bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Associations between the cyclooxygenase‐2 expression in circulating tumor cells and the clinicopathological features of patients with colorectal cancer
Authors: Cai Jinlin , Huang Liang , Huang Jun , Kang Liang , Lin Hongcheng , Huang Pinzhu , Zhu Peixuan , Wang Jianping , Dong Jianghui , Wang Liping , Xian Cory J.
Published: September 2018

While previous studies have shown that the number of circulating tumor cells (CTCs) alone is not sufficient to reflect tumor progression and that cyclooxygenase‐2 (COX‐2) expression is correlated with colorectal cancer (CRC) metastasis, COX‐2 expression status and its potential functions in CTCs of CRC patients are unknown. Here, epithelial‐mesenchymal transition (EMT) phenotype‐based subsets of CTCs and the COX‐2 expression status in CTCs were identified and their potential clinical values were assessed in 91 CRC patients. CTCs were enumerated in peripheral blood and subsets of CTCs (epithelial [eCTCs], mesenchymal [mCTCs], and biophenotypic [bCTCs]) and the COX‐2 expression status were determined using the RNA in situ hybridization method. CTCs were detected in 80.2% (73 of 91) patients. Neither the total CTC nor eCTC numbers were found to significantly associate with any of the clinicopathological features. However, the number of mCTCs was significantly associated with distance metastasis (P = 0.035) and had a trend of being associated with lymph node metastasis (
P = 0.055). Among the 73 patients enrolled for evaluating COX‐2 expression, 52.5% (38 of 73) were found to express COX‐2 in CTCs, and COX‐2 expression in CTCs was not found to associate with the clinicopathological factors. However, COX‐2 expression in mCTCs tended to have a higher rate in patients with metastasis compared with those without metastasis (72.0% vs 42.8%;
P = 0.072). Furthermore, COX‐2 expression and mCTC marker expression correlated positively (
R = 0.287;
P = 0.017). Further studies are required to investigate the clinical value of the expression of COX‐2 in mCTCs, especially in CRC patients with the advanced tumor stage and distant metastasis.
Administration of resveratrol improved Parkinson’s disease‐like phenotype by suppressing apoptosis of neurons via modulating the MALAT1/miR‐129/SNCA signaling pathway
Authors: Xia Dongjian , Sui Rubo , Zhang Zhuang
Published: September 2018

Metastasis‐associated lung adenocarcinoma transcript 1 (MALAT1) has been implicated in the pathogenesis of Parkinson’s disease (PD). In addition, resveratrol was shown to regulate the expression of MALAT1. Therefore, the objective of this study was to clarify the role of resveratrol in PD. During the study, luciferase assays were conducted to determine the effect of resveratrol on the transcription efficiency of MALAT1 promoter as well as the regulatory relationships among MALAT1, miR‐129, and SNCA. In addition, real‐time PCR, Western blot analysis, MTT and flow cytometry analyses were conducted to investigate the mechanism of resveratrol in PD. Furthermore, a PD mouse model was established to study the role of resveratrol in vivo. It was found that resveratrol increased the number of TH+ cells and the expression of miR‐129, while decreasing the expression of MALAT1 and SNCA. In addition, MALAT1 inhibited the expression of miR‐129, a negative regulator of SNCA, thus increasing the expression of SNCA. A further mechanistic study revealed that resveratrol inhibited MALAT1 expression by blocking the transcription of the MALAT1 promoter. Finally, MPTP treatment could decrease cell proliferation and increase cell apoptosis, while resveratrol could partly offset the effect of MPTP. In summary, the therapeutic effect of resveratrol in the treatment of PD can be attributed to its ability to modulate the MALAT1/miR‐129/SNCA signaling pathway.
Notch‐1 signaling activation sustains overexpression of interleukin 33 in the epithelium of nasal polyps
Authors: Chiappara G. , Sciarrino S. , Di Sano C. , Gallina S. , Speciale R. , Lorusso F. , Di Vincenzo S. , D’Anna C. , Bruno A. , Gjomarkaj M. , Pace E.
Published: September 2018

Background

Alterations in the nasal epithelial barrier homeostasis and increased interleukin 33 (IL‐33) expression contribute to the pathogenesis of chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyps (CRSwNP).

Aims

As Notch‐1 signaling is crucial in repair processes of mucosa, the current study assessed Notch‐1/Jagged‐1 signaling and IL‐33 in the epithelium of nasal polyps biopsies from allergic (A‐CRSwNP;n = 9) and not allergic (NA‐CRSwNP;n = 9) subjects by immunohistochemistry. We also assessed, in a model of nasal epithelial cells, the effects of stimulation of Notch‐1 with Jagged‐1 on the expression of IL‐33 (by flow cytometry, immunofluorescence, and immunocytochemistry), Jagged‐1 (by flow cytometry), and p‐CREB transcription factor (by western blot analysis).

Results

Ex vivo (a) in normal epithelium, the expression of Notch‐1 and IL‐33 were higher in NA‐CRSwNP than in A‐CRSwNP; (b) in metaplastic epithelium, the expression of Notch‐1, Jagged‐1, and IL‐33 were higher in NA‐CRSwNP than in A‐CRSwNP; (c) in hyperplastic epithelium, the expression of Notch‐1, Jagged‐1, and IL‐33 were higher in A‐CRSwNP than in NA‐CRSwNP; and (d) in basal epithelial cells, no differences were observed in the expression of Jagged‐1, IL‐33, and Notch‐1. The expression of Notch‐1 significantly correlated with the expression of IL‐33. In vitro, stimulation of Notch‐1 with Jagged‐1 induced the expression of (a) Jagged‐1; (b) IL‐33; and (c) p‐CREB transcription factor. The inhibitor of Notch‐1, DAPT, reduced all the effects of Jagged‐1 on nasal epithelial cells.

