-30, 2016. Clinical trial number: the Brazilian Clinical Trials Registry (RBR-6jg23g; Trial Identification UTN Number: U1111-1150-0903). Registry URL: http://ift.tt/2CG5pp6. Reprints will not be available from the authors. Address correspondence to Mariana G. Braz, PhD, Department of Anesthesiology, Botucatu Medical School, São Paulo State University (UNESP), Professor Mário Rubens G. Montenegro Av, 18618–687, Botucatu, SP, Brazil. Address e-mail to mgbraz@hotmail.com. © 2017 International Anesthesia Research Society

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Dexmedetomidine for Improved Quality of Emergence From General Anesthesia: A Dose-Finding Study

BACKGROUND: Dexmedetomidine provides smooth and hemodynamically stable emergence at the expense of hypotension, delayed recovery, and sedation. We investigated the optimal dose of dexmedetomidine for prevention of cough, agitation, hypertension, tachycardia, and shivering, with minimal side effects. METHODS: In this prospective, randomized, double-blind trial, 216 adult patients were randomly assigned to dexmedetomidine 1 µg/kg (D 1), 0.5 µg/kg (D 0.5), 0.25 µg/kg (D 0.25), or control (C). During emergence, cough, agitation, hemodynamic parameters, shivering, time to extubation, and sedation scores were recorded. RESULTS: A total of 190 patients were analyzed. The respective incidences for the groups D 1, D 0.5, and D 0.25 versus group C were 48%, 64%, and 64% vs 84% for cough—corrected P

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Characteristics of Desaturation and Respiratory Rate in Postoperative Patients Breathing Room Air Versus Supplemental Oxygen: Are They Different?

BACKGROUND: Routine monitoring of postoperative patients with pulse oximetry–based surveillance monitoring has been shown to reduce adverse events. However, there is some concern that pulse oximetry is limited in its ability to detect deterioration quickly enough to allow for intervention in patients receiving supplemental oxygen. To address such concerns, this study expands on the current limited knowledge of differences in desaturation and respiratory rate characteristics between patients breathing room air and those receiving supplemental oxygen. METHODS: PPulse oximetry–derived data and patient characteristics were used to examine overnight desaturation patterns of 67 postoperative patients who were receiving either supplemental oxygen or breathing room air. The 2 modalities with respect to the speed of desaturation, in addition to magnitude and duration of desaturation events, are compared. Night-time pulse rate, oxygen saturation, respiratory rate, and the transition times from normal oxygen saturation levels to desaturated states are also compared. The behavior of respiratory rate in proximity to desaturation events is described. Statistical methods included multivariable regression and inverse probability of treatment weighted to adjust for any imbalance in patient characteristics between the oxygen and room air patients and linear mixed effect models to account for clustering by patient. RESULTS: The study included 33 patients on room air and 34 receiving supplemental oxygen. The speed of desaturation was not different for room air versus oxygen for 2 types of desaturation (adjusted % difference, 95% confidence interval [CI]: type I; 22.4%, -51.5% to 209%; P = .67, type II; -17.3%, -53.8% to 47.6%; P = .52). Patients receiving supplemental oxygen had a higher mean oxygen saturation (adjusted difference, 95% CI, 2.4 [0.7–4.0]; P = .006). No differences were found for the average overnight respiratory or pulse rate, or proportion of time in desaturation states between the 2 groups. The time to transition from a normal oxygen saturation (92%) to 88% or below was not longer for supplemental oxygen patients (P = .42, adjusted difference 26.1%: 95% CI, -28.1% to 121%). Respiratory rates did not differ between the overall mean and desaturation or recovery phases or between the oxygen and room air group. CONCLUSIONS: In this study, desaturation characteristics did not differ between patients receiving supplemental oxygen and breathing room air with regard to speed, depth, or duration of desaturation. Transition time for desaturations to reach low oxygen saturation alarms was not different, while respiratory rate remained in the normal range during these events. These findings suggest that pulse oximetry–based surveillance monitoring for deterioration detection can be used equally effectively for patients on supplemental oxygen and for those on room air. Accepted for publication November 9, 2017. Supplemental digital content is available for this article. Direct URL citations appear in the printed text and are provided in the HTML and PDF versions of this article on the journal's website (http://ift.tt/KegmMq). Funding: This project was supported by Grant Number P30HS024403 from the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality. The content is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily represent the official views of the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality. The authors declare no conflicts of interest. Reprints will not be available from the authors. Address correspondence to Andreas H. Taenzer, MS, MD, Department of Anesthesiology, Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center, One Medical Center Dr, Lebanon, NH 03756. Address e-mail to andreas.h.taenzer@dartmouth.edu. © 2017 International Anesthesia Research Society

