Tiling technology for large‐area direct‐view displays

Abstract— In this paper, the optical and system characteristics of large‐area displays based upon ITrans tiling technology is described. The characteristics of these displays are compared to those of other large area display technologies.     

Relevance of the antibody response against human immunodeficiency virus type 1 envelope to vaccine design

Understanding the antibody response in HIV-1 infection is important to vaccine design. We have studied the antibody response to HIV-1 envelope at the molecular level and determined the characteristics of neutralizing and non-neutralizing antibodies. These antibodies were isolated from phage display libraries prepared from long-term seropositive asymptomatic individuals. The HIV-1 envelope is presented to the immune system in several antigenically distinct configurations: unprocessed gp160, gp120 and gp41 subunits and native envelope, each of which may be important in eliciting an antibody response in HIV-1 infection. The antibodies tested characteristically had poor affinities for native envelope as expressed on the surface of virions or infected cells, but had high affinities against non-native forms of HIV-1 envelope (viral debris). An exceptionally potent neutralizing antibody in contrast, bound native envelope with equivalent or somewhat higher affinity than this. This indicates that the antibody response in HIV-1 infection is principally elicited by viral debris rather than virions, and that these antibodies bind and neutralize viruses sub-optimally. Potential vaccines should be designed to elicit responses against native envelope.     

Is leptin sensitivity the link between smoking cessation and weight gain?

We performed a case-control study to investigate the association of the poor metaboliser genotype of the cytochrome P450 2D6 gene with Parkinson's disease (PD). Genotyping was determined by the polymerase chain reaction followed by digestion with restriction enzymes. The poor metaboliser genotype was more frequent in 112 patients with PD than in 206 matched controls (odds ratio 1.7, 95% CI: 0.94-2.45). A meta-analysis of these results together with ten other published studies gave a pooled odds ratio for the poor metaboliser genotype of 1.47 (95% CI: 1.18-1.96, P=0.01). Thus, the poor metaboliser genotype has a small but highly significant association with PD which would be easily missed in small studies. Research now should focus on the mechanism of this association.     

Relationship of decreased chemotaxis of technetium-99m-HMPAO-labeled lymphocytes to apoptosis

The purpose of this study was to evaluate chemotaxis and its relationship to apoptosis in 99mTc-HMPAO-labeled lymphocytes. METHODS: Peripheral lymphocytes, obtained from 12 healthy volunteers using lymphoprep, were divided in three equal fractions. One fraction was used as the control, one was labeled with cold HMPAO and one was labeled with 1.5 mCi (55.5 Mbq) 99mTc-HMPAO. Chemotaxis of T-lymphocytes was measured by the Boyden microchamber technique (BMA) (n = 8) using human monocyte chemotactic protein-3 (MCP-3) as chemoattractans. A chemotactic index was calculated as the number of HMPAO and 99mTc-HMPAO-labeled cells that migrated towards the MCP-3 solution, divided by the number of nonlabeled migrated lymphocytes. Apoptosis evaluation (n = 10) of unlabeled, HMPAO-labeled and 99mTc-HMPAO-labeled cells was performed using flowcytometry (FCM) forward light scatter analysis, 900 light scatter analysis, fluorescein-isothiocyanate (FITC)-labeled Annexin V and dye exclusion of propidium iodide. RESULTS: Chemotaxis of 99mTc-HMPAO-labeled T-lymphocytes was found to be reduced by approximately 31% (migration index of 0.69) (p = 0.01) as compared to both unlabeled and HMPAO-labeled lymphocytes, both the latter showing no difference in migration index. Whereas the mean percentages apoptotic lymphocytes in the unlabeled, 18.5%, and HMPAO-labeled fraction, 16.6%, were more or less comparable (p = 0.1), the mean percentage apoptotic cells in the 99mTc-HMPAO-labeled fraction was 51.8%, yielding a difference of 33.3% between 99mTc-HMPAO-labeled and unlabeled cells (p = 0.003). The procentual concordance between apoptotic cells (33.3%) and chemotactic impaired cells (31%) in the 99mTc-HMPAO-labeled fraction may be explained by the formation of a rigid cytoskeleton early in the apoptotic process that may theoretically limit chemotaxis. CONCLUSION: Using the BMA, chemotaxis of 99mTc-HMPAO-labeled lymphocytes was found to be reduced by approximately 31%. Furthermore, the percentage apoptotic lymphocytes induced by irradiation after labeling with 99mTc-HMPAO concurs well with the percentage of chemotaxis impaired cells.     

