Jonassenreimer4682

Optical coherence tomography (OCT) was used to investigate integrity and expansion of bioresorbable drug-eluting scaffolds (BVS) after high-pressure postdilation (HPPD).

Because of concerns about the risk of BVS damage, postdilation was not recommended and applied in the existing randomized studies and most registries. Recent real world data suggest incomplete BVS expansion cause higher rates of thrombosis. In vivo confirmation of the safety of high pressure postdilation is of paramount importance.

Data from final OCT examination of consecutive implanted BVS, postdilated with noncompliant (NC) balloons at pressure ≥24 atm were analyzed. The following stent performance indices were assessed with OCT mean and minimal lumen and scaffold area, residual area stenosis (RAS), incomplete strut apposition (ISA), tissue prolapse, eccentricity index (EI), symmetry index (SI), strut fractures, and edge dissections.

Twenty-two BVS postdilated at high pressure were analyzed. The average maximal postdilation balloon inflation (maxPD) was 28 ± 3 atm. High pressure OPN NC Balloon (SIS Medical AG, Winterthur Switzerland) was used in 41% of postdilations with a maximal PD of 30 ± 4.7 atm. Final mean and minimal lumen area were 6.8 ± 1.4 and 5.5 ± 1.4 mm(2) , respectively. OCT showed low percentage of RAS (16 ± 9.6%), and low percentage of ISA (1.8 ± 2.4%). Mean EI was 0.86 ± 0.02 and SI 0.35 ± 0.14. OCT analysis showed one edge dissection and no scaffold fractures.

BVS deployment optimization using HPPD does not cause BVS disruption and is associated with a good BVS expansion, low rate of strut malapposition and edge dissections.

BVS deployment optimization using HPPD does not cause BVS disruption and is associated with a good BVS expansion, low rate of strut malapposition and edge dissections.The management of intracranial germ-cell tumours is complex because of varied clinical presentations, tumour sites, treatments and outcomes, and the need for multidisciplinary input. Participants of the 2013 Third International CNS Germ Cell Tumour Symposium (Cambridge, UK) agreed to undertake a multidisciplinary Delphi process to identify consensus in the clinical management of intracranial germ-cell tumours. 77 delegates from the symposium were selected as suitable experts in the field and were invited to participate in the Delphi survey, of which 64 (83%) responded to the invitation. Invited participants represented multiple disciplines from Asia, Australasia, Europe, and the Americas. 38 consensus statements encompassing aspects of intracranial germ-cell tumour work-up, staging, treatment, and follow-up were prepared. To achieve consensus, statements required at least 70% agreement from at least 60% of respondents. Overall, 34 (89%) of 38 statements met consensus criteria. This international Delphi approach has defined key areas of consensus that will help guide and streamline clinical management of patients with intracranial germ-cell tumours. Additionally, the Delphi approach identified areas of different understanding and clinical practice internationally in the management of these tumours, areas which should be the focus of future collaborative studies. Such efforts should translate into improved patient outcomes.Cylindroma is a rare skin tumour that is inherited in several skin-tumour syndromes caused by germline mutations in the tumour suppressor gene, CYLD. In this Review, we provide insight into the clinical features of patients who develop multiple cylindromas and other related tumours. The CYLD protein is also dysfunctional in various sporadic cancers and we discuss how such dysfunction relates to the role of CYLD in regulating key cellular pathways. Clinical management of patients with germline CYLD mutations is challenging and we discuss genetic counselling and surgical interventions. Finally, we discuss how the study of these rare syndromes might provide insights into understanding more common diseases.Discovery of activating mutations in EGFR and their use as predictive biomarkers to tailor patient therapy with EGFR tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) has revolutionised treatment of patients with advanced EGFR-mutant non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC). At present, first-line treatment with EGFR TKIs (gefitinib, erlotinib, and afatinib) has been approved for patients harbouring exon 19 deletions or exon 21 (Leu858Arg) substitution EGFR mutations. These agents improve response rates, time to progression, and overall survival. Unfortunately, patients develop resistance, limiting patient benefit and posing a challenge to oncologists. Optimum treatment after progression is not clearly defined. A more detailed understanding of the biology of EGFR-mutant NSCLC and the mechanisms of resistance to targeted therapy mean that an era of treatment approaches based on rationally developed drugs or therapeutic strategies has begun. Combination approaches-eg, dual EGFR blockade-to overcome resistance have been trialled and seem to be promising but are potentially limited by toxicity. Third-generation EGFR-mutant-selective TKIs, such as AZD9291 or rociletininb, which target Thr790Met-mutant tumours, the most common mechanism of EGFR TKI resistance, have entered clinical trials, and exciting, albeit preliminary, efficacy data have been reported. In this Review, we summarise the scientific literature and evidence on therapy options after EGFR TKI treatment for patients with NSCLC, aiming to provide a guide to oncologists, and consider how to maximise therapeutic advances in outcomes in this rapidly advancing area.Management of neuroendocrine neoplasia represents a clinical challenge because of its late presentation, lack of treatment options, and limitations in present imaging modalities and biomarkers to guide management. Monoanalyte biomarkers have poor sensitivity, specificity, and predictive ability. A National Cancer Institute summit, held in 2007, on neuroendocrine tumours noted biomarker limitations to be a crucial unmet need in the management of neuroendocrine tumours. A multinational consensus meeting of multidisciplinary experts in neuroendocrine tumours assessed the use of current biomarkers and defined the perquisites for novel biomarkers via the Delphi method. Consensus (at >75%) was achieved for 88 (82%) of 107 assessment questions. The panel concluded that circulating multianalyte biomarkers provide the highest sensitivity and specificity necessary for minimum disease detection and that this type of biomarker had sufficient information to predict treatment effectiveness and prognosis. The panel also concluded that no monoanalyte biomarker of neuroendocrine tumours has yet fulfilled these criteria and there is insufficient information to support the clinical use of miRNA or circulating tumour cells as useful prognostic markers for this disease. The panel considered that trials measuring multianalytes (eg, neuroendocrine gene transcripts) should also identify how such information can optimise the management of patients with neuroendocrine tumours.Topological insulators (TIs) are interesting quantum matters that have a narrow bandgap for bulk and a Dirac-cone-like conducting surface state (SS). The recent discovered second Dirac surface state (SS) and bulk bands (BBs) located ~1.5 eV above the first SS are important for optical coupling in TIs. Here, we report on the time-domain measurements of THz radiation generated from TIs n-type Cu(0.02)Bi2Se3 and p-type Bi2Te3 single crystals by ultrafast optical pulse excitation. selleck chemicals The observed polarity-reversal of the THz pulse originated from transient current is unusual, and cannot be reconciled with the photo-Dember effect. The second SS and BBs are found to be indispensable for the explanation of the unusual phenomenon. Thanks to the existence of the second SS and BBs, TIs manifest an effective wide band gap in THz generation. The present study demonstrates that time-domain THz spectroscopy provide rich information of the optical coupling and the electronic structure of TIs.

