Table of Contents

Publication date: September 2017
Source:Magnetic Resonance Imaging, Volume 41





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Editorial Board

Publication date: September 2017
Source:Magnetic Resonance Imaging, Volume 41





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Spiral MR fingerprinting at 7T with simultaneous B1 estimation

Publication date: September 2017
Source:Magnetic Resonance Imaging, Volume 41
Author(s): Guido Buonincontri, Rolf F. Schulte, Mirco Cosottini, Michela Tosetti
Magnetic resonance fingerprinting is an efficient, new approach for quantitative imaging with MR. We aimed to extend this technique to cases with B1+ inhomogeneities within the imaging volume.Previous approaches have used abrupt changes in flip angles to estimate the B1+ field simultaneously with T1 and T2, using a Cartesian approach in a small-animal scanner at 4.7T. Here, we evaluated whether a similar approach would be suitable for imaging human brains using spiral readouts with a 7T scanner.We found that our modified scheme could significantly reduce the adverse effects of B1+ inhomogeneities even in extreme cases, reducing both the bias and the variance in T2 estimations by an order of magnitude when compared to literature methods. Acquisitions used less than 1.5W/kg SAR and could be performed in 12s per slice.In conclusion, our approach can be used to perform quantitative imaging of the brain at 7T in a short time, simultaneously estimating the B1+ profile.



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Voluntary health insurance in Europe: Country experience [Internet].

No two markets for voluntary health insurance (VHI) are identical. All differ in some way because they are heavily shaped by the nature and performance of publicly financed health systems and by the contexts in which they have evolved.

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Treatment of Osteoarthritis of the Knee: An Update Review [Internet].

To assess the evidence for the efficacy of the following interventions for improving clinical outcomes in adults with osteoarthritis (OA) of the knee: cell-based therapies; glucosamine, chondroitin, or glucosamine plus chondroitin; strength training, agility, or aerobic exercise (land or water based); balneotherapy, mud bath therapy; electrical stimulation techniques (including transcutaneous electrical stimulation [TENS], neuromuscular electrical stimulation, and pulsed electromagnetic field therapy [PEMF]); whole body vibration; heat, infrared, or ultrasound; orthoses (knee braces, shoe inserts, or specially designed shoes); weight loss diets; and home-based therapy or self-management.

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The Use of Osteochondral Allograft for the Ankle, Knee, and Shoulder: Clinical Effectiveness and Cost-Effectiveness [Internet].

To inform clinical practice on the treatment of patients who failed non-surgical or other surgical therapies for damaged articular cartilage, this report aimed to provide evidence on the clinical benefits and harms and cost-effectiveness of the use of fresh, prolonged fresh, or frozen osteochondral allografts for the lesions of the ankle, knee, and shoulder.

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Blue Light Cystoscopy in Patients with Suspected Non-Muscle Invasive Bladder Carcinoma: A Review of Clinical Utility [Internet].

According to Canadian Cancer Statistics, bladder cancer is the fifth most common cancer, accounting for more than 4% of all cancers or 7,800 cases per year. Of all incidents of bladder cancer cases at first diagnosis, about 80% were non-muscle invasive bladder cancer (NMIBC) and 20% were muscle invasive and advanced bladder cancer. Smoking is the main risk factor of bladder cancer., Other risk factors include exposure to chemicals such as aromatic compounds, radiation and chemotherapy., The most common symptom of bladder cancer is the presence of blood in the urine. Bladder cancer is diagnosed by means of cystoscopy and transurethral resection of the bladder tumor (TURBT) in combination with urine analysis and cytology., The tumors are classified based on the degree of invasion into layers of tissues; CIS (flat on surface or carcinoma in situ), Ta (raspberry growth on surface), and T1 (moves into submucosa layer) are those not yet invading into the muscle or NMIBC, while T2a, T2b, T3b and T4a are those invade deeper into the muscle layer and perivesical fat tissue. About 60% of NMIBC are Ta type, while CIS and T1 account for 10% and 30%, respectively. After the initial removal of NMIBC by TURBT, tumors can come back (recurrence) or come back and invade into the muscle layer (progression). Tumors are graded based on the risk of progression and metastasis. For instance, Ta tumors are usually low grade (non-aggressive) but have high risk of recurrence and just require repeated scraping, while CIS and T1 tumors are high grade (aggressive), have a high risk of progression to muscle layer and require more aggressive treatment.

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Aripiprazole for Borderline Personality Disorder: A Review of the Clinical Effectiveness [Internet].

