Hochschulbibliothekszentrum des Landes Nordrhein-Westfalen (hbz)
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Dynamic allostery: a novel mechanism regulating autocrine and paracrine TGF-β signalling
No full textThe Impact of Lesion-Specific and Sampling-Related Factors on Success of Salivary Gland Fine-Needle Aspiration Cytology
No full text<jats:title>Abstract</jats:title><jats:sec>
<jats:title>Purpose</jats:title>
<jats:p>Ultrasound-guided fine-needle aspiration cytology (FNAC) is a widely used diagnostic procedure which facilitates the differentiation of salivary gland lesions. Although the performance of salivary gland FNAC (SG-FNAC) has improved since the introduction of the Milan System for Reporting Salivary Gland Cytopathology (MSRSGC), the range of the reported performance is still wide. Therefore, the aim of this study was to determine lesion- and sampling-related factors that influence the success of SG-FNAC.</jats:p>
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<jats:title>Methods</jats:title>
<jats:p>All SG-FNAC cases performed in a tertiary referral hospital between September 1st, 2011, and August 31st, 2022, were retrospectively identified. Demographic, histopathological, lesion-specific, and sampling-related data were retrieved from the clinical charts. Cytopathological reports were categorized according to the MSRSGC. The risk of malignancy (ROM), the performance measures, and factors influencing the success of SG-FNAC were calculated.</jats:p>
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<jats:title>Results</jats:title>
<jats:p>Overall, 1289 cases with histopathological follow-up diagnosis (out of 1952 SG-FNACs) were included. The ROM was: non-diagnostic = 23.9%, non-neoplastic = 4.4%, atypia of undetermined significance (AUS) = 34.5%, neoplasm-benign = 1.0%, neoplasm-salivary gland neoplasm of uncertain malignant potential (SUMP) = 15.3%, suspicious for malignancy = 74.1%, malignant = 96.2%. The sensitivity, specificity, accuracy, positive, and negative predictive value for differentiating benign from malignant lesions (excluding lesions categorized as AUS and SUMP) were 87.5%, 97.7%, 96.3%, 85.0%, and 98.1%, respectively. A larger lesion size (OR (95% CI) = 1.21 (1.06–1.39), p = 0.004), a higher number of obtained slides (OR (95% CI) = 1.31 (1.17–1.46), p &lt; 0.001), and the physician performing the FNAC (p = 0.047) were independent predictors for a higher success, while localization of the lesion within the submandibular compared to the parotid gland (OR (95% CI) = 0.38 (0.19–0.77), p = 0.008) was an independent predictor for lower success of SG-FNAC.</jats:p>
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<jats:title>Conclusion</jats:title>
<jats:p>This is the largest single-center study evaluating SG-FNAC performance to date. It identified independent lesion-and sampling-related factors influencing the success of SG-FNAC. Knowledge of those can improve performance of the procedure.</jats:p>
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Comprehensive increase in CO<sub>2</sub> release by drying–rewetting cycles among Japanese forests and pastureland soils and exploring predictors of increasing magnitude
No full text<jats:p>Abstract. It is still difficult to precisely quantify and predict the effects of drying–rewetting cycles (DWCs) on soil carbon dioxide (CO2) release due to the paucity of studies using constant moisture conditions equivalent to the mean water content during DWC incubation. The present study was performed to evaluate overall trends in the effects of DWCs on CO2 release and to explore environmental and soil predictors for variations in the effect size in 10 Japanese forests and pastureland soils variously affected by volcanic ash during their pedogenesis. Over an 84 d incubation period including three DWCs, CO2 release was 1.3- to 3.7-fold greater than under continuous constant moisture conditions (p&lt;0.05) with the same mean water content as in the DWC incubations. Analysis of the relations between this increasing magnitude of CO2 release by DWCs (IFCO2) and various environmental and soil properties revealed significant positive correlations between IFCO2 and soil organo-metal complex contents (p&lt;0.05), especially pyrophosphate-extractable aluminum (Alp) content (r=0.74). Molar ratios of soil total carbon (C) and pyrophosphate-extractable C (Cp) to Alp contents and soil-carbon-content-specific CO2 release rate under continuous constant moisture conditions (qCO2_soc) were also correlated with IFCO2 (p&lt;0.05). The covariations among Alp, total Cp/Alp, and Cp/Alp molar ratios and qCO2_soc suggested Alp to be the primary predictor of IFCO2. Additionally, soil microbial biomass C and nitrogen (N) levels were significantly lower in DWCs than under continuous constant moisture conditions, whereas there was no significant relation between the microbial biomass decrease and IFCO2. The present study showed a comprehensive increase in soil CO2 release by DWC in Japanese forests and pastureland soils, suggesting that Alp is a predictor of the effect size, likely due to vulnerability of organo-Al complexes to DWC.
