Predictive value of CA 125 and CA 72-4 in ovarian borderline tumors

Background: The aim of this study was to assess the prognostic value of cancer antigen (CA) 125 and CA 72-4 in patients with ovarian borderline tumor (BOT). Methods: All women diagnosed and treated for BOT at our institution between 1981 and 2008 were included into this retrospective study (n=101). Preoperatively collected serum samples were analyzed for CA 125 (Architect, Abbott and Elecsys, Roche) and CA 724 (Elecsys, Roche) with reference to clinical data and compared to healthy women (n=109) and ovarian cancer patients (n=130). Results: With a median of 34.7 U/mL (range 18.1-385.0 U/mL) for CA 125 and 2.3 U/mL (range 0.2-277.0 U/mL) for CA 72-4, serum tumor markers in BOT patients were significantly elevated as compared to healthy women with a median CA 125 of 13.5 U/mL (range 4.0-49.7 U/mL) and median CA 72-4 of 0.8 U/mL (range 0.2-20.6 U/mL). In addition, there was a significant difference compared with ovarian cancer patients who showed a median CA 125 of 401.5 U/mL (range 12.5-35,813 U/mL), but no difference was observed for CA 72-4 (median 3.9 U/mL, range 0.3-10,068 U/mL). Patients with a pT1a tumor stage had significantly lower values of CA 125 but not of CA 72-4 compared with individuals with higher tumor stages (median CA 125 29.9 U/mL for pT1a vs. 50.9 U/mL for) pT1a; p=0.014). There was a trend for increased concentrations of CA 125 but not of CA 72-4 in the presence of ascites, endometriosis or peritoneal implants at primary diagnosis. With respect to the prognostic value of CA 125 or CA 72-4, CA 125 was significantly higher at primary diagnosis in patients who later developed recurrence (251.0 U/mL vs. 34.65 U/mL, p=0.012). Conclusions: Serum CA 125 and CA 72-4 concentrations in BOT patients differ from healthy controls and patients with ovarian cancer. CA 125, but not CA 724, at primary diagnosis correlates with tumor stage and tends to be increased in the presence of ascites, endometriosis or peritoneal implants. Moreover, CA 125 at primary diagnosis appears to have prognostic value for recurrence. Clin Chem Lab Med 2009; 47:537-42

Students’ Conceptions as Diversity Dimension in the Discourse on Heterogeneity: Goals, Attitudes and Best Practice Examples for a Heterogeneity-Sensitive Reflective Pre-Service Teacher Education

Schüler*innen erschließen und erklären sich beobachtete naturwissenschaftliche und technische Phänomene mithilfe individueller Vorerfahrungen, die in der jeweiligen Situation sinnvoll erscheinen. Aus fachdidaktischer Sicht laufen die Schüler*innen dadurch allerdings Gefahr, Schlüsse zu ziehen, die für alltägliche Situationen geeignet, für erfolgreiches fachbezogenes Lernen jedoch hinderlich sein können. Vielfältige Schüler*innenvorstellungen, die in den Unterricht eingebracht werden, können die individuellen Lernprozesse im Fach fördern, sie jedoch ebenfalls erschweren, wodurch einzelne Schüler*innen u.U. benachteiligt werden können. Daher sollte aus fachdidaktischer Perspektive ein zentrales Ziel einer heterogenitätssensiblen reflexiven Lehrkräftebildung in naturwissenschaftlichen und technischen Fächern darin bestehen, dass angehende Lehrkräfte sich der Vorstellungen individueller Schüler*innen bewusst sind, sie in ihrer Vielfalt identifizieren und lernförderlich für alle Lernenden in ihre Unterrichtsplanungen einbeziehen können. Ein Ziel dieses Beitrags ist es, diese Vielfalt der Schüler*innenvorstellungen aus einer fachdidaktischen Perspektive als eine Differenzlinie im Diskurs um Heterogenität zu diskutieren. Es wird dargestellt, welchen Einfluss Vorstellungen auf fachliche Lernprozesse haben können und welche Unterschiede und Gemeinsamkeiten zu anderen Differenzlinien bestehen. Basierend darauf und in Anlehnung an das Leitbild der Reflexiven Handlungsfähigkeit werden aus einer fachdidaktischen Perspektive exemplarisch Ziele, Haltungen und Anwendungsbeispiele für eine heterogenitätssensible reflexive Lehrkräftebildung abgeleitet. Die Ausbildung der vorgeschlagenen Ziele soll angehende Lehrkräfte für das Vorhandensein vielfältiger Vorstellungen beim Erschließen naturwissenschaftlicher und technischer Phänomene sensibilisieren und sie auf einen reflektierten Umgang damit im Schulalltag vorbereiten.Students explain observed scientific and technical phenomena with the help of individual prior experiences and ideas that seem to make sense in the respective situation. From the perspective of science education, however, students run the risk of drawing conclusions that are suitable for everyday situations but may be a barrier to successful subject-related learning. The diverse conceptions that students bring to the classroom can promote individual learning processes in science education, but they can also make them more difficult. Therefore, a central goal of heterogeneity-sensitive reflective pre-service teacher education should be that future teachers are aware of the diversity of students’ subject-related conceptions and their influence on learning processes. Heterogeneity-sensitive reflective teachers should also be able to identify different conceptions of their students and incorporate them into their lesson plans in a way that is supportive for all learners. In this article, we will discuss the diversity of students’ conceptions as a diversity dimension in the discourse on heterogeneity from the perspective of science education. First, the influence of students’ conceptions on subject-related learning and the differences and similarities to other diversity dimensions will be presented. Based on these theories and following the principle of reflective disposition, we present goals, attitudes, and best practice examples for a heterogeneity-sensitive reflective science pre-service teacher education

