Search Our Scientific Publications & Authors

Eur J Cancer 2018 Dec 14;107:115-123. Epub 2018 Dec 14.

Institute of Clinical Cancer Research (IKF), University Cancer Center, Theodor-Stern-Kai 7, 60590, Frankfurt, Germany. Electronic address:

Background: Inadequate understanding of interpretation of quality of life (QoL) instruments leads to unsatisfactory data reporting and clinical decision-making, including in gastric cancer care.

Materials And Methods: Pooled QoL data from two phase III studies of ramucirumab with or without paclitaxel in previously treated patients with gastric or gastroesophageal junction cancer were used to explore associations with clinical attributes, including tumour response, disease measurability and performance status (PS). The European Organisation for Research and Treatment of Cancer (EORTC) Quality-of-Life Questionnaire (QLQ)-C30 was used in both studies. Read More

J Environ Radioact 2018 Dec 14;198:1-10. Epub 2018 Dec 14.

Department of Integrated Sciences, Area of Applied Physics, University of Huelva, 21071, Huelva, Spain; Research Center on Natural Resources, Health and the Environment (RENSMA), University of Huelva, 21071, Huelva, Spain.

Be, Pb and PM levels in surface air have been simultaneously measured at two sampling sites in the southern Iberian Peninsula for a period of two years. Each site covers one different meteorological area of the Guadalquivir valley, from the mouth (Huelva) to the middle point (Cordoba). The objective of the present study is to analyse the spatial variability of both natural radionuclides, and to identify and characterise the meteorological patterns associated with similar and different surface concentration levels in this complex region. Read More

Res Vet Sci 2018 Nov 13;122:200-209. Epub 2018 Nov 13.

Center for Biomedical Research, Medical University of Vienna, Waehringer Guertel 18-20, 1090 Vienna, Austria. Electronic address:

Due to welfare concerns and legal restrictions in certain countries, alternatives to wire net floors must be developed in rabbit husbandries. Also, there is a difference in regulations in Europe for laboratory rabbits vs. rabbits bred and kept for meat production. Read More

J Allergy Clin Immunol Pract 2018 Dec 14. Epub 2018 Dec 14.

Section of Allergy and Clinical Immunology, Imperial College London, National Heart and Lung Institute, Royal Brompton Hospital, London, UK.

Background: Several classifications of systemic adverse reactions (SAR) during allergen immunotherapy (AIT) have been proposed but the comparison of their usefulness in daily clinical practice is lacking.

Objective: The present post hoc analysis was aimed to investigate the practicality of the most relevant international classifications proposed by the European Academy of Allergology and Clinical Immunology (EAACI), the American Academy of Asthma, Allergology and Clinical Immunology /American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology (AAAACI/ACAAI), and the World Allergy Organization (WAO) using data provided by the longitudinal European Survey on Adverse Systemic Reactions in Allergen Immunotherapy (EASSI) based on daily clinical practice in 3 countries in Europe.

Methods: One hundred and nine SAR over 4363 AIT courses were classified as mild (n=78, 71. Read More

PLoS One 2018 17;13(12):e0209096. Epub 2018 Dec 17.

Laboratory of Clinical Genome Sequencing, Department of Computational Biology and Medical Sciences, Graduate School of Frontier Sciences, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan.

Genome-wide association studies (GWAS) have identified greater than 30 variants associated with ovarian cancer, but most of these variants were investigated in European populations. Here, we integrated GWAS and subsequent functional analyses to identify the genetic variants with potential regulatory effects. We conducted GWAS for ovarian cancer using 681 Japanese cases and 17,492 controls and found that rs137672 on 22q13. Read More

PLoS Comput Biol 2018 Dec 17;14(12):e1006641. Epub 2018 Dec 17.

Biochemistry and Structural Biology, University of Lund, Lund, Sweden.