DNA protective and antioxidant activity of Bacillus amyloliquefaciens B-1895 and Bacillus subtilis KATMIRA1933 were evaluated by Escherichia coli-based Lux biosensors. Two biosensor strains of E. coli, MG1655 (pColD-lux) and MG1655 (pSoxS-lux), which react on DNA damage and superoxide-anion radical activity, were used. SOS-response and Sox-response were stimulated by addition of dioxidine (2,3-Quinoxalinedimethanol,1,4-dioxide) and paraquat (N,N'-dimethyl-4,4'-bipyridinium dichloride) respectively. Preparations of both Bacillus fermentates demonstrated DNA protective and antioxidant (superoxide scavenging) activity (up to 60·19%). The strain К1933 is, in general, characterized by higher DNA protective activity (28·85%), with parameters of antioxidant activity of both bacilli strains being statistically not significantly different. Sporogenous potential probiotic micro-organisms with antioxidant and DNA protective activities can become an effective tool for compensation of various negative oxidative stress pprotectors. In this study, two Bacillus strains of interest were shown to produce noticeable DNA protective and antioxidant activities.

Lymphoplasmacytic plaque (LPP) is a recently described rare skin disease characterized by a dense dermal lymphohistiocytic infiltrate with polyclonal plasma cells. The clinical picture is distinct with reddish to brownish plaque with a predilection for the lower leg. LPP typically affects children.

To define clinical and histologic criteria of LPP and to develop a diagnostic flow chart.

We investigated six of our own LPP cases. Immunoglobulin light chains, IgG, IgG4, CD31, CD163 as a histiocytic marker were examined by immunohistochemistry. PCR-based molecular studies were conducted for borrelia sp., mycobacterial and leishmania sp. Moreover, 10 cases, which have been reported in the literature, were checked for the same features.

We could differentiate three main histological patterns (superficial band-like only, [deep] dermal only and mixed). Acanthosis and interface dermatitis are key features in cases with a superficial band-like or mixed infiltrate. Granulomas and giant cells could be only found in about 30% of the cases. The number of plasma cells was variable accounting for 5-40% of the infiltrate. The number of blood vessels was increased in the majority of the cases. 'Free-floating' collagen bundles surrounded by histiocytes (pseudorosettes) were identified as a new histological feature. An infectious agent could be excluded in all cases.

LPP is a long-standing skin disease, which may also occur in adults and in other body regions than the lower leg. Reproducible clinical and histological criteria allow delineating a diagnostic work-up for LPP.

LPP is a long-standing skin disease, which may also occur in adults and in other body regions than the lower leg. Reproducible clinical and histological criteria allow delineating a diagnostic work-up for LPP.To advance our understanding of protein tertiary structure, the development of the knob-socket model is completed in an analysis of the packing in irregular coil and turn secondary structure packing as well as between mixed secondary structure. The knob-socket model simplifies packing based on repeated patterns of two motifs a three-residue socket for packing within secondary (2°) structure and a four-residue knob-socket for tertiary (3°) packing. For coil and turn secondary structure, knob-sockets allow identification of a correlation between amino acid composition and tertiary arrangements in space. Coil contributes almost as much as α-helices to tertiary packing. In irregular sockets, Gly, Pro, Asp, and Ser are favored, while in irregular knobs, the preference order is Arg, Asp, Pro, Asn, Thr, Leu, and Gly. Cys, His,Met, and Trp are not favored in either. In mixed packing, the knob amino acid preferences are a function of the socket that they are packing into, whereas the amino acid composition of the sockets does not depend on the secondary structure of the knob.