Pancreas Islet Transplantation in Patients With Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus After Kidney Transplantation

Diabetic patients with end-stage renal disease have a high mortality rate. A combined kidney-pancreas transplant is associated with greater life expectancy. Pancreas islet transplantation is an alternative involving a lower degree of morbidity. We present two patients, of 41 and 37 years of age, with a long history of diabetes mellitus (C-peptide negative), both with a previous kidney transplant, who had been treated with 22 and 28 U of insulin/d, respectively. Both patients had frequent episodes of unawareness hypoglycemia. Pancreatic islets were infused to a total of 7809 and 19,180 IE/kg, respectively. Basal posttransplant C peptide levels were 2.9 and 1.3 ng/mL. After the implant, one patient required occasional doses of insulin, and the other patient more than 50% reduced dose. After the first implant neither patient had any episodes of unawareness hypoglycemia. HbA1c at 4 months were 6.2% and 6.9%. There were no transplant-related complications.

Cellular localization and changes in expression of prolactin receptor isoforms in sheep ovary throughout the estrous cycle

The actions of prolactin (PRL) on target cells depend on the type of prolactin receptor (PRLr) predominantly expressed, particularly whether the long PRLr isoform is expressed. The aims of this study were to determine the cellular localization and the changes in expression of long and short PRLr isoforms in sheep ovary throughout the estrous cycle. Long and short PRLrs were localized mostly in the same ovarian cells. Maximum signal intensity, particularly for long PRLrs, was found in stromal cells surrounding primordial and primary follicles, and, for both PRLrs, in granulosa cells of preantral follicles and in luteal cells. Moderate signal intensity for PRLrs was found in theca cells of preantral to ovulatory follicles, and in granulosa cells of antral follicles up to the gonadotropin-dependent stage. Decreasing immunoreactivity to PRLrs was found in granulosa cells of gonadotropin-dependent to ovulatory follicles. For long PRLrs in particular, no signal was found in mural granulosa cells of gonadotropin-dependent follicles; for both isoforms, no signal was found in most granulosa cells of ovulatory follicles. In primordial to gonadotropin-dependent follicles, cellular localization of PRLr was similar on days 0, 10 and 15 of the cycle. Oocytes consistently showed positive immunostaining for PRLrs. Comparative RT-PCR analysis of long and short PRLr expression showed that the short isoform is evenly expressed throughout the estrous cycle, whereas the expression of the long form increases at the time of estrus and decreases at mid-luteal phase and at the onset of the follicular phase. Expression of long PRLrs was greater than that of short PRLrs on day 0 of cycle; expression of both isoforms was similar on day 10 and on day 15, long PRLrs expression was lower than that of short PRLrs. Our results indicate that in sheep ovary, the maximum responsiveness to PRL might occur during the preovulatory phase of the estrous cycle.

Solid-phase extraction–gas chromatography–mass spectrometry using a fullerene sorbent for the determination of inorganic mercury(II), methylmercury(I) and ethylmercury(I) in surface waters at sub-ng/ml levels

A novel, straightforward solid-phase extraction system for the determination of inorganic mercury and organomercury compounds in water is proposed. The analytes, in a buffer medium at pH 4.5, are sorbed as diethyldithiocarbamate complexes on a C60 fullerene column an subsequently eluted and derivatized with sodium tetra-n-propylborate in ethyl acetate. Following elution, 1 microl of extract is injected into a gas chromatograph-mass spectrometer system. The proposed gas chromatography-mass spectrometry speciation method exhibits a linear range of 4-1 ng/ml, and a detection limit of 1.5 ng/l (sample volume, 50 ml). Its repeatibility, as relative standard deviation (RSD) (from 11 standards containing 50 ng/l for each analyte), is ca. 7%. No interferences from metals ions, such as Zn2+, Fe3+, Sb3+, As3+, Pb2+, Ni2+, Cu2+, Sn2+, Co2+, Mn2+ and Cd2+ were encountered at concentrations 1000 times higher than those of the mercury compounds. The method was used for the speciation of inorganic mercury, methylmercury and ethylmercury in various types of water including sea and waste water.

