The use of thermographic imaging to evaluate therapeutic response in human tumour xenograft models

YesNon-invasive methods to monitor tumour growth are an important goal in cancer drug development. Thermographic imaging systems offer potential in this area, since a change in temperature is known to be induced due to changes within the tumour microenvironment. This study demonstrates that this imaging modality can be applied to a broad range of tumour xenografts and also, for the first time, the methodology’s suitability to assess anti-cancer agent efficacy. Mice bearing subcutaneously implanted H460 lung cancer xenografts were treated with a novel vascular disrupting agent, ICT-2552, and the cytotoxin doxorubicin. The effects on tumour temperature were assessed using thermographic imaging over the first 6 hours post-administration and subsequently a further 7 days. For ICT-2552 a significant initial temperature drop was observed, whilst for both agents a significant temperature drop was seen compared to controls over the longer time period. Thus thermographic imaging can detect functional differences (manifesting as temperature reductions) in the tumour response to these anti-cancer agents compared to controls. Importantly, these effects can be detected in the first few hours following treatment and therefore the tumour is observable non-invasively. As discussed, this technique will have considerable 3Rs benefits in terms of reduction and refinement of animal use.University of Bradfor

Fast Economic Development Accelerates Biological Invasions in China

Increasing levels of global trade and intercontinental travel have been cited as the major causes of biological invasion. However, indirect factors such as economic development that affect the intensity of invasion have not been quantitatively explored. Herein, using principal factor analysis, we investigated the relationship between biological invasion and economic development together with climatic information for China from the 1970s to present. We demonstrate that the increase in biological invasion is coincident with the rapid economic development that has occurred in China over the past three decades. The results indicate that the geographic prevalence of invasive species varies substantially on the provincial scale, but can be surprisingly well predicted using the combination of economic development (R2 = 0.378) and climatic factors (R2 = 0.347). Economic factors are proven to be at least equal to if not more determinant of the occurrence of invasive species than climatic factors. International travel and trade are shown to have played a less significant role in accounting for the intensity of biological invasion in China. Our results demonstrate that more attention should be paid to economic factors to improve the understanding, prediction and management of biological invasions

The incidence of liver injury in Uyghur patients treated for TB in Xinjiang Uyghur autonomous region, China, and its association with hepatic enzyme polymorphisms nat2, cyp2e1, gstm1 and gstt1.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Of three first-line anti-tuberculosis (anti-TB) drugs, isoniazid is most commonly associated with hepatotoxicity. Differences in INH-induced toxicity have been attributed to genetic variability at several loci, NAT2, CYP2E1, GSTM1and GSTT1, that code for drug-metabolizing enzymes. This study evaluated whether the polymorphisms in these enzymes were associated with an increased risk of anti-TB drug-induced hepatitis in patients and could potentially be used to identify patients at risk of liver injury. METHODS AND DESIGN: In a cross-sectional study, 2244 tuberculosis patients were assessed two months after the start of treatment. Anti-TB drug-induced liver injury (ATLI) was defined as an ALT, AST or bilirubin value more than twice the upper limit of normal. NAT2, CYP2E1, GSTM1 and GSTT1 genotypes were determined using the PCR/ligase detection reaction assays. RESULTS: 2244 patients were evaluated, there were 89 cases of ATLI, a prevalence of 4% 9 patients (0.4%) had ALT levels more than 5 times the upper limit of normal. The prevalence of ATLI was greater among men than women, and there was a weak association with NAT2*5 genotypes, with ATLI more common among patients with the NAT2*5*CT genotype. The sensitivity of the CT genotype for identifying patients with ATLI was 42% and the positive predictive value 5.9%. CT ATLI was more common among slow acetylators (prevalence ratio 2.0 (95% CI 0.95,4.20) )compared to rapid acetylators. There was no evidence that ATLI was associated with CYP2E1 RsaIc1/c1genotype, CYP2E1 RsaIc1/c2 or c2/c2 genotypes, or GSTM1/GSTT1 null genotypes. CONCLUSIONS: In Xinjiang Uyghur TB patients, liver injury was associated with the genetic variant NAT2*5, however the genetic markers studied are unlikely to be useful for screening patients due to the low sensitivity and low positive predictive values for identifying persons at risk of liver injury

