Colonic Drug Delivery: Enhanced Release of Indomethacin from Cross-Linked Chondroitin Matrix in Rat Cecal Content

Pharmaceutical Research -     

Simultaneous over-expression of insulin-like growth factor-II (IGF II) and IGF-II receptor (IGF-II R) genes in human primary cancer-implication of autocrine and paracrine mechanism in autonomous growth of hepatic cancer

This is first report about the simultaneous over-expression of both Insulin-like growth factor (IGF-II) and its receptor (IGF-II R) at mRNA level in human primary hepatic Cancer (PHC). In 10 PHC samples from China, IGF-II and IGF-II R were both over-expressed, whereas only a background signal was detected in normal liver. In 5 pairs of PHC and its non-tumorous adjacent liver tissues from South Africa, IGF-II and IGF-II R were also over-expressed in PHC. mRNA expression of IGF-II in all 5 cases and IGF-II R in 4 of 5 cases were higher in cancer than non-tumorous adjacent liver tissues. These results strongly implicate that an autocrine and/or paracrine mechanism might be involved in formation and progression of PHC.     

The effects of self-generated comparison targets, BMI, and social comparison tendencies on body image appraisal

Previous studies examining the association between social comparison processes and body image dissatisfaction have yielded inconsistent findings. This study examined whether such discrepancies are due to either the use of identical comparison targets for all subjects or variability in body mass. Specifically, 216 subjects were randomly assigned to one of three experimental conditions: self-generated upward comparison group, self-generated downward comparison group, or control group. Dependent variables were measures of body image. Results indicated that increasing body mass and trait comparison tendencies were associated with increased body dissatisfaction. However, the experimental manipulation did not affect body image ratings. Results suggest that social comparison processes may operate similarly over a range of body mass index (BMI) values.     

Cloning and characterisation of the adenosyl phosphosulphate kinase gene from Aspergillus nidulans

The sD gene of Aspergillus nidulans has been cloned by heterologous screening of rationally selected cosmids. Co-transformation of the sD50 mutant JMP1 confirmed the presence of a functional gene. Sequence analysis determined this gene to be 680 bp in length, containing a 59-bp intron and encoding a protein of 206 amino acids. A protein-sequence comparison revealed a similarity to the C-terminal region of ATP sulphurylase, the sC gene product. Further sequence comparison revealed differences in a consensus sequence ATP-binding motif, indicating non-functionality of the APS kinase-like domain of ATP sulphurylase, and confirms sD as the gene encoding APS kinase in A. nidulans. Received: 17 April / 29 August 1997     

Characterization and phenotypic analysis of differentiating CD34+human bone marrow cells in liquid culture

Abstract: Our current understanding of human haematopoietic stem cell biology is based in part on the characterization of human CD34⁺ bone marrow cell differentiation in vitro. CD34 is highly expressed on early stem cells and haematopoietic progenitor cells with clonogenic potential and is gradually lost during differentiation and commitment. However, CD71 (transferrin receptor) is expressed at low levels on early stem cells and generally increases during haematopoietic progenitor cell proliferation. We reasoned that the combination of these surface markers would provide a useful framework for the simultaneous analysis of multiple lineage differentiation of CD34⁺ haematopoietic progenitor cells in liquid culture. In this report, we identify the phenotype of distinct subpopulations of myeloid, erythroid and lymphoid cells in liquid suspension culture using differential expression of CD34 vs. CD71 in combination with specific lineage markers. Freshly isolated human CD34⁺ bone marrow cells were introduced into suspension culture and monitored over a 6-d period using 3-colour flow cytometry. This is the first demonstration that differential expression of CD34 vs. CD71 can be used to simultaneously monitor differentiation of multiple haematopoietic cell lineages in liquid suspension culture, facilitating the study of cytokine-, drug- or chemical-induced alterations in haematopoietic progenitor cell differentiation in vitro.     

Anomalous head posture with early-onset homonymous hemianopia

PURPOSE: We have noted the frequent finding of an ipsilateral head turn in children with early-onset homonymous hemianopia. We report a series of patients with these findings and propose a theory to explain this association. METHODS: Ten patients with early-onset homonymous hemianopia and anomalous head posture were examined. Head computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging confirmed a cerebral lesion as the cause of the hemianopia in all patients. RESULTS: All patients had onset of central nervous system disease prenatally or before age 18 months. A head turn toward the visual field defect with a gaze preference contralateral to the visual field defect was present in all patients. CONCLUSIONS: Early-onset homonymous hemianopia should be included in the differential diagnosis of anomalous head posture.     

THEORIES OF SUICIDAL BEHAVIOR APPLIED TO SYLVIA PLATH

The suicide of Sylvia Plath is examined from the perspective of 15 theories of suicidal behavior and is found to fit best with psychoanalytic and cognitive theories of suicide , in particular those of Aaron Beck , Henry Murray , and Edwin Shneidman .     

Proliferative activity of calcifying odontogenic cysts as evaluated by proliferating cell nuclear antigen labeling index

The calcifying odontogenic cyst (COC) presents with diverse hlstologlcal features; thus, several subclasslfl-cations have been proposed. To evaluate the slgnlficance of the various histological features and subtypes of COC from the perspectlve of proliferative activity, the proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) labellng index (LI; the percentage of positive nuclei) was assessed immunohistochemlcally in 25 cases of COC (21 benign and four malignant). All of the benign cases were of the cystic variety and further subclas-sified into non-proliferative subtype (NPS; four cases); proliferative subtype (PS; eight cases); and COC associated with odontoma (COCaO, nlne cases). The PCNA U of the mallgnant COC (65.2 ± 5.6) was slgnlflcantly higher than that of the benlgn COC (11.6 ± 9.0; P = 0.002). Non-proliferative subtype (6.8 ± 2.8) showed the lowest PCNA LI and PS (17.2 ± 11.2) the highest of among the three subtypes of benign cystic COC (P = 0.028). In nine cases of COCaO, six showed epithelial lining of the non-proliferative type as NPS and the other three had lining wlth proliferative features as PS. The PCNA LI of the latter COCaO group (14.3 ± 6.6) was significantly higher than that of the former (6.1 ± 4.3; P = 0.05), as Seen between PS and NPS. These results demonstrate that PCNA LI is a possible parameter for differentiating mallgnant COC from benign COC and, whatever the subtypes, the proliferative features In the lining are the main factor influencing the prollferatlng actlvity of COC.     

Decreases in arterial oxygen saturation in paediatric outpatients during transfer to the postanaesthetic recovery room

Arterial oxygen saturation was measured by pulse oximetry in two groups of paediatric outpatients breathing room air during transport from the operating room to the postanaesthetic recovery room. In Group I (n = 60) readiness for transfer from OR to PARR was decided clinically. In Group II (n = 50) additional criteria of oxygen saturation (SaOe) greater than or equal to 98 per cent with end-tidal gas N2O less than or equal to 10 per cent and CO2 less than or equal to 45 mmHg were met. A higher incidence of desaturation (SaO2 less than or equal to 90 per cent) occurred in Group I (27 per cent) than in Group II (eight per cent) (P less than 0.05). More children under 2 yr desaturated in Group I (50 per cent) than Group II (17 per cent) (P greater than 0.05 less than 0.10). Twenty-two patients in each group had a recent history of upper respiratory tract infections. In these patients, desaturation was more marked in those in Group I (32 per cent) than in Group II (five per cent) (P less than 0.05). Within each group, the incidence of desaturation during transport was similar in patients with or without a recent URI.