Disease Rating Research Articles

Effects of apparent temperature on hospitalization rates for cardiovascular diseases: a case study of different rural areas in Northwest China.

Apparent temperature (AT) is a composite index that combines ambient temperature, humidity, wind speed and other meteorological factors, and reflects heat perception more accurately than raw temperature. This is the first study to investigate the association between AT and CVD in rural areas of Jiuquan and Longnan, Gansu Province, China. In this study, the distributed lag nonlinear model (DLNM) was used to examine the exposure-response relationship between AT and the 21 days relative risk (RR) of CVD admission. The results showed that the exposure risk of the gender group in Jiuquan was opposite to that of Longnan under the influence of cold effect. Under the influence of heat effect, it has a protective effect on all groups in Jiuquan area, which is harmful to males and adults in Longnan area. The results of this study can help local governments to formulate public policies.

Caries prevalence among children at public and private primary schools in Riyadh: a retrospective study

Dental caries is a global oral health issue, especially critical in children, affecting their growth, nutrition, and education due to school absences or distractions from dental pain. The aim of the study was to investigate the correlation between school types (indicative of socioeconomic conditions) and dental caries prevalence among primary school children in Riyadh, alongside assessing the overall caries prevalence among schoolchildren in Riyadh. Retrospective study on 28,343 first and fourth-grade students from 960 public and private schools in Riyadh, using data from the Saudi Ministry of Health (Feb-April 2019). Utilized the DMFT/dmft index for assessment and collected demographic data. Most of the schools were public (76.1%), private national (17.1%), and private international (6.8%). Overall, the mean DMFT index for permanent teeth and the dmft index for primary teeth were 1.78 and 1.94, respectively. 58% of school children had no dental caries, 25% had mild caries, and 17% had moderate to severe caries. Public school children showed a higher caries prevalence than private schools. Oral disease rates were higher in girls than in boys, and grade four students had a higher prevalence than grade one students. Saudi Arabia, a developing nation, faces challenges in addressing oral health, especially in public schools. Targeted initiatives are crucial for awareness, preventive measures, and meeting oral health needs.

Efficacy of venetoclax-based induction regimen in newly diagnosed pediatric acute myeloid leukemia

Objective: To explore the efficacy of venetoclax-based induction regimen for children with newly diagnosed acute myeloid leukemia (AML). Methods: Children with newly diagnosed AML in Beijing Children's Hospital Affiliated to Capital Medical University and Baoding Hospital Affliliated to Capital Medical University from November 2019 and December 2023 were prospectively included. The patients were divided into DAH group (daunorubicin, cytarabine and homoharringtonine) and VAH group (venetoclax, cytarabine and homoharringtonine) according to induction regimen. The clinical data of the children were collected, the clinical characteristics and induced remission rate between the two groups were compared, and multivariate logistic regression was used to analyze the related factors affecting the induced remission rate. Results: A total of 135 patients were enrolled, including 96 cases in the DAH group (54 males and 42 females), aged [M (Q1, Q3)] 6.4 (3.9, 11.6) years and 39 cases in the VAH group (26 males and 13 females), aged 8.0 (6.2, 13.2) years. Among patients initially diagnosed with low-medium risk AML, the morphologic complete remission rates were 94.7% (18/19) in the VAH group and 84.4% (38/45) in the DAH group, respectively, and the negativity conversion rates of minirnal residual disease (MRD) were 57.9% (11/19) and 46.7% (21/45), respectively, with no statistically difference (all P>0.05). Among patients initially diagnoised with high-risk AML, the morphologic complete remission rates in the VAH group was higher than that in the DAH group [95.0% (19/20) vs 70.6% (36/51), P=0.027], and negativity conversion rates of MRD were 45.0% (9/20) and 33.3% (17/51), respectively, with no statistically difference (P=0.359). The induction regimen (venetoclax, cytarabine and homoharringtonin) was beneficial to morphological remission (OR=0.126, 95%CI: 0.025-0.629). FLT3 mutation was not conducive to morphological remission (OR=5.832, 95%CI: 1.778-19.124) and negative MRD (OR=4.166, 95%CI: 1.396-12.433). Conclusion: Venetoclax-based induction regimen is more effective than traditional chemotherapy regimen for newly diagnosed pediatric AML.

