Growth arrest specific gene 6 protein concentration in cerebrospinal fluid correlates with relapse severity in multiple sclerosis.

BACKGROUND: Growth arrest specific gene 6 (Gas6) protein enhances survival of oligodendrocytes and neurons, and it is involved in autoimmunity. Therefore, we aimed to verify whether cerebrospinal-fluid (CSF) Gas6 concentration may represent a biomarker of disease activity in multiple sclerosis. METHODS: Sixty-five patients who underwent a spinal tap during relapse of relapsing/remitting multiple sclerosis (RR-MS)(McDonald-criteria) were studied. Forty patients affected by noninflammatory/nonautoimmune neurological diseases served as controls. Relapse was defined according to Schumacher criteria. Symptoms were grouped according to Kurtzke-Functional System (FS). Clinical characteristics of the relapse, duration, Expanded-Disability-Status Scale (EDSS) change, number of FS involved, completeness of recovery, age, steroid therapy, were categorised. Patients were followed at 6-month intervals to assess relapse rate and EDSS progression. Gas6 was measured (CSF, plasma) by in-house-enzyme-linked immunoassay (ELISA). RESULTS: Higher CSF Gas6 concentrations were observed in relapses lasting ≤60 days (8.7 ± 3.9 ng/mL) versus >60 days (6.5 ± 2.6) or controls (6.5 ± 2.4; P = 0.05), with ≤2 FS involved (8.5 ± 3.8) versus >2 FS (5.6 ± 2.5) (P < 0.05) and EDSS change ≤2.5 points (8.8 ± 3.7) versus >2.5 (6.5 ± 3.5) (P = 0.04). Conversely, CSF Gas6 was not predictive of the completeness of recovery. Plasma and CSF concentrations were not related (R (2) = 0.0003), and neither were predictive of relapse rate or EDSS progression after first relapse. CONCLUSIONS: CSF concentration of Gas6 is inversely correlated with the severity of relapse in RR-MS patients but does not predict the subsequent course of the disease.

Somali current: evolution of surface flow.

The transition of the Somali Current from northeast monsoon conditions to southwest monsoon conditions was observed from April through August 1979. The northeastward flow associated with the Somali Current of the southwest monsoon progressed from the equator in April to 4 degrees N in August. The separation of the current from the coast, as observed at the northern boundary of the northeastward flow, did not intrude north continuously, but rather in distinct steps. South of 4 degrees N, the circulation was characterized by the incorporation of increasing amounts of somewhat more saline water from the south and east into the boundary current. A clockwise gyre with northeastward flow along the coast developed between 6 degrees and 10 degrees N during June.

Volume and heat transports of the Florida current: april 1982 through august 1983.

Absolute velocity and temperature profiles are used to estimate the volume transport through the Straits of Florida and, in combination with historical midbasin data, to estimate the total meridional heat flux through a section at 27 degrees N. The mean annual volume transport of the Florida Current from April 1982 through August 1983 is 30.5 (+/- 1)x 10(6) cubic meters per second. The net northward heat flux through the 27 degrees N section is 1.2 (+/- 0.1)x 10(15) watts. The volume transport is characterized by high values in the late spring and early summer and low values in the late fall and early winter. There is a similar cycle in total heat flux.

Winter intrusions of the loop current.

Sea-surface temperature data obtained from satellite and subsurface temperature data obtained from ships are used to determine the intrusion of the The Loop Current extended considerably farther to the north during the last three winters than has been observed previously.

Subtropical atlantic climate studies: introduction.

This report is an introduction to the accompanying collection of reports that present the results of a 2-year period of intensive monitoring of the Florida Current. Both direct observing systems (ship-deployed current profilers and moored current meters) and indirect observing systems (coastal tide gauge stations, bottom pressure gauge arrays, a submarine cable, acoustic arrays, and radar installations) were used to measure temperature and volume transport.

Oromandibular reconstruction using titanium plate and pectoralis major myocutaneous flap.

To assess whether locking-screw titanium plates (UniLOCK) and pedicled pectoralis major myocutaneous flaps are a valid alternative to complex reconstruction with bony free flaps in poor prognosis or poor performance status oncological patients with mandibular defects, a retrospective evaluation has been made of outcomes in 27 consecutive cases. No patient died perioperatively. Mean operating time was 270 minutes. Post-operative course was uneventful in 14. Mean follow-up was 13 months with no loss to follow-up. Twelve patients are alive and well, 12 died from their malignancy, two from non-neoplastic causes, and one from second cancer. Plate exposure - the main problem with bridging plates - occurred in 6 (22%, 4 early, 2 late), 4 with symphyseal and 2 with postero-lateral defects: removal was necessary in 2; 2 died with the plate exposed, and 2 had successful re-coverage, increasing the final success rate from 78% to 85%. Most patients considered the aesthetic outcome acceptable, however all edentulous patients complained of unsatisfactory dental rehabilitation. From the acceptable success rate, it may be concluded that bridging plates represent a useful reconstruction method, provided they are well covered by viable muscular tissue. They should be offered to patients contraindicated for more invasive procedures or with limited functional needs, or poor prognosis.

Arsenic removal from water by coupling photocatalysis and complexation-ultrafiltration processes: A preliminary study.

