Heart Fail Rev. 2023 Dec 11. doi: 10.1007/s10741-023-10378-3. Online ahead of print.
NO ABSTRACT
PMID:38072892 | DOI:10.1007/s10741-023-10378-3
Category: Nevin Manimala
Prog Orthod. 2023 Dec 11;24(1):41. doi: 10.1186/s40510-023-00494-z.
ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Previous evidence would suggest that subjects affected by functional posterior cross-bite (FPXB) present an asymmetric morphology of the maxilla. However, no evidence is available concerning the morphology (symmetry/asymmetry) of the maxilla after treatment of FPXB. This study aimed to investigate the volumetric and morphological changes of the palate in FPXB subjects treated with maxillary expansion and to compare these data with an untreated control group. The study sample included 20 FPXB subjects (mean age 8.1 ± 0.9 years) who underwent maxillary expansion (MEG group) and 21 FPXB subjects (mean age 7.7 ± 1.2 years) as controls (CG group). Digital models were recorded at T0 (first observation) and T1 (12-18 months after first observation) and analyzed to assess palatal volume and symmetry. Deviation analysis and percentage matching calculation were also performed between original and mirrored palatal models for each patient. All data were statistically analyzed for intra-timing, inter-timing and inter-groups assessments.
RESULTS: At T0, the cross-bite side (CBS) was significantly smaller than non-cross-bite side (non-CBS) in both groups (p < 0.05). At T1, the CBS/non-CBS difference reduced significantly in the MEG group (p < 0.05) while slightly worsened in the CG, however without statistical significance (p > 0.05). The matching percentage of the palatal models improved significantly at T1 in the MEG group (T0 = 74.02% ± 9.8; T1 = 89.95% ± 7.12) (p < 0.05) while no significant differences were recorded in the CG (T0 = 76.36 ± 8.64; 72.18% ± 9.65) (p > 0.05).
LIMITATIONS: The small sample size and the retrospective design of the study represent two limitations that should be overcome with further clinical trials.
CONCLUSIONS: Subjects with FPXB present an asymmetric development of the maxillary vault that improves after reestablishment of normal occlusion following maxillary expansion.
PMID:38072875 | DOI:10.1186/s40510-023-00494-z
J Egypt Natl Canc Inst. 2023 Dec 11;35(1):38. doi: 10.1186/s43046-023-00201-3.
ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Early detection of colon cancer leads to better survival outcomes. This can be achieved through colorectal cancer (CRC) screening. People with a family history of cancer (FHC) have increased risk of developing CRC. Increasing screening in this group will reduce CRC mortality. This study evaluated CRC screening in people with FHC.
METHODS: The study used data from the Health Information National Trends Survey (HINTS) 5, cycle 3. This is an annual cross-sectional survey with a nationally representative sample of American adults. The objective was to study the association between FHC and performing CRC screening. Propensity score matching was used to create a matched population with variables that constituted beliefs in cancer from the survey. Replication procedure, which is based on repeated sampling and allows for accurate computation of standard errors, was used for calculating statistical tests. Multivariable models were fitted in the matched population to assess the association between FHC and performing CRC screening.
RESULTS: People with FHC were 14% (OR = 1.14; 95% CI: 0.81-1.60) more likely to perform CRC screening than those without FHC, even though not statistically significant. Age in years (OR = 1.14; 95% CI: 1.12-5.27) had increased likelihood of performing CRC screening, while other races such as American Indians/Alaskan Natives (except African Americans) compared to Caucasians (OR = 0.49; 95% CI: 0.29-0.84) had significantly decreased likelihood of performing CRC screening.
CONCLUSION: FHC was not significantly associated with having a colorectal cancer screening test. Public health advocacy should be directed towards increasing awareness of CRC screening among people with FHC.
PMID:38072859 | DOI:10.1186/s43046-023-00201-3
Sci Rep. 2023 Dec 11;13(1):21878. doi: 10.1038/s41598-023-49183-1.