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American Society for Enhanced Recovery and Perioperative Quality Initiative Joint Consensus Statement on Patient-Reported Outcomes in an Enhanced Recovery Pathway

Patient-reported outcomes (PROs) are measures of health status that come directly from the patient. PROs are an underutilized tool in the perioperative setting. Enhanced recovery pathways (ERPs) have primarily focused on traditional measures of health care quality such as complications and hospital length of stay. These measures do not capture postdischarge outcomes that are meaningful to patients such as function or freedom from disability. PROs can be used to facilitate shared decisions between patients and providers before surgery and establish benchmark recovery goals after surgery. PROs can also be utilized in quality improvement initiatives and clinical research studies. An expert panel, the Perioperative Quality Initiative (POQI) workgroup, conducted an extensive literature review to determine best practices for the incorporation of PROs in an ERP. This international group of experienced clinicians from North America and Europe met at Stony Brook, NY, on December 2–3, 2016, to review the evidence supporting the use of PROs in the context of surgical recovery. A modified Delphi method was used to capture the collective expertise of a diverse group to answer clinical questions. During 3 plenary sessions, the POQI PRO subgroup presented clinical questions based on a literature review, presented evidenced-based answers to those questions, and developed recommendations which represented a consensus opinion regarding the use of PROs in the context of an ERP. The POQI workgroup identified key criteria to evaluate patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs) for their incorporation in an ERP. The POQI workgroup agreed on the following recommendations: (1) PROMs in the perioperative setting should be collected in the framework of physical, mental, and social domains. (2) These data should be collected preoperatively at baseline, during the immediate postoperative time period, and after hospital discharge. (3) In the immediate postoperative setting, we recommend using the Quality of Recovery-15 score. After discharge at 30 and 90 days, we recommend the use of the World Health Organization Disability Assessment Scale 2.0, or a tailored use of the Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System. (4) Future study that consistently applies PROMs in an ERP will define the role these measures will have evaluating quality and guiding clinical care. Consensus guidelines regarding the incorporation of PRO measures in an ERP were created by the POQI workgroup. The inclusion of PROMs with traditional measures of health care quality after surgery provides an opportunity to improve clinical care. Accepted for publication November 3, 2017. Funding: The Perioperative Quality Initiative meeting received financial assistance from the American Society for Enhanced Recovery. Conflicts of Interest: See Disclosures at the end of the article. Supplemental digital content is available for this article. Direct URL citations appear in the printed text and are provided in the HTML and PDF versions of this article on the journal's website (http://ift.tt/KegmMq). Reprints will not be available from the authors. Address correspondence to Timothy E. Miller, MB, ChB, FRCA, Division of General, Vascular and Transplant Anesthesia, Duke University Medical Center, Box 3094, Durham, NC 27710. Address e-mail to timothy.miller2@duke.edu. © 2017 International Anesthesia Research Society

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Adductor Canal Block With Continuous Infusion Versus Intermittent Boluses and Morphine Consumption: A Randomized, Blinded, Controlled Clinical Trial

