Comparison of prevalence, viral load, physical status and expression of human papillomavirus-16, -18 and -58 in esophageal and cervical cancer: a case-control study

Background: Human papillomavirus (HPV) infection is a major risk factor for the development of nearly all cases of cervical cancer worldwide. The presence of HPV DNA in cases of esophageal squamous-cell carcinoma (ESCC) has been reported repeatedly from Shantou, China, and other regions with a high incidence of esophageal carcinoma (EC). However, unlike in cervical squamous-cell carcinoma (CSCC), in ESCC, the characteristics of HPV are unclear. Thus, the role of high-risk HPV types in the carcinogenesis of ESCC remains uncertain. Methods: Seventy cases of ESCC with 60 controls and 39 cases of CSCC with 54 controls collected from patients in Shantou region in China were compared for the distributions of HPV-16, -18 and -58; viral load; and viral integration using real-time PCR assay and HPV-16 expression using immunostaining. Results: The detection rates and viral loads of HR-HPV infection were significantly lower in ESCC than in CSCC (50.0% vs. 79.48%, P = 0.005; 2.55 +/- 3.19 vs. 361.29 +/- 441.75, P = 0.002, respectively). The combined integration level of HPV-16, -18 and -58 was slightly lower in ESCC than in CSCC (P = 0.022). HPV-16 expression was detected in 59.26% of ESCC tissue and significantly associated with tumour grade (P = 0.027). Conclusions: High levels of HR-HPV expression and integration may be an indicator of the risk of ESCC, at least for patients in the Shantou region of China. However, a relatively low HPV copy number and infection rate in ESCC is unlikely to play an essential a role in the carcinogenesis of ESCC as in cervical cancer. Factors other than HR-HPV infection may contribute to the carcinogenesis of ESCC.http://gateway.webofknowledge.com/gateway/Gateway.cgi?GWVersion=2&SrcApp=PARTNER_APP&SrcAuth=LinksAMR&KeyUT=WOS:000285251600001&DestLinkType=FullRecord&DestApp=ALL_WOS&UsrCustomerID=8e1609b174ce4e31116a60747a720701OncologySCI(E)26ARTICLEnull1

Active surveillance for small renal tumors: Have clinical concerns been addressed so far?

The incidence of small renal masses is increasing, as a result of the wide adoption of imaging exams. Their management, however, is complicated, especially in patients with decreased life expectancy or comorbidities. Approximately 20% of small renal masses are benign and, even if malignant, just 10% show aggressive pathological features. Furthermore, competing cause mortality seems to exceed the cancer-specific mortality in patients aged over 70 years. The role of percutaneous tumor biopsy is still not well defined. All these observations raise the concern as to whether surgery might represent an overtreatment for some cases of small renal masses, calling into question the role of active surveillance. The aim of this review was to evaluate the current evidence pertaining to several hot questions that need to be addressed when contemplating active surveillance for small renal masses. The most relevant publications on this subject available in the literature were selected. Five representative series of active surveillance along with the main related variables were identified. Some relevant items surrounding the field of active surveillance were identified and submitted to an evidence-based discussion. According to the recent evidence, small renal masses under active surveillance tend to show an indolent course with a low probability of disease progression, the latter being triggered most of the time by a tendency to grow faster. Unfortunately, we are currently unable to predict those few cases with aggressive behavior. According to the current evidence, active surveillance is feasible and safe in elderly and comorbid patients

Dry-Coated Live Viral Vector Vaccines Delivered by Nanopatch Microprojections Retain Long-Term Thermostability and Induce Transgene-Specific T Cell Responses in Mice

The disadvantages of needle-based immunisation motivate the development of simple, low cost, needle-free alternatives. Vaccine delivery to cutaneous environments rich in specialised antigen-presenting cells using microprojection patches has practical and immunological advantages over conventional needle delivery. Additionally, stable coating of vaccine onto microprojections removes logistical obstacles presented by the strict requirement for cold-chain storage and distribution of liquid vaccine, or lyophilised vaccine plus diluent. These attributes make these technologies particularly suitable for delivery of vaccines against diseases such as malaria, which exerts its worst effects in countries with poorly-resourced healthcare systems. Live viral vectors including adenoviruses and poxviruses encoding exogenous antigens have shown significant clinical promise as vaccines, due to their ability to generate high numbers of antigen-specific T cells. Here, the simian adenovirus serotype 63 and the poxvirus modified vaccinia Ankara - two vectors under evaluation for the delivery of malaria antigens to humans - were formulated for coating onto Nanopatch microprojections and applied to murine skin. Co-formulation with the stabilising disaccharides trehalose and sucrose protected virions during the dry-coating process. Transgene-specific CD8(+) T cell responses following Nanopatch delivery of both vectors were similar to intradermal injection controls after a single immunisation (despite a much lower delivered dose), though MVA boosting of pre-primed responses with Nanopatch was found to be less effective than the ID route. Importantly, disaccharide-stabilised ChAd63 could be stored for 10 weeks at 37 degrees C with less than 1 log(10) loss of viability, and retained single-dose immunogenicity after storage. These data support the further development of microprojection patches for the deployment of live vaccines in hot climates

Respiratory viruses from hospitalized children with severe pneumonia in the Philippines

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Pneumonia remains a leading cause of child death in developing countries. The viruses in severe pneumonia remain poorly defined.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>The study was conducted at the Eastern Visayas Regional Medical Center in Tacloban City, Philippines from May 2008 to May 2009. Patients aged 8 days to 13 years old who were admitted to the Department of Pediatrics with severe pneumonia were enrolled for the study. Upon admission, polymerase chain reaction was performed using nasopharyngeal swabs and blood cultures to detect respiratory viruses and bacteria, respectively.</p> <p>Result</p> <p>Among the 819 patients enrolled, at least one virus was detected in 501 cases (61.2%). In addition, 423 cases were positive for a single virus while bacteria were detected in the blood culture sample of 31 cases. The most commonly detected viruses were human rhinoviruses (n = 189), including types A (n = 103), B (n = 17), and C (n = 69), and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) (n = 165). Novel viruses such as human metapneumovirus, human coronavirus NL63, human bocavirus, and human polyomaviruses WU and KI were also detected. There were 70 deaths, and one or more viruses were detected in 35 (50%) of these cases. Positivity only for influenza A virus (OR = 4.3, 95% CI = 1.3-14.6) was significantly associated with fatal outcome. From the blood culture, <it>Burkholderia cepacia</it> group (n = 9), <it>Streptococcus pneumoniae</it> (n = 4), <it>Staphylococcus aureus</it> (n = 4), <it>Haemophilus influenzae</it> (n = 1), and <it>Salmonella</it> C1 (n = 1) were also isolated.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Viruses were commonly detected in children with severe pneumonia in the Philippines. Hence, viral etiologies should be considered while developing better effective strategies to reduce child pneumonia-related deaths in developing countries.</p