Search

The article presents a study on the electrospinning jet behavior of polyvinyl alcohol with various nozzle diameters. According to the study, multi-jet ejections were related to the amount of nanoweb deposition and the deposition pattern. The study found that a gradual increase in the multi-jet ejection with increasing applied voltage was induced by increased electrical stress in electrospinning with smaller nozzle diameter. Decreasing nozzle diameter and increasing applied voltage decreased the diameter of the deposited fiber.

This study addresses the three-dimensional structure and mechanical properties of perpendicular-laid nonwovens produced from PET and PET/PE bicomponent fibers. Two different web-forming methods, air folding and mechanical folding systems, have been employed to produce the perpendicular-laid nonwovens. It is proved that both systems can produce well-developed perpendicular-laid structures. A comparison has been made between mechanical properties and fiber orientation distribution function (ODF). ODFs at three faces of nonwovens were analyzed by image analysis techniques using the two-dimensional Fast Fourier Transform (2D FFT). Further, mechanical measurements were performed at various azimuthal directions to investigate the related mechanical responses in three-dimensions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tumoral calcinosis is a rare ectopic calcification syndrome characterized by irregular soft tissue masses originally described as being found mainly in large joints. We report 3 cases of tumoral calcinosis that occurred in unusual locations, the metacarpophalageal and proximal interphalangeal joints of the hand. The patients were women who ranged in age from 26 to 44; all presented with complaints of painful swelling of the joints. Laboratory tests demonstrated normal serum phosphate and calcium levels. Radiologic examination disclosed para-articular calcified masses. On surgical excision, the deep-seated calcified masses were attached to collateral ligaments of the joints. Milky and chalklike fluid was released during surgery. The masses measured 1.5, 0.9, and 0.8 cm in length and had irregular surfaces. Microscopically, the masses had fibrous capsule and the inner small cystic spaces that contained granular, calcified material. These cysts contained proliferating capillaries, mononuclear lymph plasma cells, and giant cells. No recurrences were found in any of the patients during the follow-up periods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A case of perivascular epithelioid cell tumor of the uterus is reported, occurring in a 32-year-old woman. The tumor (8.0 cm in dimension) showed exophytic growth from the outer half of the myometrium. Histopathologically, the tumor was composed of thick blood vessels and perivascular epithelioid cells. The neoplastic cells were strongly immunoreactive for HMB45 antigen, CD117 (c-kit), vimentin and the progesterone receptor, but completely negative for S-100 protein, smooth muscle actin, desmin, CD34, the estrogen receptor and p16. The Ki-67 labeling index was low (1.25%). Ultrastructurally, the neoplastic cells had numerous premelanosomes with some glycogen deposits. Single-stranded DNA conformational polymorphism of p53 and methylation-specific polymerase chain reaction of p16 revealed negative results. Definite melanosomes on electron microscopic analysis and coexpression of HMB45 antigen and stem cell factor receptor (CD117) may provide the clue to understanding perivascular epithelioid cell tumor because angiomyolipoma also coexpresses HMB45 antigen and CD117. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents a case study of a 4-year-old patient with intratympanic membrane congenital cholesteatoma (IMCC) who underwent IMCC removal using an endoscopic system. Topics covered include the result of the computed tomography scan conducted on the patient, findings of a systematic review which supported the presumption that IMCC is congenital and the first choice for treatment of IMCC.

Few data exist regarding steroid withdrawal in ABO-incompatible (ABO-i) kidney transplantation (KT). Here, we report a case of steroid withdrawal after ABO-i KT. A 46-year-old man diagnosed with Henoch-Schonlein purpura received ABO-i KT from his 42-year-old sister. The recipient and donor blood types were O and AB, respectively. His preoperative ABO antibody titers were anti-A of 1:16 and anti-B of 1:8 in isoagglutinin test. HLA mismatch was 0 and he received a single 325 mg/m2 dose of intravenous (IV) rituximab 4 weeks before KT. Three sessions of plasma exchange were undertaken before KT and low-dose IV immunoglobulin of 0.1 g/kg was administered after plasma exchange. On the day of the operation, ABO antibody titer decreased to anti-A of 1:4 and anti-B of 1:2. Renal function remained stable after KT. The patient wished to stop steroid treatment despite the risk of rejection after withdrawal. Steroid tapering was initiated at 20 months and accomplished at 26 months after KT. At that time, serum creatinine level was 1.13 mg/dL, and anti-A and anti-B titers were 1:8 and 1:2, respectively. No issues were observed after steroid withdrawal. At 48 months after KT, serum creatinine level was 1.21 mg/dL, and anti-A and anti-B antibody titers were 1:32 and 1:2, respectively. Steroid withdrawal in ABO-i KT might be considered in immunologically low-risk patients.

Esophageal cancer is one of the lethal malignant tumors because it is often diagnosed in the advanced stage with lymph node or distant metastasis. The recurrence rate of esophageal cancer is known to be about 40% to 50% even in the patients who underwent curative esophageal resection. Most frequent sites of metastases are known to be the liver. Furthermore, other distant metastases also could be developed in lung, bone, brain, kidney, adrenal, abdominal cavity, and skin. However, ampulla of Vater (AoV) metastasis rarely occurs from esophageal cancer. Therefore, we report herein a case of AoV metastasis from squamous cell carcinoma of the esophagus.

