Light-induced decrease in calcium binding to isolated bovine photoreceptors

Purified bovine rod outer segments are used to study the effect of illumination on their calcium binding. More radioactive calcium is bound to outer segments maintained in the dark as compared to the bleached samples. The illuminated outer segments, labelled prior the experiment, also lose more calcium during a short incubation than their dark controls. Two apparent calcium binding sites are detected. Illumination appears to reduce the number of low affinity binding sites and decrease the affinity of the high affinity binding site.     

Second primary cancers among 109 000 cases of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma

An analysis of other primary cancers in individuals with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL) can help to elucidate this cancer aetiology. In all, 109 451 first primary NHL were included in a pooled analysis of 13 cancer registries. The observed numbers of second cancers were compared to the expected numbers derived from the age-, sex-, calendar period- and registry-specific incidence rates. We also calculated the standardised incidence ratios for NHL as a second primary after other cancers. There was a 47% (95% confidence interval 43-51%) overall increase in the risk of a primary cancer after NHL. A strongly significant (P<0.001) increase was observed for cancers of the lip, tongue, oropharynx*, stomach, small intestine, colon*, liver, nasal cavity*, lung, soft tissues*, skin melanoma*, nonmelanoma skin*, bladder*, kidney*, thyroid*, Hodgkin's lymphoma*, lymphoid leukaemia* and myeloid leukaemia. Non-Hodgkin's lymphoma as a second primary was increased after cancers marked with an asterisk. Patterns of risk indicate a treatment effect for lung, bladder, stomach, Hodgkin's lymphoma and myeloid leukaemia. Common risk factors may be involved for cancers of the lung, bladder, nasal cavity and for soft tissues, such as pesticides. Bidirectional effects for several cancer sites of potential viral origin argue strongly for a role for immune suppression in NHL.     

Socioeconomic position in childhood and early adult life and risk of mortality: a prospective study of the mothers of the 1958 British birth cohort

OBJECTIVES: We sought to establish whether women's childhood socioeconomic position influenced their risk of mortality separately from the effects of adult socioeconomic position. METHODS: We examined 11855 British women aged 14 to 49 years, with mortality follow-up over a 45-year period. RESULTS: Trends according to childhood social class were observed for all-cause mortality, circulatory disease, coronary heart disease, respiratory disease, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, stroke, lung cancer, and stomach cancer, with higher death rates among members of unskilled manual groups. Associations attenuated after adjustment for adult social class, smoking, and body mass index. No trend was seen for breast cancer or accidents and violence. Adverse social conditions in both childhood and adulthood were associated with higher death rates from coronary heart disease and respiratory disease. Stomach cancer was influenced primarily by childhood conditions and lung cancer by factors in adult life. CONCLUSIONS: Socioeconomic position in childhood was associated with adult mortality in a large sample of British women.     

Angiographic and clinical results in 316 coil-treated basilar artery bifurcation aneurysms

OBJECT: The aim of this study was to analyze the effect of the endovascular treatment of basilar artery (BA) bifurcation aneurysms and to compare the results with those published by other neuroendovascular teams. METHODS: The authors performed a retrospective analysis of 316 aneurysms of the BA bifurcation that had been treated using endovascular coil occlusion between November 6, 1992, and February 12, 2005. After the initial embolization procedure, a 90 to 100% occlusion rate was achieved in 86% of the aneurysms. No complication was evident in 80% of the lesions, although periprocedural aneurysm rupture (3.2%) and thromboembolic events (12.3%) were the most frequent complications. Clinical outcome according to the Glasgow Outcome Scale (GOS) was a score of 5 or 4 in 77%, 3 in 11%, 2 in 5%, and 1 in 7% of patients. Initial follow-up angiography studies were obtained in 56% of patients at a mean of 19 months posttreatment and demonstrated a 90 to 100% occlusion rate in 70%. No recurrence was seen on 65% of the aneurysms. Coil compaction was evident on 24% of the follow-up angiograms. A second treatment was performed on 48 aneurysms (15%) a mean of 27 months after the first therapeutic session and resulted in 90 to 100% occlusion in 83% of the lesions. Complications were encountered in 19% of the aneurysms. Rupture did not occur during any of the procedures. Clinical outcome was rated as GOS Score 5 or 4 in 83% of the patients and Grade 3 in 17%. During a cumulative clinical follow up of 821 years in 237 patients, 182 patients (81%) were independent (GOS Score 5 or 4), 33 (14%) were dependent (GOS Score 3), eight (3%) were in a vegetative state, and two (1%) had died. Clinical outcome was significantly worse after previous aneurysm rupture and following procedural complications. CONCLUSIONS: These results are within the range of published data for coil treatment of BA tip aneurysms and confirm both the safety and efficacy of this endovascular treatment method.     

