Cytogenetic studies in non-African Burkitt lymphoma

A particular translocation between chromosomes 8 and 14 has been found repeatedly in cytogenetic studies of Burkitt lymphoma, both of African and non-African origin. We report here our findings in cytogenetic studies of direct tumor preparations from 18 non-African Burkitt lymphoma patients, 9 of whom also had cell lines available for study. A t(8;14) was found in direct tumor material in 10 of the 18 patients. Seven of the 9 cell lines had a t(8;14). A total of 15 patients had either a t(8;14) or a 14q+ present in tumor material and/or cell lines. In addition, 8 patients had a peculiar marker chromosome 1. The t(8;14) was not found in every malignant cell and, where present, it was rarely the sole karyotypic abnormality. The relationship of the t(8;14) to the evolution of the tumor is discussed.     

Dynamic working memory performance in individuals with single-domain amnestic mild cognitive impairment

Previous studies have observed poorer working memory performance in individuals with amnestic mild cognitive impairment than in healthy older adults. It is unclear, however, whether these difficulties are true only of the multiple-domain clinical subtype in whom poorer executive functioning is common. The current study examined working memory, as measured by the self-ordered pointing task (SOPT) and an n-back task, in healthy older adults and adults with single-domain amnestic mild cognitive impairment (aMCI). Individuals with single-domain aMCI committed more errors and required longer to develop an organizational strategy on the SOPT. The single-domain aMCI group did not differ from healthy older adults on the 1-back or 2-back, but had poorer discrimination on the 3-back task. This is, to our knowledge, the first characterization of dynamic working memory performance in a single-domain aMCI group. These results lend support for the idea that clinical amnestic MCI subtypes may reflect different stages on a continuum of progression to dementia and question whether standardized measures of working memory (span tasks) are sensitive enough to capture subtle changes in performance.     

The use of 7-amino actinomycin D in identifying apoptosis: simplicity of use and broad spectrum of application compared with other techniques

The detection and quantitation of apoptotic cells is becoming increasingly important in the investigation of the role of apoptosis in cellular proliferation and differentiation. The pathogenesis of hematologic disorders such as aplastic anemia and the development of neoplasia are believed to involve dysregulation of apoptosis. To quantitate accurately the proportion of apoptosis cells within different cell types of a heterogeneous cell population such as blood or bone marrow, a method is required that combines the analysis of large numbers of cells with concurrent immunophenotyping of cell surface antigens. In this study, we have evaluated such a method using the fluorescent DNA binding agent, 7-amino actinomycin D (7AAD), to stain three diverse human cell lines, induced to undergo apoptosis by three different stimuli. Flow cytometric analysis defines three populations on the basis of 7AAD fluorescence and forward light scatter. We have shown by cell sorting and subsequent morphological assessment and terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated deoxyuridine triphosphate nick end labeling that the populations defined by 7AAD represent live, apoptotic, and late-apoptotic/dead cells. This method is quick, simple, reproducible, and cheap and will be a valuable tool in the investigation of the role of apoptosis in normal physiology and in disease states.     

Association of HIV serostatus and metabolic syndrome with neurobehavioral disturbances

Journal of NeuroVirology - Metabolic syndrome (MetS), a constellation of related metabolic risk factors, is a common comorbidity associated with cognitive difficulty in people living with HIV...     

Management of penetrating pancreatic trauma: an 11-year experience of a level-1 trauma center

Introduction: We present our experience in the management of penetrating pancreatic injuries, focusing on factors related to complications and death.

Methods: Retrospective trauma registry-based analysis of 62 consecutive patients with penetrating pancreatic injuries during an 11-year period. Overall injury severity was assessed by the injury severity score (ISS) and the penetrating abdominal trauma index (PATI). Pancreatic injuries were graded according to the American Association for the Surgery of Trauma (AAST) Organ Injury Scaling (OIS). Complications were characterised using standardised definitions. Mortality was recorded as early (within 48 h after admission) and late (after 48 h).

Results: Thirty patients suffered gunshot wounds and 24 had grade I pancreatic injuries. Shotgun and gunshot wounds were more destructive than stab wounds (higher PATI, number of intraabdominal injuries and mortality). Seventeen patients died. Most deaths occurred within 1 h after admission due to massive bleeding and severe associated injuries. Only one death was potentially related to the pancreatic injury. Mortality rate also correlated with pancreatic injury grading. Sixty-one patients had associated intraabdominal injuries. Combined pancreaticoduodenal injuries were present in 13 patients, and five died. Simple drainage was the most common procedure performed. Pancreas-related complications were found in 12 out of 47 patients who survived more than 48 h; intraabdominal abscess (n=7) that was associated with colon injuries, and pancreatic fistula (n=5).

