Radiolabeled monoclonal antibodies

Monoclonal antibodies (MoAbs) are biologically engineered proteins designed to bind to antigens emanating from tumor cells. Selected radioactive isotopes are fused with MoAbs to allow radioimmunodetection of external imaging of metastatic deposits in patients with colon cancer. For the past 10 years, radiolabeled MoAbs have improved tumor localization techniques and influenced the clinical management of surgical patients. Intraoperatively, surgeons use appropriately shielded, handheld, gamma detection probes to locate radiolabeled MoAbs and corresponding colon cancers (ie, residual, recurrent tumors). Using gamma detection probes intraoperatively, surgeons can localize nonpalpable occult tumors and disease not suspected from external antibody scans or other traditional diagnostic methods. This success confirms the need for complete tumor resections, thorough scanning of entire tumor beds, and ex vivo scanning of surgical specimens to assess for potential nodal metastases.     

Ketamine as an adjunct to morphine in the treatment of pain

A double-blind multidose trial of the addition of ketamine (0-40 mg, i.m., 8 times per day) to intramuscular morphine therapy was undertaken in a 61-year-old man with chronic back pain related to osteoporosis who had received inadequate pain relief from anterior interbody fusion, dorsal column stimulation and morphine alone. The patient reported only mild side effects. Nausea, tiredness and well-being were not significantly influenced by the ketamine dose level. Visual analogue pain scores prior to each dose were not associated with the ketamine dose level, but pain scores 30 min after doses were significantly reduced in a dose-related manner. In addition, the amount of morphine used by the patient was significantly reduced as the ketamine dose increased. This patient experienced substantial benefit from the addition of ketamine to intramuscular morphine therapy.     

An unusual histone H3 specific for early macronuclear development in Euplotes crassus

A bacterial strain (CF06) that mineralized both the carbonyl group and the aromatic ring of the insecticide carbofuran and that is capable of using carbofuran as a sole source of carbon and nitrogen was isolated from a soil in Washington state. Phospholipid fatty acid and 16S rRNA sequencing analysis indicate that CF06 is a Sphingomonas sp. CF06 contains five plasmids, at least some of which are required for metabolism of carbofuran. Loss of the plasmids induced by growth at 42 degrees C resulted in the inability of the cured strain to grow on carbofuran as a sole source of carbon. Introduction of the plasmids confers on Pseudomonas fluorescens M480R the ability to use carbofuran as a sole source of carbon for growth and energy. Of the five plasmids, four are rich in insertion sequence elements and contain large regions of overlap. Rearrangements, deletions, and loss of individual plasmids that resulted in the loss of the carbofuran-degrading phenotype were observed following introduction of Tn5.     

beta-Defensins: endogenous antibiotics of the innate host defense response

This study is an attempt to analyze the relationships between EEG and dermatoglyphic patterns (DP) in 6-8 years girls. EEG-mapping was carried out in 80 healthy girls with different types of DP in 6 frequency band: delta, theta, alpha-1, alpha-2, alpha-3 and beta. Certain connection of the palmar and finger patterns with the EEG characteristics was revealed. The most pronounced differences were observed between subgroups with prevalence (8 and more) or absence of whorls on their hands fingertips, and between groups with presence or absence of certain pattern (whorl, loop or vestige) on thenar/interdigital 1 area (Th/1). Significant (p<0.05) increase of spectral density in alpha-2 and alpha-3 bands in children with whorls on hand fingertips were revealed in the first case. EEG of children with Th/1 pattern differed from the group without such pattern by increased spectral density in alpha-2, alpha-3 and beta bands. The new data obtained support the genetic determination of the EEG.     

Bradykinin increases the proportion of neonatal rat dorsal root ganglion neurons that respond to capsaicin and protons

A number of studies have examined bradykinin-induced sensitization of primary afferent neurons to mechanical or thermal stimuli. However, bradykinin-induced sensitization to other chemical stimuli has not been systematically addressed. We used primary cultures of dorsal root ganglion neurons from neonatal rats to determine whether bradykinin alters the responsiveness of individual neurons to capsaicin and protons. An increase in the concentration of free intracellular Ca2+ was used as a measure of a response to capsaicin or low pH. Pretreatment with bradykinin (30 nM) increased the proportion of "intermediate-size" (240-320 microm2) dorsal root ganglion neurons that responded to capsaicin (100 nM) or low pH (6.1). However, among "small-size" (160-239 microm2) neurons, bradykinin increased the proportion of neurons that responded to low pH (6.1) but not to capsaicin (10 or 100 nM). Because treatment with arachidonic acid (10 microM) did not mimic the effect of bradykinin and inhibition of cyclo-oxygenase and lipoxygenase with 5,8,11,14-eicosatetraynoic acid (10 microM) did not inhibit the effect of bradykinin on the response to capsaicin, it is not likely that the bradykinin-induced enhancement of neuronal responsiveness is mediated by arachidonic acid or its metabolites in this model. These results support the hypothesis that bradykinin sensitizes primary afferent neurons to other chemicals such as protons that are present in inflamed tissue, particularly by recruiting additional sensory neurons to respond to a given chemical stimulus. An increase in the number of responsive nociceptors that innervate inflamed tissue would contribute to hyperalgesia via spatial summation on spinal neurons in the pathway for pain. Furthermore, since bradykinin enhanced the responsiveness of small-size neurons that responded to protons but not to capsaicin, these data suggest that bradykinin-induced sensitization to protons and capsaicin occur by different mechanisms.