Effect of expression levels of multidrug resistance gene related protein 1, P-glycoprotein and topoisomerase II on paclitaxel, gemcitabine and vinorelbine sensitivity in pulmonary cancer

Purpose: To investigate the possible correlation between drug resistance gene expression and development of drug sensitivity, and the possible clinical significance of this relationship. Methods: A total of 100 cancer samples were surgically obtained. MTT assay was employed to determine drug sensitivity. The expression levels of drug resistance genes, multidrug resistance generelated protein 1 (MRP1), P-glycoprotein (P-gp), and topoisomerase II (Topo II) were measured by immunohistochemistry. Results: The expression levels of MRP1, P-gp, and Topo II genes in lung cancer were 70.0, 65.0, and 50.0 %, respectively. No significant statistical differences were observed in the expressions of MRP1, Pgp, and Topo II between human adenocarcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma (p > 0.05), but a significant difference was found in MRP1 and Topo II expressions between human adenocarcinoma or squamous carcinoma cell and small-cell lung cancer (p < 0.05). A significant positive correlation was observed between P-gp expression and resistance cisplatin, gemcitabine, vinorelbine, and paclitaxel (p < 0.05). A significant positive correlation was also found between MRP1 expression and the development of resistance to cisplatin, gemcitabine, and vinorelbine (p < 0.05), but no significant correlation was observed between MRP1 expression and the development of resistance to paclitaxel and ifosfamide (p > 0.05). Conclusion: The up-regulated expression of MRP1 and P-gp, and the down-regulated expression of Topo II may be positively correlated with drug resistance in lung cancer patients. Thus, gene tests are recommended to guide the administration of chemotherap

Traumatic neuroma in a patient with breast cancer after mastectomy: a case report and review of the literature

The incidence of traumatic neuroma is extremely low, especially in those patients with breast cancer after mastectomy. There are only 10 cases reported in the literature. We report a patient who developed a palpable nodular mass near the mastectomy scar. The result of excisional biopsy was traumatic neuroma. Review of the literature reveal 10 cases with breast cancer of traumatic neuromas after mastectomy. Traumatic neuroma is a benign lesion and a reparative response of the nerve to injury, either direct/indirect trauma or chronic inflammation. Benign lesions as traumatic neuromas are more rarely seen after mastectomy. However, in order to manage patients' treatment, the most critical problem is to distinguish it from recurrent breast carcinoma. Although assistant examination methods such as ultrasound and computed tomography are valuable to a certain extent, the final diagnosis can only be confirmed on pathologic examination

Effects of caesarean section on maternal health in low risk nulliparous women: a prospective matched cohort study in Shanghai, China

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Rates of caesarean section are progressively increasing in many parts of the world. As a result of psychosocial factors there has been an increasing tendency for pregnant women without justifiable medical indications for caesarean section to ask for this procedure in China. A critical examination of this issue in relation to maternal outcomes is important. At present there are no clinical trials to help assess the risks and benefits of caesarean section in low risk women. To fill the gap left by trials, this indication-matched cohort study was carried out to examine prospectively the outcomes of caesarean section on women with no absolute obstetric indication compared with similar women who had vaginal delivery.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>An indication-matched cohort study was undertaken to compare maternal outcomes following caesarean section with those undergoing vaginal delivery, in which the two groups were matched for non-absolute indications. 301 nulliparous women with caesarean section were matched successfully with 301 women who delivered vaginally in the Maternal and Children's Hospitals (MCHs) in Shanghai, China. Logistic regression model or binomial regression model was used to estimate the relative risk (RR) directly. Adjusted RRs were calculated adjusting for propensity score and medical indications.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>The incidence of total complications was 2.2 times higher in the caesarean section group during hospitalization post-partum, compared with the vaginal delivery group (RR = 2.2; 95% CI: 1.1-4.4). The risk of haemorrhage from the start of labour until 2 hours post-partum was significantly higher in the caesarean group (RR = 5.6; 95% CI: 1.2-26.9). The risk of chronic abdominal pain was significantly higher for the caesarean section group (RR = 3.6; 95% CI: 1.2-10.9) than for the vaginal delivery group within 12 months post-partum. The two groups had similar incidences of anaemia and complicating infections such as wound complications or urinary tract infection.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>In nulliparous women who were at low risk, caesarean section was associated with a higher rate of post-partum morbidity. Those requesting the surgical procedure with no conventional medical indication, should be advised of the potential risks.</p

