Circulating tumor cells detected in follow-up predict survival outcomes in tri-modality management of advanced non-metastatic esophageal cancer: a secondary analysis of the QUINTETT randomized trial.

Background: Our aim was to establish if presence of circulating tumor cells (CTCs) predicted worse outcome in patients with non-metastatic esophageal cancer undergoing tri-modality therapy.

Methods: We prospectively collected CTC data from patients with operable non-metastatic esophageal cancer from April 2009 to November 2016 enrolled in our QUINTETT esophageal cancer randomized trial (NCT00907543). Patients were randomized to receive either neoadjuvant cisplatin and 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) plus radiotherapy followed by surgical resection (Neoadjuvant) or adjuvant cisplatin, 5-FU, and epirubicin chemotherapy with concurrent extended volume radiotherapy following surgical resection (Adjuvant).

The quality of life in neoadjuvant versus adjuvant therapy of esophageal cancer treatment trial (QUINTETT): Randomized parallel clinical superiority trial.

Background: We compared the health-related quality of life (HRQOL) in patients undergoing trimodality therapy for resectable stage I-III esophageal cancer.

Methods: A total of 96 patients were randomized to standard neoadjuvant cisplatin and 5-fluorouracil chemotherapy plus radiotherapy (neoadjuvant) followed by surgical resection or adjuvant cisplatin, 5-fluorouracil, and epirubicin chemotherapy with concurrent extended volume radiotherapy (adjuvant) following surgical resection.

Results: There was no significant difference in the functional assessment of cancer therapy-esophageal (FACT-E) total scores between arms at 1 year (p = 0.

Children and Adults With Rare Diseases Need Innovative Medical Devices.

Rare diseases (RD) affect approximately 30 million Americans, half of whom are children. This study is the first to comprehensively evaluate their medical device needs via a survey of physicians. The study sought to identify and document the presumed unmet diagnostic and therapeutic device needs for RD management; clarify the magnitude of the potential unmet need; and generate meaningful data to inform medical device stakeholders.

Cellular mechanisms of aneurysm occlusion after treatment with a flow diverter.

Purpose: To characterize the progression of healing across aneurysm necks following treatment with a flow diverter in a rabbit aneurysm model.

Materials And Methods: With institutional animal care and use committee approval, saccular aneurysms were created in 20 rabbits and treated with flow diverters. On days 1, 3, and 7 and weeks 4 and 8 after implantation, the aneurysm and the device-implanted vessel were harvested.

FDA's pediatric device consortia: national program fosters pediatric medical device development.

Objectives: This article reports on the progress made in addressing pediatric medical device needs through the establishment of the Pediatric Device Consortia Grant Program. Pediatric practitioners should be aware of both the imperative for well-studied devices for children and the existence of recently created resources to help foster the development of such products.

Methods: This article discusses some of the challenges associated with pediatric device development and describes the implementation of section 305 of the Pediatric Medical Device Safety and Improvement Act of 2007.

Healing of saccular aneurysms following platinum coil embolization: lack of improved efficacy with vitamin C supplementation.

Background And Purpose: To test the hypothesis that systemic administration of vitamin C, through its action of stimulating collagen synthesis and crosslinking, would decrease the recurrence and improve the occlusion of experimental aneurysms treated with platinum coils.

Methods: Experimental aneurysms were created in female rabbits and were embolized with platinum coils (>30% packing density). The animals were divided into three groups: group 1 (n=6) rabbits served as controls, group 2 (n=5) rabbits were fed with a vitamin C supplemented feed and group 3 (n=8) rabbits were medicated with vitamin C pills.

Lack of aneurysm formation after carotid artery ligation in rabbits: a polymer MICROFIL® study.

Introduction: Previous studies have noted formation of saccular aneurysms along the distal basilar artery/P1 segments after carotid ligation in rabbits. In this prospective study we employed MICROFIL®, a polymer, which was used to fill the entire arterial tree, to examine the incidence of microaneurysm formation following right common carotid artery (RCCA) ligation in rabbits.

Methods: RCCA ligation was performed in 18 New Zealand White rabbits for 0 day (n = 2), 3 weeks (n = 6), or 16 weeks (n = 10).

