Kinetically Controlled Synthesis of Metallic Glass Nanoparticles with Expanded Composition Space

Nanoscale metallic glasses offer opportunities for investigating fundamental properties of amorphous solids and technological applications in biomedicine, microengineering, and catalysis. However, their top-down fabrication is limited by bulk counterpart availability, and bottom-up synthesis remains underexplored due to strict formation conditions. Here, a kinetically controlled flash carbothermic reaction is developed, featuring ultrafast heating (>105 K s-1) and cooling rates (>104 K s-1), for synthesizing metallic glass nanoparticles within milliseconds. Nine compositional permutations of noble metals, base metals, and metalloid (M1─M2─P, M1 = Pt/Pd, M2 = Cu/Ni/Fe/Co/Sn) are synthesized with widely tunable particle sizes and substrates. Through combinatorial development, a substantially expanded composition space for nanoscale metallic glass is discovered compared to bulk counterpart, revealing that the nanosize effect enhances glass forming ability. Leveraging this, several nanoscale metallic glasses are synthesized with composition that have never, to the knowledge, been synthesized in bulk. The metallic glass nanoparticles exhibit high activity in heterogeneous catalysis, outperforming crystalline metal alloy nanoparticles.

Automated Laboratory Kilogram-Scale Graphene Production from Coal

The flash Joule heating (FJH) method converts many carbon feedstocks into graphene in milliseconds to seconds using an electrical pulse. This opens an opportunity for processing low or negative value resources, such as coal and plastic waste, into high value graphene. Here, a lab-scale automation FJH system that allows the synthesis of 1.1 kg of turbostratic flash graphene from coal-based metallurgical coke (MC) in 1.5 h is demonstrated. The process is based on the automated conversion of 5.7 g of MC per batch using an electrical pulse width modulation system to conduct the bottom-up upcycle of MC into flash graphene. This study then compare this method to two other scalable graphene synthesis techniques by both a life cycle assessment and a technoeconomic assessment.

Low-temperature grapho-epitaxial La-substituted BiFeO3 on metallic perovskite

Bismuth ferrite has garnered considerable attention as a promising candidate for magnetoelectric spin-orbit coupled logic-in-memory. As model systems, epitaxial BiFeO3 thin films have typically been deposited at relatively high temperatures (650-800 °C), higher than allowed for direct integration with silicon-CMOS platforms. Here, we circumvent this problem by growing lanthanum-substituted BiFeO3 at 450 °C (which is reasonably compatible with silicon-CMOS integration) on epitaxial BaPb0.75Bi0.25O3 electrodes. Notwithstanding the large lattice mismatch between the La-BiFeO3, BaPb0.75Bi0.25O3, and SrTiO3 (001) substrates, all the layers in the heterostructures are well ordered with a [001] texture. Polarization mapping using atomic resolution STEM imaging and vector mapping established the short-range polarization ordering in the low temperature grown La-BiFeO3. Current-voltage, pulsed-switching, fatigue, and retention measurements follow the characteristic behavior of high-temperature grown La-BiFeO3, where SrRuO3 typically serves as the metallic electrode. These results provide a possible route for realizing epitaxial multiferroics on complex-oxide buffer layers at low temperatures and opens the door for potential silicon-CMOS integration.

Synthesis of Clean Hydrogen Gas from Waste Plastic at Zero Net Cost

Hydrogen gas (H2 ) is the primary storable fuel for pollution-free energy production, with over 90 million tonnes used globally per year. More than 95% of H2 is synthesized through metal-catalyzed steam methane reforming that produces 11 tonnes of carbon dioxide (CO2 ) per tonne H2 . "Green H2 " from water electrolysis using renewable energy evolves no CO2 , but costs 2-3× more, making it presently economically unviable. Here catalyst-free conversion of waste plastic into clean H2 along with high purity graphene is reported. The scalable procedure evolves no CO2 when deconstructing polyolefins and produces H2 in purities up to 94% at high mass yields. The sale of graphene byproduct at just 5% of its current value yields H2 production at a negative cost. Life-cycle assessment demonstrates a 39-84% reduction in emissions compared to other H2 production methods, suggesting the flash H2 process to be an economically viable, clean H2 production route.

Development of Novel Focal Irradiation Tool for High-Precision Irradiation Using Clinical Brachytherapy System

PURPOSE/OBJECTIVE(S)

Several small animals, including mice, are used to conduct research on state-of-the-art radiation therapy techniques or treatment-related toxicity. However, it is difficult to conduct the focal irradiation to a shallow depth on small animals, because irradiation using LINAC has limitations in energy and field size. The purpose of this paper was to develop a focal irradiation tool for high-precision irradiation and to evaluate beam characteristics.

MATERIALS/METHODS

We designed the collimator of 1 mm diameter consisting of tungsten material for high-precision irradiation applied to the clinical brachytherapy system and the percent depth dose and horizontal profile were measured. We compared the depth dose and horizontal profile with 4 mm diameter SRS cone for 6 MV in LINAC. We measured the PDD and horizontal profile using EBT3 film for high-precision irradiation of 1 mm diameter using Ir-192 source. In case of 4 mm diameter, the beam was measured using edge detector. In addition, all measurements were compared with the results of planning tool simulation.

RESULTS

In case of focal irradiation tool, the maximum dose showed at the surface for both measurement and simulation, and 26% and 32% doses at 1 mm depth, respectively. In addition, FWHM at a 1 mm depth showed that high-precision irradiation was possible with measurement and simulation results of 1.86 and 1.28 mm. In case of LINAC, the maximum dose was showed at a depth of 1 cm and 0.8 cm in the measurement and simulation, respectively. Even if the smallest cone is used, the FWHM at a dmax depth was 4.0 mm in both simulation and measurement.

CONCLUSION

We overcame the limitation for energy and field size through the focal irradiation tool for high-precision irradiation. The focal irradiation tool enables high dose delivery to the shallow depth. In addition, small FWHM reduced dose delivery to the periphery at a specific depth and enabled accurate dose delivery. These results mean that the focal irradiation tool can be useful in small animal experiments that require accurate doses near the shallow depth.

Battery metal recycling by flash Joule heating

The staggering accumulation of end-of-life lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) and the growing scarcity of battery metal sources have triggered an urgent call for an effective recycling strategy. However, it is challenging to reclaim these metals with both high efficiency and low environmental footprint. We use here a pulsed dc flash Joule heating (FJH) strategy that heats the black mass, the combined anode and cathode, to >2100 kelvin within seconds, leading to ~1000-fold increase in subsequent leaching kinetics. There are high recovery yields of all the battery metals, regardless of their chemistries, using even diluted acids like 0.01 M HCl, thereby lessening the secondary waste stream. The ultrafast high temperature achieves thermal decomposition of the passivated solid electrolyte interphase and valence state reduction of the hard-to-dissolve metal compounds while mitigating diffusional loss of volatile metals. Life cycle analysis versus present recycling methods shows that FJH significantly reduces the environmental footprint of spent LIB processing while turning it into an economically attractive process.

