Pattern and clinical significance of cancer-testis gene expression in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma.

Cancer-testis (CT) antigens comprise families of tumor-associated antigens that are immunogenic in patients with various cancers. Their restricted expression makes them attractive targets for immunotherapy. The aim of this study was to determine the expression of several CT genes and evaluate their prognostic value in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC). The pattern and level of expression of 12 CT genes (MAGE-A1, MAGE-A3, MAGE-A4, MAGE-A10, MAGE-C2, NY-ESO-1, LAGE-1, SSX-2, SSX-4, BAGE, GAGE-1/2, GAGE-3/4) and the tumor-associated antigen encoding genes PRAME, HERV-K-MEL, and NA-17A were evaluated by RT-PCR in a panel of 57 primary HNSCC. Over 80% of the tumors expressed at least 1 CT gene. Coexpression of three or more genes was detected in 59% of the patients. MAGE-A4 (60%), MAGE-A3 (51%), PRAME (49%) and HERV-K-MEL (42%) were the most frequently expressed genes. Overall, the pattern of expression of CT genes indicated a coordinate regulation; however there was no correlation between expression of MAGE-A3/A4 and BORIS, a gene whose product has been implicated in CT gene activation. The presence of MAGE-A and NY-ESO-1 proteins was verified by immunohistochemistry. Analysis of the correlation between mRNA expression of CT genes with clinico-pathological characteristics and clinical outcome revealed that patients with tumors positive for MAGE-A4 or multiple CT gene expression had a poorer overall survival. Furthermore, MAGE-A4 mRNA positivity was prognostic of poor outcome independent of clinical parameters. These findings indicate that expression of CT genes is associated with a more malignant phenotype and suggest their usefulness as prognostic markers in HNSCC.

Tight open knots.

The tightest open conformations of a few prime knots (3(1), 4(1), 5(1), 5(2), and 6(3)) found with the use of the SONO algorithm are presented and discussed. The conformations are obtained from the tightest closed conformations of the knots by cutting and opening them at different locations. The length of the rope engaged in each of the open conformations is calculated. The curvature and torsion profiles of the unique tightest conformations of the 3(1) and 4(1) open knots are presented and discussed. In particular, symmetry properties of the knots reflected within their curvature and torsion profiles are analysed. Connections with the physics of polymers are discussed.

Reliability of serological methods for detection of leishmaniasis in portuguese domestic and wild reservoirs

A direct agglutination test (DAT) and an immunofluorescence technique (IFAT) were compared for detection of Leishmania infantum infection in 43 dogs and five foxes from Alto-Douro and Arrábida, two known endemic areas in Portugal. In four dogs with proved canine leishmaniasis, both DAT and IFAT showed positive readings (titres >1:320 and >1:128). Of 34 samples collected from apparently healthy dogs, ten were positive by both serological tests and eight were serologically positive by one test or the other. Three foxes out of five captured in this area, scored titres indicative of leishmaniasis in both DAT and IFAT. The concordance between DAT and IFAT in all collected samples (48) was 81.25%. Considering these and previous studies in the adjacent Mediterranean areas, the seroprevalence of L. infantum infection in the canine and vulpine populations appear to be of high magnitude.

Jean Calvin : Puissance de la Loi et limite du Pouvoir

L'éthique politique de Jean Calvin (1509-1564) est à la fois une éthique religieuse, inspirée par le puissant mouvement réformateur de Luther, et une éthique de la Loi morale, soucieuse d'instruire un nouveau rapport au droit et à la cité. La manière même dont Calvin énonce le rôle ambigü de l'Eglise, lieu de libération mais aussi instrument de contrôle social, est révélatrice de sa visée critique et constructive, comme de ses propres limites. Reconnue dans sa distance et dans son contexte, l'éthique de Calvin en sera d'autant plus signifiante pour quiconque entend refonder l'alliance de la démocratie, de la laïcité et d'une forme de transcendance, en régime de méta-modernité.

Trypanorhynch Cestodes of Commercial Fishes from Northeast Brazilian Coastal Waters

A large scale investigation on trypanorhynch cestode infestation of tropical marine fishes was carried out along the Northeast Brazilian coast in the summer of 1991 and 1993. A total of 798 fish specimens belonging to 57 species and 30 families were examined. Metacestodes of 11 different trypanorhynchs were found: Callitetrarhynchus gracilis, Dasyrhynchus giganteus, Grillotia sp., Nybelinia edwinlintoni, N. indica, N. senegalensis, Nybelinia c.f. lingualis, Otobothrium cysticum, Pseudolacistorhynchus noodti, Pseudotobothrium dipsacum and Pterobothrium kingstoni. Scanning electron microscopy was used to clarify details of the tentacular armature of some species. Rose-thorn shaped hooklets, regularly arranged like microtriches, are described from the bothridial surface of N. edwinlintoni. Of the 57 fish species, 15 harboured trypanorhynch cestodes. Of these the mullid Pseudupeneus maculatus was the most heavily infested fish species, harbouring 5 different trypanorhynch species. P. noodti in P. maculatus had the highest prevalence (87%) and intensity (maximum = 63) of infestation. C. gracilis was the parasite with the lowest host-specificity. It could be isolated from 10 fish species. The cestode fauna of the Northeast Brazilian coast appears to be similar to that of the West African coast. Five of the trypanorhynch cestodes found during this study are common to both localities. The two single cases of intra musculature infestation in Citharichthys spilopterus and Haemulon aurolineatum by trypanorhynch cestodes indicate that marketability of the investigated commercially exploited fish species is inconsequential.

