Final Outcome Research Articles

Pretreatment ocular blood flow and retinal oxygen metabolism inthe acute uveitic phase is associated with final outcome in Vogt-Koyanagi-Harada disease.

To investigate the association between pretreatment blood flow velocity in the choroid and optic nerve head (ONH) and retinal oxygen metabolism in the acute uveitic phase and the development of 'sunset glow fundus' in Vogt-Koyanagi-Harada (VKH) disease. Retrospective analysis of 41 patients (82 eyes). Laser speckle flowgraphy and retinal oximetry measurements were performed at the presentation. The main outcome measure was the development of 'sunset glow fundus'. Twenty patients (40 eyes) presented in the phase preceding anterior segment inflammation (early presentation), and 21 patients (42 eyes) presented with anterior segment inflammation (late presentation). In ONH, mean blur rate (MBR)-vessel, representing blood flow velocity in retinal vessels, was significantly lower in the late presentation group, while choroidal MBR was not significantly different. The late presentation group had significantly lower oxygen saturation in retinal venules, a higher arteriovenous oxygen saturation difference and a smaller calibre of retinal arterioles compared with the early presentation group. Eyes that subsequently developed 'sunset glow fundus' had significantly lower ONH MBR-vessels, lower oxygen saturation in retinal venules, a higher arteriovenous oxygen saturation difference and a smaller calibre of retinal arterioles compared with eyes without 'sunset glow fundus'. ONH MBR-vessel had a significant negative correlation with arteriovenous oxygen saturation difference and a significant positive correlation with calibre of retinal arterioles. In the acute uveitic phase of VKH disease, the development of 'sunset glow fundus' is associated with pretreatment reduced retinal blood flow velocity, calibre of retinal arterioles and oxygen saturation in retinal venules, as well as an increased arteriovenous oxygen saturation difference.

Long term clinical follow up of four patients with Wolfram syndrome and urodynamic abnormalities.

Wolfram syndrome is characterised by insulin-dependent diabetes (IDDM), diabetes insipidus (DI), optic atrophy, sensorineural deafness and neurocognitive disorders. The DIDMOAD acronym has been recently modified to DIDMOAUD suggesting the rising awareness of the prevalence of urinary tract dysfunction (UD). End stage renal disease is the commonest cause of mortality in Wolfram syndrome. We present a case series with main objective of long term follow up in four children having Wolfram syndrome with evaluation of their urodynamic profile. A prospective follow up of four genetically proven children with Wolfram syndrome presenting to a tertiary care pediatric diabetes clinic in Pune, India was conducted. Their clinical, and urodynamic parameters were reviewed. IDDM, in the first decade, was the initial presentation in all the four children (three male and one female). Three children had persistent polyuria and polydipsia despite having optimum glycemic control; hence were diagnosed to have DI and treated with desmopressin. All four patients entered spontaneous puberty. All patients had homozygous mutation in WFS1 gene; three with exon 8 and one with exon 6 novel mutations. These children with symptoms of lower urinary tract malfunction were further evaluated with urodynamic studies; two of them had hypocontractile detrusor and another had sphincter-detrusor dyssynergia. Patients with hypocontractile bladder were taught clean intermittent catheterization and the use of overnight drain. We report a novel homozygous deletion in exon 6 of WFS-1 gene. The importance of evaluation of lower urinary tract malfunction is highlighted by our case series. The final bladder outcome in our cases was a poorly contractile bladder in three patients.

Diagnostic accuracy validation study of the M6 model without initial serum progesterone (M6NP) in triage of pregnancy of unknown location

