Using pneumovaginoscopy to perform the removal of a vaginal fibroid.

Objective: To describe and assess the feasibility of a novel surgical technique (pneumovaginoscopy) for performing vaginal surgery.

Design: Video of a single surgical procedure.

Setting: A university hospital.

Validation of a modified method for Bxb1 mycobacteriophage integrase-mediated recombination in Plasmodium falciparum by localization of the H-protein of the glycine cleavage complex to the mitochondrion.

The glycine cleavage complex (GCV) is a potential source of the one carbon donor 5,10-methylene-tetrahydrofolate (5,10-CH(2)-THF) in the malaria parasite Plasmodium falciparum. One carbon (C1) donor units are necessary for amino acid and nucleotide biosynthesis, and for the initiation of mitochondrial and plastid translation. In other organisms, GCV activity is closely coordinated with the activity of serine hydroxymethyltransferase (SHMT) enzymes.

[Appreciation of the role of regional anaesthesia in managing facial wounds in the emergency unit].

Objective: Defining the place of regional anaesthesia (RA) for facial wounds in an emergency department.

Study Design: Prospective observational study conducted in the emergency department of a regional hospital.

Patients And Methods: Two hundred and forty-six successive patients with one or more facial wounds were included from 1st august 2004 to 31st december 2004.

Type I and type II fatty acid biosynthesis in Eimeria tenella: enoyl reductase activity and structure.

Apicomplexan parasites of the genus Eimeria are the major causative agent of avian coccidiosis, leading to high economic losses in the poultry industry. Recent results show that Eimeria tenella harbours an apicoplast organelle, and that a key biosynthetic enzyme, enoyl reductase, is located in this organelle. In related parasites, enoyl reductase is one component of a type II fatty acid synthase (FAS) and has proven to be an attractive target for antimicrobial compounds.

Scavenging of the cofactor lipoate is essential for the survival of the malaria parasite Plasmodium falciparum.

Lipoate is an essential cofactor for key enzymes of oxidative metabolism. Plasmodium falciparum possesses genes for lipoate biosynthesis and scavenging, but it is not known if these pathways are functional, nor what their relative contribution to the survival of intraerythrocytic parasites might be. We detected in parasite extracts four lipoylated proteins, one of which cross-reacted with antibodies against the E2 subunit of apicoplast-localized pyruvate dehydrogenase (PDH).

Enzymes of type II fatty acid synthesis and apicoplast differentiation and division in Eimeria tenella.

Apicomplexan parasites, Eimeria tenella, Plasmodium spp. and Toxoplasma gondii, possess a homologous plastid-like organelle termed the apicoplast, derived from the endosymbiotic enslavement of a photosynthetic alga. However, currently no eimerian nuclear encoded apicoplast targeted proteins have been identified, unlike in Plasmodium spp.

[Split-cord malformation (diastematolmyelia) presenting in two adults: case report and a review of the literature].

Introduction: Split cord malformation (SCM) is an uncommon developmental anomaly characterized a cleft spinal cord. In type I, each of the hemicords is contained within an individual dural tube whereas in type II there is a common dural tube housing both hemicords. Commonly diagnosed in childhood, adult presentation is exceptional.

Properties, stage-dependent expression and localization of Plasmodium falciparum M1 family zinc-aminopeptidase.

A Plasmodium falciparum single copy gene predicting a 122 kDa protein belonging to the Ml family of zincmetallopeptidases was previously reported and related to erythrocytic schizont proteins of 96 (p96) and 68 (p68) kDa. By using protease inhibitors during parasite harvest and enzyme preparations, and polyclonal antibodies specific for 2 peptidic domains deduced from the gene, we identified the 120 kDa precursor and demonstrated its processing into p96 and p68. The N-terminal ends of p96 and p68 were mapped between glycine-123 and lysine-163, both proteins thus containing the catalytic domain.

A Plasmodium falciparum aminopeptidase gene belonging to the M1 family of zinc-metallopeptidases is expressed in erythrocytic stages.

A new single copy gene has been isolated from Plasmodium falciparum, by immunoscreening a genomic DNA expression library. The gene appears devoid of introns, displays the classical A + T richness and codon usage of P. falciparum genes, and is transcribed into a 4 kb mRNA in erythrocytic stages.

Properties of red blood cell concentrates stored in PAGGS-sorbitol.