Many proteins consist of folded domains connected by regions with higher flexibility. The details of the resulting conformational ensemble play a central role in controlling interactions between domains and with binding partners. Small-Angle Scattering (SAS) is well-suited to study the conformational states adopted by proteins in solution. Read More

J Occup Environ Med 2018 Dec 13. Epub 2018 Dec 13.

Workability and Working Careers, Finnish Institute of Occupational Health, Topeliuksenkatu 41 B, BOX 40, 00032 Finnish Institute of Occupational Health, Helsinki, Finland (Hakanen, Ropponen), Research Unit Occupational & Organizational Psychology and Professional Learning, KU Leuven, Dekenstraat 2 - box 3725, 3000 Leuven, Belgium (Schaufeli, Witte), Department of Social, Health & Organizational Psychology, Utrecht University, Padualaan14, 3584 CH Utrecht, The Netherlands (Schaufeli), Optentia Research Focus Area, North-West University, Vaal Triangle Campus, PO Box 1174, Vanderbijlpark, 1900 South Africa (Witte).

Objective: The aim was to investigate differences in the levels of work engagement across demographic and work- and organization-related factors, and their relative importance for work engagement.

Methods: The study was based on a sample of 17 498 male and 17 897 female employees from the sixth European Working Conditions Survey collected in 2015. Linear regression models and dominance analysis were used. Read More

J Cardiovasc Med (Hagerstown) 2018 Dec 14. Epub 2018 Dec 14.

Chair and Division of Cardiology, University Hospital Policlinico 'Paolo Giaccone', Palermo, Italy.

Background: The aim of the study was to compare three widely used algorithms for stratification of the global cardiovascular risk (GCVR): the Framingham Heart Study (FHS) score, the European systemic coronary risk estimation (SCORE) and the Italian 'Progetto Cuore' (heart project) score. It was also investigated how preclinical carotid atherosclerosis (pre-ATS) might influence the incidence and improve the risk prediction of cerebrovascular and cardiovascular events.

Methods: Subjects (n = 358) without previous history of cardiovascular disease (CVD) were recruited and the GCVR was calculated for each patient. Read More

J Cardiovasc Med (Hagerstown) 2018 Dec 14. Epub 2018 Dec 14.

Heart Rhythm Management Center, Postgraduate program in Cardiac Electrophysiology and Pacing.

Background: The present study sought to evaluate the incidence of cerebrovascular events in a large cohort of patients with Brugada syndrome (BrS) analysing possible predictors, clinical characteristics and prognosis of cardioembolic events secondary to atrial fibrillation.

Methods: A total of 671 consecutive patients (age 42.1 ± 17. Read More

Clin Exp Rheumatol 2018 Nov 19. Epub 2018 Nov 19.

Department of Medicine, Rheumatology Research Unit, University of Queensland, Sunshine Coast, QLD, Australia.

Objectives: To report patient-reported outcomes (PROs) of ixekizumab-treated patients with psoriatic arthritis (PsA) and an inadequate response (IR) or intolerance to tumour necrosis factor inhibitors (TNFi) to 52 weeks.

Methods: In SPIRIT-P2, patients with active PsA and an IR or intolerance to TNFi were randomised to ixekizumab 80 mg every 4 weeks (IXEQ4W; N=122) or every 2 weeks (IXEQ2W; N=123), or placebo (PBO; N=118) during the initial 24-week double-blind treatment period. At Week 16, background therapy was modified for IRs; additionally, IRs in the placebo group were re-randomised (1:1) to IXEQ2W or IXEQ4W. Read More

Traffic Inj Prev 2018 Dec 17:1-7. Epub 2018 Dec 17.

a Accident Research Centre, Monash University , Melbourne , Victoria , Australia.

Objective: Rural roads are characterized by hazardous roadsides and suboptimal geometry yet allow for high travel speeds and unfavorable impact angles. In Victoria, 25% of persons seriously injured and 52% of fatalities occur on rural roads, with 30% occurring at intersections. In the United States, almost twice the number of traffic fatalities occur in rural areas than in urban areas, while accounting for less than half of all vehicle miles traveled and 21% of the population. Read More

Chem Biodivers 2018 Dec 17. Epub 2018 Dec 17.

