Tag: pubmed

Cancer Causes Control. 2021 Jun 12. doi: 10.1007/s10552-021-01452-y. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

PURPOSE: Cutaneous T-cell lymphoma (CTCL) is a rare type of non-Hodgkin lymphoma. Previous studies have reported geographic clustering of CTCL based on the residence at the time of diagnosis. We explore geographic clustering of CTCL using both the residence at the time of diagnosis and past residences using data from the New Jersey State Cancer Registry.

METHODS: CTCL cases (n = 1,163) diagnosed between 2006-2014 were matched to colon cancer controls (n = 17,049) on sex, age, race/ethnicity, and birth year. Jacquez’s Q-Statistic was used to identify temporal clustering of cases compared to controls. Geographic clustering was assessed using the Bernoulli-based scan-statistic to compare cases to controls, and the Poisson-based scan-statisic to compare the observed number of cases to the number expected based on the general population. Significant clusters (p < 0.05) were mapped, and standard incidence ratios (SIR) reported. We adjusted for diagnosis year, sex, and age.

RESULTS: The Q-statistic identified significant temporal clustering of cases based on past residences in the study area from 1992 to 2002. A cluster was detected in 1992 in Bergen County in northern New Jersey based on the Bernoulli (1992 SIR 1.84) and Poisson (1992 SIR 1.86) scan-statistics. Using the Poisson scan-statistic with the diagnosis location, we found evidence of an elevated risk in this same area, but the results were not statistically significant.

CONCLUSION: There is evidence of geographic clustering of CTCL cases in New Jersey based on past residences. Additional studies are necessary to understand the possible reasons for the excess of CTCL cases living in this specific area some 8-14 years prior to diagnosis.

PMID:34117957 | DOI:10.1007/s10552-021-01452-y

Tech Coloproctol. 2021 Jun 12. doi: 10.1007/s10151-021-02473-0. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Anal squamous cell carcinoma (ASCC) is an uncommon cancer associated with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection. There has been increasing interest in providing organ-sparing treatment in small node-negative ASCC’s, however, there is a paucity of evidence about the use of local excision alone in people living with HIV (PLWH). The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of local excision alone in this patient population.

METHODS: We present a case series of stage 1 and stage 2 ASCC in PLWH and HIV negative patients. Data were extracted from a 20-year retrospective cohort study analysing the treatment and outcomes of patients with primary ASCC in a cohort with a high prevalence of HIV.

RESULTS: Ninety-four patients were included in the analysis. Fifty-seven (61%) were PLWH. Thirty-five (37%) patients received local excision alone as treatment for ASCC, they were more likely to be younger (p = 0.037, ANOVA) and have either foci of malignancy or well-differentiated tumours on histology (p = 0.002, Fisher’s exact test). There was no statistically significant difference in 5-year disease-free survival and recurrence between treatment groups, however, patients who had local excision alone and PLWH were both more likely to recur later compared to patients who received other treatments for ASCC. (72.3 months vs 27.3 months, p = 0.06, ANOVA, and 72.3 months vs 31.8 months, p = 0.035, ANOVA, respectively).

CONCLUSIONS: We recommend that local excision be considered the sole treatment for stage 1 node-negative tumours that have clear margins and advantageous histology regardless of HIV status. However, PLWH who have local excision alone must have access to an expert long-term surveillance programme after treatment to identify late recurrences.

PMID:34117969 | DOI:10.1007/s10151-021-02473-0

Environ Geochem Health. 2021 Jun 12. doi: 10.1007/s10653-021-01001-1. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