BACKGROUND: Based on the assumption that relatively large volumes of local anesthetic optimize an adductor canal block (ACB), we theorized that an ACB administered as repeated boluses would improve analgesia without compromising mobility, compared with a continuous infusion. METHODS: We performed a randomized, blinded, controlled study, including patients scheduled for total knee arthroplasty with spinal anesthesia. Patients received 0.2% ropivacaine via a catheter in the adductor canal administered as either repeated intermittent boluses (21 mL/3 h) or continuous infusion (7 mL/h). The primary outcome was total (postoperative day [POD], 0–2) opioid consumption (mg), administered as patient-controlled analgesia. Pain, ambulation, and quadriceps muscle strength were secondary outcomes. RESULTS: We randomized 110 patients, of whom 107 were analyzed. Total opioid consumption (POD, 0–2) was a median (range) of 23 mg (0–139) in the bolus group and 26 mg (3–120) in the infusion group (estimated median difference, 4 mg; 95% confidence interval [CI], −13 to 5; P = .29). Linear mixed-model analyses revealed no difference in pain during knee flexion (mean difference, 2.6 mm; 95% CI, −2.9 to 8.0) or at rest (mean difference, 1.7 mm; 95% CI, −1.5 to 4.9). Patients in the bolus group had improved quadriceps sparing on POD 2 (median difference, 7.4%; 95% CI, 0.5%–15.5%). However, this difference was not present on POD 1 or reflected in the ambulation tests (P > .05). CONCLUSIONS: Changing the mode of administration for an ACB from continuous infusion to repeated intermittent boluses did not decrease opioid consumption, pain, nor mobility. Accepted for publication October 24, 2017. Funding: This work was supported by an unrestricted research grant from Smiths Medical (St Paul, MN). In addition, Smiths Medical provided the portable infusion pumps used in this trial. The company had no input or influence into any aspect of study conceptualization, design, data analysis, or reporting of the study. None of the authors have a personal financial interest in this research. Conflicts of Interest: See Disclosures at the end of the article. The abstract has been accepted for presentation at the annual meeting of the American Society of Regional Anesthesia, San Francisco, CA, January 6–8, 2017, and at the IX SIMPAR-ISURA SIMPAR-ISURA (Study In Multidisciplinary Pain Research-International Symposium of Ultrasound for Regional Anesthesia and Pain Medicine) Congress, Florence, Italy, March 29 to April 1, 2017. Clinical trial number: Clinicaltrials.gov Identifier: NCT02539628. Ethics committees approval: H-2-2014-114. Pia Jaeger and Jonas Baggesgaard share first authorship. Reprints will not be available from the authors. Address correspondence to Pia Jaeger, MD, PhD, Department of Anaesthesia 4231, Centre of Head and Orthopaedics, Rigshospitalet, Blegdamsvej 9, DK-2100 Copenhagen E, Denmark. Address e-mail to pia.therese.jaeger@regionh.dk. © 2017 International Anesthesia Research Society

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Airway Management by Laryngeal Mask Airways for Cervical Tracheal Resection and Reconstruction: A Single-Center Retrospective Analysis

