The targeting of preschoolers, children, adolescents and adults by the Canadian food and beverage industry on television: a cross-sectional study

Unhealthy food advertising can negatively impact children's food preferences and nutritional health. In Canada, only companies participating in the self-regulatory Children's Food and Beverage Advertising Initiative (CAI) commit to limiting unhealthy food advertising to children. We analyzed food advertising from 182 Canadian television stations in 2018. A principal component analysis explored patterns of advertising by 497 food companies and their targeting of preschoolers, children, adolescents, and adults. Chi-square analyses tested differences in the volume of advertising between target age groups by heavily advertising food companies and by CAI-participating and non-participating companies. In 2018, Maple Leaf Foods, Boulangerie St-Méthode, Exceldor Foods, Goodfood Market and Sobeys advertised most frequently during preschooler-programming. General Mills, Kellogg's, the Topps Company, Parmalat and Post Foods advertised most frequently during child-programming, while Burger King, McDonald's, General Mills, Kellogg's and Wendy's advertised most frequently during adolescent-programming. CAI-participating companies were responsible for over half of the food advertising broadcast during programs targeted to children (55%), while they accounted for less than half of the food advertising aired during programs targeting preschoolers (24%), adolescents (41%) and adults (42%). Statutory food advertising restrictions are needed to limit food companies' targeting of young people on television in Canada. Novelty: Advertising from fast food restaurant chains dominated television programming targeted to adolescents in 2018. Advertising from breakfast cereal, candy, and snack manufacturers dominated television programming targeted at children in 2018. Over 100 Canadian and transnational companies contravened broadcast restrictions on advertising to preschoolers in 2018.

Incidence of venous thromboembolic events in cancer patients receiving immunotherapy: a single-institution experience

BACKGROUND

Cancer and cancer therapies have been associated with an increased incidence of venous thromboembolic events (VTE). However, the incidence of VTE in patients on immunotherapy has not been well characterized. The aim of this study was to assess the incidence of VTE in cancer patients receiving immunotherapy and ascertain its prognostic utility.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

We conducted a single-institution retrospective study, including all cancer patients treated with anti-Programmed cell Death 1 (PD-1), anti-Programmed cell Death Ligand-1 (PD-L1), anti-Cytotoxic T-Lymphocyte-Associated Protein 4 (CTLA4), a combination of anti-PD-1/anti-PD-L1 and anti-CTLA4 or a combination including any of these drugs with chemotherapy, antiangiogenic agents or both between June 2013 and April 2019 at La Paz University Hospital, Madrid (Spain).

RESULTS

We selected 229 patients. VTE occurred in 16 of 229 patients (7%). VTE occurred more frequently in patients with lung cancer followed by melanoma. Female sex and melanoma were independently associated with an increased risk of VTE. 12 of 16 VTE (75%) were symptomatic. Progressive disease to immunotherapy [HR 31.60 (95% CI 11.44-87.22), p = 0.00], lung cancer [HR 2.55 (95% CI 1.34-4.86), p = 0.00] and melanoma [HR 2.42 (1.20-4.86), p = 0.01] were independently associated with shorter OS. VTE occurrence was not independently associated with shorter OS [HR 1.33 (95% CI 0.63-2.80), p = 0.44].

CONCLUSIONS

The incidence of VTE in cancer patients receiving immunotherapy in our study appeared to be similar to the incidence previously reported in other series of cancer patients treated with systemic therapies. VTE occurrence did not correlate with the prognosis. Further and prospective studies are needed to derive definitive conclusions.

The Many Faces of Covid-19: Organizing Pneumonia (OP) Pattern HRCT Features

Covid-19 (coronavirus disease 2019) is an infectious disease caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). On 30 January 2020 the World Health Organization (WHO) declared that the outbreak of Covid-19 realizes a public health emergency of international concern. Because of the primary involvement of the respiratory system, chest CT is strongly recommended in suspected Covid-19 cases, for both initial and follow-up. We present the case of a Covid-19 patient, a 57-year-old man, with a typical HRCT course of OP reaction.

