Exploring the Scientific Literature Between Ultraprocessed Foods and Cancer: A Scientometric Mapping.

Objective: The objective of the study is to explore the scientific literature between ultraprocessed foods (UPFs) and cancer using a scientometric mapping. Materials and Methods: A Scopus search was conducted on February 4, 2024, limited to papers published between 2018 and 2023. We found 662 articles, 189 reviews, 68 book chapters, 13 conference papers, and 9 notes. The whole analysis included the evaluation of scholarly output by country/region, the number of scholarly papers produced (scholarly output), the number of views (view count), the field-weighted citation impact (FWCI). Results: In the analysis conducted for the period 2018-2023, a dataset was examined where the annual growth rate was 5.96%, indicating a sustained expansion of the literature. The average number of citations per paper was 18.56, underlining the impact and relevance of the publications. Sixty-six single-authored papers were identified, and international collaborations accounted for 27.23% of the collaborative efforts. The most prominent authors were Inge Huybrechts, Marc J.R. Gunter, and Edward Luciano Giovannucci. In terms of impact and visibility, Harvard University leads with 52 contributions and a field-weighted impact of 3.39. Conclusions: The literature in the field of UPFs and cancer has experienced a sustained expansion. The scientometric indicators reveal a high activity of recent academic contributions with significant impact.

Identifying Gaps in the Treatment Guidelines for Hepatitis C in Peru to Meet International Standards: A Narrative Review.

Hepatitis C virus still represents a major cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide. In Peru, two national practice guidelines for the management of this infection were published more than 5 years ago; however, the latest breakthroughs in the treatment make it necessary to update these guidelines. We reviewed the most recent recommendations of the international guidelines and compared them with the current Peruvian guidelines. We found major differences, such as the use of Glecaprevir/Pibrentasvir as a first-line therapy, which is contemplated in the World Health Organization guideline, and recommended by American and European guidelines, but is not considered in the Peruvian guidelines. Another crucial difference lies in the management of patients with chronic kidney disease, who are treated nowadays with a variety of direct-acting antivirals, with no restrictions on the use of Sofosbuvir-based regimens in first-world countries, an approach that has not been adopted in Peru. We believe that standardization of the recommendations of the Peruvian guidelines is imperative, including the new therapeutic strategies that have emerged in recent years. We also suggest conducting a cost effectiveness analysis in the Peruvian context to allow for the implementation of new antivirals, and to achieve a better control of hepatitis C in the country.

Health science students' preparedness for climate change: a scoping review on knowledge, attitudes, and practices.

INTRODUCTION: Climate change (CC) is a global public health issue, and the role of health professionals in addressing its impact is crucial. However, to what extent health professionals are prepared to deal with CC-related health problems is unclear. We aimed to evaluate the knowledge, attitudes, and practices of health students about the CC. METHODS: We conducted a scoping review through systematic searches in PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, Proquest, and EBSCO. We included original scientific research with no language or time restrictions. Two authors independently reviewed and decided on the eligibility of the studies, then performed data extraction. RESULTS: 21 studies were included, with a total of 9205 undergraduate nursing, medical, pharmacy, and public health students mainly. Most health science students (> 75%) recognized human activities as the main cause of CC. However, they perceived a lack of knowledge on how to address CC. Moreover, we found inadequate coverage or limited development of CC in related curricula that may contribute to incomplete learning or low confidence in the theoretical and practical concepts of students. CONCLUSION: The findings of our scoping review suggest that while health sciences students possess a general understanding of CC, there is a significant gap in their knowledge regarding its specific health impacts. To address this gap, there is a need for targeted education and training for future health care professionals that emphasizes the health effects of CC.

Factors associated with the consumption of medicinal plants for the prevention of COVID-19 in peruvian population: a cross-sectional study. / Factores asociados con el consumo de plantas medicinales para la prevención de COVID-19 en población peruana: un estudio transversal.

