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J Infect 2021 Apr 18. Epub 2021 Apr 18.

Fight AIDS and Infectious Diseases Foundation, Badalona, Spain; Hospital Universitari Germans Trias i Pujol, Badalona, Spain; Lihir Medical Centre - InternationalSOS, Lihir Island, Papua New Guinea.

Background: Mass testing for early identification and isolation of infectious COVID-19 individuals is efficacious for reducing disease spread. Antigen-detecting rapid diagnostic tests (Ag-RDT) may be suitable for testing strategies; however, benchmark comparisons are scarce.

Methods: We used 286 nasopharyngeal specimens from unexposed asymptomatic individuals collected between December 2020 and January 2021 to assess five Ag-RDTs marketed by Abbott, Siemens, Roche Diagnostics, Lepu Medical, and Surescreen. Read More

Clin Biochem 2021 Apr 18. Epub 2021 Apr 18.

Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Nephrology and Transplantation, Erasmus MC, University Medical Center Rotterdam, Rotterdam, the Netherlands; Erasmus MC Transplantation Institute, Rotterdam, the Netherlands. Electronic address:

Acute rejection remains an important problem after kidney transplantation. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent spot (ELISPOT) assay has been investigated extensively and has shown promising results as a predictor of allograft rejection. The objective of this study was to systematically review and analyze the predictive value of the donor-specific ELISPOT assay to identify recipients at risk for acute rejection. Read More

Clin Biochem 2021 Apr 18. Epub 2021 Apr 18.

Department of Medical Biochemistry, Ankara Yıldırım Beyazıt University Faculty of Medicine, Ankara, Turkey.

Introduction: The aim of this study was to evaluate the analytical performance of the Kite Biotechnology Oral fluid (OF) screening test device, which is used for roadside screening of cannabis, opiates, amphetamines, methamphetamine, 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA), cocaine and benzodiazepines by comparing samples with matched plasma samples, analysed via liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) for confirmation.

Methods: OF and plasma samples were obtained simultaneously from a total of 100 subjects. OF samples were analysed by OF screening test based on immunochromatography. Read More

Clin Transplant 2021 Apr 21:e14323. Epub 2021 Apr 21.

Department of Cardiology, Oslo University Hospital - Rikshospitalet, Oslo, Norway.

Background: Few studies, with inconclusive results, have examined the association of anxiety with mortality after heart transplantation (HTx). We examined whether anxiety symptoms, measured several years after HTx, are associated with increased mortality during long-term follow-up.

Methods: Anxiety symptoms were measured with the anxiety subscale of the Symptom Checklist-90-R (SCL-90-R) in 142 HTx recipients at a mean of 5. Read More

J Med Internet Res 2021 Apr 11. Epub 2021 Apr 11.

Department Health and Prevention, Institute of Psychology, University of Greifswald, Robert-Blum-Straße 13, Greifswald, DE.

Background: To combat the global COVID-19 pandemic, contact tracing apps have been discussed as digital health solutions to track infection chains, and provide appropriate information. However, observational studies point to a low acceptance in most countries, and few studies have yet examined theory-based predictors of app use in the general population to guide health communication efforts.

Objective: Therefore, this study utilizes established health behavior change and technology acceptance models to predict adoption intentions and frequency of current app use. Read More

Intern Emerg Med 2021 Apr 21. Epub 2021 Apr 21.

Emergency Department, Santa Maria Nuova Hospital, Middle-Tuscany Local Health Agency, Florence, Italy.

In December 2019, the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARSCoV-2) spread worldwide, challenging emergency departments (EDs) with the need of rapid diagnosis for appropriate allocation in dedicated setting. Many authors highlighted the role of lung ultrasound (LUS) in management of the novel coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). The study aims to analyze the performance of LUS in the early identification of COVID-19 patients in ED during a SARS-CoV-2 outbreak. Read More

JAMA Netw Open 2021 Apr 1;4(4):e217083. Epub 2021 Apr 1.

Department of Nuclear Medicine, University Hospital of Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany.

Importance: Squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) of the oral cavity is one of the most common tumor entities worldwide. Precise initial staging is necessary to determine a diagnosis, treatment, and prognosis.

Objective: To examine the diagnostic accuracy of preoperative 18-F fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) positron emission tomographic/computed tomographic (PET/CT) imaging in detecting cervical lymph node metastases. Read More

J Med Internet Res 2021 Apr 21;23(4):e26232. Epub 2021 Apr 21.

School for Allied Health Professions, Fontys University of Applied Science, Eindhoven, Netherlands.

