Comparison of commonly used orthopaedic outcome measures using palm-top computers and paper surveys.

INTRODUCTION: Measuring patient-perceived outcomes following orthopaedic procedures have become an important component of clinical research and patient care. General and disease-specific outcomes measures have been developed and applied in orthopaedics to assess the patients' perceived health status. Unfortunately, paper-based, self-administered instruments remain inefficient for collecting data because of: (a) missing data (b) respondent error, and (c) the costs to administer and enter data. OBJECTIVE: To study the comparability of palm-top computer devices and paper-pencil self-administered questionnaires in the collection of health-related quality of life (HRQL) information from patients. METHODS: The comparability of administering HRQL questionnaires using palm-top computer and traditional paper-based forms was tested in a sample of 96 patients with complaints of hip and/or knee pain. Each patient completed mailed versions of the Medical Outcomes Study (MOS), 36-item Health Survey (SF-36), and Western Ontario and McMasters University Arthritis Index (WOMAC) three weeks prior to presenting to clinic. At the clinic they were asked to complete the same outcomes measures using the palm-top computer or a paper-and-pencil version. ANALYSIS: In the analysis, scale distributions, floor and ceiling effects, internal consistency and retest reliability of scales were compared across the two data collection methods. Because the baseline characteristics of the groups were not strictly comparable according to age, the data were analyzed for the entire sample and stratified according to age. RESULTS: Few statistically significant differences were found for the means, variances and intra-class correlation coefficients between the methods of administration. While the scale distribution between the two methods was comparable, the internal consistency of the scales was dissimilar. CONCLUSIONS: Administration of HRQL questionnaires using portable palm-top computer devices has the potential advantage of decreased cost and convenience. These data lend some support for the comparability of palm-top computers and paper surveys for outcomes measures widely used in the field of orthopaedic surgery. The present study identified the lack of reliability across modes of administration that requires further study in a randomized comparability trial. These mode effects are important for orthopaedic surgeons to appreciate before implementing innovative data-capture technologies in their practices.     

Design, synthesis and evaluation of novel benzimidazoles, benzothiazoles and benzofurans incorporating pyrazole moiety as antiangiogenic agents

Novel benzimidazoles, benzothiazoles and benzofurans incorporating pyrazole moiety have been synthesized and screened for their antiangogenic activities, by testing their ability to inhibit human umbilical vein endothelial cell (HUVEC) proliferation, cord formation and migration in response to chemoattractant. 3 compounds 19, 23 and 26 showed antiangiogenic activities at non-cytotoxic concentrations. Compound 19 was the most active with chemotaxis activity data nearly comparable to that of the positive control, TNP-470. Compound 42 showed a significant cytotoxic effect on the tested cancer cell lines and less antiangiogenesis activity compared to compounds 19, 23 and 26. All the tested compounds, in contrary to TNP-470, interfered with the migratory function of HUVECs in response to vascular endothelial growth factor rather than the endothelial cells proliferation or cord formation. Moreover, a docked pose of compounds 19 and 26 was obtained bound to kinase insert domain receptor using Molecular Operating Environment module.     

Choroidal thickness changes following cataract surgery using swept source optical coherence tomography

Objective

The aim of this study was to assess changes in subfoveal choroidal thickness (SFCT), measured using swept-source optical coherence tomography (SS-OCT), after routine phacoemulsification cataract surgery.

Preoperative Localization of Mediastinal Parathyroid Adenoma with Intra-arterial Methylene Blue

CardioVascular and Interventional Radiology - Ectopic parathyroid is found in 16% of patients with hyperparathyroidism. 2% of ectopic parathyroid adenomas are not accessible to standard cervical...     

Epidemiology of Cardiovascular Diseases in Morocco: A Systematic Review

OBJECTIVETo provide a systematic review of studies on cardiovascular diseases (CVD) and their risk factors in the Moroccan population.METHODSA systematic analysis was performed based on PRISMA guidelines by retrieving data bases (Medline, Embase, and other) using technical keywords in addition to manual research on official websites. Published studies in the English or French language, conducted in Morocco or concerning the Moroccan population within the last two decades, were identified.RESULTSThis is the first systematic review of CVD in Morocco. Data from 159 studies were retrieved and analyzed. Most studies were written in the English language (75.89%) and published between 2010 and 2019 (85.47%). The mortality rate caused by CVD in Morocco has reached 38%, with ischemic heart disease and stroke as the main events causing death (31.0% and 22.5% respectively). The risk factors present in the population studied were headed by tobacco smoking (45-50%), followed by physical inactivity (21.1%), elevated rate of hypertension (25.3%), and depression (5.47%). Impacted by a high rate of illiteracy and poverty and an unprepared health care system in Morocco, these numbers are expected to increase over the next decade.CONCLUSIONSBased on these alarming incidences, investment in scientific research and epidemiological studies should be increased to determine the needs of the local population. The available evidence shows that the risk of cardiovascular disease and the associated mortality is very high in Morocco and will rise in the next years prospectively, which calls for urgent multi-sectorial approaches and treatment strategies.     

First international TNBC conference meeting report

Recently, Georgia State University’s Centennial Hall was the premier location for the 2017 International Conference on Triple Negative Breast Cancer (TNBC): Illuminating Actionable Biology, which was held from Sept. 18 to 20, 2017, in Atlanta, USA. The conference featured a stellar line-up of domestic and international speakers and diverse participants including TNBC survivors, luminaries in breast cancer research, medical students and fellows, clinicians, translational researchers, epidemiologists, biostatisticians, bioinformaticians, and representatives from the industry. This report distills the burning questions that spiked the event and summarizes key themes, findings, unique opportunities and future directions that emerged from this confluence of thought leaders.