Tumour-cytolytic human monocyte-derived macrophages: a simple and efficient method for the generation and long-term cultivation as non-adherent cells in a serum-free medium.

We report a simple and efficient culture procedure for the generation of tumour-cytolytic human monocyte-derived macrophages (MAC). In this method, normal human peripheral blood mononuclear cells, isolated using a conventional Ficoll-Hypaque density gradient procedure, are cultured as a heterogenous leukocyte population in Teflon or other hydrophobic cultureware, in a commercially available serum-free culture medium (M-SFM) that has been formulated specifically for the cultivation and ex vivo stimulation of human monocytes and MAC, and in the absence of exogenous mitogens, antigens, cytokines or other stimulants. This procedure features a negative-selection technique that takes advantage of the differential survival of blood leukocytes. Using the prescribed in vitro conditions, lymphocytes survived relatively poorly, whereas monocytes differentiated in the absence of exogenous stimulants into mature tumour-cytolytic MAC. The MAC were present as non-adherent, single cells that expressed good viability (greater than 95%) for a prolonged period (greater than 60 days). When compared to conventional procedures for generating MAC, the prescribed technique is thought to offer several important advantages in that it: (a) eliminates the tedious and cumbersome monocyte isolation procedures, thus providing a significant savings not only in time and money but also in eliminating repetitive cell manipulations that have often been associated with damage to monocyte morphology and/or function; (b) reduces the loss of monocyte subsets that are not recovered during specific isolation procedures; (c) facilitates harvesting a single cell, non-adherent suspension of immunocompetent MAC suitable for various examinations including analyses defining MAC morphology, cytochemistry, phenotype and function; and (d) eliminates variability and artifacts associated with different sera that are utilised frequently as medium supplements. The utility of the prescribed method is illustrated by the results of ongoing studies in which scanning electron microscopy and confocal laser scanning microscopy are being used to define MAC function in different immunological reactions, and examples of these observations are presented herein.     

Erratum to: Intensifying renal replacement therapy during pregnancy: the role for nocturnal home hemodialysis

Fertility among women receiving conventional hemodialysis or peritoneal dialysis is very low. For those able to conceive it appears that infant survival is poor, and prematurity and its related complications are still commonplace. Nocturnal hemodialysis (NHD) is a form of intensive, self-administered hemodialysis whereby patients receive 3–4 times the duration of conventional hemodialysis resulting in superior removal of uremic toxins compared to traditional dialysis modalities. NHD has been associated with increased fertility, infants with higher birth weights born at more advanced gestational ages, and fewer maternal and fetal complications. These encouraging results suggest a greater role for much more intensive dialysis in pregnancy.     

Biomechanical comparison of four double-row speed-bridging rotator cuff repair techniques with or without medial or lateral row enhancement

Background  

Biomechanical comparison of four different Speed-Bridge configurations with or without medial or lateral row reinforcement. Reinforcement of the knotless Speed-Bridge double-row repair technique with additional medial mattress- or lateral single-stitches was hypothesized to improve biomechanical repair stability at time zero.     

Fast concomitant gradient field and field inhomogeneity correction for spiral cardiac imaging

Non‐Cartesian imaging provides many advantages in terms of flexibility, functionality, and speed. However, a major drawback to these imaging methods is off‐resonance distortion artifacts. These artifacts manifest as blurring in spiral imaging. Common techniques that remove the off‐resonance field inhomogeneity distortion effects are not sufficient, because the high order concomitant gradient fields are nontrivial for common imaging conditions, such as imaging 5 cm off isocenter in an 1.5 T scanner. Previous correction algorithms are either slow or do not take into account the known effects of concomitant gradient fields along with the field inhomogeneities. To ease the correction, the distortion effects are modeled as a non‐stationary convolution problem. In this work, two fast and accurate postgridding algorithms are presented and analyzed. These methods account for both the concomitant field effects and the field inhomogeneities. One algorithm operates in the frequency domain and the other in the spatial domain. To take advantage of their speed and accuracy, the algorithms are applied to a real‐time cardiac study and a high‐resolution cardiac study. Both of the presented algorithms provide for a practical solution to the off‐resonance problem in spiral imaging. Magn Reson Med, 2011. © 2011 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.     

