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Neuroimage 2018 Dec 3. Epub 2018 Dec 3.

Center for Neuroscience, University of California at Davis, 1544 Newton Court, Davis, CA, 95618, USA; Department of Psychology, University of California at Davis, One Shields Avenue, Davis, CA, 95616, USA.

The efficacy of cognitive training is controversial, and research progress in the field requires an understanding of factors that promote transfer of training gains and their relationship to changes in brain activity. One such factor may be adaptive task difficulty, as adaptivity is predicted to facilitate more efficient processing by creating a prolonged mismatch between the supply of, and the demand upon, neural resources. To test this hypothesis, we measured behavioral and neural plasticity in fMRI sessions before and after 10 sessions of working memory updating (WMU) training, in which the difficulty of practiced tasks either adaptively increased in response to performance or was fixed. Read More

Pharmacol Ther 2018 Dec 3. Epub 2018 Dec 3.

Department of Medical Oncology, CAncer Research for PErsonalized Medicine (CARPEM), Paris Centre Teaching Hospitals, Paris Descartes University, USPC, Paris, France.

Body composition has gained increasing attention in oncology in recent years due to fact that sarcopenia has been revealed to be a strong prognostic indicator for survival across multiple stages and cancer types and a predictive factor for toxicity and surgery complications. Accumulating evidence over the last decade has unraveled the "pharmacology" of sarcopenia. Lean body mass may be more relevant to define drug dosing than the "classical" body surface area or flat-fixed dosing in patients with cancer. Read More

Cochrane Database Syst Rev 2018 Dec 3;12:CD012620. Epub 2018 Dec 3.

Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO, USA.

Background: Long-acting bronchodilators such as long-acting β-agonist (LABA), long-acting muscarinic antagonist (LAMA), and LABA/inhaled corticosteroid (ICS) combinations have been used in people with moderate to severe chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) to control symptoms such as dyspnoea and cough, and prevent exacerbations. A number of LABA/LAMA combinations are now available for clinical use in COPD. However, it is not clear which group of above mentioned inhalers is most effective or if any specific formulation works better than the others within the same group or class. Read More

Cochrane Database Syst Rev 2018 Dec 3;12:CD011644. Epub 2018 Dec 3.

Sheila Sherlock Liver Centre, Royal Free Hospital and the UCL Institute of Liver and Digestive Health, London, UK.

Background: Hepatitis C virus (HCV) is a single-stranded RNA (ribonucleic acid) virus that has the potential to cause inflammation of the liver. The traditional definition of acute HCV infection is the first six months following infection with the virus. Another commonly used definition of acute HCV infection is the absence of HCV antibody and subsequent seroconversion (presence of HCV antibody in a person who was previously negative for HCV antibody). Read More

Cochrane Database Syst Rev 2018 Dec 3;12:CD011901. Epub 2018 Dec 3.

Institute of Applied Health Research, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, UK, B15 2TT.

Background: Early accurate detection of all skin cancer types is important to guide appropriate management, to reduce morbidity and to improve survival. Basal cell carcinoma (BCC) is almost always a localised skin cancer with potential to infiltrate and damage surrounding tissue, whereas a minority of cutaneous squamous cell carcinomas (cSCCs) and invasive melanomas are higher-risk skin cancers with the potential to metastasise and cause death. Dermoscopy has become an important tool to assist specialist clinicians in the diagnosis of melanoma, and is increasingly used in primary-care settings. Read More

Cochrane Database Syst Rev 2018 Dec 3;12:CD011902. Epub 2018 Dec 3.

Institute of Applied Health Research, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, UK, B15 2TT.

Background: Melanoma has one of the fastest rising incidence rates of any cancer. It accounts for a small percentage of skin cancer cases but is responsible for the majority of skin cancer deaths. Although history-taking and visual inspection of a suspicious lesion by a clinician are usually the first in a series of 'tests' to diagnose skin cancer, dermoscopy has become an important tool to assist diagnosis by specialist clinicians and is increasingly used in primary care settings. Read More

Cochrane Database Syst Rev 2018 Dec 3;12:CD013190. Epub 2018 Dec 3.

Institute of Applied Health Research, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, UK, B15 2TT.

