A rapid method for obtaining linkage group IV double mutant stocks

Obtaining linkage group IV double mutant stock

Intergenic mapping by a sorbose selection technique.

Intergenic mapping by a sorbose selection technique

Growth inhibition by DMSO

Growth inhibition by DMS

Revertibility of me-1 alleles

Revertibility of me-1 allele

There is still room for improvement in the completeness of abstract reporting according to the PRISMA-A checklist: a cross-sectional study on systematic reviews in periodontology

Background: To evaluate the completeness of reporting abstracts of systematic reviews (SRs) before and after the publication of the PRISMA-A checklist in 2013 and to assess if an association exists between abstract characteristics and the completeness of reporting. / Methods: A systematic search of the literature was conducted in the PubMed and Scopus databases in March 2020. The search focused on the SRs of evaluations of interventions published since 2002 in the field of periodontology. The abstracts of the selected SRs were divided into two groups before and after publication of the PRISMA-A checklist in 2013, and compliance with the 12 items reported in the checklist was evaluated by three calibrated evaluators. / Results: A set of 265 abstracts was included in the study. The total score before (mean score, 53.78%; 95% CI, 51.56–55.90%) and after (mean score, 56.88%; 95% CI, 55.39–58.44%) the publication of the PRISMA-A statement exhibited a statistically significant improvement (P = 0.012*). Nevertheless, only the checklist items included studies and synthesis of the results displayed a statistically significant change after guideline publication. The total PRISMA-A score was higher in the meta-analysis group and in articles authored by more than four authors. / Conclusions: The impact of the PRISMA-A was statistically significant, but the majority of the items did not improve after its introduction. The editors and referees of periodontal journals should promote adherence to the checklist to improve the quality of the reports and provide readers with better insight into the characteristics of published studies

The effect of maxillary protraction, with or without rapid palatal expansion, on airway dimensions: A systematic review and meta-analysis

Aim The use of maxillary protraction appliances (MPAs) and Facemask (FM), with or without a rapid maxillary expansion (RME), have become a routine orthopaedic treatment procedure for the treatment of Class III in growing individuals; several authors have suggested that maxillary protraction could have a positive impact on airway dimensions. The purpose of this systematic review and meta- analysis was to assess the efficacy of maxillary protraction appliances (MPAs), with or without a rapid maxillary expansion (RME), on airway dimensions in children in mixed or early permanent dentition. Methods An electronic search was performed on PubMed, Medline, Scopus, The Cochrane Library, EMBASE and the System for Information on Grey Literature in Europe until November 30th, 2019. The Newcastle-Ottawa (NOS) scale was used to assess the studies’ quality. Review Manager 5.3 (provided by the Cochrane Collaboration) was used to synthesize the effects on airway dimensions. Results After full text assessment, 8 studies were included in the qualitative and quantitative synthesis. NOS scores ranged 6 to 9 indicating high quality. The effects of two therapeutic protocols were compared, treatment with MPAs only (113 subjects treated - 65 controls) and the treatment with MPAs + RME (137 subjects treated-87 controls). The MPAs only treatment group displayed a significantly increase in nasopharyngeal airway dimension at PNS-AD1 (random: mean difference, 1.39 mm, 95% CI, 0.32 mm, 2.47 mm, p= 0.01) and at PNS-AD2 (random: mean difference, 1.70 mm, 95% CI, 1.14 mm, 2.26 mm, p= 0.00001). No statistically significant changes were found post treatment in MPAs + RME treatment groups at PNS-AD1 (P= 0.15), PNS-AD2 (P= 0.17), McNamara’s upper pharynx (MPAs + RME P= 0.05, MPAs P= 0.99) and McNamara lower pharynx (MPAs + RME P= 0.25, MPAs P= 0.40). Conclusion MPAs only treatment can increase the pharyngeal thickness after treatment both at PNS-A1 and PNS-AD2. MPA+ RME had no effect on sagittal widths compared with controls, but the effect on the transverse dimension could not be assessed

Bibliometric analysis in paediatric dental journals listed in journal citation reports. Current trends

Aim The aim of this study was to analyse articles published in paediatric dental journals included in Journal Citation Reports (JCR), to determine current trends in paediatric publishing. Methods Articles included in paediatric dentistry journals in 2020 JCR were selected, published during the period 2008– 2020. After applying inclusion criteria, author-based parameters (article title, first author’s name, institution, sex and number of authors, number of affiliations, first/last author’s origin and geographic origin), and article-based parameters (article type, main topic, research design) were registered for each article. Results A total of 3,027 articles were analysed. The percentage of female authors showed an increasing positive tendency over the decade and the top producing country was the USA (16.5%). Dental surgery was the most recurrent topic (23.4%). Regarding the origin of the first author’s affiliation, 51% proceeded from the paediatric dentistry departments belonging to public institutions, with a decreasing trend in non-academic/ private affiliations. Positive and negative correlations exist between citation count and other variables. Conclusions International Journal of Paediatric Dentistry, Journal of Clinical Pediatric Dentistry, European Journal of Paediatric Dentistry and Pediatric Dentistry were the four main journals in terms of production volume, USA being the most productive country. The most recurrent topic was dental surgery, and the most common design was observational studies. Study design, geographic origin of the articles, article type and main subject of the article might predict citation.Odontologí

