Setting a research agenda for progressive multiple sclerosis: The International Collaborative on Progressive MS

Science.gov (United States)

Thompson, Alan; Baker, David; Baneke, Peer; Brown, Doug; Browne, Paul; Chandraratna, Dhia; Ciccarelli, Olga; Coetzee, Timothy; Comi, Giancarlo; Feinstein, Anthony; Kapoor, Raj; Lee, Karen; Salvetti, Marco; Sharrock, Kersten; Toosy, Ahmed; Zaratin, Paola; Zuidwijk, Kim

2012-01-01

Despite significant progress in the development of therapies for relapsing MS, progressive MS remains comparatively disappointing. Our objective, in this paper, is to review the current challenges in developing therapies for progressive MS and identify key priority areas for research. A collaborative was convened by volunteer and staff leaders from several MS societies with the mission to expedite the development of effective disease-modifying and symptom management therapies for progressive forms of multiple sclerosis. Through a series of scientific and strategic planning meetings, the collaborative identified and developed new perspectives on five key priority areas for research: experimental models, identification and validation of targets and repurposing opportunities, proof-of-concept clinical trial strategies, clinical outcome measures, and symptom management and rehabilitation. Our conclusions, tackling the impediments in developing therapies for progressive MS will require an integrated, multi-disciplinary approach to enable effective translation of research into therapies for progressive MS. Engagement of the MS research community through an international effort is needed to address and fund these research priorities with the ultimate goal of expediting the development of disease-modifying and symptom-relief treatments for progressive MS. PMID:22917690

[Comparative analysis of visual function and the quality of life index with eyeglasses or a progressive contact lens].

Science.gov (United States)

Sant'Anna, Neusa Vidal; Schor, Paulo; Lipener, César; Uras, Ricardo

2006-01-01

To compare the visual function and the answers to a questionnaire of quality of life of patients wearing a progressive contact lens or eyeglasses. The Focus Progressive contact lens had been fitted in 35 patients with far visual acuity with progressive-addition eyeglasses equal to zero (log MAR) and near J1 (Jaeger). The far and near visual acuities and the measurement of contrast sensitivity were compared when the patients were wearing the eyeglasses or the contact lens and the patients' results of the scores of the quality of life questionnaire (NEI VFQ-25) were analyzed statistically considering the type of ametropy and the age. The far and near visual acuities and the contrast sensitivity measurement were worse with the contact lens than with eyeglasses. The answers to the questionnaire did not differ when were comparing the same patients wearing eyeglasses or contact lens, no matter the type of ametropy. The myopic and the hyperopic subgroups had worse answers to the quality of life questionnaire when corrected with the contact lens than with eyeglasses, both with age equal to or less than their median. The visual function was worse with the contact lens. The type of ametropy did not influence the answers to the quality of life questionnaire considering the optical correction, but age did.

Progressive high-load strength training compared with general low-load exercises in patients with rotator cuff tendinopathy

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Ingwersen, Kim G; Christensen, Robin; Sørensen, Lilli

2015-01-01

of this trial is to compare the efficacy of progressive high-load exercises with traditional low-load exercises in patients with rotator cuff tendinopathy. Methods/Design: The current study is a randomised, participant- and assessor-blinded, controlled multicentre trial. A total of 260 patients with rotator...... cuff tendinopathy will be recruited from three outpatient shoulder departments in Denmark, and randomised to either 12 weeks of progressive high-load strength training or to general low-load exercises. Patients will receive six individually guided exercise sessions with a physiotherapist and perform...

Carfilzomib significantly improves the progression-free survival of high-risk patients in multiple myeloma.

Science.gov (United States)

Avet-Loiseau, Hervé; Fonseca, Rafael; Siegel, David; Dimopoulos, Meletios A; Špička, Ivan; Masszi, Tamás; Hájek, Roman; Rosiñol, Laura; Goranova-Marinova, Vesselina; Mihaylov, Georgi; Maisnar, Vladimír; Mateos, Maria-Victoria; Wang, Michael; Niesvizky, Ruben; Oriol, Albert; Jakubowiak, Andrzej; Minarik, Jiri; Palumbo, Antonio; Bensinger, William; Kukreti, Vishal; Ben-Yehuda, Dina; Stewart, A Keith; Obreja, Mihaela; Moreau, Philippe

2016-09-01

The presence of certain high-risk cytogenetic abnormalities, such as translocations (4;14) and (14;16) and deletion (17p), are known to have a negative impact on survival in multiple myeloma (MM). The phase 3 study ASPIRE (N = 792) demonstrated that progression-free survival (PFS) was significantly improved with carfilzomib, lenalidomide, and dexamethasone (KRd), compared with lenalidomide and dexamethasone (Rd) in relapsed MM. This preplanned subgroup analysis of ASPIRE was conducted to evaluate KRd vs Rd by baseline cytogenetics according to fluorescence in situ hybridization. Of 417 patients with known cytogenetic risk status, 100 patients (24%) were categorized with high-risk cytogenetics (KRd, n = 48; Rd, n = 52) and 317 (76%) were categorized with standard-risk cytogenetics (KRd, n = 147; Rd, n = 170). For patients with high-risk cytogenetics, treatment with KRd resulted in a median PFS of 23.1 months, a 9-month improvement relative to treatment with Rd. For patients with standard-risk cytogenetics, treatment with KRd led to a 10-month improvement in median PFS vs Rd. The overall response rates for KRd vs Rd were 79.2% vs 59.6% (high-risk cytogenetics) and 91.2% vs 73.5% (standard-risk cytogenetics); approximately fivefold as many patients with high- or standard-risk cytogenetics achieved a complete response or better with KRd vs Rd (29.2% vs 5.8% and 38.1% vs 6.5%, respectively). KRd improved but did not abrogate the poor prognosis associated with high-risk cytogenetics. This regimen had a favorable benefit-risk profile in patients with relapsed MM, irrespective of cytogenetic risk status, and should be considered a standard of care in these patients. This trial was registered at www.clinicaltrials.gov as #NCT01080391. © 2016 by The American Society of Hematology.

Significant progress towards development of the low-level radioactive waste disposal facility in Illinois

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Klebe, M.; Henry, T.L.; Corpstein, P.

1996-01-01

Development of disposal sites for low-level radioactive waste is a complicated legal, regulatory and public sector process. Development of the low-level radioactive waste disposal facility to support generators in Illinois and Kentucky is well under way. Significant progress has been made to re-engineer the siting development process capitalizing on prior lessons learned and a recommitment from Illinois state leadership assuring the future success of the program. Comparisons of why this new process will succeed are the major focus of this paper. Specific changes in approach from the previous process including changes in the Illinois Management Act (Management Act), creation of the Illinois Low-Level Radioactive Waste Siting Task Group (Task Group), new roles for the Illinois State Geologic Survey and Illinois State Water Survey (Scientific Surveys) and the Illinois Department of Nuclear Safety (IDNS), a new contractor reliance approach and increased confidence on the open-quote science close-quote are the major contrasts between the previous process and the new process currently underway

Glaucoma progression detection with frequency doubling technology (FDT) compared to standard automated perimetry (SAP) in the Groningen Longitudinal Glaucoma Study.

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Wesselink, Christiaan; Jansonius, Nomdo M

2017-09-01

To determine the usefulness of frequency doubling perimetry (FDT) for progression detection in glaucoma, compared to standard automated perimetry (SAP). Data were used from 150 eyes of 150 glaucoma patients from the Groningen Longitudinal Glaucoma Study. After baseline, SAP was performed approximately yearly; FDT every other year. First and last visit had to contain both tests. Using linear regression, progression velocities were calculated for SAP (Humphrey Field Analyzer) mean deviation (MD) and FDT MD and the number of test locations with a total deviation probability below p glaucoma progression in patients who cannot perform SAP reliably. © 2017 The Authors Ophthalmic & Physiological Optics © 2017 The College of Optometrists.

Progression in vowel production: comparing deaf and hearing children

NARCIS (Netherlands)

van der Stelt, J.; Pols, L.C.W.; Wempe, T.G.

2003-01-01

An interesting but so far neglected topic in the development of infant sound production is the hypothesized progression toward adult vowel quality. Likely, this process is quite different for normally hearing babies and for deaf babies. A band filtering analysis method is used to measure the

Anxiety and Anger Symptoms in Hwabyung Patients Improved More following 4 Weeks of the Emotional Freedom Technique Program Compared to the Progressive Muscle Relaxation Program: A Randomized Controlled Trial

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jin Woo Suh

2015-01-01

Full Text Available Background. The Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT is a meridian-based psychological therapy. The present clinical trial investigates the effectiveness of EFT as a new treatment option for Hwabyung (HB patients experiencing anger and compares the efficacy to the Progressive Muscle Relaxation (PMR, the conventional meditation technique. Methods. The EFT and progressive muscle relaxation (PMR methods were performed on 27 HB patients, and their capacities to alleviate anxiety, anger, and emotional status were compared. After a 4-week program, a survey was conducted; patients then completed a self-training program for 4 weeks, followed by a second survey. Results. During the initial 4 weeks, the EFT group experienced a significant decrease in the HB symptom scale, anger state, and paranoia ideation (p<0.05. Over the entire 9-week interval, there were significant decreases in the HB symptom scale, anxiety state, anger state, anger trait, somatization, anxiety, hostility, and so on in EFT group (p<0.05. Conclusion. The EFT group showed improved psychological symptoms and physical symptoms greater than those observed in the PMR group. EFT more effectively alleviated HB symptoms compared to PMR. EFT group showed better maintenance during self-training, suggesting good model of self-control treatment in HB patients.

Comparative Effects of Different Balance-Training-Progression Styles on Postural Control and Ankle Force Production: A Randomized Controlled Trial.

Science.gov (United States)

Cuğ, Mutlu; Duncan, Ashley; Wikstrom, Erik

2016-02-01

Despite the effectiveness of balance training, the exact parameters needed to maximize the benefits of such programs remain unknown. One such factor is how individuals should progress to higher levels of task difficulty within a balance-training program. Yet no investigators have directly compared different balance-training-progression styles. To compare an error-based progression (ie, advance when proficient at a task) with a repetition-based progression (ie, advance after a set amount of repetitions) style during a balance-training program in healthy individuals. Randomized controlled trial. Research laboratory. A total of 28 (16 women, 12 men) physically healthy young adults (age = 21.57 ± 3.95 years, height = 171.60 ± 11.03 cm, weight = 72.96 ± 16.18 kg, body mass index = 24.53 ± 3.7). All participants completed 12 supervised balance-training sessions over 4 weeks. Each session consisted of a combination of dynamic unstable-surface tasks that incorporated a BOSU ball and lasted about 30 minutes. Static balance from an instrumented force plate, dynamic balance as measured via the Star Excursion Balance Test, and ankle force production in all 4 cardinal planes of motion as measured with a handheld dynamometer before and after the intervention. Selected static postural-control outcomes, dynamic postural control, and ankle force production in all planes of motion improved (P .05) for any of the outcome measures. A 4-week balance-training program consisting of dynamic unstable-surface exercises on a BOSU ball improved dynamic postural control and ankle force production in healthy young adults. These results suggest that an error-based balance-training program is comparable with but not superior to a repetition-based balance-training program in improving postural control and ankle force production in healthy young adults.

Progression criteria for cancer antigen 15.3 and carcinoembryonic antigen in metastatic breast cancer compared by computer simulation of marker data

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Sölétormos, G; Hyltoft Petersen, P; Dombernowsky, P

2000-01-01

.3 and carcinoembryonic antigen concentrations were combined with representative values for background variations in a computer simulation model. Fifteen criteria for assessment of longitudinal tumor marker data were obtained from the literature and computerized. Altogether, 7200 different patients, each based on 50......BACKGROUND: We investigated the utility of computer simulation models for performance comparisons of different tumor marker assessment criteria to define progression or nonprogression of metastatic breast cancer. METHODS: Clinically relevant values for progressive cancer antigen 15...... of progression. CONCLUSIONS: The computer simulation model is a fast, effective, and inexpensive approach for comparing the diagnostic potential of assessment criteria during clinically relevant conditions of steady-state and progressive disease. The model systems can be used to generate tumor marker assessment...

Childhood-compared to adolescent-onset bipolar disorder has more statistically significant clinical correlates.

Science.gov (United States)

Holtzman, Jessica N; Miller, Shefali; Hooshmand, Farnaz; Wang, Po W; Chang, Kiki D; Hill, Shelley J; Rasgon, Natalie L; Ketter, Terence A

2015-07-01

The strengths and limitations of considering childhood-and adolescent-onset bipolar disorder (BD) separately versus together remain to be established. We assessed this issue. BD patients referred to the Stanford Bipolar Disorder Clinic during 2000-2011 were assessed with the Systematic Treatment Enhancement Program for BD Affective Disorders Evaluation. Patients with childhood- and adolescent-onset were compared to those with adult-onset for 7 unfavorable bipolar illness characteristics with replicated associations with early-onset patients. Among 502 BD outpatients, those with childhood- (adolescent- (13-18 years, N=218) onset had significantly higher rates for 4/7 unfavorable illness characteristics, including lifetime comorbid anxiety disorder, at least ten lifetime mood episodes, lifetime alcohol use disorder, and prior suicide attempt, than those with adult-onset (>18 years, N=174). Childhood- but not adolescent-onset BD patients also had significantly higher rates of first-degree relative with mood disorder, lifetime substance use disorder, and rapid cycling in the prior year. Patients with pooled childhood/adolescent - compared to adult-onset had significantly higher rates for 5/7 of these unfavorable illness characteristics, while patients with childhood- compared to adolescent-onset had significantly higher rates for 4/7 of these unfavorable illness characteristics. Caucasian, insured, suburban, low substance abuse, American specialty clinic-referred sample limits generalizability. Onset age is based on retrospective recall. Childhood- compared to adolescent-onset BD was more robustly related to unfavorable bipolar illness characteristics, so pooling these groups attenuated such relationships. Further study is warranted to determine the extent to which adolescent-onset BD represents an intermediate phenotype between childhood- and adult-onset BD. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Disease progression in usual interstitial pneumonia compared with desquamative interstitial pneumonia. Assessment with serial CT

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hartman, T.E.; Primack, S.L.; Kang, E.Y.

1997-01-01

Objective. To determine the outcome of areas of ground-glass attenuation and assess disease progression on serial high-resolution CT (HRCT) scans of patients with biopsy specimen-proved usual interstitial pneumonia (UIP) and desquamative interstitial pneumonia (DIP). Materials and methods. Twelve patients with biopsy specimen-proved UIP and 11 patients with biopsy specimen-proved DIP who had initial and follow-up HRCT scans (median interval, 10 months) were reviewed. Eleven patients with UIP and 11 with DIP received treatment between the initial and follow-up CT scans. The scans were evaluated for the presence and extent of ground-glass attenuation, irregular linear opacities and honeycombing, and overall extent of parenchymal involvement. Results. On initial CT scans, all 12 patients with UIP had areas of ground-glass attenuation (mean±SD extent, 30±16%) and irregular lines (mean±SD extent, 17±7%) and 10 patients had honeycombing (mean±SD extent, 10±6%). All 11 patients with DIP had areas of ground-glass attenuation on initial HRCT scans (mean±SD extent, 51±26%), 5 patients had irregular linear opacities (mean±SD extent, 5±5%), and 1 patient had honeycombing. Nine of the 12 patients with UIP showed increase in the extent of ground-glass attenuation (n=6) or progression to irregular lines (n=2) or honeycombing (n=4) on follow-up as compared with only 2 patients with DIP who showed progression to irregular lines (n=1) or honeycombing (n=1) (p 2 test). Conclusion. In patients with UIP, areas of ground-glass attenuation usually increase in extent or progress to fibrosis despite treatment. Areas of ground-glass attenuation in most patients with DIP remain stable or improve with treatment. (authors)

Second harmonic generation reveals matrix alterations during breast tumor progression

Science.gov (United States)

Burke, Kathleen; Tang, Ping; Brown, Edward

2013-03-01

Alteration of the extracellular matrix in tumor stroma influences efficiency of cell locomotion away from the primary tumor into surrounding tissues and vasculature, thereby affecting metastatic potential. We study matrix changes in breast cancer through the use of second harmonic generation (SHG) of collagen in order to improve the current understanding of breast tumor stromal development. Specifically, we utilize a quantitative analysis of the ratio of forward to backward propagating SHG signal (F/B ratio) to monitor collagen throughout ductal and lobular carcinoma development. After detection of a significant decrease in the F/B ratio of invasive but not in situ ductal carcinoma compared with healthy tissue, the collagen F/B ratio is investigated to determine the evolution of fibrillar collagen changes throughout tumor progression. Results are compared with the progression of lobular carcinoma, whose F/B signature also underwent significant evolution during progression, albeit in a different manner, which offers insight into varying methods of tissue penetration and collagen manipulation between the carcinomas. This research provides insights into trends of stromal reorganization throughout breast tumor development.

[Comparative mutagenesis of human cells in vivo and in vitro]. Progress report, January 1-December 30, 1985

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1985-01-01

Annual progress report is made on project focusing on the comparative mutagenesis of human cells in vivo and in vitro. The study employs the HGPRT gene to explore the changes in nucleotide sequence which has occurred in spontaneous mutations or mutations induced by MNNG or ICR191. Reports on the individual projects have been abstracted and indexed for the Energy Data Base. (DT)

Comparative Physiological and Molecular Analyses of Two Contrasting Flue-Cured Tobacco Genotypes under Progressive Drought Stress

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Xinhong Su

2017-05-01

Full Text Available Drought is a major environmental factor that limits crop growth and productivity. Flue-cured tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum is one of the most important commercial crops worldwide and its productivity is vulnerable to drought. However, comparative analyses of physiological, biochemical and gene expression changes in flue-cured tobacco varieties differing in drought tolerance under long-term drought stress are scarce. In this study, drought stress responses of two flue-cured tobacco varieties, LJ851 and JX6007, were comparatively studied at the physiological and transcriptional levels. After exposing to progressive drought stress, the drought-tolerant LJ851 showed less growth inhibition and chlorophyll reduction than the drought-sensitive JX6007. Moreover, higher antioxidant enzyme activities and lower levels of H2O2, Malondialdehyde (MDA, and electrolyte leakage after drought stress were found in LJ851 when compared with JX6007. Further analysis showed that LJ851 plants had much less reductions than the JX6007 in the net photosynthesis rate and stomatal conductance during drought stress; indicating that LJ851 had better photosynthetic performance than JX6007 during drought. In addition, transcriptional expression analysis revealed that LJ851 exhibited significantly increased transcripts of several categories of drought-responsive genes in leaves and roots under drought conditions. Together, these results indicated that LJ851 was more drought-tolerant than JX6007 as evidenced by better photosynthetic performance, more powerful antioxidant system, and higher expression of stress defense genes during drought stress. This study will be valuable for the development of novel flue-cured tobacco varieties with improved drought tolerance by exploitation of natural genetic variations in the future.

Association between metformin use and progression of monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance to multiple myeloma in US veterans with diabetes mellitus: a population-based retrospective cohort study.

Science.gov (United States)

Chang, Su-Hsin; Luo, Suhong; O'Brian, Katiuscia K; Thomas, Theodore S; Colditz, Graham A; Carlsson, Nils P; Carson, Kenneth R

2015-01-01

Multiple myeloma is one of the most common haematological malignancies in the USA and is consistently preceded by monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance (MGUS). We aimed to assess the association between metformin use and progression of MGUS to multiple myeloma. We did a retrospective cohort study of patients registered in the US Veterans Health Administration database and diagnosed with MGUS between Oct 1, 1999, and Dec 31, 2009. We included patients (aged >18 years) with at least one International Classification of Diseases (9th revision) code for diabetes mellitus and one treatment for their diabetes before MGUS diagnosis. We reviewed patient-level clinical data to verify diagnoses and extract any available data for size of baseline M-protein and type of MGUS. We defined metformin users as patients with diabetes who were given metformin consistently for 4 years after their diabetes diagnosis and before multiple myeloma development, death, or censorship. Our primary outcome was time from MGUS diagnosis to multiple myeloma diagnosis. We used Kaplan-Meier curves and Cox models to analyse the association between metformin use and MGUS progression. We obtained data for 3287 patients, of whom 2003 (61%) were included in the final analytical cohort. Median follow-up was 69 months (IQR 49–96). 463 (23%) participants were metformin users and 1540 (77%) participants were non-users. 13 (3%) metformin users progressed to multiple myeloma compared with 74 (5%) non-users. After adjustment, metformin use was associated with a reduced risk of progression to multiple myeloma (hazard ratio 0·47, 95% CI 0·25–0·87). For patients with diabetes diagnosed with MGUS, metformin use for 4 years or longer was associated with a reduced risk of progression of MGUS to multiple myeloma. Prospective studies are needed to establish whether this association is causal and whether these results can be extrapolated to non-diabetic individuals. Barnes-Jewish Hospital Foundation

Comparative Effects of Different Balance-Training–Progression Styles on Postural Control and Ankle Force Production: A Randomized Controlled Trial

Science.gov (United States)

Cuğ, Mutlu; Duncan, Ashley; Wikstrom, Erik

2016-01-01

Context:  Despite the effectiveness of balance training, the exact parameters needed to maximize the benefits of such programs remain unknown. One such factor is how individuals should progress to higher levels of task difficulty within a balance-training program. Yet no investigators have directly compared different balance-training–progression styles. Objective:  To compare an error-based progression (ie, advance when proficient at a task) with a repetition-based progression (ie, advance after a set amount of repetitions) style during a balance-training program in healthy individuals. Design:  Randomized controlled trial. Setting:  Research laboratory. Patients or Other Participants:  A total of 28 (16 women, 12 men) physically healthy young adults (age = 21.57 ± 3.95 years, height = 171.60 ± 11.03 cm, weight = 72.96 ± 16.18 kg, body mass index = 24.53 ± 3.7). Intervention(s):  All participants completed 12 supervised balance-training sessions over 4 weeks. Each session consisted of a combination of dynamic unstable-surface tasks that incorporated a BOSU ball and lasted about 30 minutes. Main Outcome Measure(s):  Static balance from an instrumented force plate, dynamic balance as measured via the Star Excursion Balance Test, and ankle force production in all 4 cardinal planes of motion as measured with a handheld dynamometer before and after the intervention. Results:  Selected static postural-control outcomes, dynamic postural control, and ankle force production in all planes of motion improved (P .05) for any of the outcome measures. Conclusions:  A 4-week balance-training program consisting of dynamic unstable-surface exercises on a BOSU ball improved dynamic postural control and ankle force production in healthy young adults. These results suggest that an error-based balance-training program is comparable with but not superior to a repetition-based balance-training program in improving postural control and ankle force production in

Hierarchical cluster analysis of progression patterns in open-angle glaucoma patients with medical treatment.

Science.gov (United States)

Bae, Hyoung Won; Rho, Seungsoo; Lee, Hye Sun; Lee, Naeun; Hong, Samin; Seong, Gong Je; Sung, Kyung Rim; Kim, Chan Yun

2014-04-29

To classify medically treated open-angle glaucoma (OAG) by the pattern of progression using hierarchical cluster analysis, and to determine OAG progression characteristics by comparing clusters. Ninety-five eyes of 95 OAG patients who received medical treatment, and who had undergone visual field (VF) testing at least once per year for 5 or more years. OAG was classified into subgroups using hierarchical cluster analysis based on the following five variables: baseline mean deviation (MD), baseline visual field index (VFI), MD slope, VFI slope, and Glaucoma Progression Analysis (GPA) printout. After that, other parameters were compared between clusters. Two clusters were made after a hierarchical cluster analysis. Cluster 1 showed -4.06 ± 2.43 dB baseline MD, 92.58% ± 6.27% baseline VFI, -0.28 ± 0.38 dB per year MD slope, -0.52% ± 0.81% per year VFI slope, and all "no progression" cases in GPA printout, whereas cluster 2 showed -8.68 ± 3.81 baseline MD, 77.54 ± 12.98 baseline VFI, -0.72 ± 0.55 MD slope, -2.22 ± 1.89 VFI slope, and seven "possible" and four "likely" progression cases in GPA printout. There were no significant differences in age, sex, mean IOP, central corneal thickness, and axial length between clusters. However, cluster 2 included more high-tension glaucoma patients and used a greater number of antiglaucoma eye drops significantly compared with cluster 1. Hierarchical cluster analysis of progression patterns divided OAG into slow and fast progression groups, evidenced by assessing the parameters of glaucomatous progression in VF testing. In the fast progression group, the prevalence of high-tension glaucoma was greater and the number of antiglaucoma medications administered was increased versus the slow progression group. Copyright 2014 The Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology, Inc.

Dendrimer-Based Selective Proteostasis-Inhibition Strategy to Control NSCLC Growth and Progression.

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Kyla Walworth

Full Text Available Elevated valosin containing protein (VCP/p97 levels promote the progression of non-small cell lung carcinoma (NSCLC. Although many VCP inhibitors are available, most of these therapeutic compounds have low specificity for targeted tumor cell delivery. Hence, the primary aim of this study was to evaluate the in vitro efficacy of dendrimer-encapsulated potent VCP-inhibitor drug in controlling non-small cell lung carcinoma (NSCLC progression. The VCP inhibitor(s (either in their pure form or encapsulated in generation-4 PAMAM-dendrimer with hydroxyl surface were tested for their in vitro efficacy in modulating H1299 (NSCLC cells proliferation, migration, invasion, apoptosis and cell cycle progression. Our results show that VCP inhibition by DBeQ was significantly more potent than NMS-873 as evident by decreased cell proliferation (p<0.0001, MTT-assay and migration (p<0.05; scratch-assay, and increased apoptosis (p<0.05; caspase-3/7-assay as compared to untreated control cells. Next, we found that dendrimer-encapsulated DBeQ (DDNDBeQ treatment increased ubiquitinated-protein accumulation in soluble protein-fraction (immunoblotting of H1299 cells as compared to DDN-control, implying the effectiveness of DBeQ in proteostasis-inhibition. We verified by immunostaining that DDNDBeQ treatment increases accumulation of ubiquitinated-proteins that co-localizes with an ER-marker, KDEL. We observed that proteostasis-inhibition with DDNDBeQ, significantly decreased cell migration rate (scratch-assay and transwell-invasion as compared to the control-DDN treatment (p<0.05. Moreover, DDNDBeQ treatment showed a significant decrease in cell proliferation (p<0.01, MTT-assay and increased caspase-3/7 mediated apoptotic cell death (p<0.05 as compared to DDN-control. This was further verified by cell cycle analysis (propidium-iodide-staining that demonstrated significant cell cycle arrest in the G2/M-phase (p<0.001 by DDNDBeQ treatment as compared to control

Longitudinal analysis of progression in glaucoma using spectral-domain optical coherence tomography.

Science.gov (United States)

Wessel, Julia M; Horn, Folkert K; Tornow, Ralf P; Schmid, Matthias; Mardin, Christian Y; Kruse, Friedrich E; Juenemann, Anselm G; Laemmer, Robert

2013-05-01

To compare the longitudinal loss of RNFL thickness measurements by SD-OCT in healthy individuals and glaucoma patients with or without progression concerning optic disc morphology. A total of 62 eyes, comprising 38 glaucomatous eyes with open angle glaucoma and 24 healthy controls, were included in the study (Erlangen Glaucoma Registry, NTC00494923). All patients were investigated annually over a period of 3 years by Spectralis SD-OCT measuring peripapillary RNFL thickness. By masked comparative analysis of photographs, the eyes were classified into nonprogressive and progressive glaucoma cases. Longitudinal loss of RNFL thickness was compared with morphological changes of optic disc morphology. Mixed model analysis of annual OCT scans revealed an estimated annual decrease of the RNFL thickness by 2.12 μm in glaucoma eyes with progression, whereas glaucoma eyes without progression in optic disc morphology lost 1.18 μm per year in RNFL thickness (P = 0.002). The rate of change in healthy eyes was 0.60 μm and thereby also significantly lower than in glaucoma eyes with progression (P < 0.001). The intrasession variability of three successive measurements without head repositioning was 1.5 ± 0.7 μm. The loss of mean RNFL thickness exceeded the intrasession variability in 60% of nonprogressive eyes, and in 85% of progressive eyes after 3 years. LONGITUDINAL MEASUREMENTS OF RNFL THICKNESS USING SD-OCT SHOW A MORE PRONOUNCED REDUCTION OF RNFL THICKNESS IN PATIENTS WITH PROGRESSION COMPARED WITH PATIENTS WITHOUT PROGRESSION IN GLAUCOMATOUS OPTIC DISC CHANGES. (www.clinicaltrials.gov number, NTC00494923.).

Brain viscoelasticity alteration in chronic-progressive multiple sclerosis.

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Kaspar-Josche Streitberger

Full Text Available INTRODUCTION: Viscoelastic properties indicate structural alterations in biological tissues at multiple scales with high sensitivity. Magnetic Resonance Elastography (MRE is a novel technique that directly visualizes and quantitatively measures biomechanical tissue properties in vivo. MRE recently revealed that early relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (MS is associated with a global decrease of the cerebral mechanical integrity. This study addresses MRE and MR volumetry in chronic-progressive disease courses of MS. METHODS: We determined viscoelastic parameters of the brain parenchyma in 23 MS patients with primary or secondary chronic progressive disease course in comparison to 38 age- and gender-matched healthy individuals by multifrequency MRE, and correlated the results with clinical data, T2 lesion load and brain volume. Two viscoelastic parameters, the shear elasticity μ and the powerlaw exponent α, were deduced according to the springpot model and compared to literature values of relapsing-remitting MS. RESULTS: In chronic-progressive MS patients, μ and α were reduced by 20.5% and 6.1%, respectively, compared to healthy controls. MR volumetry yielded a weaker correlation: Total brain volume loss in MS patients was in the range of 7.5% and 1.7% considering the brain parenchymal fraction. All findings were significant (P<0.001. CONCLUSIONS: Chronic-progressive MS disease courses show a pronounced reduction of the cerebral shear elasticity compared to early relapsing-remitting disease. The powerlaw exponent α decreased only in the chronic-progressive stage of MS, suggesting an alteration in the geometry of the cerebral mechanical network due to chronic neuroinflammation.

Allopurinol Against Progression of Chronic Kidney Disease.

Science.gov (United States)

Golmohammadi, Sima; Almasi, Afshin; Manouchehri, M; Omrani, Hamid Reza; Zandkarimi, Mohammad Reza

2017-07-01

Hyperuricemia is common in approximately 50% of patients with kidney failure due to decreased uric acid excretion, and it has been recently known as an independent factor in the progression of renal insufficiency. Allopurinol inhibits the production of uric acid. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of allopurinol on chronic kidney disease progression. In a clinical trial, patients with stages 3 and 4 of chronic kidney disease were divided into two groups to receive allopurinol, 100 mg, daily and placebo for 12 months. Patients' kidney function and serum uric acid levels were assessed at baseline and 3, 6, and 12 months after initial administration. Subgroups of patients with severe and mild glomerular filtration rate (GFR) impairment (GFR, 15 mL/min/1.73 m2 to 30 mL/min/1.73 m2 and 30 mL/min/1.73 m2 to 60 mL/min/1.73 m2, respectively), were compared between the groups. Serum uric acid levels decreased significantly during after 12 months of allopurinol administration (P = .004). In patients with severe GFR impairment, serum creatinine levels did not decrease significantly and there was no significant increase in GFR, but in those with mild GFR impairment, serum creatinine levels decreased and GFR increase significantly (P kidney disease progression and could be administered with other effective medications for controlling the kidney disease.

Is organizational progress in the EFQM model related to employee satisfaction?

Science.gov (United States)

Matthies-Baraibar, Carmen; Arcelay-Salazar, Andoni; Cantero-González, David; Colina-Alonso, Alberto; García-Urbaneja, Marbella; González-Llinares, Rosa María; Letona-Aranburu, Jon; Martínez-Carazo, Catalina; Mateos-Del Pino, Maider; Nuño-Solinís, Roberto; Olaetxea-Urizar, Esther; de la Rica-Giménez, José Antonio; Rodríguez-González, María Angeles; Dabouza-Acebal, Silvia

2014-10-24

To determine whether there is greater employee satisfaction in organisations that have made more progress in implementation of the European Foundation for Quality Management (EFQM) model. A series of cross-sectional studies (one for each assessment cycle) comparing staff satisfaction survey results between groups of healthcare organisations by degree of implementation of the EFQM model (assessed in terms of external recognition of management quality in each organisation). 30 healthcare organisations including hospitals, primary care and mental health providers in Osakidetza, the Basque public health service. Employees of 30 Osakidetza organisations. Progress in implementation of EFQM model. Scores in 9 dimensions of employee satisfaction from questionnaires administered in healthcare organisations in 4 assessment cycles between 2001 and 2010. Comparing satisfaction results in organisations granted Gold or Silver Q Awards and those without this type of external recognition, we found statistically significant differences in the dimensions of training and internal communication. Then, comparing recipients of Gold Q Awards with those with no Q Certification, differences in leadership style and in policy and strategy also emerged as significant. Progress of healthcare organisations in the implementation of the EFQM Excellence Model is associated with increases in their employee satisfaction in dimensions that can be managed at the level of each organisation, while dimensions in which no statistically significant differences were found represent common organisational elements with little scope for self-management.

Localization of aPKC lambda/iota and its interacting protein, Lgl2, is significantly associated with lung adenocarcinoma progression.

Science.gov (United States)

Imamura, Naoko; Horikoshi, Yosuke; Matsuzaki, Tomohiko; Toriumi, Kentaro; Kitatani, Kanae; Ogura, Go; Masuda, Ryota; Nakamura, Naoya; Takekoshi, Susumu; Iwazaki, Masayuki

2013-12-20

Atypical protein kinase C lambda/iota (aPKC λ/ι) is expressed in several human cancers; however, the correlation between aPKC λ/ι localization and cancer progression in human lung adenocarcinoma (LAC) remains to be clarified. We found that patients with a high level of aPKC λ/ι expression in LAC had significantly shorter overall survival than those with a low level of aPKC λ/ι expression. In addition, localization of aPKC λ/ι in the apical membrane or at the cell-cell contact was associated with both lymphatic invasion and metastasis. The intercellular adhesion molecule, E-cadherin, was decreased in LACs with highly expressed aPKC λ/ι at the invasion site of tumor cells. This result suggested that the expression levels of aPKC λ/ι and E-cadherin reflect the progression of LAC. On double-immunohistochemical analysis, aPKC λ/ι and Lgl2, a protein that interacts with aPKC λ/ι, were co-localized within LACs. Furthermore, we found that Lgl2 bound the aPKC λ/ι-Par6 complex in tumor tissue by immune-cosedimentation analysis. Apical membrane localization of Lgl2 was correlated with lymphatic invasion and lymph node metastasis. These results thus indicate that aPKC λ/ι expression is altered upon the progression of LAC. This is also the first evidence to show aPKC λ/ι overexpression in LAC and demonstrates that aPKC λ/ι localization at the apical membrane or cell-cell contact is associated with lymphatic invasion and metastasis of the tumor.

Demyelination versus remyelination in progressive multiple sclerosis

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Bramow, Stephan; Frischer, Josa M; Lassmann, Hans

2010-01-01

The causes of incomplete remyelination in progressive multiple sclerosis are unknown, as are the pathological correlates of the different clinical characteristics of patients with primary and secondary progressive disease. We analysed brains and spinal cords from 51 patients with progressive...... multiple sclerosis by planimetry. Thirteen patients with primary progressive disease were compared with 34 with secondary progressive disease. In patients with secondary progressive multiple sclerosis, we found larger brain plaques, more demyelination in total and higher brain loads of active demyelination...... compared with patients with primary progressive disease. In addition, the brain density of plaques with high-grade inflammation and active demyelination was highest in secondary progressive multiple sclerosis and remained ~18% higher than in primary progressive multiple sclerosis after adjustments...

Immunological effects of methylprednisolone pulse treatment in progressive multiple sclerosis

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Ratzer, R; Romme Christensen, J; Romme Nielsen, B

2014-01-01

phenotypes investigated, 25 changed at nominal significance from baseline to week 12 (pmultiple comparisons, we found 5 subpopulations that changed compared to baseline. No pattern were suggesting modulation of Th17 or TFH cells. CONCLUSION: Methylprednisolone pulse treatment has......OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effect of monthly oral methylprednisolone pulse treatment in progressive MS. METHODS: 30 progressive MS patients were treated with oral methylprednisolone every month. Peripheral blood mononuclear cells were analyzed by flow cytometry. RESULTS: Out of 102 leukocyte...

Can GPS be used to detect deleterious progression in training volume among runners?

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Nielsen, Rasmus Oestergaard; Cederholm, Jens Peter; Buist, Ida

2013-01-01

There is a need to ascertain if an association exists between excessive progression in weekly volume and development of running-related injuries (RRI). The purpose of this study was to investigate if GPS can be used to detect deleterious progression in weekly training volume among 60 novice runners...... included in a 10-week prospective study. All participants used GPS to quantify training volume while running. In case of injury, participants attended a clinical examination. The 13 runners who sustained injuries during follow-up had a significantly higher weekly progression in total training volume...... in the week before the injury origin (86% [95% confidence interval: 12.9-159.9], p = 0.026) compared with other weeks. Although not significant, participants with injuries had an increase in weekly training volume of 31.6% compared with a 22.1% increase among the healthy participants. The error of the GPS...

Atypical squamous cells of undetermined significance in patients with HPV positive DNA testing and correlation with disease progression by age group: an institutional experience.

Science.gov (United States)

Rodriguez, Erika F; Reynolds, Jordan P; Jenkins, Sarah M; Winter, Stephanie M; Henry, Michael R; Nassar, Aziza

2012-01-01

Atypical squamous cells of undetermined significance (ASC-US) is a broad diagnostic category that could be attributed to human papillomavirus infection (HPV), malignant neoplasia and reactive conditions. We evaluated our institutional experience with ASC-US in women who are positive for high risk HPV (HRHPV+) by the Digene hybrid capture method from 2005-2009 to identify the risk of progression to squamous intraepithelial lesion (SIL) and cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN) in association with age. We reviewed cytologic and follow-up surgical pathology reports for all specimens available. Progression was defined as a diagnosis of at least CINI on follow-up biopsy or resection or SIL on cytology. We identified 2613 cases and follow-up was available in 1839 (70.4%). Of these 74.2% had just one follow-up, 16.2% had a total of 2 follow-ups, 5.3% had a total of 3 follow-ups, and the remaining had as many as 6 follow-ups. Among the 1839 patients, 69.4% were age 30 or younger, 16.0% were between 31 to 40, 9.0% were between 41 to 50, and 5.6% were 51 or older. Among these, 25-30% progressed to dysplasia. The risk of progression varied by age (p=0.04) and was lowest among women between the ages of 41-50. Our findings highlight the importance of continued cytologic follow-up in women with HRHPV+ ASC-US in order to detect progression of disease, although the risk of progression is age dependent.

Comparison of Glaucoma Progression Detection by Optical Coherence Tomography and Visual Field.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Xinbo; Dastiridou, Anna; Francis, Brian A; Tan, Ou; Varma, Rohit; Greenfield, David S; Schuman, Joel S; Huang, David

2017-12-01

To compare longitudinal glaucoma progression detection using optical coherence tomography (OCT) and visual field (VF). Validity assessment. We analyzed subjects with more than 4 semi-annual follow-up visits (every 6 months) in the multicenter Advanced Imaging for Glaucoma Study. Fourier-domain optical coherence tomography (OCT) was used to map the thickness of the peripapillary retinal nerve fiber layer (NFL) and ganglion cell complex (GCC). OCT-based progression detection was defined as a significant negative trend for either NFL or GCC. VF progression was reached if either the event or trend analysis reached significance. The analysis included 356 glaucoma suspect/preperimetric glaucoma (GS/PPG) eyes and 153 perimetric glaucoma (PG) eyes. Follow-up length was 54.1 ± 16.2 months for GS/PPG eyes and 56.7 ± 16.0 for PG eyes. Progression was detected in 62.1% of PG eyes and 59.8% of GS/PPG eyes by OCT, significantly (P glaucoma. While the utility of NFL declines in advanced glaucoma, GCC remains a sensitive progression detector from early to advanced stages. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Non-right handed primary progressive apraxia of speech.

Science.gov (United States)

Botha, Hugo; Duffy, Joseph R; Whitwell, Jennifer L; Strand, Edythe A; Machulda, Mary M; Spychalla, Anthony J; Tosakulwong, Nirubol; Senjem, Matthew L; Knopman, David S; Petersen, Ronald C; Jack, Clifford R; Lowe, Val J; Josephs, Keith A

2018-07-15

In recent years a large and growing body of research has greatly advanced our understanding of primary progressive apraxia of speech. Handedness has emerged as one potential marker of selective vulnerability in degenerative diseases. This study evaluated the clinical and imaging findings in non-right handed compared to right handed participants in a prospective cohort diagnosed with primary progressive apraxia of speech. A total of 30 participants were included. Compared to the expected rate in the population, there was a higher prevalence of non-right handedness among those with primary progressive apraxia of speech (6/30, 20%). Small group numbers meant that these results did not reach statistical significance, although the effect sizes were moderate-to-large. There were no clinical differences between right handed and non-right handed participants. Bilateral hypometabolism was seen in primary progressive apraxia of speech compared to controls, with non-right handed participants showing more right hemispheric involvement. This is the first report of a higher rate of non-right handedness in participants with isolated apraxia of speech, which may point to an increased vulnerability for developing this disorder among non-right handed participants. This challenges prior hypotheses about a relative protective effect of non-right handedness for tau-related neurodegeneration. We discuss potential avenues for future research to investigate the relationship between handedness and motor disorders more generally. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Different patterns of longitudinal brain and spinal cord changes and their associations with disability progression in NMO and MS

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Liu, Yaou; Duan, Yunyun; Huang, Jing; Ren, Zhuoqiong; Liu, Zheng; Dong, Huiqing; Weiler, Florian; Hahn, Horst K.; Shi, Fu-Dong; Butzkueven, Helmut; Barkhof, Frederik; Li, Kuncheng

2018-01-01

To investigate the longitudinal spinal cord and brain changes in neuromyelitis optica (NMO) and multiple sclerosis (MS) and their associations with disability progression. We recruited 28 NMO, 22 MS, and 20 healthy controls (HC), who underwent both spinal cord and brain MRI at baseline. Twenty-five NMO and 20 MS completed 1-year follow-up. Baseline spinal cord and brain lesion loads, mean upper cervical cord area (MUCCA), brain, and thalamus volume and their changes during a 1-year follow-up were measured and compared between groups. All the measurements were also compared between progressive and non-progressive groups in NMO and MS. MUCCA decreased significantly during the 1-year follow-up in NMO not in MS. Percentage brain volume changes (PBVC) and thalamus volume changes in MS were significantly higher than NMO. MUCCA changes were significantly different between progressive and non-progressive groups in NMO, while baseline brain lesion volume and PBVC were associated with disability progression in MS. MUCCA changes during 1-year follow-up showed association with clinical disability in NMO. Spinal cord atrophy changes were associated with disability progression in NMO, while baseline brain lesion load and whole brain atrophy changes were related to disability progression in MS. (orig.)

Different patterns of longitudinal brain and spinal cord changes and their associations with disability progression in NMO and MS

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Liu, Yaou [Xuanwu Hospital, Capital Medical University, Department of Radiology, Beijing (China); Beijing Key Lab of MRI and Brain Informatics, Beijing (China); VU University Medical Center, Department of Radiology and Nuclear Medicine, Neuroscience Campus Amsterdam, Amsterdam (Netherlands); Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, Department of Neurology and Tianjin Neurological Institute, Tianjin (China); Duan, Yunyun; Huang, Jing; Ren, Zhuoqiong [Xuanwu Hospital, Capital Medical University, Department of Radiology, Beijing (China); Liu, Zheng; Dong, Huiqing [Capital Medical University, Department of Neurology, Xuanwu Hospital, Beijing (China); Weiler, Florian; Hahn, Horst K. [Fraunhofer MEVIS, Institute for Medical Image Computing, Bremen (Germany); Shi, Fu-Dong [Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, Department of Neurology and Tianjin Neurological Institute, Tianjin (China); Butzkueven, Helmut [University of Melbourne, Department of Medicine, Parkville (Australia); Barkhof, Frederik [VU University Medical Center, Department of Radiology and Nuclear Medicine, Neuroscience Campus Amsterdam, Amsterdam (Netherlands); UCL, Institutes of Neurology and Healthcare Engineering, London (United Kingdom); Li, Kuncheng [Xuanwu Hospital, Capital Medical University, Department of Radiology, Beijing (China); Beijing Key Lab of MRI and Brain Informatics, Beijing (China)

2018-01-15

To investigate the longitudinal spinal cord and brain changes in neuromyelitis optica (NMO) and multiple sclerosis (MS) and their associations with disability progression. We recruited 28 NMO, 22 MS, and 20 healthy controls (HC), who underwent both spinal cord and brain MRI at baseline. Twenty-five NMO and 20 MS completed 1-year follow-up. Baseline spinal cord and brain lesion loads, mean upper cervical cord area (MUCCA), brain, and thalamus volume and their changes during a 1-year follow-up were measured and compared between groups. All the measurements were also compared between progressive and non-progressive groups in NMO and MS. MUCCA decreased significantly during the 1-year follow-up in NMO not in MS. Percentage brain volume changes (PBVC) and thalamus volume changes in MS were significantly higher than NMO. MUCCA changes were significantly different between progressive and non-progressive groups in NMO, while baseline brain lesion volume and PBVC were associated with disability progression in MS. MUCCA changes during 1-year follow-up showed association with clinical disability in NMO. Spinal cord atrophy changes were associated with disability progression in NMO, while baseline brain lesion load and whole brain atrophy changes were related to disability progression in MS. (orig.)

Specific mixing facilitates the comparative quantification of phosphorylation sites with significant dysregulations

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Liu, Jing [Key Laboratory of Separation Sciences for Analytical Chemistry, National Chromatographic R& A Center, Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), Dalian 116023 (China); University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049 (China); Xu, Bo [Key Laboratory of Separation Sciences for Analytical Chemistry, National Chromatographic R& A Center, Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), Dalian 116023 (China); Liu, Zheyi; Dong, Mingming; Mao, Jiawei; Zhou, Ye; Chen, Jin [Key Laboratory of Separation Sciences for Analytical Chemistry, National Chromatographic R& A Center, Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), Dalian 116023 (China); University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049 (China); Wang, Fangjun, E-mail: wangfj@dicp.ac.cn [Key Laboratory of Separation Sciences for Analytical Chemistry, National Chromatographic R& A Center, Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), Dalian 116023 (China); Zou, Hanfa [Key Laboratory of Separation Sciences for Analytical Chemistry, National Chromatographic R& A Center, Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), Dalian 116023 (China)

2017-01-15

Mass spectrometry (MS) based quantitative analyses of proteome and proteome post-translational modifications (PTMs) play more and more important roles in biological, pharmaceutical and clinical studies. However, it is still a big challenge to accurately quantify the proteins or proteins PTM sites with extreme relative abundances in comparative protein samples, such as the significantly dysregulated ones. Herein, a novel quantification strategy, Mixing at Specific Ratio (MaSR) before isotope labeling, had been developed to improve the quantification accuracy and coverage of extreme proteins and protein phosphorylation sites. Briefly, the comparative protein samples were firstly mixed together at specific ratios of 9:1 and 1:9 (w/w), followed with mass differentiate light and heavy isotope labeling, respectively. The extreme proteins and protein phosphorylation sites, even if the newly expressed or disappeared ones, could be accurately quantified due to all of the proteins' relative abundances had been adjusted to 2 orders of magnitude (1/9-9) by this strategy. The number of quantified phosphorylation sites with more than 20 folds changes was improved about 10 times in comparative quantification of pervanadate stimulated phosphoproteome of HeLa cells, and 134 newly generated and 21 disappeared phosphorylation sites were solely quantified by the MaSR strategy. The significantly up-regulated phosphorylation sites were mainly involved in the key phosphoproteins regulating the insulin-related pathways, such as PI3K-AKT and RAS-MAPK pathways. Therefore, the MaSR strategy exhibits as a promising way in elucidating the biological processes with significant dysregulations. - Highlights: • All the proteins' relative abundances were adjusted into 2 orders of magnitude (1/9-9). • The quantification accuracy and coverage of extreme proteins and protein phosphorylation sites had been improved. • The newly expressed or disappeared proteins and protein

Different patterns of longitudinal brain and spinal cord changes and their associations with disability progression in NMO and MS.

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Yaou; Duan, Yunyun; Huang, Jing; Ren, Zhuoqiong; Liu, Zheng; Dong, Huiqing; Weiler, Florian; Hahn, Horst K; Shi, Fu-Dong; Butzkueven, Helmut; Barkhof, Frederik; Li, Kuncheng

2018-01-01

To investigate the longitudinal spinal cord and brain changes in neuromyelitis optica (NMO) and multiple sclerosis (MS) and their associations with disability progression. We recruited 28 NMO, 22 MS, and 20 healthy controls (HC), who underwent both spinal cord and brain MRI at baseline. Twenty-five NMO and 20 MS completed 1-year follow-up. Baseline spinal cord and brain lesion loads, mean upper cervical cord area (MUCCA), brain, and thalamus volume and their changes during a 1-year follow-up were measured and compared between groups. All the measurements were also compared between progressive and non-progressive groups in NMO and MS. MUCCA decreased significantly during the 1-year follow-up in NMO not in MS. Percentage brain volume changes (PBVC) and thalamus volume changes in MS were significantly higher than NMO. MUCCA changes were significantly different between progressive and non-progressive groups in NMO, while baseline brain lesion volume and PBVC were associated with disability progression in MS. MUCCA changes during 1-year follow-up showed association with clinical disability in NMO. Spinal cord atrophy changes were associated with disability progression in NMO, while baseline brain lesion load and whole brain atrophy changes were related to disability progression in MS. • Spinal cord atrophy progression was observed in NMO. • Spinal cord atrophy changes were associated with disability progression in NMO. • Brain lesion and atrophy were related to disability progression in MS.

Run Clever - No difference in risk of injury when comparing progression in running volume and running intensity in recreational runners

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Ramskov, Daniel; Rasmussen, Sten; Sørensen, Henrik

2018-01-01

Background/aim: The Run Clever trial investigated if there was a difference in injury occurrence across two running schedules, focusing on progression in volume of running intensity (Sch-I) or in total running volume (Sch-V). It was hypothesised that 15% more runners with a focus on progression...... in volume of running intensity would sustain an injury compared with runners with a focus on progression in total running volume. Methods: Healthy recreational runners were included and randomly allocated to Sch-I or Sch-V. In the first eight weeks of the 24-week follow-up, all participants (n=839) followed...... participants received real-time, individualised feedback on running intensity and running volume. The primary outcome was running-related injury (RRI). Results: After preconditioning a total of 80 runners sustained an RRI (Sch-I n=36/Sch-V n=44). The cumulative incidence proportion (CIP) in Sch-V (reference...

Expression status and clinical significance of lncRNA APPAT in the progression of atherosclerosis

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Fanming Meng

2018-01-01

Full Text Available Background Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs have been reported to modulate cardiovascular diseases, and expression dynamics of lncRNAs in the bloodstream were proposed to be potential biomarkers for clinical diagnosis. However, few cardiovascular diseases-related circulating lncRNAs were identified and their prediction power has not been investigated in depth. Here we report a new circulating lncRNA, atherosclerotic plaque pathogenesis associated transcript (APPAT, and evaluated its role and predicting ability in atherosclerotic development. Methods APPAT was analyzed and screened by high-throughput sequencing, and then detected in vitro and in vivo. Immunofluorescence-fluorescence in situ hybridization (IF-FISH was utilized to explore distribution and subcellular location of APPAT. The expressing alteration of APPAT in samples of healthy and pathological coronary artery was explored further. We also assessed the level of circulating APPAT in blood samples from healthy individuals, and patients with angina pectoris (AP or myocardial infarction (MI. Additionally, we predicted and validated microRNA targets of APPAT, then showed the expression level of a candidate target which was primarily measured in human VSMCs cell line, coronary artery, and blood samples. Lastly, we examined the potential indicating ability of APPAT for the risk of AP or MI. Results APPAT showed significant reduction in ox-LDL treated human VSMCs in vitro. It enriched in contractile VSMCs of artery tunica media and mainly existed in cytoplasm. Significant down-regulation of APPAT was found in coronary artery samples with severe stenosis. More importantly, we observed decreased expression of APPAT in blood samples accompanying disease progression. ROC and correlation analyses further verified the relatively high predicting ability of APPAT. We also observed the predicted miRNA exhibited opposite expression direction to that of APPAT. Conclusions This study revealed that

Local progression and pseudo progression after single fraction or fractionated stereotactic radiotherapy for large brain metastases. A single centre study

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Wiggenraad, R.; Verbeek-de Kanter, A.; Mast, M. [Radiotherapy Centre West, The Hague (Netherlands); Molenaar, R. [Diaconessenhuis, Leiden (Netherlands). Dept. of Neurology; Lycklama a Nijeholt, G. [Medical Centre Haagladen, The Hague (Netherlands). Dept. of Radiology; Vecht, C. [Medical Centre Haagladen, The Hague (Netherlands). Dept. of Neurology; Struikmans, H. [Radiotherapy Centre West, The Hague (Netherlands); Leiden Univ. Medical Centre (Netherlands). Dept. of Radiotherapy; Kal, H.B.

2012-08-15

Purpose: The 1-year local control rates after single-fraction stereotactic radiotherapy (SRT) for brain metastases > 3 cm diameter are less than 70%, but with fractionated SRT (FSRT) higher local control rates have been reported. The purpose of this study was to compare our treatment results with SRT and FSRT for large brain metastases. Materials and methods: In two consecutive periods, 41 patients with 46 brain metastases received SRT with 1 fraction of 15 Gy, while 51 patients with 65 brain metastases received FSRT with 3 fractions of 8 Gy. We included patients with brain metastases with a planning target volume of > 13 cm{sup 3} or metastases in the brainstem. Results: The minimum follow-up of patients still alive was 22 months. Comparing 1 fraction of 15 Gy with 3 fractions of 8 Gy, the 1-year rates of freedom from any local progression (54% and 61%, p = 0.93) and pseudo progression (85% and 75%, p = 0.25) were not significantly different. Overall survival rates were also not different. Conclusion: The 1-year local progression and pseudo progression rates after 1 fraction of 15 Gy or 3 fractions of 8 Gy for large brain metastases and metastases in the brainstem are similar. For better local control rates, FSRT schemes with a higher biological equivalent dose may be necessary. (orig.)

Local progression and pseudo progression after single fraction or fractionated stereotactic radiotherapy for large brain metastases. A single centre study

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wiggenraad, R.; Verbeek-de Kanter, A.; Mast, M.; Molenaar, R.; Lycklama a Nijeholt, G.; Vecht, C.; Struikmans, H.; Leiden Univ. Medical Centre; Kal, H.B.

2012-01-01

Purpose: The 1-year local control rates after single-fraction stereotactic radiotherapy (SRT) for brain metastases > 3 cm diameter are less than 70%, but with fractionated SRT (FSRT) higher local control rates have been reported. The purpose of this study was to compare our treatment results with SRT and FSRT for large brain metastases. Materials and methods: In two consecutive periods, 41 patients with 46 brain metastases received SRT with 1 fraction of 15 Gy, while 51 patients with 65 brain metastases received FSRT with 3 fractions of 8 Gy. We included patients with brain metastases with a planning target volume of > 13 cm 3 or metastases in the brainstem. Results: The minimum follow-up of patients still alive was 22 months. Comparing 1 fraction of 15 Gy with 3 fractions of 8 Gy, the 1-year rates of freedom from any local progression (54% and 61%, p = 0.93) and pseudo progression (85% and 75%, p = 0.25) were not significantly different. Overall survival rates were also not different. Conclusion: The 1-year local progression and pseudo progression rates after 1 fraction of 15 Gy or 3 fractions of 8 Gy for large brain metastases and metastases in the brainstem are similar. For better local control rates, FSRT schemes with a higher biological equivalent dose may be necessary. (orig.)

Differential motor neuron involvement in progressive muscular atrophy: a comparative study with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.

Science.gov (United States)

Riku, Yuichi; Atsuta, Naoki; Yoshida, Mari; Tatsumi, Shinsui; Iwasaki, Yasushi; Mimuro, Maya; Watanabe, Hirohisa; Ito, Mizuki; Senda, Jo; Nakamura, Ryoichi; Koike, Haruki; Sobue, Gen

2014-05-14

Progressive muscular atrophy (PMA) is a clinical diagnosis characterised by progressive lower motor neuron (LMN) symptoms/signs with sporadic adult onset. It is unclear whether PMA is simply a clinical phenotype of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) in which upper motor neuron (UMN) signs are undetectable. To elucidate the clinicopathological features of patients with clinically diagnosed PMA, we studied consecutive autopsied cases. Retrospective, observational. Autopsied patients. We compared clinicopathological profiles of clinically diagnosed PMA and ALS using 107 consecutive autopsied patients. For clinical analysis, 14 and 103 patients were included in clinical PMA and ALS groups, respectively. For neuropathological evaluation, 13 patients with clinical PMA and 29 patients with clinical ALS were included. Clinical features, UMN and LMN degeneration, axonal density in the corticospinal tract (CST) and immunohistochemical profiles. Clinically, no significant difference between the prognosis of clinical PMA and ALS groups was shown. Neuropathologically, 84.6% of patients with clinical PMA displayed UMN and LMN degeneration. In the remaining 15.4% of patients with clinical PMA, neuropathological parameters that we defined as UMN degeneration were all negative or in the normal range. In contrast, all patients with clinical ALS displayed a combination of UMN and LMN system degeneration. CST axon densities were diverse in the clinical PMA group, ranging from low values to the normal range, but consistently lower in the clinical ALS group. Immunohistochemically, 85% of patients with clinical PMA displayed 43-kDa TAR DNA-binding protein (TDP-43) pathology, while 15% displayed fused-in-sarcoma (FUS)-positive basophilic inclusion bodies. All of the patients with clinical ALS displayed TDP-43 pathology. PMA has three neuropathological background patterns. A combination of UMN and LMN degeneration with TDP-43 pathology, consistent with ALS, is the major pathological

Intensity-modulated radiotherapy significantly reduces xerostomia compared with conventional radiotherapy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Braam, Petra M.; Terhaard, Chris H.J. M.D.; Roesink, Judith M.; Raaijmakers, Cornelis P.J.

2006-01-01

Purpose: Xerostomia is a severe complication after radiotherapy for oropharyngeal cancer, as the salivary glands are in close proximity with the primary tumor. Intensity-modulated radiotherapy (IMRT) offers theoretical advantages for normal tissue sparing. A Phase II study was conducted to determine the value of IMRT for salivary output preservation compared with conventional radiotherapy (CRT). Methods and Materials: A total of 56 patients with oropharyngeal cancer were prospectively evaluated. Of these, 30 patients were treated with IMRT and 26 with CRT. Stimulated parotid salivary flow was measured before, 6 weeks, and 6 months after treatment. A complication was defined as a stimulated parotid flow rate <25% of the preradiotherapy flow rate. Results: The mean dose to the parotid glands was 48.1 Gy (SD 14 Gy) for CRT and 33.7 Gy (SD 10 Gy) for IMRT (p < 0.005). The mean parotid flow ratio 6 weeks and 6 months after treatment was respectively 41% and 64% for IMRT and respectively 11% and 18% for CRT. As a result, 6 weeks after treatment, the number of parotid flow complications was significantly lower after IMRT (55%) than after CRT (87%) (p = 0.002). The number of complications 6 months after treatment was 56% for IMRT and 81% for CRT (p = 0.04). Conclusions: IMRT significantly reduces the number of parotid flow complications for patients with oropharyngeal cancer

Associations of hormonal contraceptive use with measures of HIV disease progression and antiretroviral therapy effectiveness.

Science.gov (United States)

Whiteman, Maura K; Jeng, Gary; Samarina, Anna; Akatova, Natalia; Martirosyan, Margarita; Kissin, Dmitry M; Curtis, Kathryn M; Marchbanks, Polly A; Hillis, Susan D; Mandel, Michele G; Jamieson, Denise J

2016-01-01

To examine the associations between hormonal contraceptive use and measures of HIV disease progression and antiretroviral treatment (ART) effectiveness. A prospective cohort study of women with prevalent HIV infection in St. Petersburg, Russia, was conducted. After contraceptive counseling, participants chose to use combined oral contraceptives (COCs), depot-medroxyprogesterone acetate (DMPA), a copper intrauterine device (IUD) or male condoms for pregnancy prevention. Among participants not using ART at enrollment, we used multivariate Cox regression to assess the association between current (time-varying) contraceptive use and disease progression, measured by the primary composite outcome of CD4 decline to contraceptive method. During a total of 5233 months follow-up among participants not using ART with enrollment CD4 ≥350 cells/mm(3) (n=315), 97 experienced disease progression. Neither current use of COCs [adjusted hazard ratio (aHR) 0.91, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.56-1.48] nor DMPA (aHR 1.28, 95% CI 0.71-2.31) was associated with a statistically significant increased risk for disease progression compared with use of nonhormonal methods (IUD or condoms). Among participants using ART at enrollment (n=77), we found no statistically significant differences in the predicted mean changes in CD4 cell count comparing current use of COCs (p=.1) or DMPA (p=.3) with nonhormonal methods. Hormonal contraceptive use was not significantly associated with measures of HIV disease progression or ART effectiveness among women with prevalent HIV infection. Hormonal contraceptive use was not significantly associated with measures of HIV disease progression or ART effectiveness among women with prevalent HIV infection. Published by Elsevier Inc.

White matter lesion progression

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Hofer, Edith; Cavalieri, Margherita; Bis, Joshua C

2015-01-01

10 cohorts. To assess the relative contribution of genetic factors to progression of WML, we compared in 7 cohorts risk models including demographics, vascular risk factors plus single-nucleotide polymorphisms that have been shown to be associated cross-sectionally with WML in the current......BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: White matter lesion (WML) progression on magnetic resonance imaging is related to cognitive decline and stroke, but its determinants besides baseline WML burden are largely unknown. Here, we estimated heritability of WML progression, and sought common genetic variants...... associated with WML progression in elderly participants from the Cohorts for Heart and Aging Research in Genomic Epidemiology (CHARGE) consortium. METHODS: Heritability of WML progression was calculated in the Framingham Heart Study. The genome-wide association study included 7773 elderly participants from...

Vitamin D serostatus and dengue fever progression to dengue hemorrhagic fever/dengue shock syndrome.

Science.gov (United States)

Villamor, E; Villar, L A; Lozano, A; Herrera, V M; Herrán, O F

2017-10-01

Vitamin D could modulate pathways leading to dengue hemorrhagic fever/dengue shock syndrome (DHF/DSS). We examined the associations of serum total 25-hydroxy vitamin D [25(OH)D] and vitamin D binding protein (VDBP) concentrations in patients with uncomplicated dengue fever (DF) with risk of progression to DHF/DSS. In a case-control study nested in a cohort of DF patients who were followed during the acute episode in Bucaramanga, Colombia, we compared 25(OH)D and VDBP at onset of fever between 110 cases who progressed to DHF/DSS and 235 DF controls who did not progress. 25(OH)D concentrations were also compared between the acute sample and a sample collected >1 year post-convalescence in a subgroup. Compared with 25(OH)D ⩾75 nmol/l, adjusted odds ratios (95% CI) for progression were 0·44 (0·22-0·88) and 0·13 (0·02-1·05) for 50 to 75 nmol/l (vitamin D insufficiency) and <50 nmol/l (vitamin D deficiency), respectively (P, trend = 0·003). Mean 25(OH)D concentrations were much lower post-convalescence compared with the acute episode, regardless of case status. Compared with controls, mean VDBP was non-significantly lower in cases. We conclude that low serum 25(OH)D concentrations in DF patients predict decreased odds of progression to DHF/DSS.

NCOA5 is correlated with progression and prognosis in luminal breast cancer

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ye, Xiao-He; Huang, Du-Ping; Luo, Rong-Cheng

2017-01-01

Nuclear receptor coactivator 5 (NCOA5) is known to modulate ERα-mediated transcription and has been found to be involved in the progression of several malignancies. However, the potential correlation between NCOA5 and clinical outcome in patients with luminal breast cancer remains unknown. In the present study, we demonstrated that NCOA5 was significantly up-regulated in luminal breast cancer tissues compared with adjacent non-cancerous tissues both in validated cohort and TCGA cohort. Moreover, Kaplan-Meier analysis indicated that patients with high NOCA5 expression had significantly lower overall survival (P = 0.021). Cox regression analysis indicated that the high NOCA5 expression was independent high risk factor as well as old age (>60) and HER-2 expression (P = 0.039; P = 0.003; P = 0.005; respectively). This study provides new insights and evidences that NOCA5 over-expression was significantly correlated with progression and prognosis in luminal breast cancer. However, the precise cellular mechanisms for NOCA5 in luminal breast cancer need to be further explored. - Highlights: • NCOA5 is significantly over-expressed in human luminal breast cancer tissues. • NOCA5 was involved in the progression of luminal breast cancer. • NCOA5 can predict the progression of luminal breast cancer.

Computed tomographic findings in progressive supranuclear palsy

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Saitoh, H; Yoshii, F; Shinohara, Y

1987-03-01

CT findings of 6 patients with progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP) are described, with emphasis on their supratentorial changes in comparison with those of control subjects and patients with Parkinson's disease (PD). As estimated from CT films, the lateral ventricles, third ventricle and prepontine cistern were significantly enlarged in PSP patients compared with both controls and PD patients. It is suggested that the patients with PSP have not only infratentorial but also supratentorial lesions.

Randomized controlled trial to evaluate the effects of progressive resistance training compared to progressive muscle relaxation in breast cancer patients undergoing adjuvant radiotherapy: the BEST study

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Potthoff, Karin; Steindorf, Karen; Schmidt, Martina E; Wiskemann, Joachim; Hof, Holger; Klassen, Oliver; Habermann, Nina; Beckhove, Philipp; Debus, Juergen; Ulrich, Cornelia M

2013-01-01

Cancer-related fatigue (CRF) is one of the most common and distressing side effects of cancer and its treatment. During and after radiotherapy breast cancer patients often suffer from CRF which frequently impairs quality of life (QoL). Despite the high prevalence of CRF in breast cancer patients and the severe impact on the physical and emotional well-being, effective treatment methods are scarce. Physical activity for breast cancer patients has been reported to decrease fatigue, to improve emotional well-being and to increase physical strength. The pathophysiological and molecular mechanisms of CRF and the molecular-biologic changes induced by exercise, however, are poorly understood. In the BEST trial we aim to assess the effects of resistance training on fatigue, QoL and physical fitness as well as on molecular, immunological and inflammatory changes in breast cancer patients during adjuvant radiotherapy. The BEST study is a prospective randomized, controlled intervention trial investigating the effects of a 12-week supervised progressive resistance training compared to a 12-week supervised muscle relaxation training in 160 patients with breast cancer undergoing adjuvant radiotherapy. To determine the effect of exercise itself beyond potential psychosocial group effects, patients in the control group perform a group-based progressive muscle relaxation training. Main inclusion criterion is histologically confirmed breast cancer stage I-III after lumpectomy or mastectomy with indication for adjuvant radiotherapy. Main exclusion criteria are acute infectious diseases, severe neurological, musculosceletal or cardiorespiratory disorders. The primary endpoint is cancer-related fatigue; secondary endpoints include immunological and inflammatory parameters analyzed in peripheral blood, saliva and urine. In addition, QoL, depression, physical performance and cognitive capacity will be assessed. The BEST study is the first randomized controlled trial comparing progressive

Prognostic significance of IDH 1 mutation in patients with glioblastoma multiforme.

Science.gov (United States)

Khan, Inamullah; Waqas, Muhammad; Shamim, Muhammad Shahzad

2017-05-01

Focus of brain tumour research is shifting towards tumour genesis and genetics, and possible development of individualized treatment plans. Genetic analysis shows recurrent mutation in isocitrate dehydrogenase (IDH1) gene in most Glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) cells. In this review we evaluated the prognostic significance of IDH 1 mutation on the basis of published evidence. Multiple retrospective clinical analyses correlate the presence of IDH1 mutation in GBM with good prognostic outcomes compared to wild-type IDH1. A systematic review reported similar results. Based on the review of current literature IDH1 mutation is an independent factor for longer overall survival (OS) and progression free survival (PFS) in GBM patients when compared to wild-type IDH1. The prognostic significance opens up new avenues for treatment.

Glaucoma Monitoring in a Clinical Setting Glaucoma Progression Analysis vs Nonparametric Progression Analysis in the Groningen Longitudinal Glaucoma Study

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Wesselink, Christiaan; Heeg, Govert P.; Jansonius, Nomdo M.

