Abstract In our pursuit of safer alternatives to Bisphenol A (BPA) for use as color developers in thermochromic microcapsules, our goal was to mitigate endocrine disruption without compromising the properties of BPA-based microcapsules. We began by scrutinizing the effect of 11 BPA derivatives on temperatures at which microcapsules change color (color-changing temperatures). The color-changing temperatures were determined using sigmoid fitting of the color density versus temperature plot, leading to four regression models connecting these temperatures to the color developer structures. To assess endocrine-disrupting potential and toxicity, we adopted machine learning models from the Open QSAR Application (OPERA). Concurrently, using atom-wise tokenization, we trained a variational autoencoder on SMILES data of drug-like molecules. With this approach, we have achieved a six-fold speed increase in training with 20% fewer parameters than conventional character-wise tokenization. After transfer learning with potential color developer data, this model generated new SMILES data, which were subsequently evaluated for their properties. In the end, we have obtained a compilation of SMILES predicted to be effective and safer replacements for BPA.
Purpose: This study investigated the clinicopathological characteristics and prognostic factors in young patients with differentiated thyroid carcinoma. Methods: Among the 3,837 patients with DTC who were treated in the Department of Surgery at Yonsei University College of Medicine from March 1986 to March 2005, 71 patients were less than 20 years of age when diagnosed. The mean age was 14.9 years (range, 420 years). There were 59 females and 12 males with a mean follow-up period of 91.8 months (range, 14205 months). Results: The cause specific and the progression-free survivals at 10 years were 100% and 80.3%, respectively. Eleven patients (15%) experienced a recurrence and 1 patient showed a progression of a pulmonary metastasis at diagnosis. Compared with 39 patients older than 15, 32 patients younger than 15 years of age tended to have a higher incidence of a N1b and M1 stage, and a lower progression-free survival rate. Univariate analysis revealed that an age 15 years, multicentricity, N1b stage, M1 stage, and bilateral radical neck dissection had a negative impact on the progression-free survival. However, multivariate analysis showed that the age at diagnosis and the M1 stage were independent prognostic factors for progression- free survival. Conclusion: Being younger 15 years and the M1 stage are the most significant prognostic factors negatively influencing the progression-free survival. The high incidence of lateral neck and lung metastasis justifies a total thyroidectomy and modified radical neck dissection, followed by postoperative 131I therapy even in patients younger than 15 years of age.
Background: Solid‐pseudopapillary tumour of the pancreas (SPTP) is a low‐grade malignancy lesion that is distinct from other pancreatic tumours. Preoperative diagnosis is often inaccurate and treatment strategies remain controversial. The present study reviews the clinical features, diagnosis, treatment, and outcome of Asian patients with SPTP from a single institution. Methods: The medical records and images of patients who underwent surgery for SPTP between June 1990 and December 2003 were retrospectively reviewed. Study eligibility required that patients had undergone surgical resections and that the SPTP had been pathologically demonstrated. Results: Twenty‐eight patients with SPTP were identified. Eighteen patients (64.3%) reported the predominant symptom of ‘vague abdominal pain’, five patients (17.8%) had an apparent ‘abdominal mass’, and five patients (17.8%) without overt symptoms had masses that were discovered incidentally during screening. All patients underwent magnetic resonance (MR) imaging ( n = 22) and/or computed tomography ( n = 17), with a specificity of 90.9% and 76.4%, respectively. All masses were well‐circumscribed, except for a tumour in one patient (3.6%), which adhered to the stomach wall and metastasized to the liver. Two patients (7.1%) underwent enucleation, while 25 patients (89.3%) received curative resection. The patient with the liver metastases underwent distal pancreatectomy and splenectomy with partial hepatectomy. The mean follow up was 66.9 months. No mortality occurred during follow up but the patient with the liver metastasis had progressive deterioration. Conclusion: Symptoms of SPTP are indistinct and preoperative diagnosis is often inaccurate. Magnetic resonance imaging improves SPTP diagnosis. In general, the prognosis of well‐circumscribed SPTP is favourable after curative resection.
Loss of runt‑related transcription factor 3 (RUNX3) has been reported in various cancers, and one of the mechanisms mediating loss of RUNX3 expression is DNA methylation. However, the role of RUNX3 expression and its DNA methylation status as prognostic factors in endometrial cancer remain unclear. In the present study, the expression and promoter methylation of RUNX3 was examined in endometrial cancer tissues and cell lines, as well as their association with endometrial cancer prognosis. Fifty‑five endometrial cancer tissues and two endometrial cancer cell lines (HEC1‑α and Ishikawa) were studied. RUNX3 expression and promoter methylation were examined using reverse transcription‑polymerase chain reaction (RT‑PCR), methylation specific PCR (MS‑PCR), and immunohistochemical staining. The demethylating agent 5‑aza‑2'‑deoxycytidine (ADC) was used to reverse the methylation of the RUNX3 promoter. Loss of RUNX3 expression was observed in 50.9% (27/53) of endometrial cancer tissues and in the HEC1‑α cell line by immunohistochemistry and RT‑PCR, respectively. Methylation of the RUNX3 promoter was observed in 62.2% (33/53) of endometrial cancer tissues, 12.5% (1/8) of normal endometrial tissues, and the HEC1‑α cell line by MS‑PCR. Tumor grade and stage were significantly correlated with loss of RUNX3 expression. The expression of RUNX3 was restored by treatment with ADC and resulted in growth inhibition in HEC1‑α cells. The present results suggested that methylation may serve a critical role in the silencing of RUNX3 and loss of RUNX3 expression may serve as a prognostic marker in endometrial cancer.
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