An optimized optical system for backlit imaging.

An optimized optical system for back-illuminated imaging was developed and was applied to automotive-type fuel injectors; the system provides significantly higher light collection efficiency than standard flood illumination. An engineered diffuser is used to distribute an extended light source through a controlled range of angles, and a field lens is used to redirect the light to the camera. A ray tracing analysis provides the required source size and diffuser angle to ensure that the necessary range of ray angles is included to allow fully diffuse imaging.

Angiogenesis and vascular endothelial growth factor-/receptor expression in myeloproliferative neoplasms: correlation with clinical parameters and JAK2-V617F mutational status.

Data on angiogenesis in the bone marrow of BCR-ABL1-negative myeloproliferative neoplasm (MPN) patients suggest an increase of the microvessel density (MVD) and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) expression, but relations to the JAK2-V617F status remain controversial. We performed immunohistochemical studies of MVD and VEGF-expression in 100 MPN, including 24 essential thrombocythemia- (ET), 46 polycythemia vera- (PV), 26 primary myelofibrosis- (PMF), four myelodysplastic (MDS)/MPN- and 20 control reactive bone marrow cases, and correlated these findings with biological and clinical key data and the JAK2-V617F status. We found significantly increased MVD, particularly that assessed by CD105, and VEGF expression in MPN compared to controls (PMF > PV > MDS/MPN > ET).

Cellular senescence of white blood cells in very long-term survivors after allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation: the role of chronic graft-versus-host disease and female donor sex.

In this single-center, cross-sectional study, we evaluated 44 very long-term survivors with a median follow-up of 17.5 years (range, 11-26 years) after hematopoietic stem cell transplantation. We assessed the telomere length difference in human leukocyte antigen-identical donor and recipient sibling pairs and searched for its relationship with clinical factors.

Clinical-grade purification of natural killer cells in haploidentical hematopoietic stem cell transplantation.

Background: Because of a high risk of graft-versus-host disease (GVHD), donor lymphocyte infusions with unmodified lymphapheresis products are not used after haploidentical hematopoietic stem cell transplantation. Natural killer (NK) cells have antitumor activity and may consolidate engraftment without inducing GVHD. Production of NK cells under good manufacturing practice (GMP) conditions in a sufficient number is difficult.

Hepatic stem and progenitor cells in liver diseases and hepatocarcinogenesis.

Because of its physiological role and its central function in metabolism and homeostasis, the liver is exposed to an environment rich in toxins. In addition, the liver has to cope with various infectious pathogens, in particular hepatotropic viruses. Therefore, the liver needs efficient and highly regulated regeneration mechanisms.

Infection prevention strategies in a stem cell transplant unit: impact of change of care in isolation practice and routine use of high dose intravenous immunoglobulins on infectious complications and transplant related mortality.

Objective: Nursing in 'live islands' and routine high dose intravenous immunoglobulins after allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation were abandoned by many teams in view of limited evidence and high costs.

Methods: This retrospective single-center study examines the impact of change from nursing in 'live islands' to care in single rooms (SR) and from high dose to targeted intravenous immunoglobulins (IVIG) on mortality and infection rate of adult patients receiving an allogeneic stem cell or bone marrow transplantation in two steps and three time cohorts (1993-1997, 1997-2000, 2000-2003).

Results: Two hundred forty-eight allogeneic hematopoetic stem cell transplantations were performed in 227 patients.

Albucidin: a novel bleaching herbicide from Streptomyces albus subsp. chlorinus NRRL B-24108.

A novel nucleoside phytotoxin, albucidin (1), was isolated from the culture broth of Streptomyces albus subsp. chlorinus NRRL B-24108 using bioassay directed fractionation. The structure of the new natural product, albucidin, was determined by NMR and MS; however, the compound has been reported earlier in the literature following synthetic modification of oxetanocin.

[BVD eradication campaign in Switzerland: first results and outlook].

The Swiss BVD eradication campaign aims at eliminating the disease from the cattle population within a few years. During the initial phase from October 1st to December 31th 2008, all bovines will be individually tested and those found virus-positive slaughtered. In the following secondary phase, all newborn calves will be tested using ear notches taken on the occasion of the regular tagging process.

Aplastic anemia and concomitant autoimmune diseases.

The association of aplastic anemia (AA) with other autoimmune diseases (AID) has been described but so far not systematically evaluated. We assessed the incidence and the outcome of concomitant AID in a retrospective, single-center study of 243 patients with severe AA treated between 1974 and 2006 with either immunosuppression (186) or hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (57) and a median follow-up time of 9.3 years (0-33).

Field performance of two rapid screening tests in active surveillance of transmissible spongiform encephalopathies in small ruminants.

Recently, screening tests for monitoring the prevalence of transmissible spongiform encephalopathies specifically in sheep and goats became available. Although most countries require comprehensive test validation prior to approval, little is known about their performance under normal operating conditions. Switzerland was one of the first countries to implement 2 of these tests, an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and a Western blot, in a 1-year active surveillance program.

Role of allogeneic transplantation in chronic myeloid leukemia.

