Patterns of care contacts in the final year of life among opioid overdose fatalities in southern Sweden: a latent class analysis.

Background: Understanding the heterogeneity of opioid overdose fatalities is critical to developing effective preventive interventions. This study examines patterns of care contacts among people who subsequently died from opioid overdose. The aim was to identify distinct groups of deceased individuals, based on their contacts with different care agencies in their last year of life.

Preoperatively suspected gallbladder cancer improves survival compared with incidental gallbladder cancer in pT3 patients.

Background: The aim was to compare survival for incidental gallbladder cancer (IGBC), respectively, preoperatively suspected gallbladder cancer (GBC), subjected to surgery for different pathological tumour (pT) stages and in different treatment groups in a national cohort.

Methods: Data were collected and crosslinked from two national quality registers, SweLiv (2009-2019) and GallRiks (2009-2016). Survival was estimated using Kaplan-Meier analysis.

Including the liver in the visceral allograft: Impact on donor-specific anti-HLA antibodies and long-term outcomes.

Humoral immunity emerges as a risk factor for graft failure after visceral transplantation (VTx) and development of donor-specific anti-HLA antibodies (DSAs) has been linked with poor outcomes. In most cases, a simultaneous liver transplant can be safely performed in sensitized patients with DSA and appears protective against lymphocytotoxic antibodies. We investigated the incidence of acute (AR) and chronic rejection (CR) in 32 VTx without any B cell-depleting pre-treatment (6 isolated intestinal transplants (IT) and 26 liver-containing, multivisceral transplants (MVT) and assessed the presence of donor-specific antibodies (DSA) pre- and post-transplantation.

A scoping review of cognition in spina bifida and its consequences for activity and participation throughout life.

Aim: The aim of this scoping review was to summarise findings concerning cognitive characteristics in people with spina bifida and explain how cognitive factors influence activities and participation in different areas and stages of life.

Methods: PubMed, Psych INFO, ERIC, Scopus, CINAHL and the Cochrane Library were searched for English language papers published in 2000-2018. A total of 92 papers were selected and quality was assessed according to the McMaster criteria.

Longevity of anti-spike and anti-nucleocapsid antibodies after COVID-19 in solid organ transplant recipients compared to immunocompetent controls.

Solid organ transplant recipients (SOTRs) are on lifelong immunosuppression, which may interfere with adaptive immunity to COVID-19. The data on dynamics and duration of antibody response in SOTRs are limited. This longitudinal study examined the longevity of both anti-spike (S)- and anti-nucleocapsid (N)-specific IgG antibodies after COVID-19 in SOTRs compared to matched immunocompetent persons.

COVID-19 in solid organ transplant recipients: A national cohort study from Sweden.

Solid organ transplant (SOT) recipients run a high risk for adverse outcomes from COVID-19, with reported mortality around 19%. We retrospectively reviewed all known Swedish SOT recipients with RT-PCR confirmed COVID-19 between March 1 and November 20, 2020 and analyzed patient characteristics, management, and outcome. We identified 230 patients with a median age of 54.

Complete and long-lasting clinical responses in immune checkpoint inhibitor-resistant, metastasized melanoma treated with adoptive T cell transfer combined with DC vaccination.

Development of T cell-directed immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICI) has revolutionized metastatic melanoma (MM) therapy, but <50% of treated patients experience durable responses. This phase I trial (NCT01946373) investigates the safety/feasibility of tumor-infiltrating lymphocyte (TIL) adoptive cell therapy (ACT) combined with dendritic cell (DC) vaccination in MM patients progressing on ICI. An initial cohort (5 patients) received TIL therapy alone to evaluate safety and allow for optimization of TIL expansion protocols.

A Novel Sentinel Lymph Node Approach in Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma.

Background: Occult metastases are common in patients with oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) which is why elective neck dissection, adjuvant radiotherapy or watchful waiting have been treatment options after surgical removal of the primary tumour. Sentinel lymph node biopsy (SLNB) has lately emerged as a novel possibility in treatment planning.

Objectives: To establish a reliable and clinically useful protocol for SLNB in staging/elective neck dissection in oral cancer.

Gastroparesis versus dyspepsia by intragastric meal distribution: new diagnostics and definitions ahead.

