Varicella post-exposure management for pediatric oncology patients

xlomafota13 shared this article with you from Inoreader Varicella post-exposure management for pediatric oncology patients Via Association française pour l'étude du cancer Bull Cancer. 2022 Jan 26:S0007-4551(22)00004-2. doi: 10.1016/j.bulcan.2021.11.016. Online ahead of print. ABSTRACT INTRODUCTION: The objective was to evaluate health care providers' (HCP) adherence to and efficacy of varicella post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP) recommendations. It was an observational, prospective, multicenter study set in Ile-de-France, France. METHODS: All children under 18 with a cancer diagnosis, currently or within 3months of receiving cancer treatment, regardless of varicella zoster virus (VZV) serostatus or previous personal history of varicella, were eligible. Study participants with significant exposure were reviewed prospectively for PEP indications. Main outcome measures were the percentage of exposure situations for which HCP were guideline-compliant, the proportion of available VZV serostatuses and the incidence of breakthrough varicella after different PEP approaches. RESULTS: A total of 51 patie nts from 15 centers were enrolled after 52 exposure episodes. Median age at exposure was 5 years (range, 1-15). Exposure within the household led to 38% of episodes. Prophylactic treatment consisted in specific anti-VZV immunoglobulins (V-ZIG) (n=19) or in oral aciclovir (n=15). No prophylactic treatment was given for 18 patients (in compliance, n=16). In compliance with guidelines, 17 patients received V-ZIG, 11 did not develop varicella (65%, [95% CI, 39-90%]); 15 received aciclovir, 13 did not develop varicella (87%, [95% CI, 67-100%]). Breakthrough varicella occurred in 11 patients, with simple clinical course in all cases; in 8/47 (17%) episodes when PEP was guideline-compliant versus 3/5 (60%) when not. DISCUSSION: Recommendations have been respected and are efficient. PEP needs to be standardized and a study carried out to define the optimal approach. Anti-VZV immunization of seronegative family members should be encouraged. PMID:35093244 | DOI:10.1016/j.bulcan.2021.11.016 View on the web Inoreader. Take back control of your news feed. Follow us on Twitter and Facebook.

Thyroid Disease in Pregnancy: A Touch of Clarity

xlomafota13 shared this article with you from Inoreader Thyroid Disease in Pregnancy: A Touch of Clarity Via liebertpub1 Thyroid, Ahead of Print. View on the web Inoreader. Take back control of your news feed. Follow us on Twitter and Facebook.

The music-related quality of life: Italian validation of MuRQoL into MUSQUAV questionnaire and preliminary data from a cohort of postlingually deafened cochlear implant users

xlomafota13 shared this article with you from Inoreader The music-related quality of life: Italian validation of MuRQoL into MUSQUAV questionnaire and preliminary data from a cohort of postlingually deafened cochlear implant users Via http://link.springer.com/journal/405,European archives of oto-rhino-laryngology,The European Federation of Oto-Rhino-Laryngological Societies (EUFOS) : affiliated with the German Society for Oto-Rhino Eur Arch Otorhinolaryngol. 2022 Jan 28. doi: 10.1007/s00405-022-07258-1. Online ahead of print. ABSTRACT PURPOSE: Cochlear implant (CI) users do not receive much of the auditory information necessary for an accurate perception of music. This usually entails a dissatisfaction with the music they hear, so that their quality of life may potentially be affected. The main aim of this paper was to translate and validate into Italian an instrument to evaluate these aspects-The Music-Related Quality of Life Questionnaire (MuRQoL)-to help the work of clinicians and therapists. METHODS: The translation of the MuRQoL into "Questionario Musica e Qualità della Vita" (MUSQUAV) was done according to the international guidelines. The translated questionnaire was administered to normal hearing (NH) and CI users adults. Exploratory factor analysis, confirmatory factor analysis and known group method were used to confirm construct validity and app licability of MUSQUAV. RESULTS: We retrieved 225 results. The MUSQUAV questionnaire was acceptable according to the goodness-of-fit indices. The correlation between the items, evaluated using Cronbach's α coefficient, indicates a good internal consistency (> 0.80). The non-parametric Mann-Whitney test showed significant differences in the distinct populations tested. CONCLUSIONS: The MUSQUAV questionnaire is a valid, low-cost and rapid instrument for professional workers in the audiological field, especially useful in the assessment of the patients' perception and musical engagement. PMID:35089391 | DOI:10.1007/s00405-022-07258-1 View on the web Inoreader. Take back control of your news feed. Follow us on Twitter and Facebook.