Reduced ejection fraction after myocardial infarction: is it sufficient to justify implantation of a defibrillator?

BACKGROUND: Improved survival after prophylactic implantation of a defibrillator in patients with reduced left ventricular ejection fraction (EF) after myocardial infarction (MI) has been demonstrated in patients who experienced remote MIs in the 1990s. The absolute survival benefit conferred by this recommended strategy must be related to the current risk of arrhythmic death, which is evolving. This study evaluates the mortality rate in survivors of MI with impaired left ventricular function and its relation to pre-hospital discharge baseline characteristics. METHODS: The clinical records of patients who had sustained an acute MI between 1999 and 2000 and had been discharged from the hospital with an EF of < or = 40% were included. Baseline characteristics, drug prescriptions, and invasive procedures were recorded. Bivariate and multivariate analyses were performed using a primary end point of total mortality. RESULTS: One hundred sixty-five patients were included. During a median follow-up period of 30 months (interquartile range, 22 to 36 months) 18 patients died. The 1-year and 2-year mortality rates were 6.7% and 8.6%, respectively. Variables reflecting coronary artery disease and its management (ie, prior MI, acute reperfusion, and complete revascularization) had a greater impact on mortality than variables reflecting mechanical dysfunction (ie, EF and Killip class). CONCLUSIONS: The mortality rate among survivors of MIs with reduced EF was substantially lower than that reported in the 1990s. The strong decrease in the arrhythmic risk implies a proportional increase in the number of patients needed to treat with a prophylactic defibrillator to prevent one adverse event. The risk of an event may even be sufficiently low to limit the detectable benefit of defibrillators in patients with the prognostic features identified in our study. This argues for additional risk stratification prior to the prophylactic implantation of a defibrillator.

Oculomotor nerve schwannoma associated with ophthalmoplegic migraine.

PURPOSE: To describe a patient with an oculomotor nerve schwannoma who had symptoms of ophthalmoplegic migraine. METHODS: Case report. RESULTS: A 23-year-old woman had a history of recurrent headache accompanied by transient right oculomotor palsy since age 7 years. Ophthalmoplegic migraine was diagnosed. She was subsequently found to have a structural lesion of her right oculomotor nerve on magnetic resonance imaging. The magnetic resonance image characteristics were consistent with schwannoma originating from the oculomotor nerve. CONCLUSIONS: This case illustrates that an intrinsic lesion of the oculomotor nerve (schwannoma) may be associated with a painful relapsing-remitting oculomotor palsy mimicking the clinical syndrome of ophthalmoplegic migraine.

Parent-child agreement and prevalence estimates of diagnoses in childhood: direct interview versus family history method.

Diagnostic information on children is typically elicited from both children and their parents. The aims of the present paper were to: (1) compare prevalence estimates according to maternal reports, paternal reports and direct interviews of children [major depressive disorder (MDD), anxiety and attention-deficit and disruptive behavioural disorders]; (2) assess mother-child, father-child and inter-parental agreement for these disorders; (3) determine the association between several child, parent and familial characteristics and the degree of diagnostic agreement or the likelihood of parental reporting; (4) determine the predictive validity of diagnostic information provided by parents and children. Analyses were based on 235 mother-offspring, 189 father-offspring and 128 mother-father pairs. Diagnostic assessment included the Kiddie-schedule for Affective Disorders and Schizophrenia (K-SADS) (offspring) and the Diagnostic Interview for Genetic Studies (DIGS) (parents and offspring at follow-up) interviews. Parental reports were collected using the Family History - Research Diagnostic Criteria (FH-RDC). Analyses revealed: (1) prevalence estimates for internalizing disorders were generally lower according to parental information than according to the K-SADS; (2) mother-child and father-child agreement was poor and within similar ranges; (3) parents with a history of MDD or attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) reported these disorders in their children more frequently; (4) in a sub-sample followed-up into adulthood, diagnoses of MDD, separation anxiety and conduct disorder at baseline concurred with the corresponding lifetime diagnosis at age 19 according to the child rather than according to the parents. In conclusion, our findings support large discrepancies of diagnostic information provided by parents and children with generally lower reporting of internalizing disorders by parents, and differential reporting of depression and ADHD by parental disease status. Follow-up data also supports the validity of information provided by adolescent offspring.