ObjectivesThe M6 prediction model stratifies the risk of development of ectopic pregnancy (EP) for women with pregnancy of unknown location (PUL) into low risk or high risk, using human chorionic gonadotrophin (hCG) and progesterone levels at the initial visit to a gynaecological emergency room and hCG level at 48 h. This study evaluated a second model, the M6NP model, which does not include the progesterone level at the initial visit. The main aim of this study was to validate the diagnostic accuracy of the M6NP model in a population of French women. Study designBetween January and December 2021, all women with an hCG measurement from the gynaecological emergency department of a teaching hospital were screened for inclusion in this study. Women with a pregnancy location determined before or at the second visit were excluded. The diagnostic test was based on logistic regression of the M6NP model, with classification into two groups: high risk of EP (≥5%) and low risk of EP (<5%). The reference test was the final outcome based on clinical, biological and sonographic results: failed PUL (FPUL), intrauterine pregnancy (IUP) or EP. Diagnostic performance for risk prediction of EP, and also IUP and FPUL, was calculated. ResultsIn total, 759 women with possible PUL were identified. After screening, 341 women with PUL were included in the main analysis. Of these, 186 (54.5%) were classified as low risk, including three (1.6%) with a final outcome of EP. The remaining 155 women with PUL were classified as high risk, of whom 60 (38.7%), 66 (42.8%) and 29 (18.7%) had a final outcome of FPUL, IUP and EP, respectively. Of the 32 women with PUL with a final outcome of EP, 29 (90.6%) were classified as high risk and three (9.4%) were classified as low risk. Therefore, the performance of the M6NP model to predict EP had a negative predictive value of 98.4%, a positive predictive value of 18.7%, sensitivity of 90.6% and specificity of 59.2%. If the prediction model had been used, it is estimated that 4.5 visits per patient could have been prevented. ConclusionThe M6NP model could be used safely in the French population for risk stratification of PUL. Its use in clinical practice should result in a substantial reduction in the number of visits to a gynaecological emergency room.

Chandelier-assisted scleral buckle surgery - contact versus non-contact wide-angle viewing system (CAB-CNV): A retrospective, multicenter, clinical study.

To investigate and compare the anatomic and functional outcomes of chandelier-assisted scleral buckling (CASB) surgery using contact versus non-contact lens-based wide-angle viewing systems (WAVSs) in rhegmatogenous retinal detachment (RRD) patients. This was a retrospective, multicenter study evaluating the anatomic (reattachment rate) and visual acuity (VA) outcomes at 6 months post-CASB for primary RRD. Forty-seven RRD patients underwent CASB with a non-contact WAVS (Group C1) and 90 with a contact lens WAVS (Group C2). Preoperative parameters including myopia, macula-off RRD, posterior vitreous detachment, number of retinal breaks, and retinal dialysis as the etiology of RRD did not differ significantly between the two groups. The outcomes of retinal attachment (85.11% of C1 patients and 76.67% of C2 patients, P = 0.34) and final visual outcome (VA ≥6/12: C1 = 61.7%; C2 = 46.67%, P = 0.13) were also comparable. Furthermore, no significant difference in postoperative complications such as cataracts, glaucoma, infection, buckle exposure, and buckle failure was observed. Finally, both groups were comparable in terms of re-detachment rates (10.64% in C1 and 23.33% in C2, P = 0.11). The two WAVS approaches used in CASB surgery have comparable surgical and functional outcomes and postoperative complications. The operating surgeon can freely choose between these viewing platforms during the contemporary scleral bucking (SB) surgery without impacting the outcome.

Dramatic California ballot measure held narrow lead in statewide vote

As MHW was going to press, the final outcome of California's hotly debated Proposition 1 measure to dramatically alter the state's mental health service delivery system remained in doubt. For most of election night on March 5 and into the following morning, the proposal that would earmark more Mental Health Services Act funding for the development of housing was holding a razor‐thin lead.

Digitizing traditional dances under extreme clothing: The case study of Eyo

This work studies the challenges associated with capturing the movement of dance performers wearing traditional African masquerade garments, specifically focusing on the Eyo masquerade dance, a cultural heritage creation from Lagos, Nigeria, and discusses the crucial role the costume has in enhancing the overall performance. The work particularly investigates the capabilities and limitations of current motion capture technology in effectively capturing the movements of both the dancer and the costume, especially when the performer wears what we refer to as “extreme clothing”, such as full body costumes or heavy garments. To overcome these challenges, we employ a combination of motion capture technologies to precisely capture the movements of the performer both with and without the costume, while assessing their respective advantages and limitations. Furthermore, we analyze the disparities in motion quality between these two scenarios to comprehend the influence of the costume on the overall performance. This research has led to the development of an efficient pipeline for digitizing and visualizing folk dances featuring intricate and bulky costumes. The findings of this study offer invaluable insights into the application of motion capture technology for acquiring the movements of performers, including the deformation of their costumes, in cultural heritage dances. As a final outcome of this work, we present a visually captivating animation showcasing an Eyo masquerade dance performance, underscoring the potential of motion capture technology as a tool for preserving and promoting cultural heritage dances.

