Recommendations for the design of laboratory studies on non-target arthropods for risk assessment of genetically engineered plants

This paper provides recommendations on experimental design for early-tier laboratory studies used in risk assessments to evaluate potential adverse impacts of arthropod-resistant genetically engineered (GE) plants on non-target arthropods (NTAs). While we rely heavily on the currently used proteins from Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) in this discussion, the concepts apply to other arthropod-active proteins. A risk may exist if the newly acquired trait of the GE plant has adverse effects on NTAs when they are exposed to the arthropod-active protein. Typically, the risk assessment follows a tiered approach that starts with laboratory studies under worst-case exposure conditions; such studies have a high ability to detect adverse effects on non-target species. Clear guidance on how such data are produced in laboratory studies assists the product developers and risk assessors. The studies should be reproducible and test clearly defined risk hypotheses. These properties contribute to the robustness of, and confidence in, environmental risk assessments for GE plants. Data from NTA studies, collected during the analysis phase of an environmental risk assessment, are critical to the outcome of the assessment and ultimately the decision taken by regulatory authorities on the release of a GE plant. Confidence in the results of early-tier laboratory studies is a precondition for the acceptance of data across regulatory jurisdictions and should encourage agencies to share useful information and thus avoid redundant testing

Gynaecological complications in tamoxifen-treated breast cancer patients

Tamoxifen has been widely used in the treatment of breast cancer. We report 4 patients who developed some of the iatrogenic gynaecological complications associated with tamoxifen treatment. All patients presented with postmenopausal bleeding and their endometrial pathologies included endometrial hyperplasia, endometrial polyp and endometrial carcinoma. Clinicians should be aware of this association and prompt investigation is needed in postmenopausal women taking tamoxifen when symptoms occur.link_to_subscribed_fulltex

Low-intensity pulsed ultrasound enhances differentiation of osteolineage-committed human mesenchymal stem cells

Final Program can be download at: http://www.istu.org/events/ann2011/finalProgram.pdfSession 2K-Gene/cell therapy: 1569403433Nominated Abstracts for the 2011 ISTU Student Competition: no. 18Even after committing to osteolineage, human meschenchymal stem cells (hMSCs) tend to develop into osteoblasts at a slow pace that may not lead to significant bone mineral deposits after weeks. In attempt to accelerate this process, we have investigated how hMSCs can be stimulated towards osteogenesis in-vitro through low-intensity pulsed ultrasound (LIPUS) exposures. The hMSCs (500000cells/ml) were seeded within a collagen meshwork that served as an osteo-conductive platform and were cultured in the presence of osteolineage supplements. Each experimental group (N>3) was treated with LIPUS for seven consecutive days (frequency: 1MHz; duty cycle: 20%; PRF: 1kHz; duration: 30min; peak-negative pressure: 0, 60, 80, 90, 105, 120, 180kPa), and in one group 1% microbubbles was added before the daily LIPUS expsoure. Results show that: 1) LIPUS did not affect the seven-day viability of hMSCs (confirmed by fluorescent live-dead assay); 2) LIPUS has transiently increased the secretion of the BMP-2 protein that is involved in the osteoinduction process; 3) LIPUS has led to increase in the seven-day calcium deposit level, with maximum detected at 60-120mW/cm2 intensities; 4) observations were similar for the group with microbubbles, and thus stable cavitation may not be a contributing factor to osteogenesis.link_to_OA_fulltextThe 11th International Symposium on Therapeutic Ultrasound (ISTU 2011), New York, NY., 11-13 April 2011. In Final Program and Abstracts Book of ISTU 2011, 2011, p. 10

Conservative management of patients with histological incomplete excision of cervical intraepithelial neoplasia after large loop excision of transformation zone

To evaluate conservative management of patients with histological incomplete excision of CIN after large loop excision of transformation zone (LLETZ). Two hundred and seventeen patients with high grade CIN were treated with LLETZ from October 1, 1992 to December 31, 1994. Fifty-three patients (24. 4%) had incomplete excision on histology. All patients were followed up cytologically every 3 to 6 months during the first 18 months and then yearly till December 1996. Those patients with positive endocervical margins were followed up with both cervical smear and endocervical smear. The mean follow-up duration was 30. 4 months. Ten patients were found to have persistent or recurrent disease. Five patients had second LLETZ and complete excision was achieved in 4 of them, one patient had cone biopsy and two had hysterectomy. One patient was found to have stage I a cervical cancer. A report of incomplete excision of CIN after LLETZ calls for follow-up with cytology and colposcopy and not aggressive retreatment.link_to_OA_fulltex