scholarly journals The Effect of Prior Compression Tests on the Plantar Soft Tissue Compressive and Shear Properties

2013 ◽  
Vol 135 (9) ◽  
Author(s):  
Shruti Pai ◽  
Paul T. Vawter ◽  
William R. Ledoux
Keyword(s):  
Soft Tissue ◽  
Small Sample Size ◽  
Small Sample ◽  
Compression Testing ◽  
Compression Tests ◽  
Compressive Properties ◽  
Shear Tests ◽  
Shear Properties ◽  
Prior Testing ◽  
Plantar Soft Tissue

Changes in the shear plantar soft tissue properties with diabetes are believed to play a role in plantar ulceration, yet little is known about these properties. Our group recently conducted shear tests on specimens previously tested in compression to fully characterize the tissue under both these loading modes. However, previously tested specimens may not necessarily provide representative mechanical properties as prior testing may have altered the tissue to an unknown extent. Thus, the purpose of this study was to test the effect of prior compression testing on both the plantar soft tissue shear and compressive properties using paired specimens. First, one specimen from each pair was subject to compression using our standard protocol with modifications to compare compressive properties before and after the protocol while the other specimen from each pair was left untested. Then, both specimens (i.e., one previously compression tested and one previously untested) were subject to shear testing. The results indicate that prior compression testing may affect the tissue compressive properties by reducing peak stress and modulus; however, additional testing is needed since these results were likely confounded by stress softening effects. In contrast, neither the elastic nor the viscoelastic plantar soft tissue shear properties were affected by prior testing in compression, indicating that previously compression tested specimens should be viable for use in future shear tests. However, these results are limited given the small sample size of the study and the fact that only nondiabetic specimens were examined.

Current treatment efficacy for metastatic soft tissue sarcoma: A targeted literature review.

2020 ◽  
Vol 38 (15_suppl) ◽  
pp. e23577-e23577
Author(s):  
Heide Stirnadel-Farrant ◽  
Anadi Mahajan ◽  
Navdeep Dhillon ◽  
Nashita Patel ◽  
Shibani Pokras
Keyword(s):  
Soft Tissue ◽  
Soft Tissue Sarcoma ◽  
Literature Review ◽  
Small Sample Size ◽  
Progression Free Survival ◽  
Current Treatment ◽  
Outcome Data ◽  
Small Sample ◽  
Pharmacological Intervention ◽  
Wide Range

e23577 Background: Soft tissue sarcoma (STS) is a rare malignancy with an annual incidence rate of < 5 cases per 100,000 persons; outcomes for metastatic STS (mSTS) are poor. A targeted literature review was conducted to quantify the efficacy/effectiveness of current mSTS therapies. Methods: A structured search based on the population, intervention, comparator, outcome, study type (PICOS) framework was performed on articles (2009–2019) in MEDLINE, Embase, and Cochrane Central. Limited congress searches (ESMO, AACR, ASCO 2016–2018/2019) were also conducted. Clinical trials (CT) and observational studies (Obs) involving patients (pts, any age) with advanced mSTS receiving any pharmacological intervention were included. After screening, selected efficacy (CT) or effectiveness (Obs) endpoints (including progression-free survival [PFS], overall survival [OS], overall response rate, and duration of response) stratified by line of treatment (LOT, if available) were extracted. Results: Overall, 85 studies (56 CT, 29 Obs) met inclusion criteria; study size was 20–4,274 pts. PFS and OS (from 70 studies) were reported for pts with mSTS treated with a wide range of interventions including doxorubicin, trabectedin, pazopanib, and gemcitabine. Across any LOT, median PFS ranged 1.5–9.3 months in CT and 2.1–11.0 months in Obs; ranges were 5.7─28.8 months and 7.0─38.6 months, respectively, for OS. Median PFS and OS were generally lower with later (vs initial) LOT; few studies assessed ≥4 LOT (Table). Outcome data (any LOT) for trabectedin and pazopanib (the only approved targeted mSTS treatments) are shown in Table. Conclusions: This review of the efficacy/effectiveness of current treatments highlights the unmet clinical need for therapies that improve survival outcomes in pts with mSTS. Results may be influenced by small sample size, pt population, and care improvements over the period studied. [Table: see text]

Phase II studies of single-agent cimetidine and the combination N-phosphonacetyl-L-aspartate (NSC-224131) plus L-alanosine (NSC-153353) in advanced malignant melanoma.

