Potential Conflicts Of Interest Research Articles

Watching the watchers: A report on the disclosure of potential conflicts of interest by editors and editorial board members of dental journals.

Reporting potential conflicts of interest (COIs) by all parties involved in the publication process is of pivotal importance to increase trust in research. The present study assessed the disclosure of potential COIs of editors and editorial board members of high-ranked dental journals. From 28 April 2021 to 05 May 2021, the websites of 91 dental journals classified by impact factor (IF) were scrutinized to obtain information on the reporting of COI forms of editors and board members, and whether these individuals reported their detailed curriculum vitae (CV). The COI forms were assessed to understand the potential financial and non-financial COIs of editors and board members. Only 11 (12.1%) journals reported COI forms of editors-in-chief (EICs) and associate editors (AEs). No journal reported a COI form of the editorial board members. Of the 100 editors (EICs plus AEs), 25 (25.%) declared connections to for-profit organisations, and seven (7%) to not-for-profit organisations. Five (5%) editors (all AEs) reported non-financial COIs, and 35 (35%) editors reported nothing to declare. Nine (9.9%) journals reported a short CV of editors, which were not informative regarding potential COIs. Editors and editorial board members of high-ranked dental journals should report in more detail their potential COIs.

Input–Output Functions in Human Heads Obtained With Cochlear Implant and Transcranial Electric Stimulation

Electric stimulation is used to treat a number of neurologic disorders such as epilepsy and depression. However, delivering the required current to far-field neural targets is often ineffective because of current spread through low-impedance pathways. Here, the specific aims are to develop an empirical measure for current passing through the human head and to optimize stimulation strategies for targeting deeper structures, including the auditory nerve, by utilizing the cochlear implant (CI). Outward input/output (I/O) functions were obtained by CI stimulation and recording scalp potentials in five CI subjects. Conversely, inward I/O functions were obtained by noninvasive transcranial electric stimulation (tES) and recording intracochlear potentials using the onboard recording capability of the CI. I/O measures indicate substantial current spread, with a maximum of 2.2% gain recorded at the inner ear target during tES (mastoid-to-mastoid electrode configuration). Similarly, CI stimulation produced a maximum of 1.1% gain at the scalp electrode nearest the CI return electrode. Gain varied with electrode montage according to a point source model that accounted for distances between the stimulating and recording electrodes. Within the same electrode montages, current gain patterns varied across subjects suggesting the importance of tissue properties, geometry, and electrode positioning. These results provide a novel objective measure of electric stimulation in the human head, which can help to optimize stimulation parameters that improve neural excitation of deep structures by reducing the influence of current spread. The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest.

The authors reply

Department of Thoracic Medicine and Surgery, Lewis Katz School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA The authors have disclosed that they do not have any potential conflicts of interest.

In situ ruminal disappearance of crude protein and phytate from differently processed rapeseed meals in dairy cows.

The influence of different processing conditions of rapeseed meal on ruminal degradation of crude protein and phytate in dairy cows was investigated. Following oil extraction from the rapeseed, five residence times in the desolventizer/toaster were chosen to remove the solvent from the meal. Rapeseed cake and rapeseed meals were incubated in situ in the rumen of three fistulated dairy cows to determine ruminal degradation parameters. With increasing residence time in the desolventizer/toaster the ruminal degradation of crude protein decreased significantly for every treatment step. Ruminal phytate degradation and crude protein degradation were affected almost identically. The processing conditions of rapeseed meal have a major impact on the ruminal degradation of crude protein and phytate, indicating a potential conflict of interest regarding the production process. Large amounts of undegradable rumen protein are often intended for high-yielding dairy cows whereas a high level of ruminal degradation is preferred for phytate to increase absorption of phosphorus in the small intestine. © 2021 The Authors. Journal of The Science of Food and Agriculture published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Society of Chemical Industry.

