Changes of cancer diagnosis disclosure to children in Japan in the last 20 years

International Journal of Clinical Oncology - The practice of cancer diagnosis disclosure to children has been changed with the times. The regulations of clinical trials in the 2000s might change...     

IGF-1R pathway activation as putative biomarker for linsitinib therapy to revert tamoxifen resistance in ER-positive breast cancer

Preclinical studies indicate that activated IGF-1R can drive endocrine resistance in ER-positive (ER+) breast cancer, but its clinical relevance is unknown. We studied the effect of IGF-1R signaling on tamoxifen benefit in patients and we searched for approaches to overcome IGF-1R-mediated tamoxifen failure in cell lines. Primary tumor blocks from postmenopausal ER+ breast cancer patients randomized between adjuvant tamoxifen versus nil were recollected. Immunohistochemistry for IGF-1R, p-IGF-1R/InsR, p-ERα(Ser118), p-ERα(Ser167) and PI3K/MAPK pathway proteins was performed. Multivariate Cox models were employed to assess tamoxifen efficacy. The association between p-IGF-1R/InsR and PI3K/MAPK pathway activation in MCF-7 and T47D cells was analyzed with Western blots. Cell proliferation experiments were performed under various growth-stimulating and -inhibiting conditions. Patients with ER+, IGF-1R-positive breast cancer without p-IGF-1R/InsR staining (n = 242) had tamoxifen benefit (HR 0.41, p = 0.0038), while the results for p-IGF-1R/InsR-positive patients (n = 125) were not significant (HR 0.95, p = 0.3). High p-ERα(Ser118) or p-ERα(Ser167) expression was associated with less tamoxifen benefit. In MCF-7 cells, IGF-1R stimulation increased phosphorylation of PI3K/MAPK proteins and ERα(Ser167) regardless of IGF-1R overexpression. This could be abrogated by the dual IGF-1R/InsR inhibitor linsitinib, but not by the IGF-IR-selective antibody 1H7. In MCF-7 and T47D cells, stimulation of the IGF-1R/InsR pathway resulted in cell proliferation regardless of tamoxifen. Abrogation of cell growth was regained by addition of linsitinib. In conclusion, p-IGF-1R/InsR positivity in ER+ breast cancer is associated with reduced benefit from adjuvant tamoxifen in postmenopausal patients. In cell lines, stimulation rather than overexpression of IGF-1R is driving tamoxifen resistance to be abrogated by linsitinib.     

基于冰山模型构建护士综合素质测评指标体系

[目的] 基于冰山模型构建护士综合素质测评指标体系，为临床护士综合素质测评提供可视化工具。[方法] 在冰山模型的基础上，通过查阅国内外文献、小组讨论和运用德尔菲法对16名专家进行2轮专家函询，建立了系统、全面的护士综合素质测评体系。[结果] 最终确定了护士综合素质测评指标体系，包括3项一级指标，8项二级指标和31项三级指标。两轮专家有效应答率均为100%，第2轮函询专家权威系数为0.887 5，二级、三级指标的Kendall W系数分别为0.492和0.387（P<0.05）。[结论] 基于冰山模型的护士综合素质测评指标体系科学、客观、内容全面，可用于对临床护士综合素质的测评，并对其他医院护理团队建设有借鉴价值。     

壮药材滇桂艾纳香及其易混品种东风草和高艾纳香比较研究

目的： 建立壮药材滇桂艾纳香专属性检验方法。方法： 采用基原鉴别、性状鉴别、显微鉴别、薄层鉴别、分子生物学及特征图谱等方法对滇桂艾纳香及其易混品种东风草和高艾纳香进行对比研究。结果： 三者的根、茎、叶性状基本相同，区别点在于滇桂艾纳香头状花序小（直径0.5~0.8 cm），东风草头状花序大（直径1.5~2 cm），高艾纳香头状花序具密集的长绒毛；三者的根、茎横切面，粉末显微特征基本相同，高艾纳香具基部膨大的非腺毛；薄层鉴别（1）中高艾纳香比滇桂艾纳香和东风草少1个斑点；薄层鉴别（2）中滇桂艾纳香比东风草和高艾纳香少1个特征斑点；ITS2序列N-J树聚类分析显示三者具有良好的单系性，三者种间最小遗传距离均大于种内最大遗传距离；与滇桂艾纳香对照图谱相比，东风草平均相似度为0.962，高艾纳香平均相似度仅为0.789。结论： 高艾纳香与滇桂艾纳香区别较大，不宜混用，在日常使用中应注意甄别；东风草与滇桂艾纳香在性状、显微、薄层、分子生物学、特征图谱等方面相似度较高，在对二者进行充分的药理活性以及临床试验等基础上，可考虑作为滇桂艾纳香的替代品使用，以缓解药用资源不足的问题。     

