Plasmonic enhanced low-threshold random lasing from dye-doped nematic liquid crystals with TiN nanoparticles in capillary tubes

We report a plasmonic enhanced low-threshold random lasing from dye-doped nematic liquid crystals with titanium nitride (TiN) nanoparticles (NPDDNLC) in capillary tubes. The NPDDNLC sample yields a coherent random laser with about 0.3 nm in the full width at half maximum (FWHM). We find the laser threshold is decreased by introducing the TiN NPs into the dye-doped nematic liquid crystal sample. The laser threshold decreases with increasing the number density of TiN nanoparticles from 5.613 × 1010/ml to 5.314 × 1011/ml. We suggest that the low-threshold random laser is caused by the cooperative effect of the recurrent multiple scattering and field enhancement in the vicinity of TiN nanoparticles. The localized electric field near the TiN nanoparticles enhances the energy absorption of the dye and strengthens the fluorescence amplification. Moreover, we provide a new parameter (the relative efficiency of the stimulated radiation photons) to quantify the quality of the random laser, and we give expressions for the wavelength, mode, and whole emission spectrum. Finally, we find the emission spectrum depends strongly on the emission angle and we discuss the reasons. These findings provide a simple and efficient way for the realization of low-threshold random lasers with low cost.

Aging-Related Disease Risks among Young Thyroid Cancer Survivors

Background: Thyroid cancer is the most rapidly increasing cancer in the United States, affects a young population, has high survival, and is one of the most common cancers in people under age 40. The aim of this study was to examine the risks of aging-related diseases in a statewide sample of thyroid cancer survivors who were diagnosed <40 years compared with those diagnosed ≥40 and a cancer-free sample.Methods: Thyroid cancer survivors diagnosed 1997 to 2012 were matched to up to 5 cancer-free individuals on birth year, sex, birth state, using the statewide Utah Population Database. Medical records were used to identify disease diagnoses stratified over three time periods: 1 to 5, >5 to 10, and 10+ years after cancer diagnosis. Cox proportional hazards models were used to estimate hazard ratios with adjustment on matching factors, race, body mass index, and Charlson Comorbidity Index.Results: There were 3,706 thyroid cancer survivors and 15,587 matched cancer-free individuals (1,365 cases diagnosed <40 years old). Both age groups had increased risks for multiple circulatory health conditions 1 to 5 years after cancer diagnosis compared with cancer-free individuals. Survivors <40 had a higher risk of hypertension, cardiomyopathy, and nutritional deficiencies.Conclusions: Increased risks for diseases associated with aging were observed for both age groups, with younger thyroid cancer survivors having higher risks for select diseases.Impact: As thyroid cancer survivors in this study were found to have increased risks for aging-related diseases, future studies are needed to assess what can be done to reduce the increased risks of these long-term health effects. Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev; 26(12); 1695-704. ©2017 AACR.

Control of the Effective Free-Energy Landscape in a Frustrated Magnet by a Field Pulse

Thermal fluctuations can lift the degeneracy of a ground state manifold, producing a free-energy landscape without accidentally degenerate minima. In a process known as order by disorder, a subset of states incorporating symmetry breaking may be selected. Here, we show that such a free-energy landscape can be controlled in a nonequilibrium setting as the slow motion within the ground state manifold is governed by the fast modes out of it. For the paradigmatic case of the classical pyrochlore XY antiferromagnet, we show that a uniform magnetic field pulse can excite these fast modes to generate a tunable effective free-energy landscape with minima at thermodynamically unstable portions of the ground state manifold.

Femtosecond Probing of Plasma Wakefields and Observation of the Plasma Wake Reversal Using a Relativistic Electron Bunch

We show that a high-energy electron bunch can be used to capture the instantaneous longitudinal and transverse field structures of the highly transient, microscopic, laser-excited relativistic wake with femtosecond resolution. The spatiotemporal evolution of wakefields in a plasma density up ramp is measured and the reversal of the plasma wake, where the wake wavelength at a particular point in space increases until the wake disappears completely only to reappear at a later time but propagating in the opposite direction, is observed for the first time by using this new technique.

Effect of Retrievable Stent Size on Endovascular Treatment of Acute Ischemic Stroke: A Multicenter Study

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

In clinical practice, stent diameter is one of the variable properties important for endovascular treatment. A consensus guideline for stent retriever size selection has yet to be established. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of different diameters of Solitaire retrievers on outcomes.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Of 628 patients enrolled from the Endovascular Treatment for Acute Anterior Circulation Ischemic Stroke Registry, 256 were treated with the Solitaire 4-mm device and 372, with the 6-mm device. We matched patients treated with the 2 stent sizes using propensity score analysis. The successful outcome was reperfusion as measured by the modified Thrombolysis in Cerebral Infarction score immediately postprocedure and the dichotomized modified Rankin Scale score at 90 days. Symptomatic intracerebral hemorrhage and in-hospital mortality were also recorded.