Tunable Hybridized Morphologies Obtained through Flash Joule Heating of Carbon Nanotubes

Hybrid carbon nanomaterials, such as those that incorporate carbon nanotubes into graphene sheets, have been found to display interesting mechanical and electrical properties because of their covalent bonding and π-π stacking domains. However, synthesis of these hybrid materials is limited by the high energetic cost of techniques like chemical vapor deposition. Here, we demonstrate the solvent- and gas-free synthesis of a 2D carbon nanotube/graphene network through flash Joule heating of pristine carbon nanotubes. The relative proportion of each morphology in the hybrid material can be tuned by varying the pulse time, as confirmed by Raman spectroscopy and microscopy. Triboindentation of epoxy composites made with the hybrid material shows increases of 162% and 64% to the hardness and Young's modulus, respectively, compared with the neat epoxy. These results demonstrate that flash Joule heating can be used to inexpensively convert carbon nanotubes into a hybrid network of nanotubes and graphene for use as an effective reinforcing additive in epoxy composites.

Turbostratic Boron-Carbon-Nitrogen and Boron Nitride by Flash Joule Heating

Turbostratic layers in 2D materials have an interlayer misalignment. The lack of alignment expands the intrinsic interlayer distances and weakens the optical and electronic interactions between adjacent layers. This introduces properties distinct from those structures with well-aligned lattices and strong coupling interactions. However, direct and rapid synthesis of turbostratic materials remains a challenge owing to their thermodynamically metastable properties. Here, a flash Joule heating (FJH) method to achieve bulk synthesis of boron-carbon-nitrogen ternary compounds with turbostratic structures by a kinetically controlled ultrafast cooling process that takes place within milliseconds (10³  to 10⁴ K s^-1 ) is reported. Theoretical calculations support the existence of turbostratic structures and provide estimates of the energy barriers with respect to conversion into the corresponding well-aligned counterparts. When using non-carbon conductive additives, a direct synthesis of boron nitride is possible. The turbostratic nature facilitates mechanical exfoliation and more stable dispersions. Accordingly, the addition of flash products to a poly(vinyl alcohol) nanocomposite film coating a copper surface greatly improves the copper's resistance to corrosion in 0.5 m sulfuric acid or 3.5 wt% saline solution. FJH allows the use of bulk materials as reactants and provides a rapid approach to large quantities of the hitherto hard-to-access turbostratic materials.

Electrocatalytic glycerol oxidation enabled by surface plasmon polariton-induced hot carriers in Kretschmann configuration

Plasmonic hot carrier generation has attracted increasing attention due to its ability to convert light to electrical energy. The generation of plasmon-induced hot carriers can be achieved via Landau damping in the non-radiative decay process of the plasmonic excitation energy. Localized surface plasmons (LSPs) undergo both radiative and non-radiative decays, while surface plasmon polaritons (SPPs) dissipate only via the non-radiative decay. Thus, it is a challenging task to exploit the surface plasmon polaritons for the efficient generation of hot carriers and their applications. In this study, a model hot-carrier-mediated electrocatalytic conversion system was demonstrated using an Au thin film in Kretschmann configuration, which is the representative platform to excite SPPs. AgPt-decorated Au nanobipyramids (AuNBPs) were designed and introduced onto the Au film, creating hot-spots to revolutionize the thin film-based photon-to-carrier conversion efficiency. The glycerol electro-oxidation reaction enabled by such SPP-induced hot carriers was evaluated and exhibited a photon-to-hot carrier conversion efficiency of 2.4 × 10^-3%, which is ∼2.5 times enhanced as compared to the efficiency based on the neat Au film.

Cryopreservation of Endangered Wild Species, Aster altaicus var. uchiyamae Kitam, Using Droplet-Vitrification Procedure

BACKGROUND

Aster altaicus var. uchiyamae Kitam is an endemic and endangered species in urgent need of a comprehensive conservation strategy.

OBJECTIVE

To develop an efficient cryopreservation protocol using in vitro shoot tips to complement traditional conservation approaches in case seeds are not available or insufficient for conservation programs.

METHODS

Shoot tips of in vitro plants were cryopreserved using a droplet-vitrification method following improvement of pre-culture, osmoprotection, vitrification solution (VS), unloading and post-culture treatments. The starting protocol included step-wise pre-culture with 10% and 17.5% sucrose for 55 h and 17 h, respectively, followed by osmoprotection with C4-35% (17.5% glycerol + 17.5% sucrose) for 30 min, and cryoprotection with B5-80% (40% glycerol + 40% sucrose) for 60 min.

RESULTS

Shoot tips of A. altaicus were found to be moderately sensitive to the osmotic stress. Pre-culture and osmoprotection were not critical for the regeneration of cryopreserved explants when either of these treatments was applied. Osmoprotection with C4-35% on ice for 60 min followed by cryoprotection with A3-80%, a modified and diluted PVS2, on ice for 60 min resulted in the highest (65.3%) regeneration of cryopreserved shoot tips. Among alternative VSs tested, A3-80% and B5-80% were superior to PVS2 and PVS3 used under the same conditions. Step-wise recovery of shoot tips on ammonium-free medium followed by GA₃-containing medium and medium without growth regulators were critical for the normal regeneration of both VS-treated and cryopreserved shoot tips.

CONCLUSIONS

Cryopreservation of in vitro shoot tips using droplet-vitrification was developed as a complementary conservation approach for A. altaicus. Adjustment of the composition of regrowth media depending on recovery stage was important for the regeneration of healthy plants from cryopreserved shoot tips.

Colonic immune cells in irritable bowel syndrome: A systematic review and meta-analysis

BACKGROUND & AIMS

Increases in mucosal immune cells have frequently been observed in irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) patients. However, this finding is not completely consistent between studies, possibly due to a combination of methodological variability, population differences and small sample sizes. We performed a meta-analysis of case-control studies that compared immune cell counts in colonic biopsies of IBS patients and controls.

METHODS

PubMed and Embase were searched in February 2017. Results were pooled using standardized mean difference (SMD) and were considered significant when zero was not within the 95% confidence interval (CI). Heterogeneity was assessed based on I² statistics where I²  ≤ 50% and I²  > 50% indicated fixed and random effect models, respectively.

