Δευτέρα 30 Νοεμβρίου 2020

Comparing programmed death ligand 1 scores for predicting pembrolizumab efficacy in head and neck cancer

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Abstract
Tumor proportion score (TPS) and combined positive score ([CPS] includes immune cells), 2 methods for scoring programmed death ligand 1 (PD-L1) expression, have been used in clinical trials investigating the immune checkpoint inhibitor pembrolizumab in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC). These trials resulted in regulatory approval for pembrolizumab in the first- and second-line setting outside the United States. We performed a post hoc analysis of the KEYNOTE-040 study (NCT02252042) to determine whether CPS is a practical and suitable alternative scoring method to TPS. In KEYNOTE-040, patients with metastatic HNSCC received pembrolizumab or investigator choice of standard of care (SOC). The relative utility and equivalence of CPS ≥ 50 and TPS ≥ 50% for defining PD-L1 expression status in patients with HNSCC and comparability of scoring methods by tandem receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis were analyzed. The cutoff for each method was also evaluate d. CPS ≥ 50 appeared equivalent to TPS ≥ 50% for predicting objective response rate (ORR), overall survival, and progression-free survival. ORR for pembrolizumab versus SOC was 26.2 versus 8.5% for TPS ≥ 50%, 28.1 versus 7.7% for CPS ≥ 50, 10.6 versus 11.6% for TPS < 50%, and 10.0 versus 12.0% for CPS < 50. Tandem ROC analysis showed that TPS 50% and CPS 50 maximized delta Youden index and suggested that CPS is more sensitive than TPS at lower cutoffs (i.e., CPS ≥ 1). In conclusion, CPS 50 can be used interchangeably with TPS 50% to determine PD-L1 status in patients with HNSCC. CPS may be more sensitive than TPS at lower cutoffs.

Modern Pathology, Published online: 25 November 2020; doi:10.1038/s41379-020-00710-9

Comparing programmed death ligand 1 scores for predicting pembrolizumab efficacy in head and neck cancer
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Κυριακή 29 Νοεμβρίου 2020

Prophylaxis of Pain and Fractures within Feet in the Course of Osteoporosis: The Issue of Diagnosing

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Background. Considering the enormous risk of fractures in the course of osteoporosis in the area of the feet, an important aspect of prophylaxis is periodic and, in special cases, ongoing monitoring of defects and deformations as well as pressure distribution. The purpose of this article is to indicate the role of the examination of posture and pressure distribution during standing, postural balance, and gait, in the prevention of fatigue fractures in the course of osteoporosis, based on the literature review and examples of patients. Methods. The manuscript consists of two parts; it has a review-analytical character. The first part reviews the literature. The data were obtained using the MEDLINE (PubMed), as well as Cochrane and Embase databases. The database review was carried out focusing mainly on English -language publications, while taking into account the topicality of scientific and research works in the area of osteoporosis. The problem of multiaspects in the area of bone density was pointed out. Considering the above, in the second part, the authors analyzed 11 exemplary patients with osteoporosis, referring to the assessment of foot and lower limb defects using traditional posturological methods and including pedobarography to diagnostic procedures that are used in the assessment of pressure distribution, standing and moving, and an attempt to balance. Results. Analysis of the research and scientific literature proved the lack of unambiguous diagnostic procedures of the locomotor system recommended for the prevention of fatigue fractures in the course of osteoporosis. The main diagnostic recommendations are imaging tests (most often X-ray), which are recommended in the case of specific clinical symptoms. The analysis of exemplary patients with osteoporosis showed numerous diso rders in the distribution of pressure in the plantar part of the feet, which are related, among other things, with their individual defects and lower limbs. Conclusions. Detailed posture diagnostics and gait estimation, along with the analysis of pressure distribution within the feet are a very important aspect of the prevention of structural degradation and fatigue fractures within the feet. An important postulate for further research and scientific work is the elaboration of the procedures that will serve the preventive diagnostics of the locomotor system, aimed at early detection of threats of fatigue fractures.
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Glucose Required for Tissue Formation and Its Effects on Cane Yield, Recoverable Sugar, and Sugar Yield

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Glucose in sugarcane affected cane yield, recoverable sugar, and sugar yield. Glucose is available since the formation of the stems and stored until sugarcane is ready to be harvested. Information regarding the need for glucose to form sugarcane plant tissue is still not widely available. So, research was conducted to determine the quantity of glucose to form sugarcane plant tissue and its relation to cane yield, recoverable sugar, and sugar yield obtained. The research was carried out at the Karangploso Research Station and Laboratory of Plant Chemistry, Indonesian Sweeteners and Fiber Crops Research Institute, in July 2016–September 2017. A split plot design with two factors and three replications was utilized. The main factor was the growth phases, namely, the vegetative phase and maturity phase, while t he other factor was sugarcane varieties, namely, PS-881 (early mature), JR-01 (early-middle mature), Kenthung (early-middle mature), and Bululawang (middle-late mature). The measurements of nitrogen, carbon, and the ash content of the leaves and stems were at 5 months (representing the growth period) and 9 months (representing the ripening period). The results showed that quantities of 1.962–2.160 kg and 2.066–2.113 kg glucose were required to form each kg of leaf and stem tissue depending on the growth phase and variety. Glucose requirements in the maturing phase affected the cane yield, recoverable sugar, and sugar yield as much as by 51.48%, 57.60%, and 58.26%, respectively.
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Effects of SMILE Surgery on Intraocular Pressure, Central Corneal Thickness, Axial Length, Peripapillary Retinal Nerve Fiber Layer, and Macular Ganglion Cell Complex Thickness

