Preoperative hypoxic biomarkers and postoperative delirium in patients with obstructive sleep apnea.

Purpose: Postoperative delirium (POD) in patients with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is associated with increased mortality and healthcare costs. In this study, we investigated the association of OSA risk, serum biomarkers for central nervous ischemia (S100B and NSE), and POD.

Methods: After research ethics approval, patients completed the STOP BANG assessment before undergoing elective surgery.

Guselkumab in Patients With Moderately to Severely Active Ulcerative Colitis: QUASAR Phase 2b Induction Study.

Background & Aims: The QUASAR Phase 2b Induction Study evaluated the efficacy and safety of guselkumab, an interleukin-23p19 subunit antagonist, in patients with moderately to severely active ulcerative colitis (UC) with prior inadequate response and/or intolerance to corticosteroids, immunosuppressants, and/or advanced therapy.

Methods: In this double-blind, placebo-controlled, dose-ranging, induction study, patients were randomized (1:1:1) to receive intravenous guselkumab 200 or 400 mg or placebo at weeks 0/4/8. The primary endpoint was clinical response (compared with baseline, modified Mayo score decrease ≥30% and ≥2 points, rectal bleeding subscore ≥1-point decrease or subscore of 0/1) at week 12.

Cognitive function in older patients and their stress challenge using different anesthesia regimes: a single center observational study.

Background: With increasing age older patients are at higher risk for cognitive decline after surgery. Even tailored anesthesia procedures in older patients remain a high risk for postoperative cognitive disorder. Additional stress derived from anxiety and anesthesia itself can negatively impact postoperative cognitive outcomes.

Cerebral Embolic Protection during Transcatheter Aortic-Valve Replacement.

Background: Transcatheter aortic-valve replacement (TAVR) for the treatment of aortic stenosis can lead to embolization of debris. Capture of debris by devices that provide cerebral embolic protection (CEP) may reduce the risk of stroke.

Methods: We randomly assigned patients with aortic stenosis in a 1:1 ratio to undergo transfemoral TAVR with CEP (CEP group) or without CEP (control group).

"Out of Touch"-Recovering Sensibility after Burn Injury: A Review of the Literature.

Background: Full-thickness burn injuries (FTBI) not only lead to a significant burden in multiple ways, including social life and self-esteem, but have also a tremendous impact on environmental interaction by reducing sensibility in manifold ways. On these grounds, possible ways and solutions to recover sensibility in burn wounds are essentials and should not be overlooked.

Methods: A review of experimental, clinical studies and the related literature was performed with the aim to highlight post-burn nerve regeneration and discover ways for sensory re-integration to complement the therapeutic concept.

Correction to: Role of hepatitis B virus X protein in regulating LIM and SH3 protein 1 (LASP-1) expression to mediate proliferation and migration of hepatoma cells.

An amendment to this paper has been published and can be accessed via the original article.

Trastuzumab versus observation for HER2 nonamplified early breast cancer with circulating tumor cells (EORTC 90091-10093, BIG 1-12, Treat CTC): a randomized phase II trial.

Background: Trastuzumab improves the outcome of women with HER2 positive breast cancer. We aimed to assess whether trastuzumab decreases the detection rate of circulating tumor cells (CTCs) in women with high risk, HER2 nonamplified, early breast cancer.

Patients And Methods: The EORTC 90091-10093 BIG 1-12 Treat CTC is a phase II trial, conducted in 70 hospitals and 6 CTC laboratories across 5 European countries.

Cortical Thickness Alterations in Chronic Pain Disorder: An Exploratory MRI Study.

Objective: Chronic pain disorder (CPD) has been associated with brain changes, especially in limbic circuits. However, in most patients with chronic pain, depression or anxiety is a common comorbidity. In this exploratory and naturalistic study, we investigated brain cortical thickness (CTh) differences between patients with CPD and healthy controls, with consideration of concurrent psychiatric symptoms.

Development of a novel protein biochip enabling validation of immunological assays and detection of serum IgG and IgM antibodies against Treponema pallidum pathogens in the patients with syphilis.

In this study, we developed a novel protein biochip methodology that was characterized by dithiobis (succinimidyl undecanoate) (DSU) and specialized for detection of serum IgG and IgM antibodies against Treponema pallidum pathogens in the patients with syphilis, respectively. The biochips were validated by a dimension of atomic force microscope (AFM). The visualized detection limit of IgG antibody on the biochip was 0.

Is the Medial Prefrontal Cortex Necessary for Theory of Mind?

Background: Successful social interaction relies on the ability to attribute mental states to other people. Previous functional neuroimaging studies have shown that this process, described as Theory of Mind (ToM) or mentalization, is reliably associated with activation of the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC). However, this study presents a novel and surprising finding that provides new insight into the role of the mPFC in mentalization tasks.

ISAR-SAFE: a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial of 6 vs. 12 months of clopidogrel therapy after drug-eluting stenting.

Background: In patients receiving aspirin, the optimal duration of clopidogrel therapy after drug-eluting stent (DES) implantation remains unclear.

Methods: This multicentre, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial tested the hypothesis that in patients undergoing DES implantation, 6 months of clopidogrel is non-inferior to 12 months in terms of clinical outcomes. At 6 months after DES implantation, patients on clopidogrel were randomly assigned to either a 6-month period of placebo or an additional 6-month period of clopidogrel.

Surgical staging and prognosis in serous borderline ovarian tumours (BOT): a subanalysis of the AGO ROBOT study.

Background: Incomplete surgical staging is a negative prognostic factor for patients with borderline ovarian tumours (BOT). However, little is known about the prognostic impact of each individual staging procedure.

Methods: Clinical parameters of 950 patients with BOT (confirmed by central reference pathology) treated between 1998 and 2008 at 24 German AGO centres were analysed.

