Establishing nomograms for predicting disease-free survival and overall survival in patients with breast cancer.

BACKGROUND: Prognostic factors-based nomograms have been utilised to detect the likelihood of the specific cancer events. We have focused on the roles of aldehyde dehydrogenase 1 (ALDH1) and p-AKT in predicting the prognosis of BC patients. This study was designed to establish nomograms based on the integration of aldehyde dehydrogenase 1 (ALDH1) and p-AKT in predicting the disease-free survival (DFS) and overall survival (OS) of breast cancer (BC) patients. METHODS: Demographic and clinical data were obtained from BC patients admitted to our hospital between September 2015 and August 2016. Univariate and multivariate Cox regression analyses were utilised to analyse the risk factors of recurrence and mortality. The nomograms for predicting the DFS and OS were established using the screened risk factors. Stratified analysis was performed with the cut-off value of exp (pi) of 4.0-fold in DFS and OS, respectively. RESULTS: Multivariate Cox regression analysis indicated that ALDH, p-AKT and pathological stage III were independent risk factors for the recurrence among BC patients. ALDH1, p-AKT, pathological stage III and ER-/PR-/HER2- were independent risk factors for the mortality among BC patients. The established nomograms based on these factors were effective for predicting the DFS and OS with good agreement to the calibration curve and acceptable area under the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve. Finally, stratified analyses showed patients with a low pi showed significant decrease in the DFS and OS compared with those of high risk. CONCLUSION: We established nomograms for predicting the DFS and OS of BC patients based on ALDH1, p-AKT and pathological stages. The ER-/PR-/HER2- may be utilised to predict the OS rather than DFS in the BC patients.

Many breast cancer patients show poor response after treatment due to recurrence and metastasis. Therefore, early prediction of the disease-free survival and overall survival is crucial to the treatment outcome and clinical decision-making. In this study, we established nomograms with the demographic and clinical data from breast cancer patients admitted to our hospital between September 2015 and August 2016. Univariate and multivariate Cox regression analyses showed that some important proteins and signalling pathways were risk factors for decreased disease-free survival and overall survival of breast cancer patients. On this basis, we established an effective nomogram for predicting the disease-free survival and overall survival of these patients based on these factors. This study offers new options in the predicting the treatment outcome of breast cancer patients.

Spigelian hernia in the right upper abdominal wall: a case report.

BACKGROUND: Spigelian hernia (SH) is rare and constitutes less than 2% of all hernias. It is reported that more than 90% of SHs lie in the "Spigelian belt", but SH in the upper abdominal wall is extremely uncommon. Here, we report a case of SH in the right upper quadrant of abdomen. CASE PRESENTATION: A 38-year-old female was admitted to hospital with complaints of abdominal pain and right upper quadrant mass for 10 days. Contrast-enhanced computed tomography (CECT) of abdomen revealed the dilated small intestine between the swelling ventral muscles in the right upper abdominal wall which suggested a ventral hernia. The surgeons considered it was a spontaneous hernia because there was no history of surgery or trauma in the upper abdomen. About two hours later, the patient underwent emergency surgery. According to laparotomy, a diagnosis of SH with ileum herniation in the right upper abdominal wall was confirmed. The necrotic ileum segment was resected. Meanwhile the abdominal wall defect was repaired by suturing the internal oblique and transverse muscles to the rectus sheath. The patient had a favorable outcome for 1 year without recurrence. CONCLUSION: A mass and pain in the upper abdominal wall may suggest an atypical SH. SH occurring in the upper abdominal wall is a rare condition with possibility of dire outcome if not managed early.

First record of a deep-sea tardigrade from the South China Sea, Halechiniscus janus sp. nov. (Arthrotardigrada: Halechiniscidae).

The knowledge of marine tardigrades in the South China Sea (Western Pacific Ocean) is very scarce, with only four species from shallow waters recorded until now. The first deep-sea (15301624 m bsl) tardigrade species from this sea, Halechiniscus janus sp. nov. (Arthrotardigrada: Halechiniscidae), is described here. Specimens of the new species have four wrinkled digits without peduncles on each leg, terminated by simple crescent-shaped claws, and primary clavae clearly shorter than cirri A, both inserted on a common cirrophore, as typical for the genus Halechiniscus Richters, 1908. The new species differs from all other Halechiniscus species by its cylindrical body and conical head; by the presence of semispherical secondary clavae, and by sensory organs on legs IV consisting of a short cirrophore followed by a short papilla terminated in a peculiar short bipartite tip. The discovery of this new bathyal species, with its peculiar morphological traits, brings new insights not only to the biogeography and ecology of tardigrades, but also to the understanding of the only partially resolved systematics of the diversified family Halechiniscidae.

Moebjergarctus clarionclippertonensis, a new abyssal tardigrade (Arthrotardigrada, Halechiniscidae, Euclavarctinae) from the Clarion-Clipperton Fracture Zone, North-East Pacific.

A new marine tardigrade, Moebjergarctus clarionclippertonensis sp. nov., is described based on specimens collected from a manganese nodule area in the Clarion-Clipperton Fracture Zone of the abyssal North-eastern Pacific. The new species is a member of the bathyal/abyssal subfamily Euclavarctinae Renaud-Mornant, 1983. Within the Euclavarctinae, the genus Moebjergarctus Bussau, 1992, with only one described species, M. manganis Bussau, 1992, is characterised by simple claws, club-shaped and anteriorly bent primary clavae, well-developed spherical secondary clavae and cephalic cirri separated into three parts: short cirrophore, long and annulated scapus, and a short flagellum. Moebjergarctus clarionclippertonensis sp. nov. can be distinguished from M. manganis by the morphology of cephalic cirri which have scapi annulated only in the proximal part and by the presence of a caudodorsal bulge covered by a crescent-shaped cuticular thickening.

A unique case of ectopic pancreas presenting as jejunal malignance.

Ectopic pancreas is defined as pancreatic tissues having no anatomic or vascular connections with the orthotopic pancreas. It is difficult for clinicians to diagnose this disease without performing a histopathological examination because it lacks specific clinical manifestations. This case report is of a 46-year-old woman who presented with epigastric pain. She had elevated serum levels of carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) and carbohydrate antigen 72-4 (CA72-4). Abdominal contrast-enhanced computed tomography (CT) revealed a persistently enhanced mass in the proximal jejunum, which was confirmed as ectopic pancreas via histopathological examination. Her serum CEA and CA72-4 levels were restored to normal ranges after resecting the jejunal ectopic pancreas. This is the first reported case of ectopic pancreas causing an elevation in serum CEA and CA-724 levels; this report supports the metaplasia theory and suggests that jejunal masses should be cautiously diagnosed for avoiding unnecessary concerns among patients and their families.