Prognostic value of radical cystoprostatectomy in men with bladder cancer infiltrating prostate versus co-existing prostate cancer: a research study

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>The aim of the following study is to evaluate the advancement of incidentally diagnosed prostate cancer in specimen after cystoprostatectomies caused by muscle-invasive bladder cancer. Secondly we assessed the survival in patients after radical cystoprostatectomy whose postoperative specimen was characterized by the presence of co-existing prostate cancer or prostate infiltration by urothelial bladder cancer.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Between 1993 and 2009 a total of 320 patients with muscle-invasive bladder cancer underwent cystoprostatectomy. The first analyzed group consisted of 52 patients with bladder cancer infiltrating prostate, while the second group consisted of 21 patients with co-existing prostate cancer. In all patients cancer specific survival and progression were analyzed. Average follow up was 75.2 months (range: 0 - 181).</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Cancer-specific survival was significantly shorter in group I (p = 0.03). Neoplastic progression in patients from group I was observed in 42.2% of patients, while in patients from group II in 23.6% of patients (p = 0.04). No statistical difference was observed in the percentage of positive lymph nodes between the groups (p = 0.22). The median Gleason score in patients with co-existing prostate cancer was equal to 5. The stage of prostate cancer pT₂/pT₃was equal to 20 (96%)/1 (4%) patients. 12 (57%) prostate cancers were clinically insignificant. Biochemical recurrence occurred in 2 (9%) patients.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p indent="1">1. Incidentally diagnosed prostate cancer in specimen after cystoprostatectomies is frequently clinically insignificant and characterized by low progression.</p> <p indent="1">2. Patients with bladder cancer infiltrating prostate are characterized by higher percentage of progression and death in comparison with patients with co-existing prostate cancer.</p

Electrical Conductivity of Electrospun Polyaniline and Polyaniline-Blend Fibers and Mats

Submicrometer fibers of polyaniline (PAni) doped with (+)-camphor-10-sulfonic acid (HCSA) and blended with poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) or poly(ethylene oxide) were electrospun over a range of compositions. Continuous, pure PAni fibers doped with HCSA were also produced by coaxial electrospinning and subsequent removal of the PMMA shell polymer. The electrical conductivities of both the fibers and the mats were characterized. The electrical conductivities of the fibers were found to increase exponentially with the weight percent of doped PAni in the fibers, with values as high as 50 ± 30 S/cm for as-electrospun fibers of 100% doped PAni and as high as 130 ± 40 S/cm upon further solid state drawing. These high electrical conductivities are attributed to the enhanced molecular orientation arising from extensional deformation in the electrospinning process and afterward during solid state drawing. A model is proposed that permits the calculation of mat conductivity as a function of fiber conductivity, mat porosity, and fiber orientation distribution; the results agree quantitatively with the independently measured mat conductivities.United States. Army Research Office (Institute for Soldier Nanotechnologies, Contract ARO W911NF-07-D- 0004

Choriocapillaris and Choroidal Microvasculature Imaging with Ultrahigh Speed OCT Angiography

We demonstrate in vivo choriocapillaris and choroidal microvasculature imaging in normal human subjects using optical coherence tomography (OCT). An ultrahigh speed swept source OCT prototype at 1060 nm wavelengths with a 400 kHz A-scan rate is developed for three-dimensional ultrahigh speed imaging of the posterior eye. OCT angiography is used to image three-dimensional vascular structure without the need for exogenous fluorophores by detecting erythrocyte motion contrast between OCT intensity cross-sectional images acquired rapidly and repeatedly from the same location on the retina. En face OCT angiograms of the choriocapillaris and choroidal vasculature are visualized by acquiring cross-sectional OCT angiograms volumetrically via raster scanning and segmenting the three-dimensional angiographic data at multiple depths below the retinal pigment epithelium (RPE). Fine microvasculature of the choriocapillaris, as well as tightly packed networks of feeding arterioles and draining venules, can be visualized at different en face depths. Panoramic ultra-wide field stitched OCT angiograms of the choriocapillaris spanning ~32 mm on the retina show distinct vascular structures at different fundus locations. Isolated smaller fields at the central fovea and ~6 mm nasal to the fovea at the depths of the choriocapillaris and Sattler's layer show vasculature structures consistent with established architectural morphology from histological and electron micrograph corrosion casting studies. Choriocapillaris imaging was performed in eight healthy volunteers with OCT angiograms successfully acquired from all subjects. These results demonstrate the feasibility of ultrahigh speed OCT for in vivo dye-free choriocapillaris and choroidal vasculature imaging, in addition to conventional structural imaging.National Institutes of Health (U.S.) (NIH R01-EY011289-27)National Institutes of Health (U.S.) (NIH R01-EY013178-12)National Institutes of Health (U.S.) (NIH R44-EY022864-01)National Institutes of Health (U.S.) (NIH R01-CA075289-16)United States. Air Force Office of Scientific Research (AFOSR FA9550-10-1-0551)United States. Air Force Office of Scientific Research (AFOSR FA9550-12-1-0499

