Investigation of low 5-year relative survival for breast cancer in a London cancer network

BACKGROUND: Breast cancer 5-year relative survival is low in the North East London Cancer Network (NELCN). METHODS: We compared breast cancer that was diagnosed during 2001-2005 with that in the rest of London. RESULTS: North East London Cancer Network women more often lived in socioeconomic quintile 5 (42 vs 21%) and presented with advanced disease (11 vs 7%). Cox regression analysis showed the survival difference (hazard ratio: 1.27, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.15-1.41) reduced to 1.00 (95% CI: 0.89-1.11) after adjustment for age, stage, socioeconomic deprivation, ethnicity and treatment. Major drivers were stage and deprivation. Excess mortality was in the first year. CONCLUSION: Late diagnosis occurs in NELCN

Bromido(dodecafluorosubphthalo­cyaninato)boron(III)

The title compound, C24BBrF12N6 or Br-F12BsubPc (BsubPc is boronsubphtalocyanine), has a bowl-shaped structure with an approximate mol­ecular C 3v symmetry characteristic of boronsubphthalocyanine compounds. In the crystal, mol­ecules are arranged in one-dimensional columns and the boron–subphthalocyanine units within each column are offset and angled in a bowl-to-ligand packing arrangement such that the axial Br atom rests in the aromatic concaved bowl of the neighboring subphthalocyanine with an inter­molecular Br⋯B distance of 3.721 (3) Å

Excitatory neurotransmitters in brain regions in interictal migraine patients

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Objective</p> <p>To examine biochemical differences in the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) and insula during the interictal phase of migraine patients. We hypothesized that there may be differences in levels of excitatory amino acid neurotransmitters and/or their derivatives in migraine group based on their increased sensitivity to pain.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>2D <it>J</it>-resolved proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy (¹H-MRS) data were acquired at 4.0 Tesla (T) from the ACC and insula in 10 migraine patients (7 women, 3 men, age 43 ± 11 years) and 8 age gender matched controls (7 women, 3 men, age 41 ± 9 years).</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Standard statistical analyses including analysis of variance (ANOVA) showed no significant metabolite differences between the two subject cohorts in the ACC nor the insula. However, linear discriminant analysis (LDA) introduced a clear separation between subject cohorts based on N-acetyl aspartylglutamate (NAAG) and glutamine (Gln) in the ACC and insula.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>These results are consistent with glutamatergic abnormalities in the ACC and insula in migraine patients during their interictal period compared to healthy controls. An alteration in excitatory amino acid neurotransmitters and their derivatives may be a contributing factor for migraineurs for a decrease in sensitivity for migraine or a consequence of the chronic migraine state. Such findings, if extrapolated to other regions of the brain would offer new opportunities to modulate central system as interictal or preemptive medications in these patients.</p

Local electrical imaging of tetragonal domains and field-induced ferroelectric twin walls in conducting SrTiO3

This work is supported by the National University of Singapore (NUS) Academic Research Fund (AcRF Tier 1 Grants No. R-144-000-346-112 and No. R-144-000-364-112) and the Singapore National Research Foundation (NRF) under the Competitive Research Programs (CRP Awards No. NRF-CRP 8-2011-06 and No. NRF-CRP10-2012-02) by the Institutional Strategy of the University of Tübingen (Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft, Grant No. ZUK 63), and by the EU-FP6-COST Grant No. MP1308.We demonstrate electrical mapping of tetragonal domains and electric field-induced twin walls in SrTiO3 as a function of temperature and gate bias utilizing the conducting LaAlO3/SrTiO3 interface and low-temperature scanning electron microscopy. Conducting twin walls appear below 105 K, and new twin patterns are observed after thermal cycling through the transition or on electric field gating. The nature of the twin walls is confirmed by calculating their intersection angles for different substrate orientations. Numerous walls formed when a large side- or back-gate voltage is applied are identified as field-induced ferroelectric twin walls in the paraelectric tetragonal matrix. The walls persist after switching off the electric field and on thermal cycling below 105 K. These observations point to a new type of ferroelectric functionality in SrTiO3, which could be exploited together with magnetism and superconductivity in a multifunctional context.Publisher PDFPeer reviewe

Increased Orbitofrontal Brain Activation after Administration of a Selective Adenosine A2A Antagonist in Cocaine Dependent Subjects

Background: Positron Emission Tomography imaging studies provide evidence of reduced dopamine function in cocaine dependent subjects in the striatum, which is correlated with prefrontal cortical glucose metabolism, particularly in the orbitofrontal cortex. However, whether enhancement of dopamine in the striatum in cocaine dependent subjects would be associated with changes in prefrontal cortical brain activation is unknown. One novel class of medications that enhance dopamine function via heteromer formation with dopamine receptors in the striatum is the selective adenosine A2A receptor antagonists. This study sought to determine the effects administration of the selective adenosine A2A receptor antagonist SYN115 on brain function in cocaine dependent subjects. Methodology/Principle Findings: Twelve cocaine dependent subjects underwent two fMRI scans (one after a dose of placebo and one after a dose of 100 mg of SYN115) while performing a working memory task with three levels of difficulty (3, 5, and 7 digits). fMRI results showed that for 7-digit working memory activation there was significantly greater activation from SYN115 compared to placebo in portions of left (L) lateral orbitofrontal cortex, L insula, and L superior and middle temporal pole. Conclusion/Significance: These findings are consistent with enhanced dopamine function in the striatum in cocaine dependent subjects via blockade of adenosine A2A receptors producing increased brain activation in the orbitofrontal cortex and other cortical regions. This suggests that at least some of the changes in brain activation in prefrontal cortical regions in cocaine dependent subjects may be related to altered striatal dopamine function, and that enhancement of dopamine function via adenosine A2A receptor blockade could be explored further for amelioration of neurobehavioral deficits associated with chronic cocaine use

Malignancy risk analysis in patients with inadequate fine needle aspiration cytology (FNAC) of the thyroid

Background Thyroid fine needle aspiration cytology (FNAC) is the standard diagnostic modality for thyroid nodules. However, it has limitations among which is the incidence of non-diagnostic results (Thy1). Management of cases with repeatedly non-diagnostic FNAC ranges from simple observation to surgical intervention. We aim to evaluate the incidence of malignancy in non-diagnostic FNAC, and the success rate of repeated FNAC. We also aim to evaluate risk factors for malignancy in patients with non-diagnostic FNAC. Materials and Methods Retrospective analyses of consecutive cases with thyroid non diagnostic FNAC results were included. Results Out of total 1657 thyroid FNAC done during the study period, there were 264 (15.9%) non-diagnostic FNAC on the first attempt. On repeating those, the rate of a non-diagnostic result on second FNAC was 61.8% and on third FNAC was 47.2%. The overall malignancy rate in Thy1 FNAC was 4.5% (42% papillary, 42% follicular and 8% anaplastic), and the yield of malignancy decreased considerably with successive non-diagnostic FNAC. Ultrasound guidance by an experienced head neck radiologist produced the lowest non-diagnostic rate (38%) on repetition compared to US guidance by a generalist radiologist (65%) and by non US guidance (90%). Conclusions There is a low risk of malignancy in patients with a non-diagnostic FNAC result, commensurate to the risk of any nodule. The yield of malignancy decreased considerably with successive non-diagnostic FNAC