Human Papilloma Virus Positive Oropharyngeal Squamous Cell Carcinoma and the Immune System: Pathogenesis, Immunotherapy and Future Perspectives.

Oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma (OPSCC), a subset of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC), involves the palatine tonsils, soft palate, base of tongue, and uvula, with the ability to spread to adjacent subsites. Personalized treatment strategies for Human Papillomavirus-associated squamous cell carcinoma of the oropharynx (HPV+OPSCC) are yet to be established. In this article, we summarise our current understanding of the pathogenesis of HPV+OPSCC, the intrinsic role of the immune system, current ICI clinical trials, and the potential role of small molecule immunotherapy in HPV+OPSCC.

T-cell contributions to alveolar bone loss in response to oral infection with Porphyromonas gingivalis.

We have previously shown that mice lacking CD4+, but not CD8+, T cells lose less alveolar bone loss in response to oral infection with Porphyromonas gingivalis than do immunocompetent mice of the same genetic background, indicating that CD4+ T cells contribute to bone resorption. The CD4+ and CD8+ T-cell knockouts were produced by targeted deletions of, respectively, major histocompatibility complex II (MHCII) or beta2-microglobulin (producing non-expression of MHCI). Because MHC deletions can have other effects in addition to those on T-cell selection, we wanted to confirm that the lessened bone loss was truly an effect of the lack of T cells. Consequently, we repeated our experiments with C57B1 /6J-Tcra mice that have a targeted deletion of the alpha chain of the T-cell receptor (Tcra). Six weeks after oral infection with P. gingivalis ATCC 53977 the total bone loss at buccal maxillary sites was 0.28 mm in infected immunocompetent mice (P=0.002 compared with sham-infected mice), whereas in Tcra knockouts the bone loss was only 0.08 mm (P=0.04 compared with shams). The T-cell-deficient mice thus lost 70% less bone after infection than did genetically matched immunocompetent mice (P =0.003). These experiments confirm that T cells, and their responses to oral infection with P. gingivalis, help to push bone remodeling in the direction of net loss of bone.

Effect of pump-laser linewidth on noise in single-pulse coherent anti-Stokes Raman spectroscopy temperature measurements.

When N(2) is used as the probe molecule in a stable premixed propane-air flame near 2100 K, the standard deviation in single-pulse coherent anti-Stokes Raman spectroscopy (CARS) temperature measurements is shown to decrease by 20% as the pump-laser linewidth increases from

[Gas diffusion in the middle ear during anesthesia for tympanoplasty]. / Problème de la diffusion Gazeuse dans l'oreille moyenne au cours de l'anesthesie pour tympanoplastie.

The problems of diffusion of gas into the middle ear during anaesthesia have been described by several authors since 1965. The administration of anaesthetic concentrations of nitrous oxide raises middle ear pressure in the order of 3.43 to 3.92 kPa (350 to 400 mm H2O). This phenomenon disappears spontaneously after cessation of nitrous oxide anaesthesia and causes no trouble except a few cases of deafness and some rare tympanic ruptures. We have tried to solve this problem during anaesthesia for tympanoplasty by substituting air for nitrous oxide and by the use of ethrane as basic anaesthetic agent. Anaesthesia was potentiated by narcotics and the patients were adequately curarized. The results showed that this technique greatly reduced diffusion of gases if we kept the PaO2 under 17.9 kPa (135 mm Hg) and the PaCO2 at 3.9 kPa (30 mm Hg). Controls have shown that diffusion is greater with higher PaCO2. Middle ear pressure, measured with Madsen impedence-meter, was not higher than 0.68 kPa (70 mmn H2O).

[Self-development.]. / L'Auto-développement.

Auto-development seeks to give back to the client the control of his development influenced by Rogers, Gendlin, Bugental and Gestalt. The author relates the events of his professional experience which lead him to set himself the following objective; insure that the participants are capable of transposing their experiences (apprenticeship) to their day-to-day life without outside help. With this intention, the author states the eight basic assumptions of his approach and the principal concepts which are : <>, process, recovering and responsability.