Detection of Circulating Thyroid Tumor DNA in Patients with Thyroid Nodules

This study was conducted to determine the feasibility of detecting BRAF(V600E) circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) in the plasma of patients with thyroid nodules, with the goal of distinguishing between benign and malignant nodules. Plasma samples from patients undergoing thyroid surgery for thyroid nodules were obtained prospectively pre-operatively and one month post-operatively, and quantitative-PCR was used determine the presence of BRAF(V600E) ctDNA. These were compared to formalin fixed paraffin embedded samples from the index nodule. Thirty-eight pairs of preoperative and postoperative plasma samples were collected and analyzed. 6/18 (33.3%) patients with classical PTC and 0/8 (0%) patients with nodular hyperplasia had detectable levels of BRAF(V600E) ctDNA pre-operatively, thus BRAF(V600E) ctDNA was able to distinguish between benign and malignant nodules (p \u3c 0.05). The levels of all samples with detectable BRAF(V600E) ctDNA pre-operatively declined post-operatively (p \u3c 0.05). BRAF(V600E) ctDNA can be detected in plasma. Post-operative drop of BRAF(V600E) ctDNA in all cases suggests its utility as a tumor marker

Functional outcomes in early (T1/T2) supraglottic cancer: a systematic review

ObjectivesOrgan preserving surgery (OPS) and radiotherapy (RT) are both accepted treatment options for early stage supraglottic cancer (SGC). Radiation has supplanted surgery in most cases, because of the perception that surgery results in poorer functional outcomes. However, evidence suggests that OPS with a neck dissection may be associated with improved survival. Our objective was to conduct a systematic review of the literature to compare functional outcomes of OPS and RT for early SGC.MethodsWe searched Medline, EMBASE and Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials to identify studies. Studies were included if they reported functional outcomes on 10 or more patients with early stage SGC treated with radiation or OPS, including open partial laryngectomy, transoral laser microsurgery (TLM) or transoral robotic surgery (TORS). Two reviewers independently screened articles for relevance using pre-determined criteria.ResultsFrom 7720 references, we included 10 articles (n=640 patients). 50% (n=320) of patients were treated with surgery. Three head-to-head RT versus OPS papers were included, however different outcome measures were used for each group. Intractable aspiration management (including total laryngectomy or permanent tracheostomy) following OPS was reported in five papers representing 186 patients; the definitive intractable aspiration management rate was 2.6% (95% CI 1.0-6.8%). Four papers reported permanent G-tube rate for the surgical group (n=198), calculating a rate of 5.3% (95% CI 2.6-10.5%), this was not reported for the RT group in any papers. One study reported quality of life. Two studies reported objective voice measures.ConclusionsThis systematic review revealed a paucity of objective measures and significant data heterogeneity, rendering the comparison of functional outcomes following OPS versus RT for early SGC limited. Future research should include objective measures of functional outcomes including laryngectomy rate, g-tube rate, tracheostomy dependence, quality of life, and voice quality measures

Modélisation numérique de la fibrillation et de la cavitation dans des bandes adhésives

