Previous studies using in vitro cell culture systems have shown the role of the dynamin-related GTPase Opa1 in apoptosis prevention and mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) maintenance. However, it remains to...Full Text Available
Pancreatic islet transplantation into the liver provides a possibility to treat selected patients with brittle type 1 diabetes mellitus. However, massive early β-cell death increases the number...Full Text Available
The purpose was to study the toxicity of drugs known to generate free radicals on isolated pancreatic islets. The accumulattion of "8"6Rb"+ by mouse pancreatic islets was measured in vitro. Exposing the islets to 6-hydroxydopamine, minhydrin, or phenazine methosulphate + NADH inhibited the Rb"+ uptake, whereas paraquat or acetylphenylhydrazine had no effect. This effect of 6-hydroxydopamine was prevented by either of the hydroxyl radical scavengers, sodium benzoate and mannitol, but not by the non-scavenger,urea; ninhydrin was partially protected against by mannitol but not by benzoate. Protection against 6-hydroxydopamine was also afforded by D-glucose but not by L-glucose or 3-O-methyl-D-glucose; none of the sugars protected against ninhydrin. In damaging islet beta-cells and in being protected against by D-glucose, 6-hydroxydopamine closely resembles the diabetogenic drug, alloxan. It is suggested that protection against ...
Pancreatic amyloid deposits of amylin are a hallmark of Type II diabetes and considerable evidence indicates that amylin oligomers are cytotoxic to beta-cells. Many efforts are presently spent to find out naturally occurring molecules, or to design synthetic ones, able to hinder amylin aggregation or to protect cells against aggregate cytotoxicity. In this context, a protective effect of some polyphenols against amyloid cytotoxicity was reported. Actually dietary polyphenols are endowed with multiple health benefits, and extra virgin olive oil is attracting increasing interest as a source of these substances. Here, we investigated the effects on amylin aggregation and cytotoxicity of the secoiridoid oleuropein aglycon, the main phenolic component of extra virgin olive oil. We found that oleuropein, when present during the aggregation of amylin, consistently prevented its cytotoxicity to RIN-5F pancreatic ...
Active oxygens produced by low-dose irradiation can induce the synthesis of proteins involved in the active oxygen reduction path and can activate the chemical self-defense mechanisms in vivo, which can alleviate the injuries caused by active oxygens themselves. The following findings suggests that it is not only by low-dose irradiation that can induce the responses described above but also by any physical and/or chemical stresses which can produce small amount of active oxygens in vivo. 1. X-irradiation with 0.5 Gy and/or water immersion and restraint induced heat shock protein (HSP)70 in rat stomach cells. HSP70 was also induced in adrenal cells by paraquat administration. 2. The SOD activity in pancreas of rat significantly increased by #gamma#-irradiation with 0.5 Gy. 0.5 Gy irradiation preceeding the alloxan administration significantly suppressed the increase in pancreatic lipid peroxides and in blood glucose levels, degranulation in ...
Walled-off pancreatic necrosis (WOPN), formerly known as pancreatic abscess is a late complication of acute pancreatitis. It can be lethal, even though it is rare. This critical review provides an overview...Full Text Available
Autoimmune pancreatitis (AIP) is a rare cause of recurrent acute pancreatitis or chronic pancreatitis in middle-aged patients, and is characterised by a marked infiltration of lymphocytes and plasma...Full Text Available
Standard pancreatic resections, such as pancreaticoduodenectomy, distal pancreatectomy, or total pancreatectomy, result in an important loss of normal pancreatic parenchyma and may cause impairment...Full Text Available
BackgroundDespite an ever-improving understanding of the molecular biology of cancer, the treatment of most cancers has not changed dramatically in the past three decades and drugs that do not discriminate between tumor cells and normal tissues remain the mainstays of anticancer therapy. Since Hsp90 is typically involved in cell proliferation and survival, this is thought to play a key role in cancer, and Hsp90 has attracted considerable interest in recent years as a potential therapeutic target.MethodsWe focused on the interaction of Hsp90 with its cofactor protein p60/Hop, and engineered a cell-permeable peptidomimetic, termed "hybrid Antp-TPR peptide", modeled on the binding interface between the molecular chaperone Hsp90 and the TPR2A domain of Hop.ResultsIt was demonstrated that this designed hybrid Antp-TPR peptide inhibited the interaction of Hsp90 with the TPR2A domain, inducing cell death of breast, pancreatic, renal, lung, prostate, ...
The most common causes of omental sac collections (OSC) are necrotic pancreatitis (90%) and pancreatic trauma (10%). Acute OSC is a form of local peritonitis in acute pancreatitis, subacute OSC are caused by internal pancreatic fistulas. The clinical and radiological signs, enzymatic activity of the exudate, morphological features of peritonitis were investigated. Treatment of acute OSC included conservative measures, of subacute OSC-surgical procedures. PMID:9163152
We have identified the nonreceptor tyrosine kinase syk as a marker of differentiation/tumor suppressor in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC). Syk expression is lost in poorly differentiated PDAC...Full Text Available
Pain caused by chronic pancreatitis is medically intractable and resistant to conventional interventional or surgical treatment. We report a case of spinal cord stimulation (SCS) for intractable pain...Full Text Available
Objectives:Cachexia is common in pancreatic cancer and may have an influence on longterm survival but few studies have investigated this in patients with operable tumours. Therefore,...Full Text Available
BackgroundGastrointestinal stromal tumours (GIST) frequently occur in patients with neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF-1). It has been reported that GIST may co-exist with pancreatic endocrine...Full Text Available
Patients with pancreatic cancer normally present with advanced disease that is lethal and notoriously difficult to treat. Survival has not improved dramatically, despite routine use of chemotherapy...Full Text Available
The virtual lack of well-characterized metastatic pancreatic cancer tissues for study has limited systematic studies of the metastatic process of this deadly disease. To address this important...Full Text Available
BackgroundASCL1 role in pancreatic endocrine tumourigenesis has not been established. Recently it was suggested that ASCL1 negatively controls expression of the...Full Text Available
Of 868 patients admitted with pancreatitis between 1971 and 1976, coexisting hyperbilirubinemia was noted in 125 (14%). The patient population was primarily composed of alcoholics (84%) with chronic...Full Text Available
We examined the association between N-acetyltransferase 1 and 2 (NAT1 and NAT2) haplotype and risk of pancreatic cancer by genotyping eight...Full Text Available
Recently, there has been significant progress in the development of genetically-engineered mouse (GEM) models. By introducing genetic alterations and/or signaling alterations of human pancreatic cancer...Full Text Available
AIM: To distinguish anastomotic from parenchymal leakage at duct-to-mucosa reconstruction of the pancreatic remnant.METHODS: We reviewed the charts of 68 pancreaticod-uodenectomies performed...Full Text Available
Pancreatic cysts are challenging lesions to diagnose and to treat. Determining which of the five most common diagnoses—pancreatic pseudocyst, serous cystic neoplasm (SCN), solid pseudopapillary...Full Text Available
BackgroundThe elevated serum and peritoneal cytokine concentrations responsible for the systemic response syndrome (SIRS) and multiorgan failure in patients with severe acute pancreatitis...Full Text Available
The purpose of this study was to determine the clinical significance of nodal micrometastasis detected by immunohistochemistry in patients that had undergone curative surgery for pancreatic cancer....Full Text Available
Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDA) is one of the most lethal human malignancy with dismal prognosis and few effective therapeutic options. Novel agents that are safe and effective are urgently...Full Text Available
A hitherto unrecognized variant of solid-pseudopapillary tumor (SPT) of the pancreas is reported. The tumor presented in the pancreatic tail of a 44-year-old female patient. It was a well-defined, solid...Full Text Available
We describe the lethal, recessive accelerated-cell-death11 Arabidopsis mutant (acd11). Cell death in acd11 exhibits characteristics of animal apoptosis...Full Text Available
Autoimmune pancreatitis is frequently associated with elevated serum and tissue IgG4 levels in the adult population, but there are few reports of pediatric autoimmune pancreatitis, and even fewer reports...Full Text Available
In spite of the improved imaging techniques currently available, mortality for pancreatic cancer is still high, and pancreatics is often diagnosed only in its advanced stages. The authors investigated the value of different imaging techniques - i.e., US, CT, and ERCP - for an early diagnosis, when a more effective (curative?) treatment can be suggested. Fifty-six cases of pancreatic cancer and 36 cases of chronic pancreatitis were evaluated. The results indicate that ERCP, with the help of statistical methods, is superior to US and CT not only in evaluating early neoplastic or inflammatory lesions, but also for their differential diagnosis. In the letter case, ERCP can sometimes be used as a valid alternative to fine-needle aspiration biopsy.
Background:Solid pseudopapillary tumor is a rare pancreatic neoplasm with uncertain to low malignant potential. This is an uncommon neoplasm with many pseudonyms, occurring...Full Text Available
Background This study aimed to evaluate the feasibility, safety, and follow-up results of endoscopic papilletomy (ESP) with pancreatic and biliary duct stent placement for ampullary tumors. The therapeutic approach to benign ampullary tumors remains unsettled. The ESP procedure is a curative treatment option for benign papillary tumors, but ESP raises concerns about a relatively high risk for procedure-related complications such as pancreatitis. A pancreatic stent may protect against complications. Methods Between September 2000 and June 2008, 36 patients with ampullary tumors confined to the mucosa and no intraductal tumor growth underwent ESP. The preprocedural diagnostic tools included endoscopic ultrasound, transpapillary intraductal ultrasound, and endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancr...
The typical MRI features of the most common pancreatic diseases, such as pancreatitis and adenocarcinoma of the pancreas, have been established. However, even in these common pancreatic disorders, MRI correlation with the underlying pathology is limited for clinical reasons. We emphasize MR-pathological correlation of inflammatory and neoplastic pancreatic changes, including pancreatitis, adenocarcinoma, acinar cell carcinoma, rare cystic and solid pancreatic neoplasms, and islet cell tumors. By highlighting the correlation of key pathological features with MR findings, a better understanding of the MR appearance of pancreatic pathology can be provided. In addition, MRI may prove a powerful tool in detection and characterization of pancreatic tumors. (orig.) [Deutsch] Das MR-tomographische Erscheinungsbild von ...
Pancreatitis-associated protein (PAP) is a secretory pancreatic protein present in small amounts in normal pancreas and overexpressed during the acute phase of pancreatitis. In this paper, the authors describe the cloning, characterization, and chromosomal mapping of the human PAP gene. The gene spans 2748 bp and contains six exons interrupted by five introns. The gene has a typical promoter containing the sequences TATAAA and CCAAT 28 and 52 bp upstream of the cap site, respectively. They found striking similarities in genomic organization as well as in the promoter sequences between the human and rat PAP genes. The human PAP gene was mapped to chromosome 2p12 using rodent-human hybrid cells and in situ chromosomal hybridization. This localization coincides with that of the reg/lithostathine gene, which encodes a pancreatic secretory protein structurally related to PAP, suggesting that both genes ...
The current investigation attempted to confirm the beneficial actions of a chemically characterized Radix Astragali decoction (AM-W) against type 2 diabetic (T2D) Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats. Using a case/control...Full Text Available
Nonfunctioning pancreatic endocrine tumors (PETs) are rare and generally asymptomatic. A 68-year-old woman who had refused treatment for a pancreatic mass, revealed by ultrasonography to be 55 mm in diameter, was referred to us again 29 months later with jaundice. Investigations showed an 82-mm tumor in the head of pancreas, exposed from the papilla of Vater to the duodenal lumen. After biliary decompression and drainage, we performed pancreatoduodenectomy with resection of the portal vein and superior mesenteric vein, followed by reconstruction using a cylindrically customized autologous graft harvested from the right ovarian vein. The tumor was resected curatively. Microscopically, it consisted of trabecular and ribbon-like arrangement of neoplastic cells. Immunohistochemical staining wa...
... be able to watch the many intricate steps Dr. Richard Alexander must accomplish to remove the cancer. ... door to informed medical care. Now let's join Dr. Richard Alexander at the University of Maryland Medical ...
1. Proteolytic enzyme activities were examined in the pancreas of zinc-deficient and control rats. 2. No change was detected in trypsin-plus-chymotrypsin activity. 3. Carboxypeptidase activity was...Full Text Available
BACKGROUNDSolid-pseudopapillary neoplasms (SPNs) are rare pancreatic tumors with malignant potential. Clinicopathologic characteristics and outcomes of patients with...Full Text Available
We report here a case of a pathologically proven solitary fibrous tumor of the pancreas. A 54-year-old man was referred to our hospital for further evaluation of a pancreatic mass that was found incidentally....Full Text Available
AIM: To investigate differential points of solid-pseudopapillary neoplasm (SPN) of the pancreas and pancreatic endocrine tumor (PET).METHODS: Ten cases of SPN and fourteen cases of PET were studied...Full Text Available
Menin, which is encoded by the multiple endocrine neoplasia type 1 (MEN1) gene, is a tumor suppressor and transcriptional regulator. Menin controls proliferation and apoptosis of cells, especially pancreatic...Full Text Available
This case report describes the second known instance of a multifocal capillary pancreatic neoplasm. Both cases occurred in young African American females. A less-than-total pancreatectomy was performed...Full Text Available
Middle segment pancreatectomy (MSP) is a new operation where the advantages of parenchymal preservation are counterbalanced by a high postoperative complication rate and unease among surgeons with adopting...Full Text Available
Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) results from insulin resistance and β-cell dysfunction, in the setting of hyperglucagonemia. Glucagon is a 29 amino acid peptide hormone, which is secreted from...Full Text Available
Endoscopic Retrograde Cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) is a widely used diagnostic and therapeutic modality in the management of biliary and pancreatic disease. Some of the complications of the procedure,...Full Text Available
In spite of their rarity, cystic neoplasms of the pancreas are characterized by existing or potential malignancy that cannot be ignored during decisive process with regard to the choice of treatment....Full Text Available
ObjectiveThe goal of the study was to investigate the genetic and molecular basis of a novel syndrome of marked hyperglucagonemia and pancreatic α cell hyperplasia...Full Text Available
BackgroundRoad traffic crashes are considered by the WHO to be the most important global cause of death from injury. However, this may not be true for large areas of rural Asia where...Full Text Available
The cells of the endosperm of castor bean seeds (Ricinus communis) undergo programmed cell death during germination, after their oil and protein reserves have been mobilized. Nuclear...Full Text Available
Petal senescence, one type of programmed cell death (PCD) in plants, is a genetically controlled sequence of events comprising its final developmental stage. We characterized the pollination-induced...Full Text Available
BackgroundMost maternal deaths in developing countries can be prevented. China is among the 13 countries with the most maternal deaths; however, there has been a marked decrease...Full Text Available
AbstractA newly recognized syndrome, characterized by sudden death of farmed deer that are in good to excellent nutritional condition, with lesions of small intestinal mucosal hemorrhage...Full Text Available
Coronary artery disease (CAD) is the single most common cause of death in the developed world, responsible for about 1 in every 5 deaths. The morbidity, mortality, and socioeconomic importance...Full Text Available
BackgroundThis study examines the prevalence and nature of bereavement help-seeking among the population who experienced an "expected" death in the five years before their survey...Full Text Available
US Army casualty deaths in the Republic of Vietnam were analyzed to provide information on wound ballistics that may be used by interested branches of the services on the subjects of casualty reduction, wounding, mechanisms, and evaluation of hostile weap...
Nerve growth factor (NGF), a survival factor for neurons enforces pain by sensitizing nociceptors. Also in the pancreas, NGF was associated with pain and it can stimulate the proliferation of pancreatic cancer cells. Hepatic stellate cells (HSC) respond to NGF with apoptosis. Transforming growth factor (TGF)-b, one of the strongest pro-fibrogenic activators of pancreatic stellate cells (PSC) induced NGF and its two receptors in an immortalized human cell line (ihPSC) and primary rat PSC (prPSC) as determined by RT-PCR, western blot, and immunofluorescence. In contrast to HSC, PSC expressed both NGF receptors, although p75NTR expression was weak in prPSC. In contrast to ihPSC TGF-b activated both Smad signaling cascades in prPSC. NGF secretion was diminished by the activin-like kinase (ALK)...
The solid-pseudopapillary tumor (SPT) of the pancreas is a rare type of exocrine pancreatic neoplasm. SPT predominantly affects young women and female children, and is usually discovered incidentally. This tumor is generally benign with a low incidence of malignancy. A 13-year-old girl was admitted to the hospital with a few weeks' history of mild abdominal pain and jaundice. On physical examination, there was no palpable mass. The laboratory tests showed increased SR, CRP, high bilirubin, amylase and lipase serum levels. Ultrasound imaging revealed a solid lesion in the region of the pancreatic head. On MRI, precise tumor localization in the head of the pancreas with pancreatic duct dilatation and compression of the common bile duct were visualized. Pancreaticoduodenectomy and cholecystectomy was performed with good clinical outcome. Microscopic and immunohistochemical studies indicated that tumor cells were typical of SPT ...
The mortality in undrained abdominal abscesses is high with a mortality rate ranging between 45 and 100%. The outcome in abdominal abscesses, however, has improved due to advances in image guided percutaneous interventional techniques. The main indications for the catheter drainage include treatment or palliation of sepsis associated with an infected fluid collection, and alleviation of the symptoms that may be caused by fluid collections by virtue of their size, like pancreatic pseudocele or lymphocele. The single liver abscesses may be drained with ultrasound guidance only, whereas the multiple abscesses usually require computed tomography (CT) guidance and placement of multiple catheters. The pancreatic abscesses are generally drained routinely and urgently. Non-infected pancreatic pseudocysts may be simply observed unless they are symptomatic or cause problems such as pain or obstruction of the biliary or the ...
Death as a criterion (age distribution of occupational death; mean loss of life years due to radiation deaths); accidents at work (incidence of accidents of certain degrees of severity); total loss of working days due to accidents; occupational diseases; somatic and genetic radiation effects; radiation effects during pregnancy (incidence of pregnancies, ristes before implantation, hazards to the embryo, hazards to the foetus, total additional risk due to radiation exposure during pregnancy); age and sex dependence of risk figures; attempted formulation of an index of harm. (HP/orig.).
In this article based on extensive ethnographic interviewing of eighty-six Japanese adults, I analyze the different ways in which they understand life after death, and consider the societal implications of their views. I examine senses of life after death as based in communion with departed family members as linked to practices of ancestor veneration and ideologies of Japaneseness. I consider heaven/hell or reincarnation as linked, through the idea of impartial judgment of the individual, to meritocracy and the examination system. I examine agnosticism and relativism in senses of life after death as linked to the idea that individual freedom of choice may exist in the next world if not necessarily within the constraints of this Japanese world. I examine disbelief in any realm beyond the gr...
On April 20, 2010 the Deepwater Horizon offshore drilling rig located in the Gulf of Mexico experienced an explosion resulting in at least 11 deaths and creating ...
In response to stress, cells start transcriptional and transcription-independent programs that can lead to adaptation or death. Here, we show that multiple inducers of autophagy, including nutrient...Full Text Available
Objectives:Myocardial infarction (MI) is a leading cause of death in both the industrialized and developing countries globally. The economic evaluation of MI is undertaken...Full Text Available
Many mutations associated with retinal degeneration lead to the production of misfolded proteins by cells of the retina. Emerging evidence suggests that these abnormal proteins cause cell death...Full Text Available
Based on terror management theory, previous research has shown that terrorism threat increases prejudice against Muslims and is mediated by death-related thoughts. Because this effect was found on a correlational level, it remains unclear whether terrorism threat increases prejudice against Muslims because of enhanced death-related thoughts or the opposite: terrorism threat increases death-related thoughts because of stronger prejudice against Muslims. To disentangle this shortcoming, we varied death-related thoughts by systematically manipulating the belief in literal immortality. Using two studies, we found that participants exposed to terrorism pictures (vs. controls) had increased prejudice against both Muslims (Study 1) and immigrants (Study 2) when they were led to believe that liter...
Production agriculture is associated with a variety of occupational illnesses and injuries. Agricultural workers are at higher risk of death or disabling injury than most other workers. Traumatic injury...Full Text Available
diet and genetic obesity metabolic defects and inflammation. To determine the role of adipocyte death in promoting adipose tissue inflammation and insulin resistance in animal...
SummaryNineteenth-century Vienna is well known to medical historians as a leading centre of medical research and education, offering easy access to patients and corpses to students...Full Text Available
of injuries, disabilities, and deaths; and 3. Encourage professionals from a wide spectrum of disciplines such as engineering, bioengineering, medicine, health care, public...
The most frequent ultimate cause of death is myocardial arrest. In many cases this is due to myocardial hypoxia, generally arising from failure of the coronary macro- and microcirculation to deliver...Full Text Available
SummaryBackgroundMalaria, a non-fatal disease if detected promptly and treated properly, still causes many deaths in malaria-endemic countries with...Full Text Available
The role of apoptosis or programmed cell death in the regulation of development and maintenance of homeostasis in multicellular organisms is well established. During the last decade, naturally...Full Text Available
AMPA receptors (AMPARs) are critical for synaptic plasticity, and are subject to alterations based on subunit composition and receptor trafficking to and from the plasma membrane. One of the...Full Text Available
BackgroundThe permeabilization of mitochondrial membranes is a decisive event in apoptosis or necrosis culminating in cell death. One fundamental mechanism by which...Full Text Available
In both type 1 and type 2 diabetes, pancreatic islet dysfunction results in part from cytokine-mediated inflammation. The ubiquitous eukaryotic translation initiation factor 5A (eIF5A), which is the...Full Text Available
The nucleotide sequence of the 5'-terminal oligonucleotides produced by pancreatic RNase digestion of bacteriophage T3 RNA polymerase (EC 2.7.7.6) transcripts of T3 DNA has been determined. The sequence...Full Text Available
Background/AimsAlthough endoscopic ultrasound guided fine needle aspiration (EUS-FNA) has been introduced and its use has been increasing in Korea, there have not been many reports...Full Text Available
Extracellular ATP has been proposed as a paracrine signal in rodent islets, but it is unclear what role ATP plays in human islets. We now show the presence of an ATP signaling pathway that enhances...Full Text Available
Programmed cell death (PCD) is triggered when Pto, a Ser-Thr protein kinase, recognizes either the AvrPto or AvrPtoB effector from Pseudomonas syringae pv tomato. This...Full Text Available
PCD (programmed cell death) in plants presents important morphological and biochemical differences compared with apoptosis in animal cells. This raises the question of whether PCD arose independently...Full Text Available
BACKGROUNDSeveral carotid endarterectomy (CEA) randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and series have reported higher perioperative stroke and death rates for women...Full Text Available
Physicians are exercising their responsibility as healers in their efforts to prevent nuclear war. Death for Hiroshima survivors was experienced in four stages: the immediate impact of destruction, the acute impact of radiation, delayed radiation effects, and later identification as an atomic bomb survivor. Each phase had its physical and psychological impacts and negates Hiroshima as a model for rational behavior despite those who claim survival is possible for those who are prepared. The psychic effects of modern nuclear, chemical, and germ warfare need to be challenged with a symbolization of life and immortality. Studies of psychological reactions to the terror children felt during practice air-raid drills indicate that the fears can be surpressed and re-emerge in adult life as a linking of death with collective annihilation. Other themes which emerge are feelings of impermanence, craziness, identification with the bomb, and a double ...