Background: Melanoma has one of the fastest rising incidence rates of any cancer. It accounts for a small percentage of skin cancer cases but is responsible for the majority of skin cancer deaths. Early detection and treatment is key to improving survival; however, anxiety around missing early cases needs to be balanced against appropriate levels of referral and excision of benign lesions. Read More

PLoS One 2018 6;13(12):e0208637. Epub 2018 Dec 6.

Department of Oncology, The Central Hospital of Wuhan, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, P.R. China.

Background: In this study, we assessed the association of SBRT (stereotactic body radiotherapy) dose and volume with radiation pneumonitis (RP) risk in lung tumor.

Methods: Relevant articles were identified up to April 2018, using following databases; Medline, EMBASE, Cochrane Library, and China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI). The pooled OR (odds ratio) with 95% CI (confidence interval) data [mean ± SD (standard deviation)] obtained from different studies was analyzed by statistical analysis using a fixed-effects model or a random-effects model when appropriate. Read More

PLoS One 2018 6;13(12):e0208437. Epub 2018 Dec 6.

Department of Pediatric Dentistry and Orthodontics, Faculty of Dentistry, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil.

Background: Despite the increasing number of studies evaluating patient reported outcome measures (PROs), there is no clearness regarding which restorative treatment offers major benefits based on the pediatric patient perspective.

Aim: To compare different restorative techniques in pediatric dentistry regarding patient-reported outcomes.

Design: Literature searching was carried out on prospective studies indexed in PubMed, Scopus and OpenGrey. Read More

PLoS One 2018 6;13(12):e0207707. Epub 2018 Dec 6.

Laboratory of Molecular Oncology, Hellenic Foundation for Cancer Research/Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki, Greece.

In the current study, we performed a complete analysis, with four different methods, of all four HER family receptors, in a series of patients with metastatic breast cancer treated with trastuzumab-based regimens and evaluated their prognostic value. Formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded tumor tissue samples were collected from 227 patients, considered to be HER2-positive when assessed at the local laboratories. We evaluated gene amplification, copy number variations (CNVs), mRNA and protein expression of all four HER family members. Read More

PLoS Genet 2018 Dec 6;14(12):e1007850. Epub 2018 Dec 6.

Department of Population Health and Reproduction, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California Davis, Davis, CA, United States of America.

Domestic dog breeds exhibit remarkable morphological variations that result from centuries of artificial selection and breeding. Identifying the genetic changes that contribute to these variations could provide critical insights into the molecular basis of tissue and organismal morphogenesis. Bulldogs, French Bulldogs and Boston Terriers share many morphological and disease-predisposition traits, including brachycephalic skull morphology, widely set eyes and short stature. Read More

PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2018 Dec 6;12(12):e0006890. Epub 2018 Dec 6.

World Health Organization, Control of Neglected Tropical Diseases, Innovative and Intensified Disease Management, Geneva, Switzerland.

Background: Human African trypanosomiasis (HAT) is a neglected tropical disease targeted for elimination 'as a public health problem' by 2020. The indicators to monitor progress towards the target are based on the number of reported cases, the related areas and populations exposed at various levels of risk, and the coverage of surveillance activities. Based on data provided by the National Sleeping Sickness Control Programmes (NSSCP), Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) and research institutions-and assembled in the Atlas of HAT-the World Health Organization (WHO) provides here an update to 2016 for these indicators, as well as an analysis of the epidemiological situation. Read More

Multivariate Behav Res 2018 Dec 6:1-16. Epub 2018 Dec 6.

a Department of Educational Policy Studies , Georgia State University.

While conventional hierarchical linear modeling is applicable to purely hierarchical data, a multiple membership random effects model (MMrem) is appropriate for nonpurely nested data wherein some lower-level units manifest mobility across higher-level units. Although a few recent studies have investigated the influence of cluster-level residual nonnormality on hierarchical linear modeling estimation for purely hierarchical data, no research has examined the statistical performance of an MMrem given residual non-normality. The purpose of the present study was to extend prior research on the influence of residual non-normality from purely nested data structures to multiple membership data structures. Read More

FASEB J 2018 Dec 6:fj201802075R. Epub 2018 Dec 6.

Key Laboratory of Microgravity, Center of Biomechanics and Bioengineering, Institute of Mechanics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China.

Bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs) are able to differentiate into functional hepatocytelike cells, which are expected to serve as a potential cell source in regenerative medicine, tissue engineering, and clinical treatment of liver injury. Little is known about whether and how space microgravity is able to direct the hepatogenic differentiation of BMSCs in the actual space microenvironment. In this study, we examined the effects of space microgravity on BMSC hepatogenic differentiation on board the SJ-10 Recoverable Scientific Satellite. Read More

Clin Oral Implants Res 2018 Dec 6. Epub 2018 Dec 6.

Department of Prosthodontics, Propaedeutic and Dental Materials, School of Dentistry, Christian-Albrechts University, Kiel, Germany.

Objective: The purpose of this laboratory study was to evaluate the fatigue resistance, fracture resistance and mode of failure of posterior hybrid-abutment-crown versus hybrid-abutment with separate crown, both bonded to short titanium bases.

Materials And Methods: Thirty-two titanium implants were embedded perpendicularly in auto-polymerizing resin. Implant-supported restorations simulating a maxillary first premolar were designed and milled using a CAD/CAM system and divided into 2 groups according to material (n=16): zirconia (Z) and lithium disilicate (L). Read More

Int J Epidemiol 2018 Dec 5. Epub 2018 Dec 5.

University of Cambridge, Centre for Business Research, Cambridge, UK.

Background: Consensus is growing that policy reform programmes by the International Monetary Fund (IMF)-an international organization mandated with upholding global financial stability and assisting countries in economic turmoil-produce adverse effects on public health. However, this consensus is unclear about which policies of these programmes underlie these effects. This article fills parts of this gap by examining the impact of four kinds of IMF policies (fiscal policy, public-sector employment, privatization of state-owned enterprises and price liberalization) on public-health expenditure, child vaccination and child mortality. Read More

Int J Epidemiol 2018 Dec 5. Epub 2018 Dec 5.

Leeds Institute for Data Analytics, University of Leeds, Leeds, UK.

The current paradigm for causal inference in epidemiology relies primarily on the evaluation of counterfactual contrasts via statistical regression models informed by graphical causal models (often in the form of directed acyclic graphs, or DAGs) and their underlying mathematical theory. However, there have been growing calls for supplementary methods, and one such method that has been proposed is agent-based modelling due to its potential for simulating counterfactuals. However, within the epidemiological literature, there currently exists a general lack of clarity regarding what exactly agent-based modelling is (and is not) and, importantly, how it differs from microsimulation modelling-perhaps its closest methodological comparator. Read More

Clin Spine Surg 2018 Dec 4. Epub 2018 Dec 4.

Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, New York University Hospital for Joint Diseases, New York, NY.

S1 pedicle subtraction osteotomies (PSOs) are indicated in patients with fixed, high-grade L5-S1 spondylolisthesis or kyphosis secondary to a sacral fracture, who present with severe sagittal imbalance. Unlike lumbar PSOs, sacral osteotomies are rare, and there is a paucity of literature outlining techniques. Here, we present the indications, planning, technique, and outcomes for S1 PSOs. Read More

J Esthet Restor Dent 2018 Dec 6. Epub 2018 Dec 6.

Q LAB, Perth, Western Australia, Australia.

Objective: To report an alternative clinical and laboratory protocol for same-day implant fixed full-arch provisional rehabilitation that may overcome limitations associated with traditional immediate provisional denture conversion rehabilitation protocols.

Clinical Considerations: The traditional denture conversion fabrication method of an immediate full-arch fixed provisional involves the conversion of a complete denture into a provisional fixed implant-support prosthesis. The conversion technique has several shortcomings which compromise structural integrity, longevity, ease of modification, and the need for a silicone impression. Read More

Proteomics Clin Appl 2018 Dec 6:e1700168. Epub 2018 Dec 6.

University of Bremen, Bremen, Germany.

Purpose: To develop a mass spectrometry imaging (MSI) based workflow for extracting m/z values related to putative protein biomarkers and using these for reliable tumor classification.

Experimental Design: Given a list of putative breast and ovarian cancer biomarker proteins, we extracted a set of related m/z values from heterogeneous MSI datasets derived from formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded tissue material. Based on these features, a linear discriminant analysis classification model was trained to discriminate the two tumor types. Read More

J Eur Acad Dermatol Venereol 2018 Dec 6. Epub 2018 Dec 6.