In PSA (Pressure Sensitive Adhesives) tapes, adhesion rupture is accompanied by cavitation and fibrillation. At the microscopic level, both phenomena involve large deformation. As the material of this pressure-sensitive adhesive is visco-elastic, this large deformation leads to the dissipation of energy. This dissipation of energy is several orders of magnitude higher than the thermodynamic work of adhesion between substrate and adhesive. These mechanisms of adhesion rupture by cavitation and fibrillation go beyond the framework of the standard linear elastic fracture mechanics. Hence, we employ hyper-elastic material models such as Arruda-Boyce and Yeoh which can account for strain hardening and also for the viscoelastic nature of these materials in an effective elastic manner by considering strain rate dependency. This type of implementation of material models in numerical modeling of cavitation and fibrillation leads to help in understanding the total peeling energy.In this study, we numerically model the mono-fibril of different aspect ratios using the finite-element method (FEM). The small strain response of FEM simulations is compared with the flat punch contact to coated half-space. To implement the flat punch contact problem, we use Boundary Element Method (BEM). Apart from that, we use some simplified analytical methods such as the Poker-chip test for comparison. Simulation confirms that the force to draw fibrils from a flat soft adhesive film is larger than the force to uniaxially extend hypothetical independent strands of the adhesive. We also study the fibril debonding for our custom-made PSA tapes made by 3M company and give the power law for the force and displacement at debonding from the glass substrate at a particular peeling velocity. In addition to that, we also study the effect of sliding and compressibility on fibril debonding. We also check the effect of strain hardening on cavitation in the infinite medium by analytical method. Then we demonstrate the axisymmetric simulation of expanding and confined cavity and how it compares with the fibril simulations.As it is difficult to control the parameters such as aspect ratio and interfibrillar distance of fibrils in peeling experiments on the homogeneous substrate, we used experimental peeling data of patterned substrate for comparing our simulation results. This comparison is essential to gain insight into the future design of the patterning which can improve the adhesion.Dans les bandes PSA (Adhésifs sensibles à la pression), la rupture d’adhésion est accompagnée de cavitation et de fibrillation. Au niveau microscopique, les deux phénomènes impliquent une grande déformation. Comme le matériau de cet adhésif sensible à la pression est viscoélastique, cette grande déformation conduit à la dissipation de l’énergie. Cette dissipation d’énergie est de plusieurs ordres de grandeur supérieure au travail thermodynamique d’adhésion entre substrat et adhésif. Ces mécanismes de rupture d’adhérence par cavitation et fibrillation vont au-delà du cadre de la mécanique linéaire standard de rupture élastique. Par conséquent, nous utilisons des modèles de matériaux hyper-élastiques tels que Arruda-Boyce et Yeoh qui peuvent tenir compte de l’écrouissage et aussi de la nature viscoélastique de ces matériaux d’une manière élastique efficace en considérant la dépendance au taux de déformation. Ce type de mise en œuvre de modèles de matériaux dans la modélisation numérique de la cavitation et de la fibrillation conduit à aider à comprendre l’énergie de pelage total.Dans cette étude, nous modélisons numériquement le mono-fibrille de différents rapports d’aspect en utilisant la méthode des éléments finis (FEM). La faible réponse de déformation des simulations FEM est comparée au contact plat du poinçon avec le demi-espace enduit. Pour implémenter le problème de contact de poinçon plat, nous utilisons la méthode Boundary Element (BEM). En dehors de cela, nous utilisons certaines méthodes analytiques simplifiées telles que le test Poker-chip pour la comparaison. La simulation confirme que la force require pour tirer les fibrilles d’un film adhésif plat est plus grande que la force require pour étendre uniaxialement des brins indépendants hypothétiques de l’adhésif. Nous étudions également le décollement du fibril pour nos bandes PSA sur mesure de la société 3M et donnons la loi de puissance pour la force et le déplacement au décollement du substrat de verre à une vitesse de peeling particulière. De plus, nous étudions l’effet du glissement et de la compressibilité sur le décollement fibrillaire. Nous vérifions également l’effet de l’écrouissage sur la cavitation dans le milieu infini par méthode analytique. Ensuite, nous montrons la simulation axisymétrique en expansion et la cavité confinée et comment elle se compare aux simulations du fibril.Comme il est difficile de contrôler les paramètres tels que le rapport d’aspect et la distance interfibrillaire des fibrilles dans les expériences de peeling sur le substrat homogène, nous avons utilisé des données expérimentales de pelage de substrat modélisé pour comparer nos résultats de simulation. Cette comparaison est essentielle pour avoir un aperçu de la conception future du motif qui peut améliorer l’adhésion

Modélisation numérique de la fibrillation et de la cavitation dans des bandes adhésives

