Selective and differential medium for recovery of Pseudomonas cepacia from the respiratory tracts of patients with cystic fibrosis.

A selective and differential medium, OFPBL (oxidation-fermentation base supplemented with agar, lactose, and two antimicrobial agents), for the isolation of Pseudomonas cepacia from respiratory specimens of patients with cystic fibrosis was developed and tested. Among 725 specimens submitted from seven centers over a 4- to 6-month period, 58 (8%) yielded P. cepacia on OFPBL; only 19 of these were recovered on MacConkey or sheep blood agar (P less than 0.001). No isolate was recovered on MacConkey or sheep blood agar alone. Ranges of recovery rates among centers were 0 to 15% on OFPBL and 0 to 10% on MacConkey or sheep blood agar. Ninety percent of P. cepacia isolates were detected on OFPBL in less than or equal to 3 days. Other nonfermenters and yeasts isolated on OFPBL were distinguished from P. cepacia by failure to acidify the medium. The new medium was clearly superior to MacConkey and sheep blood agars for the isolation of P. cepacia from the respiratory secretions of patients with cystic fibrosis.     

Analogue simulator of e.e.g. signals based on spectral components

A model describing the spectral properties of e.e.g signals by a set of parameters has previously been introduced. It leads to a decomposition of the spectrum into one or more spectral components. The described e.e.g.-signal simulator is based on such a decomposition into one delta, and three rhythmic components called theta, alpha and beta denoting the location of the resonance peaks. Each component is generated separately with a noise generator and a spectral shaping filter. Care is taken to make the noise generator have a flat spectrum down to zero frequency. The spectral shaping filters are of an active type with a configuration that allows easy adjustment of poles and zeros. The use of the equipment is demonstrated by simulating five different e.e.g. signals first by analysing the e.e.g., and then by setting the simulator to produce an identical spectrum.     

Study of mandibular kinetics by COSIG. Computerized sirognathograph system

Several programs for coupling Sirognathograph to personal computer are available on the market (Maruyama's SGG Analyzing System Radke's Bio-Pac-Software, Fabris's Computersystem for Sirognathograph S) or are in various non commercial versions used in research (Lewin, Micheler, Proeschel). The COSIG System consists of the software and the hardware (Sirognathograph S--Siemens, XY 575 Recorder Esterline Angus, Personal computer IBM XT, IBM Graphics, Printer, A/D converter Tecmar Labmaster, Roland Plotter 880 DXY). The COSIG software records simultaneously X, Y, Z data from SGG, store and retrieve them. Mandibular movements are presented in time plot mode, in the three planes, in speed and acceleration plots, using different magnifications, direction color code, deliberate observation times, enables zero adjustments and storing of particular situation with comments on it within the file. Simultaneously graphic presentation goes by XY recorder, while stored data are screen printed by Graphic printer or color and black and white plotted by XY plotter. Standard patient examination using COSIG comprises three files i.e. border movement potential, contact movements and chewing standard bolus has been proposed.     

Cyclin B1 is a prognostic proliferation marker with a high reproducibility in a population‐based lymph node negative breast cancer cohort

A large proportion of women with lymph node negative breast cancer do not benefit from chemotherapy. Proliferation markers have been shown to recognize patients at high risk for recurrence. The Ki67 protein has recently been included in the St Gallen guidelines. The authors investigated the prognostic importance of cyclin B1 in node negative breast cancer and included a study of reproducibility. In a population‐based case‐control study, 190 women who died from breast cancer were defined as cases and 190 women alive at the time for the corresponding case's death were defined as controls. Inclusion criteria were tumor size ≤50 mm, no lymph node metastases, and no adjuvant chemotherapy. Tumor tissue was immunostained for cyclin B1. Two investigators (EN‐M and AK) evaluated the staining independently by counting approximately 100, 200, 500, and 1000 cells. Cyclin B1 was statistically significantly associated to breast cancer death, in both uni‐ and multivariate analyses (adjusted for tumor size, age, and endocrine therapy), with odds ratios 2–3 for both investigators. The agreement between the two investigators was good to very good, regardless of the number of counted cells (kappa values between 0.74 and 0.82). Cyclin B1 is a prognostic factor for breast cancer death in a population‐based node negative patient cohort which can identify high‐risk patients with a good to very good reproducibility.     

Splice site mutations are a common cause of X-linked chronic granulomatous disease.

