Soft tissue and visceral sarcomas: ESMO-EURACAN-GENTURIS Clinical Practice Guidelines for diagnosis, treatment and follow-up

Soft tissue sarcomas (STSs) comprise ∼80 entities defined by the World Health Organization (WHO) classification based on a combination of distinctive morphological, immunohistochemical and molecular features.1 These ESMO–EURACAN–GENTURIS (European Society for Medical Oncology; European Reference Network for Rare Adult Solid Cancers; European Reference Network for Genetic Tumour Risk Syndromes) Clinical Practice Guidelines (CPGs) will cover STSs, with the exception of gastrointestinal stromal tumours (GISTs) that are covered in the ESMO–EURACAN–GENTURIS GIST CPGs.2 EURACAN and GENTURIS are the European Reference Networks connecting European institutions, appointed by their governments, to cover rare adult solid cancers and genetic cancer risk syndromes, respectively. Extraskeletal Ewing sarcoma, round cell sarcoma with EWSR1-non-ETS fusion and sarcomas with CIC rearrangements and BCOR genetic alterations are covered by the ESMO–EURACAN–GENTURIS–ERN PaedCan (European Reference Network for Paediatric Oncology) bone sarcomas CPG.3 Kaposi's sarcoma, embryonal and alveolar rhabdomyosarcoma are not discussed in this manuscript, while pleomorphic rhabdomyosarcoma is viewed as a high-grade, adult-type STS. Finally, extraskeletal osteosarcoma is also a considered a high-grade STS, whose clinical resemblance with osteosarcoma of bone is doubtful. The methodology followed during the consensus meeting is specified at the end of the manuscript in a dedicated paragraph

Simultaneous determination of total and extracellular concentrations of the amino acid neurotransmitters in cat visual cortex by microbore liquid chromatography and electrochemical detection

To investigate the influence of a partial sensory deprivation on the total and extracellular concentration of the amino acid neurotransmitters in cat visual cortex, two microbore HPLC methods were developed for the simultaneous determination of aspartate, glutamate, glycine, taurine and gamma-aminobutyric acid in cat brain extracts or microdialysis samples. For the determination of the total neurotransmitter concentrations in the visual cortex, the brains were quickly frozen and 200-microns cryostat sections were made. From these sections tissue samples of 2 x 2 mm2 containing the six cortical layers were dissected out of the central and peripheral parts of area 17. After homogenisation and centrifugation, the supernatants were used for quantitative amino acid analysis using an o-phthalaldehyde-tert.-butylthiol pre-column derivatisation HPLC gradient elution method on a microbore column (100 x 1 mm I.D.; C8) and single electrochemical detection. Microdialysis samples from area 17 were obtained every 15 min using 2-mm probes perfused with synthetic cerebrospinal fluid at a flow-rate of 1 microliter/min. After o-phthalaldehyde-tert.-butylthiol derivatisation they were analysed on a microbore column by isocratic elution and dual electrochemical detection. The instrumentation and the different separation parameters were optimised and standard curve, recovery, analytical precision and detection limits for each neurotransmitter were determined.status: publishe

Chronological appearance of the different hypophyseal hormones in the pituitary of sea bass larvae (Dicentrarchus labrax) during their early development: an immunocytochemical demonstration

Antisera raised against chum salmon prolactin (PRL), rainbow trout growth hormone (GH), mammalian adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH), thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH), and luteinizing hormone (LH) were used to study the chronological appearance of immunoreactivity for PRL, GH, ACTH, TSH, LH, and melanocyte-stimulating hormone (MSH) in the pituitary of sea bass larvae (Dicentrarchus labrax) during the first 26 days after hatching. The anti-ACTH gives positive immunostaining in the ACTH cells as well as in the MSH cells; however, the two cell types can easily be distinguished by their different localization in the pituitary: ACTH in the rostral pars distalis, MSH in the pars intermedia. The first day after hatching cells immunoreactive for TSH, GH and ACTH could already be noticed, ACTH reacted strong in the pars intermedia but very weak in the rostral pars distalis. Cells immunopositive for PRL became visible between Days 9 and 15. With anti-LH, no positive reaction could be obtained during the first 26 days after hatching.status: publishe

Recent immunocytochemical findings concerning the hypothalamo-hypophyseal axis in vertebrates

info:eu-repo/semantics/nonPublishe

Parent-child interaction: a micro-level sequential approach in children with a significant cognitive and motor developmental delay.

