Vascular-Associated Muc4/Vwf Co-Localization in Human Conjunctival Malignant Melanoma Specimens—Tumor Metastasis by Migration?

<p><i>Purpose</i>: To investigate whether vascular differentiation marker von Willebrand factor (vWf) and proliferation marker KI67 expression correlate with MUC4 localization around stromal tumor vascularization in human conjunctival malignant melanoma (CMM).</p> <p><i>Materials and methods</i>: For the purposes of this study, we analyzed samples from human CMMs (n = 4), conjunctival compound nevi (n = 7), and samples from healthy conjunctiva (n = 7) for MUC1, 4, and 16 by immunohistochemistry. To test CMM vessel association of MUC4, we investigated the co-localization of MUC4 with vWf or KI67 in human CMM specimens (n = 10) by immunohistochemistry. Also, we investigated the MUC4 localization around vessels of healthy conjunctiva (n = 10).</p> <p><i>Results</i>: The immunohistochemical analysis demonstrated membrane-associated mucin expression in epithelia of CMM, nevi and healthy conjunctiva, whereas only MUC4 was localized perivascular in CMM tissue in this preliminary analysis. Co-staining analysis with vWf and KI67 demonstrated MUC4 localization around stromal vessels in human CMM specimens. In contrast, no MUC4 localization has been seen around healthy conjunctiva stroma vessels.</p> <p><i>Conclusions</i>: MUC4 was detected around vWf/KI67-positive CMM stromal vascular tissue, but not around healthy conjunctival stroma vessels. Therefore, we assume that MUC4 might play a role in tumor cell migration toward vessels inducing metastasis.</p

Cyber-physical system design with sensor networking technologies

This book describes how wireless sensor networking technologies can help in establishing and maintaining seamless communications between the physical and cyber systems to enable efficient, secure, reliable acquisition, management, and routing of data

Up-regulation of different angiogenic factors in vitreous samples.

<p><b>A.</b> Total VEGF was significantly up-regulated in vitreous samples of DR patients (p = 0.002). B. VEGF-A was also significantly up-regulated in DR patients (p<0.001). <b>C.</b> Additionally, PGF was upregulated in DR samples compared to controls (p<0.001). Each symbol depicts an individual patient. The horizontal bar indicates the mean cytokine concentration per group. **: p<0.01, ***: p<0.001.</p

Overlapping coalition formation games in wireless communication networks

This brief introduces overlapping coalition formation games (OCF games), a novel mathematical framework from cooperative game theory that can be used to model, design and analyze cooperative scenarios in future wireless communication networks. The concepts of OCF games are explained, and several algorithmic aspects are studied. In addition, several major application scenarios are discussed. These applications are drawn from a variety of fields that include radio resource allocation in dense wireless networks, cooperative spectrum sensing for cognitive radio networks, and resource management for crowd sourcing. For each application, the use of OCF games is discussed in detail in order to show how this framework can be used to solve relevant wireless networking problems. Overlapping Coalition Formation Games in Wireless Communication Networks provides researchers, students and practitioners with a concise overview of existing works in this emerging area, exploring the relevant fundamental theories, key techniques, and significant applications.

Contribution of pleiotropic immunomodulatory cytokine levels in vitreous samples.

<p><b>A.</b> A difference in IL-2 (p = 0.62) level was not measurable between control and DR patients. <b>B.</b> There was no difference in IL-4 level between control and DR patients (p = 0.78). <b>C.</b> A trend for the down-regulation of IL-13 level (p = 0.36) was noted in DR patients. Each symbol depicts an individual patient. The horizontal bar indicates the mean cytokine concentration per group.</p

List of oligonucleotides used for mRNA expression analyses in retinas of control animals, ischemic animals, and animals treated with ranibizumab after ischemia by quantitative real-time PCR.

<p>The housekeeping gene <i>β-actin</i> served as the gene for normalization and relative quantification. The gene accession number, predicted amplicon size as well as the primer efficiency is indicated for each oligonucleotide pair. Abbreviations: bp = base pairs, F = forward, R = reverse.</p

Retinal Ganglion Cell Loss Is Accompanied by Antibody Depositions and Increased Levels of Microglia after Immunization with Retinal Antigens

<div><h3>Background</h3><p>Antibodies against retinal and optic nerve antigens are detectable in glaucoma patients. Recent studies using a model of experimental autoimmune glaucoma demonstrated that immunization with certain ocular antigens causes an immun-mediated retinal ganglion cell loss in rats.</p> <h3>Methodology/Principal Findings</h3><p>Rats immunized with a retinal ganglion cell layer homogenate (RGA) had a reduced retinal ganglion cell density on retinal flatmounts (p = 0.007) and a lower number of Brn3⁺retinal ganglion cells (p = 0.0001) after six weeks. The autoreactive antibody development against retina and optic nerve was examined throughout the study. The levels of autoreactive antibodies continuously increased up to 6 weeks (retina: p = 0.004; optic nerve: p = 0.000003). Additionally, antibody deposits were detected in the retina (p = 0.02). After 6 weeks a reactive gliosis (GFAP density: RGA: 174.7±41.9; CO: 137.6±36.8, p = 0.0006; %GFAP⁺ area: RGA: 8.5±3.4; CO: 5.9±3.6, p = 0.006) as well as elevated level of Iba1⁺ microglia cells (p = 0.003) was observed in retinas of RGA animals.</p> <h3>Conclusions/Significance</h3><p>Our findings suggest that these antibodies play a substantial role in mechanisms leading to retinal ganglion cell death. This seems to lead to glia cell activation as well as the invasion of microglia, which might be associated with debris clearance.</p> </div

Detection of autoreactive antibodies against ocular tissues.

<p>Mean scores of autoreactive antibodies during the study. Levels of antibodies against retina (A) and optic nerve (B) continuously increased in sera of RGA animals after immunization in comparison to controls (CO). At four and six weeks significantly higher antibody reactivity was detected in the RGA group. Values are mean±SE; p<0.05 in bold.</p