Primary care organizational model mix and avoidable hospitalization: an ecological study in Portugal

Background

In Portugal, there are different organizational models in primary health care (PHC), mainly regarding the payment scheme. USF-B is the only type with financial incentives to the professional (pay-for-performance). Our goal was to assess the relationship between groups of primary healthcare centres (ACES) with higher proportion of patients within USF-B model and the rate of avoidable hospitalizations, as proxy of primary care quality.

Methods

We conducted a cross-sectional study considering the 55 ACES from mainland Portugal, in 2017. We used data from public hospitalizations to calculate the prevention quality indicator (avoidable hospitalizations) adjusted for age and sex, using direct standardization. The main independent variable was the proportion of patients in one ACES registered in the USF-B model. Unemployment rate, proportion of patients with family doctor and presence of Local Health Unit (different organization model) within ACES were also considered. The association was assessed by means of a linear regression model.

Results

Age-sex adjusted PQI value varied between 490 and 1715 hospitalizations per 100,000 inhabitants across ACES. We observed a significant effect of the proportion of patients within USF-B in the crude PQI rate (p = 0.001). However, using the age-sex adjusted PQI, there was not a statistical significant association (p = 0.504). This last model was also adjusted for confounding variables and the association remains non-significant (p = 0.865).

Conclusions

Our findings suggest that, when adjusting for age and sex, there is no evidence that ACES with more patients enrolled in a pay-for-performance model is associated with higher quality of PHC (using avoidable hospitalizations as proxy). Further studies addressing individual data should be performed.

This work was financed by FEDER funds through the COMPETE 2020 - POCI, and by Portuguese funds through FCT in the framework of the project POCI-01-0145-FEDER-030766 “1st.IndiQare”.

Key messages

Adjusting PQI to sex and age seems to influence its value more than the type of organizational model of primary health care. Groups of primary healthcare centres with more units under the pay-for-performance scheme was not associated with different rate of avoidable hospitalizations.

The Many Faces of Covid-19: Organizing Pneumonia (OP) Pattern HRCT Features

Covid-19 (coronavirus disease 2019) is an infectious disease caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). On 30 January 2020 the World Health Organization (WHO) declared that the outbreak of Covid-19 realizes a public health emergency of international concern. Because of the primary involvement of the respiratory system, chest CT is strongly recommended in suspected Covid-19 cases, for both initial and follow-up. We present the case of a Covid-19 patient, a 57-year-old man, with a typical HRCT course of OP reaction.

Efficiency of groups of primary healthcare centres: a frontier analysis of primary care in Portugal

Background

Primary health care (PHC) is the cornerstone of several health systems. The Portuguese PHC is organized in five mainland regions (ARS), that oversee 55 local groups of primary healthcare centres (ACES). We assessed the efficiency of all 55 ACES in mainland Portugal, as well as organizational and socioeconomic determinants of the efficiency.

Methods

A cross-sectional non-parametric frontier analysis was performed for 2017. The first model included two inputs (i.e. number of physicians and number of nurses) and a single output (i.e. number of PHC visits), while the second model included an additional output, i.e. Prevention Quality Indicator (PQI) overall composite (avoidable hospitalizations) adjusted for age and sex - as undesirable output. In a second stage, a (multivariate) Tobit regression was used to assess organizational and socioeconomic determinants of efficiency.

Results

In the first model, only 8 ACES (14.5%) were on the efficiency frontier, while 25 ACES should readjust their human resource balance. In the second model, 9 ACES (16.4%) were considered efficient. When considering quality, one ACES previously considered inefficient moved to the frontier and two ACES lost their benchmark position. The second-stage analysis indicates that groups with a higher proportion of PHC units with pay-for-performance incentives were associated with higher efficiency.

Conclusions

Most ACES have the potential to improve their production levels., A better management of human resources can contribute to improve overall efficiency. ACES with a higher proportion of units with pay-for-performance schemes seem to be more efficient. These findings contribute to the evaluation of policies to integrate and scale up PHC services locally, such as the recent primary care networks in the NHS UK.

This work was financed by FEDER funds through the COMPETE 2020 - POCI, and by Portuguese funds through FCT in the framework of the project POCI-01-0145-FEDER-030766 “1st.IndiQare”.

