314 research outputs found

    Clinical Efficacy of Primary Tumor Volume Measurements: Comparison of Different Primary Sites

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    ObjectivesThe purpose of study was to determine the clinical efficacy of primary tumor volume measurements of different primary sites in the oropharynx compared to the oral cavity.MethodsA retrospective analysis of 85 patients with oral cavity or oropharynx cancer. The tumor area was manually outlined from axial magnetic resonance (MR) series. The software calculated the tumor volumes, automatically. The values of the primary tumor volumes were then subdivided into separate groups (≤3,500 mm3, >3,500 mm3).ResultsThe prognostic indicators were the cT and cN (oral cavity); age, primary site, cT, cN, and primary tumor volume (oropharynx) on the univariate analysis. There was no significant prognostic factor for oral cavity cancer on the multivariate analysis. Primary site, cN, and primary tumor volume were independent prognostic indicators for oropharynx cancer by multivariate analysis.ConclusionPrimary tumor volume measurement is a reliable way to stratify outcome, and make up for the weak points in the American Joint Committee on Cancer staging system with oropharynx cancer

    Fate of untreated asymptomatic osteonecrosis of the femoral head

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    BACKGROUND: Magnetic resonance imaging has made it possible to detect asymptomatic lesions of osteonecrosis of the femoral head before abnormalities appear on plain radiographs. The extent of a necrotic lesion is known to be an important prognostic factor. In this study, we evaluated the fate of untreated asymptomatic osteonecrosis of the femoral head with an emphasis on the size of the lesion. We hypothesized that a lesion smaller than a certain size would not progress to symptomatic disease. METHODS: One hundred and five initially asymptomatic hips of patients with bilateral nontraumatic osteonecrosis of the femoral head who had been followed without any treatment for at least five years or until pain developed were enrolled in this study. The extent of a lesion was estimated according to the area of the lesion based on a two-dimensional analysis on magnetic resonance images or on plain radiographs at the time of diagnosis. RESULTS: Sixty-two hips became symptomatic, and forty-three hips remained asymptomatic for more than five years (average, eight years and seven months). Of the twenty-one hips with a small necrotic lesion (50% of the area of the femoral head), fifty became painful. Forty-six of the sixty-two hips that became symptomatic required surgery. Pain developed within five years after the diagnosis in fifty-eight (94%) of the sixty-two symptomatic hips. CONCLUSIONS: No treatment appears to be necessary for asymptomatic necrotic lesions with an area smaller than 30% of the femoral head, as the vast majority of these lesions will remain asymptomatic for more than five years

    Transcaval Transjugular Intrahepatic Portosystemic Shunt: Preliminary Clinical Results

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    Objective To determine the feasibility of transcaval transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt (TIPS) creation in patients with unusual anatomy between the hepatic veins and portal bifurcation, and inaccessible or inadequate hepatic veins. Materials and Methods Transcaval TIPS, performed in six patients, was indicated by active variceal bleeding (n=2), recurrent variceal bleeding (n=2), intractable ascites (n=1), and as a bridge to liver transplantation (n=1). The main reasons for transcaval rather than classic TIPS were the presence of an unusually acute angle between the hepatic veins and the level of the portal bifurcation (n=3), hepatic venous occlusion (n=2), and inadequate small hepatic veins (n=1). Results Technical and functional success was achieved in all patients. The entry site into liver parenchyma from the inferior vena cava was within 2 cm of the atriocaval junction. Procedure-related complications included the death of one patient due to hemoperitoneum despite the absence of contrast media spillage at tractography, and another suffered reversible hepatic encephalopathy. Conclusion In patients with unusual anatomy between the hepatic veins and portal bifurcation, and inaccessible or inadequate hepatic veins, transcaval TIPS creation is feasible.ope

    Identification of DNA methylation changes associated with human gastric cancer

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    <p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Epigenetic alteration of gene expression is a common event in human cancer. DNA methylation is a well-known epigenetic process, but verifying the exact nature of epigenetic changes associated with cancer remains difficult.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>We profiled the methylome of human gastric cancer tissue at 50-bp resolution using a methylated DNA enrichment technique (methylated CpG island recovery assay) in combination with a genome analyzer and a new normalization algorithm.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>We were able to gain a comprehensive view of promoters with various CpG densities, including CpG Islands (CGIs), transcript bodies, and various repeat classes. We found that gastric cancer was associated with hypermethylation of 5' CGIs and the 5'-end of coding exons as well as hypomethylation of repeat elements, such as short interspersed nuclear elements and the composite element SVA. Hypermethylation of 5' CGIs was significantly correlated with downregulation of associated genes, such as those in the <it>HOX </it>and histone gene families. We also discovered long-range epigenetic silencing (LRES) regions in gastric cancer tissue and identified several hypermethylated genes (<it>MDM2</it>, <it>DYRK2</it>, and <it>LYZ</it>) within these regions. The methylation status of CGIs and gene annotation elements in metastatic lymph nodes was intermediate between normal and cancerous tissue, indicating that methylation of specific genes is gradually increased in cancerous tissue.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>Our findings will provide valuable data for future analysis of CpG methylation patterns, useful markers for the diagnosis of stomach cancer, as well as a new analysis method for clinical epigenomics investigations.</p

