Protein A immobilization and HIgG adsorption onto porous/nonporous and swellable HEMA-incorporated polyEGDMA microspheres

Both non swellable and swellable poly(EGDMA/HEMA) microbeads were produced by suspension copolymerization. These microbeads were modified by immobilization of a spacer-arm (hexamethylene diamine (HMDA)) and protein A. The optimal values for modifications were as follows: sodium periodate concentration, 1.0 mgml(-1); HMDA concentration, 4 mgml(-1); and glutaraldehyde concentration, 0.070 microgml(-1). Adsorption of protein A onto the plain and periodate oxidized poly(EGDMA/HEMA) microbeads were very close to each other, and were 0.01-0.02 mg protein A on the 1-g Microbeads I and II, respectively. Protein A immobilization on poly(EGDMA/HEMA) microbeads were studied at different temperatures, times, and pHs using single protein solution containing different amounts of proteins. The optimal values for immobilization were as follows: the initial protein A concentration, 0.1 mgml(-1); temperature, 25 degrees C; pH, 9.5; and immobilization time, 120 min. Incorporation of protein A resulted in 1.420 and 1.825 mg protein A on the 1-g Microbeads I and II, respectively. HIgG adsorption capacity on the protein A-incorporated poly(EGDMA/HEMA) microbeads is 27 and 35 mg HIgGg(-1) polymer for Microbeads I and II, respectively.     

Neurosurgical anatomy of the anterior interhemispheric approach for aneurysms of the anterior communicating artery (26.6.92)

Summary The anterior interhemispheric approach for aneurysms of the anterior communicating artery was studied in ten cadavers. This approach presents several advantages over the pterional approach widely used in neurosurgery. It allows direct access to the region of the anterior communicating artery complex with minimal retraction of the brain and preservatioin of the olfactory tract and the gyrus rectus.

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Bases anatomiques de l'abord inter-hémisphérique antérieur lors de la chirurgie des anévrysmes de l'artère communicante antérieure

Résumé Ce travail concerne l'abord neurochirurgical des anévrysmes de l'artére communicante antérieure par voie frontale interhémisphérique. L'étude anatomique a été réalisée sur dix sujets. Cette exposition possède de nombreux avantages comparée à la voie ptérionale habituelle : voie d'abord reduite médiane permettant une visualisation directe et symétrique du complexe artériel de l'artére communicante antérieure ; avec le moindre manipulation et retraction du cerveau en respectant les voies olfactives et le gyrus rectus.

     

Relationship between Pollen Counts and Weather Variables in East-Mediterranean Coast of Turkey

BACKGROUND: Aeroallergen sampling provides information regarding the onset, duration and severity of the pollen season that clinicians use to guide allergen selection for skin testing and treatment. OBJECTIVES: This atmospheric survey reports (1) airborne pollen contributions in Adana in one-year period (2) pollen onset, duration and peak level (3) the relationship between airborne pollen and selected meteorological variables and; (4) effects on symptoms in pollen allergic children. METHODS: Pollen sampling was performed with a volumetric Burkard Spore Trap. Meteorological data were measured daily from April 2001 to April 2002. Asthma symptom scores were investigated in 186 pollen allergic children that were on follow up in pediatric allergy outpatient clinics during same period. RESULTS: Average measurements included 82.5% tree pollen, 7.7% grass pollen and 9.8% herb pollen 54 taxa were identified during one year. The most prominent tree pollens were Cupressaceae, Eucalyptus and Pinus. The most common herb was Chenopodiaceae pollen family. When airborne pollen levels were examined in relation to single meteorological conditions; daily variations in total pollen counts were not significantly correlated with any variable studied (humidity, rainfall, temperature and wind) (p > 0.05). On the other hand, statistically significant relationship between pollen concentration and symptom scores were found (p > 0.05). Positive correlations were seen between both Gramineae and Herb pollen, and humidity and rainfall from March to July. However, positive correlations were detected between tree pollen counts and temperature and humidity in May and June. CONCLUSION: This survey is the first volumetric airborne pollen analysis conducted in the survey area in Adana. This study suggested that the effects of weather on pollen count and symptom scores in this population could not be clearly identified with the evaluation of one-year data. However, pollen counts had effect on allergic symptoms in pollen allergic children. Examination of the complex interaction of multiple whether parameters would perhaps more fully elucidate the relationship between meteorology and aerobiology and provide the clinician with information necessary to forecast pollen prevalence. An awareness of the ever chancing, local aeroallergen patterns requires regular monitoring. Such awareness serves as a useful guide in the effective testing and treatment of atopic patients.     

