bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Blood flow study of arteriovenous grafts with homologous and autologous veins in canine femoral vessels
Authors: Galego S.J. , Miranda F. , Ortiz J. Pinto , De Lima Bessa K. , De Carvalho Fürst R. Vilhena , Fujii E. Yumi , Ramacciotti O. 
Published: January 2018

Purpose The objective of this study was to assess the blood flow in arteriovenous (AV) communications comparing autologous and homologous veins, in the femoral vessels of dogs. Methods Ten mongrel dogs were used for the blood flow analysis, and two AV grafts (AVG) were placed in each of them. The grafts were made with an autologous vein in one side, and a homologous vein, kept in a 0.25% glutaraldehyde solution, in the other side. The volumetric flow was measured before and after AVG placement. Fifteen minutes after surgery, the volumetric flow was measured in the cranial artery, in the caudal artery, in the graft and in the vein, and the same procedure was repeated 15 days after surgery. Measurements were done using an eletromagnetic flowmeter calibrated previously. For data analysis, the Wilcoxon test was used (to compare the difference in the results between the times and the techniques used) (CK0.05). Results An increase of about 5.3 times was observed in the femoral artery cranial portion flow of these accesses during the first operation and an increase of 6.8 times in the re-operation for both techniques. In the femoral artery caudal portion of the AVGs there was a blood flow inversion of about 1.6 times for both techniques during the first operation and about 4.1 and 3.7 times for the autologous and homologous veins, respectively. There was a significant increase in the autologous grafts. In the cranial portion of the femoral vein, there was an increase in the flow in relation to the femoral artery flow before graft placement. There was an increase of 5.3 and 7.4 times for the autologous and homologous grafts, respectively, in the first operation and from 8–9.6 times in the re-operation. There was also a significant increase in the autologous graft in relation to the two procedures. A significant difference among the grafts placed during the first surgery was observed, which was not observed after 15 days. In the graft blood flow analysis, a flow increase of 5.1 times for the autologous vein and 6.6 times for the homologous vein and from 7.5–8.2 times in the re-operation was found in relation to the femoral artery flow. There was a significant increase in autologous vein flow between the first operation and the re-operation. Conclusion The mean blood flow of the homologous AVG was greater during the first operation and similar to the autologous grafts during the re-operation. Therefore, the homologous AVG could be considered a possible alternative to vascular access for hemodialysis.
Anticoagulation therapy for the prevention of hemodialysis tunneled cuffed catheter (TCC) thrombosis
Authors: Colì L. , Donati G. , Cianciolo G. , Raimondi C. , Comai G. , Panicali L. , Nastasi V. , Cannarile D.C. , Gozzetti F. , Piccari M. , Stefoni S. 
Published: January 2018

Background Chronic oral anticoagulation is currently used to avoid thrombosis and the malfunction of tunneled cuffed catheters (TCCs) for hemodialysis (HD). The aim of the study was to assess the efficacy of early warfarin administration, after TCC placement, in comparison to its administration after the first thrombosis or malfunction event of the TCC. Patients and methods One hundred and forty-four chronic dialysis patients, who underwent TCC placement between June 2001 and June 2005, were randomized into two groups: 81 patients, group A, started oral anticoagulation 12 hr after the TCC placement (target international normalized ratio (INR) 1.8–2.5), in association with ticlopidine 250 mg/die; 63 patients, group B, started warfarin after the first thrombosis/malfunction episode (target INR 1.8–2.5) in association with ticlopidine 250 mg/die. The efficacy of oral anticoagulation therapy in preventing TCC thrombotic complications was evaluated in a 12-month follow-up period, after TCC placement, in terms of: a) the number of patients with thrombotic-malfunction events; b) the number of thrombotic-malfunction events with urokinase infusion (events/patient/year); c) intradialytic blood flow rate (BFR, ml/min); d) negative blood pressure (BP) from the arterial line of the TCC (AP, mmHg); e) positive BP, in the extracorporeal circuit from the venous line (VP, mmHg); and f) bleeding complications. Results Ten patients (12%) in group A showed TCC thrombosis/malfunction vs. 33 patients (52%) in group B (p<0.01). In group A, 0.16 events of thrombosis/malfunction per patient/year vs. 1.65 in group B (p<0.001) were observed. BFR was respectively 305 ± 34 vs. 246 ± 42 ml/min (p<0.001). AP was –124 ± 13 in group A vs. –174 ± 21 mmHg in group B (p<0.05). VP was 112 ± 28 in group A vs. 168 ± 41 mmHg in group B (p<0.05). No patient showed any bleeding events. Conclusions Early warfarin therapy allows a significant reduction in TCC thrombotic complications and an improvement in both arterial and venous fluxes in comparison with the same therapy administered after the first TCC thrombotic/malfunction event. This therapy did not induce any bleeding complications in the patients included in the study.
Prognostic Significance of Elevated Endothelin-1 Levels in Patients with Colorectal Cancer
Authors: Arun C. , London N.J.M. , Hemingway D.M. 
Published: January 2018

