Photoplethysmography-based derivation of physiological information using the BioPoint.

The BioPoint is a new wireless and wearable device, targeting both the ambulatory and on-site monitoring of biosignals. It is described as being capable of streaming and recording the i) electromyography, ii) electrocardiography, iii) electrodermal activity, iv) photoplethysmography, v) skin temperature and vi) actigraphy simultaneously, while making the raw signals recorded by the sensors readily available. However, an in-depth assessment of the biophysical signals recorded by this device, as well as its ability to derive vital signs and other health metrics, remains to be carried out. Consequently, this work proposes a preliminary study to evaluate the quality of the signals that can be acquired by this wearable with a focus on the derivation of heart rate and peripheral blood oxygenation via photoplethysmography. The device is quantitatively compared to the medical-grade pulse oximeter NoninConnect 3245, by Nonin inc. This study was performed with participants wearing the BioPoint at different positions on the body (finger, wrist, forearm, biceps and plantar arch), while the NoninConnect was worn on the fingertip and used as the ground truth. The results show that the BioPoint can accurately determine both heart rate and oxygen saturation from various locations on the body. However, as the BioPoint's photoplethysmograph is not calibrated it cannot be used for medical purposes (non-medical-grade).

Detection of human papillomavirus in large cell neuroendocrine carcinoma of the uterine cervix: a study of 12 cases.

AIM: To investigate the role of human papillomavirus (HPV) in large cell neuroendocrine carcinoma (LCNEC) of the uterine cervix. METHODS: Twelve archival, immunohistochemically and/or electron microscopically confirmed cases of cervical LCNEC were studied. Non-isotopic in situ hybridisation (NISH) was performed on the formalin fixed, paraffin wax embedded biopsies using digoxigenin labelled probes to HPV types 6, 11, 16, 18, 31, and 33. The tumours were then subjected to polymerase chain reaction (PCR) analysis using GP5+/GP6+ consensus primers to the HPV L1 gene, in addition to type specific primers to the E6 and E6/E7 genes. RESULTS: HPV-16 was detected by NISH and/or PCR in seven of the 12 carcinomas. Two additional tumours were HPV-18 positive by NISH and/or PCR. HPV DNA was not detected in the three remaining cases. CONCLUSION: Integration of high risk HPV, in particular type 16 and to a lesser extent type 18, is associated with this uncommon variant of cervical carcinoma.

Kaposi sarcoma-associated herpesvirus/human herpesvirus 8 and multiple myeloma in South Africa.

Kaposi sarcoma-associated herpesvirus/human herpesvirus 8 (KSHV/HHV-8) has been implicated in the etiopathogenesis of multiple myeloma. Although the association is biologically plausible and attractive, conflicting data have been reported, including evidence against the involvement of KSHV in the pathogenesis of the disease. The purpose of this study was to determine the relationship between KSHV and myeloma in blacks in South Africa, in whom the disease is not uncommon and the seroprevalence of KSHV is higher than in the areas in which this association has been documented. Using a nested polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assay, the authors initially tested for the presence of KSHV DNA sequences (KS330(233)) in bone marrow aspirates, bone marrow biopsy material, and cultured bone marrow adherent cell samples of patients with myeloma. KSHV DNA sequences were detected in 4 of 10 (40%) of the adherent cell cultures and 1 of 20 (5%) of the bone marrow aspirate samples. None of the bone marrow biopsy samples (0/9) or control bone marrow aspirate samples (0/19) was positive. To confirm the positive results in the bone marrow cultures noted above and to exclude contamination, the procedure was repeated in a further 7 patients with myeloma and 11 controls with lymphoproliferative disorders using the same nested PCR assay. In addition, the authors used a different set of primers that recognize sequences internal to the 233-bp fragment to yield a final product of 186 bp. The authors were unable to detect any KSHV DNA sequences in the patients with myeloma (0/7) or the control patients with other lymphoproliferative disorders (0/11). Taken together, the finding of a positive result in 4 of 17 patients (23.5%), which is similar to the background seroprevalence rate, does not support a clear association between myeloma and KSHV in blacks in South Africa.

