Greater Incidence Research Articles

Delta of Egypt Atrial Fibrillation Registry Phase Two

Background: Atrial Fibrillation (AF) is the most frequent cardiac arrhythmia found in clinical practice. The assessed frequency of AF in adults is between 2% and 4%, with greater incidence and frequency rates in developed nations [1,2]. AF prevalence increases with advancing age, and with some cardiac and non-cardiac disorders, also it may exist in the absence of any conditions [2]. We aimed to determine case characteristics, practice patterns, management strategies and outcomes of atrial fibrillation in the delta area of Egypt.
 Methods: This registry-based cross-sectional study included 1000 atrial fibrillation patients (with any AF patterns) who were allowed to enter ER in cardiac centers and hospitals in middle Delta of Egypt from April 2020 to March 2021.
 Results: 267 patients (26.7%) were unstable. Heart failure, hypertension, and coronary disease were still prevalent comorbidities in our AF dataset, where hypertension accounts for over 50% of all AF cases. Rheumatic valvular heart disorder was a major underlying disease for the development of AF, still about 25.5% by echocardiography. Lone AF still high 20.6%. CHA2DS2VASc score ≥2 is 83.5%. A high proportion of cases were treated with pharmaceuticals for rate control nearly 52.7% of the cases and nearly 30.3% of the cases were given pharmacological medications for the cardioversion to the sinus rhythm and a small proportion of the cases were given electrical cardioversion nearly 7%.
 Conclusions: Coronary disease, hypertension, and heart failure were still usual comorbidities in AF. Rheumatic valvular heart disease is still about 25.5% of the total registry. Amiodarone is the most prevalent antiarrhythmic medications (AAD) used. lone AF still high 20.6%. minimal use of novel oral anticoagulant (OAC).

Epidemiologic and socioeconomic characteristics of Hispanics diagnosed with metastatic renal cell carcinoma in the US.

e16555 Background: Annually, there are over 400,000 new renal cell carcinoma (RCC) cases and more than 170,000 deaths worldwide. In the US, 80,000 new cases of RCC are diagnosed each year and almost 14,000 deaths. Over the past half-century, RCC has more than doubled in incidence. RCC seems to have a greater incidence among Hispanics, with a nearly three-fold increase. The epidemiology of RCC in the Caucasian population has been previously studied. However, there is a knowledge gap on disparities in RCC on minority populations. Studying the epidemiology of RCC in Hispanics is integral to our community, where Hispanics make up 70%. Methods: We conducted a retrospective cohort study using the Florida Statewide Cancer Registry to describe the characteristics and rates of metastatic RCC (mRCC) among patients in the State between 1981 and April 2019. We identified ethnicity as Hispanic/Latino (HL) or non-Hispanic/Latino (NHL). Clinical presentation was categorized as mRCC at diagnosis/de novo based on SEER and TNM classification. Results: We analyzed 81,178 patients age 18 and older with an ICD-10 code C649 diagnosis of malignant neoplasm of an unspecified kidney. 69,359 patients (85%) were diagnosed with RCC based on ICD-O classification, and 10,959 (13%) had metastatic disease at the time of diagnosis. Of these patients with metastatic disease, 9,691 (87.12%) were identified as NHL and 1,170 (12.30%) as HL. At the time of diagnosis, more HLs were enrolled in Medicaid (11.99% vs. 4.03%) and were uninsured (9.36% vs. 4.28%) compared to NHLs. Amongst HLs with the country of birth data, 650 (87%) were foreign-born and 97 (13%) were US-born. The largest group of foreign-born HLs was from Cuba, with 337 patients (45.18%). While for both groups the highest number of patients were diagnosed in the seventh decade of life (USA 29.66% vs. foreign 27.23%), USA-born HLs were diagnosed more over the preceding two decades (age 39-58) than foreign-born HLs (45.82% vs. 33.51%). Conversely, foreign-born HLs were diagnosed later than US-born HLs (35.29% vs. 18.34%). Both groups kept the same top two histological diagnoses (RCC and ccRCC) as the general cohort; however, US-born HLs were diagnosed with spindle cell carcinoma almost twice as much as foreign-born HLs (10.27% vs. 5.36%). Lastly, 85% of US-born HLs received treatment after diagnosis of mRCC compared to 78.9% of foreign-born HLs; however, at the last update, 47.17% and 32.95% were alive, respectively. Conclusions: In this cohort of patients with mRCC, 1 of 10 patients diagnosed with mRCC was HL. While characteristics were similar between groups, HLs had differences regarding access to care. Even amongst HLs, the country of origin affected the age of diagnosis, treatments, and outcomes. Further histopathologic and clinical characteristics will be presented at the meeting, along with treatment choices, outcomes, and clinical trial participation in the NHL and HL cohorts.

