Hospital surgical volume-outcome relationship in caesarean hysterectomy for placenta accreta spectrum.

Objective: To examine the association between hospital surgical volume of caesarean hysterectomy and surgical morbidity in women with placenta accreta spectrum (PAS).

Design: Population-based retrospective cohort study.

Setting: National Inpatient Sample, January 2016 to December 2018.

Sentinel lymph node biopsy for stage II endometrial cancer: Recent utilization and outcome in the United States.

Objective: To examine trends and outcomes related to sentinel lymph node (SLN) biopsy for stage II endometrial cancer.

Methods: This is a retrospective observational cohort study querying the National Cancer Institute's Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results Program. The study population was 6,314 women with T2 endometrial cancer who underwent hysterectomy from 2010-2018.

Impact of incomplete surgery and adjuvant chemotherapy for the intraoperative rupture of capsulated stage I epithelial ovarian cancer: a multi-institutional study with an in-depth subgroup analysis.

Objective: The aim of the present study was to examine the effects of incomplete surgery and adjuvant chemotherapy on the prognosis of patients with intraoperative rupture of capsulated stage I epithelial ovarian cancer (OvCa).

Methods: A regional retrospective study was conducted between 1986 and 2019. Among 4,730 patients with malignant ovarian tumors, 534 women with International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics stage IA and IC1 epithelial OvCa were eligible.

Cancer cachexia in adult patients: ESMO Clinical Practice Guidelines.

• This ESMO Clinical Practice Guideline provides key recommendations for managing cancer-related cachexia. • It covers screening, assessment and multimodal management of cancer cachexia. • All recommendations were compiled by a multidisciplinary group of experts.

Utilization and outcomes of adjuvant systemic chemotherapy alone in high risk, early stage cervical cancer in the United States.

Objective: To examine trends and outcomes related to adjuvant systemic chemotherapy alone for high risk, early stage cervical cancer.

Methods: This retrospective observational study queried the National Cancer Institute's Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results Program from 2000 to 2016. Surgically treated women with American Joint Commission on Cancer stages T1-2 cervical cancer who had high risk factors (nodal metastasis and/or parametrial invasion) and received additional therapy were examined.

FASTER and SCOTT&EVA trainings for adults with high-functioning autism spectrum disorder (ASD): study protocol for a randomized controlled trial.

Background: Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a chronic neurodevelopmental condition with a prevalence rate above 1%, characterized by deficits in social communication and interaction; restrictive, repetitive patterns of behavior, interests, or activities; and a preference for sameness and routines. The majority of adult ASD patients suffer from comorbid conditions such as depression and anxiety. Therapy options for adult ASD patients are lacking, with presently no available evidence-based interventions in Germany.

Older age, comorbidity, glucocorticoid use and disease activity are risk factors for COVID-19 hospitalisation in patients with inflammatory rheumatic and musculoskeletal diseases.

Introduction: Whether patients with inflammatory rheumatic and musculoskeletal diseases (RMD) are at higher risk to develop severe courses of COVID-19 has not been fully elucidated. Aim of this analysis was to describe patients with RMD according to their COVID-19 severity and to identify risk factors for hospitalisation.

Methods: Patients with RMD with PCR confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection reported to the German COVID-19 registry from 30 March to 1 November 2020 were evaluated.

Transcranial direct current stimulation induces long-term potentiation-like plasticity in the human visual cortex.

Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) is increasingly used as a form of noninvasive brain stimulation to treat psychiatric disorders; however, its mechanism of action remains unclear. Prolonged visual stimulation (PVS) can enhance evoked EEG potentials (visually evoked potentials, VEPs) and has been proposed as a tool to examine long-term potentiation (LTP) in humans. The objective of the current study was to induce and analyze VEP plasticity and examine whether tDCS could either modulate or mimic plasticity changes induced by PVS.

Comparison of Macular Pigment Optical Density in Glaucoma Patients and Healthy Subjects - A Prospective Diagnostic Study.

Purpose: To evaluate the relationship between macular pigment optical density (MPOD) and glaucoma.

Methods: Forty-three patients with an established glaucoma diagnosis (25 females, 18 males, mean age 70 (range 34-84)) and 43 healthy controls (28 females, 15 males, mean age 62 (range 30-87)) were included in this prospective diagnostic case-control study. All subjects underwent detailed eye examination including ophthalmoscopy, best-corrected visual acuity, biomicroscopy, measurement of the axial length of the eye, objective refraction, lens status, central foveal thickness on spectral-domain optical coherence tomography (SD-OCT).

Chapter 13: Diet and Periodontal Diseases.

Due to the increasing focus on host inflammatory processes with regard to the aetiology of periodontal disease, diet has become an important factor in host modulation. Recent investigations showed that the industrialized western diet, which is characterized by highly processed foods (processed carbohydrates like sugar, white flour, and processed fatty acids like trans fats) and a low micronutrient density, promotes gingival and periodontal inflammation. On the other hand, a plant-based diet rich in low-glycaemic, complex carbohydrates (like in fruits, vegetables, legumes), Omega-3 fatty acids, micronutrients (like vitamins, minerals), phytochemicals, plant nitrates, and fibres seems to bring benefits as well for periodontal inflammation as for caries, and general health.

Health-related preferences of older patients with multimorbidity: an evidence map.

Objectives: To systematically identify knowledge clusters and research gaps in the health-related preferences of older patients with multimorbidity by mapping current evidence.

Design: Evidence map (systematic review variant).

Data Sources: MEDLINE, EMBASE, PsycINFO, PSYNDEX, CINAHL and Science Citation Index/Social Science Citation Index/-Expanded from inception to April 2018.

Prevalence and Risk Factors of Thyroid Dysfunction in Older Adults in the Community.