Conclusions

The data herein provided support, for the first time, a putative role of Notch‐1/Jagged‐1 signaling in the overexpression of IL‐33 in the epithelium of nasal polyps from patients with CRSwNP.
Cursed by Oil? Rural Threats, Agricultural Policy Changes and the Impact of Oil on Indonesia's and Nigeria's Rural Development
Authors: Arif Sirojuddin
Published: September 2018

This paper aims to re‐examine the linkages between oil and agricultural development. While Indonesia and Nigeria faced similar adjustment problems after the oil boom of 1974, their food production performance showed significant differences. I find that threats from rural forces matter. Rural threats forced the Indonesian government to pursue agricultural policy reforms and use oil revenue to support these reforms. In contrast, the absence of rural threats gave leeway for Nigerian elites to use oil money to reproduce their interests in infrastructural and industrial development at the expense of peasant producers. © 2018 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Complexity of brain activity and connectivity in functional neuroimaging
Authors: Dimitriadis Stavros I.
Published: September 2018

Understanding the complexity of human brain dynamics and brain connectivity across the repertoire of functional neuroimaging and various conditions, is of paramount importance. Novel measures should be designed tailored to the input focusing on multichannel activity and dynamic functional brain connectivity (DFBC). Here, we defined a novel complexity index (CI) from the field of symbolic dynamics that quantifies patterns of different words up to a length from a symbolic sequence. The CI characterizes the complexity of the brain activity. We analysed DFBC by adopting the sliding window approach using imaginary part of phase locking value (iPLV) for EEG/ECoG/MEG and wavelet coherence (WC) for fMRI. Both intra and cross‐frequency couplings (CFC) namely phase‐to‐amplitude were estimated using iPLV/WC at every snapshot of the DFBC. Using proper surrogate analysis, we defined the dominant intrinsic coupling mode (DICM) per pair of regions‐of‐interest (ROI). The spatiotemporal probability distribution of DICM were reported to reveal the most prominent coupling modes per condition and modality. Finally, a novel flexibility index is defined that quantifies the transition of DICM per pair of ROIs between consecutive time windows. The whole methodology was demonstrated using four neuroimaging datasets (EEG/ECoG/MEG/fMRI). Finally, we succeeded to totally discriminate healthy controls from schizophrenic using FI and dynamic reconfiguration of DICM. Anaesthesia independently of the drug caused a global decreased of complexity in all frequency bands with the exception in δ and alters the dynamic reconfiguration of DICM. CI and DICM of MEG/fMRI resting‐state recordings in two spatial scales were high reliable.
Neuroinflammation and blood–brain barrier disruption following traumatic brain injury: Pathophysiology and potential therapeutic targets
Authors: Sulhan Suraj , Lyon Kristopher A. , Shapiro Lee A. , Huang Jason H.
Published: September 2018

Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) is the most frequent cause of death and disability in young adults and children in the developed world, occurring in over 1.7 million persons and resulting in 50,000 deaths in the United States alone. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimate that between 3.2 and 5.3 million persons in the United States live with a TBI‐related disability, including several neurocognitive disorders and functional limitations. Following the primary mechanical injury in TBI, literature suggests the presence of a delayed secondary injury involving a variety of neuroinflammatory changes. In the hours to days following a TBI, several signaling molecules and metabolic derangements result in disruption of the blood–brain barrier, leading to an extravasation of immune cells and cerebral edema. The primary, sudden injury in TBI occurs as a direct result of impact and therefore cannot be treated, but the timeline and pathophysiology of the delayed, secondary injury allows for a window of possible therapeutic options. The goal of this review is to discuss the pathophysiology of the primary and delayed injury in TBI as well as present several preclinical studies that identify molecular targets in the potential treatment of TBI. Additionally, certain recent clinical trials are briefly discussed to demonstrate the current state of TBI investigation.
Cardiac implantable electronic device infection in the cardiac referral center in Thailand: incidence, microbiology, risk factors, and outcomes
Authors: Korkerdsup Theerawat , Ngarmukos Tachapong , Sungkanuparph Somnuek , Phuphuakrat Angsana
Published: September 2018

Background

Despite the long experience of cardiac implantable electronic device (CIED) implantation in Thailand, epidemiology of CIED infection in Thailand has never been studied.

Methods

A retrospective cohort study was conducted at the cardiac referral center in Thailand to investigate incidence of CIED infection and causative organisms between October 2002 and December 2017. A matched case‐control study was performed to determine the factors associated with CIED infection.

Results

Incidence of CIED infection was 0.9% with a stable trend during the studied period. There were 54 episodes of CIED infection. The median (interquartile range) age of the patients was 67.5 (53.0‐75.0) years. A total of 29 (53.7%), 18 (33.3%), and 7 (13.0%) were permanent pacemaker, automatic implantable cardioverter‐defibrillator, and cardio‐resynchronization therapy‐related infection, respectively. Gram‐positive cocci were the most common organism (24 episodes, 44.4%). Gram‐negative bacilli were isolated in six episodes (11.1%). About 9.3% were polymicrobial and 35.2% were culture negative. Multivariate analysis showed that previous CIED infection and generator revision procedure were associated with CIED infection (odds ratio [OR] 48.56, 95% confidence interval [CI] 3.72‐633.62; P = 0.003 and OR 19.99, 95% CI 1.28‐333.24; P = 0.033 respectively). Forty (74.1%) cases were cured. Leaving device in situ was the only factor significantly associated with poor outcome (OR 11.40, 95% CI 1.52‐85.73; P = 0.018).

