College Admission and Affirmative Action- Consequences and Alternatives

A review of The Shape of the River: Long Term Consequences of Considering Race in College and University Admissions by Derek Bok & William Bowe

Counter-Learning Under Oppression

This qualitative study utilized narrative analysis to explore the counter-learning of an oppressed Kurdish woman from Turkey. Critical constructivism was used to analyze counter-learning and Frankfurt School-based Marcusian critical theory was used to analyze the socio-political context and its impact on the oppressed

Flow cytometric pitfalls in immunophenotyping of lymphomas

Flow cytometry has been introduced as the most reliable method for the analysis of lymphocyte subsets. The advantage of flow cytometry is that it enables application of virtually all monoclonal antibodies (native cells), a quantitative estimation of different lymphoid cells, and that cell can be simultaneously analysed for multiple marker expression. The usage of flow cytometers requiers considerable knowledge of physics and its technical application. Moreover, several problems arise from the complexity of the biolocal systems investigated

Korelacija med NK citolitičnim in BLT esteraznim testom pri določevanju aktivnosti NK celic stimuliranih s tumorskimi celicami

We examined the granule exocytosis in natural killer (NK) cells by measuring N-benzyloxycarboxy-L-lysine esterase activity. As a source of NK cells we usedbuffy-coat isolated NK cells or peripheral blood lymphocytes (PBL). The exocytosis was triggered by incubating cells with ionomycin/PMA or by NK cell susceptible tumour target cells K562. When we stimulated purified NK cells with tumour target cells, a close correlation (Corr=0.84) of cytolitic NK testresults and BLT test results was obtained. We may conclude that BLT test can provide a valuable tool to discriminate further NK cell deficiency in patients with low cytolitic NK test results.Z meritvami encimske aktivnosti N-benzyloxycarboxy-L-lizinske esteraze smo preiskovali eksoitozo celic NK. Celice NK smo osamili iz levkocitnega koncentrata (Buffy coat) oz. venske krvi. Eksocitozo smo sprožili s kombinacijo PMA/ionomcin ali s tumorskimi celicami K542. Ob stimulaciji celic NK s tumorskimi celicami (K542) smo opazovali značilno soodvisnost (Cor=0.H4) med rezultati citolitične aktivnosti celic NK in med izmerjenimi encimskimi aktivnosti N-benzv- loxycarboxy-L-lizinske esteraze (BLT test). Ugotavljamo, da BLT test omogoča nadrobnej5i študij dogodkov, ki se odvijajo med citotoksično aktivnostjo celic NK

Infantolna miofibromatoza maksile. Prikaz primera

Background. Infantile myofibromatosis is a rare benign tumour in children. Itscharacteristic symptoms are firm masses in soft tissues, bones and visceralorgans, and its common locations are head and neck. Three forms are well known: solitary, multicentric and visceral myofibromatosis. All have excellent prognosis, except the last one that may be lethal. Spontaneous regression can occur. Case report. We present an unusual case of infantile myofibromatosis of the maxilla in an adolescent. Conclusions. The infantile myofibromatosis should be managed with special caution because of the differential-diagnostic similarity with fibrosarcoma, leomyosarcoma, and histiocytosis.Izhodišča. Infantilna miofibromatoza je redek benigni tumor otrok. Značilne sočvrste mase v mehkih tkivih, kosteh ali notranjih organih. Pogosto se pojavlja na glavi in vratu. Poznane so tri oblike: solitarna, multicentrična in visceralna miofibromatoza. Zadnja oblika je lahko smrtna, ostale imajo odlično prognozo. Znana je spontana regresija. Prikaz primera. Opisan je manj značilen primer najstnika z obsežno solitarno miofibromatozo zgornje čeljustnice. Zaključki. Pri diagnosticiranju infantilne miofibromatoze je potrebna posebna pozornost zaradi diferencialno diagnostične podobnosti s fibrosarkomom, leomiosarkomom, histiocitozo

Spremembe krvne slike, indeksa telesne teže, jetrnih encimov in izraženosti indeksa CD64 na levkocitih po kirurškem zdravljenju in obsevanju bolnikov zrakom ustne votline

