In vitro host-cell susceptibility to Usutu virus

We investigated the susceptibility to Usutu virus (Flavivirus) of 13 permanent cell lines, 3 primary cell cultures, and chicken embryos. Vero, PK-15, and goose embryo fibroblast cells developed cytopathic effects; however, viral multiplication was detected in all mammalian cell types by immunohistochemical tests. Chicken embryo fibroblast cells and chicken embryos were resistant.     

Plasma concentration of folate as a biomarker for the intake of fruit and vegetables: the Hordaland Homocysteine Study

BACKGROUND: Nutritional biomarkers may be used to assess dietary exposure without the errors commonly associated with self-reported dietary data. OBJECTIVE: The objective was to examine the association between plasma folate and intake of folate, fruit, and vegetables in a large cohort of healthy adults consuming foods that had not been fortified with folic acid. DESIGN: The present study population included 5533 middle-aged (47-49 y) and old (71-74 y) subjects from the Hordaland Homocysteine Study. The participants completed a food-frequency questionnaire and provided blood samples for chemical analyses. RESULTS: We observed a significant difference in plasma concentrations of folate across increasing quartiles of fruit, vegetable, and orange juice consumption. The difference in plasma folate between the highest and lowest quartiles was 1.97 (95% CI: 1.86, 2.07) nmol/L for fruit intake, 1.79 (95% CI: 1.69, 1.89) nmol/L for vegetable intake, and 2.69 (95% CI: 2.51, 2.87) nmol/L for orange juice intake. A significant inverse relation was observed across increasing quartiles of milk and bread intakes. The difference between the highest and lowest quartiles was -1.03 (95% CI: -1.13, -0.92) nmol/L for milk and -1.60 (95% CI: -1.69, -1.50) nmol/L for bread. CONCLUSION: Plasma folate concentration may be a useful biomarker for the intake of fruit and vegetables in populations consuming unfortified food products. The association can be attenuated by and should be corrected for individual intake of folic acid supplements.     

Pyrethroids used indoor-ambient monitoring of pyrethroids following a pest control operation

House dust and airborne particles (PM) were sampled before (T1) and 1 day (T2), 4-6 months (T3) as well as 10-12 months (T4) after a pest control operation (PCO). Cyfluthrin was applied in 11, cypermethrin in 1, deltamethrin in three and permethrin in four interiors. The pyrethroid concentrations in house dust and PM were measured by GC/MS with a detection limit for all pyrethroids of 0.5 mg/kg house dust and of 1 ng/m3 PM for deltamethrin and permethrin and 3 ng/m3 PM for cyfluthrin and cypermethrin. A general background concentration of permethrin (95th percentile: 5.9 mg/kg) and cyfluthrin (95th percentile: 34.9 mg/kg) in house dust was found. In general, an appropriately performed PCO lead to an increase of pyrethroids in house dust as well as in PM, in some cases up to 1 year after application. One day after the application the cyfluthrin concentration increased significantly from 0.25 (T1) to 33.8 mg/kg house dust (T2) and up to 4.9 ng/m3 in PM. The permethrin concentration increased significantly from 4.3 to 70 mg/kg in house dust and up to 18.1 ng/m3 in PM, deltamethrin increased to 54.5 mg/kg and 20.8 ng/m3 and cypermethrin to 14 mg/kg and 45.7 ng/m3. Thereafter a continuous decrease could be observed during the time course of 1 year. After 1 year the permethrin concentration in house dust was still 1/5 of the T2 concentration, whereas for cypermethrin and cyfluthrin only 1/14 and 1/23 of the T2 concentration were found. Deltamethrin was not detected at all after T2. Moreover, the data of this study showed significant, positive correlations between pyrethroids in house dust and in airborne particles especially one day after PCO.     

Intermittent maple syrup urine disease in a 12-year-old boy: clinical aspects, diagnosis and treatment

A variant form of maple syrup urine disease (grade II) in a twelve year old boy is reported. The clinical picture was characterized by seizure-like episodes of confusion and intermittent ataxia. The diagnosis was made by showing an increased excretion of branched-chain alpha-hydroxy acids as well as evaluated plasma concentrations of the branched-chain aminoacids and alpha-ketoacids. There was a decrease of leucine degradation in cultured fibroblasts to 5 to 6% of normal. The treatment with thiamine-hydrochlorid remained without any clinical or biochemical effect in our patient. Further neurologic symptoms during acute episodes of vomiting could be avoided by dietary protein restriction and early parenteral glucose supplementation.     