The Clinical Characteristics of Bloodstream Infections Due to Candida spp. in Patients Hospitalized in Intensive Care Units during the SARS-CoV-2 Pandemic: The Results of a Multicenter Study

Candidemia is a serious health threat. Whether this infection has a greater incidence and a higher mortality rate in patients with COVID-19 is still debated. In this multicenter, retrospective, observational study, we aimed to identify the clinical characteristics associated with the 30-day mortality in critically ill patients with candidemia and to define the differences in candidemic patients with and without COVID-19. Over a three-year period (2019–2021), we identified 53 critically ill patients with candidemia, 18 of whom (34%) had COVID-19 and were hospitalized in four ICUs. The most frequent comorbidities were cardiovascular (42%), neurological (17%), chronic pulmonary diseases, chronic kidney failure, and solid tumors (13% each). A significantly higher proportion of COVID-19 patients had pneumonia, ARDS, septic shock, and were undergoing an ECMO procedure. On the contrary, non-COVID-19 patients had undergone previous surgeries and had used TPN more frequently. The mortality rate in the overall population was 43%: 39% and 46% in the COVID-19 and non-COVID-19 patients, respectively. The independent risk factors associated with a higher mortality were CVVH (HR 29.08 [CI 95% 3.37–250]) and a Charlson’s score of > 3 (HR 9.346 [CI 95% 1.054–82.861]). In conclusion, we demonstrated that candidemia still has a high mortality rate in patients admitted to ICUs, irrespective of infection due to SARS-CoV-2.

Prevalence, Identity, Pathogenicity, and Infection Dynamics of Botryosphaeriaceae causing Avocado Branch Canker in California.

Botryosphaeria branch canker and dieback of avocado has expanded in avocado growing areas in recent years. Twenty-one avocado groves in major California producing regions were surveyed in 2018 and 2019. Monthly inoculations of wounded, green and lignified branches of 'Hass' and 'Lamb Hass' were conducted. Botryosphaeriaceae were the predominant fungi recovered from cankered tissues collected across traditional and high-density orchards, causing symptoms on all sampled cultivars. These fungi were also recovered in asymptomatic twigs and other organs, thus exist as potential reservoir for future infections. Molecular analyses of 173 isolates showed that Neofusicoccum luteum had the greatest incidences across sites and cultivars, with 83 and 29% recovered from 'Hass' and 'Lamb Hass', respectively. Pathogenicity tests on excised ('Hass', 'GEM', and 'Hass' mutants), attached shoots from potted ('Hass') and mature avocado trees ('Hass' and 'Lamb Hass') showed that all species were pathogenic on wounded, green, and mature branches. Monthly inoculations of wounded, green and lignified branches of 'Hass' and 'Lamb Hass' showed that both stem types were susceptible throughout the inoculation periods, regardless of the avocado phenological stage. In temperature-dependent growth and infection studies, growth of three Botryosphaeriaceae was higher between 20 and 30 °C, but only Lasiodiplodia theobromae significantly grew and caused external lesions at 35 °C. Lasiodiplodia theobromae also grew more on perseitol-amended media, all indicating its adaptation to warmer temperatures and capacity in metabolizing the avocado-produced sugar. Overall, this study extended our knowledge of the biology of Botryosphaeriaceae on avocados, which will be useful to tailor management strategies.

Supplementation of feedlot lambs with cactus cladodes as strategy to improve testicular function

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of diets containing cactus cladodes genotypes on plasma testosterone levels, testicular histopathological and histomorphometric parameters, and oxidative stress markers in lambs. Thirty-six male, intact Santa Inês lambs (22.0 ± 2.9 kg initial body weight), were to feedlot for 86 days. A completely randomized design was used with three dietary treatments (control diet with Tifton-85 hay as the only roughage; and two more diets with Miúda or OEM cactus cladodes partially replacing hay) and twelve replicates. There was no influence of the diets on the testicular weight (P = 0.414) and gonadosomatic index (P = 0.384) of lambs. The testosterone serum concentrations were almost twice as higher in lambs fed Miúda cactus cladodes compared to control treatment. There was greater incidence and severity of lesions in the testicular parenchyma of animals that received control diet: loosening of germ cell epithelium, germ cell desquamation and vacuolization of Sertoli cells. The seminiferous tubule diameter and height of the seminiferous epithelium were higher in lambs fed OEM cactus cladodes (P = 0.003). The tubular volume and Leydig cells volume were higher in animals fed with cactus cladodes (P < 0.05). The levels of malondialdehyde were higher in the lambs of control group compared to OEM group (P = 0.039) and the testicular concentration of nitric oxide was higher in control group (P = 0.009). The diet containing OEM cactus cladodes increased the levels of superoxide dismutase. Our results indicate that diets containing cactus cladodes promote antioxidant protection to the testicular parenchyma and preserve the spermatogenic process of lambs.