MicroRNA-21 Expression as a Prognostic Biomarker in Oral Cancer: Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Oral carcinoma represents one of the main carcinomas of the head and neck region, with a 5-year survival rate of less than 50%. Smoking and tobacco use are recognized risk factors. Prognostic survival biomarkers can be a valid tool for assessing a patient’s life expectancy and directing therapy towards specific targets. Among the biomarkers, the alteration of miR-21 expression in tumor tissues is increasingly reported as a valid prognostic biomarker of survival for oral cancer. The purpose of this meta-analysis was, therefore, to investigate and summarize the results in the literature concerning the potential prognostic expression of tissue miR-21 in patients with OSCC. Methods: The systematic review was conducted following the PRISMA guidelines using electronic databases, such as PubMed, Scopus, and the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, with the use of combinations of keywords, such as miR-21 AND oral cancer, microRNA AND oral cancer, and miR-21. The meta-analysis was performed using the RevMan 5.41 software. Results: At the end of the article-selection process, 10 studies were included in the meta-analysis, and the result for the main outcome was a pooled HR per overall survival (OS) of 1.29 (1.16–1.44) between high and low expression of miR-21. Conclusions: The data in the literature and the results emerging from the systematic review indicate that miR-21 can provide a prognostic indication in oral cancer

The Prognostic Role of miR-31 in Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma: Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis with Trial Sequential Analysis

Background: Head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) is the sixth most common cancer worldwide with high recurrence, metastasis, and poor treatment outcome. Prognostic survival biomarkers can be a valid tool for assessing a patient’s life expectancy and directing therapy toward specific targets. Recent studies have reported microRNA (miR) might play a critical role in regulating different types of cancer. The main miR used as a diagnostic and prognostic biomarker and reported in the scientific literature for HNSCC is miR-21. Other miRs have been investigated to a lesser extent (miR-99a, miR-99b, miR-100, miR-143, miR-155, miR-7, miR-424, miR-183), but among these, the one that has attracted major interest is the miR-31. Methods: The systematic review was conducted following the PRISMA guidelines using electronic databases, such as PubMed, Scopus, and the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, with the use of combinations of keywords, such as miR-31 AND HNSCC, microRNA AND HNSCC, and miR-31. The meta-analysis was performed using the RevMan 5.41 software (Cochrane Collaboration, Copenhagen, Denmark). Results: This search produced 721 records, which, after the elimination of duplicates and the application of the inclusion and exclusion criteria, led to 4 articles. The meta-analysis was conducted by applying fixed-effects models, given the low rate of heterogeneity (I2 = 40%). The results of the meta-analysis report an aggregate hazard ratio (HR) for the overall survival (OS), between the highest and lowest miR-31 expression, of 1.59, with the relative intervals of confidence (1.22 2.07). Heterogeneity was evaluated through Chi2 = 5.04 df = 3 (p = 0.17) and the Higgins index I2 = 40; testing for the overall effect was Z = 3.44 (p = 0.00006). The forest plot shows us a worsening HR value of OS, in relation to the elevated expression of miR-31. Conclusions: In conclusion, the data resulting from the current meta-analysis suggest that miR-31 is associated with the prognosis of patients with HNSCC and that elevated miR-31 expression could predict a poor prognosis in patients with this type of neoplasm

Quality of life in women diagnosed with breast cancer after a 12-month treatment of lifestyle modifications

Healthy lifestyles are associated with better health-related quality of life (HRQoL), favorable prognosis and lower mortality in breast cancer (BC) survivors. We investigated changes in HRQoL after a 12-month lifestyle modification program in 227 BC survivors participating in DEDiCa trial (Mediterranean diet, exercise, vitamin D). HRQoL was evaluated through validated questionnaires: EQ-5D-3L, EORTC-QLQ-C30 and EORTC QLQ-BR23. Baseline changes were tested using analysis of variance. Multiple regression analyses were performed to assess treatment effects on HRQoL. Increases were observed in global health status (p < 0.001), physical (p = 0.003), role (p = 0.002) and social functioning (p < 0.001), body image (p < 0.001), future perspective (p < 0.001), well-being (p = 0.001), and reductions in fatigue (p < 0.001), nausea and vomiting (p = 0.015), dyspnea (p = 0.001), constipation (p = 0.049), financial problems (p = 0.012), sexual functioning (p = 0.025), systematic therapy side effects (p < 0.001) and breast symptoms (p = 0.004). Multiple regression analyses found inverse associations between changes in BMI and global health status (p = 0.048) and between serum 25(OH)D levels and breast symptoms (p = 0.002). A healthy lifestyle treatment of traditional Mediterranean diet and exercise may impact positively on HRQoL in BC survivors possibly through reductions in body weight while vitamin D sufficiency may improve BC-related symptoms. These findings are relevant to BC survivors whose lower HRQoL negatively affects treatment compliance and disease outcomes