A Combined Method for Short-Term Load Forecasting Considering the Characteristics of Components of Seasonal and Trend Decomposition Using Local Regression

In response to the complexity and high volatility of original load data affecting the accuracy of load forecasting, a combined method for short-term load forecasting considering the characteristics of components of seasonal and trend decomposition using local regression (STL) is proposed. The original load data are decomposed into a trend component, seasonal component, and residual component using STL. Then, considering the characteristics of each component, a long short-term memory (LSTM) neural network, a convolutional neural network (CNN), and Gaussian process regression (GPR) are used to predict the trend component, seasonal component, and residual component, respectively. The final outcome of the load forecasting is obtained by summing the forecasted results of each individual component. A specific case study is conducted to compare the proposed combined method with LSTM, CNN, GPR, STL-LSTM, STL-CNN, and STL-GPR prediction methods. Through comparison, the proposed combined method exhibits lower errors and higher accuracy, demonstrating the effectiveness of this method.

Communicating clean technology: Green premium, competition, and ecolabels

AbstractIn markets where differences in the environmental performance of competing firms arise due to differences in technology that cannot be altered in the short run and firms have private information about their own current technology, I show that market competition creates a strategic disincentive for adopting ecolabels (even if the cost of adoption is negligible) to directly and credibly communicate this private information to environmentally conscious consumers. Firms adopt ecolabels only if the green premium that buyers are willing to pay is large relative to the production cost advantage of dirty firms; ecolabels reduce market power, increase the market share of clean firms, and reduce expected environmental damage. I analyze firms' strategic (long‐run) incentive to invest in the development of clean technology where the outcome of such investment is uncertain. The availability of an ecolabel to directly communicate private information about the final outcome of such an investment enhances the expected net surplus whereas it reduces the ex ante strategic incentive to invest which in turn lowers industry investment in cleaner technology, relative to the case with no ecolabels.

Superiority of the Septal Extension Graft Technique in Rhinoplasty Patient Satisfaction Versus the Intercrural Strut

Background: Considering that rhinoplasty is one of the most demanded surgeries nowadays, it is necessary to analyse the relationship between the final result and the satisfaction of the patients who have undergone surgery. The objective of this study was to measure patient satisfaction by comparing the results achieved 6 months after their surgery following the use of two surgical techniques: the intercrural strut type technique, in contrast to the septal extension graft technique. Methods: Ambispective analytical cohort study in two parallel groups with patients scheduled for rhinoplasty. Sample size was calculated with a confidence level of 95% and a power of 80%, resulting in a minimum of 20 subjects to be included. Fifty-three patients participated: 22 operated with the i ntercrural strut technique and 31 with septal extension grafting. Results: An increase in the nasolabial angle was identified, with similar results between techniques. At 6-month evaluation, a decrease in the nasolabial angle was observed in all patients. Conclusion: The nasolabial angle remained higher at 6 months in the septal extension group compared to the intercrural post group; however, these differences were not statistically significant. Notably, the patient satisfaction survey revealed that only 59.1% of individuals who underwent surgery with the intercrural strut technique expressed satisfaction with the results. Conversely, 100% of the subjects who underwent surgery using the septal extension graft technique reported being satisfied with the final outcome.

