Central statistical monitoring can both optimize on-site monitoring and improve data quality and as such provides a cost-effective way of meeting regulatory requirements for clinical trials.

We report a potential association of variants in the CCND1 and CDH1 genes with fCRC using a unique study design with phenotypic extremes.

Our results indicate that liver fibrosis stimulates tumour development of implanted syngenic hepatoma cells. Accelerated tumour growth was going along with elevated intratumoral VEGF-A and VEGF-A receptor status, which most probably mediated pro-angiogenic and prometastatic effects in this model. Furthermore, advanced tumour spread was associated with increased MMP-2/-9 expression. These data suggest that the intratumoral VEGF-A proteins levels and VEGF receptor status contribute to accelerated hepatocellular carcinoma development in fibrotic mice and that elevated MMP-2, MMP-9 and VEGF-C levels could promote tumour metastasis in this model.

This study shows that electrical skin resistance at APs can either be lower or higher compared to the surrounding area. The phenomenon is characterized by high short-term and low long-term reproducibility. Therefore, we conclude that APs might possess specific transient electrical properties. However, as the majority of the measured APs did not show a changed ESR, it cannot be concluded from our data that electrical skin resistance measurements can be used for acupuncture point localization or diagnostic/therapeutic purposes.