Pediatric craniospinal irradiation with a short partial-arc VMAT technique for medulloblastoma tumors in dosimetric comparison

alexandrossfakianakis shared this article with you from Inoreader Pediatric craniospinal irradiation with a short partial-arc VMAT technique for medulloblastoma tumors in dosimetric comparison Via Radiation Oncology - Latest Articles This study aimed to contrast four different irradiation methods for pediatric medulloblastoma tumors in a dosimetric comparison regarding planning target volume (PTV) coverage and sparing of organs at risk (OA... View on the web Inoreader. Take back control of your news feed. Follow us on Twitter and Facebook.

The record-setting flight of a bat that weighs less than a toothbrush

alexandrossfakianakis shared this article with you from Inoreader The record-setting flight of a bat that weighs less than a toothbrush Via Nature - Issue - nature.com science feeds Nature, Published online: 05 November 2020; doi:10.1038/d41586-020-03103-9 A creature so small that it could fit into a matchbox if it folded its wing made an epic migration. View on the web Inoreader. Take back control of your news feed. Follow us on Twitter and Facebook.

Hairy cell leukemia expresses programmed death-1

alexandrossfakianakis shared this article with you from Inoreader Hairy cell leukemia expresses programmed death-1 Via Blood Cancer Journal - Issue - nature.com science feeds Blood Cancer Journal, Published online: 05 November 2020; doi:10.1038/s41408-020-00384-1 Hairy cell leukemia expresses programmed death-1 View on the web Inoreader. Take back control of your news feed. Follow us on Twitter and Facebook.

An miRNA linked to metabolic disease

alexandrossfakianakis shared this article with you from Inoreader An miRNA linked to metabolic disease Via Nature Medicine - Issue - nature.com science feeds View on the web Inoreader. Take back control of your news feed. Follow us on Twitter and Facebook.

Consistency of variety of machine learning and statistical models in predicting clinical risks of individual patients: longitudinal cohort study using cardiovascular disease as exemplar

alexandrossfakianakis shared this article with you from Inoreader Consistency of variety of machine learning and statistical models in predicting clinical risks of individual patients: longitudinal cohort study using cardiovascular disease as exemplar Via Latest headlines from BMJ AbstractObjectiveTo assess the consistency of machine learning and statistical techniques in predicting individual level and population level risks of cardiovascular disease and the effects of... View on the web Inoreader. Take back control of your news feed. Follow us on Twitter and Facebook.

Afatinib‐induced Erosive Pustular Dermatosis of the Scalp: is there a synergistic effect between EGFR inhibitors and radiotherapy?

alexandrossfakianakis shared this article with you from Inoreader Afatinib‐induced Erosive Pustular Dermatosis of the Scalp: is there a synergistic effect between EGFR inhibitors and radiotherapy? Via Wiley: Dermatologic Therapy: Table of Contents View on the web Inoreader. Take back control of your news feed. Follow us on Twitter and Facebook.

Treatment considerations for Behçet's disease

alexandrossfakianakis shared this article with you from Inoreader Treatment considerations for Behçet's disease in the era of COVID‐19: a narrative review Via Wiley: Dermatologic Therapy: Table of Contents Abstract COVID‐19 is a multisystem disease caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS‐CoV‐2). It has been declared a pandemic by the World Health Organization in March 2020 and the outbreak still keeps its impacts worldwide. Behçet's disease (BD) is a multi‐systemic vasculitis involving the skin, mucosa, eyes, joints, nervous system, cardiovascular system, and gastrointestinal system. The precise etiopathogenesis of the disorder is unknown but autoimmunity is believed to play a key role. A considerable part of patients with BD are susceptible to immunosuppression and are more predisposed to infections than healthy individuals. Hence, the protection and control measures for patients with BD against the COVID‐19 are of the utmost significance. Given the requirement to balance proper treatment of BD with the smallest risk of COVID‐19 associated mortality and morbidity, we aimed to review the management of BD in the era of the pandemic with a special focus on treatment considerations. According to current expert recommendations, there is no reason to discontinue topical treatments, colchicine, and non‐steroidal anti‐inflammatory drugs. Systemic steroids can be used at the lowest possible dose if needed. Ongoing treatments can be continued unchanged in patients with no suspected or confirmed COVID‐19. In cases with COVID‐19 symptoms, immunosuppressive and biological agents can be temporarily stopped but the decision should be made on a case by case basis. Considering their potential beneficial effects on the course of COVID‐19, colchicine, pentoxifylline, and dapsone can be considered as safe treatment options in BD. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved. View on the web Inoreader. Take back control of your news feed. Follow us on Twitter and Facebook.

