Home About us Contact
|
Home About us Contact | ||
|
|
||
Disease Response (disease + response)
Selected AbstractsStandardised tumour, node and metastasis reporting of oncology CT scansJOURNAL OF MEDICAL IMAGING AND RADIATION ONCOLOGY, Issue 4 2009KLM Gormly Summary The oncology CT report is a vital piece of communication between the radiologist and the treating clinician and often determines patient management. The use of a standardised report that follows the tumour, node and metastasis (TNM) structure makes it easier for the radiologist to include all of the necessary information in an easy-to-read format. Presenting the results under the headings of primary tumour, lymph nodes, metastases, and other findings follows a similar pattern to that used by pathologists and also follows the thought process of the treating clinician. Standardised templates for TNM-based oncology CT reports were introduced into public and private institutions. An audit of 199 reports demonstrated a significant increase in the presence of measurements and conclusions in the template reports. While there was a non-significant increase in the use of correct Response Evaluation Criteria In Solid Tumours terminology for template reports, there was an improved attempt to describe the disease response. Saving measurements as a summary series on PACS also assists follow-up reporting. [source] Posttransplant lymphoproliferative disorder: A pictorial reviewJOURNAL OF MEDICAL IMAGING AND RADIATION ONCOLOGY, Issue 5 2006K Burney Summary Posttransplant lymphoproliferative disorder (PTLD) is a serious and potentially fatal complication after solid organ and haemopoietic stem cell transplantation. The frequency of PTLD varies with the type of organ transplant but overall it affects 2,10% of all solid organ transplant recipients. Most cases develop within 1 year after the transplant, although occasional cases present 5,10 years later. Posttransplant lymphoproliferative disorder is clinically and pathologically heterogeneous , the majority are of the non,Hodgkin's lymphoma type, whereas Hodgkin's lymphoma arising after transplantation is rare. We have retrospectively reviewed patients with a histological diagnosis of PTLD after a solid organ transplant. We present the imaging features and a clinical review of this condition. Early diagnosis of PTLD may alter the management and outcome of the disease. The radiologist can play a vital role in establishing the diagnosis by imaging features supplemented with percutaneous biopsy and also in monitoring the disease response to treatment. [source] Use of a Mini-Dome Bioassay and Grafting to Study Resistance of Chickpea to Ascochyta BlightJOURNAL OF PHYTOPATHOLOGY, Issue 10 2005W. Chen Abstract A mini-dome bioassay was developed to study pathogenicity of Ascochyta rabiei and relative resistance of chickpea (Cicer arietanium). It was determined that the best condition for assaying pathogenicity of A. rabiei was to use 2 × 105 spores/ml as inoculum and to maintain a leaf wetness period of 24 h under mini-domes at a temperature between 16 and 22°C. This mini-dome pathogenicity assay was used to determine relative resistance of six chickpea cultivars (cvs) to isolates of two pathotypes of A. rabiei. Grafting was employed to detect any translocated factors produced in the chickpea plant that mediate disease response, which could help elucidate possible resistance mechanisms to Ascochyta blight. The six chickpea cv. were grafted in all possible scion,rootstock combinations, and then inoculated with isolates of two pathotypes of A. rabiei using the mini-dome technique. Results showed that self-grafted-resistant plants remained resistant and self-grafted-susceptible plants stayed susceptible, indicating the grafting procedure did not alter host response to infection by A. rabiei. Susceptible scions always exhibited high and similar levels of disease severity regardless of rootstock genotypes, and resistant scions always showed low and similar levels of disease severity when they were grafted onto any of the six rootstock genotypes. Orthogonal contrasts showed that scion genotypes determined disease phenotype, and that rootstock genotypes had no contribution to disease phenotype of the scions. The pathogenicity assay did not detect any translocated disease-mediating agents responsible for susceptibility or resistance in chickpea. Disease phenotypes of Ascochyta blight of chickpea were conditioned locally by scion genotypes. [source] Quantifying Phytophthora medicaginis in Susceptible and Resistant Alfalfa with a Real-Time Fluorescent PCR AssayJOURNAL OF PHYTOPATHOLOGY, Issue 11-12 2003G. J. Vandemark Abstract A real-time fluorescent PCR assay using a set of specific primers and a fluorochrome-labelled probe (TaqMan) was developed to quantify the amount of Phytophthora medicaginis DNA in alfalfa plants that were classified as either resistant or susceptible to the pathogen based on visual assessment of disease response. The assay clearly discriminated among three standard check alfalfa populations with different levels of resistance based on the analysis of DNA extracted