OBJECTIVES.: Motivation for the study. No study conclusively recommends the use of medicinal plants to treat COVID-19 symptoms, and their indiscriminate use may present health risks. Main findings. Sixty percent of participants consumed medicinal plants to prevent COVID-19. This was particularly true for those living in the Peruvian highlands and individuals with family members diagnosed or deceased from COVID-19, who perceive a higher risk of infection and use medications or chlorine dioxide as preventive measures. Implications. Communication strategies emphasizing validated preventive practices and educating about the risks of consuming medicinal plants should be tailored to the predominant characteristics of the consumer. Determine the factors associated with the consumption of medicinal plants as a preventive measure against COVID-19 in the Peruvian population. MATERIALS AND METHODS.: A population over 18 years of age, living in Peru and without a history of COVID-19 disease, was evaluated. The factors associated with the consumption of medicinal plants were evaluated using a Poisson regression model with robust variances. RESULTS.: Of the 3231 participants included, 84.6% were young adults (18-29 years old), 62.7% were women, and 59.7% consumed a medicinal plant to prevent COVID-19 infection. The factors associated with the consumption of medicinal plants to prevent COVID-19 infection were residing in the Peruvian highlands, having had a family member diagnosed with COVID-19, having had a family member die from COVID-19, considering their family to be at increased risk of infection, having used medications or chlorine dioxide to prevent COVID-19, having medical information as the main source of information about COVID-19, thinking that medicinal plants are effective in preventing COVID-19 disease, or not being informed about their effectiveness. CONCLUSION.: Sixty percent of the participants reported having consumed a medicinal plant to prevent COVID-19. Authorities must apply communication strategies about the implications of consuming medicinal plants, prioritizing population groups with higher consumption patterns.

OBJETIVOS: Motivación para realizar el estudio. Ningún estudio recomienda de manera concluyente el uso de plantas medicinales para tratar los síntomas de la COVID-19, y su uso indiscriminado puede presentar riesgos para la salud. Principales hallazgos. El 60% de los participantes utilizó plantas medicinales para la prevención de la COVID-19. Especialmente aquellos de la sierra peruana y personas con familiares diagnosticados o fallecidos por COVID-19, que perciben mayores riesgos de contagio y utilizan medicamentos o dióxido de cloro como medidas preventivas. Implicancias. Las estrategias de comunicación esenciales para las prácticas preventivas validadas y la educación sobre los riesgos del consumo de plantas medicinales deben adaptarse a las características predominantes del consumidor. Determinar los factores asociados al consumo de plantas medicinales como prevención de la COVID-19 en la población peruana. MATERIALES Y MÉTODOS.: Se evaluó población mayor de 18 años, residentes en Perú y sin antecedentes de enfermedad por COVID-19. Los factores asociados al consumo de plantas medicinales se evaluaron mediante un modelo de regresión de Poisson con varianzas robustas. RESULTADOS.: De 3231 participantes incluidos, el 84,6% eran jóvenes (18-29 años), el 62,7% eran mujeres y el 59,7% consumía alguna planta medicinal para prevenir la COVID-19. Los factores asociados al consumo de plantas medicinales para prevenir el contagio de COVID-19 fueron residir en la sierra peruana, haber tenido un familiar diagnosticado con COVID-19, haber tenido un familiar fallecido por COVID-19, considerar que su familia se encuentra en mayor riesgo de infección, haber usado medicamentos o dióxido de cloro para prevenir la COVID-19, tener información médica como principal fuente de información sobre la COVID-19, pensar que las plantas medicinales son efectivas para prevenir la enfermedad COVID-19 o no estar informado sobre su eficacia. CONCLUSIÓN: . El 60% de los participantes reportó haber consumido alguna planta medicinal para prevenir la COVID-19. Es importante que las autoridades apliquen estrategias de comunicación sobre lo que implica el consumo de plantas medicinales, priorizando los grupos poblacionales que tienen mayores patrones de consumo.

A Bibliometric Analysis on Tuberculosis and Diabetes Mellitus 2: Visualization, Patterns, and Trends.

