Thrombolytic and endovascular treatment of peripartum iliac vein thrombosis: a case report

This case report details the multidisciplinary treatment of peripartum left iliac vein thrombosis using percutaneous catheter-directed urokinase thrombolysis and balloon thromboplasty. Enhanced chances for long-term patency and the normalization of venous function make these minimally invasive procedures accepted options for the treatment of iliofemoral deep venous thrombosis in selected peripartum patients.     

Preparation of compound-specific and group-specific antibodies to 7-methylguanine and related 7-alkylguanines and their use in immunoaffinity purification

The preparation and characteristics of compound-specific and group-specific antibodies against 7-alkylguanines (7-alkGua) are described. A compound-specific antibody against 7-methylguanine was prepared using a hapten bound to carrier protein through the N2 position. In a competitive enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) 7-methylguanine (7-MeGua) showed 50% inhibition (I50%) at 10 pmol/well at room temperature, but the inhibition was found to be 40 times better at 4 degrees C (I50% at 250 fmol/well). When the antibody was bound to protein A-Sepharose CL4B 7-MeGua was retained in immunoaffinity columns. A group-specific antibody to 7-alkGua was prepared using 7-(2-carboxyethyl)guanine (7-CEGua) bound to carrier protein via the carboxyl group. In a competitive ELISA, this antibody cross-reacted well with 7-CEGua, 7-ethylguanine (7-EtGua), 7-(2-hydroxyethyl)guanine (7-HOEtGua) and 7-(2',3'-dihydroxy)-propylguanine (7-DHPGua) and some inhibition was seen with 7-MeGua. Immunoaffinity columns prepared from this antibody retained a number of 7-alkGua of diverse structure. 7-EtGua in calf thymus DNA treated with diethylsulphate and ethylnitrosourea was isolated by immunoaffinity purification and quantified by HPLC-fluorescence. These results illustrate the potential of immunoaffinity purification for both individual DNA adducts and groups of adducts.     

Routine prenatal screening for congenital heart disease: what can be expected? A decision-analytic approach

OBJECTIVES: This study assessed the potential impact of fetal ultrasound screening on the number of newborns affected by cardiac anomalies. METHODS: A decision model was developed that included the prevalence and history of congenital heart disease, characteristics of ultrasound, risk of abortion, and attitude toward pregnancy termination. Probabilities were obtained with a literature survey; sensitivity analysis showed their influence on expected outcomes. RESULTS: Presently, screening programs may prevent the birth of approximately 1300 severely affected newborns per million second-trimester pregnancies. However, over 2000 terminations of pregnancy would be required, 750 of which would have ended in intrauterine death or spontaneous abortion. Further, 9900 false-positive screening results would occur, requiring referral. Only the sensitivity of routine screening and attitude toward termination of pregnancy appeared to influence the yield substantially. CONCLUSIONS: The impact of routine screening for congenital heart disease appeared relatively small. Further data may be required to fully assess the utility of prenatal screening.     

Immobilized α-amylase from Bacillus licheniformis: a potential enzymic time—temperature integrator for thermal processing

Biphasic and nth-order models were tested as to their usefulness to fit experimental inactivation data of Bacillus licheniformis α-amylase, immobilized on glass beads, and were discussed with respect to their suitability to characterize the considered enzymic system as a time—temperature integrator (TTI) to evaluate heat processes. Both isothermal and non-isothermal inactivation experiments were carried out. Model (kinetic) parameters (rate constant k, activation energy E_A and reaction order n) were estimated using a non-linear regression procedure. The results obtained, especially the activation energy of about 293 kJ mole^–1, indicated a potential use of this system as a TTI for heating processes in the temperature range of 96–108°C.     

Characterization of the intracellular GLUT-4 compartment

Learned behaviors and tolerance to ethanol can be maintained by peripheral injection of arginine8-vasopressin (vasopressin) under conditions in which they would otherwise be lost. However, the sites of this action in the brain have not been clearly identified. Using a polyclonal antibody raised against Fos and Fos-like proteins, we have demonstrated increases in immunoreactive Fos and Fos-like proteins in the suprachiasmatic, supraoptic and paraventricular nuclei of the hypothalamus, and lesser increases in piriform cortex and amygdala, of the rat 2 h after a s.c. injection of vasopressin. Our results suggest that the exogenous vasopressin may exert its central action by activating a cellular immediate early gene in specific brain regions.     