Conclusions

In Thailand, while CIED implantation is rising, incidence of CIED infection is stable. Microbiology of CIED infection in Thailand is similar to western countries, albeit a higher proportion of negative culture. Previous CIED infection and generator revision procedure are associated with CIED infection.
Creative Metacognitive Feelings as a Source of Information for Creative Self‐efficacy, Creativity Potential, Intrapersonal Idea Selection, and Task Enjoyment
Authors: Puente‐Diaz Rogelio , Cavazos‐Arroyo Judith
Published: September 2018

Creativity scholars try to untangle the commonalities and differences between creative self‐beliefs: creative self‐efficacy, creative self‐concept, creative metacognition, and creative role identity. While these efforts are already contributing significantly, we would like to suggest that for creative metacognition, we need to go beyond the assessment of confidence beliefs and regulation and include creative metacognitive feelings and intrapersonal idea selection as two additional components. To test the validity of our proposition, this study examined the influence of creative metacognitive feelings on creative self‐efficacy, creative potential, accurate intrapersonal idea selection (agreement between individuals’ selection of their most creative idea and two independent judges’ selection of the participants’ best idea), and task enjoyment. To elicit metacognitive feelings, participants were randomly assigned to remember and write down two or six instances in their lives in which they generated novel and useful ideas that helped solve a problem. Participants then completed a questionnaire assessing creative self‐efficacy, ease of recall as a proxy of metacognitive feelings, performance on a divergent thinking task, and task enjoyment. Results showed an indirect influence of recalling fewer examples on creative self‐efficacy through its influence on metacognitive feelings. Metacognitive feelings then had an indirect influence, through creative self‐efficacy, on creative potential and task enjoyment.
Novel model for the induction of postnatal murine hip deformity
Authors: Killian Megan L. , Locke Ryan C. , James Michael G. , Atkins Penny R. , Anderson Andrew E. , Clohisy John C.
Published: September 2018

Acetabular dysplasia is a common, multi‐etiological, pre‐osteoarthritic (OA) feature that can lead to pain and instability of the young adult hip. Despite the clinical significance of acetabular dysplasia, there is a paucity of small animal models to investigate structural and functional changes that mediate morphology of the dysplastic hip and drive the subsequent OA cascade. Utilizing a novel murine model developed in our laboratory, this study investigated the role of surgically induced unilateral instability of the postnatal hip on the initiation and progression of acetabular dysplasia and impingement up to 8‐weeks post‐injury. C57BL6 mice were used to develop titrated levels of hip instability (i.e., mild, moderate, and severe instabillity or femoral head resection) at weaning. Joint shape, acetabular coverage, histomorphology, and statistical shape modeling were used to assess quality of the hip following 8 weeks of destabilization. Acetabular coverage was reduced following severe, but not moderate, instability. Moderate instability induced lateralization of the femur without dislocation, whereas severe instability led to complete dislocation and pseudoacetabulae formation. Mild instability did not result in morphological changes to the hip. Removal of the femoral head led to reduced hip joint space volume. These data support the notion that hip instability, driven by mechanical loss‐of‐function of soft connective tissue, can induce morphometric changes in the growing mouse hip. This work developed a new mouse model to study hip health in the murine adolescent hip and is a useful tool for investigating the mechanical and structural adaptations to hip instability during growth. © 2018 Orthopaedic Research Society. Published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Orthop Res
Influences of Short‐Term Fasting and Carbohydrate Supplementation on Gut Immunity and Mucosal Morphology in Mice
Authors: Higashizono Kazuya , Fukatsu Kazuhiko , Watkins Ayako , Watanabe Tomoki , Noguchi Midori , Ri Motonari , Murakoshi Satoshi , Yasuhara Hiroshi , Seto Yasuyuki
Published: September 2018

Background: Preoperative carbohydrate (CHO) supplementation has been recommended in enhanced recovery after surgery protocols. However, the effects of CHO supplementation on gut and systemic immunity are not well understood. Methods: Mice (n = 60) were randomized to 1 of the following 5 groups: control (ad lib feeding), 12‐hour fasting without CHO administration (fasting), and 12 hours of fasting with CHO administration at 2, 4, and 8 hours before sacrifice. Then, lymphocytes were isolated from gut‐associated lymphoid tissue, that is, Peyer's patches, the intraepithelial space, and the lamina propria of the small intestine. These lymphocyte numbers and phenotypes were evaluated. IgA levels in respiratory and small‐intestinal washings were determined by ELISA. Morphology, proliferation, and apoptosis of the intestinal epithelium were also evaluated histologically. Results: Although there were no significant differences in IgA levels among the 5 groups, fasting decreased intraepithelial and lamina propria, but not Peyer's patches lymphocyte numbers. CHO at 2 hours prevented lymphocyte loss in intraepithelial, whereas CHO at 4 hours reversed lamina propria lymphocytes numbers. Percentages of lymphocyte phenotypes were similar in each site among the 5 groups. Fasting caused villous atrophy; however, CHO at 2 hours restored villous structure along with maintenance of epithelial cell proliferation rate. Conclusions: Only 12 hours of fasting causes marked gut‐associated lymphoid tissue cell loss along with gut atrophy. However, CHO at 2 hours preserves gut immunity and morphology not completely but moderately.
Dietary Management of Blood Glucose in Medical Critically Ill Overweight and Obese Patients: An Open‐Label Randomized Trial
Authors: Rice Todd W. , Files D. Clark , Morris Peter E. , Bernard Andrew C. , Ziegler Thomas R. , Drover John W. , Kress John P. , Ham Kealy R. , Grathwohl Dominik J. , Huhmann Maureen B. , Gautier Juan B. Ochoa
Published: September 2018

