Establishment and characterization of an Epstein-Barr virus transformed cell line with strong phagocytic activity

An immunoglobulin M (IgM)-positive cell line, Ms 28, apparently spontaneously transformed by Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) was established from peripheral blood cells of a patient with immature myeloblastic leukemia. It has been characterized according to phenotype, cytochemistry, and membrane antigen pattern. The cell line expresses lymphoid markers like CD 19, CD 22, and CD 30 and synthesizes and secretes IgM. Monocyte markers CD 11c, CD 14, and CD 15 are absent. Neither interleukin-1 (IL-1), nor tumor necrosis factor (TNF-alpha) are produced. But Ms 28 cells show strong phagocytic activity and engulf Latex particles and sheep RBCs (SRBCs) that need not to be opsonized. The phagocytic activity can be inhibited by chloroquine. Both phagocytosis and EBV nuclear-antigen (EBNA) expression can be observed in one and the same cell. Ms 28 cells might be useful to study immunologic activities like antigen processing and presentation.     

Synthetic cathinones: an evolving class of new psychoactive substances

Abstract

Synthetic cathinones (SCat) are amphetamine-like psychostimulants that emerged onto drug markets as “legal” alternatives to illicit drugs such as ecstasy, cocaine, and amphetamines. Usually they are sold as “bath salts,” “plant food,” or “research chemicals,” and rapidly gained popularity amongst drugs users due to their potency, low cost, and availability. In addition, internet drug sales have been replacing the old way of supplying drugs of abuse, contributing to their rapid spread. Despite the legislative efforts to control SCat, new derivatives continue to emerge on the recreational drugs market and their abuse still represents a serious public health issue. To date, about 150 SCat have been identified on the clandestine drugs market, which are one of the largest groups of new psychoactive substances (NPS) monitored by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime and the European Monitoring Center for Drugs and Drug Addiction. Similar to the classical stimulants, SCat affect the levels of catecholamines in the central nervous system, which results in their psychological, behavioral and toxic effects. Generally, the effects of SCat greatly differ from drug to drug and relatively little information is available about their pharmacology. The present work provides a review on the development of SCat as substances of abuse, current patterns of abuse and their legal status, chemical classification, known mechanisms of action, and their toxicological effects.     

Implantación de endoprótesis para el tratamiento del síndrome de vena cava superior maligno: serie de 56 pacientes de un solo centro

Objective

To report a series of stenting procedures for the treatment of malignant superior vena cava (SVC) syndrome.

Material and methods

A review conducted from October 2005 to July 2013 retrieved 56 consecutive patients treated for symptomatic malignant SVC syndrome with stenting.

Results

SVC stenting was attempted in 56 patients (46 males, 10 females), aged 34-84 years (mean 59.3).The success rate was 49/57 (86%). Success was associated with the type of obstruction classified as: group 1 (a —SVC stenosis, or b —unilateral innominate vein occlusion with contralateral innominate vein stenosis and normal SVC), group 2 (SVC occlusion excluding bilateral innominate vein occlusion) and group 3 (bilateral innominate vein occlusion irrespective of SVC status). Success rates were 100% (39/39), 75% (9/12) and 16.6% (1/6), respectively. These differences were significant for group 1 versus group 2 + 3 (p < 0.001) and for group 2 versus group 3 (p = 0.032). Acute complications occurred in 9 patients. Patients in whom acute complications occurred were older than the others (67.8 vs. 57.6 years, p = 0.019). The procedure-related death rate was 3.5% (n = 2). Stent occlusion occurred in 3.5% (n = 2). The patient survival was poor (median 2.6; range < 1-29.6 months), independently of the success of stenting.

Conclusions

Stenting for malignant SVC syndrome provides immediate and sustained symptomatic relief that lasts until death in this set of patients with a short life expectancy and restores the central venous access for administration of chemotherapy. Technical failure was associated with SVC occlusions and primarily with bilateral innominate vein occlusion.     

Apresentação de Software para Pós-processamento de Curvas de Deformação Cardíaca: D-Station

