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Objectives: Lymphocyte activation gene 3 (LAG3), an inhibitory receptor in T‐cell activation, is a negative prognostic factor. However, its impact on tumours has yet to be comprehensively elucidated on a pan‐cancer scale. Thus, we aim to reveal its role at the pan‐cancer level. Methods: We performed IHC staining on a retrospective cohort of 370 patients. Then we assessed the prognostic effect of LAG3 using Kaplan–Meier survival analysis and multivariate Cox regression analysis. In pan‐cancer analysis, we constructed competing endogenous RNA and protein–protein interaction networks, conducted gene set enrichment analysis and identified correlations between LAG3 gene expression and various factors, including clinical characteristics, tumour purity, mutations, tumour immunity and drug sensitivity across 33 cancer types. Results: LAG3 was expressed higher in normal kidney tissues than in tumours. A high level of LAG3 gene expression was an independent prognostic factor for OS (HR = 6.60, 95% CI = 2.43–17.90, P < 0.001) and PFS (HR = 3.44, 95% CI = 1.68–7.10, P < 0.001). In pan‐cancer analysis, LAG3 exhibited robust correlations with survival and tumour stages in various cancers. Moreover, LAG3 was strongly associated with immune‐related genes, proteins and signalling pathways. LAG3 gene expression was positively associated with increased infiltration of activated immune cells and decreased infiltration of several resting cells. LAG3 gene expression was associated with tumour mutation burden and microsatellite instability in multiple cancers. Conclusion: High LAG3 gene expression was an independent risk factor in kidney neoplasms. It also functioned as a biomarker for prognosis, TIME and immunotherapy efficacy in the pan‐cancer dimension. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Brain imaging suggests the involvement of the limbic system, particularly the cingulate gyrus (GC), in dogs with idiopathic epilepsy (IE). Hypothesis: A correlation exists between the side of interictal epileptiform discharges (IEDs) and the volume of the ipsilateral GC (GCe) in dogs with IE. Animals: Dogs admitted to the neurological consultation (32 with epileptic seizures and 13 control) were included. Methods: This retrospective, blinded study followed the International Veterinary Epilepsy Task Force recommendations for diagnosing IE at the Tier III confidence level. The IE group included 18 and 14 dogs with IEDs in the left and right hemispheres, respectively (median age: 36 months, median weight: 19.5 kg), whereas the control group included 13 dogs (median age: 32 months, median weight: 20 kg). Whole‐brain and GC‐volumetric assessments were performed by a semiautomated method. Results: In the control group, the volume of the GC was: left, from 743.63 to 1001.61 mm3, right, from 789.35 to 1015.86 mm3. In the study group, the volume of the GC was: left, from 720.88 to 1054.9 mm3 and right, from 566.29 to 987.77 mm3. In dogs with IE, GCe volume was significantly lower than the mean volume of the GC in the control group relative to total intracranial volume (TIV; P =.00044). Conclusions and Clinical Importance: Alterations in the volume of the GC provide insights into structural changes during IE. The use of semiautomatic volumetry provides an advantage by reducing the potential for human error. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Background Brain imaging suggests the involvement of the limbic system, particularly the cingulate gyrus (GC), in dogs with idiopathic epilepsy (IE). Hypothesis A correlation exists between the side of interictal epileptiform discharges (IEDs) and the volume of the ipsilateral GC (GCe) in dogs with IE. Animals Dogs admitted to the neurological consultation (32 with epileptic seizures and 13 control) were included. Methods This retrospective, blinded study followed the International Veterinary Epilepsy Task Force recommendations for diagnosing IE at the Tier III confidence level. The IE group included 18 and 14 dogs with IEDs in the left and right hemispheres, respectively (median age: 36 months, median weight: 19.5 kg), whereas the control group included 13 dogs (median age: 32 months, median weight: 20 kg). Whole‐brain and GC‐volumetric assessments were performed by a semiautomated method. Results In the control group, the volume of the GC was: left, from 743.63 to 1001.61 mm3, right, from 789.35 to 1015.86 mm3. In the study group, the volume of the GC was: left, from 720.88 to 1054.9 mm3 and right, from 566.29 to 987.77 mm3. In dogs with IE, GCe volume was significantly lower than the mean volume of the GC in the control group relative to total intracranial volume (TIV; P = .00044). Conclusions and Clinical Importance Alterations in the volume of the GC provide insights into structural changes during IE. The use of semiautomatic volumetry provides an advantage by reducing the potential for human error.

Abstract Background Uncontrolled gout can cause articular impairment but is also associated with a global and cardiovascular excess mortality, especially in dialysis population. Data documented within existing research is not conclusive regarding gout flares evolution during hemodialysis and their control by urate lowering therapy (ULT). Without clear guidelines concerning hemodialysis patients management with chronic gout, this study proposes to investigate whether gout flare incidence reduction could be observed on this population treated by urate lowering therapy versus patients without treatment. Methods We performed a retrospective cohort study in two hemodialysis centers in France. Were selected patients over 18 years old with a gout history who started hemodialysis between January 2005 and September 2015. Demographics and clinicals data were recorded at hemodialysis start and throughout 5 years of follow up. Gout flare was defined as presence of uric acid crystal in joint punction or clinically diagnosed as such with a colchicine prescription. All statistical analysis were performed in SAS® version 9.4 (SAS Institute Inc., Cary, NC). Results One hundred eighty-one patients have been included, mean age at dialysis initiation was 68.6 years (± 12.4) with 72% of men, 54% were treated by ULT: 89.7% by allopurinol and 9.3% by febuxostat. One patient received both treatments successively. After hemodialysis initiation, 35.36% patients had experienced at least one gout flare. The appearance of at least one gout flare concerned 50% of patients in no ULT group and 22.68% patients in ULT group (p = 0.0002). Dialysis efficiency was measured at regular interval during follow-up and was similar in both groups. To study the association strength between clinical factors and gout flares occurrences, a Cox model was performed; ULT is a protector factor of gout flare (HR:0,42, CI 95: 0,25-0,71). The proportion of serum urate values within the target (median 53% vs 29.3%, p