RESULTS

After propensity score analysis, group outcomes did not differ. In addition, in patients with atherosclerosis-related occlusion, a higher reperfusion rate (P = .021) was observed in the Solitaire 4 group, as well as a shorter time interval (P = .002) and fewer passes (P = .025). Independent predictors of successful reperfusion in patients with atherosclerotic disease on logistic analysis were the small stent (OR, 3.217; 95% CI, 1.129-9.162; P = .029) and the propensity score acting as a covariate (OR, 52.84; 95% CI, 3.468-805.018; P = .004).

CONCLUSIONS

We found no evidence of a differential effect of intra-arterial therapy based on the size of Solitaire retrievers. In patients with atherosclerotic disease, favorable reperfusion was associated with deployment of a small stent.

Colorectal Cancer in Inflammatory Bowel Diseases: A Population-Based Study in Utah

BACKGROUND AND AIMS

The molecular, endoscopic, and histological features of IBD-associated CRC differ from sporadic CRC. The objective of this study was to describe the prevalence, clinical features, and prognosis of IBD-associated CRC compared to patients with sporadic CRC in a US statewide population-based cohort.

METHODS

All newly diagnosed cases of CRC between 1996 and 2011 were obtained from Utah Cancer Registry. IBD was identified using a previously validated algorithm, from statewide databases of Intermountain Healthcare, University of Utah Health Sciences, and the Utah Population Database. Logistic regression was performed to identify risk factors associated with IBD-associated cancer and Cox regression for differences in survival.

RESULTS

Among 12,578 patients diagnosed with CRC, 101 (0.8%) had a prior history of IBD (61 ulcerative colitis and 40 Crohn's disease). The mean age at CRC diagnosis was greater for patients without IBD than those with IBD (67.1 vs 52.8 years, P < 0.001). Individuals with IBD-associated CRC were more likely to be men (odds ratio [OR] 1.90, 95% CI 1.23-2.92), aged less than 65 years (OR 6.77, 95% CI 4.06-11.27), and have CRC located in the proximal colon (OR 2.79, 95% CI 1.85-4.20) than those with sporadic CRC. Nearly 20% of the IBD-associated CRCs had evidence of primary sclerosing cholangitis. After adjustment for age, gender, and stage at diagnosis, the excess hazard of death after CRC diagnosis was 1.7 times higher in IBD than in non-IBD patients (95% CI 1.27-2.33).

CONCLUSIONS

The features of patients with CRC and IBD differ significantly from those without IBD and may be associated with increased mortality.

Irf8 regulates the progression of myeloproliferative neoplasm-like syndrome via Mertk signaling in zebrafish

Interferon regulatory factor (IRF)-8 is a critical transcription factor involved in the pathogenesis of myeloid neoplasia. However, the underlying mechanisms in vivo are not well known. Investigation of irf8-mutant zebrafish in this study indicated that Irf8 is evolutionarily conserved as an essential neoplastic suppressor through tight control of the proliferation and longevity of myeloid cells. Surviving irf8 mutants quickly developed a myeloproliferative neoplasm (MPN)-like disease with enhanced output of the myeloid precursors, which recurred after transplantation. Multiple molecules presented notable alteration and Mertk signaling was aberrantly activated in the hematopoietic cells in irf8 mutants. Transgenic mertk overexpression in Tg(coro1a:mertk) zebrafish recapitulated the myeloid neoplasia-like syndrome in irf8 mutants. Moreover, functional interference with Mertk, via morpholino knockdown or genetic disruption, attenuated the myeloid expansion phenotype caused by Irf8 deficiency. Therefore, Mertk signaling is a critical downstream player in the Irf8-mediated regulation of the progression of myeloid neoplasia. Our study extends the understanding of the mechanisms underlying leukemogenesis.