Comprehensive Center for Inflammation Medicine, University of Luebeck, Luebeck, Germany.

Background: Itch is common in psoriasis, adversely affecting health-related quality of life (HRQoL) and sleep.

Objective: We evaluated the efficacy of topical fixed-dose combination calcipotriol 50 μg/g plus betamethasone dipropionate 0.5 mg/g cutaneous foam (Cal/BD foam) on itch, itch-related sleep loss and HRQoL versus foam vehicle. Read More

Int J Cancer 2018 Dec 5. Epub 2018 Dec 5.

Medical Oncology Department, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale per lo Studio e la Cura dei Tumori, Milan, Italy.

The mTOR inhibitor everolimus is effective against advanced pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors (pNETs). However, it can cause metabolic adverse events, such as hyperglycemia, hypertriglyceridemia and hypercholesterolemia. In this work we aimed at evaluating the impact of systemic and tumor lipid metabolism on everolimus efficacy. Read More

Evolution 2018 Dec 6. Epub 2018 Dec 6.

Department of Ecology, Evolution and Behavior, University of Minnesota, St Paul, Minnesota, 55108.

Evolution is often deemed irreversible. The evolution of complex traits that require many mutations makes their reversal unlikely. Even in simpler traits, reversals might become less likely as neutral or beneficial mutations, with deleterious effects in the ancestral context, become fixed in the novel background. Read More

Int J Colorectal Dis 2018 Dec 5. Epub 2018 Dec 5.

Department of Surgery, University Hospital of Larissa, Mezourlo, 41110, Larissa, Greece.

Purpose: A meta-analysis of RCTs was designed to provide an up-to-date comparison of thoracic epidural analgesia (TEA) and patient-controlled analgesia (PCA) in laparoscopic colectomy.

Methods: Our study was completed following the PRISMA guidelines and the Cochrane Handbook for Systematic Reviews of Interventions. A systematic literature screening was performed in MEDLINE and Web of Science. Read More

Target Oncol 2018 Dec 5. Epub 2018 Dec 5.

Department of Pathology, University Medical Center Utrecht, PO Box 85500, 3508 GA, Utrecht, The Netherlands.

Background: Male breast cancer is rare, as it represents less than 1% of all breast cancer cases. In addition, male breast cancer appears to have a different biology than female breast cancer. Programmed death-1 (PD-1) and its ligand, programmed death-ligand 1 (PD-L1), seem to have prognostic and predictive values in a variety of cancers, including female breast cancer. Read More

IBRO Rep 2018 Dec 14;5:110-115. Epub 2018 Nov 14.

Cellular Stress Response Laboratory, Cell Biology Division, Department of Zoology, Shivaji University, Kolhapur, Maharashtra, 416 004, India.

Hormesis is a dose response phenomenon of cells and organisms to various types of stressors. Mild stress stimulates prosurvival pathways and makes the cells adaptive to stressful conditions. It is a widely used fundamental dose-response phenomenon in many biomedical and toxicological sciences, radiation biology, health science etc. Read More

Front Med (Lausanne) 2018 21;5:322. Epub 2018 Nov 21.

Department of Biological Sciences, Mellon College of Science, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, PA, United States.

Kidney glomerular diseases, such as the minimal change disease (MCD) and focal segmental glomerulosclerosis (FSGS), and other nephrotic syndromes, are typically diagnosed or confirmed via electron microscopy. Although optical microscopy has been a vital tool to examine clinical specimens for diagnoses in pathology for decades, the optical resolution is constricted by the physical diffraction limit of the optical microscope, which prevents high-resolution investigation of subcellular anatomy, such as of the podocyte tertiary foot processes. Here, we describe a simple, fast, and inexpensive protocol for nanoscale optical imaging of kidney glomeruli. Read More

PeerJ 2018 29;6:e5945. Epub 2018 Nov 29.

Faculty of Veterinary and Agricultural Sciences, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, Australia.

