Emergence of antitumor cytolytic T cells is associated with maintenance of hematologic remission in children with acute myeloid leukemia.

Although the graft-versus-leukemia effect of allogeneic bone marrow transplantation (BMT) is of paramount importance in the maintenance of disease remission, the role played by the autologous T-cell response in antitumor immune surveillance is less defined. We evaluated the emergence of antileukemia cytotoxic T-lymphocyte precursors (CTLp's) and the correlation of this phenomenon with maintenance of hematologic remission in 16 children with acute myeloid leukemia (AML), treated with either chemotherapy alone (5 patients) or with autologous BMT (A-BMT, 11 patients). Antileukemia CTLp's were detectable in 8 patients in remission after induction chemotherapy; none of them subsequently had a relapse. Of the 8 patients who did not show detectable CTLp frequency while in remission after induction chemotherapy, 7 subsequently experienced leukemia relapse. In patients undergoing A-BMT, molecular fingerprinting of the TCR-Vbeta repertoire, performed on antileukemia lines, demonstrated that selected antileukemia T-cell clonotypes, detectable in bone marrow before transplantation, survived ex vivo pharmacologic purging and were found in the recipient after A-BMT. These data provide evidence for an active role of autologous T cells in the maintenance of hematologic remission and also suggest that quantification of antileukemia CTLp frequency may be a useful tool to identify patients at high risk for relapse, thus potentially benefiting from an allogeneic antitumor effect

Mindfulness-based interventions for young offenders: a scoping review

Youth offending is a problem worldwide. Young people in the criminal justice system have frequently experienced adverse childhood circumstances, mental health problems, difficulties regulating emotions and poor quality of life. Mindfulness-based interventions can help people manage problems resulting from these experiences, but their usefulness for youth offending populations is not clear. This review evaluated existing evidence for mindfulness-based interventions among such populations. To be included, each study used an intervention with at least one of the three core components of mindfulness-based stress reduction (breath awareness, body awareness, mindful movement) that was delivered to young people in prison or community rehabilitation programs. No restrictions were placed on methods used. Thirteen studies were included: three randomized controlled trials, one controlled trial, three pre-post study designs, three mixed-methods approaches and three qualitative studies. Pooled numbers (n = 842) comprised 99% males aged between 14 and 23. Interventions varied so it was not possible to identify an optimal approach in terms of content, dose or intensity. Studies found some improvement in various measures of mental health, self-regulation, problematic behaviour, substance use, quality of life and criminal propensity. In those studies measuring mindfulness, changes did not reach statistical significance. Qualitative studies reported participants feeling less stressed, better able to concentrate, manage emotions and behaviour, improved social skills and that the interventions were acceptable. Generally low study quality limits the generalizability of these findings. Greater clarity on intervention components and robust mixed-methods evaluation would improve clarity of reporting and better guide future youth offending prevention programs

Leiomiossarcoma Renal. Relato de caso com estudo imuno-histoquímico

Um caso raro de leiomiossarcoma renal é descrito. A caracterização histopatológica do material estudado, além das técnicas rotineiras, foi realizada com a técnica imuno-histoquímica associada a anticorpos monoclonais, definindo a neoplasia como de origem muscular. Uma breve discussão sobre a histogênese é apresentada

Environmental Geophysics at Kings Creek Disposal Site and 30th Street Landfill, Aberdeen Proving Ground, Maryland

