Comparison of conference abstracts and full-text publications of randomized controlled trials presented at four consecutive World Congresses of Pain: Reporting quality and agreement of results.

BACKGROUND: Conference abstracts are a potential source of new and relevant information about randomized controlled trials (RCTs). However, their dependability is questionable. The objectives of this study were to quantify the agreement between results of RCTs reported in abstracts presented at the four most recent World Congresses on Pain (WCP) and their corresponding full publications, and to analyse the completeness of reporting in those abstracts. METHODS: To identify RCTs, we screened all abstracts presented at four WCPs from 2008 to 2014. Two independent authors identified corresponding full-text reports published through August 2016. Data about the main outcomes in each abstract and full publication were extracted, including the outcome domains and numerical results reported. We reported discordance between abstracts and full texts. We evaluated abstracts against the CONSORT for Abstracts checklist. RESULTS: Approximately half of the 614 included abstracts had been fully published. Among the 306 abstract/publication pairs, eight pairs were not evaluable, and in the remaining 298 we found some form of discordance in 31% of the cases; the majority of discordances were quantitative, i.e. numerical results were different in the two locations, but with the same direction of effect. In the abstract-publication pairs where the abstract presented only preliminary/interim results, 79% had some form of discordance, mostly quantitative. CONCLUSIONS: The reporting quality of the 614 abstracts was suboptimal; the median adherence across all domains for all abstracts was 26%. In conclusion, conference abstracts of pain research are often not necessarily dependable information. Authors should be required to report abstracts according to reporting guidelines. SIGNIFICANCE: Abstracts of RCTs addressing pain are not often dependable information sources; half of them are not published, their reporting quality is suboptimal. When published, 30% of abstracts-full text pairs have discordant results, with 78% discordance when abstracts present preliminary results.

[Prognostic value of determination of the presence and histologic grade of the intraductal component in invasive ductal carcinoma of the breast after conservative treatment]. / Prognosticka vrijednost odredivanja prisutnosti i histoloskog stupnja intraduktalne komponente invazivnog duktalnog karcinoma dojke nakon postednog lijecenja.

In recent years, breast-conserving therapy and radiation therapy have become an important treatment option for patients with stage I and II invasive breast cancer. The results of long-term retrospective studies have demonstrated that this treatment can provide a high level of local tumor control with satisfactory cosmetic results. Numerous studies have shown that the presence of extensive intraductal component (prominent intraductal carcinoma) is highly associated with subsequent local recurrence. In this article we have stressed the value of the determination of the presence and the histologic grade of prominent intraductal component of invasive ductal breast carcinoma in the determination of the extent of surgery. We also point out the possibility of determination of prominent DCIS on frozen sections.

Characterisation of the electron transport chain of an obligate methylotroph, strain 4025.

1. The obligate methanol-utilising bacterium strain 4025 contains cytochromes b and c. Cytochrome a is never present. 2. The soluble cytochrome c is similar to that from other methylotrophs in reacting (slowly) with carbon monoxide and it can be separated into two types, differing markedly in their isoelectric points. 3. Some of the cytochrome b reacts rapidly with carbon monoxide and is thus the likely cytochrome oxidase (cytochrome o). 4. The partially purified, NAD+-independent methanol dehydrogenase is similar to such enzymes from the other methanol-utilising bacteria in respect of its prosthetic group, dependence on ammonia or methylamine for activity and its wide substrate specificity. 5. The fluorescence seen in colonies of this organism is probably due to a flavin derivative. 6. This study of electron transport components does not shed any light on the unusually high copper requirement shown by this methylotroph.