HTLV-1 associated myelopathy/tropical spastic paraparesis in Egypt.
Explore the source record for details and available documents.
Biomedical subjects
Publications and source records attributed to F Kawano.
Explore the source record for details and available documents.
The bonding strength to titanium, thermal expansion, and bending strength of glassy porcelain containing barium of 5, 10, and 15 mass% were estimated and compared with those of barium-free porcelain, to estimate the effect of barium content on bonding strength to titanium. The three different glassy porcelains containing barium were made by melting at 950 degrees C. The bonding strength of a commercial porcelain to titanium increased with the addition of barium. Bending strength and thermal expansion were not affected by the barium content. Therefore, the addition of barium to porcelain is effective for strengthening the bonding of porcelain to titanium.
We present a 15-year-old woman with acute myelomonocytic leukemia without marrow eosinophilia, M4 in the FAB classification. She was admitted to our hospital with nausea and headaches. Upon admission, the leukocyte count was 284,000/microliters with 95% leukemic cells. The bone marrow aspirate was hypercellular with 74.8% blasts and 0.2% eosinophils. Leukemic cells were positive for myeloperoxidase and esterase staining. Initially, the karyotype of the bone marrow cells on admission was considered to be normal. However, the PEBP2 beta/MYH11 fusion transcript was detected in the bone marrow mononuclear cells by using the reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). Reevaluation of karyotypes showed a t(16;16) (p13;q22) in the bone marrow cells. After achieving complete remission, she was treated with low-dose etoposide. Chromosome analysis showed a normal karyotype and no amplified chimeric transcripts were observed. This case indicates that the molecular analysis of PEBP2 beta and MYH11 genes is a useful tool to detect inv (16) and t(16;16) which were often difficult to find, and that leukemic cells from some cases of M4 without marrow eosinophilia have these chromosome abnormalities.
Fas/Apo-1 antigen (CD95) is a cell surface molecule that directly mediates apoptosis. Fas expression was studied in five plasma cell lines, 11 multiple myeloma cases, and three plasma cell leukemia (PCL) cases. Induction of apoptosis by anti-Fas antibody was studied in five plasma cell lines and fresh plasma cells from eight patients. Apoptosis was confirmed by morphologic analysis alone or in combination with DNA electrophoresis analysis. Four of the five cell lines showed Fas expression, three of which showed induction of apoptosis by anti-Fas antibody. One cell line, RPMI 8226, showed the highest sensitivity for Fas-mediated apoptosis. High bcl-2 expression was found in KMS12PE, which showed resistance to Fas-mediated apoptosis despite its Fas expression. Plasma cells from seven fresh cases, including all five cases with high serum lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), showed expression of Fas antigen. Fas-induced apoptosis was found in five cases at various levels, although significant induction of apoptosis was found in only one case. Interestingly, Fas-independent apoptosis was induced during culture without anti-Fas antibody in cases with high serum LDH. These results indicate that plasma cells from aggressive myeloma with high LDH express Fas antigen and undergo apoptosis through either Fas-mediated or Fas-independent pathways. An understanding of the mechanism of apoptosis in malignant plasma cells should contribute to investigations of the pathophysiology of and therapy for myeloma/PCL.
Hepatitis C is a major health problem for Egypt. The aim of this study was to determine the seroprevalence of antibodies to hepatitis C virus among different population groups living in urban and in two different rural areas (Suez Canal and North Sinai) of Egypt. Secondary objectives were to study the possible association between multiple blood transfusions, haemodialysis or Schistosomiasis and the seroprevalence of antibodies to hepatitis C. A seroprevalence of hepatitis C virus in the urban blood donor population of 14.5% was found, confirming other reports. In the two rural areas of the Suez Canal and the North Sinai the seroprevalence was 14.4% and 15.5% respectively, showing a comparable seroprevalence in these three different populations. The seroprevalence was 70.4% in haemodialysis patients, 7.7% in health care workers, and 75.6% in thalassaemic children, thus a seroprevalence among multitransfused or haemodialysed patients comparable to the one described in many other countries. Schistomiasis does not seem to play a role in the seroprevalence of this disease in Egypt.
