Resistin is associated with overall survival in non-small cell lung cancer patients during nivolumab treatment.

PURPOSE: Since the role of resistin was evaluated only in patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) not treated with immunotherapy, we aimed to evaluate levels of resistin during immunotherapy (nivolumab) and its prognostic role with regard to OS. METHODS/PATIENTS: From a cohort of 78 patients with advanced NSCLC enrolled in a prospective study at Ospedale Policlinico San Martino in Genoa (Italy), 43 patients have been considered for this sub-analysis because of the availability of samples. Before and during nivolumab administration, clinical information and blood samples were collected and resistin, matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-8, MMP-9, and myeloperoxidase were evaluated by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). RESULTS: Median age was 71 with a prevalence of males and former smokers. Median resistin levels presented a peak at cycle 2 and then dropped down until the last cycle. Resistin correlated with all neutrophil degranulation products at cycle 1 (except for MMP-9) and at cycle 2 as well as with white blood cells and neutrophils. By a ROC curve analysis, a resistin value at cycle 2 of 19 ng/mL was tested as the best cut-off point for OS. Kaplan-Meier analysis demonstrated that patients above the resistin cut-off experienced a reduced OS (median OS 242.5 vs. 470 days, p = 0.0073), as confirmed by Cox proportional hazards regression analysis. CONCLUSIONS: Resistin levels > 19 ng/mL at the time of the second cycle of nivolumab treatment independently predict a reduced OS in patients with advanced NSCLC.

PTTL method applied to UV radiation detection during refractive surgery using excimer laser.

The method of phototransferred thermoluminescence (PTTL), using CaSO(4):Dy pellets produced at IPEN as sensitive material, was used to detect the spread laser radiation inside the surgery room during refractive surgical procedures using ArF excimer lasers. The purpose of this work was to study the viability of performing the ultraviolet radiation (UVR) exposure detection of patients and the hospital's surgical staff during a refractive surgery. The CaSO(4):Dy pellets were positioned at different distances from the laser source inside the surgery room: patient's ( congruent with 0.15 m), surgeon's ( congruent with 0.5 m) and nurse's ( congruent with 1.0 m) foreheads, lateral ( congruent with 1.5 m) and back ( congruent with 4.0 m) walls. The measurements of PTTL were carried out at two different conditions: five surgeries, each one taking approximately 10 min, and during a period of 4 h (cumulative), when several operations were performed. The detectors positioned as far as 4.0 m from the UV laser source were sensitised, making the UVR detection feasible at large source-detector distances. The absorbed energy was detected in the range from 40 microJ to 30 mJ during a surgery. This result indicates that the method studied can be used to detect the spread UVR.

Studies of UV induced phototransferred thermoluminescence in CaSO4:Dy pellets.

The ultraviolet (UV) radiation response of the CaSO4:Dy pellets produced at IPEN/SP was studied using phototransferred thermoluminescence (PTTL). The PTTL characteristics of three different types of CaSO4:Dy pellets were investigated. The main parameters studied were: thermal treatments, post UV exposure storage time, PTTL response as a function of gamma dose, exposure time, radiant energy response and lower detection limits.

Apoptose na modulaçäo da resposta inflamatória aos ovos do Schistosoma mansoni / Apoptosis in the modulation of the inflammatory response to the eggs os Schistosoma mansoni