AC-Gelenk-Arthrose

The acromioclavicular (AC) joint represents an important link of force transmission between the upper extremities and the thorax. Due to its anatomical and mechanical properties it is prone to early degenerative changes which can be detected initially on magnetic resonance imaging and on conventional radiographs at later stages. For an appropriate therapeutic concept it is essential to differentiate between symptomatic and asymptomatic types of AC joint arthritis using a sophisticated physical examination. As a differential diagnosis, concomitant subacromial or glenohumeral pathologies need to be ruled out and local infiltration tests are useful in this setting. Beyond conservative approaches in the treatment of AC joint arthritis the aim of operative treatment is to avoid painful bony contact by decompressing the joint with resection of the joint surfaces while preserving its ligamentous stability. Arthroscopic resection of the lateral end of the clavicle has become a standard procedure in the treatment of AC joint arthritis. The present article summarizes diagnostic strategies, surgical techniques and their respective results and complications.     

Bilirubin as an antioxidant: effect on group B streptococci-induced pulmonary hypertension in infant piglets.

Bilirubin scavenges toxic oxygen radicals in vitro, but it is not known whether this potential salutary effect can be extended to the intact animal. Accordingly, the present experiments tested the hypothesis that bilirubin protects against oxygen radical-dependent pulmonary hypertension and arterial hypoxemia in piglets infected with group B streptococci (GBS). Piglets ranging in age and weight from 7 to 14 days and 1.5 to 2.0 kg, respectively, were infused for 60 min with 108 cfu GBS/kg/min. One group of 7 animals was pretreated with a bolus infusion of 15 mg/kg of bilirubin followed by a continuous bilirubin infusion. A second group of 7 animals was given the vehicle. While plasma bilirubin levels in control animals were negligible, administration of exogenous bilirubin was associated with plasma levels of 13.0 +/- 0.74 mg%. Piglets treated with exogenous bilirubin exhibited GBS-induced increases in pulmonary arterial pressure and decreases in PaO2 of 16.1 +/- 2.0 and 46.5 +/- 4.3 torr, respectively. In control animals, GBS increased pulmonary arterial pressure and decreased PaO2 by 17.5 +/- 1.6 and 47.9 +/- 3.2 torr, respectively. Neither the peak changes in pulmonary arterial pressure or PaO2 nor the time courses of these alterations differed between treatment groups. These observations indicate that bilirubin fails to prevent GBS-induced pulmonary hypertension and arterial hypoxemia in infant piglets and suggests that in this particular model bilirubin does not exhibit appreciable oxygen radical scavenging activity.     

Resting energy expenditure and plasma leptin levels in anorexia nervosa during acute refeeding

OBJECTIVE: To examine changes in plasma leptin levels and resting energy expenditure (REE) during short-term refeeding of patients with anorexia nervosa (AN). METHOD: This was a longitudinal study of 21 women meeting the DSM-IV criteria for AN who were admitted to the hospital for renutrition. Height, weight, percent body fat (assessed by skin fold thickness), REE (measured by indirect calorimetry), and circulating plasma leptin concentration were assessed at the time of admission and 7 days later. RESULTS: Over the course of 1 week of refeeding, body mass index (BMI) increased 0.75 +/- 0.15 kg/m(2) (p <.0001), body fat increased 0.9 +/- 0.2% (p <.0001), and REE increased 107 +/- 33 kcal/24 hr (p =.0037). The change in mean leptin levels was not statistically significant (0.45 +/- 0.44 ng/ml; p =.32). DISCUSSION: Leptin is unlikely responsible for the increase in REE observed with short-term refeeding.