Publication date: Available online 4 April 2018
Source:Academic Radiology
Author(s): Michael A. Jacobs, Katarzyna J. Macura, Atif Zaheer, Emmanuel S. Antonarakis, Vered Stearns, Antonio C. Wolff, Thorsten Feiweier, Ihab R. Kamel, Richard L. Wahl, Li Pan
Rationale and ObjectivesThe purpose of this study was to investigate the use of multiparametric, whole-body, diffusion-weighted imaging (WB-DWI) and apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) maps with T2-weighted magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) at 3T for the detection and monitoring of metastatic disease in patients.Materials and MethodsFifty-four participants (32 healthy subjects and 22 patients) were scanned with WB-DWI methods using a 3T MRI scanner. Axial, sagittal, or coronal fat-suppressed T2-weighted (T2WI), T1-weighted (T1WI), and DWI images were acquired. Total MRI acquisition and set-up time was approximately 45 minutes. Metastatic disease on MRI was confirmed based on T2WI characteristics. The number of lesions was established on computed tomography (CT) or positron emission tomography (PET-CT). Whole-body ADC maps and T2WI were constructed, and region-of-interests were drawn in normal and abnormal-appearing tissue for quantitative analysis. Statistical analysis was performed using a paired t tests and P < .05 was considered statistically significant.ResultsThere were 91 metastatic lesions detected from the CT or PET-CT with a missed recurrent lesion in the prostate. Multiparametric WB-MRI had excellent sensitivity (96%) for detection of metastatic lesions compared to CT. ADC map values and the ADC ratio in metastatic bone lesions were significantly increased (P < .05) compared to normal bone. In soft tissue, ADC map values and ratios in metastatic lesions were decreased compared to normal soft tissue.ConclusionWe have demonstrated that multiparametric WB-MRI is feasible for oncologic staging to identify bony and visceral metastasis in breast, prostate, pancreatic, and colorectal cancers. WB-MRI can be tailored to fit the patient, such that an "individualized patient sequence" can be developed for a comprehensive evaluation for staging and response during treatment.
https://ift.tt/2GVnTGk
Τετάρτη 4 Απριλίου 2018
Multiparametric Whole-body MRI with Diffusion-weighted Imaging and ADC Mapping for the Identification of Visceral and Osseous Metastases From Solid Tumors
Biological function of UCA1 in hepatocellular carcinoma and its clinical significance: Investigation with in vitro and meta-analysis
Publication date: Available online 4 April 2018
Source:Pathology - Research and Practice
Author(s): Li-ting Qin, Rui-xue Tang, Peng Lin, Qing Li, Hong Yang, Dian-zhong Luo, Gang Chen, Yun He, Ping Li
Urothelial cancer associated 1 (UCA1) was upregulated in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) tissues and cell lines, and the expression of UCA1 was associated with several clinical features and malignant behaviours in HCC. However, none of these findings completely interpreted the role of UCA1 in HCC. We conducted this investigation to validate the expression of UCA1 and its relationship with Tumor Node Metastasis (TNM) stage in 41 HCC tissues and their paired noncancerous adjacent tissues by real-time qPCR. Furthermore, we also explored the biological functions of UCA1 in vitro with HCC cell lines. Most importantly, we conducted a comprehensive meta-analysis and bioinformatics investigation based on peer-reviewed literature and in silico approaches to further summarise the clinical value and functions of UCA1 in HCC. UCA1 expression was remarkably upregulated in HCC tissues, and its expression was profoundly higher in advanced stages than in early stages. Reducing the expression levels of UCA1 suppressed the proliferation and induced apoptosis of HCC cells. Furthermore, the present meta-analysis validated that up-regulated UCA1 was closely related to larger tumour size and advanced TNM stages, and the overexpression of UCA1 was significantly correlated with a shorter OS. Additionally, according to GO analysis, the target genes were found concentrated in the following biological processes: extracellular matrix organisation, cilium assembly and cilium morphogenesis. KEGG pathway analysis showed that the UCA1-related genes were significantly enriched in the following pathways: hippo signalling pathway, bile secretion and gastric acid secretion. This evidence hinted that UCA1 could play an indispensable proliferation-related key role in HCC via the hippo signalling pathway. However, the exact molecular mechanism needs to be verified with future functional experiments.
https://ift.tt/2GvU8N0
The Devil's in the g-Tails: Deficient Letter-Shape Knowledge and Awareness Despite Massive Visual Experience.
https://ift.tt/2uOOiRp
Overt Attention in Contextual Cuing of Visual Search is Driven by the Attentional Set, but Not by the Predictiveness of Distractors.
https://ift.tt/2Gx5LDj
Learning Nonadjacent Dependencies Embedded in Sentences of an Artificial Language: When Learning Breaks Down.
https://ift.tt/2q7IJYS
How do Task Characteristics Affect Learning and Performance? The Roles of Variably Mapped and Dynamic Tasks.
https://ift.tt/2H9P3ar
The putative role of Oxidative Stress and Inflammation in the pathophysiology of sleep dysfunction across neuropsychiatric disorders: Focus on Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, Bipolar Disorder and Multiple Sclerosis
Sleep and circadian abnormalities are prevalent and burdensome manifestations of diverse neuro-immune diseases, and may aggravate the course of several neuropsychiatric disorders. The underlying pathophysiology of sleep abnormalities across neuropsychiatric disorders remains unclear, and may involve the inter-play of several clinical variables and mechanistic pathways. In this review, we propose a heuristic framework in which reciprocal interactions of immune, oxidative and nitrosative stress, and mitochondrial pathways may drive sleep abnormalities across potentially neuroprogressive disorders.
https://ift.tt/2GBBRdo
Editorial Board
Source:Journal of Neuroscience Methods, Volume 301
https://ift.tt/2q7Mj54
Dynamics of dual-fluorescent polymersomes with durable integrity in living cancer cells and zebrafish embryos
Source:Biomaterials, Volume 168
Author(s): Sven H.C. Askes, Nelli Bossert, Jeroen Bussmann, Victorio Saez Talens, Michael S. Meijer, Roxanne E. Kieltyka, Alexander Kros, Sylvestre Bonnet, Doris Heinrich
The long-term fate of biomedical nanoparticles after endocytosis is often only sparsely addressed in vitro and in vivo, while this is a crucial parameter to conclude on their utility. In this study, dual-fluorescent polyisobutylene-polyethylene glycol (PiB-PEG) polymersomes were studied for several days in vitro and in vivo. In order to optically track the vesicles' integrity, one fluorescent probe was located in the membrane and the other in the aqueous interior compartment. These non-toxic nanovesicles were quickly endocytosed in living A549 lung carcinoma cells but unusually slowly transported to perinuclear lysosomal compartments, where they remained intact and luminescent for at least 90 h without being exocytosed. Fluorescence-assisted flow cytometry indicated that after endocytosis, the nanovesicles were eventually degraded within 7–11 days. In zebrafish embryos, the polymersomes caused no lethality and were quickly taken up by the endothelial cells, where they remained fully intact for as long as 96 h post-injection. This work represents a novel case-study of the remarkable potential of PiB-PEG polymersomes as an in vivo bio-imaging and slow drug delivery platform.
https://ift.tt/2Iw1fSd
Enzyme-triggered size shrink and laser-enhanced NO release nanoparticles for deep tumor penetration and combination therapy
Publication date: June 2018
Source:Biomaterials, Volume 168
Author(s): Chuan Hu, Xingli Cun, Shaobo Ruan, Rui Liu, Wei Xiao, Xiaotong Yang, Yuanyuan Yang, Chuanyao Yang, Huile Gao
Chemotherapy remains restricted by poor drug delivery efficacy due to the heterogenous nature of tumor. Herein, we presented a novel nanoparticle that could not only response to the tumor microenvironment but also modulate it for deep tumor penetration and combination therapy. The intelligent nanoparticle (IDDHN) was engineered by hyaluronidase (HAase)-triggered size shrinkable hyaluronic acid shells, which were modified with NIR laser sensitive nitric oxide donor (HN), small-sized dendrimeric prodrug (IDD) of doxorubicin (DOX) as chemotherapy agent and indocyanine green (ICG) as photothermal agent into a single nanoparticle. IDDHN displayed synergistic deep penetration both in vitro and in vivo, owing to the enzymatically degradable HN shell mediated by HAase and laser-enhanced NO release triggered deep penetration upon strong hyperthermia effect of ICG under the NIR laser irradiation. The therapeutic effect of IDDHN was verified in 4T1 xenograft tumor model, and IDDHN showed a much better antitumor efficiency with few side effects upon NIR laser irradiation. Therefore, the valid of this study might provide a novel tactic for engineering nanoparticles both response to and modulate the tumor microenvironment for improving penetration and heterogeneity distribution of therapeutic agents in tumor.
