Dying like rabbits: general determinants of spatio-temporal variability in survival.

PubMed

Tablado, Zulima; Revilla, Eloy; Palomares, Francisco

2012-01-01

1. Identifying general patterns of how and why survival rates vary across space and time is necessary to truly understand population dynamics of a species. However, this is not an easy task given the complexity and interactions of processes involved, and the interpopulation differences in main survival determinants. 2. Here, using European rabbits (Oryctolagus cuniculus) as a model and information from local studies, we investigated whether we could make inferences about trends and drivers of survival of a species that are generalizable to large spatio-temporal scales. To do this, we first focused on overall survival and then examined cause-specific mortalities, mainly predation and diseases, which may lead to those patterns. 3. Our results show that within the large-scale variability in rabbit survival, there exist general patterns that are explained by the integration of factors previously known to be important at the local level (i.e. age, climate, diseases, predation or density dependence). We found that both inter- and intrastudy survival rates increased in magnitude and decreased in variability as rabbits grow old, although this tendency was less pronounced in populations with epidemic diseases. Some causes leading to these higher mortalities in young rabbits could be the stronger effect of rainfall at those ages, as well as, other death sources like malnutrition or infanticide. 4. Predation is also greater for newborns and juveniles, especially in population without diseases. Apart from the effect of diseases, predation patterns also depended on factors, such as, density, season, and type and density of predators. Finally, we observed that infectious diseases also showed general relationships with climate, breeding (i.e. new susceptible rabbits) and age, although the association type varied between myxomatosis and rabbit haemorrhagic disease. 5. In conclusion, large-scale patterns of spatio-temporal variability in rabbit survival emerge from the combination

Early survival factor deprivation in the olfactory epithelium enhances activity-driven survival

PubMed Central

François, Adrien; Laziz, Iman; Rimbaud, Stéphanie; Grebert, Denise; Durieux, Didier; Pajot-Augy, Edith; Meunier, Nicolas

2013-01-01

The neuronal olfactory epithelium undergoes permanent renewal because of environmental aggression. This renewal is partly regulated by factors modulating the level of neuronal apoptosis. Among them, we had previously characterized endothelin as neuroprotective. In this study, we explored the effect of cell survival factor deprivation in the olfactory epithelium by intranasal delivery of endothelin receptors antagonists to rat pups. This treatment induced an overall increase of apoptosis in the olfactory epithelium. The responses to odorants recorded by electroolfactogram were decreased in treated animal, a result consistent with a loss of olfactory sensory neurons (OSNs). However, the treated animal performed better in an olfactory orientation test based on maternal odor compared to non-treated littermates. This improved performance could be due to activity-dependent neuronal survival of OSNs in the context of increased apoptosis level. In order to demonstrate it, we odorized pups with octanal, a known ligand for the rI7 olfactory receptor (Olr226). We quantified the number of OSN expressing rI7 by RT-qPCR and whole mount in situ hybridization. While this number was reduced by the survival factor removal treatment, this reduction was abolished by the presence of its ligand. This improved survival was optimal for low concentration of odorant and was specific for rI7-expressing OSNs. Meanwhile, the number of rI7-expressing OSNs was not affected by the odorization in non-treated littermates; showing that the activity-dependant survival of OSNs did not affect the OSN population during the 10 days of odorization in control conditions. Overall, our study shows that when apoptosis is promoted in the olfactory mucosa, the activity-dependent neuronal plasticity allows faster tuning of the olfactory sensory neuron population toward detection of environmental odorants. PMID:24399931

20 CFR 725.217 - Determination of dependency; surviving divorced spouse.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... 20 Employees' Benefits 3 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Determination of dependency; surviving divorced spouse. 725.217 Section 725.217 Employees' Benefits EMPLOYMENT STANDARDS ADMINISTRATION... Benefits) § 725.217 Determination of dependency; surviving divorced spouse. An individual who is the miner...

20 CFR 725.217 - Determination of dependency; surviving divorced spouse.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-04-01

... 20 Employees' Benefits 4 2013-04-01 2013-04-01 false Determination of dependency; surviving divorced spouse. 725.217 Section 725.217 Employees' Benefits OFFICE OF WORKERS' COMPENSATION PROGRAMS... Benefits) § 725.217 Determination of dependency; surviving divorced spouse. An individual who is the miner...

20 CFR 725.217 - Determination of dependency; surviving divorced spouse.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-04-01

... 20 Employees' Benefits 4 2014-04-01 2014-04-01 false Determination of dependency; surviving divorced spouse. 725.217 Section 725.217 Employees' Benefits OFFICE OF WORKERS' COMPENSATION PROGRAMS... Benefits) § 725.217 Determination of dependency; surviving divorced spouse. An individual who is the miner...

20 CFR 725.217 - Determination of dependency; surviving divorced spouse.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-04-01

... 20 Employees' Benefits 4 2012-04-01 2012-04-01 false Determination of dependency; surviving divorced spouse. 725.217 Section 725.217 Employees' Benefits OFFICE OF WORKERS' COMPENSATION PROGRAMS... Benefits) § 725.217 Determination of dependency; surviving divorced spouse. An individual who is the miner...

20 CFR 725.217 - Determination of dependency; surviving divorced spouse.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-04-01

... 20 Employees' Benefits 3 2011-04-01 2011-04-01 false Determination of dependency; surviving divorced spouse. 725.217 Section 725.217 Employees' Benefits OFFICE OF WORKERS' COMPENSATION PROGRAMS... Benefits) § 725.217 Determination of dependency; surviving divorced spouse. An individual who is the miner...

Fibronectin is a survival factor for differentiated osteoblasts

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Globus, R. K.; Doty, S. B.; Lull, J. C.; Holmuhamedov, E.; Humphries, M. J.; Damsky, C. H.

1998-01-01

The skeletal extracellular matrix produced by osteoblasts contains the glycoprotein fibronectin, which regulates the adhesion, differentiation and function of various adherent cells. Interactions with fibronectin are required for osteoblast differentiation in vitro, since fibronectin antagonists added to cultures of immature fetal calvarial osteoblasts inhibit their progressive differentiation. To determine if fibronectin plays a unique role in fully differentiated osteoblasts, cultures that had already formed mineralized nodules in vitro were treated with fibronectin antagonists. Fibronectin antibodies caused >95% of the cells in the mature cultures to display characteristic features of apoptosis (nuclear condensation, apoptotic body formation, DNA laddering) within 24 hours. Cells appeared to acquire sensitivity to fibronectin antibody-induced apoptosis as a consequence of differentiation, since antibodies failed to kill immature cells and the first cells killed were those associated with mature nodules. Intact plasma fibronectin, as well as fragments corresponding to the amino-terminal, cell-binding, and carboxy-terminal domains of fibronectin, independently induced apoptosis of mature (day-13), but not immature (day-4), osteoblasts. Finally, transforming growth factor-beta1 partially protected cells from the apoptotic effects of fibronectin antagonists. Thus, in the course of maturation cultured osteoblasts switch from depending on fibronectin for differentiation to depending on fibronectin for survival. These data suggest that fibronectin, together with transforming growth factor-beta1, may affect bone formation, in part by regulating the survival of osteoblasts.

Factors associated with dental implant survival: a 4-year retrospective analysis.

PubMed

Zupnik, Jamie; Kim, Soo-woo; Ravens, Daniel; Karimbux, Nadeem; Guze, Kevin

2011-10-01

Dental implants are a predictable treatment option for replacing missing teeth and have strong survival and success outcomes. However, previous research showed a wide array of potential risk factors that may have contributed to dental implant failures. The objectives of this study are to study if implant survival rates were affected by known risk factors and risk indicators that may have contributed to implant failures. The secondary outcome measures were whether the level of expertise of the periodontal residents affected success rates and how the rate of implant success at the Harvard School of Dental Medicine (HSDM) compared to published standards. A retrospective chart review of patients at the HSDM who had one of two types of rough-surface implants (group A or B) placed by periodontology residents from 2003 to 2006 was performed. Demographic, health, and implant data were collected and analyzed by multimodel analyses to determine failure rates and any factors that may have increased the likelihood of an implant failure. The study cohort included 341 dental implants. The odds ratio for an implant failure was most clearly elevated for diabetes (2.59 implant surface group B (7.84), and male groups (4.01). There was no significant difference regarding the resident experience. The success rate for HSDM periodontology residents was 96.48% during the 4-year study period. This study demonstrates that implant success rates at HSDM fell within accepted published standards, confirmed previously identified risk factors for a failure, and potentially suggested that other acknowledged risk factors could be controlled for. Furthermore, the level of experience of the periodontology resident did not have an impact on survival outcomes.

Jaundice: an important, poorly recognized risk factor for diminished survival in patients with adenocarcinoma of the head of the pancreas

PubMed Central

Strasberg, Steven M; Gao, Feng; Sanford, Dominic; Linehan, David C; Hawkins, William G; Fields, Ryan; Carpenter, Danielle H; Brunt, Elizabeth M; Phillips, Carolyn

2014-01-01

Objectives: Jaundice impairs cellular immunity, an important defence against the dissemination of cancer. Jaundice is a common mode of presentation in pancreatic head adenocarcinoma. The purpose of this study was to determine whether there is an association between preoperative jaundice and survival in patients who have undergone resection of such tumours. Methods: Thirty possible survival risk factors were evaluated in a database of over 400 resected patients. Univariate analysis was used to determine odds ratio for death. All factors for which a P-value of <0.30 was obtained were entered into a multivariate analysis using the Cox model with backward selection. Results: Preoperative jaundice, age, positive node status, poor differentiation and lymphatic invasion were significant indicators of poor outcome in multivariate analysis. Absence of jaundice was a highly favourable prognostic factor. Interaction emerged between jaundice and nodal status. The benefit conferred by the absence of jaundice was restricted to patients in whom negative node status was present. Five-year overall survival in this group was 66%. Jaundiced patients who underwent preoperative stenting had a survival advantage. Conclusions: Preoperative jaundice is a negative risk factor in adenocarcinoma of the pancreas. Additional studies are required to determine the exact mechanism for this effect. PMID:23600768

Biologic and social determinants of sequelae and long-term survival of pediatric HIV in Romania.

PubMed

Kozinetz, Claudia A; Matusa, Rodica; Hacker, Carl S

2006-08-01

The aim of the study is to investigate the effect of social context and clinical factors on survival in a cohort of 333 children to identify issues useful in the treatment and care of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-infected youth in developing countries. A prospective cohort study design was used, and data were gathered at baseline and 1-year follow-up. The study cohort consisted of children given a diagnosis of HIV between 1995 and 1999 and receiving medical care in Constanta, Romania. Data were examined by means of multivariate Cox regression analysis models. The majority of the cohort were in the moderate (41%) or severe (40%) stages of HIV at baseline. Multivariate analysis indicated that social-context factors were the most significant determinants of HIV survival. The hazard for death for those with mothers or fathers with a higher level of education was approximately one quarter (relative hazard, 0.3-0.4; confidence interval, 0.1-1.0) that for a parent with a lower level of education. Subjects with employed mothers were four times more likely to survive than subjects with unemployed mothers. Results suggest that recognition of social-context risk factors for HIV disease progression and survival is important in developing countries, as it is in developed countries.

Aviation occupant survival factors: an empirical study of the SQ006 accident.

PubMed

Chang, Yu-Hern; Yang, Hui-Hua

2010-03-01

We present an empirical study of Singapore Airline (SIA) flight SQ006 to illustrate the critical factors that influence airplane occupant survivability. The Fuzzy Delphi Method was used to identify and rank the survival factors that may reduce injury and fatality in potentially survivable accidents. This is the first attempt by a group from both the public and private sectors in Taiwan to focus on cabin-safety issues related to survival factors. We designed a comprehensive survey based on our discussions with aviation safety experts. We next designed an array of important cabin-safety dimensions and then investigated and selected the critical survival factors for each dimension. Our findings reveal important cabin safety and survivability information that should provide a valuable reference for developing and evaluating aviation safety programs. We also believe that the results will be practical for designing cabin-safety education material for air travelers. Finally, the major contribution of this research is that it has identified 47 critical factors that influence accident survivability; therefore, it may encourage improvements that will promote more successful cabin-safety management. Copyright 2009 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Survival factors of hospitalized out-of-hospital cardiac arrest patients in Taiwan: A retrospective study.

PubMed

Lai, Chung-Yu; Lin, Fu-Huang; Chu, Hsin; Ku, Chih-Hung; Tsai, Shih-Hung; Chung, Chi-Hsiang; Chien, Wu-Chien; Wu, Chun-Hsien; Chu, Chi-Ming; Chang, Chi-Wen

2018-01-01

The chain of survival has been shown to improve the chances of survival for victims of cardiac arrest. Post-cardiac arrest care has been demonstrated to significantly impact the survival of out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA). How post-cardiac arrest care influences the survival of OHCA patients has been a main concern in recent years. The objective of this study was to assess the survival outcome of hospitalized OHCA patients and determine the factors associated with improved survival in terms of survival to discharge. We conducted a retrospective observational study by analyzing records from the National Health Insurance Research Database of Taiwan from 2007 to 2013. We collected cases with an International Classification of Disease Clinical Modification, 9th revision primary diagnosis codes of 427.41 (ventricular fibrillation, VF) or 427.5 (cardiac arrest) and excluded patients less than 18 years old, as well as cases with an unknown outcome or a combination of traumatic comorbidities. We then calculated the proportion of survival to discharge among hospitalized OHCA patients. Factors associated with the dependent variable were examined by logistic regression. Statistical analysis was conducted using SPSS 22 (IBM, Armonk, NY). Of the 11,000 cases, 2,499 patients (22.7%) survived to hospital discharge. The mean age of subjects who survived to hospital discharge and those who did not was 66.7±16.7 and 71.7±15.2 years, respectively. After adjusting for covariates, neurological failure, cardiac comorbidities, hospital level, intensive care unit beds, transfer to another hospital, and length of hospital stay were independent predictors of improved survival. Cardiac rhythm on admission was a strong factor associated with survival to discharge (VF vs. non-VF: adjusted odds ratio: 3.51; 95% confidence interval: 3.06-4.01). In conclusion, cardiac comorbidities, hospital volume, cardiac rhythm on admission, transfer to another hospital and length of hospital stay had

Factors affecting 30-month survival in lung cancer patients.

PubMed

Mahesh, P A; Archana, S; Jayaraj, B S; Patil, Shekar; Chaya, S K; Shashidhar, H P; Sunitha, B S; Prabhakar, A K

2012-10-01

Age adjusted incidence rate of lung cancer in India ranges from 7.4 to 13.1 per 100,000 among males and 3.9 to 5.8 per 100,000 among females. The factors affecting survival in lung cancer patients in India are not fully understood. The current study was undertaken to evaluate the factors affecting survival in patients diagnosed with lung cancer attending a tertiary care cancer institute in Bangalore, Karnataka, India. Consecutive patients with primary lung cancer attending Bangalore Institute of Oncology, a tertiary care centre at Bangalore, between 2006 and 2009 were included. Demographic, clinical, radiological data were collected retrospectively from the medical records. A total of 170 consecutive subjects (128 males, 42 females) diagnosed to have lung cancer; 151 non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and 19 small cell lung cancer (SCLC) were included. A higher proportion of never-smokers (54.1%) were observed, mostly presenting below the age of 60 yr. Most subjects were in stage IV and III at the time of diagnosis. More than 50 per cent of patients presented with late stage lung cancer even though the duration of symptoms is less than 2 months. The 30-month overall survival rates for smokers and never-smokers were 32 and 49 per cent, respectively. No significant differences were observed in 30 month survival based on age at presentation, gender and type of lung cancer. Cox proportional hazards model identified never-smokers and duration of symptoms less than 1 month as factors adversely affecting survival. Our results showed that lung cancer in Indians involved younger subjects and associated with poorer survival as compared to other ethnic population. Studies on large sample need to be done to evaluate risk factors in lung cancer patients.

Factors affecting 30-month survival in lung cancer patients

PubMed Central

Mahesh, P.A.; Archana, S.; Jayaraj, B.S.; Patil, Shekar; Chaya, S.K.; Shashidhar, H.P.; Sunitha, B.S.; Prabhakar, A.K.

2012-01-01

Background & objectives: Age adjusted incidence rate of lung cancer in India ranges from 7.4 to 13.1 per 100,000 among males and 3.9 to 5.8 per 100,000 among females. The factors affecting survival in lung cancer patients in India are not fully understood. The current study was undertaken to evaluate the factors affecting survival in patients diagnosed with lung cancer attending a tertiary care cancer institute in Bangalore, Karnataka, India. Methods: Consecutive patients with primary lung cancer attending Bangalore Institute of Oncology, a tertiary care centre at Bangalore, between 2006 and 2009 were included. Demographic, clinical, radiological data were collected retrospectively from the medical records. Results: A total of 170 consecutive subjects (128 males, 42 females) diagnosed to have lung cancer; 151 non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and 19 small cell lung cancer (SCLC) were included. A higher proportion of never-smokers (54.1%) were observed, mostly presenting below the age of 60 yr. Most subjects were in stage IV and III at the time of diagnosis. More than 50 per cent of patients presented with late stage lung cancer even though the duration of symptoms is less than 2 months. The 30-month overall survival rates for smokers and never-smokers were 32 and 49 per cent, respectively. No significant differences were observed in 30 month survival based on age at presentation, gender and type of lung cancer. Cox proportional hazards model identified never-smokers and duration of symptoms less than 1 month as factors adversely affecting survival. Interpretation & conclusions: Our results showed that lung cancer in Indians involved younger subjects and associated with poorer survival as compared to other ethnic population. Studies on large sample need to be done to evaluate risk factors in lung cancer patients. PMID:23168702

[Survival pronostic factors in Mexican patients with multiforme glioblastoma].

PubMed

Hernández-Reyna, Ricardo; Medellín-Sánchez, Roberto; Cerda-Flores, Ricardo M; Calderón-Garcidueñas, Ana Laura

2010-01-01

To study the pre- and transoperative factors that influence patients' survival with GM. Clinical and pathological records of all confirmed cases of GM diagnosed between 2000 and 2006 were included. Postoperative survival was divided in less or more than 8 months. χ2 test was used. One hundred and twenty patients (45 women and 75 men) were studied. Age range was from 7 to 85 years, 3.3% were 16 years old or younger and 12.5% were 70 years old or older. Headache was the most frequent complain, 40 patients developed hemiparesia and 6 had parestesias. Predominance of white matter hemispheric lesions was observed: right hemispheric tumors 65 (54%), left lesions 30 (25%) and bilateral tumors 7%. Histologically, 1.6% of GM had a sarcomatous component; 35% of patients survived less than 8 months. A difference between patients survival was the preoperative Karnofsky Performance Scale Score and the degree of cerebral edema during the surgical procedure. Pre-operative Karnofsky evaluation and edema during the surgical procedure were significant prognostic factors for survival.

Key factors influencing lung cancer survival in northern Italy.

PubMed

Mangone, Lucia; Minicozzi, Pamela; Vicentini, Massimo; Giacomin, Adriano; Caldarella, Adele; Cirilli, Claudia; Falcini, Fabio; Giorgi Rossi, Paolo; Sant, Milena

2013-06-01

Lung cancer is a major cause of cancer death worldwide. The aims of this study were to analyze presentation, treatment and survival for lung cancer in northern Italy, and identify factors influencing survival. A total of 1180 lung cancer cases diagnosed in four north Italian cancer registries (Biella, Modena, Reggio Emilia, Romagna) in 2003-2005 were analyzed. Information on morphology, stage, diagnostic examinations, chemotherapy, radiotherapy, and surgical treatment was collected from clinical records. Three-year relative survival and relative excess risks of death were estimated. Overall, 10% of cases were stage I, 50% stage IV, and 12% stage unknown. Romagna - where sophisticated diagnostic examinations were performed more often - had proportionately more microscopically verified cases and resected cases than Biella. Romagna had also high proportions of cases given chemotherapy and radiotherapy. Three-year survival was 14%, range 10% (Biella) to 19% (Romagna); 69% for stage I, 3% for stage IV. Stage I survival was higher in Romagna (82%) than Reggio Emilia and Biella (60-61%) but for operated stage I cases, survival was similar (88%) in Romagna and Biella. The fully adjusted model showed a higher risk of death in Biella (1.23, 95%CI 1.02-1.48) than Modena (reference). Stage and surgery are key factors influencing survival. Centralizing lung cancer treatment to improve diagnostic work-up may improve outcomes. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The association between socioeconomic factors and breast cancer-specific survival varies by race.

PubMed

Agarwal, Shailesh; Ying, Jian; Boucher, Kenneth M; Agarwal, Jayant P

2017-01-01

Although racial disparity is well described for oncologic outcomes, factors associated with survival within racial groups remains unexplored. The objective of this study is to determine whether breast cancer survival among White or Black patients is associated with differing patient factors. Women diagnosed with breast cancer from 1998 through 2012 were identified in the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) database. Cox proportional hazard logistic regression was used to estimate cause-specific survival in the combined cohort, and separate cohorts of Black or White patients only. Main outcomes included cause-specific survival in cohorts of Black only, White only, or all patients adjusted for demographic and oncologic factors. A total of 406,907 Black (10.8%) or White (89.2%) patients diagnosed with breast cancer from 1998 through 2012 were isolated. Cancer-specific survival analysis of the combined cohort showed significantly decreased hazard ratio (H.R.) in patients from the higher economic quartiles (Q1: 1.0 (ref), Q2: 0.95 (p<0.01), Q3: 0.94 (p<0.01), Q4: 0.87 (p<0.001)). Analysis of the White only cohort showed a similar relationship with income (Q1: 1.0 (ref), Q2: 0.95 (p<0.01), Q3: 0.95 (p<0.01), Q4: 0.86 (p<0.001)). However, analysis of the Black only cohort did not show a relationship with income (Q1: 1.0 (ref), Q2: 1.04 (p = 0.34), Q3: 0.97 (p = 0.53), Q4: 1.04 (p = 0.47)). A test of interaction confirmed that the association between income and cancer-specific survival is dependent on patient race, both with and without adjustment for demographic and oncologic characteristics (p<0.01). While median county income is positively associated with cancer-specific survival among White patients, this is not the case with Black patients. Similar findings were noted for education level. These findings suggest that the association between socioeconomic status and breast cancer survival commonly reported in the literature is specific to White patients

Factors related to pilot survival in helicopter commuter and air taxi crashes.

PubMed

Krebs, M B; Li, G; Baker, S P

1995-02-01

We examined factors related to pilot survival in 167 consecutive helicopter commuter and air taxi crashes that occurred during 1983-88. Case fatality rates and adjusted odds ratios from multivariate logistic regression models were determined using data from the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB). During this 6-year period, 29 pilots-in-command died in 167 helicopter commuter and air taxi crashes, a case fatality rate of 17.4%. Factors significantly associated with increased risk of pilot fatality were aircraft fire [odds ratio (OR) 20.0, 95% confidence interval (CI) 4.6-86.8], not using shoulder harnesses (OR 9.2, 95% CI 2.2-37.3), and aircraft with two engines (OR 4.8, 95% CI 1.3-17.4). In addition, we present data regarding success and failure of emergency flotation devices. The results suggest that the likelihood of pilot survival in helicopter crashes could be greatly improved by preventing crash associated fires and promoting the usage of shoulder restraints.

Prolonged survival after diagnosis of brain metastasis from breast cancer: contributing factors and treatment implications.

PubMed

Honda, Yayoi; Aruga, Tomoyuki; Yamashita, Toshinari; Miyamoto, Hiromi; Horiguchi, Kazumi; Kitagawa, Dai; Idera, Nami; Goto, Risa; Kuroi, Katsumasa

2015-08-01

The prognosis of breast cancer-derived brain metastasis is poor, but new drugs and recent therapeutic strategies have helped extend survival in patients. Prediction of therapeutic responses and outcomes is not yet possible, however. In a retrospective study, we examined prognostic factors in patients with breast cancer-derived brain metastasis, and we tested the prognostic utility of a breast cancer-specific Graded Prognostic Assessment in these patients. Sixty-three patients diagnosed with brain metastasis from breast cancer treated surgically and adjuvantly were included. We examined clinical variables per primary tumor subtype: ER+/HER2- (luminal), HER2+ (human epidermal growth factor receptor type 2-enriched) or ER-/PR-/HER2- (triple negative). We also categorized patients' breast cancer-specific Graded Prognostic Assessment scores and analyzed post-brain metastasis survival time in relation to these categories. The breast cancers comprised the following subtypes: luminal, n = 18; human epidermal growth factor receptor type 2-enriched, n = 27 and triple-negative, n = 18; median survival per subtype was 11, 37 and 3 months, respectively. Survival of human epidermal growth factor receptor type 2-enriched patients was longer, though not significantly (P = 0.188), than that of luminal patients. Survival of triple-negative patients was significantly short (vs. human epidermal growth factor receptor type 2-enriched patients, P < 0.001). Karnofsky performance status, HER2 status and the disease-free interval (from initial treatment to first recurrence) were shown to be significant prognostic factors (Karnofsky performance status < 70: relative risk 2.08, P = 0.028; HER2+: relative risk 2.911, P = 0.004; disease-free interval < 24 months: relative risk 1.933, P = 0.011). Breast cancer-specific Graded Prognostic Assessment scores reflected disease-free intervals and survival times. Our data indicate that breast cancer-specific Graded Prognostic Assessment

Survival patterns in squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck: pain as an independent prognostic factor for survival.

PubMed

Reyes-Gibby, Cielito C; Anderson, Karen O; Merriman, Kelly W; Todd, Knox H; Shete, Sanjay S; Hanna, Ehab Y

2014-10-01

Survival outcomes in patients with squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck (HNSCC) vary by extent of disease, behavioral factors, and socioeconomic factors. We assessed the extent to which pretreatment pain influences survival in 2,340 newly diagnosed patients with HNSCC, adjusting for disease stage, symptoms, pain medications, comorbidities, smoking, alcohol consumption, age, sex, and race/ethnicity. Patients rated their pain at presentation to the cancer center (0 = "no pain" and 10 = "pain as bad as you can imagine"). Survival time was calculated from the date of diagnosis to the date of death of any cause or last follow-up. Five-year overall survival was calculated for all the variables assessed in the study. Severe pain (≥7) was most prevalent among those with oral cancer (20.4%; pharynx = 18.8%; larynx = 16.1%) and significantly varied by tumor stage, fatigue severity, smoking status, comorbid lung disease, and race (all P < .05) across cancer diagnoses. Overall 5-year survival varied by pain for oral (severe pain = 31% vs nonsevere pain = 52%; P < .001) and pharyngeal cancer (severe pain = 33% vs nonsevere pain = 53%; P < .001). Multivariable analyses showed that pain persisted as an independent prognostic factor for survival. Pain reported prior to treatment should be considered in understanding survival outcomes in HNSCC patients. Pretreatment pain was an independent predictor of survival in a large sample of HNSCC patients even after accounting for tumor node metastasis stage, fatigue, age, race/ethnicity, smoking, and alcohol intake. Therefore, symptoms at presentation and before cancer treatment are important factors to be considered in understanding survival outcomes in HNSCC patients. Copyright © 2014 American Pain Society. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Bronchoalveolar carcinoma: clinical, radiologic, and pathologic factors and survival.

PubMed

Okubo, K; Mark, E J; Flieder, D; Wain, J C; Wright, C D; Moncure, A C; Grillo, H C; Mathisen, D J

1999-10-01

The principal feature of bronchoalveolar carcinoma is that it spreads along airways or aerogenously with multifocality, but many issues are unresolved. We studied 119 patients with pathologically confirmed bronchoalveolar carcinoma. Symptoms, smoking status, radiologic findings, the size of tumor, operative procedures, and complications were reviewed. We studied the pathologic features: presence or absence of aerogenous spread, patterns of growth, cell type, nuclear grade, mitosis, rate of bronchoalveolar carcinoma in adenocarcinoma, and lymphocyte infiltration. The correlation among clinical, radiologic, and pathologic findings was examined, and the factors affecting survival were analyzed. Symptomatic patients had more infiltrative radiographic features, and asymptomatic patients tended to have more mass-like features (P <.0001). Tumors with radiographically infiltrating lesions tended to have mucinous histologic features (P =.006). Tumors with mass lesions by radiograph tended to have nonmucinous and sclerosing histologic features (P =.003). Aerogenous spread was seen in 94% of specimens. The presence of a variety of cell types suggested multiple clonal origin. The overall survival in those patients undergoing resection was 69.1% at 5 years and 56.5% at 10 years. The significant factors affecting survival were radiologic presence of a mass or infiltrate, pathologic findings of the presence of sclerosis, association with a scar, the rate of bronchoalveolar carcinoma in adenocarcinoma, lymphocyte infiltration grade, nodal involvement, and status of complete resection. Mitosis or nuclear grade of tumor cells did not correlate with survival. Bronchoalveolar carcinoma showed good overall survival with appropriate surgical procedures. Certain radiologic or pathologic findings correlated with survival. These findings may enhance the ability to predict long-term survival.

Prognostic factors for survival in patients with Ewing's sarcoma using the surveillance, epidemiology, and end results (SEER) program database.

PubMed

Duchman, Kyle R; Gao, Yubo; Miller, Benjamin J

2015-04-01

The current study aims to determine cause-specific survival in patients with Ewing's sarcoma while reporting clinical risk factors for survival. The Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) Program database was used to identify patients with osseous Ewing's sarcoma from 1991 to 2010. Patient, tumor, and socioeconomic variables were analyzed to determine prognostic factors for survival. There were 1163 patients with Ewing's sarcoma identified in the SEER Program database. The 10-year cause-specific survival for patients with non-metastatic disease at diagnosis was 66.8% and 28.1% for patients with metastatic disease. Black patients demonstrated reduced survival at 10 years with an increased frequency of metastatic disease at diagnosis as compared to patients of other race, while Hispanic patients more frequently presented with tumor size>10cm. Univariate analysis revealed that metastatic disease at presentation, tumor size>10cm, axial tumor location, patient age≥20 years, black race, and male sex were associated with decreased cause-specific survival at 10 years. Metastatic disease at presentation, axial tumor location, tumor size>10cm, and age≥20 years remained significant in the multivariate analysis. Patients with Ewing's sarcoma have decreased cause-specific survival at 10 years when metastatic at presentation, axial tumor location, tumor size>10cm, and patient age≥20 years. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

[Determinants of survival in HIV patients receiving antiretroviral therapy in Goma, Democratic Republic of Congo].

PubMed

Akilimali, P Z; Mutombo, P B; Kayembe, P K; Kaba, D K; Mapatano, M A

2014-06-01

The study aimed to identify factors associated with the survival of patients receiving antiretroviral therapy. A historic cohort of HIV patients from two major hospitals in Goma (Democratic Republic of Congo) was followed from 2004 to 2012. The Kaplan-Meier method was used to describe the probability of survival as a function of time since inclusion into the cohort. The log-rank test was used to compare survival curves based on determinants. The Cox regression model identified the determinants of survival since treatment induction. The median follow-up time was 3.56 years (IQR=2.22-5.39). The mortality rate was 40 deaths per 1000 person-years. Male gender (RR: 2.56; 95 %CI 1.66-4.83), advanced clinical stage (RR: 2.12; 95 %CI 1.15-3.90), low CD4 count (CD4 < 50) (RR: 2.05; 95 %CI : 1.22-3.45), anemia (RR: 3.95; 95 %CI 2.60-6.01), chemoprophylaxis with cotrimoxazole (RR: 4.29, 95 % CI 2.69-6.86) and period of treatment initiation (2010-2011) (RR: 3.34; 95 %CI 1.24-8.98) were statistically associated with short survival. Initiation of treatment at an early stage of the disease with use of less toxic molecules and an increased surveillance especially of male patients are recommended to reduce mortality. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

Longevity and Patau syndrome: what determines survival?

PubMed

Peroos, Sherina; Forsythe, Elizabeth; Pugh, Jennifer Harriet; Arthur-Farraj, Peter; Hodes, Deborah

2012-12-06

The authors report of an 8-year-old girl with non-mosaic Patau syndrome. The median life expectancy of Patau syndrome is 7-10 days, and 90% die in the first year of life. Survival is often attributed to mosaicism and the severity of associated malformations. We delineate the developing phenotype and review the literature discussing potential contributory factors to longevity.

Variants in mannose‐binding lectin and tumour necrosis factor α affect survival in cystic fibrosis

PubMed Central

Buranawuti, Kitti; Boyle, Michael P; Cheng, Suzanne; Steiner, Lori L; McDougal, Kathryn; Fallin, M Daniele; Merlo, Christian; Zeitlin, Pamela L; Rosenstein, Beryl J; Mogayzel, Peter J; Wang, Xinjing; Cutting, Garry R

2007-01-01

Background Patients with cystic fibrosis with the same mutations in the cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR) gene differ widely in survival suggesting other factors have a substantial role in mortality. Objective To determine if the genotype distribution of variants in three putative cystic fibrosis modifier genes (tumour necrosis factor α (TNFα), transforming growth factor β1 (TGFβ1) or mannose‐binding lectin (MBL2)) differed among patients with cystic fibrosis grouped according to age and survival status. Methods Genotypes of four variants (TNFα‐238, TNFα‐308, TGFβ1‐509 and MBL2 O) were determined in three groups of Caucasians from a single medical centre: 101 children with cystic fibrosis (aged <17 years; mean age 9.4 years), 115 adults with cystic fibrosis (aged ⩾17 years; mean age 30.8 years) and 38 non‐surviving adults with cystic fibrosis (21 deceased and 17 lung transplant after 17 years of age). Genotypes of 127 healthy Caucasians in the same geographical region were used as controls. Kaplan–Meier and Cox hazard regression were used to evaluate the genotype effect on cumulative survival. Results Genotype frequencies among adults and children with cystic fibrosis differed for TNFα‐238 (G/G vs G/A; p = 0.022) and MBL2 (A/A vs O/O; p = 0.016). When adults with cystic fibrosis were compared to non‐surviving adults with cystic fibrosis, genotype frequencies of both genes differed (TNFα‐238G/G vs G/A; p =  0.0015 and MBL2: A/A vs O/O; p = 0.009). The hazard ratio for TNFα‐238G/G vs G/A was 0.25 (95% CI 0.06 to 1.0, p = 0.04) and for MBL2 O/O vs A/A or A/O was 2.5 (95% CI 1.3 to 4.9, p = 0.007). Conclusions TNFα‐238 G/A and MBL2 O/O genotypes appear to be genetic modifiers of survival of cystic fibrosis. PMID:17158822

Factors predicting survival in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis patients on non-invasive ventilation.

PubMed

Gonzalez Calzada, Nuria; Prats Soro, Enric; Mateu Gomez, Lluis; Giro Bulta, Esther; Cordoba Izquierdo, Ana; Povedano Panades, Monica; Dorca Sargatal, Jordi; Farrero Muñoz, Eva

2016-01-01

Non invasive ventilation (NIV) improves quality of life and extends survival in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) patients. However, few data exist about the factors related to survival. We intended to assess the predictive factors that influence survival in patients after NIV initiation. Patients who started NIV from 2000 to 2014 and were tolerant (compliance ≥ 4 hours) were included; demographic, disease related and respiratory variables at NIV initiation were analysed. Statistical analysis was performed using the Kaplan-Meier test and Cox proportional hazard models. 213 patients were included with median survival from NIV initiation of 13.5 months. In univariate analysis, the identified risk factors for mortality were severity of bulbar involvement (HR 2), Forced Vital Capacity (FVC) % (HR 0.99) and ALSFRS-R (HR 0.97). Multivariate analysis showed that bulbar involvement (HR 1.92) and ALSFRS-R (HR 0.97) were independent predictive factors of survival in patients on NIV. In our study, the two prognostic factors in ALS patients following NIV were the severity of bulbar involvement and ALSFRS-R at the time on NIV initiation. A better assessment of bulbar involvement, including evaluation of the upper airway, and a careful titration on NIV are necessary to optimize treatment efficacy.

Multiple Weather Factors Affect Apparent Survival of European Passerine Birds

PubMed Central

Salewski, Volker; Hochachka, Wesley M.; Fiedler, Wolfgang

2013-01-01

Weather affects the demography of animals and thus climate change will cause local changes in demographic rates. In birds numerous studies have correlated demographic factors with weather but few of those examined variation in the impacts of weather in different seasons and, in the case of migrants, in different regions. Using capture-recapture models we correlated weather with apparent survival of seven passerine bird species with different migration strategies to assess the importance of selected facets of weather throughout the year on apparent survival. Contrary to our expectations weather experienced during the breeding season did not affect apparent survival of the target species. However, measures for winter severity were associated with apparent survival of a resident species, two short-distance/partial migrants and a long-distance migrant. Apparent survival of two short distance migrants as well as two long-distance migrants was further correlated with conditions experienced during the non-breeding season in Spain. Conditions in Africa had statistically significant but relatively minor effects on the apparent survival of the two long-distance migrants but also of a presumably short-distance migrant and a short-distance/partial migrant. In general several weather effects independently explained similar amounts of variation in apparent survival for the majority of species and single factors explained only relatively low amounts of temporal variation of apparent survival. Although the directions of the effects on apparent survival mostly met our expectations and there are clear predictions for effects of future climate we caution against simple extrapolations of present conditions to predict future population dynamics. Not only did weather explains limited amounts of variation in apparent survival, but future demographics will likely be affected by changing interspecific interactions, opposing effects of weather in different seasons, and the potential for

Longevity and Patau syndrome: what determines survival?

PubMed Central

Peroos, Sherina; Forsythe, Elizabeth; Pugh, Jennifer Harriet; Arthur-Farraj, Peter; Hodes, Deborah

2012-01-01

The authors report of an 8-year-old girl with non-mosaic Patau syndrome. The median life expectancy of Patau syndrome is 7–10 days, and 90% die in the first year of life. Survival is often attributed to mosaicism and the severity of associated malformations. We delineate the developing phenotype and review the literature discussing potential contributory factors to longevity. PMID:23220825

Two-year survival of severe chronic obstructive pulmonary disease subjects requiring invasive mechanical ventilation and the factors affecting survival.

PubMed

Asker, Selvi; Ozbay, Bulent; Ekin, Selami; Yildiz, Hanifi; Sertogullarindan, Bunyamin

2016-05-01

To investigate two-year survival rates and the factors affecting survival in patients of severe chronic obstructive pulmonary disease requiring invasive mechanical ventilation. The retrospective study was conducted at Yuzuncuy?l University, Van, Turkey, and comprised record of in-patients with moderate to severe chronic obstructive pulmonary disease who required invasive mechanical ventilation in the intensive care unit of the Pulmonary Diseases Department between January 2007 and December 2010. Correlation between survival and parameters such as age, gender, duration of illness, history of smoking, arterial blood gas values, pulmonary artery pressure, left ventricular ejection fraction, body mass index and laboratory findings were investigated. SPSS 19 was used for statistical analysis. Of the 69 severe COPD subjects available, 20 (29%) were excluded as they did not meet the inclusion criteria. Overall in-hospital mortality rate was 42% (n:29). Of the remaining 20 (29%) who comprised the study group, 14(70%) were men and 6(30%) were women. The mortality rates at the end of 3rd, 6th, 12th and 24th months were 61%, 76%, 84% and 85.5% respectively. There was no correlation between gender and survival in time point (p>0.05). The only factor that affected the rate of mortality at the end of the 3rd month was age (p<0.05). Mortality was high in subjects with advanced ages (p<0.05). Duration of illness affected the survival at the end of the six month (p<0.05). Survival rates were high in subjects with longer illness durations (p<0.05). Haematocrit level was the only factor that affected mortality rates at the end of 12th and 24th months (p<0.05). Subjects with higher haematocrit levels had higher survival rates (p<0.05). Age, duration of illness and haematocrit levels were the most important factors that affected survival in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease patients requiring mechanical ventilation.

[Prognostic factors for survival in patients with resectable advanced gastric adenocarcinoma].

PubMed

Medrano-Guzmán, Rafael; Valencia-Mercado, Daniel; Luna-Castillo, Marisol; García-Ríos, Luis Enrique; González-Rodríguez, Domingo

Patients under 45 years with gastric cancer are associated with a poor prognosis. Recent studies report that the 5-year survival is better in younger patients after curative resection. To determine if prognostic factors such as age under 45 years old, anaemia, weight loss, tumour differentiation, histological sub-type, depth of invasion, and lymph node involvement, reduce the survival of patients with resectable advanced gastric adenocarcinoma undergoing gastrectomy with limited and extended lymphadenectomy. This study included a cohort of consecutive cases treated in the Sarcomas Department of the Oncology Hospital of the Centro Médico Nacional Siglo XXI, of the Instituto Mexicano del Seguro Social, during the period between January 2000 and December 2006. Of the total of 588 patients evaluated, 112 (19%) were under 45 years, 43% classified as Borrmann IV, and 36% as Borrmann III. Metastatic disease was present in 39.3%, localised diffuse in 12.5%; lower resectability 52.7 vs. 61.3% in older than 45 years. At the end of the study 29.5% of patients under 45 years were alive; no recurrence in 26.8%, with an overall survival of 58.6±4.3 months, compared with 18.3% of patients alive over 45 years, 17.9% disease-free, and with overall survival 35.2±4.3 months resectable disease. Patients under 45 years have a better survival after a two-year disease-free period. Copyright © 2016 Academia Mexicana de Cirugía A.C. Publicado por Masson Doyma México S.A. All rights reserved.

Determination of Survivable Fires

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Dietrich, D. L.; Niehaus, J. E.; Ruff, G. A.; Urban, D. L.; Takahashi, F.; Easton, J. W.; Abbott, A. A.; Graf, J. C.

2012-01-01

At NASA, there exists no standardized design or testing protocol for spacecraft fire suppression systems (either handheld or total flooding designs). An extinguisher's efficacy in safely suppressing any reasonable or conceivable fire is the primary benchmark. That concept, however, leads to the question of what a reasonable or conceivable fire is. While there exists the temptation to over-size' the fire extinguisher, weight and volume considerations on spacecraft will always (justifiably) push for the minimum size extinguisher required. This paper attempts to address the question of extinguisher size by examining how large a fire a crew member could successfully survive and extinguish in the confines of a spacecraft. The hazards to the crew and equipment during an accidental fire include excessive pressure rise resulting in a catastrophic rupture of the vehicle skin, excessive temperatures that burn or incapacitate the crew (due to hyperthermia), carbon dioxide build-up or other accumulation of other combustion products (e.g. carbon monoxide). Estimates of these quantities are determined as a function of fire size and mass of material burned. This then becomes the basis for determining the maximum size of a target fire for future fire extinguisher testing.

Relevance of both individual risk factors and occupational exposure in cancer survival studies: the example of intestinal type sinonasal adenocarcinoma.

PubMed

Tripodi, Dominique; Ferron, Christophe; Malard, Olivier; de Montreuil, Claude Beauvillain; Planche, Lucie; Sebille-Rivain, Veronique; Roedlich, Claude; Quéméner, Sylvia; Renaudin, Karine; Longuenesse, Claire; Verger, Christian; Meflah, Khaled; Gratas, Catherine; Géraut, Christian

2011-09-01

Wood dust is a well-established risk factor for intestinal type sinonasal adenocarcinoma. The 5-year overall survival has varied from 20% to 80% according T1-T4 stages; 5-year survival according to histologic subtype has varied from 20% to 50%. To date, no study has evaluated whether environmental, occupational, and personal risk factors have any impact on both overall and cancer-specific survival. We aimed to determine whether exposure to carcinogenic risk factors besides wood exposure can influence the survival of patients with sinonasal ethmoid carcinoma. Retrospective cohort study of the association of survival data and occupational and personal carcinogenic risk factors. All patients hospitalized for ethmoid adenocarcinoma at the Nantes University Hospital between 1988 and 2004 were included . Data concerning TNM classification, histology, type and quality of tumor resection at the macro- and microscopic level, and occupational and personal exposure to carcinogens were collected. Statistical analysis was conducted using univariate and multivariate linear regression. A total of 98 patients were included with a response rate of 98%. Data showed 86% of patients had been exposed to wood dust. The 5-year survival was 62%. We first identified four factors that independently influenced overall survival: diplopia (P = .0159), spread to the orbit (P = .0113), bilateral involvement (P = .0134), TNM stage (P < .001). When the analysis included all occupational environmental factors (wood dust, solvent, and metals exposure) as well as personal risk factors, the length of exposure to metals (P = .0307) and tobacco exposure (P = .0031) also were found to influence 5-year overall survival. We identified high prevalence of colon cancer (4%) and double cancer (18%). We showed exposure to both environmental (tobacco) and occupational (metal dust) factors could influence survival in the diagnosis of a cancer. Our study suggests that screening for colon cancer should be offered

Factors predicting survival in ALS: a multicenter Italian study.

PubMed

Calvo, Andrea; Moglia, Cristina; Lunetta, Christian; Marinou, Kalliopi; Ticozzi, Nicola; Ferrante, Gianluca Drago; Scialo, Carlo; Sorarù, Gianni; Trojsi, Francesca; Conte, Amelia; Falzone, Yuri M; Tortelli, Rosanna; Russo, Massimo; Chiò, Adriano; Sansone, Valeria Ada; Mora, Gabriele; Silani, Vincenzo; Volanti, Paolo; Caponnetto, Claudia; Querin, Giorgia; Monsurrò, Maria Rosaria; Sabatelli, Mario; Riva, Nilo; Logroscino, Giancarlo; Messina, Sonia; Fini, Nicola; Mandrioli, Jessica

2017-01-01

The aim of this multicenter, retrospective study is to investigate the role of clinical characteristics and therapeutic intervention on ALS prognosis. The study included patients diagnosed from January 1, 2009 to December 31, 2013 in 13 Italian referral centers for ALS located in 10 Italian regions. Caring neurologists collected a detailed phenotypic profile and follow-up data until death into an electronic database. One center collected also data from a population-based registry for ALS. 2648 incident cases were collected. The median survival time from onset to death/tracheostomy was 44 months (SE 1.18, CI 42-46). According to univariate analysis, factors related to survival from onset to death/tracheostomy were: age at onset, diagnostic delay, site of onset, phenotype, degree of certainty at diagnosis according to revised El Escorial criteria (R-EEC), presence/absence of dementia, BMI at diagnosis, patients' provenance. In the multivariate analysis, age at onset, diagnostic delay, phenotypes but not site of onset, presence/absence of dementia, BMI, riluzole use, R-EEC criteria were independent prognostic factors of survival in ALS. We compared patients from an ALS Registry with patients from tertiary centers; the latter ones were younger, less frequently bulbar, but more frequently familial and definite at diagnosis. Our large, multicenter study demonstrated the role of some clinical and demographic factors on ALS survival, and showed some interesting differences between referral centers' patients and the general ALS population. These results can be helpful for clinical practice, in clinical trial design and to validate new tools to predict disease progression.

Overexpression of dihydrofolate reductase is a factor of poor survival in acute lymphoblastic leukemia.

PubMed

Organista-Nava, Jorge; Gómez-Gómez, Yazmín; Illades-Aguiar, Berenice; Rivera-Ramírez, Ana Bertha; Saavedra-Herrera, Mónica Virginia; Leyva-Vázquez, Marco Antonio

2018-06-01

Dihydrofolate reductase (DHFR) has an important function in DNA synthesis and is a target of methotrexate, which is a crucial treatment option for acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL). However, the number of studies conducted to date on DHFR expression in childhood ALL is limited. The aim of the present study was to determine whether the expression of DHFR is associated with survival in childhood ALL. The expression of DHFR in 96 children with ALL and 100 control individuals was determined using reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction. The results of the present study demonstrated that the expression of DHFR mRNA in children with ALL was significantly increased (P<0.001), compared with that in the control group. In addition, increased levels of DHFR mRNA were observed in patients with B-cell lineage, compared with patients with T-cell lineage ALL (P<0.05). The Kaplan-Meier estimator analysis revealed that children with ALL who exhibited increased levels of DHFR mRNA had a decreased overall survival time (P<0.05). It was observed that certain patient prognostic features (including age, sex, white blood cell count and high DHFR expression), are associated with poor survival (log-rank test, P<0.05). Therefore, the results of the present study indicated that DHFR upregulation is a factor for poor survival in ALL.

Factors predictive of survival after stapler hepatectomy of hepatocellular carcinoma: a multivariate, single-center analysis.

PubMed

Hoffmann, Katrin; Müller-Bütow, Verena; Franz, Clemens; Hinz, Ulf; Longerich, Thomas; Büchler, Markus W; Schemmer, Peter

2014-02-01

New technical devices for hepatic parenchymal transection have improved perioperative safety and patient survival. The aim of the present study was to determine the oncological outcome after stapler hepatectomy in patients with HCC. Data of 95 patients who underwent stapler hepatectomy for HCC between 2001 and 2011 were analyzed retrospectively regarding clinical safety of the procedure and predictive factors for survial. Thirty-nine minor (≤2 segments) and 56 major (≥3 segments) hepatic resections were performed. The median survival was 47.5 months, after 36 months follow-up. Low grading, tumors ≥5 cm, multiple nodules and liver cirrhosis were predictors of decreased overall survival using multivariate analysis with hazard ratio(HR)=2.62, 2.41, 2.05, and 1.92 respectively. An estimated intra-operative blood loss of ≥1.2l was inversely correlated to disease free survival (HR=1.96). Stapler hepatectomy is a safe procedure in patients with HCC. Substantial intraoperative blood loss and the presence of cirrhosis independently predict the overall probability of patient survival. Intraoperative blood loss directly impacts HCC recurrence.

BAD phosphorylation determines ovarian cancer chemo-sensitivity and patient survival

PubMed Central

Marchion, Douglas C.; Cottrill, Hope M.; Xiong, Yin; Chen, Ning; Bicaku, Elona; Fulp, William J.; Bansal, Nisha; Chon, Hye Sook; Stickles, Xiaomang B.; Kamath, Siddharth G.; Hakam, Ardeshir; Li, Lihua; Su, Dan; Moreno, Carolina; Judson, Patricia L.; Berchuck, Andrew; Wenham, Robert M.; Apte, Sachin M.; Gonzalez-Bosquet, Jesus; Bloom, Gregory C.; Eschrich, Steven A.; Sebti, Said; Chen, Dung-Tsa; Lancaster, Johnathan M.

2011-01-01

Purpose Despite initial sensitivity to chemotherapy, ovarian cancers (OVCA) often develop drug-resistance, which limits patient survival. Using specimens and/or genomic data from 289 patients and a panel of cancer cell lines, we explored genome-wide expression changes that underlie the evolution of OVCA chemo-resistance and characterized the BCL2 antagonist of cell death (BAD) apoptosis pathway as a determinant of chemo-sensitivity and patient survival. Experimental Design Serial OVCA cell cisplatin treatments were performed in parallel with measurements of genome-wide expression changes. Pathway analysis was performed on genes associated with increasing cisplatin-resistance (EC50). BAD-pathway expression and BAD-protein phosphorylation were evaluated in patient samples and cell lines as determinants of chemo-sensitivity and/or clinical outcome and as therapeutic targets. Results Induced in vitro OVCA cisplatin-resistance was associated with BAD-pathway expression (P < 0.001). In OVCA cell lines and primary specimens, BAD-protein phosphorylation was associated with platinum-resistance (n = 147, P < 0.0001) and also with overall patient survival (n = 134, P = 0.0007). Targeted modulation of BAD-phosphorylation levels influenced cisplatin sensitivity. A 47-gene BAD-pathway score was associated with in vitro phosphorylated-BAD levels and with survival in 142 patients with advanced-stage (III/IV) serous OVCA. Integration of BAD-phosphorylation or BAD-pathway score with OVCA surgical cytoreductive status was significantly associated with overall survival by log-rank test (P = 0.004 and <0.0001, respectively). Conclusion The BAD apoptosis pathway influences OVCA chemo-sensitivity and overall survival, likely via modulation of BAD-phosphorylation. The pathway has clinical relevance as a biomarker of therapeutic response, patient survival, and as a promising therapeutic target. PMID:21849418

Prognostic factors for survival after salvage total laryngectomy following radiotherapy or chemoradiation failure: a 10-year retrospective longitudinal study in eastern Denmark.

PubMed

Wulff, N B; Andersen, E; Kristensen, C A; Sørensen, C H; Charabi, B; Homøe, P

2017-04-01

The primary aims were to determine the rates of and prognostic factors for overall survival, disease-specific survival and disease-free survival following salvage total laryngectomy. Retrospective longitudinal study. Tertiary medical centres. A total of 142 patients in eastern Denmark undergoing salvage total laryngectomy for squamous cell carcinoma of the larynx or hypopharynx. 5-year overall survival, 5-year disease-specific survival, 5-year disease-free survival and prognostic factors for these outcomes. 5-year overall survival, disease-specific survival and disease-free survival were 37.7%, 54.9% and 55.3%, respectively. N classification at primary diagnosis, lymph node excision and postoperative complications within 1 year after salvage total laryngectomy were prognostic factors for shorter overall survival, disease-specific survival and disease-free survival. Residual tumour/recurrence was negatively associated with overall survival, close or involved resection margins with disease-specific survival, and second primary cancer was associated with longer disease-specific survival and disease-free survival. Nine per cent of all patients had residual tumour and 33.8% developed a recurrence. Our overall survival, disease-specific survival and disease-free survival findings are in accordance with previous studies. With the purpose of identifying recurrent tumour, we suggest extra attention being given to patients with higher N classification and need for lymph node excision during salvage total laryngectomy along with use of frozen sections. The high number of patients with recurrence within 1 year after salvage total laryngectomy occurred although thorough and regular follow-up visits were performed. © 2016 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Prognostic factors and survival of colorectal cancer in Kurdistan province, Iran

PubMed Central

Rasouli, Mohammad Aziz; Moradi, Ghobad; Roshani, Daem; Nikkhoo, Bahram; Ghaderi, Ebrahim; Ghaytasi, Bahman

2017-01-01

Abstract Colorectal cancer (CRC) survival varies at individual and geographically level. This population-based study aimed to evaluating various factors affecting the survival rate of CRC patients in Kurdistan province. In a retrospective cohort study, patients diagnosed as CRC were collected through a population-based study from March 1, 2009 to 2014. The data were collected from Kurdistan's Cancer Registry database. Additional information and missing data were collected reference to patients’ homes, medical records, and pathology reports. The CRC survival was calculated from the date of diagnosis to the date of cancer-specific death or the end of follow-up (cutoff date: October 2015). Kaplan–Meier method and log-rank test were used for the univariate analysis of survival in various subgroups. The proportional-hazard model Cox was also used in order to consider the effects of different factors on survival including age at diagnosis, place of residence, marital status, occupation, level of education, smoking, economic status, comorbidity, tumor stage, and tumor grade. A total number of 335 patients affected by CRC were assessed and the results showed that 1- and 5-year survival rate were 87% and 33%, respectively. According to the results of Cox's multivariate analysis, the following factors were significantly related to CRC survival: age at diagnosis (≥65 years old) (HR 2.08, 95% CI: 1.17–3.71), single patients (HR 1.62, 95% CI: 1.10–2.40), job (worker) (HR 2.09, 95% CI: 1.22–3.58), educational level: diploma or below (HR 0.61, 95% CI: 0.39–0.92), wealthy economic status (HR 0.51, 95% CI: 0.31–0.82), tumor grade in poorly differentiated (HR 2.25, 95% CI: 1.37–3.69), and undifferentiated/anaplastic grade (HR 2.90, 95% CI: 1.67–4.98). We found that factors such as low education, inappropriate socioeconomic status, and high tumor grade at the time of disease diagnosis were effective in the poor survival of CRC patients in Kurdistan province; this

Determinants of survival in patients receiving dialysis in Libya.

PubMed

Alashek, Wiam A; McIntyre, Christopher W; Taal, Maarten W

2013-04-01

Maintenance dialysis is associated with reduced survival when compared with the general population. In Libya, information about outcomes on dialysis is scarce. This study, therefore, aimed to provide the first comprehensive analysis of survival in Libyan dialysis patients. This prospective multicenter study included all patients in Libya who had been receiving dialysis for >90 days in June 2009. Sociodemographic and clinical data were collected upon enrollment and survival status after 1 year was determined. Two thousand two hundred seventy-three patients in 38 dialysis centers were followed up for 1 year. The majority were receiving hemodialysis (98.8%). Sixty-seven patients were censored due to renal transplantation, and 46 patients were lost to follow-up. Thus, 2159 patients were followed up for 1 year. Four hundred fifty-eight deaths occurred, (crude annual mortality rate of 21.2%). Of these, 31% were due to ischemic heart disease, 16% cerebrovascular accidents, and 16% due to infection. Annual mortality rate was 0% to 70% in different dialysis centers. Best survival was in age group 25 to 34 years. Binary logistic regression analysis identified age at onset of dialysis, physical dependency, diabetes, and predialysis urea as independent determinants of increased mortality. Patients receiving dialysis in Libya have a crude 1-year mortality rate similar to most developed countries, but the mean age of the dialysis population is much lower, and this outcome is thus relatively poor. As in most countries, cardiovascular disease and infection were the most common causes of death. Variation in mortality rates between different centers suggests that survival could be improved by promoting standardization of best practice. © 2012 The Authors. Hemodialysis International © 2012 International Society for Hemodialysis.

Factors predicting survival following complete surgical remission of pulmonary metastasis in osteosarcoma

PubMed Central

SALAH, SAMER; TOUBASI, SAMAR

2015-01-01

Pulmonary metastasectomy (PM) is associated with improved survival of patients with metastatic osteosarcoma; however, the factors affecting survival following achievement of complete surgical remission remain controversial. The main objective of this study was to report the outcomes and prognostic factors of osteosarcoma patients who achieved complete remission (CR) following PM. We analyzed the effect of demographic and disease-related characteristics on the overall survival (OS) of consecutive patients with metastatic osteosarcoma who were treated at a single institution and achieved CR following PM, through univariate and multivariate analyses. Between January, 2000 and August, 2013, 62 patients with metastatic osteosarcoma were treated and followed up at our institution. A total of 25 patients achieved CR following PM and were included in this analysis. The 5-year OS and disease-free survival following PM were 30 and 21%, respectively. The factors correlated with inferior OS in the univariate analysis included chondroblastic subtype, post-chemotherapy necrosis <90% in the primary tumor, metastasis detected during neoadjuvant or adjuvant chemotherapy and pathological identification of tumor cells reaching the visceral pleural surface of any of the resected nodules. In the multivariate analysis, the chondroblastic subtype was the sole independent adverse prognostic factor (HR=4.6, 95% CI: 1.0–21.3, P=0.044). Therefore, factors associated with tumor biology, including poor tumor necrosis in the primary tumor and detection of metastasis during primary chemotherapy, are associated with poor post-metastasectomy survival. In addition, chondroblastic subtype and visceral pleural involvement predicted poor prognosis in our series. PMID:25469287

Prevalence, Risk Factors, and Survival of Patients with Intrahepatic Cholangiocarcinoma.

PubMed

Chinchilla-López, Paulina; Aguilar-Olivos, Nancy; García-Gómez, Jaime; Hernández-Alejandro, Karen; Chablé-Montero, Fredy; Motola-Kuba, Daniel; Patel, Tushar; Méndez-Sánchez, Nahum

2017-01-01

To investigate the prevalence, related risk factors, and survival of intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma in a Mexican population. We conducted a cross-sectional study at Medica Sur Hospital in Mexico City with approval of the local research ethics committee. We found cases by reviewing all clinical records of in-patients between October 2005 and January 2016 who had been diagnosed with malignant liver tumors. Clinical characteristics and comorbidities were obtained to evaluate the probable risk factors and the Charlson index. The cases were staged based on the TNM staging system for bile duct tumors used by the American Joint Committee on Cancer and median patient survival rates were calculated using the Kaplan-Meier method. We reviewed 233 cases of hepatic cancer. Amongst these, hepatocellular carcinomas represented 19.3% (n = 45), followed by intrahepatic cholangiocarcinomas, which accounted for 7.7% (n = 18). The median age of patients with intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma was 63 years, and most of them presented with cholestasis and intrahepatic biliary ductal dilation. Unfortunately, 89% (n = 16) of them were in an advanced stage and 80% had multicentric tumors. Median survival was 286 days among patients with advanced stage tumors (25th-75th interquartile range, 174-645 days). No correlation was found between the presence of comorbidities defined by the Charlson index, and survival. We evaluated the presence of definite and probable risk factors for the development of intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma, that is, smoking, alcohol consumption, and primary sclerosing cholangitis. We found an overall prevalence of intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma of 7.7%; unfortunately, these patients were diagnosed at advanced stages. Smoking and primary sclerosing cholangitis were the positive risk factors for its development in this population.

Impact of individual and neighborhood factors on disparities in prostate cancer survival.

PubMed

DeRouen, Mindy C; Schupp, Clayton W; Koo, Jocelyn; Yang, Juan; Hertz, Andrew; Shariff-Marco, Salma; Cockburn, Myles; Nelson, David O; Ingles, Sue A; John, Esther M; Gomez, Scarlett L

2018-04-01

We addressed the hypothesis that individual-level factors act jointly with social and built environment factors to influence overall survival for men with prostate cancer and contribute to racial/ethnic and socioeconomic (SES) survival disparities. We analyzed multi-level data, combining (1) individual-level data from the California Collaborative Prostate Cancer Study, a population-based study of non-Hispanic White (NHW), Hispanic, and African American prostate cancer cases (N = 1800) diagnosed from 1997 to 2003, with (2) data on neighborhood SES (nSES) and social and built environment factors from the California Neighborhoods Data System, and (3) data on tumor characteristics, treatment and follow-up through 2009 from the California Cancer Registry. Multivariable, stage-stratified Cox proportional hazards regression models with cluster adjustments were used to assess education and nSES main and joint effects on overall survival, before and after adjustment for social and built environment factors. African American men had worse survival than NHW men, which was attenuated by nSES. Increased risk of death was associated with residence in lower SES neighborhoods (quintile 1 (lowest nSES) vs. 5: HR = 1.56, 95% CI: 1.11-2.19) and lower education (survival. Both individual- and contextual-level SES influence overall survival of men with prostate cancer. Additional research is needed to identify the mechanisms underlying these robust associations. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Factors associated with survival of epiploic foramen entrapment colic: a multicentre, international study.

PubMed

Archer, D C; Pinchbeck, G L; Proudman, C J

2011-08-01

Epiploic foramen entrapment (EFE) has been associated with reduced post operative survival compared to other types of colic but specific factors associated with reduced long-term survival of these cases have not been evaluated in a large number of horses using survival analysis. To describe post operative survival of EFE cases and to identify factors associated with long-term survival. A prospective, multicentre, international study was conducted using clinical data and long-term follow-up information for 126 horses diagnosed with EFE during exploratory laparotomy at 15 clinics in the UK, Ireland and USA. Descriptive data were generated and survival analysis performed to identify factors associated with reduced post operative survival. For the EFE cohort that recovered following anaesthesia, survival to hospital discharge was 78.5%. Survival to 1 and 2 years post operatively was 50.6 and 34.3%, respectively. The median survival time of EFE cases undergoing surgery was 397 days. Increased packed cell volume (PCV) and increased length of small intestine (SI) resected were significantly associated with increased likelihood of mortality when multivariable analysis of pre- and intraoperative variables were analysed. When all pre-, intra- and post operative variables were analysed separately, only horses that developed post operative ileus (POI) were shown to be at increased likelihood of mortality. Increased PCV, increased length of SI resected and POI are all associated with increased likelihood of mortality of EFE cases. This emphasises the importance of early diagnosis and treatment and the need for improved strategies in the management of POI in order to reduce post operative mortality in these cases. The present study provides evidence-based information to clinicians and owners of horses undergoing surgery for EFE about long-term survival. These results are applicable to university and large private clinics over a wide geographical area. © 2011 EVJ Ltd.

Determinants of graft survival in pediatric and adolescent live donor kidney transplant recipients: a single center experience.

PubMed

El-Husseini, Amr A; Foda, Mohamed A; Shokeir, Ahmed A; Shehab El-Din, Ahmed B; Sobh, Mohamed A; Ghoneim, Mohamed A

2005-12-01

To study the independent determinants of graft survival among pediatric and adolescent live donor kidney transplant recipients. Between March 1976 and March 2004, 1600 live donor kidney transplants were carried out in our center. Of them 284 were 20 yr old or younger (mean age 13.1 yr, ranging from 5 to 20 yr). Evaluation of the possible variables that may affect graft survival were carried out using univariate and multivariate analyses. Studied factors included age, gender, relation between donor and recipient, original kidney disease, ABO blood group, pretransplant blood transfusion, human leukocyte antigen (HLA) matching, pretransplant dialysis, height standard deviation score (SDS), pretransplant hypertension, cold ischemia time, number of renal arteries, ureteral anastomosis, time to diuresis, time of transplantation, occurrence of acute tubular necrosis (ATN), primary and secondary immunosuppression, total dose of steroids in the first 3 months, development of acute rejection and post-transplant hypertension. Using univariate analysis, the significant predictors for graft survival were HLA matching, type of primary urinary recontinuity, time to diuresis, ATN, acute rejection and post-transplant hypertension. The multivariate analysis restricted the significance to acute rejection and post-transplant hypertension. The independent determinants of graft survival in live-donor pediatric and adolescent renal transplant recipients are acute rejection and post-transplant hypertension.

Stadium IB - IIA cervical cancer patient’s survival rate after receiving definitive radiation and radical operation therapy followed by adjuvant radiation therapy along with analysis of factors affecting the patient’s survival rate

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ruslim, S. K.; Purwoto, G.; Widyahening, I. S.; Ramli, I.

2017-08-01

To evaluate the characteristics and overall survival rates of early stage cervical cancer (FIGO IB-IIA) patients who receive definitive radiation therapy and those who are prescribed adjuvant postoperative radiation and to conduct a factors analysis of the variables that affect the overall survival rates in both groups of therapy. The medical records of 85 patients with cervical cancer FIGO stages IB-IIA who were treated at the Department of Radiotherapy of Cipto Mangunkusumo Hospital were reviewed and analyzed to determine their overall survival and the factors that affected it between a definitive radiation group and an adjuvant postoperative radiation group. There were 25 patients in the definitive radiation and 60 patients in the adjuvant radiation group. The overall survival rates in the adjuvant radiation group at years one, two, and three were 96.7%, 95%, and 93.3%, respectively. Negative lymph node metastasis had an average association with overall survival (p < 0.2). In the definitive radiation group, overall survival at years one, two, and three were 96%, 92%, and 92%, respectively. A hemoglobin (Hb) level >12 g/dl was a factor with an average association with the overall survival (p < 0.2). The differences between both groups of therapy were not statistically significant (92% vs. 93.3%; p = 0.138). This study did not show any statistically significant overall survival for cervical cancer FIGO stage IB-IIA patients who received definitive radiation or adjuvant postoperative radiation. Negative lymph node metastasis had an effect on the overall survival rate in the adjuvant postoperative radiation group, while a preradiation Hb level >12 g/dl tended to affect the overall survival in the definitive radiation group patients.

Immigration Factors and Prostate Cancer Survival Among Hispanic Men in California

PubMed Central

Schupp, Clayton W.; Press, David J.; Gomez, Scarlett Lin

2017-01-01

BACKGROUND Hispanics are more likely than other racial/ethnic groups in the United States to be diagnosed with later stage of prostate cancer, yet they have lower prostate cancer mortality rates. The authors evaluated the impact of nativity and neighborhood-level Hispanic ethnic enclave on prostate cancer survival among Hispanics. METHODS A total of 35,427 Hispanic men diagnosed with invasive prostate cancer from 1995 through 2008 in the California Cancer Registry were studied; vital status data were available through 2010. Block group-level neighborhood measures were developed from US Census data. Stage-stratified Cox proportional hazards models were used to assess the effect of nativity and ethnic enclave on prostate cancer survival. RESULTS In models adjusted for neighborhood socioeconomic status and other individual factors, foreign-born Hispanics were found to have a significantly lower risk of prostate cancer survival (hazards ratio [HR], 0.81; 95% confidence interval [95% CI], 0.75–0.87). Living in an ethnic enclave appeared to modify this effect, with the survival advantage slightly more pronounced in the high ethnic enclave neighborhoods (HR, 0.78; 95% CI, 0.71–0.86) compared with low ethnic enclave neighborhoods (HR, 0.86; 95% CI, 0.76–0.98). CONCLUSIONS Despite lower socioeconomic status, Hispanic immigrants have better survival after prostate cancer than US-born Hispanics and this pattern was more striking among those living in ethnic enclaves. Identifying the modifiable individual and neighborhood-level factors that facilitate this survival advantage in Hispanic immigrants may help to inform specific interventions to improve survival among all patients. PMID:24477988

Factors affecting survival in neonatal surgery unit in a tertiary care university hospital during 26 years.

