PROGNOSTIC IMPLICATIONS OF PD-L1 EXPRESSION AND LOSS OF PTEN IN PATIENTS WITH RHABDOMYOSARCOMA, EWING'S SARCOMA AND OSTEOSARCOMA

BACKGROUND

In children, osteosarcoma (OS), Ewing's sarcoma (ES), and rhabdomyosarcoma (RMS) are the most common sarcomas. A link between the anti-programmed death ligand-1 PD-L1 and the tumor suppressor phosphatase and tensin homologue (PTEN) expression has been described in many tumors. The aim of this work is to determine clinicopathological relationships and the possible prognostic significance of PD-L1 and PTEN expression in rhabdomyosarcoma (RMS), Ewing's sarcoma (ES), and osteosarcoma (OS).

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Expression of PD-L1 and PTEN were examined by immunohistochemistry in 45 archival RMS, ES, and OS cases.

RESULTS

The positive expression of PD-L1 was found in 16.7% and 31.6% of ES and OS, respectively. The negative PD-L1 was related to a substantially longer survival in ES cases (p = 0.045), but positive PD-L1 expression was significantly associated with the increased tumor stage and vascular invasion in the OS cases (p = 0.005 and p = 0.002), respectively. On the other hand, PTEN loss was strongly associated with deep tumor, high tumor grade, and recurrence in RMS (p = 0.002, p = 0.045, and p = 0.026, respectively). However, PTEN loss was significantly absent in ES as tumor grade increased (p = 0.031). It is noteworthy that tumor recurrence, the loss of PTEN, and positive PD-L1 were all considered predictive factors in OS patients (p = 0.045, p = 0.032, and p = 0.02, respectively).

CONCLUSIONS

In children, OS and ES have positive PD-L1 expression, which has an independent unfavorable prognostic effect and raises the possibility of using PD-L1 as a therapeutic target. OS, ES, and RMS prognosis are all predicted by PTEN loss.

Use of isotope hydrology in groundwater conceptualization for modeling flow and contaminant transport at northwestern Sinai, Egypt

The study area extends along northwestern Sinai coastal plain, which is considered an integral part of the Mediterranean Sea. It depends mainly on the groundwater resource for different type of human activities such as agricultural and drinking. Many programs and policies should be implemented in this area to concurrently improve the sustainability of groundwater use and manage the risks of its degradation. Leakage from some factories in Bir El-Abd might be a contamination source that would threaten groundwater. In this paper, an attempt was made using an integrated approach of the hydrogeological setting and the conjugation of the hydrogeochemical data with the stable isotope hydrology for representation of the conceptual model of the study area. Those tools give more insights on the characterization of the groundwater system with all relevant boundaries and main recharge sources of the aquifer; which is considered to be the key components of a groundwater modeling. A particular focus is placed on modeling a hypothetical accident for contaminant transport in the groundwater system, using both lead and chromium as a typical contaminant component. Further predication of the concentration of those elements has been estimated, and the safety distances of their plume have been determined. This study would be helpful in dealing with water management issues related to contaminant hydrogeology. As well, it introduces some finding for reducing the environmental risk form the industrial development at the study area.

Hydrochemical and multivariate analysis of groundwater quality in the northwest of Sinai, Egypt

The northwestern coast of Sinai is home to many economic activities and development programs, thus evaluation of the potentiality and vulnerability of water resources is important. The present work has been conducted on the groundwater resources of this area for describing the major features of groundwater quality and the principal factors that control salinity evolution. The major ionic content of 39 groundwater samples collected from the Quaternary aquifer shows high coefficients of variation reflecting asymmetry of aquifer recharge. The groundwater samples have been classified into four clusters (using hierarchical cluster analysis), these match the variety of total dissolvable solids, water types and ionic orders. The principal component analysis combined the ionic parameters of the studied groundwater samples into two principal components. The first represents about 56% of the whole sample variance reflecting a salinization due to evaporation, leaching, dissolution of marine salts and/or seawater intrusion. The second represents about 15.8% reflecting dilution with rain water and the El-Salam Canal. Most groundwater samples were not suitable for human consumption and about 41% are suitable for irrigation. However, all groundwater samples are suitable for cattle, about 69% and 15% are suitable for horses and poultry, respectively.

Epidermal growth factor receptor in colorectal carcinoma: correlation with clinico-pathological prognostic factors

OBJECTIVE

This study was undertaken to determine the relationship between epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) status in primary colorectal cancer (CRC) to different clinico-pathological prognostic factors.

METHOD

Seventy-nine primary CRC were studied using four scoring systems: 1- EGFR pharmDx score, 2- score modified from the Hercept test [J Histo cytochem, 52 (2004) 893], 3- two additive scores with different cutoff points [Mod Pathol, 11 (1998) 155], 4- two multiplicative scores with different cutoff points [Ann Oncol, 16 (2005) 102].

RESULTS

More than 10% membranous EGFR reactivity was identified in 46.8% (37/79) of the tumours. The intensity was classified as mild, moderate and strong representing 8.9%, 20.3% and 17.7% respectively. Strong correlation was found between the EGFR pharmDx and the proposed scores, at different cutoff points (P < 0.01). A strong correlation was found between EGFR expression, advanced clinical stage (P < 0.01), nodal involvement (P < 0.01) and lympho-vascular invasion (LV) (P < 0.05) in category I factors, poorly differentiated tumours in IIA (P < 0.05), infiltrative border configuration in IIB (P < 0.01), perineural invasion (PN) in III (P < 0.01), and larger tumours in IV (P < 0.01). Heterogenous staining was present in 46.3% of tumours and was associated with an increased score, LV and PN invasion and advanced clinical stage (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSION

Using a cut-off point of 10%, similar results with different scoring systems were obtained, representing standardization for EGFR interpretation. EGFR expression is correlated with conventional clinico-pathological prognostic factors.