Graphical abstract
https://ift.tt/2GXC9OU
Scholar : These new articles for Activities, Adaptation & Aging are available online
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Palliative thoracic radiation therapy for non-small cell lung cancer: 2018 Update of an American Society for Radiation Oncology (ASTRO) Evidence-Based Guideline
Source:Practical Radiation Oncology
Author(s): Benjamin Moeller, Ehsan H. Balagamwala, Aileen Chen, Kimberly M. Creach, Giuseppe Giaccone, Matthew Koshy, Sandra Zaky, George Rodrigues
PurposeTo revise the recommendation on the use of concurrent chemotherapy (CC) with palliative thoracic external beam radiation therapy (EBRT) made in the original 2011 American Society for Radiation Oncology guideline on palliative thoracic radiation for lung cancer.Methods and materialsBased on a systematic PubMed search showing new evidence for this key question, the task force felt an update was merited. Guideline recommendations were created using a predefined consensus-building methodology supported by American Society for Radiation Oncology–approved tools for grading evidence quality and recommendation strength.ResultsAlthough few randomized clinical trials address the question of CC combined with palliative thoracic EBRT for non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), a strong consensus was reached among the task force on recommendations for incurable stage III and IV NSCLC. For patients with stage III NSCLC deemed unsuitable for curative therapy but who are (1) candidates for chemotherapy, (2) have an Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group PS of 0 to 2, and (3) have a life expectancy of at least 3 months, administration of a platinum-containing chemotherapy doublet concurrently with moderately hypofractionated palliative thoracic radiation therapy is recommended over treatment with either modality alone. For patients with stage IV NSCLC, routine use of concurrent thoracic chemoradiation is not recommended.ConclusionsOptimal palliation of patients with incurable NSCLC requires coordinated interdisciplinary care. Recent data establish a rationale for CC with palliative thoracic EBRT for a well-defined subset of patients with incurable stage III NSCLC. For all other patients with incurable NSCLC, data remain insufficient to support this treatment approach.
https://ift.tt/2GVtiNO
Sorption of 17β-estradiol to the dissolved organic matter from animal wastes: effects of composting and the role of fulvic acid-like aggregates
Abstract
Steroid estrogens, such as 17β-estradiol (E2), in animal manure pose a potential threat to the aquatic environment. The transport and estrogenicity of estrogens influence the sorption of estrogens to dissolved organic matter (DOM) in animal manure, and composting treatment alters the structure and composition of the manure. The objectives of the present study were to identify the contribution of the molecular composition of DOM of composted manure to the sorption of E2 and then elucidate the dominant mechanisms involved in the interaction of E2 with manure-derived DOM. The excitation–emission matrix (EEM) spectra and atomic force microscopy (AFM) showed that composting significantly altered the chemical composition and structure of DOM. A decrease in the atomic ratios of oxygen (O)/carbon (C) occurred in conjunction with the formation of DOM aggregates in the composted manure, indicating that the hydrophilicity and polarity of the DOM decreased after composting. Composting increased the sorption coefficients (KDOC-E2) for E2 to DOM, and KDOC-E2 was positively correlated with the proportion of the fulvic acid (FA)-like fraction and molecular weight (MW) fractions of the DOM (range of 1.0 × 103–7.0 × 103 Da and 7.0 × 103–1.4 × 104 Da). Specifically, E2 showed a tendency for sorption to medium-sized FA-like molecules of DOM aggregates in composted manure. Hydrophobic forces and π-π binding appeared to be the main mechanisms underlying the aforementioned interaction.
https://ift.tt/2GxNu98
Wear measurement of dental tissues and materials in clinical studies: A systematic review
Source:Dental Materials
Author(s): C. Wulfman, V. Koenig, A.K. Mainjot
ObjectivesThis study aims to systematically review the different methods used for wear measurement of dental tissues and materials in clinical studies, their relevance and reliability in terms of accuracy and precision, and the performance of the different steps of the workflow taken independently.MethodsAn exhaustive search of clinical studies related to wear of dental tissues and materials reporting a quantitative measurement method was conducted. MedLine, Embase, Scopus, Cochrane Library and Web of Science databases were used. Prospective studies, pilot studies and case series (>10 patients), as long as they contained a description of wear measurement methodology. Only studies published after 1995 were considered.ResultsAfter duplicates' removal, 495 studies were identified, and 41 remained for quantitative analysis. Thirty-four described wear-measurement protocols, using digital profilometry and superimposition, whereas 7 used alternative protocols. A specific form was designed to analyze the risk of bias. The methods were described in terms of material analyzed; study design; device used for surface acquisition; matching software details and settings; type of analysis (vertical height-loss measurement vs volume loss measurement); type of area investigated (entire occlusal area or selective areas); and results.SinificanceThere is a need of standardization of clinical wear measurement. Current methods exhibit accuracy, which is not sufficient to monitor wear of restorative materials and tooth tissues. Their performance could be improved, notably limiting the use of replicas, using standardized calibration procedures and positive controls, optimizing the settings of scanners and matching softwares, and taking into account unusable data.
https://ift.tt/2GBuJNQ
The Neural Representations Underlying Human Episodic Memory
Publication date: Available online 3 April 2018
Source:Trends in Cognitive Sciences
Author(s): Gui Xue
A fundamental question of human episodic memory concerns the cognitive and neural representations and processes that give rise to the neural signals of memory. By integrating behavioral tests, formal computational models, and neural measures of brain activity patterns, recent studies suggest that memory signals not only depend on the neural processes and representations during encoding and retrieval, but also on the interaction between encoding and retrieval (e.g., transfer-appropriate processing), as well as on the interaction between the tested events and all other events in the episodic memory space (e.g., global matching). In addition, memory signals are also influenced by the compatibility of the event with the existing long-term knowledge (e.g., schema matching). These studies highlight the interactive nature of human episodic memory.
https://ift.tt/2IpQrVy
Efficient removal of arsenic(III) from aqueous media using magnetic polyaniline-doped strontium–titanium nanocomposite
Abstract
In this study, a novel nanocomposite adsorbent based on magnetic polyaniline and strontium–titanium (MP-SrTiO3) nanoparticles was synthesized via a simple and low-cost polymerization method for efficiently removing of arsenic(III) ions from aqueous samples. The chemical structure, surface properties, and morphology of the prepared adsorbent were studied using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX), and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The main effective parameters on the removal efficiency, such as pH, adsorbent dosage, salt, and contact time, were studied and optimized. The validity of the proposed method was checked by adsorption isotherm and kinetics models. Consequently, the adsorption kinetics corresponded to the first order (R2 > 0.99), and the experimental equilibrium fitted the Langmuir model with a maximum monolayer adsorption capacity of 67.11 mg/g (R2 > 0.99) for arsenic(III) ions. Corresponding to thermodynamic Vant's Hof model (ΔG° (kJ/mol), ΔH° (kJ/mol), and ΔS° (kJ/mol K) − 8.19, − 60.61, and − 0.17, respectively), the mechanism and adsorption nature were investigated with that suggested exothermic and physisorption mechanism.