Borderline personality disorder (BPD) is characterized by unstable interpersonal relationships, emotion and self-image, as well as marked impulsivity causing significant impairment. The term BPD describes a disease in the "borderline" between psychosis and neurosis. In the United States, it was reported in 2008 that the estimated prevalence was 1.4 percent in general population, but may be as high as 20% among psychiatry inpatients. BPD is predominantly (75%) diagnosed in women in clinical settings., However, there is no significant difference in the lifetime prevalence of BPD between men and women. This discrepancy of gender prevalence suggests that women with BPD are more likely to seek treatment than men. Co-morbidity with other psychiatric disorders is common in patients with BPD, especially with mood, anxiety, substance-use, and eating disorders. The cause of BPD is not known. Most hypotheses suggest that BPD is due to a combination of genetic, biologic, and psychosocial factors. Patients may experience spontaneous intermittent remission clinically sometimes. It is estimated that about 60% to 78% of BPD patients make suicide attempts, but the rate of completed suicides was found to be about 4% during a 10-years follow-up. An estimated lifetime risk of suicide of patients with BPD ranged from 3% to 10 %. The clinical diagnosis of BPD is based on a comprehensive psychiatric assessment. Clinicians use all available sources of information to make the diagnosis including the patient's self-reported clinical history, the clinician's observations during interviews, and information from family, friends, and medical records. Children or young adolescents are generally not diagnosed with BPD.,

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Before Consciousness: In Search of the Fundamentals of Mind.

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Anti-Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor Drugs for the Treatment of Retinal Conditions: A Review of the Safety [Internet].

Retinal conditions, such as age related macular degeneration (AMD), diabetic macular edema (DME), retinal vein occlusion (RVO), and choroidal neovascularization due to pathologic myopia (CNV due to PM) are an important public health concern that threatens the vision of millions of patients in Canada. The mechanism of these conditions involve the new formation of blood vessels in the retina that eventually leads to loss of vision. Anti-vascular endothelial growth factor (Anti-VEGF) inhibits this growth and allows the restoration of vision. Currently in Canada, two licensed anti-VEGF agents are available in the market; ranibizumab and aflibercept. Bevacizumab, on the other hand, has been developed as an anti-cancer drug. However, its close molecular resemblance to ranibizumab and identical mechanism of action has made it a widely used option, especially in environments that are strained on health resources.,

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Nonpharmacologic Treatments for Menopause-Associated Vasomotor Symptoms [Internet].

Vasomotor symptoms (VMS), which include hot flashes and night sweats, are the most common symptoms reported during the menopausal transition and are experienced by as many as 80% of women. VMS can lead to increased healthcare encounters for symptom relief and reductions in quality of life. The degree to which VMS is bothersome is determined not only by how frequently it occurs but also by other factors such as duration of VMS, coexisting sleep problems, and the extent to which VMS interferes with daily activities or job-related activities. Hormone therapy (HT) is an effective treatment for reducing VMS, but use of this therapeutic approach must be individualized through weighing benefits with known risks, such as cardiovascular events or uterine and breast cancers. Based on age (> 45 years), currently half of the approximately 360,000 women Veterans who use Veterans Health Administration healthcare are perimenopausal or postmenopausal. Due in part to concerns about possible harms from long-term hormone therapy and in part to uncertain efficacy and safety of pharmacologic treatments, many women with VMS seek nonhormonal, nonpharmacologic treatment options.

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Topical Antibiotics for Impetigo: A Review of the Clinical Effectiveness and Guidelines [Internet].

The purpose of this report is to retrieve and review the existing clinical effectiveness evidence on the treatment of patients with impetigo with the topical antibiotics: polymyxin B sulfate-bacitracin (Polysporin ointment), polymyxin B sulfate-gramicidin (Polysporin cream), polymyxin B sulfate-bacitracin-gramicidin (Polysporin triple ointment), bacitracin (Bacitin ointment), mupirocin (Bactroban cream/ointment), silver sufadiazine (Flamazine cream), fusidic acid/fusidate sodium (Fucidin cream/ointment), and fusidic acid 2% with hydrocortisone (Fucidin H), compared to each other, placebo or oral antibiotics. Additionally, this report aims to retrieve and review evidence-based guidelines for the treatment of impetigo using topical antibiotics.

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Voluntary health insurance in Europe: role and regulation [Internet].

If public resources were unlimited, there would be no gaps in health coverage and no real need for voluntary health insurance (VHI). Most health systems face fiscal constraints, however, and VHI is often seen as a way to address these pressures. This study draws from the experiences of 34 countries to assess VHI's contribution to health spending and to understand its role in Europe and in relation to publicly financed coverage. It looks at who sells VHI, who purchases it and why. It also reviews public policy on VHI at the national and European Union (EU) levels and the related national policy debates.

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Osseointegrated Prosthetic Implants for Lower Limb Amputation: A Review of Clinical Effectiveness, Cost-Effectiveness and Guidelines [Internet].

This Rapid Response seeks to assess the comparative clinical and cost-effectiveness of OIP versus either socket prostheses or no prosthesis, in people with lower limb amputation, as well as identify and review any evidence-based guidance for the procedure.

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Tympanostomy Tubes in Children With Otitis Media [Internet].

The objectives for the systematic review are to synthesize information on the effectiveness of tympanostomy tubes (TT) in children with chronic otitis media with effusion and recurrent acute otitis media, summarize the frequency of adverse effects or complications associated with TT placement, synthesize information on the necessity for water precautions in children with TT, and assess the effectiveness of available treatments for otorrhea in children who have TT.

