Antimicrobials as a contributory factor in oral candidosis – a brief overview

The advent of the human immunodeficiency virus infection and the increasing prevalence of compromised individuals in the community due to modern therapeutic advances have resulted in a resurgence of opportunistic infections, including oral candidosis, which is by far the most common oral fungal infection in man. Broad-spectrum antibiotics used in the treatment of a wide range of disease conditions have also been attributed as a predisposing factor of oral candidosis. In this mini review we discuss the research findings on the relationship between antibiotics and oral candidosis and possible mechanisms of pathogenicity following such therapy.     

In vivo red cell destruction by anti-Lu6

An example is presented of an IgG1, anti-Lu6, that reacted by indirect antiglobulin test and was capable of destroying antigen-positive red cells in vivo. Two methods for the measurement of red cell survival, 51Cr labeling and flow cytometry, gave the same result: 20 percent of the test dose of Lu:6 red cells was destroyed in the first hour after injection and 80 percent in the first 24 hours. The clinical relevance of the antibody was correctly predicted by an in vitro monocyte monolayer assay. The finding that this example of anti-Lu6 was clinically significant should not be taken to mean that all antibodies directed against high-incidence Lutheran and Lutheran system-related antigens will behave similarly. When such antibodies are encountered, in vivo and/or in vitro studies to assess their clinical significance are necessary before rare blood is used for transfusion.     

Hemodilution and intravenous perflubron emulsion as an alternative to blood transfusion: effects on tissue oxygenation during profound hemodilution in anesthetized dogs

BACKGROUND: Intravenously administered perfluorocarbon (PFC) emulsions increase oxygen solubility in plasma. PFC might therefore temporarily replace red cells (RBCs) lost during intraoperative hemorrhage. In patients who have undergone hemodilution, the return of autologous blood may be delayed by the administration of PFC, and autologous RBCs may be saved for transfusion after surgical bleeding is stopped and PFC is cleared by the reticuloendothelial system. STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS: In 22 anesthetized, hemodiluted dogs (hemoglobin [Hb] 7 g/dL) breathing 100-percent O2, an intraoperative volume-compensated blood loss was simulated. The efficacy of three therapeutic regimens in maintaining tissue oxygenation was compared: 1) RBC group (n = 7): maintenance of a Hb > 7 g per dL by transfusion of autologous RBCs; 2) PFC group (n = 7): bolus application of a second-generation PFC emulsion (60% wt/vol perflubron) and further acute normovolemic hemodilution (ANH) to a Hb of 3 g per dL; and 3) control group (n = 7): further ANH alone to a Hb of 3 g per dL. Systemic and myocardial oxygenation status and tissue oxygenation were assessed. RESULTS: Autologous RBCs transfused to maintain a Hb of 7 g per dL preserved hemodynamics and tissue oxygenation during blood loss. In the PFC and control groups, heart rate and cardiac index increased significantly in response to further ANH. Tissue oxygenation was not different in the PFC and the RBC groups. Direct comparison of the PFC and control groups revealed better tissue oxygenation in the PFC group, as reflected by significantly higher mixed venous, coronary venous, and local tissue pO2 on liver and skeletal muscle. CONCLUSION: Bolus intravenous administration of 60- percent (wt/vol) perflubron emulsion and further hemodilution from a Hb of 7 g per dL to one of 3 g per dL were as effective as autologous RBC transfusion in maintaining tissue oxygenation during volume-compensated blood loss designed to mimic surgical bleeding.     

流式细胞分选术和Rho123在分离MHCC97肿瘤干细胞中的应用

目的:肝癌组织中可能存在具有表型和功能特殊的肝癌细胞,分离和鉴定这群细胞是否具有干细胞特征对阐明肝癌发病机制、揭示肝癌复发和转移具有重要的意义。寻求分离MHCC97肿瘤干细胞的有效方法,探讨角蛋白(CK-19)在不同肝癌细胞亚群中的表达差异。方法:实验于2006-11/2007-05在解放军第四军医大学免疫实验室和肝胆外科实验室完成。细胞来源:MHCC97肝癌细胞(人高转移肝癌细胞系)由上海复旦大学中山医院肝癌研究所提供。实验方法:MHCC97细胞常规消化,HBSS洗涤,制备成单细胞悬液,细胞密度为1×109L-1。每份取1×106个细胞,参考Rho123对线粒体膜电位测定的0.1mg/L质量浓度,分别做0.1mg/L和0.05mg/L两个质量浓度细胞梯度染色,对照组加入维拉帕米(终浓度50mmol/L),以未加Rho123作为阴性对照。实验评估:采用免疫细胞化学方法观察细胞角蛋白19在0.05mg/LRho123细胞及0.1mg/LRho123两组中的表达和含量。结果:单纯加入Rho123组有一低荧光拖尾,而维拉帕米拮抗组无此区域,即0.05mg/LRho123细胞占总数的2.1%,其余为0.1mg/LRho123组细胞。两组细胞内均有细胞角蛋白19阳性表达,阳性反应为显示位于细胞质的棕黄色颗粒,两组比较有统计学差异(P<0.05)结论:细胞角蛋白19在肝癌细胞亚群中表达有差异,强阳性多数分布在0.05mg/LRho123组中,Rho123结合流式细胞分选术可以有效地分选出癌细胞中的肿瘤干细胞。     

