OBJECTIVES An optimal method for preoperative localization of small lung nodules is yet to be established, and there are few comparative studies in the literature. In the present study, we aimed to compare electromagnetic navigation-guided and computed tomography (CT)-guided methods of percutaneous transthoracic localization. METHODS The clinical, radiographic, surgical and pathological data of patients who underwent electromagnetic navigation-guided localization (EMNGL) and CT-guided localization (CTGL) before uniportal video-assisted thoracic surgery (VATS) were reviewed. Propensity score matching analysis was performed to compare the localization and surgical results. RESULTS After matching, 25 EMNGL and 50 CTGL patients were included in the analysis. In the CTGL group, pulmonary haemorrhage and pneumothorax were noted in 56% and 34% of patients, respectively, on postprocedural CT scans. Successful localization was achieved in 96% and 100% of patients in the EMNGL and CTGL groups, respectively (P = 0.333). The median time in the operation room was significantly shorter in the CTGL group 142.5 [interquartile range (IQR) 123.8-175.0] vs 205.0 [IQR 177.5-290.0] min, P  less then  0.001. In contrast, EMNGL significantly decreased the total time [205.0 (IQR 177.5-290.0) vs 324.0 (IQR 228.3-374.0) min, P = 0.002]. The median duration of chest drainage was 1 day shorter in the EMNGL group [2.0 (IQR 1.5-2.5) vs 3.0 (IQR 2.0-3.0), P = 0.002]; the surgical complication rates were comparable between the 2 groups. CONCLUSIONS The localization and surgical results were similar between the EMNGL and CTGL groups. EMNGL is comparable to conventional CTGL with respect to preoperative localization of small lung nodules before uniportal VATS. © The Author(s) 2020. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the European Association for Cardio-Thoracic Surgery. All rights reserved.Elucidation of biofilm structure formation in the plant growth-promoting rhizobacterium Azospirillum brasilense is necessary to gain a better understanding of the growth of cells within the extracellular matrix and its role in the colonization of plants of agronomic importance. We used immunofluorescence microscopy and confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM) to study spatio-temporal biofilm formation on an abiotic surface. Observations facilitated by fluorescence microscopy revealed the presence of polar flagellin, exopolysaccharides, outer major membrane protein (OmaA), and extracellular DNA (eDNA) in the Azospirillum biofilm matrix. In static culture conditions, the polar flagellum disaggregated after three days of biofilm growth, but exopolysaccharides were increasing. These findings suggest that the first step in biofilm formation may be attachment, in which the bacterium first makes contact with a surface through its polar flagellum. After attaching to the surface, the long flagella and OmaA intertwine the cells to form a network. These bacterial aggregates initiate biofilm development. The underlying mechanisms dictating how the biofilm matrix components of A. brasilense direct the overall morphology of the biofilm are not well known. The methods developed here might be useful in further studies that analyze the differential spatial regulation of genes encoding matrix components that drive biofilm construction. © FEMS 2020.Importance Early diagnosis of retinoblastoma, the most common intraocular cancer, can save both a child’s life and vision. However, anecdotal evidence suggests that many children across the world are diagnosed late. To our knowledge, the clinical presentation of retinoblastoma has never been assessed on a global scale. Objectives To report the retinoblastoma stage at diagnosis in patients across the world during a single year, to investigate associations between clinical variables and national income level, and to investigate risk factors for advanced disease at diagnosis. Design, Setting, and Participants A total of 278 retinoblastoma treatment centers were recruited from June 2017 through December 2018 to participate in a cross-sectional analysis of treatment-naive patients with retinoblastoma who were diagnosed in 2017. Main Outcomes and Measures Age at presentation, proportion of familial history of retinoblastoma, and tumor stage and metastasis. Results The cohort included 4351 new patients from 153 coun (odds ratio for low-income countries vs upper-middle-income countries and HICs, 17.92 [95% CI, 12.94-24.80], and for lower-middle-income countries vs upper-middle-income countries and HICs, 5.74 [95% CI, 4.30-7.68]). Conclusions and Relevance This study is estimated to have included more than half of all new retinoblastoma cases worldwide in 2017. Children from LMICs, where the main global retinoblastoma burden lies, presented at an older age with more advanced disease and demonstrated a smaller proportion of familial history of retinoblastoma, likely because many do not reach a childbearing age. Given that retinoblastoma is curable, these data are concerning and mandate intervention at national and international levels. Further studies are needed to investigate factors, other than age at presentation, that may be associated with advanced disease in LMICs.Importance No previous studies to date have validated the American Joint Committee on Cancer (AJCC) 8th edition of the TNM classification for orbital sarcoma. Objectives To determine the prognostic performance of the most recent TNM classification for orbital sarcoma and to identify other prognostic factors for local recurrence, lymph node metastasis, distant metastasis, and death due to disease. Design, Setting, and Participants This single-center retrospective cohort study included 73 consecutive patients treated for orbital sarcoma from March 1, 2003, through June 30, 2018. Data were analyzed from November 1 to December 31, 2018. Main Outcomes and Measures T and N categories at presentation and disease-related outcomes, including local recurrence, lymph node metastasis, distant metastasis (DM), and death due to disease (DD). Results