Background: Enteral nutrition (EN) increases hyperglycemia due to high carbohydrate concentrations while providing insufficient protein. The study tested whether an EN formula with very high‐protein‐ and low‐carbohydrate‐facilitated glucose control delivered higher protein concentrations within a hypocaloric protocol. Methods: This was a multicenter, randomized, open‐label clinical trial with parallel design in overweight/obese mechanically ventilated critically ill patients prescribed 1.5 g protein/kg ideal body weight/day. Patients received either an experimental very high‐protein (37%) and low‐carbohydrate (29%) or control high‐protein (25%) and conventional‐carbohydrate (45%) EN formula. Results: A prespecified interim analysis was performed after enrollment of 105 patients (52 experimental, 53 control). Protein and energy delivery for controls and experimental groups on days 1–5 were 1.2 ± 0.4 and 1.1 ± 0.3 g/kg ideal body weight/day (P = .83), and 18.2 ± 6.0 and 12.5 ± 3.7 kcals/kg ideal body weight/day (P < .0001), respectively. The combined rate of glucose events outside the range of >110 and ≤150 mg/dL were not different (P = .54, primary endpoint); thereby the trial was terminated. The mean blood glucose for the control and the experimental groups were 138 (−SD 108, +SD 177) and 126 (−SD 99, +SD 160) mg/dL (P = .004), respectively. Mean rate of glucose events >150 mg/dL decreased (Δ = −13%, P = .015), whereas that of 80–110 mg/dL increased (Δ = 14%, P = .0007). Insulin administration decreased 10.9% (95% CI, −22% to 0.1%; P = .048) in the experimental group relative to the controls. Glycemic events ≤80 mg/dL and rescue dextrose use were not different (P = .23 and P = .53). Conclusions: A very high‐protein and low‐carbohydrate EN formula in a hypocaloric protocol reduces hyperglycemic events and insulin requirements while increasing glycemic events between 80–110 mg/dL.
Involvement of plasma membrane H+‐ATPase in the ammonium‐nutrition response of barley roots
Authors: Zhang Maoxing , Ding Ming , Xu Feiyun , Afzal Muhammad Rahil , Chen Xi , Zeng Houqing , Yan Feng , Zhu Yiyong
Published: September 2018

Barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) is a typical ammonium ()‐sensitive crop species and exhibits a futile‐ efflux from root cells. Plasma membrane (PM) H+‐ATPase is responsible for pumping H+ out of plant cells and providing the driving force for the transport of various substances. We hypothesized that PM H+‐ATPase is involved in this efflux process of barley roots. Barley plants were cultivated in hydroponic solution with 1.0 mM or 1.0 mM nitrate () as the sole nitrogen source. Plasma membrane vesicles were isolated from the root tips for analyses of the activity. Plasma membrane H+‐ATPase was tested by Western Blot. The transcription of PM H+‐ATPase genes was analyzed using qRT‐PCR. Proton and efflux from barley roots was analyzed by scanning ion‐selective electrode technique. The results show that root and shoot growth was repressed by nutrition when compared to nutrition. Plasma membrane H+‐ATPase activity of barley roots under nutrition was significantly higher than that under nutrition. Methyl‐ammonium (MeA), a non‐metabolizable analog of , had no significant effect on PM H+‐ATPase activity. The enhanced PM H+‐ATPase activity by nutrition was consistent with a higher abundance of PM H+‐ATPase protein and higher transcription levels of six PM H+‐ATPase genes. By using the pharmacological agents vanadate and fusicoccin, a close linkage was observed between H+ efflux and efflux from barley roots. Taken together, nutrition stimulates PM H+‐ATPase activity, and this stimulation is possibly triggered by assimilation in barley roots. efflux from barley roots is associated with PM H+‐ATPase activity which could provide the driving force for efflux. Ammonium efflux might be considered as a disposal strategy in barley roots which prevents overloading the root cytoplasm.
Replicability of aggregate disruption by sonication—an inter‐laboratory test using three different soils from Germany
Authors: Graf-Rosenfellner Markus , Kayser Gilles , Guggenberger Georg , Kaiser Klaus , Büks Frederik , Kaiser Michael , Mueller Carsten W. , Schrumpf Marion , Rennert Thilo , Welp Gerhard , Lang Friederike
Published: September 2018

