Search Our Scientific Publications & Authors

Rev Bras Ginecol Obstet 2018 Dec 12. Epub 2018 Dec 12.

Department of Radiology and Oncology, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, SP, Brazil.

Objective:  To promote informed choice for women and to compare home and hospital births in relation to the Apgar score.

Methods:  Mother's profile and Apgar score of naturally born infants (without forceps assistance) in Brazil between 2011 and 2015, in both settings-hospital or home-were collected from live birth records provided by the Informatics Department of the Unified Health System (DATASUS, in the Portuguese acronym). For the analysis, were included only data from low-risk deliveries, including gestational time between 37 and 41 weeks, singleton pregnancy, at least four visits of prenatal care, infants weighing between 2,500 g, and 4,000 g, mother age between 20-40 years old, and absence of congenital anomalies. Read More

Rev Bras Ginecol Obstet 2018 Dec 12. Epub 2018 Dec 12.

Universidade Positivo, Curitiba, PR, Brazil.

Renal artery aneurysms (RAAs) are rare and usually asymptomatic; ∼ 90% of them are unilateral. Once diagnosed during pregnancy, they may rupture, presenting a high maternal-fetal risk. The present study reports the case of a 32-year-old pregnant woman with a 30-week gestational age and a ruptured unilateral RAA. Read More

Tierarztl Prax Ausg K Kleintiere Heimtiere 2018 Oct 12;46(5):337-345. Epub 2018 Dec 12.

Canine osteoarthritis is a very common disease and the main cause for chronic pain in dogs. Progressive degeneration of joint cartilage, periarticular soft tissues and subchondral bone consecutively lead to osteophytes, inflammation and pain. It is an irreversible process. Read More

Tierarztl Prax Ausg K Kleintiere Heimtiere 2018 Oct 12;46(5):315-322. Epub 2018 Dec 12.

Canine leishmaniasis is an emerging infection with increasing importance because the main vector also exists in Germany and autochthonous infections have been described. In this article we present the latest information available regarding therapy and prevention of this disease. Allopurinol-resistant strains were isolated from dogs which experienced recurrent disease while being treated with allopurinol, highlighting the need for alternative treatment options. Read More

Exp Clin Endocrinol Diabetes 2018 Dec 12. Epub 2018 Dec 12.

Department of Internal Medicine 1, Shimane University Faculty of Medicine, Izumo, Japan.

Objective: Sarcopenia has been recognized as a diabetic complication, and hyperuricemia is often accompanied by type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). However, it is unknown whether serum uric acid (UA) levels are associated with reduced muscle mass in T2DM.

Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional study to investigate the association of serum UA with muscle mass in 401 subjects with T2DM (209 men and 192 postmenopausal women). Read More

Psychiatr Prax 2018 Dec 12. Epub 2018 Dec 12.

LVR-Klinikum Düsseldorf, Kliniken der Heinrich-Heine-Universität, Medizinische Fakultät Düsseldorf.

Alcohol dependent patients represent a high-risk group for vitamin deficiency, which could lead to variable cognitive dysfunctions and, as an extreme example, to an amnestic-confabulatory syndrome. In this case report, we report about an alcohol dependent 58-year-old patient without focal neurological symptoms with an amnestic-confabulatory syndrome. After substitution of thiamine, vitamin B12 and folic acid, cognitive symptoms completely vanish within a 22-month period of observation. Read More

ILAR J 2018 Dec 12. Epub 2018 Dec 12.

Department of Population Health, University of Georgia College of Veterinary Medicine, Athens, Georgia.

Zoonoses, diseases transmitted between animals and humans, have been a concern in laboratory animal medicine for decades. Exposure to zoonotic organisms not only poses health risks to personnel and research animals but may also affect research integrity. Early laboratory animal programs were ineffective at excluding and preventing transmission of zoonotic diseases: the health status of the animals were often unknown, endemic diseases occurred frequently, housing conditions were less controlled, and veterinary care programs were decentralized. Read More

J Infect Dis 2018 Dec 12. Epub 2018 Dec 12.

Centre for Respiratory Diseases and Meningitis, National Institute for Communicable Diseases of the National Health Laboratory Service, Johannesburg, South Africa.

Background: Differential transmission from HIV-infected compared to HIV-uninfected individuals may impact influenza burden. We estimated the household secondary infection risk (SIR) and serial interval (SI) for influenza transmission from HIV-infected and HIV-uninfected index cases and identified associated factors.

