Th1/Th2 cytokine imbalance in meningioma, anaplastic astrocytoma and glioblastoma multiforme patients.

The balance between Th1 and Th2 cytokines is thought to be an important factor in terms of tumour prognosis. Serum samples from 61 newly diagnosed patients with brain tumours and 50 age- and sex-matched non-tumour controls were analysed by ELISA for circulating levels of interleukin-12 (IL-12p70 and p40) and interleukin-10 (IL-10); pivotal Th1 and Th2 cytokines, respectively. Patients were divided into various groups depending on their histological diagnosis: meningioma (n=11), anaplastic astrocytoma (n=4) and glioblastoma multiforme (GBM; n=46).

Implication of the BRCA2 and putative "BRCA3" genes in Dukes' stage C, replication error-negative colon cancer.

Background: Although BRCA genes have been implicated in certain tumors, particularly breast tumors, their role in colon tumorigenesis has not been fully explored. We aimed to investigate the association of the BRCA2 and putative "BRCA3" genes in a homogeneous series of right-sided colon cancer specimens.

Methods: Twenty-three Dukes' stage C, replication error-negative carcinomas were selected from patients with right-sided colon cancer.

Mismatch repair, p53 and chromosomal aberrations in primary colorectal carcinomas.

Colorectal carcinoma progresses via at least two genetic pathways. Microsatellite instability, due to defective mismatch repair genes, characterizes one pathway and gross chromosomal instability another. The involvement of p53 and mismatch repair gene abnormalities within these pathways has not been fully explored.

Tumour-expressed tissue factor inhibits cellular cytotoxicity.

Aims: The association between tissue factor (TF) expression and increased rate of tumour metastasis is well established. In this study, we have examined the hypothesis that the expression of TF by disseminated tumour cells confers protection against immune recognition and cytotoxicity.

Materials And Methods: A hybrid EGFP-TF protein was expressed in HT29 colon carcinoma and K562 lymphoblast cell lines.

From total empiricism to a rational design of metronomic chemotherapy phase I dosing trials.

'Metronomic chemotherapy' represents a novel anti-angiogenic strategy whereby low-dose chemotherapy is utilized in a continuous fashion in order to target tumor endothelium. There are many potential advantages of this strategy and clinical trials are already underway. However, although the scheduling of metronomic chemotherapy is relatively unequivocal, metronomic dosing principles are at present poorly defined.

Potential prognostic and therapeutic roles for cytokines in breast cancer (Review).

Cytokines are known to have both stimulatory and inhibitory effects on breast cancer growth depending on their relative concentrations and the presence of other modulating factors in the tumour microenvironment. Certain cytokines appear to prevent an effective immune response being mounted, permitting cancer growth, whereas others promote the immune system's anti-tumour capability. Furthermore, the systemic levels of certain cytokines, e.

The impact of environmental fluctuations on structured discrete time population models: resonance, synchrony and threshold behaviour.

External forcing of a discrete time ecological system does not just add variation to existing dynamics but can change the dynamics. We study the mechanisms that can bring this about, focusing on the key concepts of excitation and suppression which emerge when analysing the power spectra of the system in linear approximation. Excitation, through resonance between the system dynamics and the external forcing, is the greater the closer the system is to the boundary of the stability region.

In vitro method to assess the antimicrobial activity and potential efficacy of novel types of wound dressings.

Aims: To develop a simple, reproducible in vitro static diffusion method using cellulose disks and defined species to test antimicrobial efficacy of wound dressings.

Methods And Results: Cellulose disks were inoculated by immersion in cell suspensions of target species Staphylococcus epidermidis, Candida albicans and Fusobacterium nucleatum. Test and control wound dressings were cut into equal sized squares (25 x 25 mm) and applied to the surface of 10-mm thick tryptone yeast extract agar on test beds.

Unraveling the chromosomal aberrations of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma: a review.

Information from the genetic analysis of head and neck cancer has grown enormously in the last 20 years. The advent of high-resolution genetic analysis techniques such as microarray technology will further expand this field in the future. Here we review the data on chromosomal aberrations of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma, focusing on the data generated by comparative genomic hybridization analysis, and suggest how such findings will be taken forward over the next decade.

Discrepancy between viable counts and light output as viability measurements, following ciprofloxacin challenge of self-bioluminescent Pseudomonas aeruginosa biofilms.

Objectives: To utilize bioluminescence to follow the effect of ciprofloxacin challenge on Pseudomonas aeruginosa biofilms.

Methods: The Sorbarod continuous perfusion culture system was used for the cultivation of biofilms of a self-bioluminescent strain of P. aeruginosa PAO1.

Assessing the relationship between concentrations of malodor compounds and odor scores from judges.

Background: The purpose of this review was to assess the relationship between mean organoleptic scores (using a 0-to-5 scale) and concentrations of putative odorants representative of those thought to be important in oral malodor, as well as to propose a simple model that explains the dose-response curves obtained from a group of odor judges.

