Impact of breast cancer subtypes and patterns of metastasis on outcome.

Clinical outcome of patients with stage IV breast cancer is dependent on tumor biology, extent, and localization of metastases. Routine imaging diagnostics for distant metastasis is not recommended by the national guidelines for breast cancer follow-up. In this study, we evaluated different patterns of metastases of cancer subtypes in order to generate hypotheses on individualization of follow-up after breast cancer in the adjuvant setting.

Challenges in the synthetic routes to Mn(BH4)2: insight into intermediate compounds.

We have studied the reaction of MnCl2 with MBH4 (M = Li(+), Na(+), K(+)) in Et2O. Crystal structures of two new intermediates, named [{M(Et2O)2}Mn2(BH4)5] (M = Li(+), Na(+)), were elucidated by X-ray diffraction. Mn(BH4)2 in a mixture with LiBH4 or NaBH4 forms upon the solvent removal in a vacuum.

Pyogranulomatous panniculitis in ferrets (Mustela putorius furo) with intralesional demonstration of Pseudomonas luteola.

One ferret (Mustela putorius furo) from Finland and two ferrets from Austria, aged 1-4.5 years and of both genders, were presented with pyogranulomatous subcutaneous inflammation affecting the inguinal, preputial and femoral regions, respectively. Histologically, microorganisms were detected within the lesions.

The impact of cognitive impairment and impulsivity on relapse of alcohol-dependent patients: implications for psychotherapeutic treatment.

Recent models of the development of addiction propose a transition from a pleasure-driven to a heavily automatized behaviour, marked by a loss of cognitive control. This study investigated the deficits in different components of cognitive functions including behavioural inhibition in response to alcohol-related stimuli in alcohol-dependent patients (ADP) and healthy controls (HC). The aims of the study were to identify which particular cognitive functions are impaired in ADP.

Acceleration of MRI of the vocal tract provides additional insight into articulator modifications.

Purpose: To accelerate dynamic imaging of the vocal tract during articulation.

Materials And Methods: Five subjects were imaged by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) while repeating the word "Partikel" at 90 beats per minute, using both a radio-frequency-spoiled radial gradient echo sequence with golden angle projection rotation and a previously applied real-time Cartesian sequence. The acquired data were reconstructed using a CG-SENSE method and Cartesian reconstruction.

Manganese borohydride; synthesis and characterization.

Solvent-based synthesis and characterization of α-Mn(BH4)2 and a new nanoporous polymorph of manganese borohydride, γ-Mn(BH4)2, via a new solvate precursor, Mn(BH4)2·1/2S(CH3)2, is presented. Manganese chloride is reacted with lithium borohydride in a toluene/dimethylsulfide mixture at room temperature, which yields halide and solvent-free manganese borohydride after extraction with dimethylsulfide (DMS) and subsequent removal of residual solvent. This work constitutes the first example of establishing a successful, reproducible solvent-based synthesis route for a pure, crystalline, stable transition metal borohydride.

Exercise at depth alters bradycardia and incidence of cardiac anomalies in deep-diving marine mammals.

Unlike their terrestrial ancestors, marine mammals routinely confront extreme physiological and physical challenges while breath-holding and pursuing prey at depth. To determine how cetaceans and pinnipeds accomplish deep-sea chases, we deployed animal-borne instruments that recorded high-resolution electrocardiograms, behaviour and flipper accelerations of bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) and Weddell seals (Leptonychotes weddellii) diving from the surface to >200 m. Here we report that both exercise and depth alter the bradycardia associated with the dive response, with the greatest impacts at depths inducing lung collapse.

Evaluation of Therapy Management and Patient Compliance in Postmenopausal Patients with Hormone Receptor-positive Breast Cancer Receiving Letrozole Treatment: The EvaluateTM Study.

The EvaluateTM study (Evaluation of therapy management and patient compliance in postmenopausal hormone receptor-positive breast cancer patients receiving letrozole treatment) is a prospective, non-interventional study for the assessment of therapy management and compliance in the routine care of postmenopausal women with invasive hormone receptor-positive breast cancer receiving letrozole. The parameters for inclusion in the study are presented and discussed here. Between January 2008 and December 2009 a total of 5045 patients in 310 study centers were recruited to the EvaluateTM study.

Surgical staging and prognosis in serous borderline ovarian tumours (BOT): a subanalysis of the AGO ROBOT study.

Background: Incomplete surgical staging is a negative prognostic factor for patients with borderline ovarian tumours (BOT). However, little is known about the prognostic impact of each individual staging procedure.

Methods: Clinical parameters of 950 patients with BOT (confirmed by central reference pathology) treated between 1998 and 2008 at 24 German AGO centres were analysed.

[Development of a questionnaire for the assessment of the voice self-concept].

Background: Common self-assessment questionnaires on voice diagnostics focus mostly on functionality of the voice and the impact on the quality of life. Personal aspects such as the relationship with one's own voice and its self-perception are for the most part not taken into consideration.

Objectives: In this article a questionnaire for the assessment of the voice self-concept (Fragebogen zur Erfassung des stimmlichen Selbstkonzepts, FESS) is introduced.

PLEKHM1 regulates Salmonella-containing vacuole biogenesis and infection.