Institute of Pharmacy/Pharmacognosy, Center for Molecular Biosciences Innsbruck (CMBI), University of Innsbruck, Innrain 80-82, Innsbruck 6020, Austria, AUSTRIA.

In the course of this project 133 plants were evaluated on their ability to inhibit tyrosinase, a key enzyme in melanogenesis. The screening was performed by means of a HPTLC autographic assay resulting in the selection of three plants, Asplenium trichomanes, Pinus uncinata subsp. uncinata, and Scutellaria altissima, with promising tyrosinase inhibiting activities. Read More

Vet Clin Pathol 2018 Dec 17. Epub 2018 Dec 17.

University of Liège, Liège, Belgium.

Background: Markers of lipid and glucose metabolism are used in both clinical practice and research. Detection of abnormal laboratory results often relies on species-specific reference intervals, but interbreed variation can also affect data interpretation.

Objectives: The purpose of the present study was to compare concentrations of selected biochemical variables among different dog breeds. Read More

Nat Biotechnol 2018 Dec 17. Epub 2018 Dec 17.

US Department of Energy Joint Genome Institute, Walnut Creek, California, USA.

We present an extension of the Minimum Information about any (x) Sequence (MIxS) standard for reporting sequences of uncultivated virus genomes. Minimum Information about an Uncultivated Virus Genome (MIUViG) standards were developed within the Genomic Standards Consortium framework and include virus origin, genome quality, genome annotation, taxonomic classification, biogeographic distribution and in silico host prediction. Community-wide adoption of MIUViG standards, which complement the Minimum Information about a Single Amplified Genome (MISAG) and Metagenome-Assembled Genome (MIMAG) standards for uncultivated bacteria and archaea, will improve the reporting of uncultivated virus genomes in public databases. Read More

Wiley Interdiscip Rev Nanomed Nanobiotechnol 2018 Dec 17:e1546. Epub 2018 Dec 17.

Consumer Products Safety Unit, Directorate F - Health, Consumers and Reference Materials, European Commission Joint Research Centre (JRC), Ispra (VA), Italy.

As nanomedicines have the potential to address many currently unmet medical needs, the early identification of regulatory requirements that could hamper a smooth translation of nanomedicines from the laboratory environment to clinical applications is of utmost importance. The blood system is especially relevant as many nanomedicinal products that are currently under development are designed for intravenous administration and cells of the blood system will be among the first biological systems exposed to the injected nanomedicine. This review collects and summarizes the current knowledge related to the blood compatibility of nanomedicines and nanomaterials with a potential use in biomedical applications. Read More

Chem Commun (Camb) 2018 Dec 17. Epub 2018 Dec 17.

Department of Physics, Chalmers University of Technology, SE-412 96 Gothenburg, Sweden. and ALISTORE - European Research Institute, CNRS FR 3104, Hub de l'Energie, Rue Baudelocque, 80039 Amiens Cedex, France.

Mixing the standard battery salt LiTFSI with various Li-salts of novel pseudo-delocalized organic anions [N(CH3)2((CH2)nSO3)((CH2)mSO3)]- (MMnm11), results in super-cooled solvent-free liquid electrolytes with glass transition temperatures of ca. 50 °C. Synthesis routes and full chemical characterisation of the new pseudo-delocalized anions are presented, as well as phase and thermal stabilities. Read More

Med Lav 2018 Dec 20;109(6):481-483. Epub 2018 Dec 20.

UO Epidemiologia, Fondazione IRCCS Ca' Granda - Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, Milano.

Following the publication of results of NLST (National Lung Screening Trial, USA) and ELCAP (Early Lung Cancer Action Project, USA), lung cancer screening with low-dose computed tomography (LDCT) in high-risk subjects has been recommended in North-America. Conversely, the European Community has been waiting for further evidence. The recently concluded Dutch-Belgian Lung Cancer Screening trial (NELSON) confirmed the efficacy of LDCT screening in reducing lung cancer mortality. Read More

Cytometry A 2018 Dec 16. Epub 2018 Dec 16.

