Gut Microbiota Dysbiosis Is Associated with Elevated Bile Acids in Parkinson's Disease.

The gut microbiome can impact brain health and is altered in Parkinson's disease (PD). The vermiform appendix is a lymphoid tissue in the cecum implicated in the storage and regulation of the gut microbiota. We sought to determine whether the appendix microbiome is altered in PD and to analyze the biological consequences of the microbial alterations.

Hemispheric asymmetry in the human brain and in Parkinson's disease is linked to divergent epigenetic patterns in neurons.

Background: Hemispheric asymmetry in neuronal processes is a fundamental feature of the human brain and drives symptom lateralization in Parkinson's disease (PD), but its molecular determinants are unknown. Here, we identify divergent epigenetic patterns involved in hemispheric asymmetry by profiling DNA methylation in isolated prefrontal cortex neurons from control and PD brain hemispheres. DNA methylation is fine-mapped at enhancers and promoters, genome-wide, by targeted bisulfite sequencing in two independent sample cohorts.

Lymphatic endothelial cells promote productive and latent HIV infection in resting CD4+ T cells.

Background: An HIV cure has not yet been achieved because latent viral reservoirs persist, particularly in resting CD4+ T lymphocytes. In vitro, it is difficult to infect resting CD4+ T cells with HIV-1, but infections readily occur in vivo. Endothelial cells (EC) line the lymphatic vessels in the lymphoid tissues and regularly interact with resting CD4+ T cells in vivo.

Prognostic model for survival in patients with early stage cervical cancer.

Background: In the management of early stage cervical cancer, knowledge about the prognosis is critical. Although many factors have an impact on survival, their relative importance remains controversial. This study aims to develop a prognostic model for survival in early stage cervical cancer patients and to reconsider grounds for adjuvant treatment.

Prognostic value of bilateral positive nodes in squamous cell cancer of the vulva.

Objectives: The aim of the current study was, first, to determine whether laterality of lymph node metastases has prognostic significance, independent of the number of lymph node metastases. Second was to determine the prognostic significance of extracapsular spread irrespective of the number of lymph node metastases.

Methods: Data on 134 patients with stage III/IVA vulva cancer from 1982 till 2004 and treated with curative intent in either the Academic Medical Centre in Amsterdam or the Mercy Hospital for Women in Melbourne were reviewed.

Validation of existing prognostic models in patients with early-stage cervical cancer.

Objective: Models that predict survival and recurrence in patients with early-stage cervical cancer are important tools in patient management. We validated 12 existing prognostic models in an independent population of patients with early-stage cervical cancer.

Materials And Methods: We searched the literature for prognostic models in patients with surgically treated early-stage cervical cancer.

Stress urinary incontinence in patients treated for cervical cancer: is TVT-Secur a valuable treatment option?

We present two patients with bothersome stress urinary incontinence (SUI) following radical hysterectomy and pelvic lymphadenectomy for early stage cervical cancer. One patient underwent adjuvant radiotherapy. We selected, after extensive counseling, TVT-Secur in these two patients as we aimed to avoid the pelvic cavity, expecting altered anatomy due to major pelvic surgery, and counting on low risk of developing bladder retention, given results of a case series.

A 12-month follow-up study of treating overweight schizophrenic patients with aripiprazole.

Objective: To investigate the feasibility of switching overweight schizophrenic patients to aripiprazole and to assess the impact of 12 months of aripiprazole treatment on weight in routine practice.

Method: This was a non-controlled cohort study in overweight schizophrenic patients. Data were collected before treatment with aripiprazole was started and at 12-month follow-up.

On verification of hyperthermia treatment planning for cervical carcinoma patients.

Purpose: The aim of this study was to verify hyperthermia treatment planning calculations by means of measurements performed during hyperthermia treatments. The calculated specific absorption rate (SAR(calc)) was compared with clinically measured SAR values, during 11 treatments in seven cervical carcinoma patients.

