Effect of Age on Outcome of Reduced-Intensity Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation for Older Patients With Acute Myeloid Leukemia in First Complete Remission or With Myelodysplastic Syndrome

Purpose Acute myelogenous leukemia (AML) and myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS) primarily afflict older individuals. Hematopoietic cell transplantation (HCT) is generally not offered because of concerns of excess morbidity and mortality. Reduced-intensity conditioning (RIC) regimens allow increased use of allogeneic HCT for older patients. To define prognostic factors impacting long-term outcomes of RIC regimens in patients older than age 40 years with AML in first complete remission or MDS and to determine the impact of age, we analyzed data from the Center for International Blood and Marrow Transplant Research (CIBMTR). Patients and Methods We reviewed data reported to the CIBMTR (1995 to 2005) on 1,080 patients undergoing RIC HCT. Outcomes analyzed included neutrophil recovery, incidence of acute or chronic graft-versus-host disease (GVHD), nonrelapse mortality (NRM), relapse, disease-free survival (DFS), and overall survival (OS). Results Univariate analyses demonstrated no age group differences in NRM, grade 2 to 4 acute GVHD, chronic GVHD, or relapse. Patients age 40 to 54, 55 to 59, 60 to 64, and >= 65 years had 2-year survival rates as follows: 44% (95% Cl, 37% to 52%), 50% (95% Cl, 41% to 59%), 34% (95% Cl, 25% to 43%), and 36% (95% Cl, 24% to 49%), respectively, for patients with AML (P = .06); and 42% (95% Cl, 35% to 49%), 35% (95% Cl, 27% to 43%), 45% (95% Cl, 36% to 54%), and 38% (95% Cl, 25% to 51%), respectively, for patients with MDS (P = .37). Multivariate analysis revealed no significant impact of age on NRM, relapse, DFS, or OS (all P>.3). Greater HLA disparity adversely affected 2-year NRM, DFS, and OS. Unfavorable cytogenetics adversely impacted relapse, DFS, and OS. Better pre-HCT performance status predicted improved 2-year OS. Conclusion With these similar outcomes observed in older patients, we conclude that older age alone should not be considered a contraindication to HCT.

New treatment of cellulite with infrared-LED illumination applied during high-intensity treadmill training

Phototherapy improves cellular activation which is an important factor for the treatment of cellulite. The objective of this research was to develop and evaluate the effects of a new (noninvasive and nonpharmacological) clinical procedure to improve body aesthetics: infrared-LED (850 nm) plus treadmill training. Twenty women (25-55 years old) participated in this study. They were separated in two groups: the control group, which carried out only the treadmill training (n = 10), and the LED group, with phototherapy during the treadmill training (n - 10). The training was performed for 45 minutes twice a week over 3 months at intensities between 85% and 90% maximal heart rate (HR(max)). The irradiation parameters were 39 mW/cm(2) and a fluence of 106 J/cm(2). The treatment was evaluated by interpreting body composition parameters, photographs and thermography. This was primarily a treatment for cellulite with a reduction of saddlebag and thigh circumference. At the same time, the treadmill training prevented an increase of body fat, as well as the loss of lean mass. Moreover, thermal images of the temperature modification of the thighs are presented. These positive effects can result in a further improvement of body aesthetics using infrared-LED together with treadmill training.

Femtosecond laser ablation on dental hard tissues-Analysis of ablated profile near an interface using local effective intensity

This study evaluated the process of ablation produced by a Ti:Sapphire femtosecond laser under different average powers taking place at the enamel/dentin interface. Based on the geometry of ablated microcavities the effective intensity for ablation was obtained. This study shows the validity for the local effective intensity analysis and allows a quantification of the variation in the ablation geometry taking place at the interface of two naturally different materials. It shows that the variation of the diameter of the ablated region as a function of the cavity depth comes essentially from a mechanism of effective intensity attenuation, as a result of a series of complex effects. Additionally, our data are sufficient to predict that a discontinuity on the ablation profile will occur on the interface between two biological media: enamel-dentin, showing a suddenly jump on the ablated cavity dimensions.

