1,4‐Bisbenzil: Visible‐Light‐ and Heat‐Assisted Crosslinking of Polystyrene Films

Polystyrene (PS) film containing 1,4‐bisbenzil is efficiently crosslinked in two steps. In the first step, visible light (λ > 400 nm) causes molecular oxygen to insert between two carbonyl groups of one of the 1,2‐dicarbonyl groups. The peroxide is subsequently decomposed by absorption of another photon, forming acyloxy radicals, which add to the aromatic ring of the PS chain. The remaining 1,2‐dicarbonyl group is then photoperoxidized to form PS with pendant benzoyl peroxide moieties. In the second step, pendant benzoyl peroxide groups are decomposed thermally to form acyloxy macroradicals responsible for the crosslinking. Crosslinking proceeds simultaneously with degradation. Finally, the gel content in the film may exceed 80 wt%.

     

Effects of Child Characteristics on the Autism Diagnostic Interview-Revised: Implications for Use of Scores as a Measure of ASD Severity

The Autism Diagnostic Interview-Revised (ADI-R) is commonly used to inform diagnoses of autism spectrum disorders (ASD). Considering the time dedicated to using the ADI-R, it is of interest to expand the ways in which information obtained from this interview is used. The current study examines how algorithm totals reflecting past (ADI-Diagnostic) and current (ADI-Current) behaviors are influenced by child characteristics, such as demographics, behavioral problems and developmental level. Children with less language at the time of the interview had higher ADI-Diagnostic and ADI-Current. ADI-Diagnostic totals were also associated with age; parents of older children reported more severe past behaviors. Recommendations are provided regarding the use of the ADI-R as a measure of ASD severity, taking language and age into account.     

Large-scale generation of autologous dendritic cells for immunotherapy in patients with acute myeloid leukemia

BACKGROUND: Mononuclear cells (MNCs) of severely impaired acute myeloid leukemia (AML) patients may be collected by leukapheresis for large-scale generation of dendritic cells (AML-DCs) under good manufacturing practice (GMP) conditions for adoptive immunotherapy. STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS: In five end-stage AML patients, a leukapheresis procedure was performed with a cell separator (either COBE Spectra [Gambro BCT] or Amicus [Baxter]). For large-scale AML-DC generation, the MNCs of a single leukapheresis concentrate were isolated by density gradient and plated into a cell factory under GMP conditions. The AML-DCs were harvested on Day 8 of culture, and their viability, the mature morphology, and the phenotype were evaluated. The AML-DCs were injected subcutaneously into five AML patients up to four times at a biweekly interval. RESULTS: All AML patients entered the leukapheresis procedure with a highly pathologic blood count. In a mean separation time of 198 +/- 33 minutes, a mean of 1.3 +/- 0.2-fold the total blood volume was processed with a white blood cell (WBC) yield of 9 x 10(9) to 70 x 10(9) per collection dependent on the precollection WBC count. After density gradient a mean of 2.2 x 10(9) +/- 0.3 x 10(9) MNCs were plated into a cell factory. This resulted in a mean viable and mature DC yield of 0.01 x 10(9) of MNCs. CONCLUSION: The leukapheresis procedure is a feasible and safe procedure even in patients with hematologic malignancies and highly pathologic blood counts. Sufficient amounts of MNCs can be collected in leukopenic patients and the large-scale generation of AML-DCs in cell factories under GMP conditions yields in an adequate quantity of viable and mature AML-DCs.     

Myocardial perfusion tomography imaging in patients without prior myocardial infarction--comparison between 201Tl, 99mTc-tetrofosmin and dual-isotope protocol (rest 201Tl/stress 99mTc-tetrofosmin)

The authors compared retrospectively the diagnostic accuracy of three protocols--201Tl stress-redistribution, 2-day 99mTc-tetrofosmin and the dual-isotope protocol (rest 201Tl/stress99m Tc-tetrofosmin)--for the detection of ischaemic heart disease (IHD) in a total of 115 patients without previous myocardial infarction (IM). 201Tl protocol (group A) was used to examine 43 patients, incl. 15 women, mean age 51 years (38-69 years). The 2-day 99m Tc-tetrofosmin protocol was used to examine 39 patients incl. 12 women, mean age 49 years (30-71 years). The dual-isotope protocol was used in 33 patients, incl. 8 women, mean age 52 years (31-69 years). In all patients coronarography was performed, stenosis of the artery >50% was considered significant for IHD. The sensitivity of the dual-isotope protocol was 95% and 96% resp. and 92% in the 2-day tetrofosmin and 201Tl protocol, (p>0.05). The specificity of the dual-isotope protocol was 82% and 89% resp. and 88% in the 201Tl and 2-day tetrofosmin protocol, (p >0.05). The diagnostic accuracy was 91% in the dualisotope and 201Tl protocol and 92% in the 2-day protocol (p>0.05). No significant difference was revealed in the sensitivity, specificity and diagnostic accuracy for the detection of IHD between different protocols in patients without previous IM.     

