Non-parental banding patterns in recombinant inbred line population of maize with SSR markers

We observed 3 types of non-parental banding patterns using simple-sequence repeat primers in a recombinant inbred line maize population developed from 2 inbred lines, Mo17 and KW7. We observed alleles that were not present in either of the parents, known as non-parental alleles. Although non-parental alleles are a consequence of genetic variation, they are less common in progenies derived from inbred lines. Generally, when non-parental alleles are encountered during genotyping analysis, they are either deleted from the analysis or considered to be missing data. However, before making a decision regarding how to treat non-parental alleles, it is important to understand the mechanism through which they form. There are a variety of potential reasons for the formation of non-parental bands, including recombination or mutation in the simple-sequence repeat region, residual heterozygosity in parental lines, or chromosomal aberrations resulting from rearrangements and transposons. In this article, we discuss the potential reasons behind the formation of the non-parental alleles observed in our data.

Switching bipolar hepatic radiofrequency ablation using internally cooled wet electrodes: comparison with consecutive monopolar and switching monopolar modes

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate whether switching bipolar radiofrequency ablation (SB-RFA) using three internally cooled wet (ICW) electrodes can induce coagulations >5 cm in porcine livers with better efficiency than consecutive monopolar (CM) or switching monopolar (SM) modes.

METHODS

A total of 60 coagulations were made in 15 in vivo porcine livers using three 17-gauge ICW electrodes and a multichannel radiofrequency (RF) generator. RF energy (approximately 200 W) was applied in CM mode (Group A, n = 20) for 24 min, SM mode for 12 min (Group B, n = 20) or switching bipolar (SB) mode for 12 min (Group C, n = 20) in in vivo porcine livers. Thereafter, the delivered RFA energy, as well as the shape and dimension of coagulations were compared among the groups.

RESULTS

Spherical- or oval-shaped ablations were created in 30% (6/20), 85% (17/20) and 90% (18/20) of coagulations in the CM, SM and SB groups, respectively (p = 0.003). SB-RFA created ablations >5 cm in minimum diameter (Dmin) in 65% (13/20) of porcine livers, whereas SM- or CM-RFA created ablations >5 cm in only 25% (5/20) and 20% (4/20) of porcine livers, respectively (p = 0.03). The mean Dmin of coagulations was significantly larger in Group C than in Groups A and B (5.1 ± 0.9, 3.9 ± 1.2 and 4.4 ± 1.0 cm, respectively, p = 0.002) at a lower delivered RF energy level (76.8 ± 14.3, 120.9 ± 24.5 and 114.2 ± 18.3 kJ, respectively, p < 0.001).

CONCLUSION

SB-RFA using three ICW electrodes can create coagulations >5 cm in diameter with better efficiency than do SM- or CM-RFA.

ADVANCES IN KNOWLEDGE

SB-RFA can create large, regular ablation zones with better time-energy efficiency than do CM- or SM-RFA.

Quantitative insight in utilizing circulating angiogenic factors as biomarkers for antiangiogenic therapy: systems pharmacology approach

Circulating angiogenic factors (CAF) like vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), placental growth factor (PlGF), and sVEGFR2 have potential as biomarkers for antiangiogenic therapy. The interpretation of changes in CAF is complicated by the dynamic nature of the tumor and host cells emanating CAF in response to VEGF pathway inhibition. We developed a systems pharmacology model of anti-VEGF agents to investigate CAF modulation by tumor and host cells, and the relationship between overall CAF changes in response to sunitinib and antitumor efficacy. This model distinguishes between the tumor cells' contributions from tumor-independent response to therapy and total plasma CAF correlating with antitumor activity. Altered VEGF is more likely to serve as a useful biomarker reflecting tumor responses in cancer patients whose pretreatment VEGF is higher than baseline VEGF in healthy subjects. Our findings provide a mechanistic insight into tumor modulation of angiogenic molecules, and may explain the inconsistent results found in previous biomarker studies.

Ninety-one osteoporosis patients affected with bisphosphonate-related osteonecrosis of the jaw: a case series

Bisphosphonate (BP)-related osteonecrosis of the jaw (BRONJ) presents with necrotic bone in the mouth in the setting of BP exposure. It has been studied in cancer patients taking high-dose BP, but BRONJ has also been noted in patients taking lower-dose BP for osteoporosis. The purpose of this study was to characterize the phenotypes and outcomes in a large series of patients with osteoporosis and BRONJ in the setting of BP exposure. We conducted a retrospective case series. The sample was composed of subjects with BRONJ and osteoporosis. Subjects with a history of BP treatment for myeloma or metastatic cancer to the bones were excluded. Descriptive statistics were computed for the study variables. Ninety-one cases of BRONJ met the inclusion criteria. Subjects had a median age of 71 years and were predominantly female (94.5 %). The median time of BP exposure was 60 months (range 2-120). Most subjects were treated with alendronate (82.4 %). The mandible was involved more frequently (58.2 %) than the maxilla (37.3 %). Subjects commonly (65.9 %), but not universally, reported pain. For subjects with treatment outcome data (n = 0), most reported improvement (80.0 %). Although BRONJ is an uncommon condition, the absolute number of cases is fairly large due to the very large number of patients taking BPs for osteoporosis. The findings of this study confirm that BRONJ primarily affects the mandible, a substantial minority present without pain, and patients typically improve with treatment.

