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Hematopoietic stem cell transplantation provides the only potential curative option in many patients with hematological malignancies. Finding a suitably matched donor in a timely manner is often difficult. However, most patients have a partially HLA-mismatched (HLA-haploidentical) first-degree relative readily available. Historically, HLA-haploidentical bone marrow transplantation (BMT) has been considered extremely high risk due to high rates of life-threatening graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) and non-relapse mortality (NRM). Modifications of the stem cell graft, such as T-cell depletion, have resulted in poor rates of engraftment. We have recently completed a phase II clinical trial of nonmyeloablative HLA-haploidentical hematopoietic BMT followed by post-transplantation high-cyclophosp...

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Lytic activity and recovery of natural killer (NK) cells was monitored in pediatric patients with leukemias (ALL, AML, CML, JMML) and myelodysplastic syndromes after transplantation of T cell depleted stem cells from matched unrelated (n = 18) and mismatched related (haploidentical, n = 29) donors. CD34 + selection with magnetic microbeads resulted in 8 x 10^3/kg residual T cells. No post-transplant immune suppression was given. NK cells recovered rapidly after transplantation (300 CD56+/@mL at day 30, median), whereas T cell recovery was delayed (median: 12 CD3+/@mL at day 90). NK activity was measured as specific lysis of K 562 targets several times (mean: 3 assays per patient). Four temporal patterns of lytic activity could be differentiated: consistently low, consistently high, decreas...

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Radiation chimeras in the early phase after bone marrow transplantation are a good model to study the efficiency of the body's nonspecific defense system represented by macrophages (M phi), polymorphonuclear cells (PMN), and NK cells. These cell types are present in large numbers in spleen and liver at that time, whereas the specific immune system represented by T and B cells is functionally deficient. We previously reported enhanced activities in vitro of M phi (and PMN) from recipient animals in an early phase after allogeneic bone marrow transfer. We here demonstrate that these activities result in enhanced spontaneous resistance against Listeria monocytogenes in vivo: CFU of L. monocytogenes in spleen and liver 48 h after infection were about 1 or 2 to 4 log steps less than in untreated control mice of donor or host haplotype. This enhanced resistance decreased over the 4-mo period after marrow transfer. Preactivated M phi were identified ...

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The bulky octahedral complex, Rh(bpy)₂chrysi³⁺ (chrysi = 5, 6- chrysenequinone diimine), binds single base mismatches in a DNA duplex with micromolar binding affinities...Full Text Available

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Lung transplantation has become an accepted option for many patients with end-stage pulmonary diseases. Anesthesia and surgery following lung transplantation may be required for various diseases that may affect both systemic organs and the transplanted graft. When a patient with a lung transplant undergoes surgery, there is the potential for interference with lung function, depending on the type of intervention and its anatomical site. Accurate preoperative evaluation, an understanding of the physiology of the transplanted lung, proper airway instrumentation, individualized management of intraoperative ventilation, and fluid balance are essential for a positive perioperative outcome.

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Goldstein SL, Mattoo TK, Morgenstern B, Martz K, Stablein D, Talley L. Anemia and growth status in pediatric patients receiving maintenance dialysis after a failed renal transplant course: An NAPRTCS report.Pediatr Transplantation 2006. Copyright 2006 Blackwell Munksgaard Abstract: We conducted a retrospective review of the North American Renal Transplant Cooperative Study (NAPRTCS) Registry transplant and dialysis arms to assess anemia and growth patterns in children who returned to dialysis after a failed renal transplant from January 1, 1992 to February 3, 2004. Of the 1807 potential study subjects, 1451 had transplant removal data (TxIn vs. TxOut) available for analysis. Four hundred and twenty-one of 1451 patients (29%) had a transplant nephrectomy at the time of entry into the NAPRTC...

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Over 200 mutations in the retina specific member of the ATP-binding cassette transporter super-family (ABCA4) have been associated with a diverse group of human retinal diseases....Full Text Available

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We describe the Phase II HapMap, which characterizes over 3.1 million human single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) genotyped in 270 individuals from four geographically diverse populations and...Full Text Available

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A silicon solar cell assembly comprising a large, thin silicon solar cell bonded to a metal mount for use when there exists a mismatch in the thermal expansivities of the device and the mount.

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There is a mismatch between the documentation of the visually guided behaviors and visual physiology of decapods (Malacostraca, Crustacea) and knowledge about the neural architecture of their...Full Text Available

UK PubMed Central (United Kingdom)

Iron overload is common in patients undergoing allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation (HCT), but the mechanisms leading to overload are unknown. Here, we determined iron levels and the expression...Full Text Available

UK PubMed Central (United Kingdom)

Follicular unit transplant (FUT) is one of the surgical procedures which has been recently used to repigment a stable vitiligo patch. Single-hair FUT was done for a 30-year-old male with stable vitiligo...Full Text Available

UK PubMed Central (United Kingdom)

BackgroundAirway complications are among the most challenging problems after lung transplantation, and Self-Expandable Metallic Stents (SEMS) are used to treat airway complications...Full Text Available

UK PubMed Central (United Kingdom)

BackgroundAllogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation is a potentially curative treatment for patients with acute lymphoblastic leukemia. However, the majority of older adults...Full Text Available

UK PubMed Central (United Kingdom)

Many patients who undergo hematopoietic cell transplantation (HCT) present with anemia and have received red blood cell transfusions before HCT. As a result, iron overload is frequent and appears...Full Text Available

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BackgroundHealth related quality of life (HRQoL) is one of the most important outcomes to measure effectiveness of an intervention, especially for islet transplantation...Full Text Available

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IntroductionAutologous chondrocyte transplantation (ACT) is a routine technique to regenerate focal cartilage lesions. However, patients with osteoarthritis (OA) are lacking an appropriate...Full Text Available

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Defects in mismatch repair genes cause the genetic instability characteristic of hereditary nonpolyposis colorectal cancer and a subset of sporadic colon tumors. The newest member of the mismatch repair gene family, GTBP, has recently been identified as a partial cDNA. Here, we describe the isolation of its 5{prime} terminus, allowing definition of the entire coding region. Several polymorphisms within the 5{prime} end were identified and are presented. 13 refs., 1 fig.

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This book contains 49 chapters. Some of the titles are: Molecular, Genetic, and Clinical Aspects of the HLA System; The Normal Immune Response; Significance of the ABO Antigen System; The Role of Dialysis in the Management of End-Stage Renal Disease; Access for Dialysis; Patient Selection for Renal Transplantation; The Living Donor in Kidney Transplantation; and Kidney Preservation by Cold Storage.

British Library Electronic Table of Contents (United Kingdom)

SNAP25 occurs on chromosome 20p12.2, which has been linked to schizophrenia in some samples, and recently linked to latent classes of psychotic illness in our sample. SNAP25 is crucial to synaptic functioning, may be involved in axonal growth and dendritic sprouting, and its expression may be decreased in schizophrenia. We genotyped 18 haplotype-tagging SNPs in SNAP25 in a sample of 270 Irish high-density families. Single marker and haplotype analyses were performed in FBAT and PDT. We adjusted for multiple testing by computing q values. Association was followed up in an independent sample of 657 cases and 411 controls. We tested for allelic effects on the clinical phenotype by using the method of sequential addition and 5 factor-derived scores of the OPCRIT. Nine of 18 SNPs had P values <...

British Library Electronic Table of Contents (United Kingdom)

Much progress has been made in the clinical, biological and technical aspects of the T-cell-depleted haploidentical hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT). Our experience demonstrates that infusing a megadose of extensively T-cell-depleted hematopoietic peripheral blood stem cells after an immuno-myeloablative conditioning regimen in acute leukemia patients ensures sustained engraftment with minimal GvHD without the need of any post-transplant immunosuppressive treatment. Since our first successful pilot study, our efforts have concentrated on developing new conditioning regimens, optimizing the graft processing and improving the post-transplant immunological recovery. The results we have so far achieved in high risk acute leukemia patients show that haploidentical transplantation ...

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In a turbine rotor, a thermal mismatch between various component parts of the rotor occurs particularly during transient operations such as shutdown and startup. A thermal medium flows past and heats or cools one part of the turbine which may have a deleterious thermal mismatch with another part. By passively controlling the flow of cooling medium past the one part in response to relative movement of thermally responsive parts of the turbine, the flow of thermal medium along the flow path can be regulated to increase or reduce the flow, thereby to regulate the temperature of the one part to maintain the thermal mismatch within predetermined limits.