Methods: Index cases were the first symptomatic person in a household with influenza-like illness, testing influenza positive on real-time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (rRT-PCR). Read More

J Am Med Inform Assoc 2018 Dec;25(12):1634-1642

Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, USA.

Background: The prevalence of moderate or complex (moderate-complex) congenital heart defects (CHDs) among adults is increasing due to improved survival, but many patients experience lapses in specialty care or their CHDs are undocumented in the medical system. There is, to date, no efficient approach to identify this population.

Objective: To develop and assess the performance of a risk score to identify adults aged 20-60 years with undocumented specific moderate-complex CHDs from electronic health records (EHR). Read More

Hum Mol Genet 2018 Dec 12. Epub 2018 Dec 12.

Cardiovascular Epidemiology and Genetics Research Group, IMIM (Hospital del Mar Medical Research Institute), Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain.

Nephrol Dial Transplant 2018 Dec 12. Epub 2018 Dec 12.

Department of Health Sciences, University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands.

Background: The longitudinal association between low education and chronic kidney disease (CKD) and its underlying mechanisms is poorly characterized. We therefore examined the association of low education with incident CKD and change in kidney function, and explored potential mediators of this association.

Methods: We analysed data on 6078 participants from the community-based Prevention of Renal and Vascular End-stage Disease study. Read More

Eur J Cardiothorac Surg 2018 Dec 11. Epub 2018 Dec 11.

Department of Cardio-Thoracic Surgery, Maastricht University Medical Centre, Maastricht, Netherlands.

Surgical aortic valve replacement (SAVR) is highly effective and can be achieved with relatively low risk in patients with severe aortic stenosis. Bioprostheses have been used most frequently during the past 60 years. However, the function of biological valves usually declines after 10-15 years from implant when structural valve degeneration occurs often mandating a reoperation once valve dysfunction becomes haemodynamically significant. Read More

Am J Clin Nutr 2018 Dec;108(6):1357-1368

School of Nutrition Sciences, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.

The Government of Canada and the Society of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists of Canada both recommend a daily multivitamin supplement containing 400 µg folic acid (FA) for the primary prevention of neural tube defects among low-risk women from before conception and throughout lactation. Prenatal supplements marketed and prescribed in Canada typically exceed the recommended dose, usually providing ≥1000 µg FA/d. This high daily dose, coupled with staple-food FA fortification, has resulted in the observation of very high blood folate concentrations among reproductive-aged women consuming FA-containing supplements. Read More

Am J Clin Nutr 2018 Dec;108(6):1164-1165

INSERM U-1018, Team 5, CESP.

Am J Clin Nutr 2018 Dec;108(6):1249-1258

Division of Epidemiology, Department of Medicine, Vanderbilt Epidemiology Center, School of Medicine, Vanderbilt University, Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN.

Background: Previous in vitro and in vivo studies indicate that enzymes that synthesize and metabolize vitamin D are magnesium dependent. Recent observational studies found that magnesium intake significantly interacted with vitamin D in relation to vitamin D status and risk of mortality. According to NHANES, 79% of US adults do not meet their Recommended Dietary Allowance of magnesium. Read More

Am J Clin Nutr 2018 Dec;108(6):1342-1351

Department of Internal Medicine, College of Medicine, Institute of Kidney Disease Research.

Background: Vitamin D deficiency is associated with renal progression in chronic kidney disease. Moreover, improvement of clinical outcomes after vitamin D supplementation has been reported in the diabetic and chronic kidney disease population.

Objective: We investigated the association between renal hyperfiltration (RHF) and vitamin D status in a relatively healthy population. 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

Fam Pract 2018 Dec 12. Epub 2018 Dec 12.

Department of Community Medicine and Primary Healthcare, Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu University/University Teaching Hospital, Awka, Nigeria.

Background: Given the dearth of government-sponsored programmes, preventive lifestyles and practices are the realistic hopes for millions of women in developing countries against cervical cancer. Early interventions for teenage high school girls have been advocated recently, but evidence-base for sustainable activities at this demographic is lacking. This article reduces this gap by determining the impact of two cervical cancer education techniques. Read More

J Gerontol A Biol Sci Med Sci 2018 Dec 12. Epub 2018 Dec 12.

Department of Biostatistics and Data Science, Division of Public Health Sciences, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, North Carolina.

