FoxP3+ T regulatory cells in cancer : prognostic biomarkers and therapeutic targets

T Regulatory cells (Tregs) can have both protective and pathological roles. They maintain immune homeostasis and inhibit immune responses in various diseases, including cancer. Proportions of Tregs in the peripheral blood of some cancer patients increase by five-to ten-folds, compared to those in healthy individuals. Tregs contribute to cancer development and progression by suppressing T effector cell functions, thereby compromising tumor killing and promoting tumor growth. Highly immunosuppressive Tregs express upregulated levels of the transcription factor, Forkhead box protein P3 (FoxP3). Elevated levels of FoxP3+ Tregs within the tumor microenvironment (TME) showed a positive correlation with poor prognosis in various cancer patients. Despite the success of immunotherapy, including the use of immune checkpoint inhibitors, a significant proportion of patients show low response rates as a result of primary or acquired resistance against therapy. Some of the mechanisms which underlie the development of therapy resistance are associated with Treg suppressive function. In this review, we describe Treg contribution to cancer development/progression, and the mechanisms of Treg-mediated immunosuppression. We discuss the prognostic significance of FoxP3+ Tregs in different cancers and their potential use as prognostic biomarkers. We also describe potential therapeutic strategies to target Tregs in combination with other types of immunotherapies aiming to overcome tumor resistance and improve clinical outcomes in cancer patients. Overall, understanding the prognostic significance of FoxP3+ Tregs in various cancers and their contribution to therapeutic resistance could help in the development of more effective targeted therapeutic strategies to enhance the clinical outcomes in cancer patients

Resource discovery for distributed computing systems: A comprehensive survey

Large-scale distributed computing environments provide a vast amount of heterogeneous computing resources from different sources for resource sharing and distributed computing. Discovering appropriate resources in such environments is a challenge which involves several different subjects. In this paper, we provide an investigation on the current state of resource discovery protocols, mechanisms, and platforms for large-scale distributed environments, focusing on the design aspects. We classify all related aspects, general steps, and requirements to construct a novel resource discovery solution in three categories consisting of structures, methods, and issues. Accordingly, we review the literature, analyzing various aspects for each category

Lobular Capillary Hemangioma of the Nasal Cavity: A Retrospective Study of 15 Cases in Taiwan

Background: Lobular capillary hemangioma of the nasal cavity is an uncommon benign vascular tumor of unknown etiology. There have been only very few case reports in Taiwan. Aims: This study aimed to analyze the clinical features, radiological findings, treatment modalities, and outcome of lobular capillary hemangioma treated at a teaching hospital in Taiwan during a period of 10 years. Study Design: Descriptive study. Methods: Retrospective chart reviews were performed on patients who were diagnosed with lobular capillary hemangioma of the nasal cavity at Kaohsiung Armed Forces General Hospital, Kaohsiung, Taiwan, from January 2003 to December 2012. Data retrieved included age, gender, clinical symptoms, computed tomography (CT) findings, treatment modalities, and outcome for further analysis. Results: Of the 15 patients identified, there were five males and ten females ranging from 17 to 86 years of age, with a mean age of 43.8±20.2. Epistaxis was the most common presenting symptom. All patients presented a unilateral nasal lobular capillary hemangioma. The most commonly affected site was the anterior nasal septum, followed by the inferior turbinate, vestibule, middle turbinate, and posterior nasal septum. All lesions presented as soft tissue density without bony erosions under CT examination. Endoscopic excisional surgery (n=12) or classical local excision (n=3) was performed for complete removal of the hemangioma. No evidence of recurrence was observed with 6 to 75 months of follow-up. Conclusion: Lobular capillary hemangioma of the nasal cavity was usually found to occur in anterior septum with epistaxis. Complete excision with endoscopic surgery or classical local excision was recommended and recurrence can be prevented

Opacification of a CeeON 911A Silicone Intraocular Lens Caused by Deposits on the Optic without Asteroid Hyalosis Opacification of a CeeON 911A Silicone Intraocular Lens Caused by Deposits on the Optic without Asteroid Hyalosis

Abstract: This study reports a case of calcific opacification on an implanted silicone intraocular lens (IOL) without asteroid hyalosis. A 72-year-old female was referred for blurred vision in her left eye. Her history showed she had undergone uneventful phacoemulsification with in the bag implantation of a silicone foldable hydrophobic IOL (CeeON 911A, Pharmacia Corporation) 39 months earlier. Under slit-lamp examination, multiple diffuse granular -appearing opacification in the optic were noted. The surgery for IOL explanation and replacement was performed because of significant visual disturbance. Crystals of calcium phosphate in brush form were found under light microscopy. It looked like the feather beside the brush. The scanning electron microscopy revealed a morphous crust-like layer on the curved posterior optic surface of the lens. The transmission detecting systems showed that the transmission rate of the opacified silicon IOL was near 0%. It may have decreased the visual acuity of the patient and limited her daily-activities and stereo-acuity. To our knowledge, this is the first report of surface calcification of a silicone IOL in the absence of asteroid hyalosis. Although the mechanism of calcification has not been determined, careful clinical follow-up of patients with implanted silicone lenses is necessary to determine if this phenomenon is rare and sporadic or if it is more widespread

Primary Intra-abdominal Synovial Sarcoma

We report a case of primary intra-abdominal synovial sarcoma of the omentum in a 66-year-old man hospitalized for intermittent abdominal fullness for 1-2 months and tenesmus for 2 weeks. The patient had a palpable mass that was solid, hard and with well-defined thickness within his abdomen. A huge heterogeneous mass lesion over the middle abdomen that started from S2, S3 of the liver to the transverse colon was shown on abdominal computed tomography. The major cell types of the tissue mass were confirmed to be spindle and epithelial cells, which was consistent with biphasic synovial sarcoma according to pathologic and immunohistochemical findings

The acute and regulatory phases of time-course changes in gill mitochondrion-rich cells of seawater-acclimated medaka (Oryzias dancena) when exposed to hypoosmotic environments

The recent model showed that seawater (SW) mitochondrion-rich (MR) cells with hole-type apical openings secrete Cl− through the transporters including the Na+, K+-ATPase (NKA), Na+, K+, 2Cl− cotransporter (NKCC), and cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR). The present study focused on the dynamic elimination of the Cl− secretory capacity and illustrated different phases (i.e., acute and regulatory phases) of branchial MR cells in response to hypoosmotic challenge. Time-course remodeling of the cell surfaces and the altered expressions of typical ion transporters were observed in the branchial MR cells of SW-acclimated brackish medaka (Oryzias dancena) when exposed to fresh water (FW). On the 1st day post-transfer, rapid changes were shown in the acute phase: the flat-type MR cells with large apical surfaces replaced the hole-type cells, the gene expression of both Odnkcc1a and Odcftr decreased, and the apical immunostaining signals of CFTR protein disappeared. The basolateral immunostaining signals of NKCC1a protein decreased throughout the regulatory phase (> 1 day post-transfer). During this period, the size and number of NKA-immunoreactive MR cells were significantly reduced and elevated, respectively. Branchial NKA expression and activity were maintained at constant levels in both phases. The results revealed that when SW-acclimated brackish medaka were transferred to hypoosmotic FW for 24 h, the Cl− secretory capacity of MR cells was eliminated, whereas NKCC1a protein was retained to maintain the hypoosmoregulatory endurance of the gills. The time-course acute and regulatory phases of gill MR cells showed different strategies of the euryhaline medaka when subjected to hypoosmotic environments