Successful use of recombinant factor Viia in traumatic liver injury--a case report

The paper describe the use of rFVIIa in the management of massive bleeding in a patient with polytrauma involving liver injury. An 18-year-old girl with severe polytrauma sustained during a bus-car collision. She had multiple musculoskeletal injuries, severe concussion of the liver with amputation of the left liver lobe, disruption of the left hepatic vein from the inferior vena cava, and impaired hemostasis. Acute bleeding (> 5 L) was not improved by conservative methods and a single dose of rFVlla 90 pg/kg was administered. Infusion of rFVlla resulted in an immediate clinical effect with rapid improvements in blood laboratory measurements and coagulation parameters. rFVIIa should be considered as an adjunctive treatment for the control of hemorrhage in severely injured patients with uncontrolled bleeding and impaired hemostasis.     

Biosynthesis of the major brain gangliosides GD1a and GT1b

Gangliosides-sialylated glycosphingolipids-are the major glycoconjugates of nerve cells. The same four structures-GM1, GD1a, GD1b and GT1b-comprise the great majority of gangliosides in mammalian brains. They share a common tetrasaccharide core (Galβ1-3GalNAcβ1-4Galβ1-4Glcβ1-1'Cer) with one or two sialic acids on the internal galactose and zero (GM1 and GD1b) or one (GD1a and GT1b) α2-3-linked sialic acid on the terminal galactose. Whereas the genes responsible for the sialylation of the internal galactose are known, those responsible for terminal sialylation have not been established in vivo. We report that St3gal2 and St3gal3 are responsible for nearly all the terminal sialylation of brain gangliosides in the mouse. When brain ganglioside expression was analyzed in adult St3gal1-, St3gal2-, St3gal3- and St3gal4-null mice, only St3gal2-null mice differed significantly from wild type, expressing half the normal amount of GD1a and GT1b. St3gal1/2-double-null mice were no different than St3gal2-single-null mice; however, St3gal2/3-double-null mice were >95% depleted in gangliosides GD1a and GT1b. Total ganglioside expression (lipid-bound sialic acid) in the brains of St3gal2/3-double-null mice was equivalent to that in wild-type mice, whereas total protein sialylation was reduced by half. St3gal2/3-double-null mice were small, weak and short lived. They were half the weight of wild-type mice at weaning and displayed early hindlimb dysreflexia. We conclude that the St3gal2 and St3gal3 gene products (ST3Gal-II and ST3Gal-III sialyltransferases) are largely responsible for ganglioside terminal α2-3 sialylation in the brain, synthesizing the major brain gangliosides GD1a and GT1b.     

Five-year cumulative incidence of smoking in adult Croatian population: the CroHort study

The aim of this paper is to investigate the incidence of smoking and changes in smoking habits in Croatia during a 5-year period. Data from the Croatian Adult Health Study of 2003 and 2008 was used for the study (N = 3229). The results of this study suggest that the incidence of smoking is the highest in youngest men and decreases with age. In ages 35 to 64 and older than 65 the incidence was higher in women than men. The cumulative smoking incidence is low in Croatia, but particularly alarming is a higher incidence in women than in men.     

Group-specific phytoplankton biomass/dissolved carbohydrate relationships in the Gulf of Trieste (Northern Adriatic)

Distribution of carbohydrates (CHO) and photosynthetic pigments werestudied in the Gulf of Trieste, northern Adriatic Sea, during the period ofsummer stratification with a special emphasis on determining the impact ofthe taxonomic composition and concentration of phytoplankton biomass on thecarbohydrate levels in the water column. Dissolved total carbohydrates(DTCHO), dissolved monosaccharides (DMCHO) as well as particulatecarbohydrates (PTCHO) were determined using the colorimetric MBTH-method,while pigment biomarkers of the phytoplankton biomass were determined byreversed-phase HPLC. Concentrations of the total CHO (dissolved+particulate) varied in a wide range from 173 μg Cl^™1 to 1552 μg C l^™1. The percentage ofPTCHO in the total CHO concentration was relatively low(4–25%), indicating that the main pool of CHO was in thedissolved phase. The contribution of DTCHO to the total dissolved organiccarbon (DOC) in late summeontribution r was highly variable(10–65%) with an average value of 20 ± 14%, whilein early summer this percentage was somewhat lower and less variable (range11–23%; average 17± 3%). Analyses of biomarkerpigments revealed a very high diversity and a rather heterogenous verticaland spatial distribution of the phytoplankton biomass during the period ofsummer stratification. In September 1994, the predominant taxonomic groupsof phytoplankton were prymnesiophytes, diatoms, silicoflagellates,cyanobacteria and, especially in the bottom layer, dinoflagellates. Arelatively good correlation (r² =0.51) found betweenDTCHO and chl a suggested that DTCHO were mainly of phytoplankton origin.Furthermore, a concomitant increase of DTCHO with peridinin and fucoxanthinindicated that dinoflagellates and diatoms had a decisive impact on CHOlevels in the water column. By contrast, early summer phytoplankton (June),which was dominated by prymnesiophytes, exhibited a comparatively lowerimpact on the CHO distribution. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Molecular genetic alterations of FHIT and p53 genes in benign and malignant thyroid gland lesions