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Purpose. To evaluate the change in intraocular pressure (IOP), central corneal thickness (CCT), axial length, peripapillary retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL) thickness, and macular ganglion cell complex (GCC) thickness after small incision lenticule extraction (SMILE) surgery. Methods. This prospective observational study was conducted in Espace Nouvelle Vision, Ophthalmological Clinic, Paris, France. Fifty eyes of 25 patients were enrolled in this study and underwent SMILE surgeries. IOP, central corneal thickness (CCT), axial length (AL), peripapillary RNFL thickness, and macular GCC thickness were measured before and at 3 months after SMILE. Results. The mean preoperative spherical equivalent was −3.15 ± 1.50 diopters (D), and the mean postoperative value was 0.15 ± 0.28 D. After SMILE surger y, IOP decreased from 15.03 ± 2.79 mmHg to 11.02 ± 2.73 mmHg and 10.02 ± 2.21 mmHg at 1 and 3 months, respectively ( for both comparisons). The mean decrease in measured IOP as a function of ablation depth was 0.065 ± 0.031 mmHg/μm. CCT decreased from 545.98 ± 26.61 μm to 478.40 ± 30.26 μm after SMILE surgery (). AL decreased from 24.80 ± 0.84 mm to 24.70 ± 0.83 mm (). There was no statistically significant change in mean peripapillary RNFL or mean GCC thickness after SMILE surgery. Conclusions. SMILE surgery modified IOP measurement, CCT, and AL but did not change peripapillary RNFL and macular GCC thicknesses. The postoperative drop in measured IOP might be explained by the decreased CCT. An accurate re-evaluation of AL should be performed before cataract surgery among post-SMILE patients.
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Urgent need to develop evidence-based COVID-19 recommendations for primary schools

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Much has been learnt about the epidemiology of SARS-CoV-2 since December 2019. Children are not superspreaders of SARS-CoV-2.1 They appear to have far lower rates of infection and lower rates of transmission compared with adults, especially young children below 10–14 years of age.2–4 However, many of these data need to be interpreted with caution because they were collected early in the pandemic, when children had limited exposure to SARS-CoV-2 due to the introduction of national lockdowns and closure of sch ools. Encouragingly, more recent data collected following the reopening of schools in September suggest that rates of SARS-CoV-2 in children remain low compared with adults, even in areas with increasingly high prevalence (figure 1).

Schools in most countries across Europe were closed in March 2020 at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. However, it is now recognised that the negative impact on...

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Health State Utilities of Patients with Heart Failure: A Systematic Literature Review

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Abstract

Background and Objectives

New treatments and interventions are in development to address clinical needs in heart failure. To support decision making on reimbursement, cost-effectiveness analyses are frequently required. A systematic literature review was conducted to identify and summarize heart failure utility values for use in economic evaluations.

Methods

Databases were searched for articles published until June 2019 that reported health utility values for patients with heart failure. Publications were reviewed with specific attention to study design; reported values were categorized according to the health states, 'chronic heart failure', 'hospitalized', and 'other acute heart failure'. Interquartile limits (25th percentile 'Q1', 75th percentile 'Q3') were calculated for health states and heart failure subgroups where there were sufficient data.

Results

The systematic literature review identified 161 publications based on data from 142 studies. Utility values for chronic heart failure were reported by 128 publications; 39 publications published values for hospitalized and three for other acute heart failure. There was substantial heterogeneity in the specifics of the study populations, methods of elicitation, and summary statistics, which is reflected in the wide range of utility values reported. EQ-5D was the most used instrument; the interquartile limit for mean EQ-5D values for chronic heart failure was 0.64–0.72.

Conclusions

There is a wealth of published utility values for heart failure to support economic evaluations. Data are heterogenous owing to specificities of the study population and methodology of utility value elicitation and analysis. Choice of value(s) to support economic models must be carefully justified to ensure a robust economic analysis.

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Effect of manual aspiration thrombectomy using large-bore aspiration catheter for acute basilar artery occlusion: comparison with a stent retriever system

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Abstract

Background

A large-bore aspiration catheter can be employed for recanalization of acute basilar artery occlusion. Here we compare the results of mechanical thrombectomy using a stent retriever (SR) and manual aspiration thrombectomy (MAT) using a large-bore aspiration catheter system as a first-line recanalization method in acute basilar artery occlusion (BAO).

Methods

The records of 50 patients with acute BAO who underwent mechanical thrombectomy were retrospectively reviewed. Patients were assigned to one of two groups based on the first-line recanalization method. The treatment and clinical outcomes were compared.

Results

Sixteen (32%) patients were treated with MAT with a large-bore aspiration catheter and 34 (68%) with a SR as the first-line treatment method. The MAT group had a shorter procedure time (28 vs. 65 min; p = 0.001), higher rate of first-pass recanalization (68.8% vs. 38.2%, p = 0.044), and lower median number of passes (1 vs 2; p = 0.008) when compared with the SR group. There was no significant difference in the incidence of any hemorrhagic complication (6.3% vs. 8.8%; p = 0.754) between the groups. However, there were four cases of procedure-related subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) in the SR group and one death occurred due to massive hemorrhage.

Conclusions

Selection of MAT using a large-bore aspiration catheter for acute BAO may be a safe and effective first-line treatment method with higher first-pass recanalization rate and shorter procedure time than SR.

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