Search

The mammalian target of rapamycin inhibition has been shown to prolong progression-free survival in patients with pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors. The natural compound baicalein indirectly inhibits the mammalian target of rapamycin, but it is unknown if baicalein exhibits such effects at physiologically achievable concentrations or exhibits synergy.Pancreatic neuroendocrine tumor cell lines were cultured with baicalein, everolimus, and/or a synthetic 5' adenosine monophosphate-activated protein kinase activating agent alone and in combination. Cell viability assays and immunoblotting were performed. Female severe combined immunodeficient-beige mice were injected with BON-1 cells and treated with baicalein and COH-SR4 solutions via oral gavage. Tumor volumes were compared at 30 days.Immunoblotting revealed that treatment of baicalein induced 5' adenosine monophosphate-activated protein kinase activation and the mammalian target of rapamycin inhibition. Treatment with baicalein alone led to a significant decrease in the ratio of viable cells compared with controls at 72 hours at concentrations ≥5 μM (P = .021). The addition of COH-SR4 led to significantly greater effect on cell viability than with baicalein alone (P.001, P.001). The combination of baicalein with everolimus resulted in significantly lower cell viability than with everolimus alone (P = .005, P.001). Tumor volume in vivo was significantly decreased with the combination of baicalein and COH-SR4 compared with controls (P = .003).Baicalein exhibits antiproliferative effects against pancreatic neuroendocrine tumor cell lines at doses ≥5 μM and demonstrates synergy.

A desulfonylative homocoupling of benzylic sulfone derivatives through a photoredox Ir catalyst is described. The 3,5-bis(trifluoromethyl)phenyl group is an effective substituent on sulfonyl group in this reaction, providing the structurally diverse multiply arylated ethanes in good yields. The α-deuterated or α-fluorinated sulfones, which can be readily prepared by α-functionalization, were also applicable, highlighting an avenue to synthesize medicinally important structures.

We implement a distributed Bragg reflector (DBR) laser diode (LD) package with low-magnetic field generation. The package consists of a commercial 795 nm DBR LD chip, a thermo-electric cooler (TEC), a thermistor, a flexible printed circuit board (FPCB) which cancels the magnetic field emitted by the TEC current flow, and a non-magnetic aluminum case. We confirm that the magnetic dipole moment of our low-magnetic package body is about three orders of magnitude smaller than that of a commercial DBR laser package. Moreover, it is shown that our compensating FPCB, the effectiveness of which is supported by computer simulations, reduces the magnetic field magnitude by a factor of 2.2. The FPCB also reduces the magnetic field gradient emitted by the TEC current flow so that gradient-induced spin relaxations are suppressed in applications. A portable optically pumped atomic magnetometer (OPAM) utilizing two low-magnetic packages as light sources is reported as an application of the package and shows a 0.30 pT/Hz1/2 level magnetic sensitivity at a 69 μT external magnetic field; in contrast, the OPAM utilizing the commercial packages showed a magnetic sensitivity of 0.87 pT/Hz1/2.

PDF file - 62.6K

The transcription factor interferon regulatory factor-1 (IRF-1) is induced by many tumor-suppressive stimuli and can mediate antiproliferative and proapoptotic effects in cancer cells. Thus, identifying agents that enhance IRF-1 activity may be an effective approach to cancer therapy. A cell-based screening assay was developed to identify extracts and compounds that could enhance IRF-1 activity, using an IRF-1–dependent luciferase reporter cell line. Through this approach, we identified a natural product extract and a known active component of this extract, baicalein, which causes a marked increase in IRF-1–dependent reporter gene expression and IRF-1 protein, with modulation of known IRF-1 targets PUMA and cyclin D1. Baicalein causes suppression of growth in vitro in multiple cancer cell lines in the low micromolar range. IRF-1 plays a role in this growth suppression as shown by significant resistance to growth suppression in a breast cancer cell line stably transfected with short hairpin RNA against IRF-1. Finally, intraperitoneal administration of baicalein by repeated injection causes inhibition of growth in both xenogeneic and syngeneic mouse models of cancer without toxicity to the animals. These findings indicate that identifying enhancers of IRF-1 activity may have utility in anticancer therapies and that cell-based screening for activation of transcription factors can be a useful approach for drug discovery. Mol Cancer Ther; 10(10); 1774–83. ©2011 AACR.