ABSTRACT
Gamma-glutamyl transferase (GGT) is known to promote oxidative stress. As oxidative stress is a key component in the pathogenesis of systemic sclerosis (SSc), we investigated whether GGT levels are associated with the risk of incident SSc. A cohort of individuals without SSc who underwent national health examination in 2009 were extracted from the Korean National Health Insurance Service database. The incidence rate of SSc during the observation period, between 2009 and 2019, was estimated. GGT levels measured in 2009 were categorized into quartiles (Q1 [lowest], Q2, Q3, and Q4 [highest]). Multivariable Cox proportional hazard models were used to estimate the risk of incident SSc according to the quartiles of GGT, using Q1 as the reference. A total of 6,091,788 individuals were included. Incidence rate of SSc was 1.16 per 100,000 person-years over a mean observation period of 9.2 years. After adjusting for age, sex, body mass index, economic income, smoking status, alcohol consumption, physical activity, hypertension, type 2 diabetes, dyslipidemia, and chronic kidney disease, higher quartiles of GGT levels were significantly associated with a higher risk of incident SSc (Q4: adjusted hazard ratio [aHR] 1.807, 95% confidence interval CI 1.446-2.259; Q3: aHR 1.221, 95% CI 0.971-1.536; and Q2: aHR 1.034, 95% CI 0.807-1.324; p for trend < 0.001). Higher GGT levels were associated with a higher risk of incident SSc. These findings could lead to a closer monitoring for high risk individuals and an earlier diagnosis and treatment.
PMID:38072855 | DOI:10.1038/s41598-023-49183-1
Ann Hematol. 2023 Dec 11. doi: 10.1007/s00277-023-05578-8. Online ahead of print.
ABSTRACT
Essential thrombocythemia (ET) is a myeloproliferative neoplasm characterized by an increased risk of thrombotic and hemorrhagic events, that represent the leading causes of mortality and morbidity. Currently, while thrombotic risk is assessed through the IPSET-t and r-IPSET scores, there is no specific prognostic tool used to predict hemorrhagic risk in ET. The aim of the study was to define incidence and risk factors connected to hemorrhagic events by retrospectively analyzing 308 ET patients diagnosed between 1996 and 2022 at the Division of Hematology of Udine and treated according to the current international guidelines. According to molecular status, 193 patients (62.7%) were JAK2 mutated, 66 (21.4%) had a CALR mutation, 14 (4.5%) had a MPL mutation, 21 patients (6.8%) were “triple negative,” and 14 patients (4.5%) were not evaluable. According to IPSET-t score, 49.7% patients were at high, 24.3% at intermediate, and 26.0% at low-risk, respectively. Twelve (3.9%) patients experienced bleeding at ET diagnosis, while 24 (7.8%) had at least one hemorrhagic event during follow-up at a median time of 103 months (range: 1-309). Forty hemorrhagic events were totally recorded and defined as minor in 22 cases, moderate in 11 cases, and severe in 7 cases. Cumulative incidence (CI) of hemorrhage at 10 and 20 years was 6.0% and 12.0%, respectively. A statistically significant correlation between hemorrhagic risk and IPSET-t score emerged: 10 years hemorrhage CI was 3.2% for low-risk, 2.9% for intermediate-risk, and 9.8% for high-risk patients, respectively (p=0.002). We found no correlation between hemorrhagic risk and gender or mutational status. Results of our study highlight the validity of IPSET-t score in predicting individual hemorrhagic risk among ET patients, suggesting a possible role of IPSET-t scoring system as a global evaluator for vascular events in ET patients.
PMID:38072850 | DOI:10.1007/s00277-023-05578-8
Vis Comput Ind Biomed Art. 2023 Dec 11;6(1):24. doi: 10.1186/s42492-023-00151-6.
ABSTRACT
The traditional feature-extraction method of oriented FAST and rotated BRIEF (ORB) detects image features based on a fixed threshold; however, ORB descriptors do not distinguish features well in capsule endoscopy images. Therefore, a new feature detector that uses a new method for setting thresholds, called the adaptive threshold FAST and FREAK in capsule endoscopy images (AFFCEI), is proposed. This method, first constructs an image pyramid and then calculates the thresholds of pixels based on the gray value contrast of all pixels in the local neighborhood of the image, to achieve adaptive image feature extraction in each layer of the pyramid. Subsequently, the features are expressed by the FREAK descriptor, which can enhance the discrimination of the features extracted from the stomach image. Finally, a refined matching is obtained by applying the grid-based motion statistics algorithm to the result of Hamming distance, whereby mismatches are rejected using the RANSAC algorithm. Compared with the ASIFT method, which previously had the best performance, the average running time of AFFCEI was 4/5 that of ASIFT, and the average matching score improved by 5% when tracking features in a moving capsule endoscope.
