A Consumer-Centric Open Innovation Framework for Food and Packaging Manufacturing

This article has been archived following written permission from IGI Global.Closed innovation approaches have been employed for many years in the food industry. But, this sector recently perceives its end-user to be wary of radically new products and changes in consumption patterns. However, new product development involves not only the product itself but also the entire manufacturing and distribution network. In this paper, we present a new ICT based framework that embraces open innovation to place customers in the product development loop but at the same time assesses and eventually coordinates the entire manufacturing and supply chain. The aim is to design new food products that consumers will buy and at the same time ensure that these products will reach the consumer in time and at adequate quantity. On the product development side, our framework enables new food products that offer an integrated sensory experience of food and packaging, which encompass customization, healthy eating, and sustainability

Deregulation of methylation of transcribed-ultra conserved regions in colorectal cancer and their value for detection of adenomas and adenocarcinomas

Expression of Transcribed Ultraconserved Regions (T-UCRs) is often deregulated in cancer. The present study assesses the expression and methylation of three T-UCRs (Uc160, Uc283 and Uc346) in colorectal cancer (CRC) and explores the potential of T-UCR methylation in circulating DNA for the detection of adenomas and adenocarcinomas. Expression levels of Uc160, Uc283 and Uc346 were lower in neoplastic tissues from 64 CRC patients (statistically significant for Uc160, p<0.001), compared to non-malignant tissues, while methylation levels displayed the inverse pattern (p<0.001, p=0.001 and p=0.004 respectively). In colon cancer cell lines, overexpression of Uc160 and Uc346 led to increased proliferation and migration rates. Methylation levels of Uc160 in plasma of 50 CRC, 59 adenoma patients, 40 healthy subjects and 12 patients with colon inflammation or diverticulosis predicted the presence of CRC with 35% sensitivity and 89% specificity (p=0.016), while methylation levels of the combination of all three T-UCRs resulted in 45% sensitivity and 74.3% specificity (p=0.013). In conclusion, studied T-UCRs’ expression and methylation status are deregulated in CRC while Uc160 and Uc346 appear to have a complicated role in CRC progression. Moreover their methylation status appears a promising non-invasive screening test for CRC, provided that the sensitivity of the assay is improved

Taxane induced cystoid macular edema: Case report and integrated pathogenic theory

Purpose: To report a case of a 73-year-old man who presented with decreased visual acuity due to bilateral macular edema after paclitaxel administration for prostate cancer. Methods: The ophthalmic evaluation consisted of medical and ocular history, Best Corrected Visual Acuity, slit-lamp biomicroscopy and Spectral-domain optical coherence tomography / Fluorescein Angiography. Results: Optical Coherence Tomography and Fluorescein Angiography revealed silent cystoid macular edema. After consulting with the oncologist, the cessation of paclitaxel therapy was decided. The patient presented a gradual but steady resumption of the retinal edema, with complete restoration of normal retinal morphology and function within two months. The pathogenesis of the silent Cystoid Macular Edema (CME) is still unclear. Based on our case and a critical review of the previous observations and published data, we propose that the underlying cause of Taxane induced CME is the functional failure of Aquaporin mediated water transport at the level of retinal Intermediate and Deep capillary plexuses, and at lesser extent at the level of the Retinal Pigment Epithelium. Conclusion: Taxane induced silent CME should be attributed to the action of Taxanes on the microtubule guided aquaporin vesicles transport to the cell membrane. In our case of Taxane induced silent CME, withdrawal of the taxane was enough for complete recovery, and no additional treatment was needed. © 2019 Bentham Science Publishers

Ulcerative colitis six years after colon cancer: only a coincidence?

Minas Sakellakis,1 Thomas Makatsoris,1 Maria Gkermpesi,2 Stavros Peroukidis,1 Haralabos Kalofonos11Division of Oncology, Department of Medicine, 2Department of Pathology, University, Hospital of Patras, Patras, GreeceAbstract: The association between inflammatory bowel disease and colorectal cancer is well known. Ulcerative colitis is a risk factor for the development of colorectal cancer, and this risk increases with the activity and duration of bowel inflammation. Here we describe the case of a 52-year-old man who developed ulcerative colitis 6 years after the diagnosis and treatment of colon cancer. Although this could be a coincidence, there could be additional possibilities, like pre-existence of quiescent colitis, late effect of therapy, or maybe the existence of common pathogenetic factors contributing to the development of ulcerative colitis and colorectal cancer.Keywords: ulcerative, colitis, colorectal, cancer, inflammatio

