Human papillomavirus typing with a polymerase chain reaction-based genotyping array compared with type-specific PCR

BACKGROUND: Type-specific persistence of human papillomavirus (HPV) infection can cause invasive cervical cancer. OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the efficacy of HPV detection and typing with a general polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-based genotyping array and to compare it with a type-specific PCR assay. STUDY DESIGN: Four hundred and thirty-three cervical samples were tested with a modified MY11/GP6+ PCR-based reverse-blot assay (EasyChip HPV Blot; King Car, Taiwan [hereafter HPV Blot]) and with 20 genotypes of L1-type-specific PCR (HPV-6, -11, -16, -18, -31, -33, -35, -39, -45, -51, -52, -53, -56, -58, -59, -62, -66, -68, -70, and -71 [CP8061]). RESULTS: The concordance of the two tests in determining HPV positivity was 96.8% (419/433), with a Cohen's kappa=0.93 (95% CI: 0.90-0.97) and McNemar's test of P=1.0, which indicates excellent agreement. The overall concordance of the two tests in the identification of type-specific HPV was 91.0% (394/433). Sensitivity (90-100%), specificity (99.2-100%), and accuracy (98.6-100%) rates of HPV Blot against the gold standard were satisfactory for HPV-16, -18, -58, -33, -52, -39, -45, -31, -51, -70 while HPV-71 (63.6%) had suboptimal sensitivity. Though the kappa values between the two tests for many individual genotypes could not be reliably calculated because of low positivity, the kappa values for HPV-16, -52, and -58 were excellent (0.93, 0.96, and 0.95, respectively). CONCLUSION: The modified MY11/GP6+ PCR-based HPV Blot assay is accurate and sensitive for detection and genotyping of HPV in cervical swab samples.     

Epidemiologic relationship between fluoroquinolone-resistant Salmonella enterica Serovar Choleraesuis strains isolated from humans and pigs in Taiwan (1997 to 2002)

The emergence of ciprofloxacin-resistant Salmonella enterica serovar Choleraesuis in recent years has become an important public health issue in Taiwan. The resistant strains that cause human infections are considered to be from pigs. In this study, we characterized 157 swine and 42 human Salmonella serovar Choleraesuis isolates by pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) and drug susceptibility testing to investigate the epidemiologic relationship among the isolates. By PFGE analyses, two major clusters (clusters GA and GB) were identified. Isolates in cluster GA were of both human and swine origins, while those in cluster GB were from pigs only. Among the various genotypes identified, genotype gt-1a was the most prevalent, which was found in 71% (30 of 42) and 48% (76 of 157) of human and swine isolates, respectively. The susceptibility tests for the 106 gt-1a isolates identified 44 susceptibility profiles and showed that 73% of human isolates and 34% of swine isolates were resistant to three fluoroquinolones (ciprofloxacin, enrofloxacin, and norfloxacin). Our findings indicate that a clonal group of Salmonella serovar Choleraesuis may have been circulating in human and swine populations in Taiwan for years and that the fluoroquinolone-resistant Salmonella serovar Choleraesuis strains most likely evolved from a gt-1a clone that emerged in 2000 and that then caused widespread infections in humans and pigs. Nevertheless, it is still debatable whether those Salmonella infections in humans are caused by isolates derived from pigs, on the basis of the higher fluoroquinolone and other antimicrobial resistance percentages in human isolates than in pig isolates.     

Translation and psychometric validation of the traditional Chinese version of patient-reported outcomes measurement information system Pediatric-25 Profile version 2.0 (PROMIS-25) in Chinese Children with Cancer in Hong Kong

Quality of Life Research - To translate and cross-cultural validate the PROMIS Pediatric-25 Profile 2.0 (PROMIS-25) into traditional Chinese, and to investigate its psychometric properties in...     

Osteochondroma and secondary synovial osteochondromatosis

Secondary synovial osteochondromatosis (SOC) is a rare disorder caused by a variety of joint disorders. Two unusual cases of secondary SOC are presented. The first patient is a 43-year-old man with extensive SOC developing within a bursa surrounding an osteochondroma of the pubic bone. The second patient is a 23-year-old man who developed florid and progressive SOC of his hip joint following excision of a femoral neck osteochondroma. SOC recurred despite three excisions over a 15-month period. Imaging was useful in pre-operative diagnosis of bursal SOC in the first patient and in detecting multiple recurrences in the second patient. Both cases illustrate prominent SOC developing secondary to osteochondroma. The different hypotheses regarding bursal and secondary SOC are reviewed. Received: 8 October 1998 Revision requested: 28 October 1998 Revision received: 13 November 1998 Accepted: 16 November 1998     

Synthesis, corticotropin-releasing factor receptor binding affinity, and pharmacokinetic properties of triazolo-, imidazo-, and pyrrolopyrimidines and -pyridines

The synthesis and CRF receptor binding affinities of several new series of N-aryltriazolo- and -imidazopyrimidines and -pyridines are described. These cyclized systems were prepared from appropriately substituted diaminopyrimidines or -pyridines by nitrous acid, orthoester, or acyl halide treatment. Variations of amino (ether) pendants and aromatic substituents have defined the structure-activity relationships of these series and resulted in the identification of a variety of high-affinity agents (Ki's < 10 nM). On the basis of this property and lipophilicity differences, six of these compounds (4d,i,n,x, 8k, 9a) were initially chosen for rat pharmacokinetic (PK) studies. Good oral bioavailability, high plasma levels, and duration of four of these compounds (4d,i,n,x) prompted further PK studies in the dog following both iv and oral routes of administration. Results from this work indicated 4i,x had properties we believe necessary for a potential therapeutic agent, and 4i1 has been selected for further pharmacological studies that will be reported in due course.     