Predictive value of CA 125 and CA 72-4 in ovarian borderline tumors

Background: The aim of this study was to assess the prognostic value of cancer antigen (CA) 125 and CA 72-4 in patients with ovarian borderline tumor (BOT). Methods: All women diagnosed and treated for BOT at our institution between 1981 and 2008 were included into this retrospective study (n=101). Preoperatively collected serum samples were analyzed for CA 125 (Architect, Abbott and Elecsys, Roche) and CA 724 (Elecsys, Roche) with reference to clinical data and compared to healthy women (n=109) and ovarian cancer patients (n=130). Results: With a median of 34.7 U/mL (range 18.1-385.0 U/mL) for CA 125 and 2.3 U/mL (range 0.2-277.0 U/mL) for CA 72-4, serum tumor markers in BOT patients were significantly elevated as compared to healthy women with a median CA 125 of 13.5 U/mL (range 4.0-49.7 U/mL) and median CA 72-4 of 0.8 U/mL (range 0.2-20.6 U/mL). In addition, there was a significant difference compared with ovarian cancer patients who showed a median CA 125 of 401.5 U/mL (range 12.5-35,813 U/mL), but no difference was observed for CA 72-4 (median 3.9 U/mL, range 0.3-10,068 U/mL). Patients with a pT1a tumor stage had significantly lower values of CA 125 but not of CA 72-4 compared with individuals with higher tumor stages (median CA 125 29.9 U/mL for pT1a vs. 50.9 U/mL for) pT1a; p=0.014). There was a trend for increased concentrations of CA 125 but not of CA 72-4 in the presence of ascites, endometriosis or peritoneal implants at primary diagnosis. With respect to the prognostic value of CA 125 or CA 72-4, CA 125 was significantly higher at primary diagnosis in patients who later developed recurrence (251.0 U/mL vs. 34.65 U/mL, p=0.012). Conclusions: Serum CA 125 and CA 72-4 concentrations in BOT patients differ from healthy controls and patients with ovarian cancer. CA 125, but not CA 724, at primary diagnosis correlates with tumor stage and tends to be increased in the presence of ascites, endometriosis or peritoneal implants. Moreover, CA 125 at primary diagnosis appears to have prognostic value for recurrence. Clin Chem Lab Med 2009; 47:537-42

Sphingosine 1-Phosphate- and C-C Chemokine Receptor 2-Dependent Activation of CD4+ Plasmacytoid Dendritic Cells in the Bone Marrow Contributes to Signs of Sepsis-Induced Immunosuppression

Sepsis is the dysregulated response of the host to systemic, mostly bacterial infection, and is associated with an enhanced susceptibility to life-threatening opportunistic infections. During polymicrobial sepsis, dendritic cells (DCs) secrete enhanced levels of interleukin (IL) 10 due to an altered differentiation in the bone marrow and contribute to the development of immunosuppression. We investigated the origin of the altered DC differentiation using murine cecal ligation and puncture (CLP), a model for human polymicrobial sepsis. Bone marrow cells (BMC) were isolated after sham or CLP operation, the cellular composition was analyzed, and bone marrow-derived DCs (BMDCs) were generated in vitro. From 24 h on after CLP, BMC gave rise to BMDC that released enhanced levels of IL-10. In parallel, a population of CD11chiMHCII+CD4+ DCs expanded in the bone marrow in a MyD88-dependent manner. Prior depletion of the CD11chiMHCII+CD4+ DCs from BMC in vitro reversed the increased IL-10 secretion of subsequently differentiating BMDC. The expansion of the CD11chiMHCII+CD4+ DC population in the bone marrow after CLP required the function of sphingosine 1-phosphate receptors and C-C chemokine receptor (CCR) 2, the receptor for C-C chemokine ligand (CCL) 2, but was not associated with monocyte mobilization. CD11chiMHCII+CD4+ DCs were identified as plasmacytoid DCs (pDCs) that had acquired an activated phenotype according to their increased expression of MHC class II and CD86. A redistribution of CD4+ pDCs from MHC class II− to MHC class II+ cells concomitant with enhanced expression of CD11c finally led to the rise in the number of CD11chiMHCII+CD4+ DCs. Enhanced levels of CCL2 were found in the bone marrow of septic mice and the inhibition of CCR2 dampened the expression of CD86 on CD4+ pDCs after CLP in vitro. Depletion of pDCs reversed the bias of splenic DCs toward increased IL-10 synthesis after CLP in vivo. Thus, during polymicrobial sepsis, CD4+ pDCs are activated in the bone marrow and induce functional reprogramming of differentiating BMDC toward an immunosuppressive phenotype

Conceptual Readings into the Cold War: Towards Transnational Approaches from the Perspective of Latin American Studies in Eastern and Western Europe

This bibliographical and conceptual essay summarizes recent research in Cold War Studies in Europe and the Americas, especially on smaller states in historiographical studies. Against the background of an increasing connectedness and globalization of research about the Cold War, the authors highlight the importance of the full-scale integration of countries and regions of the 'Global South' into Cold War Studies. Critical readings of the newly available resources reveal the existence of important decentralizing perspectives resulting from Cold War entanglements of the 'Global South' with the 'Global North.' As a result, the idea that these state actors from the former 'periphery' of the Cold War should be considered as passive recipients of superpower politics seems rather troubled. The evidence shows (at least partially) autonomous and active multiple actors