The Financial Economics of White Precious Metals - A Survey

This article provides a review of the academic literature on the financial economics of silver, platinum and palladium. The survey covers the findings on a wide variety of topics relation to the White Precious Metals including Market Efficiency, Forecastability, Behavioral Findings, Diversification Benefits, Volatility Drivers, Macroeconomic Determinants, and their relationships with other assets

A bibliometric review of financial market integration literature

We undertake a meta-literature review on the topic of financial market integration (FMI), covering 260 articles from 1981 to 2021. Our review consists of quantitative analysis of bibliometric citations concomitant with qualitative analysis of content, towards a goal of identifying primary research streams and proposing directions for future research. We identify five research groups: (1) portfolio diversification with financial market integration; (2) general equity market integration; (3) financial market linkage with respect to crises and events; (4) time-varying financial market integration; and (5) co-movements and spillovers between commodities and financial markets; as well as present a wide array of future research directions. We conduct an extensive review of FMI literature, answering several questions: (1) What is the domain of FMI research?; (2) What are the influential aspects of top journals and authors, and the characteristics of the most studied topics?; (3) What are the past and current key research streams in FMI literature?; and (4) What are the substantial future relevant research questions to explore regarding FMI? Given the ongoing attention on financial market integration by both academicians and policy makers, our results should be of great interest

The Hitting Times with Taboo for a Random Walk on an Integer Lattice

For a symmetric, homogeneous and irreducible random walk on d-dimensional integer lattice Z^d, having zero mean and a finite variance of jumps, we study the passage times (with possible infinite values) determined by the starting point x, the hitting state y and the taboo state z. We find the probability that these passages times are finite and analyze the tails of their cumulative distribution functions. In particular, it turns out that for the random walk on Z^d, except for a simple (nearest neighbor) random walk on Z, the order of the tail decrease is specified by dimension d only. In contrast, for a simple random walk on Z, the asymptotic properties of hitting times with taboo essentially depend on the mutual location of the points x, y and z. These problems originated in our recent study of branching random walk on Z^d with a single source of branching

Gamma Knife stereotactic radiosurgery for intraocular retinoblastoma: a 5-year experience

External beam radiotherapy (EBR) remained for a long time the only method of treatment in children with recurrent and resistant retinoblastoma (RB). This method often leads to serious complications, including the occurrence of secondary malignant tumors. Currently, EBR is used as second-line (salvage) therapy. There is no data in the literature of using Gamma Knife stereotactic radiosurgery (GKRS) in RB treatment.Purpose. To present 5-year experience of using GKRS in patients with RB.Material and methods. 16 children (17 eyes) were treated using GKRS in the period from 2015 to 2019. Mean patient age was 34.7 months (range, 12–114 months). The eyes were classified as group B (n=4), C (n=1), D (n=12). 3 children had the last eye. All patients received systemic and local chemotherapy, all types of local treatment modalities before using GKRS. Recurrent and resistant RB was the indication for GKRS. Marginal 50% mean dose was 22 Gу (range, 20–24 Gу), depending on tumour type and location. Radiation doses were evaluated accounting critical eye structures and the orbit bones.Results. Complete regression was achieved in 11 patients, partial in 2. Four patients underwent enucleation after GKRS. Indications for enucleation were retinoblastoma recurrence (n=2) and vitreous hemorrhage with total retinal detachment (n=2). 13 eyes were salvaged with no signs of keratopathy, uveitis or damage of orbital and surrounding tissues during mean follow-up 30.6 months (range, 7–60 months). Сomplications of different severity occurred in 13 patients, including vitreous hemorrhage in 6 patients, which was successfully treated both conservative (n=3) and using pars plana vitrectomy with simultaneous melphalan irrigation (n=3).Conclusion. The first experience of GKRS as an alternative to enucleation in patients with RB was proved to be reasonable and successful

НОВЫЙ ВЕКТОР В ПРЕПОДАВАНИИ ФТИЗИАТРИИ СТУДЕНТАМ-ПЕДИАТРАМ

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Retinoblastoma seeds: Impact on American Joint Committee on Cancer clinical staging