Mitochondrial phylogeography of the long-eared bats (Plecotus) in the Mediterranean Palaearctic and Atlantic Islands

Long-eared bats of the genus Plecotus are widespread and common over most of the western Palaearctic. Based on recent molecular evidence, they proved to represent a complex of several cryptic species, with three new species being described from Europe in 2002. Evolutionary relationships among the different lineages are still fragmentary because of the limited geographic coverage of previous studies. Here we analyze Plecotus mitochondrial DNA sequences from the entire Mediterranean region and Atlantic Islands. Phylogenetic reconstructions group these western Palaearctic Plecotus into two major clades which split at least 5 Myr ago and that are each subdivided into further subgroups. An 'auritus group' includes the traditional P. auritus species and its sister taxon P. macrobullaris (=P. alpinus) plus related specimens from the Middle East. P. auritus and P. macrobullaris have broadly overlapping distributions in Europe, although the latter is apparently more restricted to mountain ranges. The other major clade, the 'austriacus group,' includes the European species P. austriacus and at least two other related taxa from North Africa (including P. teneriffae from the Canary Islands), the Balkans and Anatolia (P. kolombatovici). The sister species of this 'austriacus group' is P. balensis, an Ethiopian endemic. Phylogenetic reconstructions further suggest that P. austriacus reached Madeira during its relatively recent westward expansion through Europe, while the Canary Islands were colonized by a North African ancestor. Although colonization of the two groups of Atlantic Islands by Plecotus bats followed very distinct routes, neither involved lineages from the 'auritus group.' Furthermore, the Strait of Gibraltar perfectly segregates the distinct lineages, which confirms its key role as a geographic barrier. This study also stresses the biogeographical importance of the Mediterranean region, and particularly of North Africa, in understanding the evolution of the western Palaearctic biotas.

Wind as a Long-Distance Dispersal Vehicle in the Southern Hemisphere

Anisotropic (direction-dependent) long-distance dispersal (LDD) by wind has been invoked to explain the strong floristic affinities shared among landmasses in the Southern Hemisphere. Its contribution has not yet been systematically tested because of the previous lack of global data on winds. We used global winds coverage from the National Aeronautics and Space Administration SeaWinds scatterometer to test whether floristic similarities of Southern Hemisphere moss, liverwort, lichen, and pteridophyte floras conform better with (i) the anisotropic LDD hypothesis, which predicts that connection by "wind highways" increases floristic similarities, or (ii) a direction-independent LDD hypothesis, which predicts that floristic similarities among sites increase with geographic proximity. We found a stronger correlation of floristic similarities with wind connectivity than with geographic proximities, which supports the idea that wind is a dispersal vehicle for many organisms in the Southern Hemisphere.

Prevalence of intestinal parasites in dogs under veterinary care in Maracaibo, Venezuela

The prevalence of intestinal parasites in dogs presented to the Veterinary Policlinic of the University of Zulia (PVU) was measured between January and December 2001. A total of 614 fecal samples were evaluated by the fecal flotation method. One or more species of parasites was identified in 218 (35.5%) dogs. The parasites most frequently detected were: Ancylostoma spp. (24.5%), Toxocara canis (11.4%) and Isospora spp. (8.1%). Single parasitic infections were present in 149 (24.3%) dogs. The age distribution of intestinal parasites in dogs less than 1 year old had a higher overall prevalence than those dogs over 12 months of age. There was no significant difference in the prevalence between male (38.9%) and female (31.7%) dogs. There was a significantly (P < 0.05) greater prevalence of parasites in mixed-breed dogs (40.3%) as compared with pure-breed dogs (30.8%). A significant difference (P < 0.05) was detected between the general prevalence of January and December compared to August.

Effects of ionic strength on the production of short chain volatile hydrocarbons by Dunaliella salina (Teodoresco)

The effect of ionic strength on the production of short chain volatile hydrocarbons was studied in cultures of Dunaliella salina. Axenic cultures of D. salina were grown at three different ionic strengths 0.5, 2 and 3 M of NaCl in Johnson (J/1) culture medium [Journal of Bacteriology 95 (1968) 1461] under the following laboratory growth conditions: a 12:12 h photoperiod, 300 micromolm(-2)s(-1) of photosynthetic active radiation (PAR) provided by a fluorescent lamp of 40 W combined with a 100 W incandescent lamp at 20 +/- 1 degrees C at pH 7.5. C1 to C5 hydrocarbons were detected using a head space technique and GC-FID. Cell numbers and growth rate was greatest at 2 M NaCl 4.3 x 10(6) cellml(-1) after a 15 days period of culture. Maximum hydrocarbon production was measured in the concentration of 0.5 NaCl with lower production rates in the more concentrated solutions. The principal hydrocarbon was pentane at 0.5 M but was ethane in 2 and 3 M solutions. Production rates for individual compounds ranged between 0.13 and 22 x 10(-15) microgCcell(-1)h(-1). It is suggested that the ability to produce and release volatile organic compounds of D. salina is related to osmotic conditions established by the ionic strength of growth solution.