Uncertainty Footprint: Visualization of Nonuniform Behavior of Iterative Algorithms Applied to 4D Cell Tracking

Research on microscopy data from developing biological samples usually requires tracking individual cells over time. When cells are three-dimensionally and densely packed in a time-dependent scan of volumes, tracking results can become unreliable and uncertain. Not only are cell segmentation results often inaccurate to start with, but it also lacks a simple method to evaluate the tracking outcome. Previous cell tracking methods have been validated against benchmark data from real scans or artificial data, whose ground truth results are established by manual work or simulation. However, the wide variety of real-world data makes an exhaustive validation impossible. Established cell tracking tools often fail on new data, whose issues are also difficult to diagnose with only manual examinations. Therefore, data-independent tracking evaluation methods are desired for an explosion of microscopy data with increasing scale and resolution. In this paper, we propose the uncertainty footprint, an uncertainty quantification and visualization technique that examines nonuniformity at local convergence for an iterative evaluation process on a spatial domain supported by partially overlapping bases. We demonstrate that the patterns revealed by the uncertainty footprint indicate data processing quality in two algorithms from a typical cell tracking workflow - cell identification and association. A detailed analysis of the patterns further allows us to diagnose issues and design methods for improvements. A 4D cell tracking workflow equipped with the uncertainty footprint is capable of self diagnosis and correction for a higher accuracy than previous methods whose evaluation is limited by manual examinations.

Mitochondria-Targeting Polydopamine Nanoparticles To Deliver Doxorubicin for Overcoming Drug Resistance

Mitochondria play a critical role in diverse cellular processes, such as energy production and apoptosis regulation. The mitochondria-targeted drug delivery is becoming a potential novel strategy for overcoming drug resistance in cancer therapy. Herein, we synthesize nature-inspired dopamine-derived polydopamine (PDA) nanoparticles. Using triphenylphosphonium (TPP) as the mitochondrial penetration molecule to improve the target efficiency, we synthesize poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG)-modified PDA (PDA-PEG) and TPP-functionalized PEG-modified PDA (PDA-PEG-TPP) nanoparticles. Then anticancer drug doxorubicin (DOX) was loaded on PDA-PEG and PDA-PEG-TPP (PDA-PEG-DOX and PDA-PEG-TPP-DOX) nanoparticles, which are apt to deliver DOX to cell nuclei and mitochondria, respectively. To mimic the repeated anticancer drug treatment in clinical cases, we repeatedly treated the MDA-MD-231 cancer cells for a long time using DOX-loaded nanoparticles and find that the mitochondria targeting PDA-PEG-TPP-DOX has higher potential to overcome the drug resistance than the regular delivery nanoparticles PDA-PEG-DOX. These results indicate the promising potential of applying PDA-PEG-TPP-DOX nanoparticles in mitochondria-targeted drug delivery to overcome the drug resistance in long-time anticancer chemotherapy.

Genitourinary disease risks among 5-year ovarian cancer survivors in a population-based cohort study

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Background: In the US, there are approximately 235,200 ovarian cancer survivors today. Five-year survival for ovarian cancer has increased from 36% for women who were diagnosed in 1975-1977 to 46% for women diagnosed between 2005-2011. Long term follow-up studies among ovarian cancer survivors are uncommon and late effects have not been well characterized in a population-based cohort. Although genitourinary complications during treatment are well known, long term impacts need to be investigated. Methods: A total of 602 first primary invasive ovarian cancer cases diagnosed between 1996-2012 who survived for > 5 years were identified in the Utah Population Database and compared to a general population cohort of women. Genitourinary disease diagnoses were identified through ICD codes from hospital electronic medical records and statewide ambulatory surgery and inpatient data. Cox regression models were used to estimate hazard ratios for disease risks by time since cancer diagnosis with adjustments on matching factors, baseline BMI, baseline Charlson Comorbidity Index (CCI), and race. Results: The overall risk of genitourinary diseases for ovarian cancer patients in comparison to the general population cohort was 1.51 (95%CI = 1.30-1.74) 5-10 years after cancer diagnosis. Approximately 54.6% of ovarian cancer survivors were diagnosed with a genitourinary disease 5-10 years after cancer diagnosis. The most common genitourinary diseases among the ovarian cancer survivors were urinary tract infections (10.1%), acute renal failure (5.5%), and chronic kidney disease (4.4%). The greatest risks were observed for hydronephrosis (HR = 10.65, 95%CI = 3.68-30.80), pelvic peritoneal adhesions (HR = 5.81, 95%CI = 1.11-30.39), cystitis and urethritis (HR = 2.67, 95%CI = 1.21-6.38), and acute renal failure (HR = 2.30, 95%CI = 1.36-3.88). Conclusions: Ovarian cancer survivors experience increased risks of various genitourinary diseases in the 5-10 year period following cancer diagnosis. Understanding the multimorbidity trajectory among ovarian cancer survivors is of vital importance to improve their clinical care after cancer diagnosis and allow for increased attention to these potential late effects.

