Dual quadratic differentials and entire minimal graphs in Heisenberg space

We define holomorphic quadratic differentials for spacelike surfaces with constant mean curvature in the Lorentzian homogeneous spaces $\mathbb{L}(\kappa,\tau)$ with isometry group of dimension 4, which are dual to the Abresch-Rosenberg differentials in the Riemannian counterparts $\mathbb{E}(\kappa,\tau)$, and obtain some consequences. On the one hand, we give a very short proof of the Bernstein problem in Heisenberg space, and provide a geometric description of the family of entire graphs sharing the same differential in terms of a 2-parameter conformal deformation. On the other hand, we prove that entire minimal graphs in Heisenberg space have negative Gauss curvature.Comment: 19 page

Reliability and Validity of the Korean Cancer Pain Assessment Tool (KCPAT)

The Korean Cancer Pain Assessment Tool (KCPAT), which was developed in 2003, consists of questions concerning the location of pain, the nature of pain, the present pain intensity, the symptoms associated with the pain, and psychosocial/spiritual pain assessments. This study was carried out to evaluate the reliability and validity of the KCPAT. A stratified, proportional-quota, clustered, systematic sampling procedure was used. The study population (903 cancer patients) was 1% of the target population (90,252 cancer patients). A total of 314 (34.8%) questionnaires were collected. The results showed that the average pain score (5 point on Likert scale) according to the cancer type and the at-present average pain score (VAS, 0-10) were correlated (r=0.56, p<0.0001), and showed moderate agreement (kappa=0.364). The mean satisfaction score was 3.8 (1-5). The average time to complete the questionnaire was 8.9 min. In conclusion, the KCPAT is a reliable and valid instrument for assessing cancer pain in Koreans

Defective Localization With Impaired Tumor Cytotoxicity Contributes to the Immune Escape of NK Cells in Pancreatic Cancer Patients

Tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs), found in patients with advanced pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC), are shown to correlate with overall survival (OS) rate. Although majority of TILs consist of CD8+/CD4+ T cells, the presence of NK cells and their role in the pathogenesis of PDAC remains elusive. We performed comprehensive analyses of TIL, PBMC, and autologous tumor cells from 80 enrolled resectable PDAC patients to comprehend the NK cell defects within PDAC. Extremely low frequencies of NK cells (&lt;0.5%) were found within PDAC tumors, which was attributable not to the low expression of tumor chemokines, but to the lack of chemokine receptor, CXCR2. Forced expression of CXCR2 in patients' NK cells rendered them capable of trafficking into PDAC. Furthermore, NK cells exhibited impaired cell-mediated killing of autologous PDAC cells, primarily due to insufficient ligation of NKG2D and DNAM-1, and failed to proliferate within the hypoxic tumor microenvironment. Importantly, these defects could be overcome by ex-vivo stimulation of NK cells from such patients. Importantly, when the proliferative capacity of NK cells in vitro was used to stratify patients on the basis of cell expansion, patients whose NK cells proliferated &lt;250-fold experienced significantly lower DFS and OS than those with ≥250-fold. Ex-vivo activation of NK cells restored tumor trafficking and reactivity, hence provided a therapeutic modality while their fold expansion could be a potentially significant prognostic indicator of OS and DFS in such patients

Computer-Aided Evaluation of Breast MRI for the Residual Tumor Extent and Response Monitoring in Breast Cancer Patients Receiving Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy

Objective: To evaluate the accuracy of a computer-aided evaluation program (CAE) of breast MRI for the assessment of residual tumor extent and response monitoring in breast cancer patients receiving neoadjuvant chemotherapy. Materials and Methods: Fifty-seven patients with breast cancers who underwent neoadjuvant chemotherapy before surgery and dynamic contrast enhanced MRI before and after chemotherapy were included as part of this study. For the assessment of residual tumor extent after completion of chemotherapy, the mean tumor diameters measured by radiologists and CAE were compared to those on histopathology using a paired student t-test. Moreover, the agreement between unidimensional (1D) measurement by radiologist and histopathological size or 1D measurement by CAE and histopathological size was assessed using the Bland-Altman method. For chemotherapy monitoring, we evaluated tumor response through the change in the 1D diameter by a radiologist and CAE and three-dimensional (3D) volumetric change by CAE based on Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors (RECIST). Agreement between the 1D response by the radiologist versus the 1D response by CAE as well as by the 3D response by CAE were evaluated using weighted kappa (k) statistics. Results: For the assessment of residual tumor extent after chemotherapy, the mean tumor diameter measured by radiologists (2.0 &plusmn; 1.7 cm) was significantly smaller than the mean histological diameter (2.6 &plusmn; 2.3 cm) (p = 0.01), whereas, no significant difference was found between the CAE measurements (mean = 2.2 &plusmn; 2.0 cm) and histological diameter (p = 0.19). The mean difference between the 1D measurement by the radiologist and histopathology was 0.6 cm (95% confidence interval: -3.0, 4.3), whereas the difference between CAE and histopathology was 0.4 cm (95% confidence interval: -3.9, 4.7). For the monitoring of response to chemotherapy, the 1D measurement by the radiologist and CAE showed a fair agreement (k = 0.358), while the 1D measurement by the radiologist and 3D measurement by CAE showed poor agreement (k = 0.106). Conclusion: CAE for breast MRI is sufficiently accurate for the assessment of residual tumor extent in breast cancer patients receiving neoadjuvant chemotherapy. However, for the assessment of response to chemotherapy, the assessment by the radiologist and CAE showed a fair to poor agreement

High Content Phenotypic Cell-Based Visual Screen Identifies Mycobacterium tuberculosis Acyltrehalose-Containing Glycolipids Involved in Phagosome Remodeling

The ability of the tubercle bacillus to arrest phagosome maturation is considered one major mechanism that allows its survival within host macrophages. To identify mycobacterial genes involved in this process, we developed a high throughput phenotypic cell-based assay enabling individual sub-cellular analysis of over 11,000 Mycobacterium tuberculosis mutants. This very stringent assay makes use of fluorescent staining for intracellular acidic compartments, and automated confocal microscopy to quantitatively determine the intracellular localization of M. tuberculosis. We characterised the ten mutants that traffic most frequently into acidified compartments early after phagocytosis, suggesting that they had lost their ability to arrest phagosomal maturation. Molecular analysis of these mutants revealed mainly disruptions in genes involved in cell envelope biogenesis (fadD28), the ESX-1 secretion system (espL/Rv3880), molybdopterin biosynthesis (moaC1 and moaD1), as well as in genes from a novel locus, Rv1503c-Rv1506c. Most interestingly, the mutants in Rv1503c and Rv1506c were perturbed in the biosynthesis of acyltrehalose-containing glycolipids. Our results suggest that such glycolipids indeed play a critical role in the early intracellular fate of the tubercle bacillus. The unbiased approach developed here can be easily adapted for functional genomics study of intracellular pathogens, together with focused discovery of new anti-microbials

Radiofrequency Ablation of Benign Thyroid Nodules and Recurrent Thyroid Cancers: Consensus Statement and Recommendations

Thermal ablation using radiofrequency is a new, minimally invasive modality employed as an alternative to surgery in patients with benign thyroid nodules and recurrent thyroid cancers. The Task Force Committee of the Korean Society of Thyroid Radiology has developed recommendations for the optimal use of radiofrequency ablation for thyroid nodules. These recommendations are based on a comprehensive analysis of the current literature, the results of multicenter studies, and expert consensus

Improvement in the Tensile Bond Strength between 3Y-TZP Ceramic and Enamel by Surface Treatments

This study examined the effects of 3 mol % yttria-stabilized tetragonal zirconia polycrystal (3Y-TZP) ceramic surface treatments on the tensile bond strength and surface characteristics of enamel. To measure the tensile bond strength, the 3Y-TZP and tooth specimens were manufactured in a mini-dumbbell shape and divided into four groups based on the type of 3Y-TZP surface treatment: polishing (P), 110 µm alumina sandblasting (S), 110 µm alumina sandblasting combined with selective infiltration etching (SS), and 110 µm alumina sandblasting combined with MDP (10-methacryloyloxydecyl dihydrogen phosphate)-containing silane primer (SP). After surface treatment, the surface roughness, wettability, and surface changes were examined, and the tensile bond strength was measured. The mean values (from lowest to highest) for tensile bond strength (MPa) were as follows: P, 8.94 ± 2.30; S, 21.33 ± 2.00; SS, 26.67 ± 4.76; and SP, 31.74 ± 2.66. Compared to the P group, the mean surface roughness was significantly increased, and the mean contact angle was significantly decreased, while wettability was increased in the other groups. Therefore, surface treatment with 110 µm alumina sandblasting and MDP-containing silane primer is suitable for clinical applications, as it considerably improves the bond strength between 3Y-TZP and enamel