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- Broman, K. K., et al.
(author)
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Surveillance of Sentinel Node-Positive Melanoma Patients with Reasons for Exclusion from MSLT-II: Multi-Institutional Propensity Score Matched Analysis
- 2021
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In: Journal of the American College of Surgeons. - : Ovid Technologies (Wolters Kluwer Health). - 1072-7515. ; 232:4, s. 424-431
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- BACKGROUND: In sentinel lymph node (SLN)-positive melanoma, two randomized trials demonstrated equivalent melanoma-specific survival with nodal surveillance vs completion lymph node dissection (CLND). Patients with microsatellites, extranodal extension (ENE) in the SLN, or >3 positive SLNs constitute a high-risk group largely excluded from the randomized trials, for whom appropriate management remains unknown. STUDY DESIGN: SLN-positive patients with any of the three high-risk features were identified from an international cohort. CLND patients were matched 1:1 with surveillance patients using propensity scores. Risk of any-site recurrence, SLN-basin-only recurrence, and melanoma specific mortality were compared. RESULTS: Among 1,154 SLN-positive patients, 166 had ENE, microsatellites, and/or >3 positive SLN. At 18.5 months median follow-up, 49% had recurrence (vs 26% in patients without high-risk features, p < 0.01). Among high-risk patients, 52 (31%) underwent CLND and 114 (69%) received surveillance. Fifty-one CLND patients were matched to 51 surveillance patients. The matched cohort was balanced on tumor, nodal, and adjuvant treatment factors. There were no significant differences in any-site recurrence (CLND 49%, surveillance 45%, p = 0.99), SLN-basin-only recurrence (CLND 6%, surveillance 14%, p = 0.20), or melanoma-specific mortality (CLND 14%, surveillance 12%, p = 0.86). CONCLUSIONS: SLN-positive patients with microsatellites, ENE, or >3 positive SLN constitute a high-risk group with a 2-fold greater recurrence risk. For those managed with nodal surveillance, SLN-basin recurrences were more frequent, but all-site recurrence and melanoma-specific mortality were comparable to patients treated with CLND. Most recurrences were outside the SLN-basin, supporting use of nodal surveillance for SLN-positive patients with microsatellites, ENE, and/or >3 positive SLN. Crown Copyright (C) 2020 Published by Elsevier Inc. on behalf of the American College of Surgeons. All rights reserved.
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- Broman, K. K., et al.
(author)
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Active surveillance of patients who have sentinel node positive melanoma: An international, multi-institution evaluation of adoption and early outcomes after the Multicenter Selective Lymphadenectomy trial II (MSLT-2)
- 2021
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In: Cancer. - : Wiley. - 0008-543X .- 1097-0142. ; 127:13, s. 2251-2261
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Background For patients with sentinel lymph node (SLN)-positive cutaneous melanoma, the Second Multicenter Selective Lymphadenectomy trial demonstrated equivalent disease-specific survival (DSS) with active surveillance using nodal ultrasound versus completion lymph node dissection (CLND). Adoption and outcomes of active surveillance in clinical practice and in adjuvant therapy recipients are unknown. Methods In a retrospective cohort of SLN-positive adults treated at 21 institutions in Australia, Europe, and the United States from June 2017 to November 2019, the authors evaluated the impact of active surveillance and adjuvant therapy on all-site recurrence-free survival (RFS), isolated nodal RFS, distant metastasis-free survival (DMFS), and DSS using Kaplan-Meier curves and Cox proportional hazard models. Results Among 6347 SLN biopsies, 1154 (18%) were positive and had initial negative distant staging. In total, 965 patients (84%) received active surveillance, 189 (16%) underwent CLND. Four hundred thirty-nine patients received adjuvant therapy (surveillance, 38%; CLND, 39%), with the majority (83%) receiving anti-PD-1 immunotherapy. After a median follow-up of 11 months, 220 patients developed recurrent disease (surveillance, 19%; CLND, 22%), and 24 died of melanoma (surveillance, 2%; CLND, 4%). Sixty-eight patients had an isolated nodal recurrence (surveillance, 6%; CLND, 4%). In patients who received adjuvant treatment without undergoing prior CLND, all isolated nodal recurrences were resectable. On risk-adjusted multivariable analyses, CLND was associated with improved isolated nodal RFS (hazard ratio [HR], 0.36; 95% CI, 0.15-0.88), but not all-site RFS (HR, 0.68; 95% CI, 0.45-1.02). Adjuvant therapy improved all-site RFS (HR, 0.52; 95% CI, 0.47-0.57). DSS and DMFS did not differ by nodal management or adjuvant treatment. Conclusions Active surveillance has been adopted for most SLN-positive patients. At initial assessment, real-world outcomes align with randomized trial findings, including in adjuvant therapy recipients. Lay Summary For patients with melanoma of the skin and microscopic spread to lymph nodes, monitoring with ultrasound is an alternative to surgically removing the remaining lymph nodes. The authors studied adoption and real-world outcomes of ultrasound monitoring in over 1000 patients treated at 21 centers worldwide, finding that most patients now have ultrasounds instead of surgery. Although slightly more patients have cancer return in the lymph nodes with this strategy, typically, it can be removed with delayed surgery. Compared with up-front surgery, ultrasound monitoring results in the same overall risk of melanoma coming back at any location or of dying from melanoma.
