Intra- and inter-cycle variability of anti-Müllerian hormone (AMH) levels in healthy women during non-consecutive menstrual cycles: the BICYCLE study.

Objectives: Determine variability of serum anti-Müllerian hormone (AMH) levels during ovulatory menstrual cycles between different women (inter-participant), between non-consecutive cycles (inter-cycle) and within a single cycle (intra-cycle) in healthy women.

Methods: Eligible participants were women aged 18-40 years with regular ovulatory menstrual cycles. Serum samples were collected every second day during two non-consecutive menstrual cycles.

Selection of within-run quality control rules for laboratory biomarkers.

In order to release correct biomarker results of a laboratory test, it is a regulatory requirement to apply quality control standards for controlling analytical errors. Releasing an incorrect test result might lead to wrong diagnosis or treatment of a patient in medical decision-making. In laboratory medicine, one of the means to control analytical errors is statistical process control procedures proposed by James O.

Levels of CXCL13 and sICAM-1 correlate with disease activity score in patients with rheumatoid arthritis treated with tocilizumab.

Background: Tocilizumab (TCZ), a humanized monoclonal antibody against the interleukin-6 receptor, has been proven to be a safe and effective treatment for rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Because RA is a heterogenous disease and patient response to treatments can vary, identifying characteristics that predict which patients are more likely to respond to TCZ is important for optimal patient care. Serum levels of C-X-C motif chemokine ligand 13 (CXCL13) and soluble intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (sICAM-1) have been associated with response to TCZ in patients with RA.

KRAS exon 2 mutations influence activity of regorafenib in an SW48-based disease model of colorectal cancer.

Aim: To investigate the impact of KRAS mutation variants on the activity of regorafenib in SW48 colorectal cancer cells.

Materials & Methods: Activity of regorafenib was evaluated in isogenic SW48 KRAS wild-type (WT) and mutant cells. Subcutaneous xenografts (KRAS WT and G12C mutant variants) in NOD/SCID mice were analyzed to elucidate the effect of regorafenib treatment in vivo.

Surrogate endpoints in second-line treatment for mCRC: a systematic literature-based analysis from 23 randomised trials.

Purpose: To evaluate progression-free survival (PFS), overall response rate (ORR) and disease control rate (DCR) as potential surrogate endpoints (SEP) for overall survival (OS) in second-line treatment for metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC).

Methods: A systematic literature search of randomised trials of second-line chemotherapy for mCRC reported from January 2000 to July 2013 was performed. Correlation coefficients weighted by number of patients in the treatment arms between median PFS, ORR and DCR with median OS were estimated.

Quantification of anandamide and 2-arachidonoylglycerol plasma levels to examine potential influences of tetrahydrocannabinol application on the endocannabinoid system in humans.

The effects of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and endogenous cannabinoids (endocannabinoids, ECs) are both mediated by activation of the cannabinoid receptors CB1 and CB2. Exogenous activation of these receptors by THC could therefore alter EC levels. We tested this hypothesis in healthy volunteers (n = 25) who received a large intravenous dose of THC (0.

Progression-free survival as a surrogate endpoint for median overall survival in metastatic colorectal cancer: literature-based analysis from 50 randomized first-line trials.

Purpose: To evaluate progression-free survival (PFS) as a potential surrogate endpoint (SEP) for overall survival (OS) in metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC) with a focus on applicability to trials containing targeted therapy with anti-VEGF- or anti-EGF receptor (EGFR)-directed monoclonal antibodies.

Experimental Design: A systematic literature search of randomized trials of first-line chemotherapy for mCRC reported from January 2000 to January 2012 was conducted. Adjusted weighted linear regression was used to calculate correlations within PFS and OS (endpoints; R(EP)) and between treatment effects on PFS and on OS (treatment effects; R(TE)).

Two-marker combinations for preoperative discrimination of benign and malignant ovarian masses.

Background: When caring for patients with ovarian neoplasms, correct preoperative discrimination of benign and malignant disease is deemed vital. In this study, we tested serum biomarkers' alone and in combination, to achieve this aim.

Materials And Methods: We measured the concentrations of Cancer Antigen (CA)-125, CA15-3, CA27-29, Carcinoembryonic Antigen (CEA), CA19-9, human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG), Placental Protein (PP)1490, CA72-4, galectin-3, galectin-1 and Human epididymis protein (HE)4 in sera of 133 patients with pelvic masses by ELISA and correlated the results to subsequent histology.

Cetuximab-based or bevacizumab-based first-line treatment in patients with KRAS p.G13D-mutated metastatic colorectal cancer: a pooled analysis.

KRAS p.G13D mutant metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC) has been identified as representing a cetuximab-sensitive subtype of KRAS mutant mCRC. This analysis aims to answer the question of whether first-line treatment of p.

Analysis for prognostic factors of 60-day mortality: evaluation of an irinotecan-based phase III trial performed in the first-line treatment of metastatic colorectal cancer.

Background: Mortality rates in published irinotecan-based trials range between 1.7% and 5.0%.

Hyperdense basilar artery sign-a reliable sign of basilar artery occlusion.

Introduction: We aimed to investigate the value of the hyperdense basilar artery (HBA) sign and of basilar artery (BA) attenuation measurements as predictors of basilar artery occlusion (BAO) on nonenhanced cranial CT (NECT).

Methods: Forty-one consecutive patients with proven BAO in CT angiography, who had undergone NECT for initial evaluation (30 males, 11 females) were retrospectively included. Another 41 age-matched patients without BAO were included as a control group.

Mirror movements in healthy humans across the lifespan: effects of development and ageing.

Aim: mirror movements are a transient phenomenon during childhood, which decrease in intensity with motor development. An increasing inhibitory competence resulting in the ability of movement lateralization is thought to be the underlying mechanism. We aimed to quantify unintended mirror movements systematically across the lifespan and to investigate the influences of age, sex, handedness, and task frequency.