Department of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Health and Society, Malmö University, Malmö, Sweden.

J Econ Ageing 2018 Nov;12:195-201

London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, UK.

Background: Populations globally are ageing, resulting in increased need for long-term care. Where social welfare systems are insufficient, these costs may fall to other family members. We set out to estimate the association between long-term care needs and family transfers in selected low- and middle- income countries. Read More

Theranostics 2018 27;8(19):5400-5418. Epub 2018 Oct 27.

Department of Radiology & Nuclear Medicine, Amsterdam Neuroscience, VU University Medical Center, Amsterdam, the Netherlands.

Microglia are potential targets for therapeutic intervention in neurological and neurodegenerative diseases affecting the central nervous system. In order to assess the efficacy of therapies aimed to reduce the tissue damaging activities of microglia and/or to promote the protective potential of these cells, suitable pre-clinical and clinical tools for the analysis of microglia activities and dynamics are required. The aim of this work was to identify new translational markers of the anti-inflammatory / protective state of microglia for the development of novel PET tracers. Read More

Int J Ment Health Syst 2018 7;12:75. Epub 2018 Dec 7.

7OHSU-PSU School of Public Health, Portland, OR USA.

Introduction: Access to mental health (MH) services is unequal worldwide and changes are required in this respect.

Objectives: Our aim was to identify the delay to the first psychiatry consult and to understand patients' characteristics and perspectives on the factors that may influence the delay, among a sample of participants from three Southeastern European Countries.

Materials And Methods: The WHO Pathway Encounter Form questionnaire was applied in 400 patients "new cases" and a questionnaire on the factors influencing the access was administered to the same patients, as well as to their caretakers and MH providers. Read More

Front Physiol 2018 30;9:1693. Epub 2018 Nov 30.

Department of Experimental, Diagnostic and Specialty Medicine, Alma Mater Studiorum, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy.

Body composition (BC) is an emerging important factor for the characterization of metabolic status. The assessment of BC has been studied in various populations and diseases such as obesity, diabetes, endocrine diseases as well as physiological and paraphysiological conditions such as growth and aging processes, and physical training. A gold standard technique for the assessment of human BC at molecular level is represented by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA), which is able to precisely assess the body mass (and areal bone mineral density-aBMD) on a regional and whole-body basis. Read More

European J Org Chem 2018 Nov 3;2018(43):5889-5904. Epub 2018 Oct 3.

Donostia International Physics Center (DIPC) Manuel Lardizabal Ibilbidea 4 20018 San Sebastian/Donostia Spain.

The (3+2) cycloaddition between azomethine ylides and alkenes is an efficient, convergent and stereocontrolled method for the synthesis of unnatural pyrrolidine and proline scaffolds. In this review, the application of this reaction to the synthesis of enantiopure organometallic ligands for asymmetric catalysis is presented first. These new ligands can participate in a second generation of 1,3-dipolar reactions that generate an offspring of unnatural proline derivatives that behave as efficient organocatalysts. Read More

European J Org Chem 2018 Apr 6;2018(13):1572-1580. Epub 2018 Feb 6.

National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, 20892, United States.

An acid-promoted cascade reaction of 4-chloroquinolin-3-yl carbamates with amines is described. This method achieves the formation of two new C-N bonds through an intermolecular amination/intramolecular cyclization reaction sequence. In combination with subsequent Suzuki coupling, this three-component telescopic procedure provides rapid access to various bioactive imidazo[4,5-]quinolin-2-one derivatives. Read More

J Genet 2018 Dec;97(5):1493-1507

School of Biotechnology, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi 110 067, India.

