Effect of Race and Ethnicity on Risk of Radiotherapy Toxicity and Implications for Radiogenomics

AimsPatient factors affect the risk of radiotherapy toxicity, but many are poorly defined. Studies have shown that race affects cancer incidence, survival, drug response, molecular pathways and epigenetics. Effects on radiosensitivity and radiotherapy toxicity are not well studied. The aim of the present study was to identify the effects of race and ethnicity on the risk of radiotherapy toxicity.Materials and methodsA systematic review was carried out of PubMed, Ovid Medline and Ovid Embase with no year limit. PRISMA 2020 guidelines were followed. Two independent assessors reviewed papers.ResultsOf 607 papers screened, 46 fulfilled the inclusion criteria. Papers were published between 1996 and 2021 and involved 30–28,354 individuals (median 433). Most involved patients with prostate (33%), breast (26%) and lung (9%) cancer. Both early and late toxicities were studied. Some studies reported a higher risk of toxicity in White men with prostate cancer compared with other races and ethnicities. For breast cancer patients, some reported an increased risk of toxicity in White women compared with other race and ethnic groups. In general, it was difficult to draw conclusions due to insufficient reporting and analysis of race and ethnicity in published literature.ConclusionsReporting of race and ethnicity in radiotherapy studies must be harmonised and improved and frameworks are needed to improve the quality of reporting. Further research is needed to understand how ancestral heritage might affect radiosensitivity and risk of radiotherapy toxicity.     

A genome wide association study identifies new genes potentially associated with eyelid sagging

Sagging eyelid is considered as an outward of skin ageing and may cause medical issues. However, little is known about the factors involved in sagging eyelid. The study, which aims at determining genetic risk factors for eyelid sagging, was conducted in a cohort of 502 unrelated Caucasian women living in the Paris region. All included participants were aged between 44 and 70 years old (mean age, 57.6 years old). The severity of sagging eyelid was graded in 6 categories by a dermatologist using standardized photographs of the face. A genome wide association study adjusted on potential risk factors (including age and smoking habits) was conducted to identify genetic associations. Two single nucleotide polymorphisms in total linkage disequilibrium on chromosome 10, rs16927253 (P = 7.07 × 10^‐10) and rs4746957 (P = 1.06 × 10^‐8), were significantly associated with eyelid sagging severity. The rs16927253‐T and rs4746957‐A alleles showed a dominant protective effect towards eyelid sagging. These polymorphisms are located in intronic parts of the H2AFY2 gene which encodes a member of the H2A histone family and very close to the AIFM2 gene that induces apoptosis. Additionally, single nucleotide polymorphisms with a false discovery rate below 0.25 were located nearby the type XIII collagen COL13A1 gene on chromosome 10 and in the ADAMTS18 gene on chromosome 16. Several relevant genes were identified by the genome wide association study for their potential role in the sagging eyelid severity.     

静脉输液滴速自动显示仪的研制

本文介绍了该产品基于数字电路和基于单片机ATMEL89C2051两种方案软硬件设计。能够正确显示静脉输液滴数，方便患者和减轻陪护人员的负担，并且在无药液和血管堵塞两种情况下，自动报警。在输液过程中，发光二极管同步显示液滴滴速快慢的变化。     

便携式多普勒血管探测仪在皮瓣移植中的应用

目的 :研究皮瓣移植前简单、可靠的血管探测的方法。方法 :在皮瓣移植前 ,以 HADECO ES-1 0 0 0 SPM多普勒血管探测仪对皮瓣血管蒂及皮动脉进行探测 ,与术中皮动脉探查结果进行比较 ,考察术前血管探测的准确性和意义。结果 :皮瓣血管蒂及皮动脉术前探测与术中探查结果完全一致。结论 :便携式血管多普勒仪是皮瓣移植前 ,简单、可靠的血管探测的仪器 ,根据探测结果进行皮瓣设计 ,有效地降低了手术失败的风险     

