DNA Damage

The aim of the present study was to investigate the combined role of both tests in relation to clinical radiation-induced toxicity in a set of breast cancer patients treated with high dose hyperfractionated radical radiotherapy.

Either higher levels of initial DNA damage or lower levels of radiation-induced apoptosis in peripheral blood lymphocytes have been associated to increased risk for develop late radiation-induced toxicity. It has been recently published that these two predictive tests are inversely related.
Methods
Peripheral blood lymphocytes were taken from 26 consecutive patients with locally advanced breast carcinoma treated with high-dose hyperfractioned radical radiotherapy. Acute and late cutaneous and subcutaneous toxicity was evaluated using the Radiation Therapy Oncology Group morbidity scoring schema. The mean follow-up of survivors (n = 13) was 197.23 months. Radiosensitivity of lymphocytes was quantified as the initial number of DNA double-strand breaks induced per Gy and per DNA unit (200 Mbp). Radiation-induced apoptosis (RIA) at 1, 2 and 8 Gy was measured by flow cytometry using annexin V/propidium iodide

Cytometry Experiments studies and Findings

The Radiotherapy Oncology Group (RTOG) morbidity score system was used to classify the toxicity of patients. Acute toxicity was evaluated during and at the end of RT. Late cutaneous and subcutaneous toxicity was evaluated every three months during the first two years, every six months to five years, and thereafter annually. At the end of the analysis (January 2011), the mean clinical follow-up of survivors (n = 13) was 197.23 months (range 155-228). The time point finally used for analysis corresponds to the last evaluation.


LAHH has written the manuscript, has participated in the statistical analysis, has made tables and has been involved in type of packaging likewise in the submission process. RCV has made the last revision of patients as well as the update of the medical records. BP and ML have made the selection of patients, the evaluation of clinical variables and grade of toxicity as well as all the aspects related with the patients selected, including the treatment. EB and CRG have made the cell experiments with lymphocytes, irradiation of cells, flow cytometry experiments and data acquisition. MIN has been involved in conception and design of the study and has made the DNA-DSB experiments and analyses. PCL has been involved in conception and design of the study and in drafting the manuscript and has given final approval of the version to be published. All authors read and approved the final manuscript.

Twenty-six consecutive patients diagnosed in our institution with locally advanced/inflammatory breast cancer were recruited prospectively for the study after they signed informed consent to their participation. The study was approved by the Research and Ethics Committee of our Institution. All patients were treated between 1992 and 1997; blood samples for radiosensitivity testing were extracted between February and December 1998. All the analyses were double-blinded to ensure their reliability. Mean age of patients was 57.62 ± 12.9 years (range 30-83). The majority of patients were postmenopausal (69.2%), presented bra size over 100 (65.4%), and non-inflammatory LABC (73.1%). Characteristics of patients are detailed in Table 1. Evaluation of clinical toxicity was made in each visit.

Bio-Medical Radiation

Online publication in Radiation Oncology gives authors the opportunity to publish large datasets, large numbers of color illustrations and moving pictures, to display data in a form that can be read directly by other software packages so as to allow readers to manipulate the data for themselves, and to create all relevant links (for example, to PubMed, to sequence and other databases, and to other papers
Radiation Oncology's publisher, BioMed Central, has a legal responsibility to ensure that its journals do not publish material that infringes copyright, or that includes libellous or defamatory content. If, on review, your manuscript is perceived to contain potentially libellous content the journal Editors, with assistance from the publisher if required, will work with authors to ensure an appropriate outcome is reac
Flexibility

Materials Release and Data

Radiation Oncology offers a fast publication schedule whilst maintaining rigorous peer review; all articles must be submitted online, and peer review is managed fully electronically (articles are distributed in PDF form, which is automatically generated from the submitted files). Articles are published with their final citation immediately upon acceptance in a provisional PDF form. The article will subsequently be published in both fully browsable web form, and as a formatted PDF; the article will then be available through Radiation Oncology, BioMed Central and PubMed Central and will also be included in PubMed.