Biological effects of anionic meso-tetrakis (para-sulfonatophenyl) porphyrins modulated by the metal center. Studies in rat liver mitochondria

In this paper, we present a study about the influence of the porphyrin metal center and mesa ligands on the biological effects of meso-tetrakis porphyrins. Different from the cationic meso-tetrakis 4-N-methyl pyridinium (Mn(III)TMPyP), the anionic Mn(III) meso-tetrakis (para-sulfonatophenyl) porphyrin (Mn(III)TPPS4) exhibited no protector effect against Fe(citrate)-induced lipid oxidation. Mn(III)TPPS4 did not protect mitochondria against endogenous hydrogen peroxide and only delayed the swelling caused by tert-BuOOH and Ca(2+). Fe(III)TPPS4 exacerbated the effect of the tert-BuOOH, and both porphyrins did not significantly affect Fe(II)citrate-induced swelling. Consistently, Fe(III)TPPS4 predominantly promotes the homolytic cleavage of peroxides and exhibits catalytic efficiency ten-fold higher than Mn(III)TPPS4. For Mn(III)TPPS4, the microenvironment of rat liver mitochondria favors the heterolytic cleavage of peroxides and increases the catalytic efficiency of the manganese porphyrin due to the availability of axial ligands for the metal center and reducing agents such as glutathione (GSH) and proteins necessary for Compound II (oxomanganese IV) recycling to the initial Mn(III) form. The use of thiol reducing agents for the recycling of Mn(III)TPPS4 leads to GSH depletion and protein oxidation and consequent damages in the organelle. (C) 2009 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Tetrachlorocarbonyliridates: Water-Soluble Carbon Monoxide Releasing Molecules Rate-Modulated by the Sixth Ligand

A new family of compounds is presented as potential carbon monoxide releasing molecules (CORMs). These compounds, based on tetrachlorocarbonyliridate(III) derivatives, were synthesized and fully characterized by X-ray diffraction, electrospray mass spectrometry, IR. NMR, and density functional theory calculations. The rate of CO release was studied via the myoglobin assay. The results showed that the rate depends on the nature of the sixth ligand, trans to CO, and that a significant modulation on the release rate can be produced by changing the ligand. The reported compounds are soluble in aqueous media, and the rates of CO release are comparable with those for known CORMs, releasing CO at a rate of 0.03-0.58 mu M min(-1) in a 10 mu M solution of myoglobin and 10 mu M of the complexes.

The Arabidopsis bZIP Gene AtbZIP63 Is a Sensitive Integrator of Transient Abscisic Acid and Glucose Signals

Glucose modulates plant metabolism, growth, and development. In Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana), Hexokinase1 (HXK1) is a glucose sensor that may trigger abscisic acid (ABA) synthesis and sensitivity to mediate glucose-induced inhibition of seedling development. Here, we show that the intensity of short-term responses to glucose can vary with ABA activity. We report that the transient (2 h/4 h) repression by 2% glucose of AtbZIP63, a gene encoding a basic-leucine zipper (bZIP) transcription factor partially involved in the Snf1-related kinase KIN10-induced responses to energy limitation, is independent of HXK1 and is not mediated by changes in ABA levels. However, high-concentration (6%) glucose-mediated repression appears to be modulated by ABA, since full repression of AtbZIP63 requires a functional ABA biosynthetic pathway. Furthermore, the combination of glucose and ABA was able to trigger a synergistic repression of AtbZIP63 and its homologue AtbZIP3, revealing a shared regulatory feature consisting of the modulation of glucose sensitivity by ABA. The synergistic regulation of AtbZIP63 was not reproduced by an AtbZIP63 promoter-5`-untranslated region:beta-glucuronidase fusion, thus suggesting possible posttranscriptional control. A transcriptional inhibition assay with cordycepin provided further evidence for the regulation of mRNA decay in response to glucose plus ABA. Overall, these results indicate that AtbZIP63 is an important node of the glucose-ABA interaction network. The mechanisms by which AtbZIP63 may participate in the fine-tuning of ABA-mediated abiotic stress responses according to sugar availability (i.e., energy status) are discussed.

