Excellence of the two-layer method (University of Wisconsin solution/perfluorochemical) in pancreas preservation before islet isolation.

Background: In islet transplantation pancreatic preservation before islet isolation is an obstacle compromising islet yield and viability. We tested the feasibility of a two-layer method (University of Wisconsin solution [UW]/perfluorochemical) for pancreatic preservation before islet isolation.

Methods: Dog pancreases were processed into pure islets by the method of Ricordi preceded by five different preservations (groups 1-a and 1-b, the two-layer method for 3 and 24 hours; groups 2-a and 2-b, simple cold storage in UW for 3 and 24 hours; group 3, without preservation).

Use of the HIV-1 protease for excision of growth-hormone-releasing factor from synthetic and recombinant peptide precursors.

An autolysis-resistant mutant of the HIV-I protease was employed for removal of metabolically stabilized and highly bioactive analogues of bovine growth-hormone-releasing factor (bGRF) from their larger either synthetic or recombinant precursors. The N-terminal four amino acids in two selected model GRF analogues, Y1IDAIFTSSYRKVLAQLSARKLLQDILSRQVF32-OH (I; GRF32) and Y1IDAIFTSSYRKVLAQLSARKLLQDILSRQ30-OH (IA; GRF30), conform well to the specificity of the HIV-I protease for residues in the P1' to P4' positions of its peptide substrates. A variety of amino acids were tried in the N-terminal extension (positions P4-P1) to fit the protease substrate specificity for the 8 amino acids in positions P4-P4'.

Kidney transplantation: a brief review.

Since the first successful kidney transplant in 1954, results of these transplants have dramatically improved. Given refinements in surgical techniques and perioperative care, combined with superior immunosuppression, the procedure is now the treatment of choice for patients of all ages with ESRD. Acute rejection no longer represents a significant threat to graft loss, and the newer immunosuppressive drugs will likely diminish this problem further.

Pancreas transplantation: indications, clinical management, and outcomes.

Although many advances have been made, pancreas transplantation still poses several challenges to the surgeon, internist and patient. With success rates now above 80% and improving yearly, diabetic patients must make a major life-style decision when considering a pancreas transplant. The main concerns are will the benefits of insulin-independence off-set the risks of surgery and immunosuppression.

Rheumatic manifestations of scurvy. A report of two cases.

Bleeding into the muscles and joints can be the presenting manifestation of scurvy, as illustrated by two case-reports. One patient presented with hemarthrosis of the tibiotalar joint due to an insufficiency fracture and was suspected to have scurvy based on the presence of purpura and hypertrophy of the gums with loss of teeth. In the other patient, multiple hematomas in the lower limbs were found at presentation and the presence of coiled hairs suggested the diagnosis.

Retroperitoneal fibrosis: a report of complete colonic obstruction.

Idiopathic retroperitoneal fibrosis (RPF) is a disease entity rarely encountered by the general surgeon. In most cases, ureteral stricture is the underlying problem requiring lysis of fibrotic adhesions. However, infrequently, the gastrointestinal tract may become involved.

[Influence of seasons on risk of flare-up of systemic lupus: retrospective study of 66 patients].

Purpose: To establish the possible connection between visceral, arthro-cutaneous and biological spreading of systemic lupus (SL) and hours of sunlight.

Material And Methods: Retrospective study of 66 SL patients, consisting of 52 visceral and 14 arthro-cutaneous cases taking into account the chronological pattern of each new aggravation, based on 480 clinical records.

Results: Increased frequency in visceral aggravation was observed in the post-summer period (August-January) (n = 57), as compared with the pre-summer period (February-July) (n = 25) (RR = 1.

MR imaging of osteomyelitis and neuropathic osteoarthropathy in the feet of diabetics.

Distinguishing between osteomyelitis and neuropathic osteoarthropathy of the foot frequently presents a clinical and radiologic challenge in patients with diabetes. Magnetic resonance (MR) imaging was performed in 26 diabetic patients to observe changes in signal intensity in the complicated diabetic foot. In every patient with osteomyelitis (n = 13), signal intensity abnormalities were seen within the bone marrow (low signal intensity on T1-weighted images and high signal intensity on T2-weighted images in 12 cases).

Avascular necrosis of the femoral head as a complication of chronic myelogenous leukaemia.

A 17-year-old male patient complaining of intense pain in his right hip was found to be suffering from chronic myelogenous leukaemia. Preliminary X-rays and bone scintigraphy did not suggest avascular necrosis of the femoral head. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) did, however, reveal leukaemic infiltration of the femoral neck and generalised ischeamia in the femoral head.

Independence of metastatic ability and extravasation: metastatic ras-transformed and control fibroblasts extravasate equally well.