Speciation of butyltin compounds in marine sediments by preconcentration on C60 and gas chromatography–mass spectrometry

A new method for the speciation of butyltin compounds by solid phase extraction and direct injection using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC/MS) is described. The compounds were complexed with sodium diethyldithiocarbamate and retained on a C60 sorbent column. The neutral chelates of butyltin compounds were eluted with ethyl acetate containing NaBPr4 as derivatising reagent. The main analytical figures of merit of the proposed method for 10 ml of sample are: linear range 0.2-35 ng/g expressed as Sn; limits of detection, 0.07, 0.09 and 0.10 ng/g as Sn for monobutyltin, dibutyltin and tributyltin, respectively. No interferences from metal ions such as Zn2+, Fe3+, Sb3t, Pb2+, Ni2+ and Mn2+ were observed in the determination of organotin compounds. The validation of method was performed out by the analysis of a standard reference sediment (CRM 462). The method was also applied to the determination of butyltin compounds in marine sediment samples.

Phase recovery from a single undersampled interferogram

A new method of phase determination from a single undersampled interferogram is described. Two low-fringe-density synthetic interferograms corresponding to the phase differences along orthogonal directions are obtained from neighboring pixels of the aliased measured data. The only assumption is that the illumination background, the modulation intensity, and the searched phase are smooth and continuous functions. The synthetic interferograms are demodulated by use of either standard frequency or spatial-domain procedures to obtain the phase differences. The phase is then recovered by integration of the phase differences with a least-squares method. The proposed method is demonstrated to be noise tolerant.

Prognostic value of Pulsatility Index in acute intracerebral hemorrhage

OBJECTIVE

To investigate whether data obtained by transcranial Doppler (TCD) have prognostic value in patients with intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH).

METHODS

A prospective study of patients with an acute (<12 hours from onset of symptoms) spontaneous supratentorial ICH was conducted. Mortality was assessed at 30-day follow-up. TCD parameters were obtained from both middle cerebral arteries: systolic, diastolic, and mean velocities and Pulsatility Index (PI) from the affected and unaffected hemispheres. The following variables were included in a univariate analysis: age, sex, hematoma volume, hypodense volume around the hematoma, total volume, midline shift, ventricular size, Glasgow Coma Scale score, intraventricular hemorrhage, body temperature, white cell count, blood glucose, mean blood pressure, and TCD data. A multivariate analysis was performed with variables that showed significance in the univariate analysis. Receiver-operator characteristic (ROC) curves were obtained.

RESULTS

Forty-eight patients (age 66.5 +/- 12.5 years; 28 men) were studied. Mortality at 30 days was 31%. The only predictor of mortality was the Glasgow Coma Scale score (odds ratio [OR] 0.67, CI 0.53 to 0.84, p = 0.001), whereas the PI from the unaffected hemisphere was correlated with mortality (OR 2.3, CI 0.92 to 5.72, p = 0.07). The area under the ROC curve was 0.92. A cutoff for PI from the unaffected hemisphere of 1.75 showed a specificity of 94% and a sensitivity of 80% as a predictor of death at 30 days.

CONCLUSIONS

The PI of the unaffected hemisphere may be a predictor of death in acute ICH. These findings suggest that intracranial hypertension is the most likely cause of death in most patients with ICH.

Spinal cord compression due to tumoral idiopatic calcinosis

STUDY DESIGN

A case of thoracic spinal cord compression due to tumoral calcinosis (TC) is reported.

SETTING

Galiza, Spain.

CASE REPORT

A 59-year-old man was admitted to our hospital with a 2-month history of gradual leg weakness and sensory deficit. The neurological examination revealed paraparesis with T12 sensory level. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) showed an extradural right posterolateral mass at T11-T12 level, resulting in a marked spinal cord compression. He underwent T11-T12 laminectomy and mass excision. Histological examination finally led to the diagnosis of TC.

CONCLUSION

TC is an uncommon cause of mass lesions of the spine. Since there is no typical spine TC MRI appearance, the final diagnosis is done by histological studies. TC should be considered in differential diagnosis of spinal cord compression and constitutes a treatable cause of paraparesis.

Acoustic and perceptual indicators of normal and pathological voice

The aim of this study was to obtain acoustic correlates to vocal quality of a group of men and women with and without voice disorders, based on evaluations of a group of judges experienced in the field of vocal rehabilitation. In male subjects, perceptual evaluation of normal, hoarse and rough voice qualities was related to the following acoustic features: frequency perturbation measures (JITA, RAP, and SPPQ), amplitude perturbation (SAPQ and VAM), soft phonation index (SPI) and fundamental frequency tremor intensity (FTRI). While these measures presented normal values for normal voice, hoarseness showed some deviations in perturbation frequency variables and very high SPI values, while rough voice showed deviations in all the measures. Qualities of female voices were perceived as normal, breathy and hoarse, but the acoustic correlates of these qualities were less conclusive.

Dietary influence of kefir on microbial activities in the mouse bowel

AIMS

In this work the microflora present in kefir, a fermented milk product, was studied together with the effect of kefir administration on different groups of indigenous bacteria of mouse bowel.

