The role of perineural invasion in predicting survival in patients with primary operable colorectal cancer: a systematic review

Perineural invasion is a clear route for cancer cell spread however, the role of nerves in cancer progression is relatively unknown. Recent work would suggest that nerves can actively infiltrate the tumour microenvironment and stimulate cancer cell growth. Therefore, the aim of the present study was to systematically review the identification and associations of perineural invasion and survival in patients with primary operable colorectal cancer. From initial search results of 912 articles, 38 studies were selected. Using H&E stains; five studies including 1835 patients reported on survival stratified by perineural invasion in colon cancer with weighted average detection rates of 26%; eleven studies including 3837 patients reported on rectal cancer with weighted average detection rates of 25% and; sixteen studies including 9145 patients reported on survival stratified by perineural invasion in colorectal cancer with weighted average detection rates of 17%. Using special techniques (S100), six studies including 1458 patients reported on the identification of perineural invasion in colorectal cancer. In comparison to H&E staining alone, the use of immunohistochemistry with S100 increased the detection of perineural invasion to approximately 70%. However, those studies did not examine the relationship with outcomes, so further research is required to establish the clinical significance of perineural invasion detected by immunohistochemistry. In conclusion, perineural invasion deserves special attention for improved prognostic stratification in patients with colorectal cancer. Further work is required to standardise pathology assessment and reporting of perineural invasion, in particular its definition, use of special stains and routine inclusion in pathology practice. Reliable assessment is required for investigations into mechanisms of perineural invasion, its role tumour spread and prognostic value

American Law as Art: An Aesthetic Judgment

If legal documents are literature, and all art can be assessed via aesthetic theories, what insights can aesthetic theory grant us about increasing access to United States Code? That question is what this Note seeks to address. This Note begins by explaining the foundations of aesthetic theory, explaining the origins of the term, and contrasting two early approaches to aesthetics developed by Alexander Baumgarten and Immanuel Kant, respectively. Then, after arguing that legal codes are a form of legal literature, the Note uses Dennis Dutton’s aesthetic universals and Kant’s aesthetic principles to develop a framework for judging a legal code as an artwork. Finally, the Note compares United States Code with the United States Constitution to try and discern why the latter is more appreciated than the form, with the hope that such an interrogation can help us reformat United States Code into a more accessible, and ultimately more interesting, legal work

Collective and self-efficacy and their relationship to team and individual performance in male intercollegiate basketball players

This study examined the predictive relationship0 between self-efficacy (SE) and individual basketball performance, and collective efficacy (CE) and team basketball performance in a competitive setting. [This is an excerpt from the abstract. For the complete abstract, please see the document.

Absorption heating-cooling system

An improved heating or cooling system based on absorption principles is disclosed and claimed herein. A closed system is provided with a refrigerant-absorbent solution where separation of the refrigerant-absorbent is accomplished by a semi-permeable membrane. The refrigerant-absorbent solution at its normal concentration is pumped under pressure to a membrane separation unit where the refrigerant is selectively passed through a membrane separator in some proportion while a remaining absorbent enriched refrigerant-absorbent solution is rejected. The membrane separated refrigerant is then circulated through a heat exchange leg of the system for heating and/or cooling of affected areas depending upon the particular treatment of the refrigerant. At the end of the heat exchange leg, the refrigerant is fed to an absorber where it is recombined with the absorbent enriched solution to reconstitute the original refrigerant-absorbent solution which is then recirculated by the pump and the cycle is repeated. The apparatus and process of heat transfer systems utilizing the present membrane separation are claimed

Beyond Custody: Expanding Collateral Review of State Convictions

This article advocates extension of collateral review to embrace all parties alleging deprivation of federally guaranteed rights in the state criminal process, regardless of whether the party fulfills the habeas corpus custody requirement. Part I assesses the sufficiency of Supreme Court certiorari jurisdiction to monitor adequately state adjudications of federal constitutional rights, coupled with an evaluation of the technical competency and institutional posture of state courts. Part II examines the significance of the custody limitation on collateral review, both as a substantive element of habeas corpus relief and as a mechanism for funnelling limited judicial resources. Part III presents two alternative means for expanding the scope of collateral review of state convictions: legislation eliminating the statutory habeas corpus custody requirement, or use of section 1983 as a vehicle for collateral review given the unavailability of habeas corpus. Part III also discusses the suitability of section 1983 as an instrument for expanding collateral relief beyond the habeas custody requirement, concluding that such an expansion is essential to the effectuation of substantive federal constitutional principles

