Identification and characterization of clonal NK-like cells from channel catfish (Ictalurus punctatus)

TcR alpha, beta, and gamma chain negative cytotoxic NK-like cells were cloned from alloantigen-stimulated PBL obtained from nai;ve channel catfish. Stimulation with allogeneic cells and growth promoting factors are required for their continued in vitro proliferation and cytotoxic activity. These granular cells kill not only the stimulating allogeneic cells, but also unrelated allogeneic targets by a perforin/granzyme-mediated apoptosis pathway. In addition, they are negative for markers that define neutrophils, monocytes/macrophages, and non-specific cytotoxic cells. Although these NK-like clones kill a number of different allogeneic targets, they display interclonal variation in cytotoxicity toward a panel of allogeneic targets, i.e. some clones have no apparent target specificity, while others display a target preference. In addition, flow cytometric analyses revealed that expression of a putative FcmuR, an LFA-1-like molecule, and a putative thymocyte/T cell antigen varies among the different clones, with no clear correlation between surface antigen expression and cytotoxic activity. Although not all clones express a putative FcmuR, it was noted that they all expressed an ITAM containing FcepsilonR gamma chain homolog. This finding suggests that the catfish FcepsilonR gamma chain may potentially be used as an accessory molecule for not only FcmuRs, but also for other unknown activation receptors. These results support the hypothesis that catfish NK-like cells are heterogeneous in terms of target specificities and cell surface phenotype.     

Multicenter retrospective analysis of wide-neck dental implants for single molar replacement

PURPOSE: To evaluate the predictability of Straumann wide-neck dental implants (6.5-mm prosthetic neck with a 4.8-mm endosseous sandblasted, large-grit, acid-etched-surface body) used for molar replacement. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Four hundred ninety-nine single-tooth implants were restored in molar sites in 410 patients (mean time of loading 23 months; range, 1 to 54 months) by 6 clinicians throughout the United States. Three hundred-fifty nine implants were placed in the mandible and 148 implants in the maxilla. RESULTS: The overall cumulative survival rate was 98.4% for all sites (8 failures). Survival rates of 99.2% for mandibular molars (3 failures) and 96.6% for maxillary molars (5 failures) were achieved. Survival rate of implants placed in conjunction with the bone-added osteotome procedure in the maxillary molars was 89%, with 5 of 45 procedures leading to failure. DISCUSSION: Minimal restorative problems were encountered. No cases of abutment loosening or fractures were observed for cemented restorations on solid abutments. CONCLUSION: The data suggest that the Straumann solid-screw, wide-neck implants can be a satisfactory choice for molar single-tooth replacement.     

Thirty-Day Post-Discharge Outcomes Following COVID-19 Infection

BackgroundThe clinical course of COVID-19 includes multiple disease phases. Data describing post-hospital discharge outcomes may provide insight into disease course. Studies describing post-hospitalization outcomes of adults following COVID-19 infection are limited to electronic medical record review, which may underestimate the incidence of outcomes.ObjectiveTo determine 30-day post-hospitalization outcomes following COVID-19 infection.DesignRetrospective cohort studySettingQuaternary referral hospital and community hospital in New York City.ParticipantsCOVID-19 infected patients discharged alive from the emergency department (ED) or hospital between March 3 and May 15, 2020.MeasurementOutcomes included return to an ED, re-hospitalization, and mortality within 30 days of hospital discharge.ResultsThirty-day follow-up data were successfully collected on 94.6% of eligible patients. Among 1344 patients, 16.5% returned to an ED, 9.8% were re-hospitalized, and 2.4% died. Among patients who returned to the ED, 50.0% (108/216) went to a different hospital from the hospital of the index presentation, and 61.1% (132/216) of those who returned were re-hospitalized. In Cox models adjusted for variables selected using the lasso method, age (HR 1.01 per year [95% CI 1.00–1.02]), diabetes (1.54 [1.06–2.23]), and the need for inpatient dialysis (3.78 [2.23–6.43]) during the index presentation were independently associated with a higher re-hospitalization rate. Older age (HR 1.08 [1.05–1.11]) and Asian race (2.89 [1.27–6.61]) were significantly associated with mortality.ConclusionsAmong patients discharged alive following their index presentation for COVID-19, risk for returning to a hospital within 30 days of discharge was substantial. These patients merit close post-discharge follow-up to optimize outcomes.Supplementary InformationThe online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s11606-021-06924-0.KEY WORDS: COVID-19, mortality, re-admission, discharge     

