Phenotypic differences in survival to an experimental acute carbon monoxide intoxication

Male and female 45-day-old mice of two inbred (CBA and C57B1) and of one outbred (OF₁), SPF (specific pathogen free), strains, LD_12:12 (L = 150 lx) synchronized, were submitted to an acute carbon monoxide challenge giving an overall survival close to 50%. Under these conditions significantly (P < 0.001) less CBA survived than the two other strains. A sex-related significant (P < 0.001 difference was observed in OF₁. Strain survival differences are independent of body weights and of respiratory and displacement activity, but appear to be related to behavior reactions towards environmental stresses. These phenotypic differences are similar to previous findings obtained with these three strains of mice submitted to a 50% survival acute hypoxic hypoxia (M. Stupfel, A. Perramon, P. Merat, J. M. Faure, and H. Masse, 1979, Comp. Biochem. Physiol., 64A, 317–323).     

Reconstruction of male external genitalia with elephantiasis

The surgical rehabilitation of a patient with severely deformed and functionally disabled genitalia due to long-standing lymphedema and infection is described and illustrated. The term "elephantiasis" has been applied to such gross lesions. Appropriate surgery to the penis, scrotum, and perineum has yielded a gratifying result. The principles and techniques of the surgical approach in such an undertaking are presented and discussed.     

The need to embrace molecular profiling of tumor cells in prostate and bladder cancer.

PURPOSE: Current treatment strategies for urological cancer are still based on empirical formulae as opposed to treatment tailored for each cancer patient. To individualize treatment, the multiple molecular abnormalities within tumor cell populations needs to be mapped out. The aim of this article is to explain molecular profiling (MP) and its associated techniques so that the process is not purely seen as a research tool but as a future adjunctive measure in patient diagnosis and treatment. EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN: A Medline search of publications relating to MP of prostate and bladder cancer was carried out. A review article was written combining the relevant published literature along with the clinical and scientific experience of both centers. RESULTS: The advent of MP now provides a strategy by which these molecular abnormalities can be assessed. As well as being of diagnostic and prognostic use, these molecular profiles will identify putative molecular abnormalities within tumor cells that may be appropriate for therapeutic modulation. CONCLUSIONS: In prostate and bladder cancer, mapping out the molecular abnormalities could be translated into a valuable tool to help solve difficult issues regarding patient management decisions.     

Expression of class III {beta}-tubulin is predictive of patient outcome in patients with non-small cell lung cancer receiving vinorelbine-based chemotherapy.

PURPOSE: To determine the prevalence and the prognostic value of microtubule component expression in tumors of patients with locally advanced or metastatic non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN: Expression of microtubular components was immunohistochemically examined in 93 tumor samples from untreated patients with stage III and IV NSCLC. All patients received vinorelbine-based chemotherapy. Response to chemotherapy, progression-free survival, and overall survival were correlated with the expression of microtubule proteins. RESULTS: The response rate was 27.3% (21 partial responses among 77 valuable patients). Although expression of microtubule components was not associated with the response rate, high class III beta-tubulin expression was correlated with resistance to vinorelbine, defined as disease progression under treatment. Patients whose tumors expressed high levels of class III beta-tubulin isotype had shorter progression-free survival and overall survival (P = 0.002 and 0.001, respectively). High Delta2 alpha-tubulin expression was associated with a shorter overall survival (P = 0.018). Tubulin II levels were not found to be correlated with patient outcome. A multivariate analysis, taking into account sex, age, histology, stage, weight loss, and class II beta-tubulin, class III beta-tubulin, and Delta2 alpha-tubulin levels, confirmed that class III beta-tubulin expression was independently correlated with progression-free survival (P = 0.04) and overall survival (P = 0.012). CONCLUSIONS: These findings suggest that a high level of expression of class III beta-tubulin in tumor cells is associated with resistance to vinorelbine and a poor prognosis in patients with NSCLC receiving vinorelbine-based chemotherapy.     

Early variations of circulating interleukin-6 and interleukin-10 levels during thoracic radiotherapy are predictive for radiation pneumonitis.