Escape of cancer cells from the circulation (extravasation) is thought to be a major rate-limiting step in metastasis, with few cells being able to extravasate. Furthermore, highly metastatic cells are believed to extravasate more readily than poorly metastatic cells. We assessed in vivo the extravasation ability of highly metastatic ras-transformed NIH 3T3 cells (PAP2) versus control nontumorigenic nontransformed NIH 3T3 cells and primary mouse embryo fibroblasts.

Total lymphoid irradiation, without intrathymic injection of donor cells, induces indefinite acceptance of heart but not islet or skin allografts in rats.

Allograft tolerance occurs in rodents given a dose of antilymphocyte serum (ALS) and intrathymic injection (ITI) of donor splenocytes (SC) 1-3 weeks prior to transplant (TX). The purpose of our study was to test total lymphoid irradiation (TLI) as an alternative to ALS in ITI tolerance induction to heart, islet, and skin allografts. Prepubertal Wistar Furth rats were recipients.

Allograft tolerance by intrathymic donor splenocyte transfer: an age-dependent, species-specific phenomenon?

Protocols that allow allograft survival without immunosuppression remain the ultimate goal in transplantation. Intrathymic injection of donor splenocytes into a transiently immunosuppressed recipient has induced tolerance to a variety of subsequently transplanted allografts in rats. The purpose of this study was to determine if recipient age is critical to intrathymic tolerance in light of age-dependent thymic changes, and if this protocol can be extended to an outbred, large animal model.

[Pulmonary manifestations of primary Gougerot-Sjögren syndrome. Apropos of 8 cases in a series of 35 patients].

Clinical, roentgenologic, functional and broncho-alveolar lavage features of lung involvement in primary Sjögren's syndrome were assessed in a retrospective study of 35 cases. Diffuse interstitial patterns on chest radiography were present in six patients and alveolar patterns were suggestive of lymphoid interstitial pneumonitis or pseudolymphoma in two. Acute and febrile onset mimicked infectious pneumonitis in three patients when dyspnea was the most common clinical feature in others.

Autologous islet transplantation to prevent diabetes after pancreatic resection.

Background: Extensive pancreatic resection for small-duct chronic pancreatitis is often required for pain relief, but the risk of diabetes is a major deterrent.

Objective: Incidence of pain relief, prevention of diabetes, and identification of factors predictive of success were the goals in this series of 48 patients who underwent pancreatectomy and islet autotransplantation for chronic pancreatitis.

Patients And Methods: Of the 48 patients, 43 underwent total or near-total (> 95%) pancreatectomy and 5 underwent partial pancreatectomy.

The differential processing of homodimers of reverse transcriptases from human immunodeficiency viruses type 1 and 2 is a consequence of the distinct specificities of the viral proteases.

Active, recombinant p68 reverse transcriptase (RT) from human immunodeficiency virus type 2 (HIV-2), with an NH2-terminal extension containing a hexahistidine sequence was isolated from extracts of Escherichia coli by immobilized metal affinity chromatography. Treatment of the purified p68/p68 homodimer of HIV-2 RT with recombinant HIV-2 protease generates stable, active heterodimer (p68/p58) that is resistant to further hydrolysis. Analysis of this p68/p58 HIV-2 RT heterodimer revealed that while one subunit is intact p68, the p58 subunit is COOH-terminally truncated by cleavage, not at Phe440 as is seen in processing of the p66/p66 HIV-1 RT homodimer by HIV-1 protease, but at Met484.

CXC chemokines connective tissue activating peptide-III and neutrophil activating peptide-2 are heparin/heparan sulfate-degrading enzymes.

Heparan sulfate proteoglycans at cell surfaces or in extracellular matrices bind diverse molecules, including growth factors and cytokines, and it is believed that the activities of these molecules may be regulated by the metabolism of heparan sulfate. In this study, purification of a heparan sulfate-degrading enzyme from human platelets led to the discovery that the enzymatic activity residues in at least two members of the platelet basic protein (PBP) family known as connective tissue activating peptide-III (CTAP-III) and neutrophil activating peptide-2. PBP and its N-truncated derivatives, CTAP-III and neutrophil activating peptide-2, are CXC chemokines, a group of molecules involved in inflammation and wound healing.

Expression and purification of recombinant cynomolgus monkey cholesteryl ester transfer protein from Chinese hamster ovary cells.

Cholesteryl ester transfer protein (CETP) mediates the transfer of cholesteryl ester from high- and low-density lipoproteins to triglyceride-rich lipoproteins, and reciprocally mediates triglyceride transfer. The gene for cynomolgus monkey CETP was expressed in serum-free CHO culture with 2 micrograms/ml insulin as its only exogenous protein supplement. Cell growth was facilitated by immobilizing the CHO cells in alginate beads.