from the roots of bulked plant samples. In two independent experiments, the Spearman rank correlation between pathogen DNA content and the number of susceptible plants in a bulked sample was greater than 0.89 and highly significant (P<0.0001). Significantly less pathogen DNA was detected in bulked samples of a highly resistant check population than in bulked samples from more susceptible check populations. Analysis of individual plants indicated that significantly less pathogen DNA was detected in resistant plants than in susceptible plants. Applications of the assay are considered for breeding programs and the study of microbial population dynamics in plants simultaneously infected with different pathogens. [source] MDM2 polymorphism increases susceptibility to childhood acute myeloid leukemia: A report from the Children's Oncology Group,PEDIATRIC BLOOD & CANCER, Issue 2 2010Christine L. Phillips MD Abstract Background The variant polymorphism in the gene MDM2, SNP309, leads to increased level of mdm2 protein and subsequent downregulation of p53 tumor suppressor pathway. Presence of this single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) has been associated with earlier tumorigenesis in patients with Li,Fraumeni syndrome, as well as decreased survival in patients with CLL. In addition, cells homozygous (G/G) for SNP 309 were found to have 10-fold increase resistance to topoisomerase II inhibitors in vitro. Procedure We genotyped children (n,=,575) with de novo acute myeloid leukemia (AML) treated on three Children's Oncology Group protocols (CCG 2941/2961/AAML 03P1) for the presence of SNP309. Healthy blood donors were genotyped as control population. Results The variant G/G genotype was associated with an increased susceptibility to AML (OR 1.5; P,=,0.049). However, the presence of the variant allele at SNP309 did not modify disease response or toxicity in children treated on CCG protocols 2941/2961. Conclusions The variant SNP 309 influences susceptibility to pediatric AML, but does not impact overall response to therapy. Pediatr Blood Cancer. 2010;55:248,253. © 2010 Wiley,Liss, Inc. [source] Disease stress-inducible genes of tobacco: expression profile of elicitor-responsive genes isolated by subtractive hybridizationPHYSIOLOGIA PLANTARUM, Issue 4 2003Daigo Takemoto In order to investigate the change in mRNA profile during tobacco disease response, a subtractive hybridization procedure was used to generate a cDNA library for genes induced in tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum cv. Samsun NN) treated with oomycete elicitor. Database searches with the randomly isolated genes revealed that this cDNA library was enriched for reported disease stress-responsive genes such as pathogenesis-related proteins and cell wall protein genes. The expressions of eight newly isolated genes were induced by inoculation with the non-pathogenic bacteria, Pseudomonas syringae pv. glycinea. The NtEIGs (N.tabacumelicitor- inducible genes) showed similarity to genes for stellacyanin-like protein (NtEIG-A1), glutathione peroxidase (NtEIG-C08), extensin-like protein (NtEIG-C29), WRKY transcription factor (NtEIG-D48), glycine rich protein (NtEIG-E17), , -1, 3-glucanase-like protein (NtEIG-E76), photoassimilate-responsive protein-1 (NtEIG-E80) and wound-induced protein (NtEIG-D10). The expression patterns of NtEIGs in tobacco leaf in response to P. syringae pv. glycinea, salicylic acid (SA), methyl jasmonate (MeJA) and wound stress were analysed. The individual expression patterns of NtEIGs indicate that the transcriptional activation of NtEIGs is regulated by various signals and the products of NtEIGs are involved in different processes at different stages of the plant defence responses. [source] Comparison of a modified assay method for the endopeptidase marker Ep-D1b with the Sequence Tag Site marker XustSSR2001,7DL for strawbreaker foot rot resistance in wheatPLANT BREEDING, Issue 1 2006D. K. Santra Abstract The endopeptidase marker Ep-D1b and Sequence Tag Site (STS) marker XustSSR2001,7DL were reported to be closely associated with the most effective resistance gene (Pch1) in wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) for strawbreaker foot rot [Pseudocercosporella herpotrichoides (Fron) Deighton]. Our objectives were to: (i) develop an efficient assay method for Ep-D1b in wheat; (ii) correlate endopeptidase zymograms to strawbreaker foot rot reactions of various wheat genotypes; and (iii) compare the utility of Ep-D1b and XustSSR2001,7DL for predicting disease response. An improved method of assaying for the Ep-D1b marker using roots from a single seedling was developed, which is a 2.5-fold improvement over the previous method. Thirty-eight wheat genotypes with known reactions to strawbreaker foot rot were analysed for Ep-D1b and the STS marker. Six distinct endopeptidase zymograms were identified among these 38 genotypes tested, and three of these patterns were novel. The endopeptidase marker was 100% accurate for predicting strawbreaker foot rot disease response, whereas the STS marker predicted the correct phenotype with approximately 