BACKGROUND: The convergence of type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM2) and tuberculosis (TB) may lead to increased mortality and complications, so the underlying mechanism is under investigation. Therefore, a bibliometric analysis was performed to describe the bibliometric indicators of publications evaluating the relationship between TB and DM2. METHODS: A descriptive and observational bibliometric study was conducted using the Scopus database to identify documents published from 2016-2023, for which free and controlled terms (Medical subject headings and Emtree) were used. The variables collected comprised the number of published documents, institutions, countries, authors, journals, and type of collaboration, which were exported to Excel 2016 and analyzed with SciVal. RESULTS: A total of 456 documents, 1624 authors, and 2173 citations were identified, with Medicine and Immunology-Microbiology being the subcategories with the highest and lowest number of documents (367 and 80 documents), respectively, with a strong decreasing trend correlation (R2: 0.95; P < 0.5) between the number and year of publication. While the country with the highest production was China (71 papers), the country with the highest citation was the United States (952 citations). In terms of authors, the highest production was by the American Venketaraman, and the highest impact was by the Asian Kimberly To. The institution with the highest number of papers was the Western University of Health Sciences, while Stellenbosch had the highest impact. CONCLUSION: Although the scientific productivity of DM2 and TB have reported growth rates of 158.75% and 7.3%, respectively, our results found a decreasing trend in publications associating these two diseases. The thematic evolution of the concepts in both diseases suggests that the relationship between them is not yet known, so future studies evaluating the underlying mechanisms of this comorbidity are suggested.

Global Scientific Overview of Dermatology Related to COVID-19: A Bibliometric Analysis.

Background: Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has had a significant impact on dermatology, but to date no bibliometric analysis of this field has been identified. Therefore, the aim of this study was to perform a bibliometric indicator analysis of the worldwide scientific production of COVID-19 in dermatology. Materials and Methods: An advanced bibliographic search was performed in the Scopus database to identify articles on COVID-19 and dermatology from 2020 to 2021. The collected information was analysed with SciVal software. Bibliometric data were described through figures and summary tables. Results: A total of 1448 documents were collected and analysed. Torello Lotti was the author with the greatest scientific production; however, Esther Freeman had the greatest impact. Harvard University was the institution with the highest number of published articles. Most papers were published in the first quartiles. The United States and Italy were the leading countries in terms of production. Articles with international collaboration had the highest impact. Conclusion: Articles related to dermatology and COVID-19 are mostly published with American and Italian affiliations. In addition, there has been an increase in the distribution of articles published in the first quartile, which would reflect a growing interest in the community. Publications with international collaboration reported the highest impact, so future authors should take this into account.

Effect of Bariatric Surgery on Gut Microbiota: A Scientometric Analysis.

Objective: To perform a bibliometric analysis of the scientific production related to intestinal microbiota and bariatric surgery between January 2016 and December 2022. Materials and Methods: A bibliographic search was performed in the Scopus database to identify published papers. Free and controlled terms (MeSH and Emtree) were used. The information collected was analyzed with SciVal. Results: A total of 518 published papers were included in the analysis. Carel Le Roux was the author with the highest scientific production; however, Edi Prifti had the highest impact. French National Institute of Health and Medical Research (Institut national de la santé et de la recherche médicale) was the institution with the highest number of published articles. Six of the 10 institutions with the highest production were in France, yet the United States had the highest volume of scientific production in this research topic. Most papers were published in first quartile journals. Articles with international collaboration had the highest impact. There is a sustained increase in the number of publications since 2019. Conclusions: The study found that the vast majority of research on gut microbiota changes following bariatric surgery are conducted in the United States and European countries. In addition, the sustained increase in production coupled with the articles being published in high-quality journals and having good citation impact are indictors of the current interest in this research field.

