System-wide analysis reveals a complex network of tumor-fibroblast interactions involved in tumorigenicity

Many fibroblast-secreted proteins promote tumorigenicity, and several factors secreted by cancer cells have in turn been proposed to induce these proteins. It is not clear whether there are single dominant pathways underlying these interactions or whether they involve multiple pathways acting in parallel. Here, we identified 42 fibroblast-secreted factors induced by breast cancer cells using comparative genomic analysis. To determine what fraction was active in promoting tumorigenicity, we chose five representative fibroblast-secreted factors for in vivo analysis. We found that the majority (three out of five) played equally major roles in promoting tumorigenicity, and intriguingly, each one had distinct effects on the tumor microenvironment. Specifically, fibroblast-secreted amphiregulin promoted breast cancer cell survival, whereas the chemokine CCL7 stimulated tumor cell proliferation while CCL2 promoted innate immune cell infiltration and angiogenesis. The other two factors tested had minor (CCL8) or minimally (STC1) significant effects on the ability of fibroblasts to promote tumor growth. The importance of parallel interactions between fibroblasts and cancer cells was tested by simultaneously targeting fibroblast-secreted amphiregulin and the CCL7 receptor on cancer cells, and this was significantly more efficacious than blocking either pathway alone. We further explored the concept of parallel interactions by testing the extent to which induction of critical fibroblast-secreted proteins could be achieved by single, previously identified, factors produced by breast cancer cells. We found that although single factors could induce a subset of genes, even combinations of factors failed to induce the full repertoire of functionally important fibroblast-secreted proteins. Together, these results delineate a complex network of tumor-fibroblast interactions that act in parallel to promote tumorigenicity and suggest that effective anti-stromal therapeutic strategies will need to be multi-targeted

Tuberculosis awareness among educated public in two cities in Tamil Nadu

A questionnaire on source of information regarding tuberculosis, signs and symptoms, diagnostic methods, treatment duration and personal and community hygiene relating to tuberculosis, was administered to 446 students and employees with an educational status of high school certificate and above. The main source of information were books and magazines and 86% were aware that the Tuberculosis germ was the causative agent. Symptoms of Tuberculosis such as cough (85%) and loss of weight (74%) were well known. Other symptoms suchchest pain (29%), fever (27%) were less known. Sputum examination as a diagnostic tool was known to 68% while 80% knew about radiograph being used to diagnose the disease. Cough as a method of spread was known to 91%. In this questionnaire the duration of treatment was the least known fact. 28% felt that treatment could be stopped if symptoms disappeared. 16% were aware that the method of sputum disposal was by incineration. The implications are discussed

Transportation of lymph node biopsy specimens in selective Kirchner’s liquid medium for culture of tubercle bacilli

Lymph node biopsy specimens, obtained from 297 paediatric and adult patients with tuberculous lymphadenitis at Madurai, were transported in selective Kirchner’s liquid medium (KL-T) to the Tuberculosis Research Centre, Madras and processed for culture. Mycobucterium tuberculosis was isolated from 201 (68%) specimens. Of the 192 specimens received within 4 days of resection, 134 (69.8%) yielded M. tuberculosis on culture and of the 105 specimens received after 5 days, 67 (63.8%) were culture positive; the difference was not statistically significant. By incubating KL-T alone further, after removing the gland for processing, it was found that mere contact with the excised node during transportation was enough to retrieve 77 (38.3%) of the total of 201 positive isolates obtained, the delay did not affect the culture positivity rate. Thus, lymph node specimens for culture of tubercle bacilli can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 15 days and transported in KL-T at ambient temperature for 18-20 h without any loss in culture positivity

delta S = 2 nonleptonic hyperon decays

A sensitive search for the rare decays \Omega^- \to \Lambda \pi^- and \Xi^0 \to p \pi^- has been performed using data from the 1997 run of the HyperCP (Fermilab E871) experiment. Limits on other such processes do not exclude the possibility of observable rates for |\Delta S| = 2 nonleptonic hyperon decays, provided the decays occur through parity-odd operators. We obtain the branching-fraction limits B(\Omega^- \to \Lambda \pi^-)< 2.9 x 10^{-6} and B(\Xi^0 \to p \pi^-)< 8.2 x 10^{-6}, both at 90% confidence level.Comment: 4 pages, 5 figures, PRL pape

The effect of surveillance and appreciative inquiry on puerperal infections : a longitudinal cohort study in India

Peer reviewedPublisher PD

Search for the Lepton-Number-Violating Decay Ξ−→pμ−μ−\Xi^- \to p \mu^- \mu^-

A sensitive search for the lepton-number-violating decay $\Xi^-\to p \mu^-\mu^-$ has been performed using a sample of $\sim10^9$ $\Xi^-$ hyperons produced in 800 GeV/$c$ $p$-Cu collisions. We obtain $\mathcal{B}(\Xi^-\to p \mu^-\mu^-)< 4.0\times 10^{-8}$ at 90% confidence, improving on the best previous limit by four orders of magnitude.Comment: 9 pages, 5 figures, to be published in Phys. Rev. Let