1,637 research outputs found
Safety and anti-tumour activity of the IgE antibody MOv18 in patients with advanced solid tumours expressing folate receptor-alpha: a phase I trial
All antibodies approved for cancer therapy are monoclonal IgGs but the biology of IgE, supported by comparative preclinical data, offers the potential for enhanced effector cell potency. Here we report a Phase I dose escalation trial (NCT02546921) with the primary objective of exploring the safety and tolerability of MOv18 IgE, a chimeric first-in-class IgE antibody, in patients with tumours expressing the relevant antigen, folate receptor-alpha. The trial incorporated skin prick and basophil activation tests (BAT) to select patients at lowest risk of allergic toxicity. Secondary objectives were exploration of anti-tumour activity, recommended Phase II dose, and pharmacokinetics. Dose escalation ranged from 70 ÎŒgâ12 mg. The most common toxicity of MOv18 IgE is transient urticaria. A single patient experienced anaphylaxis, likely explained by detection of circulating basophils at baseline that could be activated by MOv18 IgE. The BAT assay was used to avoid enrolling further patients with reactive basophils. The safety profile is tolerable and maximum tolerated dose has not been reached, with evidence of anti-tumour activity observed in a patient with ovarian cancer. These results demonstrate the potential of IgE therapy for cancer
X-Ray Spectroscopy of Stars
(abridged) Non-degenerate stars of essentially all spectral classes are soft
X-ray sources. Low-mass stars on the cooler part of the main sequence and their
pre-main sequence predecessors define the dominant stellar population in the
galaxy by number. Their X-ray spectra are reminiscent, in the broadest sense,
of X-ray spectra from the solar corona. X-ray emission from cool stars is
indeed ascribed to magnetically trapped hot gas analogous to the solar coronal
plasma. Coronal structure, its thermal stratification and geometric extent can
be interpreted based on various spectral diagnostics. New features have been
identified in pre-main sequence stars; some of these may be related to
accretion shocks on the stellar surface, fluorescence on circumstellar disks
due to X-ray irradiation, or shock heating in stellar outflows. Massive, hot
stars clearly dominate the interaction with the galactic interstellar medium:
they are the main sources of ionizing radiation, mechanical energy and chemical
enrichment in galaxies. High-energy emission permits to probe some of the most
important processes at work in these stars, and put constraints on their most
peculiar feature: the stellar wind. Here, we review recent advances in our
understanding of cool and hot stars through the study of X-ray spectra, in
particular high-resolution spectra now available from XMM-Newton and Chandra.
We address issues related to coronal structure, flares, the composition of
coronal plasma, X-ray production in accretion streams and outflows, X-rays from
single OB-type stars, massive binaries, magnetic hot objects and evolved WR
stars.Comment: accepted for Astron. Astrophys. Rev., 98 journal pages, 30 figures
(partly multiple); some corrections made after proof stag
Association of limbic system-associated membrane protein (LSAMP) to male completed suicide
<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Neuroimaging studies have demonstrated volumetric abnormalities in limbic structures of suicide victims. The morphological changes might be caused by some inherited neurodevelopmental defect, such as failure to form proper axonal connections due to genetically determined dysfunction of neurite guidance molecules. Limbic system-associated membrane protein (LSAMP) is a neuronal adhesive molecule, preferentially expressed in developing limbic system neuronal dendrites and somata. Some evidence for the association between LSAMP gene and behavior has come from both animal as well as human studies but further investigation is required. In current study, polymorphic loci in human LSAMP gene were examined in order to reveal any associations between genetic variation in <it>LSAMP </it>and suicidal behaviour.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>DNA was obtained from 288 male suicide victims and 327 healthy male volunteers. Thirty SNPs from LSAMP gene and adjacent region were selected by Tagger algorithm implemented in Haploview 3.32. Genotyping was performed using the SNPlexâą (Applied Biosystems) platform. Data was analyzed by Genemapper 3.7, Haploview 3.32 and SPSS 13.0.