Investigation of human papillomavirus in transitional cell carcinomas of the urinary bladder in South Africa.

AIM: To investigate the prevalence of human papillomavirus in transitional cell carcinoma of the urinary bladder in South Africa. METHODS: Ninety-one archival samples of bladder transitional cell carcinoma were subjected to polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and non-isotopic in situ hybridisation (NISH) for the detection of human papillomavirus 6, 11, 16, 18, 31, and 33 genotypes. RESULTS: HPV was detected in only one case with PCR. HPV was not detected in any of the cases subjected to the NISH system. CONCLUSION: This study shows that although HPV has been shown to be associated with uterine cervical and esophageal squamous cell carcinomas in South Africa, this virus is not present in the transitional cell carcinoma of the urinary bladder in this geographical location. It is suggested that other factors, including nitrosamine exposure, p53 mutation, and additional unknown chromosomal events, may play a role in the carcinogenesis of this neoplasm in the bladder.

Female adnexal tumours of probable Wolffian origin: an immunohistochemical study comparing tumours, mesonephric remnants and paramesonephric derivatives.

AIMS: To establish an immunohistochemical profile of presumed female adnexal mesonephric tumours (FATWO) for diagnostic purposes and to compare the findings with those of mesonephric and paramesonephric derivatives in order to establish supportive evidence for a mesonephric origin. METHODS AND RESULTS: Standard immunohistochemistry was performed on formalin-fixed tissues. Tumours, mesonephric remnants and paramesonephric structures generally show positive staining for vimentin, CAM 5.2 and cytokeratins 7 and 19 but are negative for CK20 and 34 beta E12. EMA is positive in both mesonephric and paramesonephric derivatives but is negative in the tumours. Glutathione S-transferase mu (GST mu) is generally positive in both tumours and mesonephric derivatives but negative in paramesonephric structures. CONCLUSIONS: Immunohistochemistry plays little part in the diagnosis of FATWO. The tumours are generally cytokeratin and vimentin-positive and EMA-negative. GST mu, as a marker for the mesonephric duct, is a useful adjunct. Our findings of the study support but do not prove that FATWOs are of mesonephric origin.

The distribution of alpha inhibin and alpha glutathione S-transferase (delta4-5 isomerase) in the ovaries of patients with endometrial carcinoma.

Estrogen is to thought to play a role in the pathogenesis of low grade but not high grade endometrial carcinomas. The dominant circulating estrogen in post menopausal women is estrone which is formed by aromatization of androstenedione. delta4-5 isomerase, active in the conversion of dehydroepiandrosterone to androstenedione, may be demonstrated immunohistochemically by the antibody to alpha glutathione S-transferase (alphaGST). Inhibin, normally acting to suppress FSH secretion, also has an LH-dependent paracrine stimulatory effect on ovarian stromal cells to produce androstenedione. The purpose of this study was to compare the distributions of alphaGST and alpha inhibin in the ovaries of patients with low grade and high grade endometrial carcinomas. The results show a statistically significant increase in intracytoplasmic alphaGST staining in patients with low grade endometrioid adenocarcinomas compared to high grade carcinomas. There was also a statistically significant correlation between the distribution of alphaGST and alpha inhibin. These findings lend some support to the hypothesis that estrogen plays a role in the pathogenesis of low grade carcinomas; that the increase in estrone is partly due to increased production of androstenedione by the ovary and that this increased production could be the consequence of increased inhibin paracrine activity.

HHV-8 (KSHV) is not associated with bacillary angiomatosis.

AIMS: Bacillary angiomatosis is a rare pseudoneoplastic angioproliferative lesion occurring in patients with AIDS. This condition has been associated with Bartonella henselae and Bartonella quintana infections. Human herpesvirus 8 (HHV-8) is thought to be the causative agent of Kaposi's sarcoma, a vasoproliferative neoplasm, also commonly found in patients with AIDS. The presence of HHV-8 in a cohort of patients with bacillary angiomatosis was investigated. METHODS: Eight cutaneous cases of biopsy confirmed bacillary angiomatosis were assessed for HHV-8 using standard solution phase polymerase chain reaction (PCR). RESULTS: No case of bacillary angiomatosis harboured HHV-8 DNA. CONCLUSIONS: HHV-8 was not demonstrated in the lesions of bacillary angiomatosis and therefore does not appear to play a role in the pathogenesis of this pseudoneoplastic angioproliferative disorder. This finding might be useful in the distinction of bacillary angiomatosis from Kaposi's sarcoma, because lesions from patients with Kaposi's sarcoma almost always contains HHV-8 DNA.

