25 research outputs found
Molecular biology of breast cancer metastasis Molecular expression of vascular markers by aggressive breast cancer cells
During embryogenesis, the formation of primary vascular networks occurs via the processes of vasculogenesis and angiogenesis. In uveal melanoma, vasculogenic mimicry describes the 'embryonic-like' ability of aggressive, but not nonaggressive, tumor cells to form networks surrounding spheroids of tumor cells in three-dimensional culture; these recapitulate the patterned networks seen in patients' aggressive tumors and correlates with poor prognosis. The molecular profile of these aggressive tumor cells suggests that they have a deregulated genotype, capable of expressing vascular phenotypes. Similarly, the embryonic-like phenotype expressed by the aggressive human breast cancer cells is associated with their ability to express a variety of vascular markers. These studies may offer new insights for consideration in breast cancer diagnosis and therapeutic intervention strategies
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Subretinal implantation of electrospun, short nanowire, and smooth poly(ε-caprolactone) scaffolds to the subretinal space of porcine eyes.
Biodegradable scaffolds play an important adjunct role in transplantation of retinal progenitor cells (RPCs) to the subretinal space. Poly(ε-Caprolactone) (PCL) scaffolds with different modifications were subretinally implanted in 28 porcine eyes and evaluated by multifocal electroretinography (mfERG) and histology after 6 weeks of observation. PCL Short Nanowire, PCL Electrospun, and PCL Smooth scaffolds were well tolerated in the subretinal space in pigs and caused no inflammation and limited tissue disruption. PCL Short Nanowire had an average rate of preserved overlying outer retina 17% higher than PCL Electrospun and 25% higher than PCL Smooth. Furthermore, PCL Short Nanowire was found to have the most suitable degree of stiffness for surgical delivery to the subretinal space. The membrane-induced photoreceptor damage could be shown on mfERG, but the reductions in P1 amplitude were only significant for the PCL Smooth. We conclude that of the tested scaffolds, PCL Short Nanowire is the best candidate for subretinal implantation
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The influence of brightness on functional assessment by mferg: a study on scaffolds used in retinal cell transplantation in pigs.
To determine the effect of membrane brightness on multifocal electroretinograms (mfERGs), we implanted poly lactic-co-glycolic acid (PLGA) membranes in the subretinal space of 11 porcine eyes. We compared membranes with their native shiny white color with membranes that were stained with a blue dye (Brilliant Blue). Histological and electrophysiological evaluation of the overlying retina was carried out 6 weeks after implantation. Histologically, both white and blue membranes degraded in a spongiform manner leaving a disrupted outer retina with no preserved photoreceptor segments. Multifocal ERG revealed the white membranes to have a significantly higher P1-amplitude ratio than the blue (P = 0.027), and a correlation between brightness ratio and P1-amplitude ratio was found (r = 0.762). Based on our findings, we conclude that bright subretinal objects can produce normal mfERG amplitude ratios even when the adjacent photoreceptors are missing. Functional assessment with mfERG in scaffold implant studies should therefore be evaluated with care
Preliminary criteria for the classification of Sj\uf6gren's syndrome. Results of a prospective concerted action supported by the European Community
OBJECTIVE: Different sets of diagnostic criteria have been proposed for Sj\uf6gren's syndrome (SS), but none have been validated with a large series of patients or in a multicenter study. We conducted the present study involving 26 centers from 12 countries (11 in Europe, plus Israel), with the goals of reaching a consensus on the diagnostic procedures for SS and defining classification criteria to be used in epidemiologic surveys and adopted by the scientific community.
METHODS: The study protocol was subdivided into two parts. For part I, questionnaires regarding both ocular and oral involvement were developed; they included 13 questions and 7 questions, respectively. For part II a limited set of diagnostic tests was selected, and the exact procedure to be followed in performing these tests was defined. Part I of the study included 240 patients with primary SS and 240 age- and sex-matched controls. Two hundred forty-six patients with primary SS, 201 with secondary SS, 113 with connective tissue diseases but without associated SS, and 133 control patients were studied in part II.
RESULTS: The study resulted in (a) the validation of a simple 6-item questionnaire for determination of dry eyes and dry mouth, which showed good discriminant power between patients and controls, to be used in the initial screening for sicca syndrome; and (b) the definition of a new set of criteria for the classification of SS. The sensitivity and specificity of the criteria in correctly identifying patients with either the primary or the secondary variant of SS were also determined.
CONCLUSION: Using the findings of this prospective multicenter European study, general agreement can be reached on the diagnostic procedures to be used for patients with SS. Final validation of the preliminary classification criteria for SS is underway