Association of genetic variants in SOHLH1 and SOHLH2 with non-obstructive azoospermia risk in the Chinese population.

Objective: Spermatogenesis and oogenesis specific basic helix-loop-helix 1 (SOHLH1) and spermatogenesis and oogenesis specific basic helix-loop-helix 2 (SOHLH2) play essential roles for both spermatogenesis and oogenesis. The aim of this study was to evaluate the association of SOHLH1 and SOHLH2 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) with non-obstructive azoospermia (NOA) in the Chinese population.

Study Design: In this study, we assessed 7 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) of SOHLH1 and SOHLH2 with Sequenom iplex technology in 361 NOA cases and 368 fertile controls.

Neural correlates of deficits in pain-related affective meaning construction in patients with chronic pain disorder.

Objective: Psychological and neural mechanisms of the affective dimension of pain are known to be disturbed in patients with chronic pain disorder. The aim of this functional magnetic resonance imaging study was to assess the neurofunctional and behavioral measures underlying the ability to construct pain-related affective meaning in a painful situation by comparing 21 clinically and psychometrically well-characterized patients with persistent non-nociceptive somatoform pain with 19 healthy controls.

Methods: The functional magnetic resonance imaging task involved viewing pictures depicting human hands and feet in different painful and nonpainful situations.

Pyrosequencing-based strategy for a successful SNP detection in two hypervariable regions: HV-I/HV-II of the human mitochondrial displacement loop.

Forensic analysis of mitochondrial displacement loop (D-loop) sequences using Sanger sequencing or SNP detection by minisequencing is well established. Pyrosequencing has become an important alternative because it enables high-throughput analysis and the quantification of individual mitochondrial DNAs (mtDNAs) in samples originating from more than one individual. DNA typing of the mitochondrial D-loop region is usually the method of choice if STR analysis fails because of trace amounts of DNA and/or extensive degradation.

A direct immunoassay assessment of streptavidin- and N-hydroxysuccinimide-modified biochips in validation of serological TNFalpha responses in hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis.

The authors report 2 biochip platforms on gold manufactured by either nanoscale biotinylated self-assembled architectures to streptavidin surface or proteins containing free NH(2) groups to N-hydroxysuccinimide (NHS)-activated surfaces and investigated the potential application of tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNFalpha) serodiagnosis of hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis (HLH). Interactions of TNFalpha antigen and TNFalpha antibody on the biochips were optimized using an indirect immunofluorescence method. Variation coefficients were 1.

Infrared ear thermometry in water-related accidents-not a good choice.

Hypothermia in near-drowning victims is a serious problem that impacts clinical decision-making. The purpose of this trial was to determine the reliability of tympanic temperature measurements compared to oral temperature measurements after immersion in water. After ethical approval was obtained, we studied oral and tympanic temperature in 25 volunteer swimmers (aged 18-49 years).

Prospective evaluation of patient-reported outcomes during treatment with deferasirox or deferoxamine for iron overload in patients with beta-thalassemia.

Background: Iron chelation therapy (ICT) with deferoxamine (DFO), the current standard for the treatment of iron overload in patients with transfusion-dependent disorders such as beta-thalassemia, requires regular subcutaneous or intravenous infusions. This can lead to reduced quality of life and poor adherence, resulting in increased morbidity and mortality in iron-overloaded patients with beta-thalassemia. Deferasirox is an orally administered iron chelator that has been approved for use in the United States, Switzerland, and other countries.

Role of ATP in trauma-associated cytokine release and apoptosis by P2X7 ion channel stimulation.

Trauma causes immediate cytokine release and the systemic inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS), often preceding sepsis and septic shock. Mechanisms may involve P2X7 ion channel activation via adenosine 5'-triphosphate (ATP) released from surrounding tissue and platelets. A number of single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) influence the nature and magnitude of P2X7-stimulated cytokine release and apoptosis.

Biochip as a potential platform of serological interferon alpha2b antibody assay.

The formation of antibodies against cytokines may play a major role in the generation of the immune response and may affect treatment protocols with recombinant cytokines. Interferon (IFN) is one of the effective therapeutic agents with anti-viral and anti-tumor specific effects. The appearance of IFN antibodies in patients may limit the natural and the therapeutic effect by IFNs.

Effects of exogenous recombinant human granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (filgrastim, rhG-CSF) on neutrophils of critically ill patients with systemic inflammatory response syndrome depend on endogenous G-CSF plasma concentrations on admission.

Objective: To investigate the effects of exogenous recombinant human granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (rhG-CSF; filgrastim) application on the neutrophils of patients at risk of sepsis following major trauma or operation.

Design: Randomized controlled trial.

Setting: Surgical intensive care unit and research laboratory of a university hospital.

Sevoflurane versus isoflurane--anaesthesia for lower abdominal surgery. Effects on perioperative glucose metabolism.

Background: The aim of this study was to determine the impact of sevoflurane anaesthesia on metabolic and endocrine responses to lower abdominal surgery.

Methods: A prospective randomized controlled study in 20 patients undergoing abdominal hysterectomy. Patients were randomly assigned to receive either sevoflurane (S) or isoflurane anaesthesia (I).

How to make ends meet in V(D)J recombination.

In most vertebrate species analyzed so far, the diversity of soluble or membrane-bound antigen-receptors expressed by B and T lymphocytes is generated by V(D)J recombination. During this process, the coding regions for the variable domains of antigen-receptors are created by the joining of subexons that are randomly selected from arrays of tandemly repeated V, D (sometimes) and J gene segments. This involves the site-specific cleavage of chromosomal DNA by the lymphocyte-specific recombination-activating gene (RAG)-1/2 proteins, which appear to have originated from an ancient transposable element.