Background: Uncontrolled gout can cause articular impairment but is also associated with a global and cardiovascular excess mortality, especially in dialysis population. Data documented within existing research is not conclusive regarding gout flares evolution during hemodialysis and their control by urate lowering therapy (ULT). Without clear guidelines concerning hemodialysis patients management with chronic gout, this study proposes to investigate whether gout flare incidence reduction could be observed on this population treated by urate lowering therapy versus patients without treatment. Methods: We performed a retrospective cohort study in two hemodialysis centers in France. Were selected patients over 18 years old with a gout history who started hemodialysis between January 2005 and September 2015. Demographics and clinicals data were recorded at hemodialysis start and throughout 5 years of follow up. Gout flare was defined as presence of uric acid crystal in joint punction or clinically diagnosed as such with a colchicine prescription. All statistical analysis were performed in SAS® version 9.4 (SAS Institute Inc., Cary, NC). Results: One hundred eighty-one patients have been included, mean age at dialysis initiation was 68.6 years (± 12.4) with 72% of men, 54% were treated by ULT: 89.7% by allopurinol and 9.3% by febuxostat. One patient received both treatments successively. After hemodialysis initiation, 35.36% patients had experienced at least one gout flare. The appearance of at least one gout flare concerned 50% of patients in no ULT group and 22.68% patients in ULT group (p = 0.0002). Dialysis efficiency was measured at regular interval during follow-up and was similar in both groups. To study the association strength between clinical factors and gout flares occurrences, a Cox model was performed; ULT is a protector factor of gout flare (HR:0,42, CI 95: 0,25-0,71). The proportion of serum urate values within the target (median 53% vs 29.3%, p < 0.0001) was significantly higher in ULT group versus no ULT group (median 53% vs 29.3%, p < 0.0001). Conclusion: Urate lowering therapy limit new gout flares occurrence in hemodialysis patients with gout historyCollaboration between rheumatologists and nephrologists may help to update guidelines for urate-lowering therapies in patients on dialysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Routine use of immunosuppressive agents in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) patients infected with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) potentially increases the risk of adverse outcomes. belimumab, a monoclonal antibody for the treatment of SLE, remains untested for its specific impact on coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) symptoms in these patients. Here, this research investigated the effect of belimumab on COVID-19 symptoms in SLE patients infected with SARS-CoV-2. Methods: This study enrolled SLE patients who underwent treatment with belimumab. After thorough screening based on the inclusion and exclusion criteria, data pertaining to COVID-19 for both the participants and their cohabitants were obtained through telephone follow-up. The potential impact of belimumab on COVID-19 was evaluated by comparing COVID-19 symptoms and medication use across various groups to investigate the association between belimumab treatment and COVID-19 in SLE. Results: This study involved 123 SLE patients, of whom 89.4% tested positive for SARS-CoV-2. Among cohabitants of SLE patients, the SARS-CoV-2 positive rate was 87.2% (p = 0.543). Patients treated with belimumab exhibited a lower incidence of multiple COVID-19 symptoms than their cohabitating counterparts (p < 0.001). This protective effect was found to be partially related to the time of last belimumab administration. Among those with COVID-19, 30 patients opted to discontinue their anti-SLE drugs, and among them, 53% chose to discontinue belimumab. Discontinuing drugs did not increase the risk of hospitalization due to SARS-CoV-2 infection. Conclusion: This study concluded that treatment with belimumab did not increase susceptibility to COVID-19 and beneficially alleviated the symptoms of COVID-19. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Purpose To investigate the influence of cantilever prosthetic arm on the marginal bone loss (MBL) over time around dental implants supporting short fixed partial dentures (FPDs), in a record-based retrospective study. Methods All cases of 3-unit implant-supported FPDs, supported by 2–3 implants, from the database of cases treated at one specialist clinic were considered for inclusion. Only implants with a minimum of 36 months of radiological follow-up were considered. Univariate linear regression models were used to compare MBL over time between 12 clinical covariates, after which a linear mixed-effects model was built. Results One-hundred-thirty-nine patients (64 men, 75 women) with 164 3-unit implant-supported FPDs (333 implants supporting non-cantilevered FPDs, 94 supporting cantilevered FPDs) were included in the study. The patients were followed up clinically and radiographically for a mean of 154.1 ± 78.0 (min–max, 37.3–364.6) and 132.9 ± 77.3 months (min–max, 36.8–329.9), respectively. The total number of marginal bone level double measurements (mesial and distal sides of each implant) was 2909. FPDs with cantilever presented an estimated greater MBL over time compared to FPDs without cantilever. Bruxism, sex (women), implant (modified) surface, and (poor) bone quality were also associated with higher MBL over time. Conclusions The use of a cantilever extension is suggested to negatively affect the bone marginal level over time around implants supporting 3-unit FPDs. Due to the small difference of the estimated MBL over long periods of follow-up between the groups, it is a matter of debate if the observed negative effect may be of clinical significance. Graphical Abstract

Purpose: To investigate the influence of cantilever prosthetic arm on the marginal bone loss (MBL) over time around dental implants supporting short fixed partial dentures (FPDs), in a record-based retrospective study. Methods: All cases of 3-unit implant-supported FPDs, supported by 2–3 implants, from the database of cases treated at one specialist clinic were considered for inclusion. Only implants with a minimum of 36 months of radiological follow-up were considered. Univariate linear regression models were used to compare MBL over time between 12 clinical covariates, after which a linear mixed-effects model was built. Results: One-hundred-thirty-nine patients (64 men, 75 women) with 164 3-unit implant-supported FPDs (333 implants supporting non-cantilevered FPDs, 94 supporting cantilevered FPDs) were included in the study. The patients were followed up clinically and radiographically for a mean of 154.1 ± 78.0 (min–max, 37.3–364.6) and 132.9 ± 77.3 months (min–max, 36.8–329.9), respectively. The total number of marginal bone level double measurements (mesial and distal sides of each implant) was 2909. FPDs with cantilever presented an estimated greater MBL over time compared to FPDs without cantilever. Bruxism, sex (women), implant (modified) surface, and (poor) bone quality were also associated with higher MBL over time. Conclusions: The use of a cantilever extension is suggested to negatively affect the bone marginal level over time around implants supporting 3-unit FPDs. Due to the small difference of the estimated MBL over long periods of follow-up between the groups, it is a matter of debate if the observed negative effect may be of clinical significance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Few reports exist on the treatment of transverse patellar fractures (TPFs) using absorbable cannulated screws and high-strength sutures, and most screws and sutures lack good biomechanics and clinical trials. Therefore, this study aimed to demonstrate the biomechanical stability and clinical efficacy of tension-band high-strength sutures combined with absorbable cannulated screws (TBSAS) in treating TPFs (AO/OTA 34 C1).Methods: Finite element models of five internal fixation schemes were established: tension-band wire with K-wire (TBW), TBW with cerclage wire (TBWC), TBW with headless pressure screws (TBWHS), TBW with full-thread screws (TBWFS), and TBSAS. We comprehensively compared the biomechanical characteristics of the TBSAS treatment scheme during knee flexion and extension. Forty-one patients with TPFs in our hospital between January 2020 and August 2022 were retrospectively enrolled and divided into the TBSAS (n = 22) and TBWC (n = 19) groups. Clinical and follow-up outcomes, including operative time, visual analog scale (VAS) pain score, postoperative complications, Bostman score, and final knee range of motion, were compared between both groups.Results: Finite element analysis (FEA) showed that TBWHS and TBWFS achieved the minimum mean fracture interface relative displacement during knee flexion (45°, 0–500 N bending load) and full extension (0°, 0–500 N axial load). There was no significant difference between TBSAS (0.136 mm) and TBWC (0.146 mm) during knee flexion (500 N); however, TBSAS displacement was smaller (0.075 mm) during full extension (500 N). Furthermore, the stress results for the internal fixation and the patella were generally lower when using TBSAS. Retrospective clinical studies showed that the TBSAS group had a shorter operative time, lower VAS pain score at 1 and 2 months postoperatively, better Bostman knee function score at 3 and 9 months postoperatively, and better final knee joint motion than the TBWC group (all p < 0.05). There were five cases (26.3%) of internal fixation stimulation complications in the TBWC group.Conclusion: TBSAS demonstrated excellent safety and effectiveness in treating TPFs. It is sufficient to meet the needs of TPF fixation and early functional exercise and effectively reduces metal internal fixation-induced complications and secondary surgery-induced trauma.

