Risk factors for survival after lung metastasectomy in colorectal cancer patients: systematic review and meta-analysis.

ABSTRACT  Despite the lack of randomized trials, lung metastasectomy is currently proposed for colorectal cancer patients under certain conditions. Many retrospective studies have reported different prognostic factors of poorer survival, but eligibility for pulmonary metastasectomy remains determined by the complete resection of all pulmonary metastases. The aim of this review is to clarify which pre-operative risk factors reported in systematic reviews or meta-analysis are determinant for survival in colorectal metastatic patients. Different criteria have been now identified to select which patient will really benefit from lung metastasectomy.

Chicken BAFF--a highly conserved cytokine that mediates B cell survival.

Members of the tumor necrosis factor (TNF) family play key roles in the regulation of inflammation, immune responses and tissue homeostasis. Here we describe the identification of the chicken homologue of mammalian B cell activating factor of the TNF family (BAFF/BLyS). By searching a chicken EST database we identified two overlapping cDNA clones that code for the entire open reading frame of chicken BAFF (chBAFF), which contains a predicted transmembrane domain and a putative furin protease cleavage site like its mammalian counterparts. The amino acid identity between soluble chicken and human BAFF is 76%, considerably higher than for most other known cytokines. The chBAFF gene is most strongly expressed in the bursa of Fabricius. Soluble recombinant chBAFF produced by human 293T cells interacted with the mammalian cell-surface receptors TACI, BCMA and BAFF-R. It bound to chicken B cells, but not to other lymphocytes, and it promoted the survival of splenic chicken B cells in culture. Furthermore, bacterially expressed chBAFF induced the selective expansion of B cells in the spleen and cecal tonsils when administered to young chicks. Our results suggest that like its mammalian counterpart, chBAFF plays an important role in survival and/or proliferation of chicken B cells.

Mediastinal lymph node clearance after docetaxel-cisplatin neoadjuvant chemotherapy is prognostic of survival in patients with stage IIIA pN2 non-small-cell lung cancer: a multicenter phase II trial.

PURPOSE: A multicenter, phase II trial investigated the efficacy and toxicity of neoadjuvant docetaxel-cisplatin in locally advanced non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and examined prognostic factors for patients not benefiting from surgery. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Ninety patients with previously untreated, potentially operable stage IIIA (mediastinoscopically pN2) NSCLC received three cycles of docetaxel 85 mg/m2 day 1 plus cisplatin 40 mg/m2 days 1 and 2, with subsequent surgical resection. RESULTS: Administered dose-intensities were docetaxel 85 mg/m2/3 weeks (range, 53 to 96) and cisplatin 95 mg/m2/3 weeks (range, 0 to 104). The 265 cycles were well tolerated, and the overall response rate was 66% (95% confidence interval [CI], 55% to 75%). Seventy-five patients underwent tumor resection with positive resection margin and involvement of the uppermost mediastinal lymph node in 16% and 35% of patients, respectively (perioperative mortality, 3%; morbidity, 17%). Pathologic complete response occurred in 19% of patients with tumor resection. In patients with tumor resection, downstaging to N0-1 at surgery was prognostic and significantly prolonged event-free survival (EFS) and overall survival (OS; P =.0001). At median follow-up of 32 months, the median EFS and OS were 14.8 months (range, 2.4 to 53.4) and 33 months (range, 2.4 to 53.4), respectively. Local relapse occurred in 27% of patients with tumor resection, with distant metastases in 37%. Multivariate analyses identified mediastinal clearance (hazard ratio, 0.22; P =.0003) and complete resection (hazard ratio, 0.26; P =.0006) as strongly prognostic for increased survival. CONCLUSION: Neoadjuvant docetaxel-cisplatin is effective and tolerable in stage IIIA pN2 NSCLC. Resection is recommended only for patients with mediastinal downstaging after chemotherapy.

Survival after lung metastasectomy in colorectal cancer patients with previously resected liver metastases.