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| 4. |
- Eroglu, Z., et al.
(author)
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Outcomes with adjuvant anti-PD-1 therapy in patients with sentinel lymph node-positive melanoma without completion lymph node dissection
- 2022
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In: Journal for Immunotherapy of Cancer. - : BMJ. - 2051-1426. ; 10:8
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Until recently, most patients with sentinel lymph node-positive (SLN+) melanoma underwent a completion lymph node dissection (CLND), as mandated in published trials of adjuvant systemic therapies. Following multicenter selective lymphadenectomy trial-II, most patients with SLN+ melanoma no longer undergo a CLND prior to adjuvant systemic therapy. A retrospective analysis of clinical outcomes in SLN+ melanoma patients treated with adjuvant systemic therapy after July 2017 was performed in 21 international cancer centers. Of 462 patients who received systemic adjuvant therapy, 326 patients received adjuvant anti-PD-1 without prior immediate (IM) CLND, while 60 underwent IM CLND. With median follow-up of 21 months, 24-month relapse-free survival (RFS) was 67% (95% CI 62% to 73%) in the 326 patients. When the patient subgroups who would have been eligible for the two adjuvant anti-PD-1 clinical trials mandating IM CLND were analyzed separately, 24-month RFS rates were 64%, very similar to the RFS rates from those studies. Of these no-CLND patients, those with SLN tumor deposit >1 mm, stage IIIC/D and ulcerated primary had worse RFS. Of the patients who relapsed on adjuvant anti-PD-1, those without IM CLND had a higher rate of relapse in the regional nodal basin than those with IM CLND (46% vs 11%). Therefore, 55% of patients who relapsed without prior CLND underwent surgery including therapeutic lymph node dissection (TLND), with 30% relapsing a second time; there was no difference in subsequent relapse between patients who received observation vs secondary adjuvant therapy. Despite the increased frequency of nodal relapses, adjuvant anti-PD-1 therapy may be as effective in SLN+ pts who forego IM CLND and salvage surgery with TLND at relapse may be a viable option for these patients.
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- Candy, David C. A., et al.
(author)
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A synbiotic-containing amino-acid-based formula improves gut microbiota in non-IgE-mediated allergic infants
- 2018
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In: Pediatric Research. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 0031-3998 .- 1530-0447. ; 83:3, s. 677-686
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Background: Prebiotics and probiotics (synbiotics) can modify gut microbiota and have potential in allergy management when combined with amino-acid-based formula (AAF) for infants with cow’s milk allergy (CMA).Methods: This multicenter, double-blind, randomized controlled trial investigated the effects of an AAF-including synbiotic blend on percentages of bifidobacteria and Eubacterium rectale/Clostridium coccoides group (ER/CC) in feces from infants with suspected non-IgE-mediated CMA. Feces from age-matched healthy breastfed infants were used as reference (healthy breastfed reference (HBR)) for primary outcomes. The CMA subjects were randomized and received test or control formula for 8 weeks. Test formula was a hypoallergenic, nutritionally complete AAF including a prebiotic blend of fructo-oligosaccharides and the probiotic strain Bifidobacterium breve M-16V. Control formula was AAF without synbiotics.Results: A total of 35 (test) and 36 (control) subjects were randomized; HBR included 51 infants. At week 8, the median percentage of bifidobacteria was higher in the test group than in the control group (35.4% vs. 9.7%, respectively; P<0.001), whereas ER/CC was lower (9.5% vs. 24.2%, respectively; P<0.001). HBR levels of bifidobacteria and ER/CC were 55% and 6.5%, respectively.Conclusion: AAF including specific synbiotics, which results in levels of bifidobacteria and ER/CC approximating levels in the HBR group, improves the fecal microbiota of infants with suspected non-IgE-mediated CMA.
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| 13. |
- Fox, Adam T., et al.
