Glutathione and its metabolizing enzymes in patients with different benign and malignant diseases

Objectives: Evaluation of glutathione (GSH) system in different tumors to reveal its potential usefulness in a clinical setting.

Design and methods: In addition to 10 normal controls, blood and tissue samples (85 benign and 109 malignant) from patients with breast, ovarian, prostatic, and liver neoplasms were investigated. The GSH concentration, glutathione S-transferase, glutathione peroxidase, and glutathione reductase activities were biochemically measured.

Results: Whereas all the components of the GSH system increased in patients with breast tumors, few components were significantly changed in patients with malignant ovarian, prostatic as well as metastatic liver diseases. GSH had the highest Z scores in ovarian and breast tumors. It was correlated (p < 0.05) with both glutathione S-transferase, glutathione peroxidase in breast cancer and with glutathione S-transferase only in prostate cancer. No correlation could be found in the expression of the GSH system in the blood and tissues of the same group of patients.

Conclusion: This work revealed that measurement of some and/or all components of the GSH system might be of clinical value in some malignant cases.     

The association of HLA class II DR B1 alleles with HCV infection in Egyptian children

Background and study aimsHuman leucocyte antigens (HLA) class II appear to play an important role in the individual’s immune response to viral infection. The aim of this study is to assess the relationship between HLA class II antigens with the clinical, laboratory and histopathological state of the liver in Egyptian children and adolescents with chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection.Patients and methodsThe study included 46 chronically infected HCV children and adolescents without – hepatitis B virus (HBV) nor human immunodeficiency virus – (HIV). Their mean age was 10.4 ± 4.23 years (3–17). HLA-DRB typing was done by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) for the patients and 20 control subjects. Biochemical and haematological parameters were assessed as well as a liver biopsy was taken from the included patients.ResultsThe most frequent alleles demonstrated among patients were DRB1103, DRB1104 and DRB1113 (45.6%, 39.1% and 26.1%), respectively. Analysis of DRB1 frequencies between patients and control revealed that DRB1*15 is significantly reduced among patients when compared with the control group (p < 0.01). Patients possessing the allele DRB1*03 had significantly reduced platelet count (p = 0.03), and this allele was presented to a greater extent in patients with minimal grade of inflammation. Patients with DRB1*04 had significantly low serum albumin (p = 0.04) and patients with DRB1*13 had significantly high serum aspartate aminotransferase (AST) levels (p = 0.05).ConclusionIn Egyptian HCV-infected children, special HLA patterns were found; HLA DRB1*03 was present in nearly half of the patients, while the frequency of HLA DRB1*15 was significantly reduced among the cases in comparison to the control subjects.     

The role of participation in the women's health trial: feasibility study in minority populations

BACKGROUND: This paper examines participation rates and the association between participation and study outcomes (% energy from fat) among participants in the Women's Health Trial: Feasibility Study in Minority Populations, a randomized clinical trial to determine if ethnically and socioeconomically diverse women could be recruited and make significant dietary changes. METHODS: Women (n = 2,208) were recruited from three clinical centers and randomized to either an intervention group or a control group. Multiple measures were collected at 6 months. RESULTS: Participation rates for follow-up data collection activities were high (average participation 79%). Hispanics and lower educational groups participated significantly less (59% for Hispanics vs 86% for blacks and whites; 78% for lowest educational group vs 84% for highest educational group). Intervention participation significantly predicted change in percentage energy from fat (P < 0.001), accounting for an additional 8% of variance after background variables were controlled for. CONCLUSIONS: These data suggest that intervention participation is positively related to dietary change, but they cannot rule out the possibility that other factors may influence both of these factors.     

Persistent truncus arteriosus: Pathologic anatomy in 54 cases

Summary Fifty-four specimens of heart with persistent truncus arteriosus (PTA) were reviewed anatomically. According to the Collett-Edwards classification [11] there were 28 examples of type I and 26 type II. The sex distribution was equal. The number of the truncal cusps ranged from one to four (42% tricuspid, 30% bicuspid, 24% quadricuspid, and 4% unicommissural). A unicommissural truncal valve has not been previously reported. In 72% of cases, the truncal valve leaflets were thickened or dysplastic. Two valves were stenotic. The truncus arteriosus originated from both ventricles equally in 42% of the cases, predominantly from the right ventricle in 42%, and predominantly from the left ventricle in 16% of the cases. In unoperated cases of PTA originating predominantly from the right ventricle, it appeared to us that usual operative correction might result in left ventricular outflow obstruction. Variations in coronary arterial origins and patterns were present in nearly half of the cases. A single coronary artery was observed in ten cases (18.5%). Stenosis of the ostium of one coronary artery was seen in each of four cases (7%). High posterior origin of the left coronary artery was observed in ten cases (18.5%). Among the associated cardiovascular anomalies, the most common were right aortic arch (36%) and interruption of the aortic arch (11%). Three cases with the latter condition exhibited crossed pulmonary arteries. Isolated cases with tricuspid atresia, vascular sling (left pulmonary artery arising from right pulmonary artery), and persistent common atrioventricular canal were encountered.     

