University of Duisburg-Essen

About: University of Duisburg-Essen is a education organization based out in Essen, Nordrhein-Westfalen, Germany. It is known for research contribution in the topics: Population & Transplantation. The organization has 16072 authors who have published 39972 publications receiving 1109199 citations.

Molecular profiling and predictive value of circulating tumor cells in patients with metastatic breast cancer: an option for monitoring response to breast cancer related therapies.

Abstract: Purpose We analyzed circulating tumor cells (CTC) in blood of metastatic breast cancer patients (n = 42) and determined the ability of this method to predict therapy response. Methods CTC from blood were analyzed before and during therapy for EpCAM, MUC1 and HER2 transcripts with the AdnaTest BreastCancer. The estrogen (ER) and progesterone (PR) receptor expression was assessed by RT-PCR. Results The overall detection rate for CTC was 52% (thereof 86% EpCAM; 86% MUC1; 32% HER2; 35% ER; 12% PR). CTC were ER, PR and HER2 negative in 45% (ER), 78% (PR) and 60% (HER-2) of patients with steroid receptor-positive tumors. 29% of patients with HER2-negative tumors had HER2-positive CTC. The test predicted therapy response in 78% of all cases. Persistence of CTC significantly correlated with shorter overall survival (P = 0.005). Conclusions Molecular profiling of CTC may offer superior prognostic information with regard to risk assessment for recurrence and predictive judgement of therapeutical regimens.

Polymorphonuclear granulocytes in human head and neck cancer: enhanced inflammatory activity, modulation by cancer cells and expansion in advanced disease.

Abstract: The progression of epithelial cancer is associated with an intense immunological interaction between the tumor cells and immune cells of the host. However, little is known about the interaction between tumor cells and polymorphonuclear granulocytes (PMNs) in patients with head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC). In our study, we investigated systemic PMN-related alterations in HNSCC, the role of tumor-infiltrating PMNs and their modulation by the tumor microenvironment. We assessed the infiltration of HNSCC tissue by PMNs (retrospectively) and systemic PMN-related alterations in blood values (prospectively) in HNSCC patients (n = 99 and 114, respectively) and control subjects (n = 41). PMN recruitment, apoptosis and inflammatory activity were investigated in an in vitro system of peripheral blood PMNs and a human HNSCC cell line (FaDu). HNSCC tissue exhibited considerable infiltration by PMNs, and strong infiltration was associated with poorer survival in advanced disease. PMN count, neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio and serum concentrations of CXCL8 (interleukin-8), CCL4 (MIP-1β) and CCL5 (RANTES) were significantly higher in the peripheral blood of HNSCC patients than in that of controls. In vitro, HNSCC-conditioned medium inhibited apoptosis of PMNs, increased chemokinesis and chemotaxis of PMNs, induced release of lactoferrin and matrix metalloproteinase 9 by PMNs and enhanced the secretion of CCL4 by PMN. Our findings demonstrate alterations in PMN biology in HNSCC patients. In vitro, tumor-derived factors modulate cellular functions of PMNs and increase their inflammatory activity. Thus, the interaction between HNSCC and PMNs may contribute to host-mediated changes in the tumor microenvironment.

Magnetic correlations in martensitic Ni-Mn-based Heusler shape-memory alloys: Neutron polarization analysis

Abstract: In ferromagnetic Ni-Mn-based Heusler alloys undergoing martensitic transformations, a sudden drop in the magnetization is observed as the temperature decreases through the martensitic-transformation temperature ${M}_{s}$. To understand the cause of the drop and thereby the nature of the magnetic coupling in this temperature region, we carry out neutron-polarization-analysis experiments on two prototypes, ${\text{Ni}}_{50}{\text{Mn}}_{40}{\text{Sb}}_{10}$ and ${\text{Ni}}_{50}{\text{Mn}}_{37}{\text{Sn}}_{13}$. We show that in the vicinity of ${M}_{s}$, the magnetic correlations at temperatures $Tl{M}_{s}$ are antiferromagnetic, whereas they are ferromagnetic above ${M}_{s}$ and well beyond the Curie temperature of the austenitic state.

Associations of Obstructive Sleep Apnea With Atrial Fibrillation and Continuous Positive Airway Pressure Treatment: A Review

Abstract: Importance Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is the most common clinically significant breathing abnormality during sleep. It is highly prevalent among patients with atrial fibrillation (AF), and it promotes arrhythmogenesis and impairs treatment efficacy. Observations The prevalence of OSA ranges from 3% to 49% in population-based studies and from 21% to 74% in patients with AF. Diagnosis and treatment of OSA in patients with AF requires a close interdisciplinary collaboration between electrophysiologists, cardiologists, and sleep specialists. Because the prevalence of OSA is high in patients with AF and most do not report daytime sleepiness, sleep-study evaluation may be reasonable for patients being considered for rhythm control strategy. Acute, transient apnea-associated atrial electrophysiological changes and increased occurrence of AF triggers associated with short episodes of intermittent deoxygenation and reoxygenation, intrathoracic pressure changes during obstructed breathing efforts, and sympathovagal activation combine to create a stimulus for AF triggers and a complex and dynamic substrate for AF during sleep. Repeated episodes of long-term OSA are eventually associated with structural remodeling and changes in electrical conduction in the atrium. Observational data suggest OSA reduces the efficacy of catheter-based and pharmacological antiarrhythmic therapy. Nonrandomized studies have shown that treatment of OSA by continuous positive airway pressure can help to maintain a sinus rhythm after electrical cardioversion and catheter ablation in patients with AF. However, it remains unclear which sleep apnea metric should be used to determine severity and guide such treatment in patients with AF. Conclusions and Relevance Data from nonrandomized studies of patients with AF suggest that treatment of OSA by continuous positive airway pressure may help to maintain sinus rhythm after electrical cardioversion and improve catheter ablation success rates. Randomized clinical trials are needed to confirm the association between OSA and AF the benefits of treatment of OSA and the need for and cost-effectiveness of routine OSA screening and treatment.