A radio continuum survey of the southern sky at 1420 MHz. Observations and data reduction

We describe the equipment, observational method and reduction procedure of an absolutely calibrated radio continuum survey of the South Celestial Hemisphere at a frequency of 1420 MHz. These observations cover the area 0h < R.A. < 24h for declinations less than -10 degree. The sensitivity is about 50 mK T_B (full beam brightness) and the angular resolution (HPBW) is 35.4', which matches the existing northern sky survey at the same frequency.Comment: 9 pages with 9 figures, A&A, in pres

Deletion of GPIHBP1 causing severe chylomicronemia

Lipoprotein lipase (LPL) is a hydrolase that cleaves circulating triglycerides to release fatty acids to the surrounding tissues. The enzyme is synthesized in parenchymal cells and is transported to its site of action on the capillary endothelium by glycophosphatidylinositol (GPI)-anchored high-density lipoprotein-binding protein 1 (GPIHBP1). Inactivating mutations in LPL; in its cofactor, apolipoprotein (Apo) C2; or in GPIHBP1 cause severe hypertriglyceridemia. Here we describe an individual with complete deficiency of GPIHBP1. The proband was an Asian Indian boy who had severe chylomicronemia at 2 months of age. Array-based copy-number analysis of his genomic DNA revealed homozygosity for a 17.5-kb deletion that included GPIHBP1. A 44-year-old aunt with a history of hypertriglyceridemia and pancreatitis was also homozygous for the deletion. A bolus of intravenously administered heparin caused a rapid increase in circulating LPL and decreased plasma triglyceride levels in control individuals but not in two GPIHBP1-deficient patients. Thus, short-term treatment with heparin failed to attenuate the hypertriglyceridemia in patients with GPIHBP1 deficiency. The increasing resolution of copy number microarrays and their widespread adoption for routine cytogenetic analysis is likely to reveal a greater role for submicroscopic deletions in Mendelian conditions. We describe the first neonate with complete GPIHBP1 deficiency due to homozygosity for a deletion of GPIHBP1

Consensus guidelines for the management of radiation dermatitis and coexisting acne-like rash in patients receiving radiotherapy plus EGFR inhibitors for the treatment of squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck

Background: Radiation dermatitis occurs to some degree in most patients receiving radiotherapy, with or without chemotherapy. Patients with squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck (SCCHN) who receive radiotherapy in combination with epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) inhibitors, such as cetuximab, may develop a characteristic acne-like rash in addition to dermatitis. Design: An advisory board of 11 experienced radiation oncologists, medical oncologists and dermatologists discussed the management options for skin reactions in patients receiving EGFR inhibitors and radiotherapy for SCCHN. Skin toxicity was categorised according to the National Cancer Institute—Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events (version 3) grading. Results: Both general and grade-specific approaches for the management of dermatitis in this patient group are presented. It was concluded that where EGFR inhibitor-related acne-like rash and dermatitis coexist within irradiated fields, management should be based on the grade of dermatitis: for grade 1 (or no dermatitis), treatment recommendations for EGFR-related acne-like rash outside irradiated fields should be followed; for grades 2 and above, treatment recommendations for dermatitis were proposed. Conclusions: This paper presents comprehensive consensus guidelines for the treatment of dermatitis in patients with SCCHN receiving EGFR inhibitors in combination with radiotherap

Meta-analysis of chemotherapy in head and neck cancer (MACH-NC): An update on 107 randomized trials and 19,805 patients, on behalf of MACH-NC Group

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: The Meta-Analysis of Chemotherapy in squamous cell Head and Neck Cancer (MACH-NC) demonstrated that concomitant chemotherapy (CT) improved overall survival (OS) in patients without distant metastasis. We report the updated results. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Published or unpublished randomized trials including patients with non-metastatic carcinoma randomized between 1965 and 2016 and comparing curative loco-regional treatment (LRT) to LRT + CT or adding another timing of CT to LRT + CT (main question), or comparing induction CT + radiotherapy to radiotherapy + concomitant (or alternating) CT (secondary question) were eligible. Individual patient data were collected and combined using a fixed-effect model. OS was the main endpoint. RESULTS: For the main question, 101 trials (18951 patients, median follow-up of 6.5 years) were analyzed. For both questions, there were 16 new (2767 patients) and 11 updated trials. Around 90% of the patients had stage III or IV disease. Interaction between treatment effect on OS and the timing of CT was significant (p < 0.0001), the benefit being limited to concomitant CT (HR: 0.83, 95%CI [0.79; 0.86]; 5(10)-year absolute benefit of 6.5% (3.6%)). Efficacy decreased as patients age increased (p_trend = 0.03). OS was not increased by the addition of induction (HR = 0.96 [0.90; 1.01]) or adjuvant CT (1.02 [0.92; 1.13]). Efficacy of induction CT decreased with poorer performance status (p_trend = 0.03). For the secondary question, eight trials (1214 patients) confirmed the superiority of concomitant CT on OS (HR = 0.84 [0.74; 0.95], p = 0.005). CONCLUSION: The update of MACH-NC confirms the benefit and superiority of the addition of concomitant CT for non-metastatic head and neck cancer