DDMS diagnostics for adjacent thyroid tissues. The table contains cancer risk scores according to DDMS, diagnosis according to DDMS and status of nodule to which tissue was adjacent.

DDMS locations are frequently co-localized with active enhancers. A. Representative snap-shot of H3K27Ac pattern in two analyzed adjacent thyroid tissues (7N and 10N). The snap-shot indicates the normalized number of reads. Transcriptional start sites and transcript directions are shown. B. Representative snap-shot of co-localization DDMS site with H3K27Ac enrichment at the NFIC gene body in two analyzed adjacent thyroid tissues (7N and 10N). The snap-shot indicates the normalized number of reads. The red dotted line indicates the position of the DDMS location. Transcriptional start site and transcript directions are shown. C. Representative snap-shot of co-localization DDMS site with H3K27Ac enrichment at the EPHA2 gene body in two analyzed adjacent thyroid tissues (7N and 10N). The snap-shot indicates the normalized number of reads. The red dotted line indicates the position of the DDMS location. Transcriptional start site and transcript direction are shown.

Purpose:Thyroid cancer is frequently difficult to diagnose due to an overlap of cytologic features between malignant and benign nodules. This overlap leads to unnecessary removal of the thyroid in patients without cancer. While providing some improvement over cytopathologic diagnostics, molecular methods frequently fail to provide a correct diagnosis for thyroid nodules. These approaches are based on the difference between cancer and adjacent thyroid tissue and assume that adjacent tissues are the same as benign nodules. However, in contrast to adjacent tissues, benign thyroid nodules can contain genetic alterations that can be found in cancer.Experimental Design: For the development of a new molecular diagnostic test for thyroid cancer, we evaluated DNA methylation in 109 thyroid tissues by using genome-wide single-base resolution DNA methylation analysis. The test was validated in a retrospective cohort containing 65 thyroid nodules.Results:By conducting reduced representation bisulfite sequencing in 109 thyroid specimens, we found significant differences between adjacent tissue, benign nodules, and cancer. These tissue-specific signatures are strongly linked to active enhancers and cancer-associated genes. Based on these signatures, we developed a new epigenetic approach for thyroid diagnostics. According to the validation cohort, our test has an estimated specificity of 97% [95% confidence interval (CI), 81–100], sensitivity of 100% (95% CI, 87–100), positive predictive value of 97% (95% CI, 83–100), and negative predictive value of 100% (95% CI, 86–100).Conclusions:These data show that epigenetic testing can provide outstanding diagnostic accuracy for thyroid nodules.See related commentary by Mitmaker et al., p. 457

PurposeThe purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between leisure involvement (LI), conspicuous sport consumption and subjective well-being (SW) for two luxury leisure activities: golf and skiing.Design/methodology/approachThe authors collected data from Guangdong Province (golf,n = 342) and Jilin Province (skiing,n = 310) and examined the proposed model using structural equation modeling (SEM) and tested the mediating effect of conspicuous sport consumption using bootstrapping method.FindingsThe findings show that the proposed model explained the relationships among LI, conspicuous sport consumption and SW. Furthermore, the findings suggest that LI and conspicuous consumption (CC) can elevate sport participants' perception of SW, enriching leisure-class theory.Originality/valueThe authors’ findings contribute to the domain of CC in sport participant and leisure research and provide significant implications for the sport tourism marketers.

