Monitoring multiple angiogenesis-related molecules in the blood of cancer patients shows a correlation between VEGF-A and MMP-9 levels before treatment and divergent changes after surgical vs. conservative therapy.

Anti-angiogenic therapies are currently in cancer clinical trials, but to date there are no established tests for evaluating the angiogenic status of a patient. We measured 11 circulating angiogenesis-associated molecules in cancer patients before and after local treatment. The purpose of our study was to screen for possible relationships among the different molecules and between individual molecules and tumor burden. We measured VEGF-A, PlGF, SCF, MMP-9, EDB+ -fibronectin, sVEGFR-2, sVEGFR-1, salphaVbeta3, sTie-2, IL-8 and CRP in the blood of 22 healthy volunteers, 17 early breast, 17 early colorectal, and 8 advanced sarcoma/melanoma cancer patients. Breast cancer patients had elevated levels of VEGF-A and sTie-2, colorectal cancer patients of VEGF-A, MMP-9, sTie-2, IL-8 and CRP, and melanoma/sarcoma patients of sVEGFR-1. salphaVbeta3 was decreased in colorectal cancer patients. A correlation between VEGF-A and MMP-9 was found. After tumor removal, MMP-9 and salphaVbeta3 significantly decreased in breast and CRP in colorectal cancer, whereas sVEGFR-1 increased in colorectal cancer patients. In sarcoma/melanoma patients treated regionally with TNF and chemotherapy we observed a rise in VEGF-A, SCF, VEGFR-2, MMP-9, Tie-2 and CRP, a correlation between CRP and IL-8, and a decreased in sVEGFR-1 levels. In conclusion, among all factors measured, only VEGF-A and MMP-9 consistently correlated to each other, elevated CRP levels were associated with tumor burden, whereas sVEGF-R1 increased after tumor removal in colorectal cancer. Treatment with chemotherapy and TNF induced changes consistent with an angiogenic switch. These results warrant a prospective study to compare the effect of surgical tumor removal vs. chemotherapy on some of these markers and to evaluate their prognostic/predictive value.

Pliensbachian magnetostratigraphy: new data from Paris Basin (France)

Sampling of an industrial drill string from the northeastern Paris Basin (Montcornet, France) provides early Jurassic magnetostratigraphic data coupled with biochronological control. About 375 paleomagnetic samples were obtained from a 145 m thick series of Pliensbachian rocks. A composite demagnetization thermal up to 300 C and an alternating field up to 80 mT were used to separate the magnetic components. A low unblocking temperature component (<250degreesC) with an inclination of about 64 is interpreted as a present-day field overprint. The characteristic remanent component with both normal and reversed antipodal directions was isolated between 5 and 50 mT. Twenty-nine polarity intervals were recognized. Correlation of these new results from the Paris Basin with data from the Breggia Gorge section (Ticino, southern Alps, Switzerland), which is generally considered as the reference section for Pliensbachian magnetostratigraphy, reveals almost identical patterns of magnetic polarity reversals. However, the correlation implies significant paleontological age discrepancies. Revised age assignments of biostratigraphic data of Breggia as well as an objective evaluation of the uncertainties on zonal boundaries in both Breggia and Moncornet resolve the initial discrepancies between magnetostratigraphic correlations and biostratigraphic ages. Hence, the sequence of magnetic reversals is significantly strengthened and the age calibration is notably improved for the Pliensbachian, a stage for which sections combining adequate magnetic signal and biostratigraphic constraints are still very few. (C) 2002 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.

Agronomi Veikko Ihamuotila 3/12 1973

Kirje 3.12.1973

Measurement and explanation of socioeconomic inequality in health with longitudinal data

This paper presents a method for the measurement of changes in health inequality and income-related health inequality over time in a population.For pure health inequality (as measured by the Gini coefficient) andincome-related health inequality (as measured by the concentration index),we show how measures derived from longitudinal data can be related tocross section Gini and concentration indices that have been typicallyreported in the literature to date, along with measures of health mobilityinspired by the literature on income mobility. We also show how thesemeasures of mobility can be usefully decomposed into the contributions ofdifferent covariates. We apply these methods to investigate the degree ofincome-related mobility in the GHQ measure of psychological well-being inthe first nine waves of the British Household Panel Survey (BHPS). Thisreveals that dynamics increase the absolute value of the concentrationindex of GHQ on income by 10%.