A Review of Global Cancer Prevalence and Therapy

Cancer remains a major contributor to mortality and hinders the increase in life expectancy worldwide, while stroke and coronary heart disease deaths have seen a global decline compared to cancer mortality rates. There are significant disparities in cancer incidence rates between regions and genders, primarily due to varying exposure to risk factors, cancer types, and early detection and prevention challenges. Egypt experienced the highest rate of new cancer diagnoses and cancer-related fatalities in Africa, with prostate cancer being the most prevalent cancer in men and breast and cervical cancers having the greatest impact on women. In North African countries, breast cancer had greater incidence and fatality rates than cervical cancer, however, the trend was the opposite in sub-Saharan African countries. Nigeria had a high number of new cancer cases and deaths due to limited awareness, restricted access to screening and treatment facilities, and the prevalence of risk factors like infectious diseases, tobacco use, and unhealthy lifestyles. Therefore, African countries, including Nigeria, need to take measures to increase awareness, invest in early detection and screening programs, and improve access to treatment and supportive care.

Abstract 722: Epidemiological characterization of renal cell carcinoma in Hispanics: A single US center cohort study

Abstract Background: Annually, there are over 400,000 new cases of renal cell carcinoma (RCC) and more than 170,000 deaths worldwide. RCC is one of the top ten more prevalent malignancies in the United States, with 76,000 new cases each year and almost 14,000 deaths. Over the past half-century, RCC has more than doubled in incidence. RCC seems to have a greater incidence among Hispanics with a nearly three-fold increase. The epidemiology of RCC in the Caucasian population has been previously studied. However, there is a knowledge gap on disparities in RCC on minority populations. Studying the epidemiology of RCC in Hispanics is integral to our community where Hispanics make up 70%. Methods: We conducted a retrospective cohort study to describe the characteristics and rates of recurrence of RCC among patients treated at Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center in Miami (which serves four counties in South Florida) between June 2010 to June 2022. We identified ethnicity as Hispanic/Latino (HL) or non-Hispanic/Latino (NHL). Clinical presentation was classified based on the last encounter as local RCC without recurrence, metastatic RCC after nephrectomy, and metastatic RCC at diagnosis/de novo. Results: We analyzed a total of 2049 patients aged 18 and older diagnosed with RCC, from which 1014 patients (47.90%) were identified as NHL and 933 (48.02%) as HL. A subtotal of 435 patients (22.86%) had metastatic RCC at diagnosis/de novo, from which 245 (55.60%) were NHL, and 176 (40.57%) were HL. A subtotal of 1614 patients (77.14%) were diagnosed with local RCC and underwent nephrectomy, from which 769 (45.61%) were identified as NHL and 787 (50.22%) as HL. From the NHL group that underwent nephrectomy, 223 patients (28.28%) had recurrent disease, and 546 patients (71.72%) did not. From the HL group, 176 patients (21.81%) had recurrent disease, and 611 (78.19%) did not. Overall, 409 patients had metastasis after nephrectomy, of which 176 (44.5%) were HL, and 203 (52.42%) were NHL. Conclusions: In this cohort of patients with RCC, almost 50% of patients diagnosed with metastasis were HL. NHL appeared to have more disease recurrence after nephrectomy and higher rates of metastatic disease at diagnosis compared to Hispanics. Further histopathological differences, clinical outcomes, genomic characterization, and rates of clinical trial participation between the NHL and HL cohorts will be presented at the meeting, along with comparisons between US and foreign-born HLs. Citation Format: Abner A. Murray, Jesus A. Ocejo Gallegos, Sandra Jones, Jose Noy, Rosa L. Frias, Leticia E. Campoverde, Jaime R. Merchan. Epidemiological characterization of renal cell carcinoma in Hispanics: A single US center cohort study [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2023; Part 1 (Regular and Invited Abstracts); 2023 Apr 14-19; Orlando, FL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2023;83(7_Suppl):Abstract nr 722.

Liver manifestations of tick-borne diseases.

Liver manifestations of tick-borne diseases.

Production of electrical energy from living plants in microbial fuel cells

AbstractGrowing energy demand is a current problem with greater incidence in the future. The research objective is to establish seed bases to give a leading role to plants used in anthropogenic production activities and consumption, and even plants belonging to wildlife in terms of energy production. The use of living plants to obtain electrical energy through a microbial-vegetable fuel cell is proposed as a mechanism to supply the energy demand with easy access worldwide, especially in areas far from urban centres. In this work, the voltage produced by microbial-vegetable fuel cells was measured using graphite electrodes and plants belonging to the species of aloe (Aloe vera), corn (Zea mays), black beans (Phaseolus vulgaris), tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) and moss (Dicranidae). They were selected for their presence in everyday life and their great commercial and agricultural value, reaching a maximum voltage of 884 mV from moss. There is evidence that all plants can be a source of energy to a greater or lesser extent and that their performance is given by the plant root interactions at the electrodes. However, an extensive root system can favour the accumulation of substrate after the hydrolysis of dead roots, provided that their presence does not interfere with microbial activity on the anodic surface. For this, using plants with low resistance to thermal stress can lead to a substrate richer in substances that can be decomposed. Therefore, it is recommended to use plants according to their life cycle and the morphology of their roots, and plants that can grow in waterlogged conditions or without direct contact with the Sun.