Endocrine and metabolic diseases among colorectal cancer survivors in a population-based cohort

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Background: Colorectal cancer is the third most common cancer among men and women in the United States. As of 2016, there were an estimated 1.4 million colorectal cancer survivors. Research on endocrine and metabolic diseases over the long term in colorectal cancer survivors is limited. Obesity is a risk factor for colorectal cancer, thus it is of interest to investigate diseases that may share this risk factor such as diabetes for long term health effects among survivors. Methods: A total of 7,077 colorectal cancer patients who were diagnosed between 1997 to 2012 were identified in the Utah Population Database. A general population cohort of 35,354 individuals was matched on birth year, sex, birth state and follow-up time as a comparison group. Late effects were identified using electronic medical records and statewide ambulatory and inpatient data and were assessed over three time periods of 1-5 years, 5-10 years, and > 10 years. Cox proportional hazard models were used to estimate the risk of late effects after adjusting for matching factors, race, baseline body mass index, and the baseline Charlson Comorbidity Index. Results: Across all three time periods, late effects risk for endocrine diseases and metabolic disorders was significantly greater for colorectal cancer survivors compared to the general population cohort. Risk for diabetes mellitus with complications was significantly increased for survivors and risk was greatest for uncontrolled diabetes (HR = 5.04, 99%CI = 2.38, 10.67) and diabetes with neurological manifestations (HR = 4.10, 99%CI = 2.08, 8.26). Higher risk was also observed for thyroid disorders (HR = 3.09, 99%CI = 2.34, 4.08) and nutritional deficiencies (HR = 4.98, 99%CI = 3.47, 7.17). The risk of obesity in survivors was greatest 1-5 years post cancer diagnosis (HR = 5.04, 99%CI = 2.91, 8.75), but remained significantly increased at all follow-up time periods. Conclusions: Endocrine and metabolic diseases were significantly higher in colorectal cancer survivors across the follow-up periods. As the number of colorectal cancer survivors increases, understanding the long term multimorbidity trajectory is critical for improved survivorship care.

Rapid magnetic isolation of extracellular vesicles via lipid-based nanoprobes

Extracellular vesicles (EVs) can mediate intercellular communication by transferring cargo proteins and nucleic acids between cells. The pathophysiological roles and clinical value of EVs are under intense investigation, yet most studies are limited by technical challenges in the isolation of nanoscale EVs (nEVs). Here, we report a lipid nanoprobe that enables spontaneous labelling and magnetic enrichment of nEVs in 15 minutes, with isolation efficiency and cargo composition similar to what can be achieved by the much slower and bulkier method of ultracentrifugation. We also show that the lipid nanoprobes, which allow for downstream analyses of nucleic acids and proteins, enabled the identification of EGFR and KRAS mutations following nEV isolation from blood plasma from non-small-cell lung-cancer patients. The efficiency and versatility of the lipid nanoprobe opens up opportunities in point-of-care cancer diagnostics.

Chained Bell Inequality Experiment with High-Efficiency Measurements

We report correlation measurements on two ^{9}Be^{+} ions that violate a chained Bell inequality obeyed by any local-realistic theory. The correlations can be modeled as derived from a mixture of a local-realistic probabilistic distribution and a distribution that violates the inequality. A statistical framework is formulated to quantify the local-realistic fraction allowable in the observed distribution without the fair-sampling or independent-and-identical-distributions assumptions. We exclude models of our experiment whose local-realistic fraction is above 0.327 at the 95% confidence level. This bound is significantly lower than 0.586, the minimum fraction derived from a perfect Clauser-Horne-Shimony-Holt inequality experiment. Furthermore, our data provide a device-independent certification of the deterministically created Bell states.

CT-guided versus laparoscopic radiofrequency ablation in recurrent small hepatocellular carcinoma against the diaphragmatic dome

Computed tomography-guided radiofrequency ablation (CT-RFA) and laparoscopic RFA (L-RFA) have been used to treat intrahepatic recurrent small hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) against the diaphragmatic dome. However, the therapeutic safety, efficacy, and hospital fee have never been compared between the two techniques due to scarcity of cases. In this retrospective study, 116 patients were divided into two groups with a total of 151 local recurrent HCC lesions abutting the diaphragm. We compared overall survival (OS), local tumor progression (LTP), postoperative complications, and hospital stay and fee between the two groups. Our findings revealed no significant differences in 5-year OS (36.7% vs. 44.6%, p = 0.4289) or 5-year LTP (73.3% vs. 67.9%, p = 0.8897) between CT-RFA and L-RFA. The overall hospital stay (2.8 days vs. 4.1 days, p < 0.0001) and cost (¥ 19217.6 vs. ¥ 25553.6, p < 0.0001) were significantly lower in the CT-RFA in comparison to that of L-RFA. In addition, we elaborated on the choice of percutaneous puncture paths depending on the locations of the HCC nodules and 11-year experience with CT-RFA. In conclusion, CT-RFA is a relatively easy and economic technique for recurrent small HCC abutting the diaphragm, and both CT-RFA and L-RFA are effective techniques.