Gastroparesis often presents a challenge to the practicing gastroenterologist. Postprandial symptoms with nausea and vomiting may not only lead to nutritional and metabolic consequences, but also significant disruption of social activities that often center around food. The treatment options that affect gastric function are limited and often disappointing.

Hypoxia-induced secretion stimulates breast cancer stem cell regulatory signalling pathways.

It is well known that tumour cells are dependent on communication with the tumour microenvironment. Previously, it has been shown that hypoxia (HX) induces pronounced, diverse and direct effects on cancer stem cell (CSC) qualities in different breast cancer subtypes. Here, we describe the mechanism by which HX-induced secretion influences the spreading of CSCs.

Sortilin inhibition limits secretion-induced progranulin-dependent breast cancer progression and cancer stem cell expansion.

Background: Cancer progression is influenced by genetic aberrations in the cancer cell population as well as by other factors including the microenvironment present within a tumour. Direct interactions between various cell types as well as cellular signalling via secreted cytokines can drive key tumourigenic properties associated with disease progression and treatment resistance. Also, cancer stem cell functions are influenced by the microenvironment.

Effect of blood glucose level on standardized uptake value (SUV) in F- FDG PET-scan: a systematic review and meta-analysis of 20,807 individual SUV measurements.

Objectives: To evaluate the effect of pre-scan blood glucose levels (BGL) on standardized uptake value (SUV) in F-FDG-PET scan.

Methods: A literature review was performed in the MEDLINE, Embase, and Cochrane library databases. Multivariate regression analysis was performed on individual datum to investigate the correlation of BGL with SUV and SUV adjusting for sex, age, body mass index (BMI), diabetes mellitus diagnosis, F-FDG injected dose, and time interval.

Clinical response of the novel activating ALK-I1171T mutation in neuroblastoma to the ALK inhibitor ceritinib.

Tumors with anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK) fusion rearrangements, including non-small-cell lung cancer and anaplastic large cell lymphoma, are highly sensitive to ALK tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs), underscoring the notion that such cancers are addicted to ALK activity. Although mutations in ALK are heavily implicated in childhood neuroblastoma, response to the ALK TKI crizotinib has been disappointing. Embryonal tumors in patients with DNA repair defects such as Fanconi anemia (FA) often have a poor prognosis, because of lack of therapeutic options.

Risk factors for complications after adrenalectomy: results from a comprehensive national database.

Purpose: Most knowledge regarding outcome after adrenal surgery stems from retrospective studies reported by highly specialized centres. The aim of this study was to report a national experience of adrenalectomy with particular attention to predictive factors for postoperative complications, conversion from endoscopic to open surgery and length of hospital stay.

Methods: Adrenalectomies reported in the Scandinavian Quality Register for Thyroid, Parathyroid and Adrenal Surgery (SQRTPA) 2009-2014 were included.

Vaccination against hepatitis B virus among people who inject drugs - A 20year experience from a Swedish needle exchange program.

Background: People who inject drugs (PWID) are at particular risk of hepatitis B virus (HBV) acquisition, but often have poor access or adherence to HBV vaccination. Vaccination against HBV has been offered at a major Swedish needle exchange program (NEP) since 1994. The aim of this study was to evaluate vaccine completion and response rates, and the effect of sequential booster doses to non-responders to the standard vaccination schedule.

Risk of recurrent laryngeal nerve palsy in patients undergoing thyroidectomy with and without intraoperative nerve monitoring.

Background: Vocal cord palsy occurs in 3-5 per cent of patients after thyroidectomy. To reduce this complication, intraoperative nerve monitoring (IONM) has been introduced, although its use remains controversial. This study investigated the risk of postoperative vocal cord palsy with and without the use of intermittent IONM.

Opting to wear prismatic spectacles was associated with reduced neck pain in dental personnel: a longitudinal cohort study.

Background: The aim of this study was to investigate effects on perceived exertion, work ability self-reported neck pain and clinically diagnosed conditions in the neck, of an intervention with prismatic spectacles among dental personnel.

Methods: In this cohort study a baseline questionnaire including questions about frequency of neck pain, perceived exertion during work and background information was distributed to dental personnel in municipal dental care units. In connection, personnel from 78 out of 110 dental care units underwent a clinical neck examination and rated their perceived work ability with the single-item question from the Work Ability Index.

