Assessment of the comparative agreement between chest radiographs and CT scans in intensive care units.

Purpose: Chest radiographs in critically ill patients can be difficult to interpret due to technical and clinical factors. We sought to determine the agreement of chest radiographs and CT scans, and the inter-observer variation of chest radiograph interpretation, in intensive care units (ICUs).

Methods: Chest radiographs and corresponding thoracic computerised tomography (CT) scans (as reference standard) were collected from 45 ICU patients.

Comparison of the CELLEX™ and UVAR-XTS™ closed-system extracorporeal photopheresis devices in the treatment of chronic graft-versus-host disease.

Extracorporeal Photopheresis (ECP) is a cellular immunotherapy frequently used for steroid-refractory graft-versus-host disease (GVHD). Chronic GVHD (cGVHD), response to ECP is associated with survival benefit. The UVAR-XTS system and the more recently developed CELLEX device (both Therakos ) are the mainstay for ECP-delivery in the UK and US.

Regulatory T Cells in Chronic Graft-Versus-Host Disease After Extracorporeal Photopheresis: Correlation With Skin and Global Organ Responses, and Ability to Taper Steroids.

Background: Induction of immune tolerance by an increase in regulatory T (Treg) cells after extracorporeal photopheresis (ECP) is thought to contribute to how ECP exerts its therapeutic effect in patients with chronic graft-versus-host disease (cGvHD). We investigated whether percentages and absolute counts of Treg cells changed post-ECP, and examined correlation with response.

Methods: Absolute counts and % of CD4+ T cells and Treg cells (CD4 + CD25 + FOXP3 + CD127dim/-) were evaluated using flow cytometry in 32 patients with cGvHD treated by ECP for a minimum of 3 months, and up to 12 months.

Circulating B-cell activating factor level predicts clinical response of chronic graft-versus-host disease to extracorporeal photopheresis.

Extracorporeal photopheresis (ECP) is an important therapeutic option in steroid-refractory chronic graft-versus-host disease (cGVHD). Few biomarkers predicting response exist. We measured serum B-cell activating factor (BAFF) in 46 cGVHD patients receiving ECP before and during treatment course.

Differential expression of melanoma-associated antigens and molecules involved in antigen processing and presentation in three cell lines established from a single patient.

Tumour cells are able to evade the immune system by using several 'escape mechanisms'. Downregulation of molecules involved in the processing and presentation of self-antigens has been reported. However, these adaptations have not been compared in metastases in different anatomical locations but derived from a single patient.

Disulfiram inhibits activating transcription factor/cyclic AMP-responsive element binding protein and human melanoma growth in a metal-dependent manner in vitro, in mice and in a patient with metastatic disease.

The thiocarbamate alcoholism drug disulfiram blocks the P-glycoprotein extrusion pump, inhibits the transcription factor nuclear factor-kappaB, sensitizes tumors to chemotherapy, reduces angiogenesis, and inhibits tumor growth in mice. Thiocarbamates react with critical thiols and also complex metal ions. Using melanoma as the paradigm, we tested whether disulfiram might inhibit growth by forming mixed disulfides with critical thiols in a mechanism facilitated by metal ions.

Discovery of genes with highly restricted expression patterns in the Drosophila wing disc using DNA oligonucleotide microarrays.

The Drosophila wing disc is divided along the proximal-distal axis into regions giving rise to the body wall (proximal), wing hinge (central) and wing blade (distal). We applied DNA microarray analysis to discover genes with potential roles in the development of these regions. We identified a set of 94 transcripts enriched (two fold or greater) in the body wall and 56 transcripts enriched in the wing/hinge region.

Thermally-prepared polymorphic forms of cilostazol.

Prior to this study, cilostazol, an antithrombotic drug, was thought to exist as a single crystalline phase with a melting point of approximately 159 degrees C (Form A). On cooling, melts often form a glass that, when heated, may crystallize as additional crystalline polymorphic forms. Cilostazol, when reheated, subsequently forms polymorphs that melt at approximately 136 degrees C (Form B) and 146 degrees C (Form C).

Polymorphic forms of cilostazol.

Two unique conformational polymorphic forms of the compound 6-[4-(1-cyclohexyl-1H-tetrazol-5-yl)butoxy]-3,4-dihydroquinolin-2(1H)-one (cilostazol), C(20)H(27)N(5)O(2), have been discovered and characterized using single-crystal X-ray structural analysis. A third polymorph also exists, but acceptable crystals could not be obtained. Features of both reported polymorphic structures include a chair conformation of the cyclohexyl ring and puckering in the quinolinone ring.

Correlation between adult transformation and aldehyde oxidase staining pattern in wing discs ofApterous genotypes inDrosophila melanogaster.

The aldehyde oxidase staining pattern in wing discs ofDrosophila melanogaster bearing the genotypesap /ap andap andap /ap showns changes from the wild-type pattern. Extensive areas of the presumptive dorsal posterior wing blade, which are normally unstained, have enzyme activity in these mutants. In wings of these genotypes, dorsal posterior structures are replaced by dorsal anterior wing structures.