Does music therapy reduce distress in pediatric oncology patients?

OBJECTIVE: The objective of this selective EBM review is to determine whether or not “Does music therapy reduce distress in pediatric oncology patients?” STUDY DESIGN: A systematic review of three randomized controlled trials (RCTs). All studies were published in English between 2010 and 2017. DATA SOURCES: Three RCTs were obtained from PubMed and published in peer reviewed journals. The studies were chosen based on their relevance to the clinical question and their inclusion of patient-oriented outcomes (POEMS). OUTCOMES MEASURED: In all of the articles used for this review, the main outcome measured was distress reduction. The participants’ level of distress was measured with either the Spielberger State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI), the Kidcope measurement tool, or a behavioral coding form of child affect. Distress levels were reported both before and after the oncology procedure or treatment. RESULTS: In the RCT conducted by Nguyen et al., there was a significant reduction in distress in the music group compared to the control group. The mean difference between groups was calculated to be 1.4. The p-value was \u3c 0.001, making this study statistically significant with a large treatment effect. The RCT conducted by Barry et al. showed a p-value of 0.076 with a NNT of 2 and RBI of 1. This study approached significance with a large treatment effect. In the RCT conducted by Robb et al., the mean difference was 1.07 with a p-value of 0.040, indicating this study to be statistically significant with a large treatment effect. CONCLUSIONS: Statistical significance was found in two of the three RCTs based on the reported p-values. The calculated p-value for one of the RCTs approached statistical significance. The music intervention group in each study showed a large treatment effect in comparison to the control groups. The results of this review suggest that music therapy can reduce distress in pediatric oncology patients. Future studies could be done to improve external validity

Using Machine Learning to Automatically Detect Volcanic Unrest in a Time Series of Interferograms

The latest generation of synthetic aperture radar satellites produce measurements of ground deformation at the majority of the world's subaerial active volcanoes and can be used to detect signs of volcanic unrest. We present an automatic detection algorithm that uses these data to automatically warn when deformation at a volcano departs from the background. We demonstrate our approach on synthetic data sets and the unrest leading to the 2018 eruption of Sierra Negra (Galapagos). Our algorithm encompasses spatial independent component analysis and uses a significantly improved version of the ICASO algorithm, which we term ICASAR, to robustly perform spatial independent component analysis. We use ICASAR to isolate signals of geophysical interest from atmospheric signals, before monitoring the evolution of these signals through time in order to detect the onset of a period of volcanic unrest

Reply to Comments on: "Preventing chemotherapy-induced alopecia: a prospective clinical trial on the efficacy and safety of a scalp cooling system in early breast cancer patients treated with anthracyclines."

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A meta-analysis of alcohol drinking and cancer risk

To evaluate the strength of the evidence provided by the epidemiological literature on the association between alcohol consumption and the risk of 18 neoplasms, we performed a search of the epidemiological literature from 1966 to 2000 using several bibliographic databases. Meta-regression models were fitted considering linear and non-linear effects of alcohol intake. The effects of characteristics of the studies, of selected covariates (tobacco) and of the gender of individuals included in the studies, were also investigated as putative sources of heterogeneity of the estimates. A total of 235 studies including over 117 000 cases were considered. Strong trends in risk were observed for cancers of the oral cavity and pharynx, oesophagus and larynx. Less strong direct relations were observed for cancers of the stomach, colon and rectum, liver, breast and ovary. For all these diseases, significant increased risks were found also for ethanol intake of 25 g per day. No significant nor consistent relation was observed for cancers of the pancreas, lung, prostate or bladder. Allowance for tobacco appreciably modified the relations with laryngeal, lung and bladder cancers, but not those with oral, oesophageal or colorectal cancers. This meta-analysis showed no evidence of a threshold effect for most alcohol-related neoplasms. The inference is limited by absence of distinction between lifelong abstainers and former drinkers in several studies, and the possible selective inclusion of relevant sites only in cohort studies. © 2001 Cancer Research Campaign http://www.bjcancer.co

Evaluación de proyecto inversión ampliación de la capacidad instalada en una empresa metalúrgica

