Cryoglobulinaemia Ten Years Before Onset of Lymphoma: Correspondence and Short Communications

Comments on published articles, short communications of a preliminary nature, case reports, technical notes and the like are accepted under this heading. The articles should be short and concise and contain a minimum of figures, tables and references.     

Synthesis of certain 2-aminoadamantane derivatives as potential antimicrobial agents

N-(2-Adamantyl)-N'-(5-arylhydrazono-6-methyl-4-oxopyrimidin-2-yl) guanidines (IIIa, b), 2-(2-adamantyl-amino)-4-amino-s-triazine (IVa) and its 6-chloromethyl derivative (IVb) were prepared by cyclization of 1-(2-admantyl) biguanide HCl (I) with ethyl 2-arylhydrazono-3-oxobutyrates (II), ethyl formate and ethyl chloroacetate, respectively. Where 1-(2-adamantyl)-3-(4, 5-dioxo-2-imidazolidinylidene) guanidine (V) was used as intermediate for the synthesis of amides (VIIa, b), hydrazide (VIII) and azomethine derivatives (IXa, b) of alkyl 2-(2-adamantyl-amino)-4-amino-s-triazine-6-carboxylates (VI a, b). The antimicrobial testing of the prepared compounds proved that compound IXb was the most active. It showed a marked bacteriostatic effect againstStaphylococcus aureus andBacillus subtilis.     

Comparison of TGF-β1 and NO production by mesenchymal stem cells isolated from murine lung and adipose tissues

Context: Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) are cell sources for tissues regeneration. By secretion of soluble factors including transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β1) and nitric oxide (NO), MSCs are also able to regulate the immune system. MSCs have been disclosed in lung and adipose tissues with insufficient comparison between the tissues.

Objectives: In this study, specific differentiation and the expression of surface antigens as well as TGF-β1 and NO productive levels were compared in murine lung-derived MSCs (LMSCs) and adipose tissue-derived MSCs (ADMSCs).

Materials and methods: MSCs were isolated from murine lung and adipose tissues and cultured. Both cell populations were characterized using multilineage potential and the expression of surface antigenic proteins, CD73, CD105, CD34, CD45, and CD11b. Finally, levels of TGF-β1 and NO were evaluated and compared in ADMSCs and LMSCs.

Results: Expression of CD73 and CD105; lack of the expression of CD34, CD45, and CD11b markers; as well as adipocyte and osteocyte differentiations were detected in both adult stem cells. No significant difference was found in TGF-β1 and NO production between two stem cell populations.

Conclusion: Our data showed that LMSCs and ADMSCs have comparable phenotype and TGF-β1 and NO production.     

Case report: B-cell lymphoma of the maxillary sinus

The radiographic manifestation of malignant lesions of the maxillary sinus on dental radiographs may be nonspecific, making it difficult to differentiate the lesion from disease of odontogenic origin or more benign sinus pathoses. A radiopaque mass in the maxillary sinus, resulting from a malignant neoplasm growing within or extending into the sinus, can be easily confused with the mass of a mucous retention pseudocyst. Similarly, a malignant growth in the early stages of development can produce radiographic patterns in the alveolar process that may resemble inflammation of odontogenic origin. A case of B-cell lymphoma is reported. The lesion involved the maxillary alveolar process and sinus, producing such a radiographic pattern on the panoramic radiograph. Radiographic and clinical features that should be considered in establishing a differential diagnosis of malignant disease are discussed.     

Treatment of post-burn leucoderma with non-cultured melanocyte-keratinocyte transplantation (MKTP)

Introduction

Deep burns often result in hypo-pigmentation, referred to as leucoderma which has a similar psychosocial impact on the patients as that of vitiligo. Several tissue grafting methods have been reported to treat post-burn leucoderma.

Methods

A simple method consisting of harvesting a donor skin sample, preparation of an epidermal cell suspension and the transplantation of the cell suspension on to a dermabraded recipient area, was performed in a clean procedure room. No special laboratory set-up was used for the cell separation procedure. Patients were treated with 18 sessions of excimer laser starting 1 month post-operatively, to hasten the repigmentation.

Observation

Of the 10 patients treated with MKTP, 3 were lost to follow-up. The remaining 7 patients showed repigmentation ranging from 90% to 100% with good color matching.

Conclusion

MKTP is an effective method to treat post-burn leucoderma. No special precautions are required to treat any anatomical site or uneven scarred surface.     

Optical tracking of contrast medium bolus to optimize bolus shape and timing in dynamic computed tomography

One of the biggest challenges in dynamic contrast-enhanced CT is the optimal synchronization of scan start and duration with contrast medium administration in order to optimize image contrast and to reduce the amount of contrast medium. We present a new optically based approach, which was developed to investigate and optimize bolus timing and shape. The time-concentration curve of an intravenously injected test bolus of a dye is measured in peripheral vessels with an optical sensor prior to the diagnostic CT scan. The curves can be used to assess bolus shapes as a function of injection protocols and to determine contrast medium arrival times. Preliminary results for phantom and animal experiments showed the expected linear behavior between dye concentration and absorption. The kinetics of the dye was compared to iodinated contrast medium and was found to be in good agreement. The contrast enhancement curves were reliably detected in three mice with individual bolus shapes and delay times of 2.1, 3.5 and 6.1 s, respectively. The optical sensor appears to be a promising approach to optimize injection protocols and contrast enhancement timing and is applicable to all modalities without implying any additional radiation dose. Clinical tests are still necessary.     

Binary Segmentation Masks Can Improve Intrasubject Registration Accuracy of Bone Structures in CT Images

Registration of bone structures is a common problem in medical research as well as in clinical applications. Intrasubject rigid 3D monomodality registration of segmented bone structures of CT images and multimodality registration of μMR and segmented μCT bone images were performed with the multiresolution intensity-based technique implemented in ITK. The registration results for binary volumes of interest (VOI) masks and for segmented gray value VOIs were compared. To determine the registration quality, in the monomodality case the sum of squared difference, the sum of absolute differences, and the normalized symmetric difference of binary masks and in the multimodality case Mattes mutual information were applied. The use of binary VOI masks was significantly superior to the use of gray value VOIs.     

In Vitro Effect of Human Serum and Fetal Calf Serum on CD4+ T Cells Proliferation in Response to Myelin Oligodendrocyte Glycoprotein (MOG) in Correlation with RBP/TTR Ratio in Multiple Sclerotic Patients

Myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein (MOG) is one of the autoantigens used in evaluation of the CD4⁺ T cells proliferation response in multiple sclerotic patients. In cell culture, human serum (HS) is one of the promising substitutions for fetal calf serum (FCS) that can induce different autoreactivity of T cells and fluctuation of autoantibody production from B cells. Because of immunomodulatory function of vitamin A, we examined the effect of HS and FCS on CD4⁺ T cells proliferation in response to MOG in correlation with serum retinol-binding protein (RBP)/transthyretin (TTR) ratio, as an indirect way to assess vitamin A status in multiple sclerotic patients. Patients’ peripheral blood mononuclear cells were isolated and cultured in the presence of MOG as well as FCS and HS both separately and together. Cell proliferation was evaluated using BrdU kit. Serum RBP and TTR levels were measured by ELISA kit. FCS and HS increase CD4⁺ T cell proliferation. RBP/TTR ratio has significant negative correlation with cell proliferation in the presence of MOG, HS, and FCS. HS with FCS provides an appropriate medium for autoreactivity and proliferation of CD4⁺ T cells. Vitamin A has a crucial role in regulation of this pathway.