This research evaluated the dynamic viscoelastic properties of 12 laboratory-processed soft denture liners. Specimens, 1.4 x 3 x 40 mm, were prepared according to the manufacturer's instructions. Five specimens of each material were tested under applied strain frequencies of 1, 5, or 10 Hz and temperatures of 23 degrees C and 37 degrees C. The values at 37 degrees C and 1 Hz were judged most important because they closely approximate the service environment; therefore material comparisons were made for these conditions. Samples were tested with a custom-made dynamic viscoelastometer. The statistical significance of the results was tested by ANOVA and Scheffe's intervals test. Large differences in the storage modulus (elastic stiffness) were found. One acrylic resin, Verno-Soft, showed significantly higher storage moduli than the other materials. The viscous behavior of the materials was reflected by the loss modulus; here large differences were also found. Verno-Soft again exhibited much higher values than all of the other materials. Three other acrylic resins (Super Soft, Soft-Pak, and Justi Soft) also showed significantly higher loss moduli than the other materials. Significant differences were found in the damping factor between many of the materials. Most of the acrylic and vinyl resins had higher damping factors than the silicone and polyphosphazine rubbers. The values of the storage moduli, loss moduli, and the damping factor were affected by temperature and by applied strain frequency with some materials.
The proper functioning of soft denture liners depends to a great extent on their mechanical properties. As with many polymers these materials are affected by aging. Twelve soft denture liners were processed by a laboratory according to the manufacturers' directions. Five specimens of each material were tested without aging. Five additional specimens of each material were subjected to 900 hours of accelerated aging in a Weather-Ometer instrument. These were tested with a dynamic viscoelastometer at three frequencies and two temperatures, and data for 37 degrees C and 1 Hz was obtained. Two of the ethyl methacrylate resins demonstrated the largest increases in storage (E') and loss moduli (E") after aging. These materials also showed the greatest overall E' and E". One denture liner material exhibited 673% and 488% increases in E' and E", and other materials showed smaller increases. The effects of aging on the damping factor (tan delta) were varied and five materials showed increased tan delta. Only two ethyl methacrylate resins developed lower tan delta. All the silicone and polyphosphazine rubbers showed small changes after aging and had the lowest tan delta values. Significance of differences between materials and treatments was tested with ANOVA, Scheffé intervals, and t-tests at a = 0.05. The ethyl methacrylate soft denture liners were affected the most by accelerated aging, and the silicones and polyphosphazine were least affected. The ethyl methacrylate resins also had the greatest values of E', E", and tan delta after aging.
The mechanical properties, color and transparency of glass-ceramics are highly dependent on the ceramming temperature and/or amount of the crystal phase in the glass matrix. In this study, the influence of crystallization on the strength and color, translucency of castable ceramics containing crystalline apatite and magnesium titanate were measured. It was concluded that magnesium titanate precipitated during ceramming, appeared to be an important factor in decreasing total transmittance and in determination of the color of glass-ceramics.
The cushioning effect of soft denture liners was evaluated with the use of a free drop test with an accelerometer. The materials tested included SuperSoft, Kurepeet-Dough, Molteno Soft, and Molloplast-B brands. All materials were found to reduce the impact force when compared with denture base resin. A 2.4 mm layer of soft denture material demonstrated good shock absorption. The Molloplast-B and Molteno Soft materials showed excellent shock absorption. When the soft denture liner was stored in distilled water for 180 days, the damping effect recorded for all materials tested was increased. The aging of all materials also affected the cushioning effect.
The long-term stability of a soft denture liner depends to a large extent on the sorption and solubility of the liner. Because sorption and solubility are accompanied by a volumetric change, bacterial infestation, hardening, and color change, it is a physical property of importance. The purpose of this investigation was to determine the sorption and solubility of 12 soft denture liners (Verno-Soft, Super Soft, ProTech, Soft-Pak, Flexor, Novus, Molloplast-B, Durosoft, Justi Soft, Velvesoft, VinaSoft and Prolastic). They include nine copolymers, two silicones and one polyphosphazene fluoroelastomer. The sorption and solubility test was performed as outlined in American Dental Association (ADA) specification 12 for denture base polymers. Five specimens of each material were tested and data were collected at 1 week, 1 month, 3 months, 6 months, and 1 year. Sorption data varied from 0.2 to 5.6 mg/cm2 at 1 week; 0.3 to 12.5 mg/cm2 at 1 month; 0.1 to 22.0 mg/cm2 at 3 months; 0.1 to 13.6 mg/cm2 at 6 months; and 0.1 to 35.7 mg/cm2 at 12 months. Solubility data varied from 0.0 to 0.4 mg/cm2 at 1 week; 0.1 to 0.8 mg/cm2 at 1 month; +0.1 to 1.2 mg/cm2 at 3 months; 0.0 to 1.9 mg/cm2 at 6 months; and +0.2 to 2.3 mg/cm2 at 1 year. A statistical analysis of the data by two-way ANOVA and calculated Tukey intervals showed significant differences between materials at all time intervals. The results of this study have clinical implications because the sorption and solubility may affect the long-term life expectancy of the soft denture liner.
