S-1 Based Doublet as an Adjuvant Chemotherapy for Curatively Resected Stage III Gastric Cancer: Results from the Randomized Phase III POST Trial / Journal of the Korean Cancer Association, 대한암학회지

PURPOSE: We conducted a randomized, multicenter, phase III trial to compare S-1 plus docetaxel (DS) with S-1 plus cisplatin (SP) as adjuvant chemotherapy for stage III gastric cancer patients. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Stage III gastric cancer patients who had received curative gastrectomy with D2 lymphadenectomy were randomized into equal groups to receive adjuvant chemotherapy of eight cycles of DS (S-1 70 mg/m2/day on days 1-14 plus docetaxel 35 mg/m2on days 1 and 8) every 3 weeks or SP (S-1 70 mg/m2/day on days 1-14 plus cisplatin 60 mg/m2on day 1) every 3 weeks. The primary endpoint was 3-year disease-free survival (DFS) rate. RESULTS: Between November 2010 and July 2013, 153 patients (75 patients to DS and 78 patients to SP) were enrolled from 8 institutions in Korea. After the capecitabine plus oxaliplatin was approved based on the CLASSIC study, itwas decided to close the study early. With a median follow-up duration of 56.9 months, the 3-year DFS rate between two groups was not significantly different (49.14% in DS group vs. 52.5% in SP group). The most common grade 3-4 adverse event was neutropenia (42.7% in DS and 38.5% in SP, p=0.351). SP group had more grade 3-4 anemia (1.3% vs. 11.5%, p=0.037), whereas grade 3-4 hand-foot syndrome (4.1% vs. 0%, p=0.025) and mucositis (10.7% vs. 2.6%, p=0.001) were more common in DS group. Fifty-one patients (68%) in DS group and 52 (66.7%) in SP group finished planned treatment. CONCLUSION: Our findings suggest that SP or DS is an effective and tolerable option for patients with curatively resected stage III gastric cancer.

A Computational Model of the Temperature-dependent Changes in Firing Patterns in Aplysia Neurons

We performed experiments using Aplysia neurons to identify the mechanism underlying the changes in the firing patterns in response to temperature changes. When the temperature was gradually increased from 11degrees C to 31degrees C the firing patterns changed sequentially from the silent state to beating, doublets, beating-chaos, bursting-chaos, square-wave bursting, and bursting-oscillation patterns. When the temperature was decreased over the same temperature range, these sequential changes in the firing patterns reappeared in reverse order. To simulate this entire range of spiking patterns we modified nonlinear differential equations that Chay and Lee made using temperature-dependent scaling factors. To refine the equations, we also analyzed the spike pattern changes in the presence of potassium channel blockers. Based on the solutions of these equations and potassium channel blocker experiments, we found that, as temperature increases, the maximum value of the potassium channel relaxation time constant, taun(t) increases, but the maximum value of the probabilities of openings for activation of the potassium channels, n(t) decreases. Accordingly, the voltage-dependent potassium current is likely to play a leading role in the temperature-dependent changes in the firing patterns in Aplysia neurons.

The Usefulness of Aspheric Doublet Lens

Ideal low vision devices used for reading should have a large clear field of view.To determine the usefulness of Aspheric Doublet Lens, we compared visual field, image clarity and reading speed of aids in 100 patients who were prescribed with Aspheric doublet lens, Telemicroscope with plus cap and Hand held magnifier.Aspheric doublet lens was prescribed most commonly.Used lens of optical aids was aspheric doublet lens, aplantic lens, biconvex lens and aspheric lens.Visual field and image clarity of Aspheric doublet lens were wider and clearer than those of other devices.Reading speed of each aid after prescription was improved significantly than before prescription (P=0.01).Reading speed of Aspheric doublet lens was more improved than that of other devices.Therefore Aspheric doublet lens might be useful as reading aids to low vision patients.

Low Vision Aid Prescription for Near Vision in Low Vision Patients

We have reported general principles of low vision aid prescription. But, we have not reported near vision aid prescription only. So, we analyse prescriptions of near low vision aid(diagnosis, type, magnification, etc) and present new near low vision aids that patients feels comfortable. We reviewed the clinical records of 100 patients who visited our low vision clinic more than twice and was prescribed near low vision aid for low vision. According to the data analysed, optic nerve atrophy was the most common etiology for low vision. Illuminated hand held magnifier(31.3%), telemicroscope with plus cap(27.7%), aspheric doublet sens(Clear Image II)(24.1%) were low vision aids most commonly used for near vision, but we knew new trend that newly prescribed aids(telemicroscope with plus cap, aspheric doublet lens) were prescribed more than illuminated hand held magnifier. After prescription of the low vision aid, visual acuity improved significantly (p<0.05). We examined contrast sensitivity test to measure the functional acuity and predict the visual prognosis after prescription of low visio aid.In addition,we studied the relationship between reading speed and the degree of contrast sensitivity and we knew that the relationship between degree of contrast sensitivity and reading speed was associated(p<0.05). Majority of patients(89%) were benefited from prescribed low vision aids.