UK PubMed Central (United Kingdom)

Heterocyclic amines such as 2-amino-3-methylimidazo [4,5-f] quinoline (IQ) and 2-amino-3,8-dimethylimidazo [4,5-f] quinoxaline (MeIQx) are dietary carcinogens generated when meats are cooked...Full Text Available

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Compliance mismatch is a significant challenge to long-term patency in small-diameter bypass grafts because it causes intimal hyperplasia and ultimately graft occlusion. Current engineered grafts...Full Text Available

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BackgroundTacrolimus (FK-506) is an immunosuppressant that binds to a specific immunophilin, resulting in the suppression of the cellular immune response during transplant rejection....Full Text Available

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Cytoreductive conditioning regimes designed to allow for successful allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (allo-HSCT) paradoxically are also detrimental to recovery of the immune system in general but lymphopoiesis in particular. Post-transplant immune depletion is particularly striking within the T cell compartment which is exquisitely sensitive to negative regulation, evidenced by the profound decline in thymic function with age. As a consequence, regeneration of the immune system remains a significant unmet clinical need. Over the past decade studies have revealed several promising therapeutic strategies to address ineffective lymphopoiesis and post-transplant immune deficiency. These include the use of cytokines such as IL-7, IL-12 and IL-15; growth factors and hormones li...

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Purpose. To evaluate the efficacy of percutaneous transluminal angioplasty (PTA) in the management of arterial stenosis located close to the allograft anastomosis (close-TRAS)....Full Text Available

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The author reports 10 studies concerning the diagnosis of renal osteodystrophy and extraskeletal calcification in patients on maintenance hemodialysis as well as some aspects of persistent hyperparathyroidism after renal transplantation. The majority of the studies focus on the value of bone scintigraphy with Tc-99m HEDP in the diagnosis of these disorders. (Auth.).

Science.gov (United States)

SNAP25 occurs on chromosome 20p12.2, which has been linked to schizophrenia in some samples, and recently linked to latent classes of psychotic illness in our sample. SNAP25 is crucial to synaptic functioning, may be involved in axonal growth and dendritic sprouting, and its expression may be decreased in schizophrenia. We genotyped 18 haplotype-tagging SNPs in SNAP25 in a sample of 270 Irish high-density families. Single marker and haplotype analyses were performed in FBAT and PDT. We adjusted for multiple testing by computing q values. Association was followed up in an independent sample of 657 cases and 411 controls. We tested for allelic effects on the clinical phenotype by using the method of sequential addition and 5 factor-derived scores of the OPCRIT. Nine of 18 SNPs had P values Irish family sample. Although we failed to replicate this in an independent sample, this gene should be further tested in other samples. PMID:19806613

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The incidence of anogenital malignancies is greatly increased in patients who have received a renal transplant, but this has not been well studied in patients receiving maintenance dialysis. Our aim was to assess the incidence of these malignancies in patients on dialysis and compare these to transplanted patients. The age standardized incidence ratio (SIR) for anogenital malignancies was calculated by comparing the observed number of malignancies to the expected number. The expected number was calculated by multiplying the age specific incidence rates for each malignancy by the person years at risk in 5-year age cohorts. Of 15,820 patients in the Australia and New Zealand data base, 8,215 had received a renal transplant. A total of 39,750 person years at risk were contributed by patients who had received a renal transplant, while 29,276 person years at risk were contributed by dialysis patients who had ...

Science.gov (United States)

We conducted a retrospective review of the North American Renal Transplant Cooperative Study (NAPRTCS) Registry transplant and dialysis arms to assess anemia and growth patterns in children who returned to dialysis after a failed renal transplant from January 1, 1992 to February 3, 2004. Of the 1807 potential study subjects, 1451 had transplant removal data (TxIn vs. TxOut) available for analysis. Four hundred and twenty-one of 1451 patients (29%) had a transplant nephrectomy at the time of entry into the NAPRTCS Registry Dialysis arm. Anemia rates steadily decreased from 72.2% at 30 days after dialysis initiation to 59.5% at 12 months after dialysis initiation. Factors associated with anemia at 30 days after dialysis initiation included hemodialysis, lack of Epo use, and patients who comprised earlier study era cohorts. At one yr after return to dialysis, earlier study cohort era ...

British Library Electronic Table of Contents (United Kingdom)

Short synthetic single-stranded oligodeoxyribonucleotides (ssODNs) can be used to introduce subtle modifications into the genome of mouse embryonic stem cells (ESCs). We have previously shown that effective application of ssODN-mediated gene targeting in ESC requires (transient) suppression of DNA mismatch repair (MMR). However, whereas transient down-regulation of the mismatch recognition protein MSH2 allowed substitution of 3 or 4 nucleotides, 1 or 2 nucleotide substitutions were still suppressed. We now demonstrate that single- or dinucleotide substitution can effectively be achieved by transient down-regulation of the downstream MMR protein MLH1. By exploiting highly specific real-time PCR, we demonstrate the feasibility of substituting a single basepair in a non-selectable gene. Howev...

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Pai ALH, Gray E, Kurivial K, Ross J, Schoborg D, Goebel J. The Allocation of Treatment Responsibility scale: A novel tool for assessing patient and caregiver management of pediatric medical treatment regimens. Pediatr Transplantation 2010: 14:993 999. 2010 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Abstract: The purpose of the current study is to report preliminary psychometric properties of the ATR scale, a brief measure of the distribution of treatment tasks across the family members of children with a kidney transplant. Pediatric patients with renal transplants (ages 7 18 yr) and their caregivers completed the ATR and measures of adherence and family functioning. Internal consistency for the ATR (total score and subscales) was strong (range = 0.75 0.93). Validity for the ATR was supported by significant co...

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Acute kidney injury (AKI) is a common complication after allogeneic stem cell transplantation (SCT). Although various risk factors for AKI have been reported, the influence of pretransplant comorbidity on the incidence of AKI has not been well investigated. We performed a retrospective analysis of 207 consecutive patients undergoing myeloablative or nonmyeloablative SCT between 2001 and 2009, using the hematopoietic cell transplantation-specific comorbidity index (HCT-CI) as a representative of pretransplant comorbidities. According to Risk, Injury, Failure, Loss, and End-stage kidney disease (RIFLE) criteria, 158 patients (76.3%) developed AKI, and 92 patients (44.4%) developed severe AKI (RIFLE class I or class F) within 100 days after SCT. The cumulative incidence of severe AKI within 1...

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Allogeneic stem-cell transplantation (SCT) is potentially curative therapy in AML by providing both dose-intensive chemo-radiotherapy and induction of graft-versus-leukemia (GvL) effect. Historically, more emphasis was given to the intensity of conditioning. Over the last decade the pendulum turned more towards induction of GvL as the primary goal. A plethora of non-myeloablative (NMA) and reduced-intensity conditioning regimens (RIC) were introduced trying to reduce transplant-related toxicities and allow SCT in elderly and medically infirm patients. In addition, reduced-toxicity myeloablative regimens (RTC) based on fludarabine and myeloablative alkylating-agent doses were designed to allow safer administration of dose-intensive therapy. Conditioning dose-intensity is highly correlated w...

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Ex vivo expanded peripheral blood progenitor cells (PBPC) have been shown to provide rapid neutrophil engraftment, and in some patients, to eliminate neutropenia after transplantation to support high-dose chemotherapy. However, the effect of expansion culture on stem cell content and potential loss of stem cells caused by induction of differentiation remains a concern. We have transplanted 21 patients with breast cancer with expanded autologous PBPC, with 11 patients receiving expanded PBPC as their sole hematopoietic cell source. In these studies, the CD34+ cells were selected and cultured for 10 days in defined media containing 100 ng/mL each of recombinant human stem cell factor (rhSCF), recombinant human granulocyte colony stimulating factor (rhG-CSF), and recombinant human megakaryocy...

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BackgroundMore than 11 million Americans live with chronic lung disease; in search for an alternative to donor organs, we attempted to regenerate lungs based on perfusion decellularized lung scaffolds that can be transplanted similar to a donor organ. MethodsCadaveric rat lungs were decellularized by detergent perfusion. Resulting scaffolds were mounted in bioreactors and seeded with endothelial and fetal lung cells. Biomimetic organ culture was maintained for 7 days. Resulting bioartificial left lungs were transplanted in orthotopic position after left pneumonectomy in rats. Cadaveric left lung transplants and pneumonectomies served as controls. Blood gas analyses, compliance testing, and fluoroscopies were performed on postoperative days 1, 7, and 14. Lungs were removed for final analysi...

UK PubMed Central (United Kingdom)

Devastating central nervous system injuries and diseases continue to occur in spite of the tremendous efforts of various prevention programs. The enormity of and annual escalation of healthcare...Full Text Available

UK PubMed Central (United Kingdom)

Successful implementation of bone marrow transplantation for hematopoietic reconstitution is limited by the lack of suitably HLA-matched donors and by the occurrence of graft-versus-host disease that...Full Text Available

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Caribou were extirpated from the Kenai Peninsula by 1912 and reintroduced via transplants from the Nelchina Herd in the mid 1960's and again in the mid 1980's. The reintroductions resulted in the establishment of five herds: the Kenai Mountains Herd, Kena...