Ulcerative colitis (UC), one of the two clinical subtypes of inflammatory bowel disease is perceived as a potential 'sleeping giant' in the Indian subcontinent. Clinical manifestation is overall believed to be the same across ethnic groups but overwhelming genetics from large European and fewer non-European studies have revealed shared as well as unique disease susceptibly signaturesbetween them, pointing to population specific differences at genomic and environmental levels. A systematic recount of the four major eras in UC genetics spanning earliest linkage analysis, cherry picked candidate gene association studies, unbiased genomewide association studies, their logical extension in trans-ethnic setting (Immunochip study), lastly whole exome sequencing efforts forrare variant burden; and lessons learnt thereof in context of genetically distinct Indian population was attempted in this review. Read More

J Genet 2018 Dec;97(5):1131-1138

Yunnan Provincial Key Laboratory of Animal Nutrition and Feed Science, Faculty of Animal Science and Technology, Yunnan Agricultural University, Kunming 650201, People's Republic of China.

Resistance to fatal disease bovine spongiformencephalopathy (BSE), due to misfolded prion protein in cattle, is associated with a 23-bp indel polymorphism in the putative promoter and a 12-bp indel in intron 1 of the gene. Gayal () is an important semiwild bovid species and of great conservation concern, but till today these indel polymorphisms have not been evaluated in gayals. Therefore, we collected 225 samples of gayals and evaluated the genetic indel polymorphism in the two regions of this gene. Read More

Sleep Med 2018 Nov 14. Epub 2018 Nov 14.

Department of Sleep Medicine, Sahlgrenska University Hospital, Sweden; Sahlgrenska Academy, Gothenburg University, Sweden. Electronic address:

Objective/background: The Clinical Global Impression scale (CGI) reflects the clinician's assessment of the disease impact on patient's global functioning. We assessed predictors of CGI scale rating in patients with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA).

Patients/methods: Consecutive patients with suspected OSA (n = 7581) were identified in the European Sleep Apnea Database (ESADA). Read More

Gynecol Oncol 2018 Oct 26. Epub 2018 Oct 26.

Department of Gynaecology and Obstetrics, GROW - School for Oncology & Developmental Biology, Maastricht University, Maastricht, the Netherlands.

Background: Despite being a hormone dependent cancer, there is limited knowledge regarding the relation between level of steroids in blood and prognosis for endometrial cancer (EC) patients.

Methods: In this study we investigated plasma levels of 19 steroids using liquid-chromatography tandem mass-spectrometry in 38 postmenopausal EC patients, 19 with long, and 19 with short survival. We explored if estradiol levels were associated with specific abdominal fat distribution patterns and if transcriptional alterations related to estradiol levels could be observed in tumor samples. Read More

Vaccine 2018 Dec 13. Epub 2018 Dec 13.

Department of Clinical Haematology, Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Sheffield, United Kingdom.

Traditionally, immune response to influenza vaccines has been measured using the haemagglutination inhibition (HAI) assay. A broader repertoire of techniques including the sensitive viral microneutralization (VMN) assay is now recommended by the European Medicines Agency (EMA). Comparing HAI and VMN, we determined immune response to a trivalent 2015-2016 seasonal inactivated influenza vaccine (SIIV) administered to 28 recipients of allogeneic haematopoietic stem cell transplant (HSCT). Read More

Vaccine 2018 Dec 13. Epub 2018 Dec 13.

Council for International Organizations of Medical Sciences (CIOMS), 20 Avenue Appia, 1211 Geneva 27, Switzerland. Electronic address:

Background: In 2018, the Council for International Organizations of Medical Sciences (CIOMS) issued their Guide to Vaccine Safety Communication. This has been built upon existing guidance and a new review of research and compilation of latest experiences, in order to fill, for the first time at global level, a specific niche for regulatory authorities in the contexts of vaccine hesitancy and informed choice. The Guide was developed by the international multi-stakeholder CIOMS Working Group on Vaccine Safety, formed to assist the Global Vaccine Safety Initiative (GVSI) of the World Health Organization (WHO). Read More

Health Policy 2018 Dec 7. Epub 2018 Dec 7.