PubMed

Özden, Önder; Karnak, İbrahim; Çiftçi, Arbay Özden; Tanyel, F Cahit; Şenocak, Mehmet Emin

2016-01-01

This clinical study was designed to evaluate mortality rate and the factors that may affect survival in neonatal surgery unit. Randomly chosen 300 (ß: 0.20) patients among 1,439 patients treated in neonatal surgery unit during years 1983 to 2009, were evaluated retrospectively. The patients were separated into three groups according to date of treatment; Group A: 1983 - 1995, Group B: 1996 - 2005 and Group C: 2005 - 2009. M/F ratios did not differ between non-survived and survived patient populations. Mortality rates were 37%, 22% and 13% in Group A, B, and C respectively (p < 0.001). Parenteral nutrition, maternal age, time until admission and gestational age did not affect mortality rate, however median age of newborn was lower in non-survived cases (1 day vs. 3 days, p < 0.001). Associating abnormality, low birth weight ( < 1,500 g), associating sepsis, need of globulin and requirement of respiratory support were determinants of lower survival (p < 0.001). The mortality rate for patients that underwent thoracotomy (42%) and laparotomy (41%) were higher than patients that underwent other operations (8%) and observation (10%) (p < 0.001). Diaphragmatic hernia had higher mortality rates than the other pathologies (p < 0.001). Survival rate is increasing to date in newborn pediatric surgery unit; it is independent from parenteral nutrition, maternal age, time to admission and gestational age however it is affected adversely by the age of patient, associating abnormality, low birth weight, presence of sepsis and requirement of respiratory support. Increase in survival could be related to various additional factors such as development of delicate respiratory support machines, broad spectrum antibiotics, hospital infection control teams, central venous catheters, use of TPN by central route, volume adjustable infusion pumps, monitoring devices, neonatal surgical techniques, prenatal diagnosis of pediatric surgical conditions and developments of environmental control

Chronic kidney disease in dogs in UK veterinary practices: prevalence, risk factors, and survival.

PubMed

O'Neill, D G; Elliott, J; Church, D B; McGreevy, P D; Thomson, P C; Brodbelt, D C

2013-01-01

The prevalence for chronic kidney disease (CKD) in dogs varies widely (0.05-3.74%). Identified risk factors include advancing age, specific breeds, small body size, and periodontal disease. To estimate the prevalence and identify risk factors associated with CKD diagnosis and survival in dogs. Purebred dogs were hypothesized to have higher CKD risk and poorer survival characteristics than crossbred dogs. A merged clinical database of 107,214 dogs attending 89 UK veterinary practices over a 2-year period (January 2010-December 2011). A longitudinal study design estimated the apparent prevalence (AP) whereas the true prevalence (TP) was estimated using Bayesian analysis. A nested case-control study design evaluated risk factors. Survival analysis used the Kaplan-Meier survival curve method and multivariable Cox proportional hazards regression modeling. The CKD AP was 0.21% (95% CI: 0.19-0.24%) and TP was 0.37% (95% posterior credibility interval 0.02-1.44%). Significant risk factors included increasing age, being insured, and certain breeds (Cocker Spaniel, Cavalier King Charles Spaniel). Cardiac disease was a significant comorbid disorder. Significant clinical signs included halitosis, weight loss, polyuria/polydipsia, urinary incontinence, vomiting, decreased appetite, lethargy, and diarrhea. The median survival time from diagnosis was 226 days (95% CI 112-326 days). International Renal Interest Society stage and blood urea nitrogen concentration at diagnosis were significantly associated with hazard of death due to CKD. Chronic kidney disease compromises dog welfare. Increased awareness of CKD risk factors and association of blood biochemistry results with survival time should facilitate diagnosis and optimize case management to improve animal survival and welfare. Copyright © 2013 by the American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine.

Determinants of patient survival during the 2014 Ebola Virus Disease outbreak in Bong County, Liberia.

PubMed

Weppelmann, Thomas A; Donewell, Bangure; Haque, Ubydul; Hu, Wenbiao; Magalhaes, Ricardo J Soares; Lubogo, Mutaawe; Godbless, Lucas; Shabani, Sasita; Maeda, Justin; Temba, Herilinda; Malibiche, Theophil C; Berhanu, Naod; Zhang, Wenyi; Bawo, Luke

2016-01-01

The unprecedented size of the 2014 Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) outbreak in West Africa has allowed for a more extensive characterization of the clinical presentation and management of this disease. In this study, we report the trends in morbidity, mortality, and determinants of patient survival as EVD spread into Bong County, Liberia. An analysis of suspected, probable, or confirmed cases of EVD ( n  = 607) reported to the Liberian Ministry of Health and Social Welfare (MOHSW) between March 23 rd and December 31 st 2014 was conducted. The likelihood of infection given exposure factors was determined using logistic regression in individuals with a definitive diagnosis by RT-PCR ( n  = 321). The risk of short-term mortality (30 days) given demographic factors, clinical symptoms, and highest level of treatment received was assessed with Cox regression and survival analyses ( n  = 391). The overall mortality rate was 53.5 % (95 % CI: 49 %, 58 %) and decreased as access to medical treatment increased. Those who reported contact with another EVD case were more likely to be infected (OR: 5.7), as were those who attended a funeral (OR: 3.9). Mortality increased with age ( P  < 0.001) and was higher in males compared to females ( P =0.006). Fever (HR: 6.63), vomiting (HR: 1.93), diarrhea (HR: 1.99), and unexplained bleeding (HR: 2.17) were associated with increased mortality. After adjusting for age, hospitalized patients had a 74 % reduction in the risk of short term mortality ( P  < 0.001 AHR: 0.26; 95 % CI AHR: 0.18, 0.37), compared to those not given medical intervention. Even treatment with only basic supportive care such as intravenous rehydration therapy was able to significantly improve patient survival in suspected, probable, or confirmed EVD cases.

Zebrafish bcl2l is a survival factor in thyroid development.

PubMed

Porreca, Immacolata; De Felice, Elena; Fagman, Henrik; Di Lauro, Roberto; Sordino, Paolo

2012-06-15

Regulated cell death, defined in morphological terms as apoptosis, is crucial for organ morphogenesis. While differentiation of the thyroid gland has been extensively studied, nothing is yet known about the survival mechanisms involved in the development of this endocrine gland. Using the zebrafish model system, we aim to understand whether genes belonging to the Bcl-2 family that control apoptosis are implicated in regulation of cell survival during thyroid development. Evidence of strong Bcl-2 gene expression in mouse thyroid precursors prompted us to investigate the functions played by its zebrafish homologs during thyroid development. We show that the bcl2-like (bcl2l) gene is expressed in the zebrafish thyroid primordium. Morpholino-mediated knockdown and mutant analyses revealed that bcl2l is crucial for thyroid cell survival and that this function is tightly modulated by the transcription factors pax2a, nk2.1a and hhex. Also, the bcl2l gene appears to control a caspase-3-dependent apoptotic mechanism during thyroid development. Thyroid precursor cells require an actively maintained survival mechanism to properly proceed through development. The bcl2l gene operates in the inhibition of cell death under direct regulation of a thyroid specific set of transcription factors. This is the first demonstration of an active mechanism to ensure survival of the thyroid primordium during morphogenesis. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Survival of microbial isolates from clouds toward simulated atmospheric stress factors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Joly, Muriel; Amato, Pierre; Sancelme, Martine; Vinatier, Virginie; Abrantes, Magali; Deguillaume, Laurent; Delort, Anne-Marie

2015-09-01

In the atmosphere, airborne microbial cells are exposed to conditions that are thought to affect their survival. Here, we investigated the survival of 5 microorganisms among the most represented in the cultivable community of clouds (4 bacteria affiliated to Pseudomonas, Sphingomonas and Arthrobacter and 1 yeast of Dioszegia) after exposition to different atmospheric factors generally considered stressful for cells: artificial solar light (10 h), oxidant (hydrogen peroxide: 0-1 mM for 90 min), osmotic shocks (0.1-2.5 M NaCl) and freeze-thaw cycles (6 cycles of 5 °C/-40 °C). Each condition was applied separately to cell suspensions, and survival rates were examined by culture. Survival was highly strain and stress dependent, with no relationship with pigmentation or ice nucleation activity. In all strains, solar light had no or mitigated influence, and exposition to H2O2 at the concentration measured in cloud water only slightly impacted viability (>70% of the cells survived). The strain Sphingomonas sp. was particularly impacted by osmotic shocks while repeated freeze-thaw was particularly damaging for Arthrobacter and Pseudomonas species. Overall, our results tend to indicate that in the atmosphere, the most stringent selection factors on living organisms are probably freeze-thaw and condensation/evaporation (osmotic shocks) cycles, whereas the impacts of oxidants and of solar light are limited.

Extended Survival and Prognostic Factors for Patients With ALK-Rearranged Non–Small-Cell Lung Cancer and Brain Metastasis

PubMed Central

Johung, Kimberly L.; Yeh, Norman; Desai, Neil B.; Williams, Terence M.; Lautenschlaeger, Tim; Arvold, Nils D.; Ning, Matthew S.; Attia, Albert; Lovly, Christine M.; Goldberg, Sarah; Beal, Kathryn; Yu, James B.; Kavanagh, Brian D.; Chiang, Veronica L.; Camidge, D. Ross

2016-01-01

Purpose We performed a multi-institutional study to identify prognostic factors and determine outcomes for patients with ALK-rearranged non–small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and brain metastasis. Patients and Methods A total of 90 patients with brain metastases from ALK-rearranged NSCLC were identified from six institutions; 84 of 90 patients received radiotherapy to the brain (stereotactic radiosurgery [SRS] or whole-brain radiotherapy [WBRT]), and 86 of 90 received tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI) therapy. Estimates for overall (OS) and intracranial progression-free survival were determined and clinical prognostic factors were identified by Cox proportional hazards modeling. Results Median OS after development of brain metastases was 49.5 months (95% CI, 29.0 months to not reached), and median intracranial progression-free survival was 11.9 months (95% CI, 10.1 to 18.2 months). Forty-five percent of patients with follow-up had progressive brain metastases at death, and repeated interventions for brain metastases were common. Absence of extracranial metastases, Karnofsky performance score ≥ 90, and no history of TKIs before development of brain metastases were associated with improved survival (P = .003, < .001, and < .001, respectively), whereas a single brain metastasis or initial treatment with SRS versus WBRT were not (P = .633 and .666, respectively). Prognostic factors significant by multivariable analysis were used to describe four patient groups with 2-year OS estimates of 33%, 59%, 76%, and 100%, respectively (P < .001). Conclusion Patients with brain metastases from ALK-rearranged NSCLC treated with radiotherapy (SRS and/or WBRT) and TKIs have prolonged survival, suggesting that interventions to control intracranial disease are critical. The refinement of prognosis for this molecular subtype of NSCLC identifies a population of patients likely to benefit from first-line SRS, close CNS observation, and treatment of emergent CNS disease. PMID:26438117

c-Met and its ligand hepatocyte growth factor/scatter factor regulate mature B cell survival in a pathway induced by CD74.

PubMed

Gordin, Maya; Tesio, Melania; Cohen, Sivan; Gore, Yael; Lantner, Frida; Leng, Lin; Bucala, Richard; Shachar, Idit

2010-08-15

The signals regulating the survival of mature splenic B cells have become a major focus in recent studies of B cell immunology. Durable B cell persistence in the periphery is dependent on survival signals that are transduced by cell surface receptors. In this study, we describe a novel biological mechanism involved in mature B cell homeostasis, the hepatocyte growth factor/scatter factor (HGF)/c-Met pathway. We demonstrate that c-Met activation by HGF leads to a survival cascade, whereas its blockade results in induction of mature B cell death. Our results emphasize a unique and critical function for c-Met signaling in the previously described macrophage migration inhibitory factor/CD74-induced survival pathway. Macrophage migration inhibitory factor recruits c-Met to the CD74/CD44 complex and thereby enables the induction of a signaling cascade within the cell. This signal results in HGF secretion, which stimulates the survival of the mature B cell population in an autocrine manner. Thus, the CD74-HGF/c-Met axis defines a novel physiologic survival pathway in mature B cells, resulting in the control of the humoral immune response.

Surgery for brain metastases: An analysis of outcomes and factors affecting survival.

PubMed

Sivasanker, Masillamany; Madhugiri, Venkatesh S; Moiyadi, Aliasgar V; Shetty, Prakash; Subi, T S

2018-05-01

For patients who develop brain metastases from solid tumors, age, KPS, primary tumor status and presence of extracranial metastases have been identified as prognostic factors. However, the factors that affect survival in patients who are deemed fit to undergo resection of brain metastases have not been clearly elucidated hitherto. This is a retrospective analysis of a prospectively maintained database. All patients who underwent resection of intracranial metastases from solid tumors were included. Various patient, disease and treatment related factors were analyzed to assess their impact on survival. Overall, 124 patients had undergone surgery for brain metastases from various primary sites. The median age and pre-operative performance score were 53 years and 80 respectively. Synchronous metastases were resected in 17.7% of the patients. The postoperative morbidity and mortality rates were 17.7% and 2.4% respectively. Adjuvant whole brain radiation was received by 64 patients. At last follow-up, 8.1% of patients had fresh post-surgical neurologic deficits. The median progression free and overall survival were 6.91 was 8.56 months respectively. Surgical resection of for brain metastases should be considered in carefully selected patients. Gross total resection and receiving adjuvant whole brain RT significantly improves survival in these patients. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Comparison of Survival Models for Analyzing Prognostic Factors in Gastric Cancer Patients

PubMed

Habibi, Danial; Rafiei, Mohammad; Chehrei, Ali; Shayan, Zahra; Tafaqodi, Soheil

2018-03-27

Objective: There are a number of models for determining risk factors for survival of patients with gastric cancer. This study was conducted to select the model showing the best fit with available data. Methods: Cox regression and parametric models (Exponential, Weibull, Gompertz, Log normal, Log logistic and Generalized Gamma) were utilized in unadjusted and adjusted forms to detect factors influencing mortality of patients. Comparisons were made with Akaike Information Criterion (AIC) by using STATA 13 and R 3.1.3 softwares. Results: The results of this study indicated that all parametric models outperform the Cox regression model. The Log normal, Log logistic and Generalized Gamma provided the best performance in terms of AIC values (179.2, 179.4 and 181.1, respectively). On unadjusted analysis, the results of the Cox regression and parametric models indicated stage, grade, largest diameter of metastatic nest, largest diameter of LM, number of involved lymph nodes and the largest ratio of metastatic nests to lymph nodes, to be variables influencing the survival of patients with gastric cancer. On adjusted analysis, according to the best model (log normal), grade was found as the significant variable. Conclusion: The results suggested that all parametric models outperform the Cox model. The log normal model provides the best fit and is a good substitute for Cox regression. Creative Commons Attribution License

African American Race is an Independent Risk Factor in Survival from Initially Diagnosed Localized Breast Cancer

PubMed Central

Wieder, Robert; Shafiq, Basit; Adam, Nabil

2016-01-01

BACKGROUND: African American race negatively impacts survival from localized breast cancer but co-variable factors confound the impact. METHODS: Data sets were analyzed from the Surveillance, Epidemiology and End Results (SEER) directories from 1973 to 2011 consisting of patients with designated diagnosis of breast adenocarcinoma, race as White or Caucasian, Black or African American, Asian, American Indian or Alaskan Native, Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander, age, stage I, II or III, grade 1, 2 or 3, estrogen receptor or progesterone receptor positive or negative, marital status as single, married, separated, divorced or widowed and laterality as right or left. The Cox Proportional Hazards Regression model was used to determine hazard ratios for survival. Chi square test was applied to determine the interdependence of variables found significant in the multivariable Cox Proportional Hazards Regression analysis. Cells with stratified data of patients with identical characteristics except African American or Caucasian race were compared. RESULTS: Age, stage, grade, ER and PR status and marital status significantly co-varied with race and with each other. Stratifications by single co-variables demonstrated worse hazard ratios for survival for African Americans. Stratification by three and four co-variables demonstrated worse hazard ratios for survival for African Americans in most subgroupings with sufficient numbers of values. Differences in some subgroupings containing poor prognostic co-variables did not reach significance, suggesting that race effects may be partly overcome by additional poor prognostic indicators. CONCLUSIONS: African American race is a poor prognostic indicator for survival from breast cancer independent of 6 associated co-variables with prognostic significance. PMID:27698895

Modeling post-fledging survival of lark buntings in response to ecological and biological factors

USGS Publications Warehouse

Yackel Adams, A.A.; Skagen, S.K.; Savidge, J.A.

2006-01-01

We evaluated the influences of several ecological, biological, and methodological factors on post-fledging survival of a shortgrass prairie bird, the Lark Bunting (Calamospiza melanocorys). We estimated daily post-fledging survival (n = 206, 82 broods) using radiotelemetry and color bands to track fledglings. Daily survival probabilities were best explained by drought intensity, time in season (quadratic trend), ages ≤3 d post-fledging, and rank given drought intensity. Drought intensity had a strong negative effect on survival. Rank was an important predictor of fledgling survival only during the severe drought of 2002 when the smallest fledglings had lower survival. Recently fledged young (ages ≤3 d post-fledging) undergoing the transition from nest to surrounding habitat experienced markedly lower survival, demonstrating the vulnerable nature of this time period. Survival was greater in mid and late season than early season, corresponding to our assumptions of food availability. Neither mark type nor sex of attending parent influenced survival. The model-averaged product of the 22-d survival calculated using mean rank and median value of time in season was 0.360 ± 0.08 in 2001 and 0.276 ± 0.08 in 2002. Survival estimates that account for age, condition of young, ecological conditions, and other factors are important for parameterization of realistic population models. Biologists using population growth models to elucidate mechanisms of population declines should attempt to estimate species-specific of post-fledging survival rather than use generalized estimates.

Comparison of Cox's Regression Model and Parametric Models in Evaluating the Prognostic Factors for Survival after Liver Transplantation in Shiraz during 2000-2012.

PubMed

Adelian, R; Jamali, J; Zare, N; Ayatollahi, S M T; Pooladfar, G R; Roustaei, N

2015-01-01

Identification of the prognostic factors for survival in patients with liver transplantation is challengeable. Various methods of survival analysis have provided different, sometimes contradictory, results from the same data. To compare Cox's regression model with parametric models for determining the independent factors for predicting adults' and pediatrics' survival after liver transplantation. This study was conducted on 183 pediatric patients and 346 adults underwent liver transplantation in Namazi Hospital, Shiraz, southern Iran. The study population included all patients undergoing liver transplantation from 2000 to 2012. The prognostic factors sex, age, Child class, initial diagnosis of the liver disease, PELD/MELD score, and pre-operative laboratory markers were selected for survival analysis. Among 529 patients, 346 (64.5%) were adult and 183 (34.6%) were pediatric cases. Overall, the lognormal distribution was the best-fitting model for adult and pediatric patients. Age in adults (HR=1.16, p<0.05) and weight (HR=2.68, p<0.01) and Child class B (HR=2.12, p<0.05) in pediatric patients were the most important factors for prediction of survival after liver transplantation. Adult patients younger than the mean age and pediatric patients weighing above the mean and Child class A (compared to those with classes B or C) had better survival. Parametric regression model is a good alternative for the Cox's regression model.

High survival rates and associated factors among ebola virus disease patients hospitalized at donka national hospital, conakry, Guinea.

PubMed

Qureshi, Adnan I; Chughtai, Morad; Bah, Elhadj Ibrahima; Barry, Moumié; Béavogui, Kézély; Loua, Tokpagnan Oscar; Malik, Ahmed A

2015-02-01

Anecdotal reports suggesting that survival rates among hospitalized patients with Ebola virus disease in Guinea are higher than the 29.2% rate observed in the current epidemic in West Africa. Survival after symptom onset was determined using Kaplan Meier survival methods among patients with confirmed Ebola virus disease treated in Conakry, Guinea from March 25, 2014, to August 5, 2014. We analyzed the relationship between survival and patient factors, including demographics and clinical features. Of the 70 patients analyzed [mean age ± standard deviation (SD), 34 ± 14.1; 44 were men], 42 were discharged alive with a survival rate among hospitalized patients of 60% (95% confidence interval, 41.5-78.5%). The survival rate was 28 (71.8%) among 39 patients under 34 years of age, and 14 (46.7%) among 30 patients aged 35 years or greater (p = 0.034). The rates of myalgia (3 of 42 versus 7 of 28, p = 0.036) and hiccups (1 of 42 versus 5 of 28, p = 0.023) were significantly lower among patients who survived. Our results provide insights into a cohort of hospitalized patients with Ebola virus disease in whom survival is prominently higher than seen in other cohorts of hospitalized patients.

High Survival Rates and Associated Factors Among Ebola Virus Disease Patients Hospitalized at Donka National Hospital, Conakry, Guinea

PubMed Central

Qureshi, Adnan I.; Chughtai, Morad; Bah, Elhadj Ibrahima; Barry, Moumié; Béavogui, Kézély; Loua, Tokpagnan Oscar; Malik, Ahmed A.

2015-01-01

Background Anecdotal reports suggesting that survival rates among hospitalized patients with Ebola virus disease in Guinea are higher than the 29.2% rate observed in the current epidemic in West Africa. Methods Survival after symptom onset was determined using Kaplan Meier survival methods among patients with confirmed Ebola virus disease treated in Conakry, Guinea from March 25, 2014, to August 5, 2014. We analyzed the relationship between survival and patient factors, including demographics and clinical features. Results Of the 70 patients analyzed [mean age ± standard deviation (SD), 34 ± 14.1; 44 were men], 42 were discharged alive with a survival rate among hospitalized patients of 60% (95% confidence interval, 41.5–78.5%). The survival rate was 28 (71.8%) among 39 patients under 34 years of age, and 14 (46.7%) among 30 patients aged 35 years or greater (p = 0.034). The rates of myalgia (3 of 42 versus 7 of 28, p = 0.036) and hiccups (1 of 42 versus 5 of 28, p = 0.023) were significantly lower among patients who survived. Conclusions Our results provide insights into a cohort of hospitalized patients with Ebola virus disease in whom survival is prominently higher than seen in other cohorts of hospitalized patients. PMID:25992182

Concentrated Growth Factor Enhanced Fat Graft Survival: A Comparative Study.

PubMed

Hu, Yun; Jiang, Yichen; Wang, Muyao; Tian, Weidong; Wang, Hang

2018-06-08

Concentrated growth factors (CGFs) belong to a new generation biomaterials that concentrate large number of growth factors and CD34 stem cells in small volume of plasma. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the impact of the new technique, CGF, on fat graft survival, which compared with platelet-rich plasma (PRP) and platelet-rich fibrin (PRF). Nude mice received fat graft were divided into PRP group, PRF group, CGF group, and saline. The grafts were volumetrically and histologically evaluated at 4, 8, and 12 weeks after fat grafting. In vitro growth factor levels in PRP, PRF, and CGF were compared using enzyme-linked immunoassay method. Cell count and real-time polymerase chain reaction were used to evaluate the impact of CGF in medium on human adipose-derived stem cell (hADSC) proliferation and vascular differentiation, respectively. Fat graft weight was significantly higher in the CGF group than those in the other groups, and histologic evaluation revealed greater vascularity, fewer cysts, and less fibrosis. Adding CGF to the medium maximally promoted hADSC proliferation and expressing vascular endothelial growth factor and PECAM-1. In this preliminary study, CGF treatment improved the survival and quality of fat grafts.

Factors driving inequality in prostate cancer survival: a population based study.

PubMed

Burns, Richéal M; Sharp, Linda; Sullivan, Francis J; Deady, Sandra E; Drummond, Frances J; O Neill, Ciaran

2014-01-01

As cancer control strategies have become more successful, issues around survival have become increasingly important to researchers and policy makers. The aim of this study was to examine the role of a range of clinical and socio-demographic variables in explaining variations in survival after a prostate cancer diagnosis, paying particular attention to the role of healthcare provider(s) i.e. private versus public status. Data were extracted from the National Cancer Registry Ireland, for patients diagnosed with prostate cancer from 1998-2009 (N = 26,183). A series of multivariate Cox and logistic regression models were used to examine the role of healthcare provider and socio-economic status (area-based deprivation) on survival, controlling for age, stage, Gleason grade, marital status and region of residence. Survival was based on all-cause mortality. Older individuals who were treated in a private care setting were more likely to have survived than those who had not, when other factors were controlled for. Differences were evident with respect to marital status, region of residence, clinical stage and Gleason grade. The effect of socio-economic status was modified by healthcare provider, such that risk of death was higher in those men of lower socio-economic status treated by public, but not private providers in the Cox models. The logistic models revealed a socio-economic gradient in risk of death overall; the gradient was larger for those treated by public providers compared to those treated by private providers when controlling for a range of other confounding factors. The role of healthcare provider and socio-economic status in survival of men with prostate cancer may give rise to concerns that warrant further investigation.

Reciprocal inhibition of p53 and nuclear factor-kappaB transcriptional activities determines cell survival or death in neurons.

PubMed

Culmsee, Carsten; Siewe, Jan; Junker, Vera; Retiounskaia, Marina; Schwarz, Stephanie; Camandola, Simonetta; El-Metainy, Shahira; Behnke, Hagen; Mattson, Mark P; Krieglstein, Josef

2003-09-17

The tumor suppressor and transcription factor p53 is a key modulator of cellular stress responses, and activation of p53 precedes apoptosis in many cell types. Controversial reports exist on the role of the transcription factor nuclear factor-kappaB (NF-kappaB) in p53-mediated apoptosis, depending on the cell type and experimental conditions. Therefore, we sought to elucidate the role of NF-kappaB in p53-mediated neuron death. In cultured neurons DNA damaging compounds induced activation of p53, whereas NF-kappaB activity declined significantly. The p53 inhibitor pifithrin-alpha (PFT) preserved NF-kappaB activity and protected neurons against apoptosis. Immunoprecipitation experiments revealed enhanced p53 binding to the transcriptional cofactor p300 after induction of DNA damage, whereas binding of p300 to NF-kappaB was reduced. In contrast, PFT blocked the interaction of p53 with the cofactor, whereas NF-kappaB binding to p300 was enhanced. Most interestingly, similar results were observed after oxygen glucose deprivation in cultured neurons and in ischemic brain tissue. Ischemia-induced repression of NF-kappaB activity was prevented and brain damage was reduced by the p53 inhibitor PFT in a dose-dependent manner. It is concluded that a balanced competitive interaction of p53 and NF-kappaB with the transcriptional cofactor p300 exists in neurons. Exposure of neurons to lethal stress activates p53 and disrupts NF-kappaB binding to p300, thereby blocking NF-kappaB-mediated survival signaling. Inhibitors of p53 provide pronounced neuroprotective effects because they block p53-mediated induction of cell death and concomitantly enhance NF-kappaB-induced survival signaling.

Geographic disparities in colorectal cancer survival

PubMed Central

Henry, Kevin A; Niu, Xiaoling; Boscoe, Francis P

2009-01-01

Background Examining geographic variation in cancer patient survival can help identify important prognostic factors that are linked by geography and generate hypotheses about the underlying causes of survival disparities. In this study, we apply a recently developed spatial scan statistic method, designed for time-to-event data, to determine whether colorectal cancer (CRC) patient survival varies by place of residence after adjusting survival times for several prognostic factors. Methods Using data from a population-based, statewide cancer registry, we examined a cohort of 25,040 men and women from New Jersey who were newly diagnosed with local or regional stage colorectal cancer from 1996 through 2003 and followed to the end of 2006. Survival times were adjusted for significant prognostic factors (sex, age, stage at diagnosis, race/ethnicity and census tract socioeconomic deprivation) and evaluated using a spatial scan statistic to identify places where CRC survival was significantly longer or shorter than the statewide experience. Results Age, sex and stage adjusted survival times revealed several areas in the northern part of the state where CRC survival was significantly different than expected. The shortest and longest survival areas had an adjusted 5-year survival rate of 73.1% (95% CI 71.5, 74.9) and 88.3% (95% CI 85.4, 91.3) respectively, compared with the state average of 80.0% (95% CI 79.4, 80.5). Analysis of survival times adjusted for age, sex and stage as well as race/ethnicity and area socioeconomic deprivation attenuated the risk of death from CRC in several areas, but survival disparities persisted. Conclusion The results suggest that in areas where additional adjustments for race/ethnicity and area socioeconomic deprivation changed the geographic survival patterns and reduced the risk of death from CRC, the adjustment factors may be contributing causes of the disparities. Further studies should focus on specific and modifiable individual and

Hemoadsorption removes tumor necrosis factor, interleukin-6, and interleukin-10, reduces nuclear factor-kappaB DNA binding, and improves short-term survival in lethal endotoxemia.

PubMed

Kellum, John A; Song, Mingchen; Venkataraman, Ramesh

2004-03-01

Previous studies have shown that inflammatory mediators can be removed from the circulation with hemofiltration and that adsorption plays an important role. Because adsorptive capacity of hollow-fiber dialyzers is limited, we sought to determine whether hemoadsorption using high surface area beads would result in greater mediator removal and improved survival in experimental sepsis. Randomized controlled laboratory experiment. University laboratory. Sixty-six adult Sprague-Dawley rats. We conducted two ex vivo and two in vivo experiments. For in vivo experiments, we administered Escherichia coli endotoxin (20 mg/kg) by intravenous infusion and then randomized each animal to receive either hemoadsorption or a sham circuit for 4 hrs. Hemoadsorption was performed for 4 hrs using an arterial-venous circuit and a CytoSorb cartridge containing 10 g of polystyrene divinyl benzene copolymer beads with a biocompatible polyvinylpyrrolidone coating. Survival time was measured to a maximum of 12 hrs. In a separate set of experiments, we studied 12 animals using the same protocol except that we killed all animals at 4 hrs and removed standardized sections of liver for analysis of nuclear factor-kappaB DNA binding. Mean survival time among hemoadsorption-treated animals was 629+/-114 vs. 518+/-120 mins for sham-treated animals (p <.01). Overall survival (defined at 12 hrs) was also significantly better in the hemoadsorption group, seven of 20 vs. one of 20 (p <.05). Plasma interleukin-6 and interleukin-10 concentrations and liver nuclear factor-kappaB DNA binding were significantly reduced by hemoadsorption. Ex vivo experiments showed no endotoxin adsorption but strengthened our in vivo observations by showing rapid adsorption of tumor necrosis factor, interleukin-6, and interleukin-10. Hemoadsorption was associated with reduced inflammation and improved survival in this murine model of septic shock.

Factors limiting mallard brood survival in prairie pothole landscapes

USGS Publications Warehouse

Krapu, Gary L.; Pietz, Pamela J.; Brandt, David A.; Cox, Robert R.

2000-01-01

In order to estimate mallard (Anas platyrhynchos) production from managed and unmanaged lands, waterfowl biologists need measurable predictors of brood survival. We evaluated effects of percent of seasonal basins holding water (WETSEAS), percent of upland landscape in perennial cover (PERNCOVER), rainfall (RAIN), daily minimum ambient temperature (TMIN), hatch date (HATCHDATE), brood age (BA; 0-7 or 8-30 days), age of brood females, and brood size on mallard brood survival in prairie pothole landscapes, and developed a predictive model using factors found to have significant effects. Sixteen of 56 radiomarked broods experienced total loss during 1,250 exposure days. Our final fitted model of brood survival contained only main effects of WETSEAS, HATCHDATE, and RAIN. Total brood loss during the first 30 days of exposure was 11.2 times more likely for broods hatched on areas with 59% WETSEAS. Total brood loss was 5.2 times more likely during rainy conditions than during dry periods, and the hazard of total brood loss increased by 5% for each 1-day delay in hatching between 17 May and 12 August. High survival of mallard broods in landscapes where most seasonal basins contain water underscores the importance of maintaining seasonal wetlands as a major component of wetland complexes managed for mallard production. Because early hatched broods have higher survival, we also suggest that waterfowl managers focus their efforts on enhancing nest success of early laid clutches, especially in wet years.

Predictive Factors of the Survival of Women With Invasive Breast Cancer in French Guiana: The Burden of Health Inequalities.

PubMed

Roué, Tristan; Labbé, Sylvain; Belliardo, Sophie; Plenet, Juliette; Douine, Maylis; Nacher, Mathieu

2016-08-01

The prognosis of patients with breast cancer in French Guiana is worse than in France, with 23 deaths per 100 incident cases versus 17 per 100 in metropolitan France. This study aimed to compare the relative survival of patients with invasive breast cancer (IBC) between women from French Guiana and metropolitan France and to determine risk factors influencing breast cancer survival in French Guiana. Data were collected from the Cancer Registry of French Guiana. We compared the relative survival of women with IBC between French Guiana and metropolitan France. We used the Cox proportional hazard regression to evaluate the effect of prognostic factors on cancer-specific mortality in French Guiana. We included all 269 cases of IBC in women diagnosed in French Guiana between 2003 and 2009. The overall 5-year relative survival rate of patients with IBC was 79% in French Guiana and 86% in metropolitan France. The place of birth (foreign country vs. French territory), the tumor stage at the time of diagnosis, the mode of diagnosis (symptoms vs. screening), the presence of hormone receptors in the tumor, and the histologic type were the variables associated with survival differences. None of the other study variables were significantly associated with prognosis. Access to care for migrants is challenging, which leads to health inequalities. Early detection through prevention programs is crucial to increase IBC survival, notably for foreign-born patients. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

[Survival time of HIV/AIDS cases and related factors in Beijing, 1995-2015].

PubMed

Li, Y; Wang, J; He, S F; Chen, J; Lu, H Y

2017-11-10

Objective: To analyze the survival time of HIV/AIDS cases and related factors in Beijing from 1995 to 2015. Methods: A retrospective cohort study was conducted to analyze the data of 12 874 HIV/AIDS cases. The data were collected from Chinese HIV/AIDS Comprehensive Information Management System. Life table method was applied to calculate the survival proportion, and Cox proportion hazard regression model were used to identify the factors related with survival time. Results: Among 12 874 HIV/AIDS cases, 303 (2.4%) died of AIDS related diseases; 9 346 (72.6%) received antiretroviral therapy. The average survival time was 226.5 months (95 %CI : 223.0-230.1), and the survival rates of 1, 5, 10, and 15 years were 98.2%, 96.4%, 93.2%, and 91.9% respectively. Multivariate Cox proportion hazard regression model showed that AIDS phase ( HR =1.439, 95 %CI : 1.041-1.989), heterosexual transmission ( HR =1.646, 95 %CI : 1.184-2.289), being married ( HR =2.186, 95 %CI : 1.510-3.164); older age (≥60 years) at diagnosis ( HR =6.608, 95 %CI : 3.546-12.316); lower CD(4)(+)T cell counts at diagnosis (<350 cells/μl) ( HR =8.711, 95 %CI : 5.757-13.181); receiving no antiretroviral therapy (ART) ( HR =18.223, 95 %CI : 13.317-24.937) were the high risk factors influencing the survival of AIDS patients compared with HIV phase, homosexual transmission, being unmarried, younger age (≤30 years), higher CD(4)(+)T cell count (≥350 cell/μl) and receiving ART. Conclusion: The average survival time of HIV/AIDS cases was 226.5 months after diagnoses. Receiving ART, higher CD(4)(+)T cell counts at the first test, HIV phase, younger age, being unmarried and the homosexual transmission were related to the longer survival time of HIV/AIDS cases. Receiving no ART, the lower CD(4)(+)T cell counts at the first test, AIDS phase, older age, being married and heterosexual transmission indicated higher risk of death due to AIDS.

The Impact of Demographic and Socioeconomic Factors on Major Salivary Gland Cancer Survival.

PubMed

Olarte, Lucia S; Megwalu, Uchechukwu C

2014-06-01

This study aimed to investigate the impact of demographic and socioeconomic factors on survival in patients with major salivary gland malignancies. Population-based study using the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) cancer database. The study cohort consisted of 10,735 men and women ages 20 and older who were diagnosed with major salivary gland carcinoma from 1973 to 2009. Kaplan-Meier analysis revealed that the overall and disease-specific survival was higher for women than for men (P < .001). Overall and disease-specific survival decreased with increasing age (P < .001) and differed by race (P < .001) and marital status (P < .001). Patients residing in counties with higher rates of high school completion had higher overall and disease-specific survival (P < .001). Patients residing in counties with higher median household incomes had better overall and disease-specific survival than patients from lower income counties (P < .001). On multivariable analysis, male sex (hazard ratio [HR] = 1.41; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.32-1.50), increasing age, and single status (HR = 1.36; 95% CI, 1.27-1.44) had poor prognostic impact on overall survival. Male sex (HR = 1.38; 95% CI, 1.27-1.49), increasing age, and single status (HR = 1.29; 95% CI, 1.19-1.39) had poor prognostic impact on disease-specific survival. For patients with salivary gland malignancies, there is a survival benefit for younger patients, female patients, and married patients. This highlights the significance of demographic factors on survival outcomes for patients with salivary gland malignancies and highlights areas for further research on health disparities. © American Academy of Otolaryngology—Head and Neck Surgery Foundation 2014.

Liver recurrence in endometrial cancer: a multi-institutional analysis of factors predictive of postrecurrence survival.

PubMed

Toptas, Tayfun; Karalok, Alper; Ureyen, Isin; Tasci, Tolga; Erol, Onur; Bozkurt, Selen; Tulunay, Gokhan; Simsek, Tayup; Turan, Taner

2016-10-01

Predictive factors for survival following liver metastasis in endometrial cancer (EC) have not been studied to date. It is expected that patients who initially presented with liver metastasis or developed liver metastasis as the subsequent metastatic site of progressive disease are likely to have poor outcomes. However, patients developing liver metastasis as the first site of recurrence may have a chance of benefiting from the salvage therapies. Therefore, we aimed to determine factors influencing postrecurrence survival in EC patients who developed liver metastasis as the first site of recurrence. Patients with EC who underwent primary surgery at three centers between 1993 and 2013 were reviewed. Liver recurrence was defined as documentation of parenchymal liver metastasis either by radiologically or biopsy, after a disease-free interval of ≥3 months. Patients with liver metastasis at presentation, or liver metastasis as the subsequent metastatic site of progressive disease were excluded. Forty-six patients were identified. Median time to liver recurrence was 12 months, with 91.3 % of recurrences detected within 3 years. Most patients (73.9 %) had liver recurrence concomitant with extra-hepatic disease. Median survival after the diagnosis of liver recurrence was 9 months. While in univariate analysis, time to liver recurrence (p < 0.001) and presence of concomitant extra-hepatic metastasis (p = 0.048) were potential predictors of survival, multivariate analysis revealed that time to liver recurrence (p < 0.001) was the only independent predictor. This criterion may be used as a marker for stratifying patients into different prognostic risk groups and for selection of patients for salvage therapies.

Haploid deletion strains of Saccharomyces cerevisiae that determine survival during space flight

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Johanson, Kelly; Allen, Patricia L.; Gonzalez-Villalobos, Romer A.; Nesbit, Jacqueline; Nickerson, Cheryl A.; Höner zu Bentrup, Kerstin; Wilson, James W.; Ramamurthy, Rajee; D'Elia, Riccardo; Muse, Kenneth E.; Hammond, Jeffrey; Freeman, Jake; Stodieck, Louis S.; Hammond, Timothy G.

2007-02-01

This study identifies genes that determine survival during a space flight, using the model eukaryotic organism, Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Select strains of a haploid yeast deletion series grew during storage in distilled water in space, but not in ground based static or clinorotation controls. The survival advantages in space in distilled water include a 133-fold advantage for the deletion of PEX19, a chaperone and import receptor for newly- synthesized class I peroxisomal membrane proteins, to 77-40 fold for deletion strains lacking elements of aerobic respiration, isocitrate metabolism, and mitochondrial electron transport. Following automated addition of rich growth media, the space flight was associated with a marked survival advantage of strains with deletions in catalytically active genes including hydrolases, oxidoreductases and transferases. When compared to static controls, space flight was associated with a marked survival disadvantage of deletion strains lacking transporter, antioxidant and catalytic activity. This study identifies yeast deletion strains with a survival advantage during storage in distilled water and space flight, and amplifies our understanding of the genes critical for survival in space.

20 CFR 410.321 - Determination of relationship; surviving divorced wife.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... 20 Employees' Benefits 2 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Determination of relationship; surviving divorced wife. 410.321 Section 410.321 Employees' Benefits SOCIAL SECURITY ADMINISTRATION FEDERAL COAL MINE HEALTH AND SAFETY ACT OF 1969, TITLE IV-BLACK LUNG BENEFITS (1969- ) Relationship and Dependency § 410...

20 CFR 410.321 - Determination of relationship; surviving divorced wife.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-04-01

... 20 Employees' Benefits 2 2011-04-01 2011-04-01 false Determination of relationship; surviving divorced wife. 410.321 Section 410.321 Employees' Benefits SOCIAL SECURITY ADMINISTRATION FEDERAL COAL MINE HEALTH AND SAFETY ACT OF 1969, TITLE IV-BLACK LUNG BENEFITS (1969- ) Relationship and Dependency § 410...

Evaluation of clinical and histologic factors associated with survival time in dogs with stage II splenic hemangiosarcoma treated by splenectomy and adjuvant chemotherapy: 30 cases (2011-2014).

PubMed

Moore, Antony S; Rassnick, Kenneth M; Frimberger, Angela E

2017-09-01

OBJECTIVE To determine histologic and clinical factors associated with survival time in dogs with stage II splenic hemangiosarcoma treated by splenectomy and a chemotherapy protocol in which an anthracycline was alternated with lomustine. DESIGN Retrospective case series. ANIMALS 30 dogs with stage II splenic hemangiosarcoma. PROCEDURES Medical records of 3 facilities were reviewed to identify dogs treated for stage II splenic hemangiosarcoma between June 2011 and October 2014. Information collected included signalment, disease staging data, whether anemia was present, date of splenectomy, chemotherapy protocol, adverse effects, and date of death or last follow-up. Histologic slides were reviewed and scored by pathologists. Associations between variables of interest and survival data were evaluated statistically. RESULTS Median survival time for all dogs was 158 days (range, 55 to 560 days), and the 1-year survival rate was 16%. On multivariate analysis, only the histologically determined mitotic score was significantly associated with survival time. The median survival time of 292 days for dogs with a mitotic score of 0 (< 11 mitoses/10 hpf; n = 9) was significantly longer than that for dogs with higher scores (indicating higher mitotic rates); the 1-year survival rate for these dogs was 42%. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE Results suggested that future studies should take histologic factors, particularly mitotic rate, as well as tumor stage into account when assessing treatment effects on survival time of dogs with splenic hemangiosarcoma.

Tumoural Expression of Connective Tissue Growth Factor (CTGF) Impacts on Survival in Patients Diagnosed with Hepatocellular Carcinoma (HCC).

PubMed

Lamarca, Angela; Mendiola, Marta; Bernal, Elsa; Heredia, Victoria; Díaz, Esther; Miguel, María; Pastrian, Laura G; Burgos, Emilio; Feliu, Jaime; Barriuso, Jorge

2015-01-01

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) tends to develop in the liver when there is a high level of background inflammation (cirrhosis). Treatment options are limited and mainly based on systemic therapies such as anti-angiogenic drugs (e.g. sorafenib). Connective tissue growth factor (CTGF) is a matricellular protein involved in inflammation, tumour growth and angiogenesis. The aim of this study is to determine the expression of CTGF and hypoxia inducible factors (HIF) in HCC and to clarify its impact on relapse and survival. Eligibility criteria for the study consisted of patients with a diagnosis of HCC, formalin-fixed and paraffin-embedded (FFPE) biopsy tissue, as well as relapse and available survival data. A tissue microarray was constructed from ≥ 70% tumoural sections. The expressions of CTGF, HIF1α and HIF2α were analysed by immunohistochemistry. The relationship between expression of CTGF/HIF1α and CTGF/HIF2α were analysed. Univariate and multivariate analyses were performed. Fifty-three patients were screened; 39 patients were eligible for this study. Patients were treated with radical intent. At the end of follow up, 59% patients relapsed (28.2% locally, 10.3% multicentric liver relapse and 7.7% distant metastases). Estimated median disease-free survival (DFS) and overall survival (OS) were 23.4 (95%CI 7.18-39.66) and 38.6 months (95%CI 30.7-46.6), respectively. Expression of CTGF was: negative 23.1%, focal 48.7% and diffuse 23.1%. A non-statistically significant relationship between expression of CTGF and HIF was shown supporting an alternative pathway for CTGF expression in HCC. In multivariate analysis CTGF expression was an independent factor related to OS, with shorter survival in those patients with focal/diffuse CTGF expression (HR 2.46; 95%CI 1.18-5.15). Our results support that expression of CTGF is an independent factor associated with shorter OS in HCC. Further analysis of CTGF expression in a larger series of HCC patients is required to confirm

Clinicopathological factors associated with survival in patients with breast cancer brain metastasis.

PubMed

Li, Rong; Zhang, Kui; Siegal, Gene P; Wei, Shi

2017-06-01

Brain metastasis from breast cancer generally represents a catastrophic event yet demonstrates substantial biological heterogeneity. There have been limited studies solely focusing on the prognosis of patients with such metastasis. In this study, we carried out a comprehensive analysis in 108 consecutive patients with breast cancer brain metastases between 1997 and 2012 to further define clinicopathological factors associated with early onset of brain metastasis and survival outcomes after development of them. We found that lobular carcinoma, higher clinical stages at diagnosis, and lack of coexisting bone metastasis were significantly associated with a worse brain relapse-free survival when compared with brain-only metastasis. High histologic grade, triple-negative breast cancer, and absence of visceral involvement were unfavorable prognostic factors after brain metastasis. Furthermore, high histologic grade, advanced tumor stages, and lack of coexisting bone involvement indicated a worse overall survival. Thus, the previously established prognostic factors in early stage or advanced breast cancers may not entirely apply to patients with brain metastases. Furthermore, the prognostic significance of the clinicopathological factors differed before and after a patient develops brain metastasis. This knowledge might help in establishing an algorithm to further stratify patients with breast cancer into prognostically significant categories for optimal prevention, screening, and treatment of their brain metastasis. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Comparison of Cox’s Regression Model and Parametric Models in Evaluating the Prognostic Factors for Survival after Liver Transplantation in Shiraz during 2000–2012

PubMed Central

Adelian, R.; Jamali, J.; Zare, N.; Ayatollahi, S. M. T.; Pooladfar, G. R.; Roustaei, N.

2015-01-01

Background: Identification of the prognostic factors for survival in patients with liver transplantation is challengeable. Various methods of survival analysis have provided different, sometimes contradictory, results from the same data. Objective: To compare Cox’s regression model with parametric models for determining the independent factors for predicting adults’ and pediatrics’ survival after liver transplantation. Method: This study was conducted on 183 pediatric patients and 346 adults underwent liver transplantation in Namazi Hospital, Shiraz, southern Iran. The study population included all patients undergoing liver transplantation from 2000 to 2012. The prognostic factors sex, age, Child class, initial diagnosis of the liver disease, PELD/MELD score, and pre-operative laboratory markers were selected for survival analysis. Result: Among 529 patients, 346 (64.5%) were adult and 183 (34.6%) were pediatric cases. Overall, the lognormal distribution was the best-fitting model for adult and pediatric patients. Age in adults (HR=1.16, p<0.05) and weight (HR=2.68, p<0.01) and Child class B (HR=2.12, p<0.05) in pediatric patients were the most important factors for prediction of survival after liver transplantation. Adult patients younger than the mean age and pediatric patients weighing above the mean and Child class A (compared to those with classes B or C) had better survival. Conclusion: Parametric regression model is a good alternative for the Cox’s regression model. PMID:26306158

Exploring factors related to metastasis free survival in breast cancer patients using Bayesian cure models.

PubMed

Jafari-Koshki, Tohid; Mansourian, Marjan; Mokarian, Fariborz

2014-01-01

Breast cancer is a fatal disease and the most frequently diagnosed cancer in women with an increasing pattern worldwide. The burden is mostly attributed to metastatic cancers that occur in one-third of patients and the treatments are palliative. It is of great interest to determine factors affecting time from cancer diagnosis to secondary metastasis. Cure rate models assume a Poisson distribution for the number of unobservable metastatic-component cells that are completely deleted from the non-metastasis patient body but some may remain and result in metastasis. Time to metastasis is defined as a function of the number of these cells and the time for each cell to develop a detectable sign of metastasis. Covariates are introduced to the model via the rate of metastatic-component cells. We used non-mixture cure rate models with Weibull and log-logistic distributions in a Bayesian setting to assess the relationship between metastasis free survival and covariates. The median of metastasis free survival was 76.9 months. Various models showed that from covariates in the study, lymph node involvement ratio and being progesterone receptor positive were significant, with an adverse and a beneficial effect on metastasis free survival, respectively. The estimated fraction of patients cured from metastasis was almost 48%. The Weibull model had a slightly better performance than log-logistic. Cure rate models are popular in survival studies and outperform other models under certain conditions. We explored the prognostic factors of metastatic breast cancer from a different viewpoint. In this study, metastasis sites were analyzed all together. Conducting similar studies in a larger sample of cancer patients as well as evaluating the prognostic value of covariates in metastasis to each site separately are recommended.

Physical Activity and Other Determinants of Survival in the Oldest Adults.

PubMed

Muscari, Antonio; Bianchi, Giampaolo; Forti, Paola; Giovagnoli, Marco; Magalotti, Donatella; Pandolfi, Paolo; Zoli, Marco

2017-02-01

To determine the role of physical activity as a possible survival determinant in the oldest adults. Prospective, longitudinal, population-based cohort. The Pianoro Study of community-dwelling older adults in three towns in northern Italy. Noninstitutionalized individuals aged 85 and older (n = 500; mean age 89.6 ± 3.1, 65% female). Participants provided information on marital status, educational level, previous work activity, cardiovascular risk factors, previous cardiovascular events, self-rated health, joint pain, and functional status. Physical activity was quantified using the Physical Activity Scale for the Elderly. Seven-year mortality was known for all subjects. During the 7 years of follow-up, 365 subjects died. According to Cox proportional hazards regression, the following factors were found to be independently associated with mortality: PASE score (hazard ratio (HR) = 0.987, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 0.981-0.993, P < .001), male sex (HR = 1.642, 95% CI = 1.411-2.068, P < .001), age in years (HR = 1.077, 95% CI = 1.040-1.116, P < .001), previous stroke (HR = 1.908, 95% CI = 1.362-2.673, P < .001), poor self care (HR = 1.662, 95% CI = 1.231-2.246, P < .001), neck pain (HR = 0.649, 95% CI = 0.497-0.849, P = .002), self rated health (HR = 0.991, 95% CI = 0.985-0.997, P = .002). In the oldest adults, accurate quantification of physical activity may provide important prognostic information. The predictive value of cardiovascular risk factors, except age, male sex, and prior stroke, was confirmed to be negligible. An unexpected inverse association between neck pain and mortality may require further investigation. © 2016, Copyright the Authors Journal compilation © 2016, The American Geriatrics Society.

A retrospective study on related factors affecting the survival rate of dental implants

PubMed Central

Kang, Jeong-Kyung; Lee, Ki; Lee, Yong-Sang; Park, Pil-Kyoo

2011-01-01

PURPOSE The aim of this retrospective study is to analyze the relationship between local factors and survival rate of dental implant which had been installed and restored in Seoul Veterans Hospital dental center for past 10 years. And when the relationship is found out, it could be helpful to predict the prognosis of dental implants. MATERIALS AND METHODS A retrospective study of patients receiving root-shaped screw-type dental implants placed from January 2000 to December 2009 was conducted. 6385 implants were placed in 3755 patients. The following data were collected from the dental records and radiographs: patient's age, gender, implant type and surface, length, diameter, location of implant placement, bone quality, prosthesis type. The correlations between these data and survival rate were analyzed. Statistical analysis was performed with the use of Kaplan-Meier analysis, Chi-square test and odds ratio. RESULTS In all, 6385 implants were placed in 3755 patients (3120 male, 635 female; mean age 65 ± 10.58 years). 108 implants failed and the cumulative survival rate was 96.33%. There were significant differences in age, implant type and surface, length, location and prosthesis type (P<.05). No significant differences were found in relation to the following factors: gender, diameter and bone quality (P>.05). CONCLUSION Related factors such as age, implant type, length, location and prosthesis type had a significant effect on the implant survival. PMID:22259704

Important risk factors of allograft survival in cadaveric renal transplantation. A study of 426 patients.

PubMed Central

Diethelm, A G; Blackstone, E H; Naftel, D C; Hudson, S L; Barber, W H; Deierhoi, M H; Barger, B O; Curtis, J J; Luke, R G

1988-01-01

Multiple risk factors contribute to the allograft survival of patients who have cadaveric renal transplantation. A retrospective review of 19 such factors in 426 patients identified race, DR match, B + DR match, number of transplants, and preservation time to have a significant influence. The parametric analysis confirmed the effect to be primarily in the early phase, i.e., first 6 months. All patients received cyclosporine with other methods of immunosuppression resulting in an overall 1-year graft survival rate of 66%. The overall 1-year graft survival rate in the white race was 73% and in the black race was 57% (p = 0.002). Allograft survival and DR match showed white recipients with a 1 DR match to have 75% survival at 1 year compared with 57% in the black patient (p = 0.009). If HLA B + DR match was considered, the white recipient allograft survival increased to 76%, 84%, and 88% for 1, 2, and 3 match kidneys by parametric analysis. Patients receiving first grafts had better graft survival (68%) than those undergoing retransplantation (58%) (p = 0.05). Organ preservation less than 12 hours influenced allograft survival with a 78% 1-year survival rate compared with 63% for kidneys with 12-18 hours of preservation. Despite the benefits of B + DR typing, short preservation time, and first transplants to the white recipient, the allograft survival in the black recipient remained uninfluenced by these parameters. PMID:3288138

[Liver and lung metastases of colorectal cancer. Long-term survival and prognostic factors].

PubMed

Sponholz, S; Bölükbas, S; Schirren, M; Oguzhan, S; Kudelin, N; Schirren, J

2016-02-01

The resection of liver and lung metastases from colorectal cancer has not yet been completely investigated. The aim of this study was to investigate the overall survival and prognostic factors for patients with liver and lung metastases from colorectal cancer. A retrospective review of a prospective database of 52 patients with liver and lung metastases from colorectal cancer, undergoing metastasectomy with curative intent from 1999-2009 at a single institution was carried out. The mean overall survival (OS) was 64 months. For synchronous liver and lung metastases the mean overall survival was 63 months (5-year survival 54 %) and for metachronous liver and lung metastases 74 months (5-year survival 58 %, p = 0.451). A poor prognostic outcome was observed in cases of localization of the primary tumor in the rectum (OS 81 vs. 38 months, p = 0.004), with multiple lung metastases (≥ 2 metastases, OS 74 vs. 59 months, p = 0.032) and with disease progression after premetastasectomy chemotherapy (OS 74 vs. 63 vs. 15 months, p < 0.001). No influence on overall survival was detected for bilateral lung metastases, thoracic lymph node metastases, disease recurrence and disease-free interval < 36 months. Metastasectomy for liver and lung metastases of colorectal cancer is associated with a good overall survival in selected cases. Patients with liver and lung metastases should not be routinely excluded from metastasectomy and patients with thoracic lymph node metastases should also not be routinely excluded. Negative prognostic factors for survival are localization of the tumor in the rectum, multiple metastases and disease progression after premetastasectomy chemotherapy. Patients with disease progression after premetastasectomy chemotherapy should be excluded from metastasectomy.

Diminished survival of human cytotrophoblast cells exposed to hypoxia/reoxygenation injury and associated reduction of heparin-binding epidermal growth factor-like growth factor.

PubMed

Leach, Richard E; Kilburn, Brian A; Petkova, Anelia; Romero, Roberto; Armant, D Randall

2008-04-01

The antiapoptotic action of heparin-binding epidermal growth factor (HBEGF)-like growth factor and its regulation by O(2) constitutes a key factor for trophoblast survival. The hypothesis that cytotrophoblast survival is compromised by exposure to hypoxia-reoxygenation (H/R) injury, which may contribute to preeclampsia and some missed abortions, prompted us to investigate HBEGF regulation and its role as a survival factor during H/R in cytotrophoblast cells. A transformed human first-trimester cytotrophoblast cell line HTR-8/SVneo was exposed to H/R (2% O(2) followed by 20% O(2)) and assessed for HBEGF expression and cell death. Cellular HBEGF declined significantly within 30 minutes of reoxygenation after culture at 2% O(2). H/R significantly reduced proliferation and increased cell death when compared with trophoblast cells cultured continuously at 2% or 20% O(2). Restoration of cell survival also was achieved by adding recombinant HBEGF during reoxygenation. HBEGF inhibited apoptosis through its binding to either human epidermal receptor (HER)-1 or HER4, its cognate receptors. These results provide evidence that cytotrophoblast exposure to H/R induces apoptosis and decreased cell proliferation. HBEGF accumulation is diminished under these conditions, whereas restoration of HBEGF signaling improves trophoblast survival.

Survival potential of Phytophthora infestans sporangia in relation to meteorological factors

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Assessment of meteorological factors coupled with sporangia survival curves may enhance effective management of potato late blight, caused by Phytophthora infestans. We utilized a non-parametric density estimation approach to evaluate the cumulative probability of occurrence of temperature and relat...

The importance of building construction materials relative to other factors affecting structure survival during wildfire

USGS Publications Warehouse

Syphard, Alexandra D.; Brennan, Teresa J.; Keeley, Jon E.

2017-01-01

Structure loss to wildfire is a serious problem in wildland-urban interface areas across the world. Laboratory experiments suggest that fire-resistant building construction and design could be important for reducing structure destruction, but these need to be evaluated under real wildfire conditions, especially relative to other factors. Using empirical data from destroyed and surviving structures from large wildfires in southern California, we evaluated the relative importance of building construction and structure age compared to other local and landscape-scale variables associated with structure survival. The local-scale analysis showed that window preparation was especially important but, in general, creating defensible space adjacent to the home was as important as building construction. At the landscape scale, structure density and structure age were the two most important factors affecting structure survival, but there was a significant interaction between them. That is, young structure age was most important in higher-density areas where structure survival overall was more likely. On the other hand, newer-construction structures were less likely to survive wildfires at lower density. Here, appropriate defensible space near the structure and accessibility to major roads were important factors. In conclusion, community safety is a multivariate problem that will require a comprehensive solution involving land use planning, fire-safe construction, and property maintenance.

Factors associated with supermarket and convenience store closure: a discrete time spatial survival modelling approach.

PubMed

Warren, Joshua L; Gordon-Larsen, Penny

2018-06-01

While there is a literature on the distribution of food stores across geographic and social space, much of this research uses cross-sectional data. Analyses attempting to understand whether the availability of stores across neighborhoods is associated with diet and/or health outcomes are limited by a lack of understanding of factors that shape the emergence of new stores and the closure of others. We used quarterly data on supermarket and convenience store locations spanning seven years (2006-2012) and tract-level census data in four US cities: Birmingham, Alabama; Chicago, Illinois; Minneapolis, Minnesota; San Francisco, California. A spatial discrete-time survival model was used to identify factors associated with an earlier and/or later closure time of a store. Sales volume was typically the strongest indicator of store survival. We identified heterogeneity in the association between tract-level poverty and racial composition with respect to store survival. Stores in high poverty, non-White tracts were often at a disadvantage in terms of survival length. The observed patterns of store survival varied by some of the same neighborhood sociodemographic factors associated with lifestyle and health outcomes, which could lead to confusion in interpretation in studies of the estimated effects of introduction of food stores into neighborhoods on health.

The canonical nuclear factor-κB pathway regulates cell survival in a developmental model of spinal cord motoneurons.

PubMed

Mincheva, Stefka; Garcera, Ana; Gou-Fabregas, Myriam; Encinas, Mario; Dolcet, Xavier; Soler, Rosa M

2011-04-27

In vivo and in vitro motoneuron survival depends on the support of neurotrophic factors. These factors activate signaling pathways related to cell survival or inactivate proteins involved in neuronal death. In the present work, we analyzed the involvement of the nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) pathway in mediating mouse spinal cord motoneuron survival promoted by neurotrophic factors. This pathway comprises ubiquitously expressed transcription factors that could be activated by two different routes: the canonical pathway, associated with IKKα/IKKβ kinase phosphorylation and nuclear translocation RelA (p65)/p50 transcription factors; and the noncanonical pathway, related to IKKα kinase homodimer phosphorylation and RelB/p52 transcription factor activation. In our system, we show that neurotrophic factors treatment induced IKKα and IKKβ phosphorylation and RelA nuclear translocation, suggesting NF-κB pathway activation. Protein levels of different members of the canonical or noncanonical pathways were reduced in a primary culture of isolated embryonic motoneurons using an interference RNA approach. Even in the presence of neurotrophic factors, selective reduction of IKKα, IKKβ, or RelA proteins induced cell death. In contrast, RelB protein reduction did not have a negative effect on motoneuron survival. Together these results demonstrated that the canonical NF-κB pathway mediates motoneuron survival induced by neurotrophic factors, and the noncanonical pathway is not related to this survival effect. Canonical NF-κB blockade induced an increase of Bim protein level and apoptotic cell death. Bcl-x(L) overexpression or Bax reduction counteracted this apoptotic effect. Finally, RelA knockdown causes changes of CREB and Smn protein levels.

Survival and prognostic factors for hepatocellular carcinoma: an Egyptian multidisciplinary clinic experience.

PubMed

Abdelaziz, Ashraf Omar; Elbaz, Tamer Mahmoud; Shousha, Hend Ibrahim; Ibrahim, Mostafa Mohamed; Rahman El-Shazli, Mostafa Abdel; Abdelmaksoud, Ahmed Hosni; Aziz, Omar Abdel; Zaki, Hisham Atef; Elattar, Inas Anwar; Nabeel, Mohamed Mahmoud

2014-01-01

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a dismal tumor with a high incidence, prevalence and poor prognosis and survival. Management of HCC necessitates multidisciplinary clinics due to the wide heterogeneity in its presentation, different therapeutic options, variable biologic behavior and background presence of chronic liver disease. We studied the different prognostic factors that affected survival of our patients to improve future HCC management and patient survival. This study is performed in a specialized multidisciplinary clinic for HCC in Kasr El Eini Hospital, Cairo University, Egypt. We retrospectively analyzed the different patient and tumor characteristics and the primary mode of management applied to our patients. Further analysis was performed using univariate and multivariate statistics. During the period February 2009 till February 2013, 290 HCC patients presented to our multidisciplinary clinic. They were predominantly males and the mean age was 56.5 ± 7.7 years. All cases developed HCC on top of cirrhosis that was mainly due to HCV (71%). Most of our patients were Child-Pugh A (50%) or B (36.9%) and commonly presented with small single lesions. Transarterial chemoembolization was the most common line of treatment used (32.4%). The overall survival was 79.9% at 6 months, 54.5% at 1 year and 22.4% at 2 years. Serum bilirubin, site of the tumor and type of treatment were the significant independent prognostic factors for survival. Our main prognostic variables are the bilirubin level, the bilobar hepatic affection and the application of specific treatment (either curative or palliative). Multidisciplinary clinics enhance better HCC management.

Survival of Patients with Stomach Cancer and its Determinants in Kurdistan.

PubMed

Moradi, Ghobad; Karimi, Kohsar; Esmailnasab, Nader; Roshani, Daem

2016-01-01

Stomach cancer is the fourth most common cancer and the second leading cause of death from cancer in the world. In Iran, this type of cancer has high rates of incidence and mortality. This study aimed to assess the survival rate of patients with stomach cancer and its determinants in Kurdistan, a province with one of the highest incidence rates of stomach cancer in the country. We studied a total of 202 patients with stomach cancer who were admitted to Tohid Hospital in Sanandaj from 2009 to 2013. Using KaplanMeier nonparametric methods the survival rate of patients was calculated in terms of different levels of age at diagnosis, gender, education, residential area, occupation, underweight, and clinical variables including tumor histology, site of tumor, disease stage, and type of treatment. In addition, we compared the survival rates using the logrank test. Finally, Cox proportional hazards regression was applied using Stata 12 and R 3.1.0 software. The significance level was set at 0.05. The mean age at diagnosis was 64.7 ± 12.0 years. The survival rate of patients with stomach cancer was 43.9% and 7% at the first and the fifth year after diagnosis, respectively. The results of logrank test showed significant relationships between survival and age at diagnosis, education, disease stage, type of treatment, and degree of being underweight (P<0.05). Moreover, according to the results of Cox proportional hazards regression model, the variables of education, disease stage, and type of treatment were associated with patient survival (P<0.05). The survival rate of patients with stomach cancer is low and the prognosis is very poor. Given the poor prognosis of the patients, it is critical to find ways for early diagnosis and facilitating timely access to effective treatment methods.

Percutaneous radiofrequency ablation for early hepatocellular carcinoma: Risk factors for survival

PubMed Central

Kikuchi, Luciana; Menezes, Marcos; Chagas, Aline L; Tani, Claudia M; Alencar, Regiane SSM; Diniz, Marcio A; Alves, Venâncio AF; D’Albuquerque, Luiz Augusto Carneiro; Carrilho, Flair José

2014-01-01

AIM: To evaluate outcomes of radiofrequency ablation (RFA) therapy for early hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and identify survival- and recurrence-related factors. METHODS: Consecutive patients diagnosed with early HCC by computed tomography (CT) or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) (single nodule of ≤ 5 cm, or multi- (up to 3) nodules of ≤ 3 cm each) and who underwent RFA treatment with curative intent between January 2010 and August 2011 at the Instituto do Câncer do Estado de São Paulo, Brazil were enrolled in the study. RFA of the liver tumors (with 1.0 cm ablative margin) was carried out under CT-fluoro scan and ultrasonic image guidance of the percutaneous ablation probes. Procedure-related complications were recorded. At 1-mo post-RFA and 3-mo intervals thereafter, CT and MRI were performed to assess outcomes of complete response (absence of enhancing tissue at the tumor site) or incomplete response (enhancing tissue remaining at the tumor site). Overall survival and disease-free survival rates were estimated by the Kaplan-Meier method and compared by the log rank test or simple Cox regression. The effect of risk factors on survival was assessed by the Cox proportional hazard model. RESULTS: A total of 38 RFA sessions were performed during the study period on 34 patients (age in years: mean, 63 and range, 49-84). The mean follow-up time was 22 mo (range, 1-33). The study population showed predominance of male sex (76%), less severe liver disease (Child-Pugh A, n = 26; Child-Pugh B, n = 8), and single tumor (65%). The maximum tumor diameters ranged from 10 to 50 mm (median, 26 mm). The initial (immediately post-procedure) rate of RFA-induced complete tumor necrosis was 90%. The probability of achieving complete response was significantly greater in patients with a single nodule (vs patients with multi-nodules, P = 0.04). Two patients experienced major complications, including acute pulmonary edema (resolved with intervention) and intestinal perforation

Red blood cells release factors with growth and survival bioactivities for normal and leukemic T cells.

PubMed

Antunes, Ricardo F; Brandão, Cláudia; Maia, Margarida; Arosa, Fernando A

2011-01-01

Human red blood cells are emerging as a cell type capable to regulate biological processes of neighboring cells. Hereby, we show that human red blood cell conditioned media contains bioactive factors that favor proliferation of normal activated T cells and leukemic Jurkat T cells, and therefore called erythrocyte-derived growth and survival factors. Flow cytometry and electron microscopy in parallel with bioactivity assays revealed that the erythrocyte factors are present in the vesicle-free supernatant, which contains up to 20 different proteins. The erythrocyte factors are thermosensitive and do not contain lipids. Native polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis followed by passive elution and mass spectrometry identification reduced the potential erythrocyte factors to hemoglobin and peroxiredoxin II. Two-dimensional differential gel electrophoresis of the erythrocyte factors revealed the presence of multiple hemoglobin oxy-deoxy states and peroxiredoxin II isoforms differing in their isoelectric point akin to the presence of β-globin chains. Our results show that red blood cells release protein factors with the capacity to sustain T-cell growth and survival. These factors may have an unforeseen role in sustaining malignant cell growth and survival in vivo.

Predictive factors of tumor control and survival after radiosurgery for local failures of nasopharyngeal carcinoma.

PubMed

Chua, Daniel T T; Sham, Jonathan S T; Hung, Kwan-Ngai; Leung, Lucullus H T; Au, Gordon K H

2006-12-01

Stereotactic radiosurgery has been employed as a salvage treatment of local failures of nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC). To identify patients that would benefit from radiosurgery, we reviewed our data with emphasis on factors that predicted treatment outcome. A total of 48 patients with local failures of NPC were treated by stereotactic radiosurgery between March 1996 and February 2005. Radiosurgery was administered using a modified linear accelerator with single or multiple isocenters to deliver a median dose of 12.5 Gy to the target periphery. Median follow-up was 54 months. Five-year local failure-free probability after radiosurgery was 47.2% and 5-year overall survival rate was 46.9%. Neuroendocrine complications occurred in 27% of patients but there were no treatment-related deaths. Time interval from primary radiotherapy, retreatment T stage, prior local failures and tumor volume were significant predictive factors of local control and/or survival whereas age was of marginal significance in predicting survival. A radiosurgery prognostic scoring system was designed based on these predictive factors. Five-year local failure-free probabilities in patients with good, intermediate and poor prognostic scores were 100%, 42.5%, and 9.6%. The corresponding five-year overall survival rates were 100%, 51.1%, and 0%. Important factors that predicted tumor control and survival after radiosurgery were identified. Patients with good prognostic score should be treated by radiosurgery in view of the excellent results. Patients with intermediate prognostic score may also be treated by radiosurgery but those with poor prognostic score should receive other salvage treatments.