Abstract Backgrounds Long-span dental bridges may cause excessive load on abutment teeth and the periodontal area, which may lead to bridge fractures or periodontal problems. However, some reports have revealed that short- and long-span bridges can provide a similar prognosis. This clinical study aimed to investigate the technical complications associated with fixed dental prostheses (FDPs) of different span lengths. Methods All patients with previously cemented FDPs were clinically examined during their follow-up visits. Several data related to FDPs were registered, such as design, material type, location, and type of complication. The main clinical factors analyzed were technical complications. Life table survival analyses were performed to calculate the cumulative survival rate of FDPs when technical complications were detected. Results The study examined 229 patients with a total number of 258 prostheses and an average of 98 months of follow-up. Seventy-four prostheses suffered from technical complications, and the most common complication was ceramic fracture or chipping (n = 66), while loss of retention occurred in 11 prostheses. The long-term evaluation of long-span prostheses revealed a significantly higher technical complication rate compared to short-span prostheses (P = ,003). The cumulative survival rate for short-span FDPs was 91% in year 5, 68% in year 10, and 34% in year 15. For long-span FDPs, the cumulative survival rate was 85% in year 5, 50% in year 10, and 18% in year 15. Conclusion Long-span prostheses (5 units or more) can be associated with a higher technical complication rate compared to short-span prostheses after long-term evaluation.

Abstract Objectives Lymphocyte activation gene 3 (LAG3), an inhibitory receptor in T‐cell activation, is a negative prognostic factor. However, its impact on tumours has yet to be comprehensively elucidated on a pan‐cancer scale. Thus, we aim to reveal its role at the pan‐cancer level. Methods We performed IHC staining on a retrospective cohort of 370 patients. Then we assessed the prognostic effect of LAG3 using Kaplan–Meier survival analysis and multivariate Cox regression analysis. In pan‐cancer analysis, we constructed competing endogenous RNA and protein–protein interaction networks, conducted gene set enrichment analysis and identified correlations between LAG3 gene expression and various factors, including clinical characteristics, tumour purity, mutations, tumour immunity and drug sensitivity across 33 cancer types. Results LAG3 was expressed higher in normal kidney tissues than in tumours. A high level of LAG3 gene expression was an independent prognostic factor for OS (HR = 6.60, 95% CI = 2.43–17.90, P

Backgrounds: Long-span dental bridges may cause excessive load on abutment teeth and the periodontal area, which may lead to bridge fractures or periodontal problems. However, some reports have revealed that short- and long-span bridges can provide a similar prognosis. This clinical study aimed to investigate the technical complications associated with fixed dental prostheses (FDPs) of different span lengths. Methods: All patients with previously cemented FDPs were clinically examined during their follow-up visits. Several data related to FDPs were registered, such as design, material type, location, and type of complication. The main clinical factors analyzed were technical complications. Life table survival analyses were performed to calculate the cumulative survival rate of FDPs when technical complications were detected. Results: The study examined 229 patients with a total number of 258 prostheses and an average of 98 months of follow-up. Seventy-four prostheses suffered from technical complications, and the most common complication was ceramic fracture or chipping (n = 66), while loss of retention occurred in 11 prostheses. The long-term evaluation of long-span prostheses revealed a significantly higher technical complication rate compared to short-span prostheses (P = ,003). The cumulative survival rate for short-span FDPs was 91% in year 5, 68% in year 10, and 34% in year 15. For long-span FDPs, the cumulative survival rate was 85% in year 5, 50% in year 10, and 18% in year 15. Conclusion: Long-span prostheses (5 units or more) can be associated with a higher technical complication rate compared to short-span prostheses after long-term evaluation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: The aim of the present retrospective study was to compare the marginal bone loss (MBL) around dental implants in a group of diabetic patients in relation to a matched group of non-diabetic patients. Materials and methods: The present dental record–based retrospective study included patients selected from individuals treated with dental implants at one specialist clinic in Malmö, Sweden. Patients were excluded if they had history of periodontitis and/or were treated for periodontal disease. The study group included 710 implants installed in 180 patients (mean age 60.3±13.0 years), 349 implants in 90 diabetic (21 T1DM and 69 T2DM patients), and 361 implants in 90 non-diabetic patients. Results: The results suggested that jaw (greater MBL in the maxilla), diabetes (greater MBL for diabetic patients, and worse for T1DM patients), bruxism (greater MBL for bruxers), and smoking (greater MBL for smokers and former smokers) had a statistically significant influence on MBL over time. Conclusions: Patients with diabetes have an estimated greater MBL over time compared to non-diabetic patients. The difference was greater in patients with diabetes type 1 compared to patients with diabetes type 2. Bruxism, smoking, and implant location (maxilla) were also associated with a higher loss of marginal bone around implants over time. Clinical relevance: Awareness of the possible influence of diabetes on the long-term outcomes of dental implant treatment is important, in order to be able to minimize the possibility of a high MBL with time, which can eventually lead to the loss of the implant. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this present record-based retrospective study was to investigate the influence of the crown-implant ratio (CIR) and implant inclination in relation to the occlusal plane on the marginal bone loss (MBL) around dental implants supporting single crowns in the posterior region of the jaws. All the cases of implant-supported single crowns in the premolar and molar regions were initially considered for inclusion. Only implants not lost, with baseline radiographs taken within 12 months after implant placement and with a minimum of 36 months of radiological follow-up, were considered for the analysis of MBL. Univariate linear regression models were used to compare MBL over time between 12 clinical covariates, after which a linear mixed-effects model was built. After the exclusion of 49 cases, a total of 316 implant-supported single crowns in 234 patients were included. The results from the statistical models suggested that implant inclination and anatomical- and clinical CIR (the main related factors investigated in the study) were not statistically significantly related to MBL over time. Age (older people), tooth region (premolar), and bruxism (bruxers) had a statistically significant influence on MBL over time. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: To compare marginal bone loss (MBL) around dental implants in a group of bruxers in relation to a matched group of non‐bruxers. Methods: The present record‐based retrospective study included patients selected from individuals treated with dental implants at one specialist clinic in Malmö. Only implants not lost and with baseline radiographs taken within 12 months after implant placement and with a minimum of 36 months of radiological follow‐up were considered for inclusion. Univariate linear regression models and a linear mixed‐effects model were performed. Results: Two hundred and four patients (104 bruxers, 100 non‐bruxers), with a total of 811 implants (416 in bruxers, 395 in non‐bruxers) were included in the study. The results of the linear mixed‐effects model suggested that bruxism, smoking, age, region of the jaws, implant diameter, and prosthesis type had a statistically significant influence on MBL over time. Individuals who are both bruxers and smokers showed greater MBL when compared to individuals who are either a bruxer or smoker, or neither (p < 0.001). Conclusions: Bruxism is suggested to increase the risk of MBL over time, as well as higher age, smoking, and the combination of bruxism and smoking. Other factors that showed a correlation with increased MBL were implant diameter, region of the jaws, and prosthesis type, but it is not possible to draw robust conclusions for these factors, as the categories of these variables were very unbalanced. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

