Negative prognostic significance of primary cilia and cytoplasmic β-catenin expression in non-small cell lung cancer.

The objective of this study was to investigate the prognostic significance of the frequency of primary cilia (PC) and β-catenin expression in 218 patients (pts) with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), including 125 pts with adenocarcinoma and 93 pts with squamous cell carcinoma. In the whole group of 218 pts with NSCLC, overall survival (OS) was significantly inferior among pts with present PC than without PC (p=0.024) and with higher cytoplasmic β-catenin expression (25-75%) than with lower cytoplasmic β-catenin expression (<25%) (p=0.

Predictors of symptomatic intracerebral hemorrhage after endovascular treatment for acute ischemic stroke due to tandem lesion in anterior circulation.

Background: Endovascular treatment (EVT) of tandem lesion (TL) in the anterior circulation acute ischemic stroke (IS) usually requires periprocedural antithrombotic treatment and early initiation of dual antiplatelet therapy (DAPT) after carotid stenting. However, it may contribute to an occurrence of symptomatic intracerebral hemorrhage (SICH) in some cases. We investigated factors influencing the SICH occurrence and assessed the possible predictors of SICH after EVT.

Predictors of Good Clinical Outcome After Endovascular Treatment for Acute Ischemic Stroke due to Tandem Lesion in Anterior Circulation: Results from the ASCENT Study.

Purpose: Endovascular treatment (EVT) of tandem lesion (TL) in anterior circulation (AC) acute ischemic stroke (AIS) represents still a clinical challenge. We aimed to evaluate selected factors related to EVT and assess other possible predictors of good clinical outcome besides the generally known ones.

Methods: AIS patients with TL in AC treated with EVT were enrolled in the multicenter retrospective ASCENT study.

Dendritic cell-based immunotherapy (DCVAC/OvCa) combined with second-line chemotherapy in platinum-sensitive ovarian cancer (SOV02): A randomized, open-label, phase 2 trial.

Objective: DCVAC/OvCa is an active cellular immunotherapy designed to stimulate an immune response against ovarian cancer. We explored the safety and efficacy of DCVAC/OvCa plus carboplatin and gemcitabine in platinum-sensitive ovarian cancer.

Methods: In this open-label, parallel-group, phase 2 trial (ClinicalTrials.

Antibiotic Resistance in Nosocomial Bacteria Isolated from Infected Wounds of Hospitalized Patients in Czech Republic.

Hospitalized patients with wounds face an increased risk of infection with multi-drug-resistant nosocomial bacteria. In this study, samples from almost 10,000 patients from big hospitals in Czech Republic with infected wounds were analyzed for the presence of bacterial pathogens. In 7693 patients (78.

Hemodynamic and ECG responses to stress test in early adolescent athletes explain ethnicity-related cardiac differences.

Background: Ethnicity is an important determinant of athletes' cardiovascular adaptation. Black adolescent and adult athletes exhibit a left ventricular (LV) hypertrophy with a concentric remodelling higher than their Caucasian counterparts. Scant data, however, are available on race-related differences in hemodynamic response of adolescent athletes to exercise and its relation with heart remodelling.

Gene Expression Profiling Reveals Novel Candidate Markers of Ovarian Carcinoma Intraperitoneal Metastasis.

Epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC) has the highest mortality among gynecological carcinomas. The lack of specific markers for prognostic determination of EOC progression hinders the search for novel effective therapies. The aim of the present study was (i) to explore differences in expressions of ATP-binding cassette (ABC) and solute carrier (SLC) transporter genes, genes associated with drug metabolism and cell cycle regulation between control ovarian tissues (n = 14), primary EOCs (n = 44) and intraperitoneal metastases (n = 29); (ii) to investigate associations of gene expression levels with prognosis of patients with intraperitoneal metastases.

Phase I/II Study of Refametinib (BAY 86-9766) in Combination with Gemcitabine in Advanced Pancreatic cancer.

Background: Activating KRAS mutations are reported in up to 90% of pancreatic cancers. Refametinib potently inhibits MEK1/2, part of the MAPK signaling pathway. This phase I/II study evaluated the safety and efficacy of refametinib plus gemcitabine in patients with advanced pancreatic cancer.

Botulinum toxin treatment of freezing of gait in Parkinson's disease patients as reflected in functional magnetic resonance imaging of leg movement.

Background: Freezing of gait (FOG) is a common disabling symptom of (in) Parkinson's disease (PD). The mechanism of FOG is (in) not clearly understood. We investigated the clinical effect and changes of the activity of the sensorimotor system using repeated functional MRI (fMRI) before and after application of botulinum toxin in Parkinson's disease patients with FOG.

Neutrophil Activation Promotes Fibrinogen Oxidation and Thrombus Formation in Behçet Disease.