Geophysical studies on the Bush River Peninsula in the Edgewood Area of Aberdeen Proving Ground, Maryland, delineate landfill areas and provide diagnostic signatures of the hydrogeologic framework and possible contaminant pathways. These studies indicate that, during the Pleistocene Epoch, alternating stands of high and low seal levels resulted in a complex pattern of shallow channel-fill deposits in the Kings Creek area. Ground-penetrating radar studies reveal a paleochannel greater than 50 ft deep, with a thalweg trending offshore in a southwest direction into Kings Creek. Onshore, the ground-penetrating radar data indicate a 35-ft-deep branch to the main channel, trending to the north-northwest directly beneath the 30th Street Landfill. Other branches are suspected to meet the offshore paleochannel in the wetlands south and east of the 30th Street Landfill. This paleochannel depositional system is environmentally significant because it may control the shallow groundwater flow regime beneath the site. Electromagnetic surveys have delineated the pre-fill lowland area currently occupied by the 30th Street Landfill. Magnetic and conductive anomalies outline surficial and buried debris throughout the study area. On the basis of geophysical data, large-scale dumping has not occurred north of the Kings Creek Disposal Site or east of the 30th Street Landfill

Yeasts and wine off-flavours: a technological perspective

Review article. Part of the special issue "Wine microbiology and safety: from the vineyard to the bottle (Microsafety Wine)", 19-20 Nov. 2009, ItalyIn wine production, yeasts have both beneficial and detrimental activities. Saccharomyces cerevisiae is the yeast mainly responsible for turning grape juice into wine but this species and several others may also show undesirable effects in wines. Among such effects, technologists are particularly concerned with the production of offflavours that may occur during all stages of winemaking. Typical spoiling activities include the production of ethyl acetate by apiculate yeasts before fermentation, hydrogen sulphide by S. cerevisiae during fermentation phases, acetaldehyde by film-forming yeasts during bulk storage, and volatile phenols by Dekkera bruxellensis during storage or after bottling. The occurrence of these hazards depends on the technological operations designed to obtain a given type of wine and most can be avoided by current preventive or curative measures. On the contrary, good manufacturing practices must be strengthened to deal with the problem of volatile phenol production in red wines. Appropriate monitoring of D. bruxellensis populations and quantification of 4-ethylphenol is advised during storage, particularly when oak barrels are used, and absence of viable cells must be guaranteed in bottled wines. This work, which is based on our experience at winery level, aims to provide information on appropriate technological strategies to deal with the problem of off-flavours produced by yeasts

Mouthwash use and cancer of the head and neck: a pooled analysis from the International Head and Neck Cancer Epidemiology Consortium

Most mouthwashes contain alcohol, a known cause of head and neck cancer (oral cavity, pharynx, larynx), likely through the carcinogenic activity of acetaldehyde, formed in the oral cavity from alcohol

Mouthwash use and cancer of the head and neck: a pooled analysis from the International Head and Neck Cancer Epidemiology Consortium (INHANCE)

Most mouthwashes contain alcohol, a known cause of head and neck cancer (oral cavity, pharynx, larynx), likely through the carcinogenic activity of acetaldehyde, formed in the oral cavity from alcohol. We carried out a pooled analysis of 8981 cases of head and neck cancer and 10090 controls from 12 case-control studies with comparable information on mouthwash use in the International Head and Neck Cancer Epidemiology Consortium. Logistic regression was used to assess the association of mouthwash use with cancers of the oral cavity, oropharynx, hypopharynx, and larynx, adjusting for study, age, sex, pack-years of tobacco smoking, number of alcoholic drinks/day, and education. Compared with never users of mouthwash, the odds ratio (OR) of all head and neck cancers was 1.01 [95% confidence interval (CI): 0.94-1.08] for ever users, based on 12 studies. The corresponding ORs of cancer of the oral cavity and oropharynx were 1.11 (95% CI: 1.00-1.23) and 1.28 (95% CI: 1.06-1.56), respectively. OR for all head and neck cancer was 1.15 (95% CI: 1.01-1.30) for use for more than 35 years, based on seven studies (P for linear trend=0.01), and OR 1.31 (95% CI: 1.09-1.58) for use more than one per day, based on five studies (P for linear trend <0.001). Although limited by the retrospective nature of the study and the limited ability to assess risks of mouthwash use in nonusers of tobacco and alcohol, this large investigation shows potential risks for head and neck cancer subsites and in long-term and frequent users of mouthwash. This pooled analysis provides the most precise estimate of the association between mouthwash use and head and neck cancer