Geothermal areas of Greece are located in regions affected by recent volcanism and in continental basins characterised by elevated heat flow. Many of them are found along the coast, and thus, water is often saline due to marine intrusion. In the current study, we present about 300 unpublished and literature data from thermal and cold mineral waters collected along Greece. Samples were analysed for major ions, Li, SiO₂ and isotopes in water. Measured temperatures range from 6.5 to 98 °C, pH from 1.96 to 11.98, while Total Dissolved Solutes (TDS) from 0.22 to 51 g/L. Waters were subdivided into four main groups: (1) thermal; (2) cold; (3) acidic (pH < 5); and (4) hyperalkaline (pH > 11). On statistical basis, thermal waters were subdivided into subgroups according to both their temperature [warm (< 29 °C), hypothermal (29-48 °C), thermal (48-75 °C) and hyperthermal (> 75 °C)] and TDS [low salinity (< 4 g/L), brackish (4-30 g/L) and saline (> 30 g/L)]. Cold waters were subdivided based on their pCO₂ [low (< 0.05 atm), medium (0.05-0.85 atm) and high (> 0.85 atm)]. δ¹⁸O-H₂O ranges from – 12.7 to + 2.7‰ versus SMOW, while δ²H-H₂O from – 91 to + 12‰ versus SMOW being generally comprised between the Global Meteoric Water Line and the East Mediterranean Meteoric Water Line. Positive δ¹⁸O shifts with respect to the former are mostly related to mixing with seawater, while only for a few samples these shifts point to high-temperature water-rock interaction processes. Only a few thermal waters gave reliable geothermometric estimates, suggesting reservoir temperatures between 80 and 260 °C.

PMID:34117974 | DOI:10.1007/s10653-021-01001-1

AMB Express. 2021 Jun 12;11(1):88. doi: 10.1186/s13568-021-01249-x.

ABSTRACT

The mammalian gut microbiome participates in almost all life processes in the host. In addition to diet, the breed is the main factor affecting changes in the swine gut microbiota. The composition of the gut microbiota changes significantly during different growth stages. Research on developmental changes in the gut microbiota of indigenous Chinese pig breeds is limited. In this study, the fecal microbiota of Wuzhishan pigs (a Chinese indigenous miniature pig) at different growth stages was investigated using high-throughput 16S rRNA sequencing. Firmicutes and Bacteroidetes were the two dominant phyla, accounting for more than 80% of all sequences. With increasing age, the fecal microbial diversity increased, and the proportion of Firmicutes increased, whereas the proportion of Bacteroidetes decreased. A total of 49 biomarkers with statistical differences were detected in the four growth stages. The different microbiota among groups enhanced the ability to degrade fiber, carbohydrates, and other substances during the growth stages. The endocrine system was different in multiple growth stage paired comparisons, which was attributed to the different body statuses in the growth stages. This study revealed developmental changes in the structure and function of gut microbes in local pigs.

PMID:34117938 | DOI:10.1186/s13568-021-01249-x

Odontology. 2021 Jun 12. doi: 10.1007/s10266-021-00626-z. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

A decline in swallowing function is frequently observed among older residents in nursing homes. We investigated whether swallowing dysfunction was related to the onset of fever in such individuals. Older residents aged ≥ 65 years from three nursing homes were included in this prospective study conducted from July 2017 to May 2019. The follow-up period was 13 months. The outcome was fever incidence in relation to the swallowing dysfunction. Baseline data on the activities of daily living, cognitive function, swallowing function, respiratory function, tongue pressure, and comorbidity conditions were collected. Dates on which the axillary temperature measured ay of participants was > 37.5 °C during the follow-up period were also recorded. For the statistical analyses, swallowing function assessed by the modified water swallow test (MWST) score was used to divide the participants into three groups: scores ≤ 3, 4, and 5. A total of 52 participants [median age, 89.5 years (67-104)] were enrolled. Kaplan-Meier analysis showed that the average periods until onset of fever in participants with MWST scores of ≤ 3, 4, and 5 were 8.0 (6.0-11.0), 10.0 (7.0-12.0), and 12.0 (10.0-13.0) months, respectively. Cox’s proportional hazards regression model revealed that participants with an MWST score ≤ 3 were at a higher risk of fever than those with an MWST score of 5 (hazard ratio 11.5, 95% confidence interval 1.5-63.4, adjusted for possible confounders. The swallowing dysfunction correlated with the risk of fever in older residents of nursing homes.

PMID:34117954 | DOI:10.1007/s10266-021-00626-z

J Mater Sci Mater Med. 2021 Jun 12;32(6):69. doi: 10.1007/s10856-021-06543-5.

