Mathematicians have applied statistical mechanics to climate change detection and attribution for first time. They have shown how to separate the ‘signal’ of human-made climate change from the ‘noise’ of natural climate fluctuations. This allows for a dramatic improvement in the ability to detect climate change and early warnings of climatic tipping points.
Trials. 2024 Dec 14;25(1):815. doi: 10.1186/s13063-024-08697-3.
NO ABSTRACT
PMID:39674869 | DOI:10.1186/s13063-024-08697-3
Ann Surg Oncol. 2024 Dec 14. doi: 10.1245/s10434-024-16630-w. Online ahead of print.
ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: There is limited data regarding sentinel lymph node biopsy (SLNB) after neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC) for cN3b patients, who present with both axillary and ipsilateral internal mammary node involvement. We examined trends in the use of SLNB in cN3b patients and survival by axillary procedure for those with nodal pathologic complete response (nPCR).
METHODS: Adult women with nonmetastatic cN3b invasive breast carcinoma between 2012 and 2021 were selected from the National Cancer Database. These patients were compared based on type of axillary surgery, specifically SLNB, SLNB with axillary lymph node dissection (ALND), and ALND alone. Kaplan-Meier analysis was used to compare overall survival.
RESULTS: A total of 4,236 patients were included. In 2012, 8.5% of these patients underwent SLNB alone and 18.3% underwent SLNB+ALND. In 2021, this increased to 35.1% for SLNB alone and 23.0% for SLNB with subsequent ALND (p < 0.0001). For patients who received NAC, the rate of nPCR was overall found to be 24.9%. Overall survival of patients receiving SLNB or SLNB+ALND with nPCR was not statistically significantly different from the ALND only group with nPCR (p = 0.22 and 0.57, respectively).
CONCLUSIONS: There has been increasing use of the SLNB procedure for patients with cN3b breast cancer over the past decade. In patients with nPCR, SLNB was not associated with reduced survival. For well-selected cN3b patients with an excellent clinical response to NAC, including nPCR, axillary de-escalation strategies, such as SLNB with omission of completion axillary dissection, may be considered.
PMID:39674862 | DOI:10.1245/s10434-024-16630-w
Metabolomics. 2024 Dec 14;21(1):5. doi: 10.1007/s11306-024-02200-4.
ABSTRACT
INTRODUCTION: Inflammatory bowel diseases (IBDs) are chronic immune driven intestinal disorders with marked metabolic alteration. Mass spectrometry imaging (MSI) enables the direct visualization of biomolecules within tissues and facilitates the study of metabolic changes. Integrating multiple spatial information sources is a promising approach for discovering new biomarkers and understanding biochemical alteration within the context of the disease.
OBJECTIVE: This study evaluates the metabolomic changes in gut tissue samples from a preclinical model of spontaneous colitis, the HLA-B27/hβ2m transgenic rat, to uncover disease biomarkers.
METHODS: We applied MSI to study the biochemical profile of bowel samples from HLA-B27/hβ2m transgenic and WT control rats in an unbiased manner. Statistical comparison was used to identify discriminative features. Some features were annotated using LC-MS/MS. The significance of these discriminative features was evaluated based on their distribution within histological layers and the presence of immune infiltration.
RESULTS: We identified spatially resolved changes in the metabolomic pattern of HLA-B27+ samples compared to WT controls. Out of the 275 discriminative features identified, 83 were annotated as metabolites. Two functional groups of discriminative metabolites were discussed as markers of gut barrier impairment and immune cell infiltration.
CONCLUSION: MS imaging’s spatial dimension provides insights into disease mechanisms through the identification of spatially resolved biomarkers.
PMID:39674857 | DOI:10.1007/s11306-024-02200-4
J Food Sci. 2024 Dec 14. doi: 10.1111/1750-3841.17395. Online ahead of print.
ABSTRACT
(E)-2-Hexenal (E2H) is an important volatile organic compound (VOC) that can serve as a marker for fruit quality sensing and shelf-life evaluation. However, visual and portable sensors for E2H have not been reported mainly because of the difficulty in selective response to E2H while avoiding interference from other VOC, especially isomers. Herein, we developed a novel colorimetric sensor based on thiol-functionalized polydiacetylene assembly (PDA-SH/PDA) for the quantitative and selectivity of E2H. The mechanism was that E2H underwent a Michael addition reaction with sulfhydryl groups in PDA-SH/PDA. The Michael addition reaction destroyed the hydrogen bond and distorted the conjugated molecular system, resulting in colorimetric responses. Under optimal conditions, a good linear relationship was observed between E2H concentration and red colorimetric shift (R2 = 0.9679). The E2H sensor yields a high analytical sensitivity of 1.5203% and a limit of detection of 0.015 g L-1. Besides, the PDA-SH/PDA sensor can be used to visually distinguish E2H and its isomer (Z)-3-hexenal. The PDA-SH/PDA sensor yielded a statistically significant difference in red colorimetric shift (p < 0.01) between the pairs of isomers in the ripeness of fruits. At last, the sensor was utilized for detecting E2H in grapes from different shelf lives. We found that the E2H concentration increased from 66.16 ± 1.54 to 67.56 ± 1.30 µg L-1 as storage time was prolonged. The results of this research not only demonstrated the feasibility of visual and on-site detection of E2H but also provided potential promise for portable fruit quality sensing and shelf-life evaluation.