Background: Low-grade chronic inflammation, characterized by elevations in plasma Interleukin-6 (IL-6), is an independent risk factor of impaired mobility in older persons. Angiotensin receptor blockers and omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (ω-3) may reduce IL-6 and may potentially improve physical function. To assess the main effects of the angiotensin receptor blocker losartan and ω-3 as fish oil on IL-6 and 400 m walking speed, we conducted the ENRGISE Pilot multicenter randomized clinical trial. Read More

Eur J Cardiothorac Surg 2018 Dec 11. Epub 2018 Dec 11.

Department of Anaesthesia, Intensive Care Medicine and Pain Medicine, Division of Cardiac Thoracic Vascular Anaesthesia and Intensive Care Medicine, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria.

Exposure to heparin and protamine during cardiac surgery on cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) may trigger heparin-induced thrombocytopaenia and/or protamine-induced thrombocytopaenia. Further surgery on CPB with heparin and protamine in the presence of these antibodies implies increased thromboembolic risk. We present the successful application of extracorporeal immunoadsorption to deplete antibodies causing heparin-induced and protamine-induced thrombocytopaenia preoperatively. Read More

Ann Bot 2018 Dec 12. Epub 2018 Dec 12.

Institute of Botany, The Czech Academy of Sciences, Průhonice, Czech Republic.

Background And Aims: Alpine cushion plants can initially facilitate other species during ecological succession, but later on can be negatively affected by their development, especially when beneficiaries possess traits allowing them to overrun their host. This can be reinforced by accelerated warming favouring competitively strong species over cold-adapted cushion specialists. However, little empirical research has addressed the trait-based mechanisms of these interactions. 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

Int J Epidemiol 2018 Dec 11. Epub 2018 Dec 11.

Charles Perkins Centre, University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia.

Background: The purpose of a negative control is to reproduce a condition that cannot involve the hypothesized causal mechanism, but does involve the same sources of bias and confounding that may distort the primary association of interest. Observational studies suggest physical inactivity is a major risk factor for cardiovascular disease (CVD), although potential sources of bias, including reverse causation and residual confounding, make it difficult to infer causality. The aim was to employ a negative control outcome to explore the extent to which the association between physical activity and CVD mortality is explained by confounding. Read More

Hum Reprod 2018 Dec 12. Epub 2018 Dec 12.

Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Copenhagen University Hospital Hvidovre, Kettegård Allé 26, Hvidovre, Denmark.

Study Question: Is the number of aspirated oocytes in the first ART cycle associated with the cumulative live birthrates (CLBR) in subsequent cycles?

Summary Answer: The number of aspirated oocytes in the first cycle was associated with CLBR in subsequent cycles. Previous treatment response predicts outcome in future cycles.

What Is Known Already: Previous reports have shown a positive association between the number of retrieved oocytes and live birthrate per fresh treatment cycle. Read More

Hum Reprod Update 2018 Dec 12. Epub 2018 Dec 12.

Priority Research Centre for Reproductive Science, Discipline of Biological Sciences, University of Newcastle, Callaghan, NSW, Australia.

Background: DNA integrity and stability are critical determinants of cell viability. This is especially true in the female germline, wherein DNA integrity underpins successful conception, embryonic development, pregnancy and the production of healthy offspring. However, DNA is not inert; rather, it is subject to assault from various environment factors resulting in chemical modification and/or strand breakage. Read More

Int J Epidemiol 2018 Dec 11. Epub 2018 Dec 11.

Institute for Global Health, University College London, London, UK.

Background: The extent to which individuals are similar to their sexual partners influences STI-transmission probabilities, yet there is a dearth of empirical data, especially those representative of the population.

Methods: Analyses of data reported by 10 759 sexually active people aged 16-74 y interviewed for a British national probability survey undertaken in 2010-12. Computer-assisted self-interviews asked about partner numbers and characteristics of participants' three most recent partnerships (MRPs). Read More

Interact Cardiovasc Thorac Surg 2018 Dec 11. Epub 2018 Dec 11.

Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery, Hunan Children's Hospital, Changsha, China.

Objectives: The aim of this study is to describe an effective surgical strategy for the treatment of children with pectus excavatum (PE) and concurrent congenital heart defect (CHD).