Impact of allogeneic stem cell transplantation on thyroid function.

Primary hypothyroidism is a main endocrine complication after allogeneic stem cells transplantation (allo-SCT) in children, but in adults data on post-SCT hypothyroidism are limited. The aims of this observational, cross-sectional study were to assess the prevalence of hypothyroidism in adult allo-SCT recipients according to time from transplantation, and to identify risk factors. One hundred and eighty-six patients (M 104; F 82; median age 53.4years) who underwent allo-SCT between January 2010 and December 2017 were enrolled and divided into three groups, according to time from allo-SCT (1-3years; 3-5years; > 5years). Pre-transplant TSH and fT4 levels were available for all patients. After transplantation, TSH, fT4 and anti-thyroperoxidase antibodies (TPO-Ab) were evaluated. After a follow-up of 3.7years, 34 (18.3%) patients developed hypothyroidism, with higher prevalence in females (p < 0.001) and in patients who received matched unrelated donor grafts (p < 0.05). No difference in prevalence was found at different time points. Patients who developed hypothyroidism showed higher rate of TPO-Ab positivity (p < 0.05) and higher pre-transplant TSH levels (median 2.34 µU/ml) compared to those with preserved thyroid function (median 1.53 µU/ml; p < 0.001). Multivariable analysis identified higher pre-transplant TSH levels as a positive predictor of hypothyroidism (p < 0.005). The ROC curve analysis identified a pre-SCT TSH cutoff of 1.84 µU/ml, which can predict hypothyroidism with sensitivity 74.1% and specificity 67.2%. About one out of four patients developed hypothyroidism after allo-SCT, with a greater incidence in females. Pre-transplant TSH levels seem to predict the onset of post-SCT hypothyroidism.

Survival in Black and non-Black patients with metastatic prostate cancer.

101 Background: In the general population, Black men have greater incidence, lower five-year survival, and higher mortality due to prostate cancer when compared to white men. However, in clinical trials and studies of metastatic castrate resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC) in the Veterans Health Affairs (VHA) that excluded chemotherapy, Black men have longer overall survival (OS). We sought to analyze outcomes of Black men treated with androgen receptor targeting agents (ARTAs) abiraterone (AA) and enzalutamide (ENZ) in the VHA. Methods: Patients initially treated with AA or ENZ for mCRPC from May 2011 to June 2017 were identified within the VHA. Racial cohorts of Black and non-Black were determined from patient charts. ANOVA, Kaplan-Meier, and Cox proportional hazards modeling were used to assess the association between overall survival and covariates, including treatment, age, Charlson Comorbidity Index, body-mass index, PSA, year of treatment, prior docetaxel therapy, hemoglobin, creatinine clearance, bilirubin, and albumin at start of treatment. Results: Of 11,027 patients treated for mCRPC with ARTAs, 2550 (23.1%) were identified as Black. Black patients were significantly younger (72.6 vs. 75.8 years, p&lt;0.001), had higher median PSA (60.3 vs. 37.0, p&lt;0.001) and higher Charlson comorbidity index (4.5 vs. 3.9, p&lt;0.001) with lower mean BMI (27.7 vs. 28.4, p&lt;0.001) and higher rates of cardiovascular disease (62.0% vs. 59.8%, p=0.044) and diabetes (45.8% vs. 34.1%, p&lt;0.001). Docetaxel was given more frequently to Black veterans both prior to ARTA (24.7% vs. 16.9%, p&lt;0.001) and at any time (43.1% vs. 31.3%, p&lt;0.001). Black men had a median 2.0 months longer OS than non-Black men (22.0 vs. 20.0, p&lt;0.001) and decreased mortality in unadjusted models (HR 0.89, 95% CI 0.85-0.94) and multivariable models (aHR 0.76, 95% CI 0.72-0.80). Black veterans had longer OS with ENZ compared to AA (24.5 vs. 21.3 months, p&lt;0.001) and decreased mortality (HR 0.83, 95% CI 0.75-0.92) in unadjusted models. However, there was no difference in OS between ENZ and AA in neither multivariable models in all Black men (aHR 0.95, 95% CI 0.85-1.05) nor Black men with cardiovascular disease or diabetes (n=1912, aHR 0.91, 95% CI 0.80-1.03). Conclusions: In the VHA, which provides more equitable access to care, Black men have longer OS with ARTAs compared to non-Black men and increased use of chemotherapy. Importantly, Black men are significantly younger (&gt;3 years) when treated for mCRPC, with higher PSA, and higher rates of comorbid diseases.

