Πέμπτη 29 Δεκεμβρίου 2022

Do incentives work to motivate voluntary blood donation?

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Abstract

Based on previous research on blood donation incentives, we investigated the effectiveness of two incentives—eligibility for free blood transfusions and improving individual credit scores—and explored the psychological mechanisms underlying these effects. We conducted four studies to explore the relationship between incentives and blood donation intention. The results showed that eligibility for free blood transfusions was more effective than improving individual credit scores due to the mediating effect of perceived attractiveness. Meanwhile, improving individual credit scores failed to play an effective role and was significantly lower than eligibility for free blood transfusions due to the mediating effect of perceived threat to freedom. We further found that after adding the moderating variable of involvement, there was no difference between the two incentives due to the weakened mediating effects of perceived threat to freedom and perceived attractiveness in the high-invo lvement group. This study establishes two effect paths from incentives to perceived threat to freedom/perceived attractiveness to blood donation intention, explaining the effectiveness of incentives.
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Diagnosis and Management of Vocal Complications after Chondrolaryngoplasty

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Diagnosis and Management of Vocal Complications after Chondrolaryngoplasty

Anterior commissure dislocation should be suspected with signs of vocal impairment after chondrolaryngoplasty. Following proper diagnosis, resuspension of the anterior commissure via feminization laryngoplasty approach can be an effective reparative technique.


Objective

Transfeminine patients (transwomen/feminine nonbinary folks assigned male at birth) can undergo chondrolaryngoplasty ("tracheal shave") to feminize their neck appearance. While isolated cases of vocal complications have been reported following the procedure, aggregated outcomes have not been quantitatively studied. We present acoustic and stroboscopic data to describe a patient cohort with vocal complications after chondrolaryngoplasty and discuss reparative surgical technique.

Methods

Subjective and objective data, including videostroboscopy, were collected from patients with voice complaints after chondrolaryngoplasty. Dislocated anterior commissures were reconstructed with feminization laryngoplasty. Postoperative voice data were recorded and statistically compared to preoperative data using paired t-tests.

Results

On consecutive chart review, of the 94 transfeminine women with prior outside history of chondrolaryngoplasty, 27 (29%) reported chronic postoperative hoarseness, deepened pitch, or loss of upper register. On endoscopy, short, lax vocal folds with persistent anterior glottic gap and phase asymmetry were commonly noted; anterior commissure dislocation was confirmed in-office by using needle localization through absent thyroid cartilage. After open resuspension of the anterior commissure with feminization laryngoplasty, post-repair modal-speaking, minimum, and maximum fundamental frequencies (F0) increased on average by 7, 8, and 5 semitones, respectively (p < 0.01), when compared to pre-repair values. On average, perioperative maximum phonation time did not change significantly (p = 0.15). Average self-assessment of vocal femininity increased by 48% (p < 0.01).

Conclusion

Anterior commissure dislocation should be suspected with signs of vocal impairment after chondrolaryngoplasty. Following proper diagnosis, resuspension of the anterior commissure via feminization laryngoplasty approach can be an effective reparative technique.

Level of Evidence

This work represents a 2011 OCEBM Level 4 evidence as a case series Laryngoscope, 2022
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Dysphagie bei tracheotomierten Patienten nach Langzeitbeatmung

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Laryngorhinootologie 2023; 102: 27-31
DOI: 10.1055/a-1076-9686

Unabhängig von der Art der kritischen Erkrankung haben tracheotomierte Patienten ein hohes Risiko für die Entwicklung einer Schluckstörung. Diese ist potenziell lebensbedrohlich, da sie zu Aspiration und Pneumonie führen kann. Vor einer oralen Nahrungsgabe sollte daher unbedingt eine Schluckdiagnostik mittels Bolusfärbetest und/oder FEES durchgeführt werden. Da ein physiologischer Luftstrom durch den Larynx und ein adäquater subglottischer Druck Schlüsselkomponenten eines effektiven Schluckaktes sind, sollte eine Oralisierung bei geblockter Trachealkanüle möglichst vermieden werden.
[...]

Georg Thieme Verlag KG Rüdigerstraße 14, 70469 Stuttgart, Germany

Article in Thieme eJournals:
Table of contents  |  Abstract  |  Full text
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Τετάρτη 28 Δεκεμβρίου 2022

Individual “alveolar phenotype” limits dimensions of lateral bone augmentation

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Abstract

Aim

Alveolar ridge resorption following tooth extraction often renders a lateral bone augmentation inevitable. Some patients, however, suffer from severe early (during graft healing, Eres) and/or late (during follow-up, Lres) graft resorption. This study explored the hypothesis that the "individual phenotypic dimensions" may partially explains the degree of such resorptions.