Bereavement Practices Among Head and Neck Cancer Surgeons

xlomafota13 shared this article with you from Inoreader Bereavement Practices Among Head and Neck Cancer Surgeons Via The Laryngoscope Objectives Head and neck cancer surgeons frequently interact with dying patients with advanced disease and their families, but little is known about their bereavement practices after a patient's death. The aim of this study is to elucidate the frequency of common bereavement practices, cited barriers to bereavement, and predictive physician factors that lead to an increase in bereavement practices among head and neck cancer surgeons. Methods A 20-item survey was sent to 827 active surgeons of the American Head and Neck Society. Approval was obtained and the survey was distributed through the American Head and Neck Society. Demographics, frequency of common bereavement practices, empathy, and barriers were assessed. Multiple linear regression was performed to determine physician factors associated with more frequent bereavement follow-up. Results There were 156 respondents (18.9% response rate). Overall, surgeons were more likely to usually/always call (48.5%) or send a letter (42.4%) compared with other practices such as attending funerals (0%), offering family meetings (18.6%), or referring family members to counseling (7.7%). Many barriers were cited as being at least somewhat important: being unaware about a patient's death (67.3%) was the most cited, whereas 51.3% cited a lack of mentorship/training in this area. Scoring higher on empathy questions (P ≤ .001) was associated with more frequent surgeon bereavement follow-up with the family of deceased patients. Conclusion There is substantial practice variation among surgeons suggesting a lack of consensus on their roles in bereavement follow-up. Having higher empathy was predictive of higher engagement. Level of Evidence NA Laryngoscope, 2022 View on the web Inoreader. Take back control of your news feed. Follow us on Twitter and Facebook.

Diagnostic accuracy of conventional oral examination for detecting oral cavity cancer and potentially malignant disorders in patients with clinically evident oral lesions: Systematic review and meta‐analysis

xlomafota13 shared this article with you from Inoreader Diagnostic accuracy of conventional oral examination for detecting oral cavity cancer and potentially malignant disorders in patients with clinically evident oral lesions: Systematic review and meta‐analysis Via Head & Neck Abstract This systematic review evaluates the diagnostic accuracy of conventional oral examination (COE) versus incisional or excisional biopsy for the diagnosis of malignant and/or dysplastic lesions in patients with clinically evident lesions. Searches were conducted across five electronic databases from inception to January 2020. Meta-analyses were undertaken, where appropriate. Among 18 included studies, 14 studies were included in the meta-analysis, giving summary estimates for COE of 71% sensitivity and 85% specificity for the diagnosis of dysplastic and/or malignant lesions. The pooled diagnostic accuracy of identifying malignant-only lesions was reported in seven studies, giving a pooled estimate of 88% sensitivity and 81% specificity. Diagnostic accuracy of different types of dental/medical professionals in identifying dysplastic or malignant lesions gave varying estimates of sensitivity and specificity across three studies. Further research is needed to improve the diagnostic acc uracy of COE for early detection of dysplastic and malignant oral lesions. View on the web Inoreader. Take back control of your news feed. Follow us on Twitter and Facebook.

