Nevin ManimalaJ Med Virol. 2021 Aug 10. doi: 10.1002/jmv.27266. Online ahead of print.
ABSTRACT
we recently read the Letter published by Zahid et al. about the need to find an immediate solution for COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy in patients affected by autoimmune disease. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.
PMID:34374995 | DOI:10.1002/jmv.27266
Cancer Cytopathol. 2021 Aug 10. doi: 10.1002/cncy.22498. Online ahead of print.
ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: The development of efficient strategies for managing high-risk human papillomavirus (HR-HPV)-positive women is a major challenge when human papillomavirus-based primary screening is being performed. The objectives of this study were to evaluate the comparative effectiveness of HR-HPV testing based on self-collection (SC) and HR-HPV testing based on collection by a health professional (HP) and to assess the potential usefulness of HR-HPV testing combined with testing with the biomarkers p16/Ki-67, α-mannosidase, and superoxide dismutase 2 (SOD2).
METHODS: This was a cross-sectional study of 232 women admitted for colposcopy because of an abnormal Papanicolaou smear. The collected material underwent liquid-based cytology, HR-HPV detection, and immunocytochemical testing (p16/Ki-67, α-mannosidase, and SOD2). The gold standard was the histopathological result; the positive reference was CIN2+.
RESULTS: The overall accuracy of HR-HPV testing was 76.6%; the results for the SC group (78.1%) and the HP group (75.2%) were similar. The positive predictive values (HP, 76.5%; SC, 80.0%), the negative predictive values (HP, 66.7%; SC, 64.3%), the positive likelihood values (HP, 1.35; SC, 1.36), and the negative likelihood values (HP, 0.21; SC, 0.19) were also similar. p16/Ki-67 showed higher sensitivity than the other 2 biomarkers: 78.1% versus 45.8% for α-mannosidase and 44.5% for SOD2. The specificities of the biomarkers were equivalent: 71.4% for p16/Ki-67, 77.8% for α-mannosidase, and 71.2% for SOD2. In the HP group, accuracy also leaned more heavily toward the final score (using α-mannosidase and SOD2) without statistical significance (80.8% vs 77.9%). The contrast with the SC group yielded the same level of accuracy.
CONCLUSIONS: SC, when associated with testing with biomarkers, is as accurate as collection by HPs in the detection of women at risk for cervical cancer.
PMID:34375039 | DOI:10.1002/cncy.22498
J Forensic Sci. 2021 Aug 10. doi: 10.1111/1556-4029.14802. Online ahead of print.
ABSTRACT
In the United States, footwear examiners make decisions about the sources of crime scene shoe impressions using subjective criteria. This has raised questions about the accuracy, repeatability, reproducibility, and scientific validity of footwear examinations. Currently, most footwear examiners follow a workflow that compares a questioned and test impression with regard to outsole design, size, wear, and randomly acquired characteristics (RACs). We augment this workflow with computer algorithms and statistical analysis so as to improve in the following areas: (1) quantifying the degree of correspondence between the questioned and test impressions with respect to design, size, wear, and RACs, (2) reducing the potential for cognitive bias, and (3) providing an empirical basis for examiner conclusions by developing a reference database of case-relevant pairs of impressions containing known mated and known nonmated impressions. Our end-to-end workflow facilitates all three of these points and is directly relatable to current practice. We demonstrate the workflow, which includes obtaining and interpreting outsole pattern scores, RAC comparison scores, and final scores, on two scenarios-a pristine example (involving very high quality Everspry EverOS scanner impressions) and a mock crime scene example that more closely resembles real casework. These examples not only demonstrate the workflow but also help identify the algorithmic, computational, and statistical challenges involved in improving the system for eventual deployment in casework.
PMID:34374992 | DOI:10.1111/1556-4029.14802
J Child Psychol Psychiatry. 2021 Aug 10. doi: 10.1111/jcpp.13498. Online ahead of print.
ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Parental criticism is correlated with internalising symptoms in adolescent offspring. This correlation could in part reflect their genetic relatedness, if the same genes influence behaviours in both parents and offspring. We use a Children-of-Twins design to assess whether parent-reported criticism and offspring internalising symptoms remain associated after controlling for shared genes. To aid interpretation of our results and those of previous Children-of-Twins studies, we examine statistical power for the detection of genetic effects and explore the direction of possible causal effects between generations.
METHODS: Data were drawn from two Swedish twin samples, comprising 876 adult twin pairs with adolescent offspring and 1,030 adolescent twin pairs with parents. Parent reports of criticism towards their offspring were collected concurrently with parent and offspring reports of adolescent internalising symptoms. Children-of-Twins structural equation models were used to control for genetic influence on the intergenerational association between parental criticism and adolescent internalising.
RESULTS: Parental criticism was associated with adolescent internalising symptoms after controlling for genetic influence. No significant role was found for shared genes influencing phenotypes in both generations, although power analyses suggested that some genetic effects may have gone undetected. Models could not distinguish directionality for nongenetic, causal effects between generations.
CONCLUSIONS: Parental criticism may be involved in psychosocial family processes in the context of adolescent internalising. Future studies should seek to identify these processes and provide clarity on the direction of potential causal effects.
PMID:34374994 | DOI:10.1111/jcpp.13498
Turk Neurosurg. 2021 Jun 19. doi: 10.5137/1019-5149.JTN.34412-21.3. Online ahead of print.
ABSTRACT
AIM: We aimed to determine whether using gabapentin (GBP), especially in the first maternal trimester, would affect the neural tube development of embryos in an early stage chick embryo (ESCE) model.
MATERIAL AND METHODS: One hundred fertile specific pathogen-free (SPF) chick eggs were used to investigate neurulation; they were divided into four groups of 25 eggs (Groups A, B, C, and D including control, subtherapeutic, therapeutic, and supratherapeutic dose subjects, respectively). After 30 h of incubation, all eggs reached the ninth stage of embryonic development, as defined by Hamburger and Hamilton. GBP was administered through the subblastoderm, and the eggs were incubated for 72h. The embryos were macroscopically and histopathologically investigated with hematoxylin eosin following incubation and extraction.
RESULTS: In the 72nd hour of the study, a total of 6 eggs showed no embryo development. In groups A, B, C, and D, 1 (4.34%), 13 (59.09%), 15 (65.21%), and 18 (81.81%) neural tube defective embryos, respectively, were detected. Statistically, the difference between the groups was significant, especially in the comparisons of all GBP groups to the control group (p˂0.001) (SPSS for Windows v 23.0). However, there was no significant difference between groups B, C, and D. Additionally, we suggest that at all doses, GBP could cause neural tube defects in the ESCE.
CONCLUSION: Based on these results, we concluded that GBP use at any dose led to midline closure defects in ESCEs. This is the first report in the literature on GBP using an ESCE model. However, further investigations with a larger sample size are required to assess its effect at lower doses and to determine the mechanisms of embryonic damage.
PMID:34374986 | DOI:10.5137/1019-5149.JTN.34412-21.3
Turk Neurosurg. 2021 Jan 5. doi: 10.5137/1019-5149.JTN.32533-20.3. Online ahead of print.
ABSTRACT
AIM: Introduction: Intra-procedural rupture (IPR) of cerebral aneurysms is a serious complication of endovascular treatment (EVT) that is associated with high rate of mortality and poor outcomes. Therefore, it is important to identify the risk factors for aneurysmal IPR to improve patient outcomes. We evaluated the possible risk factors for aneurysmal IPR and discussed its management and outcomes for patients.