Background: In horses and ponies, insulin dysregulation leading to hyperinsulinemia may be associated with increased risk of laminitis, and prolonged infusion of insulin can induce the condition. It is unclear whether insulin may have a direct or indirect effect on the lamellar tissues. Insulin is structurally related to insulin-like growth factor (IGF-1), and can bind the IGF-1 receptor, albeit at a lower affinity than IGF-1. Read More

Transl Vis Sci Technol 2018 Nov 30;7(6):18. Epub 2018 Nov 30.

Carver College of Medicine, Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, Institute for Vision Research, University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics, Iowa City, Iowa, USA.

Purpose: We correlate optical coherence tomography (OCT) retinal layer thickness measurements with histology in wild-type and retinal degenerative pigs.

Methods: OCT scans were obtained using the Bioptigen Envisu R2200. In normal pigs, three eyes were imaged in vivo, and three eyes were imaged after enucleation. Read More

J Cancer 2018 31;9(23):4440-4448. Epub 2018 Oct 31.

Department of Anatomic Pathology, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kyushu University, 3-1-1 Maidashi, Higashi-ku, Fukuoka 812-8582, Japan.

MPHOSPH1, which is one of the kinesin superfamily proteins, has been reported to play an essential role in the carcinogenesis and progression of several kinds of cancers. MPHOSPH1 has also been suggested to be involved in STAT3 phosphorylation in hepatocellular carcinoma. However, the biological behavior of MPHOSPH1 in testicular germ cell tumors (TGCTs) is unclear at present. Read More

Clin Epidemiol 2018 8;10:1627-1637. Epub 2018 Nov 8.

Acute Care Surgery Division, Department of Surgery, Iowa City, IA, USA,

Purpose: Clinicians anecdotally noted that elderly patients who suffered from traumatic injuries (falls or other injuries) often re-present and are readmitted with fall injuries. Herein, we hypothesized that fall injuries and fall-related deaths and readmissions are increasing over time, and assessed whether the overall rates of death, hospital admission, and 30-day readmission due to falls increased from 2010 to 2014 in the elderly population (≥65) in the US.

Patients And Methods: The WHO mortality database and the National Readmission Database (NRD) were queried to assess rates of deaths and hospital admissions and 30-day readmissions associated with fall injuries in the elderly population that presented with trauma. Read More

Clin Cosmet Investig Dermatol 2018 9;11:561-569. Epub 2018 Nov 9.

IGeneX Laboratories, Palo Alto, CA, USA.

Background: Morgellons disease (MD) is a skin condition associated with Lyme disease (LD) and tick-borne illness. Patients with this skin disorder experience ulcerative lesions that contain multicolored filamentous collagen and keratin inclusions. Infection with various species of and other tick-borne pathogens has been detected in tissue and body fluid specimens from MD patients. Read More

Onco Targets Ther 2018 13;11:8083-8088. Epub 2018 Nov 13.

Jiangsu Cancer Hospital, Jiangsu Institute of Cancer Research, Nanjing Medical University Affiliated Cancer Hospital, Nanjing, China,

Purpose: Several studies have proved that single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) of mismatch repair system genes are closely related to the development of colorectal cancer (CRC) by causing microsatellite instability, while effects of the SNPs of MMR system-related genes on the clinical outcomes of cytotoxic chemotherapy are less understood. The aim of this study explored the influence of MLH1 SNPs on clinical outcomes of first-line irinotecan-based chemotherapy in CRC.

Patients And Methods: A total of 125 metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC) patients who received first-line irinotecan-based chemotherapy (none of them combined with bevacizumab or cetuximab) were enrolled in this study. Read More

Sci Rep 2018 Dec 5;8(1):17751. Epub 2018 Dec 5.

Department of Rheumatology, Ren Ji Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, 200001, China.

A correction to this article has been published and is linked from the HTML and PDF versions of this paper. The error has been fixed in the paper. Read More

Sci Rep 2018 Dec 6;8(1):17776. Epub 2018 Dec 6.

Department of Biological Sciences, University of Lethbridge, 4401 University Dr. W, Lethbridge, AB, T1K 3M4, Canada.

A correction to this article has been published and is linked from the HTML and PDF versions of this paper. The error has not been fixed in the paper. Read More

Sci Rep 2018 Dec 6;8(1):17777. Epub 2018 Dec 6.

Department of Psychiatry, Department of Neuroscience, and Friedman Brain Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA.

