A Scoring System to Predict Arm Lymphedema Risk for Individual Chinese Breast Cancer Patients.

BACKGROUND: Lymphedema (LE) is recognized as a common complication after axillary lymph node dissection (ALND). Numerous studies have attempted to identify risk factors for LE. However, it is difficult to predict the probability of LE for an individual patient. The purpose of this study was to construct a scoring system for predicting the probability of LE after ALND for Chinese breast cancer patients. PATIENTS AND METHODS: 358 breast cancer patients were surveyed and followed for 12 months. LE was defined by circumferential measurement. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were used to screen risk factors of LE. Based on this, ß-coefficient of each risk factor was translated into a prognostic score and the scoring system was constructed. The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) and calibration were calculated as an index for the predictive value of the scoring system. The model was internally validated using bootstrapping techniques. RESULTS: The incidence rate of LE was 31.84%. Variables associated with LE and their corresponding score in the scoring system were: the level of ALND (level I = 0, level II = 1, level III = 2), history of hypertension (yes = 1, no = 0), surgery on dominant arm (yes = 1, no = 0), radiotherapy (yes = 2, no = 0), and surgical infection/seroma/early edema (yes = 2, no = 0). The probability of LE was predicted according to the total risk scores. The system had good discrimination, with an AUC at 0.877. If a cut-off value of 3 was used, the sensitivity was 81.20% and the specificity was 80.90%. An individual whose total risk score was higher than 3 was recognized as being at risk for LE. On internal validation, the bootstrap-corrected predictive accuracy was 0.798. The model demonstrated excellent calibration in the development set and internal validation. CONCLUSIONS: Our scoring system could be a simple and easy tool for physicians to estimate the risk of LE.

Streptomyces lushanensis sp. nov., a novel actinomycete with anti-cyanobacterial activity.

Strain JXJ 0135(T), an anti-cyanobacterial actinomycete, was isolated from a soil sample collected from Lushan Mountain, south China, and identified by using polyphasic approach. Phylogenetic analysis of the near-complete 16S rRNA gene sequence indicated that strain JXJ 0135(T) belongs to the genus Streptomyces and exhibited distinct subclade and also highest similarity (98.6%) to Streptomyces scopuliridis RB72(T). The strain developed well-branched substrate and aerial mycelia, and produced spiral spore chains. Spores were elliptical and the spore surface was smooth. The strain contained LL-diaminopimelic acid with whole-cell sugars of mannose, rhamnose, glucose and galactose. Phospholipids were diphosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylethanolamine, phosphatidylinositol mannosides, phosphotidylinositol dimannoside, an unidentified aminophospholipid and an unknown phospholipid. The menaquinones were MK-9(H6) and MK-9(H8). The major components of the fatty acids were anteiso-C15:0, iso-C16:0, anteiso-C17:0, iso-C15:0, C16:0, iso-C17:0 and iso-C14:0. The G+C content was 69.3 mol%. The DNA-DNA hybridization value between JXJ 0135(T) and S. scopuliridis RB72(T) was 41.2±1.4%. On the basis of the polyphasic data, strain JXJ 0135(T) represents a novel species of the genus Streptomyces, for which the name Streptomyces lushanensis sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is JXJ 0135(T) (=DSM 42121(T)=JCM 19628(T)=KCTC 29261(T)=KACC 17834(T)=NRRL B-24994(T)).

Isolation and characterization of Rhodococcus sp. Y22 and its potential application to tobacco processing.

A novel nicotine-degrading bacterium, strain Y22, was isolated and identified as Rhodococcus sp. Y22 based on its 16S rDNA sequence and morphological and biochemical features. The isolate could utilize nicotine as the sole source of carbon and nitrogen. Nicotine (1.0g/L) was degraded by Rhodococcus sp. Y22 within 52h at 28 degrees C and pH 7.0. Preparation of resting cells from nicotine-induced cultures was found to rapidly and efficiently degrade nicotine from solutions as well as from tobacco leaves. Therefore, Rhodococcus sp. Y22 has the potential to degrade nicotine during tobacco leave processing.