Strategy for the management of diabetic macular edema: the European Vitreo-Retinal Society macular edema study

Objective. To compare the efficacy of different therapies in the treatment of diabetic macular edema (DME). Design. Nonrandomized, multicenter clinical study. Participants. 86 retina specialists from 29 countries provided clinical information on 2,603 patients with macular edema including 870 patients with DME. Methods. Reported data included the type and number of treatment(s) performed, the pre-and posttreatment visual acuities, and other clinical findings.The results were analyzed by the French INSEE (National Institute of Statistics and Economic Studies). Main Outcome Measures. Mean change of visual acuity and mean number of treatments performed. Results.The change in visual acuity over time in response to each treatment was plotted in second order polynomial regression trend lines. Intravitreal triamcinolone monotherapy resulted in some improvement in vision. Treatmentwith threshold or subthreshold grid laser also resulted in minimal vision gain. Anti-VEGF therapy resulted in more significant visual improvement. Treatment with pars plana vitrectomy and internal limiting membrane (ILM) peeling alone resulted in an improvement in vision greater than that observed with anti-VEGF injection alone. In our DME study, treatment with vitrectomy and ILM peeling alone resulted in the better visual improvement compared to other therapies

Wpływ rozpuszczalników na niskotemperaturową redukcję-eksfoliację tlenku grafenu

Graphene due to its extraordinary properties and a wide range of potential applications, has aroused a great interest. Although there are many ways to obtain graphene, the existing methods still possess certain disadvantages. Numerous attempts are made to scale up a new and efficient production method of this material on an industrial scale. A very popular method to obtain graphene is a two-step process. It is based on the oxidation of graphite and subsequent reduction to graphene. This article presents a new way of low-temperature reduction of graphene oxide (GO) in presence of various solvents. Indeed, using of appropriate organic solvents in a particular stage of graphene preparation affects the reduction process and the exfoliation of graphene oxide. The possibility to reduce GO in the presence of a disperser opens new paths for the preparation of graphene containing composites.Grafen cieszy się ogromnym zainteresowaniem ze względu na swoje szczególne właściwości oraz szeroki zakres potencjalnych zastosowań. Znane sposoby otrzymywania grafenu są obarczone pewnymi wadami, co powoduje, że wciąż podejmuje się próby opracowania nowej, skutecznej metody produkcji tego materiału na dużą skalę. Powszechną techniką wytwarzania grafenu jest proces dwuetapowy, polegający na utlenianiu grafitu do jego tlenku, a następnie redukcji do grafenu. W pracy przedstawiono nową metodę niskotemperaturowej redukcji tlenku grafenu (GO) z zastosowaniem różnych rozpuszczalników. Jak wynika z przeprowadzonych badań, użycie odpowiednich rozpuszczalników organicznych na jednym z etapów otrzymywania grafenu pozwala skutecznie zredukować oraz eksfoliować tlenek grafenu. Możliwość redukcji GO w obecności rozpuszczalników odgrywa istotną rolę w procesie otrzymywania kompozytów z udziałem grafenu

