Artificial Intelligence-Driven Patient Selection for Preoperative Portal Vein Embolization for Patients with Colorectal Cancer Liver Metastases.

Purpose: To develop a machine learning algorithm to improve hepatic resection selection for patients with metastatic colorectal cancer (CRC) by predicting post-portal vein embolization (PVE) outcomes.

Materials And Methods: This multicenter retrospective study (2000-2020) included 200 consecutive patients with CRC liver metastases planned for PVE before surgery. Data on radiomic features and laboratory values were collected.

On-Line Assessment (OLA) as a preparation for the European Diploma in Anaesthesiology and Intensive Care (EDAIC), a retrospective observational study on the results and the potential impact on the Part-I examination.

Background: The EDAIC is a diploma of the European Society of Anaesthesiology and Intensive Care (ESAIC). which is obtained after passing two a written MCQ-based (Part1) and a structured oral (part2) examinationIn 2011, a formative On-Line Assessment (OLA) was introduced to help candidates to prepare for EDAIC Part1 examination (EDAIC-I). This retrospective observational study evaluated the results of the OLA and its impact on the EDAIC-1 between 2013 and 2019.

European Diploma in Anaesthesiology and Intensive Care in Spain: Results for the part 1 and part 2 exams in the last five years. Are we going in the right direction?

Background: The European Diploma in Anaesthesiology and Intensive Care (EDAIC) has become a standard of quality among Spanish anaesthesiologists. The aim of this retrospective observational study was to assess the results of Spanish participants for the Part1 and Part2 exams over a recent five years period from 2012 to 2016 and 2013 to 2017, respectively.

Material And Methods: After obtaining the authorization from the European Society of Anaesthesiology, the results of both parts of the EDAIC exams were anonymously analysed for five years.

Functional treatment of snoring based on the tongue-repositioning manoeuvre.

Orofacial biofunction comprises muscular and physical effects, which may contribute to stabilization of the oropharyngeal airway. The tongue-repositioning manoeuvre (TRM) provides physical stabilization of the tongue and the soft palate together with, as a prerequisite, a nasal breathing mode. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the influence of a TRM treatment concept on primary snoring.

Correlation of HPV16 L1 capsid protein expression in cervical dysplasia with HPV16 DNA concentration, HPV16 E6*I mRNA and histologic outcome.

Objective: To determine whether the absence ofHPV1i6 LI capsid protein is a prognostic parameter for the histologic outcome of cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN) 2+ in cytologically diagnosed cervical dysplasia.

Study Design: Papanicolaou-stained microscopic slides of 95 HPV16-positive cervical samples that had a cytologic diagnosis of cervical dysplasia or borderline cytology were immunostained using an HPV16-specific anti-L1 viral capsid antibody. In parallel to the cytologic examination, HPV16 DNA and E6*I mRNA were quantitated using real-time polymerase chain reaction.

Increased levels of HPV16 E6*I transcripts in high-grade cervical cytology and histology (CIN II+) detected by rapid real-time RT-PCR amplification.

Objective: As cervical dysplasia may regress to normal cytology or progress to cervical carcinoma, it would be valuable to have a diagnostic tool to help decide whether therapeutic conization should be performed.

Methods: Cervical samples of 301 HPV16 positive women were collected in RNAlater reagent to prevent RNA degradation. Relative levels of HPV16 DNA and HPV16 E6*I mRNA in the samples were determined using real-time polymerase chain reaction.

[The practice of forensic psychiatry in England and Brazil: a brief comparison].

The authors make a comparative analysis between the practice of forensic psychiatry in England and in Brazil. The purpose is to stimulate the debate about the conduction of this psychiatric specialization in both countries. It is a study specifically addressed to the criminal area and its approach is carried out based on the legal, clinical, and ethical points of view.

Comparative evaluation of D-dimer assays for exclusion of deep venous thrombosis in symptomatic outpatients.

Diagnostic work-up of patients sent to the hospital for diagnosing of deep venous thrombosis (DVT) often combines the determination of D-dimer and the application of a clinical probability score. To fulfill diagnostic as well as economic needs, D-dimer assays should exhibit a high negative predictive value (NPV) as well as reasonable specificity. In this study, we evaluated both a latex-enhanced immunoassay for use on routine coagulation analyzers and a radial partition immunoassay (RPIA) for use on a point-of-care analyzer.

Type-specific detection of human papillomaviruses in a routine laboratory setting--improved sensitivity and specificity of PCR and sequence analysis compared to direct hybridisation.

