Mathematical biosciences and engineering : MBE
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Assessment of peripheral perfusion and comparison of surface and body core temperature (BST; BCT) are diagnostic cornerstones of critical care. Infrared non-contact thermometers facilitate the accurate measurement of BST. Additionally, a corrected measurement of BST on the forehead provides an estimate of BCT (BCT_Forehead). ⋯ In a multivariate analysis regarding CI_TD and including biometric data, BSTs and and their differences to core-temperatures (DCST), only higher temperatures on the forearm and the great toe, young age, low height and male gender were independently associated with CI_TD. The estimate of CI based on this model (CI_estimated) correlated with CI_TD (r = 0.594; p < 0.001). CI_estimated provided large ROC-areas under the curve (AUC) regarding the critical thresholds of CI_TD ≤ 2.5 L/min/m2 (AUC = 0.862) and CI_TD ≥ 5.0 L/min/m2 (AUC = 0.782). 1.) BCT_PiCCO, BCT_Ear and BCT_Bladder are interchangeable. 2.) BCT_Forehead significantly underestimates BCT by about 0.5° Celsius. 3.) All measured BSTs and DCSTs were significantly associated with CI_TD. 4.) CI_estimated is promising, in particular for the prediction of critical thresholds of CI.
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Background: Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) is a subtype of breast cancer with stronger invasive capacity. For the operation strategies of early staged (stage I and stage II) TNBC patients, BCS plus radiotherapy (BCS+RT), mastectomy only (MRM only) or MRM plus radiotherapy (MRM+RT) is feasible, but no clear conclusion has been made on the choice of these treatments. Methods: The early staged TNBC patients (stage I and stage II) from the Surveillance, Epidemiology and End Results (SEER) program database between 1973 and 2014 were included in the study. ⋯ After we performed propensity score weighting and integrated the weights for each covariate in the multivariate cox proportional model. BCS+RT remained to be prognostic beneficial compared to the other treatment options (P < 0.001). Conclusion: BCS+RT demonstrated better prognosis than MRM only and MRM+RT treatments for early-staged TNBC patients.
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Meta Analysis Comparative Study
A meta-analysis of the comparing of the first-generation and next-generation TKIs in the treatment of NSCLC.
Background: The current standard approach to the treatment of patients with non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) harboring epidermal growth factor receptor tyrosine kinase inhibitor (EGFR-TKI)-sensitizing mutations has been the treatment with a first-generation EGFR-TKIs. While, with resistance developed against first-generation EGFR-TKIs, second/third-generation TKIs have attracted all the attention, and replaced first-generation EGFR- TKIs upon disease progression due to the greater efficacy and more favorable tolerability. In the past few years, this strategy has been challenged by clinical evidence when next-generation EGFR-TKIs are used in patients with advanced NSCLC. ⋯ While, the treatment-related severe adverse event (SAE) between the next-generation TKIs and first-generation TKIs did not have statistical significance (OR = 1.48, 95%CI = 0.62-3.55, P = 0.38). Conclusion: The next-generation TKIs significantly improved efficacy outcomes in the treatment of EGFR mutation-positive advanced NSCLC compared with the first-generation TKIs, with a manageable safety profile. These results are potentially important for clinical decision making for these patients.
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Exploiting Modification Direction (EMD) based data hiding achieves good stego-image quality and high security level. Recently, a section-wise EMD was proposed to enhance the embedding capacity of EMD. ⋯ In this paper, we build a new switch map by Huffman code, and construct an enhanced multi-group EMD using Huffman code based switch map. Our scheme has higher embedding capacity than Wang et al.'s scheme and other EMD based data hiding methods.
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The sinus tarsi approach can be used for a limited exposure of the calcaneal fracture site. The reduction of the posterior articular surface, the shape of the calcaneus, the precise placement of the sustentacular screw (SS), the posterior articular surface screw of the calcaneal (PASS), and the long axis screw of the calcaneal (LAS) are still challenging. To that end, we proposed a minimally invasive technique for the treatment of calcaneal fractures via the sinus tarsi approach in combination with a three-dimensional (3D) printing technique. ⋯ Finally, a total of 25 patients underwent this procedure. The results showed significant accuracy improvement in terms of the SS, PASS and LAS placement and in terms of the parameters including Bohler's angle, Gissane's angle, and the calcaneal width. In this work, the technique of the personalized minimally invasive treatment of calcaneal fractures improved the accuracy of screw placement (SP) and the reduction rate of posterior articular surface, improved the shape of the calcaneus, and increased the precision of the minimally invasive treatment of calcaneal fractures via the sinus tarsi approach.