Inorganic As removal from contaminated water has been studied by off-line coupling of photocatalysis and complexation-ultrafiltration (CP-UF), showing that this combination permits to obtain a quite complete arsenic removal from the treated water. Two commercial polymers, poly(dimethylamine-coepichlorohydrin-coethylenediamine) (PDEHED) and poly(diallyl dimethyl amnmonium chloride) (PolyDADMAC) have been tested in the CP-UF process. The operating conditions (pH and polymer/As weight ratio) for As(V) complexation were determined finding values of 7.5/20 and 9.2/30 for PDEHED and polyDADMAC, respectively. The UF tests were performed by continuous diafiltration and diafiltration with volume reduction modes. The latter method permits to save the volume of washing solution during polymer regeneration. As(III) was not complexed, operating under the As(V) complexation conditions, thus a pre-oxidation step by using the photocatalytic approach was carried out to remove As(III) species. As(III) conversion to As(V) was evaluated by As speciation by using the CP-UF process for analytical purposes. Photocatalytic oxidation was successfully performed under UV radiation by using TiO2 (0.05 mg L-1), O2 and pH = 9. The oxidation was very fast during the first 10 min following a zero order kinetics (k = 0.83 mg L-1 min-1) and reaching 90% As(III) oxidation. A conceptual scheme coupling photocatalysis and CP-UF and some criteria to operate the CP-UF process, useful to address it towards application, are reported.

Chromium (III) removal by supported liquid membranes: a comparison among D2HEPA, DNNSA, and a novel extractant as carriers.

A facilitated transport study in supported liquid membranes (SLM) using the extraction reagents di-2-ethylexilfosphoric acid (D2HEPA), dinonylnaftalene sulfuric acid (DNNSA), and a novel complexing agent, trimethyl cis,cis-1,3,5-tripropyl-1,3,5 cyclohexenetricarboxilic acid (TTCHTCA) as carriers has been carried out. Organic solvents with different dielectric constants as diluents have been used to obtain the highest extraction and transport values. The results obtained have shown that, by using different organic phases (carrier and/or diluent), SLMs with different ion flux and transport ability can be obtained. The carrier concentration in the membrane and the chromium (III) [Cr(III)] ions concentration in aqueous phase have been varied to see the effect on transport of Cr(III) ions across the membrane. For the carriers D2HEPA and TTCHTCA, the transport of Cr(IlI), both in batch and in recirculation operation mode, has been studied. Very good results in terms of flux and transport have been obtained using TTCHTCA.

In vivo interleukin 2-induced activation of lymphokine-activated killer cells and tumor cytotoxic T-cells in cervical lymph nodes of patients with head and neck tumors.

To study whether regional injection of recombinant interleukin 2 (rIL-2) can induce an in vivo lymphocyte activation in cervical lymph nodes (LNs) of patients with head and neck carcinoma, 12 patients, candidates for prophylactic dissection, were treated for 7-10 days prior to surgery with rIL-2, 10(5) units/day, injected in the perimastoid region. A marked induction of cytotoxic activity against allogeneic (K562 and Daudi lines) and autologous target cells (fresh spindle cell carcinomas of the tongue) was observed in lymphocytes obtained from jugular, spinal, and, to a lesser extent, submandibular LNs of all treated patients. An increase of cytotoxicity was also present in LNs contralateral to the rIL-2 injection side. On the other hand, only a borderline increase in spontaneous proliferation was detected. Moreover, in the two cases tested, a marked and apparently autologous tumor (Auto-Tu)-specific lysis was found in CD5+ lymphocytes obtained from LNs, whereas lymphokine-activated killer activity was mainly exerted by CD16+ natural killer cells. T-lymphocytes, when cultured with irradiated Auto-Tu cells and low doses of rIL-2, showed an increased Auto-Tu lysis, while cytotoxicity against allogeneic tumor cells (including K562) was not observed. These data indicate that regional injection of rIL-2 can activate lymphokine-activated killer cells from LN lymphocytes but also induce and/or expand a T-cell population expressing a restricted Auto-Tu cytotoxicity.

Adjuvant chemotherapy with vincristine, cyclophosphamide, and doxorubicin after radiotherapy in local-regional nasopharyngeal cancer: results of a 4-year multicenter randomized study.

To evaluate the effect of adjuvant chemotherapy in patients with local-regional nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) (squamous or undifferentiated) in complete remission at the end of curative radiotherapy (RT) 229 patients were randomized from 1979 to 1983 in a multicenter study to no further therapy (116 patients) or a combination of vincristine, cyclophosphamide, and Adriamycin (doxorubicin; Adria Laboratories, Columbus, OH) (VCA) for six monthly cycles (113 patients). The RT and RT + VCA groups were well balanced for median age (50 v 49 years), histology (undifferentiated carcinoma, 73% v 70%), tumor extent (tumor limited to nasopharynx, 57% v 57%), and nodal extent (negative nodes 26% v 24%, nodes in the lower cervical levels, 17% v 16%). RT was delivered to the nasopharynx, the base of the skull, and bilateral cervical nodes using a split course technique over 10 weeks up to the dose of 60 to 70 Gy in involved sites and 50 Gy to negative nodes. Response to RT was evaluated within 65 days post-RT treatment. Analysis at 48 months did not show significant difference between the two treatment groups in terms of relapse-free survival (RT, 55.8%, RT + VCA, 57.7%, P = .45) and overall survival (RT, 67.3%, RT + VCA, 58.5%, P = .13). The pattern of relapse was similar in the two treatment arms. Distant metastases were the cause of treatment failure in about 50% of relapsing patients. Although the results of the present study did not show any benefit from VCA administered after curative RT, combined systemic chemotherapy should be further explored due to the high incidence of local and distant failure after intensive RT.