Background: Digital technologies (DTs) for older adults focus mainly on health care and are considered to have the potential to improve the well-being of older adults. However, adoption rates of these DTs are considered low. Although previous research has investigated possible reasons for adoption and acceptance of DT, age-based stereotypes (eg, those held by health care professionals) toward the abilities of older adults to use DTs have yet to be considered as possible barriers to adoption. Read More

Ann Biol Clin (Paris) 2021 Apr 20. Epub 2021 Apr 20.

Service de virologie, Hôpitaux Universitaires Pitié-Salpêtrière - Charles-Foix, APHP, Paris, France, Université de Paris, Inserm UMR-S U1139 3PHM, Paris, France, Laboratoire de microbiologie, Université de Paris, Faculté de pharmacie, Paris, France.

The SARS-CoV-2 has emerged in China at the end of 2019. In order to meet the growing demand in laboratories for RT-PCR testing for viral genome detection, rapid tests detecting a SARS-CoV-2 protein (antigenic rapid test) have been developed. In this review, we present for different SARS-CoV-2 antigenic rapid tests authorized in France: legislation, technological principle, and analytical and clinical performances. Read More

Australas Emerg Care 2021 Apr 17. Epub 2021 Apr 17.

Medical Image Optimisation and Perception Group (MIOPeG), Faculty of Medicine and Health, The University of Sydney, Australia; Orange Radiology, Laboratories and Research Centre, Calabar, Nigeria.

Background: Emergency department patients presenting with acute abdominal pain are often prescribed a chest X-ray; however, the value of chest X-rays in acute abdominal pain is poorly understood. The aim of this study was to assess the value of chest X-rays in acute abdominal pain.

Methods: A retrospective analysis of 944 chest X-rays performed for acute abdominal pain was conducted. Read More

J Cardiothorac Surg 2021 Apr 20;16(1):95. Epub 2021 Apr 20.

Department of Pathology, Bulent Ecevit University Faculty of Medicine, Zonguldak, Turkey.

Background: The aim of this study is to compare the diagnostic efficacy and safety of video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS) with awake VATS (AVATS) pleural biopsy in undiagnosed exudative pleural effusions.

Methods: The diagnostic efficacy of pleural biopsy by uniportal VATS under general anesthesia or AVATS under local anesthesia and sedation performed by the same surgeon in patients with undiagnosed exudative pleural effusion between 2007 and 2020 were retrospectively evaluated. Test sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value and negative predictive value were compared as well as age, gender, comorbidities, procedure safety, additional pleural-based interventions, duration time of operation and length of hospital stay. Read More

Future Oncol 2021 Apr 21. Epub 2021 Apr 21.

Shandong Cancer Hospital & Institute, Shandong First Medical University & Shandong Academy of Medical Sciences, Jinan, Shandong, 250000, PR China.

 The purpose was to integrate clinicopathological and laboratory indicators to predict axillary nodal pathologic complete response (apCR) after neoadjuvant therapy (NAT). The pretreatment clinicopathological and laboratory indicators of 416 clinical nodal-positive breast cancer patients who underwent surgery after NAT were analyzed from April 2015 to 2020. Predictive factors of apCR were examined by logistic analysis. Read More

Zhonghua Yi Xue Za Zhi 2021 Apr;101(15):1050-1056

Department of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, the First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou 325015, China.

To analyze the diagnostic performance of serum and bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) galactomannan (GM) test in invasive pulmonary aspergillosis(IPA) with severe and critically ill influenza. A retrospective study was performed for 157 patients with severe and critically ill influenza admitted to the Department of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine of the First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University from December 2017 to April 2019.Clinical characteristics and serum and BALF GM values were collected. Read More

Zhonghua Wei Chang Wai Ke Za Zhi 2021 Apr;24(4):359-365

Medical Imaging Center, the First Affiliate Hospital, Kunming Medical University, Kunming 650032, China.

Pelvic high-resolution magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) has now become a standard method for evaluating the efficacy of neoadjuvant treatment for locally advanced rectal cancer (LARC). However, this traditional morphological qualitative assessment method based on T2-weighted imaging (T2WI) is not effective in predicting pathological complete remission (pCR). The purpose of this study is to investigate whether combining the magnetic resonance tumor regression grade (mrTRG) with apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) can improve diagnostic value for pCR after preoperative neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy (nCRT) of LARC. Read More

Int J Infect Dis 2021 Apr 17. Epub 2021 Apr 17.

Department of Biomedicine and Prevention, Tor Vergata University, 00133 Rome, Italy; Genomic Medicine Laboratory UILDM, IRCCS Santa Lucia Foundation, 00179 Rome, Italy. Electronic address:

Objectives: The present study compared the performance of Lumipulse G Sars-CoV-2 Ag kit with TaqPath COVID-19 RT-PCR CE IVD kit.