KEY RESULTS

Twenty-two studies on 706 IBS patients and 401 controls were included. Mast cells were increased in the rectosigmoid (SMD: 0.38 [95% CI: 0.06-0.71]; P = .02) and descending colon (SMD: 1.69 [95% CI: 0.65-2.73]; P = .001) of IBS patients. Increased mast cells were observed in both constipation (IBS-C) and diarrhea predominant IBS (IBS-D). CD3⁺ T cells were increased in the rectosigmoid (SMD: 0.53 [95% CI: 0.21-0.85]; P = .001) and the descending colon of the IBS patients (SMD: 0.79, 95% CI [0.28-1.30]; P = .002). This was possibly in relation to higher CD4⁺ T cells in IBS (SMD: 0.33 [95% CI: 0.01-0.65]; P = .04) as there were no differences in CD8⁺ T cells.

CONCLUSIONS & INFERENCES

Mast cells and CD3⁺ T cells are increased in colonic biopsies of patients with IBS vs non-inflamed controls. These changes are segmental and sometimes IBS-subtype dependent. The diagnostic value of the quantification of colonic mucosal cells in IBS requires further investigation.

Clinical utility of late-night and post-overnight dexamethasone suppression salivary cortisone for the investigation of Cushing's syndrome

INTRODUCTION

There is a pressing need to identify diagnostic testing for Cushing's syndrome that can be achieved with ease and at low cost. This study aimed to explore the usefulness of late-night and post-overnight 1-mg dexamethasone suppression salivary cortisone, as measured by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry, for investigation of hypercortisolism.

METHODS

Salivary cortisone data of subjects were investigated according to a pre-specified protocol. Subjects were classified as having 'hypercortisolism' or 'eucortisolism' on the basis of histological or biochemical criteria. Receiver operating characteristic curves were drawn to identify the cut-off values and study their performance characteristics. We measured 24-hour urinary free cortisol; late-night salivary cortisol and cortisone; and post-overnight 1-mg dexamethasone suppression serum cortisol, and salivary cortisol and cortisone. Saliva and urine samples were assayed by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry.

RESULTS

In this study, 21 subjects were classified as having hypercortisolism and 78 as having eucortisolism. A late-night salivary cortisone cut-off of 13.50 nmol/L had a sensitivity of 94.7% and a specificity of 87.2%. After taking 1-mg dexamethasone the night before, a salivary cortisol cut-off of 0.85 nmol/L had a sensitivity of 76.2% and a specificity of 96.2%; a salivary cortisone cut-off of 7.45 nmol/L had a sensitivity of 85.7% and a specificity of 94.9%, while a salivary cortisone cut-off of 3.25 nmol/L had a sensitivity of 95.2% and a specificity of 79.5%. Many salivary cortisol samples were below the detection limit of liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. In comparison with salivary cortisol, salivary cortisone had a better correlation with total serum cortisol and better diagnostic performance following dexamethasone suppression.

CONCLUSIONS

Both late-night and post-overnight dexamethasone suppression salivary cortisone levels are of diagnostic value in the investigation of hypercortisolism.

Diabetes incidence and prevalence in Hong Kong, China during 2006-2014

AIMS

To estimate recent secular changes in the incidence and prevalence of diabetes and pre-diabetes among Hong Kong Chinese adults, and thus show possible future trends for developing mainland China.

METHODS

Based on a complete census of the public sector health records of 6.4 million people from 2006 to 2014, diabetes cases were ascertained using different methods including the World Health Organization (WHO) 2011 guidelines (HbA_1c , fasting plasma glucose and glucose tolerance test), American Diabetes Association (ADA) 2015 guidelines (plus random plasma glucose), and additionally recorded diagnosis codes and medication dispensation. Pre-diabetes was defined using ADA 2015 guidelines.

RESULTS

We identified 697 201 people with diabetes (54.2% were incident cases); and 1 229 731 people with diabetes or pre-diabetes. In 2014, the overall incidence of diabetes was 9.46 per 1000 person-years [95% confidence interval (CI): 9.38 to 9.54], and overall prevalence was 10.29% (95% CI: 10.27% to 10.32%). Incidence of diabetes decreased significantly from 2007 to 2014 (quadratic trend, P < 0.001). From 2006 to 2014, the prevalence of diabetes increased significantly in both sexes and across all age groups (quadratic trend, P < 0.001). The overall incidence of pre-diabetes in 2014 was 18.88 per 1000 person-years (95% CI: 18.76 to 18.99), and the overall prevalence of pre-diabetes was 8.90% (95% CI: 8.87% to 8.92%).

CONCLUSIONS

Similar to other developed western and Asian populations, diabetes (and pre-diabetes) incidence in Hong Kong Chinese appeared to have stabilized and there have been small declines during the period of observation. Ageing and survivorship will likely drive a continued increase in the prevalence of diabetes and pre-diabetes, albeit with a decelerating growth rate if past trends persist.

Endoscopic Dilatation of Crohn's Anastomotic Strictures is Effective in the Long Term, and Escalation of Medical Therapy Improves Outcomes in the Biologic Era

BACKGROUND AND AIMS

To investigate the long-term efficacy of endoscopic dilatation of Crohn's anastomotic strictures and to identify risk and protective factors associated with the need for repeat dilatation or surgery.

METHODS

A total of 54 patients who had endoscopic balloon dilatations for anastomotic Crohn's strictures between 2004 and 2009, with follow-up until June 2014, were identified from a single tertiary center. The primary end points were repeat dilatation or surgical resection, and the impact of radiology, medical therapy, and endoscopic data on these outcomes was analysed with Cox proportional hazards analysis.

RESULTS

A total of 151 dilatations were performed on patients with a median age of 52 years [interquartile range (IQR), 46-62 years]. The median duration from the first to the second dilatation was 6 years (IQR, 5-7 years). The median disease duration was 28 years (IQR, 19-32 years). At endoscopy, disease activity was reported in 50/54 (92%) cases, with a median Rutgeerts grading of i2 (range, i0-i4). A median of two (IQR 1-9) dilatations was required, with a time to repeat dilatation of 23 months (IQR 7.2-56.9). Escalation of medical therapy was adopted in 22/54 patients (41% of the study population). On multivariate analysis, only combination therapy (anti-TNFα and immunomodulator) was significantly associated with the (decreased) need for repeated dilatation [hazard ratio (HR) 0.23; 95% CI, 0.07-0.67; p = 0.01]. Anastomotic resections were performed in 10 (18%) patients, with a Rutgeerts score of i4 at initial endoscopic balloon dilatation being associated with this outcome (HR 4.55; 95% CI 1.08-19.29; p = 0.04) on multivariate analysis.

CONCLUSION

Endoscopic balloon dilatation of Crohn's anastomotic strictures is safe and effective in the long term. We demonstrate that active disease predicts for future surgery, while escalation of medical therapy may decrease the need for repeat dilatation.

Diagnostic accuracy of spot urine protein-to-creatinine ratio for proteinuria and its association with adverse pregnancy outcomes in Chinese pregnant patients with pre-eclampsia

INTRODUCTION

International guidelines have endorsed spot urine protein-to-creatinine ratio of >30 mg protein/mmol creatinine as an alternative to a 24-hour urine sample to represent significant proteinuria. This study aimed to determine the accuracy of spot urine protein-to-creatinine ratio in predicting significant proteinuria and adverse pregnancy outcome.