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Systematic review of interventions for treating or preventing antipsychotic-induced tardive dyskinesia.

This systematic review of interventions for antipsychotic-induced tardive dyskinesia found only underpowered trials of limited quality and recommended further well-designed pragmatic RCTs of currently used treatments.

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Nasal methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus colonization among otherwise healthy children aged between 2 months and 5 years in northern Taiwan, 2005-2010.

Related Articles

Nasal methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus colonization among otherwise healthy children aged between 2 months and 5 years in northern Taiwan, 2005-2010.

J Microbiol Immunol Infect. 2017 Aug 12;:

Authors: Tsai MS, Chen CJ, Lin TY, Huang YC

Abstract
BACKGROUND: Community-associated methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (CA-MRSA) infections have been increasingly reported worldwide and are associated with nasal colonization. In Taiwan, available data disclosed a similar trend. We conducted a study for the updated childhood nasal MRSA carriage.
METHODS: From July 2005 to December 2010, children aged between 2 months and 5 years who presented for a well-child health care visit to a medical center or from kindergarten/daycare center were invited and a nasal swab specimen was obtained for the detection of MRSA. All MRSA isolates were characterized.
RESULTS: A total of 3226 children were included and the rate of nasal MRSA carriage was 10.2%. Children aged 2-6 months and >3 years were significantly associated with MRSA carriage, while pneumococcus colonization (p = 0.033) and breastfeeding (p = 0.025) were negatively associated with MRSA carriage. Of the 330 MRSA isolates, a total of 13 pulsotypes with two major patterns (type C, 47.0% and D, 29%) were identified. Most MRSA isolates belonged to two major clones, characterized as sequence type 59 (ST59)/pulsotype C/staphylococcal cassette chromosome (SCCmec) IV/Panton-Valentine leukocidin (PVL)-negative (45.8%) and ST59/pulsotype D/SCCmec VT/PVL-positive (22.7%). Two new clones as ST 508/SCCmec IV (9.7%) and ST573/SCCmec IV (7.3%) emerged and increased markedly since 2007.
CONCLUSION: Between 2005 and 2010, 10.2% of healthy children in northern Taiwan carried MRSA in anterior nares, with the highest carriage rate for infants aged 2-6 months. Two emerging clones, ST 508 and ST 573, were identified and the clinical significance needs further surveillance.

PMID: 28826854 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]

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Case 245: Erdheim-Chester Disease.

Case 245: Erdheim-Chester Disease.

Radiology. 2017 Sep;284(3):910-917

Authors: Mamlouk MD, Aboian MS, Glastonbury CM

Abstract
History A 53-year-old man experienced headache and double vision that progressed over 1 year. After a traumatic fall, he was hospitalized, and proptosis was identified at physical examination. Laboratory tests were remarkable for leukocytosis. Hematocrit level, thyroid stimulating hormone level, autoimmune antibody level, erythrocyte sedimentation rate, and C-reactive protein level were normal. Computed tomography (CT) of the head revealed bilateral intraconal masses, for which magnetic resonance (MR) imaging of the orbits was subsequently performed ( Fig 1 ). CT imaging of the chest and abdomen ( Fig 2 ) revealed periaortic and retroperitoneal stranding. Perinephric biopsy was performed, and a diagnosis of immunoglobulin G4 (IgG4)-related disease was made based on identification of a few plasma cells per high-power field that were positive for IgG4. Orbital biopsy was then performed, but the results were inconclusive for IgG4-related disease. The patient was discharged and given steroid therapy for presumed IgG4-related disease. [Figure: see text][Figure: see text][Figure: see text][Figure: see text][Figure: see text][Figure: see text] Several months later, the patient returned to our institution with progressive symptoms despite ongoing steroid treatment. His case was reviewed by several specialists to develop alternative treatments for IgG4-related disease. After review of the available images, a neuroradiology fellow (M.D.M.) performed history taking and a physical examination and subsequently recommended radiography of the lower extremities ( Fig 3 ). [Figure: see text][Figure: see text].

PMID: 28825890 [PubMed - in process]

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Modeling the mammalian sleep cycle

Publication date: October 2017
Source:Current Opinion in Neurobiology, Volume 46
Author(s): Franz Weber
During sleep, the mammalian brain transitions through repeated cycles of non-rapid-eye-movement (NREM) and rapid-eye-movement (REM) sleep. The physiological implementation of this slow ultradian brain rhythm is largely unknown. Two differing dynamical mechanisms have been proposed to underlie the NREM–REM cycle. The first model type relies on reciprocal interactions between inhibitory and excitatory neural populations resulting in stable limit cycle oscillations. Recent experimental findings instead favor a model, in which mutually inhibitory interactions between REM sleep-promoting (REM-on) and REM sleep-suppressing (REM-off) neural populations stabilize the brain state. Sow modulations in the neural excitability, that are hypothesized to reflect the homeostatic need for REM sleep, abruptly switch the brain in and out of REM sleep.