Cerebellar abscesses secondary to occipital dermoid cyst with dermal sinus: case report

BACKGROUND: Hydrocephalus and cerebellar abscesses as the principal manifestations of posterior fossa dermoid cyst are rare. In addition, extradural dermoid cyst of the posterior fossa has been described in only 9 cases in the literature. We present an unusual case of obstructive hydrocephalus due to cerebellar abscesses induced by an adjacent extradural dermoid cyst with complete occipital dermal sinus. CASE DESCRIPTION: A 14-month-old child presented with acute raised intracranially pressure, seizures, and meningitis. Neuroradiological studies revealed cerebellar cysts with ring enhancement associated with a contiguous occipital cyst, with compression of the adjacent cisterns and the fourth ventricle causing hydrocephalus. The diagnosis of cerebellar abscesses with congenital occipital defect was briefly entertained. The patient was treated by radical excision of the occipital cyst with hair contents, the dermal sinus, and the abscesses through a suboccipital approach, followed by systemic antibiotic therapy with a good outcome. Pathologic examination revealed a dermoid cyst. CONCLUSION: Posterior fossa dermoid cyst should be considered in all children with occipital skin lesions, especially dermal sinus. CT scan and MRI are the methods of choice for further investigation of suspect congenital dermal lesions. Neurosurgical treatment of these malformations should be planned early to prevent the high incidence of infections such as bacterial meningitis and cerebellar abscess. Clinical presentation, diagnostic evaluation, and treatment of these rare lesions are reviewed.     

Designed enediyne antitumor agents

The enediynes remain among the most potent antitumoral agents to have been discovered in the past decade. Following prodrug activation, the enediynes undergo cycloaromatization reactions resulting in formation of highly reactive diradical intermediates. The diradical species engage in atom-transfer chemistry to produce neutral arene products, in the process inducing damage to key macromolecules. Several of the naturally occurring members of the enediyne family of antibiotics have entered clinical trials, and this has prompted the design of synthetic enediynes, where the enediyne lquo;warheadrquo; is conjugated to a targeted delivery vehicle. This review will describe ecent efforts using chemical synthesis to identify and improve the target specificity of designed enediynes, and to establish efficient methods to achieve prodrug activation. Finally, new horizons will be examined, including the use of post-cycloaromatized enediyne templates as recognition elements for unique DNA and RNA microenvironments.     

The effect of diabetes mellitus on endodontic treatment outcome: data from an electronic patient record

BACKGROUND: The authors used a custom-built electronic record system to investigate endodontic diagnostic and treatment outcome data in patients with and without diabetes. METHODS: The medical histories and endodontic treatment data for nonsurgical endodontic patients treated in predoctoral and postgraduate specialty clinics were entered into an electronic record system. A total of 5,494 cases (including 284 cases in patients with diabetes) were treated, and 540 cases (including 73 cases in patients with diabetes) had follow-up data two years or more postoperatively. The authors performed univariate and multivariate analyses to determine important factors affecting endodontic diagnosis and treatment outcome. RESULTS: Patients with diabetes had increased periodontal disease of teeth with endodontic involvment compared with patients who did not have diabetes. There was a trend toward increased symptomatic periradicular disease in patients with diabetes who received insulin, as well as flareups in all patients with diabetes. Two years or longer postoperatively, 68 percent of cases followed were successful. Older age, the absence of preoperative lesions, the presence of permanent restorations and longer postoperative evaluation periods all were associated with a successful outcome. A multivariate analysis showed that in cases with preoperative periradicular lesions, a history of diabetes was associated with a significantly reduced successful outcome. CONCLUSIONS: Patients with diabetes have increased periodontal disease in teeth involved endodontically and have a reduced likelihood of success of endodontic treatment in cases with preoperative periradicular lesions. CLINICAL IMPLICATIONS: Patients with diabetes who are treated endodontically should be assessed carefully and be treated with effective antimicrobial root canal regimens, particularly in cases with preoperative lesions.