ABSTRACT
The LYMQOL Leg questionnaire is the most widely used, evidence-based tool for the assessment of health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in patients with lower limb lymphedema (LLL). It has been translated into several languages, but a German version is currently lacking. The aim of our study was to validate a German translation of LYMQOL Leg. Translation and cross-cultural adaptation were performed in accordance with ISPOR principles. A total of 103 patients with LLL from Germany, Austria, and Switzerland were interviewed twice. The content and face validity assessments indicated that the German LYMQOL Leg questionnaire was acceptable for interviewing patients with lymphedema. Comparing the LYMQOL Leg with the SF-36 demonstrated good construct validity. Reliability determined by the test-retest procedure was good (intra-class-correlation coefficients 0.68-0.92). Cronbach's alpha values ranged from 0.76 to 0.90 in both interviews, showing an acceptable internal consistency. The four domains of the questionnaire reached a cumulative variance of 52.7% in the factor analysis. The association between the lymphedema stages and the LYMQOL Leg domain scores was not significant. In conclusion, the validity of the German version of LYMQOL Leg, called LYMQOL Bein, was confirmed and thus represents a suitable tool for measuring HRQoL in German-speaking patients with LLL.
ABSTRACT
Wide awake local anesthesia no tourniquet (WALANT) refers to an anesthesia technique with low bleeding and complication rates, which enables interventions on the hand in an awake patient without the use of a tourniquet. Bleeding control is achieved through addition of vasoconstrictors to the infiltration solution. Since the motor function of the extremity is not affected, it offers the additional possibility of intraoperative active function testing. The WALANT procedure constitutes an established, effective, easily learnt and resource-sparing technique. The spectrum of surgical possibilities with WALANT is wide and covers nearly all elective and many emergency procedures. Due to multiple advantages in contrast to other regional and general anesthesia procedures, WALANT features an increasing spectrum of surgical applications and practitioners. It is therefore of interest for hand surgeons working both in hospitals and private practices.
Subject(s)
Anesthesia, Local , Orthopedic Procedures , Anesthetics, Local , Hand/surgery , Humans , Tourniquets , WakefulnessABSTRACT
MicroRNAs and cancer stem cells have emerged as critical players in glioblastoma, one of the deadliest human cancers. In this study, we investigated the expression and function of microRNA-10b in glioblastoma cells and stem cells. An analysis of The Cancer Genome Atlas data revealed a correlation between high miR-10b levels and poor prognosis in glioblastoma patients. We measured the levels of miR-10b and found that it is upregulated in human glioblastoma tissues, glioblastoma cell and stem cell lines as compared to normal human tissues or astrocytes. Inhibition of miR-10b with a specific antagomir inhibited the proliferation of glioblastoma established and stem cell lines. Inhibition of miR-10b strongly reduced cell invasion and migration in glioblastoma cell and stem cell lines while overexpression of miR-10b induced cell migration and invasion. We also investigated several predicted targets of miR-10b but could not verify any of them experimentally. Additionally, miR-10b inhibition significantly decreased the in vivo growth of stem cell-derived orthotopic GBM xenografts. Altogether, our findings confirm the oncogenic effects of miR-10b in GBM cells and show for the first time a role of this microRNA in GBM stem cells. Targeting miR-10b might therefore inhibit glioblastoma stem cells, which are thought to be at the origin of glioblastoma and to contribute its recurrence and resistance to therapy.