Graphical abstract

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Characterizing and interpreting the influence of internal variables on sensory activity

Publication date: October 2017
Source:Current Opinion in Neurobiology, Volume 46
Author(s): Richard D Lange, Ralf M Haefner
The concept of a tuning curve has been central for our understanding of how the responses of cortical neurons depend on external stimuli. Here, we describe how the influence of unobserved internal variables on sensory responses, in particular correlated neural variability, can be understood in a similar framework. We suggest that this will lead to deeper insights into the relationship between stimulus, sensory responses, and behavior. We review related recent work and discuss its implication for distinguishing feedforward from feedback influences on sensory responses, and for the information contained in those responses.



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Novel hemagglutinin nanoparticle influenza vaccine with Matrix-M™ adjuvant induces hemagglutination inhibition, neutralizing, and protective responses in ferrets against homologous and drifted A(H3N2) subtypes

Publication date: Available online 22 August 2017
Source:Vaccine
Author(s): Gale Smith, Ye Liu, David Flyer, Michael J. Massare, Bin Zhou, Nita Patel, Larry Ellingsworth, Maggie Lewis, James F. Cummings, Greg Glenn
Influenza viruses frequently acquire mutations undergoing antigenic drift necessitating annual evaluation of vaccine strains. Highly conserved epitopes have been identified in the hemagglutinin (HA) head and stem regions, however, current influenza vaccines induce only limited responses to these conserved sites. Here, we describe a novel seasonal recombinant HA nanoparticle influenza vaccine (NIV) formulated with a saponin-based adjuvant, Matrix-M™. NIV induced hemagglutination inhibition (HAI) and microneutralizing (MN) antibodies against a broad range of influenza A(H3N2) subtypes. In a comparison of NIV against standard-dose and high-dose inactivated influenza vaccines (IIV and IIV-HD, respectively) in ferrets NIV elicited HAI and MN responses exceeding those induced by IIV-HD against homologous A(H3N2) by 7 fold, A(H1N1) by 26 fold, and B strain viruses by 2 fold. NIV also induced MN responses against all historic A/H3N2 strains tested, spanning more than a decade of viral evolution from the 2000–2017 influenza seasons whereas IIV and IIV-HD induced HAI and MN responses were largely directed against the homologous A(H3N2), A(H1N1), and B virus strains. NIV induced superior protection compared to IIV and IIV-HD in ferrets challenged with a homologous or 10-year drifted influenza A(H3N2) strain. HAI positive and HAI negative neutralizing monoclonal antibodies derived from mice immunized with NIV were active against homologous and drifted influenza A(H3N2) strains. Taken together these observations suggest that NIV can induce responses to one or more highly conserved HA head and stem epitopes and result in highly neutralizing antibodies against both homologous and drift strains.



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High quality of evidence is uncommon in Cochrane systematic reviews in Anaesthesia, Critical Care and Emergency Medicine.

BACKGROUND: The association between the quality of evidence in systematic reviews and authors' conclusions regarding the effectiveness of interventions relevant to anaesthesia has not been examined. OBJECTIVE: The objectives of this study were: to determine the proportion of systematic reviews in which the authors made a conclusive statement about the effect of an intervention; to describe the quality of evidence derived from outcomes in reviews that used the Grades of Recommendation, Assessment, Development and Evaluation (GRADE) working group system for grading the quality of evidence; and to identify review characteristics associated with conclusiveness. DESIGN: Cross-sectional analysis of Cochrane systematic reviews from the Anaesthesia, Critical Care and Emergency Review Group was undertaken. DATA SOURCES: The Cochrane webpage was used to identify reviews for inclusion ( http://.ace.cochrane.org/). ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA: New and updated versions of systematic reviews published up to 17 September 2015 were eligible. Protocols for systematic reviews were excluded. RESULTS: A total of 159 reviews were included. GRADE was used in 103 reviews (65%). Of these, high-level evidence for the primary outcome was identified in 11 reviews (10%). The main reasons that quality of evidence for the primary outcome was downgraded were risk of bias (n = 44; 43%) and imprecision (n = 36; 35%). Authors of 47% (n = 75) of the total number of reviews made conclusive statements about the effects of interventions. Independent predictors of conclusiveness in the subgroup of reviews with GRADE assessments were quality of evidence for the primary outcome (odds ratio 2.03; 95% confidence interval: [1.18 to 3.52] and an increasing number of studies included in reviews (OR 1.05; 95% CI: [1.01 to 1.09]). CONCLUSION: It was common for conclusive statements to be made about the effects of interventions despite evidence for the primary outcome being rated less than high quality. Improving methodological quality of trials would have the greatest impact on improving the quality of evidence. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-Non Commercial-No Derivatives License 4.0 (CCBY-NC-ND), where it is permissible to download and share the work provided it is properly cited. The work cannot be changed in any way or used commercially without permission from the journal. http://ift.tt/OBJ4xP (C) 2017 European Society of Anaesthesiology