90% accuracy. The endopeptidase marker Ep-D1b was more effective and was more economical for use in marker-assisted selection strategies for Pch1 in our laboratory compared with the STS marker. [source] Chromosomal location of Fusarium head blight resistance genes and analysis of the relationship between resistance to head blight and brown foot rotPLANT BREEDING, Issue 1 2000A. Mentewab Abstract In order to identify chromosomes involved in resistance to Fusarium head blight, a set of 21 substitution lines of Triticum macha (resistant) chromosomes into ,Hobbit''sib'(susceptible) were evaluated in trials over 2 years. For the first year's trial, all plants were inoculated on the same day with a conidial suspension of F. culmorum. For the second trial, individual plants were inoculated precisely at mid anthesis of each plant over a period of 2 weeks. The disease level was assessed by visual scoring, relative ear weight and F. culmorumn -specfic quantitative polymerase chain reaction. The results showed that T. macha chromosomes 1B, 4A and 7A conferred good overall resistance, suggesting that they carry important genes for resistance. In two additional trials, T. macha and ,Hobbit''sib' were evaluated for resistance to brown foot rot. The results showed that T. macha was more susceptible than ,Hobbit',sib', indicating that stem base disease response is not correlated with head blight resistance in these cultivars. [source] IgE-Mediated Asthma and Rhinitis I: A Role of Allergen Exposure?BASIC AND CLINICAL PHARMACOLOGY & TOXICOLOGY, Issue 5 2002Gunnar D. Nielsen The IgE antibodies and associated cellular responses are responsible for the allergic airway diseases, allergic rhinitis and allergic asthma, which are increasing in societies with Western life style. Aeroallergens may have different potential to sensitize exposed subjects. Thus, there are only a limited number of important groups of aeroallergens, which are those from house dust mites, cockroaches, pets, pollens, and moulds. Allergy follows to a certain extent the pharmacological/toxicological paradigm of dose-response relationship. Unlike effects of pharmacologically and toxicologically active substances, allergens elicit their adverse effects in a two-stage process. In the first stage the immunologically naïve individual is sensitized to the allergen. In the second stage renewed exposure to the allergen elicits the disease response. Also, high concentrations of aeroallergens may induce immunological tolerance. The scientific literature suggests that many environmental factors contribute to the increase in sensitization and development of airway allergies. Nevertheless, the dose-response relationships apply (within certain limits) both to the sensitization itself and to the exacerbation of the diseases. This suggest that exposure reduction may be one of the methods for reduction of risk, in relation to control of the allergic airway diseases. [source] Laboratory correlates for a phase II trial of romidepsin in cutaneous and peripheral T-cell lymphomaBRITISH JOURNAL OF HAEMATOLOGY, Issue 2 2010Susan E. Bates Summary Romidepsin has shown promise in the treatment of T-cell lymphomas, and so we evaluated molecular endpoints gathered from 61 patients enrolled on a phase II trial of romidepsin in cutaneous and peripheral T-cell lymphoma at the National Institutes of Health. The endpoints included histone H3 acetylation and ABCB1 gene expression in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs); ABCB1 gene expression in tumour biopsy samples; and blood fetal haemoglobin levels (HbF), all of which were increased following romidepsin treatment. The fold increase in histone acetylation in PBMCs at 24 h was weakly to moderately well correlated with the pharmacokinetic parameters Cmax and area under the curve (AUC)last (, = 0·37, P = 0·03 and , = 0·36, P = 0·03 respectively) and inversely associated with clearance (, = ,0·44; P = 0·03). Histone acetylation in PBMCs at 24 h was associated with response (P = 0·026) as was the increase in fetal haemoglobin (P = 0·014); this latter association may be due to the longer on-study duration for patients with disease response. Together, these results suggest that pharmacokinetics may be an important determinant of response to histone deacetylase inhibitors (HDIs) , the association with histone acetylation in PBMCs at 24 h is consistent with a hypothesis that potent HDIs are needed for a critical threshold of drug exposure and durable activity. [source] Efficacy of imatinib dose escalation in patients with chronic myeloid leukemia in chronic phase,,§CANCER, Issue 3 2009Hagop M. Kantarjian MD Abstract BACKGROUND: Imatinib mesylate given orally at a daily dose of 400 mg is the standard of care as initial therapy for patients with chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) in chronic phase (CML-CP). Treatment guidelines propose dose escalation based on clinical assessments of disease response. METHODS: Response and survival were analyzed in a cohort of patients (n = 106) with newly diagnosed CML-CP who were enrolled on the International Randomized Study of Interferon