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Background and objectives: Few studies have examined health literacy in patients with end stage kidney disease. We hypothesized that inadequate health literacy in a hemodialysis population is common...Full Text Available

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Direct radionuclide cystography is known to be sensitive and safe in children with suspected vesical-ureteral reflux. In this study we have investigated the utility of direct radionuclide cystography in renal transplant recipients with a recent history of pyelonephritis or recurrent urinary infections. Direct radionuclide cystography is a simple test, however it requires a rigorous methodology in order to obtain images during fill-in as well as during voiding in both men and women. The images must be interpreted using a rigorous image display methodology. Twenty-eight radionuclide cystographies were performed in 17 patients. Among the 17 tests performed for the initial diagnosis of reflux , 12 were positive. Four patients with positive results and four patients with negative results were also investigated by radiologic cystography. Similar results were obtained in those patients. Nine scintigraphies were done after treatment by surgery or teflon injection ; six of ...

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Refractive indices of some mixed compound semiconductors below the bandgap are presented on the basis of some fundamental parameters and the effect of lattice mismatch on the refractive index step is also studied. The results help to design a variety of opto-electronic devices for the use in optical fiber communication and heterostructure lasers. The calculated values agree well with available experimental values thus justifying the approach. (author).

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Procedures are described for the use of synthetic oligonucleotides for Southern blot experiments and gene bank screening, and the effect of various mismatches on the efficiency of hybridization is demonstrated. The following topics are discussed: sensitivity vs. specificity, hybridization of a 12-mer to the lambda endolysin gene; hybridization of oligonucleotide probes to the E. coli lac operator; hybridization of synthetic probes to the CYC1 gene of yeast; and cloning eucaryotic genes. (HLW)

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BackgroundThe mitochondrial genome of the Octocorallia has several characteristics atypical for metazoans, including a novel gene suggested to function in DNA repair. This mtMutS...Full Text Available

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Resistance and tolerance are two types of host defense mechanisms that increase fitness in response to fungi. Several genetic polymorphisms in pattern recognition receptors, most remarkably Toll-like receptors (TLRs), have been described to influence resistance and tolerance to aspergillosis in distinct clinical settings. TLRs on dendritic cells pivotally contribute in determining the balance between immunopathology and protective immunity to the fungus. Epithelial cells also contribute to this balance via selected TLRs converging on indoleamine-2,3-dioxygenase (IDO). Studies in experimental hematopoietic transplantation confirmed the dichotomy of pathways leading to resistance and tolerance to the fungus providing new insights on the relative contribution of the hematopoietic/nonhematopoi...

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Attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) has been shown to be familial and heritable, in previous studies. As with most psychiatric disorders, examination of pedigrees has not revealed a consistent Mendelian mode of transmission. The response of ADHD patients to medications that inhibit the dopamine transporter, including methylphenidate, amphetamine, pemoline, and bupropion, led us to consider the dopamine transporter as a primary candidate gene for ADHD. To avoid effects of population stratification and to avoid the problem of classification of relatives with other psychiatric disorders as affected or unaffected, we used the haplotype-based haplotype relative risk (HHRR) method to test for association between a VNTR polymorphism at the dopamine transporter locus (DAT1) and DSM-III-R-diagnosed ADHD (N = 49) and undifferentiated attention-deficit disorder (UADD) (N = 8) in trios composed of father, mother, and affected offspring. HHRR ...

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We evaluated 190 children with very high-risk leukemia, who underwent allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation in 2 sequential treatment eras, to determine whether those treated with contemporary protocols had a high risk of relapse or toxic death, and whether non-HLA-identical transplantations yielded poor outcomes. For the recent cohorts, the 5-year overall survival rates were 65% for the 37 patients with acute lymphoblastic leukemia and 74% for the 46 with acute myeloid leukemia; these rates compared favorably with those of earlier cohorts (28%, n = 57; and 34%, n = 50, respectively). Improvement in the recent cohorts was observed regardless of donor type (sibling, 70% vs 24%; unrelated, 61% vs 37%; and haploidentical, 88% vs 19%), attributable to less infection (hazard ratio [HR] = 0.12; P = .005), regimen-related toxicity (HR = 0.25; P = .002), and leukemia-related death (HR = 0.40; P = .01). Survival probability was dependent on ...

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Choosing a medical device is complex and requires a transparent process based on reason, evidence and assessment of prioritized public health needs. Poor choices lead to inappropriate use or non-use of medical devices and a waste of resources.This report suggests how an agenda to improve access to appropriate medical devices could be devised from applying the crucial 4 components - Availability, Accessibility, Appropriateness, and Affordability, to the 15 global high-burden diseases and some cross-cutting issues. The results of this exercise suggest several areas of research necessary to help

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Previous studies have revealed that cell therapy using bone marrow stromal cells (BMSCs) could promote motor functional recovery in animals with spinal cord injury (SCI). We describe here the development of cell biology technique and the experimental study of regeneration in SCI. The aim of this study was to investigate the potential for neurological recovery by transplantation neurospheres (NS) derived from BMSCs into thoracic SCI. Adult Fisher rats were used: 45 were subjected to complete thoracic SCI performed by the balloon compression method. BMSCs were cultured in vitro to obtain NS. Seven days after thoracic SCI, groups of 15 rats each received transplants of BMSCs-NS (group A), BMSCs (group B), or injection of medium only (group C) into the SCI lesion. Rats from each group were eva...

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The aim of the paper is to review the role of interventional radiology in the management of hemodialysis vascular access and complications in renal transplantation. The evaluation of patients with hemodialysis vascular access is complex. It includes the radiology/ultrasound (US) evaluation of the peripheral veins of the upper extremities with venous mapping and the evaluation of the central vein prior to the access placement and radiological detection and treatment of the stenosis and thrombosis in misfunctional dialysis fistulas. Preoperative screening enables the identification of a suitable vessel to create a hemodynamically-sound dialysis fistula. Clinical and radiological detection of the hemodynamically significant stenosis or occlusion demands fistulography and endovascular treatment. Endovascular prophylactic dilatation of stenosis greater than 50% with associated clinical abnormalities such as flow-rate reduction is warranted to prolong access patency. The ...

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RIFLE criteria have been used to determine the incidence of acute kidney dysfunction (AKD) after orthotopic liver transplantation (OLT). However, no studies have focused on the incidence of AKD after OLT in patients with normal pre-OLT kidney functions. Using the RIFLE criteria, we determined the incidence and risk factors for AKD after OLT in patients with normal pre-OLT kidney function. We retrospectively analyzed the records of 112 patients who underwent OLT from January 2000 to February 2009 with normal prior kidney function. We investigated three levels of renal dysfunction outlined in the RIFLE criteria: risk (R); injury (I); and failure (F). Preoperative, intraoperative, and postoperative variables were collected. AKD occurred in 64 (57%) OLTs with risk, injury, and failure frequenc...

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Abstract In 46 febrile neutropenic patients who had undergone haematopoietic stem cell transplantation, the fluorescence in situ hybridisation using peptide nucleic acid probes (PNA FISH), Gram stain/acridine orange leukocyte cytospin (Gram/AOLC), and differential time to positivity (DTP) methods were performed for detection of catheter related bloodstream infections (CRBSIs). As compared with the DTP method (which detected 11 patients with CRBSI), the PNA FISH and the Gram/AOLC methods detected ten of 11 CRBSI patients, resulting in a sensitivity, specificity, negative predictive value and positive predictive value of 91%, 100%, 97% and 100%, respectively, for the PNA FISH method as well as for the Gram/AOLC method.

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Viral infections are still common causes of morbidity and mortality in immunosuppressed patients after allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation. Infections caused by virus such as cytomegalovirus, adenovirus and Epstein-Barr virus are well-known. In addition, several other viruses such as polyomavirus and human herpesvirus 6 have been recently reported to be causes of significant complications. As the delay in recovery of virus-specific cellular immune response after transplant is associated with viral reactivation and viral disease, adoptive immunotherapy to restore virus-specific cellular immunity is an attractive option. Recent clinical trials showed the safety and effectiveness of adoptive immunotherapy against viral diseases. In this review, we summarize the current status o...

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Purpose: To evaluate the results of radiotherapy in cholangiocarcinoma patients managed with various combinations of chemotherapy and surgical resection with selective liver transplantation. Methods and Materials: From January 1990 to December 1995, 61 patients with histologically confirmed biliary duct adenocarcinoma were seen in the Radiation Oncology Department of the University of Pittsburgh. Median follow-up was 22 months (1 to 91 months). The extent of surgery was complete resection in 23 patients (including 17 with orthotopic liver transplant), partial resection in 4, and biopsy in 34. All patients had radiotherapy; median dose was 49.5 Gy. Thirty patients received chemotherapy: 5-fluorouracil (5-FU)-leucovorin with interferon alpha (IFN#alpha#) in 27, and taxol in 3. Results: The median survival was 20 months (95% CI 15-25 months). The 5-year actuarial survival was 23.8 #+-# 6.8%. The only significant variable in multivariate analysis ...