Methods: The study was conducted on 4266 naso-oropharyngeal swabs. Samples were subjected to antigen RT-PCR tests for detection of Sars-CoV-2 and related variants. Read More

Neuroimage 2021 Apr 17:118074. Epub 2021 Apr 17.

Max Planck Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain Sciences, Stephanstrasse 1A, 04103 Leipzig, Germany; University of Vienna, Faculty of Psychology, Liebiggasse 5, 1010 Vienna, Austria.

Examining how young infants respond to unexpected events is key to our understanding of their emerging concepts about the world around them. From a predictive processing perspective, it is intriguing to investigate how the infant brain responds to unexpected events (i.e. Read More

Prev Med 2021 Apr 17:106563. Epub 2021 Apr 17.

Department of Community Health Sciences, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Canada; Department of Cancer Epidemiology and Prevention Research, Alberta Health Services, United States of America; Department of Oncology, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Canada. Electronic address:

The aim of this study was to develop a risk prediction model for HRAs detected at screening colonoscopy based on readily available participant information. The cohort consisted of 3035 participants aged 50 to 74 years with no history of cancer who underwent a primary screening colonoscopy at a centralized colon cancer screening centre between 2008 and 2016. A multivariable logistic regression model was created using CRC risk factors identified from prior research. Read More

Klin Lab Diagn 2021 Apr;66(4):210-212

Astrakhan State Medical University.

To study the diagnostic characteristics of test systems for detecting antibodies to SARS-Cov-2. We studied the diagnostic characteristics of two test systems for detecting antibodies to SARS-Cov-2, registered in the Russian Federation. The first test system is a kit for detecting total antibodies to SARS-Cov-2 using immunochemiluminescence analysis on the «Cobas e 411» analyzer («Roche Diagnostics», Germany). Read More

J Neuroimaging 2021 Apr 20. Epub 2021 Apr 20.

Department of Neurology, Mayo Clinic College of Medicine and Science, Scottsdale, Arizona, USA.

Background And Purpose: Investigation for patent foramen ovale (PFO) is warranted in patients with cryptogenic stroke (CS), as PFO closure is recommended in select CS patients for secondary stroke prevention. Transcranial Doppler (TCD) is noninvasive and has high sensitivity for PFO screening. However, 10% of the population has insufficient temporal bone windows to perform standard TCD monitoring of the middle cerebral arteries (MCAs). Read More

Cancer 2021 Apr 20. Epub 2021 Apr 20.

Department of Breast Imaging, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas.

Background: Heterogeneity exists in the response of triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) to standard anthracycline (AC)/taxane-based neoadjuvant systemic therapy (NAST), with 40% to 50% of patients having a pathologic complete response (pCR) to therapy. Early assessment of the imaging response during NAST may identify a subset of TNBCs that are likely to have a pCR upon completion of treatment. The authors aimed to evaluate the performance of early ultrasound (US) after 2 cycles of neoadjuvant NAST in identifying excellent responders to NAST among patients with TNBC. Read More

PLoS One 2021 20;16(4):e0250044. Epub 2021 Apr 20.

Project San Francisco, Rwanda Zambia HIV Research Group, Kigali, Rwanda.

Introduction: The longstanding inadequacies of syndromic management for genital ulceration and inflammation are well-described. The Rwanda National Guidelines for sexually transmitted infection (STI) syndromic management are not yet informed by the local prevalence and correlates of STI etiologies, a component World Health Organization guidelines stress as critical to optimize locally relevant algorithms.

Methods: Radio announcements and pharmacists recruited symptomatic patients to seek free STI services in Kigali. Read More

Facial Plast Surg Aesthet Med 2021 Apr 20. Epub 2021 Apr 20.

College of Medicine, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, Arkansas, USA.

The GILLS (gastroesophageal reflux, preoperative intubation, late intervention (>14 days), low birth weight (<2500 g), and syndromic diagnosis) score is a validated predictor of success for tongue-lip adhesion (TLA) in patients with Robin sequence (RS). To evaluate the application of the GILLS score to mandibular distraction osteogenesis (MDO) for airway management in patients with RS and the associated syndromes. A retrospective chart review of 21 patients diagnosed with RS and treated with MDO surgery between the years 2006 and 2016 was performed. Read More

Hepatol Res 2021 Apr 20. Epub 2021 Apr 20.

Department of Gastroenterology and Metabology, Ehime University Graduate School of Medicine, Touon, Ehime, Japan.