Background. The aim of our study was to evaluate the influence of the surgery and radiotherapy of the advanced oral squamous cell carcinoma on the complete blood count, body mass index (BMI), acute inflam-matory response, liver enzymes and expression of the CD64 index on leukocytes in the peripheral blood. Patients and method. Venous blood was obtained from 16 patients with advanced oral squamous cell carcinomas treated with radical surgery and external beam radiotherapy. Blood samples were collected prior to surgery (T1), after surgery (T2) and after radiotherapy (T3). Blood samples were analyzed for whole blood count, immunoglobulin G levels, liver enzymes (transaminases (ALT and AST) and gammaglutamyl trasferase (?-GT)), inflammatory response markers (C-reactive protein, erythrocyte sedimentation rate, albumin, white blood count, leukocyte count and CD64 expression on leukocytes). Assessment of nutrition was done by calculating the body mass index.Results. Surgery caused anaemia, trombocytosis, leukocytosis, lymphopenia, rise in acute phase proteins, elevation of CD64 expression on monocytes and neutrophyls, elevation of liver transaminases and lowering of ?-GT, albumin, protein and bilirubin levels. After radiotherapy haemoglobin, leukocytes, C-reactive protein, erythrocyte sedimentation rate, liver transferases, albumin, bilirubin and proteins returned almost to T1 levels, levels of lymphocytes, ?-GT and body mass index lowered. IgG levels remained almost unchanged at T2 and T3. Levels of the CD64 expression on monocytes and neutrophyls also elevated after radiotherapy.Conclusions. Surgery caused a significantly larger acute phase response than radiotherapy, while radiotherapy worsened the already present lymphopenia

Ovladavanje stresom izbjegavanjem i broj limfocita

Stress is the key psychological activator of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenalaxis and therefore an important risk factor for diminished immune competence. The aim of the study was to assess the connection between the strategies of coping with stress and lymphocyte counts in soldiers. Coping strategies were evaluated in 61 Slovenian Army members using the Coping Responses Inventory. White blood cell count with detailed lymphocyte analysis by use of flow cytometry was assessed in 33 soldiers. Factor analysis identified two factors of coping, i.e. avoidance coping and approach coping. Statistically significant negative correlations were recorded between avoidance strategies and monocyte, lymphocyte and T-lymphocyte concentrations. Approach strategies, which are thought to be more adaptive, did not correlate with the immune system measures. These findings support the notion that each person’s individual coping styles are reflected in their immune characteristics. We presume that avoidance coping might be an important mediating variable influencing the effects of stress on immune measures.Stres je ključni psihološki aktivator hipotalamo-pituitarno-adrenalne osi te je time važan čimbenik rizika snižavanja razine imune sposobnosti. Cilj ove studije bio je procijeniti vezu između strategija ovladavanja stresom i broja limfocita kod vojnika. U studiju je bio uključen 61 član slovenske vojske, kod kojih su se strategije ovladavanja stresom procjenjivale pomoću instrumenta poznatog kao Coping Responses Inventory. Bijela krvna slika je određena kod 33 vojnika uz podrobnu analizu limfocita pomoću protočne citometrije. Faktorska analiza je utvrdila dva čimbenika ovladavanja: ovladavanje izbjegavanjem i pristupno približavanjem. Nađene su statistički značajne negativne korelacije između strategija izbjegavanjem i koncentracija monocita, limfocita i T-limfocita. Strategije približavanjem koje se smatraju prilagodljivijima nisu korelirale s mjerama imunog sustava. Ovi nalazi govore u prilog shvaćanju prema kojem se načini ovladavanja pojedine osobe odražavaju u njenim imunim svojstvima. Pretpostavljamo da bi ovladavanje izbjegavanjem moglo biti važna posrednička varijabla koja utječe na učinke stresa na imune značajke

[Tumorska cepiva]