Differential scanning calorimetry to investigate the compatibility of ciprofloxacin hydrochloride with excipients

The compatibility between ciprofloxacin hydrochloride (CFX) and some excipients was evaluated using differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). Physical mixture, coground mixture, compressed mixture and kneaded mixture were prepared to study the effect of sample manipulation. In addition, the samples of physical mixture were also accelerated at 55 degrees C for three weeks to obtain more reliable conclusions. Different types of excipients currently used in tablet or capsule formulations namely, calcium phosphate dibasic dihydrate (Emcompress), magnesium stearate lactose, sorbitol, mannitol, croscarmellose sodium (Ac-Di-Sol), sodium carboxymethyl starch (Primojel), microcrystalline cellulose (Avicel PH 101, Emcocil) were examined. The DSC scan of CFX displayed two endothermic peaks probably as a result of a fusion process followed by a decomposition process. CFX appeared to interact with sorbitol, mannitol, Ac-Di-Sol, Primojel, Avicel PH 101 and Emcocil.

A comparative study of blood retinol and selenium in minor lower urinary lesions. A case control study

A case control study was done at Ain Shams University Hospital. Eligibility criteria were put to select cases from the clinics of urosurgery department and a control group from the clinics of surgery departments. The study was conducted in the period form 1st of February till 1st of June 1992. Both cases and control groups were subjected to an interview questionnaire, clinical examination and laboratory investigation to estimate the serum levels of retinol and selenium. Serum retinol and selenium were significantly lower among cases than among control group (p < 0.05 and p < 0.0001 respectively). Moreover, it was found that cases who lived in lower Egypt, belonged to lower socioeconomic class, smoked cigarettes and with current urinary tract infections had mean value of serum retinol significantly lower than the control group (p < 0.05). There was a significant difference in the mean blood selenium between cases and control groups who lived in Cairo (p < 0.001).

Spectrophotometric determination of some catecholamine drugs using metaperiodate

A rapid spectrophotometric procedure for the determination of isoprenaline salts, levodopa, dopamine hydrochloride, and dobutamine hydrochloride, either in the drug substances or in pharmaceutical formulations, is described. The method is based on the development of orange, red, or violet products with sodium metaperiodate in an aqueous alcoholic medium. The reaction is suggested to proceed via oxidative cyclization of the catecholamine to form an aminochrome. The wavelengths of maximum absorption range from 465 to 520 nm. The structure of the cyclization product was confirmed by ultraviolet, infrared, and nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy and microanalysis data.

Short communication

A simple and rapid calorimetric method for the determination of 10 sulphonamides as single entities and sulphamethoxazole in combination with trimethoprim without prior separation was developed. The method is based on the reaction of sulphonamide with phenothiazine and N-bromosuccinimide at pH 6 to produce a blue coloured product after acidification. The chromogen for all the sulphonamides was measured at 605 nm. The effect of several variables on colour development (concentration of phenothiazine and N-bromosuccinimide, time, pH) were established. Beer's Law was obeyed for all the drugs. The method was successfully applied to the analysis of single component sulphonamide tablets and ophthalmic solutions, with average results of labelled claim of 96.7 +/- 0.95 to 100.67 +/- 1.2. A good correlation was observed between molar absorptivities and pK(a) values of the sulphonamides (r = 0.9005).

Colorimetric determination of C-2 unsubstituted phenothiazines, using morpholine and N-bromosuccinimide

A colorimetric method for quantitative determination of 6 C-2 unsubstituted phenothiazine derivatives is described. The method is based on reaction of phenothiazine derivative with morpholine and N-bromosuccinimide reagents in aqueous methanol at 60 degrees C to produce a blue color. Beer's law is obeyed in a wide range of concentrations for all 6 compounds at 660 nm. Optimum analytical conditions were determined and the produced color is stable for at least 24 h. Analytical data for determination of the pure compounds are presented together with the application of the proposed method to analysis of some pharmaceutical preparations. The results compare favorably with those of official methods. Furthermore, the method is specific for intact drug in the presence of oxidative decomposition products. The reaction product has been isolated and identified and a possible reaction mechanism is suggested.

Colorimetric determination of certain phenothiazine drugs by using morpholine and iodine-potassium iodide reagents

A colorimetric method was developed for the quantitative estimation of 11 phenothiazine drugs. The method is based on the interaction of unsulfoxidized drug with morpholine and iodine-potassium iodide reagents. The interaction for all studied phenothiazine drugs yields a blue product with 2 absorption maxima: one in the range of 620-640 nm with lower molar absorptivity and the other in the range of 662-690 nm with higher molar absorptivity. The color was stable for at least 10 h. The reproducibility and recovery of the method were excellent. The method was applied successfully to the analysis of various commercially available phenothiazines in different dosage forms. The results were comparable to those obtained by official procedures. The suitability of the method for detection and estimation of promethazine excreted in urine has been suggested by preliminary experiments. Reaction products have been isolated and identified.

Fibrinolytic activity in haemophiliacs

The fibrinolytic activity was studied in 7 haemophiliacs, in comparison with 5 normals and 7 patients with disseminated intravascular coagulopathy, by determining the level of the fibrin(ogen) degradation products (FDP) in samples obtained as sera, clotting occurring naturally, and samples obtained as plasma and converted into serum by addition of thrombin-EACA. It was found that in haemophiliacs serum samples had normal FDP levels while plasma converted to serum showed high levels. This was explained by the fibrinolytic action of thrombin. Fibrinolysis was not prevented by EACA present due to the fact that it is an inhibitor of the plasminogen system but not of thrombin.