https://ift.tt/2Ek4MRc
Risk assessment, spatial distribution, and source apportionment of heavy metals in Chinese surface soils from a typically tobacco cultivated area
Abstract
The heavy metals (As, Cd, Cr, Cu, Hg, Ni, Pb, and Zn) in the surface soils of tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum L.) fields in Jiangxi Province were analyzed, and the mean heavy metal concentrations were 3.55, 0.19, 25.89, 14.96, 0.25, 10.89, 27.80, and 44.00 mg/kg, respectively. Spatial distribution analysis showed that the highest concentrations were recorded in the north-western, south-western, and mid-eastern parts of the study area. The index of geo-accumulation and pollution index indicated modest enrichment with Cd and Hg, which were the only two metals posing a potentially high ecological risk to the local agricultural environment. The health risk assessment showed no considerable non-carcinogenic or carcinogenic risks for children and adults from these elements. The principal component analysis (PCA) and cluster analysis (CA) found that the variations in the Cr and Ni concentrations were largely on account of the soil parent rocks, but the As, Cd, Cu, and Hg variations in the soil were largely owing to agricultural practices of years. However, the main factor influencing Pb and Zn was atmospheric deposition.
https://ift.tt/2GAUORh
Hepatocyte-specific deletion of LASS2 protects against diet-induced hepatic steatosis and insulin resistance
Publication date: Available online 4 April 2018
Source:Free Radical Biology and Medicine
Author(s): Shaohua Fan, Yanyan Wang, Cun Wang, Haojie Jin, Zheng Wu, Jun Lu, Zifeng Zhang, Chunhui Sun, Qun Shan, Dongmei Wu, Juan Zhuang, Ning Sheng, Ying Xie, Mengqiu Li, Bin Hu, Jingyuan Fang, Yuanlin Zheng, Wenxin Qin
Homo sapienslongevity assurance homolog 2 of yeast LAG1 (LASS2) is expressed mostly in human liver. Here, we explored roles of LASS2 in pathogenesis of hepatic steatosis. Hepatocyte-specific LASS2 knockout (LASS2-/-) mice were generated using Cre-LoxP system. LASS2-/- and wild-type (WT) mice were fed with chow or high-fat diet (HFD). We found LASS2-/- mice were resistant to HFD-induced hepatic steatosis and insulin resistance. In HFD-fed mice, LASS2 deficiency significantly inhibited p38 MAPK and ERK1/ERK2 signaling in mouse liver. This effect was mediated by a significant increase of V-ATPase activity and a decrease of ROS level. We also observed that elevated expression of LASS2 in mouse hepatocyte cell line AML12 obviously decreased V-ATPase activity and increased ROS level by activation of p38 MAPK and ERK1/ERK2 signaling. Our findings indicate that LASS2 plays an important role in the pathogenesis of diet-induced hepatic steatosis and is a potential novel target for prevention and intervention of liver diseases.
Graphical abstract
https://ift.tt/2GxutDI
Brain mitochondrial iron accumulates in Huntington's disease, mediates mitochondrial dysfunction, and can be removed pharmacologically
Publication date: Available online 4 April 2018
Source:Free Radical Biology and Medicine
Author(s): Sonal Agrawal, Julia Fox, Baskaran Thyagarajan, Jonathan Fox
Mitochondrial bioenergetic dysfunction is involved in neurodegeneration in Huntington's disease (HD). Iron is critical for normal mitochondrial bioenergetics but can also contribute to pathogenic oxidation. The accumulation of iron in the brain occurs in mouse models and in human HD. Yet the role of mitochondria-related iron dysregulation as a contributor to bioenergetic pathophysiology in HD is unclear. We demonstrate here that human HD and mouse model HD (12-week R6/2 and 12-month YAC128) brains accumulated mitochondrial iron and showed increased expression of iron uptake protein mitoferrin 2 and decreased iron-sulfur cluster synthesis protein frataxin. Mitochondria-enriched fractions from mouse HD brains had deficits in membrane potential and oxygen uptake and increased lipid peroxidation. In addition, the membrane-permeable iron-selective chelator deferiprone (1 μM) rescued these effects ex-vivo, whereas hydrophilic iron and copper chelators did not. A 10-day oral deferiprone treatment in 9-week R6/2 HD mice indicated that deferiprone removed mitochondrial iron, restored mitochondrial potentials, decreased lipid peroxidation, and improved motor endurance. Neonatal iron supplementation potentiates neurodegeneration in mouse models of HD by unknown mechanisms. We found that neonatal iron supplementation increased brain mitochondrial iron accumulation and potentiated markers of mitochondrial dysfunction in HD mice. Therefore, bi-directional manipulation of mitochondrial iron can potentiate and protect against markers of mouse HD. Our findings thus demonstrate the significance of iron as a mediator of mitochondrial dysfunction and injury in mouse models of human HD and suggest that targeting the iron-mitochondrial pathway may be protective.
Graphical abstract
https://ift.tt/2q7cmcV
Oxidant-Specific Biomarkers of Oxidative Stress. Association with Atherosclerosis and Implication for Antioxidant Effects
Publication date: Available online 4 April 2018
Source:Free Radical Biology and Medicine
Author(s): Etsuo Niki
The unregulated oxidative modification of lipids, proteins, and nucleic acids induced by multiple oxidants has been implicated in the pathogenesis of many diseases. Antioxidants with diverse functions exert their roles either directly or indirectly in the physiological defense network to inhibit such deleterious oxidative modification of biological molecules and resulting damage. The efficacy of antioxidants depends on the nature of oxidants. Therefore, it is important to identify the oxidants which are responsible for modification of biological molecules. Some oxidation products produced selectively by specific oxidant enable to identify the responsible oxidants, while other products are produced by several oxidants similarly. In this review article, several oxidant-specific products produced selectively by peroxyl radicals, peroxynitrite, hypochlorous acid, lipoxygenase, and singlet oxygen were summarized and their potential role as biomarker is discussed. It is shown that the levels of specific oxidation products including hydroxylinoleate isomers, nitrated and chlorinated products, and oxysterols produced by the above-mentioned oxidants are elevated in the human atherosclerotic lesions, suggesting that all these oxidants may contribute to the development of atherosclerosis. Further, it was shown that the reactivities of physiological antioxidants toward the above-mentioned oxidants vary extensively, suggesting that multiple antioxidants effective against these different oxidants are required, since no single antioxidant alone can cope with these multiple oxidants.
Graphical abstract
https://ift.tt/2GxMMZr
SCN2A mutation in an infant presenting with migrating focal seizures and infantile spasm responsive to a ketogenic diet
Source:Brain and Development
Author(s): Da-Jyun Su, Jyh-Feng Lu, Li-Ju Lin, Jao-Shwann Liang, Kun-Long Hung
SCN2A mutations have been identified in various encephalopathy phenotypes, ranging from benign familial neonatal-infantile seizure (BFNIS) to more severe forms of epileptic encephalopathy such as Ohtahara syndrome or epilepsy of infancy with migrating focal seizure (EIMFS). Thus far, no particularly effective treatment is available for severe epileptic encephalopathy caused by SCN2A mutations in children.We present the case of a boy who developed seizures on the third day of life and received a diagnosis of EIMFS based on his clinical presentations and electroencephalography reports. Antiepileptic drugs, namely oxcarbazepine, phenytoin, valproate, levetiracetam, and clonazepam, as well as adrenocorticotropic hormone therapy failed to reduce the severity of the seizures. Seizure pattern changed to infantile spasm with extensor thrust since 5 months of age. A ketogenic diet consisting of a medium-chain triglyceride recipe was introduced at 8 months of age and the seizures were resolved in the following 10 months. A de novo mutation in SCN2A (c.573G > T; p.W191C) was proven through next-generation sequencing.
https://ift.tt/2EiRmVF
Understanding Health-Systems' Use of and Need for Evidence To Inform Decisionmaking [Internet].
