Calcium electroporation and electrochemotherapy for cancer treatment: Importance of cell membrane composition investigated by lipidomics, calorimetry and in vitro efficacy.

Calcium electroporation is a novel anti-cancer treatment investigated in clinical trials. We explored cell sensitivity to calcium electroporation and electroporation with bleomycin, using viability assays at different time and temperature points, as well as heat calorimetry, lipidomics, and flow cytometry. Three cell lines: HT29 (colon cancer), MDA-MB231 (breast cancer), and HDF-n (normal fibroblasts) were investigated for; (a) cell survival dependent on time of addition of drug relative to electroporation (1.2 kV/cm, 8 pulses, 99 µs, 1 Hz), at different temperatures (37 °C, 27 °C, 17 °C); (b) heat capacity profiles obtained by differential scanning calorimetry without added calcium; (c) lipid composition by mass spectrometry; (d) phosphatidylserine in the plasma membrane outer leaflet using flow cytometry. Temperature as well as time of drug administration affected treatment efficacy in HT29 and HDF-n cells, but not MDA-MB231 cells. Interestingly the HT29 cell line displayed a higher phase transition temperature (approximately 20 °C) versus 14 °C (HDF-n) and 15 °C (MDA-MB231). Furthermore the HT29 cell membranes had a higher ratio of ethers to esters, and a higher expression of phosphatidylserine in the outer leaflet. In conclusion, lipid composition and heat capacity of the membrane might influence permeabilisation of cells and thereby the effect of calcium electroporation and electrochemotherapy.

Which is a better treatment for carotid artery stenosis: stenting or endarterectomy?

Carotid stenosis amenable to surgical or interventional revascularization accounts for 5-12% of all new strokes. Several randomized trials have shown that carotid endarterectomy (CEA) for the treatment of symptomatic and asymptomatic carotid stenosis is superior to medical treatment. Application of a carotid artery stent (CAS) representing a good alternative for many patients. CAS application has become comparatively safe with the use of embolism-preventive systems developed in recent years. Complication rates reported in some randomized trials and case studies in the literature are similar with CEA. CAS may be recommended as the first choice or alternative treatment for patients with symptomatic stenosis carrying high risks for open surgery. However, more randomized studies are necessary to recommend CAS for patients carrying at low surgical risks or patients with asymptomatic stenosis. This is a systematic review of the literature investigating the effectiveness of the treatment methods for carotid artery stenosis.

Ultrasonography and magnetic resonance imaging findings of abdominal complications of cystic fibrosis.

UNLABELLED: In this study, our aim is to discuss the imaging findings of the abdominal complications seen in Cystic Fibrosis (CF), with ultrasonography (US) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Our first case, a 22 year-old female showed changes characterized by severe biliary involvement such as cholelithiasis and cholangitis. Our second case was a 36 year-old male with severe hepatic manifestations. In this case signs of severe cirrhosis, portal hypertension and marked splenomegaly were seen. Micro-gallbladder, cholecystolithiasis and diffuse fatty infiltration of the pancreas were seen in both cases. IN CONCLUSION: US and MRI are effective and noninvasive imaging techniques to evaluate the abdominal complications of cystic fibrosis.

Turban pin aspiration: non-asphyxiating tracheobronchial foreign body in young islamic women.

BACKGROUND: Foreign body aspiration is rare in adults. However, in recent years, the aspiration of pins which are used for securing turbans (headscarves) is seen frequently in young women. The aim of this article was to review 105 patients who were admitted to our hospital for turban pin aspiration. METHODS: Chest X-rays were used for diagnosis. Various methods of treatment were performed: laryngoscopy in 6 patients, flexible fiberoptic bronchoscopy in 16, rigid bronchoscopy in 93, and thoracotomy in one patient, while in the other patient the turban pin was spontaneously expectorated. RESULTS: Localization of the pin in the right bronchial system was common (52%). In 6 patients, turban pins located in the larynx were extracted successfully by direct laryngoscopy. Turban pins were successfully removed with a flexible fiberoptic bronchoscope in 4 patients of the 16 (25%) and by rigid bronchoscope in 93 patients of 94 (99%). The average time until discharge was 18 hours and there was no mortality. CONCLUSIONS: Turban pin aspiration is common in Islamic populations and treatment usually requires bronchoscopic procedures. In order to minimize turban pin aspiration frequency, we recommend that turbans should be secured by traditional fastening methods or with an apparatus which cannot be aspirated.

Near-real-time feedback control system for liver thermal ablations based on self-referenced temperature imaging.