Science.gov (United States)

Taeniasis has been known as one of the prevalent parasitic infections in Korea. Until recently, Taenia saginata had long been considered a dominant, and widely distributed species but epidemiological profiles of human Taenia species in Korea still remain unclear. In order to better understand distribution patterns of human Taenia tapeworms in Korea, partial nucleotide sequences of mitochondrial cox1 and ITS2 (internal transcribed spacer 2) were determined, along with morphological examinations, on 68 Taenia specimens obtained from university museum collections deposited since 1935. Genomic DNA was extracted from formalin-preserved specimens. Phylogenetic relationships among the genotypes (cox1 haplotype) detected in this study were inferred using the neighbor-joining method as a tree building method. Morphological and genetic analyses identified 3 specimens as T. solium, 51 specimens as T. asiatica, and 14 specimens as T. saginata. Our results indicate that all 3 ...

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The understanding of transport processes that occur in naturally fractured geothermal systems is far from being complete. Often, evaluation and numerical simulations of fractured geothermal reservoirs, are carried out by assuming equivalent porous media and homogeneous petrophysical properties within big matrix blocks. The purpose of this paper, is to present a comparison between results obtained from numerical studies of a naturally fractured reservoir treated as a simple porous medium and the simulation of some real aspects of the fractured reservoir. A general conclusion outlines the great practical importance of considering even approximately, the true nature of such systems. Our results show that the homogeneous simplified evaluation of the energy resource in a fractured system, could result in unrealistic estimates of the reservoir capacity to generate electricity.

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This paper proves that it is practicable to build a new power model which can work efficiently at night by using a type of fluorescence material. The utilization efficiency of photovoltaic cell is improved by prolonging the actual working hours of the cell within 24 hours. Both theoretical analysis and experiment on this model are carried out, and base on which the current-time curve (I-t curve) is depicted. It shows that the model which applies the fluorescence material to photovoltaic system is available. According to the analysis and comparison between the attenuating curve of the material and I-t curve of the power system, we can conclude that the weak illumination and the mismatch on wavelength are primary reasons for the low current. Finally, several improved measures of this power model for practical application are given, and it is expected to provide a new thought for photovoltaic study. (orig.)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Electron-spin polarization in excess of 70% has been observed in photoemission from a 0.1-#mu#m-thick epitaxial layer of In_xGa_1_-_xAs with x#approx#0.13 grown on a GaAs substrate. Under these conditions, the epitaxial layer is expected to be highly strained by the 0.9% lattice mismatch. The electron polarization and the quantum efficiency have been measured as a function of the excitation photon energy from 1.25 to 2.0 eV. A significant enhancement of the electron polarization occurs in the vicinity of 1.33 eV where the expected strain-induced level splitting permits optical excitation of a single-band transition.

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Since the elucidation of the structure of double helical DNA, the construction of small molecules that recognize and react at specific DNA sites has been an area of considerable interest. In particular, the study of transition metal complexes that bind DNA with specificity has been a burgeoning field. This growth has been due in large part to the useful properties of metal complexes, which possess a wide array of photophysical properties and allow for the modular assembly of an ensemble of recognition elements. Here we review recent experiments in our laboratory aimed at the design and study of octahedral metal complexes that bind DNA non-covalently and target reactions to specific sites. Emphasis is placed both on the variety of methods employed to confer site-specificity and upon the many applications for these complexes. Particular attention is given to the family of complexes recently designed that target single base mismatches in duplex DNA through ...

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A wavelength division multiplexer/demultiplexer having optical path lengths between a fiber array and a Fourier transform lens, and between a dispersion grating and the lens equal to the focal length of the lens. The optical path lengths reduce losses due to angular acceptance mismatch in the multiplexer. Close orientation of the fiber array about the optical axis and the use of a holographic dispersion grating reduces other losses in the system. Multi-exposure holographic dispersion gratings enable the multiplexer/demultiplexer for extremely broad-band simultaneous transmission and reflection operation. Individual Bragg plane sets recorded in the grating are dedicated to and operate efficiently on discrete wavelength ranges.

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Open pit oil sands mining involves the disturbance of thin overburden covers of Boreal forest lands that must be returned to equivalent land capability after mining activities have ceased. Before mining starts, any wetlands are drained, timber is harvested, and peat, topsoils and subsoils are stockpiled for later use. This article discussed wetland reclamation activities conducted by Suncor Energy at its open pit mining operations. Research facilities were constructed in order to determine if wetlands constructed with consolidated tailings (CT) and pond effluent water (PEW) were able to support a sustainable vegetation community. Thirty-three cat-tail plots were established at the facility as well as unplanted plots in order to determine how quickly natural establishment occurred. Shoreline plug transplants and transplants from a natural saline lake were also introduced. Within 5 years, over 23 plant species had naturally colonized the CT ...

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

The effect of various forms of treatment of renal osteodystrophy was evaluated in 25 dialysis patients by quantitative bone scintigraphy, using 99m-Tc-HEDP. The results were compared with those of biochemical and bone morphometric studies. The total skeletal activity (TSA) decreased in 5 patients after transplantation, in 11 after parathyroidectomy and in 6 out of 9 treated conservatively, but did not normalize in any of the patients. Bone morphometric evaluation of treatment, which could be performed in 19 of the 20 patients who did not receive a transplant, demonstrated a reduction in the degree of hyperparathyroidism in 17 patients (89 per cent). Osteoid excess was reduced in 13 patients (68 per cent) but an evident reduction of osteomalacic osteoid, i.e. improvement of osteomalacia, occurred in only 4 patients (21 per cent). Changes in the TSA correlated significantly with the changes in the biochemical and histological parameters of ...

Science.gov (United States)

Using a syngeneic p53-null mouse mammary gland tumor model that closely mimics human breast cancer, we have identified, by limiting dilution transplantation and in vitro mammosphere assay, a Lin(-)CD29(H)CD24(H) subpopulation of tumor-initiating cells. Upon subsequent transplantation, this subpopulation generated heterogeneous tumors that displayed properties similar to the primary tumor. Analysis of biomarkers suggests the Lin(-)CD29(H)CD24(H) subpopulation may have arisen from a bipotent mammary progenitor. Differentially expressed genes in the Lin(-)CD29(H)CD24(H) mouse mammary gland tumor-initiating cell population include those involved in DNA damage response and repair, as well as genes involved in epigenetic regulation previously shown to be critical for stem cell self-renewal. These studies provide in vitro and in vivo data that support the cancer stem cell (CSC) hypothesis. Furthermore, this p53-null mouse mammary tumor model may allow ...

Science.gov (United States)

The detection of rare mutations has many important applications, including risk assessment of drugs and chemicals, measuring environmental exposures to genotoxins, and cancer cell detection. A sensitive genotypic selection method has been developed that combines two different mutant allele selection techniques, MutEx enrichment and allele-specific competitive blocker PCR (ACB-PCR). This method was developed and evaluated for the detection of a CAA --> AAA mutation at codon 61 of the mouse H-ras gene. The MutEx enrichment is based on MutS binding to a mismatched basepair in heteroduplex DNA. The bound MutS protects the mutant allele from degradation during subsequent exonuclease treatment. ACB-PCR preferentially amplifies a mutant allele in a PCR reaction using a primer that has more mismatches to the wild-type allele than the mutant allele. By combining these two approaches, the codon 61 mutation was detected at mutant fractions as low as 1 ...

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We report the case of a 22-year-old man with Ewing's sarcoma who attained a complete remission (CR) after combination radiotherapy and chemotherapy. Secondary acute lymphoblastic leukemia with multiple cytogenetic abnormalities involving chromosome 5 and 7 developed 16 years later. The patient underwent induction chemotherapy and entered a CR. Peripheral blood stem cell transplantation from a matched sibling was performed successfully and he is in complete remission of both ALL and Ewing's sarcoma. (Copyright (c) 1999 Elsevier Science B.V., Amsterdam. All rights reserved.)

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Peatlands are an important long-term sink for atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO{sub 2}). The storage function of peatland ecosystems is significantly impacted by drainage and extraction processes, which can result in the release of significant amounts of CO{sub 2}. This paper investigated the net ecosystem CO{sub 2} exchange of a newly developed extraction-restoration technique that preserved the acrotelm and replaced it directly on the cut surface of the peatlands. The technique used a modified block-cut method with a back-hoe to create a drainage ditch. Actrotelm and surface vegetation were removed and placed to one side, and the peat was mechanically removed. The acrotelm was then transplanted over the older and more decomposed catotelm peat to create a trench topography in which the natural peatland was higher than the extracted zone. Air temperatures, water table levels, and volumetric moisture content levels were measured throughout the experiment. Measurements ...