Ten-year Survival and Its Associated Factors in the Patients Undergoing Pacemaker Implantation in Hospitals Affiliated to Shiraz University of Medical Sciences During 2002 - 2012

PubMed Central

Rajaeefard, Abdolreza; Ghorbani, Mohammad; Babaee Baigi, Mohammad Ali; Tabatabae, Hamidreza

2015-01-01

Background: Heart failure is a prevalent disease affecting about 4.9 million people in the U.S. and more than 22 million individuals worldwide. Using electric pacemaker is the most common treatment for the patients with heart conduction problems. The present study aimed to determine the factors affecting survival in the patients undergoing pacemaker implantation in the hospitals affiliated to Shiraz University of Medical Sciences. Objectives: The aim of the present study was to identify the factors affecting the survival of the patients suffering from arrhythmia. Patients and Methods: This retrospective survival analysis was conducted on all 1207 patients with heart failure who had undergone permanent pacemaker implantation in the hospitals affiliated to Shiraz University of Medical Sciences from 2002 to 2012. The data were analyzed using non-parametric methods such as Kaplan-Meier method, life table, and Cox regression model. The risk factors of mortality were determined using multivariate Cox proportional hazards method. Results: Survival data were available for 1030 (80%) patients (median age = 71 years [5th to 95th percentile range: 26 - 86 years]) and follow-up was completed for 84.28% of them. According to the results, 56% of the patients had received dual-chamber systems, while 44% had been implanted by single-chamber ventricular systems. Moreover, sick sinus syndrome and pacemaker mode were independent predictors of increased mortality. Conclusions: In this study, sick sinus syndrome and pacemaker mode followed by syncope were independently associated with increased mortality. PMID:26734484

Immigration factors and prostate cancer survival among Hispanic men in California: does neighborhood matter?

PubMed

Schupp, Clayton W; Press, David J; Gomez, Scarlett Lin

2014-05-01

Hispanics are more likely than other racial/ethnic groups in the United States to be diagnosed with later stage of prostate cancer, yet they have lower prostate cancer mortality rates. The authors evaluated the impact of nativity and neighborhood-level Hispanic ethnic enclave on prostate cancer survival among Hispanics. A total of 35,427 Hispanic men diagnosed with invasive prostate cancer from 1995 through 2008 in the California Cancer Registry were studied; vital status data were available through 2010. Block group-level neighborhood measures were developed from US Census data. Stage-stratified Cox proportional hazards models were used to assess the effect of nativity and ethnic enclave on prostate cancer survival. In models adjusted for neighborhood socioeconomic status and other individual factors, foreign-born Hispanics were found to have a significantly lower risk of prostate cancer survival (hazards ratio [HR], 0.81; 95% confidence interval [95% CI], 0.75-0.87). Living in an ethnic enclave appeared to modify this effect, with the survival advantage slightly more pronounced in the high ethnic enclave neighborhoods (HR, 0.78; 95% CI, 0.71-0.86) compared with low ethnic enclave neighborhoods (HR, 0.86; 95% CI, 0.76-0.98). Despite lower socioeconomic status, Hispanic immigrants have better survival after prostate cancer than US-born Hispanics and this pattern was more striking among those living in ethnic enclaves. Identifying the modifiable individual and neighborhood-level factors that facilitate this survival advantage in Hispanic immigrants may help to inform specific interventions to improve survival among all patients. © 2014 American Cancer Society.

Late winter survival of female mallards in Arkansas

USGS Publications Warehouse

Dugger, B.D.; Reinecke, K.J.; Fredrickson, L.H.

1994-01-01

Determining factors that limit winter survival of waterfowl is necessary to develop effective management plans. We radiomarked immature and adult female mallards (Anas platyrhynchos) after the 1988 and 1989 hunting seasons in eastcentral Arkansas to test whether natural mortality sources and habitat conditions during late winter limit seasonal survival. We used data from 92 females to calculate survival estimates. We observed no mortalities during 2,510 exposure days, despite differences in habitat conditions between years. We used the binomial distribution to calculate daily and 30-day survival estimates plus 95% confidence intervals of 0.9988 ltoreq 0.9997 ltoreq 1.00 and 0.9648 ltoreq 0.9925 ltoreq 1.00, respectively. Our data indirectly support the hypothesis that hunting mortality and habitat conditions during the hunting season are the major determinants of winter survival for female mallards in Arkansas.

Predictors of survival in mucosal melanoma of the head and neck.

PubMed

Jethanamest, Daniel; Vila, Peter M; Sikora, Andrew G; Morris, Luc G T

2011-10-01

The head and neck is the most common site of mucosal melanoma, a cancer with poor prognosis. In contrast to cutaneous melanoma, mucosal melanoma of the head and neck (MMHN) is uncommon, with limited data regarding outcomes and prognostic factors drawn from small, single-institution case series. In order to identify factors predictive of survival, we analyzed MMHN outcomes in a large US cohort. MMHN cases (n = 815) diagnosed in the USA between 1973 and 2007 were analyzed in the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results registry, and cause of death was individually determined in 778 (95.5%) cases. Kaplan-Meier survival analysis and Cox proportional hazards regression were used to analyze prognostic variables. Disease-specific survival status was determined in 778 (95.5%) cases. The 5- and 10-year rates of overall survival (OS) were 25.2 and 12.2%; disease-specific survival (DSS), 32.4 and 19.3%. On multivariable analysis, anatomic primary site was an independent predictor of OS and DSS, with tumors in the nasal cavity and oral cavity associated with survival superior to tumors in the nasopharynx and paranasal sinuses. Age > 70 years, tumor size, nodal status, and distant metastasis status were additional independent predictors of poorer survival. In this large cohort of patients with MMHN, we have identified several novel factors robustly predictive of overall and melanoma-specific survival.

Perinatal Decision Making for Preterm Infants with Congenital Heart Disease: Determinable Risk Factors for Mortality.

PubMed

Lynema, Stephanie; Fifer, Carlen G; Laventhal, Naomi T

2016-06-01

For premature infants with congenital heart disease (CHD), it may be unclear when the burdens of treatment outweigh potential benefits. Parents may thus have to choose between comfort care at birth and medical stabilization until surgical repair is feasible. Better defined outcome data, including risk factors for mortality, are needed to counsel expectant parents who are considering intensive care for premature infants with CHD. We sought to evaluate outcomes in this population to inform expectant parents considering intensive versus palliative care at birth. We performed a retrospective cohort study of infants born <34 weeks who received intensive care with critical or moderately severe CHD predicted to require surgery in the neonatal period or the first 6 months of life. 46 % of 54 infants survived. Among non-survivors, 74 % died prior to surgery (median age 24 days). Of the infants that underwent surgery, 75 % survived. Survival was lower among infants <32 weeks gestational age (GA) (p = 0.013), with birth weight (BW) <1500 g (p = 0.011), or with extra-cardiac anomalies (ECA) (p = 0.015). GA and ECA remained significant risk factors for mortality in multiple logistic regression analysis. In summary, GA < 32 weeks, BW < 1500 g, and ECA are determinable prenatally and were significant risk factors for mortality. The majority of infants who survived to cardiac intervention survived neonatal hospitalization, whereas most of the infants who died did so prior to surgery. For some expectant parents, this early declaration of mortality may support a trial of intensive care while avoiding burdensome interventions.

Effects of individual-level socioeconomic factors on racial disparities in cancer treatment and survival: findings from the National Longitudinal Mortality Study, 1979-2003.

PubMed

Du, Xianglin L; Lin, Charles C; Johnson, Norman J; Altekruse, Sean

2011-07-15

This is the first study to use the linked National Longitudinal Mortality Study and Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) data to determine the effects of individual-level socioeconomic factors (health insurance, education, income, and poverty status) on racial disparities in receiving treatment and in survival. This study included 13,234 cases diagnosed with the 8 most common types of cancer (female breast, colorectal, prostate, lung and bronchus, uterine cervix, ovarian, melanoma, and urinary bladder) at age ≥ 25 years, identified from the National Longitudinal Mortality Study-SEER data during 1973 to 2003. Kaplan-Meier methods and Cox regression models were used for survival analysis. Three-year all-cause observed survival for cases diagnosed with local-stage cancers of the 8 leading tumors combined was ≥ 82% regardless of race/ethnicity. More favorable survival was associated with higher socioeconomic status. Compared with whites, blacks were less likely to receive first-course cancer-directed surgery, perhaps reflecting a less favorable stage distribution at diagnosis. Hazard ratio (HR) for cancer-specific mortality was significantly higher among blacks compared with whites (HR, 1.2; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.1-1.3) after adjusting for age, sex, and tumor stage, but not after further controlling for socioeconomic factors and treatment (HR, 1.0; 95% CI, 0.9-1.1). HRs for all-cause mortality among patients with breast cancer and for cancer-specific mortality in patients with prostate cancer were significantly higher for blacks compared with whites after adjusting for socioeconomic factors, treatment, and patient and tumor characteristics. Favorable survival was associated with higher socioeconomic status. Racial disparities in survival persisted after adjusting for individual-level socioeconomic factors and treatment for patients with breast and prostate cancer. Copyright © 2011 American Cancer Society.

Acute lymphoblastic leukemia in children and adolescents: prognostic factors and analysis of survival

PubMed Central

Lustosa de Sousa, Daniel Willian; de Almeida Ferreira, Francisco Valdeci; Cavalcante Félix, Francisco Helder; de Oliveira Lopes, Marcos Vinicios

2015-01-01

Objective To describe the clinical and laboratory features of children and adolescents with acute lymphoblastic leukemia treated at three referral centers in Ceará and evaluate prognostic factors for survival, including age, gender, presenting white blood cell count, immunophenotype, DNA index and early response to treatment. Methods Seventy-six under 19-year-old patients with newly diagnosed acute lymphoblastic leukemia treated with the Grupo Brasileiro de Tratamento de Leucemia da Infância – acute lymphoblastic leukemia-93 and -99 protocols between September 2007 and December 2009 were analyzed. The diagnosis was based on cytological, immunophenotypic and cytogenetic criteria. Associations between variables, prognostic factors and response to treatment were analyzed using the chi-square test and Fisher's exact test. Overall and event-free survival were estimated by Kaplan–Meier analysis and compared using the log-rank test. A Cox proportional hazards model was used to identify independent prognostic factors. Results The average age at diagnosis was 6.3 ± 0.5 years and males were predominant (65%). The most frequently observed clinical features were hepatomegaly, splenomegaly and lymphadenopathy. Central nervous system involvement and mediastinal enlargement occurred in 6.6% and 11.8%, respectively. B-acute lymphoblastic leukemia was more common (89.5%) than T-acute lymphoblastic leukemia. A DNA index >1.16 was found in 19% of patients and was associated with favorable prognosis. On Day 8 of induction therapy, 95% of the patients had lymphoblast counts <1000/μL and white blood cell counts <5.0 × 109/L. The remission induction rate was 95%, the induction mortality rate was 2.6% and overall survival was 72%. Conclusion The prognostic factors identified are compatible with the literature. The 5-year overall and event-free survival rates were lower than those reported for developed countries. As shown by the multivariate analysis, age and baseline white

Experimentally induced anhydrobiosis in the tardigrade Richtersius coronifer: phenotypic factors affecting survival.

PubMed

Jönsson, K Ingemar; Rebecchi, Lorena

2002-11-01

The ability of some animal taxa (e.g., nematodes, rotifers, and tardigrades) to enter an ametabolic (cryptobiotic) state is well known. Nevertheless, the phenotypic factors affecting successful anhydrobiosis have rarely been investigated. We report a laboratory study on the effects of body size, reproductive condition, and energetic condition on anhydrobiotic survival in a population of the eutardigrade Richtersius coronifer. Body size and energetic condition interacted in affecting the probability of survival, while reproductive condition had no effect. Large tardigrades had a lower probability of survival than medium-sized tardigrades and showed a positive response in survival to energetic condition. This suggests that energy constrained the possibility for large tardigrades to enter and to leave anhydrobiosis. As a possible alternative explanation for low survival in the largest specimens we discuss the expression of senescence. In line with the view that processes related to anhydrobiosis are connected with energetic costs we documented a decrease in the size of storage cells over a period of anhydrobiosis, showing for the first time that energy is consumed in the process of anhydrobiosis in tardigrades. Copyright 2002 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

Survival rate and prognostic factors of conventional osteosarcoma in Northern Thailand: A series from Chiang Mai University Hospital.

PubMed

Pruksakorn, Dumnoensun; Phanphaisarn, Areerak; Arpornchayanon, Olarn; Uttamo, Nantawat; Leerapun, Taninnit; Settakorn, Jongkolnee

2015-12-01

Osteosarcoma is a common and aggressive primary malignant bone tumor occurring in children and adolescents. It is one of the most aggressive human cancers and the most common cause of cancer-associated limb loss. As treatment in Thailand has produced a lower survival rate than in developed countries; therefore, this study identified survival rate and the poor prognostic factors of osteosarcoma in Northern Thailand. The retrospective cases of osteosarcoma, diagnosis between 1 January 1996 and 31 December 2013, were evaluated. Five and ten year overall survival rates were analyzed using time-to-event analysis. Potential prognostic factors were identified by multivariate regression analysis. There were 208 newly diagnosed osteosarcomas during that period, and 144 cases met the criteria for analysis. The majority of the osteosarcoma cases (78.5%) were aged 0-24 years. The overall 5- and 10-year survival rates were 37.9% and 33.6%, respectively. Presence of metastasis at initial examination, delayed and against treatment co-operation, and axial skeletal location were identified as independent prognostic factors for survival, with hazard ratios of 4.3, 2.5 and 3.8, and 3.1, respectively. This osteosarcoma cohort had a relatively poor overall survival rate. The prognostic factors identified would play a critical role in modifying survival rates of osteosarcoma patients; as rapid disease recognition, a better treatment counselling, as well as improving of chemotherapeutic regimens were found to be important in improving the overall survival rate in Thailand. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Twenty-year follow-up study of long-term survival of limited-stage small-cell lung cancer and overview of prognostic and treatment factors.

PubMed

Tai, Patricia; Tonita, Jon; Yu, Edward; Skarsgard, David

2003-07-01

To predict the long-term survival results of clinical trials earlier than using actuarial methods and to assess the factors predictive of long-term cure in patients with limited-stage small-cell lung cancer. Between 1981 and 1998, 1417 new cases of small-cell lung cancer were diagnosed in Saskatchewan, Canada, of which 244 were limited stage and treated with curative intent. They were followed to the end of February 2002. A parametric lognormal statistical model was retrospectively validated to determine whether long-term survival rates could be estimated several years earlier than is possible using the standard life-table actuarial method. The survival time of the uncured group followed a lognormal distribution. Four 2-year periods of diagnosis were combined, and patients were followed as a cohort for an additional 2 years. The estimated 10-year cause-specific survival rate was 13% by the lognormal model. The Kaplan-Meier calculation for 10-year cause-specific survival rate was 15% +/- 3%. The data also showed that the absence of mediastinal lymphadenopathy and higher chest radiotherapy dose were significant prognostic factors on multivariate analysis (p < 0.05). Among the 163 patients given prophylactic cranial irradiation, a higher biologically effective dose to the brain did not improve survival or decrease the incidence of brain metastases. The lognormal model has been validated for the estimation of survival in patients with limited-stage small-cell lung cancer. A higher biologically effective dose to the brain did not improve survival or decrease the incidence of brain metastases.

A Longitudinal Analysis of Factors Related to Survival in Old Age.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Shahtahmasebi, Said; And Others

1992-01-01

Used data from a longitudinal study of elderly which began in 1979 with 534 individuals in rural North Wales to study relationship between social circumstances and longevity. Multivariate analysis demonstrated there is no prima facie evidence that survival is affected by social networks or quality of life factors. However, socioeconomic factors…

Factors affecting winter survival of female mallards in the lower Mississippi alluvial valley

USGS Publications Warehouse

Davis, B.E.; Afton, A.D.; Cox, R.R.

2011-01-01

The lower Mississippi Alluvial Valley (hereafter LMAV) provides winter habitat for approximately 40% of the Mississippi Flyway's Mallard (Anas platyrhynhcos) population; information on winter survival rates of female Mallards in the LMAV is restricted to data collected prior to implementation of the North American Waterfowl Management Plan. To estimate recent survival and cause-specific mortality rates in the LMAV, 174 radio-marked female Mallards were tracked for a total of 11,912 exposure days. Survival varied by time periods defined by hunting seasons, and females with lower body condition (size adjusted body mass) at time of capture had reduced probability of survival. Female survival was less and the duration of our tracking period was greater than those in previous studies of similarly marked females in the LMAV; the product-limit survival estimate (??????SE) through the entire tracking period (136 days) was 0.54 ??0.10. Cause-specific mortality rates were 0.18 ??0.04 and 0.34 ??0.12 for hunting and other sources of mortality, respectively; the estimated mortality rate from other sources (including those from avian, mammalian, or unknown sources) was higher than mortality from non-hunting sources reported in previous studies of Mallards in the LMAV. Models that incorporate winter survival estimates as a factor in Mallard population growth rates should be adjusted for these reduced winter survival estimates.

Predictive factors of long-term colorectal cancer survival after ultrasound-controlled ablation of hepatic metastases.

PubMed

Hernández-Socorro, Carmen Rosa; Saavedra, Pedro; Ramírez Felipe, José; Bohn Sarmiento, Uriel; Ruiz-Santana, Sergio

2017-04-21

The risk factors associated to long-term survival were assessed in patients with liver metastases of colorectal carcinoma undergoing ablative therapies. Single-centre cohort study, retrospectively analysed and prospectively collected consecutive patients with unresectable metastatic liver disease of colorectal carcinoma treated with ablative therapies between 1996 and 2013. Factors associated with survival time were identified using Cox's proportional hazard model with time-dependent covariates. A forward variable selection based on Akaike information criterion was performed. Relative risk and 95% confidence intervals for each factor were calculated. Statistical significance was set as P<.05. Seventy-five patients with liver metastases of colorectal cancer, with a mean age of 65.6 (10.3) underwent 106 treatments. Variables selected were good quality of life (RR 0.308, 95% CI 0.150-0.632) and tumour extension (RR 3.070, 95% CI 1.776-5.308). The median overall survival was 18.5 months (95% CI 17.4-24.4). The survival prognosis in median was 13.5 vs. 23.4 months for patients with and without tumour extension, and 23.0 vs. 12.8 months for patients with good and fair or poor quality of life, respectively. Good quality of life and tumour extension were the only statistically significant predictors of long-term survival in patients of colorectal carcinoma with liver metastatic disease undergoing ablative treatment with ultrasound. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.

Factors influencing breeding success, ovarian cyclicity, and cub survival in zoo-managed tigers (Panthera tigris).

PubMed

Saunders, Sarah P; Harris, Tara; Traylor-Holzer, Kathy; Beck, Karen Goodrowe

2014-01-10

Understanding factors that influence reproduction and offspring survival in zoo populations is critical for management of threatened and endangered species. Examination of long-term data (1989-2011) compiled from the Association of Zoos and Aquarium's zoo-managed tiger breeding program provides the basis for a more thorough understanding of reproduction and scientifically based decisions for effective population management in this endangered felid. Biological and management-related factors that could influence tiger breeding success and cub survival were evaluated using logistic mixed models. Breeding success improved with female age until approximately age five, then declined thereafter. Experienced female breeders had greater breeding success than inexperienced females. Litter size was most predictive of cub survival, with average-sized litters (3-4 cubs) experiencing the highest proportional survival. Management-related factors, such as whether the breeding institution had a recent tiger litter and whether both animals were already located at the same institution, also influenced breeding success and cub survival. These results highlight the importance of institutional husbandry experience and the need to retain knowledge through staff turnovers to achieve optimal reproductive success. Using fecal estrogen data, frequency of ovarian cyclicity and mean cycle length did not differ by female age or parity; thus, lack of cyclicity and/or increased cycle duration are not likely explanations for declining breeding success with age. These results provide valuable reproductive information that should improve scientific management of zoo-based tiger populations. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Evaluation of factors associated with survival in dogs with untreated nasal carcinomas: 139 cases (1993-2003).

PubMed

Rassnick, Kenneth M; Goldkamp, Carrie E; Erb, Hollis N; Scrivani, Peter V; Njaa, Bradley L; Gieger, Tracy L; Turek, Michelle M; McNiel, Elizabeth A; Proulx, David R; Chun, Ruthanne; Mauldin, Glenna E; Phillips, Brenda S; Kristal, Orna

2006-08-01

To evaluate factors associated with survival in dogs with nasal carcinomas that did not receive treatment or received only palliative treatment. Retrospective case series. 139 dogs with histologically confirmed nasal carcinomas. Medical records, computed tomography images, and biopsy specimens of nasal carcinomas were reviewed. Only dogs that were not treated with radiation, surgery, chemotherapy, or immunotherapy and that survived > or = 7 days from the date of diagnosis were included. The Kaplan-Meier method was used to estimate survival time. Factors potentially associated with survival were compared by use of log-rank and Wilcoxon rank sum tests. Multivariable survival analysis was performed by use of the Cox proportional hazards regression model. Overall median survival time was 95 days (95% confidence interval [CI], 73 to 113 days; range, 7 to 1,114 days). In dogs with epistaxis, the hazard of dying was 2.3 times that of dogs that did not have epistaxis. Median survival time of 107 dogs with epistaxis was 88 days (95% CI, 65 to 106 days) and that of 32 dogs without epistaxis was 224 days (95% CI, 54 to 467 days). The prognosis of dogs with untreated nasal carcinomas is poor. Treatment strategies to improve outcome should be pursued.

Outcome of heart transplants 15 to 20 years ago: graft survival, post-transplant morbidity, and risk factors for mortality.

PubMed

Roussel, Jean C; Baron, Olivier; Périgaud, Christian; Bizouarn, Philippe; Pattier, Sabine; Habash, Oussama; Mugniot, Antoine; Petit, Thierry; Michaud, Jean L; Heymann, Marie Françoise; Treilhaud, Michèle; Trochu, Jean N; Gueffet, Jean P; Lamirault, Guillaume; Duveau, Daniel; Despins, Philippe

2008-05-01

The study was conducted to determine the long-term outcome of patients who underwent heart transplantation 15 to 20 years ago, in the cyclosporine era, and identify risk factors for death. A retrospective analysis was done of 148 patients who had undergone heart transplantation between 1985 and 1991 at a single center. Operative technique and immunosuppressive treatment were comparable in all patients. Actuarial survival rates were 75% (n = 111), 58% (n = 86), and 42% (n = 62) at 5, 10, and 15 years, respectively. The mean follow-up period was 12.1 +/- 5.6 years for patients who survived more than 3 months after transplantation (n = 131). The major causes of death were malignancy (35.8%) and cardiac allograft vasculopathy (24.7%). No death related to acute rejection was reported after the first month of transplantation. Graft coronary artery disease was detected on angiography in 66 (50.3%), and 7 (5.3%) had retransplantation. Malignancies developed in 131 patients (48.1%), including skin cancers in 31 (23.6%), solid tumors in 26 (19.8%), and hematologic malignancies in 14 (10.6%). Severe renal function requiring dialysis or renal transplantation developed in 27 patients (20.6%). By multivariable analysis, the only pre-transplant risk factor found to affect long-term survival was a history of cigarette use (p < 0.0004). Long-term survival at 15 years after cardiac transplantation remains excellent in the cyclosporine era. Controlling acute allograft rejection can be achieved but seems to carry a high rate of cancers and renal dysfunction. History of cigarette use affects significantly long-term survival in our study.

Assessment of imatinib as first-line treatment of chronic myeloid leukemia: 10-year survival results of the randomized CML study IV and impact of non-CML determinants.

PubMed

Hehlmann, R; Lauseker, M; Saußele, S; Pfirrmann, M; Krause, S; Kolb, H J; Neubauer, A; Hossfeld, D K; Nerl, C; Gratwohl, A; Baerlocher, G M; Heim, D; Brümmendorf, T H; Fabarius, A; Haferlach, C; Schlegelberger, B; Müller, M C; Jeromin, S; Proetel, U; Kohlbrenner, K; Voskanyan, A; Rinaldetti, S; Seifarth, W; Spieß, B; Balleisen, L; Goebeler, M C; Hänel, M; Ho, A; Dengler, J; Falge, C; Kanz, L; Kremers, S; Burchert, A; Kneba, M; Stegelmann, F; Köhne, C A; Lindemann, H W; Waller, C F; Pfreundschuh, M; Spiekermann, K; Berdel, W E; Müller, L; Edinger, M; Mayer, J; Beelen, D W; Bentz, M; Link, H; Hertenstein, B; Fuchs, R; Wernli, M; Schlegel, F; Schlag, R; de Wit, M; Trümper, L; Hebart, H; Hahn, M; Thomalla, J; Scheid, C; Schafhausen, P; Verbeek, W; Eckart, M J; Gassmann, W; Pezzutto, A; Schenk, M; Brossart, P; Geer, T; Bildat, S; Schäfer, E; Hochhaus, A; Hasford, J

2017-11-01

Chronic myeloid leukemia (CML)-study IV was designed to explore whether treatment with imatinib (IM) at 400 mg/day (n=400) could be optimized by doubling the dose (n=420), adding interferon (IFN) (n=430) or cytarabine (n=158) or using IM after IFN-failure (n=128). From July 2002 to March 2012, 1551 newly diagnosed patients in chronic phase were randomized into a 5-arm study. The study was powered to detect a survival difference of 5% at 5 years. After a median observation time of 9.5 years, 10-year overall survival was 82%, 10-year progression-free survival was 80% and 10-year relative survival was 92%. Survival between IM400 mg and any experimental arm was not different. In a multivariate analysis, risk group, major-route chromosomal aberrations, comorbidities, smoking and treatment center (academic vs other) influenced survival significantly, but not any form of treatment optimization. Patients reaching the molecular response milestones at 3, 6 and 12 months had a significant survival advantage. For responders, monotherapy with IM400 mg provides a close to normal life expectancy independent of the time to response. Survival is more determined by patients' and disease factors than by initial treatment selection. Although improvements are also needed for refractory disease, more life-time can currently be gained by carefully addressing non-CML determinants of survival.

Factors associated with reduced early survival in the Oxford phase III medial unicompartment knee replacement.

PubMed

Kuipers, Bart M; Kollen, Boudewijn J; Bots, Peter C Kaijser; Burger, Bart J; van Raay, Jos J A M; Tulp, Niek J A; Verheyen, Cees C P M

2010-01-01

The aim of this study was to determine the prognostic value of preoperative patellofemoral osteoarthritis, BMI and age for implant survival of unicompartmental knee arthroplasty (UKA) performed in patients meeting strict admission criteria. The data and radiographs of 437 unilateral Oxford phase III procedures (Biomet, Bridgend, UK) were analysed. All procedures were carried out or supervised by 13 specialised knee surgeons in three different hospitals. The study group comprised 437 patients with a median follow of 2.6 years (0.1-7.9). The cumulative standard case survival rate at 5 years, when there were still 101 patients at risk, was 84.7% (CI-95%: 80.1-89.3%). Young age (<60 years) was associated with a 2.2-fold increased adjusted risk of revision (CI: 1.08-4.43; p=0.03). The preoperative presence of radiological features of patellofemoral osteoarthritis was associated with a 0.3-fold reduced adjusted risk of revision (CI: 0.11-0.89; p=0.03). BMI>30 kg/m(2), gender, the surgeon performing the operation (either as an individual or categorised by annual surgical UKA caseload, i.e., more or less than 10 UKAs) and the hospital in which surgery took place did not predict implant survival of UKA. We conclude that young patients (<60 years) experience an increased early risk of revision for UKA when compared to older patients (>60 years). Obesity (BMI>30 kg/m(2)) and preoperative patellofemoral osteoarthritis are not associated with a decreased implant survival and therefore should not be considered risk factors in this context.

[Study on factors influencing survival in patients with advanced gastric carcinoma after resection by Cox's proportional hazard model].

PubMed

Wang, S; Sun, Z; Wang, S

1996-11-01

A prospective follow-up study of 539 advanced gastric carcinoma patients after resection was undertaken between 1 January 1980 and 31 December 1989, with a follow-up rate of 95.36%. A multivariate analysis of possible factors influencing survival of these patients was performed, and their predicting models of survival rates was established by Cox proportional hazard model. The results showed that the major significant prognostic factors influencing survival of these patients were rate and station of lymph node metastases, type of operation, hepatic metastases, size of tumor, age and location of tumor. The most important factor was the rate of lymph node metastases. According to their regression coefficients, the predicting value (PV) of each patient was calculated, then all patients were divided into five risk groups according to PV, their predicting models of survival rates after resection were established in groups. The goodness-fit of estimated predicting models of survival rates were checked by fitting curve and residual plot, and the estimated models tallied with the actual situation. The results suggest that the patients with advanced gastric cancer after resection without lymph node metastases and hepatic metastases had a better prognosis, and their survival probability may be predicted according to the predicting model of survival rates.

Extraperitoneal lymph node dissection in locally advanced cervical cancer; the prognostic factors associated with survival

PubMed Central

Köse, Mehmet Faruk; Kiseli, Mine; Kimyon, Günsu; Öcalan, Reyhan; Yenen, Müfit Cemal; Tulunay, Gökhan; Turan, Ahmet Taner; Üreyen, Işın; Boran, Nurettin

2017-01-01

Objective: Surgical staging was recently recommended for the decision of treatment in locally advanced cervical cancer. We aimed to investigate clinical outcomes as well as factors associated with overall survival (OS) in patients with locally advanced cervical cancer who had undergone extraperitoneal lymph node dissection and were managed according to their lymph node status. Material and Methods: The medical records of 233 women with stage IIb-IVa cervical cancer who were clinically staged and underwent extraperitoneal lymph node dissection were retrospectively reviewed. Paraaortic lymph node status determined the appropriate radiotherapeutic treatment field. Surgery-related complications and clinical outcomes were evaluated. Results: The median age of the patients was 52 years (range, 26-88 years) and the median follow-up time was 28.4 months (range, 3-141 months). Thirty-one patients had laparoscopic extraperitoneal lymph node dissection and 202 patients underwent laparotomy. The number of paraaortic lymph nodes extracted was similar for both techniques. Sixty-two (27%) of the 233 patients had paraaortic lymph node metastases. The 3-year and 5-year OS rates were 55.1% and 46.5%, respectively. The stage of disease, number of metastatic paraaortic lymph nodes, tumor type, and paraaortic lymph node status were associated with OS. In multivariate Cox regression analyses, tumor type, stage, and presence of paraaortic lymph node metastases were the independent prognostic factors of OS. Conclusion: Paraaortic lymph node metastasis is the most important prognostic factor affecting survival. Surgery would give hints about the prognosis and treatment planning of the patient. PMID:28400350

Prostate-Specific Antigen Persistence After Radical Prostatectomy as a Predictive Factor of Clinical Relapse-Free Survival and Overall Survival: 10-Year Data of the ARO 96-02 Trial

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Wiegel, Thomas, E-mail: thomas.wiegel@uniklinik-ulm.de; Bartkowiak, Detlef; Bottke, Dirk

2015-02-01

Objective: The ARO 96-02 trial primarily compared wait-and-see (WS, arm A) with adjuvant radiation therapy (ART, arm B) in prostate cancer patients who achieved an undetectable prostate-specific antigen (PSA) after radical prostatectomy (RP). Here, we report the outcome with up to 12 years of follow-up of patients who retained a post-RP detectable PSA and received salvage radiation therapy (SRT, arm C). Methods and Materials: For the study, 388 patients with pT3-4pN0 prostate cancer with positive or negative surgical margins were recruited. After RP, 307 men achieved an undetectable PSA (arms A + B). In 78 patients the PSA remained above thresholds (median 0.6,more » range 0.05-5.6 ng/mL). Of the latter, 74 consented to receive 66 Gy to the prostate bed, and SRT was applied at a median of 86 days after RP. Clinical relapse-free survival, metastasis-free survival, and overall survival were determined by the Kaplan-Meier method. Results: Patients with persisting PSA after RP had higher preoperative PSA values, higher tumor stages, higher Gleason scores, and more positive surgical margins than did patients in arms A + B. For the 74 patients, the 10-year clinical relapse-free survival rate was 63%. Forty-three men had hormone therapy; 12 experienced distant metastases; 23 patients died. Compared with men who did achieve an undetectable PSA, the arm-C patients fared significantly worse, with a 10-year metastasis-free survival of 67% versus 83% and overall survival of 68% versus 84%, respectively. In Cox regression analysis, Gleason score ≥8 (hazard ratio [HR] 2.8), pT ≥ 3c (HR 2.4), and extraprostatic extension ≥2 mm (HR 3.6) were unfavorable risk factors of progression. Conclusions: A persisting PSA after prostatectomy seems to be an important prognosticator of clinical progression for pT3 tumors. It correlates with a higher rate of distant metastases and with worse overall survival. A larger prospective study is required to determine which patient

Clinical characteristics of long-term survival with non-invasive ventilation and factors affecting the transition to invasive ventilation in ALS.

PubMed

Hirose, Takahiko; Kimura, Fumiharu; Tani, Hiroki; Ota, Shin; Tsukahara, Akihiro; Sano, Eri; Shigekiyo, Taro; Nakamura, Yoshitsugu; Kakiuchi, Kensuke; Motoki, Mikiko; Unoda, Kiichi; Ishida, Simon; Nakajima, Hideto; Arawaka, Shigeki

2018-04-20

Introduction We evaluated post non-invasive ventilation survival and factors for the transition to tracheostomy in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. Methods We analyzed 197 patients using a prospectively-collected database, with 114 patients since 2000. Results Of 114 patients, 59 patients underwent non-invasive ventilation (NIV), which prolonged the total median survival time to 43 months compared with 32 months without treatment. The best post-NIV survival was associated with a lack of bulbar symptoms, higher measured pulmonary function, and a slower rate of progression at diagnosis. The transition rate from NIV to tracheostomy gradually decreased over the years. Patients using NIV for more than 6 months were more likely to refuse tracheostomy and to be female. Discussion This study confirmed a positive survival effect with NIV, which was less effective in patients with bulbar dysfunction. Further studies are necessary to determine the best timing for using NIV with ALS in patients with bulbar dysfunction. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved. © 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Analysis of prognostic factors for survival in patients with primary spinal chordoma using the SEER Registry from 1973 to 2014.

PubMed

Pan, Yue; Lu, Lingyun; Chen, Junquan; Zhong, Yong; Dai, Zhehao

2018-04-06

Spinal chordomas are rare primary osseous tumors that arise from the remnants of the notochord. They are commonly considered slow-growing, locally invasive neoplasms with little tendency to metastasize, but the high recurrent rate of spinal chordomas may seriously affect the survival rate and quality of life of patients. The aim of the study is to describe the epidemiological data and determine the prognostic factors for decreased survival in patients with primary spinal chordoma. The Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) Registry database, a US population-based cancer registry database, was used to identify all patients diagnosed with primary spinal chordoma from 1973 to 2014. We utilized Kaplan-Meier method and Cox proportional hazards regression analysis to evaluate the association between patients overall survival and relevant characteristics, including age, gender, race, disease stage, treatment methods, primary tumor site, marital status, and urban county background. In the data set between 1973 and 2014, a total of 808 patients were identified with primary spinal chordoma. The overall rate of distant metastatic cases in our cohort was only 7.7%. Spinal chordoma was more common occurred in men (62.6%) than women (37.3%). Majority of neoplasms were found in the White (87.9%), while the incidence of the Black is relatively infrequent (3.3%). Three hundred fifty-seven spinal chordomas (44.2%) were located in the vertebral column, while 451 patients' tumor (55.8%) was located in the sacrum or pelvis. Age ≥ 60 years (HR = 2.72; 95%CI, 1.71 to 2.89), distant metastasis (HR = 2.16; 95%CI, 1.54 to 3.02), and non-surgical therapy (HR = 2.14; 95%CI, 1.72 to 2.69) were independent risk factors for survival reduction in analysis. Survival did not significantly differ as a factor of tumor site (vertebrae vs sacrum/pelvis) for primary spinal chordoma (HR = 0.93, P = 0.16). Race (P = 0.52), gender (P = 0.11), marital status (P = 0.94), and

Cerebral metastases in metastatic breast cancer: disease-specific risk factors and survival.

PubMed

Heitz, F; Rochon, J; Harter, P; Lueck, H-J; Fisseler-Eckhoff, A; Barinoff, J; Traut, A; Lorenz-Salehi, F; du Bois, A

2011-07-01

Survival of patients suffering from cerebral metastases (CM) is limited. Identification of patients with a high risk for CM is warranted to adjust follow-up care and to evaluate preventive strategies. Exploratory analysis of disease-specific parameter in patients with metastatic breast cancer (MBC) treated between 1998 and 2008 using cumulative incidences and Fine and Grays' multivariable regression analyses. After a median follow-up of 4.0 years, 66 patients (10.5%) developed CM. The estimated probability for CM was 5%, 12% and 15% at 1, 5 and 10 years; in contrast, the probability of death without CM was 21%, 61% and 76%, respectively. A small tumor size, ER status, ductal histology, lung and lymph node metastases, human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 positive (HER2+) tumors, younger age and M0 were associated with CM in univariate analyses, the latter three being risk factors in the multivariable model. Survival was shortened in patient developing CM (24.0 months) compared with patients with no CM (33.6 months) in the course of MBC. Young patients, primary with non-metastatic disease and HER2+ tumors, have a high risk to develop CM in MBC. Survival of patients developing CM in the course of MBC is impaired compared with patients without CM.

Trends in population blood pressure and determinant factors for population blood pressure.

PubMed

Andersen, Ulla Overgaard

2017-03-01

Strategies to reduce the burden of blood pressure attributable diseases require knowledge of secular trend in PBP and its determinants. The issues were investigated in the Copenhagen City Heart Study. The design of CCHS is a repeated measures study. Such designs are uniquely suited to studying changes of an outcome and what risk factors may be associated with that outcome. Repeated measures studies are very well suited for trend analysis by using mixed effect analyses. SBP decreased about 2 mmHg in 25 years. The risk factors age, gender and BMI were found valid as determinant factors for secular trends in SBP. In addition, the following factors were identified: household income and the interactions ''gender*age'' and ''survey*age''. The interaction ''gender*age'' stated that the difference between SBP in the two genders was great in the young individuals and diminished by age. The interaction ''survey*age'' stated that SBP in the young individuals decreased more with survey than SBP in the older individuals. Thus, the 20 years old subjects in survey 2, 3 and 4 have lower SBP than the 20 years old subjects in preceding surveys. The slopes were less steep in higher ages. In the group of elderly and old subjects the trend is partly explained by treatment bias because more and more subjects leave the untreated group and start treatment. The factor ''household income'' was significant only in the female population and stated that high-income women had lower SBP and a more beneficial secular trend in SBP than low-income women. Marital status, self-reported physical exercise and alcohol intake were not significant factors. A number of factors, that are interesting in relation to SBP, were not included in the CCHS and therefore not investigated. Among them are salt intake, childhood factors, genetic factors and the DASH diet. A survival study was performed to investigate the mortality rate in relation to SBP changes during the observation period. A Cox regression analysis

Socioeconomic factors and survival in patients with non-metastatic head and neck squamous cell carcinoma.

PubMed

Xu, Cheng; Chen, Yu-Pei; Liu, Xu; Tang, Ling-Long; Chen, Lei; Mao, Yan-Ping; Zhang, Yuan; Guo, Rui; Zhou, Guan-Qun; Li, Wen-Fei; Lin, Ai-Hua; Sun, Ying; Ma, Jun

2017-06-01

The effect of socioeconomic factors on receipt of definitive treatment and survival outcomes in non-metastatic head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) remains unclear. Eligible patients (n = 37 995) were identified from the United States Surveillance, Epidemiology and End Results (SEER) database between 2007 and 2012. Socioeconomic factors (i.e., median household income, education level, unemployment rate, insurance status, marital status and residence) were included in univariate/multivariate Cox regression analysis; validated factors were used to generate nomograms for cause-specific survival (CSS) and overall survival (OS), and a prognostic score model for risk stratification. Low- and high-risk groups were compared for all cancer subsites. Impact of race/ethnicity on survival was investigated in each risk group. Marital status, median household income and insurance status were included in the nomograms for CSS and OS, which had higher c-indexes than the 6th edition TNM staging system (all P < 0.001). Based on three disadvantageous socioeconomic factors (i.e., unmarried status, uninsured status, median household income survival outcomes. Low-risk socioeconomic status and Chinese race/ethnicity confer protective effects in HNSCC. © 2017 The Authors. Cancer Science published by John Wiley & Sons Australia, Ltd on behalf of Japanese Cancer Association.

Delayed treatment with recombinant human tissue factor pathway inhibitor improves survival in rabbits with gram-negative peritonitis.

PubMed

Camerota, A J; Creasey, A A; Patla, V; Larkin, V A; Fink, M P

1998-03-01

To determine whether treatment with recombinant human tissue factor pathway inhibitor (TFPI), an inhibitor of the extrinsic coagulation pathway, can improve survival in a clinically relevant model of gram-negative sepsis, rabbits were given an intraperitoneal inoculation of a suspension containing hemoglobin (40 microg/mL), porcine mucin (150 microg/mL), and viable Escherichia coli O18:K1 (1.0 +/- 0.5 x 10(5) cfu/kg). Treatment with gentamicin (5 mg/kg every 12 h for five doses) was instituted 4 h after induction of peritonitis. At the same time point, rabbits were randomized to receive a 24-h infusion of vehicle or one of three different doses of TFPI. Treatment groups, 7-day survival rates, and significance versus control were as follows: control, 1 of 20; TFPI(LOW DOSE) (0.1 mg/kg, then 1 microg/kg/min), 3 of 12 (P = .14); TFPI(MID DOSE), (0.5 mg/kg, then 5 microg/kg/min), 7 of 12 (P = .002); TFPI(HIGH DOSE) (10 mg/kg, then 10 microg/kg/min), 4 of 13 (P = .04). Thus, delayed treatment with TFPI improves survival in septic rabbits.

Evaluation of possible prognostic factors for the success, survival, and failure of dental implants.

PubMed

Geckili, Onur; Bilhan, Hakan; Geckili, Esma; Cilingir, Altug; Mumcu, Emre; Bural, Canan

2014-02-01

To analyze the prognostic factors that are associated with the success, survival, and failure rates of dental implants. Data including implant sizes, insertion time, implant location, and prosthetic treatment of 1656 implants have been collected, and the association of these factors with success, survival, and failure of implants was analyzed. The success rate was lower for short and maxillary implants. The failure rate of maxillary implants exceeded that of mandibular implants, and the failure rate of implants that were placed in the maxillary anterior region was significantly higher than other regions. The failure rates of implants that were placed 5 years ago or more were higher than those that were placed later. Anterior maxilla is more critical for implant loss than other sites. Implants in the anterior mandible show better success compared with other locations, and longer implants show better success rates. The learning curve of the clinician influences survival and success rates of dental implants.

Endometriosis is the independent prognostic factor for survival in Chinese patients with epithelial ovarian carcinoma.

PubMed

Ren, Tong; Wang, Shu; Sun, Jian; Qu, Ji-Min; Xiang, Yang; Shen, Keng; Lang, Jing He

2017-10-03

Clinico-pathological characteristics and possible prognostic factors among women with epithelial ovarian carcinoma (EOC) with or without concurrent endometriosis were explored. We retrospectively identified 304 patients with EOC treated primarily at Peking Union Medical College Hospital with median follow-up time of 60 months. Of 304 patients with EOC, concurrent endometriosis was identified in 69 (22.7%). The patients with concurrent endometriosis were younger and more probably post-menopausal at onset, were less likely to have abdominal distension, with significantly lower level of pre-surgery serum Ca125 and less possibility of having the history of tubal ligation. The women with concurrent endometriosis group were more likely to have early stage tumors (88.41% versus 52.77%), receive optimal cytoreductive surgery (92.75% versus 71.06%), and less likely to have lymph node metastasis or to develop platinum resistance disease (7.25% versus 14.89%, and 7.35% versus 20%), when compared with women without coexisting endometriosis. The univariate analysis showed that concurrent endometriosis was a prognostic factor for overall survival (OS) and disease-free survival (DFS), but this association just remained in the DFS by multivariate analysis. Besides, multivariate analysis also showed that FIGO stage, residual disease, chemotherapy cycles, chemotherapy resistance and concomitant hypertension were the independent impact factors of OS for EOC patients; whereas FIGO stage, lymphadenectomy, residual disease, coexisting endometriosis and chemoresistance were independent impact factors of DFS for those patients. EOC patients with concurrent endometriosis showed distinct characteristics and had longer overall survival and disease-free survival when compared with those without endometriosis. Endometriosis was the independent prognostic factor for DFS for patients in this series.

Prognostic factors and survival of colorectal cancer in Kurdistan province, Iran: A population-based study (2009-2014).

PubMed

Rasouli, Mohammad Aziz; Moradi, Ghobad; Roshani, Daem; Nikkhoo, Bahram; Ghaderi, Ebrahim; Ghaytasi, Bahman

2017-02-01

Colorectal cancer (CRC) survival varies at individual and geographically level. This population-based study aimed to evaluating various factors affecting the survival rate of CRC patients in Kurdistan province.In a retrospective cohort study, patients diagnosed as CRC were collected through a population-based study from March 1, 2009 to 2014. The data were collected from Kurdistan's Cancer Registry database. Additional information and missing data were collected reference to patients' homes, medical records, and pathology reports. The CRC survival was calculated from the date of diagnosis to the date of cancer-specific death or the end of follow-up (cutoff date: October 2015). Kaplan-Meier method and log-rank test were used for the univariate analysis of survival in various subgroups. The proportional-hazard model Cox was also used in order to consider the effects of different factors on survival including age at diagnosis, place of residence, marital status, occupation, level of education, smoking, economic status, comorbidity, tumor stage, and tumor grade.A total number of 335 patients affected by CRC were assessed and the results showed that 1- and 5-year survival rate were 87% and 33%, respectively. According to the results of Cox's multivariate analysis, the following factors were significantly related to CRC survival: age at diagnosis (≥65 years old) (HR 2.08, 95% CI: 1.17-3.71), single patients (HR 1.62, 95% CI: 1.10-2.40), job (worker) (HR 2.09, 95% CI: 1.22-3.58), educational level: diploma or below (HR 0.61, 95% CI: 0.39-0.92), wealthy economic status (HR 0.51, 95% CI: 0.31-0.82), tumor grade in poorly differentiated (HR 2.25, 95% CI: 1.37-3.69), and undifferentiated/anaplastic grade (HR 2.90, 95% CI: 1.67-4.98).We found that factors such as low education, inappropriate socioeconomic status, and high tumor grade at the time of disease diagnosis were effective in the poor survival of CRC patients in Kurdistan province; this, which need more attention.

Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor Is Related to Poor Survival in Glioblastomas: Single-Institution Experience

PubMed Central

Choi, Youngmin; Lee, Hyung-Sik; Hur, Won-Joo; Sung, Ki-Han; Kim, Ki-Uk; Choi, Sun-Seob; Kim, Su-Jin; Kim, Dae-Cheol

2013-01-01

Purpose There are conflicting results surrounding the prognostic significance of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) status in glioblastoma (GBM) patients. Accordingly, we attempted to assess the influence of EGFR expression on the survival of GBM patients receiving postoperative radiotherapy. Materials and Methods Thirty three GBM patients who had received surgery and postoperative radiotherapy at our institute, between March 1997 and February 2006, were included. The evaluation of EGFR expression with immunohistochemistry was available for 30 patients. Kaplan-Meier survival analysis and Cox regression were used for statistical analysis. Results EGFR was expressed in 23 patients (76.7%), and not expressed in seven (23.3%). Survival in EGFR expressing GBM patients was significantly less than that in non-expressing patients (median survival: 12.5 versus 17.5 months, p=0.013). Patients who received more than 60 Gy showed improved survival over those who received up to 60 Gy (median survival: 17.0 versus 9.0 months, p=0.000). Negative EGFR expression and a higher radiation dose were significantly correlated with improved survival on multivariate analysis. Survival rates showed no differences according to age, sex, and surgical extent. Conclusion The expression of EGFR demonstrated a significantly deleterious effect on the survival of GBM patients. Therefore, approaches targeting EGFR should be considered in potential treatment methods for GBM patients, in addition to current management strategies. PMID:23225805

Embolotherapy for Neuroendocrine Tumor Liver Metastases: Prognostic Factors for Hepatic Progression-Free Survival and Overall Survival

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Chen, James X.; Rose, Steven; White, Sarah B.

PurposeThe purpose of the study was to evaluate prognostic factors for survival outcomes following embolotherapy for neuroendocrine tumor (NET) liver metastases.Materials and MethodsThis was a multicenter retrospective study of 155 patients (60 years mean age, 57 % male) with NET liver metastases from pancreas (n = 71), gut (n = 68), lung (n = 8), or other/unknown (n = 8) primary sites treated with conventional transarterial chemoembolization (TACE, n = 50), transarterial radioembolization (TARE, n = 64), or transarterial embolization (TAE, n = 41) between 2004 and 2015. Patient-, tumor-, and treatment-related factors were evaluated for prognostic effect on hepatic progression-free survival (HPFS) and overall survival (OS) using unadjusted and propensity score-weighted univariate and multivariate Coxmore » proportional hazards models.ResultsMedian HPFS and OS were 18.5 and 125.1 months for G1 (n = 75), 12.2 and 33.9 months for G2 (n = 60), and 4.9 and 9.3 months for G3 tumors (n = 20), respectively (p < 0.05). Tumor burden >50 % hepatic volume demonstrated 5.5- and 26.8-month shorter median HPFS and OS, respectively, versus burden ≤50 % (p < 0.05). There were no significant differences in HPFS or OS between gut or pancreas primaries. In multivariate HPFS analysis, there were no significant differences among embolotherapy modalities. In multivariate OS analysis, TARE had a higher hazard ratio than TACE (unadjusted Cox model: HR 2.1, p = 0.02; propensity score adjusted model: HR 1.8, p = 0.11), while TAE did not differ significantly from TACE.ConclusionHigher tumor grade and tumor burden prognosticated shorter HPFS and OS. TARE had a higher hazard ratio for OS than TACE. There were no significant differences in HPFS among embolotherapy modalities.« less

Breast cancer patients survival and associated factors: reported outcomes from the Southern Cancer Registry in Portugal.

PubMed

André, Maria Rosario; Amaral, Sandra; Mayer, Alexandra; Miranda, Ana

2014-01-01

Although the breast cancer incidence in Portugal is lower than the European average, it is the most frequent cancer in women. Overall, mortality rates are heterogeneous throughout Portugal. Implicated factors may include demographic and socioeconomic aspects, tumor biological characteristics, and access to medical care. The aim of this study is to detect survival differences in female breast cancer and identify the main associated factors. We have conducted a population-based, retrospective cohort study with follow-up. Incident breast cancer cases diagnosed in 2005 of residents in the southern region of Portugal were included. Data was collected from the Southern Portugal Cancer Registry (ROR-Sul) database and completed with clinical chart information. A total of 1 354 patients were included in this study. Observed geographical variations were as follows: for age distribution, with an aging population in Alentejo; for tumor sub-types, there was a higher incidence of HER2-positive tumors in the Algarve and a higher incidence of HER2-negative tumors in Região Autónoma da Madeira. Reported estimated 5-year overall survival was 80%, with significant association with tumor stage, hormone receptor and HER2 status. No survival differences were identified among women from distinct geographical regions. Although we found differences in age and tumor sub-type distribution between geographical regions, our study does not support the existence of discrepancies in breast cancer survival between these regions. Tumor biological characteristics seem to be the main associated factor with breast cancer survival in our population. Our study confirms the association between patient survival and tumor stage, hormone receptor and HER2 status. However, no differences in patient survival were observed among different regions of residence.

Rural AIDS Diagnoses in Florida: Changing Demographics and Factors Associated With Survival

PubMed Central

Trepka, Mary Jo; Niyonsenga, Theophile; Maddox, Lorene M.; Lieb, Spencer

2012-01-01

Purpose To compare demographic characteristics and predictors of survival of rural residents diagnosed with acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) with those of urban residents. Methods Florida surveillance data for people diagnosed with AIDS during 1993–2007 were merged with 2000 Census data using ZIP code tabulation areas (ZCTA). Rural status was classified based on the ZCTA’s rural-urban commuting area classification. Survival rates were compared between rural and urban areas using survival curves and Cox proportional hazards models controlling for demographic, clinical, and area-level socioeconomic and health care access factors. Findings Of the 73,590 people diagnosed with AIDS, 1,991 (2.7%) resided in rural areas. People in the most recent rural cohorts were more likely than those in earlier cohorts to be female, non-Hispanic black, older, and have a reported transmission mode of heterosexual sex. There were no statistically significant differences in the 3-, 5-, or 10-year survival rates between rural and urban residents. Older age at the time of diagnosis, diagnosis during the 1993–1995 period, other/unknown transmission mode, and lower CD4 count/percent categories were associated with lower survival in both rural and urban areas. In urban areas only, being non-Hispanic black or Hispanic, being US born, more poverty, less community social support, and lower physician density were also associated with lower survival. Conclusions In rural Florida, the demographic characteristics of people diagnosed with AIDS have been changing, which may necessitate modifications in the delivery of AIDS-related services. Rural residents diagnosed with AIDS did not have a significant survival disadvantage relative to urban residents. PMID:23802929

Survival and Associated Risk Factors for Mortality Among Infants with Critical Congenital Heart Disease in a Developing Country.

PubMed

Mat Bah, Mohd Nizam; Sapian, Mohd Hanafi; Jamil, Mohammad Tamim; Alias, Amelia; Zahari, Norazah

2018-05-14

Critical congenital heart disease (CCHD) is associated with significant morbidity and mortality. However, data on survival of CCHD and the risk factors associated with its mortality are limited. This study examined CCHD survival and the risk factors for CCHD mortality. Using a retrospective cohort study of infants born with CCHD from 2006 to 2015, survival over 10 years was estimated using Kaplan-Meier analysis, and the risk factors for mortality were analyzed using multivariate Cox proportional hazards regression. A total of 491 CCHD cases were included in the study, with an overall mortality rate of 34.8% (95% confidence interval [CI] 30.6-39.2). The intervention/surgical mortality rate was 9.8% ≤ 30 days and 11.5% > 30 days after surgery, and 17% died before surgery or intervention. The median age at death was 2.7 months [first quartile: 1 month, third quartile: 7.3 months]. The CCHD survival rate was 90.4% (95% CI 89-91.8%) at 1 month, 69.3% (95% CI 67.2-71.4%) at 1 year, 63.4% (95% CI 61.1-65.7%) at 5 years, and 61.4% (95% CI 58.9-63.9%) at 10 years. Weight of < 2 kg at diagnosis, associated syndromes, poor pre-operative condition, and non-duct-dependent CCHD were independent risk factors for poor survival, with hazard ratios of 2.61, 2.10, 2.22, and 1.70, respectively. CCHD is associated with a high mortality rate. Low weight, poor pre-operative condition, associated syndromes, and non-duct-dependent CCHD are significant risk factors affecting the survival of infants with CCHD.

Survival significance of epidermal growth factor receptor tyrosine kinase inhibitors and current staging system for survival after recurrence in patients with completely resected lung adenocarcinoma

PubMed Central

Saji, Hisashi; Sakai, Hiroki; Kimura, Hiroyuki; Miyazawa, Tomoyuki; Marushima, Hideki; Nakamura, Haruhiko

2017-01-01

Objective We previously reported that the staging system and epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) mutation status are key factors for treatment strategy and predicting survival. However, the significance of these factors as predictors of overall survival (OS) and postoperative recurrence survival (PRS) has not been sufficiently elucidated. The objective here was to investigate EGFR mutation status and p-stage, which affect PRS and OS in patients with completely resected lung adenocarcinoma, using a different database. Patients and methods We retrospectively reviewed 56 consecutive lung adenocarcinoma patients with disease recurrence in St. Marianna University Hospital between January 2010 and December 2014. Results EGFR mutants (M) were detected in 16/56 patients (29%). The patients with EGFR M had a better OS than those with EGFR wild-type (WT) status (5-year survival: 50.3% vs 43.1, P=0.133). There was no significant difference in the 3-year recurrence-free survival rate between patients with M and WT (6.3% vs 7.7%, P=0.656), and the patients with EGFR M had a significantly better 3-year PRS than those with WT (77.4% vs 51.7%, P=0.033). The 3-year PRS rate for patients with M/pathologic stage (p-stage) I–II (87.5%) was better than that for patients with M/p-stage III (60.0%), WT/p-stage I–II (52.7%), and WT/p-stage III (43.8%). There was a significant difference between patients with M/p-stage I and WT/p-stage I–II or WT/p-stage III (P=0.021 and 0.030, respectively). During the study period, of the 16 patients with mutants, 12 patients (75%) received EGFR-tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI) therapy and among the 40 patients with WT, no patient received EGFR-TKI therapy. Multivariate survival analysis showed that patients with EGFR-TKI therapy had a statistically significant association with favorable PRS (hazard ratio 0.271; 95% confidence interval 0.074–1.000; P=0.050). Conclusion EGFR status and p-stage were found to be essential prognostic factors for

Margin Status Remains an Important Determinant of Survival after Surgical Resection of Colorectal Liver Metastases in the Era of Modern Chemotherapy

PubMed Central

Andreou, Andreas; Aloia, Thomas A.; Brouquet, Antoine; Dickson, Paxton V.; Zimmitti, Giuseppe; Maru, Dipen M.; Kopetz, Scott; Loyer, Evelyne M.; Curley, Steven A.; Abdalla, Eddie K.; Vauthey, Jean-Nicolas

2013-01-01

Objective To determine the impact of surgical margin status on overall survival (OS) of patients undergoing hepatectomy for colorectal liver metastases (CLM) after modern preoperative chemotherapy. Summary Background Data In the era of effective chemotherapy for CLM, the association between surgical margin status and survival has become controversial. Methods Clinicopathologic data and outcomes for 378 patients treated with modern preoperative chemotherapy and hepatectomy were analyzed. The effect of positive margins on OS was analyzed in relation to pathologic and computed tomography-based morphologic response to chemotherapy. Results Fifty-two of 378 resections (14%) were R1 resections (tumor-free margin < 1 mm). The 5-year OS rates for patients with R0 resection (margin ≥ 1 mm) and R1 resection were 55% and 26%, respectively (P=0.017). Multivariate analysis identified R1 resection (P=0.03) and minor pathologic response to chemotherapy (P=0.002) as the 2 factors independently associated with worse survival. The survival benefit associated with negative margins (R0 vs. R1 resection) was greater in patients with suboptimal morphologic response (5-year OS rate: 62% vs. 11%, P=0.007) than in patients with optimal response (3-year OS rate: 92% vs. 88%, P=0.917) and greater in patients with minor pathologic response (5-year OS rate: 46% vs. 0%, P=0.002) than in patients with major response (5-year OS rate: 63% vs. 67%, P=0.587). Conclusions In the era of modern chemotherapy, negative margins remain an important determinant of survival and should be the primary goal of surgical therapy. The impact of positive margins is most pronounced in patients with suboptimal response to systemic therapy. PMID:23426338

Margin status remains an important determinant of survival after surgical resection of colorectal liver metastases in the era of modern chemotherapy.

PubMed

Andreou, Andreas; Aloia, Thomas A; Brouquet, Antoine; Dickson, Paxton V; Zimmitti, Giuseppe; Maru, Dipen M; Kopetz, Scott; Loyer, Evelyne M; Curley, Steven A; Abdalla, Eddie K; Vauthey, Jean-Nicolas

2013-06-01

To determine the impact of surgical margin status on overall survival (OS) of patients undergoing hepatectomy for colorectal liver metastases after modern preoperative chemotherapy. In the era of effective chemotherapy for colorectal liver metastases, the association between surgical margin status and survival has become controversial. Clinicopathologic data and outcomes for 378 patients treated with modern preoperative chemotherapy and hepatectomy were analyzed. The effect of positive margins on OS was analyzed in relation to pathologic and computed tomography-based morphologic response to chemotherapy. Fifty-two of 378 resections (14%) were R1 resections (tumor-free margin <1 mm). The 5-year OS rates for patients with R0 resection (margin ≥1 mm) and R1 resection were 55% and 26%, respectively (P = 0.017). Multivariate analysis identified R1 resection (P = 0.03) and a minor pathologic response to chemotherapy (P = 0.002) as the 2 factors independently associated with worse survival. The survival benefit associated with negative margins (R0 vs R1 resection) was greater in patients with suboptimal morphologic response (5-year OS rate: 62% vs 11%; P = 0.007) than in patients with optimal response (3-year OS rate: 92% vs 88%; P = 0.917) and greater in patients with a minor pathologic response (5-year OS rate: 46% vs 0%; P = 0.002) than in patients with a major response (5-year OS rate: 63% vs 67%; P = 0.587). In the era of modern chemotherapy, negative margins remain an important determinant of survival and should be the primary goal of surgical therapy. The impact of positive margins is most pronounced in patients with suboptimal response to systemic therapy.

Making a case for the socioeconomic determinacy of survival in osteosarcoma.

PubMed

Nathan, Saminathan S; Healey, John H

2013-03-01

The literature on osteosarcoma survival generally focuses on tumor and treatment variables, although it is unclear whether and how ethnic and socioeconomic factors might influence survival. We therefore investigated the relative contribution of socioeconomic influences together with more traditional tumor-specific factors on osteosarcoma survival. We performed survival analyses on two national databases in two countries. Using multivariable analyses, we compared these with corresponding institution-specific survival to determine if socioeconomic factors might impact osteosarcoma survival. East Asian descent, state-specific treatment, female sex, treatment in the 1990s, low-grade disease, intracompartmental disease, small size, wide resections as opposed to forequarter or hindquarter amputations, and single primaries were good prognostic factors. Survival was better in the more affluent states. Males were affected at an older age than females. Blacks tended to have larger tumors, although their overall survival was similar to whites. East Asians were more likely to be treated in the 1990s with wide resections for smaller tumors and were located around states associated with good treatment. East Asians in Singapore and the United States had the same survival. Survival in East Asians in Singapore was similar to that of other races. The provision of health care for osteosarcoma varies greatly across the United States but is uniform in the socialized medical system in Singapore. Hence, the observed differences in the United States were likely the result of socioeconomic factors. Our analysis suggests ethnic and economic bias may influence survival in osteosarcoma and should receive greater attention in the collective literature on survival analyses. Level II, prognostic study. See the Guidelines for Authors for a complete description of levels of evidence.

Prognostic Factors and Decision Tree for Long-term Survival in Metastatic Uveal Melanoma.

PubMed

Lorenzo, Daniel; Ochoa, María; Piulats, Josep Maria; Gutiérrez, Cristina; Arias, Luis; Català, Jaum; Grau, María; Peñafiel, Judith; Cobos, Estefanía; Garcia-Bru, Pere; Rubio, Marcos Javier; Padrón-Pérez, Noel; Dias, Bruno; Pera, Joan; Caminal, Josep Maria

2017-12-04

The purpose of this study was to demonstrate the existence of a bimodal survival pattern in metastatic uveal melanoma. Secondary aims were to identify the characteristics and prognostic factors associated with long-term survival and to develop a clinical decision tree. The medical records of 99 metastatic uveal melanoma patients were retrospectively reviewed. Patients were classified as either short (≤ 12 months) or long-term survivors (> 12 months) based on a graphical interpretation of the survival curve after diagnosis of the first metastatic lesion. Ophthalmic and oncological characteristics were assessed in both groups. Of the 99 patients, 62 (62.6%) were classified as short-term survivors, and 37 (37.4%) as long-term survivors. The multivariate analysis identified the following predictors of long-term survival: age ≤ 65 years (p=0.012) and unaltered serum lactate dehydrogenase levels (p=0.018); additionally, the size (smaller vs. larger) of the largest liver metastasis showed a trend towards significance (p=0.063). Based on the variables significantly associated with long-term survival, we developed a decision tree to facilitate clinical decision-making. The findings of this study demonstrate the existence of a bimodal survival pattern in patients with metastatic uveal melanoma. The presence of certain clinical characteristics at diagnosis of distant disease is associated with long-term survival. A decision tree was developed to facilitate clinical decision-making and to counsel patients about the expected course of disease.

Factors influencing survival duration and choice of virgin queens in the stingless bee Melipona quadrifasciata.

PubMed

Kärcher, Martin H; Menezes, Cristiano; Alves, Denise A; Beveridge, Oliver S; Imperatriz-Fonseca, Vera-Lucia; Ratnieks, Francis L W

2013-06-01

In Melipona quadrifasciata, about 10% of the females develop into queens, almost all of which are killed. Occasionally, a new queen replaces or supersedes the mother queen or heads a new colony. We investigated virgin queen fate in queenright and queenless colonies to determine the effects of queen behaviour, body mass, nestmate or non-nestmate status, queenright or queenless colony status, and, when queenless, the effect of the time a colony had been queenless, on survival duration and acceptance. None of 220 virgin queens observed in four observation hives ever attacked another virgin queen nor did any of 88 virgin queens introduced into queenright colonies ever attack the resident queen. A new queen was only accepted in a queenless colony. Factors increasing survival duration and acceptance of virgin queens were to emerge from its cell at 2 h of queenlessness, to hide, and to avoid fights with workers. In this way, a virgin queen was more likely to be available when a colony chooses a new queen, 24-48 h after resident queen removal. Running, walking or resting, antennating or trophallaxis, played little or no role, as did the factors body mass or nestmate. "Queen choice" took about 2 h during which time other virgin queens were still being killed by workers. During this agitated process, the bees congregated around the new queen. She inflated her abdomen and some of the workers deposited a substance on internal nest surfaces including the glass lid of the observation hive.

Factors influencing survival duration and choice of virgin queens in the stingless bee Melipona quadrifasciata

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kärcher, Martin H.; Menezes, Cristiano; Alves, Denise A.; Beveridge, Oliver S.; Imperatriz-Fonseca, Vera-Lucia; Ratnieks, Francis L. W.

2013-06-01

In Melipona quadrifasciata, about 10 % of the females develop into queens, almost all of which are killed. Occasionally, a new queen replaces or supersedes the mother queen or heads a new colony. We investigated virgin queen fate in queenright and queenless colonies to determine the effects of queen behaviour, body mass, nestmate or non-nestmate status, queenright or queenless colony status, and, when queenless, the effect of the time a colony had been queenless, on survival duration and acceptance. None of 220 virgin queens observed in four observation hives ever attacked another virgin queen nor did any of 88 virgin queens introduced into queenright colonies ever attack the resident queen. A new queen was only accepted in a queenless colony. Factors increasing survival duration and acceptance of virgin queens were to emerge from its cell at 2 h of queenlessness, to hide, and to avoid fights with workers. In this way, a virgin queen was more likely to be available when a colony chooses a new queen, 24-48 h after resident queen removal. Running, walking or resting, antennating or trophallaxis, played little or no role, as did the factors body mass or nestmate. "Queen choice" took about 2 h during which time other virgin queens were still being killed by workers. During this agitated process, the bees congregated around the new queen. She inflated her abdomen and some of the workers deposited a substance on internal nest surfaces including the glass lid of the observation hive.

Bronchoscopic management of patients with symptomatic airway stenosis and prognostic factors for survival.

PubMed

Okiror, Lawrence; Jiang, Li; Oswald, Nicola; Bille, Andrea; Rajesh, Pala; Bishay, Ehab; Steyn, Richard; Naidu, Babu; Kalkat, Maninder

2015-05-01

Interventional bronchoscopy is effective in the management of patients with symptomatic airway obstruction for both malignant and benign conditions. The main aim of this study is to report our experience with emergency interventional bronchoscopy in patients with symptomatic airway obstruction and identify prognostic factors for survival. This is a retrospective observational study of patients undergoing emergency interventional bronchoscopy over a 4-year period. Survival times were analyzed separately for patients with benign and malignant airway obstruction by the Kaplan-Meier method. Between June 2009 and July 2013, 168 emergency interventional bronchoscopies were performed in 112 patients for airway obstruction. The median age was 63 years (range, 20 to 86), and 91 patients (54%) patients were female. Seventy-two cases (43%) had airway obstruction due to malignant disease. There were 3 in-hospital deaths (2.7%). Median survival of the study population was 5.6 months (range, 0 to 51) with a median follow-up of 7.3 months (range, 0 to 51). Median survival for patients with malignant airway obstruction was 3.5 months (range, 0 to 21), and 9.8 months (range, 0.1 to 51) for those with benign disease. Airway intervention facilitated palliative chemotherapy in 32 patients (44%) of those with malignant airway obstruction. At multivariate analysis in patients with malignant airway obstruction, presence of stridor (hazard ratio 1.919, 95% confidence interval: 1.082 to 3.404, p = 0.026) and not receiving postprocedure chemotherapy (hazard ratio 2.05, 95% confidence interval: 1.156 to 3.636, p = 0.014) were independent prognostic factors for death. Emergency interventional bronchoscopy for airway obstruction is safe, relieved symptoms, and facilitated palliative chemotherapy, which improved survival. Copyright © 2015 The Society of Thoracic Surgeons. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Untreated oral cavity cancer: Long-term survival and factors associated with treatment refusal.