Long-term penile prosthesis couple's satisfaction: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Data supporting successful and satisfactory penile prosthesis (PP) implantation outcomes are mainly based on subjective, rather than objective, analysis. To systematically review and objectively analyze, all available data related to patient and partner PP satisfaction. An extensive search was performed, including the following key-words: ("penile prosthesis" and "satisfaction"). The search, which accrued data from January 1, 1969, up to July 31, 2023, was restricted to English-language articles including human participants. Out of 663 retrieved articles, 83 were considered including, 12,132 subjects with a mean age and mean follow-up of 58.6 [range 20; 77.1] years and 47.6 [range 6; 374] months, respectively. Overall, a high patient satisfaction rate was observed 83[80; 86]%. The satisfaction rate increased in subjects with three-piece PP and in those with a higher rate of cardiovascular or neurological diseases and was independent of the patient's age. Partner's satisfaction rate was lower when compared to that observed in men and it increased according to the use of inflatable devices and the presence of patient Peyronie's disease. The long-term complication rate was limited ranging from 3% for erosion to 4.6% when mechanical failure was considered. Patient and partner satisfaction is excellent and increases with time. The number of complications is limited and is strongly associated with the presence of diabetes mellitus. We found a high couple satisfaction score that was higher when reported by males compared to females. Patient satisfaction increased with time, and it was independent of age.

Pilot Study of Acute Behavioral Effects of Pallidal Burst Stimulation in Parkinson's Disease.

Burst-patterned pallidal deep brain stimulation (DBS) in an animal model of Parkinson's disease (PD) yields significantly prolonged therapeutic benefit compared to conventional continuous DBS, but its value in patients remains unclear. The aims were to evaluate the safety and tolerability of acute (<2 hours) burst DBS in PD patients and to evaluate preliminary clinical effectiveness relative to conventional DBS. Six PD patients were studied with DBS OFF, conventional DBS, and burst DBS. Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale III (UPDRS-III) and proactive inhibition (using stop-signal task) were evaluated for each condition. Burst and conventional DBS were equally tolerated without significant adverse events. Both stimulation patterns provided equivalent significant UPDRS-III reduction and increased proactive inhibition relative to DBS OFF. This pilot study supports the safety and tolerability of burst DBS, with acute effects similar to conventional DBS. Further larger-scale studies are warranted given the potential benefits of burst DBS due to decreased total energy delivery. © 2024 The Author(s). Movement Disorders published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of International Parkinson and Movement Disorder Society.

High-Intensity Interval vs. Moderate-Intensity Continuous Training in Parkinson's Disease: A Randomized Trial.

Exercise training is recommended to improve quality of life in those living with Parkinson's Disease (PD); however, the optimal prescription to improve cardiorespiratory fitness and disease-related motor symptoms remains unknown. Twenty-nine participants with PD were randomly allocated to either 10-weeks of high-intensity interval training (HIIT) (n=15; 6 female) or moderate-intensity continuous training (MICT) (n=14; 5 female). The primary outcome was the change in maximal oxygen consumption (VO2peak). Secondary outcomes included changes in the Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale (UPDRS) Part III motor score, Parkinson's Disease Fatigue Scale (PFS-16), resting and exercise cardiovascular measures, gait, balance, and knee extensor strength and fatigability. Exercise training increased VO2peak (main effect of time, P<0.01), with a clinically-meaningful difference in the change following HIIT vs. MICT (∆3.7±3.7 vs. 1.7±3.2 ml∙kg-1∙min-1, P=0.099). The UPDRS motor score improved over time (P<0.001) but without any differences between HIIT vs. MICT (∆-9.7±1.3 vs. -8.4±1.4, P=0.51). Self-reported subjective fatigue (PFS-16) decreased over time (P<0.01) but was similar between HIIT and MICT groups (P=0.6). Gait, balance, blood pressure, and heart rate were unchanged with training (all P>0.09). Knee extensor strength increased over time (P=0.03) but did not differ between HIIT vs. MICT (∆8.2±5.9 vs. 11.7±6.2 Nm, P=0.69). HIIT alone increased muscular endurance of the knee extensors during an isotonic task to failure (P=0.04). In participants with PD, HIIT and MICT both increased VO2peak and led to improvements in motor symptoms and perceived fatigue; HIIT may offer the potential for larger changes in VO2peak and reduced knee extensor fatigability.