Methods: Hyperthermia treatments were performed using the 70 MHz AMC-4 waveguide system.

Partial urethral resection in the surgical treatment of vulvar cancer does not have a significant impact on urinary continence. A confirmation of an authority-based opinion.

Partial resection of the urethra is sometimes necessary in the surgical treatment of locally advanced vulvar cancer. In this study, the frequency of urinary incontinence after partial urethral resection was compared with that of patients who were treated without partial resection of the urethra. Eighteen patients with vulvar cancer encroaching or infiltrating the urethra, treated by a radical vulvectomy and partial urethrectomy, were compared with 17 patients treated by vulvectomy without partial removal of the urethra.

Squamous cell carcinoma of the vulva with bulky positive groin nodes-nodal debulking versus full groin dissection prior to radiation therapy.

Patients with clinical palpable involved groin lymph nodes and squamous cell cancer of the vulva are frequently treated by a full inguinal-femoral lymph node dissection followed by adjuvant radiotherapy to the groins and pelvis. Theoretically, less radical surgery for the groin such as nodal debulking, where only the macroscopically involved nodes are resected, allowing radiotherapy to treat any remaining microscopic disease may potentially decrease morbidity without compromising survival The objective of this retrospective study was to compare the groin recurrence rate and survival (disease specific and overall survival) of patients with clinically involved groin nodes and squamous cell carcinoma of the vulva treated either by a full inguino-femoral lymphadenectomy or by a nodal debulking followed by radiotherapy. Forty patients from three separate databases who met these criteria were identified.

Preoperative serum squamous cell carcinoma antigen levels in clinical decision making for patients with early-stage cervical cancer.

Purpose: To prevent morbidity associated with double modality treatment, early-stage cervical cancer patients should only be offered surgery when there is a low likelihood for adjuvant radiotherapy. We analyzed whether serum squamous cell carcinoma antigen (SCC-ag) analysis allows better preoperative identification of patients with a low likelihood for adjuvant radiotherapy than currently used clinical parameters.

Patients And Methods: In a cohort study, International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics (FIGO) stage, tumor size, and preoperative serum SCC-ag levels, as determined by enzyme immunoassay, were related to the frequency of postoperative indications for adjuvant radiotherapy in 337 surgically treated, FIGO stage IB/IIA, squamous cell cervical cancer patients.

Phase II study of carboplatin and whole body hyperthermia (WBH) in recurrent and metastatic cervical cancer.

Objective: Hyperthermia enhances carboplatin cytotoxicity preclinically, and clinical studies have shown radiant heat Whole Body Hyperthermia (WBH) to be safe. In this study, the efficacy and toxicity of the combination of 41.8 degrees C WBH and carboplatin in recurrent and/or metastatic cervical cancer were explored.

Squamous cell cancer of the vulva with occult lymph node metastases in the groin: the impact of surgical technique on recurrence pattern and survival.

Objective: The triple incision technique is an established surgical method of management for early vulvar cancer. There is only limited data available on the efficacy of this form of treatment for patients with occult inguinofemoral lymph node metastases. It was the objective of this study to obtain more insight into the efficacy of this treatment compared with the en bloc resection, when utilized in surgical pathological advanced disease.

The impact of performance status on survival in patients of 80 years and older with vulvar cancer.

Objective: There are no data available on the impact of performance status on outcome in patients with vulvar cancer. It was the objective of this study to determine the impact of performance status on survival in a group of elderly patients.

Methods: A retrospective review of records of patients with vulvar cancer aged 80 years or greater and treated in a gynecological referral center was performed.

Recurrent cervical carcinoma after radical hysterectomy: an analysis of clinical aspects and prognosis.

Samlal RAK, van der Velden J, van Eerden T, Schilthuis MS, Gonzalez Gonzalez D, Lammes FB. Recurrent cervical carcinoma after radical hysterectomy: an analysis of clinical aspects and prognosis. Int J Gynecol Cancer 1998; 8: 78-84.

