Use of a portable gamma camera for guiding surgical treatment in locally advanced breast cancer in a post-neoadjuvant therapy setting

The aim of the present study was to assess the feasibility of a portable gamma camera (PGC) for guiding surgical treatment in locally advanced breast cancer (LABC) after neoadjuvant therapy (NT). Since January 2012, a PGC (Sentinella 102, ONCOVISION) has been available in our center. We planned to perform a feasibility monocentric prospective study involving 15–20 patients with LABC for assessing the diagnostic performance of this PGC after NT (Breast Cancer Surgery-S102). Before the surgical treatment and at the end of NT an injection of 99mTc-Sestamibi (100–150 MBq) was made. Conventional scintimmamography (SMM) and Sentinella 102 images were obtained from 18 patients. 10 (55.5 %) patients showed a focal uptake of tracer in the breast or lymph nodes before or after the surgical excision (on histological specimen), while 8 did not. The histological specimen concluded for a complete response to NT in 4 (22.2 %) patients and for a partial or no response to treatment in the remnant 14 subjects. The specificity and false-negative rate of the Sentinella 102 compared to SMM were 100 % for both and 38 % vs. 60 %, respectively. The global diagnostic accuracy of Sentinella 102 was: 66.7 % (95 % confidence interval: 44.88–88.44 %). The present feasibility study shows how a new nuclear imaging device can be useful in the operating theatre for guiding a radical surgery approach in patients with LABC after NT.     

Functional Films from Silica/Polymer Nanoparticles

High performance functional coatings, based on hybrid organic/inorganic materials, are being developed to combine the polymer flexibility and ease of processing with the mechanical properties and versatility of inorganic materials. By incorporating silica nanoparticles (SiNPs) in the polymeric matrices, it is possible to obtain hybrid polymer films with increased tensile strength and impact resistance, without decreasing the flexural properties of the polymer matrix. The SiNPs can further be used as carriers to impart other functionalities (optical, etc.) to the hybrid films. By using polymer-coated SiNPs, it is possible to reduce particle aggregation in the films and, thus, achieve more homogeneous distributions of the inorganic components and, therefore, better properties. On the other hand, by coating polymer particles with silica, one can create hierarchically structured materials, for example to obtain superhydrophobic coatings. In this review, we will cover the latest developments in films prepared from hybrid polymer/silica functional systems.     

Birth plans—Impact on mode of delivery,obstetrical interventions,and birth experience satisfaction: A prospective cohort study

Objective

To examine whether the presence of a birth plan was associated with mode of delivery, obstetrical interventions, and patient satisfaction.

Methods

This was a prospective cohort study of singleton pregnancies greater than 34 weeks’ gestation powered to evaluate a difference in mode of delivery. Maternal characteristics, antenatal factors, neonatal characteristics, and patient satisfaction measures were compared between groups. Differences between groups were analyzed using chi‐squared for categorical variables, Fisher exact test for dichotomous variables, and Wilcoxon rank sum test for continuous or ordinal variables.

Results

Three hundred women were recruited: 143 (48%) had a birth plan. There was no significant difference in the risk of cesarean delivery for women with a birth plan compared with those without a birth plan (21% vs 16%, adjusted odds ratio [adjOR] 1.11 [95% confidence interval (CI) 0.61‐2.04]). Women with a birth plan were 28% less likely to receive oxytocin (P < .01), 29% less likely to undergo artificial rupture of membranes (P < .01), and 31% less likely to have an epidural (P < .01). There was no difference in the length of labor (P = .12). Women with a birth plan were less satisfied (P < .01) and felt less in control (P < .01) of their birth experience than those without a birth plan.

Conclusion

Women with and without a birth plan had similar odds of cesarean delivery. Though they had fewer obstetrical interventions, they were less satisfied with their birth experience, compared with women without birth plans. Further research is needed to understand how to improve childbirth‐related patient satisfaction.     

