Successful Collaboration: A Tale of a Tertiary Care Hospital and Its Designated Organ Procurement Organization.

The death of a child is a tragedy of astronomical proportions. Pediatric trauma patients often have injuries so extensive that there is no hope of recovery. Though the tragedy can never be undone, organ donation can save lives and create a legacy for the donor and their loved ones.

Using IV-Tubing "Bridge" from Splenic Artery to Superior Mesentery Artery to Create a Single Arterial Cannulation for Normothermic Machine Perfusion When Donor Liver Has Replaced Right Hepatic Artery.

BACKGROUND The presence of anatomical variations of the hepatic artery poses a challenge for normothermic machine perfusion (NMP). Here, we describe our experience of creating a single arterial cannulation for NMP in 3 donor livers with replaced right hepatic artery. CASE REPORT Three donor livers with replaced right hepatic artery were perfused using NMP (OrganOx® metra®) for liver transplantation.

Tonic TCR Signaling Inversely Regulates the Basal Metabolism of CD4 T Cells.

The contribution of self-peptide-MHC signaling in CD4 T cells to metabolic programming has not been definitively established. In this study, we employed LLO118 and LLO56, two TCRtg CD4 T cells that recognize the same epitope. We previously have shown that LLO56 T cells are highly self-reactive and respond poorly in a primary infection, whereas LLO118 cells, which are less self-reactive, respond well during primary infection.

Tuning T Cell Signaling Sensitivity Alters the Behavior of CD4 T Cells during an Immune Response.

Intricate processes in the thymus and periphery help curb the development and activation of autoreactive T cells. The subtle signals that govern these processes are an area of great interest, but tuning TCR sensitivity for the purpose of affecting T cell behavior remains technically challenging. Previously, our laboratory described the derivation of two TCR-transgenic CD4 T cell mouse lines, LLO56 and LLO118, which recognize the same cognate epitope with the same affinity.

Case 240: Meckel Diverticulitis.

History A previously healthy 28-year-old man developed right lower quadrant pain while traveling. The pain progressed over the course of 2-3 days, and his family took him to a local emergency department. He was found to have an elevated white blood cell count of 12.

Clec16a is Critical for Autolysosome Function and Purkinje Cell Survival.

CLEC16A is in a locus genetically linked to autoimmune diseases including multiple sclerosis, but the function of this gene in the nervous system is unknown. Here we show that two mouse strains carrying independent Clec16a mutations developed neurodegenerative disease characterized by motor impairments and loss of Purkinje cells. Neurons from Clec16a-mutant mice exhibited increased expression of the autophagy substrate p62, accumulation of abnormal intra-axonal membranous structures bearing the autophagy protein LC3, and abnormal Golgi morphology.

Functional Heterogeneity in CD4(+) T Cell Responses Against a Bacterial Pathogen.

To investigate how CD4(+) T cells function against a bacterial pathogen, we generated a Listeria monocytogenes-specific CD4(+) T cell model. In this system, two TCRtg mouse lines, LLO56 and LLO118, recognize the same immunodominant epitope (LLO190-205) of L. monocytogenes and have identical in vitro responses.

Expression, Inducers and Cellular Sources of the Chemokine MIG (CXCL 9), During Primary Herpes Simplex Virus Type-1 Infection of the Cornea.

Purpose: To investigate the production of monokine induced by gamma-interferon (MIG) during a primary Herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) infection of the cornea. We hypothesize that multiple CXCR3 ligands are involved in T cell recruitment during HSV-1 corneal infection and that neutrophils have the potential to contribute to their production.

Materials And Methods: Levels of MIG were evaluated in an in vivo murine model of HSV-1 corneal infection by quantitative ELISA.

Atypical presentation of abdominal group A streptococcal-necrotizing fasciitis after pessary removal.

Group A streptococcal (GAS) necrotizing fasciitis is a potentially life-threatening infection. We report on a patient with a history of prolonged pessary use with traumatic removal who developed ascending GAS infection in her gynecologic organs that tracked along the round ligament to her anterior abdominal wall.

Facultative role for T cells in extrafollicular Toll-like receptor-dependent autoreactive B-cell responses in vivo.

Extrafollicular (EF) B-cell responses are increasingly being recognized as an alternative pathway of B-cell activation, particularly in autoimmunity. Critical cellular interactions required for the EF B-cell response are unclear. A key question in autoimmunity, in which Toll-like receptor (TLR) signals are costimulatory and could be sufficient for B-cell activation, is whether T cells are required for the response.

Neoadjuvant bleomycin, etoposide, and cisplatin in adult neuroblastoma arising from the broad ligament of the uterus.

Background: A case of primary neuroblastoma arising from the broad ligament with excellent response to neoadjuvant bleomycin, etoposide, and cisplatin (BEP) is reported.

Case: A 48-year-old woman, G0, who presented with acute renal failure, an enlarged pelvic mass, and abdominal pain was diagnosed with adult neuroblastoma arising from the broad ligament of the uterus. She received three cycles of neoadjuvant therapy consisting of bleomycin, etoposide, and cisplatin (BEP) given every 3 weeks and had an excellent initial response.