Objective: To compare prospectively 2 perimetric progression detection algorithms for glaucoma, the Early Manifest Glaucoma Trial algorithm (glaucoma progression analysis [GPA]) and a nonparametric algorithm applied to the mean deviation (MD) (nonparametric progression analysis [NPA]). Methods:

Higher order optical aberrations and visual acuity in a randomized controlled trial comparing transepithelial versus epithelium-off corneal crosslinking for progressive keratoconus

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Godefrooij DA

2017-10-01

Full Text Available Daniel A Godefrooij, Mustapha El Kandoussi, Nienke Soeters, Robert PL Wisse Utrecht Cornea Research Group, Department of Ophthalmology, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, the Netherlands Purpose: The purpose of this study was to compare the effects of transepithelial crosslinking (trans-CXL versus epithelium-off crosslinking (epi-off CXL for progressive keratoconus with respect to the development of higher order aberrations (HOAs and their effects on visual acuity.Materials and methods: A total of 61 patients were randomized and examined preoperatively and 1, 3, 6, and 12 months postoperatively in an academic referral center. Total corneal HOAs were compared between the two treatment groups using mixed linear modeling. Types of HOAs (coma, trefoil, and spherical aberration that differed between groups were entered in a multivariable analysis to test their effect on uncorrected distance visual acuity (UDVA and corrected distance visual acuity (CDVA.Results: The epi-off CXL group had more flattening in maximal keratometry compared to the trans-CXL group (P=0.02. UDVA did not differ significantly between the groups (P=0.59; however, CDVA was significantly more improved in the trans-CXL group (P=0.02. Horizontal trefoil improved more in the epi-off group compared to the trans-CXL group (P=0.04, whereas the other HOAs were virtually unchanged in both groups. Differences in changes in HOAs between the two groups had no effect on either UCVA (P=0.76 or CDVA (P=0.96.Conclusion: Although HOAs are clinically relevant determinants of vision quality in keratoconus patients, the change in total HOAs post treatment did not differ between the trans-CXL and epi-off CXL groups. Only horizontal trefoil differed significantly post treatment between the trans-CXL and epi-off CXL groups. However, this difference did not independently affect either UDVA or CDVA. Trans-CXL provides no benefit over epi-off CXL regarding visual relevant HOAs. Keywords

Progression of Emphysema Evaluated by MRI Using Hyperpolarized 3He (HP 3He Measurements in Patients with Alpha-1-Antitrypsin (A1AT) Deficiency Compared with CT and Lung Function Tests

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Stavngaard, T.; Vejby Soegaard, L.; Batz, M.; Schreiber, L.M.; Dirksen, A.

2009-01-01

Background: The progression of emphysema is traditionally measured by pulmonary function test, with forced expiratory volume in 1 s (FEV1) being the most accepted and used measurement. However, FEV1 is insensitive in detecting mild/slow progression of emphysema because of low reproducibility as compared to yearly decline. Purpose: To investigate the progression of emphysema over a period of 2 years using diffusion-weighted hyperpolarized (HP) 3 He magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in patients with alpha-1-antitrypsin (A1AT) deficiency. Material and Methods: Nine patients with severe A1AT deficiency were studied over a period of 2 years (baseline, year 1, and year 2) with HP 3 He MRI using apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC), lung function tests (FEV1 and carbon monoxide lung diffusion capacity [DL,CO]), and computed tomography (CT) using densitometric parameters (15th percentile density [CT-PD15] and relative area of emphysema below -910 HU [CT-RA-910]). Results: Seven patients were scanned three times, one patient two times, and one patient only at baseline. The mean increase in ADC values from first to last HP 3 He MR scanning was 3.8% (0.014 cm 2 /s [SD 0.024 cm 2 /s]; not significant). The time trends for FEV1, DL,CO, CT-PD15, and CT-RA-910 were all statistically significant. We found a high correlation between ADC and DL,CO (P 3 He MRI for monitoring the progression of emphysema. However, in the future, larger studies are needed to confirm these preliminary results

A comparison of the ventilatory response of sleeping newborn lambs to step and progressive hypoxaemia.

Science.gov (United States)

Cohen, G; Malcolm, G; Henderson-Smart, D

1997-01-01

1. Slight variations in the rate at which hypoxaemia develops may significantly alter the ventilatory response (VR) elicited. Here we have developed a technique to compare the VRs elicited from sleeping newborn lambs by specific (step versus progressive), short-duration ( or = 9 days (10 +/- 0.3 days) were also compared. There was an upward shift in the position of step and progressive response curves of older lambs, reflecting primarily the increased vigour of the initial hyperpnoea elicited by step (delta Vi at 1 min = +20 +/- 4% at 4 days vs. +40 +/- 11% at 10 days) as well as progressive (delta Vi at 1 min = +6 +/- 2% at 4 days vs. +17 +/- 5% at 10 days) hypoxaemia. 5. Qualitatively different VRs may be elicited from the newborn, depending upon the specific hypoxaemic profile administered. Therefore, to evaluate the significance of VRs elicited in response to classical, steady-state hypoxia at different postnatal ages properly, the stimulus must be accurately described. PMID:9288688

Progress test utopia.

Science.gov (United States)

van der Vleuten, Cees; Freeman, Adrian; Collares, Carlos Fernando

2018-04-01

This paper discusses the advantages of progress testing. A utopia is described where medical schools would work together to develop and administer progress testing. This would lead to a significant reduction of cost, an increase in the quality of measurement and phenomenal feedback to learner and school. Progress testing would also provide more freedom and resources for more creative in-school assessment. It would be an educationally attractive alternative for the creation of cognitive licensing exams. A utopia is always far away in the future, but by formulating a vision for that future we may engage in discussions on how to get there.

Significance of Selective Predation and Development of Prey Protection Measures for Juvenile Salmonids in the Columbia and Snake River Reservoirs: Annual Progress Report, February 1991-February 1992.

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Poe, Thomas P.

1992-12-31

This document is the 1991 annual report of progress for the Bonneville Power Administration (BPA) research Project conducted by the US Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS). Our approach was to present the progress achieved during 1991 in a series of separate reports for each major project task. Each report is prepared in the format of a scientific paper and is able to stand alone, whatever the state of progress or completion. This project has two major goals. One is to understand the significance of selective predation and prey vulnerability by determining if substandard juvenile salmonids (dead, injured, stressed, diseased, or naive) are more vulnerable to predation by northern squawfish, than standard or normal juvenile salmonids. The second goal is to develop and test prey protection measures to control predation on juvenile salmonids by reducing predator-smolt encounters or predator capture efficiency.

Determining significant endpoints for ecological risk analyses. 1997 annual progress report

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hinton, T.G.; Congdon, J.; Rowe, C.; Scott, D. [Univ. of Georgia, Aiken, SC (US). Savannah River Ecology Lab.; Bedford, J.; Whicker, F.W. [Colorado State Univ., Fort Collins, CO (US)

1997-11-01

'This report summarizes the first year''s progress of research funded under the Department of Energy''s Environmental Management Science Program. The research was initiated to better determine ecological risks from toxic and radioactive contaminants. More precisely, the research is designed to determine the relevancy of sublethal cellular damage to the performance of individuals and to identify characteristics of non-human populations exposed to chronic, low-level radiation, as is typically found on many DOE sites. The authors propose to establish a protocol to assess risks to non-human species at higher levels of biological organization by relating molecular damage to more relevant responses that reflect population health. They think that they can achieve this by coupling changes in metabolic rates and energy allocation patterns to meaningful population response variables, and by using novel biological dosimeters in controlled, manipulative dose/effects experiments. They believe that a scientifically defensible endpoint for measuring ecological risks can only be determined once its understood the extent to which molecular damage from contaminant exposure is detrimental at the individual and population levels of biological organization.'

Serum metabolomics of slow vs. rapid motor progression Parkinson's disease: a pilot study.

Science.gov (United States)

Roede, James R; Uppal, Karan; Park, Youngja; Lee, Kichun; Tran, Vilinh; Walker, Douglas; Strobel, Frederick H; Rhodes, Shannon L; Ritz, Beate; Jones, Dean P

2013-01-01

Progression of Parkinson's disease (PD) is highly variable, indicating that differences between slow and rapid progression forms could provide valuable information for improved early detection and management. Unfortunately, this represents a complex problem due to the heterogeneous nature of humans in regards to demographic characteristics, genetics, diet, environmental exposures and health behaviors. In this pilot study, we employed high resolution mass spectrometry-based metabolic profiling to investigate the metabolic signatures of slow versus rapidly progressing PD present in human serum. Archival serum samples from PD patients obtained within 3 years of disease onset were analyzed via dual chromatography-high resolution mass spectrometry, with data extraction by xMSanalyzer and used to predict rapid or slow motor progression of these patients during follow-up. Statistical analyses, such as false discovery rate analysis and partial least squares discriminant analysis, yielded a list of statistically significant metabolic features and further investigation revealed potential biomarkers. In particular, N8-acetyl spermidine was found to be significantly elevated in the rapid progressors compared to both control subjects and slow progressors. Our exploratory data indicate that a fast motor progression disease phenotype can be distinguished early in disease using high resolution mass spectrometry-based metabolic profiling and that altered polyamine metabolism may be a predictive marker of rapidly progressing PD.

Increased risk of coronary artery calcification progression in subjects with high baseline Lp(a) levels: The Kangbuk Samsung Health Study.

Science.gov (United States)

Cho, Jung Hwan; Lee, Da Young; Lee, Eun Seo; Kim, Jihyun; Park, Se Eun; Park, Cheol-Young; Lee, Won-Young; Oh, Ki-Won; Park, Sung-Woo; Rhee, Eun-Jung

2016-11-01

Results from previous studies support the association of lipoprotein(a) [Lp(a)] levels and coronary artery disease risk. In this study, we analyzed the association between baseline Lp(a) levels and future progression of coronary artery calcification (CAC) in apparently healthy Korean adults. A total of 2611 participants (mean age: 41years, 92% mend) who underwent a routine health check-up in 2010 and 2014 were enrolled. Coronary artery calcium score (CACS) were measured by multi-detector computed tomography. Baseline Lp(a) was measured by high-sensitivity immunoturbidimetric assay. Progression of CAC was defined as a change in CACS >0 over four years. Bivariate correlation analyses with baseline Lp(a) and other metabolic parameters revealed age, total cholesterol, HDL-C, LDL-C and CACS to have a significant positive correlation, while body weight, fasting glucose level, blood pressure and triglyceride level were negatively correlated with baseline Lp(a) level. After four years of follow-up, 635 subjects (24.3%) had CAC progression. The participants who had CAC progression were older, composed of more men, more obese, and had higher fasting glucose levels and worse baseline lipid profiles compared to those who did not have CAC progression. The mean serum Lp(a) level was significantly higher in subjects who had CAC progression compared to those who did not (32.5 vs. 28.9mg/dL, p<0.01). When the risk for CAC progression according to baseline Lp(a) was calculated, those with Lp(a) level≥50mg/dL had an odds ratio of 1.333 (95% CI 1.027-1.730) for CAC progression compared to those with Lp(a)<50mg/dL after adjusting for confounding factors. In this study, the subjects who had higher Lp(a) were at significantly higher risk for CAC progression after four years of follow-up, suggesting the role of high Lp(a) in CAC progression. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Prediction of coronary artery calcium progression by FDG uptake of large arteries in asymptomatic individuals

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Cho, Sang-Geon; Park, Ki Seong; Kim, Jahae; Song, Ho-Chun [Chonnam National University Hospital, Department of Nuclear Medicine, Gwang-ju (Korea, Republic of); Kang, Sae-Ryung; Kwon, Seong Young; Jabin, Zeenat; Kim, Young Jae; Jeong, Geum-Cheol; Song, Minchul; Min, Jung-Joon; Bom, Hee-Seung [Chonnam National University Hwasun Hospital, Department of Nuclear Medicine, Hwasun-gun, Jeollanam-do (Korea, Republic of); Seon, Hyun Ju [Chonnam National University Hwasun Hospital, Department of Radiology, Hwasun-gun, Jeollanam-do (Korea, Republic of)

2017-01-15

The purpose of this study is to evaluate whether fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) uptake of the large arteries can predict coronary artery calcium (CAC) progression in asymptomatic individuals. Ninety-six asymptomatic individuals who underwent FDG positron emission tomography (PET) and CAC scoring on the same day for health screening and follow-up CAC scoring ≥1 year after baseline studies (mean 4.3 years) were included. Vascular FDG uptake was measured and corrected for blood pool activity to obtain peak and average target-to-blood pool ratios (TBRpeak and TBRavg, respectively) for the carotid arteries, and ascending and abdominal aorta. CAC scores at baseline and follow-up of each individual were measured and absolute CAC change (ΔCAC), annual CAC change (ΔCAC/year), and annual CAC change rate (ΔCAC%/year) were calculated. CAC progression was defined as ΔCAC >0 for individuals with negative baseline CAC; ΔCAC/year ≥10 for those with baseline CAC of 0compared between CAC-progressors and non-CAC-progressors. Multivariate analysis was performed to evaluate whether vascular FDG uptake can independently predict CAC progression. Thirty-one subjects showed CAC progression. CAC-progressors showed significantly higher TBRpeak and TBRavg as compared to non-CAC-progressors for all three arteries. TBRpeak of the abdominal aorta was significantly associated with CAC progression in multivariate analysis, with age and baseline CAC. A higher TBRpeak of the abdominal aorta (≥2.11) was associated with CAC progression among subjects with negative baseline CAC only. In subjects with positive baseline CAC, only the amount of baseline CAC was significantly associated with CAC progression. However, the positive predictive value of the TBRpeak of the abdominal aorta was <40 % when age was <58 or baseline CAC was negative. Higher FDG uptake of the large arteries is

Measuring and reporting on decommissioning progress

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lange, B.A.

2006-01-01

One of the challenges facing AECL, as well as other organizations charged with the responsibility of decommissioning nuclear facilities, is the means by which to measure and report on decommissioning progress to various audiences which, in some cases, may only have a peripheral knowledge or understanding of the complexities associated with the decommissioning process. The reporting and measurement of decommissioning progress is important for a number of reasons, i.e., It provides a vehicle by which to effectively communicate the nature of the decommissioning process; It ensures that stakeholders and shareholders are provided with a transparent and understandable means for assessing value for money; It provides a means by which to integrate the planning, measurement, and operational aspects of decommissioning One underlying reason behind the challenge of reporting decommissioning progress lies in the fact that decommissioning programs are generally executed over periods of time that far exceed those generally associated with typical design and build projects. For example, a decommissioning program could take decades to complete in which case progress on the order of a few percent in any one year might be typical. However, such progress may appear low compared to that seen with more typical projects that can be completed in a matter of years. As a consequence, AECL undertook to develop a system by which to measure decommissioning progress in a straightforward, meaningful, and understandable fashion. The system is not rigorously objective, and there are subjective aspects that are necessitated by the need to keep the system readily understandable. It is also important to note that while the system is simple in concept, there is, nonetheless, significant effort involved in generating and updating the parameters used as input, and in the actual calculations. (author)

Significance of apparent diffusion coefficient measurement for the differential diagnosis of multiple system atrophy, progressive supranuclear palsy, and Parkinson's disease: evaluation by 3.0-T MR imaging

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tsukamoto, Kazumichi; Kanasaki, Yoshiko; Kakite, Suguru; Fujii, Shinya; Kaminou, Toshio; Ogawa, Toshihide; Matsusue, Eiji

2012-01-01

The clinical differentiation of Parkinson's disease (PD) from multiple system atrophy (MSA) and progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP) may be challenging, especially in their early stages. The aim of this study was to evaluate the utility of apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) measurement to distinguish among these degenerative disorders. Twenty-five MSA, 20 PSP, and 17 PD patients and 18 healthy controls were retrospectively studied. Axial diffusion-weighted and T2-weighted images were obtained using a 3-T MR system. Regions of interest (ROIs) were precisely placed in the midbrain, pons, putamen, globus pallidus, caudate nucleus, thalamus, superior cerebellar peduncle, middle cerebellar peduncle, cerebellar white matter, and cerebellar dentate nucleus, and the regional ADC (rADC) value was calculated in each ROI. In MSA, rADC values in the pons, middle cerebellar peduncle, cerebellar white matter, and cerebellar dentate nucleus were significantly higher than in PSP, PD, and controls. Furthermore, rADC values in the posterior putamen were significantly higher in MSA than in PSP and controls. In PSP, rADC values were significantly higher in the globus pallidus and midbrain than in MSA, PD, and controls. Furthermore, rADC values in the caudate nucleus and superior cerebellar peduncle were significantly higher in PSP than in MSA and controls. In PD, there were no significant differences in the rADC values compared to in MSA, PSP, and controls in all regions. Evaluation of rADC values in characteristic lesions in MSA, PSP, and PD by placing ROIs using 3-T systems can provide useful additional information for differentiating these disorders. (orig.)

Intrathecal baclofen pumps do not accelerate progression of scoliosis in quadriplegic spastic cerebral palsy.

Science.gov (United States)

Rushton, Paul R P; Nasto, Luigi A; Aujla, Ranjit K; Ammar, Amr; Grevitt, Michael P; Vloeberghs, Michael H

2017-06-01

To compare scoliosis progression in quadriplegic spastic cerebral palsy with and without intrathecal baclofen (ITB) pumps. A retrospective matched cohort study was conducted. Patients with quadriplegic spastic cerebral palsy, GMFCS level 5, treated with ITB pumps with follow-up >1 year were matched to comparable cases by age and baseline Cobb angle without ITB pumps. Annual and peak coronal curve progression, pelvic obliquity progression and need for spinal fusion were compared. ITB group: 25 patients (9 female), mean age at pump insertion 9.4 and Risser 0.9. Initial Cobb angle 25.6° and pelvic tilt 3.2°. Follow-up 4.3 (1.0-7.8) years. Cobb angle at follow-up 76.1° and pelvic tilt 18.9°. Non-ITB group: 25 patients (14 female), mean age at baseline 9.2 and Risser 1.0. Initial Cobb angle 29.7° and pelvic tilt 7.1°. Follow-up 3.5 (1.0-7.5) years. Cobb angle at follow-up 69.1° and pelvic tilt 21.0°. The two groups were statistically similar for baseline age, Cobb angle and Risser grade. Mean curve progression was 13.6°/year for the ITB group vs 12.6°/year for the non-ITB group (p = 0.39). Peak curve progression was similar between the groups. Pelvic tilt progression was comparable; ITB group 4.5°/year vs non-ITB 4.6°/year (p = 0.97). During follow-up 5 patients in the ITB group and 9 in the non-ITB group required spinal fusion surgery for curve progression (p = 0.35). Patients with quadriplegic spastic cerebral palsy with and without ITB pumps showed significant curve progression over time. ITB pumps do not appear to alter the natural history of curve progression in this population.

Modeling and Predicting AD Progression by Regression Analysis of Sequential Clinical Data

KAUST Repository

Xie, Qing

2016-02-23

Alzheimer\\'s Disease (AD) is currently attracting much attention in elders\\' care. As the increasing availability of massive clinical diagnosis data, especially the medical images of brain scan, it is highly significant to precisely identify and predict the potential AD\\'s progression based on the knowledge in the diagnosis data. In this paper, we follow a novel sequential learning framework to model the disease progression for AD patients\\' care. Different from the conventional approaches using only initial or static diagnosis data to model the disease progression for different durations, we design a score-involved approach and make use of the sequential diagnosis information in different disease stages to jointly simulate the disease progression. The actual clinical scores are utilized in progress to make the prediction more pertinent and reliable. We examined our approach by extensive experiments on the clinical data provided by the Alzheimer\\'s Disease Neuroimaging Initiative (ADNI). The results indicate that the proposed approach is more effective to simulate and predict the disease progression compared with the existing methods.

Modeling and Predicting AD Progression by Regression Analysis of Sequential Clinical Data

KAUST Repository

Xie, Qing; Wang, Su; Zhu, Jia; Zhang, Xiangliang

2016-01-01

Alzheimer's Disease (AD) is currently attracting much attention in elders' care. As the increasing availability of massive clinical diagnosis data, especially the medical images of brain scan, it is highly significant to precisely identify and predict the potential AD's progression based on the knowledge in the diagnosis data. In this paper, we follow a novel sequential learning framework to model the disease progression for AD patients' care. Different from the conventional approaches using only initial or static diagnosis data to model the disease progression for different durations, we design a score-involved approach and make use of the sequential diagnosis information in different disease stages to jointly simulate the disease progression. The actual clinical scores are utilized in progress to make the prediction more pertinent and reliable. We examined our approach by extensive experiments on the clinical data provided by the Alzheimer's Disease Neuroimaging Initiative (ADNI). The results indicate that the proposed approach is more effective to simulate and predict the disease progression compared with the existing methods.

CKD Progression and Mortality among Hispanics and Non-Hispanics.

Science.gov (United States)

Fischer, Michael J; Hsu, Jesse Y; Lora, Claudia M; Ricardo, Ana C; Anderson, Amanda H; Bazzano, Lydia; Cuevas, Magdalena M; Hsu, Chi-Yuan; Kusek, John W; Renteria, Amada; Ojo, Akinlolu O; Raj, Dominic S; Rosas, Sylvia E; Pan, Qiang; Yaffe, Kristine; Go, Alan S; Lash, James P

2016-11-01

Although recommended approaches to CKD management are achieved less often in Hispanics than in non-Hispanics, whether long-term outcomes differ between these groups is unclear. In a prospective longitudinal analysis of participants enrolled into the Chronic Renal Insufficiency Cohort (CRIC) and Hispanic-CRIC Studies, we used Cox proportional hazards models to determine the association between race/ethnicity, CKD progression (50% eGFR loss or incident ESRD), incident ESRD, and all-cause mortality, and linear mixed-effects models to assess differences in eGFR slope. Among 3785 participants, 13% were Hispanic, 43% were non-Hispanic white (NHW), and 44% were non-Hispanic black (NHB). Over a median follow-up of 5.1 years for Hispanics and 6.8 years for non-Hispanics, 27.6% of all participants had CKD progression, 21.3% reached incident ESRD, and 18.3% died. Hispanics had significantly higher rates of CKD progression, incident ESRD, and mean annual decline in eGFR than did NHW (P<0.05) but not NHB. Hispanics had a mortality rate similar to that of NHW but lower than that of NHB (P<0.05). In adjusted analyses, the risk of CKD progression did not differ between Hispanics and NHW or NHB. However, among nondiabetic participants, compared with NHB, Hispanics had a lower risk of CKD progression (hazard ratio, 0.61; 95% confidence interval, 0.39 to 0.95) and incident ESRD (hazard ratio, 0.50; 95% confidence interval, 0.30 to 0.84). At higher levels of urine protein, Hispanics had a significantly lower risk of mortality than did non-Hispanics (P<0.05). Thus, important differences in CKD progression and mortality exist between Hispanics and non-Hispanics and may be affected by proteinuria and diabetes. Copyright © 2016 by the American Society of Nephrology.

SIGNIFICANT PROGRESS IN THE DEPLOYMENT OF NEW TECHNOLOGIES FOR THE RETRIEVAL OF HANFORD RADIOACTIVE WASTE STORAGE TANKS

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

RAYMOND RE; DODD RA; CARPENTER KE; STURGES MH

2008-01-01

Significant enhancements in the development and deployment of new technologies for removing waste from storage tanks at the Hanford Site have resulted in accelerated progress and reduced costs for tank cleanup. CH2M HILL Hanford Group, Inc. is the U.S. Department of Energy, Office of River Protection's prime contractor responsible for safely storing and retrieving approximately 53 million gallons of highly-radioactive and hazardous waste stored in 177 underground tanks. The waste is stored in 149 older single-shell tanks (SST) and 28 newer double-shell tanks (DST) that are grouped in 18 so-called farms near the center of the Hanford Site, located in southeastern Washington State. Tank contents include materials from years of World-War II and post-war weapons production, which account for 60 percent by volume of the nation's high-level radioactive waste. A key strategy for improved cleanup is the development and deployment of innovative technologies, which enhance worker safety, resolve technical challenges, streamline retrieval processes, and cut project costs and durations. During the past seven years of tank cleanout projects we have encountered conditions and waste chemistry that defy conventional approaches, requiring a variety of new tools and techniques. Through the deployment of advanced technology and the creative application of resources, we are finding ways to accomplish the retrieval process safely, swiftly, and economically. To date, retrieval operations have been completed in seven tanks, including a record six tanks in a two-year period. Retrieval operations are in progress for another three tanks. This paper describes the following tank cleanup technologies deployed at Hanford in the past few years: Modified waste sluicing, High pressure water lance, Mobile retrieval tools, Saltcake dissolution, Vacuum retrieval, Sparging of wastes, Selective dissolution for waste treatment, Oxalic acid dissolution, High-pressure water mixers, Variable height pumps

Crevicular fluid biomarkers and periodontal disease progression.

Science.gov (United States)

Kinney, Janet S; Morelli, Thiago; Oh, Min; Braun, Thomas M; Ramseier, Christoph A; Sugai, Jim V; Giannobile, William V

2014-02-01

Assess the ability of a panel of gingival crevicular fluid (GCF) biomarkers as predictors of periodontal disease progression (PDP). In this study, 100 individuals participated in a 12-month longitudinal investigation and were categorized into four groups according to their periodontal status. GCF, clinical parameters and saliva were collected bi-monthly. Subgingival plaque and serum were collected bi-annually. For 6 months, no periodontal treatment was provided. At 6 months, patients received periodontal therapy and continued participation from 6 to 12 months. GCF samples were analysed by ELISA for MMP-8, MMP-9, Osteoprotegerin, C-reactive Protein and IL-1β. Differences in median levels of GCF biomarkers were compared between stable and progressing participants using Wilcoxon Rank Sum test (p = 0.05). Clustering algorithm was used to evaluate the ability of oral biomarkers to classify patients as either stable or progressing. Eighty-three individuals completed the 6-month monitoring phase. With the exception of GCF C-reactive protein, all biomarkers were significantly higher in the PDP group compared to stable patients. Clustering analysis showed highest sensitivity levels when biofilm pathogens and GCF biomarkers were combined with clinical measures, 74% (95% CI = 61, 86). Signature of GCF fluid-derived biomarkers combined with pathogens and clinical measures provides a sensitive measure for discrimination of PDP (ClinicalTrials.gov NCT00277745). © 2013 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Eradication of Helicobacter pylori Is Associated with the Progression of Dementia: A Population-Based Study

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Yang-Pei Chang

2013-01-01

Full Text Available Objective. To evaluate the effect of eradication of Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori on the progression of dementia in Alzheimer’s disease (AD patients with peptic ulcer. Methods. Participants with the diagnosis of AD and peptic ulcer were recruited between 2001 and 2008. We examined the association between eradication of H. pylori and the progression of AD using the multiple regression models. Medication shift from Donepezil, Rivastgmine, and Galantamine to Mematine is defined as progression of dementia according to the insurance of National Health Insurance (NHI under expert review. Results. Among the 30142 AD patients with peptic ulcers, the ratio of medication shift in AD patients with peptic ulcers is 79.95%. There were significant lower incidence comorbidities (diabetes mellitus, hypertension, cerebrovascular disease, coronary artery disease, congestive heart failure and hyperlipidemia in patients with H. pylori eradication as compared with no H. pylori eradication. Eradication of H. pylori was associated with a decreased risk of AD progression (odds ratio [OR] 0.35 [0.23–0.52] as compared with no H. pylori eradication, which was not modified by comorbidities. Conclusions. Eradication of H. pylori was associated with a decreased progression of dementia as compared to no eradication of H. pylori in AD patients with peptic ulcers.

Prognostic significance of macrophage invasion in hilar cholangiocarcinoma

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Atanasov, Georgi; Hau, Hans-Michael; Dietel, Corinna; Benzing, Christian; Krenzien, Felix; Brandl, Andreas; Wiltberger, Georg; Matia, Ivan; Prager, Isabel; Schierle, Katrin; Robson, Simon C.; Reutzel-Selke, Anja; Pratschke, Johann; Schmelzle, Moritz; Jonas, Sven

2015-01-01

Tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs) promote tumor progression and have an effect on survival in human cancer. However, little is known regarding their influence on tumor progression and prognosis in human hilar cholangiocarcinoma. We analyzed surgically resected tumor specimens of hilar cholangiocarcinoma (n = 47) for distribution and localization of TAMs, as defined by expression of CD68. Abundance of TAMs was correlated with clinicopathologic characteristics, tumor recurrence and patients’ survival. Statistical analysis was performed using SPSS software. Patients with high density of TAMs in tumor invasive front (TIF) showed significantly higher local and overall tumor recurrence (both ρ < 0.05). Furthermore, high density of TAMs was associated with decreased overall (one-year 83.6 % vs. 75.1 %; three-year 61.3 % vs. 42.4 %; both ρ < 0.05) and recurrence-free survival (one-year 93.9 % vs. 57.4 %; three-year 59.8 % vs. 26.2 %; both ρ < 0.05). TAMs in TIF and tumor recurrence, were confirmed as the only independent prognostic variables in the multivariate survival analysis (all ρ < 0.05). Overall survival and recurrence free survival of patients with hilar cholangiocarcinoma significantly improved in patients with low levels of TAMs in the area of TIF, when compared to those with a high density of TAMs. These observations suggest their utilization as valuable prognostic markers in routine histopathologic evaluation, and might indicate future therapeutic approaches by targeting TAMs

Comparative analysis of transformed potato microtubers and its non ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

The rapid progress of transgenic biotechnology has significantly promoted the development and production of genetically modified (GM) crops. The aim of this study was to compare some compositional analysis and genetic variation of transformed potato microtubers (Solanum tuberosum L. Desiree) line (which harbor ...

Self-reported Medication Adherence and CKD Progression

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Esteban A. Cedillo-Couvert

2018-05-01

Full Text Available Introduction: In the general population, medication nonadherence contributes to poorer outcomes. However, little is known about medication adherence among adults with chronic kidney disease (CKD. We evaluated the association of self-reported medication adherence with CKD progression and all-cause death in patients with CKD. Methods: In this prospective observational study of 3305 adults with mild-to-moderate CKD enrolled in the Chronic Renal Insufficiency Cohort (CRIC Study, the baseline self-reported medication adherence was assessed by responses to 3 questions and categorized as high, medium, and low. CKD progression (50% decline in eGFR or incident end-stage renal disease and all-cause death were measured using multivariable Cox proportional hazards. Results: Of the patients, 68% were categorized as high adherence, 17% medium adherence, and 15% low adherence. Over a median follow-up of 6 years, there were 969 CKD progression events and 675 deaths. Compared with the high-adherence group, the low-adherence group experienced increased risk for CKD progression (hazard ratio = 1.27, 95% confidence interval = 1.05, 1.54 after adjustment for sociodemographic and clinical factors, cardiovascular medications, number of medication types, and depressive symptoms. A similar association existed between low adherence and all-cause death, but did not reach standard statistical significance (hazard ratio = 1.14 95% confidence interval = 0.88, 1.47. Conclusion: Baseline self-reported low medication adherence was associated with an increased risk for CKD progression. Future work is needed to better understand the mechanisms underlying this association and to develop interventions to improve adherence. Keywords: CKD, death, medication adherence, progression

Weight preserving image registration for monitoring disease progression in lung CT.

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Gorbunova, Vladlena; Lol, Pechin; Ashraf, Haseem; Dirksen, Asger; Nielsen, Mads; de Bruijne, Marleen

2008-01-01

We present a new image registration based method for monitoring regional disease progression in longitudinal image studies of lung disease. A free-form image registration technique is used to match a baseline 3D CT lung scan onto a following scan. Areas with lower intensity in the following scan compared with intensities in the deformed baseline image indicate local loss of lung tissue that is associated with progression of emphysema. To account for differences in lung intensity owing to differences in the inspiration level in the two scans rather than disease progression, we propose to adjust the density of lung tissue with respect to local expansion or compression such that the total weight of the lungs is preserved during deformation. Our method provides a good estimation of regional destruction of lung tissue for subjects with a significant difference in inspiration level between CT scans and may result in a more sensitive measure of disease progression than standard quantitative CT measures.

MRI comparative study of the progressive supranuclear palsy, striatonigral degeneration and Parkinson disease

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wu Wulin; Lou Mingwu; Wang Xiaoyi; Liao Weihua

2009-01-01

Objective: To provide a reliable differential diagnosis among the progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP), striatonigral degeneration (SND) and Parkinson disease (PD). Methods: Conventional MRI data in clinically proved PSP (8 cases), SND (9 cases), PD (12 cases) and 12 normal controls were retrospectively analyzed. Midbrain area, pons area, pons diameter and middle cerebellar peduncles width were measured. The ratio of pons area over midbrain area (pons area / midbrain area) was calculated in all patients and normal controls. Then one way ANOVA and a Kruskal-Wallis H test were used for statistical analysis. Results: Midbrain area of the PSP group [(85.8 ± 12.0 mm 2 ] was the smallest, and there was statistically significant difference (P 2 ], PD group [(133.5 ± 10.8)mm 2 ] and the control group [(135.9 ± 7.5) mm 2 ]. There was no overlapping in the distribution of midbrain area between the PSP group (66.0-98.2 mm 2 ) and SND, PD and normal groups (116.2-142.1, 110.8-146.2 and 121.7-145.8 mm 2 ). The pons area-midbrain area ratio (P/M) of the PSP group (5.9 ± 0.8) was the largest in four groups, and there was statistically significant difference (P 2 , (18.6 ± 2.0) mm and (12.9 ± 2.4) mm] in all groups, and significant difference (P 2 , (22.7 ± 1.7) mm and (16.3 ± 1.1) mm], PD group [3.8 ± 0.3, (500.2 ± 25.8) mm 2 , (23.7 ± 1.0) mm and (16.8 ± 1.1) mm] and the control group [3.8 ± 0.3, (508.8 ± 20.6) mm 2 , (23.2 ± 1.2) mm and (16.4 ± 0.9) mm]. But the PD group and control group had no statistically significant difference in the midbrain area, pons area, pons diameter, P/M and middle cerebellar peduncles width (P > 0.05). Conclusion: MRI measurements helps in the differential diagnosis among PSP, SND and PD. (authors)

A longitudinal study of motor, oculomotor and cognitive function in progressive supranuclear palsy.

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Boyd C P Ghosh

Full Text Available We studied the annual change in measures of motor, oculomotor and cognitive function in progressive supranuclear palsy. This had twin objectives, to assess the potential for clinical parameters to monitor disease progression in clinical trials and to illuminate the progression of pathophysiology.Twenty three patients with progressive supranuclear palsy (Richardson's syndrome were compared to 22 matched controls at baseline and 16 of these patients compared at baseline and one year using: the progressive supranuclear palsy rating scale; the unified Parkinson's disease rating scale; the revised Addenbrooke's cognitive examination; the frontal assessment battery; the cubes section of the visual object and space perception battery; the Hayling and Brixton executive tests; and saccadic latencies.Patients were significantly impaired in all domains at baseline. However, cognitive performance was maintained over a year on the majority of tests. The unified Parkinson's disease rating scale, saccadic latency and progressive supranuclear palsy rating scale deteriorated over a year, with the latter showing the largest change. Power estimates indicate that using the progressive supranuclear palsy rating scale as an outcome measure in a clinical trial would require 45 patients per arm, to identify a 50% reduction in rate of decline with 80% power.Motor, oculomotor and cognitive domains deteriorate at different rates in progressive supranuclear palsy. This may be due to differential degeneration of their respective cortical-subcortical circuits, and has major implications for the selection of outcome measures in clinical trials due to wide variation in sensitivity to annual rates of decline.

Progression of motor symptoms in Parkinson's disease

Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

Ruiping Xia; Zhi-Hong Mao

2012-01-01

Parkinson's disease (PD) is a chronic progressive neurodegenerative disease that is clinically manifested by a triad of cardinal motor symptoms - rigidity,bradykinesia and tremor - due to loss of dopaminergic neurons.The motor symptoms of PD become progressively worse as the disease advances.PD is also a heterogeneous disease since rigidity and bradykinesia are the major complaints in some patients whereas tremor is predominant in others.In recent years,many studies have investigated the progression of the hallmark symptoms over time,and the cardinal motor symptoms have different rates of progression,with the disease usually progressing faster in patients with rigidity and bradykinesia than in those with predominant tremor.The current treatment regime of dopamine-replacement therapy improves motor symptoms and alleviates disability.Increasing the dosage of dopaminergic medication is commonly used to combat the worsenirtg symptoms.However,the drug-induced involuntary body movements and motor comphcations can significantly contribute to overall disability.Further,none of the currently-available therapies can slow or halt the disease progression.Significant research efforts have been directed towards developing neuroprotective or disease-modifying agents that are intended to slow the progression.In this article,the most recent clinical studies investigating disease progression and current progress on the development of disease-modifying drug trials are reviewed.

Adult Neurogenesis in the Mammalian Brain: Significant Answers and Significant Questions

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Ming, Guo-li; Song, Hongjun

2011-01-01

Summary Adult neurogenesis, a process of generating functional neurons from adult neural precursors, occurs throughout life in restricted brain regions in mammals. The past decade has witnessed tremendous progress in addressing questions related to almost every aspect of adult neurogenesis in the mammalian brain. Here we review major advances in our understanding of adult mammalian neurogenesis in the dentate gyrus of the hippocampus and from the subventricular zone of the lateral ventricle, the rostral migratory stream to the olfactory bulb. We highlight emerging principles that have significant implications for stem cell biology, developmental neurobiology, neural plasticity, and disease mechanisms. We also discuss remaining questions related to adult neural stem cells and their niches, underlying regulatory mechanisms and potential functions of newborn neurons in the adult brain. Building upon the recent progress and aided by new technologies, the adult neurogenesis field is poised to leap forward in the next decade. PMID:21609825

Serum metabolomics of slow vs. rapid motor progression Parkinson's disease: a pilot study.

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James R Roede

Full Text Available Progression of Parkinson's disease (PD is highly variable, indicating that differences between slow and rapid progression forms could provide valuable information for improved early detection and management. Unfortunately, this represents a complex problem due to the heterogeneous nature of humans in regards to demographic characteristics, genetics, diet, environmental exposures and health behaviors. In this pilot study, we employed high resolution mass spectrometry-based metabolic profiling to investigate the metabolic signatures of slow versus rapidly progressing PD present in human serum. Archival serum samples from PD patients obtained within 3 years of disease onset were analyzed via dual chromatography-high resolution mass spectrometry, with data extraction by xMSanalyzer and used to predict rapid or slow motor progression of these patients during follow-up. Statistical analyses, such as false discovery rate analysis and partial least squares discriminant analysis, yielded a list of statistically significant metabolic features and further investigation revealed potential biomarkers. In particular, N8-acetyl spermidine was found to be significantly elevated in the rapid progressors compared to both control subjects and slow progressors. Our exploratory data indicate that a fast motor progression disease phenotype can be distinguished early in disease using high resolution mass spectrometry-based metabolic profiling and that altered polyamine metabolism may be a predictive marker of rapidly progressing PD.

Discovery of CDH23 as a Significant Contributor to Progressive Postlingual Sensorineural Hearing Loss in Koreans.

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Bong Jik Kim

Full Text Available CDH23 mutations have mostly been associated with prelingual severe-to-profound sensorineural hearing loss (SNHL in either syndromic or nonsyndromic SNHL (DFNB12. Herein, we demonstrate the contribution of CDH23 mutations to postlingual nonsyndromic SNHL (NS-SNHL. We screened 32 Korean adult probands with postlingual NS-SNHL sporadically or in autosomal recessive fashion using targeted panel or whole exome sequencing. We identified four (12.5%, 4/32 potential postlingual DFNB12 families that segregated the recessive CDH23 variants, qualifying for our criteria along with rapidly progressive SNHL. Three of the four families carried one definite pathogenic CDH23 variant previously known as the prelingual DFNB12 variant in a trans configuration with rare CDH23 variants. To determine the contribution of rare CDH23 variants to the postlingual NS-SNHL, we checked the minor allele frequency (MAF of CDH23 variants detected from our postlingual NS-SNHL cohort and prelingual NS-SNHL cohort, among the 2040 normal control chromosomes. The allele frequency of these CDH23 variants in our postlingual cohort was 12.5%, which was significantly higher than that of the 2040 control chromosomes (5.53%, confirming the contribution of these rare CDH23 variants to postlingual NS-SNHL. Furthermore, MAF of rare CDH23 variants from the postlingual NS-SNHL group was significantly higher than that from the prelingual NS-SNHL group. This study demonstrates an important contribution of CDH23 mutations to poslingual NS-SNHL and shows that the phenotypic spectrum of DFNB12 can be broadened even into the presbycusis, depending on the pathogenic potential of variants. We also propose that pathogenic potential of CDH23 variants and the clinical fate of DFNB12 may be predicted by MAF.

Trastuzumab beyond progression: overall survival analysis of the GBG 26/BIG 3-05 phase III study in HER2-positive breast cancer

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von Minckwitz, Gunter; Schwedler, Kathrin; Schmidt, Marcus

2011-01-01

Continuation of trastuzumab plus capecitabine (XH) showed a significantly improved overall response rate and time to progression compared with capecitabine (X) alone in women with HER2-positive breast cancer progressing during trastuzumab treatment. Here, we report the final analysis on overall...

Escherichia coli DinB inhibits replication fork progression without significantly inducing the SOS response.

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Mori, Tetsuya; Nakamura, Tatsuro; Okazaki, Naoto; Furukohri, Asako; Maki, Hisaji; Akiyama, Masahiro Tatsumi

2012-01-01

The SOS response is readily triggered by replication fork stalling caused by DNA damage or a dysfunctional replicative apparatus in Escherichia coli cells. E. coli dinB encodes DinB DNA polymerase and its expression is upregulated during the SOS response. DinB catalyzes translesion DNA synthesis in place of a replicative DNA polymerase III that is stalled at a DNA lesion. We showed previously that DNA replication was suppressed without exogenous DNA damage in cells overproducing DinB. In this report, we confirm that this was due to a dose-dependent inhibition of ongoing replication forks by DinB. Interestingly, the DinB-overproducing cells did not significantly induce the SOS response even though DNA replication was perturbed. RecA protein is activated by forming a nucleoprotein filament with single-stranded DNA, which leads to the onset of the SOS response. In the DinB-overproducing cells, RecA was not activated to induce the SOS response. However, the SOS response was observed after heat-inducible activation in strain recA441 (encoding a temperature-sensitive RecA) and after replication blockage in strain dnaE486 (encoding a temperature-sensitive catalytic subunit of the replicative DNA polymerase III) at a non-permissive temperature when DinB was overproduced in these cells. Furthermore, since catalytically inactive DinB could avoid the SOS response to a DinB-promoted fork block, it is unlikely that overproduced DinB takes control of primer extension and thus limits single-stranded DNA. These observations suggest that DinB possesses a feature that suppresses DNA replication but does not abolish the cell's capacity to induce the SOS response. We conclude that DinB impedes replication fork progression in a way that does not activate RecA, in contrast to obstructive DNA lesions and dysfunctional replication machinery.

Progressivity of Taxes, Skeweness of Income Distribution and Violations of the Progressive Principle in Income Tax Systems

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Edyta Mazurek

2014-06-01

Full Text Available Kakwani and Lambert state the three axioms, which should be respected by an equitable tax system. They also proposed a measurement system to evaluate the violations of the axioms. One of the axioms, axiom 2, formulates the progression principle in income tax systems. Vernizzi and Pellegrino improved the alternative index to evaluate violations concerning the progressive command in a tax system. The main aim of this paper is to compare the two indexes in order to evaluate violations of progressive principle in income tax systém using the real data. We also check how the progressivity of taxes and skewness of income distribution affect the measurement of the progressive principle violation.

The Significance of α-Synuclein, Amyloid-β and Tau Pathologies in Parkinson’s Disease Progression and Related Dementia

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Compta, Y.; Parkkinen, L.; Kempster, P.; Selikhova, M.; Lashley, T.; Holton, J.L.; Lees, A.J.; Revesz, T.

2014-01-01

Background Dementia is one of the milestones of advanced Parkinson’s disease (PD), with its neuropathological substrate still being a matter of debate, particularly regarding its potential mechanistic implications. Objective The aim of this study was to review the relative importance of Lewy-related α-synuclein and Alzheimer’s tau and amyloid-β (Aβ) pathologies in disease progression and dementia in PD. Methods We reviewed studies conducted at the Queen Square Brain Bank, Institute of Neurology, University College London, using large PD cohorts. Results Cortical Lewy- and Alzheimer-type pathologies are associated with milestones of poorer prognosis and with non-tremor predominance, which have been, in turn, linked to dementia. The combination of these pathologies is the most robust neuropathological substrate of PD-related dementia, with cortical Aβ burden determining a faster progression to dementia. Conclusion The shared relevance of these pathologies in PD progression and dementia is in line with experimental data suggesting synergism between α-synuclein, tau and Aβ and with studies testing these proteins as disease biomarkers, hence favouring the eventual testing of therapeutic strategies targeting these proteins in PD. PMID:24028925

Expression of XPG protein in the development, progression and prognosis of gastric cancer.

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Na Deng

Full Text Available BACKGROUND: Xeroderma pigmentosum group G (XPG plays a critical role in preventing cells from oxidative DNA damage. This study aimed to investigate XPG protein expression in different gastric tissues and in patients with diverse prognoses, thus providing insights into its role in the development, progression and prognosis of gastric cancer (GC. METHODS: A total of 176 GC, 131 adjacent non-tumour tissues, 53 atrophic gastritis (AG and 49 superficial gastritis (SG samples were included. Immunohistochemical staining was used to detect XPG protein expression. RESULTS: XPG expression was significantly higher in GC tissues compared with adjacent non-tumour tissues. In the progressive disease sequence SG→AG→GC, XPG expression was significantly higher in AG and GC compared with SG. Analysis of clinicopathological parameters and survival in GC patients demonstrated a significant association between XPG expression level and depth of tumour invasion, macroscopic type, Lauren's classification, smoking, Helicobacter pylori infection and family history. Cox multivariate survival analysis indicated that patients with positive XPG expression had significantly longer overall survival (P = 0.020, HR = 0.394, 95%CI 0.179-0.866, especially in aged younger than 60 years (P = 0.027, HR = 0.361, 95%CI 0.147-0.888 and male patients (P = 0.002, HR = 0.209, 95%CI 0.077-0.571. CONCLUSIONS: This study demonstrated that XPG protein expression was related to the development, progression and prognosis of GC, and might thus serve as a potential biomarker for its diagnosis and prognosis.

Progress Toward Universal Health Coverage: A Comparative Analysis in 5 South Asian Countries.

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Rahman, Md Mizanur; Karan, Anup; Rahman, Md Shafiur; Parsons, Alexander; Abe, Sarah Krull; Bilano, Ver; Awan, Rabia; Gilmour, Stuart; Shibuya, Kenji

2017-09-01

of skilled attendant during delivery were at least 3 times higher among the wealthiest mothers in Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Nepal, and Pakistan compared with the rates among poor mothers. Access to institutional delivery was 60 to 65 percentage points higher among wealthy than poor mothers in Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Nepal, and Pakistan compared with 21 percentage points higher in India. Coverage was least equitable among the countries for adequate sanitation, institutional delivery, and the presence of skilled birth attendants. Health coverage and financial risk protection was low, and inequality in access to health care remains a serious issue for these South Asian countries. Greater progress is needed to improve treatment and preventive services and financial security.

Immediate treatment with bicalutamide 150mg as adjuvant therapy significantly reduces the risk of PSA progression in early prostate cancer

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See, W; Iversen, P; Wirth, M

2003-01-01

To evaluate the effect of bicalutamide ('Casodex') 150mg (in addition to standard care), on the risk of prostate-specific antigen (PSA) progression, in patients with early prostate cancer.......To evaluate the effect of bicalutamide ('Casodex') 150mg (in addition to standard care), on the risk of prostate-specific antigen (PSA) progression, in patients with early prostate cancer....

Multimodal imaging of central retinal disease progression in a 2 year mean follow up of Retinitis Pigmentosa

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Sujirakul, Tharikarn; Lin, Michael K.; Duong, Jimmy; Wei, Ying; Lopez-Pintado, Sara; Tsang, Stephen H.

2015-01-01

Purpose To determine the rate of progression and optimal follow up time in patients with advanced stage retinitis pigmentosa (RP) comparing the use of fundus autofluorescence imaging and spectral domain optical coherence tomography. Design Retrospective analysis of progression rate. Methods Longitudinal imaging follow up in 71 patients with retinitis pigmentosa was studied using the main outcome measurements of hyperautofluoresent ring horizontal diameter and vertical diameter along with ellipsoid zone line width from spectral domain optical coherence tomography. Test-retest reliability and the rate of progression were calculated. The interaction between the progression rates was tested for sex, age, mode of inheritance, and baseline measurement size. Symmetry of left and right eye progression rate was also tested. Results Significant progression was observed in >75% of patients during the 2 year mean follow up. The mean annual progression rates of ellipsoid zone line, and hyperautofluorescent ring horizontal diameter and vertical diameter were 0.45° (4.9%), 0.51° (4.1%), and 0.42° (4.0%), respectively. The e llipsoid zone line width, and hyperautofluorescent ring horizontal diameter and vertical diameter had low test-retest variabilities of 8.9%, 9.5% and 9.6%, respectively. This study is the first to demonstrate asymmetrical structural progression rate between right and left eye, which was found in 19% of patients. The rate of progression was significantly slower as the disease approached the fovea, supporting the theory that RP progresses in an exponential fashion. No significant interaction between progression rate and patient age, sex, or mode of inheritance was observed. Conclusions Fundus autofluorescence and optical coherence tomography detect progression in patients with RP reliably and with strong correlation. These parameters may be useful alongside functional assessments as the outcome measurements for future therapeutic trials. Follow-up at 1 year

Regression of Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease with Zinc and Selenium Co-supplementation after Disease Progression in Rats.

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Shidfar, Farzad; Faghihi, Amirhosein; Amiri, Hamid Lorvand; Mousavi, Seyedeh Neda

2018-01-01

Studies have shown that zinc and selenium deficiency is common in nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). However, the effects of zinc and selenium co-supplementation before and/or after disease progression on NAFLD are not clear enough. The aim of this study was to compare the effects of zinc and selenium co-supplementation before and/or after disease progression on NAFLD prognosis. Forty male Sprague-Dawley rats (197±4 g) were randomly assigned to 4 dietary groups: normal-fat diet (NFD; receiving 9% of calories as fat), high-fat diet (HFD; receiving 82% of calories as fat), supplementation before disease progression (S+HFD), and supplementation after disease progression (HFD+S). The diets were implemented over a 20-week period in all the groups. Biochemical and histologic parameters were compared between the 4 groups, and between-group comparisons were also carried out. There were significant differences in the average food dietary intake (P<0.001), weight (P<0.001), fasting blood sugar (P=0.005), triglyceride (P<0.001), total cholesterol (P<0.001), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (P=0.002), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (P=0.001), alanine aminotransferase (P<0.001), and aspartate aminotransferase (P<0.001) between the 4 dietary groups. Serum triglyceride and total cholesterol were significantly lower in the HFD+S Group than in the S+HFD Group (P<0.001 and P=0.003, respectively). Fat accumulation was significantly reduced in the HFD+S Group (P<0.001). Zinc and selenium co-supplementation after disease progression improved biochemical and histologic parameters in an experimental model of NAFLD.

The prognostic significance of accumulation of p53 protein in stage III non-small cell lung cancer treated by radiotherapy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Langendijk, J.A.; Thunnissen, F.B.J.M.; Lamers, R.J.S.; Jong, J.M.A. de; Velde, G.P.M. ten; Wouters, E.F.M.

1995-01-01

In the present study the prognostic significance of accumulation of nuclear p53 protein on survival and freedom from local progression was investigated. Formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded sections obtained by bronchoscopy or mediastinoscopy were used to examine the expression of nuclear p53 protein using immunohistochemistry. In 37 cases (57%), overexpression of the p53 protein was detected. No relation was found between p53 expression and other pretreatment variables. Response to radiotherapy was found in 11 p53-negative cases (65%) versus 10 p53-positive cases (42%). Freedom from local progression was significantly better in the p53-negative cases as compared with the p53-positive cases. The p53-negative cases who responded to radiotherapy showed an excellent freedom from local progression rate after 2 years of 100%, whereas all p53-positive cases without response to radiotherapy showed local progression within 24 months. Overall survival between p53-negative and -positive cases did not differ, however the disease-specific survival was found to be worse in the p53-positive cases as compared to the negative cases (median survival 8.4 vs. 14.4 months (P < 0.05)). No correlation was found between p53 expression and the frequency of distant metastases. In conclusion, the results of this study suggest that p53 protein expression may be of prognostic value on freedom from local progression in non-small cell lung carcinoma

Exercise capacity and progression from prehypertension to hypertension.

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Faselis, Charles; Doumas, Michael; Kokkinos, John Peter; Panagiotakos, Demosthenes; Kheirbek, Raya; Sheriff, Helen M; Hare, Katherine; Papademetriou, Vasilios; Fletcher, Ross; Kokkinos, Peter

2012-08-01

Prehypertension is likely to progress to hypertension. The rate of progression is determined mostly by age and resting blood pressure but may also be attenuated by increased fitness. A graded exercise test was performed in 2303 men with prehypertension at the Veterans Affairs Medical Centers in Washington, DC. Four fitness categories were defined, based on peak metabolic equivalents (METs) achieved. We assessed the association between exercise capacity and rate of progression to hypertension (HTN). The median follow-up period was 7.8 years (mean (± SD) 9.2±6.1 years). The incidence rate of progression from prehypertension to hypertension was 34.4 per 1000 person-years. Exercise capacity was a strong and independent predictor of the rate of progression. Compared to the High-Fit individuals (>10.0 METs), the adjusted risk for developing HTN was 66% higher (hazard ratio, 1.66; 95% CI, 1.2 to 2.2; P=0.001) for the Low-Fit and, similarly, 72% higher (hazard ratio, 1.72; 95% CI, 1.2 to 2.3; P=0.001) for the Least-Fit individuals, whereas it was only 36% for the Moderate-Fit (hazard ratio, 1.36; 95% CI, 0.99 to 1.80; P=0.056). Significant predictors for the progression to HTN were also age (19% per 10 years), resting systolic blood pressure (16% per 10 mm Hg), body mass index (15.3% per 5 U), and type 2 diabetes mellitus (2-fold). In conclusion, an inverse, S-shaped association was shown between exercise capacity and the rate of progression from prehypertension to hypertension in middle-aged and older male veterans. The protective effects of fitness were evident when exercise capacity exceeded 8.5 METs. These findings emphasize the importance of fitness in the prevention of hypertension.

Progression from acute to chronic pancreatitis

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Nøjgaard, Camilla; Becker, Ulrik; Matzen, Peter

2011-01-01

Objectives: Knowledge of the natural course of acute pancreatitis (AP) and risk of progression to chronic pancreatitis (CP) is limited. The aims were to describe: (1) the incidence of progression from AP to CP, (2) prognostic factors for progression, and (3) the natural course and mortality.......1%) during follow-up; 48.2% developed from alcoholic AP, 47.0% from idiopathic AP, and 4.8% from other causes. The mortality rate for patients with progressive AP was 2.7 times higher than in patients with nonprogressive acute pancreatitis, and 5.3 to 6.5 times higher than in the background population....... In Cox regression analyses corrected for age, only smoking was of significance for the progression from AP to CP. Conclusions: Acute pancreatitis can progress to CP, not only from alcoholic but also from nonalcoholic AP. Smoking was the strongest risk factor associated with progression. The mortality...

Progressive Decrease of Peripapillary Angioflow Vessel Density During Structural and Visual Field Progression in Early Primary Open-angle Glaucoma.

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Holló, Gábor

2017-07-01

To present a case of early primary open-angle glaucoma in which retinal nerve fiber layer thickness (RNFLT), ganglion cell complex (GCC), and visual field progression were accompanied with significant progression of peripapillary angioflow vessel density (PAFD) measured with optical coherence tomographic angiography. A 68-year-old female patient who was under topical intraocular pressure (IOP) lowering medication for 20 years for ocular hypertension of the right and preperimetric primary open-angle glaucoma of the left eye (with reproducible inferotemporal and superotemporal neuroretinal rim and RNFL loss) was prospectively imaged with the AngioVue OCT for RNFLT, GCC thickness, and PAFD, and investigated with the Octopus Normal G2 visual field test on the same days at 6-month intervals for 18 months, while the IOP of the left eye escaped from control. IOP of the left eye fluctuated between 14 and 30 mm Hg in the study period. RNFLT, GCC thickness, and peripapillary PAFD all decreased significantly (linear regression analysis, P=0.030, 0.040, and 0.020, respectively), and a significant 2.1 dB/y progression was seen for a superior visual field cluster. The RNFLT, peripapillary PAFD, and visual field of the right eye remained normal and unchanged. In our case IOP elevation, glaucomatous visual field conversion, and structural progression were accompanied with significant progressive decrease of peripapillary PAFD. The simultaneous thinning of RNFLT and GCC and decrease of peripapillary PAFD suggest that PAFD may potentially be an additional indicator of early progression in primary open-angle glaucoma.

Fluor Hanford Project Focused Progress at Hanford

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

HANSON, R.D.

2000-01-01

Fluor Hanford is making significant progress in accelerating cleanup at the Hanford site. This progress consistently aligns with a new strategic vision established by the U.S. Department of Energy's Richland Operations Office (RL)

Opportunities for Collaborative Adaptive Management Progress: Integrating Stakeholder Assessments into Progress Measurement

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jim Berkley

2013-12-01

There are differences among stakeholders in the indicators they consider as relevant to the assessment of progress. Elucidating these differences can provide useful information about system components and relationships that are important to public support of a CAM program and progress. One of the sources of differences in progress assessments among stakeholders comes from their diverse perceptions about the desired and current states of the social-ecological systems. Stakeholder behavior can be inconsistent between group and individual settings. Individually they may make plans, based on their assessments, that do not conform to the group plan because of their unique interests and preferences. The results of this study need to be further tested. The framework should be used through multiple cycles to determine whether the information gathered with this approach results in additional progress as compared with past approaches. In particular, it would be helpful to test whether gathering such information resulted in a decrease in stakeholders electing to go outside of the CAM process to get their needs met.

Increased fear of progression in cancer patients with recurrence.

Science.gov (United States)

Shim, Eun-Jung; Shin, Yong-Wook; Oh, Do-Youn; Hahm, Bong-Jin

2010-01-01

This study investigated the fear of progression (FoP) in cancer patients and the discriminant ability of the Fear of Progression Questionnaire (FoP-Q) against the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS), while also examining relationships between FoP, satisfaction outcomes and supportive needs. The FoP-Q and HADS were administered to 112 cancer patients in Korea during June and July 2006. The FoP-Q totals and subscales, and the HADS scores were compared across three groups (patients with recurrence, patients with metastases and controls experiencing neither). Comparison of the FoP-Q total score to HADS anxiety (HADS-A) and depression (HADS-D) scores showed higher FoP in the recurrence group compared to the control group (P=.009). Subscale score comparisons revealed a heightened "affective reaction" (P=.003) to cancer progression and fear of "loss of autonomy" (P=.011) in recurrence patients. FoP-Q score showed a moderate association with HADS-A (r=.54, P=.000) and a significant association with treatment satisfaction (r=-.26, P=.007), medical staff and communication (r=-.31, P=.001), and supportive needs (r=.41, P=.000). The importance of providing supportive interventions tailored to the specific emotional concerns of cancer patients, assessed via appropriate, disease-specific instruments, and the need to pay special attention to the concerns of recurrence patients are suggested. Copyright 2010 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Pioglitazone slows progression of atherosclerosis in prediabetes independent of changes in cardiovascular risk factors

Science.gov (United States)

Saremi, Aramesh; Schwenke, Dawn C.; Buchanan, Thomas A.; Hodis, Howard N.; Mack, Wendy J.; Banerji, MaryAnn; Bray, George A.; Clement, Stephen C.; Henry, Robert R.; Kitabchi, Abbas E.; Mudaliar, Sunder; Ratner, Robert E.; Stentz, Frankie B.; Musi, Nicolas; Tripathy, Devjit; DeFronzo, Ralph A.; Reaven, Peter D.

2013-01-01

Objective To determine whether changes in standard and novel risk factors during the ACT NOW trial explained the slower rate of CIMT progression with pioglitazone treatment in persons with prediabetes. Methods and Results CIMT was measured in 382 participants at the beginning and up to three additional times during follow-up of the ACT NOW trial. During an average follow-up of 2.3 years, the mean unadjusted annual rate of CIMT progression was significantly (P=0.01) lower with pioglitazone treatment (4.76 × 10−3 mm/year, 95% CI, 2.39 × 10−3 – 7.14 × 10−3 mm/year) compared with placebo (9.69 × 10−3 mm/year, 95% CI, 7.24 × 10−3 – 12.15 × 10−3 mm/year). High-density lipoprotein cholesterol, fasting and 2-hour glucose, HbA1c, fasting insulin, Matsuda insulin sensitivity index, adiponectin and plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 levels improved significantly with pioglitazone treatment compared with placebo (P < 0.001). However, the effect of pioglitazone on CIMT progression was not attenuated by multiple methods of adjustment for traditional, metabolic and inflammatory risk factors and concomitant medications, and was independent of changes in risk factors during pioglitazone treatment. Conclusions Pioglitazone slowed progression of CIMT, independent of improvement in hyperglycemia, insulin resistance, dyslipidemia and systemic inflammation in prediabetes. These results suggest a possible direct vascular benefit of pioglitazone. PMID:23175674

A Note on Comparing the Power of Test Statistics at Low Significance Levels.

Science.gov (United States)

Morris, Nathan; Elston, Robert

2011-01-01

It is an obvious fact that the power of a test statistic is dependent upon the significance (alpha) level at which the test is performed. It is perhaps a less obvious fact that the relative performance of two statistics in terms of power is also a function of the alpha level. Through numerous personal discussions, we have noted that even some competent statisticians have the mistaken intuition that relative power comparisons at traditional levels such as α = 0.05 will be roughly similar to relative power comparisons at very low levels, such as the level α = 5 × 10 -8 , which is commonly used in genome-wide association studies. In this brief note, we demonstrate that this notion is in fact quite wrong, especially with respect to comparing tests with differing degrees of freedom. In fact, at very low alpha levels the cost of additional degrees of freedom is often comparatively low. Thus we recommend that statisticians exercise caution when interpreting the results of power comparison studies which use alpha levels that will not be used in practice.

Comparing 3 T and 1.5 T MRI for tracking Alzheimer's disease progression with tensor-based morphometry.

Science.gov (United States)

Ho, April J; Hua, Xue; Lee, Suh; Leow, Alex D; Yanovsky, Igor; Gutman, Boris; Dinov, Ivo D; Leporé, Natasha; Stein, Jason L; Toga, Arthur W; Jack, Clifford R; Bernstein, Matt A; Reiman, Eric M; Harvey, Danielle J; Kornak, John; Schuff, Norbert; Alexander, Gene E; Weiner, Michael W; Thompson, Paul M

2010-04-01

A key question in designing MRI-based clinical trials is how the main magnetic field strength of the scanner affects the power to detect disease effects. In 110 subjects scanned longitudinally at both 3.0 and 1.5 T, including 24 patients with Alzheimer's Disease (AD) [74.8 +/- 9.2 years, MMSE: 22.6 +/- 2.0 at baseline], 51 individuals with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) [74.1 +/- 8.0 years, MMSE: 26.6 +/- 2.0], and 35 controls [75.9 +/- 4.6 years, MMSE: 29.3 +/- 0.8], we assessed whether higher-field MR imaging offers higher or lower power to detect longitudinal changes in the brain, using tensor-based morphometry (TBM) to reveal the location of progressive atrophy. As expected, at both field strengths, progressive atrophy was widespread in AD and more spatially restricted in MCI. Power analysis revealed that, to detect a 25% slowing of atrophy (with 80% power), 37 AD and 108 MCI subjects would be needed at 1.5 T versus 49 AD and 166 MCI subjects at 3 T; however, the increased power at 1.5 T was not statistically significant (alpha = 0.05) either for TBM, or for SIENA, a related method for computing volume loss rates. Analysis of cumulative distribution functions and false discovery rates showed that, at both field strengths, temporal lobe atrophy rates were correlated with interval decline in Alzheimer's Disease Assessment Scale-cognitive subscale (ADAS-cog), mini-mental status exam (MMSE), and Clinical Dementia Rating sum-of-boxes (CDR-SB) scores. Overall, 1.5 and 3 T scans did not significantly differ in their power to detect neurodegenerative changes over a year. Hum Brain Mapp, 2010. (c) 2009 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

Voltage-Gated Potassium Channel Antibodies in Slow-Progression Motor Neuron Disease.

Science.gov (United States)

Godani, Massimiliano; Zoccarato, Marco; Beronio, Alessandro; Zuliani, Luigi; Benedetti, Luana; Giometto, Bruno; Del Sette, Massimo; Raggio, Elisa; Baldi, Roberta; Vincent, Angela

2017-01-01

The spectrum of autoimmune neurological diseases associated with voltage-gated potassium channel (VGKC)-complex antibodies (Abs) ranges from peripheral nerve disorders to limbic encephalitis. Recently, low titers of VGKC-complex Abs have also been reported in neurodegenerative disorders, but their clinical relevance is unknown. The aim of the study was to explore the prevalence of VGKC-complex Abs in slow-progression motor neuron disease (MND). We compared 11 patients affected by slow-progression MND with 9 patients presenting typical progression illness. Sera were tested for VGKC-complex Abs by radioimmunoassay. The distribution of VGKC-complex Abs was analyzed with the Mann-Whitney U test. The statistical analysis showed a significant difference between the mean values in the study and control groups. A case with long-survival MND harboring VGKC-complex Abs and treated with intravenous immunoglobulins is described. Although VGKC-complex Abs are not likely to be pathogenic, these results could reflect the coexistence of an immunological activation in patients with slow disease progression. © 2016 S. Karger AG, Basel.

Biofeedback, autogenic training, and progressive relaxation in the treatment of Raynaud's disease: a comparative study.

Science.gov (United States)

Keefe, F J; Surwit, R S; Pilon, R N

1980-01-01

Twenty-one female patients suffering from diagnosed idiopathic Raynaud's Disease were trained to raise digital skin temperature using either autogenic training, progressive muscle relaxation, or a combination of autogenic training and skin temperature feedback. Patients were instructed in the treatment procedures in three one-hour group sessions spaced one week apart. All patients were instructed to practice what they had learned twice a day at home. Patients kept records of the frequency of vasospastic attacks occurring over a four-week baseline period, and during the first four weeks and the ninth week of training. In addition, patients underwent four laboratory cold stress tests during which they were instructed to maintain digital temperature as the ambient temperature was slowly dropped from 26 degrees to 17 degrees C. Cold stress tests were given during week 1 of baseline and during weeks 1, 3, and 5 of training. No significant differences between the three behavioral treatment procedures were obtained. In addition, the ability of patients to maintain digital temperature during the cold stress challenge showed significant improvement from the first to the last tests. Symptomatic improvement was maintained by all patients nine weeks after the start of training. The implications of these findings for the behavioral treatment of Raynaud's Disease are discussed. PMID:6988380

The Significance of Trust in the Political System and Motivation for Pupils' Learning Progress in Politics Lessons

Science.gov (United States)

Landwehr, Barbara; Weisseno, Georg

2016-01-01

Very little research has been conducted on the contribution of political education to learning progress in Germany. Hence, there is a need for intervention studies measuring performance against the theoretical background of a political competence model. This model comprises three constructs: subject knowledge, motivation and attitudes. According…

Relationship between visual field progression and baseline refraction in primary open-angle glaucoma.

Science.gov (United States)

Naito, Tomoko; Yoshikawa, Keiji; Mizoue, Shiro; Nanno, Mami; Kimura, Tairo; Suzumura, Hirotaka; Umeda, Yuzo; Shiraga, Fumio

2016-01-01

To analyze the relationship between visual field (VF) progression and baseline refraction in Japanese patients with primary open-angle glaucoma (POAG) including normal-tension glaucoma. In this retrospective study, the subjects were patients with POAG who had undergone VF tests at least ten times with a Humphrey Field Analyzer (Swedish interactive thresholding algorithm standard, Central 30-2 program). VF progression was defined as a significantly negative value of mean deviation (MD) slope at the final VF test. Multivariate logistic regression models were applied to detect an association between MD slope deterioration and baseline refraction. A total of 156 eyes of 156 patients were included in this analysis. Significant deterioration of MD slope was observed in 70 eyes of 70 patients (44.9%), whereas no significant deterioration was evident in 86 eyes of 86 patients (55.1%). The eyes with VF progression had significantly higher baseline refraction compared to those without apparent VF progression (-1.9±3.8 diopter [D] vs -3.5±3.4 D, P=0.0048) (mean ± standard deviation). When subject eyes were classified into four groups by the level of baseline refraction applying spherical equivalent (SE): no myopia (SE > -1D), mild myopia (-1D ≥ SE > -3D), moderate myopia (-3D ≥ SE > -6D), and severe myopia (-6D ≥ SE), the Cochran-Armitage trend analysis showed a decreasing trend in the proportion of MD slope deterioration with increasing severity of myopia (P=0.0002). The multivariate analysis revealed that baseline refraction (P=0.0108, odds ratio [OR]: 1.13, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.03-1.25) and intraocular pressure reduction rate (P=0.0150, OR: 0.97, 95% CI: 0.94-0.99) had a significant association with MD slope deterioration. In the current analysis of Japanese patients with POAG, baseline refraction was a factor significantly associated with MD slope deterioration as well as intraocular pressure reduction rate. When baseline refraction was classified into

Sex Differences in Time to Return-to-Play Progression After Sport-Related Concussion.