Patients with Parkinson's disease are at higher risk of peri-operative medical and surgical complications. Multidisciplinary management, early recognition of potential complications, specialised care of medications and intra-operative protection of the vulnerable brain are all important aspects of the peri-operative management of patients with Parkinson's disease. Advances in continuous dopaminergic treatment, development of a peri-operative Parkinson's disease pathway and application of telemedicine are starting to play a role in improving peri-operative care. Management of patients with advanced Parkinson's disease is also evolving, with potential for incorporation of integrated care and changes in the anaesthetic management for deep brain stimulation surgery. There are new methods for localisation of target nuclei and increasing insight on the effects of anaesthetic drugs on microelectrode recordings and clinical outcomes. Parkinson's disease is a progressive disease, but management is improving with better peri-operative care for patients.

IntroductionLive sporting event streaming (LSES) is becoming popular not only among consumers but also among sponsors. At the same time, influenced by China’s convenient mobile terminals, the paid membership system for live broadcasting has also attracted the attention of marketers and scholars. To promote financial sustainability, we analyzed the internal mechanism of profitability in LSES based on stimulus-organism-response (SOR) theory and two-sided market characteristics. Specifically, we considered advertisement and delay the stimuli (S), arousal and attention as the organism variables (O), and intention to become a paying member as the response (R).MethodsWe used an online survey questionnaire to collect data from 430 Chinese LSES viewers during the 2021 European Cup. We used SPSS Amos v. 26 to conduct structural equation modeling (SEM) and bootstrapping to test the model.ResultsThe results show that the direct paths from advertisement and delay to behavioral intention were not significant and that these relationships only became significant via the mediating variables of arousal and attention. Compared to advertising, delay had a stronger indirect effect on behavior. Arousal and attention generated a chain intermediary mechanism in which the presence of attention was necessary.DiscussionFirst, LSES platforms should follow Internet development trends and create higher economic value by using precise advertising strategies. Second, LSES platforms should make full use of 5G mobile communication technology to maximize profit. Third, LSES platforms must pay attention to the intermediary mechanism of arousal and attention. Streaming media must provide high-quality events in order to keep target audiences excited.

PurposeAlthough sport museums are considered an important sector in nostalgia sport tourism, annual visitations of the major sport Hall of Fames (HoF) have been decreasing, often resulting in operational and financial difficulties for the HoF. The current study examined the relationship between sport museum image, motivation, constraints, monetary and non-monetary promotions (as a mediator), and visit intention among those who have attended or never attended.Design/methodology/approachData was collected from the residents in the Northeast Ohio area via an online survey questionnaire using Qualtrics (N = 1,607). Two sets of data parameters were generated based on consumers previous visitation to Pro Football HoF (visited group n = 754; never-visited group n = 853) and each group's monetary and non-monetary promotion models (total of four models) were analyzed. Descriptive statistics and reliability tests were processed via IBM SPSS Statistics 26 and the structural relationships among the constructs were examined using SmartPLS 3.FindingsAmong all the antecedents, positive perceived image of HoF has been identified as the most significant predictor for both promotions and visit (revisit) intention. Social motivation was found to be a strong driver for visiting a sports museum regardless of the types of promotions. Promotions' mediation effects were found. The monetary promotion between cost constraints and visit intention implied, cost constraints can be mitigated through monetary promotion.Originality/valueThis is the first study examining the role of relationship between image, motivation, constraints and visit intention relative to sport museums. Results provide practical insights for the sport museum marketers and researchers relative to visit intension.

This work built upon previous research examining meritocracy in elite sport by examining the socioeconomic and racial composition of the high schools of 1,881 players on National Football League (NFL) rosters in 2016. The NFL player data from pro-football-reference.com and perceived race data coded from player pictures are matched to school data for 23,785 public high schools in the Common Core of Data and 3,333 private high schools in the Private School Universe Survey. Using t tests of differences in group averages and General Linear Model analysis of variance, the authors found large statistically significant racial disparities within the NFL with Black NFL players attending high schools with an average of twice as many students in poverty and five times as many Black students than the high schools attended by White NFL players. Overall, NFL players attended high schools with lower socioeconomic status student bodies than the general student population, suggesting more meritocracy. However, analysis by player race shows the difference driven by the racial composition of the NFL compared with the general student population, suggesting this meritocracy is more complex; Black NFL players attended higher socioeconomic status schools with more White students than the general Black student population, and White NFL players attended higher socioeconomic status schools with fewer Black students than the general White student population.