PurposeTo summarize and discuss the treatment and timing of glaucoma in patients with MICOF keratoprosthesis implantation to guide follow-up clinical treatment.MethodsThe data of 39 eyes (39 patients) with the Moscow Eye Microsurgery Complex in Russia (MICOF) keratoprosthesis implantation in our hospital from 1 January 2002 to 31 December 2017 were collected, including patients with preexisting glaucoma and those who developed glaucoma de novo after MICOF. The sex, age, preoperative diagnosis, glaucoma surgery, keratoplasty, times of keratoplasty, best corrected visual acuity (BCVA) and final follow-up corrected visual acuity, visual field (VF) defect, and cup-to-disk ratio (CDR) were statistically analyzed.ResultsAmong 16 eyes with preexisting glaucoma, eight eyes underwent glaucoma surgery before MICOF, 4 eyes underwent glaucoma surgery combined with MICOF, and four eyes were managed medically. Among 23 eyes with de novo glaucoma, seven eyes were treated with surgery and 16 eyes were treated with medication only. A total of 9 (56.3%) eyes had corneal transplants with preexisting glaucoma, which was a higher percentage than that in the patients with de novo glaucoma (n = 5, 21.7%, P = 0.043). In both the preexisting glaucoma group and the de novo glaucoma group, the most common causes were alkali burns (56.3% of preexisting glaucoma and 43.5% of de novo glaucoma). There was no significant difference between the operation and initial visual acuity, postoperative visual acuity, BCVA, CDR, or VF defect. In the de novo glaucoma group, the final follow-up visual acuity of the glaucoma surgery group (1.56 ± 1.07) was worse than that of the mediation group (0.44 ± 0.53) (P < 0.017). Among the complications, the incidence of cornea melting in the patients treated with medications only (n=10) was significantly higher than that in the patients treated with glaucoma surgery (n = 0, P = 0.007), but there was no significant difference in the other complications.ConclusionAmong patients with MICOF, those patients who have undergone keratoplasty are more likely to develop glaucoma before surgery and glaucoma needs to be prevented. Surgical treatment can be selected according to the ocular surface condition in the patients with de novo glaucoma to reduce the occurrence of complications.

Objective: The main aims of the study were to explore the correlation between different times of a minimally invasive operation and perihaematomal oedema properties in patients with cerebral hemorrhage, to identify the optimal time window for a minimally invasive operation and to observe the effect of different doses of urokinase on perihaematomal oedema properties. Methods: A retrospective analysis was performed on 95 patients with cerebral hemorrhage who were treated in the Department of Neurology at the Tianmen First People’s Hospital between April 2014 and December 2017. Finally, 66 valid cases were included, and they were divided into three groups according to the time from onset to the minimally invasive operation. Haematoma volume and oedema volume before the surgery, 4 days after the surgery and 14 days after the surgery were compared among the three groups. Results: There was no significant difference in postoperative oedema volume among the three groups. The difference in haematoma volume among the three groups may be related to haematoma absorption after a long period of time. There was no significant linear correlation between the timing of surgery and the dosage of urokinase or the perihaematomal oedema volume in the three groups. There was no significant difference in the rebleeding rate and pulmonary infection complication rate among the three groups. Conclusions: The operation timing of minimally invasive puncture haematoma removal in patients with cerebral hemorrhage has no obvious influence on perihaematomal oedema, rebleeding and pulmonary infection complications. This study has limitations, and a prospective cohort study with a larger sample size is needed to explore the details, such as patient selection and the timing of minimally invasive surgery.

Aim: Two-phase treatment for children with Class II malocclusion with several functional appliances is still performed by many orthodontists, while the Activator and the Bionator appliances are two of the most popular ones. Aim of this study was to compare the skeletal and dentoalveolar effects of treatment with these two appliances., Methods: Class II children treated with Activator or Bionator in the first phase, followed by a phase of fixed appliances were included. Skeletal and dentoalveolar parameters were assessed from lateral cephalograms and analysed with linear regressions at 5%., Results: A total of 89 patients (mean age 10.0 years; 47% female) were included. During the first phase, Bionator increased less the SNB (difference in mean treatment-induced changes [MD] -0.7°; 95% confidence interval [CI] -1.3 to -0.2°; P=0.01) and decreased less the ANB angle (MD 0.6°; 95% CI 0 to 1.1°; P=0.03) compared to Activator. Activator slightly increased the facial axis and Bionator reduced it (MD -1.6°; 95% CI -2.3 to -0.8°; P<0.001). Compared to Activator, the Bionator retroclined more the upper incisors (MD -2.4°; 95% CI -4.6 to -0.2°; P=0.03) and increased more the interincisal angle (MD 2.9°; 95% CI 0.5 to 5.4°; P=0.02). After the second phase (6.2 years after baseline), the only differences were a reduced facial axis (MD -1.3°; 95% CI -2.2 to -0.3°; P=0.008) and an increased maxillary rotation (MD 0.9°; 95% CI 0 to 1.8°; P=0.04) with Bionator compared to Activator., Conclusion: Similar dentoalveolar effects were seen overall with two-phase treatment with either appliance, with Bionator being associated with more vertical increase compared to Activator., (Copyright © 2024 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Masson SAS.. All rights reserved.)

Objectives: To evaluate the efficacy of conventional microbiological examinations in the diagnostics of septic joint and periprosthetic inflammations.Design and Setting: Evidence Level IV, retrospective clinical study of case series. Patients treated with small and large joint septic inflammations or with periprosthetic joint infections (PJI) were entered into the study. Demographics, microbiological cultures and inflammatory mediators were evaluated.Participants: Between 2012 and 2016, total of 1116 hip and 241 knee surgeries were performed at our Department in relation to prostheses; including primary and revision arthroplasties and further surgeries due to PJI. During this period, 72 patients were operated with large joints infections or PJI and another 65 patients were treated due to small joint infections.Main Outcome Measures: The main outcome of interest was to evaluate the sensitivity of conventional microbiological cultures in the primary diagnostics of joint and periprosthetic infections.Results: The most frequent bacteria strains were the Staphylococci: in 43 cases (22.16%) Staphylococcus aureus, in 22 cases (11.34%) coagulase-negative Staphylococcus, in 3 cases (1.54%) Staphylococcus epidermidis and in 4 cases (2.06%) methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA) were detected. In 30 cases (21.88%), the primary microbiological investigation could not reveal the presence of bacteria.Conclusion: Based on our data, the efficacy of conventional microbiological testing in the diagnostics of different type of joint infections is questionable. Therefore, further studies are warranted to evaluate the efficacy of novel diagnostic testing tools in prospective randomized controlled trials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Few reports exist on the treatment of transverse patellar fractures (TPFs) using absorbable cannulated screws and high-strength sutures, and most screws and sutures lack good biomechanics and clinical trials. Therefore, this study aimed to demonstrate the biomechanical stability and clinical efficacy of tension-band high-strength sutures combined with absorbable cannulated screws (TBSAS) in treating TPFs (AO/OTA 34 C1). Methods: Finite element models of five internal fixation schemes were established: tension-band wire with K-wire (TBW), TBW with cerclage wire (TBWC), TBW with headless pressure screws (TBWHS), TBW with full-thread screws (TBWFS), and TBSAS. We comprehensively compared the biomechanical characteristics of the TBSAS treatment scheme during knee flexion and extension. Forty-one patients with TPFs in our hospital between January 2020 and August 2022 were retrospectively enrolled and divided into the TBSAS ( n = 22) and TBWC ( n = 19) groups. Clinical and follow-up outcomes, including operative time, visual analog scale (VAS) pain score, postoperative complications, Bostman score, and final knee range of motion, were compared between both groups. Results: Finite element analysis (FEA) showed that TBWHS and TBWFS achieved the minimum mean fracture interface relative displacement during knee flexion (45°, 0-500 N bending load) and full extension (0°, 0-500 N axial load). There was no significant difference between TBSAS (0.136 mm) and TBWC (0.146 mm) during knee flexion (500 N); however, TBSAS displacement was smaller (0.075 mm) during full extension (500 N). Furthermore, the stress results for the internal fixation and the patella were generally lower when using TBSAS. Retrospective clinical studies showed that the TBSAS group had a shorter operative time, lower VAS pain score at 1 and 2 months postoperatively, better Bostman knee function score at 3 and 9 months postoperatively, and better final knee joint motion than the TBWC group (all p < 0.05). There were five cases (26.3%) of internal fixation stimulation complications in the TBWC group. Conclusion: TBSAS demonstrated excellent safety and effectiveness in treating TPFs. It is sufficient to meet the needs of TPF fixation and early functional exercise and effectively reduces metal internal fixation-induced complications and secondary surgery-induced trauma., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2024 Xiang, Xiao, Li, Ma, Chen and Yang.)

