Virtual reality training for endoscopic surgery: voluntary or obligatory?

INTRODUCTION: Virtual reality (VR) simulators have been developed to train basic endoscopic surgical skills outside of the operating room. An important issue is how to create optimal conditions for integration of these types of simulators into the surgical training curriculum. The willingness of surgical residents to train these skills on a voluntary basis was surveyed. METHODS: Twenty-one surgical residents were given unrestricted access to a VR simulator for a period of four months. After this period, a competitive element was introduced to enhance individual training time spent on the simulator. The overall end-scores for individual residents were announced periodically to the full surgical department, and the winner was awarded a prize. RESULTS: In the first four months of study, only two of the 21 residents (10%) trained on the simulator, for a total time span of 163 minutes. After introducing the competitive element the number of trainees increased to seven residents (33%). The amount of training time spent on the simulator increased to 738 minutes. CONCLUSIONS: Free unlimited access to a VR simulator for training basic endoscopic skills, without any form of obligation or assessment, did not motivate surgical residents to use the simulator. Introducing a competitive element for enhancing training time had only a marginal effect. The acquisition of expensive devices to train basic psychomotor skills for endoscopic surgery is probably only effective when it is an integrated and mandatory part of the surgical curriculu

Radiofrequency ablation and chemotherapy versus chemotherapy alone for locally advanced pancreatic cancer (PELICAN): study protocol for a randomized controlled trial

Quimioteràpia; Càncer de pàncrees localment avançat; Ablació per radiofreqüènciaQuimioterapia; Cáncer de páncreas localmente avanzado; Ablación por radiofrecuenciaChemotherapy; Locally advanced pancreatic cancer; Radiofrequency ablationBackground Approximately 80% of patients with locally advanced pancreatic cancer (LAPC) are treated with chemotherapy, of whom approximately 10% undergo a resection. Cohort studies investigating local tumor ablation with radiofrequency ablation (RFA) have reported a promising overall survival of 26–34 months when given in a multimodal setting. However, randomized controlled trials (RCTs) investigating the effect of RFA in combination with chemotherapy in patients with LAPC are lacking. Methods The “Pancreatic Locally Advanced Unresectable Cancer Ablation” (PELICAN) trial is an international multicenter superiority RCT, initiated by the Dutch Pancreatic Cancer Group (DPCG). All patients with LAPC according to DPCG criteria, who start with FOLFIRINOX or (nab-paclitaxel/)gemcitabine, are screened for eligibility. Restaging is performed after completion of four cycles of FOLFIRINOX or two cycles of (nab-paclitaxel/)gemcitabine (i.e., 2 months of treatment), and the results are assessed within a nationwide online expert panel. Eligible patients with RECIST stable disease or objective response, in whom resection is not feasible, are randomized to RFA followed by chemotherapy or chemotherapy alone. In total, 228 patients will be included in 16 centers in The Netherlands and four other European centers. The primary endpoint is overall survival. Secondary endpoints include progression-free survival, RECIST response, CA 19.9 and CEA response, toxicity, quality of life, pain, costs, and immunomodulatory effects of RFA. Discussion The PELICAN RCT aims to assess whether the combination of chemotherapy and RFA improves the overall survival when compared to chemotherapy alone, in patients with LAPC with no progression of disease following 2 months of systemic treatment.Olympus Netherlands BV supported the investigator-initiated PELICAN trial with material support by providing the RFA generators and electrodes for the study. They did not have and will not have any influence on the trial design, data collection, interpretation of the data, manuscript development, or decision to publish. Furthermore, the study protocol has undergone full external peer review and received a data management and monitoring grant from the Dutch Cancer Society (grant number 2014-7244)

Применение генетического алгоритма в задачах адаптации структур данных

Представлена разработанная схема адаптации структур данных в оперативной памяти. Для поиска адаптированной структуры данных предложено применение генетического алгоритма. Определены его особенности. Для растровых изображений с соответствующими заголовками выполнены экспериментальные исследования временной эффективности адаптированных структур данных, времени сходимости генетического алгоритма и условия целесообразности применения адаптации.Представлена розроблена схема адаптації структур даних в оперативній пам’яті. Для пошуку адаптованої структури даних запропоновано застосування генетичного алгоритму. Визначені його особливості. Для растрових зображень з відповідними заголовками виконані експериментальні дослідження часової ефективності адаптованих структур даних, часу збіжності генетичного алгоритму та умови доцільності застосування адаптації.The developed scheme of data structures adaptation in memory is given. To search for an adapted data structure, genetic algorithm is proposed and its characteristics are defined. For raster images with the appropriate headings, experimental studies of the time efficiency of adapted data structures, the convergence time of the genetic algorithm and conditions for feasibility of adapting are performed

