Prognostic value of bcl-2 expression in invasive breast cancer.

Expression of the bcl-2 proto-oncogene was studied immunohistochemically in 251 invasive ductal breast carcinomas (median follow-up time 91 months, range 24-186 months) and the results were correlated with clinicopathological data and prognostic variables. Sixty-three (25%) tumours were scored bcl-2 negative and 188 (75%) tumours were bcl-2 positive. No relationship could be observed between bcl-2 status and tumour grade, pTNM staging or menopausal status. A strong positive relationship was demonstrated between bcl-2 immunoreactivity and oestrogen receptor status (P < 0.001) and progesterone receptor status (P < 0.001). No prognostic value was demonstrated for bcl-2 expression on disease-free survival and overall survival in axillary node-negative breast cancer patients. However, in axillary node-positive breast cancer patients multivariate analysis demonstrated absence of bcl-2 expression to be independently related to shortened disease-free survival (P = 0.003) and shortened overall survival (P < 0.001). Our results suggest a potential important role for bcl-2 expression as a modulator of response to adjuvant therapy in breast cancer

Quantification and prognostic relevance of angiogenic parameters in invasive cervical cancer.

Tumour stromal neovascularization was investigated in 114 invasive and 20 in situ carcinomas of the uterine cervix by staining representative sections with the specific endothelial marker anti CD31 (clone JC/70A, isotope IgG1). A digital image analyser was used to measure the immunoreactivity. The following parameters were determined in the 'hot spots': vessel counts, vessel perimeter and endothelial stained area (expressed per mm2). The results were correlated with clinical and histopathological data. There was no significant relationship between the histopathological findings (tumour histology, tumour differentiation, FIGO stage, presence of lymph node metastasis or lymphovascular space involvement) and the median vessel count. In a univariate analysis all angiogenesis parameters had prognostic value: a higher vascularity was associated with worse prognosis (P < 0.05). Multiple regression analysis showed that vascular permeation (P < 0.001) and the median vessel count (P = 0.005) were the most important prognostic indicators. In the future these criteria may be used for selection of patients for anti-angiogenesis therapy

Microvessel quantification in primary colorectal carcinoma: an immunohistochemical study.

The vascularisation of human primary colorectal carcinomas was studied immunohistochemically using the endothelial cell markers CD31 and factor VIII-related antigen. Tumour sections were systematically scanned at a magnification of x 100 to find areas of intense neovascularisation. Microvessel counts within these vascular 'hotspots' were performed at magnification x 250. Regions in which tumour cords were surrounded by a collagen IV-positive basement membrane were compared with those in which this was absent and with normal mucosa. CD31 appeared to be a more sensitive marker for endothelial cells than factor VIII-related antigen (mean 185 +/- 59 and 120 +/- 38 microvessels mm-2). Within individual tumour sections microvessel counts in vascular hotspots with highest vessel density correlated significantly with microvessel counts in vascular hotspots with second highest vessel density (P < 0.01). Microvessel counts in tumour areas where collagen IV-positive basement membrane were absent exceeded those in areas where it was present (factor of 1.7) and those in normal mucosa (factor of 1.6). The differences in vessel density between individual tumours and the low variability in vessel density within individual tumours using this quantification technique allow us to investigate the prognostic value of vessel density in areas of intense neovascularisation in human primary colorectal carcinomas

Burst dynamics during drainage displacements in porous media: Simulations and experiments

We investigate the burst dynamics during drainage going from low to high injection rate at various fluid viscosities. The bursts are identified as pressure drops in the pressure signal across the system. We find that the statistical distribution of pressure drops scales according to other systems exhibiting self-organized criticality. The pressure signal was calculated by a network model that properly simulates drainage displacements. We compare our results with corresponding experiments.Comment: 7 pages, 4 figures. Submitted to Europhys. Let

Oxidative modification of low-density lipoproteins and the outcome of renal allografts at 11/2 years

