Applications of the finite state automata for counting restricted permutations and variations

In this paper, we use the finite state automata to count the number of restricted permutations and the number of restricted variations. For each type of restricted permutations, we construct a finite state automaton able to recognize and enumerate them. We, also, discuss how it encompasses the other known methods for enumerating permutations with restricted position, and in one case, we establish connections with some other combinatorial structures, such as subsets and compositions

Epidemiology of Primary Liver Cancer in Serbia and Possible Connection With Cyanobacterial Blooms

Today, the occurrence of harmful cyanobacterial blooms is a common phenomenon and a potential global health problem. Cyanobacteria can produce metabolites highly toxic to humans. More than 80% of reservoirs used for water supply in Central Serbia have bloomed over the past 80years. A 10-year epidemiological study showed a significant increase in the incidence of primary liver cancer (PLC) in the regions where water from the blooming reservoirs was used for human consumption. At the same time, no correlation was found between the incidence of PLC and other risk factors, such as cirrhosis and hepatitis viruses. Given the strong association with PLC induction and various known possible mechanisms of carcinogenic action, it is highly possible that, cyanotoxinsacting as initiator and promotermay be the major risk factor that acts synergistically with other risk factors to cause increased incidence of PLC. However, at present, it is still not certain whether cyanotoxins alone were sufficient to induce PLC. Therefore, additional assessment of the health risks that may arise from human exposure to cyanotoxins is advisable

Case with triple-negative breast cancer shows overexpression of both cFOS and TGF-beta 1 in node-positive tissue

We present herein a case report style article on a rare advanced triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) patient with 6-month disease-free interval, and 10-month overall survival. Our results demonstrate that the poor clinical outcome of this patient was associated with pronounced, more than fivefold higher, overexpression of both cFOS and TGF-beta 1 proteins in its metastatic nodal tissue extracts, when compared with the values of the two non-TNBC controls (with zero disease-free interval and overall survival). This original observation suggests, for the first time, that both the cFOS and TGF-beta 1 may be considered as a pair of biomarkers for an early assessment of poor prognosis for TNBC patients. The possible clinical implication of this observation is discussed

Quantification of Transforming Growth Factor Beta 1 Levels in Metastatic Axillary Lymph Node Tissue Extracts from Breast Cancer Patients A New Specimen Source

OBJECTIVE: To use cytoplasmic tissue extract as a new specimen source to quantify transforming growth factor beta 1 (TGF beta 1) protein in metastatic axillary lymph node tissue (ALNT) of breast cancer (BC) patients and to confirm the feasibility of this approach in a prospective pilot study on a subgroup of patients with invasive BC. STUDY DESIGN: The 6 selected malignant and autologous nonmalignant pairs of ALNT were fractionated, under special preanalytical, nonaggressive/nondenaturing conditions, to obtain respective cytoplasmic extracts for TGF beta 1 detection by the Quantikine (R and D Systems Inc., Minneapolis, Minnesota, U.S.A.) enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay kit. RESULTS: The data indicated a highly significant (r=0.973054) positive linear correlation between the TGF beta 1 concentration and total protein concentration in cytoplasmic extract of metastatic ALNT. The subsequent patients pilot study, performed strictly before any clinicopathologic factors were accessible, revealed significantly (p LT 0.01) elevated TGF beta 1 in malignant ALNT (median value: 1.05 ng/mg protein, range: 0.67-3.6 ng/mg protein, n=6) vs. autologous nonmalignant ALNT controls (median value: 0.48 ng/mg protein, range: 0.29-0.90 ng/mg protein, n=6). This elevation was correlated with the number of metastatic axillary lymph nodes with respect to the total and was consistent with an increase in size of tumor deposits in axillary lymph nodes. CONCLUSION: Our data provide for the first time suggestive evidence that the TGF beta 1 level in cytoplasmic extracts of metastatic ALNTs may be a promising bio-marker of invasiveness for BC patients. Confirmatory, large-scale studies are needed to evaluate possible implications of this putative biomarker in BC diagnosis and treatment. (Anal Quant Cytol Histol 2009;31:288-295

Elevated plasma TGF-beta(1) levels correlate with decreased survival of metastatic breast cancer patients

Background: The role of circulating TGF-beta(1) in prognosis of breast cancer (BC) was investigated with an intention to define TGF-beta(1)-dependent high risk and low risk subsets of patients. Methods: Fifty three BC patients of all clinical stages and 37 healthy donors (HD) were analyzed for plasma TGF-beta(1) by the T beta RII receptor-based Quantikine TGF-beta(1) ELISA kit. Results: The plasma TGF-beta(1) level of Stage I/II disease (median: 0.94 ng/ml; n=10)) remained close to HD (median: 1.30 ng/ml; n = 37; p GT 0.1). In contrast, Stage III/IV disease (median: 2.34 ng/ml; n=43) exhibited highly significant TGF-beta(1) elevation (p LT 0.001) relative to HD. Further analysis revealed that TGF-beta(1) increase was predominantly attributed to Stage IV, metastatic disease patients (Q3=4.23 ng/ml) rather than to the group Stage III/IV (Q3=3.58 ng/ml). Using the plasma TGF-beta(1) concentration of 3.00 ng/ml as the cut-off value, two subgroups of patients were formed. Overall 2-year survival of the first subgroup, having elevated plasma TGF-beta(1) ( GT 3.00 ng/ml; n=10), was 10%. This was significantly decreased (p LT 0.05) compared to 52% survival observed for the second subgroup of patients with plasma TGF beta(1) values close to HD ( LT 3.00 ng/ml, n=19). Conclusion: We have performed a pilot study to determine the relationship between overall survival and TGF-beta(1) concentration in the blood of metastatic breast cancer patients. The survival was significantly reduced in the patients with elevated plasma TGF-beta(1) levels compared to that of the patients with plasma TGF-beta(1) levels close to normal. We propose that plasma TGF-beta(1) concentration may be a new tumour marker attributed to the presence of metastatic BC cells that may be used in selection of metastatic BC patients with poor prognosis. (c) 2006 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved

Characteristics of novel myeloid precursor cell line, PC-MDS, established from a bone marrow of the patient with therapy-related myelodysplastic syndrome

We report on characteristics of the first human cell line, PC-MDS, derived from a bone marrow of a patient with therapy-related myelodysplastic syndrome (t-MDS) who had no overt post-MDS leukemia. Classic cytology analyses, immunophenotyping, cytogenetic and molecular genetic procedures were used for characterization of the cell line. PC-MDS cells are positive for the expression of CD13, CD15, CD30, CD33, and CD45 antigen. Positive cytochemical staining and immunophenotype analyses indicated that PC-MDS cells have some characteristics of the early myeloid precursor cell. The karyotype analysis of PC-MDS cell line revealed various numerical and structural changes including those typically associated with t-MDS: del(5)(q13)[7], der(5)t(5;11)(p11;q11)[13], -7[6], del(7)(q31)[2], +20[3], -20[4]. Evaluation of methylation status in a promoter region of p 15, p 16 and MGMT genes showed biallelic hypermethylation pattern of 5 promoter region only in MGMT gene. PC-MDS is the first t-MDS derived cell line, and based on its immunological, cytogenetic and molecular characterization could be a new tool in evaluation of complex biology of MDS and a model for methylation studies. (c) 2007 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved