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ChemInform is a weekly Abstracting Service, delivering concise information at a glance that was extracted from about 200 leading journals. To access a ChemInform Abstract, please click on HTML or PDF.

ChemInform is a weekly Abstracting Service, delivering concise information at a glance that was extracted from about 200 leading journals. To access a ChemInform Abstract, please click on HTML or PDF.

For Abstract see ChemInform Abstract in Full Text.

The choice of allogeneic or autologous haematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) in follicular lymphoma (FL) remains controversial due to the lack of randomised studies, however the increasing evidence of a graft versus lymphoma (GvL) effect favours the use of allo-HSCT. We analysed 22 patients with (FL) who underwent reduced intensity conditioned (RIC) allo-HSCT (19 BEAM-C, 3 FMC) and compared the outcome of patients receiving BEAM-C to 21 patients who underwent BEAM autologous transplantation (ASCT). BEAM-C (BCNU, cytarabine, etoposide, melphalan, alemtuzumab) and FMC (Fludarabine, melphalan, alemtuzumab). Patients receiving RIC allo-HSCT and ASCT were similar in age, time from diagnosis to transplant, histological grade and stage but differed in that fewer patients in the allogeneic group were in complete remission (CR) at time of transplant and fewer patients in the ASCT group received rituxumab. Sibling donor was used in 12/22 RIC allo-HSCT, volunteer unrelated donor (VUD) in 10/22 (3 HLA mismatch). The median follow-up in the RIC group was 626days (range 22–1901days) with a transplant related mortality (TRM) at day+100 of 23% (siblings 8%, VUD 30%). The higher TRM in the VUD group occurred in patients who were heavily pre-treated with high-grade transformation of their disease, 2 also received HLA mismatched transplants. Acute graft versus host disease (GvHD) occurred in 5 cases (1 grade III). The cumulative incidence of chronic GvHD post day+100 was 25% (1 grade III). 5 patients received donor leukocyte infusions (DLI) for mixed chimerism, 2 also had evidence of disease relapse. 4/5 reverted to full donor chimerism with CR induced in 1/2 patients. For all patients receiving RIC allo-HSCT the 1year OS was 77% (92% siblings, 70% VUD) and actuarial DFS 73% (83% siblings, 70% VUD). Multivariate analysis identified the number of previous therapies (p=0.03) as having significant effect on OS and the duration from diagnosis to transplant (p=0.02) having significant effect on DFS. As a result we compared the outcome from time of diagnosis to follow-up in the BEAM-C versus BEAM groups which showed a trend for improved OS (p=0.08) and a statistically significant difference in DFS (p=0.02) favouring RIC allo-HSCT, with a 5year DFS of 84% versus 64% and 8year DFS of 84% versus 36% respectively. The 1year and 3year OS from transplantation in the BEAM-C versus BEAM was 79%, 59% versus 86%, 61% respectively and 1year and 3year DFS was 74%, 74% versus 65%, 45% respectively. In summary, the longer the duration from diagnosis to RIC allo-HSCT and the more lines of therapy administered adversely affected outcome, therefore supporting the use of RIC allo-HSCT in second remission. Superior DFS in the allogeneic group is thought to be as a result of the GvL effect, which can be enhanced through the use of DLI. Longer follow-up is however required in order to determine whether the results will translate into an improved OS. A randomised study of RIC allo-HSCT versus ASCT is warranted.

For Abstract see ChemInform Abstract in Full Text.

Motivation: PCR amplification of highly homologous genes from complex DNA mixtures is known to generate a significant proportion of chimeric sequences. Ribosomal RNA genes are used for microbial species detection and identification in natural environments, and current assessments of microbial diversity are based on these sequences. Thus, chimeric sequences could lead to the discovery of non-existent microbial species and false diversity estimates. Methods: In essence, our only source of information to decide if a sequence is chimeric or not is to compare it with known, non-chimeric sequences. Putative chimeric sequences were analyzed from sequence fragments of selected length (referred to as words) by comparing nucleotides at corresponding positions. Distances for each word between reference sequences (closely related to the tested sequence) were compared to the differences introduced by the tested sequence. The proposed strategy considers the actual variability existing in different regions throughout the analyzed sequences. The result is an efficient strategy for the evaluation of putative chimeric sequences. Availability: A program computing the above procedure, Chimera and Cross-Over Detection and Evaluation (Ccode), is available at http://www.irnase.csic.es/users/jmgrau/index.html and http://www.rtphc.csic.es/download.html Contact: jmgrau@irnase.csic.es

For Abstract see ChemInform Abstract in Full Text.

For Abstract see ChemInform Abstract in Full Text.

For Abstract see ChemInform Abstract in Full Text.

For Abstract see ChemInform Abstract in Full Text.

Provides information on the problems experienced by teenagers in having a sex-related conversation with their parents. Means to solve the lack of communication between parents and their children; Attitude of parents regarding the sexual activities of their children; Overview of the first thing parents think when their children are having sex.

ChemInform is a weekly Abstracting Service, delivering concise information at a glance that was extracted from about 100 leading journals. To access a ChemInform Abstract of an article which was published elsewhere, please select a “Full Text” option. The original article is trackable via the “References” option.

Focuses on the need for companies to recognize the necessity of moving technical and scientific employees up the career ladder in new and creative ways. Ambiguous status of technical employees; Few real or perceived opportunities for significant pay increases or long-term career advancement; Need for changes to existing career ladders and compensation systems.