A structured ICA-based process for removing auditory evoked potentials

xlomafota13 shared this article with you from Inoreader A structured ICA-based process for removing auditory evoked potentials Via cortical auditory Sci Rep. 2022 Jan 26;12(1):1391. doi: 10.1038/s41598-022-05397-3. ABSTRACT Transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS)-evoked potentials (TEPs), recorded using electroencephalography (EEG), reflect a combination of TMS-induced cortical activity and multi-sensory responses to TMS. The auditory evoked potential (AEP) is a high-amplitude sensory potential-evoked by the "click" sound produced by every TMS pulse-that can dominate the TEP and obscure observation of other neural components. The AEP is peripherally evoked and therefore should not be stimulation site specific. We address the problem of disentangling the peripherally evoked AEP of the TEP from components evoked by cortical stimulation and ask whether removal of AEP enables more accurate isolation of TEP. We hypothesized that isolation of the AEP using Independent Components Analysis (ICA) would reveal features that are stimulation site specific and unique individual features. In order to i mprove the effectiveness of ICA for removal of AEP from the TEP, and thus more clearly separate the transcranial-evoked and non-specific TMS-modulated potentials, we merged sham and active TMS datasets representing multiple stimulation conditions, removed the resulting AEP component, and evaluated performance across different sham protocols and clinical populations using reduction in Global and Local Mean Field Power (GMFP/LMFP) and cosine similarity analysis. We show that removing AEPs significantly reduced GMFP and LMFP in the post-stimulation TEP (14 to 400 ms), driven by time windows consistent with the N100 and P200 temporal characteristics of AEPs. Cosine similarity analysis supports that removing AEPs reduces TEP similarity between subjects and reduces TEP similarity between stimulation conditions. Similarity is reduced most in a mid-latency window consistent with the N100 time-course, but nevertheless remains high in this time window. Residual TEP in this window has a time-c ourse and topography unique from AEPs, which follow-up exploratory analyses suggest could be a modulation in the alpha band that is not stimulation site specific but is unique to individual subject. We show, using two datasets and two implementations of sham, evidence in cortical topography, TEP time-course, GMFP/LMFP and cosine similarity analyses that this procedure is effective and conservative in removing the AEP from TEP, and may thus better isolate TMS-evoked activity. We show TEP remaining in early, mid and late latencies. The early response is site and subject specific. Later response may be consistent with TMS-modulated alpha activity that is not site specific but is unique to the individual. TEP remaining after removal of AEP is unique and can provide insight into TMS-evoked potentials and other modulated oscillatory dynamics. PMID:35082350 | DOI:10.1038/s41598-022-05397-3 View on the web Inoreader. Take back control of your news feed. Follow us on Twitter and Facebook.

Sensitizing TRAIL response via differential modulation of anti- and pro-apoptotic factors by AZD5582 combined with ER nanosomal TRAIL in neuroblastoma

xlomafota13 shared this article with you from Inoreader Sensitizing TRAIL response via differential modulation of anti- and pro-apoptotic factors by AZD5582 combined with ER nanosomal TRAIL in neuroblastoma Via histochem Acta Histochem. 2022 Jan 22;124(2):151856. doi: 10.1016/j.acthis.2022.151856. Online ahead of print. ABSTRACT Neuroblastoma is a metastatic brain tumor particularly common in children. The cure rate is below 50% for patients of high-risk condition. Novel therapeutic agents and approaches are needed to improve the cure rate. Tumor necrosis factor-related and apoptosis-inducing ligand (TRAIL) is a promising proapoptotic factor that rapidly induces apoptosis preferentially in t ransformed and cancerous cells. Unfortunately, the common TRAIL resistance in cancers has hampered the clinical application of the ligand. Previously we prepared a novel TRAIL-armed ER derived nanosomal agent (ERN-T) that overcomes TRAIL resistance in some cancer lines when combined with a synthetic antagonist of inhibitors of apoptosis proteins (IAPs), AZD5582. However, how AZD5582 sensitizes cancer cells to ERN-T remains not well understood. In this study we continued to test the therapeutic efficacy of the combinatory therapy of ERN-T and AZD5582 on neuroblastoma, aiming to reveal the molecular mechanism underlying the synergism between AZD5582 and ERN-T. The obtained data revealed that ERN-Ts overcame TRAIL resistance and showed significant cytotoxicity on the resistant neuroblastoma line SH-SH5Y when combined with AZD5582 whilst sparing normal cells. The combination of low doses of ERN-Ts and AZD5582 induced intensive apoptosis in SH-SY5Y but not in normal skin fibroblasts (NSF s). Importantly we discovered that TRAIL sensitization in SH-SY5Y was associated with the concomitant downregulation of antiapoptotic factors cFLIP, MCL-1 and IAPs and upregulation of proapoptotic protein BAX and the death receptor 5 (DR5) by the cotreatment of ERN-T and AZD5582. In vivo study demonstrated that the combination of ERN-T and AZD5582 constituted a highly effective and safe therapy for subcutaneous SH-SY5Y xenograft neuroblastoma in nude mice. In conclusion, we identified that the concomitant regulation of both antiapoptotic and proapoptotic factors and DR5 is an essential molecular mechanism for overcoming TRAIL resistance in SH-SY5Y and the combination of ERN-T and AZD5582 potentially constitutes a novel therapeutic strategy, which is highly effective and safe for neuroblastoma. PMID:35077998 | DOI:10.1016/j.acthis.2022.151856 View on the web Inoreader. Take back control of your news feed. Follow us on Twitter and Facebook.