Foram estudadas 42 amostras de fígado de camundongos inoculados com cercárias do Schistosoma mansoni, obtidas 40, 60, 80 e 120 dias após a infecçäo e processadas rotineiramente. As lâminas obtidas foram coradas pela HE para análise qualitativa e morfométrica do número e área dos granulomas e pelo MGP para quantificaçäo de células apoptóticas. Os animais com 40 dias de inoculaçäo possuíam menos granulomas/lâmina (X=11,78ñ4,01), com áreas pequenas (X=52.713,88ñ5.244,34mm2) e as menores médias de apoptose (X=7,50ñ0.99). Os animais com 60 dias de inoculaçäo tiveram os maiores granulomas (X=114.851,20ñ5.517,20mm2), em maior número X=92,88ñ10,62) e freqüente apoptose (X=18,73ñ1,35). Os com 80 dias de inoculaçäo apresentaram diminuiçao no tamanho dos granulomas (X=89.305,57ñ6.162,79mm2), mas grande quantidade deles (X=131,09ñ15,60) e freqüência maior de apoptose (X=19,93ñ1,49). Com 120 dias, a apoptose continuou freqüente (X=19,84ñ1,88), os granulomas eram mais numerosos (X=231,20ñ34,57), porém menores (X=41.556,58ñ2.043,60mm2). A ocorrência de apoptose ajuda a explicar a reduçäo na celularidade e a conseqüente diminuiçäo da área dos granulomas. A apoptose foi confirmada histologicamente pela técnica de "túnel". Assim, a apoptose participa da modulaçäo do fenômeno inflamatório do tipo granulomatoso, reacional à embolizaçäo de ovos do parasito no fígado. Com a evoluçäo da doença, desenvolve-se uma tolerância imunológica aos antígenos do ovo do Schistosoma mansoni, evidenciada morfologicamente pela diminuiçäo da área média dos granulomas e pela maior freqüência de apoptose nas células componentes do granuloma

Apoptose na modulação da resposta inflamatória aos ovos do Schistosoma mansoni

Forty two samples of liver, obtained from mice inoculated with Schistosoma mansoni cercariae, were studied morphometrically. Samples were collected from mice at 40, 60, 80 and 120 days after inoculation and processed according to routine procedures. Four m m sections were stained by hematoxiline-eosine for microscopic evaluation, and morphometry of number and area of granulomas, and by MGP for apoptotic cells quantification, considering the age of inoculation. Forty days after inoculation the animals presented less granulomas ( img src="http:/img/fbpe/abmvz/v52n6/a06img02.gif" alt="a06img02.gif (533 bytes)" align="absmiddle" > or = 11.78 ± 4.01), less apoptosis ( img src="http:/img/fbpe/abmvz/v52n6/a06img02.gif" alt="a06img02.gif (533 bytes)" align="absmiddle" > or = 7.50 ± 0.99) and smaller granulomas ( img src="http:/img/fbpe/abmvz/v52n6/a06img02.gif" alt="a06img02.gif (533 bytes)" align="absmiddle" > or = 52,713.88 ± 5,244.34mum²). At 60 days of inoculation they presented the largest granulomas ( img src="http:/img/fbpe/abmvz/v52n6/a06img02.gif" alt="a06img02.gif (533 bytes)" align="absmiddle" > or = 114,851.20 ± 5,517.20mum²), increased numbers of granulomas ( img src="http:/img/fbpe/abmvz/v52n6/a06img02.gif" alt="a06img02.gif (533 bytes)" align="absmiddle" > or = 92.88 ± 10.62) and of apoptosis ( img src="http:/img/fbpe/abmvz/v52n6/a06img02.gif" alt="a06img02.gif (533 bytes)" align="absmiddle" > or = 18.73 ± 1.35). After 80 days of inoculation the number of granulomas had increased ( img src="http:/img/fbpe/abmvz/v52n6/a06img02.gif" alt="a06img02.gif (533 bytes)" align="absmiddle" > or = 131.09 ± 15.60), presenting smaller area ( img src="http:/img/fbpe/abmvz/v52n6/a06img02.gif" alt="a06img02.gif (533 bytes)" align="absmiddle" > or = 89,305.57 ± 6,162.79mum²) and increased apoptosis ( img src="http:/img/fbpe/abmvz/v52n6/a06img02.gif" alt="a06img02.gif (533 bytes)" align="absmiddle" > or = 19.93 ±1.49). Mice at 120 days after inoculation showed the greatest quantity of granulomas ( img src="http:/img/fbpe/abmvz/v52n6/a06img02.gif" alt="a06img02.gif (533 bytes)" align="absmiddle" > or = 231.20 ± 34.57), almost the same frequency of apoptosis ( img src="http:/img/fbpe/abmvz/v52n6/a06img02.gif" alt="a06img02.gif (533 bytes)" align="absmiddle" > or = 19.84 ± 1.88), but with the smallest areas ( img src="http:/img/fbpe/abmvz/v52n6/a06img02.gif" alt="a06img02.gif (533 bytes)" align="absmiddle" > or = 41,556.58 ± 2,043.60mum²). Apoptosis was confirmed by TUNEL technique. The occurrence of apoptosis helps to explain the decrease in both cellularity and area of granulomas. It was concluded that apoptosis participates in the modulation of the granulomatous inflammatory process in Schistosomiasis as a reaction to embolization and deposition of eggs of the parasite in liver. As Schistosomiasis progresses, some immunological tolerance to Schistosoma mansoni egg antigens develops, which is detected morphologically and morphometrically by decrease in the area of the granulomas and by increase in the occurrence of apoptosis in granuloma cells.