Science.gov (United States)

Stone, Sarah; Lee, Bobby; Garrison, J Craig; Blueitt, Damond; Creed, Kalyssa

2016-10-03

Recently, female sports participation has increased, and there is a tendency for women to experience more symptoms and variable presentation after sport-related concussion (SRC). The purpose of this study was to determine whether sex differences exist in time to begin a return-to-play (RTP) progression after an initial SRC. After initial SRC, female athletes (11-20 years old) would take longer to begin an RTP progression compared with age-matched male athletes. Retrospective cohort study. Level 3. A total of 579 participants (365 males [mean age, 15.0 ± 1.7 years], 214 females [mean age, 15.2 ± 1.5 years]), including middle school, high school, and collegiate athletes who participated in various sports and experienced an initial SRC were included and underwent retrospective chart review. The following information was collected: sex, age at injury, sport, history of prior concussion, date of injury, and date of initiation of RTP progression. Participants with a history of more than 1 concussion or injury sustained from non-sport-related activity were excluded. Despite American football having the greatest percentage (49.2%) of sport participation, female athletes took significantly longer to start an RTP progression after an initial SRC (29.1 ± 26.3 days) compared with age-matched male athletes (22.7 ± 18.3 days; P = 0.002). On average, female athletes took approximately 6 days longer to begin an RTP progression compared with age-matched male athletes. This suggests that sex differences exist between athletes, ages 11 to 20 years, with regard to initiation of an RTP progression after SRC. Female athletes may take longer to recover after an SRC, and therefore, may take longer to return to sport. Sex should be considered as part of the clinical decision-making process when determining plan of care for this population. © 2016 The Author(s).

Evaluation of Quality of Life at Progression in Patients with Soft Tissue Sarcoma

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Stacie Hudgens

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Introduction. Soft Tissue Sarcoma (STS is a rare malignancy of mesodermal tissue, with international incidence estimates between 1.8 and 5 per 100,000 per year. Understanding quality of life (QoL and the detrimental impact of disease progression is critical for long-term care and survival. Objectives. The primary objective was to explore the relationship between disease progression and health-related quality of life (HRQoL using data from Eisai’s study (E7389-G000-309. Methods. This was a 1 : 1 randomized, open-label, multicenter, Phase 3 study comparing the efficacy and safety of eribulin versus dacarbazine in patients with advanced STS. The QoL analysis was conducted for the baseline and progression populations using the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer 30-item core QoL questionnaire (EORTC QLQ-C30. Results. There were no statistical differences between the two treatment arms at baseline for any domain (p>0.05; n=452. Of the 399 patients who experienced disease progression (unadjusted and adjusting for histology, dacarbazine patients had significantly lower Global Health Status, Physical Functioning scores, and significantly worse Nausea and Vomiting, Insomnia, and Appetite Loss (p<0.05. Conclusions. These results indicate differences in HRQoL overall and at progression between dacarbazine and eribulin patients, with increases in symptom severity observed among dacarbazine patients.

Targeting ECM Disrupts Cancer Progression

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Venning, Freja A; Wullkopf, Lena; Erler, Janine T

2015-01-01

, the extracellular matrix (ECM). Many ECM proteins are significantly deregulated during the progression of cancer, causing both biochemical and biomechanical changes that together promote the metastatic cascade. In this review, the influence of several ECM proteins on these multiple steps of cancer spread...... is summarized. In addition, we highlight the promising (pre-)clinical data showing benefits of targeting these ECM macromolecules to prevent cancer progression....

Intensity-Modulated Radiotherapy Results in Significant Decrease in Clinical Toxicities Compared With Conventional Wedge-Based Breast Radiotherapy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Harsolia, Asif; Kestin, Larry; Grills, Inga; Wallace, Michelle; Jolly, Shruti; Jones, Cortney; Lala, Moinaktar; Martinez, Alvaro; Schell, Scott; Vicini, Frank A.

2007-01-01

Purpose: We have previously demonstrated that intensity-modulated radiotherapy (IMRT) with a static multileaf collimator process results in a more homogenous dose distribution compared with conventional wedge-based whole breast irradiation (WBI). In the present analysis, we reviewed the acute and chronic toxicity of this IMRT approach compared with conventional wedge-based treatment. Methods and Materials: A total of 172 patients with Stage 0-IIB breast cancer were treated with lumpectomy followed by WBI. All patients underwent treatment planning computed tomography and received WBI (median dose, 45 Gy) followed by a boost to 61 Gy. Of the 172 patients, 93 (54%) were treated with IMRT, and the 79 patients (46%) treated with wedge-based RT in a consecutive fashion immediately before this cohort served as the control group. The median follow-up was 4.7 years. Results: A significant reduction in acute Grade 2 or worse dermatitis, edema, and hyperpigmentation was seen with IMRT compared with wedges. A trend was found toward reduced acute Grade 3 or greater dermatitis (6% vs. 1%, p = 0.09) in favor of IMRT. Chronic Grade 2 or worse breast edema was significantly reduced with IMRT compared with conventional wedges. No difference was found in cosmesis scores between the two groups. In patients with larger breasts (≥1,600 cm 3 , n = 64), IMRT resulted in reduced acute (Grade 2 or greater) breast edema (0% vs. 36%, p <0.001) and hyperpigmentation (3% vs. 41%, p 0.001) and chronic (Grade 2 or greater) long-term edema (3% vs. 30%, p 0.007). Conclusion: The use of IMRT in the treatment of the whole breast results in a significant decrease in acute dermatitis, edema, and hyperpigmentation and a reduction in the development of chronic breast edema compared with conventional wedge-based RT

Regression of Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease with Zinc and Selenium Co-supplementation after Disease Progression in Rats

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Farzad Shidfar

2018-01-01

Full Text Available Background: Studies have shown that zinc and selenium deficiency is common in nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD. However, the effects of zinc and selenium co-supplementation before and/or after disease progression on NAFLD are not clear enough. The aim of this study was to compare the effects of zinc and selenium co-supplementation before and/or after disease progression on NAFLD prognosis. Methods: Forty male Sprague–Dawley rats (197±4 g were randomly assigned to 4 dietary groups: normal-fat diet (NFD; receiving 9% of calories as fat, high-fat diet (HFD; receiving 82% of calories as fat, supplementation before disease progression (S+HFD, and supplementation after disease progression (HFD+S. The diets were implemented over a 20-week period in all the groups. Biochemical and histologic parameters were compared between the 4 groups, and between-group comparisons were also carried out. Results: There were significant differences in the average food dietary intake (P<0.001, weight (P<0.001, fasting blood sugar (P=0.005, triglyceride (P<0.001, total cholesterol (P<0.001, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (P=0.002, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (P=0.001, alanine aminotransferase (P<0.001, and aspartate aminotransferase (P<0.001 between the 4 dietary groups. Serum triglyceride and total cholesterol were significantly lower in the HFD+S Group than in the S+HFD Group (P<0.001 and P=0.003, respectively. Fat accumulation was significantly reduced in the HFD+S Group (P<0.001. Conclusion: Zinc and selenium co-supplementation after disease progression improved biochemical and histologic parameters in an experimental model of NAFLD.

The role of S100 genes in breast cancer progression.

LENUS (Irish Health Repository)

McKiernan, Eadaoin

2012-02-01

The S100 gene family encode low molecular weight proteins implicated in cancer progression. In this study, we analyzed the expression of four S100 genes in one cohort of patients with breast cancer and 16 S100 genes in a second cohort. In both cohorts, the expression of S100A8 and S1009 mRNA level was elevated in high-grade compared to low-grade tumors and in estrogen receptor-negative compared to estrogen receptor-positive tumors. None of the S100 transcripts investigated were significantly associated with the presence of lymph node metastasis. Notably, multiple S100 genes, including S100A1, S100A2, S100A4, S100A6, S100A8, S100A9, S100A10, S100A11, and S100A14 were upregulated in basal-type breast cancers compared to non-basal types. Using Spearman\\'s correlation analysis, several S100 transcripts correlated significantly with each other, the strongest correlation has been found between S100A8 and S100A9 (r = 0.889, P < 0.001, n = 295). Of the 16 S100 transcripts investigated, only S100A11 and S100A14 were significantly associated with patient outcome. Indeed, these two transcripts predicted outcome in the cohort of patients that did not receive systemic adjuvant therapy. Based on our findings, we conclude that the different S100 genes play varying roles in breast cancer progression. Specific S100 genes are potential targets for the treatment of basal-type breast cancers.

The role of S100 genes in breast cancer progression.

LENUS (Irish Health Repository)

McKiernan, Eadaoin

2011-06-01

The S100 gene family encode low molecular weight proteins implicated in cancer progression. In this study, we analyzed the expression of four S100 genes in one cohort of patients with breast cancer and 16 S100 genes in a second cohort. In both cohorts, the expression of S100A8 and S1009 mRNA level was elevated in high-grade compared to low-grade tumors and in estrogen receptor-negative compared to estrogen receptor-positive tumors. None of the S100 transcripts investigated were significantly associated with the presence of lymph node metastasis. Notably, multiple S100 genes, including S100A1, S100A2, S100A4, S100A6, S100A8, S100A9, S100A10, S100A11, and S100A14 were upregulated in basal-type breast cancers compared to non-basal types. Using Spearman\\'s correlation analysis, several S100 transcripts correlated significantly with each other, the strongest correlation has been found between S100A8 and S100A9 (r = 0.889, P < 0.001, n = 295). Of the 16 S100 transcripts investigated, only S100A11 and S100A14 were significantly associated with patient outcome. Indeed, these two transcripts predicted outcome in the cohort of patients that did not receive systemic adjuvant therapy. Based on our findings, we conclude that the different S100 genes play varying roles in breast cancer progression. Specific S100 genes are potential targets for the treatment of basal-type breast cancers.

Split-Course, High-Dose Palliative Pelvic Radiotherapy for Locally Progressive Hormone-Refractory Prostate Cancer

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Gogna, Nirdosh Kumar, E-mail: kumar_gogna@health.qld.gov.au [Radiation Oncology Services, Mater Centre, Brisbane, Queensland (Australia); Baxi, Siddhartha; Hickey, Brigid; Baumann, Kathryn [Radiation Oncology Services, Mater Centre, Brisbane, Queensland (Australia); Burmeister, Elizabeth [Princess Alexandra Hospital, Brisbane, Queensland (Australia); Holt, Tanya [Radiation Oncology Services, Mater Centre, Brisbane, Queensland (Australia)

2012-06-01

Purpose: Local progression, in patients with hormone-refractory prostate cancer, often causes significant morbidity. Pelvic radiotherapy (RT) provides effective palliation in this setting, with most published studies supporting the use of high-dose regimens. The aim of the present study was to examine the role of split-course hypofractionated RT used at our institution in treating this group of patients. Methods and Materials: A total of 34 men with locoregionally progressive hormone-refractory prostate cancer, treated with a split course of pelvic RT (45-60 Gy in 18-24 fractions) between 2000 and 2008 were analyzed. The primary endpoints were the response rate and actuarial locoregional progression-free survival. Secondary endpoints included overall survival, compliance, and acute and late toxicity. Results: The median age was 71 years (range, 53-88). Treatment resulted in an overall initial response rate of 91%, a median locoregional progression-free survival of 43 months, and median overall survival of 28 months. Compliance was excellent and no significant late toxicity was reported. Conclusions: The split course pelvic RT described has an acceptable toxicity profile, is effective, and compares well with other high-dose palliative regimens that have been previously reported.

Abiraterone acetate for patients with metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer progressing after chemotherapy

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Sternberg, Cora N; Castellano, Daniel; Daugaard, Gedske

2014-01-01

, development of sustained side-effects, or abiraterone acetate becoming available in the respective country. The primary outcome was the number of adverse events arising during study treatment and within 30 days of discontinuation. Efficacy measures (time to prostate-specific antigen [PSA] progression and time......BACKGROUND: In the final analysis of the phase 3 COU-AA-301 study, abiraterone acetate plus prednisone significantly prolonged overall survival compared with prednisone alone in patients with metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer progressing after chemotherapy. Here, we present the final...... analysis of an early-access protocol trial that was initiated after completion of COU-AA-301 to enable worldwide preapproval access to abiraterone acetate in patients with metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer progressing after chemotherapy. METHODS: We did a multicentre, open-label, early...

Can the neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio be used to predict recurrence and progression of non-muscle-invasive bladder cancer?

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Sebahattin Albayrak

2016-06-01

Full Text Available The aim of our study was to evaluate whether neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR is a predictor of disease progression and recurrence in patients with primary non-muscle-invasive bladder cancer (NMIBC. This was a prospective study of 86 patients with newly diagnosed NMIBC. The patients were classified by the number of points assigned by the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer risk tables. The correlation between progression score, recurrence score, age, mean platelet volume, red blood cell distribution width and NLR was assessed statistically. The same parameters were compared between the risk groups. A significant difference in NLR and age values was observed between recurrence and progression risk score groups. The relationships between NLR and recurrence and progression risk scores were no longer significant after correcting for the statistical effect of age on scores. Age was significantly different between groups after adjusting for NLR. Our study revealed that NLR and age were associated with patient age and bladder tumor progression and recurrence risk scores. After correcting for age, the significant relationship with NLR was lost, in contrast to some previous studies. We recommend that patient age should be corrected to avoid misleading results in NLR studies.

Identification of differentially expressed proteins during human urinary bladder cancer progression.

Science.gov (United States)

Memon, Ashfaque A; Chang, Jong W; Oh, Bong R; Yoo, Yung J

2005-01-01

Comparative proteome analysis was performed between RT4 (grade-1) and T24 (grade-3) bladder cancer cell lines, in an attempt to identify differentially expressed proteins during bladder cancer progression. Among those relatively abundant proteins, seven spots changed more than two-fold reproducibly and identified by peptide mass fingerprinting using mass spectrometry and database search. We found most extensive and reproducible down-regulation of NADP dependent isocitrate dehydrogenase cytoplasmic (IDPc) and peroxiredoxin-II (Prx-II), in poorly differentiated T24 compared to well-differentiated RT4 bladder cancer cell line. Subsequent Western blotting analysis of human biopsy samples from bladder cancer patient revealed significant loss of IDPc and Prx-II in more advance tumor samples, in agreement with data on cell lines. These results suggest that loss of IDPc and Prx-II during tumor development may involve in tumor progression and metastasis. However, additional investigations are needed on large number of human samples to further verify these findings.

Effect of Progressive Volume-Based Overload During Plyometric Training on Explosive and Endurance Performance in Young Soccer Players.

Science.gov (United States)

Ramírez-Campillo, Rodrigo; Henríquez-Olguín, Carlos; Burgos, Carlos; Andrade, David C; Zapata, Daniel; Martínez, Cristian; Álvarez, Cristian; Baez, Eduardo I; Castro-Sepúlveda, Mauricio; Peñailillo, Luis; Izquierdo, Mikel

2015-07-01

The purpose of the study was to compare the effects of progressive volume-based overload with constant volume-based overload on muscle explosive and endurance performance adaptations during a biweekly short-term (i.e., 6 weeks) plyometric training intervention in young soccer players. Three groups of young soccer players (age 13.0 ± 2.3 years) were divided into: control (CG; n = 8) and plyometric training with (PPT; n = 8) and without (NPPT; n = 8) a progressive increase in volume (i.e., 16 jumps per leg per week, with an initial volume of 80 jumps per leg each session). Bilateral and unilateral horizontal and vertical countermovement jump with arms (CMJA), 20-cm drop jump reactive strength index (RSI20), maximal kicking velocity (MKV), 10-m sprint, change of direction speed (CODS), and Yo-Yo intermittent recovery level 1 test (Yo-Yo IR1) were measured. Although both experimental groups significantly increased CMJA, RSI20, CODS, and endurance performance, only PPT showed a significant improvement in MKV and 10-m sprint time. In addition, only PPT showed a significantly higher performance improvement in jumping, MKV, and Yo-Yo IR1 compared with CG. Also, PPT showed higher meaningful improvement compared with NPPT in all (except 1) jump performance measures. Furthermore, although PPT involved a higher total volume compared with NPPT, training efficiency (i.e., percentage change in performance/total jump volume) was similar between groups. Our results show that PPT and NPPT ensured significant improvement in muscle explosive and endurance performance measures. However, a progressive increase in plyometric training volume seems more advantageous to induce soccer-specific performance improvements.

Comparative Education and Research Capacity Building: Reflections on International Transfer and the Significance of Context

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Michael Crossley

2012-04-01

Full Text Available Recent years have seen a resurgence of interest in comparative and international education, along with a fundamental reconceptualisation of this distinctive multidisciplinary field of study. The nature and significance of these developments are explored with particular reference to their implications for broader research capacity building initiatives worldwide. In doing so, a critique of the international transfer of globally dominant research modalities and strategies is presented--along with arguments for increased attention to context sensitivity in both international development cooperation and educational research in general. Illustrative examples that support these arguments are drawn from the author's own research, from an analysis of emergent educational policy debates in the UK, and from related studies being carried out in Malaysia. In concluding, the strategic role of comparative research traditions and perspectives in a rapidly globalizing world is highlighted, while supporting the promotion of new initiative and research centres for comparative and international education.

Detection of Progressive Retinal Nerve Fiber Layer Loss in Glaucoma Using Scanning Laser Polarimetry with Variable Corneal Compensation

Science.gov (United States)

Medeiros, Felipe A.; Alencar, Luciana M.; Zangwill, Linda M.; Bowd, Christopher; Vizzeri, Gianmarco; Sample, Pamela A.; Weinreb, Robert N.

2010-01-01

Purpose To evaluate the ability of scanning laser polarimetry with variable corneal compensation to detect progressive retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL) loss in glaucoma patients and patients suspected of having the disease. Methods This was an observational cohort study that included 335 eyes of 195 patients. Images were obtained annually with the GDx VCC scanning laser polarimeter, along with optic disc stereophotographs and standard automated perimetry (SAP) visual fields. The median follow-up time was 3.94 years. Progression was determined using commercial software for SAP and by masked assessment of optic disc stereophotographs performed by expert graders. Random coefficient models were used to evaluate the relationship between RNFL thickness measurements over time and progression as determined by SAP and/or stereophotographs. Results From the 335 eyes, 34 (10%) showed progression over time by stereophotographs and/or SAP. Average GDx VCC measurements decreased significantly over time for both progressors as well as non-progressors. However, the rate of decline was significantly higher in the progressing group (−0.70 μm/year) compared to the non-progressing group (−0.14 μm/year; P = 0.001). Black race and male sex were significantly associated with higher rates of RNFL loss during follow-up. Conclusions The GDx VCC scanning laser polarimeter was able to identify longitudinal RNFL loss in eyes that showed progression in optic disc stereophotographs and/or visual fields. These findings suggest that this technology could be useful to detect and monitor progressive disease in patients with established diagnosis of glaucoma or suspected of having the disease. PMID:19029038

EXPERIMENTAL AND CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE OF RENAL FUNCTIONAL RESERVE DETERMINATION

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jernej Pajek

2002-07-01

Full Text Available Background. Renal functional reserve (RFR is defined as the temporary increase in glomerular filtration rate (GFR which follows the ingestion of proteins or infusion of aminoacids. This renal vasodilatatory response is probably mediated by several mechanisms, with nitric oxide being one of the most important mediators. In the last years significant progress in measuring renal functional reserve has been achieved on the basis of improvements in methods for accurate and timely appropriate GFR measurement. The method of GFR measurement using the sinistrin clearence calculation after bolus injection of sinistrin is increasingly employed.Conclusions. The article presents the latest results of experiments with RFR using this method and compares them with older reports. RFR is affected by several patophysiological processes: arterial hypertension, diabetes mellitus, deteriorating function of transplanted kidney. The results and impact of RFR determination in this conditions are described. Finally, potential for further research of RFR in atherosclerotic vascular disease is considered. Accurate determination of RFR is important for detection of early renal hemodynamic abnormalities, which can be influenced by therapeutic interventions and in this way the progression of renal functional deterioration could be prevented or at least slowed.

Enforcement actions: significant actions resolved. Quarterly progress report, July-September 1982

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1982-10-01

This compilation summarizes significant enforcement actions that have been resolved during one quarterly period (July to September 1982) and includes copies of letters, notices, and orders sent by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission to the licensee with respect to the enforcement action. It is anticipated that the information in this publication will be widely disseminated to managers and employees engaged in activities licensed by the NRC, in the interest of promoting public health and safety as well as common defense and security. This publication is issued on a quarterly basis to include significant enforcement actions resolved during the preceding quarter

Clinical significance of pretreatment FDG PET/CT IN MOBG-avid pediatric neuroblastoma

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kang, Seo Young; Kim, Yong Il; Cheon, Gi Jeong; Kang, Keon Wook; Chung, June Key; Lee, Dong Soo; Kang, Hyoung Jin; Shin, Hee Young [Seoul National University Hospital, Seoul (Korea, Republic of); Kim, E. Edmund [Seoul National University, Seoul (Korea, Republic of); Rahim, Muhammad Kashif [Nishtar Medical College and Hospital, Multan (Pakistan)

2017-06-15

{sup 18}F-fluorodeoxyglucose-positron emission tomography (FDG-PET) imaging is well known to have clinical significance in the initial staging and response evaluation of the many kinds of neoplasms. However, its role in the pediatric neuroblastoma is not clearly defined. In the present study, the clinical significance of FDG-PET/computed tomography (CT) in 123I- or 131I-metaiodobenzylguanidine (MIBG)-avid pediatric neuroblastoma was investigated. Twenty patients with neuroblastoma who undertook pretreatment FDG PET/CT at our institute between 2008 and 2015 and showed MIBG avidity were retrospectively enrolled in the present study. Clinical information—including histopathology, and serum markers—and several PET parameters—including SUVmax of the primary lesion (Psuv), target-to-background ratio (TBR), metabolic tumor volume (MTV), and coefficient of variation (CV)—were analyzed. The prognostic effect of PET parameters was evaluated in terms of progression-free survival (PFS). Total 20 patients (4.5 ± 3.5 years) were divided as two groups by disease progression. Six patients (30.0 %) experienced disease progression and one patient (5.0 %) died during follow-up period. There were not statistically significant in age, stage, MYCN status, primary tumor size, serum lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), neuron-specific enolase (NSE), and ferritin level between two groups with progression or no progression. However, Psuv (p = 0.017), TBR (p = 0.09), MTV (p = 0.02), and CV (p = 0.036) showed significant differences between two groups. In univariate analysis, PFS was significantly associated with Psuv (p = 0.021) and TBR (p = 0.023). FDG-PET parameters were significantly related with progression of neuroblastoma. FDG-PET/CT may have the potential as a valuable modality for evaluating prognosis in the patients with MIBG-avid pediatric neuroblastoma.

Does bariatric surgery prevent progression of diabetic retinopathy?

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, Y; Laybourne, J P; Sandinha, M T; de Alwis, N M W; Avery, P; Steel, D H

2017-08-01

PurposeTo assess the changes in diabetic retinopathy (DR) in type 2 diabetes (T2DM) patients post bariatric surgery and report on the risk factors that may be associated with it.Patients and methodsRetrospective observational study of T2DM patients who underwent bariatric surgery in a UK specialist bariatric unit between 2009 and 2015. Preoperative and postoperative weight, HbA1c, and annual DR screening results were collected from medical records. Patients with preoperative retinal screening and at least one postoperative retinal screening were eligible for analysis. Multivariate analysis was used to explore significant clinical predictors on postoperative worsening in DR.ResultsA total of 102 patients were eligible for analysis and were followed up for 4 years. Preoperatively, 68% of patients had no DR compared to 30% with background retinopathy, 1% pre-proliferative retinopathy, and 1% proliferative retinopathy. In the first postoperative visit, 19% of patients developed new DR compared to 70% stable and 11% improved. These proportions remained similar for each postoperative visit over time. Young age, male gender, high preoperative HbA1c, and presence of preoperative retinopathy were the significant predictors of worsening postoperatively.ConclusionBariatric surgery does not prevent progression of DR. Young male patients with pre-existing DR and poor preoperative glycaemic control are most at risk of progression. All diabetic patients should attend regular DR screening post bariatric surgery to allow early detection of potentially sight-threatening changes, particularly among those with identifiable risk factors. Future prospective studies with prolonged follow-up are required to clarify the duration of risk.

Toward a biologically significant and usable standard for ozone that will also protect plants

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Paoletti, Elena; Manning, William J.

2007-01-01

Ozone remains an important phytotoxic air pollutant and is also recognized as a significant greenhouse gas. In North America, Europe, and Asia, incidence of high concentrations is decreasing, but background levels are steadily rising. There is a need to develop a biologically significant and usable standard for ozone. We compare the strengths and weaknesses of concentration-based, exposure-based and threshold-based indices, such as SUM60 and AOT40, and examine the O 3 flux concept. We also present major challenges to the development of an air quality standard for ozone that has both biological significance and practicality in usage. - Current standards do not protect vegetation from ozone, but progress is being made

Systematic comparative and sensitivity analyses of additive and outranking techniques for supporting impact significance assessments

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cloquell-Ballester, Vicente-Agustin; Monterde-Diaz, Rafael; Cloquell-Ballester, Victor-Andres; Santamarina-Siurana, Maria-Cristina

2007-01-01

Assessing the significance of environmental impacts is one of the most important and all together difficult processes of Environmental Impact Assessment. This is largely due to the multicriteria nature of the problem. To date, decision techniques used in the process suffer from two drawbacks, namely the problem of compensation and the problem of identification of the 'exact boundary' between sub-ranges. This article discusses these issues and proposes a methodology for determining the significance of environmental impacts based on comparative and sensitivity analyses using the Electre TRI technique. An application of the methodology for the environmental assessment of a Power Plant project within the Valencian Region (Spain) is presented, and its performance evaluated. It is concluded that contrary to other techniques, Electre TRI automatically identifies those cases where allocation of significance categories is most difficult and, when combined with sensitivity analysis, offers greatest robustness in the face of variation in weights of the significance attributes. Likewise, this research demonstrates the efficacy of systematic comparison between Electre TRI and sum-based techniques, in the solution of assignment problems. The proposed methodology can therefore be regarded as a successful aid to the decision-maker, who will ultimately take the final decision

Enforcement actions: significant actions resolved. Quarterly progress report, January-June 1982

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1982-09-01

This compilation summarizes significant enforcement actions that have been resolved during two quarterly periods (January to June 1982) and includes copies of letters, notices, and orders sent by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission to the licensee with respect to the enforcement action. It is anticipated that the information in this publication will be widely disseminated to managers and employees engaged in activities licensed by the NRC, in the interest of promoting public health and safety as well as common defense and security. The intention is that this publication will be issued on a quarterly basis to include significant enforcement actions resolved during the preceding quarter

Healthy brain connectivity predicts atrophy progression in non-fluent variant of primary progressive aphasia.

Science.gov (United States)

Mandelli, Maria Luisa; Vilaplana, Eduard; Brown, Jesse A; Hubbard, H Isabel; Binney, Richard J; Attygalle, Suneth; Santos-Santos, Miguel A; Miller, Zachary A; Pakvasa, Mikhail; Henry, Maya L; Rosen, Howard J; Henry, Roland G; Rabinovici, Gil D; Miller, Bruce L; Seeley, William W; Gorno-Tempini, Maria Luisa

2016-10-01

Neurodegeneration has been hypothesized to follow predetermined large-scale networks through the trans-synaptic spread of toxic proteins from a syndrome-specific epicentre. To date, no longitudinal neuroimaging study has tested this hypothesis in vivo in frontotemporal dementia spectrum disorders. The aim of this study was to demonstrate that longitudinal progression of atrophy in non-fluent/agrammatic variant primary progressive aphasia spreads over time from a syndrome-specific epicentre to additional regions, based on their connectivity to the epicentre in healthy control subjects. The syndrome-specific epicentre of the non-fluent/agrammatic variant of primary progressive aphasia was derived in a group of 10 mildly affected patients (clinical dementia rating equal to 0) using voxel-based morphometry. From this region, the inferior frontal gyrus (pars opercularis), we derived functional and structural connectivity maps in healthy controls (n = 30) using functional magnetic resonance imaging at rest and diffusion-weighted imaging tractography. Graph theory analysis was applied to derive functional network features. Atrophy progression was calculated using voxel-based morphometry longitudinal analysis on 34 non-fluent/agrammatic patients. Correlation analyses were performed to compare volume changes in patients with connectivity measures of the healthy functional and structural speech/language network. The default mode network was used as a control network. From the epicentre, the healthy functional connectivity network included the left supplementary motor area and the prefrontal, inferior parietal and temporal regions, which were connected through the aslant, superior longitudinal and arcuate fasciculi. Longitudinal grey and white matter changes were found in the left language-related regions and in the right inferior frontal gyrus. Functional connectivity strength in the healthy speech/language network, but not in the default network, correlated with

Prognostic significance of low skeletal muscle mass compared with protein-energy malnutrition in liver cirrhosis.

Science.gov (United States)

Nishikawa, Hiroki; Enomoto, Hirayuki; Ishii, Akio; Iwata, Yoshinori; Miyamoto, Yuho; Ishii, Noriko; Yuri, Yukihisa; Takata, Ryo; Hasegawa, Kunihiro; Nakano, Chikage; Nishimura, Takashi; Yoh, Kazunori; Aizawa, Nobuhiro; Sakai, Yoshiyuki; Ikeda, Naoto; Takashima, Tomoyuki; Iijima, Hiroko; Nishiguchi, Shuhei

2017-09-01

To investigate the impact of low skeletal muscle mass (LSMM) on survival as compared with protein-energy malnutrition (PEM) in patients with liver cirrhosis (LC). A total of 206 individuals with LC were analyzed. We retrospectively examined the impact of LSMM, as defined by psoas muscle mass at the third lumber on computed tomography, on survival as compared with PEM. In terms of comparison of the effects of LSMM and PEM on survival, we used time-dependent receiver operating characteristics (ROC) analysis. Our study cohort included 115 men and 91 women with a median age of 67 years. There were 140 patients with Child-Pugh A, 62 with Child-Pugh B, and 4 with Child-Pugh C. A total of 117 patients (56.8%) had LSMM and 52 patients (25.2%) had PEM. The proportion of PEM in patients with LSMM (31.62%, 37/117) was significantly higher than in patients without LSMM (16.85%, 15/89) (P = 0.0229). In the multivariate analysis for the entire cohort, the presence of hepatocellular carcinoma, lower body mass index, presence of LSMM, lower triglyceride value, poorer renal function, and higher des-γ-carboxy prothrombin value were found to be significant adverse predictors linked to overall survival, while presence of PEM tended to be significant. In the time-dependent ROC analysis, all area under the ROCs for survival in LSMM at each time point were higher than those in PEM except for Child-Pugh B patients. In this comparison of LSMM and PEM on clinical outcomes in LC patients, it was shown that LSMM may have stronger prognostic impact than PEM. © 2016 The Japan Society of Hepatology.

Atrophy progression in semantic dementia with asymmetric temporal involvement: a tensor-based morphometry study.

Science.gov (United States)

Brambati, S M; Rankin, K P; Narvid, J; Seeley, W W; Dean, D; Rosen, H J; Miller, B L; Ashburner, J; Gorno-Tempini, M L

2009-01-01

We performed a longitudinal anatomical study to map the progression of gray matter atrophy in anatomically defined predominantly left (LTLV) and right (RTLV) temporal lobe variants of semantic dementia (SD). T1-weighted MRI scans were obtained at presentation and one-year follow-up from 13 LTLV, 6 RTLV, and 25 control subjects. Tensor-based morphometry (TBM) in SPM2 was applied to derive a voxel-wise estimation of regional tissue loss over time from the deformation field required to warp the follow-up scan to the presentation scan in each subject. When compared to controls, both LTLV and RTLV showed significant progression of gray matter atrophy not only within the temporal lobe most affected at presentation, but also in the controlateral temporal regions (p<0.05 FWE corrected). In LTLV, significant progression of volume loss also involved the ventromedial frontal and the left anterior insular regions. These results identified the anatomic substrates of the previously reported clinical evolution of LTLV and RTLV into a unique 'merged' clinical syndrome characterized by semantic and behavioral deficits and bilateral temporal atrophy.

Ionizing radiation in tumor promotion and progression

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mitchel, R.E.J.

1990-08-01

Chronic exposure to beta radiation has been tested as a tumor promoting or progressing agent. The dorsal skins of groups of 25 female SENCAR mice were chemically initiated with a single exposure to DMBA, and chronic exposure to strontium-90/yttrium-90 beta radiation was tested as a stage 1, stage 2 or complete skin tumor promoter. Exposure of initiated mice to 0.5 gray twice a week for 13 weeks produced no papillomas, indicating no action as a complete promoter. Another similar group of animals was chemically promoted through stage 1 (with TPA) followed by 0.5 gray of beta radiation twice a week for 13 weeks. Again no papillomas developed indicating no action of chronic radiation as a stage 2 tumor promoter. The same radiation exposure protocol in another DMBA initiated group receiving both stage 1 and 2 chemical promotion resulted in a decrease in papilloma frequency, compared to the control group receiving no beta irradiation, indicating a tumor preventing effect of radiation at stage 2 promotion, probably by killing initiated cells. Chronic beta radiation was tested three different ways as a stage 1 tumor promoter. When compared to the appropriate control, beta radiation given after initiation as a stage 1 promoter (0.5 gray twice a week for 13 weeks), after initiation and along with a known stage 1 chemical promoter (1.0 gray twice a week for 2 weeks), or prior to initiation as a stage 1 promoter (0.5 gray twice a week for 4 weeks), each time showed a weak (∼ 15% stimulation) but statistically significant (p<0.01) ability to act as a stage 1 promoter. When tested as a tumor progressing agent delivered to pre-existing papillomas, beta radiation (0.5 gray twice a week for 13 weeks) increased carcinoma frequency from 0.52 to 0.68 carcinoma/animal, but this increase was not statistically significant at the 95% confidence level. We conclude that in the addition to the known initiating, progressing and complete carcinogenic action of acute exposures to ionizing

Natural History of Postoperative Adding-On in Adolescent Idiopathic Scoliosis: What Are the Risk Factors for Progressive Adding-On?

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Xiaodong Qin

2018-01-01

Full Text Available Purpose. To investigate the natural history of distal adding-on in adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS and to identify risk factors for its progression. Methods. Sixty-one AIS patients with distal adding-on occurrence were included. We further classify distal adding-on into progressive and nonprogressive group according to its natural evolution. The first radiograph indicating initiation of adding-on (primary adding-on and the last follow-up radiograph were compared in terms of the deviation of the first vertebra below instrumentation from the CSVL and the angulation of the first disc below instrumentation. Compared to primary adding-on, progressive adding-on was defined as a further increase of deviation > 5 mm or a further increase of angulation > 5°. Risk factors associated with the progression of adding-on were analyzed. Results. Among 61 patients diagnosed with distal adding-on, 24 (39.3% were progressive and 37 (60.7% were nonprogressive. Lower Risser grade, open triradiate cartilage, and lowest instrumented vertebra (LIV proximal to Substantially Stable Vertebra (SSV were found to be significantly associated with the progressive adding-on. Besides, the distal adding-on was more likely to progress for patients with higher left shoulders than right ones after surgery. Conclusions. The risk factors for the progression of adding-on included skeletal immaturity, LIV proximal to SSV, and higher left shoulders after surgery.

Neuroprotection in Experimental Autoimmune Encephalomyelitis and Progressive Multiple Sclerosis by Cannabis-Based Cannabinoids.

Science.gov (United States)

Pryce, Gareth; Riddall, Dieter R; Selwood, David L; Giovannoni, Gavin; Baker, David

2015-06-01

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is the major immune-mediated, demyelinating, neurodegenerative disease of the central nervous system. Compounds within cannabis, notably Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol (Δ9-THC) can limit the inappropriate neurotransmissions that cause MS-related problems and medicinal cannabis is now licenced for the treatment of MS symptoms. However, the biology indicates that the endocannabinoid system may offer the potential to control other aspects of disease. Although there is limited evidence that the cannabinoids from cannabis are having significant immunosuppressive activities that will influence relapsing autoimmunity, we and others can experimentally demonstrate that they may limit neurodegeneration that drives progressive disability. Here we show that synthetic cannabidiol can slow down the accumulation of disability from the inflammatory penumbra during relapsing experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE) in ABH mice, possibly via blockade of voltage-gated sodium channels. In addition, whilst non-sedating doses of Δ9-THC do not inhibit relapsing autoimmunity, they dose-dependently inhibit the accumulation of disability during EAE. They also appear to slow down clinical progression during MS in humans. Although a 3 year, phase III clinical trial did not detect a beneficial effect of oral Δ9-THC in progressive MS, a planned subgroup analysis of people with less disability who progressed more rapidly, demonstrated a significant slowing of progression by oral Δ9-THC compared to placebo. Whilst this may support the experimental and biological evidence for a neuroprotective effect by the endocannabinoid system in MS, it remains to be established whether this will be formally demonstrated in further trials of Δ9-THC/cannabis in progressive MS.

Comparing the Effects of Progressive Muscle Relaxation and Guided Imagery on sleep quality in primigravida women referring to Mashhad health care centers-1393

OpenAIRE

Nahid Golmakani; Farnaz Sadat Seyed Ahmadi Nejad; Mohammad Taghi Shakeri; Negar Asghari Pour

2015-01-01

Background & aim: Decreased sleep quality is a common complaint during pregnancy. Relaxation is one of the non-pharmaceutical treatments for sleep disorders. Different techniques could have different impacts on various biological and mental stressors. Therefore, this study aimed to compare the effects of progressive muscle relaxation and guided imagery on the sleep quality of primigravida women. Methods:This three-group clinical trial was conducted on 100 primigravida women, referring to Mash...

Differential Disease Progression in Atrophic Age-Related Macular Degeneration and Late-Onset Stargardt Disease.

Science.gov (United States)

Lindner, Moritz; Lambertus, Stanley; Mauschitz, Matthias M; Bax, Nathalie M; Kersten, Eveline; Lüning, Anna; Nadal, Jennifer; Schmitz-Valckenberg, Steffen; Schmid, Matthias; Holz, Frank G; Hoyng, Carel B; Fleckenstein, Monika

2017-02-01

To compare the disease course of retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) atrophy secondary to age-related macula degeneratio (AMD) and late-onset Stargardt disease (STGD1). Patients were examined longitudinally by fundus autofluorescence, near-infrared reflectance imaging, and best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA). Areas of RPE atrophy were quantified using semi-automated software, and the status of the fovea was evaluated based on autofluorescence and near-infrared reflectance images. Mixed-effects models were used to compare atrophy progression rates. BCVA loss and loss of foveal integrity were analyzed using Turnbull's estimator. A total of 151 patients (226 eyes) with RPE atrophy secondary to AMD and 38 patients (66 eyes) with RPE atrophy secondary to late-onset STGD1 were examined for a median time of 2.3 years (interquartile range, 2.7). Mean baseline age was 74.2 years (SD, 7.6) in AMD and 63.4 (SD, 9.9) in late-onset STGD1 (P = 1.1 × 10-7). Square root atrophy progression was significantly faster in AMD when compared with late-onset STGD1 (0.28 mm/year [SE, 0.01] vs. 0.23 [SE, 0.03]; P = 0.030). In late-onset STGD1, the median survival of the fovea was significantly longer when compared with eyes with AMD (8.60 vs. 3.35 years; P = 0.005) with a trend to a later BCVA loss of ≥3 lines (5.97 vs. 4.37 years; P = 0.382). These natural history data indicate differential disease progression in AMD versus late-onset STGD1. The results underline the relevance of refined phenotyping in elderly patients presenting with RPE atrophy in regard to prognosis and design of interventional trials.

Central Blood Pressure and Chronic Kidney Disease Progression

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Debbie L. Cohen

2011-01-01

Full Text Available Hypertension, diabetes, and proteinuria are well-recognized risk factors for progressive kidney function loss. However, despite excellent antihypertensive and antidiabetic drug therapies, which also often lower urinary protein excretion, there remains a significant reservoir of patients with chronic kidney disease who are at high risk for progression to end-stage kidney disease. This has led to the search for less traditional cardiovascular risk factors that will help stratify patients at risk for more rapid kidney disease progression. Among these are noninvasive estimates of vascular structure and function. Arterial stiffness, manifested by the pulse wave velocity in the aorta, has been established in a number of studies as a significant risk factor for kidney disease progression and cardiovascular endpoints. Much less well studied in chronic kidney disease are measures of central arterial pressures. In this paper we cover the physiology behind the generation of the central pulse wave contour and the studies available using these approaches and conclude with some speculations on the rationale for why measurements of central pressure may be informative for the study of chronic kidney disease progression.

Abnormal-induced theta activity supports early directed-attention network deficits in progressive MCI.

Science.gov (United States)

Deiber, Marie-Pierre; Ibañez, Vicente; Missonnier, Pascal; Herrmann, François; Fazio-Costa, Lara; Gold, Gabriel; Giannakopoulos, Panteleimon

2009-09-01

The electroencephalography (EEG) theta frequency band reacts to memory and selective attention paradigms. Global theta oscillatory activity includes a posterior phase-locked component related to stimulus processing and a frontal-induced component modulated by directed attention. To investigate the presence of early deficits in the directed attention-related network in elderly individuals with mild cognitive impairment (MCI), time-frequency analysis at baseline was used to assess global and induced theta oscillatory activity (4-6Hz) during n-back working memory tasks in 29 individuals with MCI and 24 elderly controls (EC). At 1-year follow-up, 13 MCI patients were still stable and 16 had progressed. Baseline task performance was similar in stable and progressive MCI cases. Induced theta activity at baseline was significantly reduced in progressive MCI as compared to EC and stable MCI in all n-back tasks, which were similar in terms of directed attention requirements. While performance is maintained, the decrease of induced theta activity suggests early deficits in the directed-attention network in progressive MCI, whereas this network is functionally preserved in stable MCI.

Progressive gray matter reduction of the superior temporal gyrus during transition to psychosis.

Science.gov (United States)

Takahashi, Tsutomu; Wood, Stephen J; Yung, Alison R; Soulsby, Bridget; McGorry, Patrick D; Suzuki, Michio; Kawasaki, Yasuhiro; Phillips, Lisa J; Velakoulis, Dennis; Pantelis, Christos

2009-04-01

Longitudinal magnetic resonance imaging studies have shown progressive gray matter reduction in the superior temporal gyrus during the earliest phases of schizophrenia. It is unknown whether these progressive processes predate the onset of psychosis. To examine gray matter reduction of the superior temporal gyrus over time in individuals at risk for psychosis and in patients with first-episode psychosis. Cross-sectional and longitudinal comparisons. Personal Assessment and Crisis Evaluation Clinic and Early Psychosis Preventions and Intervention Centre. Thirty-five ultrahigh-risk individuals (of whom 12 later developed psychosis [UHRP] and 23 did not [UHRNP]), 23 patients with first-episode psychosis (FEP), and 22 control subjects recruited from the community. Volumes of superior temporal subregions (planum polare, Heschl gyrus, planum temporale, and rostral and caudal regions) were measured at baseline and follow-up (mean, 1.8 years) and were compared across groups. In cross-sectional comparisons, only the FEP group had significantly smaller planum temporale and caudal superior temporal gyrus than other groups at baseline, whereas male UHRP subjects also had a smaller planum temporale than controls at follow-up. In longitudinal comparison, UHRP and FEP patients showed significant gray matter reduction (approximately 2%-6% per year) in the planum polare, planum temporale, and caudal region compared with controls and/or UHRNP subjects. The FEP patients also exhibited progressive gray matter loss in the left Heschl gyrus (3.0% per year) and rostral region (3.8% per year), which were correlated with the severity of delusions at follow-up. A progressive process in the superior temporal gyrus precedes the first expression of florid psychosis. These findings have important implications for underlying neurobiologic features of emerging psychotic disorders and emphasize the importance of early intervention during or before the first episode of psychosis.

[Riboflavin UVA crosslinking in progressive keratoconus].

Science.gov (United States)

Maier, P; Reinhard, T

2017-06-01

In patients with keratoconus, a progressive, ectatic disease of the cornea, the shape of the cornea is continuously changing leading to a reduction in visual acuity by progressive myopia and more and more (irregular) astigmatism. The symptomatic treatment consists of the prescription of glasses or special gas-permeable rigid contact lenses. Corneal tomography is generally used for diagnosis. After initial diagnosis of keratoconus, regular tomographic follow-ups should be performed. If clinically significant progression is found and confirmed by repeated measurements, riboflavin UVA collagen crosslinking should be offered to the patients. The aim of riboflavin UVA collagen crosslinking is to halt the progression of the disease to avoid further complications. The therapeutic principle is a combined effect of the photosensitizer riboflavin and UVA light. This stiffening effect of the corneal tissue halts the progression of keratoconus. The efficacy of this treatment has been demonstrated in various randomized, controlled trials.

Defining active progressive multiple sclerosis

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Sellebjerg, Finn; Börnsen, Lars; Ammitzbøll, Cecilie

2017-01-01

BACKGROUND: It is unknown whether disease activity according to consensus criteria (magnetic resonance imaging activity or clinical relapses) associate with cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) changes in progressive multiple sclerosis (MS). OBJECTIVE: To compare CSF biomarkers in active and inactive...

Ling classification describes endoscopic progressive process of achalasia and successful peroral endoscopy myotomy prevents endoscopic progression of achalasia.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Wen-Gang; Linghu, En-Qiang; Chai, Ning-Li; Li, Hui-Kai

2017-05-14

To verify the hypothesis that the Ling classification describes the endoscopic progressive process of achalasia and determine the ability of successful peroral endoscopic myotomy (POEM) to prevent endoscopic progression of achalasia. We retrospectively reviewed the endoscopic findings, symptom duration, and manometric data in patients with achalasia. A total of 359 patients (197 women, 162 men) with a mean age of 42.1 years (range, 12-75 years) were evaluated. Symptom duration ranged from 2 to 360 mo, with a median of 36 mo. Patients were classified with Ling type I ( n = 119), IIa ( n = 106), IIb ( n = 60), IIc ( n = 60), or III ( n = 14), according to the Ling classification. Of the 359 patients, 349 underwent POEM, among whom 21 had an endoscopic follow-up for more than 2 years. Pre-treatment and post-treatment Ling classifications of these 21 patients were compared. Symptom duration increased significantly with increasing Ling classification (from I to III) ( P achalasia and may be able to serve as an endoscopic assessment criterion for achalasia. Successful POEM (Eckardt score ≤ 3) seems to have the ability to prevent endoscopic evolvement of achalasia. However, studies with larger populations are warranted to confirm our findings.

Dynamic contrast-enhanced MR imaging in predicting progression of enhancing lesions persisting after standard treatment in glioblastoma patients: a prospective study

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Yoo, Roh-Eul; Choi, Hye Jeong; You, Sung-Hye; Kang, Koung Mi; Yun, Tae Jin; Kim, Ji-Hoon; Sohn, Chul-Ho [Seoul National University College of Medicine, Department of Radiology, Seoul (Korea, Republic of); Choi, Seung Hong [Seoul National University College of Medicine, Department of Radiology, Seoul (Korea, Republic of); Seoul National University, Center for Nanoparticle Research, Institute for Basic Science, and School of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Seoul (Korea, Republic of); Seoul National University, School of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Seoul (Korea, Republic of); Kim, Tae Min [Seoul National University College of Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, Cancer Research Institute, Seoul (Korea, Republic of); Park, Chul-Kee [Seoul National University College of Medicine, Department of Neurosurgery, Biomedical Research Institute, Seoul (Korea, Republic of); Park, Sung-Hye; Won, Jae-Kyung [Seoul National University College of Medicine, Department of Pathology, Seoul (Korea, Republic of); Kim, Il Han [Seoul National University College of Medicine, Department of Radiation Oncology, Cancer Research Institute, Seoul (Korea, Republic of); Lee, Soon Tae [Seoul National University College of Medicine, Department of Neurology, Seoul (Korea, Republic of)

2017-08-15

To prospectively explore the value of dynamic contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging (DCE-MRI) in predicting the progression of enhancing lesions persisting after standard treatment in patients with surgically resected glioblastoma (GBM). Forty-seven GBM patients, who underwent near-total tumorectomy followed by concurrent chemoradiation therapy (CCRT) with temozolomide (TMZ) between May 2014 and February 2016, were enrolled. Twenty-four patients were finally analyzed for measurable enhancing lesions persisting after standard treatment. DCE-MRI parameters were calculated at enhancing lesions. Mann-Whitney U tests and multivariable stepwise logistic regression were used to compare parameters between progression (n = 16) and non-progression (n = 8) groups. Mean K{sup trans} and v{sub e} were significantly lower in progression than in non-progression (P = 0.037 and P = 0.037, respectively). The 5th percentile of the cumulative K{sup trans} histogram was also significantly lower in the progression than in non-progression group (P = 0.017). Mean v{sub e} was the only independent predictor of progression (P = 0.007), with a sensitivity of 100%, specificity of 63%, and an overall accuracy of 88% at a cut-off value of 0.873. DCE-MRI may help predict the progression of enhancing lesions persisting after the completion of standard treatment in patients with surgically resected GBM, with mean v{sub e} serving as an independent predictor of progression. (orig.)

Dynamic contrast-enhanced MR imaging in predicting progression of enhancing lesions persisting after standard treatment in glioblastoma patients: a prospective study

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yoo, Roh-Eul; Choi, Hye Jeong; You, Sung-Hye; Kang, Koung Mi; Yun, Tae Jin; Kim, Ji-Hoon; Sohn, Chul-Ho; Choi, Seung Hong; Kim, Tae Min; Park, Chul-Kee; Park, Sung-Hye; Won, Jae-Kyung; Kim, Il Han; Lee, Soon Tae

2017-01-01

To prospectively explore the value of dynamic contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging (DCE-MRI) in predicting the progression of enhancing lesions persisting after standard treatment in patients with surgically resected glioblastoma (GBM). Forty-seven GBM patients, who underwent near-total tumorectomy followed by concurrent chemoradiation therapy (CCRT) with temozolomide (TMZ) between May 2014 and February 2016, were enrolled. Twenty-four patients were finally analyzed for measurable enhancing lesions persisting after standard treatment. DCE-MRI parameters were calculated at enhancing lesions. Mann-Whitney U tests and multivariable stepwise logistic regression were used to compare parameters between progression (n = 16) and non-progression (n = 8) groups. Mean K trans and v e were significantly lower in progression than in non-progression (P = 0.037 and P = 0.037, respectively). The 5th percentile of the cumulative K trans histogram was also significantly lower in the progression than in non-progression group (P = 0.017). Mean v e was the only independent predictor of progression (P = 0.007), with a sensitivity of 100%, specificity of 63%, and an overall accuracy of 88% at a cut-off value of 0.873. DCE-MRI may help predict the progression of enhancing lesions persisting after the completion of standard treatment in patients with surgically resected GBM, with mean v e serving as an independent predictor of progression. (orig.)

Evaluation of a Progressive Mobility Protocol in Postoperative Cardiothoracic Surgical Patients.

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Floyd, Shawn; Craig, Sarah W; Topley, Darla; Tullmann, Dorothy

2016-01-01

Cardiothoracic surgical patients are at high risk for complications related to immobility, such as increased intensive care and hospital length of stay, intensive care unit readmission, pressure ulcer development, and deep vein thrombosis/pulmonary embolus. A progressive mobility protocol was started in the thoracic cardiovascular intensive care unit in a rural academic medical center. The purpose of the progressive mobility protocol was to increase mobilization of postoperative patients and decrease complications related to immobility in this unique patient population. A matched-pairs design was used to compare a randomly selected sample of the preintervention group (n = 30) to a matched postintervention group (n = 30). The analysis compared outcomes including intensive care unit and hospital length of stay, intensive care unit readmission occurrence, pressure ulcer prevalence, and deep vein thrombosis/pulmonary embolism prevalence between the 2 groups. Although this comparison does not achieve statistical significance (P mobility. This study has implications for nursing, hospital administration, and therapy services with regard to staffing and cost savings related to fewer complications of immobility. Future studies with a larger sample size and other populations are warranted.

Clinical Significance of HER-2 Splice Variants in Breast Cancer Progression and Drug Resistance

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Claire Jackson

2013-01-01

Full Text Available Overexpression of human epidermal growth factor receptor (HER-2 occurs in 20–30% of breast cancers and confers survival and proliferative advantages on the tumour cells making HER-2 an ideal therapeutic target for drugs like Herceptin. Continued delineation of tumour biology has identified splice variants of HER-2, with contrasting roles in tumour cell biology. For example, the splice variant 16HER-2 (results from exon 16 skipping increases transformation of cancer cells and is associated with treatment resistance; conversely, Herstatin (results from intron 8 retention and p100 (results from intron 15 retention inhibit tumour cell proliferation. This review focuses on the potential clinical implications of the expression and coexistence of HER-2 splice variants in cancer cells in relation to breast cancer progression and drug resistance. “Individualised” strategies currently guide breast cancer management; in accordance, HER-2 splice variants may prove valuable as future prognostic and predictive factors, as well as potential therapeutic targets.

Efficiency analysis of orthokeratological correction in the treatment of progressive myopia in childhood

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Dolgova Е.А.

2017-06-01

Full Text Available Objective: to evaluate the effectiveness of orthokeratological correction in the treatment of progressive myopia in children. Material and methods. A retrospective study correction of myopia orthokeratology lenses of 100 patients (178 eyes with an established diagnosis of myopia of an average degree, undergoing treatment at the Clinic of eye diseases of SSMU. Group I consisted of 50 patients who received OK-correction lenses "Emerald" by Euclid Systems Corporation (USA. The wear time is 2 years. Group II included 50 people (87 eyes, using spectacle correction during the same time. Patients underwent visual acuity testing, biomicroscopy, refractometry, determination of reserves of accommodation, ultrasonic biometry (IOL-Master, CarlZeiss is a measurement of the size of the front-sadayoshi eyeball, survey after 2 years of using the selected correction. Results. Comparative analysis showed that the use of OK lenses for patients with myopia of an average degree resulted in a significant reduction in the rate of progression of myopia. In the background wearing OK lenses for 2 years has been the increase PZO, PZO dynamics were 0.09±0.05 mm. For the correction of progressive myopia spectacle lens changes were more significant, the dynamics of early school leaving amounted to 0,36±0,11 mm. Conclusion. The identified inhibitory effect of OK-lenses on myopia progression, confirmed by the indices of refraction and ultrasound biometry within 2 years of the study. The data allow us to recommend OK-therapy, as an effective tool for progressive myopia.

Progressive taxation, income inequality, and happiness.

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Oishi, Shigehiro; Kushlev, Kostadin; Schimmack, Ulrich

2018-01-01

Income inequality has become one of the more widely debated social issues today. The current article explores the role of progressive taxation in income inequality and happiness. Using historical data in the United States from 1962 to 2014, we found that income inequality was substantially smaller in years when the income tax was more progressive (i.e., a higher tax rate for higher income brackets), even when controlling for variables like stock market performance and unemployment rate. Time lag analyses further showed that higher progressive taxation predicted increasingly lower income inequality up to 5 years later. Data from the General Social Survey (1972-2014; N = 59,599) with U.S. residents (hereafter referred to as "Americans") showed that during years with higher progressive taxation rates, less wealthy Americans-those in the lowest 40% of the income distribution-tended to be happier, whereas the richest 20% were not significantly less happy. Mediational analyses confirmed that the association of progressive taxation with the happiness of less wealthy Americans can be explained by lower income inequality in years with higher progressive taxation. A separate sample of Americans polled online (N = 373) correctly predicted the positive association between progressive taxation and the happiness of poorer Americans but incorrectly expected a strong negative association between progressive taxation and the happiness of richer Americans. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2018 APA, all rights reserved).

Chronic Progressive Neurodegeneration in a transgenic mouse model of Prion disease

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Nina Fainstein

2016-11-01

Full Text Available Neurodegenerative diseases present pathologically with progressive structural destruction of neurons and accumulation of mis-folded proteins specific for each condition leading to brain atrophy and functional disability. Many animal models exert deposition of pathogenic protein without accompanying neurodegeneration pattern. The lack of a comprehensive model hinders the efforts to develop treatment. We performed longitudinal quantification of cellular, neuronal and synaptic density, as well as of neurogenesis in brains of mice, mimicking for genetic Creutzfeldt-Jacob disease as compared to age matched wild type mice. Mice exhibited a neurodegenerative process indicated by progressive reduction in cortical neurons and synapses, starting at age of 4-6 months, in accordance with neurologic disability. This was accompanied by significant decrease in subventricular/subependymal zone neurogenesis. Although increased hippocampal neurogenesis was detected in mice, a neurodegenerative process of CA1 and CA3 regions associated with impaired hippocampal-dependent memory function was observed. In conclusion, mice exhibit pathological neurodegeneration concomitant with progressive neurological disease, indicating these mice can serve as a model for neurodegenerative diseases.

Chronic Progressive Neurodegeneration in a Transgenic Mouse Model of Prion Disease.

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Fainstein, Nina; Dori, Dvir; Frid, Kati; Fritz, Alexa T; Shapiro, Ilona; Gabizon, Ruth; Ben-Hur, Tamir

2016-01-01

Neurodegenerative diseases present pathologically with progressive structural destruction of neurons and accumulation of mis-folded proteins specific for each condition leading to brain atrophy and functional disability. Many animal models exert deposition of pathogenic proteins without an accompanying neurodegeneration pattern. The lack of a comprehensive model hinders efforts to develop treatment. We performed longitudinal quantification of cellular, neuronal and synaptic density, as well as of neurogenesis in brains of mice mimicking for genetic Creutzfeldt-Jacob disease as compared to age-matched wild-type mice. Mice exhibited a neurodegenerative process of progressive reduction in cortical neurons and synapses starting at age of 4-6 months, in accord with neurologic disability. This was accompanied by significant decrease in subventricular/subependymal zone neurogenesis. Although increased hippocampal neurogenesis was detected in mice, a neurodegenerative process of CA1 and CA3 regions associated with impaired hippocampal-dependent memory function was observed. In conclusion, mice exhibit pathological neurodegeneration concomitant with neurological disease progression, indicating these mice can serve as a model for neurodegenerative diseases.

Violet Light Exposure Can Be a Preventive Strategy Against Myopia Progression

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Hidemasa Torii

2017-02-01

Full Text Available Prevalence of myopia is increasing worldwide. Outdoor activity is one of the most important environmental factors for myopia control. Here we show that violet light (VL, 360–400 nm wavelength suppresses myopia progression. First, we confirmed that VL suppressed the axial length (AL elongation in the chick myopia model. Expression microarray analyses revealed that myopia suppressive gene EGR1 was upregulated by VL exposure. VL exposure induced significantly higher upregulation of EGR1 in chick chorioretinal tissues than blue light under the same conditions. Next, we conducted clinical research retrospectively to compare the AL elongation among myopic children who wore eyeglasses (VL blocked and two types of contact lenses (partially VL blocked and VL transmitting. The data showed the VL transmitting contact lenses suppressed myopia progression most. These results suggest that VL is one of the important outdoor environmental factors for myopia control. Since VL is apt to be excluded from our modern society due to the excessive UV protection, VL exposure can be a preventive strategy against myopia progression.

Postmenopausal obesity promotes tumor angiogenesis and breast cancer progression in mice.

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Gu, Jian-Wei; Young, Emily; Patterson, Sharla G; Makey, Kristina L; Wells, Jeremy; Huang, Min; Tucker, Kevan B; Miele, Lucio

2011-05-15

Obese postmenopausal women have a 50% higher risk of breast cancer than non-obese women. There is not an animal model that mimics postmenopausal obesity related to breast cancer progression. Using age-relevant C57BL/6 mice, this study determined whether postmenopausal obesity increases VEGF expression, tumor angiogenesis, and breast tumor growth. Ovariectomy (OVX) was performed in 12 sixty week-old female mice, then followed by a low-fat (5%, LF, n=6) or a high-fat (60%, HF, n=6) diet for 12 weeks. In the eighth week of the dietary program, 10(6) E0771 (mouse breast cancer) cells were injected in the left fourth mammary gland. Tumor size was monitored for 4 weeks. Body weights were monitored weekly. At the end of the experiment, blood samples, visceral fat and tumors were collected for measuring VEGF expression using ELISA and intratumoral microvessel density (IMD) using CD31 immunochemistry. Body weight was significantly increased in OVX/HF mice, compared to OVX/LF group (55.3±1.7 vs. 41.5±1.5 g; p < 0.01). There was a two-fold increase in the ratio of visceral fat/BW in OVX/HF mice, compared to those in OVX/LF group (0.062±0.005 vs. 0.032±0.003; p < 0.01). Postmenopausal obesity significantly increased breast tumor weight over the control (4.62±0.63 vs. 1.98±0.27 g; p < 0.01) and IMD (173±3.7 vs. 139±4.3 IM#/mm^2; p < 0.01). Tumor VEGF levels were higher in OVX/HF mice, compared to OVX/LF group (73.3±3.8 vs. 49.5±4.3 pg/mg protein; p < 0.01). Plasma VEGF levels (69±7.1 vs. 48±3.5 pg/ml) and visceral fat VEGF levels (424.4±39.5 vs. 208.5±22.4 pg/mg protein) were significantly increased in OVX/HF mice, compared to OVX/LF group, respectively (n=6; p < 0.01). Interestingly, adipose tissue primary culture showed that subcutaneous fat released more VEGF, compared to visceral fat (6.77±1.14 vs. 0.94±0.16 pg/mg tissue; n=6; p < 0.01). These findings support the hypothesis that postmenopausal obesity promotes tumor angiogenesis and breast cancer

Comparison of accuracy of physical examination findings in initial progress notes between paper charts and a newly implemented electronic health record.

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Yadav, Siddhartha; Kazanji, Noora; K C, Narayan; Paudel, Sudarshan; Falatko, John; Shoichet, Sandor; Maddens, Michael; Barnes, Michael A

2017-01-01

There have been several concerns about the quality of documentation in electronic health records (EHRs) when compared to paper charts. This study compares the accuracy of physical examination findings documentation between the two in initial progress notes. Initial progress notes from patients with 5 specific diagnoses with invariable physical findings admitted to Beaumont Hospital, Royal Oak, between August 2011 and July 2013 were randomly selected for this study. A total of 500 progress notes were retrospectively reviewed. The paper chart arm consisted of progress notes completed prior to the transition to an EHR on July 1, 2012. The remaining charts were placed in the EHR arm. The primary endpoints were accuracy, inaccuracy, and omission of information. Secondary endpoints were time of initiation of progress note, word count, number of systems documented, and accuracy based on level of training. The rate of inaccurate documentation was significantly higher in the EHRs compared to the paper charts (24.4% vs 4.4%). However, expected physical examination findings were more likely to be omitted in the paper notes compared to EHRs (41.2% vs 17.6%). Resident physicians had a smaller number of inaccuracies (5.3% vs 17.3%) and omissions (16.8% vs 33.9%) compared to attending physicians. During the initial phase of implementation of an EHR, inaccuracies were more common in progress notes in the EHR compared to the paper charts. Residents had a lower rate of inaccuracies and omissions compared to attending physicians. Further research is needed to identify training methods and incentives that can reduce inaccuracies in EHRs during initial implementation. © The Author 2016. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the American Medical Informatics Association. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Triple pelvic osteotomy: effect on limb function and progression of degenerative joint disease

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Johnson, A.L.; Smith, C.W.; Pijanowski, G.J.; Hungerford, L.L.

1998-01-01

The objective of this study was to evaluate prospectively the outcome of 21 clinical patients treated with triple pelvic osteotomies during the year following surgery. Specific aims included documenting the time of and extent of improved limb function as measured by force plate analysis, evaluating the progression of degenerative joint disease (DJD) in the treated and untreated coxofemoral joints, and determining whether or not triple pelvic osteotomy resulted in degenerative joint changes in the ipsilateral stifle and hock. Twelve dogs were treated unilaterally and nine dogs were treated bilaterally with triple pelvic osteotomies. There were no differences in mean anteversion angles, angles of inclination, or preoperative DJD between treated hips and untreated hips. Degenerative joint disease progressed significantly in all hips regardless of treatment. Two cases developed hyperextension of their hocks after the triple pelvic osteotomies. However, no radiographic evidence of DJD was observed for any of the stifles or hocks at any observation time. A significant increase in vertical peak force (VPF) scores was noted for treated legs by two-to-three months after surgery, which continued over time. Untreated legs did not show a significant change in VPF scores over time. No differences were found in progression to higher scores when unilaterally treated legs, first-side treated legs, and second-side treated legs were compared

The progression of hallux valgus in the oriental Chinese population in Hong Kong.

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Koo, Kenneth Kin-Hoo; Tse, Lung Fung; Cheng, Hi Shan; Ho, Kevin Ki Wai

2017-08-01

Hallux valgus is the lateral deviation of the great toe at the MTPJ that has many attributing aetiologies. This study will aim to identify whether hallux valgus progresses over time in the oriental Chinese population in Hong Kong. Patients with acquired symptomatic hallux valgus who presented to clinic between 2008 and 2013 were included. The deformities were analysed radiologically at presentation and pre-operative and angles were measured. These angles were analysed in relation to the waiting time from presentation to surgery. A sample of 43 cases from 38 patients (Mean age 63 years, range 48-80 years) were included. Forty-one cases had a hallux valgus angle (HVA) >24° at presentation (Mean 40.4°) and all had an intermetatarsal angle (IMA) >9°. A significant difference is seen with HVA (p=0.040, t=-2.128) at presentation and pre-op but not IMA (p=0.281, t=-1.095). The average wait for surgery was 705.7days which had shown significant correlation with progression in HVA (p=0.031). No significant difference was seen between IMA and waiting time to surgery (p=0.195). The findings suggests severe hallux valgus deformity does progress over time in Hong Kong. Shorter waiting times for surgery could be beneficial to this population. Level III, retrospective comparative series. Crown Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

A Small Disc Area Is a Risk Factor for Visual Field Loss Progression in Primary Open-Angle Glaucoma: The Glaucoma Stereo Analysis Study.

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Kitaoka, Yasushi; Tanito, Masaki; Yokoyama, Yu; Nitta, Koji; Katai, Maki; Omodaka, Kazuko; Nakazawa, Toru

2018-01-01

The Glaucoma Stereo Analysis Study, a cross-sectional multicenter collaborative study, used a stereo fundus camera (nonmyd WX) to assess various morphological parameters of the optic nerve head (ONH) in glaucoma patients. We compared the associations of each parameter between the visual field loss progression group and no-progression group. The study included 187 eyes of 187 patients with primary open-angle glaucoma or normal-tension glaucoma. We divided the mean deviation (MD) slope values of all patients into the progression group (field progression and patient characteristics or each ONH parameter were analyzed with Spearman's rank correlation coefficient. The MD slope averages in the progression group and no-progression group were -0.58 ± 0.28 dB/year and 0.05 ± 0.26 dB/year, respectively. Among disc parameters, vertical disc width (diameter), disc area, cup area, and cup volume in the progression group were significantly less than those in the no-progression group. Logistic regression analysis revealed a significant association between the visual field progression and disc area (odds ratio 0.49/mm 2 disc area). A smaller disc area may be associated with more rapid glaucomatous visual field progression.

Cerebral hypometabolism in progressive supranuclear palsy studied with positron emission tomography

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Foster, N.L.; Gilman, S.; Berent, S.; Morin, E.M.; Brown, M.B.; Koeppe, R.A.

1988-01-01

Progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP) is characterized by supranuclear palsy of gaze, axial dystonia, bradykinesia, rigidity, and a progressive dementia. Pathological changes in this disorder are generally restricted to subcortical structures, yet the type and range of cognitive deficits suggest the involvement of many cerebral regions. We examined the extent of functional impairment to cerebral cortical and subcortical structures as measured by the level of glucose metabolic activity at rest. Fourteen patients with PSP were compared to 21 normal volunteers of similar age using 18F-2-fluoro-2-deoxy-D-glucose and positron emission tomography. Glucose metabolism was reduced in the caudate nucleus, putamen, thalamus, pons, and cerebral cortex, but not in the cerebellum in the patients with PSP as compared to the normal subjects. Analysis of individual brain regions revealed significant declines in cerebral glucose utilization in most regions throughout the cerebral cortex, particularly those in the superior half of the frontal lobe. Declines in the most affected regions of cerebral cortex were greater than those in any single subcortical structure. Although using conventional neuropathological techniques the cerebral cortex appears to be unaffected in PSP, significant and pervasive functional impairments in both cortical and subcortical structures are present. These observations help to account for the constellation of cognitive symptoms in individual patients with PSP and the difficulty encountered in identifying a characteristic psychometric profile for this group of patients

Progress in bio-manufacture of platelets for transfusion.

