Cancer-related inflammation

The mediators and cellular effectors of inflammation are important constituents of the local environment of tumours. In some types of cancer, inflammatory conditions are present before a malignant change occurs. Conversely, in other types of cancer, an oncogenic change induces an inflammatory microenvironment that promotes the development of tumours. Regardless of its origin, 'smouldering' inflammation in the tumour microenvironment has many tumour-promoting effects. It aids in the proliferation and survival of malignant cells, promotes angiogenesis and metastasis, subverts adaptive immune responses, and alters responses to hormones and chemotherapeutic agents. The molecular pathways of this cancer-related inflammation are now being unravelled, resulting in the identification of new target molecules that could lead to improved diagnosis and treatment

EVIDENCE FOR DIRECT PHOTONS FROM QUARKS IN ELECTRON - POSITRON ANNIHILATION

Hadronic events from e+e--annihilations with a high energy isolated photon have been investigated at C.M. energies between 14 GeV and 44 GeV. A forward-backward asymmetry Aγ of the positively charged jet with respect to the incident positron direction has been found:Aγγ=-0.32±0.07, providing evidence for photon bremsstrahlung from quarks. The forward-backward asymmetry of all hadronic events at C.M. energies between 30 GeV and 36 GeV has been measured. The value, corrected for the limited polar angle acceptance of the detector, is:A=+0.021±0.005. © 1988 Springer-Verlag

A MEASUREMENT OF THE tau LIFETIME

We have reconstructed 695 three-track τ decay vertices using a high resolution drift chamber close to the interaction point. From the distribution of decay lengths we measure the lifetime to be (3.06 ±0.20±0.14)×10-13 s. Using this result we find that the ratio of charged weak coupling constant for the τ to that of the μ, Gτ/Gμ=0.967±0.040 consistent with the concept of lepton universality. © 1988 Springer-Verlag