A scoping review of existing research between 1990 and 2023: Measuring virtual communities of practice across disciplines.

Virtual communities of practice (VCoPs) can decrease social, structural, and professional isolation, provide opportunities for knowledge-sharing abilities, and may improve participants' self-reported sense of connectedness to one another and their profession. However, more research is needed to examine measurement of VCoPs effectiveness on participants. In this scoping review our research question was: What is the state of the science for VCoPs and how are these communities measured in current research specific to education and health/health education? Guided by Arksey and O'Malley's five stages for conducting a rigorous scoping review, we identified gaps in the evidence regarding the overall state of the science on measurement of VCoPs inclusive of quantitative and mixed-methods literature describing validated VCoP measurement in both English or Spanish from January 1990 to July 2023, and within the health, education, or health education disciplines.

Analysis of Differentially Expressed MicroRNAs and Circulating Tumor Cells as Predictive Biomarkers of Platinum Chemoresistance in Primary Ovarian Carcinomas: A Prospective Study.

Lesson Learned: Circulating tumor cells, microRNA markers, or other biomarkers merit examination as part of correlative scientific analyses in prospective clinical trials.

Background: Platinum chemotherapy resistance occurs in approximately 25% of patients with ovarian carcinoma; however, no biomarkers of ovarian carcinoma chemoresistance have been validated. We performed a prospective trial designed to identify tumor-based predictive biomarkers of platinum resistance.

Chemotherapy-Induced Tunneling Nanotubes Mediate Intercellular Drug Efflux in Pancreatic Cancer.

Intercellular communication plays a critical role in the ever-evolving landscape of invasive cancers. Recent studies have elucidated the potential role of tunneling nanotubes (TNTs) in this function. TNTs are long, filamentous, actin-based cell protrusions that mediate direct cell-to-cell communication between malignant cells.

Enhanced Recovery Program and Length of Stay After Laparotomy on a Gynecologic Oncology Service: A Randomized Controlled Trial.

Objective: To estimate whether a rapid recovery program would reduce length of stay among patients undergoing laparotomy on a gynecologic oncology service.

Methods: We conducted a prospective, randomized, controlled trial comparing an enhanced recovery after surgery protocol with routine postoperative care among women undergoing laparotomy on the gynecologic oncology service. Protocol elements included: preoperative counseling, regional anesthesia, intraoperative fluid restriction, and early postoperative ambulation and feeding.

The impact of perioperative β blocker use on patient outcomes after primary cytoreductive surgery in high-grade epithelial ovarian carcinoma.

Objective: To quantify the impact of perioperative β blocker use on survival after primary cytoreductive surgery for epithelial ovarian cancer.

Methods: We conducted a multi-center retrospective study of all women who underwent primary cytoreductive surgery for ovarian cancer (2000-2010). One institution had routinely used perioperative β blockers for patients "at risk" for coronary events.

Tunneling nanotube formation is stimulated by hypoxia in ovarian cancer cells.

In this study, we demonstrated that hypoxic conditions stimulated an increase in tunneling nanotube (TNT) formation in chemoresistant ovarian cancer cells (SKOV3, C200).We found that suppressing the mTOR pathway using either everolimus or metformin led to suppression of TNT formation in vitro, verifying TNTs as a potential target for cancer-directed therapy. Additionally, TNT formation was detected in co-cultures including between platinum-resistant SKOV3 cells, between SKOV3 cells and platinum-chemosensitive A2780 cells, and between SKOV3 cells cultured with benign ovarian epithelial (IOSE) cells; these findings indicate that TNTs are novel conduits for malignant cell interactions and tumor cell interactions with other cells in the microenvironment.

A multi-institutional study of outcomes in stage I-III uterine carcinosarcoma.

Objective: To evaluate the use of adjuvant therapy after primary surgery for stage I-III uterine carcinosarcoma (CS).

Methods: A multi-institutional retrospective study of women with stage I-III CS was conducted. Analyses were stratified by stage (I/II and III).

Tumor-stromal cross talk: direct cell-to-cell transfer of oncogenic microRNAs via tunneling nanotubes.