Early-onset gastric carcinomas display molecular characteristics distinct from gastric carcinomas occurring at a later age

Gastric cancer is thought to result from a combination of environmental factors and accumulation of specific genetic alterations, and consequently mainly affects older patients (>50 years of age). Fewer than 10% of patients present with the disease before 45 years of age and these young patients are thought to develop carcinomas with a different molecular genetic profile from that of sporadic carcinomas occurring at a later age. Forty early-onset gastric carcinoma resection specimens were characterized for microsatellite instability (MSI) and loss of heterozygosity status using 22 polymorphic microsatellite markers. Twenty-four biopsies were additionally evaluated for the presence of MSI. No MSI was observed in any of the cases analysed. Losses were infrequent, but were most common for the D1S234 (26.1%) and D1S1676 (17.4%) markers, flanking the RUNX3 gene; for the p53ALU (23.1%) and TP53 (15.4%) markers, near the TP53 gene; and for the D16S2624 (17.2%) marker, near the E-cadherin (CDH1) gene. All cases with loss of CDH1, as well as 6/7 cases with loss of TP53, displayed aberrant staining of the corresponding proteins, pointing to a functional role for these proteins in early-onset gastric carcinogenesis. No germline CDH1, TP53 or RUNX3 mutations were detected in any of the cases analysed. No correlation was observed between non-functional E-cadherin and the histological type of the tumours analysed. Finally, Epstein-Barr virus was not detected in any of the cases analysed. On the basis of these results, early-onset gastric carcinomas appear to have characteristics distinct from gastric carcinomas occurring at a later age.     

Hepatocellular lymphoepithelioma-like carcinoma associated with epstein barr virus: a hitherto unrecognized entity.

OBJECTIVE: Lymphoepithelioma-like carcinoma (LELC) is an undifferentiated carcinoma with a dense lymphoid stroma. It has been reported in diverse organs and shows variable association with Epstein-Barr virus (EBV). Only a few EBV positive cases have been observed in the hepatobiliary system, all of which were considered to be cholangiocarcinomas. We report a unique case of hepatocellular LELC arising in a cirrhotic liver with EBV demonstrated in the tumor cells. METHODS AND RESULTS: A 39-year-old Hispanic female underwent an orthotopic liver transplant for end stage liver disease secondary to chronic hepatitis C. A high-grade hepatocellular carcinoma with a dense lymphocytic infiltrate was found in the explant as well as in a portal lymph node. Three months posttransplant, the patient developed numerous hepatic nodules with enlarged periaortic and portacaval lymph nodes. Biopsy of the hepatic nodules showed a recurrent hepatocellular carcinoma devoid of a dense lymphocytic infiltrate. Both the primary and recurrent tumors were positive for EBV by molecular studies. The patient eventually expired from liver failure over a 6-week period. CONCLUSION: This case represents the first report of EBV-positive hepatocellular LELC. It is particularly interesting given the precipitous clinical outcome, which was possibly related to immunosuppresive therapy.     

人胎儿睾丸发生过程中表皮生长因子与细胞增殖核抗原的表达

目的　观察表皮生长因子 (EGF)与细胞增殖核抗原 (PCNA)在人胎儿睾丸发生过程中的表达特征 ,探讨两者在睾丸发生中的作用。　方法　用SP免疫细胞化学技术检测了人胎儿 12～ 32周睾丸间质细胞、支持细胞、生殖细胞EGF、PCNA阳性细胞表达率。　结果　EGF在胎儿 12周龄睾丸组织未见表达 ,16～ 32周龄睾丸间质细胞呈阳性表达 ,16～ 2 0周为表达高峰 ,随着胎龄的增长呈逐渐下降趋势 (P <0 0 1) ;PCNA在胎儿睾丸间质细胞、支持细胞和生殖细胞均有不同程度表达 ,16～ 2 0周为表达高峰 ,随着胎龄的增长呈逐渐下降趋势 (P <0 0 1)。　结论　EGF与PCNA在人胎儿睾丸发育过程中有不同程度的表达 ,表明EGF与PCNA在睾丸发育过程中起着一定的作用     

用标记分析法检测我国海南省登革2型病毒抗原性变化

我们试用标记分析法,用3种单克隆抗体(黄病毒科特异性、登革病毒属特异性和登革病毒2型型特异性单克隆抗体)研究了我国海南省1985～1987年3年内流行的登革2型病毒8个流行株的抗原性变化,并与标准株新几内亚B株进行了比较。发现6株与标准株类似,2株显示出明显的差异。标记分析法为病毒抗原分析提供了一个简便、快速的方法,可用来监测一个地区病毒株群的变化及新株的传入。     

The effects of co-culture with human fibroblasts on human embryo development in vitro and implantation