Cardiovascular late effects among endometrial cancer survivors in a cohort study

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Background: Endometrial cancer is the second most common cancer among female cancer survivors in the US, with an estimated 757,000 endometrial cancer survivors in 2016. Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death among endometrial cancer survivors. Cardiovascular disease risk may be increased among endometrial cancer survivors due to shared risk factors such as obesity or because of cancer treatment. Because of the high overall survival rate and the large number of endometrial cancer survivors, studies that examine late effects among endometrial cancer survivors are critical. Methods: Cohorts of 3,337 endometrial cancer survivors diagnosed between 1997 and 2012, and 19,420 age-matched cancer-free women were identified using the Utah Population Database. All ICD-9 diagnosis codes were collected from the state’s two largest healthcare systems and statewide ambulatory surgery and inpatient visits. Diagnoses were collapsed into cardiovascular system disorders according to the Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project’s Clinical Classification Software. Cox regression models were used to estimate hazard ratios (HR) at 1-5 years and 5-10 years after cancer diagnosis. Models were adjusted for race/ethnicity, baseline BMI, and baseline Charlson Comorbidity Index. Results: Approximately 89.4% of cancer cases were diagnosed with stage I or stage II disease. At 1-5 years after diagnosis, the highest risks among endometrial cancer survivors were observed for phlebitis and thrombophlebitis (HR: 3.36, 99% CI: 1.96-5.77), lymphatic diseases (HR: 1.89, 99% CI: 1.64-2.19), pulmonary heart disease (HR: 1.82, 99% CI: 1.36-2.43), hypotension (HR: 1.64, 99% CI: 1.18-2.29), and atrial fibrillation (HR: 1.61, 99% CI: 1.25-2.06). At 5-10 years, elevated risk persisted for these and 17 out of 66 additional outcomes among the endometrial cancer survivors. Conclusions: Endometrial cancer survivors in this population are at higher risk for various long term cardiovascular outcomes compared to cancer-free women. This study presents sufficient evidence to suggest that increased monitoring is necessary for women diagnosed with endometrial cancer in the first several years after diagnosis, and out to ten years as well.

Late effects among head and neck cancer survivors in Utah cancer survivorship study

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Background: Sites of head and neck are associated with chewing, swallowing and speaking. As for treatment of head and neck cancer (HNC), we have to consider organ preservation as well as clinical outcomes. Although non-surgical treatments have been preferred in recent years, complications after treatment have been a concern. The aim of this study was to evaluate the late effects in a cohort of HNC survivors in Utah compared to a matched cohort of cancer free individuals. Methods: Up to 5 cancer free individuals were matched to each HNC survivor on birth year, sex, birth state, and follow up time. Electronic medical records and statewide ambulatory and inpatient surgery data were used to identify late effects over two time periods: 1-5 and 5-10 years after cancer diagnosis. Cox proportional hazards models were used to estimate the risks of late effects. We adjusted for matching factors, race and number of hospital visit. Results: In this study, 2,432 HNC survivors and 12,149 matched controls were enrolled. More than 80% cases had loco-regional disease and a histological type of squamous cell carcinoma. Hazard ratio (HR) for second primary HNC was notably increased among HNC survivors for both 1-5 years (HR: 1498.46; 95% confidence interval (CI), 158.58-14159.69) and 5-10 years (HR: 1509.62; 95% CI, 147.94-15404.15) post cancer diagnosis. And, HRs for respiratory disease, including respiratory system, lung cancer and pneumoniae, were also increased among HNC survivors for both 1-5 years and 5-10 years post cancer diagnosis. As for hearing loss, HNC survivors had a increased HR for 1-5 years post cancer diagnosis (HR: 5.90; 95% CI, 2.67-13.01) and this association was consistent for 5-10 years post cancer diagnosis (HR: 5.01; 95% CI, 2.06-12.18). Conclusions: In this study, we found HNC survivors have notable associations with second primary HNC, smoking related respiratory disease, and hearing loss which might be associated with chemotherapy when compared to cancer free subjects.