The relationship between tumour budding, the tumour microenvironment and survival in patients with primary operable colorectal cancer

Background: Tumour budding has been reported to reflect invasiveness, metastasis and unfavourable prognosis in colorectal cancer. The aim of the study was to examine the relationship between tumour budding and clinicopathological characteristics, tumour microenvironment and survival in patients with primary operable colorectal cancer. Methods: A total of 303 patients from a prospective data set of patients with primary operable colorectal cancer were included in the study. The presence of budding was determined through assessment of all tumour-containing H&E slides and the number of tumour buds was counted using a 10 high-powered field method. Routine pathologic sections were used to assess: tumour necrosis, the tumour inflammatory cell infiltrate using Klintrup–Makinen (KM) grade and tumour stroma percentage (TSP) combined as the Glasgow Microenvironment Score (GMS). Results: High-grade tumour budding was present in 39% of all tumours and in 28% of node-negative tumours respectively. High-grade budding was significantly associated with T stage (P<0.001), N stage (P<0.001), TNM stage (P<0.001), serosal involvement (P<0.001), venous invasion (P<0.005), KM grade (P=0.022), high tumour stroma (P<0.001) and GMS (P<0.001). Tumour budding was associated with reduced cancer-specific survival (CSS) (HR=4.03; 95% confidence interval (CI), 2.50–6.52; P<0.001), independent of age (HR=1.47; 95% CI, 1.13–1.90; P=0.004), TNM stage (HR=1.52; 95% CI, 1.02–2.25; P=0.040), venous invasion (HR=1.73; 95% CI, 1.13–2.64; P=0.012) and GMS (HR=1.54; 95% CI, 1.15–2.07; P=0.004). Conclusions: The presence of tumour budding was associated with elements of the tumour microenvironment and was an independent adverse prognostic factor in patients with primary operable colorectal cancer. Specifically high tumour budding stratifies effectively the prognostic value of tumour stage, venous invasion and GMS. Taken together, tumour budding should be assessed routinely in patients with primary operable colorectal cancer

Additional Archaeological Survey In The Dry Comal Watershed, Comal County, South Central Texas

In April, 1975, an intensive archaeological survey was carried out in the area proposed for the construction of Floodwater Retarding Structure No. 1, located on the West Fork of Dry Comal Creek, in Comal County, south central Texas (see Fig. 1). The survey was conducted in terms of an agreement (1339-TX-SCS-75) between the U.S.D.A. Soil Conservation Service and the Center for Archaeological Research, The University of Texas at San Antonio. An initial reconnaissance of the area was conducted by Center personnel in November, 1974 and six archaeological sites were located (Hester, Bass and Kelly 1975). However, it was recognized that a more thorough survey would be required in order to fully appraise the archaeological resources at the locality. Therefore, an intensive survey was recommended in the published report of the 1974 investigations (Hester, Bass and Kelly 1975: 22-23). The reader is referred to Hester, Bass and Kelly (1975) for a discussion of previous archaeological research in Comal County. A description of the Floodwater Retarding Structure No. 1 vicinity is also provided in that report. The dam site, and the sediment, flood, and detention pools, will encompass an area of approximately 276 acres (112 hectares)

An Archaeological Assessment of Boerne City Park, Kendall County, Texas

As part of its planning for development of Boerne City Park, the Advisory Board of the Boerne Parks and Recreation Department authorized an archaeological assessment of the park area in May, 1976. The assessment was carried out by the Center for Archaeological Research at The University of Texas at San Antonio, and was supervised by the authors. We wish to thank Dr. Dewey D. Davis, Chairman, Park Advisory Board, for his assistance during this project

The McQueeney Municipal Utility District Project: An Archaeological Reconnaissance

During late March, 1976, the Center for Archaeological Research, The University of Texas at San Antonio, conducted an archaeological reconnaissance in the vicinity of McQueeney, in Guadalupe County, Texas. This reconnaissance had been authorized by the McQueeney Municipal Utility District in connection with its plans for sewage lines and waste treatment facilities in the McQueeney area. Survey work was facilitated through contacts with URS Forrest and Cotton (project engineers) and with Mr. M. O. Stautzenberger, president of the utility district. We are grateful to Mr. Stautzenberger for providing the field team with a 1:300 aerial photograph of the project locality, and for making the necessary entry arrangements with local landowner