BACKGROUND: Supraglottic airway devices (SADs) may have advantages over endotracheal intubation for tracheal resection and reconstruction in cases of severe and proximally located subglottic stenosis. This retrospective case series examines the feasibility of using SADs as a novel approach to airway management in tracheal resections. METHODS: All patients who were managed with SADs for cervical tracheal resection and reconstruction during the study period (2010–2015) in our university hospital were included. To examine the feasibility of airway management with SADs for tracheal resection, medical records were obtained from our institution's electronic database and reviewed. RESULTS: SADs were used in 10 patients who had extensive tracheal stenosis and a high prevalence of severe comorbidities. SAD insertion and subsequent positive pressure ventilation were successful in all patients, although 1 patient with preoperative respiratory failure had persistent hypercarbia. During the phase of resection and reconstruction, high-frequency jet ventilation was used to ensure adequate oxygenation. There were no intraoperative complications related to anesthetic management, apart from transient hypercarbia during and after jet ventilation. Most patients (n = 6; 60%) had an uneventful postoperative course. In this high-risk cohort, postoperative complications (ie, vocal cord edema, postoperative hemorrhage, pneumonia) occurred in 4 patients (40%). CONCLUSIONS: This retrospective case series demonstrates the feasibility of using supraglottic airways alongside high-frequency jet ventilation for airway management in at least some cases of cervical tracheal resection and reconstruction. However, the small number of cases examined limits conclusions regarding indications, contraindications, and periprocedural safety. Accepted for publication November 13, 2017. Funding: None. The authors declare no conflicts of interest. Patient consent: Requirement waived by institutional review board. Ethics approval: Approval by institutional review board of the University Hospital Witten/Herdecke, Medical Center Cologne-Merheim, Board supervisor: Professor Maune. Reprints will not be available from the authors. LMA is a registered trademark of Teleflex Incorporated or its affiliates. Address correspondence to Mark Schieren, MD, Department of Anesthesiology and Intensive Care Medicine, Medical Centre Cologne, University Witten/Herdecke, Ostmerheimer Strasse 200, 51109 Cologne, Germany. Address e-mail to mark.schieren@uni-wh.de. © 2017 International Anesthesia Research Society

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American Society for Enhanced Recovery and Perioperative Quality Initiative Joint Consensus Statement on Postoperative Gastrointestinal Dysfunction Within an Enhanced Recovery Pathway for Elective Colorectal Surgery

The primary driver of length of stay after bowel surgery, particularly colorectal surgery, is the time to return of gastrointestinal (GI) function. Traditionally, delayed GI recovery was thought to be a routine and unavoidable consequence of surgery, but this has been shown to be false in the modern era owing to the proliferation of enhanced recovery protocols. However, impaired GI function is still common after colorectal surgery, and the current literature is ambiguous with regard to the definition of postoperative GI dysfunction (POGD), or what is typically referred to as ileus. This persistent ambiguity has impeded the ability to ascertain the true incidence of the condition and study it properly within a research setting. Furthermore, a rational and standardized approach to prevention and treatment of POGD is needed. The second Perioperative Quality Initiative brought together a group of international experts to review the published literature and provide consensus recommendations on this important topic with the goal to (1) develop a rational definition for POGD that can serve as a framework for clinical and research efforts; (2) critically review the evidence behind current prevention strategies and provide consensus recommendations; and (3) develop rational treatment strategies that take into account the wide spectrum of impaired GI function in the postoperative period. Accepted for publication October 27, 2017 Funding: The Perioperative Quality Initiative (POQI) meeting received financial assistance from the American Society for Enhanced Recovery (ASER). Conflicts of Interest: See Disclosures at the end of the article. For the Perioperative Quality Initiative (POQI) 2 Workgroup, see Appendix 1. Reprints will not be available from the authors. Address correspondence to Timothy E. Miller, MB, ChB, FRCA, Division of General, Vascular and Transplant Anesthesia, Duke University Medical Center, Box 3094, Durham, NC 27710. Address e-mail to timothy.miller2@duke.edu. © 2017 International Anesthesia Research Society

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Anesthesia for Cesarean Delivery: A Cross-Sectional Survey of Provincial, District, and Mission Hospitals in Zimbabwe

BACKGROUND: Cesarean delivery is the most common surgical procedure in low- and middle-income countries, so provision of anesthesia services can be measured in relation to it. This study aimed to assess the type of anesthesia used for cesarean delivery, the level of training of anesthesia providers, and to document the availability of essential anesthetic drugs and equipment in provincial, district, and mission hospitals in Zimbabwe. METHODS: In this cross-sectional survey of 8 provincial, 21 district, and 13 mission hospitals, anesthetic providers were interviewed on site using a structured questionnaire adapted from standard instruments developed by the World Federation of Societies of Anaesthesiologists and the World Health Organization. RESULTS: The anesthetic workforce for the hospitals in this survey constituted 22% who were medical officers and 77% nurse anesthetists (NAs); 55% of NAs were recognized independent anesthetic providers, while 26% were qualified as assistants to anesthetic providers and 19% had no formal training in anesthesia. The only specialist physician anesthetist was part time in a provincial hospital. Spinal anesthesia was the most commonly used method for cesarean delivery (81%) in the 3 months before interview, with 19% general anesthesia of which 4% was ketamine without airway intubation. The mean institutional cesarean delivery rate was 13.6% of live births, although 5 district hospitals were

