Highlights • A higher level of cfDNA was found in patients with OPSCC than non-OPSCC patients. • A level of cfDNA in N2–N3 positive disease is significantly higher than in N0–N1. • A level of cfDNA ...in stage IV is significantly higher than in I–III stages. • 14% of HNSCC patients were HPV16/18-positive in plasma (96.4% cases possess HPV16).
Recent findings have shown that human papillomavirus (HPV) DNA is present in the blood as a tumor-specific biomarker (circulating tumor-related HPV; ctHPV) in patients with HPV-related oropharyngeal ...cancer (HPV-related OPC). The molecular response (MR) in patients with HPV-related OPC can be defined as the change in the number of ctHPV copies in relation to its initial quantity. The optimal model for assessing the MR using a liquid biopsy (LB) should be based on the E6/E7 sequences of the viral genome. MR assessment can help to evaluate the intensity of ongoing treatments in relation to the tumor response. The evaluation of the residual disease at the end of therapy may also be performed by MR assessment. If a partial MR (pMR) is found, caution is indicated and a subsequent LB should be considered, due to the likelihood of disease progression. Complete radiological and clinical responses together with a complete MR (cMR) convincingly indicate a low risk of treatment failure. Moreover, molecular recurrence (Mrec) during a follow-up, confirmed in two consecutive assays, even despite the lack of any other clinical or radiological symptoms of progression, indicates patients at high risk of disease recurrence. In conclusion, MR by ctHPV assessment may hasten the early detection of disease progression, at any stage of the management of the patient with HPV-related OPC.
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•Synthesis of a new 5-membered bis(cyclic carbonate) based on D-mannitol.•Synthesis of new 6-membered cyclic carbonate based on di(trimethylolpropane).•Poly(carbonate-urethane) ...networks synthesized without the use of isocyanates.
Bis(cyclic carbonate)s based on sugar alcohols such as d-mannitol, d-sorbitol as well as di(trimethylolpropane) were used as monomers for preparation of a variety of crosslinked poly(carbonate-urethane)s (PCUs), which do not require either phosgene or toxic isocyanate monomers. In the approach proposed by us, crosslinked structure of poly(carbonate-urethane)s are obtained in the reaction of amine-terminated oligo(hydroxy-urethane)s with six-membered bis(cyclic carbonate) and then by polymerization of residual six-membered cyclic carbonate ending groups. Depending on the aliphatic diamine used as well as the molar ratio of five- to six-membered bis(cyclic carbonate)s the obtained non-isocyanates polyurethanes (NIPUs) were characterized by elastomeric or rigid properties.
Invasive predators are known to have negative consumptive and non-consumptive effects on native species, but few examples show how the abundance of native prey may influence an established invasive ...predator. We compared invasive brown treesnakes (
Boiga irregularis
; BTS) found in caves occupied by endangered Mariana swiftlets (
Aerodramus bartschi
) to snakes found in nearby forests and caves without birds to quantify how the abundance of native avian prey impacts BTS abundance and behavior on Guam. From 2011 to 2017 we removed 151 BTS in caves occupied by swiftlets and never observed BTS in caves without birds. Notable locations included snakes foraging near swiftlets and in holes that allowed cave access and escape from capture. Of 43 BTS with gut contents, 27 (63%) contained swiftlets. BTS in swiftlet-occupied caves had greater fat mass compared to forests, indicating access to swiftlets may increase body condition and promote reproduction. Number of ovarian follicles was significantly greater in female snakes from swiftlet-occupied caves compared to those from ravine, but not limestone forests; evidence of male BTS being more capable of reproduction was limited (i.e., fewer non-discernible but not significantly larger testes in snakes from caves). Assuming other limiting factors are considered, altering the functional response of predators through the modification of caves or interdiction lures to exclude or hinder the largest BTS could bolster swiftlet populations by increasing nesting refugia in currently-occupied caves and facilitate recolonization of historical caves.
The structure, hyperfine interactions and magnetic properties of the series of multiferroic Bim+1Ti3Fem−3O3m+3 Aurivillius compounds with m=4–8 were studied using X-ray diffraction, 57Fe Mössbauer ...spectroscopy and vibrating sample magnetometry. Samples were prepared by the conventional solid-state sintering method. Bulk magnetic measurements showed that for m=4 the compound is paramagnetic down to 2K while in the compound with m=5 the antiferromagnetic type transition was observed at 11K. In the case of compounds with m=6–8 much more complex magnetic behavior was found. For these compounds a gradual spin freezing and antiferromagnetic spin glass-like ordering were observed on decreasing temperature. The temperature of spin glass freezing was determined as 260, 280 and 350K for m=6, 7 and 8, respectively. Room-temperature Mössbauer spectra of all the compounds studied confirm their paramagnetic state. However, liquid nitrogen and liquid helium temperature measurements reveal magnetic ordering with a residual paramagnetic phase contribution for the compounds with m=5–8.
•Aurivillius compounds prepared by solid-state sintering.•Coexistence of antiferromagnetic and paramagnetic phases seen by Mössbauer spectra.•Hyperfine interactions parameters of compounds determined.•Antiferromagnetic spin glass-like ordering observed down to 10K.
