[Training program for patients with COPD].
Explore the source record for details and available documents.
Combined Modality Therapy↗
Biomedical subjects
A Meyer
Publications and source records attributed to A Meyer.
[Black hidrocystoma of the free margin of the eyelid].
A clinico-pathologic case of a black hidrocystoma of the left eyelid margin is reported in a 45-year-old female patient. Clinically, a black nodule was disclosed after eversion of the superior left lid. A surgical full thickness eyelid focal resection was performed to remove the cyst. Histopathology found a cyst covered with an epithelium with a double layer of cells and filled with a brownish granular content, typical of a black hidrocystoma.
Cytoplasmic Granules↗
[Endoscopic harvesting of the vena saphena magna for peripheral vascular reconstruction].
OBJECTIVE: By using an endoscopic, video-assisted instrumentarium we harvested the great saphenous vein for peripheral bypass surgery through minimal skin incisions with the purpose to reduce the wound complications. METHOD: Endoscopic subcutaneous saphenous vein harvesting was performed in 15 patients who underwent peripheral bypass surgery for intermittent claudication. In 6 patients the vein was taken from the affected leg and in 9 patients the vein was harvested from the opposite leg. RESULTS: In every case where the vein was taken from the affected leg we observed severe hematomas, which was in one case complicated by an abscess. Once we converted to the open procedure and in one patient endoscopic preparation led to a small vein injury. When the vein was harvested from the opposite leg no complications occurred. CONCLUSION: The endoscopic subcutaneous saphenous vein harvesting in peripheral bypass surgery with a special video-assisted instrumentarium is feasible. The cosmetic advantages of this procedure are associated with high costs and a long operating time. Although we were not able to demonstrate a reduction of wound complications in our patients, the endoscopic vein harvesting in peripheral bypass surgery should be considered a very promising procedure. Nevertheless we cannot recommend the method for a wide clinical use at this time.
Aged↗
[Histological changes related to scleral buckling for treatment of retinal detachment].
Treatment of retinal detachment frequently uses biocompatible materials to obtain scleral buckling. These materials are not devoid of consequences on surrounding tissues. In 3 eyes enucleated for failure of surgical treatment using scleral buckling materials, the changes prompted by episcleral implants could be observed. The sclera underwent both an inversion of its curvature and a reduction of its thickness under the material, as well as an encapsulation of the material was observed. While a silicone sponge was used in part to encircle one of these eyes, its capsular inner surface was regular and smooth. In contrast, hydrogel implants used in the three eyes showed a peripheral fragmentation prompting in two of them a typical foreign body giant cell granulomatous reaction. Changes in scleral curvature and scleral thinning were observed reflecting the consequences of the buckling procedure. The capsule formation occurred as it does for any nonabsorbable matérial implanted in tissues. Degradation and fragmentation of the hydrogel material suscitated a granuloma in response to fragments. These hydrogel specific changes should be recognized on microscopic examination of slides of either capsule or eyes previously in contact with this implanted material. They attested of the instability of hydrogel after implantation.
Aged↗
[Malignant melanoma on primary acquired conjunctival melanosis].
A primary acquired melanosis occurred in the right bulbar conjunctiva of a 65 year-old caucasian woman. After four years of steadiness, this lesion gave raise to a malignant conjunctival melanoma. The evolution remained under control three years after the end of the therapeutic procedures. Clinical and histopathological data are presented.
Aged↗
Antipolymer antibody reactivity in a subset of patients with fibromyalgia correlates with severity.
OBJECTIVE: To determine the prevalence of antipolymer antibodies (APA) in patients with fibromyalgia (FM) and autoimmune disease control groups and to determine if the presence of these antibodies correlates with severity in patients with FM. METHODS: Sera from patients with FM (n = 47), osteoarthritis (OA) (n = 16), and rheumatoid arthritis (RA) (n = 13) were analyzed. Patients with implants of any kind and patients with concurrent autoimmune conditions were excluded from study. Banked sera from autoimmune disease controls including poly/dermatomyosis (n = 15), RA (n = 30), systemic lupus erythmatosus (SLE) (n = 30), and systemic sclerosis (SSc) (n = 30) were also analyzed. To determine if seroreactivity correlates with severity, banked sera from patients with FM assessed as severe (n = 28) or mild (n = 37) and from controls (n = 21) were assayed. RESULTS: Following analysis, the prevalence of seroreactivity was found to be higher in patients with FM (22/47, 47%) compared to patients with OA (3/16, 19%; p<0.1) or RA (1/13, 8%; p<0.05) and the autoimmune disease control sera from poly/dermatomyosis (2/15, 13%; p<0.05), and patients with RA (3/30, 10%; p<0.01), SLE (1/30, 3%; p<0.01), and SSc (1/30, 3%; p<0.01). The prevalence of APA seroreactivity was also significantly higher in patients with severe FM (17/28, 61%) compared to patients with mild FM (11/37, 30%; p<0.05) and controls (4/21, 19%; p<0.01). In addition, both mean threshold and mean tolerance dolorimetry scores were significantly lower in the seropositive patients with mild FM (1.33+/-0.21, 1.95+/-0.25, respectively) compared to the seronegative patients (1.83+/-0.08, 2.53+/-0.11; p<0.05 for both comparisons, respectively). CONCLUSION: These results reveal that an immunological response, production of anti-polymer antibodies, is associated with a subset of patients with FM. The results also suggest that the APA assay may be an objective marker in the diagnosis and assessment of FM and may provide additional avenues of investigation into the pathophysiological processes involved in FM.