He Who Pays the Piper Calls the Tune: Big Data, Philanthrocapitalism, and the Demise of the Historical Study of Religions

Abstract The recent digital turn has had an unprecedented impact on the identity of the academic disciplines that study religions. Expectedly, this shift has brought about a dramatic change in the power dynamics between the main research actors and funders. In particular, historians and humanist scholars have taken the brunt, mostly replaced by data scientists, software engineers, statisticians, psychologists, anthropologists, and biologists alike. Consequently, multimillion-dollar projects aimed at testing historical hypotheses and massive agent-based simulations have been implemented on shaky methodological and epistemological grounds. Concurrently, in the aftermath of the 2008 financial crisis, private religious bodies have increasingly replaced public funding, raising important but still unaddressed moral questions about transparency, independence, and potential conflicts of interests. The present article explores the ethically troubling relationship between the boom of Big Data and computational approaches to the study of religions past and present and the infiltration of religious philanthrocapitalism in contemporary neoliberal academia.

Defining AMIA's artificial intelligence principles.

Recent advances in the science and technology of artificial intelligence (AI) and growing numbers of deployed AI systems in healthcare and other services have called attention to the need for ethical principles and governance. We define and provide a rationale for principles that should guide the commission, creation, implementation, maintenance, and retirement of AI systems as a foundation for governance throughout the lifecycle. Some principles are derived from the familiar requirements of practice and research in medicine and healthcare: beneficence, nonmaleficence, autonomy, and justice come first. A set of principles follow from the creation and engineering of AI systems: explainability of the technology in plain terms; interpretability, that is, plausible reasoning for decisions; fairness and absence of bias; dependability, including "safe failure"; provision of an audit trail for decisions; and active management of the knowledge base to remain up to date and sensitive to any changes in the environment. In organizational terms, the principles require benevolence-aiming to do good through the use of AI; transparency, ensuring that all assumptions and potential conflicts of interest are declared; and accountability, including active oversight of AI systems and management of any risks that may arise. Particular attention is drawn to the case of vulnerable populations, where extreme care must be exercised. Finally, the principles emphasize the need for user education at all levels of engagement with AI and for continuing research into AI and its biomedical and healthcare applications.

Editorial Policy

Editorial Policy

Second Solid Cancers After Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation: Active Surveillance During Long-term Follow-up.

Second Solid Cancers After Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation: Active Surveillance During Long-term Follow-up.

Effects of classroom-based active breaks on cognition, sitting and on-task behaviour in children with intellectual disability

Objective: Classroom-based active breaks can help typically developing children to reduce prolonged sitting time, increase physical activity, and improve cognitive functions and on-task behavior. Yet, this approach has not been tested in children with intellectual disability, although this population are insufficiently active and at a higher risk of obesity compared to typically developing children. Hence, this study aimed to test the effects of a 5-week active break intervention on cognitive functions, sedentary patterns, and on-task behavior in schoolchildren with intellectual disability. Method: We recruited twenty-four children, aged between 8 and 12 years (37.5% girls), from two schools. Children’s cognitive functions (response inhibition, lapses of attention, interference and working memory) were measured at baseline and trial end using computer-based tests. Sitting, standing and movement patterns were assessed with inclinometers during class/school periods, at baseline, mid-trial, and end of trial. On-task behavior was directly observed in the classroom, before and after active breaks. Linear mixed models were used to investigate the intervention effects on cognitive functions and sedentary patterns. Generalised linear mixed models were used to analyse on-task behaviour data. Teachers’ experience was captured using one-on-one interviews. Results: A significant time × group interaction was found for working memory favouring the intervention group (B = 11.56, 95% confidence interval [1.92, 21.21]). No significant effects were found in relation to the other measures of children’s cognition or on-task behaviour. Relative to the control group, the intervention group showed significant positive changes in stepping time (+25 min) and step count (+1913 steps), and significant negative changes in time spent in sitting bouts greater than 5 mins (–60 mins) or greater than 20 min (–73 mins) from baseline to mid-trial; similar significant differences were also noted by the end of trial. Teachers indicated that active breaks are feasible to implement, although adaptations may be needed to cater for children’s specific needs. Discussion: Classroom-based active breaks are feasible to implement in the real school environment and can contribute to increase physical activity and reduce sedentary behaviour in children with intellectual disability and might also benefit their working memory. This study is the first to have tested the effects of classroom-based active breaks in this population. Further research is required to clarify the effects on cognitive functions and whether this strategy has other benefits in children with intellectual disability. Conflict of interest statement: J.S. declares that she has a potential conflict of interest as her husband established a business to manufacture height-adjustable desks for schools in 2017. However, she was not involved in the data analysis. N.R. currently receives funding from the Moose Foundation, Victorian Department of Education and Training, MECCA Brands, Wenig Family, Geelong Community Foundation, and Grace and Emilio Foundation to conduct research in the field of neurodevelopmental disorders and inclusion. N.R. also receives funding from the Ferrero Group Australia as part of its Kinder + Sport pillar of Corporate Social Responsibility initiatives to promote active lifestyles among young people. N.R. has previously received donations from Vic Health and Bus Association Victoria; and previous speaker honorarium from Novartis (2002), Pfizer (2006) and Nutricia (2007); and is a Director of the Amaze Board (Autism Victoria). N.R. has also received funding from the Australian National Disability Insurance Agency. None of the companies or organisational bodies listed above had a role in this research including the data collection and analysis, and/or the interpretation of results; in writing of this abstract or the manuscript; and/or in the decision to submit the article for publication. The other authors declare no conflicts of interest. This research was funded by the Department of Education and Training, State Government of Victoria. The funders had no role in the design of the study; in the data collection and analyses, and/or the interpretation of data; in the writing of the abstract/manuscript, or in the decision to publish the results.

