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INTRODUCTION: Evidence suggests the bladder trigone to be a potential organ at risk (OAR) in predicting acute and late genitourinary (GU) side effects when treating prostate cancer with radiotherapy. METHODS: A search of MEDLINE, Cinahl, EMBASE, PubMed, the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews and OpenGrey was conducted and no current or underway systematic reviews or scoping reviews on the topic were identified. A systematic literature review was carried out assessing the quality of this evidence. All evidence that prospectively or retrospectively reviewed radiotherapy or modelled radiotherapy dose to the bladder trigone were included. The search was conducted on the 8th July 2021 with 32 studies included in this review. This was repeated 10th June 2023 and two additional studies were identified. Any evidence published since this date have not been included and are a limitation of this review. RESULTS: MRI imaging is recommended to assist in delineating the trigone which has been shown to have a high amount of inter-observer variability and the use of specific training may reduce this. Across all radiotherapy treatment modalities, trigone dose contributed to GU acute and late toxicity symptoms. Trigone motion is relative to prostate motion but further research is required to confirm if the prostate can be used as a reliable surrogate for trigone position. The dose tolerance given for specific trigone related toxicities is debated within the literature, and on analysis the authors of this review suggest bladder trigone dose limits: Dmean < 45.8 Gy, V61.0Gy < 40%, V59.8Gy < 25%, V42.5Gy-V41.0Gy < 91% and V47.4Gy-V43.2Gy < 91% with α/ß of 3 Gy to reduce acute and late GU toxicities. CONCLUSION: There is evidence to support further research into bladder trigone sparing radiotherapy to improve patient outcomes. IMPLICATION FOR PRACTICE: Using the bladder trigone as an organ at risk is possible and the authors are currently seeking funding for a feasibility trial to further investigate this.
Subject(s)
Prostatic Neoplasms , Urinary Bladder , Humans , Male , Prostatic Neoplasms/radiotherapy , Prostatic Neoplasms/diagnostic imaging , Urinary Bladder/radiation effects , Urinary Bladder/diagnostic imaging , Organs at Risk/radiation effects , Radiotherapy Dosage , Magnetic Resonance Imaging , Organ Sparing Treatments/methods , Radiation Injuries/prevention & controlABSTRACT
The European Society of Gynaecological Oncology, the European Society for Medical Oncology (ESMO) and the European Society of Pathology held a consensus conference (CC) on ovarian cancer on 15-16 June 2022 in Valencia, Spain. The CC panel included 44 experts in the management of ovarian cancer and pathology, an ESMO scientific advisor and a methodologist. The aim was to discuss new or contentious topics and develop recommendations to improve and harmonise the management of patients with ovarian cancer. Eighteen questions were identified for discussion under four main topics: (i) pathology and molecular biology, (ii) early-stage disease and pelvic mass in pregnancy, (iii) advanced stage (including older/frail patients) and (iv) recurrent disease. The panel was divided into four working groups (WGs) to each address questions relating to one of the four topics outlined above, based on their expertise. Relevant scientific literature was reviewed in advance. Recommendations were developed by the WGs and then presented to the entire panel for further discussion and amendment before voting. This manuscript focuses on the recommendation statements that reached a consensus, their voting results and a summary of evidence supporting each recommendation.