PubMed

Cheraghlou, Shayan; Kuo, Phoebe; Mehra, Saral; Yarbrough, Wendell G; Judson, Benjamin L

2018-03-01

Oral cavity cancer is the most common malignant disease of the head and neck. The natural course of the disease is poorly characterized and unavailable for patient consideration during initial treatment planning. Our primary objective was to outline this natural history, with a secondary aim of identifying predictors of treatment refusal. Retrospective review of adult patients with oral cavity cancer who refused surgery that was recommended by their physician in the National Cancer Database. Demographic, tumor, and survival variables were included in the analyses. Multivariate Cox regressions as well as univariate Kaplan-Meier analyses were conducted. Patients who were older, uninsured, had government insurance, or had more advanced disease were more likely to go untreated. Survival among untreated patients was poor, but there was a small proportion of patients surviving long term. Five-year survival rates ranged from 31.1% among early-stage patients to 12.6% among stage 4 patients. Although the natural course of oral cavity cancer carries a poor prognosis, there are a number of patients with longer-than-expected survival. The survival estimates may provide supplemental information for patients deciding whether to pursue treatment. In addition to age and extent of disease, system factors such as insurance status and facility case volume are associated with a patient's likelihood of refusing treatment. 4. Laryngoscope, 128:664-669, 2018. © 2017 The American Laryngological, Rhinological and Otological Society, Inc.

Factors associated with automobile accidents and survival.

PubMed

Kim, Hong Sok; Kim, Hyung Jin; Son, Bongsoo

2006-09-01

This paper develops an econometric model for vehicles' inherent mortality rate and estimates the probability of accidents and survival in the United States. Logistic regression model is used to estimate probability of survival, and censored regression model is used to estimate probability of accidents. The estimation results indicated that the probability of accident and survival are influenced by the physical characteristics of the vehicles involved in the accident, and by the characteristics of the driver and the occupants. Using restrain system and riding in heavy vehicle increased the survival rate. Middle-aged drivers are less susceptible to involve in an accident, and surprisingly, female drivers are more likely to have an accident than male drivers. Riding in powerful vehicles (high horsepower) and driving late night increase the probability of accident. Overall, the driving behavior and characteristics of vehicle does matter and affects the probabilities of having a fatal accident for different types of vehicles.

Tracheostomy and invasive mechanical ventilation in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis: decision-making factors and survival analysis.

PubMed

Kimura, Fumiharu

2016-04-28

Invasive and/or non-invasive mechanical ventilation are most important options of respiratory management in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. We evaluated the frequency, clinical characteristics, decision-making factors about ventilation and survival analysis of 190 people with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis patients from 1990 until 2013. Thirty-one percentage of patients underwent tracheostomy invasive ventilation with the rate increasing more than the past 20 years. The ratio of tracheostomy invasive ventilation in patients >65 years old was significantly increased after 2000 (25%) as compared to before (10%). After 2010, the standard use of non-invasive ventilation showed a tendency to reduce the frequency of tracheostomy invasive ventilation. Mechanical ventilation prolonged median survival (75 months in tracheostomy invasive ventilation, 43 months in non-invasive ventilation vs natural course, 32 months). The life-extending effects by tracheostomy invasive ventilation were longer in younger patients ≤65 years old at the time of ventilation support than in older patients. Presence of partners and care at home were associated with better survival. Following factors related to the decision to perform tracheostomy invasive ventilation: patients ≤65 years old: greater use of non-invasive ventilation: presence of a spouse: faster tracheostomy: higher progression rate; and preserved motor functions. No patients who underwent tracheostomy invasive ventilation died from a decision to withdraw mechanical ventilation. The present study provides factors related to decision-making process and survival after tracheostomy and help clinicians and family members to expand the knowledge about ventilation.

Soluble E-cadherin is an independent pretherapeutic factor for long-term survival in gastric cancer.

PubMed

Chan, Annie On-On; Chu, Kent-Man; Lam, Shiu-Kum; Wong, Benjamin Chun-Yu; Kwok, Ka-Fai; Law, Simon; Ko, Samuel; Hui, Wai-Mo; Yueng, Yui-Hung; Wong, John

2003-06-15

To evaluate whether pretherapeutic serum soluble E-cadherin is an independent factor predicting long-term survival in gastric cancer. Gastric cancer remains the second leading cause of cancer-related deaths in the world, but a satisfactory tumor marker is currently unavailable for gastric cancer. Soluble E-cadherin has recently been found to have prognostic value in gastric cancer. One hundred sixteen patients with histologically proven gastric adenocarcinoma were included in the trial. Pretherapeutic serum was collected, and soluble E-cadherin was assayed using a commercially available enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay kit. The patients were followed up prospectively at the outpatient clinic. There were 75 men and 41 women, with a mean (+/- SD) age of 66 +/- 14 years. Forty-eight percent of tumors were located in the gastric antrum. The median survival time was 11 months. The mean pretherapeutic value of soluble E-cadherin was 9,159 ng/mL (range, 6,002 to 10,025 ng/mL), and the mean pretherapeutic level of carcinoembryonic antigen was 11 ng/mL (range, 0.3 to 4,895 ng/mL). On multivariate analysis, soluble E-cadherin is an independent factor predicting long-term survival. Ninety percent of patients with a serum level of E-cadherin greater than 10,000 ng/mL had a survival time of less than 3 years (P =.009). Soluble E-cadherin is a potentially valuable pretherapeutic prognostic factor in patients with gastric cancer.

Determining the Number of Factors in P-Technique Factor Analysis

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lo, Lawrence L.; Molenaar, Peter C. M.; Rovine, Michael

2017-01-01

Determining the number of factors is a critical first step in exploratory factor analysis. Although various criteria and methods for determining the number of factors have been evaluated in the usual between-subjects R-technique factor analysis, there is still question of how these methods perform in within-subjects P-technique factor analysis. A…

Risk Factors of Anastomotic Leakage and Long-Term Survival After Colorectal Surgery

PubMed Central

Park, Jong Seob; Huh, Jung Wook; Park, Yoon Ah; Cho, Yong Beom; Yun, Seong Hyeon; Kim, Hee Cheol; Lee, Woo Yong

2016-01-01

Abstract Anastomotic leakage (AL) is one of the most serious complications of colorectal surgery. It can affect long-term oncologic outcomes, but the impact on long-term survival remains uncertain. The aim of this study is to evaluate the operative characteristics of leakage and no leakage groups and to analyze long-term oncologic outcomes. We prospectively enrolled 10,477 patients from 2000 to 2011 and retrospectively reviewed the data. Male sex (odds ratio [OR], 3.90; P < 0.001), intraoperative transfusion (OR, 2.31; P = 0.042), and operative time (OR, 1.73; P = 0.032) were independent risk factors of AL in the colon. In the rectum, male sex (OR, 2.37; P < 0.001), neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy (OR, 2.26; P < 0.001), and regional lymph node metastasis (OR, 1.43; P = 0.012) were independent risk factors of AL, and diverting stoma (OR, 0.24; P < 0.001) was associated with a deceased risk of AL. AL in the rectum without a diverting stoma was associated with disease-free survival (DFS, OR, 1.47; P = 0.037). Colonic leakage was not associated with 5-year DFS (leakage group vs nonleakage group, 72.4% vs 80.9%, P = 0.084); however, in patients undergoing rectal resection, there was a significant difference in 5-year DFS (67.0% vs 76.6%, P = 0.005, respectively). AL in the rectum is associated with worse long-term DFS and overall survival. A diverting stoma was shown to protect against this effect and was associated with long-term survival in rectal surgery. Therefore, creating a diverting stoma should be considered in high-risk patients undergoing rectal surgery. PMID:26937928

Does renal ageing affect survival?

PubMed

Razzaque, M Shawkat

2007-10-01

The effects of ageing on progressive deterioration of renal function, both in human and experimental animals, are described elsewhere, but the effect of renal damage on overall survival and longevity is not yet clearly established. The wild-type animals of various genetic backgrounds, fed with regular diet, overtime develop severe age-associated nephropathy, that include but not limited to inflammatory cell infiltration, glomerulosclerosis, and tubulointerstitial fibrosis. Such renal damage significantly reduces their survival. Reducing renal damage, either by caloric restriction or by suppressing growth hormone (GH)/insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) activity could significantly enhance the longevity of these animals. Available survival studies using experimental animals clearly suggest that kidney pathology is one of the important non-neoplastic lesions that could affect overall survival, and that restoration of renal function by preventing kidney damage could significantly extend longevity. Careful long-term studies are needed to determine the human relevance of these experimental studies.

Primary Localization and Tumor Thickness as Prognostic Factors of Survival in Patients with Mucosal Melanoma

PubMed Central

Mehra, Tarun; Grözinger, Gerd; Mann, Steven; Guenova, Emmanuella; Moos, Rudolf; Röcken, Martin; Claussen, Claus Detlef; Dummer, Reinhard; Clasen, Stephan

2014-01-01

Background Data on survival with mucosal melanoma and on prognostic factors of are scarce. It is still unclear if the disease course allows for mucosal melanoma to be treated as primary cutaneous melanoma or if differences in overall survival patterns require adapted therapeutic approaches. Furthermore, this investigation is the first to present 10-year survival rates for mucosal melanomas of different anatomical localizations. Methodology 116 cases from Sep 10 1984 until Feb 15 2011 retrieved from the Comprehensive Cancer Center and of the Central Register of the German Dermatologic Society databases in Tübingen were included in our analysis. We recorded anatomical location and tumor thickness, and estimated overall survival at 2, 5 and 10 years and the mean overall survival time. Survival times were analyzed with the Kaplan-Meier method. The log-rank test was used to compare survival times by localizations and by T-stages. Principal Findings We found a median overall survival time of 80.9 months, with an overall 2-year survival of 71.7%, 5-year survival of 55.8% and 10-year survival of 38.3%. The 10-year survival rates for patients with T1, T2, T3 or T4 stage tumors were 100.0%, 77.9%, 66.3% and 10.6% respectively. 10-year survival of patients with melanomas of the vulva was 64.5% in comparison to 22.3% of patients with non-vulva mucosal melanomas. Conclusion Survival times differed significantly between patients with melanomas of the vulva compared to the rest (p = 0.0006). It also depends on T-stage at the time of diagnosis (p<0.0001). PMID:25383553

Primary localization and tumor thickness as prognostic factors of survival in patients with mucosal melanoma.

PubMed

Mehra, Tarun; Grözinger, Gerd; Mann, Steven; Guenova, Emmanuella; Moos, Rudolf; Röcken, Martin; Claussen, Claus Detlef; Dummer, Reinhard; Clasen, Stephan; Naumann, Aline; Garbe, Claus

2014-01-01

Data on survival with mucosal melanoma and on prognostic factors of are scarce. It is still unclear if the disease course allows for mucosal melanoma to be treated as primary cutaneous melanoma or if differences in overall survival patterns require adapted therapeutic approaches. Furthermore, this investigation is the first to present 10-year survival rates for mucosal melanomas of different anatomical localizations. 116 cases from Sep 10 1984 until Feb 15 2011 retrieved from the Comprehensive Cancer Center and of the Central Register of the German Dermatologic Society databases in Tübingen were included in our analysis. We recorded anatomical location and tumor thickness, and estimated overall survival at 2, 5 and 10 years and the mean overall survival time. Survival times were analyzed with the Kaplan-Meier method. The log-rank test was used to compare survival times by localizations and by T-stages. We found a median overall survival time of 80.9 months, with an overall 2-year survival of 71.7%, 5-year survival of 55.8% and 10-year survival of 38.3%. The 10-year survival rates for patients with T1, T2, T3 or T4 stage tumors were 100.0%, 77.9%, 66.3% and 10.6% respectively. 10-year survival of patients with melanomas of the vulva was 64.5% in comparison to 22.3% of patients with non-vulva mucosal melanomas. Survival times differed significantly between patients with melanomas of the vulva compared to the rest (p = 0.0006). It also depends on T-stage at the time of diagnosis (p < 0.0001).

Factors influencing the distribution of metastases and survival in metastatic breast carcinoma.

PubMed

Barişta, I; Baltali, E; Güllü, I H; Güler, N; Celik, I; Saraçbaşi, O; Tekuzman, G; Kars, A; Ozişik, Y; Ruacan, S; Atahan, I L; Firat, D

1996-12-01

A total of 370 patients with metastatic breast, carcinoma who had been followed at Hacettepe Oncology Department between 1980 and 1991 were retrospectively analyzed for the factors influencing the distribution of metastases and survival. Median age was 47 years. Radical or modified radical mastectomies were performed in 199 (53.8%). Infiltrative ductal carcinoma was the most common pathologic subtype (69.4%). In 191 patients who were evaluated for estrogen receptor (ER) status, 101 (52.9%) were positive and 90 (47.1%) were negative. The distribution of first metastases did not differ between the soft tissue, bone, and visceral sites. The second, third, and fourth metastases were more common in visceral sites (p < 0.05). ER and menopausal status did not affect distribution. Mortality rate was significantly lower in the group having the first metastasis to the bone (p < 0.05). Of interest, first metastases were predominantly found in visceral sites in patients having radical or modified radical mastectomies (p < 0.05). Response to therapy, presence of initial metastases, axillary status, and age were the important factors influencing the overall survival in univariate analysis, whereas response to therapy, ER status, age, and presence of initial metastases were the important factors according to the multivariate analysis.

The role of psychosocial factors in ethnic differences in survival on dialysis in the Netherlands.

PubMed

van den Beukel, Tessa O; Verduijn, Marion; le Cessie, Saskia; Jager, Kitty J; Boeschoten, Elisabeth W; Krediet, Raymond T; Siegert, Carl E H; Honig, Adriaan; Dekker, Friedo W

2012-06-01

Ethnic minority patients on dialysis are reported to have better survival rates relative to Caucasians. The reasons for this finding are not fully understood and European studies are scarce. This study examined whether ethnic differences in survival could be explained by patient characteristics, including psychosocial factors. We analysed data of the Netherlands Cooperative Study on the Adequacy of Dialysis study, an observational prospective cohort study of patients who started dialysis between 1997 and 2007 in the Netherlands. Ethnicity was classified as Caucasian, Black or Asian, assessed by local nurses. Data collected at the start of dialysis treatment included demographic, clinical and psychosocial characteristics. Psychosocial characteristics included data on health-related quality of life (HRQoL), mental health status and general health perception. Cox proportional hazards analysis was used to explore ethnic survival differences. One thousand seven hundred and ninety-one patients were Caucasian, 45 Black and 108 Asian. The ethnic groups differed significantly in age, residual glomerular filtration rate, diabetes mellitus, erythropoietin use, plasma calcium, parathormone and creatinine, marital status and general health perception. No ethnic differences were found in HRQoL and mental health status. Crude hazard ratios (HRs) for mortality for Caucasians compared to Blacks and Asians were 3.1 [95% confidence interval (CI) 1.6-5.9] and 1.1 (95% CI 0.9-1.5), respectively. After adjustment for a range of potential explanatory variables, including psychosocial factors, the HRs were 2.5 (95% CI 1.2-4.9) compared with Blacks and 1.2 (95% CI 0.9-1.6) compared with Asians. Although patient numbers were rather small, this study demonstrates, with 95% confidence, better survival for Black compared to Caucasian dialysis patients and equal survival for Asian compared to Caucasian dialysis patients in the Netherlands. This could not be explained by patient characteristics

Peripheral vascular calcification in long-haemodialysis patients: associated factors and survival consequences.

PubMed

Jean, Guillaume; Bresson, Eric; Terrat, Jean-Claude; Vanel, Thierry; Hurot, Jean-Marc; Lorriaux, Christie; Mayor, Brice; Chazot, Charles

2009-03-01

Vascular calcifications (VCs) are frequently observed in chronic kidney disease (CKD) and haemodialysis (HD) patients. They have been associated with numerous factors, particularly hyperphosphataemia, excess calcium load, hypertension and increased mortality rate. The purpose of this study is to measure VCs in long-HD patients with good blood pressure and phosphate control, with the occasional use of sevelamer, using a plain radiological score to identify the associated factors and effects on the 1-year survival rate. We studied HD patients from one centre using a semi-quantitative score ranging from 0 to 3 according to the severity and extent of VCs. The following patients' characteristics were compared according to their VC scores: medical history, treatments, blood pressure, standard biological data, fibroblast growth factor (FGF) 23, osteoprotegerin (OPG), whole PTH, beta-crosslaps, bone alkaline phosphatases and bone mineral density scores. One-year survival analyses were also performed. Among the 250 HD patients of the centre, 161 were studied; the mean age was 67.2 +/- 13 years, 45% of the subjects were females, 35% were diabetics, and they had been on dialysis for between 1-486 months (median: 45 months) with a 3 x 5-3 x 8 h dialysis schedule using 1.5 mmol/l dialysate calcium and providing a mean 2.25 +/- 0.5 Kt/V. Only 17% of the patients were free from VCs and 11% had severe VCs. The factors associated with VCs were classified into 'classic' (age, diabetes, male gender, tobacco use, inflammation, more frequent warfarin treatment and peripheral vascular and cardiac diseases) and 'non-traditional' (higher FGF-23 and OPG serum levels, low albumin serum levels and low alfacalcidol and CaCO(3) use). In logistic regression, only age, diabetes and FGF-23 serum levels were associated with VC scores of 2 and 3. The patients with a score of 3 had a higher 1-year mortality rate (RR 2.1; P = 0.01) as compared to patients with a 0 score. A plain radiological score

The relationship between components of tumour inflammatory cell infiltrate and clinicopathological factors and survival in patients with primary operable invasive ductal breast cancer

PubMed Central

Mohammed, Z MA; Going, J J; Edwards, J; Elsberger, B; Doughty, J C; McMillan, D C

2012-01-01

Background: The importance of the components of host local inflammatory response in determining outcome in primary operable ductal invasive breast cancer is not clear. The aim of this study was to examine the relationship between components of the tumour inflammatory cell infiltrate and standard clinicopathological factors including hormone status (oestrogen receptor (ER), progesterone receptor (PR) and human epidermal growth factor receptor (HER)-2), Ki-67 and survival in patients with primary operable invasive ductal breast cancer. Methods: Tumour inflammatory cell infiltrate, hormone status (ER, PR and HER-2), Ki-67 and standard clinicopathological factors were determined using routine pathological and immuno-histochemical techniques in 468 patients. Results: The large majority (94%) of ductal tumours had evidence of inflammatory cell infiltrate. The general inflammatory cell infiltrate was positively associated with high grade (P<0.001), the absence of ER (P<0.001), the absence of PR (P<0.01), the presence of vascular invasion (P<0.05) and high lymphocytic infiltrate, plasma cell infiltrate, other inflammatory cell infiltrate and macrophage infiltrate (all P<0.001). The median follow-up of the survivors was 165 months. During this period, 93 patients died of their cancer. On univariate analysis, stratified for ER status, tumour size (P<0.01), lymph node involvement (P<0.001), tumour plasma cell infiltrate (P<0.001), other inflammatory cell infiltrate (P<0.05) and treatment (P<0.05) were associated with poorer cancer-specific survival whereas lymphocyte infiltrate (P<0.001) was associated with improved cancer-specific survival. On multivariate analysis, stratified for ER status, lymph node involvement (P<0.05) was independently associated with poorer cancer-specific survival whereas increased tumour lymphocyte infiltrate (P<0.001) was independently associated with improved cancer-specific survival. Conclusion: The results of this study show that, using routine

Fibroblast growth factor receptor 4 (FGFR4) and fibroblast growth factor 19 (FGF19) autocrine enhance breast cancer cells survival.

PubMed

Tiong, Kai Hung; Tan, Boon Shing; Choo, Heng Lungh; Chung, Felicia Fei-Lei; Hii, Ling-Wei; Tan, Si Hoey; Khor, Nelson Tze Woei; Wong, Shew Fung; See, Sze-Jia; Tan, Yuen-Fen; Rosli, Rozita; Cheong, Soon-Keng; Leong, Chee-Onn

2016-09-06

Basal-like breast cancer is an aggressive tumor subtype with poor prognosis. The discovery of underlying mechanisms mediating tumor cell survival, and the development of novel agents to target these pathways, is a priority for patients with basal-like breast cancer. From a functional screen to identify key drivers of basal-like breast cancer cell growth, we identified fibroblast growth factor receptor 4 (FGFR4) as a potential mediator of cell survival. We found that FGFR4 mediates cancer cell survival predominantly via activation of PI3K/AKT. Importantly, a subset of basal-like breast cancer cells also secrete fibroblast growth factor 19 (FGF19), a canonical ligand specific for FGFR4. siRNA-mediated silencing of FGF19 or neutralization of extracellular FGF19 by anti-FGF19 antibody (1A6) decreases AKT phosphorylation, suppresses cancer cell growth and enhances doxorubicin sensitivity only in the FGFR4+/FGF19+ breast cancer cells. Consistently, FGFR4/FGF19 co-expression was also observed in 82 out of 287 (28.6%) primary breast tumors, and their expression is strongly associated with AKT phosphorylation, Ki-67 staining, higher tumor stage and basal-like phenotype. In summary, our results demonstrated the presence of an FGFR4/FGF19 autocrine signaling that mediates the survival of a subset of basal-like breast cancer cells and suggest that inactivation of this autocrine loop may potentially serve as a novel therapeutic intervention for future treatment of breast cancers.

Serum albumin predicts survival in patients with hilar cholangiocarcinoma.

PubMed

Waghray, Abhijeet; Sobotka, Anastasia; Marrero, Carlos Romero; Estfan, Bassam; Aucejo, Federico; Narayanan Menon, K V

2017-02-01

Hilar cholangiocarcinoma is a devastating malignancy with incidence varying by geography and other risk factors. Rapid progression of disease and delays in diagnosis restrict the number of patients eligible for curative therapy. The objective of this study was to determine prognostic factors of overall survival in all patients presenting with hilar cholangiocarcinoma. All adult patients with histologically confirmed hilar cholangiocarcinoma from 2003 to 2013 were evaluated for predictors of survival using demographic factors, laboratory data, symptoms and radiological characteristics at presentation. A total of 116 patients were identified to have pathological diagnosis of hilar cholangiocarcinoma and were included in the analysis. Patients with a serum albumin level >3.0 g/dL (P < 0.01), cancer antigen 19-9 ≤200 U/mL (P = 0.03), carcinoembryonic antigen ≤10 ìg/L (P < 0.01) or patients without a history of cirrhosis (P < 0.01) or diabetes (P = 0.02) were associated with a greater length of overall survival. A serum albumin level >3.0 g/dL was identified as an independent predictor of overall survival (hazard ratio 0.31; 95% confidence interval 0.14-0.70) with a survival benefit of 44 weeks. This study was the largest analysis to date of prognostic factors in patients with hilar cholangiocarcinoma. A serum albumin level >3.0 g/dL conferred an independent survival advantage with a significantly greater length of survival. © The Author(s) 2016. Published by Oxford University Press and Sixth Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-Sen University.

Serum albumin predicts survival in patients with hilar cholangiocarcinoma

PubMed Central

Waghray, Abhijeet; Sobotka, Anastasia; Marrero, Carlos Romero; Estfan, Bassam; Aucejo, Federico

2017-01-01

Background and aims: Hilar cholangiocarcinoma is a devastating malignancy with incidence varying by geography and other risk factors. Rapid progression of disease and delays in diagnosis restrict the number of patients eligible for curative therapy. The objective of this study was to determine prognostic factors of overall survival in all patients presenting with hilar cholangiocarcinoma. Methods: All adult patients with histologically confirmed hilar cholangiocarcinoma from 2003 to 2013 were evaluated for predictors of survival using demographic factors, laboratory data, symptoms and radiological characteristics at presentation. Results: A total of 116 patients were identified to have pathological diagnosis of hilar cholangiocarcinoma and were included in the analysis. Patients with a serum albumin level >3.0 g/dL (P < 0.01), cancer antigen 19‐9 ≤200 U/mL (P = 0.03), carcinoembryonic antigen ≤10 ìg/L (P < 0.01) or patients without a history of cirrhosis (P < 0.01) or diabetes (P = 0.02) were associated with a greater length of overall survival. A serum albumin level >3.0 g/dL was identified as an independent predictor of overall survival (hazard ratio 0.31; 95% confidence interval 0.14–0.70) with a survival benefit of 44 weeks. Conclusion: This study was the largest analysis to date of prognostic factors in patients with hilar cholangiocarcinoma. A serum albumin level >3.0 g/dL conferred an independent survival advantage with a significantly greater length of survival. PMID:27389416

Early Marriage, Rape, Child Prostitution, and Related Factors Determining the Psychosocial Effects Severity of Child Sexual Abuse in Ethiopia

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wondie, Yemataw; Zemene, Workie; Reschke, Konrad; Schroder, Harry

2011-01-01

This study was aimed at identifying factors that determine the psychosocial effects severity of child sexual abuse. Data were collected from 318 female children in Ethiopia using the Children's Impact of Traumatic Events Scale-Revised and the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale. The results revealed that respondents who survived rape and child…

Survival, causes of death, and prognostic factors in systemic sclerosis: analysis of 947 Brazilian patients.

PubMed

Sampaio-Barros, Percival D; Bortoluzzo, Adriana B; Marangoni, Roberta G; Rocha, Luiza F; Del Rio, Ana Paula T; Samara, Adil M; Yoshinari, Natalino H; Marques-Neto, João Francisco

2012-10-01

To analyze survival, prognostic factors, and causes of death in a large cohort of patients with systemic sclerosis (SSc). From 1991 to 2010, 947 patients with SSc were treated at 2 referral university centers in Brazil. Causes of death were considered SSc-related and non-SSc-related. Multiple logistic regression analysis was used to identify prognostic factors. Survival at 5 and 10 years was estimated using the Kaplan-Meier method. One hundred sixty-eight patients died during the followup. Among the 110 deaths considered related to SSc, there was predominance of lung (48.1%) and heart (24.5%) involvement. Most of the 58 deaths not related to SSc were caused by infection, cardiovascular or cerebrovascular disease, and cancer. Male sex, modified Rodnan skin score (mRSS) > 20, osteoarticular involvement, lung involvement, and renal crisis were the main prognostic factors associated to death. Overall survival rate was 90% for 5 years and 84% for 10 years. Patients presented worse prognosis if they had diffuse SSc (85% vs 92% at 5 yrs, respectively, and 77% vs 87% at 10 yrs, compared to limited SSc), male sex (77% vs 90% at 5 yrs and 64% vs 86% at 10 yrs, compared to female sex), and mRSS > 20 (83% vs 90% at 5 yrs and 66% vs 86% at 10 yrs, compared to mRSS < 20). Survival was worse in male patients with diffuse SSc, and lung and heart involvement represented the main causes of death in this South American series of patients with SSc.

Analysis of factors influencing survival in patients with severe acute pancreatitis.

PubMed

Kim, Yeon Ji; Kim, Dae Bum; Chung, Woo Chul; Lee, Ji Min; Youn, Gun Jung; Jung, Yun Duk; Choi, Sooa; Oh, Jung Hwan

2017-08-01

Acute pancreatitis (AP) ranges from a mild and self-limiting disease to a fulminant illness with significant morbidity and mortality. Severe acute pancreatitis (SAP) is defined as persistent organ failure lasting for 48 h. We aimed to determine the factors that predict survival and mortality in patients with SAP. We reviewed a consecutive series of patients who were admitted with acute pancreatitis between January 2003 and January 2013. A total of 1213 cases involving 660 patients were evaluated, and 68 cases with SAP were selected for the study. Patients were graded based on the Computer Tomography Severity Index (CTSI), the bedside index for severity (BISAP), and Ranson's criteria. The frequency of SAP was 5.6% (68/1213 cases). Among these patients, 17 died due to pancreatitis-induced causes. We compared several factors between the survivor (n = 51) and non-survivor (n = 17) groups. On multivariate analysis, there were significant differences in the incidence of diabetes mellitus (p = .04), Ranson score (p = .03), bacteremia (p = .05) and body mass index (BMI) (p = .02) between the survivor and non-survivor groups. Bacteremia, high Ranson score, DM, and lower BMI were closely associated with mortality in patients with SAP. When patients with SAP show evidence of bacteremia or diabetes, aggressive treatment is necessary. For the prediction of disease mortality, the Ranson score might be a useful tool in SAP.

Prognostic factors and relative risk for survival in N1-3 oral squamous cell carcinoma: a multivariate analysis using Cox's hazard model.

PubMed

Noguchi, M; Kido, Y; Kubota, H; Kinjo, H; Kohama, G

1999-12-01

The records of 136 patients with N1-3 oral squamous cell carcinoma treated by surgery were investigated retrospectively, with the aim of finding out which factors were predictive of survival on multivariate analysis. Four independent factors significantly influenced survival in the following order: pN stage; T stage; histological grade; and N stage. The most significant was pN stage, the five-year survival for patients with pN0 being 91% and for patients with pN1-3 41%. A further study was carried out on the 80 patients with pN1-3 to find out their prognostic factors for survival and the independent factors identified by multivariate analysis were T stage and presence or absence of extracapsular spread to metastatic lymph nodes.

Neuronal survival in the brain: neuron type-specific mechanisms.

PubMed

Pfisterer, Ulrich; Khodosevich, Konstantin

2017-03-02

Neurogenic regions of mammalian brain produce many more neurons that will eventually survive and reach a mature stage. Developmental cell death affects both embryonically produced immature neurons and those immature neurons that are generated in regions of adult neurogenesis. Removal of substantial numbers of neurons that are not yet completely integrated into the local circuits helps to ensure that maturation and homeostatic function of neuronal networks in the brain proceed correctly. External signals from brain microenvironment together with intrinsic signaling pathways determine whether a particular neuron will die. To accommodate this signaling, immature neurons in the brain express a number of transmembrane factors as well as intracellular signaling molecules that will regulate the cell survival/death decision, and many of these factors cease being expressed upon neuronal maturation. Furthermore, pro-survival factors and intracellular responses depend on the type of neuron and region of the brain. Thus, in addition to some common neuronal pro-survival signaling, different types of neurons possess a variety of 'neuron type-specific' pro-survival constituents that might help them to adapt for survival in a certain brain region. This review focuses on how immature neurons survive during normal and impaired brain development, both in the embryonic/neonatal brain and in brain regions associated with adult neurogenesis, and emphasizes neuron type-specific mechanisms that help to survive for various types of immature neurons. Importantly, we mainly focus on in vivo data to describe neuronal survival specifically in the brain, without extrapolating data obtained in the PNS or spinal cord, and thus emphasize the influence of the complex brain environment on neuronal survival during development.

Transcription factor NFAT5 promotes macrophage survival in rheumatoid arthritis

PubMed Central

Choi, Susanna; Choi, Soo Youn; Kwon, H. Moo; Hwang, Daehee; Park, Yune-Jung; Cho, Chul-Soo

2017-01-01

Defective apoptotic death of activated macrophages has been implicated in the pathogenesis of rheumatoid arthritis (RA). However, the molecular signatures defining apoptotic resistance of RA macrophages are not fully understood. Here, global transcriptome profiling of RA macrophages revealed that the osmoprotective transcription factor nuclear factor of activated T cells 5 (NFAT5) critically regulates diverse pathologic processes in synovial macrophages including the cell cycle, apoptosis, and proliferation. Transcriptomic analysis of NFAT5-deficient macrophages revealed the molecular networks defining cell survival and proliferation. Proinflammatory M1-polarizing stimuli and hypoxic conditions were responsible for enhanced NFAT5 expression in RA macrophages. An in vitro functional study demonstrated that NFAT5-deficient macrophages were more susceptible to apoptotic death. Specifically, CCL2 secretion in an NFAT5-dependent fashion bestowed apoptotic resistance to RA macrophages in vitro. Injection of recombinant CCL2 into one of the affected joints of Nfat5+/– mice increased joint destruction and macrophage infiltration, demonstrating the essential role of the NFAT5/CCL2 axis in arthritis progression in vivo. Moreover, after intra-articular injection, NFAT5-deficient macrophages were more susceptible to apoptosis and less efficient at promoting joint destruction than were NFAT5-sufficient macrophages. Thus, NFAT5 regulates macrophage survival by inducing CCL2 secretion. Our results provide evidence that NFAT5 expression in macrophages enhances chronic arthritis by conferring apoptotic resistance to activated macrophages. PMID:28192374

Helicopter crashes into water: warning time, final position, and other factors affecting survival.

PubMed

Brooks, Christopher J; MacDonald, Conor V; Baker, Susan P; Shanahan, Dennis F; Haaland, Wren L

2014-04-01

According to 40 yr of data, the fatality rate for a helicopter crash into water is approximately 25%. Does warning time and the final position of the helicopter in the water influence the survival rate? The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) database was queried to identify helicopter crashes into water between 1981 and 2011 in the Gulf of Mexico and Hawaii. Fatality rate, amount of warning time prior to the crash, and final position of the helicopter were identified. There were 133 helicopters that crashed into water with 456 crew and passengers. Of these, 119 occupants (26%) did not survive; of those who did survive, 38% were injured. Twelve died after making a successful escape from the helicopter. Crashes with < 15 s warning had a fatality rate of 22%, compared to 12% for 16-60 s warning and 5% for > 1 min. However, more than half of fatalities (57%) came from crashes for which the warning time could not be determined. Lack of warning time and how to survive in the water after the crash should be a topic for study in all marine survival/aircraft ditching courses. Investigators should be trained to provide estimates of warning time when investigating helicopter crashes into water.

Clinical and clinicopathological factors associated with survival in 44 horses with equine neorickettsiosis (Potomac horse Fever).

PubMed

Bertin, F R; Reising, A; Slovis, N M; Constable, P D; Taylor, S D

2013-01-01

The epidemiology of equine neorickettsiosis (EN) has been extensively studied but limited clinical and clinicopathological data are available concerning naturally infected horses. Factors predictive of survival will be identified in horses diagnosed with EN. Convenience sample of 44 horses with EN admitted to 2 referral institutions. A retrospective study was performed. A diagnosis of EN was based on the presence of positive blood or fecal PCR. The most common clinical signs included diarrhea (66%), fever (50%), anorexia (45%), depression (39%), colic (39%), and lameness (18%). The median duration of hospitalization was 6 days and 73% of horses survived to discharge. Laminitis was present in 36% of horses, 88% of which were affected in all 4 feet. Serum creatinine and urea nitrogen concentrations, as well as RBC count, blood hemoglobin concentration, hematocrit, band neutrophils, serum AST activity, serum CK activity, and anion gap, were significantly (P < .05) higher in nonsurvivors. Serum chloride and sodium, concentrations as well as duration of hospitalization were significantly lower in nonsurvivors. The results of forward stepwise logistic regression indicated that blood hemoglobin concentration on admission and antimicrobial treatment with oxytetracycline were independent factors associated with survival. Severity of colitis as reflected by electrolyte loss, hemoconcentration, and prerenal azotemia were predictors of survival in horses diagnosed with EN. Treatment with oxytetracycline was associated with increased survival. Copyright © 2013 by the American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine.

[Essential thrombocythemia: baseline characteristics and risk factors for survival and thrombosis in a series of 214 patients].

PubMed

Angona, Anna; Alvarez-Larrán, Alberto; Bellosillo, Beatriz; Martínez-Avilés, Luz; Garcia-Pallarols, Francesc; Longarón, Raquel; Ancochea, Àgueda; Besses, Carles

2015-03-15

Two prognostic models to predict overall survival and thrombosis-free survival have been proposed: International Prognostic Score for Essential Thrombocythemia (IPSET) and IPSET-Thrombosis, respectively, based on age, leukocytes count, history of previous thrombosis, the presence of cardiovascular risk factors and the JAK2 mutational status. The aim of the present study was to assess the clinical and biological characteristics at diagnosis and during evolution in essential thrombocythemia (ET) patients as well as the factors associated with survival and thrombosis and the usefulness of these new prognostic models. We have evaluated the clinical data and the mutation status of JAK2, MPL and calreticulin of 214 ET patients diagnosed in a single center between 1985 and 2012, classified according to classical risk stratification, IPSET and IPSET-Thrombosis. With a median follow-up of 6.9 years, overall survival was not associated with any variable by multivariate analysis. Thrombotic history and leukocytes>10×10(9)/l were associated with thrombosis-free survival (TFS). In our series, IPSET prognostic systems of survival and thrombosis did not provide more clinically relevant information regarding the classic risk of thrombosis stratification. Thrombotic history and leukocytosis>10×10(9)/l were significantly associated with lower TFS, while the prognostic IPSET-Thrombosis system did not provide more information than classical thrombotic risk assessment. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.

Vigor of survival determinism: subtle evolutionary gradualism interspersed with robust phylogenetic leaping.

PubMed

Krsmanovic, Pavle

2017-12-01

Discussions of the survival determinism concept have previously focused on its primary role in the evolution of early unicellular organisms in the light of findings which have been reported on a number of diseases. The rationale for such parallel was in the view according to which multicellular organisms could be regarded as sophisticated colonies of semi-autonomous, single-celled entities, whereby various diseases were described as conditions arising upon the activation of the respective survival mechanisms in a milieu unsuitable for such robust stress response. The cellular mechanisms that were discussed in these contexts have been known to play various roles in other biological processes. The proposed notion could thereby be further extended to discussion on mechanisms for the implementation of the respective survival pathways in the development of metazoa, considering that they would have been propagated in their evolution for so long. This manuscript first presents a concise overview of the model previously discussed, followed by the discussion on the role of respective mechanism(s) in origins and development of metazoa. Finally, a reflection on the concept in relation to the prominent evolutionary models is put forward to illustrate a broader context of what is being discussed.

Factors affecting healing and survival after finger amputations in patients with digital artery occlusive disease.

PubMed

Landry, Gregory J; McClary, Ashley; Liem, Timothy K; Mitchell, Erica L; Azarbal, Amir F; Moneta, Gregory L

2013-05-01

Finger amputations are typically performed as distal as possible to preserve maximum finger length. Failure of primary amputation leads to additional procedures, which could potentially be avoided if a more proximal amputation was initially performed. The effect of single versus multiple procedures on morbidity and mortality is not known. We evaluated factors that predicted primary healing and the effects of secondary procedures on survival. Patients undergoing finger amputations from 1995 to 2011 were evaluated for survival with uni- and multivariate analysis of demographic data and preoperative vascular laboratory studies to assess factors influencing primary healing. Seventy-six patients underwent 175 finger amputations (range 1 to 6 fingers per patient). Forty-one percent had diabetes, 33% had nonatherosclerotic digital artery disease, and 29% were on dialysis. Sex distribution was equal. Primary healing occurred in 78.9%, with the remainder requiring revisions. By logistic regression analysis, nonatherosclerotic digital artery disease was associated with failure of primary healing (odds ratio = 7.5; 95% confidence interval, 1.03 to 54; P = .047). Digital photoplethysmography did not predict primary healing. The overall healing of primary and secondary finger amputations was 96.0%. The mean survival after the initial finger amputation was 34.3 months and did not differ between patients undergoing single (35.6 months) versus multiple procedures (33.6 months). Dialysis dependence was associated with decreased survival (hazard ratio = 2.9; 95% confidence interval, 1.13 to 7.25; P = .026). Failure of primary healing is associated with the presence of nonatherosclerotic digital artery disease and is not predicted by digital photoplethysmographic studies. Dialysis dependence is associated with decreased survival in patients with finger amputations, but failure of primary healing does not adversely affect survival. A strategy of aggressive preservation of finger

Factors influencing nest survival and productivity of Red-throated Loons (Gavia stellata) in Alaska

USGS Publications Warehouse

Rizzolo, Daniel; Schmutz, Joel A.; McCloskey, Sarah E.; Fondell, Thomas F.

2014-01-01

Red-throated Loon (Gavia stellata) numbers in Alaska have fluctuated dramatically over the past 3 decades; however, the demographic processes contributing to these population dynamics are poorly understood. To examine spatial and temporal variation in productivity, we estimated breeding parameters at 5 sites in Alaska: at Cape Espenberg and the Copper River Delta we estimated nest survival, and at 3 sites within the Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta we estimated nest survival and productivity. Nest survival varied broadly among sites and years; annual estimates (lower, upper 95% confidence interval) ranged from 0.09 (0.03, 0.29) at Cape Espenberg in 2001 to 0.93 (0.76, 0.99) at the Copper River Delta in 2002. Annual variation among sites was not concordant, suggesting that site-scale factors had a strong influence on nest survival. Models of nest survival indicated that visits to monitor nests had a negative effect on nest daily survival probability, which if not accounted for biased nest survival strongly downward. The sensitivity of breeding Red-throated Loons to nest monitoring suggests other sources of disturbance that cause incubating birds to flush from their nests may also reduce nest survival. Nest daily survival probability at the Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta was negatively associated with an annual index of fox occurrence. Survival through the incubation and chick-rearing periods on the Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta ranged from 0.09 (0.001, 0.493) to 0.50 (0.04, 0.77). Daily survival probability during the chick-rearing period was lower for chicks that had a sibling in 2 of 3 years, consistent with the hypothesis that food availability was limited. Estimates of annual productivity on the Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta ranged from 0.17 to 1.0 chicks per pair. Productivity was not sufficient to maintain population stability in 2 of 3 years, indicating that nest depredation by foxes and poor foraging conditions during chick rearing can have important effects on productivity.

Breast-feeding patterns and factors determining exclusive breast-feeding.

PubMed

Koosha, A; Hashemifesharaki, R; Mousavinasab, N

2008-12-01

Breast-feeding is a major determinant of infants' health and survival. The aim of this study was to examine breast-feeding patterns and the role of some factors on exclusive breast-feeding. The study was done at the Health Centre of Community Oriented Medical Education of Zanjan City, Iran. Mothers of 650 infants younger than one year of age were interviewed directly by healthcare providers. The necessary information was recorded on pre-structured questionnaires, and the feeding patterns of all infants were determined. The rate of breast-feeding was greater than 92 percent during the first year of life. Exclusive breast-feeding rate in the first five days of life was 82 percent, but it declined to 44 percent at the first month. The chance of exclusive breast-feeding was higher in infants who were on demand feeding (odds ratio [OR] 2.6), breastfed more than eight times per day (OR 2.23), and their birth weight ranged from 2.5 to 4 kg (OR 2.16). This chance was less among infants exposed to pacifiers (OR 2.62) and with the numbers of deliveries equal to or more than three (OR 2.25). The rates of breast-feeding initiation and its duration at six and 12 months were higher than the national goal. The rate of exclusive breast-feeding was nearly 44 percent. It seems necessary to elucidate the role of other factors, such as socioeconomic status, on exclusive breast-feeding.

Evaluation of clinical and histopathologic prognostic factors for survival in canine osteosarcoma of the extracranial flat and irregular bones.

PubMed

Kruse, M A; Holmes, E S; Balko, J A; Fernandez, S; Brown, D C; Goldschmidt, M H

2013-07-01

Osteosarcoma is the most common bone tumor in dogs. However, current literature focuses primarily on appendicular osteosarcoma. This study examined the prognostic value of histological and clinical factors in flat and irregular bone osteosarcomas and hypothesized that clinical factors would have a significant association with survival time while histological factors would not. All osteosarcoma biopsy samples of the vertebra, rib, sternum, scapula, or pelvis were reviewed while survival information and clinical data were obtained from medical records, veterinarians, and owners. Forty-six dogs were included in the analysis of histopathological variables and 27 dogs with complete clinical data were included in the analysis of clinical variables. In the histopathologic cox regression model, there was no significant association between any histologic feature of osteosarcoma, including grade, and survival time. In the clinical cox regression model, there was a significant association between the location of the tumor and survival time as well as between the percent elevation of alkaline phosphatase (ALP) above normal and survival time. Controlling for ALP elevation, dogs with osteosarcoma located in the scapula had a significantly greater hazard for death (2.8) compared to dogs with tumors in other locations. Controlling for tumor location, every 100% increase in ALP from normal increased the hazard for death by 1.7. For canine osteosarcomas of the flat and irregular bones, histopathological features, including grade do not appear to be rigorous predictors of survival. Clinical variables such as increased ALP levels and tumor location in the scapula were associated with decreased survival times.

20 CFR 222.20 - When determination of relationship as divorced spouse, surviving divorced spouse, or remarried...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

...' Benefits RAILROAD RETIREMENT BOARD REGULATIONS UNDER THE RAILROAD RETIREMENT ACT FAMILY RELATIONSHIPS Relationship as Divorced Spouse, Surviving Divorced Spouse, or Remarried Widow(er) § 222.20 When determination... 20 Employees' Benefits 1 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false When determination of relationship as...

Factors influencing wild turkey hen survival in southcentral Iowa

USGS Publications Warehouse

Hubbard, M.W.; Garner, D.L.; Klaas, E.E.

1999-01-01

A decline in the population of eastern wild turkeys (Meleagris gallopavo silvestris) in southcentral Iowa necessitated more current estimates of population parameters. Survival of 126 eastern wild turkey hens in southcentral Iowa was investigated during 1993-96. Estimates of annual survival averaged 0.676 ?? 0.048% (x?? ?? SE) for adults and 0.713 ?? 0.125 for subadults. Mammalian predators, primarily coyotes (Canis latrans) and red fox (Vulpes fulva) accounted for 64% of all documented mortality. Age-specific annual survival distributions differed within years (P < 0.03), but no difference was detected in survival between age classes across years (P = 0.49). Based on chronological dates, survival of adult hens differed among seasons across years (P = 0.03). However, seasonal survival was not different when estimates were based on hen behavior (p = 0.48). Risk of mortality for hens increased by 2.0% for every 100-m increase in dispersal distance, decreased by 2.0% for every 10-ha increase in home range size, and decreased by 3.5% for each 1.0% increase in proportion of home range in woody cover. Although the exact cause of the population decline remains unknown, we suggest it was more likely related to a decrease in production than changes in hen survival. Declining turkey populations would likely benefit more from management designed to increase reproduction rather than hen survival.

Factors affecting settling, survival, and viability of black bears reintroduced to Felsenthal National Wildlife Refuge, Arkansas

USGS Publications Warehouse

Wear, B.J.; Eastridge, R.; Clark, J.D.

2005-01-01

We used radiotelemetry and population modeling techniques to examine factors related to population establishment of black bears (Ursus americanus) reintroduced to Felsenthal National Wildlife Refuge (NWR), Arkansas. Our objectives were to determine whether settling (i.e., establishment of a home range at or near the release site), survival, recruitment, and population viability were related to age class of reintroduced bears, presence of cubs, time since release, or number of translocated animals. We removed 23 adult female black bears with 56 cubs from their winter dens at White River NWR and transported them 160 km to man-made den structures at Felsenthal NWR during spring 2000–2002. Total movement and average circuity of adult females decreased from 1 month, 6 months, and 1 year post-emergence (F2,14 =19.7, P < 0.001 and F2,14 =5.76, P=0.015, respectively). Mean first-year post-release survival of adult female bears was 0.624 (SE = 0.110, SEinterannual = 0.144), and the survival rate of their cubs was 0.750 (SE = 0.088, SEinterannual = 0.109). The homing rate (i.e., the proportion of bears that returned to White River NWR) was 13%. Annual survival for female bears that remained at the release site and survived >1-year post-release increased to 0.909 (SE = 0.097, SEinterannual=0.067; Z=3.5, P < 0.001). Based on stochastic population growth simulations, the average annual growth rate (λ) was 1.093 (SD = 0.053) and the probability of extinction with no additional stockings ranged from 0.56-1.30%. The bear population at Felsenthal NWR is at or above the number after which extinction risk declines dramatically, although additional releases of bears could significantly decrease time to population reestablishment. Poaching accounted for at least 3 of the 8 adult mortalities that we documented; illegal kills could be a significant impediment to population re-establishment at Felsenthal NWR should poaching rates escalate.

Factors related to the relative survival of patients with diffuse large B-cell lymphoma in a population-based study in France: does socio-economic status have a role?

PubMed

Le Guyader-Peyrou, Sandra; Orazio, Sébastien; Dejardin, Olivier; Maynadié, Marc; Troussard, Xavier; Monnereau, Alain

2017-03-01

The survival of patients with diffuse large B-cell lymphoma has increased during the last decade as a result of addition of anti-CD20 to anthracycline-based chemotherapy. Although the trend is encouraging, there are persistent differences in survival within and between the USA and European countries suggesting that non-biological factors play a role. Our aim was to investigate the influence of such factors on relative survival of patients with diffuse large B-cell lymphoma. We conducted a retrospective, multicenter, registry-based study in France on 1165 incident cases of diffuse large B-cell lymphoma between 2002 and 2008. Relative survival analyses were performed and missing data were controlled with the multiple imputation method. In a multivariate analysis, adjusted for age, sex and International Prognostic Index, we confirmed that time period was associated with a better 5-year relative survival. The registry area, the medical specialty of the care department (onco-hematology versus other), the time to travel to the nearest teaching hospital, the place of treatment (teaching versus not-teaching hospital -borderline significance), a comorbidity burden and marital status were independently associated with the 5-year relative survival. Adjusted for first-course treatment, inclusion in a clinical trial and treatment discussion in a multidisciplinary meeting were strongly associated with a better survival outcome. In contrast, socio-economic status (determined using the European Deprivation Index) was not associated with outcome. Despite therapeutic advances, various non-biological factors affected the relative survival of patients with diffuse large B-cell lymphoma. The notion of lymphoma-specific expertise seems to be essential to achieve optimal care management and reopens the debate regarding centralization of these patients' care in hematology/oncology departments. Copyright© Ferrata Storti Foundation.

Survival from skin cancer and its associated factors in Kurdistan province of Iran.

PubMed

Ahmadi, Galavizh; Asadi-Lari, Mohsen; Amani, Saeid; Solaymani-Dodaran, Masoud

2015-01-01

We explored survival of skin cancer and its determinants in Kurdistan province of Iran. In a retrospective cohort design, we identified all registered skin cancer patients in Kurdistan Cancer Registry from year 2000 to 2009. Information on time and cause of death were obtained from Registrar's office and information on type, stage and anatomic locations were extracted from patients' hospital records. Additional demographic information was collected via a telephone interview. We calculated the 3 and 5 years survival. Survival experiences in different groups were compared using log rank test. Cox proportional hazard model was built and hazard ratios and their 95% confidence intervals were calculated. Of a total of 1353, contact information for 667 patients were available, all of which were followed up. 472 telephone interviews were conducted. Mean follow-up time was 34 months. We identified 78 deaths in this group of patients and 44 of them were because of skin cancer. After controlling for confounding, tumour type, anatomical location, and diseases stage remained significantly associated with survival. Hazard ratios for death because of squamous cell carcinoma was 74.5 (95%CI: 4.8-1146) and for melanoma was 24.4 (95%CI: 1.3-485) compared with basal cell carcinomas. Hazard ratio for tumours in stage 4 was 16.7 (95%CI: 1.8-156.6) and for stage 3 was 16.8 (95%CI: 1.07-260) compared with stage 1 and 2. Tumour stage is independently associated with survival. Relatively low survival rates suggest delayed diagnosis. Increasing public awareness through media about the warning signs of skin cancers could increase the chance of survival in these patients.

Survival from skin cancer and its associated factors in Kurdistan province of Iran

PubMed Central

Ahmadi, Galavizh; Asadi-Lari, Mohsen; Amani, Saeid; Solaymani-Dodaran, Masoud

2015-01-01

Background: We explored survival of skin cancer and its determinants in Kurdistan province of Iran. Methods: In a retrospective cohort design, we identified all registered skin cancer patients in Kurdistan Cancer Registry from year 2000 to 2009. Information on time and cause of death were obtained from Registrar’s office and information on type, stage and anatomic locations were extracted from patients’ hospital records. Additional demographic information was collected via a telephone interview. We calculated the 3 and 5 years survival. Survival experiences in different groups were compared using log rank test. Cox proportional hazard model was built and hazard ratios and their 95% confidence intervals were calculated. Results: Of a total of 1353, contact information for 667 patients were available, all of which were followed up. 472 telephone interviews were conducted. Mean follow-up time was 34 months. We identified 78 deaths in this group of patients and 44 of them were because of skin cancer. After controlling for confounding, tumour type, anatomical location, and diseases stage remained significantly associated with survival. Hazard ratios for death because of squamous cell carcinoma was 74.5 (95%CI: 4.8-1146) and for melanoma was 24.4 (95%CI: 1.3-485) compared with basal cell carcinomas. Hazard ratio for tumours in stage 4 was 16.7 (95%CI: 1.8-156.6) and for stage 3 was 16.8 (95%CI: 1.07-260) compared with stage 1 and 2. Conclusion: Tumour stage is independently associated with survival. Relatively low survival rates suggest delayed diagnosis. Increasing public awareness through media about the warning signs of skin cancers could increase the chance of survival in these patients. PMID:26793668

Factors impacting short and long-term kidney graft survival: modification by single intra-operative -high-dose induction with ATG-Fresenius.

PubMed

Kaden, Jürgen; May, Gottfried; Völp, Andreas; Wesslau, Claus

2011-01-01

A majority of recipients benefited from the intra-operative single high-dose induction (HDI) with ATG-Fresenius (ATG-F) still leaving a group of recipients who did not profit from this kind of induction. Therefore the aim of this retrospective analysis was 1st to identify the risk factors impacting short and long-term graft survival, and 2nd to assess the efficacy of this type of induction in kidney graft recipients with or without these risk factors. A total of 606 recipients receiving two different immunosuppressive treatment regimens (1st: Triple drug therapy [TDT, n=196] consisting mainly of steroids, azathioprine and cyclosporine; 2nd: TDT + 9 mg/kg ATG-F intra-operatively [HDI, n=410]) were included in this analysis and grouped according to their kidney graft survival time (short GST: ≤1 yr, n=100 and long GST: >5 yrs, n=506). The main risk factors associated with a shortened graft survival were pre-transplant sensitization, re-transplantation, rejections (in particular vascular or mixed ones) and the necessity of a long-term anti-rejection therapy. Adding ATG-F single high dose induction to TDT was more efficient in prolonging kidney graft survival than TDT alone not only in recipients without any risk factors (p<0.005) but also in recipients with at least one risk factor (p<0.021). Only in 4.6% of recipients having two or more risk factors this effect could not be demonstrated. The intra-operative single high-dose induction with ATG-F significantly improves the kidney graft survival in recipients with or without risk factors and can therefore be recommended.

Venous thromboembolism in patients with acute leukemia: incidence, risk factors, and effect on survival

PubMed Central

Ku, Grace H.; White, Richard H.; Chew, Helen K.; Harvey, Danielle J.; Zhou, Hong

2009-01-01

A population-based cohort was used to determine the incidence and risk factors associated with development of venous thromboembolism (VTE) among Californians diagnosed with acute leukemia between 1993 to 1999. Principal outcomes were deep vein thrombosis in both the lower and upper extremities, pulmonary embolism, and mortality. Among 5394 cases with acute myelogenous leukemia (AML), the 2-year cumulative incidence of VTE was 281 (5.2%). Sixty-four percent of the VTE events occurred within 3 months of AML diagnosis. In AML patients, female sex, older age, number of chronic comorbidities, and presence of a catheter were significant predictors of development of VTE within 1 year. A diagnosis of VTE was not associated with reduced survival in AML patients. Among 2482 cases with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL), the 2-year incidence of VTE in ALL was 4.5%. Risk factors for VTE were presence of a central venous catheter, older age, and number of chronic comorbidities. In the patients with ALL, development of VTE was associated with a 40% increase in the risk of dying within 1 year. The incidence of VTE in acute leukemia is appreciable, and is comparable with the incidence in many solid tumors. PMID:19088376

Factors influencing immediate post-release survival of spectacled eiders following surgical implantation of transmitters with percutaneous antennae

USGS Publications Warehouse

Sexson, Matthew G.; Mulcahy, Daniel M.; Spriggs, Maria; Myers, Gwen E.

2014-01-01

Surgically implanted transmitters are a common method for tracking animal movements. Immediately following surgical implantation, animals pass through a critical recovery phase when behaviors may deviate from normal and the likelihood of individual survival may be reduced. Therefore, data collected during this period may be censored to minimize bias introduced by surgery-related behaviors or mortality. However, immediate post-release mortalities negate a sampling effort and reduce the amount of data potentially collected after the censoring period. Wildlife biologists should employ methods to support an animal’s survival through this period, but factors contributing to immediate post-release survival have not been formally assessed. We evaluated factors that potentially influenced the immediate post-release survival of 56 spectacled eiders (Somateria fischeri) marked with coelomically implanted satellite transmitters with percutaneous antennae in northern Alaska in 2010 and 2011. We modeled survival through the first 14 days following release and assessed the relative importance and effect of 15 covariates hypothesized to influence survival during this immediate post-release period. Estimated daily survival rate increased over the duration of the immediate post-release period; the probability of mortality was greatest within the first 5 days following release. Our top-ranking model included the effect of 2 blood analytes, pH and hematocrit, measured prior to surgical implantation of a transmitter. We found a positive response to pH; eiders exhibiting acidemia (low pH) prior to surgery were less likely to survive the immediate post-release period. We found a curvilinear response to hematocrit; eiders exhibiting extremely low or high pre-surgery hematocrit were also less likely to survive the immediate post-release period. In the interest of maximizing the survival of marked birds following release, hematological data obtained prior to surgical implantation of

Early Seizure Freedom Is a Prognostic Factor for Survival in Patients with West Syndrome.

PubMed

Krijgh, E J C; Catsman-Berrevoets, C E; Neuteboom, R F

2018-05-21

 West syndrome (WS) is a devastating epileptic encephalopathy with substantial mortality. After a study by Riikonen in 1996, further data on mortality and prognostic factors for survival has been scarce. We aimed to study mortality in patients with WS and identify prognostic factors for survival.  We performed a single-center retrospective study in a tertiary referral clinic (Erasmus University Hospital/Sophia Children's Hospital). This study obtained data from deceased patients regarding the age of death and cause of death. Seizure outcome was assessed at 8 weeks after the start of treatment and at 1 year after the onset of WS. At 1 year of follow-up seizure frequency, number of antiepileptic drugs and seizure type were evaluated.  With a mean follow-up of 60 months (range 8-314 months), 162 patients met the inclusion criteria. At 8 weeks and 1 year of follow-up, 64 patients (40%) were seizure free. Overall, 37 patients (23%) died. The cumulative mortality percentage was 31%. Seizure freedom was an independent predictor of survival ( p  = 0.01).  In this study, remission of seizures at 8 weeks of follow-up was significantly associated with reduced mortality in patients with WS. Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York.

c-MET Overexpression in Colorectal Cancer: A Poor Prognostic Factor for Survival.

PubMed

Lee, Su Jin; Lee, Jeeyun; Park, Se Hoon; Park, Joon Oh; Lim, Ho Yeong; Kang, Won Ki; Park, Young Suk; Kim, Seung Tae

2018-03-02

Increased mesenchymal-epithelial transition factor gene (c-MET) expression in several human malignancies is related to increased tumor progression and is a new potential drug target for several types of cancers. In the present study, we investigated the incidence of c-MET overexpression and its prognostic significance in patients with colorectal cancer (CRC). We retrospectively reviewed the data from 255 stage IV CRC patients who had results from a c-MET immunohistochemical test at Samsung Medical Center. We explored the relationships between c-MET overexpression and clinicopathological features and survival. Primary tumor sites were 67 right-sided colon, 98 left-sided colon, and 90 rectum. Forty-two patients (16.7%) had poorly differentiated or mucinous carcinoma. Among the 255 patients, 39 (15.3%) exhibited c-MET overexpression. There was no significant difference in the prevalence of c-MET overexpression according to primary site, histologic differentiation, molecular markers, or metastatic sites. In a comparison of the tumor response to first-line chemotherapy according to the level of c-MET expression, we found no significant difference in either partial response or disease control rate. In the survival analysis, patients with c-MET overexpression had significantly shorter overall survival (39 vs. 27 months; P = .018) and progression-free survival (PFS) during bevacizumab treatment (10 vs. 7 months; P = .024). c-MET overexpression, which was detected in 39 CRC patients (15.3%) irrespective of primary sites or molecular markers, indicated a poor survival prognosis and predicted shorter PFS during bevacizumab treatment in patients with CRC. Further studies are warranted to elucidate the value of c-MET-targeted therapy in CRC patients. Copyright © 2018 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Factors Affecting Florida Scrub-Jay Nest Survival on Ocala National Forest, Florida

Treesearch

Kathleen Franzreb; Stan Zarnoch

2011-01-01

One of the main populations of the Florida scrub-jay (Aphelocoma coerulescens), a federally threatened species, occurs on Ocala National Forest, Florida. We determined the nest survival rate (DSR) of 474 nests of Florida scrub-jays in stands subject to sand pine reforestation management after timber harvesting or wildfire on Ocala National Forest. We used the...

Incidence, predictive factors, management, and survival impact of atrial fibrillation in non-Hodgkin lymphoma.

PubMed

Sorigue, Marc; Gual-Capllonch, Francisco; Garcia, Olga; Sarrate, Edurne; Franch-Sarto, Mireia; Ibarra, Gladys; Grau, Javier; Orna, Elisa; Ribera, Josep-Maria; Sancho, Juan-Manuel

2018-05-04

Atrial fibrillation (AF) and cancer are common disorders in the general population but there are few studies in patients with both diseases. More specifically, there are scarce data on AF in patients with non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL). We assessed the incidence, predictive factors, management, and survival impact of AF in a cohort of patients with NHL from a single institution between 2002 and 2016 (n = 747). Twenty-three patients were diagnosed with AF before and 40 after the diagnosis of NHL (of the later, 16 were secondary to an extracardiac comorbidity and 24 unrelated to any triggering event [primary AF]). The 5-year cumulative incidence of new-onset AF was 4% (95% confidence interval [CI] 3-6%). Age and hypertension were the only predictive factors for the development of AF. Management of AF was heterogeneous, primarily with anti-vitamin K agents but also antiplatelet therapy in a significant proportion of patients. Among the 63 patients, there were six episodes of ischemic stroke/transient ischemic attack and four venous thromboembolic events, with four major bleeding episodes. Overall survival (OS) was inferior in patients with AF (HR 0.1, 95% CI 0.01-0.7, p = 0.02), largely due to secondary AF. We conclude that the incidence of new-onset AF in NHL patients seemed somewhat higher than in the general population, although with similar predictive factors. The management was heterogeneous, and the risk of ischemic and hemorrhagic events did not seem higher than in cancer-free patients. Survival was particularly poor for patients with secondary AF.

Signals of large scale climate drivers, hatchery enhancement, and marine factors in Yukon River Chinook salmon survival revealed with a Bayesian life history model.

PubMed

Cunningham, Curry J; Westley, Peter A H; Adkison, Milo D

2018-05-18

Understanding how species might respond to climate change involves disentangling the influence of co-occurring environmental factors on population dynamics, and is especially problematic for migratory species like Pacific salmon that move between ecosystems. To date, debate surrounding the causes of recent declines in Yukon River Chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha) abundance has centered on whether factors in freshwater or marine environments control variation in survival, and how these populations at the northern extremity of the species range will respond to climate change. To estimate the effect of factors in marine and freshwater environments on Chinook salmon survival, we constructed a stage-structured assessment model that incorporates the best available data, estimates incidental marine bycatch mortality in trawl fisheries, and uses Bayesian model selection methods to quantify support for alternative hypotheses. Models fitted to two index populations of Yukon River Chinook salmon indicate that processes in the nearshore and marine environments are the most important determinants of survival. Specifically, survival declines when ice leaves the Yukon River later in the spring, increases with wintertime temperature in the Bering Sea, and declines with the abundance of globally enhanced salmon species consistent with competition at sea. In addition, we found support for density-dependent survival limitations in freshwater but not marine portions of the life cycle, increasing average survival with ocean age, and age-specific selectivity of bycatch mortality in the Bering Sea. This study underscores the utility of flexible estimation models capable of fitting multiple data types and evaluating mortality from both natural and anthropogenic sources in multiple habitats. Overall, these analyses suggest that mortality at sea is the primary driver of population dynamics, yet under a warming climate Chinook salmon populations at the northern extent of the species

Pulmonic stenosis in dogs: survival and risk factors in a retrospective cohort of patients.

PubMed

Locatelli, C; Spalla, I; Domenech, O; Sala, E; Brambilla, P G; Bussadori, C

2013-09-01

To assess survival and risk factors in dogs with pulmonic stenosis. A retrospective review of medical case records of all cases of pulmonic stenosis >50 mmHg, undergoing pulmonary balloon valvuloplasty or not. Survival curves and multivariate analysis were calculated in the overall population and in subgroups. One hundred and seventy-two cases were included. Factors negatively affecting survival were clinical signs [hazard ratio (HR) 3 · 44, P < 0 · 001], younger age at diagnosis (HR 3 · 96, P = 0 · 001) and valve morphology type B (HR 3 · 33, P = 0 · 001) in the overall population. In those that had pulmonary balloon valvuloplasty group only clinical signs was significant (HR 3 · 44, P < 0 · 001). In cases that did not undergo pulmonary balloon valvuloplasty group Doppler gradient (HR 1 · 02, P < 0 · 001), clinical signs (HR 5 · 41, P = 0 · 002), valve morphology type B (HR 10 · 20, P = 0 · 001) and younger age at diagnosis (HR 12 · 82, P < 0 · 001) negatively affected survival. Dogs with severe pulmonic stenosis undergoing pulmonary balloon valvuloplasty (HR 0 · 47, P = 0 · 047) and asymptomatic dogs with moderate pulmonic stenosis (HR 0 · 10, P = 0 · 042) had a better outcome. Younger age at diagnosis was correlated with poorer outcome in right-sided congestive heart failure dogs (HR 14 · 02, P = 0 · 01). Clinical signs, valve morphology type B and age at diagnosis are risk factors in pulmonic stenosis patients. Pulmonary balloon valvuloplasty is a reasonable treatment choice in dogs with severe pulmonic stenosis. © 2013 British Small Animal Veterinary Association.

Survival of patients with Ewing's sarcoma in Yazd-Iran.

PubMed

Akhavan, Ali; Binesh, Fariba; Shamshiri, Hadi; Ghanadi, Fazllolah

2014-01-01

The Ewing's sarcoma family is a group of small round cell tumors which accounts for 10-15% of all primary bone neoplasms. The aim of this study was to evaluate the survival of Ewing's sarcoma patients in our province and to determine of influencing factors. All patients with documented Ewing's sarcoma/ primitive neuroectodermal tumor(PNET) family pathology were enrolled in this study during a period of eight years. For all of them local and systemic therapy were carried out. Overall and event free survival and prognostic factors were evaluated. Thirty two patients were enrolled in the study. The median age was 17.5 years. Twenty (65.2%) were male and 9 (28.1%) were aged 14 years or less. Mean disease free survival was 26.8 (95%CI; 13.8-39.9) months and five year disease free survival was 26%. Mean overall survival was 38.7 months (95%CI; 25.9-50.6) and median overall survival was 24 months. Five year overall survival was 25%. From the variables evaluated , only presence of metastatic disease at presentation (p value=0. 028) and complete response (p value =0. 006) had significant relations to overall survival. Survival of Ewing's sarcoma in our province is disappointing. It seems to be mostly due to less effective treatment. Administration of adequate chemotherapy dosage, resection of tumor with negative margins and precise assessment of irradiation volume may prove helpful.

Factors Associated with Post-traumatic Stress Symptoms in Students Who Survived 20 Months after the Sewol Ferry Disaster in Korea.

PubMed

Lee, So Hee; Kim, Eun Ji; Noh, Jin Won; Chae, Jeong Ho

2018-03-12

The Sewol ferry disaster caused national shock and grief in Korea. The present study examined the prevalence and associated factors of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms among the surviving students 20 months after that disaster. This study was conducted using a cross-sectional design and a sample of 57 students (29 boys and 28 girls) who survived the Sewol ferry disaster. Data were collected using a questionnaire, including instruments that assessed psychological status. A generalized linear model using a log link and Poisson distribution was performed to identify factors associated with PTSD symptoms. The results showed that 26.3% of participants were classified in the clinical group by the Child Report of Post-traumatic Symptoms score. Based on a generalized linear model, Poisson distribution, and log link analyses, PTSD symptoms were positively correlated with the number of exposed traumatic events, peers and social support, peri-traumatic dissociation and post-traumatic negative beliefs, and emotional difficulties. On the other hand, PTSD symptoms were negatively correlated with psychological well-being, family cohesion, post-traumatic social support, receiving care at a psychiatry clinic, and female gender. This study uncovered risk and protective factors of PTSD in disaster-exposed adolescents. The implications of these findings are considered in relation to determining assessment and interventional strategies aimed at helping survivors following similar traumatic experiences. © 2018 The Korean Academy of Medical Sciences.