PURPOSE: To investigate variations of circulating serum levels of interleukin-6 (IL-6), tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNFalpha), and interleukin-10 (IL-10) during three-dimensional conformal radiation therapy (3D-CRT) in patients with non-small-cell lung cancer and correlate these variations with the occurrence of radiation pneumonitis. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Ninety-six patients receiving 3D-CRT for stage I to III disease were evaluated prospectively. Circulating cytokine levels were determined before, every 2 weeks during, and at the end of treatment. Radiation pneumonitis was evaluated prospectively between 6 and 8 weeks after 3D-CRT. The predictive value of clinical, dosimetric, and biologic (cytokine levels) factors was evaluated both in univariate and multivariate analyses. RESULTS: Forty patients (44%) experienced score 1 or more radiation pneumonitis. No association was found between baseline cytokine levels and the risk of radiation pneumonitis. In the whole population, mean levels of TNFalpha, IL-6, and IL-10 remained stable during radiotherapy. IL-6 levels were significantly higher (P = .047) during 3D-CRT in patients with radiation pneumonitis. In the multivariate analysis, covariations of IL-6 and IL-10 levels during the first 2 weeks of 3D-CRT were evidenced as independently predictive of radiation pneumonitis in this series (P = .011). CONCLUSION: Early variations of circulating IL-6 and IL-10 levels during 3D-CRT are significantly associated with the risk of radiation pneumonitis. Variations of circulating IL-6 and IL-10 levels during 3D-CRT may serve as independent predictive factors for this complication.     

Preparation of Copper-Decorated Activated Carbon Derived from Platamus occidentalis Tree Fiber for Antimicrobial Applications

This study focuses on a greener approach to synthesizing activated carbon by carbonizing Platamus occidentalis tree fibers (TFSA) with 98% H₂SO₄ at 100 °C. The resulted TFSA was employed as an effective adsorbent for copper ions in aqueous media, yielding copper decorated TFSA (Cu@TFSA). The successful adsorption of copper onto the TFSA was proven through extensive characterization techniques. Herein, the TEM and XPS showed that copper nanoparticles were formed in situ on the TFSA surface, without the use of additional reducing and stabilizing agents nor thermal treatment. The surface areas of TFSA and Cu@TFSA were 0.0150 m²/g and 0.3109 m²/g, respectively. Applying the Cu@TFSA as an antimicrobial agent against Escherica coli ( E. coli) and Salmonella resulted in the potential mitigation of complex secondary pollutants from water and wastewater. The Cu@TFSA exhibited outstanding antimicrobial activity against E. coli and Salmonella in both synthetic and raw water samples. This demonstrated a complete growth inhibition observed within 120 min of exposure. The bacteria inactivation took place through the destruction of the bacteria cell wall and was confirmed by the AFM analysis technique. Cu@TFSA has the potential to be used in the water and wastewater treatment sector as antimicrobial agents.     

Collaborative mental health care: A narrative review

The Collaborative Care model is a systematic strategy for treating behavioral health conditions in primary care through the integration of care managers and psychiatric consultants. Several randomized controlled trials have demonstrated that Collaborative Care increases access to mental health care and is more effective and cost efficient than the current standard of care for treating common mental illnesses. Large healthcare systems and organizations have begun to adopt Collaborative Care initiatives and are seeing improved treatment outcomes and provider and patient satisfaction. This review discusses current research on the effectiveness and cost-efficiency of Collaborative Care. In addition, this paper discusses its ability to adapt to specific patient populations, such as geriatrics, students, substance use, and women with perinatal depression, as well as the significance of measurement-based care and mental health screening in achieving improved clinical outcomes. Current data suggests that Collaborative Care may significantly improve patient outcomes and time-to-treatment in all reviewed settings, and successfully adapts to special patient populations. Despite the high upfront implementation burden of launching a Collaborative Care model program, these costs are generally offset by long term healthcare savings.     

Quantitative glycoproteomics of high-density lipoproteins

In this work, we developed a targeted glycoproteomic method to monitor the site-specific glycoprofiles and quantities of the most abundant HDL-associated proteins using Orbitrap LC-MS for (glyco)peptide target discovery and QqQ LC-MS for quantitative analysis. We conducted a pilot study using the workflow to determine whether HDL protein glycoprofiles are altered in healthy human participants in response to dietary glycan supplementation.

The optimized HDL glycoproteomics method was sensitive enough to detect the effects of dietary supplements on HDL protein glycoprofiles even in a small sample size.