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Medical Oncology , Ovarian Neoplasms , Humans , Female , Societies, Medical , Spain , Ovarian Neoplasms/genetics , Ovarian Neoplasms/therapy , Molecular BiologyABSTRACT
AIMS: New treatment options for advanced ovarian cancer have the potential to significantly change the treatment pathway in the UK. Understanding the structures and responsibilities of multidisciplinary teams/tumour boards (MDT) and regional variations will enable services to adapt more effectively to these changes. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The KNOW-OC survey was conducted in 2020 to understand the views of a selected group of 66 healthcare professionals (HCPs) involved in advanced ovarian cancer care in UK hospitals. RESULTS: The results showed that MDT involvement in the management of advanced ovarian cancer varied depending on pathway stage and line of relapse, with 98.5% of HCPs responding that the MDT was involved in decisions at initial presentation, but only 40.9% for patients with multiple relapses. The MDT was mostly responsible for determining whether the patients would undergo primary or interval cytoreductive surgery according to 75.8% of respondents, and most HCPs (80.3%) stated that tumour dissemination patterns were the most important factor influencing this decision. The most commonly assessed biomarkers at the time of the survey were CA125, gBRCA and tBRCA. Homologous recombination deficiency was viewed as the second most important factor for determining prognosis, but few centres had access to testing at the time of survey completion. The use of active surveillance was expected to decrease in favour of first-line targeted therapies. Nearly all (98.5%) HCPs agreed there is a role for secondary cytoreductive surgery for the treatment of recurrence (for carefully selected patients). CONCLUSIONS: The results highlighted UK-specific geographical variation in the views of HCPs on MDT involvement and specific practices, such as molecular biomarker testing, and the overall treatment approach. Together, these findings improve the understanding of reported clinical practice across the UK for ovarian cancer and provide insight into decision-making associated with updates to recommendations for best practice (e.g. European Society for Medical Oncology/European Society of Gynaecological Oncology consensus statements) and the introduction of new treatment options.
Subject(s)
Ovarian Neoplasms , Humans , Female , Surveys and Questionnaires , Ovarian Neoplasms/drug therapy , Carcinoma, Ovarian Epithelial/therapy , Delivery of Health Care , United KingdomABSTRACT
We have investigated the low-temperature local magnetic properties in the bulk of molten salt-flux (MSF)-grown single crystals of the candidate odd-parity superconductor UTe_{2} by zero-field muon spin relaxation (µSR). In contrast to previous µSR studies of UTe_{2} single crystals grown by a chemical vapor transport method, we find no evidence of magnetic clusters or electronic moments fluctuating slow enough to cause a discernible relaxation of the zero-field µSR asymmetry spectrum. Consequently, our measurements on MSF-grown single crystals rule out the generation of spontaneous magnetic fields in the bulk that would occur near impurities or lattice defects if the superconducting state of UTe_{2} breaks time-reversal symmetry. This result suggests that UTe_{2} is characterized by a single-component superconducting order parameter.
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The objective of the present study is to develop eco-friendly purifying agents from natural materials, Strychnos potatorum (SP) - a coagulant. The seeds of SP were used for wastewater treatment (washing machine effluent). Physico-chemical parameters like turbidity, total dissolved solids (TDS), electrical conductivity (EC), pH, calcium (Ca2+), magnesium (Mg2+) and phosphate (PO43-) were tested and the data obtained were compared with BIS standards. In the current work, physical and chemical parameters have been examined to determine the quality of water for washing machine discharge, before and after treatment (coagulation) using SP seeds. The testing procedure was carried out using a Jar test of coagulant mass 1000 mg/L with rapid mixing at 150 rpm for 5 min, slow mixing at 30 rpm for 25 min and a settling period of 1 h. Coagulation results were reported for the use of SP seeds, where the effectiveness of removing turbidity and PO43- was determined to be 81.54 and 41.45%. The presence of various functional groups in SP seed was assessed by fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy. Qualitative identification of phytochemical constituents of seed extract for this species was also carried out. The experimental findings strongly highlighted the ability of SP seeds to remove turbidity and PO43- from wastewater.
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The IoT offered an enormous number of services with the help of multiple applications so it faces various security-related problems and also heavy malicious attacks. Initially, the IoT data are gathered from the standard dataset as Message Queuing Telemetry Transport (MQTT) set. Further, the collected data are undergone the pre-processing stage, which is accomplished by using data cleaning and data transformation. The resultant processed data is given into two models named (i) Autoencoder with Deep Belief Network (DBN), in which the optimal features are selected from Autoencoder with the aid of Modified Archimedes Optimization Algorithm (MAOA). Further, the optimal features are subjected to the AL-DBN model, where the first classified outcomes are obtained with the parameter optimization of MAOA. Similarly, (ii) Long Short-Term Memory (LSTM) with DBN, in this model, the optimal features are chosen from LSTM with the aid of MAOA. Consequently, the optimal features are subjected into the AL-DBN model, where the second classified outcomes are acquired. Finally, the average score is estimated by two outcomes to provide the final classified result. Thus, the findings reveal that the suggested system achieves outstanding results to detect the attack significantly.
