To analyze the results of stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT) in patients with early-stage, localized hepatocellular carcinoma who underwent definitive orthotopic liver transplantation (OLT).
...The subjects of this retrospective report are 38 patients diagnosed with hepatocellular carcinoma who underwent SBRT per institutional phase 1 to 2 eligibility criteria, before definitive OLT. Pre-OLT radiographs were compared with pathologic gold standard. Analysis of treatment failures and deaths was undertaken.
With median follow-up of 4.8 years from OLT, 9 of 38 patients (24%) recurred, whereas 10 of 38 patients (26%) died. Kaplan-Meier estimates of 3-year overall survival and disease-free survival are 77% and 74%, respectively. Sum longest dimension of tumors was significantly associated with disease-free survival (hazard ratio 1.93, P=.026). Pathologic response rate (complete plus partial response) was 68%. Radiographic scoring criteria performed poorly; modified Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors produced highest concordance (κ = 0.224). Explants revealed viable tumor in 74% of evaluable patients. Treatment failures had statistically larger sum longest dimension of tumors (4.0 cm vs 2.8 cm, P=.014) and non-statistically significant higher rates of lymphovascular space invasion (44% vs 17%), cT2 disease (44% vs 21%), ≥pT2 disease (67% vs 34%), multifocal tumors at time of SBRT (44% vs 21%), and less robust mean α-fetoprotein response (-25 IU/mL vs -162 IU/mL).
Stereotactic body radiation therapy before to OLT is a well-tolerated treatment providing 68% pathologic response, though 74% of explants ultimately contained viable tumor. Radiographic response criteria poorly approximate pathology. Our data suggest further stratification of patients according to initial disease burden and treatment response.
An NMR and chemometric analytical approach to classify extra virgin olive oils according to their geographical origin was developed within the European TRACE project (FP6-2003-FOOD-2-A, contract ...number: 0060942). Olive oils (896 samples) of three consecutive harvesting years (2005, 2006, and 2007) coming from Mediterranean areas were analyzed by
1H NMR spectroscopy. Olive oil samples from Liguria, an Italian region, were chosen as a case study and PLS-DA and SIMCA modeling analyses were used to build up statistical models both to discriminate between Ligurian and non-Ligurian olive oils and to define the Ligurian olive oil class to confirm the declared provenience.
The metabolic profiling of kiwifruit (
Actinidia deliciosa,
Hayward cultivar) aqueous extracts and the water status of entire kiwifruits were monitored over the season (June–December) using nuclear ...magnetic resonance (NMR) methodologies. The metabolic profiling of aqueous kiwifruit extracts was investigated by means of high field NMR spectroscopy. A large number of water-soluble metabolites were assigned by means of 1D and 2D NMR experiments. The change in the metabolic profiles monitored over the season allowed the kiwifruit development to be investigated. Specific temporal trends of aminoacids, sugars, organic acids and other metabolites were observed.
The water status of kiwifruits was monitored directly on the intact fruit measuring the
T
2 spin–spin relaxation time by means of a portable unilateral NMR instrument, fully non-invasive. Again, clear trends of the relaxation time were observed during the monitoring period.
The results show that the monitoring of the metabolic profiling and the monitoring of the water status are two complementary means suitable to have a complete view of the investigated fruit.
Diffusion-ordered NMR spectroscopy (DOSY) experiments have been carried out on dilute aqueous solutions of uncharged saccharide systems and, in particular, on six well characterized pullulan ...fractions of different molecular weights. The values of diffusion coefficients and hydrodynamic radii determined for the pullulan fractions are in good agreement with the results obtained with other methodologies such as light scattering. Fitting the diffusion coefficients data as a function of the molecular weight allows for the determination of a calibration curve that can be applied to a wide range of mono-, oligo-, and polysaccharides. Therefore, DOSY is proposed as a versatile tool for achieving a simple estimation of the molecular weight of uncharged polysaccharides. Mixtures of homopolymers of different molecular weight can be nicely separated. An advantage of the method is that the same sample used for the NMR characterization can be used for the molecular weight determination without any further manipulation. Other water soluble polymers, such as poly(ethylene oxide) and poly(vinylpyrrolidone), can be roughly characterized using the same calibration curve.
Municipal solid waste (MSW) landfills now represent one of the most important issues related to the waste management cycle. Knowledge of biogas production is a key aspect for the proper exploitation ...of this energy source, even in the post-closure period. In the present study, a simple mathematical model was proposed for the simulation of biogas production. The model is based on first-order biodegradation kinetics and also takes into account the temperature variation in time and depth as well as landfill settlement. The model was applied to an operating landfill located in Sicily, in Italy, and the first results obtained are promising. Indeed, the results showed a good fit between measured and simulated data. Based on these promising results, the model can also be considered a useful tool for landfill operators for a reliable estimate of the duration of the post-closure period.
To evaluate long-term outcome and toxicity of stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT) for hepatic oligometastases from solid tumors.
Eligible patients had 1 to 3 liver metastases, maximum sum ...diameter 6 cm, without extrahepatic progression. We treated 106 lesions in 81 patients; 67% with colorectal primaries. Median dose was 5400 cGy in 3 to 5 fractions.
At median follow-up of 33 months (2.5-70 months), overall local control was 94% (95% confidence interval, not estimable); Kaplan-Meier estimated 96% at 1 year and 91% at 2, 3, and 4 years. Partial/complete response was observed in 69% of lesions with less than 3% progressing. Median survival time was 33.6 months (95% confidence interval, 29.1-38.4); Kaplan-Meier survival estimates at 1, 2, 3, and 4 years were 89.9%, 68.6%, 44.0%, and 28.0%, respectively. Grade 3 or greater liver toxicity was 4.9%.
SBRT is effective for selected patients with hepatic oligometastases with limited toxicities. A phase 3 trial comparing SBRT with "gold-standard" surgical resection is warranted.
The volatile compositions of 192 olive oil samples from five different European countries were investigated by PTR-MS sample headspace analysis. The mass spectra of all samples showed many masses ...with high abundances, indicating the complex VOC composition of olive oil. Three different PLS-DA models were fitted to the data to classify samples into ‘country’, ‘region’ and ‘district’ of origin, respectively. Correct classification rates were assessed by cross-validation. The first fitted model produced an 86% success rate in classifying the samples into their country of origin. The second model, which was fitted to the Italian oils only, also demonstrated satisfactory results, with 74% of samples successfully classified into region of origin. The third model, classifying the Italian samples into district of origin, yielded a success rate of only 52%. This lower success rate might be due to either the small class set, or to genuine similarities between olive oil VOC compositions on this tight scale.
The nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) technique was used as analytical tool to determine the complete metabolic profiling of sea bass extracts: water-soluble metabolites belonging to different classes ...such as sugars, amino acids, dipeptides and organic acids as well as metabolites soluble in organic solvent such as lipids, sterols and fatty acids were identified. The metabolite profiling together with a suitable statistical analysis were used to discriminate between wild and cultured sea bass samples. Preliminary results show that discrimination between wild and cultured sea bass was obtained not only using fatty acid composition but also cholesterol and phosphatidylethanolamine and some water-soluble metabolites such as choline, trimethylamine oxide, glutamine, fumaric and malic acids.
Actinobacteriophage Djungelskog was isolated from a sample of degraded organic material in Poughkeepsie, NY, using
. Its genome is 54,512 bp and encodes 86 putative protein-coding genes. Djungelskog ...has a siphovirus morphology and is assigned to cluster AW based on gene content similarity to actinobacteriophages.
PDF