Methods: We retrospectively reviewed the medical records of all children (n = 16) who underwent simultaneous repair of PE with concurrent CHD at the Hunan Children's Hospital from July 2007 to December 2017. Among them, 7 patients had a simple atrial septal defect (ASD); 4 patients had a simple ventricular septal defect (VSD); 3 patients had both VSD and ASD; 1 patient had VSD, ASD and patent ductus arteriosus; and 1 patient had VSD complicated by pulmonary hypertension. Read More

ILAR J 2018 Dec 12. Epub 2018 Dec 12.

Unit for Laboratory Animal Medicine, University of Michigan Medical School in Ann Arbor, Michigan.

Research using laboratory animals has been revolutionized by the creation of humanized animal models, which are immunodeficient animals engrafted with human cells, tissues, or organs. These animal models provide the research community a unique and promising opportunity to mimic a wide variety of disease conditions in humans, from infectious disease to cancer. A vast majority of these models are humanized mice like those injected with human CD34+ hematopoietic stem cells and patient-derived xenografts. Read More

Gerontology 2018 Dec 12:1-9. Epub 2018 Dec 12.

Alzheimer's disease (AD) affects nearly 50 million people worldwide, and currently no disease-modifying treatment is available. With continuous failure of anti-amyloid-beta- or tau-based therapies, identification of new targets has become an urgent necessity for AD prevention and therapy. Recently, conventional genetic approaches and computational strategies have converged on immune-inflammatory pathways as key events in the pathogenesis of AD. Read More

Horm Res Paediatr 2018 Dec 12:1-14. Epub 2018 Dec 12.

The hypothalamic-pituitary-thyroid axis is a common site of unintended, acquired disease either during or after the treatment of cancer. Children treated with external radiation therapy are at the highest risk for developing a thyroid-related late effect, but thyroid dysfunction and second primary thyroid neoplasms can also occur after treatment with radiopharmaceutical agents such as 131I-metaiodobenzylguanidine. Increasingly recognized is the development of early thyroid dysfunction as an off-target consequence of the more novel cancer therapeutics such as the tyrosine kinase inhibitors and immune checkpoint inhibitors. Read More

Ann Nutr Metab 2018 Dec 12;74(1):53-61. Epub 2018 Dec 12.

Background: The effect of enteral immunonutrition (EIN) in patients undergoing pancreaticoduodenectomy (PD) is still doubtful. This meta-analysis aimed to assess the impact of EIN on postoperative clinical outcomes for patients undergoing PD.

Methods: A literature search was carried out to identify all of the randomized controlled trials (RCTs) concerning the use of EIN for PD. Read More

Ann Nutr Metab 2018 Dec 12;74(1):44-52. Epub 2018 Dec 12.

Department of Nutrition, School of Public Health, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou,

Background/aims: Some adipokines, such as adiponectin and leptin, have been reported to be involved in the pathogenesis of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), while the association of adipsin and visfatin with NAFLD still remains unclear. This study aimed to examine the association of circulating adipsin, visfatin, and adiponectin with NAFLD in Chinese adults.

Methods: We recruited a total of 211 eligible subjects, including 100 NAFLD cases and 111 age and sex frequency-matched controls. Read More

Digestion 2018 Dec 12:1-7. Epub 2018 Dec 12.

Department of Internal Medicine, Saga Medical School, Saga, Japan.

Background: Leukocyte removal therapy (LRT) is an effective treatment for active ulcerative colitis (UC). The present study was performed to evaluate the relapse-free period after LRT and identify risk factors for relapse.

Methods: In total, 94 patients who underwent first-time LRT for remission of moderate to severe UC from April 2004 to March 2016 were enrolled in the present study. Read More

Dig Dis 2018 Dec 12:1-10. Epub 2018 Dec 12.

Clinic for Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Clinical Center of Serbia, Belgrade, Serbia.

Superficial neoplastic lesions of the digestive tract are usually asymptomatic, and often represent incidental findings on endoscopy. The Paris Classification was developed for the systematic evaluation of superficial lesions of the oesophagus, stomach and colon. The significance of this classification in clinical practice is that it allows the depth of invasion to be estimated. Read More

Public Health Genomics 2018 Dec 12:1-14. Epub 2018 Dec 12.

Division of Human Genetics, Department of Internal Medicine, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio, USA.

Background: Family health history tools have the ability to improve health outcomes and promote patient-provider communication, but some research suggests their effectiveness is limited. Tool design features may heavily influence users' perceptions of the tools.