The protein structure code: what is its present status?

Current methods of prediction of protein conformation are reviewed and the algorithms on which they rely are presented. For non-homologous proteins and after cross-validation the reported methods exhibit a probability index, i.e. the per cent of correctly predicted residues per predicted residues, of 63-65% with a standard deviation of the order of 7% for three conformational states--helix, beta-strand and coil. This present limitation in the accuracy of predictions that use only the information of the local sequence can be related essentially to the effect of long-range interactions specific for each protein family. The methods based on sequence similarity can improve the accuracy of prediction by expressing explicitly the homology of the protein to be predicted with proteins in the database. In these circumstances the probability index can reach 87% with a standard deviation of 6.6%. This property can be used for modeling homologous proteins by aiding in amino acid sequence alignments. The prediction of the tertiary structure of a protein is still limited to the case of modeling a structure based on the known three-dimensional structure of a homologous protein.     

Gas flow through a porous heat-releasing medium with allowance for the temperature dependence of gas viscosity

The gas flow through a porous heat-releasing medium is considered. It has been noted that account for the temperature dependence of the gas viscosity strongly influences the solution: the gas flow rate markedly decreases and a stronger heating occurs. Analysis of the flow of a gas with a temperature-dependent viscosity by the Sutherland formula has revealed two steady-state cooling regimes — stable and unstable ones. It has been shown that the possibility of the steady-state regime is determined not only by the problem parameters but by the initial conditions as well. The transient process from the state of rest in the absence of heat release to the state of the regime of induced filtration upon instantaneous switching-on of heat input is described. __________ Translated from Inzhenerno-Fizicheskii Zhurnal, Vol. 79, No. 1, pp. 35–40, January–February, 2006.     

Hazard Classification of Holding Ponds for Liquid Radioactive Wastes

This paper is devoted to the development of a method for hazard classification of holding ponds at the Industrial Association Mayak, the Siberian Intergrated Chemical Plant, and the Integrated Iron-Mining and Mining-Chemical Plant. The method is based on a combined approach employing the qualitative characteristics and quantitative parameters of the ponds. The classification of holding ponds is intended to be used for developing the requirements for the composition and content of the documentation presented by enterprises for licensing the operation and decommissioning of holding ponds.     

Palatability of prerigor cooked boar meat

Cooking reduces odor intensity in boar meat but also may induce lipid oxidation unless the meat pH is above approximately 6.0. This research was designed to determine the feasibility of cooking boar meat in the prerigor state to overcome boar odor and lipid oxidation problems. Prerigor and postrigor triceps brachii muscle samples from 40 boars (20 Duroc and 20 Yorkshire) were cooked to 60 degrees C, frozen and stored at -20 degrees C, reheated in a 60 degrees C water bath for 1 h, and then subjected to pH, thiobarbituric acid (TBA), and sensory analyses. Boar odor intensity and skatole concentration in backfat samples were determined by olfactory test and HPLC, respectively. Cooked (initial cooking) prerigor meat was found to have higher (P < .05) pH and lower (P < .05) TBA values than comparable postrigor meat (6.44 vs 6.09 and 2.15 vs 3.23, respectively). Regression analysis indicated an inverse relationship between pH and TBA values (r = -.52; P < .01). No appreciable changes in TBA values were noted after frozen storage for 14 to 98 d, but reheating increased TBA values (P < .05) in both prerigor and postrigor samples (3.45 vs 4.32, respectively). Sensory evaluation scores indicated that prerigor cooked meat was less tender with more pronounced rancid flavor than postrigor cooked meat (P < .05), but panelists may have allowed the toughness of the prerigor samples to adversely affect their flavor scores. No difference in boar odor was detected between rigor states or breeds. Mean skatole concentration in backfat was .12 micrograms/g and no difference was detected between breeds.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)