Sonication is widely used for disruption of suspended soil aggregates. Calorimetric calibration allows for determining sonication power and applied energy as a measure for aggregate disrupting forces. Yet other properties of sonication devices (e.g., oscillation frequency and amplitude, sonotrode diameter) as well as procedure details (soil‐to‐water ratio, size, shape, and volume of used containers) may influence the extent of aggregate disruption in addition to the applied energy. In this study, we tested potential bias in aggregate disruption when different devices or procedures are used in laboratory routines. In nine laboratories, three reference soil samples were sonicated at 30 J mL−1 and 400 J mL−1. Aggregate disruption was estimated based on particle size distribution before and after sonication. Size distribution was obtained by standardized submerged sieving for particle size classes 2000–200 and 200–63 µm, and by dynamic imaging for particles < 63 µm. Despite differences in sonication devices and protocols used by the participants, only 16 in 216 tests of samples of the size fractions 2000–200 and 200–63 µm were identified as outliers. For the size fraction < 63 µm, fewer outliers were detected (8 in 324 tests). Four out of nine laboratories produced more than two outliers. In these laboratories, sonication devices differed from the others regarding oscillation frequencies (24 or 30 kHz compared to 20 kHz), sonotrode diameters (10 and 14 mm compared to 13 mm), and sonication power (16 W compared to > 45 W). Thus, these sonication device properties need to be listed when reporting on sonication‐based soil aggregate disruption. The overall small differences in the degree of disruption of soil aggregates between different laboratories demonstrate that sonication with the energies tested (30 and 400 J mL−1) provides replicable results despite the variations regarding procedures and equipment.
Usefulness of indocyanine green‐fluorescence imaging for real‐time visualization of pancreas neuroendocrine tumor and cystic neoplasm
Authors: Shirata Chikara , Kawaguchi Yoshikuni , Kobayashi Kosuke , Kobayashi Yuta , Arita Junichi , Akamatsu Nobuhisa , Kaneko Junichi , Sakamoto Yoshihiro , Kokudo Norihiro , Hasegawa Kiyoshi
Published: September 2018

We evaluated the usefulness of fluorescence imaging using indocyanine green to identify pancreas tumors in 23 patients undergoing pancreas resection. This technique was useful in visualizing pancreas lesions during surgery, specifically, neuroendocrine tumors as fluorescence and cystic neoplasms as a fluorescence defect.
Nomograms for prediction of postoperative complications in open partial laryngeal surgery
Authors: Gallo Oreste , Locatello Luca Giovanni , Larotonda Guglielmo , Napoleone Vincenzo , Cannavicci Angelo
Published: September 2018

Background and Objectives

Postoperative morbidity after open partial laryngeal surgery (OPLS) may be serious, leading to a prolonged length of hospital stay and increasing costs. We sought to define the predictive factors of complications and to develop nomograms for patients eligible for OPLS based on clinical and surgical data.

Methods

We critically reviewed 535 patients with laryngeal carcinoma who underwent OPLS at our Institution from 1982 to 2007. We have identified patients affected by postoperative local, airway, dysphagia, bleeding, surgical site infection, dehiscence of pexy, emphysema, and laryngocutaneous fistula complications. We have analyzed them according to age, smoking, alcohol, tumor site, clinical T and N classification, type of OPLS and neck dissection, previous treatments. Prognostic factors were considered in a multivariate logistic regression model with backward stepwise elimination and selected to construct and design nomograms for overall and specific complications. The performance was assessed using the c‐index, receiver operating characteristic, and calibration curves.

Results

Age, clinical T classification, type of OPLS, and alcohol were related to overall (35%) and airway complications. Nomograms were built for overall, dysphagia, and airway complications.

Conclusions

We have developed nomograms that can identify high‐risk patients undergoing OPLS and that can help to prevent severe complications and to tailor surgical planning.
Comparing preoperative imaging modalities in patient selection for breast intraoperative radiotherapy
Authors: May Michael , Chin Christine , Hirji Sitara , Horowitz David , Bansil Hannah , Feldman Sheldon , Ha Richard , Connolly Eileen P.
Published: September 2018

Background

This study evaluated the relative accuracy of mammography, ultrasound, and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in predicting the tumor size of early stage breast tumors in preoperative selection of patients for intraoperative radiotherapy (IORT).

Methods

We identified 156 patients with clinical T1/T2, N0 breast cancer who underwent IORT. Clinical, pathologic, and radiation data were collected. The preoperative tumor size obtained by imaging was compared with tumor pathological size.

Results

The median patient age was 66. The mean tumor size at excision was 1.05 cm (0.1‐3.0 cm). Out of the 156 patients, 98 had a reported, nonzero tumor size by mammography, 131 by ultrasound, and 76 by MRI. The mean difference between imaging and the tumor size was +0.062 ± 0.54 cm for mammography, −0.11 ± 0.43 cm for ultrasound, and +0.33 ± 0.55 cm for MRI, with positive values indicating an overestimate of the tumor size. MRI produced more overestimates of tumor size of at least 0.5 cm than mammography or ultrasound in a paired analysis of patients who received both modalities.

Conclusions

Accuracy of imaging modalities in determining tumor size can influence patients’ eligibility for IORT. Mammography and ultrasound showed acceptable accuracy in predicting size. MRI overestimated tumor size and may inappropriately exclude patients from IORT. We would discourage ruling out candidates for IORT on the basis of large size by MRI alone.
Comparison of surgical complication between immediate implant and autologous breast reconstruction after mastectomy: A multicenter study of 426 cases
Authors: Xu Feng , Sun Haihui , Zhang Chao , Jiang Hongchuan , Guan Shan , Wang Xiang , Wen Bing , Li Jinfeng , Li Xiru , Geng Cuizhi , Yin Jian
Published: September 2018

Background and Objectives: There is a lack of multicenter immediate breast reconstruction data comparing the surgical complication of implant and autologous breast reconstruction, especially in China. In this study, we used the data from eight centers to study the complications and their risk factors in this population.

Methods: Sociodemographic and clinicopathological data were obtained and compared for patients who received immediate implant and autologous breast reconstruction after breast cancer surgery in the eight hospitals between 2012 and 2016. Logistic regression analysis was used to identify risk factors associated with the complication of breast reconstruction.