Swallowing dysfunction in cancer patients

Purpose Dysphagia (swallowing dysfunction) is a debilitating, depressing, and potentially life-threatening complication in cancer patients that is likely underreported. The present paper is aimed to review relevant dysphagia literature between 1990 and 2010 with a focus on assessment tools, prevalence, complications, and impact on quality of life in patients with a variety of different cancers, particularly in those treated with curative chemoradiation for head and neck cancer. Methods The literature search was limited to the English language and included both MEDLINE/PubMed and EMBASE. The search focused on papers reporting dysphagia as a side effect of cancer and cancer therapy. We identified relevant literature through the primary literature search and by articles identified in references. Results A wide range of assessment tools for dysphagia was identified. Dysphagia is related to a number of factors such as direct impact of the tumor, cancer resection, chemotherapy, and radiotherapy and to newer therapies such as epidermal growth factor receptor inhibitors. Concomitant oral complications such as xerostomia may exacerbate subjective dysphagia. Most literature focuses on head and neck cancer, but dysphagia is also common in other types of cancer. Conclusions Swallowing impairment is a clinically relevant acute and long-term complication in patients with a wide variety of cancers. More prospective studies on the course of dysphagia and impact on quality of life from baseline to long-term follow-up after various treatment modalities, including targeted therapies, are needed

Changes in elastin, elastin binding protein and versican in alveoli in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>COPD is characterised by loss of alveolar elastic fibers and by lack of effective repair. Elastic fibers are assembled at cell surfaces by elastin binding protein (EBP), a molecular chaperone whose function can be reversibility inhibited by chondroitin sulphate of matrix proteoglycans such as versican. This study aimed to determine if alveoli of patients with mild to moderate COPD contained increased amounts of versican and a corresponding decrease in EBP, and if these changes were correlated with decreases in elastin and FEV₁.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Lung samples were obtained from 26 control (FEV₁≥ 80% predicted, FEV₁/VC >0.7) and 17 COPD patients (FEV₁≥ 40% – <80% predicted, FEV₁/VC ≤ 0.7) who had undergone a lobectomy for bronchial carcinoma. Samples were processed for histological and immuno-staining. Volume fractions (<it>V</it>_v) of elastin in alveolar walls and alveolar rims were determined by point counting, and versican and EBP assessed by grading of staining intensities.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Elastin <it>V</it>v was positively correlated with FEV₁for both the alveolar walls (r = 0.66, p < 0.001) and rims (r = 0.41, p < 0.01). Versican was negatively correlated with FEV₁in both regions (r = 0.30 and 0.32 respectively, p < 0.05), with the highest staining intensities found in patients with the lowest values for FEV₁. Conversely, staining intensities for EBP in alveolar walls and rims and were positively correlated with FEV₁(r = 0.43 and 0.46, p < 0.01).</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Patients with mild to moderate COPD show progressively increased immuno-staining for versican and correspondingly decreased immuno-staining for EBP, with decreasing values of FEV₁. These findings may explain the lack of repair of elastic fibers in the lungs of patients with moderate COPD. Removal of versican may offer a strategy for effective repair.</p

A multifactorial approach including tumoural epidermal growth factor receptor, p53, thymidylate synthase and dihydropyrimidine dehydrogenase to predict treatment outcome in head and neck cancer patients receiving 5-fluorouracil

The prognostic value of tumoural epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR), p53, thymidylate synthase (TS) and dihydropyrimidine dehydrogenase (DPD) was analysed on 82 advanced head and neck cancer patients (71 men, 11 women; mean age 59). Induction treatment was cisplatin–5-FU ± folinic acid (61 patients, Chem group) or concomitant cisplatin–5-FU–radiotherapy (21 patients, RChem group). EGFR (binding assay), p53 protein (Sangtec immunoluminometric assay), TS and DPD activities (radioenzymatic assays) were measured on biopsies obtained at time of diagnosis. Significant positive correlation was demonstrated between p53 and EGFR. In the RChem group, p53 was higher in non-complete responders (median 1.03 ng mg−1) than in complete responders (median 0.08 ng mg−1) (P = 0.057). Univariate Cox analyses stratified on treatment group showed that specific survival (33 events) was significantly related to T staging, p53 taken as continuous or categorial (below vs over 0.80 ng mg−1) variable, and EGFR (below vs over 220 fmol mg−1); survival increased when EGFR and p53 were below thresholds. Multivariate stepwise analysis including T staging, EGFR and p53 revealed that T staging and EGFR were independent predictors of survival; relative risks were 3.68 for T staging and 2.65 for EGFR. Overall, EGFR remained an independent prognostic factor when response to treatment and T staging were considered in the multivariate analysis. © 1999 Cancer Research Campaig