TRIPTOSINE, AN L-5-HYDROXYTRYPTOPHAN DERIVATIVE, REDUCES ALCOHOL CONSUMPTION IN ALCOHOL-PREFERRING RATS

Triptosine is a new L-5-hydroxytryptophan derivative whose effecthas been studied in the Long-Evans alcohol-preferring rat. Atan oral dose of 100 mg/kg once daily, triptosine reduced alcoholconsumption by 42% in the second week of treatment and increasedthat of water by 80%. The results suggest that this precursorof serotonin might play an important role in diminishing preferencefor alcohol and reaccustoming the animal to water, without exertingan anorexic effect.     

In vivo treatment with recombinant IL-12 protects C57BL/6J mice against secondary alveolar echinococcosis

Using an experimental model of hepatic Echinococcus multilocularis infection in C57BL/6J mice, intraperitoneal administration of 0.8 μg of recombinant IL-12 to mice with an established infection was shown to reduce the parasite burden as soon as two weeks after the end of treatment. At that time, in vitro Echinococcus multilocularis -induced spleen T cell proliferative responses as well as IFN-γ and IL-5 production were higher in IL-12 treated mice than in untreated mice. Administration of 0.8 μg of IL-12 at the time of infection was shown to be without effect on the parasite establishment. However, this treatment greatly inhibited the subsequent metacestode development. Indeed, ten weeks after infection, it induced a complete healing in 37.5% of mice. At that time, the development of metastases was inhibited in 68.75% of IL-12-treated mice. This reduction of parasite burden was mainly associated with a strong proliferation of spleen cells to E. multilocularis antigen and with a high IFN-γ production. Altogether, our results show that IL-12 is of crucial importance in inhibiting the larval growth after the metacestode establishment in the liver and suggest that this cytokine could be of potential value in the treatment of human alveolar echinococcosis .     

A COMPARATIVE STUDY OF T-CELL DEPLETED AND NON-DEPLETED MARROW TRANSPLANTATION FOR HEMATOLOGICAL MALIGNANCY

Sixteen patients with hematological malignancy received cyclophosphamide (120 mg/kg), fractionated total body irradiation (12 Gy), oral cyclosporin, and an HLA-identical sibling marrow transplant depleted of T cells by incubation with the monoclonal antibody anti-HuLy-m1 (CD2) and rabbit complement with (five patients) or without (11 patients) anti-HuLy-m8 (CD8). These 16 patients were compared historically to 84 patients with hematological malignancy receiving cyclophosphamide (120 mg/kg), fractionated total body irradiation (12 or 14 Gy), oral cyclosporin, and unmanipulated HLA-identical sibling marrow, for parameters of engraftment and graft-versus-host disease (GVHD). Graft failure occurred in one of the 16 T-cell depleted recipients and in one of the 84 non-depleted recipients. Engraftment was slightly but significantly slower in the T-cell depleted group and bacterial infections significantly more, frequent and severe than in the unmanipulated group. There was a suggestion that the severity of acute GVHD was reduced in those receiving T depleted marrow. Randomized trials will be necessary to determine if marrow T-cell depletion results in superior long-term leukemia-free survival.     

Molecular detection of t(8;21)/AML1-ETO in AML M1/M2: correlation with cytogenetics,morphology and immunophenotype

The t(8;21) identifies a subgroup of acute myeloid leukaemia (AML) with a relatively good prognosis which may merit different treatment. It is associated predominantly, but not exclusively, with AML M2, and corresponds to rearrangements involving the AML1 and ETO genes. AML1-ETO positive, t(8;21) negative cases are well recognized but their incidence is unknown. In order to determine optimal prospective AML1-ETO RT-PCR screening strategies, we analysed 64 unselected AML M1 and M2 cases and correlated the results with other biological parameters. Molecular screening increased the overall detection rate from 8% to 14%. AML1-ETO was found in 3% (1/32) of AML M1 and 25% (8/32) of M2, including three patients without a classic t(8;21) but with chromosome 8 abnormalities. It was more common in younger patients. Correlation with morphology enabled development of a scoring system which detected all nine AML1-ETO-positive cases with a false positive rate of 7% (4/55). Although certain AML1-ETO-positive cases demonstrated characteristic immunological features (CD19 and CD34 expression, CD33 negativity), each of these markers was insufficiently specific to permit prediction in an individual case. We conclude that initial routine prospective molecular screening for AML1-ETO in all AMLs, combined with standardized morphological and immunological analysis, is desirable in order to produce improved prognostic stratification and to determine whether screening can ultimately be restricted to appropriate subgroups.     

