Vampires 2.0? The ethical quandaries of young blood infusion in the quest for eternal life

Medicine, Health Care and Philosophy - Can transfusions of blood plasma slow down ageing or even rejuvenate people? Recent preclinical studies and experimental tests inspired by the technique known...     

Monoclonal Antibody Specific for TIRC7 Induces Donor-specific Anergy and Prevents Rejection of Cardiac Allografts in Mice

T cell immune response c-DNA (TIRC7) is up-regulated during the early stages of T-cell activation in response to alloantigens. In this study, we analyzed the effects of newly developed monoclonal antibodies (mAb) against TIRC7 in acute cardiac allograft rejection. Fully vascularized heterotopic allogeneic heart transplantation was performed in mice across a full-mismatch barrier (C57Bl/10 into CBA). Recipients received seven injections (day 0-7) of a novel anti-TIRC7 mAb or remained untreated. Graft survival, histology and ex vivo lymphocyte functions were tested. Targeting of TIRC7 with an anti-TIRC7 mAb diminishes lymphocyte infiltration into grafts resulting in delay of morphological graft damage and prolongation of allograft survival. The lymphocytes from anti-TIRC7 mAb-treated animals exhibit hypo-responsiveness without evidence of lymphocyte depletion against the donor allo-antigens. Proliferation and expression of interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma) and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) were down-regulated while interleukin-4 (IL-4) and IL-10 expression were spared. Moreover, anti-TIRC7 mAb enhanced up-regulation of CTLA-4 expression but suppressed up-regulation of CD25 on stimulated lymphocytes in vitro and in vivo. Ligation of TIRC7 has important effects on the regulation of co-stimulatory signaling pathways associated with suppressing of T-cell activation. Targeting of TIRC7 may therefore provide a novel therapeutic approach for modulating T cell immune responses during organ transplantation.     

False-Positive Computed Tomographic Findings in a Series of 525 Patients with Acoustic Neuromas

In our series of 525 patients operated on for acoustic neuroma, there were three false-positive computed tomography findings resulting in unnecessary surgery. The histories and results of laboratory investigations and surgery are presented. Discussion of the outcome had gadolinium-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging been performed is presented.     

Effects of Rapid Increases of Desflurane and Sevoflurane to Concentrations of 1.5 MAC on Systemic Vascular Resistance and Catecholamine Response during Cardiopulmonary Bypass

Background: Airway irritation was hypothesized to trigger the transient cardiovascular stimulation associated with desflurane. The authors administered desflurane during cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB), thus avoiding airway contact, and compared the effects of rapid increases of desflurane to 1.5 MAC on systemic vascular resistance index (SVRI) and catecholamine response to those of 1.5 MAC sevoflurane.

Methods: Forty-eight patients, undergoing elective coronary bypass surgery, were randomly allocated to receive either desflurane or sevoflurane during hypothermic (32-33 [degree sign] Celsius) nonpulsatile CPB at exhaust gas concentrations of 1.5 MAC for 15 min. SVRI was calculated at baseline, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 9, 12, and 15 min after starting volatile anesthetics' delivery. Plasma catecholamine concentrations were determined in 12 desflurane-treated patients and 12 sevoflurane-treated patients at baseline, 5, and 15 min.

Results: The time-course of Delta SVRI, (changes in SVRI from baseline), from baseline to 5 min was significantly different between desflurane- and sevoflurane-treated patients, whereas there was no difference from 7 to 15 min. In the desflurane group, SVRI from 1 to 7 min remained unchanged to baseline level, thereafter declining to significantly lower values at 9, 12, and 15 min compared with values from 0 to 5 min, whereas sevoflurane produced an immediate and significant reduction in SVRI. With desflurane, catecholamine concentrations remained unchanged to baseline level at 5 and 15 min; with sevoflurane, they decreased with time.     

Moenckeberg media sclerosis: clinical aspects in diabetic patients

We assessed in 1662 consecutive diabetic patients systolic arm-ankle indexes by a Doppler ultrasonic method. In those patients with indexes greater than or equal to 1.3 directional Doppler sonometry and mercury strain gauge plethysmography were performed. In some instancies electronic oscillography, duplex sonography and vital microscopy were additionally done. In 4.45% of the patients functional findings of a mediasclerosis could be encountered. Location of arterial mediacalcinosis was documented by x-ray examinations. Sensitivity of none invasive methods was merely 100%, specificity ranged from 96% (Dopplersonometry) to 80% (Duplexsonometry). In 18.9% an occlusive arterial disease could additionally be found. Mediasclerosis preferentially was encountered in Type II diabetics of older age. In this group painful distal neuropathy in many instances existed mimicking claudication, retinopathy and nephropathy was as frequent as in other diabetics. Normal or elevated Doppler indexes did not exclude occlusive arterial disease whereas diabetics with mediasclerosis and ulcero-gangreneous lesions or amputations in most of the cases did not have occlusive arterial disease.     

Water- and fat-suppressed proton projection MRI (WASPI) of rat femur bone.

Investigators often study rats by microCT to investigate the pathogenesis and treatment of skeletal disorders in humans. However, microCT measurements provide information only on bone mineral content and not the solid matrix. CT scans are often carried out on cancellous bone, which contains a significant volume of marrow cells, stroma, water, and fat, and thus the apparent bone mineral density (BMD) does not reflect the mineral density within the matrix, where the mineral crystals are localized. Water- and fat-suppressed solid-state proton projection imaging (WASPI) was utilized in this study to image the solid matrix content (collagen, tightly bound water, and other immobile molecules) of rat femur specimens, and meet the challenges of small sample size and demanding submillimeter resolution. A method is introduced to recover the central region of k-space, which is always lost in the receiver dead time when free induction decays (FIDs) are acquired. With this approach, points near the k-space origin are sampled under a small number of radial projections at reduced gradient strength. The typical scan time for the current WASPI experiments was 2 hr. Proton solid-matrix images of rat femurs with 0.4-mm resolution and 12-mm field of view (FOV) were obtained. This method provides a noninvasive means of studying bone matrix in small animals.     

Evaluation of a commercial latex test for serological diagnosis ofHelicobacter pylori infection in treated and untreated patients

The value of a commercially available latex test (Pyloriset) for the diagnosis ofHelicobacter pylori infection by demonstration of specific antibodies was compared with that of direct diagnostic methods such as culture, biopsy-urease test and microscopy of fuchsin-stained smears. The sera were from 136 patients who prior to this study either had or had not been treated forHelicobacter pylori-infection simultaneously with amoxicillin (3 × 750 mg/day) and metronidazole (3 × 500 mg/day) for 12 days. On average, the sensitivity of the test was 90 %. The specificity with sera from untreated patients was 75.9 %; with sera from treated patients specificity was 22.2 %, 28 % and 20 % 1, 3 and 6 months respectively after start of treatment. Only as late as one year after the onset of chemotherapy did the specificity return to 67 %. Because of its low specificity this test does not offer any advantage over other tests in the detection ofHelicobacter pylori-infection or in monitoring the chemotherapeutic success.