Analysis of Circulating Tumor and Cancer Stem Cells Provides New Opportunities in Diagnosis and Treatment of Small Cell Lung Cancer

Current methods for diagnosis and treatment of small cell lung cancer (SCLC) have only a modest efficacy. In this pilot study, we analyzed circulating tumor cells (CTCs) and cancer stem cells (CSCs) in patients with SCLC to search for new diagnostic and prognostic markers and novel approaches to improve the treatment of the disease. In other forms of lung cancer, we showed a heterogeneity of blood CTCs and CSCs populations, as well as changes in other cell populations (ALDH⁺, CD87⁺CD276⁺, and EGF⁺Axl⁺) in smokers. A number of CTCs and CSCs in patients with SCLC have been shown to be resistant to chemotherapy (CT). High cytotoxic activity and resistance to apoptosis of reprogrammed CD3⁺CD8⁺ T-lymphocytes (rTcells) in relation to naive CD3⁺CD8⁺ T-lymphocytes was demonstrated in a smoking patient with SCLC (Patient G) in vitro. The target for rTcells was patient G’s blood CSCs. Reprogramming of CD3⁺CD8⁺ T-lymphocytes was carried out with the MEK1/2 inhibitor and PD-1/PD-L1 pathway blocker nivolumab. The training procedure was performed with a suspension of dead CTCs and CSCs obtained from patient’s G blood. The presented data show a new avenue for personalized SCLC diagnosis and targeted improvement of chemotherapy based on the use of both CTCs and CSCs.     

Occult pneumococcal septicemia and pneumococcal pneumonia complicating pneumatoceles in a previously healthy child

1. The effect of in vitro glycation on delta-aminolevulinic dehydratase (ALA-D) under several experimental conditions was investigated. When preincubated with 500 mM glucose at 37 degrees C for 20 hr, ALA-D was 80% inactivated and glycated hemoglobin levels were increased more than fourfold. 2. Thiobarbituric acid species were not modified during glycation; therefore ALA-D inactivation cannot be attributed to glucose autoxidation. 3. Acetyl salicylic acid was effective in preventing both hemoglobin glycation and ALA-D inactivation by glucose. 4. A method has been developed for measuring protein glycation in vitro, in a crude preparation of red blood cells, which can also be applied to sugars other than glucose.     

Measuring chaos in rotating clusters

Classical dynamics of clusters can be characterized in terms of the regularity of the motion along the constant energy surfaces. In the case of rotating clusters, this characterization strongly depends on angular momentum and the partitioning of the kinetic energy between the rotational and vibrational degrees of freedom. Here we review the tools for such an analysis with special emphasis on the changes in Lyapunov exponents.     

Blood vessel segmentation and extraction using H-minima method based on image processing techniques

Multimedia Tools and Applications - In this paper, the H-minima transform is used for blood vessel segmentation. The aim of this study is to get the high accuracy of blood vessel segmentation in...     

Surface plasmon coupled fluorescence in the ultraviolet and visible spectral regions using zinc thin films

The use of zinc thin films deposited onto glass supports for surface plasmon coupled fluorescence (SPCF) over a broad 200 nm wavelength range is demonstrated. Fresnel calculations performed in the ultraviolet and visible spectral range are predicted to generate surface plasmon modes in 30 nm zinc thin films. In this spectral range, the extent of coupling of light to zinc thin films was shown to be significant as compared to similar aluminum, gold, and silver thin films. The experimental demonstration of SPCF using 30 nm zinc thin films in the ultraviolet and visible spectral regions was undertaken using three different fluorophores 2-AP, POPOP, and FITC, respectively. Surface plasmon coupled fluorescence from zinc thin films was p-polarized and highly directional with lambda max conferred at an angle of 58, 68, and 60 degrees for FITC, POPOP, and 2-AP, respectively. s-Polarized emission from zinc thin films was negligible for all fluorophores except for a sample spin coated from a 10% PVA solution, which resulted in significant s-polarized emission due to the generation of waveguide modes. The experimental results are consistent with reflectivity curves that are theoretically predicted using Fresnel calculations. Given the growing use and utility of plasmon-enhanced fluorescence in the analytical and biological sciences, our findings will serve as a useful tool for workers in the ultraviolet and visible spectral regions.