En el presente trabajo final se elaborará un sistema estructurado de análisis para determinar la viabilidad del proyecto de inversión (Compra de dos prensas mecánicas) que pretende realizar la empresa MAXION-MONTICH, en la localidad capital de la provincia de Córdoba. Por ello se realizará un análisis que permita definir la viabilidad y la conveniencia de la inversión. A través de este análisis, se brindará información para la toma de desiciones y mayor certidumbre sobre la proyección de costos beneficios de tal inversión. Presentación del caso: Ampliación de la capacidad instalada de prensas para el estampado en frío en una empresa metalúrgica. La inversión consiste en: Fundación para las prensas. Prensa mecánica 600 (Tn) - Cantidad: 1. Prensa mecánica 1000 (Tn) - Cantidad: 1. Si bien ningún análisis puede garantizar el éxito de la inversión realizada, abordar el problema siguiendo un sistema estructurado de evaluación/análisis aumentará las probabilidades de éxito. En el proyecto se desarrollarán estudios técnicos, legales, económicos, financieros, de gestión y ambientales para realizar la inversión de la mejor forma. La instalación de la Planta de NISSAN, generó un aumento en la demanda de la capacidad de horas estampado. El área de calidad de la automotriz japonesa Nissan aprobó las instalaciones, robots y máquinas de ensamblado en la planta de Santa Isabel, de Grupo Renault. De acuerdo a los estudios realizados para la adquisición de las 2 prensas mecánicas de estampado, se concluye que existen condiciones favorables para realizar el proyecto. Respecto a la estructura organizativa, la empresa cuenta con los recursos humanos necesarios para el desarrollo del proyecto. El estudio técnico demostró que la empresa posee los elementos necesarios para el desarrollo del proyecto, entre ellos el capital necesario. Del estudio del mercado se obtuvo información relevante respecto a la oportunidad para la empresa de ofrecer servicios de estampado de piezas y también la posibilidad en el futuro de expandir las ventas a nuevos clientes. En cuanto a los estudios legales, ambientales y tributarios el proyecto que estudiamos se enfoca en la actividad industrial metalúrgica, área que se encuentra atravesando una profunda crisis. Finalmente, gracias al estudio económico-financiero se pudo construir un flujo de fondos, cuyos resultados arrojan un VAN positivo y una TIR adecuada, lo cual indica que el proyecto presentado inicialmente es aceptable bajo las condiciones definidas.Fil: Bagnardi, Martín Andrés. Universidad Católica de Córdoba. Instituto de Ciencias de la Administración - ICDA; Argentina

Inversion of Surface Deformation Data for Rapid Estimates of Source Parameters and Uncertainties: A Bayesian Approach

New satellite missions (e.g., the European Space Agency's Sentinel‐1 constellation), advances in data downlinking, and rapid product generation now provide us with the ability to access space‐geodetic data within hours of their acquisition. To truly take advantage of this opportunity, we need to be able to interpret geodetic data in a prompt and robust manner. Here we present a Bayesian approach for the inversion of multiple geodetic data sets that allows a rapid characterization of posterior probability density functions (PDFs) of source model parameters. The inversion algorithm efficiently samples posterior PDFs through a Markov chain Monte Carlo method, incorporating the Metropolis‐Hastings algorithm, with automatic step size selection. We apply our approach to synthetic geodetic data simulating deformation of magmatic origin and demonstrate its ability to retrieve known source parameters. We also apply the inversion algorithm to interferometric synthetic aperture radar data measuring co‐seismic displacements for a thrust‐faulting earthquake (2015 Mw 6.4 Pishan earthquake, China) and retrieve optimal source parameters and associated uncertainties. Given its robustness and rapidity in estimating deformation source parameters and uncertainties, our Bayesian framework is capable of taking advantage of real‐time geodetic measurements. Thus, our approach can be applied to geodetic data to study magmatic, tectonic, and other geophysical processes, especially in rapid‐response operational settings (e.g., volcano observatories). Our algorithm is fully implemented in a MATLAB®‐based software package (Geodetic Bayesian Inversion Software) that we make freely available to the scientific community

Analysis of local and regional recurrences in breast cancer after conservative surgery

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Biopsy of liver metastasis for women with breast cancer: Impact on survival

Abstract Background Biopsy of metastatic site of disease can influence treatment decisions, but its impact on survival remains uncertain. Patients and methods One-hundred patients with first metachronous liver metastases (LM) from breast cancer (BC) who underwent liver biopsy between 1999 and 2009 were identified. One-hundred matched control patients with LM from BC and no biopsy were selected. Results Liver biopsy had no statistically significant impact on survival when comparing biopsied patients to controls [HR 0.82 (95% CI 0.58–1.16)]. Patients with early metastasis (within 3 years) undergoing liver biopsy had a better survival [HR 0.60 (95% CI 0.38–0.97)] compared to those who did not. Liver biopsy had no statistically significant impact on survival in patients with late LM (after 3 years) [HR 1.09 (95% CI 0.69–1.74)]. We observed that 18 out of 100 biopsied patients (18.0%) had a conversion of predictive factors which allowed adjusting for therapy, specifically new expression of ER ( n = 5), overexpression of HER2 ( n = 12) or both ( n = 1). Fourteen out of 18 (77.8%) received anti-HER2 treatment for the first time at the time of metastasis and 3 others (16.7%) received hormone therapy. Those 18 patients showed a better survival compared to the other 82 biopsied patients [HR 0.55 (95% CI 0.28–1.10)] and compared to the 13 biopsied patients with disappearance of features which predicted responsiveness to a given treatment [HR 0.19 (95% CI 0.06–0.62)]. Conclusions Liver biopsy can impact survival of patients with early metastases from BC. Discordance between primary and distant lesions can offer the patients new treatment options