Abstract P2-05-20: Validation and comparison of CS-IHC4 score with a nomogram based on Ki67 index, Adjuvant! Online, and St. Gallen risk stratification to predict recurrence in early Hormone Receptor (HR)-positive breast cancers

Background: Recently, the information in the IHC score was reported to be similar to that in the 21-gene Genomic Health recurrence score (GHI-RS). The aim of this study is to develop a nomogram based on Ki67 index to predict recurrence and to validate the nomogram by comparison with CS-IHC4 as well as Adjuvant! Online and St. Galen risk stratification. In addition, we validated our nomogram with external cohort.

Methods: We retrospectively analyzed the clinicopathologic characteristics and outcomes of 1,070 postoperative HR-positive breast cancer patients between 2004 and 2007 at the Samsung Medical Center to determine recurrence-free survival (RFS). We constructed nomogram using Cox proportional hazard model and validated externally in a cohort of 1,028 at Seoul National University Hospital. A prognostic model that used classical variables, Adjuvant! Online, St. Gallen risk stratification, and the four IHC markers (IHC4 score) were created and assessed in our cohort by LR-χ2 test using the bootstrapping method.

Results: Nomogram showed an area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) of 0.70 (95% CI, 0.62–0.75) in the training set. The validation set showed a good discrimination with an AUC of 0.65 (95% CI, 0.58–0.72). In LR-χ2 test, the nomogram score was found to be more informative than the IHC4 with CS (LR-χ2 4.0539 [df1], 95% CI; 0.1038–8.004 for CS-IHC4 + nomogram score vs. CS-IHC4).

An elevated apolipoprotein B/AI ratio is independently associated with microalbuminuria in male subjects with impaired fasting glucose

BACKGROUND AND AIMS

The ratio of apolipoprotein B/AI (apo B/AI) has been used as a marker to predict the risk of coronary artery disease. Recent studies have suggested an association between apolipoprotein B level and microalbuminuria in diabetic subjects. This study was performed to assess a possible association between the apo B/AI ratio and microalbuminuria in male subjects with impaired fasting glucose (IFG).

METHODS AND RESULTS

In 1266 patients with fasting serum glucose level in the pre-diabetic range, urine albumin-to-creatinine ratio (UACR, μg mg(-1)) was measured from single morning voided urine. The presence of microalbuminuria was defined as a UACR between 30 and 299 μg mg(-1). Participants were stratified into four groups by apo B/AI quartiles, from the lowest to the highest. Apo B/AI was higher with increasing body mass index, higher serum triglyceride and serum low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, systolic and diastolic blood pressure values, but lower with higher high-density lipoprotein cholesterol concentrations. After adjusting for these and other confounding factors, an increased apo B/AI ratio was independently associated with the presence of microalbuminuria. In receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analyses, apo B/AI ratio showed the highest correlation with the presence of microalbuminuria among the variables, although statistically not different.

CONCLUSION

These findings indicate that apo B/AI ratio shows significant association with microalbuminuria in Korean male subjects with IFG.

The study of new vacuum pressure measurement technique using ultrasonic acoustic impedance transducers

Ultrasonic sensors of 500 kHz frequency have been used to study the measuring of gas pressure in the range 1.33 × 10(3)-2.026 × 10(5) Pa. From the experimental data it was observed that amplitude of the transmitted ultrasound was dependent on gas pressure. The results confirm that by using appropriate instruments including sensors and electronic devices, pressure of the gas can be successfully measured by measuring the magnitude of the received signal. The proposed method is expected to be applied to develop as new vacuum pressure measurement instrument.

An interim analysis of a phase II study of the combination of TACE and sorafenib in patients with unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma in National Cancer Center Korea (COTSUN KOREA, NCT00919009)

253

Background: Transarterial chemoembolization (TACE) is the palliative treatment for patients with unresectable HCC. TACE-induced ischemic injury is known to increase circulating VEGF and related with poor prognosis.The aim of this study is to evaluate efficacy and safety of combined TACE with sorafenib, VEGFR inhibitor in unresectable HCC patients.

Methods: This study is a non-randomized, open-labeld, single-arm, phase II investigator-initiated clinical study. Estimated number of subjects was 50 under the assumption of 3.2 months of median time to progression (TTP) with TACE alone. All patients are Child-Pugh class A or superb B. Sorafenib begins to be administered on 3 days after the first session of TACE and will be subsequently administered up to 24 weeks. Efficacy of TACE was evaluated after 4 weeks from TACE by dynamic CT. Repeated TACE is performed “on demand” in case of PR or SD according to CT/MRI evaluation.

Results: A total of 50 patients were enrolled for this interim analysis. Male was 84% and mean age was 61.5years. Causes of underlying chronic liver disease were HBV in 28 patients (65.1%). Patients were categorized into modified UICC stage II (15, 30.0%), III (24, 48.0%) and IVA (11, 22.0%). Median follow-up period was 5.3 months (range, 1.0–13.1). The size of index lesions was ranged from 1.0 cm to 13.1 cm, and number of lesions was between 1 and 5. Number of TACE sessions was 1.0 (range, 1–4). Common adverse events (AE) during sorafenib therapy were elevation of serum AST/ALT (96.8%), hypocalcemia (90.0%), thrombocytopenia (84.0%), and hyperbilirubinemia (76.0%). Hand-foot skin reaction was most frequently observed among AE of NCI CTCAE grade 3 or higher (40.0%), followed by elevation of serum ALT (38.0%). Dose reduction of sorafenib was needed most commonly due to hand-food skin reaction (n=29). Median TTP was 5.1 months (range, 3.8–6.3).

Conclusions: Adverse events were approved as acceptable by independent monitoring system. Preliminary evidence of antitumor activity was also observed. This trial can be safely performed with close monitoring in inoperable and/or unresectable HCC patients.

No significant financial relationships to disclose.