Successful treatment of acute inferior vena cava and unilateral renal vein thrombosis by local infusion of recombinant tissue plasminogen activator

Renal vein thrombosis can occur as a complication of nephrotic syndrome. We present the case of a young man with nephrotic syndrome caused by minimal change disease who developed acute inferior vena cava and left renal vein thrombosis. He was treated initially with intravenous heparin. Because of the persistence of severe left flank pain and gross hematuria, local infusion of recombinant tissue plasminogen activator was tried, with resolution of thrombi and subsidence of symptoms. Functional preservation of the involved kidney is good, as indicated by Tc-99m DMSA scan (involved kidney, 47.4%; uninvolved kidney, 52.6%). Anticoagulation is usually recommended as the treatment of choice in renal vein thrombosis. We believe that in cases with critical presentations, such as bilateral involvement, extension into inferior vena cava, acute renal failure, pulmonary embolism or severe flank pain, thrombolytic therapy should be considered as a second-line treatment if good response is not obtained with heparin.     

Characterization of gamma2-human herpesvirus-8 glycoproteins gH and gL

Summary.  The γ2 human herpesvirus-8 (HHV-8) or Kaposi’s sarcoma associated herpesvirus (KSHV) ORFs 22 and 47 are counterparts to glycoproteins gH and gL, respectively, that are conserved among the members of herpesviruses. To define HHV-8 gH and gL, rabbit polyclonal antibodies were raised against GST-gH and GST-gL fusion proteins. Anti-gL and anti-gH antibodies reacted with the surface of virus carrying BCBL-1 cells. Both antibodies immunoprecipitated the HHV-8 envelope associated 120 kDa and 41–42 kDa proteins. In transfected COS-1 cells, gH was expressed as an endo-H sensitive 110 kDa glycoprotein, which was absent on the surface of the cells. However, after co-transfection with gL, gH was detected as an endo-H resistant 120 kDa glycoprotein, and was expressed on the surface of the cells. Non-covalent complex formation between gH and gL was detected in the transfected COS-1 cells. Anti-gH and anti-gL antibodies neutralized HHV-8 infectivity in the absence of complement, individually and more efficiently together. However, virus binding to the target cells was not inhibited. These studies suggest that HHV-8 gL is required for gH processing and expression on the cell surface membranes, and gH/gL complex plays an important role in the post-binding step of HHV-8 infection. Received August 29, 2001; accepted February 16, 2002 Published online May 8, 2002     

Xenophagy in Helicobacter pylori‐ and Epstein–Barr virus‐induced gastric cancer

Helicobacter pylori and Epstein–Barr virus (EBV) account for roughly 80% and 10%, respectively, of gastric carcinomas worldwide. Autophagy is an evolutionarily conserved and intricately regulated cellular process that involves the sequestration of cytoplasmic proteins and organelles into double‐membrane autophagosomes that eventually fuse with lysosomes for degradation of the engulfed content. Emerging evidence indicates that xenophagy, a form of selective autophagy, plays a crucial role in the pathogenesis of H. pylori‐ and EBV‐induced gastric cancer. Xenophagy specifically recognizes intracellular H. pylori and EBV and physically targets these pathogens to the autophagosomal–lysosomal pathway for degradation. In this connection, H. pylori or EBV‐induced dysregulation of autophagy may be causally linked to gastric tumourigenesis and therefore can be exploited as therapeutic targets. This review will discuss how H. pylori and EBV infection activate autophagy and how these pathogens evade recognition and degradation by the autophagic pathway. Elucidating the molecular aspects of H. pylori‐ and EBV‐induced autophagy will help us better understand the pathogenesis of gastric cancer and promote the development of autophagy modulators as antimicrobial agents. Published by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd     

Feasibility of an Air Motor-Driven Centrifugal Blood-Pumping System

Abstract: The use of cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) is extending out of the cardiac surgery operating room into new venues. The long-term goal of this project is the development of a completely disposable temporary-use CPB system that could be economically distributed to all of the units where it might be needed. Centrifugal blood pumps have demonstrated successful and widespread use. However, they are not as widely available as might be desired because they require a large and expensive console. An inexpensive, small, lightweight, disposable unit, in contrast, could be widely distributed for emergency care of patients and would be logistically practical for patient transportation between the presenting institution and a major cardiac care facility equipped for definitive treatment. An air motor might be an approach to such a device. The current research project underway at the University of Akron in conjunction with the Cleveland Clinic Foundation has focused on the following key feasibility issues: air consumption, air motor noise, and sealing the rotating shaft. Prototypes have been constructed from commercially available vane and turbine motors. Early studies have demonstrated favorable results with regard to air consumption and shaft sealing and directions for handling air motor noise.     

Thymic cysts in mediastinal Hodgkin disease

Three cases of proved thymic cysts associated with mediastinal Hodgkin disease are presented. Two illustrate regression of lymphoma with chemotherapy but persistence of thymic cysts. The third case demonstrates a thymic cyst in untreated Hodgkin disease. These cases suggest that such cysts are probably neither coincidental with nor a consequence of therapy but are probably related to initial thymic involvement by Hodgkin disease.     

Role for Raf in the entry of viruses associated with AIDS (review)

The biology of acquired immune deficiency (AIDS) is yet to be completely understood partly because it is complicated by the manifestation of various viral infections and associated pathogenesis. Virus entry into target cells is a key step in the virus replication cycle which is characterized by intricate and complex interactions between virus and host cells. Analyses of virus entry are always hampered to some extent due to the inability to mimic in vivo conditions. Emphasis has been placed on understanding what the virus does during the entry process; for example the signaling it mediates during entry, or identifying the cellular receptors with which the virus interact. Often, the role of the cellular environment that is critical for the complex process of virus uptake has taken a back stage. Interestingly, most of the viruses associated with AIDS cause tumors. In a recently concluded study, we identified a role for intracellular oncogenic (Raf) signaling in human herpesvirus-8 (HHV-8/KSHV) infection of target cells. In this review we present an update on entry of various viruses commonly associated with AIDS and yet another novel way of analyzing virus entry.     

The sensitivity and spectral identity of the cones driving the b-wave of the rat electroretinogram

In the retina of rat, cones make up approximately 0.85% of the photoreceptor population: 93% of these cones contain a midwave-sensitive pigment, the rest expresses a short-wave-sensitive pigment (Szel & Rohlich, 1992). We used normal adult Long Evans rats to determine the spectral sensitivity of the cone-driven electroretinogram (ERG) b-wave and its absolute sensitivity at lambda(max) of the cone pigments. ERGs were recorded at the cornea of anesthetized animals under dark- and light-adapted conditions. Rod responses were suppressed by steady rod-saturating orange backgrounds and/or by a flashed "white" background. Cone-driven b-waves were evoked by "white" or narrowband full-field stimuli of varying intensity. The action spectrum for the cone b-wave indicates the presence of an absorbance peak at 510 nm; a second, twofold lower, peak was found at 360 nm (after correction for transmittance by the lens). Chromatic adaptation experiments strongly suggest that retinal responses to midwave and UV stimuli are mediated by a single cone type. On a background producing approximately 17,000 R* rod(-1) s(-1), which completely suppressed the saturated a-wave, the absolute sensitivity of the cone b-wave was 18 nV photon(-1) microm2 at 510 nm and 4 nV photon(-1) microm2 at 360 nm which is 20-30 times higher than for the mouse. It is suggested that the relatively large number of on-cone bipolar cells in the retina of rat is responsible for the remarkable sensitivity of the cone b-wave.