Anosmia in association with occupational use of a waterproof coating chemical

A case of acute permanent anosmia is described in a renovation worker during exposure to a waterproof coating chemical. The chemical consisted of several substances of which four (acetone, acrylates, butyl acetate and carbon disulfide) has been previously reported to induce hyposmia or anosmia in workers. Other aetiologies were clinically excluded but a large arachnoidea cyst in the frontal part of the left temporobasal fossa with possible compression of the left entorhinal cortex. The toxic aetiology of anosmia is supported by the acute onset and the temporal relationship with occupational exposure. The silent cyst as the cause of anosmia is improbable, but it may have had some contributory role. Our case illustrates both the challenges when clinically examining patients with work-related olfactory impairment and the importance of multi-disciplinary approach to such patients.     

Occurrences of leukemia subtypes by socioeconomic and occupational groups in Sweden

OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study was to examine the associations between socioeconomic/occupational factors and histologic subtypes of leukemia. METHODS: The Swedish Family-Cancer Database was used to calculate standardized incidence ratios for different social classes and occupational groups. RESULTS: The overall standardized incidence ratio was close to unity between different socioeconomic groups, except for female manual workers with a significantly decreased risk. Among male occupations, increased risks were noted for sales agents, seamen, and chemical process workers. For female occupations, increased risks were observed among mechanics, iron and metalware workers, hairdressers, and launderers and dry cleaners. CONCLUSIONS: The present study suggests that socioeconomic/occupational factors have a minor effect on the risk of leukemia. Occupational groups with possible exposure to organic solvents and other chemicals such as chemical process workers, mechanics, iron and metalware workers, and launderers and dry cleaners may entail true risk for leukemia.     

Prolonged allogeneic islet graft survival by protoporphyrins

Transplantation of islets of Langerhans in patients with type 1 diabetes allows for improved metabolic control and insulin independence. The need for chronic immunosuppression limits this procedure to selected patients with brittle diabetes. Definition of therapeutic strategies allowing permanent engraftment without the need for chronic immunosuppression could overcome such limitations. We tested the effect of the use of protoporphyrins (CoPP and FePP), powerful inducers of the cytoprotective protein heme-oxygenase 1 (HO-1), on allogeneic islet graft survival. Chemically induced diabetic C57BL/6 mice received DBA/2 islets. Treatment consisted in peritransplant administration of CoPP or saline. Islets were either cultured in the presence of FePP or vehicle before implant. Short-course administration of CoPP led to long-term islet allograft survival in a sizable proportion of recipients. Long-term graft-bearing animals rejected third-party islets while accepting a second set donor-specific graft permanently, without additional treatment. Preconditioning of islets with FePP by itself led to improved graft survival in untreated recipients, and provided additional advantage in CoPP-treated recipients, resulting in an increased proportion of long-term surviving grafts. Preconditioning of the graft with protoporphyrins prior to implant resulted in reduction of class II expression. Administration of protoporphyrins to the recipients of allogeneic islets also resulted in transient powerful immunosuppression with reduced lymphocyte proliferative responses, increased proportion of regulatory cells (CD4+CD25+), decreased mononuclear cell infiltrating the graft, paralleled by a systemic upregulation of HO-1 expression. All these mechanisms may have contributed to the induction of donor-specific hyporesponsiveness in a proportion of the protoporphyrin-treated animals.     

Association between school performance, breast milk intake and fatty acid profile of serum lipids in ten-year-old cleft children

The fatty acid profiles of serum lipids were examined in 53 ten-year-old cleft children. The children presented with different cleft types (cleft lip, cleft lip and palate, isolated cleft palate and submucuous cleft palate) and were recruited from the Finnish Cleft Center. We also studied associations between serum lipid fatty acids and early breast milk intake, cognitive development in terms of preschool language learning and school achievement. The fatty acid profiles of serum lipids did not differ between boys and girls. The proportion of myristic acid in serum cholesteryl esters (CE) was higher and proportion of nervonic acid in phospholipids (PL) lower in children with isolated palatal clefts than in those with submucuous clefts. Out of the present children, 30% and 60% received breast milk less than 1 or 3 months, respectively. The proportions of docosahexaenoic acid in CE and in PL were significantly higher in the children whose breast milk intake was longer than 3 months. The number of children requiring special education was higher among those who received breast milk less than 1 month than among those with longer breast milk intake. In conclusion, the fatty acid profiles of serum lipids seem to be comparable among children with different cleft types. Short breast milk intake was associated with poorer school performance.