Predictive factors and impact of full donor T-cell chimerism after reduced intensity conditioning allogeneic stem cell transplantation

This study investigated the kinetics of CD3+-T cell chimerism (TCC) in 102 patients receiving reduced intensity conditioning allogeneic stem cell transplantation (RIC-allo-SCT) from an HLA-identical sibling. Patients with full donor TCC at day 30 had a higher incidence of grade 2–4 acute GVHD compared to patients in mixed TCC (cumulative-incidence, 61% vs. 35%; p=0.01). The delayed establishment of full donor TCC in myeloid malignancies was associated with a higher incidence of relapse (40% vs. 0; p=0.002), suggesting that monitoring of the kinetics of TCC is mandatory after RIC-allo-SCT

Studies on structural, electrical, and optical properties of Cu doped As-Se-Te chalcogenide glasses

Cu doped chalcogenide (ChG) glassy films in the As-Se-Te glass system have been prepared using thermal evaporation techniques. Single-source evaporation from bulk (1-x) As(0.40)Se(0.35)Te(0.25)+x Cu glasses with x=0.05, 0.075, 0.10, 0.125, and 0.15, as well as dual-source coevaporation from As-chalcogenide and Cu-chalcogenide binary glasses as source materials, has been explored. We have shown that it is not possible to deposit high concentration Cu doped ChG glassy films, from the Cu doped bulk samples using single-source evaporation. However, using the dual-source coevaporation technique, we have demonstrated that the films can be doped with high concentrations of Cu. Micro-Raman spectroscopy has been utilized to verify that Cu is introduced into the glass network without disrupting the basic As-chalcogen units. Optical measurements have shown that introduction of Cu decreases the band gap of As-Se-Te glasses. The electrical properties of the investigated films have been measured at different temperatures and it has been shown that Cu incorporation in the As-Se-Te glass system vastly improves electrical conductivity. Moreover, we have shown that the temperature dependence of electrical conductivity can be fitted assuming variable range hopping between states near the Fermi level

Fabrication And Characterization Of Integrated Optical Waveguides In Sulfide Chalcogenide Glasses

This paper reports on the fabrication process of As-S-(Se)-based chalcogenide glass optical waveguides using three techniques: photolithography, laser beam writing, and ion implantation. The fabrication method of the bulk sulfide glasses and the processing of integrated devices are described and assessed in light of the propagation characteristics and optical losses in each case

Aldehyde Dehydrogenase 1-Positive Cancer Stem Cells Mediate Metastasis and Poor Clinical Outcome in Inflammatory Breast Cancer

Purpose: To examine the role of cancer stem cells (CSC) in mediating metastasis in inflammatory breast cancer (IBC) and the association of these cells with patient outcome in this aggressive type of breast cancer. Experimental Design: CSCs were isolated from SUM149 and MARY-X, an IBC cell line and primary xenograft, by virtue of increased aldehyde dehydrogenase (ALDH) activity as assessed by the ALDEFLUOR assay. Invasion and metastasis of CSC populations were assessed by in vitro and mouse xenograft assays. Expression of ALDH1 was determined on a retrospective series of 109 IBC patients and this was correlated with histoclinical data. All statistical tests were two sided. Log-rank tests using Kaplan-Meier analysis were used to determine the correlation of ALDH1 expression with development of metastasis and patient outcome. Results: Both in vitro and xenograft assays showed that invasion and metastasis in IBC are mediated by a cellular component that displays ALDH activity. Furthermore, expression of ALDH1 in IBC was an independent predictive factor for early metastasis and decreased survival in this patient population. Conclusions: These results suggest that the metastatic, aggressive behavior of IBC may be mediated by a CSC component that displays ALDH enzymatic activity. ALDH1 expression represents the first independent prognostic marker to predict metastasis and poor patient outcome in IBC. The results illustrate how stem cell research can translate into clinical practice in the IBC field