Results: Immediate autologous reconstruction (IAR) was associated with significantly higher rates of overall complications (P = 0.036), fat liquefaction (P < 0.001), and reconstructive failure (P = 0.019), but lower rates of wound complications (P = 0.01) compared with the immediate implant reconstruction (IIR) at the median follow‐up time of 13.6 months. With the logistic regression analysis, older patient (odds ratio [OR], 2.22; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.15‐4.28; P = 0.017), and obesity (OR, 2.17; 95% CI, 1.08‐4.37; P = 0.030) were significant predictors of increased complications.

Conclusion: Our multicenter results demonstrated that the rates of overall complications and reconstruction failure were higher after IAR than IIR. These findings can be used to better help surgeons and their patients with objective and reliable information to assist in selecting the modality of reconstruction.
A novel, simplified, externally validated staging system for truncal/extremity soft tissue sarcomas: An analysis of the US Sarcoma Collaborative database
Authors: Johnson Aileen C. , Ethun Cecilia G. , Liu Yuan , Poultsides George , Howard John H. , Bedi Meena , Charlson John , Tseng Jennifer , Roggin Kevin K. , Votanopoulos Konstantinos , Cullinan Darren , Fields Ryan C. , Maithel Shishir K. , Cardona Kenneth ,   and other members of the US Sarcoma Collaborative
Published: September 2018

Background

The 8th edition AJCC staging system for truncal/extremity soft tissue sarcoma (STS) offers significant changes from the 7th. However the complexity of both limits their clinical utility.

Methods

Patients with truncal/extremity STS undergoing resection from 2000 to 2016 at seven institutions of the US Sarcoma Collaborative were analyzed. The proposed staging system was externally validated using the National Cancer Database (NCDB).

Results

Of 1318 patients, mean age was 59 years, and 54% were male. Median tumor size was 9 cm; 72% were high grade. Applying 8th edition staging, there was no differentiation between stages IA/IB (
P = 0.92), and clinically similar outcomes between stages II/IIIA. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis identified 7.5 cm as the ideal tumor size discriminating 5‐year OS for high‐grade tumors. Therefore, a simplified staging system defining all low‐grade tumors as stage I, high‐grade < 7.5 cm as stage II, high‐grade > 7.5 cm as stage III, and metastatic disease as stage IV improved stratification (all P < 0.05). The C‐statistic was noninferior to the 8th edition. External validation in the NCDB confirmed optimal stratification (all P < 0.01).

Conclusions

Our proposed staging system maintains prognostic significance between stages within a simplified system. For high‐grade tumors, a cutoff of 7.5 cm, instead of 5 cm, maintains discrimination for survival and could be a more clinically applicable cutoff for future clinical trials.
Subungual melanoma: A retrospective cohort of 157 cases from Brazilian National Cancer Institute
Authors: Nunes Luiz Fernando , Mendes Gélcio L. Q. , Koifman Rosalina J.
Published: September 2018

Background

Subungual melanoma (SM) is rare. The lesions are thick at the time of diagnosis. Few studies have evaluated SM in Brazil.

Objective

The objective of this study was to investigate the factors associated with the survival of SM patients from the Brazilian National Cancer Institute.

Methods

One‐hundred and fifty‐seven patients diagnosed with SM were included in this study. We evaluated the epidemiologic, clinical, and histopathological data. Overall survival (OS) and relapse‐free survival (RFS) curves were computed using the Kaplan‐Meier method. Multivariable analyses were conducted using the Cox proportional hazard regression model.

Results

Among the 157 patients, 87 (55.4%) were female. The median age was 68 years old. Median tumor depth was 6.0 mm. Lesions were ulcerated in 94 (59.9%). OS and RFS rates for 5 years were 61.0% and 41.8%, respectively. Median follow‐up time was 28 months. The factors associated with OS were Breslow thickness and ulceration, and for RFS, they were the anatomical site, Breslow thickness, and ulceration.

Conclusion

This is the largest series of SM patients. The 5‐year OS and RFS rates were low (61.0% and 48.2%, respectively), and the main prognostic factors for OS were Breslow thickness and ulceration.
Microneurosurgical treatment options in peripheral nerve compression syndromes after chemotherapy and radiation treatment
Authors: Chang Eric I , Rose Michael I , Rossi Kristie , Elkwood Andrew I
Published: September 2018

Chemotherapy‐induced peripheral neuropathy and radiation‐induced brachial plexopathy are extremely debilitating conditions which can occur after treatment of malignancy. Unfortunately, the diagnosis can be elusive, and this dilemma is further compounded by the lack of efficacious therapeutics to prevent the onset of neurotoxicity before initiating chemotherapy or radiation or to treat these sequelae after treatment. However, microsurgical nerve decompression can provide these patients with a viable option to treat this complication.
Targeted muscle reinnervation and prosthetic rehabilitation after limb loss
Authors: Mioton Lauren M , Dumanian Gregory A
Published: September 2018

Over one million amputations occur annually world‐wide. Often, amputation of the neoplastic limb is regarded as a surgical failure and the end of surgical care for the patient. Here, we highlight the advancements in extremity prostheses and surgical techniques that should change that mindset. Myoelectric prostheses, osseointegration, and targeted muscle reinnervation allow for more intuitive and easy to use devices, reduced pain, and greater quality of life for amputees.
Conjugated Linoleic Acid Isomers Trans‐10, Cis‐12 and Cis‐9, Trans‐11 Prevent Collagen‐Induced Arthritis in a Direct Comparison
Authors: Muhlenbeck Jessica A. , Olson Jake M. , Hughes Anna B. , Cook Mark E.
Published: September 2018

