Matching gene activity with physiological functions

Matching the activity of the genes with biomechanics and physiology is an effective way to use cDNA microarray technology. Required are data on the change of activities of genes associated with specific physiological functions with respect to a continuous variable such as time. For each pair of data (gene and physiological function) as functions of time, we can compute a coefficient of correlation, R. The correlation is perfect if R is +1 or -1; it is nonexistent if R = 0. By evaluating R for every gene in a microarray, we can arrange the genes in the order of the number R, thus learning which genes are best correlated with the mechanical or physiological function. We illustrate this procedure by studying the blood vessels in the lung in response to pulmonary hypoxic hypertension, including the remodeling of vascular morphometry, the elastic moduli, and the zero-stress state of the vessel wall. For each physiological function, we identify the top genes that correlate the best. We found that different genes correlate best with a given function in large and small arteries, and that the genes in pulmonary veins which respond to arterial functions are different from those in pulmonary arteries. We found one set of genes matching the remodeling of arterial wall thickness, but another set of genes whose integral of activity over time best fit the wall thickness change. Our method can be used to study other thought-provoking problems.     

Les traumatismes de l’appareil génito-urinaire: Aspects épidémiologiques et lésionnels

Objectives

To analyze the frequency and the etiology of trauma to the genito-urinary tract as well as the types of lesions encountered.

Patients and Methods

This is a retrospective study carried out on 38 patients with genito-urinary trauma seen at Cocody University Hospital, Abidjan, Ivory Coast, between April 2000 and December 2006. The parameters studied were: age, sex, profession, etiology of the trauma, the type of lesions observed and their surgical management.

Results

Out of 16,425 trauma patients, 38 (0.2%) had genito-urinary lesions. Thirty-seven of them were males and one female with a mean age of 26.9 (range 5 to 63) years. The majority of the patients were victims of car accidents (42.1%, 16 cases), while 29% (11 cases) had a work accident, and 23.7% (9 cases) were victims of civil violence (physical assaults). In 81.6% of the cases, the urethra and the bladder were affected, while renal lesions and trauma to the external genital organs were found in 7.9% and 10.5% of the cases, respectively. Twenty-five patients (65.8%) had associated pelvic fracture. The trauma was direct in all patients with blunt trauma in 29 (76.3%) and penetrating trauma in 9 (23.7%). Surgical management consisted of end-to-end urethrorrhapy in the majority of patients (52.6%).

Conclusion

Genito-urinary trauma is rare and is more likely to affect young men. It is primarily caused by car and work accidents. Such trauma is usually associated with serious lesions.     

Lenalidomide: the emerging role of a novel targeted agent in malignancies

Lenalidomide is an immunomodulatory drug that was developed by modification of the first-generation immunomodulatory drug thalidomide in a drug discovery program. Lenalidomide more potently regulates cellular immune and cytokine responses, while lacking the side-effect profile of thalidomide. The promising activity seen in multiple myeloma and myelodysplastic syndrome has led to its approval by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration in these conditions. The clinical results that we have seen so far, which demonstrate significant efficacy with a tolerable toxicity profile, provide a strong basis for the use of lenalidomide in other malignancies. Combination therapy with lenalidomide could enhance this agent's antineoplastic role; this is likely the position it will occupy in the armamentarium against cancer.     

Immunological aspects of a case of extragenital endometriosis localized in the mouth

To appreciate the role of the immune system in transportation and development of endometer cells in mouth, authors reported the results of immunological parameters analysis in one patient suffering to a mouth localisation healed endometriosis out of hormonal therapy in experimental and analytic study. Immunoglobulin A, G, M and C3, C4 complement fractions were measured by Mancini radial immunodiffusion. The count of CD4+, CD8+and B Cell was performed by BD FASCalibur flow cytometer. Autoimmune diseases were searched after by measuring autoantibodies using agglutination and immunofluoresence methods. The results showed any antibodies detected and the count of CD4, CD8 and B cells was normal. However, IgG and IgA increased. But C3, C4 factions and IgM decreased. This seems an immunological disorder which could be more explored in NK cells and cytokines study.     

Effect of the intravenous laser blood irradiation on efficacy of drug preparations

The effect of the intravenous laser blood (ELB) treatment on the sensitivity of blood components with respect to drugs was studied in patients with nonspecific reactive hepatitis and chronic hepatitis. An ELB course reduced the functional activity of thrombocytes in the presence of fibrinogen and adrenaline hydrochloride (collagen inductors), which must be taken into account when these drugs are used as hemostatic agents.