MATERIAL AND METHODS: Methods: A total of 106 patients with cerebral aneurysm who have undergone EVT were included in this study, with a mean follow-up period of 17.2 months. Risk factors for IPR, such as the aneurysm’s location, size and morphology, etc. were evaluated, and the chi-squared test was used for statistical analysis. Clinical outcomes were assessed using the modified Rankin scale (mRS) at 15 months.
RESULTS: Results: Among all 106 patients who have undergone EVT, five (4.7%) had aneurysmal IPR as well as ruptured aneurysms with subarachnoid haemorrhage (SAH). Among those five patients, primary coiling was performed in three cases and balloon/stent-assisted coiling was performed in two cases, with complete occlusion of the aneurysmal sac achieved in four (4/5) patients. Clinical follow-up with the mRS scores of the patients revealed mortality in one patient (20%), favourable outcomes in three patients (60%) and unfavourable outcomes in one patient (20%).
CONCLUSION: Conclusion: Aneurysmal IPR is considered a rare but important complication of endovascular coiling that is associated with poor clinical outcomes. Several risk factors are significantly associated with IPR, such as small-sized aneurysm ( 3.5 mm), presence of bleb and parent vessel tortuosity. Acom location, irregular shape and past episode of SAH also increase the risk of IPR, but such association was found to be statistically insignificant in our study. Although IPR is considered a devastating complication, good clinical outcomes can be achieved with early detection and proper management using rapid aneurysmal coil packing and occlusion.
PMID:34374972 | DOI:10.5137/1019-5149.JTN.32533-20.3
Turk Neurosurg. 2021 Feb 9. doi: 10.5137/1019-5149.JTN.33017-20.2. Online ahead of print.
ABSTRACT
AIM: To compare the effect of ultrasound-guided modified thoracolumbar interfascial plane (TLIP) block versus local anesthetic infiltration on the wound site for post-op analgesia in patients undergoing lumbar disk surgery with spinal anesthesia.
MATERIAL AND METHODS: This prospective and observationally planned study included 42 patients from the ages of 18 to 75 years, American Society of Anesthesiologists classes I-III, who underwent lumbar disk surgery. In Group L, bupivacaine infiltration was performed on the surgical incision line. In Group T, TLIP block was performed with ultrasound. In the postoperative period, Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) values were also investigated and recorded on the 10th day after discharge. Nausea, vomiting, and sedation score values and analgesic doses used by all patients in the postoperative period were recorded.
RESULTS: During any of the postoperative follow-up hours, the VAS score was ≤ 3 (mild pain), and those who did not need tramadol were 80.9% (n = 17) in Group T and 71.4% (n = 15) in Group L. VAS scores at the 1st, 4th, and 8th hours were statistically lower in Group L than those in Group T (p values: 0.011, 0.028, and 0.029). The average amounts of tramadol consumption per patient were determined as 19.04 mg ± 40.23 in Group T and 27.38 ± 44.65 mg in Group L in the first 24 hours postoperatively. There was no statistically significant difference between groups (p = 0.519).
CONCLUSION: In our study, we determined that the modified In this study, it was determined that the modified TLIP block application performed for the purpose of post-op analgesia in lumbar disk surgery was not superior to local anesthetic infiltration in terms of postoperative opioid consumption and VAS scores.
PMID:34374980 | DOI:10.5137/1019-5149.JTN.33017-20.2
Turk Neurosurg. 2021 May 21. doi: 10.5137/1019-5149.JTN.34653-21.2. Online ahead of print.
ABSTRACT
AIM: The aim of this study is to compare biomechanical results between different polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA) augmentation methods on failed lumbar pedicle screw models of animal vertebrae Material and Methods: Thirty lumbar vertebrae were harvested from six calves, and their bone mineral density was measured. 60 Polyaxial pedicle screws were inserted to all vertebrae. Pull-out tests were performed to all specimens on an Instron machine. The specimens were randomly divided into four groups. The same screws used in primary screwing process were labeled and used in revision. Screws in the first group were augmented by injecting PMMA into the failed screw hole with a syringe; screws in the second group by inserting bone graft and roll-shaped PMMA, screws in the third group by inserting bone graft and injecting PMMA with a syringe; and the fourth group by inserting bone graft and injecting PMMA through a fenestrated pedicle screw. The pull-out strength (POS) results of all specimens were recorded and compared with statistical analyses.
