Diffusion-weighted MRI to detect early response to chemoradiation in cervical cancer: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Objective: Diffusion-weighted magnetic resonance imaging (DWI) has shown promise in predicting response to therapy in several malignancies. This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to evaluate DWI in the prediction of response to treatment in patients with cervical cancer.

Methods: A systematic search was conducted on PubMed, Web of Science, Cochrane and Google Scholar databases Studies that evaluated DWI and apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) for response evaluation before, during and after treatment with a correlation to conventional response criteria were included.

Screening for gestational diabetes mellitus: a Caribbean perspective.

Gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) is defined as a glucose intolerance first recognised in pregnancy. The World Health Organization (WHO) in 2015 revised the definition into either diabetes in pregnancy (DIP) which includes pre-existing diabetes (type 1 or type 2) that antedates pregnancy or diabetes diagnosed during pregnancy with the WHO diagnostic criteria for diabetes mellitus (DM) in the non-pregnant state, and GDM for milder forms of hyperglycaemia in pregnancy. The main purpose of the screening and diagnosis of GDM is to identify pregnancies in which the foetus is at a high risk of an adverse perinatal outcome, and the mother and the offspring are of serious long-term sequelae.

Assessment of fish consumption and mercury exposure among pregnant women in Jamaica and Trinidad & Tobago.

Background: Fish is an essential and traditional element in the diet of most Caribbean people. However it also contains methylmercury which can have severe effects on fetal neurodevelopment. The objective of this study was to assess the fish intake of a selected group of pregnant women from Jamaica and Trinidad & Tobago and evaluate prenatal mercury exposure, using the placenta as a biomarker.

Determinants of successful deanship.

With the significant changes taking place in health and education as well as the rising demands and expectations, deans of medical faculties must exhibit strong and effective leadership skills. Deans need to focus on the broad scope and to translate their dreams into applied institutional operations and functions. It is thus necessary that the deans must identify the institution's core ideology, lead strategic planning, create a common vision and offer direction to the collective membership of the institution.

Students' perspectives on the educational environment, Faculty of Medical Sciences, Trinidad.

The Dundee Ready Education Environment Measure (DREEM) was administered to 70 final-year medical students and 36 first-year medical interns (pre-registration house officers). The overall total mean DREEM scores for the five subscales-namely, students' perceptions of the atmosphere, students' perceptions of learning, students' social self-perceptions, students'perceptions of teachers and students' academic self-perceptions-was 109.9 and the total mean scores for the subgroups-male students, male interns, female students and female interns-were 103.