Search Our Scientific Publications & Authors

Neurosurgery 2018 Dec 12. Epub 2018 Dec 12.

Department of Neurological Surgery, University of California, San Francisco, California.

Background: Given recent differing findings following 2 randomized clinical trials on degenerative lumbar spondylolisthesis (DLS) surgery, there is a need to better define how subsets of patients fare following surgery.

Objective: To investigate the impact of obesity on patient-reported outcomes (PROs) following DLS surgery.

Methods: A total of 12 high-enrolling sites were queried, and we found 797 patients undergoing surgery for grade 1 DLS. Read More

Gerontologist 2018 Dec 12. Epub 2018 Dec 12.

Virginia Tech Center for Gerontology, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg.

Background And Objectives: Older adults with HIV face greater health burden than HIV-uninfected counterparts. Little is known about resources that might mediate the influence of physiological health burden on psychological well-being. Informed by the stress process model, we assessed the influence of multifaceted health burden indicators on depressive symptoms and evaluated the mediating effects of social support adequacy. Read More

Eur Heart J Cardiovasc Imaging 2018 Dec 11. Epub 2018 Dec 11.

Department of Cardiology, Herlev & Gentofte Hospital, University of Copenhagen, Denmark.

Aims: Left atrial (LA) enlargement predicts cardiovascular risk. The prognostic value of left atrial peak reservoir strain (LA RS) by two-dimensional speckle tracking in the general population is currently unknown. This study sought to determine the prognostic value of LA RS in the general population. Read More

Pain Med 2018 Dec 12. Epub 2018 Dec 12.

College of Nursing, The University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa, USA.

Objective: To explore and describe older African Americans' patterns and perceptions of managing chronic osteoarthritis pain.

Methods: A convergent parallel mixed-methods design incorporating cross-sectional surveys and individual, semistructured interviews.

Setting: One hundred ten African Americans (≥50 years of age) with clinical osteoarthritis (OA) or provider-diagnosed OA from communities in northern Louisiana were enrolled. Read More

J Natl Cancer Inst 2018 Dec 12. Epub 2018 Dec 12.

Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD.

Background: Genome-wide association studies (GWAS) identify associations of individual single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) with cancer risk but usually only explain a fraction of the inherited variability. Pathway analysis of genetic variants is a powerful tool to identify networks of susceptibility genes.

Methods: We conducted a large agnostic pathway-based meta-analysis of GWAS data using the summary-based adaptive rank truncated product method to identify gene sets and pathways associated with pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) in 9040 cases and 12 496 controls. Read More

Jpn J Clin Oncol 2018 Dec 12. Epub 2018 Dec 12.

Department of Breast Oncology, Aichi Cancer Center Hospital, Nagoya, Japan.

The eighth editions of the primary tumor, lymph node and metastasis classifications for breast cancer issued by the American Joint Commission of Cancer and the Union for International Cancer Control were revised in 2017. The major change made by the American Joint Commission of Cancer is to incorporate biological factors such as estrogen and progesterone receptor, human epidermal growth factor receptor 2, histological grade and multigene prognostic assays, into the staging system. Tumor biomarkers and low recurrence scores confirmed by multigene prognostic assays change the staging. Read More

Gynecol Obstet Invest 2018 Dec 12:1-7. Epub 2018 Dec 12.

Department of Radiation Oncology, Henry Ford Hospital, Detroit, Michigan,

Objective: To compare survival endpoints between African American (AA) and non-AA (NAA) women with endometrial carcinoma (EC) stage I-II using a robust matching analysis.

Methods And Materials: Patients were matched by stage, grade, adjuvant management (surveillance, vaginal brachytherapy or pelvic radiation treatment), age, and year of hysterectomy. Recurrence-free survival (RFS), disease-specific survival (DSS) and overall survival (OS) were calculated. Read More

Ear Nose Throat J 2018 Dec;97(12):396-402

College of Medicine, Chang Gung University, Taoyuan, Taiwan.

The etiology of Ménière disease (MD) is multifactorial; genetic factors seem to play an important role. The associations between MD and human leukocyte antigen (HLA) status have been studied previously in several populations and have shown that the HLA alleles imparting susceptibility varied. In the present study, we explored HLA status in Taiwanese patients with definitive MD. Read More

PLoS One 2018 12;13(12):e0208603. Epub 2018 Dec 12.

Institute of Tropical Medicine, Department of Biomedical Sciences, Antwerp, Belgium.

Objective: Ancestral M. tuberculosis complex lineages such as M. africanum are underrepresented among retreatment patients and those with drug resistance. Read More

PLoS One 2018 12;13(12):e0207871. Epub 2018 Dec 12.

Institute for Prevention and Occupational Medicine of the German Social Accident Insurance, Institute of the Ruhr-Universität Bochum (IPA), Bochum, Germany.

Background: Exposure to horses can cause severe allergic reactions in sensitized individuals. The breed, American Bashkir Curly Horse is categorized as hypoallergenic, primarily due to reports of allergic patients experiencing fewer symptoms while handling this special breed. The possible reasons for this phenomenon could be lower allergen production and/or reduced allergen release into the air because of increased sebum content in their skin and hair compared to other breeds. Read More

PLoS One 2018 12;13(12):e0207194. Epub 2018 Dec 12.

Department of Radiology, NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital and the Weill Cornell Medical College, New York, New York, United States of America.

Background: The extent to which the presence and extent of subclinical atherosclerosis by coronary computed tomography angiography influences a potential mortality benefit of statin is unknown. We evaluated the relationship between statin therapy, mortality, and subclinical atherosclerosis.

Methods: In the CONFIRM study, patients with normal or non-obstructive plaque (<50% diameter stenosis) for whom data on baseline statin use was available were included. Read More

J Pediatr Gastroenterol Nutr 2018 Dec 11. Epub 2018 Dec 11.

Emma Children's Hospital, Amsterdam UMC, University of Amsterdam, Pediatric Gastroenterology.

Objectives: Pediatric achalasia is a rare neurodegenerative disorder of the esophagus that requires treatment. Different diagnostic and treatment modalities are available, but there are no data that show how children can best be diagnosed and treated. We aimed to identify current practices regarding the diagnostic and therapeutic approach toward children with achalasia. Read More

J Pediatr Gastroenterol Nutr 2018 Dec 11. Epub 2018 Dec 11.

Section of Pediatric Gastroenterology and Nutrition, Texas Children's Hospital, Baylor College of Medicine, Children's Nutrition and Research Center, Houston, TX.

Fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) is becoming part of the treatment algorithms against recurrent Clostridium difficile infection (rCDI) both in adult and pediatric gastroenterology practice. With our increasing recognition of the critical role the microbiome plays in human health and disease, FMT is also being considered as a potential therapy for other disorders, including inflammatory bowel disease (Crohn disease, ulcerative colitis), graft versus host disease, neuropsychiatric diseases, and metabolic syndrome. Controlled trials with FMT for rCDI have not been performed in children, and numerous clinical and regulatory considerations have to be considered when using this untraditional therapy. Read More

Nurs Res 2018 Dec 12. Epub 2018 Dec 12.

Professor and Associate Vice Dean of Research, University of South Florida College of Nursing, Tampa, FL Founding Director, Center of Community Alliance for Research Education, Professor, Department of Population Sciences, Beckman Research Institute, City of Hope Medical Center, Duarte, CA Associate Professor, The Ohio State University, College of Nursing, Columbus, OH Department of Health Outcomes and Behavior, Division of Population Science, H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute, Tampa, Florida 33612 Assistant Professor, College of Nursing, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT Professor, Department of Psychological Science, University of North Carolina at Charlotte, Charlotte, NC Senior Member, Division of Population Science, H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute, Tampa, FL Department of Health Disparities Research, MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX Division of Population Science, H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute & Department of Oncological Sciences, University of South Florida, College of Medicine, Tampa, FL Assistant Professor, Department of Oncology Sciences, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY Assistant Professor, Department of Community Health Sciences, Boston University School of Public Health and Department of Social and Behavioral Sciences, and Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA Assistant Professor, Department of Medical Social Sciences and Robert H. Lurie Comprehensive Cancer Center at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL Associate Professor, Fay W. Boozman College of Public Health, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR Staff Scientist, Project Director, Biobehavioral Sciences, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, WA Strategic Director of Health Disparities Research, Behavioral Research Center, American Cancer Society, Atlanta, GA.

Background: An emphasis on precision health (PH) has stimulated precision medicine studies to focus on the interplay of biological, behavioral, and environmental factors with disease risks, treatments, prognoses, and outcomes affecting health disparities. It is imperative, as well, that improving health equity among underserved populations remains central to the efforts and aims of PH.

