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Database : the Journal of Biological... Jul 2021The Ontology for Biomedical Investigations (OBI) underwent a focused review of assay term annotations, logic and hierarchy with a goal to improve and standardize these... (Review)
Review
The Ontology for Biomedical Investigations (OBI) underwent a focused review of assay term annotations, logic and hierarchy with a goal to improve and standardize these terms. As a result, inconsistencies in W3C Web Ontology Language (OWL) expressions were identified and corrected, and additionally, standardized design patterns and a formalized template to maintain them were developed. We describe here this informative and productive process to describe the specific benefits and obstacles for OBI and the universal lessons for similar projects.
Topics: Biological Ontologies; Language; Reference Standards
PubMed: 34244718
DOI: 10.1093/database/baab040 -
Revista Brasileira de Ortopedia Aug 2021To evaluate and correlate the pelvic parameters, the sagittal balance (SB), and the functional outcome of the patients submitted to surgical treatment for...
To evaluate and correlate the pelvic parameters, the sagittal balance (SB), and the functional outcome of the patients submitted to surgical treatment for Scheuermann hyperkyphosis (SK). Patients submitted to surgery between January 2005 and December 2016 were included. The following radiographic measurements were obtained: thoracic kyphosis (TK); lumbar lordosis (LL); SB; pelvic incidence (PI); pelvic tilt (PT); and sacral slope (SS). Complications during the follow-up period were recorded. A total of 19 patients were included (16 males): the mean preoperative kyphosis was of 83°, and the postoperative kyphosis was of 57°. The mean preoperative lumbar lordosis was of 66°, with a postoperative spontaneous correction of 47°. Regarding the preoperative pelvic parameters, the average PI, PT and SS were of 48°,10° and 39° respectively. In the postoperative period, these values were of 50°, 16° and 35° respectively. The preoperative SB was neutral, and it was maintained after the surgical correction. Concerning complications during the follow-up period, three junctional kyphosis were observed-two requiring revision surgery, one nonunion, and one dehiscence of the surgical wound. Regarding the functional results, the average score on the Scoliosis Research Society-22 (SRS-22) patient questionnaire was of 4.04, and we verified that the SB obtained in the postoperative period had no influence on the functional outcome ( = 0.125) nor on the postoperative LL ( = 0.851). We verified a spontaneous improvement in the lumbar hyperlordosis at levels not included in the fusion after correction of the TK. Although the postoperative functional results were globally high, we did not find any statistically significant relationship with TK nor LLs. high PI is associated with a greater rate of complications regarding the proximal junctional kyphosis (PJK), and these pelvic parameters should be considered at the time of the SK surgical treatment.
PubMed: 34483387
DOI: 10.1055/s-0041-1724078 -
Journal of the American Heart... Dec 2023Cerebral small vessel disease (cSVD) is a major contributing factor to ischemic stroke and dementia. However, the vascular pathologies of cSVD remain inconclusive. The... (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis
BACKGROUND
Cerebral small vessel disease (cSVD) is a major contributing factor to ischemic stroke and dementia. However, the vascular pathologies of cSVD remain inconclusive. The aim of this systematic review and meta-analysis was to characterize the associations between cSVD and cerebrovascular reactivity (CVR), cerebral autoregulation, and arterial stiffness (AS).
METHODS AND RESULTS
MEDLINE, Web of Science, and Embase were searched from inception to September 2023 for studies reporting CVR, cerebral autoregulation, or AS in relation to radiological markers of cSVD. Data were extracted in predefined tables, reviewed, and meta-analyses performed using inverse-variance random effects models to determine pooled odds ratios (ORs). A total of 1611 studies were identified; 142 were included in the systematic review, of which 60 had data available for meta-analyses. Systematic review revealed that CVR, cerebral autoregulation, and AS were consistently associated with cSVD (80.4%, 78.6%, and 85.4% of studies, respectively). Meta-analysis in 7 studies (536 participants, 32.9% women) revealed a borderline association between impaired CVR and cSVD (OR, 2.26 [95% CI, 0.99-5.14]; =0.05). In 37 studies (27 952 participants, 53.0% women) increased AS, per SD, was associated with cSVD (OR, 1.24 [95% CI, 1.15-1.33]; <0.01). Meta-regression adjusted for comorbidities accounted for one-third of the AS model variance (=29.4%, =0.02). Subgroup analysis of AS studies demonstrated an association with white matter hyperintensities (OR, 1.42 [95% CI, 1.18-1.70]; <0.01).
