Synthesis of cellulose-g-poly(acrylic acid) with high water absorbency using pineapple-leaf extracted cellulose fibers.

This study synthesized cellulose-g-poly(acrylic acid) with high water absorbency using the cellulose extracted from pineapple leaves. The synthesis experiment used a novel combination of ethylene glycol dimethacrylate (EGDMA) and azobisisobutyronitrile (AIBN) as the cross-linker and the initiator, respectively. Experimental results showed that the concentrations of AIBN and EGDMA had significant effects on the structure and the water absorbency of the cross-linked materials.

Vγ9γδ T Cell Induction by Human Umbilical Cord Blood Monocytes-Derived, Interferon-α-Stimulated Dendritic Cells.

Dendritic cells (DC) are professional antigen-presenting cells that activate T cells to kill cancer cells. The extracellular products of DCs have also been reported to perform the same function. In this study, we examined the differentiation of umbilical cord blood monocytes into DCs in the presence of GM-CSF, and interferon (IFN)-α.

Systemic antitumor effect by regional hyperthermia combined with low-dose chemotherapy and immunologic correlates in an adolescent patient with rhabdomyosarcoma - a case report.

An abscopal effect is a clinical observation whereby a local treatment is associated with regression of metastatic cancer at a site distant from the primary location of treatment. Here, we describe the clinical systemic effect induced by regional hyperthermia combined with low-dose chemotherapy and provide immunologic correlates. A 15-year-old patient had been diagnosed with alveolar rhabdomyosarcoma (ARMS).

Parvovirus B19-Associated Anemia in Kidney Transplant Recipients: A Single-Center Experience.

Parvovirus B19 (PVB19) has tropism to red blood cell progenitors and can be reactivated after organ transplantation. The aim of study was to describe clinical manifestations, laboratory findings, treatments used, and effectiveness in kidney recipients at Viet Duc hospital. A retrospective descriptive study was performed on 663 kidney recipients who were on regular follow-up from 2000 to 2018.

Dispersal of harmful fruit fly pests by international trade and a loop-mediated isothermal amplification assay to prevent their introduction.

Global trade of plant products represents one of the major driving forces for the spread of invasive insect pests. This visualization illustrates the problem of unintended dispersal of economically harmful fruit fly pests using geospatial maps based on interception data from the Swiss import control process. Furthermore, it reports the development of a molecular diagnostic assay for rapid identification of these pests at points of entry such as sea- and airports as a prevention measure.

A Loop-mediated Isothermal Amplification (LAMP) Assay for Rapid Identification of Bemisia tabaci.

The whitefly Bemisia tabaci (Gennadius) is an invasive pest of considerable importance, affecting the production of vegetable and ornamental crops in many countries around the world. Severe yield losses are caused by direct feeding, and even more importantly, also by the transmission of more than 100 harmful plant pathogenic viruses. As for other invasive pests, increased international trade facilitates the dispersal of B.

From laboratory to point of entry: development and implementation of a loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP)-based genetic identification system to prevent introduction of quarantine insect species.

Background: Rapid genetic on-site identification methods at points of entry, such as seaports and airports, have the potential to become important tools to prevent the introduction and spread of economically harmful pest species that are unintentionally transported by the global trade of plant commodities. This paper reports the development and evaluation of a loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP)-based identification system to prevent introduction of the three most frequently encountered regulated quarantine insect species groups at Swiss borders, Bemisia tabaci, Thrips palmi and several regulated fruit flies of the genera Bactrocera and Zeugodacus.

Results: The LAMP primers were designed to target a fragment of the mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase subunit I gene and were generated based on publicly available DNA sequences.

[Counting reticulocytes: new importance of an old method].

In clinical practice, the reticulocyte count is the most useful method to estimate red cell life span and red cell production. However, experience of hematologists as well as surveys have shown that counting of reticulocytes is often neglected in the diagnostic work-up of unclassified anemias, and many physicians have difficulties in interpreting the results. Formerly, this was partly due to the low precision of manual counts.

Kinetics of dendritic cell chimerism and T cell chimerism in allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell recipients.

Dendritic cells (DC) as potent antigen-presenting cells (APC) and T cells as effector cells play an essential role in the pathophysiology of both graft-versus-host (GvH) and graft-versus-leukemia (GvL) reactions after transplantation. Therefore, we determined the kinetics of DC and T-cell chimerism establishment after allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation (AHCT) in a group of 144 patients, using fluorescence-activated cell sorting (FACS) or magnetic cell sorting (MACS) followed by FISH or STR-PCR analysis for chimerism evaluation. In all, three cell lines investigated (CD3(+) T cells, CD11c(+) DC1 and CD123(+) DC2), we found a rapid and consistent establishment of complete donor chimerism (CDC) in over 70% of all patients during the first 6 weeks after AHCT.

Peripheral dendritic cell chimerism in allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell recipients.

Background: Relapse and graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) represent major causes of morbidity and mortality following allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT). Although leukocyte and T-cell chimerism analyses are performed routinely suggesting a predictive value on the patients outcome, little is known about chimerism of dendritic cells (DC) representing strong initiators of immune responses.

Methods: In this prospective study, peripheral DC1 (CD11c+) and DC2 (CD123+) chimerism was determined in hematopoetic stem cell recipients.

Platelet activation markers in patients with heart assist device.

Clinical use of heart assist devices is often associated with thromboembolic complications. We hypothesized that platelets may be activated in patients receiving assist devices and examined expression of the platelet activation markers CD62, CD63, and thrombospondin using flow cytometry in eight patients with Novacor left ventricular assist system (LVAS) or Berlin Heart. Patients with end-stage heart failure had elevated expression of platelet activation markers before insertion of the assist device.