Acid Sphingomyelinase Decreases Atherosclerotic Plaque Stability Monitored with Molecular Imaging

Background: Acid sphingomyelinase (ASM) promotes atherogenesis and acute cardiovascular events. We previously demonstrated ASM inhibitor desipramine attenuated oxidized-LDL induced macrophage apoptosis in vitro. Here, we aim to determine whether ASM mediated apoptosis in plaque and improve stability in vivo. Methods: In this study, rabbits with abdominal aorta balloon injury and 12-week high-cholesterol diet (HCD) were used to simulate atherosclerotic plaque model. Atherosclerotic rabbits received oral administration of saline (Control group), atorvastatin (Ator group), or desipramine (DES group). ASM activity and ceramide level were measured by ultra-performance liquid chromatography (UPLC). Plaque morphology was assessed by histochemistry and immunohistochemistry. Apoptosis was evaluated by SPECT/CT imaging of 99mTc-duramycin uptake and TUNEL Results: We found that increasing ASM activity and ceramide level in atherosclerotic rabbits was abated by additional atorvastatin and desipramine treatment. Meanwhile, the DES and Ator groups were similar with regard to plaque stability, with smaller plaque size, areas of macrophages, higher smooth muscle cell content, and decreased apoptosis and matrix metalloproteinase (MMP) activities relative to the Control group. 99mTc-duramycin uptake of rabbit aorta was significantly higher in Control than in Normal group, while it was reduced by desipramine and atorvastatin administration. Moreover, uptake of 99mTc-duramycin positively correlated with apoptotic cell number, macrophage infiltration and plaque instability. Conclusion: The present study demonstrated that desipramine exerted plaque-stabilizing effects partially by suppressing apoptosis and MMP activity in rabbit model. And 99mTc-duramycin SPECT/CT imaging allowed noninvasively monitoring atherosclerotic disease and evaluating anti-atherosclerotic therapy. Funding Information: This work was supported by grants from the National Natural Science Foundation of China (No. 81901784 to ZM, No. 81170261 to ZGG). Declaration of Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest. Ethics Approval Statement: All animal protocols were approved by the Committee of Animal Care and Use at Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, China. All procedures were conducted to minimize the number of animals used and their suffering.