Prevalence and Pattern of Skin Disorder among Primaryschool Children in Wasit Governorate, Iraq, 2021

S Skin diseases account for a large portion of the worldwide sickness burden and are among the leading causes of non-fatal disease. Where skin problems are one of the most prevalent organ-specific reasons for people to attend the primary health care center; they are common in various nations, although the spectrum varies widely. This study aimed to study the prevalence and Pattern of Skin Disorders among Primary-school Children in Wasit Governorate, Iraq, 2021. Material and Methods: A cross-sectional study was carried out from October to December 2022. A multi-stage, stratified sampling procedure was used to choose ten elementary schools in Iraq's Wasit Governorate, five in urban regions and five in rural ones. In the second stage, 40 pupils were chosen at random from each school for a total sample size of 400. Results: The current study involved 400 individuals; males made up the majority of the participants (55%), and more than half of the participants (52.5%) resided in cities. Skin problems were seen in 45% of people. There was a strong link between the occurrence of skin problems and gender. Participants with a father and mother who had only completed basic school had a greater incidence. Conclusion: The prevalence of skin disorders among primary school children was 45%. The gender, father education, and mother education significantly affected the prevalence. Viral, fungal, and bacterial infections were the most common causes of skin disorders.

Post Renal Transplant Malignancies; A Basic Concept.

Kidney transplantation remains the best possible solution for patients with chronic kidney disease, providing better long-term outcomes and drastically improving quality of life. However, it comes with its own set of risks. The use of immunosuppressives following renal transplants has been shown to increase the development of malignancies and infections, and the occurrence of post-transplant malignancies is now the third most common cause of death in transplant patients. This involves multiple mechanisms, including the carcinogenic tendency of some immunosuppressive drugs, along with the induction and promotion of post-transplant malignancies by certain viruses. The quantification of Cancer risk must be made an integral part of the overall management of transplant patients, and appropriate follow-up screening needs to be adopted. Kaposi's sarcoma, lymphoma, and non-melanoma skin cancers have a greater incidence. If a malignancy develops immediately after transplantation, it may have been transmitted from the donor; donor-transmitted and donor-derived tumours may be differentiated based on a two-year time limit. Immunosuppressive medications with carcinogenic tendencies, reduced immunological control of oncogenic viruses, and poor immunosurveillance remain the most important risk factors. The gravity of this situation is further exacerbated by the fact that not only is there an increased risk of developing these malignancies in the post-transplant period, but the prognosis is also worsened when compared to non-transplant patients. All transplant centers should therefore adopt a multidisciplinary approach including early detection and prompt treatment, to improve outcomes in transplanted patients.

Eosinophilic fasciitis may present as a paraneoplastic syndrome of hematological malignancies–A systematic review

