The development of a research human milk bank.

Although there are well-established clinical human milk banks in the United States, there are no milk banks specifically intended to foster research on human milk. The authors' goal was to establish a milk bank with a core data set to support exploratory and hypothesis-driven studies on human milk. Donations to the Cincinnati Children's Research Human Milk Bank are accepted within the context of ongoing, hypothesis-driven research or on an ad hoc basis. Donors must give informed consent, and scientists wishing to use the samples must have Institutional review board approval for their use. Development of more research human milk banks can potentially provide resources for multidisciplinary collaboration and advance the study of human milk and lactation.     

Characterization of Virus-Responsive Plasmacytoid Dendritic Cells in the Rhesus Macaque

Plasmacytoid dendritic cells (PDC) are potent producers of alpha interferon (IFN-α) in response to enveloped viruses and provide a critical link between the innate and adaptive immune responses. Although the loss of peripheral blood PDC function and numbers has been linked to human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) progression in humans, a suitable animal model is needed to study the effects of immunodeficiency virus infection on PDC function. The rhesus macaque SIV model closely mimics human HIV infection, and recent studies have identified macaque PDC, potentially making the macaque a good model to study PDC regulation. In this study, we demonstrate that peripheral blood PDC from healthy macaques are both phenotypically and functionally similar to human PDC and that reagents used for human studies can be used to study macaque PDC. Both human and macaque PBMC expressed IFN-α in response to herpes simplex virus (HSV), the prototypical activator of PDC, as measured by using an IFN bioassay and IFN-α-specific enzyme-linked immunospot assays. Similar to human PDC, macaque PDC were identified by using flow cytometry as CD123⁺ HLA-DR⁺ lineage⁻ cells. In addition, like human PDC, macaque PDC expressed intracellular IFN-α, tumor necrosis factor alpha, macrophage inflammatory protein 1β/CCL4, and IFN-inducible protein 10/CXCL10 upon stimulation with HSV, all as determined by intracellular flow cytometry. We found that IFN regulatory factor 7, which is required for the expression of IFN-α genes, was, similar to human PDC, expressed at high levels in macaque PDC compared to monocytes and CD8⁺ T cells. These findings establish the phenotypic and functional similarity of human and macaque PDC and confirm the utility of tools developed for studying human PDC in this animal model.     

The A427 anchorage-independence assay as a screening tool to identify potential chemopreventive agents

An in vitro model for screening potential chemopreventive agents using inhibition of anchorage-independent growth of a human lung tumor cell line, A427, is described. A427 cells were selected for the model development, as they are known to be tumorigenic in animals, can grow in soft agarose, and their growth can be inhibited by a well-known chemopreventive agent, 13-cis-retinoic acid. Cells are plated on agarose, allowed to develop colonies for 28 days, the stained colonies are enumerated, and the inhibition of spontaneous colony formation measured. A cytotoxicity test is used concurrently with anchorage independent assay for measuring the relative survival of cells to ensure that any observed inhibition of anchorage independent growth is due to the biological activity of the chemopreventive agents, as it uses human cells as substrates rendering the efficacy data feasible for direct extrapolation to humans.     

Reduplication cyst of appendix with mucinous carcinoma and Müllerian metaplasia: a case report

This report describes a case of mucinous carcinoma and Müllerian metaplasia arising within an appendiceal duplication cyst found incidentally during an emergency Caesarian section. Intestinal duplication cysts are rare and although there are occasional reports of malignant transformation, this is the first case where Müllerian metaplasia was found concurrently with a malignancy. There was no previous history of endometriosis and no other abnormalities were found at surgery. Treatment included surgical excision. The patient is alive and well two years after removal of the cyst.     

Differential regulation of IL-13 and IL-4 production by human CD8+ and CD4+ Th0, Th1 and Th2 T cell clones and EBV-transformed B cells

In the present study, the requirements and characteristics forthe production of IL-13 by human T cells, T cell clones andB cells were determined and compared with those of IL-4. IL-13was produced by human CD4⁺ and CD8⁺ T lymphocyte subsets isolatedfrom peripheral blood mononuclear cells and by CD4⁺ and CD8⁺T cell clones. CD4⁺ T cell clones belonging to T_h0, T_h1-likeand T_h2-like subsets produced IL-13 following antigen-specificor polyclonal activation. In addition, EBV-transformed B celllines expressed IL-13 mRNA and produced small amounts of IL-13protein. Expression of IL-13 mRNA and production of IL-13 proteinby peripheral blood T cells and T cell clones was induced rapidlyand was relatively long lasting, whereas IL-4 production bythese cells was transient In addition, IL-13 mRNA expressionwas induced by modes of activation that failed to induce IL-4mRNA expression. IL-13 shares many biological activities withIL-4 which Is compatible with the notion that the IL-13 andIL-4 receptors share a common component required for signaltransduction. However, IL-13 lacks the T cell-activating propertiesof IL-4. Here we have shown that this is related to the factthat T cells fall to bind radiolabeled IL-13 and do not expressthe IL-13-speclflc receptor component Taken together, theseresults indicate that the differences In expression and biologicalactivities of IL-4 and IL-13 on T cells may have consequencesfor the relative roles of these cytokines In the immune response.     

