Disseminated tumor cells from the bone marrow of patients with nonmetastatic primary breast cancer are predictive of locoregional relapse.

Background: Disseminated tumor cells (DTCs) are detectable in the bone marrow (BM) of patients with primary breast cancer (PBC) and predictive of an impaired prognosis. This large trial aimed to analyze the impact of DTC detection on locoregional relapse (LR).

Patients And Methods: Patients with nonmetastatic PBC were eligible for this analysis.

Development of a new model for the induction of chronic kidney disease via intraperitoneal adenine administration, and the effect of treatment with gum acacia thereon.

Oral adenine (0.75% w/w in feed), is an established model for human chronic kidney disease (CKD). Gum acacia (GA) has been shown to be a nephroprotective agent in this model.

Towards a universal barcode of oomycetes--a comparison of the cox1 and cox2 loci.

Oomycetes are a diverse group of eukaryotes in terrestrial, limnic and marine habitats worldwide and include several devastating plant pathogens, for example Phytophthora infestans (potato late blight). The cytochrome c oxidase subunit 2 gene (cox2) has been widely used for identification, taxonomy and phylogeny of various oomycete groups. However, recently the cox1 gene was proposed as a DNA barcode marker instead, together with ITS rDNA.

Time-dependent bidirectional effects of chronic caffeine on functional recovery of the dorsal light reflex after hemilabyrinthectomy in the goldfish Carassius auratus.

Caffeine works through a variety of complex mechanisms to exert an often bidirectional set of functional and structural neurological changes in vertebrates. We investigated the effects of chronic caffeine exposure on functional recovery of the dorsal light reflex (DLR) in hemilabyrinthectomized common goldfish, Carassius auratus. In this lesion model, the unilateral removal of the vestibular organs results in a temporary loss of gravitationally modulated postural control which is quantifiable via the DLR.

Suppression of early hematogenous dissemination of human breast cancer cells to bone marrow by retinoic Acid-induced 2.

Unlabelled: Regulatory pathways that drive early hematogenous dissemination of tumor cells are insufficiently defined. Here, we used the presence of disseminated tumor cells (DTC) in the bone marrow to define patients with early disseminated breast cancer and identified low retinoic acid-induced 2 (RAI2) expression to be significantly associated with DTC status. Low RAI2 expression was also shown to be an independent poor prognostic factor in 10 different cancer datasets.

Mosaic pattern of Cre recombinase expression in cochlear outer hair cells of the Brn3.1 Cre mouse.

The Brn3.1 gene encodes for the protein Brn3.1, which is a member of the POU-IV class of transcription factors.

Simultaneous Detection of Disseminated and Circulating Tumor Cells in Primary Breast Cancer Patients.

Purpose: Disseminated tumor cells (DTCs) from bone marrow (BM) are a surrogate of minimal residual disease (MRD) in primary breast cancer (PBC) patients and associated with an adverse prognosis. However, BM sampling is an invasive procedure. Although there is growing evidence that circulating tumor cells (CTCs) from the blood are also suitable for monitoring MRD, data on the simultaneous detection of DTCs and CTCs are limited.

Perspective: Concepts of printing technologies for oral film formulations.

Different types of printing methods have recently attracted interest as emerging technologies for fabrication of drug delivery systems. If printing is combined with different oral film manufacturing technologies such as solvent casting and other techniques, multifunctional structures can be created to enable further complexity and high level of sophistication. This review paper intends to provide profound understanding and future perspectives for the potential use of printing technologies in the preparation of oral film formulations as novel drug delivery systems.

Application of the rubber hand illusion paradigm: comparison between upper and lower limbs.

The "rubber hand illusion (RHI)" is a perceptual illusion, which allows the integration of artificial limbs into the body representation of a person by means of combined visual and tactile stimulation. The illusion has been frequently replicated but always concerning the upper limbs. The present study verified an analog illusion that can be called the "rubber foot illusion" (RFI).