To the Editor: Eosinophilic fasciitis (EF) is a connective tissue disorder marked by lymphocytic and eosinophilic infiltration into skin and subcutaneous tissue.1Lebeaux D. Sène D. Eosinophilic fasciitis (Shulman disease).Best Pract Res Clin Rheumatol. 2012; 26: 449-458https://doi.org/10.1016/j.berh.2012.08.001Crossref PubMed Scopus (80) Google Scholar This leads to thickening of the fascia surrounding muscles and painful, progressive physical disability.2Onajin O. Wieland C.N. Peters M.S. Lohse C.M. Lehman J.S. Clinicopathologic and immunophenotypic features of eosinophilic fasciitis and morphea profunda: a comparative study of 27 cases.J Am Acad Dermatol. 2018; 78: 121-128https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jaad.2017.06.148Abstract Full Text Full Text PDF PubMed Scopus (18) Google Scholar Reports have linked the disorder to malignancies and hematological disorders.3Haddad H. Sundaram S. Magro C. Gergis U. Eosinophilic fasciitis as a paraneoplastic syndrome, a case report and review of the literature.Hematol Oncol Stem Cell Ther. 2014; 7: 90-92https://doi.org/10.1016/j.hemonc.2013.12.003Crossref PubMed Scopus (26) Google Scholar We speculated that EF may be a paraneoplastic syndrome and conducted a systematic review to evaluate this potential relationship. We searched the PubMed and EmBase databases for “eosinophilic fasciitis” and “shulman disease” on January 16, 2022. A total of 2196 studies were screened for inclusion, yielding 489 studies with 1703 patients. Our review followed the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines (Fig 1). Patients had a mean age of 45.4 years, with 50.4% female (n = 733/1703). The mean duration of symptoms before a diagnosis of EF was made was 11.4 months. A total of 104 malignancies were associated with EF (6.1%, n = 104/1703). Out of which 57 were non-hematological (54.5%, n = 57/104) and 47 were hematological (45.2%, n = 47/104) (Table I). Patients with EF and malignancy were older, presenting at a mean age of 58.5 years. They skewed female (54.6%, n = 37/69) and had a shorter mean duration of symptoms before diagnosis at 6.1 months.Table IMalignancies associated with eosinophilic fasciitis casesCharacteristicsDataMalignanciesn (%) Non-hematological malignancies57 (54.8)Melanoma16 (16.8)Unspecified14 (14.7)Breast9 (9.5)Lungs8 (8.4)Nonmelanoma skin cancer4 (4.2)Thyroid2 (2.1)Prostate2 (2.1)Gastrointestinal1 (1.1)Ovarian1 (1.1) Hematological malignancies47 (45.2)Plasma cell dyscrasia10 (21.1)JAK2 essential thrombocytopenia8 (17)Leukemia12 (25.5)Acute myeloid leukemia5 (10.6)Chronic myelogenous leukemia4 (8.5)Acute lymphoblastic leukemia2 (4.3)Non-Hodgkin lymphoma15 (31.9)T cell lymphoma (NOS)5 (10.6)Unspecified2 (4.3)Marginal zone lymphoma1 (2.1)Hodgkin lymphoma2 (4.3)JAK2, Janus kinase 2; NOS, not otherwise specified. Open table in a new tab JAK2, Janus kinase 2; NOS, not otherwise specified. However, 55.4% (n = 16/30) of patients with a hematological malignancy were diagnosed with EF within 6 months of the cancer diagnosis. Furthermore, 75% (n = 12/16) were diagnosed with hematological malignancy and EF concurrently. In contrast, 30.7% (n = 8/26) of patients with a nonhematological malignancy were diagnosed with EF within 6 months of the cancer diagnosis. Our review found a 6.1% malignancy rate in EF patients. Lakhanpal et al found a 10% incidence rate of hematological malignancies and EF.4Lakhanpal S. Ginsburg W.W. Michet C.J. Doyle J.A. Moore S.B. Eosinophilic fasciitis: clinical spectrum and therapeutic response in 52 cases.Semin Arthritis Rheum. 1988; 17: 221-231https://doi.org/10.1016/0049-0172(88)90008-xCrossref PubMed Scopus (0) Google Scholar Similarly, Haddad et al3Haddad H. Sundaram S. Magro C. Gergis U. Eosinophilic fasciitis as a paraneoplastic syndrome, a case report and review of the literature.Hematol Oncol Stem Cell Ther. 2014; 7: 90-92https://doi.org/10.1016/j.hemonc.2013.12.003Crossref PubMed Scopus (26) Google Scholar found hematological malignancies to occur with greater incidence than solid malignancies. The authors also found that treatment of the malignancy can eradicate symptoms of EF.3Haddad H. Sundaram S. Magro C. Gergis U. Eosinophilic fasciitis as a paraneoplastic syndrome, a case report and review of the literature.Hematol Oncol Stem Cell Ther. 2014; 7: 90-92https://doi.org/10.1016/j.hemonc.2013.12.003Crossref PubMed Scopus (26) Google Scholar Our review found that patients with malignancy were diagnosed with EF at an older age (58.5 years old). Mango et al retrospective review of 89 EF patients had a younger mean age (51.5 years old).5Mango R.L. Bugdayli K. Crowson C.S. et al.Baseline characteristics and long-term outcomes of eosinophilic fasciitis in 89 patients seen at a single center over 20 years.Int J Rheum Dis. 2020; 23: 233-239https://doi.org/10.1111/1756-185X.13770Crossref PubMed Scopus (9) Google Scholar We found that hematological malignancies often present concurrently or within 6 months of EF diagnosis. Nonhematological cancers did not present with this pattern. It is possible that EF presents as a paraneoplastic syndrome of hematological malignancy. Physicians must conduct a thorough hematological workup when presented with EF patients to rule out potential malignancy. If found, treatment of the malignancy may effectively resolve EF. Physicians must also rule out malignancy in elderly EF patients with symptomatic onset less than 6 months. The limitations of this review include missed studies and incomplete reporting of EF diagnosis and malignancies. The true frequency of EF associated with malignancy remains unclear. Future studies can discern this relationship. Research on whether successful treatment of malignancy resolves EF should also be done. Overall, our review highlights a relationship between EF and malignancy that warrants continued investigation. None disclosed.

Enhancement of Lipid Stability and Acceptability of Canned Seafood by Addition of Natural Antioxidant Compounds to the Packing Medium-A Review.

Seafoods are known to include high contents of valuable constituents. However, they are reported to be highly perishable products, whose quality rapidly declines post-mortem, thus demanding efficient processing and storage. Among the traditional technologies, canning represents one of the most important means of marine species preservation. However, owing to the thermal sensitivity of the chemical constituents of marine species, remarkable degradative mechanisms can be produced and lead to important quality losses. The demand for better quality food makes the need for advanced preservation techniques a topic to be addressed continually in the case of seafood. One such strategy is the employment of preservative compounds obtained from natural resources. The current review provides an overview of the research carried out concerning the effect of the addition of bioactive compounds to the packing medium on the thermal stability of canned seafood. This review addresses the preservative effect of polyphenol-rich oils (i.e., extra virgin olive oil) and different kinds of products or extracts obtained from plants, algae and seafood by-products. In agreement with the great incidence of lipid damage on the nutritional and acceptability values during high-temperature seafood processing, this work is especially focussed on the inhibitory effect of lipid oxidation development.