According to the Health and Medicine Division of the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine, in order for health care systems to improve health quality, outcomes, cost, and equity there needs to be a process for transmitting new knowledge into everyday care. Systematic reviews are one potential source of knowledge. However, little is known about the types of evidence used by health-systems and how evidence reports produced by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) Evidence-based Practice Center (EPC) program could be used by learning health-systems.
https://ift.tt/2q5jR4H
Neural oscillations during conditional associative learning
Source:NeuroImage, Volume 174
Author(s): Alex Clarke, Brooke M. Roberts, Charan Ranganath
Associative learning requires mapping between complex stimuli and behavioural responses. When multiple stimuli are involved, conditional associative learning is a gradual process with learning based on trial and error. It is established that a distributed network of regions track associative learning, however the role of neural oscillations in human learning remains less clear. Here we used scalp EEG to test how neural oscillations change during learning of arbitrary visuo-motor associations. Participants learned to associative 48 different abstract shapes to one of four button responses through trial and error over repetitions of the shapes. To quantify how well the associations were learned for each trial, we used a state-space computational model of learning that provided a probability of each trial being correct given past performance for that stimulus, that we take as a measure of the strength of the association. We used linear modelling to relate single-trial neural oscillations to single-trial measures of association strength. We found frontal midline theta oscillations during the delay period tracked learning, where theta activity was strongest during the early stages of learning and declined as the associations were formed. Further, posterior alpha and low-beta oscillations in the cue period showed strong desynchronised activity early in learning, while stronger alpha activity during the delay period was seen as associations became well learned. Moreover, the magnitude of these effects during early learning, before the associations were learned, related to improvements in memory seen on the next presentation of the stimulus. The current study provides clear evidence that frontal theta and posterior alpha/beta oscillations play a key role during associative memory formation.
https://ift.tt/2EjzFFv
Subcortical sources dominate the neuroelectric auditory frequency-following response to speech
Source:NeuroImage, Volume 175
Author(s): Gavin M. Bidelman
Frequency-following responses (FFRs) are neurophonic potentials that provide a window into the encoding of complex sounds (e.g., speech/music), auditory disorders, and neuroplasticity. While the neural origins of the FFR remain debated, renewed controversy has reemerged after demonstration that FFRs recorded via magnetoencephalography (MEG) are dominated by cortical rather than brainstem structures as previously assumed. Here, we recorded high-density (64 ch) FFRs via EEG and applied state-of-the art source imaging techniques to multichannel data (discrete dipole modeling, distributed imaging, independent component analysis, computational simulations). Our data confirm a mixture of generators localized to bilateral auditory nerve (AN), brainstem inferior colliculus (BS), and bilateral primary auditory cortex (PAC). However, frequency-specific scrutiny of source waveforms showed the relative contribution of these nuclei to the aggregate FFR varied across stimulus frequencies. Whereas AN and BS sources produced robust FFRs up to ∼700 Hz, PAC showed weak phase-locking with little FFR energy above the speech fundamental (100 Hz). Notably, CLARA imaging further showed PAC activation was eradicated for FFRs >150 Hz, above which only subcortical sources remained active. Our results show (i) the site of FFR generation varies critically with stimulus frequency; and (ii) opposite the pattern observed in MEG, subcortical structures make the largest contribution to electrically recorded FFRs (AN ≥ BS > PAC). We infer that cortical dominance observed in previous neuromagnetic data is likely due to the bias of MEG to superficial brain tissue, underestimating subcortical structures that drive most of the speech-FFR. Cleanly separating subcortical from cortical FFRs can be achieved by ensuring stimulus frequencies are >150–200 Hz, above the phase-locking limit of cortical neurons.
https://ift.tt/2GxwYpv
Atypical cortical entrainment to speech in the right hemisphere underpins phonemic deficits in dyslexia
Source:NeuroImage, Volume 175
Author(s): Giovanni M. Di Liberto, Varghese Peter, Marina Kalashnikova, Usha Goswami, Denis Burnham, Edmund C. Lalor
Developmental dyslexia is a multifaceted disorder of learning primarily manifested by difficulties in reading, spelling, and phonological processing. Neural studies suggest that phonological difficulties may reflect impairments in fundamental cortical oscillatory mechanisms. Here we examine cortical mechanisms in children (6–12 years of age) with or without dyslexia (utilising both age- and reading-level-matched controls) using electroencephalography (EEG). EEG data were recorded as participants listened to an audio-story. Novel electrophysiological measures of phonemic processing were derived by quantifying how well the EEG responses tracked phonetic features of speech. Our results provide, for the first time, evidence for impaired low-frequency cortical tracking to phonetic features during natural speech perception in dyslexia. Atypical phonological tracking was focused on the right hemisphere, and correlated with traditional psychometric measures of phonological skills used in diagnostic dyslexia assessments. Accordingly, the novel indices developed here may provide objective metrics to investigate language development and language impairment across languages.
https://ift.tt/2EkGdTY
Distinct functional and structural neural underpinnings of working memory
Source:NeuroImage, Volume 174
Author(s): Max M. Owens, Bryant Duda, Lawrence H. Sweet, James MacKillop
Working memory (WM), the short-term abstraction and manipulation of information, is an essential neurocognitive process in daily functioning. Few studies have concurrently examined the functional and structural neural correlates of WM and the current study did so to characterize both overlapping and unique associations. Participants were a large sample of adults from the Human Connectome Project (N = 1064; 54% female) who completed an in-scanner visual N-back WM task. The results indicate a clear dissociation between BOLD activation during the WM task and brain structure in relation to performance. In particular, while activation in the middle frontal gyrus was positively associated with WM performance, cortical thickness in this region was inversely associated with performance. Additional unique associations with WM were BOLD activation in superior parietal lobule, cingulate, and fusiform gyrus and gray matter volume in the orbitofrontal cortex and cuneus. Across findings, substantially larger effects were observed for functional associations relative to structural associations. These results provide further evidence implicating frontoparietal subunits of the brain in WM. Moreover, these findings reveal the distinct, and in some cases opposing, roles of brain structure and neural activation in WM, highlighting the lack of homology between structure and function in relation to cognition.
https://ift.tt/2GxnVoC
Mapping working memory retrieval in space and in time: A combined electroencephalography and electrocorticography approach
Source:NeuroImage, Volume 174
Author(s): Qiong Zhang, Marieke van Vugt, Jelmer P. Borst, John R. Anderson
In this study, we investigated the time course and neural correlates of the retrieval process underlying visual working memory. We made use of a rare dataset in which the same task was recorded using both scalp electroencephalography (EEG) and Electrocorticography (ECoG), respectively. This allowed us to examine with great spatial and temporal detail how the retrieval process works, and in particular how the medial temporal lobe (MTL) is involved. In each trial, participants judged whether a probe face had been among a set of recently studied faces. With a method that combines hidden semi-Markov models and multivariate pattern analysis, the neural signal was decomposed into a sequence of latent cognitive stages with information about their durations on a trial-by-trial basis. Analyzed separately, EEG and ECoG data yielded converging results on discovered stages and their interpretation, which reflected 1) a brief pre-attention stage, 2) encoding the stimulus, 3) retrieving the studied set, and 4) making a decision. Combining these stages with the high spatial resolution of ECoG suggested that activity in the temporal cortex reflected item familiarity in the retrieval stage; and that once retrieval is complete, there is active maintenance of the studied face set in the decision stage in the MTL. During this same period, the frontal cortex guides the decision by means of theta coupling with the MTL. These observations generalize previous findings on the role of MTL theta from long-term memory tasks to short-term memory tasks.