Tunneling nanotubes (TnTs) represent a novel mechanism by which intercellular components such as proteins, Golgi vesicles, and mitochondria can be transferred from cell to cell in the complex tumor microenvironment. Here, we report data showing that microRNAs (miRNAs) are transferred through TnTs in osteosarcoma (OS) and ovarian cancer as in vitro model systems. miRNA array analysis demonstrated significant upregulation of miR-19a in OS tumors resected from human patients, and differential expression of miR-199a in ovarian cancer cell lines resistant or sensitive to platinum chemotherapy.

Cervical cytology and multiple type HPV infection: a study of 8182 women ages 31-65.

Objective: The aim of this study is to determine the rates of single and multiple type human papillomavirus (HPV) infection in women in the United States ages 31-65 with known cervical cytology results.

Methods: Type-specific HPV analyses were conducted using the first samples of women who had HPV typing performed by Access Genetics as part of cervical cancer screening between July 2007 and May 2011. Women 31-65years at testing with associated abnormal cytology results were included.

The effect of anesthesia choice on post-operative outcomes in women undergoing exploratory laparotomy for a suspected gynecologic malignancy.

Objective: To determine how anesthesia choice in women undergoing laparotomy for gynecologic malignancy affects pain control and narcotic use.

Methods: This is a retrospective study of women who underwent laparotomy for suspected gynecologic malignancy from May 2012 to January 2013. Patients were categorized into one of three groups: 1) patient controlled analgesia (PCA); 2) PCA+transversus abdominis plane block (TAP); and 3) patient-controlled epidural analgesia (PCEA).

Tumor exosomes induce tunneling nanotubes in lipid raft-enriched regions of human mesothelioma cells.

Tunneling nanotubes (TnTs) are long, non-adherent, actin-based cellular extensions that act as conduits for transport of cellular cargo between connected cells. The mechanisms of nanotube formation and the effects of the tumor microenvironment and cellular signals on TnT formation are unknown. In the present study, we explored exosomes as potential mediators of TnT formation in mesothelioma and the potential relationship of lipid rafts to TnT formation.

Multiple-type human papillomavirus (HPV) infections: a cross-sectional analysis of the prevalence of specific types in 309,000 women referred for HPV testing at the time of cervical cytology.

Objectives: To determine the frequency of multiple-type cervical human papillomavirus (HPV) infections, and whether any types are involved in multiple-type infections more or less frequently than might be expected if these infections occur randomly.

Methods: In this retrospective analysis of type-specific HPV testing, results from women 18 to 65 years old with samples collected between July 2007 and May 2011 were considered.Multivariate logistic regression analysis was used to model the presence of each of the 24 most prevalent HPV types, adjusting for one other HPV type, age, laboratory region, and age-by-region interactions.

A prospective, randomized trial of integrative medicine for women with ovarian cancer.

Objectives: Despite increased use of integrative medicine in cancer therapy, little data exist on its efficacy. This prospective, randomized, pilot trial sought to evaluate the feasibility of combined modality integrative medicine (CM-IM) in women with ovarian cancer (OvCA) and evaluate its effects on quality of life (QoL), chemotherapy toxicity and immunologic profiles.

Methods: Women with newly diagnosed OvCA requiring chemotherapy were offered enrollment.

Gonadal dysgenesis and gynecologic cancer.

Background: Gonadal dysgenesis encompasses a variety of sexual differentiation disorders. Within this population of patients, there is an increased risk of gonadal tumor formation.

Cases: In this case series of three patients, two with Swyer's syndrome (complete gonadal dysgenesis) and one with mosaic Turner's syndrome, three separate histologic subtypes of tumors were identified: dysgerminoma, seminoma, and gonadoblastoma.

Old fashion clinical judgment in the era of protocols: is mandatory chest X-ray necessary in injured patients?

Background: The ATLS Course advocates that injured patients have a chest x-ray (CXR) to identify potential injuries. The purpose of this study was to correlate clinical indications and clinician judgment with CXR results to ascertain if a selective policy would be beneficial.

Methods: Patients treated at a Level I trauma center over 12 months were prospectively evaluated.