BACKGROUND: Resection of hepatic metastases is indicated in selected stage IV colorectal cancer (CRC) patients. A minority will eventually develop pulmonary metastases and may undergo lung surgery with curative intent. The aims of the present study were to assess clinical outcome and identify parameters predicting survival after pulmonary metastasectomy in patients who underwent prior resection of hepatic CRC metastases.¦METHODS: We performed a retrospective analysis of 27 consecutive patients (median age 62 years; range: 33-75 years) who underwent resection of pulmonary metastases after previous hepatic metastasectomy from CRC in two institutions from 1996 to 2009. All patients underwent complete resection (R0) for both colorectal and hepatic metastases.¦RESULTS: Median follow-up was 32 months (range: 3-69 months) after resection of lung metastases and 65 months (range: 19-146 months) after resection of primary CRC. Three- and 5-year overall survival rates after lung surgery were 56 and 39%, respectively, and median survival was 46 months (95% CI 35-57). Median disease-free survival after pulmonary metastasectomy was 13 months (95% CI 5-21). At the time of last follow-up, seven patients (26%) had no evidence of recurrent disease and 6 of these 7 patients presented initially with a single lung metastasis.¦CONCLUSIONS: Resection of lung metastases from CRC patients may result in prolonged survival, even after previous hepatic metastasectomy. Yet, prolonged disease-free survival remains the exception, and seems to occur only in patients with a single lung lesion.

Severe postoperative complications adversely affect long-term survival after r1 resection for pancreatic head adenocarcinoma.

BACKGROUND: Survival after pancreatic head adenocarcinoma surgery is determined by tumor characteristics, resection margins, and adjuvant chemotherapy. Few studies have analyzed the long-term impact of postoperative morbidity. The aim of the present study was to assess the impact of postoperative complications on long-term survival after pancreaticoduodenectomy for cancer. METHODS: Of 294 consecutive pancreatectomies performed between January 2000 and July 2011, a total of 101 pancreatic head resections for pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma were retrospectively analyzed. Postoperative complications were classified on a five-grade validated scale and were correlated with long-term survival. Grade IIIb to IVb complications were defined as severe. RESULTS: Postoperative mortality and morbidity were 5 and 57 %, respectively. Severe postoperative complications occurred in 16 patients (16 %). Median overall survival was 1.4 years. Significant prognostic factors of survival were the N-stage of the tumor (median survival 3.4 years for N0 vs. 1.3 years for N1, p = 0.018) and R status of the resection (median survival 1.6 years for R0 vs. 1.2 years for R1, p = 0.038). Median survival after severe postoperative complications was decreased from 1.9 to 1.2 years (p = 0.06). Median survival for N0 or N1 tumor or after R0 resection was not influenced by the occurrence and severity of complications, but patients with a R1 resection and severe complications showed a worsened median survival of 0.6 vs. 2.0 years without severe complications (p = 0.0005). CONCLUSIONS: Postoperative severe morbidity per se had no impact on long-term survival except in patients with R1 tumor resection. These results suggest that severe complications after R1 resection predict poor outcome.

Triplectides larvae in empty cases of Nectopsyche (Trichoptera, Leptoceridae) at Parque Estadual Intervales, São Paulo State, Brazil

The frequent occurrence of Triplectides sp. larvae in cases of Nectopsyche Müller in Ribeirão Bocaina, Parque Estadual Intervales, São Paulo, Brazil is recorded. Leaf packs were collected from November 1999 to June 2000 in riffles and pools. Triplectides sp. larvae in cases of Nectopsyche were found mostly in pools.

Cannibalism studies on eggs and newly hatched caterpillars in a wild population of Ascia monuste (Godart) (Lepidoptera, Pieridae)

Ascia monuste (Godart), also known as cabbage caterpillar, is considered herbivorous and specialist in Brassicaceae; however, it performs cannibalism. Experiments carried out in this work aimed to quantify the cannibalism occurrence in A. monuste, to verify whether cannibalism interferes in the species performance and to check whether cannibalism is influenced by the population size. The parameters used in order to evaluate the performance were time of development, adults weight and size, fecundity, oviposition and survival rate. Cannibalism occurred in all larval instars. There was a tendency to increase the cannibalism practice as the number of co-specific increased (potential preys). Cannibalism was more intense in larvae at the end of larval development. Generally, cannibalism did not interfere in the population performance. The most probable hypothesis for the occurrence of cannibalism in the conditions here studied would be the hypothesis of cannibalism as having the function of population control.

Zoledronate inhibits endothelial cell adhesion, migration and survival through the suppression of multiple, prenylation-dependent signaling pathways.

