Protein interaction and microRNA network analysis in osteoarthritis meniscal cells

Osteoarthritis is the most common form of arthritis among elderly adults. Herein, we performed protein-protein interaction (PPI) and miRNA network analysis to evaluate the global correlation between miRNA regulation and the PPI network in human osteoarthritis. Our results showed that desmoplakin (DSP), cystatin A (CSTA), calmodulin 1, tyrosine kinase endothelial, insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1), IGF-binding protein 7 (IGFBP7), syndecan 1 (SDC1), ephrin type-A receptor 4, and PDZ and LIM domain protein 1 were associated with osteoarthritis. Among these proteins, DSP and CSTA interaction and IGF-1, IGFBP7 and SDC1 interaction were observed in our PPI network. Furthermore, these potential target proteins were also linked with individual miRNA in the network. Our findings shed light on the PPIs and mechanisms by which miRNA may regulate the protein interaction network in osteoarthritis, which might provide theoretical support for further studies aimed at discovering new therapeutic strategies.

Stable tooth contacts in intercuspal occlusion makes for utilities of the jaw elevators during maximal voluntary clenching

Data are inconsistent concerning whether the level of the surface electromyographic (SEMG) activity of jaw-closing muscles increases when biting forces elevated during maximal voluntary clenching (MVC). In this study, T-Scan III system and BioEMG III system were used to record bite force, occlusal contacts and SEMG activity of the anterior temporalis (TA) and of the masseter muscles (MM) simultaneously. Recordings were obtained from 16 healthy young adult males during different conditions: (i) a fast MVC from resting position to intercuspal position (ICP); (ii) mandibular movements from ICP to protrusive or lateral edge-to-edge positions with teeth in contact with biting; (iii) a fast MVC in protrusive and lateral edge-to-edge positions. A higher level of SEMG activity was associated with a higher bite force during occluding movements (P < 0.05). However, during fast MVC from rest to ICP, the largest number of occlusal contacts was achieved and distributed more symmetrically, the highest level of biting force was obtained, but the SEMG activity of the jaw elevator muscles was reduced compared with its maximum level (P < 0.05). This phenomenon was not observed during the fast MVC in protrusive or lateral edge-to-edge positions. The present results that a lower SEMG activity was associated with the largest number of occlusal contacts and the highest level of bite force during centric MVC demonstrated a complex integration of jaw-closing muscles when a stable occlusion is present.

Observation of D0-D0 oscillations

We report a measurement of the time-dependent ratio of D(0) → K(+) π- to D(0) → K(-) π(+) decay rates in D(*+)-tagged events using 1.0 fb(-1) of integrated luminosity recorded by the LHCb experiment. We measure the mixing parameters x('2) = (-0.9 ± 1.3) × 10(-4), y' = (7.2 ± 2.4) × 10(-3), and the ratio of doubly-Cabibbo-suppressed to Cabibbo-favored decay rates R(D) = (3.52 ± 0.15) × 10^{-3}, where the uncertainties include statistical and systematic sources. The result excludes the no-mixing hypothesis with a probability corresponding to 9.1 standard deviations and represents the first observation of D0-D0 oscillations from a single measurement.

Enhanced tumor suppression by adenoviral PTEN gene therapy combined with cisplatin chemotherapy in small-cell lung cancer