Factores asociados con el consumo de plantas medicinales para la prevención de COVID-19 en población peruana: un estudio transversal / Factors associated with the consumption of medicinal plants for the prevention of COVID-19 in peruvian population: a cross-sectional study

RESUMEN Objetivos . Determinar los factores asociados al consumo de plantas medicinales como prevención de la COVID-19 en la población peruana. Materiales y métodos. Se evaluó población mayor de 18 años, residentes en Perú y sin antecedentes de enfermedad por COVID-19. Los factores asociados al consumo de plantas medicinales se evaluaron mediante un modelo de regresión de Poisson con varianzas robustas. Resultados. De 3231 participantes incluidos, el 84,6% eran jóvenes (18-29 años), el 62,7% eran mujeres y el 59,7% consumía alguna planta medicinal para prevenir la COVID-19. Los factores asociados al consumo de plantas medicinales para prevenir el contagio de COVID-19 fueron residir en la sierra peruana, haber tenido un familiar diagnosticado con COVID-19, haber tenido un familiar fallecido por COVID-19, considerar que su familia se encuentra en mayor riesgo de infección, haber usado medicamentos o dióxido de cloro para prevenir la COVID-19, tener información médica como principal fuente de información sobre la COVID-19, pensar que las plantas medicinales son efectivas para prevenir la enfermedad COVID-19 o no estar informado sobre su eficacia. Conclusión . El 60% de los participantes reportó haber consumido alguna planta medicinal para prevenir la COVID-19. Es importante que las autoridades apliquen estrategias de comunicación sobre lo que implica el consumo de plantas medicinales, priorizando los grupos poblacionales que tienen mayores patrones de consumo.

ABSTRACT Objectives. Determine the factors associated with the consumption of medicinal plants as a preventive measure against COVID-19 in the Peruvian population. Materials and methods. A population over 18 years of age, living in Peru and without a history of COVID-19 disease, was evaluated. The factors associated with the consumption of medicinal plants were evaluated using a Poisson regression model with robust variances. Results. Of the 3231 participants included, 84.6% were young adults (18-29 years old), 62.7% were women, and 59.7% consumed a medicinal plant to prevent COVID-19 infection. The factors associated with the consumption of medicinal plants to prevent COVID-19 infection were residing in the Peruvian highlands, having had a family member diagnosed with COVID-19, having had a family member die from COVID-19, considering their family to be at increased risk of infection, having used medications or chlorine dioxide to prevent COVID-19, having medical information as the main source of information about COVID-19, thinking that medicinal plants are effective in preventing COVID-19 disease, or not being informed about their effectiveness. Conclusion. Sixty percent of the participants reported having consumed a medicinal plant to prevent COVID-19. Authorities must apply communication strategies about the implications of consuming medicinal plants, prioritizing population groups with higher consumption patterns.

Association between receiving information on obstetric complications and institutional delivery: An analysis of the demographic and health survey of Peru, 2019.

Objective: To evaluate the association between receiving information on obstetric complications and institutional delivery in Peruvian women in 2019. Methods: We conducted a secondary analysis of the 2019 Peruvian Demographic and Family Health Survey (ENDES) database. The dependent variable was the type of delivery (institutional or non-institutional). The exposure variable was self-reporting of having received information on obstetric complications during prenatal care. The association of interest was evaluated using binary logistic regression models, obtaining crude odds ratios (cOR) and adjusted odds ratios (aOR) with their respective 95 % confidence intervals (95%CI). Values of p < 0.05 were considered statistically significant. Results: We included a total of 14,835 women in the analysis. Of the total, 14,088 (94.1 %) reported having received information on pregnancy complications. Also, 13,883 (92.5 %) had an institutional delivery in their last pregnancy. The adjusted model showed that women who reported knowing the complications that can occur in pregnancy had a higher probability of presenting an institutional delivery (aOR = 1.47; 95%CI: 1.04-2.08). Conclusions: Receiving information about pregnancy complications was found to be associated with a higher probability of institutional delivery. Ensuring the provision of information to the pregnant woman about pregnancy complications can be a useful strategy to increase institutional delivery.

Trends in gastric cancer mortality 2005-2020 in Peru and its geographical areas: A joinpoint regression analysis.

