Artificial intelligence for the early detection of colorectal cancer: A comprehensive review of its advantages and misconceptions

Colorectal cancer (CRC) was the second-ranked worldwide type of cancer during 2020 due to the crude mortality rate of 12.0 per 100000 inhabitants. It can be prevented if glandular tissue (adenomatous polyps) is detected early. Colonoscopy has been strongly recommended as a screening test for both early cancer and adenomatous polyps. However, it has some limitations that include the high polyp miss rate for smaller (< 10 mm) or flat polyps, which are easily missed during visual inspection. Due to the rapid advancement of technology, artificial intelligence (AI) has been a thriving area in different fields, including medicine. Particularly, in gastroenterology AI software has been included in computer-aided systems for diagnosis and to improve the assertiveness of automatic polyp detection and its classification as a preventive method for CRC. This article provides an overview of recent research focusing on AI tools and their applications in the early detection of CRC and adenomatous polyps, as well as an insightful analysis of the main advantages and misconceptions in the field.     

Tremor and Quality of Life in Patients With Advanced Essential Tremor Before and After Replacing Their Standard Deep Brain Stimulation With a Directional System

ObjectivesPatients with essential tremor treated with thalamic deep brain stimulation may experience increased tremor with the progression of their disease. Initially, this can be counteracted with increased stimulation. Eventually, this may cause unwanted side-effects as the circumferential stimulation from a standard ring contact spreads into adjacent regions. Directional leads may offer a solution to this clinical problem. We aimed to compare the ability of a standard and a directional system to reduce tremor without side-effects and to improve the quality of life for patients with advanced essential tremor.Materials and MethodsSix advanced essential tremor patients with bilateral thalamic deep brain stimulation had their standard system replaced with a directional system. Tremor rating scale scores were prospectively evaluated before and after the replacement surgery. Secondary analyses of quality of life related to tremor, voice, and general health were assessed.ResultsThere was a significantly greater reduction in tremor without side-effects (p = 0.017) when using the directional system. There were improvements in tremor (p = 0.031) and voice (p = 0.037) related quality of life but not in general health for patients using optimized stimulation settings with the directional system compared to the standard system.ConclusionsIn this cohort of advanced essential tremor patients who no longer had ideal tremor reduction with a standard system, replacing their deep brain stimulation with a directional system significantly improved their tremor and quality of life. Up-front implantation of directional deep brain stimulation leads may provide better tremor control in those patients who progress at a later time point.     

Foreign body granuloma around implantable pulse generator for deep brain stimulation: Two case reports

We report two cases of granuloma that occurred around an implantable pulse generator (IPG) for deep brain stimulation. Both cases showed no signs of infection and disappeared after moving the IPG and removing the granulation. If a noninfectious mass is formed, the relocation of IPG may improve it.     

Stromal vascular fraction improves deep partial thickness burn wound healing

ObjectiveThe practice of early burn wound excision and wound closure by immediate autologous skin or skin substitutes is the preferred treatment in extensive deep partial and full-thickness burns. To date there is no proven definite medical treatment to decrease burn wound size and accelerate burn wound healing in modern clinical practice. Stromal vascular fraction is an autologous mixture that has multiple proven beneficial effects on different kinds of wounds. In our study, we investigated the effects of stromal vascular fraction on deep partial-thickness burn wound healing.MethodsIn this study, 20 Wistar albino rats were used. Inguinal adipose tissue of the rats was surgically removed and stromal vascular fraction was isolated. Thereafter, deep second-degree burns were performed on the back of the rats by hot water. The rats were divided into two groups in a randomized fashion. The therapy group received stromal vascular fraction, whereas the control group received only physiologic serum by intradermal injection. Assessment of the burn wound healing between the groups was carried out by histopathologic and immuno-histochemical data.ResultsStromal vascular fraction increased vascular endothelial growth factor, proliferating cell nuclear antigen index, and reduced inflammation of the burn wound. Furthermore, vascularization and fibroblastic activity were achieved earlier and observed to be at higher levels in the stromal vascular fraction group.ConclusionsStromal vascular fraction improves burn wound healing by increasing cell proliferation and vascularization, reducing inflammation, and increasing fibroblastic activity.     

Effect of subthalamic nucleus deep brain stimulation on balance in Parkinson’s disease: A static posturographic analysis

BackgroundThe effect of subthalamic deep brain stimulation on balance in Parkinson’s disease remains unclear.ObjectiveTo evaluate the effect of subthalamic nucleus stimulation on balance in Parkinson’s disease using posturography.Methods16 patients (9 women) who underwent subthalamic deep brain stimulation [mean age 59.6 years (46–70); mean disease duration 15.6 years (7–25); mean duration of subthalamic stimulation 32.1 months (3.0–69.6)] and 13 healthy age-matched controls were evaluated using a static posturography analysis. Patients were assessed under four conditions: 1) off medication/off stimulation; 2) off medication/on stimulation; 3) on medication/off stimulation and 4) on medication/on stimulation in ten experimental paradigms, some reproducing common situations of daily living. The displacement of the centre of pressure was analyzed using 14 posturographic parameters. The Mann-Whitney test was used to compare patients with controls. The Wilcoxon signed rank test was used to compare patients under different clinical conditions.ResultsPatients off medication/off stimulation showed larger and more rapid displacements of the centre of pressure than controls in most paradigms (p < 0.05), particularly when performing a dual task. Subthalamic stimulation alone reduced the lateral excursion and anterior-posterior velocity of the centre of pressure in quite stance paradigms (p < 0.05). Subthalamic stimulation combined with antiparkinsonian medication did not induce statistically significant changes in posturagraphic measures in any experimental paradigm.ConclusionsAlthough subthalamic stimulation alone may induce some positive effect on balance, subthalamic stimulation in addition to antiparkinsonian medication, which is the usual treatment in clinical practice, did not modify balance as assessed by static posturography in patients with Parkinson’s disease.     

胃癌深层次护理在缓解胃癌患者手术前后焦虑中的效果评价

目的探讨胃癌深层次护理在缓解胃癌患者手术前后焦虑中的效果评价。方法对150例胃癌患者进行术前调查,随机分为试验组80例和对照组70例,对照组采用传统的常规护理方法,试验组通过胃癌深层次护理干预,比较两组干预前后焦虑的发生率、疼痛评分、睡眠质量及术后满意率。结果干预后试验组和对照组重度焦虑发生率分别37.5%和54.3%,差异有统计学意义(P0.05)。护理干预前试验组和对照组疼痛评分比较,差异无统计学意义(P0.05);干预后疼痛评分试验组较对照组低,差异有统计学意义(P0.05)。试验组护理干预后手术当天和术后1周睡眠自测AIS量表评分高于对照组,差异有统计学意义(P0.05)。护理干预后,试验组与对照组满意度比较,差异无统计学意义(P0.05)。结论胃癌患者术前焦虑发生率高,以重度焦虑为主,在常规护理基础上进行胃癌深层次护理干预可减少焦虑发生程度,改善患者睡眠质量,缓解因焦虑产生的疼痛,有利于外科手术治疗的顺利完成。