Unlatching the Additional Zinc Storage Ability of Vanadium Nitride Nanocrystallites.

Vanadium-based materials, due to their diverse valence states and open-framework lattice, are promising cathodes for aqueous zinc ion batteries (AZIBs), but encounters the major challenges of in situ electrochemical activation process, potent polarity of the aqueous electrolyte and periodic expansion/contraction for efficient Zn2+ storage. Herein, architecting vanadium nitride (VN) nanosheets over titanium-based hollow nanoarrays skeletal host (denoted VNTONC) can simultaneously modulate address those challenges by creating multiple interfaces and maintaining the (1 1 1) phase of VN, which optimizes the Zn2+ storage and the stability of VN. Benefiting from the modulated crystalline thermodynamics during the electrochemical activation of VN, two outcomes are achieved; I) the cathode transforms into a nanocrystalline structure with increased active sites and higher conductivity and; II) a significant portion of the (1 1 1) crystal facets is retained in the process leading to the additional Zn2+ storage capacity. As a result, the as-prepared VNTONC electrode demonstrates remarkable discharge capacities of 802.5 and 331.8 mAh g-1 @ 0.5 and 6.0 A g-1, respectively, due to the enhanced kinetics as validated by theoretical calculations. The assembled VNTONC||Zn flexible ZIB demonstrates excellent Zn storage properties up to 405.6 mAh g-1, and remarkable robustness against extreme operating conditions.

Association of radiation dose to cardiac substructures with major ischaemic events following breast cancer radiotherapy.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Patients with left-sided breast cancer receive a higher mean heart dose (MHD) after radiotherapy, with subsequent risk of ischaemic heart disease. However, the optimum dosimetric predictor among cardiac substructures has not yet been determined. METHODS AND RESULTS: This study retrospectively reviewed 2158 women with breast cancer receiving adjuvant radiotherapy. The primary endpoint was a major ischaemic event. The dose-volume parameters of each delineated cardiac substructure were calculated. The risk factors for major ischaemic events and the association between MHD and major ischaemic events were analysed by Cox regression. The optimum dose-volume predictors among cardiac substructures were explored in multivariable models by comparing performance metrics of each model. At a median follow-up of 7.9 years (interquartile range 5.6-10.8 years), 89 patients developed major ischaemic events. The cumulative incidence rate of major ischaemic events was significantly higher in left-sided disease (P = 0.044). Overall, MHD increased the risk of major ischaemic events by 6.2% per Gy (hazard ratio 1.062, 95% confidence interval 1.01-1.12; P = 0.012). The model containing the volume of the left ventricle receiving 25 Gy (LV V25) with the cut-point of 4% presented with the best goodness of fit and discrimination performance in left-sided breast cancer. Age, chronic kidney disease, and hyperlipidaemia were also significant risk factors. CONCLUSION: Risk of major ischaemic events exist in the era of modern radiotherapy. LV V25 ≥ 4% appeared to be the optimum parameter and was superior to MHD in predicting major ischaemic events. This dose constraint could aid in achieving better heart protection in breast cancer radiotherapy, though a further validation study is warranted.

Promoting Plasmonic Hot Hole Extraction and Photothermal Effect for the Oxygen Evolution Reactions.

Boosting oxygen evolution reaction by local surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) provides breakthrough opportunities for the promotion of solar energy conversion; the potential of LSPR, however, has rarely been tapped and investigated. Here, we report the precise regulation of commercial Au nanoparticles plasmonic nanomaterial and OER electrocatalysts, viz., the NiCoOx electrocatalytic layer with hole transport ability and photothermal effect is prepared on the surface of Au nanoparticles by photoelectrodeposition. The NiCoOx layer not only increases the transmission distance of holes generated by plasmonic Au nanoparticles, but also reduce the agglomeration of plasmonic Au nanoparticles during long-time OER reaction, which greatly improves the OER catalytic ability. The current density of NiCoOx /Au anode achieves 16.58 mA cm-2 at 2.0 V versus RHE, which is about 6.5 times of pristine NiCoOx anode (2.56 mA cm-2 ) and 47 times of pristine Au anode (0.35 mA cm-2 ). More importantly, with the LSPR and photothermal effect of plasmonic Au nanoparticles, the NiCoOx /Au anode provides additional current density of 7.01 mA cm-2 after illumination, and maintains no attenuation for more than 2000 s. Benefiting from the solution of agglomeration problem of plasmonic Au nanoparticles in the long-time OER process and the effective utilization of generated holes of plasmonic Au nanoparticles, this design can provide guidance for the application of plasmonic materials in the field of electrocatalysis.