Synthese und pharmakologische Prüfung von 2- und 3-substituierten Pyrano[2,3-b]indolonen

Synthesis and Pharmacological Test of 2- and 3-Substituted Pyrano[2,3-b]indolones . The condensation of oxindole (3a) with ethyl 2-methylacetoacetate (6b) leads to the propionyloxindole 4 . With the acetal esters 6f, 6g and 6h and the cyclic β-ketoesters 12, 13 and 14 the reaction results in the 3-acyloxindoles 7f, 7c , and 7d or 7h and 15a, 15b, 15c . These can be cyclised to the 2- and 3-substituted pyrano[2,3-b]indolones 16a–16c and 17a–17c .     

Agglutination reactions of human leucocytes

Agglutination tests with various sera and leucocytes from 58 leukaemic patients and 61 patients without leukaemia are reported.     

Alpha7 integrin mediates neurite outgrowth of distinct populations of adult sensory neurons

The successful regeneration of peripheral branches of sensory neurons following injury is attributed to the presence of neurotrophins and interaction of regenerating axons with the extracellular matrix. Here, we show that the laminin receptor, alpha7beta1 integrin is a crucial mediator of neurite outgrowth from distinct populations of sensory neurons. Following sciatic nerve crush, alpha7 integrin is expressed by medium-large diameter, NF200-immunoreactive (IR), and medium diameter, CGRP-IR, neurons, but very few small diameter non-peptidergic neurons. The functional significance of alpha7 integrin expression following injury was addressed using dissociated adult rat and mouse sensory neurons. By using function-blocking antibodies and neurons isolated from alpha7 integrin null mice, we demonstrate that NGF- and NT-3-stimulated neurite outgrowth is reduced in the absence of alpha7 integrin signaling. In contrast, GDNF-stimulated neurite outgrowth is less dependent on alpha7 integrin. These results define an essential interaction between alpha7 integrin and laminin for mediating neurite outgrowth of subpopulations of injured adult sensory neurons.     

High expression of urokinase plasminogen activator receptor (UPA-R) in acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is associated with worse prognosis

Urokinase-type plasminogen activator receptor (UPA-R; CD87) is a membrane protein responsible for plasmin expression on cells facilitating cellular extravasations and tissue invasions. We studied the expression of the UPA-R on bone marrow (BM) cells of 93 patients with acute myeloid leukemia at first diagnosis and 8 healthy probands as controls by FACS analysis using phycoerythrin (PE)-conjugated antibodies. A case was defined as UPA-R-positive (UPA-R+) if >20% of the gated cells expressed UPA-R. Whereas none of the 8 healthy BM samples was positive for the UPA-R, 32 (34%) of the 93 AML samples were UPA-R+. Expression of UPA-R was heterogeneous in different FAB types, however, with the highest expression rates in monocytic subtypes (FAB M4/M5): 18%/19%/30% of UPA-R+ cases were found in M1/M2 or M3, and 58%/80% of cases with M4 or M5 were UPA-R+. Proportions of UPA-R+ cells varied between 1% and 98% of the mononuclear cell fractions, with the highest proportions in M4/M5 subtypes (on average 27%/40% UPA-R+ cells) and the lowest expression in AML M2 (11% UPA-R+ cells). The density of expressed UPA-R, estimated as mean channel fluorescence activity, was highest in cases with AML M1 (mFI: 124) followed by M4 and M5 (mFI: 78/77) and lowest in AML M2 (mFI: 43). In sAML, higher proportions of UPA-R+ cases (8 of 18; 44%) compared to pAML (24 of 75; 32%) were found as well as higher proportions of UPA-R+ cells (27% vs. 19%). Separating our patients' cohort in cytogenetic risk groups, we could not detect significant differences in the UPA-R expression profiles. For evaluations of the clinical course of AML, only patients treated by the AML-CG protocol (n = 65) were included. In the group of patients who did not respond to AML-CG therapy, significantly higher proportions of UPA-R+ cells (31% vs. 14%, P = 0.0015, t-test) were found. By evaluating a cut-off value for the percentage of positive cells that allows the most significant separation and differentiation between cases with shorter or longer relapse-free survival times, we could show that patients with >26.5% UPA-R-positive cells were characterized by a significantly higher risk for relapse compared to cases with <26.5% positive cells (P = 0.05). In summary, our data show a high expression of the UPA-R in AML, especially in (myelo)monocytoid subtypes. Cases with higher proportions of UPA-R+ cells were characterized by a significant lower remission rate after AML-CG therapy and a higher risk for relapse. Although prospective trials are still lacking, UPA-R is a prognostically relevant factor independent from the karyotype. UPA-R positivity may identify subtypes of AML associated with a more aggressive clinical course. Thus due to lower remission probabilities in UPA-R+ cases, a more intensive induction therapy regimen could be considered.