Medicine
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This study aimed to compare the accuracy and inter- and intra-observer reproducibility of the measured elasticity between 2 shear wave elastography systems. Three breast radiologists examined 8 targets of 4 different levels of stiffness (size: 11 mm, 4 mm) in an elasticity phantom (Customized 049A Elasticity QA Phantom, CIRS, Norfolk, VA, USA) using 2 different shear wave ultrasound elastography systems: SuperSonic Imagine (SSI) (SSI, Aix en Provence, France) and ShearScan (RS-80A, Samsung Medison, Seoul, Korea). Three radiologists performed ultrasound (US) elastography examinations for the phantom lesions using 2 equipment over a 1-week interval. ⋯ The accuracy of shape-matching on the elastography image was 59.0% and 81.4% in the SSI and ShearScan, respectively. In conclusion, the SSI and ShearScan showed excellent intra- and inter-observer reproducibility. The accuracy of the Young's modulus was high in both the SSI and ShearScan, but the SSI showed decreased accuracy in measurement of elasticity in small targets and poor shape-matching between the B-mode image and color-coded elastography image.
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The United States Medical Licensing Examination Step 1 will transition to a pass/fail exam starting no earlier than January 2022. Internal medicine residency programs will need to adapt to these changes. The purpose of this study was to investigate: 1. internal medicine residency program directors’ perceptions on the change of Step 1 to a pass/fail exam, and 2. the impact on other factors considered for internal medicine residency selection. ⋯ Internal medicine program directors mostly disagree with the pass/fail Step 1 transition. Residency programs will need to reevaluate how applicants are evaluated. Other factors, such as Step 2 Clinical Knowledge score, personal knowledge of the applicant, grades in clerkships, and audition rotations will now be emphasized more heavily.
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Observational Study
Nomogram for predicting the survival of patients with small cell carcinoma of the esophagus: A population study based on the surveillance, epidemiology, and end results database.
This study aims to establish an effective prognostic nomogram for small cell carcinoma of the esophagus (SCCE). A total of 552 patients with SCCE from 1975 to 2016 were extracted from the surveillance, epidemiology, and end results (SEER) database. A Cox proportional hazard regression model was used to analyze the prognostic factors of patients, and a nomogram was constructed. ⋯ The calibration curves exhibited good consistency between the predicted and actual survival rates. The nomogram of the survival and prognosis of patients with SCCE in this study had a good predictive value and could provide clinicians with accurate and practical predictive tools. It could also be used to facilitate a rapid and accurate assessment of patients' survival and prognosis on an individual basis.
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There are no reports on global research status of gastroenterology and hepatology (GI). This study was conducted to reveal the current global research status and trends in GI. ⋯ It is delightful that the global research output in GI field would be continuingly increased as the major highest-output countries showed increasing trends. However, the developing countries fell behind both in quantity and quality when compared with developed countries.
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Meta Analysis Retracted Publication
Evaluation of association between methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase and azoospermia: A meta-analysis.
Infertility affects childbearing age couples all over the world. One of the important reasons for infertility is genetic factors. Our study evaluated the association between methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR) and azoospermia. ⋯ There was association between MTHFR polymorphism and azoospermia. Caucasian populations had higher risk than Mongolian populations in association between MTHFR and azoospermia.