METHODS

This case series was conducted in a regional obstetric unit in Hong Kong. A total of 120 Chinese pregnant patients with pre-eclampsia delivered at Queen Elizabeth Hospital from January 2011 to December 2013 were included. Relationship of spot urine protein-to-creatinine ratio and 24-hour proteinuria; accuracy of the ratio against 24-hour urine protein at different cut-offs; and relationship of such ratio and adverse pregnancy outcome were studied.

RESULTS

Spot urine protein-to-creatinine ratio was correlated with 24-hour urine protein with Pearson correlation coefficient of 0.914 (P<0.0001) when the ratio was <200 mg/mmol. The optimal threshold of spot urine protein-to-creatinine ratio for diagnosing proteinuria in Chinese pregnant patients (33 mg/mmol) was similar to that stated in the international literature (30 mg/mmol). A cut-off of 20 mg/mmol provided a 100% sensitivity, and 52 mg/mmol provided a 100% specificity. There was no significant difference in spot urine protein-to-creatinine ratio between cases with and without adverse pregnancy outcome.

CONCLUSIONS

Spot urine protein-to-creatinine ratio had a positive and significant correlation with 24-hour urine results in Chinese pre-eclamptic women when the ratio was <200 mg/mmol. Nonetheless, this ratio was not predictive of adverse pregnancy outcome.

Simvastatin inhibits the expression of inflammatory cytokines and cell adhesion molecules induced by LPS in human dental pulp cells

AIM

To investigate the effect of simvastatin on lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated inflammatory cytokines, cell adhesion molecules and nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) transcription factors in human dental pulp cells (HDPCs).

METHODOLOGY

The effect of LPS and simvastatin on human dental pulp cell (HDPCs) viability was measured using a 3-[4, 5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl]-2, 5 diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay. The expression of inflammatory cytokines and cell adhesion molecules was evaluated by reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and Western blot analysis. NF-κB transcription factors were evaluated by Western blot analysis. Statistical analysis was performed with analysis of variance (anova).

RESULTS

The viability of cells exposed to different concentrations of E. coli LPS, P. gingivalis LPS and simvastatin was not significantly different compared with that of control cells (P > 0.05). LPS significantly increased interleukin (IL)-1β (P < 0.05) and IL-6 mRNA expression (P < 0.05) and vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 (VCAM-1) (P < 0.05) and intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1) protein expression (P < 0.05) in HDPCs. Treatment with simvastatin significantly attenuated LPS-stimulated production of IL-1β, IL-6, VCAM-1 and ICAM-1 (P < 0.05). Treatment with simvastatin decreased LPS-induced expression of p65 and phosphorylation of IκB and also significantly decreased the phosphorylation of p65 and IκB in the cytoplasm and the level of p65 in the nucleus (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONS

Simvastatin has a suppressing effect on LPS-induced inflammatory cytokine, cell adhesion molecules and NF-κB transcription factors in HDPCs. Therefore, simvastatin might be a useful candidate as a pulp-capping agent in vital pulp therapy.

Final design of the beam source for the MITICA injector

The megavolt ITER injector and concept advancement experiment is the prototype and the test bed of the ITER heating and current drive neutral beam injectors, currently in the final design phase, in view of the installation in Padova Research on Injector Megavolt Accelerated facility in Padova, Italy. The beam source is the key component of the system, as its goal is the generation of the 1 MeV accelerated beam of deuterium or hydrogen negative ions. This paper presents the highlights of the latest developments for the finalization of the MITICA beam source design, together with a description of the most recent analyses and R&D activities carried out in support of the design.

Uterine rupture during labor in women with twice successful vaginal births after cesarean delivery

Uterine rupture during labor is a serious complication resulting in maternal and neonatal morbidity and mortality. We present the extremely rare case of a 38-year-old gravid woman admitted with labor pain at term, about to experience a uterine rupture during labor. She had previously twice delivered vaginally, and during her third pregnancy had a low transverse Cesarean section. Prior to arriving at the hospital with labor pains, she had routine prenatal care with normal prenatal laboratory tests. One day the woman reported to having sudden epigastric pain, and 40 minutes after her admission a pelvic exam was completed. The unborn baby had a persistent revealed, and a live neonate was promptly delivered with an Apgar score of 1 at one minute and 5 at five minutes. On the fifth postoperative day the woman and her baby were discharged home with no maternal and neonatal complications.

Phylogenetic group distributions, virulence factors and antimicrobial resistance properties of uropathogenic Escherichia coli strains isolated from patients with urinary tract infections in South Korea

Urinary tract infections (UTIs) are one of the most common diseases by which humans seek medical help and are caused mainly by uropathogenic Escherichia coli (UPEC). Studying the virulence and antibiotic resistance of UPEC with respect to various phylogenetic groups is of utmost importance in developing new therapeutic agents. Thus, in this study, we analysed the virulence factors, antibiotic resistance and phylogenetic groups among various UPEC isolates from children with UTIs. The phylogenetic analysis revealed that majority of the strains responsible for UTIs belonged to the phylogenetic groups B2 and D. Of the 58 E. coli isolates, 79·31% belonged to group B2, 15·51% to group D, 3·44% to group A and 1·72% to B1. Simultaneously, the number of virulence factors and antibiotic resistance exhibited were also significantly high in groups B2 and D compared to other groups. Among the isolates, 44·8% were multidrug resistant and of that 73% belonged to the phylogenetic group B2, indicating the compatibility of antibiotic resistance and certain strains carrying virulence factor genes. The antibiotic resistance profiling of UPEC strains elucidates that the antimicrobial agents such as chloramphenicol, cefoxitin, cefepime, ceftazidime might still be used in the therapy for treating UTIs.

SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT OF THE STUDY

As the antibiotic resistance pattern of uropathogenic Escherichia coli varies depending on different geographical regions, the antibiotic resistance pattern from this study will help the physicians to effectively administer antibiotic therapy for urinary tract infections. In addition, the frequency of virulence factors and antibiotic resistance genes among various phylogenic groups could be effectively used to draw new targets for uropathogenic Escherichia coli antibiotic-independent therapies. The study emphasizes need of public awareness on multidrug resistance and for more prudent use of antimicrobials.

Efficacy of combination therapy with probiotics and mosapride in patients with IBS without diarrhea: a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, multicenter, phase II trial

BACKGROUND

Probiotics can be beneficial in irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). Mosapride citrate, a selective 5-HT4 receptor agonist, stimulates gastrointestinal motility. We investigated the efficacy of combination therapy with probiotics and mosapride for non-diarrheal-type IBS.