DNA-damaging anticancer drug cisplatin (cis-diamminedichloroplatinum) (DDP)-based chemotherapy is the mainstay and standard treatment for small-cell lung cancer (SCLC). However, frequent relapse and chemoresistance of SCLC remains a significant therapeutic hurdle. Tumor suppressor phosphatase and tensin homolog deleted on chromosome 10 (PTEN) as a negative regulator of phosphoinositide 3-kinase/AKT survival pathway exhibits strong tumor-suppressive activities. A combination of chemotherapy and gene therapy (chemogene therapy) is a promising practice in cancer therapy. In this report, we examined the combined antitumor effect of adenovirus-mediated PTEN (AdVPTEN) gene therapy and DDP chemotherapy on PTEN-null NCI-H446 human SCLC cells in vitro and in vivo in athymic BALB/c nude mice. We demonstrated that AdVPTEN plus DDP enhanced growth suppression, cell-cycle G1 phase arrest and apoptosis in in vitro NCI-H446 tumor cells and in vivo NCI-H446 xenografted tumors subcutaneously inoculated in nude mice. Mechanistically, AdVPTEN plus DDP exerted an overlapping effect on upregulation of P53, P21, P27, Bax and Cleaved Caspase-3 as well as downregulation of Bcl-2 and survivin in in vitro and in vivo NCI-H446 tumor cells. Moreover, AdVPTEN plus DDP additively reduced tumor vessel CD34 expression and microvessel density in vivo. The enhanced therapeutic efficacy elicited by AdVPTEN plus DDP was closely associated with additive induction of G1 phase arrest and apoptosis via substantially modulating cell-cycle regulation molecules and activating intrinsic apoptotic pathway through P53 restoration, and overlapping inhibition of tumor angiogenesis. Thus, our results indicated that AdVPTEN combined with DDP may be a novel and effective chemogene therapy modality for human SCLC.

Serum microRNAs as potential biomarkers of mandibular prognathism

OBJECTIVES

The aim of the study was to determine whether the expression levels of specific circulating serum microRNAs (miRNAs) are associated with mandibular prognathism (MP).

METHODS

Sixty subjects in the early permanent dentition stage and 23 in the mixed dentition stage with MP were identified. Sixty-eight normal control subjects in the early permanent dentition stage and 24 in the mixed dentition stage were recruited for comparison. According to the microarray-based expression profiling, four serum miRNAs (let-7i-3p, miR-595, miR-16-2-3p, and miR-367-5p) were validated.

RESULTS

In the MP groups, let-7i-3p was significantly over-expressed in subjects in the early permanent (P < 0.0005) and mixed (P < 0.001) dentitions, and miR-595 was significantly under-expressed (P < 0.004) in subjects in the early permanent (P < 0.004) and mixed (P < 0.0005) dentitions, compared with normal control groups. Multiple logistic regression analysis and receiver operating characteristic curve analysis revealed that let-7i-3p and miR-595 were able to significantly discriminate MP subjects from normal controls.

CONCLUSION

Let-7i-3p and miR-595 could be potential, non-invasive biomarkers for the accurate early detection and diagnosis of MP, which may result in improved clinical management.

Comparative physiological and proteomic response to abrupt low temperature stress between two winter wheat cultivars differing in low temperature tolerance

Abrupt temperature reduction in winter wheat at either autumn seedling stage prior to vernalisation or early spring crown stage can cause severe crop damage and reduce production. Many studies have reported the physiological and molecular mechanisms underlying cold acclimation in winter wheat by comparing it with spring wheat. However, processes associated with abrupt temperature reduction in autumn seedling stage prior to vernalisation in winter wheat are less understood. In this study, physiological and molecular responses of winter wheat seedlings to abrupt low temperature (LT) stress were characterised in the relatively LT-tolerant winter wheat cultivar Shixin 828 by comparing it with the relatively LT-sensitive cultivar Shiluan 02-1 using a combination of physiological, proteomics and biochemical approaches. Shixin 828 was tolerant to abrupt LT stress, while Shiluan 02-1 exhibited high levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and leaf cell death. Significant increases in relative abundance of antioxidant-related proteins were found in Shixin 828 leaves, which correlate with observed higher antioxidant enzyme activity in Shixin 828 compared to Shiluan 02-1. Proteomics analysis also indicated that carbohydrate metabolism-related proteins were more abundant in Shiluan 02-1, correlating with observed accumulation of soluble sugars in Shiluan 02-1 leaves. Amino acid analysis revealed a strong response to LT stress in wheat leaves. A negative effect of exogenous sucrose on LT tolerance was also found. This study indicates that high ROS scavenging capacity and high abundance of photosynthesis-related proteins might play a role in winter wheat response to abrupt LT stress. In contrast, excess accumulation of soluble sugars might be disadvantageous for LT tolerance in the wheat cultivar Shiluan 02-1.