Khảo sát tình hình điều trị thuốc cho người bệnh parkinson tại Bệnh viện Đại học Y dược TP. Hồ Chí Minh

Background: Parkinson's disease is one of the most common progressive neurodegenerative disorders. There's currently no cure for Parkinson's disease. Current therapies only help patients relieve the symptoms and improve their quality of life. Objectives: To determine the rate of drugs prescribed to treat Parkinson's disease motor symptoms, the rate of the types of drug combinations, and the frequency of drug-induced motor complications in Parkinson's disease patients. Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted at the University Medical Center HCMC, Ho Chi Minh City. The patient was diagnosed with Parkinson's disease based on the criteria of the International Parkinson's Disease and Movement Disorder Society (IPMDS). Patients' demographic data, information about Parkinson's disease, and medications used to treat Parkinson's disease were collected. Rating scales include MDS-UPRRS (Movement Disorder Society-Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale), and Hoehn &amp; Yahr. Results: Among 218 Parkinson's patients, 33 (15.1%) patients received levodopa monotherapy, 126 (57.8%) patients received combination therapy of levodopa and dopamine agonists, 07 (3.2%) ) patients received combination therapy of levodopa and trihexyphenidyl, 1 (0.5%) patient received combination therapy of dopamine agonist and trihexyphenidyl, and 51 (23.4%) patients received combination therapy of both levodopa, dopamine agonist and trihexyphenidyl. A total of 217 patients were prescribed levodopa at a median dose of 375 mg. The median daily levodopa equivalent dose was 500 mg. A total of 177 patients (81.2%) used the dopamine agonist (pramipexole) with a median dose of 0.75 mg. 27.9 % of patients used an anticholinergic drug (trihexyphenidyl) with a median dose of 2 mg. The proportion of Parkinson's disease patients with motor complications was 32.6%. Conclusion: Levodopa was the medication most commonly prescribed to treat motor symptoms in patients with Parkinson's disease. The combination of levodopa and dopamine agonist was most popularly used. Drug-induced motor complications were common in Parkinson’s disease.

Aerial low‐altitude remote sensing and deep learning for in‐field disease incidence scoring of virus yellows in sugar beet

AbstractThis study investigates the potential of high‐resolution (&lt;0.5 cm/pixel) aerial imagery and convolutional neural networks (CNNs) for disease incidence scoring in sugar beet, focusing on two important aphid‐transmitted viruses, beet mild yellowing virus (BMYV) and beet chlorosis virus (BChV). The development of tolerant sugar beet cultivars is imperative in the context of increased disease management concerns due to the ban on neonicotinoids in the European Union. However, traditional methods of disease phenotyping, which rely on visual assessment by human experts, are both time‐consuming and subjective. Therefore, this study assessed whether aerial multispectral and RGB images could be harnessed to perform automated disease ratings comparable to those performed by trained experts. To this end, two variety trials were conducted in 2021 and 2022. The 2021 dataset was used to train and validate a CNN model on five cultivars, while the 2022 dataset was used to test the model on two cultivars different from those used in 2021. Additionally, this study tests the use of transformed features instead of raw spectral bands to improve the generalization of CNN models. The results showed that the best CNN model was the one trained for BMYV on RGB images using transformed features instead of conventional raw bands. This model achieved a root mean square error score of 11.45% between the model and expert scores. These results indicate that while high‐resolution aerial imagery and CNNs hold great promise, a complete replacement of human expertise is not yet possible. This research contributes to an innovative approach to disease phenotyping, driving advances in sustainable agriculture and crop breeding.