https://ift.tt/2EjOmIo
Resting-state functional connectivity predicts the ability to adapt arm reaching in a robot-mediated force field
Source:NeuroImage, Volume 174
Author(s): Irene Faiman, Sara Pizzamiglio, Duncan L. Turner
Motor deficits are common outcomes of neurological conditions such as stroke. In order to design personalised motor rehabilitation programmes such as robot-assisted therapy, it would be advantageous to predict how a patient might respond to such treatment. Spontaneous neural activity has been observed to predict differences in the ability to learn a new motor behaviour in both healthy and stroke populations. This study investigated whether spontaneous resting-state functional connectivity could predict the degree of motor adaptation of right (dominant) upper limb reaching in response to a robot-mediated force field. Spontaneous neural activity was measured using resting-state electroencephalography (EEG) in healthy adults before a single session of motor adaptation. The degree of beta frequency (β; 15–25 Hz) resting-state functional connectivity between contralateral electrodes overlying the left primary motor cortex (M1) and the anterior prefrontal cortex (aPFC) could predict the subsequent degree of motor adaptation. This result provides novel evidence for the functional significance of resting-state synchronization dynamics in predicting the degree of motor adaptation in a healthy sample. This study constitutes a promising first step towards the identification of patients who will likely gain most from using robot-mediated upper limb rehabilitation training based on simple measures of spontaneous neural activity.
https://ift.tt/2JfiCrL
Rectal ulcer and pseudomalignant epithelial changes after prostate seed brachytherapy: A rare complication with a diagnostic pitfall
Publication date: Available online 4 April 2018
Source:Annals of Diagnostic Pathology
Author(s): Hwajeong Lee, Natallia Sheuka, Osama El-kadi, Brian P. Murray, Hugh A. Fisher, Bhaskar V.S. Kallakury, Edward C. Lee, Ann Boguniewicz, Timothy A. Jennings
BackgroundImplant brachytherapy (IBT) is a well-recognized treatment modality for early stage prostate cancer. Rectal ulcer and rectourethral fistula complicating IBT may cause an alteration of the normal anatomic landmarks. In this context, pseudomalignant radiation-induced changes within prostatic epithelium may be misinterpreted as a primary rectal malignancy. Such challenging and misleading findings have not been described, and may not be recognized as such.Materials and methodsWe present the clinical and pathologic aspects of two patients who underwent IBT for low stage prostate cancer that was complicated by deep rectal ulcer. Both patients underwent extensive palliative surgical resection for disease control.ResultsThe histologic changes in both cases were noteworthy for extensive necrosis and inflammation of the prostate, associated with loss of recto-prostatic anatomical landmarks. Prostatic glands showed striking radiation-induced atypia and pseudomalignant epithelial changes extending to the rectal ulcer bed, with no residual viable tumor. The first patient had undergone a biopsy of the rectal ulcer bed that was misinterpreted as a rectal adenocarcinoma prior to surgery. The similarity between atypical glands of the biopsy and the benign prostatic tissue with radiation-induced atypia in resection specimen confirmed their benign nature.ConclusionsDeep rectal ulcer complicating IBT may lead to distortion of the normal recto-prostatic anatomical landmarks, resulting in detection of pseudo-malignant prostatic glands at the ulcer base. Such findings may be mistaken for a primary rectal malignancy in limited biopsy material if not familiar to the pathologist.
https://ift.tt/2GwF2XL
Primary breast carcinomas with neuroendocrine features: Clinicopathological features and analysis of tumor growth patterns in 36 cases
Publication date: Available online 4 April 2018
Source:Annals of Diagnostic Pathology
Author(s): Canan Kelten Talu, Cem Leblebici, Tulin Kilicaslan Ozturk, Ezgi Hacihasanoglu, Sevim Baykal Koca, Zuhal Gucin
Primary breast carcinoma with neuroendocrine features (NEBC) is an uncommon tumor. In the classification of WHO 2012, these tumors were categorized as: 1- neuroendocrine tumor, well-differentiated; 2- neuroendocrine carcinoma, poorly differentiated/small cell carcinoma; and 3- invasive breast carcinoma with neuroendocrine differentiation. In this study, we reviewed NEBC except poorly differentiated/small cell carcinoma variant in order to define the morphological growth patterns and cytonuclear details of these tumors. All breast surgical excision materials between 2007 and 2016 were re-evaluated in terms of neuroendocrine differentiation. Thirty-six cases showing positive staining for synaptophysin and/or chromogranin A in ≥50% of tumor cells were included in the study. All cases were female with a mean age of 67.4. Mean tumor diameter was 26 mm. Multifocality was noted in 5 cases. Grossly, they were mostly infiltrative mass lesions. T stages, identified in 34 cases, were as follows: 13 cases with pT1; 19 pT2 and 2 pT3. We described schematically 4 types of patterns depending on predominant growth pattern, except one case: 1) Large-sized solid cohesive groups (6 cases), 2) Small- to medium-sized solid cohesive groups with trabeculae/ribbons and glandular structures (6 cases), 3) Mixed growth patterns (20 cases), 4) Invasive tumor with prominent extracellular and/or intracellular mucin (3 cases). The tumor cells were mostly polygonal-oval with eosinophilic/eosinophilic-granular cytoplasm. The nuclei of tumor cells were mostly round to oval with evenly distributed chromatin. Only 5 cases showed high grade nuclear and histological features. Molecular subtypes of the cases were as follows: 33 luminal A, 2 luminal B, and 1 triple negative. NEBC should come to mind when a tumor display one of the morphological patterns described above, composed of monotonous cells with mild to moderate nuclear pleomorphism and abundant eosinophilic/eosinophilic granular or clear cytoplasm, especially in elderly patients.
https://ift.tt/2EjF0ME
PD-L1 immuno-expression assay in thymomas: Study of 84 cases and review of literature
Publication date: Available online 4 April 2018
Source:Annals of Diagnostic Pathology
Author(s): Prerna Guleria, Nuzhat Husain, Saumya Shukla, Sunil Kumar, Rajinder Parshad, Deepali Jain
Background and aimsProgrammed death ligand 1 (PD-L1), an immune check point inhibitor, is known to be expressed in several malignancies and is being considered as a prognostic factor and a potential immunotherapeutic target. The aim of this study was to characterize PD-L1 expression in thymomas and to determine correlation with clinicopathological features and previously published studies in the literature.MethodsTissue microarrays were prepared from selected blocks of thymomas and immunohistochemistry (IHC) for PD-L1 was performed. Cases were considered as PD-L1 positive or negative depending on whether the percentage of stained thymic epithelial cells were <25 or >25%. Results were compared clinically and with previously published studies using Google and Pubmed search engines.ResultsOf 84 cases of thymoma, 69 (82.1%) revealed PD-L1 positivity in >25% cells. 94.23% of type B thymoma subtypes (B1/B2/B3) were PD-L1 positive (P < 0.001). There was no correlation of PD-L1 with age, gender, myasthenia gravis, the tumor size or stage of disease. Nine studies were available in the literature; most of which showed PD-L1 expression in higher stage and B subtype however percentage positivity varied from 53.7% to over 90%.ConclusionsPD-L1 expression is frequent in type B (B1/B2/B3) thymomas. It can be easily evaluated by IHC even on small biopsies in unresectable cases, thereby enabling improved clinical evaluation as well as prognostic stratification of patients. It will serve as a potential indicator for benefit from anti-PD-L1 antibody immunotherapy in thymomas.
https://ift.tt/2JlPVt5
Scholar : These new articles for Text and Performance Quarterly are available online
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A novel approach to evaluate potential risk of organic enrichment in marine aquaculture farms: a case study in Sanggou Bay
Abstract
A novel approach was proposed to evaluate the potential risk of organic enrichment in marine aquaculture farms without obvious environmental degradation. The approach was based on historical environmental records preserved in sediment cores, and potential risk of organic enrichment can be effectively evaluated by comparing burial fluxes of marine organic carbon (OCM) during times before and after large-scale aquaculture. A case study was conducted in Sanggou Bay. The change trends on burial fluxes of organic carbon in sediment over the past 150 years were rebuilt. OCM burial fluxes have greatly increased since the beginning of large-scale aquaculture in 1980s, reaching 16.0~16.5 times higher than that before large-scale aquaculture. The results indicate that aquaculture activities have resulted in obvious accumulation of aquacultural organic matters, although sedimental environment has not degraded seriously. Besides, if the OCM burial fluxes further increase to 3.5~7.0 times higher than that in present, sedimental environment may degrade obviously. Therefore, potential risks of organic enrichment still exist with aquaculture development in Sanggou Bay.