1987 ◽  
Vol 5 (7) ◽  
pp. 1078-1082 ◽  
Author(s):  
R F Morton ◽  
E T Creagan ◽  
S A Cullinan ◽  
J A Mailliard ◽  
L Ebbert ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Malignant Melanoma ◽  
Soft Tissue ◽  
Phase Ii ◽  
Small Sample Size ◽  
Single Agent ◽  
Complete Response ◽  
Small Sample ◽  
Combination Regimen ◽  
Phase Ii Trials ◽  
Phase Ii Studies

We conducted parallel phase II trials of cimetidine as a single agent and the combination N-phosphonacetyl-L-aspartate (PALA) plus L-alanosine among 40 previously untreated patients with biopsy-proven, measurable disseminated malignant melanoma. We did not design the trial to be a comparative assessment of the two regimens. Among 19 patients treated with cimetidine, 300 mg orally four times daily, there was one complete response of extensive pleural and pulmonary metastases for 16+ months and two partial regressions of soft tissue lesions for 7 and 21+ months, respectively. Among 21 patients treated with the combination regimen, there was only one partial response in soft tissue for 1 month. The median times to progression and death were 1.4 and 6 months, respectively, for cimetidine, and 1.3 and 4 months, respectively, from the combination of PALA plus L-alanosine. Among patients who progressed on initial treatment, there were no responses in 12 who received crossover therapy with cimetidine and 11 with the combination regimen. Two patients treated with the combination program had severe stomatitis, two developed renal failure, and one had severe leukopenia and thrombocytopenia. Recognizing the limitations of small sample size, these early observations suggest that cimetidine may have intriguing implications in the management of disseminated malignant melanoma.

Evaluation of homologous recombination deficiency (HRD) score and immuno-tumor microenvironment (iTME) as biomarkers of soft tissue sarcoma (STS) survival and response to immune checkpoint inhibitor therapy.

2021 ◽  
Vol 39 (15_suppl) ◽  
pp. 11568-11568
Author(s):  
Chenlu Zhang ◽  
Xi Guo ◽  
Fei Xu ◽  
Yang You ◽  
Zhiming Wang ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Soft Tissue ◽  
Soft Tissue Sarcoma ◽  
Combination Therapy ◽  
Small Sample Size ◽  
Genetic Alterations ◽  
Small Sample ◽  
Rank Test ◽  
M2 Macrophages ◽  
Richardson Method ◽  
Checkpoint Inhibitor Therapy