A simple and effective approach for detecting maternal cell contamination in molecular prenatal diagnosis

The presence of maternal cells in fetal samples constitutes a serious potential source for prenatal misdiagnosis, Here we present our approach for detecting maternal cell contamination (MCC) at prenatal diagnosis for eight monogenic disorders (autosomal recessive: beta-thalassaemia, sickle-cell anaemia, cystic fibrosis, prelingual deafness’ autosomal dominant: achondroplasia, Huntington disease, myotonic dystrophy. neurofibromatosis type 1: X-linked: spinobulbar muscular atrophy). Our aim was to apply a simple and low-cost approach. which would easily and accurately provide information on the fetal tissue MCC status. MCC testing was applied to cases of recessive inheritance adhere the primary mutation screening of the fetus revealed the presence of the maternal mutation. to cases concerning dominant inheritance and to cases of multiple gestation, The potential presence of maternal cells was determined by the amplification of the 3’-HVR/APO B. D1S80, THO1 and VNTRI of vWf polymorphic loci, which have previously demonstrated high heterozygosity in Caucasians. Among 135 prenatal diagnoses. 44 finally needed to be tested for MCC (32.6%). MCC was detected in four cases, where DNA was isolated directly from chorionic villi samples (CVS). and in one case with DNA isolated directly from amniotic fluid (AF). In almost 90%, of cases a simple test of one polymorphic locus provided sufficient information about MCC. The choice of the appropriate locus is therefore essential, while the simultaneous screening of both parents provides the means for distinguishing non-informative sites about MCC. Copyright (C) 2002 John Wiley Sons, Ltd

NF-kB2 genetic variations are significantly associated with non-small cell lung cancer risk and overall survival

During the last decade, a growing number of publications implicate NF-kB2 in NSCLC pathogenesis. Here, we investigated the clinical relevance of NF-kB2 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) rs7897947, rs11574852 and rs12769316 in NSCLC and their association with NF-kB2 protein and mRNA levels. Our data show that TT (rs7897947T >G) and AA (rs12769316G >A) genotypes were strongly associated with an increased risk for NSCLC (P = 0.019 and P = 0.003, respectively). Additionally, in multivariate analysis, TT (rs7897947T >G) homozygosity was associated with worse 2- and 3-year survival rates (P = 0.030 and P = 0.028, respectively), especially among patients with stages III/IV, who had worse 2, 3 and 5-year survival (P = 0.001, P = 0.022 and P = 0.035, respectively). In chemotherapy-treated patients, TT (rs12769316G >A) homozygosity was also associated with worse 2- and 3-year survival compared to G allele carriers (P = 0.006 and P = 0.014, respectively). Furthermore, rs12769316 was correlated with survival outcome of stage I and II patients (P = 0.031 and P = 0.006, respectively). Interestingly, amongst the patients who developed metastases, A allele carriers had better 5-year survival (P = 0.020). In addition, rs12769316 was associated with NF-kB2 protein (P = 0.001) and mRNA expression (P = 0.017) as well as with tumor maximum diameter (P = 0.025). Overall, this study suggests that rs7897947 and rs12769316 are involved in NSCLC susceptibility, in treatment response and in clinical outcome

Weekly docetaxel with or without gemcitabine as second-line chemotherapy in paclitaxel-pretreated patients with metastatic breast cancer: A randomized phase II study conducted by the hellenic co-operative oncology group

Objective: A randomized phase II trial was conducted to test whether the addition of gemcitabine to weekly docetaxel could improve the objective response rate and survival outcomes as second-line chemotherapy in patients with metastatic breast cancer who have failed a paclitaxel-containing regimen. Methods: Patients were randomized to receive either weekly docetaxel 40 mg/m2 (group A, n = 34) or the combination of weekly docetaxel 35 mg/m2 with gemcitabine 600 mg/m2 (group B, n = 41). Three consecutive weekly infusions followed by a 1-week rest period represented 1 chemotherapy cycle. Results: The objective response rate was 18% and 27.5% in group A and B, respectively (p = 0.413). No statistically significant differences were demonstrated in terms of median overall survival and time to disease progression. The rate and grade 3 and 4 neutropenia were higher in group B (23 vs. 3%). Conclusions: The weekly administration of docetaxel and gemcitabine did not result in superior clinical outcomes over weekly docetaxel. © 2009 S. Karger AG, Basel