https://ift.tt/2GyozSZ
A case report of atypical Spitz tumor harboring a novel MLPH-ALK gene fusion with discordant ALK immunohistochemistry results
Publication date: Available online 4 April 2018
Source:Human Pathology
Author(s): Masakazu Fujimoto, Yuki Togashi, Ibu Matsuzaki, Satoko Baba, Kengo Takeuchi, Yutaka Inaba, Masatoshi Jinnin, Shin-ichi Murata
Frequent kinase fusions have been reported in spitzoid neoplasms, approximately 10% of which involve ALK rearrangements. Herein, we report a case of atypical Spitz tumor with a novel MLPH-ALK fusion, which has not been previously reported to contribute to cancer development. The tumor was detected in the right arm of a 40-year-old woman. The novel ALK fusion was identified by a 5′-rapid amplification of cDNA ends-based system optimized for formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded tissue. Initially, ALK expression was detected by immunohistochemistry using 5A4 antibodies for both sensitive and conventional polymer detection methods. However, the anti-ALK1 antibody, which is commonly used for the diagnosis of ALK-positive anaplastic large cell lymphoma, failed to confirm ALK expression. These results indicated that ALK immunohistochemistry results in ALK-rearranged atypical Spitz tumor may differ based on the type of primary antibody clone, which can be a potential diagnostic pitfall.
https://ift.tt/2GCKzrL
Renal histology in a patient with TAFRO Syndrome: A case report
Publication date: Available online 4 April 2018
Source:Human Pathology
Author(s): Hiroki Mizuno, Akinari Sekine, Masahiko Oguro, Yoichi Oshima, Masahiro Kawada, Keiichi Sumida, Masayuki Yamanouchi, Noriko Hayami, Tatsuya Suwabe, Rikako Hiramatsu, Eiko Hasegawa, Junichi Hoshino, Naoki Sawa, Takashi Fujii, Kenmei Takaichi, Kenichi Ohashi, Yoshifumi Ubara
An 84-year-old Japanese man was admitted due to anasarca, thrombocytopenia, systemic inflammation, and progressive renal insufficiency, resistant to diuretics, glucocorticoid therapy and plasma exchange. Renal biopsy showed diffuse endocapillary proliferation and mesangiolysis without any immune deposits. Tocilizumab suppressed systemic inflammation, resulting in improvement of anasarca and renal dysfunction, but thrombocytopenia persisted and platelet-associated IgG antibody was elevated. Though romiplostim was effective for thrombocytopenia, the patient died of aspiration pneumonia after cerebral hemorrhage. Autopsy showed the hyaline vascular type Castleman's disease-like lymphadenopathy and reticulin myelofibrosis with an increase of megakaryocytes. Renal finding showed that endocapillary injury improved, and collapsed glomeruli was noted. This patient fitted the criteria of TAFRO (thrombocytopenia (T), anasarca (A), fever (F), reticulin myelofibrosis (R), and organomegaly (O)) syndrome. The clinical course suggests that two factors, including overproduction of interleukin-6 and autoimmune-mediated thrombocytopenia via thrombopoietin receptor, may have contributed to the pathogenesis of TAFRO syndrome in this patient.
https://ift.tt/2JfDnU1
EWSR1-NFATC2 Gene Fusion in a Soft Tissue Tumor with Epithelioid Round Cell Morphology and Abundant Stroma: A Case Report and Review of the Literature
Publication date: Available online 4 April 2018
Source:Human Pathology
Author(s): Jarish N. Cohen, Amit J. Sabnis, Gregor Krings, Soo-Jin Cho, Andrew E. Horvai, Jessica L. Davis
SummaryMesenchymal round cell tumors are a diverse group of neoplasms defined by primitive, often high-grade cytomorphology. The most common molecular alterations detected in these tumors are gene rearrangements involving EWSR1 to one of many fusion partners. Rare EWSR1-NFATC2 gene rearrangements, corresponding to a t(20;22) gene translocation, have been described in mesenchymal tumors with clear round cell morphology and a predilection for the skeleton. We present a case of a tumor harboring the EWSR1-NFATC2 gene fusion arising in the subcutaneous tissue of a young woman. The tumor exhibited corded and trabecular architecture of epithelioid cells within abundant myxoid and fibrous stroma. The cells showed strong immunoreactivity for NKX2.2, variable CD99, keratin, and EMA, but were negative for S100 and myoepithelial markers. Importantly, similar to previously reported cases the clinical course was more indolent than that of Ewing sarcoma. This case highlights the distinctive clinicopathologic characteristics of EWSR1-NFATC2 gene fusion-associated neoplasms that distinguish them from Ewing sarcoma.
https://ift.tt/2GB5Ce2
Expanding the Histomorphologic Spectrum of TFE3 Rearranged PEComas
Publication date: Available online 4 April 2018
Source:Human Pathology
Author(s): Nolan Maloney, Krinio Giannikou, Joel Lefferts, Julia A. Bridge, Konstantinos Linos
Perivascular epithelioid tumors (PEComas) are a family of mesenchymal neoplasms that have smooth muscle and melanocytic differentiation. They can be sporadic or associated with Tuberous Sclerosis Complex and commonly present in the kidney as angiomyolipoma or in the lung as pulmonary clear cell sugar tumors or lymphangioleiomyomatosis. However, they can present at any visceral or soft tissue site. They usually have a benign clinical course, but rarely can behave in a malignant fashion. Most PEComas demonstrate abnormalities of TSC2, but a recently described subset harbor TFE3 rearrangements that appear to be mutually exclusive of TSC2 alterations. TFE3 rearranged PEComas demonstrate a distinct alveolar morphology that lacks spindle cells and smooth muscle differentiation. Distinction between these may have important therapeutic consequences. Herein, we present a case of a TFE3 rearranged PEComa without the customary morphology that required ancillary investigation with TFE3 immunohistochemistry and break-apart fluorescence in-situ hybridization (FISH) for proper categorization.
https://ift.tt/2JkkmjA
Placentas from women with pregnancy-associated venous insufficiency show villi damage with evidence of hypoxic cellular stress
Publication date: Available online 4 April 2018
Source:Human Pathology
Author(s): Natalio García-Honduvilla, Miguel A Ortega, Ángel Asúnsolo, María J Álvarez-Rocha, Beatriz Romero, Juan De León-Luis, Melchor Álvarez- Mon, Julia Buján
Lower extremity venous insufficiency (VI) is a complication of pregnancy. The potential association of this venous disease with structural damage of the placenta has not been described. We analyzed the pattern of histopathological lesions and the gene and protein expression of HIF1-α and apoptosis regulatory proteins. A prospective study was carried out on placenta samples from 43 women with pregnancy-associated VI and 24 age-matched pregnant healthy controls (HC). Women with VI showed a significant increase in the number of villi (150.77±42.55 VI versus 122.13±27.74 HC) and in syncytial knots compared to those found in placentas from HC (67.15±31.08 VI versus 42.49±17.36 HC), and an increase in the number of bridges (32.40±2.67 VI versus 22.73±2.37 HC) (P<.05). The mean number of syncytial nodes per villus is 1.37±0.90 in the VI group and 0.49±0.58 in the HC group (P<.001). Significant increases in the expression of Bax and Caspase-3 and 9 in the placentas from women with VI were observed compared to those found in HC. The expression of HIF-1α at both the mRNA and protein levels was also significantly increased in placentas from women with VI. Our study demonstrates that placentas from women with pregnancy-associated VI show structural remodeling, with an increase in the number of villi and syncytial knots and enhanced apoptotic cellular death. Interestingly, this placental damage is associated with an increased expression of hypoxia-triggered molecular pathways, such as HIF-1α.