The effect of three nursing interventions on thermoregulation in low birth weight infants.

Purpose: The primary aim of this study was to evaluate the use of three nursing interventions--occlusive wrap, chemical mattress, and regulation of delivery room temperature--singly and in combination in consecutive years on thermoregulation in six groups of low birth weight infants.

Design: A quasi-experimental design was used. Prospective data were collected on 133 infants weighing <1,500 g.

Gene expression changes: five years after creation of elastase-induced aneurysms.

Purpose: Intracranial saccular aneurysms are associated with chronic remodeling of the arterial wall. The pathobiology of aneurysm growth and rupture is poorly understood. The present study was performed to study the gene expression patterns in elastase-induced saccular aneurysms in rabbits 5 years after aneurysm creation, compared with unoperated control arteries.

Differential gene expression in well-healed and poorly healed experimental aneurysms after coil treatment.

Purpose: To compare gene expression patterns between well-healed and poorly healed aneurysms following coil embolization in a rabbit model.

Materials And Methods: The Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee approved all procedures before initiation of the study. Elastase-induced, saccular aneurysms were created in rabbits and embolized by using platinum microcoils.

Sensitivity of CFD based hemodynamic results in rabbit aneurysm models to idealizations in surrounding vasculature.

Computational fluid dynamics (CFD) studies provide a valuable tool for evaluating the role of hemodynamics in vascular diseases such as cerebral aneurysms and atherosclerosis. However, such models necessarily only include isolated segments of the vasculature. In this work, we evaluate the influence of geometric approximations in vascular anatomy on hemodynamics in elastase induced saccular aneurysms in rabbits.

Differential expression of genes in elastase-induced saccular aneurysms with high and low aspect ratios.

Background: Morphologic features are thought to play a critical role in the rupture of intracranial, saccular aneurysms.

Objective: The objective of this study was to investigate the gene expression pattern of saccular aneurysms with distinct morphologic patterns.

Methods: Elastase-induced saccular aneurysms with high (>or= 2.

Implementation of a methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) prevention bundle results in decreased MRSA surgical site infections.

Background: Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) surgical site infections (SSIs) increase morbidity and mortality. We examined the impact of the MRSA bundle on SSIs.

Methods: Data regarding the implementation of the MRSA bundle from 2007 to 2008 were obtained, including admission and discharge MRSA screenings, overall MRSA infections, and cardiac and orthopedic SSIs.

A nosocomial outbreak of norovirus infection masquerading as clostridium difficile infection.

Noroviruses (NoVs) are increasingly being recognized as important enteric pathogens. At a university-based hospital, we investigated a nosocomial outbreak of NoV infection that was originally attributed to Clostridium difficile. We describe here the unique challenges of the identification of NoVs as the true etiologic pathogen in an outbreak occurring in a health care setting, where C.

Plasma levels of nitrite and nitrate in early and recent classes of fish.

The stable metabolite of nitric oxide in plasma is NOx, the sum of nitrite plus nitrate. Measures of plasma NOx may provide information about the nitric oxide tonus of the entire endothelium including capillary microvessels. Although data are available for mammalian species, plasma NOx measurements in early vertebrate species are scarce.

The influence of hemodynamic forces on biomarkers in the walls of elastase-induced aneurysms in rabbits.

Introduction: Biological and biophysical factors have been shown to play an important role in the initiation, progression, and rupture of intracranial aneurysms. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the association between hemodynamic forces and markers of vascular remodeling in elastase-induced saccular aneurysms in rabbits.

Methods: Elastase-induced aneurysms were created at the origin of the right common carotid artery in rabbits.

Molecular indices of apoptosis activation in elastase-induced aneurysms after embolization with platinum coils.

Background And Purpose: Even though endovascular coils have been widely used for the treatment of intracranial aneurysms, the cellular and molecular responses of aneurysms to the coils after embolization remain poorly understood. The aim of the present study was to understand the mechanism of apoptosis in aneurysms embolized with platinum coils in the rabbit model of elastase-induced aneurysms.

Methods: Elastase-induced saccular aneurysms were created at the origin of the right common carotid artery in 30 rabbits.

