Lycium barbarum polysaccharide fraction associated with photobiomodulation protects from epithelium thickness and collagen fragmentation in a model of cutaneous photodamage

Lasers in Medical Science - Ultraviolet radiation (UVR) is the major etiologic agent of cutaneous photoaging, and different strategies are used to prevent and treat this condition. The...     

Effect of photobiomodulation therapy on the proliferation phase and wound healing in rats fed with an experimental hypoproteic diet

Lasers in Medical Science - Photobiomodulation therapy (PBMT) has been indicated for enforcement on healing skin wounds. This study evaluated the effects of PBMT on the healing of skin wounds...     

Early and late paternal contribution to cell division of embryos in a time-lapse imaging incubation system

The objective of this study was to investigate the impact of male age, semen quality and days of ejaculatory abstinence on embryo morphokinetics. A total of 1,220 zygotes obtained from 139 couples in a private in vitro fertilisation centre were analysed. The timing of specific events from the point of insemination, such as timings to pronuclei appearance and fading, to two, three, four, five, six, seven and eight cells and to blastulation were recorded. Multivariate linear regression analysis was used to evaluate the influence of paternal factors on embryo morphokinetic events. Paternal age was positively correlated with delayed cell cleavage and blastulation, and negatively associated with implantation rate, and clinical pregnancy and live–birth chances. The ejaculatory abstinence was inversely correlated with the implantation rate. Inverse relationships were observed between semen parameters (sperm count, progressive sperm motility, total motile sperm count and morphology) and the timing of specific events during embryo development. Sperm morphology was also positively associated with implantation rate and pregnancy and live–birth chances. Increased paternal age and ejaculatory abstinence, and poor semen quality correlate with delayed cell cleavage and blastulation and negatively impact intracytoplasmic sperm injection outcomes.     

Extent of resection in diffuse low-grade gliomas and the role of tumor molecular signature—a systematic review of the literature

Neurosurgical Review - There is a lack of class I evidence concerning the impact of surgery in the treatment of diffuse low-grade glioma; the early maximal resection with preservation of eloquent...     

Infection by CagA-Positive Helicobacter pylori Strains and Bone Fragility: A Prospective Cohort Study

Helicobacter pylori (HP) infection is a common and persistent disorder acting as a major cofactor for the development of upper gastrointestinal diseases and several extraintestinal disorders including osteoporosis. However, no prospective study assessed the effects of HP on bone health and fracture risk. We performed a HP screening in a population-based cohort of 1149 adults followed prospectively for up to 11 years. The presence of HP infection was assessed by serologic testing for serum antibodies to HP and the cytotoxin associated gene-A (CagA). The prevalence of HP infection did not differ among individuals with normal bone mineral density (BMD), osteoporosis, and osteopenia. However, HP infection by CagA-positive strains was significantly increased in osteoporotic (30%) and osteopenic (26%) patients respect to subjects with normal BMD (21%). Moreover, anti-CagA antibody levels were significantly and negatively associated with lumbar and femoral BMD. Consistent with these associations, patients affected by CagA-positive strains had a more than fivefold increased risk to sustain a clinical vertebral fracture (HR 5.27; 95% CI, 2.23–12.63; p < .0001) and a double risk to sustain a nonvertebral incident fracture (HR 2.09; 95% CI, 1.27–2.46; p < .005). Reduced estrogen and ghrelin levels, together with an impaired bone turnover balance after the meal were also observed in carriers of CagA-positive HP infection. HP infection by strains expressing CagA may be considered a risk factor for osteoporosis and fractures. Further studies are required to clarify in more detail the underlying pathogenetic mechanisms of this association. © 2020 American Society for Bone and Mineral Research (ASBMR).     

The Liver Retransplantation Risk Score: a prognostic model for survival after adult liver retransplantation

High-risk combinations of recipient and graft characteristics are poorly defined for liver retransplantation (reLT) in the current era. We aimed to develop a risk model for survival after reLT using data from the European Liver Transplantation Registry, followed by internal and external validation. From 2006 to 2016, 85 067 liver transplants were recorded, including 5581 reLTs (6.6%). The final model included seven predictors of graft survival: recipient age, model for end-stage liver disease score, indication for reLT, recipient hospitalization, time between primary liver transplantation and reLT, donor age, and cold ischemia time. By assigning points to each variable in proportion to their hazard ratio, a simplified risk score was created ranging 0–10. Low-risk (0–3), medium-risk (4–5), and high-risk (6–10) groups were identified with significantly different 5-year survival rates ranging 56.9% (95% CI 52.8–60.7%), 46.3% (95% CI 41.1–51.4%), and 32.1% (95% CI 23.5–41.0%), respectively (P < 0.001). External validation showed that the expected survival rates were closely aligned with the observed mortality probabilities. The Retransplantation Risk Score identifies high-risk combinations of recipient- and graft-related factors prognostic for long-term graft survival after reLT. This tool may serve as a guidance for clinical decision-making on liver acceptance for reLT.     

Quality of life outcomes after minimally invasive repair of pectus excavatum utilizing a new set of metallic bars and stabilizers

Background/PurposeThe aim of the study was to evaluate the postoperative quality of life (QoL) of patients who underwent minimally invasive repair of pectus excavatum (MIRPE) with a newly designed bar and bar stabilizers.MethodsWe conducted a prospective randomized study in which patients were operated either with standard perpendicular stabilizers (control group) or with the newly designed oblique stabilizers (intervention group). All patients were evaluated 6 months after the operation with the Pectus Excavatum Evaluation Questionnaire (PEEQ).ResultsThere were 16 patients in the control group and 14 in the intervention group. Mean age was 17 (SD: 3.3, range 14–27) years. There were no demographic differences between groups. Two patients in the control group and one in the intervention group were repaired with two bars instead of one. There was one reoperation in each group. There was a significant difference between the pre- and postoperative scores, in both groups, in the patient body image domain (control group: 9.5 to 3; p < 0.01; intervention group 10 to 3; p < 0.01), as well as in the psychosocial domain (control group: 13.5 to 24, p < 0.01; intervention group: 15 to 24, p < 0.01). With regards to the patients' perception of physical difficulties before and after MIRPE, the difference between pre- and postoperative scores was greater in the intervention group (8 to 12, p < 0.01) than in the control group (10 to 11, p = 0.04). The mean length of stay was 4.5 and 5 days in the intervention group and the control group, respectively.ConclusionOur study showed that patients who underwent MIRPE with the newly designed bars and stabilizers had non-inferior outcomes than patients reported in the literature who underwent MIRPE with standard bars and stabilizers. We found slightly better outcomes in patients in the intervention group compared to the control group, but larger studies will be needed to confirm if those differences are statistically significant.Level of evidenceII     

Donor Choriocarcinoma Transmission From Solid Organ Transplantation: A Case Report

Transplantation of any organ has some inherent risk of disease transmission, such as infection and malignancy. The present study aims to describe 2 cases of choriocarcinoma transmission after kidney and liver transplantation originating from the same patient. The donor was a 17-year-old woman who died of cerebral hemorrhage. Both organ recipients died of metastatic choriocarcinoma few months after the transplantation, within days after starting chemotherapy. Retrospective hCG (human chorionic gonadotropin hormone) analysis in donor's blood stored at the time of donation had a result of 9324 mIU/mL. Despite its rarity, clinicians should be aware of the risk of transplant-related choriocarcinoma from female donors in childbearing age. In some cases, hCG dosage should be performed before donation.