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Heazlewood, Shen Y; Nilsson, Susan K; Cartledge, Kellie; Be, Cheang Ly; Vinson, Andrew; Gel, Murat; Haylock, David N

2017-11-01

Blood transfusion services face an ever-increasing demand for donor platelets to meet clinical needs. Whilst strategies for increasing platelet storage life and improving the efficiency of donor platelet collection are important, in the longer term, platelets generated by bio-manufacturing processes will be required to meet demands. Production of sufficient numbers of in vitro-derived platelets for transfusion represents a significant bioengineering challenge. In this review, we highlight recent progress in this area of research and outline the main technical and biological obstacles that need to be met before this becomes feasible and economic. A critical consideration is assurance of the functional properties of these cells as compared to their fresh, donor collected, counterparts. We contend that platelet-like particles and in vitro-derived platelets that phenotypically resemble fresh platelets must deliver the same functions as these cells upon transfusion. We also note recent progress with immortalized megakaryocyte progenitor cell lines, molecular strategies for reducing expression of HLA Class I to generate universal donor platelets and the move to early clinical studies with in vitro-derived platelets.

Estimation of the inverse Weibull distribution based on progressively censored data: Comparative study

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Musleh, Rola M.; Helu, Amal

2014-01-01

In this article we consider statistical inferences about the unknown parameters of the Inverse Weibull distribution based on progressively type-II censoring using classical and Bayesian procedures. For classical procedures we propose using the maximum likelihood; the least squares methods and the approximate maximum likelihood estimators. The Bayes estimators are obtained based on both the symmetric and asymmetric (Linex, General Entropy and Precautionary) loss functions. There are no explicit forms for the Bayes estimators, therefore, we propose Lindley's approximation method to compute the Bayes estimators. A comparison between these estimators is provided by using extensive simulation and three criteria, namely, Bias, mean squared error and Pitman nearness (PN) probability. It is concluded that the approximate Bayes estimators outperform the classical estimators most of the time. Real life data example is provided to illustrate our proposed estimators. - Highlights: • We consider progressively type-II censored data from the Inverse Weibull distribution (IW). • We derive MLEs, approximate MLEs, LS and Bayes estimate methods of scale and shape parameters of the IW. • Bayes estimator of shape parameter cannot be expressed in closed forms. • We suggest using Lindley's approximation. • We conclude that the Bayes estimates outperform the classical methods

Association of bone edema with the progression of bone erosions quantified by hand magnetic resonance imaging in patients with rheumatoid arthritis in remission.

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Lisbona, Maria Pilar; Pàmies, Anna; Ares, Jesús; Almirall, Miriam; Navallas, Maria; Solano, Albert; Maymó, Joan

2014-08-01

To evaluate the association of synovitis, bone marrow edema (BME), and tenosynovitis in the progression of erosions quantified by hand magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) at 1 year in patients with early rheumatoid arthritis (RA) in remission. A total of 56 of 196 patients with early RA in remission at 1 year and with available MRI data at baseline and at 12 months were included. MRI images were assessed according to the Rheumatoid Arthritis Magnetic Resonance Imaging Scoring (RAMRIS) system. Persistent remission was defined as 28-joint Disease Activity Score-erythrocyte sedimentation rate ≤ 2.6 and/or Simplified Disease Activity Index ≤ 3.3 and/or the new boolean American College of Rheumatology/European League Against Rheumatism remission criteria for a continuous period of at least 6 months. Progression of bone erosions was defined as an increase of 1 or more units in annual RAMRIS score for erosions compared to baseline. At 1 year, the majority of patients with RA in sustained remission showed some inflammatory activity on MRI (94.6% synovitis, 46.4% BME, and 58.9% tenosynovitis) and 19 of the 56 patients (33.9%) showed MRI progression of bone erosions. A significant difference was observed in MRI BME at 1 year, with higher mean score in patients with progression compared to nonprogression of erosions (4.8 ± 5.6 and 1.4 ± 2.6, p = 0.03). Subclinical inflammation was identified by MRI in 96.4% of patients with RA in sustained clinical remission. Significantly higher scores of BME after sustained remission were observed in patients with progression of erosions compared to patients with no progression. The persistence of higher scores of BME may explain the progression of bone erosions in patients with persistent clinical remission.

Radiographic Measurements Associated With the Natural Progression of the Hallux Valgus During at Least 2 Years of Follow-up.

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Lee, Seung Yeol; Chung, Chin Youb; Park, Moon Seok; Sung, Ki Hyuk; Ahmed, Sonya; Koo, Seungbum; Kang, Dong-Wan; Lee, Kyoung Min

2018-04-01

This study aimed to investigate the radiographic measurements associated with the progression of hallux valgus during at least 2 years of follow-up. Seventy adult patients with hallux valgus who were followed for at least 2 years and underwent weightbearing foot radiography were included. Radiographic measurements included the hallux valgus angle (HVA), hallux interphalangeal angle, intermetatarsal angle (IMA), metatarsus adductus angle, distal metatarsal articular angle (DMAA), tibial sesamoid position, anteroposterior (AP) talo-first metatarsal angle, and lateral talo-first metatarsal angle. Patients were divided into progressive and nonprogressive groups. Binary logistic regression analysis was performed to identify factors that significantly affected the progression of hallux valgus deformity. The correlation between change in HVA and changes in other radiographic indices during follow-up was analyzed. The DMAA ( P = .027) and AP talo-first metatarsal angle ( P = .034) at initial presentation were found to be significant factors affecting the progression of hallux valgus deformity. Change in the HVA during follow-up was significantly correlated with changes in the IMA ( r = 0.423; P = .001) and DMAA ( r = 0.541; P < .001). The change in the HVA was found to be significantly correlated with changes in the IMA and DMAA. A future study is required to elucidate whether this correlation can be explained by the progressive instability of the first tarsometatarsal joint. We believe special attention needs to be paid to patients with pes planus and increased DMAA. Level III, comparative study.

Association between Smoking and the Progression of Computed Tomography Findings in Chronic Pancreatitis.

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Lee, Jeong Woo; Kim, Ho Gak; Lee, Dong Wook; Han, Jimin; Kwon, Hyuk Yong; Seo, Chang Jin; Oh, Ji Hye; Lee, Joo Hyoung; Jung, Jin Tae; Kwon, Joong Goo; Kim, Eun Young

2016-05-23

Smoking and alcohol intake are two wellknown risk factors for chronic pancreatitis. However, there are few studies examining the association between smoking and changes in computed tomography (CT) findings in chronic pancreatitis. The authors evaluated associations between smoking, drinking and the progression of calcification on CT in chronic pancreatitis. In this retrospective study, 59 patients with chronic pancreatitis who had undergone initial and follow-up CT between January 2002 and September 2010 were included. Progression of calcification among CT findings was compared according to the amount of alcohol intake and smoking. The median duration of followup was 51.6 months (range, 17.1 to 112.7 months). At initial CT findings, there was pancreatic calcification in 35 patients (59.3%). In the follow-up CT, progression of calcification was observed in 37 patients (62.7%). Progression of calcification was more common in smokers according to the multivariate analysis (odds ratio [OR], 9.987; p=0.006). The amount of smoking was a significant predictor for progression of calcification in the multivariate analysis (OR, 6.051 in less than 1 pack per day smokers; OR, 36.562 in more than 1 pack per day smokers; p=0.008). Continued smoking accelerates pancreatic calcification, and the amount of smoking is associated with the progression of calcification in chronic pancreatitis.

Effects of Lowering LDL Cholesterol on Progression of Kidney Disease

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Haynes, Richard; Lewis, David; Emberson, Jonathan

2014-01-01

Lowering LDL cholesterol reduces the risk of developing atherosclerotic events in CKD, but the effects of such treatment on progression of kidney disease remain uncertain. Here, 6245 participants with CKD (not on dialysis) were randomly assigned to simvastatin (20 mg) plus ezetimibe (10 mg) daily...... or matching placebo. The main prespecified renal outcome was ESRD (defined as the initiation of maintenance dialysis or kidney transplantation). During 4.8 years of follow-up, allocation to simvastatin plus ezetimibe resulted in an average LDL cholesterol difference (SEM) of 0.96 (0.02) mmol/L compared...... with placebo; rate ratio, 0.93; 95% CI, 0.86 to 1.01; P=0.09). Exploratory analyses also showed no significant effect on the rate of change in eGFR. Lowering LDL cholesterol by 1 mmol/L did not slow kidney disease progression within 5 years in a wide range of patients with CKD....

Keratoconus Progression in Patients With Allergy and Elevated Surface Matrix Metalloproteinase 9 Point-of-Care Test.

Science.gov (United States)

Mazzotta, Cosimo; Traversi, Claudio; Mellace, Pierfrancesco; Bagaglia, Simone A; Zuccarini, Silvio; Mencucci, Rita; Jacob, Soosan

2017-10-04

To assess keratoconus (KC) progression in patients with allergies who also tested positive to surface matrix metalloproteinase 9 (MMP-9) point-of-care test. Prospective comparative study including 100 stage I-II keratoconic patients, mean age 16.7±4.6 years. All patients underwent an anamnestic questionnaire for concomitant allergic diseases and were screened with the MMP-9 point-of-care test. Patients were divided into two groups: patients KC with allergies (KC AL) and patients KC without allergies (KC NAL). Severity of allergy was established by papillary subtarsal response grade and KC progression assessed by Scheimpflug corneal tomography, corrected distance visual acuity (CDVA) measurement in a 12-month follow-up. The KC AL group included 52 patients and the KC NAL group 48. In the KC AL group, 42/52 of patients (81%) were positive to MMP-9 point-of-care test versus two positive patients in the KC NAL group (4%). The KC AL group data showed a statistically significant decrease of average CDVA, from 0.155±0.11 to 0.301±0.2 logarithm of the minimum angle of resolution (Paverage. The KC NAL group revealed a slight KC progression without statistically significant changes. Pearson correlation test showed a high correlation between Kmax worsening and severity of PSR in the KC AL group. The study demonstrated a statistically significant progression of KC in patients with concomitant allergies, positive to MMP-9 point-of-care test versus negative. A high correlation between severity of allergy and KC progression was documented.

Progressive Finland sees progress with nuclear projects

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Dalton, David [NucNet, Brussels (Belgium)

2016-02-15

The Finnish Hanhikivi-1 reactor project is firmly on track and a licence has been granted for construction of a final disposal facility for spent nuclear fuel - the first final repository in the world to enter the construction phase. Significant progress has been made with plans for Finland to build its sixth nuclear reactor unit at Hanhikivi. Fennovoima's licensing manager Janne Liuko said the company expects to receive the construction licence for the Generation III+ Hanhikivi-1 plant in late 2017. The application was submitted to the Finnish Ministry of Employment and the Economy in June 2015.

Progression of Unilateral Hearing Loss in Children With and Without Ipsilateral Cochlear Nerve Canal Stenosis: A Hazard Analysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Purcell, Patricia L; Shinn, Justin R; Coggeshall, Scott S; Phillips, Grace; Paladin, Angelisa; Sie, Kathleen C Y; Horn, David L

2017-07-01

To investigate the risk of hearing loss progression in each ear among children with unilateral hearing loss associated with ipsilateral bony cochlear nerve canal (BCNC) stenosis. Tertiary pediatric referral center. Children diagnosed with unilateral hearing loss who had undergone temporal bone computed tomography imaging and had at least 6 months of follow-up audiometric testing were identified from a prospective audiological database. Two pediatric radiologists blinded to affected ear evaluated imaging for temporal bone anomalies and measured bony cochlear canal width independently. All available audiograms were reviewed, and air conduction thresholds were documented. Progression of hearing loss was defined by a 10 dB increase in air conduction pure-tone average. One hundred twenty eight children met inclusion criteria. Of these, 54 (42%) had a temporal bone anomaly, and 22 (17%) had ipsilateral BCNC stenosis. At 12 months, rates of progression in the ipsilateral ear were as follows: 12% among those without a temporal bone anomaly, 13% among those with a temporal bone anomaly, and 17% among those with BCNC stenosis. Children with BCNC stenosis had a significantly greater risk of progression in their ipsilateral ear compared with children with no stenosis: hazard ratio (HR) 2.17, 95% confidence interval (CI) (1.01, 4.66), p value 0.046. When we compared children with BCNC stenosis to those with normal temporal bone imaging, we found that the children with stenosis had nearly two times greater risk estimate for progression, but this difference did not reach significance, HR 1.9, CI (0.8, 4.3), p = 0.1. No children with BCNC stenosis developed hearing loss in their contralateral year by 12 months of follow-up. Children with bony cochlear nerve canal stenosis may be at increased risk for progression in their ipsilateral ear. Audiometric and medical follow-up for these children should be considered.

Prediagnostic prostate-specific antigen kinetics and the risk of biopsy progression in active surveillance patients.

Science.gov (United States)

Iremashvili, Viacheslav; Barney, Shane L; Manoharan, Murugesan; Kava, Bruce R; Parekh, Dipen J; Punnen, Sanoj

2016-04-01

To analyze the association between prediagnostic prostate-specific antigen kinetics and the risk of biopsy progression in prostate cancer patients on active surveillance, and to study the effect of prediagnostic prostate-specific antigen values on the predictive performance of prostate-specific antigen velocity and prostate-specific antigen doubling time. The study included 137 active surveillance patients with two or more prediagnostic prostate-specific antigen levels measured over a period of at least 3 months. Two sets of analyses were carried out. First, the association between prostate-specific antigen kinetics calculated using only the prediagnostic prostate-specific antigen values and the risk of biopsy progression was studied. Second, using the same cohort of patients, the predictive value of prostate-specific antigen kinetics calculated using only post-diagnostic prostate-specific antigens and compared with that of prostate-specific antigen kinetics based on both pre- and post-diagnostic prostate-specific antigen levels was analyzed. Of 137 patients included in the analysis, 37 (27%) had biopsy progression over a median follow-up period of 3.2 years. Prediagnostic prostate-specific antigen velocity of more than 2 ng/mL/year and 3 ng/mL/year was statistically significantly associated with the risk of future biopsy progression. However, after adjustment for baseline prostate-specific antigen density, these associations were no longer significant. None of the tested prostate-specific antigen kinetics based on combined pre- and post-diagnostic prostate-specific antigen values were statistically significantly associated with the risk of biopsy progression. Historical prediagnostic prostate-specific antigens seems to be not clinically useful in patients diagnosed with low-risk prostate cancer on active surveillance. © 2016 The Japanese Urological Association.

The efficacy of early initiated, supervised, progressive resistance training compared to unsupervised, home-based exercise after unicompartmental knee arthroplasty

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Jørgensen, Peter Bo; Bogh, Søren B; Kierkegaard, Signe

2017-01-01

OBJECTIVE: To examine if supervised progressive resistance training was superior to home-based exercise in rehabilitation after unicompartmental knee arthroplasty. DESIGN: Single blinded, randomized clinical trial. SETTING: Surgery, progressive resistance training and testing was carried out...

Caries progression in non-cavitated fissures after infiltrant application: a 3-year follow-up of a randomized controlled clinical trial

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Camillo ANAUATE-NETTO

Full Text Available Abstract Objectives To evaluate the efficacy of a conservative treatment to prevent the progression of caries using an infiltrant on non-cavitated pit and fissures. Material and Methods This controlled clinical trial selected 23 volunteers with clinically and radiographically non-cavitated occlusal caries among patients presenting a “rather low” to “very high” caries risk. Eighty-six teeth were randomly divided into two experimental groups: teeth receiving a commercial pit-and-fissure sealant (Alpha Seal-DFL and contralateral teeth receiving Icon infiltrant (DMG. Caries progression was monitored by clinical (laser fluorescence caries detection and radiographic examination at 12-month intervals over a period of 3 years of monitored caries progression. Probing the sealing materials to detect areas of retention was also used to evaluate marginal integrity. Results Statistical analysis showed no difference in caries progression using laser fluorescence caries detection when both materials were compared, regardless of the evaluation times (p>0.05. No significance was observed when the marginal sealant integrity of both materials was compared, regardless of the evaluation time (p0.05. SEM analysis exhibited a more homogeneous sealing for the infiltrant than obtained by the sealant. Conclusions The infiltrant was effective to prevent the caries progression in non-cavitated pit-and-fissures after 3 years of clinical evaluation, comparable with the conventional sealant. The infiltrant also presented better results in terms of caries progression at the 3-year evaluation time using the radiographic analysis.

Caries progression in non-cavitated fissures after infiltrant application: a 3-year follow-up of a randomized controlled clinical trial

Science.gov (United States)

ANAUATE-NETTO, Camillo; BORELLI, Laurindo; AMORE, Ricardo; DI HIPÓLITO, Vinicius; D’ALPINO, Paulo Henrique Perlatti

2017-01-01

Abstract Objectives To evaluate the efficacy of a conservative treatment to prevent the progression of caries using an infiltrant on non-cavitated pit and fissures. Material and Methods This controlled clinical trial selected 23 volunteers with clinically and radiographically non-cavitated occlusal caries among patients presenting a “rather low” to “very high” caries risk. Eighty-six teeth were randomly divided into two experimental groups: teeth receiving a commercial pit-and-fissure sealant (Alpha Seal-DFL) and contralateral teeth receiving Icon infiltrant (DMG). Caries progression was monitored by clinical (laser fluorescence caries detection) and radiographic examination at 12-month intervals over a period of 3 years of monitored caries progression. Probing the sealing materials to detect areas of retention was also used to evaluate marginal integrity. Results Statistical analysis showed no difference in caries progression using laser fluorescence caries detection when both materials were compared, regardless of the evaluation times (p>0.05). No significance was observed when the marginal sealant integrity of both materials was compared, regardless of the evaluation time (p0.05). SEM analysis exhibited a more homogeneous sealing for the infiltrant than obtained by the sealant. Conclusions The infiltrant was effective to prevent the caries progression in non-cavitated pit-and-fissures after 3 years of clinical evaluation, comparable with the conventional sealant. The infiltrant also presented better results in terms of caries progression at the 3-year evaluation time using the radiographic analysis. PMID:28877284

Natalizumab Significantly Improves Cognitive Impairment over Three Years in MS: Pattern of Disability Progression and Preliminary MRI Findings.

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Flavia Mattioli

Full Text Available Previous studies reported that Multiple Sclerosis (MS patients treated with natalizumab for one or two years exhibit a significant reduction in relapse rate and in cognitive impairment, but the long term effects on cognitive performance are unknown. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of natalizumab on cognitive impairment in a cohort of 24 consecutive patients with relapsing remitting MS treated for 3 years. The neuropsychological tests, as well as relapse number and EDSS, were assessed at baseline and yearly for three years. The impact on cortical atrophy was also considered in a subgroup of them, and are thus to be considered as preliminary. Results showed a significant reduction in the number of impaired neuropsychological tests after three years, a significant decrease in annualized relapse rate at each time points compared to baseline and a stable EDSS. In the neuropsychological assessment, a significant improvement in memory, attention and executive function test scores was detected. Preliminary MRI data show that, while GM volume did not change at 3 years, a significantly greater parahippocampal and prefrontal gray matter density was noticed, the former correlating with neuropsychological improvement in a memory test. This study showed that therapy with Natalizumab is helpful in improving cognitive performance, and is likely to have a protective role on grey matter, over a three years follow-up.

Was It Worth It? Gender Boundaries and the Role of Adult Education in Labour Market Progress.

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Clayton, Patricia

2000-01-01

Interviews with 31 men and 43 women in Scotland indicated that most felt participation in adult education had direct or indirect effects on their labor market progress. A significant number had unintended labor market outcomes. Although many women were in low-paying jobs, only 10% had reservations about job satisfaction compared to one-third of…

Methotrexate treatment in progressive tubal ectopic pregnancies and hCG-related clinicosurgical implications

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Askin Dogan

2016-06-01

Full Text Available Our aim was to evaluate the relationship between the success of methotrexate treatment and β-hCG levels in progressive tubal ectopic pregnancies. We defined a retrospective cohort of 394 progressive tubal ectopic pregnancy patients treated with methotrexate. A single-dose methotrexate protocol using 50 mg/m2 was administered to patients with progressive tubal ectopic pregnancy. Surgery was performed in patients who exhibited signs of acute abdomen due to tubal rupture. Of 394 patients that received methotrexate treatment, 335 (84.6% responded to medical treatment, while the remaining 59 (15.36% underwent surgery due to treatment failure. β-hCG levels in the failure group were significantly higher as compared with the success group at Day 1, Day 4, and Day 7 (2116±3157 vs. 4178±3422, 2062±3551 vs. 4935±4103, and 1532±3007 vs. 3900±4783, respectively. The receiver operating characteristics curve for β-hCG levels at Day 1 was 0.738, with a cutoff value of 1418 mIU/mL, while sensitivity and specificity values reached the optimum for treatment success (83.1% and 59.4%, respectively. Medical treatment with methotrexate achieved an 85.02% success rate for the treatment of progressive tubal ectopic pregnancy, while success rates for medical treatment decreased significantly when initial β-hCG levels were >1418 mIU/mL.

Smoldering multiple myeloma risk factors for progression

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Sørrig, Rasmus; Klausen, Tobias W; Salomo, Morten

2016-01-01

Several risk scores for disease progression in Smoldering Multiple Myeloma (SMM) patients have been proposed, however, all have been developed using single center registries. To examine risk factors for time to progression (TTP) to Multiple Myeloma (MM) for SMM we analyzed a nationwide population......-based cohort of 321 newly diagnosed SMM patients registered within the Danish Multiple Myeloma Registry between 2005 and 2014. Significant univariable risk factors for TTP were selected for multivariable Cox regression analyses. We found that both an M-protein ≥ 30g/l and immunoparesis significantly influenced......-high risk of transformation to MM. Using only immunoparesis and M-protein ≥ 30g/l, we created a scoring system to identify low, intermediate and high risk SMM. This first population-based study of SMM patients confirms that an M-protein ≥ 30g/l and immunoparesis remain important risk factors for progression...

Level of headaches after surgical aneurysm clipping decreases significantly faster compared to endovascular coiled patients

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Athanasios K. Petridis

2017-04-01

Full Text Available In incidental aneurysms, endovascular treatment can lead to post-procedural headaches. We studied the difference of surgical clipping vs. endovascular coiling in concern to post-procedural headaches in patients with ruptured aneurysms. Sixtyseven patients with aneurysmal subarachnoidal haemorrhage were treated in our department from September 1st 2015 - September 1st 2016. 43 Patients were included in the study and the rest was excluded because of late recovery or highgrade subarachnoid bleedings. Twenty-two were surgical treated and twenty-one were interventionally treated. We compared the post-procedural headaches at the time points of 24 h, 21 days, and 3 months after treatment using the visual analog scale (VAS for pain. After surgical clipping the headache score decreased for 8.8 points in the VAS, whereas the endovascular treated population showed a decrease of headaches of 3.3 points. This difference was highly statistical significant and remained significant even after 3 weeks where the pain score for the surgically treated patients was 0.68 and for the endovascular treated 1.8. After 3 months the pain was less than 1 for both groups with surgically treated patients scoring 0.1 and endovascular treated patients 0.9 (not significant. Clipping is relieving the headaches of patients with aneurysm rupture faster and more effective than endovascular coiling. This effect stays significant for at least 3 weeks and plays a crucial role in stress relieve during the acute and subacute ICU care of such patients.

Clinical significance of Keap1 and Nrf2 in oral squamous cell carcinoma.

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Cong-Fa Huang

Full Text Available Oxidative stress has been reported to play an important role in progression and prognostication in various kinds of cancers. However, the role and clinical significance of oxidative stress markers Keap1 and Nrf2 in oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC has not been elucidated. This study aimed to investigate the correlation of oxidative stress markers Keap1 and Nrf2 expression and pathological features in OSCC by using tissue microarray. Tissue microarrays containing 17 normal oral mucosa, 7 oral epithelial dysplasia and 43 OSCC specimens were studied by immunohistochemistry. The association among these proteins and pathological features were analyzed. Expression of oxidative stress markers Keap1, Nrf2, and antioxidants PPIA, Prdx6, as well as CD147 was found to increase consecutively from normal oral mucosa to OSCC, and the Keap1, Nrf2, PPIA, Prdx6, CD147 expression in OSCC were significantly higher when compared to normal oral mucosa. Expression of Keap1, Nrf2 in tumors was not found to be significantly associated with T category, lymph node metastases, and pathological grade. Furthermore, we checked the relationship among these oxidative stress markers and found that Keap1 was significantly correlated with Nrf2, Prdx6 and CD147. Significant relationship between Nrf2 and Prdx6 was also detected. Finally, we found patients with overexpression of Keap1 and Nrf2 had not significantly worse overall survival by Kaplan-Meier analysis. These findings suggest that ROS markers are associated with carcinogenesis and progression of OSCC, which may have prognostic value and could be regarded as potential therapeutic targets in OSCC.

The Effect of Trabeculectomy on Cataract Formation or Progression

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Zhale Rajavi

2009-04-01

Full Text Available PURPOSE: To determine the effect of trabeculectomy on cataract formation or progression in patients with chronic glaucoma. METHODS: This controlled clinical trial was performed on patients over 50 years of age with glaucoma who were referred to Imam Hossein Hospital, Tehran, Iran, from 2006 to 2007. Trabeculectomy was indicated only in one eye while the fellow eye had well-controlled intraocular pressure with medication(s. The fellow eyes served as controls. Lens opacity was evaluated using three criteria: visual acuity (VA, and Lens Opacification Classification System III (LOCS III photographs and scores. RESULTS: Overall 82 eyes of 41 patients including 53.7% male and 46.3% female subjects with mean age of 62.5±9.3 (range 50-75 years were evaluated. Cataract progression in operated eyes was statistically significant according to VA (P=0.02, LOCS III photo-graphs (P=0.05 and LOCS III scores (P=0.01. However, compared to fellow control eyes, cataract progression was significant according to VA (P=0.023 and LOCS III scores (P=0.057 but not based on LOCS III photographs. Mean VA reduction was 2 Snellen lines in operated eyes; there were 3 cases of cataract formation or

Does a Rehabilitation Program of Aerobic and Progressive Resisted Exercises Influence HIV-Induced Distal Neuropathic Pain?

Science.gov (United States)

Maharaj, Sonill S; Yakasai, Abdulsalam M

2018-05-01

Distal symmetrical polyneuropathy is a common neurological sequela after HIV, which leads to neuropathic pain and functional limitations. Rehabilitation programs with exercises are used to augment pharmacological therapy to relieve pain but appropriate and effective exercises are unknown. This study explored the safety and effect of moderate-intensity aerobic exercises and progressive resisted exercises for HIV-induced distal symmetrical polyneuropathy neuropathic pain. A randomized pretest, posttest of 12 wks of aerobic exercise or progressive resisted exercise compared with a control. Outcome measures were assessed using the subjective periphery neuropathy, brief peripheral neuropathy screening, and numeric pain rating scale. Pain was assessed at baseline, 6 and 12 wks. Data between groups were compared using Kruskal-Wallis, Mann-Whitney U test, and within-groups Friedman and Wilcoxon signed rank tests. There were 136 participants (mean [SD] age = 36.79 [8.23] yrs) and the exercise groups completed the protocols without any adverse effects. Pain scores within and between aerobic exercise and progressive resisted exercise groups showed significant improvement (P 0.05). This study supports a rehabilitation program of moderate-intensity aerobic exercise and progressive resisted exercise being safe and effective for reducing neuropathic pain and is beneficial with analgesics for HIV-induced distal symmetrical polyneuropathy.

Different surgical strategies for chronic pancreatitis significantly improve long-term outcome: a comparative single center study

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Hildebrand P

2010-08-01

Full Text Available Abstract Objective In general, chronic pancreatitis (CP primarily requires conservative treatment. The chronic pain syndrome and complications make patients seek surgical advice, frequently after years of progression. In the past, surgical procedures involving drainage as well as resection have been employed successfully. The present study compared the different surgical strategies. Patients and Methods From March 2000 until April 2005, a total of 51 patients underwent surgical treatment for CP at the Department of surgery, University of Schleswig-Holstein, Campus Lübeck. Out of those 51 patients, 39 (76.5% were operated according to the Frey procedure, and in 12 cases (23.5% the Whipple procedure was performed. Patient data were documented prospectively throughout the duration of the hospital stay. The evaluation of the postoperative pain score was carried out retrospectively with a validated questionnaire. Results Average operating time was 240 minutes for the Frey group and 411 minutes for the Whipple group. The medium number of blood transfusions was 1 in the Frey group and 4.5 in the Whipple group. Overall morbidity was 21% in the Frey group and 42% in the Whipple group. 30-day mortality was zero for all patients. During the median follow-up period of 50 months, an improvement in pain score was observed in 93% of the patients of the Frey group and 67% of the patients treated according to the Whipple procedure. Conclusion The results show that both the Frey procedure as well as partial pancreaticoduodenectomy are capable of improving chronic pain symptoms in CP. As far as later endocrine and exocrine pancreatic insufficiency is concerned, however, the extended drainage operation according to Frey proves to be advantageous compared to the traditional resection procedure by Whipple. Accordingly, the Frey procedure provides us with an organ-preserving surgical procedure which treats the complications of CP sufficiently, thus being an

Cysteine 138 mutation in HIV-1 Nef from patients with delayed disease progression

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Tolstrup, Martin; Laursen, Alex Lund; Gerstoft, J.

2006-01-01

on the delayed disease status. However, the results demonstrate a high incidence of a single amino acid polymorphism (cysteine 138) in HIV-1 Nef. The allelic frequency of cysteine 138 between the delayed disease progression group and the progressor group was found to be statistically significant (P = 0.......0139). The phylogeny of isolates was investigated and the variants harbouring the cysteine 138 mutation clustered independently. CONCLUSION: The present study describes a viral genetic polymorphism related to AIDS disease progression. The polymorphism (cysteine 138) has previously been reported to confer decreased...... viral replication (Premkumar DR, et al. AIDS Res Hum Retroviruses 1996; 12(4): 337-45). A sequence database search for comparative mutations revealed a high frequency of cysteine 138 in patients with reported SP AIDS...

Comparing clinical attachment level and pocket depth for predicting periodontal disease progression in healthy sites of patients with chronic periodontitis using multi-state Markov models.

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Mdala, Ibrahimu; Olsen, Ingar; Haffajee, Anne D; Socransky, Sigmund S; Thoresen, Magne; de Blasio, Birgitte Freiesleben

2014-09-01

To understand degeneration of healthy sites and identify factors associated with disease progression in patients with chronic periodontitis. Data on healthy sites from 163 American and Swedish subjects were analysed using two-three-state (health, gingivitis, chronic periodontitis) Markov models based on bleeding on probing (BOP), and either clinical attachment level (CAL) + BOP or pocket depth (PD) + BOP. In 2 years, 10% (CAL + BOP) and 3% (PD + BOP) of healthy sites developed chronic periodontitis. On average, healthy sites remained healthy for 32 months before transiting in both models. Most transitions (87-97%) from health were to the gingivitis state. The expected duration of the gingivitis lesion was 4-5 months and sites recovered with a high probability (96-98%). Disease severity as measured by number of sites with CAL/PD > 4 mm at baseline and smoking, were associated with fast progression from health to chronic periodontitis within 6 months as were gingival redness in the PD + BOP model only. With age, the rate of disease progression to gingivitis decreased. Transition probabilities for gingivitis and chronic periodontitis were higher with CAL + BOP than with PD + BOP. Smoking and disease severity were significant predictors for fast progression. © 2014 The Authors. Journal of Clinical Periodontology Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Comparing clinical attachment level and pocket depth for predicting periodontal disease progression in healthy sites of patients with chronic periodontitis using multi-state Markov models

Science.gov (United States)

Mdala, Ibrahimu; Olsen, Ingar; Haffajee, Anne D; Socransky, Sigmund S; Thoresen, Magne; de Blasio, Birgitte Freiesleben

2014-01-01

Aim To understand degeneration of healthy sites and identify factors associated with disease progression in patients with chronic periodontitis. Material and Methods Data on healthy sites from 163 American and Swedish subjects were analysed using two-three-state (health, gingivitis, chronic periodontitis) Markov models based on bleeding on probing (BOP), and either clinical attachment level (CAL) + BOP or pocket depth (PD) + BOP. Results In 2 years, 10% (CAL + BOP) and 3% (PD + BOP) of healthy sites developed chronic periodontitis. On average, healthy sites remained healthy for 32 months before transiting in both models. Most transitions (87–97%) from health were to the gingivitis state. The expected duration of the gingivitis lesion was 4–5 months and sites recovered with a high probability (96–98%). Disease severity as measured by number of sites with CAL/PD > 4 mm at baseline and smoking, were associated with fast progression from health to chronic periodontitis within 6 months as were gingival redness in the PD + BOP model only. With age, the rate of disease progression to gingivitis decreased. Conclusion Transition probabilities for gingivitis and chronic periodontitis were higher with CAL + BOP than with PD + BOP. Smoking and disease severity were significant predictors for fast progression. PMID:24888705

Spousal Recollections of Early Signs of Primary Progressive Aphasia

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Pozzebon, Margaret; Douglas, Jacinta; Ames, David

2018-01-01

Background: Although primary progressive aphasia (PPA) is characterized by progressive loss of language and communication skills, knowledge about the earliest emerging signs announcing the onset of this condition is limited. Aims: To explore spousal recollections regarding the earliest signs of PPA and to compare the nature of the earliest…

Multi-parametric spinal cord MRI as potential progression marker in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.

Science.gov (United States)

El Mendili, Mohamed-Mounir; Cohen-Adad, Julien; Pelegrini-Issac, Mélanie; Rossignol, Serge; Morizot-Koutlidis, Régine; Marchand-Pauvert, Véronique; Iglesias, Caroline; Sangari, Sina; Katz, Rose; Lehericy, Stéphane; Benali, Habib; Pradat, Pierre-François

2014-01-01

To evaluate multimodal MRI of the spinal cord in predicting disease progression and one-year clinical status in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) patients. After a first MRI (MRI1), 29 ALS patients were clinically followed during 12 months; 14/29 patients underwent a second MRI (MRI2) at 11±3 months. Cross-sectional area (CSA) that has been shown to be a marker of lower motor neuron degeneration was measured in cervical and upper thoracic spinal cord from T2-weighted images. Fractional anisotropy (FA), axial/radial/mean diffusivities (λ⊥, λ//, MD) and magnetization transfer ratio (MTR) were measured within the lateral corticospinal tract in the cervical region. Imaging metrics were compared with clinical scales: Revised ALS Functional Rating Scale (ALSFRS-R) and manual muscle testing (MMT) score. At MRI1, CSA correlated significantly (Pleg ALFSRS-R scores. One year after MRI1, CSA predicted (Pleg ALSFRS-R subscore. From MRI1 to MRI2, significant changes (PDTI metrics predicted ALS disease progression. Cord atrophy was a better biomarker of disease progression than diffusion and MTR. Our study suggests that multimodal MRI could provide surrogate markers of ALS that may help monitoring the effect of disease-modifying drugs.

Characteristic detected on computed tomography angiography predict coronary artery plaque progression in non-culprit lesions

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Tan, Ya Hang; Zhou, Jia Zhou; Zhou, Ying; Yang, Xiaobo; Yang, Jun Jie; Chen, Yun Dai [Dept. of Cardiology, Chinese PLA General Hospital, Beijing (China)

2017-06-15

This study sought to determine whether variables detected on coronary computed tomography angiography (CCTA) would predict plaque progression in non-culprit lesions (NCL). In this single-center trial, we analyzed 103 consecutive patients who were undergoing CCTA and percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) for culprit lesions. Follow-up CCTA was scheduled 12 months after the PCI, and all patients were followed for 3 years after their second CCTA examination. High-risk plaque features and epicardial adipose tissue (EAT) volume were assessed by CCTA. Each NCL stenosis grade was compared visually between two CCTA scans to detect plaque progression, and patients were stratified into two groups based on this. Logistic regression analysis was used to evaluate the factors that were independently associated with plaque progression in NCLs. Time-to-event curves were compared using the log-rank statistic. Overall, 34 of 103 patients exhibited NCL plaque progression (33%). Logistic regression analyses showed that the NCL progression was associated with a history of ST-elevated myocardial infarction (odds ratio [OR] = 5.855, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.391–24.635, p = 0.016), follow-up low-density lipoprotein cholesterol level (OR = 6.832, 95% CI = 2.103–22.200, p = 0.001), baseline low-attenuation plaque (OR = 7.311, 95% CI = 1.242–43.028, p = 0.028) and EAT (OR = 1.015, 95% CI = 1.000–1.029, p = 0.044). Following the second CCTA examination, major adverse cardiac events (MACEs) were observed in 12 patients, and NCL plaque progression was significantly associated with future MACEs (log rank p = 0.006). Noninvasive assessment of NCLs by CCTA has potential prognostic value.

Benefit from autologous stem cell transplantation in primary refractory myeloma? Different outcomes in progressive versus stable disease

Science.gov (United States)

Rosiñol, Laura; García-Sanz, Ramón; Lahuerta, Juan José; Hernández-García, Miguel; Granell, Miquel; de la Rubia, Javier; Oriol, Albert; Hernández-Ruiz, Belén; Rayón, Consuelo; Navarro, Isabel; García-Ruiz, Juan Carlos; Besalduch, Joan; Gardella, Santiago; Jiménez, Javier López; Díaz-Mediavilla, Joaquín; Alegre, Adrián; Miguel, Jesús San; Bladé, Joan

2012-01-01

Background Several studies of autologous stem cell transplantation in primary refractory myeloma have produced encouraging results. However, the outcome of primary refractory patients with stable disease has not been analyzed separately from the outcome of patients with progressive disease. Design and Methods In the Spanish Myeloma Group 2000 trial, 80 patients with primary refractory myeloma (49 with stable disease and 31 with progressive disease), i.e. who were refractory to initial chemotherapy, were scheduled for tandem transplants (double autologous transplant or a single autologous transplant followed by an allogeneic transplant). Patients with primary refractory disease included those who never achieved a minimal response (≥25% M-protein decrease) or better. Responses were assessed using the European Bone Marrow Transplant criteria. Results There were no significant differences in the rates of partial response or better between patients with stable or progressive disease. However, 38% of the patients with stable disease at the time of transplantation remained in a stable condition or achieved a minimal response after transplantation versus 7% in the group with progressive disease (P=0.0017) and the rate of early progression after transplantation was significantly higher among the group with progressive disease at the time of transplantation (22% versus 2%; P=0.0043). After a median follow-up of 6.6 years, the median survival after first transplant of the whole series was 2.3 years. Progression-free and overall survival from the first transplant were shorter in patients with progressive disease (0.6 versus 2.3 years, P=0.00004 and 1.1 versus 6 years, P=0.00002, respectively). Conclusions Our results show that patients with progressive refractory myeloma do not benefit from autologous transplantation, while patients with stable disease have an outcome comparable to those with chemosensitive disease. (ClinicalTrials.gov:NCT00560053) PMID:22058223

Clinician-scientists in Canada: barriers to career entry and progress.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Bryn Lander

Full Text Available BACKGROUND: Clinician-scientists play an important role in translating between research and clinical practice. Significant concerns about a decline in their numbers have been raised. Potential barriers for career entry and progress are explored in this study. METHODS: Case-study research methods were used to identify barriers perceived by clinician-scientists and their research teams in two Canadian laboratories. These perceptions were then compared against statistical analysis of data from Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR databases on grant and award performance of clinician-scientists and non-clinical PhDs for fiscal years 2000 to 2008. RESULTS: Three main barriers were identified through qualitative analysis: research training, research salaries, and research grants. We then looked for evidence of these barriers in the Canada-wide statistical dataset for our study period. Clinician-scientists had a small but statistically significant higher mean number of degrees (3.3 than non-clinical scientists (3.2, potentially confirming the perception of longer training times. But evidence of the other two barriers was equivocal. For example, while overall growth in salary awards was minimal, awards to clinician-scientists increased by 45% compared to 6.3% for non-clinical PhDs. Similarly, in terms of research funding, awards to clinician-scientists increased by more than 25% compared with 5% for non-clinical PhDs. However, clinician-scientist-led grants funded under CIHR's Clinical thematic area decreased significantly from 61% to 51% (p-value<0.001 suggesting that clinician-scientists may be shifting their attention to other research domains. CONCLUSION: While clinician-scientists continue to perceive barriers to career entry and progress, quantitative results suggest improvements over the last decade. Clinician-scientists are awarded an increasing proportion of CIHR research grants and salary awards. Given the translational importance of

An Argument for Formative Assessment with Science Learning Progressions

Science.gov (United States)

Alonzo, Alicia C.

2018-01-01

Learning progressions--particularly as defined and operationalized in science education--have significant potential to inform teachers' formative assessment practices. In this overview article, I lay out an argument for this potential, starting from definitions for "formative assessment practices" and "learning progressions"…

Genders and Individual Treatment Progress in (Non-)Binary Trans Individuals.

Science.gov (United States)

Koehler, Andreas; Eyssel, Jana; Nieder, Timo O

2018-01-01

Health care for transgender and transsexual (ie, trans) individuals has long been based on a binary understanding of gender (ie, feminine vs masculine). However, the existence of non-binary or genderqueer (NBGQ) genders is increasingly recognized by academic and/or health care professionals. To gain insight into the individual health care experiences and needs of binary and NBGQ individuals to improve their health care outcomes and experience. Data were collected using an online survey study on experiences with trans health care. The non-clinical sample consisted of 415 trans individuals. An individual treatment progress score was calculated to report and compare participants' individual progress toward treatment completion and consider the individual treatment needs and definitions of completed treatment (ie, amount and types of different treatments needed to complete one's medical transition). Main outcome measures were (i) general and trans-related sociodemographic data and (ii) received and planned treatments. Participants reported binary (81.7%) and different NBGQ (18.3%) genders. The 2 groups differed significantly in basic demographic data (eg, mean age; P < .05). NBGQ participants reported significantly fewer received treatments compared with binary participants. For planned treatments, binary participants reported more treatments related to primary sex characteristics only. Binary participants required more treatments for a completed treatment than NBGQ participants (6.0 vs 4.0). There were no differences with regard to individual treatment progress score. Because traditional binary-focused treatment practice could have hindered NBGQ individuals from accessing trans health care or sufficiently articulating their needs, health care professionals are encouraged to provide a holistic and individual treatment approach and acknowledge genders outside the gender binary to address their needs appropriately. Because the study was made inclusive for non

Interventions to slow progression of myopia in children.

Science.gov (United States)

Walline, Jeffrey J; Lindsley, Kristina; Vedula, Satyanarayana S; Cotter, Susan A; Mutti, Donald O; Twelker, J Daniel

2011-12-07

independently extracted data and assessed the risk of bias for each included study. When possible, we analyzed data with the inverse variance method using a fixed-effect or random-effects model, depending on the number of studies and amount of heterogeneity detected. We included 23 studies (4696 total participants) in this review, with 17 of these studies included in quantitative analysis. Since we only included RCTs in the review, the studies were generally at low risk of bias for selection bias. Undercorrection of myopia was found to increase myopia progression slightly in two studies; children who were undercorrected progressed on average 0.15 D (95% confidence interval (CI) -0.29 to 0.00) more than the fully corrected SVLs wearers at one year. Rigid gas permeable contact lenses (RGPCLs) were found to have no evidence of effect on myopic eye growth in two studies (no meta-analysis due to heterogeneity between studies). Progressive addition lenses (PALs), reported in four studies, and bifocal spectacles, reported in four studies, were found to yield a small slowing of myopia progression. For seven studies with quantitative data at one year, children wearing multifocal lenses, either PALs or bifocals, progressed on average 0.16 D (95% CI 0.07 to 0.25) less than children wearing SVLs. The largest positive effects for slowing myopia progression were exhibited by anti-muscarinic medications. At one year, children receiving pirenzepine gel (two studies), cyclopentolate eye drops (one study), or atropine eye drops (two studies) showed significantly less myopic progression compared with children receiving placebo (mean differences (MD) 0.31 (95% CI 0.17 to 0.44), 0.34 (95% CI 0.08 to 0.60), and 0.80 (95% CI 0.70 to 0.90), respectively). The most likely effective treatment to slow myopia progression thus far is anti-muscarinic topical medication. However, side effects of these medications include light sensitivity and near blur. Also, they are not yet commercially available, so their

Gender differences in the progression of acute renal failure

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yasmeen, G.; Hussain, Z.; Bharwani, M.L.

2008-01-01

The present study was planned to investigate the alteration in renal function of ischemic ARF patients and to compare the magnitude of these variations in men and women. The study was conducted in collaboration with the department of Nephrology, Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre, Karachi. The consent and personal history were taken from the patients of ischemic ARF. Then they were scrutinized to eliminate the influence of potential systemic disorders and blood samples from selected individuals were collected and tested for blood urea nitrogen, plasma urea, creatinine, and electrolytes. The percent elevation from the base line value in the plasma urea and creatinine concentration was found significantly higher in males. Moreover, men have insignificant high level of creatinine while difference in blood urea nitrogen and plasma urea reached the level of statistical significance when compared with women. The findings lead to the conclusion that worsening of renal function in ischemic ARF is more in men. Faster disease progression in males may be in part caused by the sex hormones. (Author)

Role of tumor microenvironment in triple-negative breast cancer and its prognostic significance

Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

Tianjian Yu; Genhong Di

2017-01-01

Breast cancer has been shown to live in the tumor microenvironment,which consists of not only breast cancer cells themselves but also a significant amount of pathophysiologically altered surrounding stroma and cells.Diverse components of the breast cancer microenvironment,such as suppressive immune cells,re-programmed fibroblast cells,altered extracellular matrix (ECM) and certain soluble factors,synergistically impede an effective anti-tumor response and promote breast cancer progression and metastasis.Among these components,stromal cells in the breast cancer microenvironment are characterized by molecular alterations and aberrant signaling pathways,whereas the ECM features biochemical and biomechanical changes.However,triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC),the most aggressive subtype of this disease that lacks effective therapies available for other subtypes,is considered to feature a unique microenvironment distinct from that of other subtypes,especially compared to Luminal A subtype.Because these changes are now considered to significantly impact breast cancer development and progression,these unique alterations may serve as promising prognostic factors of clinical outcome or potential therapeutic targets for the treatment of TNBC.In this review,we focus on the composition of the TNBC microenvironment,concomitant distinct biological alteration,specific interplay between various cell types and TNBC cells,and the prognostic implications of these findings.

Clinical evaluation of a novel population-based regression analysis for detecting glaucomatous visual field progression.

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Kovalska, M P; Bürki, E; Schoetzau, A; Orguel, S F; Orguel, S; Grieshaber, M C

2011-04-01

The distinction of real progression from test variability in visual field (VF) series may be based on clinical judgment, on trend analysis based on follow-up of test parameters over time, or on identification of a significant change related to the mean of baseline exams (event analysis). The aim of this study was to compare a new population-based method (Octopus field analysis, OFA) with classic regression analyses and clinical judgment for detecting glaucomatous VF changes. 240 VF series of 240 patients with at least 9 consecutive examinations available were included into this study. They were independently classified by two experienced investigators. The results of such a classification served as a reference for comparison for the following statistical tests: (a) t-test global, (b) r-test global, (c) regression analysis of 10 VF clusters and (d) point-wise linear regression analysis. 32.5 % of the VF series were classified as progressive by the investigators. The sensitivity and specificity were 89.7 % and 92.0 % for r-test, and 73.1 % and 93.8 % for the t-test, respectively. In the point-wise linear regression analysis, the specificity was comparable (89.5 % versus 92 %), but the sensitivity was clearly lower than in the r-test (22.4 % versus 89.7 %) at a significance level of p = 0.01. A regression analysis for the 10 VF clusters showed a markedly higher sensitivity for the r-test (37.7 %) than the t-test (14.1 %) at a similar specificity (88.3 % versus 93.8 %) for a significant trend (p = 0.005). In regard to the cluster distribution, the paracentral clusters and the superior nasal hemifield progressed most frequently. The population-based regression analysis seems to be superior to the trend analysis in detecting VF progression in glaucoma, and may eliminate the drawbacks of the event analysis. Further, it may assist the clinician in the evaluation of VF series and may allow better visualization of the correlation between function and structure owing to VF

Spotlight on siponimod and its potential in the treatment of secondary progressive multiple sclerosis: the evidence to date

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Gajofatto A

2017-11-01

Full Text Available Alberto Gajofatto Department of Neuroscience, Biomedicine and Movement Sciences, University of Verona, Verona, Italy Abstract: Siponimod (BAF312 is a synthetic molecule belonging to the sphingosine-1-phosphate (S1P modulator family, which has putative neuroprotective properties and well-characterized immunomodulating effects mediated by sequestration of B and T cells in secondary lymphoid organs. Compared to fingolimod (ie, precursor of the S1P modulators commercially available for the treatment of relapsing–remitting [RR] multiple sclerosis [MS], siponimod exhibits selective affinity for types 1 and 5 S1P receptor, leading to a lower risk of adverse events that are mainly induced by S1P3 receptor activation, such as bradycardia and vasoconstriction. In addition, S1P1 and S1P5 receptors are expressed by neurons and glia and could mediate a possible neuroprotective effect of the drug. A Phase II clinical trial of siponimod for RR MS showed a significant effect of the active drug compared to placebo on reducing gadolinium-enhancing lesions on brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI after 3 months of treatment. In a recently completed Phase III trial, treatment with siponimod was associated with a significant reduction in disability progression in secondary progressive (SP MS patients compared to placebo. In this article, current evidence supporting siponimod efficacy for SP MS is reviewed. Keywords: multiple sclerosis, siponimod, progression, disability, treatment

Prediction of autoignition in a lifted methane/air flame using an unsteady flamelet/progress variable model

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ihme, Matthias; See, Yee Chee [Department of Aerospace Engineering, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109 (United States)

2010-10-15

An unsteady flamelet/progress variable (UFPV) model has been developed for the prediction of autoignition in turbulent lifted flames. The model is a consistent extension to the steady flamelet/progress variable (SFPV) approach, and employs an unsteady flamelet formulation to describe the transient evolution of all thermochemical quantities during the flame ignition process. In this UFPV model, all thermochemical quantities are parameterized by mixture fraction, reaction progress parameter, and stoichiometric scalar dissipation rate, eliminating the explicit dependence on a flamelet time scale. An a priori study is performed to analyze critical modeling assumptions that are associated with the population of the flamelet state space. For application to LES, the UFPV model is combined with a presumed PDF closure to account for subgrid contributions of mixture fraction and reaction progress variable. The model was applied in LES of a lifted methane/air flame. Additional calculations were performed to quantify the interaction between turbulence and chemistry a posteriori. Simulation results obtained from these calculations are compared with experimental data. Compared to the SFPV results, the unsteady flamelet/progress variable model captures the autoignition process, and good agreement with measurements is obtained for mixture fraction, temperature, and species mass fractions. From the analysis of scatter data and mixture fraction-conditional results it is shown that the turbulence/chemistry interaction delays the ignition process towards lower values of scalar dissipation rate, and a significantly larger region in the flamelet state space is occupied during the ignition process. (author)

Impact of Hypertriglyceridemia on Carotid Stenosis Progression under Normal Low-Density Lipoprotein Cholesterol Levels.

Science.gov (United States)

Kitagami, Masayuki; Yasuda, Ryuta; Toma, Naoki; Shiba, Masato; Nampei, Mai; Yamamoto, Yoko; Nakatsuka, Yoshinari; Sakaida, Hiroshi; Suzuki, Hidenori

2017-08-01

Dyslipidemia is a well-known risk factor for carotid stenosis progression, but triglycerides have attracted little attention. The aim of this study was to assess if serum triglycerides affect progression of carotid stenosis in patients with well-controlled low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) levels. This is a retrospective study in a single hospital consisting of 71 Japanese patients with internal carotid artery stenosis greater than or equal to 50% and normal serum LDL-C levels who underwent angiographic examination with or without the resultant carotid artery stenting or endarterectomy from 2007 to 2011, and were subsequently followed up for 4 years. Clinical factors including fasting serum triglyceride values were compared between the progression (≥10% increase in degree of carotid stenosis on ultrasonography) and the nonprogression groups. During 4 years, 15 patients (21.1%) had carotid stenosis progression on either side. Cox regression analysis demonstrated that symptomatic cases (hazard ratio [HR], 4.327; P = .019), coexisting intracranial arteriosclerotic stenosis (HR, 5.341; P = .005), and hypertriglyceridemia (HR, 6.228; P = .011) were associated with subsequent progression of carotid stenosis. Kaplan-Meier plots demonstrated that the progression-free survival rate was significantly higher in patients without hypertriglyceridemia and intracranial arteriosclerotic stenosis at baseline. Among patients with moderate to severe carotid stenosis and well-controlled LDL-C, hypertriglyceridemia was an important risk factor for progression of carotid stenosis irrespective of surgical treatments. It would be worthwhile to test if triglyceride-lowering medications suppress carotid stenosis progression. Copyright © 2017 National Stroke Association. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Curve progression after long-term brace treatment in adolescent idiopathic scoliosis: comparative results between over and under 30 Cobb degrees - SOSORT 2017 award winner

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Angelo G. Aulisa

2017-10-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background The factors influencing curve behavior following bracing are incompletely understood and there is no agreement if scoliotic curves stop progressing with skeletal maturity. The aim of this study was to evaluate the loss of the scoliotic curve correction in patients treated with bracing during adolescence and to compare patient outcomes of under and over 30 Cobb degrees, 10 years after brace removal. Methods We reviewed 93 (87 female of 200 and nine patients with adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS who were treated with the Lyon or PASB brace at a mean of 15 years (range 10–35. All patients answered a simple questionnaire (including work status, pregnancy, and pain and underwent clinical and radiological examination. The population was divided into two groups based on Cobb degrees ( 30°. Statistical analysis was performed to test the efficacy of our hypothesis. Results The patients underwent a long-term follow-up at a mean age of 184.1 months (±72.60 after brace removal. The pre-brace scoliotic mean curve was 32.28° (± 9.4°; after treatment, the mean was 19.35° and increased to a minimum of 22.12° in the 10 years following brace removal. However, there was no significant difference in the mean Cobb angle between the end of weaning and long term follow-up period (p = 0.105. The curve angle of patients who were treated with a brace from the beginning was reduced by 13° during the treatment, but the curve size lost 3° at the follow-up period. The groups over 30° showed a pre-brace scoliotic mean curve of 41.15°; at the end of weaning, the mean curve angle was 25.85° and increased to a mean of 29.73° at follow-up; instead, the groups measuring ≤ 30° showed a pre-brace scoliotic mean curve of 25.58°; at the end of weaning, it was reduced to a mean of 14.24° and it increased to 16.38° at follow-up. There was no significant difference in the mean progression of curve magnitude between the ≤ 30° and

Progression of MDS-UPDRS Scores Over Five Years in De Novo Parkinson Disease from the Parkinson's Progression Markers Initiative Cohort.

Science.gov (United States)

Holden, Samantha K; Finseth, Taylor; Sillau, Stefan H; Berman, Brian D

2018-01-01

The Movement Disorder Society Unified Parkinson Disease Rating Scale (MDS-UDPRS) is a commonly used tool to measure Parkinson disease (PD) progression. Longitudinal changes in MDS-UPDRS scores in de novo PD have not been established. Determine progression rates of MDS-UPDRS scores in de novo PD. 362 participants from the Parkinson's Progression Markers Initiative, a multicenter longitudinal cohort study of de novo PD, were included. Longitudinal progression of MDS-UPDRS total and subscale scores were modeled using mixed model regression. MDS-UPDRS scores increased in a linear fashion over five years in de novo PD. MDS-UPDRS total score increased an estimated 4.0 points/year, Part I 0.25 points/year, Part II 1.0 points/year, and Part III 2.4 points/year. The expected average progression of MDS-UPDRS scores in de novo PD from this study can assist in clinical monitoring and provide comparative data for detection of disease modification in treatment trials.

Psychosocial predictors of coronary artery calcification progression in postmenopausal women.

Science.gov (United States)

Low, Carissa A; Matthews, Karen A; Kuller, Lewis H; Edmundowicz, Daniel

2011-01-01

Coronary artery calcification (CAC) has been associated with psychosocial factors in some but not all cross-sectional analyses. The goal of this study was to determine whether positive and negative psychosocial factors prospectively predict CAC progression in postmenopausal women. Participants from the Healthy Women Study who also participated in the Pittsburgh Mind-Body Center protocol (n = 149) completed self-report psychosocial measures before two electron beam computed tomographic scans of CAC separated by an average of 3.3 years. Results of exploratory factor analysis were used to create aggregate psychosocial indices: psychological risk (depressive symptoms, perceived stress, cynicism, and anger-in) and psychosocial resources (optimism, purpose in life, mastery, self-esteem, and social support). The psychological risk index predicted significantly greater CAC progression over 3 years (β = 0.16, p = .035, ΔR(2) = 0.03), whereas the psychosocial resources index was not predictive of CAC progression (β = -0.08, p = .30, ΔR(2) = 0.01). On individual scales, higher scores on cynicism emerged as a significant predictor of CAC progression, along with a trend linking anger-in to atherosclerosis progression. A post hoc analysis showed a significant interaction between cynicism and anger-in (β = 0.20, p = .01, ΔR(2) = 0.03), such that women reporting high levels of both cynicism and anger suppression exhibited the most CAC progression. These findings highlight psychosocial risk factors that may accelerate the progression of subclinical atherosclerosis in older women, suggest the potential importance of examining combinations of psychosocial risk factors, and identify potential targets for psychological interventions to reduce cardiovascular risk.

Filtering data from the collaborative initial glaucoma treatment study for improved identification of glaucoma progression.

Science.gov (United States)

Schell, Greggory J; Lavieri, Mariel S; Stein, Joshua D; Musch, David C

2013-12-21

Open-angle glaucoma (OAG) is a prevalent, degenerate ocular disease which can lead to blindness without proper clinical management. The tests used to assess disease progression are susceptible to process and measurement noise. The aim of this study was to develop a methodology which accounts for the inherent noise in the data and improve significant disease progression identification. Longitudinal observations from the Collaborative Initial Glaucoma Treatment Study (CIGTS) were used to parameterize and validate a Kalman filter model and logistic regression function. The Kalman filter estimates the true value of biomarkers associated with OAG and forecasts future values of these variables. We develop two logistic regression models via generalized estimating equations (GEE) for calculating the probability of experiencing significant OAG progression: one model based on the raw measurements from CIGTS and another model based on the Kalman filter estimates of the CIGTS data. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves and associated area under the ROC curve (AUC) estimates are calculated using cross-fold validation. The logistic regression model developed using Kalman filter estimates as data input achieves higher sensitivity and specificity than the model developed using raw measurements. The mean AUC for the Kalman filter-based model is 0.961 while the mean AUC for the raw measurements model is 0.889. Hence, using the probability function generated via Kalman filter estimates and GEE for logistic regression, we are able to more accurately classify patients and instances as experiencing significant OAG progression. A Kalman filter approach for estimating the true value of OAG biomarkers resulted in data input which improved the accuracy of a logistic regression classification model compared to a model using raw measurements as input. This methodology accounts for process and measurement noise to enable improved discrimination between progression and nonprogression

Static Progressive Orthoses for Elbow Contracture: A Systematic Review

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Bin Chen

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Background. As one of the most common musculoskeletal complications following trauma, elbow contracture is a frequent source of disabled daily activities. Conventional interventions are inadequate to provide favorable outcome. The static progressive orthoses are getting popular in the treatment of this problem. Objective. The purpose of this review was to assess the effectiveness of static progressive orthoses for elbow contracture. Methods. Literatures when written in English published during 1 January 1997 and 31 January 2017 were searched in the following databases: Web of Science, Cochrane Library, PubMed, and EBSCOhost. Articles are quality-assessed by two assessors, each article was summarized in evidence tables, and a narrative synthesis was also performed. Results. Ten clinical trials were included. The study design and outcome measures used varied. Significant immediate improvement in the range of motion was reported by all studies, and those effects were still significant at follow-up. No significant difference was shown between static progressive and dynamic orthoses for elbow contracture in one randomized control trial. Conclusions. Current low-quality evidence suggested that static progressive orthoses provided assistance for elbow contracture through improving range of motion. Further research is recommended using high-quality randomized controlled trials.

A Small Disc Area Is a Risk Factor for Visual Field Loss Progression in Primary Open-Angle Glaucoma: The Glaucoma Stereo Analysis Study

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Yasushi Kitaoka

2018-01-01

Full Text Available Purpose. The Glaucoma Stereo Analysis Study, a cross-sectional multicenter collaborative study, used a stereo fundus camera (nonmyd WX to assess various morphological parameters of the optic nerve head (ONH in glaucoma patients. We compared the associations of each parameter between the visual field loss progression group and no-progression group. Methods. The study included 187 eyes of 187 patients with primary open-angle glaucoma or normal-tension glaucoma. We divided the mean deviation (MD slope values of all patients into the progression group (<−0.3 dB/year and no-progression group (≧−0.3 dB/year. ONH morphological parameters were calculated with prototype analysis software. The correlations between glaucomatous visual field progression and patient characteristics or each ONH parameter were analyzed with Spearman’s rank correlation coefficient. Results. The MD slope averages in the progression group and no-progression group were −0.58 ± 0.28 dB/year and 0.05 ± 0.26 dB/year, respectively. Among disc parameters, vertical disc width (diameter, disc area, cup area, and cup volume in the progression group were significantly less than those in the no-progression group. Logistic regression analysis revealed a significant association between the visual field progression and disc area (odds ratio 0.49/mm2 disc area. Conclusion. A smaller disc area may be associated with more rapid glaucomatous visual field progression.

Evaluating progressive-rendering algorithms in appearance design tasks.

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Jiawei Ou; Karlik, Ondrej; Křivánek, Jaroslav; Pellacini, Fabio

2013-01-01

Progressive rendering is becoming a popular alternative to precomputational approaches to appearance design. However, progressive algorithms create images exhibiting visual artifacts at early stages. A user study investigated these artifacts' effects on user performance in appearance design tasks. Novice and expert subjects performed lighting and material editing tasks with four algorithms: random path tracing, quasirandom path tracing, progressive photon mapping, and virtual-point-light rendering. Both the novices and experts strongly preferred path tracing to progressive photon mapping and virtual-point-light rendering. None of the participants preferred random path tracing to quasirandom path tracing or vice versa; the same situation held between progressive photon mapping and virtual-point-light rendering. The user workflow didn’t differ significantly with the four algorithms. The Web Extras include a video showing how four progressive-rendering algorithms converged (at http://youtu.be/ck-Gevl1e9s), the source code used, and other supplementary materials.

Progression of scoliosis in patients with spastic quadriplegia after the insertion of an intrathecal baclofen pump.

Science.gov (United States)

Ginsburg, Glen M; Lauder, Anthony J

2007-11-15

Medical and radiographic review of 19 consecutive patients with spastic quadriplegia before and after intrathecal baclofen pump insertion with special attention paid to progression of scoliosis. Many orthopedic surgeons who treat spastic quadriplegic patients have noticed a trend of marked scoliosis progression after the administration of intrathecal baclofen (ITB) via subcutaneous pump and catheter. The purpose of this study is to quantify scoliosis progression in this patient population before and after baclofen administration and compare this to published natural history data. The authors had noted rapid progression of scoliosis in spastic quadriplegic patients after intrathecal baclofen pump insertion. This had been noted at other centers, but no significant statistical analysis had been done comparing prepump to postpump scoliosis progression in these patients. To document the magnitude and rate of scoliosis progressions after the placement of an ITB pump, the charts and radiographs of 19 consecutive nonambulatory patients with spastic quadriplegia and an ITB pump were reviewed. To document the rate of scoliosis progression, each patient had at least 2 pre and 2 postpump insertion spinal radiographs made. All radiographs were made with the patients in the supine position without orthoses. A board-certified orthopedic surgeon reviewed these radiographs. Skeletal maturity was assessed using Risser grading. Catheter tip location and rate of baclofen administration were recorded. For 19 patients with complete radiographic data, average Cobb angles were 10.2 degrees before pump insertion and 25 degrees at an average of 20.9 months after pump insertion (P quadriplegia and ITB pump. The authors are now performing spinal fusions for curves that exceed 40 degrees to 50 degrees in the presence of an ITB pump as recommended by previous reviews of scoliosis and accompanying quadriplegia.

Enforcement actions: Significant actions resolved: Quarterly progress report, July--September 1988

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1988-12-01

This compilation summarizes significant enforcement actions that have been resolved during one quarterly period (July--September 1988) and includes copies of letters, Notices, and Orders sent by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission to licensees with respect to these enforcement actions. It is anticipated that the information in this publication will be widely disseminated to managers and employees engaged in activities licensed by the NRC, so that actions can be taken to improve safety by avoiding future violations similar to those described in this publication

Enforcement actions: Significant actions resolved: Quarterly progress report, October--December 1988

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1989-02-01

This compilation summarizes significant enforcement actions that have been resolved during one quarterly period (October--December 1988) and includes copies of letters, Notices, and Orders sent by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission to licensees with respect to these enforcement actions. It is anticipated that the information in this publication will be widely disseminated to managers and employees engaged in activities licensed by the NRC, so that actions can be taken to improve safety by avoiding future violations similar to those described in this publication

Enforcement actions: Significant actions resolved: Quarterly progress report, April-June 1987

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1987-08-01

This compilation summarizes significant enforcement actions that have been resolved during one quarterly period (April-June 1987) and includes copies of letters, Notices, and Orders sent by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission to licensees with respect to these enforcement actions. It is anticipated that the information in this publication will be widely disseminated to managers and employees engaged in activities licensed by the NRC, so that actions can be taken to improve safety by avoiding future violations similar to those described in this publication

Enforcement actions: Significant actions resolved: Quarterly progress report, April--June 1988

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1988-08-01

This compilation summarizes significant enforcement actions that have been resolved during one quarterly period (April--June 1988) and includes copies of letters, Notices, and Orders sent by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission to licensees with respect to these enforcement actions. It is anticipated that the information in this publication will be widely disseminated to managers and employees engaged in activities licensed by the NRC, so that actions can be taken to improve safety by avoiding future violations similar to those described in this publication

Enforcement actions: Significant actions resolved: Quarterly progress report, July-September 1987

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1987-12-01

This compilation summarizes significant enforcement actions that have been resolved during one quarterly period (July-September 1987) and includes copies of letters, Notices, and Orders sent by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission to licensees with respect to these enforcement actions. It is anticipated that the information in this publication will be widely disseminated to managers and employees engaged in activities licensed by the NRC, so that actions can be taken to improve safety by avoiding future violations similar to those described in this publication

Enforcement actions: Significant actions resolved: Quarterly progress report, January-March 1988

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1988-06-01

This compilation summarizes significant enforcement actions that have been resolved during one quarterly period (January-March 1988) and includes copies of letters, Notices, and Orders sent by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission to licensees with respect to these enforcement actions. It is anticipated that the information in this publication will be widely disseminated to managers and employees engaged in activities licensed by the NRC, so that actions can be taken to improve safety by avoiding future violations similar to those described in this publication

Differentiating Tumor Progression from Pseudoprogression in Patients with Glioblastomas Using Diffusion Tensor Imaging and Dynamic Susceptibility Contrast MRI.