Objectives: Apply the transdisciplinary ConNECT Framework: A model for advancing behavioral medicine science and practice to foster health equity to PH by integrating a population health agenda for reducing health disparities. Read More

Nurs Res 2019 Jan/Feb;68(1):13-21

Amy Witkoski Stimpfel, PhD, RN, is Assistant Professor, Rory Meyers College of Nursing, New York University, New York. Mattia J. Gilmartin, PhD, RN, FAAN, is Executive Director, NICHE, Rory Meyers College of Nursing, New York University, New York. At the time the research was completed, Dr. Gilmartin was a Senior Research Scientist at Rory Meyers College of Nursing, New York University.

Background: Registered nurses are often underprepared with the knowledge and skills to care for hospitalized older adult patients. One strategy to bridge this gap is for hospitals to adopt the Nurses Improving Care for Healthsystem Elders (NICHE) program: A nurse-led interdisciplinary organizational intervention to improve care of hospitalized older adults.

Objectives: This study aimed to identify the market, organizational and managerial, and sociotechnical factors associated with the adoption of NICHE among U. Read More

J Occup Environ Med 2018 Dec 11. Epub 2018 Dec 11.

Authors of the 2018 American College of Occupational and Environmental Medicine (ACOEM) Guidance Statement on Climate Change University of Colorado, Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO Authors of the 2018 American College of Occupational and Environmental Medicine (ACOEM) Guidance Statement on Climate Change Authors of the 2018 American College of Occupational and Environmental Medicine (ACOEM) Guidance Statement on Climate Change Authors of the 2018 American College of Occupational and Environmental Medicine (ACOEM) Guidance Statement on Climate Change Authors of the 2018 American College of Occupational and Environmental Medicine (ACOEM) Guidance Statement on Climate Change Authors of the 2018 American College of Occupational and Environmental Medicine (ACOEM) Guidance Statement on Climate Change Authors of the 2018 American College of Occupational and Environmental Medicine (ACOEM) Guidance Statement on Climate Change.

J Am Assoc Nurse Pract 2018 Dec;30(12):696-709

Rush University College of Nursing, Chicago, Illinois.

Background And Purpose: Critical research topics were identified after nurse practitioner (NP) organization stakeholders participated in the Fellows of the American Association of Nurse Practitioner, 2015 Nurse Practitioner Research Agenda Roundtable. Strategies and recommendations were identified to support further work examining NP outcomes-based research priorities in four areas: 1) policy and regulation; 2) workforce; 3) education; and 4) practice. For the purpose of this article, we focus on NP education. Read More

J Am Assoc Nurse Pract 2018 Dec;30(12):664-666

College of Nursing, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida.

The American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN) last defined academic nursing scholarship in 1999. The AACN recognized faculty scholarship must align with the increasingly complex and dynamic health care environment to prepare nurses for an ever-changing future. The new, broader definition recognizes multiple ways of knowing and values all scholarly contributions, which affect nursing science and the health care system. Read More

Anesth Analg 2018 Dec 11. Epub 2018 Dec 11.

Department of Anesthesiology, Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra/Northwell, Hempstead, New York.

We surveyed Society of Cardiovascular Anesthesiologists members regarding anticoagulation practices for cardiopulmonary bypass and attitudes on heparin resistance. Of 550 respondents (18.5% response rate), 74. Read More

Environ Health Perspect 2018 Dec;126(12):125001

16 School of Public Health, University of California , Berkeley, California, USA.

Background: The Life Cycle Initiative, hosted at the United Nations Environment Programme, selected human toxicity impacts from exposure to chemical substances as an impact category that requires global guidance to overcome current assessment challenges. The initiative leadership established the Human Toxicity Task Force to develop guidance on assessing human exposure and toxicity impacts. Based on input gathered at three workshops addressing the main current scientific challenges and questions, the task force built a roadmap for advancing human toxicity characterization, primarily for use in life cycle impact assessment (LCIA). Read More

JAMA Surg 2018 Dec 12. Epub 2018 Dec 12.

Department of Medicine, VA Boston Healthcare System, Boston, Massachusetts.

Importance: Limited data suggest that screening for asymptomatic bacteriuria (ASB) prior to nonurologic procedures is not useful. However, high-quality evidence to support consensus recommendations and influence clinical practice is lacking.

Objective: To characterize the association between detection and treatment of preoperative ASB and postoperative outcomes. Read More

J Strength Cond Res 2018 Nov;32(11):3119-3126

Department of Nutrition and Health Sciences, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Lincoln, NE.