Physiology of cold-stored platelets

Platelet transfusions are a life-saving medical intervention used for the treatment of thrombocytopenia or hemorrhage. Extensive research has gone into trying to understand how to store platelets prior to the transfusion event. Much has been learned about storage bag materials, synthetic solutions, and how temperature impacts platelet viability and function. While room temperature storage of platelets preserves 24-hour in vivo platelet recovery and survival there is a greater risk for bacterial growth. Therefore, cold storage of platelets has become attractive due to the reduction in potential bacterial proliferation and the maintenance of platelet function beyond 5 days of storage. Cold stored platelets, however, have their own set of challenges. Cold stored platelets become activated through several mechanisms. The morphological and molecular changes that occur due to cold exposure enhance their ability to participate in the hemostatic process at the cost of rapid clearance from circulation. This review focuses on the underlying mechanisms leading to cold platelet activation and the receptor modifications involved in platelet clearance.     

Targeted Therapeutic Approaches in Vulvar Squamous Cell Cancer (VSCC): Case Series and Review of the Literature

Therapeutic options in recurrent or metastasized vulvar squamous cell cancer (VSCC) not amenable to radiotherapy or radical surgery are limited. Evidence for the use of targeted therapies is sparse. All patients with VSCC treated at the Gynecological Cancer Center Hamburg-Eppendorf 2013–2019 were retrospectively evaluated for targeted therapeutic approaches. Furthermore, a MEDLINE, EMBASE, Web of Science, Scopus, and OVID database search was performed using the terms: “vulvar cancer” AND “targeted therapy,” “erlotinib,” “EGFR,” “bevacizumab,” “VEGF,” “pembrolizumab,” or “immunotherapy.” Twelve of 291 patients (4.1%) with VSCC received at least one targeted therapy at our institution. Previously, one or more platinum-based chemotherapy was applied to all patients [median 3.5 previous lines (range 2–5)]. In the erlotinib subgroup, two of five patients (40%) achieved stable disease (SD), while two patients (2/5, 40%) experienced partial response (PR). Treatment was given as monotherapy in second/third line for a median of 3.4 months (range 2–6 months). Bevacizumab (n = 9) was given as maintenance therapy after platinum-based first-line chemotherapy (9/9); best response was complete response (CR) (n = 2/9 22.2%). Median duration of treatment was 7 months (range 4–13 months) with two patients still under ongoing treatment. Best response in the pembrolizumab (n = 3) subset was SD (n = 1/3 33%). Treatment was given as monotherapy in second/third line for a median of 3.3 months (range 3–4 months). Nine of 12 patients (75%) experienced treatment-related adverse events (TRAEs), most commonly grade 1/2. Rapidly evolving antibody treatments have proven clinical benefit especially in HPV-driven tumor entities; however, clinical investigations in VSCC are still limited. These reported cases provide evidence for the clinical utility and feasibility while ensuring an acceptable safety profile.Key words: Vulvar cancer (VC), Targeted therapy, EGFR targeting, VEGF signaling pathway, Immuno-oncology     

Preclinical laboratory course in dental behavioral science: changing human behavior.

Dental health professionals are frequently frustrated when they present preventive or therapeutic regimens to patients. This paper describes an approach to the teaching of behavioral science designed to familiarize the dental student with applying behavioral change techniques to dental problems. Ninety-nine second-year dental students participated in the two-credit course. Students were taught in six groups, each led by a clinician-behavioral scientist team. The behavioral science materials were presented in five slide-tape programs developed by the authors. The key to the course was a behavior change project in which each student identified a problem, designed an intervention strategy, and attempted to manage the problem using the behavioral techniques presented.     

Functional "checkbite-impressions" for fixed prosthodontics

A technique has been described that combines a functional chew-in record with an impression of the prepared teeth. This technique eliminates many potential inaccuracies that may be introduced when the impression and jaw relation records are made separately.