Prevention of neutrophil apoptosis by monosodium urate crystals

The effects of monosodium urate (MSU) crystals on apoptosis of cultured peripheral blood neutrophils were investigated. MSU crystals at low concentrations decreased the rate of spontaneous apoptosis of neutrophils in a dose- and time-dependent manner. The culture supernatant of MSU crystal stimulated neutrophils also promoted a delay in neutrophil apoptosis. MSU crystals at higher concentrations rapidly caused cell lysis. These findings indicated that MSU crystals are capable of amplifying the inflammatory responses of gouty arthritis by decreasing the rates of neutrophil apoptosis at lower concentrations and inducing cell lysis at higher concentrations.     

Protein expression profiles in human breast ductal carcinoma and histologically normal tissue

Reference two-dimensional (2-D) gels are presented for human breast ductal carcinoma and histologically normal tissue. Whole biopsy fragments were analyzed, including epithelial and nonepithelial components. Thirty-five spots have been assigned by gel matching to the human liver SWISS-2DPAGE reference map and/or to the human primary keratinocyte IPG map from the Danish Center for Human Genome. N-terminal microsequencing was applied to confirm randomly chosen matching assignments and to identify six new spots. Protein expression profiles in ductal carcinoma and in normal breast tissue appeared to be similar, except for a pattern consisting of 32 spots, which were highly expressed in all carcinoma specimens, and less intense and occasionally undetectable in normal tissue. This difference was statistically significant. Assignment has been obtained for several spots, namely GRP94, GRP78, GRP75, mitochondrial HSP60, calreticulin, protein disulfide isomerase, peptidyl-prolyl cis-trans isomerase, collagen-binding protein 2, fructose bisphosphate aldolase, glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase, thioredoxin, cytochrome c oxidase VA subunit, tubulin beta isoform and macrophage migration inhibitory factor (MIF). The cancer- and tissue-specificity of the described pattern was assessed by matching to the Swiss-2DPAGE human liver, hepatoma, lymphoma, erythroleukemia reference maps. The pattern of 32 spots was found to be indicative of epithelial neoplasia.     

Simultaneous bilateral fractures of the hip following a grand mal seizure. An unusual complication

Pathological fractures as a consequence of convulsive seizures without direct trauma occur in 0.3% of cases. Some lesions such as bilateral posterior dislocation of the shoulder, fracture-dislocation of the shoulder or fracture and/or dislocation of the hip strongly suggest a seizure as the aetiology. We report on a patient with simultaneous central dislocation of one hip with fracture of the contralateral femoral neck provoked by spontaneous seizures. Unrecognized associated injuries following a convulsion may result in long-term functional disability and legal consequences.     

Large cell neuroendocrine carcinoma of the thymus

AIM: We highlight the occurrence of an unusual neuroendocrine tumour, a large cell neuroendocrine carcinoma, arising from the thymus. CASE DETAILS: A 68-year-old man with a history of cigarette smoking had a large mediastinal tumour arising from the thymus removed. Two years later the tumour recurred; it was debulked surgically but the patient died 2 months later: Histological examination of both tumour specimens revealed a tumour with an endocrine pattern, composed of large pleomorphic cells with large nuclei and prominent nucleoli. The mitotic count ranged from 19 to 26 per 10 high-power fields and large tracks of coagulative tumour necrosis were present. The tumour cells were strongly positive for neuron-specific enolase (NSE), chromogranin, CAM5.2 and AE1/3, with cytoplasmic dot-like accentuation for the latter three markers. The tumour fulfilled the criteria for a diagnosis of large cell neuroendocrine carcinoma. CONCLUSIONS: Large cell neuroendocrine carcinoma should be distinguished from atypical carcinoid and small cell carcinoma. It is a distinctive neuroendocrine malignancy with a prognosis between that of atypical carcinoid and small cell carcinoma, and needs to be treated aggressively.     

