A comparison between 915 MHz and 2450 MHz microwave ablation systems for the treatment of small diameter lung metastases

PURPOSE:We aimed to retrospectively compare the local tumor control rates between low frequency (LF) and high frequency (HF) microwave ablation devices in the treatment of <3 cm lung metastases.METHODS:A total of 36 patients (55 tumors) were treated with the LF system (915 MHz) and 30 patients (39 tumors) were treated with the HF system (2450 MHz) between January 2011 and March 2016. Computed tomography (CT) scans performed prior to and 24 hours after the ablation were used to measure the size of the ablation zone and to calculate the ablation margin. The subsequent CTs were used to detect local tumor progression. Possible predictive factors for local progression were analyzed. All patients had a minimum follow-up of 3 months with a median of 13.8 months for the LF group and 11.7 months for the HF group.RESULTS:The ablation margin (P = 0.015), blood vessel proximity (P = 0.006), and colorectal origin (P = 0.029) were significantly associated with the local progression rate. The local progression rates were 36.3% for LF ablations and 12.8% for HF ablations. The 6, 12, and 18 months local progression-free survival rates were 79%, 65.2% and 53% for the LF group and 97.1%, 93.7%, and 58.4% for the HF group, with a significant difference between the survival curves (P = 0.048).CONCLUSION:HF ablations resulted in larger ablation margins with fewer local progression compared with LF ablations

Interactions between the Nse3 and Nse4 Components of the SMC5-6 Complex Identify Evolutionarily Conserved Interactions between MAGE and EID Families

The SMC5-6 protein complex is involved in the cellular response to DNA damage. It is composed of 6-8 polypeptides, of which Nse1, Nse3 and Nse4 form a tight sub-complex. MAGEG1, the mammalian ortholog of Nse3, is the founding member of the MAGE (melanoma-associated antigen) protein family and Nse4 is related to the EID (E1A-like inhibitor of differentiation) family of transcriptional repressors.Using site-directed mutagenesis, protein-protein interaction analyses and molecular modelling, we have identified a conserved hydrophobic surface on the C-terminal domain of Nse3 that interacts with Nse4 and identified residues in its N-terminal domain that are essential for interaction with Nse1. We show that these interactions are conserved in the human orthologs. Furthermore, interaction of MAGEG1, the mammalian ortholog of Nse3, with NSE4b, one of the mammalian orthologs of Nse4, results in transcriptional co-activation of the nuclear receptor, steroidogenic factor 1 (SF1). In an examination of the evolutionary conservation of the Nse3-Nse4 interactions, we find that several MAGE proteins can interact with at least one of the NSE4/EID proteins.We have found that, despite the evolutionary diversification of the MAGE family, the characteristic hydrophobic surface shared by all MAGE proteins from yeast to humans mediates its binding to NSE4/EID proteins. Our work provides new insights into the interactions, evolution and functions of the enigmatic MAGE proteins

Can computer-aided diagnosis assist in the identification of prostate cancer on prostate MRI? a multi-center, multi-reader investigation.

For prostate cancer detection on prostate multiparametric MRI (mpMRI), the Prostate Imaging-Reporting and Data System version 2 (PI-RADSv2) and computer-aided diagnosis (CAD) systems aim to widely improve standardization across radiologists and centers. Our goal was to evaluate CAD assistance in prostate cancer detection compared with conventional mpMRI interpretation in a diverse dataset acquired from five institutions tested by nine readers of varying experience levels, in total representing 14 globally spread institutions. Index lesion sensitivities of mpMRI-alone were 79% (whole prostate (WP)), 84% (peripheral zone (PZ)), 71% (transition zone (TZ)), similar to CAD at 76% (WP, p=0.39), 77% (PZ, p=0.07), 79% (TZ, p=0.15). Greatest CAD benefit was in TZ for moderately-experienced readers at PI-RADSv2 <3 (84% vs mpMRI-alone 67%, p=0.055). Detection agreement was unchanged but CAD-assisted read times improved (4.6 vs 3.4 minutes, p<0.001). At PI-RADSv2 ≥ 3, CAD improved patient-level specificity (72%) compared to mpMRI-alone (45%, p<0.001). PI-RADSv2 and CAD-assisted mpMRI interpretations have similar sensitivities across multiple sites and readers while CAD has potential to improve specificity and moderately-experienced radiologists' detection of more difficult tumors in the center of the gland. The multi-institutional evidence provided is essential to future prostate MRI and CAD development

