Abstract:
Pancreatic Neuroendocrine Tumors (PanNETs) are a rare but clinically important form of pancreatic neoplasia. To explore the genetic basis of PanNETs, we determined the exomic sequences of ten non-familial PanNETs and then screened the most commonly mutated genes in 58 additional PanNETs. Remarkably, the most frequently mutated genes specify proteins implicated in chromatin remodeling: 44% of the tumors had somatic inactivating mutations in MEN-1, which encodes menin, a component of a histone methyltransferase complex; and 43% had mutations in genes encoding either of the two subunits of a transcription/chromatin remodeling complex consisting of DAXX (death-domain associated protein) and ATRX (alpha thalassemia/mental retardation syndrome X-linked). Clinically, mutations in the MEN1 and DAXX/ATRX genes were associated with better prognosis. We also found mutations in genes in the mTOR (mammalian target of rapamycin) pathway in 14% of the tumors, a finding that could potentially be used to stratify patients for treatment with mTOR inhibitors.
Abstract:
Several agents capable of inducing vascular responses akin to those observed in inflammatory processes enhance the accumulation of nanoparticles in tumors. Exemplary vascular-active agents include a bacterium, a pro-inflammatory cytokine, and microtubule-destabilizing drugs. Such agents can increase the tumor to blood ratio of radioactivity by more than 20-fold compared to nanoparticles alone. Moreover, vascular-active agents dramatically improved the therapeutic effect of nanoparticles containing radioactive isotopes or chemotherapeutic agents.
Abstract:
Abnormal DNA methylation can be used as a biomarker in cancer patients. For such purposes, it is important to determine precisely the fraction of methylated molecules in an analyzed sample. A technology we term Methyl-BEAMing achieves this goal. Individual bisulfite-treated DNA molecules can be PCR-amplified within aqueous nanocompartments containing beads, resulting in a population of beads each containing thousands of copies of the template molecule. After hybridization with probes specific for methylated sequences, the beads can be analyzed by flow cytometry. This approach enables detection and enumeration of one methylated molecule in a population of ~5000 unmethylated molecules. Methyl-BEAMing provides digital quantification of rare methylation events and is generally applicable to the assessment of methylated genes in clinical samples.
Abstract:
La presente invención se refiere a un generador de presión y a sus novedades cuyo objetivo es multiplicar Ia presión a través de ciertas cámaras selladas, conteniendo en su interior émbolos sin vastagos actuando sobre el fluido, el cual, opera como transmisor de fuerza concentrándola en las tapas troncocónicas ubicadas en cada uno de los extremos del pistón, debido a Ia conicidad que presentan dichas tapas Ia fuerza dirigida hacia las válvulas direccionales ubicadas en los extremos del pistón las cuales distribuyen Ia presión a través de conductores de fluido de manera ordenada hacia el motor hidráulico; en colaboración con sus novedades estos sistemas serán mas eficientes.
Abstract:
A method of treating a blistering disorder, which includes administering to a target tissue in a subject in need thereof an effective amount of a composition that inhibits activation of the HSP27 phosphorylation pathway.
Abstract:
A method of treating a blistering disorder, which includes administering to a target tissue in a subject in need thereof an effective amount of a composition that inhibits activation of the HSP27 phosphorylation pathway.
Abstract:
We determined the sequence of ATRX and DAXX in 447 cancers from various sites. We found mutations most commonly in pediatric glioblastoma multiformae (GBM) (11.1%), adult GBM (6.5%), oligodendrogliomas (7.7%) and medulloblastomas (1.5%); and showed that Alternative Lengthening of Telomeres (ALT), a telomerase-independent telomere maintenance mechanism found in cancers that have not activated telomerase, perfectly correlated with somatic mutations of either gene. In contrast, neuroblastomas, and adenocarcinomas of the ovary, breast, and pancreas were negative for mutations in ATRX and DAXX. Alterations in ATRX or DAXX define a specific molecular pathway that is closely associated with an alternative telomere maintenance function in human cancers.
Abstract:
Several agents capable of inducing vascular responses akin to those observed in inflammatory processes enhance the accumulation of nanoparticles in tumors. Exemplary vascular-active agents include a bacterium, a pro-inflammatory cytokine, and microtubule-destabilizing drugs. Such agents can increase the tumor to blood ratio of radioactivity by more than 20-fold compared to nanoparticles alone. Moreover, vascular-active agents dramatically improved the therapeutic effect of nanoparticles containing radioactive isotopes or chemotherapeutic agents.
Abstract:
A rotatable cooling module includes a cooling coil. An input line is coupled to the cooling coil via a coupler that allows the cooling coil to rotate independent of the input line. An output line is coupled to the cooling coil via a second coupler that allows the cooling coil to rotate independent of the output line. A coolant flows through the input line and the first coupler and passes through the cooling coil, which removes heat from an electronic assembly to which the cooling unit is attached. The coolant then flows through the second coupler and through the output line and returns to a heat exchanger, which cools the liquid before recirculating through the cooling unit. The couplers are disposed about a single axis which allows the cooling module to be rotated, and the couplers prevent damage from occurring to any of the elements of the cooling module.
Abstract:
Thymidylate synthase (TYMS) gene amplification was observed in 23% of 31 5-FU resistant liver metastases, while no amplification was observed in metastases of patients that had not been treated with 5-FU. Patients with metastases containing TYMS amplification had a substantially shorter median survival (329 days) than those without amplification (1021 days, p