In Situ Grown Co-Based Interstitial Compounds: Non-3d Metal and Non-Metal Dual Modulation Boosts Alkaline and Acidic Hydrogen Electrocatalysis.

Interfacial engineering and elemental doping are the two parameters to enhance the catalytic behavior of cobalt nitrides for the alkaline hydrogen evolution reaction (HER). However, simultaneously combining these two parameters to improve the HER catalytic properties of cobalt nitrides in alkaline media is rarely reported and also remains challenging in acidic media. Herein, it is demonstrated that high-valence non-3d metal and non-metal integration can simultaneously achieve Co-based nitride/oxide interstitial compound phase boundaries on stainless steel mesh (denoted Mo-Co5.47 N/N-CoO) for efficient HER in alkaline and acidic media. Density functional theory (DFT) calculations show that the unique structure does not only realize multi-active sites, enhanced water dissociation kinetics, and low hydrogen adsorption free energy in alkaline media, but also enhances the positive charge density of hydrogen ions (H+ ) to effectively allow H+ to receive electrons from the catalysts surface toward promoting the HER in acidic media. As a result, the as-prepared Mo-Co5.47 N/N-CoO demands HER overpotential of -28 mV@10 mA cm-2 in an alkaline medium, and superior to the commercial Pt/C at a current density > 44 mA cm-2 in acidic medium. This work paves a useful strategy to design efficient cobalt-based electrocatalysts for HER and beyond.

Effect of early radiotherapy initiation and high-dose chemotherapy on the prognosis of pediatric atypical teratoid rhabdoid tumors in different age groups.

PURPOSE: The optimal treatment strategy for pediatric atypical teratoid rhabdoid tumor (ATRT) is inconclusive. This study evaluated the prognostic value of early radiotherapy (RT) and high-dose chemotherapy with autologous stem cell rescue (HDC/ASCR) in pediatric ATRT. METHODS: This pooled analysis included ATRT patients treated at our institution and from other studies who were identified by a search of the PubMed electronic database. The effect of patient demographics and treatment profiles on progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) were analyzed using Cox regression. RESULTS: Overall, 34 patients from our institution and 436 patients from 35 published studies were included. In multivariable analysis, patients with gross total resection (GTR), early RT (time to RT interval < 2 months), and HDC/ASCR had both better PFS [hazard ratio (HR) 0.46, p[Formula: see text] 0.001; HR 0.64, p = 0.011; and HR 0.51, p = 0.005, respectively] and OS (HR 0.55, p = 0.002; HR 0.48, p = 0.004; and HR 0.42, p < 0.001, respectively). For patients aged < 3 years, both RT and HDC/ASCR were significant favorable factors for PFS (HR 0.32 and 0.46, respectively) and OS (HR 0.40 and 0.36, respectively), while early RT was not prognostic. For patients aged ≥ 3 years, early RT was significantly associated with better PFS (HR 0.51) and HDC/ASCR did not affect PFS, and neither was related to OS. CONCLUSION: Both early RT initiation and HDC/ASCR were important components in the treatment of pediatric ATRT. However, the optimal treatment strategies might differ by age.

Role of early and aggressive post-operative radiation therapy in improving outcome for pediatric central nervous system atypical teratoid/rhabdoid tumor.

PURPOSE: The purpose of the study is to evaluate possible prognostic factors and optimal management for pediatric atypical teratoid/rhabdoid tumor (AT/RT) of the central nervous system (CNS). METHODS: Twenty-eight pediatric patients with CNS AT/RT who were treated with radiation therapy (RT) as part of multimodality treatment regimens at a single institution (1996-2015) were reviewed. Survival outcomes were analyzed in relation to possible prognostic factors. RESULTS: The 28 patients analyzed were followed up for a median 48-month period. Median progression-free survival (PFS) was 11 months, and overall survival (OS) was 57 months. Patients < 3 years old had RT delayed for a longer period after surgery (p = 0.04), and the mean RT dose to tumor bed was lower (p < 0.01) than in patients ≥ 3 years old. In multivariate analysis, a higher primary tumor bed RT dose was identified as a favorable prognostic factor for both PFS (hazard ratio [HR] = 0.85 per gray, p < 0.01) and OS (HR = 0.92 per gray, p = 0.02). In addition, an interval between surgery and RT initiation > 2 months, with disease progression observed before RT, as compared with an interval ≤ 2 months without disease progression prior to RT, was associated with worse PFS (HR = 8.50, p < 0.01) and OS (HR = 5.27, p < 0.01). CONCLUSIONS: Early and aggressive RT after surgery is critical for successful disease control in AT/RT patients. Conversely, a delay in RT until disease progression is observed that leads to unfavorable outcomes.

