Endovascular Repair of Arterial Iliac Vessel Wall Lesions with a Self-Expandable Nitinol Stent Graft System

Objective

To assess the therapeutic outcome after endovascular repair of iliac arterial lesions (IALs) using a self-expandable Nitinol stent graft system.

Methods

Between July 2006 and March 2013, 16 patients (13 males, mean age: 68 years) with a self-expandable Nitinol stent graft. A total of 19 lesions were treated: nine true aneurysms, two anastomotic aneurysms, two dissections, one arteriovenous fistula, two type 1B endoleaks after endovascular aneurysm repair, one pseudoaneurysm, and two perforations after angioplasty. Pre-, intra-, and postinterventional imaging studies and the medical records were analyzed for technical and clinical success and postinterventional complications.

Results

The primary technical and clinical success rate was 81.3% (13/16 patients) and 75.0% (12/16), respectively. Two patients had technical failure due to persistent type 1A endoleak and another patient due to acute stent graft thrombosis. One patient showed severe stent graft kinking on the first postinterventional day. In two patients, a second intervention was performed. The secondary technical and clinical success rate was 87.5% (14/16) and 93.8% (15/16). The minor complication rate was 6.3% (patient with painful hematoma at the access site). The major complication rate was 6.3% (patient with ipsilateral deep vein thrombosis). During median follow-up of 22.4 months, an infection of the aneurysm sac in one patient and a stent graft thrombosis in another patient were observed.

Conclusion

Endovascular repair of various IALs with a self-expandable Nitinol stent graft is safe and effective.     

Selective quantitative bioanalysis of proteins in biological fluids by on-line immunoaffinity chromatography-protein digestion-liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry

A quantitative method for the determination of proteins in complex biological matrices has been developed based on the selectivity of antibodies for sample purification followed by proteolytic digestion and quantitative mass spectrometry. An immunosorbent of polyclonal anti-bovine serum albumin (BSA) antibodies immobilized on CNBR agarose is used in the on-line mode for selective sample pretreatment. Next, the purified sample is trypsin digested to obtain protein specific peptide markers. Subsequent analysis of the peptide mixture using a desalination procedure and a separation step coupled, on-line to an ion-trap mass spectrometer, reveals that this method enables selective determination of proteins in biological matrices like diluted human plasma. This approach enhances substantially the selectivity compared to common quantitative analysis executed with immunoassays and colorimetry, fluorimetry or luminescence detection. Hyphenation of the immunoaffinity chromatography with on-line digestion and chromatography-mass spectrometry is performed and a completely on-line quantification of the model protein BSA in bovine and human urine was established. A detection limit of 170 nmol/l and a quantification limit of 280 nmol/l is obtained using 50 microl of either standard or spiked biological matrix. The model system allows fully automated absolute quantitative mass spectrometric analysis of intact proteins in biological matrices without time-consuming labeling procedures.     

Patterns of interspecific associations of stem gallers on willows

Abstract.  The pattern of interspecific associations of three stem-galling sawfly species ( Euura atra , E. elaeagnos , E. purpureae ) and three stem-galling gallmidge species ( Rabdophaga sp. 3–5) was investigated on five willow taxa ( Salix alba , S. fragilis , S.  ×  rubens , S. elaeagnos , S. purpurea ) at five natural sites in Central Europe. The willow species harboured specific species associations of two stem gallers, each pair consisting of one Euura and one Rabdophaga species. The stem gallers were patchily distributed and their densities varied significantly among willow host plant species, host plant individuals, and host plant sexes. Four of the six species showed a significant increase in galling rate with shoot length. The other two species were the sawfly and cecidomyiid pair that induce galls on S. purpurea . The preference of stem gallers to longer shoots was generally not related to higher larval performance in terms of survival. Only one species, Rabdophaga sp. 5, was found to be more abundant on male plants. The correlation of densities of the species pairs of stem gallers was independent of willow sexes. Species pairs of stem gallers co-occurring on the same willow species tended to attack different shoots within the same host plant individual. When species pairs co-occurred on shoots they were usually found in similar densities as when occurring alone on shoots. The stem-galling sawflies usually formed galls at the basal part of a shoot, whereas the gallmidge R . sp. 5 ( R . sp. 3 and R . sp. 4 showed no clear tendency) preferred the middle or distal part of a shoot. This is interpreted with differences of their phenology and oviposition period.     

Netherlands Twin Register: a focus on longitudinal research.