Unpredicted transformation of acute myeloid leukemia with translocation (16;16) (p13; q22): a case report and review of the literature

IntroductionThe transformation of acute myeloid leukemia with translocation (16;16) (p13; q22) from AML M2 to acute monocytic leukemia (AML M5) during therapy is a rare clinical occurrence, and this is the first time it has been reported.Clinical complainA 19-year-old male patient was admitted for severe fatigue with anemic manifestation and weight loss, for more than 1 month, with exacerbation of the condition in the last 2 days.DiagnosisA primary diagnosis was made for AML M2 with t (16;16) (p13; q22) established on bone marrow (BM) morphology. A consequential detection of FLT-3 ITD mutation was done. At day 28 follow-up after induction and maintenance therapy, the diagnosis of AML M2 was maintained with a high bone marrow (BM) blast count, prompting the initiation of a more aggressive treatment protocol. After 1 month of implementing the recent protocol, the patient remains morphologically resistant with a notable transformation of bone marrow infiltration by an abnormal monocytic population (monoblasts and promonocytes). The final diagnosis of transforming FLT3-mutated AML with t (16;16) (p13; q22) was established.InterventionAfter the initial diagnosis of AML M2 with t (16;16) (p13; q22), the patient received the 3 + 7 induction protocol. The 2nd induction protocol initiated after the second evaluation and morphological resistance was the FLAG Adrian protocol. The 3rd protocol after transformation to AML M5 was 1 cycle of the MEC protocol. Anti-FLT3 treatment was considered.OutcomesThe patient was maintained on the 3rd protocol of chemotherapy. Unfortunately, he was admitted to the ICU unit complaining of neutropenic fever and severe sepsis where he died before final re-evaluation and the anti-FLT3 treatment initiation.ConclusionAML with t (16;16) (p13; q22) characterized by favorable outcome. However, identifying additional chromosome abnormality or genetic aberration, especially FLT3 gene mutation, is recognized as an important factor influencing final disease outcome. Therefore, early detection of FLT3 mutations will allow comprehensive disease course prediction and targeted therapy that might achieve longer and more durable remissions.

Trends in Digital Twin Framework Architectures for Smart Cities: A Case Study in Smart Mobility.

The main aim of this paper is to present an innovative approach to addressing the challenges of smart mobility exploiting digital twins within the METACITIES initiative. We have worked on this issue due to the increasing complexity of urban transportation systems, coupled with the urgent need to improve efficiency, safety, and sustainability in cities. The work presented in this paper is part of the project METACITIES, an Excellence Hub that spans a large geographical area, that of Southeastern Europe. The approach of the Greek innovation ecosystem of METACITIES involves leveraging digital twin technology to create intelligent replicas of urban mobility environments, enabling real-time monitoring, analysis, and decision making. Through use cases such as "Smart Parking", "Environmental Behavior Analysis on Traffic Incidents", and "Emergency Management", we demonstrate how digital twins can optimize traffic flow, mitigate environmental impact, and enhance emergency response; these use cases will be tested on a small scale, before deciding on implementation at a larger and more expensive scale. The final outcome is the METACITIES Architecture for smart mobility, which will be part of an Open Digital Twin Framework capable of evolving a smart city into a metacity.

Visual outcome of various dose of glucocorticoids treatment in nonarteritic anterior ischemic optic neuropathy– a retrospective analysis

Background and purposeThe objective of this investigation was to assess the therapeutic efficacy of distinct glucocorticoid therapy dosages in the management of acute nonarteritic anterior ischemic optic neuropathy (NAION).Materials and methodsThis retrospective, unmasked, and non-randomized study included a total of 85 patients. The patients were categorized into four groups: Group 1 (control) consisted of 15 patients who did not receive glucocorticoids, Group 2 included 16 patients administered with oral prednisone at a dosage of 1 mg/kg/d for 14 days, Group 3 comprised 30 patients who received 250 units of methylprednisolone once daily for 3 days, followed by oral prednisone at a dosage of 1 mg/kg/d for 11 days, and Group 4 encompassed 24 patients who received 500 units of methylprednisolone once daily for 3 days, followed by oral prednisone at a dosage of 1 mg/kg/d for 11 days. The best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) was assessed at baseline and the final follow-up (> 7 days post-treatment). The changes in visual acuity between baseline and the 7–14 day follow-up, as well as between baseline and the concluding appraisal, were employed as metrics for assessing the extent of visual enhancement.ResultsNo significant differences were noted in the final visual outcomes or in the changes between final visual acuity and baseline across the four groups. In Group 1 (control), the best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) remained unchanged during final follow-ups compared to baseline. Conversely, the intervention groups exhibited statistically significant enhancements in BCVA during final follow-up (p = 0.012, p = 0.03, and p = 0.009 for Group 2, Group 3, and Group 4, respectively) when compared to baseline. During the 7–14 day follow-up, there was a significant difference in the changes between baseline BCVA and follow-up BCVA across the groups (p = 0.035). Go a step further by Bonferroni correction for multiple comparisons, group 4 showed a greater change in vision compared with group1 (p = 0.045).ConclusionOur study on acute nonarteritic anterior ischemic optic neuropathy (NAION) showed no significant final visual outcome differences. Nevertheless, Groups 2, 3, and 4 demonstrated improved best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) during the final follow-up. Notably, a 500-unit dose of methylprednisolone resulted in short-term BCVA enhancement. This suggests potential consideration of 500 units of methylprednisolone for short-term NAION vision improvement, despite its limited long-term impact.

