Immunogenicity and Immunosensitivity of Urethane-induced Murine Lung Adenomata, in Relation to the Immunological Impairment of the Primary Tumour Host

The depression of the immunological status of BALB/c mice treated during infancy with two different doses of urethane, alone or combined with cortisone, was evaluated by counting the number of plaque forming cells at 30 or 50 days of age. The incidence of lung adenomatous nodules was directly related to the degree of immunological impairment at 50 days of age. Twenty-seven lung adenomata were tested in an in vitro system involving spleen cells immune against the same single tumour used as target cell. Eighty-six per cent of tumours in the most immunodepressed group of mice were positive compared with 20-40% in the less immunodepressed groups. Syngeneic cross-reaction tests showed that non-immunogenic tumours were immunosensitive since 66% positive tests were obtained when target cells belonging to the less immunodepressed groups were tested with spleen cells of mice immunized with immunogenic adenomata

Embryonic Antigens and Growth of Murine Fibrosarcomata

The amount of embryonic antigens (EA) was estimated in 13 BALB/c fibrosarcomata by in vitro cell mediated cytotoxicity of anti-embryo spleen cells and by quantitative absorption of an anti-embryo antiserum. A direct relationship between amount of EA and tumour growing capacity was found. EA were detected also on fast dividing testicular cells. It is suggested that EA expression on tumour cells is related to a cell membrane function controlling mitosis rather than to a function specifically related to the neoplastic status. Tumour take of low doses of 2 EA-bearing sarcomata was found to be enhanced in anti-embryo immune BALB/c mice in comparison with that in normal and anti-fibroblast immune mice

Quantum Circuits for the Unitary Permutation Problem

We consider the Unitary Permutation problem which consists, given $n$ unitary gates $U_1, \ldots, U_n$ and a permutation $\sigma$ of $\{1,\ldots, n\}$, in applying the unitary gates in the order specified by $\sigma$, i.e. in performing $U_{\sigma(n)}\ldots U_{\sigma(1)}$. This problem has been introduced and investigated by Colnaghi et al. where two models of computations are considered. This first is the (standard) model of query complexity: the complexity measure is the number of calls to any of the unitary gates $U_i$ in a quantum circuit which solves the problem. The second model provides quantum switches and treats unitary transformations as inputs of second order. In that case the complexity measure is the number of quantum switches. In their paper, Colnaghi et al. have shown that the problem can be solved within $n^2$ calls in the query model and $\frac{n(n-1)}2$ quantum switches in the new model. We refine these results by proving that $n\log_2(n) +\Theta(n)$ quantum switches are necessary and sufficient to solve this problem, whereas $n^2-2n+4$ calls are sufficient to solve this problem in the standard quantum circuit model. We prove, with an additional assumption on the family of gates used in the circuits, that $n^2-o(n^{7/4+\epsilon})$ queries are required, for any $\epsilon >0$. The upper and lower bounds for the standard quantum circuit model are established by pointing out connections with the permutation as substring problem introduced by Karp.Comment: 8 pages, 5 figure

Prognosis based on primary breast carcinoma instead of pathological nodal status.

In breast cancer patients, prognostic information required to plan post-surgical therapy is obtained mainly through axillary dissection. This study was designed to establish a new prognostic score based solely on parameters of the primary tumour as an alternative to axillary surgery in assessing prognosis. Eight different prognostic factors, including menopausal status, tumour size, grading, lymphatic invasion, desmoplasia, necrosis, c-erbB-2 and laminin receptor expression, were evaluated retrospectively on a large series of primary breast carcinoma patients. From multivariate analysis, four independent parameters were selected and examined, alone and in combination, for their prognostic potential. These parameters were used to generate a prognostic score that was analysed retrospectively in 467 N0-N1a patients to determine its predictive value for survival. The score, which includes variables such as tumour size, grading, laminin receptor and c-erbB-2 overexpression, was established based on the number of negative prognostic factors: score 1 refers to cases in which all four parameters reflect a good prognosis, scores 2 and 3 refer to tumours in which, respectively, one or two of the four parameters reflect a poor prognosis, whereas score 4 refers to tumours with three or four poor prognosis factors. Analysis of the overall survival of the four score groups shows that patients with score 1 tumours (22% of the total) had the best prognosis with a 15 year survival of 82%, patients with score 2 and 3 had an intermediate prognosis, whereas score 4 patients had the poorest prognosis with a 15 year survival of only 38%. Moreover, survival in the N+ score 1 cases was found to be longer than that in the total N- patients. Our data suggest that the primary tumour score provides more reliable prognostic information than pathological nodal status, and that axillary dissection can be avoided in a large number of patients