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State updating of the Xin'anjiang model: joint assimilating streamflow and multi-source soil moisture data via the asynchronous ensemble Kalman filter with enhanced error models
No full text<jats:p>Abstract. Assimilating either soil moisture or streamflow individually has been well demonstrated to enhance the simulation performance of hydrological models. However, the runoff routing process may introduce a lag between soil moisture and outlet discharge, presenting challenges in simultaneously assimilating the two types of observations into a hydrological model. The asynchronous ensemble Kalman filter (AEnKF), an adaptation of the ensemble Kalman filter (EnKF), is capable of utilizing observations from both the assimilation moment and the preceding periods, thus holding potential to address this challenge. Our study first merges soil moisture data collected from field soil moisture monitoring sites with China Meteorological Administration Land Data Assimilation System (CLDAS) soil moisture data. We then employ the AEnKF, equipped with improved error models, to assimilate both the observed outlet discharge and the merged soil moisture data into the Xin'anjiang model. This process updates the state variables of the model, aiming to enhance real-time flood forecasting performance. Tests involving both synthetic and real-world cases demonstrates that assimilation of these two types of observations simultaneously substantially reduces the accumulation of past errors in the initial conditions at the start of the forecast, thereby aiding in elevating the accuracy of flood forecasting. Moreover, the AEnKF with the enhanced error model consistently yields greater forecasting accuracy across various lead times compared to the standard EnKF.
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Blood Flow Velocity Analysis in Cerebral Perforating Arteries on 7T 2D Phase Contrast MRI with an Open-Source Software Tool (SELMA)
No full text<jats:title>Abstract</jats:title>
<jats:p>Blood flow velocity in the cerebral perforating arteries can be quantified in a two-dimensional plane with phase contrast magnetic imaging (2D PC-MRI). The velocity pulsatility index (PI) can inform on the stiffness of these perforating arteries, which is related to several cerebrovascular diseases. Currently, there is no open-source analysis tool for 2D PC-MRI data from these small vessels, impeding the usage of these measurements. In this study we present the Small vessEL MArker (SELMA) analysis software as a novel, user-friendly, open-source tool for velocity analysis in cerebral perforating arteries. The implementation of the analysis algorithm in SELMA was validated against previously published data with a Bland–Altman analysis. The inter-rater reliability of SELMA was assessed on PC-MRI data of sixty participants from three MRI vendors between eight different sites. The mean velocity (v<jats:sub>mean</jats:sub>) and velocity PI of SELMA was very similar to the original results (v<jats:sub>mean</jats:sub>: mean difference ± standard deviation: 0.1 ± 0.8 cm/s; velocity PI: mean difference ± standard deviation: 0.01 ± 0.1) despite the slightly higher number of detected vessels in SELMA (N<jats:sub>detected</jats:sub>: mean difference ± standard deviation: 4 ± 9 vessels), which can be explained by the vessel selection paradigm of SELMA. The Dice Similarity Coefficient of drawn regions of interest between two operators using SELMA was 0.91 (range 0.69–0.95) and the overall intra-class coefficient for N<jats:sub>detected</jats:sub>, v<jats:sub>mean</jats:sub>, and velocity PI were 0.92, 0.84, and 0.85, respectively. The differences in the outcome measures was higher between sites than vendors, indicating the challenges in harmonizing the 2D PC-MRI sequence even across sites with the same vendor. We show that SELMA is a consistent and user-friendly analysis tool for small cerebral vessels.</jats:p>
Face exploration, emotion recognition, and emotional enhancement of memory in relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis
No full textBACKGROUND: Recognizing familiar faces and identifying emotions through facial expressions are essential for social functioning. This study aimed to examine whether people with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (PwMS) differ from healthy control individuals (HC) in their performance on different tasks related to facial emotion processing. METHODS: In a cross-sectional controlled study, 30 PwMS and 35 HC completed a baseline neuropsychological evaluation and experimental tasks assessing visual exploration of facial stimuli through eye tracking, facial emotion recognition, and facial memory recognition. The facial stimuli displayed either a neutral expression or an emotion (happiness, fear, or disgust). RESULTS: PwMS and HC performed comparably in facial emotion recognition. In facial memory