Developmental profiles of various cholinergic markers in the rat main olfactory bulb using quantitative autoradiography

The existence of possible relationships among the developmental profile of various cholinergic markers in the main olfactory bulb (OB) was assessed by using in vitro quantitative autoradiography. Muscarinic receptors were visualized with [³H]pirenzepine (muscarinic M1-like sites) and [³H]AF-DX 384 (muscarinic M2-like sites); nicotinic receptors by using [³H]cytisine (nicotinic 42-like subtype) and [¹²⁵I]α-bungarotoxin (nicotinic 7-like subtype); cholinergic nerve terminals by using [³H]vesamicol (vesicular acetylcholine transport sites) and [³H]hemicholinium-3 (high-affinity choline uptake sites). These various cholinergic markers exhibited their lowest levels at birth and reached adult values by the end of the 4–5 postnatal weeks. However, the density of presynaptic cholinergic markers and nicotinic receptors at postnatal day 2 represented a large proportion of the levels observed in adulthood, and displays a transient overexpression around postnatal day 20. In contrast, the postnatal development of cholinergic muscarinic M1-like and M2-like receptors is apparently regulated independently of the presynaptic cholinergic markers and nicotinic receptors. Two neurochemically and anatomically separate olfactory glomeruli subsets were observed in the posterior OB of the developing rat. These atypical glomeruli expressed large amounts of [³H]vesamicol- and [³H]hemicholinium binding sites without significant amounts of muscarinic M1, M2, or nicotinic α4β2 receptor binding sites. A significant density of [¹²⁵I]α-bungarotoxin binding sites could be detected only at early postnatal ages. A few olfactory glomeruli specifically restricted to the dorsal posterior OB expressed a high density of [³H]cytisine binding sites but lacked significant binding of the two presynaptic cholinergic markers used here, suggesting their noncholinergic but cholinoceptive nature. © 1996 Wiley-Liss, Inc.     

A rapid,reliable, and inexpensive method for detection of di- and trinucleotide repeat markers and disease loci from dried blood spots

We used a rapid and inexpensive method for studying the FMR1 CGG-repeat from dried blood spots, prepared from heel pricks, finger pricks, or an aliquot of blood from a venipuncture. The procedure includes a single tube for preparation of template DNA for PCR and minimal handling, avoiding opportunities for mislabelling specimens and loss of template. We extended the protocol to numerous di- and trinucleotide repeat markers and disease loci, including FRAXE, FRAXF, DXS548, DRPLA, and ZFY. The use of a highly reliable and very inexpensive method which employs blood spots as a source for target DNA means that newborn Guthrie cards can be used to establish allele frequencies for linkage disequilibrium studies, that large populations can be screened for genetic disorders, and that mapping studies can proceed rapidly even when only small amounts of blood are available from key family members. © 1996 Wiley-Liss, Inc.     

Superior vena cava graft infection in thoracic surgery: a retrospective study of the French EPITHOR database

 Open in a separate windowOBJECTIVESTo report our experience on the management of superior vena cava graft infection.METHODSBetween 2001 and 2018, patients with superior vena cava synthetic graft or patch reconstruction after resection of intrathoracic tumours or benign disease were selected retrospectively from the French EPITHOR database and participating thoracic centres. Our study population includes patients with superior vena cava graft infection, defined according to the MAGIC consensus. Superior vena cava synthetic grafts in an empyema or mediastinitis were considered as infected.RESULTSOf 111 eligible patients, superior vena cava graft infection occurred in 12 (11.9%) patients with a polytetrafluoroethylene graft secondary to contiguous contamination. Management consisted of either conservative treatment with chest tube drainage and antibiotics (n = 3) or a surgical graft-sparing strategy (n = 9). Recurrence of infection appears in 6 patients. Graft removal was performed in 2 patients among the 5 reoperated patients. The operative mortality rate was 25%.CONCLUSIONSSuperior vena cava graft infection may develop as a surgical site infection secondary to early mediastinitis or empyema. Graft removal is not always mandatory but should be considered in late or recurrent graft infection or in infections caused by aggressive microorganisms (virulent or multidrug resistant bacteria or fungi).     

Vascular Assessment in Patients With a Lower Limb Wound: A Correlational Study of Photoplethysmography and Laser Doppler Flowmetry Toe Pressure Techniques

Background:Vascular assessment of the lower limbs is essential in patients with diabetes. In the presence of noncompressible arteries, the ankle brachial index (ABI) can either be inconclusive or provide false-positive results. Toe pressure measurement has been suggested as an alternative as a noninvasive method for detecting peripheral arterial disease (PAD). Toe pressure measurement can be performed either by photoplethysmography (PPG) or by Laser Doppler flowmetry (LDF). The aim of this study was to determine correlations between the two techniques in order to promote the use of PPG in clinical practice.Methods:This was a prospective correlational study of 108 consecutive recruited adult patients, with and without diabetes, with at least one lower limb wound from a University-affiliated hospital wound care clinic. Toe pressure measurements were both performed with PPG and LDF devices.Results:Mean toe pressure values for PPG and LDF were, respectively, 83.7 (SD 35.4) and 79.5 (SD 32.0) mmHg (with a paired t-test 3.969, P < 0.01). In patients with at least one lower limb wound, a strong linear relation was found between PPG and LDF toe pressure techniques with a Pearson’s r correlation coefficient of 0.920 (P < 0.001).Conclusions:PPG and LDF toe pressure techniques are equivalent in patients with at least one lower limb wound, irrespective of the presence of diabetes. Therefore, in the presence of an ABI with inconclusive results, such as in a patient with noncompressible vessels, both toe pressure techniques can be used for assessing the vascular supply of the lower limb with a wound.     

Cytogenetics of Abelson virus-induced malignant lymphoma cell lines in the mouse

Cytogenetic studies were performed on 11 established murine thymoma or peripheral lymphoma cell lines induced by a thymotropic Abelson virus. In eight cell lines a trisomy 5 was present, whereas, two cell lines had a normal karyotype like fresh tumor cells. In the last cell line a trisomy 11 resulting from a t(5;11) was observed. The origin of this nonrandom chromosome abnormality is briefly discussed.     

Detecting Selection in the HIV-1 Genome during Sexual Transmission Events

Little is known about whether and how variation in the HIV-1 genome affects its transmissibility. Assessing which genomic features of HIV-1 are under positive or negative selection during transmission is challenging, because very few virus particles are typically transmitted, and random genetic drift can dilute genetic signals in the recipient virus population. We analyzed 30 transmitter–recipient pairs from the Zurich Primary HIV Infection Study and the Swiss HIV Cohort Study using near full-length HIV-1 genomes. We developed a new statistical test to detect selection during transmission, called Selection Test in Transmission (SeTesT), based on comparing the transmitter and recipient virus population and accounting for the transmission bottleneck. We performed extensive simulations and found that sensitivity of detecting selection during transmission is limited by the strong population bottleneck of few transmitted virions. When pooling individual test results across patients, we found two candidate HIV-1 genomic features for affecting transmission, namely amino acid positions 3 and 18 of Vpu, which were significant before but not after correction for multiple testing. In summary, SeTesT provides a general framework for detecting selection based on genomic sequencing data of transmitted viruses. Our study shows that a higher number of transmitter–recipient pairs is required to improve sensitivity of detecting selection.