626 research outputs found
Comparability of Microarray Data between Amplified and Non Amplified RNA in Colorectal Carcinoma
Microarray analysis reaches increasing popularity during the investigation of prognostic gene clusters in oncology. The standardisation of technical procedures will be essential to compare various datasets produced by different research groups. In several projects the amount of available tissue is limited. In such cases the preamplification of RNA might be necessary prior to microarray hybridisation. To evaluate the comparability of microarray results generated either by amplified or non amplified RNA we isolated RNA from colorectal cancer samples (stage UICC IV) following tumour tissue enrichment by macroscopic manual dissection (CMD). One part of the RNA was directly labelled and hybridised to GeneChips (HG-U133A, Affymetrix), the other part of the RNA was amplified according to the ?Eberwine? protocol and was then hybridised to the microarrays. During unsupervised hierarchical clustering the samples were divided in groups regarding the RNA pre-treatment and 5.726 differentially expressed genes were identified. Using independent microarray data of 31 amplified vs. 24 non amplified RNA samples from colon carcinomas (stage UICC III) in a set of 50 predictive genes we validated the amplification bias. In conclusion microarray data resulting from different pre-processing regarding RNA pre-amplification can not be compared within one analysis
Expression of Chemoresistance-Related Genes and Heat Shock Protein 72 in Hyperthermic Isolated Limb Perfusion of Malignant Melanoma: An Experimental Study
Hyperthermic isolated limb perfusion (HILP) is considered an established treatment for multiple locoregional intransit metastases in malignant melanoma of the extremities. Various mechanisms such as the expression of chemoresistance genes and heat shock proteins by the tumor may be responsible for varying response rates and locoregional recurrences of the treatment. The aim of the experimental animal study was to investigate the direct impact of HILP on such mechanisms of resistance. Tissue temperature, administration of the cytostatic drug, and duration of perfusion were varied. Expression of the chemoresistance genes mdr1, mrp1, mrp2, and lrp and of heat shock protein 72 (HSP72) in the tumor tissue was analysed using RT-PCR and western blot analysis. The untreated SK-MEL-3 tumor expressed mdr1, mrp1, and lrp, but not mrp2. Neither variation of temperature, administration of the cytostatic drug, nor duration of perfusion changed the expression of this “resistance pattern”. In contrast to the cytostatic drug, hyperthermia causes a persistent induction of HSP72. Both observations could offer a potential explanation for failure of HILP in malignant melanoma
Flexible and Robust Privacy-Preserving Implicit Authentication
Implicit authentication consists of a server authenticating a user based on
the user's usage profile, instead of/in addition to relying on something the
user explicitly knows (passwords, private keys, etc.). While implicit
authentication makes identity theft by third parties more difficult, it
requires the server to learn and store the user's usage profile. Recently, the
first privacy-preserving implicit authentication system was presented, in which
the server does not learn the user's profile. It uses an ad hoc two-party
computation protocol to compare the user's fresh sampled features against an
encrypted stored user's profile. The protocol requires storing the usage
profile and comparing against it using two different cryptosystems, one of them
order-preserving; furthermore, features must be numerical. We present here a
simpler protocol based on set intersection that has the advantages of: i)
requiring only one cryptosystem; ii) not leaking the relative order of fresh
feature samples; iii) being able to deal with any type of features (numerical
or non-numerical).
Keywords: Privacy-preserving implicit authentication, privacy-preserving set
intersection, implicit authentication, active authentication, transparent
authentication, risk mitigation, data brokers.Comment: IFIP SEC 2015-Intl. Information Security and Privacy Conference, May
26-28, 2015, IFIP AICT, Springer, to appea
Postoperative drainage management and wound complications following resection of lower limb soft tissue tumors: a retrospective cohort study
Fast-ignition design transport studies: realistic electron source, integrated PIC-hydrodynamics, imposed magnetic fields
Transport modeling of idealized, cone-guided fast ignition targets indicates
the severe challenge posed by fast-electron source divergence. The hybrid
particle-in-cell [PIC] code Zuma is run in tandem with the
radiation-hydrodynamics code Hydra to model fast-electron propagation, fuel
heating, and thermonuclear burn. The fast electron source is based on a 3D
explicit-PIC laser-plasma simulation with the PSC code. This shows a quasi
two-temperature energy spectrum, and a divergent angle spectrum (average
velocity-space polar angle of 52 degrees). Transport simulations with the
PIC-based divergence do not ignite for > 1 MJ of fast-electron energy, for a
modest 70 micron standoff distance from fast-electron injection to the dense
fuel. However, artificially collimating the source gives an ignition energy of
132 kJ. To mitigate the divergence, we consider imposed axial magnetic fields.