PMID:39674853 | DOI:10.1111/1750-3841.17395
Ann Nucl Med. 2024 Dec 15. doi: 10.1007/s12149-024-02006-3. Online ahead of print.
ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE: The study aimed to explore the role of fluorine-18-aluminum fluoride-1,4,7-triazacyclononane-1,4,7-triacetic acid-octreotide (18F-OC) positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PET/CT) in neuroblastoma (NB) and compared it with Iodine-123 labeled metaiodobenzylguanidine (123I-MIBG) scintigraphy with single photon emission computed tomography/computed tomography (SPECT/CT), as well as to investigate the feasibility of the modified Curie scoring system and International Society of Pediatric Oncology Europe Neuroblastoma (SIOPEN) skeleton scoring system applied in 18F-OC PET/CT.
METHODS: Patients with pathologically confirmed NB underwent 123I-MIBG scintigraphy with SPECT/CT and 18F-OC PET/CT according the standard imaging protocols. The interval between the two imaging techniques ranged from 0 to 22 days (median interval: 9 days). The number of lesions in modified Curie scoring system and SIOPEN skeleton scoring system applied on 123I-MIBG SPECT/CT and 18F-OC PET/CT was compared.
RESULTS: A total of 50 NB patients (male: female = 25:25) with a median age of 62-month-old were enrolled. 123I-MIBG and 18F-OC imaging were positive in 22 patients and negative in 27 patients. 1 patient had positive 18F-OC but negative 123I-MIBG results (p = 1.000). In lesion-based analysis, 18F-OC PET/CT revealed more positive lesions than 123I-MIBG scintigraphy with SPECT/CT (57 vs. 44, p < 0.001), regardless of bone/bone marrow lesions (43 vs. 37, p = 0.031) or soft tissue lesions (14 vs. 7, p = 0.016). The Curie scores of the two imaging techniques showed a significant difference (p = 0.047), whereas no statistic difference for SIOPEN scores (p = 0.688). The Curie and SIOPEN scores were significantly higher in patients with the presence of MYCN amplification or positive bone marrow puncture result (p < 0.05).
CONCLUSION: 18F-OC could be used in the evaluation of NB, and the modified Curie scoring system could be used to semi-quantify the disease extent of NB in 18F-OC PET/CT.
PMID:39674843 | DOI:10.1007/s12149-024-02006-3
Sleep Breath. 2024 Dec 15;29(1):60. doi: 10.1007/s11325-024-03197-9.
ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVES: This study aims to evaluate the quantity, types, and trends of surgical procedures used to treat obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) within a diverse national population, utilizing a comprehensive proprietary healthcare database.
METHODS: This descriptive observational study analyzed longitudinal data from the Optum Clinformatics® Data Mart databases, covering the period from January 2004 to December 2020. The study included patients aged 18 to 89 years, both male and female, with a confirmed diagnosis of OSA. These patients were either treated with continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) or underwent surgical interventions.
RESULTS: Throughout the study period, 1,250,273 individuals were diagnosed with OSA. The average age at diagnosis was 62 years (SD = 16), with a male predominance of 62.3%, and 75% of the patients were identified as Caucasian. The most frequently performed surgical procedure for OSA was Uvulopalatopharyngoplasty (UPPP). However, the implantable hypoglossal nerve stimulator was more commonly utilized among older patients.
CONCLUSIONS: This study provides essential insights into the prevalence and characteristics of surgical procedures used in OSA treatment across a diverse national population. The findings underscore the significance of understanding surgical intervention patterns and trends to enhance patient care and outcomes.
PMID:39674840 | DOI:10.1007/s11325-024-03197-9
J Perinatol. 2024 Dec 14. doi: 10.1038/s41372-024-02189-7. Online ahead of print.
ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE: Decrease: 1) time from tracheostomy or gastrostomy tube placement to discharge home, and 2) avoidable readmissions within 7 days post-discharge, for medically complex infants.