Perioperative nutritional status thought to be important, but poorly understood.

Malnutrition has been shown to increase complications and leads to poor outcomes in surgical patients, but it has not been studied extensively in orthopedic trauma. This study's purpose is to determine the perspective and assessment of nutrition by orthopedic traumatologists. A survey was created and distributed via REDCap to orthopedic traumatologists at 60 U.S. trauma centers. Out of 183 distributed surveys, 130 surgeons completed the survey (71%). The survey focused on the importance of nutrition and practice patterns in orthopedic trauma. Seventy-five percent of surgeons thought that nutritional status was "very important" to the final outcome of patients with orthopedic trauma injuries, 24% responded "somewhat important" and 1% responded "not important." Furthermore, 88% perform nutritional assessments; most surgeons (77%) utilize nutritional laboratory markers, with the most common markers being albumin, pre-albumin, transferrin and CRP. Additionally, 42% think trending the laboratory markers is important, and 50% are not sure if nutrition markers should be tested at multiple time points. Despite 75% of surgeons believing that nutrition is very important, only 8% discuss it with patients routinely. When asked what is more important for outcomes, nutrition or Vitamin D, almost three times as many surgeons thought nutrition was more important (29% vs 11%, respectively). While orthopedic traumatologists believe nutrition is an important determinant of patient outcomes, this study shows a clear lack of consensus and variability in practice regarding nutrition among surgeons. Orthopedic trauma surgeons need specific guidelines on how to assess and treat malnutrition in trauma patients.

EMI EMC: Background, Standards and Design Aspects

In a multi subsystem environment, in order for the subsystems to interoperate, electromagnetic interference and compatibility aspects have to be addressed. This is a critical aspect of the design and identifying the EMI and EMC aspects at the specifications stage itself lends to a better final design outcome. This paper provides a brief overview of the current standards and elucidates the EMI EMC design aspects with the help of three case studies viz. Antenna Platform for LCA MMR, IDSN32 SRCU and Anuchitra DBS. The methods, measures and design practices used for a successful EMI-EMC performance outcome are elucidated.

Clinical study of lumbar stability after unilateral biportal endoscopy in the treatment of degenerative lumbar diseases