Role of Multi-Stakeholder in Adolescent Health Program in Indonesia

This study aims to identify the role of stakeholders from various sectors in adolescent health program. This study conducted interviews and FGDs to the relevant stakeholders. Research subjects came from elements of governments, NGOs, media, teachers, and parents. Every government has a program for adolescents, but the most were only providing information. Therefore, NGOs completed the programs that have not been implemented by the government. The media also has youth programs that are tailored to the needs or trends. Teachers and parents as the closest control with adolescents, also play a role in providing information and accompanying adolescents. The various roles of the various stakeholder groups require synergy efforts to avoid overlapping. The research team designed the Health Educator for adolescent as an effort to synergize various programs from various stakeholders. Through Health Educator for adolescent program, effective communication methods will be designed that connect youth-parent-teacher and government programs. Funding: This study was conducted as a part of Health Educator Program in Surabaya, supported by Institute for Research and Community Service, Universitas Airlangga. Declaration of Interests: No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors. Ethics Approval Statement: This study was approved by Health Ethics Research Committee from Faculty of Nursing, Universitas Airlangga, ref: 1773-KEPK (29 September 2019). All of the participants agreed to join this study and provided written informed consent; they were allowed to withdraw during this study and this study was also anonymous and voluntary.

Health care utilization and costs associated with direct-acting antivirals for patients with substance use disorders and chronic hepatitis C.

BACKGROUND: Patients with substance use disorders (SUD) and chronic hepatitis C virus infection (HCV) have limited access to direct-acting antivirals (DAAs) due to multilevel issues related to providers (eg, concern about reinfection); patients (eg, refusal); payers (eg, prior authorization); and health system structure, although clinical guidelines recommend timely DAA treatment for patients with SUD and HCV. Effects of DAAs on real-world health care utilization and costs among these patients is unknown. OBJECTIVE: To compare changes in medical service utilization and costs related to liver, SUD, and all-cause morbidity in patients with SUD and HCV treated with DAAs (DAA group) vs not treated with DAAs (non-DAA group). METHODS: We conducted a retrospective cohort study using MarketScan Commercial and Medicare Supplemental Claims databases (2012-2018) for newly diagnosed HCV treatment-naive adults with SUD. We used difference-in-differences analyses, stratified by cirrhosis status, to determine the adjusted ratio of rate ratio (RoRR) to assess the difference in the relative changes from the pre- to posttreatment periods between the 2 groups. RESULTS: 6,266 patients with SUD and HCV were identified. Of these patients who also had cirrhosis (n = 607), 49% (n = 298) initiated DAA therapy for HCV, whereas of those without cirrhosis (n = 5,659), 22% (n = 1,219) initiated DAAs. For patients with cirrhosis (n = 607), the liver-related costs decreased by $6,213 (95% CI = -$8,571, -$3,856) for the DAA group and $1,585 (95% CI = -$4,659, $1,490) for the non-DAA group. The relative decreases in the rate of liver-related costs were larger for the DAA group than for the non-DAA group, and the relative changes between groups were significantly different (RoRR = 0.37, 95% CI = 0.19-0.73). There was no difference in the relative changes after DAAs in the rate of SUD-related visits/costs or all-cause costs between the 2 groups. For patients without cirrhosis (n = 5,659), a similar association was observed. Besides, the relative decreases in the rate of SUD-related emergency department (ED) visits (RoRR = 0.54, 95% CI = 0.38-0.77); SUD-related long-term care visits (RoRR = 0.30, 95% CI = 0.13-0.73); all-cause ED visits (RoRR = 0.75, 95% CI = 0.64-0.88); and all-cause long term-care visits (RoRR = 0.36, 95% CI = 0.18-0.72) were larger in the DAA group than in the non-DAA group. CONCLUSIONS: DAAs are associated with a significant decrease in the rate of SUD-related ED visits and liver-related costs without increasing the rate of all-cause costs among patients with SUD and HCV, suggesting that the benefits of DAAs extended beyond liver-related outcomes, especially in this disadvantaged population. DISCLOSURES: Research reported in this publication was supported in part by the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health (K01DA045618). The funder did not have a role in the design, the execution, the analyses, the interpretation of the data, or the decision to submit the results of this study. The authors have no potential conflicts of interest.