A correction to this article has been published and is linked from the HTML and PDF versions of this paper. The error has not been fixed in the paper. Read More

Nihon Koshu Eisei Zasshi 2018 ;65(11):666-676

Department of Environmental and Occupational Health, School of Medicine, Toho University, Tokyo, Japan.

Objectives　In Japan, nationwide data of the incidence of infectious diseases have been collected via the National Epidemiological Surveillance of Infectious Diseases (NESID) since 1981. In addition, since March 2014, Kawasaki City has operated its own real-time surveillance (RTS) system to collect data of the incidence of influenza from medical institutions across the city. This study aimed to describe the characteristics of the RTS system and compare the two surveillance systems to improve measures against infectious diseases in the future. Read More

Proc Biol Sci 2018 Dec 5;285(1892). Epub 2018 Dec 5.

School of Earth Sciences, University of Bristol, Queen's Road, Bristol, UK

Colour vision is known to have arisen only twice-once in Vertebrata and once within the Ecdysozoa, in Arthropoda. However, the evolutionary history of ecdysozoan vision is unclear. At the molecular level, visual pigments, composed of a chromophore and a protein belonging to the opsin family, have different spectral sensitivities and these mediate colour vision. Read More

Reprod Biomed Online 2018 Nov 13. Epub 2018 Nov 13.

AP-HP, Reproductive Biology Unit, Paris-Sud University, Paris-Saclay University, Antoine Béclère Hospital, Clamart 92140, France.

Research Question: Chromosomal translocations are known genetic causes of male infertility. Are certain translocations or chromosomal regions more directly associated with sperm defects? Is there a threshold of sperm impairment that can be relevant for detection of translocations?

Design: This is a monocentric retrospective observational study covering a 10-year period. Eighty-one patients carrying a reciprocal translocation (RCT) and 63 carrying a Robertsonian translocation (ROBT) were compared with 105 fertile patients. Read More

Eur J Surg Oncol 2018 Nov 24. Epub 2018 Nov 24.

Division of Surgery, The Canberra Hospital, Garran, ACT, Australia. Electronic address:

Background: The effectiveness of minimally invasive oesophagectomy (MIO) compared to open oesophagectomy (OO) remains controversial. Various techniques for performing MIO are currently used, but the evidence for them is lacking. The objective of this meta-analysis was to compare the safety, efficacy and oncological outcomes of McKeown's minimally invasive oesophagectomy (McKeown's-MIO) to OO. Read More

Syst Rev 2018 Dec 5;7(1):225. Epub 2018 Dec 5.

Division of Cardiology and Cardiac Surgery, McGill University Health Centre, Montreal, Quebec, Canada.

Background: Acute myocardial infarction (MI) remains one of the leading causes of death worldwide with no curative therapy available. Stem cell therapies have been gaining interest as a means to repair the cardiac tissue after MI and prevent the onset of heart failure. Many in vivo reports suggest that the use of stem cells is promising, yet clinical trials suggest that the cells fail to integrate into the native tissue, resulting in limited improvements in cardiac function and repair. Read More

BMC Pulm Med 2018 Dec 5;18(1):186. Epub 2018 Dec 5.

Department of Respiratory Medicine, Allergology and Sleep Medicine, General Hospital Nuremberg, Nuremberg, Germany.

Background: There is a lack of robust data about factors predicting continuation (or termination) of positive airway pressure therapy (PAP) for sleep apnea. This analysis of big data from a German homecare provider describes patients treated with PAP, analyzes the therapy termination rate over the first year, and investigates predictive factors for therapy termination.

Methods: Data from a German homecare service provider were analyzed retrospectively. Read More

BMC Med Res Methodol 2018 Dec 5;18(1):161. Epub 2018 Dec 5.

Department of Medicine Solna, Karolinska Institute, and Department of Urology, Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden.

Background: In Sweden, human tissue samples obtained from diagnostic and surgical procedures have for decades been routinely stored in a formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded, form. Through linkage with nationwide registers, these samples are available for molecular studies to identify biomarkers predicting mortality even in slow-progressing prostate cancer. However, tissue fixation causes modifications of nucleic acids, making it challenging to extract high-quality nucleic acids from formalin fixated tissues. Read More

Nano Lett 2018 Dec 5. Epub 2018 Dec 5.