Chronic granulomatous disease (CGD) is characterized by the absence of a respiratory burst in activated phagocytes. Defects in at least four different genes lead to CGD. Patients with the X-linked form of CGD have mutations in the gene for the beta-subunit of cytochrome b558 (gp91-phox). We studied the molecular defect in four patients with X-linked CGD. In a fifth family, we studied the mother of a patient with X-linked CGD who had died before our investigations. Gp91-phox messenger RNA (mRNA) was reverse transcribed into cDNA and the coding region was amplified by polymerase chain reaction into three fragments. Sequence analysis showed the absence of the exon 7, 5, 3, and 2 sequences in patients 1, 2, 3, and 4, respectively. In carrier 5, we found both normal cDNA and cDNA that lacked 57 3'-nucleotides of exon 6. We analyzed the splice sites of the flanking introns of the missing exons. In patients 1, 2, and 3, we found single nucleotide substitutions within the first five positions of the down-stream 5' donor splice sites. In patient 4, a similar substitution was found at position -1 of the 3' acceptor splice site of intron 1. In carrier 5, no mutation was found in the exon 6-intron 6 boundary sequence. Instead, a single substitution was observed in exon 6 (C----A at nucleotide 633) that created a new donor splice site. Apparently, mRNA splicing occurs preferentially at this newly created splice site. We conclude that the absence of the exon sequences in the gp91-phox mRNA of these patients is due to splicing errors. Of 30 European X-linked CGD patients studied by us so far, five appear to be caused by mutations that affect correct mRNA splicing. Thus, such mutations appear to be a common cause of X-linked CGD.     

Physicochemical characterization of protein-loaded pectin-chitosan nanoparticles prepared by polyelectrolyte complexation

Recent advances in nanotechnology applied to proteins are directed towards safer and simpler methods of preparation, using naturally occurring polymers such as alginate, pectin and chitosan. In this study, pectin-chitosan nanoparticles (NPs) were designed by the mild process of polyelectrolyte complexation, which occurs at room temperature without using sonication or organic solvents. NPs with a mean diameter between 300 and 400 nm and 45 to 86% protein association efficiency were obtained by varying the pectin:chitosan mass ratio and initial protein concentration. A prolonged release profile without burst effect of investigated ovalbumin from pectin-chitosan NPs was determined.     

Development and Validation of a Mobile Phone Application Developed for Measuring Dietary Fiber Intake

We have developed a mobile phone application for measuring the intake of dietary fiber and validated the ability of the application to accurately capture this intake against measurements registered by a dietary record. We also investigated what food groups contributed most to the total, soluble, and insoluble dietary fiber intake. Twenty-six randomly selected Swedish women aged 35–85 years were included and randomized to either start to register dietary intake in the application or by a dietary record, during three consecutive days. After a washout period of at least two weeks, the participants used the other method. We found that the difference in measured mean fiber intake between the dietary record and the application was two grams independent of the total intake per day. A statistically significant correlation between fiber intake as measured by the two methods was found (rho = 0.65, p < 0.001). Vegetables and roots were the predominantly contributing foods to total and soluble fiber intake. Bread and crackers contributed most to insoluble fiber intake. In conclusion, the application may be considered as a useful and easy-to-use method to measure dietary fiber intake.     

The effect of lipophilicity of spin-labeled compounds on their distribution in solid lipid nanoparticle dispersions studied by electron paramagnetic resonance

Solid lipid nanoparticles (SLN) constitute an attractive drug carrier system. The aim of this study was to investigate the influence of lipophilicity and structure of different model molecules on their distribution in SLN dispersions. SLN composed of glyceryl tripalmitate as lipid and soybean lecithin and poloxamer 188 as stabilizers were prepared by a melt-emulsification process. PC(10,3), MeFASL(10,3), C(14)-Tempo, and Tempol were incorporated into SLN as spin-labeled compounds. The partition of SP between triglyceride and water was determined experimentally by electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) and compared with calculated partition coefficients. The distribution of molecules in SLN dispersions was determined from the parameters of EPR spectra, from the reduction kinetics of the spin-labeled compounds with sodium ascorbate, and by computer simulation of EPR spectral line shapes. The experimentally obtained partition coefficients increase in the order Tempol < MeFASL(10,3) < C(14)-Tempo, showing the same trend as the partition coefficients calculated according to Rekker. In SLN dispersions, it was estimated that the ratio of SP between solid lipid core, phospholipid layers (deeper in SLN layer or in liposomes and closer to the surface of SLN), and water is for Tempol 0:0:100, for C(14)-Tempo 46:54(20:34):0, for MeFASL(10,3) 34:65(38:27):1, and for PC(10,3) 10:89(26:3:60):1.