Radiation techniques used in patients with breast cancer: Results of a survey in Spain

AimTo evaluate the resources and techniques used in the irradiation of patients with breast cancer after lumpectomy or mastectomy and the status of implementation of new techniques and therapeutic schedules in our country.BackgroundThe demand for cancer care has increased among the Spanish population, as long as cancer treatment innovations have proliferated. Radiation therapy in breast cancer has evolved exponentially in recent years with the implementation of three-dimensional conformal radiotherapy, intensity modulated radiotherapy, image guided radiotherapy and hypofractionation.Material and MethodsAn original survey questionnaire was sent to institutions participating in the SEOR-Mama group (GEORM). In total, the standards of practice in 969 patients with breast cancer after surgery were evaluated.ResultsThe response rate was 70% (28/40 centers). In 98.5% of cases 3D conformal treatment was used. All the institutions employed CT-based planning treatment. Boost was performed in 56.4% of patients: electrons in 59.8%, photons in 23.7% and HDR brachytherapy in 8.8%. Fractionation was standard in 93.1% of patients. Supine position was the most frequent. Only 3 centers used prone position. The common organs of risk delimited were: homolateral lung (80.8%) and heart (80.8%). In 84% histograms were used. An 80.8% of the centers used isocentric technique. In 62.5% asymmetric fields were employed. CTV was delimited in 46.2%, PTV in 65% and both in 38.5%. A 65% of the centers checked with portal films. IMRT and hypofractionation were used in 1% and in 5.5% respectively.ConclusionIn most of centers, 3D conformal treatment and CT-based planning treatment were used. IMRT and hypofractionation are currently poorly implemented in Spain.     

Isolation and characterization of pLS 1 plasmid mutants with increased copy numbers

Abstract Streptococcus pneumoniae genetic systems designed for isolation of plasmid mutants with copy-up phenotypes have been developed. The target plasmids have the pLS1 replicon, and two different strategies have been followed: (i) selection of clones exhibiting augmented resistance to antibiotics, or (ii) obligatory co-existence of incompatible plasmids. We have isolated 23 plasmid mutants exhibiting increased number of copies. All the mutations corresponded to four different alleles of the copG gene of plasmid pLS1. These strategies could be used with other plasmids.     

Enterolobium contortisiliquum trypsin inhibitor (EcTI), a plant proteinase inhibitor, decreases in vitro cell adhesion and invasion by inhibition of Src protein-focal adhesion kinase (FAK) signaling pathways

Tumor cell invasion is vital for cancer progression and metastasis. Adhesion, migration, and degradation of the extracellular matrix are important events involved in the establishment of cancer cells at a new site, and therefore molecular targets are sought to inhibit such processes. The effect of a plant proteinase inhibitor, Enterolobium contortisiliquum trypsin inhibitor (EcTI), on the adhesion, migration, and invasion of gastric cancer cells was the focus of this study. EcTI showed no effect on the proliferation of gastric cancer cells or fibroblasts but inhibited the adhesion, migration, and cell invasion of gastric cancer cells; however, EcTI had no effect upon the adhesion of fibroblasts. EcTI was shown to decrease the expression and disrupt the cellular organization of molecules involved in the formation and maturation of invadopodia, such as integrin β1, cortactin, neuronal Wiskott-Aldrich syndrome protein, membrane type 1 metalloprotease, and metalloproteinase-2. Moreover, gastric cancer cells treated with EcTI presented a significant decrease in intracellular phosphorylated Src and focal adhesion kinase, integrin-dependent cell signaling components. Together, these results indicate that EcTI inhibits the invasion of gastric cancer cells through alterations in integrin-dependent cell signaling pathways.     