BackgroundThe use of speckle-tracking echocardiography for evaluation of cardiac function has great applicability in different scenarios. The broad use of this method requires tools that allow the extraction of relevant data from strain curves and inclusion of these data in traditionally used parameters.ObjectivesThe present study aimed to present and validate a free software, called D-station, for analysis of strain curves.MethodsFrom raw data files, the D-Station determines the phases of the cardiac cycle, and simultaneously exhibits the strain and strain rate curves of different cardiac chambers. Validation of the software was done by global longitudinal strain (GLS), and the analyses were performed: 1) graphical comparison of EchoPAC and D-Station paired measurements in relation to equality line; 2) by coefficient of correlation of these measurements; 3) test of hypothesis (p > 0.05); and 4) Bland-Altman analysis.ResultsThe Spearman’s rho correlation coefficient indicated a strong correlation between the measurements. Results of the test of hypothesis showed a p-value = 0.6798 >> 0.05, thus also indicating an equivalence between the softwares. The Bland-Altman analysis revealed a bias ≤ 1% and dispersion ≤ 2% between the measurements. The tests showed that, for GLS values lower than 10%, there was a trend for higher percentage difference between the values, although the absolute values remained low.ConclusionThe D-Station software was validated as an additional tool to the EchoPAC, which uses the raw data from the strain and strain rate curves exported from a proprietary software. (Arq Bras Cardiol. 2020; 114(3):496-506)     

Preferences for treatments to prevent rheumatoid arthritis in Canada and the influence of shared decision-making

Clinical Rheumatology - To elicit and compare preferences of patients and first-degree relatives and rheumatologists for preventive treatments for&nbsp;rheumatoid arthritis, understand the...     

Six Weeks of Voluntary Exercise don’t Protect C57BL/6 Mice Against Neurotoxicity of MPTP and MPP+

Exercise improves the central nervous system (CNS) functions and is widely recommended for neurological patients with, e.g., Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease (PD). However, exercise-induced neuroprotection is an open discussion. Here, the intranasal administration of the neurotoxin 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine (MPTP, 65 mg/kg) caused death of dopaminergic neurons in the substantia nigra pars compacta and depletion of dopamine in the striatum of C57BL/6 mice. 1-Methyl-4-phenylpyridinium, the active metabolite of MPTP, also inhibited complex-I activity of mitochondria isolated from the CNS of mice. However, 6 weeks of exercise on voluntary running wheels did not protect against nigrostriatal neurodegeneration or mitochondrial inhibition, suggesting that benefits of exercise for PD may not be associated with neuroprotection. The literature presents other candidates, such as neurotrophins or increased antioxidant defenses.     

Face–to–face interactions between mothers and female infants in wild bearded capuchin monkeys (Sapajus libidinosus)

Once considered uniquely human, mother–infant face–to–face interactions (FF) were observed in a few captive primates. In these studies, FF were correlated to physical contact suggesting a mechanism mediating proximity between mother and infant, as is the case for humans. We investigated this hypothesis in wild capuchin monkeys (Sapajus libidinosus) during the first year of life of eight female infants. Data were weekly focal-day videos of infants from which we recorded FF with mothers. We expected FF would increase with infants’ age (as time in contact with mothers decreased) and would more likely occur in the absence of physical contact between the dyad. There was no effect of age in the proportion of interaction time spent in FF, nor in types of FF. A quarter of FF episodes occurred in the absence of physical contact between the dyad, and in most of them physical contact was resumed following the FF. Contrary to predictions, the stability in the first year, mainly when mothers–female infants were in contact, indicates that FF act primarily promoting opportunities for affective communication and intuitive care. However, we found some supportive evidence for the hypothesis that FF regulate proximity between mother and infant, mainly in resume physical contact.     

Multidrug-Resistant Nontuberculous Mycobacteria Isolated from Cystic Fibrosis Patients

Worldwide, nontuberculous mycobacteria (NTM) have become emergent pathogens of pulmonary infections in cystic fibrosis (CF) patients, with an estimated prevalence ranging from 5 to 20%. This work investigated the presence of NTM in sputum samples of 129 CF patients (2 to 18 years old) submitted to longitudinal clinical supervision at a regional reference center in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. From June 2009 to March 2012, 36 NTM isolates recovered from 10 (7.75%) out of 129 children were obtained. Molecular identification of NTM was performed by using PCR restriction analysis targeting the hsp65 gene (PRA-hsp65) and sequencing of the rpoB gene, and susceptibility tests were performed that followed Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute recommendations. For evaluating the genotypic diversity, pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) and/or enterobacterial repetitive intergenic consensus sequence PCR (ERIC-PCR) was performed. The species identified were Mycobacterium abscessus subsp. bolletii (n = 24), M. abscessus subsp. abscessus (n = 6), Mycobacterium fortuitum (n = 3), Mycobacterium marseillense (n = 2), and Mycobacterium timonense (n = 1). Most of the isolates presented resistance to five or more of the antimicrobials tested. Typing profiles were mainly patient specific. The PFGE profiles indicated the presence of two clonal groups for M. abscessus subsp. abscessus and five clonal groups for M. abscesssus subsp. bolletii, with just one clone detected in two patients. Given the observed multidrug resistance patterns and the possibility of transmission between patients, we suggest the implementation of continuous and routine investigation of NTM infection or colonization in CF patients, including countries with a high burden of tuberculosis disease.