Intraocular Pressure and Trabecular Meshwork Outflow Facility After Descemet Stripping Endothelial Keratoplasty.

Purpose: Increased intraocular pressure (IOP) is a frequent complication after penetrating keratoplasty and can be due to reduced trabecular meshwork outflow facility. Descemet stripping endothelial keratoplasty (DSEK) is a lamellar technique for replacing pathologic corneal endothelium and may be associated with a lower risk of postoperative IOP rise. In a prospective clinical study we studied IOP and outflow facility before and after DSEK.

Occupational position, work stress and depressive symptoms: a pathway analysis of longitudinal SHARE data.

Background: Several studies tested whether stressful work mediates the association between socioeconomic position (SEP) and health. Although providing moderate support, evidence is still inconclusive, partly due to a lack of theory-based measures of SEP and work stress, and because of methodological limitations. This contribution aims at overcoming these limitations.

L-dopa does not add to the success of high-intensity language training in aphasia.

Purpose: L-dopa has been shown to improve outcome of moderate-intensity language training after stroke in acute aphasia. Given the critical role of training intensity we probed the effect of l-dopa in combination with high-intensity language training in chronic post-stroke aphasia.

Methods: In this prospective, randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blind study, aphasia patients (>1 year post stroke) were administered 100/25 mg of l-dopa/carbidopa or placebo daily prior to four hours of language training for two weeks.

Coccygectomy as a surgical option in the treatment of chronic traumatic coccygodynia: a single-center experience and literature review.

Study Design: Retrospective cohort study.

Purpose: Trauma is the most common cause for chronic coccygodynia. The present study aims at presenting our results after complete removal of the coccyx for refractory traumatic coccygodynia in terms of pain level, complication rates, and patients' overall satisfaction.

Mini-implant-borne Pendulum B appliance for maxillary molar distalisation: design and clinical procedure.

A treatment objective of upper molar distalisation may often be required during the correction of a malocclusion. Distalisation is not only indicated for the management of Class II patients, but also for Class III surgery patients who require decompensation in the upper arch if upper incisor retrusion is needed. Unfortunately, most conventional intra-oral devices for non-compliance maxillary molar distalisation experience anchorage loss.

Keratin films for ocular surface reconstruction: evaluation of biocompatibility in an in-vivo model.

Amniotic membrane (AM) transplantation is the clinical standard for ocular surface reconstruction, however recently keratin film (KF) has been proposed as an alternative material. Aim of the current study was to evaluate corneal biocompatibility of KF in a rabbit model. Forty-six New Zealand white rabbits underwent dissection of a corneal intrastromal pocket in which an AM or KF implant was inserted and observed for 10 days and for 4 weeks.

Treatment of acute myeloid leukemia or myelodysplastic syndrome relapse after allogeneic stem cell transplantation with azacitidine and donor lymphocyte infusions--a retrospective multicenter analysis from the German Cooperative Transplant Study Group.

To expand the current knowledge about azacitidine (Aza) and donor lymphocyte infusions (DLI) as salvage therapy for relapse after allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (allo-HSCT) and to identify predictors for response and survival, we retrospectively analyzed data of 154 patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML, n = 124), myelodysplastic (MDS, n = 28), or myeloproliferative syndrome (n = 2). All patients received a median number of 4 courses of Aza (range, 4 to 14) and DLI were administered to 105 patients (68%; median number of DLI, 2; range, 1 to 7). Complete and partial remission rates were 27% and 6%, respectively, resulting in an overall response rate of 33%.

Autoantibody-defined risk for Type 1 diabetes mellitus in a general population of schoolchildren: results of the Karlsburg Type 1 Diabetes Risk Study after 18 years.

Aims: To investigate the occurrence of diabetes-associated autoantibodies and cumulative Type 1 diabetes risk over 18 years in a general population of schoolchildren.

