BackgroundIn modern society, depression is serious issue that causes socioeconomic and family burden. To decrease the incidence of depression, risk factors should be identified and managed. Among ...many risk factors for depression, this study examined socioeconomic risk factors for depression. MethodsWe utilized first (2006), second (2008), and third (2010)-wave data from the Korean Longitudinal Study of Aging (KLoSA). Depressive symptom was measured with the 10-item Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale, Short Form (CES-D-10) in the survey in 2008 and 2010. Three risk factors including job security, employment type and monthly income were measured in the survey in 2006. The association between risk factors and depressive symptom was analyzed by Cox proportional-hazard model. ResultsWe analyzed data from 1,105 workers and hazard ratios (HRs) for 3 risk factors were significant entirely. In addition, regular worker with high income group is the most vulnerable group of poor job insecurity on depression among male workers (HR: 1.73; 95% confidence interval CI: 1.07-2.81). Finally, HRs for 7 groups who had at least 1 risk factor had higher HRs compared to groups who had no risk factors after stratifying 3 risk factors. In the analysis, significantly vulnerable groups were total 5 groups and the group who had highest HR was temporary/daily workers with poor job security (HR: 2.51; 95% CI: 1.36-4.64). The results concerning women, regardless of job type, were non-significant. ConclusionsThis study presented one or more risk factors among poor job security, low income, temporary/daily employment type increase hazard for depressive symptom in 2 or 4 years after the exposure. These results inform policy to screen for and protect against the risk of depression in vulnerable groups.
This paper describes an investigation which was done on prematurely failed pins used in die-casting dies for aluminum engine blocks. To investigate the causes of the failures, static and fatigue ...strength evaluations of the pin materials and the deterioration degree of the strength due to exposure to high temperatures were evaluated. SEM observations of the fracture surfaces of broken pins revealed that the fractures were the fatigue failure type caused by thermal stresses upon thermal expansion and cooling during the repeated die-casting process. A solidification analysis of the die-casting process was conducted to determine the temperature distribution of the dies and pins, and a coupled thermal-structure analysis was carried out using the temperature distribution information to determine the magnitude of the thermal stress in the pin. The maximum thermal stresses were used to predict the fatigue lifetime of the pin. The result of this investigation reveals that cooling holes at the center of the pin were machined with some degree of eccentricity, leading to a concentration of the thermal stress at the thin part and, ultimately resulting in a premature failure. Appropriate machining of a cooling hole in the die pins must be carried out in order to avoid premature failures of these components.
•Pins used in die-casting dies for aluminum engine blocks prematurely failed.•Fracture surfaces of broken pins are the fatigue failure caused by thermal stress.•Coupled thermal-structure analysis was carried out to determine the thermal stress•Cooling holes with eccentricity caused a concentration of the thermal stress.
MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are small non-coding RNAs and are involved in the development, proliferation, and pathogenesis of prostate cancer (PCa). Urinary miRNAs are promising non-invasive biomarkers for ...PCa diagnosis because of their stability in urine. Here, we evaluated the diagnostic value of urinary miR-1913 to miR-3659 ratio in PCa patients and benign prostate hyperplasia (BPH) controls.
Candidate miRNAs were identified from urinary microarray data and tested by real-time PCR. The urinary miR-1913 to miR-3659 expression ratio was selected and tested in 83 urine samples (44 PCa and 39 BPH) to confirm its validity as a non-invasive diagnostic biomarker for PCa.
The expression ratio of urinary miR-1913 to miR-3659 was significantly higher in PCa than in BPH (p=0.002) and showed a higher area under the receiver operating characteristic curve than prostate-specific antigen (PSA; 0.821 vs. 0.518) in patients within the PSA gray zone (tPSA: 3-10 ng/mL), with sensitivity of 75.0% and specificity of 78.6% (p=0.003).
The urinary miR-1913 to miR-3659 expression ratio was increased in PCa and may serve as a useful supplemental biomarker to PSA for the diagnosis of PCa, particularly in patients within the PSA gray zone.
Portal vein (PV) aneurysm is a rare disease entity, and the optimal strategy for its management remains unclear.
We describe the case of a 34-year-old woman who was incidentally diagnosed with an ...asymptomatic extrahepatic PV aneurysm. Although expectant management with regular follow-up and surveillance imaging was adopted, the PV aneurysm progressed into a symptomatic type, accompanied by complications of acute thrombosis. Hence, an aneurysm excision with interposition bypass was performed.
Her postoperative recovery was rapid and uneventful, with liver function test results within normal ranges and normal portal flow on color Doppler ultrasonography and contrast-enhanced computed tomography.
The incidence of thromboses among the reported PV aneurysm cases may be markedly high, and early surgical intervention for low-risk patients may therefore be required to prevent the development of portal hypertension with clinically severe consequences.
Spectroscopic approaches to metal–insulator‐transition phenomena with incident and reflected light as well as photoemitted electrons are discussed by Changyoung Kim and co‐workers in article number ...1704777. A correlated material with a periodic electronic potential in its insulating state (blue region) with localized electrons, and in metallic state (red region) is depicted.