Deep learning has recently attracted widespread interest as a means of reducing noise in low-dose CT (LDCT) images. Deep convolutional neural networks (CNNs) are typically trained to transfer high-quality image features of normal-dose CT (NDCT) images to LDCT images. However, existing deep learning approaches for denoising LDCT images often overlook the statistical property of CT images. In this paper, we propose an approach to statistical image restoration for LDCT using deep learning. We introduce a loss function to incorporate the noise property in image domain derived from the noise statistics in sinogram domain. In order to capture the spatially-varying statistics of CT images, we increase the receptive fields of the neural network to cover full-size CT slices. In addition, the proposed network utilizes $z$ -directional correlation by taking multiple consecutive CT slices as input. For performance evaluation, the proposed networks are trained and validated with a public dataset consisting of LDCT-NDCT image pairs. We also perform a retrospective study by testing the networks with clinical LDCT images. The experimental results show that the denoising networks successfully reduce the noise level and restore the image details without adding artifacts. This study demonstrates that the statistical deep learning approach can restore the image quality of LDCT without loss of anatomical information. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This long-term study has demonstrated the successful use of osseointegrated implants to replace posterior teeth in the partially dentate patient. A total of 1,203 Nobelpharma implants placed by two periodontists practicing in traditional office settings were included in the survey. Of the 551 implants placed in the mandible, 25 failed, for a success rate of 95.5%. Of the 247 mandibular prostheses fabricated for 200 mandibles, 8 failed, for a prosthesis stability rate exceeding 97%. Of the 652 implants placed in the maxilla, 31 failed, for a success rate of 95.2%. Of the 250 maxillary prostheses fabricated for 193 maxillae, 2 failed, for a success rate exceeding 99%. The results compare favorably to previous reports in terms of implant survival and stability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: The aim of this retrospective cohort study was to assess the clinical and radiographic outcome after 5 ± 1 years of root canal treatments filled with Thermafil (TF) and to evaluate if the success rate is consistent with results reported by Literature with standard techniques. Methodology: A total of 213 endodontically treated teeth filled with TF and AH Plus were retrospectively examined. Following data were collected: initial pathology, primary treatment/retreatment and root filling length. Preoperative Periapical Index (PAI) was used as scoring system. At 5-years evaluation, teeth were judged healthy (PAI ≤ 2, no symptoms), endodontically-diseased (PAI ≥ 3 and/or symptoms, extraction or reintervention for endodontic reasons) or not-endodontically-diseased (root fracture, destructive caries, periodontal abscess). Outcome was blindly assessed by two examiners. Descriptive analysis and multivariate logistic regression were performed. Results: The total survival rate was 88%. Before the end-point, 20 teeth were extracted for not-endodontic reasons. Of the 193 analyzed teeth, 85% were considered healthy and proportions were significantly higher (Chi-square; p

Study Design: Retrospective cohort study., Objectives: This study aimed to investigate the failure of the caudal end of lumbar posterior fixation in terms of pre-operative and post-operative spinopelvic parameters, correction performed, demographic and clinical data., Methods: The lumbar, thoraco-lumbar and lumbo-sacral posterior fixations performed with pedicle screws and rods in 2017-2019 were retrospectively analyzed. As 81% failures occurred within 4 years, an observational period of 4 years was chosen. The revision surgeries due to the failure in the caudal end were collected in the junctional group. Fixations which have not failed were gathered in the control group. The main spinopelvic parameters were measured for each patient on standing lateral radiographs with the software Surgimap. Demographic and clinical data were extracted for both groups., Results: Among the 457 patients who met the inclusion criteria, the junctional group included 101 patients, who required a revision surgery. The control group collected 356 primary fixations. The two most common causes of revision surgeries were screws pullout (57 cases) and rod breakage (53 cases). SVA, PT, LL, PI-LL and TPA differed significantly between the two groups ( P = .021 for LL, P < .0001 for all the others). The interaction between the two groups and the pre-operative and post-operative conditions was significant for PT, SS, LL, TK, PI-LL and TPA ( P < .005). Sex and BMI did not affect the failure onset., Conclusions: Mechanical failure is more likely to occur in patients older than 40 years with a thoraco-lumbar fixation where PT, PI-LL and TPA were not properly restored., Competing Interests: Declaration of Conflicting InterestsThe author(s) declared no potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article.