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The purpose of this study was to evaluate the ability to enhance distribution of eelgrass (Zostera marina) in the Columbia River Estuary to serve as refuge and feeding habitat for juvenile salmon, Dungeness crab, and other fish and wildlife. We strongly suspected that limited eelgrass seed dispersal has resulted in the present distribution of eelgrass meadows, and that there are other suitable places for eelgrass to survive and form functional meadows. Funded as part of the Bonneville Power Administration's call for Innovative Projects, we initiated a multistage study in 2008 that combined modeling, remote sensing, and field experimentation to: (1) Spatially predict habitat quality for eelgrass; (2) Conduct experimental plantings; and (3) Evaluate restoration potential. Baseline in-situ measurements and remote satellite observations were acquired for locations in the Lower Columbia River Estuary (LCRE) to determine ambient habitat conditions. These were used to create a ...

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

The penetrance of Leber's hereditary optic neuropathy (LHON) in families with primary mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) mutations is very complex. Matrilineal and nuclear genetic background, as well as environmental factors, have been reported to be involved in different affected pedigrees. Here we describe two large Chinese families that show a striking difference in the penetrance of LHON, in which 53.3% and 15.0% of members were affected (P < 0.02), respectively. Analysis of the complete mtDNA genome of the two families revealed the presence of the primary mutation G11778A and several other variants suggesting the same haplogroup status G2a. The family with higher penetrance contained a previously described secondary mutation G13708A, which presents a polymorphism in normal Chinese samples and does not affect in vivo mitochondrial oxidative metabolism as described in a previous study. Evolutionary analysis failed to indicate any putatively pathogenic mutation that cosegregated with ...

Science.gov (United States)

The synapsin III gene, SYN3, which belongs to the family of synaptic vesicle-associated proteins, has been implicated in the modulation of neurotransmitter release and in synaptogenesis, suggesting a potential role in several neuropsychiatric diseases. The human SYN3 gene is located on chromosome 22q12-13, a candidate region implicated in previous linkage studies of schizophrenia. However, association studies of SYN3 and schizophrenia have produced inconsistent results. In this study, four SYN3 SNPs (rs133945 (-631 C>G), rs133946 (-196 G>A), rs9862 and rs1056484) were tested in three sets of totally 3759 samples that comprise 655 affected subjects and 626 controls in the Irish Case-Control Study of Schizophrenia (ICCSS), 1350 samples incorporating 273 pedigrees in the Irish Study of High Density Schizophrenia Families (ISHDSF), and 564 unrelated schizophrenia patients and 564 healthy individuals in a Chinese case-control sample. The expression levels of SYN3 in schizophrenic ...

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A set of equations describing a stress-mediated evolution of the nonequilibrium dopant-defect system has been derived and analyzed. Together with coupled diffusion of dopant atoms and point defects, we consider the drift of all mobile species in different charge states, namely vacancies, self-interstitials, and pairs 'dopant atom-point defect', in the field of stress. It has been shown that stresses may affect the diffusion of dopant atoms mainly in two ways: (1) directly, due to the drift of the pairs in the field of stress; (2) indirectly, by the formation of nonuniform defect distribution due to the drift of point defects. On this basis, various features of doping processes, such as phenomena of 'uphill' impurity diffusion near the surface (within the framework of the first or second mechanisms) and the peculiarities of high concentration phosphorus diffusion (due to the second mechanism), can be explained. Numerical computations of high ...

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A method to control charge transfer reaction in DNA using hybrid nanometer-sized TiO{sub 2} nanoparticles was developed. In this system extended charge separation reflects the sequence of DNA and was measured using metallic silver deposition or by photocurrent response. Light-induced extended charge separation in these systems was found to be dependent on the DNA-bridge length and sequence. The yield of photocatalytic deposition of silver was studied in systems having GG accepting sites imbedded in AT runs at varying distances from the TiO{sub 2} nanoparticle surface. Weak distance dependence of charge separation indicative of a hole hopping through mediating adenine (A) sites was found. The quantum yield of silver deposition in the system having a GG accepting site placed 8.5 {angstrom} from the nanoparticle surface was found to be {Phi} = 0.70 (70%) and {Phi} = 0.56 (56%) for (A){sub n} and (AT){sub n/2} bridge, respectively. Hole injection to GG trapping sites as far as 70 ...

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

A family of sealant materials has been developed for use in the solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) and in other applications in the temperature range of 800 endash 1000 degree C. These materials are based on glasses and glass-ceramics in the SrO endash La_2O_3 endash Al_2O_3 endash B_2O_3 endash SiO_2 system. The coefficients of thermal expansion (CTE) for these materials are in the range of 8 endash 13x10"-"6/degree C, a good match with those of the SOFC components. These sealant materials bond well with the ceramics of the SOFC and, more importantly, form bonds that can be thermally cycled without failure. At the fuel cell operating temperature, the sealants have viscosities in the range of 10"4-10"6 Pa-s, which allow them to tolerate a CTE mismatch of about 20% among the bonded substrates. The gas tightness of a sample seal was demonstrated in a simple zirconia-based oxygen concentration cell. copyright 1996 Materials Research Society.

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Longitudinal compression of space-charge dominated beams can be achieved by imposing a head-to-tail velocity tilt on the beam. This tilt has to be carefully tailored, such that it is removed by the longitudinal space-charge repulsion by the time the beam reaches the end of the drift compression section. The transverse focusing lattice should be designed such that all parts of the beam stay approximately matched, while the beam smoothly expands transversely to the larger beam radius needed in the final focus system following drift compression. In this thesis, several drift compression systems were designed within these constraints, based on a given desired pulse shape at the end of drift compression systems were designed within these constraints, based on a given desired pulse shape at the end of drift compression. The occurrence of mismatches due to a rapidly increasing current was analyzed. In addition, the sensitivity of drift compression to errors in the initial ...

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Due to the recent catastrophic energy system failures in California along with those in the North-Eastern US and Southern Canada, London, and Italy, the time has come to proclaim the failure of deregulation, privatization or liberalization and propose a new energy system. This book shows in the first section, how five precipitating forces led to the deregulation debacle in California: (1) major technological changes and commercialization, (2) regulatory needs mismatched to societal adjustments, (3) inadequate and flawed economic models, (4) lack of vision, goals, and planning leading to energy failures, and (5) failure and lack of economic regional development. The second half of the book, examines how 'civic market', new economic models, and planning for complexity as sustainable economic development transformed in California, the same five forces to create an 'agile energy system' based on renewable energy generation, hybrid or ...

Science.gov (United States)

In the current wind turbine generation system, there are substantial problems such as the maximum power of the wind turbine cannot be obtained under the fluctuating wind speed, high in cost and low in annual net electricity production (due to mismatch between a generator and a wind turbine). A new wind turbine generator optimized for the wind turbine output is presented in order to solve such problems. This wind turbine generator consists of a permanent magnet generator, a reactor and a rectifier, and uses neither a control circuit which requires standby electricity nor a PWM converter having a switching element. By selecting most appropriate combination of the permanent magnet generator having multiple windings and the reactor connected in series with each winding, the maximum output of the wind turbine can be obtained without using a control circuit. The new wind turbine generator was directly coupled with the straight wing non-articulated vertical axis wind ...

Science.gov (United States)

B-cell Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia; Nodal Marginal Zone B-cell Lymphoma; Recurrent Adult Burkitt Lymphoma; Recurrent Adult Diffuse Large Cell Lymphoma; Recurrent Adult Diffuse Mixed Cell Lymphoma; Recurrent Adult Diffuse Small Cleaved Cell Lymphoma; Recurrent Adult Grade III Lymphomatoid Granulomatosis; Recurrent Adult Immunoblastic Large Cell Lymphoma; Recurrent Adult Lymphoblastic Lymphoma; Recurrent Grade 1 Follicular Lymphoma; Recurrent Grade 2 Follicular Lymphoma; Recurrent Grade 3 Follicular Lymphoma; Recurrent Mantle Cell Lymphoma; Recurrent Marginal Zone Lymphoma; Recurrent Small Lymphocytic Lymphoma; Splenic Marginal Zone Lymphoma; Waldenstrom Macroglobulinemia

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Background.There are no suitably powered epidemiological studies of `transient azotaemia' (TA). The objective of this study was to describe the epidemiology of TA and its independent association with hospital mortality. We hypothesized that TA would be associated with an independent increase in the risk of death. Methods.We retrospectively studied all patients admitted to a university-affiliated hospital in Australia between January 2000 and December 2002. Patients were excluded if they were <15 years old, were on chronic dialysis, had kidney transplant or if their length of hospital stay was <24 hours. We defined TA as rapidly recovering acute kidney injury (AKI) (return to no-AKI risk, injury, failure, loss, end stage (RIFLE) class within 72 hours of onset). We performed descriptive and ...

