Lindsaydavies2015

Introduction Medulloblastoma (MB) is an aggressive brain tumor most commonly found in children. Although prognostic factors are well studied in children, factors affecting survival in adults with medulloblastoma are unclear. Methods We queried the 1973-2015 United States Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) registry to identify all adult cases of medulloblastoma, and performed multivariate survival analyses to assess the relationships amongst various clinical variables, including age, sex, race, tumor location, treatment modalities, and overall survival. Results A total of 857 patients, 20 years of age and older, with MB were identified in the SEER registry. Adult cases presented most frequently in the cerebellum (91.6%) compared to other less common regions (brain stem 3.2%, brain 2.2%, ventricle 1.8%). The overall median survival for adult MB is 60 months (SD = 94.3) and survival time is related to tumor location and course of treatment (P less then 0.001). Multivariate Cox proportional hazard models showed that lesions found outside the cerebellum corresponded to worse median survival times (37 months) than those in the cerebellum (63 months) (hazard ratio 1.69, 95% CI 1.321-2.158, P = 0.001). Patients who were assigned chemotherapy had shorter survival (54 months) than those who were not (67 months) (HR 1.4515, 95% CI 1.26-1.671, P less then 0.001), but receiving radiation therapy was associated with better overall survival (66 months) relative to not receiving radiation (25 months) (HR 0.581, 95% CI 0.48-0.70, P less then 0.001). Conclusions Tumor location appears to be a significant prognostic factor for survival in adult MB. Recommended treatment regimes, likely reflective of the underlying aggressiveness of the tumor, also seem to impact survival. Copyright © 2020, Ma et al.Introduction Computer vision syndrome (CVS) is defined as a group of vision-related symptoms that result from the continuous use of devices with digital displays, such as computers, tablets, and smartphones. Students nowadays can find resources and books online on their smartphones easily, hence, reducing the use of paper-based reading materials. This might lead to a number of ocular symptoms. In this study, we aim to assess the prevalence and determine the risk factors of CVS among students at King Saud Bin Abdulaziz University for Health Sciences (KSAUHS) in Jeddah. Materials and methods This is an observational descriptive cross-sectional study design. Students of Colleges of Medicine, Applied Medical Sciences, and Science and Health Professions at KSAUHS were asked to fill an electronic self-administered survey. The survey instrument included questions on demographic information, digital devices using habits, frequency of eye symptoms, and ergonomic practices.  Results The sample size was 334 students, 55way (32%), using antiglare filter (16%). The number of eye symptoms reported was significantly greater in female students (using Mann-Whitney U test) (U= 11056.500, p= 0.002), students who wear glasses (U= 11026, 0.002), and students who observe glare on their screens (U= 8363, p= 0.043). Conclusion CVS symptoms are commonly reported among health sciences students who use different electronic devices. The occurrence of CVS symptoms was significantly higher among female students, those who observe glare on screens, and those who wear eyeglasses. However, long duration of device use was not significantly associated with increased CVS symptoms. Ergonomic practices are not usually applied by most of the students, which necessitates more efforts to increase their awareness of the correct way of using devices. Copyright © 2020, Altalhi et al.This study proposes a new assistive device for the blind that uses more than one-dimensional data to draw objects. The study aims to convert three-dimensional (3-D) spatial information into sound information using 6-axis and ultrasonic sensors, and to draw a 3-D depiction of the space ahead for the user. Fourteen participants were involved in testing, wherein 4 were visually impaired. Moreover, the male to female ratio was 73, with the average age of participants at 28.8 years. An initial sound recognition experiment was designed to assess the device's accuracy through participant use. Recognition rates were 70% for normal participants and 88% for the blind participants. Additional experiments expanded the environmental conditions by requiring participants to discern the distances of 10 objects, positioned at both high and low locations. Two different scenarios were employed stationary and walking scenarios. The stationary distance measurement participants scored an average of 96 points, while the walking participants averaged 81 points. Under the given conditions, this study found that its assistive device for the visually impaired can draw a 3-D space with 88.5% accuracy. This probability promises a basic level of utility that can assist those with visual impairment in controlled environments, such as hospitals and homes.Objective Severe pressure ulcers (PUs) do not respond to conservative wound therapy and need surgical repair. To better understand the pathogenesis and to advance on new therapeutic options, we focused on the proteomic analysis of PU, which offers substantial opportunities to identify significant changes in protein abundance during the course of PU formation in an unbiased manner. Approach To better define the protein pattern of this pathology, we performed a proteomic approach in which we compare severe PU tissue from spinal cord injury (SCI) patients with control tissue from the same patients. Results We found 76 proteins with difference in abundance. Of these, 10 proteins were verified as proteins that define the pathology