Key messages

Most Portuguese ACES have the potential to improve their outputs given their current level of human resources. Local groups that aggregate more PHC units with pay-for-performance schemes are associated with high efficiency.

Oxidative stress biomarkers in Fabry disease: is there a room for them?

BACKGROUND

Fabry disease (FD) is an X-linked lysosomal storage disorder, caused by deficient activity of the alpha-galactosidase A enzyme leading to progressive and multisystemic accumulation of globotriaosylceramide. Recent data point toward oxidative stress signalling which could play an important role in both pathophysiology and disease progression.

METHODS

We have examined oxidative stress biomarkers [Advanced Oxidation Protein Products (AOPP), Ferric Reducing Antioxidant Power (FRAP), thiolic groups] in blood samples from 60 patients and 77 healthy controls.

RESULTS

AOPP levels were higher in patients than in controls (p < 0.00001) and patients presented decreased levels of antioxidant defences (FRAP and thiols) with respect to controls (p < 0.00001). In a small group of eight treatment-naïve subjects with FD-related mutations, we found altered levels of oxidative stress parameters and incipient signs of organ damage despite normal lyso-Gb3 levels.

CONCLUSIONS

Oxidative stress occurs in FD in both treated and naïve patients, highlighting the need of further research in oxidative stress-targeted therapies. Furthermore, we found that oxidative stress biomarkers may represent early markers of disease in treatment-naïve patients with a potential role in helping interpretation of FD-related mutations and time to treatment decision.

THU0628-HPR SSCENTRY: A PERSONAL DISEASE DIARY APP FOR SYSTEMIC SCLEROSIS PATIENTS

Background:

Systemic Sclerosis (SSc) is a connective tissue disease characterized by severe alterations in the microvasculature and progressive fibrosis of the skin and internal organs [1]. Management of SSc is not easy, for both patients and physicians [2]. Symptoms are manifold and have a significant impact on patient’s daily autonomy and psychological well-being.

Objectives:

SScEntry (SSc data Entry tool; Figure 1) is a solution conceived to assist SSc patients in monitoring their disease, as a kind of “sentry”. The core idea is to provide patients with a personal diary to annotate and track the onset, evolution and resolution of symptoms as well as any changes in their general health condition, through an app for iOS and Android smartphones and tablets.

Figure 1.

SScEntry logo.

Methods:

SScEntry is a smartphone/tablet app designed by rheumatology and computer science engineering specialists in close partnership [3]. A carefully designed user interface (UI), inspired to a social network wall, allows annotating the evolution of symptoms by means of standard clinical investigation methods such as scientifically validated questionnaires. The UI facilitates data collection through speech-based interaction as well as touch and gestures optimized for patients with finger skin lesions and joints impairments. User engagement over the course of time is fostered by: follow-up reminders to update information on the evolution of past events and periodic questionnaires for general health assessment; the integration of symptom photos taken with on-device camera and health data collected from wearable devices; gamification features. Privacy and security have been a primary design concern, with app access protection and full on-device data encryption; no personal data transmission occurs without explicit user consent. SScEntry generates a disease activity summary report, for displaying to the physician during visit or emailing/printing.

Results:

SScEntry is ready for Android and iOS smartphones and tablets. All planned features have been implemented (Figure 2). Currently supported languages are English and Italian. Areas of interest include vascular, cutaneous, articular, visceral (gastro-intestinal and cardio-pulmonary) as well as relationship, sexual and working life.

Figure 2.

SScEntry features.

Conclusion:

Novel Narrative-based Medicine approaches are getting increasing attention to enhance the mutual understanding between patient and physician, reinforcing the therapeutic adherence at the core of healthcare. This is particularly important with chronic and disabling diseases like SSc. Involving patients in disease management with SScEntry will increase their compliance and confidence, with benefits on psychological well-being. Expected benefits for rheumatologists include better evaluation of target therapy and outcomes, as no data on disease activity is lost during the patient clinical history.

References:

[1]J. Varga et al. (2017) Pathogenesis of systemic sclerosis: recent insights of molecular and cellular mechanisms and therapeutic opportunities. J Scleroderma Relat Disord 2:137–52.