High Flow Nasal Cannulae in preterm infants

Despite of improved survival of premature infants, the incidence of long term pulmonary complications, mostly associated with ventilation-induced lung injury, remains high. Non invasive ventilation (NIV) is able to reduce the adverse effects of mechanical ventilation. Although nasal continuous positive airway pressure (NCPAP) is an effective mode of NIV, traumatic nasal complications and intolerance of the nasal interface are common. Recently high flow nasal cannula (HFNC) is emerging as an efficient, better tolerated form of NIV, allowing better access to the baby's face, which may improve nursing, feeding and bonding. The aim of this review is to discuss the available evidence of effectiveness and safety of HFNC in preterm newborns with respiratory distress syndrome (RDS). It is known that distending pressure generated by HFNC increases with increasing flow rate and decreasing infant size and varies according to the amount of leaks by nose and mouth. The effects of HFNC on lung mechanics, its clinical efficacy and safety are still insufficiently investigated. In conclusion, there is a growing evidence of the feasibility of HFNC as an alternative mode of NIV. However, further larger randomized trials are required, before being able to recommend HFNC in the treatment of moderate respiratory distress of preterm infants

Heregulin β1 induces the down regulation and the ubiquitin-proteasome degradation pathway of p185HER2 oncoprotein

AbstractAnalysis of the fate of the p185HER2 oncoprotein following activation by heregulin β1 revealed the induction of the tyrosine-phosphorylation, down-modulation, and polyubiquitination of p185HER2. Receptor ubiquitination was suppressed in cells treated with heregulin β1 in the presence of sodium azide, an inhibitor of ATP-dependent reactions, or genistein, a tyrosine kinase protein inhibitor, indicating the requirement for kinase activity and ATP in p185HER2 polyubiquitination. Ubiquitinated p185HER2 was degradated by the 26S proteasome proteolytic pathway. Kinetics and inhibition experiments indicated that endocytosis of the receptor occurs downstream of the initiation of the degradation process

Comparison between two different modes of non-invasive ventilatory support in preterm newborn infants with respiratory distress syndrome mild to moderate: preliminary data

Despite of improved survival of premature infants, the incidence of long term pulmonary complications, mostly associated with ventilation-induced lung injury, remains high. Non invasive ventilation (NIV) is able to reduce the adverse effects of mechanical ventilation. Although nasal continuous positive airway pressure (NCPAP) is an effective mode of NIV, traumatic nasal complications and intolerance of the nasal interface are common. Recently high flow nasal cannula (HFNC) is emerging as a better tolerated form of NIV, allowing better access to the baby's face, which may improve nursing, feeding and bonding. HFNC may be effective in the treatment of some neonatal respiratory conditions while being more user-friendly for care-givers than conventional NCPAP. Limited evidence is available to support the specific role, efficacy and safety of HFNC in newborns and to demonstrate efficacy compared with NCPAP; some studies suggest a potential role for HFNC in respiratory care of the neonate as a distinct non invasive ventilatory support. We present the preliminary data of a randomized clinical trial; the aim of this study was to assess efficacy and safety of HFNC compared to NCPAP in preterm newborns with mild to moderate respiratory distress syndrome (RDS)

[Assessment of pulmonary function in a follow-up of premature infants: our experience].

Respiratory diseases are a major cause of morbidity in neonates, especially preterm infants; a long term complication of prematurity such as bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) is particularly relevant today. The exact role of the Pulmonary Function Test (PFT) in this area is not yet well defined; the PFT in newborns and infants - in contrast to what happens in uncooperative children and adults - are routinely used only in a few centers. The assessment of pulmonary function in newborns and infants, however, is nowadays possible with the same reliability that in cooperative patients with the possibility to extend the assessment of polmonary function from bench to bed. The assessment of pulmonary function must be carried out with non invasive and safe methods, at the bedside, with the possibility of continuous monitoring and providing adequate calculation and management of data. The ability to assess lung function helps to define the mechanisms of respiratory failure, improving the treatment and its effects and is therefore a useful tool in the follow-up of newborn and infant with pulmonary disease