Objectives: To investigate the clinical efficacy of unilateral biportal endoscopy (UBE) in the treatment of degenerative lumbar disease (DLD) and its impact on postoperative lumbar stability. Methods: This is a retrospective case series study. A total of 109 cases of DLD treated with UBE in the Department of Orthopaedic, Beijing Chaoyang Hospital Affiliated to Capital Medical University from July 2020 to June 2022 were analyzed retrospectively. There were 47 males and 62 females, aged (53.3±8.2) years (range: 21 to 80 years). The surgical segments were single segment in 80 cases, two segments in 25 cases, and three segments in 4 cases. The low back pain and leg pain of visual analogue scale (VAS), Japanese Orthopaedic Association (JOA) score and Oswestry disability index (ODI) were evaluated before and after operation. The modified MacNab criteria were used for evaluation of the clinical consequences. Postoperative three-dimensional lumbar CT was performed to observe the preservation of the facet joints and the angle of the medial surface of the facetectomy(β angle). At 12 months after surgery, X ray of the flexion and extension lumbar spine were reviewed. The comparison and analysis of the data were conducted using paired sample t tests or generalized estimation equations. Results: All 109 patients underwent operative procedures successfully. The operation time was (94.5±37.1) minutes (range:56 to 245 minutes), the times of X ray was 6.8±4.0 (range:4 to 16 times), and the days of hospitalization was (5.3±3.7) days (range:4 to 14 days). Complications included dural tears in 4 cases, transient lower limb numbness in 4 cases, epidural hematoma in 2 case. The follow-up time was (19.6±7.2) months (range:12 to 36 months). The postoperative low back pain VAS, leg pain VAS, JOA score and ODI were significantly improved(all P<0.05). According to the modified MacNab criteria, the excellent and good rate was 88.99%(97/109) at 12 months after surgery. One case underwent revision surgery because of recurrent lumbar disc herniation. In term of radiographic evaluation, the area of the surgical side facet joints after UBE surgery was reserved more than 60%. The β angle was less than 90° in all patients. After 12 months of surgery, there was no surgical segment instability or spondylolisthesis by the X-ray of the flexion and extension lumbar spine. Conclusion: UBE can achieve satisfactory clinical efficacy in the treatment of DLD, and maintain the stability of the lumbar spine.

Outcomes of Concomitant Glenohumeral Stabilization After Arthroscopic Rotator Cuff Repair in Military Patients Younger Than 40 Years.

While concomitant rotator cuff and inferior labral tears are relatively uncommon in young civilians, military populations represent a unique opportunity to study this injury pattern. To (1) evaluate the long-term outcomes after combined arthroscopic rotator cuff and inferior labral repair in military patients <40 years and (2) compare functional outcomes with those after isolated arthroscopic rotator cuff repair. Cohort study; Level of evidence, 3. Military patients who underwent arthroscopic rotator cuff repair between January 2011 and December 2016 and had a minimum of 5-year follow-up data were included in this study. The patients were categorized into those who had undergone combined arthroscopic rotator cuff and inferior labral repair (RCIL cohort) and those who had isolated arthroscopic rotator cuff repair (ARCR cohort). Pre- and postoperative outcome measures-visual analog scale for pain, Single Assessment Numeric Evaluation, American Shoulder and Elbow Surgeons shoulder score, Rowe Instability Score, and range of motion-were compared between the groups. A total of 50 shoulders (27 in the RCIL cohort and 23 in the ARCR cohort) were assessed. The RCIL and ARCR groups were similar in terms of age (mean, 33.19 years [range, 21-39 years] vs 35.39 years [range, 26-39 years], respectively) and sex (% male, 88.46% vs 82.61%, respectively). All patients were active-duty military at the time of surgery. The mean final follow-up was at 106.93 ± 16.66 months for the RCIL group and 105.70 ± 7.52 months for the ARCR group (P = .75). There were no differences in preoperative outcome scores between groups. Postoperatively, both groups experienced statistically significant improvements in all outcome scores (P < .0001 for all), and there were no significant group differences in any final postoperative outcome measures. At the final follow-up, 26 (96.30%) patients in the RCIL cohort and 20 (86.96%) in the ARCR cohort had returned to unrestricted active-duty military service (P = .3223). The study findings indicate that concomitant glenohumeral stabilization does not prevent worse outcomes after arthroscopic rotator cuff repair in this military cohort. Combined repair produced statistically and clinically significant improvements in outcome scores at the long-term follow-up, indicating that simultaneous repair of combined lesions was an appropriate treatment option in this patient population.