Conclusion: An approach based on injury grade and location is advised. Routine drainage is recommended; distal resection is indicated in the presence of main duct injury, and the management of severe injuries will be tailored according to the overall physiologic status, presence of associated injuries, and duodenal viability. Morbidity and mortality is mainly due to associated injuries.     

Renal Tuberculosis in Children

Renal tuberculosis lends to invade and destroy both kidneys. It is difficult to detect in children, as the symptoms often are mild, the number of leukocytes in the urine may be very small, and the sedimentation rate of the erythrocytes usually is not increased. In a series of 23 cases, chemotherapy appeared to be more effective than was nephrectomy. Similar responses to chemotherapy have been obtained in both children and adults.     

Effects of the immunoglobulin A1 protease on Neisseria gonorrhoeae trafficking across polarized T84 epithelial monolayers

We previously demonstrated that the Neisseria IgA1 protease cleaves LAMP1 (lysosome-associated membrane protein 1), a major integral membrane glycoprotein of lysosomes, thereby accelerating its degradation rate in infected A431 human epidermoid carcinoma cells and resulting in the alteration of lysosomes in these cells. In this study, we determined whether the IgA1 protease also affects the trafficking of Neisseria gonorrhoeae across polarized T84 epithelial monolayers. We report that N. gonorrhoeae infection of T84 monolayers, grown on a solid substrate or polarized on semiporous membranes, also results in IgA1 protease-mediated reduction of LAMP1. We demonstrate that iga mutants in two genetic backgrounds exited polarized T84 monolayers in fewer numbers than the corresponding wild-type strains. Finally, we present evidence that these mutants have a statistically significant and reproducible defect in their ability to traverse T84 monolayers. These results add to our previous data by showing that the IgA1 protease alters lysosomal content in polarized as well as unpolarized cells and by demonstrating a role for the protease in the traversal of epithelial barriers by N. gonorrhoeae.     

Correlation of human spermatozoa heparin binding with the zona-free hamster egg in vitro penetration assay

The purpose of our research was to determine whether heparin-binding characteristics of human spermatozoa are related to fertilizing potential, as determined by the hamster egg in vitro penetration assay. Penetration rates were standardized (hamster egg in vitro penetration assay index) by comparison with semen from fertile controls in each bioassay. Saturation of heparin-binding domains was achieved in 100% of raw ejaculates (prewash), but in only 53% of "swim-up" (postwash) samples. The dissociation constants ranged from 0.31 to 48.75 nmol/10(6) cells, and binding site concentrations from 0.47 to 20.82 x 10(17) binding sites/cell. Heparin-binding affinity was significantly greater in prewash compared with postwash samples (p less than 0.01). In prewash samples the number of binding sites differed significantly between subjects having low and high penetration indices (5.67 +/- 1.05 vs 2.01 +/- 0.34 x 10(17) binding sites/cell, p less than 0.05). In prewash samples, binding affinity for heparin significantly correlated with hamster egg in vitro penetration assay indices (R2 = 0.142, p less than 0.05). In contrast, the number of binding sites in prewash samples was negatively correlated with hamster egg in vitro penetration assay indeces (R2 = 0.201, p less than 0.05). These data indicate that the heparin-binding assay may prove to be a rapid, sensitive, and inexpensive means of assessing fertilizing potential of human spermatozoa.     

Correlation between follicle-stimulating hormone, luteinizing hormone, prolactin, and testosterone with sperm cell concentration and motility

Follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), luteinizing hormone (LH), prolactin (PRL), and testosterone were measured by radioimmunoassay in blood and seminal plasma of normo-spermic and oligospermic men. These parameters were correlated with sperm cell concentration as well as sperm motility. Average motility in the oligospermic group was significantly decreased as compared with the normospermic group (P less than .001). A significant reciprocal correlation was demonstrated between blood LH concentrations and sperm cell concentrations (P less than .05) as well as sperm motility (P less than .02). In contrast, a significant positive correlation was demonstrated between seminal LH concentrations and sperm cell count and motility (P less than .001). Seminal FSH and testosterone concentrations were positively correlated with sperm output but not sperm motility (P less than .05). The increased concentrations of LH in circulation accompanying idiopathic oligospermia suggests that LH secretion may be linked to the factors regulating spermatogenesis. The significant correlation between seminal testosterone and sperm concentration demonstrated in this study offers further support to this hypothesis. The significance of the correlation between the levels of LH and FSH in seminal plasma and sperm cell concentration and sperm motility is unknown.