Inhibition of an anti-Pr1d cold agglutinin by citrate present in commercial red cell preservative solutions

A patient with known cold autoimmune hemolyticanemia was admitted for surgery. Routine cold agglutinin evaluations, using commercial red cells (RBCs) in modified Alsever's preservative solution, revealed a cold agglutinin titer of 4 to 16. However, using RBCs washed four times with saline, a high-titer (greater than 2000 at 4 degrees C) cold autoagglutinin was demonstrated. The cold agglutinin was shown to be an IgM kappa paraprotein with anti-Pr1d specificity. The addition of Alsever's solution to washed RBCs inhibited the cold agglutinin. Each major component of Alsever's solution (neomycin, chloramphenicol, inosine, dextrose, and citrate) was tested individually; only citrate inhibited the patient's cold agglutinin. Various compounds structurally related to citrate were tested and found to cause various degrees of inhibition. The strongest inhibition correlated with the presence of either three carboxyl groups on molecules devoid of double-bonded carbon atoms or two carboxyl groups in cis configuration. A panel of 54 cold agglutinins, including 7 with anti-Pr specificity, was analyzed. None was significantly inhibited by Alsever's solution, although one with anti-Pr2 specificity was weakly inhibited. In summary, these studies describe an anti-Pr1d cold autoagglutinin that was inhibited by citrate in RBC preservative solutions. The failure to detect such a cold agglutinin can result from not washing RBCs free of citrate before testing.     

Modified silicone sling assisted temporalis muscle transfer in the management of lagophthalmos

Aim:

To evaluate the efficacy of modified temporalis muscle transfer (TMT) by silicone sling for the management of paralytic lagophthalmos.

Settings and Design:

Prospective interventional study.

Materials and Methods:

Ten patients of lagophthalmos due to facial palsy underwent modified TMT using silicone sling. The patients were followed-up for a period of 3 months. Palpebral aperture in primary gaze and during eye closure were assessed both pre- and postoperatively along with problems associated with lagophthalmos like exposure keratopathy and lacrimation.

Statistical Analysis:

Paired t-test was applied to measure the statistical outcome.

Results:

Eight patients achieved full correction of lagophthalmos with no lid gap on closing the eye. The mean (standard deviation (SD)) lid gap on eye closure was 7.7 (0.86) mm preoperatively, 0.5 (0.47) mm at 1^st postoperative day, and 0.7 (0.75) mm at 3^rd month. There was a reduction in mean lid gap on eye closure of 7 mm at 3 months (P < 0.0001) which is highly significant. The mean (SD) vertical interpalpebral distance during primary gaze was 12.05 (1.12) mm preoperatively, 10 (0.94) mm at 1^st postoperative day, and 10.35 (1.08) mm at 3^rd month. There was a reduction in mean vertical inter palpebral distance of 1.7 mm at 3 months (P = 0.001) which is significant. Exposure keratitis decreased in five out of six patients at 3 months.

Conclusion:

Modified TMT by silicone sling is a useful procedure with lesser morbidity and good outcomes for the treatment of paralytic lagophthalmos due to long standing facial palsy.     

Reversal of slow flow phenomenon during primary stenting by bail-out administration of abciximab

BACKGROUND: Slow flow or no reflow phenomenon is increasingly being recognized as a serious problem during coronary angioplasty and stenting. This phenomenon is seen more often during angioplasty in highly thrombogenic milieux, especially in a setting of acute myocardial infarction. The treatment of this complication is often not satisfactory. efficacy of abciximab, a potent antiplatelet drug, in treating slow flow or no reflow phenomenon during primary percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty (PTCA) for acute myocardial infarction (AMI). METHODS: Twenty-one instances of persistent slow flow phenomenon were encountered in 131 consecutive patients subjected to primary PTCA for AMI (16%). It was more common in patients presenting with AMI complicated by cardiogenic shock (nine of 21, 43%). Of these 21 cases of slow flow, 10 patients were given injection abciximab during the procedure of primary PTCA as a bail-out measure after encountering the complication of slow flow or no reflow. A predischarge coronary angiography was carried out in all patients who survived. RESULTS: In seven of 10 patients in the abciximab group flow had improved to TIMI-3. In contrast, in the non-abciximab group TIMI flow improved in only four of 11 patients. Patients with persistent slow In this study the authors assessed the flow had significantly higher mortality at the first 30-day follow-up than patients with TIMI-3 flow (33% versus 1.8%, p<0.001). CONCLUSION: In this small nonrandomized study significant improvement in coronary flow was achieved by using intravenous abciximab after observing slow flow or no reflow phenomenon during primary PTCA. More frequent use of this drug in this milieu might help in preventing the development of this complication. Larger studies are warranted to confirm this life-saving beneficial effect of bail-out administration of abciximab during primary angioplasty. (Int J Cardiovasc Intervent 2000; 3:35–39)