http://ift.tt/2CEKS41

Prophylactic Platelet Transfusions for Critically Ill Patients With Thrombocytopenia: A Single-Institution Propensity-Matched Cohort Study

BACKGROUND: Thrombocytopenia is frequently encountered in critically ill patients, often resulting in prophylactic transfusion of platelets for the prevention of bleeding complications. However, the efficacy of this practice remains unclear. The objective of this study was to determine the relationship between prophylactic platelet transfusion and bleeding complications in critically ill patients. METHODS: This is a retrospective cohort study of adults admitted to surgical, medical, or combined medical-surgical intensive care units (ICUs) at a single academic institution between January 1, 2009, and December 31, 2013. Inclusion criteria included age ≥18 years and a platelet count measured during ICU admission. Propensity-matched analyses were used to evaluate associations between prophylactic platelet transfusions and the outcomes of interest with a primary outcome of red blood cell transfusion in the ensuing 24 hours and secondary outcomes of ICU and hospital-free days and changes in sequential organ failure assessment scores. RESULTS: A total of 40,693 patients were included in the investigation with 3227 (7.9%) receiving a platelet transfusion and 1065 (33.0%) for which platelet transfusion was prophylactic in nature. In propensity-matched analyses, 994 patients with prophylactic platelet transfusion were matched to those without a transfusion. Patients receiving prophylactic platelets had significantly higher red blood cell transfusion rates (odds ratio 7.5 [5.9–9.5]; P

http://ift.tt/2DTcXnR

Heating and Cooling Rates With an Esophageal Heat Exchange System

BACKGROUND: The Esophageal Cooling Device circulates warm or cool water through an esophageal heat exchanger, but warming and cooling efficacy in patients remains unknown. We therefore determined heat exchange rates during warming and cooling. METHODS: Nineteen patients completed the trial. All had general endotracheal anesthesia for nonthoracic surgery. Intraoperative heat transfer was measured during cooling (exchanger fluid at 7°C) and warming (fluid at 42°C). Each was evaluated for 30 minutes, with the initial condition determined randomly, starting at least 40 minutes after induction of anesthesia. Heat transfer rate was estimated from fluid flow through the esophageal heat exchanger and inflow and outflow temperatures. Core temperature was estimated from a zero-heat-flux thermometer positioned on the forehead. RESULTS: Mean heat transfer rate during warming was 18 (95% confidence interval, 16–20) W, which increased core temperature at a rate of 0.5°C/h ± 0.6°C/h (mean ± standard deviation). During cooling, mean heat transfer rate was −53 (−59 to −48) W, which decreased core temperature at a rate of 0.9°C/h ± 0.9°C/h. CONCLUSIONS: Esophageal warming transferred 18 W which is considerably less than the 80 W reported with lower or upper body forced-air covers. However, esophageal warming can be used to supplement surface warming or provide warming in cases not amenable to surface warming. Esophageal cooling transferred more than twice as much heat as warming, consequent to the much larger difference between core and circulating fluid temperature with cooling (29°C) than warming (6°C). Esophageal cooling extracts less heat than endovascular catheters but can be used to supplement catheter-based cooling or possibly replace them in appropriate patients. Accepted for publication October 20, 2017. Funding: This work was supported by Advanced Cooling Therapy (Chicago, IL). Conflicts of Interest: See Disclosures at the end of the article. Institutional review board: Cleveland Clinic Institutional Review Board, 9500 Euclid Ave, Desk OS01, Cleveland, OH 44195. E-mail: IRBCOI@ccf.org. This study was registered at ClinicalTrials.gov. Reprints will not be available from the authors., Address correspondence to Daniel I. Sessler, MD, Department of Outcomes Research, Anesthesiology Institute, Cleveland Clinic, 9500 Euclid Ave—P77, Cleveland, OH 44195. Address e-mail to DS@OR.org. © 2017 International Anesthesia Research Society