Aims: This study provides a summative evaluation of the Family HealthLink tool, which assesses cancer and coronary heart disease risk based on personal and family health history, to better understand how tool design and message content impact user perceptions. Read More

Phys Med Biol 2018 Dec 12. Epub 2018 Dec 12.

Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Centre, Dallas, TX 75235, Dallas, Texas, 75205, UNITED STATES.

The aim of this work is to develop a novel recursive ensemble OARs segmentation (REOS) framework for accurate organs-at-risk (OARs) automatic segmentation. The REOS recursively segment individual OARs by ensembling images features extracted from an organ localization module and a contour detection module. Both modules are based on a 3D U-Net architecture. Read More

J Crit Care 2018 Nov 30;50:144-154. Epub 2018 Nov 30.

Meridian HealthComms, Plumley Moor Road, Plumley, UK. Electronic address:

Purpose: Guidelines recommend crystalloids for fluid resuscitation in sepsis/shock and switching to albumin in cases where crystalloids are insufficient. We evaluated hemodynamic response to crystalloids/colloids in critically ill adults.

Materials And Methods: The primary research question was: "Are crystalloids sufficient for volume replacement in severe indications (intensive care unit [ICU]/critical illness)?" Randomized, controlled trials (RCTs) were identified using PubMed and EMBASE, and screened against predefined inclusion/exclusion criteria. Read More

Int J Surg 2018 Dec 9. Epub 2018 Dec 9.

Department for General and Visceral Surgery, Medical Center - University of Freiburg, Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, Germany. Electronic address:

Background: Due to the increasing number of patients after kidney transplantation, elective and emergency surgery of transplanted patients is becoming a relevant challenge in clinical routine. The current data on complication rate of patients after kidney transplantation, which must undergo another elective or emergency abdominal surgery, is inhomogeneous. Therefore, the aim of our study was to evaluate the outcome of renal transplant patients undergoing abdominal and abdominal wall surgery. Read More

Cell Rep 2018 Dec;25(11):3123-3135.e6

National Institute for Communicable Diseases of the National Health Laboratory Service, Johannesburg 2131, South Africa; Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg 2000, South Africa; Centre for the AIDS Programme of Research in South Africa (CAPRISA), University of KwaZulu Natal, Durban 4041, South Africa. Electronic address:

Antibodies that bind residue K169 in the V2 region of the HIV-1 envelope correlated with reduced risk of infection in the RV144 vaccine trial but were restricted to two ED-motif-encoding light chain genes. Here, we identify an HIV-infected donor with high-titer V2 peptide-binding antibodies and isolate two antibody lineages (CAP228-16H/19F and CAP228-3D) that mediate potent antibody-dependent cell-mediated cytotoxicity (ADCC). Both lineages use the IGHV5-51 heavy chain germline gene, similar to the RV144 antibody CH58, but one lineage (CAP228-16H/19F) uses a light chain without the ED motif. Read More

Cell Rep 2018 Dec;25(11):3036-3046.e6

Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Medical College of Georgia, Augusta, GA 30912, USA; Georgia Cancer Center, Augusta University, Augusta, GA 30912, USA; Charlie Norwood VA Medical Center, Augusta, GA 30904, USA. Electronic address:

IL-10 functions as a suppressor of colitis and colitis-associated colon cancer, but it is also a risk locus associated with ulcerative colitis. The mechanism underlying the contrasting roles of IL-10 in inflammation and colon cancer is unknown. We report here that inflammation induces the accumulation of CD11bGr1 myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSCs) that express high levels of IL-10 in colon tissue. Read More

Cell Rep 2018 Dec;25(11):2963-2971.e6

State Key Laboratory of Molecular Developmental Biology, CAS Center for Excellence in Brain Science and Intelligence Technology, Institute of Genetics and Developmental Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China; Parkinson's Disease Center, Beijing Institute for Brain Disorders, Beijing 100101, China. Electronic address:

Autism spectrum disorders (ASDs) include a variety of developmental brain disorders with clinical findings implicating the dysfunction of the left hemisphere. Here, we generate mice lacking one copy of Sh3rf2, which was detected in ASD patients, to determine whether Sh3rf2 is involved in brain development and whether mutation of SH3RF2 is causative for ASD and the mechanisms linking it to ASD traits. We find that mice with Sh3rf2 haploinsufficiency display significant deficits in social interaction and communication, as well as stereotyped or repetitive behaviors and hyperactivity and seizures. Read More

Ear Nose Throat J 2018 Dec;97(12):413-416

Department of Medical Engineering, Fraunhofer Institute for Machine Tools and Forming Technology, Nöthnitzer Straße 44, 01187 Dresden, Germany.