For 170 years, scientists have attempted to explain why consistent temporal patterns of death are observed among individuals within populations. Historical efforts to identify a {open_quotes}law of mortality{close_quotes} from these patterns ended in 1935 when it was declared that such a law did not exist. These empirical tests for a law of mortality were constructed using mortality curves based on all causes of death. We predicted that patterns of mortality consistent with the historical concept of a law would be revealed if mortality curves for species were constructed using only senescent causes of death. Using data on senescent mortality for laboratory animals and humans, we demonstrate that patterns of mortality overlap when compared on a biologically comparable time scale. These results are consistent with the existence of a law of mortality following sexual maturity as asserted by Benjamin Gompertz and Raymond Pearl. ...
for 170 years, scientists have attempted to explain why consistent temporal patterns of death are observed among individuals within populations. Historical efforts to identify a `law of mortality` from these patterns ended in 1935 when it was declared that such a law did not exist. These empirical tests for a law of mortality were constructed using mortality curves based on all causes of death. We predicted patterns of mortality consistent with the historical concept of a law would be revealed if mortality curves for species were constructed using only senescent causes of death. Using data on senescent mortality for laboratory animals and humans, we demonstrate patterns of mortality overlap when compared on a biologically comparable time scale. The results are consistent with the existence of a law of mortality following sexual maturity. The societal, medical, and research implications of such a law are discussed.
Abstract Sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) is always a devastating and unexpected occurrence. SIDS is the leading cause of death in the first 6 months after birth in the industrialized world. Since the discovery in 1998 of long QT syndrome as an underlying substrate for SIDS, around 10-20% of SIDS cases have been proposed as being caused by genetic variants in either ion channel or ion channel-associated proteins. Until now, 10 cardiac channelopathy susceptibility genes have been found to be implicated in the pathogenesis of SIDS. Four of the genes encode cardiac ion channel a-subunits, 3 genes encode ion channel b-subunits, and 3 genes encode other channel-interacting proteins. All 10 genes have been associated with primary electrical heart diseases. SIDS may hereby be the initial sympt...
Colorectal cancer is the second most common cause of cancer death in the world and about half of the patients with colorectal cancer require adjuvant therapy after surgical resection. Therefore, the eradication of cancer cells via chemotherapy constitutes a viable approach to treating patients with colorectal cancer. In this study, the effects of bufalin isolated from a traditional Chinese medicine were evaluated and characterized in HT-29 and Caco-2 human colon cancer cells. Contrary to its well-documented apoptosis-promoting activity in other cancer cells, bufalin did not cause caspase-dependent cell death in colon cancer cells, as indicated by the absence of significant early apoptosis as well as poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase and caspase-3 cleavage. Instead, bufalin activated an autophagy...
The Zollinger-Ellison syndrome (ZES) is taken as an example of the diagnostic and therapeutic strategy in gastro-entero-pancreatic endocrine tumours, given the standard characteristics of this procedure, whatever the nature of the primitive tumour. Management of ZES includes: anatomical localization of gastrinoma and of possible metastases, in 60 % of cases this step conditioning therapeutic indications and chances of cure; search of a type 1-multiple endocrine neoplasia (MEN A), in 25 % of cases; therapeutic indications: ablative surgery with curative intent in case of gastrinoma and of resectable liver metastases, palliative treatment otherwise: anti-secretory drugs, somatostatin analogues, chemotherapy and interferon {alpha}; long-term follow-up of patients with resected tumour. At each step, somatostatin receptor scintigraphy with indium 111-pentetreotide does play a pivotal role. (author). 110 refs.
Purpose of this item is to report the CT patterns of pancreatic mesenchymal lesions and to investigate the capabilities and limitations of this technique in terms of characterization. In selected cases, CT can provide virtually diagnostic information (lipoma and teratoma), or at least highly suggestive findings (NHL, plexiform neurofibroma, lymphangioma). Moreover, knowledge of the variable morphostructural patterns of mesenchymal hisototypes (SCH, Sarcoma etc.) permits to include them in the differential diagnosis of pancreatic masses. [Italian] Scopo di questo rapporto e' descrivere gli aspetti semeiologici dei tumori mesenchimali del pancreas con la TC verificandone le possibilita e i limiti per la caratterizzazione. Pur nella rarita' dei reperti considerati, la TC puo' consentire l'effettiva caratterizzazione in alcuni casi (lipoma, neurofibroma plessiforme, linfangioma) o includere anche istotipi meno ...
We have studied the impact of overexpression of an intracellular signaling protein, integrin-linked kinase (ILK), on the survival and function of encapsulated islet tissue used for the treatment of type 1 diabetes. The dimensions of the encapsulated tissue can impact the stresses placed on the tissue and ILK overexpression shows the ability to extend function of dissociated cells as well as intact islets. These results suggest that lost cell-extracellular matrix interactions in cell encapsulation systems can lead to decreased insulin secretion and ILK signaling is a target to overcome this phenomenon. (communication)
During organogenesis, net growth of tissues is determined by a balance between proliferation, hypertrophy, and apoptotic death. Human fetal bladder outflow obstruction is a major cause of end-stage...Full Text Available
AbstractThere is an urgent need for innovative therapies against ovarian cancer, one of the leading causes of death from gynecological cancers in the United States. Immunotherapy employing...Full Text Available
An outbreak of acute respiratory disease in Hendra, a suburb of Brisbane, Australia, in September 1994 resulted in the deaths of 14 racing horses and a horse trainer. The causative agent was a new member...Full Text Available
Breast cancer is a leading cause of female deaths worldwide. In Malaysia, it is the most common form of female cancer while Infiltrating ductal carcinoma (IDC) is the most common form of breast cancer....Full Text Available
The fungal pathogen Candida albicans is one of the leading causative agents of death in immunocompromised individuals. It harbors an arsenal of cell wall anchored factors that are implicated...Full Text Available
Aging is a risk factor for heart failure, which is a leading cause of death world-wide. Elderly patients are more likely than young patients to experience a myocardial infarction (MI) and are...Full Text Available
Disorders of mitochondrial fat metabolism lead to sudden death in infants and children. Although survival is possible, the underlying molecular mechanisms which enable this outcome have not yet been...Full Text Available
Malaria parasites must undergo a round of sexual reproduction in the blood meal of a mosquito vector to be transmitted between hosts. Developing a transmission-blocking intervention to prevent parasites...Full Text Available
Bacteria expressing type III secretion systems (T3SS) have been responsible for the deaths of millions worldwide, acting as key virulence elements in diseases ranging from plague to typhoid...Full Text Available
Depending on the species, the end of flower life span is characterized by petal wilting or by abscission of petals that are still fully turgid. Wilting at the end of petal life is due to programmed...Full Text Available
Objective To determine whether a centralised telephone intervention reduces the incidence of death or admission for worsening heart failure in outpatients with chronic heart failure.Design...Full Text Available
Two cases of pulmonary alveolar proteinosis, including one death, occurred in workers at a facility producing indium-tin oxide (ITO), a compound used in recent years to make flat panel displays. Both...Full Text Available
Some pathological conditions with feeding pattern alterations, including obesity and Huntington disease (HD) are associated with hypothalamic dysfunction and neuronal cell death. Additionally, the hypothalamus...Full Text Available
Aneurysms of saphenous vein grafts are rare but can result in complications such as myocardial infarction or death. Percutaneous treatment has included a variety of approaches, including covered stents....Full Text Available
The reasons for referral to hospital of 147 babies subsequently included in the DHSS study of postneonatal infant mortality were analysed and compared with those of 104 control infants. Although similar...Full Text Available
BackgroundThe objective of this study was to gain insight into the molecular mechanism of induced cell death (apoptosis) by PYRROLO [1,2-b][1,2,5]BENZOTHIADIAZEPINES...Full Text Available
Exposure of a group of horses to tetracycline-contaminated feed resulted in acute colitis and subsequent death in one horse and milder diarrhea in 3 others. The most severely affected animal demonstrated...Full Text Available
Mucopolysaccharidosis type IIIB (MPS IIIB; Sanfilippo syndrome type B) is a metabolic disorder with devastating clinical characteristics starting in early childhood and leading to premature death. A...Full Text Available
Ovarian carcinoma is now the leading cause of death among women. Surgery has reached its limits, and further aggressive surgery will result in an inordinate morbidity and mortality. Ovarian carcinoma...Full Text Available
Muscular dystrophies (MDs) comprise a group of degenerative muscle disorders characterized by progressive muscle wasting and often premature death. The primary defect common to most MDs involves disruption...Full Text Available
DNA interstrand cross-links (ICLs) are critical cytotoxic lesions produced by cancer chemotherapeutic agents such as the nitrogen mustards and platinum drugs; however, the exact mechanism of ICL-induced...Full Text Available
Heart disease, cancer, and cerebrovascular disease together cause more than two out of three deaths in the United States annually. These three diseases are largely a result of widespread risk factors...Full Text Available
Neuronal death is known to trigger reactive microgliosis. However, little is known regarding the manner by which microglia are activated by injured neurons and how microgliosis participates...Full Text Available
Silver-haired bat rabies virus (SHBRV) infection induces a strong virus-specific immune response in the periphery of the host, but death is common due to the failure to open the blood-brain barrier...Full Text Available
Exposure of mice to 1000 ppm of vinyl chloride (VC), 6 hr/day, 5 days/week, caused some acute deaths with toxic hepatitis and marked tubular necrosis of the renal cortex. Starting the sixth month,...Full Text Available
Acute myocardial infarction (AMI) is a common cause of death for which effective treatments are available provided that diagnosis is rapid. The current diagnostic gold standards are circulating cardiac...Full Text Available
Between 50 and 70% of patients with a terminal illness indicate a preference to remain at home for as long as possible until their death. Nevertheless, a much smaller percentage actually die at home...Full Text Available
Childhood cancer survivors often experience complications related to cancer and its treatment that may adversely affect quality of life and increase the risk of premature death. The purpose of this...Full Text Available
BackgroundHepatitis C virus is a major cause of chronic liver diseases which can lead to permanent liver damage, hepatocellular carcinoma and death. The presently available treatment...Full Text Available
Neonatal administration of the synthetic glucocorticoid, dexamethasone (DEX) retards brain growth, alters adult behaviors and induces cell death in the rat brain, thereby implicating glucocorticoids...Full Text Available
Natural accumulations of skeletal material (death assemblages) have the potential to provide historical data on species diversity and population structure for regions lacking decades of wildlife monitoring,...Full Text Available
Human blinding disorders are often initiated by hereditary mutations that insult rod and/or cone photoreceptors and cause subsequent cellular death. Generally, the disease phenotype can be predicted...Full Text Available
Aims: To ascertain why 19.6% of pregnancies in which a fetal renal anomaly has been detected fail to produce a surviving child, and whether antenatal diagnostic accuracy has altered since...Full Text Available
IntroductionColorectal cancer (CRC) is the second leading cause of cancer-related deaths, but currently available non-invasive screening programs have achieved only...Full Text Available
BackgroundNon-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is the foremost cause of cancer-related death in Western countries, which is due partly to the propensity of NSCLC cells to metastasize....Full Text Available
BackgroundCancer constitutes a serious burden of disease worldwide and has become the second leading cause of death in China. Alcohol consumption is causally associated with the...Full Text Available
The purpose of the Air Force Health Study is to determine whether those individuals involved in the spraying of herbicides in Vietnam during the Ranch Hand operation have experienced any adverse health effects as a result of their participation in that program. The study is designed to evaluate both the mortality (death) and morbidity (disease) in these individuals over a 20-year beginning in 1982. The Baseline Mortality Report was released in June 1983, the Baseline Morbidity Report in February 1984. Follow-up mortality reports were released in 1984, 1985, and 1986. This study has not demonstrated health effects which can be conclusively attributed to herbicide or dioxin exposure. This report contains analyses of cumulative deaths occurring up to 31 December 1987. The overall cumulative mortality of the Ranch Hands remains statistically indistinguishable from that of both their matched Comparisons and the entire Comparison, population, ...
In order to identify novel high value antibacterial targets it is desirable to delineate whether the inactivation of the target enzyme will lead to bacterial death or stasis. This knowledge is particularly...Full Text Available
OBJECTIVE: To study cause specific mortality and cancer morbidity in workers exposed to the dust of grinding materials, grinding agents, and stainless steel, especially with regard to a possibly increased...Full Text Available
Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer deaths worldwide. Standard chemotherapy has been shown to improve quality of life and has a modest influence on overall survival. This modest improvement in...Full Text Available
BackgroundLoss to follow-up (LTF) challenges the reporting of antiretroviral treatment (ART) programmes, since it encompasses patients alive but lost to programme and deaths misclassified...Full Text Available
Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the third-ranked neoplasm in order of incidence and mortality, worldwide, and the second cause of cancer death in industrialized countries. One of the most important environmental...Full Text Available
Cocaine is a worldwide used drug and its abuse is associated with physical, psychiatric and social problems. The mechanism by which cocaine causes neurological damage is very complex and involves several...Full Text Available
Zipper-interacting protein kinase (ZIPK) is a member of the death-associated protein kinase family associated with apoptosis in nonmuscle cells where it phosphorylates myosin regulatory light chain...Full Text Available
Fatalities caused by parasitic infections often occur as a result of tissue injury that results from a form of host-cell death known as apoptosis. However, instead of being pathogenic, parasite-induced...Full Text Available
179 cognitively healthy adults enrolled in the Sun Health Brain Donation program between 7/91 and 12/07 were at least 60 years old and nondemented at the time of death (21 had developed mild...Full Text Available
Adipocyte death has been reported in both obese humans and rodents. However, its role in metabolic disorders, including insulin resistance, hepatic steatosis, and inflammation associated with obesity...Full Text Available
SUMMARYATG12, an ubiquitin-like modifier required for macroautophagy, has a single known conjugation target, another autophagy regulator called ATG5. Here, we identify ATG3 as...Full Text Available
BackgroundIntrapartum fetal hypoxia remains an important cause of death and permanent handicap and in a significant proportion of cases there is evidence of suboptimal care related...Full Text Available
international vehicles, control centers, and ground support personnel. ... consists of thin membranes made from a polymer-based film and ..... (including airplanes and submarines), environmental monitoring, and control ...... sciences can use it to analyze the birth and death of stars, the formation of solar ...
BackgroundThere are 146 million underweight children in the developing world, which contribute to up to half of the world's child deaths. In high burden regions for malnutrition,...Full Text Available
Humanin (HN), a 24-residue peptide, was identified as a novel neuroprotective factor and shows anti-cell death activity against a wide spectrum of Alzheimer's disease (AD)-related cytotoxicities, including...Full Text Available
The viability of osteocytes can be demonstrated in sawn decalcified sections of bone by their lactate dehydrogenase activity. In the cancellous bone of the femoral head, the proportion of lacunae containing viable osteocytes decreased from 88 +/- 7% (mean +/- SD) at 10-29 years to 58 +/- 12% (P Ultimate compressive strength did not correlate with osteocyte viability. In the femoral head there is gradual, age-related reduction in osteocyte viability that can be more pronounced in hip fracture. Osteocyte death may affect bone quality by impairing repair of fatigue damage. PMID:8275364
On September 25, 1986, an elderly Virginia couple had their home fumigated by a local pest extermination company for the control of wood-boring insects. Two hundred and fifty pounds of sulfurylfluoride (SF), a colorless, odorless fumigant gas commonly used for this purpose, was applied in the approximately 80,000-cubic-foot home that date. Within 1 week, both husband and wife were dead. Because both deaths occurred within a short period of time and the wife's illness was compatible with toxic gas inhalation, these deaths were then thought to be related to the home fumigation.
Environmental tobacco smoke (ETS), containing the developmental neurotoxicant, nicotine, is a prevalent component of indoor air pollution. Despite a strong association with active maternal smoking and sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS), information on the risk of SIDS due to prenatal and postnatal ETS exposure is relatively inconsistent. This literature review begins with a discussion and critique of existing epidemiologic data pertaining to ETS and SIDS. It then explores the biologic plausibility of this association, with comparison of the known association between active maternal smoking and SIDS, by examining metabolic and placental transfer issues associated with nicotine, and the biologic responses and mechanisms that may follow exposure to nicotine. Evidence indicates that prenatal ...
Abstract Continuity and change in ancient Indian afterlife conceptions are discussed in a broad overview of the most relevant Vedic texts (the Rig Veda, the Krishna Yajur Veda, the Atharva Veda, the Shatapatha Brahmana, the Jaiminiya Brahmana and the Upanishads). Despite the introduction of (or re-emphasis on) certain ideas, such as reincarnation and moksha (liberation from the cycle of death and rebirth), there is also continuity of a core set of conceptions from the earliest texts to the latest. Return-from-death narratives are also found in each textual strand, and are discussed separately.
Abstract in english Cell death is preceded by severe disruption of inorganic ion homeostasis. Seconds to minutes after an injury, calcium, protons, sodium, potassium and chloride are exchanged between the cell and its environment. Simultaneously, ions are shifted between membrane compartments inside the cell, whereby mitochondria and endoplasmic reticulum play a crucial role. Depending of the type and severity of injury, two mutually exclusive metastable states can be reached, which predict (more) the final outcome. Cells characterized by large increases in cytosolic [Ca2+], [Na+]; and [Mg2+] swell and die by necrosis; alternatively, cells characterized by high [H+]and low [K+], with normal [Na+] and normal to moderate [Ca2+] increases die by apoptosis. The levels of these ions represent central determinants in signaling events leading to cell death. Their movements are explained mechanistically by specific modulation of membrane transport ...
Porcine pancreatic lipase immobilized on celite particles has been employed as a catalyst for the esterification of dodecanol and decanoic acid in a predominantly organic system. Solvent influence on the equilibrium position and on the catalyst activity has been studied using 20 solvents, including aliphatic and aromatic hydrocarbons, ethers, ketones, nitro- and halogenated hydrocarbons, and esters. The equilibrium constant for esterification correlates well with the solubility of water in the organic solvent, which in turn shows a good relationship with a function of Guttman's donor number and the electron pair acceptance index number of the solvent. This may be rationalized in terms of the requirements for solvation of water and of the reactants. The catalyst activity, measured as the initial rate of the esterification reaction, is best correlated as a function of both n-octanol-water partition coefficient (log P) and either the electron pair acceptance index or ...
The authors have cloned a full-length putative rat pancreatic lysophospholipase cDNA by an improved mRNA isolation method and cDNA cloning strategy using (/sup 32/P)-labelled nucleotides. These new methods allow the construction of a cDNA library from the adult rat pancreas in which the majority of recombinant clones contained complete sequences for the corresponding mRNAs. A previously recognized but unidentified long and relatively rare cDNA clone containing the entire sequence from the cap site at the 5' end to the poly(A) tail at the 3' end of the mRNA was isolated by single-step screening of the library. The size, amino acid composition, and the activity of the protein expressed in heterologous cells strongly suggest this mRNA codes for lysophospholipase.
Glucagon plays critical roles in regulating glucose homeostasis, mainly by counteracting the effects of insulin. Consequently, the dysregulated glucagon secretion that is evident in type 2 diabetes has significant implications in the pathophysiology of the disease. Glucagon secretion from pancreatic -cells has been suggested to be modulated by blood glucose, signals from the nervous system and endocrine components. In addition to these regulators, intraislet factors acting in a paracrine manner from neighbouring -cells are emerging as central modulator(s) of -cell biology. One of the most important of these paracrine factors, insulin, modulates glucagon secretion. Indeed, the -cell-specific insulin receptor knockout (IRKO) mouse manifests hypersecretion of glucagon in the postprandial stag...
Most households in low and middle income countries, including in India, use solid fuels (coal/coke/lignite, firewood, dung, and crop residue) for cooking and heating. Such fuels increase child mortality, chiefly from acute respiratory infection. There are, however, few direct estimates of the impact of solid fuel on child mortality in India. Methods: We compared household solid fuel use in 1998 between 6790 child deaths, from all causes, in the previous year and 609 601 living children living in 1.1 million nationally-representative homes in India. Analyses were stratified by child's gender, age (neonatal, post-neonatal, 1-4 years) and colder versus warmer states. We also examined the association of solid fuel to non-fatal pneumonias. Solid fuel use was very common (87% in households with child deaths and 77% in households with living children). After adjustment for demographic factors and living conditions, solid-fuel use ...
Objective: To find out safety and efficiency of Misoprostol in cervical ripening and induction of labour to achieve vaginal delivery. Results: From Misoprostol insertion to delivery time was 4-24 hours. Vaginal delivery was achieved in 80.2%, which included spontaneous, forceps and vacuum extraction. Caesarean section rate was 19.7%. Indications for C. Section included Misoprostol unresponsiveness 11% and fetal distress in 8.6%. Oxytocin augmentation was required in 32% of cases. Term babies were 58%. Intrauterine death and neonatal deaths were 9.8% and 8.6% respectively. Hyper stimulation and postpartum haemorrhage was seen in 2.4% and 3.7% of patients respectively. Conclusion: intravaginal Misoprostol is well tolerated and is very effective for the induction of labour in eclampsia. It helps vaginal delivery in toxemic patients, reduces maternal morbidity, mortality and hospital stay. (author)
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 ...
