Background
The aim of this study was to investigate the impact of
hMLH1
polymorphisms on treatment outcomes in patients with oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC).
Methods
Genotypings were performed by ...direct DNA sequencing in peripheral blood leukocytes from 185 male OSCC patients. Patients received primary surgery with or without adjuvant radiotherapy. Two
hMLH1
tag single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs)—rs1800734 (−93G>A in the promoter) and rs1540354 (in the third intron)—were chosen from the HapMap project. Overall survival (OS) and disease-free survival (DFS) were compared between different genotypes.
Results
The
hMLH1
rs1800734 and rs1540354 polymorphisms were in weak linkage disequilibrium (
r
2
= 0.456). OSCC patients with the rs1800734 AA genotype had a significantly poor prognosis in both OS and DFS. This SNP can also predict the outcomes of OSCC patients with postoperative adjuvant radiotherapy, especially in advanced stage; however, no significant differences in patient outcomes were found for the
hMLH1
rs1540354 genotypes.
Conclusions
Our results demonstrate that the
hMLH1
−93G>A SNP is found to be associated with patient outcomes in OSCC. This SNP can also predict their treatment outcome of radiotherapy.
Inorganic arsenic is an environmental carcinogen. The generation of toxic trivalent methylated metabolites complicates the study of arsenic-mediated carcinogenesis. This study systematically ...evaluated the effect of chronic treatment with sodium arsenite ( iAs III), monomethylarsonous acid ( MMA III), and dimethylarsinous acid ( DMA III) on immortalized human uroepithelial cells (SV-HUC-1 cells) using cDNA microarray. After exposure for 25 passages to iAs III (0.5 μM), MMA III (0.05, 0.1, or 0.2 μM), or DMA III (0.2 or 0.5 μM), significant compound-specific morphologic changes were observed. A set of 114 genes (5.7% of the examined genes) was differentially expressed in one or more sets of arsenical-treated cells compared with untreated controls. Expression analysis showed that exposure of cells to DMA III resulted in a gene profile different from that in cells exposed to iAs III or MMA III, and that the iAs III-induced gene profile was closest to that in the tumorigenic HUC-1-derived 3-methylcholanthrene-induced tumorigenic cell line MC-SV-HUC T2, which was derived from SV-HUC-1 cells by methylcholanthrene treatment. Of the genes affected by all three arsenicals, only one, that coding for interleukin-1 receptor, type II, showed enhanced expression, a finding confirmed by the reduced increase in NF-κB (nuclear factor kappa B) activity seen in response to interleukin-1β in iAs III-exposed cells. The expression of 11 genes was suppressed by all three arsenicals. 5-Aza-deoxycytidine partially restored the transcription of several suppressed genes, showing that epigenetic DNA methylation was probably involved in arsenical-induced gene repression. Our data demonstrate that chronic exposure to iAs III, MMA III, or DMA III has different epigenetic effects on urothelial cells and represses NF-κB activity.
Abstract Both osteoporosis with fracture and breast cancer are important health issues for postmenopausal women. It is well known that estrogen and estrogen receptors (ERs) play an important role in ...the pathogenesis of both diseases. In past decades, hormone therapy (HT), mainly estrogen plus progestin (EPT), has been frequently used for the purpose of preventing and treating postmenopausal osteoporosis because of its efficacy, but it also contributes to a significant increase in breast cancer. Currently, there is a dilemma regarding the use of estrogen for postmenopausal women. Fortunately, an increasing understanding of the action of estrogen has led ultimately to the design of new drugs that work by virtue of their interaction with the ER; these drugs have come to be known as selective estrogen receptor modulators (SERMs), and are not only effective in preventing osteoporosis and managing those with osteoporosis, but also in decreasing the incidence of breast cancer. Among these SERMs, raloxifene may be the most attractive agent based on the evidence from five recent large trials (Multiple Outcomes of Raloxifene Evaluation MORE, Continuing Outcomes Relevant to Evista CORE, Raloxifene Use for the Heart RUTH, Study of Tamoxifen and Raloxifene STAR, and Evista Versus Alendronate EVA). The former three trials showed that raloxifene not only decreases the incidence of osteoporosis-associated fractures, but also has efficacy in breast cancer prevention. The head-to-head comparison with the anti-fracture agent alendronate (EVA trial) and the chemoprevention agent tamoxifen (STAR trial) further confirmed that raloxifene is a better choice. We concluded that since there is an absence of a therapeutic effect on relieving climacteric symptoms and there is the presence of a potential risk of thromboembolism in the use of raloxifene, this drug can be prescribed for clear indications, such as the management of osteoporosis, the prevention of fracture, and decreasing the incidence of invasive breast cancer, with careful monitoring for thromboembolism. It is reasonable to use raloxifene as an appropriate medicine that targets climacteric symptom-free postmenopausal women because of its overall favorable risk–benefit safety profile using the global index proposed by the Women's Health Initiation (WHI).
Carbon nanotube-clamped metal atomic chain Tang, Dai-Ming; Yin, Li-Chang; Li, Feng ...