This study aimed to compare the changes in physical activity (PA), chronic disease, and mental health indicators of Koreans before and after the COVID-19 outbreak, using raw data from more than 400,000 representative samples from the 2019–2020 Community Health Survey by the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and to explore the correlations among them. We used two-way ANOVA to analyze changes and differences in PA and obesity levels. We assessed the influence of gender and recurrent PA using chi-square tests for mental health status and chronic disease. Finally, we performed a correlation analysis to determine the relationships among PA days, mental health, and chronic disease. The results showed that, compared to the levels before the COVID-19 period, moderate-intensity (Days: 1.415~1.217; Time: 114.688~107.321) and high-intensity (Days: 0.798~0.671; Time: 112.866~106.110) PA significantly decreased in Koreans during the COVID-19 period, while low-intensity (Time: 60.305~61.735) PA increased. Before and during the COVID-19 period, men (18,436 (8.1%)~16,124 (7.0%)) performed PA more regularly than women (13,207 (5.8%)~9382 (4.1%)). Compared to the number of regular PA participants before the COVID-19 period, regular PA participants (male, female) decreased from 31,643 (13.8%) to 25,506 (11.1%) during the COVID-19 period. Compared with the levels before the COVID-19 period, the experience rates of stress (3.1%~2.6%), depression (0.8%~0.6%), HBP (3.0%~2.2%), and diabetes (1.2%~0.9%) significantly changed under different levels of conventional PA intervention. In addition, the obesity rate during the COVID-19 period (23.957) was higher than it was before COVID-19 (23.477). During the COVID-19 period, the PA of Koreans was greatly restricted, but low-intensity PA was maintained and increased. PA is an effective activity for maintaining mental health and for preventing and reducing chronic diseases. Recommendations for appropriate intensity or a combination of high-, moderate-, and low-intensity PA should be based on the health status of Koreans to help them maintain mental health and to reduce the risk of chronic diseases during COVID-19 social distancing.

Study question What is the correlation between a reproductive-tract specific beta-defensin DEFB119 and seminal microbiome and their involvement in male infertility? Summary answer A subpopulation of male-factor infertile patients demonstrated an elevated level of DEFB119 that is associated with decreased bacterial diversity and differentially regulated bacterial taxa. What is known already Beta-defensins are small (2-6kDa) cationic peptides with antimicrobial and immunomodulatory functions. A group of beta-defensins are specifically expressed in the male reproductive tract (MRT) and modulate sperm functions and fertility. Accumulating evidence suggests an association between seminal microbiome and semen quality. Specific bacterial taxa are involved in the development and maturation of the sperm, while dysbiosis contributes to infertility. However, despite the antimicrobial nature of beta-defensins, whether these small peptides interact with the seminal microbiome remain elusive. Study design, size, duration 93 semen samples were collected from the Prince of Wales Hospital (Hong Kong). The seminal DEFB119 level was determined by ELISA and the seminal microbiome was examined by 16S rRNA sequencing. The effect of DEFB119 on the seminal microbiome was validated in a subgroup of 5 samples by comparing total bacterial load (n = 5) and the abundance of selected genera (n = 4) after incubating with recombinant DEFB119 (2ug/ml) or vehicle for 1hr at 37°C. Participants/materials, setting, methods The patients were grouped according to seminal DEFB119 level and the spermiogram. Samples with DEFB119 levels below the threshold (900ng/ml, median of the cohort) were in G1/2 (n = 30/53) based on the absence/presence of abnormal sperm parameters. Samples with elevated levels of DEFB119 and abnormal sperm parameters were in G3 (n = 5). The seminal microbiome in G1-3 was analyzed by Quantitative Insights into Microbial Ecology (2021.2) and R package microeco. Main results and the role of chance Seminal DEFB119 level in G3 was significantly higher than that in G1 and 2 (p < 0.001). Microbiome alpha and beta diversity were comparable in G1 and G2 (p > 0.1) but was significantly lower in G3 (p < 0.05). Taxonomic analysis showed the dominance of different bacterial taxa in the three groups, including Prevotella in G1 and 2, and Streptococcus in G3. The dysbiosis of seminal microbiome in patients with an elevated level of DEFB119 demonstrated a marked reduction in the complexity of functional networks. In validation experiments, recombinant DEFB119 treatment in G1 or G2 seminal plasma samples decreased the total bacterial load. Of note, the abundance of Prevotella and Streptococcus was differentially regulated by rDEFB119 treatment. Limitations, reasons for caution Our study is a single-center study with a relatively small sample size, which makes interpretation of the analysis susceptible to individual variations. As a result, G3-specific abundant taxa identified in 16S rRNA analysis may not be representative. Wider implications of the findings Our work has provided novel insight into the host-microbiome interaction via reproductive-tract-specific antimicrobial peptides, which shed light on the aetiology of male-factor infertility. Trial registration number Not applicable

