Raman spectroscopy in oral cavity and oropharyngeal cancer: a systematic review.

Due to the high incidence of head and neck cancer and under-diagnosis in the early stages, non-invasive and highly accurate diagnostic tests are required for cancer detection. Recent advances in Raman spectroscopy techniques have yielded promising sensitivity and specificity results in the evaluation of cancer. The aim of this study was to investigate the potential value of Raman spectroscopy in oral cavity and oropharyngeal cancer diagnosis based on currently available scientific papers. A search of the PubMed database was performed using a specific strategy and according to the PRISMA guidelines. Raman spectroscopy achieved a maximum accuracy of 98% in cancer detection, while accuracy was 97.24% for tumour grading evaluation, 95% for cancer treatment assessment, and 77% for the detection of cancer recurrence. Moreover, early-stage cancer can be identified by Raman spectroscopy investigation of liquid biopsy samples. An in vivo technique with direct mucosa examination by fibre-optic Raman spectroscopy obtained a maximum accuracy of 94% in cancer diagnosis. The most prominent markers of the presence of malignancy were an increase in Raman signal intensity for proteins, nucleic acids, and water and a decrease for lipids. These cancer discriminants were detected in both fingerprint and high wavenumber regions. In conclusion, Raman spectroscopy is a promising tool for oral cavity and oropharyngeal cancer screening.

Associations of hamstring and triceps surae muscle spasticity and stance phase gait kinematics in children with spastic diplegic cerebral palsy.

Clinical decisions on interventions to improve function in children with cerebral palsy (CP) are based, in part, on hypothesized interactions amongst physical signs of CP and functional deficits. However, a knowledge gap exists regarding associations between spasticity and gait function. This study quantified associations of hamstring and triceps surae spasticity with hip, knee and ankle CP gait patterns. This is a cohort study of children and adolescents [n = 51; 31 male; 20 female; spastic diplegia; Gross Motor Function Classification System I (n = 23) and II (n = 28)] who participated in a clinical consult including gait (Motion Analysis, USA) and modified Tardieu scale (MTS) testing (hamstrings, triceps surae). Shape-based clustering was performed on stance phase sagittal hip, knee and ankle patterns using z-normalized and non-normalized data. Linear regression (R, v3.5.0, R Core Team, Austria) was conducted to assess associations between MTS measures and data clusters (α = 0.05). Shape-clustering revealed two hip and three knee and ankle clusters for z-normalized and non-normalized data. Significant associations of hamstring spasticity and joint patterns were observed for z-normalized knee clusters (CKnee A p = 0.002; CKnee B p = 0.006) and interactions amongst non-normalized hip and knee clusters (CHipA:CKnee B p = 0.033). Trends were observed for soleus spasticity and gastrocnemius range of motion angle and non-normalized ankle clusters (CAnkle B p = 0.051; CAnkle B p = 0.053 respectively). Significant associations of early knee extension and hamstring spasticity, observed using shape-clustering of z-normalized data, provide unique information that may inform the identification of individuals most likely to benefit from spasticity management and targets for spasticity management assessment.

The Cunningham Fellowship: three international points of view.

The Medical Library Association Cunningham Fellowship Program provides funds for one medical librarian per year from outside the United States or Canada to work and learn in United States or Canadian medical libraries for a period of 4 months. An overview of the Cunningham Fellowship is presented from three different points of view-that of a Medical Library Association member who has worked closely with the Cunningham Fellowship programme, and two former Cunningham Fellows. Anita Verhoeven, who relates her impressions of American culture, architecture and art, was the 1998 MLA Cunningham Fellow and visited 33 libraries, met 171 librarians, visited prestigious universities and attended a Medical Library Association meeting. Ioana Robu, the 1997 Cunningham Fellow, visited 15 libraries in 13 cities during her experience. She describes the process of applying for the fellowship and assesses the impact that the 1997 Cunningham Fellowship has made on her life, her library and medical librarianship in Romania. An overview of the Cunningham Fellowship is also given, which includes the history, the application process, the requirements of the fellowship and the time table of the fellowship.

Improving standards in the scientific biomedical community in Romania by using journal ranking to improve journal quality.

The paper articulates the problems of journal publication in a relatively small country such as Romania where locally (i.e. nationally) published journals include most of the national medical scientific output. The starting point was a study ordered by the Cluj University of Medicine and Pharmacy Scientific Council, for the purpose of obtaining an objectively ranked list of all current Romanian biomedical journals that could be used in the evaluation of the scientific activity of the university academic staff. Sixty-five current biomedical journals were identified--of which more than half were new titles that had appeared over the past 5 years. None of these are included in the Science Citation Index or Journal Citation Reports (JCR). A set of criteria was used for ranking the journals: peer review, inclusion in international databases, publication time lag, language of articles and abstracts, journal specific index and domestic impact factor. The period covered, along with tools and formulas used are presented. The problems of Romanian biomedical journals as well as ways of improving publishing standards are discussed. Also emphasized is the necessity for increased awareness in the medical scholarly community and the role of the library in this respect.