Apocrine carcinoma, a subtype of invasive ductal carcinoma of the breast, expresses androgen receptor (AR), but often lacks estrogen receptor (ER) and progesterone receptor (PgR). In the present ...study, the author immunohistochemically defined apocrine-type carcinoma as ER-/PgR-/AR+ invasive ductal carcinoma and analyzed the significance of apocrine-type carcinoma as triple-negative breast cancer.
Four hundred and forty breast cancers from 429 cases were immunostained for estrogen receptor, progesterone receptor, androgen receptor, human epidermal growth factor receptor type 2 (HER2), p53, Ki-67 and epidermal growth factor receptor. The lesions included 58 in situ malignancies (including 13 apocrine-type lesions) and 325 invasive ductal carcinomas (including 44 apocrine type).
Of 91 estrogen receptor-negative invasive ductal carcinomas, 44 (48%) belonged to apocrine-type carcinoma, and overexpression of human epidermal growth factor receptor type 2 and p53 was observed in 23 (52%) and 33 (75%), respectively. Histologically, 22 (50%) were categorized as classical apocrine carcinoma. Among 281 non-apocrine invasive ductal carcinomas, 30 (11%) were quadruple-negative (ER-/PgR-/AR-/HER2-) and 17 (6%) were hormone receptor-negative and human epidermal growth factor receptor type 2-overexpressed. Invasive ductal carcinomas in the triple-negative breast cancer category (n= 51) were divided into triple-negative, androgen receptor-positive (apocrine, n= 21) and quadruple-negative (non-apocrine, n= 30). p53 overexpression was more often seen in the apocrine-type triple-negative breast cancer (18/21 = 86%) than in the non-apocrine type (14/30 = 46%) (P< 0.05). Ki-67 labeling was significantly higher in the non-apocrine type (58%) than in the apocrine type (37%) (P< 0.01). Epidermal growth factor receptor is consistently expressed in triple-negative breast cancers (16/16 = 100% in apocrine and 18/20 = 90% in non-apocrine).
Androgen receptor should be added to immunohistochemical panels, since apocrine-type invasive ductal carcinoma, resembling basal-like phenotypes, may show clinical behaviors different from the basal-like triple-negative breast cancer.
Junctions and interfaces consisting of unconventional superconductors provide an excellent experimental playground to study exotic phenomena related to the phase of the order parameter. Not only does ...the complex structure of unconventional order parameters have an impact on the Josephson effects, but it also may profoundly alter the quasiparticle excitation spectrum near a junction. Here, by using spectroscopic-imaging scanning tunneling microscopy, we visualize the spatial evolution of the LDOS near twin boundaries (TBs) of the nodal superconductor FeSe. The π/2 rotation of the crystallographic orientation across the TB twists the structure of the unconventional order parameter, which may, in principle, bring about a zero-energy LDOS peak at the TB. The LDOS at the TB observed in our study, in contrast, does not exhibit any signature of a zero-energy peak, and an apparent gap amplitude remains finite all the way across the TB. The low-energy quasiparticle excitations associated with the gap nodes are affected by the TB over a distance more than an order of magnitude larger than the coherence length ξab . The modification of the low-energy states is even more prominent in the region between two neighboring TBs separated by a distance ≈7ξab . In this region, the spectral weight near the Fermi level (≈±0.2meV ) due to the nodal quasiparticle spectrum is almost completely removed. These behaviors suggest that the TB induces a fully gapped state, invoking a possible twist of the order parameter structure, which breaks time-reversal symmetry.
The coupling of spin angular momentum and mechanical rotation is utilized for generating a spin current of nuclear spins of the liquid helium-3. A hydrodynamic flow in the liquid helium-3 provides a ...vorticity gradient which can be regarded as a gradient of effective magnetic field by the spin-rotation coupling. The effective field gradient generates a nuclear spin current owing to the Stern–Gerlach effect. We quantitatively estimate the magnitude of the field gradient based on the microscopic Boltzmann equation. The effective field gradient is large enough to be detected by NMR measurements.
In this study, a micro-arc oxidation treatment was applied to Ti-15Zr-xMo (x = 0, 5, 10 and 15 wt%) alloys to produce porous oxide layers enriched with bioactive ions (calcium and phosphorus) for use ...as osseointegrative implants. Biocompatibility studies, namely metabolic activity, mineralization and differentiation studies were conducted with human osteoblastic cell line SAOS-2. A typical porous coating was obtained in all samples, with similar morphologies and thicknesses, which were found to be dependent on the maximum applied voltage. Calcium and phosphorus ions were incorporated into the films, as indicated by EDX analysis. Chemical analyses indicated that the films were composed preferentially of Ti and Zr oxides. XRD patterns revealed mostly substrate Ti phases. However, cross-sectional TEM imaging and automated phase and orientation mapping showed distinct amorphous and nanocrystalline regions within the films, with a higher fraction of Ca atoms incorporated in the outer layer. After immersion in Hanks' Balanced Salt Solution (HBSS) for seven days, small amounts of calcium phosphate precipitates were observed at the surface of all samples which were confirmed by ICP-AES measurements, indicating that the MAO treatment possibly introduced a considerable bioactive response in the samples. Biological results indicate that Ti-15Zr-15Mo MAO-treated surfaces are biocompatible and induce a higher osteoblasts viability and mineralization. The combination of porous structure and bioactive composition of the oxide layers can be suitable for use as advanced biomedical implants with osseointegration ability.
•Ca- and P-rich films were grown on biomedical Ti-15Zr-Mo alloys by micro-arc oxidation.•Pore size and film thickness were dependent on the limiting voltage and alloy's composition.•Three distinct oxide layers were identified in the films: a dense amorphous, a nanocrystalline, and a porous amorphous layer.•The suggested growth model fitted well the experimental results.•Bioactive ions were gradually incorporated into the films and improved the bioactivity of the alloys.