Methods: In the Karlsburg Type 1 Diabetes Risk Study, 11 986 schoolchildren from north-eastern Germany without a family history of diabetes were screened for glutamic acid decarboxylase antibodies, insulinoma-associated antigen-2 antibodies and insulin autoantibodies by radioligand binding assay. Those children found to be autoantibody-positive were invited to follow-up examinations and HLA-DQB1 genotyping, and were followed for progression to Type 1 diabetes.

Effort-reward imbalance in the school setting: associations with somatic pain and self-rated health.

Aims: According to the workplace theory of effort-reward imbalance (ERI), individuals who perceive a lack of reciprocity between their effort spent at work and the rewards received in turn are at an increased risk of stress-related ill-health. It is also assumed that being overcommitted to work is linked to an increased risk of stress-related ill-health. This study applies the effort-reward imbalance model to the school setting.

Immunotherapy with the trifunctional anti-CD20 x anti-CD3 antibody FBTA05 (Lymphomun) in paediatric high-risk patients with recurrent CD20-positive B cell malignancies.

Children with B cell malignancies refractory to standard therapy are known to have a poor prognosis and very limited treatment options. Here, we report on the treatment and follow-up of ten patients diagnosed with relapsed or refractory mature B-cell Non Hodgkin Lymphoma (B-NHL), Burkitt leukaemia (B-AL) or pre B-acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (pre B-ALL). All children were treated with FBTA05 (now designated Lymphomun), an anti-CD3 x anti-CD20 trifunctional bispecific antibody (trAb) in compassionate use.

METEORIN-LIKE is a cytokine associated with barrier tissues and alternatively activated macrophages.

Cytokines are involved in many functions of the immune system including initiating, amplifying and resolving immune responses. Through bioinformatics analyses of a comprehensive database of gene expression (BIGE: Body Index of Gene Expression) we observed that a small secreted protein encoded by a poorly characterized gene called meteorin-like (METRNL), is highly expressed in mucosal tissues, skin and activated macrophages. Further studies indicate that Metrnl is produced by Alternatively Activated Macrophages (AAM) and M-CSF cultured bone marrow macrophages (M2-like macrophages).

Validation of cytogenetic risk groups according to International Prognostic Scoring Systems by peripheral blood CD34+FISH: results from a German diagnostic study in comparison with an international control group.

International Prognostic Scoring Systems are used to determine the individual risk profile of myelodysplastic syndrome patients. For the assessment of International Prognostic Scoring Systems, an adequate chromosome banding analysis of the bone marrow is essential. Cytogenetic information is not available for a substantial number of patients (5%-20%) with dry marrow or an insufficient number of metaphase cells.

Outcome of infrainguinal prosthetic graft infections depending on the surgical management.

Background: To evaluate the outcome of different therapeutic pathways to manage infrainguinal prosthetic graft infections.

Methods: In this study a total of 66 patients treated between 1993 and 2009 (48 males and 18 females) were included. Subgroups were formed according to the following options of surgical management: excision of the grafts with or without arterial reconstruction (including prosthetic grafts and vein grafts), primary amputation, and surgical debridement with negative wound pressure therapy.

Hashimoto's thyroiditis and papillary thyroid cancer: are they immunologically linked?

Hashimoto's thyroiditis (HT) is the most common autoimmune disease in humans frequently leading to hypothyroidism. HT is characterized by a cellular immune response with lymphatic infiltration of the thyroid gland by T and B cells, as well as by a humoral immune response leading to specific antibody production. The synchronous appearance of HT and papillary thyroid cancer (PTC) indicates an immunological link between the two entities.

An experimental study of the job demand-control model with measures of heart rate variability and salivary alpha-amylase: Evidence of increased stress responses to increased break autonomy.

We assessed in an experimental design whether the stress response towards a work task was moderated by the autonomy to choose a break during the assigned time to complete the task. This setting is defined in accordance with the theoretical framework of the job-demand-control (JDC) model of work related stress. The findings from naturalistic investigations of a stress-buffering effect of autonomy (or 'buffer hypothesis') are equivocal and the experimental evidence is limited, especially with relation to physiological indices of stress.