Evaluation of blood morphology in patients with refractory multiple myeloma treated with thalidomide

Thalidomide, a derivative of alpha-N-phthalimidoglutarimide acid, was withdrawn from the market in the 1960s because of severe birth defects. Recent reports have suggested antiangiogenic and antitumor activity of this drug. We have treated 52 patients with refractory multiple myeloma at age from 32 to 79 years (mean 63) with thalidomide at a dose of 200-400 mg daily. Out of the group of 52 patients, 27 patients (52%) responded to the therapy, in 25 patients (48%) a response was not achieved (decline in monoclonal protein was smaller than 25%). There was a systematic improvement in haemoglobin concentration, erythrocyte count and thrombocyte count during thalidomide therapy. Leukocyte count showed an inclination to decrease, however observed changes were not statistically significant. The improvement in morphotic parameters of blood was observed both in responder and nonresponder patients.     

Expression of RHAMM/CD168 and other tumor-associated antigens in patients with B-cell chronic lymphocytic leukemia

Antigen targeted immunotherapies might represent a novel treatment for B-cell chronic lymphocytic leukemia (B-CLL). We screened the mRNA expression of tumor-associated antigens (TAAs) from the literature (fibromodulin, survivin, OFA-iLRP, BAGE, G250, MAGE1, PRAME, proteinase, syntaxin, hTERT, WT-1) and TAAs defined previously by serological analysis of cDNA expression libraries from leukemic cells (PINCH, HSJ2, MAZ, MPP11, RHAMM/CD168, NY-Ren60). Peripheral blood mononuclear cells from 43 B-CLL patients and 20 healthy volunteers (HVs) were examined by conventional and quantitative RT-PCR. mRNA of RHAMM/CD168, fibromodulin, syntaxin and NY-Ren60 was expressed in 55-90%, and mRNA of HSJ2, MAZ and OFAiLRP was expressed in 90-100% of the patients. No expression of WT-1, hTERT, BAGE, G250, MAGE1 or survivin was observed. Low (2-20%) expression frequencies of MPP11, PINCH, PRAME and proteinase were detected. RHAMM/CD168, fibromodulin, PRAME and MPP11 showed expression in B-CLL patients, but not in HVs. Because of the exquisite tissue expression of RHAMM/CD168 and its high expression frequency in CLL patients, mixed lymphocyte peptide culture (MLPC), enzyme-linked immunosorbent spot (ELISPOT) and flow cytometry were performed for antigen specific T-cells. In MLPC, RHAMM specific responses by CD8+HLA-A2/R3tetramer+CCR7-CD45RAhigh effector T-cells were detected. RHAMM/CD168 might be a possible target for future immunotherapies in both ZAP-70(+) and ZAP-70(-) B-CLL patients.     

Factors influencing scores on the social responsiveness scale

Background: The Social Responsiveness Scale (SRS) is a parent‐completed screening questionnaire often used to measure autism spectrum disorders (ASD) severity. Although child characteristics are known to influence scores from other ASD‐symptom measures, as well as parent‐questionnaires more broadly, there has been limited consideration of how non‐ASD‐specific factors may affect interpretation of SRS scores. Previous studies have explored effects of behavior problems on SRS specificity, but have not addressed influences on the use of the SRS as a quantitative measure of ASD‐symptoms. Method: Raw scores (SRS‐Raw) from parent‐completed SRS were analyzed for 2,368 probands with ASD and 1,913 unaffected siblings. Regression analyses were used to assess associations between SRS scores and demographic, language, cognitive, and behavior measures. Results: For probands, higher SRS‐Raw were associated with greater non‐ASD behavior problems, higher age, and more impaired language and cognitive skills, as well as scores from other parent report measures of social development and ASD‐symptoms. For unaffected siblings, having more behavior problems predicted higher SRS‐Raw; male gender, younger age, and poorer adaptive social and expressive communication skills also showed small, but significant effects. Conclusions: When using the SRS as a quantitative phenotype measure, the influence of behavior problems, age, and expressive language or cognitive level on scores must be considered. If effects of non‐ASD‐specific factors are not addressed, SRS scores are more appropriately interpreted as indicating general levels of impairment, than as severity of ASD‐specific symptoms or social impairment. Additional research is needed to consider how these factors influence the SRS’ sensitivity and specificity in large, clinical samples including individuals with disorders other than ASD.