Towards High-quality prostate MRI: Frequency and reasons for repeated and extra sequences in prostate MRI examinations

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Guidelines for reporting the quality of clinical case reports in Endodontics: a development protocol.

Case reports are used to communicate interesting, new or rare condition/s, innovative treatment approaches or novel techniques. Apart from informing readers, such information has the potential to contribute towards further scientific studies and the development of newer management modalities. Reporting guidelines are used to inform authors of the quality standards required to ensure their case report is accurate, complete and transparent. The aim of this project is to develop and disseminate new guidelines - Preferred Reporting Items for Case reports in Endodontics (PRICE). The primary aim is to aid authors when constructing case reports in the field of Endodontics to ensure the highest possible reporting standards are adopted. The project leaders (PD and VN) formed a steering committee comprising of six additional members. Subsequently, a four-phase consensus process will be used: 1. Pre-online consensus activities (literature search, creating PRICE guidelines), 2. Online Consensus (Delphi Process), 3. Face-to-face consensus meeting, and 4. Post-meeting activities. The steering committee will develop the PRICE guidelines by identifying relevant items (quality standards) derived from the CAse REport guidelines and Clinical and Laboratory Images in Publications principles, focussing on the content of case reports. Following this, the steering committee will identify a PRICE Delphi Group (PDG) consisting of 30 members including academicians, practitioners, and members of the public. The individual items (components) of the PRICE checklist will be evaluated by the PDG based on a 9-point Likert scale. Only items scored between 7 and 9 by 70% or more members will be included in the draft checklist. The Delphi process will be continued until a consensus is reached and a final set of items agreed by the PDG members. Following this, a PRICE Face-to-Face meeting group (PFMG) will be formed with 20 members to achieve a final consensus. The final consensus-based checklist and flow diagram will be evaluated and approved by selected members of the PDG and PFMG. The approved PRICE checklist will be published in relevant journals, and disseminated via contacts in academic institutions and national endodontic societies, as well as being presented at scientific/clinical meetings. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved

Retinoic Acid Mediates Regulation of Network Formation by COUP-TFII and VE-Cadherin Expression by TGFβ Receptor Kinase in Breast Cancer Cells

Tumor development, growth, and metastasis depend on the provision of an adequate vascular supply. This can be due to regulated angiogenesis, recruitment of circulating endothelial progenitors, and/or vascular transdifferentiation. Our previous studies showed that retinoic acid (RA) treatment converts a subset of breast cancer cells into cells with significant endothelial genotypic and phenotypic elements including marked induction of VE-cadherin, which was responsible for some but not all morphological changes. The present study demonstrates that of the endothelial-related genes induced by RA treatment, only a few were affected by knockdown of VE-cadherin, ruling it out as a regulator of the RA-induced endothelial genotypic switch. In contrast, knockdown of the RA-induced gene COUP-TFII prevented the formation of networks in Matrigel but had no effect on VE-cadherin induction or cell fusion. Two pan-kinase inhibitors markedly blocked RA-induced VE-cadherin expression and cell fusion. However, RA treatment resulted in a marked and broad reduction in tyrosine kinase activity. Several genes in the TGFβ signaling pathway were induced by RA, and specific inhibition of the TGFβ type I receptor blocked both RA-induced VE-cadherin expression and cell fusion. Together these data indicate a role for the TGFβ pathway and COUP-TFII in mediating the endothelial transdifferentiating properties of RA

