The viscoelastic properties of filled elastomers (uncured styrene–butadiene rubber filled with carbon black) were investigated with two shear rheometers specially designed for the characterization of complex polymer systems. A torsional strain‐controlled rheometer [i.e., a rubber process analyzer (RPA)] was used in dynamic and relaxation modes for measuring the storage and loss moduli and the relaxation modulus. A stress‐controlled sliding cylinder rheometer (SCR) was operated for the measurement of the creep compliance. Both devices could be operated on a large scale of imposed strains or stresses ranging from the linear viscoelastic regime to the nonlinear viscoelastic regime, and they were complementary in supporting the original viscoelastic behavior of filled elastomers for a wide experimental time range. Moreover, when the measuring ranges of the two apparatus overlapped, a cross‐check of the material functions obtained with the RPA or SCR could be successfully carried out. This validation of the data was performed not only in the linear domain of viscoelasticity, with the classical approach of a generalized Maxwell model, but also in the nonlinear domain, with a viscoelastic integral model of type K‐BKZ. © 2002 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 87: 31–41, 2003

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Changes in tumor metabolic activity after 14 days of preoperative chemoradiotherapy are significantly correlated with tumor response and patient survival. This suggests that FDG-PET might be used to identify nonresponders early during neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy, allowing for early modifications of the treatment protocol.

BackgroundRecent randomized controlled trials comparing neoadjuvant chemoradiation plus surgery or perioperative chemotherapy plus surgery with surgery alone showed significant survival benefits for combined modality treatment of patients with localized esophageal adenocarcinoma. However, head-to-head comparisons of neoadjuvant chemoradiation and perioperative chemotherapy applying contemporary treatment protocols are lacking. The present trial was initiated to obtain valid information whether neoadjuvant chemoradiation or perioperative chemotherapy yields better survival in the treatment of localized esophageal adenocarcinoma.Methods/designThe ESOPEC trial is an investigator-initiated multicenter prospective randomized controlled two-arm trial, comparing the efficacy of neoadjuvant chemoradiation (CROSS protocol: 41.4Gy plus carboplatin/paclitaxel) followed by surgery versus perioperative chemotherapy and surgery (FLOT protocol: 5-FU/leucovorin/oxaliplatin/docetaxel) for the curative treatment of localized esophageal adenocarcinoma. Patients with cT1cN + cM0 and cT2-4acNxcM0 esophageal and junctional adenocarcinoma are eligible. The trial aims to include 438 participants who are centrally randomized to one of the two treatment groups in a 1:1 ratio stratified by N-stage and study site. The primary endpoint of the trial is overall survival assessed with a minimum follow-up of 36 months. Secondary objectives are progression-free survival, recurrence-free survival, site of failure, postoperative morbidity and mortality, duration of hospitalization as well as quality of life.DiscussionThe ESOPEC trial compares perioperative chemotherapy according to the FLOT protocol to neoadjuvant chemoradiation according to the CROSS protocol in multimodal treatment of non-metastasized recectable adenocarcinoma of the esophagus and the gastroesophageal junction. The goal of the trial is identify the superior protocol with regard to patient survival, treatment morbidity and quality of life. Trial registrationNCT02509286 (July 22, 2015)Electronic supplementary materialThe online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s12885-016-2564-y) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Lymph node ratio and lymph node status are the most important prognostic factors in patients with resected gastric cancer. In experienced centers, extended lymph node dissection does not increase the mortality or morbidity rate of resection for gastric cancer but markedly improves long-term survival in patients with stage II tumors. This effect appears to be independent of the phenomenon of stage migration.

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E-Cadherin alterations have been reported frequently in sporadic diffuse type gastric and lobular breast carcinomas. Germline mutations of this gene have been identified recently in several gastric cancer families. We analyzed seven patients with a family history of the disease who had diffuse type gastric cancer diagnosed before the age of 45 for germline mutations in CDH1, the gene encoding the E-cadherin protein.We identified a frameshift mutation in exon 3 in one patient with a strong family history of gastric cancer. The same germline mutation was found in the patient's mother , who had metachronous development of lobular breast and diffuse type gastric carcinomas. Immunohistochemistry for E-cadherin protein expression revealed an abnormal staining pattern in both of these tumors, suggesting complete inactivation of the cell adhesion molecule. Thus, our finding suggests that besides diffuse type gastric cancer, lobular breast carcinomas may be associated with germline CDH1 mutations. (Am J Pathol 1999, 155:337-342)