Restricted surgical management of vulvar intraepithelial neoplasia 3: Focus on exclusion of invasion and on relief of symptoms.

van Beurden M, van der Vange N, ten Kate FJW, de Craen AJM, Schilthuis MS, Lammes FB. Restricted surgical management of vulvar intraepithelial neoplasia 3: Focus on exclusion of invasion and on relief of symptoms. Int J Gynecol Cancer 1998; 8: 73-77.

Sarcoma in association with multimodality management of vulvar cancer: two case reports.

Background: Radiation-induced or -associated sarcoma is a rare event which has been well described in the literature. However, this entity has been infrequently described in association with genital tract malignancies. To our knowledge it has never been described in association with the management of vulvar cancer.

A limited role for adjuvant radiotherapy after the Wertheim/Okabayashi radical hysterectomy for cervical cancer confined to the cervix.

Background: The indications for radiotherapy after radical hysterectomy for early stage cervical cancer are changing. In the past only tumor outside the cervix was considered an indication for radiotherapy. Today adjuvant radiotherapy is also considered for an "intermediate-risk" group with tumor confined to the cervix but poor prognostic primary tumor parameters such as large tumor diameter, vascular space invasion, and deep stromal penetration.

Multiple organ dysfunction syndrome induced by whole-body hyperthermia and polychemotherapy in a patient with disseminated leiomyosarcoma of the uterus.

Objective: Whole-body hyperthermia (WBH) in combination with chemotherapy is a relatively new promising treatment modality for patients with cancer. The objective of this report is to present the development of an acute systemic inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS) with multiple organ dysfunction syndrome (MODS) following WBH in combination with chemotherapy. Although WBH can also induce cytokine production, MODS has not been described before in association with WBH.

[Hyperthermia in combination with chemotherapy in gynecological cancers].

Hyperthermia in combination with chemotherapy has a strong biological rationale based on thermal enhancement of cytotoxicity and partial circumvention of resistance. Weekly locoregional hyperthermia in combination with cisplatin is an effective treatment (response rate: 52%) for patients with a recurrence of a previously irradiated carcinoma of the uterine cervix. A comparative trial versus cisplatin alone was recently started.

Surgical pathologic factors that predict recurrence in stage IB and IIA cervical carcinoma patients with negative pelvic lymph nodes.

Background: The purpose of this analysis was to identify pathologic risk factors for recurrence and patterns of recurrence in patients with International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics Stage IB and IIA cervical carcinoma and negative pelvic lymph nodes after radical hysterectomy.

Methods: During the period 1982-1991, 271 clinically staged patients with Stage IB or IIA cervical carcinoma underwent a Wertheim-Okabayashi radical hysterectomy with pelvic lymph node dissection. The study group was composed of 196 lymph node negative patients.

Identification of high-risk groups among node-positive patients with stage IB and IIA cervical carcinoma.

The purpose of the present study was to identify a subset of high-risk patients among surgically treated node-positive patients with stage IB and IIA cervical carcinoma. From 1982 through 1991, 334 patients underwent radical hysterectomy for FIGO stage IB and IIA cervical carcinoma. In 68 patients pathological analysis of the surgical specimen revealed positive pelvic nodes.

Phase II trial of weekly locoregional hyperthermia and cisplatin in patients with a previously irradiated recurrent carcinoma of the uterine cervix.

Background: The biologic rationale for combining cisplatin with locoregional hyperthermia (HT) relates to the potentiating effect of HT on cisplatin cytotoxicity.

Methods: Patients with recurrent cervical carcinoma, who had a pelvic recurrence after radiotherapy, were treated with weekly cycles of locoregional HT (using the 70-megahertz, 4 antenna-phased array system for 1 hour and cisplatin, 50 mg/m2 intravenously [i.v.