Intervertebral disc (IVD) cell apoptosis has been suggested to play an important role in promoting the degeneration process. It has been demonstrated that IVD cell apoptosis occurs through either death receptor, mitochondrial or endoplasmic reticulum (ER) pathway. Our study aimed to explore the relationship among these three pathways and grade of IVD degeneration (IVDD). IVDs were collected from patients with lumbar fracture, vertebral tumor, disc herniation or spondylolisthesis. IVDs were distinguished by MRI and histomorphological examination, cell apoptosis was detected by TUNEL staining. Biomarkers of these three apoptosis pathways were detected by RT-PCR and Western blot. Furthermore, the correlation between apoptosis pathways biomarkers and disc pathology were analyzed. Nucleus pulpo...
Abstract Ultrastructural studies have shown that the formation of pigment glands in Gossypium hirsutum L. leaves is a lysigenous process, originating from a cluster of cells in the ground meristem. Various techniques were used here to investigate whether programmed cell death (PCD) plays a critical role in this developmental process. Nuclei of internal cells in the pigment gland-forming tissue were TUNEL-positive and DAPI-negative, suggesting that DNA cleavage is an early event and complete DNA degradation is a late event. Smeared bands and a lack of laddering after gel electrophoresis indicate that DNA cleavage is random. Ultrastructurally, secretory cells in the pigment glands become distorted, nuclei are densely stained, and chromosomes become condensed until completely degraded at late...
One of the most popular stories found in the Upani?ads centers around a debate between the ritualist and philosopher, Yajnavalkya, and a series of interlocutors about the nature of sacrifice, the self, and the cosmos. This story, from a textual-historical perspective, is unique in that the last interlocutor, Sakalya, is said to die by having his head shatter because he is unable to answer a question about the fundamental nature of immortality. In this paper, I analyze the interrelationship of these two main characters and argue that this relationship is one key to not only understanding the portrayal of these characters, but also the larger import of this debate about immortality. I provide an intratextual rationale for the head-shattering conclusion and discuss how character and d...
Using aggregate data for the counties of England and Wales, a negative association is found between mean radon concentrations in dwellings and lung cancer standardised mortality ratios, when regional smoking variations, diet variations, social class variations and population density are controlled. Cornwall and Devon have the highest mean domestic radon gas concentrations, yet the number of lung cancer deaths there was within the range to be expected from relationships not involving radon observed in the rest of the country. While high values of radon exposure appear to concentrate in particular localities, the variations in lung cancer mortality between districts in Cornwall and Devon are small. These findings do not refute the linear exposure-risk hypothesis, but the evidence suggests that relatively few, if any, radon related deaths were associated with the dwellings where radon gas concentrations exceed the recommended action level.
A new method for determining the year of birth, the year of death, and hence, the age at death, of post-bomb and recently deceased elephants has been developed. The technique is based on Accelerator Mass Spectrometry radiocarbon analyses of small-sized samples extracted from along the length of a ge-line of an elephant tusk. The measured radiocarbon concentrations in the samples from a tusk can be compared to the {sup 14}C atmospheric bomb-pulse curve to derive the growth years of the initial and final samples from the tusk. Initial data from the application of this method to two tusks will be presented. Potentially, the method may play a significant role in wildlife management practices of African national parks. Additionally, the method may contribute to the underpinnings of efforts to define new international trade regulations, which could, in effect, decrease poaching and the killing of very young animals.
PURPOSE: To determine the recommended dose of radiotherapy when combined with full-dose gemcitabine and erlotinib for unresected pancreas cancer. METHODS AND MATERIALS: Patients with unresected pancreatic cancer (Zubrod performance status 0-2) were eligible for the present study. Gemcitabine was given weekly for 7 weeks (1,000 mg/m(2)) with erlotinib daily for 8 weeks (100 mg). A final toxicity assessment was performed in Week 9. Radiotherapy (starting at 30 Gy in 2-Gy fractions, 5 d/wk) was given to the gross tumor plus a 1-cm margin starting with the first dose of gemcitabine. A standard 3 plus 3 dose escalation (an additional 4 Gy within 2 days for each dose level) was used, except for the starting dose level, which was scheduled to contain 6 patients. In general, Grade 3 or greater gastrointestinal toxicity was considered a dose-limiting toxicity, except for Grade 3 anorexia or Grade 3 fatigue alone. RESULTS: A total of 20 patients were treated (10 men and 10 ...
Insulitis is considered the histopathological hallmark of type I diabetes. In the non-obese diabetic (NOD) mouse, diabetes has never been observed in the absence of insulitis. The in vivo detection of insulitis could be of relevance for early prediction of diabetes. As approximately 15% of islet-infiltrating lymphocytes express interleukin 2 receptors, the authors have labelled recombinant inter-leukin 2 with "1"2"3I and used this radiopharmaceutical to detect insulitis by gamma camera imaging. The authors studied 71 prediabetic NOD and 27 normal Balb/c mice. Labelled #alpha#-lactalbumin was used as the control protein. In the first set of experiments the tissue distribution of radiolabelled interleukin 2 in isolated organs from animals sacrificed at different time points was studied. Higher radioactivity was detected in the pancreas of NOD mice injected with labelled interleukin 2, as compared to NOD mice receiving labelled #alpha#-lactalbumin. In another set of experiments, gamma ...
The aim of this study was to compare multidetector-row computed tomography (MDCT) findings between cases of sclerosing cholangitis with autoimmune pancreatitis (SC-AIP) and infiltrative extrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (IEC). We retrospectively assessed MDCT findings from 16 IEC cases and 13 SC-AIP cases. MDCT findings were analyzed with regard to location, length, wall thickness, contour, stricture wall enhancement pattern, proximal duct diameter, and the presence of diffuse concentric thickening in the proximal duct and gallbladder wall thickness. Stricture length, stricture wall thickness, and proximal duct diameter were significantly smaller for SC-AIP than for IEC: 19.3#+-#8.7 vs. 31.8#+-#12.0 mm (P=0.004), 2.1#+-#1.3 vs. 4.1#+-#1.3 mm (P<0.001), and 9.2#+-#3.9 vs. 13.3#+-#5.0 mm (P=0.012), respectively. SC-AIP was correlated with stricture location in both the intrapancreatic and hilar hepatic bile ducts, concentric stricture contour (P<0.001), and ...
Aims: This study sought to elucidate the effects of timolol and dorzolamide on intraocular pressure (IOP) and retinal ganglion cell (RGC) death in an experimental...Full Text Available
The p75 neurotrophin receptor (p75"N"T"R) is a death receptor which belongs to the tumor necrosis factor receptor super-family of membrane proteins. This study shows that p75"N"T"R retarded cell cycle progression by induced accumulation of cells in G0/G1 and a reduction in the S phase of the cell cycle. The rescue of tumor cells from cell cycle progression by a death domain deleted (#DELTA#DD) dominant-negative antagonist of p75"N"T"R showed that the death domain transduced anti-proliferative activity in a ligand-independent manner. Conversely, addition of NGF ligand rescued retardation of cell cycle progression with commensurate changes in components of the cyclin/cdk holoenzyme complex. In the absence of ligand, p75"N"T"R-dependent cell cycle arrest facilitated an increase in apoptotic nuclear fragmentation of the prostate cancer cells. Apoptosis of p75"N"T"R expressing cells occurred via the intrinsic mitochondrial ...
Background and ObjectivesClopidogrel resistance or low-responsiveness may be associated with recurrent atherothrombotic events after drug-eluting stent (DES) implantation. We prospectively...Full Text Available
... By applying non-market valuation methods, we focus on analysing individual preferences in respect of (environmental) non-market goods. The principal object of research interest is the valuation of pollution impacts and effects of working processes on human health resulting in premature deaths, risk alterations, and various disease symptoms. We also deal with valuation of non-production ecosystem (forest) functions and benefits, inter alia ...
Introduction:Exposure to secondhand smoke causes premature death and disease in non-smokers and indoor smoke-free policies have become increasingly prevalent worldwide. Although...Full Text Available
We study the daily incidence of myocardial infarction deaths in Mexico for 4 years (1996-99) with a total of 129 917 cases in all the country, collected at the General Directorate of Epidemiology (National Ministry of Health). We divided the cases by sex and age and perform two kinds of analysis. First, we did an spectral analysis using the Maximum Entropy Method, considering the complete period, and minimum and maximum epochs of solar activity. The results show that the most persistent periodicity at higher frequencies in the myocardial infarction death occurrence is that of seven days. Considering the solar cycle phases, we found that during solar minimum times some frequencies are not detectable compared with solar maximum epochs, particularly that of seven days. Biological rhythms close to seven days, the circaseptans, are in general thought to be only the result of the social organization of life. However, this cannot be the only ...
Altogether 99 029 men aged 40-59, employed on the Italian railroad system, were classified in three levels of physical activity at work and three levels of job responsibility and then followed up for...Full Text Available
Daily exposures of adult beagle dogs to inhaled radon daughters plus uranium ore dust, with and without concurrent cigarette smoking, for 2 to 5-1/2 yr have produced massive pulmonary fibrosis and severe emphysema. The cumulative exposure doses are similar to those associated with a 5-fold or greater increase in death rate of uranium miners due to chronic respiratory insufficiency, including pneumoconiosis, pulmonary fibrosis, and emphysema.
... All rickettsial diseases respond to treatment with antibiotics such as doxycycline and tetracycline As of 10 May, the Government of South Africa has reported 186 confirmed cases of RVF in humans, including 18 deaths, in Free State Province, Eastern Cape Province, Northern Cape Province, Western Cape, and North West Province. RVF is a viral disease that primarily affects animals (such as cattle, buffalo, sheep, goats and camels). The disease can also affect humans. The main mode of transmission of RVF ...
BackgroundUsing a transcriptional profiling approach, we recently identified myeloid-related protein-8/14 (MRP-8/14) to be expressed by platelets during acute MI....Full Text Available
When an animal is exposed to a sufficient amount of radiation, there will be changes in many organs of the body, and as a result of either the effects in one particular organ or the interaction of effects in several organs, the animal as a whole will show...
Breast cancer represents today more than 30% of all cancers and is responsible for about 20% of deaths due to cancer. The potentialities of mammography have increased in recent years through improvements in equipment and methodologies. In this paper the conventional mammography using film and image intensifiers is compared with digital mammography. Digital mammography presents clear advantages in storage and handling of information. Also its higher sensitivity will lead to an earlier detection of anomalies and a decrease in the number of invasive exams and surgeries
Mice lacking Kv1.1 Shaker-like potassium channels encoded by the Kcna1 gene exhibit severe seizures and die prematurely. The channel is widely expressed in...Full Text Available
BackgroundMore optimistic perceptions of cardiovascular disease risk are associated with substantively lower rates of cardiovascular death among men. It remains unknown whether this...Full Text Available
Ditercalinium, an antitumor bifunctional intercalator which forms a high affinity reversible complex with DNA, was found to be specifically cytotoxic for polA and lig7 E. coli strains. In the polA strain,...Full Text Available
BackgroundApoptosis is a major mode of hematological tumor death after radiation. Early detection of apoptosis may be beneficial for cancer adaptive treatment. 99mTc-HYNIC-annexinV...Full Text Available
X-linked sideroblastic anemia with ataxia (XLSA/A) is a rare inherited disorder characterized by mild anemia and ataxia. XLSA/A is caused by mutations in the ABCB7 gene, which encodes...Full Text Available
Little is known about how diet and energy metabolism interact in determination of lifespan under ad libitum feeding. From 12 weeks of age until death, male and female wild-type (WT) and transgenic (TG)...Full Text Available
Metastatic disease is a primary cause of cancer-related death, and factors governing tumor cell metastasis have not been fully elucidated. Here, we address this question by using tumor cell lines derived...Full Text Available
Apoptosis is a pattern of cell death involving nuclear pycnosis, cytoplasmic condensation, and karyorrhexis. Apoptosis induced by continuous irradiation with gamma rays (externally given by a 137Cs source) or with beta rays (from tritiated water injected ip) was quantified in the crypts of two portions of mouse bowel, the small intestine and descending colon. The time-course change in the incidence of apoptosis after each type of radiation could be explained on the basis of the innate circadian rhythm of the cells susceptible to apoptotic death and of the excretion of tritiated water (HTO) from the body. For 6-h continuous gamma irradiation at various dose rates (0.6-480 mGy/h) and for 6 h after injection of HTO of various radioactivities (0.15-150 GBq per kg body wt), the relationships between dose and incidence of apoptosis were obtained. Survival curves were then constructed from the curves for dose vs incidence of apoptosis. For the ...
... However blaming vitamin supplements on deaths, or mortality is silly, as the studies are not exactly kosher. Vitamin C in 2,000mg is good for allergies, and niacin (b3) in 10,0000mg is good for depression. This is all examples on how vitamin supplements can help. I call it a security blanket, as food these days is not so good due vitamin and mineral damage due to light, or storage. By the time we eat the apple from the supermarket, there is minimal vitamin and ...
BackgroundUpon CD95/Fas ligation, the initiator caspase-8 is known to activate effector caspases leading to apoptosis. In the presence of zVAD-fmk, a broad-spectrum caspase inhibitor,...Full Text Available
BackgroundOmega-3 fatty acid (n-3 FA) blood levels and intakes have been inversely associated with risk for sudden cardiac death, but their relationship with all-cause...Full Text Available
Cell death after irradiation occurs by apoptosis in certain cell populations in tissues. The phenomenon also occurs after high linear energy transfer (LET) irradiation, and the relative biological effectiveness (RBE) is 3 to 4 (with respect to low-LET radiation and apoptosis in intestinal crypts) for neutrons with energies of 14 MeV and up to 600 MeV. It is thought that p53 plays a role in the phenomenon, as radiation-induced apoptosis is not observed in p53-null animals. (orig.).
Angiotensin II (Ang II) is a key proapoptotic factor in fibrotic tissue diseases. However, the mechanism of Ang-II-induced cell death in endothelial cells has not been previously elucidated....Full Text Available
Toxic studies were conducted with rats, mice, and guinea pigs to determine acute effects from single exposures to M60A1-tank-generated DF2 and DF1 (diesel fuel) smoke and/or exhaust clouds under static airflow conditions. Emissions were disseminated with the Vehicle Engine Exhaust Smoke System (VEESS) and exposure periods ranged from 15 to 300 minutes. At attempted airborne concentrations of 10.0 to 12.0 mg/i (10,000 cu.m to 12,000 cu.m) of the DF2 and DF1 smoke/exhaust mixtures and 0.2 mg/1 (200 mg/cu.m) of the exhausts, toxic signs (excluding death) and lung compliance changes were observed after 15-minute exposures. Death and pathological abnormalities of the lung were seen after 16-minute exposures to DF2 smoke and/or exhaust. Exposures to DF1 smoke/exhaust showed lung pathology and death by 120 minutes while death and turbinate lesions were observed in animals exposed to DF1 exhaust for 60 minutes. ...
Arsenic trioxide (As2O3), used to treat promyelocytic leukemia, triggers cell death via unknown mechanisms. To further our understanding of As2O3-induced...Full Text Available
Vildagliptin is a potent and selective dipeptidyl peptidase IV inhibitor in development for the treatment of type 2 diabetes that improves glycemic control by enhancing alpha- and beta-cell responsiveness to glucose. Two open-label, single-dose, randomized, crossover studies in healthy subjects (ages 18-45 years) investigated the dose proportionality of vildagliptin pharmacokinetics (n = 20) and the effect of food (n = 24) on vildagliptin pharmacokinetics. There was a linear relationship (r(2) = 0.999) between vildagliptin doses of 25, 50, 100, and 200 mg and area under the plasma concentration-time curve from time zero to infinity (AUC(0-infinity)) and maximum plasma concentration (C(max)). Dose proportionality was assessed using a statistical power model [X = alpha x (dose)(beta)]. The 90% confidence intervals of the proportionality coefficient, beta, for AUC(0-infinity) (1.15-1.19) and C(max) (1.04-1.14) indicated that deviations from dose proportionality were ...
Autoreactive cytotoxic CD8 T-cells (CTLs) play a key pathogenic role in the destruction of insulin-producing beta-cells resulting in type 1 diabetes. However, knowledge regarding their targets is limited, restricting the ability to monitor the course of the disease and immune interventions. In a multi-step discovery process to identify novel CTL epitopes in human preproinsulin (PPI), PPI was digested with purified human proteasomes, and resulting COOH-fragments aligned with algorithm-predicted HLA-binding peptides to yield nine potential HLA-A1, -A2, -A3 or -B7-restricted candidates. An UV-exchange method allowed the generation of a repertoire of multimers including low-affinity HLA-binding peptides. These were labeled with quantum dot-fluorochromes and encoded in a combinatorial fashion, allowing parallel and sensitive detection of specific, low-avidity T-cells. Significantly increased frequencies of T-cells against four novel PPI epitopes (PPI(4-13)/B7, ...
Radiation therapy has had a significant and an expanded role in the management of cancer of the pancreas during the last decade. In particular, for locally advanced disease, radiation therapy has improved the median survival of patients to 1 year. Intraoperative electron beam therapy has been applied to unresectable and resectable pancreatic cancer in an attempt to enhance local control of disease and to improve patient survival. This paper presents a survey of the role of radiation therapy in treatment of cancer of the pancreas, provides information on the radiobiological aspects of this treatment modality and details the physical and dosimetric characteristics of intraoperative radiation therapy with electrons. Presented are the design specifics of an applicator system, central axis beam data, applicator parameters, dose distribution data, shielding, treatment planning and means of verification. Emphasis is placed on the collaboration and cooperation necessary ...
Radiation therapy has had a significant and an expanded role in the management of cancer of the pancreas during the last decade. In particular, for locally advanced disease, radiation therapy has improved the median survival of patients to 1 year. Intraoperative electron beam therapy has been applied to unresectable and resectable pancreatic cancer in an attempt to enhance local control of disease and to improve patient survival. This paper presents a survey of the role of radiation therapy in treatment of cancer of the pancreas, provides information on the radiobiological aspects of this treatment modality and details the physical and dosimetric characteristics of intraoperative radiation therapy with electrons. Presented are the design specifics of an applicator system, central axis beam data, applicator parameters, dose distribution data, shielding, treatment planning and means of verification. Emphasis is placed on the collaboration and cooperation necessary ...
The authors studied the resolution of racemic glycidol through esterification with butyric acid catalyzed by porcine pancreatic lipase in organic media. A screening of seven solvents (log P values between 0.49 and 3.0, P being the n-octanol-water partition coefficient of the solvent) showed that neither log P nor the logarithm of the molar solubility of water in the solvent provides good correlations between enantioselectivity and the properties of the organic media. Chloroform was one of the best solvents as regards the enantiometic purity (e.p.) of the ester produced. In this solvent, the optimum temperature for the reaction was determined to be 35C. The enzyme exhibited maximum activity at a water content of 13 [plus minus] 2% (w/w). The enantiomeric purity obtained was 83 [plus minus] 2% of (S)-glycidol butyrate and did not depend on the alcohol concentration or the enzyme water content for values of these parameters up to 200 mM and 25% (w/w), respectively. ...
A radioimmunoassay is described for the molluscan neuropeptide, Phe-Met-Arg-Phe-NH"2(FMRFamide). The antibody used is C-terminal-specific and shows slight but significant (1-2%) cross-reactivity with chicken pancreatic polypeptide (APP). The assay has been used to identify in rat brain extracts a pair of molecules that may represent mammalian counterparts of FMRFamide. Their concentrations were highest in spinal cord and hypothalamus (>10 pmol.g"-_1) and lowest in cerebellum and striatum (<3.5 pmol.g"-_1). The two immunoreactive peptides were separated on CM ion-exchange chromatography where they appeared to be less basic than FMRFamide. On Sephadex G50 gel filtration one eluted in a similar position to FMRFamide and the other slightly earlier suggesting it may be of higher molecular weight. The rat immunoreactive components do not correspond to previously described neuropeptides or hormones, and may be members of a new group of mammalian neuropeptides with ...
Gallstone is a common disease with a 10% prevalence in the United States and Western Europe. However, it is only symptomatic in 20-30% of patients, with biliary pain "colic" being the most common symptom. Complications of asymptomatic gallstone disease are generally rare, with an incidence of <1 %/yr. The most common complications of gallstone disease are acute cholecystitis, acute pancreatitis, ascending cholangitis, and gangrenous gallbladder. Less frequent complications include Mirizzi syndrome, cholecystocholedochal fistula, and gallstone ileus. Mirizzi syndrome and cholecystocholedochal fistula are two manifestations of the same process that starts with impaction of a gallstone in the gallbladder neck that results in obstruction of the bile duct, causing jaundice. The gallstone may erode into the bile duct, causing cholecystocholedochal fistula. Gallstone ileus refers to small bowel obstruction resulting from the impaction of one or more gallstones after ...
Serum ferritin levels were measured in 72 normal subjects and in 214 cases with various diseases by an immunoradiometric assay. In normal subjects, the serum ferritin levels were 27-230 ng/ml. Elevated serum ferritins were observed in most cases with iron excess and acute hepatitis. Markedly elevated levels were found in the majority of cases with acute leukemia, malignant lymphoma, hepatoma, and pancreatic cancer. High ferritin levels were also found in other malignant diseases. However, the range overlapped broadly with that of nonmalignant diseases. The serum ferritin correlated significantly with serum iron in normals and in those with iron deficiency anemia. In most nonmalignant cases, the serum ferritin and iron levels distributed on a regression line obtained from levels in normals and those with iron deficiency anemia. However, 92% of the malignant cases showed a serum ferritin to iron ratio higher than that of normal subjects. The estimation of the serum ...
Multicellular tumor spheroids (MCTS) are three dimensional cell culture systems induced by suspension culture. MCTS are widely used in cancer research because of their similarity to solid tumors. CaSki cells are derived from a metastatic cervical cancer containing human papillomavirus 16 (HPV16). Cell death of CaSki cells in MCTS has been previously reported, and our model is used to better characterize the mechanisms of cell death of HPV16-positive keratinocytes. In this study, we found that apoptosis of CaSki cells was induced by suspension culture along with the formation of MCTS after 24?h of incubation. In suspended CaSki cells, monoclonal antibodies blocking E-cadherin function inhibited MCTS formation and suppressed suspension-induced apoptosis in a dose-dependent manner. Western bl...
The work scope of 'Biological Research for the Radiation Protection' had contained the research about ornithine decarboxylase and its controlling proteins, thioredoxin, peroxiredoxin, S-adenosymethionine decarboxylase, and glutamate decarboxylase 67KD effect on the cell death triggered ionizing radiation and H_2O_2(toxic agents). In this study, to elucidate the role of these proteins in the ionizing radiation (or H_2O_2)-induced apoptotic cell death, we utilized sensesed (or antisensed) cells, which overexpress (or down-regulate) RNAs associated with these proteins biosynthesis, and investigated the effects of these genes on the cytotoxicity caused by ionizing radiation and H_2O_2(or paraquat). We also investigated whether genisteine(or thiamine) may enhance the cytotoxic efficacy of tumor cells caused by ionizing radiation (may enhance the preventing effect radiation or paraquat-induced damage) because such compounds are able to potentiate the ...
A survey is presented of the consequences of the irradiation of the population with ionizing radiation. There is an increased incidence of leukemia in irradiated population groups. Among the inhabitants of Hiroshima and Nagasaki maximum death of leukemia was observed in the years 1951 to 1952. The results are summed up of the observation of carcinoma of the breast, lungs and bronchi, bones, and carcinoma of the thyroid. The effect of radiation on experimental animals is described. It was found that the scatter of the dependence of the incidence of various types of cancer on the dose equivalent apparently reflects differences in the biological mechanism of this incidence and that a proportional relationship cannot be expected between the primary damage of cells during irradiation and the actual manifestation of the disease. (E.S.).
Innate immune responses are regulated by microorganisms and cell death, as well as by a third class of stress signal from the nervous and endocrine systems. The innate immune system also feeds back, through the production of cytokines, to regulate the function of the central nervous system (CNS), and this has effects on behaviour. These signals provide an extrinsic regulatory circuit that links physiological, social and environmental conditions, as perceived by the CNS, with transcriptional 'decision-making' in leukocytes. CNS-mediated regulation of innate immune responses optimizes total organism fitness and provides new opportunities for therapeutic control of chronic infectious, inflammatory and neuropsychiatric diseases.
DescriptionBoth wild and aquaculture reared abalone, mussels and other shellfish of commercial importance as a food resource to man can be afflicted by poisoning if they feed on toxic species of small single-celled planktonic marine algae. If humans consume these shellfish that have become intoxicated by HAB's, illness or even death may occur. HAB's occur world-wide, but some regions are more severely affected than others. The incidence of HAB's also appear to be on the increase globally, perhaps because o [continued...
Marburg virus belongs to the genus Marburgvirus in the family Filoviridae and causes a severe hemorrhagic fever, known as Marburg hemorrhagic fever (MHF), in both humans and nonhuman primates. Similar to the more widely known Ebola hemorrhagic fever, MHF is characterized by systemic viral replication, immunosuppression and abnormal inflammatory responses. These pathological features of the disease contribute to a number of systemic dysfunctions including hemorrhages, edema, coagulation abnormalities and, ultimately, multiorgan failure and shock, often resulting in death. A detailed understanding of the pathological processes that lead to this devastating disease remains elusive, a fact that contributes to the lack of licensed vaccines or effective therapeutics. This article will review the...
We report here the imaging findings of a rare case of a lethal form of Gorham disease in a young female patient. Multimodality imaging findings over 13 year-follow-up demonstrated progressive wide spread skeletal and soft tissue abnormalities with permeative osteolysis, pathological fractures and severe skeletal deformities. Unusual extensive osseous and soft tissue pneumatosis was illustrated on cross-sectional studies. The progressive nature of this form of Gorham disease and the subsequent complications eventually culminated in patient's death. (orig.)
We report here the imaging findings of a rare case of a lethal form of Gorham disease in a young female patient. Multimodality imaging findings over 13 year-follow-up demonstrated progressive wide spread skeletal and soft tissue abnormalities with permeative osteolysis, pathological fractures and severe skeletal deformities. Unusual extensive osseous and soft tissue pneumatosis was illustrated on cross-sectional studies. The progressive nature of this form of Gorham disease and the subsequent complications eventually culminated in patient's death. (orig.)
Alluvial fans along the east side of central Death Valley are being actively back-tilted along the Death Valley fault zone. Initial modelling of the Copper Canyon and Furnace Creek fans led to recognition of distinct segments. Field reconnaissance and aerial photo mapping were conducted to check model results and improve segment discrimination. Surface roughness, relative position, vegetation distribution, and drainage patterns provided independent evidence for segment discrimination. Subsequent modelling of individual segments produced a range of tilt values from 0.275[degree] to 0.559[degree] down to the northeast. Continued analysis of these fan segments is concentrated on: (1) assigning confidence and error values to the tilt values; and (2) dating individual segments. Further work will compare the tilt rates of east-side fans with those from the west. The mean squared error (MSE) is currently being used as a first order assessment of the ...
Neuronal cell death induced by oxidative stress is correlated with numerous neurodegenerative diseases, including Alzheimer's disease (AD), Parkinson's disease (PD), and stroke. The causes of sporadic forms of age-related neurodegenerative diseases are still unknown. Recently, a correlation between paraquat exposure and neurodegenerative diseases has been observed. Paraquat, a nonselective herbicide, was once widely used in North America and is still routinely used in Taiwan. We have used differentiated Human Neuroblastoma (SHSY-5Y) cells as an in vitro model to study the mechanism of cell death induced by paraquat. We observed that paraquat-induced oxidative stress in differentiated SHSY-5Y cells as indicated by an increase in the production of cellular reactive oxygen species (ROS). Furthermore, apoptosis was evident as indicated by cellular and nuclear morphology and DNA fragmentation. Interestingly, pretreatment of SHSY-5Y cells with ...
In order to study the neurobiological basis of seasonal changes in hippocampal structure and function, the rate of cell proliferation was examined in male and female wild meadow voles captured during different seasons. We found that the number of [3H]thymidine-labeled cells varied across the seasons and across sex in the meadow vole. Non-breeding female meadow voles had a higher rate of cell proliferation and cell death than males captured during either season or breeding females. These seasonal changes in the female meadow vole were associated with both fluctuating levels of adrenal steroids and gonadal steroids. Estradiol level was highly correlated with both the number of [3H]thymidine-labeled cells and the number of pyknotic cells in female meadow voles, with high levels of estradiol being associated with low levels of cell proliferation and cell death. Corticosterone level was associated with the number of [3H]thymidine-labeled cells in ...
Radiation doses to workers at the Manhattan Engineer District (MED) and US Atomic Energy Commission (AEC) sites due to external irradiation during 1940--1960 are reviewed. Categorized radiation dose data were available from AEC annual reports for some years. Annual individual radiation dose data for ten MED/AEC sites for all years were available from the US Department of Energy`s (DOE) Comprehensive Epidemiologic Data Resource (CEDR). These data are combined to produce an estimate of external collective dose equivalent to 172,000 person-rems (1720 person-Sv) for 1940--1960. During this period there were 41 overexposures, 19 criticality incidents, and 3 deaths due to acute radiation syndrome among several hundred thousand workers.
Abstract Silver-impregnated wound dressings continue to be routinely used for the management of infected wounds, or wounds that are at risk of becoming infected. The ability of antimicrobials that have been incorporated into wound dressings to kill microorganisms within the dressing requires appropriate evaluation using in vitro models. In vitro models that have been exploited for this purpose have included the corrected zone of inhibition and the log reduction assay. However, these and other related culturable-based assays are purported to have poor correlation with the overall microbicidal barrier activity of an antimicrobial wound dressing. This is because culturable-based methods only retrospectively indicate bacterial cell death and do not take into account viable but nonculturable st...
We verified and corrected inaccuracies in descriptive profile information on military working dogs (MWDs) that died from 1965 to 1980 and were reported in the Armed Forces Institute of Pathology Registry of Veterinary Pathology. Using other available military records, we determined which dogs served in Vietnam. Identified were 3,895 MWDs with a unique identity tattoo that served in Vietnam, of which 2,389 served exclusively with U.S. military forces and died in Vietnam. Another 479 Vietnam veteran MWDs completed their service elsewhere. This overall effort resulted in signalment corrections, generally age at death, in 21% of the Registry MWD accessions during the study period. The improved definition and characterization of the Vietnam cohort will lead to greater precision in epidemiologic investigations of the health effects from the Vietnam experience in U.S. military working dogs. PMID:7885593
Objective To investigate the impact on life quality of women with traumatic and non-traumatic origin fibromyalgia syndrome [FMS]. Method Women affected with FMS were selected and divided into two groups: those with traumatic origin FMS [Group 1] and those with non-traumatic origin FMS [Group 2]. A standard question form was used for the research, as well as the fibromyalgia impact questionnaire [FIQ] for evaluation of life quality. Results Seventy-two patients, 34 for Group 1 and 38 for Group 2 were analyzed. The main triggering symptoms were divorce [23.5 percent of cases] and death in the family [23.5 percent of cases]. In addition to diffuse pain, the main symptoms presented were poor sleep quality, weariness, and paresthesia, with no difference between the groups; migraine had a greate...
Thyroid cancer is the most frequently diagnosed endocrine cancer and causes more deaths than all other endocrine cancers combined. Research findings support the concept that a subpopulation of thyroid cancer cells displays properties characteristic of stem cells. These putative cancer-forming entities drive tumorigenesis as a result of their dual ability to undergo self-renewal and to differentiate into various types of cancer cells; they also mediate metastasis and are resistant to the effects of chemotherapy and radiation therapy. This Review discusses the cellular origin of thyroid cancer and the properties of the thyroid cancer stem cell niche. The article critically evaluates the methods used to identify molecular markers expressed by thyroid-cancer-initiating cells and outlines prosp...
Objective: Given the increasing popularity of motorcycle riding and heightened risk of injury or death associated with being a rider, this study explored rider behavior as a determinant of rider safety and, in particular, key beliefs and motivations that influence such behavior. To enhance the effectiveness of future education and training interventions, it is important to understand riders' own views about what influences how they ride. Specifically, this study sought to identify key determinants of riders' behaviors in relation to the social context of riding, including social and identity-related influences relating to the group (group norms and group identity) as well as the self (moral/personal norm and self-identity). Method: Qualitative research was undertaken via group discussions ...
Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder of the elderly accounting for the vast majority of dementia. Recently, many studies have implicated the role of inflammatory response, especially neuroinflammatory response in the development and progression of AD. However, the underlying mechanism of how inflammatory response induces AD is unknown. Kynurenine pathway is a major route of the amino acid tryptophan catabolism, resulting in the production of nicotine adenine dinucleotide and other neuroactive intermediates: quinolinic acid (QA) and kynurenic acid (KA). QA exerts different toxic effects, including over-activation of N-methyl-d-aspartate (NMDA) receptor and excitotoxicity, synaptic dysfunction and neuronal death. On the other hand, KA is identified as the only...
The 10th International Neurotrauma Symposium was held in Shanghai, China, on 27-???30 April 2011. This meeting marked the 20th anniversary of International Neurotrauma Symposia. The vision of the International Neurotrauma Society is to unite clinicians and scientists to discuss and present the latest in translational clinical and basic science research related to neurotrauma. The Shanghai meeting brought together 1000 delegates from over 70 countries. Key areas discussed included current guidelines of neurotrauma management, the latest advances in neuroimaging, the latest concepts in cell death mechanisms after neurotrauma, the role of decompressive techniques for cranial and spinal neurotrauma, advances in biomarkers for CNS injury, and the future of clinical management and research in ne...
Individuals with sickle cell disease (SCD) demonstrate an increased susceptibility to invasive bacterial infections (IBI). The most common organisms causing IBI are Streptococcus pneumoniae, nontyphi Salmonella species and Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib). IBI are the most common causes of death in children below 5 years of age with SCD. Increased susceptibility to IBI is because of several factors including dysfunctional antibody production and opsonophagocytosis as well as defective splenic clearance. Early diagnosis of Hib and pneumococcal infections combined with antibiotic prophylaxis and immunization programs, could lead to significant improvements in mortality, especially in Africa. Pediatr Blood Cancer. 2010;55:401-406. Copyright 2010 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Abstract Smoking and the deaths and suffering it causes are more common among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and Maori than other Australians and New Zealanders. While, many tobacco control activities that are not specifically targeted at children will have a positive impact on child health, this review concentrates on recent tobacco control research on pregnant women and children. The important tasks are to reduce smoking by pregnant Maori and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women to reduce infant and child exposure to second-hand smoke and to reduce smoking initiation of children and adolescents. Health professionals who want to reduce the suffering caused by smoking among Maori and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children can be guided by much new relevant res...
Abstract The treatment of advanced colorectal cancer with 5-fluorouracil has two major problems: development of tumor resistance and toxicity toward normal tissues. The aim of this study was to investigate the possible advantages of combining 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) with resveratrol (trans-3, 4prime, 5-trihydroxystilbene) for treating HT-29 and SW-620 colorectal carcinoma cell lines. Since combined treatment using 5-FU with resveratrol resulted in a significant decrease in long-term cell survival, we investigated the possible basis of this synergistic interaction at a molecular level, focusing on oxidative stress as a possible mediator of cell death. Resveratrol established interactions with the mitochondria of cancer cells and induced an imbalance in cellular antioxidant activities, leading...
Background/Objectives: Cardiotoxic drug poisoning can lead to severe cardiac shock (CS) and death. B-type natriuretic peptide (BNP) is a well-established diagnostic and prognostic marker in heart failure but has never been assessed in patients with cardiotoxic drug poisoning. The aim of the study was to determine whether BNP could be useful for early stratification of patients admitted to intensive care unit. Methods: 30 consecutive patients experiencing shock and cardiotoxic drug exposure were enrolled in a prospective monocentric study and underwent at least two BNP measurements within the first 24 h after admission. Results: While BNP values on admission were poorly informative, subsequent BNP measurements (11 +- 6 h after admission) were significantly increased in patients with CS comp...
Two dogs were given 3.0 mCi/kg body weight of "1"0"6Ru-"1"0"6Rh and two were given 4.0 mCi/kg. At 5 days after treatment, one dog from each dose level was colectomized. The dog given the larger dose but not surgically treated was killed in extremis due to acute lower bowel injury at 18 days. The other dog, given 3.0 mCi/kg but not surgically treated, was killed in a moribund condition at 145 days after dosing. The rectum had perforated. The colectomized dogs recovered from intestinal injury and showed no radiation damage at the termination of the study.
Radiofrequency electromagnetic fields (EMF) are harmful to public health, but the certain anti-irradiation mechanism is not clear yet. The present study was performed to investigate the possible protective effects of green tea polyphenols against electromagnetic radiation-induced injury in the cultured rat cortical neurons. In this study, green tea polyphenols were used in the cultured cortical neurons exposed to 1800?MHz EMFs by the mobile phone. We found that the mobile phone irradiation for 24?h induced marked neuronal cell death in the MTT (3-(4,5-dimethylthiazole-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyl-tetrazolium bromide) and TUNEL (TdT mediated biotin-dUTP nicked-end labeling) assay, and protective effects of green tea polyphenols on the injured cortical neurons were demonstrated by testing the content ...
To determine whether PKH26 labeling affects the morphologies, phenotypes, proliferation, and secretion abilities of human umbilical mesenchymal stromal cells (HUMSCs) were investigated. Isolated HUMSCs were labeled with PKH26, and cell morphology was observed under microscope. Cell cycle, apoptotic cell death, expression of PKH26, and the proliferation rate were evaluated. Additionally, fluorescence intensity of PKH26 labeling at different passage times was quantified. There were no detectable differences in cell morphology, cell growth, and proliferation rate after PKH26 labeling. In addition, fluorescence intensity of PKH26 labeling was gradually reduced with increase of the passage times. The PKH26 labeling disappeared after passage six times. In summary, PKH26 labeling is a safe and ef...
Introduction: Restrictions in prescribing broad spectrum antimicrobials have been part of a strategy to reduce Clostridium difficile cases in the UK in recent years. However, there has been little work on assessing the safety of alternative antimicrobial agents. Methods: We performed an uncontrolled prospective observational survey over a 1-year period to determine the effectiveness and safety of a new antimicrobial stewardship programme in a district hospital in the UK. Results: In total, 227 Gram-negative bacteraemias (203 episodes) occurred in the study period. Guidelines were adequate in 194 of 203 (95%) episodes and 163 episodes (80.2%) received adequate therapy. Patients in the inadequate therapy group had >2-fold increased likelihood of death [odds ratio (OR) = 2.63, 95% confidence ...
Over 300 delegates participated in this scientific meeting to celebrate the career of the late Professor Tony Hart, who was Head of Department of Medical Microbiology, University of Liverpool, from 1986 until his death in September 2007. The meeting, which was opened by Professor James Stewart (Head, School of Infection and Host Defence, University of Liverpool) and closed by Professor Bernard Brabin (Head of the Child Health Group, Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine), captured some of the major elements that distinguished Tony Harts remarkable career. These included: broad research interests spanning both human and veterinary medicine; the ability to conduct both clinical and basic science research with equal skill and vigour; and his phenomenal mentorship of postgraduate students. Eac...
Lifetime observations on a group of 358 rhesus monkeys indicate that life expectancy loss from exposure to protons in the energy range encountered in the Van Allen belts and solar proton events is influenced primarily by the dose rather than the energy of radiation. After 24 years, life expectancy losses from similar surface doses of low-LET (138-2300 MeV) and high-LET (32-55 MeV) protons are not significantly different, but the high-LET protons are associated with more deaths in the early years, while the low-LET protons contribute more to mortality in later years. In males, the most significant cause of life shortening is nonleukemia cancers.
Colon cancer is one of the leading causes of death and a major public health problem in western countries. We examined the isoflavone content of 70% ethanol extract of soy germ (SG) and its apoptotic effect in HT-29 colon cancer cells. Our results showed that the major isoflavones of the SG extract were daidzein and genistein, and it effectively induced apoptosis in HT-29 cancer cells. In addition, nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-kB) expression was reduced in cells treated with the SG extract, which reduced cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) and nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) expression. These combined effects ultimately resulted in apoptosis via caspase-3 activation. In addition, daidzein and genistein, the major isoflavones of SG extract, also exerted the apoptotic effect against HT-29 cancer cells. Thes...
Introduction: Haploidentical transplantation, with extensive T cell depletion to prevent GvHD, is associated with a high incidence of infection-related deaths. The key challenge is to improve immune recovery with allogeneic donor T cells without triggering GvHD. As T regulatory cells (Tregs) controlled GvHD in pre-clinical studies, the present study evaluated the impact of an infusion of donor CD4/CD25 + Tregs, followed by an inoculum of donor mature T cells (Tcons) and positively immunoselected CD34 + cells in the setting of haploidentical stem cell transplantation. Patients and methods: Twenty-eight patients were enrolled in this study (22 AML; 5 ALL; 1 NHL). All received immunoselected Tregs (CliniMACS, Miltenyi Biotec) followed by positively immunoselected CD34 + cells together with Tc...
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is considered to be one of the most common malignancies worldwide, and the most common one in Africa and Asia. Over the last decade, a rising incidence of up to 10-15/100,000 per population has been seen in the Western world, with an estimate of 250,000 deaths and more than a million worldwide per year. By the year 2010, the World Health Organization expects that HCC will be the leading cause of cancer mortality surpassing lung cancer. This increasing incidence is most likely related to an increasing prevalence of chronic hepatitis C (HC) and B (HB) virus infections and other diseases inducing chronic inflammation (Befeler and Di Bisceglie 2002; Llovet et al. 2003).
The results of nine years of study of the 237 patients who suffered from acute radiation syndrome (ARS) as a consequence of the Chernobyl accident are reported. Thirty-eight of these patients have died, 28 in the acute period in 1986, 5 in 1987-90 and 5 in 1992-93. The reasons for death show no clear tendencies. They include: gangrene of the lung, organic disease of the brain and spinal chord, hypoplasia of haematopoeisis, coronary heart disease, sarcoma and an automobile accident. Investigations have been carried out on an annual obligatory basis of the patients` haemopoietic, immune, nervous and endocrine systems. An analysis of the data is presented. Histograms are included showing the incidence of digestive tract, nervous system, respiratory and cardiovascular disorders, the frequency and degree of disablement and serum prolactin concentration. The types of skin damage sustained by 39 of the patients are listed. (6 figures, 3 tables). (UK).
Abstract: It seems that if abortion is permissible, then stem cell research must be as well: it involves the death of a less significant thing (an embryo rather than a fetus) for a greater good (lives saved rather than nine months of physical imposition avoided). However, I argue in this essay that this natural thought is mistaken. In particular, on the assumption that embryos and fetuses have the full moral status of persons, abortion is permissible but one form of stem cell research is not-the practice of creating embryos and then destroying them to extract cell material. Furthermore, I argue that the same is true on the assumption that embryos and fetuses have at least some moral status. I conclude that this form of stem cell research is permissible only if the embryos in question lack ...
ObjectivesTo assess the influence of epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG) on the efficacy of ionizing radiation on prostate cancer cells because of the increased use of dietary interventions, especially by patients with prostate cancer. Radiotherapy is used to treat localized prostate cancer. Some people consume green tea (EGCG) as a chemopreventive agent against prostate cancer. Green tea can act as an antioxidant and induce superoxide dismutase enzymes, which could scavenge the free oxygen radicals generated by radiotherapy. MethodsProstate cancer cell line DU145 cells were treated with EGCG or radiotherapy, or both. Cell death was assessed using trypan blue cell counting, and apoptosis was confirmed by assessing poly (adenosine phosphate ribose) polymerase cleavage. The antioxidant potenti...
A nanosuspension of magnetically tagged metronidazole was developed by the solvent displacement method coupled with ultrasonication and was evaluated for its physicochemical properties. The drug release from metronidazole magnetic nanosuspension at pH 1.2 and 7.0 shows maximum correlation coefficient for zero order and Higuchi model, respectively. The anthelmintic activity of the formulated metronidazole magnetic nanosuspension was evaluated on Indian earthworms (Pheretima poi). Metronidazole magnetic nanosuspension at a dose of 10 and 50 mg/ml shortened by 31% and 34%, respectively, the mean time to death of the earthworms when compared against a non-magnetic metronidazole suspension. Thus, the developed metronidazole magnetic nanosuspension showed potent, controlled and targeted drug action and might be a good therapeutic avenue in combating infectious GI disorders.