11568 Background: Soft tissue sarcoma (STS) are highly heterogenous in both histology and underlying genetic alterations, resulting in heterogenous outcomes of standard therapy. With recent stride of immunotherapies in oncology it is crucial to find the optimal match of the new therapies to disease subtypes. HRDScore and iTME parameters are two top candidate biomarkers to predict clinical outcomes in complex diseases such as STS. Methods: We prospectively profiled 102 Chinese STS patients who had received more than 1 line of prior treatment, mainly chemo-drugs. We then classified the patients according to their HRDScore (calculated from WES data using the Richardson method, ref. Telli M.L. et al. Clin. Cancer Res. 2016) and iTME parameters (calculated from RNAseq data using CIBERSORT method). Lastly, we tested the correlation of HRDScore or iTME with patient survival and clinic outcomes of anti-PD-1/L1 based combination therapy. Results: The histological subtypes of the patients included 32 LMS, 44 LPS, and 26 others (such as UPS, clear cell, myxofibrosarcoma, uterus LMS etc.). The top mutation genes (frequency > 5%) included TP53 29%, KMT2C 16%, NOTCH2 9%, ATRX 8%, NF1 8%, RB1 8% and PTEN 6%. The patients could be classified to HRD-high or HRD-low (HRDScore > or < = 42). Alternatively, unsupervised clustering of iTME revealed three patient subgroups (named iTME-I, -II, and -III). While all the three groups are characterized by a generally suppressed immune environment, iTME-I have high proportion of M0 macrophages and median M2 macrophages; iTME-II have high proportion of M2 macrophages but low M0 cells; and iTME-type III are low in both M0 and M2 cells. No significant M1 cells present in all the three iTME groups. Patient survivals were correlated with the iTME types but not HRDScore in Kaplan-Meyer analysis. The trend of survival time was iTME-III > iTME-II > iTME-I, with an HR = 0.156 for iTME-III over iTME-I (p = 0.008, log-rank test). Treatment response of anti-PD-1/L1 based combination therapies also showed a positive correlation to iTME-III, but not HRDScore although the small sample size prevented a definitive conclusion. Clinical evaluation of the 22 patients who received anti-PD-1/L1 therapy showed 1 PD (20%) and 4 SD/PR (80%) in iTME-III, 4 PD (40%) and 6 SD/PR (60%) in iTME-II, and 1 PD (33%) and 2 SD (67%) in iTME-I. Conclusions: iTME is a better biomarker than HRDScore in STS for survival and treatment outcomes. Differential Infiltration of M0 and M2 macrophages can distinguish patients with different survival and response to anti-PD-1/L1 combination therapy. The iTME subtypes may be used for treatment screen of combination immunotherapy but larger and randomized clinical studies are required to validate the discovery.

scholarly journals Development and validation of a modularized external fixator for generating standardized fracture healing micromotions in rats

2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (11) ◽  
pp. 714-722
Author(s):  
Weichen Qi ◽  
Xiaoreng Feng ◽  
Teng Zhang ◽  
Hao Wu ◽  
Christian Fang ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Animal Models ◽  
Fracture Healing ◽  
Small Sample Size ◽  
Small Sample ◽  
Experimental Device ◽  
Bench Test ◽  
Large Animal ◽  
Compression Tests ◽  
Large Animal Models

Aims To fully verify the reliability and reproducibility of an experimental method in generating standardized micromotion for the rat femur fracture model. Methods A modularized experimental device has been developed that allows rat models to be used instead of large animal models, with the aim of reducing systematic errors and time and money constraints on grouping. The bench test was used to determine the difference between the measured and set values of the micromotion produced by this device under different simulated loading weights. The displacement of the fixator under different loading conditions was measured by compression tests, which was used to simulate the unexpected micromotion caused by the rat’s ambulation. In vivo preliminary experiments with a small sample size were used to test the feasibility and effectiveness of the whole experimental scheme and surgical scheme. Results The bench test showed that a weight loading < 500 g did not affect the operation of experimental device. The compression test demonstrated that the stiffness of the device was sufficient to keep the uncontrollable motion between fracture ends, resulting from the rat’s daily activities, within 1% strain. In vivo results on 15 rats prove that the device works reliably, without overburdening the experimental animals, and provides standardized micromotion reproductively at the fracture site according to the set parameters. Conclusion Our device was able to investigate the effect of micromotion parameters on fracture healing by generating standardized micromotion to small animal models. Cite this article: Bone Joint Res 2021;10(11):714–722.