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences - PNAS,
05/2010, Letnik:
107, Številka:
20
Journal Article
Recenzirano
Odprti dostop
Metal atomic chain (MAC) is an ultimate one-dimensional structure with unique physical properties, such as quantized conductance, colossal magnetic anisotropy, and quantized magnetoresistance. ...Therefore, MACs show great potential as possible components of nanoscale electronic and spintronic devices. However, MACs are usually suspended between two macroscale metallic electrodes; hence obvious technical barriers exist in the interconnection and integration of MACs. Here we report a carbon nanotube (CNT)-clamped MAC, where CNTs play the roles of both nanoconnector and electrodes. This nanostructure is prepared by in situ machining a metal-filled CNT, including peeling off carbon shells by spatially and elementally selective electron beam irradiation and further elongating the exposed metal nanorod. The microstructure and formation process of this CNT-clamped MAC are explored by both transmission electron microscopy observations and theoretical simulations. First-principles calculations indicate that strong covalent bonds are formed between the CNT and MAC. The electrical transport property of the CNT-clamped MAC was experimentally measured, and quantized conductance was observed.
BACKGROUNDAlthough perforator flaps have advanced the field of reconstructive microsurgery, these flaps increase operative time and difficulty of dissection. A prospective experimental animal study ...was performed to study the use of high-volume hydrodissection to simultaneously decrease the operative time while increasing the safety of perforator dissection.
METHODSSixteen Sprague-Dawley rats underwent bilateral “deep inferior epigastric perforator” flap dissections with hydrodissection used on the study side and a traditional dissection performed on the control side. Primary outcome measurements included dissection time and dissection difficulty score (1–5 in order of increasing difficulty).
RESULTSThe mean (SD) dissection time for the hydrodissected perforators was 9.29 (2.50) minutes versus 13.22 (2.44) minutes for the control perforators (P < 0.001). The mean (SD) dissection difficulty score was 4.44 (0.73) for the dissection of the control side compared with 1.69 (0.87) for the hydrodissected side (P < 0.001).
CONCLUSIONThe mechanical benefits of hydrodissection of perforators were evident in reduction of perforator dissection time and difficulty.
Purpose: To assess the outcome and safety of tubeless mini-percutaneous nephrolithotomy (mini-PCNL) to treat patients with renal and upper ureteral stones ≥3 cm. Materials and Methods: Between March ...2017 and September 2019, 82 patients who underwent tubeless mini-PCNL at our hospital were evaluated. The patients had renal and upper ureteral stones of a size ≥3 cm in maximal dimension. A 15-Fr operating nephroscope was used. The patients were placed in the prone position. The stones were fragmented using ballistic lithotripter. The outcome was determined immediately after operation through plain radiography of the kidneys, ureters, and bladder and sonography. Various patients and stones characteristics, including perioperative outcomes and complications were evaluated. SPSS version 16 (SPSS, Chicago, IL, USA) was used for data analysis. Results: The mean age of the patients was 57.9 ± 10.5 years, and their body mass index was 26.0 ± 3.8 kg/m2. The mean stone size was 50.3 ± 19 mm. The average operative time was 107.7 ± 41.8 min, and the stone-free rate (SFR) was 54%. The mean postoperative hospital stay was 3.5 ± 1.9 days. The mean hemoglobin decrease was 0.16 ± 0.88 g/dL. None of our patients had organ trauma or any other significant complication. Twenty-one patients had residual fragments and needed subsequent extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy. The total SFR with an auxiliary procedure was 80%. Blood transfusions were needed in one patient. The average stone size was 46 ± 18 mm in the stone-free group and 55 ± 20 mm in patients without stone-free status, which was statistically significant (P = 0.027). Conclusion: Tubeless mini-PCNL was thus found to be safe and effective, even in patients with renal and upper ureteral stones ≥3 cm. Studies with a larger cohort may be required to finally validate this technique.
The aim of this study was to assess the relationship between sleep disturbance, mood, menopausal status, and vasomotor symptoms in middle-aged women in Kinmen.
A community-based sample of 1,113 ...Taiwanese women aged 43 to 57 years who were living on the island of Kinmen were recruited in this cross-sectional study. Menopausal status was determined by menstrual history. Sleep quality was measured by self-reported sleep problems. Anxiety and depression were assessed by the Hospital Anxiety Depression Scale.
Forty-six percent of middle-aged women reported feeling dissatisfied with their sleep. Total sleep hours were not significantly different as a function of menopausal status. Generally, the occurrence of sleep problems or poor sleep quality was most prevalent in the postmenopausal group and least prevalent in premenopausal women. After analysis by multiple logistic regression, menopausal status was the independent factor of difficulty initiating sleep and sleep fragmentation. The Hospital Anxiety Depression Scale anxiety score was related to all sleep problems except for "excessive daytime sleepiness" and "awakening without further sleep."
Almost half of the Taiwanese middle-aged women felt dissatisfied with their sleep. Both menopausal status and higher anxiety score were associated with poor sleep quality of midlife women.
The synthesis, crystal structure, magnetic properties, and single-molecule conductance of two new trinuclear metal string complexes, Ni(3)(dzp)(4)(NCS)(2) (2) and Co(3)(dzp)(4)(NCS)(2) (3), ...containing the rigid Hdzp ligand (1, 1,9-diazaphenoxazine) are reported. X-ray structural analyses show that compounds 2 and 3 exhibit smaller torsion angles and longer metal-metal distances than those exhibited by the corresponding dpa(-) analogues (dpa(-) = dipyridylamido anion) due to the rigidity of Hdzp ligands. The longer metal-metal distance observed for 2 and 3 results in variations in their magnetic properties. The exchange interaction (J = -160 cm(-1)) between two high spin (HS) Ni(II) ions in 2 decreases slightly in comparison with those of trinickel dpa(-) analogues. The doublet-quartet gap of 3 is smaller than that of Co(3)(dpa)(4)(NCS)(2) (4), which causes compound 3 to show spin-crossover behavior even at low temperature.
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