Entanglement is the essential quantum resource for a potential speed-up of information processing, as well as for sophisticated quantum communication. Quantum information networks will be required to convey information from one place to another, by using entangled light beams. Many physical systems are under consideration as building blocks, with different merits and faults, so that hybrid systems are likely to be developed. Here we present an important tool for connecting systems that share no common resonance frequencies: we demonstrate the first direct generation of entanglement among more than two bright beams of light, all of different wavelengths (532.251 nm, 1062.102 nm, and 1066.915 nm). We also observe, for the first time, disentanglement for finite channel losses, the continuous variable counterpart to entanglement sudden death.
Background There is increasing recognition that lower nurse staffing levels are associated with higher morbidity and mortality among medical and surgical patients. The degree to which this applies to elderly patients with hip fractures is unclear. Questions/purposes We conducted a pilot study using administrative data as an initial step in investigating the relationship between nurse staffing levels and in-hospital mortality among elderly patients with hip fractures. Patients and Methods We retrospectively reviewed administrative data for 13,343 patients 65?years or older with a primary diagnosis of hip fracture admitted to 39 Michigan hospitals between 2003 and 2006. We used logistic regression to calculate the change in predicted probability of in-hospital death conferred by differences ...
Purpose: The DBA/2J mice have been used as an animal model for human pigmentary glaucoma. However, these mice develop various degrees of disease symptoms at different ages, making it difficult to detect pathological changes of retinal degeneration at glaucoma onset. The purpose of this study is to develop a non-invasive assay to identify individual mice that develop visual deficits. Materials and Methods: We apply two behavioral tests, a swimming test of visual discrimination and a test of optomotor response, to identify glaucomatous DBA/2J mice. We then examine whether the elevation of intraocular pressure (IOP), the common risk factor for glaucoma, affects visual performances of the DBA/2J mice. We further compare the retinal ganglion cell death, one of the signature glaucoma symptoms, i...
The Department of Energy (DOE) policy requires that all DOE activities be conducted in a manner that protects the safety of the public and provides a safe and healthful workplace for employees. DOE has also prescribed that all personnel be protected in any explosives operation undertaken. The level of safety provided shall be at least equivalent to that of the best industrial practice. The risk of death or serious injury shall be limited to the lowest practicable minimum. DOE and contractors shall continually review their explosives operations with the aim of achieving further refinements and improvements in safety practices and protective features. This manual describes the Department's explosive safety requirements applicable to operations involving the development, testing, handling, and processing of explosives or assemblies containing explosives. It is intended to reflect the state-of-the-art in explosives safety. In addition, it is essential that ...
Coronary heart disease is the leading cause of death specially among elderly. Coronary angiography is the best diagnostic method in the patients, but is unfortunately an invasive procedure with its inherent risks. Myocardial perfusion scan is a noninvasive and sensitive method for evaluation of Coronary artery disease and is suggested by many investigators in recent years. In this study, 64 patients who had a Tc99m-MIBI SPECT myocardial perfusion study at our department, underwent coronary angiography within 4 months. Correlation of the methods revealed that SPECT Tc99m -MIBI had a high sensitivity and specificity in our hand, which is comparable with international findings.
Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the most common cause of cancer death among Canadian non-smokers. Each year about 21,500 Canadians are diagnosed with CRC. Ninety percent of cases occur in people aged 50 years or older. An estimated 4,800 Canadian men and 4,100 Canadian women die each year from the disease. About 75% of all new CRC cases arise in people with no known risk factors. Computed tomography colonography (CTC), a cross-sectional imaging examination that permits complete structural examination of the colon, shows promise as a tool for CRC screening. This article reviews the rationale for CRC screening, currently recommended Canadian and American screening guidelines and screening tools, and current evidence supporting CTC as a CRC screening tool and its advantages over conventional screening methods. (author)
Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the most common cause of cancer death among Canadian non-smokers. Each year about 21,500 Canadians are diagnosed with CRC. Ninety percent of cases occur in people aged 50 years or older. An estimated 4,800 Canadian men and 4,100 Canadian women die each year from the disease. About 75% of all new CRC cases arise in people with no known risk factors. Computed tomography colonography (CTC), a cross-sectional imaging examination that permits complete structural examination of the colon, shows promise as a tool for CRC screening. This article reviews the rationale for CRC screening, currently recommended Canadian and American screening guidelines and screening tools, and current evidence supporting CTC as a CRC screening tool and its advantages over conventional screening methods. (author)
PurposeTo evaluate the safety and effectiveness of the Zilver vascular stent in the treatment of de novo or restenotic lesions in the external and common iliac arteries.Materials and MethodsRegardless of the results of an initial percutaneous transluminal angioplasty (PTA), 151 consecutive patients were implanted with Zilver vascular stents (Cook, Bloomington, Ind) in up to two stenotic (?10 cm) or occluded (?5 cm) atherosclerotic lesions of the external or common iliac arteries. The primary endpoint was the rate of major adverse events within 9 months after the procedure. Major adverse events were defined as death, myocardial infarction, target lesion revascularization, and limb loss. Secondary endpoints included acute procedural success, 30-day clinical success, 9-month pat...
ALLEYNE G., HANCOCK C. & HUGHES P. (2011) Chronic and non-communicable diseases: a critical challenge for nurses globally. International Nursing Review58, 328-331 Background:- Chronic and non-communicable diseases (NCDs) are a growing and enormous challenge that faces countries across the world. Low- and middle-income countries are disproportionately affected. Contributory factors:- Three risk factors - tobacco use, poor diet (including excessive alcohol intake) and lack of physical activity - contribute to four major chronic diseases - cardiovascular, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, diabetes and some cancers, which are responsible for over 50% of deaths worldwide. Potential solutions:- International governmental and non-governmental agencies are becoming increasingly concerned and ...
Mammary glands are special tissue characterized by proliferation of the epithelium, during puberty and pregnancy and by programmed cell death, during involution. In this study, apoptosis was identified by TUNEL staining and then related to cell proliferation, as determined by Ki-67 staining. The apoptotic index was at its highest at 8 days of involution, whereas the proliferation index was at its highest during lactation. Caspase-3 was immunolocalised only in mast cells and along the basal membrane in the mammary tissue at -10 days from lambing, 150 days of lactation and at 8 days of involution. This finding could indicate that caspase-3 is not involved in sheep mammary gland apoptosis, but that other proteins - such as apoptosis inducing factor (AIF) - can trigger apoptosis, through the m...
AbstractBACKGROUND: The authors chose to examine the association between body mass index (BMI) and incident colorectal cancer across the spectrum of BMI, including underweight persons, because detailed prospective cohort data on this topic in Asians is scarce, as is data on underweight persons (BMI, <18.5 kg/m2) in any population. METHODS: Analysis of the Singapore Chinese Health Study included 51,251 men and women aged 45-74 years enrolled in 1993-1998 and followed through 2007. Incident cancer cases and deaths among cohort members were identified through record linkage, and 980 cases were identified. Cox regression models were used to investigate the association of baseline BMI with risk of incident colorectal cancer during a mean of 11.5 years of follow-up. RESULTS: A significant, U-sha...
Necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) is the most common severe gastrointestinal emergency that affects premature newborns. This disease often has a rapid onset with few, if any, antecedent signs that can be used to reliably predict its occurrence. Its rapid onset and progression to death, as well as its severe morbidity when the infant survives, begs for early diagnostic tools that may be used in determining those infants who would be at greatest risk for development of the disease and for whom early preventative measures could be targeted. Although studies have suggested efficacy of several techniques such as breath hydrogen, inflammatory mediators in blood, urine or stool, and genetic markers, these all have drawbacks limiting their use. The application of newly developed "omic" approaches may provide biomarkers for early diagnosis and targeted prevention of this disease. PMID:19190533
ObjectiveInjury is the leading cause of death among American youth, killing more 11-year-olds than all other causes combined. Children with symptoms of externalizing behavior disorders such as attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and conduct disorder (CD) may have increased risk. Our aims were to determine: (1) whether increasing symptoms of ADHD and CD associate positively with injuries among a community sample of fifth graders; and (2) whether symptoms of ADHD and CD have a multiplicative rather than additive association with injuries among the sample. MethodsData were collected from 4745 fifth graders and their primary caregivers participating in Healthy Passages, a multisite, community-based study of pediatric health risk behaviors and health outcomes. The primary outcome wa...
Anaphylaxis is a serious allergic reaction that is rapid in onset and sometimes leads to death. Understanding mechanisms, triggers, and patient-specific risk factors for severe or fatal anaphylaxis is critically important. Diagnosis of anaphylaxis is currently based on established clinical criteria. Epinephrine (adrenaline) is the first-line medication for anaphylaxis treatment and delay in injecting it contributes to biphasic reactions, hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy, and fatality. Here, we focus on four important areas of translational research in anaphylaxis: studies of potential new biomarkers to support the clinical diagnosis of anaphylaxis, laboratory tests to distinguish allergen sensitization from clinical risk of anaphylaxis, the primary role of epinephrine (adrenaline) in anaphylaxis treatment, and strengthening the overall evidence base for anaphylaxis treatment. PMID:21668849
Abstract: In many biological processes heterogeneity within clonal cell populations is an important issue. One of the most striking examples is a population of cancer cells in which after a common, identical death signal some cells die whereas others survive. The reason for this heterogeneity is intrinsic and extrinsic noise. In this paper we present a mechanistic multi-scale modeling framework for cell populations, in which the dynamics of every individual cell is captured by a parameter dependent stochastic differential equation (SDE). Heterogeneity among individual cells is accounted for by differences in parameter values, modeling extrinsic influences. Based on the statistical properties of the extrinsic noise and the SDE model for the individual cell, a partial differential equation (...
Abstract Alcohol drinking is highly prevalent in many cultures and contributes to the global burden of disease. In fact, it was shown that alcohol constitutes 3.2% of all worldwide deaths in the year 2006 and is linked to more than 60 diseases, including cancers, cardiovascular diseases, liver cirrhosis, neuropsychiatric disorders, injuries and foetal alcohol syndrome. Alcoholism, which has been proven to have a high genetic load, is one potentially fatal consequence of chronic heavy alcohol consumption, and may be regarded as one of the most prevalent neuropsychiatric diseases afflicting our society today. The aim of the integrated genome research network -Genetics of Alcohol Addiction--which is a German inter-/trans-disciplinary life science consortium consisting of molecular biologists,...
Fatalities resulted from aluminium phosphide (ALP) intoxication in completely healthy children with no preceded clinical sings or symptoms were presented. Data regarding circumstances, autopsy reports, histopathological examination, toxicological investigation, and police enquiries were also collected and evaluated. The affected children were females, and 6-16 years old. They were completely healthy and died suddenly in relation to some physical activities such as running, walking, and bathing, without any prior complain. The viscera showed intense congestion with moderate to severe pulmonary edema. The cause of the sudden termination of life in the reported cases is mostly cardiac ones. Physical exertion may precipitate death due to increased cardiac stress, increased oxygen demand, and b...
Background Aluminium phosphide tablets popularly known, as ?celphos? is a highly toxic fumigant used as insecticide for preservation of food grains. India is an agricultural country and celphos tablets are easily available to psychologically vulnerable young people. It is swallowed with suicidal intent and death comes in minutes. Patients and methods In this series there were seven patients with tracheo esophageal complications out of 342 patients reviewed. Four patients had esophageal stricture and three had stricture plus tracheo esophageal fistulas. Types of symptoms including progressive dyshagia and extent of respiratory symptoms were evaluated. Nutrition status and success or failure of dilatation at the time of endoscopy was taken into account. The criteria for oesophageal replaceme...
The progression of hip dysplasia was investigated in 116 military working dogs. Medical records were reviewed for any clinical history of hind-limb lameness. Pelvic radiographs were studied for evidence and degree of hip dysplasia, degenerative joint disease, or both. The number of months each dog worked was determined. Each dog's age at termination from service and cause of death (or euthanasia) were recorded. The mean months of work for normal and dysplastic dogs were evaluated using the Student's t-test. No significant difference was found in the total number of months worked between normal and dysplastic dogs (p greater than 0.05). PMID:8875358
The aim of this study was the evaluation of contralateral hip fractures after a previous hip fracture. For this retrospective analysis patients were selected from the database of the LUMC, a teaching hospital in the south-west of the Netherlands. We analyzed all patients with a second fracture of a hip between 1992 and 2007. The exclusion criteria were high impact trauma and patients with diseases or medication known to have a negative effect on bone metabolism. A total of 1,604 hip fractures were identified. The possible predictive factors for the second fracture and descriptive statistics related to surgery (Hb and HT before and after the operation, total amount of intra- and postoperative blood loss, type of osteosynthesis, complications, time of death after the last fracture, time betw...
A range of 6-substituted imidazo[1,2-a]pyridines were synthesized using a multicomponent coupling reaction. Most of these compounds were found to exhibit excellent activity against the colon cancer cell lines HT-29 and Caco-2, whilst not showing significant toxicity against white blood cells. Our studies have shown that the proteolytic phase of apoptosis was initiated 2 h after treatment with these imidazo-[1,2-a]pyridines. The data suggests that the imidazo[1,2-a]pyridine-induced cell death in HT-29 and Caco-2 cells is mediated via pathway(s) that include the release of cytochrome c from the mitochondria to the cytosol and the activation of caspase 3 and caspase 8.
To investigate the problems of the Hanaro stent (Solco Intermed, Seoul, Korea) when used in the palliative treatment of patients with inoperable malignant biliary obstruction. Between January 2000 and May 2001, the treatment of 46 patients with malignant biliary obstruction involved percutaneous placement of the Hanaro stent. Five patients encountered problems during removal of the stent's introduction system. The causes of obstruction were pancreatic carcinoma (n=2), cholangiocarcinoma (n=2), and gastric carcinoma with biliary invasion (n=1). In one patient, percutaneous transhepatic cholangiography and stent insertion were performed as a one-step procedure, while the others underwent conventional percutaneous transhepatic biliary drainage for at least two days prior to stent insertion. A self-expandable Hanaro stent, 8-10 mm in deameter and 50-100 mm in lengh, and made from a strand of nitinol wire, was used in all cases. Among the five patients who ...
We wanted to determine the technical and clinical efficacy of placing a self-expandable PTFE-covered nitinol stent for the management of inoperable malignant biliary obstruction. Thirty six patients with inoperable malignant biliary obstructions were treated by placement of self-expandable PTFE-covered nitinol stents (S and G Biotech Corporation, Seongnam, Korea). Clinical evaluation was done with assessment of the serum bilirubin and alkaline phosphatase levels, which were measured before and after stent placement within 1 week, at 1 month and at 3 months. The patient survival rate and stent patency rate were calculated with performing Kaplan-Meier survival analysis. Successful stent placement was achieved in all the patients without procedure-related complication. Pancreatitis as an early complication occurred in two cases. The serum bilirubin and alkaline phosphatase levels were significantly decreased after the procedure. During the follow-up, recurrent ...
To evaluate repeated hepatic intraarterial chemotherapy (HIC) as a palliative treatment option for unresectable cholangiocarcinoma and liver metastases of various origins that were progressive under systemic chemotherapy. Between 2002 and 2006, 55 patients were treated in 4-week intervals (mean five sessions). Combined gemcitabine/mitomycin was administered intraarterially within 1 h. Tumor response was evaluated after the third session according to RECIST. Treated tumor entities were colorectal carcinoma (CRC) (n = 12), breast cancer (BC) (n = 12), cholangiocarcinoma (CCC) (n = 10), pancreatic (n = 4), ovarian (n = 3), gastric, cervical, papillary (each n = 2), prostate, esophageal carcinoma, leiomyosarcoma (each n = 1), cancer of unknown primacy (CUP) (n = 5). All patients tolerated the treatment well without any major side effects or complications. In total, there were 1 complete response (CR), 19 partial responses (PR), 19 stable (SD) and 16 progressive ...
To evaluate the feasibility and clinical effectiveness of using a polyurethane-covered expandable nitinol stent in the palliative treatment of malignant duodenal obstruction. Under fluoroscopic guidance, a polyurethane-covered expandable nitinol stent was placed in 12 consecutive patients with malignant duodenal obstructions. All presented with severe nausea and recurrent vomiting. The underlying causes of obstruction were duodenal carcinoma (n=4), pancreatic carcinoma (n=4), gall bladder carcinoma (n=2), distal CBD carcinoma (n=1), and uterine cervical carcinoma (n=1). The sites of obstruction were part I (n=1), part II (n=8), and III (n=3). Due to pre-existing jaundice, eight patients with part II obstructions underwent biliary decompression prior to stent placement. An introducer sheath with a 6-mm outer diameter and stents 16 mm in diameter were employed, and to place the stent, and after-loading technique was used. Stent placement was technically successful in ...
Objective: Solid pseudopapillary tumor of the pancreas (SPTP tumor) is a rare pancreatic neoplasm with low malignant potential, which usually affects female patients in the second or third decades of life. It is a non-functional, slow-growing neoplasm that very often reaches considerable size before the first symptoms appear. Symptomatology is frequently related to tumor size. Surgical excision is usually curative in most cases. Infrequently the tumor can appear in male patients or in aged women, which can make the diagnosis more difficult. Some patients develop liver metastases in the follow-up that can be resected. Our purpose is to review the radiological and pathological findings of SPTP with emphasis on these infrequent cases. Subjects and methods: The medical records and radiological findings of patients who underwent surgery for SPTP between 2000 and 2005 were retrospectively reviewed. Study eligibility required that patients had undergone surgical resection ...
Objective: Solid pseudopapillary tumor of the pancreas (SPTP tumor) is a rare pancreatic neoplasm with low malignant potential, which usually affects female patients in the second or third decades of life. It is a non-functional, slow-growing neoplasm that very often reaches considerable size before the first symptoms appear. Symptomatology is frequently related to tumor size. Surgical excision is usually curative in most cases. Infrequently the tumor can appear in male patients or in aged women, which can make the diagnosis more difficult. Some patients develop liver metastases in the follow-up that can be resected. Our purpose is to review the radiological and pathological findings of SPTP with emphasis on these infrequent cases. Subjects and methods: The medical records and radiological findings of patients who underwent surgery for SPTP between 2000 and 2005 were retrospectively reviewed. Study eligibility required that patients had undergone surgical resection ...
The eastern oyster (Crassostrea virginica) developed neoplastic disorders when experimentally exposed both in the laboratory and field to chemically contaminated sediment from Black Rock Harbor (BRH), Bridgeport, Connecticut. Neoplasia was observed in oysters after 30 or 60 days of continuous exposure in a laboratory flow-through system to a 20 mg/L suspension of BRH sediment plus postexposure periods of 3, 30, or 60 days. Composite tumor incidence was 13.6% for both exposures. Tumor occurrence was highest in the renal excretory epithelium, followed in order by gill, gonad, gastrointestinal, heart, and embryonic neural tissue. Regression of experimental neoplasia was not observed when the stimulus was discontinued. In field experiments, gill neoplasms developed in oysters, deployed in cages for 30 days at BRH and 36 days at a BRH dredge material disposal area in Central Long Island Sound, and kidney and gastrointestinal neoplasms developed in caged oysters deployed 40 days in Quincy ...
CT of the gastrointestinal tract is commonly performed after administration of a high-density diluted iodinated oral contrast material. However, because if inadequate mixing of the contrast material with the gastrointestinal contents, pseudotumor and poor mucosal visualization are frequently shown on abdominal CT. To overcome these problem, 10% corn oil emulsion (COE) is tested as an alternative oral contrast agent in 40 patients. We analyse patients tolerance, gastric mucosal visualization and discrimination of pancreas from the duodenal C-loop to 10% COE in 40 patients compared with those obtained from 35 patients, who was received high-density diluted iodinated oral contrast agent (gastrografin). The results are as follows : 1. Patients' tolerance to 10% COE is similar to that to conventional oral contrast agent. 2. Image of the gastric mucosa from patients receiving 10% COE is superior to that receiving oral contrast agent. 3. The discrimination between ...
CT of the gastrointestinal tract is commonly performed after administration of a high-density diluted iodinated oral contrast material. However, because if inadequate mixing of the contrast material with the gastrointestinal contents, pseudotumor and poor mucosal visualization are frequently shown on abdominal CT. To overcome these problem, 10% corn oil emulsion (COE) is tested as an alternative oral contrast agent in 40 patients. We analyse patients tolerance, gastric mucosal visualization and discrimination of pancreas from the duodenal C-loop to 10% COE in 40 patients compared with those obtained from 35 patients, who was received high-density diluted iodinated oral contrast agent (gastrografin). The results are as follows : 1. Patients' tolerance to 10% COE is similar to that to conventional oral contrast agent. 2. Image of the gastric mucosa from patients receiving 10% COE is superior to that receiving oral contrast agent. 3. The discrimination between ...
Feline heartworm disease is a very different clinical entity from canine heartworm disease. In cats, the arrival and death of immature heartworms in the pulmonary arteries can cause coughing and dyspnea as early as 3 months postinfection. Adult heartworms suppress the function of pulmonary intravascular macrophages and thus reduce clinical disease in chronic feline heartworm infection. Approximately 80% of asymptomatic cats self-cure. Median survival time for symptomatic cats is 1.5 years, or 4 years if only cats living beyond the day of presentation are considered. Aberrant worm migration is more frequent than it is in dogs, and sudden death can occur with no prior clinical signs. The bacterial endosymbiont Wolbachia likely contributes to the inflammatory pathology of heartworm disease, but its role is not yet fully clear. Unfortunately, the diagnosis, treatment, and management of feline heartworm disease are far from simple. Antemortem ...
Placental insufficiency, inducing hypoxia-ischaemia, is considered a major cause of neuronal injury and impaired post natal development. Placental insufficiency alters the metabolism of arachidonic acid and its oxidation products. Premature labour and low-birth-weight infants are associated with reduced intrauterine blood-flow and infections of the reproductive tract. Thyroidal activity is depressed in undernutrition (placental insufficiency). Premature infants require extra vitamin C for normal tyrosine metabolism (tyrosine is the thyroxine precursor). Among the symptoms indicating infantile cretinism, which appear during 3-5 months of age are: delayed union of skull bones, torpid behaviour, slow feeding, cyanosis during feeding, excessive sleepiness, enlarged tongue, umbilical herniation, flabby musculature, short stature and delayed development. These symptoms have all been described in low-birth-weight infants and sudden infant death syndrome victims by various ...