Purpose: This retrospective clinical study aims to evaluate complications after augmentation of localized bone defects of the alveolar ridge. Methods: From standardized registrations, the following complications related to bone augmentation procedures were recorded: soft tissue dehiscence, infection, sensory disturbance, additional augmentation procedures needed, and early implant failure. Results: A total of 223 patients (132 women, 91 men; mean age 23.5 years; range 17-65 years) with 331 bone defects had bone augmentation performed into which 350 implants were placed. Soft tissue dehiscence occurred in 1.7 % after GBR procedures, 25.9 % after staged horizontal ridge augmentation, and 18.2 % after staged vertical ridge augmentation. Infections were diagnosed in 2 % after GBR procedures, 12.5 % after sinus floor elevation (SFE) (transcrestal technique), 5 % after staged SFE, 11 % after staged horizontal ridge augmentation, and 9 % after staged vertical ridge augmentation. Additional augmentation procedures were needed in 2 % after GBR procedures, 37 % after staged horizontal ridge augmentation, and 9 % after staged vertical ridge augmentation. A total of six early implant failures occurred (1.7 %), four after GBR procedures (1.6 %), and two (12 %) after staged vertical ridge augmentation. Conclusions: Predictable methods exist to augment localized defects in the alveolar ridge, as documented by low complication rates and high early implant survival rates. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Long-term data regarding survival and crestal bone loss for Replace Select Tapered implants (Nobel Biocare AB, Gothenburg, Sweden) are lacking. Purpose The study aims to present the 5-year outcomes from a retrospective analysis of Replace Select Tapered implants placed and restored in consecutive patients. Materials and Methods A total of 88 consecutive patients (32 male, 56 female, mean age 65 ± 12 years) treated by one clinician ( PP) were clinically and radiographically evaluated during at least 5 years of function. A total of 271 dental implants ( Replace Select Tapered, Nobel Biocare AB) with an oxidized surface ( Ti Unite, Nobel Biocare AB) had been placed in both jaws (228 in the maxilla, 43 in the mandible). The majority of implants were placed in healed sites ( n = 244), while 27 implants were immediately placed in extraction sockets. The majority of implants ( n = 262) healed for 3 to 4 months prior to loading, and nine implants were immediately loaded. A total of 121 implant-supported restorations were delivered; 42 single tooth replacements, 61 fixed partial bridges, 14 fixed full bridges, and 4 fixed partial implant-tooth connected bridges. The marginal bone level was measured in intraoral radiographs taken after surgery (baseline), and after 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5 years. Results Fifty-one patients with 160 implants were followed throughout the study. One implant failed at healing abutment connection 4 months after insertion, resulting in a cumulative survival rate of 99.6%. The average crestal bone loss was 0.9 ± 1.6 mm after 1 year and 0.1 mm ± 2.4 after 5 years. There were 14.8% of measured implants that showed more than 2 mm and 5.2% more than 3 mm bone loss after 5 years, with no progression since the 1-year examination. One patient (2.0%) treated with six implants presented with significant crestal bone loss and recurrent peri-implant purulent infections at all implants. Conclusion The present retrospective 5-year study showed high survival rate and steady crestal bone levels for Replace Select Tapered dental implants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: The objective of this retrospective cohort study was to compare the amount of marginal bone loss (MBL) in a bone-level and a soft-tissue-level implant system, both of which have similar intra-bony shape and surface composition. A subgroup analysis was done to compare the amount of MBL of each implant type in relation to the different vertical placement within the respective groups of implants. Materials and Methods: Records of all patients who underwent implantation for replacement of teeth using comparable bone level (BL) and soft tissue level implants (TE) from 1st January 2006 to 31st December 2009 were scrutinized. Initial depth of implant placement (IDIP) was measured for all implants. Marginal bone loss was measured in patients whose records were available at time point corresponding to 12, 24 and 36 months post insertion. Results: Out of a total of 384 implants, 337 implants were included for study. The mean MBL for the BL implants were 0.3, 0.38, 0.48 and for TE implant were 0.6, 0.54 and 0.93 for time periods 12, 24 and 36 months respectively. Although there was no statistically significant difference between the two groups at time periods at 6-12 months, in later time periods, there was a slightly greater amount of MBL around TE implants as compared to BL implants ( p < 0.001). When comparing the IDIP and MBL in the same implant type, there was a statistically significant ( p < 0.001) positive correlation between the depth of implant placement and the amount of MBL, with deeper placed implants having more bone loss. Conclusion: Within the limitations of this retrospective cohort study design, one can conclude that BL implants had statistically significant lesser MBL as compared to TE in time periods above 12 months. Although the difference is statistically significant, the difference may not be clinically significant. The IDIP had an influence on the amount of MBL, with deeper placed implants and screw structure of the implant placed below the bone, having more MBL in the period of study. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: To summarize and discuss the treatment and timing of glaucoma in patients with MICOF keratoprosthesis implantation to guide follow-up clinical treatment., Methods: The data of 39 eyes (39 patients) with the Moscow Eye Microsurgery Complex in Russia (MICOF) keratoprosthesis implantation in our hospital from 1 January 2002 to 31 December 2017 were collected, including patients with preexisting glaucoma and those who developed glaucoma de novo after MICOF. The sex, age, preoperative diagnosis, glaucoma surgery, keratoplasty, times of keratoplasty, best corrected visual acuity (BCVA) and final follow-up corrected visual acuity, visual field (VF) defect, and cup-to-disk ratio (CDR) were statistically analyzed., Results: Among 16 eyes with preexisting glaucoma, eight eyes underwent glaucoma surgery before MICOF, 4 eyes underwent glaucoma surgery combined with MICOF, and four eyes were managed medically. Among 23 eyes with de novo glaucoma, seven eyes were treated with surgery and 16 eyes were treated with medication only. A total of 9 (56.3%) eyes had corneal transplants with preexisting glaucoma, which was a higher percentage than that in the patients with de novo glaucoma ( n = 5, 21.7%, P = 0.043). In both the preexisting glaucoma group and the de novo glaucoma group, the most common causes were alkali burns (56.3% of preexisting glaucoma and 43.5% of de novo glaucoma). There was no significant difference between the operation and initial visual acuity, postoperative visual acuity, BCVA, CDR, or VF defect. In the de novo glaucoma group, the final follow-up visual acuity of the glaucoma surgery group (1.56 ± 1.07) was worse than that of the mediation group (0.44 ± 0.53) ( P < 0.017). Among the complications, the incidence of cornea melting in the patients treated with medications only ( n =10) was significantly higher than that in the patients treated with glaucoma surgery ( n = 0, P = 0.007), but there was no significant difference in the other complications., Conclusion: Among patients with MICOF, those patients who have undergone keratoplasty are more likely to develop glaucoma before surgery and glaucoma needs to be prevented. Surgical treatment can be selected according to the ocular surface condition in the patients with de novo glaucoma to reduce the occurrence of complications., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2022 Li, Wang, Zhang, Huang and Wang.)

The article deals with a study which evaluated the responses of Holstein cows with milk fever to first treatment with either of two calcium solutions. Topics discussed include information on milk fever (MF), an afebrile disease of adult dairy cows that occurs most commonly during or after parturition, and findings of the current study which show that the two calcium solutions are equally efficacious.

