Intravitreal tolerance of a new perfluorocarbon vitreous replacement, Multifluor APF-144

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the intravitreal tolerance of a new perfluorocarbon vitreous replacement, Multifluor APF-144 (perfluorotetramethylcyclohexane). DESIGN: Ten New Zealand albino rabbits (one eye from each) underwent vitrectomy. The vitreous was replaced in five eyes with Multifluor APF-144 and in five eyes with saline (control group). OUTCOME MEASURES: Appearance on indirect ophthalmoscopy, electroretinography recordings before and 2, 4 and 8 weeks after vitrectomy, findings on electron and light microscopy at 8 weeks. RESULTS: Endophthalmitis did not develop in any of the eyes. There was no significant change in electroretinography values for the experimental eyes after vitrectomy. No evidence of retinal toxicity was found on light or electron microscopic examination. CONCLUSIONS: Multifluor APF-144 shows promise as a short-term postoperative retinal tamponading agent.     

Dual recognition of lipid A and DNA by human antibodies encoded by the VH4-21 gene: a possible link between infection and lupus

The VH4-21 (V4-34) gene segment, a member of the VH4 family, is expressed early in B-cell maturation and is utilized by approximately 6% of normal adult B lymphocytes. This prevalence indicates an importance of VH4-21 in the B-cell repertoire. The gene also encodes certain autoantibodies being mandatory for pathological IgM anti-red cell antibodies directed against the I/i antigen, and also capable of encoding anti-DNA antibodies. Recognition of I/i antigen or DNA appears to be via two distinct sites on VH, with I/i binding mediated by sequences in the framework region, and DNA binding correlating with the presence of positively charged amino acids in complementarity-determining region 3. However, these positively charged residues appear to suppress the ability of the framework region to interact with I/i, rendering a single sequence monospecific for I/i or DNA. The IgM anti-DNA antibodies also recognize bacterial lipid A, whereas the anti-I/i antibodies do not, indicating that CDR3 may be involved in binding the negatively charged lipid A. Structural similarities between the DNA backbone and lipid A provide a possible explanation for this cross-reactivity. This dual recognition of bacterial antigen and autoantigen provides a potential link between infection and autoimmunity.     

The significance of gastric helicobacteriosis in the genesis hemorrhage from duodenal peptic ulcer

Based on a comprehensive analysis of findings from examination and surgical treatment of 196 patients with bleeding pyloroduodenal ulcers, it was found out that patients with concurrent helicobacteriosis of the stomach are prone to more unfavourable course of their illness, which fact is evidenced by a greater loss of blood and higher risk for bleeding recurrences. A classification is proposed by the authors, taking advantage of the data from endoscopic, microscopic and immunoenzymatic techniques, with the purpose of providing an assessment of degree of severity of helicobacteriosis of the stomach.     

Synthesis of Organotin Polyamine Ethers Containing Acyclovir and their Preliminary Anticancer and Antiviral Activity

Organotin polyamine ethers containing acyclovir in their backbone were synthesized in moderate to high yield employing the aqueous interfacial polycondensation system. The products are high molecular weight polymers. Infrared spectroscopy of the products shows new bands characteristic of the formation of Sn–N and Sn–O bonds consistent with the proposed structure. MALDI-TOF MS below 2000 Da shows the presence of organotin and acyclovir units containing these two moieties. The products show moderate inhibition of a number of cancer cell lines and exhibit the ability to inhibit a number of viruses, particularly the herpes simplex virus-1 and varicella zoster virus that are responsible for herpes, chicken pox and shingles.     