Dendritic cells as predictive markers of responsiveness to hydroxychloroquine treatment in primary cicatricial alopecia patients

alexandrossfakianakis shared this article with you from Inoreader Dendritic cells as predictive markers of responsiveness to hydroxychloroquine treatment in primary cicatricial alopecia patients Via Wiley: Dermatologic Therapy: Table of Contents Abstract Introduction Primary cicatricial alopecia (PCA) encompasses a diverse group of inflammatory diseases characterized by the irreversible replacement of hair follicle structures by fibrous tissue. Although the pathogenesis of PCA remains not fully understood, the key to its understanding might be the location of dendritic cells (DCs) inflammatory infiltrate. One of the systemic therapy of choice in PCA patients is hydroxychloroquine (HCQ). Objectives We hypothesized that DCs are implicated in PCA pathogenesis and that they might constitute the biological target of HCQ treatment. For these reasons we investigated whether dendritic cells could affect the antimalarial responsiveness, and if dendritic cells might be used as predictive factor of responsiveness to HCQ. Methods In this retrospective cohort study sixty‐five patients diagnosed with PCA were grouped accordingly to their response to hydroxychloroquine therapy. Skin biopsies had been taken before the treatment was started. Cell count was performed on immunohistochemistry by using characteristic monoclonal antibodies to specific subpopulations of dendritic cells. Results In almost every second patient (47,7%) we observed remission of the disease during HCQ treatment. The number of plasmacytoid and myeloid dendritic cells as well as Langerhans cells in lesional skin of HCQ responders was higher in comparison with HCQ non‐responders. Moreover, in a predictive model (ROC curve) we showed that plasmacytoid dendritic cells might be used as a predictive factor of responsiveness to HCQ. Conclusion The results of this study are important as identifying biomarkers for responsiveness to a HCQ therapy will be helpful to individualize treatment and make it more effective. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved. View on the web Inoreader. Take back control of your news feed. Follow us on Twitter and Facebook.

Therapeutic Considerations Related to Stress Levels Associated with Hand Eczema: A Clinico‐Etiological Study

alexandrossfakianakis shared this article with you from Inoreader Therapeutic Considerations Related to Stress Levels Associated with Hand Eczema: A Clinico‐Etiological Study Via Wiley: Dermatologic Therapy: Table of Contents Abstract Introduction Understanding the etiological factors, stress and quality of life have important implications in the management. There is dearth of literature in this subject, assessing the stress levels in hand eczema and disparities exist in results of the available literature. Objectives Primary objective of this study is to assess the clinico‐etiological factors in cases of hand eczema. The secondary objectives include to find any correlation between morphological types and the etiological factors, and to determine the role of stress level in these patients. Materials and methods Patients with hand eczema who attended the outpatient department of our tertiary care institution were enrolled in this descriptive study. Socio‐demographic and clinico‐etiologic data were collected and patch testing of all patients were done. Stress levels were assessed with Perceived stress scale (PSS). Results Among the 62 patients enrolled, allergic contact dermatitis predominated with 37 (59.7%) cases and patch test was positive in 41 (66.1%). Potassium dichromate was the most common allergen in males, and fragrance mix in females. Significant levels of stress were seen in 67.7% of the subjects. There was no significant correlation between morphological subtypes and the identified aetiologies. Conclusion Hand eczema is most commonly due to allergic contact dermatitis, and patch testing is helpful in reaching an etiological diagnosis in most of the cases. A large proportion of patients have high stress levels, and hence stress management should also be a part of treatment in addition to traditional treatment. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved. View on the web Inoreader. Take back control of your news feed. Follow us on Twitter and Facebook.