The host endolysosomal compartment is often manipulated by intracellular bacterial pathogens. Salmonella (Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium) secrete numerous effector proteins, including SifA, through a specialized type III secretion system to hijack the host endosomal system and generate the Salmonella-containing vacuole (SCV). To form this replicative niche, Salmonella targets the Rab7 GTPase to recruit host membranes through largely unknown mechanisms.

Weight-bearing MR imaging as an option in the study of gravitational effects on the vocal tract of untrained subjects in singing phonation.

Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) of subjects in a supine position can be used to evaluate the configuration of the vocal tract during phonation. However, studies of speech phonation have shown that gravity can affect vocal tract shape and bias measurements. This is one of the reasons that MRI studies of singing phonation have used professionally trained singers as subjects, because they are generally considered to be less affected by the supine body position and environmental distractions.

Mammalian energetics. Instantaneous energetics of puma kills reveal advantage of felid sneak attacks.

Pumas (Puma concolor) live in diverse, often rugged, complex habitats. The energy they expend for hunting must account for this complexity but is difficult to measure for this and other large, cryptic carnivores. We developed and deployed a physiological SMART (species movement, acceleration, and radio tracking) collar that used accelerometry to continuously monitor energetics, movements, and behavior of free-ranging pumas.

Multiple autonomic and repolarization investigation of sudden cardiac death in dilated cardiomyopathy and controls.

Background: Prophylactic defibrillator implantation is recommended in dilated, nonischemic heart disease and left ventricular ejection fraction of ≤0.30 to 0.35.

Phenotypic characterization of canine intestinal intraepithelial lymphocytes in dogs with inflammatory bowel disease.

Background: Many dogs suffering from inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) are presented to veterinary clinics. These patients are diagnosed based on a history of chronic gastrointestinal signs and biopsy-confirmed histopathologic intestinal inflammation. Intestinal intraepithelial lymphocytes (IEL) are part of the first line of defense in the gastrointestinal immune system.

Illness absences among beryllium sensitized workers.

Objectives: This study examined absence rates among US Department of Energy workers who had beryllium sensitization (BeS) or were diagnosed with chronic beryllium disease (CBD) compared with those of other workers.

Methods: We used the lymphocyte proliferation test to determine beryllium sensitivity. In addition, we applied multivariable logistic regression to compare absences from 2002 to 2011 between workers with BeS or CBD to those without, and survival analysis to compare time to first absence by beryllium sensitization status.

Novel solvates M(BH₄)₃S(CH₃)₂ and properties of halide-free M(BH₄)₃ (M = Y or Gd).

Rare earth metal borohydrides have been proposed as materials for solid-state hydrogen storage because of their reasonably low temperature of decomposition. New synthesis methods, which provide halide-free yttrium and gadolinium borohydride, are presented using dimethyl sulfide and new solvates as intermediates. The solvates M(BH4)3S(CH3)2 (M = Y or Gd) are transformed to α-Y(BH4)3 or Gd(BH4)3 at ~140 °C as verified by thermal analysis.

High-speed imaging using rigid laryngoscopy for the analysis of register transitions in professional operatic tenors.

Introduction: Vocal fold oscillation patterns in tenors singing at high pitches (stage voice above the passaggio) are not yet understood in detail.

Materials And Methods: Nine professional opera tenors performed a transition from modal register (220 Hz) to falsetto or stage voice above the passaggio (440 Hz) on an /i/ vowel. High-speed digital imaging was performed using a rigid laryngoscopic system with a frame rate of 4,000 frames per second.

Fundamental frequency, sound pressure level and vocal dose of a vocal loading test in comparison to a real teaching situation.

Vocal loading capacity is an important aspect of vocal health, especially for people in vocally demanding occupations such as teaching. To analyze vocal loading, vocal loading tests (VLTs) or portable voice devices such as accelerometers have been used. However, it remains unclear how much a VLT in a clinical setup reflects the vocal effort of a real situation, in particular for teachers in a given classroom lesson.

Levothyroxine or minimally invasive therapies for benign thyroid nodules.

Background: Thyroid nodules (TN) are common in the adult population. Some physicians use suppressive levothyroxine (LT4) therapy to achieve a reduction in the number and volume of TN. In addition, minimally invasive treatments, such as percutaneous ethanol injection (PEI) sclerotherapy, laser photocoagulation (LP), and microwave (MW), radiofrequency (RF) and high-intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) ablation, have been proposed, especially for pressure symptoms and cosmetic complaints, as an alternative to surgery.

Supercritical N2 processing as a route to the clean dehydrogenation of porous Mg(BH4)2.

Compounds of interest for chemical hydrogen storage at near ambient conditions are specifically tailored to be relatively unstable and thereby desorb H2 upon heating. Their decomposition must be performed in the absence of impurities to achieve clean dehydrogenation products, which is particularly challenging for an emerging class of microporous complex hydride materials, such as γ-phase Mg(BH4)2, which exhibits high surface area and readily adsorbs (sometimes undesired) molecular species. We present a novel strategy toward the purification of γ-Mg(BH4)2 using supercritical nitrogen drying techniques, (1) showing that clean hydrogen can be released from Mg(BH4)2 under mild conditions and (2) clarifying the origin of diborane among the decomposition products of stable borohydrides, a topic of critical importance for the reversibility and practical applicability of this class of hydrogen storage compounds.