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, S; Martinez-Lage, M; Sakai, Y; Chawla, S; Kim, S G; Alonso-Basanta, M; Lustig, R A; Brem, S; Mohan, S; Wolf, R L; Desai, A; Poptani, H

2016-01-01

Early assessment of treatment response is critical in patients with glioblastomas. A combination of DTI and DSC perfusion imaging parameters was evaluated to distinguish glioblastomas with true progression from mixed response and pseudoprogression. Forty-one patients with glioblastomas exhibiting enhancing lesions within 6 months after completion of chemoradiation therapy were retrospectively studied. All patients underwent surgery after MR imaging and were histologically classified as having true progression (>75% tumor), mixed response (25%-75% tumor), or pseudoprogression (<25% tumor). Mean diffusivity, fractional anisotropy, linear anisotropy coefficient, planar anisotropy coefficient, spheric anisotropy coefficient, and maximum relative cerebral blood volume values were measured from the enhancing tissue. A multivariate logistic regression analysis was used to determine the best model for classification of true progression from mixed response or pseudoprogression. Significantly elevated maximum relative cerebral blood volume, fractional anisotropy, linear anisotropy coefficient, and planar anisotropy coefficient and decreased spheric anisotropy coefficient were observed in true progression compared with pseudoprogression (P < .05). There were also significant differences in maximum relative cerebral blood volume, fractional anisotropy, planar anisotropy coefficient, and spheric anisotropy coefficient measurements between mixed response and true progression groups. The best model to distinguish true progression from non-true progression (pseudoprogression and mixed) consisted of fractional anisotropy, linear anisotropy coefficient, and maximum relative cerebral blood volume, resulting in an area under the curve of 0.905. This model also differentiated true progression from mixed response with an area under the curve of 0.901. A combination of fractional anisotropy and maximum relative cerebral blood volume differentiated pseudoprogression from

Comprehensive expression profiling of tumor cell lines identifies molecular signatures of melanoma progression.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Byungwoo Ryu

2007-07-01

Full Text Available Gene expression profiling has revolutionized our ability to molecularly classify primary human tumors and significantly enhanced the development of novel tumor markers and therapies; however, progress in the diagnosis and treatment of melanoma over the past 3 decades has been limited, and there is currently no approved therapy that significantly extends lifespan in patients with advanced disease. Profiling studies of melanoma to date have been inconsistent due to the heterogeneous nature of this malignancy and the limited availability of informative tissue specimens from early stages of disease.In order to gain an improved understanding of the molecular basis of melanoma progression, we have compared gene expression profiles from a series of melanoma cell lines representing discrete stages of malignant progression that recapitulate critical characteristics of the primary lesions from which they were derived. Here we describe the unsupervised hierarchical clustering of profiling data from melanoma cell lines and melanocytes. This clustering identifies two distinctive molecular subclasses of melanoma segregating aggressive metastatic tumor cell lines from less-aggressive primary tumor cell lines. Further analysis of expression signatures associated with melanoma progression using functional annotations categorized these transcripts into three classes of genes: 1 Upregulation of activators of cell cycle progression, DNA replication and repair (CDCA2, NCAPH, NCAPG, NCAPG2, PBK, NUSAP1, BIRC5, ESCO2, HELLS, MELK, GINS1, GINS4, RAD54L, TYMS, and DHFR, 2 Loss of genes associated with cellular adhesion and melanocyte differentiation (CDH3, CDH1, c-KIT, PAX3, CITED1/MSG-1, TYR, MELANA, MC1R, and OCA2, 3 Upregulation of genes associated with resistance to apoptosis (BIRC5/survivin. While these broad classes of transcripts have previously been implicated in the progression of melanoma and other malignancies, the specific genes identified within each class

Diagnostic significance of rib series in minor thorax trauma compared to plain chest film and computed tomography.

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Hoffstetter, Patrick; Dornia, Christian; Schäfer, Stephan; Wagner, Merle; Dendl, Lena M; Stroszczynski, Christian; Schreyer, Andreas G

2014-01-01

Rib series (RS) are a special radiological technique to improve the visualization of the bony parts of the chest. The aim of this study was to evaluate the diagnostic accuracy of rib series in minor thorax trauma. Retrospective study of 56 patients who received RS, 39 patients where additionally evaluated by plain chest film (PCF). All patients underwent a computed tomography (CT) of the chest. RS and PCF were re-read independently by three radiologists, the results were compared with the CT as goldstandard. Sensitivity, specificity, negative and positive predictive value were calculated. Significance in the differences of findings was determined by McNemar test, interobserver variability by Cohens kappa test. 56 patients were evaluated (34 men, 22 women, mean age =61 y.). In 22 patients one or more rib fracture could be identified by CT. In 18 of these cases (82%) the correct diagnosis was made by RS, in 16 cases (73%) the correct number of involved ribs was detected. These differences were significant (p = 0.03). Specificity was 100%, negative and positive predictive value were 85% and 100%. Kappa values for the interobserver agreement was 0.92-0.96. Sensitivity of PCF was 46% and was significantly lower (p = 0.008) compared to CT. Rib series does not seem to be an useful examination in evaluating minor thorax trauma. CT seems to be the method of choice to detect rib fractures, but the clinical value of the radiological proof has to be discussed and investigated in larger follow up studies.

Estrogens and progression of diabetic kidney damage.

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Doublier, Sophie; Lupia, Enrico; Catanuto, Paola; Elliot, Sharon J

2011-01-01

It is generally accepted that estrogens affect and modulate the development and progression of chronic kidney diseases (CKD) not related to diabetes. Clinical studies have indeed demonstrated that the severity and rate of progression of renal damage tends to be greater among men, compared with women. Experimental studies also support the notion that female sex is protective and male sex permissive, for the development of CKD in non-diabetics, through the opposing actions of estrogens and testosterone. However, when we consider diabetes-induced kidney damage, in the setting of either type 1 or type 2 diabetes, the contribution of gender to the progression of renal disease is somewhat uncertain. Previous studies on the effects of estrogens in the pathogenesis of progressive kidney damage have primarily focused on mesangial cells. More recently, data on the effects of estrogens on podocytes, the cell type whose role may include initiation of progressive diabetic renal disease, became available. The aim of this review will be to summarize the main clinical and experimental data on the effects of estrogens on the progression of diabetes-induced kidney injury. In particular, we will highlight the possible biological effects of estrogens on podocytes, especially considering those critical for the pathogenesis of diabetic kidney damage.

Building a progressive vertical integration

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Charette, D.

2008-01-01

AAER Inc. is a Quebec-based company that manufactures turbines using proven European designs. This presentation discussed the company's business model. The company places an emphasis on identifying strategic and key components currently available for its turbines. Market analyses are performed in order to determine ideal suppliers and define business strategies and needs. The company invests in long-term relationships with its suppliers. Business partners for AAER are of a similar size and have a mutual understanding and respect for the company's business practices. Long-term agreements with suppliers are signed in order to ensure reliability and control over costs. Progressive vertical integration has been achieved by progressively manufacturing key components and integrating a North American supply chain. The company's secure supply chain and progressive vertical integration has significantly reduced financial costs and provided better quality control. It was concluded that vertical integration has also allowed AAER to provide better customer service and reduce transportation costs. tabs., figs

A review on primary progressive aphasia

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Gabriel C Léger

2007-01-01

Full Text Available Gabriel C Léger1,2, Nancy Johnson31Neurology Service, Hôtel-Dieu du Centre Hospitalier de l’Univertité de Montréal, Montréal, Québec, Canada; 2Faculty of Medicine, Université de Montréal, Montréal, Québec, Canada; 3Cognitive Neurology and Alzheimer’s Disease Center, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Science, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL, USAAbstract: Primary progressive aphasia (PPA is a neurodegenerative disease of insidious onset presenting with progressive isolated loss of language function, without significant impairment in other cognitive domains. Current diagnostic criteria require the language dysfunction to remain isolated for at least two years, and to remain the salient feature as the disease progresses, usually to involve other domains such as behavior, executive functions, and judgment. Although PPA in its early stages can usually be differentiated from probable Alzheimer’s disease (PRAD and the behavioral variant of frontotemporal lobar degeneration by the absence of significant changes in memory and behavior, and the preservation of activities daily living, progression of the disease often leads to deficits more consistent with the latter. Underlying etiologies remain heterogeneous: the neuropathological characteristics associated with frontotemporal lobar degeneration, cortocobasal degeneration, and motor neuron disease are usually found. There is a strong genetic susceptibility with affliction of first-degree relatives with similar disease in up to 40 to 50% in some series. Pathogenic mutations in genes coding for the proteins tau and progranulin have been isolated. These are leading to a better understanding of the neuropathological mechanisms and hopefully targeted disease-modifying therapy. Current therapy is limited to improving mood symptoms and targeting behavior changes as they develop. Referral to specialized centers where speech therapy, counseling, and education

Risk of progression in macula-on rhegmatogenous retinal detachment.

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Callizo, Josep; Pfeiffer, Sebastian; Lahme, Eva; van Oterendorp, Christian; Khattab, Mohammed; Bemme, Sebastian; Kulanga, Miroslav; Hoerauf, Hans; Feltgen, Nicolas

2017-08-01

To identify factors that may lead to a rapid progression in macula-on rhegmatogenous retinal detachment (RRD), in particular, those that may lead to macular involvement. Observational, prospective, single-center study. Patients referred for surgery due to primary rhegmatogenous retinal detachment with the macula on between 2009 and 2013 were included. Relevant factors analyzed included age, time delay until surgery, lens status, myopia, the detachment's location and configuration as well as number, size and type of retinal breaks. Eyes underwent optical coherence tomography to detect macular detachment. A multivariate analysis was performed to investigate the effect of several factors in the progression of retinal detachment. A total of 116 eyes of 116 patients were included. Mean time delay between admission and surgery was 1.8 ± 1.4 days. Progression was observed in 19.8% of the eyes. Of those, 47.8% presented macular detachment. Ten of the 11 (90.9%) eyes presenting progression involving the macula also exhibited a bullous configuration, which was the only parameter that correlated significantly with detachment progression in patients with (p = 0.0036) and without (p = 0.0014) macular involvement. For the first time in a prospective trial, a bullous configuration was found to be a highly significant predictor for progression in macula-on detachments. Our data support prompt surgery in patients diagnosed with bullous macula-on RRD.

Subjective cognitive concerns and neuropsychiatric predictors of progression to the early clinical stages of Alzheimer disease.

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Donovan, Nancy J; Amariglio, Rebecca E; Zoller, Amy S; Rudel, Rebecca K; Gomez-Isla, Teresa; Blacker, Deborah; Hyman, Bradley T; Locascio, Joseph J; Johnson, Keith A; Sperling, Reisa A; Marshall, Gad A; Rentz, Dorene M

2014-12-01

To examine neuropsychiatric and neuropsychological predictors of progression from normal to early clinical stages of Alzheimer disease (AD). From a total sample of 559 older adults from the Massachusetts Alzheimer's Disease Research Center longitudinal cohort, 454 were included in the primary analysis: 283 with clinically normal cognition (CN), 115 with mild cognitive impairment (MCI), and 56 with subjective cognitive concerns (SCC) but no objective impairment, a proposed transitional group between CN and MCI. Two latent cognitive factors (memory-semantic, attention-executive) and two neuropsychiatric factors (affective, psychotic) were derived from the Alzheimer's Disease Centers' Uniform Data Set neuropsychological battery and Neuropsychiatric Inventory brief questionnaire. Factors were analyzed as predictors of time to progression to a worse diagnosis using a Cox proportional hazards regression model with backward elimination. Covariates included baseline diagnosis, gender, age, education, prior depression, antidepressant medication, symptom duration, and interaction terms. Higher/better memory-semantic factor score predicted lower hazard of progression (hazard ratio [HR] = 0.4 for 1 standard deviation [SD] increase, p factor score predicted higher hazard (HR = 1.3 for one SD increase, p = 0.01). No other predictors were significant in adjusted analyses. Using diagnosis as a sole predictor of transition to MCI, the SCC diagnosis carried a fourfold risk of progression compared with CN (HR = 4.1, p factors as significant predictors of more rapid progression from normal to early stages of cognitive decline and highlight the subgroup of cognitively normal elderly with SCC as those with elevated risk of progression to MCI. Copyright © 2014 American Association for Geriatric Psychiatry. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Shifting closeness: interpersonal effects of personal goal progress.

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Fitzsimons, Gráinne M; Fishbach, Ayelet

2010-04-01

In this article, we examine how the shifting motivational priority of personal goals affects relationship closeness. We hypothesize that people will draw closer to significant others who are instrumental (vs. noninstrumental) for a goal that has not been progressing well-a goal that is thus high in motivational priority. Once the goal has progressed successfully, we predict that people will cease to draw closer to instrumental others. Five studies support these predictions by showing that the impact of goal progress on reduced preference for instrumental others (Experiment 1) depends on the framing of progress as partial attainment (vs. greater commitment, Experiment 2) and the intention to balance across goals (vs. focus on one goal; Experiments 3-4). We find that moving away from instrumental others post progress is functional, in that it allows for drawing closer to those who are instrumental for alternative goals (Experiment 5).

Quantitative MRI study of progressive cerebral atrophy in multiple system atrophy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Konagaya, Masaaki; Matsuoka, Yukihiko; Konagaya, Yoko

2002-01-01

We investigated cerebral atrophy in multiple system atrophy (MSA) by quantitative analysis of MRI. The subjects were 28 patients with MSA (14 striato-nigral degeneration; SND, 14 olivo-ponto-cerebellar atrophy; OPCA. 106 MRI examinations were performed totally) and 85 normal persons for control. The ratios of the ventral pons to the infratentorial space in the sagittal section, the putamen, cerebrum, frontal lobe and parietal and occipital lobes to the intracranial space in the horizontal section, and the temporal lobe to the intracranial space in the coronal section were measured. In the early stage of the disease, OPCA showed significant atrophy of the ventral pons compared with SND, and conversely, SND demonstrated significantly smaller putamen than that in OPCA. According to the progression of the disease, the atrophy of these neural tissues progressed, which resulted in so significant differences between SND and OPCA. The cerebral atrophy was observed in 17 MSA patients. The atrophy of the frontal lobe was much frequent and prominent to that in the temporal lobe and parietal and occipital lobes. SND showed higher incidence of the cerebral atrophy than OPCA in the early stage of the disease. In long period follow-up cases, one case showed cerebral atrophy in earlier stage, and another case in late stage. We indicated the involvement of the cerebral hemispheres in MSA, especially the frontal lobe. (author)

Quantitative MRI study of progressive cerebral atrophy in multiple system atrophy

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Konagaya, Masaaki; Matsuoka, Yukihiko [Suzuka National Hospital, Suzuka, Mie (Japan); Konagaya, Yoko [JR Tokai General Hospital, Nagoya (Japan)

2002-02-01

We investigated cerebral atrophy in multiple system atrophy (MSA) by quantitative analysis of MRI. The subjects were 28 patients with MSA (14 striato-nigral degeneration; SND, 14 olivo-ponto-cerebellar atrophy; OPCA. 106 MRI examinations were performed totally) and 85 normal persons for control. The ratios of the ventral pons to the infratentorial space in the sagittal section, the putamen, cerebrum, frontal lobe and parietal and occipital lobes to the intracranial space in the horizontal section, and the temporal lobe to the intracranial space in the coronal section were measured. In the early stage of the disease, OPCA showed significant atrophy of the ventral pons compared with SND, and conversely, SND demonstrated significantly smaller putamen than that in OPCA. According to the progression of the disease, the atrophy of these neural tissues progressed, which resulted in so significant differences between SND and OPCA. The cerebral atrophy was observed in 17 MSA patients. The atrophy of the frontal lobe was much frequent and prominent to that in the temporal lobe and parietal and occipital lobes. SND showed higher incidence of the cerebral atrophy than OPCA in the early stage of the disease. In long period follow-up cases, one case showed cerebral atrophy in earlier stage, and another case in late stage. We indicated the involvement of the cerebral hemispheres in MSA, especially the frontal lobe. (author)

18F-FDG PET/CT in solitary plasmacytoma: metabolic behavior and progression to multiple myeloma

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Albano, Domenico; Bosio, Giovanni [Spedali Civili di Brescia, Nuclear Medicine, Brescia (Italy); Treglia, Giorgio [Oncology Institute of Southern Switzerland, Department of Nuclear Medicine and PET/CT Center, Bellinzona (Switzerland); Giubbini, Raffaele; Bertagna, Francesco [University of Brescia and Spedali Civili Brescia, Nuclear Medicine, Brescia (Italy)

2018-01-15

Solitary plasmacytoma (SP) is a rare plasma-cell neoplasm, which can develop both in skeletal and/or soft tissue and frequently progresses to multiple myeloma (MM). Our aim was to study the metabolic behavior of SP and the role of 18F-FDG-PET/CT in predicting progression to MM. Sixty-two patients with SP who underwent 18F-FDG-PET/CT before any treatment were included. PET images were qualitatively and semiquantitatively analyzed by measuring the maximum standardized uptake value body weight (SUVbw), lean body mass (SUVlbm), body surface area (SUVbsa), metabolic tumor volume (MTV), total lesion glycolysis (TLG) and compared with age, sex, site of primary disease, and tumor size. Fifty-one patients had positive 18F-FDG-PET/CT (average SUVbw was 8.3 ± 4.7; SUVlbm 5.8 ± 2.6; SUVbsa 2 ± 1; MTV 45.4 ± 37; TLG 227 ± 114); the remaining 11 were not 18F-FDG-avid. Tumor size was significantly higher in patients avid lesions compared to FDG not avid; no other features are associated with FDG-avidity. Progression to MM occurred in 29 patients with an average of 18.3 months; MM was more likely to develop in patients with bone plasmacytoma and in patients with 18F-FDG avid lesion. Time to transformation in MM (TTMM) was significantly shorter in patients with osseous SP, in 18F-FDG avid lesion, for SUVlbm > 5.2 and SUVbsa > 1.7. 18F-FDG pathological uptake in SP occurred in most cases, being independently associated with tumor size. PET/CT seemed to be correlated to a higher risk of transformation in MM, in particular for 18F-FDG avid plasmacytoma and SBP. Among semiquantitative features, SUVlbm > 5.2 and SUVbsa > 1.7 were significantly correlated with TTMM. (orig.)

Endogenous Technological Progress with Uncertainty and Carbon Abatement Polices

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Cho, G.L. [Korea Energy Economics Institute, Euiwang (Korea)

2001-11-01

Most greenhouse gas abatement policy models tend to neglect a potentially important element that is relevant to the induced technology changes(ITC). These models that incorporate technological change treat such a change as autonomous, that is, unaffected by changes in prices brought about by policy reforms. However, climate change policies can create economic incentives to engage in more extensive R and D oriented toward the discovery of new production techniques that mitigate a reliance on convectional fuels, ultimately resulting in impacts on the policies themselves. In order to investigate the significance of induced technology for the attractiveness of abatement policies, this study develop the multi-sectoral dynamic CGE model by incorporating two characteristics of technological progress: the endogenous growth model with externality of technology in Romer (1986) and Lucas(1988) and the technological changes resulting from profit maximizing investment in R and D in Rebelo(1991) and Jones and Manuelli(1990). Furthermore, technological progress is affected by not only the economical factors but also the political and institutional system that cannot be captured in this model. This study considers such uncertainty in the technological progress as technology shock as in RBC school. This study shows that the presence of ITC implies lower costs of achieving a given abatement target in terms of the reduction cost per ton of carbon and GDP losses. The presence of ITC reduces the GDP losses by 0.9%p{approx}1.5%p compared with the absence of the ITC. As the abatement target is substantially high, R and D is reduced significantly even in the presence of ITC. Therefore, it is necessary to seriously consider the tax recycling for enhancing R and D investment, which minimizes the GDP losses. The reduction cost is highly sensitive to the uncertainty in technological progress. The technology shock leads the reduction cost to widely vary, in terms of standard deviation, 3

Effect of Progressive Muscle Relaxation on the Fatigue and Quality of Life Among Iranian Aging Persons

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ali Hassanpour-Dehkordi

2016-07-01

Full Text Available Since the elderly population is increasing rapidly in developing countries which may decrease the physical activity and exercise and in turn could affect the elderly’s quality of life, this study aimed to investigate the effect of progressive muscle relaxation on the elderly’s quality of life in Iran. In a randomized clinical trial, participants were randomly divided into intervention and control groups. For the intervention group, muscular progressive relaxation was run three days per week for three months (totally 36 sessions. In relaxation, a patient contract a group of his/her muscles in each step and relaxes them after five seconds and finally loosens all muscles and takes five deep breaths. Each session lasts for 45 minutes. The instrument of data gathering consisted of questionnaires on individual’s demographic data and quality of life SF-36. After intervention, quality of life increased significantly in the patients undergoing muscular progressive relaxation and fatigue severity decreased significantly in the intervention group compared to prior to intervention. In addition, there was a statistically significant difference in mean score of physical performance, restricted activity after physical problem, energy, socially function, physical pain, overall hygiene, and quality of life between intervention and control groups. By implementing regular and continuous progressive muscle relaxation, quality of life could be increased in different dimensions in the elderly and the context could be provided to age healthily and enjoy higher health and autonomy. Therefore, all of the therapeutic staffs are recommended to implement this plan to promote the elderly’s quality of life.

Comparative study of radiation, chemical, and aging effects on viral transformation. Annual progress report, 1975

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Coggin, J.H. Jr.

1976-01-01

Progress is reported on the following research projects: evaluation of isotopic antiglobulin test (IAT) to detect tumor associated antigens using antisera induced by x-irradiated tumor cells; development of cytotoxic antibody for embryonic antigens (EA); acrylamide gel cell culture assay for transformation; and evaluation of 3-MCA induced sarcomas for TSTA and cross-reacting antigens

Progression to surgery: online versus live seminar.

Science.gov (United States)

Miletics, Maureen; Claros, Leonardo; Stoltzfus, Jill; Davis, Terri; Chaar, Maher El

2018-03-01

The objective of this study was to evaluate progression to surgery rates for live and online seminar and assess weight loss outcome comparisons at 1-year postoperation. University Hospital Network, Allentown, PA, USA. The entry point into our program was an information seminar where prospective patients are educated about obesity, bariatric surgery, indications and contraindications, risks and benefits, and our center's process. Between January of 2009 and November of 2011, only live information seminars were offered. In November of 2011, we started offering an online information seminar to reach those who are unable to attend a live seminar. Tracking of live versus online seminar attendance was documented in our database. Between November 1, 2011 and September 30, 2015, 3484 people completed an information seminar. Of those, 2744 attendees came to a live seminar while 740 completed the online seminar. A significantly higher number of live seminar attendees, 78.1% (2144/2744) progressed to an office visit compared with online seminar attendees 66.5% (492/740), Ponline attendees (Ponline seminar, P = .65) and initial body mass index (46.3 ± 7.4 for live seminar versus 45.3 ± 7.1 for online seminar, P = .09) were very similar between the groups. Online seminar attendees' age (42.7 ± 12.1) was younger than that of the live seminar attendees' (47.3 ± 12.3) (P<.0001) but has little clinical value. Our results demonstrated that live seminar attendees are more likely to progress to surgery and therefore should continue to be offered. Copyright © 2018 American Society for Bariatric Surgery. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Comparative evaluation of the influence of diabetic retinopathy progression factors on indices of lipid metabolism in metabolic syndrome

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L.Yu. Pуlуpenko

2017-11-01

Full Text Available Background. The search and study of new risk factors for the development and progression of diabetic retinopathy (DRP and their modifying influence on the components of metabolic syndrome in type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM remain relevant. The purpose was to conduct a comparative evaluation of the impact of certain DRP development factors on indices of lipid metabolism in metabolic syndrome. Materials and methods. The research was carried out in 64 patients (95 eyes with T2DM, metabolic syndrome and DRP (males and females, average age 61.55 ± 2.37 years, average duration of diabetes 11.23 ± 2.11 years, average level of HbA1c 9.89 ± 0.78 %, average body mass index 34.55 ± 3.75 kg/m2, who were divided into 3 groups depending on the stage of DRP. Results. Results had showed that the following factors have modifying influence on the level of total cholesterol in the blood of patients with T2DM and DRP: age of patients (under 60 years, duration of diabetes (less than 10 years, decompensation of carbohydrates metabolism — for the 3rd stage of DRP, features of therapy for T2DM (oral hypoglycemic drugs — for the 2nd stage of DRP; on the level of low-density lipoprotein cholesterol: younger age of patients, decompensation of diabetes — for the 3rd stage of DRP, features of hypoglycemic therapy (insulin therapy, shorter duration of diabetes — for the 2nd stage of DRP; on the level of triglycerides: age of patients (under 60 years, duration of diabetes (less than 10 years and insulin therapy — for the 1st and 3rd stages of DRP. Conclusions. It is concluded that features of hypoglycemic therapy can be a new modifying factor for the risk of DRP progression.

Non-HDL Cholesterol and Triglycerides: Implications for Coronary Atheroma Progression and Clinical Events.

Science.gov (United States)

Puri, Rishi; Nissen, Steven E; Shao, Mingyuan; Elshazly, Mohamed B; Kataoka, Yu; Kapadia, Samir R; Tuzcu, E Murat; Nicholls, Stephen J

2016-11-01

Non-high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (non-HDLC) levels reflect the full burden of cholesterol transported in atherogenic lipoproteins. Genetic studies suggest a causal association between elevated triglycerides (TGs)-rich lipoproteins and atherosclerosis. We evaluated associations between achieved non-HDLC and TG levels on changes in coronary atheroma volume. Data were analyzed from 9 clinical trials involving 4957 patients with coronary disease undergoing serial intravascular ultrasonography to assess changes in percent atheroma volume (ΔPAV) and were evaluated against on-treatment non-HDLC and TG levels. The effects of lower (0) was associated with achieved TG levels >200 mg/dL, respectively. Lower on-treatment non-HDLC and TG levels associated with significant PAV regression compared with higher non-HDLC and TG levels across all levels of LDLC and C-reactive protein and irrespective of diabetic status (P<0.001 across all comparisons). ΔPAV were more strongly influenced by changes in non-HDLC (β=0.62; P<0.001) compared with changes in LDLC (β=0.51; P<0.001). Kaplan-Meier sensitivity analyses demonstrated significantly greater major adverse cardiovascular event rates in those with higher versus lower non-HDLC and TG levels, with an earlier separation of the non-HDLC compared with the LDLC curve. Achieved non-HDLC levels seem more closely associated with coronary atheroma progression than LDLC. Plaque progression associates with achieved TGs, but only above levels of 200 mg/dL. These observations support a more prominent role for non-HDLC (and possibly TG) lowering in combating residual cardiovascular risk. © 2016 American Heart Association, Inc.

A High-Throughput Computational Framework for Identifying Significant Copy Number Aberrations from Array Comparative Genomic Hybridisation Data

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Ian Roberts

2012-01-01

Full Text Available Reliable identification of copy number aberrations (CNA from comparative genomic hybridization data would be improved by the availability of a generalised method for processing large datasets. To this end, we developed swatCGH, a data analysis framework and region detection heuristic for computational grids. swatCGH analyses sequentially displaced (sliding windows of neighbouring probes and applies adaptive thresholds of varying stringency to identify the 10% of each chromosome that contains the most frequently occurring CNAs. We used the method to analyse a published dataset, comparing data preprocessed using four different DNA segmentation algorithms, and two methods for prioritising the detected CNAs. The consolidated list of the most commonly detected aberrations confirmed the value of swatCGH as a simplified high-throughput method for identifying biologically significant CNA regions of interest.

Progress update of NASA's free-piston Stirling space power converter technology project

Science.gov (United States)

Dudenhoefer, James E.; Winter, Jerry M.; Alger, Donald

1992-01-01

A progress update is presented of the NASA LeRC Free-Piston Stirling Space Power Converter Technology Project. This work is being conducted under NASA's Civil Space Technology Initiative (CSTI). The goal of the CSTI High Capacity Power Element is to develop the technology base needed to meet the long duration, high capacity power requirements for future NASA space initiatives. Efforts are focused upon increasing system power output and system thermal and electric energy conversion efficiency at least five fold over current SP-100 technology, and on achieving systems that are compatible with space nuclear reactors. This paper will discuss progress toward 1050 K Stirling Space Power Converters. Fabrication is nearly completed for the 1050 K Component Test Power Converter (CTPC); results of motoring tests of the cold end (525 K), are presented. The success of these and future designs is dependent upon supporting research and technology efforts including heat pipes, bearings, superalloy joining technologies, high efficiency alternators, life and reliability testing, and predictive methodologies. This paper will compare progress in significant areas of component development from the start of the program with the Space Power Development Engine (SPDE) to the present work on CTPC.

Comparative study of radiation, chemical, and aging effects on viral transformation. Annual progress report, 1975

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Coggin, J.H. Jr.

1976-03-31

Progress is reported on the following research projects: evaluation of isotopic antiglobulin test (IAT) to detect tumor associated antigens using antisera induced by x-irradiated tumor cells; development of cytotoxic antibody for embryonic antigens (EA); acrylamide gel cell culture assay for transformation; and evaluation of 3-MCA induced sarcomas for TSTA and cross-reacting antigens. (HLW)

Cerebral Embolic Protection During Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement Significantly Reduces Death and Stroke Compared With Unprotected Procedures.

Science.gov (United States)

Seeger, Julia; Gonska, Birgid; Otto, Markus; Rottbauer, Wolfgang; Wöhrle, Jochen

2017-11-27

The aim of this study was to evaluate the impact of cerebral embolic protection on stroke-free survival in patients undergoing transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR). Imaging data on cerebral embolic protection devices have demonstrated a significant reduction in number and volume of cerebral lesions. A total of 802 consecutive patients were enrolled. The Sentinel cerebral embolic protection device (Claret Medical Inc., Santa Rosa, California) was used in 34.9% (n = 280) of consecutive patients. In 65.1% (n = 522) of patients TAVR was performed in the identical setting except without cerebral embolic protection. Neurological follow-up was done within 7 days post-procedure. The primary endpoint was a composite of all-cause mortality or all-stroke according to Valve Academic Research Consortium-2 criteria within 7 days. Propensity score matching was performed to account for possible confounders. Both filters of the device were successfully positioned in 280 of 305 (91.8%) consecutive patients. With use of cerebral embolic protection rate of disabling and nondisabling stroke was significantly reduced from 4.6% to 1.4% (p = 0.03; odds ratio: 0.29, 95% confidence interval: 0.10 to 0.93) in the propensity-matched population (n = 560). The primary endpoint occurred significantly less frequently, with 2.1% (n = 6 of 280) in the protected group compared with 6.8% (n = 19 of 280) in the control group (p = 0.01; odds ratio: 0.30; 95% confidence interval: 0.12 to 0.77). In multivariable analysis Society of Thoracic Surgeons score for mortality (p = 0.02) and TAVR without protection (p = 0.02) were independent predictors for the primary endpoint. In patients undergoing TAVR use of a cerebral embolic protection device demonstrated a significant higher rate of stroke-free survival compared with unprotected TAVR. Copyright © 2017 American College of Cardiology Foundation. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Incidence and progression of myopia and associated factors in urban school children in Delhi: The North India Myopia Study (NIM Study.

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Rohit Saxena

Full Text Available To evaluate the incidence and progression of myopia and factors associated with progression of myopia in school going children in Delhi.Prospective longitudinal study of 10,000 school children aged 5 to 15 years screened after an interval of 1 year to identify new myopes (Spherical Equivalent≤ -0.5D and progression of myopia in previously diagnosed myopic children. Association between risk factors and progression was analyzed using adjusted odds ratio.Of the 9,616 children re-screened (97.3% coverage, annual incidence of myopia was 3.4%with mean dioptric change of -1.09 ± 0.55. There was a significant higher incidence of myopia in younger children compared to older children (P = 0.012 and among girls compared to boys (P = 0.002. Progression was observed in 49.2%children with mean dioptric change of -0.27 ± 0.42 diopters. The demographic and behavioral risk factors were analyzed for children with progression (n = 629 and adjusted odds ratio values were estimated. Hours of reading-writing/week (p 2 hours in a day were protective with an inverse association with progression of myopia (P< 0.001.Myopia is an important health issue in India and is associated with long hours of reading and screen time with use of computers and video games. An annual eye vision screening should be conducted, and outdoor activities be promoted to prevent the increase of myopia among school children.

Significance of β-tubulin Expression in Breast Premalignant Lesions and Carcinomas

Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

Yuxia Gao; Yun Niu; Xiumin Ding; Yong Yu

2008-01-01

OBJECTIVE To explore the expression of β-tubulin in premalignant lesions and carcinomas of the breast, and to observe the relationship of its expression with breast cancer pathological features.METHODS The expression of β-tubulin was detected immunohistochemically in 50 specimens of premalignant lesions of the breast (ADH and Peri-PM with ADH), 50 specimens of breast in situ ductal carcinomas (DCIS), and 50 specimens of invasive ductal carcinomas (IDC). Thirty specimens of normal breast tissues served as a control group.RESULTS Immunohistochemical analysis showed that: the differences among the 4 groups (normal breast tissues, breast premalignant lesions, DCIS and IDC, P ＜ 0.05) were significant,and there were also statistically significant differences between any 2 groups (P ＜ 0.05) except for the β-tubulin positive expression comparing DCIS versus IDC (P ＞ 0.05). In addition, β-tubulin was expressed at a higher level in Peri-PM with ADH compared to ADH (P ＜ 0.05). Following the degree of breast epithelial hyperplasia involved, and its development into carcinoma, the β-tubulin positive expression displayed an elevating tendency.We also found a significant positive relationship of β-tubulin expression with lymph node metastasis (P ＜ 0.05), but no significant correlation with histological grading and nuclear grade.CONCLUSION Centrosome defects may be an early event in the development of breast cancer and they can also promote tumor progression. Studies of aberrations of centrosomal proteins provide a new way to explore the mechanism of breast tumorigenesis.

Serum bilirubin: a simple routine surrogate marker of the progression of chronic kidney disease.

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Moolchandani, K; Priyadarssini, M; Rajappa, M; Parameswaran, S; Revathy, G

2016-10-01

Studies suggest that Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD) is a global burden health associated with significant comorbid conditions. Few biochemical parameters have gained significance in predicting the disease progression. The present work aimed to study the association of the simple biochemical parameter of serum bilirubin level with the estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR), and to assess their association with the co-morbid conditions in CKD. We recruited 188 patients with CKD who attended a Nephrology out-patient department. eGFR values were calculated based on the serum creatinine levels using CKD-EPI formula. Various biochemical parameters including glucose, creatinine, uric acid, total and direct bilirubin were assayed in all study subjects. Study subjects were categorized into subgroups based on their eGFR values and their diabetic status and the parameters were compared among the different subgroups. We observed a significantly decreased serum bilirubin levels (p bilirubin levels (r = 0.92). We also observed a significant positive correlation between the eGFR levels and the direct bilirubin levels (r = 0.76). On multivariate linear regression analysis, we found that total and direct bilirubin independently predict eGFR, after adjusting for potential confounders (p bilirubin may help in predicting the early progression of CKD and more so in diabetic CKD.

Clinical progress of human papillomavirus genotypes and their persistent infection in subjects with atypical squamous cells of undetermined significance cytology: Statistical and latent Dirichlet allocation analysis

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Kim, Yee Suk; Lee, Sungin; Zong, Nansu; Kahng, Jimin

2017-01-01

The present study aimed to investigate differences in prognosis based on human papillomavirus (HPV) infection, persistent infection and genotype variations for patients exhibiting atypical squamous cells of undetermined significance (ASCUS) in their initial Papanicolaou (PAP) test results. A latent Dirichlet allocation (LDA)-based tool was developed that may offer a facilitated means of communication to be employed during patient-doctor consultations. The present study assessed 491 patients (139 HPV-positive and 352 HPV-negative cases) with a PAP test result of ASCUS with a follow-up period ≥2 years. Patients underwent PAP and HPV DNA chip tests between January 2006 and January 2009. The HPV-positive subjects were followed up with at least 2 instances of PAP and HPV DNA chip tests. The most common genotypes observed were HPV-16 (25.9%, 36/139), HPV-52 (14.4%, 20/139), HPV-58 (13.7%, 19/139), HPV-56 (11.5%, 16/139), HPV-51 (9.4%, 13/139) and HPV-18 (8.6%, 12/139). A total of 33.3% (12/36) patients positive for HPV-16 had cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN)2 or a worse result, which was significantly higher than the prevalence of CIN2 of 1.8% (8/455) in patients negative for HPV-16 (Paged ≥51 years (38.7%) than in those aged ≤50 years (20.4%; P=0.036). Progression from persistent infection to CIN2 or worse (19/34, 55.9%) was higher than clearance (0/105, 0.0%; Page and long infection period with a clinical progression of CIN2 or worse. Therefore, LDA results may be presented as explanatory evidence during time-constrained patient-doctor consultations in order to deliver information regarding the patient's status. PMID:28587376

The neural basis of monitoring goal progress

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Yael eBenn

2014-09-01

Full Text Available The neural basis of progress monitoring has received relatively little attention compared to other sub-processes that are involved in goal directed behavior such as motor control and response inhibition. Studies of error-monitoring have identified the dorsal anterior cingulate cortex (dACC as a structure that is sensitive to conflict detection, and triggers corrective action. However, monitoring goal progress involves monitoring correct as well as erroneous events over a period of time. In the present research, 20 healthy participants underwent fMRI while playing a game that involved monitoring progress towards either a numerical or a visuo-spatial target. The findings confirmed the role of the dACC in detecting situations in which the current state may conflict with the desired state, but also revealed activations in the frontal and parietal regions, pointing to the involvement of processes such as attention and working memory in monitoring progress over time. In addition, activation of the cuneus was associated with monitoring progress towards a specific target presented in the visual modality. This is the first time that activation in this region has been linked to higher-order processing of goal-relevant information, rather than low-level anticipation of visual stimuli. Taken together, these findings identify the neural substrates involved in monitoring progress over time, and how these extend beyond activations observed in conflict and error monitoring.

Content layer progressive coding of digital maps

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Forchhammer, Søren; Jensen, Ole Riis

2000-01-01

A new lossless context based method is presented for content progressive coding of limited bits/pixel images, such as maps, company logos, etc., common on the WWW. Progressive encoding is achieved by separating the image into content layers based on other predefined information. Information from...... already coded layers are used when coding subsequent layers. This approach is combined with efficient template based context bi-level coding, context collapsing methods for multi-level images and arithmetic coding. Relative pixel patterns are used to collapse contexts. The number of contexts are analyzed....... The new methods outperform existing coding schemes coding digital maps and in addition provide progressive coding. Compared to the state-of-the-art PWC coder, the compressed size is reduced to 60-70% on our layered test images....

Content Layer progressive Coding of Digital Maps

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Forchhammer, Søren; Jensen, Ole Riis

2002-01-01

A new lossless context based method is presented for content progressive coding of limited bits/pixel images, such as maps, company logos, etc., common on the World Wide Web. Progressive encoding is achieved by encoding the image in content layers based on color level or other predefined...... information. Information from already coded layers are used when coding subsequent layers. This approach is combined with efficient template based context bilevel coding, context collapsing methods for multilevel images and arithmetic coding. Relative pixel patterns are used to collapse contexts. Expressions...... for calculating the resulting number of contexts are given. The new methods outperform existing schemes coding digital maps and in addition provide progressive coding. Compared to the state-of-the-art PWC coder, the compressed size is reduced to 50-70% on our layered map test images....

[Significance of the alteration of Th17 cells in patients with chronic lymphocytic thyroiditis].

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Song, Jin-Zhan; Wu, Han-Ni; Qian, Wei

2009-10-01

To investigate the alteration and its significance of T help 17 cells (Th17) in patients with chronic lymphocytic thyroiditis (CLT). Patients were divided into 3 groups: CLT patients with euthyroidism (n=15), CLT patients with hypothyroidism (n=30) and healthy control group (n=20). The ratio of Th17 lymphocytes subpopulations in the peripheral blood were evaluated by technique of flow cytometry. Production of thyroid autoantibody (TPO-Ab, TG-Ab) were measured by electro-chemiluminescence immunoassay (ECLIA). Compared with the healthy control group, in CLT group: The frequencies of Th17 in peripheral blood were found to be significantly higher in patients with CLT than healthy control group (PCLT patients than healthy control group (PCLT which may suggest a potential role for Th17 in the progression and happen of CLT.

JAK2V617F mutation in chronic myeloid leukemia predicts early disease progression

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pahore, Z.A.A.; Shamsi, T.S.; Taj, M.; Farzana, T.; Ansari, S.H.; Nadeem, M.; Ahmad, M.; Naz, A.

2011-01-01

Objective: To determine the association of JAK2V617F mutation along with BCR-ABL translocation or Philadelphia chromosome in chronic myeloid leukemia with early disease progression to advanced stages (accelerated phase or blast crisis) and poor outcome. Study Design: Case series. Place and Duration of Study: National Institute of Blood Diseases and Bone Marrow Transplantation, Karachi, from February 2008 to August 2009. Methodology: All the newly diagnosed cases of BCR-ABL or Philadelphia positive CML were tested for JAK2V617F mutation by Nested PCR. Demographic data, spleen size, hemoglobin levels, white blood cell and platelet counts were recorded. Independent sample t-test was used for age, haemoglobin level and spleen size. Fisher's exact test was applied to compare disease progression in JAK2V617F mutation positive and negative cases. Results: Out of 45 newly diagnosed cases of CML, 40 were in chronic phase, 01 in accelerated phase and 04 in blast crisis. JAK2V617F mutation was detected in 12 (26.7%) patients; 09 (22.5%) in chronic phase, none in accelerated phase and 03 (75%) in blast crisis. During a mean follow-up of 8 months, 03 patients in chronic phase transformed in blast crisis and 02 into accelerated phase. Overall 08 out of 11 (73%) JAK2V617F positive patients either had advanced disease or showed disease progression. Only 2 of 20 (10%) available patients, negative for the mutation, showed disease progression by transforming into blast crisis (p < 0.001). No statistically significant difference was seen in the age, spleen size, haemoglobin levels, white blood cells and platelets counts in JAK2V617F positive patients. Conclusion: JAK2V617F mutation was detected in 26.7% cases of chronic myeloid leukemia. A significant proportion of them showed early disease progression. (author)

Comparative analysis of diagnostic significance of biomarkers’ panels in cardiac recipients in the long term period after transplantation

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O. P. Shevchenko

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Aim. To perform comparative analysis of the diagnostic efficacy of sCD40L, PDGF-BB, VEGF-A and ST2 in recipients with cardiac rejection in different periods after transplantation. Materials and methods. The study included 144 cardiac recipients aged from 12 to 71 (mean age 44 ± 14 years old, among those 112 were men. Venous blood plasma taken on the same day with endomyocardial biopsy was used for the study. The concentrations of soluble CD40 ligand (sCD40L, vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF-A, platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF-BB were measured using xMAP technology. The concentrations of ST2 were measured by ELISA. Results. Men had significantly higher levels of ST2 and VEGF-A compared to women (p = 0.03. No correlation was found between the levels of biomarkers (sCD40L, PDGF-BB, VEGF-A, ST2 and age, diagnosis before transplantation, presence of arterial hypertension and diabetes mellitus. Comparative analysis of the biomarkers’ levels didn’t show significant difference between patients with heart transplant rejection and without it in the first month and in the first year after transplantation. The ST2 level was significantly higher in patients with heart rejection (p = 0.01 in the long term period (1–5 years after transplantation compared to patients without rejection. Relative risk of cardiac transplant rejection was significantly higher in patients with high (>22.8 ng/ml ST2 level (RR = 2.59 ± 0.33; Se – 35%, Sp – 93%. However, its combination with other biomarkers improved their diagnostic value. Relative risk for panel including ST2, VEGF-A and PDGF-BB 3.47 ± 0.55, Se – 57%, Sp – 91%; relative risk for panel including ST2, sCD40L and PDGF-BB was 3.75 ± 0.59, Se – 50%, Sp – 92%. The highest diagnostic efficacy for the heart transplant rejection was reached by a panel of biomarkers that included ST2 and PDGF-BB (RR = 5.0 ± 0.56 [95% CI 1.68–14.92], Se – 63%, Sp – 94%. Conclusion. ST2 had the biggest

COMPARISON OF EFFECTIVENESS OF A PROGRESSIVE MOBILIZATION AND MOZART MUSIC THERAPY ON NON-INVASIVE HEMODYNAMIC STATUS CHANGES IN PATIENTS WITH HEAD INJURY IN THE INTENSIVE CARE UNIT

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Novi Indriani

2018-05-01

Full Text Available Background: The instability of hemodynamic status in patients with head injury with decreased consciousness has an effect on the increase of intracranial pressure. The recovery of hemodynamic status can be done through nursing intervention either by providing a sensory stimulus (music therapy or motor stimulus (progressive mobilization. Objective: To compare the effectiveness of progressive mobilization of level I with Mozart's music therapy on non-invasive hemodynamic status changes in patients with head injury with decreased awareness. Methods: This was a quasy-experimental study with pretest-posttest design. There were 34 samples selected using consecutive sampling, which 17 samples assigned in a group of progressive mobilization and group of music therapy. Paired t-test and Wilcoxon test were used for paired group, and Independent t-test and Mann-Whitney test for unpaired group. Results: Progressive mobilization of level I had significant effect on changes in systolic blood pressure (p = 0.0001, diastolic blood pressure (p = 0.002 and MAP (p = 0.019, and no significant effect on heart rate (p = 0.155, respiration (p = 0.895 and oxygen saturation (p = 0.248. Mozart's music therapy had a significant effect on changes in systolic blood pressure (p = 0.0001, diastolic blood pressure (p = 0.0001, respiration (p= 0.032 and oxygen saturation (p = 0.008, but no effect on MAP (p = 0.561. There was a significant difference between the two interventions in the systolic blood pressure and heart rate variables (p 0.05. Conclusion: The Mozart's music therapy is more effective on non-invasive hemodynamic status changes in patients with head injury with decreased consciousness compared with progressive mobilization of level I.

HIV disease progression among women following seroconversion during a tenofovir-based HIV prevention trial.

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Sharon A Riddler

Full Text Available Little is known regarding HIV disease outcomes among individuals who become infected with HIV while receiving antiretroviral medications for prevention. We compared HIV disease parameters among women who seroconverted while receiving tenofovir-containing oral or vaginal pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP to placebo.Participants with HIV seroconversion in a randomized placebo-controlled trial of oral tenofovir, oral tenofovir/emtricitabine, and vaginal tenofovir gel (MTN-003 were followed in a longitudinal cohort study (MTN-015. The effect of oral and vaginal tenofovir-containing PrEP on HIV disease progression was compared to placebo using linear mixed effects and Cox proportional hazard models, as appropriate. Additional analyses were performed to compare the outcomes among participants with detectable tenofovir or emtricitabine in plasma at the first quarterly visit in MTN-003.A total of 224 participants were included in the analysis; 93% from South Africa and 94% clade C virus. No differences in HIV RNA at steady state or the trajectory over 12 months were observed for each active arm compared to placebo; tenofovir gel recipients had higher CD4+ T cell counts (722 vs 596 cells/mm3; p = 0.02 at 90 days after estimated HIV seroconversion and higher average rates of change over 12 months compared to placebo (-181 vs -92 cells/mm3 per year; p = 0.08. With a median follow-up of 31 months, no significant differences were observed for time to CD4+ T cell count ≤350 cells/mm3, or the composite endpoint of CD4+ T cells ≤350 cells/mm3, initiation of antiretroviral therapy or death for each active arm compared to placebo. Additionally, there were no significant differences in the HIV RNA or CD4+ T cell counts at baseline, the change to month 12, or any disease progression outcomes among participants with oral drug detected and no oral drug detected compared to placebo.No clinically significant differences in HIV seroconversion outcomes were observed

Study of Influence Muscular Progressive Relaxation on Blood Pressure Elderly Primary Hypertensive Clients that Resident in Kahrizak Home for Aged,1383

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Saeed Hamidi-Zadeh

2005-01-01

Full Text Available Objective: Hypertension is a chronic problem and most common cardiovascular disease. Whenever in this study carried out no drugs therapy and effect of progressive relaxation therapy on elderly hypertensive cliens. Materials & Methods: This study was a quasi experimental research that was conducted in two groups of control and experiment in order to evaluating efficacy and feasibility of progressive muscle relaxation on blood pressure of elderly subject with mild and moderate hypertension, residing at kahrizak charity foundation for elderly, in the year of 2005. fifty five elderly men and woman hypertensive (27 experiment and 28 control were randomly studied Equipments for data collection were, client demographic questionnaire, check list of BP and recorder, sphygmomanometer, stethoscope. For then experimental group progressive musele relaxation was performed in 20 minutes sessions, three weekly for 6 weeks were calculated and compared with control group. Statically analysis was done help of SPSS. Results: Mann- Whitney test showed that systolic blood pressure and diaatolic blood pressure in the both groups before the intervention was similar (p<0.05. Same test indicated that both stages of means, was significant differnce of systolic and diastolic blood pressure between both groups(p<0.05 , and Wilcox on test also , showed a significant difference in decline of blood pressure after the intervention(p<0.05 in the experimental groups and reversely the same test showed a significant difference berween, before and after intervention in control group(p<0.05. Conclusion: Consequently the hypothesis of this study progressive musele relaxation (PMR declines the blood pressure in subjects practieing this program. Comparing to the control group, such hyporthesis was confirmed.

Progress Toward Heavy Ion IFE

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Meier, W.R.; Logan, B.G.; Waldron, W.L.; Sabbi, G.L.; Callahan-Miller, D.A.; Peterson, P.F.; Goodin, D.T.

2002-01-01

Successful development of Heavy Ion Fusion (HIF) will require scientific and technology advances in areas of targets, drivers and chambers. Design work on heavy ion targets indicates that high gain (60-130) may be possible with a -3-6 MJ driver depending on the ability to focus the beams to small spot sizes. Significant improvements have been made on key components of heavy ion drivers, including sources, injectors, insulators and ferromagnetic materials for long-pulse induction accelerator cells, solid-state pulsers, and superconducting quadrupole magnets. The leading chamber concept for HIF is the thick-liquid-wall HYLEE-II design, which uses an array of flibe jets to protect chamber structures from x-ray, debris, and neutron damage. Significant progress has been made in demonstrating the ability to create and control the types of flow needed to form the protective liquid blanket. Progress has also been made on neutron shielding for the final focus magnet arrays with predicted lifetimes now exceeding the life of the power plant. Safety analyses have been completed for the HYLEE-II design using state-of-the-art codes. Work also continues on target fabrication and injection for HE. A target injector experiment capable of > 5 Hz operation has been designed and construction will start in 2002. Methods for mass production of hohlraum targets are being evaluated with small-scale experiments and analyses. Progress in these areas will be reviewed

Progress toward heavy-ion IFE

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Meier, W.R.; Logan, B.G.; Waldron, W.L.; Sabbi, G.-L.; Callahan, D.A.; Peterson, P.F.; Goodin, D.T.

2002-01-01

Successful development of heavy-ion fusion (HIF) will require scientific and technology advances in areas of targets, drivers and chambers. Design work on heavy-ion targets indicates that high gain (60-130) may be possible with a ∼3-6 MJ driver depending on the ability to focus the beams to small spot sizes. Significant improvements have been made on key components of heavy-ion drivers, including sources, injectors, insulators and ferromagnetic materials for long-pulse induction accelerator cells, solid-state pulsers, and superconducting quadrupole magnets. The leading chamber concept for HIF is the thick-liquid-wall HYLIFE-II design, which uses an array of flibe jets to protect chamber structures from X-ray, debris, and neutron damage. Significant progress has been made in demonstrating the ability to create and control the types of flow needed to form the protective liquid blanket. Progress has also been made on neutron shielding for the final focus magnet arrays with predicted lifetimes now exceeding the life of the power plant. Safety analyses have been completed for the HYLIFE-II design using state-of-the-art codes. Work also continues on target fabrication and injection for HIF. A target injector experiment capable of >5 Hz operation has been designed and construction will start in 2002. Methods for mass-production of hohlraum targets are being evaluated with small-scale experiments and analyses. Progress in these areas will be reviewed

Increased frequency of CD8+ and CD4+ regulatory T cells in chronic lymphocytic leukemia: association with disease progression.

Science.gov (United States)

Jadidi-Niaragh, Farhad; Yousefi, Mehdi; Memarian, Ali; Hojjat-Farsangi, Mohammad; Khoshnoodi, Jalal; Razavi, Seyed Mohsen; Jeddi-Tehrani, Mahmood; Shokri, Fazel

2013-02-01

Little is known regarding the immunobiology of regulatory T (Treg) cells in hematopoietic malignancies, particularly in chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL). In the present study, we showed that the frequencies of CD8(+) and CD4(+) Treg cells were significantly increased in progressive as compared with indolent CLL patients and normal subjects. Enriched CD4(+) Treg cells induced a similar level of inhibition in polyclonally activated B cells and effector T cells from CLL patients and normal subjects. Our results suggest that the increase in circulating Treg cells may result in downregulation of tumor-specific immune response, leading to tumor expansion and disease progression.

Fusion power plant simulations: a progress report

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cook, J.M.; Pattern, J.S.; Amend, W.E.

1976-01-01

The objective of the fusion systems analysis at ANL is to develop simulations to compare alternative conceptual designs of magnetically confined fusion power plants. The power plant computer simulation progress is described. Some system studies are also discussed

CHOLECYSTOKININ RECEPTOR ANTAGONIST HALTS PROGRESSION OF PANCREATIC CANCER PRECURSOR LESIONS AND FIBROSIS IN MICE

Science.gov (United States)

Smith, Jill P.; Cooper, Timothy K.; McGovern, Christopher O.; Gilius, Evan L.; Zhong, Qing; Liao, Jiangang; Molinolo, Alfredo A.; Gutkind, J. Silvio; Matters, Gail L.

2014-01-01

Objectives Exogenous administration of cholecystokinin (CCK) induces hypertrophy and hyperplasia of the pancreas with an increase in DNA content. We hypothesized that endogenous CCK is involved with the malignant progression of pancreatic intraepithelial neoplasia (PanIN) lesions and the fibrosis associated with pancreatic cancer. Methods The presence of CCK receptors in early PanIN lesions was examined by immunohistochemistry in mouse and human pancreas. Pdx1-Cre/LSL-KrasG12D transgenic mice were randomized to receive either untreated drinking water or water supplemented with a CCK-receptor antagonist (proglumide, 0.1mg/ml). Pancreas from mice were removed and examined histologically for number and grade of PanINs after 1, 2 or 4 months of antagonist therapy. Results Both CCK-A and CCK-B receptors were identified in early stage PanINs from mouse and human pancreas. The grade of PanIN lesions was reversed and progression to advanced lesions arrested in mice treated with proglumide compared to controls (p=0.004). Furthermore, pancreatic fibrosis was significantly reduced in antagonist-treated animals compared to vehicle (pitalic>0.001). Conclusions These findings demonstrate that endogenous CCK is in part responsible for the development and progression of pancreatic cancer. Use of CCK-receptor antagonists may have a role in cancer prophylaxis in high risk subjects, and may reduce fibrosis in the microenvironment. PMID:25058882

Repression of tumor necrosis factor-related apoptosis-inducing ligand (TRAIL but not its receptors during oral cancer progression

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Muller Susan

2007-06-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background TRAIL plays an important role in host immunosurveillance against tumor progression, as it induces apoptosis of tumor cells but not normal cells, and thus has great therapeutic potential for cancer treatment. TRAIL binds to two cell-death-inducing (DR4 and DR5 and two decoy (DcR1, and DcR2 receptors. Here, we compare the expression levels of TRAIL and its receptors in normal oral mucosa (NOM, oral premalignancies (OPM, and primary and metastatic oral squamous cell carcinomas (OSCC in order to characterize the changes in their expression patterns during OSCC initiation and progression. Methods DNA microarray, immunoblotting and immunohistochemical analyses were used to examine the expression levels of TRAIL and its receptors in oral epithelial cell lines and in archival tissues of NOM, OPM, primary and metastatic OSCC. Apoptotic rates of tumor cells and tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TIL in OSCC specimens were determined by cleaved caspase 3 immunohistochemistry. Results Normal oral epithelia constitutively expressed TRAIL, but expression was progressively lost in OPM and OSCC. Reduction in DcR2 expression levels was noted frequently in OPM and OSCC compared to respective patient-matched uninvolved oral mucosa. OSCC frequently expressed DR4, DR5 and DcR1 but less frequently DcR2. Expression levels of DR4, DR5 and DcR1 receptors were not significantly altered in OPM, primary OSCC and metastatic OSCC compared to patient-matched normal oral mucosa. Expression of proapoptotic TRAIL-receptors DR4 and DR5 in OSCC seemed to depend, at least in part, on whether or not these receptors were expressed in their parental oral epithelia. High DR5 expression in primary OSCC correlated significantly with larger tumor size. There was no significant association between TRAIL-R expression and OSSC histology grade, nodal status or apoptosis rates of tumor cells and TIL. Conclusion Loss of TRAIL expression is an early event during oral

Repression of tumor necrosis factor-related apoptosis-inducing ligand (TRAIL) but not its receptors during oral cancer progression

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Vigneswaran, Nadarajah; Baucum, Darryl C; Wu, Jean; Lou, Yahuan; Bouquot, Jerry; Muller, Susan; Zacharias, Wolfgang

2007-01-01

TRAIL plays an important role in host immunosurveillance against tumor progression, as it induces apoptosis of tumor cells but not normal cells, and thus has great therapeutic potential for cancer treatment. TRAIL binds to two cell-death-inducing (DR4 and DR5) and two decoy (DcR1, and DcR2) receptors. Here, we compare the expression levels of TRAIL and its receptors in normal oral mucosa (NOM), oral premalignancies (OPM), and primary and metastatic oral squamous cell carcinomas (OSCC) in order to characterize the changes in their expression patterns during OSCC initiation and progression. DNA microarray, immunoblotting and immunohistochemical analyses were used to examine the expression levels of TRAIL and its receptors in oral epithelial cell lines and in archival tissues of NOM, OPM, primary and metastatic OSCC. Apoptotic rates of tumor cells and tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TIL) in OSCC specimens were determined by cleaved caspase 3 immunohistochemistry. Normal oral epithelia constitutively expressed TRAIL, but expression was progressively lost in OPM and OSCC. Reduction in DcR2 expression levels was noted frequently in OPM and OSCC compared to respective patient-matched uninvolved oral mucosa. OSCC frequently expressed DR4, DR5 and DcR1 but less frequently DcR2. Expression levels of DR4, DR5 and DcR1 receptors were not significantly altered in OPM, primary OSCC and metastatic OSCC compared to patient-matched normal oral mucosa. Expression of proapoptotic TRAIL-receptors DR4 and DR5 in OSCC seemed to depend, at least in part, on whether or not these receptors were expressed in their parental oral epithelia. High DR5 expression in primary OSCC correlated significantly with larger tumor size. There was no significant association between TRAIL-R expression and OSSC histology grade, nodal status or apoptosis rates of tumor cells and TIL. Loss of TRAIL expression is an early event during oral carcinogenesis and may be involved in dysregulation of apoptosis and

SOXs in human prostate cancer: implication as progression and prognosis factors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhong, Wei-de; Chen, Xi-bin; Lin, Zhuo-yuan; Deng, Ye-han; Wu, Shu-lin; He, Hui-chan; Wu, Chin-lee; Qin, Guo-qiang; Dai, Qi-shan; Han, Zhao-dong; Chen, Shan-ming; Ling, Xiao-hui; Fu, Xin; Cai, Chao; Chen, Jia-hong

2012-01-01

SOX genes play an important role in a number of developmental processes. Potential roles of SOXs have been demonstrated in various neoplastic tissues as tumor suppressors or promoters depending on tumor status and types. The aim of this study was to investigate the involvement of SOXs in the progression and prognosis of human prostate cancer (PCa). The gene expression changes of SOXs in human PCa tissues compared with non-cancerous prostate tissues was detected using gene expression microarray, and confirmed by real-time quantitative reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (QRT-PCR) analysis and immunohositochemistry. The roles of these genes in castration resistance were investigated in LNCaP xenograft model of PCa. The microarray analysis identified three genes (SOX7, SOX9 and SOX10) of SOX family that were significantly dis-regulated in common among four PCa specimens. Consistent with the results of the microarray, differential mRNA and protein levels of three selected genes were found in PCa tissues by QRT-PCR analysis and immunohistochemistry. Additionally, we found that the immunohistochemical staining scores of SOX7 in PCa tissues with higher serum PSA level (P = 0.02) and metastasis (P = 0.03) were significantly lower than those with lower serum PSA level and without metastasis; the increased SOX9 protein expression was frequently found in PCa tissues with higher Gleason score (P = 0.02) and higher clinical stage (P < 0.0001); the down-regulation of SOX10 tend to be found in PCa tissues with higher serum PSA levels (P = 0.03) and advanced pathological stage (P = 0.01). Moreover, both univariate and multivariate analyses showed that the down-regulation of SOX7 and the up-regulation of SOX9 were independent predictors of shorter biochemical recurrence-free survival. Furthermore, we discovered that SOX7 was significantly down-regulated and SOX9 was significantly up-regulated during the progression to castration resistance. Our data offer the convince

Meniscal Allograft Transplantation Does Not Prevent or Delay Progression of Knee Osteoarthritis.

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Catherine Van Der Straeten

Full Text Available Meniscal tears are common knee injuries. Meniscal allograft transplantation (MAT has been advocated to alleviate symptoms and delay osteoarthritis (OA after meniscectomy. We investigated (1 the long-term outcome of MAT as a treatment of symptomatic meniscectomy, (2 most important factors affecting survivorship and (3 OA progression.From 1989 till 2013, 329 MAT were performed in 313 patients. Clinical and radiographic results and MAT survival were evaluated retrospectively. Failure was defined as conversion to knee arthroplasty (KA or total removal of the MAT.Mean age at surgery was 33 years (15-57; 60% were males. No-to-mild cartilage damage was found in 156 cases, moderate-to-severe damage in 130. Simultaneous procedures in 118 patients included cartilage procedures, osteotomy or ACL-reconstruction. At a mean follow-up of 6.8 years (0.2-24.3years, 5 patients were deceased and 48 lost (14.6%, 186 MAT were in situ (56.5% whilst 90 (27.4% had been removed, including 63 converted to a KA (19.2%. Cumulative allograft survivorship was 15.1% (95% CI:13.9-16.3 at 24.0 years. In patients <35 years at surgery, survival was significantly better (24.1% compared to ≥35 years (8.0% (p = 0.017. In knees with no-to-mild cartilage damage more allografts survived (43.0% compared to moderate-to-severe damage (6.6% (p = 0.003. Simultaneous osteotomy significantly deteriorated survival (0% at 24.0 years (p = 0.010. 61% of patients underwent at least one additional surgery (1-11 for clinical symptoms after MAT. Consecutive radiographs showed significant OA progression at a mean of 3.8 years (p<0.0001. Incremental Kellgren-Lawrence grade was +1,1 grade per 1000 days (2,7yrs.MAT did not delay or prevent tibiofemoral OA progression. 19.2% were converted to a knee prosthesis at a mean of 10.3 years. Patients younger than 35 with no-to-mild cartilage damage may benefit from MAT for relief of symptoms (survivorship 51.9% at 20.2 years, but patients and healthcare payers

Everolimus plus exemestane in postmenopausal patients with HR(+) breast cancer: BOLERO-2 final progression-free survival analysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Yardley, Denise A; Noguchi, Shinzaburo; Pritchard, Kathleen I; Burris, Howard A; Baselga, José; Gnant, Michael; Hortobagyi, Gabriel N; Campone, Mario; Pistilli, Barbara; Piccart, Martine; Melichar, Bohuslav; Petrakova, Katarina; Arena, Francis P; Erdkamp, Frans; Harb, Wael A; Feng, Wentao; Cahana, Ayelet; Taran, Tetiana; Lebwohl, David; Rugo, Hope S

2013-10-01

Effective treatments for hormone-receptor-positive (HR(+)) breast cancer (BC) following relapse/progression on nonsteroidal aromatase inhibitor (NSAI) therapy are needed. Initial Breast Cancer Trials of OraL EveROlimus-2 (BOLERO-2) trial data demonstrated that everolimus and exemestane significantly prolonged progression-free survival (PFS) versus placebo plus exemestane alone in this patient population. BOLERO-2 is a phase 3, double-blind, randomized, international trial comparing everolimus (10 mg/day) plus exemestane (25 mg/day) versus placebo plus exemestane in postmenopausal women with HR(+) advanced BC with recurrence/progression during or after NSAIs. The primary endpoint was PFS by local investigator review, and was confirmed by independent central radiology review. Overall survival, response rate, and clinical benefit rate were secondary endpoints. Final study results with median 18-month follow-up show that median PFS remained significantly longer with everolimus plus exemestane versus placebo plus exemestane [investigator review: 7.8 versus 3.2 months, respectively; hazard ratio = 0.45 (95% confidence interval 0.38-0.54); log-rank P NSAIs. These results further support the use of everolimus plus exemestane in this patient population. ClinicalTrials.gov #NCT00863655.

Nondestructive Evaluation Program: Progress in 1986

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1987-07-01

The increasing cost of equipment for power generating plants and the potential increases in productivity and safety available through rapidly developing Nondestructive Evaluation (NDE) technology led EPRI to initiate a Nondestructive Evaluation Program in 1974. To date, the major focus has been on light water reactor inspection problems; however, increased application to other systems is now under way. This report presents a comprehensive review of the EPRI effort in the NDE area. Most of the report consists of contractor-supplied progress reports on each current project. An organizational plan of the program is presented in overview. In addition, organization from several viewpoints is presented, e.g., in-service inspection operators, R and D personnel, and utility representatives. The report summarizes significant progress made since the previous EPRI Special Report NP-4315-SR was issued in May 1986. Section 1 contains information about the program organization, and the sections that follow contain contractor-supplied progress reports of each current project. The progress reports are grouped by plant components - pipe, pressure vessel, steam generator and boiler tubes, and turbine. In addition, Part 6 is devoted to discussions of technology transfer

Systemic Inflammation in Progressive Multiple Sclerosis Involves Follicular T-Helper, Th17- and Activated B-Cells and Correlates with Progression

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Romme Christensen, Jeppe; Börnsen, Lars; Ratzer, Rikke

2013-01-01

with disease progression, using flow cytometry and gene expression analysis of CD4(+) and CD8(+)T-cells, B-cells, monocytes and dendritic cells. Furthermore, gene expression of cerebrospinal fluid cells was studied. Flow cytometry studies revealed increased frequencies of ICOS(+)TFH-cells in peripheral blood...... increased in PPMS and SPMS. In the analysis of B-cells, we found a significant increase of plasmablasts and DC-SIGN(+) and CD83(+)B-cells in SPMS. ICOS(+)TFH-cells and DC-SIGN(+)B-cells correlated with disease progression in SPMS patients. Gene expression analysis of peripheral blood cell subsets...... substantiated the flow cytometry findings by demonstrating increased expression of IL21, IL21R and ICOS in CD4(+)T-cells in progressive MS. Cerebrospinal fluid cells from RRMS and progressive MS (pooled SPMS and PPMS patients) had increased expression of TFH-cell and plasmablast markers. In conclusion...

β-Arrestin2 mediates progression of murine primary myelofibrosis.

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Rein, Lindsay Am; Wisler, James W; Kim, Jihee; Theriot, Barbara; Huang, LiYin; Price, Trevor; Yang, Haeyoon; Chen, Minyong; Chen, Wei; Sipkins, Dorothy; Fedoriw, Yuri; Walker, Julia Kl; Premont, Richard T; Lefkowitz, Robert J

2017-12-21

Primary myelofibrosis is a myeloproliferative neoplasm associated with significant morbidity and mortality, for which effective therapies are lacking. β-Arrestins are multifunctional adaptor proteins involved in developmental signaling pathways. One isoform, β-arrestin2 (βarr2), has been implicated in initiation and progression of chronic myeloid leukemia, another myeloproliferative neoplasm closely related to primary myelofibrosis. Accordingly, we investigated the relationship between βarr2 and primary myelofibrosis. In a murine model of MPLW515L-mutant primary myelofibrosis, mice transplanted with donor βarr2-knockout (βarr2-/-) hematopoietic stem cells infected with MPL-mutant retrovirus did not develop myelofibrosis, whereas controls uniformly succumbed to disease. Although transplanted βarr2-/- cells homed properly to marrow, they did not repopulate long-term due to increased apoptosis and decreased self-renewal of βarr2-/- cells. In order to assess the effect of acute loss of βarr2 in established primary myelofibrosis in vivo, we utilized a tamoxifen-induced Cre-conditional βarr2-knockout mouse. Mice that received Cre (+) donor cells and developed myelofibrosis had significantly improved survival compared with controls. These data indicate that lack of antiapoptotic βarr2 mediates marrow failure of murine hematopoietic stem cells overexpressing MPLW515L. They also indicate that βarr2 is necessary for progression of primary myelofibrosis, suggesting that it may serve as a novel therapeutic target in this disease.

Clinical significance of serum and urinary HER2/neu protein levels in primary non-muscle invasive bladder cancer

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Ozgur Arikan

2015-12-01

Full Text Available Objective: We aimed to compare serum and urinary HER2/neu levels between healthy control group and patients with non-muscle invasive bladder cancer. Additionally, we evaluated relationship of HER2/neu levels with tumor stage, grade, recurrence and progression. Materials and Methods: Fourty-four patients with primary non-muscle invasive bladder tumors (Group 2 and 40 healthy control group (Group 1 were included the study. Blood and urinary samples were collected from all patients and HER2/neu levels were measured by ELISA method. Blood and urinary HER2/neu levels and additionally, ratio of urinary HER2/neu levels to urinary creatinine levels were recorded. Demographic data and tumor characteristics were recorded. Results: Mean serum HER2/neu levels were similar between two groups and statistically significant difference wasn't observed. Urinary HER2/neu levels were significantly higher in group 2 than group 1. Ratio of urinary HER2/neu to urinary creatinine was significantly higher in group 2 than group 1, (p=0,021. Serum and urinary HER2/ neu levels were not associated with tumor stage, grade, recurrence and progression while ratio of urinary HER2/neu to urinary creatinin levels were significantly higher in high-grade tumors. HER2/neu, the sensitivity of the test was found to be 20.5%, and the specificity was 97.5%, also for the urinary HER2/neu/urinary creatinine ratio, the sensitivity and specificity of the test were found to be 31.8% and 87.5%, respectively. Conclusions: Urinary HER2/neu and ratio of urinary creatinine urine were significantly higher in patients with bladder cancer compared to healthy subjects. Large series and controlled studies are needed for use as a tumor marker.