Background: Behçet disease (BD) is a systemic vasculitis with a broad range of organ involvement, characterized by a multisystemic, immune-inflammatory disorder involving vessels of all sizes and often complicated by thrombosis. Systemic redox imbalance and circulating neutrophil hyperactivation have been observed in BD patients and are thought to be responsible for impaired coagulation. We here focused on the pathogenetic mechanisms potentially linking immune cell activation and thrombosis, and specifically examined whether neutrophil activation can affect fibrinogen modifications and consequently elicit thrombosis.

Long-term Survival with Ipilimumab: Experience from a National Expanded Access Program for Patients with Melanoma.

Aim: Evaluation of efficacy and safety of ipilimumab in patients with advanced, refractory melanoma enrolled into a national ipilimumab Expanded Access Program.

Patients And Methods: Adult patients with advanced/metastatic refractory melanoma were eligible for study inclusion. Ipilimumab was administered up to a total of four doses.

Sex-related differences in left ventricular structure in early adolescent non-professional athletes.

Background: Professional athletes exhibit lower left ventricular wall thicknesses, diameters and mass (in females), with less frequent training-related electrocardiogram (ECG) changes, as compared with controls.

Methods: We studied the association of sex with left ventricular structure in trained early adolescents. Two hundred and six adolescent Caucasian athletes (mean age 13.

Ethnicity-related variations of left ventricular remodeling in adolescent amateur football players.

Adult and adolescent elite black athletes display - as compared with their white counterparts - excessively increased left ventricle (LV) wall thickness (LVWT), mass (LVM), and relative wall thickness (RWT). To investigate such ethnicity-related differences in non-professional adolescent athletes, 138 male, amateur football players [age 14.0 ± 1.

A repeated syphilis infection imported from Thailand in an HIV positive couple of men-who-have-sex-with-men in Czech Republic.

Coinfection by HIV and syphilis has become a growing problem due to the re-appearance of unsafe sexual practices in the era of potent anti-retroviral drugs. We describe a repeated import of syphilis by a couple of men-who-have-sex-with-men from Thailand to Czech Republic likely due to non-adherence of the patients to physician recommendations. Such cases can become foci for dissemination of once locally rare infections and present a danger for the community.

State-dependent visual processing.

The temporal dynamics and anatomical correlates underlying human visual cognition are traditionally assessed as a function of stimulus properties and task demands. Any non-stimulus related activity is commonly dismissed as noise and eliminated to extract an evoked signal that is only a small fraction of the magnitude of the measured signal. We review studies that challenge this view by showing that non-stimulus related activity is not mere noise but that it has a well-structured organization which can largely determine the processing of upcoming stimuli.

Intensity-modulated radiotherapy in the treatment of subhepatic carcinomas.

Background/aims: The aim of our study was to evaluate preliminary results of intensity modulated radiotherapy (IMRT) in patients with inoperable subhepatic tumors.

Methodology: Thirteen patients with inoperable cholangiocarcinoma or gall bladder carcinoma were treated by biliary drainage and intensity modulated radiotherapy. In patients with tumors limited to the biliary duct only tumor stenosis was irradiated to the dose of 50-60 Gy.

Fulminant hepatitis and death associated with disseminated varicella in an immunocompromised adult from the Czech Republic caused by a wild-type clade 4 varicella-zoster virus strain.

Varicella zoster virus typically causes a benign disease in childhood called varicella (chickenpox) and can reactivate in adults as a dermatomally distributed, painful rash illness known as herpes zoster (HZ). Infection with VZV can however lead to severe complications in immunocompromised patients that can result in hospitalization and, occasionally, death. Here we describe a patient, who acquired primary VZV infection during a 3-week-long treatment regimen with corticosteroids.

Predictors of good clinical outcome in acute stroke patients treated with intravenous thrombolysis.

Objectives: Intravenous thrombolysis (IVT) is considered an effective treatment for acute ischemic stroke (IS). However, not all treated patients may achieve good outcome. The aim was to evaluate whether the initial NIHSS and DWI infarct volume could be the predictors for good outcome after IVT.

Is atrial fibrillation associated with poor outcome after thrombolysis?

Atrial fibrillation (AF) is considered a predictor for severe stroke and poor outcome. The aim was to evaluate whether AF is associated with poor outcome in acute ischemic stroke (IS) patients treated with intravenous thrombolysis (IVT). In a retrospective study, 157 consecutive IS patients (98 males, mean age 67.

Expression of p53, p21 and p16 does not correlate with response to preoperative chemoradiation in gastric carcinoma.

Background/aims: A retrospective evaluation was oerformed to determine whether the intensity of p53, p21 or p16 expression predicts response to preoperative chemoradiotherapy in locally advanced gastric carcinoma.

Methodology: Thirty-six patients (cT2-4 or N+) were studied. Preoperative treatment consisted of 30-45Gy of radiation with continuous 5-fluorouracil and weekly cisplatin.