Soluble interleukin-2 receptor, intercellular adhesion molecule-1 and interleukin-10 serum levels in patients withelanoma

Serum soluble interleukin-2 receptor (sIL-2R), intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (sICAM-1) and interleukin-10 (IL-10) have each been reported as useful markers for melanoma progression. To evaluate the clinical relevance of these three markers, we simultaneously analysed their serum levels in patients with melanoma. A longitudinal study with a 3-year follow-up was performed and different stages of the disease were considered. Mean values of sIL-2R were significantly higher than in normal controls in all stages and correlated with the disease progression. The prognosis of patients with levels > 529 U/ml of sIL-2R was significantly poorer than in patients with sIL-2R levels < 529 U/ml. Levels of sICAM-1 were also elevated in melanoma patients, specially at the time of the metastatic disease. Serum IL-10 levels were more frequently detectable in the patients that developed metastasis during follow-up, and the prognosis of patients with detectable IL-10 levels was significantly poorer than in those patients with IL-10 undetected levels. Statistical analysis based on Logistic and Cox regression models showed that only sex, stage and sIL-2R value are factors significantly associated with metastatic progression. Moreover, high levels of sIL-2R could be a risk factor for malignant progression in melanoma. © 2000 Cancer Research Campaig

Patterns of ascending aortic dilatation and predictors of surgical replacement of the aorta: A comparison of bicuspid and tricuspid aortic valve patients over eight years of follow-up

Background: Predictors of thoracic aorta growth and early cardiac surgery in patients with bicuspid aortic valve are undefined. Our aim was to identify predictors of ascending aorta dilatation and cardiac surgery in patients with bicuspid aortic valve (BAV). Methods: Forty-one patients with BAV were compared with 165 patients with tricuspid aortic valve (TAV). All patients had LV EF &gt; 50%, normal LV dimensions, and similar degree of aortic root or ascending aorta dilatation at enrollment. Patients with more than mild aortic stenosis or regurgitation were excluded. A CT-scan was available on 76% of the population, and an echocardiogram was repeated every year for a median time of 4 years (range: 2 to 8 years). Patterns of aortic expansion in BAV and TAV groups were analyzed by a mixed-effects longitudinal linear model. In the time-to-event analysis, the primary end point was elective or emergent surgery for aorta replacement. Results: BAV patients were younger, while the TAV group had greater LV wall thickness, arterial hypertension, and dyslipidemia than BAV patients. Growth rate was 0.46 ± 0.04 mm/year, similar in BAV and TAV groups (p = 0.70). Predictors of cardiac surgery were aorta dimensions at baseline (HR 1.23, p = 0.01), severe aortic regurgitation developed during follow-up (HR 3.49, p 0.04), family history of aortic aneurysm (HR 4.16, p 1.73), and history of STEMI (HR 3.64, p &lt; 0.001). Conclusions: Classic baseline risk factors were more commonly observed in TAV aortopathy compared with BAV aortopathy. However, it is reassuring that, though diagnosed with aneurysm on average 10 years earlier and in the absence of arterial hypertension, BAV patients had a relatively low growth rate, similar to patients with a tricuspid valve. Irrespective of aortic valve morphology, patients with a family history of aortic aneurysm, history of coronary artery disease, and those who developed severe aortic regurgitation at follow-up, had the highest chances of being referred for surgery

Target Exploration for Disconnected Feasible Regions in Enterprise-Driven Multilevel Product Design

Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/77105/1/AIAA-13908-831.pd

Echocardiographic findings and subsequent risk of native valve endocarditis

Background: The association of echocardiographic findings and subsequent risk of left-sided native valve endocarditis (LS-NVE) is undefined. The aim of this study was to determine if transthoracic echocardiographic (TTE) measurements are associated with the subsequent development of LS-NVE in patients without cardiac predisposing conditions. Methods: Institutional databases were evaluated for adults diagnosed with LS-NVE from 2008 to 2020. Patients with prosthetic valves, cardiovascular implantable electronic devices, intracardiac devices, injection drug use, and predisposing cardiac conditions were excluded. Only patients who had a TTE performed 6 months to 3 years before the development of LS-NVE were included as cases. Controls were patients within the same Mayo location with a TTE report and were matched in a 1:3 ratio according to age, gender, Charlson Comorbidity Index, and echocardiography date. Results: There were 148 cases and 431 matched controls. As compared to controls, IE cases had a higher prevalence of diabetes mellitus (46.6% vs. 30.4%) and chronic kidney disease (46.6% vs. 28.1%) (p<0.001). Left ventricular outflow tract velocity (p=0.017), left ventricular ejection fraction (p=0.018), and E: e’ ratio (p=0.050) were associated with LS-NVE. Conclusions: Echocardiographic measurements were associated with subsequent LS-NVE development in this pilot study. A larger cohort of LS-NVE patients, however, is needed to validate these findings