https://ift.tt/2Gxhmyf
NGS combined with phylogenetic analysis to detect HIV-1 dual infection in Romanian people who inject drugs
Source:Microbes and Infection
Author(s): Bogdan Popescu, Leontina Banica, Ionelia Nicolae, Eugen Radu, Iulia Niculescu, Adrian Abagiu, Dan Otelea, Simona Paraschiv
Dual HIV infections are possible and likely in people who inject drugs (PWID). Thirty-eight newly diagnosed patients, 19 PWID and 19 heterosexually HIV infected were analysed. V2-V3 loop of HIV-1 env gene was sequenced on the NGS platform 454 GSJunior (Roche). HIV-1 dual/multiple infections were identified in five PWID. For three of these patients, the reconstructed variants belonged to pure F1 subtype and CRF14_BG strains according to phylogenetic analysis. New recombinant forms between these parental strains were identified in two PWID samples. NGS data can provide, with the help of phylogenetic analysis, important insights about the intra-host sub-population structure.
https://ift.tt/2q5AsWa
Topical Treatment of Skin Injury Inflicted in Mice by X-Ray Irradiation
Skin Pharmacol Physiol 2018;31:175–183
https://ift.tt/2EmWW9y
Scholar : The Aging Male, Volume 21, Issue 1, March 2018 is now available online on Taylor & Francis Online
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Melanoma of the Face and Mohs Micrographic Surgery: Nationwide Mortality Data Analysis
BACKGROUND Although Mohs micrographic surgery (MMS), narrow margin excision (NME), and wide margin excision (WME) are commonly used to treat melanoma of the face, there is a paucity of data comparing mortality outcomes for each method. OBJECTIVE To determine the association between surgical method used to treat cutaneous melanoma of the face and patient survival. MATERIALS AND METHODS A retrospective review of Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results registries for patients diagnosed with melanoma of the face between 2003 and 2012 was conducted. RESULTS The authors query resulted in 43,443 records. Patients with melanoma were more likely to undergo NME (57.79%) than WME (27.86%) or MMS (14.36%). Overall 5-year risk of death was higher with WME (hazard ratio [HR], 1.11; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.00–1.23; p = .043) and NME (HR, 1.10; 95% CI, 1.00–1.20; p = .046) relative to MMS after adjusting for patient demographics, residence socioeconomic factors, and tumor characteristics. No statistically significant difference in melanoma-specific mortality was found between different surgical methods on multivariate analysis. CONCLUSION Patients with melanoma of the face treated with MMS had similar melanoma-specific mortality or overall survival outcome as patients treated by other surgical modalities.https://ift.tt/2GAVW7C
Delayed Paleness After Hyaluronic Acid Filler Injection: A Warning Sign of Vascular Compromise
No abstract availablehttps://ift.tt/2q3sWdm
Impact of National Comprehensive Cancer Network Guidelines on Case Selection and Outcomes for Sentinel Lymph Node Biopsy in Thin Melanoma
BACKGROUND In 2010, the National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) recommended sentinel lymph node biopsy (SLNB) for thin melanomas ≤1 mm with mitotic rate (MR) ≥1. In 2016, the criteria were changed to Breslow depth >0.75 mm and MR ≥1. OBJECTIVE To compare the impact of 2010 and 2016 NCCN guidelines on SLNB case selection and thin melanoma outcomes. MATERIALS AND METHODS Ten-year retrospective cohort of primary thin melanomas at an academic hospital was retroactively stratified for SLNB eligibility using the 2010 and 2016 NCCN guidelines. Nodal recurrence-free survival (NRFS) and disease-free survival (DFS) were compared. RESULTS Eight hundred two patients with 859 tumors and median follow-up of 79 months were included. Eleven percent fewer tumors qualified for SLNB under 2016 versus 2010 NCCN guidelines (19% vs 8%, phttps://ift.tt/2Jg3aeS
Primary Cutaneous Cribriform Carcinoma Treated With Mohs Micrographic Surgery
No abstract availablehttps://ift.tt/2EgYMIJ
Use of Hypochlorous Acid as a Preoperative Antiseptic Before Placement of Dermal Fillers: An Alternative to the Standard Options
No abstract availablehttps://ift.tt/2EjtL73
A Retrospective Assessment of Postoperative Bleeding Complications in Anticoagulated Patients Following Mohs Micrographic Surgery
BACKGROUND A significant number of patients undergoing Mohs micrographic surgery (MMS) for skin cancer are treated with oral anticoagulants. The incidence of postoperative complications associated with new classes of oral anticoagulants remains largely unknown. OBJECTIVE To determine the incidence of postoperative complications in patients undergoing MMS on both traditional oral anticoagulants and new novel oral anticoagulants. MATERIALS AND METHODS A single-center retrospective chart review was performed for all patients treated with oral anticoagulants who underwent MMS between July 1, 2012 and June 30, 2015 at University of California, San Diego. RESULTS The data from this study demonstrated that patients treated with a novel oral anticoagulant at the time of MMS had a statistically significant greater risk for developing postoperative hemorrhagic complications compared to patients treated with traditional oral anticoagulants. CONCLUSION Dermatologic surgeons should manage both traditional oral anticoagulants and novel oral anticoagulants in a similar manner. Future studies are warranted.https://ift.tt/2GyAsZb
Giant Porokeratosis With Malignant Transformation to Squamous Cell Carcinoma
No abstract availablehttps://ift.tt/2q5qvap
Improving Sun-Protective Behaviors and Self-Skin Examinations Among African Americans: A Randomized Controlled Trial
BACKGROUND Few studies describing sun-protective behaviors, knowledge, and self-efficacy in African Americans exist. Although educational programs targeting Caucasians and Hispanics have been successful in increasing melanoma awareness and knowledge, no such investigation has been applied to African Americans. OBJECTIVE To evaluate the effectiveness of a brochure or video educational intervention on the sun-protective behaviors, knowledge, and self-efficacy regarding melanoma in African Americans. MATERIALS AND METHODS A randomized controlled trial of a presurvey and postsurvey, in an academic outpatient dermatology clinic. Participants were self-identified African Americans, at least 18 years old, fluent, and literate in English. Patients randomized to the brochure-intervention group (n = 72) received a melanoma brochure from the National Cancer Institute. Patients randomized to the video-intervention group (n = 71) received the brochure and watched an online melanoma tutorial. RESULTS Sun-protective behaviors, knowledge, and self-efficacy regarding melanoma all improved equally from pre-to posteducation, in both the brochure- and video-intervention groups. CONCLUSION Melanoma educational interventions similar to those previously demonstrated to be successful in Caucasian and Hispanic populations are also effective among African Americans.https://ift.tt/2JjLqiW
Drug Delivery After Microneedling: Report of an Adverse Reaction
No abstract availablehttps://ift.tt/2q5qp2x
Healing Time Correlates With the Quality of Scaring: Results From a Prospective Randomized Control Donor Site Trial
BACKGROUND Scar formation remains a potential problem after surgery or trauma. Factors influencing scar tissue have been recognized, most notably healing time and wound depth. OBJECTIVE To examine the association between healing time and the quality of scar tissue formation. MATERIALS AND METHODS Scarring was assessed at 3 and 12 months after treatment in an RCT of 219 patients and consecutive 438 split-thickness skin graft donor sites. The primary end point of the study was healing time and the quality of scar tissue, which was scored by a validated scar scale evaluating scar height, surface, and color. RESULTS The mean time of wound healing was 15.8 days, with a mean scar score of 6.89 at 3 months and 4.66 at 12 months. There was a significant (phttps://ift.tt/2JiTUXr
Thermal Ultra Short Photodynamic Therapy: Heating Fibroblasts During Sub–30-Minute Incubation of 5-Aminolevulinic Acid Increases Photodynamic Therapy–Induced Cell Death