Department of Sociology and Social Anthropology, Dalhousie University, 6135 University Avenue, Halifax, Nova Scotia, B3H 4R2, Canada. Electronic address:

Background: Health Technology Assessment is used to support the process of drug appraisal and reimbursement decisions in a variety of health systems. Examples can be found in mature Western countries, such as Canada, and in emerging economies of Central and Eastern Europe, such as Poland. The value of HTA in the process is influenced by the evidence used and the stakeholders involved. Read More

Am J Hum Genet 2018 Dec 5. Epub 2018 Dec 5.

Centre for Cancer Genetic Epidemiology, Department of Public Health and Primary Care, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB1 8RN, UK; Centre for Cancer Genetic Epidemiology, Department of Oncology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB1 8RN, UK.

Stratification of women according to their risk of breast cancer based on polygenic risk scores (PRSs) could improve screening and prevention strategies. Our aim was to develop PRSs, optimized for prediction of estrogen receptor (ER)-specific disease, from the largest available genome-wide association dataset and to empirically validate the PRSs in prospective studies. The development dataset comprised 94,075 case subjects and 75,017 control subjects of European ancestry from 69 studies, divided into training and validation sets. Read More

Pulmonology 2018 Nov - Dec;24(6):321-322

Division of Thoracic Oncology, IEO, European Institute of Oncology IRCCS, Milan.

Eur J Pharmacol 2019 Jan;842:386-387

Genetics Laboratory, Iranian National Center for Addiction Studies (INCAS), Iranian Institute for Reduction of High-Risk Behaviors, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran; Department of Pharmacology, School of Medicine, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran; Department of Cognitive Neuroscience, Institute for Cognitive Science Studies, Tehran, Iran; Genomics Center, School of Advanced Sciences, Tehran Medical Branch, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran; School of Cognitive Sciences, Institute for Studies in Theoretical Physics and Mathematics, Tehran, Iran. Electronic address:

Clin Dermatol 2019 Jan - Feb;37(1):60-70. Epub 2018 Sep 17.

Department of Dermatology and Cutaneous Biology and the Jefferson Center for International Dermatology, Sidney Kimmel Medical College at Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA. Electronic address:

The history of dermatology is a significant aspect of the specialty, if only to put into perspective the development of the specialty. Early pioneers recorded the progress made in the specialty, as it became a separate discipline in the latter part of the 19th century. Periodically, dermatologic societies and meetings have shown interest by including sessions and exhibits on the specialty. Read More

Clin Dermatol 2019 Jan - Feb;37(1):29-37. Epub 2018 Sep 17.

Department of Dermatology, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Dermatologic SurgiCenter, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA. Electronic address:

Throughout history, physicians have traveled extensively to acquire new knowledge or to learn the latest therapeutic techniques from colleagues and academicians. This "wanderlust" persists in many who want to understand the world around them and learn from others, physicians or nonphysicians. Before the era of instantaneous online telecommunication, dermatologists would enhance their education by traveling abroad to learn from world-renowned experts in Europe and elsewhere and return with a treasure trove of knowledge and new skills. Read More

Isr J Health Policy Res 2018 Dec 17;7(1):63. Epub 2018 Dec 17.

Department of Pediatrics, Shaarae Zedek Medical Center, Affiliated to the Hadassah-Hebrew University Medical School, Jerusalem, Israel.

Background: Passive immunization against RSV (Respiratory Syncytial Virus) is given in most western countries (including Israel) to infants of high risk groups such as premature babies, and infants with Congenital Heart Disease or Congenital Lung Disease. However, immunoprophylaxis costs are extremely high ($2800-$4200 per infant). Using cost-utility analysis criteria, we evaluate whether it is justified to expand, continue or restrict nationwide immunoprophylaxis using palivizumab of high risk infants against RSV. Read More

Res Sports Med 2018 Dec 16:1-15. Epub 2018 Dec 16.

a IGOID Research Group , University of Castilla-La Mancha , Spain.

