8 research outputs found
Serum HER2 Level Measured by Dot Blot: A Valid and Inexpensive Assay for Monitoring Breast Cancer Progression
Human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2) is one of the most important
prognostic and predictive factors for breast cancer patients. Recently, serum
HER2 ECD level of patients detected by enzyme-linked immunoabsorbent assay
(ELISA) has been shown to predict tumor HER2 status and reveal its association
with tumor progression, recurrence and poor prognosis. In this study, we
established a new method, dot blot assay, to measure the serum HER2 level in
breast cancer patients and further to evaluate the clinical value for monitoring
breast cancer progression. We found that the serum HER2 level measured by dot
blot assay was significantly correlated with tissue HER2 status in breast cancer
patients (P = 0.001), and also
significantly correlated with HER2 level measured by ELISA
(P = 1.06×10−11).
Compared with ELISA method, the specificity and sensitivity of dot blot assay
were 95.3% and 65.0%, respectively. The serum HER2 levels of
patients with grade III or ER-negative were higher than those with grade
I–II (P = 0.004) and ER-positive
(P = 0.033), respectively. Therefore,
the novel dot blot method to detect serum HER2 level is a valid and inexpensive
assay with potential application in monitoring breast cancer progression in
clinical situations
Surface modification of a granite building stone in central Rio de Janeiro
In order to evaluate environmental controls on the soiling formation and decay of building stones a set of mapping and physical and chemical analyses were carried out on granite from a historical church in the polluted centre of Rio de Janeiro. These techniques highlight the increasing of threatening damage on generally perceived as a durable building material, caused by granular disaggregation and contour scaling in areas close to ground level. Mapping also indicated the formation of black crusts over entire building façades, concentrated on areas sheltered from rain-wash. Analyses demonstrated the influence of marine aerosols, rock and mortar composition and mostly of the atmospheric pollutants on the decay and soiling of the granite. Much of the decay is associated specifically with the presence of halite (NaCl) and gypsum (CaS04.2H2O). The fact that black, gypsum crusts are able to develop over entire façades in a humid subtropical environment is testimony to the high levels of local pollution, especially particulate deposition. Reduced rainwash, in sheltered micro-environments of narrow, canyon-like streets, overcomes the gypsum tendency to bewashed away from buildings façades. These observations further highlight that decay processes are primarily controlled by microclimatic conditions.<br>Com o objetivo de se avaliar os controles ambientais na formação de crostas e deterioração de rochas ornamentais em fachadas de prédios históricos, uma série de mapeamentos e análises fisicas e quÃmicas foram realizados em granitos da fachada de uma igreja histórica numa área poluÃda no centro da cidade do Rio de Janeiro. Estas técnicas destacam a ameaça crescente dos danos causados pela desagregação granular e esfoliação da rocha que é fortemente percebido por se tratar de um material de alta durabilidade usado na fachada do prédio em áreaslocalizadas ao nÃvel do chão. O exercÃcio de mapeamento possibilitou a demarcação e observação das áreas afetadas pela formação de crosta negra sobre toda a fachada do prédio, principalmente concentradas em áreas abrigadas da ação da chuva. As análises demonstraram a influência de aerosóis marinhos, composição das rochas e argamassas e dos poluentes atmosféricos na deterioração e formação de crostas no granito. Muito da deterioração é associado especificamente a presença de sais, tais como halita (NaCl) e gipsita (CaS0(4).2H2O). O fato da crosta negra de gipsita ser capaz de se desenvolver sobre toda a fachada do prédio, em um ambiente sub-tropical úmido é testemunha da eficácia dos altos nÃveis de poluição local, especialmente da deposição de particulados, e da reduzida lavagem pela chuva em um micro-ambiente protegido,em ruas estreitas, que funcionam como corredores de poluição, impedindo a tendência da gipsita ser lavada das fachadas dos prédios históricos. Essa observação destaca que os processos de intemperismo operante, são principalmente controlados por condições microclimáticas