BACKGROUND: Gastric cancer (GC) is the leading cause of cancer death in Peru. However, information regarding trends in mortality rates in Peru and its geographical areas in the last few decades is lacking. Our objective was to describe GC mortality rates in Peru between 2005 and 2020. METHODS: Age standardized mortality rates (ASMR) were calculated per 100,000 person-years using the world SEGI standard population. Joinpoint regression analysis was performed to examine mortality trends. The analysis of the last 5 years was performed for Peru and its geographical areas. RESULTS: GC mortality rates in 2005 and in 2020 were 13.81 and 10.52, respectively, for men and 11.81 and 8.06, respectively, for women. Between 2016 and 2020, Huanuco and Huancavelica reported the highest mortality rates (≥20 deaths per 100,000). In men, Peru and the highlands region reported significant decreases in GC mortality rates in both sexes for some periods. Coastal region significant decreased by 2.6 % in all periods for women. In both sexes, six provinces reported significant decreases in GC mortality rates. CONCLUSION: Although GC mortality rates in Peru have declined over the past 16 years. They are still one of the highest in the Latin American and Caribbean region. It is important that the Peruvian State seek to reduce the mortality of this disease through prevention efforts, timely detection and treatment in all patients.

Association between weight status and migraine in the paediatric population: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Introduction: An association between weight status and migraine has been previously reported; however, this relationship has only been studied in adults, not in the paediatric population. Objective: To evaluate the association between weight status and migraine in the paediatric population. Methods: We searched PubMed/Medline, Scopus, Web of Science, Ovid Medline, and Embase using a cut-off date of May 2023. We included observational studies that evaluated the association between weight status (underweight, overweight, obese, and excess weight) and migraine in the paediatric population (children and adolescents). Normal weight was the comparator. The outcome was migraine (all types, episodic and chronic). We performed meta-analyses using a random-effects model to estimate the pooled effects for each outcome. Sensitivity analysis was performed based on study design and risk of bias (using the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale). Certainty of evidence was assessed using the GRADE approach. Results: Eight studies (6 cross-sectional, 1 case-control and 1 cohort) covering 16,556 patients were included. The overall certainty of evidence was very low for the association between overweight, obesity, and excess weight with migraine. In the sensitivity analysis, meta-analyses of studies with a low risk of bias found that the overweight population probably had an increased odds of migraine (OR: 1.70; 95% CI: 1.14 to 2.53; I2 = 32.3%, p = 0.224) and that excess weight may increase the odds of migraine (OR: 1.58; 95% CI: 1.06 to 2.35; I2 = 83.7%, p = 0.002). Additionally, cohort and case-control studies found that obesity probably increases the odds of migraine. No studies analysed the association between underweight and migraine. Conclusion: The associations between overweight, obesity, excess weight and migraine were uncertain, but studies with better methodological quality reported increased odds. Future longitudinal studies with proper confounding control are needed to disentangle their causal relationship. Systematic review registration: PROSPERO, identifier CRD42021271533.

Testicular cancer mortality in Latin America and the Caribbean: trend analysis from 1997 to 2019.

BACKGROUND: In the last decades, an increasing incidence of testicular cancer has been observed in several countries worldwide. Although mortality rates have been variable in many countries, little information is available from Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC). Therefore, we examined mortality trends of testicular cancer in the last two decades. METHODS: Age-standardized mortality rates (ASMR) of testicular cancer per 100,000 men-years were estimated using the World Health Organization mortality database from 1997 to 2019. We examined the mortality trends and computed annual percent change (APC) for all ages and the following age groups, 15-29, 30-44, 15-44, and ≥ 45 years. RESULTS: Ten countries had mortality rates greater than 0.43 per 100,000 men, with the highest rates for Chile, Mexico, and Argentina. Significant increases in mortality rates were observed in Argentina, Brazil Colombia, and Mexico in all ages, and < 45 years, while Colombia, Ecuador, Mexico, and Peru reported significant downward trends in males aged ≥ 45 years. Only Chile showed significant decreases for all ages and age groups studied. CONCLUSION: Mortality by testicular cancer increased among LAC countries in males of all ages and across age groups. A reduction in mortality rates was observed only in Chilean males of all ages and in men ≥ 45 years in several countries. Strengthening of early detection among symptomatic males may decrease the mortality by this neoplasm.

Bibliometric analyses of global output on neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder.

