Combined acoustic radiation force impulse, aminotransferase to platelet ratio index and Forns index assessment for hepatic fibrosis grading in hepatitis B

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Biplane double-supported screw fixation (F-technique): a method of screw fixation at osteoporotic fractures of the femoral neck

The present work introduces a method of screw fixation of femoral neck fractures in the presence of osteoporosis, according to an original concept of the establishment of two supporting points for the implants and their biplane positioning in the femoral neck and head. The provision of two steady supporting points for the implants and the highly increased (obtuse) angle at which they are positioned allow the body weight to be transferred successfully from the head fragment onto the diaphysis, thanks to the strength of the screws, with the patient’s bone quality being of least importance. The position of the screws allows them to slide under stress with a minimal risk of displacement. The method was developed in search of a solution for those patients for whom primary arthroplasty is contraindicated. The method has been analysed in relation to biomechanics and statics. For the first time, a new function is applied to a screw fixation—the implant is presented as a simple beam with an overhanging end

Noncommutative geometry inspired black holes in higher dimensions at the LHC

When embedding models of noncommutative geometry inspired black holes into the peridium of large extra dimensions, it is natural to relate the noncommutativity scale to the higher-dimensional Planck scale. If the Planck scale is of the order of a TeV, noncommutative geometry inspired black holes could become accessible to experiments. In this paper, we present a detailed phenomenological study of the production and decay of these black holes at the Large Hadron Collider (LHC). Noncommutative inspired black holes are relatively cold and can be well described by the microcanonical ensemble during their entire decay. One of the main consequences of the model is the existence of a black hole remnant. The mass of the black hole remnant increases with decreasing mass scale associated with noncommutative and decreasing number of dimensions. The experimental signatures could be quite different from previous studies of black holes and remnants at the LHC since the mass of the remnant could be well above the Planck scale. Although the black hole remnant can be very heavy, and perhaps even charged, it could result in very little activity in the central detectors of the LHC experiments, when compared to the usual anticipated black hole signatures. If this type of noncommutative inspired black hole can be produced and detected, it would result in an additional mass threshold above the Planck scale at which new physics occurs.Comment: 21 pages, 7 figure

Sub-Sets of Cancer Stem Cells Differ Intrinsically in Their Patterns of Oxygen Metabolism

PMCID: PMC3640080This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited

Interplay between base excision repair protein XRCC1 and ALDH2 predicts overall survival in lung and liver cancer patients.

Background To deliver efficacious personalised cancer treatment, it is essential to characterise the cellular metabolism as well as the genetic stability of individual tumours. In this study, we describe a new axis between DNA repair and detoxification of aldehyde derivatives with important implications for patient prognosis and treatment.Methods Western blot and qPCR analyses were performed in relevant non-transformed and cancer cell lines from lung and liver tissue origin in combination with bioinformatics data mining of The Cancer Genome Atlas database from lung and hepatocellular cancer patients.Results Using both biochemical and bioinformatics approaches, we revealed an association between the levels of expression of the aldehyde detoxifying enzyme aldehyde dehydrogenase 2 (ALDH2) and the key DNA base excision repair protein XRCC1. Across cancer types, we found that if one of the corresponding genes exhibits a low expression level, the level of the other gene is increased. Surprisingly, we found that low ALDH2 expression levels associated with high XRCC1 expression levels are indicative for a poor overall survival, particularly in lung and liver cancer patients. In addition, we found that Mithramycin A, a XRCC1 expression inhibitor, efficiently kills cancer cells expressing low levels of ALDH2.Conclusions Our data suggest that lung and liver cancers require efficient single-strand break repair for their growth in order to benefit from a low aldehyde detoxification metabolism. We also propose that the ratio of XRCC1 and ALDH2 levels may serve as a useful prognostic tool in these cancer types

Biosafety of Non-Surface Modified Carbon Nanocapsules as a Potential Alternative to Carbon Nanotubes for Drug Delivery Purposes

BACKGROUND: Carbon nanotubes (CNTs) have found wide success in circuitry, photovoltaics, and other applications. In contrast, several hurdles exist in using CNTs towards applications in drug delivery. Raw, non-modified CNTs are widely known for their toxicity. As such, many have attempted to reduce CNT toxicity for intravenous drug delivery purposes by post-process surface modification. Alternatively, a novel sphere-like carbon nanocapsule (CNC) developed by the arc-discharge method holds similar electric and thermal conductivities, as well as high strength. This study investigated the systemic toxicity and biocompatibility of different non-surface modified carbon nanomaterials in mice, including multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs), single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs), carbon nanocapsules (CNCs), and C ₆₀ fullerene (C ₆₀). The retention of the nanomaterials and systemic effects after intravenous injections were studied. METHODOLOGY AND PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: MWCNTs, SWCNTs, CNCs, and C ₆₀ were injected intravenously into FVB mice and then sacrificed for tissue section examination. Inflammatory cytokine levels were evaluated with ELISA. Mice receiving injection of MWCNTs or SWCNTs at 50 µg/g b.w. died while C ₆₀ injected group survived at a 50% rate. Surprisingly, mortality rate of mice injected with CNCs was only at 10%. Tissue sections revealed that most carbon nanomaterials retained in the lung. Furthermore, serum and lung-tissue cytokine levels did not reveal any inflammatory response compared to those in mice receiving normal saline injection. CONCLUSION: Carbon nanocapsules are more biocompatible than other carbon nanomaterials and are more suitable for intravenous drug delivery. These results indicate potential biomedical use of non-surface modified carbon allotrope. Additionally, functionalization of the carbon nanocapsules could further enhance dispersion and biocompatibility for intravenous injection