ABSTRACT

To investigate the impact of radiotherapy on surface properties of restorative dental materials. A conventional resin composite-CRC (Aura Enamel), a bulk-fill resin composite-BFRC (Aura Bulk-fill), a conventional glass ionomer cement-CGIC (Riva self cure), and a resin-modified glass ionomer cement-RMGIC (Riva light cure) were tested. Forty disc-shaped samples from each material (8 mm diameter × 2 mm thickness) (n = 10) were produced according to manufacturer directions and then stored in water distilled for 24 h. Surface wettability (water contact angle), Vickers microhardness, and micromorphology through scanning electron microscopy (SEM) before and after exposition to ionizing radiation (60 Gy) were obtained. The data were statistically evaluated using the two-way ANOVA and Tukey posthoc test (p < 0.05). Baseline and post-radiation values of contact angles were statistically similar for CRC, BFRC, and RMGIC, whilst post-radiation values of contact angles were statistically lower than baseline ones for CGIC. Exposition to ionizing radiation statistically increased the microhardness of CRC, and statistically decreased the microhardness of CGIC. The surface micromorphology of all materials was changed post-radiation. Exposure to ionizing radiation negatively affected the conventional glass ionomer tested, while did not alter or improved surface properties testing of the resin composites and the resin-modified glass ionomer cement tested.

PMID:34117934 | DOI:10.1007/s10856-021-06543-5

Eur Radiol. 2021 Jun 12. doi: 10.1007/s00330-021-08088-1. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the inter-observer reliability of modified Response Evaluation Criteria In Solid Tumours (mRECIST) of patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) undergoing neo-adjuvant treatments before liver transplant (LT). The agreement of tumor number, size, transplant criteria, and the radiological-pathological concordance were also assessed.

METHODS: A total of 180 radiological studies before/after neo-adjuvant therapies performed on 90 patients prior to LT were reviewed from three expert centers. Kappa-statistic and intraclass correlation (ICC) were evaluated on mRECIST and on tumoral features. Complete radiological response (CR) was compared with complete pathological response (CPR).

RESULTS: Before neo-adjuvant therapies, the agreement on tumor number, size, and transplant criteria ranged from moderate (defined as ICC of 0.41-0.60) to almost perfect (ICC of 0.81-0.99), being higher with magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) than CT (0.657-0.899 and 0.422-0.776, respectively). After neo-adjuvant therapies, the agreement decreased, as ICCs ranged between 0.518 and 0.663 with MRI and between 0.508 and 0.677 with CT. Concordant mRECIST pairs were 201 of 270 reviews (76.3%) with a kappa of 0.648 indicating substantial agreement. When the three observers completely agreed on CR, the positive predictive value for CPR was 51.6%. The negative predictive value was 94.2% with a kappa of 0.512 indicating fair agreement between radiology and pathology.

CONCLUSIONS: mRECIST agreement was substantial among the three observers involved. The agreement on tumor number, size, and transplant criteria ranged from moderate to almost perfect, with the highest ICCs obtained with MRI before neo-adjuvant therapies. Finally, the predictive value of mRECIST in the diagnosis of CPR was only fair.

KEY POINTS: • The review of 180 radiological exams of patients with hepatocellular carcinoma before and after neo-adjuvant therapies showed that the concordance among three different raters on mRECIST diagnosis was substantial. • The inter-observer reliability on fulfilment of transplant criteria slightly decreased when evaluated through CT and after loco-regional therapies. • The radiological diagnosis of complete response after neo-adjuvant therapies was predictive of complete pathological response in only 51.6% of cases.

PMID:34117911 | DOI:10.1007/s00330-021-08088-1

World J Urol. 2021 Jun 12. doi: 10.1007/s00345-021-03755-w. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

PURPOSE: Female sex has been implicated with higher stage at diagnosis and as a negative prognostic factor amongst patients with non-muscle invasive bladder cancer (NMIBC). Whether this holds true with contemporary management paradigms is unknown. We analyzed a cohort of patients treated with adequate bacillus Calmette-Guerin (BCG) for NMIBC in an effort to identify sex-specific influence on BCG response.