Comentario general del crucero de evaluación de biomasa desovante de anchoveta. BIC Humboldt 9608-09

Comenta los resultados más relevantes obtenidos durante el crucero realizado en agosto y setiembre de 1996, para estimar la biomasa desovante de la anchoveta (Engraulis ringens) de la zona norte centro del litoral, a través del método de producción de huevos (MPH). Teniendo como escenario un ambiente frío, con condiciones favorables para la dispersión de la anchoveta, se determinó una biomasa desovante de 4,02 millones de toneladas, magnitud inferior a la estimada en el año 1995. Se detectó una distribución estratificada de la anchoveta, ubicándose los juveniles hacia la costa, y los adultos lejos de ella. Estos últimos evidenciaron una gran avance en el proceso reproductivo, aunque la frecuencia de desove disminuyó comparándola con la de 1995. La producción de huevos también se redujo y la distribución de éstos no se presentó de la forma densa observada años atrás, cuando los adultos se distribuían principalmente dentro de las 30 a 60 millas de la costa.

Palautetun alueen kuntien talous, 2K

Puhe

Evaluation of a topical cyclosporine A prodrug on corneal graft rejection in rats.

PURPOSE: To assess the efficacy of a topical cyclosporine A (CsA), water-soluble prodrug, for promoting the survival of allogenic rat corneal grafts after penetrating keratoplasty (PKP). METHODS: Corneas of Brown-Norway rats (donors) were transplanted to Lewis rats (recipients). Transplanted rats were divided in three treatment groups: group I (PBS) and group II (0.26% Debio088) received drops five times per day. Group III received a daily intramuscular CsA injection (10 mg/kg/day). Blood CsA concentrations were measured on days 2 and 14. On day 4, 10, 13 after PKP, grafts were scored for corneal transparency, edema and extent of neovascularization. An opacity score of greater than or equal to 3 was considered as a nonreversible graft rejection process. On day 14, the experimental eyes were processed for histology. RESULTS: On day 13, 12 of the 18 corneal transplants (67%) in group I showed irreversible graft rejection. Three of 18 transplants (19%) in group II and 5 of 16 transplants (28%) in group III showed irreversible graft rejection (p=0.013/p=0.019, OR=0.14/0.06 versus vehicle). Each mean clinical score for edema, opacity, and neovessels in group II were significantly lower than those of the grafts in group I (respectively p=0.010, p=0.013, p=0.024) and III except for neovessels (respectively p=0.002, p=0.001, p=0.057). Histology confirmed the clinical results. The mean CsA blood levels for groups II and III were, respectively 54+/-141 mug/l and 755+/-319 mug/l on day 2 and 14+/-34 mug/l and 1318+/-463 mug/l on day 14. CONCLUSIONS: Debio088 CsA prodrug drops given five times daily are as effective as intramuscular injection of 10 mg/kg/day for the prevention of acute corneal graft rejection in rats.

Caracterización especiológica bentodemersal durante el crucero de investigación del recurso merluza BIC Jose Olaya Balandra 9901