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Chi square test revealed four allelic variants (rs2918215, rs2918213, rs9874470 and rs4821129) located in the intronic region of the gene to be associated with suicide, major alleles being overrepresented in suicide group. However, the associations did not survive multiple correction test. Defining the haplotype blocks using confidence interval algorithm implemented in Haploview 3.32, we failed to detect any associated haplotypes.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Despite a considerable amount of investigation on the nature of suicidal behaviour, its aetiology and pathogenesis remain unknown. This study examined the variability in LSAMP gene in relation to completed suicide. Our results indicate that LSAMP might play a role in pathoaetiology of suicidal behaviour but further studies are needed to understand its exact contribution.</p
LesÔes musculoesqueléticas em policiais militares
INTRODUCTION: The physical qualities need to be analyzed and are risk factors associated with the development of musculoskeletal injuries during military sports training. OBJECTIVE: Epidemiological studies of musculoskeletal injuries occurred in the ankle and foot of military police officers. METHODS: We collected all the medical records of military police officers who have suffered previous injuries in the ankle and foot during the period September 2005 to August 2011. The information was obtained through physical therapy evaluation form found in the records and subsequently the data were tabulated and analyzed. RESULTS: After collecting the data from the medical records, it was found that there 29% bone injuries, 32% ligament injuries and 35% muscle injuries. CONCLUSION: A sprained ankle demonstrates a risk to public health is described by the international statistical classification of diseases and related health problems, which is also in the military environment, described as risk during sports practice.INTRODUCCIĂN: Las cualidades fĂsicas precisan ser analizadas y se vinculan como factores de riesgos para desarrollar lesiones musculoesquelĂ©ticas durante el entrenamiento deportivo-militar. OBJETIVO: Recolectar datos sobre epidemiologĂa de las lesiones musculoesquelĂ©ticas ocurridas en tobillos y pies de policĂas militares. MATERIALES Y MĂTODOS: Se analizaron todas las fichas mĂ©dicas de policĂas militares que sufrieron lesiones previas en tobillos y pies durante el perĂodo de septiembre de 2005 a agosto de 2011; las informaciones fueron obtenidas mediante los formularios de evaluaciĂłn fisioterapĂ©utica que se encontraban en las fichas mĂ©dicas; posteriormente, los datos obtenidos fueron tabulados y analizados. RESULTADOS: DespuĂ©s de la recolecciĂłn de datos de las fichas mĂ©dicas se observĂł 29% de lesiones Ăłseas, 32% de ligamentarias y 35% de musculares. CONCLUSIĂN: La torcedura de tobillo demuestra ser un riesgo para la salud pĂșblica como se describe en la clasificaciĂłn estadĂstica internacional de enfermedades y problemas relacionados con la salud, siendo en el medio militar señalada tambiĂ©n como un riesgo durante la prĂĄctica deportiva.INTRODUĂĂO: As qualidades fĂsicas precisam ser analisadas e estĂŁo associadas como fatores de risco a desenvolver lesĂ”es musculoesquelĂ©ticas durante o treinamento esportivo militar. OBJETIVO: Levantar a epidemiologia das lesĂ”es musculoesquelĂ©ticas ocorridas em tornozelo e pĂ© de policiais militares. MATERIAIS E MĂTODOS: Foram coletados todos os prontuĂĄrios de policiais militares que sofreram lesĂ”es prĂ©vias no tornozelo e pĂ© durante o perĂodo de setembro de 2005 a agosto de 2011, as informaçÔes foram obtidas atravĂ©s da ficha de avaliação fisioterapĂȘutica constatada nos prontuĂĄrios, posteriormente os dados obtidos foram tabulados e analisados. RESULTADOS: ApĂłs a coleta de dados dos prontuĂĄrios foi observado que houve 29% de lesĂ”es Ăłsseas, 32% de ligamentares e 35% de musculares. CONCLUSĂO: A entorse de tornozelo demonstra um risco Ă saĂșde pĂșblica como descrita pela classificação estatĂstica internacional de doenças e problemas relacionados Ă saĂșde, sendo no meio militar tambĂ©m descrita como um risco durante a prĂĄtica esportiva.Centro de Reabilitação da PolĂcia MilitarUniversidade Federal de SĂŁo Paulo (UNIFESP) Centro de Traumatologia do EsporteUNIFESP, Centro de Traumatologia do EsporteSciEL
Multi-Scale Motility Amplitude Associated with Suicidal Thoughts in Major Depression