Peptide Bond Distortions from Planarity: New Insights from Quantum Mechanical Calculations and Peptide/Protein Crystal Structures

By combining quantum-mechanical analysis and statistical survey of peptide/protein structure databases we here report a thorough investigation of the conformational dependence of the geometry of peptide bond, the basic element of protein structures. Different peptide model systems have been studied by an integrated quantum mechanical approach, employing DFT, MP2 and CCSD(T) calculations, both in aqueous solution and in the gas phase. Also in absence of inter-residue interactions, small distortions from the planarity are more a rule than an exception, and they are mainly determined by the backbone ψ dihedral angle. These indications are fully corroborated by a statistical survey of accurate protein/peptide structures. Orbital analysis shows that orbital interactions between the σ system of Cα substituents and the π system of the amide bond are crucial for the modulation of peptide bond distortions. Our study thus indicates that, although long-range inter-molecular interactions can obviously affect the peptide planarity, their influence is statistically averaged. Therefore, the variability of peptide bond geometry in proteins is remarkably reproduced by extremely simplified systems since local factors are the main driving force of these observed trends. The implications of the present findings for protein structure determination, validation and prediction are also discussed

Możliwości optymalizacji łańcucha logistycznego w zakładzie produkcyjnym

The market economy is, among other, characterized by the fact that businesses are able to respond promptly to market demands - customers. In practice, this means that the customer wants to have the goods at the location at a specific time and provided in adequate quality and price, which is determined by the market supply and demand. One of the options to increase business efficiency and competitiveness in general is to reduce production costs or the total cost. Logistics costs (in literature also referred to as "total costs") represent a very high proportion of these costs. They are part of the total cost, which greatly affect management of the company. The paper outlines the possibility of how these costs can be reduced, based on an analysis and using rationalization approach to the current state of the organization and its management, without requiring significant costs of implementing certain measures.Gospodarkę rynkową charakteryzuje między innymi fakt, że przedsiębiorstwa są w stanie natychmiast reagować na wymagania rynku - klientów. W praktyce oznacza to, że klient chce mieć towar w lokalizacji, w określonym czasie i dostarczony w odpowiedniej jakości i cenie, która jest określana przez podaż i popyt rynku. Jedną z możliwości zwiększenia wydajności biznesu i konkurencyjności jest zredukowanie kosztów produkcji lub kosztu całkowitego. Koszty logistyczne (w literaturze również określane jako „koszty całkowite“) stanowią bardzo wysoki odsetek tych kosztów. Są one częścią kosztu całkowitego, który w znacznym stopniu wpływa na zarządzanie firmą. W artykule nakreślono sposób, w jaki koszty te mogą zostać zredukowane, na podstawie analizy i wykorzystania podejścia racjonalizacyjnego do obecnego stanu organizacji i zarządzania nią, bez konieczności stosowania znaczących kosztów wdrożenia pewnych środków

Analiza czynników sukcesu dostosowania ekspatriantów do relacji zadań w organizacjach międzynarodowych

Increasing international competition means that companies are seeking to take advantage of the market’s drive to internationalize their business in search of market advantages. The result is an increase in the share of expatriates, who often undergo problems with adaptation, cultural shock all having a negative impact on work efficiency and, decreasing job satisfaction. On the other hand, those who adapt quickly can increase the potential of corporations. The paper presents a part of research results related to the analysis of factors determining the success of adaptation to work in international organizations.Nasilająca się konkurencja międzynarodowa sprawia, że przedsiębiorstwa w poszukiwaniu przewag rynkowych podejmują wysiłki zmierzające do internacjonalizacji działalności. Konsekwencją jest wzrost udziału ekspatriantów, co powoduje często problemy z adaptacją, szokiem kulturowym, negatywnym wpływem na efektywność i obniżoną satysfakcję z wykonywania pracy. Z drugiej strony osoby szybko adaptujące się mogą zwiększyć potencjał korporacji. W pracy przedstawiono część wyników badań związanych z analizą czynników decydujących o sukcesie adaptacji do pracy w organizacjach międzynarodowych