Improvement of bone repair with l-PRF and bovine bone in calvaria of rats. histometric and immunohistochemical study

Clinical Oral Investigations - The effect of leucocyte- and platelet-rich fibrin (L-PRF), associated with DBBM (deproteinized bovine bone mineral; Bio-Oss®) was investigated and compared with...     

Selective Cytotoxicity to Human Leukemic Myeloblasts Produced by Oligodeoxyribonucleotide Phosphorothioates Complementary to p53 Nucleotide Sequences

Cells were treated in vitro with oligodeoxyribonucleotide phosphorothioates (ODNs) complementary to sites common to both wild-type and mutant p53 nucleotide sequences. Acute myelogenous leukemia (AML) blasts from peripheral blood were exposed to four different p53 ODNs and showed anti-leukemic effects in suspension culture. This effect continued after removal of the ODN from the medium. Blocking of self-renewal of the leukemic blast stem cells in secondary plating of cells from cloning assays by two of the p53 ODNs was also observed. Control ODNs had no effect on leukemic blasts. Treatment of normal bone marrow cells with the four p53 ODNs did not influence their growth, nor was there any effect by the p53 ODNs on the leukemic cell-line, HL60, that does not express p53. These data suggest that p53 ODNs are selectively toxic to primary myelogenous blasts and may be therapeutically useful in AML.     

The status of hematopoietic stem cell transplantation in lysosomal storage disease

Lysosomal storage diseases are a group of disorders which have in common an inherited defect in lysosomal function—in most cases, a missing intralysosomal enzyme. Research into potential treatment options for this group of disorders has focused on enzyme replacement. Over the past two decades, hematopoietic stem cell transplantation has been used with increasing frequency to treat patients with lysosomal storage disease by providing a population of cells with the capacity to produce the missing enzyme. The success of marrow transplantation depends on the specific enzyme deficiency and the stage of the disease. Generally, visceral symptoms can be improved, whereas skeletal lesions remain relatively unaffected. The effect on neurologic symptoms varies. Hematopoietic stem cell transplantation remains a viable treatment option in those lysosomal storage diseases where data supportive of disease stabilization or amelioration are known. Early transplantation is the goal so that enzyme replacement may occur before extensive central nervous system injury becomes evident. When inadequate clinical data are available, the decision to perform transplantation requires experimental data demonstrating that the enzyme in question is both excreted from normal cells and taken up by affected cells as evidenced by elimination of storage material in vitro.     

A multicenter, selection-adjusted comparison of patient and technique survivals on CAPD and hemodialysis

Four hundred and eighty CAPD and 373 HD patients started regular dialysis treatment between 1981 and 1987 in 6 dialysis centers. The CAPD patients were 6 years older, on average, than the HD patients and had more complicating conditions (43.3% with 3 or more coexisting risk factors versus 28.9% with coexisting complications). The 7-year patient survival rate was not significantly different. Cox's proportional hazards regression showed that age, cardiovascular disease, cerebrovascular disease, peripheral vascular disease, diabetes, malignancy and multisystem disease had significant adverse effects on patient survival. After correcting for the influence of these factors, no significant differences in patient survival were seen. However, after 53.5 years of age, the increase in the risk of death was significantly higher in HD than in CAPD patients. Technique survival was significantly different in the 6 centers and was better for HD than for CAPD. There was no statistically significant difference between CAPD and HD technique survival when peritonitis was eliminated as a cause of failure. Based on this 7 year analysis, CAPD would appear to be an excellent alternative to HD.     

Primary and radiation induced skull base osteosarcoma: a systematic review of clinical features and treatment outcomes

Journal of Neuro-Oncology - We aim to systematically review and summarize the demographics, clinical features, management strategies, and clinical outcomes of primary and radiation-induced...     

Dextran deposits in tissues of patients undergoing haemodialysis.

Recently the possible storage of dextran-related material in patients undergoing regular haemodialysis has been suggested. We examined biopsy and autopsy specimens of 32 patients treated with regular haemodialysis for 61 +/- 34 months. All patients received dextran-40 as a plasma expander because of hypotension during haemodialysis. The same study was carried out in a control group of 11 haemodialysed patients who were given other plasma expanders. In the 11 patients who received larger doses of dextran-40 (0.38 g/kg body weight per week) we found particles in the cytoplasm of macrophages in various organs, which proved PAS positive and diastase resistant on light microscopy, and birefringent on polarisation. Electron microscopy revealed a fibrillar structure, but ionic analysis by electronic sampler on scanning electron microscopy excluded the presence of silicon. No intracellular inclusions were observed in the control group, nor in the patients given dextran-40 in doses lower than 0.08 g/kg body weight per week. As we also found a linear relationship between the number of particles and the dextran-40 doses given, we hypothesise that the material demonstrated in the macrophages is a structurally modified dextran.     

Three cases of severe verapamil poisoning

Three cases of verapamil intoxication are described. The first two patients took 6.4 g verapamil each and the third one took 0.8 g of verapamil and alcohol. All three developed a third-degree atrioventricular dissociation, the first patient developed a slow idioventricular rhythm without atrial activity, the second a temporary asystole. All were hypotensive, had anuria and shock, the first two were unconscious for several hours. The first one was treated with artificial cardiac pacing, orciprenaline and calcium gluconate, the second with cardiac pacing and orciprenaline. The third patient received fluids and a dopamine infusion. In the first case sinus rhythm returned 31 h after the swallowing of tablets, in the second after 32 h and in the third after 10 h. Pacing with intensive monitoring and care seemed to be the most beneficial treatments in these cases.