Can ultra-widefield optical coherence tomography angiography replace traditional fundus angiography

Fundus imaging plays a pivotal role in diagnosing retinal and choroidal diseases. Optical coherence tomography angiography (OCTA), by capturing signals to reconstruct vascular structures, offers a clear depiction of retinal vasculature with notable advantages such as rapid scanning and non-invasiveness. Although OCTA, due to its underlying principles, cannot dynamically assess vascular function, exploring its future applications and potential to eventually replace traditional fundus angiography remains a key focus in the medical community. OCTA provides multiple parameters that conventional fundus angiography cannot obtain. With the expanding coverage area of OCTA scans and improvements in artifact elimination, the detection rate of various retinal and choroidal diseases has significantly increased, making the widespread clinical application of OCTA an inevitable trend. Although ultra-widefield OCTA cannot yet fully replace angiography in clinical practice, with continued clinical practice, expanded clinical research, and ongoing technological innovation, OCTA is expected to gradually replace fundus angiography in the future.

Diffusion Tensor Imaging-Along the Perivascular-Space Index Is Associated with Disease Progression in Parkinson's Disease.

The glymphatic clearance pathway is a waste clearance system that allows for removal of soluble proteins such as amyloid β (Aβ) from the brain. Higher Aβ levels are associated with cognitive dysfunction in Parkinson's disease (PD). Diffusion tensor imaging-along the perivascular space (DTI-ALPS) is an imaging measure proposed to indirectly measure glymphatic function. Evaluate differences in DTI-ALPS-index between PD and healthy controls (HC) and characterize relationships between this proposed measure of glymphatic clearance, cognition, and disease severity in PD. PD (n = 32) and HC (n = 23) participants underwent brain imaging to assess DTI-ALPS. PD participants were classified as PD-normal cognition (PD-NC; n = 20) or PD-mild cognitive impairment (PD-MCI; n = 12) based on a Level II comprehensive cognitive assessment. A subgroup of PD participants (n = 21) returned for annual assessments for up to 4 years after baseline. Longitudinal outcomes included changes in performance on the comprehensive cognitive assessment and changes in the Movement Disorders Society Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale (MDS-UPDRS). PD participants had lower DTI-ALPS-index compared to HC. PD participants classified as PD-MCI had significantly lower DTI-ALPS-index compared to PD-NC. Lower DTI-ALPS-index at baseline was associated with longitudinal cognitive decline and worse longitudinal disease severity. Glymphatic clearance, as measured with DTI-ALPS, has potential to serve as a marker of longitudinal disease progression. Interventions targeting glymphatic function should be explored for potential to slow cognitive decline in PD. © 2024 International Parkinson and Movement Disorder Society.

Joint impact of polygenic risk score and lifestyles on early- and late-onset cardiovascular diseases.

Understanding the interactions between genetic risk and lifestyles on different types and age onsets of cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk can help identify individuals for whom lifestyle changes would be beneficial. Here we developed three polygenic risk scores, called MetaPRSs, for coronary artery disease, ischaemic stroke and intracerebral haemorrhage by combining PRSs for CVD and CVD-related risk factors in 96,400 participants from the prospective China Kadoorie Biobank. Genetic and lifestyle risks were categorized by the disease-specific MetaPRSs and the number of unfavourable lifestyles. High genetic risk and unfavourable lifestyles were found to be more strongly associated with early than late onset of CVD outcomes in men and women. Change from unfavourable to favourable lifestyles resulted in 14.7-, 2.5- and 2.6-fold greater reductions in incidence rates of early-onset coronary artery disease and ischaemic stroke and late-onset coronary artery disease in high than low genetic risk group. Young adults at high genetic risk may have larger benefits in preventing CVD from lifestyle improvements.

