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A new and simple method is presented to fluorinate the surfaces of poorly reactive hydrophobic polymers in a more environmentally friendly way using the protein hydrophobin (HFBII) as a nanosized primer layer. In particular, HFBII, via electrostatic interactions, enables the otherwise inefficient binding of a phosphate-terminated perfluoropolyether onto polystyrene, polypropylene, and low-density polyethylene surfaces. The binding between HFBII and the perfluoropolyether depends significantly on the environmental pH, reaching the maximum stability at pH 4. Upon treatment, the polymeric surfaces mostly retain their hydrophobic character but also acquire remarkable oil repellency, which is not observed in the absence of the protein primer. The functionalization proceeds rapidly and spontaneously at room temperature in aqueous solutions without requiring energy-intensive procedures, such as plasma or irradiation treatments.

BACKGROUND No data on the role of chemotherapy in recurrent ependymal tumors are available in adults. The aim of the current study was to investigate outcomes after salvage chemotherapy in this setting. METHODS A retrospective review was made of the charts of 28 adults (≥ 18 years) with progressive or recurrent ependymal tumors after surgery and radiotherapy, who received chemotherapy between 1993 and 2003 in 3 institutions of the Gruppo Italiano Cooperativo di Neuro-Oncologia network. RESULTS Thirteen patients (46.3%) received cisplatin-based chemotherapy (Group A) and 15 (53.7%) received regimens without cisplatin (Group B). Platinum-based chemotherapy yielded 2 complete responses (CR) (15.4%) and 2 (15.4%) partial responses (PR), whereas 7 patients (53.8%) remained stable (SD). After regimens without cisplatin, there were no CR, 2 PR (13.3%), and 11 SD (73.3%). The overall median time to progression was 9.9 months (95% confidence interval [95% CI], 7.5–21.7 months), 9.9 months (5.2–not reached) for Group A and 10.9 months (95% CI, 7.17–23.9 months) for Group B. The overall median survival (OS) was 40.7 months (95% CI, 16–not reached), 31 months (21–not reached) for Group A and 40.7 months (13.4–not reached) for Group B. CONCLUSIONS Cisplatin-based chemotherapy achieved a higher response rate, but did not prolong disease progression-free survival or OS. More active regimens for the salvage treatment of ependymal tumors have yet to be found. Cancer 2005. © 2005 American Cancer Society.

BACKGROUND The current analysis of outcomes in a large series of adult patients with intracranial ependymal tumors contributes to the characterization of the primary prognostic factors and to the therapeutic management of this rare disease, for which limited information is available in the literature. METHODS The authors analyzed data on patient and tumor characteristics, treatment, and survival in a series of 70 patients age > 17 years with pathologic diagnoses of brain ependymal tumors from 4 institutions. RESULTS The 5- and 10-year overall survival (OS) rates (± standard errors) were 67% ± 6% and 50% ± 8%, respectively. The 5- and 10-year failure-free survival (FFS) rates were 43% ± 7% and 24% ± 6%, respectively. Younger age and infratentorial tumor location were associated with longer survival. Among patients with Grade 2 ependymoma (n = 51), 21 (41%) received no postsurgical treatment. These 21 patients had a 5-year OS rate of 78% ± 10% and a 10-year OS rate of 68% ± 13%; the 5- and 10-year FFS rates for these patients were 47% ± 12% and 12% ± 11%, respectively. Twenty-six patients with Grade 2 ependymoma (51%) received postoperative radiotherapy (RT). These 26 patients had a 5-year OS rate of 71% ± 9% and a 10-year OS rate of 59% ± 11%; the 5- and 10-year FFS rates for these patients were 54% ± 10% and 34% ± 10%, respectively. Among patients with Grade 2 ependymoma, neither OS nor FFS differed significantly between those who did not receive postoperative RT and those who did; however, these two groups were heterogeneous with respect to prognostic factors. On multivariate analysis, RT use exhibited a trend toward improved OS and was significantly predictive of improved FFS. CONCLUSIONS The current analysis does not rule out the possibility that deferral of RT at the time of recurrence could have a detrimental effect on FFS or OS in patients with Grade 2 ependymoma, regardless of the degree of ablation. The role of postoperative RT for patients who undergo imaging-based macroscopic total resection remains to be addressed. Cancer 2004. © 2004 American Cancer Society.

BACKGROUND The current randomized, multicenter, Phase III trial was conducted to determine whether the disease free interval and overall survival of patients with T2–T4,N0–N3,M0 squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) of the oral cavity or oropharynx could be extended through the combination of surgery (and radiotherapy, if required) with perilymphatic recombinant IL-2 (rIL-2). METHODS Patients with a resectable T2–T4,N0–N3,M0 SCC of the oral cavity and oropharynx were assigned randomly to receive surgery and radiotherapy or to receive IL-2, surgery, and radiotherapy. Five thousand units of rIL-2 were injected around the ipsilateral cervical lymph node chain daily for 10 days before surgery. After surgery, contralateral 5-day rIL-2 courses were administered monthly for 1 year. The differences in disease free and overall survival between the two groups of patients were evaluated statistically. RESULTS Two hundred two patients finished the study. No significant complications related to rIL-2 were encountered, and surgery and radiotherapy were not hampered by its prior administration. Multivariate analysis conducted to determine the extent to which survival was influenced by rIL-2 and the other variables showed that rIL-2 significantly lengthened disease free survival (P < 0.01) and that this resulted in longer overall survival (P < 0.03). CONCLUSIONS The data emerging from this trial indicate that perilymphatic administration of low, nontoxic doses of rIL-2 is a simple and manageable way to delay recurrences of SCC. Cancer 2002;95:90–7. © 2002 American Cancer Society. DOI 10.1002/cncr.10654

It is demonstrated that halogen bonding can be used to construct low-molecular-weight supramolecular complexes with unique light-responsive properties. In particular, halogen bonding drives the formation of a photoresponsive liquid-crystalline complex between a non-mesogenic halogen bond-donor molecule incorporating an azo group, and a non-mesogenic alkoxystilbazole moiety, acting as a halogen bond-acceptor. Upon irradiation with polarized light, the complex exhibits a high degree of photoinduced anisotropy (order parameter of molecular alignment > 0.5). Moreover, efficient photoinduced surface-relief-grating (SRG) formation occurs upon irradiation with a light interference pattern, with a surface-modulation depth 2.4 times the initial film thickness. This is the first report on a halogen-bonded photoresponsive low-molecular-weight complex, which furthermore combines a high degree of photoalignment and extremely efficient SRG formation in a unique way. This study highlights the potential of halogen bonding as a new tool for the rational design of high-performance photoresponsive suprastructures. An unprecedented optical performance is reported for a novel photoresponsive supramolecular liquid-crystalline complex, self-assembled through halogen bonding between a non-mesogenic stilbazole derivative, acting as a bond acceptor, and a non-mesogenic bond donor containing an azo-group. Efficient photoalignment and an exceptional surface-relief-grating formation are combined in this low-molecular-weight supramolecular assembly, thanks to the high directionality of the halogen bond. Copyright © 2012 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.