Factors affecting dental fear in French children aged 5–12 years

International Journal of Paediatric Dentistry 2010; 20: 366–373 Background. While dental anxiety is often correlated with prior negative dental experience, prevention of dental anxiety should in theory include early exposure to the dental setting. Objective. We set out to evaluate factors affecting dental fear in French children. Methods. Dental fear was evaluated using a visual analogue scale (DF‐VAS) in a group of 1303 French children (681 boys and 622 girls) aged 5–11 years (mean: 8.12 years, SD: 1.42 years). Indicators of caries and oral hygiene were evaluated on dental examination. Indicators of well‐being related to oral health, dental experience, and oral health education were collected via a structured interview. Results. Dental fear was scored low in 75.7% (DF‐VAS 0–3), moderate in 16.7% (DF‐VAS 4–6), and high in 7.6% (DF‐VAS 7–10). DF‐VAS decreased statistically with experience of a prior dental visit. Children who had at least one decayed tooth presented a higher level of dental fear than those with no decay, while children with fillings were significantly less anxious than those without previous dental care. Conclusions. This study shows that for children aged 5–12 years, prior experience of the dental setting can act as a positive component of dental fear.     

Preduodenal portal vein with situs inversus and duodenal atresia

In a 7-day-old infant referred because of bile-stained vomiting, jaundice and lack of meconium, radiological examination revealed the 'double-bubble' sign of duodenal atresia as well as dextrocardia. This infant also had a strawberry haemangioma on the right shoulder. Operation disclosed situs inversus and a preduodenal portal vein as well as duodenal atresia. A side-to-side duodeno-jejunostomy was performed successfully without damage to the anomalous vein. The history of polyhydramnion during gestation, the presence of other anomalies, the rapid onset of bile-stained vomiting and the classic 'double-bubble' sign, together appeared to indicate that the duodenal atresia was intrinsic and not due to the external pressure of the anomalous vein on the duodenum.     

Vagal Paroxysmal Atrial Fibrillation: Prevalence and Ablation Outcome in Patients Without Structural Heart Disease

Prevalence of Vagal Paroxysmal Atrial Fibrillation . Introduction: The prevalence of vagal and adrenergic atrial fibrillation (AF) and the success rate of pulmonary vein isolation (PVI) are not well defined. We investigated the prevalence of vagal and adrenergic AF and the ablation success rate of antral pulmonary vein isolation (APVI) in patients with these triggers compared with patients with random AF. Methods and Results: Two hundred and nine consecutive patients underwent APVI due to symptomatic drug refractory paroxysmal AF. Patients were diagnosed as vagal or adrenergic AF if >90% of AF episodes were related to vagal or adrenergic triggers; otherwise, a diagnosis of random AF was made. Clinical, electrocardiogram (ECG), and Holter follow‐up was every 3 months in the first year and every 6 months afterward and for symptoms. Of 209 patients, 57 (27%) had vagal AF, 14 (7%) adrenergic AF, and 138 (66%) random AF. Vagal triggers were sleep (96.4%), postprandial (96.4%), late post‐exercise (51%), cold stimulus (20%), coughing (7%), and swallowing (2%). At APVI, 94.3% of patients had isolation of all veins. Twenty‐five (12%) patients had a second APVI. At a follow‐up of 21 ± 15 months, the percentage of patients free of AF was 75% in the vagal group, 86% in the adrenergic group, and 82% for random AF (P = 0.51). Conclusion: In patients with PAF and no structural heart disease referred for APVI, vagal AF is present in approximately one quarter. APVI is equally effective in patients with vagal AF as in adrenergic and random AF. (J Cardiovasc Electrophysiol, Vol. 21, pp. 489‐493, May 2010)