| 1. |
- Martin, David, et al.
(author)
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Defining Major Surgery: A Delphi Consensus Among European Surgical Association (ESA) Members
- 2020
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In: World Journal of Surgery. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 0364-2313 .- 1432-2323. ; 44:7, s. 2211-2219
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- © 2020, Société Internationale de Chirurgie. Background: Major surgery is a term frequently used but poorly defined. The aim of the present study was to reach a consensus in the definition of major surgery within a panel of expert surgeons from the European Surgical Association (ESA). Methods: A 3-round Delphi process was performed. All ESA members were invited to participate in the expert panel. In round 1, experts were inquired by open- and closed-ended questions on potential criteria to define major surgery. Results were analyzed and presented back anonymously to the panel within next rounds. Closed-ended questions in round 2 and 3 were either binary or statements to be rated on a Likert scale ranging from 1 (strong disagreement) to 5 (strong agreement). Participants were sent 3 reminders at 2-week intervals for each round. 70% of agreement was considered to indicate consensus. Results: Out of 305 ESA members, 67 (22%) answered all the 3 rounds. Significant comorbidities were the only preoperative factor retained to define major surgery (78%). Vascular clampage or organ ischemia (92%), high intraoperative blood loss (90%), high noradrenalin requirements (77%), long operative time (73%) and perioperative blood transfusion (70%) were procedure-related factors that reached consensus. Regarding postoperative factors, systemic inflammatory response (76%) and the need for intensive or intermediate care (88%) reached consensus. Consequences of major surgery were high morbidity (>30% overall) and mortality (>2%). Conclusion: ESA experts defined major surgery according to extent and complexity of the procedure, its pathophysiological consequences and consecutive clinical outcomes.
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| 2. |
- Schoch, Conrad L., et al.
(author)
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Finding needles in haystacks: linking scientific names, reference specimens and molecular data for Fungi
- 2014
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In: Database: The Journal of Biological Databases and Curation. - : Oxford University Press (OUP). - 1758-0463. ; 2014:bau061, s. 1-21
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- DNA phylogenetic comparisons have shown that morphology-based species recognition often underestimates fungal diversity. Therefore, the need for accurate DNA sequence data, tied to both correct taxonomic names and clearly annotated specimen data, has never been greater. Furthermore, the growing number of molecular ecology and microbiome projects using high-throughput sequencing require fast and effective methods for en masse species assignments. In this article, we focus on selecting and re-annotating a set of marker reference sequences that represent each currently accepted order of Fungi. The particular focus is on sequences from the internal transcribed spacer region in the nuclear ribosomal cistron, derived from type specimens and/or ex-type cultures. Re-annotated and verified sequences were deposited in a curated public database at the National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI), namely the RefSeq Targeted Loci (RTL) database, and will be visible during routine sequence similarity searches with NR_prefixed accession numbers. A set of standards and protocols is proposed to improve the data quality of new sequences, and we suggest how type and other reference sequences can be used to improve identification of Fungi.
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| 3. |
- Vonlanthen, René, et al.
(author)
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Toward a Consensus on Centralization in Surgery.
- 2018
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In: Annals of surgery. - 1528-1140. ; 268:5, s. 712-724
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- To critically assess centralization policies for highly specialized surgeries in Europe and North America and propose recommendations.Most countries are increasingly forced to maintain quality medicine at a reasonable cost. An all-inclusive perspective, including health care providers, payers, society as a whole and patients, has ubiquitously failed, arguably for different reasons in environments. This special article follows 3 aims: first, analyze health care policies for centralization in different countries, second, analyze how centralization strategies affect patient outcome and other aspects such as medical education and cost, and third, propose recommendations for centralization, which could apply across continents.Conflicting interests have led many countries to compromise for a health care system based on factors beyond best patient-oriented care. Centralization has been a common strategy, but modalities vary greatly among countries with no consensus on the minimal requirement for the number of procedures per center or per surgeon. Most national policies are either partially or not implemented. Data overwhelmingly indicate that concentration of complex care or procedures in specialized centers have positive impacts on quality of care and cost. Countries requiring lower threshold numbers for centralization, however, may cause inappropriate expansion of indications, as hospitals struggle to fulfill the criteria. Centralization requires adjustments in training and credentialing of general and specialized surgeons, and patient education.There is an obvious need in most areas for effective centralization. Unrestrained, purely "market driven" approaches are deleterious to patients and society. Centralization should not be based solely on minimal number of procedures, but rather on the multidisciplinary treatment of complex diseases including well-trained specialists available around the clock. Audited prospective database with monitoring of quality of care and cost are mandatory.
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| 4. |
- Zamora, Juan Carlos, et al.
(author)
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Considerations and consequences of allowing DNA sequence data as types of fungal taxa
- 2018
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In: IMA Fungus. - : INT MYCOLOGICAL ASSOC. - 2210-6340 .- 2210-6359. ; 9:1, s. 167-185
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Nomenclatural type definitions are one of the most important concepts in biological nomenclature. Being physical objects that can be re-studied by other researchers, types permanently link taxonomy (an artificial agreement to classify biological diversity) with nomenclature (an artificial agreement to name biological diversity). Two proposals to amend the International Code of Nomenclature for algae, fungi, and plants (ICN), allowing DNA sequences alone (of any region and extent) to serve as types of taxon names for voucherless fungi (mainly putative taxa from environmental DNA sequences), have been submitted to be voted on at the 11th International Mycological Congress (Puerto Rico, July 2018). We consider various genetic processes affecting the distribution of alleles among taxa and find that alleles may not consistently and uniquely represent the species within which they are contained. Should the proposals be accepted, the meaning of nomenclatural types would change in a fundamental way from physical objects as sources of data to the data themselves. Such changes are conducive to irreproducible science, the potential typification on artefactual data, and massive creation of names with low information content, ultimately causing nomenclatural instability and unnecessary work for future researchers that would stall future explorations of fungal diversity. We conclude that the acceptance of DNA sequences alone as types of names of taxa, under the terms used in the current proposals, is unnecessary and would not solve the problem of naming putative taxa known only from DNA sequences in a scientifically defensible way. As an alternative, we highlight the use of formulas for naming putative taxa (candidate taxa) that do not require any modification of the ICN.