METHODS

Two hundred and eighty-five IBS patients were randomly assigned to either a combination of probiotics (Bacillus subtilis and Streptococcus faecium) and mosapride at one of four different doses or a placebo for 4 weeks. The primary outcome was the proportion of patients experiencing adequate relief (AR) of global IBS symptoms at week 4. The secondary outcomes included subject's global assessment (SGA) of IBS symptom relief, individual symptoms, stool parameters, and IBS-quality of life.

KEY RESULTS

The proportion of AR at week 4 was significantly higher in all treatment groups compared to the placebo group (53.7% in group 1, 55.0% in group 2, 55.2% in group 3, 53.6% in group 4 [the highest dose], and 35.1% in placebo group, respectively, p < 0.05). The proportion of patients reporting 'completely or considerably relieved' in the SGA was higher in the treatment groups than in the placebo group. The abdominal pain/discomfort score in the treatment group 4 was more prominently improved compared with that of the placebo group. In patients with constipation-predominant IBS, the improvements in stool frequency and consistency were significantly higher in the treatment groups 4 and 1, respectively, than those in the placebo group.

CONCLUSIONS & INFERENCES

Combination therapy with probiotics and mosapride is effective for relief of symptoms in patients with non-diarrheal-type IBS. The study has been registered in the US National Library of Medicine (http://www.clinicaltrials.gov, NCT01505777).

RETRACTED: Different bone mineral density in cervical and endometrial cancer

Objectives Patients with cervical cancer have lower bone mass than women without cancer, whereas women with endometrial cancer have higher bone mineral density (BMD) than control subjects, possibly due to the prevalence of high body-fat mass. The aim of this study was to compare BMD in patients with cervical cancer, endometrial cancer and controls. Methods We analyzed and compared spinal and femoral BMD in 130 patients with cervical cancer, 68 with endometrial cancer, and 140 age-matched menopausal female control subjects. We also compared serum calcium, phosphorus, total alkaline phosphatase, osteocalcin, and urinary deoxypyridinoline levels. Results Compared with the control group, T-scores for some lumbar vertebrae (L4), the femoral neck, and Ward's triangle were lower in patients with cervical cancer, whereas only L4 T-scores were significantly lower in patients with endometrial cancer. Deoxypyridinoline levels were significantly lower in women with endometrial cancer (p < 0.002) than in women with cervical cancer, but no other biochemical variables differed among groups. Conclusions Cervical cancer was associated with lower BMD, especially in femoral BMD, and may be a risk factor for secondary osteoporosis. However, endometrial cancer generally seemed to have no damaging effect on bone except at L4. A further larger follow-up study in more populations is required to clarify these findings.

QCT bone mineral density responses to 1 year of oral bisphosphonate after total knee replacement for knee osteoarthritis

Bone mineral density (BMD) declined in more than half (53.7%) of post-total knee arthroplasty (TKA) patients (44 of the 82) after 1 year of oral bisphosphonate treatment, and that this decline was significant in bilateral TKA patients.

INTRODUCTION

TKA has proven to be an extremely successful procedure in terms of improving ambulatory function. However, the effects of such improvements in ambulatory function and of bisphosphonate on axial BMD have not been established. The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of 1 year of oral bisphosphonate in postmenopausal patients that have undergone TKA and to identify factors related to BMD changes using lumbar spine quantitative computed tomography (QCT).

METHODS

Eighty-two postmenopausal women that underwent primary TKA for knee osteoarthritis and who received once-weekly oral alendronate 70 mg for 12 months after TKA were enrolled. The effect of 1 year of oral bisphosphonate treatment post-TKA and the factors related to general lumbar spine BMD changes by using QCT were determined.

RESULTS

Some 53.7% of patients (44 of the 82) experienced an average lumbar spine QCT BMD decline of -6 mg/ml (range -15 to -0.5 mg/ml) after 1 year of oral bisphosphonate treatment, whereas the remaining 38 patients (46.3%) experienced an average increase of 6.8 mg/ml (range 0.6 to 15.7 mg/ml). Logistic and linear regression analysis showed that bilateral TKA was significantly related to a BMD decline (p < 0.05). Other factors, such as, age, body mass index, number of comorbidities, and Knee Society scores were not found to be significantly related to BMD response.

CONCLUSIONS

BMD declined in more than half (53.7%) of the patients after bisphosphonate treatment, and that this decline was significant in bilateral TKA patients. We believe that reduced mobility during rehabilitation was probably responsible for these BMD reductions.

The effect of vibration frequency and amplitude on biofouling deterrence

The use of vibration is proposed as a means of controlling the settlement of marine fouling organisms. In this study, panels with embedded lead zirconate titanate, known as PZT, were placed in the field over 3 months. The panels were vibrated at different velocity levels at frequencies between 70 and 445 Hz. It was found that barnacles (Amphibalanus variegatus Darwin and Elminius sp.) were the only fouling organisms affected by the applied vibration, and these organisms settled in significantly lower numbers when the plates were excited at specific frequencies and amplitudes. Panels vibrating at relatively higher frequencies, greater than 260 Hz, exhibited reduced barnacle settlement, whilst lower frequencies in the 70-100 Hz range had little or no effect. The settlement of other fouling organisms such as tubeworms, bryozoans, ascidians and algae did not appear to be affected by the applied excitation. The experimental results showed that increasing the velocity amplitude of vibration was a contributing factor in inhibiting barnacle settlement.

RapidArc vs intensity-modulated radiation therapy for hepatocellular carcinoma: a comparative planning study

OBJECTIVE

The purpose of this study is to compare the dose-volumetric results of RapidArc (RA Varian Medical Systems, Palo Alto, CA) with those of intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) for hepatocellular carcinoma.

METHODS

20 patients previously treated for hepatocellular carcinoma were the subjects of this planning study. 10 patients were treated for portal vein tumour thrombosis (Group A), and 10 patients for primary liver tumour (Group B). Prescription dose to the planning target volume was 54 Gy in 30 fractions, and the planning goal was to deliver more than 95% of prescribed dose to at least 95% of planning target volume.

RESULTS

In Group A, mean doses to liver were increased with RA vs IMRT (22.9 Gy vs 22.2 Gy, p=0.0275). However, V(30 Gy) of liver was lower in RA vs IMRT (31.1% vs 32.1%, p=0.0283). In Group B, in contrast, neither mean doses nor V(30 Gy) of liver significantly differed between the two plans. V(35 Gy) of duodenum and V(20 Gy) of kidney were decreased with RA in Groups A and B, respectively (p=0.0058 and 0.0124, respectively). Both maximal doses to spinal cord and monitor unit were significantly lower in the RA plan, regardless of the group.

CONCLUSION

The dose-volumetric results of RA vs IMRT were different according to the different target location within the liver. In general, RA tended to be more effective in the sparing of non-liver organs at risk such as duodenum, kidney, and/or spinal cord. Moreover, RA was more efficient in the treatment delivery than IMRT in terms of total monitor unit used.