PMID:38072844 | DOI:10.1186/s42492-023-00151-6
Angew Chem Int Ed Engl. 2023 Dec 10:e202315147. doi: 10.1002/anie.202315147. Online ahead of print.
ABSTRACT
The fundamental reaction pathways to the simplest dialkylsubstituted aromatics – xylenes (C6H4(CH3)2) – in high-temperature combustion flames and in low-temperature extraterrestrial environments are still unknown, but critical to understand the chemistry and molecular mass growth processes in these extreme environments. Exploiting crossed molecular beam experiments augmented by state-of-the-art electronic structure and statistical calculations, this study uncovers a previously elusive, facile gas-phase synthesis of xylenes through an isomer-selective reaction of 1-propynyl (methylethynyl, CH3CC) with 2-methyl-1,3-butadiene (isoprene, C5H8). The reaction dynamics are driven by a barrierless addition of the radical to the diene moiety of 2-methyl-1,3-butadiene followed by extensive isomerization (hydrogen shifts, cyclization) prior to unimolecular decomposition accompanied by aromatization via atomic hydrogen loss. This overall exoergic reaction affords a preparation of xylenes not only in high-temperature environments such as in combustion flames and around circumstellar envelopes of carbon-rich Asymptotic Giant Branch (AGB) stars, but also in low-temperature cold molecular clouds (10 K) and in hydrocarbon-rich atmospheres of planets and their moons such as Triton and Titan. Our study established a hitherto unknown gas-phase route to xylenes and potentially more complex, disubstituted benzenes via a single collision event highlighting the significance of an alkyl-substituted ethynyl-mediated preparation of aromatic molecules in our Universe.
PMID:38072833 | DOI:10.1002/anie.202315147
HIV Med. 2023 Dec 10. doi: 10.1111/hiv.13601. Online ahead of print.
ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE: We aimed to identify spatial clusters of high HIV prevalence in Germany.
METHODS: Using nationwide outpatient claims data comprising information of about 88% of the total German population (N = 72 041 683), we examined spatial variations and spatial clusters of high HIV prevalence at the district level (N = 401). People with HIV were identified using the International Statistical Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems, Tenth Revision (ICD-10 codes) B20, B22, and B24 (HIV disease) documented as ‘confirmed’.
RESULTS: Among 72 041 683 people with statutory health insurance in Germany in 2021, 72 636 had diagnosed HIV, which corresponds to a prevalence of 101 per 100 000 individuals (0.10%). Of these, 56 895 were males (78%). At a district level, the HIV prevalence varied by a factor of 32 between 13 in a rural district in Bavaria and 417 per 100 000 individuals in the German capital, Berlin. The spatial autocorrelation coefficient was 0.24 (p < 0.0001, Global Moran’s I). Several high-prevalence spatial clusters of different sizes were identified, mostly located in western Germany. The largest cluster comprised eight districts in the southern part of Hesse, including the city of Frankfurt and the city of Mainz in Rhineland-Palatinate. The second cluster consisted of four districts in North Rhine-Westphalia, including the cities of Cologne and Düsseldorf. Two districts in southern Germany (Mannheim and Ludwigshafen) formed the third cluster. Only urban districts were observed in spatial clusters of high HIV prevalence.
CONCLUSIONS: The current study identified for the first time spatial clusters with high HIV prevalence in Germany. This understanding is of particular importance when planning the general and specialized medical care of patients with HIV and to support preventive measures.
PMID:38072823 | DOI:10.1111/hiv.13601
Explore (NY). 2023 Dec 7:S1550-8307(23)00273-2. doi: 10.1016/j.explore.2023.12.002. Online ahead of print.
ABSTRACT
AIM: This study was conducted to analyze the effects of the inhalation of peppermint oil after lumbar discectomy surgery on the pain and anxiety levels of patients.