Mendez, AI, Miramonti, AA, Gillen, ZM, McKay, BD, Leutzinger, TJ, and Cramer, JT. Stature, body mass, and BMI in high school american football players: Appropriate determinants of obesity prevalence? J Strength Cond Res 32(11): 3119-3126, 2018-The purpose of this study was to evaluate stature (HT), mass (BM), body mass index (BMI), and obesity prevalence based on BMI categories in a large sample (n = 7,175) of high school American football players enrolled as freshmen, sophomores, or juniors. Players were categorized by their positions: offensive linemen (OLs), defensive linemen (DLs), tight end, defensive end, linebacker, running back, quarterback, defensive back, and wide receiver. Read More

J Strength Cond Res 2018 Nov;32(11):3112-3118

Division of Sport Management, College of Professional Studies, St. John's University, New York, New York.

Hedlund, DP. Performance of future elite players at the NFL scouting combine. J Strength Cond Res 32(11): 3112-3118, 2018-The purpose of this study is to examine players' physical and performance measures taken at the National Football League (NFL) Scouting Combine and compare these with their future performance in the NFL. Read More

J Water Health 2018 Dec;16(6):1018-1028

Division of Viral Diseases, National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 1600 Clifton Road NE, Atlanta, Georgia 30029, USA E-mail:

The Navajo Nation includes approximately 250,000 American Indians living in a remote high desert environment with limited access to public water systems. We conducted a pilot case-control study to assess associations between acute gastroenteritis (AGE) and water availability, use patterns, and quality. Case patients with AGE and non-AGE controls who presented for care to two Indian Health Service hospitals were recruited. Read More

Elife 2018 Dec 12;7. Epub 2018 Dec 12.

Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, United States.

The sarcomere is the contractile unit within cardiomyocytes driving heart muscle contraction. We sought to test the mechanisms regulating actin and myosin filament assembly during sarcomere formation. Therefore, we developed an assay using human cardiomyocytes to monitor sarcomere assembly. Read More

Clinics (Sao Paulo) 2018 Dec 10;73(suppl 1):e470s. Epub 2018 Dec 10.

Centro de Investigacao Translacional em Oncologia, Instituto do Cancer do Estado de Sao Paulo (ICESP), Hospital das Clinicas HCFMUSP, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de Sao Paulo, Sao Paulo, SP, BR.

Recently, professional and healthcare-related entities have launched frameworks designed to assess the value of cancer innovations in multistakeholder decision processes. Among the most visible entities that propose and implement value frameworks in oncology are the European Society of Medical Oncology (ESMO), the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO), the Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (MSKCC) and the National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN). However, these value frameworks have been criticized for conceptual inconsistencies, inability to include a greater variety of value criteria, and inadequate explanation of the uncertainty approach used in the modeling process. Read More

Braz Oral Res 2018 Dec 6;32:e123. Epub 2018 Dec 6.

Hospital General de México "Eduardo Liceaga", Department of Pathology, México City, México.

This study aims to evaluate the clinicopathological features, TNM status, AJCC staging and behavior of squamous cell carcinoma of the tongue (SCCT) in patients older than 45 years. The files of the Department of Pathology of the Hospital General de México were reviewed and all cases of SCCT in patients older than 45 years were selected. Clinicopathological features, treatment, follow-up, microscopic diagnosis, and IJCC and TNM staging were retrieved. Read More

Rev Bras Enferm 2018 ;71(suppl 6):2808-2817

Universidade Federal Fluminense, Department of Nursing. Rio das Ostras, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

Objective: to identify scientific evidence on the contribution of nurses' work to good practices in child care in the Brazilian literature.

Method: integrative review of the literature, carried out in Latin American and Caribbean in Health Sciences Literature (LILACS), Medical Literature Analysis and Retrieval System Online (MEDLINE), Brazilian Nursing Database (BDENF), Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature (CINAHL) and Scientific Electronic Library Online (SCIELO) database, from 2008 to 2018.

Results: 14 complete studies were selected for interpretative analysis. Read More

Mem Inst Oswaldo Cruz 2018 Dec 10;114:e180438. Epub 2018 Dec 10.

Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Centro de Biología Molecular Severo Ochoa, Madrid, Spain.

