Minimal short-term decline in functional performance and quality of life predicts better long-term outcomes for both in older Taiwanese adults after hip fracture surgery: a prospective study.

Background: Hip fracture can lead to long-term loss of mobility and self-care ability in older adults. Despite initial decreases in functional performance after hip fracture surgery, patients tend to gradually recover. However, recovery can vary, with some regaining their abilities quickly while others becoming functionally dependent.

Associations of the Neutrophil-to-Lymphocyte Ratio and Platelet-to-Lymphocyte Ratio with Osteoporosis: A Meta-Analysis.

Osteoporosis is characterized by low bone mass and increased bone fragility. Numerous studies have suggested that inflammation contributes to its pathogenesis. The neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) and platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio (PLR) are simple, noninvasive biomarkers that can reflect the inflammation status on human body.

Inverse relation of body weight with short-term and long-term mortality following hip fracture surgery: a meta-analysis.

Background: The obesity paradox, which suggests that high body weight is positively associated with survival in some diseases, has not been proven in patients with hip fracture. In this study, meta-analysis of previous studies on the impacts of body weight on postoperative mortality following hip fracture surgery in older adults was conducted.

Methods: PubMed, Embase, and Cochrane library were searched for studies investigating the correlation between mortality after hip fracture surgery and body weight.

Prognostic and radiographic correlates of a prospectively collected molecularly profiled cohort of IDH1/2-wildtype astrocytomas.

Background: In the molecular era, the relevance of tumor grade for prognostication of IDH1/2-wildtype (WT) gliomas has been debated. It has been suggested that histologic grade II and III astrocytomas with molecular features of glioblastoma, IDH1/2-WT have a similar prognosis to glioblastoma and should be considered for the same clinical trials.

Methods: We integrated prospective clinical sequencing from 564 patients with IDH1/2-WT gliomas (26 grade II, 71 grade III and 467 grade IV) with clinical and radiographic data to assess associations between molecular features, grade and outcome.

Case report: painful exanthems caused by enterovirus D68 in an adolescent.

Rationale: Unlike other enteroviruses which can cause herpangina or hand-foot-and-mouth disease, enterovirus D68 (EV-D68) has usually been linked to respiratory and neurological problems in young children. Skin manifestations had rarely been described in current literatures.

Patient Concerns: We report a 17-year-old girl with fever and painful skin rash over legs and soles for 9 days.

Mycoplasma pneumoniae in pediatric patients: Do macrolide-resistance and/or delayed treatment matter?

Background: Mycoplasma pneumoniae is a common pathogen for pneumonia in children, especially in the post-pneumococcal conjugate vaccination era. Though self-limited disease was found in the majority of the patients, severe diseases occurred occasionally. The emergence of macrolide resistance was reported worldwide.

Increased age and proton pump inhibitors are associated with severe Clostridium difficile infections in children.

Background: Clostridium difficile infection (CDI) is increasing in children. We aimed to compare the clinical characteristics between CDI and colonization and to identify the risk factors for severe diseases of CDI in children.

Method: We retrospectively reviewed 124 children (1-18 years old) from 2011 to 2018.

Adenovirus replication and host innate response in primary human airway epithelial cells.

Background: Adenovirus infections are very common in children and sometimes fatal. Immune responses and hypercytokinemia are related to disease severity in patients with adenovirus infection. Understanding of viral replication and immune responses could help elucidate the immunopathogenesis of severe adenovirus infections.

Pathogens and outcomes in pediatric septic shock patients supported by extracorporeal membrane oxygenation.

Background: Refractory septic shock is the leading cause of mortality in children. There is limited evidence to support extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) use in pediatric septic shock. We described the etiology and outcomes of septic patients in our institution and attempted to find predictive factors.

A user authentication scheme using physiological and behavioral biometrics for multitouch devices.

With the rapid growth of mobile network, tablets and smart phones have become sorts of keys to access personal secured services in our daily life. People use these devices to manage personal finances, shop on the Internet, and even pay at vending machines. Besides, it also helps us get connected with friends and business partners through social network applications, which were widely used as personal identifications in both real and virtual societies.

A prospective, multicenter study of complementary/alternative medicine (CAM) utilization during definitive radiation for breast cancer.

Purpose: Although complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) utilization in breast cancer patients is reported to be high, there are few data on CAM practices in breast patients specifically during radiation. This prospective, multi-institutional study was conducted to define CAM utilization in breast cancer during definitive radiation.

Materials/methods: A validated CAM instrument with a self-skin assessment was administered to 360 Stage 0-III breast cancer patients from 5 centers during the last week of radiation.

Imaging radiotherapy-induced apoptosis.

Prediction of response to therapy has been identified as an important tool to obtain a more customized treatment. It allows the selection of those patients who will benefit most from a particular therapy and prevents the exposure of patients to toxic, noneffective regimens. Recent technical advances and the introduction of novel markers in anatomical and functional imaging have created exciting opportunities for in vivo visualization and quantification of cell death.

Dosimetric impact of post-operative seroma reduction during radiotherapy after breast-conserving surgery.

Purpose: Three boost radiotherapy (RT) techniques were compared to evaluate the dosimetric effect of seroma reduction during RT after breast-conserving surgery (BCS).

Materials And Methods: Twenty-one patients who developed seroma after BCS were included. Each patient underwent three CT scans: one week before RT (CT(-1)), in the third (CT(3)) and fifth (CT(5)) week of RT.

Clinical applicability of cone-beam computed tomography in monitoring seroma volume change during breast irradiation.

Purpose: To determine whether cone-beam CT (CBCT) is effective in monitoring seroma reduction during breast irradiation when compared with conventional CT.

Patients And Methods: This study included 19 women with Stage T1-2 breast cancer treated with breast-conserving therapy. Each patient underwent two to four CT and multiple CBCT scans (mean, 8; range, 7-13 scans) at various time intervals during radiotherapy.

Clinical factors associated with seroma volume reduction in breast-Conserving Therapy for early-stage breast cancer: a multi-institutional analysis.

Purpose: To correlate clinical factors with seroma volume and reduction; and to determine whether cone-beam CT (CBCT) could be used clinically to monitor seroma reduction.

Patients And Methods: This investigation included 102 women from five institutions with stage T1-2 breast cancer treated with breast-conserving therapy. Two CT scans were acquired: the planning CT (CT1) and a second CT (CT2) during radiotherapy (RT).

Predicting early chemotherapy response with technetium-99m methoxyisobutylisonitrile SPECT/CT in advanced non-small cell lung cancer.

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to examine the prognostic value of prechemotherapy technetium-99m methoxyisobutylisonitrile ((99m)Tc-MIBI) uptake with single photon emission computed tomography/computed tomography (SPECT/CT) in relation to tumor size change measured by CT.

Methods: Eleven patients with stage IIIB/IV non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) underwent (99m)Tc-MIBI SPECT/CT within 24 h before starting platinum-containing chemotherapy. Following the Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors guidelines, 20 lesions from the 11 patients were available for evaluation.

Prognosis for mammographically occult, early-stage breast cancer patients treated with breast-conservation therapy.

Purpose: To compare mammographically occult (MamOcc) and mammographically positive (MamPos) early-stage breast cancer patients treated with breast-conservation therapy (BCT), to analyze differences between the two cohorts.

Methods And Materials: Our two cohorts consisted of 214 MamOcc and 2168 MamPos patients treated with BCT. Chart reviews were conducted to assess mammogram reports and method of detection.