recognition, HC were significantly more accurate in recognizing previously seen fearful faces compared to neutral faces (Wilcoxon test, Z = -2.26, P = 0.024), demonstrating emotional enhancement of memory. In contrast, PwMS did not exhibit a memory advantage for fearful faces over neutral faces (P > 0.05). Groups also differed in the eye-tracking task. In all but one condition (disgust), PwMS showed a significantly greater tendency to explore the eye area rather than the mouth area compared to HC. CONCLUSIONS: Changes in visual exploration and a lack of emotional enhancement of memory are observed in PwMS, who otherwise demonstrate intact facial emotion recognition. These results suggest altered emotion-cognition interactions in PwMS. Early detection of subtle changes and targeted interventions may help prevent future debilitating impairments in social functioning
Adherence to intravenous chemotherapy and associated factors among patients with cancer at Hawassa University Comprehensive Specialized Hospital Cancer Treatment Center, Sidama Region, Southern Ethiopia
No full textBACKGROUND: Medication adherence refers to how closely a patient follows the prescribed timing and dosage of their treatment. Adherence to chemotherapy is particularly complex and multifaceted, and it can have a significant impact on the effectiveness of the therapy. In Ethiopia, non-adherence to chemotherapy is on the rise, but there has been limited research specifically on adherence to intravenous (IV) chemotherapy. OBJECTIVE: This study assesses IV chemotherapy adherence and associated factors among cancer patients in the Sidama Region, southern Ethiopia. METHODS: A hospital-based cross-sectional study included a purposive sample of 413 cancer patients undergoing IV chemotherapy. The Morisky Medication Adherence Scale was used to measure adherence levels. Data analysis was performed using SPSS version 26, employing descriptive statistics such as frequency distribution, mean, median, and standard deviation to describe the characteristics and magnitude of IV chemotherapy adherence. Bivariable and multivariable logistical regression analysis was conducted to identify factors associated with IV chemotherapy adherence. RESULT: The current study revealed that the overall magnitude of good adherence toward chemotherapy treatment among cancer patients was 176/413(42.6%), with a 95% CI of 38–47.9. The multivariable analysis identified several independent factors associated with IV chemotherapy adherence. These factors included being married (AOR = 3.2, 95% CI:1.3,8), employment as a government employee (AOR = 2.4,95% CI:1.3,4.5), availability of transportation (AOR = 5.5, 95% CI:2.1,14), Good social support (AOR = 2.1,95% CI:1.9,11.3) and having a curative goal of treatment (AOR = 1.7,95% CI:1.1,2.7). CONCLUSION: In the current study, the magnitude of intravenous chemotherapy adherence among patients with cancer was low compared to published national and international findings. Possible contributing factors include marital status, employment, Transportation availability, and social support. Targeted measures are needed to improve adherence and, as a result, maximize therapeutic benefits
Comparison between bupivacaine-lidocaine, dexamethasone mixture and bupivacaine alone for motor recovery after axillary brachial plexus block in distal radius surgery: A prospective randomized trial
No full textBACKGROUND: Prolonged motor block, known as “dead arm,” which can cause patient discomfort and anxiety, is a serious concern that is often overlooked in ambulatory surgery, particularly in elderly patients. The purpose of this study was to examine the recovery time of motor blockade with bupivacaine and a mixture of bupivacaine-lidocaine-dexamethasone in axillary brachial plexus block. METHODS: A prospective, randomized, double-blinded controlled trial was conducted with 70 patients scheduled for distal end radius fixation under axillary brachial plexus block. A local anesthetic mixture group (LA-mixture group) received a 21 ml mixture of 0.2% bupivacaine with 1.2% lidocaine and 5 mg of dexamethasone (n = 35). A bupivacaine group received 20 ml of 0.5% bupivacaine with 1 ml of normal saline (n = 35). The primary outcome was the duration of the motor blockade. Secondary outcomes included the duration of sensory blockade, postoperative pain score, and the incidence of rebound pain. RESULTS: The demographic data were similar between the two groups. The mean times for recovery of hand grips and sensation were 13.5 ± 7.3 and 12.6 ± 6.2 hours in the LA-mixture group and 15.3 ± 6.7 and 14.6 ± 6.2 hours in the bupivacaine group. Pain scores were not significantly different between the two groups, but the incidence of rebound pain was lower in the LA-mixture group (8.6% and 28.6%, p = 0.031). CONCLUSION: The bupivacaine-lidocaine, dexamethasone mixture failed to enhance motor recovery compared to 0.5% bupivacaine alone. However, patients in the mixture group appeared to experience a lower incidence of rebound pain