Although the reported percentage of bone-implant contact is far lower than 100%, the cause of such low levels of bone formation has rarely been investigated. This study tested the negative biological ...effect of hydrocarbon deposition onto titanium surfaces, which has been reported to be inevitable. Osteogenic MC3T3-E1 cells were cultured on titanium disks on which the carbon concentration was experimentally regulated to achieve carbon/titanium (C/Ti) ratios of 0.3, 0.7, and 1.0. Initial cellular activities such as cell attachment and cell spreading were concentration-dependently suppressed by the amount of carbon on the titanium surface. The osteoblastic functions of alkaline phosphatase activity and calcium mineralization were also reduced by more than 40% on the C/Ti (1.0) surface. These results indicate that osteoblast activity is influenced by the degree of hydrocarbon contamination on titanium implants and suggest that hydrocarbon decomposition before implant placement may increase the biocompatibility of titanium.
Background
The benefit of taking intra‐abdominal cultures during source control procedures in patients with complicated intra‐abdominal infection (CIAI) is unknown. The aim of this study was to ...evaluate whether intra‐abdominal cultures reduce the mortality rate of CIAI.
Methods
The Japanese Diagnosis Procedure Combination database was used to identify adult patients with CIAI who had undergone source control procedures on the first day of admission to hospital between April 2014 and March 2016. In‐hospital mortality was compared between patients who did and those who did not have intra‐abdominal cultures taken. A generalized linear mixed‐effect logistic regression model and a random intercept per hospital were used to adjust for baseline confounders and institutional differences. Subgroup analyses were also performed according to disease cause, site of onset and severity of CIAI.
Results
Intra‐abdominal cultures were taken from 16 303 of 41 495 included patients. Multivariable logistic regression analysis showed that patients with intra‐abdominal cultures had a significantly lower mortality than those without (odds ratio 0·85, 95 per cent c.i. 0·77 to 0·95). Subgroup analyses revealed statistically significant differences in mortality between patients with and without cultures among those with lower intestinal perforation, biliary tract infection/perforation, healthcare‐associated CIAI and high‐risk community‐acquired CIAI.
Conclusions
Intra‐abdominal cultures obtained during source control procedures may reduce in‐hospital mortality, especially in patients with lower intestinal perforation, biliary tract infection/perforation, or healthcare‐associated or high‐risk community‐acquired CIAI.
This study found a significant association between survival benefits and taking intra‐abdominal cultures from patients with complicated intra‐abdominal infection. Clinicians should collect intra‐abdominal specimens during source control procedures, especially in patients with lower intestinal perforation or biliary tract infection/perforation.
Plea for taking a culture
•Garnet, zircon and monazite ages are presented to characterize metamorphism of the Dharwar craton.•The three crustal provinces of the Dharwar craton involved in a common thermal event ca. 2.5Ga.•The ...three crustal provinces show contrasting pre-2.5Ga thermal records.•The contrasted thermal records reflect their degree of involvement in Latest Archean hot orogen.
This contribution addresses the time framework of the regional metamorphism in the three crustal provinces making the Archean Dharwar craton. We present results of texturally controlled in situ EPMA chemical dating of monazites, chemical dating of monazite separates, as well as Sm–Nd garnet–whole rock isochrons and SHRIMP U–Pb zircon ages for pelites, amphibolites and granitoids over target areas typical of the various crustal levels of the provinces. The Western Dharwar craton has undergone a major thermal pulse at 2.52Ga followed by slow cooling to ca. 2.4Ga and recorded earlier thermal events around 3.0Ga and 3.1Ga. The Central Dharwar craton records a major high-grade thermal imprint at ca. 2.55–2.51Ga followed by cooling up to 2.45Ga and earlier thermal events at ca. 2.62 and 3.20Ga. In the Eastern Dharwar craton the widespread thermal pulse between 2.55 and 2.52Ga is best recorded. From 2.52Ga on, the entire craton ultimately and contemporaneously undergoes the main event of regional HT–LP metamorphism. The contrasted thermal records of the three provinces reflect their accretion age(s) and their degree of involvement in a wide Latest Archean hot orogen, which sets the capacity of these lithospheric segments to be impact by deformation and mantle fluxes. The tectonic setting of Latest Archean hot orogeny is compatible with active plate margin processes having interacted with mantle instabilities (i.e., plumes?). The tectonic setting of pre-2.5Ga thermal pulses is difficult to assess, but considering their systematic links with documented magmatic pulses, they may have been generated in contexts comparable that of Latest Archean hot orogeny where lateral constrictional flow of hot orogenic crust achieves gravity driven flow, 3D mass redistribution of viscous lower crust submitted to convergence.
Detection of drug-target proteins and biomarkers that are expressed in cancer tissue has significant potential for both diagnosis and treatment of cancer. However, current immuno-histochemical and ...cytogenetic analyses of biopsy specimens for pre-operational diagnosis are highly invasive and often difficult to apply to lung cancer patients. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the possible utility of determining epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) expression on exosomal membranes using a targeted ELISA with an anti-CD81 antibody as a capture antibody for lung cancer diagnosis. While soluble EGFR (sEGFR) levels in plasma were not remarkably different between lung cancer patients and normal controls, significantly higher exosomal EGFR expression levels were observed in 5/9 cancer cases compared to normal controls. These results suggest that measurement of exosomal protein levels could be useful for in vitro diagnosis, and that exosomal EGFR is a possible biomarker for characterization of lung cancer.
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