Tag: pubmed

J Shoulder Elbow Surg. 2021 Jun 30:S1058-2746(21)00527-9. doi: 10.1016/j.jse.2021.05.028. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Treatment of posterior shoulder instability (PSI) associated with excessive glenoid retroversion is a rare, challenging problem in shoulder surgery. One proposed technique is posterior opening wedge glenoid osteotomy to correct excessive glenoid retroversion as described by Scott. However, this operation is rarely performed and limited long-term outcomes using this approach are available. It was the goal to analyze long-term outcome of posterior open wedge glenoid osteotomy for PSI associated with excessive glenoid retroversion.

METHODS: Six consecutive patients (7 shoulders) with a mean age of 24 (range, 19-34) years were treated with posterior open wedge glenoid osteotomy for PSI associated with a glenoid retroversion greater than 15° and followed-up clinically and radiographically at a mean of 15 (range, 10-19) years.

RESULTS: Recurrent, symptomatic PSI was observed in 6 out of 7 shoulders (86%). One necessitated revision with a posterior (iliac crest) bone block procedure and was rated as a failure and excluded from functional analysis. One patient rated his result as excellent, 3 as good, 1 as fair and 1 as unsatisfactory. Mean relative Constant Score (CS%) was unchanged from preoperatively to final follow-up (CS%: 72%) and pain did not significantly decrease (Constant pain scale: 7 to 10 points; p=0.969). The mean Subjective Shoulder Value (SSV) was improved postoperatively but with 7 patients the improvement did not reach statistical significance (SSV: 42% to 67%; p=0.053) and the total WOSI score averaged 30% at the final follow-up. Mean glenoid retroversion of all 7 shoulders was corrected from 20° (Range, 16-26°) to 3° (range, (-)3-(+)8°; p=0.018). In the five shoulders with preoperative static posterior subluxation of the humeral head (PSH), the humeral head was not recentered. All seven shoulders showed progression of glenoid arthritic changes.

CONCLUSIONS: Posterior open wedge glenoid osteotomy for PSI associated with excessive glenoid retroversion did neither reliably restore shoulder stability nor recenter the joint or prevent progression of osteoarthritis. Alternative treatments for PSI associated with excessive glenoid retroversion have to be developed and evaluated.

PMID:34216782 | DOI:10.1016/j.jse.2021.05.028

J Biomed Inform. 2021 Jun 30:103855. doi: 10.1016/j.jbi.2021.103855. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

Aging is a major risk factor for various eye diseases, such as cataract, glaucoma, and age-related macular degeneration. Age-related changes are observed in almost all structures of the human eye. Considerable individual variations exist within a group of similarly aged individuals, indicating the need for more informative biomarkers for assessing the aging of the eyes. The morphology of the anterior segment has been reported to vary across age groups, focusing on only a few corneal parameters, such as keratometry and thickness of the cornea, which could not provide accurate estimation of age. Thus, the association between eye aging and the morphology of the anterior segment remains elusive. In this study, we aimed to develop a predictive model of age based on a large number of anterior segment morphology-related features, measured via the high-resolution Pentacam. This approach allows for an integrated assessment of age-related changes in corneal morphology, and the identification of important morphological features associated with different eye aging patterns. Three machine learning methods (neural networks, Lasso regression and extreme gradient boosting) were employed to build predictive models using 276 anterior segment features of 63,753 participants from 10 ophthalmic centers in 10 different cities of China. The best performing age prediction model achieved a median absolute error of 2.80 years and a mean absolute error of 3.89 years in the validation set. An external cohort of 100 volunteers was used to test the performance of the prediction model. The developed neural network model achieved a median absolute error of 3.03 years and a mean absolute error of 3.4 years in the external cohort. In summary, our study revealed that the anterior segment morphology of the human eye may be an informative and non-invasive indicator of eye aging. This could prompt doctors to focus on age-related medical interventions on ocular health.

PMID:34216803 | DOI:10.1016/j.jbi.2021.103855

Eur J Pain. 2021 Jul 3. doi: 10.1002/ejp.1835. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

This journal recently published a paper by Rong et al., entitled “Persistent moderate to severe pain and long-term cognitive decline.” (Rong et al., 2021). The authors demonstrate that, to a small but statistically significant degree, older adults with persistent moderate-to-severe pain (an approximation for chronic pain) experience a faster rate of late-life cognitive decline than older adults without pain. Given these findings, should clinicians be alert for accelerated cognitive decline in older adults with chronic pain? Rong and colleagues argue yes. But, interestingly, using the same data source, an earlier study by Veronese and colleagues concluded that there was no evidence for an effect (Veronese et al., 2018). What are we to make of this?