Data and materials release
Submission of a manuscript to Radiation Oncology implies that readily reproducible materials described in the manuscript, including all relevant raw data, will be freely available to any scientist wishing to use them for non-commercial purposes. Nucleic acid sequences, protein sequences, and atomic coordinates should be deposited in an appropriate database in time for the accession number to be included in the published article. In computational studies where the sequence information is unacceptable for inclusion in databases because of lack of experimental validation, the sequences must be published as an additional file with the article.
Any 'in press' articles cited within the references and necessary for the reviewers' assessment of the manuscript should be made available if requested by the editorial office
Speed of publication

Oncology-Radiation

Radiation Oncology provides an open access forum for researchers and clinicians involved in the management and treatment of cancer patients, bringing together the latest research and advances in the field. For all articles that include information or clinical photographs relating to individual patients, written and signed consent from each patient to publish must also be made available if requested by the editorial staf

Radiation Oncology encompasses all aspects of research that impacts on the treatment of cancer using radiation. It publishes findings in molecular and cellular radiation biology, radiation physics, radiation technology, and clinical oncology.
Advances in treatment technology, as well as improved understanding of the underlying biological resistance mechanisms, will further strengthen the role of radiation oncology.The field of radiation oncology covers the integration of radiation therapy into multimodal treatment approaches.

Pharma manufacturing

From Formulation Development to Manufacturing should serve as a good resource for pharmaceutical scientists, process scientists and chemical engineers involved in the areas of research and development of pharmaceutical suspension dosage forms, and for new and sustaining scientists of the pharmaceutical and chemical fields. The fundamental aspects together with the practical case studies should also make this a useful source for undergraduate and graduate education.Pharmaceutical Suspensions, From Formulation Development to Manufacturing, in its organization, follows the development approach used widely in the pharmaceutical industry. The primary focus of this book is on the classical disperse system – poorly soluble active pharmaceutical ingredients suspended in a suitable vehicle. Each of the chapters in Pharmaceutical Suspensions was written independently by scientists who are skilled in their specific areas. Contributing authors represent a cross-sections of scholars from academic, industrial and governmental affiliations. Pharmaceutical Suspensions, From Formulation Development to Manufacturing is organized in a total of ten chapters: Chapter 1 introduces various pharmaceutical disperse systems in-depth. Chapter 2 presents the general principles of suspension dosage form and Chapter 3 discusses commonly used excipients in pharmaceutical suspensions. Chapter 4 systematically highlights steps involved in pharmaceutical development of suspension dosage forms. Chapter 5 focuses on preclinical development of suspension formulations. Analytical tools needed to characterize pharmaceutical suspensions dosage forms are discussed in Chapter 6. The clinical development aspects of suspension drug products are discussed in Chapter 7. Chapter 8 highlights scale up and technology transfer of the development of pharmaceutical suspensions. Chapter 9 reviews the science and regulatory perspectives of pharmaceutical suspensions. Finally, Chapter 10 deals with the pharmaceutical applications of nano-suspensions as nanomedicine, an emerging technology area.

Thermal Analysis of Pharma

Illustrating the importance of analytical methodologies, Thermal Analysis of Pharmaceuticals presents reliable and versatile characterization tools for the successful development of pharmaceutical products. It draws attention to the most widely applicable methods and demonstrates how to interpret the associated data. The book opens with the first three chapters devoted to differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), the most commonly used thermal method. These chapters cover the principles, optimal use, and pharmaceutical applications of the method. Subsequent chapters explore modulated temperature DSC, thermogravimetric analysis, thermal microscopy, microcalorimetry, high sensitivity DSC, dynamic mechanical analysis, and thermally stimulated current, all of which have attracted great interest within the pharmaceutical field. The chapters include theoretical background, measurement optimization, and pharmaceutical applications of each technique.Exploring important techniques for characterizing the physical structure and properties of pharmaceutical materials, Thermal Analysis of Pharmaceuticals achieves an ideal balance in the depth, relevance, and accessibility of topics presented. The book provides an excellent overview of this key area in pharmaceutical development.

PHARMCODYNAMICS

Up-to-date, ready-to-use information on monitored drugs Valuable coverage of drug dosing in special populations, including patients with renal and hepatic disease, obesity, and congestive heart failure and patients on dialysis All the information that practitioners need regarding drug categories such as antibiotics, cardiovascular agents, anticonvulsants, and immunosuppressants Tools to simplify learning throughout, such as an introductory chapter on clinical pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic concepts, examples of calculations, and problems with answers and explanations at the end of each chapter.
Putting pharmacokinetics into practice, this timely and comprehensive text delivers the latest procedures and data on today’s drugs and patient-specific dosing.
The easiest and most trusted way to learn the clinical application of pharmacokinetics. The most current, hands-on book in the field, Applied Clinical Pharmacokinetics gives you clear and useful coverage of drug dosing and drug monitoring that no other text can match. It offers the latest standardized techniques and approaches to patient-specific dosing plus new information on more recently monitored drugs. Written by a nationally recognized authority in pharmacokinetics, Applied Clinical Pharmacokinetics is full of essential topics for pharmaceutics, pharmacokinetics, therapeutics, and clinical pharmacy courses. Alternatively, it can be used as a clinical refresher to brush up on key concepts and procedures. FEATURES NEW! High-yield sections on dosing strategies in all chapters NEW!

