Novel technique for anastomotic salvage using transanal minimally invasive surgery: A case report.

Background: Anastomotic leak (AL) after low anterior resection (LAR) can be a highly morbid complication. The incidence of AL ranges from 5% to 20% depending on patient characteristics and the distance of the anastomosis from the anal verge. Low anastomoses and leaks pose technical challenges for endoscopic treatment.

R0 resection and reconstruction for a large, rapidly progressive chest wall sarcoma.

Background: Chest wall sarcomas are a rare group of soft tissue malignancies with variable presentations. Here we describe the definitive management of a large, rapidly progressing chest wall sarcoma arising from the pectoralis major muscle.

Case Report: An obese 42-year-old African American male with multiple medical comorbidities presented with new onset right-sided chest pain and a palpable right chest mass.

Effector CD4 T cells with progenitor potential mediate chronic intestinal inflammation.

Dysregulated CD4 T cell responses are causally linked to autoimmune and chronic inflammatory disorders, yet the cellular attributes responsible for maintaining the disease remain poorly understood. Herein, we identify a discrete population of effector CD4 T cells that is able to both sustain and confer intestinal inflammation. This subset of pathogenic CD4 T cells possesses a unique gene signature consistent with self-renewing T cells and hematopoietic progenitor cells, exhibits enhanced survival, and continually seeds the terminally differentiated IFNγ-producing cells in the inflamed intestine.

Polycrystallinity of Lithographically Fabricated Plasmonic Nanostructures Dominates Their Acoustic Vibrational Damping.

The study of acoustic vibrations in nanoparticles provides unique and unparalleled insight into their mechanical properties. Electron-beam lithography of nanostructures allows precise manipulation of their acoustic vibration frequencies through control of nanoscale morphology. However, the dissipation of acoustic vibrations in this important class of nanostructures has not yet been examined.

Crystal structure of 2-bromo-3-di-methyl-amino-N,N,N',N',4-penta-methyl-4-(tri-methyl-sil-yloxy)pent-2-eneamidinium bromide.

The reaction of the ortho-amide 1,1,1-tris-(di-methyl-amino)-4-methyl-4-(tri-methyl-sil-yloxy)pent-2-yne with bromine in benzene, yields the title salt, C15H33BrN3OSi(+)·Br(-). The C-N bond lengths in the amidinium unit are 1.319 (6) and 1.

Virus-specific CD4 and CD8 T cell responses in the absence of Th1-associated transcription factors.

Effector and memory CD4 and CD8 T cell responses are critical for the control of many intracellular pathogens. The development of these populations is governed by transcription factors that molecularly control their differentiation, function, and maintenance. Two transcription factors known to be involved in these processes are Tbet and STAT4.

Theoretical investigation of macrodipoles in supramolecular columnar stackings.

Supramolecular columnar assemblies are known to form intrinsic macrodipoles, which play an important role in intercolumnar interactions and govern the self-assembly on the mesoscale. A prominent class that provides this feature are trisamide derivatives, namely, 1,3,5-benzenetrisamides and 1,3,5-cyclohexanetrisamides. The understanding of how subtle changes in the chemical structure influence the columnar order and consequently the macrodipole formation is of fundamental interest.

Probing self-assembled 1,3,5-benzenetrisamides in isotactic polypropylene by 13C DQ solid-state NMR spectroscopy.

Using (13)C double quantum solid-state NMR spectroscopy, we were able to observe nuclei of a supramolecular BTA based additive on the nanoscale in a matrix of i-PP at a concentration of only 0.09 wt%. These nuclei exhibit the analogous structural features as the crystalline phase of the neat additive.

Phase behavior and mesophase structures of 1,3,5-benzene- and 1,3,5-cyclohexanetricarboxamides: towards an understanding of the losing order at the transition into the isotropic phase.

One of the simplest and most-versatile motifs in supramolecular chemistry is based on 1,3,5-benzenetricarboxamides. Variation of the core structure and subtle changes in the structures of the lateral substituents govern the self-assembly and determine the phase behavior. Herein, we provide a comprehensive comparison between the phase behavior and mesophase structure of a series of 1,3,5-benzene- and 1,3,5-cyclohexanetricarboxamides that contain linear and branched alkyl substituents.

Variation of the gene encoding the nuclear bile salt receptor FXR and gallstone susceptibility in mice and humans.

Background/aims: From quantitative trait locus mapping in inbred mice, we identified the Nr1h4 gene encoding the nuclear bile salt receptor FXR as a candidate gene for the cholesterol gallstone susceptibility locus Lith7. Here, we investigated further an association of the gene encoding FXR and gallstone susceptibility in mice and humans.

Methods: The Nr1h4 gene was sequenced in inbred mouse strains with susceptible and resistant Lith7 alleles.

Fries rearrangement of aryl formates: a mechanistic study by means of 1H, 2H, and 11B NMR spectroscopy and DFT calculations.

1H, 2H, and 11B NMR spectroscopy has been used to study the mechanism of the Fries rearrangement of aryl formates promoted by boron trichloride by monitoring both the substrate and the Lewis acid. DFT calculations were employed to investigate the energetics of several reaction paths and to calculate NMR chemical shifts of key intermediates and products. After the formation of a 1:1 substrate-Lewis acid adduct, the rearrangement proceeds in two steps, beginning with the cleavage of the ester bond and the release of formyl chloride in situ, which, in turn, acts as a formylating agent, introducing an aldehydic functionality into the aromatic ring.

Evaluation of the 4q32-34 locus in European familial pancreatic cancer.

Background: Familial pancreatic cancer (FPC) describes a group of families where the inheritance of pancreatic cancer is consistent with an autosomal-dominant mode of inheritance. The 4q32-34 region has been previously identified as a potential locus for FPC in a large American family.