This study examined physical and technical demands and the influence of the team's level on elite goalkeepers' performance during six consecutive seasons in Spanish Professional Soccer League. The goalkeepers' performance data were obtained by analyzing a total of 3,874 matches using a multiple-camera computerized tracking system. The physical and technical match variables registered were: distance traveled; distance Sprinted and the number of sprints; total number of passes; successful passes; pass percentage; recovered balls; lost balls; ratio lost balls: recovered balls, and number of saves. Read More

Ther Innov Regul Sci 2018 Dec 17:2168479018812775. Epub 2018 Dec 17.

1 Department of Pharmaceutical Regulatory Affairs, NGSM Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, NITTE Deemed to be University, Mangalore, Karnataka, India.

Pharmacovigilance (PV) is an integral part of the drug regulation system. PV plays an indispensable role in the identification, assessment, and publicizing of adverse drug reactions (ADRs) through various methods. ADRs account for serious harm to the patients and even lead to morbidity and mortality. Read More

Yonsei Med J 2019 Jan;60(1):10-21

Division of Rheumatology, Department of Internal Medicine, and Institute for Immunology and Immunological Diseases, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.

Antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibody-associated vasculitis (AAV) is a group of systemic necrotising vasculitides, which often involve small vessels, and which lead to few or no immune deposits in affected organs. According to clinical manifestations and pathological features, AAV is classified into three variants: microscopic polyangiitis, granulomatosis with polyangiitis (GPA), and eosinophilic GPA. The American College of Rheumatology 1990 criteria contributed to the classification of AAV, although currently the algorithm suggested by the European Medicines Agency in 2007 and the Chapel Hill Consensus Conference Nomenclature of Vasculitides proposed in 2012 have encouraged physicians to classify AAV patients properly. Read More

Environ Geochem Health 2018 Dec 15. Epub 2018 Dec 15.

Geological Survey of Slovenia, Dimičeva ulica 14, 1000, Ljubljana, Slovenia.

Street dust (SD) acts as a sink and a source of atmospheric particulate matter, which is especially significant in urban environments. World studies of natural and anthropogenic impacts on the elemental composition of SD are generally limited to specific areas or case studies. The objectives of this study are to determine the impacts of different anthropogenic atmospheric dust emitters and natural factors on the chemical composition of SD, and to define sources of variance in elemental composition of SD, temporal variations and geochemical associations of elements on large number of samples, collected in different time periods, anthropogenic environments and geological settings. Read More

Radiol Med 2018 Dec 15. Epub 2018 Dec 15.

S. C. Radioterapia, ASST dei Sette Laghi-Ospedale di Circolo e Fondazione Macchi, Varese, Italy.

Aims: To evaluate the use of radiotherapy (RT) for oligometastatic cancer (OMC) among radiation oncologists in Lombardy, Italy.

Methods And Study Design: A survey with 12 items regarding data of 2016 was sent to all 34 Lombardy RT centers. The survey included six general items and six specific items regarding patient/disease/treatment characteristics. Read More

Adv Ther 2018 Dec 15. Epub 2018 Dec 15.

Analytical Method Development Team, Samsung Bioepis Co., Ltd., Incheon, South Korea.

Introduction: Tumor necrosis factor (TNF-alpha) inhibitors, such as adalimumab, have shown success in treating autoimmune inflammatory diseases but are associated with substantial financial burdens to the healthcare system. Biosimilars, which are highly similar to biologic agents, offer the potential to reduce the financial burden of treatment. In the case of TNF-alpha inhibitors, they may also offer improved stability and enable prolonged use. Read More

Clin Oral Investig 2018 Dec 15. Epub 2018 Dec 15.

Department of Preventive and Social Dentistry, School of Dentistry, Seoul National University, 101 Daehak-ro, Jongno-gu, Seoul, 03080, South Korea.