BACKGROUND: Neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder (NMOSD) is a neuroimmune disease, i.e. under constant research. The aim of this bibliometric study is to perform a bibliometric indicator analysis of the worldwide academic production of NMOSD during the period 2017-2021. METHODS: A bibliographic search was assessed in the Scopus database to identify NMOSD-related articles published during the period 2017-2021. Collected publications were exported and analyzed in Scival (Elsevier). Bibliographic data were described through absolute values and percentages in descriptive tables. VOSviewer was used to visualize collaborative networks. RESULTS: A total of 1920 documents were collected, and the highest percentage of these belonged to the area of neurology. Friedemann Paul was the author with the highest scientific production, but Brian Weinshenker had the greatest impact worldwide. Three of the institutions with the highest production were North American. Multiple sclerosis and related disorders were the journal with the highest production of publications. Most papers were published in Q1 or Q2 journals. CONCLUSION: NMOSD-related articles are mostly published in first and second quartile journals, which would reflect a high interest of the scientific community. Publications with international collaboration reported a higher impact. Although African and South American regions have considerable prevalence of this disease, they do not have institutions with high productivity developing research on this disease.

The neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio as a prognostic biomarker in Guillain-Barre syndrome: a systematic review with meta-analysis.

Background and objectives: Guillain-Barre syndrome (GBS) is an immune-mediated neuropathy. This has raised the possibility that the neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) may be a biomarker of its activity. We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis to summarize the evidence of NLR as a potential biomarker for GBS. Methods: We systematically searched databases (PubMed, Ovid-Medline, Embase, Scopus, Web of Science, SciELO Citation Index, LILACS, and Google Scholar) until October 2021 for studies evaluating pre-treatment NLR values in GBS patients. A meta-analysis using a random-effects model to estimate pooled effects was realized for each outcome and a narrative synthesis when this was not possible. Subgroup and sensitivity analysis were realized. GRADE criteria were used to identify the certainty of evidence for each result. Results: Ten studies from 745 originally included were selected. Regarding GBS patients versus healthy controls, a meta-analysis of six studies (968 patients) demonstrated a significant increase in NLR values in GBS patients (MD: 1.76; 95% CI: 1.29, 2.24; I2 = 86%) with moderate certainty due to heterogeneity of GBS diagnosis criteria used. Regarding GBS prognosis, assessed by Hughes Score ≥ 3, NLR had a sensitivity between 67.3 and 81.5 and a specificity between 67.3 and 87.5 with low certainty due to imprecision, and heterogeneity. In relation to respiratory failure, NLR had a sensitivity of 86.5 and specificity of 68.2 with high and moderate certainty, respectively. Discussion: With moderate certainty, mean NLR is higher in GBS patients compared to healthy controls. Furthermore, we found that NLR could be a prognostic factor for disability and respiratory failure with low and moderate certainty, respectively. These results may prove useful for NLR in GBS patients; however, further research is needed. Systematic review registration: https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/PROSPERO/, identifier: CRD42021285212.

Evaluating the Diagnostic Performance of Hemoglobin in the Diagnosis of Iron Deficiency Anemia in High-Altitude Populations: A Scoping Review.

We evaluated the available literature on the diagnostic performance of hemoglobin (Hb) in the diagnosis of iron deficiency anemia (IDA) in high-altitude populations. We searched PubMed, Web of Science, Scopus, Embase, Medline by Ovid, the Cochrane Library, and LILCAS until 3 May 2022. We included studies that evaluated the diagnostic performance (sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value (PPV), negative predictive value (NPV), receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves, and accuracy) of Hb (with and without an altitude correction factor) compared to any iron deficiency (ID) marker (e.g., ferritin, soluble transferrin receptor (sTFR), transferrin saturation, or total body iron (TBI)) in populations residing at altitudes (≥1000 m above sea level). We identified a total of 14 studies (with 4522 participants). We found disagreement in diagnostic performance test values between the studies, both in those comparing hemoglobin with and in those comparing hemoglobin without a correction factor for altitude. Sensitivity ranged from 7% to 100%, whereas specificity ranged from 30% to 100%. Three studies reported higher accuracy of uncorrected versus altitude-corrected hemoglobin. Similarly, two studies found that not correcting hemoglobin for altitude improved the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves for the diagnosis of iron deficiency anemia. Available studies on high-altitude populations suggest that the diagnostic accuracy of Hb is higher when altitude correction is not used. In addition, the high prevalence of anemia in altitude regions could be due to diagnostic misclassification.