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Axillary Temperature, as Recorded by the iThermonitor WT701, Well Represents Core Temperature in Adults Having Noncardiac Surgery

BACKGROUND: Core temperature can be accurately measured from the esophagus or nasopharynx during general anesthesia, but neither site is suitable for neuraxial anesthesia. We therefore determined the precision and accuracy of a novel wireless axillary thermometer, the iThermonitor, to determine its suitability for use during neuraxial anesthesia and in other patients who are not intubated. METHODS: We enrolled 80 adults having upper abdominal surgery with endotracheal intubation. Intraoperative core temperature was measured in distal esophagus and was estimated at the axilla with a wireless iThermonitor WT701 (Raiing Medical, Boston MA) at 5-minute intervals. Pairs of axillary and reference distal esophageal temperatures were compared and summarized using linear regression and repeated-measured Bland–Altman methods. We a priori determined that the iThermonitor would have clinically acceptable accuracy if most estimates were within ±0.5°C of the esophageal reference, and suitable precision if the limits of agreement were within ±0.5°C. RESULTS: There were 3339 sets of paired temperatures. Axillary and esophageal temperatures were similar, with a mean difference (esophageal minus axillary) of only 0.14°C ± 0.26°C (standard deviation). The Bland–Altman 95% limits of agreement were reasonably narrow, with the estimated upper limit at 0.66°C and the lower limit at −0.38°C, thus ±0.52°C, indicating good agreement across the range of mean temperatures from 34.9°C to 38.1°C. The absolute difference was within 0.5°C in 91% of the measurements (95% confidence interval, 88%–93%). CONCLUSIONS: Axillary temperature, as recorded by the iThermonitor WT701, well represents core temperature in adults having noncardiac surgery and thus appears suitable for clinical use. Accepted for publication September 29, 2017. Funding: This work was supported by the Raiing Medical, Boston, MA. None of the authors has a personal financial interest in this research. The sponsor was not involved in data analysis or interpretation. The authors declare no conflicts of interest. Supplemental digital content is available for this article. Direct URL citations appear in the printed text and are provided in the HTML and PDF versions of this article on the journal's website (http://ift.tt/KegmMq). Reprints will not be available from the authors. Address correspondence to Yuguang Huang, MD, Department of Anesthesiology, Peking Union Medical College Hospital (PUMCH), 1 Shuaifuyuan, Dongcheng District, Beijing 100730, China. Address e-mail to garybeijing@163.com (www.OR.org). © 2017 International Anesthesia Research Society

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Table of Contents

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Publication date: January 2018
Source:Pediatric Neurology, Volume 78





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Editorial Board and Masthead

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Publication date: January 2018
Source:Pediatric Neurology, Volume 78





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Phenotypic and Molecular Spectrum of Aicardi-Goutières Syndrome: A Study of 24 Patients

