Liposome-delivered angiostatin strongly inhibits tumor growth and metastatization in a transgenic model of spontaneous breast cancer

The possibility to inhibit tumor growth by interfering with the formation of new vessels, which most neoplasias depend on, has recently raised considerable interest. An angiogenic switch, in which proliferating cells acquire the ability to direct new vessel formation, is thought to be an early step in the natural history of solid tumors. Using a transgenic model of breast cancer, which shows many similarities to its human counterpart, including ability to metastasize, we targeted angiostatin production to an early stage of tumor formation. Liposome-delivered angiostatin considerably delayed primary tumor growth and, more importantly, inhibited the appearance of lung metastases. These findings can be relevant to the design of therapeutic intervention in humans

Genetic variability of the Sardinian goat population assessed by the GoatSNP50 BeadChip

The current Sardinian goats derive from a crossbreeding between the native population and the Maltese breed, made to improve milk production. This unplanned crossbreeding was performed with different intensities depending on the area. The aim of this work was to compare a breed assignment of Sardinian goats based on the morphological profile and on the breeding history of the whole herd, with the genetic variability at a medium density SNP chip. The herds were divided into native Sardinian (S), crossbred with Maltese (C) and Maltese (M), based on a phenotypic classification of the genetic type, assessed by the farmer and by a classifier specifically trained . The morphological traits considered were: type of ears, presence of horns and type of coat. The lop ears are the most distinctive trait for identifying the presence of Maltese crossbreeding in a herd, because native Sardinian goats usually have small upright ears. 15 animals were assigned to M group, 40 to S group and 41 to C group. DNA samples of these 96 animals were genotyped using the GoatSNP50 BeadChip devised by the International Goat Genome Consortium (IGGC). After standard quality check (SNP call rate > 0.95; Minor Allele Frequency < 0.01; individual genotype call rate < 0.95) Multidimensional scaling plot (MDS plot) and Reynold\u2019s genetic distances between groups were calculated using Plink and JMP\uaeGenomics 6.0 software. The genetic distances of the three groups confirmed that the native Sardinian and the Maltese groups are the most distant, while the crossbred with Maltese is closer than Maltese to native Sardinian. The crossbred goats overlap to native Sardinian animals in MDS plot, suggesting that crossbred herds still contain a high portion of native Sardinian genome. These results show that this method of breed assignment can be used in conservation programs to identify native Sardinian herds. However, the high portion of native Sardinian genome observed in the crossbred herds, indicates that these population should also be considered to preserve the genetic variability of the Sardinian goat

Recommendations for the quantitative analysis of landslide risk

This paper presents recommended methodologies for the quantitative analysis of landslide hazard, vulnerability and risk at different spatial scales (site-specific, local, regional and national), as well as for the verification and validation of the results. The methodologies described focus on the evaluation of the probabilities of occurrence of different landslide types with certain characteristics. Methods used to determine the spatial distribution of landslide intensity, the characterisation of the elements at risk, the assessment of the potential degree of damage and the quantification of the vulnerability of the elements at risk, and those used to perform the quantitative risk analysis are also described. The paper is intended for use by scientists and practising engineers, geologists and other landslide experts

High peripheral blood progenitor cell counts enable autologous backup before stem cell transplantation for malignant infantile osteopetrosis

AbstractAutosomal recessive osteopetrosis (OP) is a rare, lethal disorder in which osteoclasts are absent or nonfunctional, resulting in a bone marrow cavity insufficient to support hematopoiesis. Because osteoclasts are derived from hematopoietic precursors, allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation can cure the bony manifestations of the disorder. However, high rates of graft failure have been observed in this population. It is not possible to harvest bone marrow from these patients for reinfusion should graft failure be observed. We report that 8 of 10 patients with OP had high numbers of circulating CD34+ cells (3% ± 0.9%). This increased proportion of peripheral CD34+ cells made it possible to harvest 2 × 106 CD34+ cells per kilogram with a total volume of blood ranging from 8.3 to 83.7 mL (1.3–11.6 mL/kg). In addition, colony-forming assays documented significantly more colony-forming unit–granulocyte-macrophage and burst-forming unit–erythroid in the blood of osteopetrotic patients compared with controls; the numbers of colony-forming units approximated those found in control marrow. We conclude that OP patients with high levels of circulating CD34+ are candidates for peripheral blood autologous harvest by limited exchange transfusion. These cells are then available for reinfusion should graft failure be observed in patients for whom retransplantation is impractical

Decay-out of the yrast superdeformed band in 136^{136}Nd : towards and experimental extraction of the neutron pairing gap at large deformation

We shall now compare the definitions of « communication » found in various dictionaries. Communication is a process integral to each moment of a relationship. It assumes actors, intentions and shared meaning. It is now officially recognized as an academic science. There is also a consensus about the fields it covers. But questions remain. Is it possible to describe a “communication” without interlocutor? Is it sufficient to call it a “detector of difference”? This kind of expression reveals perhaps the same tension that we observe in the term “anthropology” : it is an epistemological choice. The preference of an approach which does not account for individual interiority