Aim: The FibroScan-aspartate aminotransferase (FAST) score comprises an easy and feasible method for identifying advanced non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH). Recently, shear-wave elastography (SWE) and attenuation coefficient measurement on B-mode ultrasound (US) have become widely utilized. We investigated the diagnostic accuracy of the FAST score as calculated using US-elastography compared to that using vibration-controlled transient elastography (VCTE). Read More

Brain Inform 2021 Apr 20;8(1). Epub 2021 Apr 20.

Department of General Psychology, University of Padova, 35131, Padova, Italy.

Multivariate prediction of human behavior from resting state data is gaining increasing popularity in the neuroimaging community, with far-reaching translational implications in neurology and psychiatry. However, the high dimensionality of neuroimaging data increases the risk of overfitting, calling for the use of dimensionality reduction methods to build robust predictive models. In this work, we assess the ability of four well-known dimensionality reduction techniques to extract relevant features from resting state functional connectivity matrices of stroke patients, which are then used to build a predictive model of the associated deficits based on cross-validated regularized regression. Read More

Med Mycol 2021 Apr 20. Epub 2021 Apr 20.

Laboratoire de Parasitologie-Mycologie, Groupe Hospitalier Lariboisière, Saint-Louis, Fernand Widal, Assistance Publique-Hôpitaux de Paris (AP-HP), 75010 Paris, France.

Serum (1→3)-β-D-glucan (BDG), an pan fungal antigen, is detected in some invasive fungal diseases (IFDs). We compared two commercial kits, the Fungitell assay (FA) (colorimetric) and the Wako assay (WA) (turbidimetric) over a 4-month period to prospectively test 171 patients who mainly had hematological conditions (62%) and experienced episodes (n = 175) of suspected invasive fungal infection. Twenty-three episodes due to BDG-producing fungi were diagnosed (pneumocystosis, n = 12; invasive aspergillosis, n = 5; candidemia, n = 3; invasive fusariosis, n = 2; hepato-splenic candidiasis, n = 1). Read More

Gac Med Mex 2020 ;156(6):553-558

Endocrine Diseases Medical Research Unit, Specialty Hospital, Centro Médico Nacional Siglo XXI, Instituto Mexicano del Seguro Social, Mexico City, Mexico.

Introduction: Neutrophil-to-lymphocyte (NLR) and lymphocyte-to-C-reactive protein (LCR) ratios are used to predict severity and mortality in various infections.

Objective: To establish the best NLR and LCR cutoff point to predict mortality in patients hospitalized for COVID-19 in Mexico.

Method: Analytical cross-sectional study of patients hospitalized for severe COVID-19 in a specialty hospital. Read More

Am Surg 2021 Apr 20:31348211011142. Epub 2021 Apr 20.

1371Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA.

Background: Upper extremity (UE) vascular injuries account for 18.4% of all traumatic vascular injuries. Arterial pressure index (API) use in lower extremity injuries to determine the need for further investigations is well established. Read More

J Epidemiol Glob Health 2021 Feb 22. Epub 2021 Feb 22.

Department of Mathematics, Southern Methodist University, Dallas, TX 75275, USA.

The novel Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) remains a worldwide threat to community health, social stability, and economic development. Since the first case was recorded on December 29, 2019, in Wuhan of China, the disease has rapidly extended to other nations of the world to claim many lives, especially in the USA, the United Kingdom, and Western Europe. To stay ahead of the curve consequent of the continued increase in case and mortality, predictive tools are needed to guide adequate response. Read More

Vet Comp Oncol 2021 Apr 20. Epub 2021 Apr 20.

VCA Animal Specialty and Emergency Center, 1535 S Sepulveda Blvd, Los Angeles, CA, 90025.

The purpose of this retrospective cohort study was to determine prevalence of sternal lymphadenopathy in a population of dogs undergoing splenectomy, and to evaluate if the prevalence was associated with splenic malignancy. In addition, the study investigated if survival in dogs diagnosed with hemangiosarcoma (HSA) differed between those with or without sternal lymphadenopathy at the time of surgery. Digital radiographs and medical records for dogs who underwent splenectomy from 2013 to 2016 where retrospectively reviewed. Read More

Br J Haematol 2021 Apr 20. Epub 2021 Apr 20.

Department of Oncology, McMaster University, Hamilton, Canada.

Although total duration of tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI) therapy and of molecular response at 4 log reduction or deeper (MR4) correlates with treatment-free remission (TFR) success after TKI discontinuation, the optimal cut-off values of the duration remain unresolved. Thus, 131 patients were enrolled into the Canadian TKI discontinuation study. The molecular relapse-free survival (mRFS) was defined from imatinib discontinuation till molecular recurrence, that is, major molecular response (MMR) loss and/or MR4 loss. Read More