Publications by authors named "Alexandra Payne"

Thyroid cancer is the most common endocrine malignancy, and accurate diagnosis is crucial for effective management. Fine needle aspiration cytology, guided by the Bethesda System for Reporting Thyroid Cytopathology, categorizes thyroid nodules into six categories, with Bethesda III and IV representing indeterminate diagnoses that pose significant challenges for clinical decision-making. Understanding the molecular profiles of these categories may enhance diagnostic accuracy and guide treatment strategies.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Objectives: Research in adults suggests that intrusive memories and intrusive thoughts (often referred to as intrusive cognitions) are common in members of the general population and are often seen in clinical disorders. However, little is known about the experience of intrusive cognitions in adolescents, particularly in adolescents with major depressive disorder (MDD) and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). The present study sought to gather fundamental data on these phenomena (i.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Background: Molecular testing has been used as an adjunct to morphological evaluation in the workup of thyroid nodules. This study investigated the impact of two gene fusions, and , that have been described as oncogenic events in thyroid neoplasms.

Methods: We performed a retrospective, single-centered study at a McGill University teaching hospital in Montreal, Canada, from January 2016 to August 2021.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

This study aimed to examine whether concurrent mutations with a promoter mutation are associated with a greater likelihood of more aggressive disease than a promoter mutation alone. The medical records of 1477 patients who underwent thyroid surgery at two tertiary hospitals between 2017 and 2022 were reviewed. Twenty-four patients had promoter mutations based on molecular profile testing.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Background: The EIF1AX mutation has been identified in various benign and malignant thyroid lesions, with a higher prevalence in poorly differentiated thyroid carcinoma (PDTC) and anaplastic thyroid carcinoma, especially when combined with RAS or TP53 mutation. However, data and clinical significance of EIF1AX mutations in thyroid nodules is still limited. We investigated the prevalence of EIF1AX mutations and co-mutations in cytologically indeterminate thyroid nodules at our institution.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF
Article Synopsis
  • The study aims to identify factors that increase the likelihood of reoperation in patients with persistent or recurrent malignant thyroid cancers.
  • Conducted at two tertiary academic hospitals from 2006 to 2020, the research analyzed data from 2266 patients where only 54 (2.4%) required a second surgery; key factors included male gender, larger tumor size, and more metastatic lymph nodes.
  • The findings highlight that specific characteristics like lateral neck dissection and tumor size significantly raise reoperation odds, though machine learning models did not effectively predict reoperation occurrences.
View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Introduction And Objectives: In patients with localized prostate cancer, 5-fraction, stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT) has been found to offer comparable oncologic outcomes and potential for improved treatment compliance compared to conventional, 40-plus fraction radiation therapy (RT). Recent studies of oncologic patient experiences have highlighted both the impact of therapy-associated financial toxicity (FT) on treatment adherence and health-related quality of life (HRQOL).

Methods: A cross-sectional assessment of FT after SBRT was performed using the 12-item COST questionnaire.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Background: In clinical practice, thyroid tumor size plays a critical role in the staging of thyroid malignancies and in the selection of nodules that should undergo ultrasound-guided fine-needle aspiration. Thyroid tumor size is influenced by the elapsed time since the beginning of oncogenesis and by the presence of somatic mutations driving growth, such as BRAF mutations, associated with aggressive phenotypes, and RAS-like mutations, associated with more indolent behavior. Although large nodules are often considered to be more alarming, the true impact of tumor size on prognosis remains controversial.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Background: Cytomegalovirus (CMV) is a significant cause of morbidity and mortality after solid organ transplantation. While guidelines suggest using highly sensitive QNAT assays for CMV detection, there is no defined viral load to guide initiation of preemptive therapy. This study evaluates the progression to quantifiable CMV (DNAemia) following a CMV "blip" in high-risk (D+/R) kidney/kidney-pancreas (KP) transplant recipients.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Background: We estimated longitudinal trajectories of body mass index (BMI) z-score and percentile, weight for height (WFH) z-score and percentile, and percentage of the 95th BMI percentile (BMIp95) among low-income Hispanic children ages 2-5 years to provide normative data for this population and compare the behavior of different measures.

Methods: Longitudinal height and weight measurements obtained from 18,072 Hispanic children aged 2-5 years enrolled in the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children in Los Angeles County were analyzed. Trajectories of adiposity-related measures were estimated using mixed models, stratified by sex and BMI percentile at age 2 years.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Viruses have important impacts on aquatic microbial ecology and have been studied at length in the global ocean. However, the roles of bacteriophages in lotic ecosystems, particularly in benthic biofilms, have been largely under-studied. The main goals of this work were to determine whether viruses are consistent members of natural benthic biofilm communities of freshwater streams; whether temperate phages are present and active in such biofilms; and whether community profiling approaches like RAPD-PCR can be adapted to characterize biofilm virus communities.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Background: Intrusive memories have typically been associated with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) but some studies have suggested they can also occur in depression-alone.

Objective: This meta-analysis aimed to estimate the prevalence of intrusive memories in adult depression and to explore methodological and other factors that may moderate this prevalence.

Method: The databases PsycINFO, PsycARTICLES, MedLine, PubMed, CINAHL and Embase were searched for relevant articles, published up to and including July 2016.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

We present a developmental model that describes normal peer relations and highlights processes that underlie the emergence of problems with peers in childhood. We propose that children's relationships with peers begin in the first years of life, with stable individual differences and preferences for particular peers emerging by three years of age. Social skills that facilitate peer relationships consolidate in the preschool years, during which time peer groups become structured with respect to friendship groups, gender, and dominance relations; some children begin to be rejected by their peers.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF