| 1. |
- Crippa, Stefano, et al.
(author)
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A tug-of-war in intraductal papillary mucinous neoplasms management : Comparison between 2017 International and 2018 European guidelines
- 2021
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In: Digestive and Liver Disease. - : Elsevier. - 1590-8658 .- 1878-3562. ; 53:8, s. 998-1003
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- BACKGROUND: 2017 International and 2018 European guidelines are the most recent guidelines for intraductal papillary mucinous neoplasms management.AIM: to evaluate the diagnostic accuracy of these guidelines in identifying malignant IPMN.METHODS: data from resected patients with IPMN were collected in two referral centers. Features of risk associated to cancerous degeneration described in International and European guidelines were retrospectively applied. Sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative predictive value in detecting malignant disease were calculated.RESULTS: the study includes 627 resected patients. European guidelines suggest resection in any patient with at least one feature of moderate-risk. International guidelines suggest that patients with moderate-risk features undergo endoscopic ultrasound before surgery. European guidelines had a higher sensitivity (99.2% vs. 83%) but a lower positive predictive value (59.5% vs. 65.8%) and Specificity (2% vs. 37.5%). European guidelines detected almost all malignancies, but 40% of resected patients had low-grade dysplasia. 297 patients underwent endoscopic ultrasound before surgery. 31/116 (26.7%) tumors radiologically classified as "worrisome features" were reclassified as "high-risk stigmata" by endoscopic ultrasound and 24/31 were malignant IPMN.CONCLUSIONS: European and International guidelines have a relatively low diagnostic accuracy, being European guidelines more aggressive. Endoscopic ultrasound can improve guidelines accuracy in patients with moderate-risk features.
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| 2. |
- Halimi, Asif, et al.
(author)
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Isolation of pancreatic microbiota from cystic precursors of pancreatic cancer with intracellular growth and DNA damaging properties
- 2021
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In: Gut microbes. - : Taylor & Francis Group. - 1949-0976 .- 1949-0984. ; 13:1
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Emerging research suggests gut microbiome may play a role in pancreatic cancer initiation and progression, but cultivation of the cancer microbiome remains challenging. This pilot study aims to investigate the possibility to cultivate pancreatic microbiome from pancreatic cystic lesions associated with invasive cancer. Intra-operatively acquired pancreatic cyst fluid samples showed culture-positivity mainly in the intraductal papillary mucinous neoplasm (IPMN) group of lesions. MALDI-TOF MS profiling analysis shows Gammaproteobacteria and Bacilli dominate among individual bacteria isolates. Among cultivated bacteria, Gammaproteobacteria, particularly Klebsiella pneumoniae, but also Granulicatella adiacens and Enterococcus faecalis, demonstrate consistent pathogenic properties in pancreatic cell lines tested in ex vivo co-culture models. Pathogenic properties include intracellular survival capability, cell death induction, or causing DNA double-strand breaks in the surviving cells resembling genotoxic effects. This study provides new insights into the role of the pancreatic microbiota in the intriguing link between pancreatic cystic lesions and cancer.
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| 3. |
- Hecken, Tobias, et al.
(author)
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Conceptual Design Studies of “Boosted Turbofan” Configuration for short range
- 2020
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In: AIAA 2020-0506 Session: Hybrid Electric Aircraft Design Under Clean Sky 2 (LPA WP1.6.1.4). - Reston, Virginia : American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics.
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Conference paper (peer-reviewed)abstract
- This paper describes the current activities at the German Aerospace Center (DLR) and an associated consortium related to conceptual design studies of an aircraft configuration with hybrid electric propulsion for a typical short range commercial transport mission. The work is implemented in the scope of the European Clean Sky 2 program in the project “Advanced Engine and Aircraft Configurations” (ADEC) and “Turbo electric Aircraft Design Environment” (TRADE). The configuration analyzed incorporates parallel hybrid architecture consisting of gas turbines, electric machines, and batteries that adds electric power to the fans of the engines. A conceptual aircraft sizing workflow built in the DLR’s “Remote Component Environment” (RCE) incorporating tools of DLR that are based on semi-empirical and low level physics based methods. The TRADE consortium developed a simulation and optimization design platform with analysis models of higher fidelity for an aircraft with hybrid electric propulsion architecture. An implementation of the TRADE simulation and optimization design platform into the DLR’s RCE workflow by replacing the DLR models was carried out. The focus of this paper is on the quantitative evaluation of the “Boosted Turbofan” configuration utilizing the resulting workflow. In order to understand the cooperation between the DLR and TRADE consortium, a brief overview of the activities is given. Then the multi-disciplinary overall aircraft sizing workflow for hybrid electric aircraft built in RCE is shown. Hereafter, the simulation and optimization models of the TRADE design platform are described. Subsequently, an overview of the aircraft configuration considered in the scope of this work is given. The design space studies of the “Boosted Turbofan” configuration are presented. Finally, the deviations of the results between the workflows with and without the TRADE modules are discussed.
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| 4. |
- Klionsky, Daniel J., et al.
(author)
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Guidelines for the use and interpretation of assays for monitoring autophagy
- 2012
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In: Autophagy. - : Informa UK Limited. - 1554-8635 .- 1554-8627. ; 8:4, s. 445-544
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Research review (peer-reviewed)abstract
- In 2008 we published the first set of guidelines for standardizing research in autophagy. Since then, research on this topic has continued to accelerate, and many new scientists have entered the field. Our knowledge base and relevant new technologies have also been expanding. Accordingly, it is important to update these guidelines for monitoring autophagy in different organisms. Various reviews have described the range of assays that have been used for this purpose. Nevertheless, there continues to be confusion regarding acceptable methods to measure autophagy, especially in multicellular eukaryotes. A key point that needs to be emphasized is that there is a difference between measurements that monitor the numbers or volume of autophagic elements (e.g., autophagosomes or autolysosomes) at any stage of the autophagic process vs. those that measure flux through the autophagy pathway (i.e., the complete process); thus, a block in macroautophagy that results in autophagosome accumulation needs to be differentiated from stimuli that result in increased autophagic activity, defined as increased autophagy induction coupled with increased delivery to, and degradation within, lysosomes (in most higher eukaryotes and some protists such as Dictyostelium) or the vacuole (in plants and fungi). In other words, it is especially important that investigators new to the field understand that the appearance of more autophagosomes does not necessarily equate with more autophagy. In fact, in many cases, autophagosomes accumulate because of a block in trafficking to lysosomes without a concomitant change in autophagosome biogenesis, whereas an increase in autolysosomes may reflect a reduction in degradative activity. Here, we present a set of guidelines for the selection and interpretation of methods for use by investigators who aim to examine macroautophagy and related processes, as well as for reviewers who need to provide realistic and reasonable critiques of papers that are focused on these processes. These guidelines are not meant to be a formulaic set of rules, because the appropriate assays depend in part on the question being asked and the system being used. In addition, we emphasize that no individual assay is guaranteed to be the most appropriate one in every situation, and we strongly recommend the use of multiple assays to monitor autophagy. In these guidelines, we consider these various methods of assessing autophagy and what information can, or cannot, be obtained from them. Finally, by discussing the merits and limits of particular autophagy assays, we hope to encourage technical innovation in the field.
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| 5. |
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| 6. |
- Menkveld, Albert J., et al.
(author)
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Nonstandard Errors
- 2024
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In: JOURNAL OF FINANCE. - : Wiley-Blackwell. - 0022-1082 .- 1540-6261. ; 79:3, s. 2339-2390
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- In statistics, samples are drawn from a population in a data-generating process (DGP). Standard errors measure the uncertainty in estimates of population parameters. In science, evidence is generated to test hypotheses in an evidence-generating process (EGP). We claim that EGP variation across researchers adds uncertainty-nonstandard errors (NSEs). We study NSEs by letting 164 teams test the same hypotheses on the same data. NSEs turn out to be sizable, but smaller for more reproducible or higher rated research. Adding peer-review stages reduces NSEs. We further find that this type of uncertainty is underestimated by participants.
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| 7. |
- Schnitzbauer, Andreas A, et al.
(author)
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A prospective randomised, open-labeled, trial comparing sirolimus-containing versus mTOR-inhibitor-free immunosuppression in patients undergoing liver transplantation for hepatocellular carcinoma.
- 2010
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In: BMC cancer. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 1471-2407. ; 10
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- The potential anti-cancer effects of mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) inhibitors are being intensively studied. To date, however, few randomised clinical trials (RCT) have been performed to demonstrate anti-neoplastic effects in the pure oncology setting, and at present, no oncology endpoint-directed RCT has been reported in the high-malignancy risk population of immunosuppressed transplant recipients. Interestingly, since mTOR inhibitors have both immunosuppressive and anti-cancer effects, they have the potential to simultaneously protect against immunologic graft loss and tumour development. Therefore, we designed a prospective RCT to determine if the mTOR inhibitor sirolimus can improve hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC)-free patient survival in liver transplant (LT) recipients with a pre-transplant diagnosis of HCC.
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| 8. |
- Valente, Roberto, et al.
(author)
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The use of ace inhibitors influences the risk of progression of BD-IPMNs under follow-up
- 2022
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In: Pancreatology (Print). - : Elsevier. - 1424-3903 .- 1424-3911. ; 22:4, s. 516-524
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- BACKGROUND: Chemoprevention's ability to slow down or prevent the progression of BD-IPMNs is extremely appealing. Aspirin (ASA), Ace Inhibitors/Angiotensin Receptor Blockers (ACEIs/ARBs) and Statins (STATs) are frequently prescribed drugs with a possible beneficial effect on different cancer types. Their effect on IPMNs is largely unknown.AIM: To evaluate the association between the use of ASA, ACEIs/ARBs and STATs and the risk of progression of BD-IPMNs in follow-up.MATERIALS AND METHODS: multicenter, retrospective cohort study on patients with presumed BD-IPMNs without relative or absolute indication for surgery. Pharmacological exposures and risk factors were collected. We identified clinically relevant progression (occurrence of radiological absolute or relative indication for surgery) and any progression (occurrence of clinically relevant progression OR any dimension increase OR the occurrence of new cysts).RESULTS: Overall 594 patients were included. ACEIs were associated with a lower occurrence of any progression (HR = 0.70; 95% CI 0.49-0.98, p = 0.04) and clinically relevant progression, HR = 0.42 (95% CI 0.20-0.88; p = 0.02). No significant effect was shown for factors associated with the occurrence of pancreas cancer such as smoking, alcohol consumption and 1st degree family history of pancreas cancer. Among pharmacological exposures, no convincing effect was shown for the chronic use of ASA, ARB and STAT.CONCLUSIONS: ACEIs might have an effect in slowing the progression of BD-IPMNs. ASA, STAT and ARBs show no convincing effect on the progression of BD-IPMNs. Further, prospective, and long-term multicenter studies are needed to verify such association and to define the potential underlying mechanisms.
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| 9. |
- Niemi, MEK, et al.
(author)
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- 2021
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swepub:Mat__t
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