Depressive disorders among patients with gastric cancer in Taiwan: a nationwide population-based study.

BACKGROUND: In cancer patients, depressive disorder comorbidity is associated with greater suicide risk and poorer treatment outcomes, quality of life, and adherence to treatment. The aim of the study was to evaluate the incidence of newly-diagnosed depressive disorders after a gastric cancer diagnosis compared with a matched cohort using the National Health Insurance Research Database in Taiwan. METHODS: We conducted a retrospective cohort study of 57,506 patients (28,753 patients with gastric cancer and 28,753 matched patients) selected from the National Health Insurance Research Database. Patients were observed for a maximum of 12 years to determine the incidence of newly-diagnosed depressive disorders. Also, a Cox regression analysis which included death as an independent censor was performed to identify the potentially predictive variables for developing subsequent depressive disorders following a cancer diagnosis among the patients suffering from gastric cancer. RESULTS: The cumulative incidence of depressive disorders in the gastric cancer patients was significantly higher compared to those in the matched cohort (p < .001). The adjusted hazard ratio was 1.54 (95% confidence interval, CI = 1.39-1.70, P < .001) in the gastric cancer cohort compared with the matched cohort. Independent predictive variables for developing subsequent depressive disorders among the patients with gastric cancer included female sex and hypertension. CONCLUSIONS: In the study, higher incidence of new-onset depression, being defined by the records of the diagnostic codes combining antidepressants use in a nationwide database, was noted in the gastric cancer patients compared with the matched cohort. In addition, female sex and comorbid hypertension may be predictive variables for the subsequent depression among the patients with gastric cancer. Further clinical prospective studies were necessary to confirm these findings.

Antiplatelet Therapy is Associated with a Better Prognosis for Patients with Hepatitis B Virus-Related Hepatocellular Carcinoma after Liver Resection.

BACKGROUND: Recurrence of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) with unsatisfactory survival is common after surgical resection. Antiplatelet therapy with aspirin or clopidogrel was recently shown to prevent hepatic carcinogenesis in a murine model, but its effect in humans had not been clarified. This study aimed to investigate the association between antiplatelet therapy and the outcomes for patients with hepatitis B virus (HBV)-related HCC after liver resection. METHODS: By analyzing data from the Taiwan National Health Insurance Research Database, 9461 HBV-related HCC patients who had undergone liver resection between January 1997 and December 2011 were identified. After one-to-four matching by sex, age, and propensity score, 442 patients with antiplatelet therapy and 1768 patients without antiplatelet therapy were enrolled for the analysis. The Kaplan-Meier method and modified Cox proportional hazards models were used for survival and multivariable, stratified analyses. RESULTS: Recurrence-free survival and overall survival after resection surgery were significantly better after 5 years in the treated cohort than in the untreated cohort (52.8 vs 47.9 %; p = 0.021 and 80.3 vs 65.4 %; p < 0.001, respectively). Besides, antiplatelet therapy reduced the risk of HCC recurrence (hazard ratio [HR] 0.73; p < 0.001) and overall mortality (HR 0.57; p < 0.001) in the multivariable analysis. However, antiplatelet use significantly increased the risk of upper gastrointestinal bleeding (odds ratio [OR] 1.91; p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Use of aspirin or clopidogrel was associated with better recurrence-free survival and overall survival among patients with HBV-related HCC after liver resection. However, these agents should be used with caution due to the adverse effects of upper gastrointestinal bleeding.

Second primary malignancy risk among patients with gastric cancer: a nationwide population-based study in Taiwan.