Leishmania braziliensis is the etiological agent of American mucosal leishmaniasis, one of the most severe clinical forms of leishmaniasis. Here, we report the assembly of the L. braziliensis (M2904) genome into 35 continuous chromosomes. Read More

Mem Inst Oswaldo Cruz 2018 Dec 6;113(12):e180323. Epub 2018 Dec 6.

Universidad de Carabobo, Facultad de Ciencias de la Salud, Centro Nacional de Referencia de Flebotomos y otros Vectores, Instituto de Investigaciones Biomédicas Dr Francisco J Triana-Alonso, Maracay, Venezuela.

BACKGROUND The transmission routes for American cutaneous leishmaniasis (ACL) are in flux, so studies examining its transmission in humans, mammalian hosts, and sand fly vectors are urgently needed. OBJECTIVES The aim of this work was understand the epidemiological cycles of Leishmania spp., which causes ACL in the Andean Region of Venezuela, by identifying the Leishmania and the sand fly species involved in human and dog infections. Read More

J Cancer Res Ther 2018 Dec;14(Supplement):S1041-S1047

Department of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Scientific Research Platform, The Second Clinical Medical College, Guangdong Medical University; Department of Dongguan Scientific Research Center, Sino-American Cancer Research Institute, Key Laboratory for Medical Molecular Diagnostics of Guangdong Province, Guangdong Medical University, Dongguan, Guangdong, China.

Background: Published studies have evaluated the association between excision repair cross-complementing Group 5 (ERCC5) rs17655 polymorphism and head and neck cancer (HNC) susceptibility. However, these studies showed inconsistent results.

Aims: The aim of this study was to get a more comprehensive estimation of this association. Read More

J Cancer Res Ther 2018 Dec;14(Supplement):S957-S963

Department of Integrative Oncology, Tianjin Medical University Cancer Institute and Hospital, National Clinical Research Center of Cancer, Key Laboratory of Breast Cancer Prevention and Therapy, Ministry of Education, Tianjin Key Laboratory of Cancer Prevention and Therapy, Tianjin, China.

Background: Capecitabine monotherapy is usually used for advanced breast cancer (ABC) resistant to anthracycline and taxane, but there are still many other options too. Our meta-analysis assessed whether capecitabine monotherapy was superior or noninferior to the other regimens in ABC pretreated with anthracycline and taxane.

Materials And Methods: PubMed databases and abstracts from the proceedings of American Society of Clinical Oncology and San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium were searched for randomized controlled trials that compared capecitabine monotherapy with other regimens for ABC progression after anthracycline- and taxane-treatment. Read More

J Palliat Care 2018 Dec 12:825859718810718. Epub 2018 Dec 12.

1 Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA.

Background:: As the spiritual family for many African Americans, the church presents an opportunity to improve communication about palliative care and hospice (PCH). However, sustainable change in church-based, practices related to PCH requires a compreshensive, multilevel approach.

Objectives:: Our primary goal was to encourage churches to embrace palliative care and hospice as acceptable alternatives for end-of-life care by creating venues to improve communications about PCH. Read More

Acta Radiol 2018 Dec 12:284185118817906. Epub 2018 Dec 12.

1 Department of Radiology, Jewish General Hospital & McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada.

Background: There are variations in computed tomography (CT) protocols used for evaluating sialolithiasis, with some protocols including acquisitions before and after IV contrast administration. Dual-energy CT (DECT) can be used to generate virtual unenhanced (VUE) images, potentially precluding the need for an uninfused scan.

Purpose: In this study, we performed a survey in order to assess variations in the imaging approach for sialolithiasis and evaluated the accuracy of DECT VUE images for the detection of salivary stones. Read More

Aging Clin Exp Res 2018 Dec 11. Epub 2018 Dec 11.

Service de rééducation et réadaptation de l'appareil locomoteur et des pathologies du rachis, Laboratoire de Pharmacologie, Toxicologie et Signalisation Cellulaire, Univ. Paris Descartes, PRES Sorbonne Paris Cité, Hôpital Cochin, Assistance Publique -Hôpitaux de Paris, INSERM UMR-S 1124, UFR Biomédicale des Saints Pères, Paris, France.

Background And Aims: Although osteoarthritis (OA) is managed mainly in primary care, general practitioners (GPs) are not always trained in its diagnosis, which leads to diagnostic delays, unnecessary resource utilization, and suboptimal patient outcomes.