and STI571 (IRIS) trial, who began treatment with imatinib at a dose of 400 mg daily, and who subsequently underwent dose escalation to either 600 mg or 800 mg daily. Reasons for dose escalation were evaluated retrospectively based on 2 sets of criteria: the IRIS protocol-defined criteria (n = 39 patients) and the European LeukemiaNet (ELN) recommendations (n = 48 patients). RESULTS: Among all 106 patients who underwent dose escalation, the rates of freedom from progression to accelerated phase or blast phase and overall survival were 89% and 84% at 3 years after dose increase, respectively. A cytogenetic response was obtained in 42% of patients who had their dose escalated based on protocol criteria and in 38% of patients who had their dose escalated according to the ELN recommendations. CONCLUSIONS: The results from this retrospective analysis supported imatinib dose escalation as an appropriate initial option for patients with CML-CP who were experiencing suboptimal cytogenetic response or resistance. Cancer 2009. © 2008 American Cancer Society. [source] MAPK phosphatase MKP2 mediates disease responses in Arabidopsis and functionally interacts with MPK3 and MPK6THE PLANT JOURNAL, Issue 6 2010Victoria Lumbreras Summary Mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) cascades have important functions in plant stress responses and development and are key players in reactive oxygen species (ROS) signalling and in innate immunity. In Arabidopsis, the transmission of ROS and pathogen signalling by MAPKs involves the coordinated activation of MPK6 and MPK3; however, the specificity of their negative regulation by phosphatases is not fully known. Here, we present genetic analyses showing that MAPK phosphatase 2 (MKP2) regulates oxidative stress and pathogen defence responses and functionally interacts with MPK3 and MPK6. We show that plants lacking a functional MKP2 gene exhibit delayed wilting symptoms in response to Ralstonia solanacearum and, by contrast, acceleration of disease progression during Botrytis cinerea infection, suggesting that this phosphatase plays differential functions in biotrophic versus necrotrophic pathogen-induced responses. MKP2 function appears to be linked to MPK3 and MPK6 regulation, as indicated by BiFC experiments showing that MKP2 associates with MPK3 and MPK6 in vivo and that in response to fungal elicitors MKP2 exerts differential affinity versus both kinases. We also found that MKP2 interacts with MPK6 in HR-like responses triggered by fungal elicitors, suggesting that MPK3 and MPK6 are subject to differential regulation by MKP2 in this process. We propose that MKP2 is a key regulator of MPK3 and MPK6 networks controlling both abiotic and specific pathogen responses in plants. [source] The BOS loci of Arabidopsis are required for resistance to Botrytis cinerea infectionTHE PLANT JOURNAL, Issue 4 2004Paola Veronese Summary Three Botrytis -susceptible mutants bos2, bos3, and bos4 which define independent and novel genetic loci required for Arabidopsis resistance to Botrytis cinerea were isolated. The bos2 mutant is susceptible to B. cinerea but retains wild-type levels of resistance to other pathogens tested, indicative of a defect in a response pathway more specific to B. cinerea. The bos3 and bos4 mutants also show increased susceptibility to Alternaria brassicicola, another necrotrophic pathogen, suggesting a broader role for these loci in resistance. bos4 shows the broadest range of effects on resistance, being more susceptible to avirulent strain of Pseudomonas syringae pv. tomato. Interestingly, bos3 is more resistant than wild-type plants to virulent strains of the biotrophic pathogen Peronospora parasitica and the bacterial pathogen P. syringae pv. tomato. The Pathogenesis Related gene 1 (PR-1), a molecular marker of the salicylic acid (SA)-dependent resistance pathway, shows a wild-type pattern of expression in bos2, while in bos3 this gene was expressed at elevated levels, both constitutively and in response to pathogen challenge. In bos4 plants, PR-1 expression was reduced compared with wild type in response to B. cinerea and SA. In bos3, the mutant most susceptible to B. cinerea and with the highest expression of PR-1, removal of SA resulted in reduced PR-1 expression but no change to the B. cinerea response. Expression of the plant defensin gene PDF1-2 was generally lower in bos mutants compared with wild-type plants, with a particularly strong reduction in bos3. Production of the phytoalexin camalexin is another well-characterized plant defense response. The bos2 and bos4 mutants accumulate reduced levels of camalexin whereas bos3 accumulates significantly higher levels of camalexin than wild-type plants in response to B. cinerea. The BOS2, BOS3, and BOS4 loci may affect camalexin levels and responsiveness to ethylene and jasmonate. The three new mutants appear to mediate disease responses through mechanisms independent of the previously described BOS1 gene. Based on the differences in the phenotypes of the bos mutants, it appears that they affect different points in defense response pathways. [source] | |||||||||||||