RESULTS: The mean BMD of the vertebrae was 1.31 ± 0.225 g/cm2 and no significant difference was found between the groups (p 0.05). The mean POS of the primary screws in the first, second, third, and fourth groups were 2166,5 N/m2, 2183,5 N/m2, 2508,5 N/m2, and 2005c N/m2 respectively. After the augmentation, the mean POS in the first, second, third and fourth groups were 3839 N/m2, 2874 N/m2, 2929 N/m2 and 3826 N/m2 respectively. No statistical difference was found between the groups in post-revision POS values (p 0.05).
CONCLUSION: There was no significant statistical difference in POS between the augmentation methods.
PMID:34374983 | DOI:10.5137/1019-5149.JTN.34653-21.2
Oncol Ther. 2021 Aug 10. doi: 10.1007/s40487-021-00163-3. Online ahead of print.
ABSTRACT
The concept of cure from cancer is important to patients, but can be difficult to communicate in terms that are meaningful. This is because there are a number of definitions of cure that are applied by clinicians, patients and the public, and by policymakers that have a different meaning and significance. In this article, we provide a narrative review of the evidence concerning cure in lung cancer and show how the different definitions may apply in different settings. A better understanding of the various concepts of cure will improve communication with patients on this important topic. This article is based on previously conducted studies and does not contain any new studies with human participants or animals performed by any of the authors.
PMID:34374957 | DOI:10.1007/s40487-021-00163-3
Drug Saf. 2021 Aug 10. doi: 10.1007/s40264-021-01091-x. Online ahead of print.
ABSTRACT
INTRODUCTION: The safety profile of remdesivir, conditionally approved for COVID-19, was limited at its 2020 introduction. Adverse drug reactions (ADRs) for medicines are collected in VigiBase, the WHO Global Database of Individual Case Safety Reports (ICSRs).
OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to provide a descriptive analysis of COVID-19 ICSR data focusing on remdesivir, including a disproportionality analysis (DA) of ADRs.
METHODS: A dedicated algorithm enabled retrieval of all COVID-19 treatment-specific ICSRs. A severity algorithm based on co-reported medicines and symptoms enabled selection of tocilizumab with its well established safety profile as comparator for remdesivir. Descriptive statistics were used for general ICSR demographics for all COVID-19-specific medicines, remdesivir and tocilizumab individually and furthermore to present treatment patterns of medicines co-reported with remdesivir. A COVID-19 indication-focused DA was deployed to minimize confounding from underlying polysymptomatic disease.
RESULTS: 14,574 COVID-19-related ICSRs were entered into VigiBase during 2020. Remdesivir was the most common medicine reported. Of 4944 remdesivir ICSRs, where tocilizumab was not co-reported, 93% described remdesivir as the sole suspect medicine. Sixty percent of ICSRs concerned males, median age was 63 years and the majority originated from the Americas (72%). In 1089 (21%) of remdesivir ICSRs, data indicated severe/critical disease. Co-reported medicines peaked during the first 3 days of remdesivir treatment. The DA for the established tocilizumab and the new remdesivir were mainly in line with the safety profiles for both medicines but suggested new safety concerns. The most reported ADRs for remdesivir represented liver dysfunction, kidney injury, death and bradycardia.
CONCLUSION: Global COVID-19-related ADR reporting proved useful in providing information on ADRs as well as on treatment patterns in this patient group. Indication-focused disproportionality analysis, together with the use of a comparator with a known safety profile, proved effective in identifying known safety information and suggested new safety concerns for remdesivir.
PMID:34374967 | DOI:10.1007/s40264-021-01091-x