Probing the ultrastructure of the mitotic and meiotic spindle in eggs: An expeditious approach based on semi-thin (0.25 μm) serial sections

1983 ◽  
Vol 41 ◽  
pp. 552-555
Author(s):  
Conly L. Rieder ◽  
S. Bowser ◽  
R. Nowogrodzki ◽  
K. Ross ◽  
G. Sluder
Keyword(s):  
Small Sample Size ◽  
Small Sample ◽  
Meiotic Spindle ◽  
Serial Sections ◽  
Mitotic Apparatus ◽  
Thin Sections ◽  
Cell Cycles ◽  
Ultrastructural Studies

Eggs have long been a favorite material for studying the mechanism of karyokinesis in-vivo and in-vitro. They can be obtained in great numbers and, when fertilized, divide synchronously over many cell cycles. However, they are not considered to be a practical system for ultrastructural studies on the mitotic apparatus (MA) for several reasons, the most obvious of which is that sectioning them is a formidable task: over 1000 ultra-thin sections need to be cut from a single 80-100 μm diameter egg and of these sections only a small percentage will contain the area or structure of interest. Thus it is difficult and time consuming to obtain reliable ultrastructural data concerning the MA of eggs; and when it is obtained it is necessarily based on a small sample size.We have recently developed a procedure which will facilitate many studies concerned with the ultrastructure of the MA in eggs. It is based on the availability of biological HVEM's and on the observation that 0.25 μm thick serial sections can be screened at high resolution for content (after mounting on slot grids and staining with uranyl and lead) by phase contrast light microscopy (LM; Figs 1-2).

Validating the Factor Structure of the Stigma of Suicide Scale–Short Form Spanish Version Among Healthcare Students

Crisis ◽  
2020 ◽  
pp. 1-5
Author(s):  
Ruthmarie Hernández-Torres ◽  
Paola Carminelli-Corretjer ◽  
Nelmit Tollinchi-Natali ◽  
Ernesto Rosario-Hernández ◽  
Yovanska Duarté-Vélez ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Factor Structure ◽  
Structural Equation ◽  
Short Form ◽  
Small Sample Size ◽  
Small Sample ◽  
Spanish Version ◽  
Equation Modeling ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Healthcare Students ◽  
Spanish Speaking

Abstract. Background: Suicide is a leading cause of death among Spanish-speaking individuals. Suicide stigma can be a risk factor for suicide. A widely used measure is the Stigma of Suicide Scale-Short Form (SOSS-SF; Batterham, Calear, & Christensen, 2013 ). Although the SOSS-SF has established psychometric properties and factor structure in other languages and cultural contexts, no evidence is available from Spanish-speaking populations. Aim: This study aims to validate a Spanish translation of the SOSS-SF among a sample of Spanish-speaking healthcare students ( N = 277). Method: We implemented a cross-sectional design with quantitative techniques. Results: Following a structural equation modeling approach, a confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) supported the three-factor model proposed by Batterham and colleagues (2013) . Limitations: The study was limited by the small sample size and recruitment by availability. Conclusion: Findings suggest that the Spanish version of the SOSS-SF is a valid and reliable tool with which to examine suicide stigma among Spanish-speaking populations.

An Initial Investigation of Suicide Attempt Disclosures Among US Veterans

Crisis ◽  
2020 ◽  
pp. 1-7
Author(s):  
Brooke A. Ammerman ◽  
Sarah P. Carter ◽  
Heather M. Gebhardt ◽  
Jonathan Buchholz ◽  
Mark A. Reger
Keyword(s):  
Suicide Attempt ◽  
Mental Health Professionals ◽  
Help Seeking ◽  
Psychiatric Treatment ◽  
Small Sample Size ◽  
Romantic Partners ◽  
Small Sample ◽  
Professional Care ◽  
Patient Disclosure ◽  
Previous Suicide Attempt