Multicellular tumor spheroids (MCTS) are three dimensional cell culture systems induced by suspension culture. MCTS are widely used in cancer research because of their similarity to solid tumors. CaSki cells are derived from a metastatic cervical cancer containing human papillomavirus 16 (HPV16). Cell death of CaSki cells in MCTS has been previously reported, and our model is used to better characterize the mechanisms of cell death of HPV16-positive keratinocytes. In this study, we found that apoptosis of CaSki cells was induced by suspension culture along with the formation of MCTS after 24 h of incubation. In suspended CaSki cells, monoclonal antibodies blocking E-cadherin function inhibited MCTS formation and suppressed suspension-induced apoptosis in a dose-dependent manner. Western blot for E-cadherin detected upregulation of the authentic 120 kDa band from MCTS of CaSki cells as well as a shorter 100 kDa band. Addition of EGF, whose ...
The epidermal compartment is complex and organized into several strata composed of keratinocytes (KCs), including basal, spinous, granular, and cornified layers. The continuous process of self-renewal and barrier formation is dependent on a homeostatic balance achieved amongst KCs involving proliferation, differentiation, and cell death. To determine genes responsible for initiating and maintaining a cornified epidermis, organotypic cultures comprised entirely of stratified KCs creating epidermal equivalents (EE) were raised from a submerged state to an air/liquid (A/L) interface. Compared to the array profile of submerged cultures containing KCs predominantly in a proliferative (relatively undifferentiated) state, EEs raised to an A/L interface displayed a remarkably consistent and distinct profile of mRNAs. Cultures lifted to an A/L interface triggered the induction of gene groups that regulate proliferation, differentiation, and cell death. ...
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 ...
Candoxin (PDB #1JGK), a three-finger neurotoxin from Bungarus candidus venom, inhibits post-synaptic neuromuscular and neuronal alpha7nACh-receptors, and induces delayed cell-death throughout the glial population. When applied to cultured human glial cell lines, candoxin (CDX) induced cell death in a concentration (EC(50) approximately 1muM) and time dependent manner. Results of TUNEL-histochemistry further confirm CDX-induced brain (hippocampus, frontal cortex, and temporal regions) damage when administered intracerebroventricularly (i.c.v) in adult mice. In this study, we explored differential gene expression profiles following exposure of human glial (Hs 683) cell lines to CDX at various time intervals using Affymetrix-GeneChips. By means of MAS and GeneSpring analyses, 105 genes whose expression was significantly (P<0.01) altered by at least 3-fold were selected. Results of the genome analysis reveal that the potential role of CDX at ...
For most cells there exists an optimum cooling rate. Both supraoptimal rates and suboptimal rates can be very damaging. The optimal rate varies enormously from less than or equal to 1/sup 0/C/min for mammalian preimplantation embryos to greater than or equal to 800/sup 0/C/min for the human red cell. Death at supraoptimal rates is the result of the formation of intracellular ice and its recrystallization during warming. Intracellular ice occurs when cells are cooled too rapidly to allow them to equilibrate by the osmotic withdrawal of intracellular water. The definition of too rapid depends chiefly on the size of the cell and its permeability to water. Death at suboptimal rates is a consequence of the major alterations in aqueous solutions produced by ice formation. The chief effects are a major reduction in the fraction of the solution remaining unfrozen at a given temperature and a major increase in the solute concentration of that fraction. ...
The distribution of radiation dose commitments within the body that can result from the lung deposition of a number of transuranic radionuclides ("2"3"7Pu, "2"3"8Pu, "2"3"9Pu, "2"4"0Pu, "2"4"1Pu, "2"4"2Pu, "2"4"3Pu, "2"4"4Pu, "2"4"1Am, "2"4"2Am, "2"4"3Am, "2"4"4Am, "2"4"2Cm, "2"4"3Cm, "2"4"4Cm, and "2"4"6Cm) was calculated. The variables that influence these organ dose commitments include the mobility of the particle or its dissolution products within the body, the radiation characteristics of the inhaled radionuclides and their progeny, and the size of the particles inhaled. In the calculation of organ dose commitments for whole-body, lungs, liver, bone tissues, kidneys, and gastrointestinal tract from the inhalation of transuranium radionuclides, physical characteristics of importance are the dimensions of the particle, its aerodynamic properties, and its density. For particles within the respirable size range, a useful description is provided by the activity median aerodynamic ...
beta-Bungarotoxin (beta-Bgt), a presynaptic phospholipase A(2) (PLA(2)) neurotoxin isolated from the venom of Bungarus multicinctus, consists of A chain and B chain. The goal of the present study is to explore the functional contribution of the two subunits to the toxicity of beta-Bgt. beta-Bgt was found to induce apoptotic death of SK-N-SH cells via elevating intracellular Ca(2+) and intracellular ROS production. Moreover, an activation of p38 MAPK was associated with the cytotoxicity of beta-Bgt. SB202190 (p38 MAPK inhibitor), N-acetylcysteine (antioxidant reagent), 1,2-bis(2-aminophenoxy)ethane-N,N,N,N-tetraacetic acid (BAPTA) (Ca(2+) chelator) and the inhibitors of Ca(2+) release from intracellular depots (ruthenium red and 2-aminoethoxydiphenyl borate) effectively attenuated the cytotoxicity of beta-Bgt. In sharp contrast to the inability of A chain, B chain was able to induce cytotoxic effects on SK-N-SH cells as beta-Bgt did. Abolishment of PLA(2) activity ...
To investigate the growth inhibitory effects, and the underlying mechanism of human colon cancer cell (HT-29) death, induced by a new synthetic bile derivative (HS-1200). Human colon cancer cells (HT-29), in exponential growth phase, were treated with various concentrations of a new synthetic bile acid derivative (HS-1200). The growth inhibitory effects on HT-19 cells were examined using a trypan blue exclusion assay. The extent of apoptosis was determined using agarose gel electrophoresis, TUNEL assays and Hoechst staining. The apoptotic cell death was also confirmed by Western blotting of PARP, caspase-3 and DNA fragmentation factor (DFF) analysis. To investigate the involvement of mitochondria, we employed immunofluorescent staining of cytochrome c and mitochondrial membrane potential analyses. The dose required for the half maximal inhibition (IC_5_0) of the HT-29 cell growth was 100 #approx# 150 #mu# M of HS-1200. Several changes, ...
Purpose/Objective: The role of programmed cell death (apoptosis) as a cellular response to cancer therapy such as radiation or chemotherapy is the subject of much study, and manipulation of the apoptotic response in tumor cells may be valuable in the treatment of a variety of cancers. Both p53 dependent and independent apoptotic pathways have been identified; p53 is mutated in at least 50 % of human cancers and a majority of radiation resistant tumors contain p53 mutations. This study is designed to examine the induction of programmed cell death in a human colon carcinoma cell line that possesses two mutated p53 alleles. Ionizing radiation alone, or in combination with the chemotherapeutic drug 5-fluorouracil (5-FU), were used to elicit the apoptotic response. This study will focus on whether these treatments can induce a significant apoptotic response in cells that have mutated p53 alleles. Materials and Methods: HT-29 cells were assessed for ...
Authors retrospectively analyzed the CT findings of mediastinal lesions in surgically or clinically confirmed 37 cases at Kosin Medical College during recent 4 years from September 1979 to August 1983. 1. Among 37 caes, malignant lymphoma were 7 cases, thymoma and vascular lesion or anomaly were 5 cases respectively, benign teratoma and tuberculous mediastinal lymphadenitis and neurogenic tumor were 4 cases respectively, pericardial cyst were 2 cases, bronchogenic cyst, non-specific cyst, pancreatic pseudocyst, mesothelioma, Bochdalek hernia was 1 case respectively. 2. The sex ratio between male and female was about 1 : 1 and the majority of the patients with malignant lymphoma and teratoma was under 20 years old. 3. CT findings of the each mediastinal lesion. 1) Primary mediastinal malignant lymphoma. (1) A large, matted, continuous and midline-crossing mass was observed in the superior and the anterior mediastinums in all cases. (2) In 3 cases, irregular lower ...
A 72-year-old man was exposed to the sarin gas attack in a Tokyo subway on March 20 th, 1995. After exposure, he noticed eye discomfort, chest tightness, headache and weakness of the lower limbs and oropharyngeal muscles. Despite these symptoms, he visited a hot spring on the same day with his family. On March 25 th, his muscle weakness progressed, and a low grade fever appeared. His muscle weakness disappeared 8 days after exposure to sarin, but respiratory failure rapidly developed, necessitating artificial ventilation within four day after hospitalization on March 28th. Chemotherapy with erythromycin, imipenem/cilastatin, and steroid pulse therapy was begu. PCR and culture of sputum collected by bronchofiberscopy were positive for Legionella pneumophila, serogroup I. His respiratory state improved, but subsequent infection with Pseudomonous aeruginosa. Enterobacter cloacae, and Candida tropicalis/glabrata caused his death 71 days after admission. Oropharyngeal ...
Automatic weapons such as machine guns and submachine guns are found in the German-speaking region only in special army and police units and appear accordingly rarely in homicides, suicides and accidents. In the following, the findings in two cases of death with the use of machine and submachine guns are presented. The first case was a fatal accident during shooting on a training area (current machine gun of the German army, calibre 7.62 x 51 mm), the second case was a killing during a physical conflict (submachine gun MP 40 from World War II, calibre 9 x 19 mm). In the case with the machine gun autopsy disclosed typical entry holes corresponding to the calibre, but unusually large exit wounds with tissue bridges in the wound ground, measuring 4 x 2.5 cm in diameter. By contrast, the second case (submachine gun) showed "normal" entry and exit wounds. The differences are mainly caused by deviating ballistic data of the ammunition used. They are discussed against the ...
In this study, the effects of 325nm wavelength ultraviolet light irradiation on pitting corrosion behavior of type 340 stainless steel in a neutral chloride solution are studied. Further, the change of passive film with the light irradiation is analyzed using x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. The mains results obtained therefrom are stated below. Pitting potential can be shifted in noble direction by the ultraviolet light irradiation. The effect of ultraviolet light irradiation is ore prominent in the pitting corrosion process than that in the passive film formation. The result of the analysis in terms of the birth and death stochastic probability process shows that pitting corrosion rate is decreased remarkably by the ultraviolet light irradiation at the formation of passive film, while the repassivation is slightly expedited by the ultraviolet light irradiation. On the other hand, the repassivation rate is increased a little by the ultraviolet light irradiation ...
Reproductive parameters were monitored in 50 post-partum Bos indicus x Bos taurus animals located on four farms in two ecological zones of Panama. Progesterone (P_4) concentrations were measured in four of these animals twice a week and their reproductive organs palpated per rectum once a week until 60 days post-artificial-insemination or post-natural-service. The other 46 cows were palpated for early pregnancy between days 45 and 60 post-service. The mean P_4 concentration in cows with palpable corpora lutea (CL) was 10.3#+-#4.0 nmol/L; when no Cl were detected, the mean P_4 level was 2.2#+-#1.6 nmol/L. Of the 46 animals palpated for early pregnancy, 36 (70%) were found to be pregnant, one (2%) exhibited early embryonic death and one (2%) aborted; the other eight cows (17%) were anoestrous. The mean P_4 concentration in pregnant cows was 11.9#+-#4.0 nmol/L and the calving to conception interval was 148 days. (author). 13 refs, 7 figs, 4 tabs.
Iron is an essential micronutrient. As an integral part of hemoglobin, it is essential for the transport of oxygen in blood to the tissues. It is an important component of cytochromes and other tissue enzymes that are critical for cellular respiration and of myoglobin that helps maintain oxygen reserve in the muscle. It is also involved in the normal functioning of the immune function, and in the synthesis of steroid hormones and bile acids. There are serious functional consequences to iron deficiency and iron deficiency anemia (IDA) in the human body. The deleterious effects include increased morbidity, preterm delivery, low birth weight, delayed cognitive development, lowered cellular immunity and reduced physical work capacity. However, iron deficiency and IDA remain the world's most common deficiency disease in the 21st century. Recent estimates of people affected with iron deficiency and IDA are 3.5 billion. Iron deficiency anemia is most prevalent and severe in women and children ...
Gas-insulated systems employing SF/sub 6/ are utilized in a variety of applications in power delivery systems. Because electric arcs, sparks or corona can decompose SF/sub 6/ into by-products having chemical properties different from SF/sub 6/, environmental concerns arise regarding inadvertent human exposures to electrically-decomposed SF/sub 6/. Biological assays in our laboratory using mammalian cell culture systems have revealed that SF/sub 6/, spark-decomposed under specific experimental conditions, can produce cell death. Chemical analysis of spark-decomposed SF/sub 6/ has identified the major decomposition pathways and by-products. Biological testing of individual by-products or by-product mixtures has indicated that these major decomposition products may not account for the majority of the cell killing effects seen in our assays. Further experiments have suggested that S/sub 2/F/sub 10/ may be produced and accumulate under our specific decomposition ...
Background: The outcome of acute myocardial infarction (AMI) complicated with cardiogenic shock is poor. The aim of this study was to analyse, whether upfront abciximab administration could improve the outcomes of cardiogenic shock. Methods: This multicentre open trial randomized 80 patients with AMI complicated by cardiogenic shock expected to undergo primary PCI into group A (routine upfront-pre-procedural-abciximab bolus followed by 12-h abciximab infusion) and group B (standard therapy). The study primary objective was 30-day combined outcome (death/reinfarction/stroke/new severe renal failure). Results: PCI was technically successful in 90% (A) versus 87.5% (B) patients. Abciximab was used in 100% (A) versus 35% (B). The primary endpoint occurred in 17 group A patients (42.5%) and 11 ...
Severe damage to the pelvic viscera is a complication of irradiation therapy that, unfortunately, cannot always be avoided. Resulting rectal and rectocolonic strictures, rectovaginal fistulas, and shortening and stenosis of the vagina present very difficult problems that frequently require a colostomy for relief and may permanently impair sexual function. The authors present a new approach to correction of these unfortunate lesions based on the use of proximal nonirradiated colon which serves as a vascular pedicle graft to correct the defect without a complicated and massive resection. Twenty-two such operations have been done with 19 satisfactory to excellent results and two total failures (one death from small bowel complications). All patterns and combinations of irradiation injury have been found amenable to this technique of repair. These have included both web and linear strictures with and without fistulas. In half of the patients, it was possible to make ...
Prognosis of 95 consecutive patients with non-small cell lung cancer with brain metastases were evaluated. Three factors, therapy for brain metastases, general performance status (PS) and distant metastases to other organs had significant impact on survival. Among these 3 factors, PS was independent from the other 2 factors. Significant correlation was present, however, between therapy and other organ metastases, and few patients with brain and other distant metastases received aggressive treatment for brain metastases. Cranial irradiation had significant impact on survival even in those patients with brain and other distant metastases. Cranial irradiation also reduced death from brain metastases in responders. Our results indicate that there are several subgroups with different prognosis in patients with non-small cell lung cancer with brain metastases, therefore the most beneficial treatment modality should be selected for each group of patients. (author).
To compare clinical effectiveness of Viabil-covered stents versus uncovered metallic Wallstents, for palliation of malignant jaundice due to extrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma, 60 patients were enrolled in a prospective and randomized study. In half of the patients a bare Wallstent was used, and in the other half a Viabil biliary stent. Patients were followed up until death. Primary patency, survival, complication rates, and mean cost were calculated in both groups. Stent dysfunction occurred in 9 (30%) patients in the bare stent group after a mean period of 133.1 days and in 4 (13.3%) patients in the covered stent group after a mean of 179.5 days. The incidence of stent dysfunction was significantly lower in the covered stent group (P = 0.046). Tumor ingrowth occurred exclusively in the bare stent group (P = 0.007). Median survival was 180.5 days for the Wallstent and 243.5 days for the Viabil group (P = 0.039). Complications and mean cost were similar in the two ...
Dose measurements were performed in several body regions of patients suffering from inflammatory degenerative diseases (humeral epicondylitis, humeroscapular periarthritis, gonarthrosis, axillary hidradenitis, rheumatoid arthritis, coxarthrosis, parotitis). The problem of the radiation induction of neoplasms is predominant concerning somatic as well as genetic risk, discussed by example of the most frequently occurring organ cancer. Compared to the rate of breast cancer in the highly developed industrial states (5,000 to 6,000 cancers/100,000 women) the 'radiation induction' calculated according to a mathematical model of ICRP 26 (1.25 cases of death for breast cancers/100,000 women following for example irradiation of epicondylitis) is behind several powers of ten and not demonstrable. The genetic radiation exposure is also low. Derived from the measurements it is wrong to give up reliable and approved indications of radiotherapy of non-malignant diseases because ...
Macrofouling of cooling-water systems is one of the more significant and costly problems encountered in the nuclear power industry. Both marine and freshwater macroinvertebrates can be responsible for losses in plant availability because of plugged intakes and heat transfer equipment. There is a greater diversity of macrofouling organisms in marine waters than in fresh waters. Marine macrofouling organisms include barnacles, mollusks, bryozoans, and hydroids. Barnacles are crustaceans with feathery appendages, which allow them to attach to a variety of surfaces. They are a major cause of severe macrofouling because they can remain attached even after death. The major freshwater macrofouling organisms include the Asiatic Clam (Corbicula fluminea) and the newest freshwater macrofouler, the Zebra Mussel (Dreissena polymorpha). The introduction of the Zebra Mussel into the Great Lakes has created economic and ecological problems that will not easily be solved. The ...
The use of hypothesis which assumes a dose / harmful effect relationship without a limit allows the calculation of risks attributable to doses too small to produce detectable, harmful biological effects. The daughter product of this hypothesis is ALARA concept which requires that the dose received is kept as low as reasonably achievable. This concept of prudent avoidance is generally accepted by international radiation protection organisations and universally applied by radiation health professionals. The acceptance of a hypothesis which assumes that a single nuclear event can cause carcinogenesis, has generated levels of anxiety which may have resulted in significant detriment to those possibly exposed to ionising radiation. The anxiety generated may have caused more detriment and a higher death rate than the worst case ` theoretical` value calculated using the Linear or Quadratic Linear Hypothesis. Information selected from reports and comments in relevant ...
Cell death in general can be a physiological process of cell number regulation in tissue, or it can be the result of exo or endogenous injuries, such a low-dose of radiation. Chicken B cell population in the bursa of Fabricius are very susceptible to PCD. Our present studies concern the development of radiation damage of chicken defence mechanisms. In 6 experiments pathogen free chicken were irradiated by gamma rays with the total doses of 0.25, 0.5, 1.0, 2.0 and 4.0 Gy. The induction of apoptosis was checked by Flow-cyto-meter 12 h after irradiation in bursa cell suspension. There is some increase in the number of induced apoptotic cells 12 h after irradiation at the dose 0.5-.4.0 Gy. There were no significant changes in the proportion of proliferating lymphocytes (G2 M), but cellularity decreased significantly at dose 2.0 and 4.0 Gy/12 h after irradiation. (author)
Ignoring the numerous, known and mainly unknown, interactions between chemicals and ionizing radiations, causes strong controversy about the risks of ionizing radiations. Yet the best known interactions between chemicals and radiations is that between radon and tobacco smoke. Although it is and it will be always impossible to derive quite quantitative laws for this interaction, it has been possible to derive some semi-quantitative relationships based on reasonable assumptions and statistics on lung cancer deaths in developed countries. They show that ignoring the dangers of tobacco smoking as we did still long after we had recognised the dangers of radiations, could asses to radiations thirty or forty times more risks than reality. As present world is flown by tens of thousands chemicals, little or not present in a natural environment, and as it would be very surprising that some hundreds of these do not behave like those contained in tobacco smoke, better and ...
The role of intermediate products of dioxygen reduction in cytotoxic effects ascribed to oxygen molecules was studied in vivo using various yeast mutants with changed response to oxygen stress. It has been documented that superoxide radical exerts its deleterious effects on yeast cells directly and the role of other oxygen species derived from it is hardly detectable. Yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae, however, cannot be considered as a typical eukaryotic organism due to its inability of synthesizing polyunsaturated fatty acids (pufa). These fatty acids are known as main target molecules during oxidative stress and their peroxidation leads to cytotoxic effects. As fatty acid content could be easily manipulated in yeast, this organism was used to evaluate the contribution of pufa peroxidation process to the cytotoxic effects of oxygen. Results obtained show, that yeast cells containing linolenic acid as the main constituent of phospholipids are hypersensitive to oxygen stress and, ...
This study was carried out to evaluate the biochemical and morphological effects of ionizing radiation on ovary. Immature mice (ICR, 3 week-old) were irradiated at a dose of LD{sub 80(30)} at KAERI. The ovaries were collected after 6 hours, 12 hours, 1 day, and 2 days post irradiation. To analyze the morphological changes, histological staining with hematoxylin-eosin, immuno- histochemical preparation using in situ 3'-end labeling was performed. DNA fragmentation analysis and flowcytometric evaluation of DNA extracted from whole ovary were performed. As a result of DNA fragmentation analysis, DNA fragments with 185, 370, and 555 base pairs were clearly shown at 6 hours post irradiation. The percentage of A{sub 0} cell cycle was significantly increased in the irradiated group than control. In situ 3'-end labeled follicles were increased at 6 hours post irradiation. The radiation-induced follicular atresia was taken place via an apoptotic degeneration. And this ...
These summary descriptive data of ethnically similar cohorts of indigenous and migrant Japanese males have shown similarities or slight differences in characteristics wholly or largely genetically determined, such as blood groups, stature, and skeletal size. Differences have been noted in characteristics largely environmental or behavioral, such as diet and cigarette smoking habit, as well as in characteristics determined by a varying mixture of genetic and environmental influences, such as weight, blood pressure, glucose tolerance, and serum lipid and uric acid levels. Detailed analyses of the distributions of laboratory variables, of dietary data obtained by different methods, and of correlations among laboratory, dietary, physical, and demographic variables are currently in progress. Also part of the study plan are determinations of disease prevalence from evaluation of examination, laboratory, and electrocardiographic findings, of disease incidence from repeat examinations and from ...
