Escape from immunotherapy: possible mechanisms that influence tumor regression/progression

Tumor escape is one major obstacle that has to be addressed prior to designing and delivering successful immunotherapy. There is compelling evidence to support the notion that immunogenic tumors, in murine models and cancer patients, can be rejected by the immune system under optimum conditions for activating adaptive and nonadaptive antitumor immune responses. Despite this capability, a large number of tumors continue to grow and evade recognition and/or destruction by the immune system. The limited success in current immunotherapeutic strategies may be due to a variety of reasons: failure of effector cells to compete with the growing tumor burden, production of humoral factors by tumors that locally block cytotoxicity, antigen/MHC loss, T-cell dysfunction, production of suppressor T cells—to name but a few causes for therapeutic ineffectiveness for the particular malignancy being treated. To optimize immunotherapy strategies, correction of immune-activating signals, eradication of inhibitory factors, and the evasion from newly developed immunoresistant tumor phenotypes need to be simultaneously considered

Immunotherapeutic potential of DISC-HSV and OX40L in cancer

Several vectors, viral and bacterial, have been developed over the past few years for means of generating an effective anti-tumor immune response. We have developed and studied a “model for immunotherapy” using a viral vector DISC-HSV, which efficiently transduces various tumor cell lines and offers a useful vehicle for the further development of cell based vaccines. The immunotherapeutic potential of DISC-HSV encoding GMCSF was demonstrated in a number of murine carcinoma models, leading to complete regression of well established tumors in up to 70% of the mice. Moreover, the therapeutic potential of DISC-HSV-GMCSF was significantly enhanced when used in combination therapy with either OX40L or dendritic cells (DC), even in poorly immunogenic tumor model. The ability of this vector to accept large gene inserts, its good safety profile, its ability to undergo only a single round of infection, the inherent viral immunostimulatory properties and its ability to infect various tumor cell lines efficiently, make DISC-HSV an ideal candidate vector for immunotherapy. The DISC- CT-26 tumor model has been used to investigate these mechanisms associated with immunotherapy – induced tumor rejection. Although CTL induction, was positively correlated with regression, MHC class I down regulation and accumulation of immature Gr1+ myeloid cells were shown to be the main immuno-suppressor mechanisms operating against regression and associated with progressive tumor growth

ISRĀĪLĪYĀT: PERKEMBANGAN DAN DAMPAKNYA DALAM TAFSIR AL-QUR`AN

Al-Qur`an mengungkapkan kisah-kisah umat terdahulu, baik sebagai ibrah, penukilan hukum dan penjelasan ketauhidan serta pengungkapan kisah yang sebenarnya. Namun pengungkapan al-Qur`an tentang kisah itu sangat sederhana, tidak sedetail kitab-kitab terdahulu karena al-Qur`an bukan kitab dongeng, melainkan kitab suci. Kisah tersebut disebut isrāīlīyāt. Penuturan isrāīlīyāt menjadi berkembang pesat setelah orang Yahudi dan Nasrani ba-nyak memeluk agama Islam, mereka banyak mengintrodusir pe-ngetahuan agama yang mereka anut sebelumnya ke dalam Islam (Tafsir al-Qur`an).Pada kurun atbā‘ al-tābi‘īn, merupakan puncak perkembangan isrāīlīyāt dalam mewarnai tafsir al-Qur`an. Peng-ungkapan isrāīlīyāt secara tidak selektif akan berdampak pada kemurnian ajaran Islam, aqidah umat Islam dan maksud yang ter-kandung dalam al-Qur`an. Para ulama berbeda pendapat dalam ke-bolehan mengisahkan isrāīlīyāt, antara yang melarang dan yang membolehkannya, yang kesemuanya demi menjaga kemurnian dari ajaran Islam (al-Qur`an)

Perkembangan Bahasa Arab dan Sumbangannya Terhadap Pendidikan Islam di Selatan Thailand pada Abad ke-19 dan ke-20

Arabic is both a religious and science language, a means to understand Islamic teachings (Shari'ah), the reason why Islamic educational institutions are established throughout South of Thailand in order to teach this language and to spread it. The present research aims at studying the spread of Arabic language and its contributions to the Islamic education in Southern Thailand. In this regard, this study concentrates on the current situation of the Islamic education, its relationship to the Arabic language, the objectives of the Arabic teaching, its methods and contributions. Based on the above, this research noted the existence of various types of the Islamic educational institutions in Southern Thailand region in which Arabic language subject is a focal point. Also, it found among the most causes of the spread of Arabic language is Islam, teaching and learning process, sending students to Arab countries, Arabic and religious literature and writings. The common objectives among various institutions (i.e. Pondoks, Islamic private schools, Tadika and Higher educational institutions), are to understand Islamic teachings with some variations in term of language skills. As for the curriculum and methodology of teaching they are subjected to educational purposes. Additionally, the study found that the spread of Arabic language in 19th and 20th centuries has contributed much to the development of the Islamic education in various spheres. The findings of this study are, indeed, beneficial to the whole Islamic community, Islamic educational institutions in general, and to the scholars in particular. Therefore, scholars and educators are urged to adopt these findings and bring out comprehensive plans that ensure the spread of Arabic language and the development of the Islamic education