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Sodium appetite elicited by low-sodium diet is dependent on p44/42 MAPK (ERK1/2) activation in the brain

Abstract

The sodium appetite is regulated by several signalling molecules, among which angiotensin II (ANG II) serves as a key driver of robust salt intake by binding to ANG II type 1 receptors (AT1R) in several regions in the brain. The activation of these receptors recruits the mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) pathway, which has previously been linked to ANG II-induced increases in sodium appetite. Thus, we addressed the involvement of MAPK signalling in the induction of sodium appetite after four days of low-sodium diet consumption. An increase in extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) phosphorylation in the laminae terminalis and mediobasal hypothalamus was observed after low-sodium diet consumption. This response was reduced by intracerebroventricular (icv) microinjection of an AT1R antagonist into the laminae terminalis but not the hypothalamus. This result indicates that low-sodium diet consumption activates the MAPK pathway via ANG II/AT1R signalling on the laminae terminalis. On the other hand, activation of the MAPK pathway in the mediobasal hypothalamus after low-sodium diet consumption seems to involve another extracellular mediator. We also evaluated whether a low-sodium diet could increase the sensitivity for ANG II in the brain and activate the MAPK pathway. However, icv injection of ANG II increased ERK phosphorylation on the laminae terminalis and mediobasal hypothalamus; this increase achieved a response magnitude similar to those in both the normal and low-sodium diet groups. These data indicate that low-sodium diet consumption for four days is insufficient to change the ERK phosphorylation response to ANG II in the brain. To investigate whether the MAPK pathway is involved in sodium appetite after low-sodium diet consumption, we performed icv microinjections of a MAPK pathway inhibitor (PD98059). PD98059 inhibited both saline and water intake after low-sodium diet consumption. Thus, the MAPK pathway is involved in the promoting the sodium appetite after low-sodium diet consumption.

This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

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One stone two birds: novel carbon nanotube/Bi 4 VO 8 Cl photocatalyst for simultaneous organic pollutants degradation and Cr(VI) reduction

Abstract

In this work, visible light-responsive carbon nanotubes (CNTs)/Bi₄VO₈Cl composite photocatalysts have been prepared by a facile in situ hydrothermal method and characterized by various techniques. The photocatalytic properties of the photocatalysts are evaluated by the degradation of refractory azo-dye methyl orange (MO), hexavalent chromium Cr(VI), and bisphenol A (BPA) in water under visible light irradiation. It is found that the as-prepared composite with 4 wt% CNTs shows an optimal photocatalytic performance, and its photocatalytic activity is 30% higher than that of pure Bi₄VO₈Cl. The enhanced photocatalytic activity is ascribed to the synergetic effects induced by increased light absorption, increased adsorption efficiency for pollutant, and suppressed recombination rate of photogenerated charge carriers. Furthermore, efficient removals of Cr(VI), bisphenol A (BPA), and combined contamination of Cr(VI) and BPA over CNTs/Bi₄VO₈Cl composite further confirm that the degradation of organic pollutants is a photocatalytic mechanism rather than photosensitization of dye. Of particular importance is that removal efficiency of single pollutant can be promoted by the coexistence of the Cr(VI) and organics. The mechanism of synergetic promotion is discussed and attributed to the accelerated separation of charge carriers resulted from their simultaneously being captured by pollutants. Moreover, the CNTs/Bi₄VO₈Cl composite exhibits good stability and recycling performance in the photocatalytic degradation process. Therefore, the composite photocatalysts developed in the present work are expected to have the potential in purification of complex wastewater.

Graphical abstract

The separation of photogenerated charge carriers and adsorbing capacity as well as visible light absorption ability of Bi₄VO₈Cl are significantly promoted by coupling with carbon nanotubes. Simultaneous removal of Cr(VI) and organic pollutants can be achieved by CNTs/Bi₄VO₈Cl composite photocatalysts under visible light irradiation.

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Exposure of children aged 0–7 years to perfluorinated compounds in Foshan, China

Abstract

To evaluate the exposure of children to 14 perfluorinated compounds (PFCs) in a typical and representative industrial city, plasma samples from 476 children aged 0–7 years in Foshan, China, were analysed. Perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) and perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) were detected in 100% of the samples, accounting for 82.27 and 11.46% of the total PFC concentrations, respectively, while PFOS peaked at age 0–1 years, for which the mean and median concentrations were 113.71 and 83.65 ng/mL, respectively, while PFOA peaked at age 3–4 years, for which the mean and median concentrations were 10.68 and 6.58 ng/mL, respectively. The concentrations of PFOS, perfluorohexane sulfonate and perfluorohexanoic acid decreased with age among children aged 0–7 years, and no gender-related differences were found in the concentrations of PFCs. A high correlation was found among all PFCs, especially between PFCs of similar carbon chains (r = 0.161–0.695, p < 0.05). In addition, the concentrations of PFOS and PFOA in children's plasma in Foshan were up to 40-fold higher than those reported in China and other countries. In conclusion, children in Foshan have extensive exposure to PFCs, especially in infancy. Further studies are needed to explore the impact of PFCs on children who live in a typical and representative industrial city in China.