Intraoperative evaluation of sentinel lymph nodes in patients with breast cancer treated with systemic neoadjuvant therapy.

AIMS: Touch preparation (TP) and frozen section (FS) are the two methods routinely used in the intraoperative evaluation (IOE) of sentinel lymph nodes (SLNs) to detect metastases in patients with breast cancer. Both methods are extremely sensitive and specific in the primary surgery (non-neoadjuvant systemic therapy (non-NST)) setting. Since NST introduces unique challenges in the IOE of SLNs, the aim was to determine the accuracy of TP and FS in the IOE of SLNs in the NST setting and compare the results with the non-NST setting and to examine factors that contribute to any differences. METHODS: We analysed 871 SLNs from 232 patients (615 SLNs from NST and 256 SLNs from non-NST settings) between 2016 through 2019. RESULTS: In the NST group, TP alone (n=366) had a sensitivity of 45.7% and specificity of 99.7%; FS alone (n=90) had a sensitivity of 83.3% and specificity of 100%. When both TP and FS (n=135) were used, the sensitivity was 80.3% and the specificity was 98.6%.In the non-NST group, TP alone (n=193) had a sensitivity of 66.7% and specificity of 100%; FS alone (n=22) had a sensitivity and specificity of 100%; and combined TP and FS (n=34) had a sensitivity and specificity of 100% and 96%, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Evaluating SLNs intraoperatively in the NST setting can be challenging secondary to therapy-related changes. In the NST setting, FS has higher sensitivity and specificity compared with TP for the IOE of SLNs and should be the preferred method.

Clinical and imagenologic significance of the neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio in neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder: A systematic review with meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: Recently, the neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) has become a biomarker for assessing inflammatory stress and prognosis in different diseases. OBJECTIVE: We aimed to conduct a systematic review and meta-analysis to summarize the current evidence on the capacity of the NLR to serve as a biomarker in neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder (NMOSD). METHODS: Through a comprehensive systematic search up to December 2021 and using the search terms "neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio" and "neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder" we selected studies evaluating NLR values in NMOSD patients. A meta-analysis was planned, and a narrative synthesis was performed when this was not possible. Subgroup and sensitivity analyses were planned. The Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development and Evaluations (GRADE) approach was used to assess certainty of the evidence. RESULTS: Six studies were included (1036 patients). A significant increase in the NLR was observed between NMOSD patients and healthy controls with high heterogeneity (MD: 1.04; 95% CI: 0.76; 1.32; I2 = 59%). Regarding NMOSD prognosis, relapse (OR: 1.33 -OR: 2.14) was evaluated as being related to NLR with low certainty. An association with Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS) score ≥4 (OR: 1.23 -OR: 1.43) was reported with moderate certainty. An association with the occurrence of lesions on MRI was reported with an OR of 1.52. CONCLUSION: We found the NLR to be useful as a biomarker of NMOSD as it was significantly increased in the patient group compared to the healthy control group with high certainty. Additionally, the NLR was applicable as an indicator of poor prognosis with low to moderate certainty.

Level of Knowledge Regarding Mpox among Peruvian Physicians during the 2022 Outbreak: A Cross-Sectional Study.