Publication date: January 2018
Source:Pediatric Neurology, Volume 78
Author(s): Fuad Al Mutairi, Majid Alfadhel, Marwan Nashabat, Ayman W. El-Hattab, Tawfeg Ben-Omran, Jozef Hertecant, Wafaa Eyaid, Rehab Ali, Ali Alasmari, Majdi Kara, Waleed Al-Twaijri, Rana Filimban, Abduljabbar Alshenqiti, Mohammed Al-Owain, Eissa Faqeih, Fowzan S. Alkuraya
BackgroundAicardi-Goutières syndrome is a rare genetic neurological disorder with variable clinical manifestations. Molecular detection of specific mutations is required to confirm the diagnosis. The aim of this study was to review the clinical and molecular diagnostic findings in 24 individuals with Aicardi-Goutières syndrome who presented during childhood in an Arab population.Materials and MethodsWe reviewed the records of 24 patients from six tertiary hospitals in different Arab countries. All included patients had a molecular diagnosis of Aicardi-Goutières syndrome.ResultsSix individuals with Aicardi-Goutières syndrome (25%) had a neonatal presentation, whereas the remaining patients presented during the first year of life. Patients presented with developmental delay (24 cases, 100%); spasticity (24 cases, 100%); speech delay (23 cases, 95.8%); profound intellectual disability (21 cases, 87.5%); truncal hypotonia (21 cases, 87.5%); seizures (eighteen cases, 75%); and epileptic encephalopathy (15 cases, 62.5%). Neuroimaging showed white matter abnormalities (22 cases, 91.7%), cerebral atrophy (75%), and small, multifocal calcifications in the lentiform nuclei and deep cerebral white matter (54.2%). Homozygous mutations were identified in RNASEH2B (54.2%), RNASEH2A (20.8%), RNASEH2C (8.3%), SAMHD1 (8.3%), TREX1 (4.2%), and heterozygous mutations in IFIH1 (4.2%), with c.356A>G (p.Asp119Gly) in RNASEH2B being the most frequent mutation. Three novel mutations c.987delT and c.625 + 1G>A in SAMHD1 gene and c.961G>T in the IFIHI1 gene were identified.ConclusionsThis is the largest molecularly confirmed Aicardi-Goutières syndrome cohort from Arabia. By presenting these clinical and molecular findings, we hope to raise awareness of Aicardi-Goutières syndrome and to demonstrate the importance of specialist referral and molecular diagnosis.



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Meetings of Interest

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Publication date: January 2018
Source:Pediatric Neurology, Volume 78





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Alopecia Areata: Who Gets Screened for Thyroid Disease?

Many children with alopecia areata get screened for thyroid disease. But do they all need to be?
CHOP Expert Commentary

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Editorial Board

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Publication date: January–February 2018
Source:Practical Radiation Oncology, Volume 8, Issue 1





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Table of Contents

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Publication date: January–February 2018
Source:Practical Radiation Oncology, Volume 8, Issue 1





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Masthead

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Publication date: January–February 2018
Source:Practical Radiation Oncology, Volume 8, Issue 1





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Average crop yield (2001–2017) in Ethiopia: Trends at national, regional and zonal levels

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Publication date: February 2018
Source:Data in Brief, Volume 16
Author(s): Logan Cochrane, Yeshtila W. Bekele
This article presents average agricultural yield data per hectare for key cereal, legume and root crops from 2001 until 2017. Data was obtained from the annual Agricultural Sample Surveys of the Central Statistics Agency (CSA) of Ethiopia. We present data at national, regional (SNNPRS) and zonal (Wolaita) levels. The data shows that average yields for all crops, at all levels, show increasing trends during the time period. Data for the main cereal crops is consistent and aligns with literature relatively well, however we raise questions about the root crop data in an effort to encourage greater critical reflection of components of data from the CSA.



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Quality of life comparing carboplatin with cisplatin in the treatment of non–small cell lung cancer

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Publication date: Available online 2 January 2018
Source:European Journal of Cancer
Author(s): Michael Snee




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Erratum to “Experience with a simplified eucapnic voluntary hyperventilation (EVH) device for diagnosis of exercise-induced bronchospasm”

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Publication date: Available online 2 January 2018
Source:Annals of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology





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Study of Anlotinib Plus Irinotecan in Patients With Esophageal Squamous Cell Carcinoma

Condition:   Esophageal Squamous Cell Carcinoma
Interventions:   Drug: Anlotinib Plus Irinotecan;   Drug: Irinotecan
Sponsor:   The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University
Not yet recruiting