Major depression occurs at high prevalence in the general population, often starts in juvenile years, recurs over a lifetime, and is strongly associated with disability and suicide. Searches for biological markers in depression may have been hindered by assuming that depression is a unitary and relatively homogeneous disorder, mainly of mood, rather than addressing particular, clinically crucial features or diagnostic subtypes. Many studies have implicated quantitative alterations of motility rhythms in depressed human subjects. Since a candidate feature of great public-health significance is the unusually high risk of suicidal behavior in depressive disorders, we studied correlations between a measure (vulnerability index [VI]) derived from multi-scale characteristics of daily-motility rhythms in depressed subjects (nâ=â36) monitored with noninvasive, wrist-worn, electronic actigraphs and their self-assessed level of suicidal thinking operationalized as a wish to die. Patient-subjects had a stable clinical diagnosis of bipolar-I, bipolar-II, or unipolar major depression (nâ=â12 of each type). VI was associated inversely with suicidal thinking (râ=â â0.61 with all subjects and râ=â â0.73 with bipolar disorder subjects; both p<0.0001) and distinguished patients with bipolar versus unipolar major depression with a sensitivity of 91.7% and a specificity of 79.2%. VI may be a useful biomarker of characteristic features of major depression, contribute to differentiating bipolar and unipolar depression, and help to detect risk of suicide. An objective biomarker of suicide-risk could be advantageous when patients are unwilling or unable to share suicidal thinking with clinicians
An experimental test of hostâs life history traits modulation in response to cuckoo parasitism risk
Hosts can counteract parasites through defences based on resistance and/or tolerance.
The mechanistic basis of tolerance, which involve defensive mechanisms minimizing parasite
damage after a successful parasitic attack, remains poorly explored in the study of
cuckoo-host interactions. Here, we experimentally explore the possibility that the risk of
great spotted cuckoo Clamator glandarius parasitism may induce tolerance defences in
magpie Pica pica hosts through plasticity in life-history traits. We predict that magpies
exposed to auditory cues indicating high parasitism risk will more likely exhibit resistance
and/or modify their life-history traits to minimize parasitism costs (i.e. tolerance) compared
to magpies under low parasitism risk. We found that manipulating the perceived parasitism
risk did not affect host resistance (i.e. rejection of parasitic eggs) nor host life-history traits.
Unexpectedly, host's egg volume increased over the season in nests exposed to auditory
cues of control non-harmful hoopoes Upupa epops. Our results do not provide support for
inducible defences (either based on resistance or tolerance) in response to risk of parasitism
in magpie hosts. Even so, we encourage studying plastic expression of breeding strategies
in response to risk of cuckoo parasitism to achieve a better understanding of the mechanistic
basis of tolerance defences.This work was supported by the Spanish
Ministry of Education and Science/FEDER (Projects
CGL2011-27561/BOS and CGL2014-56769-P to D.
P. and J.M.A.). D.P. was supported by the
Government of Extremadura while writing (contract
number TA13002). M.E.G. was supported by the
Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness
(grant number BES-2012-051898).
Do breast implants after a mastectomy affect subsequent prognosis and survival?
In a large study, published in this issue of Breast Cancer Research, Le and colleagues report that women receiving implants after mastectomies for early-stage breast cancer experience lower breast cancer mortality than women not receiving implants. Assessment of survival patterns among women receiving reconstructive implants is complex given unique patient characteristics, disease attributes, and treatment patterns. The interpretation of reduced mortality from breast cancer must be assessed in light of significantly reduced risks of death from most other causes. In contrast, patients receiving post-mastectomy implants had elevated rates of suicide, consistent with findings among women with cosmetic implants. Additional well-designed investigations are needed to clarify survival patterns among women receiving reconstructive implants
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