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Our findings suggest that the NLR, PLR and mGPS derived from routine blood tests can be used as clinically meaningful biomarkers to stratify advanced pancreatic cancer patients into different prognostic groups.

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An enzyme is described which catalyzes the release of soluble p-glucan from insoluble barley endosperm cell walls. This enzyme increases in activity throughout malting. It has been partially purified and found to behave in the same way as an acidic carboxypeptidase on isoeiectric focusing and in its sensitivity to inhibitors and activators and to heating. The importance of the p-glucan solubilizing enzyme in malting and mashing is discussed.An improved method for p-glucan determination is described.

Increased mammographic density (MD) has been shown beyond doubt to be a marker for increased breast cancer risk, though the underpinning pathobiology is yet to be fully elucidated. Estrogenic activity exerts a strong influence over MD, which consequently has been observed to change predictably in response to tamoxifen anti-estrogen therapy, although results for other selective estrogen receptor modulators and aromatase inhibitors are less consistent. In both primary and secondary prevention settings, tamoxifen-associated MD changes correlate with successful modulation of risk or outcome, particularly among pre-menopausal women; an observation that supports the potential use of MD change as a surrogate marker where short-term MD changes reflect longer-term anti-estrogen efficacy. Here we summarize endocrine therapy-induced MD changes and attendant outcomes and discuss both the need for outcome surrogates in such therapy, as well as make a case for MD as such a monitoring marker. We then discuss the process and steps required to validate and introduce MD into practice as a predictor or surrogate for endocrine therapy efficacy in preventive and adjuvant breast cancer treatment settings.

Significant p -glucanolysis takes place during mashing and is catalysed by a P -glucanase which is specific to mixed-linkage p-glucans. The enzyme develops during the germination of barley, but is rapidly and extensively destroyed in kilning. Partially-purified preparations of B-glucanase are protected from denaturation by heat if their solutions are adjusted to pH 4 or if bovine serum albumin is added. However the most effective stabiliser of the enzyme is reduced glutathione. Oligosaccharides containing three and four glucosyl units are produced by the action of p-glucanase and they are further converted during malting and mashing by a different enzyme(s) to disaccharides and glucose.

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