Several oncogenes and tumor-suppressor genes are involved either as early or late event in thyroid gland carcinogenesis. Human FHIT (fragile histidine triad) gene is highly conserved gene whose loss of function may be important in the development and/or progression of various types of cancer. We undertook this study to analyze FHIT and p53 gene status in different benignant and malignant thyroid tumors. Status of these genes as well as intensity of apoptosis was analyzed in tumor tissues by molecular genetic methods, immunohistochemistry, and FACS-scan analysis. The majority of the malignant thyroid cancers displayed aberrant expression of FHIT gene, concominant with p53 gene inactivation. This is followed by low rate of apoptosis, which may be important in the development and/or progression of thyroid cancer. We found higher incidence of p53 mutation and aberrant processing of FHIT mRNA in malignant tumors (papillary, follicular, medullary and anaplastic carcinomas) and in those tumors with distant metastasis. The growth of p53(-)/FHIT(-) follicular carcinoma of human origin was much faster in nude mice than p53(+)/FHIT(+) follicular carcinoma, and mice had shorter survival rate. Our results show a correlation between aberrant FHIT and p53 expression, low rate of apoptosis, and malignancy. Concomitant aberration of FHIT gene and p53 could be responsible for development of highly malignant types of thyroid cancer and may be considered as a prognostic marker for these tumors.     

Biochemical screening of fetal aneuploidies and neural tube defects by "double-test" in Croatia: a 10 years' experience

The aim of the study is to investigate the efficiency of the second-trimester biochemical screening, with maternal serum alpha-fetoprotein (MS-AFP) and free beta-subunit of human chorionic gonadotropin (free beta-hCG), during the ten-year period. The study included 11,292 of pregnant women between the 15th and 18th gestational week, who underwent screening from November 1996 to December 2006. The risk for trisomy 21 and trisomy 18 were calculated by computer software, based on a model which generated the final risk for fetal aneuploidies from the pregnant woman's a priori age risk and the likelihood ratio of the distribution of the biochemical markers, according to the second-trimester gestation. With the cut-off value of the final risk > or = 1:250, the detection rate for trisomy 21 was 75% (21/28). In women less than or equal to 35, the detection was 57.1% (8/14) and 92.9% (13/14) in those over 35 years, respectively. The detection rate of trisomy 18 was 50% (2/4). The results confirmed that the implementation of double-test, as non-invasive screening for fetal aneuploidies, should be accepted as a complementary method of antenatal care.     

Stereomicroscope analysis of enamel surface after orthodontic bracket debonding

After orthodontic brackets debonding, the remaining resin has to be removed. The purpose of this study was to determine the most efficient method as well as to introduce a new method of composite removal. The study was carried out on a sample of 30 premolars, extracted for orthodontic purposes. Brackets had been bonded using the Ortho One Bisco composite resin. After the removal of brackets, samples were randomly divided into three groups of ten. Composite remnants in the first group were removed using the Band Driver (KaVo). For the second group, the tungsten carbide bur (Komet) was applied. In the third group, composite remnants were removed manually, using adhesive removing pliers (ORMCO). The samples were analysed using a light-stereomicroscope (Olympus). Photomicrographs were examined and the ARI (Adhesive Remnant Index) was calculated. Post Hoc tests (Scheffe, Tukey) indicated a statistically significant difference between groups 1 and 2 as well as between groups 1 and 3. The tungsten carbide bur was found to be the most efficient instrument for composite remnant removal.     

Catabolism of terbuthylazine by mixed bacterial culture originating from s-triazine-contaminated soil

The s-triazine herbicide terbuthylazine (TERB) has been used as the main substitute of atrazine in many EU countries for more than 10 years. However, the ecological consequences of this substitution are still not fully understood. Since the fate of triazine herbicides is primarily dependent on microbial degradation, in this paper, we investigated the ability of a mixed bacterial culture, M3-T, originating from s-triazine-contaminated soil, to degrade TERB in liquid culture and soil microcosms. The M3-T culture grown in mineral medium with TERB as the N source and citrate as the C source degraded 50 mg L^?1 of TERB within 3 days of incubation. The culture was capable of degrading TERB as the sole C and N source, though at slower degradation kinetics. A thorough LC-MS analysis of the biodegradation media showed the formation of hydroxyterbuthylazine (TERB-OH) and N-t-butylammelide (TBA) as major metabolites, and desethylterbuthylazine (DET), hydroxydesethylterbuthylazine (DET-OH) and cyanuric acid (CA) as minor metabolites in the TERB degradation pathway. TBA was identified as a bottleneck in the catabolic pathway leading to its transient accumulation in culture media. The supplementation of glucose as the exogenous C source had no effect on TBA degradation, whereas citrate inhibited its disappearance. The addition of M3-T to sterile soil artificially contaminated with TERB at 3 mg kg^?1 of soil resulted in an accelerated TERB degradation with t _1/2 value being about 40 times shorter than that achieved by the native microbial community. Catabolic versatility of M3-T culture makes it a promising seed culture for accelerating biotransformation processes in s-triazine-contaminated environment.     

Optimization of conditions for acid protease partitioning and purification in aqueous two-phase systems using response surface methodology

Aspergillopepsin I, an acid protease, was purified using an aqueous two-phase system that comprised various combinations of polyethylene glycol (PEG), NaH₂PO₄ and NaCl. Partition of the enzyme depended upon the molecular mass of the PEG and the presence of NaCl. With PEG 1500, 4000 and 6000, the partition coefficients were increased by 1,500-, 1,800- and 560-fold compared to values without NaCl. The presence of NaCl (8.75%, w/w) increased purification by 3.8, 9.5 and 2.8 times into these respective PEGs. The optimal aqueous two-phase system for acid protease purification was developed using response surface methodology. This system contained 17.3% of PEG 4000 (w/w), 15% NaH₂PO₄ (w/w) and 8.75% NaCl (w/w) and provided the best partition coefficient (Ke > 1,100) and yield over 99% in the same phase. The optimal ATPS purification factor of acid protease was over 5.