Oncologic outcomes of screen-detected and non-screen-detected T1 colorectal cancers.

Background: The incidence of T1 colorectal cancer (CRC) has increased with the implementation of CRC screening programs. It is unknown whether the outcomes and risk models for T1 CRC based on non-screen-detected patients can be extrapolated to screen-detected T1 CRC. This study aimed to compare the stage distribution and oncologic outcomes of T1 CRC patients within and outside the screening program.

Impact of ≥ 0.1-mm free resection margins on local intramural residual cancer after local excision of T1 colorectal cancer.

A free resection margin (FRM) > 1 mm after local excision of a T1 colorectal cancer (CRC) is known to be associated with a low risk of local intramural residual cancer (LIRC). The risk is unclear, however, for FRMs between 0.1 to 1 mm.

Full-Thickness Scar Resection After R1/Rx Excised T1 Colorectal Cancers as an Alternative to Completion Surgery.

Introduction: Local full-thickness resections of the scar (FTRS) after local excision of a T1 colorectal cancer (CRC) with uncertain resection margins is proposed as an alternative strategy to completion surgery (CS), provided that no local intramural residual cancer (LIRC) is found. However, a comparison on long-term oncological outcome between both strategies is missing.

Methods: A large cohort of patients with consecutive T1 CRC between 2000 and 2017 was used.

High practice variation in risk stratification, baseline oncological staging, and follow-up strategies for T1 colorectal cancers in the Netherlands.

 Based on pathology, locally resected T1 colorectal cancer (T1-CRC) can be classified as having low- or high-risk for irradicality and/or lymph node metastasis, the latter requiring adjuvant surgery. Reporting and application of pathological high-risk criteria is likely variable, with inherited variation regarding baseline oncological staging, treatment and surveillance.  We assessed practice variation using an online survey among gastroenterologists and surgeons participating in the Dutch T1-CRC Working Group.

Low value of second-look endoscopy for detecting residual colorectal cancer after endoscopic removal.

Background And Aims: Endoscopic resection is often feasible for submucosal invasive colorectal cancers (T1 CRCs) and usually judged as complete. If histology casts doubt on the radicality of resection margins, adjuvant surgical resection is advised, although residual intramural cancer is found in only 5% to 15% of patients. We assessed the sensitivity of biopsy specimens from the resection area for residual intramural cancer as a potential tool to estimate the preoperative risk of residual intramural cancer in patients without risk factors for lymph node metastasis (LNM).

The Accuracy of Pancreatic Perfusion Computed Tomography and Angiography in Predicting Necrotizing Pancreatitis: A Systematic Review.

Early prediction of necrotizing pancreatitis is important for tailoring treatment, but current scoring systems have moderate accuracy and can be calculated only 24 to 48 hours after disease onset. Evaluation of (micro)circulatory changes in acute pancreatitis at admission by perfusion computed tomography (PCT) or angiography could predict necrosis earlier. Our aim was to systematically review the evidence for angiographic and PCT prediction of necrotizing pancreatitis.

Treatment Targets in Inflammatory Bowel Disease: Current Status in Daily Practice.

Background And Aims: Recently, treatment goals in inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) in clinical trials have shifted from mainly symptom-based to more mucosa-driven. Real world data on treatment priorities are lacking. We aimed to investigate the current practice and most commonly used definitions of IBD treatment targets among Dutch gastroenterologists.

Success of delayed thrombolysis for metallic tricuspid valve thrombosis.

We discuss the case of a 55-year-old woman with a history of gastric ulcer, mechanical tricuspid and mitral valve replacement and a pacemaker for post-operative total heart block. The patient underwent elective pacemaker replacement. She developed a large infra-umbilical rectal sheath haematoma during bridging therapy with low-molecular-weight heparins (LMWH), for which she was treated with angiographic embolisation of the epigastric artery.

TLR ligands and cytokines induce CXCR3 ligands in endothelial cells: enhanced CXCL9 in autoimmune arthritis.

CXC chemokines are potent attractants of neutrophil granulocytes, T cells or natural killer cells. Toll-like receptors (TLR) recognize microbial components and are also activated by endogenous molecules possibly implicated in autoimmune arthritis. In contrast to CXC chemokine ligand 8 (CXCL8), no CXC chemokine receptor 3 (CXCR3) ligand (ie CXCL9, CXCL10 and CXCL11) was induced by bacterial TLR ligands in human microvascular endothelial cells (HMVEC).