OBJECTIVE. The goal was to investigate cardiovascular responses to a psychosocial stressor in school-aged, formerly premature boys and girls who had been treated neonatally with dexamethasone or hydrocortisone because of chronic lung disease. METHODS. We compared corticosteroid-treated, formerly preterm infants with formerly preterm infants who had not been treated neonatally with corticosteroids (reference group). Children performed the Trier Social Stress Test for Children, which includes a public speaking task and a mental arithmetic task. Blood pressure was recorded continuously before, during, and after the stress test. Plasma norepinephrine levels were determined before the test, directly after the stress task, and after recovery. RESULTS. Overall, in response to stress, girls had significantly larger changes in systolic blood pressure and mean arterial pressure and in stroke volume and cardiac output, compared with boys. Boys exhibited larger total peripheral resistance responses, compared with girls. The hydrocortisone group did not differ significantly from the reference group in any of the outcome measures. However, dexamethasone-treated children had smaller stress-induced increases in systolic and mean arterial blood pressure than did hydrocortisone-treated children. In addition, the dexamethasone group showed smaller increases in stroke volume and blunted norepinephrine responses to stress, compared with children in the reference group. Correction for gender did not affect these results. CONCLUSIONS. The differences in cardiovascular stress responses between girls and boys are consistent with known gender differences in adult cardiovascular stress responses. Our data demonstrate that neonatal treatment with dexamethasone has long-term consequences for the cardiovascular and noradrenergic stress responses; at school age, the cardiovascular stress response was blunted in dexamethasone-treated children. Hydrocortisone-treated children did not differ from the reference group, which suggests that hydrocortisone might be a safe alternative to dexamethasone for treating chronic lung disease of prematurity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cyclosporin A (CsA) has been used most widely as an immunosuppressive agent for preventing graft-versus-host disease (GVHD). To explore the risk factors including CsA blood levels for grades II–IV acute GVHD, we retrospectively analyzed the data of patients who underwent allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation in our hospital between March 1989 and July 2001. Seventy-three patients (47 males and 26 females) received CsA and short-term methotrexate for GVHD prophylaxis. CsA 1.5 mg/kg was administered as a 3-h infusion twice daily from day 1 until the patient recovered from the toxic gastrointestinal complication. Methotrexate was given at a dose of 15 mg/m2 on day 1 and 10 mg/m2 on days 3, 6 and 11. Grades II–IV acute GVHD occurred in 18 patients (24.7%). Multivariate Cox regression analysis revealed that higher C5 (the whole-blood CsA concentration at 5 h after the start of infusion) before the onset of acute GVHD reduced the onset of grades II–IV acute GVHD with a hazard ratio of 0.994 (95% confidence interval 0.989–0.999) for every increase of 1 ng/ml. Our data indicate that inadequate exposures of CsA can be a vital risk for developing acute GVHD. From our results, we consider that precise monitoring of CsA concentrations and adjustment of CsA dose using the concentration may be effective to prevent the onset of severe acute GVHD. To confirm this finding, further prospective study will be needed.Bone Marrow Transplantation (2007) 40, 875–880; doi:10.1038/sj.bmt.1705834; published online 27 August 2007 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: A recently introduced implant, the NobelDirect (Nobel Biocare AB, Göteborg, Sweden), has previously been documented with substantial bone resorption in a large number of operated cases. PurposeL The aim of this study was to evaluate the failure rate of NobelDirect implants in a retrospective multicenter survey. Materials and Methods: A total of 550 NobelDirect implants consecutively placed in over 269 patients at 18 centers were evaluated with regard to failure rate after an average follow-up of about 1 year. Results: The overall failure percentage was 10.9% (59 failures). The 58 implants not loaded directly showed only one failure (1.7%) versus 58 failures (11.8%) of those implants that were loaded directly. A chemical x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy analysis of an implant from the original batch showed up to 3.5% silicon at parts of the implants. A retrieval analysis of one implant removed at 2 years after placement demonstrated bone resorption down to the level of the fifth thread. Conclusions: It is concluded that the NobelDirect implant, if placed with a punch procedure, ground down in situ, and loaded directly, shows an unusually high failure rate at 1 year. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Objective. : The goal of this study was to investigate whether intraoperative peritoneal cytology serves as a prognostic factor in patients with the endometrial cancer limited to the disease confined to the uterus. Methods. : From patients with endometrial cancer treated at 2 facilities between 1988 and 2001, 307 patients were selected for retrospective investigation. To be included in this study, patients required (1) full surgical staging including total abdominal hysterectomy/bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy/retroperitoneal lymph node dissection/peritoneal cytology, (2) negative nodes, (3) disease localized to the uterus and (4) endometrioid subtype. Results. : The median duration of the follow-up period was 61 months (25th to 75th percentiles: 45 to 92 months). Peritoneal cytology was positive in 32 patients (10.4%). The 5-year survival rate of peritoneal-cytology-positive patients was 87%, significantly lower than that (97%) of cytology-negative patients (P = 0.011). The relationship between the clinicopathological factors including peritoneal cytology and the prognosis was investigated by univariate analysis, and peritoneal cytology positivity, age of 60 years or older, histologic grade (Grades 2 and 3), myometrial invasion of 1/2 or more and vascular invasion were significant prognostic factors (P < 0.05 in all). On multivariate analysis of these factors, peritoneal cytology positivity and histologic grade (Grade 2 and 3) were independent prognostic factors (P < 0.05 each). Conclusions. : For the patients with endometrial cancer limited to the disease confined to the uterus in which accurate staging including retroperitoneal lymph node dissection was performed, peritoneal cytology may be an important prognostic factor. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Objective: Intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR) is an important reason for premature delivery and has been reported to be associated with increased mortality, but in some studies paradoxically, improved morbidities. Data on neonatal outcomes for infants with IUGR at each viable gestational age at birth from large numbers of deliveries are lacking. More particularly, data on perinatal outcome related to an antenatal diagnosis of IUGR compared with a neonatal diagnosis are particularly deficient. Therefore, by using a large contemporary database, we evaluated the outcomes of neonates with IUGR and the gestational age-specific associations between growth restriction, morbidity, and mortality. Study design: With the use of a database formed from a computer-assisted tool that generates clinical progress notes and discharge summaries on neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) admissions, we reviewed data on neonates discharged from 124 NICUs between January 1, 1997, and December 31, 2001. We evaluated singleton, inborn neonates who delivered between 23 and 34 weeks, excluding major congenital anomalies. We compared 3 measures of IUGR: antenatally diagnosed IUGR; a birth weight below the 10th percentile (small for gestational age [SGA]), and newborn infants with either or both of these diagnoses against a control group of gestational age-matched infants meeting none of these criteria whose birth weights were no greater than the 90th percentile. Results: Our sample included 29,916 prematurely born neonates; 1,451 (4.8%) with IUGR, 2,936 (9.8%) who were SGA, and 3,708 (12.3%) had at least 1 of these 2 markers. There were 22,798 (76%) normally grown control neonates. Within each gestational age group from 25 to 32 weeks, each marker of IUGR was associated with increased mortality, necrotizing enterocolitis, need for respiratory support at 28 days of age, and retinopathy of the premature. When corrected for gestational age, exposure to antenatal steroids, gender, and mode of delivery, these associations remained significant. Conclusion: IUGR remains a serious problem that is associated with increased morbidity and mortality among prematurely born neonates, regardless of the definition used or whether the diagnosis is made antenatally or after birth. These results are important for obstetric counseling and decision making and for the anticipation and treatment of premature newborn infants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The CrescoTi Precision® (CTiP) method (CrescoTi Systems, Lausanne, Switzerland) has been introduced as an alternative method for the fabrication of precisely fitting titanium frameworks. The method is supposed to he used with all major implant systems, without the need for abutments. Purpose: The objectives of this clinical and radiographic retrospective follow up study were to report the clinical performances of "CTiP-fabricated" frameworks that are screw retained directly to Brånemark implants as opposed to Brånemark implant/abutment assemblies (Nobel Biocare AB, Gothenburg, Sweden) and to compare the clinical outcomes of these two modalities. Materials and Methods: Thirty-six patients were provided with 46 fixed prostheses supported by 207 Brånemark regular-platform implants. Twenty seven prostheses were placed on implant/abutment assemblies, and 19 were placed directly at "implant level." The prostheses had been in function for 5 to 8 years at the time of the final examinations. Results: Three patients did not attend the final examination. All 43 prostheses in the 33 examined patients were still in function. No major mechanical framework complications were observed during the observation period. One implant was lost after loading. There was no difference in bone loss around the abutment-free implants when compared with the implants provided with abutments. Conclusions: This long-term clinical test demonstrated that the CTiP technology constitutes a reliable prosthetic treatment concept in combination with Brånemark implants. The results also revealed that the frameworks could be connected directly to the implants without any negative consequences. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: The number of metastatic N2 stations is known prognostic factor in patients with non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC). However, involvement of N1 stations as well as that of N2 stations seems to be important in the prognosis of these patients. We therefore attempt to clarify the significance of the total number of metastatic stations in pathologic N1 and N2 NSCLCs. Methods: Patients with either pathologic N1 (n=51) or N2 (n=96) NSCL who had undergone major pulmonary resection with complete mediastinal dissection were included in this retrospective study. All positive nodes were characterized by location according to the TNM classification system. The hilar station was included with the N2 stations. Results: The total number of metastatic stations in patients with N2 disease, ranged from 1 to 8 (average 2.5), whereas that in patients with N1 disease ranged from 1 to 3 (average 1.2). The incidence of multiplestation metastasis (≥3 metastatic stations) among N2 patients (35%) was significantly higher than that among N1 patients (2%) (p<0.001). Multivariate analysis of survival showed pathologic N1 status (relative risk=0.443, p=0.013) and ≤2 metastatic stations (relative risk=0.515, p=0.020) to be significant and independent prognostic factors. Age, sex, cell type, resected lobe, and pathological T status were statistically insignificant determinates of survival. Conclusions: The total number of metastatic stations (≤2 vs≥3) is an independent prognostic indicator in patients with completely resected pathologic N1 or N2 NSCLC. The number of metastatic stations will be useful as a stratification factor in prospective clinical trials of these patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose. This study was conducted to accurately define the N status of non-small cell lung carcinoma (NSCLC). Methods. We retrospectively reviewed 147 patients with NSCLC and pathologically positive regional lymph nodes who underwent major pulmonary resections with complete mediastinal lymph node dissections. Results. The overall 5-year survival rate was 41% after a median follow-up period of 33 months. The survival rate of patients with hilar N1 disease (26%) was significantly lower ( P = 0.002) than that of those with interlobar and intrapulmonary N1 disease (60%). The survival rate of patients with hilar N1 disease (26%) was similar to that of those with N2 disease (33%; P = 0.56). Cox proportional hazards analysis with the covariates of age, sex, cell type, site of resection, pathological T factor, and pathological N factor revealed that pathological N factor indicated a relative risk for N2 disease of 1.76 ( P = 0.028). Grouping hilar N1 disease with N2 disease showed that the relative risk of this "new N2 disease" with the same covariates was 2.65 ( P = 0.002). Conclusion. According to our data, hilar N1 disease should be grouped with N2 disease because this combined category accurately reflects surgical outcome. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study is a three-year retrospective clinical study (1971-1974) and is based on data recorded in the clinical charts of 2000 patient referred to Soraya Hospital (clinic of OB/Gyn) for different reasons. In addition the physician in charge of the clinic has been personally interested in this study and has meticuloueticulously questioned the patients about the age, of menopause and other relative information. Those patients who could not give reliable information about their age of menopause were not included in this study. The patients under study were mostly women of low socio economic condition. The following points have been taken into consideration from each patient. Past and obstetric history, age of menopause, pre and post symptoms, History of previous pelvic inflammatory diseases (P.I.D.) the mean age of menopause studied in these 2,000 patients was found to be 48.5. Although in the vast majority the symptoms were so minor that medical advice was never sought, in the 20-25 percent, represented in variable mixture of both endocrinological and psychological components, and not infrequently the latter completely dominate the clinical picture.