Morphology of the ligaments located on the medial side of the ankle and on the plantar surface of the foot

xlomafota13 shared this article with you from Inoreader Morphology of the ligaments located on the medial side of the ankle and on the plantar surface of the foot Via radiol anat Surg Radiol Anat. 2022 Jan 25. doi: 10.1007/s00276-021-02872-w. Online ahead of print. ABSTRACT To have biodynamic features, the feet have bones located in a special posture, the joints that keep together those bones, the ligaments that provide linkage to those joints, and tendons of muscles particularly which end the foot. This study aimed to research the morphology of the medial side and plantar ligaments. The study was conducted on a total of 30 feet belonging to 2 women and 13 men cadavers that exist at the Anatomy Department of the Medical Faculty of Uludag University. After the dissections, 61 parameters that belonging to the ligaments and general features of the foot, were evaluated. The statistical analysis of the collected data was evaluated by SPSS 20.0. According to the findings, while the descriptive statistics of the foot and the ligaments related to the foot, the statistically significant difference of any of the parameters wasn't observed when they were compared between the right and left sides of the foot. In terms of the correlative relations, the parameters that showed high correlation were chosen and 28 formulas were developed using regression analysis. We foresee that our findings of the features belonging to normal anatomic structures will deepen our knowledge besides providing important benefits before or during orthopedic and plastic surgery operations related to the region. Also, our findings were discussed by comparing the find ings of similar studies belonging to many other researchers in literature, and our study's contribution to the literature was evaluated. PMID:35075567 | DOI:10.1007/s00276-021-02872-w View on the web Inoreader. Take back control of your news feed. Follow us on Twitter and Facebook.

Effectiveness of submucosal turbinoplasty in refractory obstructive rhinitis: a prospective comparative trial

xlomafota13 shared this article with you from Inoreader Effectiveness of submucosal turbinoplasty in refractory obstructive rhinitis: a prospective comparative trial Via http://link.springer.com/journal/405,European archives of oto-rhino-laryngology,The European Federation of Oto-Rhino-Laryngological Societies (EUFOS) : affiliated with the German Society for Oto-Rhino Eur Arch Otorhinolaryngol. 2022 Jan 25. doi: 10.1007/s00405-022-07267-0. Online ahead of print. ABSTRACT OBJECTIVE: Refractory inferior turbinate hypertrophy requires a surgical approach to address symptomatic complaints. Submucosal approaches demonstrated their efficacy in restoring respiratory function and respecting the nasal mucosa. Microdebrider-assisted turbinoplasty (MAT) tools effectively reduces the soft tissue, exploiting a very different principle from the kinetic energy of radiofrequency. Thus, we aimed to compare the microdebrider-assisted turbinoplasty and the quantum molecular resonance (QMR) to assess patients' perspectives and respiratory outcomes. METHODS: Subjects with persistent bilateral nasal blockage due to inferior turbinates hypertrophy were prospectively recruited from the University Medical Center. We randomly assigned the patients to each treatment and performed symptom evaluation via the visual analog score and endoscopic assessment at baseline and 30-, 90-, and 180-day post-treatment. RESULTS: Seventy participants completed the evaluations, 35 in MAT and 35 in the QMR group. Nasal complaints were significantly reduced after 1 month using both methods. Although the MAT group reported higher postoperative bleeding and edema than QMR group, similar significant reductions were seen for turbinate size at long-term follow-up. Conversely, the MAT group reported greater VAS outcomes than QMR from the first postoperative month. In addition, MAT showed a longer operating time, although this difference was not statistically significant (p < 0.05). CONCLUSION: MAT allows effective control of nasal symptoms by reducing the size of turbinates in patients with lower turbinate hypertrophy. Although QMR may cause fewer postoperative complications, functional results are comparable to long-term follow-up. PMID:35076746 | DOI:10.1007/s00405-022-07267-0 View on the web Inoreader. Take back control of your news feed. Follow us on Twitter and Facebook.