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Algorithms , Heuristics , Data Collection , Hydrolases , TelemetryABSTRACT
Background: Rathke's cleft cysts (RCCs) are benign epithelial lesions arising from the Rathke's pouch remnants that fail to regress during embryogenesis. Some RCCs become symptomatic and require treatment. Cyst fenestration and drainage of its contents is the preferred procedure to treat symptomatic cases but carries a risk of recurrence. We propose the use of a novel modified nasoseptal flap technique to partially line the cyst wall to avoid recurrence. Methods: This was a prospective, observational study that included all RCC patients admitted to the Department of Neurosurgery, Aster Medcity, from April 2015 to May 2018. The modified nasoseptal flap technique was performed in all patients. They underwent preoperative and postoperative ophthalmological, endocrine, endoscopic, and MRI evaluations to look for recurrence. Results: Ten patients underwent the modified nasoseptal flap technique. The median follow-up was 36 months. Postoperatively, all patients were relieved from headaches. Moreover, their visual fields and pituitary functions normalized. None of the patients developed recurrence of RCC on follow-up brain MRI. On endoscopic examination, all patients had retained patency of the fenestra. The longest follow-up was 72 months. Conclusions: The modified nasoseptal flap technique maintains patency and avoids recurrence of RCCs on long-term follow-up.
Subject(s)
Carcinoma, Renal Cell , Central Nervous System Cysts , Cysts , Kidney Neoplasms , Humans , Prospective Studies , Retrospective Studies , Central Nervous System Cysts/diagnostic imaging , Central Nervous System Cysts/surgery , Central Nervous System Cysts/pathologyABSTRACT
INTRODUCTION: The COVID-19 pandemic and its associated social distancing policies such as lockdowns and quarantine influenced people's lives and health behaviors. We comprehensively assessed national trends in sales of cigarettes, cigars, e-cigarettes, and over-the-counter nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) products before and during the pandemic, allowing for cross-product comparisons. Stockpiling behavior was also assessed. METHODS: We used US national tobacco and over-the-counter NRT retail store scanner data (excluding internet, specialty/vape store, and prescription sales) collected at 4-week intervals by NielsenIQ from December 2018 to June 2021. We applied an interrupted time-series model to assess differences in tobacco product and NRT unit sales before and during the pandemic. We defined the prepandemic period as December 16, 2018, through April 4, 2020, pandemic as starting on April 5, 2020, through June 26, 2021, and the stockpiling period as one 4-week period before the pandemic started. RESULTS: Four-week cigarette, e-cigarette, and cigar unit sales on average increased by 11.5% (P = .006), 37.1% (P < .001), and 26.1% (P < .001) respectively, while 4-week NRT unit sales decreased on average by 13.1% (P < .001), during the pandemic compared with the prepandemic period. Stockpiling was associated with increases in sales of all tobacco products and NRT products. CONCLUSION: Unit sales of assessed tobacco products increased while NRT unit sales decreased during the COVID-19 pandemic, compared with the prepandemic period. These changes may suggest an increase in the intensity of tobacco product use or stockpiling of tobacco products among people who use tobacco.