Rehabilitation Of Occlusal Vertical Dimension In A Patient With Acromegaly: A Clinical Report

alexandrossfakianakis shared this article with you from Inoreader Rehabilitation Of Occlusal Vertical Dimension In A Patient With Acromegaly: A Clinical Report Via Journal of Prosthodontics Abstract Acromegaly is a rare acquired disorder caused by excessive growth hormone production. Dentists play an important role in the diagnosis of this disorder because of intraoral and extraoral symptoms such as extreme growth of the mandible, enlargement of the maxilla, diastema between teeth, a tendency toward malocclusion, a wide and thick nose, a marked malar bone, and thick lips. The prosthetic treatment of these patients is challenging because growth in the condyles and rami can lead to the development of a severe class III jaw relationship. This case report describes the prosthetic treatment of a patient with acromegaly. A decreased occlusal vertical dimension and class III jaw relationship were determined by intraoral and extraoral examinations and cephalometric radiography. The occlusal vertical dimension was reestablished by increasing it approximately 10 mm, as per the esthetic and functional needs of the patient. Four years after treatment, the patient was functioning well, and neither occlusal disharmony nor temporomandibular disorder was observed. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved View on the web Inoreader. Take back control of your news feed. Follow us on Twitter and Facebook.

An Alternative Incorporation Technique for Minimizing Complications in Attachment‐Retained Implant Mandibular Overdentures: Technical Report

alexandrossfakianakis shared this article with you from Inoreader An Alternative Incorporation Technique for Minimizing Complications in Attachment‐Retained Implant Mandibular Overdentures: Technical Report Via Journal of Prosthodontics Abstract The present technical report aimed to display an alternative incorporation method for ball/stud attachments in mandibular implant overdentures to prevent or minimize metal housing debonding and attachment malpositioning. Pre‐coating of metal housings with auto‐polymerizing acrylic resin (AAR) and fabrication of straight AAR bars onto metal housings for optimal parallelism were used as new techniques. The glossy flat surfaces of metal housings (matrices) were sandblasted and pre‐coated with a thin layer of AAR in the laboratory. Straight acrylic resin bars (3 cm long and 3 mm in diameter) were obtained and attached to these flat metal housing surfaces using a surveyor. The metal housings carrying the AAR bars were then placed intraorally onto ball/stud attachments, accurately positioned parallel to each other, and perpendicular to the long axes of implants and bound to the mandibular implant overdentures with AAR. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved View on the web Inoreader. Take back control of your news feed. Follow us on Twitter and Facebook.

Feasibility of human spinal cord perfusion mapping using dynamic susceptibility contrast imaging at 7T: Preliminary results and identified guidelines

alexandrossfakianakis shared this article with you from Inoreader Feasibility of human spinal cord perfusion mapping using dynamic susceptibility contrast imaging at 7T: Preliminary results and identified guidelines Via Magnetic Resonance in Medicine Purpose To explore the feasibility of dynamic susceptibility contrast MRI at 7 Tesla for human spinal cord perfusion mapping and fill the gap between brain and spinal cord perfusion mapping techniques. Methods Acquisition protocols for high‐resolution single shot EPI in the spinal cord were optimized for both spin‐echo and gradient‐echo preparations, including cardiac gating, acquisition times and breathing cycle recording. Breathing‐induced MRI signal fluctuations were investigated in healthy volunteers. A specific image‐ and signal‐processing pipeline was implemented to address them. Dynamic susceptibility contrast was then evaluated in 3 healthy volunteers and 5 patients. Bolus depiction on slice‐wise signal within cord was investigated, and maps of relative perfusion indices were computed. Results Signal fluctuations were increased by 1.9 and 2.3 in free‐breathing compared to apnea with spin‐echo and gradient‐echo, respectively. The ratio between signal fluctuations and bolus peak in healthy volunteers was 5.0% for spin‐echo and 3.8% for gradient‐echo, allowing clear depiction of the bolus on every slice and yielding relative blood flow and volume maps exhibiting the expected higher perfusion of gray matter. However, signal fluctuations in patients were increased by 4 in average (using spin‐echo), compromising the depiction of the bolus in slice‐wise signal. Moreover, 3 of 18 slices had to be discarded because of fat‐aliasing artifacts. Conclusion Dynamic susceptibility contrast MRI at 7 Tesla showed great potential for spinal cord perfusion mapping with a reliability never achieved thus far for single subject and single slice measurements. Signal stability needs to be improved in acquisition conditions associated with patients; guidelines to achieve that have been identified and shared. View on the web Inoreader. Take back control of your news feed. Follow us on Twitter and Facebook.