Graphical abstract

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Interpretation of thyroid scintigraphy is inconsistent among endocrinologists

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CorteXpert: A Model-based Method for Automatic Renal Cortex Segmentation

Publication date: Available online 23 August 2017
Source:Medical Image Analysis
Author(s): Dehui Xiang, Ulas Bagci, Chao Jin, Fei Shi, Weifang Zhu, Jianhua Yao, Milan Sonka, Xinjian Chen
This paper introduces a model-based approach for a fully automatic delineation of kidney and cortex tissue from contrast-enhanced abdominal CT scans. The proposed framework, named CorteXpert, consists of two new strategies for kidney tissue delineation: cortex model adaptation and non-uniform graph search. CorteXpert was validated on a clinical data set of 58 CT scans using the cross-validation evaluation strategy. The experimental results indicated the state-of-the-art segmentation accuracies (as dice coefficient): 97.86% ± 2.41% and 97.48% ± 3.18% for kidney and renal cortex delineations, respectively.

Graphical abstract

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Salvage Therapy in Advanced Adult Soft Tissue Sarcoma: A Systematic Review and Meta‐Analysis of Randomized Trials

AbstractBackground.Prognosis for patients with metastatic soft tissue sarcomas (STS) is dismal, with median overall survival (OS) of 8–12 months. The role of second‐line therapy has been inconsistently investigated over the last 20 years. This systematic review and meta‐analysis was performed to assess the efficacy of salvage treatment in pretreated adult type STS, gastrointestinal stromal tumor (GIST) excluded.Material and Methods.PubMed, Web of Science, SCOPUS, EMBASE, CINAHL, and The Cochrane Library were searched for randomized phase II/phase III trials exploring second‐ or beyond therapy lines in pretreated metastatic STS. Two independent investigators extracted data; the quality of eligible studies was resolved by consensus. Hazard ratio (HR) of death and progression (OS and progression‐free survival [PFS]) and odds ratio (OR) for response rate (RR) were pooled in a fixed‐ or random‐effects model according to heterogeneity. Study quality was assessed with the Cochrane's risk of bias tool, and publication bias with funnel plots.Results.Overall, 10 randomized trials were selected. The pooled HR for death was 0.81 (95% confidence interval [CI] 0.73–0.9). Second‐line therapy reduced the risk of progression by 49% (HR = 0.51, 95% CI 0.34–0.76). This translated into an absolute benefit in OS and PFS by 3.3 and 1.6 months, respectively. Finally, RR with new agents or chemotherapy doublets translated from 4.3% to 7.6% (OR = 1.78, 95% CI 1.22–2.50).Conclusion.Better survival is achieved in patients treated with salvage therapies (chemotherapy, as single or multiple agents or targeted biological agents). A 3‐months gain in OS and an almost double RR is observed. Second lines also attained a reduction by 50% the risk of progression.Implications for Practice.There is some evidence that salvage therapies after first‐line failure are able to improve outcome in metastatic soft tissue sarcoma (STS). Trabectedin, gemcitabine‐based therapy, and pazopanib are currently approved drugs used after conventional upfront treatment. This meta‐analysis reviews the benefit of new agents used in randomized trials in comparison with no active treatments or older agents for recurrent/progressed STS. The results show that modern drugs confer a statistically significant 3‐month benefit in terms of overall survival, and an increase in response rate. Despite a limited improvement in outcome, currently approved second‐line therapy should be offered to patients with good performance status.

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FDA Approval Summary: Pembrolizumab for Treatment of Metastatic Non‐Small Cell Lung Cancer: First‐Line Therapy and Beyond

AbstractOn October 24, 2016, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved pembrolizumab (Keytruda; Merck 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.41–0.89; p = .005), and significant improvement in PFS (HR 0.50; 95% CI: 0.37–0.68; p < .001). In KEYNOTE‐010, patients with disease progression on or after platinum‐containing chemotherapy received pembrolizumab IV 2 mg/kg, 10 mg/kg, or docetaxel 75 mg/m2 every 3 weeks. The HR and p value for OS was 0.71 (95% CI: 0.58–0.88), p < .001 comparing pembrolizumab 2 mg/kg with chemotherapy and the HR and p value for OS was 0.61 (95% CI: 0.49–0.75), p < .001 comparing pembrolizumab 10 mg/kg with chemotherapy.Implications for Practice.This is the first U.S. Food and Drug Administration approval of a checkpoint inhibitor for first‐line treatment of lung cancer. This approval expands the pembrolizumab indication in second‐line treatment of lung cancer to include all patients with programmed death‐ligand 1‐expressing non‐small cell lung cancer.