Factors Associated with Post-traumatic Stress Symptoms in Students Who Survived 20 Months after the Sewol Ferry Disaster in Korea

PubMed Central

2018-01-01

Background The Sewol ferry disaster caused national shock and grief in Korea. The present study examined the prevalence and associated factors of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms among the surviving students 20 months after that disaster. Methods This study was conducted using a cross-sectional design and a sample of 57 students (29 boys and 28 girls) who survived the Sewol ferry disaster. Data were collected using a questionnaire, including instruments that assessed psychological status. A generalized linear model using a log link and Poisson distribution was performed to identify factors associated with PTSD symptoms. Results The results showed that 26.3% of participants were classified in the clinical group by the Child Report of Post-traumatic Symptoms score. Based on a generalized linear model, Poisson distribution, and log link analyses, PTSD symptoms were positively correlated with the number of exposed traumatic events, peers and social support, peri-traumatic dissociation and post-traumatic negative beliefs, and emotional difficulties. On the other hand, PTSD symptoms were negatively correlated with psychological well-being, family cohesion, post-traumatic social support, receiving care at a psychiatry clinic, and female gender. Conclusion This study uncovered risk and protective factors of PTSD in disaster-exposed adolescents. The implications of these findings are considered in relation to determining assessment and interventional strategies aimed at helping survivors following similar traumatic experiences. PMID:29495137

The effects of tree species and site conditions on gypsy moth survival and growth in Michigan

Treesearch

John A. Witter; Michael E. Montgomery; Charley A. Chilcote; Jennifer L. Stoyenoff

1991-01-01

In 1987, we began a study to determine the relationships between gypsy moth growth and survival and forest site factors. The major objectives of this study were to determine the (1) relationships between gypsy moth survival and growth and different ecosystem conditions, (2) relationships among egg hatch, host phenology, and distribution of small larvae in the...

Residual tumor after neoadjuvant chemoradiation outside the radiation therapy target volume: a new prognostic factor for survival in esophageal cancer.

PubMed

Muijs, Christina; Smit, Justin; Karrenbeld, Arend; Beukema, Jannet; Mul, Veronique; van Dam, Go; Hospers, Geke; Kluin, Phillip; Langendijk, Johannes; Plukker, John

2014-03-15

The aim of this study was to analyze the accuracy of gross tumor volume (GTV) delineation and clinical target volume (CTV) margins for neoadjuvant chemoradiation therapy (neo-CRT) in esophageal carcinoma at pathologic examination and to determine the impact on survival. The study population consisted of 63 esophageal cancer patients treated with neo-CRT. GTV and CTV borders were demarcated in situ during surgery on the esophagus, using anatomical reference points to provide accurate information regarding tumor location at pathologic evaluation. To identify prognostic factors for disease-free survival (DFS) and overall survival (OS), a Cox regression analysis was performed. After resection, macroscopic residual tumor was found outside the GTV in 7 patients (11%). Microscopic residual tumor was located outside the CTV in 9 patients (14%). The median follow-up was 15.6 months. With multivariate analysis, only microscopic tumor outside the CTV (hazard ratio [HR], 4.96; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.03-15.36), and perineural growth (HR, 5.77; 95% CI, 1.27-26.13) were identified as independent prognostic factors for OS. The 1-year OS was 20% for patients with tumor outside the CTV and 86% for those without (P<.01). For DFS, microscopic tumor outside the CTV (HR, 5.92; 95% CI, 1.89-18.54) and ypN+ (HR, 3.36; 95% CI, 1.33-8.48) were identified as independent adverse prognostic factors. The 1-year DFS was 23% versus 77% for patients with or without tumor outside the CTV (P<.01). Microscopic tumor outside the CTV is associated with markedly worse OS after neo-CRT. This may either stress the importance of accurate tumor delineation or reflect aggressive tumor behavior requiring new adjuvant treatment modalities. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Identification of Annexin A4 as a hepatopancreas factor involved in liver cell survival

PubMed Central

Zhang, Danhua; Golubkov, Vladislav S.; Han, Wenlong; Correa, Ricardo G.; Zhou, Ying; Lee, Sunyoung; Strongin, Alex Y.; Dong, P. Duc Si

2014-01-01

To gain insight into liver and pancreas development, we investigated the target of 2F11, a monoclonal antibody of unknown antigen, widely used in zebrafish studies for labeling hepatopancreatic ducts. Utilizing mass spectrometry and in vivo assays, we determined the molecular target of 2F11 to be Annexin A4 (Anxa4), a calcium binding protein. We further found that in both zebrafish and mouse endoderm, Anxa4 is broadly expressed in the developing liver and pancreas, and later becomes more restricted to the hepatopancreatic ducts and pancreatic islets, including the insulin producing β-cells. Although Anxa4 is a known target of several monogenic diabetes genes and its elevated expression is associated with chemoresistance in malignancy, its in vivo role is largely unexplored. Knockdown of Anxa4 in zebrafish leads to elevated expression of caspase 8 and Δ113p53, and liver bud specific activation of Caspase 3 and apoptosis. Mosaic knockdown reveal that Anxa4 is required cell-autonomously in the liver bud for cell survival. This finding is further corroborated with mosaic anxa4 knockout studies using the CRISPR/Cas9 system. Collectively, we identify Anxa4 as a new, evolutionarily conserved hepatopancreatic factor that is required in zebrafish for liver progenitor viability, through inhibition of the extrinsic apoptotic pathway. A role for Anxa4 in cell survival may have implications for the mechanism of diabetic β-cell apoptosis and cancer cell chemoresistance. PMID:25176043

Determinants of 1-year survival in critically ill acute leukemia patients: a GRRR-OH study.

PubMed

Tavares, Márcio; Lemiale, Virginie; Mokart, Djamel; Pène, Frédéric; Lengliné, Etienne; Kouatchet, Achille; Mayaux, Julien; Vincent, François; Nyunga, Martine; Bruneel, Fabrice; Rabbat, Antoine; Lebert, Christine; Perez, Pierre; Meert, Anne-Pascale; Benoit, Dominique; Darmon, Michael; Azoulay, Elie

2018-06-01

Acute leukemia (AL) is the most common hematological malignancy requiring intensive care unit (ICU) management. Data on long-term survival are limited. This is a post hoc analysis of the prospective multicenter data from France and Belgium: A Groupe de Recherche Respiratoire en Réanimation Onco-Hématologique [A Research Group on Acute Respiratory Failure in Onco-Hematological Patients (French)] Study, to identify determinants of 1-year survival in critically ill AL patients. A total of 278 patients were admitted in the 17 participating ICUs. Median age was 58 years and 70% had newly diagnosed leukemia. ICU mortality rate was 28.6 and 39.6% of the patients alive at 1 year. Admission for intensive monitoring was independently associated with better 1-year survival by multivariate analysis. Conversely, relapsed/refractory disease, secondary leukemia, mechanical ventilation and renal replacement therapy were independently associated with 1-year mortality. This study confirms the impact of organ dysfunction on long-term survival in ICU patients with AL. Follow-up studies to assess respiratory and renal recovery are warranted.

Survival rates and predictors of survival among colorectal cancer patients in a Malaysian tertiary hospital.

PubMed

Magaji, Bello Arkilla; Moy, Foong Ming; Roslani, April Camilla; Law, Chee Wei

2017-05-18

Colorectal cancer is the third most commonly diagnosed malignancy and the fourth leading cause of cancer-related death globally. It is the second most common cancer among both males and females in Malaysia. The economic burden of colorectal cancer is likely to increase over time owing to its current trend and aging population. Cancer survival analysis is an essential indicator for early detection and improvement in cancer treatment. However, there was a scarcity of studies concerning survival of colorectal cancer patients as well as its predictors. Therefore, we aimed to determine the 1-, 3- and 5-year survival rates, compare survival rates among ethnic groups and determine the predictors of survival among colorectal cancer patients. This was an ambidirectional cohort study conducted at the University Malaya Medical Centre (UMMC) in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. All Malaysian citizens or permanent residents with histologically confirmed diagnosis of colorectal cancer seen at UMMC from 1 January 2001 to 31 December 2010 were included in the study. Demographic and clinical characteristics were extracted from the medical records. Patients were followed-up until death or censored at the end of the study (31st December 2010). Censored patients' vital status (whether alive or dead) were cross checked with the National Registration Department. Survival analyses at 1-, 3- and 5-year intervals were performed using the Kaplan-Meier method. Log-rank test was used to compare the survival rates, while Cox proportional hazard regression analysis was carried out to determine the predictors of 5-year colorectal cancer survival. Among 1212 patients, the median survival for colorectal, colon and rectal cancers were 42.0, 42.0 and 41.0 months respectively; while the 1-, 3-, and 5-year relative survival rates ranged from 73.8 to 76.0%, 52.1 to 53.7% and 40.4 to 45.4% respectively. The Chinese patients had the lowest 5-year survival compared to Malay and Indian patients. Based on the 814

Equity and child-survival strategies.

PubMed

Mulholland, Ek; Smith, L; Carneiro, I; Becher, H; Lehmann, D

2008-05-01

Recent advances in child survival have often been at the expense of increasing inequity. Successive interventions are applied to the same population sectors, while the same children in other sectors consistently miss out, leading to a trend towards increasing inequity in child survival. This is particularly important in the case of pneumonia, the leading cause of child death, which is closely linked to poverty and malnutrition, and for which effective community-based case management is more difficult to achieve than for other causes of child death. The key strategies for the prevention of childhood pneumonia are case management, mainly through Integrated Management of Childhood Illness (IMCI), and immunization, particularly the newer vaccines against Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib) and pneumococcus. There is a tendency to introduce both interventions into communities that already have access to basic health care and preventive services, thereby increasing the relative disadvantage experienced by those children without such access. Both strategies can be implemented in such a way as to decrease rather than increase inequity. It is important to monitor equity when introducing child-survival interventions. Economic poverty, as measured by analyses based on wealth quintiles, is an important determinant of inequity in health outcomes but in some settings other factors may be of greater importance. Geography and ethnicity can both lead to failed access to health care, and therefore inequity in child survival. Poorly functioning health facilities are also of major importance. Countries need to be aware of the main determinants of inequity in their communities so that measures can be taken to ensure that IMCI, new vaccine implementation and other child-survival strategies are introduced in an equitable manner.

[Determinants of long-term survival in 38 patients with carcinoma of ampulla of Vater treated by local resection].

PubMed

Liu, Ning; Liang, Han; Li, Qiang; Wang, Dian-chang; Zhang, Ru-peng; Wang, Jia-cang; Hao, Xi-shan

2005-10-01

To investigate determinants of long-term survival for carcinoma of ampulla of Vater treated by local resection. The clinical and pathological data of 38 such patients treated by local resection from 1983 to 2003 were retrospectively analyzed. According to UICC staging system, there were T1 30, T2 7 and T3 1. Lymph nodes were involved in 4 during operation which was present in primary lesions larger than 2 cm across. All patients were treated by local resection. At first, external palpation was carried out to ascertain accessibility. Then with the duodenum opened, direct exploration was carried out. On deciding for resection, the common bile duct was probe explored which guided the circumferential ring resection 1 cm, away from the tumor, including all layers of duodenum, ampula and partial bile and terminal pancreatic ducts and the posterial wall of duodenum was completed in steps. Meticulous care was taken not to suture the pancreatic duct and endotheliation was ensured at the mouth of common bile duct and duodenum. The basal tissue was frozen sectioned to ensure negative stumps. The gall bladder of 6 patients was also resected. SPSS 10.0 software was used in data processing, log-rank test used in univariate analysis and Cox equation for multivariate analysis and Kaplan-Meirer method for the survival rates. Thirty-eight patients received local resection giving an operative mortality of 0% and morbidity of 13.2%. The 1-, 5- and 10-year survival rate was 83.5%, 51.4%, and 38.9%, respectively, with a median survival of 3.35 years. Up to now, 13 patients have survived for more than five years and 2 patients beyond ten years. The tumour size, tumour grading, lymph node status and UICC stage were significant prognostic factors in univariate analysis. However, only lymph node status was a statistically independent predictor of prognosis in multivariate analysis. Local excision is safe giving low morbidity and good survival in carefully selected cases. Preferably it is

Report: Study is about the prevalence of the HCV disease and survival of HCV patients with associated factors in the population of district Multan.

PubMed

Tabassum, Hina; Amin, Muhammad; Amanullah, Muhammad; Tabassum, Sana

2015-09-01

To find out the significant factors associated with HCV disease and evaluate the impact of these factors on the survival pattern of HCV patients in district Multan. The study was conducted in Nishter Hospital of Multan district from 1st January 2011 to 1st October 2012. To see a significant difference between the survival rates of patients with associated factors, non-parametric Cox- proportional hazard model with their graphical results were used. All the patients above 11 years old of both sexes were included in the study. All those who were surviving with HCV disease were studied with their associated factors such as age, family history (FH) barber/parlor services, blood group (BG) types weight loss (WL), Gender and drug use were collected from Nishter Hospital Multan. Results indicated that age, blood group types and gender are the most significant factors in the patients who are surviving with HCV disease. It was also observed that survival rate of female patients is high as compare to male patients.

Factors Influencing Relapse-Free Survival in Merkel Cell Carcinoma of the Lower Limb-A Review of 60 Cases

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Poulsen, Michael, E-mail: michael_poulsen@health.qld.gov.a; Round, Caroline; Keller, Jacqui

2010-02-01

Purpose: Factors affecting relapse-free survival (RFS) in patients with Merkel cell carcinoma (MCC) of the lower limb were reviewed. Methods and Materials: The records of 60 patients from 1986 to 2005 with a diagnosis of MCC of the lower limb or buttock were retrospectively reviewed. The patients were treated with curative intent with surgery, radiation, or chemotherapy. Results: The 5-year overall survival, disease-specific survival, and RFS were 53%, 61%, and 20%, respectively. Factors influencing RFS were analyzed using univariate analysis. It appeared that recurrent disease worsened RFS (p = 0.03) and the addition of any radiotherapy improved RFS (p <0.001),more » as did radiotherapy to the inguinal nodes (p = 0.01) or primary site and inguinal nodes (p = 0.003). Age, surgical margins, and stage were not statistically significant. On multivariate analysis, the only significant factor was the addition of radiotherapy (hazard ratio = 0.51 p = 0.03). Conclusion: The addition of radiotherapy improves RFS compared with surgery alone. Elective treatment should be given to the inguinal nodes to reduce the risk of relapse.« less

Potential Factors Affecting Survival Differ by Run-Timing and Location: Linear Mixed-Effects Models of Pacific Salmonids (Oncorhynchus spp.) in the Klamath River, California

PubMed Central

Quiñones, Rebecca M.; Holyoak, Marcel; Johnson, Michael L.; Moyle, Peter B.

2014-01-01

Understanding factors influencing survival of Pacific salmonids (Oncorhynchus spp.) is essential to species conservation, because drivers of mortality can vary over multiple spatial and temporal scales. Although recent studies have evaluated the effects of climate, habitat quality, or resource management (e.g., hatchery operations) on salmonid recruitment and survival, a failure to look at multiple factors simultaneously leaves open questions about the relative importance of different factors. We analyzed the relationship between ten factors and survival (1980–2007) of four populations of salmonids with distinct life histories from two adjacent watersheds (Salmon and Scott rivers) in the Klamath River basin, California. The factors were ocean abundance, ocean harvest, hatchery releases, hatchery returns, Pacific Decadal Oscillation, North Pacific Gyre Oscillation, El Niño Southern Oscillation, snow depth, flow, and watershed disturbance. Permutation tests and linear mixed-effects models tested effects of factors on survival of each taxon. Potential factors affecting survival differed among taxa and between locations. Fall Chinook salmon O. tshawytscha survival trends appeared to be driven partially or entirely by hatchery practices. Trends in three taxa (Salmon River spring Chinook salmon, Scott River fall Chinook salmon; Salmon River summer steelhead trout O. mykiss) were also likely driven by factors subject to climatic forcing (ocean abundance, summer flow). Our findings underscore the importance of multiple factors in simultaneously driving population trends in widespread species such as anadromous salmonids. They also show that the suite of factors may differ among different taxa in the same location as well as among populations of the same taxa in different watersheds. In the Klamath basin, hatchery practices need to be reevaluated to protect wild salmonids. PMID:24866173

Prognostic factors in relation to racial disparity in advanced colorectal cancer survival.

PubMed

Wallace, Kristin; Sterba, Katherine R; Gore, Elena; Lewin, David N; Ford, Marvella E; Thomas, Melanie B; Alberg, Anthony J

2013-12-01

Colorectal cancer mortality rates are significantly greater in AA than in EA individuals, and the disparity is worsening. We investigated the relationship between race and metastatic CRC (mCRC) survival in younger and older patients. Using data from the Hollings Cancer Center (Charleston, SC), we studied the role of clinical, pathologic, and treatment-related factors on the disparity in survival. We carried out a retrospective cohort study of 82 mCRC patients (26 AA, 56 EA). The data source was medical record data from June 1, 2004 through May 31, 2008 with follow-up through June 30, 2010. Using Kaplan-Meier methods, we generated median survival time according to race and age (< 61, ≥ 61 years). Cox proportional hazards regression models were used to model the risk of death according to race. The median age was 56.7 years for AA and 61.6 years for EA patients. Compared with EA, median survival in AA patients was 59% worse in younger patients (12.7 vs. 31.0 months) and 29% worse in older patients (11.7 vs. 16.4 months). The risk of death among younger AA compared with EA patients was 2.45 (95% confidence interval [CI], 1.15-5.23) and among older patients was 1.16 (95% CI, 0.49-2.73). Our results highlight the importance of considering younger age, clinical prognostic markers, and tumor phenotypes as potential sources of the disparity in advanced stage CRC. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

A subset of skin tumor modifier loci determines survival time of tumor-bearing mice

PubMed Central

Nagase, Hiroki; Mao, Jian-Hua; Balmain, Allan

1999-01-01

Studies of mouse models of human cancer have established the existence of multiple tumor modifiers that influence parameters of cancer susceptibility such as tumor multiplicity, tumor size, or the probability of malignant progression. We have carried out an analysis of skin tumor susceptibility in interspecific Mus musculus/Mus spretus hybrid mice and have identified another seven loci showing either significant (six loci) or suggestive (one locus) linkage to tumor susceptibility or resistance. A specific search was carried out for skin tumor modifier loci associated with time of survival after development of a malignant tumor. A combination of resistance alleles at three markers [D6Mit15 (Skts12), D7Mit12 (Skts2), and D17Mit7 (Skts10)], all of which are close to or the same as loci associated with carcinoma incidence and/or papilloma multiplicity, is significantly associated with increased survival of mice with carcinomas, whereas the reverse combination of susceptibility alleles is significantly linked to early mortality caused by rapid carcinoma growth (χ2 = 25.22; P = 5.1 × 10−8). These data indicate that host genetic factors may be used to predict carcinoma growth rate and/or survival of individual backcross mice exposed to the same carcinogenic stimulus and suggest that mouse models may provide an approach to the identification of genetic modifiers of cancer survival in humans. PMID:10611333

CCCTC-binding Factor Mediates Effects of Glucose On Beta Cell Survival

PubMed Central

Tsui, Shanli; Dai, Wei; Lu, Luo

2013-01-01

Objectives Pancreatic islet β-cell survival is important in regulating insulin activities and maintaining glucose homeostasis. Recently, Pax6 has been shown to be essential for many vital functions in β-cells, though the molecular mechanisms of its regulation in β-cells remain unclear. The present study investigates the novel effects of glucose- and insulin-induced CTCF activity on Pax6 gene expression as well as the subsequent effects of insulin-activated signaling pathways on β-cell proliferation. Material and methods Pancreatic β-TC-1-6 cells were cultured in DMEM medium and stimulated with high concentrations of glucose (5 to 125 mM) and cell viability was assessed by MTT assays. The effect of CTCF on Pax6 was evaluated in high glucose-induced and CCCTC-binding Factor (CTCF)/Erk suppressed cells by promoter reporter and Western analyses. Results Increases in glucose and insulin concentrations up-regulated CTCF and consequently down-regulated Pax6 in β-cell survival and proliferation. Knocking-down CTCF directly affected Pax6 transcription through CTCF binding and blocked the response to glucose. Altered Erk activity mediated the effects of CTCF on controlling Pax6 expression, which partially regulates β-cell proliferation. Conclusions CTCF functions as a molecular mediator between insulin-induced upstream Erk signaling and Pax6 expression in pancreatic β-cells. This pathway may contribute to regulation of β-cell survival and proliferation. PMID:24354619

Determinants of the relationship between cost and survival time after elective adult cardiac surgery.

PubMed

Ho, K M

2014-05-01

Cardiac surgery is increasingly performed on elderly patients with multiple comorbid conditions, but the determinants of the relationship between cost and survival time after cardiac surgery for patients with a serious cardiac condition remain uncertain. Using the long-term outcome data of a cohort study on adult cardiac surgical patients, the relationship between cost and survival time after cardiac surgery from a hospital service perspective was determined. The total cost for each patient was estimated by the costs of the surgical procedures, intra-aortic balloon pump utilisation, operating theatre utilisation, blood products, intensive care unit stay and cumulative hospital stay up to a median follow-up time of 30 months. Of the 2131 patients considered in this study, a total cost >A$100,000 per life-year after cardiac surgery was observed only in 171 patients (8.0%, 95% confidence interval 6.9 to 9.3%). Age, Charlson Comorbidity Index and EuroSCORE were all related to the cost per life-year after cardiac surgery, but EuroSCORE (odds ratio 1.26 per score increment, 95% confidence interval 1.18 to 1.35, P=0.001) was, by far, the most important determinant and explained 32% of the variability in cost per life-year after cardiac surgery. Patients with a high EuroSCORE were associated with a substantially longer length of intensive care unit stay and cumulative hospital stay, as well as a shorter survival time after cardiac surgery compared to patients with a lower EuroSCORE. Of all the subgroups of patients examined, only patients with a EuroSCORE >5 were consistently associated with a cost >A$100,000 per life-year (cost per life-year $183,148, 95% confidence interval 125, 394 to 240, 902).

Adjuvant Chemotherapy After Radical Cystectomy for Urothelial Bladder Cancer: Outcome and Prognostic Factors for Survival in a French Multicenter, Contemporary Cohort.

PubMed

Pouessel, Damien; Bastuji-Garin, Sylvie; Houédé, Nadine; Vordos, Dimitri; Loriot, Yohann; Chevreau, Christine; Sevin, Emmanuel; Beuzeboc, Philippe; Taille, Alexandre de la; Le Thuaut, Aurélie; Allory, Yves; Culine, Stéphane

2017-02-01

In the past decade, adjuvant chemotherapy (AC) after radical cystectomy (RC) was preferred worldwide for patients with muscle-invasive urothelial bladder cancer. In this study we aimed to determine the outcome of patients who received AC and evaluated prognostic factors associated with survival. We retrospectively analyzed 226 consecutive patients treated in 6 academic hospitals between 2000 and 2009. Multivariate Cox proportional hazards regression adjusted for center to estimate adjusted hazard ratios (HRs) with 95% confidence intervals were used. The median age was 62.4 (range, 35-82) years. Patients had pT3/pT4 and/or pN+ in 180 (79.6%) and 168 patients (74.3%), respectively. Median lymph node (LN) density was 25% (range, 3.1-100). Median time between RC and AC was 61.5 (range, 18-162) days. Gemcitabine with cisplatin, gemcitabine with carboplatin, and MVAC (methotrexate, vinblastine, doxorubicin, and cisplatin) regimens were delivered in 161 (71.2%), 49 (21.7%), and 12 patients (5.3%) of patients, respectively. The median number of cycles was 4 (range, 1-6). Thirteen patients (5.7%) with LN metastases also received adjuvant pelvic radiotherapy (ART). After a median follow-up of 4.2 years, 5-year overall survival (OS) was 40.7%. In multivariate analysis, pT ≥3 stage (HR, 1.73; P = .05), LN density >50% (HR, 1.94; P = .03), and number of AC cycles <4 (HR, 4.26; P = .001) were adverse prognostic factors for OS. ART (HR, 0.30; P = .05) tended to provide survival benefit. Classical prognostic features associated with survival are not modified by the use of AC. Patients who derived benefit from AC had a low LN density and received at least 4 cycles of treatment. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Discovery of survival factor for primitive chronic myeloid leukemia cells using induced pluripotent stem cells

PubMed Central

Suknuntha, Kran; Ishii, Yuki; Tao, Lihong; Hu, Kejin; McIntosh, Brian E.; Yang, David; Swanson, Scott; Stewart, Ron; Wang, Jean Y.J.; Thomson, James; Slukvin, Igor

2016-01-01

A definitive cure for chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) requires identifying novel therapeutic targets to eradicate leukemia stem cells (LSCs). However, the rarity of LSCs within the primitive hematopoietic cell compartment remains a major limiting factor for their study in humans. Here we show that primitive hematopoietic cells with typical LSC features, including adhesion defect, increased long-term survival and proliferation, and innate resistance to tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI) imatinib, can be generated de novo from reprogrammed primary CML cells. Using CML iPSC-derived primitive leukemia cells, we discovered olfactomedin 4 (OLFM4) as a novel factor that contributes to survival and growth of somatic lin−CD34+ cells from bone marrow of patients with CML in chronic phase, but not primitive hematopoietic cells from normal bone marrow. Overall, this study shows the feasibility and advantages of using reprogramming technology to develop strategies for targeting primitive leukemia cells. PMID:26561938

Resilience factors play an important role in the mental health of parents when children survive acute lymphoblastic leukaemia.

PubMed

Eilertsen, Mary-Elizabeth; Hjemdal, Odin; Le, Thien Thanh; Diseth, Trond H; Reinfjell, Trude

2016-01-01

Childhood cancer is a tremendous stressor that requires parents to adapt to new challenges, and research has mainly focused on psychopathology and rarely on a resource-oriented perspective, such as resilience. This study assessed resilience factors among parents of children surviving acute lymphoblastic leukaemia and parents of healthy children. We also explored the association between parental resilience and mental health. The study compared 57 parents of 40 children from eight to 15 years of age in remission from acute lymphoblastic leukaemia and 63 parents of 42 healthy children. The Resilience Scale for Adults and the General Health Questionnaire were used to assess parental resilience and mental health. Parents of children surviving acute lymphoblastic leukaemia showed significantly lower levels of resilience than parents of healthy children, but no significant difference was found for mental health. Certain resilience factors were positively associated with mental health, especially for mothers, such as family cohesion, good perception of self and being able to plan their future. Resilience factors may help to protect parents' mental health, especially mothers, when their child has survived acute lymphoblastic leukaemia and should be considered in a clinical setting. Further research on resilience factors for fathers is needed. ©2015 Foundation Acta Paediatrica. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

[Clinical characteristics, complications and mortality in 506 patients with infective endocarditis and determinants of survival rate at 10 years].

PubMed

Oyonarte, Miguel; Montagna, Rodrigo; Braun, Sandra; Rojo, Pamela; Jara, José L; Cereceda, Mauricio; Morales, Marcelo; Nazzal, Carolina; Nazal, Carolina; Alonso, Faustino

2012-12-01

Rates of morbidity and mortality in Infective Endocarditis (IE) remain high and prognosis in this disease is still difficult and uncertain. To study IE in Chile in its active phase during inpatient hospital stay and long term survival rates. Observational prospective national cohort study of 506 consecutive patients included between June 1,1998 and July 31, 2008, from 37 Chilean hospitals (secondary and tertiary centers) nationwide. The main findings were the presence of Rheumatic valve disease in 22.1 % of patients, a history of intravenous drug abuse (IVDA) only in 0.7%, the presence of Staphylococcus aureus in 29.2% of blood cultures, negative blood cultures in 33.2%, heart failure in 51.7% and native valve involvement in 86% of patients. Echocardiographic diagnosis was achieved in 94% of patients. Hospital mortality was 26.1% and its prognostics factors were persisting infection (Odds ratio (OR) 6.43, Confidence Interval (CI) 1.45-28.33%), failure of medical treatment and no surgical intervention (OR 48.8; CI 6.67-349.9). Five and 10 years survival rates were 75.6 and 48.6%, respectively. The significant prognostic factors for long term mortality, determined by multivariate analysis were the presence of diabetes, Staphylococcus aureus infection, sepsis, heart failure, renal failure and lack of surgical treatment during the IE episode. The microbiologic diagnosis of IE must be urgently improved in Chile. Mortality rates are still high (26.1%) partly because of a high incidence of negative blood cultures and the need for more surgical valve interventions during in-hospital period. Long term prognostic factors for mortality should be identified early to improve outcome.

Death or Survival? Determining the nature of SNe IIn-P explosions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mauerhan, Jon

2016-10-01

An increasing number of transients classifiable as interacting supernovae of Type IIn have become the subject of intense debate, as the death or survival of the precursor star is unclear. This is because giant non-terminal eruptions from massive luminous blue variable (LBV) stars can spectroscopically resemble SNe IIn and achieve comparable luminosities via shock interaction with pre-existing circumstellar material (CSM). The stellar origin of the new SNe IIn-P class of explosions is particularly controversial. Competing interpretations predict stellar progenitors with very different initial masses and explosion outcomes: 1) non-terminal super-Eddington eruptions from LBVs; 2) collapsars from very massive stars that should die within their natal OB associations; and 3) electron-capture SNe from super-AGB stars with dense CSM envelopes. To resolve the uncertain origin of SNe IIn-P, we propose a simple and inexpensive optical imaging experiment to see if there is a luminous surviving star remaining at the site. UV imaging is also proposed to determine the nature of a UV source detected in pre-explosion GALEX images, and to survey the progenitor's environment for sibling O-type stars.

25 CFR 153.4 - Factors determining competency.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... 25 Indians 1 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Factors determining competency. 153.4 Section 153.4 Indians BUREAU OF INDIAN AFFAIRS, DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR LAND AND WATER DETERMINATION OF COMPETENCY: CROW INDIANS § 153.4 Factors determining competency. Among the matters to be considered by the...

A Twin Protection Effect? Explaining Twin Survival Advantages with a Two-Process Mortality Model

PubMed Central

2016-01-01

Twin studies that focus on the correlation in age-at-death between twin pairs have yielded important insights into the heritability and role of genetic factors in determining lifespan, but less attention is paid to the biological and social role of zygosity itself in determining survival across the entire life course. Using data from the Danish Twin Registry and the Human Mortality Database, we show that monozygotic twins have greater cumulative survival proportions at nearly every age compared to dizygotic twins and the Danish general population. We examine this survival advantage by fitting these data with a two-process mortality model that partitions survivorship patterns into extrinsic and intrinsic mortality processes roughly corresponding to acute, environmental and chronic, biological origins. We find intrinsic processes confer a survival advantage at older ages for males, while at younger ages, all monozygotic twins show a health protection effect against extrinsic death akin to a marriage protection effect. While existing research suggests an increasingly important role for genetic factors at very advanced ages, we conclude that the social closeness of monozygotic twins is a plausible driver of the survival advantage at ages <65. PMID:27192433

Microbiota promotes systemic T-cell survival through suppression of an apoptotic factor

PubMed Central

Petersen, Charisse; Novis, Camille L.; Kubinak, Jason L.; Bell, Rickesha; Stephens, W. Zac; Lane, Thomas E.; Fujinami, Robert S.; Bosque, Alberto; O’Connell, Ryan M.; Round, June L.

2017-01-01

Symbiotic microbes impact the severity of a variety of diseases through regulation of T-cell development. However, little is known regarding the molecular mechanisms by which this is accomplished. Here we report that a secreted factor, Erdr1, is regulated by the microbiota to control T-cell apoptosis. Erdr1 expression was identified by transcriptome analysis to be elevated in splenic T cells from germfree and antibiotic-treated mice. Suppression of Erdr1 depends on detection of circulating microbial products by Toll-like receptors on T cells, and this regulation is conserved in human T cells. Erdr1 was found to function as an autocrine factor to induce apoptosis through caspase 3. Consistent with elevated levels of Erdr1, germfree mice have increased splenic T-cell apoptosis. RNA sequencing of Erdr1-overexpressing cells identified the up-regulation of genes involved in Fas-mediated cell death, and Erdr1 fails to induce apoptosis in Fas-deficient cells. Importantly, forced changes in Erdr1 expression levels dictate the survival of auto-reactive T cells and the clinical outcome of neuro-inflammatory autoimmune disease. Cellular survival is a fundamental feature regulating appropriate immune responses. We have identified a mechanism whereby the host integrates signals from the microbiota to control T-cell apoptosis, making regulation of Erdr1 a potential therapeutic target for autoimmune disease. PMID:28487480

Pure versus follicular variant of papillary thyroid carcinoma: clinical features, prognostic factors, treatment, and survival.

PubMed

Zidan, Jamal; Karen, Drumea; Stein, Moshe; Rosenblatt, Edward; Basher, Walid; Kuten, Abraham

2003-03-01

The follicular variant of papillary thyroid carcinoma (FVPTC) is a common subtype of papillary thyroid carcinoma. Few studies have compared the clinical behavior and treatment outcome of patients with FVPTC with the outcome of patients with pure papillary carcinoma (PTC). A retrospective study was performed to identify the influence of FVPTC compared with PTC on therapeutic variables, prognostic variables, and survival. A clinicopathologic analysis of 243 patients with papillary carcinoma was performed. One hundred forty-three tumors were PTC, and 100 tumors were FVPTC. The following variables were evaluated: age at diagnosis, tumor size, stage of tumor, treatment, capsular invasion, and survival. The median follow-up was 11.5 years. The median age was 43 years in the PTC group and 44 years in the FVPTC group. The median tumor size, disease stage, and type of initial surgery and iodine 131 ablation were similar. More patients had capsular invasion by the tumor and less metastases to cervical lymph nodes in the FVPTC group. The actuarial survival of patients age < 40 years was higher compared with the survival of patients age > 50 years in both groups. The 21-year overall actuarial survival was 82% in patients with PTC and 86% in patients with FVPTC (P value not significant). The pathologic and clinical behaviors of PTC and FVPTC were comparable. Prognostic factors, treatment, and survival also were similar. Patients in both groups must be treated identically. Copyright 2003 American Cancer Society.

Dedifferentiated chondrosarcoma: Radiological features, prognostic factors and survival statistics in 23 patients

PubMed Central

Liu, Chenglei; Xi, Yan; Li, Mei; Jiao, Qiong; Zhang, Huizhen; Yang, Qingcheng; Yao, Weiwu

2017-01-01

Background Dedifferentiated chondrosarcoma is a rare, highly malignant tumor with a poor survival. There are many confusing issues concerning the imaging feature that can facilitate early diagnosis and the factors that might be related to outcomes. Methods Twenty-three patients with dedifferentiated chondrosarcoma confirmed by pathology were retrospectively reviewed from 2008 to 2015. The patients’ clinical information, images from radiographs (n = 17), CT (n = 19), and MRI (n = 17), histological features, treatment and prognosis were analyzed. Results There were 12 males and 11 females, and the mean age was 50.39 years old. Fourteen cases affected the axial bone (pelvis, spine), and 9 cases involved the appendicular bone. Seven (41.17%), 9 (47.36), and 12 (66.66%) lesions showed a biphasic nature on radiograph, CT and MRI, respectively. Of the lesions, 17.39% (4/23) were accompanied by pathological fractures. Histologically, the cartilage component was considered histological Grade1 in 12 patients and Grade 2 in 11 patients. The dedifferentiated component showed features of osteosarcoma in 8 cases, malignant fibrous histiocytoma in3 cases, myofibroblastic sarcoma in 1 case and spindle cell sarcoma in 11cases. Twenty-two cases were treated with surgical resection, and 17 cases achieved adequate (wide or radical) surgical margin. In 8 cases, surgery was combined with adjuvant chemotherapy. The overall median survival time was nine months; 17.4% of patients survived to five years. Conclusion Axial bone location, lung metastasis at diagnosis, inadequate surgical margin, incorrect diagnosis before surgery and pathological fractures was related to poorer outcome. Pre- or postoperative chemotherapy had no definitively effect on improved survival. PMID:28301537

Survival of Columbian white-tailed deer in western Oregon

USGS Publications Warehouse

Ricca, Mark A.; Anthony, Robert G.; Jackson, Dewaine H.; Wolfe, Scott A.

2002-01-01

Columbian white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus leucurus; CWTD) are an endangered subspecies on which little demographic information exists. We determined survival rates and causes of mortality for 64 radiocol- lared adults from 1996 to 1998, and for 63 radiocollared neonatal fawns during the summer and fall months of 1996-2001 in Douglas County, Oregon, USA. Annual adult survival rates averaged 0.74 over 3 years, and most mor- tality (73%) occurred between fall and winter. Seasonal survival was lowest (0.75) for the fall-winter 1997-1998, and was 20.90 during all spring-summer periods. Annual and seasonal survival rates did not differ by gender. Average annual survival was 0.77 for deer in wildland areas compared with 0.66 for deer in suburban areas, but these dif- ferences were not consistent between years and seasons. Survival over the entire 3-year study was low (0.38). Eight deer died from a combination of emaciation and disease, and almost all (92%) necropsied deer were in poor body condition. Fawn survival to 7 months was low (0.14, 95% CI = 0.02-0.26) and declined most rapidly during the first 1.5 months of life. Predation (n = 21) and abandonment (n = 6) were the most frequent known causes of death for fawns. Our results suggest that CWTD may have responded to density-dependent factors during this short-term study, although the effects of other environmental or intrinsic factors cannot be ignored. Fawn survival may be insufficient to produce enough recruits for population growth and eventual range expansion.

Racial and Ethnic Differences in Breast Cancer Survival: Mediating Effect of Tumor Characteristics and Sociodemographic and Treatment Factors

PubMed Central

Warner, Erica T.; Tamimi, Rulla M.; Hughes, Melissa E.; Ottesen, Rebecca A.; Wong, Yu-Ning; Edge, Stephen B.; Theriault, Richard L.; Blayney, Douglas W.; Niland, Joyce C.; Winer, Eric P.; Weeks, Jane C.; Partridge, Ann H.

2015-01-01

Purpose To evaluate the relationship between race/ethnicity and breast cancer–specific survival according to subtype and explore mediating factors. Patients and Methods Participants were women presenting with stage I to III breast cancer between January 2000 and December 2007 at National Comprehensive Cancer Network centers with survival follow-up through December 2009. Cox proportional hazards regression was used to compare breast cancer–specific survival among Asians (n = 533), Hispanics (n = 1,122), and blacks (n = 1,345) with that among whites (n = 14,268), overall and stratified by subtype (luminal A like, luminal B like, human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 type, and triple negative). Model estimates were used to derive mediation proportion and 95% CI for selected risk factors. Results In multivariable adjusted models, overall, blacks had 21% higher risk of breast cancer–specific death (hazard ratio [HR], 1.21; 95% CI, 1.00 to 1.45). For estrogen receptor–positive tumors, black and white survival differences were greatest within 2 years of diagnosis (years 0 to 2: HR, 2.65; 95% CI, 1.34 to 5.24; year 2 to end of follow-up: HR, 1.50; 95% CI, 1.12 to 2.00). Blacks were 76% and 56% more likely to die as a result of luminal A–like and luminal B–like tumors, respectively. No disparities were observed for triple-negative or human epidermal growth factor receptor 2–type tumors. Asians and Hispanics were less likely to die as a result of breast cancer compared with whites (Asians: HR, 0.56; 95% CI, 0.37 to 0.85; Hispanics: HR, 0.74; 95% CI, 0.58 to 0.95). For blacks, tumor characteristics and stage at diagnosis were significant disparity mediators. Body mass index was an important mediator for blacks and Asians. Conclusion Racial disparities in breast cancer survival vary by tumor subtype. Interventions are needed to reduce disparities, particularly in the first 2 years after diagnosis among black women with estrogen receptor–positive tumors. PMID

Epidermal growth factor improves survival and prevents intestinal injury in a murine model of Pseudomonas aeruginosa pneumonia

PubMed Central

Dominguez, Jessica A.; Vithayathil, Paul J.; Khailova, Ludmila; Lawrance, Christopher P.; Samocha, Alexandr J.; Jung, Enjae; Leathersich, Ann M.; Dunne, W. Michael; Coopersmith, Craig M.

2011-01-01

Mortality from pneumonia is mediated, in part, through extrapulmonary causes. Epidermal growth factor (EGF) has broad cytoprotective effects, including potent restorative properties in the injured intestine. The purpose of this study was to determine the efficacy of EGF treatment following Pseudomonas aeruginosa pneumonia. FVB/N mice underwent intratracheal injection of either Pseudomonas aeruginosa or saline and were then randomized to receive either systemic EGF or vehicle beginning immediately or 24 hours after the onset of pneumonia. Systemic EGF decreased seven-day mortality from 65% to 10% when initiated immediately after the onset of pneumonia and to 27% when initiated 24 hours after the onset of pneumonia. Even though injury in pneumonia is initiated in the lungs, the survival advantage conferred by EGF was not associated with improvements in pulmonary pathology. In contrast, EGF prevented intestinal injury by reversing pneumonia-induced increases in intestinal epithelial apoptosis and decreases in intestinal proliferation and villus length. Systemic cytokines, kidney and liver function were unaffected by EGF therapy although EGF decreased pneumonia-induced splenocyte apoptosis. To determine whether the intestine was sufficient to account for extrapulmonary effects induced by EGF, a separate set of experiments were done using transgenic mice with enterocyte-specific overexpression of EGF (IFABP-EGF mice) which were compared to WT mice subjected to pneumonia. IFABP-EGF mice had improved survival compared to WT mice following pneumonia (50% vs. 28% respectively, p<0.05) and were protected from pneumonia-induced intestinal injury. Thus, EGF may be a potential adjunctive therapy for pneumonia, mediated in part by its effects on the intestine. PMID:21701422

Genetic and physiological determinants of maternal behavior and lamb survival: implications for low-input sheep management.

PubMed

Dwyer, C M

2008-04-01

The relatively intensive supervision afforded many ewes at lambing time is a barrier to the development of low-input sheep management systems. However, in some flocks, reduction in this level of supervision may initially affect lamb mortality and animal welfare. In this review, possibilities for optimizing behavioral interaction between the ewe and lamb are considered, with the goal of improving lamb survival without the need for high levels of human supervision. At birth, ewes show specific behavioral patterns (e.g., licking or grooming, low-pitched bleats, udder acceptance) that facilitate the transition of the lamb from pre- to postnatal life and that accompany the formation of an exclusive olfactory memory for the lamb. The lamb also performs a specific sequence of behaviors directed toward standing, finding the udder, and sucking. The successful accomplishment of these behavior patterns is vital for the formation of a strong attachment between both partners, and for lamb survival. The expression of maternal behavior in the ewe is affected by her previous maternal experience, by nutrition in pregnancy, by breed, by temperament, and, to some extent, by the behavior of her lamb. The maternal care expressed by a ewe at parturition is indicative of her behavior throughout that lactation and in successive pregnancies, suggesting an underlying basis to maternal care intrinsic to that ewe. Studies with Scottish Blackface and Suffolk ewes show that ewes expressing high levels of maternal care have elevated plasma estradiol in late gestation compared with ewes with poorer maternal care, and that circulating estradiol concentration is correlated with maternal behaviors. Although the genetic basis of maternal behaviors has still to be fully determined, there are possibilities of improving maternal behavior by selection, and a better understanding of the neuroendocrine processes underlying individual differences in maternal behavior may help in developing selection

Survival of the biological control agent Candida sake CPA-1 on grapes under the influence of abiotic factors.

PubMed

Calvo-Garrido, C; Viñas, I; Usall, J; Rodríguez-Romera, M; Ramos, M C; Teixidó, N

2014-09-01

As reliability of preharvest applications of biological control agents (BCAs) to control fruit pathogens is highly dependent on the survival of the selected organism, this study aimed to describe the population dynamics of the yeast-BCA Candida sake (Saito & Ota) CPA-1 on grape berries under the effect of abiotic factors such as temperature, relative humidity, sunlight and rainfall. Candida sake (5 × 10(7) CFU ml(-1)), combined with different concentrations of the food additive Fungicover(®), was applied on grape berry clusters. Treated clusters were then exposed to abiotic factors in field or laboratory conditions, recovering populations to describe C. sake population dynamics. The addition of Fungicover significantly increased C. sake multiplication under optimal growth conditions and improved survival under fluctuating abiotic factors. After field applications, significant differences in populations on grape bunches exposed or covered by fine foliage were detected. Simulated rainfall washed off C. sake populations by 0·6-0·9 log units after 20 mm of rain volume. Allowing populations to establish for 24 h or more, prior to a rain event, persistence on grape berries significantly increased and the effect of rain intensity was not observable. Candida sake demonstrated high survival ability under unfavourable environmental conditions and persistence under intense rain. The study evidenced the importance of the first period just after application for C. sake survival on grape tissues and also the protective effect of the additive Fungicover. This research provides new information on the survival of C. sake under field conditions and its practical implications for recommending timing of spray with this antagonist. Our results could be useful for other yeast antagonists applied before harvest. This work, for the first time, defines population dynamics of a yeast BCA using simulated rainfall. © 2014 The Society for Applied Microbiology.

Weather and landscape factors affect white-tailed deer neonate survival at ecologically important life stages in the Northern Great Plains

USGS Publications Warehouse

Michel, Eric S.; Jenks, Jonathan A.; Kaskie, Kyle D.; Klaver, Robert W.; Jensen, William F.

2018-01-01

Offspring survival is generally more variable than adult survival and may limit population growth. Although white-tailed deer neonate survival has been intensively investigated, recent work has emphasized how specific cover types influence neonate survival at local scales (single study area). These localized investigations have often led to inconsistences within the literature. Developing specific hypotheses describing the relationships among environmental, habitat, and landscape factors influencing white-tailed deer neonate survival at regional scales may allow for detection of generalized patterns. Therefore, we developed 11 hypotheses representing the various effects of environmental (e.g., winter and spring weather), habitat (e.g., hiding and escape cover types), and landscape factors (e.g., landscape configuration regardless of specific cover type available) on white-tailed deer neonate survival up to one-month and from one- to three-months of age. At one-month, surviving fawns experienced a warmer lowest recorded June temperature and more June precipitation than those that perished. At three-months, patch connectance (percent of patches of the corresponding patch type that are connected within a predefined distance) positively influenced survival. Our results are consistent with white-tailed deer neonate ecology: increased spring temperature and precipitation are likely associated with a flush of nutritional resources available to the mother, promoting increased lactation efficiency and neonate growth early in life. In contrast, reduced spring temperature with increased precipitation place neonates at risk to hypothermia. Increased patch connectance likely reflects increased escape cover available within a neonate’s home range after they are able to flee from predators. If suitable escape cover is available on the landscape, then managers could focus efforts towards manipulating landscape configuration (patch connectance) to promote increased neonate

Factors determining lumber recovery in sawmilling

Treesearch

Philip H. Steele

1984-01-01

Lumber volume recovery in sawmilling is determined by a confusing interaction of several factors. The more one knows about each individual factor, the more one can understand how the factors interact. The author identifies and discusses in detail seven factors influencing lumber recovery. Past and current research is cited, and examples are given to illustrate the...

Biophysical and biological factors determining the ability to achieve long-term cryobiological preservation

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Mazur, P.

1997-12-01

The BESTCapsule will maintain appropriate biological specimens for decades or centuries at cryogenic temperatures in the living state. Maintenance at temperatures below {approximately} {minus}140 C is not a problem. No ordinary chemical reactions in aqueous solutions can occur. The only source of damage will be the slow accumulation of physical damage to DNA from background ionizing radiation. But this source of damage should not become serious in less than a millennium. Rather, the main problem in cryopreservation is to devise procedures for cooling the biological specimens to {minus}196 C and returning them to normal temperatures without inflicting lethal injury. Regardlessmore » of the cell type, there are certain encompassing biophysical factors and constraints that determine whether they will survive or die during freezing and thawing. Superimposed on these may be special biological factors that apply to specific cell types. This paper will emphasize the former and give illustrative examples of the latter.« less

Determinants of emigration and their impact on survival during dispersal in fox and jackal populations

PubMed Central

Kapota, Dror; Dolev, Amit; Bino, Gilad; Yosha, Dotan; Guter, Amichai; King, Roni; Saltz, David

2016-01-01

Animals disperse in response to poor resource conditions as a strategy of escaping harsh competition and stress, but may also disperse under good resource conditions, as these provide better chances of surviving dispersal and gaining fitness benefits such as avoiding kin competition and inbreeding. Individual traits should mediate the effect of resources, yielding a complex condition-dependent dispersal response. We investigated how experimental food reductions in a food-rich environment around poultry-growing villages interact with individual-traits (age, gender, body-mass) in two sympatric canids, red foxes and golden jackals, to jointly affect emigration propensity and survival during dispersal. Sub-adult foxes emigrated more frequently from the food-rich habitat than from the pristine, food-limited habitat, while adult foxes showed the opposite trend. During dispersal, adults exhibited lower survival while sub-adults did not experience additional mortality costs. Although fox mortality rates increased in response to food reduction, dispersal remained unchanged, while jackals showed strong dispersal response in two of the three repetitions. Jackal survival under food reduction was lowest for the dispersing individuals. While resources are an important dispersal determinant, different age classes and species experience the same resource environment differently and consequently have different motivations, yielding different dispersal responses and consequences. PMID:27050564

Canine splenic haemangiosarcoma: influence of metastases, chemotherapy and growth pattern on post-splenectomy survival and expression of angiogenic factors.

PubMed

Göritz, M; Müller, K; Krastel, D; Staudacher, G; Schmidt, P; Kühn, M; Nickel, R; Schoon, H-A

2013-07-01

Splenic haemangiosarcomas (HSAs) from 122 dogs were characterized and classified according to their patterns of growth, survival time post splenectomy, metastases and chemotherapy. The most common pattern of growth was a mixture of cavernous, capillary and solid tumour tissue. Survival time post splenectomy was independent of the growth pattern; however, it was influenced by chemotherapy and metastases. Immunohistochemical assessment of the expression of angiogenic factors (fetal liver kinase-1, angiopoietin-2, angiopoietin receptor-2 and vascular endothelial growth factor A) and conventional endothelial markers (CD31, factor VIII-related antigen) revealed variable expression, particularly in undifferentiated HSAs. Therefore, a combination of endothelial markers should be used to confirm the endothelial origin of splenic tumours. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Determinants for drug survival of methotrexate in patients with psoriasis, split according to different reasons for discontinuation: results of the prospective MTX-CAPTURE.

PubMed

Otero, M E; van den Reek, J M; Seyger, M M; van de Kerkhof, P C; Kievit, W; de Jong, E M

2017-08-01

As methotrexate (MTX) is a widely used treatment for psoriasis, it is important to gain insight into the reasons for the discontinuation of MTX and to understand the determinants for drug survival. To describe 5-year drug survival for MTX in patients with psoriasis, split according to different reasons for discontinuation, and to identify the determinants for drug survival. Data were extracted from a prospective psoriasis registry of patients treated with MTX (MTX-CAPTURE). Drug survival was analysed using Kaplan-Meier estimates and the determinants for discontinuation were analysed using Cox regression analysis. Analyses were split according to the reason for discontinuation: side-effects or ineffectiveness. We included 85 patients treated with MTX, with a maximum treatment duration of 5·2 years. The overall drug survival rates were 63%, 30% and 15% after 1, 3 and 5 years, respectively. The median survival was 1·8 years. Overall, 55 patients (65%) discontinued MTX for the following reasons: side-effects (35%), ineffectiveness (26%), combination of side-effects and ineffectiveness (13%), other reasons (16%) and 11% were lost to follow-up. The most reported side-effects were gastrointestinal symptoms, despite the use of folic acid in 99% of patients. Based on univariate analysis, a high Psoriasis Area and Severity Index score and a high score on the visual analogue scale for disease severity at baseline were possible determinants for a short drug survival. Drug survival of MTX was low with 15% of patients 'on drug' after 5 years. Side-effects alone or in combination with inadequate disease control were more important in the context of treatment discontinuation than inadequate disease control alone. © 2017 British Association of Dermatologists.

Telomeric repeat-binding factor 2: a marker for survival and anti-EGFR efficacy in oral carcinoma

PubMed Central

Raybaud, Hélène; Sudaka, Anne; Chamorey, Emmanuel; Brolih, Sanja; Monteverde, Martino; Merlano, Marco; Nigro, Cristiana Lo; Ambrosetti, Damien; Pagès, Gilles

2016-01-01

Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma (OSCC) is the most common oral cancer worldwide. Treatments including surgery, radio- and chemo-therapies mostly result in debilitating side effects. Thus, a more accurate evaluation of patients at risk of recurrence after radio/chemo treatment is important for preserving their quality of life. We assessed whether the Telomeric Repeat-binding Factor 2 (TERF2) influences tumor aggressiveness and treatment response. TERF2 is over-expressed in many cancers but its correlation to patient outcome remains controversial in OSCC. Our retrospective study on sixty-two patients showed that TERF2 overexpression has a negative impact on survival time. TERF2-dependent survival time was independent of tumor size in a multivariate analysis. In vitro, TERF2 knockdown by RNA interference had no effect on cell proliferation, migration, senescence and apoptosis. Instead, TERF2 knockdown increased the expression of cytokines implicated in inflammation and angiogenesis, except for vascular endothelial growth factor. TERF2 knockdown resulted in a decrease vascularization and growth of xenograft tumors. Finally, response to erlotinib/Tarceva and cetuximab/Erbitux treatment was increased in TRF2 knocked-down cells. Hence, TERF2 may represent an independent marker of survival for OSCC and a predictive marker for cetuximab/Erbitux and erlotinib/Tarceva efficacy. PMID:27329590

Factors Associated with Complicated Grief in Students Who Survived the Sewol Ferry Disaster in South Korea.

PubMed

Lee, So Hee; Nam, Hee Sun; Kim, Hak Beom; Kim, Eun Ji; Noh, Jin-Won; Chae, Jeong-Ho

2018-03-01

The Sewol ferry disaster caused shock and grief in South Korea. The aim of this study was to identify the factors associated with symptoms of complicated grief (CG) among the surviving students 20 months after that disaster. This study was conducted using a cross-sectional design and a sample of 57 students who survived the Sewol ferry disaster. Data were collected using the following instruments: Inventory of Complicated Grief (ICG), the Lifetime Incidence of Traumatic Events-Child, the Child Report of Post-Traumatic Symptoms (CROPS), KIDSCREEN-27, Family Adaptability and Cohesion Evaluation Scales-III, the Peri-traumatic Dissociation-Post-traumatic Negative Beliefs-Post-traumatic Social Support scale, and the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire. A generalized linear model using a log link and Poisson distribution was performed to identify factors associated with symptoms of CG. The mean score on the ICG was 15.57 (standard deviation: 12.72). Being born in 1999, a higher score on the CROPS and a lower score in autonomy and relationship with parents on the KIDSCREEN-27 were related to higher levels of CG. Twenty months after the Sewol ferry disaster, 24.5% of surviving students were suffering from CG. This study uncovered a vulnerable population of bereaved children at high risk for CG.

Factors Associated with Complicated Grief in Students Who Survived the Sewol Ferry Disaster in South Korea

PubMed Central

Lee, So Hee; Nam, Hee Sun; Kim, Hak Beom; Kim, Eun Ji; Noh, Jin-Won; Chae, Jeong-Ho

2018-01-01

Objective The Sewol ferry disaster caused shock and grief in South Korea. The aim of this study was to identify the factors associated with symptoms of complicated grief (CG) among the surviving students 20 months after that disaster. Methods This study was conducted using a cross-sectional design and a sample of 57 students who survived the Sewol ferry disaster. Data were collected using the following instruments: Inventory of Complicated Grief (ICG), the Lifetime Incidence of Traumatic Events-Child, the Child Report of Post-Traumatic Symptoms (CROPS), KIDSCREEN-27, Family Adaptability and Cohesion Evaluation Scales-III, the Peri-traumatic Dissociation–Post-traumatic Negative Beliefs–Post-traumatic Social Support scale, and the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire. A generalized linear model using a log link and Poisson distribution was performed to identify factors associated with symptoms of CG. Results The mean score on the ICG was 15.57 (standard deviation: 12.72). Being born in 1999, a higher score on the CROPS and a lower score in autonomy and relationship with parents on the KIDSCREEN-27 were related to higher levels of CG. Conclusion Twenty months after the Sewol ferry disaster, 24.5% of surviving students were suffering from CG. This study uncovered a vulnerable population of bereaved children at high risk for CG. PMID:29475240

Survival analysis and prognostic factors of timing of first childbirth among women in Nigeria.

PubMed

Fagbamigbe, Adeniyi Francis; Idemudia, Erhabor Sunday

2016-05-13

First childbirth in a woman's life is one of the most important events in her life. It marks a turnaround when she might have to drop roles of career building and education, for motherhood and parenthood. The timing of the commencement of these roles affects the child bearing behavior of women as they progress in their reproductive ages. Prevalent early first childbirth in Nigeria has been reported as the main cause of high population growth and high  fertility, mortality and morbidity among women, but little has been documented on the progression into first birth as well as factors affecting it in Nigeria. This paper modelled timing of first birth among women in Nigeria and determined socio-demographic and other factors affecting its timing. We hypothesized that background characteristics of a woman will influence her progression into having first birth. We developed and fitted a survival analysis model to understand the timing of first birth among women in Nigeria using a national representative 2013 NDHS data. Women with no children were right censored as of the date of the survey. The Kaplan Meier survival function was used to estimate the probabilities of first birth not occurring until certain ages of women while Cox proportional hazard regression was used to model the timing of first births at 5 % significance level. About 75.7 % of the respondents had given birth in the Northern region of Nigerian compared with 63.8 % in the South. Half (50.1 %) of the first childbirth occurred within the 15-19 years age bracket and 38.1 % within 20-29 years. The overall median survival time to first birth was 20 years (North 19, South 22), 27 years among women with higher education and 18 years for those with no formal education. The adjusted hazard of first birth was higher in the Northern region of Nigeria than in the South (aHR = 1.24, 95 % CI: 1.20-1.27), and higher in rural areas than in urban areas (aHR = 1.15, 95 % CI: 1.12-1.19). Also, hazard of earlier first

Trends in Incidence and Factors Affecting Survival of Patients With Cholangiocarcinoma in the United States.

PubMed

Mukkamalla, Shiva Kumar R; Naseri, Hussain M; Kim, Byung M; Katz, Steven C; Armenio, Vincent A

2018-04-01

Background: Cholangiocarcinoma (CCA) includes cancers arising from the intrahepatic and extrahepatic bile ducts. The etiology and pathogenesis of CCA remain poorly understood. This is the first study investigating both incidence patterns of CCA from 1973 through 2012 and demographic, clinical, and treatment variables affecting survival of patients with CCA. Patients and Methods: Using the SEER database, age-adjusted incidence rates were evaluated from 1973-2012 using SEER*Stat software. A retrospective cohort of 26,994 patients diagnosed with CCA from 1973-2008 was identified for survival analysis. Cox proportional hazards models were used to perform multivariate survival analysis. Results: Overall incidence of CCA increased by 65% from 1973-2012. Extrahepatic CCA (ECC) remained more common than intrahepatic CCA (ICC), whereas the incidence rates for ICC increased by 350% compared with a 20% increase seen with ECC. Men belonging to non-African American and non-Caucasian ethnicities had the highest incidence rates of CCA. This trend persisted throughout the study period, although African Americans and Caucasians saw 50% and 59% increases in incidence rates, respectively, compared with a 9% increase among other races. Median overall survival (OS) was 8 months in patients with ECC compared with 4 months in those with ICC. Our survival analysis found Hispanic women to have the best 5-year survival outcome ( P <.0001). OS diminished with age ( P <.0001), and ECC had better survival outcomes compared with ICC ( P <.0001). Patients who were married, were nonsmokers, belonged to a higher income class, and underwent surgery had better survival outcomes compared with others ( P <.0001). Conclusions: This is the most up-to-date study of CCA from the SEER registry that shows temporal patterns of increasing incidence of CCA across different races, sexes, and ethnicities. We identified age, sex, race, marital status, income, smoking status, anatomic location of CCA, tumor grade

Coordinated induction of cell survival signaling in the inflamed microenvironment of the prostate.

PubMed

McIlwain, David W; Zoetemelk, Marloes; Myers, Jason D; Edwards, Marshé T; Snider, Brandy M; Jerde, Travis J

2016-06-01

Both prostate cancer and benign prostatic hyperplasia are associated with inflammatory microenvironments. Inflammation is damaging to tissues, but it is unclear how the inflammatory microenvironment protects specialized epithelial cells that function to proliferate and repair the tissue. The objective of this study is to characterize the cell death and cell survival response of the prostatic epithelium in response to inflammation. We assessed induction of cell death (TNF, TRAIL, TWEAK, FasL) and cell survival factors (IGFs, hedgehogs, IL-6, FGFs, and TGFs) in inflamed and control mouse prostates by ELISA. Cell death mechanisms were determined by immunoblotting and immunofluorescence for cleavage of caspases and TUNEL. Survival pathway activation was assessed by immunoblotting and immunofluorescence for Mcl-1, Bcl-2, Bcl-XL, and survivin. Autophagy was determined by immunoblotting and immunofluorescence for free and membrane associated light chain 3 (LC-3). Cleavage of all four caspases was significantly increased during the first 2 days of inflammation, and survival protein expression was substantially increased subsequently, maximizing at 3 days. By 5 days of inflammation, 50% of prostatic epithelial cells expressed survivin. Autophagy was also evident during the recovery phase (3 days). Finally, immunofluorescent staining of human specimens indicates strong activation of survival proteins juxtaposed to inflammation in inflamed prostate specimens. The prostate responds to deleterious inflammation with induction of cell survival mechanisms, most notably survivin and autophagy, demonstrating a coordinated induction of survival factors that protects and expands a specialized set of prostatic epithelial cells as part of the repair and recovery process during inflammation. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Adult survival, apparent lamb survival, and body condition of desert bighorn sheep in relation to habitat and precipitation on the Kofa National Wildlife Refuge, Arizona

USGS Publications Warehouse

Overstreet, Matthew; Caldwell, Colleen A.; Cain, James W.

2014-01-01

The decline of desert bighorn sheep on the Kofa National Wildlife Refuge (KNWR) beginning in 2003 stimulated efforts to determine the factors limiting survival and recruitment. We 1) determined pregnancy rates, body fat, and estimated survival rates of adults and lambs; 2) investigated the relationship between precipitation, forage conditions, previous year’s reproductive success, and adult body condition; 3) assessed the relative influence of body condition of adult females, precipitation, and forage characteristics on apparent survival of lambs; and 4) determined the prevalence of disease. To assess the influence of potential limiting factors on female desert bighorn sheep on the KNWR, we modeled percent body fat of adult females as a function of previous year’s reproductive effort, age class, and forage conditions (i.e., seasonal NDVI and seasonal precipitation). In addition, we assessed the relative influence of the body condition of adult females, precipitation, and forage conditions (NDVI) on length of time a lamb was observed at heel.Adult female survival was high in both 2009 (0.90 [SE = 0.05]) and 2010 (0.96 [SE = 0.03]). Apparent lamb survival to 6 months of age was 0.23 (SE = 0.05) during 2009-2010 and 0.21 (SE = 0.05) during 2010-2011 lambing seasons. Mean body fat for adult females was 12.03% (SE = 0.479) in 2009-2010 and 11.11% (SE= 0.486) in 2010-2011 and was not significantly different between years. Pregnancy rate was 100% in 2009 and 97.5% in 2010.Models containing the previous year’s reproductive effort, spring NDVI and previous year’s reproductive effort and spring precipitation best approximated data on percent body fat in adult females in 2009-2010. In 2010-2011, the two highest-ranking models included the previous year’s reproductive effort and winter NDVI and previous year’s reproductive effort, and winter and spring NDVI. None of the models assessing the influence of maternal body fat, precipitation, or forage conditions were

Surgical delay is a critical determinant of survival in perforated peptic ulcer.

PubMed

Buck, D L; Vester-Andersen, M; Møller, M H

2013-07-01

Morbidity and mortality following perforated peptic ulcer (PPU) remain substantial. Surgical delay is a well established negative prognostic factor, but evidence derives from studies with a high risk of bias. The aim of the present nationwide cohort study was to evaluate the adjusted effect of hourly surgical delay on survival after PPU. This was a cohort study including all Danish patients treated surgically for PPU between 1 February 2003 and 31 August 2009. Medically treated patients and those with a malignant ulcer were excluded. The associations between surgical delay and 30-day survival are presented as crude and adjusted relative risks (RRs) with 95 per cent confidence intervals (c.i.). A total of 2668 patients were included. Their median age was 70·9 (range 16·2-104·2) years and 55·4 per cent (1478 of 2668) were female. Some 67·5 per cent of the patients (1800 of 2668) had at least one of six co-morbid diseases and 45·6 per cent had an American Society of Anesthesiologists fitness grade of III or more. A total of 708 patients (26·5 per cent) died within 30 days of surgery. Every hour of delay from admission to surgery was associated with an adjusted 2·4 per cent decreased probability of survival compared with the previous hour (adjusted RR 1·024, 95 per cent c.i. 1·011 to 1·037). Limiting surgical delay in patients with PPU seems of paramount importance. © 2013 British Journal of Surgery Society Ltd. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Five-Year Survival of 20,946 Unicondylar Knee Replacements and Patient Risk Factors for Failure: An Analysis of German Insurance Data.

PubMed

Jeschke, Elke; Gehrke, Thorsten; Günster, Christian; Hassenpflug, Joachim; Malzahn, Jürgen; Niethard, Fritz Uwe; Schräder, Peter; Zacher, Josef; Halder, Andreas

2016-10-19

Improvements in implant design and surgical technique of unicondylar knee arthroplasty have led to reduced revision rates, but patient selection seems to be crucial for success of such arthroplasties. The purpose of the present study was to analyze the 5-year implant survival rate of unicondylar knee replacements in Germany and to identify patient factors associated with an increased risk of revision, including >30 comorbid conditions. Using nationwide billing data of the largest German health-care insurance for inpatient hospital treatment, we identified patients who underwent unicondylar knee arthroplasty between 2006 and 2012. Kaplan-Meier survival curves with revision as the end point and log-rank tests were used to evaluate 5-year implant survival. A multivariable Cox regression model was used to determine factors associated with revision. The risk factors of age, sex, diagnosis, comorbidities, type of implant fixation, and hospital volume were analyzed. Hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (95% CIs) were calculated. During the study period, a total of 20,946 unicondylar knee arthroplasties were included. The number of unicondylar knee arthroplasties per year increased during the study period from 2,527 in 2006 to 4,036 in 2012. The median patient age was 64 years (interquartile range, 56 to 72 years), and 60.4% of patients were female. During the time evaluated, the 1-year revision rate decreased from 14.3% in 2006 to 8.7% in 2011. The 5-year survival rate was 87.8% (95% CI, 87.3% to 88.3%). Significant risk factors (p < 0.05) for unicondylar knee arthroplasty revision were younger age (the HR was 2.93 [95% CI, 2.48 to 3.46] for patient age of <55 years, 1.86 [95% CI, 1.58 to 2.19] for 55 to 64 years, and 1.52 [95% CI, 1.29 to 1.79] for 65 to 74 years; patient age of >74 years was used as the reference); female sex (HR, 1.18 [95% CI, 1.07 to 1.29]); complicated diabetes (HR, 1.47 [95% CI, 1.03 to 2.12]); depression (HR, 1.29 [95% CI, 1.06 to 1

Survival of children with medulloblastoma in Canada diagnosed between 1990 and 2009 inclusive.

PubMed

Johnston, Donna L; Keene, Daniel; Kostova, Maria; Lafay-Cousin, Lucie; Fryer, Chris; Scheinemann, Katrin; Carret, Anne-Sophie; Fleming, Adam; Percy, Vanessa; Afzal, Samina; Wilson, Beverly; Bowes, Lynette; Zelcer, Shayna; Mpofu, Chris; Silva, Mariana; Larouche, Valerie; Brossard, Josee; Strother, Douglas; Bouffet, Eric

2015-09-01

The treatment of medulloblastoma, the most common malignant brain tumor in children, has evolved over the last few decades. The objectives of this paper were to determine the survival of pediatric medulloblastoma in Canada, to determine if there has been an improvement in the survival rates between the years of 1990 and 2009, inclusive, and to determine prognostic factors for survival. All patients under the age of 18 years diagnosed with medulloblastoma from 1990 to 2009, inclusive, in Canada were included. Data collected included date of diagnosis, age at diagnosis, gender, stage, pathology, treatment, recurrence and current status. From these, survival rates were determined. Data were obtained on 628 eligible patients. The overall 5-year survival rate for the study time period was 69.2 ± 3.3 %. The survival rate increased during the interval of 1996-2000, then remained stable; 1990-1994: 60.2 ± 4.3 %; 1995-1999: 73.2 ± 3.5 %; 2000-2004: 68.8 ± 3.7 %; and 2005-2009: 72.1 ± 4.9 %, p = 0.05. Children over 14 years of age had a significantly better overall survival than those age 5-14 and those under 5 (85.7 ± 5.5 % vs 76.1 ± 2.7 % and 60.8 ± 3 % respectively, p = 0.001). Histologic medulloblastoma subtype and M stage of disease did not result in significant differences in survival. Despite changes in approaches to therapy, we demonstrate a steady survival rate for children with medulloblastoma after 1996. In our analyses, age over 14 years was associated with a higher survival rate.

Transcriptome analysis of Neisseria meningitidis in human whole blood and mutagenesis studies identify virulence factors involved in blood survival.