Progression-free and overall survival in metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer treated with abiraterone acetate can be predicted with serial C11-acetate PET/CT.

In this retrospective study, we evaluated the benefit of repeated carbon 11 (C11)-acetate positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PET/CT) to assess response in patients with metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC) treated with abiraterone acetate (AA).A total of 30 patients with mCRPC were monitored with C11-acetate PET/CT and PSA levels during their treatment with AA. Retrospective evaluation of their response was made after 102 days (median; range 70-155) of treatment.

18F-FDG PET/CT Diagnosis of Bronchopulmonary Carcinoids Versus Pulmonary Hamartomas.

Purpose: Radiological characterization of pulmonary tumors may be difficult and invasive. Needle biopsy may produce false-negative results. 18F-FDG PET/CT is an established noninvasive procedure for lung tumor characterization and staging.

Neurobiology of Sleep Disturbances in PTSD Patients and Traumatized Controls: MRI and SPECT Findings.

Objective: Sleep disturbances such as insomnia and nightmares are core components of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), yet their neurobiological relationship is still largely unknown. We investigated brain alterations related to sleep disturbances in PTSD patients and controls by using both structural and functional neuroimaging techniques.

Method: Thirty-nine subjects either developing (n = 21) or not developing (n = 18) PTSD underwent magnetic resonance imaging and a symptom-provocation protocol followed by the injection of 99mTc-hexamethylpropyleneamineoxime.

Using PET/CT Bone Scan Dynamic Data to Evaluate Tibia Remodeling When a Taylor Spatial Frame Is Used: Short and Longer Term Differences.

Eighteen consecutive patients, treated with a Taylor Spatial Frame for complex tibia conditions, gave their informed consent to undergo Na(18)F(-) PET/CT bone scans. We present a Patlak-like analysis utilizing an approximated blood time-activity curve eliminating the need for blood aliquots. Additionally, standardized uptake values (SUV) derived from dynamic acquisitions were compared to this Patlak-like approach.

Reduced acquisition times in whole body bone scintigraphy using a noise-reducing Pixon®-algorithm-a qualitative evaluation study.

Background: Reducing scan-time while maintaining sufficient image quality is a common issue in nuclear medicine diagnostics. This matter can be addressed by different post-processing methods such as Pixon® image processing. The aim of the present study was to evaluate if a commercially available noise-reducing Pixon-algorithm applied on whole body bone scintigraphy acquired with half the standard scan-time could provide the same clinical information as full scan-time non-processed images.

Can children identify and achieve goals for intervention? A randomized trial comparing two goal-setting approaches.

Aim: The efficacy of two different goal-setting approaches (children's self-identified goals and goals identified by parents) were compared on a goal-directed, task-oriented intervention.

Method: In this assessor-blinded parallel randomized trial, 34 children with disabilities (13 males, 21 females; mean age 9y, SD 1y 4mo) were randomized using concealed allocation to one of two 8-week, goal-directed, task-oriented intervention groups with different goal-setting approaches: (1) children's self-identified goals (n=18) using the Perceived Efficacy and Goal-Setting System, or (2) goals identified by parents (n=16) using the Canadian Occupational Performance Measure (COPM). Participants were recruited through eight paediatric rehabilitation centres and randomized between October 2011 and May 2013.

Effects on the FDG distribution by a high uptake of brown adipose tissue at PET examination.

Background: At fluorodeoxyglucose/positron emission tomography (FDG/PET) examinations, a generally increased uptake of the skeletal muscles is sometimes encountered. As the tracer distribution constitutes a 'zero-sum-game', the uptake of lesions as well as of normal tissues is reduced in these patients. This has to be considered at calculation of standardised uptake values (SUVs), especially at longitudinal examinations in the same patient.

Pharmacokinetics and Toxicity of Sodium Selenite in the Treatment of Patients with Carcinoma in a Phase I Clinical Trial: The SECAR Study.

Background: Sodium selenite at high dose exerts antitumor effects and increases efficacy of cytostatic drugs in multiple preclinical malignancy models. We assessed the safety and efficacy of intravenous administered sodium selenite in cancer patients' refractory to cytostatic drugs in a phase I trial. Patients received first line of chemotherapy following selenite treatment to investigate altered sensitivity to these drugs and preliminary assessment of any clinical benefits.