Background Prognostic factors from clinical, laboratory and pathological data of patients with colorectal cancer are essential to identify high-risk groups to whom beneficial adjuvant therapy could be given. Endothelin-1, a growth factor, has been associated with the development and spread of solid tumours. This prospective study was performed to determine whether preoperative plasma big ET-1 levels might be useful as a prognostic indicator in patients with colorectal carcinoma. Method Sixty-five consecutive patients with colorectal cancer confirmed by biopsy were included prospectively into this study over a 12-month period. Plasma samples from a peripheral vein were obtained prior to surgery. Univariate analysis of survival using age (< or > 70 years), sex, Dukes’ stage (A&B versus C), tumour size (< or > 50 mm), vascular invasion and plasma big ET-1 levels was performed and significant factors were then analysed with the Cox regression model. Results Three variables, age, Dukes’ tumour stage and plasma big ET-1 levels, were found to have prognostic significance (p<0.05). Factors associated with a poorer prognosis were age >70 years (p=0.02), Dukes’ C tumours (p=0.04) and plasma big ET-1 levels >4.2 pg/mL (p=0.02). The Cox regression model identified the same three variables as having independent prognostic value for overall survival. Conclusion Preoperative plasma big ET-1 levels may be useful in predicting overall survival in patients with colorectal cancer. Plasma big ET-1 levels may be useful in the selection of high-risk lymph node-negative patients with colorectal cancer for adjuvant therapy.
Clinical Significance of Serum Gastrin Levels in Patients with Colorectal Cancer
Authors: Tocchi A. , Mazzoni G. , Puma F. , Miccini M. , Daddi G. , Bettelli E. , Cassini D. , Brozzetti S. 
Published: January 2018

Aims An association between elevated serum gastrin levels and the presence of human colorectal cancer has been reported, and gastrin has been shown to stimulate the growth of experimentally induced colon neoplasia. The aim of this study was to determine the preoperative and postoperative concentrations of serum gastrin in 53 patients with colorectal cancer and to assess the correlation between gastrin levels and tumor characteristics and prognosis. Materials and Methods A prospective study was performed over a six-year period during which 53 patients received potentially curative surgery for colorectal cancer. The prognostic variables used for the analysis included age, sex, tumor site, stage and degree of differentiation, preoperative and postoperative serum values of carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) and gastrin, cancer-related mortality, and survival. CEA and gastrin serum values were determined using radioimmunological methods. Follow-up was carried out with clinical and radiological tests. Results The mean preoperative gastrin concentration was 51.2 ± 27.4 pg/mL (range 12–146). Significantly increased serum gastrin concentrations, which returned to normal after surgery, were detected only in patients with well-differentiated cancer (74.2 ± 28.3 pg/mL; moderately differentiated, 52.1 ± 23.8; poorly differentiated, 29.9 ± 12.3, p=0.02). The prognosis was unrelated to serum gastrin level; instead, tumor stage, preoperative CEA value, and degree of differentiation affected patient survival. Conclusions This study showed that the serum gastrin concentration is not an appropriate clinical oncogenic factor. Although occurring only in well-differentiated tumors, serum gastrin is unrelated to the prognosis of patients with colorectal cancer.
Frequent Detection and Immunophenotyping of Prostate-Derived Cell Clusters in the Peripheral Blood of Prostate Cancer Patients
Authors: Schmidt H. , De Angelis G. , Bettendorf O. , Eltze E. , Semjonow A. , Knichwitz G. , Brandt B. 
Published: January 2018