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Immune function is critical in health and disease. The control and regulation of immune reactions is an area of intense investigation that has important implications for allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation. Immune reactions are regulated in a number of important ways. Compartmentalization of immune responses and the production of both pro-inflammatory and anti-inflammatory cytokines play a major role. More recently several populations of T cells that regulate immune responses termed regulatory T cells have been identified. This manuscript will focus on CD4^+CD25^+FoxP3^+ natural regulatory T cells (T"r"e"g) and @a@bTCR^+CD4^+NK1.1^+ natural killer T (NK-T) cells which both suppress graft vs host disease but appear to function by distinct mechanisms.

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This study investigated the occurrence of free-living amoebae (FLA) in immunodeficiency wards of hospitals in Tehran, Iran. A total of 70 dust and biofilm samples from wards serving transplant, pediatric (malignancies), HIV, leukemia and oncology patients of five university hospitals were collected and examined for the presence of FLA using culturing and molecular approaches. Based on the morphology of the amoebae in plate cultures, primer sets were applied for molecular identification of Acanthamoeba, vahlkampfiid amoebae and Hartmannella. Out of 70 samples, 37 (52.9%) were positive for FLA. Acanthamoeba belonged to the T4 genotype was the most prevalent isolate. Presence of the T4 genotype on medical instruments, including an oxygen mask in an isolation room of an immunodeficiency pediat...

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Background. A 19-year-old girl was diagnosed with systemic lupus erythematosus, based on findings of arthritis, malar rash, positive antinuclear antibody test and high levels of antibodies to double-stranded DNA. Two months after diagnosis, the patient presented with a sudden drop in blood hemoglobin level. Several days later, she developed bloody sputum, rapidly progressive dyspnea and hypoxemia. High-resolution CT showed diffuse alveolar infiltrates in both lung fields.Investigations. Physical examination, complete blood count, erythrocyte sedimentation rate, urinalysis, 24-h urine protein excretion, fecal occult blood test, d-dimer test, acid hemolysis test, activated partial thromboplastin time and prothrombin time, direct and indirect Coombs tests, bone marrow smear, arterial blood ga...

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The purpose of this study was to investigate whether hydroxyapatite (HAp) coating could induce polyethylene terephthalate (PET) artificial ligament graft osseointegration in the bone tunnel. Twenty-four New Zealand white rabbits underwent artificial ligament graft transplantation in bilateral proximal tibia tunnels. One limb was implanted with HAp-coated PET graft, and the contralateral limb was implanted with non-HAp-coated PET graft as control. The rabbits were randomly sacrificed at four and eight?weeks after surgery. The loads to failure of the experimental group at eight?weeks were significantly higher than those of the control group (p?=?0.0057). Histologically, application of HAp coating induced new bone formation between graft and bone at eight?weeks compared with the controls. Rea...

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Abstract Background- Cyclosporine is used for treatment of transplanted patients and for immune-mediated diseases. Cyclosporine is known to cause a combination of metabolic side effects including hypertension, hyperkalemia, hypercalciuria and hypomagnesemia. These side effects except for hypomagnesemia are the cardinal features of familial hyperkalemia and hypertension (FHHt), also called pseudohypoaldosteronism type II (PHA II). FHHt is caused by mutations in the kinases WNK1 and WNK4 resulting in an increase in renal Na-Cl cotransporter (NCC) apical distribution and function. Therefore, we studied whether cyclosporine-s metabolic side effects are mediated by WNK4 and NCC. Design- Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats were treated by cyclosporine 25-mg-kg-1 subcutaneously for 14-days. Blood pressure, ...

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Results are presented of trials in W. Germany involving Populus tremula X P. tremuloides. In a nursery in late August - early September 1971, some 1300 buds from 38 selected 3-yr-old hybrid aspen seedlings were grafted into T-slits at nodes 10-20 cm above root' collars of 1 and a half yr-old hybrid aspen stock (products of controlled crossings, and in some cases of similar parentage to the transplanted buds). In spring 1972, each stock (from which its own buds were removed) was cut back to a 'peg' 15-20 cm above the level of the graft; the 'peg' was later used to support the new shoot developed from the transplanted bud. By Sept. 1972, 33% of grafts were successful, the success rate being significantly different (3-67%) within clones; average height of scion shoots ranged from 79 to 375 cm (no significant difference between clones). In spring 1973, some 190 grafts from 35 clones were row-planted in ...

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

(1) Young chrysanthemums were planted after being irradiated at the time of shoot tip culture and the influence of irradiation was evaluated from the point of view of establishment of mutants. (2) Two cultivars, Kin-tenryu and Tenryu-no-asa were used in this experiment. The percentage of cultivars healthy enough to transplant on June 10, 1972 showed a decrease in proportion to the increase of dosage. Some plants of cultivar Kin-tenryu died after being transplanted. (3) Few plants of either cultivar could overwinter, and in particular no plant irradiated by gamma-rays of 20 kR. (4) Plant height showed a tendency of inhibition in both cultivars. (5) Three chlorophyll mutants showing chimera appeared. One of them was in the cultivar Tenryu-no-asa irradiated by 10 kR at 3 days after planting; two of them were in the cultivar Tenryu-no-asa irradiated by 10 kR at 5 days after planting. One mutant exhibiting malformation of entire leaves appeared in ...

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We have presented evidence that the functional thyroid follicles (follicular units, FU) which are formed in grafts of monodispersed rat thyroid cells, and hence the thyroid tumors which later develop in such grafts, are clonal in origin. Recent studies have been designed to investigate: whether cell number-dependent inhibition of promotion-progression is mediated by remote hormonal feed-back, local cell-cell interactions, or both; the cell population kinetics of the clonogen subpopulation during goitrogenesis and goiter involution; and the effect of prolonged exposure to high levels of TSH (thyrotropin) on the capacity of the clonogens to give rise to functional FU. The results indicate that local cell-cell interactions play an important role in the cell number-dependent suppression of neoplastic promotion-progression. They also show that if sufficient thyroid cells are grafted, the thyroid-pituitary axis can be reestablished in thyroidectomized rats fed normal diets. In such animals ...

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

A human cholangiocarcinoma, Ch-1, serially transplanted to nude mice was used for experimental chemotherapy, radiotherapy, and conbination chemoradiotherapy. In the group of chemotherapy with single drug, Mitomycin C (MMC) revealed greater effectiveness than Adriamycin in terms of tumor regression, histological findings, and minor side effects. MMC and radiotherapy by Linac X-ray showed exponential linear dose response curve against tumor weight. Their effects were equivalent at doses of MMC 1 mg/kg and radiation 1,000 rads/mouse in the changes of tumor weight and of histological findings which were similar to each other. Combination chemoradiotherapy showed the synergistic action when the radiation (500 rads/mouse) was performed before MMC (0.5 mg/kg) administration, whereas only the additive effect was observed when the sequence was reversed. The cell kinetic analysis was performed by the impulse cytophotometry, "3H-thymidine uptake labeling index (L.I.), and ...

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Background and Purpose: Total-body irradiation (TBI) is an important part of the conditioning regimen for hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) in patients with hematologic malignancies. The results after treatment with various TBI regimes were compared, and dose-effect relationships for the endpoints relapse incidence, disease-free survival, treatment-related mortality, and overall survival were derived. The aim was to define requirements for an optimal treatment schedule with respect to leukemic cell kill and late normal-tissue morbidity. Material and Methods: A literature search was performed. Three randomized studies, four studies comparing results of two or three TBI regimens, and nine reports with results of one specific TBI regimen were identified. Biologically effective doses (BEDs) were calculated. The results of the randomized studies and the studies comparing results of two or three TBI regimens were pooled, and the pooled relative risk (RR) was ...

Science.gov (United States)

The aim of this study was to compare the results of different treatment strategies for osteochondral defects (OCD) of the talus. Electronic databases from 1966 to June 2000 were systematically screened. Thirty-nine studies fulfilled our inclusion criteria. No randomized clinical trials could be identified. The results of nonoperative treatment were described in 14 studies, of excision alone in 4, of excision and curettage in 10, of excision, curettage and drilling in 21, of cancellous bone grafting in 2, of fixation in 3, and of osteochondral transplantation in 1. Good or excellent results were found in 45% of the cases. Comparison of different surgical procedures showed that excision, curettage and drilling resulted in the highest mean success rate (86%), followed by excision and curettage (76%) and excision alone (38%). From the results of this systematic review we conclude that nonoperative treatment and excision alone are not to be recommended for treatment of ...

British Library Electronic Table of Contents (United Kingdom)

PurposeTo evaluate the efficacy of photorefractive keratectomy (PRK) for residual refractive error after penetrating keratoplasty (PKP) for keratoconus. SettingPrivate ophthalmic clinic. DesignCase series. MethodConsecutive patients who had PRK augmented with topical mitomycin-C (MMC) after PKP for keratoconus were retrospectively reviewed. Patients were divided into a a low cylinder group (refractive cylinder 6.00 D). Visual acuity, refraction, and keratometry were analyzed preoperatively and 1, 3, 6, and 12 months postoperatively. ResultsThe study comprised 47 eyes (41 patients). The spherical equivalent (SE) decreased from -4.24 D +- 3.23 (SD) preoperatively to -0.71 +- 1.03 D 12 months postoperatively in the low cylinder group and from -4.19 +- 3.54 D to -2.45 +- 3.42 D, respectively, ...