Factors predictive of papillary thyroid micro-carcinoma with bilateral involvement and central lymph node metastasis: a retrospective study

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>The optimal resection extent for papillary thyroid microcarcinoma (PTMC) remains controversial. The objective of the study was to investigate risk factors of bilateral PTMC and central lymph node metastasis (CLNM) to guide surgical strategies for PTMC patients.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>We retrospectively reviewed 211 PTMC patients who underwent total thyroidectomy (TT) and 122 clinical lymph node-negative (cN0) cases that underwent prophylactic central lymph node dissection (CLND) between 2010 and 2011. The frequency, pattern, and predictive factors for bilateral PTMC and CLNM in these patients were studied using univariate and multivariate analysis with respect to the following variables: age, gender, extrathyroidal extension (ETE), T stage, with Hashimoto thyroiditis (HT), tumor size and multifocality based on final pathology, and preoperative evaluation using ultrasonography (US).</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Fifty-four of 211 (25.6%) patients had bilateral PTMC. In multivariate analysis, multifocality (<it>P</it> < 0.001, OR = 23.900) and tumor size ≥7 mm (<it>P</it> = 0.014, OR = 2.398) based on US were independent predictive factors for bilateral PTMC which was also independently associated with multifocality (<it>P</it> < 0.001, OR = 29.657) and tumor size ≥7 mm (<it>P</it> = 0.005, OR = 2.863) based on final pathology. Among 122 cN0 patients who underwent prophylactic CLND, we found 49.2% of patients had CLNM. CLNM was independently associated with men, age <50 years and tumor size ≥7 mm based on final pathology or preoperative US.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>TT should be considered for PTMC patients who are found multifocality and tumor size ≥7 mm based on preoperative US. CLND need be considered in cN0 patients who are men, aged <50 years or tumor size ≥7 mm based on preoperative US.</p

Analytical shear and flexion of Einasto dark matter haloes

N-body simulations predict that dark matter haloes are described by specific density profiles on both galactic- and cluster-sized scales. Weak gravitational lensing through the measurements of their first and second order properties, shear and flexion, is a powerful observational tool for investigating the true shape of these profiles. One of the three-parameter density profiles recently favoured in the description of dark matter haloes is the Einasto profile. We present exact expressions for the shear and the first and second flexions of Einasto dark matter haloes derived using a Mellin-transform formalism in terms of the Fox H and Meijer G functions, that are valid for general values of the Einasto index. The resulting expressions can be written as series expansions that permit us to investigate the asymptotic behaviour of these quantities. Moreover, we compare the shear and flexion of the Einasto profile with those of different mass profiles including the singular isothermal sphere, the Navarro-Frenk-White profile, and the S\'ersic profile. We investigate the concentration and index dependences of the Einasto profile, finding that the shear and second flexion could be used to determine the halo concentration, whilst for the Einasto index the shear and first and second flexions may be employed. We also provide simplified expressions for the weak lensing properties and other lensing quantities in terms of the generalized hypergeometric function.Comment: 14 pages, 3 figures. Accepted for publication in Astronomy and Astrophysic

Hydration dynamics at fluorinated protein surfaces

Water-protein interactions dictate many processes crucial to protein function including folding, dynamics, interactions with other biomolecules, and enzymatic catalysis. Here we examine the effect of surface fluorination on water-protein interactions. Modification of designed coiled-coil proteins by incorporation of 5,5,5-trifluoroleucine or (4S)-2-amino-4-methylhexanoic acid enables systematic examination of the effects of side-chain volume and fluorination on solvation dynamics. Using ultrafast fluorescence spectroscopy, we find that fluorinated side chains exert electrostatic drag on neighboring water molecules, slowing water motion at the protein surface