MATERIALS AND METHOD: This study was performed as a randomized controlled trial from September 2022 to June 2023 with 68 patients (34 patients in the experimental group and 34 patients in the control group). A Patient Information Form, the Numerical Pain Rating Scale, and the State Anxiety Inventory were used in the data collection process. The researcher administered the Patient Information Form to the patients before they underwent surgery. The State Anxiety Inventory and the Numerical Pain Rating Scale were administered to the patients after the second hour in the postoperative period. Next, for 10 minutes, only the patients in the experimental group inhaled five drops of peppermint oil dripped on a sterile gauze pad whereas no intervention was administered to the patients in the control group. Then, the State Anxiety Inventory and the Numerical Pain Rating Scale were administered again to the patients in both groups successively after the third and fourth hours in the postoperative period.
RESULTS: After the second hour in the postoperative period, the difference between the mean pain or state anxiety levels of the two groups were not statistically significant (p > 0.05). On the other hand, after the third and fourth hours in the postoperative period, the differences between the two groups were statistically significant (p < 0.05).
CONCLUSION: It was concluded that the inhalation of peppermint oil after lumbar discectomy surgery reduced pain and anxiety levels.
PMID:38072763 | DOI:10.1016/j.explore.2023.12.002
Eur Urol Oncol. 2023 Dec 9:S2588-9311(23)00276-6. doi: 10.1016/j.euo.2023.11.012. Online ahead of print.
ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: In ARCHES, treatment intensification of androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) with enzalutamide versus placebo improved clinical outcomes in metastatic hormone-sensitive prostate cancer (mHSPC). Understanding the benefits and tolerability of enzalutamide for men aged ≥75 yr may inform disease management.
OBJECTIVE: To determine whether age is associated with clinical outcomes in mHSPC.
DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS: A post hoc analysis of the multinational, double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled, phase 3 ARCHES trial in 1150 men with mHSPC (median follow-up [mo]: <75 yr, 44.6; ≥75 yr, 44.3) was performed.
INTERVENTION: Randomization 1:1 to enzalutamide (160 mg/d) plus ADT or placebo plus ADT; stratification by disease volume and prior docetaxel use.
OUTCOME MEASUREMENTS AND STATISTICAL ANALYSIS: Overall survival (OS), radiographic progression-free survival (rPFS), safety, and other secondary endpoints were compared between age groups (<75 and ≥75 yr) and treatment arms (Cox proportional hazard models).
RESULTS AND LIMITATIONS: Men aged <75 versus ≥75 yr had longer OS (enzalutamide plus ADT: hazard ratio [HR] 0.66; 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.47-0.91; p = 0.02; placebo plus ADT: HR 0.81; 95% CI 0.60-1.09; p = 0.13) and rPFS (enzalutamide plus ADT: HR 0.78; 95% CI 0.58-1.04; p = 0.12; placebo plus ADT: HR 0.98; 95% CI 0.74-1.30; p = 0.007). Enzalutamide improved OS (<75 yr: HR 0.61; 95% CI 0.47-0.79; ≥75 yr: HR 0.76; 95% CI 0.54-1.09) and secondary efficacy endpoints without evidence of statistical heterogeneity, and was generally well tolerated in both age groups, with minimal quality-of-life impact. Older versus younger patients experienced more frequent dose interruptions (20.2% vs 10.9%) and treatment-emergent adverse events (95.2% vs 89.1%). Post hoc examination and small sample size preclude definitive conclusions.
CONCLUSIONS: Enzalutamide plus ADT improved efficacy outcomes and was generally well tolerated despite shorter treatment exposure in older patients, indicating enzalutamide’s utility in patients with mHSPC aged <75 and ≥75 yr.
PATIENT SUMMARY: Enzalutamide is a drug approved to treat men with prostate cancer. In this report, we compared patients aged <75 and ≥75 yr treated with enzalutamide plus androgen deprivation therapy to determine whether age affected how long they lived without the cancer spreading to other parts of their body. We found that, although younger patients had more favorable survival outcomes, enzalutamide was associated with longer survival and reduced disease spread in both age groups.
PMID:38072761 | DOI:10.1016/j.euo.2023.11.012