Cancer: Tell-tale signs of recurrence Fragments of tumor DNA, or circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA), in blood can help predict stomach cancer recurrence within 12 months of surgery. Kyeong-Man Hong at the National Cancer Center, in Goyang-si, South Korea, and colleagues, carried out whole genome sequencing of stomach tumor samples from 25 patients to identify personalized cancer-specific rearranged DNA sequences. When they used this information to monitor ctDNA in blood samples obtained after surgical removal of the tumor, they found a significant correlation between the presence of ctDNA and cancer recurrence. In most cases, ctDNA was detected around four months prior to clinical recurrence, highlighting the potential usefulness of ctDNA monitoring. The lack of correlation between ctDNA levels and tumor size suggests that further research into the factors determining ctDNA levels is needed.

Multiple wasp stings can induce multiple organ dysfunction by toxic reactions. However, acute pancreatitis is a rare manifestation in wasp sting injury. A 74-year-old woman visited the emergency department by anaphylactic shock because of multiple wasp stings. Acute kidney injury, rhabdomyolysis, hepatotoxicity, and coagulopathy were developed next day. Serum amylase and lipase were elevated and an abdominal computed tomography revealed an acute pancreatitis. Urine output was recovered after 16 days of oliguria (below 500 ml/day). Her kidney, liver, and pancreas injury gradually improved after sessions of renal replacement therapy.

Recently, we reported cytoskeleton-associated protein2 (CKAP2) as a possible new prognostic breast cancer marker. However, it has not yet been applied in clinic. Therefore, clinical significance of CKAP2 was evaluated in comparison with that of Ki-67 in a cohort of breast cancer patients, and the expression difference was analyzed in cell cycle-arrested cancer and fibroblast cells.A total of 579 early breast cancer patients who underwent surgery at the National Cancer Center Hospital in Korea between 2001 and 2005 were accrued. CKAP2-positive cell count (CPCC) and Ki-67 labeling index (Ki-67LI) were evaluated by immunohistochemcal staining. The immunocytochemical staining patterns of CKAP2 and Ki-67 were analyzed in HeLa and human fibroblast cells after synchronization by double thymidine block.Although there was a significant correlation (R = 0.754, P < 0.001) between CPCC and Ki-67LI, only CPCC was correlated with DFS in overall population (HR, 2.029; 95% CI, 1.012-4.068; P = 0.046) and HER2-negative luminal subgroup (HR, 3.984; 95% CI, 1.350-11.762; P = 0.012) by multivariate analysis. In immunocytochemical staining, more than 50% of serum-starved or non-mitotic cell phase HeLa cells were positive for Ki-67, in comparison to the low CKAP2-positivity, which might explain the prognostic difference between CPCC and Ki-67LI.The current study showed that CPCC but not Ki-67LI is an independent prognostic indicator in early breast cancer, more specifically in HER2-negative luminal breast cancer. The difference between two markers may be related to the lower background expression of CKAP2 in cancer cells.

BACKGROUND: The level of proliferation activity is a strong prognostic or predictive indicator in breast cancer, but its optimal measurement is still in debate, necessitating new proliferation markers. In the present study, the prognostic significance of the CKAP2-positive cell count (CPCC), a new proliferation marker, was evaluated, and the results were compared with those for the mitotic activity index (MAI). METHODS: This study included 375 early-stage breast cancer samples collected from two institutions between 2000 and 2006. Immunohistochemical staining was performed using a CKAP2 monoclonal antibody. Cox proportional hazard regression models were fitted to determine the association between the CPCC and relapse-free survival (RFS) amongst three groups formed on the basis of the CPCC or MAI value: groups 2 and 3 showing the middle and highest values, respectively, and group 1 the lowest. RESULTS: After adjustment for age, T stage, N stage, HER2 status, estrogen receptor status, progesterone receptor status, institution, and year of surgical resection, the CPCC was associated with a significantly worse RFS {hazard ratio [HR] = 4.10 (95% CI: 1.64-10.29) for group 2; HR = 4.35 (95% CI: 2.04-10.35) for group 3}. Moreover, its prognostic significance was similar to or higher than that based on the MAI {HR = 2.05 (95% CI: 0.94-4.65) for group 2; HR = 2.35 (95% CI: 1.09-5.10) for group 3}. In subgroup analyses, the CPCC showed a prognostic significance in the luminal A and triple-negative subgroups, but not in the HER2-positive subgroup. CONCLUSIONS: Chromatin CKAP2 is an independent prognostic marker for RFS in early-stage breast cancer, and could potentially replace the MAI in clinical evaluation of proliferation activity. Additionally, our study results suggest that the prognostic significance of proliferation activity differs among the various subgroups of breast cancer.

Variations and alterations of copy numbers (CNVs and CNAs) carry disease susceptibility and drug responsiveness implications. Although there are many molecular methods to measure copy numbers, sensitivity, reproducibility, cost, and time issues remain. In the present study, we were able to solve those problems utilizing our modified real competitive PCR method with cloned competitors (mrcPCR). First, the mrcPCR for ERBB2 copy number was established, and the results were comparable to current standard methods but with a shorter assay time and a lower cost. Second, the mrcPCR assays for 24 drug-target genes were established, and the results in a panel of NCI-60 cells were comparable to those from real-time PCR and microarray. Third, the mrcPCR results for FCGR3A and the FCGR3B CNVs were comparable to those by the paralog ratio test (PRT), but without PRT's limitations. These results suggest that mrcPCR is comparable to the currently available standard or the most sensitive methods. In addition, mrcPCR would be invaluable for measurement of CNVs in genes with variants of similar structures, because combination of the other methods is not necessary, along with its other advantages such as short assay time, small sample amount requirement, and applicability to all sequences and genes.