Metabolic Crisis After Traumatic Brain Injury is Associated with a Novel Microdialysis Proteome

Background  

To examine if the metabolic distress after traumatic brain injury (TBI) is associated with a unique proteome.     

Fetal sheep development on ultrasound and magnetic resonance imaging: a standard for the in utero assessment of models of congenital abnormalities

OBJECTIVE: To establish normative data for the size, conspicuity, and imaging characteristics of normal developing fetal sheep organs on ultrasound (US) and magnetic resonance (MR) imaging. METHODS: US and MR images of ten normal pregnant sheep, at 40, 65, 90, 115, and 140 gestational days (term = 145 days), were scored for organ conspicuity and imaging characteristics. Imaging biometry was correlated with specimens. Gestational age-based growth parameters were modeled using regression. RESULTS: Imaging biometry showed excellent correlation with specimens. Kidney, bladder, stomach, lung, liver, and spine were seen well from 65 days to term by US. More organs were consistently visible from 90 days to term by MR than by US. Most organ imaging characteristics tended not to change throughout gestation. CONCLUSION: Normal fetal sheep biometry, organ conspicuity, and imaging characteristics are established for US and MR and have potential use for the in utero assessment of sheep models of congenital abnormalities.     

Autologous Immune Enhancement Therapy in Recurrent Ovarian Cancer with Metastases: A Case Report

Current therapeutic modalities for ovarian cancer such as chemotherapy, radiotherapy and surgery have been reported to yield only marginal success in improving survival rates of patients and have associated adverse effects. We report here a case of recurrent stage IV ovarian cancer, treated with cell-based autologous immune enhancement therapy (AIET) along with chemotherapy and followed up for 18 months. A 54-year-old female was diagnosed with a recurrence of ovarian carcinoma 1 year after initial surgical removal followed by chemotherapy for stage IIIC ovarian carcinoma. When diagnosed in 2010 with recurrence, she had liver and spleen metastases with a CA-125 level of 243 U/ml and a stage IV clinical status. Six infusions of AIET using autologous in vitro expanded and activated natural killer (NK) cells (CD3–CD56+) and activated T lymphocytes (CD3+CD56+) were administered in combination with 6 cycles of chemotherapy with carboplatin and doxorubicin. Following this treatment, CA-125 decreased to 4.7 U/ml along with regression of the metastatic lesions and an improved quality of life. No adverse reactions were reported after the AIET transfusions. Eighteen months of follow-up revealed a static nonprogressive disease. Combining AIET with chemotherapy and other conventional treatments has been found to be effective in our experience, as reported earlier, even in patients with advanced ovarian cancer, and we recommend this strategy be considered in treating similar cases.Key words: Autologous immune enhancement therapy, Recurrent ovarian carcinoma, Natural killer cells (CD3–CD56+), • Activated T lymphocytes (CD3+CD56+)     

Oocyte cryopreservation in a patient with sickle cell disease prior to hematopoietic stem cell transplantation: first report

Purpose  

To report the first occurrence of successful ovarian stimulation, oocyte retrieval and oocyte cryopreservation for fertility preservation in an adolescent with severe sickle cell disease scheduled to undergo a hematopoietic stem cell transplant     

Recurrent recalcitrant gingival hyperplasia and plasminogen deficiency: a case report

BACKGROUND: Recurrent gingival hyperplasia due to plasminogen deficiency is a rare condition due to fibrin deposition in the connective tissue. Only eight cases have previously been reported in the English literature, and all cases were diagnosed before the age of 35 years. This paper presents an older patient with recurrent gingival hyperplasia due to plasminogen deficiency (hypoplasminogenemia). METHODS: A 59-year-old woman presented with recurrent gingival swelling of 6 years' duration. Multiple biopsies performed at various time periods were histologically reported to be gingival hyperplasia with chronic inflammation. Routine hematoxylin and eosin (H & E) staining and direct immunofluorescence were performed. RESULTS: H & E-stained sections showed subepithelial, eosinophilic, amorphous, acellular deposits. Direct immunofluorescence showed positive staining for fibrin, immunoglobulin (Ig) G, IgA, and IgM. Functional plasminogen and plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 assays were done and found to be deficient. A diagnosis of gingival hyperplasia due to plasminogen deficiency (hypoplasminogenemia) was rendered. CONCLUSIONS: Recurrent gingival hyperplasia due to plasminogen deficiency (hypoplasminogenemia) is a newly recognized and rare condition. H & E staining, direct immunofluorescence, and assessment of functional plasminogen levels are essential to differentiate this condition from other conditions in which subepithelial, eosinophilic, amorphous materials are deposited.     

Influence of gestational age to low-level gamma irradiation on postnatal behavior in mice

The present investigation was carried out to study the effects of in utero exposure to low-level gamma radiation (0.25, 0.35, or 0.50 Gy) on the postnatal neurophysiology and neurochemistry of the mouse. Pregnant Swiss albino mice were irradiated on days 11.5, 12.5, 14.5, or 17.5 post coitus (PC) and allowed to deliver. Locomotor and exploratory activities, learning and memory functions, and emotional activities were tested at 3 months of age using behavior tests. A representative group of animals was killed and hippocampal biogenic amines, noradrenaline, dopamine, serotonin (5-HT), and 5-HT's metabolite 5-hydroxy indoleactetic acid (5-HIAA), were measured. Exposure to 0.25 Gy at any of the gestation days did not produce any significant impairment in brain functions. However, an increase in gamma irradiation to 0.50 Gy on all the gestation days produced significant impairment in locomotor (open-field test) and anxiolytic (light and dark area test) activities, learning (hole board test), memory functions (active avoidance test), and emotional activity (rearings). The late fetal period is relatively resistant to radiation-induced impairment of brain functions. Both of the organogenesis gestation days showed a higher sensitivity than the fetal gestation days studied. Even a lower dose of 0.35 Gy when exposed on the late organogenesis days 11.5 and 12.5 PC, produced significant reduction in locomotor and exploratory activities. Day 11.5 PC showed a higher sensitivity than the other PC days studied. Biogenic amines did not show significant change after any of the exposures on any of the gestation days. The results suggest a threshold between 0.25 to 0.35 Gy for postnatal neurobehavior changes.