Antioxidative Potential of Duranta Repens (Linn.) Fruits Against H2O2 Induced Cell Death In Vitro

The effects of Duranta repens fruits were investigated on H₂O₂ induced oxidative cell death to evaluate its antioxidative potential in vitro. HEK293T cells were treated with different concentrations [0–1000 µg/ ml] of ethanol extract (E-Ex) and methanol extract (M-Ex) of D. repens for 24h, and then treated with 100 µM H₂O₂ for 24h. Cell viability, antioxidant parameters of cells, and antioxidant constituents of the extracts were determined. Treatment with limited dose of E-Ex or M-Ex increased the survival rate of H₂O₂-treated HEK293T cells, however the extra-high dose showed growth inhibitory effect. Treatment with E-Ex or M-Ex protected cellular lipid per-oxidation. In vitro analyses showed the 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl and H₂O₂ scavenging activities as well as reducing potential of the extracts. We report here that the limited dose of E-Ex and M-Ex possess antioxidative potential, which can protect H₂O₂-induced oxidative cell damage.     

Automatic Methods for Carotid Contrast-Enhanced Ultrasound Imaging Quantification of Adventitial Vasa Vasorum

Adventitial vasa vasorum are physiologic microvessels that nourish artery walls. In the presence of cardiovascular risk factors, these microvessels proliferate abnormally. Studies have reported that they are the first stage of atheromatous disease. Contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) of the carotid allows direct, quantitative and non-invasive visualization of the adventitial vasa vasorum. Hence, the development of computer-assisted methods that speed image analysis and eliminate user subjectivity is important. We developed methods for automatic analyses and quantification of vasa vasorum neovascularization in CEUS and tested these methods in a cohort of 186 individuals, 63 of whom were healthy volunteers. We implemented alternative automatic strategies for using the images to stratify patients according to their risk group and compare the strategies with respect to diagnostic performance. An automatic single-parameter strategy performs less effectively than the corresponding Arcidiacono method based on manual interpretation of the images (68 < area under the receiver operating characteristic curve [AUROC] for the manual Arcidiacono method < 82; 60 < AUROC for the automatic single-parameter strategy < 63). However, by use of additional image parameters, an automatic multiparameter strategy has significantly improved performance with respect to the manual Arcidiacono method (78 < AUROC < 90). The automatic multiparameter strategy is a valuable alternative to the manual Arcidiacono method, improving both diagnostic speed and diagnostic accuracy.     

Factors that positively or negatively mediate the effects of age on working memory across the adult life span

Working memory abilities significantly decrease with advancing age; hence, the search for factors that may increase or mitigate this decline is critical. Several factors have been identified that influence working memory; however, their effects have been mainly assessed separately and rarely together with other factors in the same sample. We examined 120 variables to search for factors that jointly act as mediators of working memory decay across the adult life span. A sample of 1652 healthy adults was assessed in spatial and verbal working memory domains. Structural equation modeling analyses were conducted to search for potential mediators that intervened between age and working memory. Only 14 and 10 variables reliably mediated spatial and verbal working memory, respectively. Factors from several domains remained in the models, such as individual characteristics, physiological traits, consumption habits, and regular activities. These factors are sufficiently powerful to influence working memory decline when they jointly interact, as in everyday living.     

Assistive technology for communication of older adults: a systematic review

Objective: Describe the use of assistive technology to enhance communication opportunities for older adults.

Methods: A systematic review was conducted in two databases, PubMed and Web of Science, by using two different searches in each. The search was limited to original articles, in English language, including people aged 60 years and older that used any type of assistive technology for communication. The articles found in the initial search were filtered by title, abstracts and the remaining articles were fully read.

Results: Eighteen studies were included in this review after the reading of full-texts. Most of the studies included apparently healthy participants with communication limitations due to aging related changes and the others included people with some pathology that prevent them from normal communication.

Conclusion: Four categories of assistive technology were identified: assistive technology for people with speech problems; robot or videoconferencing systems; Information and Communication Technologies and, other types of assistive technology for communication, such as hearing aids and scrapbooks. Assistive technology for communication of older adults is not only used by people with disabilities that prevent them from usual communication. They are mostly for older adults without a pathological communication problem.