BACKGROUND: Several studies have reported an increase in second primary malignancies (SPMs) among gastric cancer patients. METHODS: Patients who were newly diagnosed with gastric cancer between 1997 and 2011 were recruited from the Taiwan National Health Insurance database. Those who had antecedent malignancies or gastrointestinal stromal tumor were excluded. Standardized incidence ratios (SIRs) of SPMs were calculated. Risk factors for cancer development were analyzed by Cox proportional hazards models. Effects of treatments for gastric cancer were treated as time-dependent variables. RESULTS: During the 15-year study period, 47,729 gastric cancer patients were recruited. Overall, 2,110 SPMs developed during a total follow-up of 137,798 person-years. The SIR for all cancers was 1.46. The SIRs for specific follow-up periods were 1.43, 1.41, and 1.21 at >10 years, 5-10 years, and 1-5 years, respectively. After excluding SPMs that developed within 1 year, significantly higher SIRs were seen for cancers of the head and neck (1.34), esophagus (2.16), colon and rectum (1.37), bones and soft tissues (1.95), ovaries (2.89), bladder (1.47), or kidneys (1.44), as well as non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (5.56). Multivariate analysis showed that age ≥70 years [hazard ratio (HR) 1.19], being male (HR 1.37), diabetes mellitus (HR 1.30), chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (HR 1.17), and liver cirrhosis (HR 1.94) were independent risk factors. Radiotherapy (HR 1.24) and chemotherapy (HR 1.87) were independent risk factors, but surgery (HR 0.67) was not. CONCLUSIONS: Patients with gastric cancer are at increased risk of developing SPM. Close surveillance of patients with risk factors over a longer period should be considered.

Spectrum of cancer risk among Taiwanese with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

BACKGROUND: Patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) are liable to develop significant comorbidities, including lung cancer. Whether they are at a higher risk for cancer of other types remains debatable, especially for Asians. We studied the risk of incident cancer in COPD patients using a nationwide representative database, the Taiwan National Health Insurance Research Database. METHODS: From 1995 to 2008, 50,875 COPD patients who were free of antecedent malignancy were identified and followed up to development of malignancy, death or end of 2008, whichever came first. The risk of cancer was determined with the standardized incidence ratio (SIR), which is based on comparison to the national cancer incidence among the general population. RESULTS: During a median follow-up period of 5.61 years, 3623 (7.02 %) patients developed cancer and the SIR was 1.2 [95 % confidence interval (CI) 1.16-1.24, p < 0.001]. The risk remained higher at <1, 1-5, and even ≥5 years after the diagnosis of COPD (SIR 1.83, 1.07, and 1.11, respectively). Furthermore, the risk was significantly higher for some specific types of cancer, including head and neck cancer (SIR 1.23, 95 % CI 1.08-1.39, p = 0.002), esophageal cancer (SIR 1.35, 95 % CI 1.08-1.67, p = 0.010), lung and mediastinal cancer (SIR 1.86, 95 % CI 1.74-1.99, p < 0.001), breast cancer (SIR 1.19, 95 % CI 1.01-1.4, p = 0.041), prostate cancer (SIR 1.20, 95 % CI 1.06-1.35, p < 0.001), cancer of the central nervous system (SIR 1.58, 95 % CI 1.05-2.28, p = 0.030), lymphoma (SIR 1.53, 95 % CI 1.22-1.90, p < 0.001), and multiple myeloma (SIR 1.95, 95 % CI 1.31-2.80, p = 0.001). CONCLUSION: COPD patients had increased risk for incident cancers, including lung cancer and several extrapulmonary cancers.

Frequency of surveillance computed tomography in non-Hodgkin lymphoma and the risk of secondary primary malignancies: A nationwide population-based study.

With increasing usage of computed tomography (CT) for lymphoma patients receiving curative-intent treatment, development of secondary primary malignancy (SPM) related to radiation from CT scans becomes an emerging issue in these long-term survivors. We conducted a nationwide population-based study analyzing non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) patients receiving curative-intent treatment between January 1997 and December 2010. Patients were divided into two populations by the medium number of CT performed. The cumulative incidence of SPM in these two groups was compared using the Kaplan-Meier method. Propensity score matching was applied to eliminate potential confounders. Group stratification and multivariate analyses calculated by Cox proportional hazard models using competing risk analyses adjusted for mortality were performed to identify independent predictors for SPM. Patients receiving >8 CT scans had a significantly greater risk for developing SPM (hazard ratio [HR] 2.25, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.61-3.13; p < 0.001) than those with ≤8 scans and this difference remained significant even after correction with propensity score matching. Among the 180 SPM identified, those receiving more CT scans had significantly higher SPM incidence in cancers of the breast (HR 11.22), stomach (HR 5.22) and liver and biliary tract (HR 2.18) in comparison to those with less exposure. The risk of SPM was estimated to increase 3% per one more CT scan performed. Our study demonstrated that after curative-intent treatment, patients with NHL receiving more frequent surveillance CT scans would have an increased risk of SPM.