Los lances de pesca se efectuaron entre 96 y 560 m de profundidad, del 7 al 26 de enero de 1999, frente al área entre Huarmey (10°5 'S) y Puerto Pizarro (3°29 'S). Se registraron 168 especies: 97 peces y 71 invertebrados (35 crustáceos, 19 moluscos, 8 equinodermos, 3 poliquetos y 6 cnidarios). La captura total fue de 19.962,13 kg, de los cuales 18.041,53 kg (90,38%) correspondieron a peces; 93,88 kg (0.47%) a crustáceos; 11,65 kg (0,06%) a moluscos; 7,69 kg (0,04%) a equinodermos; 0,64 kg (0,03%) a poliquetos y 1.806,74 kg (9,05%) a cnidarios. El falso volador Prionotus stephanophrys destacó por su abundancia y frecuencia, habiéndose capturado 6.755,26 kg (33,8% del volumen total), seguido por la merluza Merluccius gayi peruanus con 4.823,99 kg (24,2%) y la cabrilla Paralabrax humeralis con 4.581,23 kg (23,0%). Se analiza también la distribución latitudinal y batimétrica de la fauna registrada, y se presentan las tallas de tres especies de peces (anguila común Ophichthus pacifici, congrio negro Cherublemma emmelas y el pez guadaña Hoplostethus pacificus) capturadas durante cinco operaciones de pesca. La diversidad específica y equitabilidad referidas a la merluza son objeto de análisis, y se determina que son significativamente bajas en el estrato I de la mayoría de subáreas en estudio, donde alcanzan valores hasta de cero, a excepción de la subárea F, mientras que en los estratos II y III de las subáreas A, B, C, D y F alcanzaron valores significativos.

Resposta da soja e da biomassa de carbono do solo aos resíduos de cinco genótipos de sorgo

O trabalho teve como objetivo avaliar a influência de resíduos de cinco cultivares de sorgo (Sorghum bicolor L.): CMS XS 376, CMS XS 365, BR 304, BR 700 e CMS XS 755 no crescimento e no desenvolvimento da soja. Esses resíduos foram colhidos em três estádios do desenvolvimento reprodutivo do sorgo: florescimento, enchimento de grãos e maturação. Os tratamentos estudados constaram da deposição desses resíduos na superfície do solo ou da sua total incorporação na proporção de 4 g kg-1 de matéria seca no solo (LEd, fase cerrado). Nos tratamentos com planta, mantiveram-se três plantas de soja (cv. Doko) em vasos com capacidade para 3 kg de solo. Nos tratamentos sem planta, o solo foi amostrado semanalmente para avaliação das formas de N. Após a colheita da soja, amostras de planta e de solo, de cada tratamento, foram retiradas para determinar a absorção total de N e a influência desses resíduos no N disponível extraído com KCl 2 mol L-1. Os resultados revelaram que alguns resíduos culturais de sorgo afetaram, independentemente do estádio de colheita, o desenvolvimento da soja, a absorção de N, o peso de nódulos e a biomassa microbiana do solo. Tais efeitos também foram dependentes do método de incorporação do resíduo. O teor de carbono imobilizado pela biomassa foi maior quando os resíduos de sorgo foram distribuídos na superfície do solo.

Infancy Gospels. Stories and Identities

Even though the canonical Jesus' infancy stories have always provoked great interest in popular culture and in the arts, they have been neglected in research during the last decades due to the relatively late date of their redaction. Since the monograph by Raymond Brown, The Birth of the Messiah , the researchers working on this topic have not attempted to consider its historical impact. In this volume, an international team of scholars proposes firstly a reconsideration of the historical background of these stories in terms of early Jewish and Christian identity quests. Secondly, they deal with early Christian questions on Jesus' infancy and childhood through canonical and apocryphal Gospels including information from Patristic and documentary literature. On the theological level, this volume illustrates the impact that these apocryphal texts, recognized as "useful for the soul" (a phrase coined by François Bovon), have had on the Christian faith.

Cinética de liberação de chumbo de solos de área de mineração e metalurgia de metais pesados