Diagnostic accuracy of large-core needle biopsy for nonpalpable breast disease: a meta-analysis

For the evaluation of non-palpable lesions of the breast, image-guided large-core needle biopsies are increasingly replacing needle-localized open breast biopsies. In this study, the diagnostic accuracy of this minimally invasive technique was evaluated by reviewing the available literature. Five cohort studies were included in a meta-analysis. Sensitivity rate, histological agreement between needle biopsy and subsequent surgery or long-term mammographic follow-up and clinical consequences for different disease prevalences were assessed. The sensitivity rate of large-core needle biopsy for the diagnosis of breast cancer was high (97%). The reclassified agreement rate between core biopsy and subsequent surgical biopsy or long-term mammographic follow-up was also high (94%). In case of 20% breast cancer prevalence among women referred after screening (as in the US), the risk of breast cancer despite benign large-core needle biopsy result is less than 1%. In European countries, however, prevalence of breast cancer among referred women is 60–70%. This would result in a risk of breast cancer despite benign large-core needle biopsy result of 4–6%. The results of this meta-analysis indicate that the image guided large-core needle biopsy is a promising alternative for the needle localized breast biopsy. However, additional research is needed to explore the limiting factors of the technique. Without such detailed knowledge, a benign histological diagnosis on large-core needle biopsy in countries with high prevalence of malignancy among referred women should be interpreted with caution. © 2000 Cancer Research Campaig

Закономерности распределения аномальных концентраций гелия в палеозойских отложениях Донбасса

Підвищені концентрації гелію у вільних і розчинених газах у вугільно-породному масиві Донбасу приурочені до зон зчленування Донбасу з Приазовським і Воронезьким кристалічними масивами і Головної антикліналі. Диз'юнктивні тектонічні порушення глибокого закладення служили, ймовірно, шляхами транзиту гелію від кристалічних порід фундаменту в палеозойські відклади Донбасу, і підвищений вміст гелію може служити індикатором шляхів транзиту газів з глибоких горизонтів Донецького вугільного басейну.Elevated concentrations of helium in free and dissolved gases in coal-rock mass of the Donets Coal Basin are confined to the junction zones of the Donets Coal Basin with the Priazovie and Voronezh crystalline core-areas and Glavnaya (Principal) Anticline. Deep-laid disjunctive dislocations were probably the ways for transit of helium from crystalline basement rocks into Paleozoic deposits of the Basin. Elevated concentrations of helium can also serve as indicators of the ways for transit of gases from deep levels of the Donets Coal Basin

Not the number but the location of lymph nodes matters for recurrence rate and disease-free survival in patients with differentiated thyroid cancer

BACKGROUND: Several Japanese studies have focused on identifying prognostic factors in patients with positive lymph nodes to predict recurrence rate and disease-free survival (DFS). However, different treatment protocol is followed in Japan compared with the European and American approach. This study was designed to investigate whether the number and/or location of lymph nodes predicts prognosis in patients with DTC treated with total thyroidectomy, lymph node dissection, and postoperative radioactive iodine ablation. METHODS: All 402 patients who were treated at the Department of Nuclear Medicine between 1998 and 2010 for DTC were reviewed. Patients were treated with (near) total thyroidectomy, lymph node dissection on indication, and postoperative I-131 ablation. Median follow-up was 49 (range, 10-240) months. Outcome measures were recurrence rate, disease-free survival, and mean time to recurrence. RESULTS: Ninety-seven patients had proven lymph node metastases. Recurrence rate was significantly higher in patients with positive lymph nodes in the lateral compartment vs. patients with lymph node metastasis in the central compartment (60 vs. 30%, p = 0.007). Disease-free survival and mean time to recurrence also were significantly shorter (30 vs. 52 months, p = 0.035 and 7 vs. 44 months, p = 0.004, respectively). The number of lymph nodes and extranodal growth were not significantly associated with the outcome measures used. CONCLUSIONS: The location of positive lymph nodes was significantly correlated with the risk of recurrence and a shorter DFS. Hence, the TNM criteria are useful in subdividing patients based on risk of recurrence and DFS