Living donor liver transplantation.

Initially living donor liver transplantation (LDLT) was almost exclusively performed in infants and children. Adult LDLT programmes were initiated several years later. In the west this programme was introduced in view of a critical shortage of deceased donors and a constant increase in waiting list mortality. At present, this procedure is accepted as a therapeutic option for patients with end-stage liver disease to make up for the shortage of donor organs from dead patients. In Asia, however, LDLT has become the predominant means of liver transplantation as donor organs from the diseased cannot be used for religious and ethical reasons. Although there have been significant improvements in surgical techniques and consequently in recipient outcome over recent years, the LDLT procedure is still associated with donor morbidity and even mortality. The overall reported donor mortality was 0.2% and donor morbidity ranged between 0% and 100%. Biliary complications and infections were the most commonly reported donor complications. Therefore, a thorough medical as well as psychological evaluation of the donor and recipient are necessary prior to this procedure. To date, LDLT comprises less than 5% of adult liver transplantations in Europe and in the United States. Recipient and graft survival are almost identical to those seen with liver transplantations from deceased donors (DD). Biliary and vascular complications are more often seen in the LDLT setting. So far, no studies have focussed on the impact of LDLT on waiting list mortality. There is international consensus that this procedure should be restricted to centres with large experience in deceased donor liver transplantations as well as in hepatobiliary surgery. Ethical issues, optimal utility and application of adult LDLT and optimal recipient and donor characteristics have yet to be defined.     

Reduced progression of atherosclerosis in apolipoprotein E-deficient mice treated with lacidipine is associated with a decreased susceptibility of low-density lipoprotein to oxidation

A study has been carried out in the apolipoprotein (apo) E-deficient mouse to investigate the activity of lacidipine (a calcium antagonist with antioxidant properties) in inhibiting the development of atherosclerotic lesions; of particular interest were changes in the susceptibility of low-density lipoproteins (LDL) to oxidation. Mice receiving a Western-type diet to accelerate the development of atherosclerosis were treated orally with vehicle or lacidipine at 3 or 10 mg/kg/day for 8 weeks. Lacidipine treatment (at 3 or 10 mg/kg) had no effect on the plasma lipid profile. However, a significant (P < 0.01) dose-related reduction of 43 and 50% of the aortic lesion area in respect to vehicle-treated mice was observed. Moreover, the resistance of mouse plasma LDL to undergo lipid peroxidation was significantly (P < 0.01) increased in apo E-deficient mice treated with lacidipine. The native LDL-like particle, derived from apo E-deficient mice treated with lacidipine, contained significantly lower concentrations of malonyldialdehyde than the vehicle-treated control group (P < 0.01). After exposure to human umbilical vein endothelial cells, LDL-like particle vitamin E levels (expressed as area under the curve; AUC), were significantly higher (P < 0.01) in both the 3 and 10 mg/kg lacidipine-treated groups, in comparison with the vehicle-treated control animals. We conclude that lacidipine reduced the extent of the atherosclerotic area in hypercholesterolaemic apo E-deficient mice, and that this reduction may be associated with the capacity of the drug to decrease the susceptibility of LDL to oxidation.     

Novel OCTN2 mutations: No genotype–phenotype correlations: Early carnitine therapy prevents cardiomyopathy

Primary systemic carnitine deficiency or carnitine uptake defect (OMIM 212140) is a potentially lethal, autosomal recessive disorder characterized by progressive infantile‐onset cardiomyopathy, weakness, and recurrent hypoglycemic hypoketotic encephalopathy, which is highly responsive to L ‐carnitine therapy. Molecular analysis of the SLC22A5 (OCTN2) gene, encoding the high‐affinity carnitine transporter, was done in 11 affected individuals by direct nucleotide sequencing of polymerase chain reaction products from all 10 exons. Carnitine uptake (at Km of 5 μM) in cultured skin fibroblasts ranged from 1% to 20% of normal controls. Eleven mutations (delF23, N32S, and one 11‐bp duplication in exon 1; R169W in exon 3; a donor splice mutation [IVS3+1 G > A] in intron 3; frameshift mutations in exons 5 and 6; Y401X in exon 7; T440M, T468R and S470F in exon 8) are described. There was no correlation between residual uptake and severity of clinical presentation, suggesting that the wide phenotypic variability is likely related to exogenous stressors exacerbating carnitine deficiency. Most importantly, strict compliance with carnitine from birth appears to prevent the phenotype. © 2002 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.     