Consolidation with alemtuzumab in patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) in first remission--experience on safety and efficacy within a randomized multicenter phase III trial of the German CLL Study Group (GCLLSG).

Patients with CLL responding to initial chemotherapy with fludarabine alone (F) or in combination with cyclophosphamide (FC) were randomized for treatment with alemtuzumab (30 mg i.v. TIW, 12 weeks) or observation.

Does ethylene mediate cluster root formation under iron deficiency?

Casuarina glauca develops proteoid (cluster) roots in response to Fe deficiency. This study set out to investigate the possible involvement of ethylene in the initiation and/or the morphogenesis of cluster roots (CR). For this purpose, the effect of Ag+ added as silver thiosulfate, an inhibitor of ethylene action has been studied in plants growing hydroponically.

Pediatric liver transplantation for biliary atresia: results of primary grafts in 328 recipients.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to assess the overall results of recipients undergoing transplantation for biliary atresia (BA), according to age, surgical techniques, and transplant eras, and to identify the prognostic factors affecting outcome.

Methods: Between 1984 and 2000, 328 pediatric recipients with BA who underwent orthotopic liver transplantation (OLT) were reviewed. Median age at OLT was 1.

Steroid withdrawal after pediatric liver transplantation: a long-term follow-up study in 109 recipients.

Background: Steroids remain an important component of maintenance immunosuppression in liver transplantation, but when administered for a long period they may be associated with multiple severe side effects, particularly growth suppression in children. This study was conducted to clarify the balance of potential benefits and risks of steroid withdrawal (SW) in pediatric liver transplantation.

Methods: Between April 1984 and July 2000, 109 pediatric recipients with SW and at least 12 months of follow-up after SW were retrospectively reviewed and divided into three groups according to the type of anticalcineurin at SW: group I (cyclosporine, n=25), group II (cyclosporine microemulsion, n=25), and group III (tacrolimus, n=59).

[Persistent polyclonal B-cell lymphocytosis].

History And Clinical Findings: A 54-year-old woman was referred for ambulant checkup after an episode of acute renal failure due to severe gastroenteritis and recurrent arthralgias. Physical examination was unremarkable except for the presence of palpable small cervical lymph nodes.

Investigations: Serum IgM levels showed a polyclonal increase.

Performance of the XE-2100 leucocyte differential.

The XE-2100 trade mark was evaluated in a multicentre study following a previously established protocol. In this paper, we demonstrate the results of analytical performance studies, including comparison of the leucocyte differential with the NCCLS H20-A method and evaluation of flagging sensitivity. Linearity of the leucocyte count over a wide clinical range, low imprecision in clinically important ranges and no measurable carry over were confirmed.

Cryopreservation of reduced cytochrome C for determination of N-formyl-methionyl-leucyl-phenylalanine-stimulated superoxide anion production in human whole blood.

Various methods are available for measuring the production of reactive oxygen species by phagocytes, but they are limited in their use by the need for their immediate application, cell isolation and of cell-activation by unphysiological stimuli. In addition, after measurement of reactive oxygen metabolites using oxidizing agents, the reduced compounds formed have to be determined during or immediately after their formation. In the present study, an improved cytochrome C assay was investigated which allowed measurements of superoxide anions in whole blood samples following activation of phagocytes by physiological stimuli such as the bacterial tripeptide N-formyl-methionyl-leucyl-phenylalanine (fMLP).

Levels of insulin-like growth factor after stem cell transplantation.

Some cytokines, i.e. tumor necrosis factor-, interleukin-6 and soluble interleukin-2 receptors are associated with complications of stem cell transplantation.

Angiosperm Gymnostoma trees produce root nodules colonized by arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi related to Glomus.

•  Structure and fungal composition is presented here for 'mycorrhizal' nodules of two angiosperms of the genus Gymnostoma (Casuarinaceae), G. deplancheanum and G. nodiflorum.

Expression and functional activity of P-glycoprotein in adult acute myelogenous leukemia patients.

Expression and functional activity of P-glycoprotein (P-gp) were measured in 182 acute myelogenous leukemia (AML) patients: 136 patients were treated with the AML-6 protocol (EORTC), containing daunorubicin, vincristine, and conventional-dose cytarabine (ara-C), and 21 patients received idarubicin, vepeside, and conventional-dose ara-C (ICE-AML-10 protocol/EORTC). An additional 25 patients were treated with a dose of idarubicin and ara-C, modified as compared with the ICE protocol, but with the same dose of etopside (ICE-I protocol). P-gp was determined using monoclonal antibody 4E3.

Idarubicin monotherapy in multiply pretreated leukemia patients: response in relation to P-glycoprotein expression.

The aim of the study was to test whether fractionated (weekly) idarubicin administration to multiply pretreated leukemia patients is effective and tolerable for outpatient treatment, and whether idarubicin alone can overcome P-glycoprotein (P-gp)-related resistance. P-gp was assessed with an immunocytological technique using the monoclonal antibody 4E3.16.

P-glycoprotein expression in patients with acute leukemia-clinical relevance.

P-glycoprotein (P-gp) is a crucial factor in the development of chemotherapy resistance in malignant disorders. Between 1989 and 1995, P-gp expression was studied in bone marrow blast cells of 322 (239 AML; 83 ALL) acute leukemia patients. 166 AML patients with the AML-6 protocol (EORTC), containing daunorubicin, vincristine and conventional-dose cytarabine (ara-C), and 63 AML patients treated with intermediate-does Ara-C plus amsacrine.