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34%; 66.67%; 83.34% and 58.34% of recurrent cases, respectively, and in 80%; 80%; 80% and 60% of progressive cases, respectively. Statistical analysis highlighted a significant association between TWIST1 hypermethylation and tumour recurrence (p = 0.041 less then 0.05). Our results indicate that hypermethylation of hTERT, TWIST1, VIM and NID2 genes is a frequent epigenetic event in bladder cancer and could be a promising therapeutic target to prevent bladder cancer progression and metastasis.

While many factors influence medical student career choice, interactions with attending and resident physicians during clinical rotations are particularly important. To evaluate the influence of attending and resident physicians on medical students’ career choices, particularly for those pursuing surgical careers, we quantified their respective influence in the context of other known influences.

Rising fourth-year medical students and new graduates were given an IRB-exempt, 14-item online survey. Descriptive statistics were performed on the demographic information. Chi-square analysis was used, as were Kruskal-Wallis and Mann-Whitney analyses on the Likert responses (α=0.05).

Survey response was 24%. Students pursuing general surgery rated residents greater than or equal to attendings on 7 of 8 key mentoring characteristics. Of students choosing a different specialty than the one they intended to pursue upon entering medical school, the influence of residents was cited by 100% of the students pursuing gtant factors in their specialty decision. These findings provide valuable insights to improve student experiences and career recruitment in surgical specialties, particularly general surgery.

Thermography is a diagnostic method based on the ability to record infrared radiation emitted by the skin and is unique in its ability to accurately show physiological and/or pathological cutaneous temperature changes in a non-invasive way. This method can be used to indirectly assess changes or impairments in cutaneous perfusion. Significant technological advancements have allowed thermography to be more commonly utilized by clinicians, yet a basic consensus of patient characteristics that may affect temperature recordings is not established.

We evaluated cutaneous temperature in a cohort of outpatients to understand what factors, including tobacco use and other high-risk characteristics, contribute to cutaneous tissue perfusion as measured by thermography. Participants were prospectively enrolled if they were a combustible cigarette smoker, an electronic cigarette (e-cigarette) user, or a never smoker. Standardized thermographic images of the subject’s facial profiles, forearms, and calves were taken and demographic characteristics, medical comorbidities, and tobacco product use were assessed. These variables were statistically tested for associations with temperature at each anatomic site.

We found that gender had a significant effect on thermographic temperature that differed by anatomic site, and we found a lack of significant difference in thermographic temperature by race. Our regression analysis did not support significant differences in thermographic temperatures across smoking groups, while there was a trend for decreased perfusion in smokers relative to non-smokers and e-cigarette users relative to non-smokers.

Thermographic imaging is a useful tool for clinical and research use with consideration of sex and other perfusion-affecting characteristics.

Thermographic imaging is a useful tool for clinical and research use with consideration of sex and other perfusion-affecting characteristics.

Global surgery (GS) training pathways in residency are unclear and vary by specialty and program. Furthermore, information on these pathways is not always accessible. To address this gap, we produced a collection of open-access webinars for senior medical students focused on identifying GS training pathways during residency.

The Global Surgery Student Alliance (GSSA) is a national nonprofit that engages US students and trainees in GS education, research, and advocacy. GSSA organized nine one-hour, specialty-specific webinars featuring residents of surgical specialties, anesthesia, and OBGYN programs. Live webinars were produced via Zoom from August to October 2020, and all recordings were posted to the GSSA YouTube channel. Medical students moderated webinars with predetermined standardized questions and live questions submitted by attendees. Participant data were collected in mandatory registration forms.

A total of 539 people were registered for 9 webinars. Among registrants, 189 institutions and 36 cortunities are needed for students applying to US residencies.

Lymphedema is a common adverse consequence of breast cancer therapy, while still relatively little is known about its pathophysiology. Several treatment options emerged over the past decades, and among them, vascularized lymph node transfer (VLNT) seems to be particularly promising. Animal models are indispensable to improve our understanding of the underlying processes surrounding the transplantation of a vascularized lymph node. This review aimed to systematically evaluate animal models of VLNT and compare their advantages and disadvantages.

A systematic review of literature in the Scopus, Web of Science, and Ovid MEDLINE databases was conducted according to the PRISMA guidelines to identify all studies on animal models used for the research of VLNT. The algorithm used in search of articles was “Vascularized Lymph Node Transfer” AND “Model”. Articles were manually verified for relevance to the topic. The resulting models were assessed for their suitability for VLNT research.

The literature search yielded a total of 233 studies after duplicates removal. Of those, 217 were excluded based on title and abstract review. Another study was excluded after reviewing the full-text article leaving 15 eligible studies to be included in this review article.

Rats were found to be the most dominantly used animal model in the VLNT research, although other models had their benefits. The main areas of study were the functionality of VLNT within or without a preinduced lymphedema, its response to ischemia, and clarification of lymphatic pathways reestablishment following VLNT.

Rats were found to be the most dominantly used animal model in the VLNT research, although other models had their benefits. The main areas of study were the functionality of VLNT within or without a preinduced lymphedema, its response to ischemia, and clarification of lymphatic pathways reestablishment following VLNT.