An Intelligent System to Enhance the Performance of Brain Tumor Diagnosis from MR Images

Journal of Digital Imaging - In the human body, cancer is caused by aberrant cell proliferation. Brain tumors are created when cells in the human brain proliferate out of control. Brain tumors...     

Multiple drug resistant non typhoidal salmonella spp associated with acute diarrheal disease

Rectal swabs/stool specimens from 115 children (0–5 years) suffering with acute diarrhea were screened for non typhoidal salmonella species. 7 (6%) patients were found to be positive for non typhoidal salmonella 4 (3.47%) were positive forS. paratyphi B and 3 (2.6%) were positive forS. typhimurium. Multidrug resistance was seen in 57 percent of the strains. All strains were sensitive to Ciprofloxacin. All strains were resistant to Ampicillin followed by Ciprofloxacin. All strains were resistant to Ampicillin followed by Gentamycin (43%), Kanamycin (43%), Tetracycline (43%), Streptomycin (28.5%) and Chloramphenicol (28.5%).     

Inhibin/Activin信号对卵巢癌生长调控的初步研究

目的 :分析抑制素 (Inhibin)和激活素 (Activin)在卵巢癌上皮和间质中的表达 ,评估两种多肽信号对卵巢癌生长的调控作用 ,探讨卵巢癌发病机制。方法 :采用免疫组化法检测 10 2例卵巢癌上皮及间质中抑制素和激活素的表达。结果 :( 1)激活素在卵巢癌组织上皮和间质中的总阳性表达率显著高于抑制素 ( 79/ 2 0 4vs 5 2 / 2 0 4 ,P <0 .0 0 5 ) ;( 2 )卵巢癌上皮中激活素阳性表达率显著高于抑制素 ( 61/ 10 2vs 2 2 / 10 2 ,P <0 .0 0 5 ) ,而间质中抑制素阳性表达率显著高于激活素 ( 30 / 10 2vs 18/ 10 2 ,P <0 .0 5 ) ;( 3)高分化癌组织(G1、G2 )上皮中激活素阳性表达率显著低于低分化癌组织 (G3、G4 )上皮中激活素阳性表达率 ( 4 5 / 66vs 16/ 36,P <0 .0 0 5 )。结论 :抑制素和激活素在卵巢癌组织中的不平衡表达可能是卵巢癌发生、发展的原因之一 ;低分化癌组织较高分化癌组织合成更多的激活素 ,通过与受体结合 ,激活信号放大 ,刺激细胞生长更趋恶性     

Breast milk feeding rates of mothers of multiples compared to mothers of singletons.

OBJECTIVE: Over 3% of infants born annually in the United States are from a multiple gestation pregnancy, yet there is little data published about the feeding practices of their mothers. The objectives of this study were to determine and compare the rates of breast milk feeding of mothers of multiples and mothers of singletons. METHODS: Stratified random sampling (n = 686) on the basis of plurality of pregnancy and gestational age at delivery was performed on a 1999 birth certificate database in the greater Cincinnati area. We collected information about infant feeding during the first 6 months of life using a retrospective, self-administered questionnaire and phone interview from mothers of term singletons (TS), preterm singletons (PS), term multiples (TM), and preterm multiples (PM). Data were analyzed using chi-square and logistic or multiple regression. RESULTS: We obtained feeding information from 346 mothers (n = 81 TS, 80 PS, 90 TM, and 95 PM). By 3 days postpartum, PM provided breast milk less often than all other groups: TS = 69%, PS = 66%, TM = 73%, PM = 57% (P =.035). Among mothers who initiated breast milk feeding, the geometric mean duration of at least some breast milk feeding was significantly shorter for PM than for all other groups: TS = 23 weeks, PS = 19 weeks, TM = 24 weeks, and PM = 12 weeks (P =.002). CONCLUSIONS: Further evaluation of the potential causes for the lower breast milk feeding rates among PM is needed to develop effective intervention strategies and increase the number of preterm multiple gestation infants receiving breast milk.     

Infections in the gynaecological tract

In the context of infections in the body, those that occur in the gynaecological tract are less common and perhaps less clinically significant compared with other body sites. However, a few infections are important in view of their association with pathological sequelae such as tumour formation or pelvic inflammatory disease complex.This review will discuss some of the most relevant infections, first under histology, which will be further subdivided into locations in the genital tract and then under cytology, which focuses mainly on the infections seen in cervical cytology samples. There will be only brief mention of the less common infections or those that do not produce diagnostic challenges or lead to significant complications.