Epithelial and Mesenchymal-like Pancreatic Cancer Cells Exhibit Different Stem Cell Phenotypes Associated with Different Metastatic Propensities.

Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is mostly diagnosed at advanced or even metastasized stages, limiting the prognoses of patients. Metastasis requires high tumor cell plasticity, implying phenotypic switching in response to changing environments. Here, epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT), being associated with an increase in cancer stem cell (CSC) properties, and its reversion are important.

The Electronic Structures of Azaphenanthrenes and Their Dimers.

Insertion of a nitrogen atom modifies the electronic structures and photochemistry of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons by introducing nπ* states into the molecules. To better understand the electronic structures of isolated polycyclic aromatic nitrogen-containing hydrocarbons (PANHs) and their dimers as well as the influence of the position of the nitrogen atom in the molecule, we investigate three different azaphenanthrenes, benzo[]quinoline, benzo[]quinoline, and phenanthridine, in a joint experimental and computational study. Experimentally, resonance-enhanced multiphoton ionization (REMPI) spectroscopy is applied to characterize the excited electronic states.

Beneficial applications of biofilms.

Many microorganisms live in the form of a biofilm. Although they are feared in the medical sector, biofilms that are composed of non-pathogenic organisms can be highly beneficial in many applications, including the production of bulk and fine chemicals. Biofilm systems are natural retentostats in which the biocatalysts can adapt and optimize their metabolism to different conditions over time.

Understanding and leveraging phenotypic plasticity during metastasis formation.

Cancer metastasis is the process of detrimental systemic spread and the primary cause of cancer-related fatalities. Successful metastasis formation requires tumor cells to be proliferative and invasive; however, cells cannot be effective at both tasks simultaneously. Tumor cells compensate for this trade-off by changing their phenotype during metastasis formation through phenotypic plasticity.

Evaluating Antibiotic Use in a Veterans Affairs Skilled Nursing Facility.

To examine antibiotic use in long-term care residents at a VA skilled nursing facility. Quality improvement project. Long-term care residents admitted to the Community Living Center of a Midwestern VA medical center.

Electron transfer of extremophiles in bioelectrochemical systems.

The interaction of bacteria and archaea with electrodes is a relatively new research field which spans from fundamental to applied research and influences interdisciplinary research in the fields of microbiology, biochemistry, biotechnology as well as process engineering. Although a substantial understanding of electron transfer processes between microbes and anodes and between microbes and cathodes has been achieved in mesophilic organisms, the mechanisms used by microbes under extremophilic conditions are still in the early stages of discovery. Here, we review our current knowledge on the biochemical solutions that evolved for the interaction of extremophilic organisms with electrodes.

Does the Number of Levels of Decompression Have an Impact on the Clinical Outcomes of Patients With Lumbar Degenerative Spondylolisthesis: A Retrospective Study in Single-Level Fused Patients.

Introduction The American Association of Neurological Surgeons (AANS) and the Congress of Neurological Surgeons (CNS) 2014 lumbar fusion guidelines for stenosis with degenerative spondylolisthesis (DS) support surgical decompression and fusion as an effective treatment option for symptomatic stenosis associated with DS. The association between the number of levels decompressed in patients with single-level fusion and clinical outcomes has never been published. Methods A retrospective analysis of a single-center, prospectively collected database was performed on 77 patients to compare the effect of the number of decompression levels in patients that received single-level fusion surgery.

Nanowired electrodes as outer membrane cytochrome-independent electronic conduit in .

Extracellular electron transfer (EET) from microorganisms to inorganic electrodes is a unique ability of electrochemically active bacteria. Despite rigorous genetic and biochemical screening of the -type cytochromes that make up the EET network, the individual electron transfer steps over the cell membrane remain mostly unresolved. As such, attempts to transplant entire EET chains from native into non-native exoelectrogens have resulted in inferior electron transfer rates.

Needle tip deformation in local dental anesthesia - A technical note.

Introduction: The aim of this in vitro study was to investigate the mechanical deformation rate of dental cannula tips after injection simulation in a new developed animal model.

Materials And Methods: A new mechanical device was designed to define forces (100 g for 60 s) to impact a pigs jaw bone with different cannulas (25-Gauge/27-Gauge) from dental local anaesthesia syringes. 8 different products (100 cannulas each) were evaluated.

Excimer formation dynamics in the isolated tetracene dimer.

The understanding of excimer formation and its interplay with the singlet-correlated triplet pair state (TT) is of high significance for the development of efficient organic electronics. Here, we study the photoinduced dynamics of the tetracene dimer in the gas phase by time-resolved photoionisation and photoion imaging experiments as well as nonadiabatic dynamics simulations in order to obtain mechanistic insight into the excimer formation dynamics. The experiments are performed using a picosecond laser system for excitation into the S state and reveal a biexponential time dependence.

The Microbiome Tumor Axis: How the Microbiome Could Contribute to Clonal Heterogeneity and Disease Outcome in Pancreatic Cancer.

Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is one of the most malignant cancers. It is characterized by a poor prognosis with a 5-year survival rate of only around 10% and an ongoing increase in death rate. Due to the lack of early and specific symptoms, most patients are diagnosed at an advanced or even metastasized stage, essentially limiting curative treatment options.

Predictors of aneurysm occlusion following treatment with the WEB device: systematic review and case series.

The Woven EndoBridge (WEB) device is becoming increasingly popular for treatment of wide-neck aneurysms. As experience with this device grows, it is important to identify factors associated with occlusion following WEB treatment to guide decision making and screen patients at high risk for recurrence. The aim of this study was to identify factors associated with adequate aneurysm occlusion following WEB device treatment in the neurosurgical literature and in our case series.

The Impact of Incorporating Evidence-Based Guidelines for Lumbar Fusion Surgery in Neurosurgical Resident Education.

Background: Instrumented fusion procedures are essential in the treatment of degenerative lumbar spine disease to alleviate pain and improve neurological function, but they are being performed with increasing incidence and variability. We implemented a training module for neurosurgery residents that is based on evidence-based criteria for lumbar fusion surgery and measured its effectiveness in residents' decision making regarding whether patients should or should not undergo instrumented fusion.

Methods: The study design was a pretest versus posttest experiment conducted from September 2019 until July 2020 to measure improvement after formalized instruction on evidence-based guidelines.

Achieving Value in Spine Surgery: 10 Major Cost Contributors.

Study Design: Narrative Review.

Objectives: The increasing cost of healthcare overall and for spine surgery, coupled with the growing burden of spine-related disease and rising demand have necessitated a shift in practice standards with a new emphasis on value-based care. Despite multiple attempts to reconcile the discrepancy between national recommendations for appropriate use and the patterns of use employed in clinical practice, resources continue to be overused-often in the absence of any demonstrable clinical benefit.

Are Guidelines Important? Results of a Prospective Quality Improvement Lumbar Fusion Project.

Background: United States (U.S.) healthcare is a volume-based inefficient delivery system.

Comparison of Transradial vs Transfemoral Access in Neurovascular Fellowship Training: Overcoming the Learning Curve.

Background: The transradial access (TRA) is rapidly gaining popularity for neuroendovascular procedures as there is strong evidence for its benefits compared to the traditional transfemoral access (TFA). However, the transition to TRA bears some challenges including optimization of the interventional suite set-up and workflow as well as its impact on fellowship training.

Objective: To compare the learning curves of TFA and TRA for diagnostic cerebral angiograms in neuroendovascular fellowship training.