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Adjuvant radiotherapy after radical cystectomy and ileal orthotopic neobladder

Publication date: Available online 23 August 2017
Source:Journal of the Egyptian National Cancer Institute
Author(s): Mohmed S. Zaghloul, Tarek M. Zaghloul




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Scholar : Ειδοποίηση Μελετητή - [ ΣΤΟΜΑ

Ειδοποίηση Μελετητή:[ ΣΤΟΜΑΤΙΤΙΣ ]

Human microglia and astrocytes express cGAS-STING viral sensing components

AM Jeffries, I Marriott - Neuroscience Letters, 2017

... sensors for viral nucleic acids play a key role in glial cell responses [1]. For example, we have
shown that the cytosolic RNA sensor retinoic acid-inducible gene I (RIG-I) is important for the
recognition of productive infections with the RNA virus vesicular stomatitis virus (VSV) in ...

Baculovirus-Induced Recombinant Protein Expression in Human Mesenchymal Stromal Stem Cells: A Promoter Study

G Sprick, T Weidner, D Salzig, P Czermak - New Biotechnology, 2017

... episomal replicon [14]. AcMNPV has been pseudotyped using the vesicular stomatitis
virus glycoprotein (VSV-G) to expand its host cell range and prolong recombinant
protein expression [15] ; [16]. Further modifications include ...

[PDF] A Study on Taheebo Tea of a Randomized Placebo-controlled Trial Part 2: Analysis of Improvement in Bodily Vigor and Alleviation of

T SHIRAKAWA, M NAJIMA

... After 12-weeks of ingestion, 7 items out of 23 illustrated a significant difference in intergroup
comparison: 5,"Feeling of fatigue is reduced resting on weekends."; 6,"Going to bed before 12
pm"; 9, "Catching a cold."; 11, "Less symptoms of stomatitis"; 13, "Try to take the stairs."; 17 ...

Interim analysis of a phase II trial evaluating the safety and efficacy of capecitabine plus oxaliplatin (XELOX) as adjuvant therapy in Japanese patients with operated …

K Danno, T Hata, K Tamai, Y Fujie, Y Ide, HM Kim… - Cancer Chemotherapy and …, 2017

... Hand–foot syndrome 89 (46.8) 6 (3.2) 0 Peripheral sensory neuropathy 168 (88.4) 12 (6.3) 0
Loss of appetite 88 (46.3) 7 (3.7) 0 Stomatitis 16 (8.4) 0(0.0) 0 Nausea 68 (35.8) 3 (1.6) 0 Vomiting
28 (14.7) 1 (0.5) 0 Diarrhea 57 (30.0) 8 (4.2) 0 General fatigue 72 (37.9) 2 (1.1) 0 ...

[PDF] A Study on Supplement Containing Taheebo Polyphenol of a Randomized Placebo-controlled Trial Part 2: Analysis of Improvement in Bodily Vigor and Alleviation of

T SHIRAKAWA, M NAJIMA

... 1, "Enjoyment of meal"; 4,"Wake up energetically without fatigue from the previous night"; 5,
"Feeling of fatigue is reduced by resting on weekends"; 8, "Less frequency of stiff shoulder and
lower back pain"; 9, "Catching a cold"; 11, "Less symptoms of stomatitis"; 17, "Indifference ...

[HTML] ARCHIVED-Information Sheet

J Bank

... We have archived this page and will not be updating it. You can use it for research or reference.
Hand-Foot-Mouth Disease related to Enterovirus 71. Hand-foot-mouth disease ( HFMD ) or
vesicular stomatitis with exanthem is a common childhood condition. ...

[PDF] Glosodynie a stomatodynie

M ŠVÉDOVÁ - 2017

Page 1. MASARYKOVA UNIVERZITA LÉKA SKÁ FAKULTA KATEDRA DENTÁLNÍ bakalá ské
prezenční studium 2014 - 2017 GLOSODYNIE A STOMATODYNIE BAKALÁ SKÁ PRÁCE Brno
2017 Vedoucí bakalá ské práce: Vypracovala: MUDr. Hana Poskerová, Ph. D. ...

[PDF] * Ege University, Bornova-Izmir, Turkey, Manisa Celal Bayar University, Muradiye-Manisa, Turkey,{University College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland

I Deniz, M Garcıa-Vaquero, E Imamoglu - Microalgae-Based Biofuels and Bioproducts, 2017

... virus 1 Bokesch et al.(2003) Microcystis ichtyoblabe Ichtyopeptin A, B Influenza A virus Zainuddin
et al.(2007) Porphyridium cruentum (SP and ISR) Sulfated extracellular polysaccharide Herpes
simplex virus (1 and 2), vaccinia virus, and vesicular stomatitis virus Raposo et al. ...

[PDF] Leaves and Flowers Insecticidal Activity Investigation of Salvia officinalis L. against Sitophilus oryzae L.