Adolescent↗
Medicare+Choice: reality sets in.
Explore the source record for details and available documents.
Health Maintenance Organizations↗
Complete mitochondrial genome suggests diapsid affinities of turtles.
Despite more than a century of debate, the evolutionary position of turtles (Testudines) relative to other amniotes (reptiles, birds, and mammals) remains uncertain. One of the major impediments to resolving this important evolutionary problem is the highly distinctive and enigmatic morphology of turtles that led to their traditional placement apart from diapsid reptiles as sole descendants of presumably primitive anapsid reptiles. To address this question, the complete (16,787-bp) mitochondrial genome sequence of the African side-necked turtle (Pelomedusa subrufa) was determined. This molecule contains several unusual features: a (TA)n microsatellite in the control region, the absence of an origin of replication for the light strand in the WANCY region of five tRNA genes, an unusually long noncoding region separating the ND5 and ND6 genes, an overlap between ATPase 6 and COIII genes, and the existence of extra nucleotides in ND3 and ND4L putative ORFs. Phylogenetic analyses of the complete mitochondrial genome sequences supported the placement of turtles as the sister group of an alligator and chicken (Archosauria) clade. This result clearly rejects the Haematothermia hypothesis (a sister-group relationship between mammals and birds), as well as rejecting the placement of turtles as the most basal living amniotes. Moreover, evidence from both complete mitochondrial rRNA genes supports a sister-group relationship of turtles to Archosauria to the exclusion of Lepidosauria (tuatara, snakes, and lizards). These results challenge the classic view of turtles as the only survivors of primary anapsid reptiles and imply that turtles might have secondarily lost their skull fenestration.
Animals↗
Anomeric inversion (from beta to alpha) in methylphosphonate oligonucleosides enhances their affinity for DNA and RNA.
Here we report that the poor binding of methylphosphonate oligodeoxynucleosides (MP-ODNs) to their nucleic acid targets can be improved by additional inversion of the anomeric configuration (from beta to alpha) in the sugar moieties to give a new class of analogs, MP alpha-oligonucleosides. MP alpha-dT12and MP 5' alpha-d(TCTTAACCCACA) 3' were synthesized and their ability to form hybrids with complementary single stranded (ss)DNA and ssRNA, as well as with double stranded (ds)DNA, was evaluated. The thermal stability of hybrids formed with MP alpha-analogs was compared with the affinity of phosphodiester (PO) and phosphorothioate (PS) beta- and alpha-oligomers for their targets. Non-ionic MP alpha-oligonucleosides bound to their complementary DNA and RNA strands more tightly than their homologues with natural beta-anomeric configuration did. With DNA target, MP alpha-oligomers formed duplexes more stable than the corresponding natural PO beta-oligomer did. MP alpha-heteropolymer hybridized to RNA target better than PS beta-oligonucleotide did but the hybrid was less stable (DeltaTm-0.5 degrees C per mod.) than the hybrid formed with the natural PO beta-oligomer. Only MP alpha-dT12 bound to dsDNA target at low salt concentration (0.1 M NaCl).
Binding Sites↗
Cloning and characterization of a microsatellite in the mitochondrial control region of the African side-necked turtle, Pelomedusa subrufa.
The nucleotide sequence of the African side-necked turtle mitochondrial control region and its flanking tRNA genes was determined. This 73% A+T-rich region is 1194 bp long. Several conserved motifs involved in the regulation of the mitochondrial genome replication process, including one conserved sequence block (CSB1), and three termination-associated sequences were identified. The most remarkable feature found in this control region was the presence of six microsatellite-containing tandem repeats between the CSB1 motif and the tRNAPhe gene. The potential usefulness of this microsatellite sequence for population-level studies is enhanced by its unique localization in the maternally inherited mitochondrial molecule.
Animals↗
cAMP-dependent protein kinase phosphorylates and activates nuclear Ca2+-ATPase.
