Activity

The availability and development of methods testing the vestibuloocular reflex (VOR) brought a broader view into the lateral semicircular canal (L-SCC) function. However, the higher number of evaluated parameters makes more difficult the specialist’s diagnose-making process.

To provide medical specialists, a new diagnostic-graphic tool, Estimated Vestibulogram- EVEST, enabling a quick and easy-to-read visualization and comparison of the VOR test results within the L-SCC.

The development of EVEST involved 148 participants, including 49 healthy volunteers (28 female and 21 male) and 99 (58 female and 41 male) patients affected by different degrees of peripheral vestibular deficit. The corresponding L-SCC VOR test results, from patients meeting the diagnostic criteria, were used to create the EVEST.

Based on the test results, we depicted and calculated the EVEST vestibular function asymmetry (VFA) in all the groups. To assess a feasibility of EVEST to describe a vestibular function deficit, we calculated sensitivity and specificity of VFA using a receiver operating characteristic curve (ROC) and compared it to single tests. In all the tests, we determined the cutoff value as the point with the highest sensitivity and specificity. For discrimination of any vestibular deficit, the VFA with cutoff 6.5% was more sensitive (91%) and specific (98%) than single tests. Results showed that EVEST is a beneficial graphic tool for quick multifrequency comparison and diagnosis of different types of the peripheral vestibular loss.

EVEST can help to easily evaluate various types of peripheral vestibular lesion.

EVEST can help to easily evaluate various types of peripheral vestibular lesion.

Pregabalin has received wide clinical attention as a new type of analgesic. We undertake a systematic review and meta-analysis to evaluate the effect of pregabalin on postoperative pain in patients undergoing cardiac surgery.

We searched PubMed, Embase, and Cochrane Library (from inception to July 2020) for eligible studies. The primary outcomes were the total morphine consumption at 24 h. A secondary outcome was intraoperative fentanyl consumption, extubation time postoperative, and length of stay in hospital. We calculated pooled weighted mean difference (WMD) or odds ratio (OR) and 95% CIs using random- or fixed-effects models.

Seven trials involving 463 patients were listed. Meta-analysis showed that the total morphine consumption at 24 h in the pregabalin group was significantly less than the control group (WMD -5.44, 95% CI -10.42-0.46,

= 0.03). We found that there is no significant difference between the two groups in intraoperative fentanyl consumption. Compared with the control group, the length of stay in hospital in the pregabalin group was significantly shorter (WMD = -0.87, 95% CI -1.42-0.32,

= 0.002). And we found that there were no significant differences between the two groups in extubation time (WMD 17.24, 95% CI -24.36-58.84,

= 0.42).

Oral pregabalin for cardiac surgery patients can effectively reduce the patient’s 24-hour morphine consumption after surgery, shorten the patient’s hospital stay, and is more conducive to early postoperative recovery.

Oral pregabalin for cardiac surgery patients can effectively reduce the patient’s 24-hour morphine consumption after surgery, shorten the patient’s hospital stay, and is more conducive to early postoperative recovery.

Socioeconomic inequalities in smoking rates persist and tend to increase, as evidence-based smoking cessation programs are insufficiently accessible and appropriate for lower socioeconomic status (SES) smokers to achieve long-term abstinence. Our study is aimed at systematically adapting and pilot testing a smoking cessation intervention for this specific target group.

First, we conducted a needs assessment, including a literature review and interviews with lower SES smokers and professional stakeholders. Next, we selected candidate interventions for adaptation and decided which components needed to be adopted, adapted, or newly developed. P5091 mouse We used Intervention Mapping to select effective methods and practical strategies and to build a coherent smoking cessation program. Finally, we pilot tested the adapted intervention to assess its potential effectiveness and its acceptability for lower SES smokers.

The core of the adapted rolling group intervention was the evidence-based combination of behavioral supped report about the adaptation process and resulting intervention may help reveal the mechanisms through which such interventions might operate effectively.

Our adapted rolling group intervention for lower SES smokers was potentially effective as well as feasible, suitable, and acceptable for the target group. Further research should determine the intervention’s effectiveness. Our detailed report about the adaptation process and resulting intervention may help reveal the mechanisms through which such interventions might operate effectively.

To investigate the serum levels of calgizzarin (S100A11) and matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP9) in patients with epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC) and determine their clinical significance.

Serum levels of S100A11 and MMP9 were detected in patients with EOC, patients with benign ovarian tumor, and healthy women. The correlation between the two markers and clinicopathological characteristics of ovarian cancer was analysed.

The serum levels of S100A11 and MMP-9 in patients with EOC were higher than those in patients with benign ovarian tumor and in healthy women, and the expression levels of S100A11 and MMP-9 were positively correlated. S100A11 and MMP-9 were correlated with tumor staging, postoperative residual foci, ascites volume, serum CA125 level, chemotherapy response, and lymph node metastasis, while S100A11 and MMP-9 were not associated with the bilevel classification, histological type, age, and degree of differentiation.

S100A11 and MMP-9 were both highly expressed in the serum of patients with EOC and were associated with cancer development, invasion, and metastasis. Therefore, they can be used as an important reference maker in the diagnosis and treatment of ovarian cancer.

S100A11 and MMP-9 were both highly expressed in the serum of patients with EOC and were associated with cancer development, invasion, and metastasis. Therefore, they can be used as an important reference maker in the diagnosis and treatment of ovarian cancer.