METHODS AND RESULTS

Kefir microflora was composed of lactic acid bacteria, acetic acid bacteria and yeasts. Yeast population was composed of Saccharomyces cerevisiae, S. unisporus, Candida kefir, Kluyveromyces marxianus and K. lactis. The streptococci levels in kefir treated mice increased by 10-fold and the levels of sulfite-reducing clostridia decreased by 100-fold. The number of lactic acid bacteria increased significantly.

CONCLUSIONS

The administration of kefir significantly increased the lactic acid bacteria counts in the mucosa of the bowel. Ingestion of kefir specifically lowered microbial populations of Enterobacteriaceae and clostridia.

SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT OF THE STUDY

This is the first long-term study about the effects of the kefir administration on the intestinal microflora of mice.

Electrochemical platinum coatings for improving performance of implantable microelectrode arrays

The formation and properties of electrochemical platinum films grown on platinum contacts contained in implantable flexible microelectrodes were investigated. The resulting platinum deposits were obtained by applying cyclic voltammetry to baths containing concentrations around 70 mM of chloroplatinic acid. A pre-activation step was necessary before the platinum-electroplating step in order to achieve good adhesive properties. The benefits of this process were ascribed to higher corrosion resistance, lower impedance and improved adhesion to the sputtered platinum. These improvements can make the application of this electrochemical technique highly useful for increasing the lifetime of implantable microelectrode arrays, such as cuff structures (IEEE Trans. Biomed. Eng. 40 (1993) 640). These medical devices, obtained by semiconductor technology could be used for selective stimulation of nerve fascicles, although, poor long-term performance has been achieved with them. The dissolution rate for platinum thin-film microelectrodes under fixed corrosion test conditions was 38.8 ng/C. Lower rates were observed for electroplated microelectrodes, obtaining a dissolution rate of 7.8 ng/C under analogous experimental ageing conditions. The corrosion behaviour of the electroplated platinum during stimulation experimental conditions was estimated by electrochemical impedance spectroscopy.

[Results of C1-C2 transarticular screw fixation in a series of 20 patients]

OBJECTIVE

C1-C2 transarticular fixation is an increasingly used surgical method of treating atlantoaxial instability. When properly performed, it can safely provide fusion rates near 100%, but techniques of fixation in this region allow only a small margin of error. We here report the results of C1-C2 transarticular fixation in a series of 20 patients in which different procedures were selected according to the presenting disorder in each case.

METHODS

The study group included 9 men and 11 women with a mean age of 48 years (range 17 to 68 years). The causes of instabilities were rheumatoid arthritis in nine patients, type II and III Hangman's fracture of traumatic origin in nine (in association with other lesions in three cases), pseudoarthrosis after type II odontoid fracture in one, and type III complex C1 fracture in a patient with ankylosing spondylitis. Preoperative assessment included flexion and extension plain radiographs and computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans. Operations included transarticular screw fixation in all cases; in patients with rheumatoid arthritis it was associated with sublaminar fixation and bone grafting following Sonntag's technique in all but two cases. Postoperative results were evaluated in relation to the biomechanical stability and fusion was studied by flexion and extension radiographs and CT scans. Pain relief in patients with rheumatoid arthritis patients was assessed using a 0-10 visual analogic scale (V.A.S.).

RESULTS

In the traumatic group, a consolidation of the fracture and radiologic stability was achieved in all cases. In patients with rheumatoid arthritis, pain improved in all but not the neurological deficit, and in all cases a C1-C2 biomechanical stability was reached despite interlaminar graft resorption in two (25%) cases. With respect to complications, a lesion of the vertebral artery occurred in one case, deviation of the screw in two cases, and breakage of the screw without clinical repercussion in two other cases.

CONCLUSION

C1-C2 transarticular screw fixation was a useful technique to achieve satisfacory biomechanical stability in patients with atlatoaxial instability of both inflammatory and traumatic origin with a low rate of complications.

Perceptual analysis in different voice samples: agreement and reliability

The objective of this study was to estimate the agreement and reliability of voice evaluation by a group of expert listeners using the central portion of a sustained vowel and a fragment of connected speech as voice samples. Ratings were made using Wilson's Buffalo III Voice Screening Profile. Analysis showed that intraindividual listeners' agreement presented variability in the evaluation of both voice samples. In the evaluation of the central portion of the sustained vowel, interindividual listener agreement was moderate for breathiness, hyponasal resonance, and overall voice rating; in connected speech, agreement was moderate for most voice qualities (breathy, rough, high/low pitch, and hyponasal resonance). Finally, Wilson's Buffalo III Voice Screening Profile presented good reliability values for both voice samples, with overall voice rating achieving higher values (.90) than any other voice-quality variable.