Endometrial and endocervical secretion: the search for histochemical differentiation

OBJECTIVE: To determine the ideal histochemical stain to differentiate between non-neoplastic and neoplastic endocervix and endometrium. STUDY DESIGN: A total of 90 cases representing nonneoplastic cervix, non-neoplastic endometrium, endocervical adenocarcinoma and endometrial adenocarcinoma were stained with toluidine blue (TB); methylene blue (MB); mucicarmine (MUC); periodic acid-Schiff before and after diastase digestion (PAS, PAS-D); Alcian blue, pH 2.5 (AB); and periodic acid-Schiff after Alcian blue, pH 2.5 (PAB). Cases were blinded and randomly divided between two pathologists for evaluation of the staining and the staining distribution of the glandular epithelium by means of a 36-color scheme. RESULTS: The majority of non-neoplastic endocervix samples stained blue with MB (57%), fuchsia with MUC (70%), magenta with PAS (77%) and PAS-D (73%) and dark turquoise with AB (70%). The majority of non-neoplastic endometrium samples stained slate blue with TB (60%) and pink with PAS-D (53.3%). There is statistical difference (p < 0.05) in the color of the epithelium and secretions between the non-neoplastic cervix and endometrium. The malignant glands of endocervical origin could be differentiated significantly (p = 0.043) from non-neoplastic endocervical epithelium by MUC. The epithelium of the non-neoplastic endometrium is significantly differentiated from malignant endometrium using TB (p = 0.015) and MB (p = 0.038). Endocervical carcinoma could be significantly differentiated from endometrial carcinoma by MB. The staining in endocervical adenocarcinoma and endometrial carcinoma was predominantly present in both apical and cytoplasmic locations compared to their non-neoplastic counterparts (endocervix, p = 0.003; endometrium, p = 0.049). CONCLUSION: This study showed that a panel of histochemical stains could differentiate glandular cells of endocervical epithelium from endometrium.     

In situ release of coral mucus by <Emphasis Type="Italic">Acropora</Emphasis> and its influence on the heterotrophic bacteria

In situ mucus release by Acropora nobilis and degradation of mucus from A. nobilis and Acropora formosa, by heterotrophic bacteria were investigated at Bidong and Tioman Island, Malaysia. Mucus release rate for A. nobilis was on average 38.7 ± 35.2 mg C m⁻² h⁻¹, of which ca. 70% consisted of dissolved organic carbon (DOC) and 30% particulate organic carbon (POC). In the mucus degradation experiment, seawater-mucus mixtures were incubated and compared with control runs for 24 h. Bacterial abundance in the seawater-mucus mixture increased significantly and coincided with a decline in DOC concentration. In controls, bacteria and DOC did not significantly change. The coral mucus had a high content of inorganic phosphate. It is suggested that the coral mucus rich in DOC and phosphate can induce the high bacterial growth.     

Bioinformatics in molecular immunology laboratories demonstrated: Modeling an anti-CMV scFv antibody

A scFv (single chain variable fragment) antibody clone from anti-CMV (anti-cucumber mosaic virus) was successfully constructed from immunized mouse and the DNA sequence was submitted to GenBank (AY337618 and AY337619). The expression of a 32 kDa recombinant antibody in bacteria was verified using ELISA (enzyme-linked immunoassay) and western blot. However, elucidation of specific anti-CMV scFv function requires detailed and time consuming immuno-assays. Alternatively, useful functional information on anti-CMV scFV antibody can be obtained using available Bioinformatics tools and techniques without performing tedious assays. Here, we use the commonly used Bioinformatics tools and databases such as BLAST (basic local alignment search tool), GenBank, PDB (protein databank), KABAT numbering, SWISS-MODEL and Insight II to gain specific functional insights into anti-CMV scFv.     

Acute graft-vs.-host disease correlates with the disparity for the PECAM-1 S536N polymorphism only in the HLA-B44-like positive Tunisian recipients of HSCs

GVHD is the major cause of mortality after HLA-identical HSCT. Such complication has been widely linked to donor/recipient disparity for minor histocompatibility antigens (MiHAgs). PECAM-1 is one of potential human MiHAgs but its effect on the GVHD occurrence remains not clear. In order to examine such association in the Tunisian cohort of HSCs recipients, we performed a retrospective study on patients who undergone HLA-identical HSCT between 2000 and 2009. Genotyping of the three selected PECAM-1 polymorphisms (rs668, rs12953 and rs1131012) was performed with SSP-PCR method. Univariate analyses showed that grades II-IV acute GVHD were considerably linked to the non-identity for rs12953 only in HLA-B44-like positive patients (p = 0.010, OR = 10.000). Multivariate analysis for chronic GVHD showed that this outcome may be affected only by the adulthood and the conditioning regimen. Our findings support the previously reported data suggesting a significant association between the PECAM-1 disparity and the risk of acute GVHD.     

Information from pharmaceutical companies and the quality, quantity, and cost of physicians' prescribing: a systematic review

Background

Pharmaceutical companies spent $57.5 billion on pharmaceutical promotion in the United States in 2004. The industry claims that promotion provides scientific and educational information to physicians. While some evidence indicates that promotion may adversely influence prescribing, physicians hold a wide range of views about pharmaceutical promotion. The objective of this review is to examine the relationship between exposure to information from pharmaceutical companies and the quality, quantity, and cost of physicians'' prescribing.