Uniform fields ~50 MG are sufficient to recover the artificially collimated
ignition energy. Experiments at the Omega laser facility have generated fields
of this magnitude by imploding a capsule in seed fields of 50-100 kG. Such
imploded fields are however more compressed in the transport region than in the
laser absorption region. When fast electrons encounter increasing field
strength, magnetic mirroring can reflect a substantial fraction of them and
reduce coupling to the fuel. A hollow magnetic pipe, which peaks at a finite
radius, is presented as one field configuration which circumvents mirroring.Comment: 16 pages, 17 figures, submitted to Phys. Plasma
Prognostic value of lymph node ratio and extramural vascular invasion on survival for patients undergoing curative colon cancer resection
There was no study funding. We are grateful to Tony Rafferty (Tailored Information for the People of Scotland, TIPs) for providing survival data.Peer reviewedPublisher PD
Counter-propagating radiative shock experiments on the Orion laser and the formation of radiative precursors
We present results from new experiments to study the dynamics of radiative
shocks, reverse shocks and radiative precursors. Laser ablation of a solid
piston by the Orion high-power laser at AWE Aldermaston UK was used to drive
radiative shocks into a gas cell initially pressurised between and $1.0 \
bar with different noble gases. Shocks propagated at {80 \pm 10 \ km/s} and
experienced strong radiative cooling resulting in post-shock compressions of {
\times 25 \pm 2}. A combination of X-ray backlighting, optical self-emission
streak imaging and interferometry (multi-frame and streak imaging) were used to
simultaneously study both the shock front and the radiative precursor. These
experiments present a new configuration to produce counter-propagating
radiative shocks, allowing for the study of reverse shocks and providing a
unique platform for numerical validation. In addition, the radiative shocks
were able to expand freely into a large gas volume without being confined by
the walls of the gas cell. This allows for 3-D effects of the shocks to be
studied which, in principle, could lead to a more direct comparison to
astrophysical phenomena. By maintaining a constant mass density between
different gas fills the shocks evolved with similar hydrodynamics but the
radiative precursor was found to extend significantly further in higher atomic
number gases (\sim4$ times further in xenon than neon). Finally, 1-D and 2-D
radiative-hydrodynamic simulations are presented showing good agreement with
the experimental data.Comment: HEDLA 2016 conference proceeding
Cystic colon duplication causing intussusception in a 25-year-old man: report of a case and review of the literature
<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Colonic intussusception is a rare congenital abnormality, mostly manifesting before the age of two with abdominal pain and acute intestinal obstruction with or without bleeding. In adults it may occur idiopathically or due to an intraluminal tumor mass.</p> <p>Case presentation</p> <p>A 25-year-old man presented with an acute abdomen and severe crampy abdominal pain. The clinical picture mimicked acute appendicitis. Transabdominal ultrasound examination revealed a 5 cm circular mass in the right upper abdomen. The ensuing computed tomography suggested an intussusception in the ascending colon. Intraoperatively, no full thickness invagination was detected. Due to a hard, intraluminal tumor a standard right hemicolectomy with ileotransversostomy was performed. The histopathological analysis revealed a cystic colon duplication leading to mucosal invagination and obstruction.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>In adults, colon intussusception is a rare event causing approximately 1% of all acute intestinal obstructions. Unlike its preferentially nonsurgical management in children, a bowel intussusception in adults should be operated because an organic, often malignant lesion is present in most cases.</p
Regional chemotherapy by isolated limb perfusion prior to surgery compared with surgery and post-operative radiotherapy for primary, locally advanced extremity sarcoma: a comparison of matched cohorts
Background: Induction chemotherapy by isolated limb perfusion (ILP) with melphalan and tumour necrosis factor-α is an effective strategy to facilitate limb-conserving surgery in locally advanced extremity sarcoma. In a comparison of cohorts matched for grade, size and surgical resectability, we compared the outcome of patients undergoing induction ILP prior to limb-conserving surgery and selective post-operative radiotherapy with patients undergoing limb-conserving surgery and routine post-operative radiotherapy.
Methods: Patients with primary, grade 2/3 sarcomas of the lower limbs over 10 cm in size were identified from prospectively maintained databases at 3 centres. Patients treated at a UK centre underwent limb-conserving surgery and post-operative radiotherapy (Standard cohort). Patients at two German centres underwent induction ILP, limb-conserving surgery and selective post-operative radiotherapy (ILP cohort).
Results: The Standard cohort comprised 80 patients and the ILP cohort 44 patients. Both cohorts were closely matched in terms of tumour size, grade, histological subtype and surgical resectability. The median age was greater in the Standard vs the ILP cohort (60.5 years vs 56 years, p = 0.033). The median size was 13 cm in both cohorts. 5-year local-recurrence (ILP 12.2%, Standard 20.1%, p = 0.375) and distant metastases-free survival rates (ILP 49.6%, Standard 46.0% p = 0.821) did not differ significantly between cohorts. Fewer patients received post-operative radiotherapy in the ILP cohort compared with the Standard cohort (27% vs 82%, p < 0.001).
Conclusion: In comparative cohorts, the outcomes of patients undergoing induction ILP prior to surgery did not differ from those undergoing standard management, although induction ILP was associated with a reduced need for adjuvant radiation
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