Postpartum changes in the GABAergic system in the bed nucleus of the accessory olfactory tract

The bed nucleus of the accessory olfactory tract (BAOT) is a sexually dimorphic structure which controls the inhibition/disinhibition of the medial preoptic area in the expression of maternal behavior. Therefore, in the present study we investigated sex differences and the modulation of gamma-aminobutiric-acid (GABA) in the BAOT during the first two postpartum days. Four groups of Wistar rats: control males, control females, 0 h postpartum females and 48 h postpartum females, were used in this experiment. Sex differences in glutamate decarboxylase (GAD) and GABA(A) alpha-chain receptor densities were apparent in the BAOT. The hormonal and behavioral postpartum state affects GABAergic activity in the females' BAOT in two ways: firstly, pregnancy and the first two postpartum days induce an increase in GABA(A)-receptor and GAD densities; secondly, the intensity of these activities are greater in the left hemisphere than in the right. These changes might be related to the BAOT's function of inhibiting/disinhibiting maternal behavior.     

Endosymbiotic bacteria nodulating a new endemic lupine Lupinus mariae-josephi from alkaline soils in Eastern Spain represent a new lineage within the Bradyrhizobium genus

Lupinus mariae-josephi is a recently described endemic Lupinus species from a small area in Eastern Spain where it thrives in soils with active lime and high pH. The L. mariae-josephi root symbionts were shown to be very slow-growing bacteria with different phenotypic and symbiotic characteristics from those of Bradyrhizobium strains nodulating other Lupinus. Their phylogenetic status was examined by multilocus sequence analyses of four housekeeping genes (16S rRNA, glnII, recA, and atpD) and showed the existence of a distinct evolutionary lineage for L. mariae-josephi that also included Bradyrhizobium jicamae. Within this lineage, the tested isolates clustered in three different sub-groups that might correspond to novel sister Bradyrhizobium species. These core gene analyses consistently showed that all the endosymbiotic bacteria isolated from other Lupinus species of the Iberian Peninsula were related to strains of the B. canariense or B. japonicum lineages and were separate from the L. mariae-josephi isolates. Phylogenetic analysis based on nodC symbiotic gene sequences showed that L. mariae-josephi bacteria also constituted a new symbiotic lineage distant from those previously defined in the genus Bradyrhizobium. In contrast, the nodC genes of isolates from other Lupinus spp. from the Iberian Peninsula were again clearly related to the B. canariense and B. japonicum bv. genistearum lineages. Speciation of L. mariae-josephi bradyrhizobia may result from the colonization of a singular habitat by their unique legume host.     

Flutter discrimination: neural codes,perception, memory and decision making

Recent studies combining psychophysical and neurophysiological experiments in behaving monkeys have provided new insights into how several cortical areas integrate efforts to solve a vibrotactile discrimination task. In particular, these studies have addressed how neural codes are related to perception, working memory and decision making in this model. The primary somatosensory cortex drives higher cortical areas where past and current sensory information are combined, such that a comparison of the two evolves into a behavioural decision. These and other observations in visual tasks indicate that decisions emerge from highly-distributed processes in which the details of a scheduled motor plan are gradually specified by sensory information.     

A review of research on Chinese <Emphasis Type=Italic>Tuber</Emphasis> species

Truffles are abundant in some regions of China. Nevertheless, it was not until the 1980s that Tuber species were discovered by Chinese mycologists. In recent years, international truffle markets have shown an increasing interest in the import of Chinese Tuber. These truffles serve as a complement to European truffles due to their lower prices and their greater availability in a deficit market. However, Chinese truffles have been the subject of fraudulent commercial practices, and these could have a negative effect on truffle culture. These concerns have been behind numerous recent studies designed to obtain detailed information about Chinese Tuber species. Unfortunately, many of these studies are not published in English, and are dispersed throughout the specific local or national bibliography and proceedings of specialized truffle conferences. In view of the need to expand current knowledge of Chinese Tuber species, we present a comprehensive summary of the taxonomy, ecology, mycorrhizae, genetics, biochemistry, and cultivation of Chinese Tuber species. We also provide a synthetic taxonomy and morphological characterization of 16 Chinese Tuber species in order to assist in their verification and monitoring.