Compliance of a cobalt chromium coronary stent alloy – the COVIS trial

Aim

Female cardiac transplant recipients' aerobic capacity is 60% lower than sex and age-predicted values. The effect of exercise training on restoring the impaired aerobic endurance and muscle strength in female cardiac transplant recipients is not known. This study examined the effect that aerobic and strength training have on improving aerobic endurance and muscle strength in female cardiac transplant recipients.

Methods

20 female cardiac transplant recipients (51 ± 11 years) participated in this investigation. The subjects performed a baseline six-minute walk test and a leg-press strength test when they were discharged following cardiac transplantation. The subjects then participated in a 12-week exercise program consisting of aerobic and lower extremity strength training. Baseline assessments were repeated following completion of the exercise intervention.

Results

At baseline, the cardiac transplant recipients' aerobic endurance was 50% lower than age-matched predicted values. The training program resulted in a significant increase in aerobic endurance (pre-training: 322 ± 104 m vs. post-training: 501 ± 99 m, p < 0.05) and leg-press strength (pre-training: 48 ± 16 kg. vs. post-training: 78 ± 27 kg, p < 0.05).

Conclusion

Aerobic and strength training are effective interventions that can partially restore the impaired aerobic endurance and strength found in female cardiac transplant recipients.     

IFN-gamma is necessary but not sufficient for anti-CD40 antibody-mediated inhibition of the Th2 response to Schistosoma mansoni eggs

The injection of Schistosoma mansoni eggs into the footpads of mice results in a localized Th2 cytokine response and tissue eosinophilia. We examined whether treatment with CD40-activating Abs would block the development of Th2 cytokine responses and eosinophilic tissue pathology in this model. Seven days after C57BL/6 mice were injected with eggs and the FGK45 anti-CD40 Ab, Ag-specific synthesis of IL-4, IL-5, and IL-13 in lymph node culture was reduced (>10-fold) relative to control mice treated with eggs and rat IgG. In contrast, IFN-gamma and IL-12 were increased in both culture supernatants and in the serum. Similar changes in lymph node cytokine mRNA were observed in vivo, and tissue eosinophilia was reduced nearly 20-fold. Th2 cytokine responses in anti-CD40-treated IFN-gamma-/- and IL-12 p40-/- C57BL/6 mice were unaffected, although anti-CD40 induced high levels of systemic and local IFN-gamma production in both wild-type and IL-12 p40-/- mice. We conclude that CD40-activating treatments strongly reverse the immune phenotype generated in response to a classic, Th2-biasing stimulus and stimulate IFN-gamma through a novel IL-12-independent pathway. This model for Th1-deviating immune therapy may have relevance to the treatment of Th2-dependent diseases in general.     

The acid-stable proteinase inhibitor of human mucous secretions (HUSI-I, antileukoprotease). Complete amino acid sequence as revealed by protein and cDNA sequencing and structural homology to whey proteins and Red Sea turtle proteinase inhibitor

The complete amino acid sequence of human antileukoprotease has been determined by direct sequencing of the inhibitory active protein isolated from seminal plasma (HUSI-I) and by sequence analysis of cDNA reverse-transcribed from mRNA prepared from cervical tissue. The inhibitor (Mr 11726) consists of 107 amino acid residues including 16 cysteines presumably forming disulfide bonds. The molecule comprises two consecutive domains which are homologous to each other, to the second domain of the basic protease inhibitor from Red Sea turtle (chelonianin) and to both domains of the whey proteins of rat and mouse. Both domains contain a pattern of cysteines known as the 'four-disulfide-core' that has also been found in wheat germ agglutinin and neurophysin.     

Use of simian virus 40 replication to amplify Epstein-Barr virus shuttle vectors in human cells.

We have increased the copy number of Epstein-Barr virus vectors that also carry the origin of replication of simian virus 40 (SV40) by providing a transient dose of SV40 T antigen. T antigen was supplied in trans by transfection of a nonreplicating plasmid which expresses T antigen into cells carrying Epstein-Barr virus-SV40 vectors. A significant increase in vector copy number occurred over the next few days. We also observed a high frequency of intramolecular recombination when the vector carried a repeat segment in direct orientation, but not when the repeat was in inverted orientation or absent. Furthermore, by following the mutation frequency for a marker on the vector after induction of SV40 replication, it was determined that SV40 replication generates a detectable increase in the deletion frequency but no measurable increase in the frequency of point mutations.     

