Long-term Survival with 18-Fluorodeoxyglucose Positron Emission Tomography-directed Therapy in Non-small Cell Lung Cancer with Synchronous Solitary Brain Metastasis.

AIMS: At diagnosis, <1% of patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) have synchronous solitary brain metastasis (SSBM). In prior cohorts without 18-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography/computed tomography (FDG-PET/CT) staging, definitive treatment to intracranial and intrathoracic disease showed a 5-year overall survival (OS) of 11-21%. We investigated the long-term survival outcomes for patients with SSBM NSCLC, diagnosed in the FDG-PET/CT era and treated definitively with local therapies to both intracranial and intrathoracic sites of disease. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This retrospective study assessed patients staged with FDG-PET/CT who received definitive lung and SSBM treatment from February 1999 to December 2017. A lung-molecular graded prognostic assessment (lung-molGPA) score was assigned for each patient using age, performance status score, and, where carried out, molecular status. Overall survival and progression-free survival (PFS) were calculated using Kaplan-Meier methods. Cox proportional hazard models determined OS and PFS prognostic factors. RESULTS: Forty-nine patients newly diagnosed with NSCLC and SSBM had a median age of 63 years (range 34-76). The median follow-up of all patients was 3.9 years. Thirty-three patients (67%) had ≥T2 disease, 23 (47%) had ≥N2. At 2 years, 45% of first failures were intracranial only (95% confidence interval 30-59). At 3 and 5 years, OS was 45% (95% confidence interval 32-63) and 30% (95% confidence interval 18-51), respectively. In ≥N1 disease, 5-year OS was 34% (95% confidence interval 18-63). The 3- and 5-year PFS was 8% (95% confidence interval 3-22) and 0%, respectively. Higher lung-molGPA was associated with longer OS (hazard ratio 0.26, 95% confidence interval 0.11-0.61, P = 0.002). Higher lung-molGPA (hazard ratio 0.33, 95% confidence interval 0.15-0.71, P = 0.005) and lower N-stage (hazard ratio 1.56, 95% confidence interval 1.13-2.15, P = 0.007) were associated with longer PFS. CONCLUSIONS: Definitive treatment of patients with NSCLC and SSBM staged with FDG-PET/CT can result in 5-year survivors, including those with ≥N1 disease.

Modeling of nonylphenol degradation by photo-nanocatalytic process via multivariate approach.

Modeling of photocatalytic degradation of nonylphenol (NP), an endocrine disrupter and toxic compound, has been investigated in synthetic aqueous solutions containing ZnO nanoparticles as semiconductor using multivariate approach. In this regard, a full factorial experimental design was performed in order to study the main variables affecting the degradation process as well as their most significant interactions. Initial NP concentrations ([NP](0)) of 0.454-9.08 µM, were treated with UV-vis/ZnO using different pH and nanocatalyst loading rates. Effect of experimental parameters on the NP degradation rate constant was established by the response surface plots. The degradation rate constant decreased with an increase in the initial concentration of NP, while it increased with ZnO loading until a concentration of 0.5 g L(-1). The rate constant increases with increase in pH up to 10, after which a significant decrease is observed. The results showed that most influential factors on NP degradation constant are the [NP](0), pH of reaction media, and ZnO loading rate, and the most significant interaction is [NP]-pH. Finally, two mathematical models have been proposed to estimate NP degradation rate constant (k) on the basis of the significant variables and interactions. Predicted results of models showed good agreement with the experimental data (R(2) = 0.83 and 0.93).

Autosomal-dominant polycystic kidney disease in infancy and childhood: progression and outcome.

BACKGROUND: The natural history of autosomal-dominant polycystic kidney disease (ADPKD) has not been well described in children and infants. METHODS: The present study analyzed the characteristics of 46 ADPKD children diagnosed before 18 months of life (VEO) and 153 children diagnosed between 18 months of age and 18 years of age (non-VEO). RESULTS: VEO children had more cysts and larger renal volumes than non-VEO children when adjusted for age. In both VEO and non-VEO children, the presence of signs or symptoms at the time of diagnosis as well as the presence of hematuria or proteinuria at the study visit were associated with larger renal volumes. Children diagnosed early (VEO) or diagnosed due to signs or symptoms were also more likely to have high blood pressure. Two VEO children and no non-VEO children reached end-stage renal disease during follow-up. CONCLUSION: In contrast to many published case reports suggesting the occurrence of early end-stage renal disease in VEO children, the results of the present study were much more optimistic. Over 90% of the VEO children maintained preserved renal function well into childhood.

Oxidant and antioxidant status in larynx squamous cell carcinomas.

In this study we reviewed 20 patients with laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma to evaluate the oxidant and antioxidant status on tissue level. Superoxide Dismutase (SOD) and Catalase levels, two important antioxidant enzymes, and Malondialdehyde (MDA) levels, a valuable index of lipid peroxidation, were compared in cancerous and normal tissues of the patients. In cancerous tissue SOD activities were significantly lower than in the normal tissue, while there was no significant difference in MDA levels and Catalase activities. It was also observed that SOD activities significantly decreased as the histopathologic malignancy grades increased in cancerous tissue. These changes in oxidant and antioxidant status in carcinomatous tissue of the larynx are considered to be of great interest.

Bacteriology of antrum in children with chronic maxillary sinusitis.

Swabs from 93 chronically inflamed maxillary sinuses in children were taken from aerobic and anaerobic bacteria during endoscopy. Bacterial growth was present in 87/93 specimens (93%). Anaerobic bacteria were isolated in 81/87 culture-positive specimens (93%) and were recovered alone in 61 cases (70%) and mixed with aerobic or faculative bacteria in 20 (23%). Aerobic or facultative bacteria were present alone in six cases (7%). A total of 261 isolates (3/specimen), 19 (2.4/specimen) anaerobes and 69 (2.6/specimen) aerobes or facultatives, were isolated. The predominant anaerobic organisms were Bacteroides sp. and anaerobic cocci; the predominant aerobes or facultatives were Streptococcus sp. and Staphylococcus aureus. These findings indicate the important role of anaerobic organisms in chronic sinusitis.