Seguiment de la tortuga mediterrània (Testudo hermanni spp. hermanni) a Catalunya: història, hàbitat, cria i introducció (el cas del Parc del Garraf)

El present projecte pretén donar una visió de la situació actual de la tortuga mediterrània (Testudo hermanni hermanni) a Catalunya, incloent un estudi més exhaustiu del cas del Garraf. Aquesta subespècie, que segons el registre fòssil es present a Catalunya des del neolític, troba actualment espais com la Serra del Montsant, l’Albera, el delta de l’Ebre o el Massís de Garraf, hàbitats potencials per al seu desenvolupament. En el cas del Garraf, dels resultats obtinguts, cal destacar l’alt grau de desconeixença que els visitants del Parc tenen sobre la tortuga mediterrània, i es per això, que cal portar a terme un programa d’educació ambiental, amb efectes també de reduir el número d’espolis d’exemplars, que s’estima en 4 exemplars a l’any. Altres factors com els incendis o les depredacions també són factors importants en el declivi de les poblacions.

Delfinoteràpia: un abordatge terapèutic en persones amb TEA

El present treball emmarca el concepte d'autisme des del punt de vista de diversos autors tant espanyols com de la resta del món. Així­ mateix intenta fer comprendre l'autisme des de diferents teories. Un altre punt bàsic del treball és la descricpció de diferents teràpies amb animals per abordar l'autisme, i en concret es realitza un estudi fonamental de la delfinoteràpia i els resultats a curt plaç en el delfinari Aqualand de Tenerife, arribant a conclusions per tal de poder ampliar més l'estudi en la Tesi Doctoral.

De la cuina a l'escenari : el teatre gastronòmic en la postmodernitat

S'ha evidenciat l'existència d'una nova tendència artística batejada com a gastrodramatúrgia, en la que s'hi insereixen dos tipus de teatre: el teatre culinari, que incorpora en els seus espectacles les tres instàncies del menjar: preparar, servir i consumir un menjar real que serà mastegat, empassat i/o digerit, i el teatre gastronòmic, que podríem definir-lo com aquell teatre que es pot classificar "selon la franchise de leur allusion alimentaire" i, per extensió, "de ce que mangent les personnages" (Barthes 1971: 128). La seva aparició ha coincidit amb el fenomen gastronòmic de l'actualitat i n'ha permès la qualificació d'epifenomen de la postmodernitat

Binge drinking in 19 year old men.

QUESTION UNDER STUDY: To describe alcohol use, binge drinking and drinking consequences in 19 year old men. METHODS: During a one-day army recruitment process mandatory for all Swiss males, a convenience sample of 1,004 men completed the "Health and Lifestyle Questionnaire", assessing demographics, alcohol use, binge drinking, and drinking consequences over the last 12 months. Binge drinking was defined as having 5 or more drinks on a single occasion at least once over the last 12 months. Among the 1,004 subjects, binge drinking could not be defined in 123 (12.3%) due to "don't know" responses, leaving 881 subjects with complete data. RESULTS: Of the 881 subjects, 690 (78.3%) reported binge drinking at least once over the last 12 months, 269 (30.5%) with infrequent binge drinking (< or = 1x/month) and 421 (47.8%) with frequent binge drinking (> or = 2x/month). In addition, 379 (43.0%) of the subjects experienced 3 or more drinking consequences over the last 12 months and the number of these consequences increased as the frequency of binge drinking increased (trend analyses significant for 9 of the 12 consequences evaluated). Among the 687 subjects with moderate average alcohol intake (< 14 drinks per week), 252 (36.7%) reported infrequent binge drinking, of whom 82 (32.5%) experienced 3 or more adverse drinking consequences over the last 12 months, whereas 246 (35.8%) reported frequent binge drinking and 128 (52.0%) of these experienced 3 or more adverse drinking consequences. CONCLUSIONS: Binge drinking in this sample of young men is frequent and is associated with numerous consequences, even among those consuming moderate amounts of alcohol.

Hacia un modelo de gobernanza más eficaz en el mercado único de las telecomunicaciones. El perfil del BEREC

Introduït en el sistema de governança per la recent reforma del marc regulador de les telecomunicacions, el BEREC es presenta com un organisme supranacional de caràcter consultiu al qual se li atorga una missió i un paper fonamental en l'aplicació coherent de les normes en el mercat únic de les telecomunicacions. L'èxit d'aquesta missió dependrà tant de les eines amb les que compta, com dels mecanismes previstos de coordinació i la seva capacitat de relació amb la resta d'actors, les autoritats nacionals de regulació i la Comissió Europea principalment