The physiological, biochemical, morphological and rheological characteristics of RBC resuspended in PAGGS-Sorbitol were studied over, and beyond, 49 days. The levels of P50 and 2,3-DPG, as well as the concentration of ATP, stayed above acceptable values for longer periods than those described with other Optional Additive Solutions (OAS). Spontaneous hemolysis was kept below 1%, cell morphology, viscosity, deformability and other factors such as pH, the ratio of glucose consumption to lactate formation, the total adenylates and energetic charge indicate that good properties should be seen after 49 days' storage.

Transbilayer mobility and distribution of red cell phospholipids during storage.

We studied phospholipid topology and transbilayer mobility in red cells during blood storage. The distribution of phospholipids was determined by measuring the reactivity of phosphatidylethanolamine with fluorescamine and the degradation of phospholipids by phospholipase A2 and sphingomyelinase C. Phospholipid mobility was measured by determining transbilayer movements of spin-labeled phospholipids.

[Removal of plasma lipids by selective filtration].

We herein describe a new depth filter media which exhibits selective adsorption properties for lipids of plasma on Zeta Plus Del I (Cuno Europe). Lipids plug chromatographic columns and filter during plasma fractionnation and cause solution instability for the final product. Several parameters which could affect the lipid removal efficiency on Zeta Plus Del I have been investigated: prefiltration, contact time, ionic strength, pH, and temperature.

Large scale production of human albumin: three years experience of an affinity chromatography process.

Immobilized Cibacron Blue is a well-known tool for the separation of a number of proteins and enzymes. Among them, human plasma albumin was easily purified from crude plasma and consequently, this approach represents an interesting way for a production scale. Our data describes about three years of experience in the production of human albumin using large columns of immobilized Cibacron Blue.

[Isolation of human thrombin by affinity chromatography with silicate to be used in the preparation of biological glue].

At present the preparations of fibrin glue used a thrombin from equine or bovine origin. In order to remove the problems of antigenicity we developed a method of purification from acidified plasma. We used one affinity chromatography on benzamidine-Spherodex and compared three methods of elution: non specific (sodium chloride gradient) and biospecific competitors (arginin methylester or benzamidin).

[Purification of human thrombin by affinity chromatography for its use in preparations for biological coagulation].

Biological glue is obtained by mixing different specific plasma proteins including a serine protease, thrombin. Surprisingly at present the thrombin used in such a mixture is from equine or bovine origin while all other components are from human. In this paper we described a particular efficient and specific chromatographic method for the purification of human thrombin usable as a serine protease in the preparation of biological glue.

Blocking activity of mite-specific IgG antibodies studied by skin tests.

The aim of the study was to determine whether IgG antibodies from patients on specific immunotherapy could inhibit skin test reactivity of allergens when mixed with them prior to testing. In a preliminary double-blind study, mite extracts were incubated with glycero-saline solution or non-specific IgG and used in testing 15 patients. Wheal and flare diameters produced with the two mite extracts did not differ significantly.

[Optimization of the purification of human plasma fibronectin by double affinity chromatography using gelatin and heparin Trisacryl LS].

The authors described an optimized method of preparation to obtain pure human plasma fibronectin. The new performances related to the chromatographic and concentration steps, where the saving of time is about 40% and the lyophilization step where the saving of energy is also about 40%. The final product is without any less of either physical and biological activities.

The RBC morphological dependence of the RBC disaggregability.

The aim of this study was to determine the red blood cell (RBC) disaggregability dependence upon the RBC shape. The study concentrated on stored blood during bank storage and on suspensions of artificially induced echinocytes. Measurements was performed in autologous plasma of hematocrit 0.

[Functional adjuvant for stored red blood cells: ascorbate or oxalate?].

In stored blood cells the p50 and the 2,3-DPG concentration drop rapidly. To compensate the functional resultant weakness, many different additives have been proposed, in particular ascorbate, which is very unstable, and ascorbate-2-phosphate (AsP), which is a little more stable. We have studied the effect of two commercially available AsP whose impurity content was different.

[Purification of human plasma fibronectin by double affinity chromatography on gelatin and heparin-Trisacryl].

In this work the human plasma fibronectin was purified by affinity chromatography using a tandem column system. The first affinity column was filled with gelatin-Trisacryl whereas the second one contained heparin-Trisacryl. This double affinity chromatography demonstrated its high efficiency in term of purity and yield.