Analysis of hypoxia-related gene expression in sarcomas and effect of hypoxia on RNA interference of vascular endothelial cell growth factor A.

Vascular endothelial cell growth factor A (VEGF-A) and hypoxia play important roles in tumor angiogenesis. VEGF-A gene expression is up-regulated in tumors under hypoxic conditions, yet it is unclear how such up-regulation will affect the efficacy of RNA interference strategies targeting VEGF-A. Four potential short interfering RNA (siRNA) sequences for the VEGF-A gene were cloned into expression plasmids and transfected into HT1080 human fibrosarcoma cells.

Acute otitis media-diagnosis and treatment in the era of antibiotic resistant organisms: updated clinical practice guidelines.

The treatment of children with AOM has to rely on an accurate diagnosis and a clear discrimination between AOM and serous otitis media. The last decade has seen major changes in the epidemiology of AOM with an earlier onset of disease and a greater proportion of children with recurrent/complicated AOM. The processes of changing susceptibility of bacterial pathogens added a major problem in treatment selection.

Acute otitis media caused by Streptococcus pyogenes in children.

Background: Streptococcus pyogenes, or group A beta -hemolytic Streptococcus (GAS), is an important causative agent of bacterial pharyngotonsillititis and skin, soft-tissue, and invasive infections. Although it is also an important pathogen in acute otitis media (AOM), its exact role has not been determined.

Methods: Patients aged 0-18 years with AOM, from whom a specimen of middle-ear fluid was obtained and cultured during 1999-2003, were enrolled.

An optimal duration of daily wear for an insole with subtalar strapping in patients with varus deformity osteoarthritis of the knee.

Objective: To assess the optimal duration of daily wear for a laterally wedged insole with subtalar strapping in subjects with medial compartment osteoarthritis of the knee (knee OA).

Design: The setting was an outpatient clinic. Eighty-one patients with knee OA were prospectively randomized according to birth date and to either 2 weeks of treatment with a lateral wedge with subtalar strapping for less than 5 h (the short group), 5-10 h (the medium group) or greater than 10 h (the long group) each day, or to treatment with a subtalar strapping band without lateral wedge (the placebo group).

Antigens recognized by autologous antibodies of patients with soft tissue sarcoma.

Serological analysis of recombinant cDNA libraries (SEREX) uses high titer IgGs to identify antigens expressed by autologous cancers. In order to identify tumor antigens in soft tissue sarcoma (STS), sera from four patients with malignant fibrous histiocytoma (MFH), gastrointestinal stromal tumor (GIST), pleomorphic liposarcoma, and dedifferentiated liposarcoma were screened against cDNA libraries derived from autologous tumor. We identified 18 antigens encoded by 15 different genes, including DLG7, which is located on chromosome 14q22, a locus previously found to be altered in STS, and the proto-oncogene JUN.

Identification of cancer-testis genes expressed by melanoma and soft tissue sarcoma using bioinformatics.

Cancer-testis or germ cell antigens (GCAs) are a category of tumor antigens expressed by male germ cells and by cancers of diverse histological origin, but not usually by normal adult somatic tissue. These antigens include products encoded by the MAGE, BAGE, GAGE, SSX, and LAGE/NY-ESO-1 families that encode antigenic peptides recognized by T lymphocytes. In this study, we exploit oligonucleotide technology to identify genes in melanoma and soft tissue sarcoma (STS) that display a cancer-testis/GCA expression profile.

Twin paternity.

An unusual case of uncertain twin paternity is presented. New research on inbred strains of mice may hold important clues for paternity testing of twins in the future. Next, four recent twin studies examining selected topics in autism, color perception, language development and high-order pregnancy risk are reviewed.

The effects of Pilates training on flexibility and body composition: an observational study.

Objective: To assess claims regarding the effects of Pilates training on flexibility, body composition, and health status.

Design: An observational prospective study.

Setting: A community athletic club.

Eyelash length in children and adolescents with allergic diseases.

Long eyelashes may be congenital, acquired in association with certain systemic diseases, or drug induced. In the past, long eyelashes were considered an external sign found in children with allergic diseases. However, this claim has never been examined in a controlled study.

The cognitive, behavioral, and personality profiles of a male monozygotic triplet set discordant for sexual orientation.

The neurohormonal theory of sexual orientation proposes that homosexual men and homosexual women are exposed prenatally to a hormonal environment that is similar to that of the other sex. Prenatal exposure to an opposite-sex hormonal environment may lead the nervous system to develop in a manner consistent with the opposite sex. If this cross-sex exposure occurs, one prediction would be that the cognitive ability profile of homosexual men would be similar to that of heterosexual women.

Circulating angiogenic factor levels correlate with extent of disease and risk of recurrence in patients with soft tissue sarcoma.

Background: Tumor angiogenesis, or new blood vessel formation, is regulated by a balance between pro-angiogenic factors such as vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF), and anti-angiogenic factors such as endostatin.

Patients And Methods: To investigate this angiogenic balance in soft tissue sarcomas (STS), blood samples were collected from 76 STS patients and 15 healthy controls, and analyzed for VEGF, bFGF and endostatin using quantitative enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISA).

Results: Forty-one patients (54%) had primary tumors, 20 (26%) had local recurrences and 15 (20%) had metastatic disease with or without local disease.

The Israel National Skin Bank: Quality Assurance and Graft Performance of Stored Tissues.

The Israel National Skin Bank (INSB) was founded jointly by the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) Medical Corps and the Ministry of Health in 1986. The prime purpose of the Skin Bank is to treat burn victims incurred at war or during mass casualty incidences. The INSB Protocol is comprised of international skin bank protocols and our previous and present research results.

[Endoscopic management of chronic frontal sinusitis in the Negev population, Israel].

Background: Chronic frontal sinusitis is a relatively common condition, yet one with potential for complications. The treatment of chronic frontal sinusitis has always been a challenge for the otolaryngologist, and it remains so even in the age of endoscopic sinus surgery. Successful treatment is evaluated by both subjective (patient history) and objective (radiologic and endoscopic) criteria.

Gene expression in gastrointestinal stromal tumors is distinguished by KIT genotype and anatomic site.

Purpose: Gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GISTs) are specific KIT expressing and KIT-signaling driven mesenchymal tumors of the human digestive tract, many of which have KIT-activating mutations. Previous studies have found a relatively homogeneous gene expression profile in GIST, as compared with other histological types of sarcomas. Transcriptional heterogeneity within clinically or molecularly defined subsets of GISTs has not been previously reported.

Between twins; research summaries; in the real world.

Research on unusually long birth intervals between twin and triplet deliveries is reviewed. A recent multicentre study reported gestational and survival data for 35 multiple birth sets from 12 centers, and evaluated conservative treatment strategies for mothers delivering one twin fetus. Next, findings from three recent twin studies are reviewed: effects of close inter-twin communication on longevity; case report of dizygous twins with a single chorion; and a case of discordance for hemihypertrophy in an MZ female twin pair.