Simplified 0.35-μm flash EEPROM process using high-temperatureoxide (HTO) deposited by LPCVD as interpoly dielectrics and peripheraltransistors gate oxide

A simplified flash EEPROM process was developed using high-temperature LPCVD oxide both as flash cells interpoly dielectrics and as peripheral transistors gate oxide (decoding logic). An O₂ anneal at 850°C lowers charge trapping and interface trap density induced by Fowler-Nordheim injection. However, electron trapping remains slightly higher than with dry thermal oxide. Similar memory charge loss and write-erase endurance are obtained as for ONO-insulated cells. HTO thus proves to have the required quality and reliability to be used in flash EEPROMs     

Worksite characteristics and changes in worksite tobacco-control initiatives. Results from the COMMIT study

Few studies have prospectively examined the characteristics associated with worksite adoption of tobacco-control initiatives. Data were collected as part of the Community Intervention Trial (COMMIT) for Smoking Cessation, which conducted interventions in 11 communities. This smoking cessation intervention was based on community organization principles and delivered through multiple community channels, including worksites, health care providers, the media, and cessation resources. This article reports results from telephone interviews of intervention community worksites having 50 or more employees, conducted at baseline and the end of the intervention period. Among worksites that responded to both baseline and final surveys, 83% had not adopted a smoke-free policy at baseline, and 61% did not offer any cessation aid or quitting resources at baseline. By the final survey, 34% of those with no smoking ban at baseline had become smoke-free, and 36% of those offering no cessation assistance at baseline were offering cessation resources at the follow-up. The prevalence of policy adoption was higher among worksites employing more female employees and offering other health-promotion activities; manufacturing businesses were significantly less likely than businesses other than service and wholesale/retail businesses to adopt policies. Adoption of cessation programs was significantly more likely among worksites employing 100 to 249 workers, compared with those employing 50 to 99 workers; those predominantly employing men; those offering other types of health-promotion activities; and those with a higher rate of turnover. These results provide important information about the characteristics of worksites likely to engage in tobacco-control efforts. Health educators and others may choose to target those worksites most ready for adoption of tobacco control policies and programs, as indicated by these findings.     

Expression of functional MHC class II molecules by a mouse pro-B cell clone

OBJECTIVE: Pooled bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF), the return of lavage, contains both bronchial and alveolar material which differ from each other. Artifacts may be created by filtering, centrifuging and washing cells before cytopreparation. This study presents reference values of healthy volunteers for the alveolar sample, ALF, cytopreparation being performed without filtration or centrifugation. METHODS: Eighteen healthy, non-smoking volunteers underwent a standard bronchoalveolar lavage using 10 aliquots of 20 ml of saline. Excluding the return of the first and second aliquots, the rest were pooled and examined cytologically, immunocytochemically and biochemically. The mean, standard deviation, and 95% confidence limits were calculated for the following variables: amount of return, estimated content of epithelial lining fluid (ELF), total and differential cell counts on filter and cytocentrifuge (CCF) preparations, computed cell counts per unit volume of ALF, distribution of lymphocyte subgroups CD3+CD2, CD4, CD8, CD19, CD25 and CD57, and the ratio of CD4 to CD8, the amounts of lymphocytes in the same subgroups per volume of ALF, and the concentrations of total protein, albumin, immunoglobulins A, G and M, hyaluronic acid, eosinophilic cationic protein (ECP), procollagen III aminoterminal propeptide (PCP) and beta 2-microglobulin in ALF and in ELF, as well as the ratios of the concentrations of the solutes in ALF to the same in serum. RESULTS: The 95% confidence limits of means for the most important variables were as follows: estimated ELF content 0.42-0.74%; total cells in ALF 76.6-143.0 x 10(6) l-1; distribution of inflammatory cells on filter and CCF slides: macrophages 74.9-83.6 and 81.4-90.1%, lymphocytes 13.1-22.5 and 8.1-16.4%, and neutrophils 1.0-4.1 and 0.7-2.7%, respectively; distribution of lymphocyte subsets: CD3+CD2 85.6-90.6%, CD4 44.3-53.1%, CD8 26.9-35.8%; concentration of solutes in ALF: total protein 44.8-61.3 mg l-1, albumin 15.4-22.2 mg l-1, IgA 1.8-3.4 mg l-1, IgG 3.1-6.1 mg l-1, IgM 0.05-0.26 mg l-1, hyaluronic acid 8.8-11.1 micrograms l-1, ECP 0.19-0.77 micrograms l-1, PCP 0.005-0.58 micrograms l-1, beta 2-microglobulin 62.2-81.5 micrograms l-1. CONCLUSIONS: Our results show that excluding the bronchial sample from ALF of volunteer subjects and omitting filtering and washing before cytopreparation produces cytologic, immunocytochemical and biochemical reference values with reasonable 95% confidence limits to be used in clinical settings.     

Selective catalytic reduction of NOx by hydrocarbons on Pt/Al2O3 catalysts at low temperatures without the formation of N2O

The selective reduction of nitrogen oxides by hydrocarbons on a Pt catalyst has been investigated. Some variations are observed between different reductants. However, the most significant result is the observation that no N₂O is observed as a by-product when toluene is used as a reductant.