Increased central adiposity is associated with pro-inflammatory immunoglobulin G N-glycans

Background

Increased body fat may be associated with an increased risk of developing an underlying pro-inflammatory state, thus leading to greater risk of developing certain chronic conditions. Immunoglobulin G has the ability to exert both anti- and pro-inflammatory effects, and the N-glycosylation of the fragment crystallisable portion is involved in mediating this process. Body mass index, a rudimentary yet gold standard indication for body fat, has been shown to be associated with agalactosylated immunoglobulin G N-glycans.

Tetrasomy 12pter-12p13.31 in a girl with partial Pallister-Killian syndrome phenotype

A dysmorphic patient was shown to carry a small supernumerary marker chromosome. Multicolor, centromere-multicolor and regular FISH experiments proved the marker to be an analphoid 12pter derived isochromosome. Microdissection of the marker followed by reverse painting and array CGH analysis showed that the isochromosome contains approximately 6 Mb of 12pter-12p13.31 derived sequence. This is only the second report of a marker with a neocentromere 12pter and the molecular fine mapping of the duplicated region further refines the 12p region defining the Pallister-Killian syndrome phenotype. In addition, we show the feasibility of using microdissected chromosomes or chromosomal fragments to molecularly map the chromosomal breakpoints on array CGH. This technology may aid in the identification of chromosomal translocation breakpoints.     

Investigation of the infertile couple: when is the appropriate time to explore female infertility?

While the appropriate method for the investigation of female infertility continues to be debated, the timing of the investigation has received less attention. The current approach is time-consuming, and paradoxically may lead to overtreatment as well as undertreatment. Recent findings on fecundity and the conception window in humans have important implications for the timing of the investigation of female infertility. The findings support the view that fertility-oriented intercourse may have a major impact in reducing the time to pregnancy. Procedures for the investigation of female infertility are becoming less invasive and more accurate, while the therapies for infertility are more effective. It is proposed that under appropriate circumstances female infertility should be investigated after 6 months of fertility-oriented intercourse.     

Karl Rokitansky: his Bohemian years and his relationship with Jan Evangelista Purkyne: on the occasion of bicentenary of birth

Karl Rokitansky was born on 19th February 1804 in the historic Czech town of Hradec Králové (K?niggr?tz). During 1821-1824 he studied for 3 years at the medical faculty of Prague University. In the archives of Charles University there is a record of Rokitansky's performance during these three years. At the university he met J. E. Purkyne who was teaching anatomy at that time. Relationship between the two world--renowned medical scientists of Czech origin is discussed.     

Competition-based cellular peptide binding assays for 13 prevalent HLA class I alleles using fluorescein-labeled synthetic peptides

We report the development, validation, and application of competition-based peptide binding assays for 13 prevalent human leukocyte antigen (HLA) class I alleles. The assays are based on peptide binding to HLA molecules on living cells carrying the particular allele. Competition for binding between the test peptide of interest and a fluorescein-labeled HLA class I binding peptide is used as read out. The use of cell membrane-bound HLA class I molecules circumvents the need for laborious biochemical purification of these molecules in soluble form. Previously, we have applied this principle for HLA-A2 and HLA-A3. We now describe the assays for HLA-A1, HLA-A11, HLA-A24, HLA-A68, HLA-B7, HLA-B8, HLA-B14, HLA-B35, HLA-B60, HLA-B61, and HLA-B62. Together with HLA-A2 and HLA-A3, these alleles cover more than 95% of the Caucasian population. Several allele-specific parameters were determined for each assay. Using these assays, we identified novel HLA class I high-affinity binding peptides from HIVpol, p53, PRAME, and minor histocompatibility antigen HA-1. Thus these convenient and accurate peptide-binding assays will be useful for the identification of putative cytotoxic T lymphocyte epitopes presented on a diverse array of HLA class I molecules.     

Validity of the beck depression inventory,hospital anxiety and depression scale,SCL-90, and hamilton depression rating scale as screening instruments for depression in stroke patients

Most instruments used to assess poststroke depression have never been specifically validated in stroke patients. This study evaluated the depression screening abilities of three questionnaires and one observer-rated scale in 202 consecutive patients 1 month after they experienced their first-ever ischemic stroke. At their respective optimum cutoff values, the sensitivity of the self-rated scales varied between 80% and 90%, while the specificity was about 60%. For the observer-rated scale (Hamilton Depression Rating Scale), sensitivity was 78.1%, and specificity was 74.6%. The instruments clearly performed better in men than in women. Despite this difference, it was concluded that all scales were acceptable screening instruments for poststroke depression.