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Abstract Background Desmoid-type fibromatosis (DTF) is a rare benign lesion that usually arises from the abdominal wall or extremities and rarely from the mesentery or intrabdominal organs. Malignant peritoneal mesothelioma is also a rare, yet aggressive disease. To our knowledge, this is the first case report of desmoid-type fibromatosis in the setting of malignant peritoneal mesothelioma. Case presentation An early 30-year-old female was referred to our center for large intra-abdominal mass concerning for recurrent malignant peritoneal mesothelioma after previous cytoreductive surgery with hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy and adjuvant chemotherapy. Further investigation revealed a large mesenteric mass, which was resected en bloc with the cecum and terminal ileum. Pathologic findings confirmed a surprising diagnosis of desmoid-type fibromatosis. Conclusions No adjuvant therapy was offered to this patient due to negative tumor margins; however, close follow-up will be provided for recurrence of both malignant peritoneal mesothelioma and desmoid-type fibromatosis, which can be differentiated in the future via biopsy in this patient.

The author has long thought that the role of instructors in the introductory economics classroom is to serve as ambassadors for the economic profession. They are there not to present their own views of economics. They should, instead, transcend their idiosyncrasies and represent the broad consensus of professional economists. The job of the instructor is to strike the right balance among competing perspectives. That balance is a judgment call. In this article, the author presents why it is important that economic instructors serve as the role of ambassadors.

Abstract Background Prognostic scoring systems are used to estimate the risk of mortality from metastatic renal cell carcinoma (mRCC). Outcomes from different therapies may vary within each risk group. These survival algorithms have been applied to assess outcomes in patients receiving T-cell checkpoint inhibitory immunotherapy and tyrosine kinase inhibitor therapy, but have not been applied extensively to patients receiving high dose interleukin-2 (HD IL-2) immunotherapy. Methods Survival of 810 mRCC patients treated from 2006 to 2017 with high dose IL-2 (aldesleukin) and enrolled in the PROCLAIMSM registry data base was assessed utilizing the International Metastatic RCC Database Consortium (IMDC) risk criteria. Median follow-up is 23.4 months (mo.) (range 0.2–124 mo.). Subgroup evaluations were performed by separating patients by prior or no prior therapy, IL-2 alone, or therapy subsequent to IL-2. Some patients were in two groups. We will focus on the 356 patients who received IL-2 alone, and evaluate outcome by risk factor categories. Results Among the 810 patients, 721 were treatment-naïve (89%) and 59% were intermediate risk. Overall, of the 249 patients with favorable risk, the median overall survival (OS) is 63.3 mo. and the 2-year OS is 77.6%. Of 480 patients with intermediate risk, median OS is 42.4 mo., 2-year OS 68.2%, and of 81 patients with poor risk, median OS 14 mo., 2-year OS 40.4%. Among those who received IL-2 alone (356 patients), median OS is 64.5, 57.6, and 14 months for favorable, intermediate and poor risk categories respectively. Two year survival among those treated only with HD IL-2 is 73.4, 63.7 and 39.8%, for favorable, intermediate and poor risk categories respectively. Conclusions Among mRCC patients treated with HD IL-2, all risk groups have median and 2-year survival consistent with recent reports of checkpoint or targeted therapies for mRCC. Favorable and intermediate risk (by IMDC) patients treated with HD IL-2 have longer OS compared with poor risk patients, with most durable OS observed in favorable risk patients. Favorable risk patients treated with HD IL-2 alone have a 2-year OS of 74%. These data continue to support a recommendation for HD IL-2 for patients with mRCC who meet eligibility criteria. Trial registration PROCLAIM, NCT01415167 was registered with ClinicalTrials.gov on August 11, 2011, and initiated for retrospective data collection until 2006, and prospective data collection ongoing since 2011.

Gregory Mankiw professzor (Harvard Egyetem) 2006. májusában írt tanulmányában számba veszi, mivel járultak hozzá a különböző közgazdasági irányzatok és közgazdászok a makroökonómia tudásanyagához. A makroökonómiával foglalkozó közgazdászokat két típusra osztja: vannak, akik elemzik a makroökonómiai összefüggéseket, elméleti modelleket alkotnak (scientist), másrészről vannak az úgynevezett mérnöki szemléletű (engineer) közgazdászok, akik elsősorban a gazdasági problémák gyakorlati megoldásával foglalkoznak. Ez a megkülönböztetés semmilyen értékbeli rangsort nem tartalmaz.