The Glu27 genotypes of the Beta2-adrenergic receptor are predictors for severe coronary artery disease

BACKGROUND: The role of the Beta2-adrenoceptor (beta2-AR) Gln27Glu polymorphism in the manifestation of cardiovascular diseases is still unclear. METHODS: In the present study, we evaluated the potential relevance of the c.79 C>G (p.Gln27Glu) polymorphism of this receptor gene for coronary artery disease (CAD) and its associated risk factors in Saudi Arabs. Genotyping was performed by PCR using the confronting two-pair primer (PCR-CTPP) method. RESULTS: In the general population group (BD) (n = 895), 68.5% were homozygous wild-type C/C, 28.3% were heterozygous C/G and 3.2% were homozygous mutant G/G. Among the CAD patients (n = 773), 50.6% were homozygous wild-type C/C, 43.6% were heterozygous C/G and 5.8% were homozygous mutant G/G, while in the angiographed control group (CON) (n = 528), 71.8% were C/C, 24.4% C/G and 3.8% G/G genotypes. These results indicate that both the C/G (p = < .001) and G/G (p = .005) genotypes are significantly associated with CAD, when compared to the CON group. In addition, C/G (p = < .001) and G/G (p = < .001) were significantly associated with CAD, when compared to the BD group. Furthermore, stepwise logistic regression showed that the genotype [C/G (p < .001) and G/G (p < .001)] increase the risk of CAD. CONCLUSION: These results shows that the Gln27Glu genotypes (homo- or heterozygous) of the beta2-AR may be independent predictors of severe CAD

Expression of RECK and matrix metalloproteinase-2 in ameloblastoma

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Ameloblastoma is a frequent odontogenic benign tumor characterized by local invasiveness, high risk of recurrence and occasional metastasis and malignant transformation. Matrix metalloproteinase-2 (MMP-2) promotes tumor invasion and progression by destroying the extracellular matrix (ECM) and basement membrane. For this proteolytic activity, the endogenous inhibitor is reversion-inducing cysteine rich protein with Kazal motifs (RECK). The aim of this study was to characterize the relationship between RECK and MMP-2 expression and the clinical manifestation of ameloblastoma.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Immunohistochemistry and reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) were employed to detect the protein and mRNA expression of RECK and MMP-2 in keratocystic odontogenic tumor (KCOT), ameloblastoma and ameloblastic carcinoma.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>RECK protein expression was significantly reduced in KCOT (87.5%), ameloblastoma (56.5%) and ameloblastic carcinoma (0%) (P < 0.01), and was significantly lower in recurrent ameloblastoma compared with primary ameloblastoma (P < 0.01), but did not differ by histological type of ameloblastoma. MMP-2 protein expression was significantly higher in ameloblastoma and ameloblastic carcinoma compared with KCOT (P < 0.01). RECK mRNA expression was significantly lower in ameloblastoma than in KCOT (P < 0.01), lower in recurrent ameloblastoma than in primary ameloblastoma, and was negative in ameloblastic carcinoma. MMP-2 mRNA expression was significantly higher in ameloblastoma compared with KCOT (P < 0.01), but was no different in recurrent ameloblastoma versus primary ameloblastoma. RECK protein expression was negatively associated with MMP-2 protein expression in ameloblastoma (r = -0.431, P < 0.01).</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Low or no RECK expression and increased MMP-2 expression may be associated with negative clinical findings in ameloblastoma. RECK may participate in the invasion, recurrence and malignant transformation of ameloblastoma by regulating MMP-2 at the post-transcriptional level.</p

Alternative way to test the efficacy of swine FMD vaccines: measurement of pigs median infected dose (PID50) and regulation of live virus challenge dose