Peripancreatic Fat Invasion Is an Independent Predictor of Poor Outcome Following Pancreaticoduodenectomy for Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma

Background  

Following pancreaticoduodenectomy for pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC), identification of peripancreatic fat tumor invasion promotes a tumor to stage T3. We sought to understand better the impact of histological peripancreatic fat invasion on prognosis and site of recurrence in a cohort of patients with PDAC.     

Reverse LISS plating for intertrochanteric Hip Fractures in elderly patients

Background  

Fractures of the intertrochanteric hip are common and the treatment of unstable fractures generally requires an operative approach. In elderly patients, osteoporosis makes internal fixation problematic and frequently contributes to failed fixation and poor clinical results. We have attempted to apply the Less Invasive Stabilization System (LISS) in reverse position for the repair of intertrochanteric hip fractures in elderly patients with osteoporotic bones. A retrospective review is presented of the cases of 28 elderly patients with stable and unstable fractures of the intertrochanteric hip treated using the reverse LISS.     

Skeletal maturation during thyroxine treatment in children with congenital hypothyroidism

Heyerdahl S, Kase BF, Stake G. Skeletal maturation during thyroxine treatment in children with congenital hypothyroidism. Acta Prediatr 1994;83:618–22. Stockholm. ISSN 0803–5253
The aim of this investigation was to study if bone age development (assessed by the Greulich & Pyle atlas) was related to L-thyroxine treatment in 47 children with congenital hypothyroidism, treated early and according to general recommendations. In spite of frequent delay in skeletal maturation at diagnosis, the delay in mean bone age at a mean chronological age of 1.5 years was slight (0.5 months), and 30% of the variation in bone age SD score (SDS) at 1.5 years was accounted for by the dose of L-thyroxine and serum thyroxine during the first year. The children with a bone age within ± 1 SDS had a prescribed mean dose of L-thyroxine per kg body weight from 3 to 12 months of age of 5.4 ± 1.7 pg/kg/day, and their mean serum thyroxine concentration during the first year was 175 ± 29 nmol/l. We conclude that bone age at 1.5 years of age was positively correlated with the dose of L-thyroxine and the serum thyroxine concentration during the first year. This supports the general use of bone age assessments as a complement to other treatment variables in the follow-up of children with congenital hypothyroidism.     

Phylogeny of lymphocyte heterogeneity. I. Membrane immunoglobulins of teleost lymphocytes.

Immunofluorescence studies of bream lymphoid tissues revealed that our 90% of the lymphocytes from blood, anterior kidney, spleen and thymus exhibited membrane immunoglobulin determinants. Furthermore, a majority of such cells were observed to undergo patching and capping when the membrane proteins were complexed with antisera to fish serum immunoglobulins. Lactoperoxidase catalysed radioiodination, detergent lysis and immunoprecipitation with appropriate antisera were employed to study the properties of this membrane immunoglobulin. Quantification, by inhibition of immunoprecipitation with serum immunoglobulin, indicated the average amount of immunoglobulin determinants for bream lymphocytes from either blood, anterior kidney, spleen or thymus to be about half that present on mouse B cells. Physiochemical characterization of labeled membrane immunoglobulin from bream lymphocytes suggested that only one class of immunoglobulin heavy chain was present and that about one-half of this material resembled the monomeric (2H-2L chain) IgM-like proteins present in bream serum. A major unanswered question raised by this study was whether or not certain of the bream membrane immunoglobulin determinants were associated with molecules that did not resemble "classical" immunoglobulins.