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Feasibility of Multi-Spectral Endoscopic Imaging for Detection of Early Neoplasia in Barrett's Oesophagus

Conditions:   Barrett Esophagus;   Esophageal Neoplasms;   Reflux Esophagitis
Intervention:   Device: Endoscopy with Polyscope (Polydiagnost TM) coupled with Multi-Spectral Imaging light-source
Sponsor:   University of Cambridge
Not yet recruiting

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PLD Combined With Cisplatin in the Treatment of Advanced Poorly Differentiated Thyroid Carcinoma

Condition:   Poorly Differentiated Thyroid Carcinoma
Interventions:   Drug: PLD;   Drug: Cisplatin
Sponsor:   CSPC ZhongQi Pharmaceutical Technology Co., Ltd.
Recruiting

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Safety and Efficacy of Ulinastatin for Reducing Radiation-Induced Oral Mucositis in Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma Patients

Condition:   Oral Mucositis (Ulcerative) Due to Radiation
Interventions:   Drug: Cisplatin;   Radiation: Intensity Modulated Radiation Therapy;   Drug: Ulinastatin
Sponsors:   Sun Yat-sen University;   Cancer Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University;   First People's Hospital of Foshan;   People's Hospital of Zhongshan;   Fifth Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-Sen University
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Pigmented epithelioid melanocytoma with nodal melanosis: A rare cause of cystic cervical lymphadenopathy

Abstract

Background

Head and neck malignancies often present as firm, solid nodal masses. However, malignancies arising from Waldeyer's Ring may give rise to cystic lymph nodes.

Methods

A 57-year-old man was referred for left-sided neck swelling of 2 weeks' duration. A CT scan revealed an enlarged cystic cervical node at level 5A/B and he underwent excision biopsy.

Results

Histology reported nodal fibrosis with melanophages. Further examination revealed a black nodule on his back where he had wide excision and the histology confirmed pigmented epithelioid melanocytoma.

Conclusion

Cervical lymphadenopathy can rarely be due to an upper back lesion, such as pigmented epithelioid melanocytoma. Thus, routine clinical examination of the upper back should be performed in patients with cervical lymphadenopathy.



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Long-term estradiol-17β exposure decreases the cholinergic innervation pattern of the pig ovary

Publication date: Available online 2 January 2018
Source:Annals of Anatomy - Anatomischer Anzeiger
Author(s): B. Jana, K.A. Meller, M. Czajkowska, J. Całka
Elevated levels of endogenous estrogens in the course of pathological states of ovaries, as well as xenoestrogens, may lead to hyperestrogenism. It has previously been demonstrated that long-term estradiol-17β (E2) administration in adult gilts affected the population of sympathetic intraovarian nerve fibers. The aim of this study has been to determine the effect of long-term E2 exposure on the cholinergic innervation pattern of porcine ovaries. Intraovarian distribution and the density of nerve fibers immunoreactive (IR) to vesicular acetylocholine transporter (VAChT) and/or neuronal isoform of nitric oxide synthase (nNOS), vasoactive intestinal polypeptide (VIP), somatostatin (SOM) were determined. From day 4 of the first estrous cycle to day 20 of the second studied cycle, experimental gilts were intramuscularly injected with E2, while control gilts received corn oil. The ovaries were then collected and processed for double-labelling immunofluorescence. After E2 administration, the total number of fibers IR to VAChT, nNOS and VIP decreased significantly. The numbers of VAChT-, nNOS- and VIP-IR fibers within the ground plexus were significantly lower, while they were significantly higher around small or medium tertiary follicles. In the E2-affected ovaries, the numbers of nNOS- and VIP-IR fibers were significantly higher near secondary follicles and VAChT-IR in the vicinity of medullar blood vessels. In turn, around the latter structures there were significantly lowered populations of nNOS- and VIP-IR nerve fibers. These results suggest that the elevated E2 levels that occur during pathological states may affect the cholinergic innervation pattern of ovaries and their function(s).



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