Aim To investigate whether the American Joint Committee on Cancer (AJCC) clinical category cT2b needs to be subclassified by the type and distribution of retinoblastoma (RB) seeding. Methods Multicentre, international registry-based data were collected from RB centres enrolled between January 2001 and December 2013. 1054 RB eyes with vitreous or subretinal seeds from 18 ophthalmic oncology centres, in 13 countries within six continents were analysed. Local treatment failure was defined as the use of secondary enucleation or external beam radiation therapy (EBRT) and was estimated with the Kaplan-Meier method. Results Clinical category cT2b included 1054 eyes. Median age at presentation was 16.0 months. Of these, 428 (40.6%) eyes were salvaged, and 430 (40.8%) were treated with primary and 196 (18.6%) with secondary enucleation. Of the 592 eyes that had complete data for globe salvage analysis, the distribution of seeds was focal in 143 (24.2%) and diffuse in 449 (75.8%). The 5-year Kaplan-Meier cumulative globe-salvage (without EBRT) was 78% and 49% for eyes with focal and diffuse RB seeding, respectively. Cox proportional hazards regression analysis confirmed a higher local treatment failure risk with diffuse seeds as compared with focal seeds (hazard rate: 2.8; p<0.001). There was insufficient evidence to prove or disprove an association between vitreous seed type and local treatment failure risk(p=0.06). Conclusion This international, multicentre, registry-based analysis of RB eyes affirmed that eyes with diffuse intraocular distribution of RB seeds at diagnosis had a higher risk of local treatment failure when compared with focal seeds. Subclassification of AJCC RB category cT2b into focal vs diffuse seeds will improve prognostication for eye salvage.Fil: Tomar, Ankit Singh. New York Eye Cancer Center; Estados UnidosFil: Finger, Paul T.. New York Eye Cancer Center; Estados UnidosFil: Gallie, Brenda. University Of Toronto. Hospital For Sick Children; CanadáFil: Kivelä, Tero. University of Helsinki; Finlandia. Helsinki University Hospital; FinlandiaFil: Mallipatna, Ashwin. University Of Toronto. Hospital For Sick Children; Canadá. Narayana Nethralaya; IndiaFil: Zhang, Chengyue. Beijing Children's Hospital; ChinaFil: Zhao, Junyang. Beijing Children's Hospital; ChinaFil: Wilson, Matthew. University of Tennessee; Estados UnidosFil: Brennan, Rachel. St Jude Children's Research Hospital; Estados UnidosFil: Burges, Michala. University of Tennessee; Estados UnidosFil: Kim, Jonathan. Keck Medical School of the University of Southern California; Estados UnidosFil: Berry, Jesse L.. Children's Hospital Los Angeles; Estados UnidosFil: Jubran, Rima. Childrens Hospital Society of Los Angeles; Estados UnidosFil: Khetan, Vikas. Vitreo Retinal Services; IndiaFil: Ganeshan, Suganeswari. Vitreo Retinal Services; IndiaFil: Yarovoy, Andrey. Fyodorov Eye Microsurgery Federal State Institution; RusiaFil: Yarovaya, Vera. Fyodorov Eye Microsurgery Federal State Institution; RusiaFil: Kotova, Elena. Fyodorov Eye Microsurgery Federal State Institution; RusiaFil: Volodin, Denis. Fyodorov Eye Microsurgery Federal State Institution; RusiaFil: Yousef, Yacoub. King Hussein Cancer Center; JordaniaFil: Nummi, Kalle. University of Helsinki; Finlandia. Helsinki University Hospital; FinlandiaFil: Ushakova, Tatiana L.. N.N. Blokhin Russian Cancer Research Center; Rusia. Russian Academy of Postgraduate Medical Education; RusiaFil: Yugay, Olga V.. N.N. Blokhin Russian Cancer Research Center; RusiaFil: Polyakov, Vladimir G. N.N. Blokhin Russian Cancer Research Center; Rusia. Russian Academy of Sciences; RusiaFil: Ramirez Ortiz, Marco Antonio. Hospital Infantil de Mexico Federico Gomez; MéxicoFil: Esparza Aguiar, Elizabeth. Hospital Infantil de Mexico Federico Gomez; MéxicoFil: Chantada, Guillermo Luis. Gobierno de la Ciudad de Buenos Aires. Hospital de Pediatría "Juan P. Garrahan"; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; ArgentinaFil: Schaiquevich, Paula Susana. Gobierno de la Ciudad de Buenos Aires. Hospital de Pediatría "Juan P. Garrahan"; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; ArgentinaFil: Fandiño, Adriana Cristina. Gobierno de la Ciudad de Buenos Aires. Hospital de Pediatría "Juan P. Garrahan"; ArgentinaFil: Yam, Jason C.. The Chinese University of Hong Kong Faculty of Medicine; Hong Kon

Комплексный анализ прогностической значимости аберраций хромосомы 8 у пациентов с увеальной меланомой