Experimental pain thresholds influenced by sex of experimenter.

Thresholds for pressure pain were tested in 64 adult human subjects (age: M=22.0 yr., SD=7.

Chemokines in gastrointestinal disorders.

The intestine is constantly challenged by food antigens and pathogens and is therefore in need of a good working innate and adaptive immune response. Chemokines are important modulators as they assure the directed movement of immune cells within the body. In addition, chemokines play an important role in hematopoiesis, angiogenesis and tumor metastasis.

GCP-2/CXCL6 synergizes with other endothelial cell-derived chemokines in neutrophil mobilization and is associated with angiogenesis in gastrointestinal tumors.

The precise role of chemokines in neovascularization during inflammation or tumor growth is not yet fully understood. We show here that the chemokines granulocyte chemotactic protein-2 (GCP-2/CXCL6), interleukin-8 (IL-8/CXCL8), and monocyte chemotactic protein-1 (MCP-1/CCL2) are co-induced in microvascular endothelial cells after stimulation with pro-inflammatory stimuli. In contrast with its weak proliferative effect on endothelial cells, GCP-2 synergized with MCP-1 in neutrophil chemotaxis.

Rabbit neutrophil chemotactic protein (NCP) activates both CXCR1 and CXCR2 and is the functional homologue for human CXCL6.

Neutrophil chemotactic protein (NCP) is a rabbit CXC chemokine with activating and chemotactic properties on neutrophilic granulocytes. Although its selective activity on neutrophils is demonstrated, its interactions with specific chemokine receptors are not defined. For further functional characterization, NCP was chemically synthesized and was found to be equipotent as natural NCP in neutrophil chemotaxis.

CXCR1-binding chemokines in inflammatory bowel diseases: down-regulated IL-8/CXCL8 production by leukocytes in Crohn's disease and selective GCP-2/CXCL6 expression in inflamed intestinal tissue.

Crohn's disease (CD) and ulcerative colitis (UC) are inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD) that are characterized by chronic intestinal inflammation and a constant influx of leukocytes mediated by pro-inflammatory cytokines and chemokines. The intestinal expression of the CXCR1-binding chemokines IL-8/CXCL8 and GCP-2/CXCL6 and the participation of immunocompetent cells in IBD were evaluated. IL-8 production by peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) from IBD patients, stimulated with endotoxin, plant lectin or double-stranded RNA, was significantly lowered in patients with CD, but not in UC patients or healthy subjects.

Pain thresholds and tolerances of competitive rowers and their use of spontaneous self-generated pain-coping strategies.

Experimental ischaemic pain was induced in 20 male competitive rowers in training and a control group of 20 males not in training. Pain tolerances, but not thresholds, were higher for competitive rowers. The rowers also reported using a range of self-generated pain-coping strategies during testing which, they claimed, they also used during training.

PARC/CCL18 is a plasma CC chemokine with increased levels in childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia.

Chemokines play an important role in leukocyte mobilization, hematopoiesis, and angiogenesis. Tissue-specific expression of particular chemokines also influences tumor growth and metastasis. Here, the CC chemokine pulmonary and activation-regulated chemokine (PARC)/CCL18 was measured in pediatric patients with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) or acute myeloid leukemia (AML).

Effects of arginine-vasopressin (AVP) on long-term potentiation in intact anesthetized rats.

We studied the effects of the neuropeptide arginine-vasopressin (AVP) on the long-term potentiation (LTP) paradigm in the dentate gyrus (DG) of urethane intact anesthetized rats. Intracerebroventricular injection of 1 microg of the hormone in 1 microl of physiological solution 3 min before tetanization, produced a significant increase in both components of the perforant path-evoked potentials (EP) in the DG. The effects were already evident 1 min after tetanization.

The CXC chemokine GCP-2/CXCL6 is predominantly induced in mesenchymal cells by interleukin-1beta and is down-regulated by interferon-gamma: comparison with interleukin-8/CXCL8.