Electrochemical Control of the Time-Dependent Intensity Fluctuations in Surface-Enhanced Raman Scattering (SERS)

Time-dependent fluctuations in surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) intensities were recorded from a roughened silver electrode immersed in diluted solutions of rhodamine 6G (R6G) and congo red (CR). These fluctuations were attributed to a small number of SERS-active molecules probing regions of extremely high electromagnetic field (hot spots) at the nanostructured surface. The time-dependent distribution of SERS intensities followed a tailed statistics at certain applied potentials, which has been linked to single-molecule dynamics. The shape of the distribution was reversibly tuned by the applied voltage. Mixtures of both dyes, R6G and CR, at low concentrations were also investigated. Since R6G is a cationic dye and CR is an anionic dye, the statistics of the SERS intensity distribution of either dye in a mixture were independently controlled by adjusting the applied potential. The potential-controlled distribution of SERS intensities was interpreted by considering the modulation of the surface coverage of the adsorbed dye by the interfacial electric field. This interpretation was supported by a two-dimensional Monte Carlo simulation that took into account the time evolution of the surface configuration of the adsorbed species and their probability to populate a hypothetical hot spot. The potential-controlled SERS dynamics reported here is a first step toward the spectroelectrochemical investigation of redox processes at the single-molecule level by SERS.

Perpendicularly self-oriented and shape-controlled L1(0)-FePt nanorods directly synthesized by a temperature-modulated process

The synthesis and self-assembly of tetragonal phase-containing L1(0)-Fe(55)Pt(45) nanorods with high coercive field is described. The experimental procedure resulted in a tetragonal/cubic phase ratio close to 1:1 for the as-synthesized nanoparticles. Using different surfactant/solvent proportions in the process allowed control of particle morphology from nanospheres to nanowires. Monodisperse nanorods with lengths of 60 +/- 5 nm and diameters of 2-3 nm were self-assembled in a perpendicular oriented array onto a substrate surface using hexadecylamine as organic spacer. Magnetic alignment and properties assigned, respectively, to the shape anisotropy and the tetragonal phase suggest that the self-assembled materials are a strong candidate to solve the problem of random magnetic alignment observed in FePt nanospheres leading to applications in ultrahigh magnetic recording (UHMR) systems capable of achieving a performance of the order of terabits/in(2).

A Spatial-Temporal Downscaling Approach To Construction Of Rainfall Intensity-Duration-Frequency Relations In The Context Of Climate Change

This paper proposes a spatial-temporal downscaling approach to construction of the intensity-duration-frequency (IDF) relations at a local site in the context of climate change and variability. More specifically, the proposed approach is based on a combination of a spatial downscaling method to link large-scale climate variables given by General Circulation Model (GCM) simulations with daily extreme precipitations at a site and a temporal downscaling procedure to describe the relationships between daily and sub-daily extreme precipitations based on the scaling General Extreme Value (GEV) distribution. The feasibility and accuracy of the suggested method were assessed using rainfall data available at eight stations in Quebec (Canada) for the 1961-2000 period and climate simulations under four different climate change scenarios provided by the Canadian (CGCM3) and UK (HadCM3) GCM models. Results of this application have indicated that it is feasible to link sub-daily extreme rainfalls at a local site with large-scale GCM-based daily climate predictors for the construction of the IDF relations for present (1961-1990) and future (2020s, 2050s, and 2080s) periods at a given site under different climate change scenarios. In addition, it was found that annual maximum rainfalls downscaled from the HadCM3 displayed a smaller change in the future, while those values estimated from the CGCM3 indicated a large increasing trend for future periods. This result has demonstrated the presence of high uncertainty in climate simulations provided by different GCMs. In summary, the proposed spatial-temporal downscaling method provided an essential tool for the estimation of extreme rainfalls that are required for various climate-related impact assessment studies for a given region.

