Original Article Expression of fibroblast growth factor receptor 1, fibroblast growth factor 2, phosphatidyl inositol 3 phosphate kinase and their clinical and prognostic significance in early and advanced stage of squamous cell carcinoma of the lung

Abstract: Aim: Non-small cell lung carcinoma is the leading cause of cancer related to death in the world. Squamous cell lung carcinoma (SqCLC) is the second most frequent histological subtype of lung carcinomas. Recently, growth factors, growth factor receptors, and signal transduction system-related gene amplifications and mutations are extensively under investigation to estimate the prognosis and to develop individualized therapies in SqCLC. In this study, besides the signal transduction molecule phosphatidyl inositol-3-phosphate kinase (IP3K) p110α, we explored the expressions of fibroblast growth factor 2 (FGF2) and receptor-1 (FGFR1) in tumor tissue and also their clinical and prognostic significance in patients with early/advanced SqCLC. Materials and methods: From 2005 to 2013, 129 patients (23 early, 106 advanced disease) with a histopathological SqCLC diagnosis were selected from the hospital files of Cukurova University Medical Faculty for this study. Two independent pathologists evaluated FGFR1, FGF2, and PI3K (p110α) expressions in both tumor and stromal tissues from 99 of the patients with sufficient tissue samples, using immunohistochemistry. Considering survival analysis separately for patients with both early and advanced stage diseases, the relationship between the clinical features of the patients and expressions were evaluated by univariate and multivariate analyses. Results: FGFR1 expression was found to be low in 59 (60%) patients and high in 40 (40%) patients. For FGF2; 12 (12%) patients had high, 87 (88%) patients had low expression and for IP3K; 31 (32%) patients had high and 66 (68%) patients had low expressions. In univariate analysis, overall survival (OS) was significantly associated with stage of the disease and the performance status of the patient (P<0.0001 and P<0.001). There was no significant difference in OS of the patients with either low or high expressions of FGFR1, FGF2, and IP3K. When the patients with early or advanced stage disease were separately taken into consideration, the relationship did not differ, either. Any of FGFR1, FGF2 or IP3K expressions was not found predictive for the treatment of early or advanced staged patients. On the other hand, the expressions of both FGFR1 and FGF2 were significantly different with respect to smoking, scar of tuberculosis and scar of radiotherapy (P=0.002; P=0.06 and P=0.05, respectively). Discussion: There has not been identified an effective individualized treatment for SqCLC yet. Therefore, in order to be able to develop such a treatment in the future, it is essential to identify the genetic abnormalities that are responsible for the biological behaviors and carcinogenesis of SqCLC. Although we could not show the prognostic and predictive significance of FGFR1, FGF2 and IP3K expressions in SqCLC, we determined the expression rates of FGFR1, FGF2 and IP3K as a reference for Turkish patients. In conclusion, we want to put some emphasis on the fact that, pulmonary fibrosis which is a late complication of radiotherapy at stage III disease, and the scar of tuberculosis could be associated with FGFR1 and FGF2 expressions

Potential evaluation of biomass-based energy sources for Turkey

Turkey has great potential with respect to renewable energy sources (RES) and, among such sources, “biomass energy” is of particular importance. The purpose of this study is to determine the primary electrical energy potential obtainable from the biomass potential, according to different biomass source types. In this study, the biomass sources of municipal solid wastes, energy crops, animal manure and urban wastewater treatment sludge are evaluated. For each source, individual biogas and biomass energy potential calculations are made. Methods for energy conversion from wastes applicable to the conditions of Turkey, and technical and economic parameters are used. As a result of the calculations made, the total primary energy value of biogas obtainable from the examined sources is 188.21 TWh/year. The total primary energy value related to the potential of the evaluated biomass sources is 278.40 TWh/year

Yielding Behavior of Tough Semicrystalline Hydrogels

Supramolecular semicrystalline hydrogels are soft functional materials consisting of water-swollen hydrophilic polymer chains interconnected by hydrophobic segments forming lamellar crystals. Although such hydrogels with high crystallinity are mechanically strong, with elastic moduli and tensile strength of 80–300 MPa and 4–7 MPa, respectively, they are brittle and rupture at a stretch of less than 20% without yielding. Here, we report that the incorporation of a small amount of a weak hydrophobe into semicrystalline hydrogels significantly increases their toughness and stretchability without losing their high modulus and high strength. We design a highly entangled physical network based on poly­(<i>N</i>,<i>N</i>-dimethyl­acrylamide) (PDMA) chains containing <i>n</i>-octadecyl acrylate (C18A) and lauryl methacrylate (C12M) segments with side chain lengths of 18 and 12 carbons, respectively. By including 0.1–0.4 mol % C12M into the PDMA backbone containing 30 mol % C18A segments, we were able to create more ordered and thinner lamellar crystals with a layered structure. Simultaneously, a brittle-to-ductile transition was observed due to the appearance of necking behavior leading to 10-fold increase of toughness. The significant toughness improvement upon incorporation of C12M into the semicrystalline hydrogels could be explained with the appearance of active tie molecules under external force interconnecting the lamellar clusters. The hydrogels also exhibit reversible tensile deformation induced by heating above the melting temperature of crystalline domains

Contribution of 18-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography (FDG PET) imaging in the detection of underlying carcinoma in a woman with nonspecific mastitis

Introduction. Differentiation between a malignancy and inflammatory process is still a diagnostic challenge. Mammography (MG) and ultrasonography (US) have low sensitivity and specificity in dense breasts in order to detect malignancy. On the other hand, malignant mass lesions can also be masked on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) by diffuse inflammatory process. 18-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography (FDG PET) imaging can be a promising alternative imaging method in the evaluation of suspicious breast masses, especially in patients with accompanying inflammatory breast diseases. Case report. We report an atypical case of a patient suspected for malignancy in right breast on physical examination and radiologic findings in favor of mastitis. Neither MG nor US revealed any mass lesion consistent with malignancy. Moreover, MRI findings were primarily considered as infectious or granulomatous mastitis. However, FDG PET determined the accurate borders of tumor and dissemination of breast cancer with superiority to other conventional radiological methods. Conclusion. This case report emphasizes the contribution of FDG PET imaging to other conventional radiological methods with regard to primary tumor diagnosis, determination of the biopsy site, and also staging the disease especially in patients with accompanying inflammatory breast disease

Blunt Trauma Patient with Esophageal Perforation

Traumatic perforation of the esophagus due to blunt trauma is a rare thoracic emergency. The most common causes of esophageal perforation are iatrogenic, and the upper cervical esophageal region is the most often injured. Diagnosis is frequently determined late, and mortality is therefore high. This case report presents a young woman who was admitted to the emergency department (ED) with esophageal perforation after having fallen from a high elevation. Esophageal perforation was diagnosed via thoracoabdominal tomography with ingestion of oral contrast. The present report discusses alternative techniques for diagnosing esophageal perforation in a multitrauma patient. [West J Emerg Med. 2014;15(6):-0