In a human in-vitro fertilization (IVF) programme, the effect of co- culture of embryos with human fibroblasts was evaluated with respect to pregnancy rate and embryo development. Patients were included in the study after giving informed written consent. The IVF treatments were randomly assigned by stratification of both age (<36 versus > or =36 years) and previous IVF attempts (yes versus no). After fertilization was established, the zygotes were transferred to a 4-well dish with or without fibroblasts and cultured for 2 days. On the third day after ovum pick-up (OPU), cell number and quality [5 (good) to 1 (poor)] of the embryos were scored and a maximum of three embryos was transferred. Supernumerary embryos of good quality were cryopreserved. The design of this study was a group sequential trial with the objective of detecting differences between pregnancy rates following IVF with conventional incubation or incubation in co-culture with fibroblasts. This design included one evaluation at half-way data collection. In the study, 148 patients had an OPU, of whom 77 were allocated to the co-culture group. There was no statistically significant difference in pregnancy rate, cell number and embryo quality between the two groups. The ongoing pregnancy rate per embryo transfer was 27% in co-culture and 30% in the conventional culture group. The implantation rates per transferred embryo were 17 and 18% respectively. Using a multivariate logistic regression model for the probability of ongoing pregnancies, the odds ratio of co-culture, adjusted for age and previous IVF attempts, was not statistically significant. In conclusion, co-culture with human fibroblasts does not contribute to an improvement of embryo quality nor to a higher pregnancy rate after IVF in an unselected group of patients.      

Elevated levels of DNA-protein crosslinks and micronuclei in peripheral lymphocytes of tannery workers exposed to trivalent chromium

DNA-protein crosslinks (DPC) are a promising biomarker of exposure to hexavalent chromium, a known human carcinogen. Although trivalent chromium is considered to have much lower toxicity, the risk involved in chronic exposure is uncertain. DPC may be a useful tool in clarifying this risk, by signaling an exposure of body tissues to biologically active forms of chromium. DPC quantification was carried out in lymphocytes of a group of tannery workers exposed to trivalent chromium, a small group of manual metal arc stainless steel welders exposed to hexavalent chromium and a control group. This biomarker was compared with the frequency of micronuclei in cytokinesis blocked peripheral lymphocytes as a biomarker of cytogenetic lesions and total plasma and urine chromium levels as an index of exposure. The results indicate a significant increase in the formation of DPC in tannery workers compared with controls (0.88 +/- 0.19 versus 0.57 +/- 0.21%, P < 0.001, Mann-Whitney test) and an even higher level of DPC in welders (2.22 +/- 1.12%, P = 0.03). Tanners showed a significant increase in micronucleated cells compared with controls (6.35 +/- 2.94 versus 3.58 +/- 1.69 per thousand, P < 0.01), whereas in welders this increase was not significant (5.40 +/- 1.67 per thousand ). Urinary chromium was increased in both groups, with a greater increase observed in tanners compared with controls (2.63 +/- 1.62 versus 0.70 +/- 0.38 microg/g creatinine, P < 0.001) than in welders (1.90 +/- 0.37 microg/g creatinine, P < 0.005). Plasma chromium was also increased in both groups (tanners 2.43 +/- 2.11 microg/l, P < 0.001, welders 1.55 +/- 0.67 microg/l, P < 0.005 versus controls 0.41 +/- 0.11 microg/l). In summary, chronic occupational exposure to trivalent chromium can lead to a detectable increase in lymphocyte DNA damage which correlates with a significant exposure of the cells to the metal.     

The diagnostic value of magnetic resonance imaging in subacromial impingement syndrome

The aim of this study was to assess the diagnostic ability of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in subacromial impingement syndrome (SIS), using a physiological standard of reference. MRI of the rotator cuff (RC) and subacromial injection test (SIT), a reference standard for SIS diagnosis, were performed in 125 painful shoulders. MRI diagnostic accuracies were determined using a 2 x 2 table and the percentage values of SIS diagnosis in patients with the three Zlatkin MRI stages were determined. Shoulder function was evaluated using the Constant Scale, and results were compared for stages. The sensitivity, specificity, accuracy, positive and negative predictive values of MRI for SIS diagnosis were 98.85%, 36.84%, 80%, 78.18% and 93.33% respectively. Of the 32 patients with Zlatkin stage 1 changes in MRI, 20 (62%) had SIT approved SIS diagnosis, while 47 (79%) of the 59 patients with Zlatkin 2 and all of the 19 (100%) patients with Zlatkin 3 changes were diagnosed with SIS by SIT. Mean Constant scores were 78.04 +/- 18.3, 65.0 +/- 19.9 and 54.52 +/- 20.7 in patients with Zlatkin stages 1, 2 and 3, respectively (p < 0.05). The MRI of RC did not prove to be an excellent tool for SIT based SIS diagnosis, with its low specificity. However, the technique can give important clues, as its sensitivity and negative predictive values are high.