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Hepatobiliary scintigraphy is the only non-invasive technique providing real-time assessment of hepatocytes function and bile progression from the liver to the intestine; for this reason it is of great importance in the study of jaundice and many other disorders of the liver and the biliary tract in children. Ultrasonography is the initial method of evaluating the intra- and extrahepatic bile ducts dilatation: the differential diagnosis between biliary atresia and neonatal hepatitis cannot however be done without hepatobiliary scintigraphy. Cystic fibrosis patients also require hepatobiliary scintigraphy; liver and biliary tract disease can really occur independently of the underlying disease severity and the presence of steatorrhoea. Hepatobiliary imaging in children who have undergone liver transplantation is of major importance; it can assess vascularity, parenchymal function biliary drainage, possible presence of a bile leak and obstruction; it has very good ...

Science.gov (United States)

Hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) have remained at the forefront of stem cell research for the past 50 years, since the therapeutic potential of bone marrow transplantation was realized. Uniquely, among stem and progenitor cells, research progress has been made in parallel between the laboratory benchtop and hospital bedside during this period. Integral to this work has been the role of the transfusion medicine services in the collection, storage, and processing of HSCs. The next decade promises to bring further developments: with new fields of cellular therapies, stem cell vaccination, and stem cell drug testing opening up. This article summarizes exciting areas of research concerning the behavior and potential clinical applications of HSCs. For the purposes of clarity, we describe in turn the trafficking and transfer of HSCs; ex vivo expansion of HSC units from different sources; and finally, applications of specifically selected subsets of hematopoietic cells and ...

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Buffer layers with 100% lattice match with YBa2Cu3O7 - ? (YBCO) were prepared from mixed rare-earth-oxides applying a simple sol-gel process and dip-coating method. Structural analysis of the sol-gel derived powder by X-ray diffraction revealed that the mixing parameter, which eliminates the lattice mismatch with YBCO, is x = 0.2382, 0.1852, 0.1252, 0.0906, 0.0793 and 0.0395 in (Eu1 - xHox)2O3, (Eu1 - xErx)2O3, (Eu1 - xYbx)2O3, (Gd1 - xHox)2O3, (Gd1 - xYx)2O3 and (Gd1 - xYbx)2O3, respectively. Microstructural investigations were carried out for Gd1.819Ho0.181O3 films epitaxially grown on cube-textured Ni (100) substrates by sol-gel dip-coating process. X-ray diffraction of the buffer showed strong out-of-plane orientation on Ni tape. The (Gd1 - xHox)2O3 (222) pole figure indicated a single cube-on-cube textured structure. The omega and phi scans revealed good out-of-plane and in-plane alne alignments. The full-width at half-maximum values of omega and phi scan of ...

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We describe the growth, fabrication, and characterization of an ultraviolet (UV) photoconductive detector based on In{sub x}Al{sub y}Ga{sub 1-x-y}N quaternary alloy that is lattice matched to GaN. The detector consisted of 0.1 {mu}m In{sub x}Al{sub y}Ga{sub 1-x-y}N alloy grown on 0.5-1.0 {mu}m GaN epilayer by metalorganic chemical vapor deposition. With varying indium concentration, the cut-off wavelength of the In{sub x}Al{sub y}Ga{sub 1-x-y}N detectors could be varied to the deep UV range. The most important and intriguing result is that the responsivity of the In{sub x}Al{sub y}Ga{sub 1-x-y}N quaternary alloy exceeded that of AlGaN alloy of a comparable cutoff wavelength by a factor of five. This makes the nitride quaternary alloy very important material for solar blind UV detectors applications particularly in the deep UV range where Al rich AlGaN alloys have problems with low quantum efficiency and cracks due in part to lattice mismatch with GaN. The ...

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In order to fabricate high temperature superconducting tapes for power applications, the authors have analyzed different buffer layer architectures grown on textured Ni substrates suitable for YBCO deposition. Due to its optimal lattice matching the studied structures present as top layer a CeO{sub 2} film. The deposition of CeO{sub 2} on Ni substrates was performed by pulsed laser ablation and by e-beam evaporation at different temperatures. The films obtained by the two deposition techniques have not optimal structural properties, having a polycrystalline component. The misorientation of CeO{sub 2} is probably due to the formation of NiO at the interface between the film and the substrate during the deposition process even if no oxygen is introduced. In order to prevent Ni oxidation an intermediate 2000 {angstrom} Pd thick film was deposited by e-beam. Furthermore, the lattice mismatch between Pd and CeO{sub 2} is smaller than that between Ni and CeO{sub 2}. The ...

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Signal-to-noise-ratio (SNR) thresholds for microarray data analysis were experimentally determined with an oligonucleotide array that contained perfect match (PM) and mismatch (MM) probes based upon four genes from Shewanella oneidensis MR-1. A new SNR calculation, called signal to both standard deviations ratio (SSDR) was developed, and evaluated along with other two methods, signal to standard deviation ratio (SSR), and signal to background ratio (SBR). At a low stringency, the thresholds of SSR, SBR, and SSDR were 2.5, 1.60 and 0.80 with oligonucleotide and PCR amplicon as target templates, and 2.0, 1.60 and 0.70 with genomic DNA as target templates. Slightly higher thresholds were obtained at the high stringency condition. The thresholds of SSR and SSDR decreased with an increase in the complexity of targets (e.g., target types), and the presence of background DNA, and a decrease in the composition of targets, while SBR remained unchanged under all situations. ...

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

We review the current status of Andreev reflection spectroscopy on the heavy fermions, mostly focusing on the case of CeCoIn5, a heavy-fermion superconductor with a critical temperature of 2.3 K. This is a well-established technique to investigate superconducting order parameters via measurements of the differential conductance from nanoscale metallic junctions. Andreev reflection is clearly observed in CeCoIn5 as in other heavy-fermion superconductors. Considering the large mismatch in Fermi velocities, this observation seemingly appears to disagree with the Blonder-Tinkham-Klapwijk (BTK) theory. The measured Andreev signal is highly reduced to the order of maximum ?13% compared to the theoretically predicted value (100%). The background conductance exhibits a systematic evolution in its asymmetry over a wide temperature range from above the heavy-fermion coherence temperature down to well below the superconducting transition temperature. Analysis of the ...

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

A CIEP analysis of the recent development of demand and supply for crude oil indicates that the mismatch in supply and demand growth could cause tighter oil markets than we already experience today. In the World Energy Outlook 2007, the International Energy Agency (IEA) warned of a possible 'energy crunch'. But what was anticipated to happen in the first part of the next decade has been fast-forwarded to today, more than 5 years earlier, and could shake the very foundation of our energy systems if no action is undertaken. Without exaggeration, the recent developments in the international oil market are ground-breaking: a little over a year ago, in January 2007, the West Texas Intermediate crude oil price (WTI) traded for USD50 dollar a barrel. Within a year, the price doubled to USD100 per barrel in January 2008 and pushed through to over USD135 in June 2008, against the backdrop of the fresh market supposition about reaching a whopping USD200 per barrel in 2009. ...

Science.gov (United States)

The purpose of this study was to correlate histopathological with CT findings in patients suffering from hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) eligible for orthotopic liver transplantation (OLT), with a special focus on the antitumoral effect of transarterial chemoembolization (TACE) therapy. A total of 42 consecutive patients suffering from HCC had been treated prior to OLT by means of TACE. TACE was carried out with a mixture of Lipiodol (10-20 ml) and mitomycin C (max. dosage, 10 mg). TACE was performed at 6- to 8-week intervals. Follow-up investigation included contrast-enhanced multislice CT controls and laboratory control. Liver explants were evaluated macroscopically and microscopically to determine the number and size of the tumor lesions as well as the degree of tumor necrosis. Necrosis was investigated in H and E-stained sections. The degree of necrosis was classified as follows: 0-25%, 26-50%, 51-75%, 75-99%, and complete necrosis. Two hundred thirty-one TACE ...

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An increase in forest production will be necessary in the future when wood becomes a major renewable source of energy and chemicals along with its traditional role of fibre source. This increase could eventually by achieved be proper selection and breeding of trees. Clonal forestry by vegetative propagation of cuttings is becoming a viable alternative to a seedling-based forestry with many advantages, and cutting could be used to quickly propagate large numbers of clones of control-pollinated seedlings. Most forest trees are propagated sexually and seed orchards were started in the US and Canada in the last 40-50 years for breeding purposes. Forests could ultimately be established with improved seedlings instead of from seed with unknown genetic potential, or by natural regeneration. Micropropagation is the term used to refer to the propagation of plants raised by tissue culture methods rather than from seeds or cuttings. Many clonal plantlets could be regenerated asexually in the ...