A protocol for an experimental investigation of the effects of pain-related interpretation bias modification on interpretation of ambiguous somatosensory and linguistic stimuli in healthy individuals
No full textResearchers are increasingly exploring the existence and potential implications of pain-related cognitive biases in clinical and non-clinical populations, using a range of paradigms and stimuli to test theoretical predictions and refine models. One avenue of investigation explores the implications of biased pain-related interpretations in pain-free individuals, which may shed light on processes of transition from a pain-free state to acute pain, and acute pain to chronic pain. The primary aim of the main study detailed in this protocol is to investigate the effects of pain-related cognitive bias modification for interpretation (CBM-I) on the interpretation of ambiguous somatosensory stimuli. When deciding the point at which to report their level of pain threshold and tolerance, participants must by necessity interpret somatosensory sensations. Sensations around the pain threshold are likely to be ambiguously painful, sometimes interpreted as painful and sometimes not, which has been proposed as a zone of uncertainty. A pilot study was first conducted to test whether the proposed experimental design is feasible and appropriate, and to ascertain study effect sizes. Eighteen healthy participants were randomised to complete either benign CBM-I (trained towards neutral interpretations of ambiguous scenarios; n = 9) or pain CBM-I (trained towards pain-related interpretations of ambiguous scenarios; n = 9). The Ambiguous Scenarios Task was used to train interpretation biases, and a novel Interpretation of Somatosensory Sensations Assessment was used to explore interpretation of ambiguous somatosensory sensations around the individual’s pain threshold. Participants receiving pain CBM-I, compared to those receiving benign CBM-I, had higher pain-related interpretation bias scores on the test phase of the Ambiguous Scenarios Task with a large effect size, and showed higher intensity and unpleasantness ratings on the Interpretation of Somatosensory Sensations Assessment typically with medium to large effect sizes. These paradigms are suitable for a full-scale investigation. Modifications made to the experimental design based on insights from the pilot study are discussed. This research extends beyond pain patient populations to researchers and clinicians working with other conditions, especially anxiety and mood disorders where patients may misinterpret or catastrophize ambiguous bodily sensations
Improving HIV outcomes in Miami’s Black populations with clinic-based community health workers protocol: The integrated navigation and support for treatment adherence, counseling, and research (INSTACARE) randomized controlled trial
No full textMiami-Dade is an HIV epicenter where Black populations experience excess AIDS-related deaths due to poor medication adherence, which prevents achieving an undetectable HIV viral load (VL). A promising approach to improving HIV outcomes in Black populations has been the use of community health workers (CHWs). Evidence shows CHWs trained in motivational interviewing (MI) may further improve outcomes, however little data exists about Black CHWs trained in MI who support Black patients with HIV. While CHWs traditionally help address social determinants of health in nonclinical locations, there is less information on CHWs who provide support in clinical settings, which may result in even greater improvements in HIV outcomes. To examine effects of CHWs trained in MI who provide HIV care in both clinic and community settings, a randomized controlled trial (RCT) is being conducted in Miami-Dade’s largest public hospital. The Integrated Navigation and Support for Treatment, Adherence, Counseling, and Research intervention is a RCT of 300 Black adults with an unmanaged HIV VL ( > 200 copies/mL). CHWs trained in MI are embedded into HIV clinical care teams and participate in hospital rounds with clinicians treating inpatients. Participants randomized into the CHW intervention arm receive 12 months of CHW-led health education and assistance with health care navigation and social services. The primary outcome is change in HIV viral load suppression at 12 months. Secondary outcomes include changes in medication adherence and social determinants of health. Study enrollment began in 2023 and will be completed by 2027. The first results are expected to be submitted for publication in 2025. INSTACARE is one of the first RCTs to examine effects of clinic-based support provided by CHWs trained in MI on Black populations with an unmanaged VL and will provide evidence on the impact of such strategies on medication adherence and social determinants of health