Simulation of Organic Matter and Pollutant Evolution during Composting: The COP-Compost Model

Organic pollutants (OPs) are potentially present in composts and the assessment of their content and bioaccessibility in these composts is of paramount importance. In this work, we proposed a model to simulate the behavior of OPs and the dynamic of organic C during composting. This model, named COP-Compost, includes two modules. An existing organic C module is based on the biochemical composition of the initial waste mixture and simulates the organic matter transformation during composting. An additional OP module simulates OP mineralization and the evolution of its bioaccessibility. Coupling hypotheses were proposed to describe the interactions between organic C and OP modules. The organic C module, evaluated using experimental data obtained from 4-L composting pilots, was independently tested. The COP-Compost model was evaluated during composting experiments containing four OPs representative of the major pollutants detected in compost and targeted by current and future regulations. These OPs included a polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (fluoranthene), two surfactants (4--nonylphenol and a linear alkylbenzene sulfonate), and an herbicide (glyphosate). Residues of C-labeled OP with different bioaccessibility were characterized by sequential extraction and quantified as soluble, sorbed, and nonextractable fractions. The model was calibrated and coupling the organic C and OP modules improved the simulation of the OP behavior and bioaccessibility during composting.

Chloroplast ultrastructure regeneration with protection of photosystem II is responsible for the functional 'stay-green' trait in wheat

CN17 is a functional stay-green wheat variety that exhibits delayed leaf senescence and enhanced photosynthetic competence. To better understand these valuable traits, levels of chlorophyll a and b, soluble proteins, unsaturated fatty acids, and other components of CN17 were assayed. In addition, chloroplast ultrastructure, chloroplast number, and differences in gene expression between CN17 and a control variety, MY11, were examined. By 21 d post-anthesis (DPA), CN17 leaves exhibited a significantly higher maximal photochemical efficiency for photosystem II (PSII) (F(v) /F(m) ) and a significantly higher efficiency of excitation capture by open PSII reaction centres (F(v) '/F(m) '). In addition, chlorophyll degradation in CN17 was delayed by approximately 14 d, and was not blocked as observed in cosmetic stay-green phenotypes. The soluble protein content (Ps) of CN17 was higher than MY11 at all timepoints assayed, and the ratio of unsaturated to saturated fatty acids was significantly higher. CN17 also exhibited isolated granal lamellae associated with vesicles and diminished peroxidation, and between 35 and 42 DPA, a sharp decrease in chloroplast number was detected. Taken together, these results strongly support the hypothesis that chloroplast ultrastructure regeneration is responsible for the functional stay-green trait of CN17, and gene expression data provide insight into the mechanistic details.

Quality of life (QoL) analyses from OPTIMAL (CTONG-0802), a phase III, randomised, open-label study of first-line erlotinib versus chemotherapy in patients with advanced EGFR mutation-positive non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC)

BACKGROUND

The OPTIMAL study found that erlotinib improved progression-free survival (PFS) versus standard chemotherapy in Chinese patients with advanced EGFR mutation-positive non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC). This report describes the quality of life (QoL) and updated PFS analyses from this study.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

Chinese patients ≥ 18 years with histologically confirmed stage IIIB or IV NSCLC and a confirmed activating mutation of EGFR (exon 19 deletion or exon 21 L858R point mutation) received erlotinib (150 mg/day; n = 82) or gemcitabine-carboplatin (n = 72). The primary efficacy end point was PFS; QoL was assessed using the Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy-Lung (FACT-L) questionnaire, Trial Outcome Index (TOI) and Lung Cancer Subscale (LCS).