Oxidative modification of low-density lipoproteins and the outcome of renal allografts at 11/2 years.BackgroundPrevious studies reported a significant association between hyperlipidemia of the recipient and chronic allograft nephropathy (CAN). However, the nature and the pathogenic mechanism of circulating lipid abnormalities in CAN remain unclear.MethodsIn a prospective study of 50 consecutive adult recipients of a cadaveric renal allograft, we investigated the impact of lipid abnormalities on the outcome of the graft at 11/2 years. Besides morphometric analysis of implantation and protocol biopsies, clinical and biochemical variables were studied at three-month intervals. Plasma concentrations of oxidized low-density lipoprotein (OxLDL) were determined by means of enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Immunohistochemical staining for OxLDL and macrophages was performed on paired renal biopsies. Study end points were the fractional interstitial volume and the 24-hour creatinine clearance at 11/2 years.ResultsHigh-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol of the recipient ≤47 mg/dL was a risk factor for the functional (RR = 1.56; 95% CI, 0.978 to 2.497) and the morphological (RR = 2.75; 95% CI, 1.075 to 7.037) outcome of the graft, mainly in patients without acute rejection (RR = 2.03; 95% CI, 1.13 to 3.65, and RR = 4.67; 95% CI, 1.172 to 18.582, respectively). Interstitial accumulation of OxLDL was inversely associated with HDL cholesterol (R = -0.476, P = 0.019), and was associated with a higher density of tubulointerstitial macrophages (R = 0.656, P = 0.001) and a higher fractional interstitial volume at 11/2 years (P = 0.049).ConclusionDecreased HDL cholesterol levels of the recipient adversely affect the outcome of renal allografts through the accumulation of OxLDL in the renal interstitium of the graft. Interstitial accumulation of OxLDL was associated with the presence of macrophages and the development of interstitial fibrosis

Percolation model for structural phase transitions in Li1−x_{1-x}Hx_xIO3_3 mixed crystals

A percolation model is proposed to explain the structural phase transitions found in Li$_{1-x}$H$_x$IO$_3$ mixed crystals as a function of the concentration parameter $x$. The percolation thresholds are obtained from Monte Carlo simulations on the specific lattices occupied by lithium atoms and hydrogen bonds. The theoretical results strongly suggest that percolating lithium vacancies and hydrogen bonds are indeed responsible for the solid solution observed in the experimental range $0.22 < x < 0.36$.Comment: 4 pages, 2 figure

Induction of lymphangiogenesis in and around axillary lymph node metastases of patients with breast cancer

We studied the presence of lymphangiogenesis in lymph node (LN) metastases of breast cancer. Lymph vessels were present in 52 of 61 (85.2%) metastatically involved LNs vs 26 of 104 (25.0%) uninvolved LNs (P<0.001). Furthermore, median intra- and perinodal lymphatic endothelial cell proliferation fractions were higher in metastatically involved LNs (P<0.001). This is the first report demonstrating lymphangiogenesis in LN metastases of cancer in general and breast cancer in particular

Universality of the excess number of clusters and the crossing probability function in three-dimensional percolation

Extensive Monte-Carlo simulations were performed to evaluate the excess number of clusters and the crossing probability function for three-dimensional percolation on the simple cubic (s.c.), face-centered cubic (f.c.c.), and body-centered cubic (b.c.c.) lattices. Systems L x L x L' with L' >> L were studied for both bond (s.c., f.c.c., b.c.c.) and site (f.c.c.) percolation. The excess number of clusters $\tilde {b}$ per unit length was confirmed to be a universal quantity with a value $\tilde {b} \approx 0.412$. Likewise, the critical crossing probability in the L' direction, with periodic boundary conditions in the L x L plane, was found to follow a universal exponential decay as a function of r = L'/L for large r. Simulations were also carried out to find new precise values of the critical thresholds for site percolation on the f.c.c. and b.c.c. lattices, yielding $p_c(f.c.c.)= 0.199 236 5 \pm 0.000 001 0$, $p_c(b.c.c.)= 0.245 961 5\pm 0.000 001 0$.Comment: 14 pages, 7 figures, LaTeX, submitted to J. Phys. A: Math. Gen, added references, corrected typo