Subject(s)
COVID-19 , Electronic Nicotine Delivery Systems , Smoking Cessation , Humans , Pandemics , COVID-19/epidemiology , Communicable Disease Control , Tobacco Use Cessation DevicesABSTRACT
INTRODUCTION: Most e-cigarettes contain highly addictive nicotine. This study assessed trends in nicotine strength in e-cigarettes sold in the United States during January 2017-March 2022. AIMS AND METHODS: We obtained January 2017-March 2022 national retail e-cigarette sales data from NielsenIQ. We assessed monthly average nicotine strength overall, by e-cigarette product and flavor type, and manufacturer. A Joinpoint regression model assessed the magnitude and significance of changes in nicotine strength. RESULTS: During January 2017-March 2022, monthly average nicotine strength of e-cigarette products increased from 2.5% to 4.4%, an average of 0.8% per month (pâ <â .001). Monthly average nicotine strength of disposable e-cigarettes increased the most (average monthly percentage change [AMPC]â =â 1.26%, pâ <â .001) as compared to prefilled pods (AMPCâ =â 0.6%, pâ <â .001) and e-liquids (AMPCâ =â 0.5%, pâ =â .218). Monthly average nicotine strength for all flavors of e-cigarette products increased except for mint-flavored products. Increases were greatest for beverage-flavored products (AMPCâ =â 2.1%, pâ <â .001), followed by menthol-flavored products (AMPCâ =â 1.2%, pâ <â .001). Among the top 10 e-cigarette manufacturers assessed, monthly average nicotine strength decreased for Juul Labs products from 5% to 4.7% (AMPCâ =â -0.1%, pâ <â .001) but increased significantly for five manufacturers' products and remained unchanged at 5%-6% for four manufacturers' products. CONCLUSIONS: Monthly average nicotine strength of e-cigarette products increased overall, for most product and flavor types, and for some manufacturers in the United States during the study period. Imposing maximum limits on nicotine strength of e-cigarettes together with other evidence-based tobacco control strategies can help reduce the use of e-cigarettes among youth and increase tobacco product cessation among adults. IMPLICATIONS: From January 2017 to March 2022, the monthly average nicotine strength of disposable e-cigarettes increased substantially and exceeded prefilled pods since May 2020. E-cigarettes with menthol flavor and youth-appealing flavors, like fruit, also had sharp increases in monthly average nicotine strength. Among the top 10 e-cigarette manufacturers, monthly average nicotine strength increased or remained unchanged at a high nicotine level for all manufacturers' products, except Juul Lab's products. Comprehensive strategies including restricting sales of all flavored e-cigarettes, restricting youth tobacco product access, and imposing maximum limits on nicotine strength may help reduce youth e-cigarette use and increase tobacco cessation.
Subject(s)
Electronic Nicotine Delivery Systems , Tobacco Products , Vaping , Adult , Adolescent , Humans , United States , Nicotine , Menthol , Flavoring Agents/analysisABSTRACT
There is a huge concern regarding the potential carcinogenic and mutagenic risks associated with the usage of synthetic chemicals as preservatives in various consumer products such as food and pharmaceutical formulations. In this aspect, there is a need for the development of alternative natural preservatives to replace these synthetic chemicals. More recently, naturally occurring essential oils have emerged as popular ingredients owing to their unique characteristics like antioxidant and antimicrobial activity, to enrich and enhance the functional properties of consumer products. However, due to their high volatility and hydrophobicity, their functionality is lost and their incorporation in aqueous products is challenging. One of the promising strategies to overcome this challenge is encapsulation which involves the entrapment of the essential oil inside a biocompatible material for its controlled release and increased bioavailability. Also, the choice of encapsulation method depends on the component to be encapsulated and the shell material. In this review, encapsulation in various colloidal systems that facilitate the potential delivery of essential oils is discussed. The focus is on encapsulation techniques along with their advantages and disadvantages, encapsulation efficiency, and in vitro release studies.
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Oils, Volatile , Oils, Volatile/chemistry , Antioxidants , Drug CompoundingABSTRACT
Wireless Multimedia Sensor Network (WMSN) is a powerful technology that is widely used to gather data and monitor the actual environment for analysis. Furthermore, multimedia applications' needs and the features, such as constrained latency and high bandwidth consumption, complicate the design of WMSN routing protocols. Despite several methods, the trouble of designing WMSNs routing protocol remains a hurdle. The miniaturization and enhancement of hardware facilitate an extensive range of applications in the military and public sectors. On the contrary, the streaming of multimedia content is captured and generated due to some event-triggered surveillance for a long duration of time. Hence, it is necessary for wireless multimedia sensor network (WMSN) to provide a strong hardware foundation, thereby satisfying Quality of Service (QoS) requirements. Initially, the network is clustered into several clusters and the nodes with rich resources are chosen as cluster heads. The significant intention of this paper is to eliminate data redundancy and to select optimal cluster heads, thereby minimizing the energy consumption. Therefore, this paper proposes a novel Fuzzy Criminal Search Ebola Optimization (FCSEO) algorithm for optimal selection of cluster heads. In addition to this, the data redundancy present in the proposed algorithm is mitigated and thus the network lifetime is enhanced. Finally, extensive experimentation is carried out for various performance measures to determine the efficiency of the proposed approach.