Effect of progressive resistance exercise with neuromuscular joint facilitation on the dynamic balance performance of junior soccer players.

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Wang, Hongzhao; Huo, Ming; Guan, Peipei; Onoda, Ko; Chen, Di; Huang, Qiuchen; Maruyama, Hitoshi

2015-11-01

[Purpose] The aim of this study was to investigate the change in dynamic balance performance of junior soccer players after progressive resistance treatment with neuromuscular joint facilitation (NJF). [Subjects] The subjects were 14 healthy males who were divided into two groups, namely the NJF and control groups. The NJF group consisted of 8 subjects, and the control group consisted of 6 subjects. [Methods] The participants in the NJF group received NJF progressive resistance treatment. Dynamic balance performance was measured before and after 3 weeks of exercise. [Results] Significant improvement in dynamic balance performance was observed both in the NJF and control groups. In the NJF group, dynamic balance performance was significantly increased compared with that in the control group. [Conclusion] The NJF intervention shortened movement time, which implies that NJF is effective for dynamic balance performance.

The evolution of primary progressive apraxia of speech.

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Josephs, Keith A; Duffy, Joseph R; Strand, Edythe A; Machulda, Mary M; Senjem, Matthew L; Gunter, Jeffrey L; Schwarz, Christopher G; Reid, Robert I; Spychalla, Anthony J; Lowe, Val J; Jack, Clifford R; Whitwell, Jennifer L

2014-10-01

Primary progressive apraxia of speech is a recently described neurodegenerative disorder in which patients present with an isolated apraxia of speech and show focal degeneration of superior premotor cortex. Little is known about how these individuals progress over time, making it difficult to provide prognostic estimates. Thirteen subjects with primary progressive apraxia of speech underwent two serial comprehensive clinical and neuroimaging evaluations 2.4 years apart [median age of onset = 67 years (range: 49-76), seven females]. All underwent detailed speech and language, neurological and neuropsychological assessments, and magnetic resonance imaging, diffusion tensor imaging and (18)F-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography at both baseline and follow-up. Rates of change of whole brain, ventricle, and midbrain volumes were calculated using the boundary-shift integral and atlas-based parcellation, and rates of regional grey matter atrophy were assessed using tensor-based morphometry. White matter tract degeneration was assessed on diffusion-tensor imaging at each time-point. Patterns of hypometabolism were assessed at the single subject-level. Neuroimaging findings were compared with a cohort of 20 age, gender, and scan-interval matched healthy controls. All subjects developed extrapyramidal signs. In eight subjects the apraxia of speech remained the predominant feature. In the other five there was a striking progression of symptoms that had evolved into a progressive supranuclear palsy-like syndrome; they showed a combination of severe parkinsonism, near mutism, dysphagia with choking, vertical supranuclear gaze palsy or slowing, balance difficulties with falls and urinary incontinence, and one was wheelchair bound. Rates of whole brain atrophy (1.5% per year; controls = 0.4% per year), ventricular expansion (8.0% per year; controls = 3.3% per year) and midbrain atrophy (1.5% per year; controls = 0.1% per year) were elevated (P ≤ 0.001) in all 13

Change in Visual Field Progression Following Treatment Escalation in Primary Open-angle Glaucoma.

Science.gov (United States)

Aptel, Florent; Bron, Alain M; Lachkar, Yves; Schweitzer, Cédric

2017-10-01

To evaluate the effect of treatment escalation on the rate of visual field progression in patients with primary open-angle glaucoma (POAG). Multicenter database study. We reviewed the electronic records of 171 patients with POAG under medical hypotensive treatment who underwent 5 consecutive visits 6 months apart before and after medical treatment escalation or additive laser trabeculoplasty. We calculated the rate of visual field progression (mean deviation change per year) before and after treatment escalation. The mean duration of follow-up was 5.1±0.5 years and the mean number of visual field examinations was 10.2±0.2. In 139 eyes with medical treatment escalation, the rate of progression was significantly reduced [from -0.57 to -0.29 dB/y; P=0.022; intraocular pressure (IOP) reduction 11.1%]. In detail, the rate of progression was significantly reduced after escalation from mono to dual therapy, dual to triple therapy, and from mono to triple therapy (-0.35 to -0.24 dB/y, P=0.018; -1.01 to -0.48 dB/y, P=0.038; -1.04 to -0.35 dB/y, P=0.020, respectively). In 32 eyes with additive laser trabeculoplasty, the rate of progression was significantly reduced (-0.60 to -0.24 dB/y; P=0.014; IOP reduction 9.4%). Medical treatment escalation or additive laser trabeculoplasty significantly reduced the rate of visual field progression in POAG. Larger IOP reduction has a greater probability of reducing glaucoma progression.

Progressive atrophy of retinal pigment epithelium after trypan-blue-assisted ILM peeling for macular hole surgery

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Sachin Jain

2013-01-01

Full Text Available We report a case of progressive atrophy of the retinal pigment epithelium (RPE after trypan-blue-assisted peeling of internal limiting membrane (ILM for macular hole surgery. A 68-year-old Caucasian female underwent a 20-g pars plana vitrectomy for a chronic stage-3 macular hole. The ILM was stained with 0.06% trypan blue (VisionBlue™, DORC Netherlands for 2 min after fluid air exchange. Dye was reapplied for another 2 min due to poor staining. The ILM was completely removed around the macular hole with forceps. RPE atrophy was noticed at the edge of the hole 1 month after surgery. It progressively increased in intensity and enlarged over 2 years. Her final visual acuity was counting fingers, significantly worse compared to her presenting visual acuity of 20/200. Progressive atrophy of RPE in our patient was most likely due to the toxicity of trypan blue. Reapplication of the dye may increase the likelihood of toxicity.

Relationship between progression of visual field defect and intraocular pressure in primary open-angle glaucoma.

Science.gov (United States)

Naito, Tomoko; Yoshikawa, Keiji; Mizoue, Shiro; Nanno, Mami; Kimura, Tairo; Suzumura, Hirotaka; Shiraga, Fumio

2015-01-01

To analyze the relationship between intraocular pressure (IOP) and the progression of visual field defects in Japanese primary open-angle glaucoma (POAG) and normal-tension glaucoma (NTG) patients. The subjects of the study were patients undergoing treatment for POAG or NTG who had performed visual field tests at least ten times with a Humphrey field analyzer (Swedish interactive thresholding algorithm standard, C30-2 program). The progression of visual field defects was defined by a significantly negative value of the mean deviation slope at the final visual field test during the follow-up period. The relationships between the progression of visual field defects and IOP, as well as other clinical factors, were retrospectively analyzed. A total of 156 eyes of 156 patients were included in the analysis. Significant progression of visual field defects was observed in 70 eyes of 70 patients (44.9%), while no significant progression was evident in 86 eyes of 86 patients (55.1%). The eyes with visual field defect progression had significantly lower baseline IOP (Pfield defect progression than in eyes without (Pfield defects. In NTG, IOP management should take into account not only achieving the target IOP, but also minimizing the fluctuation of IOP during follow-up period.

THE EFFECTS OF SINGLE LEG HOP PROGRESSION AND DOUBLE LEGS HOP PROGRESSION EXERCISE TO INCREASE SPEED AND EXPLOSIVE POWER OF LEG MUSCLE

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Nining W. Kusnanik

2015-05-01

Full Text Available The main purpose of this study was to determine the effect of single leg hop progression and double legs hop progression exercise to increase speed and explosive power of leg muscles. Plyometric is one of the training methods that can increase explosive power. There are many models of plyometric training including single leg hop progression and double leg hop progression. This research was experimental using match subject design techniques. The subjects of this study were 39 students who joined basketball school club. There were 3 groups in this study: Group 1 were 13 students who given sin¬gle leg hop progression exercise, Group 2 were 13 students who given double legs hop progression exercise, Group 3 were 13 students who given conventional exercise. The data was collected during pre test and post test by testing 30m speed running and vertical jump. The data was analyzed using Analysis of Varians (Anova. It was found that there were significantly increased on speed and explosive power of leg muscles of Group 1 and Group 2. It can be stated that single leg hop progression exercise was more effective than double leg hop progression exercise. The recent findings supported the hypothesis that single leg hop progression and double legs hop progression exercise can increase speed and explosive power of leg muscles. These finding were supported by some previous studies (Singh, et al, 2011; Shallaby, H.K., 2010. The single leg hop progression is more effective than double legs hop progression. This finding was consistent with some previous evidences (McCurdy, et al, 2005; Makaruk et al, 2011.

Reduced gamma-aminobutyric acid concentration is associated with physical disability in progressive multiple sclerosis

Science.gov (United States)

Solanky, Bhavana S.; Muhlert, Nils; Tur, Carmen; Edden, Richard A. E.; Wheeler-Kingshott, Claudia A. M.; Miller, David H.; Thompson, Alan J.; Ciccarelli, Olga

2015-01-01

Neurodegeneration is thought to be the major cause of ongoing, irreversible disability in progressive stages of multiple sclerosis. Gamma-aminobutyric acid is the principle inhibitory neurotransmitter in the brain. The aims of this study were to investigate if gamma-aminobutyric acid levels (i) are abnormal in patients with secondary progressive multiple sclerosis compared with healthy controls; and (ii) correlate with physical and cognitive performance in this patient population. Thirty patients with secondary progressive multiple sclerosis and 17 healthy control subjects underwent single-voxel MEGA-PRESS (MEscher-GArwood Point RESolved Spectroscopy) magnetic resonance spectroscopy at 3 T, to quantify gamma-aminobutyric acid levels in the prefrontal cortex, right hippocampus and left sensorimotor cortex. All subjects were assessed clinically and underwent a cognitive assessment. Multiple linear regression models were used to compare differences in gamma-aminobutyric acid concentrations between patients and controls adjusting for age, gender and tissue fractions within each spectroscopic voxel. Regression was used to examine the relationships between the cognitive function and physical disability scores specific for these regions with gamma-aminobuytric acid levels, adjusting for age, gender, and total N-acetyl-aspartate and glutamine-glutamate complex levels. When compared with controls, patients performed significantly worse on all motor and sensory tests, and were cognitively impaired in processing speed and verbal memory. Patients had significantly lower gamma-aminobutyric acid levels in the hippocampus (adjusted difference = −0.403 mM, 95% confidence intervals −0.792, −0.014, P = 0.043) and sensorimotor cortex (adjusted difference = −0.385 mM, 95% confidence intervals −0.667, −0.104, P = 0.009) compared with controls. In patients, reduced motor function in the right upper and lower limb was associated with lower gamma-aminobutyric acid

Breast Carcinoma Progression and Tumour Vascular Markers Related to Apoptotic Mechanisms

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Miroslava Bilecova-Rabajdova

2014-01-01

Full Text Available Background. In the last few years, the cancer research had tried to identify and characterize new biochemical and molecular pathways in which the inhibition induces prosurvival mechanisms. Our work describes the expression of two different members of apoptotic regulatory pathway and their relationship with a progression of breast carcinoma. Materials and Methods. We compared expression of genes related to apoptosis (DR6 and Gpm6B in the blood of patients suffering from stage I of breast cancer in different grades (I–IV, with healthy controls. After isolation of mRNA, transcription of mRNA into the cDNA was performed. The quantification of gene expression changes in DR6 and Gpm6B was detected by RT-PCR method. Analysis at the protein level was performed by the Western blot.Results. In statistical analysis of Dr6 mRNA level changes we detected significant increase starting in Grading 1 (G1 and reached maximal level in G3.This expression on mRNA levels was similar to protein levels, which copy rising tendency with maximal value in G3. The results of Gpm6B were significantly lower.Conclusion. This result showed that antiapoptotic signalling during neovascularization is increased significantly. It would be advisable in the future to study the influence of cytostatic treatment on the expression of genes related to apoptotic pathways and their relationship with progression of breast cancer tumours.

Progression of Carpal Tunnel Syndrome According to Electrodiagnostic Testing in Nonoperatively Treated Patients

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Mark van Suchtelen

2014-09-01

Full Text Available Background:  This study tested the null hypothesis that nonoperatively treated patients would not show disease progression of carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS over time according to median nerve distal motor latency (DML on two electrodiagnostic tests.   Methods:  This retrospective study analyzed sixty-two adult nonoperatively treated patients who were diagnosed with CTS confirmed by a minimum of two electrodiagnostic tests at our institution between December 2006 and  tober 2012. A Wilcoxon signed-rank test was conducted to test the difference between electrodiagnostic measurements between the first and last test. Results: The mean time between the first and last electrodiagnostic test was 26±12 months (range, 12 to 55 months. The only electrodiagnostic measurement that increased significantly was the difference between median and ulnar DML on the same side (r=0.19, P =0.038. The time between the electrodiagnostic tests was significantly longer for patients with at least 10% worsening of the DML at the second test compared to cases of which the DML did not worsen or improve a minimum of 10% (P =0.015.  Conclusions: There is evidence that—on average—idiopathic median neuropathy at the carpal tunnel slowly progresses over time, and this can be measured with electrodiagnostics, but studies with a much longer interval between lectrodiagnostic tests may be needed to determine if it always progresses.

Effect of biologic therapy on radiological progression in rheumatoid arthritis: what does it add to methotrexate?

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jones G

2012-07-01

Full Text Available Graeme Jones, Erica Darian-Smith, Michael Kwok, Tania WinzenbergMenzies Research Institute, University of Tasmania, Tasmania, AustraliaAbstract: There have been substantial advances in the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis in recent years. Traditional disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARDs have been shown to have small effects on the progression of radiographic damage. This quantitative overview summarizes the evidence for biologic DMARDS and radiographic damage either alone or in combination with methotrexate. Two outcomes were used (standardized mean difference and odds of progression. A total of 21 trials were identified of which 18 had useable data. For biologic monotherapy, tocilizumab, adalimumab, and etanercept were significantly better than methotrexate, with tocilizumab ranking first in both outcomes while golimumab was ineffective in both outcomes. For a biologic in combination with methotrexate compared with methotrexate alone, most therapies studied (etanercept, adalimumab, infliximab, certolizumab, tocilizumab, and rituximab were effective at slowing X-ray progression using either outcome, with infliximab ranking first in both outcomes. The exceptions to this were golimumab (no effect on standardized mean difference and abatacept (no effect on odds of progression. This effect was additional to methotrexate; thus, the overall benefit is moderate to large in magnitude, which is clearly of major clinical significance for sufferers of rheumatoid arthritis and supports the use of biologic DMARDs in those with a poor disease prognosis.Keywords: rheumatoid, trials, meta-analysis, radiographs, biologic, disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs, DMARDs

Sulfur dioxide allowances. Trading and technological progress

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kumar, Surender; Managi, Shunsuke

2010-01-01

The US Clean Air Act Amendments introduce an emissions trading system to regulate SO 2 emissions. This study finds that changes in SO 2 emissions prices are related to innovations induced by these amendments. We find that electricity-generating plants are able to increase electricity output and reduce emissions of SO 2 and NO x from 1995 to 2007 due to the introduction of the allowance trading system. However, compared to the approximate 8% per year of exogenous technological progress, the induced effect is relatively small, and the contribution of the induced effect to overall technological progress is about 1-2%. (author)

Multi-parametric spinal cord MRI as potential progression marker in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.

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Mohamed-Mounir El Mendili

Full Text Available OBJECTIVE: To evaluate multimodal MRI of the spinal cord in predicting disease progression and one-year clinical status in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS patients. MATERIALS AND METHODS: After a first MRI (MRI1, 29 ALS patients were clinically followed during 12 months; 14/29 patients underwent a second MRI (MRI2 at 11±3 months. Cross-sectional area (CSA that has been shown to be a marker of lower motor neuron degeneration was measured in cervical and upper thoracic spinal cord from T2-weighted images. Fractional anisotropy (FA, axial/radial/mean diffusivities (λ⊥, λ//, MD and magnetization transfer ratio (MTR were measured within the lateral corticospinal tract in the cervical region. Imaging metrics were compared with clinical scales: Revised ALS Functional Rating Scale (ALSFRS-R and manual muscle testing (MMT score. RESULTS: At MRI1, CSA correlated significantly (P<0.05 with MMT and arm ALSFRS-R scores. FA correlated significantly with leg ALFSRS-R scores. One year after MRI1, CSA predicted (P<0.01 arm ALSFSR-R subscore and FA predicted (P<0.01 leg ALSFRS-R subscore. From MRI1 to MRI2, significant changes (P<0.01 were detected for CSA and MTR. CSA rate of change (i.e. atrophy highly correlated (P<0.01 with arm ALSFRS-R and arm MMT subscores rate of change. CONCLUSION: Atrophy and DTI metrics predicted ALS disease progression. Cord atrophy was a better biomarker of disease progression than diffusion and MTR. Our study suggests that multimodal MRI could provide surrogate markers of ALS that may help monitoring the effect of disease-modifying drugs.

The Therapeutic Potential of the Ketogenic Diet in Treating Progressive Multiple Sclerosis

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Mithu Storoni

2015-01-01

Full Text Available Until recently, multiple sclerosis has been viewed as an entirely inflammatory disease without acknowledgment of the significant neurodegenerative component responsible for disease progression and disability. This perspective is being challenged by observations of a dissociation between inflammation and neurodegeneration where the neurodegenerative component may play a more significant role in disease progression. In this review, we explore the relationship between mitochondrial dysfunction and neurodegeneration in multiple sclerosis. We review evidence that the ketogenic diet can improve mitochondrial function and discuss the potential of the ketogenic diet in treating progressive multiple sclerosis for which no treatment currently exists.

Influence of tumor grade on time to progression after irradiation for localized ependymoma in children

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Merchant, Thomas E.; Jenkins, Jesse J.; Burger, Peter C.; Sanford, Robert A.; Sherwood, Scot H.; Jones-Wallace, Dana; Heideman, Richard L.; Thompson, Stephen J.; Helton, Kathleen J.; Kun, Larry E.

2002-01-01

Purpose: To investigate the influence of histologic grade on progression-free survival (PFS) after irradiation (RT) for pediatric patients with localized ependymoma. Methods and Materials: Fifty patients with localized ependymoma (median age 3.6 years, range 1-18 years at the time of RT) were treated with RT between December 1982 and June 1999. Anaplastic features were identified in 14 of 50 patients. The extent of resection was characterized as gross-total in 36 patients, near-total in 5, and subtotal in 9. The median dose to the primary site was 54 Gy. Of the 50 patients, 23 received pre-RT chemotherapy. Results: Thirty-nine patients were alive at a median follow-up of 46 months (range 21-214) from diagnosis. Thirty-four patients remained progression free at a median follow-up of 35 months (range 13-183) after the initiation of RT. Progression occurred in 16 patients (12 local and 4 local and distant), with a median time to failure of 21.2 months (range 4.6-65.0). The tumor grade significantly influenced the PFS after RT (p<0.0005). The estimated 3-year PFS rate was 28%±14% for patients with anaplastic ependymoma compared with 84% ± 8% for patients with differentiated ependymoma. These results remained significant when corrected for age at diagnosis (<3 years), pre-RT chemotherapy, and extent of resection. Patients who received pre-RT chemotherapy had an inferior 3-year PFS estimate after RT (49±12%) compared with those who did not (84%±10%; p=0.056). Anaplastic ependymoma was found more frequently in the supratentorial brain (p=0.002). Six of 12 patients with supratentorial tumor developed recurrence; recurrence was restricted to patients with anaplastic ependymoma. Conclusion: Tumor grade influences outcome for patients with ependymoma independent of other factors and should be considered in the design and analysis of prospective trials involving pediatric patients treated with RT. Chemotherapy before RT influences the PFS and overall survival after RT. The

Does Participation in Sports Affect Osteoarthritic Progression After Periacetabular Osteotomy?

Science.gov (United States)

Hara, Daisuke; Hamai, Satoshi; Fukushi, Jun-Ichi; Kawaguchi, Ken-Ichi; Motomura, Goro; Ikemura, Satoshi; Komiyama, Keisuke; Nakashima, Yasuharu

2017-09-01

Periacetabular osteotomy (PAO) is an effective treatment for symptomatic acetabular dysplasia. However, whether postoperative participation in sports leads to progression of the Kellgren-Lawrence (KL) grade of osteoarthritis (OA) in these patients is unclear. To investigate (1) participation in sports before and after PAO and (2) whether postoperative participation in sports leads to progression of the KL grade. Case-control study; Level of evidence, 3. The authors retrospectively reviewed data on 161 patients (183 hips) who underwent PAO for symptomatic acetabular dysplasia with preoperative KL grade 1 or 2 between 1998 and 2011. The mean age at the time of surgery was 42.0 ± 10.9 years (range, 12-64 years), and the mean follow-up duration was 100 months (range, 13-180 months). Data included participation in sports, the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) activity scale score, age at the time of surgery, body mass index, follow-up duration, history of treatment for developmental hip dislocations, Merle d'Aubigné-Postel score, Oxford Hip Score, center-edge angle, and KL grade. Univariate and multivariate analyses were applied to determine which factors were associated with progression to KL grade 3 or 4 after PAO. The number of patients who participated in sports significantly increased from 50 (31.1%) preoperatively to 89 (55.3%) postoperatively. The mean UCLA score significantly increased from 4.7 ± 2.1 preoperatively to 5.5 ± 2.0 postoperatively. The KL grade progressed to grade 3 or 4 in 16 hips, including 4 hips that underwent conversion to total hip arthroplasty. No significant differences were found in postoperative participation in sports (89 hips [53.3%] vs 11 hips [68.8%], respectively; P = .24) and the UCLA score (5.6 ± 2.0 vs 5.1 ± 2.0, respectively; P = .30) between hips with KL grade 1 or 2 and KL grade 3 or 4. A multivariate analysis revealed that no factors, including postoperative participation in sports, were significantly

Glaucoma progression detection by retinal nerve fiber layer measurement using scanning laser polarimetry: event and trend analysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Moon, Byung Gil; Sung, Kyung Rim; Cho, Jung Woo; Kang, Sung Yong; Yun, Sung-Cheol; Na, Jung Hwa; Lee, Youngrok; Kook, Michael S

2012-06-01

To evaluate the use of scanning laser polarimetry (SLP, GDx VCC) to measure the retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL) thickness in order to evaluate the progression of glaucoma. Test-retest measurement variability was determined in 47 glaucomatous eyes. One eye each from 152 glaucomatous patients with at least 4 years of follow-up was enrolled. Visual field (VF) loss progression was determined by both event analysis (EA, Humphrey guided progression analysis) and trend analysis (TA, linear regression analysis of the visual field index). SLP progression was defined as a reduction of RNFL exceeding the predetermined repeatability coefficient in three consecutive exams, as compared to the baseline measure (EA). The slope of RNFL thickness change over time was determined by linear regression analysis (TA). Twenty-two eyes (14.5%) progressed according to the VF EA, 16 (10.5%) by VF TA, 37 (24.3%) by SLP EA and 19 (12.5%) by SLP TA. Agreement between VF and SLP progression was poor in both EA and TA (VF EA vs. SLP EA, k = 0.110; VF TA vs. SLP TA, k = 0.129). The mean (±standard deviation) progression rate of RNFL thickness as measured by SLP TA did not significantly differ between VF EA progressors and non-progressors (-0.224 ± 0.148 µm/yr vs. -0.218 ± 0.151 µm/yr, p = 0.874). SLP TA and EA showed similar levels of sensitivity when VF progression was considered as the reference standard. RNFL thickness as measurement by SLP was shown to be capable of detecting glaucoma progression. Both EA and TA of SLP showed poor agreement with VF outcomes in detecting glaucoma progression.

Progression of Dysphagia in Spinocerebellar Ataxia Type 6.

Science.gov (United States)

Isono, Chiharu; Hirano, Makito; Sakamoto, Hikaru; Ueno, Shuichi; Kusunoki, Susumu; Nakamura, Yusaku

2017-06-01

Spinocerebellar ataxia type 6 (SCA6), an autosomal dominant triplet repeat disease, predominantly affects the cerebellum with a late onset and generally good prognosis. Dysphagia is commonly associated with the outcomes of neurodegenerative diseases such as SCA6. Although the characteristics of dysphagia have been rarely reported in SCA6, our previous study indicated that dysphagia is generally milder in SCA6 than in SCA3, another inherited ataxia with multisystem involvement. However, abnormalities in the pharyngeal phase in SCA6 were indistinguishable from those in SCA3, with no explainable reason. To determine the reason, we repeatedly performed videofluoroscopic examinations (VF) in 14 patients with SCA6. The results showed that the gross progression of dysphagia was apparently slow, but four patients had progressive dysphagia at an early disease stage; dysphagia began within 10 years from the onset of ataxia and rapidly progressed. A common clinical feature of the four patients was a significantly older age at the onset of ataxia (74.0 vs. 60.3 years), associated with significantly shorter triplet repeats. This finding surprisingly indicated that patients who had shorter repeats and thereby later onset and potentially better prognoses were at risk for dysphagia-associated problems. Ischemic changes, homozygous mutation, and diabetes mellitus as well as aging might have contributed to the observed progressive dysphagia. We found that conventionally monitored somatosensory evoked potentials at least partly reflected progressive dysphagia. Despite the small study group, our findings suggest that clinicians should carefully monitor dysphagia in patients with SCA6 who are older at disease onset (>60 years).

Targeting the extracellular matrix to disrupt cancer progression

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Freja Albjerg Venning

2015-10-01

Full Text Available Metastatic complications are responsible for more than 90% of cancer related deaths. The progression from an isolated tumor to disseminated metastatic disease is a multi-step process, with each step involving intricate cross-talk between the cancer cells and their non-cellular surroundings, the extracellular matrix (ECM. Many ECM proteins are significantly de-regulated during the progression of cancer, causing both biochemical and biomechanical changes that together promote the metastatic cascade. In this review, the influence of several ECM proteins on these multiple steps of cancer spread is summarized. In addition, we highlight the promising (pre-clinical data showing benefits of targeting these ECM macromolecules to prevent cancer progression.

Association of FcγRIIa R131H polymorphism with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis severity and progression

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hirani Nikhil

2010-10-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background A significant genetic component has been described for idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF. The R131H (rs1801274 polymorphism of the IgG receptor FcγRIIa determines receptor affinity for IgG subclasses and is associated with several chronic inflammatory diseases. We investigated whether this polymorphism is associated with IPF susceptibility or progression. Methods In a case-control study, we compared the distribution of FcγRIIa R131H genotypes in 142 patients with IPF and in 218 controls using allele-specific PCR amplification. Results No differences in the frequency of FcγRIIa genotypes were evident between IPF patients and control subjects. However, significantly impaired pulmonary function at diagnosis was observed in HH compared to RR homozygotes, with evidence of more severe restriction (reduced forced vital capacity (FVC and lower diffusing capacity for carbon monoxide (DLCO. Similarly, increased frequency of the H131 allele was observed in patients with severe disease (DLCO 10% drop in FVC and/or > 15% fall in DLCO at 12 months after baseline (0.48 vs. 0.33; p = 0.023. Conclusions These findings support an association between the FcγRIIa R131H polymorphism and IPF severity and progression, supporting the involvement of immunological mechanisms in IPF pathogenesis.

Relationship of computed tomography perfusion and positron emission tomography to tumour progression in malignant glioma

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yeung, Timothy P C; Yartsev, Slav; Lee, Ting-Yim; Wong, Eugene; He, Wenqing; Fisher, Barbara; VanderSpek, Lauren L; Macdonald, David; Bauman, Glenn

2014-01-01

Introduction: This study aimed to explore the potential for computed tomography (CT) perfusion and 18-Fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography (FDG-PET) in predicting sites of future progressive tumour on a voxel-by-voxel basis after radiotherapy and chemotherapy. Methods: Ten patients underwent pre-radiotherapy magnetic resonance (MR), FDG-PET and CT perfusion near the end of radiotherapy and repeated post-radiotherapy follow-up MR scans. The relationships between these images and tumour progression were assessed using logistic regression. Cross-validation with receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis was used to assess the value of these images in predicting sites of tumour progression. Results: Pre-radiotherapy MR-defined gross tumour; near-end-of-radiotherapy CT-defined enhancing lesion; CT perfusion blood flow (BF), blood volume (BV) and permeability-surface area (PS) product; FDG-PET standard uptake value (SUV); and SUV:BF showed significant associations with tumour progression on follow-up MR imaging (P < 0.0001). The mean sensitivity (±standard deviation), specificity and area under the ROC curve (AUC) of PS were 0.64 ± 0.15, 0.74 ± 0.07 and 0.72 ± 0.12 respectively. This mean AUC was higher than that of the pre-radiotherapy MR-defined gross tumour and near-end-of-radiotherapy CT-defined enhancing lesion (both AUCs = 0.6 ± 0.1, P ≤ 0.03). The multivariate model using BF, BV, PS and SUV had a mean AUC of 0.8 ± 0.1, but this was not significantly higher than the PS only model. Conclusion: PS is the single best predictor of tumour progression when compared to other parameters, but voxel-based prediction based on logistic regression had modest sensitivity and specificity

Relationship of computed tomography perfusion and positron emission tomography to tumour progression in malignant glioma

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Yeung, Timothy P C [London Regional Cancer Program, London Health Sciences Centre, Ontario, Canada, N6A 4L6 (Canada); Robarts Research Institute, The University of Western Ontario, Ontario, Canada, N6A 5B7 (Canada); Department of Medical Biophysics, The University of Western Ontario, Ontario, Canada, N6A 5C1 (Canada); Yartsev, Slav [London Regional Cancer Program, London Health Sciences Centre, Ontario, Canada, N6A 4L6 (Canada); Department of Medical Biophysics, The University of Western Ontario, Ontario, Canada, N6A 5C1 (Canada); Department of Oncology, The University of Western Ontario, London Health Sciences Centre, London Regional Cancer Program, Ontario, Canada, N6A 4L6 (Canada); Lee, Ting-Yim [Robarts Research Institute, The University of Western Ontario, Ontario, Canada, N6A 5B7 (Canada); Department of Medical Biophysics, The University of Western Ontario, Ontario, Canada, N6A 5C1 (Canada); Department of Oncology, The University of Western Ontario, London Health Sciences Centre, London Regional Cancer Program, Ontario, Canada, N6A 4L6 (Canada); Department of Medical Imaging, The University of Western Ontario, London Health Sciences Centre, Victoria Hospital, Ontario, Canada, N6A 5W9 (Australia); Lawson Health Research Institute, St. Joseph' s Health Care London, Ontario, Canada, N6A 4V2 (Canada); Wong, Eugene [London Regional Cancer Program, London Health Sciences Centre, Ontario, Canada, N6A 4L6 (Canada); Department of Oncology, The University of Western Ontario, London Health Sciences Centre, London Regional Cancer Program, Ontario, Canada, N6A 4L6 (Canada); Department of Physics and Astronomy, The University of Western Ontario, Ontario, Canada, N6A 3K7 (Canada); He, Wenqing [Department of Statistical and Actuarial Sciences, The University of Western Ontario, Ontario, Canada, N6A 5B7 (Canada); Fisher, Barbara; VanderSpek, Lauren L [London Regional Cancer Program, London Health Sciences Centre, Ontario, Canada, N6A 4L6 (Canada); Department of Oncology, The University of Western Ontario, London Health Sciences Centre, London Regional Cancer Program, Ontario, Canada, N6A 4L6 (Canada); Macdonald, David [London Regional Cancer Program, London Health Sciences Centre, Ontario, Canada, N6A 4L6 (Canada); Department of Oncology, The University of Western Ontario, London Health Sciences Centre, London Regional Cancer Program, Ontario, Canada, N6A 4L6 (Canada); Department of Clinical Neurological Sciences, The University of Western Ontario, London Health Sciences Centre, University Hospital, Ontario, Canada, N6A 5A5 (Canada); Bauman, Glenn, E-mail: glenn.bauman@lhsc.on.ca [London Regional Cancer Program, London Health Sciences Centre, Ontario, Canada, N6A 4L6 (Canada); Department of Medical Biophysics, The University of Western Ontario, Ontario, Canada, N6A 5C1 (Canada); Department of Oncology, The University of Western Ontario, London Health Sciences Centre, London Regional Cancer Program, Ontario, Canada, N6A 4L6 (Canada)

2014-02-15

Introduction: This study aimed to explore the potential for computed tomography (CT) perfusion and 18-Fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography (FDG-PET) in predicting sites of future progressive tumour on a voxel-by-voxel basis after radiotherapy and chemotherapy. Methods: Ten patients underwent pre-radiotherapy magnetic resonance (MR), FDG-PET and CT perfusion near the end of radiotherapy and repeated post-radiotherapy follow-up MR scans. The relationships between these images and tumour progression were assessed using logistic regression. Cross-validation with receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis was used to assess the value of these images in predicting sites of tumour progression. Results: Pre-radiotherapy MR-defined gross tumour; near-end-of-radiotherapy CT-defined enhancing lesion; CT perfusion blood flow (BF), blood volume (BV) and permeability-surface area (PS) product; FDG-PET standard uptake value (SUV); and SUV:BF showed significant associations with tumour progression on follow-up MR imaging (P < 0.0001). The mean sensitivity (±standard deviation), specificity and area under the ROC curve (AUC) of PS were 0.64 ± 0.15, 0.74 ± 0.07 and 0.72 ± 0.12 respectively. This mean AUC was higher than that of the pre-radiotherapy MR-defined gross tumour and near-end-of-radiotherapy CT-defined enhancing lesion (both AUCs = 0.6 ± 0.1, P ≤ 0.03). The multivariate model using BF, BV, PS and SUV had a mean AUC of 0.8 ± 0.1, but this was not significantly higher than the PS only model. Conclusion: PS is the single best predictor of tumour progression when compared to other parameters, but voxel-based prediction based on logistic regression had modest sensitivity and specificity.

Extensive and progressive sarcoidosis of the bone. Compared value of roentgenography and scintigraphy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dubois, F.; Valeyre, D.; Meyrier, A.; Battesti, J.P.; Vigneron, N.; Chretien, J.

1986-01-01

In a thirty-one-year-old female patient from the French West Indies with osseous sarcoidosis we were able to compare the value of three diagnostic procedures used to evaluate the skeleton: roentgenography. Tc99 m scintigraphy and Ga67 scintigraphy. The lesions of sarcoidosis involved mainly the bones of the hands and feet, but also one ankle, one wrist, both knees and the skull vault. Tc99 m proved the most sensitive procedure. Ga67 evidenced the active foci in the bones and neighboring soft tissues. Roentgenograms of the bones were the least informative. Anomalies in the metabolism of calcium were lacking, as shown by the normal PAK test, a fact that demonstrates that specific bone lesions do not play a significant part in the genesis of the increased urinary calcium excretion and hyper-calcemia found in sarcoidosis [fr

Better Plants Progress Update Fall 2013

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

none,

2013-09-23

This Progress Update summarizes the significant energy saving achievements and cumulative cost savings made by these industry leaders from 2010-2012. The update also shares the plans and priorities over the next year for the Better Plants Program to continue to advance energy efficiency in the industrial sector.

Oxytocin versus no treatment or delayed treatment for slow progress in the first stage of spontaneous labour.

Science.gov (United States)

Bugg, George J; Siddiqui, Farah; Thornton, Jim G

2013-06-23

Slow progress in the first stage of spontaneous labour is associated with an increased caesarean section rate and fetal and maternal morbidity. Oxytocin has long been advocated as a treatment for slow progress in labour but it is unclear to what extent it improves the outcomes for that labour and whether it actually reduces the caesarean section rate or maternal and fetal morbidity. This review will address the use of oxytocin and whether it improves the outcomes for women who are progressing slowly in labour compared to situations where it is not used or where its administration is delayed. To determine if the use of oxytocin for the treatment of slow progress in the first stage of spontaneous labour is associated with a reduction in the incidence of caesarean sections, or maternal and fetal morbidity compared to situations where it is not used or where its administration is delayed. We searched the Cochrane Pregnancy and Childbirth Group's Trials Register (23 February 2013) and bibliographies of relevant papers. Randomised controlled trials which compared oxytocin with either placebo, no treatment or delayed oxytocin in the active stage of spontaneous labour in low-risk women at term. Two authors independently assessed studies for inclusion, assessed risk of bias and extracted data. We sought additional information from trial authors. We included eight studies in the review involving a total of 1338 low-risk women in the first stage of spontaneous labour at term. Two comparisons were made; 1) the use of oxytocin versus placebo or no treatment (three trials); 2) the early use of oxytocin versus its delayed use (five trials). There were no significant differences in the rates of caesarean section or instrumental vaginal delivery in either comparison. Early use of oxytocin resulted in an increase in uterine hyperstimulation associated with fetal heart changes. However, the early use of oxytocin versus its delayed use resulted in no significant differences in a range

Progranulin Is a Novel Independent Predictor of Disease Progression and Overall Survival in Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia

OpenAIRE

G?bel, Maria; Eisele, Lewin; M?llmann, Michael; H?ttmann, Andreas; Johansson, Patricia; Scholtysik, Ren?; Bergmann, Manuela; Busch, Raymonde; D?hner, Hartmut; Hallek, Michael; Seiler, Till; Stilgenbauer, Stephan; Klein-Hitpass, Ludger; D?hrsen, Ulrich; D?rig, Jan

2013-01-01

Progranulin (Pgrn) is a 88 kDa secreted protein with pleiotropic functions including regulation of cell cycle progression, cell motility, wound repair and tumorigenesis. Using microarray based gene expression profiling we have recently demonstrated that the gene for Pgrn, granulin (GRN), is significantly higher expressed in aggressive CD38(+)ZAP-70(+) as compared to indolent CD38(-)ZAP-70(-) chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) cases. Here, we measured Pgrn plasma concentrations by enzyme-linke...

Visually directed vs. software-based targeted biopsy compared to transperineal template mapping biopsy in the detection of clinically significant prostate cancer.

Science.gov (United States)

Valerio, Massimo; McCartan, Neil; Freeman, Alex; Punwani, Shonit; Emberton, Mark; Ahmed, Hashim U

2015-10-01

Targeted biopsy based on cognitive or software magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to transrectal ultrasound registration seems to increase the detection rate of clinically significant prostate cancer as compared with standard biopsy. However, these strategies have not been directly compared against an accurate test yet. The aim of this study was to obtain pilot data on the diagnostic ability of visually directed targeted biopsy vs. software-based targeted biopsy, considering transperineal template mapping (TPM) biopsy as the reference test. Prospective paired cohort study included 50 consecutive men undergoing TPM with one or more visible targets detected on preoperative multiparametric MRI. Targets were contoured on the Biojet software. Patients initially underwent software-based targeted biopsies, then visually directed targeted biopsies, and finally systematic TPM. The detection rate of clinically significant disease (Gleason score ≥3+4 and/or maximum cancer core length ≥4mm) of one strategy against another was compared by 3×3 contingency tables. Secondary analyses were performed using a less stringent threshold of significance (Gleason score ≥4+3 and/or maximum cancer core length ≥6mm). Median age was 68 (interquartile range: 63-73); median prostate-specific antigen level was 7.9ng/mL (6.4-10.2). A total of 79 targets were detected with a mean of 1.6 targets per patient. Of these, 27 (34%), 28 (35%), and 24 (31%) were scored 3, 4, and 5, respectively. At a patient level, the detection rate was 32 (64%), 34 (68%), and 38 (76%) for visually directed targeted, software-based biopsy, and TPM, respectively. Combining the 2 targeted strategies would have led to detection rate of 39 (78%). At a patient level and at a target level, software-based targeted biopsy found more clinically significant diseases than did visually directed targeted biopsy, although this was not statistically significant (22% vs. 14%, P = 0.48; 51.9% vs. 44.3%, P = 0.24). Secondary

Realizing a Progressive Pedagogy: A Comparative Case Study of Two Reggio Emilia Preschools in San Francisco

Science.gov (United States)

Abdelfattah, Marwa

2015-01-01

This study aims to uncover how a particular imported philosophy of early childhood education, Reggio Emilia, is implemented in the context of one public and one private preschool in San Francisco. The philosophy of Reggio Emilia is believed to be progressive and to be developmentally appropriate for children in early childhood. The study involved…

Quarterly Progress Report (January 1 to March 31, 1950)

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Brookhaven National Laboratory

1950-04-01

This is the first of a series of Quarterly Reports. These reports will deal primarily with the progress made in our scientific program during a three months period. Those interested in matters pertaining to organization, administration, complete scientific program, personnel and other matters not directly involved in current scientific progress are referred to our Annual Progress Report which is issued in January. We have attempted to describe new information that appears significant, or of interest, to other scientists within the Atomic Energy Commission Laboratories. No effort has been made, however, to detail progress in each and every research project. Little or no reference will therefore be found to the projects in which progress during the current period is considered too inconclusive. Since our organizational structure is departmental, the work described herein is arranged in the following sequence: (1) Accelerator Project; (2) Biology Department; (3) Chemistry Department; (4) Instrumentation and Health Physic8 Department; (5) Medical Department; (6) Physics Department; and (7) Reactor Science and Engineering Department.

Monthly oral methylprednisolone pulse treatment in progressive multiple sclerosis

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Ratzer, Rikke; Iversen, Pernille; Börnsen, Lars

2016-01-01

BACKGROUND: There is a large unmet need for treatments for patients with progressive multiple sclerosis (MS). Phase 2 studies with cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) biomarker outcomes may be well suited for the initial evaluation of efficacious treatments. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effect of monthly oral...... methylprednisolone pulse treatment on intrathecal inflammation in progressive MS. METHODS: In this open-label phase 2A study, 15 primary progressive and 15 secondary progressive MS patients received oral methylprednisolone pulse treatment for 60 weeks. Primary outcome was changes in CSF concentrations of osteopontin...... no change in the CSF concentration of osteopontin, but we observed significant improvement in clinical scores, MTR, DTI and some secondary CSF outcome measures. Adverse events were well-known side effects to methylprednisolone. CONCLUSION: Monthly methylprednisolone pulse treatment was safe, but had...

CSF inflammation and axonal damage are increased and correlate in progressive multiple sclerosis

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Romme Christensen, Jeppe; Börnsen, Lars; Khademi, Mohsen

2013-01-01

BACKGROUND: The mechanism underlying disease progression in progressive multiple sclerosis (MS) is uncertain. Pathological studies found widespread inflammation in progressive MS brains correlating with disease progression and axonal damage. OBJECTIVES: To study cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) biomarkers...... and clarify whether inflammation and axonal damage are associated in progressive MS. METHODS: Using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), we analysed CSF from 40 secondary progressive (SPMS), 21 primary progressive (PPMS), and 36 relapsing-remitting (RRMS) and 20 non-inflammatory neurological disease...... (NIND) patients. Twenty-two of the SPMS patients participated in an MBP8298 peptide clinical trial and had CSF follow-up after one year. RESULTS: Compared to NIND patients, inflammatory biomarkers osteopontin and matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP9) were increased in all MS patients while CXCL13...

Investigating the usefulness of a cluster-based trend analysis to detect visual field progression in patients with open-angle glaucoma.

Science.gov (United States)

Aoki, Shuichiro; Murata, Hiroshi; Fujino, Yuri; Matsuura, Masato; Miki, Atsuya; Tanito, Masaki; Mizoue, Shiro; Mori, Kazuhiko; Suzuki, Katsuyoshi; Yamashita, Takehiro; Kashiwagi, Kenji; Hirasawa, Kazunori; Shoji, Nobuyuki; Asaoka, Ryo

2017-12-01

To investigate the usefulness of the Octopus (Haag-Streit) EyeSuite's cluster trend analysis in glaucoma. Ten visual fields (VFs) with the Humphrey Field Analyzer (Carl Zeiss Meditec), spanning 7.7 years on average were obtained from 728 eyes of 475 primary open angle glaucoma patients. Mean total deviation (mTD) trend analysis and EyeSuite's cluster trend analysis were performed on various series of VFs (from 1st to 10th: VF1-10 to 6th to 10th: VF6-10). The results of the cluster-based trend analysis, based on different lengths of VF series, were compared against mTD trend analysis. Cluster-based trend analysis and mTD trend analysis results were significantly associated in all clusters and with all lengths of VF series. Between 21.2% and 45.9% (depending on VF series length and location) of clusters were deemed to progress when the mTD trend analysis suggested no progression. On the other hand, 4.8% of eyes were observed to progress using the mTD trend analysis when cluster trend analysis suggested no progression in any two (or more) clusters. Whole field trend analysis can miss local VF progression. Cluster trend analysis appears as robust as mTD trend analysis and useful to assess both sectorial and whole field progression. Cluster-based trend analyses, in particular the definition of two or more progressing cluster, may help clinicians to detect glaucomatous progression in a timelier manner than using a whole field trend analysis, without significantly compromising specificity. © Article author(s) (or their employer(s) unless otherwise stated in the text of the article) 2017. All rights reserved. No commercial use is permitted unless otherwise expressly granted.

Fibrosis progression under maintenance interferon in hepatitis C is better detected by blood test than liver morphometry.

Science.gov (United States)

Calès, P; Zarski, J P; Chapplain, J Marc; Bertrais, S; Sturm, N; Michelet, C; Babany, G; Chaigneau, J; Eddine Charaf, M

2012-02-01

We evaluated whether quantitative measurements of liver fibrosis with recently developed diagnostics outperform histological staging in detecting natural or interferon-induced changes. We compared Metavir staging, morphometry (area and fractal dimension) and six blood tests in 157 patients with chronic hepatitis C from two trials testing maintenance interferon for 96 weeks. Paired liver biopsies and blood tests were available for 101 patients, and there was a significant improvement in Metavir activity and a significant increase in blood tests reflecting fibrosis quantity in patients treated with interferon when compared with controls - all per cent changes in histological fibrosis measures were significantly increased in F1 vs F2-4 stages only in the interferon group. For the whole population studied between weeks 0 and 96, there was significant progression only in the area of fibrosis (AOF) (P = 0.026), FibroMeter (P = 0.020) and CirrhoMeter (P = 0.003). With regards to dynamic reproducibility, agreement was good (r(ic) ≥ 0.72) only for Metavir fibrosis score, FibroMeter and CirrhoMeter. The per cent change in AOF was significantly higher than that of fractal dimension (P = 0.003) or Metavir fibrosis score (P = 0.015). CirrhoMeter was the only blood test with a change significantly higher than that of AOF (P = 0.039). AOF and two blood tests, reflecting fibrosis quantity, have high sensitivity and/or reproducibility permitting the detection of a small progression in liver fibrosis over two years. A blood test reflecting fibrosis quantity is more sensitive and reproducible than morphometry. The study also shows that maintenance interferon does not improve fibrosis, whatever its stage. © 2011 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

Progressive multiple sclerosis: from pathogenic mechanisms to treatment.

Science.gov (United States)

Correale, Jorge; Gaitán, María I; Ysrraelit, María C; Fiol, Marcela P

2017-03-01

During the past decades, better understanding of relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis disease mechanisms have led to the development of several disease-modifying therapies, reducing relapse rates and severity, through immune system modulation or suppression. In contrast, current therapeutic options for progressive multiple sclerosis remain comparatively disappointing and challenging. One possible explanation is a lack of understanding of pathogenic mechanisms driving progressive multiple sclerosis. Furthermore, diagnosis is usually retrospective, based on history of gradual neurological worsening with or without occasional relapses, minor remissions or plateaus. In addition, imaging methods as well as biomarkers are not well established. Magnetic resonance imaging studies in progressive multiple sclerosis show decreased blood-brain barrier permeability, probably reflecting compartmentalization of inflammation behind a relatively intact blood-brain barrier. Interestingly, a spectrum of inflammatory cell types infiltrates the leptomeninges during subpial cortical demyelination. Indeed, recent magnetic resonance imaging studies show leptomeningeal contrast enhancement in subjects with progressive multiple sclerosis, possibly representing an in vivo marker of inflammation associated to subpial demyelination. Treatments for progressive disease depend on underlying mechanisms causing central nervous system damage. Immunity sheltered behind an intact blood-brain barrier, energy failure, and membrane channel dysfunction may be key processes in progressive disease. Interfering with these mechanisms may provide neuroprotection and prevent disability progression, while potentially restoring activity and conduction along damaged axons by repairing myelin. Although most previous clinical trials in progressive multiple sclerosis have yielded disappointing results, important lessons have been learnt, improving the design of novel ones. This review discusses mechanisms involved

Ghrelin and cancer progression.

Science.gov (United States)

Lin, Tsung-Chieh; Hsiao, Michael

2017-08-01

Ghrelin is a small peptide with 28 amino acids, and has been characterized as the ligand of the growth hormone secretagogue receptor (GHSR). In addition to its original function in stimulating pituitary growth hormone release, ghrelin is multifunctional and plays a role in the regulation of energy balance, gastric acid release, appetite, insulin secretion, gastric motility and the turnover of gastric and intestinal mucosa. The discovery of ghrelin and GHSR expression beyond normal tissues suggests its role other than physiological function. Emerging evidences have revealed ghrelin's function in regulating several processes related to cancer progression, especially in metastasis and proliferation. We further show the relative GHRL and GHSR expression in pan-cancers from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA), suggesting the potential pathological role of the axis in cancers. This review focuses on ghrelin's biological function in cancer progression, and reveals its clinical significance especially the impact on cancer patient outcome. Copyright © 2017 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

The progressive tax

OpenAIRE

Estrada, Fernando

2010-01-01

This article describes the argumentative structure of Hayek on the relationship between power to tax and the progressive tax. It is observed throughout its work giving special attention to two works: The Constitution of Liberty (1959) and Law, Legislation and Liberty, vol3; The Political Order of Free People, 1979) Hayek describes one of the arguments most complete information bout SFP progressive tax systems (progressive tax). According to the author the history of the tax progressive system...

Pharmacological or genetic inhibition of LDHA reverses tumor progression of pediatric osteosarcoma.

Science.gov (United States)

Gao, Shan; Tu, Dan-Na; Li, Heng; Jiang, Jian-Xin; Cao, Xin; You, Jin-Bin; Zhou, Xiao-Qin

2016-07-01

Reprogrammed energy metabolism is an emerging hallmark of cancer. Lactate dehydrogenase A (LDHA), a key enzyme involved in anaerobic glycolysis, is frequently deregulated in human malignancies. However, limited knowledge is known about its roles in the progression of osteosarcoma (OS). In this study, we found that LDHA is commonly upregulated in four OS cell lines compared with the normal osteoblast cells (hFOB1.19). Treatment with FX11, a specific inhibitor of LDHA, significantly reduced LDHA activity, and inhibited cell proliferation and invasive potential in a dose dependent manner. Genetic silencing of LDHA resulted in a decreased lactate level in the culture medium, reduced cell viability and decreased cell invasion ability. Meanwhile, silencing of LDHA also compromised tumorigenesis in vivo. Furthermore, knockdown of LDHA remarkably reduced extracellular acidification rate (ECAR) as well as glucose consumption. In the presence of 2-DG, a glycolysis inhibitor, LDHA-mediated cell proliferation and invasion were completely blocked, indicating the oncogenic activities of LDHA may dependent on Warburg effect. Finally, pharmacological inhibition of c-Myc or HIF1α significantly attenuated LDHA expression. Taken together, upregulated LDHA facilitates tumor progression of OS and might be a potential target for OS treatment. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

MMP-7 is a predictive biomarker of disease progression in patients with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yasmina Bauer

2017-03-01

Full Text Available Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF is a progressive interstitial lung disease with poor prognosis, which is characterised by destruction of normal lung architecture and excessive deposition of lung extracellular matrix. The heterogeneity of disease progression in patients with IPF poses significant obstacles to patient care and prevents efficient development of novel therapeutic interventions. Blood biomarkers, reflecting pathobiological processes in the lung, could provide objective evidence of the underlying disease. Longitudinally collected serum samples from the Bosentan Use in Interstitial Lung Disease (BUILD-3 trial were used to measure four biomarkers (metalloproteinase-7 (MMP-7, Fas death receptor ligand, osteopontin and procollagen type I C-peptide, to assess their potential prognostic capabilities and to follow changes during disease progression in patients with IPF. In baseline BUILD-3 samples, only MMP-7 showed clearly elevated protein levels compared with samples from healthy controls, and further investigations demonstrated that MMP-7 levels also increased over time. Baseline levels of MMP-7 were able to predict patients who had higher risk of worsening and, notably, baseline levels of MMP-7 could predict changes in FVC as early as month 4. MMP-7 shows potential to be a reliable predictor of lung function decline and disease progression.

ADAPTATION AND PROGRESS THROUGH CHANGE MANAGEMENT

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Gabriela MEHEDINTU

2016-12-01

Full Text Available The technological progress, digitization and the explosion of information significantly change how individuals, the business environment, and society act, develop and add value. New, interdisciplinary approaches, constantly adapted and sustainable both at the micro and the macro levels are required. Within a company, change management is a systematic element of the strategic business process and involves the early identification of the opportunity of the employees’ development, courage, commitment and flexibility; under no circumstances should it be seen as a risk and instability factor, as it may be considered in the early stages. The example presented in this article proves that the openness to change and continuous improvement develops advantages, optimizes processes and sustains long-term progress.

Association between time to disease progression end points and overall survival in patients with neuroendocrine tumors

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Singh S

2014-08-01

Full Text Available Simron Singh,1 Xufang Wang,2 Calvin HL Law1 1Sunnybrook Odette Cancer Center, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada; 2Novartis Oncology, Florham Park, NJ, USA Abstract: Overall survival can be difficult to determine for slowly progressing malignancies, such as neuroendocrine tumors. We investigated whether time to disease progression is positively associated with overall survival in patients with such tumors. A literature review identified 22 clinical trials in patients with neuroendocrine tumors that reported survival probabilities for both time to disease progression (progression-free survival and time to progression and overall survival. Associations between median time to disease progression and median overall survival and between treatment effects on time to disease progression and treatment effects on overall survival were analyzed using weighted least-squares regression. Median time to disease progression was significantly associated with median overall survival (coefficient 0.595; P=0.022. In the seven randomized studies identified, the risk reduction for time to disease progression was positively associated with the risk reduction for overall survival (coefficient on −ln[HR] 0.151; 95% confidence interval −0.843, 1.145; P=0.713. The significant association between median time to disease progression and median overall survival supports the assertion that time to disease progression is an alternative end point to overall survival in patients with neuroendocrine tumors. An apparent albeit not significant trend correlates treatment effects on time to disease progression and treatment effects on overall survival. Informal surveys of physicians’ perceptions are consistent with these concepts, although additional randomized trials are needed. Keywords: neuroendocrine tumors, progression-free survival, disease progression, mortality

A comparative study of progressive wear of four dental monolithic, veneered glass-ceramics.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Zhenzhen; Yi, Yuanping; Wang, Xuesong; Guo, Jiawen; Li, Ding; He, Lin; Zhang, Shaofeng

2017-10-01

This study evaluated the wear performance and wear mechanisms of four dental glass-ceramics, based on the microstructure and mechanical properties in the progressive wear process. Bar (N = 40, n = 10) and disk (N = 32, n = 8) specimens were prepared from (A) lithium disilicate glass-ceramic (LD), (B) leucite reinforced glass-ceramic (LEU), (C) feldspathic glass-ceramic (FEL), and (D) fluorapatite glass-ceramic (FLU). The bar specimens were tested for three-point flexural strength, hardness, fracture toughness and elastic modulus. The disk specimens paired with steatite antagonists were tested in a pin-on-disk tribometer with 10N up to 1000,000 wear cycles. The wear analysis of glass-ceramics was performed using a 3D profilometer after every 200,000 wear cycles. Wear loss of steatite antagonists was calculated by measuring the weight and density using sensitive balance and Archimedes' method. Wear morphologies and microstructures were analyzed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The crystalline phase compositions were determined using X-ray diffraction (XRD). One-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) was used to analyze the data. Multiple pair-wise comparison of means was performed by Tukey's post-hoc test. LD showed the highest fracture toughness, flexural strength, elastic modulus and crystallinity, followed by LEU and FEL, and FLU showed the lowest. However, the hardness of LD was lower than all the other three types of ceramics. For steatite antagonists, LD produced the least wear loss of antagonist, followed by LEU and FEL, and FLU had the most wear loss. For glass-ceramic materials, LD exhibited similar wear loss as LEU, but more than FLU and FEL did. Moreover, fracture occurred on the wear surface of FLU. In the progressive wear process, veneering porcelains showed better wear resistance but fluorapatite veneering porcelains appeared fracture surface. Monolithic lithium disilicate glass-ceramics with higher mechanical properties showed more wear loss, however

Research progress of functional MRI in depression

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Xie Shenghui; Niu Guangming; Han Xiaodong; Qiao Pengfei

2013-01-01

The mood disorders of depression are associated with abnormalities of brain structure and function, and exploring their pathological mechanism has important significance for the choice of treatment and the curative effect evaluation. In recent years, the research of MRI on brain structure and function of depression has made great progress, especially in functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). fMRI can detect the functional change in real time, and also can display the activity of brain and changes in the nerve pathways in patients with depression. This article summarizes the present research situation and progress of MRI in the diagnosis of depression. (authors)

Factors Affecting Career Progress of MBA Students

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Vivien T. Supangco

2001-06-01

Full Text Available This paper explored the factors that affect career progress of students in the MBA program of the University of the Philippines.To understand career progression, four measures of career progress were used in this study, namely: number of promotions, number of years in between promotions, total cash compensation, and number of administrative levels from the company president. On the other hand, the factors used to explain career progess included human capital, organizational, interpersonal and demographic variables.The results showed that the different measures of career progress had distinct determinants implying different dynamics. It appeared that measures of career progress that are sensitive to the value employers attach to the individual (Whitely, Dougherty, & Dreher, 1991 such as total compensation, total number of promotion and years per promotion were related with human capital factors such as work experience and number of companies worked for. On the other hand, measures that relate to centrality if the position, in which market forces have less impact, were associated with organizational variables such as organization size and the demographic variable gender.While gender did not explain variation in total compensation, number of promotions and number of uears between promotions, these null results are important for two reasons. First, it implies that the female MBA students were at par with their male counterparts as fas as these measures of career progress are concerned. Second, it challenges the generalizability of the finding of gender segregation at the organizational level-where men receive significantly higher wages that women-which is a common finding among studies done in the United States. The results using the MBA students as sample show that income and promotion parity may indeed be achievable and this brings hope to women in general.However, the statistical significance of gender in explaining career progress as centrality

Progression of emphysema evaluated by MRI using hyperpolarized (3)He (HP (3)He) measurements in patients with alpha-1-antitrypsin (A1AT) deficiency compared with CT and lung function tests

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Stavngaard, T; Søgaard, L Vejby; Batz, M

2009-01-01

BACKGROUND: The progression of emphysema is traditionally measured by pulmonary function test, with forced expiratory volume in 1 s (FEV(1)) being the most accepted and used measurement. However, FEV(1) is insensitive in detecting mild/slow progression of emphysema because of low reproducibility...... as compared to yearly decline. PURPOSE: To investigate the progression of emphysema over a period of 2 years using diffusion-weighted hyperpolarized (HP) (3)He magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in patients with alpha-1-antitrypsin (A1AT) deficiency. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Nine patients with severe A1AT...... density [CT-PD15] and relative area of emphysema below -910 HU [CT-RA-910]). RESULTS: Seven patients were scanned three times, one patient two times, and one patient only at baseline. The mean increase in ADC values from first to last HP (3)He MR scanning was 3.8% (0.014 cm(2)/s [SD 0.024 cm(2)/s...

Serum Uric Acid and Progression of Kidney Disease: A Longitudinal Analysis and Mini-Review.

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Ching-Wei Tsai

Full Text Available Increasing evidence supports the association between hyperuricemia and incident chronic kidney disease (CKD; however, there are conflicting data regarding the role of hyperuricemia in the progression of CKD. This study retrospectively assessed the longitudinal association between uric acid (UA level and CKD progression in a Chinese population lived in Taiwan.Patients with physician diagnosis of hyperuricemia or receiving urate-lowering therapy between 2003 and 2005 were identified in the electronic medical records (EMR of a tertiary medical center and were followed up until December 31, 2011. Patients were divided into four UA categories at the cut-off 6, 8, and 10 mg/dL. CKD progression was estimated by the change of estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR in the linear mixed models. Kidney failure was defined as an eGFR less than 15 mL/min/1.73 m2 or requiring renal replacement therapy.A total of 739 patients were analyzed. In the full-adjusted model, patients with a baseline UA level ≥6 mg/dL had greater decline in eGFR ((β = -9.6, 95% CI -16.1, -3.1, comparing to those with a UA level less than 6 mg/dL. When stratifying patients into four UA categories, all three hyperuricemia categories (UA6-8, 8-10, ≥10 mg/dL associated with a greater decline in eGFR over the follow-up period with an increasing dose-response, comparing to the lowest UA category. The risk of progression to renal failure increased 7% (hazard ratio 1.07, 95% CI 1.00, 1.14 for each 1mg/dL increase in baseline UA level. The influences of hyperuricemia on eGFR decline and the risk of kidney failure were more prominent in patients without proteinuria than those with proteinuria.Our study showed a higher uric acid level is associated with a significant rapid decline in eGFR and a higher risk of kidney failure, particularly in patients without proteinuria. Our findings suggest hyperuricemia is a potential modifiable factor of CKD progression.

Long-Term Results of Conformal Radiotherapy for Progressive Airway Amyloidosis

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Truong, Minh Tam, E-mail: mitruong@bu.edu [Department of Radiation Oncology, Amyloid Treatment and Research Program, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston Medical Center, Boston, MA (United States); Kachnic, Lisa A. [Department of Radiation Oncology, Amyloid Treatment and Research Program, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston Medical Center, Boston, MA (United States); Grillone, Gregory A. [Department of Otolaryngology, Amyloid Treatment and Research Program, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston Medical Center, Boston, MA (United States); Bohrs, Harry K.; Lee, Richard [Department of Radiation Oncology, Amyloid Treatment and Research Program, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston Medical Center, Boston, MA (United States); Sakai, Osamu [Department of Radiology, Amyloid Treatment and Research Program, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston Medical Center, Boston, MA (United States); Berk, John L. [Department of Medicine, Amyloid Treatment and Research Program, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston Medical Center, Boston, MA (United States)

2012-06-01

Purpose: To evaluate the efficacy of conformal external beam radiotherapy (RT) for local control of progressive airway amyloidosis. Methods and Materials: We conducted a retrospective review of patients with biopsy-proven progressive airway amyloidosis treated with conformal RT between 2000 and 2006 at Boston Medical Center. The patients were evaluated for performance status and pulmonary function, with computed tomography and endoscopy after RT compared with the pretreatment studies. Local control was defined as the lack of progression of airway wall thickening on computed tomography imaging and stable endobronchial deposits by endoscopy. Results: A total of 10 symptomatic airway amyloidosis patients (3 laryngeal and 7 tracheobronchial) received RT to a median total dose of 20 Gy in 10 fractions within 2 weeks. At a median follow-up of 6.7 years (range, 1.5-10.3), 8 of the 10 patients had local control. The remaining 2 patients underwent repeat RT 6 and 8.4 months after initial RT, 1 for persistent bronchial obstruction and 1 for progression of subglottic amyloid disease with subsequent disease control. The Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance status improved at a median of 18 months after RT compared with the baseline values, from a median score of 2 to a median of 1 (p = .035). Airflow (forced expiratory volume in 1 second) measurements increased compared with the baseline values at each follow-up evaluation, reaching a 10.7% increase (p = .087) at the last testing (median duration, 64.8 months). Acute toxicity was limited to Grade 1-2 esophagitis, occurring in 40% of patients. No late toxicity was observed. Conclusions: RT prevented progressive amyloid deposition in 8 of 10 patients, resulting in a marginally increased forced expiratory volume in 1 second, and improved functional capacity, without late morbidity.

Inhibition of Aerobic Glycolysis Attenuates Disease Progression in Polycystic Kidney Disease.

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Meliana Riwanto

Full Text Available Dysregulated signaling cascades alter energy metabolism and promote cell proliferation and cyst expansion in polycystic kidney disease (PKD. Here we tested whether metabolic reprogramming towards aerobic glycolysis ("Warburg effect" plays a pathogenic role in male heterozygous Han:SPRD rats (Cy/+, a chronic progressive model of PKD. Using microarray analysis and qPCR, we found an upregulation of genes involved in glycolysis (Hk1, Hk2, Ldha and a downregulation of genes involved in gluconeogenesis (G6pc, Lbp1 in cystic kidneys of Cy/+ rats compared with wild-type (+/+ rats. We then tested the effect of inhibiting glycolysis with 2-deoxyglucose (2DG on renal functional loss and cyst progression in 5-week-old male Cy/+ rats. Treatment with 2DG (500 mg/kg/day for 5 weeks resulted in significantly lower kidney weights (-27% and 2-kidney/total-body-weight ratios (-20% and decreased renal cyst index (-48% compared with vehicle treatment. Cy/+ rats treated with 2DG also showed higher clearances of creatinine (1.98±0.67 vs 1.41±0.37 ml/min, BUN (0.69±0.26 vs 0.40±0.10 ml/min and uric acid (0.38±0.20 vs 0.21±0.10 ml/min, and reduced albuminuria. Immunoblotting analysis of kidney tissues harvested from 2DG-treated Cy/+ rats showed increased phosphorylation of AMPK-α, a negative regulator of mTOR, and restoration of ERK signaling. Assessment of Ki-67 staining indicated that 2DG limits cyst progression through inhibition of epithelial cell proliferation. Taken together, our results show that targeting the glycolytic pathway may represent a promising therapeutic strategy to control cyst growth in PKD.

Glycemic control and alveolar bone loss progression in type 2 diabetes.

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Taylor, G W; Burt, B A; Becker, M P; Genco, R J; Shlossman, M

1998-07-01

This study tested the hypothesis that the risk for alveolar bone loss is greater, and bone loss progression more severe, for subjects with poorly controlled (PC) type 2 diabetes mellitus (type 2 DM) compared to those without type 2 DM or with better controlled (BC) type 2 DM. The PC group had glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1) > or = 9%; the BC group had HbA1 or = 75% were used to identify the worst bone score (WBS) in the dentition. Change in worst bone score at follow-up, the outcome, was specified on a 4-category ordinal scale as no change, or a 1-, 2-, 3-, or 4-category increase over baseline WBS (WBS1). Poorly controlled diabetes, age, calculus, time to follow-up examination, and WBS1 were statistically significant explanatory variables in ordinal logistic regression models. Poorly controlled type 2 DM was positively associated with greater risk for a change in bone score (compared to subjects without type 2 DM) when the covariates were included in the model. The cumulative odds ratio (COR) at each threshold of the ordered response was 11.4 (95% CI = 2.5, 53.3). When contrasted with subjects with BC type 2 DM, the COR for those in the PC group was 5.3 (95% CI = 0.8, 53.3). The COR for subjects with BC type 2 DM was 2.2 (95% CI = 0.7, 6.5), when contrasted to those without type 2 DM. These results suggest that poorer glycemic control leads to both an increased risk for alveolar bone loss and more severe progression over those without type 2 DM, and that there may be a gradient, with the risk for bone loss progression for those with better controlled type 2 DM intermediate to the other 2 groups.

[Burnout effect on academic progress of Oncology medical residents].

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González-Ávila, Gabriel; Bello-Villalobos, Herlinda

2014-01-01

In the formative period of the courses taken in medical specializations, new and greater responsibilities are accepted by physicians in personal and academic spheres. The interaction of several factors that encompass the practice of these physicians could surpass their capacity to cope, causing on these professionals a high level of stress and professional exhaustion, which will affect their academic development. The objective of this research was to establish if the occupational stress of these medical residents affects their academic progress. We administered the Spanish version of the Maslach Burnout Inventory (MBI) to 52 residents of three specializations in Oncology (Medical Oncology, Surgical Oncology, and Radio-Oncology). These residents accepted voluntarily at the same time of their third cognitive exam. The prevalence of burnout syndrome was 13.5 %, with a high frequency among medical residents of first degree. Medical Oncology residents showed a higher emotional exhaustion and lower personal fulfillment. Considering the three specializations, the academic progress was higher in the third year, with a significant difference to Surgical Oncology and Medical Oncology (p = 0.026 and 0.015, respectively). No significant difference was found between burnout syndrome, academic progress and sociodemographic characteristics. The presence of burnout syndrome does not affect the academic progress of Oncology medical residents.

Retinopathy of prematurity: mutations in the Norrie disease gene and the risk of progression to advanced stages.