Foot-and -mouth disease to pigs is serious recently around the world. "Vaccination prevention" is still an important policy. OIE specifies 10,000 TCID50(0.2 ml) of virulent virus for challenge test in pigs to test the potency of FMD vaccine by intradermal route inoculating the virus in the heel bulbs of one foot or by intramuscular route administering into one site of the neck behind the ear. Convenience and speediness are available in the process of potency test of commercial FMD vaccine. We selected the route of "administering into one site of the muscular part of the neck behind the ear" because of convenience and speediness. However, it was difficult to infect control pigs even up to 100,000TCID50, so we changed the challenged virus from cell-passaged strain to suckling mice-passaged one, measured its PID50 (pigs median infected dose) and defined the virus challenge dose as 1000PID50. Meanwhile, we arranged the number of control pigs from two to three for easy evaluation

Synthesis and Photocatalytic Activity of Anatase TiO2 Nanoparticles-coated Carbon Nanotubes

A simple and straightforward approach to prepare TiO2-coated carbon nanotubes (CNTs) is presented. Anatase TiO2 nanoparticles (NPs) with the average size ~8 nm were coated on CNTs from peroxo titanic acid (PTA) precursor even at low temperature of 100 °C. We demonstrate the effects of CNTs/TiO2 molar ratio on the adsorption capability and photocatalytic efficiency under UV–visible irradiation. The samples showed not only good optical absorption in visible range, but also great adsorption capacity for methyl orange (MO) dye molecules. These properties facilitated the great enhancement of photocatalytic activity of TiO2 NPs-coated CNTs photocatalysts. The TiO2 NPs-coated CNTs exhibited 2.45 times higher photocatalytic activity for MO degradation than that of pure TiO2

Three-dimensional micromachining for microsystems by confined etchant layer technique

The micromachining of GaAs with three different truly three-dimensional (3D) molds were performed by the confined etchant layer technique (CELT). The etched patterns were found, approximately, to be the negative copy of the 3D molds. The general comparison of CELT with the existing micromachining techniques, such as two-dimensional (2D) projection lithography and electro-discharge machining, was made. The replication of the complex microstructures down to micrometer scale has been done by CELT in a single step. The photoresist layer, together with the procedures of exposure, developing and removal of resist, could be eliminated. The advantages of CELT over the existing lithography techniques and its potential applications are discussed briefly. It has been shown that CELT could be developed as a complementary technique to the existing micromachining techniques in fabricating microdevices for microsystems. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved

Functional consequences of Kir2.1/Kir2.2 subunit heteromerization

Kir2 subunits form channels that underlie classical strongly inwardly rectifying potassium currents. While homomeric Kir2 channels display a number of distinct and physiologically important properties, the functional properties of heteromeric Kir2 assemblies, as well as the stoichiometries and the arrangements of Kir2 subunits in native channels, remain largely unknown. Therefore, we have implemented a concatemeric approach, whereby all four cloned Kir2 subunits were linked in tandem, in order to study the effects of Kir2.1 and Kir2.2 heteromerization on properties of the resulting channels. Kir2.2 subunits contributed stronger to single-channel conductance than Kir2.1 subunits, and channels containing two or more Kir2.2 subunits displayed conductances indistinguishable from that of a Kir2.2 homomeric channel. In contrast, single-channel kinetics was a more discriminating property. The open times were significantly shorter in Kir2.2 channels compared with Kir2.1 channels and decreased nearly proportionally to the number of Kir2.2 subunits in the heteromeric channel. Similarly, the sensitivity to block by barium also depended on the proportions of Kir2.1 to Kir2.2 subunits. Overall, the results showed that Kir2.1 and Kir2.2 subunits exert neither a dominant nor an anomalous effect on any of the properties of heteromeric channels. The data highlight opportunities and challenges of using differential properties of Kir2 channels in deciphering the subunit composition of native inwardly rectifying potassium currents