Human papillomaviruses (HPV) are known to cause cervical dysplasia and cervical carcinoma. We used a 3-step PCR protocol that allows rapid type-specific HPV testing in a routine laboratory setting: HPV-16-positive samples were determined using a specific LightCycler PCR; HPV-16-negative samples were amplified by nested PCR and typed by sequence analysis. During a period of 7 months, 1275 PCR-based HPV tests were performed.

Systemic right ventricular failure after atrial switch operation: midterm results of conversion into an arterial switch.

Background: Failure of the systemic right ventricle after atrial switch operation can be treated by conversion into an arterial switch operation.

Methods: Four patients, age 38 to 59 months, presented with right ventricular failure after Senning operation and ventricular septal defect closure. One patient had elevated left ventricular pressure; in the other three patients the left ventricle was retrained to a left ventricular/right ventricular pressure ratio of 0.

Anatomical risk factors for mortality and cardiac morbidity after arterial switch operation.

Background: The arterial switch operation (ASO) is the treatment of choice for transposition of the great arteries.

Methods: Anatomical risk factors on mortality and morbidity were analyzed retrospectively in 312 patients who underwent ASO between 1982 and 1997.

Results: Survival was 95%, 92%, and 92% after 30 days, 5, and 10 years, respectively.

Experience with an adjustable pulmonary artery banding device in two cases: initial success--midterm failure.

Retraining of the left ventricle in congenitally corrected TGA or after Senning or Mustard operation is necessary when right-ventricular failure is developing and an arterial switch operation is indicated. As these hearts have little tolerance of marginal overbanding, a long-term adjustable pulmonary artery banding device would lower stress and risk of training. Although the inserted device (Osypka) allowed convenient intraoperative pressure ratio adjustment, mid-term adjustment failed due to dysfunction of the system.

Pericardial effusions in infants and children: injection of echo contrast medium enhances the safety of echocardiographically-guided pericardiocentesis.

Pericardiocentesis is usually an easy and uncomplicated procedure when guided by cross-sectional echocardiography, but an abnormal intracardiac or extrapericardial position of the puncture system can occur, especially in children. Injection of echo contrast medium through the puncture needle is a very sensitive, quick, easy and harmless procedure which can be performed at the bedside in all cases in which doubt remains concerning the location of the needle. Prompt enhancement of signal intensity of the pericardial fluid validates the correct intrapericardial position, and permits visualization of the tip of the needle.

[Problems with infusion of vasoactive drugs].

An infusion system that is insufficiently equipped with an alarm device in case the syringe pumps are obstructed, may gravely endanger patient safety. In a patient with septic shock, an obstruction of the infusion system led to periodic application of norepinephrine boli. Sudden haemodynamic disturbances in critically ill patients should be evaluated for pathological causes as well as for technical failure in the infusion system.

[Recovery time after (S)-ketamine or ketamine racemate. Recovery time after short anesthesia in volunteers].

Unlabelled: The anaesthetic potency of the (S)-ketamine isomer is approximately double that of racemic ketamine. The aim of this study was to compare the recovery of cerebral function after a bolus of 1.3 mg/kg racemic ketamine or 0.

[Recovery and psychomimetic reactions following S-(+)-ketamine].

Ketamine is a racemic mixture containing equal parts of S-(+)-ketamine and R-(-)-ketamine. Their potency relation is approximately 4:1. In early human studies S-(+)-ketamine was presumed to produce the desired anaesthetic effects and R-(-)-ketamine the undesired psychic emergence reactions.

Lack of butyrate is associated with induction of Bax and subsequent apoptosis in the proximal colon of guinea pig.

Background & Aims: Butyrate stimulates proliferation and suppresses differentiation in normal colonic epithelial cells. Because the involved intracellular signaling mechanisms are unclear, this study investigated certain molecular effects of butyrate.

Methods: Tissue sheets from guinea pig proximal colon were incubated in Ussing chambers in the presence and absence of butyrate.

Influence of heavy metal ions on antibodies and immune complexes investigated by dynamic light scattering and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay.

The effect of Cd2+, Pb2+, Hg2+ and Cu2+ on the aggregation behaviour of monoclonal rat-IgG1-anti-mouse antibodies (kappa-light chain specific) and their antibody-antigen complexes with monoclonal mouse-IgG1 is reported. Investigations were done using the dynamic light scattering method. Cd2+ ions affected the hydrodynamic properties of the antibodies and the immune complex formation very little.