Abstract Objectives PFKFB4 (6-phosphofructo-2-kinase/fructose-2,6-biphosphatase 4) is induced by hypoxia and is strongly associated with glycolysis. Previously, we reported that PFKFB4 expression ...level may serve as a predictor of progression in non-muscle-invasive bladder cancer (NMIBC). Here, the role of PFKFB4 in NMIBC and the relationship between PFKFB4 expression and biological behavior in bladder cancer was investigated. Methods One hundred ninety-three primary NMIBC tissue specimens were analyzed by real-time PCR. Immunohistochemical staining was performed on 77 subsets of tumor samples. The results were compared with clinicopathologic parameters, and the Kaplan-Meier method and a multivariate Cox regression model were used to identify the prognostic value of PFKFB4 for recurrence and progression. Results The mRNA expression levels of PFKFB4 were significantly higher in patients with high stage carcinoma and multiple tumors as compared to low stage and single tumors ( P < 0.05 for each). Kaplan-Meier estimates revealed significant differences in time to recurrence and progression between low- and high-mRNA expression groups (log-rank test, P = 0.015 and 0.003, respectively). Multivariate Cox regression analysis revealed that the level of PFKFB4 expression is an independent predictor of bladder tumor progression (HR, 2.026; 95% CI, 1.177–3.488; P = 0.011). Immunohistochemical findings were generally concordant with mRNA expression levels. Conclusions PFKFB4 has an important role in the progression of NMIBC, and may serve as a useful prognostic indicator for bladder cancer progression.
Lipid lowering therapy is widely used for the prevention of cardiovascular complications after acute myocardial infarction (AMI). However, some studies show that this benefit is uncertain in patients ...with renal dysfunction, and the role of statins is based on the severity of renal dysfunction. In this study, we investigated the impact of statin therapy on major adverse cardiac events (MACEs) and all-cause mortality in patients with advanced renal dysfunction undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) after AMI.
This study was based on the Korea Acute Myocardial Infarction Registry database. We included 861 patients with advanced renal dysfunction from among 33,205 patients who underwent PCI after AMI between November 2005 and July 2012. Patients were divided into two groups: a statin group (n = 537) and a no-statin group (n = 324). We investigated the 12-month MACEs (cardiac death, myocardial infarction, repeated PCI or coronary artery bypass grafting) and all-cause mortality of each group. Subsequently, a propensity score-matched analysis was performed.
In the total population studied, no significant differences were observed between the two groups with respect to the rate of recurrent MI, repeated PCI, coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG), or all-cause mortality. However, the cardiac death rate was significantly lower in the statin group (p = 0.009). Propensity score-matched analysis yielded 274 pairs demonstrating, results similar to those obtained from the total population. However, there was no significant difference in the cardiac death rate in the propensity score-matched population (p = 0.103). Cox-regression analysis revealed only left ventricular ejection fraction to be an independent predictor of 12-month MACEs (Hazard ratio HR of 0.979, 95% confidence interval CI, 0962-0.996, p = 0.018).
Statin therapy was not significantly associated with a reduction in the 12-month MACEs or all-cause mortality in patients with advanced renal dysfunction undergoing PCI after AMI.
Celotno besedilo
Dostopno za:
DOBA, IZUM, KILJ, NUK, PILJ, PNG, SAZU, SIK, UILJ, UKNU, UL, UM, UPUK
Summary
Purpose
Preclinical data has demonstrated the potential of simvastatin to overcome cetuximab resistance in
KRAS
mutant CRC patients. Therefore, we designed a study using ...simvastatin/cetuximab/irinotecan for
KRAS
mutant CRC patients who are refractory to irinotecan and oxaliplatin-based chemotherapy.
Patients and methods
In this phase II study, patients received 500 mg/m
2
cetuximab, 150–180 mg/m
2
(day 1), and 80 mg simvastatin (once daily, days 1–14, every 2 weeks). The primary endpoint was the objective response rate (ORR). Secondary endpoints were progression-free survival (PFS), overall survival (OS), the disease control rate (DCR), and safety. We also analyzed the relationship between the
RAS
gene expression signature score and treatment response to simvastatin/cetuximab/irinotecan.
Results
Fifty-two
KRAS
mutant CRC patients were enrolled. The ORR (complete response CR, 0; partial response PR, 1) was 1.9 % (95 % confidence interval CI, −1.8–5.6). The DCR (CR, 0; PR, 1; stable disease, 33) was 65.4 % (95 % CI, 52.5–78.3). The median PFS and OS from the time of study drug administration were 7·6 months (95 % CI, 4.4–10.8) and 12.8 months (95 % CI, 9.5–16.2), respectively. The most common grade 3/4 adverse events were anemia (28.8 %), neutropenia (13.5 %), and diarrhea (7.7 %). The
RAS
signature score was significantly correlated with the maximal change in target lesions from baseline (
r
= 0.57,
P
= 0.014).
Conclusion
The simvastatin/cetuximab/irinotecan regimen showed promising efficacy and safety in
KRAS
mutant CRC patients who failed irinotecan and oxaliplatin-based chemotherapy. The
RAS
signature may be a novel predictor of treatment response to cetuximab-combined chemotherapy in CRC patients.
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