CONCLUSIONS
The collective findings of the present systematic review and meta-analyses suggest an association between cSVD and impaired CVR and elevated AS. However, longitudinal investigations into vascular stiffness and regulatory function as possible risk factors for cSVD remain warranted.
Topics: Humans; Female; Male; Vascular Stiffness; Cerebral Small Vessel Diseases; Risk Factors; Magnetic Resonance Imaging
PubMed: 37930079
DOI: 10.1161/JAHA.123.032616 -
Pain Research & Management 2021Scheuermann's kyphosis can cause severe back pain and cosmetic disorders to patients. Previous studies on surgical procedure selection for correction of Scheuermann's... (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis Review
OBJECTIVES
Scheuermann's kyphosis can cause severe back pain and cosmetic disorders to patients. Previous studies on surgical procedure selection for correction of Scheuermann's kyphosis have drawn controversial conclusions. Here, a meta-analysis was performed to figure out a better way between anterior-posterior (AP) combined procedures and posterior-only (PO) procedures.
METHODS
We searched PubMed database and Ovid database, as well as Cochrane Library (between January 2009 and December 2020, around recent ten years), for studies reporting Scheuermann's kyphosis correction in an anterior way or a posterior way. Random effects meta-analysis regarding correction degrees and incidence of proximal junctional kyphosis (PJK) was performed.
RESULTS
Finally, 13 unique studies including 586 patients (AP: 300; PO: 286) were identified and included for this meta-analysis. Overall, 6 AP cohorts and 10 PO cohorts were pooled regarding the correction degrees of kyphosis in the analysis, respectively. Pooled correction degrees in AP cohorts were 33.31 (95% CI: 27.48-39.15; = 86%, < 0.001) and in PO cohorts were 31.16 (95% CI: 26.97-35.35; = 81.1%, < 0.001). Comparison of correction between AP and PO cohorts did not indicate any significant difference. Likewise, postoperative PJK incidence showed no difference. Back pain can be caused by both AP and PO procedures, but which causes less pain remains to be conclusive. The PO approach showed less blood loss and shorter surgical duration as compared to the AP approach.
CONCLUSIONS
In summary, this meta-analysis shows similar treatment effects between AP and PO procedures in correcting Scheuermann's kyphosis, suggesting the advantage of PO procedures due to less blood loss and surgical duration. However, the postoperative complications PJK and distal junctional kyphosis (DJK) cannot be well concluded due to the limitation of existing data.
Topics: Humans; Postoperative Complications; Scheuermann Disease; Spinal Fusion; Time Factors
PubMed: 34725561
DOI: 10.1155/2021/2142964 -
Orthopaedics & Traumatology, Surgery &... Feb 2013Structural kyphosis is a posterior convex deformity of the spine that may appear in childhood then worsen with growth, most notably during the pubertal growth spurt. The... (Review)
Review
Structural kyphosis is a posterior convex deformity of the spine that may appear in childhood then worsen with growth, most notably during the pubertal growth spurt. The abnormal curvature may be smooth, defining round kyphosis, or may display a sharp angular pattern. Angular kyphosis is the more severe of the two forms. The main causes of round kyphosis are postural kyphosis and Scheuermann's disease. The spontaneous outcome is favourable, and round kyphosis is well tolerated in adulthood. The treatment relies on orthopaedic methods in the overwhelming majority of cases. Surgery is reserved for severe rigid kyphosis in older children and for kyphosis responsible for refractory pain or neurological deficits. Surgical treatment carries a non-negligible risk of neurological, gastrointestinal, mechanical, and septic complications, which should be explained clearly to the family. Advances in contemporary posterior instrumentation have considerably limited the indications for anterior approaches. Many conditions may cause angular kyphosis, whose greater severity is related to a greater potential for progression and neurological impairment. Clinical investigations are in order to identify the cause and to plan the surgical strategy. Early surgery may be indicated, via a combined anterior and posterior approach. Anterior strut grafting, anterior or posterior osteotomies, or even vertebral column resections may be necessary to correct a major deformity.
Topics: Child; Humans; Kyphosis; Orthopedic Procedures; Radiography
PubMed: 23287399
DOI: 10.1016/j.otsr.2012.12.004 -
Asian Spine Journal Feb 2019Cross-sectional analytical study.