Objectives: Saliva is a bodily fluid transuded from gingival crevice fluid and blood and contains many proteins. Proteins in saliva have been studied as markers for periodontal diseases. Mass spectrometric analysis is applied to investigate biomarker proteins that are related to periodontitis. Read More

Environ Sci Pollut Res Int 2018 Dec 15. Epub 2018 Dec 15.

Faculty of Food Engineering, Stefan cel Mare University of Suceava, 13 Universitatii Street, 720229, Suceava, Romania.

Worldwide, large amounts of food are wasted every year. Reducing of food waste at European level is taken very seriously and it has been adopted even a target of reducing the amount of food waste in half until 2030. In many countries of the European Union, food wastes are composted, while in countries like Romania, the composting is too little used or not at all, but efforts are being made to apply this process. Read More

Environ Monit Assess 2018 Dec 15;191(1):19. Epub 2018 Dec 15.

Wrocław University of Environmental and Life Sciences, Institute of Soil Science and Environmental Protection, Grunwaldzka 53, 50-357, Wrocław, Poland.

The legal regulatory/action levels of trace elements in soils are established at high concentrations, at which the crucial functions of soil are at risk or are eliminated. However, concentrations below these action levels, but above presumed natural levels, may also limit particular ecosystem services, including organic food production. Thus, defining the (ambient) background concentrations is an essential part of environmental or health risk assessment, e. Read More

Ann Ig 2019 Jan-Feb;31(1):76-85

Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences and Translational Medicine, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy.

Ice cream is a widely enjoyed food that is especially popular during summer. To ensure it is safe and ready-to-eat for consumers, legislation imposes a series of obligations for food business operators, and for competent authorities that have to carry out official controls, including official sampling. This article reviews the general and specific requirements applicable to the premises where ice cream is produced, concerning aspects related to health notification obligations and to implementing and maintaining procedures based on the principles of the Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point system. Read More

Digestion 2018 Dec 14:1-10. Epub 2018 Dec 14.

Department of Gastroenterology, Asahi General Hospital, Chiba, Japan.

Background/aims: Feeding recommendations after endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD) for gastric neoplasms are not established and based on clinical experience.

Methods: This was a prospective pilot randomized controlled trial. Patients undergoing ESD for gastric neoplasms were randomly assigned to solid (n = 50) or liquid diet (n = 50) groups. Read More

J Neurol Neurosurg Psychiatry 2018 Dec 15. Epub 2018 Dec 15.

Department of Clinical Genetics, Maastricht University Medical Centre, Maastricht, The Netherlands

Background: Neuropathic pain is common in peripheral neuropathy. Recent genetic studies have linked pathogenic voltage-gated sodium channel (VGSC) variants to human pain disorders. Our aims are to determine the frequency of , and variants in patients with pure small fibre neuropathy (SFN), analyse their clinical features and provide a rationale for genetic screening. Read More

J Neurol Neurosurg Psychiatry 2018 Dec 15. Epub 2018 Dec 15.

Centre for Clinical Brain Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK

Objective: Many studies examining stroke outcomes focus on more severe strokes or have short follow-up periods, so the long-term outcomes post-minor ischaemic stroke are unclear.

Methods: We recruited participants from inpatient and outpatient services with a lacunar or minor cortical ischaemic stroke (National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale score <8) and assessed current and premorbid cognitive functioning (Addenbrooke's Cognitive Examination-Revised (ACE-R), National Adult Reading Test (NART)), physical functioning (Timed Get Up and Go (TUG), 9-Hole Peg Test (9HPT)), dependency (modified Rankin Scale (mRS)), depression (Beck's Depression Inventory) in-person and remotely (Stroke Impact Scale).

Results: We followed up 224/264 participants at 3 years (mean age at index stroke=67, 126 (56%) men, 25 non-contactable, 15 declined): 66/151 (44%) had cognitive impairment, mean ACE-R 88 (SD 9, range 54-100/100), 61/156 (39%) had depression and 26/223 (12%) were dependent (mRS=3-5). Read More