Early-stage epithelial ovarian cancer (eEOC) patients have a generally favorable prognosis but unpredictable recurrence. Accurate prediction of risk of relapse is still a major concern, essentially to avoid overtreatment. Our robust tissue-based miRNA signature named MiROvaR, predicting early EOC recurrence in mostly advanced-stage EOC patients, is here challenged in an independent cohort to extend its classifying ability in the early-stage EOC setting.

We retrospectively selected patients who underwent comprehensive surgical staging at our institution including stages from IA to IIB. miRNA expression profile was analysed in 89 cases and MiROvaR algorithm was applied using the previously validated cut-off for patients’ classification. The primary endpoint was progression-free survival (PFS) at 5 years. Complete follow-up time (median=112 months) was also considered as secondary analysis.

MiROvaR was assessable on 87 cases (19 events of disease progression) and classified 68 (78%) low-risk and 19 (22%) high-risk patients. Recurrence rate at primary end-point was 39% for high-risk patients as compared to 9.5% for low-risk ones. Accordingly, their Kaplan-Meier PFS curves were significantly different at both primary and secondary analysis (p=0.0006 and p=0.03, respectively). While none of the prominent clinical variables had prognostic relevance, MiROvaR significantly predicted disease recurrence at the 5-year assessment (primary endpoint analysis; HR5.43, 95%CI1.82-16.1, p=0.0024; AUC=0.78, 95%CI0.53-0.82) and at complete follow-up time (HR2.67, 95%CI1.04-6.8, p=0.041; AUC0.68, 95%CI0.52-0.82).

We validated MiROvaR performance in identifying at diagnosis eEOC patients’ at higher risk of early relapse thus enabling selection of the most effective therapeutic approach.

We validated MiROvaR performance in identifying at diagnosis eEOC patients’ at higher risk of early relapse thus enabling selection of the most effective therapeutic approach.

Tumour burden (TB) is implicated in resistance to programmed cell death-1/PD-L1 inhibitor (immune checkpoint inhibitor [ICI]) therapy. However, whether TB contributes to such resistance in non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) has remained unknown.

A total of 260 treatment-naïve patients with advanced NSCLC who started ICI monotherapy (ICI cohort), platinum-doublet therapy (Chemo cohort)or ICI and platinum-doublet therapy (ICI+Chemo cohort) as first-line treatment were consecutively included. BLU-945 in vitro TB was estimated on the basis of the sum of the diameters of measurable target lesions as per Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumours. Progression-free survival (PFS) in the ICI cohort was evaluated as per TB as a preplanned primary objective, with the analysis based on propensity score-weighted survival curves and estimation of restricted mean survival time (RMST). The Chemo cohort served as a control to determine whether TB is predictive of ICI treatment outcomes. The ICI+Chemo cohort was exploratory. The relatiuppressive phenotypes. Development of combination or novel treatment strategies for such disease is thus warranted.The monitoring of endocrine and immunologic markers during exercise is of paramount importance to assess and/or maintain the physical well-being of athletes as well as to optimize the athletic performance. This study aimed to investigate the linkage between acute stress response and immune status in Thoroughbred horses competing in an official 1300-m race. From 10 horses blood was collected 1 week before the day of the race (1W-BEFORE), before (REST) and immediately after the race to assess the cortisol, Interleukin-1 receptor antagonist (IL-1Ra), total proteins, white blood cells (WBC), red blood cells (RBC), haemoglobin (Hb) and haematocrit (Hct) concentration. Higher levels of cortisol, Il-1Ra, WBC and erythrocytes indices after exercise was found than 1W-BEFORE and REST (P less then 0.0001). Cortisol concentration was positively correlated with Il-1Ra, WBC, RBC, Hb and Hct. Overall, the findings suggest that submaximal exercise induces an acute stress response and an immune system reaction in athletic horse. Also, the correlation found between cortisol levels and Il-1Ra, WBC and erythrocytes indices open new scenario on the positive role of this hormone on the complex and dynamic physiological adaptation to exercise implemented by the organism to re-establish the homeostatic equilibrium, and, interestingly, to maintain an adequate anti-inflammatory environment after exercise.

Studies have revealed that guardians who sold their children for profit comprise the majority of child traffickers in China. Although sentencing disparity has been a focal topic in judicial studies, few scholars have investigated the influence of the guardian relationship on criminal sentencing for child trafficking.

The current study sought a better understanding of sentencing practices on child traffickers in China, focusing on the effects of the victim-offender relationship (VOR) and post-crime attitudes (PCAs) on sentencing outcomes.

We retrieved all available sentencing documents related to “the trafficking of children” during the 2014-2016 period from China Judgments Online. The analytic dataset contained 844 child traffickers who were sentenced to a fixed term imprisonment.

A joint logistic and zero-truncated Poisson regression model was used to explore the main and interaction effects of VOR and PCAs on sentencing outcomes.

Guardian offenders received sentences that were 12% shorter than those of non-guardians and were more likely to be given 60-month sentences, which is the minimum of the first statutory sentencing range.