Risk and impact of tuberculosis in patients with chronic myeloid leukemia: a nationwide population-based study in Taiwan.

The relationship between chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) and tuberculosis (TB) has not been determined. We conducted a national survey including 1,082 CML patients identified from the Taiwan National Health Insurance database covering a period between 1998 and 2011; the matched non-exposed cohort included 10,820 subjects without CML that were matched for age, sex and comorbidities. The impact of TB was measured by the overall mortality, and the risk factors were identified by a multivariate Cox proportional hazards model. We found the risk of TB was higher in the CML cohort, with an adjusted hazard ratio (aHR) of 3.76 (p = 0.001) for both pulmonary (aHR 3.23, p < 0.001) and extrapulmonary (aHR 9.77, p = 0.001) TB. Specific risk factors were: aged ≥ 60 (aHR 3.24, p = 0.022), being male (aHR 13.49, p = 0.012), receiving stem cell transplantation (aHR 10.50, p = 0.001) and interferon-α therapy (aHR 3.34, p = 0.011). CML patients with TB had a higher mortality rate than those without (aHR 2.04, p = 0.043). We conclude that the incidence of TB is significantly higher in CML patients of male sex, aged ≥ 60, having received either stem cell transplantation or interferon-α treatment. Careful screening strategies for TB should be considered for CML patients with high risk of the infection.

Association of surgeon volume and hospital volume with the outcome of patients receiving definitive surgery for colorectal cancer: A nationwide population-based study.

BACKGROUND: Patients with colorectal cancer (CRC) who undergo cancer surgeries with higher-volume providers may have better outcomes. The current debate focuses on whether it is hospital volume or surgeon volume that matters more. METHODS: The authors conducted a nationwide population-based study in Taiwan that enrolled all patients who underwent definitive surgery for newly diagnosed CRC between 2005 and 2011. All patients were divided into 4 quartiles according to hospital and surgeon volume. The main outcome was the 5-year mortality rate, which was analyzed using a frailty model for Cox regression. The authors also conducted fixed and random effects multivariate regression models to examine short-term outcomes and resource use, including operative mortality, hospital stay, emergency department visits within 30 days, and medical expenses. Analyses were adjusted for patient and provider characteristics. RESULTS: A total of 61,728 patients with CRC were included in the current study. The 5-year mortality rates were 38.7%, 32.8%, 32.0%, and 29.1% in descending order of hospital volume quartiles and were 41.4%, 34.1%, 29.8%, and 27.4% in descending order of surgeon volume quartiles. After adjustment for the individual and provider characteristics, surgeon volume, but not hospital volume, remained a significantly predictive factor of death (P<.001). In addition, those patients with CRC who underwent definitive surgeries performed by higher-volume surgeons had a relatively lower risk of operative mortality, shorter hospital length of stay, and lower medical expenses. CONCLUSIONS: Patients with CRC who underwent definitive surgery performed by higher-volume providers were found to have better outcomes. Surgeon volume may play a more important role than hospital volume. Cancer 2015;121:2782-2790. © 2015 American Cancer Society.

Risk of cancer in children, adolescents, and young adults with autistic disorder.

OBJECTIVES: To investigate whether individuals with autism have an increased risk for cancer relative to the general population. STUDY DESIGN: We enrolled patients with autistic disorder from the Taiwan National Health Insurance database in years 1997-2011. A total of 8438 patients diagnosed with autism were retrieved from the Registry for Catastrophic Illness Patients database. The diagnosis of cancers was also based on the certificate of catastrophic illness, which requires histological confirmation. The risk of cancer among the autism cohort was determined with a standardized incidence ratio (SIR). RESULTS: During the observation period, cancer occurred in 20 individuals with autism, which was significantly higher than a total number of expected cancers with a SIR estimate of 1.94 (95% CI 1.18-2.99). The number of cancer in males was greater than the expected number with a SIR of 1.95 (1.11-3.16), but no excess risk was found for females with a SIR of 1.91 (0.52-4.88). Cancer developed more than expected in individuals age 15-19 years with the SIR of 3.58 (1.44-7.38), but did not differ in other age range groups. The number of cancers of genitourinary system was significantly in excess of the expected number (SIR 4.15; 95% CI 1.13-10.65), and increased risk was found in ovarian cancer with SIR of 9.21 (1.12-33.29). CONCLUSIONS: Our study demonstrated that patients with autistic disorder have an increased risk of cancer.