Study protocol: a core outcome set for perioperative exercise clinical effectiveness trials for lung cancer patients

BackgroundOutcome assessment in perioperative exercise trials for lung cancer is heterogeneous, often omitting those that are important and patient-relevant. This heterogeneity hinders the synthesis of evidence. To address this issue, a core outcome set, an agreed-upon standardized set of outcomes to be measured and reported, is required to reduce heterogeneity among outcome measurements. This study protocol describes the methodology, aiming to develop a core outcome set for perioperative exercise intervention trials for lung cancer in clinical practice.MethodsThe project will follow the standard methodology recommended by the Core Outcome Measures in Effectiveness Trials (COMET) initiative, which is divided into four steps. Stage I: Conducting a scoping review of outcomes reported in clinical trials and protocols to develop a list of potential outcome domains. Stage II: Conducting semi-structured interviews to obtain important outcomes for patients. Stage III: Choosing the most important outcomes by conducting two rounds of the Delphi exercise. Stage IV: Achieving a consensus in a face-to-face meeting to discuss the final core outcome set.DiscussionThis is the first project identified for the core outcome set of perioperative exercise trials in lung cancer, which will enhance the quality, comparability, and usability of future trials and positively impact perioperative exercise and the care of patients with lung cancer.Trials registrationCore Outcome Measurement in Effectiveness Trials (COMET) Initiative database registration: https://www.comet-initiative.org/Studies/Details/2091

197MO Final outcome, immunophenotypic and biomarker analysis of intercalated avelumab plus platinum-based chemotherapy in patients with extensive-stage small cell lung cancer (PAVE): A pilot phase II study of the Hellenic co-operative oncology group

197MO Final outcome, immunophenotypic and biomarker analysis of intercalated avelumab plus platinum-based chemotherapy in patients with extensive-stage small cell lung cancer (PAVE): A pilot phase II study of the Hellenic co-operative oncology group

Does the South-to-North Water Diversion Project promote the growth of enterprises above designated size in the water-receiving areas?-Evidence from 31 provincial-level administrative regions in China.

The South-to-North Water Diversion Project (SNWDP) is believed to drive the next phase of sustainable productivity growth, meeting growing water demand, so as to address increasing environmental sustainability challenges. The Middle Route of SNWDP is regarded as an extremely large long-distance inter-basin water diversion project, which has benefited Henan, Hebei, Tianjin and Beijing since 2014 with great sustainable changes to the cities, groundwater, ecological environment, industrial structure and social development of the beneficiary areas. Taking the number of industrial enterprises above designated size (IEDS) in the water-receiving areas as the research object, this paper takes the year of policy implementation 2014 as the basic time point, evaluating the change of the number of IEDS in the beneficiary areas of the Middle Route of SNWDP through difference-in-difference model. The results show that: (1) The Middle Route of SNWDP promotes the additional growth of the number of IEDS in the beneficiary areas. (2) When the Middle Route of SNWDP promotes the growth of the number of IEDS in beneficiary areas, there is no regional difference for regions with different development levels. (3) The reasons why the Middle Route of SNWDP contributes to the additional growth of the number of IEDS are composed of promoting mixed ownership reform of enterprises in beneficiary areas, increasing water supply and increasing population. However, the Middle Route of SNWDP has not had a significant impact on the traditional total factor productivity or the components of production factors, technology and capital. From the final outcome, the South-to-North Water Diversion Project has played a facilitating role in the sustainable development of large-scale enterprises in the water-receiving areas.

Safety and Efficacy of Bilateral Epiphysiodesis Surgery to Reduce Final Height in Extremely Tall Adolescents: A Follow-Up Study

Introduction: Treatment options in patients with extreme tall stature are limited. Bilateral epiphysiodesis has emerged as a possible treatment method aiming to reduce final height. However, there is still insufficient data on long-term safety and final height outcome. Therefore, the aim of this study was to assess the efficacy and safety of bilateral epiphysiodesis to reduce final adult height in tall adolescents. Methods: The study population consisted of 72 patients with extreme tall stature who were followed at the Pediatric Endocrine Clinic at the Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm (Sweden), and subsequently underwent bilateral epiphysiodesis around the knees (girls n = 45, boys n = 27). Results: When compared to the final height prediction at time of surgery, the procedure significantly reduced the achieved final height by a mean of 3.6 cm ± 0.4 cm in girls (p p r = −0.63, p r = −0.44, p Conclusion: This study suggests that bilateral epiphysiodesis is an efficient and safe method to reduce final height in extremely tall adolescent girls and boys. The achieved height reduction was higher in boys and when performed at an earlier bone age. Importantly, no serious side effects were reported. However, a continued follow-up is still warranted to detect any potential rare complications.