Measuring the burden of infodemics : summary of the methods and results of the fifth WHO infodemic management conference

Background: An infodemic is excess information, including false or misleading information, that spreads in digital and physical environments during a public health emergency. The COVID-19 pandemic has been accompanied by an unprecedented global infodemic that has led to confusion about the benefits of medical and public health interventions, with substantial impact on risk-taking and health-seeking behaviors, eroding trust in health authorities and compromising the effectiveness of public health responses and policies. Standardized measures are needed to quantify the harmful impacts of the infodemic in a systematic and methodologically robust manner, as well as harmonizing highly divergent approaches currently explored for this purpose. This can serve as a foundation for a systematic, evidence-based approach to monitoring, identifying, and mitigating future infodemic harms in emergency preparedness and prevention. Objective: In this paper, we summarize the Fifth World Health Organization (WHO) Infodemic Management Conference structure, proceedings, outcomes, and proposed actions seeking to identify the interdisciplinary approaches and frameworks needed to enable the measurement of the burden of infodemics. Methods: An iterative human-centered design (HCD) approach and concept mapping were used to facilitate focused discussions and allow for the generation of actionable outcomes and recommendations. The discussions included 86 participants representing diverse scientific disciplines and health authorities from 28 countries across all WHO regions, along with observers from civil society and global public health–implementing partners. A thematic map capturing the concepts matching the key contributing factors to the public health burden of infodemics was used throughout the conference to frame and contextualize discussions. Five key areas for immediate action were identified. Results: The 5 key areas for the development of metrics to assess the burden of infodemics and associated interventions included (1) developing standardized definitions and ensuring the adoption thereof; (2) improving the map of concepts influencing the burden of infodemics; (3) conducting a review of evidence, tools, and data sources; (4) setting up a technical working group; and (5) addressing immediate priorities for postpandemic recovery and resilience building. The summary report consolidated group input toward a common vocabulary with standardized terms, concepts, study designs, measures, and tools to estimate the burden of infodemics and the effectiveness of infodemic management interventions. Conclusions: Standardizing measurement is the basis for documenting the burden of infodemics on health systems and population health during emergencies. Investment is needed into the development of practical, affordable, evidence-based, and systematic methods that are legally and ethically balanced for monitoring infodemics; generating diagnostics, infodemic insights, and recommendations; and developing interventions, action-oriented guidance, policies, support options, mechanisms, and tools for infodemic managers and emergency program managers.peer-reviewe

Zur Integration der funktionellen Magnetresonanztomographie in die navigierte Therapie cerebraler Tumoren

Zusammenfassung Einleitung: Die Kraniotomie mit umfassender Tumorresektion bleibt Therapie der Wahl zur Behandlung von Hirntumoren. Bei der geforderten Radikalität des therapeutischen Vorgehens kommt der präoperativen Lokalisationsdiagnostik eloquenter Hirnareale eine besondere Bedeutung zu. In der vorliegenden Arbeit wird ein Verfahren vorgestellt, daß den präzisen Übertrag der Ergebnisse funktioneller MRT-Studien in die Therapie von Hirntumoren ermöglicht. Desweiteren wird das klinische Potential der fMRT untersucht. In einem hierarchischem System erfolgt die Beurteilung der klinischen Wirksamkeit der Methode zur präoperativen Lokalisationsdiagnostik eloquenter Hirnareale bei Patienten mit Hirntumoren. Methode: Bei 40 Patienten mit supratentoriellen Hirntumoren wurden insgesamt 144 präoperative funktionelle MRT-Studien durchgeführt. Die Bewertung der klinischen Wirksamkeit erfolgte in einem hierarchischem Modell unter Betrachtung der aufgeführten Dimensionen: 1. Ebene: Technische Wirksamkeit 2. Ebene: Wirksamkeit in Bezug auf die diagnostische Genauigkeit 3. Ebene: Wirksamkeit in Bezug auf das diagnostische Denken 4. Ebene: Therapeutische Wirksamkeit 5. Ebene: Wirksamkeit in Bezug auf das Patient-Outcome 6. Ebene: Wirksamkeit in Bezug auf die Gesellschaft Die Ergebnisse der funktionellen MRT-Untersuchungen wurden in ein neurochirurgisches Navigationssystem eingebracht. Intraoperativ besteht für den Operateur die Möglichkeit sich die Lagebeziehung zu den gekennzeichneten Arealen in das Okular des Operationsmikroskop einzuspielen. Ergebnisse: Das geschilderte Verfahren ermöglicht die navigierte Operation von Hirntumoren unter besonderer Berücksichtigung eloquenter- das heißt funktionstragender Hirnareale. Die beschriebene Methode zur Integration der fMRT weist ein hohe Praktikabilität auf. Wie diese Arbeit zeigen konnte, erbringt die fMRT als Methode auch bei Patienten mit Hirntumoren für die klinische Anwendung ausreichend zuverlässige Ergebnisse. Schlussfolgerung: 1. Mit dem geschilderten Verfahren gelingt die zuverlässige Integration von fMRT-Daten in die Therapie von Hirntumoren. 2. Die fMRT ist für den klinischen Einsatz zur präoperativen Lokalisation eloquenter Hirntumoren mit Einschränkungen geeignet.Abstract Introduction: Craniotomy and maximal tumour resection remains the major therapy in patients with brain tumours. Preoperatively it is of great importance to identify eloquent brain areas. In this study we develop a method which allows the precise integration of functional MR-data into the therapy of brain tumours. Additionally we investigated the diagnostic potential of functional MRI in a clinical setting. We were assessing the effectiveness of functional MRI in patients with brain tumours in a hierarchical system. Methods: We performed 122 preoperative, functional MRI studies in 40 patients with supratentorial brain tumours. We evaluated the effectiveness in a hierarchic model. 1. level: technical effectiveness 2. level: diagnostic effectiveness 3. level: diagnostic effectiveness 4. level: therapeutical effectiveness 5. level: patient-outcome 6. level: society The acquired parametric maps were integrated into a neurosurgical navigation system. Intraoperatively the neurosurgeon can have the localisation of functional brain areas displayed within the optical system of the microscope. Conclusion: 1. The described approach allows image guided neurosurgery paying special attention to eloquent brain areas. The method is very practicable and reliable. 2. As we could demonstrate in our work, the functional MRI is sufficiently robust for clinical applicatio

Sirolimus-induced regression of a large orbital lymphangioma.

Microcystic lymphatic malformations are difficult to treat surgically, especially when located in the orbital apex. Recently, pharmacologic inhibition of the mTOR pathway by sirolimus was reported as a safe and efficacious treatment option for lymphatic malformations (also known as lymphangiomas). We report the case of a young male patient in which a unilateral, retrobulbar lymphatic malformation regressed to a large extent under treatment with 1 mg sirolimus given orally twice a day over a period of six months

GDC 360° for the endovascular treatment of intracranial aneurysms: a matched-pair study analysing angiographic outcomes with GDC 3D Coils in 38 patients

International audienceThe purpose of this study was to determine whether coil embolisation with a new complex-shaped Guglielmi Detachable Coil (GDC 360°; Boston Scientific Neurovascular, Fremont, CA, USA) has any effect on the stability of aneurysm occlusion