Human granulocyte chemotactic protein-2 (GCP-2)/CXCL6 is a CXC chemokine that functionally uses both of the IL-8/CXCL8 receptors to chemoattract neutrophils but that is structurally most related to epithelial cell-derived neutrophil attractant-78 (ENA-78)/CXCL5. This study provides the first evidence that GCP-2 protein is, compared with IL-8, weakly produced by some sarcoma, but less by carcinoma cells, and is tightly regulated in normal mesenchymal cells. IL-1beta was the predominant GCP-2 inducer in fibroblasts, chondrocytes, and endothelial cells, whereas IL-8 was equally well up-regulated in these cells by TNF-alpha, measles virus, or double-stranded RNA (dsRNA).

Effects of androstenedione on long term potentiation in the rat dentate gyrus. Relevance for affective and degenerative diseases.

We studied the effects of the androgenic hormone androstenedione, a 17-ketosteroid, on long term potentiation (LTP) in the dentate gyrus (DG) of intact, urethane anesthetized rats. Intravenous injection of 10mg of the hormone dissolved in Nutralipid produced a significant increase of the population spike (PS), but not of the excitatory post-synaptic potentials (EPSPs). The results are discussed in terms of the potential enhancement that androstenedione may have on some aspects of memory processes as reported for other androgenic steroids.

Oxytocin induces long-term depression on the rat dentate gyrus: possible ATPase and ectoprotein kinase mediation.

We studied the effects of the neuropeptide oxytocin (OT) on the long-term potentiation (LTP) paradigm in the dentate gyrus (DG) of urethane anesthetized rats. Intracerebroventricular injection of 1 microg of the hormone in 1 microl of physiological solution 2min before tetanization produced a significant decrease in both components of the perforant path evoked potentials (EP) in the DG. The effects appeared right after the tetanization stimuli and were more pronounced in the excitatory postsynaptic components of the EPs.

Androsterone sulfate increases dentate gyrus population spike amplitude following tetanic stimulation.

We studied the effects of the androgenic hormone, androsterone sulfate, a 17-ketosteroid, on long term potentiation in the dentate gyrus (DG) of urethane anesthesized rats. Intravenous injection of 10 mg of the hormone dissolved in Nutralipid produced a significant increase of the population spike (PS), but not of the excitatory post-synaptic potentials (EPSP). The results are discussed in terms of the potential enhancement that androsterone sulfate may have on memory as was described for one of its parent compounds, dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) and its potential use as an antidepressant.

Are pain tolerance of female runners and use of pain coping strategies related to the experience of childbirth?

Experimental ischaemic pain tolerances were compared for 10 female runners who had given birth and 10 female runners who had not given birth. In both groups pain tolerances were positively correlated with the spontaneous use of pain coping strategies. No differences were found between the groups in pain tolerances, use of coping strategies, or estimates of pain intensity at tolerance; however, athletes who had experienced childbirth reported tolerating greater pain during their normal training sessions.

Dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate (DHEAS) counteracts decremental effects of corticosterone on dentate gyrus LTP. Implications for depression.

It is well-established that levels of corticosterone sufficient to occupy Type II glucocorticoid receptors produce a decrement in long-term potentiation (LTP) in the dentate gyrus of the hippocampus in rats. In the present series of experiments we investigate the interaction of corticosterone and the neurosteroid dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate (DHEAS) on LTP in the rat dentate gyrus. In confirmation of previous studies, we found that corticosterone (2 mg/kg) had decremental effects on LTP.

Coping with labor pain.

This exploratory study aimed to examine the nature, origin, and effectiveness of pain coping strategies used during childbirth. The labor pain of 51 British women was assessed around the time of birth by visual analogue scales and the McGill Pain Questionnaire. The use of pain coping strategies and their origins was established through the analysis of data obtained in an extended semi-structured interview.

Effects of adrenocortical steroids on long-term potentiation in the limbic system: basic mechanisms and behavioral consequences.

Hippocampal structures are a major target for adrenal steroid hormones, and hence these neural regions are some of the most likely mediators of the effects of adrenocortical steroids on behavior. Memory disturbance, in particular biasing toward negative contents, are part of the symptomatology presented by depressive patients. In turn, a sizeable subset of depression also presents with hypercortisolemia.