Anxiety and depressive disorders among patients with esophageal cancer in Taiwan: a nationwide population-based study.

BACKGROUND: The comorbidity of depression with anxiety disorders is associated with poorer treatment outcomes, worse quality of life, poorer adherence to treatment, and greater suicide risk in cancer patients. OBJECTIVE: To assess the risk of comorbid anxiety and depressive disorders after the diagnosis of esophageal cancer compared with a matched cohort by using the Taiwan National Health Insurance Research Database (NHIRD). METHODS: We conducted a retrospective study of 28,454 patients (14,227 patients with esophageal cancer and 14,227 matched patients) who were selected from the NHIRD. Patients were observed for a maximum of 12 years to determine the incidence of new-onset anxiety and depressive disorders for which antidepressants had been prescribed. A Cox regression analysis was performed to identify the risk factors associated with anxiety and depressive disorders in esophageal cancer patients. RESULTS: The cumulative incidence of anxiety and depressive disorders in the esophageal cancer patients was significantly higher than that in the matched cohort (P < .001). The adjusted hazard ratio (HR) was 2.24 (95 % confidence interval, CI = 1.95-2.56, P < .001) in the esophageal cancer cohort compared with the matched cohort. Independent risk factors for developing anxiety and depressive disorders among the patients with esophageal cancer included cirrhosis, cerebrovascular disease, and surgical treatment. CONCLUSION: Esophageal cancer may be a prominent risk factor for anxiety and depressive disorders. Based on our data, we suggest that attention should be focused on esophageal cancer patients with comorbid cirrhosis and cerebrovascular disease and those who have received surgical interventions.

The association between prostate cancer and mood disorders: a nationwide population-based study in Taiwan.

BACKGROUND: This study identified possible risk factors for newly diagnosed mood disorders, including depressive and bipolar disorders, in prostate cancer patients. METHODS: From 2000 to 2006, two cohorts were evaluated on the occurrence of mood disorder diagnosis and treatment. For the first cohort, data of patients diagnosed with prostate cancer was obtained from the Taiwan National Health Insurance (NHI) Research Database. As the second cohort, a cancer-free comparison group was matched for age, comorbidities, geographic region, and socioeconomic status. RESULTS: Final analyses involved 12,872 men with prostate cancer and 12,872 matched patients. Increased incidence of both depressive (IRR 1.52, 95% CI 1.30-1.79, P <0.001) and bipolar disorder (IRR 1.84, 95% CI 1.25-2.74, P = 0.001) was observed among patients diagnosed with prostate cancer. Multivariate matched regression models show that cerebrovascular disease (CVD) and radiotherapy treatment could be independent risk factors for developing subsequent depressive and bipolar disorders. CONCLUSION: We observed that the risk of developing newly diagnosed depressive and bipolar disorders is higher among Taiwanese prostate cancer patients. Clinicians should be aware of the possibility of increased depressive and bipolar disorders among prostate cancer patients in Taiwan. A prospective study is necessary to confirm these findings.

Amyloidosis and the risk of cancer: a nationwide population-based study.

BACKGROUND: The association between amyloidosis and cancer remains unclear. PARTICIPANTS AND METHODS: Using the Taiwan National Health Insurance Research Database we conducted a population-based cohort study. Patients newly diagnosed with amyloidosis between 1997 and 2009 were enrolled. Patients with antecedent cancer were excluded. Standardized incidence ratios (SIR) of cancers were calculated for the study cohort and compared with cancer incidence among the general population. We used a multivariate Cox regression model to evaluate the predictors of cancer development for patients with amyloidosis. RESULTS: The study included 1,693 subjects with median follow-up of 5.63 years. A total of 68 patients developed cancer. The incidence of kidney cancer (SIR 3.42; 95 % CI 1.11-7.97; p = 0.034) and hematologic malignancies (SIR 3.88; 95 % CI 1.86-7.14; p < 0.001) were significantly higher for patients with amyloidosis. CONCLUSION: This is currently the largest study to evaluate cancer risk among patients with amyloidosis. The results indicate that amyloidosis may be associated with an increased risk of kidney cancer and hematologic malignancies.