Methods: The region was allelotyped in 231 individuals from 77 European families using nine microsatellite markers, and haplotyping was possible in 191 individuals from 41 families.

Low frequency of CHEK2 mutations in familial pancreatic cancer.

Familial pancreatic cancer (FPC) is a rare tumour syndrome and its underlying major gene defect is still unknown. Recently, CHEK2 has been identified as multi-organ cancer susceptibility gene associated with a predisposition to breast, prostate and colon cancer. Since these cancers also are associated with some FPC families, we have analysed 35 index patients of German FPC families for CHEK2 mutations.

Short-term preoperative radiotherapy in rectal cancer patients leads to a reduction of the detectable number of lymph nodes in resection specimens.

Background And Aims: The Union Internationale Contre le Cancer and American Joint Committee on Cancer classification propose that pN(0)-classified colorectal lymphadenectomy specimens will ordinarily include 12 or more tumor-negative lymph nodes. We performed a clinical trial to investigate whether a short-term preoperative radiotherapy (5x5 Gy) leads to a reduction of the number of lymph nodes in rectal cancer specimens after total and partial mesorectal excision (TME and PME, respectively).

Materials And Methods: Within a 5-year period, 28 (15%) of 148 rectal cancer patients underwent hypofractionated preoperative radiotherapy in this monocenter study, whereas 120 patients (85%) underwent TME/PME surgery alone.

RNASEL germline variants are associated with pancreatic cancer.

The RNASEL (encoding ribonuclease L) gene Glu265X mutation has been implicated in familial prostate cancer, and an association between the RNASEL Arg462Gln variant and sporadic and familial prostate cancer, has also been suggested. Because prostate cancer occurs in some familial pancreatic cancer families, we evaluated the role of the RNASEL gene variants Glu265X and Arg462Gln in the etiology of pancreatic cancer. Exon 2 of the RNASEL gene was directly sequenced in the germline of 36 familial and 75 sporadic pancreatic cancer patients and in 108 controls.

Anticipation in familial pancreatic cancer.

Background: Previous studies of anticipation in familial pancreatic cancer have been small and subject to ascertainment bias. Our aim was to determine evidence for anticipation in a large number of European families.

Patients And Methods: A total of 1223 individuals at risk from 106 families (264 affected individuals) were investigated.

Prevalence of familial pancreatic cancer in Germany.

Based on several case-control studies, it has been estimated that familial aggregation and genetic susceptibility play a role in up to 10% of patients with pancreatic cancer, although conclusive epidemiologic data are still lacking. Therefore, we evaluated the prevalence of familial pancreatic cancer and differences to its sporadic form in a prospective multicenter trial. A total of 479 consecutive patients with newly diagnosed, histologically confirmed adenocarcinoma of the pancreas were prospectively evaluated regarding medical and family history, treatment and pathology of the tumour.

Efficacy of ice packs in the management of epistaxis.

There are no uniformly accepted criteria for the management of epistaxis. The usefulness of ice application in the treatment of epistaxis as a first aid method is not generally accepted, but is widespread. In order to evaluate the effect of cold application on the blood vessels of the nasal mucosa, their blood flow and blood content were investigated on 56 healthy volunteers before and after exposure to cold in the neck area.

BRCA2 germline mutations in familial pancreatic carcinoma.

Background: Although as many as 10% of pancreatic cancer cases may have an inherited component, familial pancreatic cancer has not been linked to defects in any specific gene. Some studies have shown that families with germline mutations in the breast cancer susceptibility gene BRCA2 have an increased risk of breast and ovarian cancers, as well as a modestly increased risk of pancreatic cancer. To study these relationships in more detail, we examined whether BRCA2 germline mutations are associated with familial pancreatic cancer.

CDKN2A germline mutations in familial pancreatic cancer.

Objective: To evaluate the prevalence of mutations in the CDKN2A gene encoding p16 and p14 in familial pancreatic cancer (FPC).

Summary Background Data: The genetic basis of FPC is still widely unknown. Recently, it has been shown that germline mutations in the p16 tumor suppressor gene can predispose to pancreatic cancer.

Update of familial pancreatic cancer in Germany.

Background/aims: The prevalence of familial pancreatic cancer (FPC) and the characteristics of FPC have not yet been well investigated in the German population. Therefore, a German case collection for FPC was established in July 1999 to collect and evaluate data on FPC families.

Methods: The prevalence of pancreatic cancer (PC) as well as other tumours and diseases was studied in families with at least 2 first-degree relatives with histologically confirmed PC, and in families of patients with PC and a first-degree relative with malignant melanoma.

German national case collection of familial pancreatic cancer - clinical-genetic analysis of the first 21 families.

Background: The observation of a familial accumulation of ductal pancreatic adenocarcinoma (PC) and the increased risk for PC in certain hereditary tumor syndromes point to a genetic predisposition for PC. In order to evaluate the characteristics of familial PC, a German national case collection for familial pancreas cancer (FaPaCa) was established.

Patients And Methods: In FaPaCa, families of patients with PC are being collected, who have at least 1 first-degree relative with PC or with malignant melanoma.

[Familial pancreatic cancer--concept for study of the National Case Collection and early diagnosis program for high risk people].

Ductal pancreatic cancer is a public health problem on the increase. The lethality and incidence of this disease are almost identical. A number of these cancers cluster in families.

The use of sequential designs in genome scans for asthma susceptibility loci with affected sib pairs.

We use optimized group sequential study designs to analyze data from two genome scans (German and CSGA) for asthma susceptibility loci with affected sib pairs from Genetic Analysis Workshop (GAW) 12. Results are compared with those from a fixed sample design and the sequential probability ratio test (SPRT). The SPRT does not reach significance at any position.