Methods: To address this situation, an International Rheumatologic Board (IRB) of 8 experts from 3 continents developed guidelines for the diagnosis of OA in primary care. The focus was three major topologies: hip, knee, and hand/finger OA. Read More

Clin Rheumatol 2018 Dec 12. Epub 2018 Dec 12.

Rheumatology Department, Hospital Nacional Guillermo Almenara Irigoyen - EsSalud, Lima, Peru.

Objective: To determine the impact of homocysteine levels on damage accrual in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) patients.

Methods: This longitudinal study was conducted in consecutive patients seen every 6 months at our Rheumatology Department since 2012. Patients with available homocysteine levels and who had at least one subsequent visit were included. Read More

Rheumatol Int 2018 Dec 11. Epub 2018 Dec 11.

Rheumatology Unit, Instituto de Rehabilitación Psicofísica, Echeverria 955, Buenos Aires, C1428DQG, Argentina.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the reliability of the outcome measures in rheumatology (OMERACT) definitions for ultrasound (US) elementary lesions in gout through an image reading exercise. Images from patients with gout (static images and videos) were collected. As an initial step, we carried out a image reading exercise within the experts of the Pan-American League of Associations for Rheumatology (PANLAR) US Study Group (n = 16). Read More

Abdom Radiol (NY) 2018 Dec 11. Epub 2018 Dec 11.

Department of Radiology, Stanford University, 300 Pasteur Dr., Stanford, CA, 94305, USA.

Purpose: To evaluate the association between imaging and clinical features and visualization scores, as specified by American College of Radiology (ACR) Ultrasound Liver Imaging Reporting and Data System (LI-RADS), on hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) screening ultrasound examinations.

Methods: In this dual-center retrospective study, HCC screening ultrasound reports containing ultrasound elastography measurements (January to September, 2017) were reviewed. Ultrasound point shear wave elastography and 2-dimensional shear wave elastography were used to assess liver stiffness; median shear wave velocity was translated to METAVIR fibrosis scoring, per previously published data. Read More

Trauma Surg Acute Care Open 2018 26;3(1):e000251. Epub 2018 Nov 26.

Division of Acute Care Surgery, Department of Surgery, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, Alabama, USA.

Background: Missed injury of the diaphragm may result in hernia formation, enteric strangulation, and death. Compounding the problem, diaphragmatic injuries are rare and difficult to diagnose with standard imaging. As such, for patients with high suspicion of injury, operative exploration remains the gold standard for diagnosis. Read More

Virusdisease 2018 Dec 26;29(4):491-498. Epub 2018 Sep 26.

1Centro de Citricultura Sylvio Moreira, Instituto Agronômico de Campinas, Cordeirópolis, SP 13490-970 Brazil.

Reported in Brazil since the 1930's, citrus leprosis, caused mainly by citrus leprosis virus C, has been a major concern for the national sweet orange production. In recent years, the disease has spread to several other countries and it is now considered a worldwide threat. The occurrence of the disease has been studied almost exclusively in sweet oranges because other citrus genotypes are of secondary relevance in Brazil and in some other American countries where it occurs. Read More

J Immunol Res 2018 12;2018:9084759. Epub 2018 Nov 12.

Nehme and Therese Tohme Multiple Sclerosis Center, American University of Beirut Medical Center, Beirut, Lebanon.

Objective: To evaluate the efficacy and safety of rituximab in multiple sclerosis in a clinical practice setting.

Methods: Clinical data for all adult patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) treated with off-label rituximab at a single MS center in Lebanon between March 2008 and April 2017 were retrospectively collected from medical charts. The main efficacy outcomes assessed were annualized relapse rate (ARR) and proportion of patients free from relapses, disability progression, or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) activity. Read More

Biomed Res Int 2018 14;2018:2032413. Epub 2018 Nov 14.

Department of Epidemiology and Health Statistics, School of Public Health, Guangxi Medical University, Nanning 530021, Guangxi, China.

Ethnic differences in the level of thyroid hormones exist among individuals. The American Thyroid Association (ATA) recommends that an institution or region should establish a specific thyroid hormone reference value for each stage of pregnancy. To date, a limited number of studies have reported the level of thyroid hormones in Chinese minorities, and the exact relationship between BMI and thyroid function in pregnant women is ill. Read More

Front Oncol 2018 27;8:564. Epub 2018 Nov 27.

Department of Radiation Oncology, American University of Beirut, Beirut, Lebanon.