Methods and Findings

We searched for studies of physicians with prescribing rights who were exposed to information from pharmaceutical companies (promotional or otherwise). Exposures included pharmaceutical sales representative visits, journal advertisements, attendance at pharmaceutical sponsored meetings, mailed information, prescribing software, and participation in sponsored clinical trials. The outcomes measured were quality, quantity, and cost of physicians'' prescribing. We searched Medline (1966 to February 2008), International Pharmaceutical Abstracts (1970 to February 2008), Embase (1997 to February 2008), Current Contents (2001 to 2008), and Central (The Cochrane Library Issue 3, 2007) using the search terms developed with an expert librarian. Additionally, we reviewed reference lists and contacted experts and pharmaceutical companies for information. Randomized and observational studies evaluating information from pharmaceutical companies and measures of physicians'' prescribing were independently appraised for methodological quality by two authors. Studies were excluded where insufficient study information precluded appraisal. The full text of 255 articles was retrieved from electronic databases (7,185 studies) and other sources (138 studies). Articles were then excluded because they did not fulfil inclusion criteria (179) or quality appraisal criteria (18), leaving 58 included studies with 87 distinct analyses. Data were extracted independently by two authors and a narrative synthesis performed following the MOOSE guidelines. Of the set of studies examining prescribing quality outcomes, five found associations between exposure to pharmaceutical company information and lower quality prescribing, four did not detect an association, and one found associations with lower and higher quality prescribing. 38 included studies found associations between exposure and higher frequency of prescribing and 13 did not detect an association. Five included studies found evidence for association with higher costs, four found no association, and one found an association with lower costs. The narrative synthesis finding of variable results was supported by a meta-analysis of studies of prescribing frequency that found significant heterogeneity. The observational nature of most included studies is the main limitation of this review.

Conclusions

With rare exceptions, studies of exposure to information provided directly by pharmaceutical companies have found associations with higher prescribing frequency, higher costs, or lower prescribing quality or have not found significant associations. We did not find evidence of net improvements in prescribing, but the available literature does not exclude the possibility that prescribing may sometimes be improved. Still, we recommend that practitioners follow the precautionary principle and thus avoid exposure to information from pharmaceutical companies. Please see later in the article for the Editors'' Summary     

Comparative Morphology of Atalodera spp. and Thecavermiculatus spp. (Heteroderidae) with Scanning Electron Microscopy

SEM examination of second-stage juveniles (J2) and adults of Atalodera ucri, A. lonicerae (syn. Sherodera lonicerae), Thecavermiculatus sp. (undescribed new species), T. andinus, and T. crassicrustatus revealed new characters. A primitive en face pattern with six separate lips occurs in J2 of Thecavermiculatus spp. examined and in about half the polymorphic A. lonicerae. A derived en face pattern with fused adjacent submedial lips occurs in the other half of A. lonicerae and all A. ucri. Posteriorly, the J2 head of all species is annulated. The primitive en face pattern also occurs in males of A. lonicerae and Thecavermiculatus spp., and posteriorly the head of these species consists of plates. Fewer plates occur rarely in males of A. ucri. Males of A. ucri have a derived en face pattern where lips are fused and the head is annulated. Fusion of lips occurs rarely in males of A. lonicerae. Females of all species have similar derived en face patterns. En face patterns of J2 and males o f Atalodera and Thecavermiculatus may aid in species identification and to elucidate intergeneric relationships, but en face characters shared by the two genera are primitive and are not useful for demonstrating monophyly. Perineal region of females indicates the closeness of the vulval-anal distance, as a derived character, which is shared by Atalodera and most Thecavermiculatus spp. suggesting possible monophyly. T. andinus, while having a similar en face pattern to J2 of other Thecavermiculatus species, lacks the derived character of the perineal region. Phasmid openings were not observed in adults of any of the species examined.     

Protective effect of arabic gum against cardiotoxicity induced by doxorubicin in mice: a possible mechanism of protection

Arabic gum (AG) is a naturally occurring compound that has been proposed to possess potent antioxidant activity. In this study, the possible effects whereby AG could protect against cardiotoxicity induced by doxorubicin (DOX) in mice were carried out. Administration of single dose of DOX (15 mg/kg, i.p.) induced cardiotoxicity 72 h, manifested biochemically by a significant elevation of serum creatine kinase (CK) (EC 2.7.3.2). In addition, cardiotoxicity was further confirmed by the significant increase in lipid peroxides measured as malondialdehyde (MDA). Administration of AG (25 g/kg) orally for 5 days before and 72 h after DOX injection produced a significant protection against cardiotoxicity induced by DOX. This was evidenced by significant reductions in serum CK and cardiac lipid peroxides. The effect of AG was examined on the superoxide anion radical generated by enzymatic and nonenzymatic methods. The results indicate that AG is a potent superoxide scavenger. The superoxide scavenging effect of AG may explain, at least in part, the protective effect of AG against cardiotoxicity induced by DOX.