[2]L. Mouthon et al. (2017) Patients’ views and needs about systemic sclerosis and its management: a qualitative interview study. BMC Musculoskelet Disord 18(1):230.

[3]M. Bradway et al. (2015) Mobile Health: empowering patients and driving change. Trends in Endocrinology & Metabolism, 26(3):114-117.

Disclosure of Interests:

Emanuela Praino: None declared, Floriano Scioscia: None declared, Crescenzio Scioscia: None declared, Giuseppe Loseto: None declared, Filippo Gramegna: None declared, Saverio Ieva: None declared, Agnese Pinto: None declared, Michele Ruta: None declared, Eugenio Di Sciascio: None declared, Giovanni Lapadula: None declared, Florenzo Iannone Consultant of: Speaker and consulting fees from AbbVie, Eli Lilly, Novartis, Pfizer, Roche, Sanofi, UCB, MSD, Speakers bureau: Speaker and consulting fees from AbbVie, Eli Lilly, Novartis, Pfizer, Roche, Sanofi, UCB, MSD

RETIRADO: El impacto de la pandemia de COVID-19 en la utilización de los servicios urológicos de urgencias

Este artículo ha sido retirado a petición del autor del artículo. La editorial lamenta los inconvenientes ocasionados.

Puede consultar la política de Elsevier sobre la retirada de artículos en https://www.elsevier.com/about/our-business/policies/article-withdrawal

Rehabilitation of a severe mandibular atrophy with four millimeter extra-short implant and guided bone regeneration (GBR): case report with 7-years follow-up

The aim of this study was to report the use of extra-short and short implants in combination with Guided Bone Regeneration (GBR) to rehabilitate a case of severe mandibular reabsorption. A 55-yearold female patient asked for a fixed implant supported rehabilitation in 4.5 - 4.6 zone which showed severe atrophy. It was decided to use an extra-short 4 mm length and 4.1 mm Ø, Roxolid and SLActive implant (Straumann Standard Plus Regular Neck, Institut Straumann AG) in 4.5 position and a short 6 mm length and 4.8 mm Ø, Roxolid and SLActive implant (Straumann Standard Plus Wide Neck, Institut Straumann AG) in 4.6 position. The implants supported cemented fixed prosthesis. Examinations were performed at the day of the surgery and up to 7-years in function to evaluate implant stability and periapical radiography. One extra-short implant and one short implant were placed. After 7 years in function no biological or prosthetic complication were recorded. Within the limitation of this case report, the use of short and extra-short implants to support fixed prosthesis seem to be a feasible treatment alternative in severe mandibular atrophy.

First description of a herpesvirus infection in genus Lepus

During the necropsies of Iberian hares obtained in 2018/2019, along with signs of the nodular form of myxomatosis, other unexpected external lesions were also observed. Histopathology revealed nuclear inclusion bodies in stromal cells suggesting the additional presence of a nuclear replicating virus. Transmission electron microscopy further demonstrated the presence of herpesvirus particles in the tissues of affected hares. We confirmed the presence of herpesvirus in 13 MYXV-positive hares by PCR and sequencing analysis. Herpesvirus-DNA was also detected in seven healthy hares, suggesting its asymptomatic circulation. Phylogenetic analysis based on concatenated partial sequences of DNA polymerase gene and glycoprotein B gene enabled greater resolution than analysing the sequences individually. The hare’ virus was classified close to herpesviruses from rodents within the Rhadinovirus genus of the gammaherpesvirus subfamily. We propose to name this new virus Leporid gammaherpesvirus 5 (LeHV-5), according to the International Committee on Taxonomy of Viruses standards. The impact of herpesvirus infection on the reproduction and mortality of the Iberian hare is yet unknown but may aggravate the decline of wild populations caused by the recently emerged natural recombinant myxoma virus.

Full-digital workflow to rehabilitate a high value aesthetic zone. A case report

Replacing missing teeth in the aesthetic area is a clinical challenge which must be solved by a multidisciplinary approach in order to obtain an esthetic and functional implant-prosthetic rehabilitation. First therapeutic choice should be the less invasive option, in accordance with patients' expectations. The present clinical case presents the rehabilitation of the upper incisor group using a full-digital workflow to reduce operative time, costs and patient discomfort. The use of computer-guided-surgery and 3D technologies, as intraoral scanners or cone-beam-computed-tomography, allows the clinician to visualize all patient's information when planning the rehabilitation in order to obtain a more predictable and a less invasive surgery.