The purpose of this study was to evaluate patient-related non-dosimetric predictors of cardiac sparing with the use of deep inspiration breath-hold (DIBH) in patients with left-sided breast cancer undergoing irradiation (RT). We retrospectively reviewed charts and treatment plans of one-hundred and three patients with left-sided breast cancer. All patients had both free-breathing (FB) and DIBH (with body surface tracking) plans available. Read More

Clin Exp Reprod Med 2018 Dec 30;45(4):163-169. Epub 2018 Nov 30.

American Center for Reproductive Medicine, Urological Institute, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, OH, USA.

Objective: Zearalenone (ZEA) is a mycotoxin with potent estrogenic effects. Saffron is an herbal product that has antioxidant activities. The objective of this study was to investigate the protective role of saffron against reproductive toxicity induced by ZEA in female mice. Read More

Lupus Sci Med 2018 2;5(1):e000287. Epub 2018 Nov 2.

Division of Rheumatology, School of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland, USA.

Objectives: The aim of this study is to identify prognostic factors of persistent disease activity and long quiescence in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE).

Methods: Patients enrolled in the Hopkins Lupus Cohort from 1987 to 2012, who attended at least three visits per year during 3 consecutive years following baseline and had available information on disease activity were included. Patterns of SLE disease activity over the 3-year period were defined as: persistent long quiescent (pLQ), persistent relapsing-remitting (pRR), persistent chronic active (pCA) and mixed based on Modified SLE Disease Activity Index (M-SLEDAI). Read More

Dis Markers 2018 21;2018:8309015. Epub 2018 Oct 21.

College of Health and Human Sciences, Charles Darwin University, Alan Walker Cancer Care Centre, Darwin, NT, Australia.

Background: MicroRNAs (miRNAs) have been found to play an important role in the development and outcomes for multiple human cancers. Their role as a prognostic biomarker in non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) remains unclear. This meta-analysis aims to clarify the role of various miRNAs in the survival of NSCLC patients. Read More

Appl Bionics Biomech 2018 13;2018:3832850. Epub 2018 Nov 13.

Tianjin Aerisafety Science and Technology Co. Ltd, Tianjin, China.

The crash test dummy, an important tool for car crash safety tests, is of great significance to explore the injury biomechanics of the occupants and improve the safety performance of the vehicle. The article mainly consists of four parts: brief introduction of injury mechanism, early experiments for obtaining biomechanical response (animal tests, cadaver tests, and volunteer tests), and development and validation of mechanical dummies and computational models. This study finds that the current crash test dummies are generally designed based on European and American, so they have limitations on the damage prediction of other regions. Read More

Evid Based Complement Alternat Med 2018 14;2018:3165125. Epub 2018 Nov 14.

Department of Internal Medicine, College of Medicine, Soonchunhyang University, Cheonan, Republic of Korea.

Background: Gumiganghwal-tang (GMGHT) is a traditional herbal medicine consisting of nine different herbs. GMGHT inhibits the mRNA expression and production of inflammatory cytokines tumor necrosis factor- (TNF- ), interleukin-6 (IL-6), and TNF- on lipopolysaccharide- (LPS-) stimulated peritoneal macrophages in a dose-dependent manner. It is empirically used for the treatment of inflammatory disease, but there are few reports of clinical trials that investigate its efficacy and safety. Read More

Adv Med Educ Pract 2018 26;9:865-871. Epub 2018 Nov 26.

Department of Anesthesiology and Perioperative Medicine, Medical College of Georgia at Augusta University, Augusta, GA, USA,

Problem: Passing the American Board of Anesthesiology (ABA) basic examination is required to progress through anesthesiology training in USA. Failing the test may be related to medical knowledge gaps, presence of negative psychosocial factors, and/or individual approaches to learning. This article describes the experience of development and implementation of a multifaceted remediation program (MRP) in residents who failed the ABA basic test. Read More

Nat Sci Sleep 2018 26;10:397-408. Epub 2018 Nov 26.

Neurology Department, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA 02114, USA.

Background: Although in-lab polysomnography (PSG) remains the gold standard for objective sleep monitoring, the use of at-home sensor systems has gained popularity in recent years. Two categories of monitoring, autonomic and limb movement physiology, are increasingly recognized as critical for sleep disorder phenotyping, yet at-home options remain limited outside of research protocols. The purpose of this study was to validate the BiostampRC sensor system for respiration, electrocardiography (ECG), and leg electromyography (EMG) against gold standard PSG recordings. Read More