Early detection of treatment failure may improve clinical outcome and overall survival in patients with head and neck cancer after first-line treatment. Circulating cell-free HPV16 DNA (cfHPV16 DNA) ...was evaluated as a possible complementary marker to radiological assessment of early response in patients with HPV-related oropharyngeal cancer (OPC) after radiotherapy alone or combined with chemotherapy.
The study included 66 patients with HPV-related OPC receiving radical radiotherapy alone or in combination with chemotherapy. cfHPV16 DNA was assessed in the blood of all patients before treatment using TaqMan-based qPCR. Subsequent analysis of cfHPV16 DNA was performed 12 weeks after treatment completion, along with radiological assessment of early treatment results.
Complete (CRR) and incomplete radiological response (IRR) was found in 43 (65%) and 23 (35%) patients respectively. cfHPV16 DNA was present in 5 (28%) patients with IRR, while only in 1 (4%) with CRR. Three of five patients with IRR that were positive for cfHPV16 DNA exhibited histopathologically confirmed local or regional treatment failure, and other two developed distant metastases. None of the patients with negative cfHPV16 DNA presented disease failure.
The post-treatment assessment of cfHPV16 DNA in patients with HPV-related OPC may be used as a complementary biomarker to conventional imaging-based examinations for early identification of treatment failure.
Gender Differences in Smoking Among U.S. Working Adults Syamlal, Girija, MBBS, MPH; Mazurek, Jacek M., MD, MS, PhD; Dube, Shanta R., PhD, MPH
American journal of preventive medicine,
10/2014, Letnik:
47, Številka:
4
Journal Article
Recenzirano
Odprti dostop
Background Cigarette smoking remains a leading cause of morbidity and mortality. Although gender differences in cigarette smoking in the U.S. population have been documented, information on these ...differences among working adults is limited. Purpose To describe the current smoking prevalence by gender among working U.S. adults and examine gender differences in smoking by occupation. Methods The 2004–2011 National Health Interview Survey data for adults aged ≥18 years that were working in the week prior to the interview (N=132,215) were analyzed in 2013. Current cigarette smokers were those who smoked at least 100 cigarettes in their lifetime and currently smoke every day or some days. Results During 2004–2011, an estimated 22.8% of men workers and 18.3% of women workers were current smokers. Of the current smokers, women workers had higher odds of being an everyday smoker (prevalence OR POR=1.17, 95% CI=1.09, 1.26); having poor self-rated emotional health (POR=1.28, 95% CI=1.15, 1.41); and having chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (POR=2.45, 95% CI=2.14, 2.80), heart disease (POR=1.27, 95% CI=1.12, 1.45), and current asthma (POR=2.21, 95% CI=1.96, 2.49) compared with men workers. Women in “supervisors, construction, and extraction” (38.9%) occupations and men in “extraction” (40.5%) occupations had the highest smoking prevalence. Conclusion Among working adults, women had lower prevalence of smoking than men, yet women who smoke were more likely than men to have adverse health outcomes, including self-rated poorer physical and emotional health.
Implementation of anal squamous cell carcinoma (ASCC) treatment modifications requires reliable patient risk stratification. The circulating tumor-related human papillomavirus type 16 (ctHPV16) may ...play a role in predicting survival or assessing treatment response.
The study included 62 ASCC patients treated with chemoradiotherapy. A threshold of 2.5 was used to determine the maximum standardized uptake value (SUVmax). The ctHPV16 viral load (VL) was quantified by qPCR.
In the multivariate Cox analysis, lower SUVmax (
= 0.047) and ctHPV16-positive (
= 0.054) proved to be independent prognostic factors for favorable overall survival (OS). In the subgroup with the higher SUVmax, ctHPV16 and nodal (N) status were independent prognostic factors with
= 0.022 for ctHPV16 and
= 0.053 for N. The best survival rate (95%) presented ctHPV16-positive/N-negative patients. High ctHPV16 VL tended to be slightly specific for patients younger than 63 years (
= 0.152). The decrease in ctHPV16 VL to undetectable level after the end of treatment correlated with the overall clinical response.
A prognostic stratification by SUVmax, ctHPV16 and N-positive status allows consideration of more aggressive treatment in high-risk patients (those with high SUVmax, ctHPV16-negative, and N-positive) or de-intensification of therapy in low-risk patients (those with low SUVmax, ctHPV16-positive and N-negative). However, prospective clinical trials on a large group are needed.
Although cigarette smoking has declined among U.S. workers, smoking remains high among construction workers. This study assessed tobacco product use among U.S. construction workers.
The 2014-2016 ...National Health Interview Survey data for U.S. working adults were analyzed.
Of the 10.2 (6.3% of working adults) million construction workers, 35.1% used any tobacco product; 24.4% were cigarette smokers, 8.3% were cigar, cigarillo, pipe or hookah smokers, 7.8% were smokeless tobacco users, 4.4% were e-cigarette users, and 7.6% used ≥2 tobacco product users. Tobacco use varied by worker characteristics, with highest tobacco use (>35%) among those reporting ≤5 years on the job, temporary work status, job insecurity, or an unsafe workplace. Construction workers had higher odds of tobacco product use than non-construction workers.
Over one-third of U.S. construction workers use tobacco products and disparities exist across sub-groups. Workplace tobacco control strategies could reduce tobacco use among this population.
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