Effect of pathologic fractures on survival in multiple myeloma patients: a case control study

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Multiple Myeloma (MM) is a B cell neoplasm characterized by the clonal proliferation of plasma cells. Skeletal complications are found in up to 80% of myeloma patients at presentation and are major cause of morbidity.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>49 patients were enrolled with MM admitted to Black Sea Technical University Hospital between 2002–2005. Pathologic fractures (PFs) were determined and the patients with or without PF were followed up minumum 3 years for survival analysis.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>PF was observed in 24 patients (49%) and not observed in 25 patients (51%). The risk of death was increased in the patients with PF compared with patients who had no fractures. While overall survival was 17.6 months in the patients with PFs, it was 57.3 months in the patients with no PFs.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>These findings suggest that PFs may induce reduced survival and increased mortality in the MM patients, however, larger sample size is essential to draw clearer conclusions added to these data.</p

P-Cadherin and β-catenin are useful prognostic markers in breast cancer patients; β-catenin interacts with heat shock protein Hsp27

The cadherin–catenin proteins have in common with heat shock proteins (HSP) the capacity to bind/interact proteins of other classes. Moreover, there are common molecular pathways that connect the HSP response and the cadherin–catenin protein system. In the present study, we have explored whether in breast cancer the HSP might interact functionally with the cadherin–catenin cell adhesion system. β-Catenin was immunoprecipitated from breast cancer biopsy samples, and the protein complexes isolated in this way were probed with antibodies against HSP family members. We are thus the first to demonstrate a specific interaction between β-catenin and Hsp27. However, β-catenin did not bind Hsp60, Hsp70, Hsp90, gp96, or the endoplasmic reticulum stress response protein CHOP. To confirm the finding of Hsp27-β-catenin interaction, the 27-kDa immunoprecipitated band was excised from one-dimensional polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis gels and submitted to liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry with electrospray ionization, confirming a role for Hsp27. In addition, β-catenin interacted with other proteins including heat shock transcription factor 1, P-cadherin, and caveolin-1. In human breast cancer biopsy samples, β-catenin was coexpressed in the same tumor areas and in the same tumor cells that expressed Hsp27. However, this coexpression was strong when β-catenin was present in the cytoplasm of the tumor cells and not when β-catenin was expressed at the cell surface only. Furthermore, murine breast cancer cells transfected with hsp25 showed a redistribution of β-catenin from the cell membrane to the cytoplasm. When the prognostic significance of cadherin–catenin expression was examined by immunohistochemistry in breast cancer patients (n = 215, follow-up = >10 years), we found that the disease-free survival and overall survival were significantly shorter for patients expressing P-cadherin and for patients showing expression of β-catenin in the cytoplasm only (not at the cell surface). The interactions of β-catenin with Hsp27 and with HSF1 may explain some of the molecular pathways that influence tumor cell survival and the clinical significance in the prognosis of the breast cancer patients

Why do people participate in Web surveys? Applying survey participation theory to Internet survey data collection

In recent years Web surveys have emerged as the most popular mode of primary data collection in market and social research. To improve our understanding about the influence of different societal-level factors, characteristics of the sample person, and attributes of the survey design on participation in Web surveys, this paper establishes a systematic link between theoretical frameworks used to explain survey participation behavior and state-of-the-art empirical research on online data collection methods. The concepts of self-perception, cognitive dissonance, commitment and involvement, social exchange, compliance, leverage-salience, and planned behavior are discussed and their relationship with factors that have empirically proven to influence Web survey participation are analyzed using data from an expert survey. This paper will help researchers and practitioners to make informed decisions about the use of techniques increasing participation in Web surveys