Large Metasurface Aperture for Millimeter Wave Computational Imaging at the Human-Scale

We demonstrate a low-profile holographic imaging system at millimeter wavelengths based on an aperture composed of frequency-diverse metasurfaces. Utilizing measurements of spatially-diverse field patterns, diffraction-limited images of human-sized subjects are reconstructed. The system is driven by a single microwave source swept over a band of frequencies (17.5–26.5 GHz) and switched between a collection of transmit and receive metasurface panels. High fidelity image reconstruction requires a precise model for each field pattern generated by the aperture, as well as the manner in which the field scatters from objects in the scene. This constraint makes scaling of computational imaging systems inherently challenging for electrically large, coherent apertures. To meet the demanding requirements, we introduce computational methods and calibration approaches that enable rapid and accurate imaging performance.

Abstract P3-01-21: Is lymph node ratio (LNR) having additional contribution for predict prognosis on pathologic lymph node staging in node-positive breast cancer patients?

PURPOSE:

The aim of the study was to determine whether LNR have additional contribution on pathologic lymph node staging.

METHODS:

To examine the prognostic value of LNR examined the original histopathological reports of 2049 node-positive breast cancer patients treated in the references centers of the Turkey. The LNR was defined as the number of positive lymph nodes (LNs) over the total number of LNs removed. The LNR cutoffs were defined as low-risk, 0.01-0.20; intermediate-risk, 0.21- 0.65; and high-risk, LNR >0.65.

RESULTS:

The median follow-up was 11.8 years. Median Disease free survival (DFS) was 191.8, 110.6 and 78.2 months in patients with pN1, pN2 and pN3 tumor, respectively (p<0.001). Median DFS was 191.9, 106.4 and 78.1 months in patients with LNR low, intermediate and high risk tumor, respectively (p<0.001). Median DFS was not reached and 200.1 months in patients with pN2 and LNR low risk patients, pN1 and LNR high risk patients, respectively (p=0.254).

CONCLUSIONS:

LNR is an important prognostic parameter for DFS and might provide potentially more information than pN-stage in patients with pN1/LNR high risk and pN2/LNR low risk.

Citation Format: Kaplan MA, Odabasi H, Ozdemir N, Harputluoglu H, Aliustaoglu M, Berk V, Gunaydin Y, Uncu D, Elkiran T, Aydin D, Isikdogan A. Is lymph node ratio (LNR) having additional contribution for predict prognosis on pathologic lymph node staging in node-positive breast cancer patients?. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the Thirty-Eighth Annual CTRC-AACR San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium: 2015 Dec 8-12; San Antonio, TX. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2016;76(4 Suppl):Abstract nr P3-01-21.

Medication errors in chemotherapy preparation and administration: a survey conducted among oncology nurses in Turkey

BACKGROUND

Medication errors in oncology may cause severe clinical problems due to low therapeutic indices and high toxicity of chemotherapeutic agents. We aimed to investigate unintentional medication errors and underlying factors during chemotherapy preparation and administration based on a systematic survey conducted to reflect oncology nurses experience.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

This study was conducted in 18 adult chemotherapy units with volunteer participation of 206 nurses. A survey developed by primary investigators and medication errors (MAEs) defined preventable errors during prescription of medication, ordering, preparation or administration. The survey consisted of 4 parts: demographic features of nurses; workload of chemotherapy units; errors and their estimated monthly number during chemotherapy preparation and administration; and evaluation of the possible factors responsible from ME. The survey was conducted by face to face interview and data analyses were performed with descriptive statistics. Chi-square or Fisher exact tests were used for a comparative analysis of categorical data.

RESULTS

Some 83.4% of the 210 nurses reported one or more than one error during chemotherapy preparation and administration. Prescribing or ordering wrong doses by physicians (65.7%) and noncompliance with administration sequences during chemotherapy administration (50.5%) were the most common errors. The most common estimated average monthly error was not following the administration sequence of the chemotherapeutic agents (4.1 times/month, range 1-20). The most important underlying reasons for medication errors were heavy workload (49.7%) and insufficient number of staff (36.5%).

CONCLUSIONS

Our findings suggest that the probability of medication error is very high during chemotherapy preparation and administration, the most common involving prescribing and ordering errors. Further studies must address the strategies to minimize medication error in chemotherapy receiving patients, determine sufficient protective measures and establishing multistep control mechanisms.

The relationship between collapsin response mediator protein-1 (CRMP 1) expression and histopathogic parameters and survival in patient with gastric cancer

e15100

Background: Biomarkers which indicate invasion and metastasis in patients with gastric cancer are important. Collapsin response mediator protein (CRMP) family proteins are cytosolic phosphoproteins involved in semaphorin 3A-mediated neuronal cell growth cone collapse and cancer invasion. CRMP1 over expression levels were found to have negative association with invasion and metastasis in lung cancer tissue samples. The aim of the study was to investigate relationship between CRMP1 expression and histopathological parameters and prognostic value of CRMP1 expression in patients with gastric cancer. Methods: We analyzed 52 patients who were diagnosed with gastric cancer. The CRMP1 expression was examined by performing immunohistochemical staining. High CRMP1 expression in gastric tumor samples was defined as being immunoreactive to CRMP1 antibody in more than 50% of the cancer cells. The correlation between CRMP1 expression and age, gender, tumor grade, lenfovascular-perineural invasion, t stage and nodal involvement was investigated. Results: Among the 52 patients (CRMP1 positive/CRMP1 negative= 24/28), median age was 56 years (27-84). Thirty-five patients were male and 17 patients were female. The median follow-up time was 14 (2-60) months. The median disease-free survival time (DFS) was 20 (SE: 4; 95% CI: 13-27) months. In addition, the median overall survival time (OS) was not reached. The significant relationship was found between CRMP1 high expression levels and high grade tumors (p:0.03), and nodal metastasis (p:0.019). In univariate analysis, only high CRMP1 expression was associated with poor disease-free survival (p:0.004). Also, male gender (p:0.023), high grade tumors (p:0.044), nodal involvement (p:0.028) and high CRMP-1 expression were associated shorter overall survival. In multivariate analysis, no independent prognostic factor was found in this group. Conclusions: We found that high expression of CRMP1 was associated with tumor aggressiveness of tumor and poor survival. Larger studies and further clinical trials are warranted to confirm these findings.