Testing for familial aggregation of functional traits

In a genetic epidemiology study of a trait, prior to collecting genotype data the foremost task is to test for familial aggregation and examine heritability. Recently, functional traits have drawn attentions from investigators. Here, to test for familial aggregation of a functional trait in the family studies, a test constructed based on the leading functional principal component of heritability, which is a summary measure of temporal genetic variation in a functional trait, is proposed. The p‐value of the test can be approximated by a permutation procedure given the family structure. The asymptotic distribution of the test statistic is derived. Simulations are carried out to examine the size and the power of the test. The proposed methods are applied to the total cholesterol data in the Framingham Heart Study. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Developing a Peer Review Process for Web-based Curricula

The World Wide Web creates new challenges and opportunities for medical educators. Prominent among these are the lack of consistent standards by which to evaluate web-based educational tools. We present the instrument that was used to review web-based innovations in medical education submissions to the 2003 Society of General Internal Medicine (SGIM) national meeting, and discuss the process used by the SGIM web-based clinical curriculum interest group to develop the instrument. The 5 highest-ranked submissions are summarized with commentary from the reviewers.     

大鼠脑内儿茶酚胺类递质及其代谢物的同时提取及反向高效液相测定法

目的建立一种操作简便、高效的测定脑组织中去甲肾上腺素(NA)、肾上腺素(AD)、多巴胺(DA)、3,4二羟基苯乙酸(DOPAC)及高香草酸(HVA)的方法,为有关药物作用机理的研究提供实验手段.方法以有机溶剂提取,高效液相色谱--电化学检测器(HPLC-EC)测定大鼠纹状体、皮质、下丘脑NA、AD、DA、DOPAC及HVA的含量.结果测得NA、AD、DA、DOPAC及HVA的绝对回收率依次分别为:80.3%±12.4%,86.5%±14.3%,90.3%±12.1%,89.5%±17.2%、87.6%±[13].2%.线性范围0.2～20ng,批内与批间变异系数分别小于8%及10%.结论该方法具有简便、迅速、回收率较高的特点,便于实验室应用.     

The Oxford Optical Pointer: a direction-sensing device with proportional electrical output

For some disabled people pointing provides a more convenient means of communication and control than the use of switches. The quadriplegic who retains good control of head movement can be provided with a number of input alternatives, but no existing system meets all the requirements of a general-purpose electronic pointing device. Consequently the Oxford Optical Pointer has been developed. The principle by which it converts relative direction into analogue electrical signals is described and its application as a head-mounted device for controlling an electric wheelchair is presented.     

多层螺旋CT双通路注射法行肝门静脉系统成像的研究

目的:确定多层螺旋CT肝门静脉系统检查的合理延迟时间及双通路注射对比剂法的可行性。方法:分为2个步骤研究:①随机选择无腹部及心血管疾患的患者53例,以3 ml/s速率注射造影剂20 ml,行同层动态扫描,计算腹主动脉、肝门静脉、下腔静脉、肝实质的对比剂时间密度曲线,及它们的相关性。②47例需门静脉检查的患者,行MDCT肝区移床式、动态扫描,在右肘部静脉及下肢静脉同时注入对比剂,对比剂总量1.5~2 ml/kg。扫描时使用对比剂自动示踪软件,设动脉血管阈值为120 HU启动扫描,动脉期扫描完成后延时20.1±5.54 s行门静脉扫描,分别评价肝门静脉、肝静脉、下腔静脉的显示率及程度。结果:①20 ml对比剂注射同层动态扫描肝门层面腹主动脉达峰时间为18.5±4.81 s,肝门静脉达峰时间是38.61±6.59 s,下腔静脉达峰时间是55.44±12.16 s,肝实质的达峰时间是56±5.7 s。②肝门静脉显示率达100%,肝门静脉主干等显示程度平均评分2.50~2.93;相关小分支静脉显示率为87%~98%,显示平均评分2.25~2.63。结论:MDCT右肘部静脉及下肢静脉同时注入对比剂,在动脉期扫描完成后,延时20.1±5.54 s行肝门静脉检查,肝门静脉系统成像效果良好。