In minimally invasive surgeries, it can be difficult to reach desired anatomic areas with rigid instruments, especially when obstacles are present in the surgical corridor (e.g., during transnasal pituitary surgery). Read More

Ear Nose Throat J 2018 Dec;97(12):404-410

Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Tufts University School of Medicine, Tufts Medical Center, 800 Washington St., Box 850, Boston, MA 02111, USA. Email:

Recurrence of sinonasal disease can be caused by many factors, including lateralization of the middle turbinate as a complication of endoscopic sinus surgery (ESS). Different ESS procedures have been tried to prevent this complication. We conducted a prospective study to determine if medialization is an effective means of lateralizing the middle turbinate. Read More

Orthopedics 2018 Dec 11:1-3. Epub 2018 Dec 11.

Transient arterial injury is a common complication encountered in the management of pediatric supracondylar humerus fractures, often presenting as a pulseless hand that appears well perfused, also known as the "pink, pulseless hand." Arterial injuries in pediatric humeral shaft fractures, on the other hand, are exceedingly rare, especially in closed fractures. The authors report a rare case of a humeral shaft fracture presenting as a pink, pulseless hand. Read More

Res Gerontol Nurs 2018 Dec 12:1-10. Epub 2018 Dec 12.

Heart failure (HF) remains the most common diagnosis of hospital admission among U.S. adults. Read More

Magy Onkol 2018 Dec 10;62(4):258-263. Epub 2018 Sep 10.

Uzsoki Utcai Kórház, Fõvárosi Onkoradiológiai Központ, Budapest, Hungary.

At present an estimated hundred millions of women worldwide use oral contraception, but the influence of hormonal contraception on carcinogenesis of breast is not fully understood. Previous studies of breast cancer risk show inconsistent findings - from zero elevation to approximately 30%-40% increase in risk. The beneficial effect on ovarian and endometrial cancer risk is apparent. Read More

Magy Onkol 2018 Dec 10;62(4):249-257. Epub 2018 Aug 10.

Onkológiai Tanszék, Semmelweis Egyetem, Általános Orvostudományi Kar, Budapest, Hungary.

We present the early clinical results achieved with image-guided adaptive brachytherapy (IGABT) with combined intracavitary-interstitial (IC-IS) technique recently implemented in Hungary in the treatment of locally advanced cervical cancer (LACC). Twenty-one patients were treated with radio-chemotherapy (RCT) followed by combined IC-IS BT. At the end of the RCT we assessed the residual tumour with pelvic MRI. Read More

Magy Onkol 2018 Dec 31;62(4):242-248. Epub 2018 Aug 31.

Onkológiai Tanszék, Semmelweis Egyetem, Általános Orvostudományi Kar, Budapest, Hungary.

Our aim was the dosimetric evaluation of intracavitary-interstitial high-dose-rate image-guided adaptive cervix brachytherapy, implemented in Hungary. Between 2016 and 2018, 21 patients with cervical cancer were treated with overall 72 fractions. Graphical optimized treatment plans were compared to inverse optimized plans, 3D optimized plans (without needles) and conventional intracavitary 2D plans. Read More

PLoS One 2018 12;13(12):e0209081. Epub 2018 Dec 12.

Department of Food and Dietetics, Hiroshima Bunka Gakuen Two-Year College, 3-5-1 Nagatsukanishi, Asaminami-ku, Hiroshima, Japan.

Background: Many studies have identified the risk of polypharmacy, but physiological evidence and methods of evaluation in these studies were poor. The relationship between polypharmacy and heart rate variability in older adults remains unclear. We investigated the relationship between polypharmacy in older adults, including atomic bomb survivors, and heart rate variability. Read More

PLoS One 2018 12;13(12):e0209008. Epub 2018 Dec 12.

Stanley Ho Centre for Emerging Infectious Diseases, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong.

Background: While HIV incidence among men who have sex with men (MSM) is increasing in Hong Kong, unprotected sex apparently remains prevalent among those infected but virally non-suppressed. Little is known about how sexual behaviours and sexual connections may change among MSM along their HIV care continuum.

Methods: In this retrospective cross-sectional study, HIV-positive MSM attending the largest HIV specialist clinic in Hong Kong between October and December 2014 were invited to complete a self-administrated structured questionnaire. Read More