STUDY DESIGN
Cross-sectional analytical study.
PURPOSE
To evaluate the spinal radiological features in patients with Scheuermann's disease and the association between the thoracic kyphosis angle and clinical presentation. Overview of the Literature: Scheuermann's disease is the most common cause of hyperkyphosis of the thoracic and thoracolumbar spine in adolescents; however, literature is limited in this area.
METHODS
Data regarding 150 successive X-ray images of 95 males and 55 females diagnosed with Scheuermann's disease were retrieved from the digital archives of the Maccabi Healthcare Services in Tel Aviv. Data included thoracic kyphosis angle (T3-T12), cervical lordosis (C2-C7), lumbar lordosis (L1-S1), sacral slope (SS), number and location of the anterior wedged vertebrae (AWV, minimum 5°), and C7 plumb line. Other data included age, sex, height, family history, Risser sign, self-perceived body image (rated by the Numeric Rating Scale [NRS]), and back pain during the previous week (rated by the Numeric Pain Rating Scale [NPRS]).
RESULTS
Significant positive associations were observed between the Cobb angle of thoracic kyphosis and age (r =0.186, p =0.023), cervical lordosis (r =0.263, p <0.001), lumbar lordosis (r =0.576, p <0.001), SS (r =0.236, p <0.004), T10-T12 Cobb angle (r =0.319, p <0.001), and number of AWV (r =0.519, p <0.001). The highest frequency of vertebral wedging was noted in T7 (68%), followed by T8 (65%) and T9 (44%). The NPRS showed a significant association only with SS (r =0.219, p =0.014). Significant positive associations were observed between the NRS for self-perceived body image, the thoracic kyphosis (r =0.494, p <0.001), and the number of AWV (r =0.361, p <0.001).
CONCLUSIONS
Thoracic kyphosis was significantly associated with cervical and lumbar lordosis, SS, T10-T12 Cobb angle, and AWV number. Pain was not substantial; however, self-perceived body image, the most common complaint of patients with Scheuermann's disease, was high and significantly associated with thoracic kyphosis and the number of AWV.
PubMed: 30326689
DOI: 10.31616/asj.2018.0025 -
Clinics in Laboratory Medicine Dec 2017Flow cytometry is used in cell-based diagnostic evaluation for blood-borne malignancies including leukemia and lymphoma. The current practice for cytometry data analysis... (Review)
Review
Flow cytometry is used in cell-based diagnostic evaluation for blood-borne malignancies including leukemia and lymphoma. The current practice for cytometry data analysis relies on manual gating to identify cell subsets in complex mixtures, which is subjective, labor-intensive, and poorly reproducible. This article reviews recent efforts to develop, validate, and disseminate automated computational methods and pipelines for cytometry data analysis that could help overcome the limitations of manual analysis and provide for efficient and data-driven diagnostic applications. It demonstrates the performance of an optimized computational pipeline in a pilot study of chronic lymphocytic leukemia data from the authors' clinical diagnostic laboratory.
Topics: Cluster Analysis; Computational Biology; Flow Cytometry; Humans; Leukemia, Lymphocytic, Chronic, B-Cell; Neoplasm, Residual
PubMed: 29128077
DOI: 10.1016/j.cll.2017.07.011 -
Translational Pediatrics Jul 2017Lower back pain in young athletes is a common problem. The prevalence of back pain from different causes in adolescent age group is between 20% and 30%. However, the... (Review)
Review
Lower back pain in young athletes is a common problem. The prevalence of back pain from different causes in adolescent age group is between 20% and 30%. However, the incidence of low back pain in young athletes varies widely in different sports. Overuse injuries are the most common cause of low back pain in young athletes. In case of overuse injuries, the cause and effect relationship between back pain and specific condition is often difficult to establish. In adolescent athletes, the most common underlying identified cause of low back pain is lumbar spondylolysis. During adolescent growth spurt, the severity of the pain generally correlates with adolescent growth spurt. Participation in sports starting at an early age and for a longer duration tends to increase the risk for back pain. Numerous conditions cause low back pain in athletes. These include acute trauma, chronic overuse or repetitive trauma, and referred pain. Our focus in here will be on selected conditions that cause recurrent or chronic low back pain.