Acoustic field generated by an innovative airborne power ultrasonic system with reflectors for coherent radiation

In order to obtain the maximum efficiency in industrial processes assisted by airborne power ultrasound, the ultrasonic systems must be capable of generating an acoustic field with a maximum energy concentration in the desired areas. In this paper, the acoustic performance of two different ultrasonic systems is presented. The first system corresponds to an airborne power ultrasonic transducer with a flat rectangular plate radiator, and the second system is composed by the same transducer mounted in a set of reflectors that allow the generation of coherent radiation. The acoustic pressure field for each system has been determined numerically and the spatial pattern has been experimentally measured. In the experiment, the system with reflectors obtained higher pressure amplitude in a wider area, due to the coherent radiation achieved. The directivity pattern obtained in the experiment confirms this coherent radiation field. This is the first time that the acoustical behavior of two different ultrasonic systems with flat rectangular radiator, vibrating in a complex flexural mode, has been numerically and experimentally described and compared in terms of pressure amplitude distribution and directivity pattern.

JS1.2 Increased frequency of paraneoplastic encephalitis with anti-Ma2 antibodies in the cancer immunotherapy era

BACKGROUND

Given the mechanism of action of immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs), a possible association with the development of paraneoplastic neurological syndromes (PNS) has been hypothesized. We sought to determine if ICI treatment might trigger anti-Ma2 antibody-associated paraneoplastic neurological syndromes (Ma2-PNS).

MATERIAL AND METHODS

We performed a retrospective nationwide study of all patients with Ma2-PNS developed during ICI treatment between 2017–2018. The frequency of neuronal-antibody detection before and after ICI implementation was also analyzed.

RESULTS

Our series of patients included 5 men and 1 woman (median age, 63 years). The patients were receiving either nivolumab (n = 3), pembrolizumab (n = 2) or a combination of nivolumab and ipilimumab (n=1), for treatment of neoplasms that included lung (n=4) and kidney (n=1) cancers, and pleural mesothelioma (n=1). Median delay between ICI introduction and onset of the neurological syndrome was 4 months. Clinical syndromes included a combination of limbic encephalitis and diencephalitis (n=3), isolated limbic encephalitis (n=2) and a syndrome characterized by opthalmoplegia and head-drop (n=1). Patients with diencephalitis manifested hyperphagia, weight gain and somnolence. Post-ICI Ma2-PNS accounted for 35% of the total 17 Ma2-PNS diagnosed in our center over the 2017–2018 biennium. Eight cases had been detected in the preceding biennium 2015–2016, corresponding to a 112% increase of Ma2-PNS frequency since the implementation of ICIs in France. No other neuronal-antibody demonstrated a similar increment.

CONCLUSION

We show a clear association between ICI use and increased frequency of Ma2-PNS. Physicians need to be aware that ICIs can trigger Ma2-PNS since clinical presentation can be challenging.

Management of colorectal peritoneal metastases: Expert opinion

When peritoneal metastases are diagnosed (strong agreement of experts): (i) seek advice from a multidisciplinary coordination meeting (MCM) with large experience in peritoneal disease (e.g. BIG RENAPE network); (ii) transfer (or not) the patient to a referral center with experience in hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy (HIPEC), according to the advice of the MCM. With regard to systemic chemotherapy (strong agreement of experts): (i) it should be performed both before and after surgery, (ii) for no longer than 6 months; (iii) without postoperative anti-angiogenetic drugs. With regard to cytoreductive surgery (strong agreement of experts): (i) Radical surgery requires a xiphopubic midline incision; (ii) no cytoreductive surgery via laparoscopy. With regard to HIPEC: HIPEC can be proposed for trials outside an HIPEC referral center (weak agreement between experts): (i) if surgery is radical; (ii) if the expected morbidity is "reasonable"; (iii) if the indication for HIPEC was suggested by a MCM, and; (iv) mitomycin is preferred to oxaliplatin (which cannot be recommended) for this indication.