    Primary Classic Kaposi's Sarcoma of the Penis in an HIV-Negative Patient

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    Kaposi's sarcoma (KS) is a multifocal hemorrhagic sarcoma that occurs primarily on the extremities. KS limited to the penis is rare and a well-recognized manifestation of acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS). However, KS confined to the penis is extraordinary in human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-negative patients. We present the case of a 68-year-old man with a dark reddish ulcerated nodule on the penile skin, which was reported as a nodular stage of KS. We detected no evidence of immunosuppression or AIDS or systemic involvements in further evaluations. In his past medical history, the patient had undergone three transurethral resections of bladder tumors due to urothelial cell carcinoma since 2000 and total gastrectomy, splenectomy, and adjuvant fluorouracil/cisplatin chemotherapy for 7 months due to advanced gastric carcinoma in 2005. The patient was circumcised and has had no recurrence for 2 years

    Effects of warming and eutrophication on coastal phytoplankton production

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    Phytoplankton production in coastal waters influences seafood production and human health and can lead to harmful algal blooms. Water temperature and eutrophication are critical factors affecting phytoplankton production, although the combined effects of warming and nutrient changes on phytoplankton production in coastal waters are not well understood. To address this, phytoplankton production changes in natural waters were investigated using samples collected over eight months, and under 64 different initial conditions, established by combining four different water temperatures (i.e., ambient T, + 2, + 4, and + 6 degrees C), and two different nutrient conditions (i.e., non-enriched and enriched). Under the non-enriched conditions, the effect of warming on phytoplankton production was significantly positive in some months, significantly negative in others, or had no effect. However, under enriched conditions, warming affected phytoplankton production positively in all months except one, when the salinity was as low as 6.5. These results suggest that nutrient conditions can alter the effects of warming on phytoplankton production. Of several parameters, the ratio of initial nitrate concentration to chlorophyll a concentration [NCCA, mu M (pg L-1)(-1))] was one of the most critical factors determining the directionality of the warming effects. In laboratory experiments, when NCCA in the ambient or nutrient-enriched waters was >= 1.2, warming increased or did not change phytoplankton production with one exception; however, when NCCA was < 1.2, warming did not change or decreased production. In the time series data obtained from the coastal waters of four target countries, when NCCA was 1.5 or more, warming increased phytoplankton production, whereas when NCCA was lower than 1.5, warming lowered phytoplankton production, Thus, it is suggested that NCCA could be used as an index for predicting future phytoplankton production changes in coastal waters.11Ysciescopu

    Whole-genome sequencing and analysis of Streptomyces strains producing multiple antinematode drugs

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    Background : Nematodes are parasitic animals that cause over 100 billion US dollars loss in agricultural business. The whole-genomes of two Streptomyces strains, Streptomyces spectabilis KCTC9218T and Streptomyces sp. AN091965, were sequenced. Both strains produce spectinabilin, an antinematode drug. Its secondary metabolism was examined to aid the development of an efficient nematicidal drug-producing host strain. Results : The whole-genome sequences of S. spectabilis KCTC9218T and Streptomyces sp. AN091965 were analyzed using PacBio and Illumina sequencing platforms, and assembled using hybrid methodology. The total contig lengths for KCTC9218T and AN091965 were 9.97 Mb and 9.84 Mb, respectively. A total of 8,374 and 8,054 protein-coding genes, as well as 39 and 45 secondary metabolite biosynthetic gene clusters were identified in KCTC9218T and AN091965, respectively. 18.4 ± 6.45 mg/L and 213.89 ± 21.30 mg/L of spectinabilin were produced by S. spectabilis KCTC9218T and Streptomyces sp. AN091965, respectively. Pine wilt disease caused by nematode was successfully prevented by lower concentration of spectinabilin injection than that of abamectin recommended by its manufacturer. Production of multiple antinematode drugs, including spectinabilin, streptorubin B, and undecylprodigiosin was observed in both strains using high-resolution liquid chromatography mass spectrometry (LC–MS) analysis. Conclusions : Whole-genome sequencing of spectinabilin-producing strains, coupled with bioinformatics and mass spectrometry analyses, revealed the production of multiple nematicidal drugs in the KCTC9218T and AN091965 strains. Especially, Streptomyces sp. AN091965 showed high production level of spectinabilin, and this study provides crucial information for the development of potential nematicidal drug producers.This work was supported by Korea Institute of Planning and Evaluation for Technology in Food, Agriculture and Forestry (IPET) through“Crop Viruses and Pests Response Industry Technology Development” Program (No.321110–4) funded by Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Afairs (MAFRA), National Research Foundation of Korea (NRF) grant funded by the Korean government (MSIT) (No.2022R1A2C3004621) and the Ministry of Education (2022R1I1A1A01068507), and the Bio & Medical Technology Development Program of the National Research Foundation (NRF) funded by the Korean government (MSIT) (No. 2020M3H1A1073304)
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