PubMed: 28795014
DOI: 10.21037/tp.2017.06.01 -
Acta Orthopaedica Oct 2011The genetic/environmental etiology of Scheuermann's disease is unclear. We estimated the heritability of the disease using an etiological model adjusted for sex and time...
BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE
The genetic/environmental etiology of Scheuermann's disease is unclear. We estimated the heritability of the disease using an etiological model adjusted for sex and time of diagnosis, and examined whether the prevalence of Scheuermann's disease was constant over time.
METHODS
46,418 twins were sent a questionnaire about health and disease. Of these, 75% returned the questionnaire and 97% answered the question "Have you been diagnosed as having Scheuermann's disease by a doctor?"
RESULTS
Responders included 11,436 complete pairs of twins. Data were analysed using classical twin modeling methods. Tetrachoric correlations were used to decide which etiological model to fit. The best-fitting model was the AE model. Heritability was 0.74 (95% CI: 0.65-0.81), while variance explained by environmental factors was 0.26 (95% CI: 0.19-0.35). A threshold of 2.1 (95% CI: 1.9-2.2) was calculated, corresponding to a prevalence of 1.9% (95% CI: 1.3-2.8) for women. Regression coefficients for age and sex were 0.000 (95% CI: -0.003 to 0.002) and -0.32 (95% CI: -0.42 to -0.23).
INTERPRETATION
We found a heritability of 0.74 in Scheuermann's disease. The threshold in men was lower than in women, corresponding to a male prevalence that was almost twice that of females. We found no change in the prevalence of Scheuermann's disease throughout the 50-year age span that we examined.
Topics: Adult; Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Denmark; Diseases in Twins; Female; Humans; Male; Middle Aged; Prevalence; Registries; Scheuermann Disease; Sex Factors; Surveys and Questionnaires
PubMed: 21895506
DOI: 10.3109/17453674.2011.618919 -
Acta Orthopaedica Et Traumatologica... May 2021This study aimed to investigate the possible relationship between Scheuermann disease (SD) and the pathophysiological factors of thoracic spinal stenosis (TSS),...
OBJECTIVE
This study aimed to investigate the possible relationship between Scheuermann disease (SD) and the pathophysiological factors of thoracic spinal stenosis (TSS), including ossification of the ligamentum flavum (OLF), ossification of the posterior longitudinal ligament (OPLL), and thoracic disc herniation (TDH) in patients with symptomatic TSS.
METHODS
Demographic and radiological data from 66 consecutive patients diagnosed with symptomatic TSS from 2013 to 2018 were retrospectively collected and divided into 3 groups depending on the underlying pathomechanism of TSS: TDH group (18 patients; 6 women; mean age ± standard deviation [Sd] = 59.89 ± 11.34), OPLL group (12 patients; 8 women; mean age ± Sd = 56.08 ± 14.74), and OLF group (36 patients; 20 women; mean age ± Sd = 58.69 ± 9.77). A total of 41 age-matched healthy individuals (19 women; mean age ± Sd = 54.88 ± 13.63) were designated as the control group. In each group, both typical and atypical SD criteria were radiologically examined. The demographic data and presence of SD between the control group and 3 subgroups of TSS pathomechanisms were evaluated.
RESULTS
SD characteristics were identified in 83.33% (15/18) of patients in the TDH group, 44.44% (16/36) in the OLF group, 25% (3/12) in the OPLL group, and 17.07% (7/41) of the control individuals. When analyzed by the chi-squared test and logistic regression analysis, the presence of SD was significantly associated with TDH (P < 0.01) and OLF (P < 0.05) but not OPLL (P > 0.05). Patients with TDH and OLF showed peak involvement of T10/11, and patients with OPLL did not. Furthermore, we determined that age, sex, body-mass index, and smoking status were not the risk factors for TDH, OPLL, and OLF (P > 0.05). SD was found to be a risk factor for TDH (P < 0.01) and OLF (P < 0.05) but not for OPLL (P > 0.05).
CONCLUSION
Evidence from this study indicated that SD might be a risk factor for OLF and TDH but not for OPLL.
Topics: Female; Humans; Male; Middle Aged; Ossification of Posterior Longitudinal Ligament; Radiography; Retrospective Studies; Risk Assessment; Risk Factors; Scheuermann Disease; Spinal Stenosis; Thoracic Vertebrae
PubMed: 34100367
DOI: 10.5152/j.aott.2021.20022