O estudo de cinética de liberação de metais pesados é uma importante ferramenta de diagnóstico ambiental de áreas contaminadas, pois determina, além dos teores acumulados liberados após tempos crescentes de equilíbrio, a taxa (velocidade) de dessorção desses poluentes para a solução do solo. Com o objetivo de avaliar a cinética de liberação de Pb de solos da área de mineração e metalurgia de metais pesados, no município de Adrianópolis (PR), vale do rio Ribeira, selecionaram-se oito solos, submetidos a diferentes formas de contaminação (solos 2, 4 e 5 - incorporação de resíduos da metalurgia de metais pesados aos perfis; solos 3, 6 e 7 - adição de Pb particulado via chaminés da fábrica; solo 8 - contaminação por passagem da água pluvial pela fábrica desativada, que escorre em direção ao rio Ribeira). O solo 1, sob mata nativa, fora da direção de caminhamento das fumaças da metalurgia, localizado a 1.560 m de distância e a 380 m acima da cota da fábrica desativada, foi escolhido como referência dos teores naturais de Pb dos solos da região. As amostras de solo, coletadas em duas profundidades (0 a 10 e 20 a 40 cm), foram submetidas a extrações sequenciais com ácido cítrico 0,1 mol L-1 após diferentes períodos de contato (tempos acumulados: 2, 14, 38, 86, 182, 326, 518, 806 e 1.382 h). Os teores totais de Pb (extração com HF e HNO3 concentrados e H2O2 30 % v/v) foram altos (máximo de 24.755,6 mg kg-1) e indicaram intensa contaminação dos solos. Os dados da cinética de liberação foram ajustados às equações parabólicas de difusão, sendo a liberação do Pb gradual e bifásica, com velocidade de liberação maior na primeira fase. Os solos 3 e 5 foram considerados com elevado potencial de contaminação ambiental devido aos altos teores de Pb dessorvido acumulados nas extrações sequenciais com ácido cítrico (máximo de 18.577,4 mg kg-1). O solo 6, com baixos teores de argila, apresentou a maior velocidade (taxa) de dessorção de Pb.

Ambulances et SMUR en cas d'urgences vitales au cabinet médical: implications pour la formation et l'équipement du médecin de premier recours

Introduction: Tout praticien est confronté quotidiennement à des urgences. Parmi celles-ci, les urgences vitales peuvent avoir des conséquences majeures pour le patient et pour le praticien. Le but de cette analyse est de déterminer la fréquence de survenue des urgences vitales au cabinet médical qui motivent l'intervention d'une ambulance, avec ou sans médicalisation par un SMUR (Service Mobile d'Urgence et de Réanimation) et d'en évaluer des conséquences en terme de mise en place de procédures, d'équipements ainsi que de formations post-graduée ou continue spécifiques. Matériel et méthode: Etude rétrospective des fiches d'intervention pré-hospitalière des services d'ambulances et des missions des SMUR du canton de Vaud (650'000 habitants) entre 2003 et 2006 pour les missions dont la prise en charge d'un patient a eu lieu dans le cadre d'un cabinet médical. Résultats: Entre 2003 et 2006, 2'224 interventions avec ambulances ont eu lieu dans un des 1'655 cabinet médical vaudois (= 2,3% de l'ensemble des missions) et, dans >90% des cas, dans un délai de 20 minutes. Parmi les interventions, on relève les urgences suivantes (n =, % des interventions): cardio-vasculaires: 755 (= 33,9%), dont 17 arrêts cardio-respiratoires (ACR); respiratoires: 165 (= 7,4%); neurologiques: 138 (= 6,2%); psychiatriques: 129 (= 5,8%); traumatologiques: 475 (= 21,4%), dont 261 (= 54,9%) concernent les extrémités; diverses: 205 (= 9,5%); autres: 359 (= 16,1%). Sur ces interventions, 634 (= 28,5%) ont bénéficié d'une médicalisation par un SMUR, dont 440 (= 70% des missions SMUR au cabinet) pour des urgences cardio-vasculaires. Il y a eu 6 cas de décès au cabinet. Discussion: Les urgences cardio-vasculaires au cabinet représentent un tiers des interventions faisant appel à une ambulance, mais plus des deux tiers des interventions nécessitant une médicalisation, soit plus que pour les autres sites d'interventions médicalisées dans la communauté (46%). Conclusions: Les urgences vitales au cabinet médical ne sont pas négligeable, peuvent avoir des conséquences lourdes (ACR, décès) et perturber significativement son fonctionnement. Dès lors, une formation appropriée tant pour le médecin que pour son personnel, ainsi qu'un équipement adéquat (par ex. salle équipée avec défibrillateur, appareil d'aérosol, attelles pour les extrémités) devraient être encouragés et généralisés auprès du corps médical.