Background & aims. Previous research indicates that young children with a significant cognitive and motor developmental delay show low levels of interactive engagement, their parents are generally responsive towards them and these variables are positively correlated. Adapting a micro-level approach, we aim to go beyond macro-level and correlational analyses by charting the frequency, intra-individual co-occurrence and inter-individual temporal dependency of specific interactive behaviors. Methods & procedures. Twenty-nine parent-child dyads (with children aged 6–59 months) were video-taped during a 15-minute unstructured play situation. Based on a self-developed coding scheme, interactive behaviors were coded continuously and analyzed using a three-step sequential analysis approach. Outcomes & results. Parents and children systematically combine either more socially-oriented or more object-oriented behaviors. Socially-oriented behaviors are less frequent in children, especially looking at and touching the partner occurs less. Socially- and object-oriented behavioral clusters are generally independent from each other and instigate/maintain the same type of behaviors in the interaction partner. While children’s socially oriented behavior(al cluster)s seem to need a parental ‘trigger’, parents will more often independently engage with their child despite low child responsiveness. Conclusions and implications. Further intervention-oriented research is needed to confirm this study’s results and translate them into concrete guidelines for parents.status: publishe

Peptidergic innervation of the andrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH)- and growth-hormone (GH)-producing cells in the pars-distalis of the sea bass (Dicentrachus Labrax)

Due to its unique organization, the teleost pituitary is an ideal model in which to investigate the relationship of the nervous system with the pituitary endocrine cells. A light microscope immunocytochemical study of the sea bass pituitary revealed six different neuropeptides in nerve fibers which projected into the pituitary neurohypophysis and bordered the adenohypophysial cells. Double staining showed separate nerve fibers immunoreactive for corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF), vasotocin (VT), somatostatin (SRIF), growth hormone-releasing factor (GRF), and neurotensin (NT) in the vicinity of the adrenocorticotropic hormone-releasing cells (ACTH-cells) in the rostral pars distalis (PD). In the proximal PD cholecystokinin (CCK)-, SRIF-, GRF-, and VT-immunoreactive fibers penetrated between the growth hormone-releasing cells (GH-cells). These results suggest a possible role for CCK, GRF, SRIF, and VT in the modulation of GH-cell activity, while the synthesis and/or secretion of the ACTH-cells might be affected by the release of VT, CRF, SRIF, GRF, and NT.status: publishe

Peptidergic innervation of the adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH)- and growth hormone (GH)-producing cells in the pars distalis of the sea bass (<i>Dicentrarchus labrax</i>)

Due to its unique organization, the teleost pituitary is an ideal model in which to investigate the relationship of the nervous system with the pituitary endocrine cells. A light microscope immunocytochemical study of the sea bass pituitary revealed six different neuropeptides in nerve fibers which projected into the pituitary neurohypophysis and bordered the adenohypophysial cells. Double staining showed separate nerve fibers immunoreactive for corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF), vasotocin (VT), somatostatin (SRIF), growth hormone-releasing factor (GRF), and neurotensin (NT) in the vicinity of the adrenocorticotropic hormone-releasing cells (ACTH-cells) in the rostral pars distalis (PD). In the proximal PD cholecystokinin (CCK)-, SRIF-, GRF-, and VT-immunoreactive fibers penetrated between the growth hormone-releasing cells (GH-cells). These results suggest a possible role for CCK, GRF, SRIF, and VT in the modulation of GH-cell activity, while the synthesis and/or secretion of the ACTH-cells might be affected by the release of VT, CRF, SRIF, GRF, and NT