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Understanding prostate stem cells may provide insight into the origin of prostate cancer. Primary cells have been cultured from human prostate tissue but they usually survive only 15-20 population doublings before undergoing senescence. We report here that RC-170N/h/clone 7 cells, a clonal cell line from hTERT-immortalized primary non-malignant tissue-derived human prostate epithelial cell line (RC170N/h), retain multipotent stem cell properties. The RC-170N/h/clone 7 cells expressed a human embryonic stem cell marker, Oct-4, and potential prostate epithelial stem cell markers, CD133, integrin #alpha#2#beta#1"h"i and CD44. The RC-170N/h/clone 7 cells proliferated in KGM and Dulbecco's Modified Eagle Medium with 10% fetal bovine serum and 5 #mu#g/ml insulin (DMEM + 10% FBS + Ins.) medium, and differentiated into epithelial stem cells that expressed epithelial cell markers, including CK5/14, CD44, p63 and cytokeratin 18 (CK18); as well as the mesenchymal cell markers, vimentin, desmin; ...

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Full text: The general population is daily exposed to chronic, low doses of ionizing radiation (IR) from both natural and artificial sources. The biological consequences of acute, high dose IR exposure can be readily determined; however, the nature and significance of low dose, low dose-rate IR effects are still the subject of debate. Confounding the issue, are the phenomena collectively referred to as the Radiation-induced Bystander Effect (RIBE). The RIBE describes a collection of in vitro observations that suggest the presence of a soluble, transmissible factor(s) released from irradiated cells that can induce a biological response in un-irradiated cells. The induction, nature and magnitude of the RIBE varies between cell culture systems, radiation sources and end-points measured. Efforts to confirm the presence of the RIBE in vivo have been confined to in vivo-like culture systems and limited work with tumour and bone-marrow transplantation models. Validation ...

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(Materials and Methods) (I) VX/sub 2/ carcinoma was transplanted to the rabbit tibia, sup(99m)Tc-MDP was intravenously injected when bone destruction was radiologically seen. Preoperative scintigraphs, postoperative one of the resected tibia and fibra and scintigraphs of sliced tumor were compared with each other. Tissue fragments were collected from the sliced tumor, and RI was measured to compare concentration rates at different parts together with histological investigations. (II) Tetracycline was given to the rabbit of Experiment (I) to compare with the concentration of sup(99m)Tc-MDP. (III) Microautoradiography method was done on the experimental animals for investigation of the concentration of sup(99m)Tc-MDP. (Results) (I) Localization of sup(99m)Tc-MDP was increased at the sites of tumorous bone formation, of reactive bone formation at tumor edges, and of cartilage calcification, with little concentration at tumor cells or necrotic tissue. (II) Deposition ...

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Background: In the German CESS-studies, Ewing's sarcoma patients with pulmonary metastases at diagnosis were considered as candidates for additional bilateral lung irradiation. We have retrospectively analyzed the impact of radiotherapy on survival. Material and methods: Out of 42 patients presenting with pulmonary metastases of Ewing's sarcoma between 1981 and June 1992, 30 were evaluable. One patient died of progressive disease prior to lung irradiation. The other patients had a complete radiographic remission either after chemotherapy (n=25) or chemotherapy plus resection of lung metastases (n=4). 22 patients received bilateral lung irradiation with doses of 12 to 21 Gy (once daily 1.5 Gy or twice daily 1.25 Gy), six had no further treatment and one had bone marrow transplantation for consolidation. Results: Ten patients are in complete remission, nine of them had received lung irradiation and one had a complete resection of three lung metastases. Two patients ...

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Homologous and heterologous arterial segments were implanted in Fisher rats subcutaneously for the purpose of examining the antibody titer of the recipients' serum after implantation by means of the immune-adherence hemagglutination method. The antibody titer after implantation both of homologous and heterologous grafts decreased to 1/8 by 2.0 million (M) rads irradiation of high voltage cathode rays. The results suggested that high voltage cathode ray irradiation was not enough for heterologous graft to suppress its tissue reaction. Homografts taken from dogs 3 or 6 hours after sacrifice were irradiated with 2.0 M rads and transplanted in canine carotid artery using the technic of end-to-end anastomosis. Angiograms 6 months after operation revealed excellent patency rate in all the grafts of 28 dogs. furthermore, findings of the grafts from 1 week to 5 years after operation on scanning and transmission electron microscopies were evaluated. Clinical ...

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Changes in the phosphate metabolism of the transplanted SCCVII (squamous cell carcinoma VII) tumor were studied before and after irradiation using in vivo [sup 31]P-magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS). Phosphocreatine (PCr), [gamma]-, [alpha]-, [beta]-ATP, inorganic phosphate (Pi), phosphomonoester (PME), and phosphodiester (PDE) were detected in [sup 31]P-MR spectra of tumor tissues. The curve fitting method was employed for calculating each peak of [sup 31]P-MR spectra (PCr, [beta]-ATP, Pi, PME, PDE). The values of PCr, PCr/Pi, [beta]-ATP/Pi and pH decreased in proportion to the growth of tumor, whereas that of Pi, PME and PDE increased. But the changes of [beta]-ATP were minimal in degree. Based on the fact that the ratio of PCr/Pi highly correlated with tumor volume and showed the most remarkable change among various parameters, it might be the useful index for the tumor growth. Because the phospholipid metabolite PME was detected in the earlier stage of ...

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Colorectal carcinoma is a highly prevalent and common cause of cancer in Taiwan. There is still no available cure for this malignant disease. To address this issue, we applied the multimodality of molecular imaging to explore the efficacy of diagnostic and therapeutic nanoradiopharmaceuticals in an animal model of human colorectal adenocarcinoma [colorectal cancer (CRC)] that stably expresses luciferase (luc) as a reporter. In this study, an in vivo therapeutic efficacy evaluation of dual-nanoliposome (100 nm in diameter) encaged vinorelbine (VNB) and "1"1"1In-oxine on HT-29/luc mouse xenografts was carried out. HT-29/luc tumor cells were transplanted subcutaneously into male SCID mice. Multimodality of molecular imaging approaches including bioluminescence imaging (BLI), gamma scintigraphy, whole-body autoradiography (WBAR) and in vivo tumor growth tracing, histopathology and biochemistry/hematology analyses were applied on xenografted SCID mice to study the ...

Science.gov (United States)

Glioblastoma multiforme is the most aggressive form of human brain tumor, which has no effective cure. Previously, we have demonstrated that overexpression of the C-terminal fragment of the human telomerase reverse transcriptase (hTERTC27) inhibits the growth and tumorigenicity of human cervical cancer HeLa cells. In this study, the therapeutic effect and molecular mechanisms of hTERTC27-mediated cancer gene therapy were further explored in vivo in established human glioblastoma xenografts in nude mice. We showed that intratumoral injection of adeno-associated virus carrying hTERTC27 (rAAV-hTERTC27) is highly effective in reducing the growth of the subcutaneously transplanted glioblastoma tumors. Histological analyses showed that rAAV-hTERTC27 treatment leads to profound necrosis, apoptosis, infiltration of polymorphonuclear neutrophils and reduced microvessel density in the tumor samples. To study the molecular mechanism of rAAV-hTERTC27-mediated antitumor ...

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

The thermodynamic aspects of indium-face InN growth by radio frequency plasma-assisted molecular-beam epitaxy (rf-MBE) and the nucleation of InN on gallium-face GaN (0001) surface were investigated. The rates of InN decomposition and indium desorption from the surface were measured in situ using reflected high-energy electron diffraction and the rf-MBE 'growth window' of In-face InN (0001) was identified. It is shown that sustainable growth can be achieved only when the arrival rate of active nitrogen species on the surface is higher than the arrival rate of indium atoms. The maximum substrate temperature permitting InN growth as a function of the active nitrogen flux was determined. The growth mode of InN on Ga-face GaN (0001) surface was investigated by reflected high-energy electron diffraction and atomic force microscopy. It was found to be of the Volmer-Weber-type for substrate temperatures less than 350 deg. C and of the Stranski-Krastanov for substrate temperatures between 350 ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

In this article is reviewed the role of Computed Tomography (CT) in thoracic complications following ortho topic liver transplantation (OLT). In a post-OLT population of 567 patients transplanted in the Italian institutions, 100 patients (17.6%) were examined with chest CT. It was reviewed data relative to the total number of examinations, clinical and/or radiographic indications, the CT technique-i.e., conventional (with (out) intravenous, i.v., contrast material) or high-resolution (HRCT). It also reviewed the radiologic patterns and their correlation with the other clinical, bronchoscopic and/or laboratory results. Of 152 chest CT examinations, 45 (29.6%) were performed because of clinical indications, 31 (20.4%) because of a radiographic abnormality, 64 (42.1%) because of clinical and radiographic abnormality, 64 (42.1%) because of clinical and radiographic indications, while in 12 cases (7.9%) the reasons were unknown; 133/152 (87.5%) ...