A Ca2+-pump ATPase, similar to that in the endoplasmic reticulum, has been located on the outer membrane of rat liver nuclei. The effect of cAMP-dependent protein kinase (PKA) on nuclear Ca2+-ATPase (NCA) was studied by using purified rat liver nuclei. Treatment of isolated nuclei with the catalytic unit of PKA resulted in the phosphorylation of a 105-kDa band that was recognized by antibodies specific for sarcoplasmic reticulum Ca2+-ATPase type 2b. Partial purification and immunoblotting confirmed that the 105-kDa protein band phosphorylated by PKA is NCA. The stoichiometry of phosphorylation was 0.76 mol of phosphate incorporated/mol of partially purified enzyme. Measurement of ATP-dependent 45Ca2+ uptake into purified nuclei showed that PKA phosphorylation enhanced the Ca2+-pumping activity of NCA. We show that PKA phosphorylation of Ca2+-ATPase enhances the transport of 10-kDa fluorescent-labeled dextrans across the nuclear envelope. The findings reported in this paper are consistent with the notion that the crosstalk between the cAMP/PKA- and Ca2+-dependent signaling pathways identified at the cytoplasmic level extends to the nucleus. Furthermore, these data support a function for crosstalk in the regulation of calcium-dependent transport across the nuclear envelope.
Animals↗
Hox gene variation and evolution.
Explore the source record for details and available documents.
Animals↗
Platyrrhine systematics: a simultaneous analysis of molecular and morphological data.
Platyrrhine phylogeny has been investigated repeatedly with morphological characters and DNA nuclear gene sequences, with partially inconsistent results. Given the finding in the past decade that the mitochondrial genome is a potentially valuable source of phylogenetic information, we gathered DNA sequence data of a fragment of the 16S and the entire 12S mitochondrial genes. The objectives were to generate a cladistic phylogeny based on these data and to combine them in a simultaneous analysis with morphological characters and preexisting nuclear DNA sequences. Mitochondrial data analyzed on its own yielded a cladogram that was different from those generated with other data sets. The simultaneous analysis of mitochondrial, nuclear, and morphological data yielded a tree most congruent with that generated with nuclear data and to a lesser degree with the morphological one. It depicted a basal dichotomy that led to two major clades: one of them comprised [Atelinae (Callicebus + Pitheciini)] and the other major clade comprised [Aotus ((Cebus, Saimiri) (Callitrichinae))]. The weakest point of the phylogeny was the position of Aotus as basal within their clade as opposed to more closely linked with either the callitrichines or Cebus-Saimiri. Relationships within callitrichines and atelines were unstable as well. The simultaneous phylogenetic analysis of all data sets revealed congruent signal in all of them that was partially obscured in the separate analyses.
Amino Acid Sequence↗
Limitations of metazoan 18S rRNA sequence data: implications for reconstructing a phylogeny of the animal kingdom and inferring the reality of the Cambrian explosion.
We document the phylogenetic behavior of the 18S rRNA molecule in 67 taxa from 28 metazoan phyla and assess the effects of among-site rate variation on reconstructing phylogenies of the animal kingdom. This empirical assessment was undertaken to clarify further the limits of resolution of the 18S rRNA gene as a phylogenetic marker and to address the question of whether 18S rRNA phylogenies can be used as a source of evidence to infer the reality of a Cambrian explosion. A notable degree of among-site rate variation exists between different regions of the 18S rRNA molecule, as well as within all classes of secondary structure. There is a significant negative correlation between inferred number of nucleotide substitutions and phylogenetic information, as well as with the degree of substitutional saturation within the molecule. Base compositional differences both within and between taxa exist and, in certain lineages, may be associated with long branches and phylogenetic position. Importantly, excluding sites with different degrees of nucleotide substitution significantly influences the topology and degree of resolution of maximum-parsimony phylogenies as well as neighbor-joining phylogenies (corrected and uncorrected for among-site rate variation) reconstructed at the metazoan scale. Together, these data indicate that the 18S rRNA molecule is an unsuitable candidate for reconstructing the evolutionary history of all metazoan phyla, and that the polytomies, i.e., unresolved nodes within 18S rRNA phylogenies, cannot be used as a single or reliable source of evidence to support the hypothesis of a Cambrian explosion.
Animals↗
Tandem and triple high-dose chemotherapy with autologous stem cell rescue in metastatic breast cancer.
