Health Research Collaborations by Academic Entities: A Systematic Review.

PURPOSE: To review the literature on health research collaborations by academic entities and to identify the main phases, components, and concepts of these research collaborations. METHOD: The authors conducted a systematic review of the literature, searching 4 databases in March 2022 for studies on health research collaboration between an academic entity (individual, group, or institution) and any other entity included. They excluded non-health-related studies and studies in which collaboration was not for the purpose of research. From included studies, reviewers abstracted data about the 4 main phases of research collaborations (initiation, conduct, monitoring, and evaluation) and synthesized their corresponding components and concepts using thematic analysis method. RESULTS: A total of 59 studies met inclusion criteria. These studies described building research collaborations between an academic entity and other academic entities (n = 29; 49%), communities (n = 28; 47%), industry (n = 7; 12%), and/or governmental entities (n = 4; 7%). Of the 59 studies, 22 addressed 2 phases of collaboration, 20 addressed 3 phases, and 17 addressed all 4 phases. All included studies described at least 1 of the components relevant to the initiation phase and at least 1 relevant to the conduct phase. Team structure was the most common component discussed in relation to the initiation phase (n = 48; 81%), and team dynamics was the most common component discussed in relation to the conduct phase (n = 55; 93%). At least 1 of the components relevant to the monitoring phase was reported in 36 studies, and at least 1 component relevant to the evaluation phase was reported in 28 studies. CONCLUSIONS: This review provides important information for groups aiming to engage in collaborative research. The synthesized list of collaboration phases and their components can serve as a road map for collaborators at different steps of their research.

Protocol for a randomized controlled trial comparing wound COmplications in elective midline laparotomies after FAscia Closure using two different Techniques Of Running sutures: COFACTOR trial.

BACKGROUND: Wound complications following midline laparotomies are common and the main source of postoperative morbidity including superficial or deep wound infection, skin dehiscence, fascia dehiscence, and incisional hernia. Abdominal closure complications are strongly associated with suture technique and material, in addition to other factors related to the patient and type of surgery performed. The traditional technique is to place the fascia sutures 1 cm apart and at least 1 cm away from the fascia edge. A Swedish study described a new technique of placing the sutures 5 mm apart and 5 mm away from the fascia edge, resulting in lower rates of abdominal wound complications. This study has a number of limitations. There is a need for improved quality evidence to convince the surgical community to change the closure technique of abdominal wounds aiming to reduce morbidity, which is exemplified in incisional hernias and other various postop complications. METHODS: This is a 1:1 randomized, controlled, patient- and assessor-blinded, parallel design, superiority trial, with a primary endpoint of incisional hernia at 1 year. The study will be conducted at AUBMC over a 3-year period. Patients planned for a non-emergent midline laparotomy for general surgery or vascular procedure will be randomized to either fascia closure technique. In order to detect a drop of 12% in the incidence of incisional hernia, with 80% power and an alpha of 0.05, we will need to recruit 114 patients per arm. After adjusting for loss to follow-up, target recruitment is 274 subjects. We will compare both arms for the primary, secondary, and exploratory outcomes, using chi-square or t test as appropriate. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression will be done. DISCUSSION: This trial will assess postop complications following abdominal midline wound closures via two different suturing techniques. This trial will generate evidence-based conclusions that will allow surgeons to assess the role of a new abdominal closure technique in decreasing short- and long-term postoperative complications, for a commonly performed procedure. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT03527433 . Registered on 17 May 2018 before starting participant enrollment.

Intracystic papillary carcinoma: clinical presentation, patterns of practice, and oncological outcomes.

BACKGROUND: Intracystic/encapsulated papillary carcinoma remains a poorly understood disease of the breast with a little amount of reports that describe it. It shares features with DCIS and IDC and predominantly affects postmenopausal women. This study aims to evaluate the clinical presentation, treatment, and outcomes in IPC patients managed at our institution. METHODS: We retrospectively pooled twenty-eight IPC patients' medical records at our institution. Descriptive analysis of clinicopathological characteristics, approach, and outcomes was done along with a quantitative statistical analysis. RESULTS: Cases were divided into three groups: isolated IPC, IPC associated with DCIS, and IPC associated with Invasive Carcinoma. Treatment modalities varied according to the IPC type and its associated components. All patients presented with a palpable mass. Immunohistochemical staining revealed that all isolated IPCs were ER and PR positive and HER2 negative. Lymph node dissection proved necessary only in IPC associated invasive carcinoma. Irregular borders and lobulations, among others, were found on non-invasive core biopsies that turned out to be associated with invasion on surgical pathology. All patients were alive after a median follow-up time of 23 months when the study was over with no reports of recurrence. CONCLUSION: IPC cases and treatment approaches at our institution appear similar to the available literature and confirm the excellent prognosis among IPC. Even more, further studies into the key features such as BMI, family history, and radiological findings are necessary for a potential algorithm that could assess for risk of finding invasion in surgical pathology and subsequently the need for axillary/sentinel lymph node biopsy.

Importance of ophthalmological examination in children with congenital sensorineural hearing loss.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the importance of ophthalmological examination in children with congenital sensorineural hearing loss (SNHL). METHODS: This study was conducted at the Ear, Nose, and Throat Department of Al-Ramadi Teaching Hospital in Al-Ramadi city, Iraq from 20 December 2007 to 30 October 2008. Fifty children with congenital SNHL were included in this prospective study. Ophthalmological examination was carried out for all patients. RESULTS: Out of 50 patients with SNHL, 16 (32%) had ocular abnormalities. Ocular abnormalities were more common in postlingual age group (81.3%) than other age groups, which is statistically significant (p=0.007). Myopia was the most common abnormality that was present in 5 patients (31.3%). The results showed that hyperopia was found in 2 patients (12.5%), squint in 2 patients (12.5%), retinitis pigmentosa 2 patients (12.5%), and blepharitis in 1 (6.3%) patient. Four other patients had multiple abnormalities: one with myopia and astigmatism, one with hyperopia and conjunctivitis, one with bilateral blepharitis, and allergic conjunctivitis, and the last one with myopia and blepharitis. Two children on examination of the eyes was diagnosed with Usher syndrome. CONCLUSION: Ocular abnormalities are a common problem in children with congenital SNHL necessitating ophthalmological examination to detect any abnormal visual acuity, and aid in the diagnosis of congenital deafness syndromes.