Tumor vaccines have several potential advantages over standard anticancer regirrcents. They represent highly specific anticancer therapy. Inducing tumor-specific memory T-lymphocytes, they have potential for long-lived antitumor effects. However, clinical trials, in which cancer patients were vaccinated with tccmor aaccines, have been so far mainly disappointing. There are many reasons for the inefficiency of tumor vaccines. Most cancer antigens are normal self-molecules to which imrrtune tolerance exists. That is why the population of tumor-specific lymphocytes is represented by a small number of low-affinity T-lymphocytes that induce weak antitumor immune response. Simultaneously, tumors evolve many mechanisms to actively evade immune system,what makes them poorly immunogenic or even tolerogenic. Novel irrtmunotherapeutic strategies are directed toward breaking immune tolerance to tumor antigens, enhancing immunogenicity of tumor vaccines and overcoming mechanisms of tumor escape. There are several approaches, unfortunately, all of them still far away from an ideal tumor vaccine that would reject a tumor. Difficulties in the activation of antitumor immune response by tumor vaccines have led to the development of alternative immunotherapeutic strategies that directly focus on effector mechanisms of immune system (adoptive tumor-specific T-lymphocyte transfer and tumor specific monoclonal antibodies).Tumorska cepiva imajo številne prednosti v primerjavi z drugimi oblikami zdravljenja raka. Predstavljajo visokospecifično protitumorsko terapijo in jihlahko usmerimo prod antigenom, ključnim za proces maligne preobrazbe. Imajoedinstven potencial za trajni protitumorski učinek zaradi nastanka dolgoživega, za tumor specifičnega imunskega spomina. Kljub velikim pričakovanjem so dosedanji klinični poskusi cepljenja bolnikov z rakom s tumorskimi cepivi v glavnem prinesli razočaranje. Vzroki za neuspešnost tumorskih cepiv so številni. Potencialno protitumorsko populacijo limfocitov Tpredstavljajo nizkoafinitetni in maloštevilni periferni limfociti T. Večina tumorskih antigenov namreč predstavlja lastne antigene, za katere je imunski sistem toleranten. Vzporedno tumorji razvijajo različne mehanizme, s katerimi se izogibajo imunskemu sistemu in so kot taki slabo imunogeni ali celo tolerogeni. Novejše imunoterapevtske strategije so usmerjene v premagovanje imunske tolerance na tumorske antigene, povečevanje imunogenosti tumorskih cepiv in nasprotovanje mehanizmom tumorskega izogibanja imunskemu sistemu. Pristopi so številni, a še vedno daleč stran od idealnega tumorskega cepiva, ki bi uspešno zavrnilo tumor. Težave pri aktivaciji protitumorskega imunskega odziva s tumorskimi cepivi so privedle do razvoja alternativnih imunoterapevtskih strategij, ki neposredno vključujejo efektorske mehanizme imunskega odziva (adoptivni prenos limfocitov T in monoklonska protitelesa)

A Tetrahydrophthalazine Derivative »Sodium Nucleinate« Exerts a Potent Suppressive Effect upon LPS-Stimulated Mononuclear Cells in vitro and in vivo

We described the use of a new chemical substance Sodium nucleinate (SN) as an immunomodulatory substance exhibiting antiinflammatory properties. Sodium nucleinate (SN) registrated in Russian Federation as Tamerit®, is 2-amino- 1,2,3,4-tetrahydrophthalazine-1,4-dione sodium salt dihydrate, derivative of well known chemical substance luminol. To comprehend the mechanisms of SN immunomodulatory activity, we examined the SN modulation of the innate inflammatory cytokine response of human PBMC stimulated with LPS in vitro. Furthermore, we studied the immunomodulatory effects of SN in mice challenged with E. coli LPS in vivo to investigate a possible novel approach to therapy of excessive inflammation that interfere with the response to endotoxin and inflammatory mediators. Our results demonstrated that SN is an efficient inhibitor of sepsis development in mice model of LPS-induced sepsis. The changes induced by SN include decreased mice plasma inflammatory cytokine production. Simmilary we demonstrated a decreased TNF-a, IFN-g and IL-6 response in human LPS-stimulated PBMNCs. SN was therefore shown to be a promising inhibitor of multiple inflammatory cytokine secretion

[Ameloblastični fibrom]

Background. Ameloblastic fibroma (AF) is a rare odontogenic tumour. It consists of odontogenic ectomesenchyme resembling the dental papilla and epithelium resembling dental lamina and enamel organ without dental hard tissues. Case report. A case report of a large ameloblastic fibroma involving the body of mandible from the lower Icff second incisor (32) to the lower leftsecond molar (37) is presented. To our knowledge this is the only case of ameloblastic fibroma reported from Slovenia. Conclusions. An aggressive surgical treatment is suggested because of the possibility of recurrence and the possibility of malignant transformation of an AF to an ameloblastic fibrosarcoma.Izhodišča. Ameloblastični fibrom je redek odontogeni tumor. Sestavljen je iz odontogenega ektomezenhima podobnega dentalni papili ter epitelija podobnega dentalni lamini in sklenini, je brez trdih zobnih tkiv. Prikaz primera. Opisujemo bolnico z velikim ameloblastičnim fibromom, ki se je razraščal v spodnji čeljustnici in je segal od spodnjega levega drugega sekalca (32) do spodnjega levega drugega kočnika (37). Po do sedaj zbranih podatkih je to prviopisani primer ameloblastičnega fibroma v Sloveniji. Zaključki. Zaradi možnosti ponovitve bolezni pa tudi spremembe ameloblastičnega fibroma v ameloblastični sarkom svetujemo radikalno kirurško zdravljenje in daljše pooperativno sledenje bolnikov