Introduction: Due to the high incidence of mpox in Peru and the poor knowledge about this disease among healthcare workers in non-endemic countries, it is crucial to determine the knowledge status of Peruvian physicians. Methodology: We conducted an analytical cross-sectional study based on an online survey from August to September 2022. Physicians who had a medical license and lived and practiced medicine in Peru were included. To evaluate the factors associated with a higher level of knowledge, we used crude (cPR) and adjusted (aPR) prevalence ratios with 95% confidence intervals (95% CI) using Poisson regression. Results: We included 463 physicians. The mean age was 36.6 (SD: 10.3) years, and most were male (58.1%). Regarding knowledge, the median knowledge score was 14 [IQR: 13 to 15] out of 17 points. In terms of knowledge gaps, only 60.7% of the participants knew that there was an FDA-approved vaccine for mpox, 49.0% of participants knew about mpox proctitis and 33.3% acknowledged that it could be transmitted by the bite of an infected rodent. We found that taking care of patients with mpox (aPR: 1.39; 95% CI: 1.13 to 1.72) was associated with higher knowledge (>p50), while living in the eastern macro-region (aPR: 0.62; 95% CI: 0.42 to 0.93) was associated with lower knowledge (≤p50). Conclusions: Our study showed a high level of knowledge about mpox among Peruvian physicians. However, educational campaigns may be necessary, especially for physicians from the eastern region and those who do not have clinical experience with mpox.

A Bibliometric Analysis of the International Dental Journal (2011-2020).

INTRODUCTION: Bibliometrics is an area that allows for the evaluation of scientific publications by means of different indicators. The aim of this research was to perform a bibliometric study of the scientific production of the International Dental Journal (IDJ) between 2011 and 2020. METHODS: All publications of the journal between 2011 and 2020 extracted from the Scopus database were included. The number of publications, most productive institutions, type of collaboration, most productive countries, most cited articles, and authors with the highest academic production were used as bibliographic indicators. It was exported to the SciVal tool for analysis. RESULTS: A total of 630 documents published in IDJ by 1947 authors were collected, with a total of 7212 citations (11.4 citations per document). The United States was the country with the highest number of documents (100). The University of Adelaide (Australia) was the institution with the highest scientific production (16 publications), whilst the institution with the highest impact was the Universidade de São Paulo (Brazil), with 12.2 citations per paper. Marc Luiz Tennant was the author with the highest number of published manuscripts (13). Finally, most of the publications had international collaboration (146 documents). CONCLUSIONS: IDJ is a high-quality journal and, in the dental field, it has a high impact worldwide, which allows for a greater number of citations of its articles and placing it in the forefront of future research.

Factors associated with alcohol abuse in the Peruvian population: analysis of a national health survey 2019.

AIM: To evaluate the factors associated with alcohol abuse in the Peruvian population. METHODS: A secondary analysis was performed using data from the Demographic and Family Health Survey of Peru, 2019. We included 24 264 Peruvians between 18 and 59 years. For the analysis of association, the Poisson regression model with robust standard errors was used. Adjusted Prevalence Ratios (aPR) with their respective 95% confidence intervals (95% CI) were calculated. RESULTS: The prevalence of alcohol abuse was 5.2%. Having higher education (aPR:1.61; 95%CI:1.04-2.48), being widowed, separated or divorced (aPR:1.73; 95%CI:1.18-2.54), belonging to the third (aPR:1.70; 95%CI:1.12-2.60), fourth (aPR:2.08; 95%CI:1.33-3.23) or fifth socioeconomic quintile (aPR:2.16; 95%CI:1.33-3.50), being from the Sierra (aPR:1.45; 95%CI:1.12-1.87) or Selva (aPR:1.48; 95%CI:1.13-1.94), not having health insurance (aPR:1.25; 95%CI:1.04-1.50), being a current smoker (aPR:2.43; 95%CI:2.02-2.93) and having major depression (aPR:1.77; 95%CI:1.32-2.36) were associated with a higher prevalence of alcohol abuse. On the other hand being a middle-aged adult (aPR:0.73; 95%CI:0.60-0.88), female (aPR:0.16; 95%CI:0.12-0.22) and having started drinking alcohol after the age of 18 years (aPR:0.57; 95%CI:0.47-0.69) were associated with a lower prevalence. CONCLUSIONS: One in 20 Peruvians between 18 and 59 years had alcohol abuse. Age, gender, education level, marital status, socioeconomic level, region, age of first drink, smoking and depression were associated with alcohol abuse.