In PSA (Pressure Sensitive Adhesives) tapes, adhesion rupture is accompanied by cavitation and fibrillation. At the microscopic level, both phenomena involve large deformation. As the material of this pressure-sensitive adhesive is visco-elastic, this large deformation leads to the dissipation of energy. This dissipation of energy is several orders of magnitude higher than the thermodynamic work of adhesion between substrate and adhesive. These mechanisms of adhesion rupture by cavitation and fibrillation go beyond the framework of the standard linear elastic fracture mechanics. Hence, we employ hyper-elastic material models such as Arruda-Boyce and Yeoh which can account for strain hardening and also for the viscoelastic nature of these materials in an effective elastic manner by considering strain rate dependency. This type of implementation of material models in numerical modeling of cavitation and fibrillation leads to help in understanding the total peeling energy.In this study, we numerically model the mono-fibril of different aspect ratios using the finite-element method (FEM). The small strain response of FEM simulations is compared with the flat punch contact to coated half-space. To implement the flat punch contact problem, we use Boundary Element Method (BEM). Apart from that, we use some simplified analytical methods such as the Poker-chip test for comparison. Simulation confirms that the force to draw fibrils from a flat soft adhesive film is larger than the force to uniaxially extend hypothetical independent strands of the adhesive. We also study the fibril debonding for our custom-made PSA tapes made by 3M company and give the power law for the force and displacement at debonding from the glass substrate at a particular peeling velocity. In addition to that, we also study the effect of sliding and compressibility on fibril debonding. We also check the effect of strain hardening on cavitation in the infinite medium by analytical method. Then we demonstrate the axisymmetric simulation of expanding and confined cavity and how it compares with the fibril simulations.As it is difficult to control the parameters such as aspect ratio and interfibrillar distance of fibrils in peeling experiments on the homogeneous substrate, we used experimental peeling data of patterned substrate for comparing our simulation results. This comparison is essential to gain insight into the future design of the patterning which can improve the adhesion.Dans les bandes PSA (Adhésifs sensibles à la pression), la rupture d’adhésion est accompagnée de cavitation et de fibrillation. Au niveau microscopique, les deux phénomènes impliquent une grande déformation. Comme le matériau de cet adhésif sensible à la pression est viscoélastique, cette grande déformation conduit à la dissipation de l’énergie. Cette dissipation d’énergie est de plusieurs ordres de grandeur supérieure au travail thermodynamique d’adhésion entre substrat et adhésif. Ces mécanismes de rupture d’adhérence par cavitation et fibrillation vont au-delà du cadre de la mécanique linéaire standard de rupture élastique. Par conséquent, nous utilisons des modèles de matériaux hyper-élastiques tels que Arruda-Boyce et Yeoh qui peuvent tenir compte de l’écrouissage et aussi de la nature viscoélastique de ces matériaux d’une manière élastique efficace en considérant la dépendance au taux de déformation. Ce type de mise en œuvre de modèles de matériaux dans la modélisation numérique de la cavitation et de la fibrillation conduit à aider à comprendre l’énergie de pelage total.Dans cette étude, nous modélisons numériquement le mono-fibrille de différents rapports d’aspect en utilisant la méthode des éléments finis (FEM). La faible réponse de déformation des simulations FEM est comparée au contact plat du poinçon avec le demi-espace enduit. Pour implémenter le problème de contact de poinçon plat, nous utilisons la méthode Boundary Element (BEM). En dehors de cela, nous utilisons certaines méthodes analytiques simplifiées telles que le test Poker-chip pour la comparaison. La simulation confirme que la force require pour tirer les fibrilles d’un film adhésif plat est plus grande que la force require pour étendre uniaxialement des brins indépendants hypothétiques de l’adhésif. Nous étudions également le décollement du fibril pour nos bandes PSA sur mesure de la société 3M et donnons la loi de puissance pour la force et le déplacement au décollement du substrat de verre à une vitesse de peeling particulière. De plus, nous étudions l’effet du glissement et de la compressibilité sur le décollement fibrillaire. Nous vérifions également l’effet de l’écrouissage sur la cavitation dans le milieu infini par méthode analytique. Ensuite, nous montrons la simulation axisymétrique en expansion et la cavité confinée et comment elle se compare aux simulations du fibril.Comme il est difficile de contrôler les paramètres tels que le rapport d’aspect et la distance interfibrillaire des fibrilles dans les expériences de peeling sur le substrat homogène, nous avons utilisé des données expérimentales de pelage de substrat modélisé pour comparer nos résultats de simulation. Cette comparaison est essentielle pour avoir un aperçu de la conception future du motif qui peut améliorer l’adhésion

Diversity of intertidal, epibiotic, and fouling barnacles (Cirripedia, Thoracica) from Gujarat, northwest India

The present work studied the diversity of intertidal, epibiotic, and fouling barnacles in the state of Gujarat, northwest India. In total, eleven species belonging to eight genera and five families were recorded in the present study. The Arabian intertidal species Tetraclita ehsani Shahdadi, Chan & Sari, 2011 and Chthamalus barnesi Achituv & Safriel, 1980 are common in the high- and mid-intertidal rocky shores of Gujarat suggesting that the Gujarat barnacle assemblages are similar to the assemblages in the Gulf of Oman Ecoregion. The biogeographical boundary between the Gulf of Oman and Western Indian ecoregions for barnacles should probably extend southward towards the waters adjacent to Mumbai, where Indo-Pacific species of intertidal barnacles dominate. This study provides the first reports of the common widely distributed balanomorph barnacles Striatobalanus tenuis (Hoek, 1883), Tetraclitella karandei Ross, 1971, Amphibalanus reticulatus (Utinomi, 1967), and lepadid barnacle Lepas anatifera Linnaeus, 1758 in Gujarat, as well as of the chthamalid barnacle Chthamalus barnesi in India

An annotated checklist of anomuran species (Crustacea: Decapoda) of India

Patel, Krupal, Padate, Vinay, Osawa, Masayuki, Tiwari, Shivam, Vachhrajani, Kauresh, Trivedi, Jigneshkumar (2022): An annotated checklist of anomuran species (Crustacea: Decapoda) of India. Zootaxa 5157 (1): 1-100, DOI: https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5157.1.1, URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5157.1.