Mixed‐isomer conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) and the individual isomers, trans‐10, cis‐12 (CLAt10c12) and cis‐9, trans‐11 (CLAc9t11), decrease severity of collagen‐induced arthritis (CA) when consumed after disease onset. Few studies have been conducted exploring the role of CLA in the prevention of autoimmune diseases. These studies suggest that isomer‐specific effects may be occurring; however, a direct comparison of CLAt10c12 and CLAc9t11 has yet to be conducted. A study to compare the ability of CLAt10c12 and CLAc9t11 to prevent CA and assess their effects on early inflammation was performed. DBA/1 mice were fed a semipurified diet containing 6% corn oil (CO), 5.5% CO and 0.5% CLAt10c12, or 5.5% CO and 0.5% CLAc9t11 (n = 27 per diet) starting three weeks before CA primary immunization. Effects on disease incidence and severity, anticollagen antibodies, plasma and paw cytokines, and hepatic fatty acids were measured. Arthritis incidence was reduced by a minimum of 34% in mice fed either CLA isomer compared to those fed CO diet (p = 0.06). In mice that did develop arthritis (n = 9–12 mice per treatment), CLAt10c12 reduced arthritic severity to a greater extent than CLAc9t11 and CO (p = 0.03). CLA isomer treatment attenuated the increased hepatic arachidonic acid (ARA; 20:4n‐6) observed with arthritis at one‐week postonset (p = 0.03), while no differences in anticollagen antibodies or cytokines were observed between dietary treatments. These results suggest that CLA isomers may be effective at preventing specific immune‐mediated inflammatory diseases, in part, through modulation of the ARA cascade.
Durability of environment–recruitment relationships in aquatic ecosystems: insights from long‐term monitoring in a highly modified estuary and implications for management
Authors: Tamburello N. , Connors B. M. , Fullerton D. , Phillis C. C.
Published: September 2018

Abstract

The environment can strongly influence the survival and population dynamics of aquatic organisms. Our understanding of these relationships, typically based on simple linear regression, underpins many contemporary resource management decisions. However, such relationships can break down over time as ecosystems change. Even when durable, relationships may not be very useful for management if they exhibit high variability, context dependency, or nonstationarity. Here, we systematically review the literature to identify trends across environment–recruitment relationships for aquatic taxa from California's San Francisco Bay and Sacramento–San Joaquin Delta Estuary. This delta is one of the most heavily modified aquatic ecosystems in North America, and home to numerous species of concern whose relationships with the environment inform regulatory actions and constraints. We retested 23 of these relationships spanning nine species using data that have accumulated in the years since they were first published (9–40 additional years) to determine their durability. Most relationships remained the same or stronger in direction and magnitude but showed declining predictive power with the addition of new data, particularly for older relationships that had not adjusted for recognized regime shifts in the system through the use of step changes or data splitting. Constantly refining these relationships may give the appearance of durability, but limit their practical value as policy tools when the present or future state of the ecosystem is unknown. We conclude by synthesizing emerging insights from the literature on best practices for the analysis, use, and refinement of environment–recruitment relationships to inform better decision making in dynamic ecosystems.
Environmental determinants of larval herring (Clupea harengus) abundance and distribution in the western Baltic Sea
Authors: Dodson J. J. , Daigle G. , Hammer C. , Polte P. , Kotterba P. , Winkler G. , Zimmermann C.
Published: September 2018

The analysis of the abundance and distribution of the early life‐history stages of the western Baltic spring‐spawning herring population, spanning 23 yr, revealed that the abundance of yolk‐sac larvae was strongly spatially structured and significantly more abundant during the optimal temperature window for viable hatch of herring larvae (9°C to 13°C). The percentage of time encompassing this optimal temperature window exhibited a major contraction between 1995 and 2000 that may have contributed to reducing the supply of yolk‐sac larvae and ultimately contributed to reducing recruitment observed after 2000. Temperature also significantly influenced the abundance of preflexion and flexion larvae, defining dome‐shaped responses with maximum abundances observed between 10.27°C and 13.43°C and between 13.68°C and 18.53°C, respectively. The abundances of postflexion stage larvae were greatest at temperatures exceeding 14°C with no apparent decline in abundance at temperatures of up to 20°C. Temperature also played a significant role in influencing the abundance of larvae through its interaction with the abundance of the preceding developmental stage and provided evidence of stage‐specific temperature‐related mortality. There was also evidence of reduced survival during the preflexion–flexion transition in cohorts produced early in the season relative to those cohorts produced later. Although phenologically plastic species such as herring may be able to alter the dates of spawning, thus partially mitigating the effects of increasing rates of spring warming, constriction of the temperature windows for successful hatching and subsequent ontogenetic development may not be so easily mitigated by changes in phenology.
Human Serum Albumin‐Based Drug‐Free Macromolecular Therapeutics: Apoptosis Induction by Coiled‐Coil‐Mediated Cross‐Linking of CD20 Antigens on Lymphoma B Cell Surface
Authors: Zhang Libin , Fang Yixin , Li Lian , Yang Jiyuan , Radford D. Christopher , Kopeček Jindřich
Published: September 2018