Tissue potassium,selenium, and iron levels associated with gastric cancer progression

The contents of 10 minor and trace elements in histologically confirmed gastric adenocarcinomas and their corresponding normal gastric mucosal tissues obtained from 39 patients at the time of gastric resection were simultaneously determined by instrumental neutron activation analysis. Specimens were irradiated by reactor neutrons and subsequently subject to direct analysis using a high-resolution HPGe -spectrometer. Univariate analysis revealed that gastric cancer tissues had significantly higher concentrations of Fe, K, Mg, Na, Rb, Se, and Zn than normal gastric mucosal tissues. However, multivariate analysis found that Fe, K, and Se were independent elements that associated with gastric cancer. Upon further evaluation of their clinical significance, we found a high tissue K level was related to lymphatic duct metastasis. High Se tissue levels were linked to intestinal type adenocarcinoma. A positive correlation was found between high Fe levels and vascular involvement. These findings suggest that Fe and K are associated with gastric cancer progression. Se is involved in carcinogenesis of stomach in high-risk areas. The mechanisms that underlie the corresponding pathohistological features deserve further study.     

High-speed black blood imaging of vessel stenosis in the presence of pulsatile flow.

Stenosis phantoms were created to study the ability of "black blood" methods to image a vessel stenosis in the presence of pulsatile flow. Black blood images were acquired with a modified TurboFLASH (fast low-angle shot) method that eliminates flow signal by applying a set of prepulses before segmented data acquisition. With this high-speed approach, imaging can be completed within 16 seconds. This technique was compared with conventional spin-echo black blood, gradient-echo black blood, and gradient-echo bright blood methods. Loss of flow signal, which extended beyond the site of the stenosis, was seen on the gradient-echo bright blood images. The pattern of signal loss varied with the type of stenosis. Flow voids were achieved with spin-echo black blood imaging; however, substantial ghosting artifacts were seen. With gradient-echo black blood imaging, it was difficult to eliminate all flow signal, particularly for in-plane flow. The modified TurboFLASH method produced high-quality black blood images in a fraction of the time needed for spin-echo imaging. It showed no ghosting artifacts even in the presence of pulsatile flow.     

Down-Regulation of Osteoblastic Cell Differentiation by Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor

The role of epidermal growth factor receptors (EGF-R) in osteogenic cell differentiation was investigated using preosteoblastic MC3T3-E1 (MC3T3) cells and osteoblast-like ROS 17/2.8 (ROS) cells. When cultured in the presence of β-glycerophosphate (GP) and ascorbic acid (AA), MC3T3 cells underwent spontaneous differentiation into osteoblasts which was confirmed as they expressed osteoblast markers such as alkaline phosphatase (ALP), bone sialoprotein (BSP) and osteocalcin (OC). Interestingly, the number of EGF-binding sites decreased during their differentiation into osteoblasts, and the osteogenic protein-1 (OP-1) treatment, which accelerated their differentiation, lowered the number of EGF-binding sites even further. On the other hand, ROS cells with high expression levels of osteoblast markers and no EGF-R, after being transfected with human EGF-R cDNA (EROS cells), expressed numerous EGF-binding sites as well as EGF-R mRNA and protein; in the process, they ceased to express osteoblast markers, indicating their dedifferentiation into osteoprogenitor cells. Both MC3T3 and EROS cells showed increased cell growth in response to EGF, whereas ROS cells did not. These results imply that the EGF/EGF-R system in osteogenic cells has a crucial function in osteoblast phenotype suppression and osteogenic cell proliferation.     

Detection of Serum Transforming Growth Factor-α in Patients of Primary Epithelial Ovarian Cancers by Enzyme Immunoassay

Transforming growth factor-α (TGF-α) is a potent mitogenic polypeptide. It is secreted by a variety of transformed cells and tumors, modifying tumor growth through autocrine or paracrine mechanism. In the present study, serum levels of TGF-α were determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) in 27 normal females, 116 patients with benign ovarian tumors, and 42 patients with epithelial ovarian cancers (10 with stage I, 7 with stage II, 19 with stage III, and 6 with stage IV). The ELISA assay could detect a minimum level of serum TGF-α concentration at 10 pg/ml. Serum samples were obtained from normal females and from patients with benign or malignant ovarian tumors before initial surgery. The detectable rates were 11% (3/27) in normal females, 28% (32/116) in benign ovarian tumors, and 62% (26/42) in ovarian cancers. The detectable rates in serous and endometrioid ovarian cancers were 71 and 70%, respectively, which were higher than the rate of 33% in mucinous type. However, there was no obvious relationship between the detectability of serum TGF-α and the stages of ovarian cancers. The mean concentration of TGF-α in ovarian cancer was 159.8 pg/ml, which was significantly higher than 27.7 pg/ml in benign ovarian tumors (P< 0.001) as well as 15 pg/ml in normal females (P< 0.001). The mean concentrations of serum TGF-α in stages I to IV ovarian cancers were 133.5, 96.2, 194.8, and 178.3 pg/ml, respectively. The mean concentration of serum TGF-α in any two stages of ovarian cancers was not statistically different. In conclusion, measurement of serum TGF-α can be used as a supplementary tumor marker to differentiate a malignant ovarian tumor from a benign one. However, the concentration of serum TGF-α has no special relation with the stage of ovarian cancer itself. Because of the small number of stage I ovarian cancers with detectable TGF-α in the present investigation, it would probably not be feasible to differentiate a stage I ovarian cancer from a benign ovarian tumor based only on the level of TGF-α in serum.