Prevalence and epidemiological characteristics of major chronic diseases in people living with HIV in Taizhou, Zhejiang Province, 1998-2022

Objective: To understand the prevalence of major chronic diseases of diabetes, cardiovascular disease and malignant tumor in people living with HIV in Taizhou. Methods: The data were collected from China Information System for Disease Control and Prevention and Taizhou Chronic Disease Information Management System. A total of 5 126 people living HIV under follow-up in Taizhou from 1998 to 2022 were included in the analysis. Software SAS 9.4 was used for χ2 test, trend analysis and logistic regression analysis. Results: In the 5 126 people living with HIV, the reported prevalence rates of diabetes,cardiovascular disease and malignant tumor were 10.28% (527/5 126),3.98% (204/5 126) and 6.01% (308/5 126), respectively. 37.00% (195/527) and 48.58% (256/527), 40.20% (82/204) and 48.53% (99/204), 37.66% (116/308) and 48.38% (149/308) were diagnosed as diabetes, cardiovascular disease and malignant tumor before and after confirmation of HIV infection. From 2013 to 2022, the proportion of HIV infected people diagnosed with diabetes, cardiovascular disease and malignant tumor after confirmation increased (trend χ2=79.98,P<0.001; trend χ2=17.44,P<0.001; trend χ2=32.06,P<0.001). Based on the analysis on the factors for complicated chronic diseases in people living with HIV, it was found that women under 60 years old (aOR=0.66, 95%CI: 0.50-0.86) and those with access to antiviral treatment for >5 years before 2016 (aOR=0.54,95%CI:0.37-0.78) were less likely to develop complicated chronic diseases, and those under 60 years old with initial CD4+T lymphocytes counts <200 cells/µl (aOR=1.32, 95%CI: 1.02-1.70), those aged 40-49 and 50-59 years (aOR=2.88, 95%CI:2.20-3.79; aOR=5.43, 95%CI: 4.10-7.21) as well as those without a record of treatment medication use after 2016 (aOR=1.95,95%CI:1.20-3.16) were more likely to develop complicated chronic diseases. The probability of developing complicated chronic diseases might increase with age in people living with HIV. Conclusions: From 1998 to 2022, there was a certain proportion of complicated chronic diseases among HIV infected individuals in Taizhou, and the proportion of diagnosed cases increased after HIV infection was confirmed. It is necessary to conduct early chronic disease screening, behavior intervention and standardized management in people living with HIV.

Association between diabetes prevalence and mortality risk in the elderly aged 60 years and above in Liaoning Province, 2017-2019