The best guide to pharmacokinetics for real-life pharmacy practice
Ideal for students, pharmacists, and other clinicians who want clear, useful, and up-to-date coverage of the latest standardized techniques and most recent pharmacokinetically monitored drugs
Essential topics for pharmaceutics, pharmacokinetics, therapeutics, and clinical pharmacy courses or can be used in a self-directed manner to self-teach or review important concepts and techniques
Inside: essential information on approaches to drug-dosing and monitoring in individual patients, including the latest data on serum concentrations, written by a nationally recognized leader in pharmacokinetics
The most up-to-date and practical text in the field, Applied Clinical Pharmacokinetics features–
Clear, useful coverage of drug dosing and drug monitoring today
Focus on the latest standardized techniques and approaches to patient-specific dosing
Up-to-date information on more recently monitored drugs
Essential information on drug dosing in special populations, including patients with renal and hepatic disease, obesity, and congestive heart failure
All the information practitioners need on drug categories such as antibiotics, cardiovascular agents, anticonvulsants, and immunosuppressants
Full coverage of drugs such as Aminoglycosides, Vancomycin, Digoxin, Phenytoin, Carbamazepine, Theophylline, Cyclosporine, Tacrolimus, and Lithium
Clear and concise summary of pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic concepts
Practical help with calculations and equations

PHARMACOKINETICS

Important objectives are listed to accentuate and identify the key points of the chapter. When an important and clinically applicable equation appears in the text, a paragraph will follow explaining the significance and therapeutic applications of that equation. Additionally, this paragraph includes and explains relevant factors influencing parameters in an equation. When applicable, at the end of an important equation, a general profile illustrating the relationship between the two variables of an equation will be presented. This approach should make the subject matter much more accessible to the student. Each chapter concludes with related problem sets and problem solving exercises for the student to work through. This should enable the reader to become more adept at solving pharmacokinetic problems arising in drug therapy and understanding the applications and utility of equations in clinical pharmacokinetics and practice. As you can see from the contents, the book is organised into eighteen chapters, the first consists of mathematical principles necessary to understand pharmacokinetics and an overview of the subject matter.This is the essential guide to the study of absorption, distribution, metabolism and elimination of drugs in the body. Pharmacokinetics and biopharmaceutics courses have been included in pharmacy curricula in the USA and Europe for several years. Pharmacokinetics is the study of absorption, distribution, metabolism and elimination of drugs in the body. Pharmacists must understand this to ensure appropriate drug regimen for patients. The scope and the intent of this textbook is to provide the reader with a basic intuitive understanding of the principles of pharmacokinetics and biopharmaceutics and how these principles, along with the equations presented in each chapter, can be applied to achieve successful drug therapy. The application of pharmacokinetics principles and equations are illustrated by providing the reader with data available in the literature. As pharmacokinetics is basically mathematical in nature, a chapter has been included to provide the reader with a basic review of the mathematical principles and graphing techniques necessary to understand pharmacokinetics.

DNA, Blood of life

Biotech corporations for patenting genes, making diagnostic medical procedures horribly expensive and damping further basic research. He notes that while China and other countries with large populations to feed have eagerly grasped the potential of genetically modified foodstuffs, million on a recall of taco shells and the genetically modified corn used in them. He pleads passionately for the refinement and widespread use of prenatal genetic testing. Watson will probably provoke the most controversy with his criticism of scientists, corporations and government funding sources for their avoidance of important areas of research-notably the genetics of skin coloration-for political reasons. Every reader who wants to understand their own medical future will want to read this book. 100 color and b&w illus. When he and his English colleague, Francis Crick, discovered the double helix structure of the DNA molecule in 1953, little could they imagine that a mere 50 years later scientists would be putting the finishing touches on a map of the human genome. In this magisterial work, Watson, who won the Nobel Prize with Crick for their discovery, guides readers through the startling and rapid advances in genetic technology and what these advances will mean for our lives. Watson covers all aspects of the genome, from the layout of four simple bases on the DNA molecule through their complex construction into genes, then to the mechanisms whereby proteins produced by genes create our uniquely human characteristics-as well as the genetic mutations that can cause illnesses or inherited diseases like Duchenne muscular dystrophy and Huntington’s disease. Watson may have mellowed a little over the years since he displayed his youthful brashness in The Double Helix, but he still isn’t shy about taking on controversial subjects. .