Translational genomics of ovarian clear cell carcinoma.

Ovarian clear cell carcinomas (OCCC) are rare aggressive, chemo-resistant tumours comprising approximately 13% of all epithelial ovarian cancers, which have distinct clinical and molecular features, when compared to other gynaecological malignancies. At present, there are no specific licensed targeted therapies for OCCC, although a number of candidate targets have been identified. This review focuses on recent knowledge underpinning our understanding of the pathogenesis of OCCC including direct and synthetic-lethal therapeutic strategies in particular focussing on ARID1A deficiency. We also discuss current targeted clinical trials and immunotherapeutic approaches

Diagnostic value of in situ polymerase chain reaction in childhood leprosy

Objective: Our aim was to assess the diagnostic value of in situ polymerase chain reaction (PCR) in leprosy, particularly for enhancing histopathological diagnosis. Methods: We prospectively studied 20 children (aged <16 years) with leprosy. Clinical examination of each case was performed, and skin smear for acid-fast bacillus was prepared. A biopsy of the lesion site was performed for histopathological examination and in situ PCR testing. Results: Histopathological examination confirmed the clinical diagnosis in only 45% of the cases; nonspecific histopathology was reported for the remaining 55% of the cases. In situ PCR showed a positivity of 57.1% in the early/localized form of leprosy (indeterminate/borderline tuberculoid) and 61.5% in the borderline borderline/borderline lepromatous group. When compared with the histopathological examination, a significant enhancement of 15% in diagnosis was seen. With in situ PCR, the diagnosis could be confirmed in 4 (36.3%) of 11 cases with nonspecific histopathological features (which is common in early disease) in addition to confirmation of 8 (88.8%) of 9 histopathologically confirmed tissue sections. Histopathology and in situ PCR combined together confirmed the diagnosis in 13 (65%) of the 20 cases. Conclusions: In situ PCR is an important diagnostic tool, especially in early and doubtful cases of leprosy

Optical Properties of Heavily Fluorinated Lanthanide Tris β-Diketonate Phosphine Oxide Adducts

The construction of lanthanide(III) chelates that exhibit superior photophysical properties holds great importance in biological and materials science. One strategy to increase the luminescence properties of lanthanide(III) chelates is to hinder competitive non-radiative decay processes through perfluorination of the chelating ligands. Here, the synthesis of two families of heavily fluorinated lanthanide(III) β-diketonate complexes bearing monodentate perfluorinated tris phenyl phosphine oxide ligands have been prepared through a facile one pot reaction [Ln(hfac)3{(ArF)3PO}(H2O)] and [Ln(F7-acac)3{(ArF)3PO}2] (where Ln = Sm3+, Eu3+, Tb3+, Er3+ and Yb3+). Single crystal X-ray diffraction analysis in combination with photophysical studies have been performed to investigate the factors responsible for the differences in the luminescence lifetimes and intrinsic quantum yields of the complexes. Replacement of both bound H2O and C–H oscillators in the ligand backbone has a dramatic effect on the photophysical properties of the complexes, particularly for the near infra-red emitting ion Yb3+, where a five fold increase in luminescence lifetime and quantum yield is observed. The complexes [Sm(hfac)3{(ArF)3PO}(H2O)] (1), [Yb(hfac)3{(ArF)3PO}(H2O)] (5), [Sm(F7-acac)3{(ArF)3PO}2] (6) and [Yb(F7-acac)3{(ArF)3PO}2] (10) exhibit unusually long luminescence lifetimes and attractive intrinsic quantum yields of emission in fluid solution (ΦLn = 3.4% (1); 1.4% (10)) and in the solid state (ΦLn = 8.5% (1); 2.0% (5); 26% (6); 11% (10)), which are amongst the largest values for this class of compounds to date

Utilizing Functional Genomics Screening to Identify Potentially Novel Drug Targets in Cancer Cell Spheroid Cultures

The identification of functional driver events in cancer is central to furthering our understanding of cancer biology and indispensable for the discovery of the next generation of novel drug targets. It is becoming apparent that more complex models of cancer are required to fully appreciate the contributing factors that drive tumorigenesis in vivo and increase the efficacy of novel therapies that make the transition from preclinical models to clinical trials. Here we present a methodology for generating uniform and reproducible tumor spheroids that can be subjected to siRNA functional screening. These spheroids display many characteristics that are found in solid tumors that are not present in traditional two-dimension culture. We show that several commonly used breast cancer cell lines are amenable to this protocol. Furthermore, we provide proof-of-principle data utilizing the breast cancer cell line BT474, confirming their dependency on amplification of the epidermal growth factor receptor HER2 and mutation of phosphatidylinositol-4,5-biphosphate 3-kinase (PIK3CA) when grown as tumor spheroids. Finally, we are able to further investigate and confirm the spatial impact of these dependencies using immunohistochemistry.Open Access fees were supported by Nexcelom Bioscience, LLCThis work was funded by Breast Cancer Now. RN is the recipient of a Breast Cancer Now Career Development Fellowship (2011MaySF01

Improving Scheelite Recovery from Gold Tailings

Tungsten occupies a very important place amongst the strategic metals. However, resources available in India are scarce and lean in grade. Various physical methods of beneficiation have been tried to beneficiate such, low grade ores, but these have not been generally efficient in terms of high recoveries and concentrate grades. Tungsten minerals, wolframite and scheelite being friable, tend to slime during size reduction stages. Because of this, high loss in slimes occurs during conventional gravity opera-tions. Flotation techniques too have not been very succe-ssful though some excellent results have been reported by Mercade (1) on direct flotation of scheelite from low grade ores. Recently special gravity concentration equi-pment such as Bartles Mozley Separator (MIS)and Cross Belt Concentrator (CBC) have been used in separation of a wide variety of fine heavy minerals including scheelite (2, 3, 4, 5). To obtain a high grade concentrate, a combination of gravity and flotation and/or magnetic separation method is generally employed

Leiomyosarcoma of the maxilla as second malignancy in retinoblastoma

Patients with hereditary retinoblastoma are at increased risk of second primary tumor, the commonest tumor being osteosarcoma. Leiomyosarcoma developing as second primary neoplasm in retinoblastoma patients is unusual and most have occurred in the field of previous radiotherapy. Although with aggressive therapy better survival can be achieved, the overall prognosis of patients developing these second neoplasms is poor. In this report we present a case of leiomyosarcoma of the maxilla as a second neoplasm in a patient with bilateral retinoblastoma which has developed outside the radiation field

Leiomyosarcoma of the maxilla as second malignancy in retinoblastoma

Patients with hereditary retinoblastoma are at increased risk of second primary tumor, the commonest tumor being osteosarcoma. Leiomyosarcoma developing as second primary neoplasm in retinoblastoma patients is unusual and most have occurred in the field of previous radiotherapy. Although with aggressive therapy better survival can be achieved, the overall prognosis of patients developing these second neoplasms is poor. In this report we present a case of leiomyosarcoma of the maxilla as a second neoplasm in a patient with bilateral retinoblastoma which has developed outside the radiation field

Neptunyl(VI) centred visible LMCT emission directly observable in the presence of uranyl(VI)

Room temperature detection of neptunyl(VI) LMCT emission in a coordination compound and in the presence of uranyl(VI) is reported for the first time. Differences in the excitation profiles of the complexes enable spectral editing so either exclusively neptunyl(VI) or uranyl(VI) emission is observed or a sum of the two