Objective: To investigate the prevalence of diabetes in the elderly aged ≥60 years in Liaoning Province from 2017 to 2019 and analyze the impact of blood glucose control on all-cause mortality and cardiovascular disease (CVD) mortality. Methods: A survey was conducted in the elderly aged ≥60 years in Liaoning from 2017 to 2019 to collect the information about the prevalence of diabetes and other chronic diseases in the diabetes patients. The mortality of the enrolled subjects was investigated in September 2023. Cox proportional hazards regression models were used to estimate the association between blood glucose control in the elderly with diabetes and the risks of all-cause mortality and CVD mortality. Results: The crude prevalence of diabetes in the elderly aged ≥60 years was 20.2% (2 014/9 958) in Liaoning from 2017 to 2019, and the standardized prevalence rate was 19.9%. The prevalence rates of hypertension, dyslipidemia, and overweight/obesity in the diabetes patients were 77.0%, 51.7%, and 67.5% respectively. The median follow-up time was 5.5 years, and the all-cause mortality and CVD mortality rates in the diabetes patients were 244.3/10 000 person-years and 142.9/10 000 person-years, respectively. The results of the Cox proportional hazards regression model analysis showed that compared with non-diabetic individuals, diabetes patients had an increased risk of all-cause mortality by 1.68 times [hazard ratio (HR)=1.68, 95%CI: 1.44-1.94] and an increased risk of CVD mortality by 1.56 times (HR=1.56, 95%CI: 1.29-1.89). The differences in risks of all-cause mortality and CVD mortality between the diabetes patients with normal fasting blood glucose and glycated hemoglobin levels and people without diabetes were not significant (all P>0.05). The failure to meet either the FPG or HbA1c target increased the risk of all-cause mortality (all P<0.05). For individuals who failed to meet the HbA1c target, there was an increased risk of CVD mortality (all P<0.05). Conclusions: The comorbidity rate of chronic diseases was higher in the elderly with diabetes than in the elderly without diabetes in Liaoning. Elderly diabetes patients can benefit from good blood glucose control.

Phenotypes of inflammatory bowel disease in the Māori population of New Zealand.

Māori have historically seen a lower rate of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) compared to New Zealand's non-Māori population. Recent reports have shown an increasing rate of IBD among Māori patients. We performed a study to identify the phenotypes of IBD in the Māori population. Patients with IBD of Māori ethnicity were retrospectively identified from four large regions of New Zealand. Electronic records were reviewed to collect details of patients' demographics, phenotypes and clinical features. We identified 165 Māori patients with IBD, of whom 74 (45.4%) had Crohn disease (CD), 86 (53.5%) had ulcerative colitis (UC) and 5 (3.0%) had IBD-unclassified (IBD-U). There were more female (61.8%) patients compared to male (38.2%). This was attributed to the higher ratio of female patients with CD over male (73.9% vs 26.1%), whereas sex was evenly distributed in UC (female 52.2%, male 48.8%). Ileocolonic CD was most frequently seen (36.2%), and the majority had non-stricturing disease (62.3%) with the absence of perianal involvement (78.2%). Bimodal age peaks were observed, with a first peak at 25-29 years and a second peak at 45-49 years. There was a five-fold increase in the incidence of IBD in Māori over 20 years. We present the largest study describing IBD in Māori. IBD phenotypes in Māori were similar to previous regional IBD reports, but there was a significantly higher proportion of female patients with CD in Māori and an earlier second age peak at 45-49 years. Increasing incidence of IBD in Māori has again been demonstrated.

Investigating spatiotemporal and kinematic gait parameters in individuals with Parkinson’s disease with a history of freezing of gait and exploring the effects of dopaminergic therapy on freezing of gait subtypes

IntroductionFreezing of Gait (FOG) is a prevalent and debilitating symptom in idiopathic Parkinson’s disease (PD). This study evaluated spatiotemporal and kinematic gait parameters in individuals with PD with a history of FOG and explored the effects of dopaminergic therapy on FOG subtypes.MethodsOne hundred and nine individuals with PD underwent clinical assessments and quantitative biomechanical measures during walking cycles before and after dopaminergic therapy. Individuals with FOG were classified into levodopa-responsive and levodopa-unresponsive groups.ResultsIndividuals with FOG displayed longer disease duration and higher Unified Parkinson’s Disease Rating Scale (UPDRS) II, III, IV scores, and total scores and levodopa equivalent dose, than those without FOG (all p &amp;lt; 0.0001). Following propensity score matching of 15 pairs based on UPDRS total score and disease duration during the off-medication state, the analysis comparing the FOG and non-FOG groups revealed no significant differences in spatiotemporal and kinematic parameters. In 39 cases of FOG, dopaminergic therapy improved gait performance in individuals with PD, enhancing spatiotemporal parameters (speed, stride length, step length, step variability) and kinematic parameters (shoulder and elbow flexion/extension range of motion (ROM), pelvic rotation, and hip abduction/adduction ROM) regardless of FOG responsiveness to dopaminergic therapy. A significant difference in trunk sway ROM (p = 0.029) remained before and after dopaminergic therapy, even after adjusting for disease duration and clinical severity.DiscussionDopaminergic therapy had varying effects on PD with FOG, improving several spatiotemporal and kinematic gait parameters but being less effective in levodopa-unresponsive cases. Quantitative biomechanical measures offer detailed insights into gait performance, aiding personalized fall risk assessment and guiding individualized rehabilitation programs.