Porcelains with leucite crystals dispersed into various glass matrices were prepared for investigating the effects of the leucite crystals on the mechanical strength of glassy porcelain. The strength of glassy porcelains containing leucite crystals was affected by the differences of thermal expansion coefficients, compositions and deformation temperatures of the glass matrices. In the case of a large mismatch of thermal expansion between the leucite crystals and boro-silicate glass, the strength decreased with increasing amount of leucite. In leucite porcelains using a feldspar glass matrix, there was little or no effect of leucite on the strength. However, the strength of porcelains consisting of leucite crystals and a soda-lime glass matrix was enhanced with increasing leucite content, compared with that of the glassy matrix alone. Such an increase in strength is considered to be because the interface between the glassy matrix and leucite particles occurred in continuous phases, with an effect due to fusion occurring during the transition from leucite particles to the glass phase.
The relationship between fracture strength and crystallization in castable glass-ceramics was studied using castable glass-ceramics which contained crystalline apatite and magnesium titanate. Bending strength was increased with increases in crystal phases; 90, 124, 122 and 162 MPa were recorded for as-cast specimens and specimens cerammed at temperatures of 905 degrees, 925 degrees and 945 degrees C, respectively. The results of bending tests suggest that the crystallization of magnesium titanate is more effective than that of apatite in increasing the strength of glass-ceramics. Fracture toughness in specimens reheated at 905 degrees C was doubled compared with as-cast specimens. The apatite particles precipitated during ceramming treatment were thought to be an important factor in increasing both the fracture toughness and crack pinning effect.
The present survey was performed to assess the hepatitis C virus seroprevalence in volunteer blood donors of the National Medical Center, Hospital de Especialidades, Mexico City. Serum samples from 1100 individuals were collected. We selected second generation enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) (Abbott HCV EIA) test for the screening. The antibodies against hepatitis C virus (anti-HCV) in the volunteer blood donors were positive in 0.7%. The second generation ELISA test is useful as a screening test and may lead to decreasing the incidence of posttransfusional hepatitis C virus infection.
Explore the source record for details and available documents.
Explore the source record for details and available documents.
We report a patient with acute myelogenous leukemia [AML, French-American-British classification (FAB) M2] with trisomy 4, who developed subcutaneous soft tissue tumors at the time leukemia was diagnosed. A review of the literature on AML with trisomy 4 suggests a relation between trisomy 4 and tumor formation of leukemic cells.
Explore the source record for details and available documents.
Leukemia cells from ten patients with B-cell chronic lymphocytic leukemia (B-CLL) and one with B-CLL of mixed cell type (B-CLL/PL) were analyzed to delineate the cellular characteristics, especially the myelomonocytic nature. Most of the surface phenotypes were consistent with the previous reports. However, the frequency of positivity for CD22 and CD25 was much higher in the examined cases of B-CLL than in Western reports. B-CLL cells frequently possessed antigens which are mainly expressed in myelomonocytic cells: 8/10 for CD11b and 4/10 for CD11c, although the presence of CD14 was not apparent (0/10). In addition, colony stimulating factor-1 receptors (CSF-1R) were expressed in 6 of the 10 B-CLL cases. The reactivity with antigens such as CD14, CD11c, and CSF-R was markedly enhanced by in vitro incubation. Alterations in antigen expression and in in vitro survival by growth factors for myelomonocytic lineage were observed in certain cases. These data imply that not only are B-CLL cells phenotypically closely related to myelomonocytic lineage but that they may also be influenced by growth factors for that lineage.