Exploiting antibody biology for the treatment of cancer.

Over the last decade, antibodies have become an important component in the arsenal of cancer therapeutics. High-specificity, low off-target effects, desirable pharmacokinetics and high success rate are a few of the many attributes that make antibodies amenable for development as drugs. To design antibodies for successful clinical applications, however, it is critical to have an understanding of their structure, functions, mechanisms of action and pharmacokinetic/pharmacodynamic properties.

Image-based multiscale mechanical modeling shows the importance of structural heterogeneity in the human lumbar facet capsular ligament.

The lumbar facet capsular ligament (FCL) primarily consists of aligned type I collagen fibers that are mainly oriented across the joint. The aim of this study was to characterize and incorporate in-plane local fiber structure into a multiscale finite element model to predict the mechanical response of the FCL during in vitro mechanical tests, accounting for the heterogeneity in different scales. Characterization was accomplished by using entire-domain polarization-sensitive optical coherence tomography to measure the fiber structure of cadaveric lumbar FCLs ([Formula: see text]).

Ambulatory blood pressure response to triple therapy with an angiotensin-receptor blocker (ARB), calcium-channel blocker (CCB), and HCTZ versus dual therapy with an ARB and HCTZ.

Background: Stage 2 hypertension often requires combination antihypertensive therapy. Ambulatory blood pressure monitoring (ABPM) is a useful tool for assessing antihypertensive drugs and their combinations.

Objective: To compare the effect of a moderate dose of angiotensin receptor blocker/calcium channel blocker (ARB/CCB) combined with a diuretic versus a maximal dose of ARB with a diuretic on 24-hour ambulatory blood pressure monitoring (ABPM) and other derived ambulatory blood pressure (ABP) parameters.

Occupational exposure decisions: can limited data interpretation training help improve accuracy?

Accurate exposure assessments are critical for ensuring that potentially hazardous exposures are properly identified and controlled. The availability and accuracy of exposure assessments can determine whether resources are appropriately allocated to engineering and administrative controls, medical surveillance, personal protective equipment and other programs designed to protect workers. A desktop study was performed using videos, task information and sampling data to evaluate the accuracy and potential bias of participants' exposure judgments.

Disruption of sarcolemmal ATP-sensitive potassium channel activity impairs the cardiac response to systolic overload.

Sarcolemmal ATP-sensitive potassium channels (K(ATP)) act as metabolic sensors that facilitate adaptation of the left ventricle to changes in energy requirements. This study examined the mechanism by which K(ATP) dysfunction impairs the left ventricular response to stress using transgenic mouse strains with cardiac-specific disruption of K(ATP) activity (SUR1-tg mice) or Kir6.2 gene deficiency (Kir6.

Review of "Implications of Hormesis for Industrial Hygiene".

Hormesis is an appealing concept when considered from the evolutionary viewpoint. It may provide a new approach to deriving the "no observed adverse effect level" for occupational exposures to chemicals. An over-reliance on mathematical modeling without a clear understanding of exposures and health outcomes stymies current scientific decision-making.

Localization to chicken chromosome 5 of a novel locus determining salmonellosis resistance.

Clear genetic differences in the susceptibility of chickens to visceral infection by Salmonella have been observed and it has been possible to identify resistant and susceptible lines of inbred chickens. We report here the results of experiments to map directly the gene(s) controlling this trait in chickens by examining crosses between highly susceptible and highly resistant lines. In the mapping panel, a region on chicken Chromosome (Chr) 5 was found to have a large effect on resistance, and this effect was observed in three separate resource populations.