BACKGROUND Actinic keratoses (AKs) prevalence was estimated at 39.5 million Americans in 2004, and the cost to treat AKs that year was approximately 1 billion dollars. Photodynamic therapy (PDT) is an FDA-approved therapy for the treatment of AK. Recent studies have focused on reducing PDT treatment time while maintaining efficacy. OBJECTIVE To investigate the use of thermal modulation to improve the efficacy of ultra short aminolevulinic acid (ALA) incubation PDT. MATERIALS AND METHODS Human dermal fibroblasts (HDFs) were incubated for 10, 15, or 20 minutes with 0.5-mM ALA at various temperatures (21, 24, 27, 30, 33, 36, 39, and 42°C). After ALA incubation, samples were treated for 1,000 seconds with blue light (417 ± 5 nm) resulting in a fluence of 10 J/cm2. Samples were collected and stained for apoptosis/necrosis with annexin-V and 7-aminoactinomycin D (7-AAD), then analyzed by flow cytometry. RESULTS Human dermal fibroblast treated with 10-minute ALA-PDT had no statistically significant changes in apoptosis at all temperatures. Human dermal fibroblast treated with 15- or 20-minute ALA-PDT had statistically significant increases in apoptosis at 39 and 42°C (phttps://ift.tt/2GAVRAQ
Nonmelanoma Skin Cancer Risk in Patients With Inflammatory Bowel Disease Undergoing Thiopurine Therapy: A Systematic Review of the Literature
BACKGROUND Azathioprine and 6-mercaptopurine (thiopurines) are common adjunct treatments for inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). Although thiopurine therapy in organ transplant recipients is known to increase nonmelanoma skin cancers (NMSCs), dermatologic literature yields less data regarding NMSC risk of thiopurine use in IBD. OBJECTIVE The aim of this study was to systematically review current literature on NMSC risk in patients with IBD using thiopurine therapy. METHODS Systematic review of PubMed was performed with keywords "inflammatory bowel disease," "ulcerative colitis," "Crohn's disease," "thiopurine," "azathioprine," "6-mercaptopurine," "skin cancer," "non-melanoma," "squamous cell carcinoma," and "basal cell carcinoma." All available publication years were included. Publications were evaluated using PRISMA guidelines. RESULTS The systematic review yielded 67 articles; 18 met final inclusion criteria. LIMITATIONS Heterogeneity of study designs limited direct comparisons of thiopurine exposure and NMSC risk. CONCLUSION Patients with IBD using thiopurines seem to have a moderately increased risk of NMSC that is proportional to therapy duration. Risk of NMSC seems to decrease or return to baseline after discontinuing therapy, although additional data are needed to support this trend. Younger patients with IBD using thiopurines seem to be at greater risk of NMSC. Appreciating NMSC risk in patients with IBD undergoing thiopurine therapy should help direct skin cancer screening recommendations and sun protective measures.https://ift.tt/2EjKsPP
Randomized, Double-Blinded, Sham-Controlled, Split-Hand Trial Evaluating the Safety and Efficacy of Triamcinolone Acetate Injection After Calcium Hydroxylapatite Volume Restoration of the Dorsal Hand
BACKGROUND Calcium hydroxylapatite (CaHA) is currently the only FDA-approved soft-tissue filler indicated for augmentation of the dorsal hand. Although the treatment is generally safe and effective, adverse side effects such as swelling and edema postinjection are common and can sometimes be debilitating. OBJECTIVE In this study, the authors explore the utility of triamcinolone acetate coinjection with CaHA to the dorsal hands to mitigate adverse effects and improve patient experience. PATIENTS AND METHODS After obtaining informed consent, 20 subjects were enrolled in this double-blind, randomized, split-hand, sham-controlled clinical trial. Subject hands were randomized to receive either CaHA with triamcinolone acetate or CaHA with sham saline coinjection. Follow-up evaluations were performed by a blinded investigator at Days 7, 14, 30, 90, 180, 270, and 360 and consisted of the validated Merz Hand Grading Scale and assessments of erythema, edema, modules, bruising, and skin atrophy. Subjects also kept a daily diary for the first 30 days postinjection documenting bruising, itching, pain, redness, swelling, difficulty in performing activities with hands, and sensory alteration in hands. RESULTS There were no significant differences in treatment efficacy between the 2 groups. Post-treatment swelling was significantly reduced between Days 6 and 19 in the triamcinolone acetate coinjection group. CONCLUSION The addition of triamcinolone acetate coinjection with CaHA for dorsal hand augmentation did not negatively impact treatment efficacy but significantly reduced adverse side effects. This strategy represents a safe and effective way to improve patient experience and treatment tolerability.https://ift.tt/2Jl7REb
Topical Imiquimod for Melanoma In Situ? A Word of Caveat
No abstract availablehttps://ift.tt/2q7pYVl
Randomized, Patient/Evaluator-Blinded, Intraindividual Comparison Study to Evaluate the Efficacy and Safety of a Novel Hyaluronic Acid Dermal Filler in the Treatment of Nasolabial Folds
BACKGROUND Comparative research on the characteristics of filler products is limited, especially in the preclinical analysis of hyaluronic acid (HA) fillers. OBJECTIVE This study was performed to compare the preclinical characteristics, clinical efficacy, and safety of a new HA filler, IDHF-001, with Restylane SubQ in the treatment of nasolabial folds (NLFs). METHODS Viscoelasticity and injection force were evaluated. Ninety-one subjects were enrolled in this randomized, patient/evaluator-blind, intraindividual clinical study. Each subject was randomized to receive injections of IDHF-001 or Restylane SubQ in their left or right NLF. At 4, 8, 16, 24, 36, and 48 weeks, all participants were evaluated through Wrinkle Severity Rating Scale (WSRS). RESULTS The IDHF-001 showed higher viscosity (1,271 Pa·s), lower elastic modulus (G′; 611 Pa), and lower injection force (8.89 N) than Restylane SubQ (464.6 Pa·s; 674.8 Pa; 19.14 N). No significant difference in WSRS was detected between IDHF-001 side and Restylane SubQ side at 24 weeks (mean improvement in WSRS from baseline at Week 24—IDHF-001: 1.85 ± 0.61, Restylane SubQ: 1.88 ± 0.61). The noninferiority was sustained until Week 48. CONCLUSION The novel HA filler IDHF-001 shows suitable characteristics and tolerability, widening the selection possibilities for clinicians and patients in the treatment of NLFs.https://ift.tt/2GyAaBz
Without Adaptive Immunity, There’s a Cost to Responding STAT
Publication date: 3 April 2018
Source:Cell Metabolism, Volume 27, Issue 4
Author(s): Eric M. Brown, Ramnik J. Xavier
The relative contributions of innate and adaptive immune mechanisms in responding to the intestinal microbiota during ontogeny are largely unknown. A recent study in Nature by Mao et al. (2018) elegantly dissects the role of each cell type in the intestine and further describes the metabolic cost to innate immunity.
Teaser
The relative contributions of innate and adaptive immune mechanisms in responding to the intestinal microbiota during ontogeny are largely unknown. A recent study in Nature by Mao et al. (2018) elegantly dissects the role of each cell type in the intestine and further describes the metabolic cost to innate immunity.https://ift.tt/2IrWMjw
Fighting for Resources: Who Started the Battle? Who Is Winning It?
Publication date: 3 April 2018
Source:Cell Metabolism, Volume 27, Issue 4
Author(s): Vanessa Zuzarte-Luis, Maria M. Mota
Several vacuolar bacteria and parasites, such as Legionella, Chlamydia, and Toxoplasma, have been reported to grow associated with host mitochondria. The reason behind this phenomenon remains elusive. In this issue of Cell Metabolism, Pernas et al. (2018) propose that fusion of host mitochondria limits the availability of fatty acids needed for Toxoplasma gondii replication.
Teaser
Several vacuolar bacteria and parasites, such as Legionella, Chlamydia, and Toxoplasma, have been reported to grow associated with host mitochondria. The reason behind this phenomenon remains elusive. In this issue of Cell Metabolism, Pernas et al. (2018) propose that fusion of host mitochondria limits the availability of fatty acids needed for Toxoplasma gondii replication.https://ift.tt/2GQVD7U
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Summary Insulinomas are rare neuroendocrine tumours that classically present with fasting hypoglycaemia. This case report discusses an un...
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