This paper studies the temperature-dependent transport properties of ultrathin black phosphorus (BP). We present measurements of BP Schottky-barrier (SB) metal-oxide-semiconductor field-effect-transistors (MOSFETs) with various channel lengths, constructed from a single BP sample with nanoscale uniformity in thickness and width. The electrical characterization reveals a reversal in the temperature dependence of drain current as a function of gate voltage. Read More

J Appl Clin Med Phys 2018 Dec 3. Epub 2018 Dec 3.

Group of Radiation Dosimetry and Medical Physics, Institute of Physics, University of São Paulo (IFUSP), São Paulo, SP, Brazil.

Purpose: To evaluate organ doses in routine and low-dose chest computed tomography (CT) protocols using an experimental methodology. To compare experimental results with results obtained by the National Cancer Institute dosimetry system for CT (NCICT) organ dose calculator. To address the differences on organ dose measurements using tube current modulation (TCM) and fixed tube current protocols. Read More

Clin Pharmacol Drug Dev 2018 Dec 3. Epub 2018 Dec 3.

Janssen Research & Development, Beerse, Belgium.

Darunavir/cobicistat/emtricitabine/tenofovir alafenamide (D/C/F/TAF) is an oral once-daily single-tablet regimen for the treatment of human immunodeficiency virus-1 infection. Different administration modalities for the D/C/F/TAF fixed-dose combination tablet were explored in this phase 1 randomized, open-label, 3-period, 3-treatment crossover study enrolling 30 healthy adults. The primary objective was to assess the relative bioavailability of each component after a single dose of D/C/F/TAF (800/150/200/10 mg) administered as a split or crushed tablet (tests) versus swallowed whole (reference). Read More

Hum Mol Genet 2018 Dec;27(24):4315-4322

QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute, Brisbane, Australia.

There is considerable debate regarding the role that 25-hydroxyvitamin D [25(OH)D] concentrations play in cancer risk or mortality, with earlier studies drawing mixed conclusions. Using data from the UK Biobank (UKB), we evaluate whether genetically predicted 25(OH)D concentrations are associated with overall cancer susceptibility and cancer mortality using five 25(OH)D genetic markers. Data comprised 438 870 white British UKB participants aged 37-73, including 46 155 cancer cases and 6998 cancer-specific deaths. Read More

Int J Epidemiol 2018 Dec 1. Epub 2018 Dec 1.

Department of Epidemiology, Erasmus Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.

Background: Recently, using a counterfactual framework, a causal mediation analysis has been formalized to decompose the total effect of a time-fixed exposure on an outcome into four components that can be loosely defined as being components due to mediation only, interaction only, mediated interaction and neither. The interpretation of the estimated effect sizes is challenging when these components of the total effect are of the opposite sign compared with each other. Particularly, a negative mediated interaction might be intuitively difficult to conceptualize and, so far, lacks an easy-to-understand biological or mechanical interpretation. Read More

Int J Neuropsychopharmacol 2018 Dec 2. Epub 2018 Dec 2.

H. Lundbeck A/S, Ottiliavej, Valby, Copenhagen, Denmark.

Background: Patients with major depressive disorder (MDD) and inadequate response to antidepressant treatments (ADTs) may experience a prolonged loss of functioning. This post hoc analysis aimed to determine the effect of adjunctive brexpiprazole on functioning in such patients.

Methods: A pooled analysis of data from the 6-week, randomized, double-blind treatment phases of six studies of adjunctive brexpiprazole (2 and 3 mg/day in fixed-dose studies; 1-3 mg/day in flexible-dose studies) versus placebo in patients with MDD and inadequate response to ADTs (NCT01360645, NCT01360632, NCT02196506, NCT01727726, NCT00797966, NCT01052077). Read More

J Vis Exp 2018 Nov 14(141). Epub 2018 Nov 14.

Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Nagoya University Graduate School of Medicine.

Distraction osteogenesis (DO) is a surgical procedure that involves skeletal tissue regeneration without cell transplantation. A DO model consists of the following three phases: the latency phase after osteotomy and placement of the external distractor; the distraction phase, wherein the separated bone ends are gradually and continuously distracted; and the consolidation phase. This custom-made distractor used for DO is comprised of two incomplete acrylic resin rings and an expansion screw. Read More