18 research outputs found
The diagnostic value of matrix metalloproteinase 9 (MMP-9) and tissue inhibitor of matrix metalloproteinases 1 (TIMP-1) determination in the sera of colorectal adenoma and cancer patients
Strange Quark Matter and Compact Stars
Astrophysicists distinguish between three different types of compact stars.
These are white dwarfs, neutron stars, and black holes. The former contain
matter in one of the densest forms found in the Universe which, together with
the unprecedented progress in observational astronomy, make such stars superb
astrophysical laboratories for a broad range of most striking physical
phenomena. These range from nuclear processes on the stellar surface to
processes in electron degenerate matter at subnuclear densities to boson
condensates and the existence of new states of baryonic matter--like color
superconducting quark matter--at supernuclear densities. More than that,
according to the strange matter hypothesis strange quark matter could be more
stable than nuclear matter, in which case neutron stars should be largely
composed of pure quark matter possibly enveloped in thin nuclear crusts.
Another remarkable implication of the hypothesis is the possible existence of a
new class of white dwarfs. This article aims at giving an overview of all these
striking physical possibilities, with an emphasis on the astrophysical
phenomenology of strange quark matter. Possible observational signatures
associated with the theoretically proposed states of matter inside compact
stars are discussed as well. They will provide most valuable information about
the phase diagram of superdense nuclear matter at high baryon number density
but low temperature, which is not accessible to relativistic heavy ion
collision experiments.Comment: 58 figures, to appear in "Progress in Particle and Nuclear Physics";
References added for sections 1,2,3,5; Equation (116) corrected; Figs. 1 and
58 update
Matrix metalloproteinases 2 and 9 (gelatinases A and B) expression in malignant mesothelioma and benign pleura
Matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs), in particular the gelatinases (MMP-2 and -9), play a significant role in tumour invasion and angiogenesis. The expression and activities of MMPs have not been characterised in malignant mesothelioma (MM) tumour samples. In a prospective study, gelatinase activity was evaluated in homogenised supernatants of snap frozen MM (n = 35), inflamed pleura (IP, n = 12) and uninflammed pleura (UP, n = 14) tissue specimens by semiquantitative gelatin zymography. Matrix metalloproteinases were correlated with clinicopathological factors and with survival using Kaplan-Meier and Cox proportional hazard models. In MM, pro- and active MMP-2 levels were significantly greater than for MMP-9 (P = 0.006, P<0.001). Active MMP-2 was significantly greater in MM than in UP (P=0.04). MMP-2 activity was equivalent between IP and MM, but both pro- and active MMP-9 activities were greater in IP (P=0.02, P=0.009). While there were trends towards poor survival with increasing total and pro-MMP-2 activity (P=0.08) in univariate analysis, they were both independent poor prognostic factors in multivariate analysis in conjunction with weight loss (pro-MMP-2 P = 0.03, total MMP-2 P = 0.04). Total and pro-MMP-2 also contributed to the Cancer and Leukemia Group B prognostic groups. MMP-9 activities were not prognostic. Matrix metalloproteinases, and in particular MMP-2, the most abundant gelatinase, may play an important role in MM tumour growth and metastasis. Agents that reduce MMP synthesis and/or activity may have a role to play in the management of MM. © 2003 Cancer Research UK