Ocular vestibular-evoked myogenic potential assists in differentiation of multiple system atrophy from Parkinson's disease.

Vestibular-evoked myogenic potentials (VEMPs) can help assess otolithic neural pathway in the brainstem that may also participate in cardiovascular autonomic function. Parkinson's disease (PD) is associated with altered VEMP responses; however, the association between VEMP abnormalities and multiple system atrophy (MSA) remains unknown. Therefore, we compared the extent of otolith dysfunction using ocular (oVEMP) and cervical VEMP (cVEMP) between MSA and PD. We analyzed the clinical features and VEMP and head-up tilt table test (HUT) findings using the Finometer in 24 patients with MSA and 52 with de-novo PD, who had undergone neurotologic evaluation in a referral-based university hospital in South Korea from January 2021 to March 2023. MSA was associated with bilateral oVEMP abnormality (odds ratio [95% confidence interval] = 9.19 [1.77-47.76], p=0.008). n1-p1 amplitude was negatively correlated with Unified Multiple System Atrophy Rating Scale I-II scores in patients with MSA (r=-0.571, p=0.033), whereas it did not correlate with Movement Disorder Society-Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale-III scores in patients with PD (r=-0.051, p=0.687). n1 latency was negatively correlated with maximum changes in systolic blood pressure within 15 s during HUT in patients with PD (r=-0.335, p=0.040) but not in those with MSA (r=0.277, p=0.299). In conclusion, bilaterally abnormal oVEMP responses may indicate the extent of brainstem dysfunction in MSA. oVEMP reflects the integrity of otolith-autonomic interplay, reliably assists in differentiating between MSA and PD, and helps infer clinical decline.

Effects of Ursolic Acid on Colorectal Cancer: A Review of Recent Evidence

Colorectal cancer is the third leading cause of cancer-related deaths, and the five-year survival rate of the metastatic disease is less than 15%. Treatment approaches include surgery, systemic chemotherapy and radiotherapy. The aggressive nature and low five-year survival rate of metastatic colorectal cancer indicate a need for new treatment options to help combat this disease. Ursolic acid is a pentacyclic triterpenoid naturally occurring in many plants, with high concentrations found in cranberries. This review summarizes evidence from the last ten years of the effects of ursolic acid on colorectal cancer. Overall, the available studies indicate that the treatment of colon cancer cells with ursolic acid results in a significant inhibition of proliferation and induction of apoptosis. In addition, the limited in vivo studies indicate a significant reduction in tumor volume and tumor angiogenesis in animal models of colorectal cancer administered ursolic acid. More in vivo animal studies are required to better understand the potential anticancer properties of ursolic acid and to form the basis for human clinical trials.

Effects of Ursolic Acid on Colorectal Cancer: A Review of Recent Evidence

Colorectal cancer is the third leading cause of cancer-related deaths, and the five-year survival rate of the metastatic disease is less than 15%. Treatment approaches include surgery, systemic chemotherapy and radiotherapy. The aggressive nature and low five-year survival rate of metastatic colorectal cancer indicate a need for new treatment options to help combat this disease. Ursolic acid is a pentacyclic triterpenoid naturally occurring in many plants, with high concentrations found in cranberries. This review summarizes evidence from the last ten years of the effects of ursolic acid on colorectal cancer. Overall, the available studies indicate that the treatment of colon cancer cells with ursolic acid results in a significant inhibition of proliferation and induction of apoptosis. In addition, the limited in vivo studies indicate a significant reduction in tumor volume and tumor angiogenesis in animal models of colorectal cancer administered ursolic acid. More in vivo animal studies are required to better understand the potential anticancer properties of ursolic acid and to form the basis for human clinical trials.