PubMed

Echenique-Rivera, Hebert; Muzzi, Alessandro; Del Tordello, Elena; Seib, Kate L; Francois, Patrice; Rappuoli, Rino; Pizza, Mariagrazia; Serruto, Davide

2011-05-01

During infection Neisseria meningitidis (Nm) encounters multiple environments within the host, which makes rapid adaptation a crucial factor for meningococcal survival. Despite the importance of invasion into the bloodstream in the meningococcal disease process, little is known about how Nm adapts to permit survival and growth in blood. To address this, we performed a time-course transcriptome analysis using an ex vivo model of human whole blood infection. We observed that Nm alters the expression of ≈30% of ORFs of the genome and major dynamic changes were observed in the expression of transcriptional regulators, transport and binding proteins, energy metabolism, and surface-exposed virulence factors. In particular, we found that the gene encoding the regulator Fur, as well as all genes encoding iron uptake systems, were significantly up-regulated. Analysis of regulated genes encoding for surface-exposed proteins involved in Nm pathogenesis allowed us to better understand mechanisms used to circumvent host defenses. During blood infection, Nm activates genes encoding for the factor H binding proteins, fHbp and NspA, genes encoding for detoxifying enzymes such as SodC, Kat and AniA, as well as several less characterized surface-exposed proteins that might have a role in blood survival. Through mutagenesis studies of a subset of up-regulated genes we were able to identify new proteins important for survival in human blood and also to identify additional roles of previously known virulence factors in aiding survival in blood. Nm mutant strains lacking the genes encoding the hypothetical protein NMB1483 and the surface-exposed proteins NalP, Mip and NspA, the Fur regulator, the transferrin binding protein TbpB, and the L-lactate permease LctP were sensitive to killing by human blood. This increased knowledge of how Nm responds to adaptation in blood could also be helpful to develop diagnostic and therapeutic strategies to control the devastating disease cause by

Transcriptome Analysis of Neisseria meningitidis in Human Whole Blood and Mutagenesis Studies Identify Virulence Factors Involved in Blood Survival

PubMed Central

Del Tordello, Elena; Seib, Kate L.; Francois, Patrice; Rappuoli, Rino; Pizza, Mariagrazia; Serruto, Davide

2011-01-01

During infection Neisseria meningitidis (Nm) encounters multiple environments within the host, which makes rapid adaptation a crucial factor for meningococcal survival. Despite the importance of invasion into the bloodstream in the meningococcal disease process, little is known about how Nm adapts to permit survival and growth in blood. To address this, we performed a time-course transcriptome analysis using an ex vivo model of human whole blood infection. We observed that Nm alters the expression of ≈30% of ORFs of the genome and major dynamic changes were observed in the expression of transcriptional regulators, transport and binding proteins, energy metabolism, and surface-exposed virulence factors. In particular, we found that the gene encoding the regulator Fur, as well as all genes encoding iron uptake systems, were significantly up-regulated. Analysis of regulated genes encoding for surface-exposed proteins involved in Nm pathogenesis allowed us to better understand mechanisms used to circumvent host defenses. During blood infection, Nm activates genes encoding for the factor H binding proteins, fHbp and NspA, genes encoding for detoxifying enzymes such as SodC, Kat and AniA, as well as several less characterized surface-exposed proteins that might have a role in blood survival. Through mutagenesis studies of a subset of up-regulated genes we were able to identify new proteins important for survival in human blood and also to identify additional roles of previously known virulence factors in aiding survival in blood. Nm mutant strains lacking the genes encoding the hypothetical protein NMB1483 and the surface-exposed proteins NalP, Mip and NspA, the Fur regulator, the transferrin binding protein TbpB, and the L-lactate permease LctP were sensitive to killing by human blood. This increased knowledge of how Nm responds to adaptation in blood could also be helpful to develop diagnostic and therapeutic strategies to control the devastating disease cause by

Prognostic Factors for Survival in Patients Treated With Stereotactic Radiosurgery for Recurrent Brain Metastases After Prior Whole Brain Radiotherapy

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Caballero, Jorge A.; Sneed, Penny K., E-mail: psneed@radonc.ucsf.edu; Lamborn, Kathleen R.

2012-05-01

Purpose: To evaluate prognostic factors for survival after stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS) for new, progressive, or recurrent brain metastases (BM) after prior whole brain radiotherapy (WBRT). Methods and Materials: Patients treated between 1991 and 2007 with Gamma Knife SRS for BM after prior WBRT were retrospectively reviewed. Potential prognostic factors were analyzed overall and by primary site using univariate and stepwise multivariate analyses and recursive partitioning analysis, including age, Karnofsky performance status (KPS), primary tumor control, extracranial metastases, number of BM treated, total SRS target volume, and interval from WBRT to SRS. Results: A total of 310 patients were analyzed, includingmore » 90 breast, 113 non-small-cell lung, 31 small-cell lung, 42 melanoma, and 34 miscellaneous patients. The median age was 56, KPS 80, number of BM treated 3, and interval from WBRT to SRS 8.1 months; 76% had controlled primary tumor and 60% had extracranial metastases. The median survival was 8.4 months overall and 12.0 vs. 7.9 months for single vs. multiple BM treated (p = 0.001). There was no relationship between number of BM and survival after excluding single-BM patients. On multivariate analysis, favorable prognostic factors included age <50, smaller total target volume, and longer interval from WBRT to SRS in breast cancer patients; smaller number of BM, KPS >60, and controlled primary in non-small-cell lung cancer patients; and smaller total target volume in melanoma patients. Conclusions: Among patients treated with salvage SRS for BM after prior WBRT, prognostic factors appeared to vary by primary site. Although survival time was significantly longer for patients with a single BM, the median survival time of 7.9 months for patients with multiple BM seems sufficiently long for salvage SRS to appear to be worthwhile, and no evidence was found to support the use of a cutoff for number of BM appropriate for salvage SRS.« less

Epidermal growth factor improves survival and prevents intestinal injury in a murine model of pseudomonas aeruginosa pneumonia.

PubMed

Dominguez, Jessica A; Vithayathil, Paul J; Khailova, Ludmila; Lawrance, Christopher P; Samocha, Alexandr J; Jung, Enjae; Leathersich, Ann M; Dunne, W Michael; Coopersmith, Craig M

2011-10-01

Mortality from pneumonia is mediated, in part, through extrapulmonary causes. Epidermal growth factor (EGF) has broad cytoprotective effects, including potent restorative properties in the injured intestine. The purpose of this study was to determine the efficacy of EGF treatment following Pseudomonas aeruginosa pneumonia. FVB/N mice underwent intratracheal injection of either P. aeruginosa or saline and were then randomized to receive either systemic EGF or vehicle beginning immediately or 24 h after the onset of pneumonia. Systemic EGF decreased 7-day mortality from 65% to 10% when initiated immediately after the onset of pneumonia and to 27% when initiated 24 h after the onset of pneumonia. Even though injury in pneumonia is initiated in the lungs, the survival advantage conferred by EGF was not associated with improvements in pulmonary pathology. In contrast, EGF prevented intestinal injury by reversing pneumonia-induced increases in intestinal epithelial apoptosis and decreases in intestinal proliferation and villus length. Systemic cytokines and kidney and liver function were unaffected by EGF therapy, although EGF decreased pneumonia-induced splenocyte apoptosis. To determine whether the intestine was sufficient to account for extrapulmonary effects induced by EGF, a separate set of experiments was done using transgenic mice with enterocyte-specific overexpression of EGF (IFABP-EGF [intestinal fatty acid-binding protein linked to mouse EGF] mice), which were compared with wild-type mice subjected to pneumonia. IFABP-EGF mice had improved survival compared with wild-type mice following pneumonia (50% vs. 28%, respectively, P < 0.05) and were protected from pneumonia-induced intestinal injury. Thus, EGF may be a potential adjunctive therapy for pneumonia, mediated in part by its effects on the intestine.

Effects of Iron Gate Dam discharge and other factors on the survival and migration of juvenile coho salmon in the lower Klamath River, northern California, 2006-09

USGS Publications Warehouse

Beeman, John; Juhnke, Steven; Stutzer, Greg; Wright, Katrina

2012-01-01

Current management of the Klamath River includes prescribed minimum discharges intended partly to increase survival of juvenile coho salmon during their seaward migration in the spring. To determine if fish survival was related to river discharge, we estimated apparent survival and migration rates of yearling coho salmon in the Klamath River downstream of Iron Gate Dam. The primary goals were to determine if discharge at Iron Gate Dam affected coho salmon survival and if results from hatchery fish could be used as a surrogate for the limited supply of wild fish. Fish from hatchery and wild origins that had been surgically implanted with radio transmitters were released into the Klamath River slightly downstream of Iron Gate Dam at river kilometer 309. Tagged fish were used to estimate apparent survival between, and passage rates at, a series of detection sites as far downstream as river kilometer 33. Conclusions were based primarily on data from hatchery fish, because wild fish were only available in 2 of the 4 years of study. Based on an information-theoretic approach, apparent survival of hatchery and wild fish was similar, despite differences in passage rates and timing, and was lowest in the 54 kilometer (km) reach between release and the Scott River. Models representing the hypothesis that a short-term tagging- or handling-related mortality occurred following release were moderately supported by data from wild fish and weakly supported by data from hatchery fish. Estimates of apparent survival of hatchery fish through the 276 km study area ranged from 0.412 (standard error [SE] 0.048) to 0.648 (SE 0.070), depending on the year, and represented an average of 0.790 per 100 km traveled. Estimates of apparent survival of wild fish through the study area were 0.645 (SE 0.058) in 2006 and 0.630 (SE 0.059) in 2009 and were nearly identical to the results from hatchery fish released on the same dates. The data and models examined supported positive effects of water

KIT mutations correlate with adverse survival in children with core-binding factor acute myeloid leukemia.

PubMed

Chen, Xi; Dou, Hu; Wang, Xingjuan; Huang, Yi; Lu, Ling; Bin, Junqing; Su, Yongchun; Zou, Lin; Yu, Jie; Bao, Liming

2018-04-01

The prevalence and clinical relevance of KIT mutations in childhood core-binding factor (CBF) acute myeloid leukemia (AML) have not been well characterized. In this study, a total of 212 children with de novo AML were enrolled from a Chinese population and 50 (23.5%) of the patients were deemed CBF-AML. KIT mutations were identified in 30% of the CBF-AML cohort. The KIT mutations were clustered in exon 17 and exon 8, and KIT mutations in exons 8 and 17 were correlated with a shorter overall survival (OS) (5-year OS: 30.0 ± 14.5% vs. 73.0 ± 8.5%, p = .007) and event-free survival (EFS) (5-year EFS: 30.0 ± 14.5% vs. 73.0 ± 8.5%, p = .003). Multivariate analysis revealed KIT mutations as an independent risk factor in CBF-AML. Our results suggest that KIT mutations are a molecular marker for an inferior prognosis in pediatric CBF-AML.

Relationship between ABO blood group and clinicopathological factors and their effect on the survival of Japanese patients with esophageal squamous cell carcinoma.

PubMed

Shiratori, Fumiaki; Shimada, Hideaki; Yajima, Satoshi; Suzuki, Takashi; Oshima, Yoko; Nanami, Tatsuki; Ito, Masaaki; Kaneko, Hironori

2017-08-01

Several studies have evaluated the association between ABO blood group and the prognosis of various types of cancer; however, little is known about the relationship between ABO blood group and esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (SCC). We investigated how ABO blood group and clinicopathological characteristics are related to the survival of Japanese patients with esophageal SCC. We reviewed the medical records of 181 patients who underwent surgery for esophageal SCC between June, 2004 and December, 2015 and analyzed the association between ABO blood group and clinicopathological factors. Clinicopathological factors were also evaluated by univariate and multivariate analyses for possible association with survival. The prevalence of each blood group was as follows: A, 35.5%; B, 22.4%; O, 32.8%; and AB, 8.2%. The 5-year overall survival of all patients was 37.1%. Patients with non-type B blood had significantly worse 5-year overall survival than those with type B blood (30.2 vs. 58.8%, P < 0.05). ABO blood groups were associated with the survival of Japanese patients with esophageal SCC. Patients with non-B blood groups had significantly worse overall survival than those with the B blood group.

Marital Status and Survival in Patients with Carcinoid Tumors.

PubMed

Greenleaf, Erin K; Cooper, Amanda B; Hollenbeak, Christopher S

2016-01-01

Marital status is a known prognostic factor in overall and disease-specific survival in several types of cancer. The impact of marital status on survival in patients with carcinoid tumors remains unknown. We hypothesized that married patients have higher rates of survival than similar unmarried patients with carcinoid tumors. Using the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results database, we identified 23,126 people diagnosed with a carcinoid tumor between 2000 and 2011 and stratified them according to marital status. Univariate and multivariable analyses were performed to compare the characteristics and outcomes between patient cohorts. Overall and cancer-related survival were analyzed using the Kaplan-Meier method. Multivariable survival analyses were performed using Cox proportional hazards models (hazards ratio [HR]), controlling for demographics and tumor-related and treatment-related variables. Propensity score analysis was performed to determine surgical intervention distributions among married and unmarried (ie, single, separated, divorced, widowed) patients. Marital status was significantly related to both overall and cancer-related survival in patients with carcinoid tumors. Divorced and widowed patients had worse overall survival (HR, 1.33 [95% confidence interval {CI}, 1.08-1.33] and 1.34 [95% CI, 1.22-1.46], respectively) and cancer-related survival (HR, 1.15 [95% CI, 1.00-1.31] and 1.15 [95% CI, 1.03-1.29], respectively) than married patients over five years. Single and separated patients had worse overall survival (HR, 1.20 [95% CI, 1.08-1.33] and 1.62 [95% CI, 1.25-2.11], respectively) than married patients over five years, but not worse cancer-related survival. Unmarried patients were more likely than matched married patients to undergo definitive surgical intervention (62.67% vs 53.11%, respectively, P < 0.0001). Even after controlling for other prognostic factors, married patients have a survival advantage after diagnosis of any carcinoid tumor

Investigation of the factors influencing the survival of Bifidobacterium longum in model acidic solutions and fruit juices.

PubMed

Nualkaekul, Sawaminee; Salmeron, Ivan; Charalampopoulos, Dimitris

2011-12-01

The survival of Bifidobacterium longum NCIMB 8809 was studied during refrigerated storage for 6weeks in model solutions, based on which a mathematical model was constructed describing cell survival as a function of pH, citric acid, protein and dietary fibre. A Central Composite Design (CCD) was developed studying the influence of four factors at three levels, i.e., pH (3.2-4), citric acid (2-15g/l), protein (0-10g/l), and dietary fibre (0-8g/l). In total, 31 experimental runs were carried out. Analysis of variance (ANOVA) of the regression model demonstrated that the model fitted well the data. From the regression coefficients it was deduced that all four factors had a statistically significant (P<0.05) negative effect on the log decrease [log10N0 week-log10N6 week], with the pH and citric acid being the most influential ones. Cell survival during storage was also investigated in various types of juices, including orange, grapefruit, blackcurrant, pineapple, pomegranate and strawberry. The highest cell survival (less than 0.4log decrease) after 6weeks of storage was observed in orange and pineapple, both of which had a pH of about 3.8. Although the pH of grapefruit and blackcurrant was similar (pH ∼3.2), the log decrease of the former was ∼0.5log, whereas of the latter was ∼0.7log. One reason for this could be the fact that grapefruit contained a high amount of citric acid (15.3g/l). The log decrease in pomegranate and strawberry juices was extremely high (∼8logs). The mathematical model was able to predict adequately the cell survival in orange, grapefruit, blackcurrant, and pineapple juices. However, the model failed to predict the cell survival in pomegranate and strawberry, most likely due to the very high levels of phenolic compounds in these two juices. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Effect of stress induced by suboptimal growth factors on survival of Escherichia coli O157:H7.

PubMed

Uyttendaele, M; Taverniers, I; Debevere, J

2001-05-21

This study investigated the growth and survival of E. coli O157:H7 exposed to a combination of suboptimal factors (22 degrees C, 7 degrees C, -18 degrees C/0.5% NaCl, 5.0% NaCl/pH 7.0, pH 5.4, pH 4.5/addition of lactic acid) in a simulation medium for red meat (beef gravy). Prolonged survival was noted as the imposed stress was more severe, and as multiple growth factors became suboptimal. At a defined temperature (7 degrees C or -18 degrees C), survival was prolonged at the more acid, more suboptimal pH (pH 4.5 > pH 5.4 > pH 7.0) while at a defined pH (pH 4.5), better survival was observed at 7 degrees C than at 22 degrees C. This suggests that application of the hurdle concept for preservation of food may inhibit outgrowth but induce prolonged survival of E. coli O157:H7 in minimal processed foods. At both 22 degrees C and 7 degrees C, the addition of lactic acid instead of HCl to reduce pH (to pH 4.5) resulted in a more rapid decrease of E. coli O157:H7. High survival was observed in beef gravy, pH 5.4 at -18 degrees C (simulation of frozen meat)-reduction of log 3.0 to log 1.9 after 43 days--and in beef gravy, pH 4.5 and 5% NaCl at 7 degrees C (simulation of a fermented dried meat product kept in refrigeration)--less than 1 log reduction in 43 days. In these circumstances, however, a high degree of sublethal damage of the bacterial cells was noted. The degree of sublethal damage can be estimated from the difference in recovery of the pathogen on the non-selective TSA medium and the selective SMAC medium.

Effect of systemic piracetam treatment on flap survival and vascular endothelial growth factor expression after ischemia-reperfusion injury.

PubMed

Tuncer, Serhan; Ayhan, Suhan; Findikcioglu, Kemal; Ergun, Hakan; Tuncer, Ilhan

2011-09-01

The effects of piracetam on flap survival, ischemia-reperfusion (I/R) injury, and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) expression were evaluated in this study. Unipedicled epigastric flap model was used in 36 rats and was evaluated within 4 groups. The flap was elevated and untreated in Group 1. Postoperative piracetam treatment was given for 7 days in Group 2. In Group 3, 4 hours of ischemia and 2 hours of reperfusion were applied. I/R was applied to Group 4 and piracetam was given 30 minutes before reperfusion and postoperatively for 7 days. Laser Doppler flowmetry was used to measure blood flow changes. VEGF expression was determined using immunohistochemical methods on tissue samples taken after the completion of 2 hours reperfusion in groups 3 and 4. Flap necrosis was measured on the day 7 in all groups. Blood flow rates did not show significant difference between piracetam treated and untreated I/R groups. Piracetam significantly reduced necrosis area both in ischemic and nonischemic flaps ( P < 0.05). VEGF expression was significantly increased in piracetam-treated Group 4 compared with Group 3 ( P = 0.005). This experimental study demonstrates that systemic piracetam treatment improves survival of pedicled flaps, reduces necrosis amounts, and increases VEGF expression in I/R induced flaps. © Thieme Medical Publishers.

Factors affecting survival outcomes of patients with non-metastatic Ewing's sarcoma family tumors in the spine: a retrospective analysis of 63 patients in a single center.

PubMed

Wan, Wei; Lou, Yan; Hu, Zhiqi; Wang, Ting; Li, Jinsong; Tang, Yu; Wu, Zhipeng; Xu, Leqin; Yang, Xinghai; Song, Dianwen; Xiao, Jianru

2017-01-01

Little information has been published in the literature regarding survival outcomes of patients with Ewing's sarcoma family tumors (ESFTs) of the spine. The purpose of this study is to explore factors that may affect the prognosis of patients with non-metastatic spinal ESFTs. A retrospective analysis of survival outcomes was performed in patients with non-metastatic spinal ESFTs. Univariate and multivariate analyses were employed to identify prognostic factors for recurrence and survival. Recurrence-free survival (RFS) and overall survival (OS) were defined as the date of surgery to the date of local relapse and death. Kaplan-Meier methods were applied to estimate RFS and OS. Log-rank test was used to analyze single factors for RFS and OS. Factors with p values ≤0.1 were subjected to multivariate analysis. A total of 63 patients with non-metastatic spinal ESFTs were included in this study. The mean follow-up period was 35.1 months (range 1-155). Postoperative recurrence was detected in 25 patients, and distant metastasis and death occurred in 22 and 36 patients respectively. The result of multivariate analysis suggested that age older than 25 years and neoadjuvant chemotherapy were favorable independent prognostic factors for RFS and OS. In addition, total en-bloc resection, postoperative chemotherapy, radiotherapy and non-distant metastasis were favorable independent prognostic factors for OS. Age older than 25 years and neoadjuvant chemotherapy are favorable prognostic factors for both RFS and OS. In addition, total en-bloc resection, postoperative chemotherapy, radiotherapy and non-distant metastasis are closely associated with favorable survival.

Balance of Interactions Determines Optimal Survival in Multi-Species Communities.

PubMed

Choudhary, Anshul; Sinha, Sudeshna

2015-01-01

We consider a multi-species community modelled as a complex network of populations, where the links are given by a random asymmetric connectivity matrix J, with fraction 1 - C of zero entries, where C reflects the over-all connectivity of the system. The non-zero elements of J are drawn from a Gaussian distribution with mean μ and standard deviation σ. The signs of the elements Jij reflect the nature of density-dependent interactions, such as predatory-prey, mutualism or competition, and their magnitudes reflect the strength of the interaction. In this study we try to uncover the broad features of the inter-species interactions that determine the global robustness of this network, as indicated by the average number of active nodes (i.e. non-extinct species) in the network, and the total population, reflecting the biomass yield. We find that the network transitions from a completely extinct system to one where all nodes are active, as the mean interaction strength goes from negative to positive, with the transition getting sharper for increasing C and decreasing σ. We also find that the total population, displays distinct non-monotonic scaling behaviour with respect to the product μC, implying that survival is dependent not merely on the number of links, but rather on the combination of the sparseness of the connectivity matrix and the net interaction strength. Interestingly, in an intermediate window of positive μC, the total population is maximal, indicating that too little or too much positive interactions is detrimental to survival. Rather, the total population levels are optimal when the network has intermediate net positive connection strengths. At the local level we observe marked qualitative changes in dynamical patterns, ranging from anti-phase clusters of period 2 cycles and chaotic bands, to fixed points, under the variation of mean μ of the interaction strengths. We also study the correlation between synchronization and survival, and find that

Survival From Childhood Hematological Malignancies in Denmark: Is Survival Related to Family Characteristics?

PubMed

Erdmann, Friederike; Winther, Jeanette Falck; Dalton, Susanne Oksbjerg; Lightfoot, Tracy; Zeeb, Hajo; Simony, Sofie Bay; Deltour, Isabelle; Ferro, Gilles; Bautz, Andrea; Schmiegelow, Kjeld; Schüz, Joachim

2016-06-01

Due to diverse findings as to the role of family factors for childhood cancer survival even within Europe, we explored a nationwide, register-based cohort of Danish children with hematological malignancies. All children born between 1973 and 2006 and diagnosed with a hematological malignancy before the age of 20 years (N = 1,819) were followed until 10 years from diagnosis. Kaplan-Meier curves and Cox proportional hazards models estimating hazard ratios (HR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) were used to assess the impact of family characteristics on overall survival in children with hematological malignancies. Having siblings and increasing birth order were associated with reduced survival from acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) and acute myeloid leukemia (AML). Associations with AML were strongest and statistically significant. HRs of 1.62 (CI 0.85; 3.09) and 5.76 (CI 2.01; 16.51) were observed for the fourth or later born children with ALL (N = 41) and AML (N = 9), respectively. Children with older parents showed a tendency toward inferior ALL survival, while for AML young maternal age was related to poorer survival. Based on small numbers, a trend toward poorer survival from non-Hodgkin lymphoma was observed for children having siblings and for children of younger parents. Further research is warranted to gain further knowledge on the impact of family factors on childhood cancer survival in other populations and to elaborate potential underlying mechanisms and pathways of those survival inequalities. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Diminished survival of human cytotrophoblast cells exposed to hypoxia/reoxygenation injury and associated reduction of heparin-binding EGF-like growth factor

PubMed Central

Leach, Richard E.; Kilburn, Brian A.; Petkova, Anelia; Romero, Roberto; Armant, Randall D.

2008-01-01

Objective The anti-apoptotic action of HBEGF and its regulation by O2 constitutes a key factor for trophoblast survival. The hypothesis that cytotrophoblast survival is compromised by exposure to hypoxia–reoxygenation (H/R) injury, which may contribute to preeclampsia and some missed abortions, prompted us to investigate HBEGF regulation and its role as a survival factor during H/R in cytotrophoblast cells Study Design A transformed human first trimester cytotrophoblast cell line HTR-8/SVneo was exposed to H/R (2% O2 followed by 20% O2) and assessed for HBEGF expression and cell death. Results Cellular HBEGF declined significantly within 30 minutes of reoxygenation after culture at 2% O2. H/R significantly reduced proliferation and increased cell death when compared to trophoblast cells cultured continuously at 2% or 20% O2. Restoration of cell survival also was achieved by adding recombinant HBEGF during reoxygenation. HBEGF inhibited apoptosis through its binding to either HER1 or HER4, its cognate receptors. Conclusion These results provide evidence that cytotrophoblast exposure to H/R induces apoptosis and decreased cell proliferation. HBEGF accumulation is diminished under these conditions, while restoration of HBEGF signaling improves trophoblast survival. PMID:18395045

Cardiovascular Risk Reduction is Important for Improving Patient and Graft Survival After Ligation and Bypass Surgery for Popliteal Artery Aneurysm.

PubMed

Dattani, N; Ali, M; Aber, A; Kannan, R Yap; Choke, E C; Bown, M J; Sayers, R D; Davies, R S

2017-07-01

To report outcomes following ligation and bypass (LGB) surgery for popliteal artery aneurysm (PAA) and study factors influencing patient and graft survival. A retrospective review of patients undergoing LGB surgery for PAA between September 1999 and August 2012 at a tertiary referral vascular unit was performed. Primary graft patency (PGP), primary-assisted graft patency (PAGP), and secondary graft patency (SGP) rates were calculated using survival analyses. Patient, graft aneurysm-free survival (GAFS), aneurysm reperfusion-free survival (ARFS), and amputation-free survival (AFS) rates were also calculated. Log-rank testing and Cox proportional hazards modeling were used to perform univariate and multivariate analysis of influencing factors, respectively. Eighty-four LGB repairs in 69 patients (mean age 71.3 years, 68 males) were available for study. The 5-year PGP, PAGP, SGP, and patient survival rates were 58.1%, 84.4%, 85.2%, and 81.1%, respectively. On multivariate analysis, the principal determinants of PGP were urgency of operation ( P = .009) and smoking status ( P = .019). The principal determinants of PAGP were hyperlipidemia status ( P = .048) and of SGP were hyperlipidemia ( P = .042) and cerebrovascular disease (CVD) status ( P = .045). The principal determinants of patient survival were previous myocardial infarction ( P = .004) and CVD ( P = .001). The 5-year GAFS, ARFS, and AFS rates were 87.9%, 91.6%, and 96.1%, respectively. This study has shown that traditional cardiovascular risk factors, such as a smoking and ischemic heart disease, are the most important predictors of early graft failure and patient death following LGB surgery for PAA.

Post-recurrence survival of elderly patients 75 years of age or older with surgically resected non-small cell lung cancer.

PubMed

Takenaka, Tomoyoshi; Inamasu, Eiko; Yoshida, Tsukihisa; Toyokawa, Gouji; Nosaki, Kaname; Hirai, Fumihiko; Yamaguchi, Masafumi; Seto, Takashi; Takenoyama, Mitsuhiro; Ichinose, Yukito

2016-04-01

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the outcomes of elderly patients 75 years of age or older with recurrent non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). A total of 1237 consecutive patients with NSCLC underwent pulmonary resection at our institution. Of these patients, 280 experienced postoperative recurrence. The rate of the post-recurrence survival and predictors were analyzed independently in a group of younger patients (<75 years) and a group of elderly patients (≥75 years). There were 215 younger patients (<75 years) and 65 elderly (≥75 years) patients at the time of diagnosis of recurrence. The median post-recurrence survival time and the five-year survival rate of all cases were 25 months and 20.8%, respectively. There were no significant survival differences between the younger and elderly groups (p = 0.20). A univariate analysis determined that gender, Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance status, smoking status, histological type and epithelial growth factor receptor (EGFR) mutation status were factors influencing the post-recurrence survival among the elderly patients. In addition, a multivariate analysis determined the EGFR mutation status to be an independent prognostic factor for the post-recurrence survival. Elderly patients 75 years of age or older in this study achieved satisfactory long-term outcomes.

Illness perceptions predict survival in haemodialysis patients.

PubMed

Chilcot, Joseph; Wellsted, David; Farrington, Ken

2011-01-01

Illness perceptions have been shown to be important determinants of functional and psychosocial outcomes, including quality of life and treatment adherence in end-stage renal disease patients. The aim of this prospective study was to determine whether haemodialysis patients' illness perceptions impact upon survival. Haemodialysis patients from a UK renal service completed the Revised Illness Perception Questionnaire. Over the study period (May 2007 to December 2010), all-cause mortality was recorded as the endpoint. 223 patients were followed up for a median of 15.9 months (min. 10 days, max. 42.7 months). The median dialysis vintage was 17.6 months (min. 4 days, max. 391.3 months). Treatment control perceptions demonstrated a significant association with mortality (HR = 0.91, 95% CI: 0.83-0.99, p = 0.03). After controlling for covariates, including age, albumin, extra renal comorbidity and depression scores, perception of treatment control remained a significant predictor of mortality (HR = 0.89, 95% CI: 0.80-0.99, p = 0.03). Patients' perceptions of treatment control (dialysis therapy) predict survival independently of survival risk factors, including comorbidity. Studies are required to test whether psychological interventions designed to modify maladaptive illness perceptions influence clinical outcomes in this patient setting. Copyright © 2011 S. Karger AG, Basel.

Factors associated with disease-specific survival of patients with non-small cell lung cancer.

PubMed

Souza, Mirian Carvalho de; Cruz, Oswaldo Gonçalves; Vasconcelos, Ana Glória Godoi

2016-01-01

Lung cancer is a global public health problem and is associated with high mortality. Lung cancer could be largely avoided by reducing the prevalence of smoking. The objective of this study was to analyze the effects of social, behavioral, and clinical factors on the survival time of patients with non-small cell lung cancer treated at Cancer Hospital I of the José Alencar Gomes da Silva National Cancer Institute, located in the city of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, between 2000 and 2003. This was a retrospective hospital cohort study involving 1,194 patients. The 60-month disease-specific survival probabilities were calculated with the Kaplan-Meier method for three stage groups. The importance of the studied factors was assessed with a hierarchical theoretical model after adjustment by Cox multiple regression. The estimated 60-month specific-disease lethality rate was 86.0%. The 60-month disease-specific survival probability ranged from 25.0% (stages I/II) to 2.5% (stage IV). The performance status, the intention to treat, and the initial treatment modality were the major prognostic factors identified in the study population. In this cohort of patients, the disease-specific survival probabilities were extremely low. We identified no factors that could be modified after the diagnosis in order to improve survival. Primary prevention, such as reducing the prevalence of smoking, is still the best method to reduce the number of people who will suffer the consequences of lung cancer. O câncer de pulmão é um problema de saúde pública global e é associado a elevada mortalidade. Ele poderia ser evitado em grande parte com a redução da prevalência do tabagismo. O objetivo deste estudo foi analisar os efeitos de fatores sociais, comportamentais e clínicos sobre o tempo de sobrevida de pacientes com câncer de pulmão de células não pequenas atendidos, entre 2000 e 2003, no Hospital do Câncer I do Instituto Nacional de Câncer José Alencar Gomes da Silva, localizado na

Incidence of cardiovascular events and associated risk factors in kidney transplant patients: a competing risks survival analysis.

PubMed

Seoane-Pillado, María Teresa; Pita-Fernández, Salvador; Valdés-Cañedo, Francisco; Seijo-Bestilleiro, Rocio; Pértega-Díaz, Sonia; Fernández-Rivera, Constantino; Alonso-Hernández, Ángel; González-Martín, Cristina; Balboa-Barreiro, Vanesa

2017-03-07

The high prevalence of cardiovascular risk factors among the renal transplant population accounts for increased mortality. The aim of this study is to determine the incidence of cardiovascular events and factors associated with cardiovascular events in these patients. An observational ambispective follow-up study of renal transplant recipients (n = 2029) in the health district of A Coruña (Spain) during the period 1981-2011 was completed. Competing risk survival analysis methods were applied to estimate the cumulative incidence of developing cardiovascular events over time and to identify which characteristics were associated with the risk of these events. Post-transplant cardiovascular events are defined as the presence of myocardial infarction, invasive coronary artery therapy, cerebral vascular events, new-onset angina, congestive heart failure, rhythm disturbances, peripheral vascular disease and cardiovascular disease and death. The cause of death was identified through the medical history and death certificate using ICD9 (390-459, except: 427.5, 435, 446, 459.0). The mean age of patients at the time of transplantation was 47.0 ± 14.2 years; 62% were male. 16.5% had suffered some cardiovascular disease prior to transplantation and 9.7% had suffered a cardiovascular event. The mean follow-up period for the patients with cardiovascular event was 3.5 ± 4.3 years. Applying competing risk methodology, it was observed that the accumulated incidence of the event was 5.0% one year after transplantation, 8.1% after five years, and 11.9% after ten years. After applying multivariate models, the variables with an independent effect for predicting cardiovascular events are: male sex, age of recipient, previous cardiovascular disorders, pre-transplant smoking and post-transplant diabetes. This study makes it possible to determine in kidney transplant patients, taking into account competitive events, the incidence of post-transplant cardiovascular events and

Challenging a dogma: five-year survival does not equal cure in all colorectal cancer patients.

PubMed

Abdel-Rahman, Omar

2018-02-01

The current study tried to evaluate the factors affecting 10- to 20- years' survival among long term survivors (>5 years) of colorectal cancer (CRC). Surveillance, Epidemiology and End Results (SEER) database (1988-2008) was queried through SEER*Stat program.Univariate probability of overall and cancer-specific survival was determined and the difference between groups was examined. Multivariate analysis for factors affecting overall and cancer-specific survival was also conducted. Among node positive patients (Dukes C), 34% of the deaths beyond 5 years can be attributed to CRC; while among M1 patients, 63% of the deaths beyond 5 years can be attributed to CRC. The following factors were predictors of better overall survival in multivariate analysis: younger age, white race (versus black race), female gender, Right colon location (versus rectal location), earlier stage and surgery (P <0.0001 for all parameters). Similarly, the following factors were predictors of better cancer-specific survival in multivariate analysis: younger age, white race (versus black race), female gender, Right colon location (versus left colon and rectal locations), earlier stage and surgery (P <0.0001 for all parameters). Among node positive long-term CRC survivors, more than one third of all deaths can be attributed to CRC.

Survival of radiomarked canvasback ducklings in northwestern Minnesota

USGS Publications Warehouse

Korschgen, Carl E.; Kenow, Kevin P.; Green, William L.; Johnson, Douglas H.

1996-01-01

Duckling survival, an important factor affecting annual recruitment, has not been determined adequately for canvasbacks (Aythya valisineria). We investigated the magnitude, timing, and causes of mortality of canvasback ducklings from hatch to fledging at the Agassiz National Wildlife Refuge (NWR) in northwestern Minnesota during 1987-90. During the 4 years, 217 day-old ducklings were radiomarked and released in 52 broods. Another 141 ducklings were radiomarked at 4 weeks of age. Survival was estimated with the Kaplan-Meier nonparametric estimator and the Weibull parametric model. Most mortalities occurred within 10 days after hatch. Total brood loss occurred in 18 (35%) of 52 broods released. The primary sources of mortality were predation, principally by mink (Mustela vison), and exposure to precipitation and cold temperature. For combined years, females had lower survival than males (P = 0.03). If the disparate survival between sexes of canvasbacks observed in this study is representative of canvasbacks in their breeding range, this phenomenon contributes to reduced reproductive potential and the male-biased sex ratio of the species.

Survival of radiomarked canvasback ducklings in northwestern Minnesota

USGS Publications Warehouse

Korschgen, Carl E.; Kenow, Kevin P.; Green, William L.; Johnson, Douglas H.; Samuel, Michael D.; Sileo, Louis

1996-01-01

Duckling survival, an important factor affecting annual recruitment, has not been determined adequately for canvasbacks (Aythya valisineria). We investigated the magnitude, timing, and causes of mortality of canvasback ducklings from hatch to fledging at the Agassiz National Wildlife Refuge (NWR) in northwestern Minnesota during 1987-90. During the 4 years, 217 day-old ducklings were radiomarked and released in 52 broods. Another 141 ducklings were radiomarked at greater than or equal to 4weeks of age. Survival was estimated with the Kaplan-Meier nonparametric estimator and the Weibull parametric model. Most mortalities occurred within 10 days after hatch. Total brood loss occurred in 18 (85%) of 52 broods released. The primary sources of mortality were predation principally by mink (Mustela vison), and exposure to precipitation and cold temperature. For combined years, females had lower survival than males (P=0.03). If the disparate survival between sexes of canvasbacks observed in this study is representative of canvasbacks in their breeding range, this phenomenon contributes to reduced reproductive potential and the male-biased sex ratio of the species.

GIV/Girdin Links Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor Signaling to Akt Survival Signaling in Podocytes Independent of Nephrin

PubMed Central

Wang, Honghui; Misaki, Taro; Taupin, Vanessa; Eguchi, Akiko; Ghosh, Pradipta

2015-01-01

Podocytes are critically involved in the maintenance of the glomerular filtration barrier and are key targets of injury in many glomerular diseases. Chronic injury leads to progressive loss of podocytes, glomerulosclerosis, and renal failure. Thus, it is essential to maintain podocyte survival and avoid apoptosis after acute glomerular injury. In normal glomeruli, podocyte survival is mediated via nephrin-dependent Akt signaling. In several glomerular diseases, nephrin expression decreases and podocyte survival correlates with increased vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) signaling. How VEGF signaling contributes to podocyte survival and prevents apoptosis remains unknown. We show here that Gα–interacting, vesicle-associated protein (GIV)/girdin mediates VEGF receptor 2 (VEGFR2) signaling and compensates for nephrin loss. In puromycin aminonucleoside nephrosis (PAN), GIV expression increased, GIV was phosphorylated by VEGFR2, and p-GIV bound and activated Gαi3 and enhanced downstream Akt2, mammalian target of rapamycin complex 1 (mTORC1), and mammalian target of rapamycin complex-2 (mTORC2) signaling. In GIV-depleted podocytes, VEGF-induced Akt activation was abolished, apoptosis was triggered, and cell migration was impaired. These effects were reversed by introducing GIV but not a GIV mutant that cannot activate Gαi3. Our data indicate that after PAN injury, VEGF promotes podocyte survival by triggering assembly of an activated VEGFR2/GIV/Gαi3 signaling complex and enhancing downstream PI3K/Akt survival signaling. Because of its important role in promoting podocyte survival, GIV may represent a novel target for therapeutic intervention in the nephrotic syndrome and other proteinuric diseases. PMID:25012178

Survival of manure-borne and fecal coliforms in soil: temperature dependence as affected by site-specific factors

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Understanding pathogenic and indicator bacteria survival in soils is essential for assessing the potential of microbial contamination of water and produce, and making appropriate management decisions. The objective of this work was to evaluate effects of soil and management factors on temperature de...

A review of the factors affecting the survival of donkeys in semi-arid regions of sub-Saharan Africa.

PubMed

Smith, D G; Pearson, R A

2005-11-01

The large fluctuations seen in cattle populations during periods of drought in sub-Saharan Africa are not evident in the donkey population. Donkeys appear to have a survival advantage over cattle that is increasingly recognized by smallholder farmers in their selection of working animals. The donkey's survival advantages arise from both socioeconomic and biological factors. Socioeconomic factors include the maintenance of a low sustainable population of donkeys owing to their single-purpose role and their low social status. Also, because donkeys are not usually used as a meat animal and can provide a regular income as a working animal, they are not slaughtered in response to drought, as are cattle. Donkeys have a range of physiological and behavioural adaptations that individually provide small survival advantages over cattle but collectively may make a large difference to whether or not they survive drought. Donkeys have lower maintenance costs as a result of their size and spend less energy while foraging for food; lower energy costs result in a lower dry matter intake (DMI) requirement. In donkeys, low-quality diets are digested almost as efficiently as in ruminants and, because of a highly selective feeding strategy, the quality of diet obtained by donkeys in a given pasture is higher than that obtained by cattle. Lower energy costs of walking, longer foraging times per day and ability to tolerate thirst may allow donkeys to access more remote, under-utilized sources of forage that are inaccessible to cattle on rangeland. As donkeys become a more popular choice of working animal for farmers, specific management practices need to be devised that allow donkeys to fully maximize their natural survival advantages.

The formula for survival in resuscitation.

PubMed

Søreide, Eldar; Morrison, Laurie; Hillman, Ken; Monsieurs, Koen; Sunde, Kjetil; Zideman, David; Eisenberg, Mickey; Sterz, Fritz; Nadkarni, Vinay M; Soar, Jasmeet; Nolan, Jerry P

2013-11-01

The International Liaison Committee on Resuscitation (ILCOR) Advisory Statement on Education and Resuscitation in 2003 included a hypothetical formula--'the formula for survival' (FfS)--whereby three interactive factors, guideline quality (science), efficient education of patient caregivers (education) and a well-functioning chain of survival at a local level (local implementation), form multiplicands in determining survival from resuscitation. In May 2006, a symposium was held to discuss the validity of the formula for survival hypothesis and to investigate the influence of each of the multiplicands on survival. This commentary combines the output from this symposium with an updated illustration of the three multiplicands in the FfS using rapid response systems (RRS) for medical science, therapeutic hypothermia (TH) for local implementation, and bystander cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) for educational efficiency. International differences between hospital systems made it difficult to assign a precise value for the multiplicand medical science using RRS as an example. Using bystander CPR as an example for the multiplicand educational efficiency, it was also difficult to provide a precise value, mainly because of differences between compression-only and standard CPR. The local implementation multiplicand (exemplified by therapeutic hypothermia) is probably the easiest to improve, and is likely to have the most immediate improvement in observed survival outcome in most systems of care. Despite the noted weaknesses, we believe that the FfS will be useful as a mental framework when trying to improve resuscitation outcome in communities worldwide. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Effects of soil conditions on survival and growth of black willow cuttings.

PubMed

Schaff, Steven D; Pezeshki, S Reza; Shields, F Douglas

2003-06-01

Current streambank restoration efforts focus on providing bank stability, enhancing water quality, and improving woody habitat using native vegetation rather than traditional engineering techniques. However, in most cases harsh site conditions limit restoration success. A two-year field study was conducted at Twentymile Creek, in northern Mississippi, investigating edaphic factors governing the survival of black willow (Salix nigra) cuttings used for streambank restoration. Low height growth, above-ground biomass production, and average leaf area were observed in willow cuttings grown in plots subjected to moisture deficits. However, sediment texture emerged as the dominant factor determining willow post growth, health, and survival. Shoot biomass, leaf biomass, and total above-ground biomass were 15-, 10-, and 14-fold greater for large willow cuttings (posts) grown in plots with sandy sediments relative to those grown in plots with similar moisture and soil redox potential but with silt and clay sediments. Average leaf size, average leaf mass and specific leaf area were all lower in fine textured plots. Under moisture conditions present at our sites, coarse-grained sediment (sand) was more conducive to willow growth, biomass production, and survival than were fine-grained sediments (silt/clay). Our results strongly suggest that soil texture and moisture conditions can determine restoration success. Therefore, it is critical that site conditions are factored into the selection of project locations prior to the initiation of willow planting restoration projects.

Human Hepatocyte Growth Factor (hHGF)-Modified Hepatic Oval Cells Improve Liver Transplant Survival

PubMed Central

Li, Li; Ran, Jiang-Hua; Li, Xue-Hua; Liu, Zhi-Heng; Liu, Gui-Jie; Gao, Yan-Chao; Zhang, Xue-Li; Sun, Hiu-Dong

2012-01-01

Despite progress in the field of immunosuppression, acute rejection is still a common postoperative complication following liver transplantation. This study aims to investigate the capacity of the human hepatocyte growth factor (hHGF) in modifying hepatic oval cells (HOCs) administered simultaneously with orthotopic liver transplantation as a means of improving graft survival. HOCs were activated and isolated using a modified 2-acetylaminofluorene/partial hepatectomy (2-AAF/PH) model in male Lewis rats. A HOC line stably expressing the HGF gene was established following stable transfection of the pBLAST2-hHGF plasmid. Our results demonstrated that hHGF-modified HOCs could efficiently differentiate into hepatocytes and bile duct epithelial cells in vitro. Administration of HOCs at the time of liver transplantation induced a wider distribution of SRY-positive donor cells in liver tissues. Administration of hHGF-HOC at the time of transplantation remarkably prolonged the median survival time and improved liver function for recipients compared to these parameters in the other treatment groups (P<0.05). Moreover, hHGF-HOC administration at the time of liver transplantation significantly suppressed elevation of interleukin-2 (IL-2), tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) and interferon-γ (IFN-γ) levels while increasing the production of IL-10 and TGF-β1 (P<0.05). HOC or hHGF-HOC administration promoted cell proliferation, reduced cell apoptosis, and decreased liver allograft rejection rates. Furthermore, hHGF-modified HOCs more efficiently reduced acute allograft rejection (P<0.05 versus HOC transplantation only). Our results indicate that the combination of hHGF-modified HOCs with liver transplantation decreased host anti-graft immune responses resulting in a reduction of allograft rejection rates and prolonging graft survival in recipient rats. This suggests that HOC-based cell transplantation therapies can be developed as a means of treating severe liver injuries. PMID

Predictive factors for survival and correlation to toxicity in advanced Stage III non-small cell lung cancer patients with concurrent chemoradiation.

PubMed

Kim, Yong-Hyub; Ahn, Sung-Ja; Kim, Young-Chul; Kim, Kyu-Sik; Oh, In-Jae; Ban, Hee-Jung; Chung, Woong-Ki; Nam, Taek-Keun; Yoon, Mee Sun; Jeong, Jae-Uk; Song, Ju-Young

2016-02-01

Concurrent chemoradiotherapy is the standard treatment for locally advanced Stage III non-small cell lung cancer in patients with a good performance status and minimal weight loss. This study aimed to define subgroups with different survival outcomes and identify correlations with the radiation-related toxicities. We retrospectively reviewed 381 locally advanced Stage III non-small cell lung cancer patients with a good performance status or weight loss of <10% who received concurrent chemoradiotherapy between 2004 and 2011. Three-dimensional conformal radiotherapy was administered once daily, combined with weekly chemotherapy. The Kaplan-Meier method was used for survival comparison and Cox regression for multivariate analysis. Multivariate analysis was performed using all variables with P values <0.1 from the univariate analysis. Median survival of all patients was 24 months. Age > 75 years, the diffusion lung capacity for carbon monoxide ≤80%, gross tumor volume ≥100 cm(3) and subcarinal nodal involvement were the statistically significant predictive factors for poor overall survival both in univariate and multivariate analyses. Patients were classified into four groups according to these four predictive factors. The median survival times were 36, 29, 18 and 14 months in Groups I, II, III and IV, respectively (P < 0.001). Rates of esophageal or lung toxicity ≥Grade 3 were 5.9, 14.1, 12.5 and 22.2%, respectively. The radiotherapy interruption rate differed significantly between the prognostic subgroups; 8.8, 15.4, 22.7 and 30.6%, respectively (P = 0.017). Severe toxicity and interruption of radiotherapy were more frequent in patients with multiple adverse predictive factors. To maintain the survival benefit in patients with concurrent chemoradiotherapy, strategies to reduce treatment-related toxicities need to be deeply considered. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Lenticular cytoprotection. Part 1: the role of hypoxia inducible factors-1α and -2α and vascular endothelial growth factor in lens epithelial cell survival in hypoxia.

PubMed

Neelam, Sudha; Brooks, Morgan M; Cammarata, Patrick R

2013-01-01

The prosurvival signaling cascades that mediate the unique ability of human lens epithelial cells to survive in their naturally hypoxic environment are not well defined. Hypoxia induces the synthesis of the hypoxia inducible factor HIF-1α that in turn, plays a crucial role in modulating a downstream survival scheme, where vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) also plays a major role. To date, no published reports in the lens literature attest to the expression and functionality of HIF-2α and the role it might play in regulating VEGF expression. The aim of this study was to identify the functional expression of the hypoxia inducible factors HIF-1α and HIF-2α and establish their role in regulating VEGF expression. Furthermore, we demonstrate a link between sustained VEGF expression and the ability of the hypoxic human lens epithelial cell to thrive in low oxygen conditions and resist mitochondrial membrane permeability transition (also referred to as lenticular cytoprotection). Hypoxia inducible factor translation inhibitors were used to demonstrate the role of HIF-1α and HIF-2α and the simultaneous expression of both hypoxic inducible factors to determine their role in regulating VEGF expression. Axitinib, which inhibits lenticular cell autophosphorylation of its VEGF receptor, was employed to demonstrate a role for the VEGF-VEGFR2 receptor complex in regulating Bcl-2 expression. Specific antisera and western blot analysis were used to detect the protein levels of HIF-1α and HIF-2α, as well as the proapoptotic protein, BAX and the prosurvival protein, Bcl-2. VEGF levels were analyzed with enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). The potentiometric dye, 5,5',6,6'-tetrachloro1,1',3,3'-tetraethyl-benzimidazolylcarbocyanine iodide, was used to determine the effect of the inhibitors on mitochondrial membrane permeability transition. Cultured human lens epithelial cells (HLE-B3) maintained under hypoxic condition (1% oxygen) displayed consistent accumulation

The relationship between neurotrophic factors and CaMKII in the death and survival of retinal ganglion cells.

PubMed

Cooper, N G F; Laabich, A; Fan, W; Wang, X

2008-01-01

The scientific discourse relating to the causes and treatments for glaucoma are becoming reflective of the need to protect and preserve retinal neurons from degenerative changes, which result from the injurious environment associated with this disease. Knowledge, in particular, of the signal transduction pathways which affect death and survival of the retinal ganglion cells is critical to this discourse and to the development of a suitable neurotherapeutic strategy for this disease. The goal of this chapter is to review what is known of the chief suspects involved in initiating the cell death/survival pathways in these cells, and what still remains to be uncovered. The least controversial aspect of the subject relates to the potential role of neurotrophic factors in the protection of the retinal ganglion cells. On the other hand, the postulated triggers for signaling cell death in glaucoma remain controversial. Certainly, the restricted flow of neurotrophic factors has been cited as one possible trigger. However, the connections between glaucoma and other factors present in the retina, such as glutamate, long held to be a prospective culprit in retinal ganglion cell death are still being questioned. Whatever the outcome of this particular debate, it is clear that the downstream intersections between the cell death and survival pathways should provide important foci for future studies whose goal is to protect retinal neurons, situated as they are, in the stressful environment of a cell destroying disease. The evidence for CaMKII being one of these intersecting points is discussed.

Contrasting patterns of nest survival and postfledging survival in ovenbirds and Acadian flycatchers in Missouri forest fragments

Treesearch

Julianna M. A. Jenkins; Frank R. Thompson; John Faaborg

2016-01-01

We can improve our ability to assess population viability and forecast population growth under different scenarios by understanding factors that limit population parameters in each stage of the annual cycle. Postfledging mortality rates may be as variable as nest survival across regions and fragmentation gradients, although factors that negatively impact nest survival...

Adélie penguin survival: age structure, temporal variability and environmental influences.

PubMed

Emmerson, Louise; Southwell, Colin

2011-12-01

The driving factors of survival, a key demographic process, have been particularly challenging to study, especially for winter migratory species such as the Adélie penguin (Pygoscelis adeliae). While winter environmental conditions clearly influence Antarctic seabird survival, it has been unclear to which environmental features they are most likely to respond. Here, we examine the influence of environmental fluctuations, broad climatic conditions and the success of the breeding season prior to winter on annual survival of an Adélie penguin population using mark-recapture models based on penguin tag and resight data over a 16-year period. This analysis required an extension to the basic Cormack-Jolly-Seber model by incorporating age structure in recapture and survival sub-models. By including model covariates, we show that survival of older penguins is primarily related to the amount and concentration of ice present in their winter foraging grounds. In contrast, fledgling and yearling survival depended on other factors in addition to the physical marine environment and outcomes of the previous breeding season, but we were unable to determine what these were. The relationship between sea-ice and survival differed with penguin age: extensive ice during the return journey to breeding colonies was detrimental to survival for the younger penguins, whereas either too little or too much ice (between 15 and 80% cover) in the winter foraging grounds was detrimental for adults. Our results demonstrate that predictions of Adélie penguin survival can be improved by taking into account penguin age, prior breeding conditions and environmental features.

Alpha tumor necrosis factor contributes to CD8{sup +} T cell survival in the transition phase

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Shi, Meiqing; Ye, Zhenmin; Umeshappa, Keshav Sokke

Cytokine and costimulation signals determine CD8{sup +} T cell responses in proliferation phase. In this study, we assessed the potential effect of cytokines and costimulations to CD8{sup +} T cell survival in transition phase by transferring in vitro ovalbumin (OVA)-pulsed dendritic cell-activated CD8{sup +} T cells derived from OVA-specific T cell receptor transgenic OT I mice into wild-type C57BL/6 mice or mice with designated gene knockout. We found that deficiency of IL-10, IL-12, IFN-{gamma}, CD28, CD40, CD80, CD40L, and 41BBL in recipients did not affect CD8{sup +} T cell survival after adoptive transfer. In contrast, TNF-{alpha} deficiency in both recipientsmore » and donor CD8{sup +} effector T cells significantly reduced CD8{sup +} T cell survival. Therefore, our data demonstrate that the host- and T cell-derived TNF-{alpha} signaling contributes to CD8{sup +} effector T cell survival and their transition to memory T cells in the transition phase, and may be useful information when designing vaccination.« less

Insulin dependence and pancreatic enzyme replacement therapy are independent prognostic factors for long-term survival after operation for chronic pancreatitis.

PubMed

Winny, Markus; Paroglou, Vagia; Bektas, Hüseyin; Kaltenborn, Alexander; Reichert, Benedikt; Zachau, Lea; Kleine, Moritz; Klempnauer, Jürgen; Schrem, Harald

2014-02-01

This retrospective, single-center, observational study on postoperative long-term results aims to define yet unknown factors for long-term outcome after operation for chronic pancreatitis. We analyzed 147 consecutive patients operated for chronic pancreatitis from 2000 to 2011. Mean follow-up was 5.3 years (range, 1 month to 12.7 years). Complete long-term survival data were provided by the German citizen registration authorities for all patients. A quality-of-life questionnaire was sent to surviving patients after a mean follow-up of 5.7 years. Surgical principles were resection (n = 86; 59%), decompression (n = 29; 20%), and hybrid procedures (n = 32; 21%). No significant influences of different surgical principles and operative procedures on survival, long-term quality of life and pain control could be detected. Overall 30-day mortality was 2.7%, 1-year survival 95.9%, and 3-year survival 90.8%. Multivariate Cox regression analysis revealed that only postoperative insulin dependence at the time of hospital discharge (P = .027; Exp(B) = 2.111; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.089-4.090) and the absence of pancreas enzyme replacement therapy at the time of hospital discharge (P = .039; Exp(B) = 2.102; 95% CI, 1.037-4.262) were significant, independent risk factors for survival with significant hazard ratios for long-term survival. Long-term improvement in quality of life was reported by 55 of 76 long-term survivors (73%). Pancreatic enzyme replacement should be standard treatment after surgery for chronic pancreatitis at the time of hospital discharge, even when no clinical signs of exocrine pancreatic failure exist. This study underlines the potential importance of early operative intervention in chronic pancreatitis before irreversible endocrine dysfunction is present. Copyright © 2014 Mosby, Inc. All rights reserved.

Factors influencing survival among Kenyan children diagnosed with endemic Burkitt lymphom between 2003 and 2011: a historical cohort study

PubMed Central

Buckle, Geoffrey; Maranda, Louise; Skiles, Jodi; Ong'echa, John Michael; Foley, Joslyn; Epstein, Mara; Vik, Terry A.; Schroeder, Andrew; Lemberger, Jennifer; Rosmarin, Alan; Remick, Scot C.; Bailey, Jeffrey A.; Vulule, John; Otieno, Juliana A.; Moormann, Ann M.

2017-01-01

Discovering how to improve survival and establishing clinical reference points for children diagnosed with endemic Burkitt lymphoma (eBL) in resource-constrained settings has recaptured international attention. Using multivariate analyses, we evaluated 428 children with eBL in Kenya for age, gender, tumor stage, nutritional status, hemoglobin, lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) and Plasmodium falciparum prior to induction of chemotherapy (cyclophosphamide, vincristine, methotrexate, and doxorubicin) to identify predictive and prognostic biomarkers of survival. During this ten year prospective study period, 22% died in-hospital and 78% completed six-courses of chemotherapy. Of those, 16% relapsed or died later; 31% achieved event-free-survival; and 31% were lost to follow-up; the overall one-year survival was 45%. After adjusting for co-variates, low hemoglobin (<8g/dL) and high LDH (>400 mU/ml) were associated with increased risk of death (adjusted Hazard Ratio (aHR)=1.57 [0.97 to 2.41]) and aHR=1.84, [0.91 to 3.69], respectively). Anemic children with malaria were 3.55 times more likely to die [1.10 to 11.44] compared to patients without anemia or malarial infection. EBV load did not differ by tumor stage nor was it associated with survival. System-level factors can also contribute to poor outcomes. Children were more likely to die when inadvertently overdosed by more than 115% of the correct dose of cyclophosphamide (aHR=1.43 [0.84 to 2.43]), or doxorubicin (aHR=1.25, [0.66 to 2.35]), compared to those receiving accurate doses of the respective agent in this setting. This study codifies risk factors associated with poor outcomes for eBL patients in Africa and provides a benchmark by which to assess improvements in survival for new chemotherapeutic approaches. PMID:27136063

An overall strategy based on regression models to estimate relative survival and model the effects of prognostic factors in cancer survival studies.

PubMed

Remontet, L; Bossard, N; Belot, A; Estève, J

2007-05-10

Relative survival provides a measure of the proportion of patients dying from the disease under study without requiring the knowledge of the cause of death. We propose an overall strategy based on regression models to estimate the relative survival and model the effects of potential prognostic factors. The baseline hazard was modelled until 10 years follow-up using parametric continuous functions. Six models including cubic regression splines were considered and the Akaike Information Criterion was used to select the final model. This approach yielded smooth and reliable estimates of mortality hazard and allowed us to deal with sparse data taking into account all the available information. Splines were also used to model simultaneously non-linear effects of continuous covariates and time-dependent hazard ratios. This led to a graphical representation of the hazard ratio that can be useful for clinical interpretation. Estimates of these models were obtained by likelihood maximization. We showed that these estimates could be also obtained using standard algorithms for Poisson regression. Copyright 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Palliative Radiotherapy in the Local Management of Stage IVB Esophageal Cancer: Factors Affecting Swallowing and Survival.

PubMed

Suzuki, Gen; Yamazaki, Hideya; Aibe, Norihiro; Masui, Koji; Tatekawa, Kotoha; Sasaki, Naomi; Kimoto, Takuya; Nishimura, Takeshi; Nakashima, Akihiro; Takenaka, Tadashi; Fujiwara, Hitoshi; Ishikawa, Takeshi; Yamada, Kei

2017-06-01

To clarify the role of external-beam radiotherapy in the local management of state IVB esophageal cancer. We reviewed records of 31 patients with histopathologically-proven squamous cell carcinoma who underwent radiotherapy for their primary lesion. The change in dysphagia score from before to after treatment was assessed. Nutritional support-free survival (NSFS) was also evaluated. The median overall survival was 6 months. The overall rate of improvement in dysphagia score was 73% (23/31). The median NSFS was 5 months. Age at presentation <67 years, tumor location in the middle thoracic esophagus, and tumor length <7 cm were associated with significant improvement in swallowing scores. Responders to radiotherapy had significantly longer NSFS than non-responders (p=0.04). Palliative radiotherapy in the local management of stage IVB esophageal cancer is an effective treatment option for dysphagia. Factors highly associated with improvement of swallowing are age, tumor location, and tumor length. Response to radiotherapy is the most important factor in improving NSFS. Copyright© 2017, International Institute of Anticancer Research (Dr. George J. Delinasios), All rights reserved.

The determination of nutritional requirements for Safe Haven Food Supply System (emergency/survival foods)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ahmed, Selina

1987-01-01

The Space Station Safe Haven Food System must sustain 8 crew members under emergency conditions for 45 days. Emergency Survival Foods are defined as a nutritionally balanced collection of high density food and beverages selected to provide for the survival of Space Station flight crews in contingency situations. Since storage volume is limited, the foods should be highly concentrated. A careful study of different research findings regarding starvation and calorie restricted diets indicates that a minimum nutritional need close to RDA is an important factor for sustaining an individual's life in a stressful environment. Fat, protein, and carbohydrates are 3 energy producing nutrients which play a vital role in the growth and maintenance process of human life. A lower intake of protein can minimize the water intake, but it causes a negative nitrogen balance and a lower performance level. Other macro and micro nutrients are also required for nutritional interrelationships to metabolize the other 3 nutrients to their optimum level. The various options for longer duration than 45 days are under investigation.

Survival of the first arteriovenous fistula in 96 patients on chronic hemodialysis.

PubMed

Radoui, Aicha; Lyoussfi, Zineb; Haddiya, Intissar; Skalli, Zoubair; El Idrissi, Redouane; Rhou, Hakima; Ezzaitouni, Fatima; Ouzeddoun, Naima; El Mesnaoui, Abbes; Bayahia, Rabea; Benamar, Loubna

2011-07-01

Native arteriovenous fistula (AVF) represents the best vascular approach for chronic hemodialysis. The aim of this study was to determine the survival of the first AVF and to identify the factors responsible for poor AVF survival. A retrospective study was conducted on 96 chronic hemodialysis patients benefiting from the creation and cannulation of their first AVF at our center, with a minimum follow-up period of 1 year. We collected demographic, clinical, and biological data, as well as analyzed the following AVF characteristics: anatomic site, cannulation time, survival, and complications. To identify the predictive factors of poor AVF survival, we defined and compared two groups of patients on the basis of whether they lost their first AVF during the evolution. Patients' mean age was 42.1 ± 13 years, with predominantly female patients. Mean AVF cannulation time was 17.5 ± 24 days. AVF loss was mainly related to thrombosis in 29% of the cases and stenosis in 9.4%. AVF survival was 87%, 77%, 71%, 67%, and 64% after 1, 3, 5, 8, and 10 years of hemodialysis, respectively. In our study, the main factors associated with AVF loss were lengthy jugular venous catheters placement (p = 0.004), short AVF cannulation time after its creation (p = 0.03), and hypotension episodes during dialysis (p = 0.03). Long-term survival and quality of life in hemodialysis depend on an appropriate dialysis carried out-thanks to a correct vascular approach! According to the previously published data, survival of the first AVF can vary between 10% and 36% at 10 years. In our study, survival of the first native AVF was satisfying because it reached 64% at 10 years. Early AVF creation and prevention and management of its complications remain the safest and most comfortable solution to ensure AVF survival and thus a satisfying survival and quality of life in chronic hemodialysis patients. Copyright © 2011 Annals of Vascular Surgery Inc. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Human trophoblast survival at low oxygen concentrations requires metalloproteinase-mediated shedding of heparin-binding EGF-like growth factor

PubMed Central

Armant, D. Randall; Kilburn, Brian A.; Petkova, Anelia; Edwin, Samuel S.; Duniec-Dmuchowski, Zophia M.; Edwards, Holly J.; Romero, Roberto; Leach, Richard E.

2006-01-01

Heparin-binding EGF-like growth factor (HBEGF), which is expressed in the placenta during normal pregnancy, is downregulated in pre-eclampsia, a human pregnancy disorder associated with poor trophoblast differentiation and survival. This growth factor protects against apoptosis during stress, suggesting a role in trophoblast survival in the relatively low O2 (∼2%) environment of the first trimester conceptus. Using a well-characterized human first trimester cytotrophoblast cell line, we found that a 4-hour exposure to 2% O2 upregulates HBEGF synthesis and secretion independently of an increase in its mRNA. Five other expressed members of the EGF family are largely unaffected. At 2% O2, signaling via HER1 or HER4, known HBEGF receptors, is required for both HBEGF upregulation and protection against apoptosis. This positive-feedback loop is dependent on metalloproteinase-mediated cleavage and shedding of the HBEGF ectodomain. The restoration of trophoblast survival by the addition of soluble HBEGF in cultures exposed to low O2 and metalloproteinase inhibitor suggests that the effects of HBEGF are mediated by autocrine/paracrine, rather than juxtacrine, signaling. Our results provide evidence that a post-transcriptional mechanism induced in trophoblasts by low O2 rapidly amplifies HBEGF signaling to inhibit apoptosis. These findings have a high clinical significance, as the downregulation of HBEGF in pre-eclampsia is likely to be a contributing factor leading to the demise of trophoblasts. PMID:16407398

Human trophoblast survival at low oxygen concentrations requires metalloproteinase-mediated shedding of heparin-binding EGF-like growth factor.

PubMed

Armant, D Randall; Kilburn, Brian A; Petkova, Anelia; Edwin, Samuel S; Duniec-Dmuchowski, Zophia M; Edwards, Holly J; Romero, Roberto; Leach, Richard E

2006-02-01

Heparin-binding EGF-like growth factor (HBEGF), which is expressed in the placenta during normal pregnancy, is down regulated in pre-eclampsia, a human pregnancy disorder associated with poor trophoblast differentiation and survival. This growth factor protects against apoptosis during stress, suggesting a role in trophoblast survival in the relatively low O(2) ( approximately 2%) environment of the first trimester conceptus. Using a well-characterized human first trimester cytotrophoblast cell line, we found that a 4-hour exposure to 2% O(2) upregulates HBEGF synthesis and secretion independently of an increase in its mRNA. Five other expressed members of the EGF family are largely unaffected. At 2% O(2), signaling via HER1 or HER4, known HBEGF receptors, is required for both HBEGF upregulation and protection against apoptosis. This positive-feedback loop is dependent on metalloproteinase-mediated cleavage and shedding of the HBEGF ectodomain. The restoration of trophoblast survival by the addition of soluble HBEGF in cultures exposed to low O(2) and metalloproteinase inhibitor suggests that the effects of HBEGF are mediated by autocrine/paracrine, rather than juxtacrine, signaling. Our results provide evidence that a post-transcriptional mechanism induced in trophoblasts by low O(2) rapidly amplifies HBEGF signaling to inhibit apoptosis. These findings have a high clinical significance, as the downregulation of HBEGF in pre-eclampsia is likely to be a contributing factor leading to the demise of trophoblasts.

Factors affecting breeding season survival of Red-Headed Woodpeckers in South Carolina.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Kilgo, John, C.; Vukovich, Mark

2011-11-18

Red-headed woodpecker (Melanerpes erythrocephalus) populations have declined in the United States and Canada over the past 40 years. However, few demographic studies have been published on the species and none have addressed adult survival. During 2006-2007, we estimated survival probabilities of 80 radio-tagged red-headed woodpeckers during the breeding season in mature loblolly pine (Pinus taeda) forests in South Carolina. We used known-fate models in Program MARK to estimate survival within and between years and to evaluate the effects of foliar cover (number of available cover patches), snag density treatment (high density vs. low density), and sex and age of woodpeckers.more » Weekly survival probabilities followed a quadratic time trend, being lowest during mid-summer, which coincided with the late nestling and fledgling period. Avian predation, particularly by Cooper's (Accipiter cooperii) and sharp-shinned hawks (A. striatus), accounted for 85% of all mortalities. Our best-supported model estimated an 18-week breeding season survival probability of 0.72 (95% CI = 0.54-0.85) and indicated that the number of cover patches interacted with sex of woodpeckers to affect survival; females with few available cover patches had a lower probability of survival than either males or females with more cover patches. At the median number of cover patches available (n = 6), breeding season survival of females was 0.82 (95% CI = 0.54-0.94) and of males was 0.60 (95% CI = 0.42-0.76). The number of cover patches available to woodpeckers appeared in all 3 of our top models predicting weekly survival, providing further evidence that woodpecker survival was positively associated with availability of cover. Woodpecker survival was not associated with snag density. Our results suggest that protection of {ge}0.7 cover patches per ha during vegetation control activities in mature pine forests will benefit survival of this Partners In Flight Watch List species.« less

Changes in fertility patterns can improve child survival in Southeast Asia.

