What can independent research for mesothelioma achieve to treat this orphan disease?

Introduction: Malignant pleural mesothelioma (MPM) is a rare neoplasm with a poor prognosis, as current therapies are ineffective. Despite the increased understanding of the molecular biology of mesothelioma, there is still a lack of drugs that dramatically enhance patient survival.

Area Covered: This review discusses recent and complete clinical trials supported by the NIH, other U.S. Federal agencies, universities and organizations found on clinicaltrials.gov. Firstly, chemotherapy-based trials are described, followed by immunotherapy and multitargeted therapy. Then we introduce drug repositioning and the use of drug docking as tools to find new interesting molecules. Finally, we highlight potential molecular pathways that may play a role in mesothelioma biology and therapy.

Expert Opinion: Numerous biases are present in the clinical trials due to a restricted number of cases, inappropriate endpoints and inaccurate stratification of patients which delay the finding of a treatment for MPM. The most crucial issue of independent research for MPM is the lack of more substantive funding to translate these findings to the clinical setting. However, this approach is not necessarily scientific given the low mutational load of mesothelioma relative to other cancers, and therefore patients need a more solid rationale to have a good chance of successful treatment     

Minimally invasive repair of the mitral valve: Technological and clinical developments

Abstract

The present article will review new technology in the invasive approach to mitral valvular disease. Mitral valve pathology continues to present an important challenge to the cardiac surgeon and interventionalist. From the early days of closed mitral valvular commisurotomy, a number of new approaches to this valve have been developed. Mitral stenosis was previously approached through a minimally invasive beating heart surgical approach, but may now be treated with either catheter-based or open surgical techniques. Regurgitation, which has become the leading pathology of the mitral valve in the developed world, may be approached through traditional cardiac surgery or through catheter-based techniques. New imaging techniques and device innovation will cause drastic changes in therapy for mitral valvular disease in the foreseeable future.     

基于 DEA Malmquist 指数的我国高技术产业创新效率分析

文章选取2006-2012年我国24个省、自治区和直辖市的高技术产业作为决策单元,将技术创新划分为技术创新开发和转化两个阶段,分别对其投入和产出效率进行研究。研究结论如下：从技术创新的两个阶段比较而言,我国高技术产业的技术创新转化阶段的效率值优于技术开发阶段;从地域分布来看,东部地区的技术开发和转化效率总体高于中部和西部地区;从时间序列数据来看,我国高技术产业技术创新两个阶段的Malmquist全要素生产率指数变化均经历了先降后升的过程;从整体发展的视角看,我国目前多数省份的高技术产业创新效率较前些年有较大幅度的提升,但仍有较大的改进空间。     

论庾信文学作品的创新

庾信是我国南北朝时期文学的集大成者。他的文学地位源于其对于文学作品的不断开拓创新。这些创新包括体制创新、主题创新、意境创新以及语言创新四方面。惟其如此,所以后人称其作品“新奇”、“清新”且有“创见”。影响庾信文学作品推陈出新的主要因素有：南北朝政权更迭和庾信个人家庭变故、庾信在南北朝文学交游甚广、南北方自然地理环境与人文景观迥然不同、南北方民族同化与融合等。     

基于微信公众平台的医学科技查新创新服务探讨

基于科技查新服务存在的问题和微信公众平台在信息服务中的应用现状,对广东医学院教育部科技查新工作站开通微信公众平台,探讨微信公众平台在医学科技查新创新服务中的应用,包括自动回复功能、群发功能等,指出存在的不足。     

稳态视觉诱发脑机接口特征提取方法的研究

目的为有效提取稳态视觉诱发脑机接口(SSVEP-based brain-computer interface)中的脑电特征,提出一种基于独立成分分析(independent component analysis,ICA)与希尔伯特黄变换(HilbertHuang transform,HHT)的特征提取方法。方法对采集得到的脑电信号进行带通滤波,得到预处理的脑电信号,将滤波后的脑电信号作为ICA的输入,经过ICA实现独立成分的快速获取。引入HHT对独立成分进行经验模态分解(EMD),分解获取固有模态函数(intrinsic mode function,IMF),通过对IMF的频域分析,即可提取出特征。将ICA和HHT法同WT法、ICA法以及HHT法等常用的特征提取方法在频域、功率谱估计、在时间消耗等多方面进行比对分析。结果频域分析和功率谱估计中,本文提出的方法明显优于WT法和ICA法,略优于HHT法。时间消耗方面,本文提出的方法略优于HHT法。结论基于ICA和HHT的特征提取方法在稳态视觉诱发脑机接口的特征提取中是可行的,并有效去除了脑电信号中的噪声。     

Handgrip Strength and Its Associated Factors among Community-dwelling Elderly in Sri Lanka: A Cross-sectional Study

Purpose

Low muscle strength is central to geriatric physical disabilities and mortality. The purpose of the present study was to examine handgrip strength (HGS) and its associated factors among community-dwelling older people in Sri Lanka.

Nurse-led services in Queensland: A scoping study

Background

Nurse-led services are expanding in Australia, yet current information about the scope and nature of these services is lacking. The need for more coordinated service planning and systematic evaluation prompted a scoping study to inform future development.