RESULTS

Patients receiving erlotinib experienced clinically relevant improvements in QoL compared with the chemotherapy group in total FACT-L, TOI and LCS (P < 0.0001 for all scales). Erlotinib scored better than chemotherapy for all FACT-L subscales from baseline to cycles 2 and 4 (non-significant). In the updated analysis, PFS was significantly longer for erlotinib than chemotherapy (median PFS 13.7 versus 4.6 months; HR = 0.164, 95% CI = 0.105-0.256; P < 0.0001), which was similar to the previously reported primary analysis.

CONCLUSION

Erlotinib improves QoL compared with standard chemotherapy in the first-line treatment of patients with EGFR mutation-positive advanced NSCLC.

Attenuation of Armanni-Ebstein lesions in a rat model of diabetes by a new anti-fibrotic, anti-inflammatory agent, FT011

AIMS/HYPOTHESIS

A key morphological feature of diabetic nephropathy is the accumulation and deposition of glycogen in renal tubular cells, known as Armanni-Ebstein lesions. While this observation has been consistently reported for many years, the molecular basis of these lesions remains unclear.

METHODS

Using biochemical and histochemical methods, we measured glycogen concentration, glycogen synthase and glycogen phosphorylase enzyme activities, and mRNA expression and protein levels of glycogenin in kidney lysates from control and transgenic (mRen-2)27 rat models of diabetes that had been treated with and without a new anti-fibrotic agent, FT011.

RESULTS

Diabetic nephropathy was associated with increased glycogen content, increased glycogen synthase activity and decreased glycogen phosphorylase activity. Glycogenin, the key protein responsible for initiating the synthesis of each glycogen particle, had very high levels in the diabetic kidney together with increased mRNA expression compared with control kidneys. Treatment with FT011 did not change glycogen synthase or glycogen phosphorylase enzyme activities but prevented both glycogenin mRNA synthesis and accumulation of Armanni-Ebstein lesions in the diabetic kidney.

CONCLUSIONS/INTERPRETATION

Armanni-Ebstein lesions found in diabetic nephropathy are due to aberrant glycogenin protein levels and mRNA expression, providing an explanation for the increased glycogen concentration found within the diabetic kidney. FT011 treatment in diabetic rats reduced glycogenin levels and, subsequently, renal glycogen concentration.

Dose-dependent pharmacokinetics of bulleyaconitine A in rats

This study was conducted to determine the pharmacokinetic characteristics of bulleyaconitine A (BLA) after oral gavage and intravenous administration of BLA at a single dose of 0.04, 0.12, 0.36 mg/kg (oral) or 0.02 mg/kg (i.v.) in male Sprague-Dawley rats. Plasma concentration profiles were analysed using a non-compartmental pharmacokinetic method. Following i.v. 0.02 mg/kg and oral administration 0.04, 0.12 or 0.36 mg/kg, the geometric mean Cmax values were 19.97, 2.11, 5.11 and 11.47 ng/ml, respectively; the corresponding geometric mean AUC(0-t) values were 10.50, 3.19, 9.59 and 18.10 ng x h/ml, respectively. The median Tmax values were 0.033, 0.167, 0.167 and 0.167 h, respectively. The terminal elimination half-lives (t1/2) were 1.23, 2.48, 1.93 and 2.17h, respectively. The results showed that Cmax and AUC(0-t) increased with increasing doses of BLA. The increase in exposure with increasing dose was lower than expected under conditions of strict proportionality.