Fabrication of a nickel nanowire mesh electrode suspended on polymer substrate

We report on an efficient strategy for the fabrication of an ultra-long suspended nanowire mesh suitable for nanodevice architectures on a polymer surface. First, nickel nanowires are synthesized directly on a template substrate by magnetron sputtering. Laser interference lithography followed by deep reactive ion etching is used to create the nanograted template substrate constituted of one-dimensional line pattern arrays of 240 nm in periodicity. Ordered alignment of ultra-long nanowires (∼180 nm in diameter) with high fidelity to the template pattern is observed by scanning electron microscopy. The transfer of the pre-defined parallel nanowire array from the template surface to a target polymer substrate for electrical characterization of the system is demonstrated. The electrical behaviour of the nanowire mesh, suspended between two electrodes, was found to be linear, stable, and reproducible. This result suggests that this nanofabrication process will open an efficient way to the design and construction of novel nanodevices.

Management of tibial bone defects with metal augmentation in primary total knee replacement: a minimum five-year review

Bone defects are occasionally encountered during primary total knee replacement (TKR) and cause difficulty in establishing a stable well-aligned bone-implant interface. Between March 1999 and November 2005, 59 knees in 43 patients underwent primary TKR with a metal block augmentation for tibial bone deficiency. In all, six patients (eight knees) died less than four years post-operatively, and four patients (five knees) were lost to follow-up leaving 46 knees in 33 patients available for review at a mean of 78.6 months (62 to 129). The clinical results obtained, including range of movement, American Knee Society and Oxford knee scores, and the Western Ontario and McMaster Universities osteoarthritis index, were good to excellent, with no failures. Radiolucent lines at the block-cement-bone interface were noted in five knees (11%) during the first post-operative year, but these did not progress. Modular rectangular metal augmentation for tibial bone deficiency is a useful option. No deterioration of the block-prosthesis or block-cement-bone interface was seen at minimum of five years follow-up.

Hierarchical carbon nanostructure design: ultra-long carbon nanofibers decorated with carbon nanotubes

Hierarchical carbon nanostructures based on ultra-long carbon nanofibers (CNF) decorated with carbon nanotubes (CNT) have been prepared using plasma processes. The nickel/carbon composite nanofibers, used as a support for the growth of CNT, were deposited on nanopatterned silicon substrate by a hybrid plasma process, combining magnetron sputtering and plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD). Transmission electron microscopy revealed the presence of spherical nanoparticles randomly dispersed within the carbon nanofibers. The nickel nanoparticles have been used as a catalyst to initiate the growth of CNT by PECVD at 600°C. After the growth of CNT onto the ultra-long CNF, SEM imaging revealed the formation of hierarchical carbon nanostructures which consist of CNF sheathed with CNTs. Furthermore, we demonstrate that reducing the growth temperature of CNT to less than 500°C leads to the formation of carbon nanowalls on the CNF instead of CNT. This simple fabrication method allows an easy preparation of hierarchical carbon nanostructures over a large surface area, as well as a simple manipulation of such material in order to integrate it into nanodevices.

Titanium carbide/carbon composite nanofibers prepared by a plasma process

The incorporation of metal or metal carbide nanoparticles into carbon nanofibers modifies their properties and enlarges their field of application. The purpose of this work is to report a new non-catalytic and easy method to prepare organized metal carbide-carbon composite nanofibers on nanopatterned silicon substrates prepared by laser interference lithography coupled with deep reactive ion etching. Titanium carbide-carbon composite nanofibers were grown on the top of the silicon lines parallel to the substrate by a hybrid plasma process combining physical vapor deposition and plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition. The prepared nanofibers were analyzed by scanning electron microscopy, x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, Raman spectroscopy and transmission electron microscopy. We demonstrate that the shape, microstructure and the chemical composition of the as-grown nanofibers can be tuned by changing the plasma conditions.

Synthesis and electrochemical properties of LiFePO4/carbon nanocomposites in polyol medium

LiFePO4/Carbon nanocomposites with varying amounts of carbon were synthesized using polyol process without any further heating as a post step. The X-ray diffraction patterns of all samples were indexed on the basis of orthorhombic olivine-type structure. The field emission-TEM images of composites with the amount of 3 approximately 15 wt% carbon showed the average sizes of 45 approximately 80 nm with nanorod shape surrounded by carbon. The initial discharge curves of LiFePO4/Carbon show 166, 157, 142, and 119 mAh/g capacities at a current density of 0.1 mA/cm2 in the voltage range of 2.5-4.2 V, respectively, without capacity fading and excellent cycle retentions during the 20 cycles. Especially, the sample of amount of 3 wt% carbon shows the excellent high rate performances at 15 and 30 C rates with high capacity retention compared with previously reported results of high temperature processed results, due to the existence of conductive agents such as carbon which suppresses particle growth and exhibits improved electronic conductivity and lithium ion diffusivity, simultaneously.

Use of urinary steroid profiling for diagnosing and monitoring adrenocortical tumours

It has been suggested that urinary steroid profiling may be used to provide information aiding the diagnosis and monitoring of adrenocortical carcinoma. Nonetheless, the abnormal patterns suggestive of adrenal malignancy are not well defined. We retrospectively studied the urinary steroid profiles of five patients with adrenocortical carcinoma at presentation and at follow-up, and compared these results with those from 76 patients with benign adrenocortical adenoma and 172 healthy controls. Three abnormal patterns of urinary steroid excretion were identified in patients with adrenocortical carcinoma at presentation and/or follow-up of residual disease: (1) hypersecretion in multiple steroid axes; (2) excretion of unusual metabolites, notably 5-pregnene-3alpha,16alpha,20alpha-triol, 5-pregnene-3beta,16alpha,20alpha-triol, and neonatal steroid metabolites in the post-neonatal period; (3) increase of tetrahydro-11-deoxycortisol relative to total cortisol metabolites. These preliminary findings offer ways in which urinary steroid profiling performed using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry can be helpful in the diagnosis and monitoring of adrenocortical carcinoma.

Effects of alendronate on a disintegrin and metalloproteinase with thrombospondin motifs expression in the developing epiphyseal cartilage in rats

A disintegrin and metalloproteinase with thrombospondin motifs (ADAMTS) have been reported to play a role in the degradation of aggrecan, a major component of cartilage. This study was performed to examine the effects of alendronate on the expression of ADAMTS in developing femoral epiphyseal cartilage. Primary cultured chondrocytes from this cartilage were treated with alendronate in vitro and postnatal day 1 rats were injected subcutaneously with alendronate (1 mg/kg) every second day in vivo. The number of cultured chondrocytes and their aggrecan mRNA levels were unaffected by the alendronate treatment at 10(-6) to 10(-4) M concentrations. The mRNA levels of ADAMTS-1, -2 and -9 in chondrocytes were also unaffected. However, the levels of ADAMTS-5 and -4 were reduced significantly by the same treatment. The thickness of the proliferating chondrocyte layers and the aggrecan mRNA levels in the epiphysis were unaffected by the alendronate treatment in vivo. However, the hypertrophied chondrocyte layers became significantly thicker, and the size of the secondary ossification centre was reduced significantly by the same treatment (P < 0.05). Both ADAMTS-4 and -5 mRNA expressions were also reduced significantly in vivo. The immunoreactivity against ADAMTS-4 was seen in hypertrophied chondrocytes and reduced significantly by the alendronate treatment. These results suggested that alendronate can inhibit the degradation of aggrecan in the articular cartilage by downregulating the expression of matrix enzymes such as ADAMTS-4 and -5.