Corrigendum: Analysis of Failure Models and Deformation Evolution Process of Geological Hazards in Ganzhou City, China

A corrigendum on Analysis of Failure Models and Deformation Evolution Process of Geological Hazards in Ganzhou City, Chinaby Zhan Q, Wang S, Wang L, Guo F, Zhao D and Yan J. (2021). Front. Earth Sci. 9:731447. doi: 10.3389/feart.2021.731447In the original article, there was a mistake in TABLE 3 Rock and soil-mechanical parameters of discrete elements in each slope as published.The authors pasted duplicate data in Table 3, which caused the data in Table 3 and Table 2 to be duplicated. The corrected TABLE 3 Rock and soil-mechanical parameters of discrete elements in each slope appears below.The authors apologize for this error and state that this does not change the scientific conclusions of the article in any way. The original article has been updated. Conflict of Interest Statement The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest.

Emerging Role of Genomic Analysis in Clinical Evaluation of Lean Individuals With NAFLD.

HepatologyVolume 74, Issue 4 p. 2241-2250 Concise Review Emerging Role of Genomic Analysis in Clinical Evaluation of Lean Individuals With NAFLD Sílvia Vilarinho, Corresponding Author roloomba@ucsd.edu silvia.vilarinho@yale.edu Department of Internal Medicine, Section of Digestive Diseases and of Pathology, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT These authors contributed equally to this work. ADDRESS CORRESPONDENCE AND REPRINT REQUESTS TO: Rohit Loomba, M.D., M.H.Sc. Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, University of California at San Diego 1W202, ACTRI Building La Jolla, CA, 92093-0887 E-mail: roloomba@ucsd.edu Tel.: 858-246-2201 or Sílvia Vilarinho, M.D., Ph.D. Department of Internal Medicine, Section of Digestive Diseases and of Pathology, Yale School of Medicine New Haven, CT 06520 E-mail: silvia.vilarinho@yale.edu Tel.: 858-246-2201Search for more papers by this authorVeeral Ajmera, orcid.org/0000-0001-5626-0942 NAFLD Research Center, Division of Gastroenterology, University of California at San Diego, La Jolla, CA These authors contributed equally to this work.Search for more papers by this authorMelanie Zheng, Department of Internal Medicine, Section of Digestive Diseases and of Pathology, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CTSearch for more papers by this authorRohit Loomba, Corresponding Author roloomba@ucsd.edu orcid.org/0000-0002-4845-9991 NAFLD Research Center, Division of Gastroenterology, University of California at San Diego, La Jolla, CA ADDRESS CORRESPONDENCE AND REPRINT REQUESTS TO: Rohit Loomba, M.D., M.H.Sc. Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, University of California at San Diego 1W202, ACTRI Building La Jolla, CA, 92093-0887 E-mail: roloomba@ucsd.edu Tel.: 858-246-2201 or Sílvia Vilarinho, M.D., Ph.D. Department of Internal Medicine, Section of Digestive Diseases and of Pathology, Yale School of Medicine New Haven, CT 06520 E-mail: silvia.vilarinho@yale.edu Tel.: 858-246-2201Search for more papers by this author Sílvia Vilarinho, Corresponding Author roloomba@ucsd.edu silvia.vilarinho@yale.edu Department of Internal Medicine, Section of Digestive Diseases and of Pathology, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT These authors contributed equally to this work. ADDRESS CORRESPONDENCE AND REPRINT REQUESTS TO: Rohit Loomba, M.D., M.H.Sc. Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, University of California at San Diego 1W202, ACTRI Building La Jolla, CA, 92093-0887 E-mail: roloomba@ucsd.edu Tel.: 858-246-2201 or Sílvia Vilarinho, M.D., Ph.D. Department of Internal Medicine, Section of Digestive Diseases and of Pathology, Yale School of Medicine New Haven, CT 06520 E-mail: silvia.vilarinho@yale.edu Tel.: 858-246-2201Search for more papers by this authorVeeral Ajmera, orcid.org/0000-0001-5626-0942 NAFLD Research Center, Division of Gastroenterology, University of California at San Diego, La Jolla, CA These authors contributed equally to this work.Search for more papers by this authorMelanie Zheng, Department of Internal Medicine, Section of Digestive Diseases and of Pathology, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CTSearch for more papers by this authorRohit Loomba, Corresponding Author roloomba@ucsd.edu orcid.org/0000-0002-4845-9991 NAFLD Research Center, Division of Gastroenterology, University of California at San Diego, La Jolla, CA ADDRESS CORRESPONDENCE AND REPRINT REQUESTS TO: Rohit Loomba, M.D., M.H.Sc. Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, University of California at San Diego 1W202, ACTRI Building La Jolla, CA, 92093-0887 E-mail: roloomba@ucsd.edu Tel.: 858-246-2201 or Sílvia Vilarinho, M.D., Ph.D. Department of Internal Medicine, Section of Digestive Diseases and of Pathology, Yale School of Medicine New Haven, CT 06520 E-mail: silvia.vilarinho@yale.edu Tel.: 858-246-2201Search for more papers by this author First published: 07 July 2021 https://doi.org/10.1002/hep.32047 Supported by National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (5P42ES010337), National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences (5UL1TR001442), Department of Defense Peer Reviewed Cancer Research Program (W81XWH-18-2-0026), National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (U01DK061734, R01DK106419, R01DK121378, R01DK124318, P30DK120515, K23DK119460, and K08 DK113109), National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (P01HL147835), and National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (U01AA029019), and Doris Duke Charitable Foundation (2019081). Potential conflict of interest: Dr. Loomba consults and received grants from AstraZeneca, Bristol-Myers Squibb, Eli Lilly, Galmed, Gilead, Intercept, Janssen, Madrigal, NGM, and Pfizer. He consults for Alnylam/Regeneron, Amgen, Arrowhead, CohBar, Glympse, Ionis, Inipharm, Metacrine, Novartis, Novo Nordisk, Sagimet, 89Bio, and Viking. He received grants from Allergan, Boehringer Ingelheim, Galectin, Genfit, Inventiva, Merck, and Siemens. Read the full textAboutPDF ToolsRequest permissionExport citationAdd to favoritesTrack citation ShareShare Give accessShare full text accessShare full-text accessPlease review our Terms and Conditions of Use and check box below to share full-text version of article.I have read and accept the Wiley Online Library Terms and Conditions of UseShareable LinkUse the link below to share a full-text version of this article with your friends and colleagues. 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Is the Intellectual Functioning Component of AAIDD's 12th Manual Satisficing?