HOXA1 drives melanoma tumor growth and metastasis and elicits an invasion gene expression signature that prognosticates clinical outcome

Metastatic melanoma is a highly lethal disease notorious for its aggressive clinical course and eventual resistance to existing therapies. Currently we possess a limited understanding of the genetic events driving melanoma progression, and much effort is focused on identifying pro-metastatic aberrations or perturbed signaling networks that constitute new therapeutic targets. In this study, we validate and assess the mechanism by which homeobox transcription factor A1 (HOXA1), a pro-invasion oncogene previously identified in a metastasis screen by our group, contributes to melanoma progression. Transcriptome and pathway profiling analyses of cells expressing HOXA1 reveals up-regulation of factors involved in diverse cytokine pathways that include the TGFβ signaling axis, which we further demonstrate to be required for HOXA1-mediated cell invasion in melanoma cells. Transcriptome profiling also shows HOXA1’s ability to potently down-regulate expression of microphthalmia-associated transcription factor (MITF) and other genes required for melanocyte differentiation, suggesting a mechanism by which HOXA1 expression de-differentiates cells into a pro-invasive cell state concomitant with TGFβ activation. Our analysis of publicly available datasets indicate that the HOXA1-induced gene signature successfully categorizes melanoma specimens based on their metastatic potential and, importantly, is capable of stratifying melanoma patient risk for metastasis based on expression in primary tumors. Together, these validation data and mechanistic insights suggest that patients whose primary tumors express HOXA1 are among a high-risk metastasis subgroup that should be considered for anti-TGFβ therapy in adjuvant settings. Moreover, further analysis of HOXA1 target genes in melanoma may reveal new pathways or targets amenable to therapeutic intervention.

Contributors to diffusion impairment in HIV-infected persons

Abnormal diffusing capacity is common in HIV-infected individuals, including never smokers. Aetiologies for diffusing capacity impairment in HIV are not understood, particularly in those without a history of cigarette smoking. Our study was a cross-sectional analysis of 158 HIV-infected individuals without acute respiratory symptoms or infection with the aim to determine associations between a diffusing capacity of the lung for carbon monoxide (D(LCO)) % predicted and participant demographics, pulmonary spirometric measures (forced expiratory volume in 1 s (FEV1) and FEV1/forced vital capacity), radiographic emphysema (fraction of lung voxels < -950 Hounsfield units), pulmonary vascular/cardiovascular disease (echocardiographic tricuspid regurgitant jet velocity, N-terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide) and airway inflammation (induced sputum cell counts), stratified by history of smoking. The mean D(LCO) was 65.9% predicted, and 55 (34.8%) participants had a significantly reduced D(LCO) (<60% predicted). Lower D(LCO) % predicted in ever-smokers was associated with lower post-bronchodilator FEV1 % predicted (p<0.001) and greater radiographic emphysema (p=0.001). In never-smokers, mean±SD D(LCO) was 72.7±13.4% predicted, and D(LCO) correlated with post-bronchodilator FEV1 (p=0.02), sputum neutrophils (p=0.03) and sputum lymphocytes (p=0.009), but not radiographic emphysema. Airway obstruction, emphysema and inflammation influence D(LCO) in HIV. Never-smokers may have a unique phenotype of diffusing capacity impairment. The interaction of multiple factors may account for the pervasive nature of diffusing capacity impairment in HIV infection.

Insulin promotes T cell recovery in a murine model of autoimmune myocarditis

Glucose-insulin-potassium (GIK) is a useful adjunct to myocarditis. Besides its essential action in energy metabolism, insulin also exerts an anti-inflammatory effect. This study investigated the effect of insulin on myocardial inflammation in experimental autoimmune myocarditis (EAM) in mice and its potential role in T cell regulation. Mice were divided randomly into a normal control group, a saline-treated EAM group and an insulin-treated EAM group. The histopathological changes of myocardium, α-myosin heavy chain (MyHCα)(614-629) antigen-specific autoantibody titre, the serum level of cardiac troponin I (cTnI), mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) family members' activity and content were measured. Furthermore, the phenotype of T lymphocyte subsets in splenocytes was analysed to evaluate the immune status of mice. Insulin reduced serum cTnI of EAM mice on days 14 and 21 (P < 0·05) after immunization, with no changes in blood glucose and autoantibody production. Western blot revealed that extracellular signal-regulated protein kinase (ERK1/2) may be a determining factor in this process. Total ERK1/2 and phospho-ERK1/2 (p-ERK1/2) were both up-regulated in insulin-treated mice after immunization. We also found that insulin treatment promoted T cell recovery without changing the naive-to-memory T-cell ratio; in particular, CD3(+) T cells in insulin-treated mice proliferated more vigorously than in control mice (P < 0·05). We report here for the first time that insulin alleviates myocarditis in the EAM model. These data show that insulin has a direct effect on T cell proliferation in EAM. It is possible that GIK or insulin may assist T cell recovery towards normal in myocarditis, especially for diabetic or hyperglycaemic patients.