Reduced Sleep Amount and Increased Sleep Latency in Prisoners: A Pilot Study in an Italian Jail.

Several previous subjective- or interview-based reports indicated a reduced sleep quality and quantity as well as a great incidence of insomnia troubles in prisoners living in jail. The aim of the present study is to assess the quality and quantity of sleep by using, for the first time, actigraphy. A total of thirty male prisoners and thirty male control volunteers accepted to participate in this study: to this end, they filled in some questionnaires to assess state and trait anxiety, depression, sleep quality, and insomnia severity. In addition, their sleep was actigraphically recorded for seven consecutive nights. The main results indicate a worsened mood in prisoners than in controls (with increased anxiety and depression) as well as a subjectively reported low sleep quality (higher scores at PSQI) with a clinical presence of insomnia complaints (as indicated by ISI scores). Moreover, objectively assessed sleep by means of actigraphy exhibited some worrying results, namely a longer sleep onset and a reduced total sleep time was seen in prisoners with respect to controls. The results have been discussed in the light of potential effects of sleep quality and quantity as well as of mood symptoms on cognitive functioning, as well as with respect to prisoners' health and well-being.

Intravital imaging and cavitation monitoring of antivascular ultrasound in tumor microvasculature.

Rationale: Focused ultrasound-stimulated microbubbles have been shown to be capable of inducing blood flow shutdown and necrosis in a range of tissue types in an approach termed antivascular ultrasound or nonthermal ablation. In oncology, this approach has demonstrated tumor growth inhibition, and profound synergistic antitumor effects when combined with traditional platforms of chemo-, radiation- and immune-therapies. However, the exposure schemes employed have been broad and underlying mechanisms remain unclear with fundamental questions about exposures, vessel types and sizes involved, and the nature of bubble behaviors and their acoustic emissions resulting in vascular damage - impeding the establishment of standard protocols. Methods: Here, ultrasound transmitters and receivers are integrated into a murine dorsal window chamber tumor model for intravital microscopy studies capable of real-time visual and acoustic monitoring during antivascular ultrasound. Vessel type (normal and tumor-affected), caliber, and viability are assessed under higher pressure conditions (1, 2, and 3 MPa), and cavitation signatures are linked to the biological effects. Results: Vascular events occurred preferentially in tumor-affected vessels with greater incidence in smaller vessels and with more severity as a function of increasing pressure. Vascular blood flow shutdown was found to be due to a combination of focal disruption events and network-related flow changes. Acoustic emissions displayed elevated broadband noise and distinct sub- and ultra-harmonics and their associated third-order peaks with increasing pressure. Conclusions: The observed vascular events taken collectively with identified cavitation signatures provide an improved mechanistic understanding of antivascular ultrasound at the microscale, with implications for establishing a specific treatment protocol and control platform.

Abstract C121: Epidemiological characteristics and patterns of recurrence of renal cell carcinoma in Hispanics: A single US center cohort study

Abstract Renal cell carcinoma (RCC) is amongst the ten most prevalent malignancies in the United States, with 76,000 new cases each year and almost 14,000 deaths. Over the past half-century, RCC has more than doubled in incidence. RCC seems to have a greater incidence among Hispanics with a nearly three-fold increase. The epidemiology of RCC has been studied. However, there is a gap in knowledge on disparities in RCC within minority populations. We aimed to analyze epidemiologic patterns of RCC within our community, where Hispanics alone make up 70% of the population. We conducted a retrospective study to describe characteristics and calculate rates of recurrence of RCC among patients treated at Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center in Miami, FL, from June 2010 to April 2020. The patients were aged 18 and older and had a pathologic diagnosis of RCC. We identified ethnicity as Hispanic/Latino (HL) or non-Hispanic/Latino (NHL). Clinical presentation was classified based on information from the last encounter as either local RCC without recurrence, metastatic RCC after nephrectomy, or metastatic RCC at diagnosis/de novo. We analyzed a total of 1168 patients, from which 661 patients (55.7%) were identified as NHL and 507 (42.7%) as HL. A subtotal of 333 patients (28.5%) had metastatic RCC at diagnosis/de novo, from which 199 (59.7%) were NHL, and 134 (40.2%) were HL. A subtotal of 835 patients (71.5%) were diagnosed with local RCC and underwent nephrectomy, from which 462 (55.3%) were identified as NHL and 373 (44.7%) as HL. From the NHL group that underwent nephrectomy, 189 patients (40.9%) had recurrent disease and 273 (59%) did not. From the HL group, 121 patients (32.4%) had recurrent disease and 252 (67.5%) did not. Overall, 310 patients had metastasis after nephrectomy, from which 121 (39%) were HL and 189 (60.9%) were NHL. In this cohort of patients with RCC, four out of every ten patients with metastasis at diagnosis were HL. NHL appeared to have more recurrence of disease after nephrectomy compared to Hispanics. Further histopathologic, clinical, and genomic characteristics will be presented, along with treatment outcomes and clinical trial participation in the NHL and HL cohorts. Citation Format: Abner Antonio Murray Melo, Jesus Antonio Ocejo Gallegos, Jaime Rafael Merchan. Epidemiological characteristics and patterns of recurrence of renal cell carcinoma in Hispanics: A single US center cohort study [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 15th AACR Conference on the Science of Cancer Health Disparities in Racial/Ethnic Minorities and the Medically Underserved; 2022 Sep 16-19; Philadelphia, PA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev 2022;31(1 Suppl):Abstract nr C121.

