Budd-Chiari syndrome following repair of a giant omphalocele

We report a case of Budd-Chiari syndrome following repair of a giant omphalocele. Thrombosis of hepatic veins and of retrohepatic inferior vena cava may result from direct pressure on the hepatic venous outlet after visceral reduction and final abdominal wall closure.     

Tumour-proliferative fraction and growth factor expression as markers of tumour response to radiotherapy in cancer of the uterine cervix

This study seeks to define the role of pretreatment of evaluation of tumour growth fraction in cervical cancer and its relationship to the clinical course of the disease. In addition, it also seeks to explain whether cell kinetics and growth factor expression have an association with tumour response to radiotherapy and hence could be of value in the management of patients. All pre-treatment biopsies were analysed for the tumour-proliferative compartment by evaluation of Ki67 antigen expression and argyrophilic nucleolar organiser region (AgNOR) counts. Growth factor analysis was done by analysing for expression of epidermal growth factor (EGF), epidermal growth factor receptor (EGF-R) and transforming growth factors alpha and beta (TGFalpha, TGFbeta). A total of 152 patients were evaluated and a correlation obtained between pre-treatment status of the tumour-growth-fraction-associated markers and clinical outcome following radiotherapy. Such patients were either disease-free (group 1, n=106) or with residual/recurrent disease (group 2, n=46) at a 16-month follow-up. Pre-treatment analysis of AgNOR significantly correlated to disease status after treatment (r=-0.517, P=0.0000). This may be due to an effect of cell proliferation. Lower AgNOR counts were significantly associated with recurrent/residual tumours, suggesting that increased proliferative activity may be a positive prognostic indicator. Similar results were also obtained for the other proliferation-associated marker Ki67 (r=-0.443, P=0.0000). Expression of EGF and EGF-R also showed significant pre-treatment correlations with the final disease outcome (r=0.248, P=0.031 and r=0.503, P=0.0000 respectively). Both these markers were expressed more by patients belonging to group 2. The opposite was the case for TGFalpha, where patients belonging to group 1 showed higher values (r=0.417, P=0.0001). The other growth factor investigated, TGFbeta, also showed a conspicuous differential expression in the two groups of patients (r=-0.604, P=0.0000). Group 1 patients showed mostly mild to moderate expression while most group 2 patients were negative for the growth factor. It therefore appears that tumours with high AgNOR counts and Ki67 index, along with expression of the two types of transforming growth factor (alpha and beta), responded better to radiotherapy.     

CTLA-4 promoter variants in patients with Graves'' disease and Hashimoto''s thyroiditis

A coronary artery dissection is a rare but well-known lethal complication associated with coronary perfusion. We herein report the case of a right coronary dissection that occurred after an aortic valve replacement. Coronary bypass grafting was successful after the establishment of mechanical biventricular support with an intra-aortic balloon pump and a right ventricular assist device.     

Annexin I is a local mediator in neural-endocrine feedback control of inflammation

From the electric signals measured after photoexcitation, the electrogenicity of the photocycle intermediates of bacteriorhodopsin were determined in a pH range of 4.5-9. Current measurements and absorption kinetic signals at five wavelengths were recorded in the time interval from 300 ns to 0.5 s. To fit the data, the model containing sequential intermediates connected by reversible first-order reactions was used. The electrogenicities were calculated from the integral of the current signal, by using the time-dependent concentrations of the intermediates, obtained from the fits. Almost all of the calculated electrogenicities were pH independent, suggesting that the charge motions occur inside the protein. Only the N intermediate exhibited pH-dependent electrogenicity, implying that the protonation of Asp96, from the intracellular part of the protein, is not from a well-determined proton donor. The calculated electrogenicities gave good approximations of all of the details of the measured electric signals.     

O-(fluoresceinylmethyl)hydroxylamine (OFMHA): a fluorescent reagent for detection of damaged nucleic acids

5- and 6-O-(Fluoresceinylmethyl)hydroxylamine (OFMHA, 5a, b) were prepared from the corresponding bis-pivaloyl-protected hydroxymethylfluoresceins (1a, b) in 50-70% yield. The hydroxylamine derivatives reacted smoothly with the abasic sites present in acid/heat stressed calf thymus DNA.     

Infectivity of African cassava mosaic virus clones to cassava by biolistic inoculation

Clones of an African cassava mosaic virus isolate originating from Nigeria (ACMV-NOg) were shown to be infectious to cassava by biolistic inoculation. The production of pseudorecombinants between ACMV-NOg and clones of an ACMV isolate originating from Kenya (ACMV-K) indicated that the lack of infectivity of ACMV-K to cassava was due to defect(s) in the DNA B genomic component; this component encodes two proteins involved in cell-to-cell movement. This is the first demonstration of infectivity of a cloned geminivirus to cassava and conclusively proves that ACMV is the causative agent of cassava mosaic disease. The potential uses of infectious ACMV clones and the means by which to introduce them into cassava are discussed.     

Plasma cytokine levels and coagulation and complement activation during use of the extracorporeal liver assist device in acute liver failure

Multiple organ failure frequently occurs in patients with acute liver failure, and this has been associated with increased cytokine production. Treatment by hemoperfusion with an extracorporeal liver assist device (ELAD) containing human liver-derived cells was performed in 12 patients with acute liver failure. Over the first 6 h, there were significant increases in plasma tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNFalpha; from 114+/-54 pg/ml [mean+/-SEM] to 236+/-161 pg/ml, p < 0.05) and interleukin (IL)-6 (260+/-121 pg/ml to 445+/-149 pg/ml, p < 0.05) but not in interferon gamma (IFNgamma). A similar pattern with a small peak increase was observed for complement C5b-9 complex. Plasma C-reactive protein (CRP) and thrombin antithrombin (TAT) III complex showed small peaks after 24 h of ELAD hemoperfusion. No such changes were seen in 12 control patients with acute liver failure who were treated with intensive care alone. These transitory effects, without changes in blood pressure, are likely to be due to the contact of the blood with the dialyzer membrane. There was no evidence of the clearance of cytokines by the ELAD.     

Users’ attitude towards Indian standards on NDT: Need for an introspection

Summary The process of preparing and publishing the Indian Standards is very elaborate and aims at having opinions from research institutions, users, manufacturers and service organisations. This should ensure that the standards are quoted and followed extensively. However, this is not seen to happen atleast in NDT field. Need to have an open debate as to what are the courses of user’s indifference to IS standards is emphasised. Various probable reasons are examined in the paper with examples from IS and other standards. The more likely of the causes seen to be that (i) the user prefers a format of a comprehensive code which guides him about acceptance levels and other related aspects, (ii) more faith in background database behind the foreign standards and (iii) causeless indifference. The lesser important reasons are also discussed. Certain suggestions are made about the publication format.