Treatment of early stage Supraglottic squamous cell carcinoma: meta-analysis comparing primary surgery versus primary radiotherapy

Objectives: For early stage supraglottic squamous cell carcinoma (SCC), single modality treatment either in the form of primary organ preservation surgery alone or radiation alone is recommended. Thus, a definite treatment strategy for early stage supraglottic SCC remains undefined. The primary objective of this study was to conduct a systematic review and meta-analysis comparing the oncologic outcomes of surgery and radiotherapy in early stage (Stage I and II) T1 N0 and T2 N0 supraglottic SCC. Methods: Systematic methods were used to identify published and unpublished data. Two reviewers independently screened all titles, abstracts and articles for relevance using predefined criteria. Pooled odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated. Results: Five studies met the inclusion criteria for disease specific mortality with a total of 2864 pooled patients. 5-year disease specific mortality was lower in the surgery group (ORs 0.43, 95% CI 0.31-0.60). Four studies met the inclusion criteria for 5-year overall mortality with a total of 2790 pooled patients. Five-year overall mortality was lower in surgery group (ORs 0.40, 95% CI 0.29-0.55). Conclusions: This is the first study to examine the management of early stage supraglottic SCC using meta-analytic methodology. Our results suggest that primary surgery may result in decreased disease specific and overall mortality compared to primary radiotherapy

Scope of Successive C–H Functionalizations of the Methyl Group in 3‑Picolines: Intramolecular Carbonylation of Arenes to the Metal-Free Synthesis of 4‑Azafluorenones

A transition-metal-free, <i>t</i>-BuOOH mediated intramolecular carbonylation of arenes in 2-aryl-3-picolines via oxidative C–H functionalizations of the methyl group has been developed, providing an expedient synthesis of 4-azafluorenones. Distinct from the current literature wherein methylarenes have been used as acylating agents, 2-aryl-3-picolines in this study are transformed into aldehydes, which give 4-azafluorenones upon rapid intramolecular acylation. The study demonstrates the first example of intramolecular carbonylation of arenes utilizing a methyl group as latent carbonyl functionality

Intramolecular Acylation of Unactivated Pyridines or Arenes via Multiple C–H Functionalizations: Synthesis of All Four Azafluorenones and Fluorenones

An unprecedented intramolecular acylation of unactivated pyridines via multiple C­(sp³/sp²)–H functionalizations of a methyl, hydroxymethyl, or aldehyde group has been developed providing a general access to all four azafluorenones. The application of this protocol is further demonstrated to the synthesis of azafluorenone related fused nitrogen heterocycles and fluorenones. In addition, design and synthesis of a novel fluorene based organic emitter for potential use in organic light emitting devices (OLEDs) is also reported

Treatment of early stage Supraglottic squamous cell carcinoma: meta-analysis comparing primary surgery versus primary radiotherapy

Abstract Objectives For early stage supraglottic squamous cell carcinoma (SCC), single modality treatment either in the form of primary organ preservation surgery alone or radiation alone is recommended. Thus, a definite treatment strategy for early stage supraglottic SCC remains undefined. The primary objective of this study was to conduct a systematic review and meta-analysis comparing the oncologic outcomes of surgery and radiotherapy in early stage (Stage I and II) T1 N0 and T2 N0 supraglottic SCC. Methods Systematic methods were used to identify published and unpublished data. Two reviewers independently screened all titles, abstracts and articles for relevance using predefined criteria. Pooled odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated. Results Five studies met the inclusion criteria for disease specific mortality with a total of 2864 pooled patients. 5-year disease specific mortality was lower in the surgery group (ORs 0.43, 95% CI 0.31–0.60). Four studies met the inclusion criteria for 5-year overall mortality with a total of 2790 pooled patients. Five-year overall mortality was lower in surgery group (ORs 0.40, 95% CI 0.29–0.55). Conclusions This is the first study to examine the management of early stage supraglottic SCC using meta-analytic methodology. Our results suggest that primary surgery may result in decreased disease specific and overall mortality compared to primary radiotherapy