To evaluate the efficacy of a paclitaxel-eluting nitinol stent on the inhibition of pseudointimal hyperplasia in a transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt. Twelve pigs were used in this study. Two types of 10-mm diameter and 60-mm long nitinol stents were made for a transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt by coating them with a polyurethane solution, with and without paclitaxel. Each transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt was created successfully in the 12 swine with 7 paclitaxel-eluting stents and 5 polyurethane stents. Five swine in each group were followed-up for 14 days due to the death of 2 swine given the paclitaxel-eluting stents. The proliferation of the pseudointima was evaluated on both follow-up portograms and histopathology examinations. The mean maximum pseudointimal hyperplasia is expressed as the percentage of the stent radius. On the portograms, all the transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunts using the paclitaxel-eluting ...
To identify radio-protective agent candidate among medicinal plants and to elucidate the mechanism of action of the candidate material by using modern biochemical and molecular biological methods, we screened radio-protective activity among 48 medicinal plants. Seven samples showed above 20% protective activities against oxidative cell damage: Euryale ferox, Glycyrrhiza uralensis, Salvia miltiorrhiza, Eucomia ulmoides, Paeonia suffruticosa, Spirodela polyrrhiza, and Nelumbo nucifera. We also screened for oxidative stress sensitizing activity among other 51 medicinal plants. Among those samples, 11 samples showed good sensitizing effect; Melia azedarach, Agastache rugosa, Catalpa ovata, Prunus persica, Sinomenium acutum, Pulsatilla koreana, Oldenlandia diffusa, Anthriscus sylvestris, Schizandra chinensis, Gleditsia sinensis, and Cridium officinale. We also reported the radio-protective effect of DTT. The treatment of DTT increased cell survival after gamma-irradiation, decreased in the ...
The Department of Energy (DOE) policy requires that all activities be conducted in a manner that protects the safety of the public and provides a safe and healthful workplace for employees. DOE has also prescribed that all personnel be protected in any explosives operation undertaken. The level of safety provided shall be at least equivalent to that of the best industrial practice. The risk of death or serious injury shall be limited to the lowest practicable minimum. DOE and contractors shall continually review their explosives operations with the aim of achieving further refinements and improvements in safety practices and protective features. This manual describes the Department's explosive safety requirements applicable to operations involving the development, testing, handling, and processing of explosives or assemblies containing explosives. It is intended to reflect the state-of-the-art in explosives safety. In addition, it is essential that ...
The photobiology of mouse melanocyte lines with different pigment genotypes was studied by measuring colony-forming ability after irradiation. The cell lines were wild-type black (melan-a) and the mutants brown (melan-b) and albino (melan-c). Four lamps emitting various UV wavelengths were used. These were germicidal (UVC, 200-280 nm), 82.3% output at 254 nm, TL01 (UVB, 280-320 nm), 64.2% at 310-311 nm, FS20, broadband with peak output at 312 nm and Alisun-S (UVA, 320-400 nm), broadband with peak output at 350-354 nm. Appropriate filtration reduced the contaminating UVC to nonlethal levels for the longer waverange lamps. It is clear from these studies that, in pigment cells, monochromatic results cannot predict polychromatic responses and that cell death from solar irradiations is a complex phenomenon that depends on more than DNA damage. (author).
An analysis of the mortality of workers employed at the Commissariat a l'Energie Atomique (CEA) between 1946 and 1994 is presented. Standardized Mortality Ratios (SMR) are computed with reference to the French national population for the period 1968-1994. 51 286 workers are included in the study. 3 784 deaths occurred between 1968 and 1994. A healthy worker effect is observed for men (SMR=0.53 Cl{sub 90%}=[0.52; 0.55]) and for women (SMR=0.70 Cl{sub 90%}=[0.64; 0.76]). An excess is observed for male pleural cancers (SMR=1.54, Cl{sub 90%}=[1.03; 2.21]). An excess of breast cancer is observed among women, statistically significant for the 1980-1994 period (SMR=1.30, Cl{sub 90%}=[1.04; 1.61]). An excess is observed for malignant melanoma for both sexes (SMR=1.38, Cl{sub 90%}=[0.95; 1.96]), stronger for the 1990-1994 period (SMR=2.11, Cl{sub 90%}=[1.25; 3.34]). It diminishes with age. (orig.)
While trauma is still the leading cause of death in the pediatric age range, it is surprising how little the CT appearances of pediatric chest injury have been investigated in the literature. We have reviewed the CT findings of blunt chest trauma in 44 children for whom chest CT examinations were requested to investigate the extent of intrathoracic injury. We noted a propensity for pulmonary contusions to be located posteriorly or posteromedially, and for them to be anatomically nonsegmental and crescentic in shape. This is possibly attributable to the relatively compliant anterior chest wall in children. The CT appearances of other major thoracic injuries are described, including pulmonary lacerations, pneumothoraces, malpositioned chest tubes, mediastinal hematomas, aortic injury, tracheobronchial injury, hemopericardium, and spinal injuries with paraspinal fluid collections. Children demonstrating findings incidental to the actual injury yet important to the ...
We reported the radio-protective effect of DTT. The treatment of DTT increased cell survival after gamma-irradiation, decreased in the frequencies of micronucleus, and reduction in DNA fragmentation and apoptotic cells. Induction of apoptosis after UV-C irradiation was revealed by the changes in the relative cell death, increase in the relative amount of apoptotic cells, and the induction of DNA fragmentation. About 100 medicinal plants were purchased and methanol extract samples were prepared. Radio-protective and radio-sensitizing activities of these samples were screened. Seven samples showed above 20% radio-protective activities: Salvia miltiorrhiza, Areca catechu, Cornus officinalis, Alpiniae officinari rhizoma, Meliae fructus, Alpiniae katsumadaii semen, Betulae cortex. Acanthopanax sessiliflous showed the highest radio-sensitizing effect and 10 other samples revealed moderate activities: Melia japonica, Agastache rugosa, Platycodon gradiflorum, Broussonetia ...
Sepsis induced by methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) has worse outcome because of multiresistance to a large group of antibiotics, which may lead to death from septic shock. In the present study, we firstly found that artesunate in combination with oxacillin was capable of protecting mice challenged with live MRSA WHO-2 (WHO-2) and the protection was related to the reduced TNF-a and IL-6 levels and decreased bacterial load. Based on above results, artesunate was further investigated from two aspects in vitro, anti-inflammation effect and antibacterial enhancement effect on antibiotics. Artesunate not only inhibited TNF-a and IL-6 release but also inhibited mRNA and protein expressions of TLR2 and Nod2, two important receptors, in murine peritoneal macrophages stimulated wit...
Activation has been used for many kinds of useful applications, such as use of the radioisotopes for diagnosis and treatment of cancer, and wear (or corrosion) investigation for using thin layer activation (TLA) technique, etc. But activation also has severe problems for the post-processing of the samples; such as time-loss, inconvenience of sample handling, personal radiation safety, etc. For in-vitro experiments, we observed death of tumor cells by proton irradiation. The use of large activated container material can cause erroneous results in this case. To solve these problems, we studied why the samples were activated and how the level of the activation could be reduced. In proton beam irradiation experiments, the target materials could be defined as the container and sample itself. We could easily reduce activation of container material comparing to activation of sample itself. Therefore, we tried to find less activated container material by irradiating proton ...
Background & AimsMolecular mechanisms underlying alcoholic liver disease (ALD) are still not fully understood. Activating transcription factor-4 (ATF4) is the master coordinator of the integrated stress response (ISR), an adaptive pathway triggered by multiple stressors. which can promote cell death and induce metabolic dysregulation if the stress is intense or prolonged. The aim of this study was to assess the effect of alcohol on the ISR signaling pathway in human liver cells and to define the role of cytochrome P450 2E1 (CYP2E1) in this response. MethodsPrimary cultured human hepatocytes and human HepG2 cells over-expressing CYP2E1 by adenoviral infection were exposed to ethanol (25-100mM) for 8-48h. ResultsEthanol treatment of both liver cells up-regulated ATF4 as well as the pro-survi...
The survival time of golden hamsters (Mesocricetus auratus) after whole-body "6"0Co-#gamma#-irradiation in the range of 600 to 200 000 rad was investigated. The two plateaus of the dose-survival curve which correspond to bone marrow and gastrointestinal death are similar to those of other species such as mice, rats and mongolian gerbils. A new plateau occurring 40-57 hours after doses of 30 000-60 000 rad, where there is a little reduction in survival time, has been found. It is in addition to the well recognized central nervous system (CNS) syndrome. This plateau is observed only in golden hamsters, presumably because of their relatively high resistance to CNS syndrome. Experiments involving partial body irradiation of the animals indicate that the target is in the cephalic one-third of abdomen. The new segment may well indicate a new type of acute somatic radiation injury different from the well known bone marrow, gastrointestinal and CNS syndromes. (author).
In rare instances, carbon monoxide (CO) levels in houses can reach dangerously high concentrations, causing adverse health effects ranging from mild headaches to, under extreme conditions, death. Hundreds of fatal accidental carbon monoxide poisonings occur each year primarily due to the indoor operation of motor vehicles, the indoor use of charcoal for cooking, the operation of malfunctioning vented and unvented combustion appliances, and the misuse combustion appliances. Because there is a lack of simple, inexpensive, and accurate field sampling instrumentation, it is difficult for gas utilities and researchers to conduct field research studies designed to quantify the concentrations of CO in residences. Determining the concentration of CO in residences is the first step towards identifying the high risk appliances and high-CO environments which pose health risks. Thus, there exists an urgent need to develop and field-validate a CO-quantifying technique suitable ...
While sharing resources the efficiency is substantially degraded as a result of the scarceness of availability of the requested resources in a multiclient support manner. These resources are often aggravated by many factors like the temporal constraints for availability or node flooding by the requested replicated file chunks. Thus replicated file chunks should be efficiently disseminated in order to enable resource availability on-demand by the mobile users. This work considers a cross layered middleware support system for efficient delay-sensitive streaming by using each device's connectivity and social interactions in a cross layered manner. The collaborative streaming is achieved through the epidemically replicated file chunk policy which uses a transition-based approach of a chained model of an infectious disease with susceptible, infected, recovered and death states. The Gossip-based stateful model enforces the mobile nodes whether to host a file chunk or not ...
A novel single-chain immunotoxin was constructed by combining a CD33-specific single chain Fv (scFv) antibody fragment with an engineered variant of Pseudomonas exotoxin A (ETA). The variant toxin carries the KDEL peptide at its C-terminus, a cellular peptide mediating improved retrograde transport to the endoplasmic reticulum. The purified recombinant fusion protein induced potent apoptosis of the human myeloid cell lines U937, HL-60 and THP-1. Up to 98% of U937 cells were eliminated after treatment for 72 h with a single dose of 500 ng/ml (c. 7 nmol/l). Killing was antigen-specific and occurred by apoptosis. A control protein, consisting of a CD19-specific scFv antibody fragment fused to the ETA-KDEL toxin, failed to induce death of the CD19-negative cell lines U937, HL-60 and THP-1. The CD33-ETA toxin also mediated apoptosis of fresh patient-derived acute myeloid leukaemia cells from bone marrow and peripheral blood. The pronounced antigen-restricted ...
Single-dose and repeated dose toxicity studies of prulifloxacin, a new antibacterial agent, were conducted in aged beagle dogs. I. A single-dose toxicity study Prulifloxacin was administered orally to aged female dogs at a single dose of 2500 and 5000 mg/kg. No death occurred in any group. Vomiting was observed in one of two animals at 2500 mg/kg and in both animals at 5000 mg/kg 3-4 hr after dosing. At 5000 mg/kg, vomiting was observed in both animals after feeding on the day after dosing. One animal also showed soft stool. Thereafter, no abnormalities were observed in any animal. No test article related changes were noted in food consumption, water consumption, body weight or pathological examination in any group. The results show that the lethal dose of prulifloxacin is judged to be greater than 5000 mg/kg in aged female dogs. II. A repeated dose toxicity study Aged male and female dogs were given the test article orally for 4 weeks at doses of 0 (control), 20, ...
Background: Some former retrospective studies have suggested that patients with Ewing's sarcoma might have a very high risk for developing secondary sarcomas if treated with radiotherapy. We have evaluated the risk of second malignancies (SM) in patients treated in the German Cooperative Ewing's Sarcoma Studies CESS 81 and CESS 86. Materials and methods: From January 1981 through June 1991, a total number of 674 patients was registered in the two multicentric Ewing's sarcoma trials CESS 81 (1981 through 1985) and CESS 86 (1986 through June 1991). The systemic treatment consisted in both studies of a four-drug-chemotherapy (VACA= vincristine, actinomycin D, cyclophosphamide and adriamycin; or VAIA= vincristine, actinomycin D, ifosfamide and adriamycin) and a total number of four courses, each lasting nine weeks, was recommended by the protocol. Local therapy was either complete surgery or surgery plus postoperative radiotherapy with 36-46Gy or definitive radiotherapy with 46 to 60Gy. ...
Population residing in the northern part of the Chelyabinsk oblast and the south eastern part of the Sverdlovsk oblast of Russia affected to accidental exposure since 1957. The territory (East Ural Radioactive Trace - EURT) was contaminated after explosion of container with highly radioactive wastes at the Mayak Production Association. Studies of health effects of exposure in the southern, head part of EURT are conducted in the Ural Research and Practical Center of Radiation Medicine (U.R.P.R.M.). In the 1990's U.R.P.C.R.M. formed a cohort of EURT within Chelyabinsk oblast (14,500 cases and 19,400 external controls). The cohort was followed in 1957-1987 and the results of the study are discussed by Crestinina et al. First results of study on exposure late health effects among rural population in the northern part of the EURT are presented in this paper. Firstly, or the period 1958-2000 a statistically significant increase in cancer mortality associated with accidental exposure ...
Purpose: During recent years, more intensified systemic and local treatment regimens have increased the 5-year survival figures in localized Ewing's sarcoma to more than 60%. There is, however, concern about the risk of second malignancies (SM) in long-term survivors. We have analyzed the second malignancies in patients treated in the German Ewing's Sarcoma Studies CESS 81 and CESS 86. Materials and Methods: From January 1981 through June 1991, 674 patients were registered in the two sequential multicentric Ewing's sarcoma trials CESS 81 (recruitment period 1981-1985) and CESS 86 (1986-1991). The systemic treatment in both studies consisted of a four-drug-regimen (VACA = vincristine, actinomycin D, cyclophosphamide, and adriamycin; or VAIA = vincristine, actinomycin D, ifosfamide, and adriamycin) and a total number of four courses, each lasting nine weeks, was recommended by the protocol. Local therapy in curative patients was either complete surgery (n = 162), surgery plus ...
The aim of this retrospective study was to determine the safety and efficacy of chemoembolization (TACE) as palliative treatment for patients with unresectable intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (CCA) and to compare the results with those in the literature. Fifteen patients with histology-proven CCA (5 men, 10 women) had received palliative treatment with TACE over a 6-year period. The treatment protocol comprised repeated TACE at a minimum of 8-week intervals. TACE was performed with a mixture of 10 ml Lipiodol and 10 mg mitomycin C injected into the tumor-supplying vessels. Follow-up investigations after 8-10 weeks comprised contrast-enhanced multislice spiral CT and laboratory control. Statistical evaluation included survival analysis using the Kaplan-Meier method. During the investigation period 58 TACEs (3.9 #+-# 3.8; 1-15) were performed in 15 patients. Mean tumor size was 10.8 #+-# 4.6 cm (range, 2.0-18.0 cm). Unifocal tumor disease was diagnosed in eight patients, and multifocal ...
Acute vertebrobasilar occlusion (VBO) is associated with a high risk of stroke and death. Although local thrombolysis may achieve recanalization and improve outcome, mortality is still between 35% and 75%. However, without recanalization the chance of a good outcome is extremely poor, with mortality rates of 80-90%. Early treatment is a fundamental factor, but detailed studies of the exact time management of the diagnostic and interventional workflow are still lacking. Data on 18 patients were retrospectively evaluated. Time periods between symptom onset, admission to hospital, time of diagnosis, and beginning of intervention were correlated with postinterventional neurological status. The Glasgow Coma Scale and National Institute of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) were used to examine patients before and after local thrombolysis. Additionally, multivariate statistics were applied to reveal similarities between patients with neurological improvement. Primary ...
On 21 October 1994, three brothers entered a waste repository at Tammiku, Estonia, without authorization and removed a metal container enclosing a caesium-137 source. During the removal the source was dislodged and fell to the ground. One of the men picked up the source, placed it in his pocket and took it to his home in the nearby village of Kiisa. Very soon after entry into the repository he began to feel ill, and few hours later he began to vomit. The man was subsequently admitted to hospital with severe injuries to his leg and hip and died on 2 November 1994. The injury and subsequent death were not attributed to radiation exposure, and the source remained in the man's house with his wife and stepson and the boy's great-grandmother. The boy was hospitalized on 17 November with severe burns on his hands, and these were identified by a doctor as radiation induced. The authorities were alerted, and the Estonian Rescue Board recovered the source from the house. The ...
Jittery (ji) is a recessive mouse mutation on Chromosome 10 characterized by progressive ataxic gait, dystonic movements, spontaneus seizures, and death by dehydration/starvation before fertility. Recently, a viable neurological recessive mutation, hesitant, was discovered. It is characterized by hesitant, uncoordinated movements, exaggerated stepping of the hind limbs, and reduced fertility in males. In a complementation test and by genetic mapping we have shown here that hesitant and jittery are allelic. Using several large intersubspecific backcrosses and intercrosses we have genetically mapped ji near the marker Amh and microsatellite markers D10Mit7, D10Mit21, and D10Mit23. The linked region of mouse Chromosome 10 is homologous to human 19p13.3, to which several human ataxia loci have recently been mapped. By excluding genes that map to human 21q22.3 (Pfkl) and 12q23 (Nfyb), we conclude that jittery is not likely to be a genetic mouse model for human ...
Gas-insulated systems employing SF/sub 6/ are utilized in a variety of applications in power delivery systems. Because electric arcs, sparks or corona can decompose SF/sub 6/ into byproducts having chemical properties different from SF/sub 6/, environmental concerns arise regarding inadvertent human exposures to electrically-decomposed SF/sub 6/. Biological assays in our laboratory using mammalian cell culture systems have revealed that spark-decomposed SF/sub 6/ produces cell death, and the extent of cell killing increases with increasing spark energy. Chemical analysis of spark-decomposed SF/sub 6/ has identified the major decomposition pathways and byproducts, but biological testing of individual or byproduct mixtures has indicated that these major decomposition products do not contribute, in a significant fashion, to the cell lethality seen in our assays. Further experiments have suggested that S/sub 2/F/sub 10/ may be produced under our decomposition ...
A compartment model, including removal of organic matter in a forest ecosystem, is developed to describe matter cycling and net CO{sub 2} flux of the ecosystem especially of managed forests. The model consists of five carbon stocks: atmosphere, foliage, woody matter, underground matter, and dead organic matter in the soil. Employing appropriate values of ecophysiological parameters in the model and simulation of man-made sugi (Cryptomeria japonica D. Don) plantation forests shows that these forests have high growth potential with a maximum total phytomass of over 750 t ha{sup -1} in dry matter basis. When the typical pattern of thinning regime for sugi plantation forests in Japan is applied to the present model, the simulated forest biomass developments compare well with mensuration data from various forestry sites. The CO{sub 2} balance between the sugi forest ecosystem and the atmosphere reveals a net CO{sub 2} fixation of 49.38 million ton CO{sub 2} year{sup -1} by all sugi forests ...
High quality "3"1P MR spectra (signal to noise ratio (S/N) approximately 18, 15 min acquisition for each spectrum) were consistently obtained with surface coils over a period of 6-week RT. Both transient and steady state alterations in metabolites in response to RT were found in this case. The transient changes occurred during the first 3 hr immediately after the 3rd fractionated RT, these changes include the transient elevation of the PCr resonance, a decrease in PDE and an increase in intracellular pH. The monitoring showed that the metabolites approached steady state approximately 2 hr after the fractionated radiation intervention, suggesting that in vivo MRS can be useful for studying the dynamics of tumor response to RT such as repair of potential lethal damage, growth delay, and reoxygenation etc. The steady-state MR spectra showed the net response to each intervention and can clinically be useful for predicting and measuring the result of the fractionated RT. In this case study, ...
In the use of doxorubicin and radiation for treatment of human malignant tumors in vivo, the relationship between treatment-induced apoptosis and Ki-67 labeling index was investigated. Four human tumor xenografts (ependymoblastoma, NNE; primitive neuroectodermal tumor, YKP; small cell lung carcinoma, GLS; glioblastoma, KYG) were transplanted under the skin of thigh of the nude mice (BALB/cA JcL-nu). The mice were given a single radiation dose of 1 Gy, or doxorubicin alone intraperitoneally at a dose of 8 mg/kg. After treatment, sections of tumor specimens were prepared from paraffin-embedded tissues. Hematoxylin and eosin staining, TUNEL staining, and immunohistochemical analysis of Ki-67 were performed. In NNE, apoptotic cells appeared most frequently after treatment compared with all other tumors, and the incidence of apoptosis in the radiation-treated group was much higher than in the doxorubicintreated group. As the incidence of apoptosis in NNE increased, the Ki-67 labeling index ...
Stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS) precisely delivers high-dose radiation to a small target (usually less than 3-4 cm in diameter), in a single session with steep dose-fall, employing various radiation methods. SRS provides good tumor control for small brain metastases from various primary cancers, with minimal untoward effects on surrounding normal brain. This excellent tumor control prevents neurological death and maintains good activity of daily life. Although surgery with whole-brain radiation therapy (WBRT) remains an important option for patients with a solitary brain metastasis, SRS with or without WBRT should be considered in patients with a limited number of small tumors and a good prognosis. Many reports, as well as both retrospective and prospective reviews, have shown WBRT before or after SRS to improve local control and reduce new distant lesion emergence. However, upfront WBRT does not improve survival. There are two major delivery techniques, Gamma ...
