The presence of monoclonal gammopathy in Ph-negative myeloproliferative neoplasms is associated with a detrimental effect on outcomes.

Many case reports have indicated the occurrence of monoclonal gammopathy of uncertain significance (MGUS) or multiple myeloma (MM) in patients with Ph-negative myeloproliferative neoplasms (MPN), but few cohorts of patients have been published. This study concerns 667 patients newly diagnosed with polycythemia vera (PV) or essential thrombocythemia (ET) who were tested for monoclonal (M) protein at diagnosis (13.9% of patients).

[Pseudohypobicarbonatemia in a patient with a kappa IgA monoclonal gammapathy].

Paraprotein interferences assays are known but rather unusual in clinical chemistry.we here report a paraprotein interference with a bicarbonate assay in a IgA kappa-type myeloma patient. Serum bicarbonate level was assessed by the enzymatic method of a multiparametric chemistry analyzer (Advia 1800, Siemens) as well as a specific electrode assay on a blood gas analyzer (GEM 4000, IL).

[Classification of urinary calculi in a pediatric population from Brittany].

Introduction: Urinary lithiasis in children is relatively seldom in France as in industrialized countries. The determination of their etiology based on their composition may lead to a better treatment.

Method: One hundred and eight urinary calculi from 6 months through 18-year-old children were analyzed by using spectrophotometry, in order to specify their structure.

Complicated atazanavir-associated cholelithiasis: a report of 14 cases.

Fourteen human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-infected patients receiving an atazanavir (ATV)-based antiretroviral regimen developed complicated cholelithiasis. ATV was found in biliary calculi in 8 of 11 cases: infrared spectrometry analysis of calculi revealed that ATV made up a median of 89% (range, 10%-100%) of the total calculus composition. Development and management of ATV-associated cholelithiasis are discussed.

Is age-related macular degeneration associated with serum lipoprotein and lipoparticle levels?

Objective: The etiology of age-related macular degeneration (ARMD) is poorly understood. Risk factors for cardiovascular disease have been thought to be associated with ARMD. Our purpose was to measure the concentration of atherogenic apolipoproteins (apo) and lipoparticles in serum from ARMD patients.

[Alcohol-xenobiotic interactions. Role of cytochrome P450 2E1].

Alcohol and xenobiotics share the same oxidative microsomal pathway, which is mainly located in the endoplasmic reticulum of hepatocytes. This pathway involves enzymes that belong to the super family of cytochrome P450 and allows to explain a lot of pharmacokinetic or toxic interactions between alcohol and xenobiotics. Cytochrome P450 2E1 (CYP2E1) is the key enzyme of the microsomal pathway of ethanol oxidation.

The effect of ethanol and acetaldehyde on microsomal and mitochondrial membrane fatty acid profiles in cultured rat astroglia.

It has been shown that free radical damage may be involved in ethanol-induced cytotoxicity in cultured neural cells. Since changes in oxidative metabolism and the resulting lipid peroxidation readily modify biological membranes and alter cell functions we studied the effect of ethanol and its metabolite acetaldehyde on rat astroglial fatty acids profiles in the most common lipid classes of mitochondrial and microsomal membranes, i.e.

Effect of acetaldehyde generated from ethanol by ADH-transfected CHO cells on their membrane fatty acid profiles.

Ethanol has been previously shown to reduce the unsaturated fatty acid content of cell membranes. It is not known, however, if the observed deleterious effects are due to ethanol itself or its metabolite, acetaldehyde. The present study was undertaken to assess the effect of acetaldehyde produced from ethanol by alcohol-deyhdrogenase-transfected Chinese hamster ovary Cells on the membrane lipids and the lipid peroxidation measured by free and bound malondialdehyde (MDA).

Impaired fetal erythrocytes' filterability: relationship with cell size, membrane fluidity, and membrane lipid composition.

The lipid composition of erythrocytes (red blood cells [RBCs]) plays a significant role in determining certain membrane biophysical properties. We have found that fetal RBCs showed a dramatically low filterability compared with adult RBCs and questioned whether this could be a consequence of their membrane lipid composition. We therefore studied fetal RBCs at two different gestational ages, neonatal RBCs and adult RBCs.

[Effect of in vitro carbamylation of erythrocytes on their rheological properties].

In order to assess the role of carbamylation of erythrocyte proteins in the modification of rheological parameters of red blood cells observed in uremic patients, and in vitro carbamylation of erythrocytes and hemoglobin was carried out using sodium cyanate. The carbamylation of hemoglobin was determined by observation of the increase of HbA1 fraction. The deformability of erythrocytes and the viscosity of erythrocyte suspensions and of hemolysate were measured.

Glycated haemoglobin: comparison between methods based upon 5-hydroxymethylfurfural determination (colorimetric or HPLC) and ion exchange chromatography (HbA1).

A comparison of methods, two based upon 5-hydroxymethylfurfural determination (colorimetric using a semi-automated procedure and HPLC) and ion exchange chromatography (HbA1 using BioRad method) was performed. The influence of variables on 5-hydroxymethylfurfural determination is reported. The dialysis step appears to be essential for an accurate determination of 5-hydroxymethylfurfural released from glycated haemoglobin.

Perinatal assessment of glycaemic control in newborn infants of diabetic mothers.

The glycaemic control of infants and of their mothers was studied at delivery and on day 7 after birth in 11 control and 20 insulin-dependent diabetic women. At delivery, venous blood glucose was lower in infants of diabetic mothers compared with control infants (p less than 0.02).

Glycosylated haemoglobin: high-performance liquid chromatographic determination of 5-(hydroxymethyl)-2-furfuraldehyde after haemoglobin hydrolysis.

A specific and accurate method for the quantitation of the azomethine linkage present in non-enzymatically glycosylated haemoglobin is described. This protein is hydrolysed for 5 h in 1 M oxalic acid at 100 degrees C to yield 5-(hydroxymethyl)-2-furfur-aldehyde (5-HMF), known as a specific degradation product of hexoses linked to the protein. 5-HMF is then purified through a Sep-Pak C18 cartridge and measured by its absorption at 280 nm after separation on a C18 reversed-phase silica column.

[Glycosylated proteins and control of the diabetic: use of continuous flow insulin pumps by the subcutaneous route].

Ten insulin-dependent diabetic patients were controlled using a portable insulin pump (Pye Dynamic MS 16). They were studied for approximately 10 weeks. The responses of fasting blood glucose, glycosylated serum proteins and glycosylated hemoglobin were studied.