Introduction. Uveal melanoma ability to metastasize depends on a few prognostic factors. The genetic ones are considered to be the most significant. The role of disorders of the short arm of chromosome 8 (8p), as well as a combination of changes in 8p and the long arm of this chromosome (8q) in the development of metastatic lesions in this pathology remains insufficiently studied.The study objective – to evaluate the prognostic value of chromosome 8 abnormalities in patients with uveal melanoma.Materials and methods. We analyzed 2 retrospective groups of patients who underwent enucleation for uveal melanoma, statistically homogeneous in the main clinical parameters. Group 1 included patients without signs of metastases (n = 41) with an average follow-up period of 71 months, Group 2 included patients with detected metastases (n = 51) and an average follow-up period of 21 months Chromosome abnormalities were tested by multiplex ligation-dependent probe amplification.Results. Three- and five-year survival in patients with uveal melanoma without 8p deletion were 64 and 54 %, respectively; with 8p deletion significantly lower – 25 and 6 %, respectively. The same survival rates in patients with uveal melanoma with 8q amplification were 43 and 26 %, respectively, whereas in patients without 8q amplification they were significantly higher – 80 and 74 %, respectively. In patients with uveal melanoma harbouring both abnormalities, 3- and 5-year survival rates were 26 and 7 %, whereas isolated 8q amplification was associated with 47 and 35 % survival, respectively. These survival rates differ greatly and significantly: hazard ratio 3,26 (95 % confidence interval 1,86–5,69) and 6,89 (95 % confidence interval 2,67–17,73), respectively (р &lt;0,0001).Conclusion. The findings support comprehensive evaluation of chromosome 8 abnormalities as a substantial part of uveal melanoma prognostication. 8q amplification, 8p deletion, combination of these abnormalities and its role in uveal melanoma malignity should be further discovered. Further research in this direction is needed.Введение. Способность увеальной меланомы к метастазированию зависит от целого спектра прогностических факторов, среди которых генетические имеют основополагающее значение. Роль нарушений короткого плеча хромосомы 8 (8р), а также комбинации изменений 8р и длинного плеча этой хромосомы (8q) в развитии метастатического поражения при данной патологии остается недостаточно изученной.Цель исследования – проведение комплексного анализа прогностической значимости аберраций хромосомы 8 у пациентов с увеальной меланомой.Материалы и методы. Были проанализированы 2 ретроспективные группы пациентов, которым была проведена энуклеация по поводу увеальной меланомы, статистически однородные по основным клиническим параметрам. В 1-ю группу вошли больные без признаков метастазов (n = 41) со средним сроком наблюдения 71 мес, во 2-ю группу – больные с выявленными метастазами (n = 51) и средним сроком наблюдения 21 мес. анализ хромосомных нарушений проводился методом мультиплексной амплификации лигированных зондов.Результаты. Трех- и 5-летняя выживаемость пациентов с увеальной меланомой без делеции 8p составила 64 и 54 %, с делецией 8p – 25 и 6 % соответственно. У больных с амплификацией 8q эти показатели были равны 43 и 26 %, у больных без амплификации 8q – 80 и 74 % соответственно. Для пациентов с одновременной амплификацией региона 8q и делецией региона 8р 3- и 5-летняя выживаемость составила 26 и 7 %, тогда как для пациентов с изолированной амплификацией 8q – 47 и 35 % соответственно. Уровень выживаемости пациентов с изолированной амплификацией 8q и комбинацией нарушений (del8p + amp8q) различается существенно и достоверно: отношение рисков 3,26 (95 % доверительный интервал 1,86–5,69) и 6,89 (95 % доверительный интервал 2,67–17,73) (р &lt;0,0001).Заключение. Оценка амплификации 8q, делеции 8p и комбинации этих нарушений должна стать неотъемлемой частью прогнозирования риска метастазирования увеальной меланомы. Необходимы дальнейшие исследования в этом направлении

Изменения в легких у ребенка с болезнью Гоше: дифференциальная диагностика с диссеминированным туберкулезом

The article describes a clinical case of a rare combination of hereditary pathology – Gaucher disease and latent tuberculosis infection in an 8-year-old child. The child was examined for tuberculosis due to disseminated small foci and calcination in the lung tissue detected by chest computed tomography. The particular parameter of latent tuberculosis infection of this case was the positive results of IGRA tests (T-SPOT TB and QuantiFERON) with a negative response to the intradermal test with recombinant tuberculosis allergen. According to the examination results, the disseminated tuberculosis was not confirmed, diffuse lung damage was regarded as a manifestation of Gaucher disease, which was a rare sign of this pathology according to the published data.Представлено клиническое наблюдение редкого случая сочетания наследственной патологии – болезни Гоше и латентной туберкулезной инфекции у ребенка 8 лет. Поводом обследования на туберкулез было обнаружение на компьютерной томографии органов грудной клетки мелкоочаговой диссеминации и кальцинатов в легочной ткани. Особенностью латентной туберкулезной инфекции в данном случае были положительные тесты IGRA (T-SPOT TB и QuantiFERON) при отрицательной реакции на внутрикожную пробу с аллергеном туберкулезным рекомбинантным. На основании обследования диагноз диссеминированного туберкулеза был отвергнут, диффузное поражение легких расценено как проявление болезни Гоше, что является, по данным литературы, редким при данной патологии