Characteristics and visual outcomes of eye trauma in the Chinese Armed services

OBJECTIVES

To outline the characteristics and outcomes of eye injuries in the Chinese People's Liberation Army.

METHODS

A retrospective review of military inpatient eye injuries, in one military region, population 250,000 soldiers, between January 2006 and December 2010.

RESULTS

There were 709 eye injury patients (759 eyes) during the 5-year period with an incidence of inpatient eye injuries of 57 per 100,000 person-years. The mean age of patients was 24 years, the vast majority male. The majority of eye injuries occurred during recreational time (62%), with the commonest causing being violence (46%). The immediate post-injury vision acuity of 48% of eyes was > 6/12; 93% of cases had mechanical ocular injuries and 7% had non-mechanical ocular injuries. 71% of patients were sent to an evacuation hospital within 24 hours and 75% had surgery within 24 hours of injury. The majority of cases (97%) were hospitalized for one visit. On discharge, there was a statistically significant improvement in visual outcomes with 85% of eyes achieving > 6/12.

CONCLUSIONS

Eye injuries secondary to violence were a frequent occurrence amongst young male PLA members, particularly during recreational time. Most injuries were not sight-threatening, with the majority of patients achieving an excellent visual outcome.

Myostatin induces mitochondrial metabolic alteration and typical apoptosis in cancer cells

Myostatin, a member of the transforming growth factor-β superfamily, regulates the glucose metabolism of muscle cells, while dysregulated myostatin activity is associated with a number of metabolic disorders, including muscle cachexia, obesity and type II diabetes. We observed that myostatin induced significant mitochondrial metabolic alterations and prolonged exposure of myostatin induced mitochondria-dependent apoptosis in cancer cells addicted to glycolysis. To address the underlying mechanism, we found that the protein levels of Hexokinase II (HKII) and voltage-dependent anion channel 1 (VDAC1), two key regulators of glucose metabolisms as well as metabolic stress-induced apoptosis, were negatively correlated. In particular, VDAC1 was dramatically upregulated in cells that are sensitive to myostatin treatment whereas HKII was downregulated and dissociated from mitochondria. Myostatin promoted the translocation of Bax from cytosol to mitochondria, and knockdown of VDAC1 inhibited myostatin-induced Bax translocation and apoptosis. These apoptotic changes can be partially rescued by repletion of ATP, or by ectopic expression of HKII, suggesting that perturbation of mitochondrial metabolism is causally linked with subsequent apoptosis. Our findings reveal novel function of myostatin in regulating mitochondrial metabolism and apoptosis in cancer cells.

Hypothermia protects against oxygen-glucose deprivation-induced neuronal injury by down-regulating the reverse transport of glutamate by astrocytes as mediated by neurons

