Revised ETS must give NHS a 'fair deal'.

Tracy Cook, the NHS European Office's European policy manager (pictured), examines the European Emissions Trading Scheme (the ETS) and its implications for the NHS, and focuses on some of the key concerns expressed by NHS estates and facilities managers during recent consultations as proposed revisions to the scheme are discussed at a national ministerial and European Parliament level.

Nitric oxide and ionizing radiation synergistically promote apoptosis and growth inhibition of cancer by activating p53.

Nitric oxide (NO) is a potent tumor radiosensitizer; however, its clinical use is limited by systemic side effects. We have demonstrated previously that gene transfer of the human inducible NO synthase (iNOS) gene into tumor cells and tumors induces high-output NO production that significantly enhances tumor radioresponsiveness, with no observed side effects. Notably, iNOS gene transfer enhances tumor radioresponsiveness via apoptotic cell death.

Adenoviral gene transfer of the human inducible nitric oxide synthase gene enhances the radiation response of human colorectal cancer associated with alterations in tumor vascularity.

Nitric oxide is a potent radiosensitizer of tumors, but its use clinically is limited by serious side effects when administered systemically. We have demonstrated previously that gene transfer of the inducible nitric oxide synthase gene (iNOS) into colorectal cancer cells enhances radiation-induced apoptosis in vitro. The objectives of this study were to further characterize the effects of iNOS gene transfer on the radiosensitivity of human colorectal cancer cells in vitro and tumors grown in athymic nude mice.

Overexpression of the human inducible nitric oxide synthase gene enhances radiation-induced apoptosis in colorectal cancer cells via a caspase-dependent mechanism.

Nitric oxide (NO) has been reported to sensitize cancer cells to radiation. Since delivery of NO to tumors is limited in vivo by systemic toxicity of NO, we examined the potential of gene delivery of the human inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) gene as a means of achieving high output NO production. We successfully transduced two colorectal cancer cell lines as evidenced by increased iNOS protein accumulation and nitrite production.