Associations between (pharmaco-)genetic markers and postoperative pain after inguinal hernia repair - a prospective study protocol.

Background: Postoperative pain is a common complication following surgery, with severity and duration varying between patients. Chronic postoperative pain after inguinal hernia surgery has an incidence rate of approximately 10%. Risk factors for acute and chronic pain following hernia surgery include age, sex, psychosocial factors, and demographic background.

An analysis of virtual reality in abdominal surgery-A scoping review.

Background: The integration of virtual reality (VR) in surgery has gained prominence as VR applications have increased in popularity.

Methods: A scoping review was undertaken, gathering the most relevant sources, utilising a detailed literature search of medical and academic databases including EMBASE, PubMed, Cochrane, IEEE, Google Scholar, and the Google search engine.

Results: Of the 18 articles included, 7 focused on VR in colon surgery, 5 addressed VR in pancreas surgery, and the remaining 6 concentrated on VR in liver surgery.

Evaluation of FluSight influenza forecasting in the 2021-22 and 2022-23 seasons with a new target laboratory-confirmed influenza hospitalizations.

Accurate forecasts can enable more effective public health responses during seasonal influenza epidemics. Forecasting teams were asked to provide national and jurisdiction-specific probabilistic predictions of weekly confirmed influenza hospital admissions for one through four weeks ahead for the 2021-22 and 2022-23 influenza seasons. Across both seasons, 26 teams submitted forecasts, with the submitting teams varying between seasons.

[Intussusception and Rectal Prolapse: A Common Cause for Defecation Disorders].

A rectal prolapse is mainly a disease of the elderly population, occurring more frequently among women. The medical practitioner has an important role in the recognition and initiation of therapy for rectal prolapse. Appropriate therapy can have an important impact on symptom reduction and healthcare resources.

Polyethylene glycol combined with lactulose has better efficacy than polyethylene glycol alone in bowel preparation before colonoscopy: A meta-analysis.

Background: The accuracy of diagnosis and the safety of treatment in colonoscopy depends largely on the quality of bowel cleansing. This study aimed to compare the efficacy and adverse reactions of Polyethylene Glycol (PEG) combined with lactulose with that of PEG alone in bowel preparation before colonoscopy.

Methods: The authors searched a number of databases including EMBASE, MEDLINE, Cochrane Library, and China Academic Journals Full-text Database.

Multi-institutional search for patient factors associated with adverse events following tracheotomy.

Background: Tracheotomy is a common procedure for otolaryngologists. The risk of complications is difficult to predict. This study aims to identify measurable preoperative indicators associated with adverse events following tracheotomy.

Aortic Elasticity and Arsenic Exposure: A Step Function rather than a Linear Function.

While the dose-response relationship for the carcinogenic effects of arsenic exposure indicates nonlinearity with increases only above about 150 μg/L arsenic in drinking water, similar analyses of noncarcinogenic effects of arsenic exposure remain to be conducted. We present here an alternative analysis of data on a measure of aortic elasticity, a risk factor for hypertension, and its relationship to urinary arsenic levels. An occupational health study from Ankara, Turkey by Karakulak et al.

A review of low-dose arsenic risks and human cancers.

The linear no-threshold (LNT) model has historically been the default assumption in assessing carcinogenic risk from arsenic ingestion based on epidemiological studies. This contrasts with the threshold model used in assessing carcinogenic risk from arsenic ingestion derived from toxicological investigations of experimental animals. We present here a review of our epidemiological work that has examined models that may better explain the human cancer risk from the ingestion of arsenic, particularly from low level exposures, than does the LNT model.

Lower limb joint biomechanics-based identification of gait transitions in between level walking and stair ambulation.

Lower limb exoskeletons and lower limb prostheses have the potential to reduce gait limitations during stair ambulation. To develop robotic assistance devices, the biomechanics of stair ambulation and the required transitions to level walking have to be understood. This study aimed to identify the timing of these transitions, to determine if transition phases exist and how long they last, and to investigate if there exists a joint-related order and timing for the start and end of the transitions.

Maternal tobacco use: A third-trimester risk factor for small-for-gestational-age pregnancy outcome.

Background: Small for gestational age (SGA) is a well-known consequence of maternal smoking. Here, we newly examine the magnitude of SGA risk by week of gestational age.

Methods: Singleton live births (N = 3,032,928) with recorded birth weight, gestational age (22-44 weeks), and maternal tobacco use (Y/N) were categorized as to SGA (Y/N), based on 10th percentile gender-specific weights-for-age.