The purpose of this phase II study was to evaluate the therapeutic efficacy and toxicity of a tandem or triple high-dose chemotherapy (HDC) with autologous peripheral blood stem cell transplantation (PBSCT) in patients with metastatic breast cancer (MBC) as first line chemotherapy. Conventional chemotherapy consisted of two cycles of epirubicin 120 mg/m2 and ifosfamide 7500 mg/m2 in the case of tandem HDC and one cycle of paclitaxel 135 mg/m2, epirubicin 90 mg/m2 and ifosfamide 6000 mg/m2 in the case of triple HDC. Tandem HDC was composed of two cycles of epirubicin 180 mg/m2, ifosfamide 12000 mg/m2 and carboplatin 900 mg/m2. In the case of triple HDC, paclitaxel 180 mg/m2, etoposide 1500 mg/m2 and thiotepa 600 mg/m2 was added as the third cycle. Patients with tandem HDC (n = 20) were evaluable for both survival and toxicity, and patients with triple HDC (n = 21) only for toxicity because of short-term follow-up. Both tandem and triple HDC were well tolerated and could be safely administered. Non-hematological WHO grade 3 or 4 toxicities were mucositis (8), temporary renal insufficiency (1), myocardial infarction (1), and neuropathy (1). No toxic death occurred. The Kaplan-Meier estimates for 44-months without progression and the overall survival were 12% and 38% respectively. The median survival was 22 months (95% CI: 7.4-51.7 months) and the median progression-free interval 14 months (95% CI: 5.1-43.7 months). In a population with an unfavorable prognosis, tandem HDC showed similar efficacy as to that described in other phase II studies. Triple HDC seems not to improve patient outcome compared to tandem HDC, but a long-term follow up is required.
Adult↗
Adhesion formation of the parietal and visceral peritoneum: an explanation for the controversy on the use of autologous and alloplastic barriers?
OBJECTIVE: To compare formation of adhesions after injury to both parietal and visceral peritoneum and to determine the benefit of autologous transplants and alloplastic barriers in adhesion prevention. DESIGN: Experimental prospective animal study and prospective randomized clinical study. SETTING: An academic research environment. PATIENT(S): Forty women undergoing laparoscopy for endometriosis treatment. INTERVENTION(S): In 60 rats, either the visceral or parietal peritoneum was injured and covered with autologous peritoneal transplants in half of the animals. The formation of adhesions was assessed 21 days postoperatively. In women, adhesions were evaluated 3 months after surgery with or without placement of alloplastic barriers on visceral lesions. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE(S): Adhesions evaluated according to a scoring system. RESULT(S): Adhesions after injury of the visceral peritoneum in rats were significantly more severe than those from the parietal peritoneum. Autologous peritoneal transplants led to fewer adhesions especially after serosal injuries. Female volunteers treated with alloplastic barrier material showed less severe adhesions than the control group. CONCLUSION(S): The present data indicate that the potential to form adhesions is significantly higher in visceral than in parietal peritoneal lesions. The development of adhesions after injury to the visceral peritoneum could be reduced by a synthetic barrier material.
Animals↗
We are devo-evo. Workshop: Novartis Foundation Symposium No. 222: Homology, London, UK, 21-23 July 1998. Followed by an open meeting: Homology, Welcome Trust, London, UK, 24 July 1998.
Explore the source record for details and available documents.
Animals↗
Reduced intracellular activity of antibiotics against Listeria monocytogenes in multidrug resistant cells.
Multidrug resistance is expressed not only by bacteria, but also by tumor cells and by some normal cells of the body. It enables eukaryotic cells to exclude not only cytostatic drugs but also non-cytostatic antibiotics. This was demonstrated in genetically engineered multidrug resistant (MDR) cells infected with the facultative intracellular bacterium Listeria monocytogenes for all macrolide antibiotics tested (azithromycin, clarithromycin, erythromycin, josamycin, roxithromycin and spiramycin). In these cells and in conventionally selected MDR cells higher concentrations of the macrolides were necessary to inhibit the growth of L. monocytogenes than in the respective parental cells. This effect was due to a reduced intracellular accumulation, which was shown with a biological assay for all macrolides tested. For azithromycin, the results of this test were confirmed by measurement of the intracellular concentrations with high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). Besides the macrolides, MDR cells excluded also antibiotics of other chemical groups which was shown for ciprofloxacin, clindamycin, rifampicin and the streptogramin derivative RP 59500. In addition, in conventionally selected cells higher concentrations of chloramphenicol, doxycyclin, ofloxacin and trimethoprim than in the respective parental cells were necessary to inhibit the growth of L. monocytogenes. In contrast, when using genetically engineered cells, no significant differences were found for these antibiotics. These differences might be due to a higher expression of multidrug resistance in the conventionally selected cells because these cells were also more effective in excluding rhodamine 123 in a flow cytometric assay. In conclusion, expression of multidrug resistance by eukaryotic cells leads to a reduced concentration of macrolides and other antibiotics in these cells and to an impairment of activity against intracellular bacteria.
Animals↗