Foram estudadas 42 amostras de fígado de camundongos inoculados com cercárias do Schistosoma mansoni, obtidas 40, 60, 80 e 120 dias após a infecção e processadas rotineiramente. As lâminas obtidas foram coradas pela HE para análise qualitativa e morfométrica do número e área dos granulomas e pelo MGP para quantificação de células apoptóticas. Os animais com 40 dias de inoculação possuíam menos granulomas/lâmina ( img src="http:/img/fbpe/abmvz/v52n6/a06img01.gif" alt="a06img01.gif (532 bytes)" align="absmiddle" > ou = 11,78±4,01), com áreas pequenas ( img src="http:/img/fbpe/abmvz/v52n6/a06img01.gif" alt="a06img01.gif (532 bytes)" align="absmiddle" > ou = 52.713,88±5.244,34 FONT FACE="Symbol">m /font>m²) e as menores médias de apoptose ( img src="http:/img/fbpe/abmvz/v52n6/a06img01.gif" alt="a06img01.gif (532 bytes)" align="absmiddle" > ou = 7,50±0.99). Os animais com 60 dias de inoculação tiveram os maiores granulomas ( img src="http:/img/fbpe/abmvz/v52n6/a06img01.gif" alt="a06img01.gif (532 bytes)" align="absmiddle" > ou = 114.851,20±5.517,20mim²), em maior número ( img src="http:/img/fbpe/abmvz/v52n6/a06img01.gif" alt="a06img01.gif (532 bytes)" align="absmiddle" > ou = 92,88±10,62) e freqüente apoptose ( img src="http:/img/fbpe/abmvz/v52n6/a06img01.gif" alt="a06img01.gif (532 bytes)" align="absmiddle" > ou = 18,73±1,35). Os com 80 dias de inoculação apresentaram diminuição no tamanho dos granulomas ( img src="http:/img/fbpe/abmvz/v52n6/a06img01.gif" alt="a06img01.gif (532 bytes)" align="absmiddle" > ou = 89.305,57±6.162,79mim²), mas grande quantidade deles ( img src="http:/img/fbpe/abmvz/v52n6/a06img01.gif" alt="a06img01.gif (532 bytes)" align="absmiddle" > ou = 131,09±15,60) e freqüência maior de apoptose ( img src="http:/img/fbpe/abmvz/v52n6/a06img01.gif" alt="a06img01.gif (532 bytes)" align="absmiddle" > ou = 19,93±1,49). Com 120 dias, a apoptose continuou freqüente ( img src="http:/img/fbpe/abmvz/v52n6/a06img01.gif" alt="a06img01.gif (532 bytes)" align="absmiddle" > ou = 19,84±1,88), os granulomas eram mais numerosos ( img src="http:/img/fbpe/abmvz/v52n6/a06img01.gif" alt="a06img01.gif (532 bytes)" align="absmiddle" > ou = 231,20±34,57), porém menores ( img src="http:/img/fbpe/abmvz/v52n6/a06img01.gif" alt="a06img01.gif (532 bytes)" align="absmiddle" > ou = 41.556,58±2.043,60mim²). A ocorrência de apoptose ajuda a explicar a redução na celularidade e a conseqüente diminuição da área dos granulomas. A apoptose foi confirmada histologicamente pela técnica de "tunel". Assim, a apoptose participa da modulação do fenômeno inflamatório do tipo granulomatoso, reacional à embolização de ovos do parasito no fígado. Com a evolução da doença, desenvolve-se uma tolerância imunológica aos antígenos do ovo do Schistosoma mansoni, evidenciada morfologicamente pela diminuição da área média dos granulomas e pela maior freqüência de apoptose nas células componentes do granuloma.