Quality of cysts and morphometry of the population of Artemia franciscana (kellogg, 1906) from the small lagoon at Yallahs, Jamaica

This study presents an analysis of the morphometric data of cysts, nauplii, and adult males and females belonging to the Artemia franciscana population from the small lagoon of Yallahs, Jamaica. The data are compared to those of Artemia found in San Francisco Bay, California, USA. The cysts of the Jamaican population have a hatching percentage of 94.75% and an efficiency of 213,000 nauplii/g. The size of the cyst is 283.5 ± 16.30 ∞m and of the nauplii, 427 ± 21.92 ∞m. These parameters are within the range established for A. franciscana. However, a few differences are observed in the morphometry of the adults. The males are larger both in abdomen and in the length of their antennae. The females have a slightly longer abdomen, although their total size is less than that recorded for the San Francisco Bay population. From the data gathered in this study it can be inferred that the population of this Jamaican anostracan belongs to the species A. franciscana

Expression of MAGE-C1/CT7 and selected cancer/testis antigens in ovarian borderline tumours and primary and recurrent ovarian carcinomas

MAGE-C1/CT7, NY-ESO-1, GAGE and MAGE-A4 are members of the cancer/testis (CT) antigen family, which have been proposed as potential targets for cancer immunotherapy. To determine the prevalence and biologic relevance of the novel CT antigen MAGE-C1/CT7 and other antigens, 36 ovarian borderline tumours (BTs), 230 primary ovarian carcinomas (OCs) and 80 recurrent OCs were immunohistochemically analysed using the monoclonal antibodies CT7-33 (MAGE-C1/CT7), E978 (NY-ESO-1), clone 26 (GAGE) and 57B (MAGE-A4). Positivity of at least one CT antigen was present in 39.5 % (81/205) of primary OC and in 50 % (26/52) of all recurrences. Expression of the novel CT antigen MAGE-C1/CT7 was most commonly seen with positivity in 24.5 % of primary and 35.1 % of recurrent OC. MAGE-A4, GAGE and NY-ESO-1 expressions were seen in 22.7, 13.9 and 7.1 % of primary and 22.6, 17.5 and 8.9 % of recurrent OC, respectively. Analysis of histological subtypes (serous, endometrioid, clear cell, mucinous and transitional) exhibited variable expression with negativity in all mucinous OC. High-grade serous OC revealed CT antigen expression in 5.6 to 28 % with MAGE-C1/CT7 being the most frequent, but without correlation with stage or overall survival. MAGE-C1/CT7 expression and coexpression of CT antigens were significantly correlated with grade of endometrioid OC. None of the BT showed CT antigen expression. No significant correlation was seen with stage, overall survival or response to chemotherapy. In summary, CT antigens are expressed in a certain subset of OC with no expression in BT or OC of mucinous histology. These findings may have implications for the design of polyvalent vaccination strategies for ovarian carcinomas