Higher-level snake phylogeny inferred from mitochondrial DNA sequences of 12S rRNA and 16S rRNA genes

Portions of two mitochondrial genes (12S and 16S ribosomal RNA) were sequenced to determine the phylogenetic relationships among the major clades of snakes. Thirty-six species, representing nearly all extant families, were examined and compared with sequences of a tuatara and three families of lizards. Snakes were found to constitute a monophyletic group (confidence probability [CP] = 96%), with the scolecophidians (blind snakes) as the most basal lineages (CP = 99%). This finding supports the hypothesis that snakes underwent a subterranean period early in their evolution. Caenophidians (advanced snakes), excluding Acrochordus, were found to be monophyletic (CP = 99%). Among the caenophidians, viperids were monophyletic (CP = 98%) and formed the sister group to the elapids plus colubrids (CP = 94%). Within the viperids, two monophyletic groups were identified: true vipers (CP = 98%) and pit vipers plus Azemiops (CP = 99%). The elapids plus Atractaspis formed a monophyletic clade (CP = 99%). Within the paraphyletic Colubridae, the largely Holarctic Colubrinae was found to be a monophyletic assemblage (CP = 98%), and the Xenodontinae was found to be polyphyletic (CP = 91%). Monophyly of the henophidians (primitive snakes) was neither supported nor rejected because of the weak resolution of relationships among those taxa, except for the clustering of Calabaria with a uropeltid, Rhinophis (CP = 94%).      

Enantiomeric composition of the polycyclic musks HHCB and AHTN in different aquatic species

Synthetic polycyclic musk fragrances are mainly represented by the compounds HHCB (Galaxolide(TM)) and AHTN (Tonalide(TM)). Because of their volume of use and their bioaccumulation potential, there is concern with respect to their environmental safety. HHCB and AHTN are chiral compounds, and gas chromatography using modified cyclodextrins as chiral stationary phases coupled to high-resolution mass spectrometry enabled enantioselective analysis even under unfavorable matrix conditions. The gas chromatographic elution order of (4S,7RS)- and (4R,7RS)-HHCB was assigned using synthetic (4S, 7RS)-HHCB. Fish and mussels reared in a pond associated with a municipal waste water treatment plant and semipermeable membrane devices exposed in the pond were analyzed for HHCB and AHTN. The highest lipid concentrations of HHCB and AHTN were observed in mussels (Dreissena polymorpha), tench (Tinca tinca), and crucian carp (Carassius carassius). Pronounced deviations in enantiomeric composition from racemic HHCB were observed in crucian carp and from racemic AHTN in tench. Correlations between lipid levels, enrichment, and enantioselective biotransformation of HHCB or AHTN were not seen. Selective biotransformation depended on both the compound and the species involved. The present study gives the first account of the enantiomeric composition of HHCB and AHTN in aquatic species. The lactone, 1,3,4,6,7,8-hexahydro-4,6,6,7,8, 8-hexamethylcyclopenta[g]-2-benzopyran-1-one, an oxidation product of HHCB, has been identified for the first time in environmental samples. Copyright 1999 Wiley-Liss, Inc.     

Validation of a protein panel for the noninvasive detection of recurrent non-muscle invasive bladder cancer

Context: About 50–70% of patients with non-muscle invasive bladder cancer (NMIBC) experience relapse of disease.

Objective: To establish a panel of protein biomarkers incorporated in a multiplexed microarray (BCa chip) and a classifier for diagnosing recurrent NMIBC.

Materials and methods: Urine samples from 45 patients were tested. Diagnostic performance was evaluated by receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis.

Results: A multi biomarker panel (ECadh, IL8, MMP9, EN2, VEGF, past recurrences, BCG therapies and stage at diagnosis) was identified yielding an area under the curve of 0.96.

Discussion and conclusion: This biomarker panel represents a potential diagnostic tool for noninvasive diagnosis of recurrent NMIBC.     

Sulfite formation by wine yeasts

Eight different strains of wine yeasts were investigated phenomenologically with respect to their fermentation characteristics and sulfite production. It was established that the amount of produced sulfite is specific for each strain and proceeds parallel to the fermentation of sugar. A reduced production of biomass observed in the strongly sulfite-forming strains might be a result of an intracellular inhibition by the produced sulfite.