A new method for the generation of tertiary radicals through single electron reduction of alkylsulfones promoted by Zn and 1,10-phenanthroline has been developed. These radicals could be employed in the Giese reaction, affording structurally diverse quaternary products in good yields. With the high modularity and functional group compatibility of sulfones, the utility of this method was demonstrated by intramolecular and iterative reactions to give complex structures. The radical generation process was investigated by control experiments and theoretical calculations., A new method for the generation of tertiary radicals through single electron reduction of alkylsulfones promoted by Zn and 1,10-phenanthroline has been developed.

INTRODUCTION The pain experience among individuals may differ from each other. This prospective cohort study aimed to determine the impact of injection pain/withdrawal movement of propofol and rocuronium in the induction of anaesthesia on postoperative pain outcomes in gynaecologic laparoscopic surgery. METHODS A total of 100 patients aged 19–60 years received propofol and rocuronium injections for the induction of anaesthesia. The incidence of propofol injection pain (PIP) and rocuronium-induced withdrawal movement (RIWM), postoperative pain scores and total opioid consumption were evaluated, and the associations between PIP/RIWM and postoperative pain outcomes were determined RESULTS Visual analog scale (VAS) for pain after surgery and total opioid consumption after surgery in patients with PIP or RIWM were significantly higher than in patients without PIP or RIWM. The correlation between PIP and RIWM, VAS at 1 hour, VAS at 24 hours, total opioid consumption were significant and weakly positive (r = 0.249, r = 0.234, r = 0.22, r = 0.234, respectively). Compared with PIP, RIWM correlated more positively with pain score at 1 hour (r = 0.408 vs. r = 0.234, RIWM vs. PIP) and 24 hours (r = 0.398 vs r = 0.227, RIWM vs. PIP) and total opioid consumption after 48 hours (r = 0.457 vs. r = 0.234, RIWM vs. PIP). CONCLUSION During anaesthesia induction, the occurrence of PIP and RIWM may predict the severity of postoperative pain and total opioid consumption, with RIWM emerging as a stronger predictor than PIP.