PMID:34216525 | DOI:10.1002/ejp.1835

Colorectal Dis. 2021 Jul 3. doi: 10.1111/codi.15801. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

We read with interest the paper by Park et al [1]. The authors analyzed a population of 107 patients with mid-transverse colon cancer (MTCC), who underwent either extended hemicolectomy (EC=70) or segmental colectomy (SC=37) [1]. No statistically significant difference was found in perioperative and long-term outcomes, following propensity score matching [1]. In particular, the authors underlined the lack of significant differences in 3-year disease-free survival (DFS; 86.5% vs. 90.9%, p = 0.675) and 5-year overall survival (OS; 87.4% vs. 93.0%, p = 0.349) [1].

PMID:34216529 | DOI:10.1111/codi.15801

J Vet Emerg Crit Care (San Antonio). 2021 Jul 3. doi: 10.1111/vec.13085. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE: To compare hemostatic variables performed on blood samples obtained from indwelling jugular catheters or direct venipuncture over a 72-hour period.

DESIGN: Prospective experimental study.

SETTING: University research laboratory.

ANIMALS: Five healthy neutered male purpose-bred Beagle dogs.

INTERVENTIONS: Each dog was sedated to facilitate placement of a long-stay 20-Ga polyurethane IV catheter into the jugular vein. Blood samples were obtained from the preplaced catheters at 4 time points corresponding to 0, 24, 48, and 72 hours relative to placement. Blood samples were also obtained by direct venipuncture of a peripheral vein using a 21-Ga butterfly catheter and evacuated blood tubes at the same time points. Platelet count, platelet closure time, prothrombin time, activated partial thromboplastin time, fibrinogen, and kaolin-activated thromboelastography were performed on these paired samples at each time point. The patency of the indwelling catheters was maintained by flushing every 6 hours with heparinized saline.

MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: No significant differences were identified in any of the hemostatic variables obtained by either blood collection technique at any time point during the study (P > 0.05). There was also no significant day-to-day variation in any catheter-derived hemostatic variable obtained from individual dogs identified over the course of the study.

CONCLUSIONS: These data suggest that accurate hemostatic variables may be obtained using blood collected from indwelling jugular catheters, maintained with heparinized saline for at least 72 hours, in healthy dogs.

PMID:34216531 | DOI:10.1111/vec.13085

Mol Ecol. 2021 Jul 3. doi: 10.1111/mec.16057. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

Differences in the geographic scale and depth of phylogeographic structure across co-distributed taxa can reveal how microevolutionary processes such as population isolation and persistence drive diversification. In turn, environmental heterogeneity, species’ traits and historical biogeographic barriers may influence the potential for isolation and persistence. Using extensive SNP data and a combination of population genetic summary statistics and landscape genomic analyses, we explore predictors of the scale and depth of phylogeographic structure in co-distributed lizard taxa from the topographically and climatically complex monsoonal tropics (AMT) of Australia. We first resolve intraspecific lineages and then test whether genetic divergence across space within lineages is related to isolation by distance, resistance and/or environment, and whether these factors differ across genera or between rock-related versus habitat generalist taxa. We then test whether microevolutionary processes within lineages explain differences in the geographic scale and depth of intraspecific phylogeographic lineages. Results indicate that landscape predictors of phylogeographic structure differ between taxa. Within lineages, there was prevalent isolation by distance, but the strength of isolation by distance is independent on the taxonomic family, habitat specialization and climate. Isolation by environment is the strongest predictor of landscape-scale genetic divergence for all taxa, with both temperature and precipitation acting as limiting factors. The strength of isolation by distance does not predict the geographic scale of phylogeographic structure. However, more localized lineages had higher mean individual heterozygosity and less negative Tajima’s D. This result implies that finer-scale phylogeographic structuring within species is associated with larger and more stable populations and, hence, persistence.

PMID:34216506 | DOI:10.1111/mec.16057

Eur J Neurol. 2021 Jul 3. doi: 10.1111/ene.15004. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Previous literature has demonstrated an association between high serum levels of type-II secretory phospholipase A2 (sPLA2) concentration and an increased risk of coronary artery disease. However, such association has not been established in terms of ischemic stroke risk. We aimed to evaluate the association between both sPLA2 concentration and activity as continuous variables with risk of future ischemic stroke.

METHODS: We conducted a nested case-control study using data from the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer – Norfolk study. Cases (n=145) in the current study were participants who developed ischemic stroke during follow-up, with controls (n=290) matched in a 2:1 ratio based on age and sex. Statistical analyses were performed using SPSS (version 25.0, Chicago, Ill) software. Logistic regression was used to determine odds ratios (OR) and corresponding 95% confidence intervals (95% CIs) for ischemic stroke.

RESULTS: After adjusting for a wide array of cardiovascular confounders, sPLA2 activity was found to be associated with an increased risk of ischemic stroke using both multiple imputations with chained equations and complete case analysis: OR 1.20 (95% CI: 1.01-1.43) and OR 1.23 (95% CI: 1.01 -1.49), respectively. However, sPLA2 concentration was not found to be associated with increased risk of ischemic stroke.

CONCLUSIONS: The activity of sPLA2, but not sPLA2 concentration, is associated with an increased risk of future ischemic stroke. This finding may be significant in risk group stratification, allowing targeted prophylactic treatment, or the development of novel therapeutic agents.

