We have developed an assay for the detection of malignant residual cells in the bone marrow from patients with B- or T-lineage acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) in clinical remission. This assay ...involves an immune selection step followed by immunoglobulin or T-cell receptor gene rearrangement analysis and allows the detection of one contaminating tumor cell out of 1,000 normal bone marrow cells. We have examined the bone marrow of 11 patients with adult ALL in remission over a 24-month period. Five patients relapsed in the bone marrow and one in the CNS. The assay allowed the detection of minimal residual disease in four of five patients that subsequently relapsed in the bone marrow, 1.5 to 9 months before the relapse became morphologically and clinically manifest. Residual disease was not found in the bone marrow from patients in continuous remission and from the single patient who relapsed in the CNS. We conclude that the ability of the assay described here to detect minimal residual disease with high specificity can provide information for further understanding of the biology of ALL and hopefully for the clinical management of patients with this disease.
Self-inflicted vaginal bleeding Levavi, H.; Rabinerson, D.; Neri, A.
International journal of gynecology and obstetrics,
June 1995, Letnik:
49, Številka:
3
Journal Article
Protein kinases, activated by vasodilator substances, affect vascular function by regulating large conductance Ca(2+) -activated K(+) (KCa 1.1) channels. Thus, the aim of the present investigation ...was to address the hypothesis that quercetin-induced vasorelaxation is caused by a PKG-mediated stimulation of KCa 1.1 currents.
Single freshly isolated myocytes and endothelium-denuded rings of the rat tail main artery were employed for electrophysiological and contractility measurements respectively.
Quercetin relaxed vessels and increased KCa 1.1 currents in a concentration-dependent manner: both effects were antagonized by the specific KCa 1.1 channel blocker iberiotoxin. Stimulation of KCa 1.1 currents was fully reversible upon drug washout, markedly reduced by Rp-8-Br-PET-cGMPs, a PKG-inhibitor, but not affected by catalase. Quercetin shifted by 34.3 mV the voltage dependence of KCa 1.1 channel activation towards more negative membrane potentials without affecting its slope. Under conditions of tight functional coupling between sarcoplasmic reticulum Ca(2+) release sites and KCa 1.1 channels, quercetin decreased both the frequency and the amplitude of KCa 1.1 transient currents in a ryanodine-like manner.
The natural flavonoid quercetin relaxes the rat tail main artery partly via a PKG-mediated stimulation of smooth muscle KC a 1.1 channels.
A 24-year-old woman in her 20th week of pregnancy sustained a severely displaced acetabular fracture. Skeletal traction failed to achieve reduction. Open reduction and internal fixation were ...performed through an extended iliofemoral approach without affecting the pregnancy. At full term, she had a normal delivery. Four years after the injury, the patient had a pain-free hip with full range of motion and a healthy child. The potential benefit or danger of surgery to the patient and her pregnancy was thoroughly considered.
The present study was designed to assess the relationship between puerperal hormonal changes and mood. Twenty-five postpartum physically and mentally healthy, drug-free women were included in the ...study; seven later dropped out. Blood samples 'were drawn between 8 and 9 a.m. just prior to delivery, and again three days after delivery, before discharge. Blood levels of LH TSH, FSH, estrogen and prolactin were determined. Three days after delivery, a psychiatric interview was conducted during which psychometric rating scales (Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale, Hamilton Depression and Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scales, and Beck Depression Inventory) were completed. The rate of change in hormonal blood levels was analyzed in relation to the scores on the rating scales. Results showed that the rise in prolactin plasma levels had a negative and significant correlation with the scores on the Hamilton anxiety scale. This may indicate that high prolactin plasma levels, associated with milk production, may lead to lower anxiety levels in lactating women.
It may be possible to recognize different forms of precocious puberty at the first evaluation. In a group of 26 sexually precocious girls we used Bayley-Pinneau predicted adult height (P.A.H.) to ...discriminate patients with 'poor' or 'good' height prognosis. Patients with evidence of impaired height prognosis (P.A.H. < -1 SDS) (Group 1) were immediately treated with LH-RH analogs, while patients with unimpaired height prognosis (P.A.H. > -1 SDS) (Group 2) were followed without therapy. Two yr of treatment significantly improved P.A.H. in Group 1 patients, from a mean of -1.68 +/- 0.4 to a mean of -0.57 +/- 0.6 (SDS) (p < 0.01). After the 2 yr observation period, Group 2 patients showed no significant variation of P.A.H. (from a mean of 0.45 +/- 0.8 to a mean of 0.33 +/- 0.6). The retrospective analysis of the growth pattern changes in the two Groups seems to indicate that LH-RH agonist treatment improves height potential in girls with initial poor height prognosis and that girls with initial good height prognosis maintain an unimpaired growth potential.
In vitro studies demonstrated a relationship between ET-1 and basic Fibroblast Growth Factor (bFGF), and of bFGF with Platelet Derived Growth Factor (PDGF). The present study was carried out to ...investigate in vivo the behaviour after vascular stress of circulating ET-1, bFGF and PDGF, and catecholamines, and their relationship. In 12 healthy normotensives (NTs) and 15 essential hypertensives (Ehs) venous blood samples to determine circulating ET-1, bFGF and PDGF, and catecholamine (EPI and NE) levels were drawn before and at the third minute of a handgrip test. Blood pressures (BP) and heart rate were automatically recorded before starting, and at 1, 2, and 3 minutes during the test. The NTs showed, in basal condition, lower values than the EHs of all the examined parameters; later, the handgrip test induced significant increases in circulating levels of ET-1, bFGF and catecholamine. In the EHs at the third minute of the exercise significant increases in plasma ET-1 (p < 0.002), bFGF (p < 0.006), and EPI and NE (p < 0.0005) levels were observed. Systolic and diastolic BP significantly increased after handgrip test in NTs and EHs. Plasma ET-1 correlated with bFGF both before (p < 0.01) and at the acme (p < 0.05) of the isometric exercise. Our results show that in EHs plasma ET-1 and bFGF correlate each other, indicating that in human hypertension a linkage between ET-1 and bFGF exists.
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