STUDY DESIGN: Five neonatology units and representatives from Medicaid and Managed Care Organizations participated. Measures included length of stay (LOS) from surgery to discharge, readmissions, and time from surgery to identifying home nursing. We used statistical process control (SPC) methods and bivariate tests for post-hoc before-after comparisons.
RESULT: Among 421 infants, no avoidable readmissions occurred in the final 25 months. LOS and all-cause readmissions were unchanged (SPC). LOS changes were variable, ranging from -39.5 days (tracheostomy and ventilator) to +30.8 days (tracheostomy without ventilator) and not significant. Median time to identify home nursing was 70.1 days (range 2-428).
CONCLUSION: Although lack of skilled home nursing precluded improving transitions from NICU to home in medically complex infants, all avoidable readmissions were eliminated for 25 months.
PMID:39674835 | DOI:10.1038/s41372-024-02189-7
Br J Cancer. 2024 Dec 14. doi: 10.1038/s41416-024-02931-0. Online ahead of print.
ABSTRACT
Monitoring trends of cancer incidence, mortality and survival is vital for the planning and delivery of health services, and the evaluation of diagnostics and treatment at the population level. Furthermore, comparisons are often made between population subgroups to explore inequalities in outcomes. During the COVID-19 pandemic routine delivery of health services were severely disrupted. Resources were redeployed to COVID-19 services and patient risk of COVID-19 infection required serious consideration. Cancer screening services were paused, the availability of healthcare providers was reduced and, in some cases, patients faced difficulty in accessing optimal treatment in a timely manner. Given these major disruptions, much care should be taken when interpreting changes in cancer survival estimates during this period. The impact on cancer incidence and mortality statistics that have already been reported in some jurisdictions should drive further thought on the corresponding impact on cancer survival, and whether any differences observed are real, artificial or a combination of the two. We discuss the likely impact on key cancer metrics, the likely implications for the analysis of cancer registration data impacted by the pandemic and the implications for comparative analyses between population groups and other risk factor groups when using data spanning the pandemic period.
PMID:39674825 | DOI:10.1038/s41416-024-02931-0
Med Microbiol Immunol. 2024 Dec 14;214(1):3. doi: 10.1007/s00430-024-00810-2.
ABSTRACT
Dengue virus (DENV) mediated disease severity leads to fatality among infected patients. Immune sentinels recognize DENV thereby secreting inflammatory mediators, endothelial biomarkers and anticoagulation factors. Absence of any diagnostic biomarkers for early identification of severe dengue (SD) patients has hindered disease management. Present study is aimed to evaluate diagnostic potential of these biomarkers along with their therapeutic targets for disease severity. Dengue infection was screened among 214 symptomatic patients and 25 healthy individuals by qRT-PCR, NS1-antigen, anti-dengue-IgM, anti-dengue-IgG ELISA and categorized them according to WHO-classification, 2009. Dengue viral-load and serotypes were determined by qRT-PCR. Serum-protein concentrations of inflammatory mediators (MIF, PAF, MMP2, MMP9, MCP1, RANTES, STNFRI, ST2, EOTAXIN), endothelial biomarkers (SDC1, VEGF, ANGPT2), anticoagulation factors (sTM, vWF, TF, PAI) were determined by sandwich ELISA. Statistical, PPI-network, hub-proteins, drug prediction analysis were performed by GraphPad-Prism9, STRING, Cytoscape-cytoHubba, DrugBank online, TTD, respectively. Among 81 dengue infected patients, significantly higher levels of MIF, PAF, sTNFRI, MMP9, VEGF, ANGPT2, MMP2, RANTES, SDC1 were detected among SD patients compared to non-severe ones, with excellent and good diagnostic potential of first (> 77.11, > 57.57 ng/ml, > 3226 pg/ml) and next three (> 105.3 ng/ml, > 12,380, > 8284 pg/ml) biomarkers, respectively. Serum MIF, PAF, MMP9, sTNFRI levels were significantly higher among hospitalized (p-value: 0.0081-0.0499), high-viral-load (p-value: 0.0266-0.0466) and DENV-2, 4 (p-value: < 0.0001-0.0298) infected patients. PPI-network analysed MMP9, PAI, vWF, ANGPT2, sTM, sTNFRI, MIF as hub-proteins targeted by FDA-approved/experimental drugs. This study recognized serum-biomarkers: MIF, PAF, sTNFRI, MMP9, VEGF, ANGPT2 to have significant diagnostic potential for identification of SD cases.
PMID:39674822 | DOI:10.1007/s00430-024-00810-2