The prognosis of patients suffering from glioblastoma (GBM) is dismal despite multimodal therapy. Although chemotherapy with temozolomide may contain tumor growth for some months, invariable tumor recurrence suggests that cancer stem cells (CSC) maintaining these tumors persist. We have therefore investigated the effect of temozolomide on CD133 -methylguanine-DNA-methyltransferase (MGMT)-expressing CSC lines, this effect occurred at 10-fold higher doses compared with MGMT-negative CSC lines. Thus, temozolomide concentrations that are reached in patients were only sufficient to completely eliminate CSC in vitro from MGMTnegative but not from MGMT-positive tumors. Accordingly, our data strongly suggest that optimized temozolomide-based chemotherapeutic protocols might substantially improve the elimination of GBM stem cells and consequently prolong the survival of patients. [Cancer Res 2008;68(14):5706-15]

Unhealthy behaviours evidently occur in typical combinations. An awareness of this clustering enables prevention and intervention measures to be planned so that multiple behaviours can be modified simultaneously.

No abstract

Mycophiles forage for and pick vast quantities of a wide variety of wild mushroom species. As a result, mushroom intoxications are comparatively frequent in such countries with mycophiles. Thus, national governments are forced to release guidelines or enact legislation in order to ensure the safe commerce of wild mushrooms due to food safety concerns. It is in these guidelines and laws that one can observe whether a country is indeed mycophobic or mycophilic. Furthermore, these laws and guidelines provide valuable information on mushroom preferences and on the consumption habits of each country. As such we were interested in the questions as to whether mushroom consumption behaviour was different within Europe, and if it was possible to discover the typical or distinctive culinary preferences of Slavic or Romanic speaking people, people from special geographical regions or from different zones. This work is based on the analysis of edible mushroom lists available in specific guidelines or legislation related to the consumption and commerce of mushrooms in 27 European countries. The overall diversity of edible mushrooms authorised to be commercialised in Europe is very high. However, only 60 out of a total 268 fungal species can be cultivated. This highlights the importance of guidelines or legislation for the safe commerce of wild mushrooms. The species richness and composition of the mushrooms listed for commerce is very heterogeneous within Europe. The consumption behaviour is not only language-family-related, but is strongly influenced by geographical location and neighbouring countries. Indicator species were detected for different European regions; most of them are widespread fungi, and thus prove culture-specific preferences for these mushrooms. Our results highlight tradition and external input such as trade and cultural exchange as strong factors shaping mushroom consumption behaviour.

Higher education systems in Europe are currently undergoing deep reforms. These reforms are triggered by national developments, as well as by the aim to evolve towards comparable systems and ensure the quality of the higher education systems in Europe (Bologna Process). This study was initiated by the education trade unions' goal to widen the scope of the debate on accreditation and evaluation activities in higher education in Europe from a comparative perspective. In order to provide the factual base for this discussion, we were asked to carry out a comparative study of 'accreditation in the framework of evaluation activities' in the European higher education area. Accreditation is the focus of our study, but accreditation is a policy instrument made up of two elements: evaluation and approval. Therefore, we felt it necessary to analyse these two elements in their own right. Hence, the aims of the study are to:1. Provide an updated picture of the current situation with regard to(1) accreditation schemes, (2) other approval schemes (outside accreditation) and (3) evaluation schemes.2. Analyse the underlying principles of the accreditation scheme(s) and how they relate to other approval and evaluation schemes ('system logic' or 'system dynamic').3. Point out and analyse current reforms of the accreditation scheme(s) (with a view to other approval and evaluation schemes as well as supra-national developments, e.g. the Bologna process and other influences).Our study covers all countries involved in the Bologna process. For practical rea sons, we have had to limit ourselves to a sub-set consisting of all fifteen EU member states (situation as of 2003, minus Luxembourg which has a minute higher education sector), a main Western European country which is not part of the EU (Norway) and a sample of Central and Eastern European countries which entered the EU in 2004 (the Czech Republic, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland), bringing the total to 20 countries. With regard to Central and Eastern Europe, we have reason to believe that the situation depicted below is representative of not just the countries sampled, but 1