Material & methods

Patients who underwent a guided bone regeneration (GBR) were screened for inclusion according to the following criteria: (1) a relatively symmetrical maxillary arch, (2) an intact contra-lateral alveolar bone dimension, (3) the presence of a pre-operative cone-beam CT (CBCT), (4) a CBCT taken immediately after GBR, and (5) at least one CBCT scan ≥6 months after surgery. CBCT scans from different timepoints were registered and imported into Mimics software (Materialise, Leuven, Belgium). Bone dimensions of the contra-lateral site of the augmentation, representing the "individual phenotypical dimension of the alveolar crest" (IPD) were super-imposed on the augmented site and registered accordingly. As such, Eres and Lres could be measured over time, in relation to the IPD (in 2D; per millimetre apically from the alveolar crest, in the centre of the GBR), as well as in 3D (the entire GBR, 2 mm away from the mesial, distal, and apical border for standardisation).

Results

A total of 17 patients (23 augmented sites) were included. After Eres, the outline of the augmentation was in general located ±1 mm outside the IPD, but ≥1,5 years after GBR, it further moved towards the IPD (85% within 0.5 mm distance).

Conclusions

Within the limitations of this study the results indicate that the dimensions of a lateral bone augmentation are defined by the "individual phenotypic bone boundaries" of the patient.

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Esthetic and clinical outcomes after immediate placement and restoration: Comparison of two implant systems in the anterior maxilla—A cross‐sectional study

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Abstract

Aim

To assess the esthetic and clinical performance of a novel self-tapping implant system for single-tooth restorations in the esthetic zone after immediate placement and provisionalization.

Materials and Methods

This cross-sectional study included 52 patients contributing a total of 52 immediately placed and restored implants with ≥12 months after functional loading, comparing two different implant systems: Straumann® BLX (Institut Straumann AG, Basel, Switzerland; 25 patients) and Ankylos® (Dentsply Sirona, Hanau, Germany; 27 patients). As the primary outcome measure, peri-implant tissue esthetics were assessed by means of pink esthetics score (PES) rated by three independent clinicians. Moreover, as secondary outcome measures, the peri-implant tissue health was assessed by means of bleeding on probing, probing depth, and suppuration. Apart from that, the modified plaque index, keratinized mucosa width, and the presence of mucosal recessions were also assessed. When clinical signs suggested the possibility of peri-implantitis, radiographs were indicated to assess progressive bone loss.

Results

The mean PES ratings were 12.10 ± 1.10 for Ankylos versus 11.2 ± 1.86 for BLX, both achieving good esthetic results without significant differences (p = 0.143). There were no differences among most clinical parameters (plaque, bleeding on probing, probing depth, peri-implant mucosal recession), although peri-implant mucositis was present in one-third of the cases. The inter-rater agreement on esthetics was not significant (p < 0.250).

Conclusion

Within the limitations of the present study, it was concluded that the use of either BLX or Ankylos implant systems was associated to comparable peri-implant health and good pink esthetic outcomes during immediate implantation and restoration protocols, for at least 12 months.
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Τρίτη 27 Δεκεμβρίου 2022

The HBV web: An insight into molecular interactomes between the Hepatitis B virus and its host en route to hepatocellular carcinoma.

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ABSTRACT

Hepatitis B virus (HBV) is a major aetiology associated with the development and progression of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), the most common primary liver malignancy. Over the past few decades, direct and indirect mechanisms have been identified in the pathogenesis of HBV-associated HCC which include altered signaling pathways, genome integration, mutation-induced genomic instability, chromosomal deletions and rearrangements. Intertwining of the HBV counterparts with the host cellular factors, though well established, needs to be systemized to understand the dynamics of host-HBV crosstalk and its consequences on HCC progression. Existence of a vast array of protein-protein and protein-nucleic acid interaction databases has led to the uncoiling of the compendia of genes/gene products associated with these interactions. This review covers the existing knowledge about the HBV-host interplay and brings it down under one canopy emphasizing on the HBV-host interactomics; and thereby highlights new strategies for therapeutic advancements against HBV-induced HCC.

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Infectivity of pseudotyped SARS‐CoV‐2 variants of concern in different human cell types and inhibitory effects of recombinant spike protein and entry‐related cellular factors

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Abstract

Since the report of the first COVID-19 case in 2019, SARS-CoV-2 variants of concern (VOCs) have continued to emerge, manifesting diverse infectivity, evasion of host immunity and pathology. While ACE2 is the predominant receptor of SARS-CoV-2, TMPRSS2, Kim-1, NRP-1, CD147, furin, CD209L and CD26 have also been implicated as viral entry-related cofactors. To understand the variations in infectivity and pathogenesis of VOCs, we conducted infection analysis in human cells from different organ systems using pseudoviruses of VOCs including Alpha, Beta, Gamma and Delta. Recombinant spike S1, RBD, ACE2, Kim-1 and NRP-1 proteins were tested for their ability to block infection to dissect their roles in SARS-CoV-2 entry into cells. Compared with wild type SARS-CoV-2 (WT), numerous VOCs had significant increases of infectivity across a wide spectrum of cell types. Recombinant ACE2 protein more effectively inhibited the infection of VOCs including Delta and Omicron (BA .1 and BA.2) than that of WT. Interestingly, recombinant S1, RBD, Kim-1 and NRP-1 proteins inhibited the infection of all pseudoviruses in a manner dependent on the levels of ACE2 expression in different cell types. These results provide insights into the diverse infectivity of SARS-CoV-2 VOCs, which might be helpful for managing the emergence of new VOCs.