PMID:34216520 | DOI:10.1111/ene.15004

J Infect Dis. 2021 Jul 3:jiab349. doi: 10.1093/infdis/jiab349. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: The natural history and clinical progression of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infections can be better understood using combined serological and reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) testing.

METHODS: Nasopharyngeal swabs and serum were collected at a single time-point from patients at an urban, public hospital August – November 2020 and tested for SARS-CoV-2 using RT-PCR, viral culture, and anti-Spike pan-Ig antibody testing. Participant demographics and symptoms were collected through interview. Chi-squared and Fisher’s exact tests were used to identify associations between RT-PCR and serology results with presence of viable virus and frequency of symptoms.

RESULTS: Among 592 participants, 129 (21.8%) had evidence of SARS-CoV-2 infection by RT-PCR or serology. Presence of SARS-CoV-2 antibodies was strongly associated with lack of viable virus (p-value=0.016). COVID-19 symptom frequency was similar for patients testing RT-PCR positive/seronegative and patients testing RT-PCR positive/seropositive. Patients testing RT-PCR positive/seronegative reported headaches, fatigue, diarrhea and vomiting at rates not statistically significantly different from those testing RT-PCR negative/seropositive.

CONCLUSIONS: While patients testing SARS-CoV-2 seropositive were unlikely to test positive for viable virus and were therefore low-risk for forward transmission, COVID-19 symptoms were common. Paired SARS-CoV-2 RT-PCR and antibody testing provides more nuanced understanding of patients’ COVID-19 status.

PMID:34216468 | DOI:10.1093/infdis/jiab349

Mutagenesis. 2021 Jul 3:geab025. doi: 10.1093/mutage/geab025. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

Genotoxicity testing plays an important role in the safety assessment of pharmaceuticals, pesticides, and chemical substances. Among the guidelines for various genotoxicity tests, the in vitro genotoxicity test battery comprises the bacterial Ames test and mammalian cell assays. Several chemicals exhibit conflicting results for the bacterial Ames test and mammalian cell genotoxicity studies, which may stem from the differences in DNA repair capacity or metabolism, between different cell types or species. For better understanding the mechanistic implications regarding conflict outcomes between different assay systems, it is necessary to develop in vitro genotoxicity testing approaches with higher specificity towards DNA-damaging reagents. We have recently established an improved thymidine kinase (TK) gene mutation assay (TK assay) that is deficient in DNA excision repair system using human lymphoblastoid TK6 cells lacking XRCC1 and XPA (XRCC1 -/-/XPA -/-), the core factors of base excision repair and nucleotide excision repair, respectively. This DNA repair-deficient TK6 cell line is expected to specifically evaluate the genotoxic potential of chemical substances based on the DNA damage. We focused on four reagents, N-(1-naphthyl)ethylenediamine dihydrochloride (NEDA), p-phenylenediamine (PPD), auramine, and malachite green (MG) as the Ames test-positive chemicals. In our assay, assessment using XRCC1 -/-/XPA -/- cells revealed no statistically significant increase in the mutant frequencies after treatment with NEDA, PPD, and MG, suggesting the chemicals to be non-genotoxic in humans. The observations were consistent with that of the follow-up in vivo studies. In contrast, the mutant frequency was markedly increased in XRCC1 -/-/XPA -/- cells after treatment with auramine. The results suggest that auramine is the genotoxic reagent that preferentially induces DNA damages resolved by BER and/or NER in mammals. Taken together, BER/NER deficient cell-based genotoxicity testing will contribute to elucidate the mechanism of genotoxicity and therefore play a pivotal role in the accurate safety assessment of chemical substances.

PMID:34216473 | DOI:10.1093/mutage/geab025

Tokai J Exp Clin Med. 2021 Jul 20;46(2):75-82.

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE: To examine how Kampo education in Japanese medical schools changed between 2011 and 2019.

METHODS: We administered nationwide postal questionnaire surveys about current characteristics of Kampo medicine education in all 82 Japanese medical schools, directed to the persons responsible for Kampo education at each university. One survey was conducted in 2011 and one in 2019. Analysis used Welch’s t-test and a chi-squared test.

RESULTS: The average class meeting time was shorter in 2019 than in 2011. The proportion of class meetings that were about Kampo saw a statistically significant increase in the third year and a significant decrease in the fourth and sixth years of medical school. Curriculum standardisation, preparation of simple textbooks, and fostering Kampo medicine instructors were the primary problems in both years. The proportion of mainstream medical education contents focusing on traditional Japanese Kampo medicine did not change over time, nor did the percentage of those considering using standardised textbooks. Other changes were statistically nonsignificant.

CONCLUSION: In Japanese medical schools, the number of class meetings teaching Kampo medicine has increased; however, this number is not statistically significant. Persistent problems in Kampo education, including curriculum standardisation, need to be addressed.

PMID:34216479