Treatment results and prognostic factors for intracranial nongerminomatous germ cell tumors: single institute experience.

PURPOSE: This study aimed to evaluate the treatment of intracranial nongerminomatous germ cell tumors (NGGCT) and to identify the prognostic factors for survival. METHODS: Thirty-nine patients with nondisseminated NGGCTs, excluding those with pure mature teratomas, were treated between January 1985 and December 2010. Twenty-four patients received gross total or partial removal, 11 had excision biopsies, and 4 had no surgery. Radiotherapy was given postoperatively or definitively with a median tumor bed dose of 54 Gy (range 30-54) with or without craniospinal irradiation. All patients received ten cycles of adjuvant chemotherapy, vinblastine, bleomycin, etoposide, and cisplatin after radiotherapy, except for one with mixed anaplastic astrocytoma component who received oral temozolomide. Survival and prognostic factors were estimated by the Kaplan-Meier method and log-rank tests, respectively. RESULTS: After a median follow-up of 77.7 months (range 14-336), the 6-year overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS) were 74.4 and 79.5 %, respectively. Inferior PFS was associated with lesions in the suprasellar region (p = 0.017), poor pathological features (p = 0.048), and with poor image (p < 0.0001) and tumor marker (TM) response (p = 0.003) to irradiation. Decreased OS was associated with lesions in the suprasellar region (p = 0.026) and with poor image (p < 0.0001) and TM response (p = 0.027) to irradiation. Neither the extent of surgery nor the radiation field was found to significantly influence survival. CONCLUSIONS: By our multimodality approach, patients achieved comparable outcomes. Other than poor pathological features, patients with poor responses to radiotherapy are prone to early recurrence and inferior survival. These patients should be focused for more intensive adjuvant treatment.

Quantitative Detection of Photothermal and Photoelectrocatalytic Effects Induced by SPR from Au@Pt Nanoparticles.

The surface plasmon resonance (SPR) induced photothermal and photoelectrocatalysis effects are crucial for catalytic reactions in many areas. However, it is still difficult to distinguish these two effects quantitatively. Here we used surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) to detect the photothermal and photoelectrocatalytic effects induced by SPR from Au core Pt shell Nanoparticles (Au@Pt NPs), and calculated the quantitative contribution of the ratio of the photothermal and photoelectrocatalysis effects towards the catalytic activity. The photothermal effect on the nanoparticle surface after illumination is detected by SERS. The photoelectrocatalytic effect generated from SPR is proved by SERS with a probe molecule of p-aminothiophenol (PATP).

Cancer risk among patients with coal workers' pneumoconiosis in Taiwan: a nationwide population-based study.

This study is aimed to evaluate the cancer risk among patients with coal workers' pneumoconiosis (CWP) using a nationwide population-based dataset. Patients without previous cancer who had been diagnosed with CWP and followed-up for more than 1 year between 1997 and 2006 were recruited from the Taiwan National Health Insurance database. Standardized incidence ratios (SIRs) of cancers in CWP patients were calculated and compared to the cancer incidence in the general population. Risk factors for cancer development were also analyzed. After a median follow-up of 9.68 years, 954 cancers developed among 8,051 recruited CWP patients, with a follow-up of 69,398 person-years. The SIR for all cancers was 1.12 [95% confidence interval (CI) 1.04-1.18]. Males older than 80 years had a SIR of 1.27 (95% CI: 1.06-1.51). The SIRs of esophageal (1.76, 95% CI: 1.24-2.44), gastric (1.42, 95% CI: 1.13-1.76), liver and biliary tract (1.18, 95% CI: 1.01-1.37) and lung and mediastinal (1.45, 95% CI: 1.26-1.66) cancers were significantly higher in the CWP group than in the general population. Multivariate analysis showed that age ≥ 60 years [hazard ratio (HR) 1.70, 95% CI: 1.41-2.05), male gender (HR = 1.79, 95% CI: 1.44-2.23) and liver cirrhosis (HR = 3.99, 95% CI: 2.89-5.51) were significant predictors of cancer development in patients with CWP. We concluded that patients with CWP, especially elderly males, were at increased risk of cancer. Age, male gender and liver cirrhosis were independent risk factors for cancer development.