Archivum immunologiae et therapiae experimentalis
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A considerable part of the scientific community is, at least to some degree, involved in the "impact factor game". Editors strive to increase their journals' impact factor (IF) in order to gain influence in the fields of basic and applied research and scientists seek to profit from the "added value" of publishing in top IF journals. ⋯ Some of these practices, if not scientifically unethical, are at least questionable and should be abandoned. Editors and publishers should strive for quality through fair and thoughtful selection of papers forwarded for peer review and editorial comments that enhance the quality and scientific accuracy of a manuscript.
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Arch. Immunol. Ther. Exp. (Warsz.) · Jul 2008
Ras pathway activation in gliomas: a strategic target for intranasal administration of perillyl alcohol.
Targeted therapy directed at specific molecular alterations is already creating a shift in the treatment of cancer patients. Malignant gliomas commonly overexpress the oncogenes EGFR and PDGFR and contain mutations and deletions of the tumor suppressor genes PTEN and TP53. Some of these alterations lead to activation of the P13K/Akt and Ras/MAPK pathways, which provide targets for therapy. Perillyl alcohol (POH), the isoprenoid of greatest clinical interest, was initially considered to inhibit farnesyl protein transferase. Follow-up studies revealed that POH suppresses the synthesis of small G proteins, including Ras. Intranasal delivery allows drugs that do not cross the blood-brain barrier to enter the central nervous system. Moreover, it eliminates the need for systemic delivery, thereby reducing unwanted systemic side effects. ⋯ The preliminary results indicate that intranasal administration of the signal transduction inhibitor POH is a safe, noninvasive, and low-cost method. There were no toxicity events and the regression of tumor size in some patients is suggestive of antitumor activity.
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Arch. Immunol. Ther. Exp. (Warsz.) · May 2008
Dual use and the ethical responsibility of scientists.
The main normative problem in the context of dual use is to determine the ethical responsibility of scientists especially in the case of unintended, harmful, and criminal dual use of new technological applications of scientific results. This article starts from an analysis of the concepts of responsibility and complicity, examining alternative options regarding the responsibility of scientists. ⋯ According to these reflections, four duties are suggested and evaluated: stopping research, systematically carrying out research for dual-use applications, informing public authorities, and not publishing results. In the conclusion it is argued that these duties should be considered as imperfect duties in a Kantian sense and that the individual scientist should be discharged as much as possible from obligations which follow from them by the scientific community and institutions created for this purpose.
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Arch. Immunol. Ther. Exp. (Warsz.) · Jan 2008
ReviewNeutrophil recognition of bacterial DNA and Toll-like receptor 9-dependent and -independent regulation of neutrophil function.
Neutrophils are essential for host defense and detect the presence of invading microorganisms through recognition of pathogen-associated molecular patterns. Among these receptors are Toll-like receptors (TLRs). Neutrophils express all known TLRs except for TLR3. ⋯ Bacterial DNA has profound impact on neutrophil functions; it promotes neutrophil trafficking in vivo, induces chemokine expression, regulates expression of adhesion molecules, enhances phagocyte activity, and rescues neutrophils from constitutive apoptosis. TLR9 stimulation results in alterations in cellular redox balance, peroxynitrite formation, activation of the mitogen-activated protein kinase, PI3-kinase, and Jun N-terminal kinase pathways and/or nuclear factor kappaB and AP-1. These features identify an important role for bacterial DNA and TLR9 signaling in the regulation of neutrophil functions that are critical for optimal expression as well as for resolution of the inflammatory response.
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Arch. Immunol. Ther. Exp. (Warsz.) · Sep 2007
ReviewMechanisms by which selenium influences immune responses.
Selenium (Se) is an essential dietary trace element that influences immune responses through its incorporation into selenoproteins as the amino acid selenocysteine. This review summarizes data available to date regarding the mechanisms by which Se exerts its effects on inflammation and immune responses. ⋯ Also examined are the known functions of individual selenoproteins for regulating reactive oxygen species and redox potential in leukocytes. Overall, determining how Se contributes to optimal immune responses will depend on a better understanding of the mechanisms by which the selenoproteins, individually and collectively, shape inflammation and immune responses.