Prevalence estimates and evidence informing treatment targets for thyroid dysfunction largely come from studies of middle-aged adults. We conducted a cross-sectional analysis to determine the prevalence of thyroid dysfunction and risk factors for abnormal thyroid tests in participants aged ≥65 in the Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities (ARIC) study (N = 5,392). We measured serum concentrations of triiodothyronine (T3), free thyroxine (FT4), thyroid peroxidase antibody (Anti-TPO), and thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH).

Variant type is associated with disease characteristics in SDHB, SDHC and SDHD-linked phaeochromocytoma-paraganglioma.

Background: Pathogenic germline variants in subunits of succinate dehydrogenase (, and ) are broadly associated with disease subtypes of phaeochromocytoma-paraganglioma (PPGL) syndrome. Our objective was to investigate the role of variant type (ie, missense vs truncating) in determining tumour phenotype.

Methods: Three independent datasets comprising 950 PPGL and head and neck paraganglioma (HNPGL) patients were analysed for associations of variant type with tumour type and age-related tumour risk.

In vivo evaluation of an electrospun gelatin nonwoven mat for regeneration of epithelial tissues.

One major objective in epithelial tissue engineering is to identify a suitable biomaterial that supports epithelial tissue formation. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to elucidate a novel electrospun gelatin nonwoven mat (NWM) for epithelial tissue engineering purposes in vivo. This NWM was seeded with either human gingival keratinocytes (GK, in coculture with gingival fibroblast) or human skin epithelial keratinocytes (EK, in coculture with skin dermal fibroblasts).

3D Cellular Architecture Affects MicroRNA and Protein Cargo of Extracellular Vesicles.

The success of malignant tumors is conditioned by the intercellular communication between tumor cells and their microenvironment, with extracellular vesicles (EVs) acting as main mediators. While the value of 3D conditions to study tumor cells is well established, the impact of cellular architecture on EV content and function is not investigated yet. Here, a recently developed 3D cell culture microwell array is adapted for EV production and a comprehensive comparative analysis of biochemical features, RNA and proteomic profiles of EVs secreted by 2D vs 3D cultures of gastric cancer cells, is performed.

Recommendations for Improving the Quality of Rare Disease Registries.

Rare diseases (RD) patient registries are powerful instruments that help develop clinical research, facilitate the planning of appropriate clinical trials, improve patient care, and support healthcare management. They constitute a key information system that supports the activities of European Reference Networks (ERNs) on rare diseases. A rapid proliferation of RD registries has occurred during the last years and there is a need to develop guidance for the minimum requirements, recommendations and standards necessary to maintain a high-quality registry.

Dynamic Changes in Schlemm Canal and Iridocorneal Angle Morphology During Accommodation in Children With Healthy Eyes: A Cross-Sectional Cohort Study.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to explore changes in Schlemm canal (SC), trabecular meshwork (TM), and iridocorneal angle (ICA) morphology during accommodative effort in children and young adults.

Methods: We acquired anterior segment optical coherence tomography images (AS-OCT) of the ICA and ciliary muscle (CM) of both eyes of 50 children age 4 to 16 years with healthy eyes, at two levels of accommodation: 2.5 and 15 diopters (D).

A novel long non-coding RNA from NBL2 pericentromeric macrosatellite forms a perinucleolar aggregate structure in colon cancer.

Primate-specific NBL2 macrosatellite is hypomethylated in several types of tumors, yet the consequences of this DNA hypomethylation remain unknown. We show that NBL2 conserved repeats are close to the centromeres of most acrocentric chromosomes. NBL2 associates with the perinucleolar region and undergoes severe demethylation in a subset of colorectal cancer (CRC).

Hemoadsorption in a Case of Severe Septic Shock and Necrotizing Fasciitis Caused by Nontraumatic Renal Rupture due to Pyelonephritis with Obstructive Uropathy.

Background: Nontraumatic renal rupture due to pyelonephritis with obstructive uropathy is an uncommon but life-threatening situation.

Case Presentation: A 25-year-old female presented to the emergency department with acute worsening of abdominal pain that began four weeks earlier. She was found to have peritonitis, leukocytosis, severe lactic acidosis, and a pronounced anemia and imaging was consistent with nontraumatic renal rupture with retroperitoneal abscess, perforation of the colon, and severe necrotizing fasciitis of the right lower limb.

Extracellular Vesicles: Packages Sent With Complement.

Cells communicate with other cells in their microenvironment by transferring lipids, peptides, RNA, and sugars in extracellular vesicles (EVs), thereby also influencing recipient cell functions. Several studies indicate that these vesicles are involved in a variety of critical cellular processes including immune, metabolic, and coagulatory responses and are thereby associated with several inflammatory diseases. Furthermore, EVs also possess anti-inflammatory properties and contribute to immune regulation, thus encouraging an emerging interest in investigating and clarifying mechanistic links between EVs and innate immunity.

Management of superficial and deep-seated Staphylococcus aureus skin and soft tissue infections in sub-Saharan Africa: a post hoc analysis of the StaphNet cohort.

Purpose: The incidence of Staphylococcus aureus skin and soft tissue infection (SSTI) is high in sub-Saharan Africa. This is fueled by a high prevalence of Panton-Valentine leukocidin (PVL), which can be associated with necrotizing disease. The aim was to describe the clinical presentation and the treatment of SSTI in the African setting and to identify challenges in the management.

A comparison of Lenz lenses and LC resonators for NMR signal enhancement.

High signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) of the NMR signal has always been a key target that drives massive research effort in many fields. Among several parameters, a high filling factor of the MR coil has proven to boost the SNR. In case of small-volume samples, a high filling factor and thus a high SNR can be achieved through miniaturizing the MR coil.