Potentiation of murine MCa-4 carcinoma radioresponse by 9-amino-20(S)-camptothecin

9-Amino-20(S)-camptothecin (9-AC) has demonstrated efficacy against several human cancer xenografts, including cancers of the colon, breast, lung, ovary, and stomach and malignant melanoma, and is currently undergoing Phase I clinical trials. In vitro data indicate that the addition of topoisomerase I inhibitors shortly after irradiation causes conversion of single-strand breaks to double-strand breaks, resulting in synergistic lethality to cultured log-phase or quiescent malignant cells. In our study, the efficacy of 9-AC as a potential radiosensitizing agent in vivo was assessed in C3Hf/Kam female mice bearing 7.6-8-mm MCa-4 mammary tumors implanted i.m. into the right posterior thigh. In one series of experiments to determine the dose dependence of 9-AC, mice were injected twice a week with either 0.5, 1.0, or 2.0 mg/kg 9-AC (total doses of 2, 4, and 8 mg/kg, respectively) either alone or 1 h before irradiation. In a second series of experiments, the schedule dependence of 9-AC was determined by giving a constant total dose of 4 mg/kg 9-AC once (2 mg/kg), twice (1 mg/kg every third day), or four (0.5 mg/kg every other day) times per week for 2 weeks, either alone or combined with radiation. The same radiation regimen was used in all experiments: 2-Gy fractions daily for 14 consecutive days, giving a total dose of 28 Gy to the tumor-bearing leg only. Tumor response was assessed by regrowth delay and dose modification factors (DMFs) obtained by comparing regrowth delay in the groups given 9-AC alone with those given the same dose of 9-AC and radiation. 9-AC significantly delayed tumor growth when combined with radiation, and this effect was dependent on drug dose; DMFs of 2.4 [95% confidence interval (CI), 2.0-3.1], 3.7 (95% CI, 3.1-4.6), and 3.3 (95% CI, 2.7-4.1) were obtained for groups treated with total drug doses of 2.0, 4.0, and 8.0 mg/kg 9-AC, respectively. In addition, the same total dose of 4 mg/kg 9-AC was more effective when given either twice or four times a week compared with once a week, giving DMFs of 2.8 (95% CI, 2.2-3.9), 2.6 (95% CI, 2.0-3.6), and 1.7 (95% CI, 1.3-2.4), respectively. The effect of 9-AC and radiation on normal tissue toxicity was assessed in two normal tissues, jejunum and skin, in separate groups of mice. Jejunal crypt cell survival was decreased in those mice given single doses of 9-AC ranging from 0.5-4.0 mg/kg and 12.5 Gy of total body radiation compared with those given 12.5 Gy of total body irradiation alone. The same regimen of drug and radiation did not modify acute skin reactions. These results suggest that 9-AC is an effective in vivo radiosensitizing agent when given in divided doses with fractionated irradiation. In addition, the gastrointestinal tract but not skin could be a critical target tissue for the use of 9-AC combined with radiation.     

Management of ingested foreign bodies within the appendix: a case report with review of the literature

A case is reported of an elective appendectomy in a patient with known ingestion of a sharp foreign body. The metal drill bit was ingested unintentionally 3 months before presentation at our institution. Plain abdominal films demonstrated the foreign body in the right lower abdominal quadrant. Because the gold dental drill bit was sharp and thought to be lodged in the terminal ileum or cecum, an attempt was made to remove the object during colonoscopy. This attempt was unsuccessful because no drill bit could be detected in the colon or terminal ileum. A laparoscopic exploration was performed, and the foreign body was found to lie in the appendix, after bowel manipulation under fluoroscopic guidance and with direct laparoscopic visualization. A laparoscopic assisted appendectomy was performed. On pathologic examination the drill bit was embedded in the tip of the appendix with signs of intramucosal acute inflammation. Management and indication for surgery of foreign bodies in the appendix are discussed, and we review the related literature. This is the second reported case of a dental drill bit in the appendix causing appendicitis.