Methods: The model assumes that the scale is rooted at the detection threshold (0), the maximum score (5) is fully saturating and the brain and olfactory nervous system can act as a faithful transducer of the state of binding (occupancy) of the smell receptors in the nose. The authors predicted that the response would be exponential or sigmoidal in nature.

Factors modulating the pH at which calcium and magnesium phosphates precipitate from human urine.

The factors controlling the rate at which crystalline bacterial biofilms develop on indwelling bladder catheters are poorly understood. It is known that normally the pH of voided urine (pHv) is lower than the pH at which calcium and magnesium phosphates come out of urine solution (pHn). In patients who develop infections with urease producing bacteria, however, the pHv rises above the pHn and precipitation of the phosphates occurs in the urine and the biofilm.

Near IR emitting isothiocyanato-substituted fluorophores: their synthesis and bioconjugation to monoclonal antibodies.

Two near IR emitting fluorophores, based on the phthalocyanine and naphthalocyanine chromophores, which also bear a single isothiocyanato group suitable for conjugation to proteins are reported; their utility as luminescent probes is demonstrated by conjugation to monoclonal antibodies and the ability of these conjugates to selectively bind cells bearing the relevant antigen.

The evolution of oscillatory behavior in age-structured species.

A major challenge in ecology is to explain why so many species show oscillatory population dynamics and why the oscillations commonly occur with particular periods. The background environment, through noise or seasonality, is one possible driver of these oscillations, as are the components of the trophic web with which the species interacts. However, the oscillation may also be intrinsic, generated by density-dependent effects on the life history.

Bcl-2 expression predicts radiotherapy failure in laryngeal cancer.

Early stage laryngeal cancer can be effectively cured by radiotherapy or conservative laryngeal surgery. In the UK, radiotherapy is the preferred first line treatment. However, up to 25% of patients with T2 tumours will demonstrate locally persistent or recurrent disease at the original site, requiring salvage surgery to achieve a definitive cure.

Assessment of dendritic cell number and radiosensitivity in laryngeal tumours.

Objectives: Radiotherapy is one of the principal treatment modalities for many types of head and neck tumour; what effects the dendritic cell (DC) population may have on treatment outcome have not been critically evaluated in laryngeal cancer.

Design: Retrospective, case-controlled study using immunohistochemistry to investigate the presence of S-100 positive DC in pre-treatment, archival biopsy tissue of early stage laryngeal cancers.

Setting: Patients with laryngeal cancer treated with radiotherapy in Head and Neck Departments in England.

The development and characterisation of porphyrin isothiocyanate-monoclonal antibody conjugates for photoimmunotherapy.

A promising approach to increase the specificity of photosensitizers used in photodynamic therapy has been through conjugation to monoclonal antibodies (MAb) directed against tumour-associated antigens. Many of the conjugations performed to date have relied on the activated ester method, which can lead to impure conjugate preparations and antibody crosslinking. Here, we report the development of photosensitizer-MAb conjugates utilising two porphyrin isothiocyanates.

Use of n-butanol as an odorant to standardize the organoleptic scale of breath odour judges.

Objective: The alcohol n-butanol has been recommended for use as a standard odorant by various groups for the training or standardization of breath odour judges and sensory evaluation panels. The objective of this study is to assess the use of n-butanol as a suitable odorant for organoleptic training of breath judges.

Methods: One judge with full smell acuity was trained in the method of organoleptic assessment using odorant solutions of main chemical classes (acids, amines, indole and sulphides) with the exception of alcohols.

In vitro models for oral malodor.

A model is a representation of some real phenomena and contains aspects or elements of the real system to be modeled. The model reflects (or duplicates) the type of behavior (or mechanisms) seen in the real system. The main characteristic of any model is the mapping of elements or parameters found in the system being studied (e.

Heat shock proteins in vascular disease--a review.

Introduction: There is growing evidence that heat shock proteins (HSPs), a family of stress-inducible proteins may be involved in the pathogenesis of atherosclerotic vascular diseases. Here, we systematically review the evidence behind this notion.

Methods: A detailed literature search and extensive bibliographic review of literature relating to HSPs and atherosclerotic vascular disease.

Dendritic cells and HNSCC: a potential treatment option? (Review).

Patient survival in head and neck squamous cell cancer (HNSCC) has not changed significantly in many years, despite progress in surgical, radiotherapy and chemotherapy techniques. Immunotherapy, a rapidly progressing alternative cancer treatment, aims to prompt or assist the body's immune system to combat the disease itself. A number of strategies exist including the use of dendritic cells, natural antigen presenting cells capable of stimulating an anti-tumor immune response.

Defining the criteria for radioresistant laryngeal cancer.

Survival rates for head and neck cancer are comparatively poor, typically 40% at 5 years. Radiotherapy is one of the most common modalities used to cure early-stage cancers. It has the advantage in that it preserves anatomical structure and function.

The effect of seasonal host birth rates on population dynamics: the importance of resonance.

Many of the simple mathematical models currently in use often fail to capture important biological factors. Here we extend current models of insect-pathogen interactions to include seasonality in the birth rate. In particular, we consider the SIR model with self-regulation when applied to specific cases--rabbit haemorrhagic disease and fox rabies.