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| 6. |
- Cano, Israel, et al.
(author)
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Blurring the boundary between homogenous and heterogeneous catalysis using palladium nanoclusters with dynamic surfaces
- 2021
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In: Nature Communications. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 2041-1723 .- 2041-1723. ; 12:1
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Using a magnetron sputtering approach that allows size-controlled formation of nanoclusters, we have created palladium nanoclusters that combine the features of both heterogeneous and homogeneous catalysts. Here we report the atomic structures and electronic environments of a series of metal nanoclusters in ionic liquids at different stages of formation, leading to the discovery of Pd nanoclusters with a core of ca. 2 nm surrounded by a diffuse dynamic shell of atoms in [C4C1Im][NTf2]. Comparison of the catalytic activity of Pd nanoclusters in alkene cyclopropanation reveals that the atomically dynamic surface is critically important, increasing the activity by a factor of ca. 2 when compared to compact nanoclusters of similar size. Catalyst poisoning tests using mercury and dibenzo[a,e]cyclooctene show that dynamic Pd nanoclusters maintain their catalytic activity, which demonstrate their combined features of homogeneous and heterogeneous catalysts within the same material. Additionally, kinetic studies of cyclopropanation of alkenes mediated by the dynamic Pd nanoclusters reveal an observed catalyst order of 1, underpinning the pseudo-homogeneous character of the dynamic Pd nanoclusters.
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| 7. |
- D'Souza, Melroy A., et al.
(author)
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Hepatopancreatoduodenectomy –a controversial treatment for bile duct and gallbladder cancer from a European perspective
- 2020
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In: HPB. - : Elsevier BV. - 1365-182X. ; 22:9, s. 1339-1348
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Background: Hepatopancreatoduodenectomy (HPD) is an aggressive operation for treatment of advanced bile duct and gallbladder cancer associated with high perioperative morbidity and mortality, and uncertain oncological benefit in terms of survival. Few reports on HPD from Western centers exist. The purpose of this study was to evaluate safety and efficacy for HPD in European centers. Method: Members of the European-African HepatoPancreatoBiliary Association were invited to report all consecutive patients operated with HPD for bile duct or gallbladder cancer between January 2003 and January 2018. The patient and tumor characteristics, perioperative and survival outcomes were analyzed. Results: In total, 66 patients from 19 European centers were included in the analysis. 90-day mortality rate was 17% and 13% for bile duct and gallbladder cancer respectively. All factors predictive of perioperative mortality were patient and disease-specific. The three-year overall survival excluding 90-day mortality was 80% for bile duct and 30% for gallbladder cancer (P = 0.013). In multivariable analysis R0-resection had a significant impact on overall survival. Conclusion: HPD, although being associated with substantial perioperative mortality, can offer a survival benefit in patient subgroups with bile duct cancer and gallbladder cancer. To achieve negative resection margins is paramount for an improved survival outcome.
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| 8. |
- Lopez-Lopez, Victor, et al.
(author)
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Liver growth prediction in ALPPS - A multicenter analysis from the international ALPPS registry
- 2022
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In: Liver international (Print). - : WILEY. - 1478-3223 .- 1478-3231. ; 42:12, s. 2815-2829
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- BackgroundWhile ALPPS triggers a fast liver hypertrophy, it is still unclear which factors matter most to achieve accelerated hypertrophy within a short period of time. The aim of the study was to identify patient-intrinsic factors related to the growth of the future liver remnant (FLR).MethodsThis cohort study is composed of data derived from the International ALPPS Registry from November 2011 and October 2018. We analyse the influence of demographic, tumour type and perioperative data on the growth of the FLR. The volume of the FLR was calculated in millilitre and percentage using computed-tomography (CT) scans before and after stage 1, both according to Vauthey formula.ResultsA total of 734 patients were included from 99 centres. The median sFLR at stage 1 and stage 2 was 0.23 (IQR, 0.18–0.28) and 0.39 (IQR: 0.31–0.46), respectively. The variables associated with a lower increase from sFLR1 to sFLR2 were age˃68 years (p = .02), height ˃1.76 m (p ˂ .01), weight ˃83 kg (p ˂ .01), BMI˃28 (p ˂ .01), male gender (p ˂ .01), antihypertensive therapy (p ˂ .01), operation time ˃370 minutes (p ˂ .01) and hospital stay˃14 days (p ˂ .01). The time required to reach sufficient volume for stage 2, male gender accounts 40.3% in group ˂7 days, compared with 50% of female, and female present 15.3% in group ˃14 days compared with 20.6% of male.ConclusionsHeight, weight, FLR size and gender could be the variables that most constantly influence both daily growths, the interstage increase and the standardized FLR before the second stage.
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