Background Recent scientific studies have failed to determine parameters for the assessment of prostate cancer aggressiveness. The present study deals with the detection of blood-borne cancer cells based on polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and cell enrichment methods. The contradictory results reported in the literature have called into question the clinical usefulness of this diagnostic method in the preoperative staging of clinically localized prostate cancer. Methods We established a combined method of density gradient centrifugation and immunomagnetic separation using epithelium-specific antibodies, i.e. cytokeratins, to isolate prostate-derived circulating cells from the peripheral blood of patients with prostate cancer. Isolated cells were characterized by DNA staining and immunocytochemistry using antibodies for the detection of prostate-specific antigen (PSA), proliferation-associated proteins (MIB-1, H1 and H3) and apoptosis-associated proteins (M30, c-FasR). Results We applied these methods to 68 prostate cancer patients and were able to isolate cell clusters in 98%. Immunophenotypic and morphological characterization of PSA-positive prostate-derived cell clusters found in the peripheral blood of prostate cancer patients showed two main populations: 1) in 35% of the investigated prostate cancer patients we detected rounded cell aggregates of probable cancer cells expressing proliferation-associated proteins and lacking apoptosis-associated protein expression; 2) in all cases there was a high frequency of circulating dysmorphic cell clusters positive for apoptosis-associated protein expression. Conclusion Our results demonstrate the existence of at least two different types of blood-borne prostate-derived circulating cell clusters. Of these, only the less frequent, round, small cell clusters harbor features that are probably necessary for the cells to survive for metastatic spread.
Mismatch Repair Protein MSH2 Expression and Prognosis of Colorectal Cancer Patients
Authors: Bernardo C.G. , Gonzílez J.J. , Sanz L. , Barbón E. , Noval J.G. , Fresno M.F. , Aza J. 
Published: January 2018

Introduction and aims The role of genetic factors in the etiology and prognosis of patients with sporadic colorectal cancer is controversial. We have therefore investigated the biological and clinicopathological influence of immunohistochemical MSH2 expression in colorectal cancer. Patients and methods A total of 49 consecutive patients with unselected colorectal cancer operated on in our unit were included in the study. All tumors were resected and tumor specimens were evaluated for MSH2 expression. Clinicopathological data and patient survival were correlated with MSH2 staining. Uni- and multivariate analyses were performed. The minimum follow-up period was five years. Results Curative resection was performed in 34 patients (64.9%), 14 of whom subsequently relapsed. At the end of the overall follow-up 25 (51%) patients had died, 21 of cancer-related causes. Twenty-eight patients (57.1%) were negative for MSH2 staining. Only vascular invasion was significantly correlated with MSH2 expression (lower median values; p=0.04). The overall median survival was 47.9 months (95% CI=27–86.6%). Multivariate analysis of variables in relation to survival showed that T stage (p=0.001), N stage (p<0.001) and MSH2 expression (p=0.01) were independent factors for survival. Conclusions Reduced MSH2 expression is frequent in unselected colorectal cancer patients. Only vascular invasion was correlated with MSH2 expression in this study. Survival was related to TN stage and MSH2 staining.
Expression and Clinical Significance of Pepsinogen C in Uveal Melanomas
Authors: Alvarez M.L. , Gonzílez L.O. , Barbón J.J. , Astudillo A. , Vizoso F.J. 
Published: January 2018

Purpose we investigated by immunohistochemistry the pepsinogen C (pepC) expression in uveal melanomas and analyzed the possible relationship to clinicopathological parameters and prognostic significance. Methods We studied 22 patients who had undergone enucleation of the eyeball or local tumor resection for uveal melanoma. The specimens were immunostained for pepC on formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded sections. Sex, age, tumor location, histological type, local invasion, postoperative treatment and metastasis were evaluated. Results Eleven tumors (50%) were positive for pepsinogen C. The percentage of pepC-positive tumors was significantly higher in uveal melanomas with scleral invasion than in those without scleral invasion (p<0.01). PepC expression was significantly associated with a shortened overall survival (p<0.05). Conclusions Our results show that pepsinogen C may be expressed by uveal melanoma and suggest that this protein could be considered as a new, unfavorable prognostic factor in these tumors.
Increased Levels of Albumin in Bronchial Washing Fluid of Patients with Bronchial Carcinoma. Could Albumin be Considered as a Tumor Marker?
Authors: Charokopos N. , Leotsinidis M. , Tsiamita M. , Kalofonos H.P. , Vasillakos P. , Christofidou M. , Spiropoulos K. 
Published: January 2018