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OBJECTIVE: ENT is underrepresented in the curriculum, and this has been compounded by coronavirus disease 2019. Recent restructures have removed ENT placements from the curriculum. This lack of exposure needs to be addressed, and increased use of online learning represents an opportunity to facilitate this. This study aimed to evaluate whether online learning can effectively deliver undergraduate ENT teaching. METHODS: An online ENT module was created; content was structured on the Sheffield Medical School curriculum. Pre- and post-module tests and 5-point Likert scales were used to assess student knowledge and confidence, respectively. RESULTS: A total of 115 participants were recruited. Test scores improved by 29 per cent (p < 0.001) and confidence by 66 per cent. Anatomy and ENT conditions demonstrated significant improvement in confidence, with a lower confidence score for examination. CONCLUSION: This study showed improved knowledge and confidence, whilst highlighting greater efficacy in content over practical skills teaching. Online learning is a validated educational tool; however, it should not be used as a replacement but as an adjunct to supplement learning.
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COVID-19 , Education, Distance , Education, Medical, Undergraduate , Students, Medical , Humans , COVID-19/epidemiology , Curriculum , TeachingABSTRACT
In this article, the hemodynamics of nanofluid flow through the modelled stenosis-aneurysm models in the presence of the catheter has been studied. The eight stenosis-aneurysm models are developed to mimic biological observations and thus make the model more realistic. The mathematical understanding helps in treating the stenosis in the blood vessel by targeting the unhealthy region to the drug, which is coated on nanoparticles. The catheter achieves the active drug release to the aimed organs by coating on the catheter surface, which adds additional benefits. In the present hemodynamic study, the blood is modeled as a couple stress fluid; as a result, the highly non-linear momentum, temperature, and concentration equations were obtained. The fluid flow equations' complexity is further increased by incorporating the variable viscosity effects that arose due to the suspension of nanoparticles. The resultant mathematical model is solved by using the homotopy perturbation method. The convergence of the perturbed solutions is studied and depicted the degree of deformation in the case of temperature and concentration. The effects of the porous nature of the stenosis, no-slip at the catheter surface, and the free slip at the blood vessel boundary in the non-stenotic region are also considered in the model. The essential physiological property like surface shear stress is computed, and various parameters' influence on shear stress is analyzed. The present analysis can be helpful in understanding the enhancement in mass dispersion and heat transfer in unhealthy blood vessels, which could be used for drug delivery in the treatment of stenotic conditions.
Subject(s)
Aneurysm , Models, Cardiovascular , Humans , Constriction, Pathologic , Hemodynamics/physiology , Computer SimulationSubject(s)
COVID-19 , Pancreatitis , Humans , Pancreatitis/diagnosis , Pancreatitis/etiology , Acute Disease , COVID-19/complicationsABSTRACT
INTRODUCTION: In 2019, an outbreak of e-cigarette, or vaping, product use-associated lung injury (EVALI) occurred in the US. We used Nielsen retail sales data to assess trends in sales of e-cigarettes, cigarettes, and nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) products before, during, and after the EVALI outbreak. METHODS: Monthly unit sales of e-cigarettes, cigarettes, and NRT products overall and by product type were assessed during January 2019 through June 2020 by using an interrupted time series model. Two time points were specified at the period ending July 13, 2019, and the period ending February 22, 2020, to partition before, during, and after the outbreak period. Sales trends by aggregated state-level EVALI case prevalence (low, medium, and high) were assessed to investigate interstate variations in changes of sales coinciding with the EVALI outbreak. RESULTS: Monthly e-cigarette sales increased 3.5% (P < .001) before the outbreak and decreased 3.1% (P < .001) during the outbreak, with no significant changes after the outbreak. Monthly cigarette sales increased 1.6% (P < .001) before the outbreak, decreased 1.8% (P < .001) during the outbreak, and increased 2.7% (P < .001) after the outbreak. NRT sales did not change significantly before or during the outbreak but decreased (2.8%, P = .01) after the outbreak. Sales trends by state-level EVALI case prevalence were similar to national-level sales trends. CONCLUSION: Cigarette and e-cigarette sales decreased during the EVALI outbreak, but no changes in overall NRT sales were observed until after the outbreak. Continued monitoring of tobacco sales data can provide insight into potential changes in use patterns and inform tobacco prevention and control efforts.
