Multimodality nanotracers for cardiovascular applications

Targeted imaging and therapeutics is becoming a field of prime importance in the study and treatment of cardiovascular disease; it promises to enable early diagnosis, promote improved understanding of pathology, and offer a way to improve therapeutic efficacy. Agents, particularly for cardiovascular disease, have been reported to permit the in vivo imaging, by multiple modalities, of macrophages, vascular targets such as vascular cell adhesion molecule 1, and markers for angiogenesis such as alpha(v)beta(3) integrin. In this Article, we first discuss the general concept of multimodality nanoparticles and then focus in greater depth on their clinical application for molecular imaging and therapy. Lastly, several examples of cardiovascular applications are discussed, including combined imaging and therapy approaches.     

Long-Term Surgical Recurrence,Morbidity, Quality of Life,and Body Image of Laparoscopic-Assisted <Emphasis Type="Italic">vs.</Emphasis> Open Ileocolic Resection for Crohn’s Disease: A Comparative Study

Purpose  Several studies have compared conventional open ileocolic resection with a laparoscopic-assisted approach. However, long-term outcome after laparoscopic-assisted ileocolic resection remains to be determined. This study was designed to compare long-term results of surgical recurrence, quality of life, body image, and cosmesis in patients who underwent laparoscopic-assisted or open ileocolic resection for Crohn’s disease. Methods  Seventy-eight consecutive patients who underwent ileocolic resection during the period 1995 to 1998 were analyzed; 48 underwent a conventional open approach in the Academic Medical Centre (Amsterdam, The Netherlands) and 30 underwent a laparoscopic-assisted approach in the Leiden University Medical Centre (Leiden, The Netherlands). Primary outcome parameters were reoperation and readmission rate. Secondary outcome parameters were quality of life, body image, and cosmesis. Results  The two groups were comparable for characteristics of sex, age, and immunosuppressive therapy. Seventy-one patients had a complete follow-up of median 8.5 years. Resection for recurrent Crohn’s disease was performed in 6 of 27 (22 percent) and 10 of 44 (23 percent) patients in the laparoscopic and open groups, respectively. Reoperations for incisional hernia were only performed after conventional open ileocolic resection (3/44 = 6.8 percent). Quality of life and body image were comparable, but cosmesis scores were significantly higher in the laparoscopic group. Conclusions  Despite small numbers, we found that surgical recurrence and quality of life after laparoscopic-assisted and open ileocolic resection were comparable. Incisional hernias occurred only after open ileocolic resection, and laparoscopic-assisted ileocolic resection resulted in a significantly better cosmesis. Poster presentation at the meeting of the European Association of Coloproctology (EACP), Bologna, Italy, September 15 to 17, 2005. Reprints are not available. Address of correspondence: Willem A. Bemelman, M.D., Ph.D., Academic Medical Center, Department of Surgery, G4-146.1, P.O. Box 22660, 1100 DD Amsterdam, The Netherlands. E-mail: w.a.bemelman@amc.uva.nl     

Dioxin/furan formation and release in the cement industry

Cement kilns firing hazardous waste are explicitly mentioned in the Stockholm Convention as an "industrial source having the potential for comparatively high formation and release of these chemicals to the environment". The substitution of fossil fuels with alternative waste derived fuels is a well-developed practice in a number of countries. In the European cement industry about 6 million tonnes are used which corresponds to a thermal substitution rate of 17%. The current study evaluates around 2200 dioxin/furan stack emission measurements collected from various sources. It is demonstrated that most cement kilns can meet an emission level of 0.1ngTEQ/Nm(3) if primary measures, i.e. process-integrated measures, are applied. Reducing the temperature to a level lower than 200°C at the inlet of the air pollution control device is the key factor which has shown to limit dioxin formation and emissions at all types of cement kilns, independent of waste feeding.     

XToll, a recombinant chaperonin 10 as an anti-inflammatory immunomodulator

CBio Ltd, under license from the University of Queensland, is developing a recombinant form of chaperonin 10, known as XToll, for the potential anti-inflammatory treatment of rheumatoid arthritis, psoriasis and multiple sclerosis. All three indications have been evaluated in phase IIa clinical trials. By May 2005, a phase IIa trial for Crohn's disease had been terminated due to slow recruitment. The company has not disclosed plans for future development for this indication.