Simultaneous dual-target magnetic resonance-guided focused ultrasound treatment for patients with tremor-dominant Parkinson’s disease

Introduction. Non-invasive magnetic resonance-guided focused ultrasound (MRgFUS) is a new neurosurgical treatment option for tremor-dominant Parkinson’s disease (TDPD). Outcomes of ablation with dual targeting of two subcortical nuclei to improve functional treatment results are yet to be explored. Aim. This study aimed to evaluate the safety and efficacy of MRgFUS with simultaneous unilateral ablation of two cerebral targets in patients with TDPD. Materials and methods. A total of 82 TDPD patients (20 women, 62 men; median age 65.0 [52.5; 70,0] years) received unilateral MRgFUS, i.e. ventrointermedial (VIM) nucleus thalamotomy and/or pallidothalamotractotomy (PTT). Motor symptoms, including tremor, were assessed using MDS-Unified Parkinson’s Disease Rating Scale Part III (MDS-UPDRS-III). VIM, PTT, and VIM + PTT ablation was received by 34, 12, and 36 patients, respectively. Results. After surgery, MDS-UPDRS-III score improved by 40.1% (30.2; 51.7) without early or late-onset serious complications. Tremor returned in 18 patients (all after VIM thalamotomy); 9 of them successfully underwent re-treatment 9–12 months after the first procedure. Simultaneous dual-target (VIM + PPT) intervention was successfully received by 36 patients without any serious complications. A total of 89.3% and 69.7% of patients remained relapse-free in the dual-target and single-target groups, respectively (p = 0.039). Conclusion. Simultaneous dual-target (VIM and PTT) MRgFUS showed favorable safety and efficacy profiles and can be considered a symptomatic treatment option for TDPD patients.

Simultaneous dual-target magnetic resonance-guided focused ultrasound treatment for patients with tremor-dominant Parkinson’s disease

Introduction. Non-invasive magnetic resonance-guided focused ultrasound (MRgFUS) is a new neurosurgical treatment option for tremor-dominant Parkinson’s disease (TDPD). Outcomes of ablation with dual targeting of two subcortical nuclei to improve functional treatment results are yet to be explored. Aim. This study aimed to evaluate the safety and efficacy of MRgFUS with simultaneous unilateral ablation of two cerebral targets in patients with TDPD. Materials and methods. A total of 82 TDPD patients (20 women, 62 men; median age 65.0 [52.5; 70,0] years) received unilateral MRgFUS, i.e. ventrointermedial (VIM) nucleus thalamotomy and/or pallidothalamotractotomy (PTT). Motor symptoms, including tremor, were assessed using MDS-Unified Parkinson’s Disease Rating Scale Part III (MDS-UPDRS-III). VIM, PTT, and VIM + PTT ablation was received by 34, 12, and 36 patients, respectively. Results. After surgery, MDS-UPDRS-III score improved by 40.1% (30.2; 51.7) without early or late-onset serious complications. Tremor returned in 18 patients (all after VIM thalamotomy); 9 of them successfully underwent re-treatment 9–12 months after the first procedure. Simultaneous dual-target (VIM + PPT) intervention was successfully received by 36 patients without any serious complications. A total of 89.3% and 69.7% of patients remained relapse-free in the dual-target and single-target groups, respectively (p = 0.039). Conclusion. Simultaneous dual-target (VIM and PTT) MRgFUS showed favorable safety and efficacy profiles and can be considered a symptomatic treatment option for TDPD patients.