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Electronic Nicotine Delivery Systems , Lung Injury , Smoking Cessation , Tobacco Products , Humans , Lung Injury/epidemiology , Tobacco Use Cessation Devices , Disease OutbreaksABSTRACT
INTRODUCTION: Information on morbidity-related productivity losses attributable to cigarette smoking, an important component of the economic burden of cigarette smoking, is limited. This study fills this gap by estimating these costs in the U.S. and by state. METHODS: A human capital approach was used to estimate the cost of the morbidity-related productivity losses (absenteeism, presenteeism, household productivity, and inability to work) attributable to cigarette smoking among adults aged ≥18 years in the U.S. and by state. A combination of data, including the 2014-2018 National Health Interview Survey, 2018 Current Population Survey Annual Social and Economic Supplement, 2018 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System, 2018 value of daily housework, and literature-based estimate of lost productivity while at work (presenteeism), was used. Costs were estimated for 2018, and all analyses were conducted in 2021. RESULTS: Estimated total cost of morbidity-related productivity losses attributable to cigarette smoking in the U.S. in 2018 was $184.9 billion. Absenteeism, presenteeism, home productivity, and the inability to work accounted for $9.4 billion, $46.8 billion, $12.8 billion, and $116.0 billion, respectively. State-level total costs ranged from $291 million to $16.9 billion with a median cost of $2.7 billion. CONCLUSIONS: The cost of morbidity-related productivity losses attributable to cigarette smoking in the U.S. and in each state was substantial in 2018 and varied across the states. These estimates can guide public health policymakers and practitioners planning and evaluating interventions designed to alleviate the burden of cigarette smoking at the state and national levels.
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Cigarette Smoking , Absenteeism , Adolescent , Adult , Cost of Illness , Efficiency , Humans , MorbidityABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to assess the association of BMI with inpatient care cost, duration, and acute complications among patients hospitalized for COVID-19 at 273 US hospitals. METHODS: Children (aged 2-17 years) and adults (aged ≥18 years) hospitalized for COVID-19 during March 2020-July 2021 and with measured BMI in a large electronic administrative health care database were included. Generalized linear models were used to assess the association of BMI categories with the cost and duration of inpatient care. RESULTS: Among 108,986 adults and 409 children hospitalized for COVID-19, obesity prevalence was 53.4% and 45.0%, respectively. Among adults, overweight and obesity were associated with higher cost of care, and obesity was associated with longer hospital stays. Children with severe obesity had higher cost of care but not significantly longer hospital stays, compared with those with healthy weight. Children with severe obesity were 3.7 times (95% CI: 1.4-9.5) as likely to have invasive mechanical ventilation and 62% more likely to have an acute complication (95% CI: 39%-90%), compared with children with healthy weight. CONCLUSIONS: These findings show that patients with a high BMI experience significant health care burden during inpatient COVID-19 care.
Subject(s)
COVID-19 , Obesity, Morbid , Adolescent , Adult , Body Mass Index , COVID-19/complications , COVID-19/epidemiology , COVID-19/therapy , Child , Humans , Inpatients , Obesity/complications , Obesity/epidemiology , Obesity/therapyABSTRACT
We present a unique case of biopsy-proven necrotising sarcoidosis involving the central nervous system in a man in his 40s. The patient presented with a 2-week history of right-sided headache and diplopia. He had right trochlear and abducens nerve palsy, sensory blunting over V1 and V2 segment of right trigeminal sensory nerve and right sensory neural hearing loss. A contrast-enhanced MRI revealed an enhancing dural-based mass lesion in the petroclival area suggestive of probable meningioma. Surgical resection was attempted and intraoperative consultation with frozen section revealed granulomata. So, the lesion was biopsied and surgical intervention was terminated. A diagnosis of necrotising neurosarcoidosis was confirmed on histopathology. He was treated with steroids after excluding other causes of intracranial necrotising granulomas like tuberculosis and he clinically responded favourably. We report one of the very few case reports of histologically proven necrotising sarcoidosis involving the central nervous system mimicking petroclival meningioma.