Enhancing the sensitivity of magnetic sensors by 3D metamaterial shells

Magnetic sensors are key elements in our interconnected smart society. Their sensitivity becomes essential for many applications in fields such as biomedicine, computer memories, geophysics, or space exploration. Here we present a universal way of increasing the sensitivity of magnetic sensors by surrounding them with a spherical metamaterial shell with specially designed anisotropic magnetic properties. We analytically demonstrate that the magnetic field in the sensing area is enhanced by our metamaterial shell by a known factor that depends on the shell radii ratio. When the applied field is non-uniform, as for dipolar magnetic field sources, field gradient is increased as well. A proof-of-concept experimental realization confirms the theoretical predictions. The metamaterial shell is also shown to concentrate time-dependent magnetic fields upto frequencies of 100 kHz

High-carotenoid maize: development of plant biotechnology prototypes for human and animal health and nutrition

Carolight (R) is a transgenic maize variety that accumulates extraordinary levels of carotenoids, including those with vitamin A activity. The development of Carolight (R) maize involved the technical implementation of a novel combinatorial transformation method, followed by rigorous testing for transgene expression and the accumulation of different carotenoid molecules. Carolight (R) was envisaged as a way to improve the nutritional health of human populations that cannot access a diverse diet, but this ultimate humanitarian application can only be achieved after extensive testing for safety, agronomic performance and nutritional sufficiency. In this article, we chart the history of Carolight (R) maize focusing on its development, extensive field testing for agronomic performance and resistance to pests and pathogens, and feeding trials to analyze its impact on farm animals (and their meat/dairy products) as well as animal models of human diseases. We also describe more advanced versions of Carolight (R) endowed with pest-resistance traits, and other carotenoid-enhanced maize varieties originating from the same series of initial transformation experiments. Finally we discuss the further steps required before Carolight (R) can fulfil its humanitarian objectives, including the intellectual property and regulatory constraints that lie in its path

Power Doppler signal at the enthesis and bone erosions are the most discriminative OMERACT ultrasound lesions for SpA: Results from the DEUS (Defining Enthesitis on Ultrasound in Spondyloarthritis) multicentre study

Objectives To assess, in spondyloarthritis (SpA), the discriminative value of the Outcome Measures in Rheumatology (OMERACT) ultrasound lesions of enthesitis and their associations with clinical features in this population. Methods In this multicentre study involving 20 rheumatology centres, clinical and ultrasound examinations of the lower limb large entheses were performed in 413 patients with SpA (axial SpA and psoriatic arthritis) and 282 disease controls (osteoarthritis and fibromyalgia). 'Active enthesitis' was defined as (1) power Doppler (PD) at the enthesis grade ≥1 plus entheseal thickening and/or hypoechoic areas, or (2) PD grade &gt;1 (independent of the presence of entheseal thickening and/or hypoechoic areas). Results In the univariate analysis, all OMERACT lesions except enthesophytes/calcifications showed a significant association with SpA. PD (OR=8.77, 95% CI 4.40 to 19.20, p&lt;0.001) and bone erosions (OR=4.75, 95% CI 2.43 to 10.10, p&lt;0.001) retained this association in the multivariate analysis. Among the lower limb entheses, only the Achilles tendon was significantly associated with SpA (OR=1.93, 95% CI 1.30 to 2.88, p&lt;0.001) in the multivariate analyses. Active enthesitis showed a significant association with SpA (OR=9.20, 95% CI 4.21 to 23.20, p&lt;0.001), and unlike the individual OMERACT ultrasound lesions it was consistently associated with most clinical measures of SpA disease activity and severity in the regression analyses. Conclusions This large multicentre study assessed the value of different ultrasound findings of enthesitis in SpA, identifying the most discriminative ultrasound lesions and entheseal sites for SpA. Ultrasound could differentiate between SpA-related enthesitis and other forms of entheseal pathology (ie, mechanical enthesitis), thus improving the assessment of entheseal involvement in SpA