Background The aim of this study was to evaluate the significance of albumin in bronchial washing fluid (BWF) and its relationship to three tumor markers (CEA, CA 19–9 and NSE). Methods Serum and BWF samples were collected in a group of 60 patients. Albumin and tumor markers in the BWF and serum of three groups: a control group (CG), a chronic bronchitis group (CBG) and a lung cancer group (CaG), were analyzed in a prospective cross-sectional study. The diagnostic yields of the tests in each environment (serum and BWF) were evaluated by using as cutoff points the values of the corresponding 90th percentile of CG and CBG taken together. Results A significant difference in albumin level (p<0.001) was noted in the BWF of patients with cancer compared with the other two groups. In addition, a significant difference in CEA level (p<0.001) was observed in the serum of cancer patients compared with the other two groups. The cutoff values for CEA in serum and albumin in BWF were 2.20 ng/mL and 2.00 g/dL, respectively. The areas under the corresponding ROC curves were 93% and 97%. Combination of CEA-serum and albumin-BWF by logistic regression analysis increased their diagnostic value. Conclusion Measurement of albumin levels in BWF could be a useful additional diagnostic tool to differentiate malignant from non-malignant lung diseases. Moreover, the combined measurement of CEA in serum and albumin in BWF could be of aid in the follow-up of lung cancer patients.
Clinical Significance of Urinary N1,N12-Diacetylspermine Levels in Patients with Hepatocellular Carcinoma
Authors: Enjoji M. , Nakamuta M. , Arimura E. , Morizono S. , Kuniyoshi M. , Fukushima M. , Kotoh K. , Nawata H. 
Published: January 2018

Background/aim N1,N12-diacetylspermine (DiAcSpm), a diacetylpolyamine which was recently identified in urine, appeared to be a useful tumor marker for urogenital cancers. Here we examined the clinical significance of urinary DiAcSpm as a tumor marker for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Methods Urine samples were collected from patients with HCC and benign liver diseases. Urinary levels of DiAcSpm were measured by ELISA, which was newly developed in order to analyze large numbers of samples. Results The appropriate threshold value was set at 325 nM/g·creatinine. The sensitivity of the DiAcSpm assay for HCC was 65.5% and the specificity calculated between HCC and liver cirrhosis was 76.0%. The percentage of DiAcSpm-positive HCC patients was similar to that for AFP or PIVKA-II. At more advanced clinical stages, the positive percentage of these three markers increased but the DiAcSpm levels appeared to move independently of AFP and PIVKA-II. In HCC patients, the DiAcSpm levels reflected the progression of disease or the effect of treatment. Conclusions DiAcSpm levels were found to reflect the severity, activity or viability of HCC. Urinary DiAcSpm can therefore be considered one of the useful indexes for patients with HCC.
Genetic Heterogeneity of Variable Number Tandem Repeats in Thymidylate Synthase Gene in Colorectal Cancer Patients
Authors: Agostini M. , Pucciarelli S. , Calandra P. , Villani F. , Lise M. , Nitti D. 
Published: January 2018

Purpose To analyze the genetic variability in a variable number of tandem repeats (VNTR) in the thymidylate synthase (TS) enhancer promoter region and assess the influence of functional alterations in mismatch repair genes by analyzing constitutional and tumoral DNA from patients with colorectal adenocarcinoma with a high microsatellite instability (MSI-H) or microsatellite stability (MSS) status. Patients and methods Patients who underwent surgery for colorectal adenocarcinoma were selected from the colorectal database of our institute and, on the basis of MSI status, assigned to a study group and a control group: group A, MSI-H; group B, MSS. Microsatellite status was investigated using the Bethesda recommended panel (BAT-26, BAT-25, D2S123, D5S346, D17S250). In MSI-H patients an additional analysis was made of the microsatellite loci D18S61 and D18S58, both mapping in the region containing the TS gene (18p11.2–11.32). Based on the number of altered microsatellites (≥2, 1, or 0), tumors were considered as having high (MSI-H) or low (MSI-L) instability or microsatellite stability (MSS), respectively. Genotyping for thymidylate synthase promoter polymorphism was carried out on constitutional and tumor DNA of each patient by PCR amplification of the polymorphic region. Results MSI-H was found in 55 patients (group A) and MSS in 50 patients (group B). In none of the MSI-H patients was microsatellite instability found in the additional D18S61 and D18S58 loci. In five group A and ten group B cases the analysis was not performed because constitutional DNA and/or tumoral DNA were not amplifiable. Homozygotes for the triple repeat variant (3R/3R) displayed only the large PCR product, homozygotes for the double repeat variant (2R/2R) displayed only the smaller PCR product, while heterozygotes (2R/3R) displayed both the larger and smaller PCR products. In 3/50 (6%) group A patients and 5/40 (12%) group B patients repeat variations were found in tumoral DNA. Conclusion Our findings demonstrate that there is genetic homogeneity between constitutional and tumoral DNA but do not support the hypothesis that mismatch repair genes are involved in VNTR recombinant events in TS gene variability.
Comparison of Four Different Assays for Determination of Serum S-100B
Authors: Smit L.H.M. , Korse C.M. , Bonfrer J.M.G. 
Published: January 2018