Bilateral femoral neck fractures due to transient osteoporosis of pregnancy: a case report

We describe a case of bilateral femoral neck fractures secondary to transient osteoporosis of pregnancy, which were diagnosed after delivery due to the desire to avoid ionising radiation. These fractures were presumed to be secondary to transient osteoporosis of pregnancy and were treated successfully with internal fixation despite delayed presentation. We discuss the role of MRI in the evaluation of hip pain in pregnancy

Duration of androgen deprivation therapy with maximum androgen blockade for localized prostate cancer

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Primary androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) is a treatment option not only for advanced but also for localized prostate cancer. However, the appropriate duration for primary ADT for localized prostate cancer has not been defined and few studies have addressed this issue. In this study, we aimed to determine the appropriate duration of ADT for localized prostate cancer.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Sixty-eight consecutive patients with localized prostate cancer who underwent a prostatectomy following neoadjuvant ADT were retrospectively reviewed. Factors associated with pT0, which is regarded as serious cancer cell damage or elimination, were investigated.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Of the 68 males, 24 (35.3%) were classified as pT0. The median duration of neoadjuvant ADT in the pT0 and non-pT0 groups was 9 months and 7.5 months, respectively (p = 0.022). The duration of neoadjuvant ADT from when PSA reached < 0.2 ng/ml to surgery was longer in the pT0 group than that in the non-pT0 group (median 5 months against 3 months, p = 0.011). pT0 was achieved in 5 of 6 patients (83.3%) who received ADT for ≥10 months after PSA reached < 0.2 ng/ml. No other clinical characteristics predicted conversion to pT0.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>Continuous ADT for ≥10 months after PSA reached < 0.2 ng/ml induced serious prostate cancer cell damage in most patients (> 80%) and may be sufficient to treat localized prostate cancer.</p

Should patients with localized prostate cancer receive primary androgen deprivation therapy?: Commentary

金沢大学医薬保健研究域医学系This Practice Point commentary discusses the study by Lu-Yao et al. in which primary androgen deprivation therapy (PADT) was compared with conservative treatment in elderly men with localized prostate cancer. Overall, PADT was associated with worse cancer-specific survival than conservative management; however, in the subgroup of patients with poorly differentiated cancer, PADT was associated with improved cancer-specific survival. Although the authors defined conservative treatment as no definitive treatment during the 180 days after diagnosis, many patients in the conservative treatment group would have subsequently received definite treatments, including surgery or radiation therapy. The results of this study, therefore, do not necessarily demonstrate inferiority of PADT to conservative treatment. Accurate evaluation of the efficacy of PADT is confounded by a number of factors, such as the type of androgen deprivation therapy used. Efforts should be made to reduce the adverse effects of androgen deprivation therapy because a high proportion of patients actively choose this treatment modality as primary therapy.全文公開20090

Striking increase in incidence of prostate cancer in men aged < 60 years without improvement in prognosis

Increased awareness and improved diagnostic techniques have led to earlier diagnosis of prostate cancer and increased detection of subclinical cases, resulting in improved prognosis. We postulated that the considerable increase in incidence under age 60 is not attributable only to increased detection. To test this hypothesis, we studied incidence, mortality and relative survival among middle-aged patients diagnosed in south-east Netherlands and East Anglia (UK) between 1971 and 1994. Prostate-specific antigen (PSA) testing did not occur before 1990. Between 1971 and 1989, the age-standardized incidence at ages40–59 increased from 8.8 to 12.5 per 105 in The Netherlands and from 7.0 to 11.6 per 105 in East Anglia.Five-year relative survival did not improve in East Anglia and even declined in south-east Netherlands from 65% [95% confidence interval (CI) 47–83) in 1975–79 to 48% (CI 34–62) in 1985–89. Mortality due to prostate cancer among men aged 45–64 years increased by 50% in south-east Netherlands and by 61% in East Anglia between 1971 and 1989, but decreased slightly in the 1990s. Because other factors adversely influencing the prognosis are unlikely, our results indicate an increase in the incidence of fatal prostate cancer among younger men in the era preceding PSA testing. © 1999 Cancer Research Campaig