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Δευτέρα 26 Δεκεμβρίου 2022

Mitotic count is prognostic in IDH-mutant astrocytoma without homozygous deletion of CDKN2A/B. Results of consensus panel review of EORTC trials 26053 and EORTC 22033-26033

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Abstract
Background
Gliomas with IDH1/2 mutations without 1p19q codeletion have been identified as the distinct diagnostic entity of IDH mutant astrocytoma (IDHmut astrocytoma). Homozygous deletion of Cyclin-dependent kinase 4 inhibitor A/B (CDKN2A/B) has recently been incorporated in the grading of these tumors. The question of whether histologic parameters still contribute to prognostic information on top of the molecular classification, remains unanswered. Here we evaluated consensus histologic parameters for providing additional prognostic value in IDHmut astrocytomas.
Methods
An international panel of seven neuropathologists scored 13 well-defined histologic features in virtual microscopy images of 192 IDHmut astrocytomas from EORTC trial 22033-26033 (low-grade gliomas) and 263 from EORTC 26053 (CATNON) (1p19q non-codeleted anaplastic glioma). For 192 gliomas the CDKN2A/B status was known. Consensus (agreement ≥ 4/7 panelists) hi stologic features were tested together with homozygous deletion (HD) of CDKN2A/B for independent prognostic power.
Results
Among consensus histologic parameters, the mitotic count (cut-off of 2 mitoses per 10 high power fields standardized to a field diameter of 0.55 mm and an area of 0.24 mm 2) significantly influences PFS (p = 0.0098) and marginally the OS (p = 0.07). Mitotic count also significantly affects the PFS of tumors with HD CDKN2A/B, but not the OS, possibly due to limited follow-up data.
Conclusion
The mitotic index (cut-off 2 per 10 40x HPF) is of prognostic significance in IDHmut astrocytomas without HD CDKN2A/B. Therefore, the mitotic index may direct the therapeutic approach for patients with IDHmut astrocytomas with native CDKN2A/B status.
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Κυριακή 25 Δεκεμβρίου 2022

enzyme replacement therapy followed by stem cell transplantation in children with Gaucher disease type 1 and 3

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Abstract

Background

Gaucher disease (GD) is a lysosomal storage disorder, characterized by hepatosplenomegaly, pancytopenia, bone diseases, with or without neurological symptoms. Plasma glucosylsphingosine (lyso-Gb1), a highly sensitive and specific biomarker for GD, has been used for diagnosis and monitoring the response to treatment. Enzyme replacement therapy (ERT) is an effective treatment for the non-neurologic symptoms of GD. Neuronopathic GD (type 2 and 3) accounts for 60%–70% of the Asian affected population.

Methods

We explored combination therapy of ERT followed by hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) and its long-term outcomes in patients with GD type 3 (GD3).

Results

Four patients with GD3 and one with GD type 1 (GD1) underwent HSCT. The types of donor were one matched-related, one matched-unrelated, and three haploidentical. The age at disease onset was 6–18 months and the age at HSCT was 3.8–15 years in the patients with GD3. The latest age at follow-up was 8–22 years, with a post-HSCT duration of 3–14 years. All patients had successful HSCT. Chronic graft-versus-host disease occurred in one patient. The enzyme activities were normalized at 2 weeks post HSCT. Lyso-Gb1 concentrations became lower than the pathological value. All of the patients are still alive and physically independent. Most of them (4/5) returned to school. None of the patients with GD3 had seizures or additional neurological symptoms after HSCT, but showed varying degrees of cognitive impairment.

Conclusions

ERT followed by HSCT could be considered as an alternative treatment for patients with GD3 who have a high risk of fatal neurological progression.
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Involuntary evaluation of others' emotional expressions depends on the expresser's group membership. Further evidence for the social message account from the extrinsic affective Simon task

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Abstract

The social message account (SMA) hypothesizes that the evaluation of emotional facial expressions depends on the ethnicity of the expressers. For example, according to SMA, a happy face of a member of a prejudiced ethnicity is immediately interpreted as potentially malevolent. Evidence for this approach was found initially in evaluative priming (EP) and approach-avoidance tasks (AA) by showing an emotion × ethnicity interaction on positivity scores (EP) and approach scores (AA), respectively. Recently, attempts to replicate the EP results failed. Due to the inconclusive EP results, it was important to examine the influence of ethnicity on processing of emotional expression with another task testing involuntary evaluations. The extrinsic affective Simon task was used with stimuli varying on emotion (happy vs. fear) and ethnicity (White-Caucasian vs. Middle-Eastern men). This task was chosen because in contrast to EP (where faces are presented as task-irrelevant primes) faces are t ask-relevant. Experiment 1 yielded an emotion × ethnicity interaction with regard to positivity scores that fit SMA predictions. The results are also important in challenging a recent theoretical alternative to SMA, namely the processing conflict account. A generalization of the emotion × ethnicity pattern to learned arbitrary in- and out-groups (Experiment 2) failed, suggesting that involuntary processing of (task-irrelevant) group status depends on perceptual features.
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