Glutamate is the major mediator of excitotoxic neuronal death following cerebral ischemia. Under severe ischemic conditions, glutamate transporters can functionally reverse to release glutamate, thereby inducing further neuronal injury. Hypothermia has been shown to protect neurons from brain ischemia. However, the mechanism(s) involved remain unclear. Therefore, the aim of this study was to investigate the mechanism(s) mediating glutamate release during brain ischemia-reperfusion injury under hypothermic conditions. Neuron/astrocyte co-cultures were exposed to oxygen-glucose deprivation (OGD) at various temperatures for 2h, and cell viability was assayed 12h after reoxygenation. PI and MAP-2 staining demonstrated that hypothermia significantly decreased neuronal injury. Furthermore, [(3)H]-glutamate uptake assays showed that hypothermia protected rat primary cortical cultures against OGD reoxygenation-induced injury. Protein levels of the astrocytic glutamate transporter, GLT-1, which is primarily responsible for the clearance of extracellular glutamate, were also found to be reduced in a temperature-dependent manner. In contrast, expression of GLT-1 in astrocyte-enriched cultures was found to significantly increase following the addition of neuron-conditioned medium maintained at 37 °C, and to a lesser extent with neuron-conditioned medium at 33 °C. In conclusion, the neuroprotective effects of hypothermia against brain ischemia-reperfusion injury involve down-regulation of astrocytic GLT-1, which mediates the reverse transport of glutamate. Moreover, this process may be regulated by molecules secreted by stressed neurons.

Autologous dendritic cells combined with cytokine-induced killer cells synergize low-dose chemotherapy in elderly patients with acute myeloid leukaemia

OBJECTIVES

To investigate the possibility of culturing dendritic cells (DCs) and cytokine-induced killer (CIK) cells, obtained at initial diagnosis of AML in elderly patients, and to investigate the safety and efficacy of treatment with autologous DCs and CIK cells when administered to these patients in combination with low-dose chemo therapy.

METHODS

DCs and CIK cells obtained at initial diagnosis of AML in elderly patients were cultured and used in combination with low-dose chemo therapy to treat these patients (immunotherapy group). Elderly patients with AML treated only with low-dose chemotherapy served as the control. Before treatment and on day 7 after treatment with autologous DCs and CIK cells, T cell subsets and cytokine levels were evaluated in the immunotherapy group.

RESULTS

A total of 21 elderly patients with AML were included in the immunotherapy group and 23 in the control group. The clinical efficacy in the immunotherapy group was greater than in the control group. The percentages of T cell subsets and cytokine levels after immunotherapy treatment were significantly higher than before the treatment.

CONCLUSION

Immuno therapy with autologous DCs and CIK cells was found to be a promising candidate for treatment of AML in elderly patients.

Anatomical patterns and correlated MRI findings of non-perinatal hypoxic-ischaemic encephalopathy

Non-perinatal hypoxic-ischaemic encephalopathy (HIE) has varying anatomical patterns dependent on the type of insult, the degree and duration of cerebral hypoxia, or presence and degree of hypoperfusion. Profound insults can affect the entire cerebral cortex or just the perirolandic cortex, the cerebellum and the deep grey matter structures. Less severe insults may affect only the watershed regions. The objective of this article is to review the anatomical patterns of non-perinatal HIEs by MRI.

Impact of different particle size distributions on anaerobic digestion of the organic fraction of municipal solid waste

Particle size may significantly affect the speed and stability of anaerobic digestion, and matching the choice of particle size reduction equipment to digester type can thus determine the success or failure of the process. In the current research the organic fraction of municipal solid waste was processed using a combination of a shear shredder, rotary cutter and wet macerator to produce streams with different particle size distributions. The pre-processed waste was used in trials in semi-continuous 'wet' and 'dry' digesters at organic loading rate (OLR) up to 6kg volatile solids (VS) m(-3)day(-1). The results indicated that while difference in the particle size distribution did not change the specific biogas yield, the digester performance was affected. In the 'dry' digesters the finer particle size led to acidification and ultimately to process failure at the highest OLR. In 'wet' digestion a fine particle size led to severe foaming and the process could not be operated above 5kgVSm(-3)day(-1). Although the trial was not designed as a direct comparison between 'wet' and 'dry' digestion, the specific biogas yield of the 'dry' digesters was 90% of that produced by 'wet' digesters fed on the same waste at the same OLR.