Phylogenetic placement and characterization of a new alpha-2 proteobacterium isolated from a patient with sepsis.

An alpha-2 proteobacterium, previously unknown as determined by its phylogenetic characteristics and the DNA sequence of its 16S rRNA gene, was isolated from a patient who presented an unusual clinical picture, including high remitting fever and multiorgan involvement. The bacterium was detected in multiple plasma samples, obtained during the acute phase of the disease, after cocultivation in cell culture media. Electron microscopy of the organism showed a three-layer laminar cell wall and electron-dense granules within the cytoplasm, as well as a polar flagellum. By means of PCR followed by sequencing of amplified 16S ribosomal DNA fragments, the bacterium was found to differ from all species for which ribosomal sequence information is available. It is here provisionally named the Rasbo bacterium. At a subsequent relapse, the bacterium was identified in pericardial fluid both by PCR/sequencing and by direct electron microscopy. At a second relapse, it was again cultured from plasma. After in vitro adaptation to solid media, the MICs of various antibiotics could be determined. A transient immunoglobulin M (IgM) but no IgG response to the bacterium was found by an indirect immunofluorescence test, as well as by an immobilization test during the acute phase of the disease.

Exposure of dental personnel to chloroform in root-filling procedures.

The exposure of dental personnel to chloroform in root-filling procedures was evaluated. Four different root filling procedures were studied. In all the procedures studied, guttapercha was used as the root-filling material and chloroform or sealers containing chloroform were used. Ten teeth in each group were root-filled. In the first group, chloroform and 5% rosin in chloroform were administered in medical cups, in the second group chloroform and Kloroperka NO was administered in medical cups. In Group three a specially designed glass tube (S-endodip) was used for administration and in the fourth group specially selected plastic tubes were used. In the last two groups the sealers were chloroform and 5% rosin in chloroform. When medical cups were used the exposure reached levels close to the accepted limit values in Sweden, indicating that only one root filling per day can be performed without the dental team being unacceptably exposed. Using either the glass tube or the specially designed plastic tube, the exposure was significantly reduced for the dentist (p < 0.005) and for the nurse (p < 0.005). The mean exposure was 19.1 mg/m3 for the dentist and 11.6 mg/m3 for the nurse in the first experimental group. The mean values in the second group were 15.4 mg/m3 and 16.6 mg/m3 respectively. In the third group, the dentist was exposed to a mean of 4.4 mg/m3 and the nurse to 6.3 mg/m3. In the fourth group, the mean exposure was 2.2 mg/m3 and 3.4 mg/m3 respectively.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Antibiotics in exudate from periapical lesions in dogs.

Forty-eight periapical lesions were induced in the mandible of dogs. Subsequently, the dogs were given a single intramuscular injection of either benzylpenicillin, erythromycin, lincomycin or clindamycin. The antibiotic concentration in serum and exudate from the periapical lesions was measured. The highest concentration of benzylpenicillin in serum (4.3 micrograms/ml) was obtained 30 min after the injection and in exudate (1.8 micrograms/ml) 60 min after injection. The highest concentration of erythromycin in serum (0.8 microgram/ml) was reached after 120 min and in exudate (0.6 microgram/ml) 240 min after the injection. The highest concentration of clindamycin in serum (2.3 micrograms/ml) was obtained 120 min after the injection and in the exudate (2.2 micrograms/ml) after 240 min. The highest concentration of lincomycin in serum (4.2 micrograms/ml) was noted 120 min after the injection and in exudate (4.5 micrograms/ml) 240 min after the injection. The results of this study indicated that the sampling method used might be suitable for analyzing the concentration of antibiotics in a clinical situation.