A field-focusing device to increase power output of ThermoRod trade mark implants for thermal ablation of tissue

Induction heating of small, cylindrical ferromagnetic implants (1.4 cm long and 1 mm in diameter) is a method for treating deep-seated tumors. These implants, or ThermoRods trade mark, are placed within a lesion in 1-cm(2) arrays and are exposed to an alternating magnetic field. The implants absorb energy from that field and transfer it as heat to the surrounding tissue. Each ThermoRod trade mark offers approximately 400 mW of power, and to kill cells, the target temperature must be greater than 42 degrees C. In this work, a magnetic field-focusing device is employed to concentrate the induced magnetic flux toward a local region near the base of the prostate to increase the power output of proximal ThermoRods trade mark. This, in turn, allows for more complete thermal ablation of lesions near the base of the prostate where the heat-sink characteristics of the bladder can cause significant power losses. Boundary element analysis and in vitro testing have shown that the use of a ferrofluid-based field-focusing device can lead to a significant increase in power output of approximately 25% and 13%, respectively, of proximal ThermoRods trade mark. These preliminary results indicate that the incorporation of such a ferrofluid-based focusing device into ThermoRod trade mark treatments is promising for the avoidance of significant power loss and for assuring complete thermal ablation of prostatic lesions.     

Structure and expression of the gene for Pv200, a major blood-stage surface antigen of Plasmodium vivax.

Molecular cloning and structure analysis of the gene encoding the Pv200 protein of the Sal-1 strain of Plasmodium vivax revealed an overall identity of 34–37% when the deduced amino acid sequence was compared with the sequences of various major merozoite surface antigens of Plasmodium falciparum, Plasmodium yoelii and Plasmodium chabaudi. When the Sal-1 Pv200 sequence was compared with the corresponding sequence from the Belèm strain of P. vivax, it was found that the two merozoite surface antigens were relatively well conserved with an overall amino acid sequence identity of 81%. A region of 23 repeated glutamine residues, found in the sequence of the Belèm isolate was not found, however, in the Sal-1 sequence. Amino-and carboxy-terminal domains of the Pv200 protein were expressed in the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Each recombinant protein was shown to react with antibodies in sera from splenectomized Bolivian Saimiri monkeys that had been infected previously with P. vivax, and in human sera from individuals with a history of exposure to vivax malaria. The availability of recombinant DNA-derived Pv200 proteins will now allow a full assessment of their utility in the diagnosis and immunoprophylaxis of the benign tertian malaria associated with P. vivax infection.     

Dissimilar tcr v-Beta frequencies in til from different sites of the same tumor

Tumor infiltrating lymphocytes (TIL) cultured long term in media containing IL-2 were shown to mediate in vitro and in vivo anti-tumor responses. To understand the anti-tumor activity of TIL T cells, we used polymerase chain reaction (PCR) to characterize the TCR Vbeta repertoire of ovarian TIL which were isolated from three tumor sites of the same patient at the same time and cultured under identical conditions, resulting in CD3+ cells with similar CD8:CD4 ratios. TIL isolated from ovary and ascites expressed a broad distribution of Vbeta repertoire, while the Vbeta phenotype of the TIL from a secondary tumor (omentum) was more restricted. After 5 months, cultured TIL from the primary tumor (ovary) maintained a diverse TCR Vbeta repertoire, but the Vbeta phenotype of TIL from the secondary site was dominated by the Vbeta-1, -11 and -14 families. Importantly, the percentages of Vbeta-11 and Vbeta-1 expression in both omentum and ovary TIL at 3 and 5 months was found to correlate with the levels of lysis of the tumor localized to omentum (p =0.003 and p=0.014, respectively). No statistical correlation was found between cytotoxicity and the use of any other individual Vbeta families or the sum of any other families, including TCR Vbeta-3 or -20 found increased at certain time points. This suggests that where certain TCR Vbeta families are selected in tumor reactive T cells this selection may reflect tumor Ag recognition at either primary or distant tumor sites. To our knowledge, this is the first documentation of complete TCR Vbeta repertoire of ovarian TIL and of a correlation between Vbeta usage and tumor lysis, by effectors from different sites.     