Background S-100B determination has been shown to be clinically useful in the management of melanoma patients. After the development of a test for determination of the isoforms S100-A1B and S100-BB in serum (S-100B), several sensitive assays for the detection of serum S-100B have become available. We compared four S-100B assays, two automated (LIAISON®Sangtec®100 and Elecsys®S100) and two manual ones (Sangtec®100 ELISA and CanAg S100 EIA), with respect to clinical data, reference values and correlation. Methods In a total of 280 samples from 155 melanoma patients and 98 healthy individuals S-100B values were measured simultaneously with the different assays. Results The inter and intra coefficients of variation were best for the automated assays. The functional sensitivity of both manual assays was 0.15 μg/L. Method comparison revealed satisfactory correlation coefficients of 0.9 or higher, but the slopes ranged from 0.29 to 3.36. Except for the Sangtec®100 ELISA, the linearity between the assays was acceptable. The overall sensitivity for melanoma ranged from 37% (Elecsys®S100) to 47% (LIAISON®Sangtec®100) and the sensitivity increased with stage. ROC curves showed the best accuracy for the LIAISON®Sangtec®100 assay. Conclusions All assays gave satisfactory results, but it is advisable to improve the performance of the manual assays for better sensitivity. Agreement about an international reference standard is needed.
Clinical Significance of Cathepsin D Concentration in Tumor Cytosol of Primary Breast Cancer
Authors: Rodríguez J. , Vízquez J. , Corte M.D. , Lamelas M. , Bongera M. , Corte M.G. , Alvarez A. , Allende M. , Gonzalez L. , Sínchez M. , Vijande M. , Muñiz J. Garcia , Vizoso F. 
Published: January 2018

Background Cathepsin D is the proteolytic enzyme most frequently implicated as a prognostic factor in primary breast cancer. In the present study we evaluated by means of an immunoradiometric assay the tumor content of this protease in primary breast cancer, its relationship with tumor-related clinical and pathological parameters, and its prognostic significance in a large series of breast cancer patients. Method The study comprised 1033 women with histologically established invasive breast cancer. Cathepsin D was measured in cytosol samples by means of an immunoradiometric assay to determine the total amount of cathepsin D (52 kDa, 48 kDa and 34 kDa). Evaluation of relapse-free survival and cause-specific survival was performed in the group of 1003 patients without evidence of metastasis at the time of initial diagnosis. The median follow-up of the patients who were free of recurrence was 54 months. Results Cathepsin D levels showed a wide range among the studied tumors (n=1033; median (range) 41 (0.9–2504) pmol/mg protein). Statistical analysis showed that the median cathepsin D levels were considerably higher in large tumors (T2–4) than in smaller ones (T1) (p=0.017), as well as in node-positive than in node-negative tumors (p=0.004). Cathepsin D levels were also higher in ductal tumors than in the other histological types (p=0.001), as well as in moderately or poorly differentiated tumors (p<0.001). Likewise, the median value of the protease was significantly higher in ER or PgR-positive tumors than in hormone receptor-negative ones (p=0.011 and p=0.004, respectively), as well as in aneuploid tumors than in diploid tumors (p=0.029). Multivariate analysis demonstrated that elevated cathepsin D levels (>59 pmol/mg protein) were notably associated with a shorter cause-specific survival in the whole group of patients with breast cancer, as well as in the subgroup of node-positive patients (p<0.05). Conclusions This study suggests that elevated intratumoral cathepsin D levels may identify a subset of node-positive breast cancer patients showing a high probability of earlier death.