Purpose: To evaluate the outcomes of patients with Ewing's sarcoma family of tumors (ESFT) treated with modern radiotherapy techniques with MRI along with optimal chemotherapy. Methods and Materials: The records of all 60 patients with ESFT who received radiation to the primary site between 1990 and 2004 were reviewed. All patients received chemotherapy, including vincristine, doxorubicin, cyclophosphamide, ifosfamide, and etoposide. Radiation was used as the sole modality for local control in 31 patients and was given either before (n = 3) or after surgical resection (n = 26) in the remainder. All patients had MRI and CT scan-based treatment planning, and 43% received intensity-modulated radiation therapy. Radiation doses ranged from 30 Gy to 60 Gy (median, 51 Gy), and 35% received hyperfractionated radiotherapy. Results: Median age was 16 years (range, 2-40 years). Because of selection bias for radiotherapy, the majority of primary tumors were centrally located (72%): spine (n = 18), ...
Radiation-induced enteritis is a well-recognized sequel of therapeutic irradiation. Therefore we examined the radioprotective properties of Punica granatum peel extract (PPE) on the oxidative damage in the ileum. Rats were exposed to a single whole-body X-ray irradiation of 800 cGy. Irradiated rats were pretreated orally with saline or PPE (50 mg/kg/day) for 10 days before irradiation and the following 10 days, while control rats received saline or PPE but no irradiation. Then plasma and ileum samples were obtained. Irradiation caused a decrease in glutathione and total antioxidant capacity, which was accompanied by increases in malondialdehyde levels, myeloperoxidase activity, collagen content of the tissue with a concomitant increase 8-hydroxy-2'-deoxyguanosine (an index of oxidative DNA damage). Similarly, pro-inflammatory cytokines (TNF-?, IL-1? and IL-6) and lactate dehydrogenase were elevated in irradiated groups as compared to control. PPE treatment reversed all these ...
Colorectal cancer is the third most common malignant tumor and the fourth-leading cause of cancer death worldwide. The crucial role of fatty acids for a number of important biological processes suggests a more in depth analysis of inter-individual differences in fatty acid metabolizing genes as contributing factor to colon carcinogenesis. We examined the association between genetic variability in 43 fatty acid metabolism-related genes and colorectal risk in 1225 CRC cases and 2032 controls participating in the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition study. 392 single nucleotide polymorphisms were selected using pairwise tagging with an r(2) cutoff of 0.8 and a minor allele frequency of >5%. Conditional logistic regression models were used to estimate odds ratios and corresponding 95% confidence intervals. Haplotype analysis was performed using a generalized linear model framework. On the genotype level, HPGD, PLA2G6, and TRPV3 were ...
The potential application of radioisotopes are not discussed in this review of trypanosome pathogenesis in cattle. Initially, structural changes in the lymphoid system are characterized by marked proliferation and germinal centre formation, whereas in long-standing infections the lymphoid organs become depleted. These changes appear associated with immunodepression. Anaemia dominates the clinical disease syndrome in bovine trypanosomiasis. It develops with the onset of parasitaemia and is largely haemolytic, resulting from increased red blood cell destruction by phagocytosis. Several factors may be involved in this process including haemolysins produced by the trypanosome, immunological mechanisms, fever, disseminated intravascular coagulation and an expanded and active mononuclear phagocytic system. During this phase of the disease, cattle respond well to chemotherapy. However, in later phases of the disease, when trypanosomes cannot be detected, the anaemia sometimes persists and ...
This report deals with the preliminary results of trials in the DATECA project with stage I, II and III patients with non-seminomatous germ cell tumours. Stage 1 patients were randomized between infradiaphragmatic irradiation and observation. No significant difference in recurrence rates has been observed as yet. Eighteen of 95 patients had recurrence with a median time to relapse of 3 months. Fifteen patients achieved complete remission after treatment by combination chemotherapy while 3 patients are still undergoing treatment. Stage II patients received 6 series of cis-platinum, bleomycin, and vinblastine. The patients were initially randomized to receive chemotherapy alone versus chemotherapy plus irradiation. Irradiation led to increased toxicity and decreased doses of the antineoplastic drugs. Fifty-one patients were studied. The overall complete remission rate was 89 per cent including 7 patients who achieved complete remission after secondary surgery. Three patients died from ...
This report deals with the preliminary results of trials in the DATECA project with stage I, II and III patients with non-seminomatous germ cell tumours. Stage 1 patients were randomized between infradiaphragmatic irradiation and observation. No significant difference in recurrence rates has been observed as yet. Eighteen of 95 patients had recurrence with a median time to relapse of 3 months. Fifteen patients achieved complete remission after treatment by combiantion chemotherapy while 3 patients are still undergoing treatment. Stage II patients received 6 series of cis-platinum, bleomycin, and vinblastine. The patients were initially randomized to receive chemotherapy alone versus chemotherapy plus irradiation. Irradiation led to increased toxicity and decreased doses of the antineoplastic drugs. Fifty-one patients were studied. The overall complete remission rate was 89 per cent including 7 patients who achieved complete remission after secondary surgery. Three patients died from ...
Recently the association of a rare disease named ''nephrogenic systemic fibrosis'' (NSF) with the administration of gadolinium-containing contrast media, especially gadodiamide (Omniscan, GE-Healthcare), was described. NSF is a scleroderma-like disease characterised by widespread tissue fibrosis. Until now, NSF cases were observed only in patients with kidney disease. Almost all patients were suffering from chronic renal insufficiency, 90 % of them required renal replacement therapy. The true incidence of the disease is unknown. First retrospective analyses of selected collectives of patients with end-stage renal disease showed 2 - 5 % cases of NSF after administration of Gadolinium-containing contrast agents with an odds ratio of 20 - 50 in comparison to non-exposed controls. NSF is a serious adverse reaction, which may result in severe disabilities and even death. Therefore all radiologists applying gadolinium-based contrast ...
Consensus principles from radiation biology were used to describe a generic set of nonlinear, first-order differential equations for modeling of toxicity-induced compensatory cell kinetics in terms of sublethal injury, repair, direct killing, killing of cells with unrepaired sublethal injury, and repopulation. This cellular model was linked to a probit model of hematopoietic mortality that describes death from infection and/or hemorrhage between {approximately} 5 and 30 days. Mortality data from 27 experiments with 851 doseresponse groups, in which doses were protracted by rate and/or fractionation, were used to simultaneously estimate all rate constants by maximum-likelihood methods. Data used represented 18,940 test animals distributed according to: (mice, 12,827); (rats, 2,925); (sheep, 1,676); (swine, 829); (dogs, 479); and (burros, 204). Although a long-term, repopulating hematopoietic stem cell is ancestral to all lineages needed to restore normal ...
A study was made of the actions of the excitant neurotoxin, kainic acid, on the uptake and the release of D-(2,3-3H)aspartate (D-ASP) in slices of guinea pig cerebral neocortex and striatum. The slices took up D-ASP, reaching concentrations of the amino acid in the tissue which were 14-23 times that in the medium. Subsequently, electrical stimulation of the slices evoked a Ca2+-dependent release of a portion of the D-ASP. Kainic acid (10(-5)-10(-3) M) produced a dose-dependent inhibition of D-ASP uptake. The electrically evoked release of D-ASP was increased 1.6-2.0 fold by 10(-5) and 10(-4)M kainic acid. The kainate-enlarged release was Ca2+-dependent. Dihydrokainic acid, an analogue of kainic acid with little excitatory or toxic action, did not increase D-ASP release but depressed D-ASP uptake. Attempts were made to block the action of kainic acid with baclofen and pentobarbital, compounds which depress the electrically evoked release of L-glutamate (L-GLU) and L-aspartate (L-ASP). ...
The space environment consists of a varying field of radiation particles including high-energy ions, with spacecraft shielding material providing the only major protection to astronauts from harmful exposure. Unlike low-linear energy transfer (LET) {gamma} or X-rays, the presence of shielding does not always reduce the radiation risks for energetic charged particle exposure, since the dose delivered by the charged particle increases sharply as the particle approaches the end of its range, a position known as the Bragg peak. The Bragg curve does not necessarily represent the biological damage along the particle traversal, and the 'biological Bragg curve' is dependent on the energy and the type of the primary particle, and may vary for different biological endpoints. Here we used a unique irradiation geometry to measure the biological response across the Bragg curve in human fibroblasts exposed to 577MeV/nucleon incident Fe ions in vitro. Polyethylene shielding was used ...
The undeniable success in controlling some preventable communicable respiratory diseases in Europe has created an impression that respiratory infections are no longer as dangerous as they once were, and efforts of public health services should be concentrated on other problems. However, epidemiological data do not exactly confirm this optimistic view, as acute respiratory diseases are among the leading causes of death in Europe. When morbidity statistics - which are usually less reliable - are considered, acute respiratory infections in Europe take the lead among all communicable diseases. For example, each year 15% of the population in Spain and 30% of the population in the United Kingdom have a recorded acute respiratory disease. Several environmental risk factors of acute respiratory diseases have been recorded, the main ones being indoor and outdoor air pollution, overcrowding in dwellings and public transport, and poor indoor climate. Improvement of the indoor ...
Cdc7 kinase plays an essential role in firing of replication origins by phosphorylating components of the replication complexes. Cdc7 kinase has also been implicated in S phase checkpoint signaling downstream of the ATR and Chk1 kinases. Inactivation of Cdc7 in yeast results in arrest of cell growth with 1C DNA content after completion of the ongoing DNA replication. In contrast, conditional inactivation of Cdc7 in undifferentiated mouse embryonic stem (ES) cells leads to growth arrest with rapid cessation of DNA synthesis, suggesting requirement of Cdc7 functions for continuation of ongoing DNA synthesis. Furthermore, loss of Cdc7 function induces recombinational repair (nuclear Rad51 foci) and G2/M checkpoint responses (inhibition of Cdc2 kinase). Eventually, p53 becomes highly activated and the cells undergo massive p53-dependent apoptosis. Thus, defective origin activation in mammalian cells can generate DNA replication checkpoint signals. Efficient removal of those cells in which ...
Extracellular ATP stimulates transmembrane ion fluxes in the mouse macrophage cell line J774. In the presence of Mg2+, nonhydrolyzable ATP analogs and other purine and pyrimidine nucleotides do not elicit this response, suggesting the presence of a specific receptor for ATP on the macrophage plasma membrane. One candidate for such a receptor is the ecto-ATPase expressed on these cells. We, therefore, investigated the role of this enzyme in ATP-induced /sup 86/Rb+ efflux in J774 cells. The ecto-ATPase had a broad nucleotide specificity and did not hydrolyze extracellular ATP in the absence of divalent cations. /sup 86/Rb+ efflux was not blocked by inhibition of the ecto-ATPase and did not require Ca2+ or Mg2+. In fact, ATP-stimulated /sup 86/Rb+ efflux was inhibited by Mg2+ and correlated with the availability of ATP4- in the medium. In the absence of divalent cations, the slowly hydrolyzable ATP analogs adenosine 5'-(beta, gamma-imido)triphosphate (AMP-PNP) and adenosine ...
Full text: Disorders of brain development and phakomatosis are resulting from disturbed embryonic-foetal development One third of all major embryological anomalies involve CNS, and over 2000 different anomalies have been described. Anomalies of the brain often cause foetal and neonatal death, and mental and physical retardation in pediatric group. The majority of disorders of brain development and phakomatosis are idiopathic, and most of them are not hereditary or familial. Ultrasonography plays the important role in screening foetal and neonatal brain, but after closure of fontanels it is difficult to find the acoustic window. CT has limited contrast resolution, and disadvantage exposing infant to ionizing radiation. It is helpful to demonstrate the presence of calcifications. MR imaging has proved to be a diagnostic tool of major importance in children with disorders of brain development and phakomatosis. The excellent grey/white matter differentiation and ...
BackgroundNatural disasters result in significant numbers of disabling impairments. Paradoxically, however, the traditional health system response to natural disasters largely neglects health-related rehabilitation as a strategic intervention.ObjectivesTo examine the role of health-related rehabilitation in natural disaster relief along three lines of inquiry: (1) epidemiology of injury and disability, (2) impact on health and rehabilitation systems, and (3) the assessment and measurement of disability.DesignQualitative literature review and secondary data analysis.ResultsAbsolute numbers of injuries as well as injury to death ratios in natural disasters have increased significantly over the last 40 years. Major impairments requiring health-related rehabilitation include amputations, traumatic brain injuries, spinal cord injuries (SCI), and long bone fractures. Studies show that persons with pre-existing disabilities are more likely to die in a natural disaster. ...
Full text: DNA rearrangement events leading to chromosomal aberrations are central to ionizing radiation-induced cell death. Although DNA double-strand breaks are probably the lesion that initiates formation of chromosomal aberrations, little is understood about the molecular mechanisms that generate and modulate DNA rearrangement. Examination of the sequences that flank sites of DNA rearrangement may provide information regarding the processes and enzymes involved in rearrangement events. Accordingly, we developed a method using inverse PCR that allows the detection and sequencing of putative radiation-induced DNA rearrangements in defined regions of the human genome. The method can detect single copies of a rearrangement event that has occurred in a particular region of the genome and, therefore, DNA rearrangement detection does not require survival and continued multiplication of the affected cell. Ionizing radiation-induced DNA rearrangements were detected in ...
In the medical and occupational exposures, there is a tradition to use the genetically significant dose as an index of harm to the population although it only includes the genetical effects from ionizing radiations. A similar significant dose for somatic effects such as radiation leukemogenesis and carcinogenesis should be added to the genetically significant dose in order to approach an index of total harm to the population from medical and occupational exposures. For this purpose, leukemia and malignant significant factors were determined based on the induction of malignant diseases including leukemia for the atomic bombs in Hiroshima and Nagasaki and the life expectancy of individuals subject to medical examinations or treatments as well as radiation workers, taking account of the possibility of their deaths due to other diseases or accidents during a latent period of malignant diseases. The resultant significant factors were tabulated as a function of life ...
Pulmonary infections and tumors are a major cause of death in patients with AIDS. The combination of clinical, radiological, laboratory, and pathohistological data helps to narrow the spectrum of differential diagnoses or even allows a specific diagnosis in many patients. Nevertheless, an accurate diagnosis should be obtained as soon as possible during the clinical course of the illness to initiate treatment in time. Computed tomography (CT) has proven to provide promising results in the diagnosis of AIDS-related throacic diseases. The aim of this paper was to demonstrate the diagnostic capacities of CT in the context of particular AIDS-related thoracic pathologies. Additional information on the spectrum of pathological agents and on differential diagnostic signs is summarized. (orig.) [Deutsch] Pulmonale Infektionen und Tumore sind eine wesentliche Todesursache bei Patienten, die am erworbenen Immunmangelsyndrom AIDS leiden. In den meisten Faellen gelingt es, ...
Abstract in english Human organism is interpenetrated by the world of microorganisms, from the conception until the death. This interpenetration involves different levels of interactions between the partners including trophic exchanges, bi-directional cell signaling and gene activation, besides genetic and epigenetic phenomena, and tends towards mutual adaptation and coevolution. Since these processes are critical for the survival of individuals and species, they rely on the existence of a c (more) omplex organization of adaptive systems aiming at two apparently conflicting purposes: the maintenance of the internal coherence of each partner, and a mutually advantageous coexistence and progressive adaptation between them. Humans possess three adaptive systems: the nervous, the endocrine and the immune system, each internally organized into subsystems functionally connected by intraconnections, to maintain the internal coherence of the system. The three adaptive ...
Spice extracts under the form of essential oils were tested for their efficiency to increase the relative radiosensitivity of Listeria monocytogenes and Escherichia coli O157H7 in culture media. The two pathogens were treated by gamma-irradiation alone or in combination with oregano essential oil to evaluate their mechanism of action. The membrane murein composition, and the intracellular and extracellular concentration of ATP was determined. The bacterial strains were treated with two irradiation doses: 1.2 kGy to induce cell damage and 3.5 kGy to cause cell death for L. monocytogenes. A dose of 0.4 kGy to induce cell damages, 1.1 kGy to obtain viable but nonculturable (VBNC) state and 1.3 kGy to obtain a lethal dose was also applied on E. coli O157H7. Oregano essential oil was used at 0.020% and 0.025% (w/v), which is the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) for L. monocytogenes. For E. coli O157H7, a concentration of 0.006% and 0.025% (w/v) which is the ...
Apoptosis, or programmed cell death (PCD), is a fundamental process that protects organismal integrity. In earlier work, we demonstrated that over-expression of either of two anti-apoptotic members of the BCL-2 family (BCL-2 or BCL-X L could elevate the frequency of radiation-induced mutations at the autosomal TK1 locus in human TK6 lymphoblasts that express wild-type TP53. Ectopic expression of BCL-X L also elevated the frequencies of double-strand break-induced gene conversion. The purpose of this study is to determine if BCL-2 family proteins promote radiation mutagenesis indirectly through their suppression of PCD, or whether the 'pro-mutagenic' function of these proteins can be separated from their anti-apoptotic function. We developed stable transfectants of TK6 cells that express a mutated form of BCL-X L with a single amino acid substitution in the BH1 domain that is known to interfere with the ability to suppress PCD (BCL-X L gly159ala). We also developed ...
The construction of Heavy Ion Medical Accelerator in Chiba (HIMAC) at the National Institute of Radiological Sciences was completed in December 1993. HIMAC consists of an injector linac, two synchrotron rings, a high energy beam transport system and a beam irradiation system. Its accelerator parameters are based on the medical requirement, and helium, carbon, neon, silicon and argon were selected as the accelerated ion species. It has 3 therapy rooms (A{approx}C). Room A has a vertical irradiation system, Room C horizontal and Room B both vertical and horizontal. Two rings can supply beams independently to the vertical and horizontal irradiation systems. Clinical trial started on June 21 1994, after several basic biological and physics experiments lasting about 2 months. Cancer is the top cause of death in Japan since 1981, and people expect good treatment results at HIMAC. Proton and heavy ion radiotherapy has the advantage of dose distribution and biological ...
The population of U.S. Department of Defense military working dogs provides an opportunity to study the lifetime occurrence of neoplasia in 2 breeds of dogs--the German Shepherd Dog and the Belgian Malinois. Medical records were reviewed for all dogs that died or were euthanized in 1992 (135 German Shepherd Dogs and 106 Belgian Malinois). Histologically confirmed neoplasms were recorded. More than 30% of both breeds (41 German Shepherd Dogs and 33 Belgian Malinois) developed at least 1 primary neoplasm during their lives, with 10% developing more than 1 neoplasm. Nearly 57% of the neoplasms were benign, and approximately 43% were malignant. German Shepherd Dogs lived 9.7 years, on average, and Belgian Malinois lived 7.9 years, on average. Of the dogs that developed any neoplasm, Belgian Malinois had a mean age at 1st diagnosis that was 1.1 years younger and a mean age at 1st diagnosis of malignancy that was 1.7 years younger than those in German Shepherd Dogs. The risk of a malignancy ...
In an epidemiological study of the somatic late effects risk following incorporation of a short lived #alpha#-emitter, 1473 ankylosing spondylitis patients treated with repeated intravenous injections of "2"2"4Ra in the years 1948 - 75, have been observed in the GSF. The usual therapeutic plan consisted of a total of 10 - 12 injections of 1.036 MBq (28 #mu#Ci) of "2"2"4Ra each, given at weekly intervals; this would result in an cumulative #alpha#-dose of 0.56 - 0.67 Gy to the marrow-free skeleton of a 70-kg-man (standard man). These patients have been followed together with a control group of ankylosing spondylitis patients not treated with radioactive drugs and/or X-rays. Until May 1993 (mean follow-up time 19.9 yr), 595 patients of the exposure group and 722 patients of the control group have died, causes of death have been ascertained for 578, resp. 668 patients. Among others we observed in the exposure group 10 cases of leukaemia (vs. 2.7 - 2.8 cases expected, ...
IntroductionBreast cancer is the most diagnosed and second leading cause of cancer deaths in the U.S. female population. An estimated 5 to 10 percent of all breast cancers are inherited, caused by mutations in the breast cancer susceptibility genes (BRCA1/2). As many as 90% of all mutations are nonsense mutations, causing a truncated polypeptide product. A popular and low cost method of mutation detection has been the protein truncation test (PTT), where target regions of BRCA1/2 are PCR amplified, transcribed/translated in a cell-free protein synthesis system and analyzed for truncated polypeptides by sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) and autoradiography. We previously reported a novel High Throughput Solid-Phase PTT (HTS-PTT) based on an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) format that eliminates the need for radioactivity, SDS-PAGE and subjective interpretation of the results. Here, we report the next generation HTS-PTT ...
Full text: Lung cancer is responsible for most of the cancer related deaths and calls for new approaches to control the menace. In the present study chemopreventive efficacy of curcumin and quercetin was investigated against benzo(a)pyrene (BP) induced lung carcinogenesis. The mice were segregated into five groups which included normal control, BP treated, BP+curcumin treated, BP+quercetin treated and BP+curcumin+quercetin treated groups. The morphological and histological analyses of tumor nodules confirmed lung carcinogenesis, after 22 weeks of single i.p. injection of BP at a dose of 100 mg/Kg body weight to mice. Tumor incidence and tumor multiplicity were observed to be 88% and 1.75, respectively in the BP treated mice. A statistically significant increase in the uptake of "3H thymidine indicative of increased DNA synthesis which in turn is the marker of uncontrolled cancer cell proliferation, was observed in the lung slices of BP treated mice. Further, BP ...
In an epidemiological study of the somatic late effects risk following incorporation of a short lived {alpha}-emitter, 1473 ankylosing spondylitis patients treated with repeated intravenous injections of {sup 224}Ra in the years 1948 - 75, have been observed in the GSF. The usual therapeutic plan consisted of a total of 10 - 12 injections of 1.036 MBq (28 {mu}Ci) of {sup 224}Ra each, given at weekly intervals; this would result in an cumulative {alpha}-dose of 0.56 - 0.67 Gy to the marrow-free skeleton of a 70-kg-man (standard man). These patients have been followed together with a control group of ankylosing spondylitis patients not treated with radioactive drugs and/or X-rays. Until May 1993 (mean follow-up time 19.9 yr), 595 patients of the exposure group and 722 patients of the control group have died, causes of death have been ascertained for 578, resp. 668 patients. Among others we observed in the exposure group 10 cases of leukaemia (vs. 2.7 - 2.8 cases ...
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