antithrombin-III, alpha-1-antitrypsin, kininogen-1, alpha-2-macroglobulin, fibronectin, apolipoprotein A-I, collagen alpha-1 (XII) chain, haptoglobin, apolipoprotein B-100, and complement factor B. Innovation This is the first study to analyze differential abundance protein of PU tissue from SCI patients using high-throughput protein identification and quantification by tandem mass tags followed by liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry. Conclusion Differential abundance proteins are mainly involved in tissue regeneration. These proteins might be considered as future therapeutic options to enhance the physiological response and permit cellular repair of damaged tissue. © Montserrat Baldan-Martin, et al. 2020; Published by Mary Ann Liebert, Inc.Objective Epidermal CD34+ stem cells located in the hair follicle (HF) bulge area are capable of inducing HF neogenesis and enhancing wound healing after transplantation. In this study, we observed CD34+ cells derived from blood directly participate in dermal regeneration during full-thickness excisional wound healing. Approach We isolated and in vitro expanded a subset of hematopoietic stem cell (HSC)-like precursor cells from the peripheral blood of adult mice with the surface markers CD34+, leucine rich repeat containing G protein-coupled receptor 5 (LGR5)+, CD44+, c-kit+, lineage negative (lin-), and E-cadherin-. These blood-derived precursor cells (BDPCs), can be further differentiated into epithelial-like cells (eBDPCs) and secret fibroblast growth factor 9 (Fgf9) protein. Result When transplanted into full-thickness skin wounds, eBDPC treatment produced accelerated healing and enhanced skin structure regeneration with less dermal scar formation. Also, HF neogenesis (HFN) was observed with incorporation of labeled BDPCs in the wound area. this website InnovationNondermal-derived CD34+ cells (BDPCs) from the adult unmobilized peripheral blood are capable of in vitro expansion and differentiation.Successful establishment of an in vitro technical platform for BDPCs expansion and differentiation.The in vitro expanded and differentiated epithelial-like cells (eBDPCs) enhance wound healing and directly contribute to skin regeneration and HFN. Conclusion BDPCs isolated and expanded from adult peripheral blood may provide a possible new cell-based treatment strategy for HF neogenesis and skin wound regeneration. Copyright 2020, Mary Ann Liebert, Inc., publishers.Significance Chronic wounds affect millions of patients worldwide, placing a huge burden on health care resources. Although significant progress has been made in the development of wound treatments, very few advances have been made in wound diagnosis. Recent Advances Standard imaging methods like computed tomography, single-photon emission computed tomography, magnetic resonance imaging, terahertz imaging, and ultrasound imaging have been widely employed in wound diagnostics. A number of noninvasive optical imaging modalities like optical coherence tomography, near-infrared spectroscopy, laser Doppler imaging, spatial frequency domain imaging, digital camera imaging, and thermal and fluorescence imaging have emerged over the years. Critical Issues While standard diagnostic wound imaging modalities provide valuable information, they cannot account for dynamic changes in the wound environment. In addition, they lack the capability to predict the healing outcome. Thus, there remains a pressing need for more efficient methods that can not only indicate the current state of the wound but also help determine whether the wound is on track to heal normally. Future Directions Many imaging probes have been fabricated and shown to provide real-time assessment of tissue microenvironment and inflammatory responses in vivo. These probes have been demonstrated to noninvasively detect various changes in the wound environment, which include tissue pH, reactive oxygen species, fibrin deposition, matrix metalloproteinase production, and macrophage accumulation. This review summarizes the creation of these probes and their potential implications in wound monitoring. Copyright 2020, Mary Ann Liebert, Inc., publishers.Objectives To investigate the effect of suppressor of fused (Sufu) on epidermal and dermal cellular properties and in wound healing. Approach Transgenic (TG) mice overexpressing human Sufu (hSufu) in the epidermis were applied to investigate the effects of Sufu on epidermal and dermal cellular properties and in wound healing. Results Histological staining revealed a reduction of epidermal and dermal thickness and an increase of hypodermal adipose tissue in homozygous K14-hSufu TG mice when compared with wild-type (WT) controls. TG mice exhibited significantly delayed skin wound healing. Moreover, the migratory and proliferative capabilities of cultured keratinocytes were decreased in K14-hSufuTG mice. Transforming growth factor-β treatment increased the expression of α-smooth muscle actin more in WT than in TG fibroblasts. Sufu overexpression significantly decreased the expression of β-catenin, glioma transcription factor 1 (Gli1), and matrix metalloproteinase-3 in wounds of K14-hSufu TG mice when compared with controls, probably indicating a delaying effect of Sufu on wound healing via blocking the hedgehog (Hh)/Gli and Wnt/β-catenin pathway. Innovation Our results indicate a new property of Sufu in the process of skin wound healing. It provides an important basis for Sufu as a potential target for skin wound healing. Conclusion Our findings suggest that Sufu overexpression in the epidermis impairs wound healing via dampening the Hh/Gli and Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway. These data provide an important basis for further analyses of Sufu in skin wound healing. Copyright 2020, Mary Ann Liebert, Inc., publishers.