Prostate Cancer Incidence in U.S. Counties and Low Levels of Arsenic in Drinking Water.

Although inorganic arsenic in drinking water at high levels (100s-1000s μg/L [ppb]) increases cancer risk (skin, bladder, lung, and possibly prostate), the evidence at lower levels is limited. : We conducted an ecologic analysis of the dose-response relationship between prostate cancer incidence and low arsenic levels in drinking water in a large study of U.S.

Loss of CYLD accelerates melanoma development and progression in the Tg(Grm1) melanoma mouse model.

The deubiquitinase cylindromatosis (CYLD) is a well-known tumor suppressor, found to be down regulated in many cancer types including breast cancer, colon carcinoma and malignant melanoma. CYLD is suppressed in human melanoma cells by the transcriptional repressor SNAIL1 leading to an increase of their proliferative, invasive and migratory potential. To gain additional insights into the distinct function of this tumor suppressor gene a new mouse model Tg(Grm1)Cyld was generated.

Role of melanoma inhibitory activity in melanocyte senescence.

The protein melanoma inhibitory activity (MIA) is known to be expressed in melanoma and to support melanoma progression. Interestingly, previous studies also observed the expression of MIA in nevi. Concentrating on these findings, we revealed that MIA expression is correlated with a senescent state in melanocytes.

[Fecal incontinence].

Fecal incontinence Fecal incontinence may be due to various pathologies and is underreported. The prevalence among females is age dependent, ranging from 16 % in younger women and up to 40 % in elderly women. Given this wide range, it is suspected there may be a high rate of undetected and / or underreported cases.

Assessment of developmental risk information on medicines for inclusion on the WHO's Essential Medicines List.

Background: The WHO develops biannually an Essential Medicines List (EML) of medications proposed for national formularies to be safe, effective and cost-effective. This satisfies the priority healthcare needs of most adult populations, but it does not consider the unique toxicological risks that occur from exposures during pregnancy.

Methods: Developmental toxicity risk information for the 451 specific agents on the 2017 EML were identified from four well-recognized compendia of teratological assessments.

Acetazolamide promotes decreased consumption of carbonated drinks and weight loss.

Excessive consumption of carbonated drinks contributes to the dietary surplus of carbohydrates, and is a main driver of the obesity epidemic in the USA. From a public health standpoint, it is therefore crucial to develop strategies that enable individuals to regulate this calorie-rich, but nutrient-poor food intake. However, conservative medical approaches to this end have met with limited success.

BMP6-induced modulation of the tumor micro-milieu.

Melanoma is the deadliest form of skin cancer with rising incidence, creating a significant health problem. We discovered increased expression of bone morphogenetic protein 6 (BMP6) in melanoma cells and tissues, and observed that BMP6 deficiency caused significantly delayed tumor onset and decelerated tumor progression in a melanoma mouse model. Moreover, we determined that BMP6 inhibits dermal mast cell recruitment and found that mast cell-derived mediators significantly reduced melanoma growth in vitro.

Lung Cancer Risk and Low (≤50 μg/L) Drinking Water Arsenic Levels for US Counties (2009⁻2013)-A Negative Association.

While epidemiologic studies clearly demonstrate drinking water with high levels of arsenic as a significant risk factor for lung cancer, the evidence at low levels (≤50 μg/L) is uncertain. Therefore, we have conducted an ecological analysis of recent lung cancer incidence for US counties with a groundwater supply of.

Small-for-gestational age prevalence risk factors in central Appalachian states with mountain-top mining.

Objectives: To identify risk factors for small-for-gestational age (SGA) for counties in central Appalachian states (Kentucky (KY), Tennessee (TN), Virginia (VA), and West Virginia (WV)) with varied coal mining activities.

Material And Methods: Live birth certificate files (1990-2002) were used for obtaining SGA prevalence rates for mothers based on the coal mining activities of their counties of residence, mountain-top mining (MTM) activities, underground mining activities but no mountain-top mining activity (non-MTM), or having no mining activities (non-mining). Co-variable information, including maternal tobacco use, was also obtained from the live birth certificate.

[Implementation of hybrid-NOTES sigmoidectomy for diverticular disease : In a center for minimally invasive surgery].

Background: Natural orifice transluminal endoscopic surgery (NOTES) describes surgical procedures through a natural orifice. In hybrid-NOTES small transabdominal trocars are combined with a NOTES access.

Objective: To evaluate hybrid-NOTES sigmoidectomy as a standard procedure for diverticulitis.