BackgroundIn this phase II clinical trial, we evaluated the efficacy of the nonanthracycline combination of carboplatin and nab-paclitaxel in early stage triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC).Patients and MethodsPatients with newly diagnosed stage II–III TNBC (n = 69) were treated with neoadjuvant carboplatin (area under the curve 6) every 28 days for four cycles plus nab-paclitaxel (100 mg/m2) weekly for 16 weeks. Pathological complete response (pCR) and residual cancer burden (RCB) were analyzed with germline mutation status, tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs), TNBC molecular subtype, and GeparSixto immune signature (GSIS).ResultsSixty-seven patients were evaluable for safety and response. Fifty-three (79%) patients experienced grade 3/4 adverse events, including grade 3 anemia (43%), neutropenia (39%), leukopenia (15%), thrombocytopenia (12%), fatigue (7%), peripheral neuropathy (7%), neutropenia (16%), and leukopenia (1%). Twenty-four patients (35%) had at least one dose delay, and 50 patients (72%) required dose reduction. Sixty-three (94%) patients completed scheduled treatment. The responses were as follows: 32 of 67 patients (48%) had pCR (RCB 0), 10 of 67 (15%) had RCB I, 19 of 67 (28%) had RCB II, 5 of 67 (7%) had RCB III, and 1 of 67 (2%) progressed and had no surgery. Univariate analysis showed that immune-hot GSIS and DNA repair defect (DRD) were associated with higher pCR with odds ratios of 4.62 (p = .005) and 4.76 (p = .03), respectively, and with RCB 0/I versus RCB II/III with odds ratio 4.80 (p = .01). Immune-hot GSIS was highly correlated with DRD status (p = .03), TIL level (p < .001), and TNBC molecular subtype (p < .001). After adjusting for age, race, stage, and grade, GSIS remained associated with higher pCR and RCB class 0/I versus II/III with odds ratios 7.19 (95% confidence interval [CI], 2.01–25.68; p = .002) and 8.95 (95% CI, 2.09–38.23; p = .003), respectively.ConclusionThe combination of carboplatin and nab-paclitaxel for early stage high-risk TNBC showed manageable toxicity and encouraging antitumor activity. Immune-hot GSIS is associated with higher pCR rate and RCB class 0/1. This study provides an additional rationale for using nonanthracycline platinum-based therapy for future neoadjuvant trials in early stage TNBCs. Clinical trial identification number: NCT01525966Implications for PracticePlatinum is an important neoadjuvant chemotherapy agent for treatment of early stage triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC). In this study, carboplatin and nab-paclitaxel were well tolerated and highly effective in TNBC, resulting in pathological complete response of 48%. In univariate and multivariate analyses adjusting for age, race, tumor stage and grade, “immune-hot” GeparSixto immune signature (GSIS) and DNA repair defect (DRD) were associated with higher pathological complete response (pCR) and residual cancer burden class 0/1. The association of immune-hot GSIS with higher pCR holds promise for de-escalating neoadjuvant chemotherapy for patients with early stage TNBC. Although GSIS is not routinely used in clinic, further development of this immune signature into a clinically applicable assay is indicated.

PURPOSE In this globalizing world, sporting events play an important role in improving the attractiveness and competitiveness of a city. Cleveland’s continuously increasing sports offering is making the city an appealing travel destination to wider groups of tourists. Brand personality theory provides the theoretical support for the present study. The purpose of the study is to test the brand personality framework in the context of sports tourism, explore the brand personality of Cleveland as a sports destination, and apply the theory into destination marketing. METHOD A mixed method of focus group interview (N=16) and survey (N=96, data were collected through Amazon Mechanical Turk) were conducted. Ten brand personality traits of sports destination Cleveland were generated from the focus group. Multiple regression analyses were conducted to analyze the relationship between interest in Cleveland attractions and intention to visit Cleveland regarding the attractiveness of Cleveland’s sporting events (H1), the attractiveness of Cleveland sporting events (Questionnaire Section B) and intention to visit Cleveland (H2), and Cleveland destination personality and intention to visit Cleveland (H3). RESULT leveland’s brand personality traits were identified such as athletic, passionate, exciting, friendly, and hardworking. The results of the multiple linear regression showed that there is relationship between attraction and visit intention to Cleveland. As found in previous studies, sporting events enhance tourism industry’s performance. CONCLUSION This paper examined a city’s brand personality as a sport destination and found how they can predict sport tourists’ perception of the city and their intention to visit.