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Haider, M Z; Devarajan, L V; Al-Essa, M; Srivastva, B S; Kumar, H; Azad, R; Rashwan, N

2001-04-01

Retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) is a retinal vascular disease that occurs in infants with short gestational age and low birth weight and may lead to retinal detachment and blindness. Missense mutations in the Norrie disease (ND) gene have been associated with the risk of progression to advanced stages in cases of ROP from the US and also in clinically similar ND and familial exudative vitreoretinopathy. We have screened two ND gene mutations, namely A105T and Val60Glu, by polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) and allele-specific PCR methods, respectively, in 210 Kuwaiti premature newborns to replicate these findings in a different ethnic group. In the Kuwaiti premature newborn cohort, 115 of 210 babies had no eye problems and served as controls, while 95 were cases of ROP. In 71 of 95 ROP cases, the disease regressed spontaneously on or before stage 3, while in 24 of 95 ROP cases the disease progressed to advanced stages 4 and 5. In case of missense mutation (A105T), the AA genotype was detected in 96% of controls compared with 87% of ROP cases (NS); similarly no significant difference was found between spontaneously regressed ROP cases and those who progressed to advanced stages. For the Val60Glu mutation, no significant association was detected between the genotype and progression of ROP to advanced stages. Unlike data from the US, our findings from a Kuwaiti cohort of ROP cases and controls suggest a lack of association between the two ND gene mutations (A105T and Val60Glu) and ROP and the risk of progression of the disease to advanced stages.

Progressive nature of heart failure and systems biology

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George E. Louridas

2015-01-01

Full Text Available The progressive nature of heart failure (HF is the predominant cause for the clinical course that the HF syndrome is taking. Systems biology methodology is of the utmost importance to explain and comprehend the built-in mechanisms of adverse clinical progression. Various heart diseases produce myocardial damage with subsequent left ventricular remodeling which is the principal underlying pathophysiological mechanism for the clinical progression of HF. The self-organized positive feedback stabilization mechanisms of left ventricular remodeling, adrenergic stimulation and activation of the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system and natriuretic peptide systems, are hierarchical adaptive processes. These adaptive processes are responsible for further left ventricular remodeling with subsequent clinical deterioration and for the emergence of clinical phenotypes. These mechanisms are counteracted with angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors, angiotensin receptor blockers and β-blockers in an attempt to improve the adverse clinical phenomena of HF progression in a new but clinically worse stabilization level. In this review our intention is to underline the progressive nature of the HF syndrome and to demonstrate the significance of ventricular remodeling and the role of self-organized positive feedback adaptive processes.

When Progressive Disease Does Not Mean Treatment Failure: Reconsidering the Criteria for Progression

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2012-01-01

Although progression-based endpoints, such as progression-free survival, are often key clinical trial endpoints for anticancer agents, the clinical meaning of “objective progression” is much less certain. As scrutiny of progression-based endpoints in clinical trials increases, it should be remembered that the Response Evaluation Criteria In Solid Tumors (RECIST) progression criteria were not developed as a surrogate for survival. Now that progression-free survival has come to be an increasingly important trial endpoint, the criteria that define progression deserve critical evaluation to determine whether alternate definitions of progression might facilitate the development of stronger surrogate endpoints and more meaningful trial results. In this commentary, we review the genesis of the criteria for progression, highlight recent data that question their value as a marker of treatment failure, and advocate for several research strategies that could lay the groundwork for a clinically validated definition of disease progression in solid tumor oncology. PMID:22927506

Primary progressive multiple sclerosis in the Polish population

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Waldemar Brola

2017-03-01

Full Text Available Objectives: The aim of the study was the epidemiological analysis and evaluation of selected clinical and sociodemographic factors in Polish patients with primary progressive multiple sclerosis. Methods: The study included patients from 7 provinces in central and eastern Poland registered in the Registry of Patients with Multiple Sclerosis on 31 December 2016. The incidence of various forms of the disease was compared, and clinical, demographic and social disparities between relapsing-remitting and primary progressive multiple sclerosis were analysed. Results: Of 3,199 registered patients, 2,188 persons (66.2% had the relapsing-remitting form of multiple sclerosis, 774 (24.2% had the secondary progressive type and 307 (9.6% suffered from primary progressive disease. The first symptoms of primary progressive multiple sclerosis appeared almost 10 years later than in patients with the relapsing-remitting type (39.2 ± 11.4 vs. 29.8 ± 9.8. The period from the first symptoms to diagnosis was more than twice as long in patients with primary progressive multiple sclerosis (5.8 ± 3.4 as in those with relapsing-remitting disease (2.4 ± 1.6. The average degree of disability in the Expanded Disability Status Scale was similar and amounted to 3.2 ± 2.1 for relapsing-remitting and 3.6 ± 2.4 for primary progressive multiple sclerosis. The relapsing-remitting form was observed more often in women (2.4:1, and the primary progressive form appeared with equal frequency in both sexes (1:1. Disease-modifying treatment was received by 34% of patients with relapsing-remitting and in only 1.9% of patients with primary progressive multiple sclerosis. Conclusions: The primary progressive form affects approximately 10% of Polish patients with multiple sclerosis. The first symptoms appear at about 40 years of age with equal frequency in both sexes, and its diagnosis takes more than twice as much time as in the case of relapsing-remitting multiple

High NUCB2 expression level is associated with metastasis and may promote tumor progression in colorectal cancer.

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Xie, Jun; Chen, Lina; Chen, Wenbin

2018-06-01

Nucleobindin 2 (NUCB2) is mainly expressed in the hypothalamic nuclei and has a proven role in energy homeostasis. It has also been recently reported to have a key role in tumor progression. However, the clinical significance of NUCB2 in colorectal cancer (CRC) remains unknown. In the present study, the level of NUCB2 mRNA was quantified by reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) in 34 paired fresh tissues from patients with CRC. RT-qPCR was followed by immunohistochemical (IHC) staining of NUCB2 protein in tissue microarrays of 251 samples to evaluate the clinical significance of NUCB2 in CRC. The RT-qPCR indicated an upregulation of NUCB2 mRNA in CRC tissues compared with normal tissues (P=0.027). IHC staining indicated a positive association between elevated NUCB2 expression and lymph node metastasis or tumor-node-metastasis (TNM) stage. Patients with CRC and lymph node metastasis demonstrated a higher expression of NUCB2 (49.5%, 50/101) compared with those without lymph node metastasis (36.7%, 55/150; P=0.043). Furthermore, NUCB2 expression was also higher in patients with CRC and TNM stage III-IV compared with those with TNM stage I-II (50.9% vs. 35.0%; P=0.011). However, Kaplan-Meier analysis indicated no significant association between NUCB2 expression and disease-free survival of patients. Additionally, multivariate analysis did not identify the upregulation of NUCB2 as an independent prognostic predictor in patients with CRC (P=0.755). In conclusion, the present study demonstrated that upregulation of NUCB2 is significantly associated with CRC metastasis, indicating that NUCB2 may be a cancer-associated oncogene associated with the aggressive progression of CRC.

Selective expression of long non-coding RNAs in a breast cancer cell progression model.

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Tracy, Kirsten M; Tye, Coralee E; Page, Natalie A; Fritz, Andrew J; Stein, Janet L; Lian, Jane B; Stein, Gary S

2018-02-01

Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) are acknowledged as regulators of cancer biology and pathology. Our goal was to perform a stringent profiling of breast cancer cell lines that represent disease progression. We used the MCF-10 series, which includes the normal-like MCF-10A, HRAS-transformed MCF-10AT1 (pre-malignant), and MCF-10CA1a (malignant) cells, to perform transcriptome wide sequencing. From these data, we have identified 346 lncRNAs with dysregulated expression across the progression series. By comparing lncRNAs from these datasets to those from an additional set of cell lines that represent different disease stages and subtypes, MCF-7 (early stage, luminal), and MDA-MB-231 (late stage, basal), 61 lncRNAs that are associated with breast cancer progression were identified. Querying breast cancer patient data from The Cancer Genome Atlas, we selected a lncRNA, IGF-like family member 2 antisense RNA 1 (IGFL2-AS1), of potential clinical relevance for functional characterization. Among the 61 lncRNAs, IGFL2-AS1 was the most significantly decreased. Our results indicate that this lncRNA plays a role in downregulating its nearest neighbor, IGFL1, and affects migration of breast cancer cells. Furthermore, the lncRNAs we identified provide a valuable resource to mechanistically and clinically understand the contribution of lncRNAs in breast cancer progression. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Prognostic Significance of Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor (VEGF) and Her-2 Protein in the Genesis of Cervical Carcinoma.

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Rahmani, Arshad H; Babiker, Ali Yousif; Alsahli, Mohammed A; Almatroodi, Saleh A; Husain, Nazik Elmalaika O S

2018-02-15

Angiogenesis plays a pivotal role in the progression of tumours through the formation of new blood vessels. Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) is a chief factor responsible for inducing and regulating angiogenesis. Additionally, the human epidermal growth factor receptor family of receptors also plays an important role in the pathogenesis of tumours. This study aimed to examine the association between VEGF and Her-2 protein expression and its correlation with clinic-pathological characteristics; in particular, prognosis. A total of 65 cases of cervical carcinoma and 10 samples of inflammatory lesions were evaluated for VEGF and Her-2 protein expression. Expression of VEGF and Her-2 was detected in 63.07% and 43.07% in cervical carcinoma cases respectively whereas control cases did not show any expression. The difference in the expression pattern of both markers comparing cancer and control cases was statistically significant (p 0.05). Comparing different grades of a tumour, expression of Her-2 was detected in 31.8% of well-differentiated tumours, 36.0 % in moderately differentiated tumours and 66.66 % in poorly differentiated cancers. The expression of Her-2 was increased in high-grade tumours, and the difference of expression level between tumour grades was statistically significant (p 0.05). The present study supports earlier findings that over-expression / up-regulation of VEGF and Her - 2 is linked with poor prognosis and may play a vital role in the development and progression of cervical cancer.

Impacts of fresh lime juice and peel on atherosclerosis progression in an animal model.

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Boshtam, Maryam; Asgary, Sedigheh; Moshtaghian, Jamal; Naderi, Gholamali; Jafari-Dinani, Narges

2013-11-01

The main protective role of antioxidants in the progression of atherosclerosis has been shown in some studies. Therefore, this project evaluated the effects of Citrus aurantifolia (Christm) juice and peel on antioxidant activity and atherosclerosis progression in rabbits receiving a hypercholesterolemic diet. Forty white New Zealand male rabbits were randomly allocated to four groups. All groups were on hypercholesterolemic diet for two months. While the first group was considered as the hypercholesterolemic control, groups 2 and 3 (intervention groups) received 5 ml/day lime juice and 1 g/day dried lime peel powder, respectively. Group 4 was fed a normal diet (normal control). Before and after the study, weight was measured and a fasting blood specimen was taken from the rabbits. Serum lipids analyses and antioxidant activity evaluations were then performed. The rabbits' aorta and coronary arteries were separated and the presence of fatty streaks was studied. Comparing to the hypercholesterolemic control group (-25.2 ± 7.0), only the plasma total antioxidant capacity change was significantly more in rabbits supplemented with lime juice (16.3 ± 14.7) and peel (8.6 ± 7.1) (P = 0.008). The presence of fatty streaks in coronary arteries and aorta of the intervention groups [juice (0.2 ± 0.01); peel (0.0 ± 0.00)] was significantly decreased compared to the hypercholesterolemic control group (1.2 ± 0.4) (P lime peel is more effective than lime juice.

Overexpression of Cullin7 is associated with hepatocellular carcinoma progression and pathogenesis.

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An, Jun; Zhang, Zhigang; Liu, Zhiyong; Wang, Ruizhi; Hui, Dayang; Jin, Yi

2017-12-06

Overexpression of Cullin7 is associated with some types of malignancies. However, the part of Cullin7 in hepatocellular carcinoma remains unclear. The aim of this study was to investigate the role of Cullin7 in pathogenesis and the progression of hepatocellular carcinoma. In the present study, the expression of Cullin7 in hepatocellular carcinoma cell lines and five surgical hepatocellular carcinoma specimens was detected with quantitative reverse transcription PCR and western blotting. In addition, the protein expression of Cullin7 was examined in 162 cases of archived hepatocellular carcinoma using immunohistochemistry. We found elevated expression of both mRNA and protein levels of Cullin7 in hepatocellular carcinoma cell lines, and Cullin7 protein was significantly upregulated in hepatocellular carcinoma compared with paired normal hepatic tissues. The immunohistochemistry analysis revealed that overexpression of Cullin7 occurred in 69.1% of hepatocellular carcinoma samples, which was a significantly higher rate than that in adjacent normal hepatic tissue (P hepatocellular carcinoma HepG2 cells, we revealed that Cullin7 could significantly enhance cell proliferation, growth, migration and invasion. Conversely, knocking down Cullin7 expression with short hairpin RNAi in hepatocellular carcinoma HepG2 cells inhibited cell proliferation, growth, migration and invasion. Our studies provide evidence that overexpression of Cullin7 plays an important role in the pathogenesis and progression of hepatocellular carcinoma and may be a valuable marker for hepatocellular carcinoma management.

High-response hybrid quantum dots- 2D conductor phototransistors: recent progress and perspectives

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Sablon, Kimberly A.; Sergeev, Andrei; Najmaei, Sina; Dubey, Madan

2017-03-01

Having been inspired by the tremendous progress in material nanoscience and device nanoengineering, hybrid phototransistors combine solution processed colloidal semiconductor quantum dots (QDs) with graphene or two-dimensional (2D) semiconductor materials. Novel detectors demonstrate ultrahigh photoconductive gain, high and selective photoresponse, low noise, and very high responsivity in visible- and near-infrared ranges. The outstanding performance of phototransistors is primarily due to the strong, selective, and size tunable absorption of QDs and fast charge transfer in 2D high mobility conductors. However, the relatively small mobility of QD nanomaterials was a technological barrier, which limited the operating rate of devices. Very recent innovations in detector design and significant progress in QD ligand engineering provide effective tools for further qualitative improvements. This article reviews the recent progress in material science, nanophysics, and device engineering related to hybrid phototransistors. Detectors based on various QD nanomaterials and several 2D conductors are compared, and advantages and disadvantages of various nanomaterials for applications in hybrid phototransistors are identified. We also benchmark the experimental characteristics with model results that establish interrelations and tradeoffs between detector characteristics, such as responsivity, dark and noise currents, the photocarrier lifetime, response, and noise bandwidths. We have shown that the most recent phototransistors demonstrate performance limited by the fundamental generation recombination noise in high gain devices. Interrelation between the dynamic range of the detector and the detector sensitivity is discussed. The review is concluded with a brief discussion of the remaining challenges and possible significant improvements in the performance of hybrid phototransistors.

High-response hybrid quantum dots- 2D conductor phototransistors: recent progress and perspectives

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sablon Kimberly A.

2017-03-01

Full Text Available Having been inspired by the tremendous progress in material nanoscience and device nanoengineering, hybrid phototransistors combine solution processed colloidal semiconductor quantum dots (QDs with graphene or two-dimensional (2D semiconductor materials. Novel detectors demonstrate ultrahigh photoconductive gain, high and selective photoresponse, low noise, and very high responsivity in visible- and near-infrared ranges. The outstanding performance of phototransistors is primarily due to the strong, selective, and size tunable absorption of QDs and fast charge transfer in 2D high mobility conductors. However, the relatively small mobility of QD nanomaterials was a technological barrier, which limited the operating rate of devices. Very recent innovations in detector design and significant progress in QD ligand engineering provide effective tools for further qualitative improvements. This article reviews the recent progress in material science, nanophysics, and device engineering related to hybrid phototransistors. Detectors based on various QD nanomaterials and several 2D conductors are compared, and advantages and disadvantages of various nanomaterials for applications in hybrid phototransistors are identified. We also benchmark the experimental characteristics with model results that establish interrelations and tradeoffs between detector characteristics, such as responsivity, dark and noise currents, the photocarrier lifetime, response, and noise bandwidths. We have shown that the most recent phototransistors demonstrate performance limited by the fundamental generation recombination noise in high gain devices. Interrelation between the dynamic range of the detector and the detector sensitivity is discussed. The review is concluded with a brief discussion of the remaining challenges and possible significant improvements in the performance of hybrid phototransistors.

Progress in neuromorphic photonics

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Ferreira de Lima, Thomas; Shastri, Bhavin J.; Tait, Alexander N.; Nahmias, Mitchell A.; Prucnal, Paul R.

2017-03-01

As society's appetite for information continues to grow, so does our need to process this information with increasing speed and versatility. Many believe that the one-size-fits-all solution of digital electronics is becoming a limiting factor in certain areas such as data links, cognitive radio, and ultrafast control. Analog photonic devices have found relatively simple signal processing niches where electronics can no longer provide sufficient speed and reconfigurability. Recently, the landscape for commercially manufacturable photonic chips has been changing rapidly and now promises to achieve economies of scale previously enjoyed solely by microelectronics. By bridging the mathematical prowess of artificial neural networks to the underlying physics of optoelectronic devices, neuromorphic photonics could breach new domains of information processing demanding significant complexity, low cost, and unmatched speed. In this article, we review the progress in neuromorphic photonics, focusing on photonic integrated devices. The challenges and design rules for optoelectronic instantiation of artificial neurons are presented. The proposed photonic architecture revolves around the processing network node composed of two parts: a nonlinear element and a network interface. We then survey excitable lasers in the recent literature as candidates for the nonlinear node and microring-resonator weight banks as the network interface. Finally, we compare metrics between neuromorphic electronics and neuromorphic photonics and discuss potential applications.

Academic Progress of Students across Inclusive and Traditional Settings

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Cole, Cassandra M.; Waldron, Nancy; Majd, Massoumeh

2004-01-01

Effects of inclusive school settings for students in six Indiana school corporations were investigated. Results reveal that students without disabilities educated in inclusive settings made significantly greater academic progress in mathematics and reading. For students with disabilities, there were no significant differences in reading and math…

Prognostic significance of miR-205 in endometrial cancer.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mihriban Karaayvaz

Full Text Available microRNAs have emerged as key regulators of gene expression, and their altered expression has been associated with tumorigenesis and tumor progression. Thus, microRNAs have potential as both cancer biomarkers and/or potential novel therapeutic targets. Although accumulating evidence suggests the role of aberrant microRNA expression in endometrial carcinogenesis, there are still limited data available about the prognostic significance of microRNAs in endometrial cancer. The goal of this study is to investigate the prognostic value of selected key microRNAs in endometrial cancer by the analysis of archival formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded tissues.Total RNAs were extracted from 48 paired normal and endometrial tumor specimens using Trizol based approach. The expression of miR-26a, let-7g, miR-21, miR-181b, miR-200c, miR-192, miR-215, miR-200c, and miR-205 were quantified by real time qRT-PCR expression analysis. Targets of the differentially expressed miRNAs were quantified using immunohistochemistry. Statistical analysis was performed by GraphPad Prism 5.0.The expression levels of miR-200c (P<0.0001 and miR-205 (P<0.0001 were significantly increased in endometrial tumors compared to normal tissues. Kaplan-Meier survival analysis revealed that high levels of miR-205 expression were associated with poor patient overall survival (hazard ratio, 0.377; Logrank test, P = 0.028. Furthermore, decreased expression of a miR-205 target PTEN was detected in endometrial cancer tissues compared to normal tissues.miR-205 holds a unique potential as a prognostic biomarker in endometrial cancer.

Slower Fibrosis Progression Among Liver Transplant Recipients With Sustained Virological Response After Hepatitis C Treatment

Science.gov (United States)

Habib, Shahid; Meister, Edward; Habib, Sana; Murakami, Traci; Walker, Courtney; Rana, Abbas; Shaikh, Obaid S.

2015-01-01

Background The natural course of hepatic fibrosis in HCV allograft recipients with sustained virological response (SVR) after anti-HCV therapy remains debatable. The aim of this study was to examine the progression of fibrosis in a cohort of patients who achieved SVR compared with those without treatment. Methods The 167 patients who met the inclusion and exclusion criteria were chosen from a transplant database. All patients were required to have histological evidence of recurrent HCV infection post-liver transplantation and a follow-up biopsy. The 140 of these patients had received anti-viral therapy. Twenty-seven patients were identified as controls and were matched with the treatment group in all respects. The patients were categorized into four groups based on treatment response: 1) no treatment (control) (n = 27); 2) non-responders (n = 81); 3) relapsers (n = 32); and 4) SVR (n = 27). The endpoint was the stage of fibrosis on the follow-up liver biopsy. Results The treated and untreated groups were similar in clinical characteristics at the time of transplantation and prior to the initiation of treatment. The 72% of the cohort showed a fibrosis progression of ≥ 1 stage; this change did not significantly differ between the patient groups. Nonetheless, the fibrosis progression rate was the highest in the untreated group and lowest in the patients who achieved SVR. A coefficient of determination was used. Improvements in fibrosis scores were found with greater treatment duration. These improvements were most evident with the achievement of SVR. Conclusions In conclusion, SVR after anti-viral therapy for recurrent hepatitis C infection post-transplantation was associated with slower fibrosis progression and significantly improved graft survival. PMID:27785303

Preimplantation genetic screening for all 24 chromosomes by microarray comparative genomic hybridization significantly increases implantation rates and clinical pregnancy rates in patients undergoing in vitro fertilization with poor prognosis

Science.gov (United States)

Majumdar, Gaurav; Majumdar, Abha; Lall, Meena; Verma, Ishwar C.; Upadhyaya, Kailash C.

2016-01-01

CONTEXT: A majority of human embryos produced in vitro are aneuploid, especially in couples undergoing in vitro fertilization (IVF) with poor prognosis. Preimplantation genetic screening (PGS) for all 24 chromosomes has the potential to select the most euploid embryos for transfer in such cases. AIM: To study the efficacy of PGS for all 24 chromosomes by microarray comparative genomic hybridization (array CGH) in Indian couples undergoing IVF cycles with poor prognosis. SETTINGS AND DESIGN: A retrospective, case–control study was undertaken in an institution-based tertiary care IVF center to compare the clinical outcomes of twenty patients, who underwent 21 PGS cycles with poor prognosis, with 128 non-PGS patients in the control group, with the same inclusion criterion as for the PGS group. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Single cells were obtained by laser-assisted embryo biopsy from day 3 embryos and subsequently analyzed by array CGH for all 24 chromosomes. Once the array CGH results were available on the morning of day 5, only chromosomally normal embryos that had progressed to blastocyst stage were transferred. RESULTS: The implantation rate and clinical pregnancy rate (PR) per transfer were found to be significantly higher in the PGS group than in the control group (63.2% vs. 26.2%, P = 0.001 and 73.3% vs. 36.7%, P = 0.006, respectively), while the multiple PRs sharply declined from 31.9% to 9.1% in the PGS group. CONCLUSIONS: In this pilot study, we have shown that PGS by array CGH can improve the clinical outcome in patients undergoing IVF with poor prognosis. PMID:27382234

The influence of critical thinking skills on performance and progression in a pre-registration nursing program.

Science.gov (United States)

Pitt, Victoria; Powis, David; Levett-Jones, Tracy; Hunter, Sharyn

2015-01-01

The importance of developing critical thinking skills in preregistration nursing students is recognized worldwide. Yet, there has been limited exploration of how students' critical thinking skill scores on entry to pre-registration nursing education influence their academic and clinical performance and progression. The aim of this study was to: i) describe entry and exit critical thinking scores of nursing students enrolled in a three year bachelor of nursing program in Australia in comparison to norm scores; ii) explore entry critical thinking scores in relation to demographic characteristics, students' performance and progression. This longitudinal correlational study used the Health Sciences Reasoning Test (HSRT) to measure critical thinking skills in a sample (n=134) of students, at entry and exit (three years later). A one sample t-test was used to determine if differences existed between matched student critical thinking scores between entry and exit points. Academic performance, clinical performance and progression data were collected and correlations with entry critical thinking scores were examined. There was a significant relationship between critical thinking scores, academic performance and students' risk of failing, especially in the first semester of study. Critical thinking scores were predictive of program completion within three years. The increase in critical thinking scores from entry to exit was significant for the 28 students measured. In comparison to norm scores, entry level critical thinking scores were significantly lower, but exit scores were comparable. Critical thinking scores had no significant relationship to clinical performance. Entry critical thinking scores significantly correlate to academic performance and predict students risk of course failure and ability to complete a nursing degree in three years. Students' critical thinking scores are an important determinant of their success and as such can inform curriculum development and

Comparing fixed-amount and progressive-amount DRO Schedules for tic suppression in youth with chronic tic disorders.

Science.gov (United States)

Capriotti, Matthew R; Turkel, Jennifer E; Johnson, Rachel A; Espil, Flint M; Woods, Douglas W

2017-01-01

Chronic tic disorders (CTDs) involve motor and/or vocal tics that often cause substantial distress and impairment. Differential reinforcement of other behavior (DRO) schedules of reinforcement produce robust, but incomplete, reductions in tic frequency in youth with CTDs; however, a more robust reduction may be needed to affect durable clinical change. Standard, fixed-amount DRO schedules have not commonly yielded such reductions, so we evaluated a novel, progressive-amount DRO schedule, based on its ability to facilitate sustained abstinence from functionally similar behaviors. Five youth with CTDs were exposed to periods of baseline, fixed-amount DRO (DRO-F), and progressive-amount DRO (DRO-P). Both DRO schedules produced decreases in tic rate and increases in intertic interval duration, but no systematic differences were seen between the two schedules on any dimension of tic occurrence. The DRO-F schedule was generally preferred to the DRO-P schedule. Possible procedural improvements and other future directions are discussed. © 2016 Society for the Experimental Analysis of Behavior.

Association of weight change with progression of meniscal intrasubstance degeneration over 48 months. Data from the Osteoarthritis Initiative

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Brandao Guimaraes, Julio [University of California, Musculoskeletal and Quantitative Imaging Research Group (MQIR), Department of Radiology and Biomedical Imaging, San Francisco, CA (United States); Federal University of Sao Paulo (UNIFESP), Department of Radiology, Sao Paulo (Brazil); DASA Laboratory, Department of Radiology, Sao Paulo (Brazil); Nevitt, Michael C.; McCulloch, Charles E.; Liu, Felix [University of California, Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, San Francisco, CA (United States); Schwaiger, Benedikt J.; Gersing, Alexandra S.; Facchetti, Luca; Bucknor, Matthew D.; Chanchek, Nattagan; Joseph, Gabby B.; Link, Thomas M. [University of California, Musculoskeletal and Quantitative Imaging Research Group (MQIR), Department of Radiology and Biomedical Imaging, San Francisco, CA (United States)

2018-03-15

To investigate the association of weight change over 48 months with progression of meniscal intrasubstance degeneration (MID). We studied 487 subjects with MID at baseline and after 48 months using 3-T MRI with the same protocol (FSE sequences with and without fat suppression). These participants lost weight (≥3%, n = 141), had moderate weight gain (3-10%, n = 77), substantial weight gain (>10%, n = 15) or maintained stable weight (n = 254). Progression of MID to a meniscal tear was assessed using the WORMS grading system and compared among weight change groups using logistic regression. ANOVA and chi-square tests were used to study the differences in subjects' characteristics. Progression of MID increased from weight loss to substantial weight gain (p < 0.001) and was significantly more likely with both moderate weight gain (odds ratio [OR], 4.9; 95% confidence interval [CI] 2.4-8.9) and substantial weight gain (OR, 9.5; 95% CI 3.2-28.5) compared to stable weight. Results were similar in both menisci for moderate weight gain (medial: OR, 6.8; 95% CI 3.5-11.3; lateral: OR, 2.6; 95% CI 1.1-6.6) and substantial weight gain (medial: OR, 21.0; 95% CI 5.1-80.7; lateral: OR, 9.7; 95% CI 0.95-100.2). Weight gain is associated with an increased likelihood that meniscal intrasubstance degeneration will progress with the risk increasing with greater weight gain. (orig.)

Progressively unstable c2 spondylolysis requiring spinal fusion: case report.

Science.gov (United States)

Nishimura, Yusuke; Ellis, Michael John; Anderson, Jennifer; Hara, Masahito; Natsume, Atsushi; Ginsberg, Howard Joeseph

2014-01-01

Cervical spondylolysis is a rare condition defined as a corticated cleft at the pars interarticularis in the cervical spine. This is the case of C2 spondylolysis demonstrating progressive significant instability, which was successfully treated by anterior cervical discectomy and fusion (ACDF) with cervical anterior plate. We describe a 20-year-old female with C2 spondylolysis presenting with progressive worsening of neck pain associated with progressive instability at the C2/3 segment. The progression of instability was well-documented on flexion-extension cervical spine x-rays. She was successfully treated by C2/3 ACDF with anterior cervical plate. Her preoperative significant neck pain resolved immediately after the surgical intervention. She was completely free from neurological symptoms at 1-year postoperative follow-up. We also review the literature and discuss 24 reported cases with C2 spondylolysis. When planning treatment, we should make sure to differentiate this pathology from acute traumatic fracture, which is a hangman's fracture. Assessment of C2/3 instability associated with neurological deficits is extremely important to consider management properly. C2/3 ACDF with cervical plate is biomechanically viable, less invasive, and provides adequate surgical stabilization for unstable C2 spondylolysis.

Creatinine measurements often yielded false estimates of progression in chronic renal failure

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Walser, M.; Drew, H.H.; LaFrance, N.D.

1988-01-01

In 9 of 22 observation periods (lasting an average of 15 months) in 17 patients with moderate to severe chronic renal failure (GFR 4 to 23 ml/min), rates of progression as estimated from the linear regression on time of 24-hour creatinine clearance (b1) differed significantly from rates of progression as estimated from the regression on time of urinary clearance of 99mTc-DTPA (b2), during all or part of the period of observation. b1 exceeded b2 in four cases and was less than b2 in the other five. Thus there were gradual changes in the fractional tubular secretion of creatinine in individual patients, in both directions. Owing to these changes, measurements of creatinine clearance gave erroneous impressions of the rate or existence of progression during all or a portion of the period of observation in nearly half of these patients. In the 22 studies as a group, using the entire periods of observation, b1 indicated significantly more rapid progression (by 0.18 +/- 0.06 ml/min/month, P less than 0.01) than did b2, and had a significantly greater variance. Measurements of progression based on the rate of change of reciprocal plasma creatinine (multiplied by an average rate of urinary creatinine excretion in each study) were equally misleading, even though less variable. We conclude that sequential creatinine measurements are often misleading as measures of progression and should, when feasible, be replaced by urinary clearance of isotopes in following patients with chronic renal failure

Gastric emptying abnormalities in progressive systemic sclerosis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sridhar, K.; Magyar, L.; Lange, R.; McCallum, R.W.

1985-01-01

The authors studied gastric emptying (GE) in patients with peripheral manifestations of progressive systemic sclerosis (PSS) using a radionuclide method. 18 patients underwent esophageal manometry and a GE study using chicken liver labeled in vivo with Tc-99m sulfur colloid as a marker of solid emptying. GE was also measured in 13 normal volunteers. 4 PSS patients with normal esophageal motility also had normal GE. The GE of 14 PSS patients with abnormal esophageal motility was significantly (p < 0.05) delayed; with 67.4% retention of isotope after 2 hours compared to 49.8 in normals. The authors conclude that GE of solids is slow in approximately 2/3 of PSS patients with abnormal esophageal motility but is normal if the esophagus is uninvolved; Delayed GE may contribute to the severity of gastroesophageal reflux in PSS patients and the degree of dysphasgia; and Metoclopramide accelerates GE in PSS patients and should have a valuable therapeutic role

Progress in InP solar cell research

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Weinberg, I.; Brinker, D.J.

1988-01-01

Progress, in the past year, in InP solar cell research is reviewed. Small area cells with AMO, total area efficiencies of 18.8 percent were produced by OMCVD and Ion Implantation. Larger area cells (2 and 4 sq cm) were processed on a production basis. One thousand of the 2 sq cm cells will be used to supply power to a small piggyback lunar orbiter scheduled for launch in February 1990. Laboratory tests of ITO/InP cells, under 10 MeV proton irradiation, indicate radiation resistance comparable to InP n/p homojunction cells. Computer modeling studies indicate that, for identical geometries and dopant concentrations, InP solar cells are significantly more radiation resistant than GaAs under 1 MeV electron irradiation. Additional computer modeling calculations were used to produce rectangular and circular InP concentrator cell designs for both the low concentration SLATS and higher concentration Cassegrainian Concentrators

Predictors of disease progression in HIV infection: a review

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ananworanich Jintanat

2007-05-01

Full Text Available Abstract During the extended clinically latent period associated with Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV infection the virus itself is far from latent. This phase of infection generally comes to an end with the development of symptomatic illness. Understanding the factors affecting disease progression can aid treatment commencement and therapeutic monitoring decisions. An example of this is the clear utility of CD4+ T-cell count and HIV-RNA for disease stage and progression assessment. Elements of the immune response such as the diversity of HIV-specific cytotoxic lymphocyte responses and cell-surface CD38 expression correlate significantly with the control of viral replication. However, the relationship between soluble markers of immune activation and disease progression remains inconclusive. In patients on treatment, sustained virological rebound to >10 000 copies/mL is associated with poor clinical outcome. However, the same is not true of transient elevations of HIV RNA (blips. Another virological factor, drug resistance, is becoming a growing problem around the globe and monitoring must play a part in the surveillance and control of the epidemic worldwide. The links between chemokine receptor tropism and rate of disease progression remain uncertain and the clinical utility of monitoring viral strain is yet to be determined. The large number of confounding factors has made investigation of the roles of race and viral subtype difficult, and further research is needed to elucidate their significance. Host factors such as age, HLA and CYP polymorphisms and psychosocial factors remain important, though often unalterable, predictors of disease progression. Although gender and mode of transmission have a lesser role in disease progression, they may impact other markers such as viral load. Finally, readily measurable markers of disease such as total lymphocyte count, haemoglobin, body mass index and delayed type hypersensitivity may come into favour

A Role for TIMP-1 in Breast Cancer Progression

National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

Cardelli, James

2004-01-01

... as compared to patients that survive. This suggests that this protein may have multiple functions that include both inhibition of cancer promoting proteinases and stimulation of cell-signaling pathways that promote cancer progression...

Prominent microglial activation in cortical white matter is selectively associated with cortical atrophy in primary progressive aphasia.

Science.gov (United States)

Ohm, Daniel T; Kim, Garam; Gefen, Tamar; Rademaker, Alfred; Weintraub, Sandra; Bigio, Eileen; Mesulam, M-Marsel; Rogalski, Emily; Geula, Changiz

2018-04-21

Primary progressive aphasia (PPA) is a clinical syndrome characterized by selective language impairments associated with focal cortical atrophy favouring the language dominant hemisphere. PPA is associated with Alzheimer's disease (AD), frontotemporal lobar degeneration (FTLD), and significant accumulation of activated microglia. Activated microglia can initiate an inflammatory cascade that may contribute to neurodegeneration, but their quantitative distribution in cortical white matter and their relationship with cortical atrophy are unknown. We investigated white matter activated microglia and their association with grey matter atrophy in 10 PPA cases with either AD or FTLD-TDP pathology. Activated microglia were quantified with optical density measures of HLA-DR immunoreactivity in two regions with peak cortical atrophy, and one non-atrophied region within the language dominant hemisphere of each PPA case. Non-atrophied contralateral homologues of the language dominant regions were examined for hemispheric asymmetry. Qualitatively, greater densities of activated microglia were observed in cortical white matter when compared to grey matter. Quantitative analyses revealed significantly greater densities of activated microglia in the white matter of atrophied regions compared to non-atrophied regions in the language dominant hemisphere (p<0.05). Atrophied regions of the language dominant hemisphere also showed significantly more activated microglia compared to contralateral homologues (p<0.05). White matter activated microglia accumulate more in atrophied regions in the language dominant hemisphere of PPA. While microglial activation may constitute a response to neurodegenerative processes in white matter, the resultant inflammatory processes may also exacerbate disease progression and contribute to cortical atrophy. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

Influence of Vehicles Used for Oral Dosing of Test Molecules on the Progression of Mycobacterium tuberculosis Infection in Mice

OpenAIRE

Singh, Shubhra; Dwivedi, Richa; Chaturvedi, Vinita

2014-01-01

Preclinical evaluation of drug-like molecules requires their oral administration to experimental animals using suitable vehicles. We studied the effect of oral dosing with corn oil, carboxymethyl cellulose, dimethyl sulfoxide, and polysorbate-80 on the progression of Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection in mice. Infection was monitored by physical (survival time and body weight) and bacteriological (viable counts in lungs) parameters. Compared with water, corn oil significantly improved both ...

Progressive Taxation, Wage Bargaining, and Endogenous Working Time

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Kreiner, Claus Thustrup

This paper analyses the impact of tax reforms that decrease income tax progression in an equilibrium search model with wage bargaining and endogenous individual working time. The working time is either bargained together with the hourly wage (case 1) or determined solely by workers after bargaining...... over the wage (case 2). In both cases reducing tax progression increases working time of employed and, more interestingly, increases unambiguously wages and unemployment. Wages and unemployment rise more and working time and production less in case 1 compared to case 2; probably making case 2 countries...... best suited for such tax reforms...

Progressive Climate Change on Titan: Implications for Habitability

Science.gov (United States)

Moore, J. M.; A. D. Howard

2014-01-01

Titan's landscape is profoundly shaped by its atmosphere and comparable in magnitude perhaps with only the Earth and Mars amongst the worlds of the Solar System. Like the Earth, climate dictates the intensity and relative roles of fluvial and aeolian activity from place to place and over geologic time. Thus Titan's landscape is the record of climate change. We have investigated three broad classes of Titan climate evolution hypotheses (Steady State, Progressive, and Cyclic), regulated by the role, sources, and availability of methane. We favor the Progressive hypotheses, which we will outline here, then discuss their implication for habitability.

Clinical significance of adiponectin expression in colon cancer patients

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mustafa Canhoroz

2014-01-01

Conclusion: Adiponectin, which is secreted by adipose tissue, may have a role in the development and progression of cancer via its pro-apoptotic and/or anti-proliferative effects. Adiponectin expression in tumor tissues is likely to have a negative effect on disease - free survival in patients with stage II/III colon cancer; however, no statistically significant effect was demonstrated.

Progress Report

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Duer, Karsten

1999-01-01

Progress report describing the work carried out by the Danish participant in the ALTSET project in the period January 1999 to July 1999.......Progress report describing the work carried out by the Danish participant in the ALTSET project in the period January 1999 to July 1999....

Progress Report

Science.gov (United States)

2018-05-16

This report summarizes the annual progress of EPA’s Clean Air Markets Programs such as the Acid Rain Program (ARP) and the Cross-State Air Pollution Rule (CSAPR). EPA systematically collects data on emissions, compliance, and environmental effects, these data are highlighted in our Progress Reports.

The relationship of the gene polymorphisms of matrix metalloproteinase-1, -2, -3 and -9 to the progression of coronary atherosclerotic plaque

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hu Jian; Lu Lin; Wu Liqun; Zhang Qi; Ding Feghua; Yang Zhenkun; Zhang Ruiyan; Zhang Jiansheng; Shen Weifeng

2009-01-01

Objective: To evaluate the influence of the gene polymorphisms of matrix metalloproteinase(mmp)-1, -2, -3 and -9 on coronary atherosclerotic plaque progression. Methods: During the period of January 2005-December 2008, 80 patients with coronary heart disease underwent two times coronary angiography at authors' hospital. Based on the angiographic findings, the patients were classified into plaque progression group (n = 31) and plaque non-progression group (n = 49). Coronary atherosclerotic plaque progression was arbitrarily defined as that the minimal lumen diameter (MLD) of coronary artery showed a decrease ≥ 0.4 mm on the second coronary angiography. The detailed history and clinical examination results were collected, including serum concentrations of lipid profiling, fasting glucose and hs-CRP. Genotypings for polymorphic variances of MMP-1 (-1607 G / GG), MMP-2 (-955 A / C), MMP-3 (-1612 5A / 6A ) and MMP-9 (-1562 C/T) were performed by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and sequencing analysis in two groups. Comparison of the clinical characteristics and polymorphisms between two groups was made to assess their effects on coronary atherosclerotic plaque progression. Results: More female patients and patients with acute coronary syndrome (ACS) were noted in patients with plaque progression compare to those with no progression (41.9% vs. 18.4%, P < 0.05 and 77.4% vs. 46.3%, P < 0.01, respectively). The serum hs-CRP level also significantly increased in group with plaque progression (0.26 ± 0.44 mg / L vs. 0.02 ± 0.14 mg / L, P < 0.01). Multivariable logistic regression analysis revealed that serum hs-CRP concentration and ACS were independent risk factors of coronary atherosclerotic plaque progression (OR: 12.63,95% CI:1.45-110.29, P < 0.05 and OR:2.99,95% CI:1.04-8.63, P < 0.05, respectively). The frequencies of 6A / 6A genotype and 6A allele of MMP-3 promoter at location -1612 were significantly higher in group with plaque progression than that in group with

Tracking the follow-up of work in progress papers.

Science.gov (United States)

Mubin, Omar; Arsalan, Mudassar; Al Mahmud, Abdullah

2018-01-01

Academic conferences offer numerous submission tracks to support the inclusion of a variety of researchers and topics. Work in progress papers are one such submission type where authors present preliminary results in a poster session. They have recently gained popularity in the area of Human Computer Interaction (HCI) as a relatively easier pathway to attending the conference due to their higher acceptance rate as compared to the main tracks. However, it is not clear if these work in progress papers are further extended or transitioned into more complete and thorough full papers or are simply one-off pieces of research. In order to answer this we explore self-citation patterns of four work in progress editions in two popular HCI conferences (CHI2010, CHI2011, HRI2010 and HRI2011). Our results show that almost 50% of the work in progress papers do not have any self-citations and approximately only half of the self-citations can be considered as true extensions of the original work in progress paper. Specific conferences dominate as the preferred venue where extensions of these work in progress papers are published. Furthermore, the rate of self-citations peaks in the immediate year after publication and gradually tails off. By tracing author publication records, we also delve into possible reasons of work in progress papers not being cited in follow up publications. In conclusion, we speculate on the main trends observed and what they may mean looking ahead for the work in progress track of premier HCI conferences.

[Robot-assisted surgery - Progress or expensive toy? : Matched-pair comparative analysis of robot-assisted cholecystectomy vs. laparoscopic cholecystectomy].

Science.gov (United States)

Albrecht, R; Haase, D; Zippel, R; Koch, H; Settmacher, U

2017-12-01

By means of a matched-pair analysis comparing data obtained from laparoscopic cholecystectomy (LC) and robot-assisted laparoscopic cholecystectomy (RAC), the value of both methods as well as the advantages and disadvantages of both approaches were elucidated. The consideration was carried out by evaluation of postoperative surgical results, a cost analysis and a subjective survey of the patients using a questionnaire. Thus, from the 35 consecutive RAC, 35 (parallel) retrospectively matched pairs were established. Postoperative surgical results did not show any significant differences between LC and RAC. In the individual assessment by each patient, there were also no significant differences; however, there was a tendency towards the assessment of the RAC to be slightly worse. A striking difference was found with respect to the cost analysis at the time of surgery. The RAC operation alone is significantly more expensive compared to LC with respect to maintenance and acquisition costs. In addition, RAC can at present not be completely reimbursed under the current German diagnosis-related system. The postulated advantages of RAC comprise mainly the precise preparation within narrow confinements and the favorable ergonomic handling for the surgeon. The basic prerequisites are control of the costs and a reasonable reflection in the current reimbursement system.

Progression of brain atrophy in the early stages of Parkinson's disease: a longitudinal tensor-based morphometry study in de novo patients without cognitive impairment.

Science.gov (United States)

Tessa, Carlo; Lucetti, Claudio; Giannelli, Marco; Diciotti, Stefano; Poletti, Michele; Danti, Sabrina; Baldacci, Filippo; Vignali, Claudio; Bonuccelli, Ubaldo; Mascalchi, Mario; Toschi, Nicola

2014-08-01

The presence of brain atrophy and its progression in early Parkinson's disease (PD) are still a matter of debate, particularly in patients without cognitive impairment. The aim of this longitudinal study was to assess whether PD patients who remain cognitively intact develop progressive atrophic changes in the early stages of the disease. For this purpose, we employed high-resolution T1-weighted MR imaging to compare 22 drug-naïve de novo PD patients without cognitive impairment to 17 age-matched control subjects, both at baseline and at three-year follow-up. We used tensor-based morphometry to explore the presence of atrophic changes at baseline and to compute yearly atrophy rates, after which we performed voxel-wise group comparisons using threshold-free cluster enhancement. At baseline, we did not observe significant differences in regional atrophy in PD patients with respect to control subjects. In contrast, PD patients showed significantly higher yearly atrophy rates in the prefrontal cortex, anterior cingulum, caudate nucleus, and thalamus when compared to control subjects. Our results indicate that even cognitively preserved PD patients show progressive cortical and subcortical atrophic changes in regions related to cognitive functions and that these changes are already detectable in the early stages of the disease. Copyright © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

A stochastic model for identifying differential gene pair co-expression patterns in prostate cancer progression

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mao Yu

2009-07-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background The identification of gene differential co-expression patterns between cancer stages is a newly developing method to reveal the underlying molecular mechanisms of carcinogenesis. Most researches of this subject lack an algorithm useful for performing a statistical significance assessment involving cancer progression. Lacking this specific algorithm is apparently absent in identifying precise gene pairs correlating to cancer progression. Results In this investigation we studied gene pair co-expression change by using a stochastic process model for approximating the underlying dynamic procedure of the co-expression change during cancer progression. Also, we presented a novel analytical method named 'Stochastic process model for Identifying differentially co-expressed Gene pair' (SIG method. This method has been applied to two well known prostate cancer data sets: hormone sensitive versus hormone resistant, and healthy versus cancerous. From these data sets, 428,582 gene pairs and 303,992 gene pairs were identified respectively. Afterwards, we used two different current statistical methods to the same data sets, which were developed to identify gene pair differential co-expression and did not consider cancer progression in algorithm. We then compared these results from three different perspectives: progression analysis, gene pair identification effectiveness analysis, and pathway enrichment analysis. Statistical methods were used to quantify the quality and performance of these different perspectives. They included: Re-identification Scale (RS and Progression Score (PS in progression analysis, True Positive Rate (TPR in gene pair analysis, and Pathway Enrichment Score (PES in pathway analysis. Our results show small values of RS and large values of PS, TPR, and PES; thus, suggesting that gene pairs identified by the SIG method are highly correlated with cancer progression, and highly enriched in disease-specific pathways. From

Comparing the effect of hypercapnia and hypoxia on the electroencephalogram during wakefulness.

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, David; Yee, Brendon J; Wong, Keith K; Kim, Jong Won; Dijk, Derk-Jan; Duffin, James; Grunstein, Ronald R

2015-01-01

Hypoxia has been postulated as a key mechanism for neurocognitive impairment in sleep-disordered breathing. However, the effect of hypoxia on the electroencephalogram (EEG) is not clear. We examined quantitative EEG recordings from 20 normal volunteers under three 5-min ventilatory control protocols: progressive hypercapnia with iso-hyperoxia (pO2=150mmHg) (Protocol 1), progressive hypercapnia with iso-hypoxia (pO2=50mmHg) (Protocol 2), and progressive hypoxia with a CO2 scrubber in the circuit (Protocol 3). Each protocol started with a 5-min session of breathing room air as baseline. In Protocol 1, compared to its baseline, iso-hyperoxia hypercapnia led to a lower Alpha% and higher Delta/Alpha (D/A) ratio. Similarly, in Protocol 2, the iso-hypoxia hypercapnia induced a higher Delta%, a lower Alpha% and higher D/A ratio. No difference was found in any EEG spectral band including the D/A ratio when Protocols 1 & 2 were compared. In Protocol 3, the Delta%, Alpha% and D/A ratio recorded during hypoxia were not significantly different from baseline. We found that hypercapnia, but not hypoxia, may play a key role in slowing of the EEG in healthy humans. Hypercapnia may be a greater influence than hypoxia on brain neuroelectrical activities. Copyright © 2014 International Federation of Clinical Neurophysiology. Published by Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

The receptor for advanced glycation end products (RAGE contributes to the progression of emphysema in mice.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Nisha Sambamurthy

Full Text Available Several recent clinical studies have implied a role for the receptor for advanced glycation end products (RAGE and its variants in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD. In this study we have defined a role for RAGE in the pathogenesis of emphysema in mice. RAGE deficient mice (RAGE-/- exposed to chronic cigarette smoke were significantly protected from smoke induced emphysema as determined by airspace enlargement and had no significant reduction in lung tissue elastance when compared to their air exposed controls contrary to their wild type littermates. The progression of emphysema has been largely attributed to an increased inflammatory cell-mediated elastolysis. Acute cigarette smoke exposure in RAGE-/- mice revealed an impaired early recruitment of neutrophils, approximately a 6-fold decrease compared to wild type mice. Hence, impaired neutrophil recruitment with continued cigarette smoke exposure reduces elastolysis and consequent emphysema.

A comparative study of ethamsylate and mefenamic acid in dysfunctional uterine bleeding.

Science.gov (United States)

Chamberlain, G; Freeman, R; Price, F; Kennedy, A; Green, D; Eve, L

1991-07-01

The effects of ethamsylate and mefenamic acid on menstrual blood loss were compared in a double-blind trial in 34 women with menorrhagia. Both drugs produced statistically significant reductions in blood loss during the 3 months of treatment; the overall reduction was 20% in the ethamsylate group and 24% in the mefenamic acid group. Compared with pretreatment values, blood loss was significantly less in each of the 3 treatment months in the mefenamic acid group, but only in the second and third months of treatment in the ethamsylate group. However, more women had a clinically useful reduction in blood loss (greater than 40%) in the ethamsylate group. The onset of effect of mefenamic acid was rapid but ethamsylate showed a comparatively greater effect as the trial progressed. Cessation of treatment was followed by an increase in blood loss, more pronounced in mefenamic acid group who reverted to pre-treatment levels. A greater number of side-effects were reported with mefenamic acid.

Implementing a Progressive Consumption Tax: Advantages of Adopting the VAT Credit-Method System

OpenAIRE

Grinberg, Itai

2006-01-01

A credit–method value–added tax, a payroll tax, and a business–level wage subsidy can approximate the economic and distributional consequences of a subtraction–method X–tax. Such a credit–method progressive consumption tax has administrative advantages as compared to a subtraction–method progressive consumption tax, once certain political factors are taken into account. Further, unlike a subtraction–method system, a credit–method progressive consumption tax could easily interact with other ta...

Progressive multiple sequence alignments from triplets

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Stadler Peter F

2007-07-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background The quality of progressive sequence alignments strongly depends on the accuracy of the individual pairwise alignment steps since gaps that are introduced at one step cannot be removed at later aggregation steps. Adjacent insertions and deletions necessarily appear in arbitrary order in pairwise alignments and hence form an unavoidable source of errors. Research Here we present a modified variant of progressive sequence alignments that addresses both issues. Instead of pairwise alignments we use exact dynamic programming to align sequence or profile triples. This avoids a large fractions of the ambiguities arising in pairwise alignments. In the subsequent aggregation steps we follow the logic of the Neighbor-Net algorithm, which constructs a phylogenetic network by step-wisely replacing triples by pairs instead of combining pairs to singletons. To this end the three-way alignments are subdivided into two partial alignments, at which stage all-gap columns are naturally removed. This alleviates the "once a gap, always a gap" problem of progressive alignment procedures. Conclusion The three-way Neighbor-Net based alignment program aln3nn is shown to compare favorably on both protein sequences and nucleic acids sequences to other progressive alignment tools. In the latter case one easily can include scoring terms that consider secondary structure features. Overall, the quality of resulting alignments in general exceeds that of clustalw or other multiple alignments tools even though our software does not included heuristics for context dependent (mismatch scores.

A large scale survey reveals that chromosomal copy-number alterations significantly affect gene modules involved in cancer initiation and progression

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Cigudosa Juan C

2011-05-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Recent observations point towards the existence of a large number of neighborhoods composed of functionally-related gene modules that lie together in the genome. This local component in the distribution of the functionality across chromosomes is probably affecting the own chromosomal architecture by limiting the possibilities in which genes can be arranged and distributed across the genome. As a direct consequence of this fact it is therefore presumable that diseases such as cancer, harboring DNA copy number alterations (CNAs, will have a symptomatology strongly dependent on modules of functionally-related genes rather than on a unique "important" gene. Methods We carried out a systematic analysis of more than 140,000 observations of CNAs in cancers and searched by enrichments in gene functional modules associated to high frequencies of loss or gains. Results The analysis of CNAs in cancers clearly demonstrates the existence of a significant pattern of loss of gene modules functionally related to cancer initiation and progression along with the amplification of modules of genes related to unspecific defense against xenobiotics (probably chemotherapeutical agents. With the extension of this analysis to an Array-CGH dataset (glioblastomas from The Cancer Genome Atlas we demonstrate the validity of this approach to investigate the functional impact of CNAs. Conclusions The presented results indicate promising clinical and therapeutic implications. Our findings also directly point out to the necessity of adopting a function-centric, rather a gene-centric, view in the understanding of phenotypes or diseases harboring CNAs.

[Progressive visual agnosia].

Science.gov (United States)

Sugimoto, Azusa; Futamura, Akinori; Kawamura, Mitsuru

2011-10-01

Progressive visual agnosia was discovered in the 20th century following the discovery of classical non-progressive visual agnosia. In contrast to the classical type, which is caused by cerebral vascular disease or traumatic injury, progressive visual agnosia is a symptom of neurological degeneration. The condition of progressive visual loss, including visual agnosia, and posterior cerebral atrophy was named posterior cortical atrophy (PCA) by Benson et al. (1988). Progressive visual agnosia is also observed in semantic dementia (SD) and other degenerative diseases, but there is a difference in the subtype of visual agnosia associated with these diseases. Lissauer (1890) classified visual agnosia into apperceptive and associative types, and it in most cases, PCA is associated with the apperceptive type. However, SD patients exhibit symptoms of associative visual agnosia before changing to those of semantic memory disorder. Insights into progressive visual agnosia have helped us understand the visual system and discover how we "perceive" the outer world neuronally, with regard to consciousness. Although PCA is a type of atypical dementia, its diagnosis is important to enable patients to live better lives with appropriate functional support.

Progression of pancreatic adenocarcinoma is significantly impeded with a combination of vaccine and COX-2 inhibition.

Science.gov (United States)

Mukherjee, Pinku; Basu, Gargi D; Tinder, Teresa L; Subramani, Durai B; Bradley, Judy M; Arefayene, Million; Skaar, Todd; De Petris, Giovanni

2009-01-01

With a 5-year survival rate of <5%, pancreatic cancer is one of the most rapidly fatal malignancies. Current protocols for the treatment of pancreas cancer are not as effective as we desire. In this study, we show that a novel Mucin-1 (MUC1)-based vaccine in combination with a cyclooxygenase-2 inhibitor (celecoxib), and low-dose chemotherapy (gemcitabine) was effective in preventing the progression of preneoplastic intraepithelial lesions to invasive pancreatic ductal adenocarcinomas. The study was conducted in an appropriate triple transgenic model of spontaneous pancreatic cancer induced by the KRAS(G12D) mutation and that expresses human MUC1 as a self molecule. The combination treatment elicited robust antitumor cellular and humoral immune responses and was associated with increased apoptosis in the tumor. The mechanism for the increased immune response was attributed to the down-regulation of circulating prostaglandin E(2) and indoleamine 2, 3,-dioxygenase enzymatic activity, as well as decreased levels of T regulatory and myeloid suppressor cells within the tumor microenvironment. The preclinical data provide the rationale to design clinical trials with a combination of MUC1-based vaccine, celecoxib, and gemcitabine for the treatment of pancreatic cancer.

The Association of Unintentional Changes in Weight, Body Composition, and Homeostasis Model Assessment Index with Glycemic Progression in Non-Diabetic Healthy Subjects

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Eun-Jung Rhee

2011-04-01

Full Text Available BackgroundWe performed a retrospective longitudinal study on the effects of changes in weight, body composition, and homeostasis model assessment (HOMA indices on glycemic progression in subjects without diabetes during a four-year follow-up period in a community cohort without intentional intervention.MethodsFrom 28,440 non-diabetic subjects who participated in a medical check-up program in 2004, data on anthropometric and metabolic parameters were obtained after four years in 2008. Body composition analyses were performed with a bioelectrical impedance analyzer. Skeletal muscle index (SMI, % was calculated with lean mass/weight×100. Subjects were divided into three groups according to weight change status in four years: weight loss (≤-5.0%, stable weight (-5.0 to 5.0%, weight gain (≥5.0%. Progressors were defined as the subjects who progressed to impaired fasting glucose or diabetes.ResultsProgressors showed worse baseline metabolic profiles compared with non-progressors. In logistic regression analyses, the increase in changes of HOMA-insulin resistance (HOMA-IR in four years presented higher odds ratios for glycemic progression compared with other changes during that period. Among the components of body composition, a change in waist-hip ratio was the strongest predictor, and SMI change in four years was a significant negative predictor for glycemic progression. Changes in HOMA β-cell function in four years was a negative predictor for glycemic progression.ConclusionIncreased interval changes in HOMA-IR, weight gain and waist-hip ratio was associated with glycemic progression during a four-year period without intentional intervention in non-diabetic Korean subjects.

Self-Efficacy, Achievement Motivation, and Academic Progress of Students with Learning Disabilities: A Comparison with Typical Students

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Sepideh Seyed

2017-03-01

Full Text Available Introduction Many factors including self-efficacy and achievement motivation can affect children’s academic progress. Studies have shown that socioeconomic status can affect people’s life, education, and vocation. However, not many studies looked at the relations between the intrinsic factors and socioeconomic status, and between these 2 categories and students’ academic progress in children with learning disabilities. Thus, the present study aimed at examining self-efficacy, achievement motivation, and academic progress of students with learning disabilities compared with typical students and looking for any possible relation between these variables and socioeconomic status (parental education and occupation. Methods This was a cross sectional study, which included 34 students with learning disabilities and 32 typical students matched on age, gender, and school grade. The participants answered Sherer et al.’s self-efficacy scale (1982 and Herman’s achievement motivation questionnaire (2000. Students’ academic progress was evaluated based on the descriptive scores in the first semester. Findings Scores of children with learning disabilities in self-efficacy, achievement motivation, and academic progress were significantly lower than those of matched controls (P<0.0001. Results revealed moderate positive correlations between academic progress and different levels of self-efficacy (rs = 0.441, P<0.0001, N = 66; and between academic progress and achievement motivation (rs = 0.645, P<0.0001, N = 66. The results of the correlation analysis demonstrated weak to moderate positive correlations between academic progress and parental education (rs = 0.39, P = 0.001, academic progress and father’s occupation (rs = 0.323, P = 0.008, achievement motivation and parental education (rs = .34, p = 0.009, N = 66, and finally achievement motivation and father’s occupation (rs = 0.285, P = 0.02, N = 66. Conclusions Lower levels of self-efficacy and

[Progress of cytogenetic detection in myelodysplastic syndromes].

Science.gov (United States)

Zhou, Qing-Bing; Hu, Xiao-Mei; Liu, -Feng; Ma, Rou

2011-12-01

In recent years, significant progresses have been got in study on pathogenesis, treatment and prognosis of myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS), especially on use of new technology, that has great importance for cytogenetics of MDS. Recently, the progress of cytogenetic detection in MDS is very remarkable. Based on the metaphase cytogenetics (MC) method, prognostic significance of cytogenetics in MDS was clarified gradually. For example, people have known the prognostic significance of 12 p-, 11 q-, +21, t(11(q23)), although these genetic abnormalities are rare in the MDS. In addition, chromosome mutation emerged in the process of MDS may indicate the poor prognosis. On the other hand, with the use of SNP-A and aCGH in the study of genetics, MDS cytogenetic abnormality detection rate has been further improved and can reach to 78%. At the same time, some of MDS patients with the "normal karyotype" detected by MC have new hidden aberrations through the SNP or CGH detection, and these patients have a poorer prognosis. In this review, the advances of study on cytogenetic detection for MDS based on MC and SNP-A or aCGH methods are summarized.

Beta-Zone parapapillary atrophy and the velocity of glaucoma progression.

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Teng, Christopher C; De Moraes, Carlos Gustavo V; Prata, Tiago S; Tello, Celso; Ritch, Robert; Liebmann, Jeffrey M

2010-05-01

Beta-Zone parapapillary atrophy (PPA) occurs more commonly in eyes with glaucoma. Rates of glaucomatous visual field (VF) progression in eyes with and without beta-zone PPA at the time of baseline assessment were compared. Retrospective, comparative study. Two hundred forty-five patients from the New York Glaucoma Progression Study. Subjects with glaucomatous optic neuropathy and repeatable VF loss were assessed for eligibility. Eyes with a Heidelberg Retina Tomograph II (HRT) examination, at least 5 visual field tests after the HRT in either eye, optic disc photographs, and Zone PPA was defined as a region of chorioretinal atrophy with visible sclera and choroidal vessels adjacent to the optic disc. Global rates of VF progression were determined by automated pointwise linear regression analysis. Univariate analysis included age, gender, ethnicity, central corneal thickness (CCT), refractive error, baseline mean deviation, baseline intraocular pressure (IOP), mean IOP, IOP fluctuation, disc area, rim area, rim area-to-disc area ratio, beta-zone PPA area, beta-zone PPA area-to-disc area ratio, and presence or absence of beta-zone PPA. The relationship between beta-zone PPA and the rate and risk of glaucoma progression. Two hundred forty-five eyes of 245 patients (mean age, 69.6+/-12.3 years) were enrolled. The mean follow-up was 4.9+/-1.4 years and the mean number of VFs after HRT was 9.3+/-2.7. beta-Zone PPA was present in 146 eyes (65%). Eyes with beta-zone PPA progressed more rapidly (-0.84+/-0.8 dB/year) than eyes without it (-0.51+/-0.6 dB/year; Pzone PPA (HR, 2.59; P1.5 dB/year; P = 0.08) global rates of progression occurred more commonly in eyes with beta-zone PPA than in eyes without it. Thinner CCT (zone PPA (kappa = 0.13). Eyes with beta-zone PPA are at increased risk for glaucoma progression and warrant close clinical surveillance. Copyright 2010 American Academy of Ophthalmology. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Piracetam relieves symptoms in progressive myoclonus epilepsy: a multicentre, randomised, double blind, crossover study comparing the efficacy and safety of three dosages of oral piracetam with placebo

Science.gov (United States)

Koskiniemi, M.; Van Vleymen, B.; Hakamies, L.; Lamusuo, S.; Taalas, J.

1998-01-01

OBJECTIVE—To compare the efficacy, tolerability, and safety of three daily dosage regimens of oral piracetam in patients with progressive myoclonus epilepsy.
METHODS—Twenty patients (12 men, eight women), aged 17-43 years, with classical Unverricht-Lundborg disease were enrolled in a multicentre, randomised, double blind trial of crossover design in which the effects of daily doses of 9.6 g, 16.8 g, and 24 g piracetam, given in two divided doses, were compared with placebo. The crossover design was such that patients received placebo and two of the three dosage regimens of piracetam, each for two weeks, for a total treatment period of six weeks and thus without wash out between each treatment phase. The primary outcome measure was a sum score representing the adjusted total of the ratings of six components of a myoclonus rating scale in which stimulus sensitivity, motor impairment, functional disability, handwriting, and global assessments by investigators and patients were scored. Sequential clinical assessments were made by the same neurologist in the same environment at the same time of day.
RESULTS—Treatment with 24 g/day piracetam produced significant and clinically relevant improvement in the primary outcome measure of mean sum score (p=0.005) and in the means of its subtests of motor impairment (p=0.02), functional disability (p=0.003), and in global assessments by both investigator (p=0.002) and patient (p=0.01). Significant improvement in functional disability was also found with daily doses of 9.6 g and 16.8 g. The dose-effect relation was linear and significant. More patients showed clinically relevant improvement with the highest dosage and, in individual patients, increasing the dose improved response. Piracetam was well tolerated and adverse effects were few, mild, and transient.
CONCLUSIONS—This study provides further evidence that piracetam is an effective and safe medication in patients with Unverricht-Lundborg disease. In addition

Early post-treatment pseudo-progression amongst glioblastoma multiforme patients treated with radiotherapy and temozolomide: a retrospective analysis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gunjur, Ashray; Lau, Eddie; Taouk, Yamna; Ryan, Gail

2011-01-01

To evaluate the incidence and impact of early post-chemoradiation (cRT) 'pseudoprogression' (PsPD) amongst glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) patients treated with the current standard of care – 60 Gy conformal radiotherapy with concurrent low-dose temozolomide, followed by six cycles of high-dose temozolomide (the 'Stupp protocol'). Clinical notes and radiology reports for GBM patients treated as per the Stupp protocol were reviewed. PsPD was defined as apparent radiological progression on the first post-cRT scan, with further imaging within 3 months being stable or improving, while true early progression (ePD) was confirmed by continued progression in the subsequent 3 months following the first post-cRT scan. Of the 68 patients evaluated, 14 (21%) and 27 (40%) experienced PsPD and ePD, respectively; 3/14 (21%) patients experiencing PsPD and 14/27(52%), ePD were symptomatic for progression on first post-cRT follow-up (P = 0.096 for difference). Median survival for patients with ePD, PsPD and neither were 10.4, 27.4 and 13.0 months, respectively (P = 0.003 for ePD vs. PsPD, P = 0.19 for neither vs. PsPD groups). These data confirm a significant incidence of PsPD in post-cRT GBM patients, associated with improved median survival compared with those with neither ePD nor PsPD (not statistically significant). It appears likely that PsPD actually represents tumour response, conflicting with the traditional notion that increase in lesion size on contrast-enhanced imaging represents disease progression. Early post-cRT imaging should thus be interpreted with caution. Accompanying clinical symptoms are more commonly associated with ePD, but do not reliably distinguish PsPD from ePD.

Evaluating Alzheimer's disease progression using rate of regional hippocampal atrophy.

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Edit Frankó

Full Text Available Alzheimer's disease (AD is characterized by neurofibrillary tangle and neuropil thread deposition, which ultimately results in neuronal loss. A large number of magnetic resonance imaging studies have reported a smaller hippocampus in AD patients as compared to healthy elderlies. Even though this difference is often interpreted as atrophy, it is only an indirect measurement. A more direct way of measuring the atrophy is to use repeated MRIs within the same individual. Even though several groups have used this appropriate approach, the pattern of hippocampal atrophy still remains unclear and difficult to relate to underlying pathophysiology. Here, in this longitudinal study, we aimed to map hippocampal atrophy rates in patients with AD, mild cognitive impairment (MCI and elderly controls. Data consisted of two MRI scans for each subject. The symmetric deformation field between the first and the second MRI was computed and mapped onto the three-dimensional hippocampal surface. The pattern of atrophy rate was similar in all three groups, but the rate was significantly higher in patients with AD than in control subjects. We also found higher atrophy rates in progressive MCI patients as compared to stable MCI, particularly in the antero-lateral portion of the right hippocampus. Importantly, the regions showing the highest atrophy rate correspond to those that were described to have the highest burden of tau deposition. Our results show that local hippocampal atrophy rate is a reliable biomarker of disease stage and progression and could also be considered as a method to objectively evaluate treatment effects.

Juvenile myopia progression, risk factors and interventions.

Science.gov (United States)

Myrowitz, Elliott H

2012-07-01

The development and progression of early onset myopia is actively being investigated. While myopia is often considered a benign condition it should be considered a public health problem for its visual, quality of life, and economic consequences. Nearly half of the visually impaired population in the world has uncorrected refractive errors, with myopia a high percent of that group. Uncorrected visual acuity should be screened for and treated in order to improve academic performance, career opportunities and socio-economic status. Genetic and environmental factors contribute to the onset and progression of myopia. Twin studies have supported genetic factors and research continues to identify myopia genetic loci. While multiple myopia genetic loci have been identified establishing myopia as a common complex disorder, there is not yet a genetic model explaining myopia progression in populations. Environmental factors include near work, education levels, urban compared to rural location, and time spent outdoors. In this field of study where there continues to be etiology controversies, there is recent agreement that children who spend more time outdoors are less likely to become myopic. Worldwide population studies, some completed and some in progress, with a common protocol are gathering both genetic and environmental cohort data of great value. There have been rapid population changes in prevalence rates supporting an environmental influence. Interventions to prevent juvenile myopia progression include pharmacologic agents, glasses and contact lenses. Pharmacological interventions over 1-2 year trials have shown benefits. Peripheral vision defocus has been found to affect the emmetropization process and may be affected by wearing glasses or contacts. Accommodation accuracy also has been implicated in myopia progression. Further research will aim to assess both the role and interaction of environmental influences and genetic factors.

Gammasphere software development. Progress report

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Piercey, R.B.

1994-01-01

This report describes the activities of the nuclear physics group at Mississippi State University which were performed during 1993. Significant progress has been made in the focus areas: chairing the Gammasphere Software Working Group (SWG); assisting with the porting and enhancement of the ORNL UPAK histogramming software package; and developing standard formats for Gammasphere data products. In addition, they have established a new public ftp archive to distribute software and software development tools and information.

Sirolimus therapy to halt the progression of ADPKD.