Regional hyperthermia combined with high energy shock wave treatment on Dunning prostate tumors

Male Copenhagen rats implanted with Dunning R3327 prostate carcinoma were treated with regional hyperthermia and high energy shock waves (HESW). Twenty-four rats were divided into four equal groups. All rats in one group were matched with the corresponding rats in the other three groups according to tumor size. Hyperthermia was created by the resistive heating of a 22-gauge 1.5-cm needle; HESW were generated by the Dornier XL-1 experimental lithotripter. In two hyperthermia treatments administered 48 hours apart, the tumor was heated to 46.5 degrees C for 2 hours; HESW treatment involved 1,600 shocks at 18 kV. Twenty-nine days after initiation of this study, animals were sacrificed and tumor growth calculated. Tumor growth in group 1 (combined hyperthermia and HESW) was significantly delayed between the 7th and 29th day (p = 0.05). In group 2 (HESW alone), tumor growth was significantly delayed between the 7th and 22nd day (p = 0.01), while tumor growth in group 3 (hyperthermia alone) was delayed between the 3rd and 22nd day (p = 0.02). On day 22, mean percent change in tumor growth in the control group exceeded that of group 1 by 449% (p = 0.015) as well as that of groups 2 and 3, by 350% (p = 0.034) and by 268% (p = 0.049), respectively. As previous reports demonstrate the efficacy of hyperthermia in combination with irradiation or chemotherapy for the treatment of prostate carcinoma, our results indicate hyperthermia in combination with HESW may also be a useful treatment modality.     

Cardiovascular fitness and absenteeism in 8,301 employed adults

Abstract The purpose of this study was to determine the extent of the relationship between cardiovascular fitness and absenteeism in the workplace. A total of 8,301 adult males and females who were employed by corporations which participated in a health screening program were used in the study. Absenteeism due to illness, demographic variables, and smoking status were assessed using a written questionnaire, while body fat was measured using skinfold calipers and cardiovascular fitness was assessed using a step test. Results indicated that high levels of cardiovascular fitness were associated significantly with low levels of absenteeism. The relationship remained strong after adjusting for differences in age, gender, income, cigarette smoking, and percent body fat. The association was stronger in females than males.     

Work-place screening of mine employees using the alcohol use disorders identification test (AUDIT) and alcohol breathalyzation

Although public health campaigns focusing on alcohol in the work-place are receiving increasing attention, there is little empirical evidence regarding the use of screening. In this work-place study, 152 mining personnel (67% of the work-force) completed a self report screen using the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT). One hundred and thirty-three of these (58.5% of the work-force) also consented to be breathalysed and one (0.75%) recorded a BAC just over threshold for detection. Forty-eight males (37.7% of the male work-force) recorded AUDIT scores of eight or more consistent with hazardous alcohol use and one female registered a cumulative score above the female cut-off level for hazardous alcohol use. Eighty males (67% of the work-force), recorded binge drinking at least monthly and 81 males recorded a cumulative AUDIT score of less than eight; however, on item analysis, 64 (83%) of these recorded binge drinking at least sometimes. There is substantial hazardous alcohol use in this sample work group and younger males had higher alcohol consumption, more adverse consequences and higher total AUDIT scores identifying them as particularly at risk. The Cronbach & AUDIT was 0.72, confirming adequate internal consistency.     

Chromosome 13 poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase polymorphisms and lung cancer risk

A 193 base pair repeat polymorphism in the human poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase (PADPRP) pseudogene found on chromosome 13 has been associated with lung cancer, endemic Burkitt lymphoma, B-cell lymphoma, breast cancer and colorectal carcinoma. We investigated the frequency of the PADPRP genetic polymorphism in a hospital-based case-control study of lung cancer for 54 cases and 47 controls. There was a statistically significant difference in allelic frequency between Caucasians and African Americans (p<0.001). For African Americans, the odds ratio for lung cancer and the 'B' allele was 2.38 (95% C.I.=0.73, 7.69) and for Caucasians 0.44 (95% C.I.=0.11, 1.77). The results for the African Americans, however, were not in Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium, although the Caucasians were. Thus, this study, albeit small, does not find that the PADPRP pseudogene duplicated region located on chromosome 13 is a risk factor for lung cancer.     

Psychiatric specialty clinics: do they weed out comorbid depression and anxiety?

The concept of comorbidity of anxiety and depression was examined as it relates to specialty clinics, a growing trend as mental health care providers attempt to compete for patients and provide efficient and specialized treatments. Twenty-nine patients from an anxiety clinic were compared with 23 patients from a mood disorders clinic in a university-based outpatient setting. Axis I diagnoses obtained by structured clinical interview for DSM-III-R were generally consistent with each specialty clinic. Incidence of diagnosable comorbid anxiety and mood disorders was not significantly different for the two clinics and within the range cited (11-78%) in several other studies drawing from various patient populations. Similarly, in comparing self-reported symptoms on three rating scales using Student's tests, authors found elevated symptoms of both depression and anxiety in both clinic populations. The importance of addressing the needs of patients with co-occurring diagnoses and symptoms within a specialty clinic is discussed as it pertains to treatment and research.