Effect of imaging and catheter characteristics on clinical outcome for patients in the PRECISE study

The PRECISE study used convection enhanced delivery (CED) to infuse IL13-PE38QQR in patients with recurrent glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) and compared survival to Gliadel Wafers (GW). The objectives of this retrospective evaluation were to assess: (1) catheter positioning in relation to imaging features and (2) to examine the potential impact of catheter positioning, overall catheter placement and imaging features on long term clinical outcome in the PRECISE study. Catheter positioning and overall catheter placement were scored and used as a surrogate of adequate placement. Imaging studies obtained on day 43 and day 71 after resection were each retrospectively reviewed. Catheter positioning scores, catheter overall placement scores, local tumor control and imaging change scores were reviewed and correlated using Generalized Linear Mixed Models. Cox PH regression analysis was used to examine whether these imaging based variables predicted overall survival (OS) and progression free survival (PFS) after adjusting for age and KPS. Of 180 patients in the CED group, 20 patients did not undergo gross total resection. Of the remaining 160 patients only 53% of patients had fully conforming catheters in respect to overall placement and 51% had adequate catheter positioning scores. Better catheter positioning scores were not correlated with local tumor control (P = 0.61) or imaging change score (P = 0.86). OS and PFS were not correlated with catheter positioning score (OS: P = 0.53; PFS: P = 0.72 respectively), overall placement score (OS: P = 0.55; PFS: P = 0.35) or imaging changes on day 43 MRI (P = 0.88). Catheter positioning scores and overall catheter placement scores were not associated with clinical outcome in this large prospective trial

Recombinant adenovirus IL-24-Bax promotes apoptosis of hepatocellular carcinoma cells in vitro and in vivo

Gene therapy promises to become an alternative choice for the treatment of hepatic cancer. In many cancers, the delivery of chimeric proteins by adenovirus vector has been reported to induce apoptosis. This study was performed to evaluate whether the recombinant adenovirus interleukin (IL)-24-Bax can induce apoptosis in hepatocellular carcinoma cells in vitro and in vivo. Several recombinant adenoviruses were constructed, and the expression of their encoded proteins was measured. The effects of the recombinant adenovirus on hepatocellular carcinoma cells and the normal hepatocyte cell line were investigated through cell viability and apoptosis assays after the cells were treated with Ad.Luc, Ad.IL-24, Ad.Bax or Ad.IL-24-Bax. The mechanism involved was also explored. A tumor-bearing mouse model was used to evaluate the effects of the adenovirus on tumor volume and cell apoptosis in vivo. Ad.IL-24-Bax selectively suppressed growth of hepatocellular carcinoma cells and induced apoptosis, but it had little influence on the normal hepatocytes. The mechanism of this response may include the effect of the 10HRE/VEGF385 promoter and the synergistic effect of IL-24 and Bax. Ad.IL-24-Bax also suppressed tumor growth in nude mice and induced apoptosis. Ad.IL-24-Bax may be a useful tool for gene therapy of hepatic cancer

Synthetic Biology: Mapping the Scientific Landscape

This article uses data from Thomson Reuters Web of Science to map and analyse the scientific landscape for synthetic biology. The article draws on recent advances in data visualisation and analytics with the aim of informing upcoming international policy debates on the governance of synthetic biology by the Subsidiary Body on Scientific, Technical and Technological Advice (SBSTTA) of the United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity. We use mapping techniques to identify how synthetic biology can best be understood and the range of institutions, researchers and funding agencies involved. Debates under the Convention are likely to focus on a possible moratorium on the field release of synthetic organisms, cells or genomes. Based on the empirical evidence we propose that guidance could be provided to funding agencies to respect the letter and spirit of the Convention on Biological Diversity in making research investments. Building on the recommendations of the United States Presidential Commission for the Study of Bioethical Issues we demonstrate that it is possible to promote independent and transparent monitoring of developments in synthetic biology using modern information tools. In particular, public and policy understanding and engagement with synthetic biology can be enhanced through the use of online interactive tools. As a step forward in this process we make existing data on the scientific literature on synthetic biology available in an online interactive workbook so that researchers, policy makers and civil society can explore the data and draw conclusions for themselves

Lawson criterion for ignition exceeded in an inertial fusion experiment

For more than half a century, researchers around the world have been engaged in attempts to achieve fusion ignition as a proof of principle of various fusion concepts. Following the Lawson criterion, an ignited plasma is one where the fusion heating power is high enough to overcome all the physical processes that cool the fusion plasma, creating a positive thermodynamic feedback loop with rapidly increasing temperature. In inertially confined fusion, ignition is a state where the fusion plasma can begin "burn propagation" into surrounding cold fuel, enabling the possibility of high energy gain. While "scientific breakeven" (i.e., unity target gain) has not yet been achieved (here target gain is 0.72, 1.37 MJ of fusion for 1.92 MJ of laser energy), this Letter reports the first controlled fusion experiment, using laser indirect drive, on the National Ignition Facility to produce capsule gain (here 5.8) and reach ignition by nine different formulations of the Lawson criterion