Our challenge was to design and implement a dedicated temperature imaging feedback control system to guide and assist in a thermal liver ablation procedure in a double-donut 0.5T open MR scanner. This system has near-real-time feedback capability based on a newly developed "self-referenced" temperature imaging method using "moving-slab" and complex-field-fitting techniques. Two phantom validation studies and one ex vivo experiment were performed to compare the newly developed self-referenced method with the conventional subtraction method and evaluate the ability of the feedback control system in the same MR scanner. The near-real-time feedback system was achieved by integrating the following primary functions: (1) imaging of the moving organ temperature; (2) on-line needle tip tracking; (3) automatic turn-on/off the heating devices; (4) a Windows operating system-based novel user-interfaces. In the first part of the validation studies, microwave heating was applied in an agar phantom using a fast spoiled gradient recalled echo in a steady state sequence. In the second part of the validation and ex vivo study, target visualization, treatment planning and monitoring, and temperature and thermal dose visualization with the graphical user interface of the thermal ablation software were demonstrated. Furthermore, MR imaging with the "self-referenced" temperature imaging method has the ability to localize the hot spot in the heated region and measure temperature elevation during the experiment. In conclusion, we have demonstrated an interactively controllable feedback control system that offers a new method for the guidance of liver thermal ablation procedures, as well as improving the ability to assist ablation procedures in an open MR scanner.

Tracheobronchial foreign body aspirations in childhood: a 10-year experience.

OBJECTIVE: Tracheobronchial foreign body aspirations comprise the majority of accidental deaths in childhood. Diagnostic delay may cause an increase in mortality and morbidity in cases without acute respiratory failure. We report our diagnostic and therapeutic modalities. METHODS: In our department, bronchoscopy was performed on 548 patients with the diagnosis of tracheobronchial foreign body aspirations (from 1987 to 1997). Of these cases, 55.6% were male and 44.4% female. Their ages ranged from 2 months to 16 years (average 5.5 years). Diagnosis was made on history, physical examination, radiological methods and bronchoscopy. RESULTS: Foreign bodies were localized in the right bronchial tree in 312 cases (56.9%), the left in 126 cases (23.0%) and in the trachea in 62 cases ( 1.3%). Foreign body was not found during bronchoscopy in 48 cases (8.7%). The majority of the foreign bodies were vegetable matters. Foreign bodies were removed with bronchoscopy in all but two cases which underwent limited thoracotomy. In the late period, pulmonary resection was performed in five cases because of irreversible complications. After bronchoscopy, hypoxia developed in four patients, requiring mechanical ventilation. Pneumothorax developed in two cases and mediastinal emphysema in two. Four patients (0.7%) died because of respiratory failure. CONCLUSION: Proper use of diagnostic techniques provides a high degree of success, and the treatment modality to be used depending on the type of the foreign body is mostly satisfactory.

Prediction of functional regions of the maize streak virus replication-associated proteins by protein-protein interaction analysis.

The replication of the geminiviruses depends on the viral encoded early (complementary-sense) proteins and on host genome encoded factors. Additionally, some of the early proteins (the AL2 protein of subgroup III, and the RepA (formerly known as C1) or Rep (C1:C2) proteins of subgroup I geminiviruses) can function as transcriptional activators of virion- (V-)sense gene expression. The yeast two-hybrid system has allowed us to predict some of the functionally important regions of the maize streak virus (MSV) early proteins RepA and Rep. Defined domains of these proteins were shown to act as transactivators in yeast cells. We detected the association of the RepA and Rep proteins, and their subfragments, with the maize retinoblastoma protein (ZmRb1) which is likely to be one of the interacting host proteins. We showed the self-association capability of the MSV proteins and suggest that homo- or hetero-oligomerization may play an important role in virus replication. These results provide new insights into the role of different regions of the MSV proteins in relation to transcriptional activation and regulation of viral DNA replication.

Unusually located hydatid cysts: intrathoracic but extrapulmonary.

BACKGROUND: Hydatid cyst disease is still a problem in Turkey, as well as in many other places in the world. Extrapulmonary location of the disease in the thorax is very rare, and surgical procedures can be considered that differ from those used for pulmonary hydatid cysts. METHODS: We reviewed retrospectively our experience in the surgical treatment of 22 patients with intrathoracic, extrapulmonary hydatid cysts. In our department, 297 patients with thoracic hydatid cysts were managed surgically in the last 14 years, in 22 (7.4%) of whom the cysts were localized extrapulmonarily in the thorax. The locations of these hydatid cysts were a fissure, the pleural cavity, chest wall, mediastinum, myocardium, and diaphragm. RESULTS: Total resection was chosen as the surgical procedure in all patients except 4 (18.2%), 1 of whom had cystectomy and capitonnage for cardiac hydatid cyst and 3 of whom had cystectomy and local curettage for cysts located in the chest wall. Empyema developed postoperatively in 1 case (4.5%) with a cyst in the fissure. The follow-up period was 1 year, and there were no deaths. CONCLUSIONS: Hydatid cyst may be found in many different sites, including extrapulmonarily in the thorax, and bearing this in mind will facilitate planning of the operation.