Predominant hematopoietic origin of cell-free DNA in plasma and serum after sex-mismatched bone marrow transplantation.

Background: Despite current interest in the biology and diagnostic applications of cell-free DNA in plasma and serum, the cellular origin of this DNA is poorly understood. We used a sex-mismatched bone marrow transplantation model to study the relative contribution of hematopoietic and nonhematopoietic cells to circulating DNA.

Methods: We studied 22 sex-mismatched bone marrow transplantation patients.

Severe cow's milk protein allergy in a Chinese neonate.

Cow's milk protein allergy is a growing problem in developed countries. We report the case of a Chinese infant, born at term, who presented on day 28 with severe growth failure, chronic diarrhoea, and metabolic acidosis. Investigations supported a diagnosis of cow's milk protein allergy.

[Dynamics of phenolics content of Chinese fir stump-roots and the rhizosphere soil and it's allelopathy].

Studies on the releasing pattern of phenolics during the decomposition of Chinese fir stump-root and on its allelopathy show that the phenolics contents in stump-roots decreased with their decomposition. Roots had a higher content of phenolics than heart stumps, and edge stumps had the least. The phenolics was released during decomposition, and accumulated in the soils around stump-roots.

Botulinum toxin A in the treatment of hemiplegic spastic foot drop--clinical and functional outcomes.

Purpose Of Study: This study investigated the effects of intramuscular Botulinum toxin A (BTX-A) in 7 ambulatory chronic hemiplegic subjects (5 male, 2 female) who had spastic hemiplegic foot drop.

Basic Procedures: An open label study involving intramuscular injections of Botulinum toxin A (dilution 10 U/0.1 ml) was performed in ambulatory chronic hemiplegics.

Interaction with CBP/p300 enables the bovine papillomavirus type 1 E6 oncoprotein to downregulate CBP/p300-mediated transactivation by p53.

The E6 oncoprotein of bovine papillomavirus type 1 (BPV-1) can transform cells independently of p53 degradation. The precise mechanisms underlying this transformation are not yet completely understood. Here it is shown that BPV-1 E6 interacts with CBP/p300 in the same way as described for the E6 proteins of oncogenic human papillomaviruses.

Trends in the rate of emergency room admissions for preventable cardiovascular conditions among african american men and women over the past decade. Continuation of negative trends.

PURPOSE: The objective of this retrospective analysis was to compare secular changes in the rate of emergency room admissions (per 100,000) for selected acknowledged preventable cardiovascular conditions among African Americans (AA) men and women aged >/=21 from 1991-1998, and rate of change for Caucasian (Cau), Hispanic (Hisp), and Asian (Asi) men and women aged >/=21; conditions included angina, congestive heart failure (CHF), diabetes, and hypertension.METHODS: Results are derived from calendar-year California hospital data based on a selection of specified ICD-9 codes that correspond to the principal diagnosis for admission. The combined study sample size included a total of 21,016 individuals who were admitted to a hospital via the ER.

Diffuse pulmonary arteriovenous malformations: characteristics and prognosis.

Objective: To study the clinical characteristics and prognosis of patients with diffuse pulmonary arteriovenous malformations (AVMs).

Design: Retrospective chart review of all patients (n = 16) with diffuse pulmonary AVMs seen at Yale New Haven Hospital, Johns Hopkins Hospital, and St. Michael's Hospital.

One-week ranitidine bismuth citrate versus colloidal bismuth subcitrate-based anti-Helicobacter triple therapy: a prospective randomized controlled trial.

Objective: The efficacy of 1 wk bismuth triple therapy is adversely influenced by the presence of metronidazole resistance. In vitro studies suggest that ranitidine bismuth citrate (RBC) plus metronidazole exhibit synergistic activity against metronidazole resistant strains of Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori).

A novel approach to microcalcification detection using fuzzy logic technique.

Breast cancer continues to be a significant public health problem in the United States. Approximately, 182,000 new cases of breast cancer are diagnosed and 46,000 women die of breast cancer each year. Even more disturbing is the fact that one out of eight women in the United States will develop breast cancer at some point during her lifetime.

Significance of vascular endothelial growth factor mRNA expression in invasion and metastasis of hepatocellular carcinoma.

Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) is an important mediator of vascular development in tumors. We aimed at clarifying the relationship between VEGF mRNA expression and invasion or metastasis of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Reverse transcript-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) was carried out on surgical specimens of 48 patients with HCC.

[A study on the loss of heterozygosity at the APC/MCC and DCC genetic loci in colorectal cancers].

To evaluate the role of APC, MCC and DCC genes in the development and progression of colorectal cancers, loss of heterozygosity (LOH) at these genetic loci was investigated in 41 surgically resected specimens of colorectal cancer by using polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) analysis. LOH at APC or/and MCC was detected in 38.9% (14/38) of the informative cases; at the APC in 28.

A novel system for providing compatible blood to patients during surgery: "self-service" electronic blood banking by nursing staff.

Background: A good blood bank must be able to provide compatible blood units promptly to operating room patients with minimal wastage. A "self-service" by nursing staff blood banking system that is safe, efficient, and well-accepted has been developed.

Study Design And Methods: Specific blood units are no longer assigned to surgical patients who have a negative pretransfusion antibody screen, irrespective of the type of surgery.

The presence and effects of mammalian signal molecules in immunocytes of the insect Leucophaea maderae.

Opioid peptides activate immunocytes and opiate alkaloids inhibit this activation in the mussel, Mytilus edulis. Here we present evidence that cells of another invertebrate, Leucophaea maderae, can be influenced in a similar way by the Met-enkephalin analogue D-Ala2-Met5-enkephalin (DAMA) and morphine. Effects of different signal molecules on Leucophaea hemocytes were evaluated by computer-assisted image analysis of their conformational state.

Predictors for prognosis of chronic myelocytic leukemia.

Bone marrows from 30 newly diagnosed Ph+chronic myelocytic leukemia (CML) (21 in chronic phase, CML-CP, 9 in accelerate phase, CML-AP) and 8 followed up patients in blast crisis (CML-BC) were tested by DNA strand breaks (%D value), DNA-aneuploidy, flow cytometry-cell surface antigen expression for CD15 and HLA-DR ratio. Our results showed that all these three parameters changed as the disease escalated. A very low value of %D and DNA-aneuploidy occurrences were high risk factors.