Accuracy of the ABC/2 score for intracerebral hemorrhage: systematic review and analysis of MISTIE, CLEAR-IVH, and CLEAR III

Background and Purpose: The ABC/2 score estimates intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) volume, yet validations have been limited by small samples and inappropriate outcome measures. We determined accuracy of the ABC/2 score calculated at a specialized reading center (RC-ABC) or local site (site-ABC) versus the reference-standard computed tomography–based planimetry (CTP). p>Methods:In Minimally Invasive Surgery Plus Recombinant Tissue-Type Plasminogen Activator for Intracerebral Hemorrhage Evacuation-II (MISTIE-II), Clot Lysis Evaluation of Accelerated Resolution of Intraventricular Hemorrhage (CLEAR-IVH) and CLEAR-III trials. ICH volume was prospectively calculated by CTP, RC-ABC, and site-ABC. Agreement between CTP and ABC/2 was defined as an absolute difference up to 5 mL and relative difference within 20%. Determinants of ABC/2 accuracy were assessed by logistic regression. Results: In 4369 scans from 507 patients, CTP was more strongly correlated with RC-ABC (r2=0.93) than with site-ABC (r2=0.87). Although RC-ABC overestimated CTP-based volume on average (RC-ABC, 15.2 cm3; CTP, 12.7 cm3), agreement was reasonable when categorized into mild, moderate, and severe ICH (κ=0.75; P Conclusions: ABC/2 scores at local or central sites are sufficiently accurate to categorize ICH volume and assess eligibility for the CLEAR-III and MISTIE III studies and moderately accurate for change in ICH volume. However, accuracy decreases with large, irregular, or lobar clots.</p

Diagnosis and treatment of cervical cancer during pregnancy

CONTEXT AND OBJECTIVE: One third of all cervical carcinomas occur during the reproductive period. Cervical carcinoma is the second greatest cause of death due to cancer during this phase. The estimated frequency of cervical cancer during pregnancy is one case for every 1,000 to 5,000 pregnancies. The aim here was to provide information about the difficulties in diagnosing and managing cervical neoplasia during pregnancy. MATERIALS: A systematic review of the literature was undertaken through the PubMed, Cochrane, Excerpta Medica (Embase), Literatura Latino Americana e do Caribe em Ciências da Saúde (Lilacs) and Scientific Electronic Library Online (SciELO) databases, using the following words: pregnancy, cervical cancer, diagnosis and management. RESULTS: There was a consensus in the literature regarding diagnosis of cervical carcinoma and management of preneoplastic lesions during pregnancy. However, for management of invasive carcinoma, there was great divergence regarding the gestational age taken as the limit for observation rather than immediate treatment. CONCLUSION: All patients with cytological abnormalities should undergo colposcopy, which will indicate and guide biopsy. Conization is reserved for patients with suspected invasion. High-grade lesions should be monitored during pregnancy and reevaluated after delivery. In cases of invasive carcinoma detected up to the 12th week of pregnancy, patient treatment is prioritized. Regarding diagnoses made during the second trimester, fetal pulmonary maturity can be awaited, and the use of chemotherapy to stabilize the disease until the time of delivery appears to be viable.CONTEXTO E OBJETIVO: Um terço dos carcinomas de colo ocorrem no período reprodutivo, sendo que esta é a segunda causa de morte por câncer nessa fase. A freqüência estimada do carcinoma de colo uterino na gravidez é de um caso para cada 1.000 a 5.000 gestações. O objetivo foi informar sobre as dificuldades frente ao diagnóstico e manejo da neoplasia cervical durante a gravidez. MATERIAIS E MÉTODOS: Revisão sistemática da literatura foi realizada no PubMed, Cochrane, Excerpta Medica (Embase), Literatura Latino Americana e do Caribe em Ciências da Saúde (Lilacs) and Scientific Electronic Library Online (SciELO), usando as seguintes palavras: gestação, câncer cervical, diagnóstico e manejo. RESULTADOS: A literatura apresenta consenso quanto ao diagnóstico do carcinoma cervical e a conduta das lesões pré-neoplásicas durante a gestação. No manejo do carcinoma invasor há grande divergência quanto à idade gestacional considerada como limite para a adoção da observação em vez do tratamento imediato. CONCLUSÃO: Toda paciente com citologia alterada deve realizar colposcopia, a qual indicará e a biópsia. A conização é reservada para pacientes com suspeita de invasão. As lesões de alto grau devem ser acompanhadas durante a gestação e reavaliadas após o parto. Em casos de carcinoma invasor em gestantes com até 12 semanas o tratamento da paciente é priorizado. Nos diagnósticos ocorridos no segundo trimestre, pode-se aguardar a maturidade pulmonar fetal e o uso da quimioterapia para estabilizar a doença até o momento do parto parece ser viável

Similar Intracellular Peptide Profile of TAP1/β2 Microglobulin Double-Knockout Mice and C57BL/6 Wild-Type Mice as Revealed by Peptidomic Analysis

Cells produce and use peptides in distinctive ways. In the present report, using isotope labeling plus semi-quantitative mass spectrometry, we evaluated the intracellular peptide profile of TAP1/β2m−/− (transporter associated with antigen-processing 1/ß2 microglobulin) double-knockout mice and compared it with that of C57BL/6 wild-type animals. Overall, 92 distinctive peptides were identified, and most were shown to have a similar concentration in both mouse strains. However, some peptides showed a modest increase or decrease (~2-fold), whereas a glycine-rich peptide derived from the C-terminal of neurogranin (KGPGPGGPGGAGGARGGAGGGPSGD) showed a substantial increase (6-fold) in TAP1/β2m−/− mice. Thus, TAP1 and β2microglobulin have a small influence on the peptide profile of neuronal tissue, suggesting that the presence of peptides derived from intracellular proteins in neuronal tissue is not associated with antigens of the class I major histocompatibility complex. Therefore, it is possible that these intracellular peptides play a physiological role