BACKGROUND: Recent evidence indicates that zoledronate, a nitrogen-containing bisphosphonate used to treat conditions of increased bone resorption, may have anti-angiogenic activity. The endothelial cells signaling events modulated by zoledronate remain largely elusive. OBJECTIVES: The aim of this work was to identify signaling events suppressed by zoledronate in endothelial cells and responsible for some of its biological effects. METHODS: Human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVEC) were exposed to zoledronate, isoprenoid analogs (i.e. farnesol and geranylgeraniol) and various inhibitors of signaling, and the effect on adhesion, survival, migration, actin cytoskeleton and signaling events characterized. RESULTS: Zoledronate reduced Ras prenylation, Ras and RhoA translocation to the membrane, and sustained ERK1/2 phosphorylation and tumor necrosis factor (TNF) induced JNK phosphorylation. Isoprenoid analogs attenuated zoledronate effects on HUVEC adhesion, actin stress fibers and focal adhesions, migration and survival. Isoprenoid analogs also restored Ras prenylation, RhoA translocation to the membrane, sustained FAK and ERK1/2 phosphorylation and prevented suppression of protein kinase B (PKB) and JNK phosphorylation in HUVEC exposed to TNF in the presence of zoledronate. Pharmacological inhibition of Rock, a RhoA target mediating actin fiber formation, phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase, an activator of PKB, MEK1/2, an activator of ERK1/2, and JNK, recapitulated individual zoledronate effects, consistent with the involvement of these molecules and pathways and their inhibition in the zoledronate effects. CONCLUSIONS: This work has demonstrated that zoledronate inhibits HUVEC adhesion, survival, migration and actin stress fiber formation by interfering with protein prenylation and has identified ERK1/2, JNK, Rock, FAK and PKB as kinases affected by zoledronate in a prenylation-dependent manner.

Host sex and ectoparasites choice: preference for, and higher survival on female hosts.

1. Sex differences in levels of parasite infection are a common rule in a wide range of mammals, with males usually more susceptible than females. Sex-specific exposure to parasites, e.g. mediated through distinct modes of social aggregation between and within genders, as well as negative relationships between androgen levels and immune defences are thought to play a major role in this pattern. 2. Reproductive female bats live in close association within clusters at maternity roosts, whereas nonbreeding females and males generally occupy solitary roosts. Bats represent therefore an ideal model to study the consequences of sex-specific social and spatial aggregation on parasites' infection strategies. 3. We first compared prevalence and parasite intensities in a host-parasite system comprising closely related species of ectoparasitic mites (Spinturnix spp.) and their hosts, five European bat species. We then compared the level of parasitism between juvenile males and females in mixed colonies of greater and lesser mouse-eared bats Myotis myotis and M. blythii. Prevalence was higher in adult females than in adult males stemming from colonial aggregations in all five studied species. Parasite intensity was significantly higher in females in three of the five species studied. No difference in prevalence and mite numbers was found between male and female juveniles in colonial roosts. 4. To assess whether observed sex-biased parasitism results from differences in host exposure only, or, alternatively, from an active, selected choice made by the parasite, we performed lab experiments on short-term preferences and long-term survival of parasites on male and female Myotis daubentoni. When confronted with adult males and females, parasites preferentially selected female hosts, whereas no choice differences were observed between adult females and subadult males. Finally, we found significantly higher parasite survival on adult females compared with adult males. 5. Our study shows that social and spatial aggregation favours sex-biased parasitism that could be a mere consequence of an active and adaptive parasite choice for the more profitable host.

Influence of photoperiod on body weight and depth of burrowing in larvae of Chrysomya megacephala (Fabricius) (Diptera, Calliphoridae) and implications for forensic entomology

Blowflies use discrete, ephemeral breeding sites for larval nutrition. After exhaustion of the food supply, the larvae disperse in search of sites to pupate or to seek other sources of food in a process known as post-feeding larval dispersal. In this study, some of the most important aspects of this process were investigated in larvae of the blowflies Chrysomya megacephala exposed to a variety of light: dark (LD) cycles (0:0 h, 12:12 h and 24:0 h) and incubated in tubes covered with vermiculite. For each pupa, the body weight and depth of burrowing were determined. Statistical tests were used to examine the relationship of depth of burrowing and body weight to photoperiod at which burrowing occurred. The study of burial behavior in post-feeding larval dispersing can be useful for estimating the postmortem interval (PMI) of human corpses in forensic medicine.

