Manuscript

IMPORTANCE: Sudden sensorineural hearing loss (SSNHL) is an otological emergency of unknown etiology. Recent reports showed that antioxidant drugs can benefit patients with SSNHL. This study attempted to evaluate the effect of adding antioxidant vitamins as an adjuvant therapy alongside with corticosteroids. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effects of the 3 major antioxidant vitamins (A, C, and E) as an adjuvant therapy, administered with corticosteroids, for the treatment of SSNHL in adult patients (≥18 years)...

OBJECTIVE: It is a well-known fact that there is significant heterogeneity in the origins of asthma in adults and children. This article examines the roots of asthma across the ages including atopy, the role of the microbiome and viral infections, along with comorbidities/confounders such as obesity, aspirin-exacerbated respiratory disease (AERD), neutrophilic asthma, cigarette smoking and the possibility of an asthma-chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) overlap syndrome. DATA SOURCES: Data was taken from various scientific search engines including PubMed and Science Direct databases...

The use of extracorporeal support after failed return of a spontaneous ciruculation during cardiopulmonary resuscitation (ECPR) is well described. There are 4 distinct phases for resuscitation with ECPR and the time spent in each phase is critical for successful outcome. Recommendations for ECPR previously published by the American Heart Association provide the context for implementing a consistent and well-rehearsed system for ECPR, by people with the knowledge, experience and resources to deploy ECPR in the most optimal time frame possible in selected patient populations...

The development of a biosimilar requires large extensive preclinical and clinical comparability exercises to demonstrate equivalence to the reference medical product. The holistic results from this large assessment should be taken into account to appreciate the validity of the development and the interpretations. SB3 is the first trastuzumab biosimilar approved for routine use in Europe. The present manuscript reviews the development and the results of SB3, including clinical assessment and the clinical Phase I, as well as the large randomized Phase III comparing efficacy between SB3 versus Herceptin® containing regimen in neoadjuvant setting...

INTRODUCTION: A cough stress test (CST) is recommended in the evaluation of the uncomplicated female patient with the complaint of stress urinary incontinence (SUI) to identify the sign of SUI, and is often used as an outcome measure following SUI treatment. However, there has been no standardization of the performance or reporting of CST. A working group of the International Continence Society (ICS) has developed an educational module, comprising a Powerpoint™ presentation and evidence base manuscript, to instruct on the performance, interpretation, and reporting of the CST in a standardized manner: the ICS-Uniform Cough Stress Test (ICS-UCST)...

BACKGROUND: Authors were assigned the task to develop case definitions for periodontitis in the context of the 2017 World Workshop on the Classification of Periodontal and Peri-Implant Diseases and Conditions. The aim of this manuscript is to review evidence and rationale for a revision of the current classification, to provide a framework for case definition that fully implicates state-of-the-art knowledge and can be adapted as new evidence emerges, and to suggest a case definition system that can be implemented in clinical practice, research and epidemiologic surveillance...

OBJECTIVE: Since the initial description of aggressive periodontitis (AgP) in the early 1900s, classification of this disease has been in flux. The goal of this manuscript is to review the existing literature and to revisit definitions and diagnostic criteria for AgP. STUDY ANALYSIS: An extensive literature search was performed that included databases from PubMed, Medline, Cochrane, Scopus and Web of Science. Of 4930 articles reviewed, 4737 were eliminated. Criteria for elimination included; age > 30 years old, abstracts, review articles, absence of controls, fewer than; a) 200 subjects for genetic studies, and b) 20 subjects for other studies...

BACKGROUND: Authors were assigned the task to develop case definitions for periodontitis in the context of the 2017 World Workshop on the Classification of Periodontal and Peri-Implant Diseases and Conditions. The aim of this manuscript is to review evidence and rationale for a revision of the current classification, to provide a framework for case definition that fully implicates state-of-the-art knowledge and can be adapted as new evidence emerges, and to suggest a case definition system that can be implemented in clinical practice, research and epidemiologic surveillance...

OBJECTIVE: Since the initial description of aggressive periodontitis (AgP) in the early 1900s, classification of this disease has been in flux. The goal of this manuscript is to review the existing literature and to revisit definitions and diagnostic criteria for AgP. STUDY ANALYSIS: An extensive literature search was performed that included databases from PubMed, Medline, Cochrane, Scopus and Web of Science. Of 4930 articles reviewed, 4737 were eliminated. Criteria for elimination included; age > 30 years old, abstracts, review articles, absence of controls, fewer than; a) 200 subjects for genetic studies, and b) 20 subjects for other studies...

BACKGROUND: Twitter-based chat groups (tweetchats) structured as virtual journal clubs have been demonstrated to provide value to learners. In order to promote topics in medical toxicology, we developed the #firesidetox tweetchat as a virtual journal club to discuss and disseminate topics in medical toxicology. METHODS: A group of medical toxicologists from the American College of Medical Toxicology (ACMT) Public Affairs Committee and editorial board of the Journal of Medical Toxicology (JMT) developed a quarterly one hour tweetchat featuring JMT manuscripts...

