Antiserum-agar plate method for simultaneous detection and direct isolation of Legionella species in clinical and environmental specimens.

Colonies of Legionella pneumophila serotypes 1 through 6, L. micdadei, L. bozemanii, L. dumoffii, and L. gormanii, which were developed on filtered yeast extract agar containing polyvalent antiserum, were surrounded by distinct, specific precipitin rings.     

Cytotoxicity, thiol depletion and inhibition of O6-methylguanine-DNA methyltransferase by various aldehydes in cultured human bronchial fibroblasts

Lipid peroxidation aldehydes of the 4-hydroxy-, ß-unsaturatedtype, as well as the tobacco-smoke related , ß-unsaturatedaldehyde, acrolein, were highly cytotoxic and decreased theintracellular thiol content in cultured human bronchial fibroblastsafter treatment with micromolar concentrations. In comparison,formaldehyde and acetaldehyde were less toxic and 100- to 300-foldhigher doses were required to affect cell survival or thiollevels. The unsaturated aldehydes also markedly inhibited theDNA repair enzyme O⁶-methylguanine-DNA methyltransferase knownto have a cysteine residue in its active site, but had no effecton the activity of uracil-DNA glycosylase. Our results indicatethat reactive aldehydes of either exogenous or endogenous originhave direct cytotoxic effects and may also make cells more susceptibleto other toxic chemicals due to an impairment in cellular defensemechanisms, e.g., DNA repair and detoxification by systems requiringglutathione.     

Cancer of the esophagus. The Cleveland Clinic experience.

The therapy and survival rates of patients with esophageal carcinoma at the Cleveland Clinic over the 12-year period 1969-1980 are reviewed. Data on 238 patients were analyzed. Seventy-one per cent of the patients underwent surgery, with esophagogastrectomy being performed in half of these. One or more early postoperative complications occurred in 72.6% of these patients. Most of these complications were pulmonary and related to the patients' chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. The mortality rate for esophagogastrectomy at the Cleveland Clinic has decreased over the past 15 years to 7.1%. The 5-year survival rate after "curative" esophagogastrectomy was 15.4% with a mean survival time of 34.4 months. Invasion of the tumor through or beyond the serosa in this group of patients was associated with an increased relative risk of death of 3.3 compared to those with lesser degrees of invasion. The cell type, degree of differentiation, stage of disease, and presence of tumor at the lines of resection were all prognostically significant for all patients.     

Loneliness as a gender-specific predictor of physical and mental health-related quality of life in older adults

Quality of Life Research - Health-related quality of life (HRQOL) in older persons is influenced by physical and mental health, as well as by their social contacts and social support. Older women...     

Vitamin D food fortification in European countries: the underused potential to prevent cancer deaths

European Journal of Epidemiology - Background: Meta-analyses of randomized controlled trials have shown that vitamin D supplementation reduces cancer mortality by 13%. Vitamin D fortification of...     

High-Protein,Low-Glycaemic Meal Replacement Decreases Fasting Insulin and Inflammation Markers—A 12-Month Subanalysis of the ACOORH Trial

Lifestyle interventions, including meal replacement, are effective in the prevention and treatment of type-2-diabetes and obesity. Since insulin is the key weight regulator, we hypothesised that the addition of meal replacement to a lifestyle intervention reduces insulin levels more effectively than lifestyle intervention alone. In the international multicentre randomised controlled ACOORH (Almased Concept against Overweight and Obesity and Related Health Risk) trial, overweight or obese persons who meet the criteria for metabolic syndrome (n = 463) were randomised into two groups. Both groups received nutritional advice focusing on carbohydrate restriction and the use of telemonitoring devices. The intervention group substituted all three main meals per day in week 1, two meals per day in weeks 2–4, and one meal per day in weeks 5–26 with a protein-rich, low-glycaemic meal replacement. Data were collected at baseline and after 1, 3, 6 and 12 months. All datasets providing insulin data (n = 446) were included in this predefined subanalysis. Significantly higher reductions in insulin (−3.3 ± 8.7 µU/mL vs. −1.6 ± 9.8 µU/mL), weight (−6.1 ± 5.2 kg vs. −3.2 ± 4.6 kg), and inflammation markers were observed in the intervention group. Insulin reduction correlated with weight reduction and the highest amount of weight loss (−7.6 ± 4.9 kg) was observed in those participants with an insulin decrease > 2 µU/mL. These results underline the potential for meal replacement-based lifestyle interventions in diabetes prevention, and measurement of insulin levels may serve as an indicator for adherence to carbohydrate restriction.     

TrkC Is Essential for Nephron Function and Trans-Activates Igf1R Signaling

BackgroundInjury to kidney podocytes often results in chronic glomerular disease and consecutive nephron malfunction. For most glomerular diseases, targeted therapies are lacking. Thus, it is important to identify novel signaling pathways contributing to glomerular disease. Neurotrophic tyrosine kinase receptor 3 (TrkC) is expressed in podocytes and the protein transmits signals to the podocyte actin cytoskeleton.MethodsNephron-specific TrkC knockout (TrkC-KO) and nephron-specific TrkC-overexpressing (TrkC-OE) mice were generated to dissect the role of TrkC in nephron development and maintenance.ResultsBoth TrkC-KO and TrkC-OE mice exhibited enlarged glomeruli, mesangial proliferation, basement membrane thickening, albuminuria, podocyte loss, and aspects of FSGS during aging. Igf1 receptor (Igf1R)–associated gene expression was dysregulated in TrkC-KO mouse glomeruli. Phosphoproteins associated with insulin, erb-b2 receptor tyrosine kinase (Erbb), and Toll-like receptor signaling were enriched in lysates of podocytes treated with the TrkC ligand neurotrophin-3 (Nt-3). Activation of TrkC by Nt-3 resulted in phosphorylation of the Igf1R on activating tyrosine residues in podocytes. Igf1R phosphorylation was increased in TrkC-OE mouse kidneys while it was decreased in TrkC-KO kidneys. Furthermore, TrkC expression was elevated in glomerular tissue of patients with diabetic kidney disease compared with control glomerular tissue.ConclusionsOur results show that TrkC is essential for maintaining glomerular integrity. Furthermore, TrkC modulates Igf-related signaling in podocytes.     

Psychometric properties of the EQ-5D-5L: a systematic review of the literature

Quality of Life Research - Although the EQ-5D has a long history of use in a wide range of populations, the newer five-level version (EQ-5D-5L) has not yet had such extensive experience. This...