The real-life efficacy of the second line treatment strategy in advanced pancreas cancer

ABS TRACT Objective: Pancreatic cancer is one of the leading causes of cancer-related death. Despite the introduction of new therapeutic agents, survival rates remain low. Furthermore, few trials have evaluated the options for second-line therapy and the prognostic variables. In this study, we aimed to determine the real-world efficacy and prognostic parameters of second-line treatment for advanced pancreatic cancer. Material and Methods: Patients with advanced pancreatic cancer from different centers who received second-line treatment were enrolled in the study. The patients’ demographic, clinical, and pathological characteristics were retrieved retrospectively. Results: A total of 161 patients were enrolled in the study. The majority of the patients (50.3%) received oxaliplatin plus fluoropyrimidine as second-line treatment. The median progression-free survival and overall survival for the entire cohort were 2.5 months and 4.5 months, respectively. In univariate anal-yses, an Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance status ≥2, age ≥65 years, hypoalbuminemia, thrombocytosis, presence of metastatic peritoneal disease, elevated alkaline phosphatase and carcinoembryonic antigen levels, and a neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) ≥3 were identified as poor prognostic factors. In multivariable analyses, low albumin level (p=0.031) and high NLR (p=0.05) were found to be independent prognostic factors for overall survival. Conclusion: Pancreatic cancer is a unique malignancy, and advanced disease has a dismal prog-nosis. In univariate analyses, we identified multiple factors that were poor prognostic variables. In particular, the albumin level and NLR were independent prognostic factors for overall survival, and these parameters might be useful in selecting the second-line treatment and pre-dicting the survival of these patients

Severe neurodevelopmental disease caused by a homozygous TLK2 variant

Abstract: A distinct neurodevelopmental phenotype characterised mainly by mild motor and language delay and facial dysmorphism, caused by heterozygous de novo or dominant variants in the TLK2 gene has recently been described. All cases reported carried either truncating variants located throughout the gene, or missense changes principally located at the C-terminal end of the protein mostly resulting in haploinsufficiency of TLK2. Through whole exome sequencing, we identified a homozygous missense variant in TLK2 in a patient showing more severe symptoms than those previously described, including cerebellar vermis hypoplasia and West syndrome. Both parents are heterozygous for the variant and clinically unaffected highlighting that recessive variants in TLK2 can also be disease causing and may act through a different pathomechanism

Competitive adsorption of VOCs (benzene, xylene and ethylbenzene) with Fe3O4@SiO2-NH@BENZOPHENONE magnetic nanoadsorbents

Volatile organic compounds (VOCs), which are toxic, mutagenic and carcinogenic, are considered a critical factor for air pollution and cause serious harm to the eco-environment and human health. In this study, Fe3O4, Fe3O4@SiO2-NH2, Fe3O4@SiO2-NH@BENZOFENONE were synthesized as new magnetic nanoadsorbents (MNAs) and used for the first time in the removal of gas-phase benzene, xylene and ethylbenzene. The synthesised MNAs were characterized by SEM-EDS, TEM, FTIR, XRD, VSM, TGA and BET analyses. The characterization results showed that the MNAs have mesoporous structure, type IV physioresorption and type H3 hysteresis loop character. In order to clarify the comparative and competitive adsorption behaviour, the adsorption capacity of Fe3O4@SiO2-NH@BENZOFENONE MNA was found to be in the order of xylene > ethylbenzene > benzene in both single, binary and ternary component systems. The adsorption kinetics of benzene, xylene and ethylbenzene with Fe3O4@SiO2-NH@BENZOFENONE MNA were found to be governed by multistep mechanisms. Fe3O4@SiO2-NH@BENZOFENONE MNA showed reuse efficiencies of 83.07%, 84.35% and 82.99% after 5 cycles for benzene, xylene and ethylbenzene respectively. In the framework of the results, Fe3O4@SiO2-NH@BENZOPHENONE MNA, which has a high potential in terms of both adsorption capacity and reuse efficiency, is proposed as a promising adsorbent for the efficient removal of benzene, xylene and ethylbenzene. © 2023 Elsevier B.V.This project is funded by the financial support from Mardin Artuklu University (Project No. MAÜ.BAP.22.LEE.013

Human papillomavirus vaccines and cervical cancer: A wareness, knowledge, and risk perception among Turkish undergraduate students

WOS: 000349759300018PubMed ID: 24989817The aim of this study was to evaluate awareness, knowledge, and risk perception about human papillomavirus (HPV), cervical cancer, and HPV vaccines among undergraduate students in Turkey. The convenience sample of this descriptive cross-sectional study consisted of 605 undergraduate students in Istanbul University during a semester. Demographic characteristics of students, their reproductive health and lifestyle behaviors, and knowledge of HPV and HPV vaccine were questioned using self-administered forms. The overall proportion of students who had heard about HPV infection was 48.8 %, while the proportion of students who had heard of the HPV vaccine was 44.5 %. Forty eight percent of females and 60 % of males reported never having heard of the HPV. Only 45.7 % of females had knowledge about HPV as a cause of genital warts, and 58.1 % correctly indicated that HPV caused cervical cancer. The majority of students in both genders (> 80 %) knew that the infection is primarily transmitted through sexual intercourse. Females were more concerned than males about having cervical/penile cancer associated with HPV in the future. Only 46.4 % of females and 39 % of males reported having heard of the HPV vaccine. The majority of the female and male students did not know who should get the HPV vaccine and when to get vaccinated. Among males, 25.8 % reported that they would consider getting vaccinated (if available) and 38.4 % intended to vaccinate their children. Turkish undergraduate students had a low to moderate level of knowledge regarding HPV infection and HPV vaccine. In order to increase awareness about HPV and develop positive behaviors, young people should be provided with accurate information through educational activities in the community and health care services