A therapeutic platform—drug‐free macromolecular therapeutics (DFMT)—that induces apoptosis in B cells by cross‐linking of CD20 receptors, without the need for low molecular weight cytotoxic drug, is developed. In this report, a DFMT system is synthesized and evaluated based on human serum albumin (HSA) and two complementary coiled‐coil forming peptides, CCE and CCK. Fab′ fragment of anti‐CD20 monoclonal antibody rituximab is attached to CCE (Fab′‐CCE); multiple grafts of CCK are conjugated to HSA (HSA‐(CCK)7). The colocalization of both nanoconjugates at the surface of non‐Hodgkin’s lymphoma (NHL) Raji cells is demonstrated by confocal fluorescence microscopy. The colocalization leads to coiled‐coil formation, CD20 cross‐linking, and apoptosis induction. The apoptotic levels are evaluated by Annexin V, Caspase 3, and terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase dUTP nick end labeling assays. Selective surface binding of DFMT to CD20+ cells is validated in experiments on a coculture of CD20+ (Raji) and CD20‐(DG‐75) cells. It is found that DFMT can trigger calcium influx only in Raji cells, but not in DG‐75 cells. A highly specific treatment for NHL and other B cell malignancies with considerable translational potential is presented by HSA‐based DFMT system.
Through the looking glass: The factors that influence consumer trust and distrust in brands
Authors: Mal Carmen Iuliana , Davies Gary , Diers‐Lawson Audra
Published: September 2018

This study aims to identify the factors responsible for creating brand trust and brand distrust among consumers. It uses a grounded theory approach to guide the conduct and analysis of 20 semistructured interviews that yielded 120 descriptions of consumer‐brand interactions. The 3‐stage model that emerged shows a process whereby consumers prioritize product/service quality information and subsequently consider how the company behind the brand behaves toward consumers in the name of the brand, specifically behaviors signalling its integrity and benevolence. Finally, consumers consider characteristics of the company behind the brand (e.g., its financial status) and how it behaves in its own name toward other stakeholder groups (e.g., employees). The process for distrust mirrors that for trust, implying that the two are polar opposites. The data also show that trust and distrust in a brand can coexist but within separate domains.
Interference effects in competitive sponsorship clutter
Authors: Boeuf Benjamin , Carrillat François A. , d’Astous Alain
Published: September 2018

This article examines the effects on consumers’ attitudes of the concurrent exposure of competitive brands sponsoring different properties during an event (i.e., sponsoring an event vs. the athletes participating in this event), thus creating a
competitive sponsorship clutter. In contrast with previous research having examined interference effects in advertising, the results of this research reveal that in a sponsorship setting, clutter effects on consumer responses depend on perceived sponsor–sponsee congruence and do not result from deeper information processing. More precisely, it was found that whereas the evaluation of a congruent sponsoring brand is negatively affected by clutter, the impact of clutter on attitude toward an incongruent sponsor is positive. In addition, articulating the sponsorship was shown to decrease the negative effects of clutter. Implications for research and practice are derived from these findings.
“Retail is detail! Give consumers a gift rather than a bundle”: Promotion framing and consumer product returns
Authors: Lee Shinhyoung , Yi Youjae
Published: September 2018

Retailers often use the promotion strategy of offering supplementary products (e.g., free gift, bundle) to attract consumers and increase sales. Despite the growing literature on the promotions that are differently framed but offer economically identical values, little research has examined the link between promotion framing and consumer product returns. The current article sheds light on this relationship, hypothesizing that a free gift promotion would be superior to a bundle promotion in reducing consumer product returns. The findings suggest that a gift‐framed promotion leads to a lower product return intention than an economically equivalent bundle promotion, because consumers tend to perceive more loss from giving up the gift‐framed (vs. bundle‐framed) deal. Further, this study examines a moderating role of brand familiarity (familiar vs. unfamiliar) and shows that the merits of free gift framing on product return intention via perceived loss are amplified (attenuated) when the promoted brand is familiar (unfamiliar). Overall, the investigations of this study imply that it is better to frame a promotion as a “free gift” than a “bundle” to increase perceived loss in returning the purchase and thus to decrease consumer product returns. This strategic intervention works especially when the gift is offered by familiar brands.
CXCR7 is not obligatory for CXCL12‐CXCR4‐induced epithelial‐mesenchymal transition in human ovarian cancer
Authors: Zheng Ning , Liu Weiqun , Chen Jiahang , Li Bifei , Liu Jian , Wang Jichuang , Gao Yu , Shao Jingwei , Jia Lee
Published: September 2018

Although the CXCL12‐CXCR4/CXCR7 chemokine axis is demonstrated to play an integral role in tumor progression, the controversy exists and the role of CXCL12‐CXCR4/CXCR7 signaling axis in epithelial‐mesenchymal transition (EMT) of human ovarian cancer has not been explored. Here, we showed that in ovarian cancer CXCL12 induced EMT phenotypes including the spindle‐like cell morphology, podia and stress fiber formation, a decrease in E‐cadherin expression, and increases in mesenchymal N‐cadherin and vimentin expressions. These effects of CXCL12 could be antagonized by the CXCR4 antagonist AMD3100, but not by the anti‐CXCR7 antibody. The expressions of the EMT markers were significantly down‐regulated by the CXCR4 siRNA, and up‐regulated by the pcDNA3.1/CXCR4 plasmid, whereas not affected by the CXCR7 siRNA. Furthermore, intraperitoneal administration of AMD3100 inhibited tumor dissemination and growth in the nude mice inoculated with ovarian IGROV‐1 cells with a concomitant reduction in EMT marker expressions. Collectively, these data suggest that CXCR4, rather than CXCR7, plays a key role in CXCL12‐activated EMT phenotypes, and targeting the CXCL12‐CXCR4 chemokine axis represents a potential therapeutic strategy to prevent ovarian cancer progression.