PURPOSE A sport managemnt organization proposed to build an indoor sport facility in a town close to a major urban area. The potential investors and stakeholders required that feasibility studies be conducted before an investment decision was made. METHOD The case examined the proposed facility through a feasibility study and a market analysis to understand the market, potential demand, possible growth opportunities and to determine if a project was worthy of investment. CONCLUSION Included in the study are the key components and data analysis which led to a positive investment report.

The Sport Fan MGB was developed by incorporating sport fan-specific variables to predict millennial sport fan consumption behaviors. However, the efficacy and usefulness of this Sport Fan MGB remai...

Research question: The purpose of the study was to identify consumption traits that might influence millennial sport fan behavior.Research methods: We accomplished this objective by using mixed met...

PurposeThe purpose of this study was to examine the millennial fans decision-making process in connection with various sport consumption behaviors (i.e. game attendance, TV viewing, participation in online activities, and participation in social media activities) using a modified model of goal-directed behavior (i.e. Sport Fan MGB).Design/methodology/approachWe collected data using Amazon Mechanical Turk (N = 222) to test the hypothesized model. Confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) was used to examine the psychometric properties of the measurement model, and structural equation modeling (SEM) was employed to test the hypotheses.FindingsSport Fan MGB was found have good psychometric properties. In addition, the findings indicate that the Sport Fan MGB explained various millennial fan behaviors (i.e., event attendance, TV viewing, online activity participation, and social media activity participation).Originality/valueThis paper examined the validity of the Sport Fan MGB and improved the predictability of the millennial fans' sport consumption behavior decision-making process.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: The Breast and Cervical Cancer Treatment Program (BCCTP) Act, passed by Congress in 2000, provides time-limited coverage to uninsured breast or cervical cancer patients. We examine survival differences between BCCTP cases and insured controls. METHODS: Stage I-III breast cancer patients, covered under California’s BCCTP from 2005–2009 (N=6,343), were 1:1 matched with California Cancer Registry (CCR) controls on age, race/ethnicity, and cancer stage. Overall and disease-specific (OS and DSS) survival were compared using multivariate regression. RESULTS: BCCTP cases were more often unmarried (Odds Ratio [OR]=2.47, 95% Confidence Interval [CI]=2.30–2.66), with poorly/undifferentiated tumors (OR=1.26, CI=1.13–1.40), classified as ER negative (OR=1.10, CI=1.02–1.20) and/or PR negative (OR=1.09, CI=1.01–1.17). Cases were more likely to undergo mastectomy (OR=1.13, CI=1.05–1.21) or no surgery (OR=1.64, CI=1.31–2.05) versus lumpectomy. Cases were also more likely to undergo radiation (OR=1.11, CI=1.03–1.19). Endocrine therapy rates were marginally lower in cases (OR=0.93, CI=0.86–1.00). OS and DSS were shorter in BCCTP cases on multivariate analysis (HR=1.29, CI=1.17–1.42 and HR=1.27, CI=1.14–1.42, respectively). When stratified by socioeconomic status (SES), cases had significantly shorter OS and DSS except in the lowest quintile. When stratified by stage, cases had significantly shorter OS and DSS, except for stage I. CONCLUSIONS: The BCCTP provides uninsured breast cancer patients with comprehensive and timely care. Although our results suggest that BCCTP delivers quality care, BCCTP patients have shorter survival rates, even after accounting for SES and stage differences. Further assistance to vulnerable populations is warranted, including longer duration of treatment coverage, and surveillance adhering to NCCN compliant surveillance programs.

The preparation of a novel Au6 cluster bearing a bidentate mixed carbene–thiolate ligand is presented. The length of linker between the central benzimidazole and thiolate has a strong effect on the formation of cluster products, with a C2 chain giving an Au6 cluster, while a C3 chain results in no evidence of cluster formation. Density functional theory analysis predicts a non-metallic cluster with a large HOMO–LUMO (3.2–3.6 eV) and optical gap.