The 73 participants included 43 men (59%), and the median age was 21 (range, 0-77) years. The common histologic types were rhabdomyosarcoma (RMS) (35 [48%]), solitary fibrous t.77-602.30]; P = .004), alveolar RMS (OR, 9.98 [95% CI, 2.13-51.55]; P = .001), and age of patient with RMS younger than 1 year or 10 years or older (OR, 9.20 [95% CI, 1.01-458.29] P = .03). Conclusions and Relevance In patients with orbital sarcoma, T and N categories at presentation (defined by the AJCC 8th edition classification) correlate with metastasis and survival. These findings appear to support consideration of strict surveillance testing for regional nodal and systemic metastases in patients with orbital sarcoma with disease category of at least T3 and/or N1 disease.Importance Injury to the internal carotid artery (ICA) during endoscopic endonasal skull base surgery does not typically occur as an isolated circumstance but often is the result of multiple factors. Objective To assess the factors associated with ICA injury in an effort to reduce its occurrence. Design, Setting, and Participants This quality improvement study used a multicenter root cause analysis of ICA injuries sustained during endoscopic endonasal skull base surgery performed at 11 tertiary care centers across 4 continents (North America, South America, Europe, and Asia) from January 1, 1993, to December 31, 2018. A fishbone model was built to facilitate the root cause analysis. Patients who underwent an expanded endoscopic endonasal approach that carried a substantial potential risk of an ICA injury were included in the analysis. A questionnaire was completed by surgeons at the centers to assess relevant human, patient, process, technique, instrument, and environmental factors associated with the injury.factors were the most frequently reported risk factors (in 27 of 28 cases [96%]). Factors associated with ICA injury catalyzed a list of preventive recommendations. Conclusions and Relevance This study found that human factors were associated with intraoperative ICA injuries; however, they were usually accompanied by other deficiencies. These findings suggest that identifying risk factors is crucial for preventing such injuries. Preoperative planning and minimizing the potential for ICA injury also appear to be essential.Importance Visual impairment and visual disorders often co-occur with other chronic conditions. Understanding patterns of multimorbidity is important for reducing health care use and improving health outcomes. Objective To identify chronic condition patterns and their association with visual impairment and health care use in a nationally representative sample. Design, Setting, and Participants This cross-sectional study used National Health Interview Survey data for 387 780 individuals aged 18 years and older, representative of the civilian noninstitutionalized US population, from January 1, 2002, to December 31, 2014. Statistical analysis was performed from June to November 2018. Exposures Participants were classified in subgroups with different combinations of self-reported chronic conditions using latent class analysis. Main Outcomes and Measures Self-reported visual impairment, emergency department visit, and hospitalization use in the previous 12 months. Results Among the 387 780 individuals included in , 9.20-11.28). All 4 disease groups had elevated risk of reporting emergency department use and hospitalization. For the severely impaired group, the OR for emergency department use was 9.39 (95% CI, 8.53-10.34), and the OR for hospitalization was 10.80 (95% CI, 9.80-11.92). Conclusions and Relevance In this study, individuals in all 4 multimorbidity groups had an elevated risk of visual impairment and health care use compared with the healthy group. Characteristics of high-risk groups identified by this study may help in the development and implementation of interventions to avert the more serious consequences of having multiple chronic conditions.MOTIVATION The conformational space of small molecules can be vast and difficult to assess. Molecular dynamics simulations of free ligands in solution have been applied to predict conformational populations, but their characterization is often based on clustering algorithms or manual efforts. RESULTS Here, we introduce ConfID, an analytical tool for conformational characterization of small molecules using molecular dynamics trajectories. The evolution of conformational sampling and population frequencies throughout trajectories is calculated to check for sampling convergence while allowing to map relevant conformational transitions. The tool is designed to track conformational transition events and calculate time-dependent properties for each conformational population detected. AVAILABILITY Toolkit and documentation are freely available at http//sbcb.inf.ufrgs.br/confid. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics. © The Author(s) (2020). Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email journals.permissions@oup.com.OBJECTIVES Job-exposure matrices (JEMs) were developed to allow assessment of past work exposure for large population-based studies where better exposures data are unavailable. Few studies have directly compared biomechanical JEMs to self-administered questionnaires. We compared assessments of cumulative exposure to carrying heavy loads based on 'JEM Constances’ to individually self-reported (SR) exposures. METHODS In the French CONSTANCES cohort at inception, past SR exposure to carrying heavy loads (ever/never and durations) and a detailed job history were available for 26 929 subjects. JEM Constances, an existing biomechanical JEM based on SR current exposures from 26 821 asymptomatic workers, was combined with job history to build a cumulative biomechanical exposure score. Using individual SR exposure as the reference, Area Under the Curve (AUC) of Receiver Operating Characteristic (ROC) curves, sensitivity, and specificity were calculated. For both methods, associations with low back pain and knee pain were computed using multinomial logistic models.