METHODS: An IRB-approved review of patients with NMIBC treated at our institution with at least ‘adequate BCG’, as defined by the US FDA and EAU, from 2000 to 2018 was performed. Patients were then stratified by sex and response to BCG. Non-parametric tests were used to summarize the data overall and by groups. The Kaplan-Meier product limit method was used to calculate median survival endpoints.

RESULTS: Of the 541 patients treated with adequate BCG, 111 (20.5%) were female and 430 (79.5%) were male. Female patients were younger (median 66 vs. 69, p = 0.071), had a lower BMI (median 27.3 vs. 28.8, p = 0.010) and were more likely to have no smoking history (49.5% vs. 27.0%, p < 0.001). Tumor characteristics with respect to stage, size, multifocality, presence of carcinoma in situ, and presence of variant histology were similar between sexes. While rates of recurrence were higher in females than in males this, was not statistically significant (44.1% vs. 34.7%, p = 0.064) and Kaplan-Meier estimates of recurrence-free, progression-free and overall survival demonstrated no significant difference between sexes (p = 0.409, p = 0.253, p = 0.171, respectively).

CONCLUSION: In a contemporary cohort of patients with NMIBC treated with adequate BCG, female sex was not associated with adverse oncologic outcomes.

PMID:34117914 | DOI:10.1007/s00345-021-03755-w

Sci Rep. 2021 Jun 11;11(1):12341. doi: 10.1038/s41598-021-90768-5.

ABSTRACT

Cloudina is a globally distributed Ediacaran metazoan, with a tubular, funnel-in-funnel form built of thin laminae (ca. 1-10 μm). To what degree local environmental controlled morphology, and whether early diagenesis controlled the degree of calcification of Cloudina, is debated. Here we test these hypotheses by considering assemblages from four, coeval localities from the Upper Omkyk Member, Nama Group, Namibia, from inner ramp to mid-ramp reef across the Zaris Subbasin. We show that sinuosity of the Cloudina tube is variable between sites, as is the relative thickness of the tube wall, suggesting these features were environmentally controlled. Walls are thickest in high-energy reef settings, and thinnest in the low-energy, inner ramp. While local diagenesis controls preservation, all diagenetic expressions are consistent with the presence of weakly calcified, organic-rich laminae, and lamina thicknesses are broadly constant. Finally, internal ‘cements’ within Cloudina are found in all sites, and pre-date skeletal breakage, transport, as well as syn-sedimentary botryoidal cement precipitation. Best preservation shows these to be formed by fine, pseudomorphed aragonitic acicular crystals. Sr concentrations and Mg/Ca show no statistically significant differences between internal Cloudina cements and botryoidal cements, but we infer all internal cements to have precipitated when Cloudina was still in-situ and added considerable mechanical strength, but may have formed post-mortem or in abandoned parts of the skeleton.

PMID:34117286 | DOI:10.1038/s41598-021-90768-5

Sci Rep. 2021 Jun 11;11(1):12391. doi: 10.1038/s41598-021-91942-5.

ABSTRACT

Skin cancers are the most common neoplasms; frequently, they localize on the face. The aim of paper is to present the incidence of skin tumors in a single center from 2017 to 2019, describe trends in its frequency and find relations between neoplasms and sex, type of cancer, and its size. An analysis of histopathological files from the surgical department between 2017 and 2019 was calculated. These items were selected: sex, age, type of skin cancer, subtype of basal cell carcinoma (BCC), grading of squamous cell carcinoma (SCC), localization and dimensions of the tumor. The study sample consisted of 387 cases. BCC was the most common cancer and its nodular type was the most frequent. In older patients, the vertical dimension of excised carcinoma was significantly larger. Moreover, this connection was detected only in women compared to men. There were statistically significant differences between dimensions of the skin cancer and sex. In men group, skin cancers had statistically higher vertical dimensions and larger surface areas. On the face and head, BCC more often localizes in the nasal area, while SCC on the auricle. It has been demonstrated that the older the patient, the larger the vertical dimension of the tumor. As such, tumor size is larger in men than in women, as women usually see their physicians sooner than men: cosmetic concerns are more important to them.

PMID:34117314 | DOI:10.1038/s41598-021-91942-5