PubMed

Greenspan, A

1993-12-01

This analysis of 1988 Philippine Demographic Survey data provides information on the direct and indirect effects of several major determinants of childhood mortality in the Philippines. Data are compared to rates in Indonesia and Thailand. The odds of infant mortality in the Philippines are reduced by 39% by spacing children more than two years apart. This finding is significant because infant mortality rates have not declined over the past 20 years. Child survival is related to the number of children in the family, the spacing of the children, the mother's age and education, and the risks of malnutrition and infection. Directs effects on child survival are related to infant survival status of the preceding child and the length of the preceding birth interval, while key indirect or background variables are maternal age and education, birth order, and place of residence. The two-stage causation model is tested with data on 13,716 ever married women aged 15-49 years and 20,015 index children born between January 1977 and February 1987. Results in the Philippine confirm that maternal age, birth order, mortality of the previous child, and maternal education are directly related to birth interval, while mortality of the previous child, birth order, and maternal educational status are directly related to infant mortality. Thailand, Indonesia, and the Philippines all show similar explanatory factors that directly influence infant mortality. The survival status of the preceding child is the most important predictor in all three countries and is particularly strong in Thailand. This factor acts through the limited time interval for rejuvenation of mother's body, nutritional deficiencies, and transmission of infectious disease among siblings. The conclusion is that poor environmental conditions increase vulnerability to illness and death. There are 133% greater odds of having a short birth interval among young urban women than among older rural women. There is a 29% increase

Host-Cell Survival and Death During Chlamydia Infection

PubMed Central

Ying, Songmin; Pettengill, Matthew; Ojcius, David M.; Häcker, Georg

2008-01-01

Different Chlamydia trachomatis strains are responsible for prevalent bacterial sexually-transmitted disease and represent the leading cause of preventable blindness worldwide. Factors that predispose individuals to disease and mechanisms by which chlamydiae cause inflammation and tissue damage remain unclear. Results from recent studies indicate that prolonged survival and subsequent death of infected cells and their effect on immune effector cells during chlamydial infection may be important in determining the outcome. Survival of infected cells is favored at early times of infection through inhibition of the mitochondrial pathway of apoptosis. Death at later times displays features of both apoptosis and necrosis, but pro-apoptotic caspases are not involved. Most studies on chlamydial modulation of host-cell death until now have been performed in cell lines. The consequences for pathogenesis and the immune response will require animal models of chlamydial infection, preferably mice with targeted deletions of genes that play a role in cell survival and death. PMID:18843378

Serum CA125 predicts extrauterine disease and survival in uterine carcinosarcoma

PubMed Central

Huang, Gloria S.; Chiu, Lydia G.; Gebb, Juliana S.; Gunter, Marc J.; Sukumvanich, Paniti; Goldberg, Gary L.; Einstein, Mark H.

2009-01-01

Objective The purpose of this study was to determine the clinical utility of CA125 measurement in patients with uterine carcinosarcoma (CS). Methods Ninety-five consecutive patients treated for CS at a single institution were identified. All 54 patients who underwent preoperative CA125 measurement were included in the study. Data were abstracted from the medical records. Tests of association between preoperative CA125 and previously identified clinicopathologic prognostic factors were performed using Fisher’s exact test and Pearson chi-square test. To evaluate relationship of CA125 elevation and survival, a Cox proportional hazard model was used for multivariate analysis, incorporating all of prognostic factors identified by univariate analysis. Results Preoperative CA125 was significantly associated with the presence of extrauterine disease (P<0.001), deep myometrial invasion (P<0.001), and serous histology of the epithelial component (P=0.005). Using univariate survival analysis, stage (HR=1.808, P=0.004), postoperative CA125 level (HR=9.855, P<0.001), and estrogen receptor positivity (HR=0.314, P=0.029) were significantly associated with survival. In the multivariate model, only postoperative CA125 level remained significantly associated with poor survival (HR=5.725, P=0.009). Conclusion Preoperative CA125 elevation is a marker of extrauterine disease and deep myometrial invasion in patients with uterine CS. Postoperative CA125 elevation is an independent prognostic factor for poor survival. These findings indicate that CA125 may be a clinically useful serum marker in the management of patients with CS. PMID:17935762

Conditional survival is greater than overall survival at diagnosis in patients with osteosarcoma and Ewing's sarcoma.

PubMed

Miller, Benjamin J; Lynch, Charles F; Buckwalter, Joseph A

2013-11-01

Conditional survival is a measure of the risk of mortality given that a patient has survived a defined period of time. These estimates are clinically helpful, but have not been reported previously for osteosarcoma or Ewing's sarcoma. We determined the conditional survival of patients with osteosarcoma and Ewing's sarcoma given survival of 1 or more years. We used the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) Program database to investigate cases of osteosarcoma and Ewing's sarcoma in patients younger than 40 years from 1973 to 2009. The SEER Program is managed by the National Cancer Institute and provides survival data gathered from population-based cancer registries. We used an actuarial life table analysis to determine any cancer cause-specific 5-year survival estimates conditional on 1 to 5 years of survival after diagnosis. We performed a similar analysis to determine 20-year survival from the time of diagnosis. The estimated 5-year survival improved each year after diagnosis. For local/regional osteosarcoma, the 5-year survival improved from 74.8% at baseline to 91.4% at 5 years-meaning that if a patient with localized osteosarcoma lives for 5 years, the chance of living for another 5 years is 91.4%. Similarly, the 5-year survivals for local/regional Ewing's sarcoma improved from 72.9% at baseline to 92.5% at 5 years, for metastatic osteosarcoma 35.5% at baseline to 85.4% at 5 years, and for metastatic Ewing's sarcoma 31.7% at baseline to 83.6% at 5 years. The likelihood of 20-year cause-specific survival from the time of diagnosis in osteosarcoma and Ewing's sarcoma was almost 90% or greater after 10 years of survival, suggesting that while most patients will remain disease-free indefinitely, some experience cancer-related complications years after presumed eradication. The 5-year survival estimates of osteosarcoma and Ewing's sarcoma improve with each additional year of patient survival. Knowledge of a changing risk profile is useful in counseling

Prognostic Factors for Survival in Patients with Advanced Intrahepatic Cholangiocarcinoma Treated with Gemcitabine plus Cisplatin as First-Line Treatment.

PubMed

Ishimoto, Utako; Kondo, Shunsuke; Ohba, Akihiro; Sasaki, Mitsuhito; Sakamoto, Yasunari; Morizane, Chigusa; Ueno, Hideki; Okusaka, Takuji

2018-01-01

Intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (ICC) is a rare type of liver cancer. No clinically useful prognostic factors have been reported for patients with advanced ICC. In the present study, we aimed to evaluate the clinical prognostic factors of patients with advanced ICC receiving gemcitabine plus cisplatin combination therapy (GC) as standard first-line chemotherapy. A retrospective analysis was performed of the data of patients with ICC treated at our institution from March 2011 to January 2016. We used the Cox regression model and estimated the hazard ratios of potential prognostic factors for survival. Of 216 patients with biliary tract cancer receiving GC as first-line chemotherapy, we extracted data for 77 patients who were diagnosed with ICC and received GC as first-line chemotherapy. The median overall survival was 13.8 months (95% CI, 8.9-18.6). In multivariate analysis, pretreatment serum lactate dehydrogenase (hazard ratio [HR]: 2.53, p = 0.005), C-reactive protein (HR: 3.06, p = 0.001), and carcinoembryonic antigen (HR: 2.39, p = 0.03) levels were significantly associated with overall survival. Readily available clinical laboratory values reliably predicted the prognosis of ICC patients receiving GC therapy. If validated in other studies, these results may provide a useful tool for individual patient-risk evaluation and the design and interpretation of future trials. © 2017 S. Karger AG, Basel.

Using Horn's Parallel Analysis Method in Exploratory Factor Analysis for Determining the Number of Factors

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Çokluk, Ömay; Koçak, Duygu

2016-01-01

In this study, the number of factors obtained from parallel analysis, a method used for determining the number of factors in exploratory factor analysis, was compared to that of the factors obtained from eigenvalue and scree plot--two traditional methods for determining the number of factors--in terms of consistency. Parallel analysis is based on…

Significance of perioperative infection in survival of patients with ovarian cancer.

PubMed

Matsuo, Koji; Prather, Christina P; Ahn, Edward H; Eno, Michele L; Tierney, Katherine E; Yessaian, Annie A; Im, Dwight D; Rosenshein, Neil B; Roman, Lynda D

2012-02-01

Perioperative infectious diseases comprise some of the most common causes of surgical mortality in women with ovarian cancer. This study was aimed to evaluate the significance of perioperative infections in survival of patients with ovarian cancer. Patients who underwent primary cytoreductive surgery were included in the analysis (n = 276). The enumeration and speciation of pathogens, antimicrobial agents used, and sensitivity assay results were culled from medical records and correlated to clinicopathologic demographics and survival outcomes. Perioperative infection was determined as a positive microbiology result obtained within a 6-week postoperative period. The incidence of perioperative infection was 15.9% (common sites: urinary tract, 57.3%, and surgical wound, 21.4%). Commonly isolated pathogens were Enterococcus species (22.4%) and Escherichia coli (19.4%) in urinary tract infection, and Bacteroides fragilis, E. coli, and Klebsiella pneumoniae (all, 16%) in surgical wound infection. Imipenem represents one of the least resistant antimicrobial agents commonly seen in urinary tract and surgical wound infections in our institution. Perioperative infection was associated with diabetes, serous histology, lymph node metastasis, bowel resection, decreased bicarbonate, and elevated serum urea nitrogen in multivariate analysis. Perioperative infections were associated with increased surgical mortality, delay in chemotherapy treatment, decreased chemotherapy response, shorter progression-free survival (median time, 8.4 vs 17.6 months; P < 0.001), and decreased overall survival (29.0 vs 51.8 months; P = 0.011). Multivariate analysis showed that perioperative infections other than urinary tract infection remained a significant risk factor for decreased survival (progression-free survival, P = 0.02; and overall survival, P = 0.019). Perioperative infectious disease comprises an independent risk factor for survival of patients with ovarian cancer.

Highly Expressed Granulocyte Colony-Stimulating Factor (G-CSF) and Granulocyte Colony-Stimulating Factor Receptor (G-CSFR) in Human Gastric Cancer Leads to Poor Survival.

PubMed

Fan, Zhisong; Li, Yong; Zhao, Qun; Fan, Liqiao; Tan, Bibo; Zuo, Jing; Hua, Kelei; Ji, Qiang

2018-03-23

BACKGROUND Chemotherapy for advanced gastric cancer (GC) patients has been the mainstay of therapy for many years. Although adding anti-angiogenic drugs to chemotherapy improves patient survival slightly, identifying anti-angiogenic therapy-sensitive patients remains challenging for oncologists. Granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF) promotes tumor growth and angiogenesis, which can be minimized with the anti-G-CSF antibody. Thus, G-CSF might be a potential tumor marker. However, the effects of G-CSF and G-CSFR expression on GC patient survival remain unclear. MATERIAL AND METHODS Seventy GC tissue samples were collected for G-CSF and G-CSFR detection by immunohistochemistry. A total of 40 paired GC tissues and matched adjacent mucosa were used to measure the G-CSF and G-CSFR levels by ELISA. Correlations between G-CSF/G-CSFR and clinical characteristics, VEGF-A levels and overall survival were analyzed. Biological function and underlying mechanistic investigations were carried out using SGC7901 cell lines, and the effects of G-CSF on tumor proliferation, migration, and tube formation were examined. RESULTS The levels of G-CSFR were upregulated in GC tissues compared to normal mucosa tissues. Higher G-CSF expression was associated with later tumor stages and higher tumor VEGF-A and serum CA724 levels, whereas higher G-CSFR expression was associated with lymph node metastasis. Patients with higher G-CSF expression had shorter overall survival times. In vitro, G-CSF stimulated SGC7901 proliferation and migration through the JAK2/STAT3 pathway and accelerated HUVEC tube formation. CONCLUSIONS These data suggest that increased G-CSF and G-CSFR in tumors leads to unfavorable outcomes for GC patients by stimulating tumor proliferation, migration, and angiogenesis, indicating that these factors are potential tumor targets for cancer treatment.

Incidence, treatment and survival of patients with craniopharyngioma in the surveillance, epidemiology and end results program

PubMed Central

Zacharia, Brad E.; Bruce, Samuel S.; Goldstein, Hannah; Malone, Hani R.; Neugut, Alfred I.; Bruce, Jeffrey N.

2012-01-01

Craniopharyngioma is a rare primary central nervous system neoplasm. Our objective was to determine factors associated with incidence, treatment, and survival of craniopharyngiomas in the United States. We used the surveillance, epidemiology and end results program (SEER) database to identify patients who received a diagnosis of craniopharyngioma during 2004–2008. We analyzed clinical and demographic information, including age, race, sex, tumor histology, and treatment. Age-adjusted incidence rates and age, sex, and race-adjusted expected survival rates were calculated. We used Cox proportional hazards models to determine the association between covariates and overall survival. We identified 644 patients with a diagnosis of craniopharyngioma. Black race was associated with an age-adjusted relative risk for craniopharyngioma of 1.26 (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.98–1.59), compared with white race. One- and 3-year survival rates of 91.5% (95% CI, 88.9%–93.5%), and 86.2% (95% CI, 82.7%–89.0%) were observed for the cohort; relative survival rates were 92.1% (95% CI, 89.5%–94.0%) and 87.6% (95% CI, 84.1%–90.4%) for 1- and 3-years, respectively. In the multivariable model, factors associated with prolonged survival included younger age, smaller tumor size, subtotal resection, and radiation therapy. Black race, on the other hand, was associated with worse overall survival in the final model. We demonstrated that >85% of patients survived 3 years after diagnosis and that subtotal resection and radiation therapy were associated with prolonged survival. We also noted a higher incidence rate and worse 1- and 3-year survival rates in the black population. Future investigations should examine these racial disparities and focus on evaluating the efficacy of emerging treatment paradigms. PMID:22735773

Epidermal Growth Factor Improves Intestinal Integrity and Survival in Murine Sepsis Following Chronic Alcohol Ingestion.

PubMed

Klingensmith, Nathan J; Yoseph, Benyam P; Liang, Zhe; Lyons, John D; Burd, Eileen M; Margoles, Lindsay M; Koval, Michael; Ford, Mandy L; Coopersmith, Craig M

2017-02-01

Epidermal growth factor (EGF) is a cytoprotective protein that improves survival in preclinical models of sepsis through its beneficial effects on intestinal integrity. Alcohol use disorder worsens intestinal integrity and is associated with increased morbidity and mortality in critical illness. We sought to determine whether chronic alcohol ingestion alters the host response to systemic administration of EGF in sepsis. Six-week-old FVB/N mice were randomized to receive 20% alcohol or water for 12 weeks. All mice then underwent cecal ligation and puncture to induce polymicrobial sepsis. Mice were then randomized to receive either intraperitoneal injection of EGF (150 μg/kg/day) or normal saline. Water-fed mice given EGF had decreased 7-day mortality compared with water-fed mice (18% vs. 55%). Alcohol-fed mice given EGF also had decreased 7-day mortality compared with alcohol-fed mice (48% vs. 79%). Notably, while systemic EGF improved absolute survival to a similar degree in both water-fed and alcohol-fed mice, mortality was significantly higher in alcohol+EGF mice compared with water+EGF mice. Compared with water-fed septic mice, alcohol-fed septic mice had worsened intestinal integrity with intestinal hyperpermeability, increased intestinal epithelial apoptosis, decreased proliferation and shorter villus length. Systemic administration of EGF to septic alcohol-fed mice decreased intestinal permeability compared with septic alcohol-fed mice given vehicle, with increased levels of the tight junction mediators claudin-5 and JAM-A. Systemic administration of EGF to septic alcohol-fed mice also decreased intestinal apoptosis with an improvement in the Bax/Bcl-2 ratio. EGF also improved both crypt proliferation and villus length in septic alcohol-fed mice. EGF administration resulted in lower levels of both pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokines monocyte chemoattractant protein-1, tumor necrosis factor, and interleukin 10 in alcohol-fed mice. EGF is therefore

Commercial kidney transplantation is an important risk factor in long-term kidney allograft survival.

PubMed

Prasad, G V Ramesh; Ananth, Sailesh; Palepu, Sneha; Huang, Michael; Nash, Michelle M; Zaltzman, Jeffrey S

2016-05-01

Transplant tourism, a form of transplant commercialization, has resulted in serious short-term adverse outcomes that explain reduced short-term kidney allograft survival. However, the nature of longer-term outcomes in commercial kidney transplant recipients is less clear. To study this further, we identified 69 Canadian commercial transplant recipients of 72 kidney allografts transplanted during 1998 to 2013 who reported to our transplant center for follow-up care. Their outcomes to 8 years post-transplant were compared with 702 domestic living donor and 827 deceased donor transplant recipients during this period using Kaplan-Meier survival plots and multivariate Cox regression analysis. Among many complications, notable specific events included hepatitis B or C seroconversion (7 patients), active hepatitis and/or fulminant hepatic failure (4 patients), pulmonary tuberculosis (2 patients), and a type A dissecting aortic aneurysm. Commercial transplantation was independently associated with significantly reduced death-censored kidney allograft survival (hazard ratio 3.69, 95% confidence interval 1.88-7.25) along with significantly delayed graft function and eGFR 30 ml/min/1.73 m(2) or less at 3 months post-transplant. Thus, commercial transplantation represents an important risk factor for long-term kidney allograft loss. Concerted arguments and efforts using adverse recipient outcomes among the main premises are still required in order to eradicate transplant commercialization. Copyright © 2016 International Society of Nephrology. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Determinants of establishment survival for residential trees in Sacramento County, CA

Treesearch

Lara A. Roman; John J. Battles; Joe R. McBride

2014-01-01

Urban forests can provide ecosystem services that motivate tree planting campaigns, and tree survival is a key element of program success and projected benefits. We studied survival in a shade tree give-away program in Sacramento, CA, monitoring a cohort of young trees for five years on single-family residential properties. We used conditional inference trees to...

Sinonasal mucosal melanoma: retrospective survival study of 25 patients.

PubMed

Vandenhende, C; Leroy, X; Chevalier, D; Mortuaire, G

2012-02-01

To determine potential prognostic factors for survival in patients with mucosal malignant melanoma of the sinonasal tract. Patients managed between 1991 and 2008 were assessed retrospectively. The seventh edition Union for International Cancer Control (7th UICC) tumour-node-metastasis classification was used for tumour staging. Kaplan-Meier and log rank tests were used for survival analysis. Twenty-five patients were studied (six were tumour stage three, eight tumour stage four(a) and 11 tumour stage four(b)). Surgery was performed on 23 patients (92 per cent). Fifteen received post-operative radiotherapy. Mean follow up was 31.3 months (range, two to 99 months). Three-year disease-free survival was improved in patients with stage four tumour arising from the nasal fossa, versus other sites, and in those with stage four tumour treated with surgery plus adjuvant radiotherapy, versus other treatments. Patients with melanoma of the nasal cavity have very poor survival rates. Treatment is still based on adequate surgical resection with safe margins. In this study, post-operative radiotherapy improved local control only for stage four tumours.

Peroxidation due to cryoprotectant treatment is a vital factor for cell survival in Arabidopsis cryopreservation.

PubMed

Ren, Li; Zhang, Di; Jiang, Xiang-Ning; Gai, Ying; Wang, Wei-Ming; Reed, Barbara M; Shen, Xiao-Hui

2013-11-01

Cryopreservation can be a safe and cost-effective tool for the long-term storage of plant germplasm. In Arabidopsis, the ability to recover from cryogenic treatment was lost as growth progressed. Growth could be restored in 48-h seedlings, whereas 72-h seedlings died after cryogenic treatment. Why seedling age and survival are negatively correlated is an interesting issue. A comparative transcriptomics was performed to screen differentially expressed genes between 48- and 72-h seedlings after exposure to cryoprotectant. Among differentially expressed genes, oxidative stress response genes played important roles in cryoprotectant treatment, and peroxidation was a key factor related to cell survival. Seedlings underwent more peroxidation at 72-h than at 48-h. A comprehensive analysis indicated that peroxidation injured membrane systems leading to photophosphorylation and oxidative phosphorylation damage. Furthermore, the apoptosis-like events were found in cryogenic treatment of Arabidopsis seedlings. 48- and 72-h seedlings underwent different degrees of membrane lipid peroxidation during cryoprotectant treatment, and reducing the injury of oxidative stress was an important factor to successful cryopreservation. This study provided a novel insight of genetic regulatory mechanisms in cryopreservation, and established an excellent model to test and evaluate the effect of exogenous antioxidants and conventional cryoprotectants in plant cryopreservation. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Lenticular cytoprotection. Part 1: The role of hypoxia inducible factors-1α and -2α and vascular endothelial growth factor in lens epithelial cell survival in hypoxia

PubMed Central

Neelam, Sudha; Brooks, Morgan M.

2013-01-01

Purpose The prosurvival signaling cascades that mediate the unique ability of human lens epithelial cells to survive in their naturally hypoxic environment are not well defined. Hypoxia induces the synthesis of the hypoxia inducible factor HIF-1α that in turn, plays a crucial role in modulating a downstream survival scheme, where vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) also plays a major role. To date, no published reports in the lens literature attest to the expression and functionality of HIF-2α and the role it might play in regulating VEGF expression. The aim of this study was to identify the functional expression of the hypoxia inducible factors HIF-1α and HIF-2α and establish their role in regulating VEGF expression. Furthermore, we demonstrate a link between sustained VEGF expression and the ability of the hypoxic human lens epithelial cell to thrive in low oxygen conditions and resist mitochondrial membrane permeability transition (also referred to as lenticular cytoprotection). Methods Hypoxia inducible factor translation inhibitors were used to demonstrate the role of HIF-1α and HIF-2α and the simultaneous expression of both hypoxic inducible factors to determine their role in regulating VEGF expression. Axitinib, which inhibits lenticular cell autophosphorylation of its VEGF receptor, was employed to demonstrate a role for the VEGF–VEGFR2 receptor complex in regulating Bcl-2 expression. Specific antisera and western blot analysis were used to detect the protein levels of HIF-1α and HIF-2α, as well as the proapoptotic protein, BAX and the prosurvival protein, Bcl-2. VEGF levels were analyzed with enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). The potentiometric dye, 5,5′,6,6′-tetrachloro1,1′,3,3′-tetraethyl-benzimidazolylcarbocyanine iodide, was used to determine the effect of the inhibitors on mitochondrial membrane permeability transition. Results Cultured human lens epithelial cells (HLE-B3) maintained under hypoxic condition (1% oxygen

Cell Survival Signaling in Neuroblastoma

PubMed Central

Megison, Michael L.; Gillory, Lauren A.; Beierle, Elizabeth A.

2013-01-01

Neuroblastoma is the most common extracranial solid tumor of childhood and is responsible for over 15% of pediatric cancer deaths. Neuroblastoma tumorigenesis and malignant transformation is driven by overexpression and dominance of cell survival pathways and a lack of normal cellular senescence or apoptosis. Therefore, manipulation of cell survival pathways may decrease the malignant potential of these tumors and provide avenues for the development of novel therapeutics. This review focuses on several facets of cell survival pathways including protein kinases (PI3K, AKT, ALK, and FAK), transcription factors (NF-κB, MYCN and p53), and growth factors (IGF, EGF, PDGF, and VEGF). Modulation of each of these factors decreases the growth or otherwise hinders the malignant potential of neuroblastoma, and many therapeutics targeting these pathways are already in the clinical trial phase of development. Continued research and discovery of effective modulators of these pathways will revolutionize the treatment of neuroblastoma. PMID:22934706

[Factors influencing survival and recurrence and potential significance of postoperative radiotherapy and adjuvant chemotherapy for stage ⅢA-N2 non-small cell lung cancer].

PubMed

Han, W; Song, Y Z; He, M; Li, J; Zhang, R; Qiao, X Y

2016-11-23

Objective: To investigate the survival, recurrence patterns and risk factors in patients with stage ⅢA-N2 NSCLC treated with curative surgery and adjuvant chemotherapy and to explore the significance of postoperative radiation therapy. Methods: The clinical data of 290 patients with pathologically diagnosed stage ⅢA-N2 NSCLC after curative resection and adjuvant chemotherapy from January 2010 to December 2014 at our department were retrospectively analyzed. The survival and recurrence patterns were observed, and the factors affecting locoregional recurrence were analyzed. Results: The median survival time was 31.5 months. The 1-, 3-and 5-year survival rates were 88.3%, 46.0% and 33.2%, respectively. The median locoregional control time was 38.5 months. The 1-, 3-and 5-year locoregional control rates were 78.6%, 55.2% and 41.0%, respectively. The median distant metastasis-free survival was 26.8 months. The 1-, 3-and 5-year distant metastasis-free survival rates were 76.4%, 45.5% and 39.5%, respectively. The median progression-free survival was 19.1 months. The 1-, 3-and 5-year progression-free survival rates were 64.1%, 32.5% and 23.8%, respectively. Univariate analysis showed that clinical N status, histological type, pathological T stage, operation mode, the number of positive N2 lymph nodes and the number of positive N2 lymph node stations had a significant influence on overall survival; clinical N status, histological type, the number of positive N2 lymph nodes and the number of positive N2 lymph node stations had a significant influence on locoregional control. Multivariate analysis demonstrated that the number of N2 positive lymph nodes ( P = 0.017) was an independent factor for overall survival of stage ⅢA-N2 patients; the number of N2 positive lymph nodes ( P =0.009) and histological type ( P =0.005) were independent factors for locoregional recurrence. For left-sided lung cancer, the lymph node station failure sites were mostly in 2R, 4R, 5, 6 and 7

Impact of genomic risk factors on survival after haematopoietic stem cell transplantation for patients with acute leukaemia.

PubMed

Pearce, K F; Balavarca, Y; Norden, J; Jackson, G; Holler, E; Dressel, R; Greinix, H; Toubert, A; Gluckman, E; Hromadnikova, I; Sedlacek, P; Wolff, D; Holtick, U; Bickeböller, H; Dickinson, A M

2016-12-01

The EBMT risk score is an established tool successfully used in the prognosis of survival post-HSCT and is applicable for a range of haematological disorders. One of its main advantages is that score generation involves summation of clinical parameters that are available pretransplant. However, the EBMT risk score is recognized as not being optimal. Previous analyses, involving patients with various diagnoses, have shown that non-HLA gene polymorphisms influence outcome after allogeneic HSCT. This study is novel as it focuses only on patients having acute leukaemia (N = 458) and attempts to demonstrate how non-HLA gene polymorphisms can be added to the EBMT risk score in a Cox regression model to improve prognostic ability for overall survival. The results of the study found that three genetic factors improved EBMT risk score. The presence of MAL (rs8177374) allele T in the patient, absence of glucocorticoid receptor haplotype (consisting of rs6198, rs33389 and rs33388) ACT in the patient and absence of heat-shock protein 70-hom (+2437) (rs2227956) allele C in the patient were associated with decreased survival time. When compared to the EBMT risk score, the scores combining EBMT risk score with the genetic factors had an improved correlation with clinical outcome and better separation of risk groups. A bootstrapping technique, involving repeated testing of a model using multiple validation sets, also revealed that the newly proposed model had improved predictive value when compared to the EBMT risk score alone. Results support the view that non-HLA polymorphisms could be useful for pretransplant clinical assessment and provide evidence that polymorphisms in the recipient genotype may influence incoming donor cells, suppressing the initiation of the graft versus leukaemia effect and reducing survival. © 2016 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Effects of natal departure and water level on survival of juvenile snail kites (Rostrhamus sociabilis) in Florida

USGS Publications Warehouse

Dreitz, V.J.; Kitchens, W.M.; DeAngelis, D.L.

2004-01-01

Survival rate from fledging to breeding, or juvenile survival, is an important source of variation in lifetime reproductive success in birds. Therefore, determining the relationship between juvenile survival and environmental factors is essential to understanding fitness consequences of reproduction in many populations. With increases in density of individuals and depletion of food resources, quality of most habitats deteriorates during the breeding season. Individuals respond by dispersing in search of food resources. Therefore, to understand the influence of environmental factors on juvenile survival, it is also necessary to know how natal dispersal influences survival of juveniles. We examined effects of various environmental factors and natal dispersal behavior on juvenile survival of endangered Snail Kites (Rostrhamus sociabilis) in central and southern Florida, using a generalized estimating equations (GEEs) approach and model selection criteria. Our results suggested yearly effects and an influence of age and monthly minimum hydrologic levels on juvenile Snail Kite survival. Yearly variation in juvenile survival has been reported by other studies, and other reproductive components of Snail Kites also exhibit such variation. Age differences in juvenile survival have also been seen in other species during the juvenile period. Our results demonstrate a positive relationship between water levels and juvenile survival. We suggest that this is not a direct linear relationship, such that higher water means higher juvenile survival. The juvenile period is concurrent with onset of the wet season in the ecosystem we studied, and rainfall increases as juveniles age. For management purposes, we believe that inferences suggesting increasing water levels during the fledging period will increase juvenile survival may have short-term benefits but lead to long-term declines in prey abundance and possibly wetland vegetation structure.

Epidemiology of systemic sclerosis: incidence, prevalence, survival, risk factors, malignancy, and environmental triggers.

PubMed

Barnes, Jammie; Mayes, Maureen D

2012-03-01

To identify the recent data regarding prevalence, incidence, survival, and risk factors for systemic sclerosis (SSc) and to compare these data to previously published findings. SSc disease occurrence data are now available for Argentina, Taiwan, and India and continue to show wide variation across geographic regions. The survival rate is negatively impacted by older age of onset, male sex, scleroderma renal crisis, pulmonary fibrosis, pulmonary arterial hypertension, cancer, and antitopoisomerase and anti-U1 antibodies. It appears that silica exposure confers an increased risk for developing scleroderma, but this exposure accounts for a very small proportion of male patients. Smoking is not associated with increased SSc susceptibility. Malignancies are reported in scleroderma at an increased rate, but the magnitude of this risk and the type of cancer vary among reports. Prevalence and incidence of SSc appears to be greater in populations of European ancestry and lower in Asian groups. Exposure to silica dust appears to be an environmental trigger, but this only accounts for a small proportion of male cases. Evidence for increased risk of neoplasia is suggestive, but the magnitude of the risk and the types of malignancies vary among reports.

Survival and prognostic factors in cats with restrictive cardiomyopathy: a review of 90 cases.

PubMed

Locatelli, Chiara; Pradelli, Danitza; Campo, Giulia; Spalla, Ilaria; Savarese, Alice; Brambilla, Paola G; Bussadori, Claudio

2018-02-01

Objectives Large studies focusing on restrictive cardiomyopathy (RCM) in the cat are scarce. The aims of this retrospective study were to describe epidemiological characteristics and to analyse prognostic factors affecting survival in cats with RCM. Methods The clinical archives of the Gran Sasso Veterinary Clinic (Milan, Italy) and of the cardiology unit of the Department of Veterinary Medicine (University of Milan, Italy) from 1997-2015 were reviewed for all cats diagnosed with RCM based on an echocardiographic examination (left atrial/bi-atrial enlargement, normal left ventricle wall thickness, normal or mildly decreased systolic function and restrictive left ventricle filling pattern with pulsed Doppler echocardiography). Results The study population comprised 90 cats (53 male, 37 female) with an echocardiographic diagnosis of RCM. Most were domestic shorthairs (n = 60) with a mean ± SD age of 10.0 ± 4.3 years and a median weight of 3.8 kg (interquartile range 3.2-5 kg). Most cats were symptomatic (n = 87). The most common clinical sign was respiratory distress (n = 75). Follow-up was available for 60 cats and the median survival time (MST) was 69 days (95% confidence interval [CI] 0-175 days). Cardiac-related death occurred in 50 cats. In the multivariate Cox analysis only respiratory distress showed a statistically significant effect on survival. The cats without respiratory distress showed a MST of 466 days (95% CI 0-1208); cats with respiratory distress showing a MST of 64 days (95% CI 8-120; P = 0.011). Conclusions and relevance RCM can be considered an end-stage condition associated with a poor prognosis, with few cats not showing clinical signs and surviving >1 year: most cats died of cardiac disease within a very short time.

[Epidemiology of end-stage renal disease before starting hemodialysis and factors influencing hemodialysis survival].

PubMed

Ben Hamida, Fethi; Karoui, Cyrine; Abderrahim, Ezzeddine; Smaoui, Wided; Kaaroud, Hayet; Béji, Soumaya; Barbouche, Samia; Goucha, Rim; Ben Abdallah, Taieb; Ben Moussa, Fatma; Ben Maiz, Hédi; Kheder, Adel

2007-03-01

The incidence of end-stage renal failure is high and it is responsible for the increase of the rate of morbidity and mortality rates among our patients. The objective is to study patient characteristics before starting hemodialysis and to evaluate factors influencing their short and long term survival. This is a prospective study of 127 patients starting hemodialysis between June and December 2001. On May 31, 2005, their survival was analyzed according to different parameters. Patients were 77 males and 50 females. Their mean age was 51.4 +/- 16.1 years (15 to 78 years). Diabetes was observed in 33.9% of cases. Only 70.9% of patients were covered by a social service. Chronic renal failure was diagnosed at the end stage in 34.6% of cases. Before starting hemodialysis, only 4 patients were vaccinated against B hepatitis and arteriovenous fistula were not made in any patients. Pericarditis was observed in 9.4% of patients. Albuminemia was < 35 g/l in 60.5% of patients. First hemodialysis session was programmed in 53.5% of patients and realized urgently in 46.3% of patients. Patients were hemodialysed 4, 8 and 12 hours per week respectively in 16.5%, 15.8% and 67.7% of cases. On May 31, 2005, 35.4% of patients died. Their actuarial survivals at 3 months, 1 year and 4 years were respectively at 87.5%, 79.5% and 64.4%. Acturial survival was bad in patients with pericarditis, diabetes, hemodialysed less than 12 hours/week and when the first hemodialysis session was started urgently. The diagnosis of renal failure was frequently made at end-stage. There are no preparations before starting hemodialysis. We have to reinforce prevention programmes and increase the number of nephrologists and nephrology departments.

Ethnic disparities in breast cancer survival in New Zealand: which factors contribute?

PubMed

Tin Tin, Sandar; Elwood, J Mark; Brown, Charis; Sarfati, Diana; Campbell, Ian; Scott, Nina; Ramsaroop, Reena; Seneviratne, Sanjeewa; Harvey, Vernon; Lawrenson, Ross

2018-01-08

New Zealand has major ethnic disparities in breast cancer survival with Māori (indigenous people) and Pacific women (immigrants or descended from immigrants from Pacific Islands) faring much worse than other ethnic groups. This paper identified underlying factors and assessed their relative contribution to this risk differential. This study involved all women who were diagnosed with primary invasive breast cancer in two health regions, covering about 40% of the national population, between January 2000 and June 2014. Māori and Pacific patients were compared with other ethnic groups in terms of demographics, mode of diagnosis, disease factors and treatment factors. Cox regression modelling was performed with stepwise adjustments, and hazards of excess mortality from breast cancer for Māori and Pacific patients were assessed. Of the 13,657 patients who were included in this analysis, 1281 (9.4%) were Māori, and 897 (6.6%) were Pacific women. Compared to other ethnic groups, they were younger, more likely to reside in deprived neighbourhoods and to have co-morbidities, and less likely to be diagnosed through screening and with early stage cancer, to be treated in a private care facility, to receive timely cancer treatment, and to receive breast conserving surgery. They had a higher risk of excess mortality from breast cancer (age and year of diagnosis adjusted hazard ratio: 1.76; 95% CI: 1.51-2.04 for Māori and 1.97; 95% CI: 1.67-2.32 for Pacific women), of which 75% and 99% respectively were explained by baseline differences. The most important contributor was late stage at diagnosis. Other contributors included neighbourhood deprivation, mode of diagnosis, type of health care facility where primary cancer treatment was undertaken and type of loco-regional therapy. Late diagnosis, deprivation and differential access to and quality of cancer care services were the key contributors to ethnic disparities in breast cancer survival in New Zealand. Our findings

A retrospective analysis of survival factors of high intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) treatment for unresectable pancreatic cancer.

PubMed

Ning, Zhou-Yu; Cheng, Chien-Shan; Xie, Jing; Chen, Qi-Wen; Xu, Li-Tao; Zhuang, Li-Ping; Zhang, Chen-Yue; Song, Li-Bin; Shi, Wei-Dong; Zhu, Xiao-Yan; Wang, Peng; Wang, Kun; Meng, Zhi-Qiang

2016-06-01

To retrospectively evaluate possible impact factors of HIFU treatment outcome for unresectable pancreatic cancer patients. A total of 689 patients with unresectable pancreatic cancer were recruited in our center from December 30, 2007 to January 30, 2015. 436 patients with unresectable pancreatic cancers received HIFU treatment; the other 253 patients received non-HIFU treatment. Among these 436 patients, 345 patients received a one-time HIFU treatment, 91 patients received HIFU treatment from 2 to 5 times in the same pancreatic mass; 89 patients received HIFU treatment alone; 347 patients received HIFU-based combined therapies. Complications and overall survivals (OS) data in each group were collected. The median overall survivals (mOS) in HIFU group and non-HIFU group were 7.1 vs. 5 months (P=0.005): 9.3 vs. 7.3 months (P=0.202) for patients with stage II disease, 8.3 vs. 7.3 months (P=0.783) for patients with stage III disease, and 6.4 vs. 4.2 months (P<0.0001) for patients with stage IV disease, respectively. Furthermore, there was a significant difference between repeated HIFU and one-time HIFU (mOS: 8.6 vs. 6.8 months, P=0.011). Time of HIFU treatment (P=0.0027), chemotherapy (P<0.0001), radiotherapy (P=0.0006), regional intra-arterial chemotherapy (RIAC) (P<0.0001), and stage (P<0.0001) were independent prognostic factors for the patients who received HIFU treatment. Cox analysis on the relative risk of prognostic factors showed that repeated HIFU vs. one-time HIFU (HR=0.729: 95% CI=0.576-0.924), chemotherapy vs. non-chemotherapy (HR=0.664: 95% CI=0.576-0.766), radiotherapy vs. non-radiotherapy (HR=0.580: 95% CI=0.427-0.789), RIAC vs. non-RIAC (HR=0.737: 95% CI=0.648-0.837), and stage (HR=1.386, 95% CI=1.187-1.619) were associated with significantly inferior survival. Overall, adverse events occurred in 23.2% (101/436) in the HIFU group, which included increase of serum or urinary amylase levels, incomplete intestinal obstruction, mild fever, etc. There were

Cyclin D1 and epidermal growth factor polymorphisms associated with survival in patients with advanced colorectal cancer treated with Cetuximab.

PubMed

Zhang, Wu; Gordon, Michael; Press, Oliver A; Rhodes, Katrin; Vallböhmer, Daniel; Yang, Dong Yun; Park, David; Fazzone, William; Schultheis, Anne; Sherrod, Andy E; Iqbal, Syma; Groshen, Susan; Lenz, Heinz-Josef

2006-07-01

The study aimed to investigate whether polymorphisms in genes of the EGFR signaling pathway are associated with clinical outcome in advanced colorectal cancer (CRC) patients treated with single-agent Cetuximab. Polymorphisms of interest in the EGFR pathway include: cyclin D1 (CCND1) A870G, cyclooxygenase 2 (Cox-2) G-765C, epidermal growth factor (EGF) A61G, epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) codon R497 K, EGFR CA dinucleotide repeat in intron 1, interleukin (IL)-8 T-251A and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) C936 T gene polymorphisms. Thirty-nine metastatic CRC patients were enrolled in the IMCL-0144 trial and treated with single-agent Cetuximab. Using the polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism method, gene polymorphisms of CCND1, COX-2, EGF, EGFR, IL-8 and VEGF were assessed from genomic DNA extracted from blood samples. A significant association was found between the CCND1 A870G polymorphism and overall survival in our 39 CRC subjects. Patients with the AA homozygous genotype survived for a median of 2.3 months [95% confidence interval (CI)=2.1-5.7], whereas those with any G allele (AG, GG genotype) survived for a median of 8.7 months (95% CI=4.4-13.5) (P=0.019, log-rank test). When we analysed the cyclin D1 and EGF polymorphisms together, patients with favourable genotypes (EGF any A allele and CCND1 any G allele) showed a median survival time of 12 months (95% CI=4.8-15.2), whereas patients with any two unfavourable genotypes (EGF GG or CCND1 AA) showed a median survived time of 4.4 months (95% CI=2.1-5.7) (P=0.004, log-rank test). The findings of this pilot study suggest that the cyclin D1 A870G and the EGF A61G polymorphisms may be useful molecular markers for predicting clinical outcome in CRC patients treated with single-agent Cetuximab.

Prognostic factors and disease-specific survival among immigrants diagnosed with cutaneous malignant melanoma in Sweden.

PubMed

Simberg-Danell, Caroline; Lyth, Johan; Månsson-Brahme, Eva; Frohm-Nilsson, Margareta; Carstensen, John; Hansson, Johan; Eriksson, Hanna

2016-08-01

Little is known about cutaneous malignant melanoma (CMM) among immigrants in Europe. We aimed to investigate clinical characteristics and disease-specific survival among first- and second-generation immigrants in Sweden. This nationwide population-based study included 27,235 patients from the Swedish Melanoma Register diagnosed with primary invasive CMM, 1990-2007. Data were linked to nationwide, population-based registers followed up through 2013. Logistic regression and Cox regression models were used to determine the association between immigrant status, stage and CMM prognosis, respectively. After adjustments for confounders, first generation immigrants from Southern Europe were associated with significantly more advanced stages of disease compared to Swedish-born patients [Stage II vs. I: Odds ratio (OR) = 2.37, 95% CI = 1.61-3.50. Stage III-IV vs I: OR = 2.40, 95% CI = 1.08-5.37]. The ORs of stage II-IV versus stage I disease were increased among men (OR = 1.9; 95% CI = 1.1-3.3; p = 0.020), and women (OR = 4.8; 95% CI = 2.6-9.1; p < 0.001) in a subgroup of immigrants from former Yugoslavia compared to Swedish-born patients. The CMM-specific survival was significantly decreased among women from former Yugoslavia versus Swedish-born women [hazard ratio (HR)=2.2; 95% CI = 1.1-4.2; p = 0.043]. After additional adjustments including stage, the survival difference was no longer significant. No survival difference between the second generation immigrant group and Swedish-born patients were observed. In conclusion, a worse CMM-specific survival in women from former Yugoslavia was associated with more advanced stages of CMM at diagnosis. Secondary prevention efforts focusing on specific groups may be needed to further improve the CMM prognosis. © 2016 UICC.

Fundamental paradox of survival determinism: the ur-etiology disease paradigm.

PubMed

Krsmanovic, Pavle

2013-06-01

Following a common practice in medicine, biomedical researches tend to view various disease conditions as direct results of preceding, disease-causing events. Such events are commonly those that could have been previously detected and which have given the history of studies of particular diseases, been previously recognized as playing an important role in an onset and/or progression of the disease in question. Although such practice is justified from the very principles of experimental investigation and scientific observation, it comes short of finding the fundamental causes behind these disease conditions. This manuscript proposes a different view to the origin of some types of diseases as well as some other biological phenomena. Namely, the focus of the concept relates to a notion of survival determinism, proposed to have been in the very core of evolution of primordial organisms. Thereby, as various disease models are discussed in the light of the proposed mechanisms for adaptation, they could be seen as relicts of the early evolutionary history of life on Earth.

Financial crisis and collapsed banks: psychological distress and work related factors among surviving employees--a nation-wide study.

PubMed

Snorradóttir, Ásta; Vilhjálmsson, Rúnar; Rafnsdóttir, Guðbjörg Linda; Tómasson, Kristinn

2013-09-01

The study considered psychological distress among surviving bank employees differently entangled in downsizing and restructuring following the financial crisis of 2008. A cross-sectional, nationwide study was conducted among surviving employees (N = 1880, response rate 68%). Multivariate analysis was conducted to assess factors associated with psychological distress. In the banks, where all employees experienced rapid and unpredictable organizational changes, psychological distress was higher among employees most entangled in the downsizing and restructuring process. Being subjected to downsizing within own department, salary cut, and transfer to another department, was directly related to increased psychological distress, controlling for background factors. The associations between downsizing, restructuring, and distress were reduced somewhat by adding job demands, job control, and empowering leadership to the model, however, adding social support had little effect on these associations. Employees most entangled in organizational changes are the most vulnerable and should be prioritized in workplace interventions during organizational changes. Copyright © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Factors Associated with Life Expectancy in Patients with Metastatic Spine Disease from Adenocarcinoma of the Lung

PubMed Central

Goodwin, C. Rory; Khattab, Mohamed H.; Sankey, Eric W.; Elder, Benjamin D.; Kosztowski, Thomas A.; Sarabia-Estrada, Rachel; Bydon, Ali; Witham, Timothy F.; Wolinsky, Jean-Paul; Gokaslan, Ziya L.; Sciubba, Daniel M.

2015-01-01

Study Design Retrospective study. Objective Our objective was to identify preoperative prognostic factors associated with survival in patients with spinal metastasis from lung carcinoma. Methods A retrospective analysis of 26 patients diagnosed with lung carcinoma metastatic to the spinal column was performed to determine factors associated with survival. We used 3 months survival as the clinical cutoff for whether surgical intervention should be performed. We analyzed patients who survived less than 3 months compared with those who survived more than 3 months. Demographic, preoperative, operative, and postoperative factors including functional scores were collected for analysis. Results The median survival for all patients in our study was 3.5 months. We found a statistically significant difference between the group that survived less than 3 months and the group that survived greater than 3 months in terms of extrathoracic metastasis, visceral metastasis, and average postoperative modified Rankin score. Conclusion Determining which patients with lung cancer spinal metastases will benefit from surgical intervention is often dictated by the patient's predicted life expectancy. Factors associated with poorer prognosis include age, functional status, visceral metastases, and extrathoracic metastases. Although the prognosis for patients with lung cancer spinal metastases is poor, some patients may experience long-term benefit from surgical intervention. PMID:26430597

Developmental and Evolutionary History Affect Survival in Stressful Environments

PubMed Central

Hopkins, Gareth R.; Brodie, Edmund D.; French, Susannah S.

2014-01-01

The world is increasingly impacted by a variety of stressors that have the potential to differentially influence life history stages of organisms. Organisms have evolved to cope with some stressors, while with others they have little capacity. It is thus important to understand the effects of both developmental and evolutionary history on survival in stressful environments. We present evidence of the effects of both developmental and evolutionary history on survival of a freshwater vertebrate, the rough-skinned newt (Taricha granulosa) in an osmotically stressful environment. We compared the survival of larvae in either NaCl or MgCl2 that were exposed to salinity either as larvae only or as embryos as well. Embryonic exposure to salinity led to greater mortality of newt larvae than larval exposure alone, and this reduced survival probability was strongly linked to the carry-over effect of stunted embryonic growth in salts. Larval survival was also dependent on the type of salt (NaCl or MgCl2) the larvae were exposed to, and was lowest in MgCl2, a widely-used chemical deicer that, unlike NaCl, amphibian larvae do not have an evolutionary history of regulating at high levels. Both developmental and evolutionary history are critical factors in determining survival in this stressful environment, a pattern that may have widespread implications for the survival of animals increasingly impacted by substances with which they have little evolutionary history. PMID:24748021

Graft survival after cardiac transplantation for alcohol cardiomyopathy.

PubMed

Brinkley, D Marshall; Novak, Eric; Topkara, Veli K; Geltman, Edward M

2014-08-27

Alcohol cardiomyopathy (ACM) constitutes up to 40% of patients with non-ischemic dilated cardiomyopathy. Transplant-free survival is worse for patients with ACM versus idiopathic dilated cardiomyopathy (IDCM) with continued exposure. The prognosis for patients with ACM after cardiac transplantation is unknown. We evaluated adults who underwent single-organ, cardiac transplantation from 1994 to 2009 with a diagnosis of ACM (n=134) or IDCM (n=10,243) in the Organ Procurement Transplantation Network registry. Kaplan-Meier curves were generated by cohort for time until graft failure, cardiac allograft vasculopathy, and hospitalization for rejection. A Cox proportional hazards model was created to determine factors associated with each outcome. Patients with ACM were more likely to be males (P<0.0001), minorities (P<0.0001), and smokers (P=0.0310) compared with IDCM. Overall graft survival was lower for the ACM cohort (P=0.0001). After multivariate analysis, ACM was not independently associated with graft survival (HR 1.341, 95% CI 0.944-1.906, P=0.1017). Creatinine, total bilirubin, minority ethnicity, graft under-sizing, life support, diabetes, and donor age were independent predictors of graft failure. There were no significant differences between primary cause of death, vasculopathy, or rejection. There was no association between ACM and graft survival in this large registry study, but poorer overall survival in the ACM cohort was associated with other recipient characteristics.

[Treatment outcome, survival and their risk factors among new tuberculosis patients co-infected with HIV during the Ebola outbreak in Conakry].

PubMed

Camara, A; Sow, M S; Touré, A; Diallo, O H; Kaba, I; Bah, B; Diallo, T H; Diallo, M S; Guilavogui, T; Sow, O Y

2017-11-01

Mortality among TB/HIV co-infected patients remains high in Africa. The study aimed to estimate survival and associated factors in a cohort of TB/HIV co-infected patients who started tuberculosis treatment during the Ebola outbreak in Conakry, Guinea. A prospective cohort study was conducted from April 2014 to December 2015. TB patients with HIV co-infection were enrolled at the University Hospital of Conakry. Survival and risk factors were analyzed according to Kaplan-Meier's method, log-rank test and Cox's regression. Data from 573 patients were analyzed. From these, 86 (15.0%) died before the end of treatment, 52% occurring within eight weeks of treatment onset. Survival at 4, 12 and 24 weeks after the beginning of the TB treatment was 92%, 86% and 83%, respectively. Independent risk factors associated with death were in the cell CD4 <200 cells/mm 3 [adjusted hazard ratio (AHR): 2.25; 95% CI (confidence intervals): 1.16-4.37], opportunistic infections other than TB [AHR: 2.89; 95% CI: 1.39-6.02], and comorbidities [AHR: 4.12; 95% CI: 2.10-8.10]. An increase of one unit in hemoglobin [AHR: 0.81; 95% CI: 0.75-0.91] was protective of death. TB/HIV co-infected patients had a higher fatality rate during treatment of tuberculosis. Prevention of opportunistic infections, anemia and proper management of tuberculosis treatment in early comorbidities may improve survival for TB/HIV co-infected patients in restoring immune function. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

Survival and risk factors related to death in outpatients with cirrhosis treated in a clinic in Southern Brazil.

PubMed

John, Jorge Alberto; de Mattos, Angelo Alves; da Silva Miozzo, Suelen Aparecida; Comerlato, Pedro Henrique; Porto, Mariana; Contiero, Priscila; da Silva, Renata Rodrigues

2015-12-01

Cirrhosis represents a public health issue that generally evolves and presents serious complications. To assess the outcomes of outpatients with cirrhosis. We used a retrospective outpatient-based cohort, assessing 527 patients with cirrhosis. Demographic, clinical, and laboratory variables were analyzed, as well as the risk factors related to death, using the Cox proportional-hazard regression model. The Kaplan-Meier method was used to analyze survival rates. Patients had a mean age of 52.9±9.7 years and were more frequently men (59%), presenting Child-Turcotte-Pugh B or C in 43% of the cases in addition to a mean Model for End-Stage Liver Disease score of 12.0±4.1. The predominant etiology of liver disease was the hepatitis C virus. The most frequent complications during follow-up were ascites (34%), hepatic encephalopathy (17%), and hepatocellular carcinoma (17%). The survival rate at years 5 and 10 was 73 and 57%, respectively. The main risk factors that were related to death were, in a multivariate analysis, hepatitis C virus etiology, presence of hepatocellular carcinoma, and serum levels of albumin. Patients with cirrhosis monitored on an outpatient basis, despite showing a reasonable survival rate, have a worse prognosis when the etiology of liver disease is related to hepatitis C virus and when they have hepatocellular carcinoma or hypoalbuminemia.

Factors influencing intensive care unit survival for critically ill elderly patients.

PubMed

Kleinpell, R M; Ferrans, C E

1998-01-01

To examine factors influencing intensive care unit (ICU) survival for critically ill elderly patients and to compare survivors and nonsurvivors of ICU on demographic and illness-related variables. Retrospective, ex post facto research design. Adult medical and surgical ICUs. The records of 164 survivors and 111 nonsurvivors from 2 medical-surgical ICUs were examined. Patients were placed into 3 age groups (middle-aged, young-old, and old-old) to compare outcomes for elderly ICU patients. ICU survival, ICU treatments received, severity of illness. The Acute Physiology Age and Chronic Health Evaluation II (APACHE II) was used to assess illness severity. Additional illness-related information was collected by chart review. Predictors of ICU nonsurvival were severity of illness (measured by APACHE II scores) and intubation. Comparison of survivors and nonsurvivors revealed no statistically significant differences in sex or age. For all age groups, nonsurvivors had significantly higher mean days of ICU hospitalization (F (1,239) = 7.20 P < .0078) and higher APACHE II scores (F (1,239) = 106.5 P < .0001). Analysis of ICU treatments received by the 3 age groups of survivors revealed a significant difference only on oxygen therapy, (chi-square = 10.2, df = 2, P = .006), with more young-old (aged 65 to 79) and old-old (aged 80 and older) ICU patients receiving oxygen therapy than middle-aged patients (aged 45 to 64). The findings of this study demonstrated that severity of illness was a predictor of ICU outcome; age was not. Additionally, age was not related to ICU treatments received.

Gastric dilation-volvulus in dogs attending UK emergency-care veterinary practices: prevalence, risk factors and survival.

PubMed

O'Neill, D G; Case, J; Boag, A K; Church, D B; McGreevy, P D; Thomson, P C; Brodbelt, D C

2017-11-01

To report prevalence, risk factors and clinical outcomes for presumptive gastric dilation-volvulus diagnosed among an emergency-care population of UK dogs. The study used a cross-sectional design using emergency-care veterinary clinical records from the VetCompass Programme spanning September 1, 2012 to February 28, 2014 and risk factor analysis using multivariable logistic regression modelling. The study population comprised 77,088 dogs attending 50 Vets Now clinics. Overall, 492 dogs had presumptive gastric dilation-volvulus diagnoses, giving a prevalence of 0·64% (95% Confidence interval: 0·58 to 0·70%). Compared with cross-bred dogs, breeds with the highest odds ratios for the diagnosis of presumptive gastric dilation-volvulus were the great Dane (odds ratio: 114·3, 95% Confidence interval 55·1 to 237·1, P<0·001), akita (odds ratio: 84·4, 95% Confidence interval 33·6 to 211·9, P<0·001) and dogue de Bordeaux (odds ratio: 82·9, 95% Confidence interval 39·0 to 176·3, P<0·001). Odds increased as dogs aged up to 12 years and neutered male dogs had 1·3 (95% Confidence interval 1·0 to 1·8, P=0·041) times the odds compared with entire females. Of the cases that were presented alive, 49·7% survived to discharge overall, but 79·3% of surgical cases survived to discharge. Approximately 80% of surgically managed cases survived to discharge. Certain large breeds were highly predisposed. © 2017 British Small Animal Veterinary Association.

Survival of white-tailed deer neonates in Minnesota and South Dakota

USGS Publications Warehouse

Grovenburg, T.W.; Swanson, C.C.; Jacques, C.N.; Klaver, R.W.; Brinkman, T.J.; Burris, B.M.; Deperno, C.S.; Jenks, J.A.

2011-01-01

Understanding the influence of intrinsic (e.g., age, birth mass, and sex) and habitat factors on survival of neonate white-tailed deer improves understanding of population ecology. During 2002–2004, we captured and radiocollared 78 neonates in eastern South Dakota and southwestern Minnesota, of which 16 died before 1 September. Predation accounted for 80% of mortality; the remaining 20% was attributed to starvation. Canids (coyotes [Canis latrans], domestic dogs) accounted for 100% of predation on neonates. We used known fate analysis in Program MARK to estimate survival rates and investigate the influence of intrinsic and habitat variables on survival. We developed 2 a priori model sets, including intrinsic variables (model set 1) and habitat variables (model set 2; forested cover, wetlands, grasslands, and croplands). For model set 1, model {Sage-interval} had the lowest AICc (Akaike's information criterion for small sample size) value, indicating that age at mortality (3-stage age-interval: 0–2 weeks, 2–8 weeks, and >8 weeks) best explained survival. Model set 2 indicated that habitat variables did not further influence survival in the study area; β-estimates and 95% confidence intervals for habitat variables in competing models encompassed zero; thus, we excluded these models from consideration. Overall survival rate using model {Sage-interval} was 0.87 (95% CI = 0.83–0.91); 61% of mortalities occurred at 0–2 weeks of age, 26% at 2–8 weeks of age, and 13% at >8 weeks of age. Our results indicate that variables influencing survival may be area specific. Region-specific data are needed to determine influences of intrinsic and habitat variables on neonate survival before wildlife managers can determine which habitat management activities influence neonate populations.

Italian regional health system structure and expected cancer survival.

PubMed

Vercelli, Marina; Lillini, Roberto; Quaglia, Alberto; Capocaccia, Riccardo

2014-01-01

Few studies deal with the association of socioeconomic and health system resource variables with cancer survival at the Italian regional level, where the greatest number of decisions about social and health policies and resource allocations are taken. The present study aimed to describe the causal relationships between socioeconomic and health system resource factors and regional cancer survival and to compute the expected cancer survival at provincial, regional and area levels. Age-standardized relative survival at 5 years from diagnosis of cases incident in 1995-1998 and followed up to 2004 were derived by gender for 11 sites from the Italian Association of Cancer Registries data bank. The socioeconomic and health system resource variables, describing at a regional level the macro-economy, demography, labor market, and health resources for 1995-2005, came from the Health for All database. A principal components factor analysis was applied to the socioeconomic and health system resource variables. For every site, linear regression models were computed considering the relative survival at 5 years as a dependent variable and the principal components factor analysis factors as independent variables. The factors described the socioeconomic and health-related features of the regional systems and were causally related to the characteristics of the patient taken in charge. The models built by the factors allowed computation of the expected relative survival at 5 years with very good concordance with those observed at regional, macro-regional and national levels. In the regions without any cancer registry, survival was coherent with that of neighboring regions with similar socioeconomic and health system resources characteristics. The models highlighted the causal correlations between socioeconomic and health system resources and cancer survival, suggesting that they could be good evaluation tools for the efficiency of the resources allocation and use.

Evaluation of stream flow effects on smolt survival in the Yakima River basin, Washington

USGS Publications Warehouse

Courter,; Garrison,; Kock, Tobias J.; Perry, Russell W.

2012-01-01

Yearling Chinook smolt survival and travel time estimates from 2012 suggest that migration rates and survival rates in the Roza Reach may be associated with stream flow, water temperature, release timing (i.e. migratory disposition), and fish size, but the extent to which each variable influenced survival is yet to be determined. The lowest survival rate (61%) and longest travel time (median 2.26 days) was observed in Release Group 1, which had the smallest size distribution and experienced the lowest flows, lowest temperatures, and earliest release date among the three groups. Release Groups 2 and 3 survived at 96% and 98% respectively and traveled through the Roza Reach in less than eight hours. The primary focus of years two and three of this study will be to collect data that minimizes the effect of confounding explanatory variables, so that flow effects on emigration survival can be quantified independent of these other influential factors.

Hepatocyte nuclear factor 4A improves hepatic differentiation of immortalized adult human hepatocytes and improves liver function and survival.

PubMed

Hang, Hua-Lian; Liu, Xin-Yu; Wang, Hai-Tian; Xu, Ning; Bian, Jian-Min; Zhang, Jian-Jun; Xia, Lei; Xia, Qiang

2017-11-15

Immortalized human hepatocytes (IHH) could provide an unlimited supply of hepatocytes, but insufficient differentiation and phenotypic instability restrict their clinical application. This study aimed to determine the role of hepatocyte nuclear factor 4A (HNF4A) in hepatic differentiation of IHH, and whether encapsulation of IHH overexpressing HNF4A could improve liver function and survival in rats with acute liver failure (ALF). Primary human hepatocytes were transduced with lentivirus-mediated catalytic subunit of human telomerase reverse transcriptase (hTERT) to establish IHH. Cells were analyzed for telomerase activity, proliferative capacity, hepatocyte markers, and tumorigenicity (c-myc) expression. Hepatocyte markers, hepatocellular functions, and morphology were studied in the HNF4A-overexpressing IHH. Hepatocyte markers and karyotype analysis were completed in the primary hepatocytes using shRNA knockdown of HNF4A. Nuclear translocation of β-catenin was assessed. Rat models of ALF were treated with encapsulated IHH or HNF4A-overexpressing IHH. A HNF4A-positive IHH line was established, which was non-tumorigenic and conserved properties of primary hepatocytes. HNF4A overexpression significantly enhanced mRNA levels of genes related to hepatic differentiation in IHH. Urea levels were increased by the overexpression of HNF4A, as measured 24h after ammonium chloride addition, similar to that of primary hepatocytes. Chromosomal abnormalities were observed in primary hepatocytes transfected with HNF4A shRNA. HNF4α overexpression could significantly promote β-catenin activation. Transplantation of HNF4A overexpressing IHH resulted in better liver function and survival of rats with ALF compared with IHH. HNF4A improved hepatic differentiation of IHH. Transplantation of HNF4A-overexpressing IHH could improve the liver function and survival in a rat model of ALF. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Survival of adult martens in Northern Wisconsin

Treesearch

Nicholas P. McCann; Patrick A. Zollner; Jonathan H. Gilbert

2010-01-01

Low adult marten (Martes americana) survival may be one factor limiting their population growth >30 yr after their reintroduction in Wisconsin, USA. We estimated annual adult marten survival at 0.81 in northern Wisconsin, with lower survival during winter (0.87) than summer-fall (1.00). Fisher (Martes pennanti) and raptor kills...

Obstetric determinants of neonatal survival: antenatal predictors of neonatal survival and morbidity in extremely low birth weight infants.

PubMed

Bottoms, S F; Paul, R H; Mercer, B M; MacPherson, C A; Caritis, S N; Moawad, A H; Van Dorsten, J P; Hauth, J C; Thurnau, G R; Miodovnik, M; Meis, P M; Roberts, J M; McNellis, D; Iams, J D

1999-03-01

The aim of the study was to compare clinical and ultrasonographic variables obtained before delivery as predictors of neonatal survival and morbidity in infants weighing survival to 120 days after birth or to discharge from the hospital with or without the presence of markers of major morbidity. Eight hundred eight infants met enrollment criteria; 63 were excluded because of incomplete data and 32 were excluded because of malformations, leaving 713 for analysis, 386 of whom had an ultrasonographic examination within 3 days of delivery that recorded femur length, biparietal diameter, and estimated fetal weight. Forty-two percent of births were the result of preterm labor, 22% were the result of preterm ruptured membranes, 12% were the result of preeclampsia or eclampsia, 9% were the result of fetal distress, 4% were the result of placenta previa or abruptio placentae, and 2% were the result of intrauterine growth restriction. Perinatal mortality before 24 weeks' gestation exceeded 81% (19% stillbirths and 62% neonatal deaths) but declined sharply thereafter. Most

Disparities in cervical cancer survival among Asian American women

PubMed Central

Nghiem, Van T.; Davies, Kalatu R.; Chan, Wenyaw; Mulla, Zuber D.; Cantor, Scott B.

2015-01-01

Purpose We compared overall survival and influencing factors between Asian American women as a whole and by subgroup with white women with cervical cancer. Methods Cervical cancer data were from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results registry; socioeconomic information was from the Area Health Resource File. We used standard tests to compare characteristics between groups; the Kaplan-Meier method with log-rank test to assess overall survival and compare it between groups; and Cox proportional hazards models to determine the effect of race and other covariates on overall survival (with/without age-stratification). Results Being 3.3 years older than white women at diagnosis (p<0.001), Asian American women were more likely to be in a spousal relationship, had more progressive disease, and were better off socioeconomically. Women of Filipino, Japanese, and Korean origin had similar clinical characteristics compared with white women. Asian American women had higher 36- and 60-month survival rates (p=0.004 and p=0.013, respectively), higher overall survival rates (p=0.049), and longer overall survival durations after adjusting for age and other covariates (hazard ratio=0.77, 95% confidence interval: 0.68–0.86). Overall survival differed across age strata between the two racial groups. With the exception of women of Japanese or Korean origin, Asian American women grouped by geographic origin had better overall survival than white women. Conclusions Although Asian American women, except those of Japanese or Korean origin, had better overall survival than white women, their older age at cervical cancer diagnosis suggests that they have less access to screening programs. PMID:26552330

Disparities in cervical cancer survival among Asian-American women.

PubMed

Nghiem, Van T; Davies, Kalatu R; Chan, Wenyaw; Mulla, Zuber D; Cantor, Scott B

2016-01-01

We compared overall survival and influencing factors between Asian-American women as a whole and by subgroup with white women with cervical cancer. Cervical cancer data were from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results registry; socioeconomic information was from the Area Health Resource File. We used standard tests to compare characteristics between groups; the Kaplan-Meier method with log-rank test to assess overall survival and compare it between groups; and Cox proportional hazards models to determine the effect of race and other covariates on overall survival (with and/or without age stratification). Being 3.3 years older than white women at diagnosis (P < .001), Asian-American women were more likely to be in a spousal relationship, had more progressive disease, and were better off socioeconomically. Women of Filipino, Japanese, and Korean origin had similar clinical characteristics compared to white women. Asian-American women had higher 36- and 60-month survival rates (P = .004 and P = .013, respectively), higher overall survival rates (P = .049), and longer overall survival durations after adjusting for age and other covariates (hazard ratio = 0.77, 95% confidence interval: 0.68-0.86). Overall survival differed across age strata between the two racial groups. With the exception of women of Japanese or Korean origin, Asian-American women grouped by geographic origin had better overall survival than white women. Although Asian-American women, except those of Japanese or Korean origin, had better overall survival than white women, their older age at cervical cancer diagnosis suggests that they have less access to screening programs. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Rural factors and survival from cancer: analysis of Scottish cancer registrations.

PubMed

Campbell, N C; Elliott, A M; Sharp, L; Ritchie, L D; Cassidy, J; Little, J

2000-06-01

In this survival study 63,976 patients diagnosed with one of six common cancers in Scotland were followed up. Increasing distance from a cancer centre was associated with less chance of diagnosis before death for stomach, breast and colorectal cancers and poorer survival after diagnosis for prostate and lung cancers.

Incidence and survival of stomach cancer in a high-risk population of Chile

PubMed Central

Heise, Katy; Bertran, Enriqueta; Andia, Marcelo E; Ferreccio, Catterina

2009-01-01

with DCO, was 10.6% (95% CI: 7.7-13.5); 5-year relative survival rate was 12.3% (95% CI: 9.1-16.1), men 10.9% (95% CI: 7.4-15.2) and women 16.1% (95% CI: 9.5-24.5). Five-year specific survival was higher for patients aged < 55 years (17.3%), with intestinal type of cancer (14.6%), without metastasis (22.2%), tumor size < 4 cm (60.0%), without lymphatic invasion (77.1%), only involvement of the mucous membrane (100%). Statistically significant independent prognostic factors were: TNM staging, diffuse type, metastasis, supraclavicular adenopathy, palpable tumor, and hepatitis or ascites. CONCLUSION: Social determinants are the main risk factors for SC, but not for survival. An advanced clinical stage at consultation is the main cause of poor SC survival. PMID:19370783

Significance of serum CA125 and TPS antigen levels for determination of overall survival after three chemotherapy courses in ovarian cancer patients during long-term follow-up.

PubMed

van Dalen, A; Favier, J; Hallensleben, E; Burges, A; Stieber, P; de Bruijn, H W A; Fink, D; Ferrero, A; McGing, P; Harlozinska, A; Kainz, Ch; Markowska, J; Molina, R; Sturgeon, C; Bowman, A; Einarsson, R; Goike, H

2009-01-01

To evaluate the prognostic significance for overall survival rate for the marker combination TPS and CA125 in ovarian cancer patients after three chemotherapy courses during long-term clinical follow-up. The overall survival of 212 (out of 213) ovarian cancer patients (FIGO Stages I-IV) was analyzed in a prospective multicenter study during a 10-year clinical follow-up by univariate and multivariate analysis. In patients with ovarian cancer FIGO Stage I (34 patients) or FIGO Stage II (30 patients) disease, the univariate and multivariate analysis of the 10-year overall survival data showed that CA125 and TPS serum levels were not independent prognostic factors. In the FIGO Stage III group (112 patients), the 10-year overall survival was 15.2%; while in the FIGO Stage IV group (36 patients) a 10-year overall survival of 5.6% was seen. Here, the tumor markers CA125 and TPS levels were significant prognostic factors in both univariate and multivariate analysis (p < 0.0001). In a combined FIGO Stage III + FIGO Stage IV group (60 patients with optimal debulking surgery), multivariate analysis demonstrated that CA125 and TPS levels were independent prognostic factors. For patients in this combined FIGO Stage III + IV group having both markers below respective discrimination level, 35.3% survived for more than ten years, as opposed to patients having one marker above the discrimination level where the 10-year survival was reduced to 10% of the patients. For patients showing both markers above the respective discrimination level, none of the patients survived for the 10-year follow-up time. In FIGO III and IV ovarian cancer patients, only patients with CA 125 and TPS markers below the discrimination level after three chemotherapy courses indicated a favorable prognosis. Patients with an elevated level of CA 125 or TPS or both markers after three chemotherapy courses showed unfavorable prognosis.

Targeted assessment of lower motor neuron burden is associated with survival in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.