A new endoluminal, flow-disrupting device for treatment of saccular aneurysms.

Background And Purpose: We report a preclinical study of a new endoluminal device for aneurysm occlusion to test the hypothesis that the device, even without use of intrasaccular coil placement, could occlude saccular aneurysms without causing substantial parent artery compromise or compromise of adjacent, small branch arteries.

Methods: The Pipeline Neuroendovascular Device (Pipeline NED; Chestnut Medical Technologies, Inc) is a braided, tubular, bimetallic endoluminal implant aimed at occlusion of saccular aneurysms through flow disruption along the aneurysm neck. The device was implanted across the necks of 17 elastase-induced aneurysms in the New Zealand white rabbit model and followed for 1 month (n=6), 3 months (n=5), and 6 months (n=6).

Endovascular treatment of experimental aneurysms by use of fibroblast-coated platinum coils: an angiographic and histopathologic study.

Background And Purpose: The purpose of this study was to determine whether implanting exogenous fibroblasts on platinum coils could enhance intra-aneurysmal fibrosis. Hypotheses included: (1) fibroblast-coated (FBC) platinum coils can improve angiographic results after embolization; and (2) FBC platinum coils can accelerate histological healing of embolized aneurysms.

Methods: Experimental aneurysms in rabbits were embolized with control platinum coils (n=18) or FBC coils (n=18).

Treatment with raloxifene and 17beta-estradiol differentially modulates nitric oxide and prostanoids in venous endothelium and platelets of ovariectomized pigs.

Oral treatment with raloxifene, a synthetic estrogen receptor modulator (SERM), or 17beta-estradiol (E2) increases risk for venous thrombosis in women. Acute application of either substance releases endothelium-derived factors from isolated femoral veins but it is not known how their chronic use affects venous functions or the interaction of platelets with veins. This study tested the hypothesis that treatment of ovariectomized animals with oral raloxifene or E2 would increase release of proaggregatory factors from venous endothelium and platelets.

Vascular anatomic variation in rabbits.

Purpose: To explore the vascular anatomic variation along the aortic arch in New Zealand White rabbits with the goal of highlighting potential anatomic configurations that might be encountered in the performance of preclinical endovascular research in rabbits.

Materials And Methods: Digital subtraction angiography images of the brachiocephalic artery (BCA) and aortic arch in New Zealand White rabbits were obtained after creation of elastase-induced aneurysms at the origin of the right common carotid artery (RCCA) in 214 animals. The patterns of origin of the RCCA and left common carotid artery (LCCA), right subclavian artery (RSCA) and left subclavian artery (LSCA), and right vertebral artery (RVA) and left vertebral artery (LVA) were analyzed.

Modified technique to create morphologically reproducible elastase-induced aneurysms in rabbits.

Introduction: The purpose of this study was to create morphologically reproducible elastase-induced model aneurysms in rabbits.

Methods: We created 120 elastase-induced aneurysms in rabbits using two different methods: the standard technique (group 1, n=62) and a modified technique (group 2, n=58). In the standard technique a small cutdown with a focal area of exposure of the mid-right common carotid artery (RCCA) was employed, while in the modified technique the RCCA was completely exposed to its origin.

Histopathologic and immunohistochemical comparison of human, rabbit, and swine aneurysms embolized with platinum coils.

Background And Purpose: The purpose of this study was to clarify the cellular mechanisms of aneurysmal healing by comparing histologic and immunohistochemical findings in experimental rabbit and swine aneurysms to a human aneurysm embolized with platinum coils.

Methods: Swine sidewall aneurysms (n = 5, harvested at 12 weeks) and elastase-induced rabbit aneurysms (n = 6, harvested at 24 weeks) were created and embolized. A single human aneurysm, embolized 6 years before death, was harvested following autopsy.

Can neck size in elastase-induced aneurysms be controlled? A prospective study.

Background And Purpose: An earlier retrospective study indicated that the neck size of elastase-induced aneurysms could be controlled by adjusting the position of the inflated balloon. We report the current prospective study to confirm our previous work.

Methods: Ninety elastase-induced aneurysms were created in rabbits.