Environmental policy and growth when inputs are differentiated in pollution intensity

Environmental policy affects the distribution of market shares if intermediate goods are differentiated in their pollution intensity. When innovations are environment-friendly, a tax on emissions skews demand towards new goods which are the most productive. In this case, the tax has to increase along a balanced growth path to keep the market shares of goods of different vintages constant. Comparing balanced growth paths, we find that an increase in the burden of environmental taxation spurs innovation because it increases the market share of recent vintages. As a result the cost of environmental policy in terms of slower growth is weaker and may even be absent.

The effect of increased light intensity on the aggressive behavior of the Nile tilapia, Oreochromis niloticus (Teleostei: Cichlidae)

Animals show behavioral and physiological changes that emerge in response to environmental perturbations (i.e., emergency life-history stages). In this study, we investigate the effects of light intensity on aggressive encounters and social stability in groups of adult male Nile tilapia, Oreochromis niloticus (Linnaeus, 1758). The study compared the behavior observed under low (280.75 ± 50.60 lx) and high (1394.14 ± 520.32 lx) light intensities, with 12 replicates for each treatment. Adult fish were isolated in 36-L aquaria for 96 hours, and three males were grouped for 11 days in 140-L aquaria. Agonistic behavior was video-recorded (10 min/day) on the 3rd, 5th, 7th, and 9th day to quantify aggressive interactions and social stability. There was an effect of light intensity and day of observation on the total number of agonistic behaviors performed by the fish group. Besides, increased frequency of aggressive interactions (the sum of the four sessions) by the alpha, beta and gamma fish occurred at the higher light intensity. The dominance ranks of the fish remained unchanged across the observation sessions under both the low and high light intensities. We concluded that enhanced light intensity has a cumulative effect that increases the aggressiveness of the Nile tilapia but that this effect is not sufficiently strong to destabilize the social hierarchy.

Transcription of the Hsp30, Hsp70, and Hsp90 heat shock protein genes is modulated by the PalA protein in response to acid pH-sensing in the fungus Aspergillus nidulans

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Exercise intensity, but not electrolyte reposition, alters plasmatic cortisol and glucose levels of horses submitted to 30 and 60km distance endurance rides

O presente estudo teve como objetivo comparar os níveis plasmáticos de glicose e cortisol de um grupo de eqüinos atletas submetidos ao esforço de longa duração (enduro eqüestre) em distâncias de 30 e 60km, com velocidades médias de 10 e 15km h-1, respectivamente. Os animais foram aleatoriamente separados em dois grupos, sendo que a um deles foi administrada, por via oral, uma pasta eletrolítica hipertônica antes, durante e após as referidas provas. O outro grupo foi usado como controle. Os resultados das concentrações de cortisol revelaram um aumento significativo, no primeiro momento, em que a intensidade do esforço era maior (15km/h), ou com a continuação deste (30km de distância), no segundo momento, para todos os grupos. Os resultados referentes à concentração de glicose permaneceram constantes durante a prova de 30km; entretanto, nos primeiros 20km da prova de 60km, tais resultados revelaram um aumento significativo no grupo controle, retornando a valores basais no momento subseqüente. A reposição eletrolítica tem a sua importância na manutenção do equilíbrio hidroeletrolítico e ácido básico e, no presente estudo, pode ter contribuído para a manutenção da concentração média de glicose plasmática.

Interaction between breeding habitat and elevation affects prevalence but not infection intensity of Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis in Brazilian anuran assemblages

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)