IκB-ζ controls the constitutive NF-κB target gene network and survival of ABC DLBCL.

Constitutive activation of the nuclear factor-κ B (NF-κB) pathway is a hallmark of the activated B-cell-like (ABC) subtype of diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL). Recurrent mutations of NF-κB regulators that cause constitutive activity of this oncogenic pathway have been identified. However, it remains unclear how specific target genes are regulated. We identified the atypical nuclear IκB protein IκB-ζ to be upregulated in ABC compared with germinal center B-cell-like (GCB) DLBCL primary patient samples. Knockdown of IκB-ζ by RNA interference was toxic to ABC but not to GCB DLBCL cell lines. Gene expression profiling after IκB-ζ knockdown demonstrated a significant downregulation of a large number of known NF-κB target genes, indicating an essential role of IκB-ζ in regulating a specific set of NF-κB target genes. To further investigate how IκB-ζ mediates NF-κB activity, we performed immunoprecipitations and detected a physical interaction of IκB-ζ with both p50 and p52 NF-κB subunits, indicating that IκB-ζ interacts with components of both the canonical and the noncanonical NF-κB pathway in ABC DLBCL. Collectively, our data demonstrate that IκB-ζ is essential for nuclear NF-κB activity in ABC DLBCL, and thus might represent a promising molecular target for future therapies.

The survival of the welfare state

This paper provides an analytical characterization of Markov perfectequilibria in a politico-economic model with repeated voting, whereagents vote over distortionary income redistribution. The key featureof the theory is that the future constituency of redistributive policiesdepends positively on the current level of redistribution, since thisaffects both private investments and the future distribution of voters.Agents vote rationally and fullly anticipate the effects of their politicalchoice on both private incentives and future voting outcomes. The modelfeatures multiple equilibria. In "pro-welfare" equilibria, both welfarestate policies and their effects on distribution persist forever. In"anti-welfare equilibria", even a majority of beneficiaries ofredistributive policies vote strategically so as to induce the formationof a future majority that will vote for zero redistribution.

Local distribution of blackfly (Diptera, Simuliidae) larvae in two adjacent streams: the role of water current velocity in the diversity of blackfly larvae

This study aimed to evaluate the influence of water velocity speed on the local distribution and taxocenosis structure of blackfly larvae. The larvae were collected from two adjacent streams located in the municipality of Angra dos Reis (RJ): Caputera River and one of its tributaries. Riffle litter patches were sampled randomly using a 30 x 30 cm quadrat. Four blackfly species were found: Simulium incrustatum s. l. Lutz, 1910; Simulium (Inaequalium) sp. ; Simulium pertinax s. l. Kollar, 1832 and Simulium subpallidum s. l. Lutz, 1909. Among these species, Simulium pertinax s. l. was clearly associated with higher water current speeds, while Simulium subpallidum s. l. showed association with lower water velocities, and Simulium (Inaequalium) sp. had a relatively constant distribution along the water current gradient.

Review of semiochemicals that mediate the oviposition of mosquitoes: a possible sustainable tool for the control and monitoring of Culicidae

The choice for suitable places for female mosquitoes to lay eggs is a key-factor for the survival of immature stages (eggs and larvae). This knowledge stands out in importance concerning the control of disease vectors. The selection of a place for oviposition requires a set of chemical, visual, olfactory and tactile cues that interact with the female before laying eggs, helping the localization of adequate sites for oviposition. The present paper presents a bibliographic revision on the main aspects of semiochemicals in regard to mosquitoes' oviposition, aiding the comprehension of their mechanisms and estimation of their potential as a tool for the monitoring and control of the Culicidae.

La chaîne des secours: le modèle vaudois [An efficient example of a Swiss pre-hospital chain of survival: the state of Vaud model].

The state of Vaud model of the pre-hospital chain of survival is an example of an efficient way to deal with pre-hospital emergencies. It revolves around a centrally located dispatch center managing emergencies according to specific key words, allowing dispatchers to send out resources among which we find general practitioners, ambulances, physician staffed fast response cars or physician staffed helicopters and specific equipment. The Vaud pre-hospital chain of survival has been tailored according to geographical, demographical and political necessities. It undergoes constant reassessment and needs continuous adaptations to the ever changing demographics and epidemiology of pre-hospital medicine.