SISRI Ali, SHIS Shabbir, NANAS Asma, YUAS Aziz…

... It specifically used in the treatment of oropharyngeal infection, pharyngitis, stomatitis, gingivitis
and dyspepsia (Veliokovic et al., 2003). Dried leaves of Salvia are best known as a spice for,
stuffing's and some canned, soups vegetables and flavor in sausages. ...

[PDF] Antidiarrhoeal activity of ethanolic extract of roots of morinda pubescens JE Smith (Rubiaceae)

CI Kavitha Chandran, G Indira

... They were useful in gastropathy, dyspepsia, ulcerative stomatitis, wounds, gout, inflammation,
hernia, sarcocele and fever [5]. The roots were styptic, constipating, anti- inflammatory, alexeteric
and tonic, and were useful in haemorrhages, dysentery, inflammations, boils and ...

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Scholar : Ειδοποίηση Μελετητή - [ Obstructiv

Ειδοποίηση Μελετητή:[ Obstructive sleep apnea ]

Moderate-to-Severe Obstructive Sleep Apnea Is Associated with Telomere Lengthening

K Polonis, VK Somers, C Becari, N Covassin… - American Journal of …, 2017

Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is associated with cardiometabolic diseases. Telomere
shortening is linked to hypertension, diabetes mellitus, and cardiovascular diseases.
Because these conditions are highly prevalent in OSA, we hypothesized that telomere

Physiology-Based Modeling May Predict Surgical Treatment Outcome for Obstructive Sleep Apnea.

Y Li, J Ye, D Han, X Cao, X Ding, Y Zhang, W Xu, J Orr… - … American Academy of Sleep …, 2017

STUDY OBJECTIVES: To test whether the integration of both anatomical and nonanatomical
parameters (ventilatory control, arousal threshold, muscle responsiveness) in a physiology-
based model will improve the ability to predict outcomes after upper airway surgery for

Treatment outcome evaluation of different mandibular advancements using oral appliance to treat obstructive sleep apnea and hyponea syndrome: a systematic …

YY Ma, JJ Zhang, XM Gao - Beijing da xue xue bao. Yi xue ban= Journal of Peking …, 2017

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the polysomnology results along with mandibular titrated
advancement using oral appliance to treat obstructive sleep apnea and hyponea syndrome
(OSAHS). METHODS: Several electronic databases (PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library,

[PDF] Electrophysiological Difference in Obstructive Sleep Apnea with and without REM sleep Behavior Disorder: Cardiopulmonary Coupling Analysis

YK Park, SJ Choi, EY Joo - J Sleep Disord Ther, 2017

Abstract Objectives: Although rapid eye movement behavior disorder (RBD) and obstructive
sleep apnea syndrome (OSA) have different pathophysiology, RBD patients with OSA
appeared to have more stable sleep compared to patients with OSA and to verify it by

Cardiorespiratory Model-based Data-driven Approach for Sleep Apnea Detection.

S Gutta, Q Cheng, H Nguyen, B Benjamin - IEEE journal of biomedical and health …, 2017

... Gutta S, Cheng Q, Nguyen H, Benjamin B. Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is a chronic sleep
disorder affecting millions of people worldwide. Individuals with OSA are rarely aware of the
condition and are often left untreated, which can lead to some serious health problems. ...

Sleep apnea: a review of diagnostic sensors, algorithms, and therapies.

M Shokoueinejad, C Fernandez, E Carroll, F Wang… - Physiological measurement, 2017

... healthcare to secure an effective and appropriate workforce. http://www.ipem.ac.uk/.
Close. Topical Review. Sleep apnea: a review of diagnostic sensors, algorithms, and
therapies. Mehdi Shokoueinejad 1,2,3 , Chris Fernandez 2 ...

Single Anastomosis Duodeno-Ileal Switch (SADIS): A Systematic Review of Efficacy and Safety

S Shoar, L Poliakin, R Rubenstein, AA Saber - Obesity Surgery, 2017

... staple line leak, anastomosis leak, bleeding, hernia, infection and abscess formation, ileus, bowel
obstruction, and diarrhea are among ... T2DM type 2 diabetes mellitus, HTN hypertension, OSA
obstructive sleep apnea, GERD gastroesophageal reflux disease, NA not available ...

Glucose transporter 4 (GLUT4) deficient hearts develop maladaptive hypertrophy in response to physiologic or pathologic stresses

AR Wende, J Kim, W Holland, BE Wayment, BT O'Neill… - American Journal of …, 2017

Skip to main content. ...

Diabetes increases the susceptibility to acute kidney injury after myocardial infarction through augmented activation of renal toll-like receptors in rats.

K Ohno, A Kuno, H Murase, S Muratsubaki, T Miki… - American Journal of …, 2017

Skip to main content. ...

Preconditioning with the BKCa Channel Activator NS-1619 Prevents Ischemia/Reperfusion-Induced Inflammation and Mucosal Barrier Dysfunction: ROS and HO-1

H Dai, M Wang, PN Patel, TJ Kalogeris, Y Liu… - American Journal of …, 2017

Skip to main content. ...

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