It has been reported that the performance of bulk heterojunction organic solar cells can be improved by incorporation of nano-heterostructures of metals, semiconductors, and dielectric materials in the active layer. In this manuscript, CdS or Sb2 S3 nanocrystals were in situ generated inside the poly(3-hexylthiophene): [6,6]-phenyl C61-butyric acid (P3HT:PC61 BM) system by randomly mixing P3HT and PC61 BM in the presence of cadmium or antimony xanthate precursor. Hybrid solar cells (HSCs) with the configurations of tin-doped indium oxide substrate (ITO)/CdS interface layer/P3HT:PC61 BM: x wt...

The interactions between nutrition and metabolism and skeletal muscle have long been known. Muscle is the major metabolic organ—it consumes more calories than other organs—and therefore, there is a clear need to discuss these interactions and provide some direction for future research areas regarding muscle pathologies. In addition, new experiments and manuscripts continually reveal additional highly intricate, reciprocal interactions between metabolism and muscle. These reciprocal interactions include exercise, age, sex, diet, and pathologies including atrophy, hypoxia, obesity, diabetes, and muscle myopathies...

The purpose of this systematic literature review was to identify clinical trials of MDS and AML that included patient-reported outcome (PRO) instruments, and to summarize the symptom and other health related quality of life (HRQOL) concepts most frequently assessed and the PRO instruments that were used. Sixteen manuscripts describing 14 distinct trials met all criteria (i.e., phase 2 or 3 clinical trial for MDS or AML which included PRO assessment) and were published between 1996-2017. In trials evaluating anemia, PRO scores showed significant improvement in relevant domains (e...

Accurate modeling of human neuronal cell biology has been a long-standing challenge. However, methods to differentiate human induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) to neurons have recently provided experimentally tractable cell models. Numerous methods that use small molecules to direct iPSCs into neuronal lineages have arisen in recent years. Unfortunately, these methods entail numerous challenges, including poor efficiency, variable cell type heterogeneity, and lengthy, expensive differentiation procedures...

The European Society for Medical Oncology (ESMO) consensus conference on malignant lymphoma was held on 20 June 2015 in Lugano, Switzerland, and included a multidisciplinary panel of 25 leading experts. The aim of the conference was to develop recommendations on critical subjects difficult to consider in detail in the ESMO Clinical Practice Guidelines. The following areas were identified: (1) the elderly patient, (2) prognostic factors suitable for clinical use and (3) the 'ultra-high-risk' group. Before the conference, the expert panel was divided into three working groups; each group focused on one of these areas in order to address clinically relevant questions relating to that topic...

Since the launch of the COMET initiative in 2010 a growing number of core outcome sets have been developed, and a substantial additional number are registered on the COMET website (www.comet-initiative.org). In the field of Obstetrics and Gynecology a group of Journal editors initiated the CROWN initiative (www.crown-initiative.org) to highlight the need to adhere to core outcome sets: researchers should report all elements of an existing core outcome set for trials on a topic, or indicate valid reasons why they did not, in order for their manuscript to be considered for publication in these Journals...

A lack of access to knowledgeable providers is the greatest reported barrier to care for transgender individuals. The purpose of this manuscript is to review the recent literature characterizing transgender medicine education for medical providers and to summarize effective interventions for improving education in transgender care. The PubMed database was searched for all literature that assessed transgender medical education among physicians or trainees and all papers that reported results of transgender-specific educational interventions...

Reverse Transcription quantitative real-time PCR (RT-qPCR) is applied to quantify gene transcript levels in a wide range of investigations. Proper assessment of RNA integrity is essential for reliable assessment of gene expression levels, as RNA molecules are acutely vulnerable to degradation. However, RNA quality control measures are still infrequently reported in rat toxicological studies, which impede proper evaluation of gene expression data reliability. The high operational cost of microfluidic capillary electrophoresis systems along with paucity of alternative methods for the quantitative assessment of rat RNA integrity constitute potential hurdles to the systematic implementation and reporting of RNA integrity assessment in rat studies...

Background: The practice of evidence-based medicine and critical appraisal are essential for the modern doctor. Early engagement of medical students in research methodology is considered as a rising need for most medical school curricula; however, few peer-reviewed initiatives have been reported so far. We developed a Medical Education Research Group (eMERG) as part of a novel undergraduate surgical masterclass, which aimed to train undergraduate students on basic research methodology, as well as to motivate them to pursue a clinical and academic career in surgical specialties...

This manuscript highlights a new ANSM (French security agency for food & drug) approved method of ECP in order to render ECP easier and more secure for children and adults, with shorter time of procedure and lower final volume of cells (100 ml) and lower injected 8-MOP. This modified procedure is appropriately called "a Low Volume ECP (LV-ECP)".