Effects of supplemental zinc on growth, carcass characteristics, and liver abscess formation in steers with experimentally induced ruminal acidosis challenge.

The study's aim was to evaluate the effect of dietary Zn supplementation on steer performance, biomarkers of inflammation and metabolism, and liver abscess formation in response to a mild acidosis challenge. Forty-two steers (417 ± 3.99 kg; n = 6/pen) were housed in pens with bunks designed to measure individual dry matter intake (DMI) and fed one of two diets containing either 0 (CON; n = 18) or 90 mg Zn/kg from a Zn-amino acid complex (Zn-AA; n = 18; AvailaZn; Zinpro) for 109 d. Six additional steers were fed the CON diet and did not undergo the acidosis challenge (NON; n = 6). The acidosis challenge included restricting steers to 50% of the previous 7 d daily DMI on days 46 and 47, steers were individually provided 10% of DMI as cracked corn (as-fed) at 0800 h followed by ad libitum feed access 2 h post-grain consumption. Steer was the experimental unit, and two contrasts were constructed: NON vs. CON and CON vs. Zn-AA. Blood samples were collected on days 40, 48, 53, 69, 80, and 108 and analyzed as repeated measures. Final body weight and overall average daily gain (2.29, 2.30, and 2.31 ± 0.920 kg/d for CON, Zn-AA, and NON, respectively) were not different (P ≥ 0.74) between treatments. By design, DMI was greater (P < 0.01) for NON compared to CON on day 46 but was not different (P ≥ 0.41) for the rest of the experiment. While hot carcass weight (423, 428, and 424 ± 7.9 kg for CON, Zn-AA, and NON, respectively) and ribeye area were not different (P ≥ 0.53) due to treatment, marbling score tended (P = 0.06) to be greater in CON compared to Zn-AA. The 12th rib backfat thickness was greater (P = 0.05) in NON vs. CON steers. Liver abscess incidence tended to be greater (P = 0.12) in CON (24% abscesses) vs. Zn-AA (6% abscesses). NON had a greater incidence (P = 0.05; 50% abscesses) compared to CON. Overall, blood fibrinogen and leukocyte counts were not different between treatments (P ≥ 0.67); however, neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio tended to be greater in NON vs. CON (P = 0.08). Serum aspartate aminotransferase and gamma-glutamyl transferase concentrations were greater in NON vs. CON (P ≤ 0.02), and serum alkaline phosphatase concentration was lesser in CON vs. Zn-AA (P < 0.01). Overall, dietary Zn supplementation tended to lessen incidence of liver abscesses with limited impacts on overall cattle performance. Shifts in liver enzymes may represent opportunities to identify cattle with liver abscesses earlier in the feeding period.

Responsible innovation assessment tools: a systematic review and research agenda

PurposeResponsible innovation assessment tools (RIATs) are key instruments that can help organizations, associations and individuals measure responsible innovation. Accordingly, this study aims to review the current status of research on responsible innovation and, in particular, of studies that either present the relevance of RIATs or provide empirical evidence of their adoption.Design/methodology/approachA systematic literature review is conducted to identify and review how RIATs are being addressed in academic research and the applications that are proposed. A systematic process is implemented using the Web of Science and Scopus bibliographic databases, aiming not only to summarize existing studies, but also to include a perspective on gaps and future research.FindingsA total of 119 publications were identified and included in the review process. The study identifies that RIATs have attracted growing interest from the scientific community, with a greater predominance of studies involving qualitative and mixed methods. A well-balanced mix of conceptual and exploratory studies is also registered, with a greater predominance of analysis of RIATs application domains in the past years, with greater incidence in the finance, water, energy, construction, manufacturing and health sectors.Originality/valueThis study is pioneering in identifying 16 dimensions and 60 sub-dimensions for measuring responsible innovation. It also suggests the need to include multidimensional perspectives and individuals with interdisciplinary competencies in this process.