In Vivo Molecular Imaging Characterizes Pulmonary Gene Expression During Experimental Lung Transplantation

Experimental gene therapy is a promising strategy to prevent ischemia-reperfusion (I/R) injury and allograft rejection after lung transplantation, and methods will eventually be needed to characterize pulmonary transgene expression in vivo in humans. Therefore, we studied positron emission tomography (PET) as a means of performing in vivo molecular imaging in rodent models of lung transplantation. Rats were transfected endotracheally with adenovirus encoding a fusion gene of a mutant Herpes simplex virus-1 thymidine kinase and the green fluorescent protein gene (the former serving as an imaging reporter gene). Twenty-four hours after transfection, lungs were transplanted in groups representing normal transplantation, I/R injury and acute allograft rejection. Imaging was obtained either 24 h after transplantation to study reperfusion injury or 4 days after transplantation to study graft rejection. After imaging, lungs were excised and analyzed for thymidine kinase activity. Imaging detected transgene expression in transplanted lungs even in the presence of acute rejection or I/R injury. The PET imaging signal correlated with in vitro lung tissue assays of thymidine kinase activity (r(2) = 0.534). Thus, noninvasive molecular imaging with PET is a feasible, sensitive and quantitative method for characterizing pulmonary transgene expression in experimental lung transplantation.     

Depressive Symptoms Among HIV Positive Men: Life Stress,Coping, and Social Support1

The significance of life stress, coping, and social support was examined in relation to depressive symptomatology in a sample of 160 asymptomatic and mildly symptomatic HIV-antibody-positive (HIV+) men. The participants (mean age = 32 years) were interviewed about the life stress that they had experienced in the previous 6     

Colorimetric assay of blood coagulation factor XIII in plasma

In this new colorimetric assay for Factor XIII in plasma, 5-(biotinamido)pentylamine is used as the amine substrate. Factor XIII, a zymogen, is transformed by thrombin and Ca2+ to active Factor XIIIa, and the incorporation of 5-(biotinamido)pentylamine into N,N-dimethylcasein is used to measure catalytically active Factor XIIIa. The biotinylated enzymatic product is immobilized onto 96-well microtiter plates, complexed with streptavidin-beta-galactosidase, and the absorbance at 405 nm is monitored for production of p-nitrophenol from p-nitrophenyl-beta-D-galactopyranoside. Concentrations of N,N-dimethylcasein, 5-(biotinamido)pentylamine, Ca2+, and thrombin were chosen to allow near-maximum velocity of amine incorporation. A linear relationship was obtained between assay product and plasma volume, from 0.5 to 50 microL of plasma. Results correlated well (r greater than 0.924) with those from the most frequently utilized radiometric filter-paper assay for Factor XIII. The method appears to be ideal for routine diagnostic estimation of Factor XIII in plasma because of its simplicity, its lack of use of radioisotopes, and its potential for assay of large numbers of samples by use of microtiter plates and automated plate readers.     

Creating empowering meaning: an interactive process of promoting health with chronically ill older Canadians

Many health promotion approaches afford education about disease prevention and enhancement of one's health status. But strategies for enabling older people with chronic illness to better mobilize their resources for everyday living still require development. This practical action research study explored the experiences of 13 purposefully selected older persons who participated in a health promotion intervention premised on the adult education theory of perspective transformation. Findings illuminate health promotion through a holistic interactive process in which professional and chronically ill older person together evolved a caring relationship and enhanced conscious awareness of life and health experiences. Five health-promoting strategies were identified: building trust and meaning; connecting; caring; mutual knowing; and mutual creating. Researchers suggest several important directions to refine professional practice approaches and health care delivery systems in order to promote the health of older persons with chronic conditions.     

Promoting the health of senior citizens

Canada is experiencing a dramatic increase in the number of older people in its population. Adopting strategies that involve physician actions, a societal approach and individual participation may substantially improve the health of senior citizens. This article presents ways to improve the quality of life and reduce the risk of premature death through manoeuvres that can be initiated by physicians in the context of the periodic health examination. The authors highlight the role of evidence in choosing the most appropriate interventions, speculate on areas of future importance and emphasize a societal approach to population health.     

Preliminary evidence for a role of apolipoprotein E alleles in identifying haemodialysis patients at high vascular risk

Conventional risk factors have very low predictive power in identifying haemodialysis patients at high risk of vascular accidents. A role for apolipoprotein E isotypes was looked for in a small, but rigorously defined, cohort of longterm haemodialysis patients. In individuals with high vascular risk, as identified by higher common carotid intima/media thickness, we found an excess of apolipoprotein E4 alleles. This preliminary result requires confirmation in large patient cohorts.