In a 20-year period in a single institution, 34 patients with chronic, refractory autoimmune thrombocytopenic purpura were prospectively treated with ex vivo anti-D opsonized autologous red blood ...cells. All patients had received previous treatment with steroids and/or immunosuppressive agents, and 11 had been splenectomized. Twenty one patients had an increase in the platelet count; in five cases, the increase was more than 50 x 10(9)/L platelets and in 16 the increase was more than 100 x 10(9)/L platelets. Early responses were observed in 20 patients and late responses in seven, whereas seven patients (20%) did not respond at all. Nine of the 20 individuals who achieved an ER had a subsequent drop in the platelet count; however, only three had a drop below 50 x 10(9)/L. When last censored, of the 34 patients, 24 (70%) had a platelet count above 50 x 10(9)/L. The 84-month thrombocytopenia-free (over 50 x 10(9)/L platelets) status of the whole group is 70%, whereas the 84-month complete remission (over 100 x 10(9)/L platelets) status of the whole group is 50%. It is concluded that the use of ex vivo anti-D opsonized red blood cells may represent another, substantially cheaper treatment of patients with chronic, refractory, autoimmune thrombocytopenic purpura.
This study reports the effects of sheep and pig liquid manure, and chemical fertilizer on the phytoplankton, primary productivity and aquaculture production in the cultivation of carp in semi-rustic ...ponds. The total yield was 4.632 kg in two hectares. Treatment with chemical fertilizers was found to present the highest yield with 10.06 ± 0.67 (kg/Ha/day), followed by treatment with pig manure (8.27 ± 1.24 kg/Ha/day) and sheep manure (6.33 ± 1.95 kg/Ha/day). It was also found that concentrations of phytoplankton were significantly (p <0.05) higher in ponds fertilized with sheep and pig manure (945.940 and 1,157,706 cells/ml, respectively) than in ponds where chemical fertilizer was used (744.560 cells/ml). In general, conditions were adequate to obtain high yields without commercial feed, thus organic fertilizer application can be recommended because of its availability and low cost.
When subjected to microwave irradiation and solvent-free conditions vinylpyrazoles undergo Diels-Alder cycloadditions within 6–30 min to give acceptable yields of easily purified products. This ...methodology overcomes the most important disadvantages of the classical conditions and it permits the reaction to be extended to low reactive dienophiles, such as ethyl phenylpropiolate, not described by classical heating. The regiochemistry of the later reaction has been inferred by NOE experiments and molecular orbital calculations.
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Under microwave irradiation vinylpyrazoles react with ethyl
N-trichloroethylidenecarbamate
1 to give the addition to the imine system through the conjugated vinyl group. Likewise, compound
1 react ...with the NH group of pyrazolylhydrazones, if present. To the best of our knowledge this reaction type has not been described before and only can be performed under microwave irradiation. By classical heating, in the absence of microwaves, only dimerization or decomposition of the pyrazole derivatives is observed in these reactions.
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In the amazonian state of Caquetá (Colombia), more than 365 families have included arazá as part of the agroforestry production in conjuntion with rubber tree (Hevea brasiliensis). The potential ...production of this fruit in the area is aproximately 100 t, distributed in two or three harvests per year. During the last three years arazá has been introduced in the local markets through a promoting campain to increase awareness with consumers. With the purpose of envigorating the comercialization and consumption in Colombia, arazá fruits were harvest green and ripe, with a field selection, followed by a treatment of 1-MCP (1000 nl L-1) for 1 h at room temperature, 27±3°C. The fruit were then packed in plastic totes of 8 kg (treatment E1) or in corrugated board boxes (treatment E2). The fruit were brought to the laboratory and were stored at 12±1°C. The objective of this study was to identify the critical points of the commercialization of fresh arazá, according to the two used packages, and with the 1-MCP treatment. Physiological characteristics and quality variables were evaluated during the 10 days duration of the distribution and commercialization chain. The corrugated board boxes reduced the mechanical damages in the fruit. Fruits in both packages reached 75% change to green/yellow in 10 days. However, the fruit losses were reduced by 32% with the corrugated boxes in comparison with conventional use of the plastic totes. The 1-MCP treatment in combination with this alternative box kept nutritional components (organic acids) and other attributes associated with quality for a longer time which is the reason why this was recommended for local marketing.
