Review of Relative effectiveness assessments (REAs) of pharmaceuticals at the European network for health technology assessment (EUnetHTA): A first step towards a consolidated European perspective on comparative effectiveness & safety?

OBJECTIVES: REAs from Joint Action (JA1-3) were reviewed and compared versus Health Technology Assessments (HTA) in France, Germany, UK, Italy. METHODS: EUnetHTA REAs published until end of 2019 were identified. Leveraging information derived from the HTA bodies' website key process (population; timing; national HTA bodies involved) and content characteristics (evidence base; comparative therapy, endpoints, subgroups) were determined and compared against national appraisals. RESULTS: All twelve pharmaceutical EUnetHTA assessment finalized until end of 2019 were included with Ustekinumab being the most recent (October 2019) and Pazopanib the first assessment (September 2012). In all but three assessments EUnetHTA's assessment did not cover the full EMA indication. Since JA3 time intervals between EMA approval and EUnetHTA assessment were < 80 days. Number of (co-)authoring HTA bodies ranged between 2 (in 6 REAs) and > 10 (Pazopanib). EUnetHTA did consider non - RCT evidence in 7 procedures; take a rather inclusive approach regarding appropriate comparative treatments; approach endpoints less restrictively than e.g. the German IQWiG/GBA; not apply a predetermined set of subgroups analyses. In seven REAs, national appraisal showed inhomogeneities across the 4 countries. National appraisals for Sotagliflozin and Ustekinumab were not yet available. CONCLUSIONS: A joint European HTA assessment has the potential to address the challenge of heterogeneity across the various national European HTA bodies and to determine joint European clinical development data standards that are aligned with regulatory requirements.

Overview and initial results of the very long baseline interferometry space observatory programme

High angular resolution images of extragalactic radio sources are being made with the Highly Advanced Laboratory for Communications and Astronomy (HALCA) satellite and ground-based radio telescopes as part of the Very Long Baseline Interferometry (VLBI) Space Observatory Programme (VSOP). VSOP observations at 1.6 and 5 gigahertz of the milli-arc-second-scale structure of radio quasars enable the quasar core size and the corresponding brightness temperature to be determined, and they enable the motions of jet components that are close to the core to be studied. Here, VSOP images of the gamma-ray source 1156+295, the quasar 1548+056, the ultraluminous quasar 0014+813, and the superluminal quasar 0212+735 are presented and discussed.

Correlacion entre la ultrasonografia Doppler color y el espermograma en pacientes con varicocele / Correlation between Doppler ultrasonography color and spermgrama in patient with varicocele

Con la intención de determinar las variables, que caracterizan al varicocele desde el punto de vistadel ultrasonido Doppler codificado en color, se llevó a cabo este estudio en la Universidad de Urologíay el Departamento de Radiología del Hospital San Ignacio de la Pontificia Universidad Javeriana enBogotá. A 52 pacientes, remitidos de tres instituciones de la ciudad con diagnóstico clínico de varicocele se les estudió con una ecografía escrotal, incluyendo el ultrasonido Doppler codificado en color. 26 pacientes tenían además un espermograma simple previo al estudio. Ningún paciente se encontraba en estudio por infertilidad. Se encontró un porcentaje de 52 por ciento de varicoceles subclínicos (varicoceles bilaterales en pacientes con diagnóstico de varicocele izquierdo). Hubo una baja concordancia en la calificación del grado de los varicoceles. (Kappa). El hallazgo más frecuente en la ecografía fue el de inversión del flujo venoso durante la maniobra de Valsalva. El hallazgo más común en los espermogramas fue la astenozoospermia, pero la oligo y la teratozoospermia fueron también muy frecuentes. Las conclusiones del presente estudio son que el uso del Doppler codificado en color permite la detección de varicoceles subclínicos en un porcentaje alto de pacientes (52 por ciento), que las diferencias en las clasificaciones dependen de los distintos parámetros estimados por el clínico y por el Doppler. No fue posible identificar una alteración específica en el espermograma relacionado con las variables medidas por el ultrasonido, posiblemente por el bajo número de pacientes que tuvieron el estudio completo. Se puede suponer que un número importa de pacientes cuyos espermogramas no mejoran la varicocelectomía podrían tener un varicocele sólo detectable por este nuevo método

Williams syndrome: a guide to diagnosis and treatment.

Williams syndrome is a congenital disorder characterized by mental retardation, vascular abnormalities including supravalvular aortic stenosis, and a loquacious personality. The genetic etiology of this syndrome has recently been isolated to the seventh chromosome, namely the elastin gene. Initial diagnosis of Williams syndrome rests largely with practitioners who see children in the first two years of a child's life, and the health and longevity of individuals with the disorder may depend heavily on accurate and timely diagnosis. Although often diagnosed in childhood, the adolescent and adult with Williams syndrome may also benefit from the diagnostic skills of an alert physician.

Osteochondroma of the maxillary sinus: report of a case.

An unusual case is presented of an osteochondroma arising in the maxillary sinus in association with a previously endodontically treated maxillary molar. The use of conventional radiography as well as CT scanning as aids in diagnosis and localization of the tumor is described. The surgical management of the lesion is discussed, with emphasis placed on removing the mass in sections and sparing the critical tooth from extraction.

Comparison of cyclic AMP-dependent protein kinases from salivary glands of four species.

Cyclic AMP-dependent protein kinase activity, subcellular distribution, and isozyme profile were compared in rabbit, rat, guinea pig, and mouse in both parotid and submandibular glands. Glands were homogenized under hypotonic conditions and the following fractions isolated: 600 g pellet, 27,000 g pellet, and 27,000 g supernatant. The specific activity of the enzyme was similar in the eight glands and was highest in the 27,000 g supernatant. The average activity in the 27,000 g supernatant was approximately 75% of the total gland activity, although there was considerable variability between tissues and species. After being washed with isotonic buffer, this percentage was increased to an average of 84%. When isozyme patterns of the kinase were examined, the rabbit parotid was unique in that it contained a high percentage of isozyme I as isolated on DEAE cellulose columns.