Compressive strength and hydration of wastepaper sludge ash-ground granulated blastfurnace slag blended pastes

Compressive strength and hydration characteristics of wastepaper sludge ash-ground granulated blastfurnace slag (WSA-GGBS) blended pastes were investigated at a water to binder (w/b) ratio of 0.5. The strength results are compared to those of normal Portland cement (PC) paste and relative strengths are reported. Early relative strengths (1 day) of WSA-GGBS pastes were very low but a marked gain in relative strength occurred between 1 and 7 days and this increased further after 28 and 90 days. For the 50% WSA-50% GGBS blended paste, the strength achieved at 90 days was nearly 50% of that of the PC control paste. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD) and thermogravimetric (TG) analysis were carried out to identify the mineral components in the WSA and the hydration products of WSA and WSA-GGBS pastes. The principal crystalline components in the WSA are gehlenite, calcium oxide, bredigite and α′-C₂S (stabilised with Al and Mg) together with small amounts of anorthite and calcium carbonate and traces of calcium hydroxide and quartz. The α′-C₂S and bredigite, which phase separate from liquid phase that forms a glass on cooling, are difficult to distinguish by XRD. The hydration products identified in WSA paste are CH, C₄AH₁₃, C₃A.0.5CC?.0.5CH.H_11.5 and C-S-H gel plus possible evidence of small amounts of C₂ASH₈ and C₃A.3CS?.H₃₂. Based upon the findings, a hydration mechanism is presented, and a model is proposed to explain the observed strength development.     

Fractional Order Nonlinear Bone Remodeling Dynamics Using the Supervised Neural Network

This study aims to solve the nonlinear fractional-order mathematical model (FOMM) by using the normal and dysregulated bone remodeling of the myeloma bone disease (MBD). For the more precise performance of the model, fractional-order derivatives have been used to solve the disease model numerically. The FOMM is preliminarily designed to focus on the critical interactions between bone resorption or osteoclasts (OC) and bone formation or osteoblasts (OB). The connections of OC and OB are represented by a nonlinear differential system based on the cellular components, which depict stable fluctuation in the usual bone case and unstable fluctuation through the MBD. Untreated myeloma causes by increasing the OC and reducing the osteoblasts, resulting in net bone waste the tumor growth. The solutions of the FOMM will be provided by using the stochastic framework based on the Levenberg-Marquardt backpropagation (LVMBP) neural networks (NN), i.e., LVMBPNN. The mathematical performances of three variations of the fractional-order derivative based on the nonlinear disease model using the LVMPNN. The static structural performances are 82% for investigation and 9% for both learning and certification. The performances of the LVMBPNN are authenticated by using the results of the Adams-Bashforth-Moulton mechanism. To accomplish the capability, steadiness, accuracy, and ability of the LVMBPNN, the performances of the error histograms (EHs), mean square error (MSE), recurrence, and state transitions (STs) will be provided.     

Mutation analysis of the MEN1 gene in multiple endocrine neoplasia type 1, familial acromegaly and familial isolated hyperparathyroidism

Multiple endocrine neoplasia type 1 (MEN 1) is an autosomal dominant disease characterized by neoplasia of the parathyroid glands, the endocrine pancreas, and the anterior pituitary gland. In addition, families with isolated endocrine neoplasia, notably familial isolated hyperparathyroidism (FIHP) and familial acromegaly, have also been reported. However, whether these families constitute MEN 1 variants or separate entities remains speculative as the genetic bases for these diseases are unclear. The gene for MEN 1 has recently been cloned and characterized. Using single strand conformation analysis (SSCA) and sequencing, we performed mutation analysis in: a) a total of 55 MEN 1 families from 7 countries, b) 13 isolated MEN 1 cases without family history of the disease, c) 8 acromegaly families, and d) 4 FIHP families. Mutations were identified in 27 MEN 1 families and 9 isolated cases. The 22 different mutations spread across most of the 9 translated exons and included frameshift (11), nonsense (6), splice (2), missense mutations (2), and in-frame deletions (1). Among the 19 Finnish MEN 1 probands, a 1466del12 mutation was identified in 6 families with identical 11q13 haplotypes and in 2 isolated cases indicating a common founder. One frameshift mutation caused by 359del4 (GTCT) was found in 1 isolated case and 4 kindreds of different origin and haplotypes; this mutation therefore represents a common "warm" spot in the MEN1 gene. By analyzing the DNA of the parents of an isolated case one mutation was confirmed to be de novo. No mutation was found in any of the acromegaly and small FIHP families, suggesting that genetic defects other than the MEN1 gene might be involved and that additional such families need to be analyzed.