Science.gov (United States)

Perico, Norberto; Antiga, Luca; Caroli, Anna; Ruggenenti, Piero; Fasolini, Giorgio; Cafaro, Mariateresa; Ondei, Patrizia; Rubis, Nadia; Diadei, Olimpia; Gherardi, Giulia; Prandini, Silvia; Panozo, Andrea; Bravo, Rodolfo Flores; Carminati, Sergio; De Leon, Felipe Rodriguez; Gaspari, Flavio; Cortinovis, Monica; Motterlini, Nicola; Ene-Iordache, Bogdan; Remuzzi, Andrea; Remuzzi, Giuseppe

2010-06-01

Activation of mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) pathways may contribute to uncontrolled cell proliferation and secondary cyst growth in patients with autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease (ADPKD). To assess the effects of mTOR inhibition on disease progression, we performed a randomized, crossover study (The SIRENA Study) comparing a 6-month treatment with sirolimus or conventional therapy alone on the growth of kidney volume and its compartments in 21 patients with ADPKD and GFR>or=40 ml/min per 1.73 m2. In 10 of the 15 patients who completed the study, aphthous stomatitis complicated sirolimus treatment but was effectively controlled by topical therapy. Compared with pretreatment, posttreatment mean total kidney volume increased less on sirolimus (46+/-81 ml; P=0.047) than on conventional therapy (70+/-72 ml; P=0.002), but we did not detect a difference between the two treatments (P=0.45). Cyst volume was stable on sirolimus and increased by 55+/-75 ml (P=0.013) on conventional therapy, whereas parenchymal volume increased by 26+/-30 ml (P=0.005) on sirolimus and was stable on conventional therapy. Percentage changes in cyst and parenchyma volumes were significantly different between the two treatment periods. Sirolimus had no appreciable effects on intermediate volume and GFR. Albuminuria and proteinuria marginally but significantly increased during sirolimus treatment. In summary, sirolimus halted cyst growth and increased parenchymal volume in patients with ADPKD. Whether these effects translate into improved long-term outcomes requires further investigation.

Combined high-field intraoperative magnetic resonance imaging and endoscopy increase extent of resection and progression-free survival for pituitary adenomas

Science.gov (United States)

Sylvester, Peter T.; Evans, John A.; Zipfel, Gregory J.; Chole, Richard A.; Uppaluri, Ravindra; Haughey, Bruce H.; Getz, Anne E.; Silverstein, Julie; Rich, Keith M.; Kim, Albert H.; Dacey, Ralph G.

2014-01-01

Purpose The clinical benefit of combined intraoperative magnetic resonance imaging (iMRI) and endoscopy for transsphenoidal pituitary adenoma resection has not been completely characterized. This study assessed the impact of microscopy, endoscopy, and/or iMRI on progression-free survival, extent of resection status (gross-, near-, and subtotal resection), and operative complications. Methods Retrospective analyses were performed on 446 transsphenoidal pituitary adenoma surgeries at a single institution between 1998 and 2012. Multivariate analyses were used to control for baseline characteristics, differences during extent of resection status, and progression-free survival analysis. Results Additional surgery was performed after iMRI in 56/156 cases (35.9 %), which led to increased extent of resection status in 15/156 cases (9.6 %). Multivariate ordinal logistic regression revealed no increase in extent of resection status following iMRI or endoscopy alone; however, combining these modalities increased extent of resection status (odds ratio 2.05, 95 % CI 1.21–3.46) compared to conventional transsphenoidal microsurgery. Multivariate Cox regression revealed that reduced extent of resection status shortened progression-free survival for near- versus gross-total resection [hazard ratio (HR) 2.87, 95 % CI 1.24–6.65] and sub- versus near-total resection (HR 2.10; 95 % CI 1.00–4.40). Complication comparisons between microscopy, endoscopy, and iMRI revealed increased perioperative deaths for endoscopy versus microscopy (4/209 and 0/237, respectively), but this difference was non-significant considering multiple post hoc comparisons (Fisher exact, p = 0.24). Conclusions Combined use of endoscopy and iMRI increased pituitary adenoma extent of resection status compared to conventional transsphenoidal microsurgery, and increased extent of resection status was associated with longer progression-free survival. Treatment modality combination did not significantly impact

NMR-based lipidomic analysis of blood lipoproteins differentiates the progression of coronary heart disease.

Science.gov (United States)

Kostara, Christina E; Papathanasiou, Athanasios; Psychogios, Nikolaos; Cung, Manh Thong; Elisaf, Moses S; Goudevenos, John; Bairaktari, Eleni T

2014-05-02

Abnormal lipid composition and metabolism of plasma lipoproteins play a crucial role in the pathogenesis of coronary heart disease (CHD). A (1)H NMR-based lipidomic approach was used to investigate the correlation of coronary artery stenosis with the atherogenic (non-HDL) and atheroprotective (HDL) lipid profiles in 99 patients with CHD of various stages of disease and compared with 60 patients with normal coronary arteries (NCA), all documented in coronary angiography. The pattern recognition models created from lipid profiles predicted the presence of CHD with a sensitivity of 87% and a specificity of 88% in the HDL model and with 90% and 89% in the non-HDL model, respectively. Patients with mild, moderate, and severe coronary artery stenosis were progressively differentiated from those with NCA in the non-HDL model with a statistically significant separation of severe stage from both mild and moderate. In the HDL model, the progressive differentiation of the disease stages was statistically significant only between patients with mild and severe coronary artery stenosis. The lipid constituents of lipoproteins that mainly characterized the initial stages and then the progression of the disease were the high levels of saturated fatty acids in lipids in both HDL and non-HDL particles, the low levels of HDL-phosphatidylcholine, HDL-sphingomyelin, and omega-3 fatty acids and linoleic acid in lipids in non-HDL particles. The conventional lipid marker, total cholesterol, found in low levels in HDL and in high levels in non-HDL, also contributed to the onset of the disease but with a much lower coefficient of significance. (1)H NMR-based lipidomic analysis of atherogenic and atheroprotective lipoproteins could contribute to the early evaluation of the onset of coronary artery disease and possibly to the establishment of an appropriate therapeutic option.

The efficacy of early initiated, supervised, progressive resistance training compared to unsupervised, home-based exercise after unicompartmental knee arthroplasty: a single-blinded randomized controlled trial.

Science.gov (United States)

Jørgensen, Peter B; Bogh, Søren B; Kierkegaard, Signe; Sørensen, Henrik; Odgaard, Anders; Søballe, Kjeld; Mechlenburg, Inger

2017-01-01

To examine if supervised progressive resistance training was superior to home-based exercise in rehabilitation after unicompartmental knee arthroplasty. Single blinded, randomized clinical trial. Surgery, progressive resistance training and testing was carried out at Aarhus University Hospital and home-based exercise was carried out in the home of the patient. Fifty five patients were randomized to either progressive resistance training or home-based exercise. Patients were randomized to either progressive resistance training (home based exercise five days/week and progressive resistance training two days/week) or control group (home based exercise seven days/week). Preoperative assessment, 10-week (primary endpoint) and one-year follow-up were performed for leg extension power, spatiotemporal gait parameters and knee injury and osteoarthritis outcome score (KOOS). Forty patients (73%) completed 1-year follow-up. Patients in the progressive resistance training group participated in average 11 of 16 training sessions. Leg extension power increased from baseline to 10-week follow-up in progressive resistance training group (progressive resistance training: 0.28 W/kg, P= 0.01, control group: 0.01 W/kg, P=0.93) with no between-group difference. Walking speed and KOOS scores increased from baseline to 10-week follow-up in both groups with no between-group difference (six minutes walk test P=0.63, KOOS P>0.29). Progressive resistance training two days/week combined with home based exercise five days/week was not superior to home based exercise seven days/week in improving leg extension power of the operated leg.

Gastrointestinal digital fluoroscopy: Comparison of digital pulsed progressive readout images with 100-mm spot films

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Steiner, E.; Ferrucci, J.T.; Mueller, P.R.; Hahn, P.F.

1987-01-01

New developments in pulsed progressive readout (PPR) techniques allow short, extremely intense pulses of radiation to be used to produce a latent image which is then progressively read off the video camera and placed in 1,024 x 1,024-pixel digital storage. The resulting image is produced by a 10-20-msec pulse, reducing motion artifact to below that achievable with conventional spot film techniques, with a potential for 50%-95% dose reduction. This technique of reducing motion artifact is ideal for digital applications in gastrointestinal radiology. The authors compared 10-mm spot films and PPR digital radiographs of 86 anatomic regions in 43 patients undergoing routine barium enema and cholangiographic examinations. Parameters evaluated included display of normal and pathologic features, image contrast, and resolution. The benefits of the PPR technique include postprocessing to evaluate low contrast region and the potential for significant dose reduction

Analysing the Progression Rates of Macular Lesions with Autofluorescence Imaging Modes in Dry Age-Related Macular Degeneration

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Kenan Olcay

2015-12-01

Full Text Available Objectives: In this study we aimed to compare the sensitivity of blue-light fundus autofluorescence (FAF and near-infrared autofluorescence (NI-AF imaging for determining the progression rates of macular lesions in dry age-related macular degeneration (AMD. Materials and Methods: The study was designed retrospectively and included patients diagnosed with intermediate and advanced stage dry AMD. Best corrected visual acuities and FAF and NI-AF images were recorded in 46 eyes of 33 patients. Lesion borders were drawn manually on the images using Heidelberg Eye Explorer software and lesion areas were calculated by using Microsoft Excel software. BCVA and lesion areas were compared with each other. Results: Patients’ mean follow-up time was 30.98±13.30 months. The lesion area progression rates were 0.85±0.93 mm2/y in FAF and 0.93±1.01 mm2/y in NI-AF, showing statistically significant correlation with each other (r=0.883; p<0.01. Both imaging methods are moderately correlated with visual acuity impairment (r=0.362; p<0.05 and r=0.311; p<0.05, respectively. In addition, larger lesions showed higher progression rates than smaller ones in both imaging methods. Conclusion: NI-AF imaging is as important and effective as FAF imaging for follow-up of dry AMD patients.

How significant is the ‘significant other’? Associations between significant others’ health behaviors and attitudes and young adults’ health outcomes

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Berge Jerica M

2012-04-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Having a significant other has been shown to be protective against physical and psychological health conditions for adults. Less is known about the period of emerging young adulthood and associations between significant others’ weight and weight-related health behaviors (e.g. healthy dietary intake, the frequency of physical activity, weight status. This study examined the association between significant others’ health attitudes and behaviors regarding eating and physical activity and young adults’ weight status, dietary intake, and physical activity. Methods This study uses data from Project EAT-III, a population-based cohort study with emerging young adults from diverse ethnic and socioeconomic backgrounds (n = 1212. Logistic regression models examining cross-sectional associations, adjusted for sociodemographics and health behaviors five years earlier, were used to estimate predicted probabilities and calculate prevalence differences. Results Young adult women whose significant others had health promoting attitudes/behaviors were significantly less likely to be overweight/obese and were more likely to eat ≥ 5 fruits/vegetables per day and engage in ≥ 3.5 hours/week of physical activity, compared to women whose significant others did not have health promoting behaviors/attitudes. Young adult men whose significant other had health promoting behaviors/attitudes were more likely to engage in ≥ 3.5 hours/week of physical activity compared to men whose significant others did not have health promoting behaviors/attitudes. Conclusions Findings suggest the protective nature of the significant other with regard to weight-related health behaviors of young adults, particularly for young adult women. Obesity prevention efforts should consider the importance of including the significant other in intervention efforts with young adult women and potentially men.

Prognostic significance of obstructive uropathy in advanced prostate cancer.

Science.gov (United States)

Oefelein, Michael G

2004-06-01

To report the incidence and prognostic implications of obstructive uropathy (OU) in patients with advanced prostate cancer receiving androgen deprivation therapy and to define the impact initial local therapy has on the development of OU in patients with prostate cancer who develop recurrence and begin androgen deprivation therapy. From a population of 260 patients with advanced prostate cancer diagnosed between 1986 and 2003, OU was identified in 51 patients. The OU treatment options included ureteral stent, percutaneous nephrostomy, transurethral resection of the prostate, Foley catheter placement, and urinary diversion. Overall survival and the factors that influenced survival were calculated using standard statistical methods. OU was diagnosed in 15 (16%) of 80 patients who received local therapy with curative intent and in whom local therapy subsequently failed and in 36 (19%) of 180 patients who had never received local therapy (P = 0.7, chi-square test). Of these 51 patients, 39 had bladder neck obstruction and 16 had ureteral obstruction. Overall survival was significantly worse for the men with OU compared with those without OU (41 versus 54 months). OU was associated with tumor stage and androgen-insensitive prostate cancer. OU results in significantly reduced survival in men with prostate cancer. In a select group of patients with prostate cancer with progression after local therapy (primarily radiotherapy), no statistically significant reduction in the development of OU was observed relative to patients matched for stage, grade, and pretreatment prostate-specific antigen level treated with androgen deprivation therapy alone. Aggressive advanced stage and hormone-insensitive disease are variables associated with OU.

Validating predictors of disease progression in a large cohort of primary-progressive multiple sclerosis based on a systematic literature review.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jan-Patrick Stellmann

Full Text Available New agents with neuroprotective or neuroregenerative potential might be explored in primary-progressive Multiple Sclerosis (PPMS--the MS disease course with leading neurodegenerative pathology. Identification of patients with a high short-term risk for progression may minimize study duration and sample size. Cohort studies reported several variables as predictors of EDSS disability progression but findings were partially contradictory.To analyse the impact of published predictors on EDSS disease progression in a large cohort of PPMS patients.A systematic literature research was performed to identify predictors for disease progression in PPMS. Individual case data from the Sylvia Lawry Centre (SLC and the Hamburg MS patient database (HAPIMS was pooled for a retrospective validation of these predictors on the annualized EDSS change.The systematic literature analysis revealed heterogeneous data from 3 prospective and 5 retrospective natural history cohort studies. Age at onset, gender, type of first symptoms and early EDSS changes were available for validation. Our pooled cohort of 597 PPMS patients (54% female had a mean follow-up of 4.4 years and mean change of EDSS of 0.35 per year based on 2503 EDSS assessments. There was no significant association between the investigated variables and the EDSS-change.None of the analysed variables were predictive for the disease progression measured by the annualized EDSS change. Whether PPMS is still unpredictable or our results may be due to limitations of cohort assessments or selection of predictors cannot be answered. Large systematic prospective studies with new endpoints are needed.

Impact significance determination-Pushing the boundaries

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lawrence, David P.

2007-01-01

Impact significance determination practice tends to be highly variable. Too often insufficient consideration is given to good practice insights. Also, impact significance determinations are frequently narrowly defined addressing, for example, only individual, negative impacts, focusing on bio-physical impacts, and not seeking to integrate either the Precautionary Principle or sustainability. This article seeks to extend the boundaries of impact significance determination practice by providing an overview of good general impact significance practices, together with stakeholder roles and potential methods for addressing significance determination challenges. Relevant thresholds, criteria, contextual considerations and support methods are also highlighted. The analysis is then extended to address how impact significance determination practices change for positive as compared with negative impacts, for cumulative as compared with individual impacts, for socio-economic as compared with bio-physical impacts, when the Precautionary Principle is integrated into the process, and when sustainability contributions drive the EIA process and related impact significance determinations. These refinements can assist EIA practitioners in ensuring that the scope and nature of impact significance determinations reflect the broadened scope of emerging EIA requirements and practices. Suggestions are included for further refining and testing of the proposed changes to impact significance determination practice

Psychological functioning in primary progressive versus secondary progressive multiple sclerosis

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Vleugels, L; Pfennings, L E; Pouwer, F

1998-01-01

Psychological functioning in two types of multiple sclerosis (MS) patients is assessed: primary progressive (PP) and secondary progressive (SP) patients. On the basis of differences in clinical course and underlying pathology we hypothesized that primary progressive patients and secondary...... progressive patients might have different psychological functioning. Seventy patients treated in an MS centre were examined cross-sectionally. Forty had an SP course of MS and 30 a PP course. The 33 male and 37 female patients had a mean age of 48.4 years (SD 11.2) and mean age of onset of MS of 30.7 years...... (SD 11.1). Patients completed questionnaires measuring among others the following aspects of psychological functioning: depression (BDI, SCL-90), anxiety (STAI, SCL-90), agoraphobia (SCL-90), somatic complaints (SCL-90), hostility (SCL-90) and attitude towards handicap (GHAS). Patients with a PP...

Progress in computational toxicology.

Science.gov (United States)

Ekins, Sean

2014-01-01

Computational methods have been widely applied to toxicology across pharmaceutical, consumer product and environmental fields over the past decade. Progress in computational toxicology is now reviewed. A literature review was performed on computational models for hepatotoxicity (e.g. for drug-induced liver injury (DILI)), cardiotoxicity, renal toxicity and genotoxicity. In addition various publications have been highlighted that use machine learning methods. Several computational toxicology model datasets from past publications were used to compare Bayesian and Support Vector Machine (SVM) learning methods. The increasing amounts of data for defined toxicology endpoints have enabled machine learning models that have been increasingly used for predictions. It is shown that across many different models Bayesian and SVM perform similarly based on cross validation data. Considerable progress has been made in computational toxicology in a decade in both model development and availability of larger scale or 'big data' models. The future efforts in toxicology data generation will likely provide us with hundreds of thousands of compounds that are readily accessible for machine learning models. These models will cover relevant chemistry space for pharmaceutical, consumer product and environmental applications. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

The prevalence of coeliac disease is significantly higher in children compared with adults.

Science.gov (United States)

Mariné, M; Farre, C; Alsina, M; Vilar, P; Cortijo, M; Salas, A; Fernández-Bañares, F; Rosinach, M; Santaolalla, R; Loras, C; Marquès, T; Cusí, V; Hernández, M I; Carrasco, A; Ribes, J; Viver, J M; Esteve, M

2011-02-01

Some limited studies of coeliac disease have shown higher frequency of coeliac disease in infancy and adolescence than in adulthood. This finding has remained unnoticed and not adequately demonstrated. To assess whether there are age and gender differences in coeliac disease prevalence. A total of 4230 subjects were included consecutively (1 to ≥80 years old) reproducing the reference population by age and gender. Sample size was calculated assuming a population-based coeliac disease prevalence of 1:250. After an interim analysis, the paediatric sample was expanded (2010 children) due to high prevalence in this group. Anti-transglutaminase and antiendomysial antibodies were determined and duodenal biopsy was performed if positive. Log-linear models were fitted to coeliac disease prevalence by age allowing calculation of percentage change of prevalence. Differences between groups were compared using Chi-squared test. Twenty-one subjects had coeliac disease (male/female 1:2.5). Coeliac disease prevalence in the total population was 1:204. Coeliac disease prevalence was higher in children (1:71) than in adults (1:357) (P = 0.00005). A significant decrease of prevalence in older generations was observed [change of prevalence by age of -5% (95% CI: -7.58 to -2.42%)]. In the paediatric expanded group (1-14 years), a decrease of coeliac disease prevalence was also observed [prevalence change: -17% (95% CI: -25.02 to -6.10)]. The prevalence of coeliac disease in childhood was five times higher than in adults. Whether this difference is due to environmental factors influencing infancy, or latency of coeliac disease in adulthood, remains to be demonstrated in prospective longitudinal studies. © 2010 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

SIRT6 knockout cells resist apoptosis initiation but not progression: a computational method to evaluate the progression of apoptosis.

Science.gov (United States)

Domanskyi, Sergii; Nicholatos, Justin W; Schilling, Joshua E; Privman, Vladimir; Libert, Sergiy

2017-11-01

Apoptosis is essential for numerous processes, such as development, resistance to infections, and suppression of tumorigenesis. Here, we investigate the influence of the nutrient sensing and longevity-assuring enzyme SIRT6 on the dynamics of apoptosis triggered by serum starvation. Specifically, we characterize the progression of apoptosis in wild type and SIRT6 deficient mouse embryonic fibroblasts using time-lapse flow cytometry and computational modelling based on rate-equations and cell distribution analysis. We find that SIRT6 deficient cells resist apoptosis by delaying its initiation. Interestingly, once apoptosis is initiated, the rate of its progression is higher in SIRT6 null cells compared to identically cultured wild type cells. However, SIRT6 null cells succumb to apoptosis more slowly, not only in response to nutrient deprivation but also in response to other stresses. Our data suggest that SIRT6 plays a role in several distinct steps of apoptosis. Overall, we demonstrate the utility of our computational model to describe stages of apoptosis progression and the integrity of the cellular membrane. Such measurements will be useful in a broad range of biological applications.

Lifestyle habits and obesity progression in overweight and obese American young adults: Lessons for promoting cardiometabolic health.

Science.gov (United States)

Cha, EunSeok; Akazawa, Margeaux K; Kim, Kevin H; Dawkins, Colleen R; Lerner, Hannah M; Umpierrez, Guillermo; Dunbar, Sandra B

2015-12-01

Obesity among young adults is a growing problem in the United States and is related to unhealthy lifestyle habits, such as high caloric intake and inadequate exercise. Accurate assessment of lifestyle habits across obesity stages is important for informing age-specific intervention strategies to prevent and reduce obesity progression. Using a modified version of the Edmonton Obesity Staging System (mEOSS), a new scale for defining obesity risk and predicting obesity morbidity and mortality, this cross-sectional study assessed the prevalence of overweight/obese conditions in 105 young adults and compared their lifestyle habits across the mEOSS stages. Descriptive statistics, chi-square tests, and one-way analyses of variance were performed. Eighty percent of participants (n = 83) fell into the mEOSS-2 group and had obesity-related chronic disorders, such as diabetes, hypertension, and/or dyslipidemia. There were significant differences in dietary quality and patterns across the mEOSS stages. Findings highlighted the significance of prevention and early treatment for overweight and obese young adults to prevent and cease obesity progression. © 2015 Wiley Publishing Asia Pty Ltd.

Impact of changes in metabolic control on progression to photocoagulation for clinically significant macular oedema:a 20 year study of type 1 diabetes

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Sander, B.; Larsen, M.; Andersen, Elisabeth Wreford

2013-01-01

Aims/hypothesis Although increasing hyperglycaemia, arterial hypertension and longer duration of diabetes raise the risk of progression of diabetic retinopathy, short-term benefits in terms of improved metabolic control and lowered blood pressure have not been demonstrated. We therefore examined ...

Monthly oral methylprednisolone pulse treatment in progressive multiple sclerosis.

Science.gov (United States)

Ratzer, Rikke; Iversen, Pernille; Börnsen, Lars; Dyrby, Tim B; Romme Christensen, Jeppe; Ammitzbøll, Cecilie; Madsen, Camilla Gøbel; Garde, Ellen; Lyksborg, Mark; Andersen, Birgit; Hyldstrup, Lars; Sørensen, Per Soelberg; Siebner, Hartwig R; Sellebjerg, Finn

2016-06-01

There is a large unmet need for treatments for patients with progressive multiple sclerosis (MS). Phase 2 studies with cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) biomarker outcomes may be well suited for the initial evaluation of efficacious treatments. To evaluate the effect of monthly oral methylprednisolone pulse treatment on intrathecal inflammation in progressive MS. In this open-label phase 2A study, 15 primary progressive and 15 secondary progressive MS patients received oral methylprednisolone pulse treatment for 60 weeks. Primary outcome was changes in CSF concentrations of osteopontin. Secondary outcomes were other CSF biomarkers of inflammation, axonal damage and demyelination; clinical scores; magnetic resonance imaging measures of disease activity, magnetization transfer ratio (MTR) and diffusion tensor imaging (DTI); motor evoked potentials; and bone density scans. We found no change in the CSF concentration of osteopontin, but we observed significant improvement in clinical scores, MTR, DTI and some secondary CSF outcome measures. Adverse events were well-known side effects to methylprednisolone. Monthly methylprednisolone pulse treatment was safe, but had no effect on the primary outcome. However, improvements in secondary clinical and MRI outcome measures suggest that this treatment regimen may have a beneficial effect in progressive MS. © The Author(s), 2015.

Early CT signs of progressive hemorrhagic injury following acute traumatic brain injury

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Tong, Wu-song; Zheng, Ping; Xu, Jun-fa; Guo, Yi-jun; Zeng, Jing-song; Yang, Wen-jin; Li, Gao-yi; He, Bin; Yu, Hui [Pudong New Area People' s Hospital, Department of Neurosurgery, Shanghai (China)

2011-05-15

Since progressive hemorrhagic injury (PHI) was introduced in neurosurgical literatures, several studies have been performed, the results of which have influenced doctors but do not define guidelines for the best treatment of PHI. PHI may be confirmed by a serial computerized tomography (CT) scan, and it has been shown to be associated with a fivefold increase in the risk of clinical worsening and is a significant cause of morbidity and mortality as well. So, early detection of PHI is practically important in a clinical situation. To analyze the early CT signs of progressive hemorrhagic injury following acute traumatic brain injury (TBI) and explore their clinical significances, PHI was confirmed by comparing the first and repeated CT scans. Data were analyzed and compared including times from injury to the first CT and signs of the early CT scan. Logistic regression analysis was used to show the risk factors related to PHI. A cohort of 630 TBI patients was evaluated, and there were 189 (30%) patients who suffered from PHI. For patients with their first CT scan obtained as early as 2 h post-injury, there were 116 (77.25%) cases who suffered from PHI. The differences between PHIs and non-PHIs were significant in the initial CT scans showing fracture, subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH), brain contusion, epidural hematoma (EDH), subdural hematoma (SDH), and multiple hematoma as well as the times from injury to the first CT scan (P < 0.01). Logistic regression analysis showed that early CT scans (EDH, SDH, SAH, fracture, and brain contusion) were predictors of PHI (P < 0.01). For patients with the first CT scan obtained as early as 2 h post-injury, a follow-up CT scan should be performed promptly. If the initial CT scan shows SAH, brain contusion, and primary hematoma with brain swelling, an earlier and dynamic CT scan should be performed for detection of PHI as early as possible and the medical intervention would be enforced in time. (orig.)

Early CT signs of progressive hemorrhagic injury following acute traumatic brain injury

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tong, Wu-song; Zheng, Ping; Xu, Jun-fa; Guo, Yi-jun; Zeng, Jing-song; Yang, Wen-jin; Li, Gao-yi; He, Bin; Yu, Hui

2011-01-01

Since progressive hemorrhagic injury (PHI) was introduced in neurosurgical literatures, several studies have been performed, the results of which have influenced doctors but do not define guidelines for the best treatment of PHI. PHI may be confirmed by a serial computerized tomography (CT) scan, and it has been shown to be associated with a fivefold increase in the risk of clinical worsening and is a significant cause of morbidity and mortality as well. So, early detection of PHI is practically important in a clinical situation. To analyze the early CT signs of progressive hemorrhagic injury following acute traumatic brain injury (TBI) and explore their clinical significances, PHI was confirmed by comparing the first and repeated CT scans. Data were analyzed and compared including times from injury to the first CT and signs of the early CT scan. Logistic regression analysis was used to show the risk factors related to PHI. A cohort of 630 TBI patients was evaluated, and there were 189 (30%) patients who suffered from PHI. For patients with their first CT scan obtained as early as 2 h post-injury, there were 116 (77.25%) cases who suffered from PHI. The differences between PHIs and non-PHIs were significant in the initial CT scans showing fracture, subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH), brain contusion, epidural hematoma (EDH), subdural hematoma (SDH), and multiple hematoma as well as the times from injury to the first CT scan (P < 0.01). Logistic regression analysis showed that early CT scans (EDH, SDH, SAH, fracture, and brain contusion) were predictors of PHI (P < 0.01). For patients with the first CT scan obtained as early as 2 h post-injury, a follow-up CT scan should be performed promptly. If the initial CT scan shows SAH, brain contusion, and primary hematoma with brain swelling, an earlier and dynamic CT scan should be performed for detection of PHI as early as possible and the medical intervention would be enforced in time. (orig.)

Retrospective analysis of anthropometric and fitness characteristics associated with long-term career progression in Rugby League.

Science.gov (United States)

Till, Kevin; Cobley, Steve; O'Hara, John; Morley, David; Chapman, Chris; Cooke, Carlton

2015-05-01

The current study retrospectively investigated the differences in anthropometric and fitness characteristics of junior rugby league players selected onto a talent identification and development (TID) programme between long-term career progression levels (i.e., amateur, academy, professional). Retrospective design. Former junior rugby league players (N=580) selected to a TID programme were grouped according to their career progression level. Anthropometric (height, sitting height, body mass and sum of four skinfolds), maturational and fitness (power, speed, change of direction speed and estimated V̇O2max) assessments were conducted at 13-15 years. Multivariate analysis of covariance (MANCOVA) analyzed differences between career progression levels controlling for chronological age. 57.1% and 12.1% of players selected to the TID programme progressed to academy and professional levels in rugby league, respectively. Sum of four skinfolds (η(2)=0.03), vertical jump (η(2)=0.02), 10 m (η(2)=0.02), 20 m (η(2)=0.02), 30 m (η(2)=0.02), and 60 m (η(2)=0.03) speed, agility 505 left (η(2)=0.06), agility 505 right (η(2)=0.05) and estimated V̇O2max (η(2)=0.03) were superior within junior players who progressed to professional compared to amateur levels. No significant differences were identified between future academy and professional players for any measure. Findings suggest that lower sum of four skinfolds and advanced fitness characteristics within junior (13-15 years) rugby league players may partially contribute to long-term career progression. Therefore, TID programmes within rugby league should aim to assess and develop body composition and fitness characteristics, especially change of direction speed. However, TID programmes should also consider technical, tactical and psycho-social characteristics of junior rugby league players that may be important for long-term career progression. Copyright © 2014 Sports Medicine Australia. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All

Analysis of progression of cervical OPLL using computerized tomography: typical sign of maturation of OPLL mass.

Science.gov (United States)

Choi, Byung-Wan; Baek, Dong-Hoon; Sheffler, Lindsey C; Chang, Han

2015-07-17

OBJECT The progression of cervical ossification of the posterior longitudinal ligament (OPLL) can lead to increase in the size of the OPLL mass and aggravation of neurological symptoms. In the present study, the authors aimed to analyze the progression of cervical OPLL by using CT imaging, elucidate the morphology of OPLL masses, and evaluate the factors associated with the progression of cervical OPLL. METHODS Sixty patients with cervical OPLL were included. All underwent an initial CT examination and had at least 24 months' follow-up with CT. The mean duration of follow-up was 29.6 months. Fourteen patients (Group A) had CT evidence of OPLL progression, and 46 (Group B) did not show evidence of progression on CT. The 2 groups were compared with respect to the following variables: sex, age, number of involved segments, type of OPLL, and treatment methods. The CT findings, such as the connection of an OPLL mass with the vertebral body and formation of trabeculation in the mass, were evaluated. RESULTS Sex and treatment modality were not associated with OPLL progression. The mean age of the patients in Group A was significantly lower than that in Group B (p = 0.03). The mean number of involved segments was 5.3 in Group A and 3.6 in Group B (p = 0.002). Group A had a higher proportion of cases with the mixed type of OPLL, whereas Group B had a higher proportion of cases with the segmental type (p = 0.02). A connection between the vertebral body and OPLL mass and trabeculation formation were more common in Group B (p cervical OPLL is associated with younger age, involvement of multiple levels, and mixed-type morphology. OPLL masses that are contiguous with the vertebral body and have trabecular formation are useful findings for identifying masses that are less likely to progress.

Conventional Corneal Collagen Cross-Linking Versus Transepithelial Diluted Alcohol and Iontophoresis-Assisted Corneal Cross-Linking in Progressive Keratoconus.

Science.gov (United States)

Bilgihan, Kamil; Yesilirmak, Nilufer; Altay, Yesim; Yuvarlak, Armagan; Ozdemir, Huseyin Baran

2017-12-01

To compare clinical outcomes of conventional corneal cross-linking (C-CXL) and diluted alcohol and iontophoresis-assisted corneal cross-linking (DAI-CXL) for the treatment of progressive keratoconus (KC). Ninety-three eyes of 80 patients with KC were treated by C-CXL (n = 47) or DAI-CXL (n = 46). Visual acuity, keratometry, KC indexes, pachymetry, and aberrations were recorded before treatment and 1, 3, 6, and 12 months after treatment. The demarcation line was assessed 1 month after treatment. A significant improvement in visual acuity was observed at month 3 and month 6 after DAI-CXL and C-CXL, respectively. A significant decrease in maximum keratometry was observed in both groups at month 6. The front symmetry index significantly improved in both groups after 6 months, whereas the Baiocchi Calossi Versaci index significantly improved only after DAI-CXL at month 12 (P = 0.01). Average keratometry and other KC indexes were stable during 12 months of follow-up. Central corneal thickness decreased by 28.6 and 40.2 μm after DAI-CXL and C-CXL at month 1, respectively (P < 0.01), and it reached baseline at the 12th month (P = 0.14) only in the DAI-CXL group. Higher-order aberrations, coma, and spherical aberration significantly worsened at month 1 (P < 0.01) only after C-CXL; however, they improved significantly at month 12 compared with baseline (P < 0.05) in both groups. The demarcation line was visible in all cases at month 1 at a mean depth of 302 ± 56 μm and 311 ± 57 μm after DAI-CXL and C-CXL, respectively (P = 0.7). The DAI-CXL protocol seems as effective as the C-CXL protocol in halting KC progression after 1 year of follow-up.

Effect of enalapril on the progression of chronic renal failure. A randomized controlled trial

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Kamper, A L; Strandgaard, S; Leyssac, P P

1992-01-01

In order to study the influence of angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) inhibition on the progression of chronic nephropathy, 70 patients with a median glomerular filtration rate (GFR) of 15 (range, 6 to 54) mL/min/1.73 m2 were randomized in an open study to basic treatment with enalapril or conve......In order to study the influence of angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) inhibition on the progression of chronic nephropathy, 70 patients with a median glomerular filtration rate (GFR) of 15 (range, 6 to 54) mL/min/1.73 m2 were randomized in an open study to basic treatment with enalapril...... or conventional antihypertensive treatment. The patients were followed for at least 2 years or until they needed dialysis. The groups were comparable with respect to age and sex distribution, etiology of renal diseases, initial levels of renal function and arterial blood pressure (BP), and protein intake.......18 to -7.11) mL/min/1.73 m2/month and in the control group it was -0.31 (+0.01 to -1.97) mL/min/1.73 m2/month (P less than .05). There was no significant difference in blood pressure or plasma lipid levels between the groups. Thus, the progression of moderate to severe chronic nephropathy was slower...

Targeting fibroblast growth factor receptor signaling inhibits prostate cancer progression.

Science.gov (United States)

Feng, Shu; Shao, Longjiang; Yu, Wendong; Gavine, Paul; Ittmann, Michael

2012-07-15

Extensive correlative studies in human prostate cancer as well as studies in vitro and in mouse models indicate that fibroblast growth factor receptor (FGFR) signaling plays an important role in prostate cancer progression. In this study, we used a probe compound for an FGFR inhibitor, which potently inhibits FGFR-1-3 and significantly inhibits FGFR-4. The purpose of this study is to determine whether targeting FGFR signaling from all four FGFRs will have in vitro activities consistent with inhibition of tumor progression and will inhibit tumor progression in vivo. Effects of AZ8010 on FGFR signaling and invasion were analyzed using immortalized normal prostate epithelial (PNT1a) cells and PNT1a overexpressing FGFR-1 or FGFR-4. The effect of AZ8010 on invasion and proliferation in vitro was also evaluated in prostate cancer cell lines. Finally, the impact of AZ8010 on tumor progression in vivo was evaluated using a VCaP xenograft model. AZ8010 completely inhibits FGFR-1 and significantly inhibits FGFR-4 signaling at 100 nmol/L, which is an achievable in vivo concentration. This results in marked inhibition of extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) phosphorylation and invasion in PNT1a cells expressing FGFR-1 and FGFR-4 and all prostate cancer cell lines tested. Treatment in vivo completely inhibited VCaP tumor growth and significantly inhibited angiogenesis and proliferation and increased cell death in treated tumors. This was associated with marked inhibition of ERK phosphorylation in treated tumors. Targeting FGFR signaling is a promising new approach to treating aggressive prostate cancer.

Progressive degradation of alloy 690 and the development of a significant improvement in alloy 800CR

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Staehle, Roger W.; Arioka, Koji; Tapping, Robert

2015-01-01

The present most widely used alloys for tubing in steam generators and structural materials in water cooled reactors are Alloy 690 and Alloy 800. However, both alloys, while improved over Alloy 600 may not meet the needs of longer range applications in the range of 80-100 years. Alloy 690 sustains damage resulting from the formation of cavities at grain boundaries which eventually cover about 50% of the area of the grain boundaries with the remainder covering being covered with carbides. The cavities seem to nucleate on the carbides leaving the grain boundaries a structure of cavities and carbides. Such a structure will lead the Alloy 690 to fail completely. Normal Alloy 800 does not produce such cavities and probably retains a large amount of its corrosion resistance but does sustain progressive SCC at low rate. A new alloy, 800CR, has been developed in a collaboration among Arioka, Tapping, and Staehle. This alloy is based on a Cr composition of 23.5-27% with the remainder retaining the previous Alloy 800 composition. 800CR sustains a crack velocity about 100 times less than Alloy 690 and a negligible rate of initiation. The 800CR, alloy is now seeking a patent. (authors)

Increased Risk of Progression of Coronary Artery Calcification in Male Subjects with High Baseline Waist-to-Height Ratio: The Kangbuk Samsung Health Study.

Science.gov (United States)

Oh, Hyung Geun; Nallamshetty, Shriram; Rhee, Eun Jung

2016-02-01

The waist-to-height ratio (WHtR) is an easy and inexpensive adiposity index that reflects central obesity. In this study, we examined the association of baseline WHtR and progression of coronary artery calcification (CAC) over 4 years of follow-up in apparently healthy Korean men. A total of 1,048 male participants (mean age, 40.9 years) in a health-screening program in Kangbuk Samsung Hospital, Seoul, Korea who repeated a medical check-up in 2010 and 2014 were recruited. Baseline WHtR was calculated using the value for the waist in 2010 divided by the value for height in 2010. The CAC score (CACS) of each subject was measured by multi-detector computed tomography in both 2010 and 2014. Progression of CAC was defined as a CACS change over 4 years greater than 0. During the follow-up period, progression of CAC occurred in 278 subjects (26.5%). The subjects with CAC progression had slightly higher but significant baseline WHtR compared to those who did not show CAC progression (0.51±0.04 vs. 0.50±0.04, P<0.01). The proportion of subjects with CAC progression significantly increased as the baseline WHtR increased from the 1st quartile to 4th quartile groups (18.3%, 18.7%, 28.8%, and 34.2%; P<0.01). The risk for CAC progression was elevated with an odds ratio of 1.602 in the 4th quartile group of baseline WHtR even after adjustment for confounding variables (95% confidence interval, 1.040 to 2.466). Increased baseline WHtR was associated with increased risk for CAC progression. WHtR might be a useful screening tool to identify individuals at high risk for subclinical atherosclerosis.

Progress Scored in Management Information System at CAS

Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

无

2006-01-01

@@ CAS initiative to upgrade its management information system (MIS) is making significant progress. Recently, 116 CAS subordinates have completed their online trial operation of a MIS project at the Academy, called Academia Resource Planning (ARP), marking an important phased achievement of the initiative.

Down-regulation of S100C is associated with bladder cancer progression and poor survival

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Memon, Ashfaque Ahmed; Sorensen, Boe Sandahl; Meldgaard, Peter

2005-01-01

cancer biopsy samples obtained from 88 patients followed for a median of 23 months (range, 1-97 months). RESULTS: We found a significantly lower mRNA expression of S100C in connective tissue invasive tumors (T1, P = 0.0030) and muscle invasive tumors [(T2-T4), P ...PURPOSE: The goal of this study was to identify proteins down-regulated during bladder cancer progression. EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN: By using comparative proteome analysis and measurement of mRNA, we found a significant down-regulation of S100C, a member of the S100 family of proteins, in T24 (grade 3......) as compared with RT4 (grade 1) bladder cancer cell lines. Moreover, quantification of the mRNA level revealed that decreased expression of the protein reflects a low level of transcription of the S100C gene. Based on this observation, we quantified the S100C mRNA expression level with real-time PCR in bladder...

Fast progressive lower motor neuron disease is an ALS variant: A two-centre tract of interest-based MRI data analysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Müller, Hans-Peter; Agosta, Federica; Riva, Nilo; Spinelli, Edoardo G; Comi, Giancarlo; Ludolph, Albert C; Filippi, Massimo; Kassubek, Jan

2018-01-01

The criteria for assessing upper motor neuron pathology in pure lower motor neuron disease (LMND) still remain a major issue of debate with respect to the clinical classification as an amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) variant. The study was designed to investigate white matter damage by a hypothesis-guided tract-of-interest-based approach in patients with LMND compared with healthy controls and ´classical´ ALS patients in order to identify in vivo brain structural changes according to the neuropathologically defined ALS affectation pattern. Data were pooled from two previous studies at two different study sites (Ulm, Germany and Milano, Italy). DTI-based white matter integrity mapping was performed by voxelwise statistical comparison and by a tractwise analysis of fractional anisotropy (FA) maps according to the ALS-staging pattern for 65 LMND patients (clinically differentiated in fast and slow progressors) vs. 92 matched controls and 101 ALS patients with a 'classical' phenotype to identify white matter structural alterations. The analysis of white matter structural connectivity by regional FA reductions demonstrated the characteristic alteration patterns along the CST and also in frontal and prefrontal brain areas in LMND patients compared to controls and ALS. Fast progressing LMND showed substantial involvement, like in ALS, while slow progressors showed less severe alterations. In the tract-specific analysis according to the ALS-staging pattern, fast progressing LMND showed significant alterations of ALS-related tract systems as compared to slow progressors and controls. This study showed an affectation pattern for corticoefferent fibers in LMND with fast disease progression as defined for ALS, that way confirming the hypothesis that fast progressing LMND is a phenotypical variant of ALS.

Functional significance of erythropoietin in renal cell carcinoma

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Morais, Christudas; Johnson, David W; Vesey, David A; Gobe, Glenda C

2013-01-01

One of the molecules regulated by the transcription factor, hypoxia inducible factor (HIF), is the hypoxia-responsive hematopoietic factor, erythropoietin (EPO). This may have relevance to the development of renal cell carcinoma (RCC), where mutations of the von Hippel-Lindau (VHL) gene are major risk factors for the development of familial and sporadic RCC. VHL mutations up-regulate and stabilize HIF, which in turn activates many downstream molecules, including EPO, that are known to promote angiogenesis, drug resistance, proliferation and progression of solid tumours. HIFs typically respond to hypoxic cellular environment. While the hypoxic microenvironment plays a critical role in the development and progression of tumours in general, it is of special significance in the case of RCC because of the link between VHL, HIF and EPO. EPO and its receptor, EPOR, are expressed in many cancers, including RCC. This limits the use of recombinant human EPO (rhEPO) to treat anaemia in cancer patients, because the rhEPO may be stimulatory to the cancer. EPO may also stimulate epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) in RCC, and pathological EMT has a key role in cancer progression. In this mini review, we summarize the current knowledge of the role of EPO in RCC. The available data, either for or against the use of EPO in RCC patients, are equivocal and insufficient to draw a definitive conclusion

[The expression and significance of CD(276) and CD(133) in colorectal cancer and precancerous lesions].

Science.gov (United States)

Lu, G F; Huang, L N; Ren, J L; Hu, G M; Zheng, Z H; Wu, J X; Zhu, Y P; Tang, F A

2018-06-01

In order to study the significance of CD(276) and CD(133) in the development and progression of colorectal cancer (CRC), the expression of CD(276) and CD(133) was detected by immunohistochemistry in CRC and precancerous lesions. The results showed that the intensity of CD(276) and CD(133) in CRC samples was higher than that in adenoma group and non-adenoma group. CD(276) and CD(133) single and double positive expression were significantly correlated with CRC lymph node metastasis, distant metastasis and survival. CD(276) and CD(133) are significantly correlated to the development and progression of CRC and associated with poor prognosis.

Photovoltaic cells and photodetectors made with semiconductor polymers: recent progress

Science.gov (United States)

Yu, Gang; Srdanov, Gordana; Wang, Hailiang; Cao, Yong; Heeger, Alan J.

2000-05-01

In this presentation, we discuss recent progress on polymer photovoltaic cells and polymer photodetectors. By improving the fill-factor of polymer photovoltaic cells, the energy conversion efficiency was improved significantly to over 4 percent. Such high efficiency polymer photovoltaic cells are promising for many applications including e-papers, e-books and smart-windows. Polymer photodetectors with similar device configuration show high photosensitivity, low dark current, large dynamic range, linear intensity dependence, low noise level and fast response time. These parameters are comparable to or even better than their inorganic counterparts. The advantages of low manufacturing cost, large detection area, and easy hybridization and integration with other electronic or optical components make them promising for a variety of applications including chemical/biomedical analysis, full-color digital image sensing and high energy radiation detection.

Enforcement actions: Significant actions resolved individuals actions. Semiannual progress report, July--December 1996

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1997-04-01

This compilation summarizes significant enforcement actions that have been resolved during the period (July - December 1996) and includes copies of Orders and Notices of Violation sent by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission to individuals with respect to-these enforcement actions. It is anticipated that the information in this publication will be widely disseminated to managers and employees engaged in activities licensed by the NRC. The Commission believes this information may be useful to licensees in making employment decisions

Enforcement actions: Significant actions resolved individuals actions. Semiannual progress report, July--December 1996

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

1997-04-01

This compilation summarizes significant enforcement actions that have been resolved during the period (July - December 1996) and includes copies of Orders and Notices of Violation sent by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission to individuals with respect to-these enforcement actions. It is anticipated that the information in this publication will be widely disseminated to managers and employees engaged in activities licensed by the NRC. The Commission believes this information may be useful to licensees in making employment decisions.

Lipid-Altering Therapies and the Progression of Atherosclerotic Disease

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wierzbicki, Anthony S.

2007-01-01

Lipids play a key role in the progression of atherosclerosis, and lipid-lowering therapies have been studied for 30 years in coronary disease. Measurement of the progression of atherosclerosis through carotid intima-media thickness, coronary mean lumen diameter, and, mostly recently, intravascular ultrasound is generally accepted. This article reviews the role of lipid-lowering therapies in changing the rate of atherosclerosis progression in the coronary and carotid circulations. Statins are the primary therapy used to reduce atherosclerosis and cardiovascular events, including strokes and transient ischemic attacks, and have benefits in reducing events in patients undergoing carotid endarterectomy. In contrast, data for other agents, including fibrates and nicotinic acid, in reducing the progression of atherosclerosis are less extensive and not as well known. There is increasing interest in optimizing the whole lipid profile, as this might deliver extra benefits over and above statin therapy alone. Initial proof of this concept has recently come from studies that measured the progression of atherosclerosis and showed that adding nicotinic acid to statin therapy and, more directly, infusion of high-density lipoprotein-like particles reduced progression and indeed might induce regression of the disease. It is likely that the management of significant carotid stenosis will become ever more drug focused and will be customized to the lipid profile of each patient with intervention reserved only for late-stage symptomatic disease

Neuroimaging classification of progression patterns in glioblastoma: a systematic review.

Science.gov (United States)

Piper, Rory J; Senthil, Keerthi K; Yan, Jiun-Lin; Price, Stephen J

2018-03-30

Our primary objective was to report the current neuroimaging classification systems of spatial patterns of progression in glioblastoma. In addition, we aimed to report the terminology used to describe 'progression' and to assess the compliance with the Response Assessment in Neuro-Oncology (RANO) Criteria. We conducted a systematic review to identify all neuroimaging studies of glioblastoma that have employed a categorical classification system of spatial progression patterns. Our review was registered with Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) registry. From the included 157 results, we identified 129 studies that used labels of spatial progression patterns that were not based on radiation volumes (Group 1) and 50 studies that used labels that were based on radiation volumes (Group 2). In Group 1, we found 113 individual labels and the most frequent were: local/localised (58%), distant/distal (51%), diffuse (20%), multifocal (15%) and subependymal/subventricular zone (15%). We identified 13 different labels used to refer to 'progression', of which the most frequent were 'recurrence' (99%) and 'progression' (92%). We identified that 37% (n = 33/90) of the studies published following the release of the RANO classification were adherent compliant with the RANO criteria. Our review reports significant heterogeneity in the published systems used to classify glioblastoma spatial progression patterns. Standardization of terminology and classification systems used in studying progression would increase the efficiency of our research in our attempts to more successfully treat glioblastoma.

Primary Progressive Aphasia

Science.gov (United States)

... which cause different symptoms. Semantic variant primary progressive aphasia Symptoms include these difficulties: Comprehending spoken or written ... word meanings Naming objects Logopenic variant primary progressive aphasia Symptoms include: Having difficulty retrieving words Frequently pausing ...

Primary progressive apraxia of speech: clinical features and acoustic and neurologic correlates.

Science.gov (United States)

Duffy, Joseph R; Strand, Edythe A; Clark, Heather; Machulda, Mary; Whitwell, Jennifer L; Josephs, Keith A

2015-05-01

This study summarizes 2 illustrative cases of a neurodegenerative speech disorder, primary progressive apraxia of speech (AOS), as a vehicle for providing an overview of the disorder and an approach to describing and quantifying its perceptual features and some of its temporal acoustic attributes. Two individuals with primary progressive AOS underwent speech-language and neurologic evaluations on 2 occasions, ranging from 2.0 to 7.5 years postonset. Performance on several tests, tasks, and rating scales, as well as several acoustic measures, were compared over time within and between cases. Acoustic measures were compared with performance of control speakers. Both patients initially presented with AOS as the only or predominant sign of disease and without aphasia or dysarthria. The presenting features and temporal progression were captured in an AOS Rating Scale, an Articulation Error Score, and temporal acoustic measures of utterance duration, syllable rates per second, rates of speechlike alternating motion and sequential motion, and a pairwise variability index measure. AOS can be the predominant manifestation of neurodegenerative disease. Clinical ratings of its attributes and acoustic measures of some of its temporal characteristics can support its diagnosis and help quantify its salient characteristics and progression over time.

Progressive Business

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Christiansen, Christian O.

2016-01-01

Guest Post to the Society for U.S. Intellectual History Blog. Brief introduction to the book Progressive Business: An Intellectual History of the Role of Business in American Society, Oxford U.P., 2015.......Guest Post to the Society for U.S. Intellectual History Blog. Brief introduction to the book Progressive Business: An Intellectual History of the Role of Business in American Society, Oxford U.P., 2015....

[Specificities of the logopenic variant of primary progressive aphasia].

Science.gov (United States)

Magnin, E; Teichmann, M; Martinaud, O; Moreaud, O; Ryff, I; Belliard, S; Pariente, J; Moulin, T; Vandel, P; Démonet, J-F

2015-01-01

The logopenic variant of primary progressive aphasia is a syndrome with neuropsychological and linguistic specificities, including phonological loop impairment for which diagnosis is currently mainly based on the exclusion of the two other variants, semantic and nonfluent/agrammatic primary progressive aphasia. The syndrome may be underdiagnosed due (1) to mild language difficulties during the early stages of the disease or (2) to being mistaken for mild cognitive impairment or Alzheimer's disease when the evaluation of episodic memory is based on verbal material and (3) finally, it is not uncommon that the disorders are attributed to psychiatric co-morbidities such as, for example, anxiety. Moreover, compared to other variants of primary progressive aphasia, brain abnormalities are different. The left temporoparietal junction is initially affected. Neuropathology and biomarkers (cerebrospinal fluid, molecular amyloid nuclear imaging) frequently reveal Alzheimer's disease. Consequently this variant of primary progressive aphasia does not fall under the traditional concept of frontotemporal lobar degeneration. These distinctive features highlight the utility of correct diagnosis, classification, and use of biomarkers to show the neuropathological processes underlying logopenic primary progressive aphasia. The logopenic variant of primary progressive aphasia is a specific form of Alzheimer's disease frequently presenting a rapid decline; specific linguistic therapies are needed. Further investigation of this syndrome is needed to refine screening, improve diagnostic criteria and better understand the epidemiology and the biological mechanisms involved. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

Glutamine-derived 2-hydroxyglutarate is associated with disease progression in plasma cell malignancies

Science.gov (United States)

Gonsalves, Wilson I.; Hitosugi, Taro; Ghosh, Toshi; Jevremovic, Dragan; Petterson, Xuan-Mai; Wellik, Linda; Kumar, Shaji K.; Nair, K. Sreekumaran

2018-01-01

The production of the oncometabolite 2-hydroxyglutarate (2-HG) has been associated with c-MYC overexpression. c-MYC also regulates glutamine metabolism and drives progression of asymptomatic precursor plasma cell (PC) malignancies to symptomatic multiple myeloma (MM). However, the presence of 2-HG and its clinical significance in PC malignancies is unknown. By performing 13C stable isotope resolved metabolomics (SIRM) using U[13C6]Glucose and U[13C5]Glutamine in human myeloma cell lines (HMCLs), we show that 2-HG is produced in clonal PCs and is derived predominantly from glutamine anaplerosis into the TCA cycle. Furthermore, the 13C SIRM studies in HMCLs also demonstrate that glutamine is preferentially utilized by the TCA cycle compared with glucose. Finally, measuring the levels of 2-HG in the BM supernatant and peripheral blood plasma from patients with precursor PC malignancies such as smoldering MM (SMM) demonstrates that relatively elevated levels of 2-HG are associated with higher levels of c-MYC expression in the BM clonal PCs and with a subsequent shorter time to progression (TTP) to MM. Thus, measuring 2-HG levels in BM supernatant or peripheral blood plasma of SMM patients offers potential early identification of those patients at high risk of progression to MM, who could benefit from early therapeutic intervention. PMID:29321378

Subchondral insufficiency fractures of the femoral head: associated imaging findings and predictors of clinical progression

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hackney, Lauren A.; Joseph, Gabby B.; Link, Thomas M. [University of California, San Francisco, Department of Radiology and Biomedical Imaging, San Francisco, CA (United States); Lee, Min Hee [University of California, San Francisco, Department of Radiology and Biomedical Imaging, San Francisco, CA (United States); University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Department of Radiology and Research Institute of Radiology, Asan Medical Center, Seoul (Korea, Republic of); Vail, Thomas P. [University of California, Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, San Francisco, CA (United States)

2016-06-15

To characterize the morphology and imaging findings of femoral head subchondral insufficiency fractures (SIF), and to investigate clinical outcomes in relation to imaging findings. Fifty-one patients with hip/pelvis magnetic resonance (MR) images and typical SIF characteristics were identified and reviewed by two radiologists. Thirty-five patients had follow-up documentation allowing assessment of clinical outcome. Subgroup comparisons were performed using regression models adjusted for age and body mass index. SIF were frequently associated with cartilage loss (35/47, 74.5 %), effusion (33/42, 78.6 %), synovitis (29/44, 66 %), and bone marrow oedema pattern (BMEP) (average cross-sectional area 885.7 ± 730.2 mm{sup 2}). Total hip arthroplasty (THA) was required in 16/35 patients, at an average of 6 months post-MRI. Compared to the THA cohort, the non-THA group had significantly (p < 0.05) smaller overlying cartilage defect size (10 mm vs. 29 mm), smaller band length ratio and fracture diameters, and greater incidence of parallel fracture morphology (p < 0.05). Male gender and increased age were significantly associated with progression, p < 0.05. SIF were associated with synovitis, cartilage loss, effusion, and BMEP. Male gender and increased age had a significant association with progression to THA, as did band length ratio, fracture diameter, cartilage defect size, and fracture deformity/morphology. (orig.)

Possible roles of insulin, IGF-1 and IGFBPs in initiation and progression of colorectal cancer

Science.gov (United States)

Jiang, Bo; Zhang, Xin; Du, Li-Li; Wang, Yan; Liu, Dong-Bo; Han, Cun-Zhi; Jing, Jie-Xian; Zhao, Xian-Wen; Xu, Xiao-Qin

2014-01-01

AIM: To investigate the roles of serum insulin, insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1), and insulin-like growth factor binding proteins (IGFBPs) in the initiation and progression of colorectal cancer. METHODS: We determined serum insulin, IGF-1 and IGFBPs levels in 615 colorectal cancer patients and 650 control healthy donors by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). In the meantime, their body mass index (BMI) and waist-to-hip ratio (WHR) were measured. RESULTS: Serum levels of insulin and IGF-1 as well as IGF-1/IGFBP-3 ratio in pre-operation patients were significantly elevated, but the level of IGFBP-3 was significantly decreased compared with normal controls and post-operation patients (P 0.05) in the levels of insulin, IGF-1, IGFBP-1, IGFBP-3 and IGF-1/IGFBP-3 between the patients with and without hepatic as well as distal abdominal metastases. WHR and BMI of colon cancer patients were positively and significantly correlated with the levels of insulin and IGF-1/IGFBP-3. In contrast, WHR and BMI were negatively correlated with IGFBP-3 level. CONCLUSION: The elevation of insulin, IGF-1 as well as IGF-1/IGFBP-3 ratio and the reduction of IGFBP-3 may be related to the initiation of colorectal cancer, but they are not related to the progression and outcome of the disease. PMID:24587638

Progress in Aging Epidemiology in Japan: The JAGES Project

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Katsunori Kondo

2016-07-01

Full Text Available Aging is a prominent topic in global health. The purpose of this report is to document progress in two of our research projects in Japan, which currently is the most aged society in the world. The Japan Gerontological Evaluation Study (JAGES is one of the largest nation-wide research projects on aging, with more than 100 000 participants in 2010 and 2013. One of the notable findings is that community participation is a significant determinant of older people’s health. We have also made progress in the development of the JAGES Health Equity Assessment and Response Tools (HEART, which is a management tool for developing age-friendly cities. This progress suggests that community perspective and management of health promotion in the communities are valuable and require further research.

Quarterly Progress Report (April 1 to June 30, 1950)

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Brookhaven National Laboratory

1950-07-01

This is the second of a series of Quarterly Progress Reports. While most of the departments have summarized their work or used a form comparable to abstracts, the Chemistry Department has given both abstracts and complete reports on its work. The major part of the progress in the Reactor Science and Engineering Department is being presented simultaneously in a separate classified report. There are reports from the following departments: (1) physics department; (2) instrumentation and health physics department; (3) accelerator project; (4) chemistry department; (5) reactor science and engineering department; (6) biology department; and (7) medical department.

Enforcement actions: Significant actions resolved material licensees. Semiannual progress report, July--December 1996

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

1997-04-01

This compilation summarizes significant enforcement actions that have been resolved during the period and includes copies of letters, Notices, and Orders sent by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission to material licensees with respect to these enforcement actions. It is anticipated that the information in this publication will be widely disseminated to managers and employees engaged in activities licensed by the NRC, so that actions can be taken to improve safety by avoiding future violations similar to those described in this publication.

Enforcement actions: Significant actions resolved material licensees. Semiannual progress report, July--December 1996

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1997-04-01

This compilation summarizes significant enforcement actions that have been resolved during the period and includes copies of letters, Notices, and Orders sent by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission to material licensees with respect to these enforcement actions. It is anticipated that the information in this publication will be widely disseminated to managers and employees engaged in activities licensed by the NRC, so that actions can be taken to improve safety by avoiding future violations similar to those described in this publication

Radiation promotes colorectal cancer initiation and progression by inducing senescence-associated inflammatory responses.

Science.gov (United States)

Kim, S B; Bozeman, R G; Kaisani, A; Kim, W; Zhang, L; Richardson, J A; Wright, W E; Shay, J W

2016-06-30

Proton radiotherapy is becoming more common as protons induce more precise DNA damage at the tumor site with reduced side effects to adjacent normal tissues. However, the long-term biological effects of proton irradiation in cancer initiation compared with conventional photon irradiation are poorly characterized. In this study, using a human familial adenomatous polyposis syndrome susceptible mouse model, we show that whole-body irradiation with protons are more effective in inducing senescence-associated inflammatory responses (SIRs), which are involved in colon cancer initiation and progression. After proton irradiation, a subset of SIR genes (Troy, Sox17, Opg, Faim2, Lpo, Tlr2 and Ptges) and a gene known to be involved in invasiveness (Plat), along with the senescence-associated gene (P19Arf), are markedly increased. Following these changes, loss of Casein kinase Iα and induction of chronic DNA damage and TP53 mutations are increased compared with X-ray irradiation. Proton irradiation also increases the number of colonic polyps, carcinomas and invasive adenocarcinomas. Pretreatment with the non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug, 2-cyano-3,12-dioxooleana-1,9(11)-dien-28-oic acid-ethyl amide (CDDO-EA), reduces proton irradiation-associated SIR and tumorigenesis. Thus exposure to proton irradiation elicits significant changes in colorectal cancer initiation and progression that can be mitigated using CDDO-EA.

28 CFR 524.42 - Content of progress reports.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-01

... mental health, including any significant mental or physical health problems, and any corrective action... 28 Judicial Administration 2 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Content of progress reports. 524.42 Section 524.42 Judicial Administration BUREAU OF PRISONS, DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE INMATE ADMISSION...

Progressive Hemifacial Atrophy with Morphea of Cheek

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ajit Auluck

2006-01-01

Full Text Available Scleroderma is a rare collagen disorder in which fibrosis of skin, subcutaneous tissues and muscles can occur with occasional involvement of bones. Localized scleroderma is a benign condition but can cause significant deformity when it affects the face. We report a case of localized scleroderma of the face causing progressive hemifacial atrophy.

Population Characteristics and Progressive Disability in Neurofibromatosis Type 2.

Science.gov (United States)

Iwatate, Kensho; Yokoo, Takeshi; Iwatate, Eriko; Ichikawa, Masahiro; Sato, Taku; Fujii, Masazumi; Sakuma, Jun; Saito, Kiyoshi

2017-10-01

To characterize the clinical features of patients with neurofibromatosis type 2 (NF2) and determine prognostic risk factors for progressive disabilities. In this retrospective cohort study of the Japanese national NF2 registry between 2009 and 2013, clinical data (demographic, history, oncologic, and neurologic) of 807 patients with a diagnosis of NF2 were analyzed. The overall severity of neurologic disability was assessed using a comprehensive 25-point scoring system encompassing a wide variety of neurologic deficits. In 587 patients in whom longitudinal disability data were available, multivariate logistic regression was performed to identify risk factors for significant progression of disability. The clinical characteristics of the Japanese NF2 population were heterogeneous. The median age of onset was 24 years (range, 1-80 years), the male:female ratio was 1:1.29, and the initial severity score was 4 (range, 0-22) out of 25 points. A family history of NF2 was present in 33% of the patients. Most frequent clinical features were bilateral cranial nerve VIII nerve sheath tumor (NST) in 87%, spinal NST in 80%, hearing loss in 65%, spinal dysfunction in 50%, intracranial meningioma in 49%, and facial paresis in 36%. The disability score progressed by ≥5 points in 6.1% of patients over the study period. Based on multivariate logistic regression analyses, the significant independent risk factors of progression (P value) included age of onset history (P = 0.007), positive treatment history (P = 0.026), hearing loss (P = 0.014), facial paresis (P = 0.015), blindness (P = 0.011), and hemiparesis (P = 0.025). The Japanese NF2 population has heterogeneous clinical features. Risk factors for progressive disability include younger age of onset, positive family history, positive treatment history, and specific neurologic deficits. Copyright © 2017 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Influence of sex differences on the progression of cancer-induced bone pain

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Falk, Sarah; Uldall, Maria; Appel, Camilla

2013-01-01

Background: Pain caused by bone metastases has a severe impact on the quality of life for many patients with cancer. Good translational in vivo models are required to understand the molecular mechanism and develop better treatment. In the current study we evaluated the influence of sex differences...... on the progression of cancer-induced bone pain. Materials and Methods: 4T1-luc2 mammary cancer cells were introduced into the femoral cavity of female and male BALB/cJ mice. Bioluminescence tumor signal, pain-related behavior and bone degradation were monitored for 14 days. Results: Female mice demonstrated...... a significantly greater bioluminescence signal on day 2 compared to male mice and, in addition, a significant earlier onset of pain-related behavior was observed in the females. No sex difference was observed for bone degradation. Finally, a strong correlation between pain-related behavior and bone degradation...

Risk Factors for Visual Field Progression in the Groningen Longitudinal Glaucoma Study : A Comparison of Different Statistical Approaches

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Wesselink, Christiaan; Marcus, Michael W.; Jansonius, Nomdo M.

2012-01-01

Purpose: To identify risk factors for visual field progression in glaucoma and to compare different statistical approaches with this risk factor analysis. Patients and Methods: We included 221 eyes of 221 patients. Progression was analyzed using Nonparametric Progression Analysis applied to Humphrey

Disability in progressive MS is associated with T2 lesion changes

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Ammitzbøll, Cecilie; Dyrby, Tim Bjørn; Lyksborg, Mark

2017-01-01

Background: Progressive multiple sclerosis (MS) is characterized by diffuse changes on brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), which complicates the use of MRI as a diagnostic and prognostic marker. The relationship between MRI measures (conventional and non-conventional) and clinical disability...... in progressive MS therefore warrants further investigation. Objective: To investigate the relationship between clinical disability and MRI measures in patients with progressive MS. Methods: Data from 93 primary and secondary progressive MS patients who had participated in 3 phase 2 clinical trials were included...... matter. Disability was assessed by the Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS) and the MS functional composite. Results: T2 lesion volume was associated with impairment by all clinical measures. MD and MTR in T2 lesions were significantly related to disability, and lower FA values correlated with worse...

Progressive Pigmentary Purpura

Science.gov (United States)

... Category: Share: Yes No, Keep Private Progressive Pigmentary Purpura Share | Progressive pigmentary purpura (we will call it PPP) is a group ... conditions ( Schamberg's disease , Lichenoid dermatitis of Gourgerot-Blum, purpura annularis telangiectodes of Majocchi and Lichen aureus). Schamberg's ...

The effects of progressive muscle relaxation and autogenic relaxation on young soccer players' mood states.

Science.gov (United States)

Hashim, Hairul Anuar; Hanafi Ahmad Yusof, Hazwani

2011-06-01

This study was designed to compare the effects of two different relaxation techniques, namely progressive muscle relaxation (PMR) and autogenic relaxation (AGR) on moods of young soccer players. sixteen adolescent athletes (mean age: 14.1 ± 1.3) received either PMR or AGR training. Using Profile of Mood States- Adolescents, their mood states were measured one week before relaxation training, before the first relaxation session, and after the twelfth relaxation session. Mixed ANOVA revealed no significant interaction effects and no significant main effects in any of the subscales. However, significant main effects for testing sessions were found for confusion, depression, fatigue, and tension subscales. Post hoc tests revealed post-intervention reductions in the confusion, depression, fatigue, and tension subscale scores. These two relaxation techniques induce equivalent mood responses and may be used to regulate young soccer players' mood states.

Significant uncertainty in global scale hydrological modeling from precipitation data erros

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Sperna Weiland, F.; Vrugt, J.A.; Beek, van P.H.; Weerts, A.H.; Bierkens, M.F.P.

2015-01-01

In the past decades significant progress has been made in the fitting of hydrologic models to data. Most of this work has focused on simple, CPU-efficient, lumped hydrologic models using discharge, water table depth, soil moisture, or tracer data from relatively small river basins. In this paper, we

Significant uncertainty in global scale hydrological modeling from precipitation data errors

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Weiland, Frederiek C. Sperna; Vrugt, Jasper A.; van Beek, Rens (L. ) P. H.; Weerts, Albrecht H.; Bierkens, Marc F. P.

2015-01-01

In the past decades significant progress has been made in the fitting of hydrologic models to data. Most of this work has focused on simple, CPU-efficient, lumped hydrologic models using discharge, water table depth, soil moisture, or tracer data from relatively small river basins. In this paper, we

Progression from acute to chronic pancreatitis: prognostic factors, mortality, and natural course.

Science.gov (United States)

Nøjgaard, Camilla; Becker, Ulrik; Matzen, Peter; Andersen, Jens Rikardt; Holst, Claus; Bendtsen, Flemming

2011-11-01

Knowledge of the natural course of acute pancreatitis (AP) and risk of progression to chronic pancreatitis (CP) is limited. The aims were to describe: (1) the incidence of progression from AP to CP, (2) prognostic factors for progression, and (3) the natural course and mortality of progressive AP. During 1977 to 1982, patients admitted to hospitals in Copenhagen with a diagnosis of AP or CP were included in a prospective cohort and followed up by the Danish registries in 2008. The subcohort analyses comprised 352 AP patients. Progressive AP was found in 85 patients (24.1%) during follow-up; 48.2% developed from alcoholic AP, 47.0% from idiopathic AP, and 4.8% from other causes. The mortality rate for patients with progressive AP was 2.7 times higher than in patients with nonprogressive acute pancreatitis, and 5.3 to 6.5 times higher than in the background population. In Cox regression analyses corrected for age, only smoking was of significance for the progression from AP to CP. Acute pancreatitis can progress to CP, not only from alcoholic but also from nonalcoholic AP. Smoking was the strongest risk factor associated with progression. The mortality rate for these patients was 5 to 6 times the mortality rate in the population.