(author)
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A specific synbiotic-containing amino acid-based formula in dietary management of cow's milk allergy : a randomized controlled trial
- 2019
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In: Clinical and Translational Allergy. - : BioMed Central. - 2045-7022. ; 9
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Background: Here we report follow-up data from a double-blind, randomized, controlled multicenter trial, which investigated fecal microbiota changes with a new amino acid-based formula (AAF) including synbiotics in infants with non-immunoglobulin E (IgE)-mediated cow’s milk allergy (CMA).Methods: Subjects were randomized to receive test product (AAF including fructo-oligosaccharides and Bifidobacterium breve M-16V) or control product (AAF) for 8 weeks, after which infants could continue study product until 26 weeks. Fecal percentages of bifidobacteria and Eubacterium rectale/Clostridium coccoidesgroup (ER/CC) were assessed at 0, 8, 12, and 26 weeks. Additional endpoints included stool markers of gut immune status, clinical symptoms, and safety assessments including adverse events and medication use.Results: The trial included 35 test subjects, 36 controls, and 51 in the healthy reference group. Study product was continued by 86% and 92% of test and control subjects between week 8–12, and by 71% and 80%, respectively until week 26. At week 26 median percentages of bifidobacteria were significantly higher in test than control [47.0% vs. 11.8% (p < 0.001)], whereas percentages of ER/CC were significantly lower [(13.7% vs. 23.6% (p = 0.003)]. Safety parameters were similar between groups. Interestingly use of dermatological medication and reported ear infections were lower in test versus control, p = 0.019 and 0.011, respectively. Baseline clinical symptoms and stool markers were mild (but persistent) and low, respectively. Symptoms reduced towards lowest score in both groups.Conclusion: Beneficial effects of this AAF including specific synbiotics on microbiota composition were observed over 26 weeks, and shown suitable for dietary management of infants with non-IgE-mediated CMA.
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- Brugge, M H ter, et al.
(author)
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Morphological Template Decomposition for DT-CNN
- 2002
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In: Proceedings BNAIC?02. ; , s. 35-42
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Conference paper (peer-reviewed)abstract
- In this paper the established link between Mathematical Morphology and DT-CNN is used to derive a new template decomposition procedure. It is based on the decomposition of morphological structuring elements. From a practical point of view, template decomposition is an important issue since image processing operations can be non-local while the cells in physical DT-CNN realizations often only communicate with cells in their direct neighborhood. Here we apply techniques from morphological algebra to derive a DT-CNN template decomposition strategy, which is far more efficient in terms of the number of templates in the decomposition than the traditional decomposition strategy. In a typical 9 x 9 example, the number of templates reduces from 125 to 14.
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| 19. |
- Huang, J., et al.
(author)
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Pulsed Field Stability and AC Loss of ITER PF Joints by Detailed Quantitative Modeling
- 2023
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In: IEEE transactions on applied superconductivity (Print). - : Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE). - 1051-8223 .- 1558-2515. ; 33:8
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- For fusion tokamaks, such as International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor (ITER), the magnet systems are based on superconducting cable-in-conduit conductors (CICCs). Due to the limited production length of the CICCs and the necessary electrical and thermal connections, joints are widely used to connect the CICC units within the magnet coils, as well as the electrical and thermal interfaces outside the magnet. The joints dominate the current redistribution in the coils and, thus, are critical for the magnet stability. In this study, an ITER poloidal field coil joint operating in pulsed mode is chosen to study the current nonuniformity and relevant stability issues. An optimized joint design by applying high resistive polyimide layers, called "masks" to actively block the large induced coupling currents, is tested with the numerical code JackPot-AC/DC. The current nonuniformity, power dissipation, and thermal evolution of the joints with different configurations are quantitatively analyzed.
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- Siemens, N, et al.
(author)
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Prothrombotic and Proinflammatory Activities of the β-Hemolytic Group B Streptococcal Pigment
- 2020
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In: Journal of innate immunity. - : S. Karger AG. - 1662-8128 .- 1662-811X. ; 12:4, s. 291-303
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- A prominent feature of severe streptococcal infections is the profound inflammatory response that contributes to systemic toxicity. In sepsis the dysregulated host response involves both immunological and nonimmunological pathways. Here, we report a fatal case of an immunocompetent healthy female presenting with toxic shock and purpura fulminans caused by group B streptococcus (GBS; serotype III, CC19). The strain (LUMC16) was pigmented and hyperhemolytic. Stimulation of human primary cells with hyperhemolytic LUMC16 and STSS/NF-HH strains and pigment toxin resulted in a release of proinflammatory mediators, including tumor necrosis factor, interleukin (IL)-1β, and IL-6. In addition, LUMC16 induced blood clotting and showed factor XII activity on its surface, which was linked to the presence of the pigment. The expression of pigment was not linked to a mutation within the CovR/S region. In conclusion, our study shows that the hemolytic lipid toxin contributes to the ability of GBS to cause systemic hyperinflammation and interferes with the coagulation system.
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| 26. |
- terBrugge, M H, et al.
(author)
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Optimal decomposition of large-neighborhood CNN templates
- 2004
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In: Proceedings 8th CNNA. ; , s. 160-165
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Conference paper (peer-reviewed)abstract
- From a practical point of view, template decomposition is an important issue since image processing operations can be non−local while the cells in physical CNN realizations often only communicate with cells in their direct neighborhood. In this paper the existing relation between Mathematical Morphology and CNNs is used to derive an optimal template decomposition strategy for a specific class of templates. The strategy is based on the decomposition of morphological structuring elements.
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