Influence of solvents on low-temperature reduction-exfoliation of graphene oxide

Graphene due to its extraordinary properties and a wide range of potential applications, has aroused a great interest. Although there are many ways to obtain graphene, the existing methods still possess certain disadvantages. Numerous attempts are made to scale up a new and efficient production method of this material on an industrial scale. A very popular method to obtain graphene is a two-step process. It is based on the oxidation of graphite and subsequent reduction to graphene. This article presents a new way of low-temperature reduction of graphene oxide (GO) in presence of various solvents. Indeed, using of appropriate organic solvents in a particular stage of graphene preparation affects the reduction process and the exfoliation of graphene oxide. The possibility to reduce GO in the presence of a disperser opens new paths for the preparation of graphene containing composites.Grafen cieszy się ogromnym zainteresowaniem ze względu na swoje szczególne właściwości oraz szeroki zakres potencjalnych zastosowań. Znane sposoby otrzymywania grafenu są obarczone pewnymi wadami, co powoduje, że wciąż podejmuje się próby opracowania nowej, skutecznej metody produkcji tego materiału na dużą skalę. Powszechną techniką wytwarzania grafenu jest proces dwuetapowy, polegający na utlenianiu grafitu do jego tlenku, a następnie redukcji do grafenu. W pracy przedstawiono nową metodę niskotemperaturowej redukcji tlenku grafenu (GO) z zastosowaniem różnych rozpuszczalników. Jak wynika z przeprowadzonych badań, użycie odpowiednich rozpuszczalników organicznych na jednym z etapów otrzymywania grafenu pozwala skutecznie zredukować oraz eksfoliować tlenek grafenu. Możliwość redukcji GO w obecności rozpuszczalników odgrywa istotną rolę w procesie otrzymywania kompozytów z udziałem grafenu

Poprawa właściwości barierowych nanokompozytów polimerowych opartych na modyfikowanym poli(tereftalanie etylenu) z dodatkiem pochodnych grafenu

The development and further studies on several types of graphene nanoplatelets (GNP) have enabled manufacture of electrically conductive and reinforced polymer nanocomposites with enhanced gas barrier performance at extremely low loading. Herein, we present the synthesis process, morphology and gas barrier properties of the glycol modified poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PETG) based nanocomposites. For the first time, we compared how different types of GNPs, at the same nanofiller's content of 0.5 wt %, affect the properties of polymer matrix obtained by in situ polymerization.Opracowano nanokompozyty polimerowe (PETG) na bazie poli(tereftalanu etylenu) (PET) modyfikowanego glikolem cykloalifatycznym z niewielkim dodatkiem wybranych typów płytek grafenowych (GNP). Zbadano morfologię PETG oraz ich właściwości barierowe. Oceniono wpływ dodatku różnego typu nanopłytek grafenowych na właściwości osnowy polimerowej w nanokompozytach otrzymanych metodą polimeryzacji in situ. Stwierdzono, że otrzymane, wzmocnione nanocząstkami grafenu i elektrycznie przewodzące kompozyty PETG odznaczały się zwiększoną barierowością w stosunku do par i gazów

Improvement of barrier properties of glycol modified poly(ethylene terephthalate) based nanocomposites containing graphene derivatives forms

The development and further studies on several types of graphene nanoplatelets (GNP) have enabled manufacture of electrically conductive and reinforced polymer nanocomposites with enhanced gas barrier performance at extremely low loading. Herein, we present the synthesis process, morphology and gas barrier properties of the glycol modified poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PETG) based nanocomposites. For the first time, we compared how different types of GNPs, at the same nanofiller's content of 0.5 wt %, affect the properties of polymer matrix obtained by in situ polymerization.Opracowano nanokompozyty polimerowe (PETG) na bazie poli(tereftalanu etylenu) (PET) modyfikowanego glikolem cykloalifatycznym z niewielkim dodatkiem wybranych typów płytek grafenowych (GNP). Zbadano morfologię PETG oraz ich właściwości barierowe. Oceniono wpływ dodatku różnego typu nanopłytek grafenowych na właściwości osnowy polimerowej w nanokompozytach otrzymanych metodą polimeryzacji in situ. Stwierdzono, że otrzymane, wzmocnione nanocząstkami grafenu i elektrycznie przewodzące kompozyty PETG odznaczały się zwiększoną barierowością w stosunku do par i gazów