Cytogenetics in head and neck cancer

Cytogenetics or the study of chromosomes has been an important tool in oncology. It localizes the abnormality on a particular chromosome segment as such but, the molecular analysis on the other hand focuses the exact gene of interest. Hence both are complimentary. Classical cytogenetics in combination with recent molecular techniques has given rise to various molecular cytogenetic analytical techniques such as florescent in-situ hybridization (FISH), spectral karyotyping (SKY) and comparative genomic hybridization (CGH). The role of telomeres and its concerned enzyme telomerase is important in carcinogenesis. This article summarizes the various cytogenetic techniques and presents an overall view of the importance of cytogenetcs in head and neck cancer.     

Substitution of carbonate buffer by water for IgG immobilization in enzyme linked immunosorbent assay

The first step of enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), namely, adsorption of antigen or antibody to the plastic microtiter well plate, was studied as a function of insolubility of IgG in water. Immobilization efficiency was assessed in terms of number of wells coated per milliliter of primary antiserum. We have compared different coating/immobilization protocols, i.e., direct and indirect immobilization of primary antibody to the plastic microtiter well plate using carbonate buffer and phosphate buffer with glutaraldehyde. We have observed efficient coating when the immobilization of primary antibody through an immunobridge technique was performed, where water was used as a coating medium. It gave a higher number of wells coated per milliliter of anti-serum (primary or secondary) than other compared coating protocols and it allowed the use of serum (non-immune) and anti-serum (primary and secondary antibody) dilutions, avoiding the need for gamma-globulin purification from normal and immunized serum.     

Fulminant Cytomegalovirus Myocarditis in an Immunocompetent Host: Resolution with Oral Valganciclovir

We report a case of fulminant myocarditis after a primary cytomegalovirus infection, in a previously healthy 72-year-old woman. The infection underwent clinical and immunologic resolution consequent to treatment with oral valganciclovir. In an immunocompetent host, the primary cytomegalovirus infection is usually asymptomatic or manifests itself as a heterophile-negative mononucleosis-like syndrome. Cytomegalovirus myocarditis is uncommon in immunocompetent patients. After presenting our case, we review the literature on cytomegalovirus myocarditis in immunocompetent individuals.     

Expression of PDZ-binding kinase/T-LAK cell-originated protein kinase (PBK/TOPK) in human urinary bladder transitional cell carcinoma

The objective of this study was to evaluate the expression pattern of PDZ-binding kinase/T-LAK cell-originated protein kinase (PBK/TOPK) and its clinical significance in human bladder cancer (BC).