Background Occupational exposures may increase the risk of exocrine pancreatic cancer. This study aimed to identify occupations that in Spain may be associated with such risk. Methods Incident cases ...of pancreatic cancer and hospital controls were prospectively identified and interviewed during their hospital stay. Occupational history was obtained by direct interview with the patient and was available for 164 (89%) of 185 pancreatic cancer cases and for 238 (90%) of 264 controls. Occupations were coded according to the Spanish version of the International Standard Classification of Occupations 1988. Results A significant increased odds ratio (OR) was observed in men for ‘physical, chemistry and engineering science technicians’. Elevated risks were also found for ‘metal moulders, sheet-metal workers, structural metal workers, welders and related workers’, ‘painters and varnishers’ and ‘machinery mechanics and fitters’. ‘Agricultural workers’ did not present an increased risk for pancreas cancer in men. In women, however, high OR were observed for ‘agricultural workers’ and for ‘textile and garment workers’. Most associations remained unchanged after considering long duration of the exposure and the period 5–15 years before diagnosis. Conclusions Few occupations were at increased risk for pancreatic cancer, and the associations observed are in accordance with previous studies. The increases in risk observed for women in agricultural and textile jobs, and for men in the manufacture of dyes and pigments may deserve further attention.
The South American HIV-1 epidemic is characterized by the co-circulation of subtype B and BF recombinant variants. Together with the B and BF genotypes, HIV-1 subtype C (HIV-1C), F1, and several ...other recombinants have been reported. The epidemiological significance and immune correlates of these "non-B-non-BF" strains circulating in South America are still uncertain and therefore are increasingly attracting the interest of the scientific community. In this study, the South American HIV-1C epidemic was studied using new technologies for the phylogenetic analysis of large datasets. Our results indicate that there is a major clade encompassing most of the South American HIV-1C strains. These analyses also agreed that some strains do not group inside this major clade, suggesting that there could be HIV-1C sequences of different origins circulating in South America. Others have proposed different hypotheses about the origins of HIV-1C strains from South America. This study shows that an exact single origin cannot be determined, a fact that could be attributed to sampling problems, phylogenetic uncertainty, and the shortage of historical and epidemiological data. Currently, the reported data indicate that HIV-1C strains were introduced in Brazil and afterward spread to other regions of South America. By using character optimization on the obtained phylogenetic trees, we observed that Argentina could also be a point in which the HIV-1C epidemic entered South America.
Malignant sinonasal tumors are very rare in Mexico. They ussually present as advanced disease because it is extremely difficult to make an early diagnosis; in addition, its treatment is complicated ...by a variety of lesions. Surgical resection remains the mainstay of treatment, but its relative therapeutic value compared with alternative treatments is controversial.
We undertook a retrospective analysis in order to evaluate results of craniofacial resections for sinonasal tumors.
A total of 20 patients, 11 men and 9 women were considered, median age was 49 years (18-74). Eleven had received previous treatment elsewhere. In 13 patients tumor was limited to maxillo-ethmoid complex, but in 6 cases tumor involved anteroinferior aspect of sphenoid sinus, in 7 extended to the orbit, in 3 to dura and two to the brain. One had cervical metastases. Median tumoral size was 5.8 cm (1-10).
Overall complication rate was 50%. Major surgical complications occurred in 4 patients (20%): one patient developed isolated cerebrospinal fluid leakage (CEFL), 1 developed deterioration of mental status, and two developed meningitis associated with CEFL. Late complications occurred in 30% of the patients. There was not any operative death. Eleven patients received postoperative radiotherapy. Fifteen patients recurred. There were 11 local relapses, although one associated with a regional relapse, and another with regional and distant relapse. There were four isolated regional fails and six isolated distant failures. Three year overall survival was 65%, and 3-year disease free survival was 50%. Patients without previous treatment median survival was 28.3 months, meanwhile with previous treatment was 18.2 months.
Craniofacial resection is a safe and valuable tool in the treatment of advanced sinonasal tumors involving cranial base.
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