PubMed

Devine, Matthew S; Ballard, Emma; O'Rourke, Peter; Kiernan, Matthew C; Mccombe, Pamela A; Henderson, Robert D

2016-01-01

Estimating survival in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is challenging due to heterogeneity in clinical features of disease and a lack of suitable markers that predict survival. Our aim was to determine whether scoring of upper or lower motor neuron weakness is associated with survival. With this objective, 161 ALS subjects were recruited from two tertiary referral centres. Scoring of upper (UMN) and lower motor neuron (LMN) signs was performed, in addition to a brief questionnaire. Subjects were then followed until the censorship date. Univariate analysis was performed to identify variables associated with survival to either non-invasive ventilation (NIV) or death, which were then further characterized using Cox regression. Results showed that factors associated with reduced survival included older age, bulbar and respiratory involvement and shorter diagnostic delay (all p < 0.05). Whole body LMN score was strongly associated with time to NIV or death (p ≤0.001) whereas UMN scores were poorly associated with survival. In conclusion, our results suggest that, early in disease assessment and in the context of other factors (age, bulbar, respiratory status), the burden of LMN weakness provides an accurate estimate of outcome. Such a scoring system could predict prognosis, and thereby aid in selection of patients for clinical trials.

Therapeutic value of nerve growth factor in promoting neural stem cell survival and differentiation and protecting against neuronal hearing loss.

PubMed

Han, Zhao; Wang, Cong-Pin; Cong, Ning; Gu, Yu-Yan; Ma, Rui; Chi, Fang-Lu

2017-04-01

Nerve growth factor (NGF) is a neurotrophic factor that modulates survival and differentiation of neural stem cells (NSCs). We investigated the function of NGF in promoting growth and neuronal differentiation of NSCs isolated from mouse cochlear tissue, as well as its protective properties against gentamicin (GMC) ototoxicity. NSCs were isolated from the cochlea of mice and cultured in vitro. Effect of NGF on survival, neurosphere formation, and differentiation of the NSCs, as well as neurite outgrowth and neural excitability in the subsequent in vitro neuronal network, was examined. Mechanotransduction capacity of intact cochlea and auditory brainstem response (ABR) threshold in mice were also measured following GMC treatment to evaluate protection using NGF against GMC-induced neuronal hearing loss. NGF improved survival, neurosphere formation, and neuronal differentiation of mouse cochlear NSCs in vitro, as well as promoted neurite outgrowth and neural excitability in the NSC-differentiated neuronal culture. In addition, NGF protected mechanotransduction capacity and restored ABR threshold in gentamicin ototoxicity mouse model. Our study supports a potential therapeutic value of NGF in promoting proliferation and differentiation of NSCs into functional neurons in vitro, supporting its protective role in the treatment of neuronal hearing loss.

Surrogate endpoints for overall survival in advanced non-small-cell lung cancer patients with mutations of the epidermal growth factor receptor gene.

PubMed

Yoshino, Reiko; Imai, Hisao; Mori, Keita; Takei, Kousuke; Tomizawa, Mai; Kaira, Kyoichi; Yoshii, Akihiro; Tomizawa, Yoshio; Saito, Ryusei; Yamada, Masanobu

2014-09-01

Subsequent therapies confound the ability to discern the effect of first-line chemotherapy on overall survival (OS). We investigated whether progression-free survival (PFS), post-progression survival (PPS) and tumor response were valid surrogate endpoints for OS following first-line chemotherapy in individual patients with advanced non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) harboring sensitive epidermal growth factor receptor gene mutations. We retrospectively analyzed 35 patients with advanced NSCLC treated with first-line gefitinib. The associations of PFS, PPS and tumor response with OS were analyzed. PPS was found to be strongly correlated with OS, unlike PFS and tumor shrinkage. The factors significantly associated with PPS were performance status (PS) after first-line treatment, best response to second-line treatment and number of regimens used after disease progression. PPS may be a surrogate for OS in this patient population and further therapy after disease progression following first-line chemotherapy may significantly affect OS. However, a larger study is required to validate these results.

Survival in Alzheimer disease

PubMed Central

Helzner, E P.; Scarmeas, N; Cosentino, S; Tang, M X.; Schupf, N; Stern, Y

2008-01-01

Objective: To describe factors associated with survival in Alzheimer disease (AD) in a multiethnic, population-based longitudinal study. Methods: AD cases were identified in the Washington Heights Inwood Columbia Aging Project, a longitudinal, community-based study of cognitive aging in Northern Manhattan. The sample comprised 323 participants who were initially dementia-free but developed AD during study follow-up (incident cases). Participants were followed for an average of 4.1 (up to 12.6) years. Possible factors associated with shorter lifespan were assessed using Cox proportional hazards models with attained age as the time to event (time from birth to death or last follow-up). In subanalyses, median postdiagnosis survival durations were estimated using postdiagnosis study follow-up as the timescale. Results: The mortality rate was 10.7 per 100 person-years. Mortality rates were higher among those diagnosed at older ages, and among Hispanics compared to non-Hispanic whites. The median lifespan of the entire sample was 92.2 years (95% CI: 90.3, 94.1). In a multivariable-adjusted Cox model, history of diabetes and history of hypertension were independently associated with a shorter lifespan. No differences in lifespan were seen by race/ethnicity after multivariable adjustment. The median postdiagnosis survival duration was 3.7 years among non-Hispanic whites, 4.8 years among African Americans, and 7.6 years among Hispanics. Conclusion: Factors influencing survival in Alzheimer disease include race/ethnicity and comorbid diabetes and hypertension. GLOSSARY AD = Alzheimer disease; NDI = National Death Index; WHICAP = Washington Heights Inwood Columbia Aging Project. PMID:18981370

Postoperative venous thromboembolism predicts survival in cancer patients.

PubMed

Auer, Rebecca Ann C; Scheer, Adena Sarah; McSparron, Jakob I; Schulman, Allison R; Tuorto, Scott; Doucette, Steve; Gonsalves, Jamie; Fong, Yuman

2012-05-01

To determine whether a postoperative venous thromboembolism (VTE) is associated with a worse prognosis and/or a more advanced cancer stage and to evaluate the association between a postoperative VTE and cancer-specific survival when known prognostic factors, such as age, stage, cancer type, and type of surgery, are controlled. It is unknown whether oncology patients who develop a venous thromboembolism after a complete curative resection are at the same survival disadvantage as oncology patients with a spontaneous VTE. A retrospective case control study was conducted at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center. Years of study: January 1, 2000, to December 31, 2005. Median follow-up: 24.9 months (Interquartile range 13.0, 43.0). All cancer patients who underwent abdominal, pelvic, thoracic, or soft tissue procedures and those who developed a VTE within 30 days of the procedure were identified from a prospective morbidity and mortality database. Overall survival (OS) was calculated for the entire cohort. In the matched cohort, OS and disease-specific survival (DSS) were calculated for stages 0 to 3 and stages 0 to 2. A total of 23,541 cancer patients underwent an invasive procedure and 474 (2%) had a postoperative VTE. VTE patients had a significantly worse 5-year OS compared to no-VTE patients (43.8% vs 61.2%; P < 0.0001); 205 VTE patients (stages 0-3) were matched to 2050 controls by age, sex, cancer type, stage, and surgical procedure. In this matched analysis, VTE patients continued to demonstrate a significantly worse prognosis with an inferior 5-year OS (54.7% vs 66.3%; P < 0.0001) and DSS (67.8% vs 79.5%; P = 0.0007) as compared to controls. The survival difference persisted in early stage disease (stage 0-2), with 5-year DSS of 82.9% versus 87.3% (P = 0.01). Postoperative VTE in oncology patients with limited disease and a complete surgical resection is associated with an inferior cancer survival. A postoperative VTE remains a poor prognostic factor, even when

Does stage of cancer, comorbidity or lifestyle factors explain educational differences in survival after endometrial cancer? A cohort study among Danish women diagnosed 2005-2009.

PubMed

Seidelin, Ulla Holten; Ibfelt, Else; Andersen, Ingelise; Steding-Jessen, Marianne; Høgdall, Claus; Kjær, Susanne Krüger; Dalton, Susanne Oksbjerg

2016-06-01

Several studies have documented an association between socioeconomic position and survival from gynaecological cancer, but the mechanisms are unclear. The aim of this study was to examine the association between level of education and survival after endometrial cancer among Danish women; and whether differences in stage at diagnosis and comorbidity contribute to the educational differences in survival. Women with endometrial cancer diagnosed between 2005 and 2009 were identified in the Danish Gynaecological Cancer Database, with information on clinical characteristics, surgery, body mass index (BMI) and smoking status. Information on highest attained education, cohabitation and comorbidity was obtained from nationwide administrative registries. Logistic regression models were used to determine the association between level of education and cancer stage and Cox proportional hazards model for analyses of overall survival. Of the 3638 patients identified during the study period, 787 had died by the end of 2011. The group of patients with short education had a higher odds ratio (OR) for advanced stage at diagnosis, but this was not statistically significant (adjusted OR 1.20; 95% CI 0.97-1.49). The age-adjusted hazard ratio (HR) for dying of patients with short education was 1.47 (CI 95% 1.17-1.80). Adjustment for cohabitation status, BMI, smoking and comorbidity did not change HRs, but further adjustment for cancer stage yielded a HR of 1.36 (1.11-1.67). Early detection in all educational groups might reduce social inequalities in survival, however, the unexplained increased risk for death after adjustment for prognostic factors, warrants increased attention to patients with short education in all age groups throughout treatment and rehabilitation.

The New Zealand National Eye Bank: survival and visual outcome 1 year after penetrating keratoplasty.

PubMed

Patel, Hussain Y; Ormonde, Sue; Brookes, Nigel H; Moffatt, S Louise; Sherwin, Trevor; Pendergrast, David G C; McGhee, Charles N J

2011-07-01

To identify potential donor, recipient, surgical, and postoperative factors that may influence survival and visual outcome of penetrating keratoplasty (PKP). As part of a prospective longitudinal study, the electronic records of the New Zealand National Eye Bank were analyzed for the 10-year period from 1994-2003. Both univariate and multivariate analysis was performed. During the study period, the New Zealand National Eye Bank supplied 1820 corneas for PKP and 1629 (90%) had 1-year follow-up data. Overall, the 1-year survival rate was 87% (n = 1429). Donor factors including age, donor source, cause of death, death-to-preservation interval, endothelial cell density, donor lens status, and storage duration, were not significantly associated with decreased survival. The leading cause of PKP failure was irreversible rejection (7%, n = 114). Independent risk factors identified for decreased PKP survival were: 1 or more episodes of reversible rejection, active inflammation at PKP, preexisting corneal vascularization, intraoperative complications, small graft size (≤ 7.25 mm), large graft size (≥ 8.5 mm), preoperative glaucoma, and a preoperative diagnosis of regraft or trauma. A best-corrected Snellen visual acuity of 6/12 or better was achieved in 60% of eyes [mean: 6/15 (logarithm of the minimum angle of resolution 0.40)]. Keratoconus and Fuchs endothelial dystrophy were the diagnoses with best survival and visual outcome, whereas, bullous keratopathy, trauma or noninfective keratitis were associated with poorer visual outcome. Several independent risk factors were identified that significantly influenced PKP first year survival outcome. This information is valuable to patients and surgeons with respect to determining prognosis and clinical decision making.

Thrombotic Thrombocytopenic Purpura in Black People: Impact of Ethnicity on Survival and Genetic Risk Factors.

PubMed

Martino, Suella; Jamme, Mathieu; Deligny, Christophe; Busson, Marc; Loiseau, Pascale; Azoulay, Elie; Galicier, Lionel; Pène, Frédéric; Provôt, François; Dossier, Antoine; Saheb, Samir; Veyradier, Agnès; Coppo, Paul

2016-01-01

Black people are at increased risk of thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura (TTP). Whether clinical presentation of TTP in Black patients has specific features is unknown. We assessed here differences in TTP presentation and outcome between Black and White patients. Clinical presentation was comparable between both ethnic groups. However, prognosis differed with a lower death rate in Black patients than in White patients (2.7% versus 11.6%, respectively, P = .04). Ethnicity, increasing age and neurologic involvement were retained as risk factors for death in a multivariable model (P < .05 all). Sixty-day overall survival estimated by the Kaplan-Meier curves and compared with the Log-Rank test confirmed that Black patients had a better survival than White patients (P = .03). Salvage therapies were similarly performed between both groups, suggesting that disease severity was comparable. The comparison of HLA-DRB1*11, -DRB1*04 and -DQB1*03 allele frequencies between Black patients and healthy Black individuals revealed no significant difference. However, the protective allele against TTP, HLA-DRB1*04, was dramatically decreased in Black individuals in comparison with White individuals. Black people with TTP may have a better survival than White patients despite a comparable disease severity. A low natural frequency of HLA-DRB1*04 in Black ethnicity may account for the greater risk of TTP in this population.

Thrombotic Thrombocytopenic Purpura in Black People: Impact of Ethnicity on Survival and Genetic Risk Factors

PubMed Central

Martino, Suella; Jamme, Mathieu; Deligny, Christophe; Busson, Marc; Loiseau, Pascale; Azoulay, Elie; Galicier, Lionel; Pène, Frédéric; Provôt, François; Dossier, Antoine; Saheb, Samir; Veyradier, Agnès; Coppo, Paul

2016-01-01

Black people are at increased risk of thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura (TTP). Whether clinical presentation of TTP in Black patients has specific features is unknown. We assessed here differences in TTP presentation and outcome between Black and White patients. Clinical presentation was comparable between both ethnic groups. However, prognosis differed with a lower death rate in Black patients than in White patients (2.7% versus 11.6%, respectively, P = .04). Ethnicity, increasing age and neurologic involvement were retained as risk factors for death in a multivariable model (P < .05 all). Sixty-day overall survival estimated by the Kaplan-Meier curves and compared with the Log-Rank test confirmed that Black patients had a better survival than White patients (P = .03). Salvage therapies were similarly performed between both groups, suggesting that disease severity was comparable. The comparison of HLA-DRB1*11, -DRB1*04 and -DQB1*03 allele frequencies between Black patients and healthy Black individuals revealed no significant difference. However, the protective allele against TTP, HLA-DRB1*04, was dramatically decreased in Black individuals in comparison with White individuals. Black people with TTP may have a better survival than White patients despite a comparable disease severity. A low natural frequency of HLA-DRB1*04 in Black ethnicity may account for the greater risk of TTP in this population. PMID:27383202

Phytonutrient genistein is a survival factor for pancreatic β-cells via GPR30-mediated mechanism.

PubMed

Luo, Jing; Wang, Aihua; Zhen, Wei; Wang, Yao; Si, Hongwei; Jia, Zhenquan; Alkhalidy, Hana; Cheng, Zhiyong; Gilbert, Elizabeth; Xu, Bin; Liu, Dongmin

2018-05-12

We previously discovered that phytonutrient genistein rapidly activates cAMP signaling in β-cells and improves islet mass in diabetic mice. However, the mechanism underlying these actions of genistein is still unclear. Here, we show that pharmacological or molecular inhibition of Gαs blocked genistein-stimulated adenylate cyclase activity in plasma membrane and intracellular cAMP production in INS1 cells and islets. Further, genistein stimulation of cAMP generation was abolished in islets exposed to a specific GPR30 inhibitor G15 or islets from GPR30 deficient (GPR30-/-) mice. In vivo, dietary provision of genistein (0.5 g/kg diet) significantly mitigated streptozotocin-induced hyperglycemia in male WT mice, which was associated with improved blood insulin levels and pancreatic islet mass and survival, whereas these effects were absent in Gpr30-/- mice. Genistein treatment promoted survival of INS1 cells and human islets chronically exposed to palmitate and high glucose. At molecular level, genistein activated CREB phosphorylation and subsequently induced Bcl-2 expression, and knockdown of CREB diminished the protective effect of genistein on β-cells induced by lipoglucotoxicity. Finally, deletion of GPR30 in β-cells or islets ablated genistein-induced CREB phosphorylation and its cytoprotective effect. These findings demonstrate that genistein is a survival factor for β-cells via GPR30-initiated, Gαs-mediated activation of CREB. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

African American women have poor long-term survival following ischemic stroke.

PubMed

Qureshi, Adnan I; Suri, M Fareed K; Zhou, Jingying; Divani, Afshin A

2006-11-14

To determine racial and gender differences in long-term survival following ischemic stroke in a well-defined cohort of patients. We analyzed the prospectively collected data from a randomized, placebo-controlled trial in patients with ischemic stroke presenting within 3 hours of symptom onset. We determined the effect of race and gender on 1-year survival ascertained by serial follow-ups using Kaplan-Meier analysis. Multivariate analysis was performed adjusting for age, initial NIH Stroke Scale (NIHSS) score, use of thrombolysis, time to randomization, stroke etiology, and other cardiovascular risk factors. Of the 547 patients with ischemic stroke, the 1-year survival (percentage +/- SE) for African American women (63 +/- 6%) was lower than white women (73 +/- 4%), African American men (79 +/- 4%), and white men (75 +/- 3%). Among the 209 patients younger than 65 years, the 1-year survival was prominently lower for African American women (66 +/- 8%) vs white women (87 +/- 5%), African American men (83 +/- 5%), and white men (89 +/- 3%). In the Cox proportional hazard analysis, African American women had a significantly higher rate of 1-year mortality (relative risk 2.1, 95% CI 1.2 to 3.5) after adjusting for all potential confounders except diabetes mellitus. After adjustment for diabetes mellitus, the difference became insignificant, although a 70% greater risk of 1-year mortality was still observed. Compared with whites and men, African American women have a lower 1-year survival following ischemic stroke.

Factors that determin color appearance and color classification.

PubMed

Janelidze, D

2011-11-01

The purpose of this work was to consider the objective and subjective factors involved in color perception and on their basis offer a color classification that would allow for determining which of these factors are significant for each particular class of colors. In the first part of the article it is considered that physical correlates of subjective sensation of color have mainly a dual nature and sometimes correlate with spectral-power content of light coming from a given area of visual scene to retina, and sometimes with surface reflectance of the given area. Other objective and subjective factors which participate in the formation of color appearance are also considered. According to the characteristics of the visual stimulus, viewing conditions and functional state of visual system, composition of objective and subjective factors participating in the formation of color appearance, as well as the share of each factor in this process are changeable. In the second part of the article one of the possible version of color classification according to which it is possible to distinguish nine different classes of colors is proposed. Among differences between these classes, the most noticeable is that in the case of all classes of color except constant colors, the physical parameter that determines the color category of a given area is the spectral-power distribution of the light coming from this area to the retina. However, in the case of constant colors, the physical parameter that determines the color category of a given area is its reflectance. In the case of considered different classes of colors, composition of objective and subjective factors participating in the formation of color appearance is different. The proposed classification allows determining which of these factors are significant in the case of each specific class of color.

Effects of percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy on survival of patients in a persistent vegetative state after stroke.

PubMed

Wu, Kunpeng; Chen, Ying; Yan, Caihong; Huang, Zhijia; Wang, Deming; Gui, Peigen; Bao, Juan

2017-10-01

To assess the effect of percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy on short- and long-term survival of patients in a persistent vegetative state after stroke and determine the relevant prognostic factors. Stroke may lead to a persistent vegetative state, and the effect of percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy on survival of stroke patients in a persistent vegetative state remains unclear. Prospective study. A total of 97 stroke patients in a persistent vegetative state hospitalised from January 2009 to December 2011 at the Second Hospital, University of South China, were assessed in this study. Percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy was performed in 55 patients, and mean follow-up time was 18 months. Survival rate and risk factors were analysed. Median survival in the 55 percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy-treated patients was 17·6 months, higher compared with 8·2 months obtained for the remaining 42 patients without percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy treatment. Univariate analyses revealed that age, hospitalisation time, percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy treatment status, family financial situation, family care, pulmonary infection and nutrition were significantly associated with survival. Multivariate analysis indicated that older age, no gastrostomy, poor family care, pulmonary infection and poor nutritional status were independent risk factors affecting survival. Indeed, percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy significantly improved the nutritional status and decreased pulmonary infection rate in patients with persistent vegetative state after stroke. Interestingly, median survival time was 20·3 months in patients with no or one independent risk factors of poor prognosis (n = 38), longer compared with 8·7 months found for patients with two or more independent risk factors (n = 59). Percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy significantly improves long-term survival of stroke patients in a persistent vegetative state and is associated with improved nutritional status

HEMORRHAGIC CYSTITIS AFTER ALLOGENEIC HEMATOPOIETIC CELL TRANSPLANTATION: RISK FACTORS, GRAFT SOURCE, AND SURVIVAL

PubMed Central

Lunde, Laura E.; Dasaraju, Sandhyarani; Cao, Qing; Cohn, Claudia S.; Reding, Mark; Bejanyan, Nelli; Trottier, Bryan; Rogosheske, John; Brunstein, Claudio; Warlick, Erica; Young, Jo Anne H.; Weisdorf, Daniel J.; Ustun, Celalettin

2017-01-01

Although hemorrhagic cystitis (HC) is a common complication of allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation (alloHCT), its risk factors and effects on survival are not well-known. We evaluated HC in a large cohort (n=1321, 2003 – 2012) receiving alloHCT from all graft sources, including umbilical cord blood (UCB). We compared HC patients with non-HC (control) patients and examined clinical variables at HC onset and resolution. Of these 1321 patients, 219 (16.6%) developed HC at a median of 22 days after alloHCT. BK viruria was detected in 90% of 109 tested HC patients. Median duration of HC was 27 days. At the time of HC diagnosis, acute graft-versus-host disease (GVHD), fever, severe thrombocytopenia, and steroid use were more frequent than at the time of HC resolution. In univariate analysis, male sex, age <20 years, myeloablative conditioning with cyclophosphamide and acute GVHD were associated with HC. In multivariate analysis, HC was significantly more common in males and HLA-mismatched UCB graft recipients. Severe grade HC (grade III–IV) was associated with increased treatment-related mortality (TRM) but not with overall survival at 1 year. HC remains hazardous and therefore better prophylaxis and early interventions to limit its severity are still needed. PMID:26168069

The metastasis suppressor SOX11 is an independent prognostic factor for improved survival in gastric cancer

PubMed Central

QU, YING; ZHOU, CHENFEI; ZHANG, JIANIAN; CAI, QU; LI, JIANFANG; DU, TAO; ZHU, ZHENGGANG; CUI, XIAOJIANG; LIU, BINGYA

2014-01-01

SOX11 is involved in gastrulation and in malignant diseases. The aim of this study was to investigate the role of SOX11 in gastric cancer and its expression pattern and clinical significance. SOX11 overexpression cell model was used to examine in vitro and in vivo the role of SOX11 in cell growth and metastasis. Cell cycle analysis and Annexin V/PI double staining were used to investigate the effect of SOX11 on cell cycle progression and apoptosis. The expression of SOX11 in human gastric cancer was examined by immunohistochemistry. The correlation of SOX11 expression with clinicopathological characteristics and survival of patients was analyzed by Pearson’s χ2 and Kaplan-Meier analyses, respectively. Cox’s proportional hazard model was employed in multivariate analysis. SOX11 overexpression did not inhibit cell growth but strongly suppressed cell migration/invasion in vitro and in vivo. We found a significant correlation between high SOX11 protein levels and Lauren’s classification (intestinal type), differentiation status (high and medium), and early TNM stage. SOX11 is an independent prognostic factor for improved survival in gastric cancer patients. SOX11 was a potential tumor-suppressor and an independent positive prognostic factor in gastric cancer patients with less advanced clinicopathological features. PMID:24604109

Advanced techniques for modeling avian nest survival

USGS Publications Warehouse

Dinsmore, S.J.; White, Gary C.; Knopf, F.L.

2002-01-01

Estimation of avian nest survival has traditionally involved simple measures of apparent nest survival or Mayfield constant-nest-survival models. However, these methods do not allow researchers to build models that rigorously assess the importance of a wide range of biological factors that affect nest survival. Models that incorporate greater detail, such as temporal variation in nest survival and covariates representative of individual nests represent a substantial improvement over traditional estimation methods. In an attempt to improve nest survival estimation procedures, we introduce the nest survival model now available in the program MARK and demonstrate its use on a nesting study of Mountain Plovers (Charadrius montanus Townsend) in Montana, USA. We modeled the daily survival of Mountain Plover nests as a function of the sex of the incubating adult, nest age, year, linear and quadratic time trends, and two weather covariates (maximum daily temperature and daily precipitation) during a six-year study (1995–2000). We found no evidence for yearly differences or an effect of maximum daily temperature on the daily nest survival of Mountain Plovers. Survival rates of nests tended by female and male plovers differed (female rate = 0.33; male rate = 0.49). The estimate of the additive effect for males on nest survival rate was 0.37 (95% confidence limits were 0.03, 0.71) on a logit scale. Daily survival rates of nests increased with nest age; the estimate of daily nest-age change in survival in the best model was 0.06 (95% confidence limits were 0.04, 0.09) on a logit scale. Daily precipitation decreased the probability that the nest would survive to the next day; the estimate of the additive effect of daily precipitation on the nest survival rate was −1.08 (95% confidence limits were −2.12, −0.13) on a logit scale. Our approach to modeling daily nest-survival rates allowed several biological factors of interest to be easily included in nest survival models

Factor determining prochard nest predation along a wetland gradient

USGS Publications Warehouse

Albrecht, T.; Horak, D.; Kreisinger, J.; Weidinger, K.; Klvana, P.; Michot, T.C.

2006-01-01

Waterfowl management on breeding grounds focuses on improving nest success, but few studies have compared waterfowl nest success and factors affecting nest survival along a wetland gradient and simultaneously identified nest predators. We monitored nests (n = 195) of common pochards (Aythya ferina) in Trebon Basin Biosphere Reserve, Czech Republic, during 1999-2002. Daily nest survival rates (DSRs, logistic-exposure) declined from island (0.985, 95% confidence interval, 0.978-0.991) to overwater (0.962, 0.950-0.971) and terrestrial (0.844, 0.759-0.904) nests. The most parsimonious model for DSRs included habitat class (DSRs: island > overwater > terrestrial) and nest visibility. Nest survival was improved by reduced nest visibility, increased water depth, and increased distance from the nest to habitat edge in littoral habitats. On islands, nest success increased with advancing date and increased distance to open water. A model of constant nest survival best explained the data for terrestrial nests. There were no observer effects on DSRs in any habitat. In 2003, artificial nests (n = 180; 120 contained a wax-filled egg) were deployed on study plots. The model that best explained variation in DSRs for artificial nests included only 1 variable: habitat class (DSRs: island ??? overwater > terrestrial). Mammalian predation of artificial nests (by foxes [Vulpes vulpes] and martens [Martes spp.]) was more likely in terrestrial habitats than in littoral habitats or on islands. By contrast, corvids and marsh harriers (Circus aeruginosus) prevailed among predators of overwater and island nests. Our data indicate that artificial islands and wide strips of littoral vegetation may represent secure breeding habitats for waterfowl because those habitats allow nests to be placed in areas that are not accessible to, or that are avoided by, mammalian predators. Management actions should be aimed at preserving these habitats. This, along with creation of new artificial islands

16 CFR 1119.4 - Factors considered in determining civil penalties.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... penalties. 1119.4 Section 1119.4 Commercial Practices CONSUMER PRODUCT SAFETY COMMISSION CONSUMER PRODUCT SAFETY ACT REGULATIONS CIVIL PENALTY FACTORS § 1119.4 Factors considered in determining civil penalties...) of the FFA, specify factors considered by the Commission in determining the amount of a civil penalty...

16 CFR 1119.4 - Factors considered in determining civil penalties.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-01-01

... penalties. 1119.4 Section 1119.4 Commercial Practices CONSUMER PRODUCT SAFETY COMMISSION CONSUMER PRODUCT SAFETY ACT REGULATIONS CIVIL PENALTY FACTORS § 1119.4 Factors considered in determining civil penalties...) of the FFA, specify factors considered by the Commission in determining the amount of a civil penalty...

16 CFR 1119.4 - Factors considered in determining civil penalties.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-01-01

... penalties. 1119.4 Section 1119.4 Commercial Practices CONSUMER PRODUCT SAFETY COMMISSION CONSUMER PRODUCT SAFETY ACT REGULATIONS CIVIL PENALTY FACTORS § 1119.4 Factors considered in determining civil penalties...) of the FFA, specify factors considered by the Commission in determining the amount of a civil penalty...

Interaction between age and race alters predicted survival in colorectal cancer.

PubMed

Phatak, Uma R; Kao, Lillian S; Millas, Stefanos G; Wiatrek, Rebecca L; Ko, Tien C; Wray, Curtis J

2013-10-01

Racial disparities in colorectal cancer persist. Late stage at presentation and lack of stage-specific treatment may be contributing factors. We sought to evaluate the magnitude of disparity remaining after accounting for gender, stage, and treatment using predicted survival models. We used institutional tumor registries from a public health system (two hospitals) and a not-for-profit health system (nine hospitals) from 1995 to 2011. Demographics, stage at diagnosis, treatment, and survival were recorded. Hazard ratios (HRs) and predicted HRs were determined by Cox regression and postestimation analyses. There were 6,990 patients: 55.7 % white, 23.6 % African American, 15.1 % Hispanic, and 5.6 % Asian/other. Predictors of survival were surgery (HR 0.57, 95 % confidence interval [CI] 0.46-0.70), chemotherapy (HR 0.7, 95 % CI 0.62-0.79), female gender (HR 0.87, 95 % CI 0.83-0.90), age (HR 1.04, 95 % CI 1.03-1.05), and African American race (HR 3.6, 95 % CI 1.5-8.4). Balancing for stage, gender, and treatment reduced the predicted HRs for African Americans by 28 % and Hispanics by 17 %. In this model, African American and Hispanics still had the worst predicted HRs at younger ages, but whites had the worst predicted HR after age 75. Gender, stage, and treatment partially accounted for worsened survival in African Americans and Hispanics at all ages. At younger ages, race-related disparities remained which may reflect tumor biology or other unknown factors. Once gender, stage, and treatment are balanced at older ages, the increased mortality observed in whites may be due to factors such as comorbidities. Further system- and patient-level study is needed to investigate reasons for colorectal cancer survival disparities.

Cbl-phosphatidylinositol 3 kinase interaction differentially regulates macrophage colony-stimulating factor-mediated osteoclast survival and cytoskeletal reorganization.

PubMed

Adapala, Naga Suresh; Barbe, Mary F; Langdon, Wallace Y; Tsygankov, Alexander Y; Sanjay, Archana

2010-03-01

The Cbl protein is a key player in macrophage colony-stimulating factor (M-CSF)-induced signaling. To examine the role of Cbl in M-CSF-mediated cellular events, we used Cbl(YF/YF) knockin mice in which the regulatory tyrosine 737, which when phosphorylated binds to the p85 subunit of phosphatidylinositol 3 kinase (PI3K), is substituted to phenylalanine. In ex vivo cultures, M-CSF and receptor activator of nuclear factor-kappaB ligand-mediated differentiation of bone marrow precursors from Cbl(YF/YF) mice generated increased number of osteoclasts; however, osteoclast numbers in Cbl(YF/YF) cultures were unchanged with increasing doses of M-CSF. We found that Cbl(YF/YF) osteoclasts have enhanced intrinsic ability to survive, and this response was further augmented upon exposure to M-CSF. Treatment of osteoclasts with M-CSF-induced actin reorganization and lamellipodia formation in wild-type osteoclasts; however, in Cbl(YF/YF) osteoclasts lamellipodia formation was compromised. Collectively, these results indicate that abrogation of the Cbl-PI3K interaction, although not affecting M-CSF-induced proliferation and differentiation of precursors, is required for regulation of survival and actin cytoskeletal reorganization of mature osteoclasts.

Hepatitis B and C Co-Infection in HIV Patients from the TREAT Asia HIV Observational Database: Analysis of Risk Factors and Survival

PubMed Central

Chen, Marcelo; Wong, Wing-Wai; Law, Matthew G.; Kiertiburanakul, Sasisopin; Yunihastuti, Evy; Merati, Tuti Parwati; Lim, Poh Lian; Chaiwarith, Romanee; Phanuphak, Praphan; Lee, Man Po; Kumarasamy, Nagalingeswaran; Saphonn, Vonthanak; Ditangco, Rossana; Sim, Benedict L. H.; Nguyen, Kinh Van; Pujari, Sanjay; Kamarulzaman, Adeeba; Zhang, Fujie; Pham, Thuy Thanh; Choi, Jun Yong; Oka, Shinichi; Kantipong, Pacharee; Mustafa, Mahiran; Ratanasuwan, Winai; Durier, Nicolas; Chen, Yi-Ming Arthur

2016-01-01

Background We assessed the effects of hepatitis B (HBV) or hepatitis C (HCV) co-infection on outcomes of antiretroviral therapy (ART) in HIV-infected patients enrolled in the TREAT Asia HIV Observational Database (TAHOD), a multi-center cohort of HIV-infected patients in the Asia-Pacific region. Methods Patients testing HBs antigen (Ag) or HCV antibody (Ab) positive within enrollment into TAHOD were considered HBV or HCV co-infected. Factors associated with HBV and/or HCV co-infection were assessed by logistic regression models. Factors associated with post-ART HIV immunological response (CD4 change after six months) and virological response (HIV RNA <400 copies/ml after 12 months) were also determined. Survival was assessed by the Kaplan-Meier method and log rank test. Results A total of 7,455 subjects were recruited by December 2012. Of patients tested, 591/5656 (10.4%) were HBsAg positive, 794/5215 (15.2%) were HCVAb positive, and 88/4966 (1.8%) were positive for both markers. In multivariate analysis, HCV co-infection, age, route of HIV infection, baseline CD4 count, baseline HIV RNA, and HIV-1 subtype were associated with immunological recovery. Age, route of HIV infection, baseline CD4 count, baseline HIV RNA, ART regimen, prior ART and HIV-1 subtype, but not HBV or HCV co-infection, affected HIV RNA suppression. Risk factors affecting mortality included HCV co-infection, age, CDC stage, baseline CD4 count, baseline HIV RNA and prior mono/dual ART. Shortest survival was seen in subjects who were both HBV- and HCV-positive. Conclusion In this Asian cohort of HIV-infected patients, HCV co-infection, but not HBV co-infection, was associated with lower CD4 cell recovery after ART and increased mortality. PMID:26933963

Hypoxia-inducible factor-1α promotes cell survival during ammonia stress response in ovarian cancer stem-like cells

PubMed Central

Kitajima, Shojiro; Lee, Kian Leong; Hikasa, Hiroki; Sun, Wendi; Huang, Ruby Yun-Ju; Yang, Henry; Matsunaga, Shinji; Yamaguchi, Takehiro; Araki, Marito; Kato, Hiroyuki

2017-01-01

Ammonia is a toxic by-product of metabolism that causes cellular stresses. Although a number of proteins are involved in adaptive stress response, specific factors that counteract ammonia-induced cellular stress and regulate cell metabolism to survive against its toxicity have yet to be identified. We demonstrated that the hypoxia-inducible factor-1α (HIF-1α) is stabilized and activated by ammonia stress. HIF-1α activated by ammonium chloride compromises ammonia-induced apoptosis. Furthermore, we identified glutamine synthetase (GS) as a key driver of cancer cell proliferation under ammonia stress and glutamine-dependent metabolism in ovarian cancer stem-like cells expressing CD90. Interestingly, activated HIF-1α counteracts glutamine synthetase function in glutamine metabolism by facilitating glycolysis and elevating glucose dependency. Our studies reveal the hitherto unknown functions of HIF-1α in a biphasic ammonia stress management in the cancer stem-like cells where GS facilitates cell proliferation and HIF-1α contributes to the metabolic remodeling in energy fuel usage resulting in attenuated proliferation but conversely promoting cell survival. PMID:29383096

Risk Factors for Mortality among Adult HIV/AIDS Patients Following Antiretroviral Therapy in Southwestern Ethiopia: An Assessment through Survival Models

PubMed Central

Seyoum, Dinberu; Degryse, Jean-Marie; Kifle, Yehenew Getachew; Taye, Ayele; Tadesse, Mulualem; Birlie, Belay; Banbeta, Akalu; Rosas-Aguirre, Angel; Duchateau, Luc; Speybroeck, Niko

2017-01-01

Introduction: Efforts have been made to reduce HIV/AIDS-related mortality by delivering antiretroviral therapy (ART) treatment. However, HIV patients in resource-poor settings are still dying, even if they are on ART treatment. This study aimed to explore the factors associated with HIV/AIDS-related mortality in Southwestern Ethiopia. Method: A non-concurrent retrospective cohort study which collected data from the clinical records of adult HIV/AIDS patients, who initiated ART treatment and were followed between January 2006 and December 2010, was conducted, to explore the factors associated with HIV/AIDS-related mortality at Jimma University Specialized Hospital (JUSH). Survival times (i.e., the time from the onset of ART treatment to the death or censoring) and different characteristics of patients were retrospectively examined. A best-fit model was chosen for the survival data, after the comparison between native semi-parametric Cox regression and parametric survival models (i.e., exponential, Weibull, and log-logistic). Result: A total of 456 HIV patients were included in the study, mostly females (312, 68.4%), with a median age of 30 years (inter-quartile range (IQR): 23–37 years). Estimated follow-up until December 2010 accounted for 1245 person-years at risk (PYAR) and resulted in 66 (14.5%) deaths and 390 censored individuals, representing a median survival time of 34.0 months ( IQR: 22.8–42.0 months). The overall mortality rate was 5.3/100 PYAR: 6.5/100 PYAR for males and 4.8/100 PYAR for females. The Weibull survival model was the best model for fitting the data (lowest AIC). The main factors associated with mortality were: baseline age (>35 years old, AHR = 3.8, 95% CI: 1.6–9.1), baseline weight (AHR = 0.93, 95% CI: 0.90–0.97), baseline WHO stage IV (AHR = 6.2, 95% CI: 2.2–14.2), and low adherence to ART treatment (AHR = 4.2, 95% CI: 2.5–7.1). Conclusion: An effective reduction in HIV/AIDS mortality could be achieved through timely ART

Differences in Breast Cancer Survival between Public and Private Care in New Zealand: Which Factors Contribute?

PubMed

Tin Tin, Sandar; Elwood, J Mark; Lawrenson, Ross; Campbell, Ian; Harvey, Vernon; Seneviratne, Sanjeewa

2016-01-01

Patients who received private health care appear to have better survival from breast cancer compared to those who received public care. This study investigated if this applied to New Zealand women and identified factors that could explain such disparities. This study involved all women who were diagnosed with primary breast cancer in two health regions in New Zealand, covering about 40% of the national population, between June 2000 and May 2013. Patients who received public care for primary treatment, mostly surgical treatment, were compared with those who received private care in terms of demographics, mode of presentation, disease factors, comorbidity index and treatment factors. Cox regression modelling was performed with stepwise adjustments, and hazards of breast cancer specific mortality associated with the type of health care received was assessed. Of the 14,468 patients, 8,916 (61.6%) received public care. Compared to patients treated in private care facilities, they were older, more likely to be Māori, Pacifika or Asian and to reside in deprived neighbourhoods and rural areas, and less likely to be diagnosed with early staged cancer and to receive timely cancer treatments. They had a higher risk of mortality from breast cancer (hazard ratio: 1.95; 95% CI: 1.75, 2.17), of which 80% (95% CI: 63%, 100%) was explained by baseline differences, particularly related to ethnicity, stage at diagnosis and type of loco-regional therapy. After controlling for these demographic, disease and treatment factors, the risk of mortality was still 14% higher in the public sector patients. Ethnicity, stage at diagnosis and type of loco-regional therapy were the three key contributors to survival disparities between patients treated in public and private health care facilities in New Zealand. The findings underscore the need for more efforts to improve the quality, timeliness and equitability of public cancer care services.

Outbreeding increases offspring survival in wild greater horseshoe bats (Rhinolophus ferrumequinum).

PubMed Central

Rossiter, S. J.; Jones, G.; Ransome, R. D.; Barratt, E. M.

2001-01-01

The factors influencing the survival of greater horseshoe bat (Rhinolophus ferrumequinum) offspring born over seven years at a maternity colony in south-west Britain were studied. The effects of a range of phenotypic and maternal variables were analysed using a historical data set. In addition, the influence of two genetic measures on mortality, individual heterozygosity and a new measure of outbreeding, termed mean d(2), was assessed. Logistic regressions were undertaken with survival modelled as a binary response variable. Survival to two life stages was studied for each variable and all models were developed for both sexes separately and together. Only one variable, mean d(2), was significantly associated with survival. Male offspring with high mean d(2) scores were more likely to survive to their first and second summers. The influence of mean d(2) was not due to a single locus under selection but a wider multilocus effect and probably represents heterosis as opposed to solely inbreeding depression. Therefore, the extent to which an individual is outbred may determine survival more than widely used phenotypic characteristics such as size and mass. Mean d(2) may reflect immunocompetence, which influences mortality. Protection of mating sites in order to facilitate gene flow and, therefore, outbreeding may help to promote population stability and growth. PMID:11375090

Genetic and environmental factors affecting perinatal and preweaning survival of D'man lambs.

PubMed

Boujenane, Ismaïl; Chikhi, Abdelkader; Lakcher, Oumaïma; Ibnelbachyr, Mustapha

2013-08-01

This study examined the viability of 4,554 D'man lambs born alive at Errachidia research station in south-eastern Morocco between 1988 and 2009. Lamb survival to 1, 10, 30 and 90 days old was 0.95, 0.93, 0.93 and 0.92, respectively. The majority of deaths (85.7%) occurred before 10 days of age. Type and period of birth both had a significant effect on lamb survival traits, whereas age of dam and sex of lamb did not. The study revealed a curvilinear relationship between lamb's birth weight and survival traits from birth to 90 days, with optimal birth weights for maximal perinatal and preweaning survival varying according to type of birth from 2.6 to 3.5 kg. Estimation of variance components, using an animal model including direct and maternal genetic effects, the permanent maternal environment as well as fixed effects, showed that direct and maternal heritability estimates for survival traits between birth and 90 days were mostly low and varied from 0.01 to 0.10; however, direct heritability for survival at 1 day from birth was estimated at 0.63. Genetic correlations between survival traits and birth weight were positive and low to moderate. It was concluded that survival traits of D'man lambs between birth and 90 days could be improved through selection, but genetic progress would be low. However, the high proportion of the residual variance to total variance reinforces the need to improve management and lambing conditions.

Prognosis for Survival of Young Women with Breast Cancer by Quantitative p53 Immunohistochemistry

PubMed Central

Axelrod, David E.; Shah, Kinsuk; Yang, Qifeng; Haffty, Bruce G.

2015-01-01

p53 protein detected immunohistochemically has not been accepted as a biomarker for breast cancer patients because of disparate reports of the relationship between the amount of p53 protein detected and patient survival. The purpose of this study was to determine experimental conditions and methods of data analysis for which p53 stain intensity could be prognostic for survival of young breast cancer patients. A tissue microarray of specimens from 93 patients was stained with anti-p53 antibody, and stain intensity measured with a computer-aided image analysis system. A cut-point at one standard deviation below the mean of the distribution of p53 stain intensity separated patients into two groups with significantly different survival. These results were confirmed by Quantitative Nuclear Grade determined by DNA-specific Feulgen staining. P53 provided information beyond ER and PR status. Therefore, under the conditions reported here, p53 protein can be an effective prognostic factor for young breast cancer patients. PMID:26322145

Fasting increases survival to cold in FOXO, DIF, autophagy mutants and in other genotypes of Drosophila melanogaster.

PubMed

Le Bourg, Éric; Massou, Isabelle

2015-08-01

Fasting increases survival to a severe cold stress in young and middle-aged wild-type flies, this effect being lowered or absent at old age. As an attempt to determine the mechanisms of this effect, genes involved in metabolism (dFOXO), autophagy (Atg7), innate immunity (Dif (1) ), and resistance to cold (Frost) were studied. The 12 mutant, RNAi and control lines tested in this study displayed an increased survival to cold after fasting. This shows that fasting has a robust effect on survival to cold in many genotypes, but the mechanism of this effect remains unknown. This mechanism does not seem to be linked to metabolic pathways often considered to play a critical role in ageing and longevity determinations (insulin/insulin-like growth factor-1 pathway and autophagy).

Prolonged survival of dendritic cell-vaccinated melanoma patients correlates with tumor-specific delayed type IV hypersensitivity response and reduction of tumor growth factor beta-expressing T cells.

PubMed

López, Mercedes N; Pereda, Cristian; Segal, Gabriela; Muñoz, Leonel; Aguilera, Raquel; González, Fermín E; Escobar, Alejandro; Ginesta, Alexandra; Reyes, Diego; González, Rodrigo; Mendoza-Naranjo, Ariadna; Larrondo, Milton; Compán, Alvaro; Ferrada, Carlos; Salazar-Onfray, Flavio

2009-02-20

The aim of this work was to assess immunologic response, disease progression, and post-treatment survival of melanoma patients vaccinated with autologous dendritic cells (DCs) pulsed with a novel allogeneic cell lysate (TRIMEL) derived from three melanoma cell lines. Forty-three stage IV and seven stage III patients were vaccinated four times with TRIMEL/DC vaccine. Specific delayed type IV hypersensitivity (DTH) reaction, ex vivo cytokine production, and regulatory T-cell populations were determined. Overall survival and disease progression rates were analyzed using Kaplan-Meier curves and compared with historical records. The overall survival for stage IV patients was 15 months. More than 60% of patients showed DTH-positive reaction against the TRIMEL. Stage IV/DTH-positive patients displayed a median survival of 33 months compared with 11 months observed for DTH-negative patients (P = .0014). All stage III treated patients were DTH positive and remained alive and tumor free for a median follow-up period of 48 months (range, 33 to 64 months). DTH-positive patients showed a marked reduction in the proportion of CD4+ transforming growth factor (TGF) beta+ regulatory T cells compared to DTH-negative patients (1.54% v 5.78%; P < .0001). Our findings strongly suggest that TRIMEL-pulsed DCs provide a standardized and widely applicable source of melanoma antigens, very effective in evoking antimelanoma immune response. To our knowledge, this is the first report describing a correlation between vaccine-induced reduction of CD4+TGFbeta+ regulatory T cells and in vivo antimelanoma immune response associated to improved patient survival and disease stability.

Seasonal survival of adult female mottled ducks

USGS Publications Warehouse

Moon, Jena A.; Haukos, David A.; Conway, Warren C.

2017-01-01

The mottled duck (Anas fulgivula) is a non-migratory duck dependent on coastal habitats to meet all of its life cycle requirements in the Western Gulf Coast (WGC) of Texas and Louisiana, USA. This population of mottled ducks has experienced a moderate decline during the past 2 decades. Adult survival has been identified as an important factor influencing population demography. Previous work based on band-recovery data has provided only annual estimates of survival. We assessed seasonal patterns of female mottled duck survival from 2009 to 2012 using individuals marked with satellite platform transmitter terminals (PTTs). We used temperature and movement sensors within each PTT to indicate potential mortality events. We estimated cumulative weekly survival and ranked factors influential in patterns of mortality using known-fate modeling in Program MARK. Models included 4 predictors: week; hunting and non-hunting periods; biological periods defined as breeding, brooding, molt, and pairing; and mass at time of capture. Models containing hunt periods, during and outside the mottled duck season, comprised essentially 100% of model weights where both legal and illegal harvest had a negative influence on mottled duck survival. Survival rates were low during 2009–2011 (12–38% annual rate of survival), when compared with the long-term banding average of 53% annual survival. During 2011, survival of female mottled ducks was the lowest annual rate (12%) ever documented and coincided with extreme drought. Management actions maximizing the availability of wetlands and associated upland habitats during hunting seasons and drought conditions may increase adult female mottled duck survival.

Plant-Microbe and Abiotic Factors Influencing Salmonella Survival and Growth on Alfalfa Sprouts and Swiss Chard Microgreens

PubMed Central

Reed, Elizabeth; Ferreira, Christina M.; Bell, Rebecca; Brown, Eric W.

2018-01-01

ABSTRACT Microgreens, like sprouts, are relatively fast-growing products and are generally consumed raw. Moreover, as observed for sprouts, microbial contamination from preharvest sources may also be present in the production of microgreens. In this study, two Salmonella enterica serovars (Hartford and Cubana), applied at multiple inoculation levels, were evaluated for survival and growth on alfalfa sprouts and Swiss chard microgreens by using the most-probable-number (MPN) method. Various abiotic factors were also examined for their effects on Salmonella survival and growth on sprouts and microgreens. Community-level physiological profiles (CLPPs) of sprout/microgreen rhizospheres with different levels of S. enterica inoculation at different growth stages were characterized by use of Biolog EcoPlates. In the seed contamination group, the ability of S. enterica to grow on sprouting alfalfa seeds was affected by both seed storage time and inoculation level but not by serovar. However, the growth of S. enterica on Swiss chard microgreens was affected by serovar and inoculation level. Seed storage time had little effect on the average level of Salmonella populations in microgreens. In the irrigation water contamination group, the growth of Salmonella on both alfalfa sprouts and microgreens was largely affected by inoculation level. Surprisingly, the growth medium was found to play an important role in Salmonella survival and growth on microgreens. CLPP analysis showed significant changes in the microbial community metabolic diversity during sprouting for alfalfa sprouts, but few temporal changes were seen with microgreens. The data suggest that the change in rhizosphere bacterial functional diversity was dependent on the host but independent of Salmonella contamination. IMPORTANCE Sprouts and microgreens are considered “functional foods,” i.e., foods containing health-promoting or disease-preventing properties in addition to normal nutritional values. However, the

Plant-Microbe and Abiotic Factors Influencing Salmonella Survival and Growth on Alfalfa Sprouts and Swiss Chard Microgreens.

PubMed

Reed, Elizabeth; Ferreira, Christina M; Bell, Rebecca; Brown, Eric W; Zheng, Jie

2018-05-01

Microgreens, like sprouts, are relatively fast-growing products and are generally consumed raw. Moreover, as observed for sprouts, microbial contamination from preharvest sources may also be present in the production of microgreens. In this study, two Salmonella enterica serovars (Hartford and Cubana), applied at multiple inoculation levels, were evaluated for survival and growth on alfalfa sprouts and Swiss chard microgreens by using the most-probable-number (MPN) method. Various abiotic factors were also examined for their effects on Salmonella survival and growth on sprouts and microgreens. Community-level physiological profiles (CLPPs) of sprout/microgreen rhizospheres with different levels of S. enterica inoculation at different growth stages were characterized by use of Biolog EcoPlates. In the seed contamination group, the ability of S. enterica to grow on sprouting alfalfa seeds was affected by both seed storage time and inoculation level but not by serovar. However, the growth of S. enterica on Swiss chard microgreens was affected by serovar and inoculation level. Seed storage time had little effect on the average level of Salmonella populations in microgreens. In the irrigation water contamination group, the growth of Salmonella on both alfalfa sprouts and microgreens was largely affected by inoculation level. Surprisingly, the growth medium was found to play an important role in Salmonella survival and growth on microgreens. CLPP analysis showed significant changes in the microbial community metabolic diversity during sprouting for alfalfa sprouts, but few temporal changes were seen with microgreens. The data suggest that the change in rhizosphere bacterial functional diversity was dependent on the host but independent of Salmonella contamination. IMPORTANCE Sprouts and microgreens are considered "functional foods," i.e., foods containing health-promoting or disease-preventing properties in addition to normal nutritional values. However, the microbial

Factors influencing survival and mark retention in postmetamorphic boreal chorus frogs

USGS Publications Warehouse

Swanson, Jennifer E; Bailey, Larissa L.; Muths, Erin L.; Funk, W. Chris

2013-01-01

The ability to track individual animals is crucial in many field studies and often requires applying marks to captured individuals. Toe clipping has historically been a standard marking method for wild amphibian populations, but more recent marking methods include visual implant elastomer and photo identification. Unfortunately, few studies have investigated the influence and effectiveness of marking methods for recently metamorphosed individuals and as a result little is known about this life-history phase for most amphibians. Our focus was to explore survival probabilities, mark retention, and mark migration in postmetamorphic Boreal Chorus Frogs (Psuedacris maculata) in a laboratory setting. One hundred forty-seven individuals were assigned randomly to two treatment groups or a control group. Frogs in the first treatment group were marked with visual implant elastomer, while frogs in the second treatment group were toe clipped. Growth and mortality were recorded for one year and resulting data were analyzed using known-fate models in Program MARK. Model selection results suggested that survival probabilities of frogs varied with time and showed some variation among marking treatments. We found that frogs with multiple toes clipped on the same foot had lower survival probabilities than individuals in other treatments, but individuals can be marked by clipping a single toe on two different feet without any mark loss or negative survival effects. Individuals treated with visual implant elastomer had a mark migration rate of 4% and mark loss rate of 6%, and also showed very little negative survival impacts relative to control individuals.

Cluster size influence on the survivability of Rhipicephalus Boophilus microplus larvae under low relative humidity stress

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Low relative humidity (RH) levels (=63%) have been previously shown to be a determining factor in the survival of southern cattle fever tick, Rhipicephalus microplus, larvae, regardless of temperature. Supporting this observation, large larval clusters can retain more water than isolated larvae. Th...

Survival of falling robots

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cameron, Jonathan M.; Arkin, Ronald C.

1992-02-01

As mobile robots are used in more uncertain and dangerous environments, it will become important to design them so that they can survive falls. In this paper, we examine a number of mechanisms and strategies that animals use to withstand these potentially catastrophic events and extend them to the design of robots. A brief survey of several aspects of how common cats survive falls provides an understanding of the issues involved in preventing traumatic injury during a falling event. After outlining situations in which robots might fall, a number of factors affecting their survival are described. From this background, several robot design guidelines are derived. These include recommendations for the physical structure of the robot as well as requirements for the robot control architecture. A control architecture is proposed based on reactive control techniques and action-oriented perception that is geared to support this form of survival behavior.

Survival of falling robots

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Cameron, Jonathan M.; Arkin, Ronald C.

1992-01-01

As mobile robots are used in more uncertain and dangerous environments, it will become important to design them so that they can survive falls. In this paper, we examine a number of mechanisms and strategies that animals use to withstand these potentially catastrophic events and extend them to the design of robots. A brief survey of several aspects of how common cats survive falls provides an understanding of the issues involved in preventing traumatic injury during a falling event. After outlining situations in which robots might fall, a number of factors affecting their survival are described. From this background, several robot design guidelines are derived. These include recommendations for the physical structure of the robot as well as requirements for the robot control architecture. A control architecture is proposed based on reactive control techniques and action-oriented perception that is geared to support this form of survival behavior.

Lamb survival analysis from birth to weaning in Iranian Kermani sheep.

PubMed

Barazandeh, Arsalan; Moghbeli, Sadrollah Molaei; Vatankhah, Mahmood; Hossein-Zadeh, Navid Ghavi

2012-04-01

Survival records from 1,763 Kermani lambs born between 1996 and 2004 from 294 ewes and 81 rams were used to determine genetic and non-genetic factors affecting lamb survival. Traits included were lamb survival across five periods from birth to 7, 14, 56, 70, and 90 days of age. Traits were analyzed under Weibull proportional hazard sire models. Several binary analyses were also conducted using animal models. Statistical models included the fixed class effects of sex of lamb, month and year of birth, a covariate effect of birth weight, and random genetic effects of both sire (in survival analyses) and animal (in binary analyses). The average survival to 90 days of age was 94.8%. Hazard rates ranged from 1.00 (birth to 90 days of age) to 1.73 (birth to 7 days of age) between the two sexes indicating that male lambs were at higher risk of mortality than females (P < 0.01). This study also revealed a curvilinear relationship between lamb survival and lamb birth weight, suggesting that viability and birth weight could be considered simultaneously in the selection programs to obtain optimal birth weight in Kermani lambs. Estimates of heritabilities from survival analyses were medium and ranged from 0.23 to 0.29. In addition, heritability estimates obtained from binary analyses were low and varied from 0.04 to 0.09. The results of this study suggest that progress in survival traits could be possible through managerial strategies and genetic selection.

Factors associated with improved survival among older colorectal cancer patients in the US: a population-based analysis

PubMed Central

2009-01-01

Background The purpose of this study was to estimate the relative impact of changes in demographics, stage at detection, treatment mix, and medical technology on 5-year survival among older colorectal cancer (CRC) patients. Methods We selected older patients diagnosed with CRC between 1992 and 2000 from the SEER-Medicare database and followed them through 2005. Trends in demographic characteristics, stage at detection and initial treatment mix were evaluated descriptively. Separate multivariate logistic regression models for colon (CC) and rectal cancer (RC) patients were estimated to isolate the independent effects of these factors along with technological change (proxied by cohort year) on 5-year survival. Results Our sample included 37,808 CC and 13,619 RC patients (combined mean ± SD age: 77.2 ± 7.0 years; 55% female; 87% white). In recent years, more CC patients were diagnosed at Stage I and fewer at Stages II and IV, and more RC patients were diagnosed at Stage I and fewer at Stages II and III. CC and RC patients diagnosed in later years were slightly older with somewhat better Charlson scores and were more likely to be female, from the Northeast, and from areas with higher average education levels. Surgery alone was more common in later years for CC patients while combined surgery, chemotherapy, and radiotherapy was more common for RC patients. Between 1992 and 2000, 5-year observed survival improved from 43.0% to 46.3% for CC patients and from 39.4% to 42.2% for RC patients. Multivariate logistic regressions indicate that patients diagnosed in 2000 had significantly greater odds of 5-year survival than those diagnosed in 1992 (OR: 1.35 for CC, 1.38 for RC). Our decomposition suggests that early detection had little impact on survival; rather, technological improvements (e.g., new medical technologies or more effective use of existing technologies) and changing demographics were responsible for the largest share of the change in 5-year survival in CC and

Plasma Rich in Growth Factors Induces Cell Proliferation, Migration, Differentiation, and Cell Survival of Adipose-Derived Stem Cells

PubMed Central

Mellado-López, Maravillas; Griffeth, Richard J.; Meseguer-Ripolles, Jose; García, Montserrat

2017-01-01

Adipose-derived stem cells (ASCs) are a promising therapeutic alternative for tissue repair in various clinical applications. However, restrictive cell survival, differential tissue integration, and undirected cell differentiation after transplantation in a hostile microenvironment are complications that require refinement. Plasma rich in growth factors (PRGF) from platelet-rich plasma favors human and canine ASC survival, proliferation, and delaying human ASC senescence and autophagocytosis in comparison with serum-containing cultures. In addition, canine and human-derived ASCs efficiently differentiate into osteocytes, adipocytes, or chondrocytes in the presence of PRGF. PRGF treatment induces phosphorylation of AKT preventing ASC death induced by lethal concentrations of hydrogen peroxide. Indeed, AKT inhibition abolished the PRGF apoptosis prevention in ASC exposed to 100 μM of hydrogen peroxide. Here, we show that canine ASCs respond to PRGF stimulus similarly to the human cells regarding cell survival and differentiation postulating the use of dogs as a suitable translational model. Overall, PRGF would be employed as a serum substitute for mesenchymal stem cell amplification to improve cell differentiation and as a preconditioning agent to prevent oxidative cell death. PMID:29270200

Plasma Rich in Growth Factors Induces Cell Proliferation, Migration, Differentiation, and Cell Survival of Adipose-Derived Stem Cells.

PubMed

Mellado-López, Maravillas; Griffeth, Richard J; Meseguer-Ripolles, Jose; Cugat, Ramón; García, Montserrat; Moreno-Manzano, Victoria

2017-01-01

Adipose-derived stem cells (ASCs) are a promising therapeutic alternative for tissue repair in various clinical applications. However, restrictive cell survival, differential tissue integration, and undirected cell differentiation after transplantation in a hostile microenvironment are complications that require refinement. Plasma rich in growth factors (PRGF) from platelet-rich plasma favors human and canine ASC survival, proliferation, and delaying human ASC senescence and autophagocytosis in comparison with serum-containing cultures. In addition, canine and human-derived ASCs efficiently differentiate into osteocytes, adipocytes, or chondrocytes in the presence of PRGF. PRGF treatment induces phosphorylation of AKT preventing ASC death induced by lethal concentrations of hydrogen peroxide. Indeed, AKT inhibition abolished the PRGF apoptosis prevention in ASC exposed to 100  μ M of hydrogen peroxide. Here, we show that canine ASCs respond to PRGF stimulus similarly to the human cells regarding cell survival and differentiation postulating the use of dogs as a suitable translational model. Overall, PRGF would be employed as a serum substitute for mesenchymal stem cell amplification to improve cell differentiation and as a preconditioning agent to prevent oxidative cell death.

CA 19-9 as a Marker of Survival and a Predictor of Metastization in Cholangiocarcinoma

PubMed Central

Coelho, Rosa; Silva, Marco; Rodrigues-Pinto, Eduardo; Cardoso, Hélder; Lopes, Susana; Pereira, Pedro; Vilas-Boas, Filipe; Santos-Antunes, João; Costa-Maia, José; Macedo, Guilherme

2017-01-01

Background Cholangiocarcinoma is the second most frequent primitive liver malignancy and is responsible for 3% of the malignant gastrointestinal neoplasms. The aims of this study were to determine the association of serum levels of CA 19-9 at diagnosis with other clinical data and serum liver function tests and to identify possible factors that influence the survival rates during follow-up. Methods Retrospective observational study of 89 patients with a diagnosis of cholangiocarcinoma followed at the Department of Gastroenterology during 5 years. Statistical analyses were performed using SPSS version 20.0. Results Patients were followed up for a median time of 127 days (IQR: 48–564), and the median age at diagnosis was 71.0 years (IQR: 62.0–77.5). The median survival rate was 14.0 months (IQR: 4.3–23.7), and the mortality rate was 79%. Patients with CA 19-9 levels ≥103 U/L had lower albumin levels and higher levels of alanine aminotransferase and γ-glutamyltransferase. CA 19-9 levels ≥103 U/L were associated with a higher probability of metastization (p = 0.001) and lower rates of treatment with curative intent (p = 0.024). In a multivariate analysis, CA 19-9 levels <103 U/L and surgery were independent predictors of survival. Conclusion Predictive factors for overall survival were identified, namely presence of metastasis, surgery, and chemotherapy. CA 19-9 levels ≥103 U/L were predictive factors for survival and metastization. PMID:28848795

Why do some studies find that CPR fraction is not a predictor of survival?

PubMed

Wik, Lars; Olsen, Jan-Aage; Persse, David; Sterz, Fritz; Lozano, Michael; Brouwer, Marc A; Westfall, Mark; Souders, Chris M; Travis, David T; Herken, Ulrich R; Lerner, E Brooke

2016-07-01

An 80% chest compression fraction (CCF) during resuscitation is recommended. However, heterogeneous results in CCF studies were found during the 2015 Consensus on Science (CoS), which may be because chest compressions are stopped for a wide variety of reasons including providing lifesaving care, provider distraction, fatigue, confusion, and inability to perform lifesaving skills efficiently. The effect of confounding variables on CCF to predict cardiac arrest survival. A secondary analysis of emergency medical services (EMS) treated out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) patients who received manual compressions. CCF (percent of time patients received compressions) was determined from electronic defibrillator files. Two Sample Wilcoxon Rank Sum or regression determined a statistical association between CCF and age, gender, bystander CPR, public location, witnessed arrest, shockable rhythm, resuscitation duration, study site, and number of shocks. Univariate and multivariate logistic regressions were used to determine CCF effect on survival. Of 2132 patients with manual compressions 1997 had complete data. Shockable rhythm (p<0.001), public location (p<0.004), treatment duration (p<0.001), and number of shocks (p<0.001) were associated with lower CCF. Univariate logistic regression found that CCF was inversely associated with survival (OR 0.07; 95% CI 0.01-0.36). Multivariate regression controlling for factors associated with survival and/or CCF found that increasing CCF was associated with survival (OR 6.34; 95% CI 1.02-39.5). CCF cannot be looked at in isolation as a predictor of survival, but in the context of other resuscitation activities. When controlling for the effects of other resuscitation activities, a higher CCF is predictive of survival. This may explain the heterogeneity of findings during the CoS review. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Neutrophil gelatinase‐associated lipocalin level is a prognostic factor for survival in rat and human chronic liver diseases

PubMed Central

Yoshikawa, Kyoko; Iwasa, Motoh; Kojima, Shinichi; Yoshizawa, Naohiko; Tempaku, Mina; Sugimoto, Ryosuke; Yamamoto, Norihiko; Sugimoto, Kazushi; Kobayashi, Yoshinao; Hasegawa, Hiroshi; Takei, Yoshiyuki

2017-01-01

Chronic liver disease patients often have complications, such as hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and acute bacterial infection. Model for end‐stage liver disease and Child‐Pugh scores are useful prognostic factors for chronic liver diseases but not for all chronic conditions, such as HCC. Our investigative aim targeted the prognostic abilities of neutrophil gelatinase‐associated lipocalin (NGAL) in rat and human chronic liver diseases. Blood NGAL levels were measured by enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assay in rats with cirrhosis and 96 patients with chronic liver disease and HCC. We examined the correlation between blood NGAL levels and liver functions as well as survival. In our rat model, liver NGAL expression was assessed by immunostaining, real‐time quantitative polymerase chain reaction, and immunoblot. In rats with cirrhosis, blood NGAL levels were continuously and significantly elevated in the deceased group and were significantly correlated with liver functions. Liver NGAL, toll‐like receptor 4, and interleukin‐6 levels were increased in the deceased group compared to the survival group. Blood NGAL levels were significantly correlated with liver NGAL levels, indicating blood NGAL was derived from the liver. In patients with chronic liver disease, blood NGAL levels were associated with liver function and renal function. Blood NGAL levels were significantly increased in patients with chronic liver disease with HCC compared to without HCC. For the survival group, 38 out of 96 patients were dead in the average follow‐up period of 9.9 months. The patients with blood NGAL ≤119 ng/mL had significantly longer rates of survival compared to patients with blood NGAL >119 ng/mL. Conclusion: Blood NGAL predicts the survival rate in rat and human chronic liver diseases. Our findings suggest blood NGAL may be prognostic of survival in chronic liver diseases complicated by HCC. (Hepatology Communications 2017;1:946–956) PMID:29404502

Do socioeconomic factors modify the association between preoperative antidepressant use and survival following coronary artery bypass surgery?

PubMed

Stenman, Malin; Holzmann, Martin J; Sartipy, Ulrik

2015-11-01

The impact of socioeconomic factors on mortality in patients with depression and cardiovascular disease is unknown. The aim was to study if socioeconomic factors modified the association between preoperative depression and survival following CABG. In a nationwide population-based cohort study, 22,930 patients who underwent CABG in Sweden between 2006 and 2013 were included from the SWEDEHEART register. The national Prescribed Drug Register was used to ascertain preoperative antidepressant use which was utilized as a proxy for depression. Educational level, income, and civil status were extracted from the Longitudinal integration database for health insurance and labor market studies. The primary outcome measure was all-cause mortality and was ascertained from the Cause of Death register. Cox regression and propensity score methods were used to estimate the risk for death while controlling for differences in baseline characteristics. During a mean follow-up of 4.1 years, 340 (11%) patients died in the antidepressant group and 1923 (9.7%) patients died in the control group. The adjusted risk for death was higher in patients with preoperative antidepressant use (HR 1.27; 95% CI 1.13-1.43), and was practically unchanged after the addition of educational level, family disposable income, and civil status (HR 1.25; 95% CI 1.11-1.41). The results were confirmed in a propensity-score matched cohort, and in selected subgroup analyses. Among patients who underwent CABG in Sweden, preoperative antidepressant use was associated with worse survival even after controlling for socioeconomic factors. The clinical implication is that the impact of depression on mortality was not influenced by socioeconomic factors. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Adjuvant cytostatic therapy of breast cancer as an important factor in the postponing of a relapse and longer survival period.

PubMed

Stula, N

1992-01-01

This prospective clinical study shows the results of the adjuvant cytostatic therapy (ACT) in breast cancer applied to patients in the premenopausal age. Cyclophosphamide, methotrexate, 5-fluorouracil (CMF) group (70 patients): after operative and radiotherapeutic treatment the ACT is applied over the period of six months (six cycles). Control group (71 patients): only operative and radiotherapeutic treatment. Protocol of the ACT: cyclophosphamide, methotrexate, 5-fluorouracil (CMF) over 5 days with a 4-week break. Total 6 cycles. Control period: 10 years. Stratification of patients was made on the basis of the following risk factors: size of the tumour, number of positive lymph nodes of ipsilateral axilla, grade of the differentiation of the tumour, hormonal dependence of the tumour. Statistical method of analysis: actuary calculation, the Hi square test. The results show that the application of the ACT is statistically significant (P < 0.05) in regard to the disease-free interval. However, concerning the survival, the usefulness of its application is present but not statistically significant on the significance level of 5%. The usefulness of the ACT application as regards high risk factors (T3, T4 > or = 4 lymph nodes, grade of differentiation II, III, ER-PR-) is statistically significant (P < 0.05) both in regard to the DFI and survival. Regarding low risk factors the ACT application adversely influenced the results in the control group. This is probably the result of the ACT toxicity. The patients have a favourable prognosis in this subgroup in regard to the staging and biological nature of the tumour. The ACT in the premenopausal age of patients with high risk factors gives a significantly better results concerning the procrastination of relapse and the length of the survival period.