In 1986 we began The Netherlands Twin Register (NTR) by recruiting young twins and multiples a few weeks or months after birth. Currently we register around 50% of all newborn multiples in The Netherlands. Their parents receive a questionnaire at registration and afterwards when the children are 2, 3, 5, 7, 10 and 12 years of age. Teachers are asked to rate the behavior of the children at ages 7, 10 and 12 years. Adolescent and young-adult twins were recruited through City Councils in the early 1990s. These twins, their parents and siblings participate in longitudinal survey studies that include items about health, fertility, lifestyle, addiction, personality and psychopathology, religion, socioeconomic status, and educational attainment. The total number of twins and multiples registered with the NTR is currently over 60,000. Subgroups of twins and siblings take part in studies of cognitive development, brain function and neuropsychological indices of attention processes, and molecular genetic studies of classical and behavioral cardiovascular risk factors. DNA samples are currently collected in selected twin families for two large linkage studies, which aim to find QTLs for anxious depression and for nicotine addiction. Sisters who are mothers of DZ twins contribute DNA samples for a linkage study of DZ twinning. Large cohorts of phenotyped family members from the general population are very valuable for genetic epidemiological studies and permit selection of informative families for gene finding studies.     

Cardiac rehabilitation and the changing cardiac rehabilitation directions in Hoensbroeck rehabilitation centre

Hoensbroeck Rehabilitation Centre has been providing inpatient and outpatient cardiac rehabilitation services since 1980. In these twenty years the patient population has changed considerably. Rehabilitation is currently focussing on the complex and often old patient. The programme that has been developed during this period consists of standard activities that are mainly group oriented. However, certain activities are provided on an individual basis. Based upon this variety of activities, a tailor-made programme can be composed for every individual patient. If the Hoensbroeck programme is compared with the directions given by the Dutch Society of Cardiology and the Netherlands Heart Foundation, the main difference is the use of an integrated approach instead of separate modules. In our view, this is a must for complex cardiac rehabilitation.     

Radio gas chromatography of steroid metabolites by collection of radioactive fractions on thin layer chromatography plates

A simple and inexpensive technique for the monitoring of radioactive compounds in gas chromatographic effluent is described. Use has been made of the adsorption properties of thin layer chromatography plates to trap eluting radioactive peaks. Performance of the technique is demonstrated by analysis of radioactive steroid mixtures. The efficiency and sensitivity of this technique equal that of more complicated techniques.     

Polar corticosteroids in human neonatal urine; Synthesis and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry of ring a reduced 6-hydroxylate corticosteroids

This report describes the synthesis of 3α, 6β, 11β, 17α, 21-pentahydroxy-5β-pregnane-20-one, 3α, 6β, 11β, 17α, 21-pentahydroxy-5α-pregnane-20-one, 3α, 6α, 11β, 17α, 21-pentahydroxy-5β-pregnane-20-one, 3α, 6α, 11β, 17α, 21-pentahydroxy-5α-pregnane-20-one, 3α, 6β, 17α, 21-tetrahydroxy-5β-pregnane-11, 20-dione, 3α, 6β, 17α, 21-tetrahydroxy-5α-pregnane-11, 20-dione, 3α, 6α, 17α, 21-tetrahydroxy-5β-pregnane-1 1, 20-dione and 3α, 6α, 17α, 21-tetrahydroxy-5α-pregnane-11, 20-dione.The gas chromatographic-mass spectrometric properties of these compounds are given. Proof of structure was accomplished using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry, microchemical reactions, optical rotatory dispersion and nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy.     

Characterization of Xanthomonas campestris pv. pruni strains from different hosts by pathogenicity tests and analysis of whole-cell fatty acids and whole-cell proteins

Strains of Xanthomonas campestris pv. pruni obtained from Prunus armeniaca. P. domestica, P. persica and P. salicina in different geographical areas were compared for pathogenicity, fatty acid and wholecell protein analysis. Four strains, one per each host plant, were inoculated at the same time, on the foliage of P. armeniaca, P. avium, P. persica and P. salicina cultivars . Mean content of fatty acids of X.c. pv. pruni strains were also compared with those of many strains of X.c. pv. campestris , pv. graminis , pv. hyacinthii , pv. pelargonii and pv. vasculorum. Strains showed a remarkable homogeneity in fatty acids content and whole-cell protein profiles and principal component and cluster analysis did not reveal any grouping according to original host or geographical origin. However, X.c . pv. pruni strains can be grouped apart from the other X. campestris pathovars. There appears to be no pathogenic specialization among the strains tested, however, they varied in aggressiveness to host plants and host plant in susceptibility. The most of the strains were able to cross-infect species other that from where they were originally isolated, although, P. avium did not show any symptom of disease. P. persica cv. Sentry and P. salicina cv. Globe Sun, recently licensed as resistant to X.c. pv. pruni. were infected, although to a lesser extent, by some strains.