Prevalence and significance of white-coat hypertension and masked hypertension in type 2 diabetics

OBJECTIVES

To explore the prevalence of various categories of hypertension in diabetic patients, and assess any corresponding associations with end-organ complications.

DESIGN

Cross-sectional study.

SETTING

Tertiary centre of a regional hospital in Hong Kong.

PATIENTS

All ambulatory type 2 diabetic patients attending our clinics from January 2002 to November 2004 were invited to participate in the protocol.

RESULTS

A total of 133 diabetic patients were included; 82 had normal clinic blood pressures, 15 (18%) of whom had masked hypertension, the remaining 67 (82%) had 'normotension'. The remaining 51 patients had high clinic blood pressures, of whom 28 (55%) had white-coat hypertension and 23 (45%) had sustained hypertension. Urinary albumin excretion rate was higher in patients with masked hypertension (10 mg/day; range, 7-580 mg/day) and sustained hypertension (7 mg/day; 7-3360 mg/day) in comparison to those with white-coat hypertension (7 mg/day; 7-109 mg/day) or 'normotension' (7 mg/day; 7-181 mg/day) [P<0.01]. Likewise, the prevalence of albuminuria was significantly higher in patients with masked hypertension (40%) and sustained hypertension (26%) than in those with 'normotension' (6%) and white-coat hypertension (11%) [P<0.01]. The prevalence of left ventricular hypertrophy was significantly higher in subjects with masked hypertension (38%) and sustained hypertension (26%) compared to patients with 'normotension' (8%) or white-coat hypertension (11%) [P<0.01]. Left ventricular diastolic dysfunction was more prevalent in patients with masked hypertension (46%), sustained hypertension (48%), and white-coat hypertension (43%) in comparison to subjects with 'normotension' (18%) [P=0.01].

CONCLUSION

Masked hypertension is associated with a higher prevalence of albuminuria, left ventricular diastolic dysfunction, and hypertrophy. White-coat hypertension carries a more benign prognosis than sustained hypertension and masked hypertension. Our cross-sectional study supports the recommendation to performing ambulatory blood pressure measurements in type 2 diabetic patients.

Low-grade endometrial stromal sarcoma: a single center's experience with 22 cases

The aim of this retrospective study was to evaluate the clinical behavior and management outcome of low-grade endometrial stromal sarcoma (LGESS). From September 1994, to March 2007, 22 patients with histologically proven stage I LGESS were included in this study. Clinicopathologic variables, recurrence, and management outcomes were reviewed retrospectively. The median age of the 22 patients was 43 years. The most common presenting symptom was abnormal vaginal bleeding. All patients underwent a hysterectomy and had stage I disease. Six patients had adjuvant therapy after the hysterectomy. The median follow-up period was 77 months (range 12-202 months). Ten patients had disease recurrence. The median disease-free survival period was 111 months (range 6-182 months). The pelvis (eight cases) was the most common site of recurrence followed by the lung (four cases) and the liver (one case). Recurrent disease was treated with surgery (one case), surgery plus chemotherapy (five cases), chemotherapy (two cases), and surgery plus radiotherapy (two cases). Two patients died after 25 and 54 months after disease recurrence. Treatment with a bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy or adjuvant chemoradiation did not affect the disease-free interval. LGESS is usually a slow-growing neoplasm with an indolent clinical course. Surgery is the primary treatment for recurrent endometrial stromal sarcoma when feasible. Adjuvant treatment (radiotherapy, chemotherapy, or both) had no effect on the prognosis of patients with stage I disease.

Can we predict spontaneous capsule passage after retention? A nationwide study to evaluate the incidence and clinical outcomes of capsule retention

BACKGROUND AND STUDY AIMS

Although capsule endoscopy has become a central diagnostic tool for small-bowel evaluation, retention of a capsule remains a major concern. This study attempted to investigate the incidence and clinical outcomes of capsule retention, and to determine the factors predictive of spontaneous capsule passage after retention.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

Through a nationwide multicenter survey, we retrospectively reviewed the records of 1291 patients who had a capsule endoscopy between February 2002 and July 2006 in Korea. Clinical and procedural characteristics and postprocedural outcomes were analyzed for the cases with capsule retention.

RESULTS

Capsule retention occurred in 2.5 % of total cases (32/1291). The major diseases accompanying capsule retention were Crohn's disease, malignant tumors, and tuberculous enterocolitis, in decreasing order. In 11 of the 32 patients (34.4 %), early surgical or endoscopic interventions were instituted for diagnosis or treatment of diseases before retention symptoms developed. The remaining 21 (65.6 %) patients initially received medical treatments. Of these, 10 (31.3 %) ultimately underwent surgical intervention due to the development of symptoms of intestinal obstruction or medical treatment failure. The other 11 (34.4 %) eventually passed the capsule. The presence of a larger lumen diameter (greater than two-thirds of the capsule diameter) at the stricture site was associated with spontaneous passage.

CONCLUSIONS

Our large-scale study suggests that retention occurs infrequently during capsule endoscopy. Moreover, a retained capsule might indicate the best intervention for the offending pathology, or it may spontaneously pass in the long run, particularly in patients with less small bowel stricture.

Prognostic factors associated with brain metastases from epithelial ovarian carcinoma

Brain metastasis from epithelial ovarian carcinoma (EOC) is managed by a multimodal treatment approach. Thus, to determine the prognostic factors associated with this situation is important for management decisions regarding the type of treatment and aggressiveness of treatment. From 1995 to 2005, 13 patients with brain metastases resulting from EOC underwent treatment at Samsung Medical Center. We retrospectively reviewed the medical records to determine prognostic factors and to evaluate treatment outcome. The median age at diagnosis for primary ovarian carcinoma and brain metastasis was 52 and 55 years, respectively. Median interval to brain metastases was 28 months after the diagnosis of EOC. At the time of analysis, nine patients had died of disease. The median survival from brain relapse was 7 months. A Karnofsky performance status of 70 or higher, primary control, solitary brain lesions, recursive partitioning analysis (RPA) class, and treatment modality including gamma-knife radiosurgery (GKRS) were related to survival on univariate analyses. Multivariate analysis showed that treatment modality including GKRS was a more important prognostic factor than RPA class (P= 0.04). This small series demonstrated that GKRS can be a valuable modality for the management of brain metastasis in patients with EOC. Therefore, a better outcome can be achieved by choosing GKRS in their treatments in selected patients.