The use of allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation for the treatment of chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) patients has changed dramatically during the past decade. It was the standard of care for all younger CML patients with a compatible donor before the introduction of imatinib. It is used now as a rescue treatment for patients for whom tyrosine kinase inhibitors have failed.

A qualitative analysis of compliance with smoke-free legislation in community bars in Scotland: implications for public health.

Aim: To explore compliance with the smoke-free legislation within a cross-section of community bars in Scotland.

Design: Ethnographic case study combining unobtrusive observation and in-depth interviews conducted pre- and post-introduction.

Setting: Eight Scottish community bars in three contrasting study communities.

Resecting the great saphenous stump with endothelial inversion decreases neither neovascularization nor thigh varicosity recurrence.

Background: Neovascularization at the saphenofemoral junction is one of the principal causes of recurrent varicose veins after great saphenous vein surgery. Because angiogenic stimulation from the exposed endothelium of the great saphenous vein stump is considered an important trigger for this process, we hypothesized that complete resection of the stump with endothelial inversion might lessen grade 2 groin neovascularization and thereby decrease recurrence of thigh varicosities.

Methods: Two groups of consecutive patients with primary varicose veins of the great saphenous vein were studied.

Neuropathological survey of fallen stock: active surveillance reveals high prevalence of encephalitic listeriosis in small ruminants.

This paper describes the prevalence of brain lesions in the Swiss fallen stock population of small ruminants. 3075 whole brains (75% sheep, 25% goats) were collected as part of a year-long active survey of transmissible spongiform encephalopathies (TSEs) in small ruminants conducted by the Swiss authorities between July 2004 and July 2005. All fallen stock brains were systematically examined by histopathology to obtain reliable data on histologically identifiable brain lesions.

Patient and product factors affecting platelet transfusion results.

Background: Providing patients with platelet (PLT) transfusions requires important logistic resources and represents a considerable cost factor. Optimizing PLT transfusions is in the interest of not only patient safety but also economic importance. Only few studies have evaluated factors associated with transfusion results.

Review on the epidemiology and dynamics of BSE epidemics.

The paper describes how the comprehensive surveillance of bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) and studies carried out on these data has enhanced our knowledge of the epidemiology of BSE. Around 7, 000 BSE cases were detected through the screening of about 50 million cattle with rapid tests in Europe. It confirmed that the clinical surveillance had a poor capacity to detect cases, and also showed the discrepancy of this passive surveillance efficiency between regions and production types (dairy/beef).

Respiratory syncytial virus infection in patients with hematological diseases: single-center study and review of the literature.

Background: Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) causes significant mortality in patients with hematological diseases, but diagnosis and treatment are uncertain.

Methods: We retrospectively identified RSV-infected patients with upper or lower respiratory tract infection (RTI) by culture, antigen testing, and polymerase chain reaction from November 2002 through April 2007. Patients with severe immunodeficiency (SID; defined as transplantation in the previous 6 months, T or B cell depletion in the previous 3 months, graft-versus-host disease [grade, >or=2], leukopenia, lymphopenia, or hypogammaglobulinemia) preferentially received oral ribavirin, intravenous immunoglobulin, and palivizumab.

Comparison of the historic recycling risk for BSE in three European countries by calculating the basic reproduction ratio R0.

A deterministic model of BSE transmission is used to calculate the R(0) values for specific years of the BSE epidemics in the United Kingdom (UK), the Netherlands (NL), and Switzerland (CH). In all three countries, the R(0) values decreased below 1 after the introduction of a ban on feeding meat and bone meal (MBM) to ruminants around the 1990s. A variety of additional measures against BSE led to further decrease of R(0) to about 0.

Predictors of injurious assault committed during or after drinking alcohol: a case-control study of young offenders.

Studies of causal links between alcohol and aggression are often handicapped by threats to internal and external validity. Case-control methods employ an event-level analysis that can reduce some of these validity threats by the use of within-subject controls. This study used a case-control approach, asking 39 male inmates in a Young Offenders' Institution to compare drinking behaviour before incidents where they reported commission of an injurious assault and a matched incident where they did not.

One-third tubular hook plate.

It is often the case that screws cannot be firmly anchored in small, marginal joint fragments. This is especially relevant in osteoporotic bone. By redesigning the last plate hole of a one-third tubular plate to function as a hook, these bone fragments can be securely grasped and stabilized.

Premature cardiovascular disease after allogeneic hematopoietic stem-cell transplantation.

We assessed incidence and risk factors of cardiovascular events in 265 patients undergoing allogeneic hematopoietic stem-cell transplantation (HSCT) between 1980 and 2000 and who survived at least 2 years. Results were compared with a cohort of 145 patients treated during the same period with autologous HSCT. The median age of patients with allogeneic HSCT at last follow-up was 39 years, and median follow-up was 9 years.

The probability of identifying a 10/10 HLA allele-matched unrelated donor is highly predictable.

Identification of an unrelated HLA allele-matched hematopoietic stem cell (HSC) donor is a costly and time-consuming procedure. To improve search logistics, we have limited the search period to 6 months and have introduced a probability estimate of the chances of identifying a 10/10 HLA allele-matched donor. Probabilities were classified as high (>95%), intermediate (50%) and low (<5% chance) based on allele and haplotype frequencies.