We evaluated the efficacy and safety of tacrolimus (TAC) combined with corticosteroids in treating patients with idiopathic membranous nephropathy (IMN). One hundred seventy-seven biopsy-proven IMN patients were recruited in this retrospective clinical study. Sixty patients received TAC (target blood concentration of 4–8 ng/mL) and 117 patients received daily cyclophosphamide (CYC, 100 mg) combined with prednisone. Remission rates at the end of the first, second and third month in the TAC group were significantly higher than that in the CYC group (1st: 35.0 vs 19.7%, P0.05). No significant difference of relapse rate between the groups was found (16.3 vs 12.0%, P>0.05). Patients were more likely to develop glucose intolerance in the TAC group. The TAC regimen obtained more benefits in treating IMN patients, especially in the first 3 months, than the CYC regimen.

Objectives: Meta-analysis is the gold standard for synthesizing evidence on the effectiveness of health care interventions. However, its validity is dependent on the quality of included studies. Here, we investigated whether basic study design (i.e., randomization and timing of data collection) in orthodontic research influences the results of clinical trials., Study Design and Setting: This meta-epidemiologic study used unrestricted electronic and manual searching for meta-analyses in orthodontics. Differences in standardized mean differences (ΔSMD) between interventions and their 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated according to study design through random-effects meta-regression. Effects were then pooled with random-effects meta-analyses., Results: No difference was found between randomized and nonrandomized trials (25 meta-analyses; ΔSMD = 0.07; 95% CI = -0.21, 0.34; P = 0.630). However, retrospective nonrandomized trials reported inflated treatment effects compared with prospective (40 meta-analyses; ΔSMD = -0.30; 95% CI = -0.53, -0.06; P = 0.018). No difference was found between randomized trials with adequate and those with unclear/inadequate generation (25 meta-analyses; ΔSMD = 0.01; 95% CI = -0.25, 0.26; P = 0.957). Finally, subgroup analyses indicated that the results of randomized and nonrandomized trials differed significantly according to scope of the trial (effectiveness or adverse effects; P = 0.005)., Conclusion: Caution is warranted when interpreting systematic reviews investigating clinical orthodontic interventions when nonrandomized and especially retrospective nonrandomized studies are included in the meta-analysis., (Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Purpose: To evaluate the outcome, tolerance, and toxicity of stereotactic body radiotherapy, using image-guided robotic radiation delivery, for the treatment of patients with unresectable liver metastases. Methods and Material: Patients were treated with real-time respiratory tracking between July 2007 and April 2009. Their records were retrospectively reviewed. Metastases from colorectal carcinoma and other primaries were not necessarily confined to liver. Toxicity was evaluated using National Cancer Institute Common Criteria for Adverse Events version 3.0. Results: Forty-two patients with 62 metastases were treated with two dose levels of 40 Gy in four Dose per Fraction (23) and 45 Gy in three Dose per Fraction (13). Median follow-up was 14.3 months (range, 3–23 months). Actuarial local control for 1 and 2 years was 90% and 86%, respectively. At last follow-up, 41 (66%) complete responses and eight (13%) partial responses were observed. Five lesions were stable. Nine lesions (13%) were locally progressed. Overall survival was 94% at 1 year and 48% at 2 years. The most common toxicity was Grade 1 or 2 nausea. One patient experienced Grade 3 epidermitis. The dose level did not significantly contribute to the outcome, toxicity, or survival. Conclusion: Image-guided robotic stereotactic body radiation therapy is feasible, safe, and effective, with encouraging local control. It provides a strong alternative for patients who cannot undergo surgery. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]