SIOP CNS GCT 96: final report of outcome of a prospective, multinational nonrandomized trial for children and adults with intracranial germinoma, comparing craniospinal irradiation alone with chemotherapy followed by focal primary site irradiation for patients with localized disease.

We conducted a nonrandomized international study for intracranial germinoma that compared chemotherapy followed by local radiotherapy with reduced-dose craniospinal irradiation (CSI) alone, to determine whether the combined treatment regimen produced equivalent outcome and avoided irradiation beyond the primary tumor site(s). Patients with localized germinoma received either CSI or 2 courses of carboplatin and etoposide alternating with etoposide and ifosfamide, followed by local radiotherapy. Metastatic patients received CSI with focal boosts to primary tumor and metastatic sites, with the option to be preceded with chemotherapy. Patients with localized germinoma (n 190) received either CSI alone (n 125) or combined therapy (n 65), demonstrating no differences in 5-year event-free or overall survival, but a difference in progression-free survival (0.97 0.02 vs 0.88 0.04; P .04). Seven of 65 patients receiving combined treatment experienced relapse (6 with ventricular recurrence outside the primary radiotherapy field), and only 4 of 125 patients treated with CSI alone experienced relapse (all at the primary tumor site). Metastatic patients (n 45) had 0.98 0.023 event-free and overall survival. Localized germinoma can be treated with reduced dose CSI alone or with chemotherapy and reduced-field radiotherapy. The pattern of relapse suggests inclusion of ventricles in the radiation field. Reduced-dose craniospinal radiation alone is effective in metastatic disease

Upaya Hukum Dalam Menyelesaikan Perkara Pidana Dengan Negara Lain Menurut Undang-undang Nomor 1 Tahun 2006

Tujuan dilakukan penelitian ini adalah untuk mengetahui bagaimana upaya hukum yang dilakukan negara Republik Indonesia menyelesaikan tindak pidana dengan negara lain dan bagaimana syarat-syarat pemberian bantuan untuk menyelesaikan perkara pidana kepada negara lain. Ruang lingkup penulisan ini adalah pada disiplin ilmu hukum, maka penulisan ini merupakan bagian dari penulisan hukum kepustakaan yakni dengan cara meneliti bahan pustaka atau yang dinamakan penelitian hukum normatif dapat disimpulkan, bahwa: 1. Upaya hukum yang dilakukan untuk negara Republik Indonesia menyelesaikan perkara pidana dengan negara asing, yaitu dengan membuat kesepakatan dalam bentuk perjanjian bilateral maupun multilateral dengan negara asing dan berdasarkan prinsip timbal Balik melalui saluran diplomatik serta pembentukan peraturan Perundang-undangan nasional yang mengatur bantuan timbal Balik dalam masalah pidana. Adanya perjanjian Internasional yaitu dapat memberikan jaminan kepastian hukum yang melandasi hubungan kerjasama Internasional dalam penyelesaian perkara pidana. 2. Syarat-syarat pemberian bantuan untuk menyelesaikan perkara pidana kepada negara lain, yaitu: setiap negara asing dapat mengajukan permintaan Bantuan kepada Pemerintah Republik Indonesia. Negara asing dapat mengajukan permintaan Bantuan secara langsung atau dapat memilih melalui saluran diplomatik

Superhydrophobic Aluminum Surfaces: Preparation Routes, Properties and Artificial Weathering Impact

Among the materials that can be treated in order to impart superhydrophobic properties are many originally hydrophilic metals. For this, they must undergo a sequential treatment, including roughening and hydrophobic coating. This contribution presents various preparation routes along with various characterization methods, such as dynamic contact angle (DCA) measurements, scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and spectroscopic techniques (FT–IRRAS, XPS, EIS). Micro-rough surfaces of pure and alloyed aluminum were generated most easily by using a modifie Sulfuric Acid Anodization under Intensifie conditions (SAAi). This produces a micro-mountain-like oxide morphology with peak-to-valley heights of 2 μm and sub-μm roughness components. Additionally, micro-embossed and micro-blasted surfaces were investigated. These micro-roughened initial states were chemically modifie with a solution of a hydrophobic compound, such as the reactive f uoroalkylsilane PFATES, the reactive alkyl group containing polymer POMA, or the polymer Teflo ® AF. Alternatively, the chemical modificatio was made by a Hot Filament Chemical Vapor Deposition (HFCVD) of a PTFE layer. The latter can form a considerably higher thickness than the wet-deposited coatings, without detrimental leveling effects being observed in comparison with the original micro-rough surface. The inherent and controllable morphology of the PTFE layers represents an important feature. The impacts of a standardized artificia weathering (WTH) on the wetting behavior and the surface-chemical properties were studied and discussed in terms of possible damage mechanisms. A very high stability of the superhydrophobicity was observed for the f uorinated wet-deposited PFATES and Teflo ® AF coatings as well as for some of the PTFE layer variants, all on SAAi-pretreated substrates. Very good results were also obtained for specimens produced by appropriate mechanical roughening and PTFE coating

Scapinin, the Protein Phosphatase 1 Binding Protein, Enhances Cell Spreading and Motility by Interacting with the Actin Cytoskeleton

Copyright (c) 2009 Sagara et al. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.Scapinin, also named phactr3, is an actin and protein phosphatase 1 (PP1) binding protein, which is expressed in the adult brain and some tumor cells. At present, the role(s) of scapinin in the brain and tumors are poorly understood. We show that the RPEL-repeat domain of scapinin, which is responsible for its direct interaction with actin, inhibits actin polymerization in vitro. Next, we established a Hela cell line, where scapinin expression was induced by tetracycline. In these cells, expression of scapinin stimulated cell spreading and motility. Scapinin was colocalized with actin at the edge of spreading cells. To explore the roles of the RPEL-repeat and PP1-binding domains, we expressed wild-type and mutant scapinins as fusion proteins with green fluorescence protein (GFP) in Cos7 cells. Expression of GFP-scapinin (wild type) also stimulated cell spreading, but mutation in the RPEL-repeat domain abolished both the actin binding and the cell spreading activity. PP1-binding deficient mutants strongly induced cell retraction. Long and branched cytoplasmic processes were developed during the cell retraction. These results suggest that scapinin enhances cell spreading and motility through direct interaction with actin and that PP1 plays a regulatory role in scapinin-induced morphological changes.ArticlePLOS ONE. 4(1):e4247 (2009)journal articl

Life-threatening hypersplenism due to idiopathic portal hypertension in early childhood: case report and review of the literature

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Idiopathic portal hypertension (IPH) is a disorder of unknown etiology and is characterized clinically by portal hypertension, splenomegaly, and hypersplenism accompanied by pancytopenia. This study evaluates the pathogenic concept of the disease by a systematic review of the literature and illustrates novel pathologic and laboratory findings.</p> <p>Case Presentation</p> <p>We report the first case of uncontrolled splenic hyperperfusion and enlargement with subsequent hypersplenism leading to life-threatening complications of IPH in infancy and emergent splenectomy.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>Our results suggest that splenic NO and VCAM-1, rather than ET-1, have a significant impact on the development of IPH, even at a very early stage of disease. The success of surgical interventions targeting the splenic hyperperfusion suggests that the primary defect in the regulation of splenic blood flow seems to be crucial for the development of IPH. Thus, beside other treatment options splenectomy needs to be considered as a prime therapeutic option for IPH.</p