Is the Intellectual Functioning Component of AAIDD's 12th Manual Satisficing?

Latest features in GaBI Journal, 2021, Issue 3

This issue of GaBI Journal contains articles dealing with some very practical issues related to the evaluation, describing, and use of generic and biosimilar products. These issues include the uncertainty associated with extrapolating results of studies that used small, non-representative study populations, study sites, or product types. These problems are evident in the evaluation of three articles in this issue. Other articles illustrate difficulties evaluating published opinions without access to the original data upon which such opinions were based: the need to evaluate the possible effects of real or potential conflicts of interest; and the lack of consistent regulatory approaches to important, non-pharmaceutical chemicals.

Probability of live birth after IVF/ICSI treatments in female early onset cancer survivors: a Finnish population-based registry study.

Does the probability of a live birth after fresh IVF/ICSI cycles with autologous oocytes differ in early onset female cancer survivors compared to their siblings? The probability of a live birth was similar in female cancer survivors and siblings after four fresh IVF/ICSI cycles. Fertility preservation strategies are rapidly being developed to help female cancer patients who wish to have children later. However, there are only a few studies available on fertility treatments and following live births in female cancer survivors before fertility preservation strategies became available. In one of them, the probability of a live birth was reduced after assisted reproductive technology with autologous oocytes in cancer survivors compared to siblings. In this retrospective, register-based study, data from Finnish registers on cancer, birth and prescribed medications were merged to identify 8944 female cancer survivors (diagnosed with cancer between 1953 and 2012 at the age of 0-40 years) and 9848 female siblings of survivors eligible for IVF/ICSI treatments between January 1993 and December 2012. Fresh IVF/ICSI cycles and following live birth rates (LBRs) within 22-48 weeks in cancer survivors and siblings at the age of 20-41 years were identified. A binomial regression model with log-link function was used to calculate risk ratio (RR) for live births after fresh IVF/ICSI cycles in survivors compared to siblings, adjusting for attained age and calendar time. A Poisson regression model was used to estimate incidence rate ratios (IRRs) for an IVF/ICSI treatment, as well as overall live births, including both pregnancies after fertility treatments and spontaneous pregnancies, in survivors compared to siblings. We observed an overall decreased LBR, irrespective of IVF/ICSI treatments, in cancer survivors compared to siblings (IRR 0.68, 95% CI 0.64-0.71). All in all, 179 (2.0%) survivors and 230 (2.3%) siblings were prescribed fertility drugs for IVF/ICSI treatments (IRR 0.72, 95% CI 0.62-0.84). For the first fresh IVF/ICSI cycle, the LBR was 17.2% among survivors and 15.7% among siblings (RR 1.13, 95% CI 0.72-1.87). The mean LBR after four fresh IVF/ICSI cycles was not statistically different in survivors compared to siblings. In this study, only IVF/ICSI treatments with autologous oocytes were included. The probability of a live birth after a frozen embryo transfer or oocyte donation could not be evaluated in this study. Information on miscarriages, extrauterine pregnancies or termination of pregnancies was not available. For those early onset cancer survivors, who received IVF/ICSI treatments, the probability of live birth was not different from siblings who received IVF/ICSI treatments. However, an overall decreased LBR, irrespective of IVF/ICSI treatments, was observed in cancer survivors compared to siblings, indicating that cancer survivors receiving IVF/ICSI treatments in our study consisted of a selected group with at least a moderate ovarian reserve. This study was supported by a grant from the Cancer Foundation (Finland) (grant number 130079) and by a grant from LähiTapiola. The authors have no potential conflicts of interest. N/A.

Malnutrition, Frailty, and Sarcopenia in Patients With Cirrhosis: 2021 Practice Guidance by the American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases.

Malnutrition, Frailty, and Sarcopenia in Patients With Cirrhosis: 2021 Practice Guidance by the American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases.

Unprecedented Outbreak of Respiratory Syncytial Virus in Taiwan Associated with ON1 Variant Emergence between 2010 and 2020

Background: A national outbreak of respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) has been observed in the community since August 2020 in Taiwan even under strict COVID-19 related public health measures.Methods: We reviewed a national laboratory-based surveillance network established by Taiwan Centers for Disease Control for respiratory viral pathogens between 2010 and 2020. A retrospective study of 257 children Findings: National data from 2020 showed an enormous increase in RSV case numbers. The RSV positivity rate in 2020 had an approximately 4-fold surge compared to 2010 in Taiwan (OR 3.79; 95% CI, 3.06–4.69; p Interpretation: The unprecedented 2020 RSV epidemic caused by novel ON1 variants suggests that the mutations may confer a fitness advantage over other genotypes. Further studies on viral replication, antigenic changes, and virulence are required.Funding: This work was supported by the Chang Gung Memorial Hospital in Taiwan [Grant CMRPG3K1011 and CMRPG3K1141 ]; Ministry of Science Technology in Taiwan [MOST 108-2314-B-182A-156-MY3]; China Medical University, Taiwan [Grant CMU 108-S-23, CMU109-MF-111]Declaration of Interests: No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.Ethics Approval Statement: This study was approved by the Research and Ethics Committee of Chang Gung Memorial Hospital (IRB:202100450B0, 202100569A3).

The Discovery of α-Synuclein in Lewy Pathology of Parkinson's Disease: The Inspiration of a Revolution.

The Discovery of α-Synuclein in Lewy Pathology of Parkinson's Disease: The Inspiration of a Revolution.