Increased expression of Toll-like receptor 5 during progression of cervical neoplasia

The purpose of this study was to determine whether Toll-like receptor 5 (TLR5) expression was associated with disease progression in cervical neoplasia. TLR5 expression was evaluated by immunohistochemistry (IHC) in 55 formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded cervical tissues; 10 normal cervical specimens, 9 low-grade cervical intraepithelial neoplasias (CINs), 12 high-grade CINs, and 24 invasive squamous cell carcinomas (ISCCs). TLR5 expression was also evaluated at the RNA level, in fresh, frozen cervical carcinoma tissues by real-time quantitative RT-PCR. TLR5 expression, which was mainly observed as cytoplasmic staining, gradually increased in accordance with the histopathologic grade in the following order: low-grade CIN less than high-grade CIN less than ISCC (P < 0.001). Immunohistochemical staining showed that TLR5 expression was undetectable (80%) or weak (20%) in normal cervical squamous epithelial tissues. However, moderate expression was detected in 33.3% of low-grade CIN (3/9), 41.7% of high-grade CIN (5/12), and 45.8% of ISCC (11/24). Strong expression was detected in as much as 33.3% of high-grade CIN (4/12) and 50% of ISCC (12/24). Contrary to IHC results, real-time quantitative RT-PCR revealed that TLR5 expression in tumors was not statistically different compared to normal cervical tissues (P = 0.1452). The IHC result suggests that TLR5 may play a significant role in tumor progression of cervical neoplasia and may represent a useful marker for malignant transformation of cervical squamous cells.

Salvage chemotherapy with a combination of paclitaxel, ifosfamide, and cisplatin for the patients with recurrent carcinoma of the uterine cervix

The aim of this study was to assess the efficacy and toxicities of a combination of paclitaxel, ifosfamide, and cisplatin (TIP) for recurrent carcinoma of the uterine cervix. Fifty-three patients with recurrent cervical carcinoma were treated with ifosfamide 1500 mg/m(2) intravenously over 3 h on days 1-3, paclitaxel 135 mg/m(2) as a 3-h intravenous infusion, and cisplatin 50 mg/m(2) intravenously over 30 min on day 1. The chemotherapy was repeated every 3 weeks until there was disease progression or unacceptable toxicity. Forty-five patients received at least three courses of treatment and were evaluable for their response. Twenty-one patients (46.7%) showed objective responses, including 4.4% complete responses and 42.2% partial responses. The median time to progression and the overall survival for all the patients were 8.0 months (95% confidence interval [CI], 7.1-8.9 months) and 19.0 months (95% CI, 11.9-26.1 months), respectively. The median duration of response was 9.0 months. Patients who had previously been treated with another chemotherapy after tumor recurrence showed a moderate response rate (29.4%) but a shorter time to progression (6 vs 8 months, P= 0.0421) and a shorter survival (11 vs 39 months, P= 0.0018). Patients with good performance status showed a higher response rate (63.6% vs 30.4%, P= 0.026) and a longer time to progression (9 vs 7 months, P= 0.0049). Patients with recurrent disease only outside the previous radiotherapy (RT) field exhibited a slightly higher response without statistical significance (60.0% vs 36.0%, P= 0.109). Grade 3 or 4 toxicities included neutropenia in 13% of patients and neurotoxicity in 5%. Three deaths during treatment were observed, but two of them were due to disease progression. We conclude that the combination chemotherapy with TIP yields a high response rate with acceptable toxicity for patients with recurrent cervical carcinoma, including those patients who have failed to respond to prior platinum-based chemotherapy.

15-Deoxy-Δ12,14-prostaglandin J2 (15d-PGJ2) Induces Cell Death Through Caspase-independent Mechanism in A172 Human Glioma Cells

15-Deoxy-(Delta12,14)-prostaglandin J(2) (15d-PGJ(2)) is a naturally occurring cyclopentenone metabolite of prostaglandin D(2) (PGD(2)) and is known as a specific potent ligand for the peroxisome proliferators activator receptor-gamma (PPARgamma). 15d-PGJ(2) inhibits cell growth and induces apoptosis in a number of different cancer cells. However, the underlying mechanism by which 15d-PGJ(2) induces cell death remains to be defined. The present study was undertaken to determine the effect of 15d-PGJ(2) on cell death in A172 human glioma cells. 15d-PGJ(2) caused reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation. 15d-PGJ(2)-induced ROS production and cell death were prevented by the antioxidant N-acetylcysteine. Activation of mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPK) was not observed in cells treated with 15d-PGJ(2 )and inhibitors of MAPK subfamilies also were not effective in preventing 15d-PGJ(2)-induced cell death. 15d-PGJ(2) treatment caused mitochondrial dysfunction, as evidenced by depolarization of mitochondrial membrane potential. 15d-PGJ(2) induced caspase activation at 24 h of treatment, but the 15d-PGJ(2)-induced cell death was not prevented by caspase inhibitors. The antiapoptotic protein XIAP levels and release of apoptosis inducing factor (AIF) into the cytosol were not altered by 15d-PGJ(2) treatment. Taken together, these findings indicate that 15d-PGJ(2) triggers cell death through a caspase-independent mechanism and ROS production and disruption of mitochondrial membrane potential play an important role in the 15d-PGJ(2)-induced cell death in A172 human glioma cells.

Increased expression of pAKT is associated with radiation resistance in cervical cancer

Phosphorylated AKT (pAKT) is a major contributor to radioresistance in human cancers. The aim of this study was to investigate the association of pAKT expression and radiation resistance in cervical cancer. A retrospective review was made of the records of 27 women who received primary radiation therapy due to locally advanced cervical cancer (LACC) with FIGO stage IIB–IVA. Nine patients regarded as radiation resistant developed local recurrences with a median progression free interval of 9 months. Eighteen patients did not show local recurrences, and were regarded as a radiation-sensitive group. Using pretreatment paraffin-embedded tissues, we evaluated pAKT expression by immunohistochemistry. A significant association was found between the level of pAKT expression and local recurrence. Immunohistochemical staining for pAKT was significantly more frequent in the radiation-resistant than in the radiation-sensitive group (P=0.004). The mean progression-free survival was 86 months for patients with pAKT-negative staining (19 cases) and 44 months for patients with pAKT-positive expression (eight cases) (P=0.008). These results suggest that signalling from phosphatidylinositide 3-kinase/pAKT can lead to radiation resistance, and that evaluation of pAKT may be a prognostic marker for response to radiotherapy in LACC.