A study of 285 cases of cranial vault suture closure in Chinese adults

xlomafota13 shared this article with you from Inoreader A study of 285 cases of cranial vault suture closure in Chinese adults Via radiol anat Surg Radiol Anat. 2022 Jan 25. doi: 10.1007/s00276-021-02854-y. Online ahead of print. ABSTRACT PURPOSE: To examine the presence and characteristics of cranial vault suture closure in Chinese adults and to explore whether craniosacral therapy (CST) manipulation is rational from the anatomical perspective. METHODS: Anthropological non-metric observation and craniometry were used to study 285 dry skull specimens of Chinese adults. RESULTS: A total of 91 specimens w ith closed extracranial sutures were observed, with an occurrence rate of 31.93%. Based on the mode of closure, there were 32 cases of single type closure, with sagittal suture closure predominating with 20 cases (21.98%); 59 cases of composite closure, with a partial closure of coronal suture + sagittal suture + lambdoid suture predominating with 26 cases (28.57%). In terms of the degree of closure, there were 13 cases (14.28%) of sagittal suture grade 0 closure and 78 cases (85.72%) of grade 1 - 4 closure; 34 cases (37.36%) of coronal suture grade 0 closure and 57 cases (62.64%) of grade 1 - 4 closure; 47 cases (51.65%) of lambdoid suture grade 0 closure and 44 cases (48.35%) of grade 1 - 4 closure. The segment and degree of coronal suture closure (46, 80.7%) and lambdoid suture (31, 70.45%) were mostly left-right symmetrical. The bone surfaces on either side of the cranial vault sutures are embedded in each other, forming a rough, complex and interlocking bone-suture-bone structu re. CONCLUSION: This study observed the closure of the cranial vault suture, summarized its characteristics, and explored the irrationality of the CST manipulation. The anatomical characteristics of the cranial suture dictate that manipulation cannot push the cranial suture at will. PMID:35076751 | DOI:10.1007/s00276-021-02854-y View on the web Inoreader. Take back control of your news feed. Follow us on Twitter and Facebook.

Adult female acne: Clinical and therapeutic particularities (Review)

xlomafota13 shared this article with you from Inoreader Adult female acne: Clinical and therapeutic particularities (Review) Via Experimental and therapeutic medicine Exp Ther Med. 2022 Feb;23(2):151. doi: 10.3892/etm.2021.11074. Epub 2021 Dec 16. ABSTRACT Acne is a chronic inflammatory condition affecting the pilosebaceous unit that was traditionally viewed as a disease of the adolescence. However, over the past several years, an increasing number of adult women have been reported to suffer from this condition. The prevalence of adult female acne ranges between 12 and 54%. Two clinical types can be distinguished in this population, a 'retentional' and an 'inflammatory' type, which usually tend to overlap. In terms of evolution, three main subtypes can be identified: Persistent acne, which is the most frequent subtype, late-onset acne and recurrent acne. This type of acne is mainly mild-to-moderate in severity and may be refractory to conventional treatment. The etiopathogenesis is complex and has yet to be fully elucidated. It appears to involve an interaction among genetic predisposition, hormonal factors, and chronic activation of the innate immune system overlapping with external factors, such as daily stress, Western-type diet, use of tobacco and cosmetics. The treatment may be challenging and a holistic approach is required, with special attention to the individual needs and particularities of adult women. Both topical and systemic treatments are available, with hormonal therapies being of special value in this population. The aim of the present article was to provide up-to-date, evidence-based information on the clinical presentation, etiopathogenesis and treatment of adult female acne. PMID:35069832 | PMC:PMC8753972 | DOI:10.3892/etm.2021.11074 View on the web Inoreader. Take back control of your news feed. Follow us on Twitter and Facebook.