Abstract. Background: Patient disclosure of prior suicidal behaviors is critical for effectively managing suicide risk; however, many attempts go undisclosed. Aims: The current study explored how responses following a suicide attempt disclosure may relate to help-seeking outcomes. Method: Participants included 37 veterans with a previous suicide attempt receiving inpatient psychiatric treatment. Veterans reported on their most and least helpful experiences disclosing their suicide attempt to others. Results: Veterans disclosed their suicide attempt to approximately eight individuals. Mental health professionals were the most cited recipient of their most helpful disclosure; romantic partners were the most common recipient of their least helpful disclosures. Positive reactions within the context of the least helpful disclosure experience were positively associated with a sense of connection with the disclosure recipient. Positive reactions within the most helpful disclosure experience were positively associated with the likelihood of future disclosure. No reactions were associated with having sought professional care or likelihood of seeking professional care. Limitations: The results are considered preliminary due to the small sample size. Conclusion: Findings suggest that while positive reactions may influence suicide attempt disclosure experiences broadly, additional research is needed to clarify factors that drive the decision to disclose a suicide attempt to a professional.

Investigating the Dynamics of Suicidal Ideation

Crisis ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 39 (1) ◽  
pp. 65-69 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nina Hallensleben ◽  
Lena Spangenberg ◽  
Thomas Forkmann ◽  
Dajana Rath ◽  
Ulrich Hegerl ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Suicidal Ideation ◽  
Small Sample Size ◽  
Unipolar Depression ◽  
Small Sample ◽  
History Of ◽  
Severity Of Depression ◽  
Ecological Momentary ◽  
Depressive Episodes ◽  
Ema Method ◽  
Shed Light

Abstract. Background: Although the fluctuating nature of suicidal ideation (SI) has been described previously, longitudinal studies investigating the dynamics of SI are scarce. Aim: To demonstrate the fluctuation of SI across 6 days and up to 60 measurement points using smartphone-based ecological momentary assessments (EMA). Method: Twenty inpatients with unipolar depression and current and/or lifetime suicidal ideation rated their momentary SI 10 times per day over a 6-day period. Mean squared successive difference (MSSD) was calculated as a measure of variability. Correlations of MSSD with severity of depression, number of previous depressive episodes, and history of suicidal behavior were examined. Results: Individual trajectories of SI are shown to illustrate fluctuation. MSSD values ranged from 0.2 to 21.7. No significant correlations of MSSD with several clinical parameters were found, but there are hints of associations between fluctuation of SI and severity of depression and suicidality. Limitations: Main limitation of this study is the small sample size leading to low power and probably missing potential effects. Further research with larger samples is necessary to shed light on the dynamics of SI. Conclusion: The results illustrate the dynamic nature and the diversity of trajectories of SI across 6 days in psychiatric inpatients with unipolar depression. Prediction of the fluctuation of SI might be of high clinical relevance. Further research using EMA and sophisticated analyses with larger samples is necessary to shed light on the dynamics of SI.

Participant Reactions to Suicide-Focused Research

Crisis ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 41 (5) ◽  
pp. 367-374
Author(s):  
Sarah P. Carter ◽  
Brooke A. Ammerman ◽  
Heather M. Gebhardt ◽  
Jonathan Buchholz ◽  
Mark A. Reger
Keyword(s):  
Medical Records ◽  
Research Study ◽  
Small Sample Size ◽  
Psychiatric Inpatient ◽  
Small Sample ◽  
Inpatient Unit ◽  
Online Laboratory ◽  
Psychiatric Inpatient Unit ◽  
Before And After ◽  
Participant Reactions

Abstract. Background: Concerns exist regarding the perceived risks of conducting suicide-focused research among an acutely distressed population. Aims: The current study assessed changes in participant distress before and after participation in a suicide-focused research study conducted on a psychiatric inpatient unit. Method: Participants included 37 veterans who were receiving treatment on a psychiatric inpatient unit and completed a survey-based research study focused on suicide-related behaviors and experiences. Results: Participants reported no significant changes in self-reported distress. The majority of participants reported unchanged or decreased distress. Reviews of electronic medical records revealed no behavioral dysregulation and minimal use of as-needed medications or changes in mood following participation. Limitations: The study's small sample size and veteran population may limit generalizability. Conclusion: Findings add to research conducted across a variety of settings (i.e., outpatient, online, laboratory), indicating that participating in suicide-focused research is not significantly associated with increased distress or suicide risk.

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