Synthesis and characterization of brush diblock and triblock copolymers bearing polynorbornene backbone and poly(l-lactide) and/or poly(hexyl isocyanate) side chains by a combination of coordination and ring opening metathesis polymerization

We report the synthesis of poly(l-lactide) and poly(hexyl isocyanate) macromonomers using bischloro-η5-cyclopentadienyl(bicyclo[2.2.1]-hept-5-en-2-oxy) Titanium (IV), [CpTiCl2(O-NBE)]. These macromonomers bearing a norbornene end group were polymerized towards brush copolymers employing Grubbs' first generation catalyst. Brush copolymers consisting of blocks with different side chains were synthesized. The polymers were characterized by Size Exclusion Chromatography, Nuclear Magnetic Resonance, and their thermal properties were investigated by Thermogravimetric Analysis, and Differential Scanning Calorimetry analysis. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Polym. Sci., Part A: Polym. Chem. 2017, 55, 3455–3465. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc

ALDH activity of artemia as a tool for the investigation of the toxicity of antifouling paints

Leaching of toxic substances from the matrix of antifouling paints affects not only the fouling organisms but also "non-target" biota. Artemia nauplii have been found to be suitable test organisms for measurement of acute toxicity effects of certain antifouling paints. The present study addresses the impact of a self polishing copper antifouling paint on the activity of the brine shrimp aldehyde dehydrogenase (ALDH). Total ALDH activities from nauplii exposed to several sublethal concentrations ranging from (S/V)50 to 1/4(S/V)50 were determined. Decreased enzymatic activities were observed in all antifouling paint concentrations tested, ranging from 2.4% inhibition at 1/4(S/V)50 to 53.9% at (S/V)50. The results of this preliminary investigation suggest that ALDH activity of Artemia nauplii could be used as a biomarker for the evaluation of toxic activity of antifouling paint on non target organisms. © 2013 by Nova Science Publishers, Inc. All rights reserved

CD8+ PD-1+ T-cells and PD-L1+ circulating tumor cells in chemotherapy-naïve non-small cell lung cancer: towards their clinical relevance?

Background: Since tumor cells may escape from immune surveillance through the programmed cell death 1 (PD-1)/programmed death ligand (PD-L)1 axis, this study was designed in order to evaluate whether there is a correlation between the levels of PD-1+ and PD-L1+-expressing immune cells (ICs) and circulating tumor cells (CTCs) in patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Patients and methods: Peripheral blood was obtained from 37 chemotherapy-naïve patients with metastatic NSCLC before treatment. PD-1 and PD-L1 expression was evaluated (1) on ICs with anti-tumor function (CD4+ and CD8+ T-cells, B-cells, monocytes/dendritic cells) using flow cytometry, (2) on CTCs by immunofluorescence and (3) on cells from tumor tissues by immunohistochemistry. The levels of PD-1+ and PD-L1+-expressing ICs were correlated with progression-free survival (PFS). Results: The presence of PD-1+ CD8+ cells, with reduced interferon (IFN)-γ expression, but not other ICs, were positively correlated with PD-L1+ CTCs (p < 0.04). Increased percentages of PD-1+ CD8+ T-cells, were associated with a worse response to treatment (p = 0.032) and shorter PFS (p = 0.023) which, in multivariate analysis, was revealed as an independent predictor for decreased PFS [hazard ratio (HR): 4.1, p = 0.0007]. Conclusion: The results of the current study, for first time, provide evidence for a possible interaction between ICs and CTCs in NSCLC patients via the PD-1/PD-L1 axis and strongly support that the levels of PD-1+ CD8+ in these patients may be of clinical relevance. © The Author(s), 2019

A Comparison of Three Methods for the Detection of Circulating Tumor Cells in Patients with Early and Metastatic Breast Cancer

Background: We directly compared CTC detection rates and prognostic significance, using three different methods in patients with breast cancer (BC). Methods: Early (n=200) and metastatic (n=164) patients were evaluated before initiating adjuvant or first-line chemotherapy, using the CellSearch TM System, an RT-qPCR for CK-19 mRNA detection and by double immunofluorescence (IF) microscopy using A45-B/B3 and CD45 antibodies. Results: Using the CellSearch TM System, 37% and 16.5% of early BC patients were CTC-positive (at ≥1 and ≥2 CTCs/23 ml of blood), 18.0% by RT-qPCR and 16.9% by IF; no agreement was observed between methods. By the CellSearch TM 34.8% and 53.7% (at≥ 5 and ≥ 2 CTCs/7.5 ml) of metastatic patients were CTC-positive, 37.8% by RT-qPCR and 28.5% by IF. A significant agreement existed only between the CellSearch TM and RT-qPCR. In 60.8% of cases, differential EpCAM and CK-19 expression on CTCs by IF could explain the discrepancies between the CellSearch TM and RT-qPCR. CTC-positivity by either method was associated with decreased overall survival in metastatic patients. Conclusion: A significant concordance was observed between the CellSearch TM and RT-qPCR in metastatic but not in early BC. Discordant results could be explained in part by CTC heterogeneity. CTC detection by all methods evaluated had prognostic relevance in metastatic patients. © 2017 The Author(s)

Identifying Individual, Cultural and Asthma-Related Risk and Protective Factors Associated With Resilient Asthma Outcomes in Urban Children and Families

Objective The goal of this study is to identify individual, family/cultural, and illness-related protective factors that may minimize asthma morbidity in the context of multiple urban risks in a sample of inner-city children and families. Methods Participating families are from African-American (33), Latino (51) and non-Latino white (47) backgrounds. A total of 131 children with asthma (56% male), ages 6–13 years and their primary caregivers were included. Results Analyses supported the relationship between cumulative risks and asthma morbidity across children of the sample. Protective processes functioned differently by ethnic group. For example, Latino families exhibited higher levels of family connectedness, and this was associated with lower levels of functional limitation due to asthma, in the context of risks. Conclusions This study demonstrates the utility of examining multilevel protective processes that may guard against urban risks factors to decrease morbidity. Intervention programs for families from specific ethnic groups can be tailored to consider individual, family-based/cultural and illness-related supports that decrease stress and enhance aspects of asthma treatment