Successful Management of a Patient with Florid Diabetic Retinopathy

Florid diabetic retinopathy is an unusual, aggressive type of diabetic retinopathy. It is seen in young patients with poor metabolic control. Despite advances in treatment the overall prognosis of this condition remains poor. A 21-year old female patient was seen by us and found to have florid diabetic retinopathy despite an adequate metabolic control by oral hypoglycemic agents. The patient underwent multiple laser and orbital floor triamcinolone acetonide injections. Later the left eye developed persistent vitreous hemorrhage for which a vitrectomy with silicone oil injection was done. During a 4 year follow-up she has shown a visually and anatomical stable response

Prevalence and of Paramphistomiasis in Ruminants Slaughtered at Sokoto Central Abattoir, Sokoto

A Survey of prevalence and fluke burden of Paramphistomum sp. was conducted among the major ruminants slaughtered in Sokoto Central Abattoir between May and October, 2007. One hundred (100) of goats, sheep and cattle each were examined for the presence of Paramphistomum species (stomach flukes). Flukes were counted to determine the average fluke burden and prevalence. Out of the 300 animals, a total of 100 (33.3%) were infected with an average fluke burden of 4794. Out of these, 56 (56%) were cattle, with fluke burden of 2517(52.5%}, 32 (32%) were sheep with fluke burden of 1907 (39.8%) and 12 (12%} with fluke burden of 370 (6.7%) were goats. Out of the 100cattle, 20 (20%) males and 36 (36%) females were infected with flukes. Also, out of the 100 sheep, 4 (4%) were males and 28 (28%} were females and in goats, 4 (4%) were males while 8 (8%) were females. On the basis of age the result showed that 4(7.1%) out of the 56 infected animals were those of 1-2 yrs, 40 (71.4%} were 3-4 yrs old and 12 (21.4%) were animals >4 yrs in respect of cattle. Of the 32 infected sheep, 6 (18.7%) were 1-2 yrs, 18(56.2%) were 3-4 yrs and 8(25%) were >4yrs. Similarly, 2(16%) out of the 12 goats infected were 1-2 yrs, 8 (66.6%) were 3-4 yrs old and 2 (16%) were >4 yrs. Paramphistomiasis is prevalent in the area, with female cattle having higher prevalence. Measures forcontrol of these parasites should be prioritized in the study area.Keywords; Prevalence, Paramphistomiasis, Fluke, Burde

HUBUNGAN MANAJEMEN LABA SEBELUM IPO DAN RETURN SAHAM DENGAN KEPEMILIKAN INSTITUSIONAL SEBAGAI VARIABEL PEMODERASI (Studi Empiris pada Perusahaan yang Terdaftar di Bursa Efek Indonesia)

Initial Public Offering is usually done by company to get any additional fund to develop the company. In order to attract the investors to invest to the company, manager can report higher profit that said as earning management. The purpose of this study is to investigate earnings management during periods around the Initial Public Offering of a company. This study also examine the effect of earning management to stock return and examine institutional ownership in moderating the relationship between earning management and stock return. Sample of the study consists 52 companies that take place IPO during 2001 – 2008. Earning management is measure with discretionary accrual from modified Jones model. The data is collected from Prospektus and yearly financial report of the company. One sample t test is used to examine whether significant discretionary accrual among the companies for T-1, T+1 and T+2 around the IPO and regression analysis is used to examine the effect of earning management to market reaction and the effect of institutional ownership in moderating the earning management-market reaction relationship. The results of the study shows that no significant earning management in last year before IPO. Earning management do not significantly effect the market reaction (CAR). Institutional ownership also not significantly moderate the relationship between earning management and CAR

Thin Layer chromatographic analyses of pesticides in a soil ecosystem

Silica gel 60, silica gel 60 F254, and aluminium oxide as adsorbents were used to investigate their suitability for the analysis and detection of the pesticides: nitrofen, atrazine, diuron, dioxacarb, propoxur, propanil, carbaryl and cypermethrin in soil ecosystem using ethyl acetate, chloroform, dichloromethane and ethyl acetate/chloroform (1:1) as developing solvents. O-tolidine and potassium iodide reagent were used for the detection of the pesticides. Rf values obtained for the pesticides using the silica gel 60-ethyl acetate, silica gel 60 F254-ethyl acetate, silica gel 60-chloroform, silica gel 60 F254-chloroform, silica gel 60 – (1:1) ethyl acetate/chloroform and silica gel 60 F254 – (1:1) ethyl acetate/chloroform systems generally were within the stipulated range of 0.4 –0.8. Rf values obtained for the pesticides using silica gel 60-dichloromethane and silica gel 60 F254-dichloromethane systems were very low except for cypermethrin and nitrofen. Analysis with aluminium oxide coated plates gave a heavy yellow background with the detection reagent making visualization of spots difficult. Aluminium oxide coated plate is, therefore, not recommended when o-tolidine plus potassium iodide is used as detection reagent