Evidence-based Kernels: Fundamental Units of Behavioral Influence

This paper describes evidence-based kernels, fundamental units of behavioral influence that appear to underlie effective prevention and treatment for children, adults, and families. A kernel is a behavior–influence procedure shown through experimental analysis to affect a specific behavior and that is indivisible in the sense that removing any of its components would render it inert. Existing evidence shows that a variety of kernels can influence behavior in context, and some evidence suggests that frequent use or sufficient use of some kernels may produce longer lasting behavioral shifts. The analysis of kernels could contribute to an empirically based theory of behavioral influence, augment existing prevention or treatment efforts, facilitate the dissemination of effective prevention and treatment practices, clarify the active ingredients in existing interventions, and contribute to efficiently developing interventions that are more effective. Kernels involve one or more of the following mechanisms of behavior influence: reinforcement, altering antecedents, changing verbal relational responding, or changing physiological states directly. The paper describes 52 of these kernels, and details practical, theoretical, and research implications, including calling for a national database of kernels that influence human behavior

the prevention of chronic diseases through ehealth a practical overview

Disease prevention is an umbrella term embracing individual-based or population-based interventions aimed at preventing the manifestation of diseases (primary prevention), reducing the impact of a disease that has arisen (secondary prevention), or mitigating the impact of an ongoing illness (tertiary prevention). Digital health has the potential to improve prevention of chronic diseases. Its application ranges from effective mHealth weight-loss intervention to prevent or delay the onset of diabetes in overweight adults to the cost-effective intervention on the provision of mental-health care via mobile-based or Internet-based programs to reduce the incidence or the severity of anxiety. The present contribution focuses on the effectiveness of eHealth preventive interventions and on the role of digital health in improving health promotion and disease prevention. We also give a practical overview on how eHealth interventions have been effectively implemented, developed, and delivered for the primary, secondary, and tertiary prevention of chronic diseases

Primary oral malignant melanoma - A case report

Melanoma arising from mucosal surfaces of the head and neck is a very rare neoplasm and it is considered among the most deadly of all human neoplasms. Although skin melanomas comprise 1.3% of all cancers, oral malignant melanoma accounts for only 0.2 to 8% of all reported melanomas, common sites of occurrence being palate and maxillary gingiva. Due to its presence at relatively obscure areas in the oral cavity, most oral malignant melanomas are diagnosed at a late stage and are associated with poor prognosis. Early diagnosis is essential for successful treatment and perhaps the key factor in improving the prognosis of oral malignant melanoma. This paper reports a case of a 42year old woman with primary malignant melanoma at a rare site, the left retromolar region involving the left side of the mandible, up to level IV ipsilateral cervical lymph nodes. The patient was treated with left hemimandibulectomy with radical neck dissection and was followed up for two years and 3months without any local recurrence or distant metastasis. It is suggested that any pigmented lesion that are suspected of undergoing changes in their clinical appearance should be biopsied.Keywords: Malignant melanoma, palate, maxilla, gingiva, oral cavit

A Comparison of Outcomes following Plate versus Pin Fixation of Metacarpal Shaft and Neck Fractures

Background:. The aim of this study is to compare clinical and radiographic outcomes of open reduction and internal fixation versus closed reduction and percutaneous pinning of metacarpal fractures in relation to anatomic and surgical variables. Methods:. Electronic medical records at two institutions were reviewed for patients who underwent surgical intervention for metacarpal fractures. Data were collected from those who underwent reduction and internal fixation with either plates or Kirschner wires (K-wires). Inclusion criteria included minimum postoperative follow-up of 60 days and age 18 years or older. Exclusion criteria included insufficient radiographic data, previously attempted closed reduction with immobilization, pathologic fracture mechanism, history of previous trauma or surgery to the affected bone, and fixation technique other than plate or K-wire. Results:. We reviewed data for patients treated over a 22-year time period. Ultimately, 81 metacarpal shaft and neck fractures in 60 patients met inclusion criteria. Among all metacarpal fractures, complications were present in 39 (48.1%) cases. There were no significant associations between complication prevalence and hardware type. Revision surgery was required in 11 (13.6%) patients; there were no significant associations between revision procedures and hardware type. Postoperatively, all patients with imaging data had radiograph follow-up to assess union status. There was no significant association between time to union and hardware type. Conclusions:. Outcomes showed no significant difference between plate and pin fixation for metacarpal shaft and neck fractures. These findings suggest that surgeons may have flexibility to decide on the type of operative intervention while considering patient-specific factors, such as the need for early mobilization

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